Rick Romell

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Milwaukee Health Department shut down Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, 740 N. Plankinton Ave., Thursday after a routine inspection discovered "numerous" cockroaches in the kitchen and a basement area used to store food.

Rock Bottom had hoped to re-open Friday evening after a follow-up inspection, but late in the afternoon a sign posted on the door said the restaurant would be closed for the weekend.

In the initial inspection report filed Thursday, a health department inspector wrote, "Numerous live and dead cockroaches seen in kitchen area and in basement area where some food is stored. ... Establishment must cease operations immediately."

The order called for Rock Bottom to remain closed for at least 24 hours and not re-open until the inspector returned and approved resumption of operations, the report said.

An inspector revisited the restaurant Friday afternoon for a follow-up inspection, Diamond D. Hanson, health communications officer for the department, said by email.

The results of the follow-up weren't available Friday evening, but Rock Bottom remained closed.

“The operator will remain temporarily closed in order to fully remediate the pest issue and upon follow-up inspection, if compliant, they will be reopened," Hanson said by email. "It is unclear at this time when that inspection will occur.”

Earlier Friday, a representative of CraftWorks Holdings, parent of the Rock Bottom chain, said the problems had been addressed.

"The health and safety of our guests is our upmost priority," Josh Kern, chief experience officer for CraftWorks, said by email. "Rock Bottom apologizes for any concern this report has caused our guests. It is important for the public to know that all issues raised in the report are now in compliance and that there is no reason to believe that any guest was impacted by any condition in the restaurant. Furthermore, no illness has been reported.

"We have taken multiple steps to alleviate this situation and look forward to re-opening later today once the health department has re-inspected our restaurant."

It is unusual for the health department to shut down a restaurant. Last year, the department completed 2,230 routine inspections, like the one conducted at Rock Bottom, of "graded" food establishment operations. Those include restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, food trucks and mobile peddlers.

As a result, the department ordered shutdowns of 25 establishments — just over 1 percent of the total number of inspections.

A large restaurant and drinking spot with seasonal outdoor dining on the RiverWalk, Rock Bottom has a capacity of 300. It opened in 1997.

CraftWorks is based in Broomfield, Colorado. The firm's website says it operates and franchises brewery and craft beer-focused casual dining restaurants and has 320 locations. Among them are 28 Rock Bottoms.

Contact Rick Romell at (414) 224-2130 or rick.romell@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @RickRomell