Supper Club Pop-Up Returns to Barnacle Buds
Gene's Supper Club will continue through February with classic Midwestern fare, seafood and ice cream cocktails.
Barnacle Bud’s. Photo by Cari Taylor-Carlson.
As of early November, Barnacle Bud’s has gone into hibernation.
The riverside restaurant will remain on hiatus until warmer weather returns, but in the meantime, visitors can look forward to warm crab cakes, crispy calamari, fried cheese curds and other comforting dishes from Gene’s Supper Club.
The perennial pop-up, now in its third season at 1955 S. Hilbert St., also promises oyster service, desserts and “loads of specials,” according to chef Ben Crevensten.
With a cozy setup featuring just eight tables and six bar seats, Gene’s Supper Club is reservation-only, and parties are limited to six guests or fewer. What the restaurant sacrifices in space, it makes up for in ambience—glowing string lights, flickering candles and sloped ceilings evoke more ski chalet than seafood shack.
This year’s revamped menu retains Midwestern must-haves like the supper club relish tray, an assortment of fresh and pickled vegetables accompanied by crackers and port wine cheese spread; fried cheese curds with house seasoning; and pan-fried chicken cutlets with spaetzle and roasted mushrooms.
Like Barnacle Bud’s, Gene’s brings a focus on seafood with entrees like jumbo shrimp, Mexican-inspired mussels and halibut served atop creamy polenta with preserved lemon gremolata. From the grill, guests can expect ribeye, smoked Duroc pork, lamb chops and wild-caught sockeye salmon.
The pop-up features products from local partners like Buddy’s Meat Market and Alaska Fresh Seafood, along with imports from companies such as Sogno Toscano.
A drink menu features classic cocktails including the brandy old fashioned, sidecar and cranberry Collins, with a zero-proof Lyre’s gin and tonic also available. A curated wine list is designed for pairings, with a selection of ice cream drinks—Brandy Alexander, grasshopper, pink squirrel, Bud’s old fashioned—to end the meal on a sweet note.
During the month of November, Gene’s is hosting a food drive to support the Bay View Community Center’s food pantry. Guests who bring a food donation will receive a complimentary ice cream cocktail, with a zero-proof option available by request.
Supper club service kicked off Nov. 5 and will continue through Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14. It’s open Wednesday through Saturday from 4 to 9 p.m., with reservations available to book online.
The Bay View pop-up, named for owner Gene McKiernan, is not to be confused with Gene’s Supper Club at 4323 N. 60th St., which closed in 2022 after losing a legal challenge to a 2021 license nonrenewal action by the Milwaukee Common Council.
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