With a history dating back to the 1930s, the country’s first round bar, and a retro tropical atmosphere, there’s a lot to like about this popular spot.
by David Brierley
At the tail end of the Great Depression, a man named Frank Roller designed and built a tavern featuring a round bar, which would turn out to be the first of its kind in the state of Wisconsin – and the country. Roller’s Round Bar became The Palms in the mid-1940s, after Butch and Helen Palm purchased the property and continued to operate it.
Fast forward to today and you’ll find that the current proprietors, Tony Snoeyenbos and Anna Anderson, run the restaurant as The Palms Supper Club. The longtime friends have owned the supper club, popular with locals and newcomers alike, since 2018. Let’s find out what makes this place so special.
Driving down East Grand Avenue in Weston, you’ll easily spot the sign for The Palms with its distinctive logo: simultaneously a letter P and a palm tree. As you pull into the parking lot, which wraps around both sides of the building, you take in more details: The distinctive building with its original roofline from the 1930s, PALMS spelled out in large capital letters on the front of the building, and the neon “open tables” sign just below.
Just outside the front door, which is on the left side of the building as you face it from the road, there’s a fantastic palm tree sculpture.
The sculpture was hand crafted from scrap metal by local artists from the company EchoScapes.
Once you enter the front door, you’ll take an immediate right to enter the barroom. To your right, you’ll find the host stand where you can check in. The Palms takes reservations every night except Fridays, but it’s worth coming early to grab a cocktail or two at the bar.
To your left, you’ll see the famous round bar. Built from a single oak tree in the 1930s, the bar still gleams under the subtle barroom lighting. Padded stools make it a comfortable spot to grab a drink from one of the professional bartenders and relax until your table is ready.
The old fashioneds are, as expected, outstanding. As an added little bonus, garnishes are stabbed with a cute palm-shaped cocktail pick. It’s just one of the many palm-themed items that helps The Palms live up to its name.
The palm theme could have easily been overdone, but thankfully, Tony and Anna did a great job of keeping it tasteful. Rather than make the interior look like a tacky tiki bar, it looks more like a classy, old-school restaurant with a tropical theme. The light walls and ceiling with the stained wood bar, leafy potted plants, and palm decor reminds me of a tropical vacation in the 1950s or 60s (or at least what I imagine that would look like).
Even the frosted glass panels that separate the barroom from one of the dining rooms have palm trees etched in.
If you’re feeling comfortable at the bar and don’t care to move to one of the dining rooms, you’re welcome to eat right where you are. The bar can be set up for dining, with wooden trays designed to fit the bar rail so you don’t have to lean over to get to your food.
It’s a classy touch, and lets you know the owners have thought of every detail.
If you’d rather be seated at a proper table, you can choose to dine in one of the two dining rooms, or on the deck if the weather is nice. The dining rooms carry the theme through, continuing the light walls and ceiling, wood accents, and potted palms.
The tables are topped by those classic vinyl table coverings found at many supper clubs, and each table has its own two-tiered, rotating caddy with a candle on top and condiments and drink menus on the bottom.
Once you’ve been seated, you can take a look at the menu and decide what you’ll be dining on this evening.
Appetizers include some usuals and some unique options. Cheese curds, jumbo shrimp, crab cakes, onion rings, and ahi tuna are all available. If you’re in the mood for something a little different, you can opt for walleye cheeks, kabobs, or palm nuts, which are bacon, jalapeño, cheddar cheese, and chive croquettes that are hand breaded and fried. Yeah, that kind of sounds like a must-have.
The menu includes some sandwiches, with options like burgers, grilled chicken, and a shaved prime rib french dip. Other light options consist of a cobb salad, a salmon salad, and a pan seared ahi tuna salad.
Starting off the regular entrees, The Palms offers some tasty cuts of steak. Tenderloin and ribeye are available every night but Friday, and prime rib is available on Wednesday and Saturday starting at 4 PM.
Other entrees include a pork prime ribeye, barbecued ribs, chicken cordon bleu, and the seafood options: Canadian walleye (available pan-seared, deep fried, or cracker crusted), grilled salmon, snow crab, jumbo shrimp (available grilled or beer battered), and lobster.
The Palms still uses the original charcoal grill, which is a fairly unique feature. Anything cooked over charcoal typically tastes about ten times better, in my opinion, so you really can’t go wrong with any of their grilled options.
Entrees are served with soup of the day or salad, plus house-baked bread and choice of a side: vegetable, baked potato, potato salad, cottage cheese, rice blend, or french fries. Or, you can upgrade to the baked french onion soup or the twice baked potato.
Fridays have a dedicated menu that’s – not surprisingly – heavier on the seafood. This is Wisconsin, after all. The Friday menu adds poor-man’s lobster and some combos, plus clam chowder, but also keeps the ribeye and french dip for those who aren’t in the mood for fish.
The Palms is open for lunch, too, with a special menu offering lighter options and more sandwiches and wraps.
