Shadows was opened as a 45-seat restaurant/bar serving old fashioned American food. It quickly became a favorite restaurant for the gay community, earning a reputation among locals as well as visitors to the city. The restaurant was open for breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days a week; the bar was opened until legal closing time (2:00am at the time).

The restaurant and owner Frank Thalacker were praised in an article in Milwaukee Calendar (a 'bar rag' in the mid 1980's).