New Downtown Steakhouse Opening Soon
Carbon Steak will debut its luxe menu and moody interior in early December.
Site of future Carbon Steak, 725 N. Milwaukee St. Photo taken Nov. 9, 2023 by Sophie Bolich.
Downtown Milwaukee will have a new steakhouse by the end of the year.
Carbon Steak is preparing to welcome its first guests on Friday, Dec. 8 and Saturday, Dec. 9.
The upcoming restaurant will lean into luxury, with plans for lavish interior decor and a menu to match, featuring the highest quality USDA prime cuts, seafood towers and more.
Select menu items will be finished tableside by Corporate Chef Thomas Quinn, who will lead the kitchen in partnership with Executive Sous Chef Juan Carlos Guerra. The restaurant is owned by the newly-formed Volante Group.
Quinn is a seasoned steakhouse veteran, having most recently led Mastro’s in Chicago. He also opened The Hampton Social, a coastal-inspired concept, in Chicago, Nashville and Orlando.
Guerra, previously of Fleming’s Steakhouse in Brookfield and Carson’s in Milwaukee and Chicago, brings additional experience to the table.
Together, the chefs have created an “innovative yet approachable” menu featuring both American classics and dishes that draw inspiration from global cuisines, they said in a press release.
In an effort to appeal to all types of diners, Carbon Steak will offer a seasonal selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes alongside its more traditional steakhouse fare which, according to the restaurant, will include authentic Japanese Wagyu and other high-end cuts.
A wine list, curated by certified sommelier Andy Kulakowski, will include bottles from a variety of regions across the globe. Specialty cocktails and non-alcoholic options including wine, beer, spirits and non-alcoholic cocktails will also make an appearance on the beverage menu.
Kulakowski, who served as wine director for Fleming’s in Palo Alto and, more recently, general manager at Onesto, will be director of operations at Carbon.
The restaurant will be able to accomodate 116 guests, including up to 30 in an exclusive mezzanine space that overlooks the restaurant. There will also be a cocktail lounge area. Outdoor dining is expected next spring.
Located at 725 N. Milwaukee St., between Read it Again clothing store and Lucid Lounge, the future restaurant appears unassuming — at least from the outside.
In the coming weeks, the interior will see a full transformation with help from architecture firm Kahler Slater. The finished space will include a lavender and charcoal color palette with added glitz from “diamond-esque” pendant lights and overhead florals. Dark wood tables will be dispersed throughout the dining room while padded banquettes line the walls.
“A darker, intimate tone complemented by a soft feminine undertone, fused with floral elements, was the type of aesthetic we were passionate about exploring,” said Prince and Sunny Singh of Volante Group, in a statement. “Combining modern and elemental features that pushed the boundaries of hospitality design was truly exciting, and the outcome exceeded our expectations.”
Carbon Steak will open in the space that formerly operated as The Garden. The event venue, operated by SURG Restaurant Group, permanently closed as a result of the pandemic.
Bell Super LLC, a company affiliated with Balbir Singh, purchased the downtown building, also home to Lucid Lounge, in October 2020. The 139-year-old structure, known as the Conroy Building, houses a variety of commercial tenants on its upper floors.
Carbon will initially open Tuesday through Sunday for dinner service. Saturday and Sunday brunch are planned to be introduced later on.
Reservations will be available online starting this week.
Carbon Steak is hiring for all front-of-house and back-of-house positions. Applications can be submitted online.
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