Why This Hortonville Wisconsin Supper Club Has Meat Lovers Driving Hours For Dinner
Nestled in the heart of small-town Wisconsin, there’s a legendary supper club that has become a pilgrimage site for serious meat enthusiasts.
The Fox Club in Hortonville might seem unassuming from the outside, but inside, it’s a carnivore’s paradise that draws visitors from Milwaukee, Chicago, and beyond.
What makes people willing to spend more time in their cars than at their dinner tables just for a meal at this particular establishment?
1. Where Brandy Old Fashioneds Flow Like Water
The Wisconsin supper club experience begins before the food arrives, specifically, with a proper brandy Old Fashioned. Not the whiskey-based version popularized elsewhere, but Wisconsin’s signature cocktail featuring muddled fruit, bitters, and brandy topped with soda.
The “sweet” or “press” variations come garnished with booze-soaked cherries that have been marinating long enough to develop their own personality. Alongside that cocktail, the relish tray appears, a lazy Susan packed with raw vegetables, pickles, and spreadable cheese that proves some throwback traditions survive for good reason.
2. The Prime Rib That Built a Reputation
Friday and Saturday nights bring out Black Otter’s star attraction: prime rib that justifies every mile of highway between wherever diners started and 503 S Nash Street. The beef arrives seasoned simply with salt and pepper, slow-roasted until achieving that sweet spot between fork-tender and satisfyingly substantial.
The cut comes in different sizes, from “regular” portions that would satisfy most appetites to the “king” cut for those who view moderation as a character flaw, each slice featuring a pink center with a seasoned crust, accompanied by au jus rich enough to drink and horseradish sauce with genuine bite.
3. Fish Fry Tradition Meets Landlocked Excellence
Prime rib might grab headlines, but Black Otter’s menu reads like a love letter to Midwestern supper club tradition. The walleye pike, either broiled or fried, honors Wisconsin’s Friday fish fry heritage, while Yellow Lake perch arrives lightly breaded and crispy.
Broiled haddock proves landlocked states can handle seafood with confidence, and for special occasions, cold water lobster tails and jumbo shrimp remind diners that Wisconsin’s culinary reach extends far beyond cheese curds.
4. Steaks Cut By Hand, Cooked to Order
Hand-cut steaks get the same careful treatment as the prime rib, with the ribeye’s marbling creating natural juiciness and the New York strip delivering leaner beef with robust flavor.
For serious appetites, the porterhouse stands as a monument to excess done right, while the broiled pork chops and bone-in ham steak prove that beef doesn’t monopolize the spotlight. Even the chicken, often an afterthought elsewhere, receives proper respect with tender broiled breasts or Cajun-spiced versions that add just enough heat.
5. Potatoes Worthy of Their Own Conversation
The sides at Black Otter receive the same attention as the main events, with baked potatoes emerging from their foil wrapping ready for butter and sour cream. Hash browns achieve that ideal crispy exterior with tender centers, available loaded with cheese and onions for those who believe restraint is overrated.
The au gratin potatoes deserve special mention, cheese-covered layers that would make French chefs nod in approval and complete the kind of meal that requires strategic planning regarding belt tightness.
6. The Atmosphere That Time Forgot (Intentionally)
Dark wood paneling, corrugated metal wainscoting, and comfortable seating create an environment where hustle doesn’t exist. The lighting strikes that rare balance: dim enough for ambiance, bright enough to actually read the menu without squinting.
Servers operate with professional efficiency, remembering regulars’ preferences while guiding newcomers through house specialties, and tables belong to diners for the evening—no rushed courses or pointed glances toward waiting customers.
7. Where Farmers and Anniversary Couples Share Space
Black Otter’s dining room brings together an unlikely mix that somehow makes perfect sense, with work clothes sitting comfortably near anniversary outfits and multi-generational families occupying tables near groups of friends catching up over drinks.
Everyone understands the unspoken agreement: this meal deserves time and attention. Desserts arrive as boozy finales, grasshopper pie offering mint-chocolate refreshment, or ice cream drinks serving as both sweet ending and nightcap in the most Wisconsin way possible.
8. Making the Journey to Hortonville
Hortonville sits off Highway 15, surrounded by dairy farms and countryside that looks particularly stunning around dusk. The parking lot stays surprisingly full for a random weeknight in a small town, offering the first hint that Black Otter operates on a different level than typical rural restaurants.
For menu details, hours, and special events, Black Otter Supper Club maintains an active Facebook page and website at 503 S Nash St, Hortonville, WI 54944, a destination that rewards every minute of navigation confusion through rural Wisconsin roads when prime rib cravings demand satisfaction.
