New Restaurant and Lounge Proposed For South Side
Arcane Lounge Bar and Banquet hopes to open near 51st and Howard, but faces obstacles.
5121 W. Howard Ave. Photo taken Aug. 16 by Sophie Bolich.
A multi-faceted new business is slated to open in a strip mall on Milwaukee’s South Side, but its arrival depends on the current tenants making way.
Mariana Herrera recently submitted a proposal to open Arcane Lounge Bar and Banquet at 5121 W. Howard Ave., with plans to serve food and drinks, offer catering services and host events in its basement, according to a license application.
Arcane would also market itself to a wide variety of customers, presenting in-house entertainment for those who prefer to dine in, as well as drive-thru and delivery services for those who don’t.
The 2,937-square-foot restaurant space is currently home to Brewtown Eatery & Sports Bar, which opened under Scott Kwapick and Martin Gulzcynski in 2014.
The establishment is now owned by Dino Shackelford Jr., who operates it as a sports bar serving alcoholic drinks and pub fare such as pizza and wings. The business is also known to host live musicians and includes an outdoor patio.
As of the afternoon of Aug. 16, Brewtown Eatery appeared closed, with the lights off and doors locked. The restaurant typically opens at 3 p.m.
Arcane, expected to open in November, hopes to offer entertainment including live music, comedy acts, DJs, contests, dancing, karaoke, a jukebox and five amusement machines.
A sample menu features breakfast, lunch and dinner offerings, with dishes like chicken and waffles, loaded macaroni and cheese, gumbo and barbecue with an assortment of sides.
The business anticipates that its revenue will be split evenly between food and alcohol sales.
Beyond its dictionary definition—mysterious or secret — “Arcane” is also the title of an animated television series created by Christian Linke and Alex Yee.
A liquor license for Arcane Lounge Bar and Banquet is pending before the Milwaukee Common Council. If approved, the business plans to open daily from noon until 2 a.m.
Gulzcynski, the previous owner of Brewtown Eatery, owns the 17,478-square-foot shopping center, which includes the restaurant space.
A Dollar General store, Cousins Subs, pet grooming business and a hair salon also occupy the building.
Shackelford has made several previous attempts to open bars throughout the Milwaukee area. In 2022, he moved to open Dino’s Sports, at 4671 S. Lake Dr., in Cudahy. The following year, he made plans to open Enigma Sports Bar at 1123 N. Water St. Neither business came to fruition.
Shackelford and Herrera did not respond to requests for comment by the time of publication.
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.
