It’s hard not to feel like family at Beloit’s beloved supper club. To its longtime owners, that family feel is all part of this club’s enduring charm.
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Wisconsin’s supper clubs are full of traditions, and that certainly holds true at The Butterfly Club, 5246 E. County Road X, in Beloit. As the club marks its 100th anniversary this year, perhaps its most enduring tradition is the way in which all diners are treated like family.
It comes easily for brothers Mike and Hektor Sala, who are also marking 25 years of ownership this year.
“We have family members here 24/7, and we treat everyone who comes through the door like family,” says Aeneas Sala, son of Hektor and his wife, Uljana. “It’s nice when people can come through that door and you know their name, the last time you saw them and what’s going on in their life. That’s something that’s going to keep bringing success for us.”
Familiarity is all part of the aura of the Wisconsin supper club, and this one in particular. Established in 1924 as the Butterfly Tea Room, this spot has evolved through the decades but never wavered in providing a welcoming atmosphere. Indeed, the two dining rooms and spacious bar are like a walk back in time, to an era when wood, leather and brass were the standard.
The cocktail lounge overlooks a deck and picturesque views of the surrounding 11.5 acres. Oversized windows flood the room with natural light as they showcase the lush greenery, stone statues and wildlife outside. Green accents on chairs, floors, walls – even the bar’s leather armrest – complement the scene.
A stage in the corner hosts live music from the likes of the Mike Williamson Trio and acoustic artist Carson Hall.
“The music puts the icing on the cake,” says Mike Sala. “It’s a nice, enjoyable ambiance and people love that. After dinner, they go back to the bar and have an after-dinner drink and dance. So, we want them to have a good evening.”
At the heart of The Butterfly Club’s appeal is a timeless menu that features premium cuts of meat, including filet mignon, New York strip, boneless rib-eye and prime rib – all standard supper club fare.
“I could eat the New York strip and Honduran shrimp every day, but if I feel like going out for dinner, I’m going to go with the rack of lamb,” says Aeneas. “I don’t say this to be biased, but I’ve been everywhere and I think we have the best rack of lamb.”
Seafood lovers can savor options like raw oysters, shrimp and lobster for a perfect surf-and-turf experience.
Not to be left out, supper club traditions such as Friday night fish fry and chicken dinners fill out the menu.
The bar pumps out many kinds of cocktails, including seasonal favorites like mojitos. At The Butterfly Club, they’re made with fresh mint grown right on the patio.
Some might argue the supper club experience is incomplete without a classic cocktail, and The Butterfly Club doesn’t disappoint. The Old Fashioned – with brandy, of course – is the most requested drink on weekends.
“On a Friday and Saturday night, the bar might pump out 600 to 700 Old Fashioneds,” says Aeneas, who runs the bar and helps wherever he’s needed. “People come here because they want that homey feeling, and supper clubs are known for Old Fashioneds. It’s a tradition.”
Since taking over The Butterfly Club in 1999, the Sala brothers have remained faithful to tradition, all while weaving their own rich heritage into its story.
Hal and Mae Sherburne established the Butterfly Tea Room in 1924, naming it for a field of butterflies nearby. They had a kitchen and dining room upstairs, with a lower level that had a bar and two more dining rooms.
They sold it in 1934, and within a few years it had become The Butterfly Club. It traded owners a few times until Mike Molay purchased the club in 1946, just days after his discharge from the Army. He added a new kitchen and dining room, a cocktail lounge, live entertainment and outdoor landscaping. His wife, Sue, kept things going after his death in 1964. A fire destroyed the club in 1972; it was rebuilt in 11 months and sold to the Camboni family in 1977.
Mike and Hektor came along 20 years later in their own pursuit of the American Dream – one which they’ve made their own in the decades since.
The brothers escaped Communist Albania at a time when their country was torn apart by political turmoil and violence. Sneaking out with little more than the clothes on their backs, they made it to America and worked their way into every opportunity they could find. Those early years were filled with hard work and perseverance, whatever it took to make ends meet.
Their arrival in Beloit marked a turning point. Taking over The Butterfly Club allowed them to channel their passion for hospitality and family into an already beloved institution.
“When you are in this industry, you have no choice but to be a family, because you’re dealing with people, not robots or machines,” says Mike. “When we came over here, we looked at supper-style restaurants where we could bring that family feel. This fit perfectly for us.”
The brothers have incorporated their own spin into the club’s menu, adding new items that appeal to a younger crowd while remaining faithful to supper club staples. They continue to adapt with changing tastes.
“When we came here, we eliminated some things from the menu and brought some new items like the lamb chops, so it’s been working pretty well over the years,” says Mike. “We have a menu that we can control now because the older generation is used to having different food than the younger generation. So, we like to please everybody.”
As their family marks this special occasion in The Butterfly Club’s history, the Salas are proud to have kept the club going as a community hub.
“The Butterfly Club will always be a destination, especially for the locals,” Mike says. “For special occasions, birthdays, anniversaries, small wedding rehearsals – all kinds of events.”
A special centennial celebration is planned for early August, and it promises to be a grand affair with live music, food and drinks. Details are still coming together.
Meanwhile, the next generation of Salas are wasting no time making their own mark. Aeneas, who’s spent most of his life around the club and has worked full-time the past two years, looks forward to keeping that family feel for another century.
“My parents and aunt and uncle have done such a great job to create this, and now it’s up to us to see how we can make it better,” says Aeneas. “The sky is the limit.”
The Butterfly Club is open Tuesday through Thursday from 5 to 9:30 p.m., Friday from 4:30 to 10 p.m., Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m.