OMG. "Vintage" doesn't even begin to describe this place…read more
Pitch's Supper Club may be one of the most unique, unbelievable, and downright astonishing restaurants I've ever had the pleasure of visiting.
I love a supper club. So when people start whispering in hushed, reverent tones, "If you love supper clubs, you have to go to Pitch's," naturally, I'm intrigued.
So off we went.
But honey, you are not ready.
Nothing can prepare you for what awaits when you climb the grand stone staircase and open a door that, if not for the sign out front, could easily belong to any house in a quiet Milwaukee neighborhood.
Step inside and you're greeted by the cheerful pinging of gaming machines and a row of devoted patrons who look as though they've been sitting there since they got off work sometime in 1987. Whether they were winning anything is anyone's guess. I didn't see Jon Hamm, but the Mad Men comparison felt appropriate.
Then your eyes adjust.
And you begin to marvel.
Every era from the 1930s through the 1960s seems to be represented here. It's part grandmother's parlor on a special occasion when the plastic covers came off the furniture. It's part mob hangout where you fully expect Al Capone to emerge from a back room behind the kitchen to settle accounts. It's part old-school supper club, part community gathering place, and somehow, against all odds, it works perfectly.
The dark wood bar glimmers beneath soft lighting while a FIFA championship match plays on television. Staff and patrons alike are glued to the screen. You almost feel guilty interrupting.
Then the bartender shuffles over.
"What can I get you? Ladies first."
And just like that, you're transported to another era.
His name is Jimmy.
You could honestly stop your evening right there and have a perfectly wonderful experience. Jimmy is the maestro, the magician, the historian, the keeper of secrets, the teller of jokes, and, incidentally, the bartender. In many ways, he's the beating heart of Pitch's.
His cocktail-making style is fascinating, unconventional, and completely his own. The result? One of the best martinis I've ever had. Judging by the smiles around the table--and the number of repeat orders--the Brandy Old Fashioned Sweets were equally exceptional.
As we headed to our table, Jimmy delivered a perfectly awful dad joke that left us in stitches. We laughed about it--and about Jimmy--for the rest of the evening.
Jimmy has been a fixture at Pitch's for more than 30 years. And while I know no one is irreplaceable, I suspect Pitch's wouldn't quite be Pitch's without him.
So whatever you do, Jimmy, don't go anywhere.
The lovely Carmela escorted us to our table. Since we were the final seating of the evening, we immediately assumed we were about to experience the dreaded rushed end-of-service dinner.
We could not have been more wrong.
Enter Jane.
Imagine if Flo from Alice walked straight off the television screen and into your dining room--but somehow even warmer, kinder, and funnier.
Jane was extraordinary.
She was patient, attentive, and genuinely delightful. Not once did she rush us, even when we became the last guests remaining in the restaurant and hadn't yet ordered dessert. She treated us as though we were the most important table in the room--even when we literally were.
Jane made our evening special, and we're grateful for her hospitality.
And then there was the food.
Spectacular.
Most of our group indulged in Pitch's World Famous BBQ, available in several forms and all worthy of its reputation. The house-made BBQ sauce is absolutely outstanding and fully lives up to the hype.
One member of our party ordered the Chicken Parmesan special. The homemade tomato sauce was rich, flavorful, and clearly made with care. Served over perfectly al dente pasta, it was a standout dish and earned rave reviews from our table.
Eventually, reality called.
We stopped by the bar to say goodbye to Jimmy and made our way toward the door.
And there was Carmela again.
Not only did she walk us out, she accompanied us all the way down the staircase and graciously took a group photo for us before sending us on our way.
What a night.
What a memory.
I can't wait to return.
Pitch's may not be for everyone. If you're looking for sleek, modern, trendy, and curated, you may be missing the point. But what some might call old-fashioned, I would call authentic. The retro charm, the unforgettable characters, the warm hospitality, and the genuinely excellent food combine to create something increasingly rare:
An experience.
And in a world that seems determined to make everything look the same, Pitch's remains gloriously, unapologetically itself.
As Rod Serling might have said:
"There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition..."
It is an area which we call...
Pitch's Supper Club.