Editor’s Note: This is an updated version of our story on The Palms. Check out the original story here!
By Peter Lindblad
Not just a conversation piece, the round bar at The Palms Supper Club in Weston has a special magic to it. The same could be said for the restaurant itself and the talented, hard-working crew that keeps it running like clockwork.
A unique piece of history, it’s been a part of the building since 1936. Tony Snoeyenbos, one of the owners, said that it was originally thought to be the first of its kind in Wisconsin. Then, they discovered it might have been the first one in the entire country. (Click here to learn more.)
“We don’t know for sure, but that is the story and we’re sticking to that, for sure,” said Anna Anderson, the other co-owner. “It’s a great bar to sit at. You make friends. You can see everybody here.”
During The Great Depression, a local named Frank Roller planned to build a tavern with a round bar, which became known as “Roller’s Round Bar.” It was constructed of oak from a single tree. Near the end of World War II, in the mid 1940s, the place was sold to Butch and Helen Palm, who rechristened the local landmark as “The Palms.”
Decades later, Snoeyenbos and Anderson entered the picture. The longtime friends first met in their late teens at another establishment in the mid 1980s. Through the years, they talked of owning a bar and a restaurant together.
“When he first asked me in late 2017, I got a Facebook [message] from Tony saying, ‘Hypothetically, if I bought The Palms, would you run it?’” related Anderson. “And I said, ‘No.’ He goes, ‘You don’t want to talk about it or anything?’ And I said, ‘Not today. I’m on a beach in Puerto Vallarta…’ or wherever I was.”
The more she thought about it, though, it seemed a perfect fit. Snoeyenbos hoped Anderson would run the place. It’s one of the only reasons he considered buying it.
“I’d been coming off a long career at a restaurant in town, with a guy who was kind of like Tony, who let me do what I do, and didn’t interfere. And that’s what he promised,” said Anderson.
A supper club made sense, since they were both at a point where they didn’t want to deal with some of the shenanigans that come with closing a bar late in the evening. Anderson likes that they’re done by 10 p.m.
“It’s a whole other feel from where we were, but it’s been going really, really well,” said Anderson. “We bought it in May of 2018. We’ve quadrupled the business from what was going on here at that time.”
The staff is a big part of The Palms’ success. According to Anderson, the core has worked together for a long time, and they have a special bond with their customers.
“People know who’s working when they’re coming in,” said Anderson. “I think that’s the most amazing thing we’re offering.”
For his part, Snoeyenbos feels that Anderson is the most amazing thing about The Palms. When the two took ownership of The Palms, they “amped up the menu,” according to Anderson, while maintaining its supper club feel, with its retro tropical environment and artwork on the walls. Having four degreed chefs on staff results in phenomenal food, said Anderson.
Not only does The Palms offer steaks and lobster, plus other grilled items and supper club classics, the head chef, Matt Lawson, bakes bread in a single-ingredient bakery, and it is special.
“We’re probably only place in town that does that,” said Snoeyenbos.
Anderson added, “I would think so – single ingredient, no preservatives, desserts and all of that, and a supper club feel like always. Take your time, come in, get your table, have a drink at the round bar, get an appetizer … we don’t rush you off the tables.”
Although, there is a rush during Friday night fish fries. Still, delicious desserts and after-dinner drinks such as Grasshoppers and Brandy Alexanders certainly extend dining experiences at The Palms. (Click here to learn more.)
It’s that laid-back, friendly atmosphere that keeps regulars coming back, along with popular dishes like the shaved prime rib sandwich, one of Snoeyenbos’ favorites. He also likes the new sushi, especially the tuna, and the French onion soup.
“There’s not a thing on the menu I don’t like,” he confirmed.
Open at 11 a.m., The Palms offers lunch, unlike most supper clubs.
“We do an extensive lunch menu, which I know is not easy to pull off, having a busy enough lunch to be open, but we do and we’re proud of that,” said Anderson.
The homemade prime rib hoagie is one of the restaurant’s biggest sellers, said Anderson. She’s also proud of their barbeque ribs.
Chiming in, Snoeyenbos added, “They are the best ribs I’ve ever eaten – not just around town, but anywhere. Best ribs anywhere in the world.” (Click here to learn more.)
For seafood, along with the lobster, The Palms offers crab legs and sells tons of walleye, according to Anderson. Walleye cheeks are a one-of-a-kind appetizer, and they come with The Palms’ secret tartar sauce.
There’s a drink of the week, too, that runs in the local newspaper. Bartender Penny Borchardt is known for mixing up crazy, yet absolutely delicious, cocktails. Snoeyenbos called her a “rock star.”
And she’s part of a staff, led by manager Tiff Wright, that really is family. (Click here to learn more.)
“Most supper clubs are owned by a family, and a big thing with supper clubs is to have that family photo right when you walk in,” said Anderson. “My family photo in my entryway is the staff. I mean, we’re all in there. That picture, Tony is in there with us, which makes me so happy. That’s probably four years old now.”
It might be time for an update. Although there have been a few changes, the core of the staff has remained the same for years. Anderson and Snoeyenbos kept the same staff after purchasing The Palms. Anderson and her friend Debra Leitermann have been working together since 1984. Anderson credits her with bringing in the lunch crowd.
While Snoeyenbos is usually in Florida, Anderson appreciates that he has her back. With such an old building, some things go wrong.
“It’s comforting to have him for moral support, and financial if we need it,” said Anderson. “Thankfully, we don’t need it. We’re doing very, very well, so our dynamic is perfect.”
No matter what, every day at The Palms is memorable, according to Anderson. That’s because a good time is always had. “We always have fun, we for sure do,” said Anderson. “I could never have done anything serious, but that dang staff … there’s not another restaurant I’ve seen that’s had that many staff together for that long. So, we know each other’s pets and kids, we go to Fourth of July picnics together. It’s ridiculous. It’s awesome.”
Where in Wisconsin is this supper club?
Address: 5912 US-51 BUS, Weston, WI 54476
Nearby landmarks: On Business 51/East Grand Avenue, just north of Wisconsin 29 and just east of the Wisconsin River.
Website: https://thepalmswausau.com/
Anderson’s three can’t-miss features:
1. “Penny’s cocktail of the week, because they are very well thought out. The recipes are very well-thought out, creative recipes, so you’ve got to have that cocktail of the week.”
2. For an appetizer, Anderson mentioned the Wisconsin-style cheese curds, but she emphasized how good The Palms’ walleye cheeks are with their very own tartar sauce. “Which is so secret they won’t even make it when I’m in the room,” she exclaimed. Anderson said they have the best tartar sauce, and the walleye cheeks are amazing.
3. For an entrée, Anderson’s advice is to “have a lobster tail, have a third rack of ribs, have our cracker crusted walleye, it’s insanely popular, and then for dessert, one of Matt’s made-from-scratch cakes or cheesecakes, which we offer every day.”