Milwalky Trace To Close, Reopen As Family Friendly BBQ Restaurant

LIBERTYVILLE, IL – The popular Milwalky Trace in Libertyville will be closing this week. The owners of the restaurant at 603 N. Milwaukee Avenue plan to reopen the location as Oscar Lee's Barbecue, a Texas-style barbecue restaurant with a full-service bar, dining room, curbside carry-out and catering. Milwalky Trace will close on Sunday.

Milwalky Trace's owners plan to reopen the Milwaukee Avenue location as Oscar Lee’s Barbecue in early May.

The owners of Milwalky Trace do hope to reopen in a new location "soon," according to information posted on the Milwalky Trace website.

"We are hoping to open Milwalky Trace in a larger location in Libertyville," co-owner Lee Kuebler told Patch. "However we don’t currently have a space secured so it is impossible to say when."

A full letter from owners Lee and Kristine to Milwalky Trace customers can be found below:

You read that headline right. As sad as we are to say (a temporary) goodbye to our beloved Milwalky Trace, we are thrilled to announce that come this spring, we will be transforming its former home into Oscar Lee’s Barbecue, a Texas-style barbecue restaurant with a full-service bar, dining room, curbside carry-out and catering. We’ll be smoking USDA Prime brisket low and slow and serving it up with killer sides. More on the menu in a bit.
But first, we want to talk about what a pleasure it has been to own and operate Milwalky Trace at its current location. Four years ago, we opened to a warm, friendly Libertyville reception, and we made it our mission to provide a fine-dining experience that would excite and delight our guests. The good news is that Trace’s journey isn’t over – we’re hoping to reopen soon in a new location. Milwalky Trace will still remain open for the time being, offering the same great food and service. We will keep you posted when we have more information on our exact closing date.
It goes without saying that Oscar Lee’s Barbecue will mark quite a change. You’ll still get the immaculate work and care we put into the food at Milwalky Trace and Milwalky Taco, but now you’ll choose from a menu that includes smoked brisket, tender ribs, pulled pork, smoked turkey and hot links. We’ll have awesome daily and weekly specials, including smoked prime rib and baked potatoes, smoked salmon, a barbecue-inspired ramen night, smoked beef short ribs and more. And we’ll top it all off with some mouth-watering desserts, including our famous key lime pie.
Another thing – we want you to bring the whole family to the new restaurant, which is named after our young son, Oscar Lee. We’re expecting another little one in May, so we realize how important it is to create an environment where everyone feels welcomed, entertained and well-fed. We want you – all of you – to join us.
Thank you, again, to all of you who shared the incredible Milwalky Trace experience with us. We have been honored to have you in our restaurant, and we look forward to serving you some amazing barbecue here soon.
Sincerely,
Lee, Kristine, and the entire Milwalky Trace team

Photo via GoogleMaps