Alyssa R, our daughter & I met up with fellow Yelper, John O, to partake in the famous All-You-Can-Eat Friday Night Fish Fry they serve here. Driving south on WI-35, off of 94, there is a billboard stating this fact of famousness. It is done between the hours of 5-8. Our GPS got us there with no hiccups. The parking lot was near packed. We squeeze into a space we wondered if was a spot at all. Convincing ourselves it was, we make our way in. The lobby was busy with families, but easy to navigate through. We hang up our jackets & ditch the car seat in the coat closet. We put our names in for a table, which we were told a 20 minutes wait for.
Walking into the bar, we lookout for John O, & find him in no time sitting at the bar with a tall glass of beer from Rush River. We couldn't have been much past the greetings before we get called to our table, which happened to be right there in the bar. Our server came to ask about drinks for Alyssa R & I. We both went with what John O was having. Alyssa R wanted a smaller glass. The server said they only serve that one size in the bar, a 22oz glass. John O & I went to check out the buffet, while Alyssa R stayed behind with daughter.
This buffet reminds me of a catered buffet. It's not a permanent buffet. With steam tables & such. There is 3 separate stations. One for salad & soup. One for deserts & one for the main courses. I make my way to the salad station. Lots of toppings to choose from. Nothing too exotic, but every standard you'd expect for a salad topping was represented. Everything was fresh. Salad dressings were limited to 4 choices. The soup choice was Beer Cheese. This was not fresh. Bottoms of the pot. Thick & tasted a lot like nacho chip dip. Oh, Clam Chowder. Where art thou?
Munching on my salad & holding our daughter allowed Alyssa R a turn at the buffet. When she came back, Alyssa R told us of a weird interaction when the server came back with our beers. The server told Alyssa R that there WAS a shorter option of beer, but that she didn't know that until after she had ours poured. So, Alyssa R tells her she'd like that shorter option because she's breastfeeding our child, & such a large beer isn't a good idea. The server waves her hand at Alyssa R, & tells her "you'll be OK" & walks away. Whaaa?
My second trip brings me to the main course station. I grab a clean plate & make my way down the line. Baked Chicken is the first item. I pass. Macaroni & Cheese. Very creamy. One scoop of this. Cowboy Beans. Oh yes. Baked beans with ground beef & BBQ sauce. One scoop of these. Wild Rice Pilaf & Garlic Mashed Potatoes are the next two items. Both look fresh & fluffy. I skip these this time. Now the Fish. A baked Cod, Beer Battered Cod, Cajun fried Tilapia, & Cajun fried Walleye. Beer Battered Cod is talking to me. It's telling me I should have left more room on my plate. I fit 4 pieces on my plate, & get me some tartar sauce & lemon before I head back to the table. The Beer Battered Cod here is fingerling size. But, boy! Do they pack big flavor. Light golden brown shell outside. Perfectly flaky white fish inside. The Cowboy Beans were outstanding. They were almost like chili. Big, robust flavor. Thick, not saucy. The Mac & Cheese reminded me of the kind you'd get with a BBQ order. It had a Southern feel to it. Large elbow macaroni. Silky smooth creamy cheese. The tartar sauce is house made. Great, fresh flavor. With a slight tang. Complimented the fish outstandingly. The lemon slices are the little cocktail wedge size. I'm not a fan of this for a Fish Fry. I want the orange slice wedge size. The kind you'd put in your mouth as a kid & pretend you were a boxer with a mouth guard, size.
I had to go up again to try the Cajun Fried Fish options. This time I tried the Wild Rice Pilaf. I also got some more Cowboy Beans. So Yummy. People were talking about the Beans in line. I joined in. I told them that I thought they could be entered into a chili cook-off, they were that good. One lady said she knew who made them & would inform them of my thought. I took two Tilapia & two Walleye, when I got to the fish. They look very much the same. So without the place cards stating the names of the dishes, I wouldn't of been able to tell they had different Cajun Fried Fish. Which is what happened to Alyssa R. I gave her a piece of my Walleye because of this. She hadn't tried that kind yet. Both were fine & tasty. But I couldn't tell any flavor difference between the two. Just a hint of spice on the back end. Nothing overpowering.
Holding our daughter, Alyssa R got a turn at the dessert station. She got enough for the both of us to try. Cheesecake & Chocolate Chip Cookies. Mm Mm Good. This must have been the signal for the server to bring the checks. 2 buffets & 2 beers. Just under $40. $14.95 for the buffet. Pricey, but well worth it. Well maintained & stocked. Great portion control. This was our 4th time here & not our last. We Love This Fish Fry. read more
