Ashley’s Que

The interior is very light and open with a large bar area and some tables. We went at 2ish on a Saturday and were seated immediately. During our time at Ashley’s Que there were no more than three tables and a few people at the bar.
When seated we were told that the ribs weren’t ready. This is an annoying quirk of most BBQ places – either the food isn’t quite ready or they’re already out of what you want. Our server advised us to order the rib tips which was what we wanted in the first place, so no biggie.
We ordered the shrimp and grits with fried okra and baked beans as sides. (Entrees come with two sides). Additionally we ordered the rib tip dinner with greens and cheese grits as sides. The portions were decent, the sides were very generous. And the prices are quite fair.
What was odd was that you didn’t get sauce with the rib tips. There was no sauce at the table. I’m used to BBQ places that have sauces at the table so you can sauce to your satisfaction. At Ashley’s Que you get hot sauce and ketchup table side.
I’m a big fan of okra in general having lived in Louisiana and of fried okra in particular. This fried okra was well cooked, not too heavily breaded, but had absolutely no seasoning and it didn’t come with any dipping sauce. The baked beans were savory and sweet and quite good. The shrimp and grits were very good but the presentation was sloppy (it was a layer of grits and cheese on the plate with the shrimp embedded in the grits so you had to dig them out). The shrimp were fresh and had the perfect texture. The grits were a little greasy but the flavor was delicious.
The rib tips were very good and smokey flavored. The pink smoke ring was clearly visible. They were sauced well, but more sauce would have been nice. They weren’t all that tender, however. The greens were well seasoned. And the cheese grits were nicely textured (not as greasy as the grits with the shrimp).
They serve sweet tea which is a total bonus.
All in all it was a solid first experience. We plan on going back again.

The bartender was singing the songs being played so loud that the customers couldn’t hear the word. The food was good and yes i would come back.

The cat fish was seasoned just right. The sides were flavorful. The best was the live music. It makes you want to relax and linger. Just what is needed for a Friday night. Service was great too — friendly and attentive.

We love soul food and haven’t found a place we like so we decided to visit Ashley’s Que on National after seeing the rave reviews. We went for dinner on a Thursday at 4:30pm. Well decorated and clean. There were 4 people when we arrived. We were quickly greeted and seated. I ordered the rib tips with greens and mac & cheese (they were out of grits at 4:30pm?). My daughter ordered a chicken sandwich and my nephew a hamburger with fries. The food was warm almost cold. The rib tips were meaty, but it looked like they just slapped sauce on right before serving. The portion size was good. The greens and mac & cheese were inedible! I really tried to stomach it but just couldn’t. Way too salty and no flavor! So left that behind and waste of money. Couldn’t even take it home. My daughter’s chicken sandwich was just that. Nothing spectacular. Fries were super bland. Hamburger the same, nothing spectacular. And why would they use the hallway on the way to the restrooms as storage? Looked tacky and unorganized.
Now here’s my grip aside from the food being bad. It took a while to get our food with just 4 people there. The music was way too LOUD! I felt like I was in a club! It was difficult to have a conversation. You have the bar with either the owner or employees sitting at the bar with their uniform on and someone behind the bar singing and dancing to the super loud music. I just feel that’s unprofessional. We look to the back and obviously the owner or employee’s children, eating at one of the tables. They were very well behaved, but my point is this is a business, not your home.
This establishment left a sour taste in my mouth and how the business is managed. No recommendations or revisits from me. Hope they improve.

This restaurant was horrible. The tables were dirty, the staff was incompetent, the food was undercooked. We waited for over an hour (when it was only about half full) to get our food. We had to go up to the bar to get water refills because the wait staff was not checking on us at all. Don’t waste your time!

I went here as part of a group of 4 with a groupon. The service was slow, particularly for the drinks which took a good ten minutes to come out after ordering. The food is pretty solid. They were out of brisket which was frustrating since that’s my go to, but things happen. The sides were all great and the meal the groupon provided, a half and half, was an insane helping of food, I got three meals out of mine. All in all, solid joint, but if you want the best BBQ in Milwaukee, go to Smokeshack.

