Ruthie Mae’s Goodway Grille — Restaurant in Milwaukee

Excellent food, extremely kind and courteous staff (who I suspect was the owner).

My mom and wife had Philly Cheese sandwich - they looked amazing. I normally dislike them, but would definitely get one next time we go. Mushrooms, onions, green pepper - right from the fridge to ue cutting board and sauteed for those two sandwiches. The meat was grilled wonderfully, with a beautiful char on some edges. The cheese was oozing out. And the bread/roll is great!

Two younger kids had chicken strips, recommended over tenders by the owner. Went with it. The kids loved them! The breading was seasoned well and there was quite a bit of meat, more than expected.

I had spicy crispy chicken sandwich. Very juicy chicken. I prefer more spicy heat, but for the average joe, probably great. Had some sauce, I believe mayo based, possibly just mayo - but it was not lightly applied (thank you!). I tried it as it comes with tomatoe and lettuce, but ended up pulling it off. I love tomatoes, just don't believe they belong on sandwiches. But wanted to try as the chef designed. The bun was also above average. Tasted great. But, if I were to go back, I'd definitely try the Philly!

The foyer in the restaurant was small. It's the space that they have. My family came in expecting to be at a normal sit down restaurant. There was one 3-4 person bench, two chairs with table and chess board, and two small wall mounted high boy tables. For a single person grabbing lunch, it's totally fine. But for a family of 5 + my elderly mom, it was not a great situation. We didn't know going in, just caught us by surprise. Not complaining, just want another newcomer to know what to expect.

We all "upgraded" to the ?owner's? mom's recipe for the seasoning on the fries. They are steak fries style/shape. They added special seasoning like ranch and garlic salt - something his mom used to do to McDonald's fries at home when they were kids. She's definitely on to something! Delicious 😋 There were no complaints - everyone loved them.

The building is old, a bit run down (long term age and wasn't always been cared for). I mean - it's probably a 100yr old building in downtown Milwaukee that's been through tough times. The important part is that the restaurant was clean. It looks like they had a coat of paint done a few years ago, LVP flooring installed (probably over OG tile), and the kitchen was clean and organized. The basics are covered. It's got more of a "dive" feel. It's not a 5* atmosphere, but nobody wants that for a grille and lunch spot anyway 😁 Dining in options are limited, it's a very small space - but it's not like it's a huge empty room with no tables and chairs - it's a small shop turned into a restaurant! It is what it it is.

Again,?the owner? was great, very kind, warned us that it would take a while. This is the main expectation to manage. It's all fresh food, freshly prepared for you. So, yeah, it'll take a bit. While it was a little bit frustrating, we were appropriately warned. I don't recommend stopping if you're arriving with a brood of starving children. You probably wouldn't go to a sit down restaurant either then. Fortunately, mine are old enough and were not-quite-starving, so we were able to keep them occupied with conversation with the other waiting patrons and the chess board.

There were three people in front of us (ordered and waiting). And we waited about 30min for our food (order for 6 people). Again, we were warned up front, in a very kind way so that we could manage our expectations. Well done on their part - they know their limitations and communicate appropriately to customers.

To be clear - not whining or complaining, just manage your expectations to get fresh, delicious food... While supporting a local family restaurant. Highly recommend!

Thanks to the Goodway Grille for delicious food and...

I have decided to go to small business owners restaurants and skip fast food spots all together as the service at fast food is often bad and the food is never fabulous. I tried the Goodway Grille today as it is right by my work and the reviews were great. I was not disapointed. I got the double cheeseburger and fries and it was soooo good. Soooo big and lots of cheese, which I LOVE. Lots of fixins on top without an extra charge. The french fries were also sooo good. Very happy with my lunch. On top of that, service is so important to me and the owner was so nice and is the one who prepares the food which is all fresh! I will be back, you will see my face again. I have a lot more things to try from your menu!! Wonderful meal for a very...

My fiancé & I decided to stop by since we wanted to grab some lunch on the go. The service was great, we were welcomed & treated with kindness. As soon as you walk in - your nostrils immediately gets greeted by this wonderful aroma of the food being cooked, prepared, served, you name it! The food was splendid & spectacular! the fries were perfectly seasoned & my burger was juicy, tender and delicious ! my fiances Philly CheeseSteak was amazing too, he literally devoured it lol. We will definitely be coming back to try more things on the menu! P.S: owner was super friendly & full of...