These are some of Milwaukee's best tacos according to our dining critic
Is the taco the perfect food? Perhaps. It can be an easy on-the-go snack or an artful entree at an upscale cantina. It’s a simple mix of protein, carbs and veggies that can be constructed in countless ways. It’s affordable, adaptable and accessible. I’ve never met a soul who didn’t love a taco, but I have met quite a few who’ve wondered where’s the best place to find one. And after revisiting my longtime loves and sifting through some trustworthy recommendations, I’m here to share my favorites.
This is far from a comprehensive list. Milwaukee is rich with shout-from-the-rooftops-level taco joints, from the dozens of food trucks parked all over the city to the beloved corner restaurants your friend-in-the-know whispers about in an attempt to keep their hidden gem hidden. There are simply too many tacos to try in this town. And that’s a phenomenal thing.
I know, I know. I’ve left out your favorite. But the list doesn’t need to be finished! Please let me know your go-to taco place in town, and why you love it. Believe it or not, I don’t know if I’ll ever tire of tacos, and I’m forever chasing tips for the top tier in town.
Chilango Express
While many focus on what’s inside the tortilla when judging tacos, the handmade tortillas at Chilango Express steal the spotlight. They’re made fresh to order, as they have been since owners Juan and Guadalupe Ortiz opened their business as a food cart in 2010. The restaurant’s corn dough is made each morning and is pressed and fried into tortillas just before serving. You can taste that freshness in each bite: warm, hearty and thick enough that they don’t need to be doubled up. Of those I've tried, they're the best tortillas in the city.
The fillings inside those dynamite tortillas are remarkable, too. Eight meat fillings are offered, from juicy al pastor to crispy chicharron to meaty lengua. My favorite is the barbacoa, roasty and tender with big, beefy chunks. But there are also plenty of options for vegetarians, too, like poblano peppers, cactus, mushrooms, pumpkin flowers and huitlacoche (a Mexican delicacy consisting of a fungus that grows from planted corn). You can add any of the veggies to your meat-filled tacos, as well, leaving countless variations to create the ultimate taco plate.
Price: $3.25 to $3.50 per taco
Location: 7030 W. Lincoln Ave., West Allis
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday
Contact: (414) 807-7948, chilangoexpress.com
Chucho’s Red Tacos
Birria is the standout specialty at this taco truck fleet with permanent stations at Farmhouse Paint and Sip, Ope! Brewing Co. in West Allis and a new truck location in Walker’s Point. Whether your protein of choice is shredded beef, chicken or steak, it’s slowly stewed in a rich consome of chiles and spices. The red tacos are served with a side of lime wedges, cilantro and onion, giving diners a chance to top their tacos with as much as they like. But whatever you do, opt for the side of consome and dip your tacos liberally. Sure, it's going to drip down your hand and chin as you eat, but just grab a couple extra napkins and enjoy the flavor bomb.
The red taco tortillas are a little outside of the norm, too: they’re dipped in chili oil and fried before serving, making them a tad crispier and infusing them with flavor — as well as their signature red hue.
If you’re feeling extra indulgent, try the quesitaco, a classic red taco stuffed with melty cheese and the birria of your choice.
Price: $3.40 (corn tortillas) to $4.40 (flour tortillas)
Locations: Milwaukee (Farmhouse Paint and Sip): 4511 S. 6th St.; Milwaukee (Walker’s Point): 104 W. Walker St.; West Allis (Ope! Brewing): 6751 W. National Ave., West Allis
Hours: Milwaukee: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Sunday; Milwaukee (Walker’s Point): 5:30 to 11 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday; West Allis: 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, 1 to 7 p.m. Sunday
Contact: (414)-419-0000, chuchosredtacos.com
El Se?orial
My colleague Jessica Rodriguez tipped me off to the tacos at this lively cantina not long after I started here as dining critic. I’m so glad she did, as it’s become one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in the city, with stellar service and a seriously fun atmosphere.
