Café Corazón

Best mexican food in Milwaukee! The service is something to note as well. The space is super tiny but spending time up at the bar with the bartender was the best part! Their house margarita and paloma were to.die.for. The steak fajitas took the cake, in my opinion, for the best dish on the table. Their street tacos were amazing too! Loved everything about it.

You cannot overlook this one glaring flaw: Corazon is possibly the only Mexican restaurant in Milwaukee that charges for chips and salsa.
The food is very good, much better than Bel-​Air. But everything is much, much more expensive than any actual Mexican restaurant on the south side. And they charge for every little extra addition. That’s the gentrification of Mexican food, folks, don’t do it.

Corazon — high quality ingredients, vegan-​friendly (but lots of great carnivorous choices too!), bright colors, great vibe, intimate seating with a solid patio in the warmer months… these are serious Mexican eats in Riverwest, folks.
I really do love me some Corazon, on the real. It almost goes without saying now.
While this isn’t your most «authentic» Mexican (think larded refried beans, pastor, etc.) it’s good Mexican food done well with solid, thoughtfully-​sourced ingredients. I’m personally a big fan of the ensalada Corazon, the tacos, the torta… I’m a fan of everything on the menu, really.
The margs are strong and potent — go for the «jargarita» if you’ve got a group!

Fun sunny bright pseudo-​Mexican place, best for breakfast. It’s quirky whimsical décor is fun and cheerful, too happy to be truly hipster though there were hipsters in here every time I’ve been in. Also, the service is too good to be truly hipster, I’ve always been treated with respect even though I have also been a full generation older than everyone else in the whole place. Parking can be a slight challenge, it’s much easier to ride up in a bicycle.

Solid play. I went here for brunch on a Sunday around 11a, and it was totally packed with only bar seating available. Service was slower as a result, but understandably so. I didn’t feel neglected; I felt like I had discovered the dopest brunch spot for miles around and was lucky to make it in the door.
I ordered the chilaquiles on the carne asada option with a side of sweet plantains and a coffee. Turn around time on the order was good, but the plantains came out cold – suggesting they had been prepared as a batch portion in advance. Guts of the chilaquiles was on point; carne asada was missing something but I can’t indicate what – probably I’m spoiled by the ridiculous quantity of taquerias in my home town. Coffee might have been the best I have ever tasted in the state at some place that was not a bespoke coffee roastery; pretty sure I drank an entire pot before I bailed.
I can’t give this joint five stars because it isn’t perfect. But it sure is close. Definitely recommend and definitely plan to return the next time I pass through on tour.

I must be missing something… People rave about this place, it’s a local hot spot, and even made Unilocal Milwaukee’s top 20 list. But I was simply not impressed about anything.
We went for brunch this past weekend and everything about this place was mediocre. Nothing about the service stood out, nothing about the food stood out. My boyfriend and I have both been to New Mexico for extended periods of time so maybe we were expecting something more authentic, but both of our meals were nothing to write home about.
I was excited when I saw plantains on the menu but cubanitas and irie Zulu make them better… I got the empanadas and again I’d rather go to La Masa where they make them to perfection.
Overall neither of us have any desire to come back. We just don’t get it…

Drove down to MKE from Madison for a Brewers game & headed straight for CC which was my Birthday choice & it didn’t disappoint.
Place is funky, which is great, reminds me of Portland, food had vegan options & that is a plus on my list, service fast & courteous.
My wife & I had the Enchiladas, she the Chicken & I the vegan with Soyrizo, both came within 10 minutes after ordering.
The portions were enough that we were both satisfied & spiced low on the heat scale which is fine because they had Tapitio hot sauce for more kick if needed.
We plan on coming back this summer, then we can enjoy the patio & the neighborhood more.

