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| - As a Wisconsin native, Friday fish fries have always been a big part of my life. When living in Madison years ago, we used to hit all the great fish fries on the lakes around town. And while spending 10 years in Hayward, we used to live for Fridays at Lost Land Lake Lodge and later The Waterfront. Living in Utah for over 20 years, my opportunities are few and far between. So I was excited to have a free Friday in Madison to try the very best. Reading online reviews, going off my past knowledge and talking to friends, I made the tough call between the Avenue Bar (one of my favorite lunch spots) and the Esquire Club. We chose the Esquire.
I hadn't been in the club in probably 30-35 years. Overall, it was a good experience. But it wasn't close to the level to which I'm accustomed to in Hayward on our three or four trips out there a year. We had a great time and I highly recommend it, but we would make another choice next time.
The bar at Kavanaugh's Esquire Club is great - a full horseshoe with plenty of seating. We arrived around 5:30 p.m. on a Friday in Lent. It was packed already, as was every spot in the parking lot. We put our name in and were told it would be 20 minutes for our party of two. We were seated in just ten.
One of the challenges with the Esquire is it just doesn't have a lot of natural atmosphere. The main room with the bar is fabulous. But the other dining rooms are really plain with not a single thing on the wall. The table settings are nice. And outside, it's a totally blah building. Out the back door to the parking lot was an attractive collection of a few hundred cigarette butts sitting on the sidewalk and snowbank.
The tables are pre-set with great, fresh rye bread and fabulous cole slaw. And we had quick attention from our waitress. The host gave us menus - actually three stapled, photocopied sheets - pretty tacky (I noticed others did get regular menus). It's a full supper club menu with multiple choices for fish fry. We opted for the $9.95 all-you-can-eat ocean perch. What was notable to me as that the current Web page for Esquire lists the price at $8.95. Not good. Cod was also available at a slightly higher price.
The bread and slaw kept us entertained and both were world class. A heaping plate of fish and crinkle fries arrived in good time (beating the Coke our grandson ordered 15 minutes earlier). We had to ask for lemons.
The fish was very good - I love perch. But as good as it was, it simply wasn't at the presentation and taste level of what we traditionally get at The Waterfront in Hayward, for example. It was a simple cornbread-type breading that was good, but somewhat uninteresting - not the flamboyant texture of the beer battered fish we have grown to expect.
Nonetheless, we polished off the fish, got a few more fries and a chocolate mousse desert. The bill for two with a few beers and desert was just under $40.
Later that night, we also hit the Beachhouse in McFarland, another popular local spot. My wife had dinner there with a friend. This is an awesome place with a ton of atmosphere and great fish.
Esquire Club Summary (five point scale)
Exterior: 2 - Pretty plain building; cigarette butts not pretty
Interior atmosphere: 3 - Main bar room is great
Food: 4 - Good was great, not overally thrilled with fish batter
Service: 3 - Generally good, but shouldn't have to wait for main course to get a Coke
Value: 5 - $9.95 for an all-you-can-eat fish fry at this level is outstanding
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