I wanted to like this place. I really did. I love soul food, love barbeque, love grits, but both the food and service left me disappointed.
As a disclaimer, I fell in love with barbeque at Oklahoma Joe’s in Kansas City. Joe’s has a line out the door on the regular it’s so good, so maybe my measuring stick for all other barbeque is a bit unfair. Ashley’s was OK in my book. The grits and other food were dry or missing something. I couldn’t even finish my grits, and I love those.
On a Saturday afternoon, our service was quite slow. I know food takes a while to cook, but we had a lot of lang time between ordering, getting our bill, paying, etc. The place was not even very crowded either.
Overall, I was disappointed.

BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR BANK STATEMENTS IF YOU CHOOSE TO EAT HERE!
I actually had a great experience while I was at the restaurant. The food was great! The service was pretty slow, but we really didn’t really mind. We were even talking about the next time we could come back while driving home.
The problem came when I received an alert from my credit card company checking to see if the $ 21 tip that was added to $ 25 my bill was legitimate. IT WASN’T! We were dining with 2 other couples, and all left a combined tip in cash. I even wrote «cash» on the tip line of the receipt. If the additional $ 21 that was added to my card was a mistake, a simple apology and reversing the charge would have changed this to a 5 star review, but that isn’t what happened.
When I called and explained the charge to the lady who answered the phone, she was very rude and wouldn’t even let me finish speaking. When she went to get her manager, she just set the phone down, so I could actually hear every word she said. She proceeded to tell her manager that I was lying about leaving a cash tip and that we left without giving a tip [we actually handed the cash directly to her, but even if we decided not to leave a tip, that doesn’t give her the right to add it to my card anyways, which is essentially what she admitted when she said we didn’t leave a tip]. When the manager answered, she was equally as rude, but said she had to look for the receipt to see what happened. She also explained that they don’t always have all the receipts, but would look anyways and call me back. No apology or anything! Worse than that, I never even got a call back!!! I really do believe it was an intentional act, and not a mistake. So if you do dine here, make sure to check your bank statements afterward!

Disclaimer: I’ve only had the rib tips, but my gosh they are good.
When I say i’ve only had the rib tips I mean that i’ve been there about 10 times and get the rib tips every time. They’re consistently good. I also always get the greens because they are well seasoned and perfectly cooked.
If you’re not used to a thinner more vinegary sauce then you should definitely get it on the side. I get mine on the side because I don’t like much of any BBQ sauce. That being said, you don’t even need the sauce because the meat is so well seasoned.
Yay! I’m a fan is indeed the best way to put it.

It was our first time here and we had a good time.
They have an open patio that dogs are welcome on, which is always a plus for our fur baby, Watson. The staff brought him out a bowl of water and have showered him with more attention than he knows what to do with.
The service is great, the staff are all super friendly. The manager (I think?) stopped by a few times to say hi, play with the dog and make sure we are having a great time. As a customer, I really appreciate that.
The food does take a little longer to cook, but it’s that good, tasty soul food that melts in your mouth, so it’s definitely worth the wait. We’re only drinking beer, so I can’t comment on the drink menu. The shrimp and grits are perfectly seasoned and the flavors blend well together. I’m also a huge fan of the greens, which is shocking (for me).
The ambiance out on the patio has a smooth, old school touch to it. There is very old school R & B (or as mike likes to call it, ‘baby making music’) playing in the background. I love that!
The only thing that sort of turned me off to the place was that our server wore open toed sandals, which is an absolute no-​no in restaurants/​generally the service industry.
Aside from that last hiccup, we do plan on coming back.

