Seafood Restaurant and Wine Bar Planned for Walker’s Point

Combine the elegance of fine dining with the creature comforts of home cooking and you’ll get 1033, a new restaurant and wine bar planned for the Walker’s Point neighborhood.

The new concept, planned for 1033 S. 1st St., will feature fresh seafood such as oysters, clams , mussels and caviar, along with small plates and thoughtful wine pairings.

Owner Robert Levin said he envisions an elevated, yet approachable experience, with all the ease of pulling up a chair to mom’s kitchen island to enjoy a bite of delicious food, a glass of great wine and conversation among friends.

“The kitchen island in your home is probably the most emotional place in the house — it is always surrounded by family, friends, nibbles and drinks,” Levin said. “Through food, wine and ambiance, 1033 will bring together the community in a way that has yet to be explored as it pertains to dining in the great city of Milwaukee.”

Levin, who also owns 2A Wine Merchants in the Historic Third Ward neighborhood, will partner with chef Justin Carlisle of Ardent and Red Light Ramen for the concept. Together, the duo brings decades of industry experience and a deep understanding of food and wine to the new venture.

1033 is slated to open inside the former The Laughing Taco, which Carlisle owned with his wife, Lucia Munoz. The restaurant closed late in 2021, but continues to operate as a catering business and at Fiserv Forum.

The corner retail space is small, measuring less than 1,000 square feet, but Levin said he plans to make the most of it, playing up the intimacy and cozy feel of the restaurant. 1033 will feature counter seating with space for 16 guests.

And while Levin strives to create the feeling of home at the new restaurant, for at least 120 Milwaukeeans its location is home: 1033 will occupy a space at ground level of Trio Apartments.

In addition to raw seafood such as oysters, clams and caviar, as well as cooked lobster, crab and mussels, 1033 will feature a variety of small plates and bites that pair well with the expertly-curated, 30-bottle wine list. Wine will also be available by the glass.

“I think that the raw bar will be a big piece of it, but it won’t be the defining matter of the menu,” Levin said, adding that he hopes to push wine consumption by focusing at least 90% of the beverage list around wine.

“We are in the business to sell wine, not to store wine,” Levin said, who noted that he will strive to make the list at 1033 both approachable and affordable in comparison to other local establishments.

“We’re excited to partner with existing restaurants in Walker’s Point and to try to keep instigating good food and good wine in this amazing city that we all live in,” he said.

If all goes according to plan, the restaurant is expected to open to the public by early May, Levin said. Dinner will be served a la carte and by reservation only, but the restaurant’s daily happy hour and raw bar will be open for walk-in service.

For updates and more information, visit the 1033 website.