Potawatomi Hotel & Casino will reopen one of its signature restaurants, Dream Dance Steakhouse, on Jan. 18 after a nearly three-year closure that began with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dream Dance will offer first-class dining featuring prime cuts sourced from Allen Brothers of Chicago and more than 400 selections of wines from around the world, including 20 available by the glass.
The kitchen will be helmed by Ben Jones, who has more than 20 years of leadership experience in respected kitchens throughout the country. He most recently served as executive chef at the Sage Lodge in Pray, Montana. He has also owned a wood-fire catering operation and was a guest chef at the renowned James Beard House in March 2016. In addition to his role at Dream Dance Steakhouse, Jones will serve as executive chef for the property.
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Dream Dance Steakhouse has been closed for business since March 2020. The pandemic forced the temporary closure of all the restaurants on the Canal Street property, but Dream Dance Steakhouse, along with Bella Italiana, which served classic Italian fare and launched in December 2016, have remained closed. A trio of other eateries on the property – RuYi, the Fire Pit Sports Bar & Grill and the Canal Street Café – began offering full sit-down service again in August 2021 after being limited to carryout service for several months due to the pandemic.
Potawatomi management told Milwaukee Magazine in June 2022 that the closure of Dream Dance would be permanent but has since shifted course.
“The thought was to put something else in that space. Plans changed, and we’re now excited the bring Dream Dance Steakhouse back to our guests,” Potawatomi spokesman Ryan Amundson said.
The interior of the restaurant will remain the same as it was prior to the closure, he added.
Dream Dance opened in 2000 and originally was operated by Bartolotta Restaurant Group. The restaurant changed its name to Dream Dance Steak in 2009. It closed for major renovations in June 2019 and began serving patrons again four months later in a revamped first-floor space and with yet another name change to Dream Dance Steakhouse. COVID-19 forced a shutdown of the restaurant again less than six months later.
Dining room hours will be 5-10 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday; and 5-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The restaurant bar will open at 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday featuring a light menu until 5 p.m. and full menu thereafter.
The reopening of Dream Dance Steakhouse is part of a flurry of activity on the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino property.
Potawatomi is undergoing a $100 million renovation project that is revolutionizing the casino’s third floor and ushering in a new era of entertainment at the sprawling complex in Milwaukee’s Menomonee Valley. The project involves more than 120,000 square feet of space and will provide guests with new gaming, food and entertainment experiences.
Potawatomi reopened its bingo operations with a special New Year’s Eve event and regular sessions began on Jan. 4. Bingo games had been halted since the start of the pandemic.
