This place is so cute!! I love all the unique decor! The food is amazing and came out so fast. I got the birria tacos and they were delicious! I highly recommend. Our server was so sweet and the perfect level of attentive! He made sure we always had everything we needed, but wasn't intrusive at all. The margaritas were the perfect balance of lime/sour and sweet and a great slush factor. You definitely should try this place! It's fun for dine in and is good for take out too! read more

See all

Food/drink was missing from order (delivery) Food was tasty, but pretty disappointed with execution for the price. A million other options out there and this one left a pretty poor first impression tbh read more

El Tlaxcalteca Restaurant - Combo 1 - Especial del Jefe w/ an 8$ horchata that wasn't delivered, and no quesabirria :/ - Mexican Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Very rarely do I come across a restaurant where you feel like its existence is based on the love of the food over anything else. They have birria, both beef and lamb, on any given day. Their chicharron tacos in green salsa taste just like mom made them, and all their meats have a flavor you have to hunt down and go through 5-10 different spots to find them in other cities. Service is friendly, and the establishment is what you want a good Mexican restaurant to look like. The TV playing '90s Mexican music videos was a nice bonus. This is the best Mexican food in Milwaukee, the closest thing to it, and probably still falling short would be Atotonilco in Chicago. Don't overdo the brats, and head on over here for delicious and authentic Mexican food. read more

El Tlaxcalteca Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

See all

El Tlaxcalteca is an amazing little hole-in-the-wall serving up seriously delicious Mexican eats. Stopped by on for late-ish Friday night dinner (8pm-ish). When you arrive, it kind of gives the impression it's an order-at-the-counter type spot. It isn't. They asked us if we were dining in or taking out and when they realized we were dining in, they suggested a table and brought menus. They immediately brought out chips and salsas, which is always a nice touch (especially so, because we were hungry!). I ordered the chile relleno entree which came served with rice and beans. The rice was flavorful and cooked to perfection (there's something to be said about a perfectly textured hearty Mexican rice). The chile relleno was ample flavorful. It was very chile forward (vs. so many places being soupy with cheese), Don't get me wrong, it's cheesy. But, perfectly so, with beautiful layers of chile throughout. The service could not be kinder and the prices are incredibly reasonable. There were plenty of people dining in and they seem to do a bustling takeout business as well. As I mentioned, it's a bit of a hole-in-the-wall so dining in isn't a must do experience (though we enjoyed it!). Highly recommend either enjoying in their modest dining room or taking it to go. Either way--just get there. Get to it! read more

El Tlaxcalteca is that hidden gem Total hole-in-the-wall energy in the best way - no frills, just unbelievably good, authentic Mexican food... an immediate yes! We ordered the Combo #3: 3 quesadillas + 8oz consomé, and wow These were next level - cheesy, juicy, perfectly seasoned, and paired with rich, flavorful consomé that pulled it all together. Easily one of the best bites we've had in Milwaukee. We also tried the chicken mole, and I'm still dreaming about it. The mole has a sweeter profile than most -- layered, complex, and absolutely delicious. If you're a mole fan (or even if you're not), this is a must. This place isn't flashy, but the food speaks for itself - bold, comforting, and clearly made with love. I feel fully confident saying this is some of the best Mexican food in Milwaukee! Go now, thank me later Also big shout out to the owner for bringing us a birthday treat! Literally the kindest man ever! read more

See all

What a gem! Tucked away adjacent to el Rey, this place has really good and really authentic food. Come here for the high quality meats, very reasonable prices and ample portions. The dining area is not expansive and if you have a large party, calling ahead is a good plan. They were very accommodating for us. I would not recommend this as a margarita destination but the food shines through. read more

Great food and service . Definitely recommend this restaurant.. was very impressed with this restaurant. read more

El Tlaxcalteca Restaurant - Food - Mexican Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

See all

Ordered a few combos to go. I was beyond impressed. Both combos were ordered were fantastic. The consume was amazing. The green sauce is my favorite, and the grilled jalapeños they put in each combo put this place over the top! The Birria tacos will forever be something I order. The portion sizes were perfect. The rice and beans were delicious. One of our combos came with rice and beans, the other did not. If you're looking for great tacos in Milwaukee, this place should be on your list! read more

