North Avenue Grill

This is one of my favorite restaurants, the food is always so good and is always hot whether you’re enjoying breakfast, lunch or dinner. oh yea I’ve had it all. lol! The wait staff is very nice and friendly. I liked when the restaurant was smaller, but I love it more since they have expanded the restaurant. Since it is such a popular place you may expect a little wait but it’s well worth it for the food and service that you’ll receive!

Great neighborhood spot. Their breakfast is delicious, my favorite is the mile high. The pancakes are also delicious.

One of my «go to» restaurants for lunch.
Great service, their egg skillets are so good, and the baked french onion soup.

I’ve only come through for breakfast, but both times were so good. Stepping into this small diner, there is a small waiting area which seems to get packed pretty fast during the busy hours. There are a few tables, booths and stools by the bar. There are a couple of TVs.
On to the food! Enjoyed a delicious corned beef hash on top of a bed of crispy potatoes. Breakfast skillets have also been excellent! A little on the pricier side for breakfast. They are all pretty big portions, which is appropriate for the price. Also, great coffee! Service is friendly and solid. Absolutely recommend trying this place out.

This place far exceeded my expectation. Everyone is super friendly and you get no frills good quality food.
Waffles — so simple, but the best I’ve had. It’s like the lightest, flakiest waffle I’ve ever had
French Onion Soup — I’m such a snob, and I love their version
Burgers — They’re fine, nothing I’d consider out of this world
Tuna Salad — it was ok, again, nothing extraordinary, but still quality
All in all, the people are great and the food quality is good to awesome. Definitely stop in if you haven’t tried it yet!

My darling, NAG, how did I take so long to walk through your doors? It’s a comfy diner, swarming with staff and customers. Not big on diners? Don’t even sweat it. This is not standard greasy spoon fare. Imaginative breakfast (served all day, natch), a plethora of sandwiches/​burgers, the biggest pile of fries you’ve ever seen. They serve Rishi tea and decent coffee, and I see the wine menu every time we go but we are never there during wine-​appropriate times. The servers are all very attentive without hovering. I love that North Ave Grill is close to my home, so it’s easy to pop over for lunch or impromptu brunch. It’s worth the wait (if there is one).

I have come here only twice but both times were great experiences.
The first time I came here was with some coworkers during the work week. We were seated right away, which was nice. The service was great and so was the food.
The second time was with my family and we had 5 people in our party. They were very accommodating because the most a table could seat was 4. The food again was delicious and the service was great.
Word of advice, get here early in the weekend or you will be waiting for a seat.

I went here for brunch last year and it was busy, so had to wait 30 minutes for a table. I enjoyed my brunch and mimosa :) Yesterday I went for dinner and was seated immediately. I love their «Baked French Onion Soup,» and the «Loaded Fries» were nothing special. The fact that they offer breakfast all day is pretty cool. My waitress was friendly but when my friend asked for her lemonade to be refilled by one of the hostesses (i believe) she looked directly at my glass and did not refill my water or ask for it to be refilled-​weird! I still like this place, I will give service the benefit of the doubt. Next time I want to try their powdered waffles :)

We did a late night takeout run.
I often drive by on the weekends and the place is always packed.
We ordered a burger and fries along with a grilled cheese and American potatoes.
Best grilled cheese I have had in a long time.
Burger med-​well was really Good
Fries rocked !!
Can’t wait to try their breakfasts!
**Guy who rang me up said there was no takeout menu :-(

After getting a lot of recommendations from co-​workers and seeing all of the great reviews on Unilocal,I decided to try this place out with my family. Overall the experience was pretty good, although there were definitely some periods of frustration. Since I work really close I can definitely see myself ordering takeout, and even coming in for lunch to sit at the counter.
Food — ⁴⁄₅
The food was really good. We started with some mozzarella sticks, which were awesome, and my dad had some French Onion soup that looked fantastic. For entrees, I had the Black and Blue Burger, which was a huge portion and cooked perfectly. High-​quality ingredients that were handled right… not much else to say. The other meals at the table all looked great as well.
Service — ²⁄₅
I expected a good wait time having read the reviews, and technically the time spent wasn’t too bad. The waiting area by the door was definitely jammed with bodies and constantly opening the door to the Wisconsin winter air didn’t make it much better. Overall, the wait probably wouldn’t have bothered me if the staff was really on the ball in trying to get people seated — unfortunately, they weren’t. Their system was haphazard, and the process of getting people in ran incredibly slow. People trying to pay their bill and get take-​home boxes were waiting for 10 – 12 minutes… just annoying.
However, the most frustrating part was that they catered to a number of incredibly rude patrons by allowing them to take up seats long after they were done dining. We watched 2 people take up a 6 person booth for about 45 minutes after they had paid! At one point after about 40 minutes, I asked my family if we wanted to leave. I’m glad we decided to stick it out (we were seated about 15 minutes later) however I did watch at least 3 parties quit after about 10 minutes. Just a really poor operation all around.
That being said, once we did get a table the service was very good. Drinks were ordered, delivered and refilled quickly. The food order came out hot, fast and everything was correct. And our waitress was even nice, polite and personable.
It feels a bit rough that I have to ding them for what was basically the frustration with an incredibly high-​maintenance — but given their «waiting area» (a packed corner next to an open door) they really have to do something to manage that. It really got everything off on the wrong foot and tarnished what could have been a great experience.
Value — ⁵⁄₅
I thought the prices were incredibly reasonable given the high-​quality food the kitchen was pushing out, not to mention the really large portion sizes.
Environment — ³⁄₅
Look — it’s a small place and lots of people are lining up to get in so it’s going to be crowded and noisy. That’s not a big deal really. We had no problem talking at our table so it really wasn’t enough to bother me. The big deal is the temperature — that door is swinging open constantly and the heater is trying to fight it. That means with our booth near the door we were blasted with waves of super cold and then super hot air. Other booths closer to the back probably would have been completely fine.

