Red Rock Plans Patio Upgrades
Plus: new sushi restaurant for Water Street, Sabor Divino opens and Phobruary returns.
Red Rock Saloon. Photo by Brett Kihlmire, taken on May 20th, 2014.
In addition to its beloved mechanical bull and round-the-clock country tunes, guests at Red Rock Saloon will be greeted with a new and improved patio come summertime.
The downtown bar, 1227 N. Water St., is working to complete a series of upgrades to its existing outdoor space by the time patio season rolls around.
The existing patio, which has stood for all 13 years of Red Rock’s existence, consists of a wooden deck and an outdoor bar. Once complete, the revamped patio will have a 1,200-square-foot base of poured concrete. The addition of two large, retractable garage doors will make the space more accessible, while outdoor fireplaces amp up the ambience.
Drew Deuster, co-owner of Red Rock, said his hope is to begin pouring new concrete in the spring, with a goal of opening the patio this summer.
Deuster is a partner of Wild Planet Hospitality Group, which operates Red Rock locations in Milwaukee and Madison, along with McGillyCuddy’s.
The project is expected to cost $44,000, according to construction documents.
Brothers Bar & Grill, located immediately south of Red Rock, completed its own expansion in 2020. The large-scale project spanned three buildings and more than doubled the bar’s previous footprint. The $3.6 million, year-long expansion also included the build-out of a commercial kitchen and a beer garden.
New Bars and Restaurants That Opened in January
Bronzeville Kitchen and Lounge
Restaurateur Paul Whigham launched his newest venture, Bronzeville Kitchen and Lounge, on Jan. 4. The restaurant and lounge, 2053 N. Martin L. King Jr. Dr., serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with an emphasis on soul food — in particular, Whigham’s “famous” shrimp and grits.
Whigham also plans to bring his love of jazz to the establishment, playing the genre over speakers and, eventually, hosting live bands.
Agency
A new cocktail bar opened its doors downtown in early January. Agency, an evening counterpart to Discourse Coffee, 1020 N. Broadway, offers traditional and non-alcoholic versions of each beverage on its menu.
Eitel Cancels Plans For Vel Phillips Plaza Cafe After Council Questions, Public Opposition
Egg was supposed to be on the menu, not the landlord’s face, at Mike Eitel‘s cafe at Vel R. Phillips Plaza.
The deal to develop the cafe is now dead and no one appears happy, or willing, to talk about why.
Mayor Cavalier Johnson‘s administration announced the proposed cafe to great fanfare in early January. Eitel, owner of Caravan Hospitality Group, would lease the new cafe building across from the Baird Center and anchor the plaza with a cafe that would serve food and drinks all day long. An early morning coffee bar was to transition to a great place to grab a lunch and ultimately a fun place for a happy hour.
The city appeared to have found a winner for its signature $17 million plaza. Eitel operates the Nomad World Pub, SportClub, Barrel Burrito Company and the newly-opened Experts Only bar.
Milwaukee Pretzel Company Plans Major Expansion
The Bavarian-style pretzel has become ubiquitous at breweries, ballparks and beer gardens. Dipped in mustard or enjoyed on its own, the shareable snack is a crowd-pleaser and goes down easy with a pint of beer.
Its popularity is to be expected, given Milwaukee’s large German population. But what may come as a surprise is that, prior to 2013, the city had very few — if any — producers of the giant soft pretzels.
All that changed when Milwaukee Pretzel Company opened its doors just over a decade ago. The business has proven to be fast-growing, far exceeding the expectations of owners Matt and Katie Wessel, who were inspired to launch the business after living abroad in Germany.
And there’s more to look forward to. The couple is planning to expand the footprint of their production facility at 8050 N. Granville Woods Rd.
Beerline Trail Cafe Opens Friday
A community-oriented cafe is set to open in Harambee this week, bringing food, drinks and a comfortable gathering space to a newly-activated building along the Beerline Trail.
Kuumba Juice and Coffee will begin its soft opening on Friday, Feb. 2. The cafe is located within the Connector Building, 274 E. Keefe Ave., which opened in September 2023.
After more than three years of preparation, owners Alexander Hagler, Joe Ferch and Ellie Jackson are thrilled to see the project come to fruition. But nobody is more enthusiastic than neighbors, said Ferch, who noted that the trio receives constant questions about the cafe’s opening date — shouted from car windows and called out by passersby — every time they’re at the building.
