Fish Shanty Children's Menu, Port Washington 1970s

Located on Lake Michigan’s western shore, Port Washington, Wisconsin, boasts a rich commercial fishing history and its harbor's west slip was once lined with fishing shanties run by prominent families like the Smiths and Ewigs.

Lake Michigan staples such as lake trout, whitefish and chubs were landed, processed and sold in large-scale commercial operations.

Smith Bros restaurant began in 1924 in an old harness shop after days of sustained rain washed away the fish shanties lining the west slip.

Family matriarch Evelyn Smith installed a fryer in the building and began cooking fish to sell — including a fried fish sandwich suggested by a customer who wanted something easy to eat during a card-playing tournament.

The restaurant grew through the years, both in space and in popularity, becoming a destination for both residents and tourists, who came to the city by the busload to enjoy a meal there.

After the restaurant was destroyed by fire in 1953, the Smith family rebuilt it, expanding the structure again in 1982.

After 54 years of service, the Smith family sold the iconic restaurant to the prominent Wisconsin restaurateur Joe DeRosa in 1988, ending the family's downtown dining and fishing operation. 

A decade later, the restaurant was sold again, and the building was repurposed and a separate and unrelated Smith Bros Coffee House operated until 2021.

This charming children’s menu from the Fish Shanty restaurant features three delightful ‘small fry’ – we love the different expressions in their eyes. There are other charming illustrations on the interior menu. Judging from prices, we believe this menu was from the 1970s