Illustration credit: Tess Brzycki
Each year, we let our readers choose the best local fish fry. For the 2019 Shepherd Express Best of Milwaukee, our readers turned the Best Fish Fry category into a hotly contested one, indeed. Of course, we had a winner—and no less than seven runners-up, with many tied votes.
Milwaukee’s been called “The City That Means Beer” and “The City of Festivals,” but the persistence—and proliferation—of the traditional Friday fish fry is just as important a marker of our city’s identity. While Milwaukee’s Catholic community may have established the fish fry as essential during Lent, it has far outgrown those origins. In the Cream City, every Friday is a Good Friday when it comes to a great fish fry.
Clifford’s Supper Club 10418 W. Forest Home Ave. 414-425-6226 cliffordssupperclub.com
Clifford’s is one of those places that seems like it’s been there forever. The sign out front features a martini glass and an arrow made up of small light bulbs, which lends an old-school credibility to the place before you even enter. Upon entering, you can almost feel the clock turning back to a simpler time. Lots of dark wood paneling, wallpaper and a Formica-topped bar surrounded by bucket-seated stools will appeal to patrons who long for days gone by.
Clifford’s offers a full complement of classic comfort food. Lightly battered Icelandic cod is served daily with the traditional creamy coleslaw, rye bread, homemade tartar sauce and crispy French fries—or a baked potato. (Lake perch is also tasty, but it’s not as delicately breaded as the cod.) On Friday, the wonderful fish fry is available in the dining room, but for larger groups. Or, for another take on the nostalgic route, eat in the banquet hall for a traditional Wisconsin experience of an all-you-can-eat family style fish dinner. The all-you-can-eat version of the cod is delicious and includes the same yummy coleslaw, fries and rye bread, along with a cozy feeling of camaraderie and togetherness. (Susan Harpt Grimes)
Kegel’s Inn 5901 W. National Ave. 414-257-9999 kegelsinn.com
Kegel’s Inn is a remnant of old Milwaukee in West Allis: A German restaurant and corner tap whose Old World charm is authentic. The dark, Teutonic interior boasts the original mahogany bar and wooden tables and chairs that could date from the place’s opening in 1924. The high, wooden wainscoting is surmounted by murals of hunting and merriment. Beautiful leaded glass windows suggest an old ratskeller and, no surprise, beer steins line a wall. The environment is remarkable, but people keep coming back for the food, including the many Bavarian dishes and the fish fry served Wednesdays and Fridays.
Kegel’s Inn offers a half-dozen options, including baked fish and a seafood combo. At a recent lunch visit, Kegel’s “Classic Fish Fry” included five pieces of lightly battered, golden brown cod. The fish fry comes with two slices of hearty rye bread, homemade coleslaw and a choice of soup. French fries and mashed potatoes are the standard sides, but Kegel’s also offers some unusual alternatives: potato pancakes, red cabbage or spaetzle (German egg noodles). Kegel’s offers a good wine list, plenty of beer and—as they say auf Deutsch—plenty of gemütlichkeit! (David Luhrssen)
Lakefront Brewery 1872 N. Commerce St. 414-372-8800 lakefrontbrewery.com
Lakefront Brewery fish fry
This year’s Best of Milwaukee winner, Lakefront Brewery, is an old favorite. The raucous, convivial atmosphere at Lakefront Brewery on Friday evenings is second to none in Milwaukee. It’s everything a beer hall should be—from the family style seating prompting you to make new friends to the live polka music from the Brewhaus Polka Kings. You’ll have to wait for a seat during peak times, but the fish is worth any hassle.
Cod loins in a crispy beer batter are clearly the most popular order, but the menu doesn’t stop there. Baked cod with lemon and capers, baked salmon with new grist ginger, fried shrimp, perch and smelt round out the seafood offerings. The smelt fry, with whole fish in a light coating of breadcrumbs, is especially well done. Potato pancakes come with a cup of better-than-usual applesauce, and German potato salad beats French fries on the side any day. Unlike many restaurants, Lakefront serves plenty of other food on Fridays as well, making it a great stop for large groups that may include (gasp!) fish haters. Plus, you can always count on great beer. (Lacey Muszynski)
The Packing House 900 E. Layton Ave. 414- 483-5054 packinghousemke.com
The neon lights on The Packing House sign are warm and welcoming, and the jazz music played by local combos instantly makes the restaurant a classy establishment. The curved bar is enticing, but by taking a right, a small hallway leads to candle-lit tables with white tablecloths for a great fish fry dinner.
