Two New Concepts Bring 3rd Street Market Hall to Capacity

3rd Street Market Hall in 2022. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

3rd Street Market Hall opened its doors to the public in early 2022, bringing a slate of new dining concepts to Downtown and marking a major leap forward for the revival of the former Grand Avenue Mall, 275 W. Wisconsin Ave.

The progress amazed Albert Yee, a four-decade dining industry veteran and concessionaire who created festival vendor MilWOKee. He watched as concept after concept joined the food hall, with purveyors serving arepas, sushi, barbeque, pizza and hot dogs, all arriving in quick succession.

And yet, something was missing.

“I couldn’t help but think, ‘why is there no Chinese food or fresh seafood?’” Yee said in a statement. “I figured now was the chance to make that happen.”

This fall, Yee plans to launch two concepts at 3rd Street Market: Shuckers Crab Shack & Oyster Bar and WOK Downtown MKE. The new additions will occupy two remaining hawker stalls, bringing the food hall to capacity, and rounding out its portfolio of locally owned and operated food vendors.

Yee’s extensive industry background includes time spent as a restaurant owner and vendor at festivals across the country. His signature venture, MilWOKee Asian Street Food, can be found at several local events.

Shuckers Crab Shack & Oyster Bar will serve an assortment of fresh seafood and raw bar items, including peel-and-eat shrimp, oysters and live blue crab. Most selections will be priced under $20, with an emphasis on sharing and sampling a variety of items.

Additional menu items will include a lobster roll and an oversized crab rangoon — the “Crabby Goon” — made with 7-inch wonton paper. A kids menu will feature $7 meals such as “Chicken in a Fish,” a fish-shaped waffle stuffed with chicken fingers.

The second concept, WOK Downtown MKE, will feature Chinese street food priced at either $5 or $10. Starters such as dumplings, egg rolls and fried chicken strips will be available, along with entrees such as egg foo young, lo mein and fried rice with a choice of protein.

A customizable, Kwik Fix option will include a base of white rice with a choice of main dish. Options may include honey sesame orange chicken or teriyaki bourbon chicken stir fry.

During the pandemic, Yee shuttered his longtime concessions business — which once landed him a gig at Super Bowl LII — and took the role of community meals director at the then-new UpStart Kitchen. Yee and other kitchen leadership produced balanced meals for those in need using donated food items.

In 2020, Yee made plans to open a brick-and-mortar location for MilWOKee Asian Street Food at 2342 N. Farwell Ave., the former site of China Wok and A.A. Wok Zone. The business got as far as mounting a sign, receiving an occupancy permit and hosting a pop-up outside the nearby Beans & Barley, but it doesn’t appear to have ever made it to a grand opening.

Yee will occupy two of the four hawker stalls at the market. The stalls operate under abbreviated leases and are targeted at short-term tenants testing out new concepts with the hope that the business will grow out of the space. The partners behind Dairyland Old-Fashioned Frozen Custard and Hamburgers oversee the stalls, which are attached to their larger space.

Two previously announced concepts are also coming to 3rd Street Market Hall. Rod & Makk and The City Fountain are slated to open in the coming months.

Additional information on the upcoming concepts, including opening dates and hours of operation, will be announced at a later time. For updates, follow 3rd Street Market Hall on Facebook or watch for additional coverage on Urban Milwaukee.