But atmosphere only gets you so far. Thankfully, El Se?orial makes incredible authentic Mexican dishes. Their specialty, parrillada, is made for a party, but if you’re stopping in for a quick lunch or dinner, go for their carne asada taco. The steak is perfectly cooked — succulent, lightly seasoned, and a little crisp along the edges. You can order yours with cilantro and onion or tomato and lettuce and add sour cream, avocado, cheese or guacamole if you like.
Price: $3.25 per taco
Location: 1901 S. 31st St.
Hours: 10 a.m. to midnight Sunday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday
Contact: (414) 385-9538, el-senorial-mexican-restaurant.business.site
El Tapatio
Is it right to choose a favorite in my roundup of favorites? Because the al pastor tacos at this cash-only taco truck might be it. The marinated pastor pork hits all the right notes: a little sweet, a little smoky, just a tad salty (squeeze those bright and juicy lime wedges over top and it’s the perfect balance). The sturdy corn tortillas are loaded with the flavorful pastor, and the red onion and cilantro on top are unbelievably fresh, as though they’ve been plucked from a garden and chopped to order just before sprinkling over each taco. Only feeling like a snack? El Tapatio’s mini tacos are just the right size for smaller appetites.
The tacos are a standout on their own, but I love the fact that they’re served with a side of grilled white onions and a blistered jalapeno that add a bit of smoky depth to it all.
There’s a fleet of El Tapatio trucks parked all over the city, each known for its speedy, friendly service, but my favorite location is the one on Pleasant Street near the Riverwalk. It's saved me from a number of forgot-my-lunch afternoons, and, on a nice day, it’s easy to carry your order over to enjoy on a bench overlooking the Milwaukee River.
Price: $2.75 per al pastor taco; cash only
Locations: 700 W. Becher St., 2320 W. Lincoln Ave., 306 E. Pleasant St.
Hours: Typically 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Contact: (414) 323-9709
Frida's Cocina
I’ve said it before and I’ll reiterate here: Frida’s Cocina makes the best fish tacos in Milwaukee. Every time I see that beautiful cerulean truck parked outside of the Cactus Club, I’m tempted to pull over for a quick bite.
As I said when it made my best bites list in August, the fish is fresh and the batter is light and crisp without being greasy. And that batter actually sticks to the fish — none of that sliding-off-the-meat nonsense that can sometimes happen with deep-fried food. It gets topped with a mound of finely shredded slaw, a sprinkle of cilantro and a squirt of creamy chipotle sauce. It’s all piled onto soft-yet-sturdy corn tortillas that are handmade on the truck. It’s a party of textures that get along so well together: crispy, creamy, crunchy, tender, flaky. So good.
Price: $3.25 for the battered fish taco
Address: 2496 S. Wentworth Ave.
Hours: Hours vary, but typically open from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays
Contact: facebook.com/fridasCmke or instagram.com/fridascocinamke
La Dama Mexican Kitchen
A $2 taco can be a beautiful thing. In fact, many of the best tacos come wrapped in parchment and foil and tossed in a to-go bag. But there is room for an upscale taco, especially if they’re made like they are at La Dama.
Theirs come three per order, mix-and-match style, for $24. Before you balk at the price tag, hear me out: These tacos are inventive, artfully composed, and are so substantial I often have a difficult time polishing off all three on my own. They’re the creations of Mexican-born chef Emmanuel Corona, to whom owner Peggy Magister gave control of the kitchen when she transformed her lauded restaurant, Crazy Water, into La Dama in 2021.
I’ve eaten my way around the menu, and though the meatless Huitlacoche (truffle corn mushrooms with poblano peppers, sun-dried tomato and queso fresco) and the crispy Pancita (pork belly with a chile-peanut salsa, black garlic puree and pickled onion) are standouts, I’m wild about the Cochinita Pibil, filled with juicy pork shoulder braised with orange juice and wrapped in banana leaves. The citrus-kissed pork is so robust with flavor I’d be happy just eating a heap of it on its own, but the cured red onions and habanero — pickle-y with a hint of spice — and dollop of chunky guacamole on top all work together for a symphony of flavor and texture that puts it over the top.
Price: $24 for three tacos
Address: 839 S. 2nd St.