Some buddies and I decided it was time for brunch on a patio so planned to meet on a Sunday post-​UU service. The downside is the weather decided to be rainy; the upside is we still decided to go to Corazon and had to wait less than 10 minutes for a table for 4.
Recognizing we were nearing hangry status, we kicked things off with cocktails and guac. This guac is delicious and the accompanying salsas were our to ticket to «can we get another basket of chips?». If you know me (which you probably don’t. This is Unilocal: we read strangers’ reviews and trust them. There IS hope for humanity!) you know that my path to happiness includes funny friends, brunch, mexican food, and margaritas. I brought the funny friends and Corazon provided the rest… BRUNCH MARGARITAS, PEOPLE. First I had a citrus-​y one made with champagne (HEY OH!) and then I had the jalapeño margarita (spicy drinks are my kryptonite… except instead of killing me they make me awesome-​r). I could’ve gone for some MORE spice in the marg… maybe even with chunks of jalapeño in it… but the margaritas come in pint glasses so really I had no complaints.
I ordered the chilaquiles, because I had this dish on my honeymoon and it was one of the best things ever in my mouth (watch it…). I’m forever hoping to find a duplicate and though this was a different take on chilaquiles it was still good. Next time I’m going for the burrito, ordering it wet (read: covered in sauce), and will probably find euphoria. Though next time I’m also wanting to try the horchata french toast, because horchata french toast, so maybe I can convince husband that we should share dishes.
I’m still regretting not getting the plantains as an extra side; don’t make the same mistake.
I’m looking forward to our next visit because I hear the dinner is just as delicious… I highly recommend this spot over many others in the city. Don’t get caught in the Blue’s Egg/​Benelux whirlwind; there’s so much more out there!

I’ve been coming here for years and it’s always been a favorite spot of mine. It’s a small and intimate place with a whole lot of charm, tucked into Riverwest.
The ambience: the best. Quirky, charming, and intimate. And within the past year they’ve added a cute little patio.
The drinks: great. Depending on the day, I usually go for the classic marg or the michelada.
The food: delicious. Hard to go wrong here and there’s typically a vegan/​vegetarian alternative to each dish. I’m not a huge fan of their brunch menu, but that’s just me.
The only reason I’m throwing it a 4 and not a 5 is because the quality and farm to table/​local emphasis in the model of the restaurant seems to have gotten a little lost over the years. When I first started coming here it seemed common to be offered certain dishes that were being featured because of a recent harvest from a partnered farm… which I was always stoked on. That’s not to say the farm partnering no longer happens, I just haven’t heard it discussed in a while.
All in all, if you’re in the mood for some great Mexican fare and a cozy spot to enjoy it – Café Corazon is for you.

Service is usually great. Food tastes fresh but a little on the fried side. I actually like brunch here better than lunch or dinner. The food is solid but not completely authentic Mexican. It could use some more flavors on the fajitas and tacos.
It can get cramped especially in the winter time when the patio is not open. When the patio is open, then the wait isn’t as bad.

Great neighborhood spot! It’s amazing how impressive the food is coming out of such a small kitchen!
They have a great deal on Tuesdays with $ 2 tacos and tu y yo drinks! (Buy one get one) make sure you start with some guacamole, it’s incredible.
If you are looking for a nice patio spot they have a great space ur unfortunately they don’t allow dogs.

Locals commonly say: «This is my favorite Mexican brunch place in Milwaukee». On some days, I can even say that this is my favorite Milwaukee brunch place. The Brunch is better than the dinner here. You MUST try the Breakfast Tostadas with Soyman Herb Tofu OR the Rachero Wet Burrito. It will change your life. Be careful– too many Sunrise Margaritas and you will land straight on your butt. Try the Bloody Maria Brunch drink for a nice twist of fate. The place is small and is always busy from brunch to dinner, but well worth the wait. Prepare for an hour wait on Saturday morning. During the summer, there is an awesome patio to add to the awesomeness. And speaking of awesome, you will hardly find the time to advert your eyes from the walls– crammed pack with religion art with a hipster touch. Aaaaaand, $ 2 Tacos on Tuesdays: Enough said.

Recently made a second trip back to Café Corazon after a longgggg hiatus from the local Riverwest foodie spot. Our first experience was not good to say the least. Everything from cooking tofu with meat to open salsa containers right next to the bar where people were coughing mid winter.
We decided to make a trip back in order to give it a second chance and enjoy a local neighborhood spot. As soon as we entered we were greeted and shown to our seats in the back section. Seeing the back section of the dining room really turned me on to dining here a little bit more. Service was prompt and attentive which was a huge plus for me.
I ordered the Fiesta Burger off the brunch menu and my girlfriend got the Mushroom Empanadas. The burger was phenomenal, not cooked medium like I asked, but it was still very good with a little hot sauce added. My burger had a perfect medium egg, mild jalapenos, and a delicious bun. My girlfriend who had some serious issues the last time we went, was very pleased with the empanadas. The mushrooms had bite and the dish as a whole was seasoned well. We also shared a side of plantains that were really cooked really well. A much better experience than our original visit a year ago.
Not a bad experience, just not at the level of ⁴⁄₅ stars quite yet. Gonna have to earn that updated review from me.

