Few items on the school lunch menu appeal to adults, but Tater Tots are one of those timeless comfort foods. The crispy, potato cylinders make great fry alternatives, classic casseroles and, for some, serve as the perfect hangover remedy.
For the record, "Tater Tots" is a trademarked name, registered by Ore-Ida in 1953. Many other companies introduced their own version with names like "potato gems," "potato pom poms," "oven crunchies," "Mexi-nuggets" and "potato puffs."
And, of course, we can thank "Napoleon Dynamite" for popularizing the simple term "tots."
If you’re hot for tots, there are a variety of places in Milwaukee where you can score some, such as Palomino, 2491 S. Superior St. Bartender Bill Rouleau claims, "After MPS (Milwaukee Public Schools), Palomino buys the most tots in Wisconsin."
Sure, they are available in the frozen food section of most grocery stores, but if you want to bag the bag and order them out, here's a list of places to nosh the round fries. As always, feel free to add others via the Talkback feature.
Bar Louie
1114 N. Water St, (414) 847-1492
5750 Bayshore Dr., (414) 831-2700
restaurants-america.com/barlouie
Bar Louie offers a dish called "Loaded Tots" that features a pile of potato tots covered in cheese, bacon, scallions and giardiniera. The cost is $7.99.
Palomino
2491 S. Superior St., (414) 747-1007
myspace.com/palominobar
Palomino is the home of the Tot Sandwich, which is no longer on the regular menu, but is occasionally offered as a special. However, side orders of potato tots are always available, as is the tot appetizer ($6.95). Plus, the biscuits and gravy ($6.95) is served over a bed of tots.
Sonic Drive-In
2080 Miller Park Way, (414) 384-5002
sonicdrivein.com
Sonic serves plain tots, or smothers them in cheese and / or chili.
They are available as side orders with a sandwich basket or on their
own for under $2.
Stonefly Brewery
735 E. Center St., (414) 264-3630
stoneflybrewery.com
Stonefly offers the Brat & Tot or the Tofu & Tot ($7.50) featuring tots layered with bratwurst or tofu, pepper jack and cheddar cheese, then baked until golden brown. Tots are available as side orders or appetizers, too.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
