by David Brierley
History is a big part of what makes supper clubs so special. A restaurant’s past adds to its atmosphere and ambiance – it’s something you can tell as soon as you walk in. Newer places just don’t have the same feel. Many put in a good effort, but it’s not something that can be easily recreated.
Many supper clubs date back to the days of Prohibition, when their locations on the outskirts of small towns created the ideal locale to sell alcohol without getting caught. Not many, however, have a history as interesting and colorful as that of The Vintage House.
It started out as a roadhouse in the early 1900s, was operated as a brothel at one point, and even served the likes of Al Capone. Check out the sidebar to learn more.
When you arrive at The Vintage House, its roadhouse roots are pretty clear. It’s a two-story colonial style building (in my architecturally uneducated opinion) with cream color siding, a dark red roof, and matching accents. It’s set alongside the Yellow River and Highway 10 at least 10 minutes outside of the nearest city, Marshfield.
Once you’ve parked, you’ll enter through the main door directly into the barroom, which is a very good place to start. The bar itself is one of the best I’ve seen, with graceful curves at each end, a white top with a black ledge creating a bar rail, and wood paneling at the front.
The backbar (the cabinets and shelves behind the bar) matches the bar’s art deco aesthetic, with a thick curved frame around mirrors, white top, and stained wood. It’s no wonder the setup appears so authentically vintage, considering it was built in 1929 by a local cabinet shop.
Settle in on one of the padded barstools, check in with your reservation, order an old fashioned, and take a look around at the rest of the room. You won’t be disappointed. With memorabilia ranging from the Green Bay Packers to the original Rat Pack, the walls are covered in interesting things to look at.
Speaking of interesting things to look at, it’s time to check out the menu. The Vintage House’s owner and chef, Ron Weis, sticks mainly to the supper club classics – and that’s a good thing. Some restaurants tend to have far too many options and stretch themselves too thin. Sticking to a more reasonable number of items cooked to perfection prioritizes quality over quantity.
You can order appetizers at The Vintage House like coconut shrimp, cheese curds, and hickory smoked chicken spinach dip. There are also a couple of salad options, plus a full supper club classic salad bar.
Several sandwiches are available, including a burger, a prime rib sandwich, a grilled chicken sandwich, and even a reuben. If you’re in the mood for pasta, there are choices ranging from a teriyaki stir fry to Maine blue crab ravioli. Seems like it’s hard to go wrong with options like that.
Next we come to the real supper club classics: Seafood and steak. Seafood offerings include fresh salmon, shrimp scampi, deep fried or coconut shrimp, and stuffed jumbo shrimp.
If you’re feeling more like steak, you can choose from a New York strip, filet mignon, and fresh cut ribeye.
In addition to all that, The Vintage House has some daily specials worth checking out. Wednesdays are for baby back ribs and steak. Thursdays are for shrimp, when 12 different varieties are offered. Fridays, of course, are for the fish fry. And Saturdays are reserved for prime rib served in your choice of three different sizes.
The Vintage House also does something a little different: They serve a brunch buffet on Sundays. While it’s not a typical supper club meal, it’s a great addition to The Vintage House’s repertoire. I mean, who doesn’t love a good brunch?
Once you’ve had enough time to kick back at the bar and pore over the menu, you’ll head to your table in the intimate, L-shaped dining room. Bar and table service at The Vintage House is warm and friendly – even if it’s your first time visiting, you’ll feel like you’ve been coming here for years.
After a filling and satisfying meal, don’t forget to stop back to the bar for one of their huge, delicious ice cream drinks. They’re worth saving room for.
Another great feature worth mentioning is the chef’s secret tasting menu, an event held once a month. It’s not advertised, so you’ll have to actually go there to find out when it is and to sign up. It’s a popular event that usually sells out, and includes many courses of unique and interesting foods you might not find anywhere else in the state.
Keep up with The Vintage House’s specials and events by following them on Facebook. And, when you see Chef Ron mingling with patrons, be sure to say hi. He can tell you some great stories about the supper club’s history.
Vintage House history
The Vintage House was built in the early 1900s as a roadhouse. The stagecoach and Pony Express frequently used this stop as it was conveniently located just west of the Yellow River crossing.
The current bar is the original, built in 1929 by Mid-State Cabinet Shop in Marshfield. In the 1930s, the roadhouse became a speakeasy as well as a brothel and game house. The second floor consisted of seven bedrooms, each containing a bathtub. Patrons paid at a window at the top of the stairs before going in.
During Prohibition, notorious gangsters Al Capone and John Dillinger frequented the establishment while running moonshine up and down the Yellow River.
In the late 1930s, the first floor became a dance hall with dining upstairs. The Yellow River Inn was opened in the early 1940s. In 1945, Slim Ward purchased the building and opened Slim’s Steakhouse.
In 1946, State Highway 10 was widened, requiring Slim’s to be lifted and moved 50 feet back, to where it is presently located. This construction caused the restaurant to be closed for nearly a year, opening just in time for New Year’s Eve.
In the 1960s, Slim’s was bought by Baumer, a retired ball player for the New York Yankees. Baumer’s was then sold to Shorty Bloczynski a few years later, becoming Shorty’s Supper Club. When the building was purchased by Bob and Sharon Geldernick some time later, it was renamed the Yellow River Inn once again.
In 1982, Jerry and Darleen Southern purchased the property and opened it as Country Pines Supper Club. Country Pines served the area for 17 years before it was sold to the current owner, Ron Weis, in February 2003.
Ron lived in Lodi, California, for 28 years and worked as a chef in a five star resort. He returned to his roots and brought with him a taste for great food and wine. He renovated the restaurant and named it The Vintage House.
If you haven’t already, don’t forget to join our Supper Club VIP group; you’ll be entered in our monthly drawing for a $50 gift card to an area supper club. You can also check out our past articles, as well as an 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: 10150 US-10, Marshfield, WI 54449
Nearby landmarks: Located where Hwy 10 crosses the Yellow River, about 10 minutes southwest of Marshfield, 40 minutes northwest of Wisconsin Rapids, and 40 minutes west of Stevens Point.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/VintageHouseMarshfield
Three can’t-miss features:
1. Original curved bar built in the 1920s
2. Chef’s tasting dinners
3. Colorful history