Mickey's Tavern

Mickey's is a pretty polarizing place. There are those that simply love its all-inclusive atmosphere, and others that decry it as a liberal hellhole. These feelings are pretty much par for the course for anything in the Willy St. neighborhood, and while I tend to enjoy the tavern it's not somewhere I'd put high on the list of places to take my parents for example. Mickey's also doesn't have a classic Fish Fry every Friday (so call ahead to ensure they do this week), but when they do it's definitely a treat.

Mickey's fish of choice is cod and has been prepared a couple different ways when we've been there. On our previous encounters it was dusted with a light, superbly-seasoned breading, but this meeting we found a benevolent beer batter instead. Like the breading of yesterday, it had a superb flavor, but was much more decadent and pillowy. The twin cuts of cod were hefty, although not too hefty to handle, and made for a substantial amount of meat. The stark white flakes of fish paired remarkably well with the spongy shell and made for a tasty and satisfying meal.

To my knowledge Mickey's was the first in Madison to do the whole "Sexy Fries" thing and while the homespun favorite isn't available with the Fish Fry the regular fries sufficed. They were skin-on freezer jobs, fried crispy, and basically just like the Sexies without all the sexy stuff on top. A zippy, yet thin, tartar had enough oomph to make things noticeable although the rich fish did overwhelm it a bit.

Gluten-free is the name of the game with the enlightened crowd and those that think they are in-the-know must not realize that any traditional Fish Fry comes with some sort of starch (either that or they just don't care). While the lack of bread wasn't totally unexpected at Mickey's it as no less disheartening. Oh well. A sizable ramekin of their signature red pepper slaw did come along for the ride however, and was as unique (and as peppery as they come). Literally, the only thing you can taste is the red pepper, but hey, if you like the taste of bell pepper this baby is for you. I'm guess just okay with it.

If you're going to Mickey's you just need to know what you're getting into, and on most Fridays what you're going to find is a damn good Fish Fry at a damn good price. Overall, we recommend this Fish Fry and Mickey's Tavern in general. The fish won't have you seeing red and the price certainly won't give you the blues either.

Highs and lows. Ebbs and flows. Ups and downs. However you describe fluctuation it's undesirable at a Fish Fry. On Friday consistency is king and the best places have no problem churning out plate after plate of flawless fish. It's a hallmark of the greats and after two impeccable visits we had Mickey's Tavern on the verge of joining that exclusive club...HAD being the operative word.

While the fish at Mickey's this time around was far from a total bust, it was also miles away from the excellence we expected. On our other visits the cod was billed as a "Proper Fish Fry" but today it was listed as "Uncle Frank's Fish Fry." While we can't be sure if the name change indicates a different preparation there was definitely a difference in the taste.

Regardless of the name, Mickey's Fish Fry is a 2-piece affair. While the "Proper" version was salty and robust, Uncle Frank must have a restricted diet as the sodium quotient was dialed down significantly. The batter was still light, and satisfyingly crispy, but really suffered from the lack of seasoning. In addition, the cuts of cod were less than pristine and without the full-bodied batter it was hard to ignore its shortcomings.

Mickey's knows fries whether they're Sexy, Super Sexy, or just the regulars that come with the fish. This batch was fried to perfection and all-around alluring. Mickey's also has a talent for tartar and while this cup wasn't as zippy as we've become accustomed to it was no slouch either. Perhaps Uncle Frank has an aversion to zest as well?

You won't find any bread with the fish at Mickey's, but some of their scrumptious slaw makes an appearance. The vinegar-based blend is plenty pungent with subtle bits of heat here and there. There's some spice in that there slaw!

When it comes to Fish Fry variability is public enemy #1. If you have a great fry somewhere you want it to be the same each and every time you go back and that wasn't the case with this visit to Mickey's. Overall, we still recommend this Fish Fry, but not quite as highly as we did previously. Hopefully Uncle Frank gets a little more proper next time around.

When asked to describe Willy Street certain terms jump into most people's minds: alternative, liberal, cooperative, hippies... As the epicenter of Madison's counter-culture the neighborhood proudly endorses this reputation wearing it as a badge of honor rather than letting it serve as some sort of stigma. The attitude prevails at nearly every establishment up and down the street, culminating on the easternmost end at Mickey's Tavern.

