5 O'Clock Club   

There are a number of trendy Milwaukee steak restaurants where being seen and looking sharp are as important as what's on the menu. Coerper's isn't one of them. The neighborhood around Coerper's is sketchy at best, hence the armed guard watching your car while you eat. The dark wood-paneled decor is '50s kitsch, and you don't have to be dressed in your best to eat here. However, Coerper's isn't concerned with style; they're more intent on cooking up quality food. Massive, juicy steaks are the reason this dining institution is packed with people five nights a week. T-bones, New York strips and Coerper's signature filet mignon are smothered in a buttery sauce and cooked to perfection. The steaks are tough to finish in one sitting, even by the heartiest carnivores, but Coerper's wraps up the leftovers in a plastic bag so you have a snack (or entire meal) for later. Dinner includes a large salad, excellent sourdough bread and a relish tray that harkens back to northwoods supper clubs. And like an old-school supper club, dinner is ordered at the bar before you even sit down, which gives you a chance to begin the overindulgence by sipping a brandy old-fashioned. -- SM