Fish Type: Cod (AYCE) Price: $19.00
Overall, I would recommend this Fish Fry.
| Fish Score: Excellent Potato Score: Good Tartar Score: Good Bread Score: Poor Miscellaneous Score: Excellent |  |
Comment: I had a plan this Friday…food truck Fish Fry and a dive bar to eat it in. Solid plan, right? Fortunately I checked Facebook beforehand and saw that Sista's Chicken & Fish and theDive Inn Madison were unexpectedly offline this Friday so I pivoted to another establishment in the Mad City Cocktails family.
We rolled into Ollie’s around 5:30 and honestly weren’t sure what to expect. Ollie’s has their $16 Fish Fry on the menu every day of the week with nothing seemingly special on Friday. Many reviews online also decry their 20% service charge and reportedly odd ordering system so we came ready to roll with the punches. To our surprise the experience was very straightforward, much like you’d get at any restaurant (but with accommodations for those who may need it).
We were seated straightaway and our waiter brought us water and took our drink and cheese curd order shortly after. When he returned with the booze we ordered our fish - very standard. The old fashioned was nothing less than superb and the cheese curds followed suit. A great start.
The fish arrived not long after and looked very proper. The four long fingers of cod were easy to handle and made dipping in the silky tartar a breeze. Each “stick” was light and flaky and highlighted by a subtly salty breading that made each bite blissful.
The decorative basket of fries looked cute, but what it held was simply handsome. The fat Julienne-cut fries were perfectly fried and dusted with a fantastic seasoning. While the portion didn’t look like much it was more than satisfactory once we got down to business.
Rounding out this Fish Fry was a ramekin of fresh and inviting slaw. Clearly made in-house, this slaw was well-balanced and just a joy to eat.
All in all, this was a great Fish Fry and there’s no doubt we’ll be back. If you’re worried about the 20% service charge, don’t be. Our waiter had no qualms about telling people that it essentially serves as a tip, and since we typically tip over that anyway it was no big deal. We also added a little more in the end since he was good and we felt he deserved a little more love. Overall, our experience at Ollie’s was a good one.www.olliesmadison.com/
2951 Triverton Pike Dr
Fitchburg, WI 53711
(608) 442-4444