Whatever you decide to order, it’s sure to be tasty. And it’ll be served fresh from the kitchen by the incredible waitstaff, many of whom have been with The Palms for years.
Once you’ve conquered the fresh baked bread, appetizers, salad or soup, and your entree, be sure to ask about the house made desserts. You can never go wrong with homemade sweets. And, The Palms offers some delicious after-dinner drinks in fancy glasses.
After dinner (or before, or during… really whenever you want), take a look around at the art on the walls of the supper club. It’s all created by local artists (within a 60 mile radius), and it’s all for sale. That’s a pretty cool concept, if you ask me.
From the local artists they support to the local events they sponsor, it’s clear that Tony and Anna love the community they live and work in. Those local-forward values, plus their obvious enthusiasm for the work they do, has created a place that draws people from near and far. It’s certainly worth stopping in to check it out for yourself.
Take a look at The Palms Supper Club’s website for more information on their history, the local art, and their menus. Follow The Palms on Facebook to keep up with specials and other updates.
Check out our interactive map that shows the supper clubs we’ve visited to find one near you. And, as always, there will be plenty more supper club fun to come.
Interview with Anna Anderson, General Manager & Partner, The Palms Supper Club
Out & About Wisconsin: How long have you been managing The Palms?
Anna Anderson: Tony Snoeyenbos and I had talked about having a restaurant together for many years. Tony loved going to the Palms, so he and the old owner worked out a deal and the rest, as they say, is history! That was in May 2018.
When Tony first asked me, I said no. As the days went on, I changed my mind and have never looked back. Being back in Wausau among lifelong friends and a large network was the
perfect answer for my last working phase before retirement. The Palms is now my home and the hard work the staff and I put in has [provided] us with a great place to work and a fun and rewarding way to make a living.
O&AW: What did you do before this?
AA: I have a long history of restaurant management in the Wausau area. I managed the historical Hiawatha Lounge from 1984 to the mid 1990s, and then again from 2008 to 2015. With the passing of the Hiawatha family patriarch in 2014, I quickly realized it was time for me to venture off to other places. I searched for an industry job back in the northwoods, my home area.
Between [managing] Hiawatha and the Palms, I worked at a beautiful place in Hayward for a year, and then a family-owned place in St Germain that has since been sold.
With Tony and I being lifelong friends, the partnership at The Palms was a natural one. Tony put me in charge and off I went. With my Wausau area history and The Palms already having a wonderful core staff, putting together an A-team was easy. To this day, we are still all working together. I love to say The Palms staff is as seasoned as its all-natural charcoal grill!
O&AW: Tell me about the trays for eating at the bar.
AA: It is a wooden tray that fits the bar rail to make dining easier while sitting at the super-cool round bar. Tony and I had more made.
O&AW: Where did the palm tree out front come from? Tell me about that
AA: We are slowly adding more pleasing and eye-catching outdoor additions. That palm tree was hand designed and crafted by a local super-talent. Their company is called EchoScapes.
O&AW: What are some other unique features that set your supper club apart from others?
AA: The Round Bar is number one. But ranking just behind that and mostly always in a tie are: The service, the food quality, the staff, the warm comfy feeling the place seems to provoke in all who enter, the always changing local art displays, the consistency, and great cocktails.
O&AW: Everyone has a different definition of a supper club. To you, what makes The Palms a supper club?
AA: The warm, non-rushed dining experience along with personal touches, non-intrusive music, scratch-made bakery and desserts, and the feeling that you are treated special in a special setting by an extremely experienced staff.
O&AW: What have you and Tony changed since you took over?
AA: Most everything imaginable aside from six or seven inherited staff members, the round bar, and the original charcoal grill. From the top to the basement, we have added, removed, built, replaced, re-covered, etc.
O&AW: What are your more popular menu items?
AA: Anything grilled. Steaks and lobster. Also our walleye and ribs are huge sellers.
O&AW: Tell me about your weekly dinner specials.
AA: Our super-slow cooked prime rib is always served on Wednesdays and Saturdays starting at 4 PM. Friday is always the fish fry menu. The other weeknights, it is always Chef’s choice. Lunch is 11 AM to 4 PM daily as well.
O&AW: Do you host any special events?
AA: We donate certificates on a daily basis to all and any local area charity events. We also sponsor events in the area.
Our large dining area is often used for parties, showers, gatherings, funeral lunches, etc. Because of the [dining room’s] size, the patio that is out its back door, and [its separate] full service bar, it’s a popular choice for all types of celebrations.
O&AW: Anything else our readers should know about The Palms?AA: I have learned this is true, and I really do LOVE saying it to first time visitors: “Welcome to The Palms, where regulars are made after one visit. I know we will see you again soon and–most likely–often!”
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/
Three can’t-miss features:
1. Original round bar made from a single tree
2. Special trays for dining at bar
3. Original, all-natural charcoal grill