By David Brierley
There were two things I was not expecting to find when I visited the small northern town of St Germain: A classy supper club with a stellar prime rib, and a tropical outdoor tiki bar. Yet, I found both. In one place.
That place is Ohde’s Pub ‘N Prime Supper club, located on the curved intersection of State Road 70 and County Highway J. The building is long and low with white siding and a black roof, and appears very neat and tidy.
Attached to one end of the supper club is the outdoor tiki bar, complete with tropical fish (wall decorations), colorful parrots (neon signs), palm fronds (ceiling fan blades), tiki masks, and other miscellaneous tropical decor.
While the sides of the tiki bar are open during the tropical-feeling summer months, they’re closed off for winter by heavy duty canvas sides with big plastic windows. Heaters keep the space surprisingly warm even during cold, snowy days, making it a destination for snowmobilers.
If you enter the building’s side door from the tiki deck, you’ll find yourself in the supper club’s classy, split-level cocktail lounge. Why is it that a split-level lounge instantly makes a space seem old school, yet decidedly classy? Perhaps it’s because these spaces are just not typically found in modern restaurants.
In any case, the bar has standard high stool seating on one side, and low seating on roller chairs along the other side. The bar is an odd shape with multiple angles, and the lounge also offers several high-top tables and a couple of booths, so seating is ample.
The space is decorated impeccably in a style that is simultaneously classic and classy. The chairs and booths all have matching green upholstery, and the copper-topped bar is trimmed with wood. Behind the bar are glass shelves lined with bottles, backlit by blue glass.
Lighting in the room comes from hanging, lantern-style lights with Edison bulbs over the bar, and similar square wall sconces. The theme continues into the dining rooms, one of which stretches from the lounge along the length of the building. Large picture windows framed by rockwork complete the upscale look of the supper club and provide views of the landscape beyond.
The supper club is laid out in somewhat of a circle. For the sake of simplicity, let’s call the bar the bottom of the circle, or the 6 o’clock position. As you go clockwise around the circle, there’s a hallway with the restrooms at 9 o’clock, the main reception at 10 o’clock, and a dining room at 11 o’clock. Another dining room begins with a single row of tables right at 12 o’clock and stretches around the corner, continuing clockwise.
The portion of the dining room at 3 o’clock contains a supper club holy grail: the salad bar. Pub ‘N Prime’s salad bar may look small at first glance, but there’s a lot packed into that space. Lettuce and spinach, all the salad toppings you can imagine, various pasta salads, coleslaw… the works. Plus, there’s a soup station with steaming hot homemade soups.
All this talk of food is making me hungry. Let’s grab a spot at the bar so we can order a cocktail and an appetizer. Pub ‘N Prime’s bartenders whip up a very tasty old fashioned served in a hurricane glass (that fancy, curvy glass with a stem like a wine glass). If you like your old fashioned sweet a little less sweet, try ordering it as a press: half Sprite, half club soda.
When it comes to appetizers, Pub ‘N Prime’s selection is fairly extensive. Choices range from typical supper club fare to unique snacks you won’t find anywhere nearby. Items like jalapeno poppers, haystack onion rings, fried mushrooms, mozzarella sticks, shrimp cocktail, cheese curds, chicken strips, and coconut shrimp round out the regular items. For a more unique taste, try the cajun prime bites, alligator, or seared ahi tuna.
Once you’ve finished up at the bar, follow your server to your table in the dining room. Here you can go ahead and dig into the main portion of the menu.
Aside from the salad bar, Pub ‘N Prime offers a couple other salad options if you’re feeling like something lighter. But, come on… this is a supper club. You’re probably here for meat (or seafood) and potatoes.
While speaking with Dee, one of the owners, I learned that Pub ‘N Prime is known for their prime rib (the name makes more sense now, doesn’t it?). Apparently, her husband is something of a prime rib connoisseur and has nailed down the perfect meat selection and cooking method.
Once I heard this, I had to try it for myself. While I’m not a food critic, I have to say it was one of the best (if not the best) prime rib I’ve ever tasted. It has a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture, and offers an incredible flavor without being over-seasoned. So, if you have a prime rib craving, Pub ‘N Prime may be the spot for you.
The supper club offers alternate steak options, too, like a ribeye, filet mignon, and ground sirloin. Even if you’re not in a steak mood, Pub ‘N Prime has you covered with choices such as barbecued ribs, polynesian prawns, deep fried shrimp, coconut shrimp, porterhouse pork chop, fresh Atlantic salmon, orange whiskey chicken, and broasted chicken. There’s also a selection of burgers and sandwiches, and – of course – a Friday fish fry.
All dinner entrees include a choice of potato (fries, mashed potatoes with gravy, baked potato, or wild rice) and a bowl of soup with one trip to the salad bar. If you’re not feeling any of the potato options listed, you can add a premium side, like asparagus, barbecued ribs (literally a side of barbecued ribs – wild!), loaded baked potato, or a prawn. And, while steaks come garnished with sauteed mushrooms, you can add sauteed mushrooms or onions or a bleu cheese topping to your entree.
The waitstaff at Pub ‘N Prime is laid back yet efficient, with prompt service and that friendly, we’re-already-good-friends northwoods charm. And the food – well let’s just say it’s going to be a challenge to save room for dessert, because everything is, quite frankly, fantastic.
If you can save room, however, you should. Pub ‘N Prime has some delights in store, with the usual ice cream drinks, cheesecakes, and – my all time favorite dessert – homemade carrot cake. Being that it’s my favorite, I’ve tried a lot of different restaurant carrot cakes, and this one is my favorite so far.
While it might not be right in your backyard, Pub ‘N Prime is worth the drive for a day-trip. The tiki bar is an experience unto itself, and the lounge and restaurant whisk you back to a more relaxed era of upscale dining. So relax, dig in, and enjoy. That’s what supper clubs are all about.
To keep up with the latest news and specials, be sure to follow Pub ‘N Prime’s Facebook page.
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.
Where in Wisconsin is this supper club?
Address: 8085 State Hwy 70 E, St Germain, WI 54558
Nearby landmarks: Located in the small town of St Germain, between Minocqua and Eagle River.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/pubnprimetikibar/
Three can’t-miss features:
1. Attached tiki bar
2. Split-level cocktail lounge
3. Outstanding prime rib