Throwback photos: 10 legendary Madison supper clubs you'll never eat at again
From the Throwback galleries: A look inside the State Journal's archives series
The supper club is a true Wisconsin institution, and Madison has had some legendary ones. Here's a look at 10 supper clubs we remember fondly.
Minnick's Top Hat
Minnick's Top Hat restaurant operated for 35 years at its location on University Avenue at Branch Street in Middleton. Bill and Alice Minnick closed the place in 1988.
Leske's Supper Club
Leske's Supper Club closed in September of 2001 after being a fixture at the corner of Monona Drive and Broadway since the mid-1950s.
Pines Supper Club
A landmark for more than 30 years, the Pines Supper Club, 2413 Parmenter St., was altered into a private-investment venture. It's pictured here in July 1979.
Namio's Dinner Club
Namio's Dinner Club on Park Street opened in the late 1960s and closed in 1992. It's shown here in November 1982. It was previously the Sherwood Forest Dinner Club.
Nob Hill
The Nob Hill restaurant on South Highway 12 (33 W. Beltline Highway) was once a popular supper club. Part of its interior view is shown in this picture from 1957.
Rohde's
Rohde's Steak House was a popular restaurant at 613 W. Main St. from 1932 to 1982, when it closed. It was founded by Edward and Bertha Rohde. Pictured here is a menu from 1964. Image ID: 106408
Ace of Clubs
The Ace of Clubs, located at 3520 E. Washington Ave., was a popular supper club in the 1950s run by Leo Welch. It was destroyed by fire in April 1958. Welch rebuilt the business on the same site as Welch's Embers.
Poole's Cuba Club
Poole's Cuba Club was a revered Madison supper club on University Avenue that closed on Dec. 1, 1988. It was started by Lyle Poole in 1946 and was known for its steamed shrimp specials, fish fries and steak. The restaurant building is shown here in 1989.
Goal Post Supper Club
The Goal Post Supper Club, located on Branch Street in Middleton, closed in 1989.
Wing's Inn
Wing's Inn on East Washington Avenue was a supper club built by Ralph and Marie Wing in 1933 and operated until it was sold in 1976. This vintage postcard said there was entertainment nightly.
In this Series
Throwback galleries: A look inside the State Journal's archives
Teryl Franklin | Wisconsin State Journal
Senior editor for audience development
Teryl Franklin is the senior editor for audience development for the Wisconsin State Journal. She has worked at the paper since 1996 in a variety of roles, including business editor, city editor and managing editor.
Browse our galleries of throwback photos from the Wisconsin State Journal archives.
The supper club is a true Wisconsin institution, and Madison has had some legendary ones. Here's a look at 10 supper clubs we remember fondly.
Halverson's is the latest supper club casualty in a time when many of the traditional dining establishments are disappearing from the Wisconsin landscape.
In a city known for its multitude of restaurants and its residents' love of good food, these plates stand out. Whether the dish was made by on…
Remember Manchester's department store? What about Woolworth's and Kresge's? Downtown Madison has been home to many iconic shopping hot spots …
First dates. Anniversary dinners. Birthday celebrations. Even tea parties. These events in our lives are often intertwined with our favorite r…
Here's a look at some of the long-lost bars once known as great spots to hear live music. From U2 to Sonic Youth, these night spots once hoste…
Madison's lakes have a long and storied history. Here's a look back at how they have changed over the years.
Tamara Thomsen is a marine archaeologist with the Wisconsin Historical Society and has documented hundreds of dives in the Yahara lakes. She a…
The Monroe Street restaurant is closing two-and-a-half years after the original Fordem Avenue location called it quits.
Ella's Deli and Ice Cream Parlor, a beloved restaurant at 2902 E. Washington Ave., closed Jan. 21, 2018, after 41 years. Owners Ken and Judy B…
Data miners at Yelp, a top business recommendations site, dove into their treasure trove of information to provide the Wisconsin State Journal…
Owners said the closure was "due to the coronavirus and the uncertainty of what the future holds."