Craft-beer tavern Camino opening in West Allis
Camino, the popular Walker’s Point tavern for craft beer and burgers, is opening a location in West Allis that will have an expanded menu.
In these days of the quarantine and coronavirus pandemic, though, there are two kinds of open: open-open and open-for-takeout open.
Owner Casey Rataczak hopes to open for takeout by Memorial Day, if all goes well, at 7211 W. Greenfield Ave. That previously was the Crimson Club and 88 Keys Martini Lounge.
Once he passes inspections for the kitchen, he said, the City of West Allis will allow Camino to open for curbside pickup and delivery. He’ll then use this time of quarantine to remodel the bar and dining area.
Originally, he had expected to open the bar in August.
Part of the remodeling will open the enclosed kitchen to public view. The public space will be remodeled — previously a nightclub, complete with disco ball, it will look more like a tavern, with woodwork and a long bar, Rataczak said.
The West Allis Camino is larger than the one in Walker’s Point. It will be able to hold about 130 people eventually; the original, which opened in October 2015 at 434 S. Second St., holds 80. The Walker’s Point location became so busy that it outgrew its space about a year ago and had to reduce the menu somewhat, Rataczak said.
The larger space in West Allis means the food menu there can grow. “We’re going to expand a little bit just because we can,” Rataczak said.
Rataczak will be able to serve fried chicken for the first time, using his grandmother’s recipe.
His grandmother, Dolores Ladwig, owned The Dizzy Bar in Princeton for 40 years. Rataczak said he’s only the third person in his family to have the recipe.
“I call it Depression-era-style chicken. Very simple but very good,” he said. It’s unusual in that it uses a wet batter, he said.
Rataczak recently hired veteran chef Ramses Alvarez to oversee both locations.
At the bar, Camino likely will have 20 taps for its craft beers, as it does in Walker’s Point. They’ll be the focus at the bar, although Rataczak is applying for a full liquor license and will have craft cocktails and wine. During the takeout-only era, growlers of draft beer and bottles and cans will be available to go.
“I’m just excited to be a part of the redevelopment of West Allis and hoping to fit in with all the great bars and restaurants that have been there, new and old,” Rataczak said.