New Mediterranean Place for Downtown

Library Hill Apartments. Photo taken October 3rd, 2014 by Michael Horne.

A new operator plans to take over Gyro MKE, a Mediterranean restaurant near the Marquette University campus. Fady Qetairi would open a new place called Fil Fil at 700 W. Wisconsin Ave., but with a similar menu including gyro sandwiches, shawarma, rice, fries and soup.

Fil Fil would be the first Milwaukee restaurant for Qetairi, who recently moved to the city to be closer to family. He previously operated a JJ Fish & Chicken in Chicago.

Qetairi said he has already signed a lease for the building, and is working through the necessary licensing and inspections. After that, he said, the restaurant will be ready to launch.

Despite the new ownership, changes to the current establishment will be minimal — aside from the new name.

Fast-casual Gyro MKE opened in 2018, catering to neighborhood residents — mostly college students, including those living at the Library Hill Apartments, which shares a building with the restaurant.

The extensive menu at Gyro MKE includes Mediterranean classics like gyro, Greek fries, kabobs and falafel, along with fusion dishes such as the chicken shawarma philly sandwich. Other offerings include the vegetarian pita sandwich, Italian beef sandwich and seafood dinners.

Side options include rice, jalapeño cream cheese poppers and mozzarella sticks.

Omar Amin owns the Gyro MKE, as well as the nearby Build a Burger, Build a Breakfast, at 633 W. Wisconsin Ave.

The Gyro MKE space has seen a number of concepts come and go in recent years including Slice of NY Pizzeria and Quiznos. The restaurant occupies approximately 2,000 square feet within the building, which is owned by Mandel Group.

A license application for Fil Fil notes April 1 as a proposed opening date. Until then, the restaurant will continue to operate as usual, Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Gyro MKE is closed on weekends.