The Commodore, a new Bartolotta restaurant and event space in Lake Country, sets opening date

Nearly two years after announcing plans to open in the former Seven Seas restaurant on Nagawicka Lake, The Commodore is finally ready to welcome guests to its sprawling property.

The restaurant and event space, operated by The Bartolotta Restaurants in partnership with HF Hospitality Group , will open July 24 at 1807 Nagawicka Road in Hartland.

“We are excited to unveil this two-year project and bring this iconic property back to life. We view this as a long-term commitment to the Lake Country community as we are now custodians, building new legacies and memories for generations to come,” Paul Bartolotta, owner and co-founder of The Bartolotta Restaurants, said in a statement. “We look forward to greeting our guests with the ‘hospitality heart’ that they have come to know and love from The Bartolotta Restaurants.”

The historic property has been completely renovated with details that pay homage to its past. It first opened in 1905 as Hasslinger’s Pleasant View Hotel & Resort, followed by stints as a girl’s camp, hotel, discotheque, school and most recently as Seven Seas restaurant, which closed in December 2020 after nearly four decades in business.

Multiple event spaces for dining, weddings, meetings and more

Architectural details, displayed photographs, murals and artwork reflect each era of the property’s history.

Developed in partnership with Jay Franke and David Herro of HF Hospitality Group , The Commodore has been reimagined as a sprawling suite of dining and event spaces, with a full-service restaurant and bar, private dining rooms, boat docks and five separate event spaces for meetings, weddings, family gatherings and more.

Event spaces at The Commodore can accommodate between 12 and 220 guests.

They include an intimate bridal suite, cozy lounge, grand ballroom with over 4,600 square feet of space, outdoor pavilion with space for up to 220 guests, and a quaint outdoor patio space for cocktail receptions and small ceremonies.

An exclusive, members-only club on The Commodore’s lower level will debut at a later date.

The Commodore restaurant’s menu pays homage to nostalgic dishes and locally sourced ingredients

While the upper level or the property will operate as a catering and special events space, the main level of The Commodore will house a full-service restaurant with several dining rooms, from the come-as-you-are bar area with outdoor patio seating to the more formal main dining room to intimate Margo’s and Pepper’s private dining spaces.

With expansive windows looking out over the lake, a collection of works by Wisconsin artists adorning the walls, and design details that nod to the site’s rich history and the Lake Country lifestyle, The Commodore restaurant is equal parts elegant and approachable for Nagawicka Lake boaters, Lake Country visitors and locals.

Jesse Kloskey will serve as executive chef of the restaurant. Kloskey has more than two decades of culinary leadership, and comes to the Commodore after serving as the culinary director of The Chatwal Lodge in White Lake, New York. He returns to Wisconsin after having previously served as executive chef at Red Sushi and Rare Steakhouse in Madison.

“The kitchen will celebrate Wisconsin’s bounty from farmers, cheesemakers, and creameries,” Bartolotta said.

The menu will feature American classics like seafood, chops and steaks, as well as seasonal dishes featuring locally sourced ingredients. The debut dinner menu includes nostalgic dishes like beef Wellington, clams casino, Waldorf salad, Cornish hen and wiener schnitzel inspired by Seven Seas owner Jack Weissgerber . It will also feature contemporary spins on classics like bone-in prime ribeye, hand-crafted fettucine with a mushroom trio, fried squash blossoms, steak tartare and oysters by the half-dozen.

It also includes artisanal cheeses from Wisconsin cheesemakers, snacks such as deviled eggs and haystack onion rings, and daily specials.

The restaurant will be open from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday. Reservations are available now and can be made online at thecommodoredelafield.com or by calling (262) 563-8070.

Rachel Bernhard joined the Journal Sentinel as dining critic in June 2023. She’s been busy exploring the Milwaukee area food scene to share her favorite finds with readers along the way. Like all Journal Sentinel reporters, she buys all meals, accepts no gifts and is independent of all establishments she covers.

What should she cover next? Contact her at rseis@gannett.com . Follow her on Twitter at @rachelbernhard or on Instagram at @rach.eats.mke .

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: The Commodore, a new Bartolotta restaurant and event space in Lake Country, sets opening date