There's a new Mexican restaurant on its way to the former Chez Jacques space at 1022 S. 1st St. in Walker's Point. And while details are still slim at this point, it promises to brings something new to the area.
The restaurant, which has not yet been named, will be owned by Kevin Lopez, a long-time industry veteran with experience in both front and back of house, and his mother Judith Figueroa.
Lopez says the restaurant will serve some traditional Mexican fare including burritos and traditional tacos. "But it won't be what people expect," he says. "We will be doing something really different, something with a bit more color and variety."
Among the offerings, Lopez says he and his mother plan to keep the restaurant open late, offering late night fare that extends well beyond bar time.
As we reported this summer, the space was originally slated to become a bar and lounge called Martini; however, when plans fell through this past July, the space became available again. Lopez says it was the ideal spot for the type of restaurant he's planning.
"We looked at a number of places for the restaurant," says Lopez. "At least one was downtown, but this space seemed perfect for what we wanted to do."
Lopez says he plans to open in early 2018.
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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