Lakefront Brewery beer hall

Fish fries & polka music

A couple Fridays ago, some friends and I went to the Lakefront Brewery beer hall for a fish fry. I'd been once years ago and remember enjoying it, and it seems that the popularity of the brewery and its tour has turned the place into a mad house in recent years. I'm sure the fact that we came out on a Friday night around 7:00 had everything to do with it, but we were packed in tight around the bar, waiting an hour for a spot at a shared table.

The waiting was really not bad, except for having nowhere to sit. There was beer, good conversation, and the promise of fried fish. Oh, and there was live polka music with couples of all ages hopping in time with the music and fathers twirling their daughters, sometimes two at once. Adorable — but that said, the hall is kind of just that: a hall. The exposed brick is nice of course and it's pleasingly cavernous, but I found myself wishing it was, dare I say, cuter. Certainly that's not the vibe Lakefront is going for, but hey, I know what I like — and I like my beer halls to feel more traditionally quaint and German.

When we were seated a bit after 8:00, we were starving and ordered two appetizers: soft pretzels and cheese curds. Both were really tasty, though the cheese dip that came with the pretzels was more like a spread than a dip (and dips are inherently more sharing-friendly). As for the cheese curds, they were beer-battered but not heavily so; as a point of comparison, my brother had brought home cheese curds from Culvers the week before and those are pretty much all batter, no cheese. The curds at Lakefront's beer hall were just the opposite — totally scrumptious. 

For dinner, I ordered the cod fish fry. It was pretty good, but not life changing. I'm still on the look out for a fish fry that knocks my socks off. I think Bogar's in Delafield does a nice job with their fish fry, but there has to be other such places out there! Friends, if you're reading this and you've tried your fair share of fried fish in the Milwaukee area, please comment below: Where oh where is the best fish fry in town? I'm dying to know!

Overall, Lakefront Brewery's beer hall is fun. Good, not great. It's best enjoyed with friends who aren't in a hurry and are game for an appetizer or two. The fish will satisfy in the moment, but if you're searching for the best fry of your life, the search goes on.