After over a decade of serving the Nash Park neighborhood, Thistle & Shamrock, 3430 N. 84th St. will serve their final fish fry on May 17.
Comforting pub fare and a convivial bar made the bar and restaurant a neighborhood favorite. Their Friday fish fry, featuring over 20 types of fish, made them a destination. Even more, their role in providing a family-friendly destination for the community, has not gone unnoticed.
"The decision to close our doors has been very difficult," the owners noted in a statement on social media. "We feel it is best to go out on top.
"The upcoming challenges with at least two years of road construction on Lisbon Ave, as well as rising food costs and higher sales tax, we don't see a scenario that the Thistle and Shamrock can continue to operate.
"We are overwhelmed and humbled by the love and support of our neighbors, customers, friends, and especially our employees."
Filling their shoes
Alderman Lamont Westmoreland, a regular patron of The Thistle & Shamrock expressed both his appreciation for the business and his desire to attract a new family-friendly, community-oriented business to the space.
"I want to thank the owners, management and all of the staff for being part of our lives and the district over the years, " Westmoreland states. "In my view, they are definitely a model for how a business should be operated."
"I want to encourage anyone wanting to fill the space with a LIKE business (family friendly pub/restaurant) to reach out to lepoldrealty@msn.com or call or text at (414) 617-8576. Potential business operators for the location should also reach out to me or my office to discuss a plan of operation.
"I will be enjoying what Thistle and Shamrock has to offer a few more times while they’re open, and I strongly encourage neighbors and other regular customers to do the same!"
Interested parties can obtain contact information for Westmoreland on the City of Milwaukee website.
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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