Ryan Wisniewski
Go green with the Buffalo blue avocado salad.
Middleton’s Mid Town Pub is truly a neighborhood place — a gathering space for the community, as pubs are meant to be. A lunchtime visit might include a baby crying off and on, blue-collar workers grabbing a quick bite to eat at the bar and retirees coming in for a mid-day chat. Mid Town’s laid-back atmosphere says it’s a place for everyone to relax. Servers call hello when you walk in the door, and the open seating and bright space are welcoming.
At every table and along the bar are baskets of popcorn, fresh and filled to the brim. It’s a welcome sight for kids who can barely hold it together until the food arrives, as well as for night owls who want a little snack with their beer.
The menu incorporates pub favorites, but there are some fun twists and unexpected items, too. Vegetarians can get their fill with the Porta-Bleu sandwich (a portabella mushroom cap topped with sautéed onions, artichoke hearts and, of course, blue cheese) or a triple-decker grilled cheese stuffed with corn pico de gallo and three kinds of cheese. Dinner specials like St. Louis-style ribs on Wednesday and blackened fish tacos on Sunday are a fine break from the norm.
The house chili, offered as a side but also capable of sustaining a meal on its own, is based on a generous amount of shredded chicken — yet it’s not a white chili. It has a hearty tomato base, with pinto beans and just a hint of cumin. I found it was fine as is, but you can also add shredded cheddar or crumbled blue cheese, diced onion and sour cream.
Other small touches distinguish the pub classics. Crunchy jalapeño poppers come with a side of grape habanero jam — the sweetness and the heat are good companions, though I was hoping for more burn, given the promise of habanero.
Burgers, from build-your-own to seven specialty creations, come on a local Colonial Bakery bun.
The pub’s “MTP Primers” are an appetizer take on the English dip sandwich. Sliced prime rib is topped with the Pub’s signature “horsey sauce” (a horseradish-laced condiment with minimal kick) and served on mini pretzel buns along with juices for dipping. These are a cut above the usual slider.
A true star was the Buffalo blue avocado salad, loaded with chopped greens, cucumber, tomato, avocado and crumbled blue cheese, served with your choice of dressing on the side. Housemade blue cheese dressing went with this quite well, as did the addition of grilled Inferno chicken. And an incredible meatloaf sandwich special featured a thick slice of meatloaf, sweet barbecue sauce and cheddar cheese — comfort food at its finest.
The one meal I found bland and unimpressive was the fish fry. The beer-battered cod was almost flavorless, the batter soggy. And the Chicago dog, while tasty and thoughtfully created, is not a Chicago dog — yellow mustard is replaced with Düsseldorf, and the sport peppers, bright green relish and celery salt are all missing.
Of course, we can’t forget the other side of the pub. Ten beers are on tap, including such locals as Karben4 Fantasy Factory and Ale Asylum Hopalicious. But there’s also Miller Lite and Hamm’s, plus over 100 bottled beers. On weekends, Mid Town Pub sets up a bloody mary bar, offering 30 different juice mixes and toppings that go far beyond celery and beef sticks.
Come summer, Mid Town Pub will be taking advantage of its proximity to Lake Mendota. Staff will deliver anything from the menu to your boat via its boat ($20 minimum order). Now that’s service.
Mid Town Pub
2405 Allen Blvd, Middleton, 608-826-5129, midtownpub.com, Full menu 11 am-1 am daily; bar hours (and snacks) 11 am-2 am Sun.-Thurs., 11 am-2:30 am Fri.-Sat., $4-$14
