1033 Announces Closure, Planned Rebrand
After just 13 months, wine bar and seafood restaurants is officially closed.
Dining room at 1033, 1033 S 1st St. Photo taken May 24, 2023 by Sophie Bolich.
Caviar hot dogs, firefly squids and fried Sawagani river crabs — all these and more have made their way onto the eclectic, inventive and ever-changing menu at 1033 since its opening in May 2023.
After just over a year in business, the seafood-focused restaurant and wine bar on Monday announced its upcoming closure. 1033 will have its final service on Saturday, July 13. (Update: after publication, 1033 rescheduled its closing date to Tuesday, July 2).
“It’s been an amazing 13 months,” Co-owner Rob Levin said in a video posted to the restaurant’s Instagram page. “We trudged through and worked hard to get to where we are, but we believe in our hearts and souls that in order to have a long-term existence here in the city of Milwaukee and in Walker’s Point, we need to do some reevaluation and change our platform moving forward.”
Levin and his business partner Tony Bisciglia hope to reopen the concept with a stronger emphasis on wine and other beverages. The move would not only be more lucrative, but leans into the duo’s proven strengths; the two also operate 2A Wine Merchants in the Historic Third Ward.
Levin said the future concept would likely be “some sort of wine bar” featuring “simple, approachable cuisine.” The extensive beverage program would also showcase cocktails, beer and non-alcoholic options, he said.
In the short time since its opening, 1033 has emerged as a small business — requiring just 14 guests for a full house — with a big personality.
The bar and restaurant is tucked into a ground-level space within the Trio apartment complex, where it transformed the former counter-service taco restaurant into a moody, graffitied and velvet-draped escape — just steps removed from bustling S. 1st Street.
The seasonal menu, curated by Chef Adam Kemmler, is luxurious but not stuffy — offering thoughtful dishes such as summer veg salad with sweet corn foam and cheese rind-aged duck breast with duck fat butterscotch and dehydrated morels reconstituted in duck stock.
In addition to dreaming up unique bites for his daily “chef snack,” Kemmler was constantly on the hunt for rare and unique items to enhance the restaurant’s raw bar selections. Whole firefly squids, raw geoduck and fried Sawagani river crabs were all hits in recent months.
And though 1033 took its flavors seriously, the business was known for hosting whimsical events such as its Snoop Dogg-themed New Year’s Eve party and a special celebration in honor of Taylor Swift‘s most recent album.
The restaurant’s current menu includes raw bar selections — oysters, Louisiana blue crab claw, crystal blue prawn, caviar bump, hokkaido scallop; small plates such as salt cod, morel ragout and spice-roasted carrots; a selection of pastas; and large plates including Pittsburgh rare steak and scallops.
A variety of charcuterie boards and sweets from Midwest Sad are also available, along with a well-rounded wine program, a selection of cocktails and a handful of “after-dinner sippers.”
Check the restaurant’s Instagram page for the latest on the current “chef snack” and other specials.
Levin closed his message with a word of gratitude and a call to action. “We thank everyone who has ever given us an ounce of support and love — we could not have made it this far without that,” he said.
“Lastly, get out and support your local restaurateurs … give them your love, think of them first, support them so they are here for the long term.”
Levin did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Photos
Existing members must be signed in to see the interactive map. Sign in.
If you think stories like this are important, become a member of Urban Milwaukee and help support real, independent journalism. Plus you get some cool added benefits.
It was an interesting concept and atmosphere. Loved the creative dishes but the prices were way too high and the same seafood was available at a fraction of the price at the Public Market. Looking forward to seeing what the changes will bring. We don’t need another wine bar in the Third Ward/Fifth Ward. We have more than enough within blocks of each other.