New Pub & Grill to Replace Smokey’s Lounge
Salas Pub & Grill plans to open in the Forest Home Hills neighborhood this December.
Site of future Salas Pub & Grill, 2179 S. 16th St. Photo taken Oct. 9, 2024 by Sophie Bolich.
Southsiders may be familiar with Salas’ Bar, which operates a lively establishment on the corner of S. 8th and W. Becher streets. Throughout its two years in business, the corner tavern has attracted customers with neon lighting, upbeat music and shrimp-topped micheladas.
Soon, it will have a sibling.
Owner Agustin Salas Macias and his business partner, Jose Marquez, plan to open Salas Pub & Grill at 2179 S. 16th St., the current site of Smokey’s Lounge.
On Tuesday, the Milwaukee Licenses Committee recommended approval for the business, which is set to open in early December with a full bar, entertainment and a menu of casual Mexican and American eats.
“I really like working in restaurants, so I just wanted to be back in the kitchen,” Macias told committee members, noting that he brings relevant experience from running Salas Burgers before opening his current tavern. “I enjoy cooking and I want to bring that to the community.”
Common Council President and area Alderman José G. Pérez shared his support for the business.
“He’s an excellent cook, and I’m glad he’s found a location in the district with a kitchen,” he said, before recommending approval for the license.
Salas Pub & Grill would occupy 1,440 square feet within the two-story building, with the space divided into separate bar and dining areas, Macias stated in his application.
On the restaurant side, Macias plans to revive his former burger concept, offering classic hamburgers, cheeseburgers and bacon cheeseburgers, along with finger foods such as jalapeno cheese balls, mozzarella sticks and onion rings.
The menu also features chicken wings with a choice of sauce — barbecue, mango habanero and sweet chili — and a selection of Mexican dishes including tacos, burritos and quesadillas with a choice of steak or pork filling.
The business also applied for an entertainment license, with plans to offer dancing, karaoke, DJ and band performances, a pool table, amusement machines and a jukebox.
The proposed hours for the bar and restaurant are 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 6 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, according to the license application. The business plans to be family-friendly during the day, with access restricted to those 21 and older after 9 p.m.
The license for Salas Pub & Grill will go before the Milwaukee Common Council for a final vote on Nov. 26.
In the meantime, Smokey’s Lounge remains in business. Owner Curtis Wolf could not be reached for comment.
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