Tony Frank's Tavern

I routinely came to Tony Frank's as a kid with my parents, and was excited to take my boyfriend here as an adult, especially since I hadn't been back since the smoking ban had been passed. It did not disappoint, though some things could have been done better.

The decor was cleaned up from when I was a kid, which had a very institutional feel to it. The walls are painted nicely, there are beautiful hardwood floors, and black and white photos adorn the walls. There were three TVs visible from our table, and the staff was very amenable to customer requests for which games to play (though the sound wasn't on, which was for the best). There is a tiny unmarked step from the foyer into the main dining room, so watch out for it - a less-attentive customer could go sprawling. The lack of thick cigarette smoke made the experience much improved. The tables and chairs are fairly comfortable. There is, sadly, nothing to absorb the noise that other customers make, which makes the place *extremely* noisy when even semi-busy; my boyfriend and I nearly had to shout our conversation in order to hear each other. On the other hand, the regulars have great conversations - more reminiscent of the atmosphere in a Northwoods bar than one of the yuppie downtown places, which is a welcome change from people trying to out-snob each other.

Our server was very attentive and knowledgeable. As soon as we sat ourselves, she came over to take our drink orders, and was able to recite an impressively long list of the tap beers available when I asked. We both ordered beers to start; I ordered a Lake House from Capital Brewery because this was the first place I've found to have it on tap. It had notes of caramel, but there was a funky underlying taste of which I wasn't a huge fan, though I don't think that's Tony Frank's fault.

We both ordered cheeseburgers and fries; the menu doesn't state this, but you can order the burgers as a basket (with fries) for an extra $2.50. However, if you're going in a larger group, it's probably less expensive to just order the fries separately and share. The cheeseburgers were as good as I remembered them being from my childhood; they must use some sort of spice blend that sets them apart. The buns were standard whole wheat with sesame seeds. You can order lettuce and tomato for your burger, but you'll likely have to ask for it, as it isn't noted on the menu. The tomatoes were surprisingly not mealy or flavorless, and the lettuce was fresh and crisp. The fries were your standard Ore-Ida fresh from the freezer-bag fare; they were pretty underwhelming to me, but my boyfriend likes his fries as Ann as the nose on Plain's face, so he was quite happy. My boyfriend had ordered a water with the burger, and while the server initially forgot, she did remember it without a reminder, and was very nice after he accidentally knocked it over and spilled it everywhere. She also noticed me discovering the ketchup bottle was nearly empty and promptly brought over a full bottle before I even needed to make a request. She also brought the check over very quickly. I'd definitely return, though I'd probably come for an afternoon Packer game where I don't really WANT to talk, just have fun with my fellow fans. I'd also ditch the fries.

Wisconsin Pub Institution.  
I can't wait to see this place in a couple more decades or two.  I hope it never changes.  Yes, its a house, its a pub, its got beer and burgers.  
There's ambiance, as in old wood floors, beers on tap, old regulars who have had the same drink in twenty years and this is what it smells of.  
Come for the burgers, onion rings, fries or rubin specials.  This is what they are good at.  Sit at the cozy table or belly up to the bar that has been worn down from decades of beer bellies.  You'll never know who you are sitting next to.
Lunch or dinner is just as good.

This place is a lot of fun.  Typical Wisconsin bar with added feature of ample tables for chow.  All food is prepared behind the bar and it's fun to watch the activity.  Give it a try for your next pub food outing.