The hot roast beef sandwich, or beef commercial as it’s sometimes called, is a Midwest staple, and few places do it better than one of the best diners in Wisconsin: Keys Cafe Bakery and Bar in Hudson. Although its current Hudson location is newer, the hot roast beef has been a Keys staple since the eatery opened more than half a century ago.
Keys Cafe Bakery and Bar Is One of the Best Diners in Wisconsin, and It’s Barely Changed
Founder Barbara Hunn opened the original Keys Cafe in St. Paul, Minnesota, and it’s become one of the most iconic diners in the country. Hunn designed her menu using a simple philosophy: “Food you grew up with.” As her family grew, they opened new locations in the Twin Cities metro for the family to operate, all of which use the same original recipes and made-from-scratch ethos as the original, including the Hudson location. When you walk into the diner, you’ll hear the low buzz of satisfied customers enjoying good food and good company, the clinking of silverware against plates, and mugs of coffee being stirred. The aroma of lunch, breakfast, and baked goods will make you realize you’re even hungrier than you thought you were… which is a good thing, because the portions at Keys are not small.
Why the Hot Roast Beef at Keys Tastes Like Homemade
A typical version of the dish is a slice of bread, layered with slices of roast beef, topped with mashed potatoes, and smothered in gravy. At Keys, the hot roast beef has been on the menu since the original diner opened in 1973, and it’s still made the same way: a stack of tender, slow-cooked, pot-roast-style beef, stuffed between two slices of house-made bread and pushed up against a mound of made-from-scratch mashed potatoes. The whole plate is then smothered in gravy that’s made daily from beef drippings. With everything made in-house from fresh ingredients, as the best eateries across the country insist, the hot roast beef at Keys couldn’t taste any more homemade. In fact, Mpls St Paul magazine has called it the best in the Twin Cities.
What Else To Order at This Wisconsin Diner
If you’re not feeling roast beef, Keys also serves up roasted turkey (with cranberries and dressing) and meatloaf versions of its hot sandwiches. You’ll also find the types of scratch-made comfort food you’d expect at a home cooking restaurant in Wisconsin. The breakfasts and soups are fantastic, as are the restaurant’s baked goods. Keys is locally renowned for its head-sized caramel and cinnamon rolls… they’re practically a rite of passage in this part of the world. Don’t pass up the house-made pies either.
What It’s Like To Eat at Keys Cafe Bakery and Bar
Keys isn’t a trendy, retro-themed spot built for TikTok. It is a genuine community hub. You’ll see local retirees filtering in when the diner opens at 7 a.m., while families crowd the larger tables for loud weekend brunches. The pace is fast, the service is warm, and the portions are unapologetically huge. Expect a wait on weekend mornings, but the line moves fast, and the food is well worth waiting for.
You don’t need to overthink a good meal. A scratch-made hot roast beef sandwich smothered in gravy is like a hug from the inside. So head over to Keys in Hudson, grab a booth, and come hungry…