Nomad World Pub of Milwaukee has reached an agreement with Ricardo Gonzalez, the retiring owner of The Cardinal Bar, to transition ownership of the longtime Madison bar to Nomad owner Mike Eitel by early spring.
Eitel, a UW–Madison graduate and restaurant veteran and entrepreneur, frequented the establishment while attending college. He indicated the bar’s popular DJs, live jazz, and Latin and fetish nights will continue, and other than some cleanup and minor changes to the décor, he plans to keep the existing interior.
“I’ve always felt The Cardinal is just a special place, in an amazing building and a great neighborhood with a unique variety of music and a funky feel that appeals to just about everyone,” Eitel says in a press release. “I’m excited to make a great bar even better with some fresh, new energy and an awesome concept.”
For several years, Cardinal Bar Owner Ricardo Gonzalez has been planning to retire, but he says it was important that ownership of The Cardinal, located at 418 E. Wilson St., be transferred to the right person. “For me, this has been 43 years in the making since we first opened our doors,” notes Gonzalez. “Mike and Nomad World Pub are going to take this bar to a whole new level, while respecting what we’ve all worked hard to create here.”
