Review
I whipped in this Friday and had a bloody and a 3-piece cod in front of me faster than you could say James Madison. I immediately tore into the dish to see what was what and was more than pleased with what rebounded. The cod is home to a very light and bubbly beer batter that is virtually grease-free. The duo manning the fryer at the tavern clearly know what they are doing, frying at the ideal temp for this sort of batter and pulling the flaky fish at just the right time before it turns frizzy. Blue chips fryers for sure.
A generous handful of shoestring fries played their roll perfectly and were equally well fried, while a bold tartar elevated the fish's game. It was a next-level combo and I had no problem throwing it all down. Hell, I might have been able to drain another triple had it come my way.
The final piece of the puzzle was a uniquely creamy slaw that didn't pop, but was pleasant. It was an interesting rendition and I'd wager that it was house made. Good stuff. There was no bread so the four on floor had to do the job for the whole team but I'd say they picked up the slack admirably.
When I saw some of the heavy hitters the BT was taking out round by round in the bracket challenge I was skeptical, but after taking my own shot I'm willing to say the victories were justified... this Badger can ball. Overall, this Fish Fry is easy to recommend and they clearly deserve all the love they are getting.Tony Frank's hung their hat on their "famous" bar burgers, but their Fish Fry was far from noteworthy. Pre-battered cod and a side of freezer fries certainly didn't draw much fanfare, and with good reason - it was truly terrible. The Badger is taking things much more seriously than Tony ever did with a legitimate Friday special that runs all day long. It's a straightforward affair - $11 for a 2-piece cod or $13 for a 3-piece, along with standard sides. Just pulling into the parking lot is enough to get your motor running as the aroma of the deep fryer permeates the atmosphere and draws you inside on a cloud of oil-soaked oxygen.
Once inside the bar it's clear that some thought went into the remodel. While it may have lost some of the "character" the made Toby Frank's Tony Frank's, it's now a well-lit and a very welcoming modern neighborhood bar. It also seems slightly more spacious, which is a big plus since it was plenty busy this Friday afternoon. Our waitress was super friendly and quite attentive considering how many groups were under her watchful eye. Our baskets of fish came fast and were nice and hot, just how you'd want them to be.
The cod had a golden hue and was just slightly better than average in our opinion. The tender loins were home to a light and flaky batter that paired well with the flaky cuts of fish. While moderate amounts of greased seeped from the bottom corners it didn't destroy the batter as long as the pieces were turned every so often - so be sure to do that or it could get soppy on you.
A bevy of long, shoestring style fries played Cheech to the fish's Chong and were just as well-fried. There was nothing unique about them except for their length which pointed to a distributor that acquires elongated spuds. Stretched Sysco? Rangy Reinhart? Who know? Who cares? Looooooong fries were in abundance.
A thick and relish-y tartar marginalized the grease almost entirely and while it could very well have just been Sysco, I wouldn't like it any less if it was. It did what it needed to do.
Some finely-chopped slaw with a little something unique played its roll with a dry humor. It was just fine but could have used some more creaminess to pull it all together. The Fry could also have used some more bread since none came with the Fish Fry. Ugh.
Tony Frank's was a great bar, but their Fish Fry was downright pathetic. The Badger Tavern is moving things forward but there are definitely still improvements that could be made. Less grease, and a slice of rye would certainly put the Badger Tavern in the every week discussion. As it stands we're satisfied knowing what it's all about and will probably just come back when we happen to be in the area. Overall, we recommend this Fish Fry and are glad to see new life in old Tony Frank's
The Badger Tavern takes their Fish Fry seriously and run it every day of the week. I rolled in right as they opened and saw the crew prepping the batter, the tartar, and the slaw. It ran like a well-oiled machine so it was no surprise when my plate hit the bar about three minutes after I ordered.
This cod is just flat-out good. The beer batter is light and bubbly, but clings to the fish really well. It's got a mild flavor and lets the cod flake apart as it should. It's taken over the top by the thick and tangy tartar and while the 2-piece was the smart move at lunchtime I could easily have put away a couple more.
Like the tartar, the slaw packed a punch, while the smattering of fries finished things off nicely.
We came to Tony Frank's for fish a couple times back in the day and while it was always pretty good, the Badger has certainly taken things up a notch. Overall, we recommend this Fish Fry and think it's a great spot to find yourself on a Friday...or any other day ending in "Y" for that matter.