The all-you-can-eat fish fry is a dying breed. Whereas once upon a Friday night, fish fry feasters could send their plates back to the kitchen for seconds, thirds, even fourth helpings, these days, most restaurants cut you off at a single serving.
Brocach Irish Pub and Restaurant, however, still offers the all-you-can-eat fish fry, and not just on Friday nights. In fact, it's available every night of the week for $15.
The fry features long, thick pieces of haddock deep fried in a Harp lager batter. Sides include crispy, seasoned fries, hunks of grainy rye bread and butter, and a unique cole slaw made with cabbage, a light dressing, raisins and curry.
The white fish is fresh and flavorful, coated in a mild batter, and deep fried to slightly greasy perfection. We appreciated the double serving of tartar sauce and multiple lemon wedges.
The fries are crispy and delicious, and we were surprised how much we liked the non-traditional cole slaw. The dressing and raisins made it slightly sweet, and the touch of curry contributed an exotic flavor.
Our only complaint about this meal was the first plate was so large, we didn't have room for a second helping. This seems like a waste in an all-you-can-eat situation. We noticed there is a "fish & chips" meal on the menu for $13, which is the same meal only it isn't all-you-can-eat. We would order this next time.
Brocach opened Dec, 4, 2007, and features an Irish and American menu. The space formerly housed the classic 5 and Dime restaurant that also featured a beloved fish fry.
Brocach general manager Adam Boldt says his fish fry stands out for a few reasons.
"We use quality ingredients -- like the haddock and the Harp for our beer batter -- and we pay close attention to details," says Boldt. "Our fish size is a cut above, too. The pieces are very large."
The fish fry is available for lunch upon request.
During our recent visiton a Sunday evening, we enjoyed the live music -- an Irish trio -- but the best part of our meal, however, were the taps of Guinness. The Guinness is noticeably fresh and deliciously thick and creamy, which reminded us that the stout we sometimes drink from bottles or cans can't hold a candle to this tasty tap.
"Being an Irish pub, we go through a lot of Guinness, so you're guaranteed to have a very fresh beverage," says Boldt. "And I clean the lines all the time. In fact, I was just doing it."
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.