Chef Paul Bartolotta opened his first Milwaukee-area restaurant in 1993. More than 30 years later, he is still building. The latest project is High Stakes by Bartolotta, a European-inspired steakhouse in downtown Milwaukee that opens September 17.
The restaurant replaces Rumpus Room, a Bartolotta spot that closed in 2020 during the pandemic. The Water Street space has sat empty since. Now it returns with a full steak program, luxury seafood, and an adjacent cocktail bar called the Peacock Lounge.
The Water Street Comeback
High Stakes marks a homecoming for the group. The space has been part of the Bartolotta company for years, and Paul Bartolotta said he is committed to the area’s revival. The opening also brings activity back to a room that has been dark since Rumpus Room closed in 2020.
“Milwaukee has supported the Bartolotta Restaurants for more than 30 years, and we continue to believe deeply in the future of this city and downtown,” Bartolotta said. “High Stakes by Bartolotta gives us the opportunity to bring new life to a space on Water Street that has been part of our company for many years while creating something unlike anything we have done before.”
He added that he sees tremendous opportunity downtown and wants to be part of Water Street’s resurgence. The group now runs nearly 20 restaurants and catering facilities across greater Milwaukee, a footprint that has grown steadily since that first restaurant opened in 1993.
The interior design comes from Jay Franke Design, who also worked on Bartolotta’s The Commodore. The look draws from classic London lounges and private social clubs.
The Steak and Seafood Menu
The menu builds on the corn-fed Black Angus beef already served across the Bartolotta group. It adds an internationally inspired steak program with wagyu and high-end cuts.
A separate “High Steaks” menu features American, Australian, and Japanese wagyu. There is also a wagyu tasting that compares all three side-by-side, letting diners judge the differences themselves.
Bartolotta’s signature filet mignon gets a porcini mushroom-bone marrow crust. It comes with Barolo wine sauce, potato mousseline, and wilted spinach.
For seafood, there is a blue lobster en croûte for two. The dish uses Mediterranean lobster and lobster-herb mousse baked in puff pastry. Select dishes, including the lobster en croûte, are prepared tableside.
Luxury ingredients appear throughout. Caviar, langoustines, and Bering Sea red king crab round out the menu.
The Peacock Lounge Next Door
The Peacock Lounge opens as an Art Deco-inspired bar adjacent to the restaurant. It serves pre- and post-dinner drinks and also works as a destination on its own.
The bar pours classic and signature cocktails. Some drinks feature tableside presentations. The food menu includes freshly baked gougères with cheese fondue and wagyu, a wagyu burger with fries, and a crab and shrimp toast.
Bartolotta said the two concepts pull together the various experiences that have shaped his career. That includes his time in Milwaukee and Chicago, plus past work in Europe and Las Vegas.
Reservations and Opening Schedule
Reservations for High Stakes are live now. The restaurant opens September 17.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Opening date | September 17 |
| Reservations | Live now |
| Location | Water Street, downtown Milwaukee |
| Replaces | Rumpus Room (closed 2020) |
| Adjacent venue | Peacock Lounge |
| Design firm | Jay Franke Design |
The group has more projects in the works, but Bartolotta said the focus right now is on the High Stakes opening and investing in the current portfolio.
Future Plans for the Group
“We are always looking ahead and thinking about how the Bartolotta Restaurants can continue to evolve,” Bartolotta said. “We remain incredibly bullish on Milwaukee and committed to investing in the community that has supported us for more than 30 years.”
The company shows no signs of slowing. For now, all eyes are on Water Street.
Key Facts at a Glance
- High Stakes by Bartolotta opens September 17
- Reservations are live now
- Replaces Rumpus Room, closed in 2020
- Peacock Lounge opens next door as a cocktail bar
- Menu includes wagyu, caviar, and blue lobster en croûte
- Wagyu tasting compares American, Australian, and Japanese cuts
- Design by Jay Franke Design
The opening adds a new chapter to a Milwaukee dining story that has run for more than three decades. From the first Milwaukee-area opening in 1993 to the September 17 debut of High Stakes, with the Peacock Lounge next door, the story now continues on Water Street. Bartolotta said the group remains committed to the city that built it.
Source: nrn.com
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