Southwest Wisconsin (Monroe)

I'm travelling to Madison and then SW Wisconsin (near Monroe) for the long weekend and found plenty of great tips on Madison. I was hoping someone might have some suggestions for good food in and around the Monroe area, maybe a good supper club, place for desserts, or whatever great food/restaurants someone may know about.

Tons of great things to do in that area.

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... 8a37ce2eeb

http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t= ... =eat+local

for a few suggestions ...

Besides Baumgartner's, I would also recommend visiting the local Turner Hall. It is one of the few operating Turner Halls left in the country and the only one that has a Swiss orientation rather than a German flavor. While the Turner Hall in Milwaukee, http://www.milwaukeeturners.org/Turner-Restaurant/ , is a large, cavernous, dark wood and stained glass affair, Monroe's Turner Hall, http://www.turnerhallofmonroe.org/ , is a much more low key Swiss chalet. They serve dinner nightly.

Buddy

Turner Hall of Monroe, Inc.
1217 17th Avenue
Monroe, Wisconsin 53566
(608) 325-3461

Will be in Platteville, Wi. area(don't ask). Any good dinner places? Will travel to Galena, Dubuque, maybe Prarie Du Chien, etc. but would like to stay closer to where we are staying. Not looking for anything in particular but the wife wants to stay away from what she is calling "whitefish boils". Not much of a fish person, my wife.

Can't help you with that area myself, but you might want to edit your title of your post to be called Southwest Wisconsin.

Hi,

Da Beef's excellent post tracing the Great River Road in Wisconsin will offer at least a few ideas.

Prairie du Chien is mentioned in Da Beef's Wisconsin Burgers post.

If you do searches of Galena and several of your other stops, you will likely find some information.

Regards,

hoppy2468 wrote:Will be in Platteville, Wi. area(don't ask). Any good dinner places? Will travel to Galena, Dubuque, maybe Prarie Du Chien, etc. but would like to stay closer to where we are staying. Not looking for anything in particular but the wife wants to stay away from what she is calling "whitefish boils". Not much of a fish person, my wife.

This part of Wisconsin is not fish boil country, that's Green Bay and Door County. Here is some information of the Southwest part of the State:

http://www.hiddenvalleys.com/

http://uplands.ws/

http://www.southwestwi.com/

Lots to see and do! Don't over look some of the small towns local bars for some great food. One that we have enjoyed is Toffler's in New Glarus just as an example.

http://www.tofflers.com/

If you feel like taking a drive up the MISS to Pepin, WI
We had an Absolutely AMAZING meal at the Harbor View Cafe in Pepin
Be warned it is cash or check only, and there is often a wait,
but you won't beleive the incredible gourmet food at this place!
I haven't posted our trip yet here, but I wrote it up under tripadvisor, with some pix
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserRevi ... onsin.html

Another wonderful and truly worthwhile thing to do in the area is to visit the National Eagle Center in Wabasha MN.
A great and informative presentation and a rare opprtunity to see these majestic birds close up.
We also a great inexpensive lunch in Wabasha at Stacy's kitchen
(also written up at tripadvisor)

I spent a night in the Monroe jail and enjoyed a perfectly warmed tomato soup and nicely done cheese sandwich (American cheese, not Limburger, unfortunately).

sounds like there is an interesting story there...

Hi,

The New Glarus Hotel has excellent Swiss food. The onions soup, kalberwurst and roesti are worth the trip. The Glarnerstube has the local beers.

Tim

http://www.newglarushotel.com/restaurant.shtml

I really enjoyed this thread, Beer and Cheese Tour of Wisconsin: Monroe to Madison, penned by Griffin's Wife. The original post is a few years old, but the thread has more recent posts.

The Potosi Brewery in Potosi is a lot of fun. Great beer, good bar food (love the Catfish fry), and its part of the National Brewing Museum.

I took my annual cheese trip to Wisconsin last Friday. Stopped in at Decatur Dairy for cheese (Brodhead), it was excellent as usual. Then headed over to the Monroe area. I finally found Zubers...I love their sausage. I talked to Mrs. Zuber, and she graciously showed me the meat smokers. (They use hickory sawdust to smoke with.) When I asked her what her favorite sausages were, she quite honesty told me that after 20 plus years of smoking meats, she just didn't care for smoked products any more. I appreciated her candor, and understood how she might feel that way. The annual problem of where to eat lunch once again presented itself. (By the way, I would NOT recommend Turner Hall). I finally decided on a place called the Swiss Alps (near the Swiss Colony Outlet). Make no mistake; this place is like a swissified Denny's. There were a lot of senior diners present, and my overall impression was that it was sort of a depressing place. Still, I was there so I pressed on. The only thing on the menu that looked interesting was Kalbsbratwurst. You could get it as a sandwich or in a dinner "format" covered with gravy. I opted for the sandwich. The sausage was delicate and lightly spiced with nutmeg, split lengthwise and grilled. It was served on a decent hard roll with caramelized onions and mushrooms. Frankly it was the best thing I've eaten in Monroe yet (still looking!).

