Fresh Walleye

So, being a displaced Wisconsinite I get the yen every now and then for Walleye. Do any VMBers know of any restaurants on the strip or on Fremont St. that serve fresh walleye? Thx.............

 

I would like to say something about a certain group spearfishing, but I won't.

 

Missing Friday fish fries, Mike?! Hopefully someone has walleye in Vegas!
Hey, how about lutefisk? Kidding!

RICHARD

 

So, randomly, Siegel's 1941 @ El Cortez was advertising a $18 walleye dinner (grilled or fried) when I was there last week. They claim to fly the fish in fresh from the Great Lakes, but can't speak to quality as I didn't try it.

 

Wow! Now that's an amazing hook up for specific information. Congratulations to Sonya for hosting such an incredible site!

 

I was staying at Downtown Grand last week and Walleye was on the menu at their new Freedom Beat restaurant. I didn't try it though but I was tempted so can't vouch for the freshness.

 

QUALITY info Eliza & Chuck. Thanks for the 411. I'll definitely try one or both of these during my trip in November and let everyone knows how it is on my TR. Thanks again.........

 

Indeed Richard. I was talking with a HS buddy of mine from Wisconsin last night and he told me he just went back home and went Walleye fishing on the Flambeau Flowage with his dad and brothers. It instantly brought back memories of those Friday night fish fries in Milwaukee.

Lutefisk......lol..... quite possibly the only culinary item that is worse than balut or haggis.

 

I wish I know what you are talking about. Is it a new Blackjack side bet?

 

Great information indeed! I honestly didn't think anyone would be able to help you OP!

But there it is. Amazing members! Thanks for the info! And being a Downtown person makes it even better!

Ok, so what's a walleye? Is it a saltwater fish or is it a lake fish? I love fish (hence my avatar). I'll remember this thread and go eat walleye on my next trip.

 

Fresh walleye at Siegel's 1941

 

Happy Birthday, MikeOPensacola!

RICHARD

 

Don't think any ocean gets to Wisconson. Member of perch family

 

So here is my theory on the Walleye, "Old" Vegas connection based on not very much actually. Please offer any additions or corrections as you see fit.
Back in the prohibition days of the 1920's and 30's when some middle to upper level Chicago mobster got in a bit too much trouble, the bosses would often send them camping up north in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Now, when I say camping, that is not a euphemism for something nefarious. They would actually go camping and fishing in the northwoods, well away from the cops that were looking for them while the heat on them cooled off. The mob would have some trusted fishing guides take them far enough into the woods that they KNEW that these city boys weren't going to somehow wander their way back home anytime soon. While there, the mobsters would often get into the spirit of the area and actually enjoy themselves for a bit. Catching and eating the freshest fish they had ever tasted, usually walleye, only made their time away better. When they got back to Chicago, they REALLY wanted some more of that delicious walleye, so they would sometimes serve it in their restaurants.
There is a fleeting mention of walleye in the movie "Key Largo", by the mob character played by Edward G. Robinson. John Dillinger had a hideout in Wisconsin called the Little Bohemia Lodge, which was found out and raided, nearly costing him his life I guess Dillinger wasn't far enough into the woods.

 

Chances are any walleye served in Vegas will come from Lake Erie, and will have been frozen. Won't be quite the same as when you catch it, filet it, and cook it for shore lunch all within a couple hours. Still, walleye is good eats.

I'm lucky in that I get to take a week-long trip to a fantastic walleye lake in Canada every year. I get my fill of uber-fresh walleye during that week, and bring a few home. For the rest of the year, I settle for cod at local fish fries. I also caught a fat 48" Musky in Canada this year. She's still swimming though, and hopefully making lots of babies!

 

I just came back from El Cortez and can confirm the eighteen dollar walleye. Back when their fancy restaurant was The Flame I had it several times, once broiled and later fried. Fried was much better, tasted like lake fish I caught as a boy. Back then it was an occasional special and was definitely flown in fresh. Now it is a regular menu item and Siegel's 1941 is no where near the restaurant that the flame was. I have not eaten from their high end menu since the change, but if you want walleye they have it.

 

Enjoyed grilled walleye whilst on layover in MSP with a cold lager, a great meaty fish that wont leave you hungry in two hours

 

Good choice in walleye. My favorite freshwater fish. I use to live on Woodcock Dam in NW PA and catch tons of walleye. Nothing better than bringing home your string of walleye and cooking it in a cast iron skillet fresh. Delicious. I have a natural trout stream in my backyard here in NY and it's loaded with native brookies and a few rainbow. I'm so burnt out on eating it. I catch them mostly just to throw to my birds. They attack them flopping around in the ground and a great source of free protein.

 

we really do have the best walleye here

 

Walleye is a lake fish, as some have already said. It's in the perch family but much larger than perch. It is mostly seasonal (late spring in Lake Erie), although it may be caught at other times.

Walleyes are lazy fighters, so they don't qualify as sporting fish. In fact, on Erie most are not caught by hand but rather with a downrigger of some sort. So all you do is watch the flag and then reel it in. Far as I know, there is no finer tasting freshwater fish (aside from Minnesota walleyes, which are allegedly the best walleyes). Perhaps fresh walleye could be flown into Vegas. Seems more likely, as another poster mentioned, that it's flash frozen. Since I only get to walleye fish maybe one day per year, I do freeze some in ice, and it tastes great if thawed and cooked well.

Thanks to wesraft for the Vegas walleye lore.