Hours: 5 to 8:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 5 to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Contact: (414) 645-2606, ladamamke.com
La Guelaguetza
When there’s a trompo set up inside a taco truck, ordering the al pastor should be mandatory. And at this cash-only truck parked near the corner of Burnham and 15th streets, there’s a lot to love, but that top-shaped tower of pork shines as a beacon for the al pastor passionate.
A trompo is the vertical spit that the layers of seasoned pork is slowly roasted on, and at night (the truck is open until 2 a.m. weeknights and 4 a.m. on weekends), you can watch the pastor being shaved right off the trompo to be placed directly in your taco. The vermillion-hued pork has just the right amount of heat for spice lovers, and the hunks of fresh pineapple on top lend some juicy sweetness. The tacos are delicious as they are with cilantro, onions and a drizzle of their smoky red sauce, but La Guelaguetza offers plenty of ways to dress up your tacos with the “vegetables” lined up on the truck’s service window bar (ask for a couple sheets of aluminum foil to wrap them up to go). These fresh fixins, which include pico de gallo, sliced radish, cucumber, pickled red onion and curtido (a pickled mix of onion, habanero and cucumber), are there to help you top the tacos your way.
Check inside your bag and you’ll be met with a surprise treat: a foil-wrapped, buttered mini baked potato, the perfect side to spoon little bits of pastor meat, veggies and salsa over to make a full meal.
Of note, prices aren’t listed on the truck, but an order of three al pastor tacos rings up at a whopping $6. What a deal!
Price: $2 per taco; cash only
Address: 1844 S. 15th St.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday and Tuesday; 10:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday; 10:30 a.m. to 4 a.m. Friday and Saturday
Contact: (414) 807-7737
Lala's Place
Lala Guerra spent 26 years in the kitchen at another Milwaukee taco powerhouse, Conejito's Place, before opening her own restaurant in Cudahy in 2012. That experience shows in the restaurant’s friendly service, expansive menu of authentic Mexican dishes and reasonable prices. I'm a big fan of the al pastor tacos, and the chicken tacos are some of the juiciest, most flavorful I’ve tried in the city, but it’s difficult to stray from my go-to order: Pepe’s Taco Lomo Special, named after Guerra’s son, Pepe. The plate comes with three tacos filled with thinly sliced strips of marinated asada (steak), topped with the classic chopped white onion and cilantro and a special twist: a hefty dollop of Lala’s signature creamy guacamole — fresh and smooth with a touch of tang.
Also, I know I’m just talking tacos here, but Pepe’s Taco Lomo Plate comes with a side of rice and beans, a side I typically skip when I’m ordering tacos, but never at Lala’s. They’re both cooked to perfection; the rice isn’t dry, the beans aren’t pasty. They’re both standouts for a side that can typically be just plate filler.
Price: $10.75 for Pepe’s Lomo Taco Special, three tacos with a side of beans and rice
Address: 3470 E. Layton Ave., Cudahy
Hours: Open daily 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Contact: (414) 744-4417
Ventura’s Tacos
I’ve loved these tacos since Ventura’s operated only as a food truck, and I love them even more since they opened their brick-and-mortar location in Bay View in 2021. You can’t beat them served fresh and piping hot, and there's something about sitting on their patio with a pitcher of margaritas that amplifies the taco experience.
I’m hard-pressed to choose a favorite. The steak tacos are lightly seasoned but carry a satisfying smoky char. The al pastor is smoky and sweet with a hint of spice and not at all greasy. It’s also one of the few places around where the birria is actually birria (stewed goat meat). And I love the fact that they embrace a true Wisconsin tradition by offering a fried fish taco special on Fridays (and it’s a good fish taco, at that!). What’s more, their orange salsa (made with arbol chiles) is one of my favorites in town, carrying a satisfying level of heat that doesn’t overshadow the freshness of the cilantro and onions on top of the taco or the flavor of the meat inside.
Price: $3.50 per taco
Address: 2899 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday
Contact: (414) 763-6689
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee's best tacos, from Chucho's birria to El Tapatio's al pastor
