Waukesha Restaurant Coming To Milwaukee Public Market

WAUKESHA, WI—Who's ready for some mouth-watering pulled pork, smoked pastrami, or corned beef with homemade cornbread, smoked baked beans or potato salad?

A Waukesha barbeque favorite is coming to the Milwaukee Public Market in the summer. Pat's Rib Place, located at 151 E. Sunset Dr., will be joining the list of locally-owned vendors, according to a social media post.

Owners Alisha and Ty Hayes first opened their restaurant in 2009, with a focus on Southern-style barbecue as a tribute to Alisha’s mother (Pat) and her Southern cooking style.

Pat’s meats are smoked daily & often served with homemade sauces, which will also be sold by the jar.

Oprah's 2020 Favorite Things List included items from the Waukesha restaurant.

Oprah's annual list last year included a two-jar variety pack of Pat's House Sauce and Brown Brown Sauce. Both are made at the family-owned restaurant and have been sold there for six years. Owner Alisha Hayes is Oprah Winfrey's niece — but the restaurant has earned praise for its Southern-style food and atmosphere.

Owners Alisha and Ty Hayes first opened their restaurant in 2009. The restaurant was named in honor of Alisha Hayes mother, Pat, who died in 2003. The couple's families are both from the South, and Southern cooking is important to them.

"My mom indulged in great food, and Ty would spend a lot of time on the grill with her," Hayes said.

The Southern culture has been embraced by the Waukesha community and the restaurant's patrons. Before the expansion, the restaurant — which was half its current size — would fill up quickly.

"Folks love the atmosphere. It is hard to come in here with a bad mood. You aren't going to stay that way," Alisha Hayes said.

The restaurant's customer base is diverse, which pleases the couple.

"Everyone wants to feel good, especially in a time like this," Hayes said.

The Milwaukee Public Market location will be their first and only operation in Milwaukee.

"We cannot wait to welcome Southern-BBQ & cuisine into our Historic Third Ward neighborhood," according to a MPM post.