Starting this week, the cafe will be open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for the duration of its soft opening. A grand opening date is yet to be announced.
Former Bay View Bakery is For Sale
On Jan. 8, Lakeside Bakery displayed an open sign in its front window for the final time. Today, a for-sale sign hangs in its place.
The Bay View bakery, 1100 E. Oklahoma Ave., permanently closed at the beginning of 2024 after dozens of years of operation. The building, priced at $1.19 million., is now awaiting new owners.
Originally constructed in 1927, the 5,696-square-foot building has operated as a bakery for more than 100 years. That could continue under new ownership.
“It is a great opportunity for another bakery,” said Patrick McGlinn, vice president of Anderson Commercial Group, the firm handling the sale. He noted that both the building and the bakery equipment are for sale, but that the decision ultimately lies with the future buyer.
Noodle Pop-Up Coming to Pilcrow
Pilcrow Coffee will trade its signature beverage for a more savory sip — or rather, slurp — for an upcoming event. Twin Cities-based chef Yia Vang is bringing his pop-up noodle shop, Slurp, to the cafe on Feb. 10.
The first come, first served pop-up will run from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m., or until sold out. The latter is likely, so guests are encouraged to arrive early.
A lineup of three noodle dishes will be available. Khao Poon, a creamy soup with roots in Laos, includes nice noodles, chicken, vegetables and curried chicken broth topped off with crunchy shredded cabbage, herbs and marinated bamboo.
Tim-Tim noodles, with rice noodles, spicy lamb bolognese, scallions and herbs, is a regular in Vang’s lineup; the dish is a riff on Sichuan Dan Dan noodles inspired by fellow chef Tim Truong.
Food Hall Would Save Historic Tavern
Years after it was first proposed, a proposal to rehabilitate a 134-year-old Schlitz tied-house tavern and develop a food hall at the corner of N. Humboldt and E. North avenues is moving forward.
Developer Clarence Morse was recommended for approval Tuesday to purchase the former Humboldt Gardens building, 2249 N. Humboldt Ave., for $1.
The low price reflects the high difficulty of what Morse is attempting to do.
A six-stall food cart court would be constructed behind the building, while the first floor of the three-story building would be redeveloped as a bar and indoor seating space. The upper floors would become office space. The basement would house a commercial kitchen.
The Estate Closes for Regular Business
The Estate, a historic cocktail bar and former jazz club, has closed its doors on the East Side. And though it’s retired from regular business, the venerable establishment will continue to welcome guests for special events.
The change comes as a blow to the neighborhood, where The Estate, 2423 N. Murray Ave., has served as a local watering hole and hepcat hangout for nearly half a century. A silver lining though, is that it will allow the tavern to return to its jazz-focused roots — a previously improbable shift that patrons have fervently requested for more than a year.
Owner John Dye confirmed the closure in an email on Saturday, noting that the tavern quietly closed for regular business in September 2023.
Dye purchased The Estate, formerly known as The Jazz Estate, in 2016. Under his ownership, the business took a step back from its live music background through a rebrand in 2023, which Dye said was a result of consumers’ changing behavior following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The New Fashioned Announces Restaurant Partner For Deer District Project
Deer District continues to change and evolve with the latest trends, working to stay at the cutting edge of food, drink and entertainment. Starting this spring, the neighborhood will try The New Fashioned on for size.
That’s the name of the bar, restaurant and entertainment venue set to replace Punch Bowl Social in April, offering a self-serve pour wall, tailgate lounge and frozen custard stand, as well as Milwaukee-themed souvenirs and a bevy of interactive and family-friendly activities.
Bars & Recreation is leading the project in collaboration with the Milwaukee Bucks. At a joint press conference Tuesday morning, the two organizations announced their plans to partner with Benson’s Restaurant Group for restaurant and catering operations at The New Fashioned, 1122 N. Vel R. Phillips Ave.
“When strong Milwaukee hospitality brands come together in the heart of Deer District, you know the food and experience are going to be true to their roots,” said Alex Sazama, corporate executive chef for Benson’s Group. “We’ll be bringing together a number of local food suppliers and partners that will create a delicious experience at The New Fashioned.”
Phobruary Returns To Silver City
When Vietnamese cooks first added rice noodles, meat and fragrant herbs to bowls of slow-simmered broth, they didn’t intend to create the ideal cold-weather meal for diners halfway across the world.
