Brookfield restaurant The Elbow Room will open a second location this fall following its purchase of Italian-American steakhouse Galioto’s Twelve21 in Cedarburg.
With the acquisition, Galioto’s has closed its doors at 1221 N. Wauwatosa Road after nearly four decades in business. That location will soon be home The Elbow Room Cedarburg, which will be open daily for lunch and dinner and continue to offer event and banquet services while expanding on Galioto’s volleyball leagues with five outdoor sand volleyball courts, according to a news release Tuesday.
The Elbow Room, located at 2850 N. Brookfield Road, is owned by Milwaukee-based Sydra Group, which includes local hospitality industry veterans Jake Dehne, Robert Jude and Seth Dehne. The group also owns downtown Milwaukee bars RWB, Lucky Clover and 90s2k Cafe, and Cedarburg wine bar Sierzant, in partnership with Joe Nowak.
Sydra Group purchased the former C.C.’s Elbow Room in May 2024 and reopened it as The Elbow Room shortly thereafter.
“The Elbow Room concept has been a great success in Brookfield, and I believe it will thrive (in Cedarburg), too,” said Seth Dehne, who is a Cedarburg resident. “We’re focused on delivering great food – smash burgers, wings, and pizza – along with elevated favorites from Twelve21. Plus, we’ll be expanding our bourbon, wine and tequila offerings to match.”
Meg and Dave Galioto opened Galioto’s Twelve21 in 1988 in Thiensville and moved it to Cedarburg in 2002. The couple plans to retire but will first help out with the ownership transition at the restaurant, they told the Ozaukee County News Graphic.
“We’re honored to carry on the legacy of Dave and Meg, who have been a staple in Cedarburg for over 40 years,” said Jake Dehne. “We plan to blend the established favorites from Galioto’s menu with the casual, crowd-pleasing vibe of The Elbow Room Brookfield. Dave and Meg will be around helping consult on the transition.”
The team plans to make some updates to the property over time, including event space upgrades, an expanded back patio and the addition of a large pergola with heating elements, similar to the Brookfield location. A grand opening celebration is slated for late October.
