Given the comfort and joys of the campus scene, we might leave the university without venturing outside our familiar playground. But we are growing up, and we will all have to face new reality sooner or later.
The routine will change, but we don?t have to wait for graduation to get a taste. Although change can be intimidating at first, a closer look reveals we have little to fear. We have the tools, and exploration is fun.
One way of finding a different perspective is to venture to a bar outside the UW bubble. A perfect journey is an afternoon or evening at Tony Frank?s Tavern, located just off the Beltline at 1612 Seminole Hwy.
Tony Frank?s looks like an unassuming two-story house. In fact, it is a house in a strictly residential neighborhood, and without the small adjacent parking lot or the Michelob sign hanging off the front, it might be easy to overlook.
A fox farm until 1929, the property was purchased by Tony Frank and the house became a bar. Tony?s timing could not have been worse; prohibition took effect a few months later. Since prohibition was about as effective at putting the brakes on drinking as our current 21-and-older law is, the bar thrived as a speakeasy.
Illicit booze flowing freely through its taps was not the bar?s only known vice. Rumor has it that Tony Frank?s also ran illegal slot machines. Tony apparently got busted but never had a day in court. ?We?re trying to track down a newspaper clipping from 1933 and get to the bottom of this,? explains Jimmy Frank, current owner and grandson of Tony.
It is impossible to duplicate such historical and family character. ?It is unique in today?s world,? Jimmy adds.
In some ways, Tony Frank?s does feel like it is from another era. The pace is relaxed, quaint, and unpretentious. Vintage photos hang from the walls and Patsy Cline croons from the jukebox — this is down-home goodness at its best.
The prices also seem stuck in time. There are three tap beers available — Miller Lite, Michelob, and Berghoff — priced at $2.25 to $2.50 for a 16-ounce glass. About a dozen domestic beers in cans and bottles are $2.25, and imports are $3. Perhaps the best deal is the bucket of five domestic beers, which will only run you $9.
Rail drinks in a highball glass are $2.25, with a larger version available for $3. Any rail drink of the on-the-rocks variety is $3.50. Although these prices are appealing, Jimmy Frank admits, ?We tend to be more of a beer and a shot type of place.?
Given that tendency, most shots, like Irish whiskey or Dr. McGillicudy, are $2.50. Rail shots of brandy are $2 — a sign that assures you that you are in Wisconsin.
A visit to Tony Frank?s is not complete without one of its famous burgers. Considered the best in Madison for a number of years by Isthmus, the burgers are a perfect compliment to an ice-cold beer.
Not served on plates, but rather on deli paper, the burgers are delicious bargains. A standard cheeseburger is $3.50, and prices ranges up to $6.75 for a quarter-pound double-bacon cheeseburger. Amazingly, Tony Frank?s doesn?t have fries, but chips and free popcorn can complement your meal.
College is an opportunity to push your limits, test new things, and let yourself go in the moment. As Ferris Bueller said, ?Life moves pretty fast — if you don?t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.?
Tony Frank?s Tavern is a Madison institution. While it may never enter the collective memory of house parties, the Terrace, or State Street, it is an experience that should not be missed.
Bartime would like to raise a glass and make a toast to our graduates. Good luck in the real world, and remember to keep your eyes open.
On a personal note, I would like to wish my graduating brother Ryan all the best. You have been by my side on so many adventures, and none of it would have been possible without your help and insight. It has been one hell of a run, and I feel lucky just to have been part of it. Thank you for endless support, inspiration, and incredible memories — I know you will do great things wherever you go.
As for those who remain, I?ll be back every Friday next fall with more drinking escapades. In the meantime, you can find me at the bar. Cheers, and on Wisconsin!