I feel bad for this review. To be brutally honest, I was ridiculously hung over when I finally got to try this place out a couple of weeks back… like so hung over that I constantly felt like I was going to puke. Considering that, I felt like the food here was just too «healthy» tasting. At a moment where I was craving greasy mexican food, unhealthy amounts of salt, and sugary drinks, Café Corazon just didn’t quite deliver. I decided to go ahead and order a michelada. It was almost unbearably boozy. I also tasted a friend’s bloody maria which also tasted super boozy. I think that the drinks here are just boozy. Again, under normal circumstances, I probably would have really enjoyed the intensely boozy drinks.

Worth the wait and you won’t wait long. Great margaritas, great salsas and guacamole, great service, great food. Never had a bad meal and the brunch is pretty awesome too.

Great lil spot! Food was delicious and fresh. The white Mexico drink is amazing! Server was attentive. Can’t wait to come back and try other great dishes on the menu.

I am grumpy when it comes to typical Mexican restaurants. Fifteen bucks for rice and beans with a bland burrito – no thanks! And that is what is so great about Café Corazon. The mussels are fantastic, and unlike anything I have had. They are served in a stew with a spicy tomato base and soft, buttered french bread to sop up the goodness. It is arguably a meal in itself, and is quite the value for ten dollars. The BBQ chicken burrito is probably enough for two people. It is sweet, savory, and fresh, with flavors bursting throughout. I wanted something different from the traditional interpretation of Mexican cuisine, and I was pleasantly surprised. I almost never go to Mexican restaurants, but Café Corazon will likely become a regular stop. The food is fresh and tasty, the atmosphere is cozy, hip, and funky, and the price is right.

This place has great food, and not too hard on the wallet either. Great selection of craft beers on tap. We went on a Tuesday and they had a 2 for 1 special on tap beers. They also had a deal on tacos, mix and match the various kinds for an awesome flavor experience! Great service and excellent food, I’ll definately be back! And I hear they are opening another location in Bay View as well!

Coming from a person that’s from California and has grown up with authentic Mexican food I’m disappointed.

I ate here for the first time this summer and I was overwhelmed by the mouth watering array of choices on the menu. The variety of brunch and lunch/​dinner choices makes it easy for everyone to find something they love.

As someone who resided in LA for a while and has a partner who is Spanish, it is tough to find good Mexican food in Milwaukee.
Café Corazon is definitely a hipster joint… which is to be expected in River West. And it is a bit snug, which can be a bummer as they are often busy and can have long waits on weekends or for brunch. That said, they serve super good, pretty authentic and well-​priced Mexican food. Lots of great menu options for special diets… my household is vegetarian and we are never disappointed. Gigantic portions, which means delicious leftovers. Service is prompt and friendly. Drinks are good as well.
They do charge from chips & salsa… which is disappointing.

Brunch review!
PROS:
–No wait for Sunday brunch around noon.
–A lot of great options for around $ 10.
–Food portions are generous but the ingredients are typically healthier, thus not weighing you down.
–Attentive service.
CONS:
–Their chips & salsa is $ 3. We did not know this going in, as it was our first time and it was not listed on the brunch menu. It would have been nice for our waitress to give a heads up.

We come to this place almost weekly. To start with, it’s a pretty small spot tucked away in a neighborhood in Riverwest. Lots of day of the dead and various Christian (Catholic) statues and decorations. Their salsa is really yummy!
I usually get the stuffed pepper and it’s quite good. They take a fresh pepper and quick cook it directly on the range then fill it up and top it off with rice, beans, etc. I have them add a side of diced jalapeño or serrano peppers to bring the heat!
Chris usually gets the fajitas. They’re really seasoned, so be prepared for that. They are quite good too!
Pretty no-​frills neighborhood Mexican! It’s a more authentic alternative to Bel Air, though we do like heading to Bel Air almost weekly as well (Chris likes his Mexican-​style food).

