A new fast casual restaurant might be coming to a unique location on Water Street.

A group of restaurant industry veterans – including Gordon Goggin, former Lowlands Group employee and co-owner of The Stilt House in Cedarburg; Bill Wieslow, former Halfway House operator; and Lyn Magnarini of Hector’s in Wauwatosa – have drawn up plans to open Gordo’s, a casual spot serving burgers, tacos and ice cream in the Moto-Scoot building at 1652 N. Water St. 

The building, which once housed a gas station, is now in a unique position on "the curve," of North Water Street, a location which is home to Aperture and Fresh Thyme Market, The North End Project, the conversion of the former Laacke & Joys building and adjacent to The Rhythm, a 140-unit apartment complex.

The city’s Board of Zoning Appeals has yet to approve the project; however, the plans go before the board on March 9 and if all goes well, Goggin says he hopes to proceed with plans to open Gordo’s by late summer.

"It’s neat. It’s kind of eclectic and nestled in the hillside," says Goggin. "In working with my partners, we had a concept in mind. And, as you know you go through a field of different options as far as sites go. And this one really struck us as unique. It’s a great location. Water Street has a lot of great car traffic. And it seems to really be a great fit for the concept we’ve put together."

Burgers and ... tacos? 

The concept, Goggin says, embraces things that both Milwaukee and he and his partners love.

"We’ve been blessed with Kopp’s ice cream and burgers here," he says. "And we’re all big fans. It’s where the burger and ice cream idea comes from. Lyn [Magnarini] took an immersion course in Mexico in authentic Mexican cooking, which inspired us to add the tacos and margaritas to the menu. They’re all hand-held items, so why not? It’s a marriage between classic American food and the Mexican flavors that are so approachable here in Milwaukee."

The restaurant, which will be open for lunch and dinner, will feature counter service and a menu that Goggin says will "push the envelope with regard to quality, freshness and innovation."

In addition to the dining area, there will be a small bar, which seats six to eight and offers a few American craft taps and a menu of margaritas. The restaurant will be bright and cheerful, says Goggin, featuring drawings and murals that reflect the southwestern theme. A three seasons room on the southwest corner will provide additional seating, along with an outdoor patio. The restaurant will also be pedestrian- and bike-friendly, with plenty of bike parking out front.

Meanwhile, the name Gordo's – which is a play on the word "fat" in Spanish – communicates some of the playfulness imbued in the project, says Goggin.

"We thought it was a little cheeky and a bit funny," he says. "And since our menu will include a lot of tacos and margaritas, we wanted a name that would communicate something about the project."

Watch OnMilwaukee for additional details as they develop.