Located on Silver Spring Roadin Menomonee Falls, Schwabenhof is more of acomplex than a clubhouse. It has to be, considering its role as the meetingplace for the largest German ethnic group in the state, theDonauschwaben“ethnic Germans that lived outside of Germanyin the Slavic regions of Eastern Europe predominately along the Danube River,” as the group describes itself. Schwabenhofbegan as a clubhouse for Donauschwaben Vergnügungsverein and three otherDonauschwaben clubsthe Apatiner Verein, the Mucsi Familienverein and theMilwaukee Sport Cluband eventually grew into a full-fledged tavern and restaurantwith an outdoor beer garden surrounded by a 300-car gravel parking lot and nineregulation-size soccer fields.
Friday night finds the400-person banquet hall filled to the gills with devotees of the belovedSchwabenhof fish fry. The waiting listan hour long at peak dining timescan besidestepped with a reservation, though spending an hour in the bar and twoadjoining rooms can be fun. Order a tall Weiss beer garnished with a slice oflemon and sit back for some people-watching: The rooms are filled withfamilies, many featuring three generations, and the walls are lined with framedphotographs of members, some wearing traditional folk costumes, of a bygoneera. The trophy collection tells the story of the soccer teams that have playedthere, and the beer steins on the shelves are a reminder of the Old World.
The Schwabenhof serves aclassic Wisconsin fish fry, a time-honoredtradition popularized by German Catholics observing meatless diets on Fridays.$10.95 gets you all the cod you can eat, and includes a choice of potato:baked, German salad, pancakes, or french fries. A small portion of crisp, lightcoleslaw, creamy homemade tartar sauce and a slice of rye bread accompany themeal. If you've consumed enough fish this Lenten season, the Schwabenhof dinnermenu also includes entrees that have garnered their own faithful following,such as the Old World fried chicken andbarbecue ribs. The well-trained wait staff weaves quickly in and out of thepacked room, delivering second and third servings of fish to the masses andensuring not a single glass is left empty.
The Friday night fishfry is just one of the many social gatherings the Schwabenhof hosts in a givenweek. The smoke-free banquet hall, as well as the outdoor pavilion and picnicarea (which together seat about 1,200 people from June through October) havebeen the location for many a party, from birthdays and reunions to proms andweddings. To feed their guests, event planners choose from the facility'scatering menu: Buffet-style, sit-down, and even late-night sandwiches andpicnic food are offered. True to its roots, the Schwabenhof also accommodatestraditional German activities, such as Schlachtfest, a celebration of the fallpig slaughter and, of course, Oktoberfest.
The Schwabenhof is located at N56 W14750 Silver Spring Road,Menomonee Falls.
The Schwabenhof serves food Wednesday11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The bar is openTuesday-Thursday 3 p.m. to 1 a.m., and Friday 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. For moreinformation, call (262) 510-9042.n
