Walk through The Ranch's doors, and the Friday fish fry buzz hits you immediately—clinking glasses, sizzling platters, and servers weaving between packed tables. The amber glow from the bar catches your Old Fashioned just right in its cut-crystal glass, a solid start to what the locals already know is coming.

The walleye arrives golden on round dinner plates, the crispy coating giving way to flaky white fish underneath. Watch the server deliver plate after plate of the Friday special—cod alongside the walleye, both holding their heat well. The salmon earns praise too, fresh and well-prepared enough to convert doubters.

When the oval sizzling platter hits the table, steam still rising from the rib eye, expectations run high. Some cuts arrive perfectly seared and cooked to order, while others come out blue-to-rare when medium was requested. The prime rib shows similar inconsistency—some nights the melted edges frame a perfect pink center, other visits bring cold meat that needs a return trip to the kitchen.

The relish tray lands early, its pressed-glass plate holding those familiar black plastic ramekins. Pickled vegetables, cheese spread, and crackers—nothing fancy, but the kind of starter that sets the Wisconsin supper club tone. The sides tell their own story: wild rice cakes earn raves, while the potato and onion dish sometimes suffers from too much time on the heat.

Service keeps pace even when the place fills up, which happens fast after 5 PM. That 45-minute wait gives you time to work on that brandy half-sweet Old Fashioned, and the staff handles the crowds with the kind of efficiency that comes from practice.

At certain price points, you expect more consistency from the kitchen. When steaks arrive cold or cooked wrong, when sides come overdone, it chips away at what should be a reliable supper club experience. The Ranch has the bones of a great place—the Friday fish fry proves that—but the execution on pricier items needs work.

Still, watch the parking lot fill up week after week, and you understand the appeal. The Hayward area locals have claimed this spot as their Friday night tradition, and when everything clicks—the walleye crispy, the drinks cold, the atmosphere buzzing—you see exactly why they keep coming back.