Photo by Sandy Reitman
Major Goolsby's neon sign
Major Goolsby's
Growing up, Major Goolsby’s was a household name. My dad has stories about meeting Charles Barkley and other famous people that come up at least once a year. Seemingly, he knows everyone who’s been on staff there for the last 40 years, likely from going there before and after games at both the Bradley Center and now the Fiserv Forum. It opened in 1970 under Jerry Cohen who is still actively involved today. Major Gooslby’s (affectionately known as just Goolsby’s) is located on the corner of W. Kilbourn Ave. and Vel R. Phillips Ave. right in the heart of downtown Milwaukee.
Photo by Sandy Reitman
Major Goolsby's hamburger
Major Goolsby's
Goolsby’s holds a special place in my heart because I worked for them in 2008 after graduating from Indiana University—Bloomington with a journalism degree. I was not putting my writing to good use for this job, but it was one of my favorite summers living in Milwaukee. At the time, Goolsby’s had the alcohol distribution license for all of Summerfest and was in charge of staffing all the bars. I landed an internship with Goolsby’s HR team, meaning I saw behind the curtain (and was in the trailer) of how Summerfest was run when it comes to beer, wine, and booze. What better job for a 21-year-old post-grad?!
My time with Goolsby’s had me pouring kegs, making cheeseburgers, pushing paperwork, and getting to see all the live music I wanted throughout the various festivals. And this is when I fell in love with the food at Gooslby’s.
Today, Gooslby’s still has its presence on the Summerfest grounds, but only as one of the long-standing restaurants. But the burger remains the same. It’s a simple burger with your choice of toppings, never veering too far from what’s typically seen on burgers. These days, people put anything between a bun and call it a burger, but that’s not how I roll. Now when I go into Goolsby’s before a Bucks game, like I was this Friday night, I knew exactly what I was getting.
The menu is small but has all the pub fare you’d ever need to enjoy a night out. The cheeseburger was as good as I remember, and the onion rings were even better. Now that I think about it, the last time I had a Goolsby’s burger was at the State Fair last year! There’s never a time that a quick stop at Goolsby’s is the wrong decision. So, next time you’re debating where to meet before something at the Fiserv Forum, remember Major Goolsby’s and definitely order a burger.
