Review
Regardless of what anyone else says, we think the clear cut king of the Fish Fry is cod. It is easily the most ubiquitous Friday fish, and whether it is beer battered or lightly breaded, when properly prepared, the flavors present in fried cod can not be beat. There is certainly heavenly haddock, and luscious lake perch out there that rivals it, but for the Fish Fry community, the lord of the land (or the sea, in this case) has to be King Cod. The only real debate seems to be over whether to get it lightly breaded or beer battered.
If there is one thing we know about the Mid Town Pub it is that they do fried cod, and they do it well. On Friday they feature a two-piece beer battered cod for $9 with the option to go AYCE after 4pm. My two large chunks of cod arrived fresh from the fryer about 10 minutes after the pleasant bartender took my order. They were cloaked in a dark beer batter which was very crispy, and almost exploding off the fish. There must be some hot fryer oil back there... The overall taste was good, but not quite what I would call excellent. The cod itself was nice and flaky, but had a fair amount of grease trapped by the thick beer batter. On the plus side, the batter really held in the heat, and both of my pieces were steaming hot until the end when all that remained on my empty plate was a coating of grease, glistening in the daylight.
Accompanying the cod were some deliciously salty French fries and a small paper cup of homemade tartar sauce. The fries were perfectly fried and served in a fair portion, but like my other visits the tartar was minimal and didn't last until the end. The sauce was a medium-thick blend with some dill, but a good overall taste. It worked well with the thickly battered fish and held its own, while not overpowering the smooth cod.
While they don't serve the traditional rye at their Fry, the MTP substitutes a fantastic piece of garlic toast that is every bit as good. Their homemade slaw is also non-traditional, and has improved, but is still a little "raw" for my tastes.
Everyone seems to agree that the best part about the MTP is the great service you receive each and every time you go there. The bartenders and wait staff are ultra friendly folks who know the locals and call them by first name. Don't let that fool you though; unlike some other places, they act just as nice to the non-regulars as they do to the everyday crowd. On each of my four visits (I came once to watch sports on a Sunday) the service has been fast, and courteous, without a hint of resentment.
The Mid Town Pub pays their penance to King Cod admirably, and while it isn't perfect by any means, it is a well rounded Fish Fry. Along with the fish, the fries and toast are very good. The tartar supports the fish well, and the coleslaw is homemade and fresh, which is just enough. To top it off, the place is clean, well lit, and well staffed. Overall, this remains an easy Fish Fry to recommend. We will be back any time we are in need of a quality lunch hour Fish Fry, although we should probably try to make it an AYCE dinner at some point too.
Even during lunch the MTP was pretty busy (as any good place should be). As soon as I walked in I was greeted with a friendly hello by the bartender, and decided to just take up shop in his neck of the woods since he was so welcoming. He grabbed me a beer and took my order in the blink of an eye - the service is one thing that always shines at the Mid Town.
The fish choices were somewhat limited and for some reason I opted for the $14.25 walleye over the much cheaper cod. While the price is on the high end, you get quite a bit of fish for your buck, so it's not like I left feeling ripped off or anything. The single large walleye fillet was buried under a slew of fries, and a slab of buttery garlic toast so I had some trouble getting to it initially. The fish was also flanked by the tiniest cup of tartar ever, and although it would turn out to not be so great, I still requested backup immediately.
After munching a couple fries, and brushing the buttery toast aside I got my hands on the fish. Wally walleye was densely battered and pan-fried. The breading was thick and dare I say, doughy. While it had some flavor, the thick pan-fried skin was a real turnoff. It really clung to the fish, but was also was kinda dry and unappetizing. The fish itself was flaky and moist for the most part, but a little tough on the thin end. While the meat had a hint of favorable walleye flavor it was totally buried under the beefy breading.
The fries were freezer-fresh, but came in droves. While they were nothing special, there was nothing wrong with them either. Push.
Even with a second partially-filled cup, the tartar ran out in no time. At this point I basically cut my losses and decided to box up the rest of the fish in a to-go container rather than aks for more. The so-so sauce had a bit too much dill, although it wasn't evident by outward appearance. It was creamy, and zesty, but a bit too much so - which isn't something you don't hear MFF say all that often.
Per our notes: "The slaw was good. Not much to say". So I'll just leave it at that.
Lastly, we have the garlic toast which wasn't bad, but kind of seemed out of place. While it would have been more at home next to a big plate of pasta, it was still on par taste-wise with a basic dinner roll you get most everywhere else.
I went to the Mid Town Pub because I was pretty sure what to expect - I was wrong (way wrong). The walleye was simply not done very well and I will definitely think twice before ordering it again. Overall, I don't recommend the Fish Fry I had on this visit, but I still like the Mid Town Pub and will give them a chance to right the ship one of these days.
Mulligan's Bar & Grill
Monte's Grill & Pub
Mojo's Sports Pub & Grill
I dragged Jer, Zach, and Julia to the Midtown Pub, and as I expected, every one of them was surprised at how good it was (places located on the end of strip malls do not instill confidence in Fish Fry eaters for some reason). All four of us went for the $9.00 3-piece cod, and our attentive, but deliberate waitress brought the platters about 20 minutes after our orders went in.
