After more than a decade of weddings, banquets and big family dinners on Milwaukee’s south side, Pakeng Palace has gone dark at 3730 W. National Ave, clearing the way for a new Asian concept to take over the corner.
Owners Rick and Mai Vang quietly closed the longtime banquet hall and restaurant earlier this month and confirmed the move in a March 18 social media post. They also signaled that the space is not staying empty for long. The incoming tenant, a restaurant called Elephant TKB, is aiming for a spring debut with a menu built around Hmong, Thai, Lao and Vietnamese dishes.
As reported by Urban Milwaukee, the Vangs told customers, “We are opening an authentic Asian Fusion in place of PK Palace. Please come support them soon.” According to the site’s reporting, a license application for Elephant TKB is now in front of the Milwaukee Common Council. The proposal outlines a streamlined menu and specific operating hours, and notes that the new operator does not plan to serve alcohol or offer public entertainment.
Space, ownership and the building
City licensing documents and floor plans show the restaurant space covers roughly 4,500 square feet, with a mix of tables, booths, counter seats, three private rooms and a small stage. Those filings and council records also list Rick Vang as the property owner at 3726–3730 W. National Ave and show PK Palace/PK Palace LLC as the recent holder of tavern and food-dealer licenses for the address, according to Milwaukee Common Council records…