Downtown Milwaukee is getting a high-roller upgrade to its dining scene. Chef Paul Bartolotta is turning the former Rumpus Room on Water Street into a European-style steakhouse called High Stakes by Bartolotta, reviving a prime space his restaurant group shuttered during the pandemic. Bartolotta, trained in Italy and France and decorated with multiple James Beard Awards, is personally leading the new project.
According to the Milwaukee Business Journal, High Stakes by Bartolotta will replace The Rumpus Room and is being framed as a European-style steakhouse concept. The outlet first reported the project on Feb. 18, 2026, identifying Bartolotta as the chef-owner behind the new venture.
From gastropub to steakhouse
The Rumpus Room has sat dark since early 2020, and the Water Street address has been quietly marked for a makeover. In June 2025, OnMilwaukee noted that a commercial alteration permit and plans filed by local firm Madisen Maher Architects signaled that a full reconcept of the space was in the works.
Bartolotta’s track record
Bartolotta is not exactly a rookie when it comes to ambitious dining rooms. His profile on The Bartolotta Restaurants website details years of classical training in Italy and France along with multiple James Beard Awards. His company already runs a range of concepts across the region, and a fine-dining steakhouse in the heart of downtown fits squarely with that European-influenced portfolio.
What to expect
For now, details on the menu, service style and décor are under wraps. The name and early reporting suggest a continental spin on steaks and sides rather than a straight-up American chophouse approach, but that is as specific as things get at this point. No public opening date has been announced, and the Milwaukee Business Journal did not list a firm timeline for when High Stakes will start seating diners.
Timeline and next steps
Permits and design documents suggest the project is still in its early innings, so construction and a full public opening could be months away. As OnMilwaukee reported, the Bartolotta group has described the effort as “reconceptualizing” the venue and says it is working with the City of Milwaukee as the plan moves from design into construction, but company officials have yet to share a specific schedule…