Buck & Honey's - Waunakee

Kid's soccer game dictated that we get Fish Fry in Waunakee and after he played so well I figured he deserved his favorite steak from @buckandhoneyswaunakee. Luckily for us, the fish was on point tonight as well.

This was far and away the best cod I've had at the Waunakee location and maybe the best I've had at a B&H period. This fish had a great flake, the batter was bubbly and crisp, and it was fried perfectly. It was all-around excellent.

The cheesy hash browns were damn near perfect, the tartar was ultra-creamy and took the fish to the next level, the slaw was fresh and inviting, and the ciabatta bun was well above average.

Overall, I was really pleased with this $19 Fish Fry and would gladly recommend it, maybe even highly so.

A week ago today we lost a good friend without warning. It was a hard week, and we knew a Friday Night Fish Fry wouldn't be in the cards so we did what any savvy Wisconsinite would do - we got fish on Wednesday night and Friday afternoon instead. It's what Ricky would have wanted...

Wednesday night we hit @longtablebeercafe for their every day Fish Fry. This one is a straight-forward 2-piece cod with a decadent beer batter. It sits broadside to a boatload of their famous frites, and pairs well with their house tartar. A nice little jar o' slaw sidles up as well and balances things out.

We didn't have much time to get things together Friday morning, but found an hour to run to @buckandhoneyswaunakee for a quick lunch. Luckily for us, fish fries fast and we had this 2-piece served and devoured in about 20 minutes flat. The highlight here is an insanely crunchy batter which stayed grease-free and cloaked a couple overtly fishy flavors on the smaller fillet. The cheesy hash brown casserole was a little oily but tasted great, and the slaw did it's job. A cup of tartar was forgotten initially, but delivered shortly after upon request. Unfortunately, it was just so-so and didn't really perk up the cod.

Life can be so unfair and nonsensical at times. When terrible things like this happen it's hard to know what to do or where to turn. For us, it was looking to the familiar, our other friend, the Friday Fish Fry. While neither of these Frys was superb, they both provided comfort when we needed it and I'd have no problem recommending either one to friends, family, or strangers alike.

After a week at hockey camp I let the kid choose where he wanted to get lunch this Friday. Of course, since the camp was at the Ice Pond, I knew he'd choose @buckandhoneyswaunakee.

His favorite item on any kid's menu anywhere is the $12 kid's steak at Buck & Honey's and he asks for it fairly often. Since he worked hard all week and B&H - Waunakee has a decent Fish Fry it was basically a win-win situation for us. We pulled in around 1:15 and I had my $16 2-piece cod in front of me about 20 minutes later.

As always, B&H presents a pretty plate and the food is prepared with care. The cod today wasn't as good as some I've had in the past, but that's not to say it was bad. The fish was flaky and the batter was flavorful, but the thinner parts of the fillets were slightly over-fried. The pungent tartar helped cover these tiny imperfections and I had no problem polishing off both chunks.

The star of the Friday matinee remains their signature cheesy hash browns which are rich and decadent and downright delicious. The slaw is well-balanced and tasty, and the ciabatta roll is a step above the norm, all of which help make this the full meal deal.

Buck and Honey's is four locations deep now and they all share a similar menu - including their Friday Fish Fry. While I still think the OG SP spot fries the best fish, all of them do it well and are worth a shot...especially if you're little ones like tenderloin. ;)

Buck & Honey's never disappoints, and that includes their newest location in Waunakee. The $19 3-piece cod was on point, featuring lightly battered, flaky fish, ridiculously delicious cheesy hash browns, some homemade slaw, and a ciabatta roll. The only misstep was the tartar, which looked homemade, but had a non-traditional taste. I think it was actually made with quick fridge pickles which are great as pickles, but didn't really work in the tartar. The $14 Maple Bourbon Old Fashioned with candied bacon did work however, and was one of the tastiest, fanciest, and most expensive drinks I think I've had. The clam chowder was also inviting and comes with a $2 discount when paired with the Friday specials. Overall, this was a lovely Friday and if you have a kid who likes steak, take them for the $10 steak on the kids menu and thank me later.