Review
The Game Time is a very nice and clean for a rural Wisconsin bar. There are a fair number of TVs and some tasteful Packers memorabilia as well as a fantastic collection of football helmets representing each of the teams in the Big 10. They definitely have a Fish Fry for dinner every Friday, but based on the bartenders response I don’t think they do lunch every Friday. We lucked out and the fish was “ready” for lunch today. Since it is technically the dinner portion it is a little more expensive that you would expect at $9. We got our food within a few minutes of putting our order in and it was decent but not really good. It had a light batter but the fish itself tasted like it was more processed than average. When it was teamed with the generic tasting tartar sauce the taste was reminiscent of a fish stick.
The French fries were your average straight-cut bar style fries, nothing special. The coleslaw was also not very tasty. It had a hint of horseradish or something at the end but even that didn’t really help. The roll that came with the Fish Fry was lightly toasted and just fine but also nothing special. There was nothing about any of the sides that really helped make up for the lackluster fish.
We were not the only ones eating at the Game Time, but as far as I could tell we were the only ones that tried the Fish Fry. Almost everyone else had burgers and seemed very happy with them. This is a classic case of having a Fish Fry just because it is expected and not going the extra mile to make it great. If and when we go back to the Game Time we will get one of the tasty looking burgers. Overall there is no way I can recommend this Fish Fry. The place is great and the food looked delicious, but the Fish Fry was just a little generic tasting and missed the mark. The next Fish Fry we get in Ashton will be at Saint Peter’s Church, they know what they are doing. As for the Game Time, stop by for a burger but find you Fish Fry fix elsewhere.
It had been a looooooong time since we'd sampled the Fish Fry at Game Time, and when a co-worker told us that they were under new ownership and/or management and suggested we give them another shot we were in total agreement. We stopped by on an available Friday for a quick lunch and found out just how busy things get down on the corner at noon. We rolled up about 11:30 and the ENTIRE bar was packed with bearded dudes in safety-green shirts. The few high-top tables scattered about the periphery were also mostly occupied but we happened to stumble upon the one low table in the corner. We took it as a sign, and a good sign if I'm being completely honest. We saddled up, caught the lone bartender's attention and ordered a cheap 2-piece cod and a Bloody Mary.
Since the whole show was being run by that one bartender and one cook, everything took a little bit longer than normal, but we weren't in a huge hurry, save for wanting to get to the store to buy a couple Christmas gifts. Despite the longer than anticipated wait everything was still hoter'n crap when it arrived so clearly there was no lack of focus, just not enough hands on deck. The fish was slightly better than that in our memory and featured a dark breading that sloughed off the surface in spots. The coating had a nice crunch and enough seasoning to make it noticeable. The fish itself seemed to be average quality and while we were pleased with the 2-piece for lunch, we'd definitely go for the 3-piece dinner time.
The Game Time slings the standard crinkle cut fries, so there's nothing much to report on them. They were well-fried, I guess? The tartar also seemed to be the Sysco standard stuff which was pretty pickle-y and controlled to cod if applied too liberally. It was s thick mix for sure, but the dill flavor was just a little overbearing for my tastes.
A cup of coleslaw was highlighted by a hint of horseradish that made the concoction a little something more than just creamy, while the basic white roll was squished (as packaged rolls so commonly are).
Game Time certainly has some things to hang their hat on, most notably their visibility on one of the busiest intersections in all of Dane County and their friendly service. As far as the Fish Fry goes, you can't really go wrong with the price, and while everything was pretty much up to snuff, I just can't see myself rushing back in. Overall, we can't quite recommend this Fish Fry, but think it's worth a stop if you happen to be cruising by.