.jpeg)
After 14 months of operating with carry-out only, Lazy Susan, 2378 S. Howell Ave., will once again open its doors for both indoor and patio dining beginning Friday, June 4.
As they re-open, guests will be treated to a variety of new features, including two new parklets to accommodate outdoor dining and a refreshed interior.
Owner and chef AJ Dixon says that the re-opening has been planned with much thought and preparation.
“We’ve waited because the safety of both our staff and customers has been our top priority,” says owner and chef AJ Dixon. “As we’ve watched the numbers go down in tandem with vaccination rates, and the risk of transmission has gone down as well, we’ve finally reached our minimum comfort levels for reopening.”
“I’m so appreciative of everyone who has supported us this entire time,” she adds. “Without them, we wouldn’t have gotten this far.”
What's new
Guests will find an entirely new outdoor seating area to enjoy with the addition of seven outdoor tables (seating just over 20) divided between two new streetside parklets.
Thanks to assistance from Jenni Yolo of I Spy DIY, the interior of the restaurant has been given a refresh with features like new paint, new lighting fixtures and new artwork on the walls.
As for food offerings, Lazy Susan will start off with a set menu, putting special offerings like Korean Fried Chicken, Wednesday dinners for two and brunch on hold until the restaurant regains its stride and full staffing is achieved. You can view the June menu online.
Rachel Karr, former chef at Pastiche at Hotel Metro has also joined Dixon in the kitchen as co-chef for Lazy Susan. Guests will begin to see Karr’s influence in various menu offerings as time moves forward.
Need to know items
Reservations are highly recommended for both indoor and outdoor seating, as the restaurant will continue to operate at a limited 50% capacity for the safety of both customers and staff.
For now, guests are being asked to continue to wear masks when inside the restaurant out of courtesy for other guests. Guests are also asked to refrain from bringing children to the restaurant for dine-in service for the time being.
Diners will also see a 20% service fee added to all checks. The fee, which will be split between waitstaff and kitchen employees is part of Lazy Susan’s commitment to being a One Fair Wage employer. [More on the One Fair Wage movement]
Lazy Susan's inaugural hours will be Wednesday through Saturday from 4 to 8 p.m. Reservations can be made online through Tock. Carry-out will also remain available.
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.
.jpeg)