Pickled vegetables placed in the center of the table are perfect for snacking on while waiting for a frosty glass of beer to arrive. Before your fish fry plate arrives, a creamy clam chowder with salty rye bread pair nicely as a starter. Served with a choice of potato pancakes or French fries, the cod dinner comes to you warm, slightly breaded and with a tangy sauce on the side. By squeezing a lemon slice over the fish, your meal became refreshing and delicious. (Erin Berge)
Papa Luigi’s Pizza 3475 E. Layton Ave. 414-483-6111 papaluigiscudahy.com
Papa Luigi’s Pizza may not be the first restaurant that comes to mind for a fish fry. The star of their culinary show is the Milwaukee-style pizza on a cracker-thin crust. But, they certainly do get it completely right when it comes to fish as well.
With a parking lot in back and a roomy dining area, at Papa Luigi’s there’s little wait time, even on a busy Friday evening. We sampled the baked cod, which comes with a salad and pasta with marinara sauce (potato options are also available), as well as the broiled pike, which comes with a cup of soup and a baked potato. Service as quick and attentive. The meals provided delicious, stick-to-your-ribs fare in a family run environment. Memorabilia depicting the Rat Pack and vintage Hollywood icons complement this restaurant’s old-school décor. (Blaine Schultz)
Sandra’s on the Park 10049 W. Forest Home Ave. 414-235-8889 sandrasonthepark.com
When thinking about where to dine in the southwestern metro Milwaukee area in the past, most locals would have directed you to one of the many classic supper clubs, such as Clifford’s (see above) or The Bosch Tavern. In recent years, however, a new option opened. Sandra’s on the Park is a modern version of a supper club that has already given customers many reasons to return.
While seafood is a menu mainstay at Sandra’s, on Fridays, the crowds clamor for a traditional fish fry. Beer-battered Icelandic cod, fried to perfection, is available in three- or four-piece options, and includes potato pancakes or tasty, house-cut, parmesan-romano French fries, creamy coleslaw and fresh, salted, marbled rye bread. Baked fish and baked potatoes are also available for those who prefer non-fried foods. Sandra’s Friday fish fry has become very popular; reservations aren’t taken, so come early or, at least, come prepared for a potential wait to be seated. (Susan Harpt Grimes)
The Saucy Swine 2245 E. Saint Francis Ave. 414-509-5390 thesaucyswine.com
Located inside the distinctively painted tavern called Redbar, this near-hidden restaurant’s nondescript location only adds to its over-all mystique. The festive bar area gives way to a quiet back room dining area.
A barbecue-centric place, The Saucy Swine offers a Friday fish fry sub-menu, and we dove in. The potato chip-encrusted cod dinner comes with four large pieces of mild, flavorful fish, a cup of coleslaw and a generous heaping of potato skins. The shrimp boil platter is loaded with medium-sized shrimp with drawn butter, sausage, boiled potato, a small cob of corn dusted with cayenne and flavorful rye bread. Both meals are certainly large enough to share. We started off with the Korean Brussels appetizer (crispy, fried brussels sprouts, chopped bacon, sesame seeds, Korean Kick barbecue sauce and curry aioli), and to be honest, that pretty much sealed the deal. It was fantastic. You will not be disappointed. (Blaine Schultz)
The Thistle & Shamrock 3430 N. 84th St. 414-871-3977 thethistleandshamrock.com
Like every good neighborhood bar, Thistle & Shamrock’s menu brims with snacks, appetizers, sandwiches and many daily specials. Friday nights, though, are when the kitchen really shines. They go all out for their fish fry, cooking up some 26 (!) different types of fish, including cod, haddock, smelt, northern pike, salmon, perch, grouper and walleye. Most options are available either fried in a thin, finely textured crumb coating or baked with butter. Opt for fried if you can, as the breading is delicate and clings to the fish better than a heavier coating. It’s an especially great way to bread smelt without it turning into a fish stick-like finger.
The fish fry comes with the standard sides, including homemade coleslaw and tartar sauce. Skip the crinkle-cut fries and order either the homemade potato chips or the potato pancakes. The cakes are deep brown, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, with just a bit of onion. They come with a cup of applesauce or none-too-commonly found maple syrup. (Lacey Muszynski)
This article is part of our 2020 Fish Fry Guide. For more articles in the series, click here.