I loved this place — the setting is funky (in a good way) and the food imaginative. Breakfast tacos were outstanding. The empanadas were both good and so-​so (the mushroom one was excellent, the carnita one was so-​so).
They had some outstanding breakfast cocktails (hey-​it was after noon).
This restaurant is tucked into an out-​of-​the-​way place, but is worth hunting it down to eat here.

I was a big fan of the soy chorizo and pastor tacos! Authentic flavor and well done. They had a margarita special the night I was dining. I returned to try the huevos rancheros because they get a lot of love among my friends. They were pretty decent.
Hey, you probably know this from every other review — it’s busy usually so go early for dinner or at an off time for brunch. We did brunch of the patio and didn’t have to wait long at 11 am… maybe because it was November and people didn’t want to sit outside. When we went for dinner, it was a longer wait. I’m excited they are opening another location in Bay View and hopefully that will help this place be less busy!

Super fun Saturday brunch. A warm and eclectic place. Did not expect what we got from previous reviews, but still loved it. We had the breakfast tostadas and empanadas. The tostadas were excellent.
The item that really caught my eye was the burger. Apparently it is excellent meat (from the owners farm) and humongous! Breakfast cocktails were good and creative. Be advised that during brunch times, only brunch is available. We will definitely be coming back to this place during regular lunch or dinner time. This place has a flavor of foodie, and hip –great for vegetarians too! Our server was a vegetarian.

Been here a few times but never got to leave a review.
They have an awesome brunch menu. You gotta have the carne mechada.
Not a big fan of the rice (dry) and beans, get the potatoes instead.
Service is always good, and everyone is so friendly.
This last time our server was Becky SHE ROCKS!

I was only a matter of time until I ate here. I ventured here with my food buddy. Her husband decided to third wheel on this adventure.
Ambiance: I LOVE IT. It is low-​lit and polar opposite of your usual Mexican restaurant ambiance, which permeates bright colors and has a sombrero (somewhere). It is very Día de Los Muertos-​esque.
Staff: Whenever I dine, I rarely ask for the opinion of the waiter/​waitress, because more often than not, his/​her suggestion will be a menu item I cannot eat. Because this spot is vegetarian– and vegan-​friendly, I was inclined to get the waitress’ opinion. She recommended the burrito, as it had won MKE burrito of the year in 2014 and 2015. Our waitress was efficient, friendly, and helpful. She made our dining experience enjoyable and tailored our meals to our preferences. We were able to order quickly and our food was out within 10 minutes, with no loss of food quality!
Food: I ordered the wet burrito with soy chorizo. The wet burrito is a burrito smothered in enchilada sauce and melted cheddar jack cheese. The inside consists of rice, cheese, avocado, creama, and beans. The enchilada sauce, while it was very flavorful, it ultimately became too overpowering, masking the rest of burrito contents. While I generally enjoy soy chorizo, it did not add much to burrito. It rather took away from the burrito. The soy chorizo’s flavor profile was just as overpowering as the enchilada sauce.
My friend ordered the shrimp burrito, which she raved was perfect. The quality and freshness of the shrimp was its winning quality. Her husband ordered a carne ascada wet burrito. He noted that while the quality of the meat was excellent, it was lacking in flavor.
We did order the guacamole with chips. It was average and honestly not worth it. Another friend mentioned this to us, but we just had to try it ourselves. Now we believe her.
The wet burrito was more enjoyable the day after, as a leftover; I ate it with sour cream, which helped down play the strong flavors mentioned above.
Despite the strong flavors, the quality of the ingredients was phenomenal. Café Corazón prides itself in its locally sourced goods. We are itching to come back to try the rest of the menu. There are so many wonderful options awaiting!

