New Tenant For Third Street Tavern Space
Sports bar with relaxed atmosphere and comfort food menu could join Deer District.
1110 N. Martin Luther King Jr Dr. Photo taken on November 6, 2020 by Mariiana Tzotcheva.
The ever-evolving Deer District could get a new addition by year’s end. GL Sports Eatery, a bar and lounge, is slated to replace Third Street Tavern at 1110 N. Martin Luther King Jr Dr. The business hopes to be operating by the middle of December.
Industry veteran David Hinton leads the business, which marks his second downtown project this year; he opened a fast-casual restaurant, Loaded Spud, on Water Street in June.
Hinton, an avid sports fan, said he drew inspiration from his own viewing experiences, aiming to balance comfort, community and—of course—a great view of the game. GL Sports Eatery was designed with that in mind.
“We wanted to have a place that was a very stylish sports lounge, where people of all generations can come down and see the game in a very comfortable, relaxed environment with great food and drinks,” Hinton said.
The finished space would include a combination of lounge, bar and high-top seating with multiple large-screen TVs throughout. On non-game days, Hinton hopes to host live music performances, community programming and business-focused gatherings such as mixers, networking events and private dinners.
A menu of American comfort classics is planned to complement GL Sports Eatery’s bar program. The proposed menu includes shareable dishes such as chicken wings and loaded fries, along with burgers, sandwiches, and salads. Brunch items will be available on weekends, with corporate catering, private dining and late-night menus also featured.
Hinton said the new venue will show “all the sports,” with a primary focus on Wisconsin teams. Guests can also expect to view World Cup soccer matches and other events, with multiple games displayed across different screens.
The space also comes with a focus on community, Hinton said, whether through highlighting area breweries behind the bar or showcasing Milwaukee talent at live music and events.
GL Sports Eatery is one of several new projects either recently proposed or recently completed in the Deer District area. Explorium Distilled debuted in the former Good City Brewing last month, offering a full bar and kitchen featuring gluten-free food options just across the plaza from Fiserv Forum. Tom’s Watch Bar, a national chain, opened its first Milwaukee location earlier this week in the former The MECCA Sports Bar and Grill space. A new concert venue, Landmark Credit Union Live, is being developed just south of the arena.
“We’re very excited to be part of the developments going on in Deer District and Milwaukee in general,” Hinton said. “We think that our concept will fit great with the way the city is growing and developing, and we look forward to being part of that community, the Westown Association and everything that comes with the Deer District.”
A license application for GL Sports Eatery is pending before the Milwaukee Common Council. If approved, the business targets a mid-December opening, with plans to host events during the holidays.
The proposed hours of operation are Monday through Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 1:30 a.m., Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 1:45 a.m., Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 a.m., according to the application.
Other tenants in the Riverfront Plaza building that GL Sports Eatery would occupy include S’Lush and Whitetail MKE. The upper floors contain office space.
Third Street Tavern closed in February.
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