MILWAUKEE, Wis. — A popular Milwaukee burger haunt is delaying their planned move to a larger space until next year after learning more about upcoming construction work on National Avenue.
Camino owner Casey Rataczak announced the impending move from the restaurant’s current location (434 S. 2nd Street) to the former home of brunch spot Engine Company No. 3 (217 W. National Avenue) on September 28, citing a desire for more room and an expanded patio space. The new building has served as an event-only space since 2023 when owners Peter and Sonia Sandroni ended regular restaurant service.
But in a follow-up post on social media October 6, Camino management said they were delaying the move until 2027 due to the stretch of National Avenue between 1st and 11th Streets being slated for construction during the first half of the year.
“Opening a restaurant at approximately the same moment the street in front of it becomes a major infrastructure project seemed slightly ambitious, even for us,” read part of the post.
Rataczak tells WTMJ he made the call after learning more about the road work plans from the Department of Public Works at a neighborhood meeting the day after announcing the move.
“What ​we ​learned ​in ​that ​meeting ​was ​that ​the ​next ​phase ​of ​that ​was ​going ​to ​go ​right ​past ​the ​new ​building,” said Rataczak. “That ​kind ​of ​led ​me ​to ​think ​that ​maybe ​it’s ​just ​a ​good ​idea ​to ​stay ​put ​for ​now ​until ​that ​construction ​would ​be ​over and ​just ​operate ​as ​normal out ​of ​our ​current ​space.”
The roughly $39 million National Avenue project first began earlier this year, and is currently focused on the western third of the road between 27th and 39th Streets. It is also occurring alongside additional closures along the 16th and 27th Street viaducts nearby. The finished product will reduce lanes from four to two, add protected bike lanes and enhanced bus stop features, and pedestrian safety features such as raised cross walks and curb extensions.
Rataczak says among the stressors a restaurant owner faces day to day, construction uncertainly is close to the top. “It’s an unfortunate situation where your store or restaurant is on that street, you really have to prepare for it. Hopefully the construction goes quickly,” he said.
Rataczak anticipates moving into the new space sometime next summer. In the meantime, Camino will remain open in its current space while including some event activations in the new building from time to time.
“We’re going to do special events, pop-up dinners, and things of that nature just to utilize the space and get involved in the neighborhood,” he says.
Camino first opened in 2015, and has become well known in foodie circles for its $5 Burger Monday special. That, says Rataczak, won’t change in either the new space or the old during the transition.
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