As first reported by OnMilwaukee, Tuk’s Thai Kitchen—the latest in a long line of restaurants to try their luck at 1000 E. Locust—has closed its doors for good. The restaurant was opened in July of 2014 by former sports bar owner Tim Nelson and his wife, Bangkok native Suchada Nelson. The couple sought to avoid the tragic fortune that befell five consecutive pizza places that previously occupied the Linneman’s-adjacent storefront on the high-traffic Riverwest street.
In a review Milwaukee Record published on August 25, 2014, contributor Todd Lazarski was left with a fairly positive first impression, saying of Tuk’s, “Both inoffensive and interesting. And for such an influx corner, you have to root for something resembling gastrointestinal stability. Even if those far-East spices might give you the opposite.”
Despite its enviable placement on a block that’s long sustained Linneman’s, Tracks, and Sunrise Foods, Tuk’s was ultimately unable to avoid the fate of establishments Lazarski’s review also noted: Milano Pizza, Luna Pizza, 4 To 4 Pizza And Wings, JAX Pizza, and Antonio’s Pizza.
Riverwest dining is continuing its slow-yet-steady uptick, but unfortunately, Tuk’s Thai Kitchen will no longer be part of that growth. As we mourn its short existence, we’re curious to see what restaurant is bold enough to move in next. It probably shouldn’t be a pizza place.