Caleb Westphal hasn’t missed a Friday fish fry since 2013. Follow his never-ending adventures—sponsored by Miller High Life—HERE. This week: fish fry #590, at Dale Z.’s On Tour in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
At approximately 1 a.m. on November 9, 1975, a group of 10 men with lit cigarettes walked into It’s A Small World, the first tavern in the Milwaukee area to not allow smoking. After being told to put out the smokes in order to be served, they purposely dropped them on the shag carpet. One started to burn the carpet before being picked up by bar owner Leonard Zurkowski. One of the 10 men took a cue ball out of his pocket and threw it at the large mirror behind the bar, smashing a spider web into the glass. Liquor bottles were also smashed, and another of the men swung a barstool at a sink until it ripped out of the wall, water spilling from its guts onto the floor.
After closing down for repairs, It’s A Small World reopened, and continued as a sanctuary for the non-smoking drinker until 1982. It not only was a safe space for the nonsmoker, but also gained a reputation as being one for those who wanted to drink non-alcoholic cocktails and beers. Zurkowski even told patrons they could fold their cash a certain way if they didn’t want booze in their cocktails, so they could kick the tippling without fear that their friends would judge them for it. Non-smoking bars with alcohol-free options are a given in Milwaukee today, but someone had to pave the way, and that man was Leonard Zurkowski.
But the unassuming brick building on Howell Avenue that housed It’s A Small World has continued to be one for firsts. Operated by Dale Zbieranek as Dale Z.’s On Tour since 2012 (3585 S. Howell Ave.; 414-483-2030), it became the first Milwaukee bar with pickleball courts in 2022. Want to learn more about their pickleball? Just text “PICKLE” to 877-957-2030. More in the mood for a fish fry? Dale Z.’s On Tour still has you covered.
Not wanting to deal with an almost assured long wait at a supper club or restaurant because it was Good Friday, I decided on a bar fish fry. Jesus hung out with sinners anyway, so it seemed appropriate to eat next to those knocking back shots and beers on the solemn holiday. I put Dale Z.’s On Tour on my list for “The best Milwaukee-area fish frys of 2022,” and haven’t been back since, and I decided it was the right day to return.
Friday night was in full swing when I walked in at almost a quarter past 5. It was packed, with almost everyone drinking, and it was loud, with a hoot and holler piercing through here and there. Maybe people had the day off work and started their weekend early, or maybe they had just arrived. Some were wearing Brewers garb, surely pregaming before heading to the stadium or hunkering down at the bar. This would bode well for me, because I was trying to get a fish fry. Sure, some people were eating, including fish frys, but mostly not—the food was secondary to the drinking and companionship.
I grabbed a menu and took a seat to look it over. There’s the three-piece cod ($12.95) that can be ordered with the fish fried, baked, or blackened. Additional pieces are $2.95. The sides are french fries, potato pancakes, or the soup of the day (clam chowder, of course). There’s also the eight-piece fried shrimp ($13.95). An additional four pieces are $4.95. Two potato pancakes are available à la carte ($3.95), as is the soup of the day ($3.95 cup/$4.95 bowl). With so many people drinking, I wasn’t sure what level of table service was taking place, so I went up to the bar to order. I ordered the fried cod with potato pancakes, along with a cup of chowder.
I pointed to the two-top under one of the front windows—the window that appeared to have bullet holes in it—and told the bartender I’d be seated there. Had an anti-pickleball crusader defiled the window, like a cigarette-wielding protester at It’s A Small World or a hatchet-wielding Carrie Nation, furious of pickleball’s ascendancy vis a vis badminton or tennis? It seems unlikely, and I didn’t take the time to ask about the window as I should have—maybe the stakes were much more serious this time around—but having shattered glass in two drinking establishments in the same building, separated by five decades of time, is a thought-provoking coincidence.
But never mind that. The chowder landed within minutes and it was time to giddy up into flavortown. It was moderately satisfying, a congealed, gravy-like stew where the clams and potatoes matched each other, with carrots and herbs also in the mix.
“Do you have everything you need to enjoy your fish fry?” the bartender who dropped off my fish fry asked, after circling back a few minutes after setting it down, as if she knew I like to Enjoy Every Fish Fry. I had everything I needed, so I answered in the affirmative. The slaw was pungent, crunchy, and evenly coated. Halved and buttered perfectly, the top-drawer marbled rye was gentle in flavor. The potato pancakes were soft in the right parts and crisp in the right parts, meaning they had a soft interior and were crisp around the edges, yet not burnt anywhere. A subtle onion flavor was steady throughout.
A thick, beer-forward batter cloaked the cod. Slightly crisp at its ends, it otherwise brought a padded or cushioned quality, being delicate but not dainty. The combination of flavor and texture would have brought notice no matter what was beneath it, but thankfully, the cod delivered too, being fresh and flaky. Above all, both the cod and batter were consistent. The tartar was moderately thick and sweet, and was comparable to many I’ve had. Subjectively speaking, the fish and batter were a step up from the tartar, which deviated a little bit in flavor from the most glorious tartars of my dreams.
I had seen on Reddit that the chef at Dale Z.’s had once been behind the fish fry at Lakefront Brewery. I asked if it was true, and the bartender confirmed that their kitchen manager and head chef used to be at the brewery. It’s not surprising, because Dale Z.’s is serving up a very good fish fry. They also can churn them out quickly, even when packed, and even on Good Friday. So if you are looking for a fast, reasonably priced fish fry in a Milwaukee tavern, this one fits the bill.
Takeaways: Text “PICKLE” to learn more about pickleball; cameras show what’s happening on the pickleball court, so you can watch a game inside while eating a fish fry; fish fry is a great price; side can be soup of the day instead of potato pancakes or fries; properly fried pancakes with subtle onion flavor; thick and consistent beer-forward batter on consistent cod.
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