JoSa on the River, a new riverside restaurant from owner Jamilah Monroe, is about ready to make its splash on the Milwaukee River. The upscale spot will hold a soft opening this coming Friday through Sunday, with a grand opening planned for the following Friday. It is moving into the former Pier 106 space along the Milwaukee River at 106 W. Wells Street in downtown Milwaukee.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, JoSa will host a soft opening April 3–5 ahead of a grand opening on April 10. In a statement, Monroe said the soft opening "lets the restaurant welcome guests and perfect details ahead of the grand opening," describing the project as an effort to establish a premier dining destination in downtown Milwaukee.
JoSa on the River lists the address as 106 W. Wells St. and features a reservations portal along with a soft-launch request form for early bookings. The site also posts hours and contact information for private events and reservations, a sign that front-of-house operations are being lined up ahead of full service.
What to expect
Monroe is positioning JoSa as an upscale American-fusion restaurant with craft cocktails, a glass-lined dining room and a riverside patio overlooking the RiverWalk. Local reporting has also highlighted plans for an adjacent private event hall as part of the Cawker Building build-out, with the concept and early permits detailed in previous coverage from Urban Milwaukee.
Licenses and neighborhood notes
City licensing records show Monroe appeared before the Licenses Committee as agent for Lion Capital Holding LLC to seek a Class B tavern and food dealer license for the site. Committee minutes reflect an amended plan that limits patio hours and bans amplified music on the patio. The public record also shows Monroe scaled back certain public entertainment requests after condo-owner concerns were raised, and the committee then approved the amended application. City of Milwaukee
How to visit
The restaurant's reservation page lists weekday and weekend hours and includes a soft-launch request form for limited seating during the initial run-up. For reservations and the most current information on openings and availability, visit JoSa on the River.
If the timeline holds, JoSa will add another riverside dining option to downtown just in time for spring, giving RiverWalk regulars one more spot to watch as the restaurant and its planned event space settle into Milwaukee's waterfront dining scene.
