Over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Justin Carlisle announced he will close his 11-year-old restaurant, Ardent (1751 N. Farwell Ave.), at the end of December. The last day of operations is New Year’s Eve, and both the tasting room (which occupies the former Red Light Ramen space next door) and lounge will operate with adjusted hours until then.
“It’s time is up. It ran its course,” Carlisle says. Ardent was “never expected to last that long. I’ve grown, and things have changed. It doesn’t mean it’s over. This chapter is over.”
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
Until Dec. 31, the tasting room is available by reservation only Thurs-Sat, but Carlisle notes that since the announcement, reservations are now very limited. The lounge – which serves an a la carte menu of snacks, a few larger plates, a burger and hot dog – is accepting reservations, too, and walk-ins are welcome to bar seating. The lounge is open Thurs-Sun, including a Thursday night “Taco Tuesday” and Sunday brunch.
Ardent’s closure isn’t completely unexpected. After shuttering the restaurant for a few months’ winter break in early 2024, Carlisle reopened it in May, adopting the hybrid format it had started in late 2023. That is, the tasting room (serving a pre-paid, by-reservation-only, eight-course menu) was moved to the next-door space that used to occupy Red Light Ramen. The original Ardent space had become the Lounge, offering walk-in service.
After the return from winter hiatus, Carlisle was also offering specials, including the ramen he became known for, and the tacos popularized by his Laughing Taco business (which still has a stand inside Fiserv Forum).
Another business will take over the Ardent spaces, he says, but declined to identify them.
As for his future plans, Carlisle says he will continue his consulting commitments and “enjoy the other side” – aka, downtime. “It’s been a wonderful ride. It’s just time to hang it up for a while,” he says.
From Ardent’s closing announcement:
It is time to close this chapter for now. The last 11 years have been nothing short of unbelievable and amazing. Ardent has achieved more than we ever thought possible. Thank you to all the past and present staff, family and friends. To all the patrons and diners that have walked thru our grey door over the years thank you so much for your support. …Make your last reservations or walk into the lounge and have another snack or cocktail with us. Stay tuned as the story of the little basement in 1751 Farwell continues, now written by someone else.
