It's one of Milwaukee's most cherished and distinctive traditions: the Friday fish fry. Go to practically any other city, and they'll have no idea what you're talking about.

The Friday fish fry sprouted out of the city's Catholic community, which frowns upon eating meat on Fridays, particularly during Lent. Plus, it offered a Milwaukee family the chance to go out to dinner without blowing a lot of cash on steak.

Most places in town have fish fries, and this guide couldn't possibly cover them all; but after much searching, asking and eating, here are some of the best places in the Mil to catch a fish fry.

South/Southwest Side

Armeli's Restaurant & Pizzeria
16201 W. National Ave., (262) 786-6699
Armeli's serves great cod or perch, either baked or fried, and it comes with fries, coleslaw and Italian bread.

Beer Belly's
512 W. Layton Ave., (414) 481-5520
You can get fish here every day, but Friday's catch is only available, of course, on Fridays. Your choice of a cody fry, baked cod dinner, a codwich, beer battered baby walleye pike, smelt basket, clam strip basket or jumbo shrimp entree.

Cafe el Sol
1028 S. 9th St., (414) 384-3100
unitedcc.org
Hidden in the United Community Center, this is one of Milwaukee's best-kept fish fry secrets. It features cod freshly dunked in a Puerto Rican batter before being served buffet-style alongside salad, beans and rice and various side dishes del dia. The price also includes live entertainment by Latin bands from Milwaukee or abroad.

The Country Squire
S72 W16373 Janesville Rd., (262) 422-0140
This is the place to go if you want a salad bar with your fish. You can add that to your battered cod. It's a scrumptious fish fry at a decent price.

Erv's Mug
130 W. Ryan Rd., (414) 762-5010
Erv's is a popular Oak Creek restaurant that fries some of the best fish in the southern suburbs. The portions are large. The place is busy and the patrons are happy.

Fritz's Pub
3086 S. 20th St., (414) 643-6995
This is a casual, friendly South Side pub with three sizes of beer-battered cod, great coleslaw and potato wedges. Prices are reasonable.

Grainger's Pub & Grill
3400 W. Loomis Rd., (414) 282-9917
grangerspub.com
Friday's catch includes cod loin for $7.25, walleye fillets for 9.75 and jumbo beer-battered shrimp for $10.75. All come with coleslaw and fries.

Meyer Family Restaurant and Banquet Hall
6015 W. Forest Home Ave., (414) 321-4400
meyersrestaurantandbar.com
This place has cod or perch, baked or fried, that's served with great potato pancakes. There are Friday specials, too.

The Packing House
900 E. Layton Ave., (414) 483-5054
The Packing House offers a terrific fish fry, baked or fried, with all the sides. Like Serb Hall, it offers a drive-through service. Just look for the traffic spilling onto Layton Avenue.

Scotty's
3921 S. Clement Ave., (414) 481-6060
The weekly fry starts at 11 a.m. each Friday and goes until 10:30 p.m. You can choose from big helpings of beer-battered cod ($8), baked cod ($7.25) or fried breaded perch ($7.50). All come with homemade coleslaw, rye bread and your choice of potato pancakes, fries or seasoned baked potatoes.

Serb Hall
5101 W. Oklahoma Ave., (414) 545-6030
serbhall.com
Serb Hall often claimed to have the best fish fry in the city. It features fried and baked cod and perch; but expect a long wait before partaking in this local favorite. For service in your car, try the drive-through. But get there early; the line can gather along Oklahoma Avenue all the way down past 48th, 47th or even 46th Street on the busiest nights.

West Side

Albanese's Roadhouse
2301 W. Blue Mound Road, Waukesha, (262) 785-1930
Waukesha natives rave about this place, with good reason. Convenient to the shopping on Blue Mound Rd., and the Marcus Palladium movie theater complex.

Aliota's Red Mill
1005 S. Elm Grove Rd., Brookfield, (262) 641-8120
This fish fry is terrific; it available in baked or fried versions of Icelandic cod, with the standard sides. Red Mill also offers perch, bluegill, crab legs and shrimp. And, if you can't wait until Friday, they also serve their cod fish fry throughout the week.

Balistreri's Bluemound Inn
6501 W. Blue Mound Rd., Wauwatosa, (414) 258-9881
Nothing fancy here. Just solid, beer-battered cod fried to a bright gold and served with tartar sauce, fries, rye bread and lemon.

Kegel's Inn
5901 W. National Ave., (414) 257-9999
The wait is long, but worth it. This old-style corner tavern offers fast service and incredible fish along with other German specialties. Try the potato pancakes.

The Open Hearth Restaurant
2930 N. 117th St., Wauwatosa, (414) 475-0839
This warm, inviting spot has been a West Side staple for more than 25 years. Though it's known for outstanding roast duck and prime rib dinners, the restaurant also serves a great fish fry. Among the choices: fresh pike, lake perch and Icelandic Haddock, all battered or broiled.

The Painted Parrot
8028 W. National Ave., West Allis, (414) 257-1012
This establishment across from State Fair Park takes an island twist on the traditional Wisconsin fish fry by serving it to you on a garbage can lid. The cod is served with rye bread, coleslaw and choice of fries, potato pancakes, smashed potatoes or homemade chips in a festive, Caribbean atmosphere.