El Tlaxcalteca Restaurant - Tacos, consume - Mexican Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The other day I was scouring yelp for a New Mexican restaurant near where I was stationed for work that day. I came across good reviews for the birria at Al tlaxcalteca and decided to give it a try. When I walked in, I was taken with the decor - a map of breweries in Mexico on one wall and I loved how much color they incorporated. Lots of bright happy colors that make you feel welcome. You are pulled in with the smell of all the meats they are grilling and your mouth starts to water! There were plenty of tables to choose from and it was very clean, including the bathrooms. One of the employees greeted me right away and invited me to take a seat. As I always do at Mexican restaurants, I got a small horchata which I totally regretted because it was SO GOOD I wished I had ordered a large. I was also served complimentary chips and salsa, which are always great and I demolished pretty quickly I was so excited to see that they offer Nicaraguan food because I used to live in Costa Rica and both Costa Rica and Nicaragua boast gallo pinto as a typical dish that transports me to the days I lived the pura vida! When the Nicaraguan menu caught my eye, he suggested a typical Nicaraguan plate with marinated meat (beef) with gallo pinto (basically black beans mixed with white rice and some seasonings) and a fried Nicaraguan cheese. IT WAS SO GOOD! I wish I got the name of the dish so I could put it here but I'm sure if you asked for the typical Nicaraguan plate they recommend, this is what you will get. Some of the most tender and delicious beef I've ever had in my life. Think arrachera, but better. The gallo pinto I already knew I would love, so no surprise there. I loved that they added a little cucumber tomato and cabbage salad, too. And that fried cheese! Holy cow it was so good. And the portion! I didn't even finish half of it, and I brought it home and my husband and I ate it two more times. I'd say minimum 2 portions for the one plate. It had to be like a full pound of meat on there. read more

El Tlaxcalteca Restaurant - I got so excited when I saw a menu with Nicaraguan food! - Mexican Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

See all

This restaurant has been on my list to try since I read about it in a local publication a couple of years ago, and I finally got a chance to try it today because the chicken that we were planning to cook didn't thaw sufficiently. As it started snowing, we didn't want to drive far and decided to place an order via Uber Easts. The three of shared a Beef Birria Taco Dinner, a Al Pastor Birria Taco Dinner, and an El Especial del Tlaxcalteca with beef. The Al Pastor Tacos were very good, but the other two dishes with Beef Birria were outstanding. Particularly adding to the flavors of the tacos is Consome soup. We definitely will go back for other dishes with beef birria! read more

Birria tacos were good as always. I still haven't tried their nicaraguan food but it's so interesting that they sell that food here!! Doing our pick up order over the phone was easy. Whether it's take out or dine in, this is a great place for some birria!! read more

See all

Cute little place. We got the machete de Barrias and chicken quesadilla. They were great and filling. Don't forget the horchata! read more

El Tlaxcalteca Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Yep - other Yelp ppl are right, this place is great. It's small, like less than 20 tables and we were probably the only folks who didn't speak fluent Spanish. The inside is clean, welcoming and casual. Staff hustles and are very pleasant. Menu wise, expect your standards but look for specialties like machetes, vampires, alambres and of course red tacos. My general benchmark is a taco dinner and for $12 I received a plate of well filled tacos with tender, flavorful meat. They double the tortillas so things stay intact - appreciated. Tacos - delicious! Rice and beans were pretty good , perhaps done extra seasoning. Portions = huge. Prices = reasonable. Chance of return? You know it. read more

Incredible food. Freshly made. Exceptional ingredients. Maybe the best salsa I've ever had. You know a place is good when they don't have to hide their flavors in salt. The carne asada and carnitas were of the "melt in your mouth" variety without plaguing your mouth with those little white crystals. The salsa had chunks of pepper, jalapeño, onion--and tasted amazing. The guac was superb. The avocado, perfect. There is no way it wasn't freshly made, on the spot. Service was a slight bit slow, but one guy was serving everyone, running the counter, delivering chips and salsa, and, I'm pretty sure, personally mashed and made the guac. So he gets five stars! read more

See all

I ordered steak enchilada with flour tortilla in green sauce. This would have been way better if there wasn't so much liquid in there sauce. Also, I asked way it spicy .. I was told No Really, it was to Hot to enjoy. But I'm willing to try different things. But service was excellent read more

My go-to food at a Mexican restaurant is Chicken Mole. This place gets all the stars, because O. M. G. The chicken was so tender, it literally slid off the bone! That's not to say it was overcooked, because it certainly wasn't. It retained it's juiciness and flavor, which was only enhanced by the brown mole sauce. The sauce here is a bit sweeter than other places I've eaten, which made for a nice change. The side of rice was nothing to speak of, but that is ok; I just used the mole sauce to give it some oomph. This is a small, hole in the wall type of place, discretely tucked in the corner of the building that houses El Rey. Blink and you may miss it. The interior is decorated in vibrant colors and typical Mexican decor, making you feel like you are, indeed, in Mexico. Service is spot on: friendly, helpful, and efficient. Missing Mexico? Stop in...you'll feel like you never left! 4/2024 read more

El Tlaxcalteca Restaurant - Chicken mole/Pollo en mole - Mexican Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The food is memorable. Everything I have tried has been soo good. It's my go to spot now.

