3rd St. Market Hall in downtown Milwaukee is dialing up both flavor and fun as small vendors roll out fresh menus and an immersive gaming space. SapSap is sliding into a hawker stall, Rod N' Makk has morphed into a full-on chicken shack, and True Echo VR is now hosting group sessions right inside the hall. Together, the moves layer in new tastes and late-night distractions for the growing food hall lineup.
SapSap Brings Lao Street Cooking To The Hawker Stall
SapSap, the Lao-focused concept from Alex Hanesakda, is taking over the hawker stall formerly operated by In Yun and will run its Market Hall location in partnership with Ivan and Oscar Rubio Gutierrez, as reported by OnMilwaukee. The Market Hall menu is expected to feature sticky rice, signature egg rolls, pad thai, pad krapow, Lao-style beef jerky and a lineup of grilled meats. SapSap built a following through pop-ups and a residency at Zócalo Food Truck Park, according to Zócalo Food Park.
Rod N' Makk Rebrands As A Chicken Shack
Rod N' Makk has officially cranked up the comfort food, rebranding as Rod N' Makk Chicken Shack and adding fried and Nashville-style hot chicken sandwiches stacked with sauce, pickles, dill slaw and a honey drizzle, per a market announcement published by the Milwaukee Record. The new sandwiches join the stall's mac-and-cheese bowls and its oversized "Lightning Rod" mozzarella stick, which remain staples on the vendor's listing at 3rd St. Market Hall.
VR Games Turn Lunch Into A Group Night Out
True Echo VR has opened a small multiplayer VR space inside the hall featuring cooperative scenarios such as a virtual kitchen challenge, a zombie survival game and a bow-and-arrow competition, with sessions running roughly 10–15 minutes and supporting up to six players, according to True Echo VR. The operator filed for the venue's public entertainment license under Mitchell Schweda, per City of Milwaukee, and sessions can be booked online via the company's reservation page.
Market Hall Keeps Evolving
With SapSap's Southeast Asian flavors, a dialed-up chicken menu at Rod N' Makk and short-form VR experiences for groups, 3rd St. Market Hall is leaning into a mix of midday lunch traffic and nighttime entertainment. Visitors can check vendor listings and reservation pages for current hours and booking options.
