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Two summers ago, Katie Johnson-Rizer and Monica Lyons opened The GOAT Bar & Grill in Sussex. At first, they weren't sure what the community would think of the establishment.
"This is a Blue Collar place, but our food is not," says Johnson-Rizer, who is also the chef. "I can't draw a picture to save my life, but my food is my art."
From the beginning, most folks embraced The GOAT, both its funky decor and upscale menu. But some said they felt it was a little confusing, with such a Gen X pop-culture oriented setting and a premium menu.
Now, Johnson-Rizer and Lyons are about to embark on a remodel of the space so the vibe and the food are more congruous.
"We're gonna class up the place a little," says Johnson-Rizer. "I will always love eclectic, so there will still be a lot of personality in here."
The GOAT's menu is definitely ecelectic, and everything is fresh and made from scratch. Braised shortribs, shrimp scampi, chicken marsala, truffle mushroom flatbread, grilled eggplant involtini – we really couldn't decide what to order with so many tempting options.
We settled on the seafood trio (tuna tartar, scallop tostada, shrimp scampi toast), Texas Twinkies (Brisket stuffed jalapeños with pimento cheese, bacon and housemade barbecue sauce), the South Beach Cuban sandwich and the chicken marsala (chicken breast, wild mushrooms, shaved parmesan, calabrian chili, pasta aglio eolio, angel hair pasta.)
There's also a Fish Fry on Friday nights with baked or hand breaded cod, Prime Rib on Saturdays and a $10 Burger Night on Thursdays. The GOAT also offers a kids' menu.
Everything that comes through the swinging kitchen doors is made from scratch – from the pickles to the avocado corn guacamole to the scampi sauce to the applesauce to the tartar sauce.
"Our pasta is so good it will ruin all of your other favorite pastas," says Johnson-Rizer.
"It's a labor of love," says Lyons.
Johnson-Rizer started cooking when she was a child growing up in The Town of Brookfield.
"My parents had a huge garden. I am the youngest of six kids, so for me to eat, I had to learn to cook. They were 'done' by the time I came around," says Johnson-Rizer. "I learned to love food very early in life."
Prior to opening The GOAT, she worked at Michael’s House of Prime, the Delafield Hotel and Delafield Brewhaus. Lyons spent 15 years working at the Golden Mast in Okauchee.
"We're a really good balance of different skills," says Lyons.
"I stay away from anything I can’t cook. Computers are not my friends," says Johnson-Rizer.
The drink menu is every bit as luscious, with a solid wine and Bourbon list, 16 tap beers, rotating cocktail menus (currently it's a hearty list of "Patio Pounders"), and a popular spicy dill Bloody Mary made with house-infused vodka, house-made mix and garished with shrimp, pickles and garlic dill cheese whips.
The GOAT hosts live music on Thursday nights, Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons. They also have Bingo and a 50/50 raffle for charity on Sundays. They give support to The Lions Club, HAWS and Burnouts for Travis, a suicide prevention organization.
The GOAT is open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner and Rizer-Johnson and Lyons work almost all of the hours. The dream is for The GOAT to be recognized within five years as one of Milwaukee's Top 50 restaurants.
"We work endlessly. But we knew from the beginning it was going to be a lot. If we’re gonna do this, and put all of our everything into this, then we’re going to do it right. Heart and soul," says Johnson-Rizer.
Johnson-Rizer admits she runs a tight ship. She loves the round windows on the swinging doors to the kitchen so diners can witness the cleanliness and efficiency.
"It’s intense. But it has to be this way. Kitchens are military. There are too many restaurants that don't cook food anymore thanks to Covid and how much it changed the industry," says Johnson-Rizer.
For Johnson-Rizer and Lyons, the base of the business boils down to one concept. Customers and family. They care deeply about their experiences and listen when they make suggestions as shown with the upcoming remodel.
"I always say I don't own a restaurant. I have a building in this town where I open my doors and invite friends to sit at my table," says Rizer-Johnson.
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.