The fish was hot, but not scalding when she dropped it off, which leads me to believe her leisureliness may have exacerbated some time spent under the lamp. Even so, the cod was flaky, and flavorful. Adding slightly to the smooth taste of the fish was the Midtown's beer batter which was thick and held in more grease than you'd like to see. The substantial coating was fried to the point where it was bubbling off in parts. It was rich and creamy, but dark and crispy at the same time. In our book it was just slightly above average as far as beer battered cod is concerned.
Like the fish, the straight-cut fries were ample, but unfortunately the spud stack was a little under-fried. At first we thought it surprising, but looking back, perhaps the reason for the partially cooled fish was some tardy fried taters? Kinda makes sense when you think about it... #protip - at the MTP you can substitute their homemade clam chowder for your fries - sort of a push in our book - however, what they don't tell you is that in addition to the cup of soup before your fish, you're still spotted a starch with the meal in the form of some (homemade?) chips.
If there is one way to ruin a tartar sauce it is to cram so much dill in it, that you think you are eating a creamed pickle. A little dill can add a nice diversity, but too much can easily overwhelm even the creamiest of batter fried fish. You could say The Midtown is pushing the envelope... to the edge, that is. Their homemade sauce is thick (which we like), has a good consistency (which we like), but is a little heavier on the dill (than we'd like).
MFF is starting to get accustomed to lackluster bread options, but once in a while something special comes along. In this case it was a nice little slice of garlic toast that somehow complimented the Midtown's dense fish very well. The homemade coleslaw was also better than most, although lacking that zip that really keeps you coming back for more. Good nuff, I guess.
The fourth of the 'M' bars was a lot like the three before it - good fish for a good price, but nothing to blow your socks off. Overall, this is an easy Fish Fry to recommend, but will likely never be a go-to Fish Fry for us. The batter is just a little too much, the tartar a bit too heavy on the dill. Maybe that is your thing? A lot of people seem to really like that combination; it's just not our favorite.
MTP features cod and walleye on Fridays and the walleye I had this week was different from the freshwater fish in my memory. As I recall, the walleye used to feature the same beer batter as the cod, and while the creamy coating works well with saltwater swimmers, I felt it overwhelmed the walleye.
Today's walleye has a light and crumbly breading that lets the flavor of the fish shine through. It's much more in-line with what I expect to see on the king of the lake, and a big step forward in my opinion. This fish was very good and paired perfectly with the Pub's thick and zippy tartar.
MTP has a bunch of sides to choose from and the waffle fries sounded just right tonight. These lattices were crispy as all get out and provided a great contrast to the flaky fish. Rounding things out was a slab of Texas toast and a large (3 1/4 oz) cup of tangy slaw.
Despite being located in a strip mall the Mid Town Pub has a great local tavern kind of feel. The atmosphere is vibrant and the food is certainly a step above typical bar fare. Overall, we recommend this Fish Fry and think it's anything but mid.Last time I raved about the solid service, and now I feel like I need to take it all back. The "every server waits on every customer" model that had previously worked so flawlessly broke down in spectacular fashion this time around. Yes, we had a bigger group, including four adults and two kids, but our orders were nothing out of the ordinary and certainly nothing they shouldn't have been able to handle.
Let's start with the good: the fish came quickly after it was ordered and for the most part was spot on. It was hot and flaky with a rich beer batter that wasn't greasy. It was essentially exactly what I expected it to be based on my previous experience and pleased our guests. It was right in the zone.
The thick julienne-cut fries were nothing special but were generously portioned and stood tall alongside the trio of fish. The same can't be said of the big paper cup of tartar however. Although it appeared plentiful the three hulking chunks of cod absorbed it like a Shamwow. Luckily, the kids only wanted the fish part of their Kid's Fish Fry so the extra sauce made its way into my greasy mitts. This sauce is dilly, but not over the top, and does it's part to ice the cod cake.
You don't usually see garlic bread at a Fish Fry, but the Mid Town isn't your usual place. While it is unusual it's also better than a plain dinner roll so I'll give it a bit of extra credit. Some average looking slaw with a slightly above average flavor finished things off and isn't Sysco as far as I can tell.
So, the fish was fine for all intents and purposes, but while the three adult Fish Fryers were happy my wife wasn't. The veggie lasagna she ordered never arrived and the roving band of servers didn't come by quickly enough to remedy the situation. She took it in stride but by the time someone did come to see how we were doing (and drop the check) everyone else was finishing up and her lasagna was a lost cause. Her dinner consisted of a few bites of slaw which painted the whole experience in an unpleasant light. While it doesn't have much bearing on the fish per se, someone dropped that ball big time and I can't just let it go unmentioned.
I still really like the MTP and some forgotten pasta won't exclude them entirely from my future Friday consideration, but I'll certainly have a more difficult time convincing my wife to give them another shot. Overall, we still recommend this Fish Fry and think it's one of the best Middleton has to offer. We'll just hope for better luck next time.
