Photo by Ron Faiola
Dreamland Supper Club sign
Although not entirely unique to Wisconsin, supper clubs are part of the state’s culinary heritage. They came into their own in the years following World War II as middle-class prosperity grew and adult couples—and families—looked for casual elegance and good food—lots of it!
Safe to say that no one knows more about Wisconsin supper clubs than Ron Faiola. The Milwaukee author-videographer directed the documentary on the supper clubs broadcast on PBS in 2011. This led to several books on the subject for Evanston, IL’s Agate Publishing, starting with the colorfully illustrated Wisconsin Supper Clubs (2013). Faiola is back with a revised, expanded edition. Wisconsin Supper Clubs: An Old-Fashioned Experience profiles 54 supper clubs from across the state, including 15 new or overlooked in the first edition. Two of the entries, Diamond Jim’s and The Steakout, are in Milwaukee County.
Wisconsin Supper Clubs logo
“My goal was to find some new hidden gems and worthy destinations around the state,” Faiola says. “I’m constantly updating my Club List on wisconsinsupperclubs.com, so I’m always aware of the what is going on with the clubs.”
It’s a big job. “I was on the road in for five months in 2022—from June through October,” he continues. “At each club, I’d arrive about an hour or two before they open to interview the owners. I take photographs of the club, the people, and the food. Once I’m done, I head back to my motel to type up my notes and review the photos. Then on to the next club in the morning.”
Supper clubs have been fighting to survive in a world of corporate chains, many of them marketed as family friendly or “elegant casual” or steakhouses. “Of course, there’s some blurring of the line between supper clubs and steakhouses,” Faiola says. “For me, a steakhouse is a place one goes to entertain clients on an expense account. Most importantly, supper clubs offer full meals—soup, salad, entrée and sides. High-end steakhouses are invariably a la carte. Plus, they are corporately owned, sometimes as a franchise. Supper clubs are a family business.”
Despite the competition, Faiola says there “has been a tremendous increase in the preference for supper club dining in the last several years. People take my books along with them to get them signed by supper club owners and staff. They post photos of their evenings—drinks, food, selfies, etc., on social media, which gets a lot of attention. That wasn't happening so much 10-12 years ago.”
Faiola will sign copies of his Wisconsin Supper Clubs: An Old Fashioned Experience at one of Southeast Wisconsin’s premiere supper clubs, the HobNob in Racine, 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25. He will speak about his book and give a slide presentation at Boswell Book Company, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30.
