Review
The crown jewel in the New Glarus Fish Fry hierarchy is the legendary Glarner Stube. The Stube is well known for their authentic Swiss cuisine, especially their fondue, their Roesti potatoes, and their various schnitzels and wursts. It is a true gastro paradise, which, of course, features an amazing AYCE Fish Fry on Fridays. Be warned - The Stube gets busy, and I do mean busy.
There is no skimping at The Stube and as such their All You Can Eat Fish Fry is offered all day long - whether you're up for AYCE or not. Small portions are out of the question in New Glarus with the AYCE cod running $13, and non-AYCE lake perch option going for $17 - both complete with all the trimmings. In addition to our fish we couldn't resist ordering a side of their signature fondue and a couple fresh taps of Spotted Cow.
Our fondue came in no time and was nothing less than delicious. The Swiss cheese based sauce was potent, and featured a noticeable stank that really gave the crusty bread chunks a run for their money. While the gigantic crock is a little expensive at $16 it is meant to be shared, and winds up being worth it when all is said and done (it is a ton of food - order at your own risk).
Once we made our way through most of the goo, the fish arrived and our focus shifted. The cod looked just amazing, as the two hefty pieces were cloaked in a golden beer batter that glowed under the houselights. Even though the chunks were huge, they were surprisingly light and incredibly flavorful. The beer batter was rich and creamy, and paired perfectly with the pure, flaky fish. It was expertly done, and even though it was AYCE, I was full after round one thanks to the filling fondue and the puffy potatoes.
Even though I knew better, I simply couldn't resist upgrading one of my sides to the Roesti potatoes for an additional couple bucks. The traditional Swiss hash brown loaf (which comes on its own plate) was massive and infused with a ton of Swiss cheese that made it formidable. It was a lot to pile on top of the fish and the fondue, but it was just too good not too.
Capping the peaks of the cod mountain was a tangy, homemade tartar that had some snap, but didn't really stand up to the brawny fish. It also had a few too many capers in it for our tastes, but in general they faded into the mildly and creamy mix without too much of a fight.
Besides the bread that came with the fondue, none came with the fish (which was a bit surprisingly). This left the creamy coleslaw to fend for itself which was somewhat problematic since the homemade mix was good, but not great.
If you like great beer, New Glarus is the place for you. If you like amazing food, New Glarus is the place for you. If you like great beer and lots of amazing food at the same time, then The Glarner Stube is definitely the place for you. Overall, we highly recommend this Fish Fry and have to say it is easily one of the best the Madison area has to offer. It is impressive, as are all things at The Stube.
The Stube has fabulous food, starting with their traditional Swiss fondue. The ooey gooey melty goodness comes in a massive crock and stays liquefied throughout the entire dipping process thanks to its own burner. The gargantuan portion does serious damage to any hunger and while it's a tough task to take on before a plate of Friday Fish, it's something that simply must be done.
The Glarner Fry is composed of a $17.00 lake perch or the more popular $13.00 cod. Both fish share the same hefty beer batter which is a bit much on the 3 delicate perch butterflies but well-suited to the meatier cod. While the perch itself is smooth and flaky it gets lost under the beefy coating while the cod is more balanced.
Roesti are a traditional Swiss hash brown-style potato and although they cost a couple bucks extra, are well worth it. The spuds come family style, are loaded with Swiss cheese, and really hit the sweet spot. When all was said and done our stomachs were stuffed and all that remained on the mother plate was a translucent sheen of grease.
Big beer batters necessitate a big and bold tartar sauce and the Stube's stuff fit the bill. It was pungent but came in a tiny cup that didn't even last until the perch was gone. Alas, I could likely have gotten more, but was so stuffed with fondue and Roesti that it wasn't even necessary.
In addition to all the melty cheese and deep fried delights there was also a choice between soup, salad, or slaw, which seemed like a prime opportunity to do something a bit healthier. The salad of mixed greens I chose was crisp and clean, but little else. There was also no bread served although maybe it was just kept on reserve since we had plenty with the fondue? I don't know, but regardless, I don't think it would have gotten eaten if it had come.
The Glarner Stube is a special place and really piles on the food like few others can. While the batter on the perch wasn't prefect nearly everything else was which made for an all-around enjoyable experience. Overall, we recommend this Fish Fry but highly recommend the Glarner Stube in general. It's a gem.
Apparently, Glarner Stube translates to "The Living Room of New Glarus" which seems to make a lot of sense especially if you consider the closed street outside as the "front yard of New Glarus." The Stube was crammed with hungry folks, but we somehow managed to find the hostess (under the huge copper hood) and get our name on the list. An hour wait was in store, which gave us plenty of time to grab a table and take in the Swissy sights. After pounding a few pints I really wished I had sprung for the for the fest mug as it would have been a nice souvenir and been well worth the cost due to the cheap refills which were available throughout the local establishments. Oh well, we shall not dwell on that which we cannot change... on to the fish.
