Plans for new Mad Rooster Cafe net final approval from Waukesha Plan Commission

Submitted Art
This rendering shows the most recent plans for the Mad Rooster Cafe off Barstow and Bank streets just north of the Fox River in downtown Waukesha. The city's plan commission granted the plans final approval at a July 27 meeting.
Published on: 7/28/2016

Waukesha residents could have a new breakfast dining spot in less than a year.

The city's plan commission on July 27 unanimously approved final site and architectural designs for the Mad Rooster Cafe, a 7,000-square foot country-themed restaurant that will expand and heavily remodel the space vacated by Hardee's at 130 NW Barstow St.

Local developer Alan Huelsman, who owns the restaurant's property, said the Mad Rooster could be up and running in about 11 months if everything goes according to plan.

Proposals for the restaurant have come before the commission on two previous occasions this year, most recently receiving preliminary approval in June.

One feature of the plans — the location of a mechanical unit atop the building — did give city planning staff some pause, but Huelsman said moving the unit shouldn't be a problem.

Additionally, if the restaurant's owner, Andreas Bouraxis, wants to put rustic props near the building's main entrance — as he has at his West Milwaukee Mad Rooster location — he will have have to secure commission approval of them.

New restaurant plans

The Mad Rooster Cafe will be situated between East St. Paul Avenue and Bank Street, just west of the state office buildings that border the Fox River.

The restaurant would seat about 212 inside and another 24 in an enclosed patio. That would be made possible by a 1,700-square-foot addition on the north side of the property and another 1,200-square-foot addition on the east side for the Mad Rooster's entrance.

As a result, the drive-through from the former Hardee's will be removed, which would increase the building's size to about 7,000 square feet.

Bouraxis, who also owns El Fuego and El Beso Mexican restaurants in suburban Milwaukee, has said that the Mad Rooster, which would only be open for breakfast and lunch, would employ about 30 people.

A majority of the food items, according to its menu, are breakfast-related.