Ever wish you could have macaroni and cheese with a side of tacos? Soon you can do just that, thanks to a new dual concept fast casual restaurant coming to the East Side.
The new fast casual concept will incorporate Juana Taco Co., which was birthed at Mangos Cafe East and debuted as its own concept at Crossroads Collective last year; along with Makk’n’Cheese, a concept featuring creative takes on macaroni and cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches which debuted in Bay View last August.
The new restaurant, which is expected to open as soon as August, will be located at 2911 N. Oakland Ave. in the former home of Good Land Wing Co., which closed its doors last year, and next door to the marijuana-themed sub shop Cheba Hut, which is due to open July 19.
Behind the concept are Gregory Kieckbusch and Frank Sandino, co-owners of Mangos Cafe East and Juana Taco Co.; and Marcos Ramos-Garcia, owner of Points View Boîte and co-owner of Heavy Hitters baseball training facility in Walkers Point.
Guests of the new concept can look forward to a wide variety of tacos filled with options from Caribbean and jerk chicken to fish, steak and vegetables. On the Makk side, options will run from classic macaroni and cheese to more inventive options like Hot Cheeto Makk, Birria Makk and Elote Makk (pictured above).
“We’ve been looking to expand for a while now,” says Ramos-Garcia, “And this location was perfect. It’s in a high traffic area, and being close to the University is a real asset for us.”
In keeping with its proximity to UW-Milwaukee, Ramos-Garcia says they are working to be a part of the Gold Account meal plan, which allows students to spend meal plan dollars at area restaurants.
Once open, Makk ‘n’ Cheese and Juana Taco Co. will have similar hours to their Bay View location, open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3:30 a.m.
Guests can also look forward to a third location for the concept, which is expected to open on the Northwest Side in 2022.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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