Seriously in LOVE with this place, been here i believe 5 or 6 times in just maybe 2 months. I was here 2 times in 3 days after the first time being here. I’ve taken friends and family here and none have left disappointing, or hungry. Awesome service, the food is excellent, the place is pretty small so getting a table or a seat can be a bit of a wait during normal eating times. but well worth it. Looking for some suggestions? The Mozzarella sticks, arguably the best out there, seriously try them. Mean wise? The Hot Porky Sammie is unbelievably good, it has a serious… oh wow right after the first bite. the Hot Porky Sammie is pulled pork, ham and bacon with scrambled eggs and pepper jack cheese on a ciabatta roll. YUM. Need another suggestion? The Belly Buster burger. Let’s go into the details… lettuce, tomato and a bacon aoli then topped with cheddar jack cheese, pork belly and a fried egg! YES! You know you’ll want that. Not in the mood for a burger or a sandwich? The Pancakes are really good. like really good. My Fiancé has had a handful of different things from the Smokin Aces, The Big Clucker Grinder and many others, she’s never complained.
You must go!

I really like North Avenue Grill! So far, I’ve been twice — once for breakfast and once for lunch — and both were very good.
On my breakfast visit, I had corn beef hash. It’s clear the hash is made fresh because the meat seemed fresh and hand cut. In other words, not the canned hash that some places serve. The coffee was hot and fresh and the service was quick and friendly.
On my lunch visit, I had French onion soup and a veggie sandwich. I order French onion soup a lot when I go out and this was excellent! The sandwich also was very good. My friend and I sat outside and it was pleasant and not too noisy despite being right on North Avenue. Again, the service was good.
During my week day breakfast visit, tables were readily available. When I visited on the weekend for lunch, it was very busy and I had to kind of stalk a table. Even on the weekend, I was surprised to find close and easy parking.
Prices are reasonable. The bathrooms aren’t great, but I’ve certainly been in worse. Also, it’s amazing how many employees they fit in the restaurant’s tiny kitchen! I’m sure that’s what accounts for the quick service but, holy cow!, it’s like unpacking a clown car! Visit. It’s totally tasty and totally worth it.

Was recommended to try this place from a friend and it was a great rec! The surprise here, they actually have the best French Onion soup in Milwaukee. Yes, better than La Reve, better than Lake Park Bistro, better than any french place here. They also have the best waffle I have ever eaten at a restaurant. It is light, crispy, airy, just perfect. Their french fries are amazing as well. Wasn’t too much of a fan of their burgers to be honest, but I am a burger freak with very high standards. They do a lot of things right.

It had been far too long since I’d gone to brunch, so I told my husband we were going. He asked if I wanted to go to my favorite spot. I said yes, but we should try somewhere else. Somewhere close by (since we’ve recently moved) in case there’s a gem we would otherwise miss out on.
North Ave Grill has an amazing menu with lots of variety and flavor. I was surprised a little diner-​looking place like that was able to wow me as much as it did. I had the chorizo skillet, and loved every bit of it.
Get there early, though! We though 9am on a Sunday would be early enough to beat the rush, but apparently that’s not early enough.

A little hidden gem in East Town Tosa. Literally! I’ve driven down this street a million times and never even noticed it. I had heard they have good breakfast, so I had to try it. It’s a small restaurant; an old-​time diner with modern conveniences. They only have about a dozen booths, a handful of seats at the counter and a few outdoor tables. The décor is modern, and the waitresses take your order on an Ipad. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. I went for breakfast. I found myself eyeing up other people’s food as soon as I walked in. A belgian waffle topped with fresh blueberries, strawberries and bananas caught my attention. I ended up ordering the Ultimate Veggie Omelet. It’s got tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, spinach, avocado and cheese, and it’s served with homemade american fries and choice of toast or fresh fruit. It was excellent! I definitely recommend the homemade american fries!
They advertise local beverages, like Rishi tea, Lakefront Brewery, and Milwaukee Brewing Company. They also serve wine, at only $ 5 a glass. I can’t wait to come back for dinner.

