[media-credit name=’JAKE NAUGHTON/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]With the constant pressure to balance schoolwork, relationships and extracurricular activities, college can get pretty stressful. When times get tough, comfort food is a necessity.

Most of the time, a pint of ice cream or a bag of chips gets the job done, but every once in a while, you have to bring in the big guns: fried food and beer. For these dire situations, the Old Fashioned fits the bill perfectly. Diners can relax and enjoy traditional Wisconsin tavern dishes in a dark atmosphere illuminated only by kitschy Wisconsin decor and the company of good friends. Eating at the Old Fashioned is also a very budget-friendly way to relieve stress, with entrees ranging from around $10 all the way down to the $4.95 (with fries!) Build Your Own Burger.

The inexpensive menu is dripping with traditional, artery-clogging pub fare like Green Bay chili, brats and the Old Fashioned burger — an august combination of beef, cheddar cheese, onions, bacon, garlic sauce and a fried egg. The restaurant also offers lighter fare for those who are weary of waistline-widening entrees. The salmon salad and the grilled vegetable sandwich are both excellent, flavorful choices for the health-conscious diner.

Although a good portion of the menu is fatty enough to slide down your gullet without the aid of the beverage, it would be a shame to miss out on the Old Fashioned's tasty drinks. The bar offers both a wide variety of highly quaffable creations, from local beers on tap and by the bottle to an expansive menu of mixed drinks. In addition to old standbys like Manhattans and martinis, the Old Fashioned offers some unorthodox variations on traditional cocktails (e.g., their brandy margarita). The real star of the drink menu, however, is the Old Fashioned: A mixture of sugar, an orange slice, angostura bitters, brandy and club soda that is good enough to make you demand nothing less from a cocktail.