DanDan in Milwaukee's Third Ward to reopen after failing health inspection
Updated: 3:48 p.m. on March 23, 2026
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A popular restaurant in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward is now reopening its doors after being closed all weekend following a health inspection.
DanDan posted on Instagram that it would be open at 5 p.m. Monday. The closure came after the health department discovered pests at the restaurant on Friday.
The sign outside the door now says, "grade pending."
In a statement, the Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) says it closed DanDan after the department noticed pests during a routine inspection.
On Monday morning, MHD did another inspection and cleared the restaurant to reopen.
In a 2020 CBS 58 Investigates report, the health department stated restaurant violations were rising before a grading system was put into place.
Dan Jacobs, co-owner of DanDan, told CBS 58 back in 2020, during a mock health inspection, that anything less than an “A” grade was disastrous.
“I think you really have to be a disaster to get a “B,”” said Jacobs.
In a statement, MHD says it “typically issues between 250 and 300 orders to cease operations” every year. DanDan is the third restaurant to temporarily close this year following a health department inspection.
The Wicked Hop was temporarily closed last month after roaches were discovered in the basement. Blue Bat Kitchen & Tequilaria on Water Street also closed after MHD saw pests in the prep area after an inspection.
MHD says the number of closings issued this year is “consistent with previous years.”
While two of the closings in the last two months have been in the Historic Third Ward, MHD doesn’t believe the issue is tied to the neighborhood. The department says temporary closures are not unusual.
DanDan released the following statement to CBS 58:
“We received an excellent score on our health inspection but closed to deal with a minor matter. Cleanliness and food safety are non-negotiable for us. We appreciate the community’s trust and are committed to earning it every day."
Posted: 10:32 a.m. on March 23, 2026
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A popular restaurant in Milwaukee's Third Ward is temporarily closed after it failed a health inspection.
The City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) says it closed DanDan after the department noticed pests during a routine inspection on Friday, March 20.
Monday morning, MHD did another inspection and cleared the restaurant to reopen.
The sign outside DanDan now reads "Grade Pending."
It's the third restaurant to temporarily close this year following a health department inspection.
The Wicked Hop was temporarily closed last month after roaches were discovered in the basement. Blue Bat Kitchen & Tequilaria on Water Street also closed after MHD saw pests in the prep area.
Both reopened in March.
CBS 58 reached out to DanDan for comment and are waiting to hear back.