Madison Fish Fry

Stopping on the way was a smart move. Great bar. Awesome fish.
The Shopiere Tap

Whenever I’m in Chicagoland on a Friday I have to temper my expectations, that’s just the way it is. The Fish Frys tend to be few and far between, and those that do dot the map are usually a far cry from the true Wisconsin classic.

We moseyed into the Village Tavern & Grill after a 6pm hockey game in Romeoville and it was around 8:15 by the time we saw the AYCE Fish Fry in front of us. At first sight I could tell the beer battered cod had been sitting for a bit, which often happens at the AYCE - they fry a bunch and if the orders aren’t there to fill immediately, under the heat lamp it sits. The fish wasn’t super hot and the batter on the four chubby chunks was a little gelatinous underneath and leathery on top. Regardless, I was hungry, plowed them down and requested a couple more which came fresh from the fryer and had a much more satisfying crunch and flake to them.

The fries were your basic Sysco Julienne-cuts and the tartar looked homemade but was on the thin-side. The slaw was also likely the standard food service variety which is acceptable but not entirely memorable. The highlight of the meal might well have been the hush puppies which were delightfully gritty and seem to be a common surrogate for bread south of the border. Chalk that one up as a win.

All in all, this was a decent Fish Fry in Bears’ country and had the first round of fish come as freshly fried as the second it might have even led to a third. As it stands, two-and-out was the extent of the drive.