Swiss Alps ‎
804 4th Avenue West, Monroe, WI

irisarbor wrote:Another wonderful and truly worthwhile thing to do in the area is to visit the National Eagle Center in Wabasha MN.

How do they prepare the eagle? I've heard they can be tough.

now Steve....
you know better.....
The Eagle actually likes rabbit tartar...


My full trip report is here:
http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/Wanderin ... 05748.aspx

Man.. kind of disappointed I had never benn to Monroe til this trip. What a great little town, old tyme downtown square with the courthouse in the middle. Bustling on a Tuesday afternoon. Living in an old town myself that is similar agewise to Monroe I really appreciate how alive their downtown is. Remininded me of a smaller, better, more laid back Galena.

Baumgardners, what more needs to be said about this place, Jim Beam and some Spotted Cow, a reuben, hot dog and a swiss and salami sandwich were all kind. Favorite item was the soft salami and swiss sandwich, simple, perfect. An occasional squirt of the table mustard was all it needed. Reuben was solid, meat and kraut, tasty. Hot dog was a really nice beefy/garlick frank. Place was so cool I had to stop back in for some more Spotted Cows after making my rounds.








salami & swiss:



reuben:



Popped a few blocks over to the Jail House Tap, turns out the building used to be the jailhouse. Enjoyed the scene and some nice $1 drafts of Huber from the Minhas brewery. Nice spot.





A perfectly poured Spotted Cow over @ Swiss Haus finished my rounds before heading back to Baumgardners:



Great little town.

Jail House Tap
1404 12th Street
Monroe, Wi.

Swiss Haus
1602 12th Street
Monroe, Wi.

Jim, what!! No Limburger at Baumgartner's?! I love that part of Wisconsin, Mt Horeb, New Glarus, Monroe, Dodgeville and Mineral Point..... the whole SW Wisconsin cheese swing.

Looks like a much better version of EPCOT Germany/Switzerland. Thanks.

What a well timed post! Now I can spread the word that Monroe's biannual Cheese Days event is coming up next month; September 12-16. The tiny town puts on its best face and serves up some good grub. Lots of food stands. Be ready to stand in a long line for the Deep Fried Cheese Curds. There's a small bodega off the main square that serves up some dandy al pastor tacos from street cart. And of course, the big tent of Artisan Cheese makers from around the area; plenty of samples and all the cheese you care to purchase. It's a great weekend wrapped up on Sunday with the World's Worst (and longest) Parade!

The Roadhouse family has plans to go up on Sunday the 16th. Maybe we'll see some LTHers at Baumgartner's.

Buddy

quick road trip was in the cards for the day after thanksgiving.

Popped up to Monroe for a stop at one of my favorite places, Baumgartners in Monroe, man i love this town, it is what i wish Marseilles, Ottawa, or any of the Illinois river towns could be. Vibrant, active, and a simple spot like Baumgartners would be a haven. A healthy Jim Beam pour and sip of Spotted Cow and the drive north faded from memory.

Chili was ok but was appreciated on a blustry november day, their garlicky beef hotdog is really well done, the star was a soft salami sandwich with swiss and some squirt bottle house mustard.



A stop at the Turner Club for a holiday craft show allowed me to check out the building and the grand hall. Place oozed history and energy, the grand hall would be an impressive spot to see Panic:


my kind of fun:




I seperated from the girls and hit the Jailhous Tap for a $1 draft of Huber & then onto Suisse Hause for some more Spotted Cow:



I have a thing for old theatres/moviehouses, found this one interesting as the marquee is set away from the entrance. Goetz Theater opened 1931:



Cant be in this area and not head up the road to New Glarus, I enjoyed a quick visit to the tap room for the $3.50 sampler glass and 3 tastes, great deal. Then popped over to Puempels Olde Tavern. Never visited before, but liked the looks of it. Salami and cheese sandwich was solid, liked the horseradish on the table as well. Cool spot, no tv on, no misc, just folks conversing, playing cards and enjoying a drink and a sandwich.