How have I not written a review for Corazon yet? I love this place! The only reason I am not giving it a full five stars is because of a recent poor service experience recently, but it was more an issue with a specific waitress, not an overall establishment problem.
The food — phenomenal, fresh, authentic.
The drinks — good coffee, stellar cocktails.
The atmosphere — eclectic, funky, unique and full of Mother Mary. (Awesome patio in the summer!)
The service — generally great, good staff.
Tacos and dinner at Café Corazon is great, but I would highly suggest you do a weekend brunch here. I might be a little biased towards breakfast foods, but damn does Corazon do it right. Do not miss out on the Rumchatta french toast, order one for the table and share, or get yourself some with a side if breakfast taco — trust me you will be one happy camper!

Was a very good experience! Had an awesome time with my wife and had the wet burrito with carne asada rice, guac, black beans, smothered with a homemade red enchilada sauce and melted jack cheese, FREAKIN DELISH! My favorite beverage was the Passion Fruit with Cachaca Rum. And the freaking crème of the crop was the TRES LECHES CAKE. IT WAS DIVINE! I want more food. I love food. Food is my life! That is all!

It helps having your home right down the street! We can put our names in, go home, have a drink, and come back. This place is great for dinner and brunch.
Favorites are: Tilapia, Salmon, and Shrimp Burrito and for Brunch the Empanadas and Papas potatoes! Guacamole and all sauces including the green stuff are scrumptious! The margaritas are some of the best around!
This place is great! The new patio is a real welcome.
Cheers to a Riverwest gem!

Good location – service was very slow and not too friendly unless you were someone that they noticed as a regular.
We started with an order or chips and guac/​salsa. I am never too happy when you are at a Mexican restaurant and they charge you for salsa and chips. To me it is like getting an order of bread while you are waiting for your drinks or entrée to be served. I do have to say the guacamole was very tasty and fresh. The salsa was fresh and tasty, the basket of chips was skimpy to say the least.
I ordered the Salad of greens with roasted beets and goat cheese and my daughter ordered the burrito. The burrito looked great but I have to admit that the salad was disappointing at best. The bowl of greens only had two beets in it and all in all was pretty small for the price of $ 9. I will say that the dressing was tasty and there was adequate goat cheese and pecans, but would I order it again?
I remember this location from years ago when it was a biker bar of sorts. It is an old railroad depot so the ambiance is great. I noticed that they have some good specials during the week and I may give it another try, but think I will pass on the salad.

With a four and a half star overall rating, I was really expecting more from this restaurant. People were right about this being a hipster hang out, but there were all sorts of types frequenting this restaurant. When we arrived, I was prepared for a wait since the restaurant was so small. However, there was ample seating both inside and on the patio.
I found it kind of lame that at a Mexican restaurant they don’t automatically bring out chips and salsa. But what is a Mexican dinner without chips and salsa for an appetizer? So I ordered them for $ 3, not expensive but it was a small portion of salsa which wasn’t anything special. I also ordered a large side of guacamole which did not seem very big, but it was only $ 4 and delicious so I cannot complain. I did think it was strange the guacamole didn’t come with chips and if you wanted a refill on your chips with the salsa that was an additional charge.
I ordered the wet burrito with carne asada. The portion was huge and had large chunks of avocado inside. I really enjoyed it and could barely eat half of it. When I asked for a to go box, I was given a small soup container and had to squish my burrito into it. A little strange again. The service here was subpar. The waitress was not very friendly or attentive. She seemed to focus on her regulars leaving us with empty water glasses. Speaking of water, I wish they had ice in the glasses, there is nothing worse than warm water on a hot summer day.
Overall, go for the fresh guacamole and burrito (and cute atmosphere) not for the service.

A solid Riverwest Mexican restaurant! Cannot believe we’ve lived so close to this place and just now discovered it! In my opinion, they serve up some pretty authentic food. We loved the wet burrito and enchiladas, they offer gluten free and vegan options, and we can’t wait to try their breakfast tacos next time! The only bummer about the experience… you’ve gotta pay for the chips and salsa. The margarita was perfect, and I posted a picture of their drink menu… can’t wait to start crossing those off my tasting list :)
We felt like we were in Mexico with all the funky and bright décor. There’s a moderate amount of seating space with an indoor area, covered patio, and uncovered patio (not dog-​friendly, another bummer). The restaurant sits on the Beerline Trail and makes for a peaceful atmosphere to enjoy a meal with your family and friends. Easy peasy street parking is a plus, too :)