Our wait flew by, thanks in part to the booze, but also to the eclectic crowd drawn by the Glarner Stube. Let's just say, these folks know how to eat, and do it well. We were seated almost to the minute of our quoted time, and entered the fully loaded dining room just before 8PM. We had nary a second to catch our breath before our well seasoned waitress was upon us with menus, and drink inquiries. Since we had ample time to study their offerings prior to arriving in the dining room we were ready for her - fondue and marinated peppers for the little lady, and the AYCE cod and a Spotted Cow for me (perch was also available for $14, but I had already "perched" for lunch). At the time I was unaware that the cod was AYCE since that tidbit is not listed anywhere on the Friday Specials placard, but as it turns out, I was glad it was.
Prior to our entrees we were treated to a full blown basket of bread, complete with packaged crackers, breadsticks, and homemade slices. In addition, the Fish Fry came with a soup/salad option of which I opted for the Prime Rib soup. All were good (although the soup was a bit bizarre), and set us up well for the fondue which came shortly after.
Being an authentic Swiss restaurant the Stube specializes in fondue and has the tools of the trade to prove it. Our huge ceramic kettle was mounted atop a fancy-schmancy burner and crammed full of the cheesy goodness. We grabbed our skewers, stabbed some bread, and had at it. Even though this was my first fondue experience I can say without a doubt, that this was good fondue. It had a smooth texture and a really interesting taste which stemmed from the wine, kirsh and swiss cheese. It was almost sweet, but almost sour at the same time. It danced on the palate and played out it flavors in each and every bite. Well before the copious amount of fondue was exhausted the fish appeared and I refocused my efforts.
The cod at the Stube is labeled simply as "cod," but it was clear when it appeared that it was beer battered. It emerged from the kitchen and was alarmingly hot when set down. Try as I may, I could not get my hands on the golden fried little buggers and had to crack them open to release some of the internal steam. When a piece finally reached my mouth I was greeted by an array of tastes. The fish itself was incredibly flaky as each individual sheet fell apart effortlessly. The batter did its best to hold it together, but failed on more than one occasion. While it wasn't exceptionally flavorful, the batter did its job nicely, and didn't get overly greasy, although a tiny bit did accumulate. Overall, it was very good and I managed to get four large pieces down atop my liberal intake of fondue.
Accompanying the $12 cod was the "Roesti" which I was talked into trying for a $2 up charge. In lieu of French fries the Roesti made a suitable companion to the fish, although the gigantic portion was somewhat overwhelming. They were essentially a cheesy hash brown-like pie and were very good, although the sheer quantity of them pushed my stomach to its breaking point. If there is one thing I learned about the Stube, it is that you will not go home hungry, trust me on that one.
Rounding out the Fish Fry was their homemade tartar sauce which was thick and creamy, but had a noticeable lemon zest. The zest was a bit over the top and really dominated the flavor of the sauce. In fact, it even shrouded the fish in lemon-ness when applied liberally. By and large, it was pretty decent, but like too much dill, too much lemon is never a good thing. I would much prefer a lighter dousing in the actual sauce and a wedge or two on the side that I could use, or not, based on my personal taste. On the whole it wasn't that big of a deal, but I gotta tell it like it is.
When all was said and done, my overloaded belly and I retired to bathroom to evacuate some of the liquids that we enjoyed whilst waiting for our table. Upon entering the tiny lavatory I was met with a majestic site, which I instantly dubbed the 8th Wonder of the World. In addition to being home to great food, the Stube is home to what must be the largest urinal in the history of mankind. The ceramic monolith was simply incredible. It comprised a good 1/3 of the tiny space, dwarfing the sink and toilet combined. I grinned like a schoolboy at recess as I proudly took advantage of its abundance.
As I exited the commode I found myself at a point of extreme satisfaction. I had a great meal with my beautiful wife, and was leaving with stories to tell about the wild little village of New Glarus. Overall, this was simply a fantastic meal, Fish Fry related or not. I'm sure the Swiss specialties at the Stube are nothing to scoff at and we will be sure to come back someday with intentions on getting the Wiener schnitzel or some other local delicacy. As it stands, this is easily a highly recommendable Fish Fry and the Stube is just one of those places you have to try. If for no other reason, you at least need to go check out the bathroom, it is truly a sight to behold much like Old Faithful or the Grand Canyon. Apparently they like BIG things in New Glarus: AYCE Fish Fry, Oktoberfest rowdiness, huge portions, and mammoth urinals. When you amalgamate all this massiveness one thing becomes perfectly clear, the Glarner Stube is glaringly spectacular.