Wisconsin’s Supper Club Culture: Ishnala Supper Club & The Del Bar, Wisconsin Dells, WI

Have you heard of the concept of a supper club? If you're not from the Midwest, I think the chances are decent that you have not. Not only that, but you've probably never been to one either. One of the benefits of living in the state of Wisconsin is that these supper clubs are still prevalent and one can visit one relatively easily.

A quick Google of the history of supper clubs tells us that these places essentially transitioned from speak-easys to supper clubs soon after Prohibition ended. They morphed into legal establishments where one could enjoy a great meal, with people you knew from your town, for an evening of lively conversation & entertainment. They often had music or comedy during the evening as well. And when you decided to attend a supper club for dinner, this was usually the whole evening. You weren't getting up after the food to go to another place, you were in one place for the night. Part of that, I suspect is the car culture also starting to blossom around this time. Many of the clubs were a "drive" from a suburban area and once you arrived, you were not going to go back out driving. Plus, you'd probably had one, two, three plus Old Fashioneds by that point (also a distinctly Wisconsin thing). Better sit tight, let the hooch wear off by the time you and your group want to head home.

Today, they're often well-run dinner establishments with a focus on high quality meats, service, and cocktails. Often located on a picturesque piece of land or in a historic building, with the décor to match the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Think timber structures and lots of knotty pine inside.

To that end, I went to visit a couple in the Wisconsin Dells area, specifically the Ishnala Supper Club on Mirror Lake and The Del Bar, on a main thoroughfare in The Dells. I only went to check out the former spot, taking pictures all from the outside and the surrounding grounds. And I went into and had dinner at the latter. 

Take a look and see if you'd like to have an evening like these...

...Ishnala to start, simply in order of how I walked around...

Imagine if you were waiting for your table on a balmy summer night, had a drink in hand, and got to sit out here for a spell with your special someone or a larger group/family...

Even a somewhat out-of-the-way beach and what looked like a cool place to rent out...

The dining room is two stories, which I presume is to seat more people with views of the lake out back...

Kinda cool you could get some history as you were there wandering too... (this canoe is original Native American, found at the bottom of the lake, weighed down with large stones. The Native Americans used to "hide" their water craft before moving away for the winter, then come back in warmer weather and get the canoes back out - genius)...

And now for The Del Bar, which I believe was designed by a Frank Lloyd Wright disciple and is a great place to hunker down for some dinner & drinks...

People line up out here each day before opening to score a good seat at the bar, for their happy hour specials

Cool Prairie-like style in many of the furnishings of the place too... 

While they are one of the 2% or less of restaurants in the USA to serve USDAS Prime Beef, I went with their Pork Chop. It was delicious. I do want to go back for an appropriate occasion and have a steak though they also looked pretty awesome.

They're not always easy to find or easy to get to, but I think you should seek out supper clubs near or far from you and check 'em out. I know you'll be glad you did.