Sconnie's is a new pub and eatery that occupies the space Cheffetta's had left vacant after their move downtown. I had assumed "Sconnie" was the proprietor's name, but I got a news flash from the waitress, apparently "Sconnie" is a nickname for a Wisconsinite. Perhaps I am simply uninformed, but I had never encountered this nickname before. The name and the overall theme of the place is supposed to be one revolving around Wisconsin. The front has a small bar, a few tables, TVs, and sports paraphernalia throughout. At the time of my visit the crowd was very boisterous and loud due to a sports game on TV. My husband and I decided to dine in their rear dining room.

It is a small room with large picture windows and a view of the Fox River. The room had a chill to it and as I entered I noticed a TV screen hanging from the top corner of a wall with a picture of a burning fireplace - too bad it didn't give off any heat. There were white linen table clothes and large clear vases with fresh flowers, but the décor was offset with rolled paper napkins. The place attempts a dichotomy of sports bar in the front and fine dining in the rear - unfortunately this attempt seems more like indecision. The menu had your usual sandwiches and burgers, a children's menu, and main entrées such as Prime Rib Oscar, Cedar Plank Salmon, and Grilled Fajitas. The servers were friendly and casual, just like their clothes - jeans and a red polo.

They have a very small and limited wine list and only one Wisconsin beer on tap, which was sold out and keep in mind it was only 5:30 pm on a Saturday night. They were also out of shrimp that evening and we had to request water. I ordered their Stuffed Medallions of Beef for $18.95 which includes your choice of potatoes, rice, or vegetable medley, a house salad, and cheesy dinner rolls. I chose the vegetable medley and my husband ordered the "Sconnie" burger with criss cut fries for $8.95. My salad was a nice size portion, cold and fresh. The cheesy dinner rolls were passable, but tasted bland and like they came from the freezer. My vegetable medley was a large portion served in a soup bowl and again tasted like it came from the freezer.

The medallions of beef were stuffed with spinach, wild mushrooms, garlic, and cheese; it was topped with a peppercorn demi-glaze. The steak was tender and surprisingly delicious. My husband's burger was a 1/2 lb. Angus chuck with roasted peppers, onion, and Parmesan cheese on a ciabatta roll. It was very tasty and his fries seemed, once again, of the frozen variety, but weren't bad. It was very noisy from the bar area and there was a woman with a particularly great set of lungs that kept screaming at the game. Hopefully Sconnies can find their niche and capitalize on their potential in the future.