Family restaurant opens on Green Bay Street

Alex Morales first got into the food industry by working at a restaurant called Cruise In in Kaukauna when he was 14.

Now, he’s opening up his own restaurant with the same name in Shawano, planning to bring fresh, homestyle cooking to local residents without the need to cook at home.

“This is where I started,” Morales said, referring to the style of food he serves.

Morales, who had previously operated a Mexican restaurant in Appleton, is bringing American cuisine to his latest restaurant, turning the former Fifties diner turned sushi restaurant back into a Fifties diner complete with checkerboard motif and tunes from the Beach Boys playing in the background.

“I like the ’60s and ’50s music,” Morales said. “All of the elderly people, I like how they feel like they did back then when they were raised. I like the atmosphere.”

Morales noted that the outside looked like it would be good for a Fifties diner, but he was unaware that there had been a similar-style restaurant in the space at 1045 E. Green Bay St. years earlier.

“I came here one day with my family just to travel,” Morales said. “I had seen it and saw the lease sign and liked how it looked. I said this was the perfect spot for a Fifties/Sixties diner.”

Cruise In Family Restaurant opened July 28 and has seen steady business. Morales noted that breakfast hours have been a little slow, but the lunch period has seen brisk attendance.

At the moment, Cruise In is only open one night a week, Friday for the fish fry. Morales said he is waiting to hire more workers before he is comfortable opening the restaurant to evening customers.

“We plan to serve up things like broasted chicken and liver and onions, stuff like that,” Morales said.

As for the fish fry, customers can enjoy all-you-can eat perch, whitefish, haddock and jumbo shrimp.

Breakfast dishes are served all day, including a wide assortment of omelettes. For those in the mood for lunch, Cruise In serves up plenty of burgers, wraps and sandwiches.

“This is homestyle. This is fresh,” Morales said of the food. “It makes people feel like they’re eating at home.”

There will also be some daily specials. On Tuesdays, Mexican dishes like chimichangas and burritos will be served up. Cruise In goes Italian on Wednesdays with lasagna, spaghetti and chicken alfredo specials. Baked chicken is on the menu for Thursdays.

With the coronavirus pandemic in full swing, Cruise In is offering takeout in addition to its dine-in options. The restaurant currently is utilizing Facebook to get the word out.

Morales wasn’t too worried about opening a restaurant in the middle of the pandemic, but he was unsure how receptive Shawano would be. The few days he has been open has been reassuring.

“So far, so good,” Morales said. “I’m getting to know a lot of Shawano people, and I like it so far.”

Besides the long-term success of the current restaurant, Morales hopes to open another restaurant in another community in Shawano County. He has not yet found a perfect spot, but he noted that it could either be another Fifties/Sixties diner or possibly a Mexican restaurant similar to what he had in Appleton.

“I do have the Mexican restaurant experience,” Morales said.

AT A GLANCE

WHAT: Cruise In Family Restaurant

WHERE: 1045 E. Green Bay St., Shawano

WHEN: 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays; 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays

PHONE: 715-201-0985

lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com