The Del-Bar Supper Club

If you have spent any amount of time asking people where to eat in Wisconsin Dells, there is a very good chance someone has told you to go to The Del-Bar. The restaurant has been around since 1943 and is still operated by the third generation of the Wimmer family, making it one of those Wisconsin institutions that has had plenty of time to build a reputation. After hearing about it more times than I could count, I finally made the trip, and I am happy to report this is one of the few cases where the hype is deserved.

From the food and service to the old-school vibes, The Del-Bar is the quintessential Wisconsin supper club experience.

Ambiance

The Del-Bar immediately gives you that classic supper club feeling without feeling frozen in another era. The dining rooms are spacious and brighter than the bar, while the bar itself is darker, warmer and considerably more intimate, the kind of place where you could easily lose track of time over a drink. There is an elegance to the restaurant, but it is not stuffy, just romantic, relaxed and polished. The variability in the layout can accommodate a cozy dinner for two or a larger group or family. The service was also absolutely phenomenal. Shout out to our waiter, Christian, for the fantastic experience.

What I ordered (and my honest thoughts)

Appetizer: Del-Bar Swedish Meatballs ($14). Meatballs with a cream demi-glace and dill served over spaetzle. These were the surprise star of the appetizers for me. The sauce was so good that I genuinely could have eaten it with a spoon and grabbed my check. I normally lean toward a red sauce with meatballs, but this combination completely won me over.

Sassy Cow Cheese Curds ($14). Fried cheese curds with honey mustard. This was probably the one thing we ordered that did not leave me thinking about it afterward. Wisconsin has no shortage of excellent cheese curds, so ordering them at a restaurant like The Del-Bar feels like a missed opportunity to try something a little more distinctive. They were not bad by any means, they just were not the kind of curds that make you forget every other cheese curd you have ever eaten.

Entree: Filet Mignon, Medium Rare ($52). With choice of potato or salad. The filet was cooked exactly the way I wanted it, with a beautifully tender texture and a rich, beefy flavor. We added the chef's butter, which melted right over the steak and gave it another layer of savory flavor without overpowering the meat. I still cannot get over it.

Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing. I do not normally expect a salad to be one of the things I remember most from a steak dinner, but this one absolutely was. That hot bacon dressing was easily one of the best salad dressings I have ever had. Just like the Swedish meatball sauce, I could have drunk this by the gallon.

Blackened Chilean Sea Bass ($52). With basmati rice, coconut curry and fresh mango salsa. This was the dish I never would have ordered if I had not seen it on someone else's table first. The combination of toppings was not only beautiful but delicious. The fish was excellent on its own, but the coconut curry and mango brought enough sweetness, spice and freshness to make this one of the most memorable dishes of the meal.

Dessert: Creme Brulee ($9). Of course, we had to finish with creme brulee. This was an excellent version: a properly torched, crackly top, smooth custard underneath and a very satisfying crunch-to-cream ratio. There was nothing particularly experimental, just a really well-executed classic.

Overall impression

The biggest compliment I can give The Del-Bar is that it actually lived up to the enormous reputation surrounding it. This is not simply a restaurant that survives because it has been around forever; the food is genuinely good, and there is enough variety on the menu that the experience is not limited to steak and potatoes.

The Del-Bar manages to hit a nice middle ground where it feels like a special-occasion restaurant without making you feel like you need to whisper or dress for a gala. It is expensive compared to a typical Dells dinner, but the prices make more sense when you consider the quality of the food, the portions, the service and the fact that this is meant to be an entire evening rather than a quick meal. If you are visiting Wisconsin Dells and want one dinner that feels like an actual Wisconsin experience rather than another tourist restaurant, this would be very high on my list.

What you need to know (the a la carte version)

• It opens at 4pm daily. Happy hour runs Sunday through Thursday from 4 to 6pm in the bar lounges.
• If you want a table, make a reservation. The Del-Bar accepts reservations for the dining room which can often fill up even on weekdays. The bar is a legitimate alternative. If you cannot get a dining-room reservation, the bar serves the full dinner menu. It is first come, first served, and also gives you a more intimate version of the supper-club atmosphere.
• This is not a cheap Dells dinner. The Del-Bar is pricey with a steak or premium seafood entree alone priced at around $40 to $70. The atmosphere and food make it worth it but do not get caught off guard.
• The supper-club tradition is part of the point. Do not expect to rush through dinner. Plan on making it an evening of food and drinks rather than expecting a quick in-and-out dinner.
• If you only remember one food recommendation: get the spinach salad with hot bacon dressing. I came for the steak and seafood, but that dressing is the thing I am still thinking about.