Best Friday Fish Fry

Kegel’s Inn was established in 1924 and is abundant in German and European heritage, decor and history (they even at one time served as a prohibition era speakeasy). With all of that, they are still probably best known for their fish fry. Kegel’s traditional German Menu is pared down on Fridays to allow for their coveted fry, and it is no surprise. Kegel’s offers a large variety of options including baked or fried cod, lake perch, walleye, blue gill, grouper and catfish. For us, the walleye is where it’s at from those choices. But it’s their special recipe for a super flavorful and crispy potato pancake (available for $2 more) that puts Kegel’s at our No. 1 spot for fish fry.

Not all fish fries are traditional, including our pick for the second spot on the list, Hue Vietnamese in Bay View. Like most, Hue only offers their fish fry on Fridays. Hue serves up a large piece of swai deep fried in an airy but crispy turmeric beer batter. Instead of a potato option, the fish comes with a delicious garlic fried rice (also only available on Fridays), and a creamy Thai basil aioli. Trust us, this dish is one you’ll remember.

Liquid Johnny’s is an unassuming small bar close to the Wisconsin State Fairgrounds, but walking by on a Friday night you will smell their delicious Fish Fry from blocks away. The quality of the fish (which includes Icelandic cod, walleye and perch) is good, and hand-dipped in Johnny’s original beer batter for a delicious result. We typically aren’t too impressed with perch, but here, this might have been our favorite of the three fish options. You can also order the “Potato Cake” for an additional $2. Johnny’s offers all of the sauce offerings you could ask for- tarter, drawn butter or malt vinegar for your fish and choices of apple sauce, syrup and sour cream for your potato. The only downfall here is that because of the size, and Wisconsin’s love of sitting and drinking, you will probably be looking at a good wait time.

Thistle & Shamrock might seem like your average no frills Wisconsin restaurant with an Irish twist, but when it comes to their fish fry, they are so much more. Thistle offers 21 different types of fish on their Friday menu, and no, that wasn’t a typo. While they were out of about 9 of their options when we visited, this still might be the biggest variety you’ll find in town. To make things even better, their potato pancakes come at no additional charge and are offered with both apple sauce and real maple syrup. If you want to try as many types of fish as possible, we recommend everyone in your party take advantage of the combo platters. After 8, you’ll also have live music playing the room.

If you have friends or family in town and you want to show them both a good time and a good Wisconsin fish fry, chances are you are taking them to Lakefront. On Fridays, Lakefront transforms into sit-down table service with a live Polka band and dancing. While the atmosphere is probably the biggest draw, the fish fry itself is solid. Lakefront offers beer breaded cod, hand breaded walleye, and even a plant-based fish fry option. Potato pancakes are available with house-made applesauce, though there are also several side options including Mac & Cheese, seasoned fries, sauerkraut, dill pickle potato chips and more.

If you’re not feeling lots of people/loud German music vibes, but want to show some out of towners a “real Wisconsin” bar/restaurant with a good fish fry, take them to Natty Oaks. Natty Oaks is warm, inviting, and VERY Wisconsin (think pull tabs, Milwaukee sports, and cheesy humor). The fish fry is simple, mainly offering 2 or 3 pieces of beer battered cod, but also has the option of a flavorful potato pancake for a $2.50 additional charge. Also, you can enjoy a nice little Milwaukee Surf-and-Turf by ordering their killer smashburger with your fish fry.

The people at Pete’s Pub really know how to cook, and it is no exception when it comes to their Fish fry. Pete’s also doesn’t have what locals would call a traditional fish fry as they lean to the British Fish & Chips style fry, served with a malt vinegar and mushy peas (if you prefer over coleslaw). They also serve haddock over cod, and the quality is noticeable. The house made tartar is one of our faves, making the Filet-O-Pete fish sandwich just as delicious. But, because of the UK vibes, no potato pancake.

We live very close to Steny’s in Walker’s Point, and we are truly happy about that fact. From the outside, Steny’s may just seem like a sports bar on steroids, but what we’ve found is that their food always hits the spot, pretty much no matter what you order. Top personal favorites are their Bloody Mary and Dill Pickle Pizza (but those are for other, future lists). But also, their fish fry. Steny’s Famous Friday Cod Fry Dinner (or perch dinner) is the ultimate comfort food and you can choose from a ton of side options. But, we wouldn’t choose anything other than their super tasty and crispy potato pancake.

Packing House goes hard on Fridays, even offering a drive-thru fish fry from 3-9. This is a go-to for many Milwaukeeans for convenience and affordable prices from a classic Milwaukee Supper Club. But of course we’d rather dine-in for that simple but vintage ambiance. The cod is served with generous portions, and everything is housemade, but the tartar is on the sweeter side which may not be to everyone’s taste.

We don’t usually eat enough fish to care about an All-You-Can-Eat fish fry, but Club Paragon is one to do if you’re into that kind of thing. We opted instead for the “Wisconsin Sportsman Fish Fry” for the combination of the Canadian Walleye, Lake Erie Yellow Perch & Blue Gill. The fish and the tartar were tasty, but Paragon doesn’t offer a potato pancake, just a standard french fry option.