A Wisconsin style Friday night fish fry is what I was in search of, passed on options in New Glarus, the VFW in Monroe, a supper club in Brodhead. Went with Billys Sandtrap in Brodhead. A cool little restaurant at the Decatur Lakes Golf Course. Read a few good things about their fish fry and after enjoying a drink and chatting with the owner decided to give them a try. Place was hopping and only gonna get busier.

Great view of the golf course and lake, and Billy makes a top notch southern comfort old fashioned(this drink was a butt kicker):



ayce walleye, potato pancake + salad bar...... $11(excellent):



top notch.

Puempel's Olde Tavern
18 6th Ave.
New Glarus, IL.

http://www.puempels.com


Billy's Sandtrap
N3941 Golf Course Road
Brodhead, WI.

608-897-2777

jimswside wrote:A stop at the Turner Club for a holiday craft show allowed me to check out the building and the grand hall. Place oozed history and energy, the grand hall would be an impressive spot to see Panic:

I just got off the phone with Dave Schools. He's working on it.

jimswside wrote:Great view of the golf course and lake, and Billy makes a top notch southern comfort old fashioned(this drink was a butt kicker):

Is that an olive in there with the cherries? Kind of an odd match if so.

jimswside wrote:ayce walleye, potato pancake + salad bar...... $11(excellent):

That fish looks killer. Thanks for posting, Jim.

Good eye on the olive, i was hungry and the bartender offered it up....

Must be a Wisconsin thing with the olive. We were just coming home from Milwaukee and a quick pit stop at Mars Cheese Castle. Wife was grabbing a few things so I hit the bar for an Old Fashioned and when finished the girl asked Olives or Cherries for garnish. I also went for an Olive!

pushed my day trip boundries a bit this past Saturday(12.5 hours, 350+miles). Rolled up to the Rockford area to pick-up jvalentino for a quick shot into sw wisconsin. Monroe, New Glarus, then Madison:

Baumgardners, cow and a sandwich:




Hit the brewery tasting room at New Glarus for some short glasses then hit Ruefs for some brats, always forget to get some from them on past visits, gonna do them tonight.

Been to New Glarus a few times, but never had been into Glarner Stube til this past Saturday, 2nd stop in NG after Puempel's:



nice to see:



surprise food item of the trip for me was the Roesti we ordered off the menu @ Glarner Stube. Hash browns, but with a layer of funky, melted swiss cheese(sorry, no good pic). Going ot make Glarner Stube a regular stop.

jimswside wrote:
surprise food item of the trip for me was the Roesti we ordered off the menu @ Glarner Stube. Hash browns, but with a layer of funky, melted swiss cheese(sorry, no good pic). Going ot make Glarner Stube a regular stop.

Yep, good to my word, been to Glarner Stube the past 2 weekends, main reason that damn Rosti they serve.



man, that big plate of potatoes and cheese works - especially with some Spotted Cows. Tip, eat some when its piping hot, then let the cheese cool, really increases the cheese funk.

I also got the lake perch sandwich this last visit and it was ok. Surprise was a minestrone type soup with swiss cheese in it., bartender said it was a house specialty - pretty frickin good is all I know.

Yup, them Cheeseheads sure like to live up to their nickname. Case in point:

Mrs. Roadhouse and I did a circle tour of Wisconsin last summer; driving up to Milwaukee, cutting across the southern part of the state through Madison, then running along the Mississippi to Duluth, cutting across the southern shore of Lake Superior, and finally dropping down Hwy. 51 on our way to Green Bay.

It was during that last leg that we encountered what appeared to be a classic Wisconsin Supper Club (the name and specific location escape me at the moment, I'll update if that information becomes available) tucked away in a winding corner of the road. It was well into dusk and we were getting hungry, so this looked like a perfect place to stop. Upon entering, we discovered the menu was not the usual selection of fried fish, steaks and chops but offered a full list of Cajun and Creole offerings.

It was an unexpected and unexpectedly good meal, but it was the first time I'd ever been served a plate of Jambalaya with cheese melted on top. I'm guessing any native New Orleanian reading this is gagging right now, but I'll tell you what, It wasn't bad at all.

Maybe Louisiana and Wisconsin need to put together some kind of cross cultural food exchange. I wonder what Cajun Cheese Curds would taste like...

Buddy

Was it Blue Bayou in Manitowish Waters? I believe the founder called it "As far north as the South will ever get."

Spot on!

We did some nice horsetrading with the owners, swapping some Roadhouse Bar-B-Que Sauce for bottles of their excellent Tartar Sauce, Remoulade, and dry seasoning mixes.

Buddy

Blue Bayou
288 U.S. Highway 51
Manitowish Waters, WI 54545
(715) 543-2537, (800) 533-9671
http://www.bluebayouinn.com/