Paulie's Pub & Eatery
8031 W. Greenfield Ave., West Allis, (414) 257-2854
pauliespubandeatery.com
Paulie's serves cod and fresh lake perch with fries, potatoes or homemade potato pancakes. All-you-can eat option includes all-you-can-eat sides.

Tanner-Paull Restaurant
6922 W. Orchard St., West Allis, (414) 476-5701
This West Allis institution serves up an unusual side with its fry: half an ear of corn. Other good sides include soups, steak fries, coleslaw, rye bread and Irish mashed potatoes with cabbage.

Ted's
6204 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa, (414) 258-5610
Also known for breakfasts and ice cream, Ted's offers a basic fish fry of cod or pike, with potato pancakes, coleslaw and rye bread on the side.

Gasthaus
2720 N. Grandview Blvd., Waukesha, (262) 544-4460
Set in the Weissgerber's Gasthaus on the corner of Highway T and Silvernail Road in Waukesha, this fish fry is full of old-world German charm. The meal begins with salty-crusted rye bread, homemade potato salad and cole slaw, then continues with homemade potato pancakes, apple sauce, french fries and your choice of batter-fried Icelandic Cod or Walleye. The fish is also available baked, which is equally delicious. Accompanied by the wide selection of German and local brews, Gasthaus offers up this Friday night tradition for dine in or carry out.

Downtown/East Side

Bavarian Inn
700 W. Lexington Blvd., Glendale, (414) 964-0300
bavarianinnmilw.com
A German cuisine and culture hotspot that serves up beer-battered, breaded or boiled cod along with homemade potato pancakes, dill-flavored coleslaw and German music with a dance floor, provided you don't overeat.

Buck Bradley's
1019 N. Old World 3rd St., (414) 224-8500
buckbradleys.com
Tasty baked or breaded cod fish fry, great sides and one of the longest bars east of the Mississippi.

Cafe Hollander
2608 N. Downer Ave., (414) 963-6366
cafehollander.com
Their ale-battered cod is flash-fried to golden crispness. Served with frites and your choice of dipping sauce. Available every day of the week.

Harry's Bar & Grill
3549 N. Oakland Ave., Shorewood, (414) 964-6800
harrysbarandgrillmilwaukee.com
A popular East Side spot that offers beer-battered walleye, seasoned fries, rye bread, cole slaw and several Friday specials.

Hi-Hat
1701 N. Arlington Pl., (414) 225-9330
hi-hat.com
Hi Hat is a place you might not first think of when you think fish fry, but Hi-Hat fries 'em up right and with a slight twist, from 4 p.m. until midnight. Spotted Cow tempura-battered cod, Asian slaw, marble rye, pomme frites and caper aioli make for a yummy combo.

Historic Turner Restaurant
1034 N. 4th St., (414) 276-4844
historicturner.com
Right across from the Bradley Center, Turner -- which also hosts concerts in its large ballroom -- serves up a cod fry as good as you can get. Potato pancakes are a little extra, but rate very high. Just don't try to get them to give you more!

Lakefront Brewery Palm Garden
1872 N. Commerce St., (414) 273-8300
cafevecchio.com/palmgarden
The favorite of OnMilwaukee.com readers, Lakefront has one of the city's most unique fish fries. The Palm Garden offers a choice of cod, perch, bluegill, tilapia, shrimp (or a combo platter) and a choice of French fries or potato pancakes, cole slaw, applesauce and rye bread, from 4 until 9 p.m. A lovely setting on the river and tours of the brewery also are available.

Libiamo
221 W. Galena St., (414) 271-1155
libiamorestaurant.com
This Italian eatery -- with a great wine list -- occupies the fabulous former Brown Bottle Pub location in Schlitz Park and dishes up a delicious fish fry with french fries and cole slaw in its evocative Germanic dining room. Free covered parking is now available in the new structure to the south.

Motor
210 W. Canal St., (414) 287-2773
There's nothing more Milwaukee than a Harley and a fish fry. Head to the Harley Davidson Museum's own Motor for an all you can eat Lakefront Riverwest Stein beer battered fish served with fries, coleslaw and cornbread for only $12.95.

Potawatomi Bingo Casino
1721 W. Canal St., (800) 729-7244
paysbig.com/dining
In the heart of the Menomonee Valley, Potawatomi has a marvelous all-you-can-eat fish fry buffet with everything from beer-battered cod to crab legs, with cole slaw, potato pancakes, applesauce and German potato salad on the side, for $22.99.

Trocadero
1758 N. Water St., (414) 272-0205
ztrocadero.com
Same recipe as Cafe Hollander, but available only on Fridays. $11 dinner portion; $9 for lunch.

Stonefly Brewery
735 E. Center St.
www.stoneflybrewery.com
With a kitchen more than a couple years in the making, Stonefly's food has most certainly caught up to their beer. Serving healthy and fresh versions of bar food, they've added a Friday fish fry with a choice of cod, perch and a pretzel crusted smelt.

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