For years, Jon Gustavson had an idea.

An avid participant in various chili and barbeque cook-offs, Gustavson wanted to bring the concept of a true, Southwest-style barbeque restaurant to Milwaukee. But before he did so, he wanted everything to be perfect.

Now, with the opening of The Durango Grill, 1007 N. Old World 3rd St., Gustavson thinks things are perfect.

Durango brings a "touch of the West" to a street lined with different dining options like German, Italian and standard American bar fare.

Located in the space formerly occupied by Capone's and, before that, Taj Majal, Durango boasts a small but flavorful menu of barbeque classics, like brisket and pulled pork sandwiches, along with spicy chili and wings.

For Gustavson, it's all about the quality. He buys local meats from Usinger's and Kissinger's. The rolls come from Scorinto Bakery on Brady Street. And what's not purchased, like the various sauces, glazes and marinades, is all made in-house.

"Hidden Valley makes ranch dressing," Gustavson says. "We take the ingredients and go from there."

To make the barbeque stand out, Gustavson brought in what he considers an expert in Andy Jebsen, w well-known name in the barbeque community and winner of numerous cook-offs and championships.

"Doing barbeque at this scale, compared to at home or competitions, is very different," Gustavson says. "He does a lot for us as far as getting us up to speed quickly."

Durango prides itself on its pricing, too. Despite the laborious efforts of preparing almost everything from scratch, only two menu items - the 1/3rd rack of ribs ($10.95) and sampler platter ($14.95) - are priced above $10. Plus, customers are treated to generous portions.

"You're not going to go home hungry," Kuta says. Gustavson echos the sentiment: "You're either leaving stuffed or with a doggie bag."

Both men were involved with the Three nightclub and have had to adjust to a different pace and schedule at their new endeavor.

"There are still things I don't understand and that I don't know," Gustavson says. "But I hired people that were better than me at those things.

When building his staff, he hired servers who had been trained in restaurants owned and operated by the Bartolottas or Sandy D'Amato. The kitchen staff consists with employees who formerly worked for other well-known restauranteurs like the Weissgerber family or Omar Shaikh of Carnivore and Umami Moto.

"It's proven to be a good choice," Gustavson says.

Durango is first and foremost a restaurant but has also been doing a thriving bar business, especially late-nights and following events at the Bradley Center or U.S. Cellular Arena. Kuta sees many people coming for dinner, then either staying for the evening or returning following a game and spending the remainder of the night at the bar.

There, too, Gustavson and Kuta needed to make adjustments. While both had significant experience working behind the bar at Three, serving drinks at a nightclub is very different than doing so at a restaurant-driven bar.

Again, the two looked for applicants with experience.

"I needed real bartenders who can craft a good drink and do it the same way every time," Gustavson says.

In response to the bar's success, Gustavson plans to increase the selection of available whiskeys and tequilas, again adding to Durango's Western flair.

In March, Gustavson and Kuta plan to extend their kitchen hours until 4 a.m., adding to late-night dining options for Downtown residents and bar patrons. To accomplish this, while still keeping on the right side of local alcohol sales ordinances, the bar area will be closed off from the inside while a second storefront will be opened for food sales.

"What you can eat late at night isn't always really good food," Kuta says. "Here, you'll be able to get high quality food at a great price. It's not going to break the bank to come and get a brisket sandwich after a night out."

Kuta is a big fan of Durango's location and its proximity to the Bradley Center and other Downtown attractions.

"I think it's the most beautiful street in Milwaukee," says Kuta.

A drawback to Durango's location is a lack of available - and oftentimes, affordable - parking. On event nights, parking in nearby lots can cost as much as $20 or more. To help keep people coming through the doors, Durango will take $5 off a customer's bill when presenting a parking lot ticket.

Other than that, though, things are going pretty well for the business.

"People really enjoy the food," Gustavson says. "We're fortunate that things are falling into place for us."