Odd Duck event space to replace Hello Falafel

The owners of Odd Duck and Hello Falafel restaurants in Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood will shut down Hello Falafel and replace it with an Odd Duck event space called Little Duck Kitchen.

The last day of service for Hello Falafel, a vegetarian Mediterranean restaurant with counter service and takeout, will be Saturday. Little Duck Kitchen is expected to open no sooner than a month from now and possibly three months from now, after licensing changes are made with the city.

Melissa Buchholz, who owns the restaurants with chef Ross Bachhuber, announced the change in a written statement. Financially, "it was underperforming for what we would like it to do," Buchholz said Tuesday.

The owners hope to find another location for Hello Falafel, which opened in 2016 and made its debut on the Milwaukee 50 list in 2017, possibly on the east side or in the Third Ward, or bring it back as a food truck.

“We love the plant-based menu and have many loyal customers," Buchholz said in the statement.

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But the demand for parties at Odd Duck — and the lack of space for them — along with the restaurant's proximity brought about the change. Odd Duck is just a block or so away, at 2352 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.

“We simply have so much demand for larger groups at Odd Duck, and our size really limits what we can do,” Bachhuber said in the statement.

After remodeling, the Howell Ave. site will reopen for parties of 12 to 35 people for brunch, lunch or dinner. The new location also will allow Odd Duck to add catering at other venues for up to 150 people.

It also gives Odd Duck some room for more creativity. Bachhuber and Buchholz plan to use Little Duck Kitchen for events such as beer and wine dinners, brunches and pop-up events, and possibly classes.

It will become a test kitchen for the chef, Buchholz said, giving him the time and room to develop dishes in a way that isn't possible at Odd Duck's close quarters.

Hello Falafel gift certificates that can't be used this week will be honored at Odd Duck; full Hello Falafel punch cards can be exchanged for an Odd Duck gift card worth $8, the price of a sandwich.

A number of event spaces have opened in Milwaukee in recent years, such as The Box downtown and South Second in Walker's Point. In November, La Fuente Mexican restaurant at 625 S. 5th St. closed to the public after more than 25 years in business to hold private parties only.