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The lights are officially back on at 1033 S. 1st St. in Walker's Point. Chef Ray has softly opened the doors to 1033 Omakase, introducing Milwaukee to its first dedicated Omakase concept.
And – judging by the rate at which Chef Ray's Hidden Omakase Pop-Ups sold out – you'll want to make your reservation ASAP.
Omakase, which translates as “I leave it up to you” is an intimate chef-curated sushi experience that functions similarly to a tasting menu. Guests entrust their full dining experience to the chef, and – in return – they receive an artistic, seasonally-driven meal that’s created with the highest quality ingredients available.
Behind the 1033 Omakase concept is Chef Worawit Boonyapituksakul (Chef Ray), an industry veteran with over 15 years of experience as a sushi chef at renowned venues in both Chicago and New York City and his business partner Cherry Phetleung. [Read more about Chef Ray and the idea behind the concept here.]
At 1033 Omakase guests will be treated to a menu composed of a curated selection of seasonal courses made with premium ingredients sourced from Japan and around the globe. Each dish is hand-crafted and thoughtfully paired with an equally exceptional selection of sake, wine or a craft cocktail.
Know before you go
To offer the best possible experience during the restaurant's soft opening, dining will be limited to 6 guests per seating, with three seatings offered Wednesday through Saturday. Chef Ray says he will open up more seats as the restaurant establishes its operational stride.
The 1033 Omakase experience is $119 per person. At the time of this article's publication, the first available reservations were for Friday, Dec. 20 and Saturday, Dec. 21 with seatings at 5 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Moving forward, 1033 Omakase will be open Wednesday through Saturday with three seatings available per night. Due to limited seating, no walk-ins will be accepted. Reservations can be made online.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