We arrived around 12:30 and grabbed some stools at the bar. Since I had the cod not long ago I figured I would delve deeper and try the walleye which is a little more expensive. The fish came about 10 minutes after ordering and was piping hot. The two large filets had a crumbly cornmeal style batter which walleye usually does. This batter was nothing special but clearly homemade and a fair compliment to the well cooked walleye underneath. The actual fish was tasty but way too much to try to consume for lunch. Perhaps a ½ sized lunch portion is in order?
When the waitress dropped of the fish I could see instantly that the tiny cup of tartar would not suffice so I immediately requested a backup, to which she brought two. The homemade tartar was not perfect but certainly acceptable, even with a little dill. The French fries were also perfectly acceptable. They were just as I remembered, and plentiful especially considering the lavish amount of fish.
Since most of the sauces at the MTP and salads are homemade I have to assume the slaw is too. Unfortunately this may be a case where Sysco knows best. The Mid Town slaw is a dry, raw tasting concoction of cabbage, onion and some other non-appetizing items that just do not blend well. The Texas garlic toast that came along for the ride was just fine though, even if it was a little limp by the time I got to it.
After a second visit (and second fish option) I can say that this is a fine little Fish Fry. There is nothing truly mind blowing but everything is done well. The food is good, the atmosphere is nice, and the place is clean and friendly. The service has also been great on both visits and the cooks and wait staff seem genuinely concerned about their patron’s satisfaction. Overall I have no problem recommending this Fish Fry but will probably go for the cod over walleye in the future.
We sat at the bar and had a good view of the clean looking kitchen. Besides the bartender and the two server types, it was pretty much just two folks running the show but doing wonderful job at it. The kitchen was a well choreographed ballet of frying, plating and washing. The Mid Town Pub has a lot of options but basically the Fish Fry choices boil down to cod and walleye. I went for the two piece cod for $7.75 (AYCE available after 3pm). The fish was fine and had a nice texture but lacked any distinctive taste. The homemade batter was light and flaky and complimented the fish well but was also slightly bland.
The French fries were also very average. They were straight cut and relatively plain but complimented the fish just fine. The tartar also complimented the fish and was good although the tiny portion had me tearing open my paper cup to scrape the last little bit.
The main elements of this Fish Fry were good enough. The fish, fries, and tarter all passed the test, leaving the Mid Town was in good shape. Sometimes when places have these three elements squared away they feel the need to get wild and wacky with the slaw and bread and it can ruin the overall experience. The Mid Town subscribes to the philosophy but does a good job of not going too far. The slaw was homemade with chunks of green pepper and red onion. It was not creamy and I didn’t enjoy it but others certainly might. The garlic toast served was simply awesome and I think pretty much everyone would agree.
The Mid Town is the first place I have seen billed as a “WiFi Bar” in the Madison area. It is a new place so it still looks very nice. The food follows suit, it is clean, straight forward and non-offensive. There is really nothing threatening which leaves you with little to worry about. In addition, since the place is new you can feel pretty confident the tap beer is good and my draft Spotted Cow was clean and cold. Overall this is a good Fish Fry which is easy to recommend.
My return to the MTP came after checking their website and seeing the addition of several new and intriguing vegetarian options. I knew my vegetarian wife would be happy with them so we saddled up the Suabru and headed toward Middleton. The cod special goes for $13 and since we were early we had our pick of the litter table-wise. In addition, the MTP has really stepped their up game over the years with an impressive beer selection and all-around amazing service (all the wait staff wait on all the tables which is something I don't think I've ever seen before - it really worked well).
The most important part of any Fish Fry is the fish so let's start there. The cod is served in three LARGE pieces with a substantive, but not too thick beer batter. The batter has plenty of favor, but not so much that it has to be dissected (if that even makes sense). It pairs perfectly with the clean and flaky fish, and while there was a tiny bit of grease present, it was mostly concealed by the batter. While I like this kind of cod, and there is nothing glaringly wrong with it, it doesn't really have anything "special" about it per se. That said, this is exactly what 80% of the Fish Fry going public are after so I can't fault the pub for pleasing the masses. For me it slips into excellent territory because of the consistency and the universal appeal.
Several side options are slung along with the fish and I, for some reason, settled on the onion rings. The thick-cut hoops host a crispy batter and were fried just right, but nothing about them really stood out. Likewise, the tartar does what it has to do but didn't leave me longing for more (although I did need a second of the small cups since the portion of cod was so mighty). It's a relish-dominated mix that is dillier-than-average but still takes the fish up a notch.
A nice side of creamy style slaw has enough bite to let you know it's there without doing anything funky, while a big old slab of garlic toast is untraditional but uniquely inviting. While I did see several plates go back to the kitchen with the toast fully intact I'll give them some props for taking the chance. It worked for me.
The Mid Town Pub clearly has one of the best Fish Frys Middleton has to offer and I totally regret letting one bad experience sour me on them for so long. Overall, we highly recommend this Fish Fry and will certainly make it a point to come back more frequently in the future.