Mexican Restaurants in Milwaukee: Top 3

Cempazuchi, Xel-ha, and La Perla All Please Diners for Different Reasons

Like most large cities, Milwaukee has more than its share of Mexican restaurants. If you’re ecstatic about enchiladas and maniacal about mole, you’ll want to try these three outstanding Mexican eateries. Whether you enjoy traditional tastes or more exotic Mexican creations, each of these Milwaukee restaurants offers a different cuisine and vibe.

1. Cempazuchi
1205 E. Brady Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
414-291-5233
www.cempazuchi.com  

Brightening Brady Street with its golden-orange storefront, Cempazuchi Comida Brava produces the best Mexican food Milwaukee has to offer. For an unquestionably authentic meal, Cempazuchi will please your palate without draining your wallet.

Gaily painted walls adorned with folk art set the backdrop for regional Mexican specialties. Cempazuchi tailors its menu to reflect cuisine popular with particular Mexican states. Some dishes are inspired by the Oaxaca state of southern Mexico, including the Enchiladas Oaxaquenas, which are served as a broad stack with a mild red sauce. For seafood lovers, the Tilapia Veracruzana is based on a local favorite in the Veracruz state: grilled tilapia with peppers, capers, and olive sauce.

Vegetarian options are also plentiful, as this is a necessity on Milwaukee’s East Side. Try the Cerca de Cielo, which features corn cake layers with spinach, squash, peppers, and a roasted salsa. And if you’re just stopping in for a light lunch, grab a bowl of Sopa Azteca, a moderately spicy soup from the central region of Mexico served with avocado, cheese, and tortilla strips.

Cempazuchi also features daily specials which sometimes fan out from traditional Mexican cuisine to include Central American dishes, so be sure to ask your server what’s tasty that day. The staff are generally friendly, fast, and eager to serve. Lunches and dinners are both served remarkably quickly, even when the place is busy. Cempazuchi makes a great weeknight date location and also a hopping weekend spot for larger groups of friends. 


2. Xel-ha
2301 S. Howell Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53207
414-294-4848