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Fish Type: Bluegill     Price: $13.50

Overall, I would highly recommend this Fish Fry.

Fish Score: Excellent
Potato Score: Excellent
Tartar Score: Excellent
Bread Score: Good
Miscellaneous Score: Good

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Comment: If you find yourself on the UW campus on a Friday and you’re in need of a Fish Fry there is really only one thing to do – go to the Big 10.

The Big 10 has the best fish in the campus area hands down. Sure, there are a few other places to get your fill, but none of them really come close to the authenticity the Big 10 offers. Most of the other spots have cod and fries, but that’s about it. The Big 10 has that and so much more; from bluegill to lake perch, to walleye to potato pancakes, they really do Fish Fry right.

Today was a bluegill and potato pancakes day and the well-run kitchen had our platters ready in 10 minutes or so. The modern looking rectangular plate was piled high with seven fillets - a couple of which were real honkers. Each one was a tasty little nugget of joy featuring flaky meat and the Big 10’s as advertised light breading. The resulting flavor combo is divine despite the fact that the breading could have used another dash of salt or maybe same garlic powder. Still, it was top-notch stuff.

We’ve always been fans of the Big 10’s potato pancakes especially as they are some of the only you’ll find in the city. They are on the thick side as far as latkes go but are cooked up just right so there is still some crispiness around the perimeter. They house a really great flavor especially when paired with the homemade apple compote.

A very unique and diverse tartar puts a perfect finishing touch on the fish with a hint of pimiento, and a just enough dill. Historically, the Big 10 was way too into the dill, but the percentage has been dialed way back recently which makes for a much more balanced blend.

An incredibly firm white roll plays the part of the starch and is certainly not your grandma’s dinner roll. It is dense and hearty but inexplicably dry, and while it is unique, I wouldn’t say it’s any better than the norm. The creamy slaw is a little better than average though, with a potent horseradish blast that really keeps you coming back for more.

While a lot of places on campus pay lip service to Fish Fry the Big 10 takes the Wisconsin tradition very seriously. The result is a Fish Fry that can go toe-to-toe with any in town, and proves that even academics love their fish. Overall, we highly recommend the bluegill at the Big 10 and look forward to our next rendezvous.



big10pub.com/
1330 Regent Street
Madison, WI 53715

(608) 251-6375