Really. Open to 12:30pm…Check the clock. Get my bill. I asked for it 40mins ago. Your food is delicious, if served hot.
Slowest business I’ve had

Possibly some of the worst service I experienced in a long time. Yes a large group, but being ignored is totally unacceptable. And after waiting nearly an hour for our food to arrive, it was probably the worst BBQ I’ve ever experienced.
You won’t see me back here again!

First time going. Was not very impressed. Plate of brisket dinner brought to table looked more like something you would get in the lunch line at school. For $ 15 for a dinner just not worth it.
Brisket was cut up into small pieces. I can cut my own meat. Never had brisket served that way before.

Soul food… don’t mind ifa dooo.
Sunday afternoon perfect place to catch a quick chill. So I watched some nba playoffs and had some chicken and fries. Finally a place where the chicken is seasoned! The fries are similar to checkers fries.
The staff all seemed family like so the service was on point. This ashley bbq is a off branch brick and motor of the other joint on 15^th and center. I celebrate businesses who are able to move up and upgrade. Specifically home grown mom’s and pops joints.
The space is open from front to back with outdoor patio seating. Parking can be a hassle considering it’s a hot bed for clubs bars and eateries. The parking lot attached is for stenys.
The bar is the focal point its long and wide. It’s heavy on dark wood and the tables are spaced perfectly no clutter or butt rubbing from what I saw but it was kinda slow.
The prices were on point. I was suprised to see breakfast brunch specials karaōke. … I will be back to sample other things.
Oh yea they do take out. Rib tips, greens, Mac and cheese and wings to go!
My first experience was a positive one.

Maaaaan
I got sidetracked with the deep fried ribs. They tasted exactly like fried pork chops (which I had for the first time ever last year). Wasn’t a bad flavor, my taste buds brought me here for barbeque though, I should have stuck with my cravings because I still want some barbeque ribs but now I’m full.
Bonus: This Is a blackowned and from there are alot of brownies in the kitchen. That always makes me smile

Turned out to be a Goldilocks location. We were looking for a place to have a couple of drinks, some bar food, watch the Final Four. The first bar was too full. Steny’s was packed to the proverbial gills with drunken college students and we were four college professors not on the clock, if you catch my drift. The second bar was too empty. I always wanted to try out the Whisky Bar, but it smelled like human urine. I thought we’d get used to it after 5 drinks, but the biomedical engineering professor was adamant. So for the first time, we all ended up here. I asked the server what kind of barbecue, as in the style, and he didn’t understand the question. «Mississippi style, Chicago, North Carolina, Kansas City???» Then he understood and said that the recipe has been the same for long enough that we could call it, Milwaukee style. The menu is African-​American soul food, for the most part, I’ve had better on the West and South Side of Chicago, but this place is much much much cleaner. The hot links wasn’t hot and messy enough, the ribs are good. Ribs aren’t the tender, fall off the bone style, but not the firm dry rub style either. The sauce is a tangy, sweet, original recipe. We didn’t have the service problems some of my favorite neighbors encountered, but we’ve only been here the one time so far. The televisions are big, new and good for watching college basketball, even when the announcers seem to be Big Ten haters.

Food is very good. The greens are wonderful but on our visit they didn’t have any. The shrimp and grits are very good! My husband had the King Combo. I recommend the King Combo is you are unsure or unfamiliar with the different kinds of BBQ’d meats. My family is from Texas and Brisket is our favorite.
For drinks, I had the Electric Lemonade and it was quite tasty! It tasted like juice but it gave me a nice buzz without tasting too much of the alcohol. My husband had the Watermelon Crawl. It’s a nice summer drink but a bit more boozy but we sure didn’t mind!!!