When you walk in, seat yourself. Servers are very friendly. I started off with the French onion soup, which was excellent — best I’ve probably ever had. But be careful, it was really hot! The menu had a wide variety of typical diner food; they serve breakfast all day, which made the decision making more complicated than usual. I went with the avocado bacon chicken sandwich, it was awesome! Of course I ordered the French fries, with a side of ranch. Ranch was definitely made in-​house, just how I like it!
Overall, everything was great — including the service.
My bill was $ 13.25 for soup and a huge sandwich and French fries. I was only able to eat half of the sandwich after finishing the soup, which means I don’t have to worry about dinner tonight.

Hands down the best diner in town.
The food is high quality classic american fare. We’ve come for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and everything we’ve had has been phenomenal.
For breakfast, our favorites include the weekends only Country Fried Steak, the breakfast sandwiches, and the breakfast quesadillas. The portion size on the Country Fried Steak is enormous and two full size meals for me. I’m still not sure how my husband can eat his way through it, but it is the best I’ve ever had. I also highly recommend the breakfast sandwiches. For a quick and filling breakfast, they are just perfect, my favorite being the egg white and cheese.
Many places can do breakfast well, but North Avenue Grill is not a one trick pony. Lunch and dinner are just as good.
The baked french onion soup is so tempting, my husband will order it with his breakfast. I am in love with the sandwiches on ciabatta bread (although I would call it more like a grilled thick flat bread). The Cuban Sandwich is also a frequent re-​order. I’ve had the Crispy Buffalo Chicken Salad which had a nice spicy kick, and the Fish Fry is not bad either.
I am hard pressed to think of any dish that we have not liked.
They are very kid friendly, with numerous options on their kids menu.
The worst thing I can say is that we don’t come as often as we would like simply because of the long waits on the weekends for breakfast. With a small two year old, it’s just to hard to wait up front with not much elbow room. I suggest either coming in early or calling ahead for a to-​go order at peak times.

We recently relocated to this area of town and were looking for a solid diner within walking or biking distance. A quick search brought us to North Avenue Grill with two breakfast-​loving out of town guests.
Wait time was reasonable (15 minutes) for a Sunday morning after 8:30am, and service was prompt and friendly. Lots of breakfast options ranging from the standard combo plates to wraps, omelettes, and pancakes. I couldn’t pick just one item, so I opted for the very berry waffle plus the bacon and avocado omelette (served with a side of American fries and toast). This may have been a gross miscalculation as to the size of my appetite — otherwise known as the «eyes bigger than your stomach» syndrome.
The waffle was giant, soft, and covered in a blueberry/​strawberry mix. On another day, this (and a side of potatoes) would have been a solid breakfast. Round two was the omelette — fluffy, packed to the edges with crispy bacon and chunks of avocado — and some stellar American fries. Great rich flavor from the fries. Whole-​wheat toast and Valentine coffee rounded out the meal.
My dining partners had a standard combo (eggs, toast, American fries), the buttermilk short-​stack, and the apple fritter french toast (weekend special). Unfortunately, the french toast delivered was the plain version, but… no harm, no foul — it was still good. I chalk up this minor oversight to the packed and very busy environment.
Overall, a very good first trip to North Avenue Grill. We’ll definitely return here because the lunch options were also plentiful and there’s enough options for everyone. This could become my go-​to place for weekend brunch.

I generally have no issues with north avenue grill but today I did. We did the Friday lunch here today. I saw the hand carved hot mess pastrami sandwich and thought hand carved pastrami sounds wonderful.
I posted pictures. I opened the box and the lunch looked great. I pulled the cut in half sandwich out and noticed it was not hand carved but super thin sliced pastrami. I was going to order something else until I saw hand carved. Hand carved pastrami is few and far between so they should not say loads of hand carved pastrami in the menu when it’s not.
I know that the cooked to order home made food is there thing and may take longer to cook disclaimer but don’t miss lead people. I never would have ordered it if hand carved was not in the description. If I wanted a super thin sliced pastrami sandwich I would go to subway but I wanted a top quality hand carved meat sandwich which I expected from north avenue grill.
Bottom line is that I was very disappointed with this visit and I will now have to question the menu in the future.

Well worth the short wait for a table. Place is small, bathrooms are super tiny and not ADA accessible. Does this affect me, no, but the crowd is a bit… older so I thought it was worth the mention.
Overall we love it! I have had the egg white sammi and was worried the bread would be lackluster. Oh, how I was wrong, so wrong. The nicely oiled/​toasted roll was the best part! Today we had pumpkin pancakes and red velvet pancakes. If you want dessert for breakfast these red velvet are just divine. Fluffy red pancakes, sweet with cream cheese frosting, I mean topping. Best dessert… whoops… breakfast in a long time!
We come here when my father is is town, a great place for the heart healthy vegan he is. Odd, right? but he orders oatmeal made in water with fruit. Not a lot of places make the oatmeal fresh as you like. Other miscellaneous notes: Valentine coffee (yes, please!) Prices… Seriously cheap for what you get and the quality is fantastic. Service is always friendly!