Fish Type: Cod Price: $14.00
Overall, I would not recommend this Fish Fry.
| Fish Score: Poor Potato Score: Good Tartar Score: Fair Bread Score: Excellent Miscellaneous Score: Fair |
Comment: If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all, right? Well, I do have a couple nice things to say...unfortunately the bulk of it is not so rosy.
Hail Mary is a sports bar in an old church. If that sounds strange, you're right, it is. Still, even with that odd dichotomy if the food were amazing all sins would be forgiven - substance over style. Hail Mary serves cod and perch on Friday, both of which are beer battered, and since the good Lord frowns on beer battered freshwater fish I went for the cod. The 3-piece is hearty, I'll give them that, but runs $14 which is getting up there price-wise.
There are seven deadly sins, and I think this cod committed them all. It was likely the blandest I have ever tasted. In fact, I'm not sure "tasted" is even the right word since there was essentially no flavor whatsoever, save for a faint essence of beer. The breading was thick and doughy, with a lack of seasoning like I've never seen before. The fish itself scalded me with grease on more than one occasion as it shot out the back end and on to my Pius fingers. Ouch and uck.
The crispy, beer battered fries were a blessing in an otherwise bleak scene, and along with the marble rye were the saving grace of the meal. The same can not be said for the middling tartar or the creamy, yet forgettable slaw.
Jesus loves me, this I know, but I'd bet even he wouldn't love this Fish Fry. It was just not good in any way, and while I feel bad crucifying the Hail Mary, there just really isn't any way around it. Overall, we don't recommend this Fish Fry and think they need to make some changes quickly if they want to stick around in Madison's crowded food scene.
www.hailmarymadison.com/
401 East Washington Avenue
Madison, WI 53703
(608) 467-3016
