Harmony Bar & Grill

Back in the aughts I used to frequent the Harmony Bar. Pretty much every Wednesday my co-workers and I would take the short stroll down Atwood to the benevolent bar for their famous Reubens and hot chips. It was a time-honored tradition and something I looked forward to each and every week. On many occasions I asked Keith (the owner) when they were going to start up a Fish Fry since it seemed like a natural fit with their award-winning bar food. "We're already too busy on Fridays" was always his response which, while unsatisfying, was definitely accurate. The Harmony was always packed and a Fish Fry almost certainly would have transformed the welcoming hustle and bustle into something much more chaotic.

Eventually Keith sold the bar, and with a change in ownership came an updated menu. The cult-favorite pizza got phased out, while the Reuben we loved so was transferred from a weekly special to the everyday lineup. Eventually COVID took hold and forced further menu changes including the addition of the Friday Fish Fry we had pined over for so long. Once restrictions began to ease up I headed right in to make my dreams come true.

In typical Harmony fashion the FFF is served in a basket, and I must say, a little tough to get a handle on. Four pieces of "lake perch" are fittingly perched atop a mound of fries with cups of tartar and slaw dangling precariously near the edge. A slab of marble rye is set gingery atop the fish which I removed with the utmost care to avoid toppling the whole works. Once I felt it was stable I dove into the four fat fillets and immediately noticed they were not real yellow perch based on its size and flavor. It was most certainly pike-perch which, while smooth and flaky, lacks the subtle nuance present in the genuine article. Luckily, even lesser fish can be delectable when fried right and these were home to a crumbly potato chip breading that gave them a welcome crunch and nice flavor.

Setting the foundation for the perch was a small handful of waffle fries which are another a new addition to the Harmony menu. The tartar came in a 1/2 cup disposable Solo and was extremely thick and tasty tartar. It was mirrored in size and consistency by the creamy slaw, which itself was offset perfectly by the fat slice of buttered rye.

As the old saying goes - all good things must come to and end - and that is certainly true of our time on Atwood. We had a good run for sure, and enjoyed a lot of tasty sandwiches, but like the original Harmony itself, it couldn't last forever. Thankfully the bar has persevered in its slightly altered form which now includes the Friday special we longed for (even if it's not exactly all we hoped it would be). Overall, we recommend this Fish Fry and are glad to see the Harmony still making beautiful music on Atwood after all these years.

Back in the day I used to work over by the Harmony Bar & Grill and our crew would go there for lunch pretty much every Wednesday. Back then Keith was the owner and while there was no Friday Fish Fry, the Wednesday special was, for my money, the best Reuben in town. Fast forward 20 or so years, and the new owners now have a legit Fish Fry every Friday and Reubens every day of the week. My, how things have changed.

I rolled into the Atwood Ave mainstay just after 11am and was one of the first patrons of the day. Since it was still before noon I grabbed a bloody and put in an order for the beer battered walleye since it's a relatively new addition and I've never tried it before. The bloody was spicy and delicious and the fish fried in a flash.

For $18 you only get a single smallish piece of walleye but for lunch (and the price) it was just perfect. The fish was home to a decadent beer batter with a lovely rich flavor. While I typically don't prefer beer batter on freshwater fish, this rendition worked remarkably well and didn't totally mask the fish's flavor. It was also essentially grease-free which is a hallmark of a cook who knows what they are doing.

A surprisingly large portion of standard freezer fries came along for the ride and were really well fried. The cup of thick tartar looked to be homemade and paired exquisitely with the walleye, the slaw was on-point, and a full slice of marble rye was soft and fresh and made my heart smile.

While the Harmony is a relative newcomer to the Madison Fish Fry scene they've seemingly struck a chord and breezed their way into the Elite 8 of the Potosi Fish Fry contest. They've got a tough matchup this round so if you're a fan (as I am) considering heading over there and giving them a vote. Overall, we recommend this Fish Fry and the Harmony in general. It's still one of Madison's most iconic bars and I for one hope it always will be!