But today — thanks to immigrants from the Southeast Asian country — Wisconsinites happily slurp down bowls of piping hot pho all winter long.
In fact, Milwaukee launched an annual celebration of the dish more than a decade ago. The month-long Phobruary, now in its 11th year, invites diners to sample the soul-warming soup at a variety of southside eateries.
Phobruary, presented by VIA CDC, is set to return on Wednesday, Feb. 1, with participating restaurants including Thai Bar-B-Que, Bamboo Restaurant and Vientiane Noodle Shop.
Jewels Caribbean is Temporarily Closed
Jewels Caribbean is approaching the halfway point of its two-week temporary closure — the result of a clash between its owners and Milwaukee Licenses Committee members during a hearing last week.
But despite some concerns by council members, the restaurant, lounge and event space at 2230 N. Martin Luther King Jr Dr. will be allowed to reopen on Feb. 6, with the approval of the committee and the neighborhood’s Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs. The full Milwaukee Common Council is unlikely to overturn that decision.
Owner Lennora Jules and her sister, Natasha, appeared before the committee on Jan. 23. At that time, committee members raised concerns over a police report for the establishment, which detailed incidents of illegal parking, patrons smoking marijuana on the premises and a shots-fired complaint.
In response, the sisters said they’ve been working to resolve the issues, namely the use of marijuana on-site, but that there’s only so much they can do as business owners.
Puerto Rican Restaurant Opens On South Side
A new destination for mofongo, tostones and other Puerto Rican dishes is now open on the South Side. Sabor Divino, a popular food truck, launched its first brick-and-mortar location on Jan. 22.
The restaurant, 3300 W. Lincoln Ave., is the newest addition to the Layton Park neighborhood. Its owners, Irma Melendez Santiago and Giovany Rodriguez Arroyo, said they are eager to serve the community — especially loyal patrons of the food truck — in a more permanent space.
Sabor Divino, Spanish for divine flavor, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner for dine-in and carryout.
For breakfast, the restaurant errs on the side of comfort food with a selection of hot cereals including oat, wheat and corn-based porridges — all topped with cinnamon and served with toast. On the savory side, there’s breakfast sandwiches stuffed with eggs and meat.
Todd I Believe I Can Fry Opens in Bay View
Todd I Believe I Can Fry opened its doors in Bay View on Monday, bringing a new option for quick and casual meals to the neighborhood.
Despite less-than-ideal weather conditions, the takeout-focused restaurant, 2159 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., enjoyed steady business throughout its first week, with owner Paphitchaya Liotrakun flitting between the counter and the kitchen to take and fulfill orders.
Though far from the only fast-casual restaurant in the area, Todd I Believe I Can Fry offers a unique menu of Asian-style street foods, from snacks like gyoza and ika geso (fried squid) to meal-sized orders of wings and other specialties.
In addition to chicken wings, available with a choice of seven different sauces, the restaurant sells chicken tenders and karaage (Japanese-style fried chicken).
New Owners Open G. Groppi Food Market
Brothers Ryan and Casey Foltz picked up the keys to G. Groppi Food Market on Monday, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the historic grocery store and bar.
Opened in 1913, the market, 1441 E. Russell Ave., has remained a staple of the Bay View neighborhood for more than a century — first under the ownership of the Groppi family and later under John and Anne Nehring, who purchased the business in 2003.
Through the years, Groppi’s has expanded with a deli, fresh meat market, on-site bar and more. But all the while, the market has maintained its original character. The Foltz brothers plan to continue that tradition.
“It’s a grocery store that definitely has a neighborhood feel to it,” Casey said. “If you’re a regular customer, the employees know your name and have probably interacted with you outside of the store.”
New Sushi Restaurant Planned For Downtown
Awi Sushi is headed to Milwaukee. The Colorado-based chain plans to open its fourth location at 755 N. Water St., taking over a portion of the building’s first floor.
Franchisee Cheraty Par will operate the downtown restaurant, serving a diverse selection of sushi rolls and other Japanese dishes for dine-in and takeout.
Founded by Roland Biak Nun Awi in 2017, the sushi restaurant has since grown to include three locations: two in Colorado Springs and one in Madison.
Awi Sushi is known for its extensive menu, which features more than 70 different rolls. A selection of regular rolls includes simple options with one to four fillings, including the spicy salmon roll with salmon, cucumber and spicy mayo, as well as a a classic California roll with crab meat, avocado and cucumber.
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