La Fuente, a Mexican restaurant in Milwaukee’s Walker’s Point neighborhood, closed its restaurant operations yesterday and will now operate exclusively as a venue for large events.
The restaurant, located at 625 S. 6th St., made the announcement on Saturday via Facebook: “La Fuente at 625 S. 5th will only be open for banquet hall rentals and large party events starting Nov. 26th. We can provide buffet options or just a great space for any occasion with plenty of parking.”
La Fuente opened its Walker’s Point location in 1991 and has since opened locations in Wauwatosa, at 9155 W. Bluemound Road, and in Waukesha, at 2423 Kossow Road, which recently closed. The Wauwatosa location remains open daily, serving lunch and dinner.
Owner Jose Zarate, in 2016, purchased a former auto repair shop next to La Fuente at 607 S. Fifth St., with plans to renovate it into an events facility, but the plans fell through. It would have held up to 460 people. Zarate was not immediately available for comment.
La Fuente is the second long-time Mexican restaurant to close on South Fifth Street in the past two years.
La Perla, which opened in 1995 at 734 S. 5th St., closed its doors in July, 2016 when owners JoAnne and Nick Anton sold the restaurant and the building to Milwaukee-based Phoenix Investors. Hamburger Mary’s relocated from its Bay View location to the former La Perla space.