I have been to Ashley’s Que a few times now, and have had a great experience every time. The food is delicious, the portion sizes are decent, and the prices are reasonable. The staff is friendly and attentive.
If you love catfish as much as I do, then I strongly suggest that you have the catfish here. It is perfectly breaded, cooked, and very flavorful. My go-​to meal when I come here is their catfish sandwich. It is topped with Cajun mayo and your choice of American, Cheddar, or Pepper Jack cheese. I also recommend spending the extra $ 1.50 to have the fries included. The fries are perfectly seasoned (not too much, not too little).
They have their happy hour weekdays from 3−7pm. The specials for happy hour include ½ off on all appetizers, $ 3 tall rail drinks, and $ 2 tap beers.
Bottom line: if you are looking for a great place for BBQ in the Milwaukee area, come to Ashley’s Que.

I think I will remain neutral for now. They were out of the brisket at 1pm on a Sunday and out of the short rib. So it made my hesitation between two options easier, as one was unavailable (brisket). I ordered the BBQ Omelet, it didn’t win me over. But I enjoyed the breaded okra, as well as the deep fried broccoli.
I need to come back one more time and try the brisket before I can decide if I love it or hate it for this BBQ joint.

Hoppin’ John, it’s 2014!!! Wait — see what I did there with the southern food generally eaten around the new year reference for a southern comfort food/​bbq restaurant preface? OMGLOLZCATS, I’m so smart. Or hopp’ed up on caffeine. Date of visit: Packers vs 49ers
A shley’s Que is located in the trendier-​every-​day Walker’s Point with attached free parking.
S moked goodness awaits you: ribs, tips, shoulder, chicken, brisket are on the menu.
H oly cow, it’s a good value. King’s Combo (shoulder, ribs, tips) + 2 sides = 19 $.
L iquor choices hilariously and eclectically upscale: Grape Draaaank and Electric Lemonade made with Great Lakes Distillery products.
E rrryone in the club gets tipsssy (well, free shots) when the Packers score. Yellow shot tastier than the green variety by a country mile.
Y es, they do have southern sides like fried okra, fried corn on cob, cheesy grits, slaw, etc.
S mall critique would be that the meat products we got (ribs, tips, brisket, shoulder) were all consistently oversauced.
Q uinoa? No thanks, give me some shrimp and grits, or chicken and waffles.
U nconventional (in a good way) employees very friendly, humorous, and seemingly all know how to dance.
E xcellent experience here, and will be back sooner rather than later.
*****
Location: 4 out of 5
Closest intersection is National and 1^st. Public transportation plentiful, and as previously mentioned — there’s a free parking lot too.
Décor/​Ambiance: 2.5 out of 5
I struggle with this aspect because in my opinion (remember, it’s my opinion only), a restaurant’s menu and offerings should also manifest itself into how it’s decorated and what the interior looks like. Take for example — Smoke Shack. The inside and outside resemble a rustic bbq place you’d find in eastern Cackalacky. Ashley’s struggles with finding (or creating?) its identity. Now, don’t get me wrong — the inside is spacious and welcoming with an ample bar area and a mix of hightoppers and low tables — but in the same way that U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago is sterile and doesn’t have any unique character, Ashley’s could do a few things to I dunno… seem more «homey» if that makes sense.
Service: 4 out of 5
Eclectic band of brothers and sisters here. All super nice and friendly, and all seemingly very good at dancing. No joke — there’s this more rotund short stocky fellow that had some surrrrious dance moves.
Selection of Q: 5 out of 5
Bazinga. Truly awesome selection — just check out their menu and you’ll see what I’m saying. Oh right — they have shrimp and grits too, as well as chicken and waffles. And Friday fish fries, omglolz — cats would love that.
Quality of Q: 4 out of 5
Smoky Goodness. Tender as all getup. Tasty stuff. As mentioned above — slightly oversauced for my preference, but I’ll remember that for next time and get sauce on the side.
Dranks: 5 out of 5
Grape Koolaid. Grape DRAAAAAAAAAANK (with GLD vodka). Beermosas. Hurricanes. Keep going… and they’re all available en masse. They also have a nice craft beer list, so don’t overlook that.
Overall: 4 out of 5
Tasty. Reasonably priced. Friendly folks. Hilarious Drinks. I’ll be back soon.