More often than not "proper" isn't going to be one of the words you find amongst Willy Street's descriptors. Proper connotes an uptight, stuffy, traditionalist mentality, which Willy is anything but. However, Mickey's isn't afraid of the term, at least as far as Fish Fry is concerned. While Mickey's always has a Friday fish special, it isn't always their "Proper Fish Fry," but when it is hungry patrons are in for a treat.

Mickey's fry is only $10, which is an appropriate price for a Fish Fry of this size (although I'd gladly pay a couple more bucks for it if that's what they were asking). Two generous pieces of flaky cod are offset by a crispy, heavily-seasoned beer batter resulting in a very well balanced offering. It's a salty sensation that makes your mouth water in anticipation of each bite. It's simply great all around.

Adding even more sodium to the bloodstream are a sizeable stack of Mickey's super-seasoned fries. These spuds are crispy, savory and potent as all get out. While they're surly too intense for some folks, a saltaholic like me simply can't get enough.

When fish is this pungent only the boldest tartars can stack up and Mickey's deluxe sauce does the trick. It's ultra-creamy and zippy as can be which helps to quell the seriously salted cod.

The only part about this Fish Fry that really isn't "proper" is the fact that Mickey's stiffs you on the bread, but luckily their homemade slaw actually makes up for it somewhat. It's a zesty vinegar-based blend that is as diverse as they come with a hint of heat from time to time. It's a good one.

In such a diverse and eclectic neighborhood it's great to see a place that can still pull off a traditional Fish Fry. The fish, fries, tartar, and slaw are all superb, and while there's no bread it's such a minor oversight with this one that I could really care less. Overall, we highly recommend this Fish Fry and think it's only proper to do so. It's a current favorite of ours.

Dear God, this thing was a monster!

The beast in this case is one big old walleye fillet, fried up just right and served in pristine condition. Plenty of fries accompanied, the tartar was perfect for this fish, and the red pepper slaw was, well, very red pepper-y.

Overall, I'm pretty pleased with this $19 Fish Fry and you really just have to love @mickeys_madison. It's got a great vibe and a pretty great Fish Fry to go along with it.

Mickey's Tavern doesn't do Fish Fry every week, but if there's one thing we learned after last Friday, it's that Mickey's Tavern should. It's quite the remarkable little Fry.

Not only does Mickey's make some tasty fish, but they only want 10 measly skins for it. 10 skins! It's one heck of a deal, and a deal we wish they had every Friday. Mickey's is as much tavern as it is restaurant (if not moreso), but they really do take pride in their food. Our fish came within 10 minutes of ordering and looked pretty great despite a few fryer basket indentation.

The fish is cod and it's pretty outstanding. It's fall-apart flaky with a great texture and a breading to die for. This breading is heavily seasoned with an absolute pantload of salt. Regardless of the sodium quotient it's still light and crispy and really keeps you going back to your bottle of beer (Ale Asylum Bedlam in this case). We loved every delectable morsel and only wished there was more of it to be munched (even though the portion was plentiful). This is great fish, and did we mention it would be nice if they did it every Friday?

Mickey's claim to fame are their "Sexy Fries" which are hand sliced potatoes tossed with white truffle oil, Parmesan cheese, chives, and crushed red pepper, but if we learned anything this Friday it's that their regular fries are plenty sexy. The portion is gigundo, the spuds are perfectly fried to a satisfying crunch, and doused with a mine full of salt. They are simply salivary and paired perfectly with the potent cod; and guess what? They have them every Friday (and every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday for that matter).

Good fish can stand on its own, but an outstanding tartar can put even the greatest of fish over the top. Mickey's home brew is thick and creamy with just the right amount of zing. We're surprised they don't have it more often, like every Friday for instance.

Mickey's is also proud of their homemade slaw and the crisp, vinegar-based rendition has plenty of contrast. It comes with far more than just the fish so you know they take stock in it. It's a great change of pace and more than makes up for the lack of bread.

It took years for us to get to Mickey's but it certainly wouldn't have if they had their Fish Fry every Friday. It's quite a nice little Fry and one that we really enjoyed. Overall, we highly recommend this Fish Fry and (and you might have guessed) only wish they offered it every Friday.