Took the family on a Sunday afternoon. absolutely delicious. Tried all the meats and they were well seasoned. even the kids approved! easy parking. read more

Amazing and the most authentic Mexican food I've had in Milwaukee. Best birria tacos I've ever had! The quesadilla was great too, I can't wait to go back soon! read more

See all

So delicious The food and margaritas were superb! We had a late lunch on a Sunday and even though the place was full, the waiter was soooooo welcoming and kind. He was very attentive and the food came fast. The place is brightly decorated and fun I would give it a 10/10 and will for sure be back! read more

Who doesn't love cheese, meat, & authentic Mexican food? Lucky for me, my partner took me here before my flight. The restaurant's located in the far corner of a huge parking lot. When we walked in, we were stared at, but the lady who served us was nice & helped us how to pronounce the name of the restaurant lol. We shared the machete de birria (thanks to social media craze) & it was the size of a machete alright, but packed with delicious marinated beef, cheese, & cilantro & came with consommé that I thought of getting just a bowl of soup of it! Complimentary tortilla chips & mild salsa were a plus & the café reminded me when I visited Puerto Vallarta since it was served in a nicely decorated clay-style mug & was just what I needed after eating. Finally, we found some good authentic Mexican food here. read more

Looking for authentic Mexican food. You don't have to look far a hidden gem in the south side. Don't let the store front deceive you. Service was good and staff were friendly. We had the Birria and some combination and fried tilapia. If you like Mexican food trust me this place will not disappoint you. read more

See all

Wow!!! The birria and consume were the best I've ever had. Service was on point and our server nailed it. The decor is authentic and the vibe is good. Definitely a 5 star experience. read more

New favorite! The food is excellent, freshly prepared and well seasoned for depth of flavors. The birria tacos with consume and side of roasted jalapeños were the best I have had locally! Service is super friendly and attentive. Can't wait to go back!! read more

See all

It was as good the second time around. El Tlaxcaltica should not be missed. The service was kind and helpful. The food was authentic and fresh. The place was spotless. Go and enjoy the diversity of Milwaukee. read more

See all

Stopped at this perfect place in the way back from taking friends to the airport. It was lunchtime so my husband and I split an order of the 3 birria tacos & borrego consume and each had a chicken gordita. The birria was loaded with meat and the chicken gordita was wonderful. Their specialty it the birria beef. So if you are going for 1 thing, go for the birria! Wonderful staff! We will be back soon! read more

See all

Attached to el Rey so fresh ingredients are guaranteed. I came for one thing Birria tacos. Perfectly crunchy Moist meat Savory broth to dip tacos in Simply amazing. Local Authentic I miss those tacos:-) read more

I finally visited a few days ago, and I was impressed! The rice and beans passed my taste test, as did the horchata, but I was particularly impressed by the Machete de Birria. The Machete is a two-foot long quesadilla "de mano," or handmade quesadilla. I didn't know until two years ago that authentic quesadillas were made with corn tortillas, and this was the best kind because it wasn't dry in texture and had a nice flavor on its own. El Tlaxcalteca makes the tortilla from scratch, and the birria was very tender and flavorful. There was plenty of cheese, but not too much to overpower the beef, and the consomme' was also delicious without being too rich. I also tried the Campechano taco on corn with onion and cilantro. My friend ordered the Campechano on flour tortilla with lettuce and tomato. I think the flour tortillas are made in house too because it looked a lot thicker than the store bought flour tortillas. The Campechano is filled with steak, chorizo, and pork, and I liked it, too! The service was great, and I want to go back to try more of the menu! If you go for the Machete, take at least two others with you, three if you plan to try other menu items. :) read more

See all

Unattractive on the outside, friendly and Mexican on the inside, this is a good choice in a neighborhood that has so many good choices for authentic Mexican. My favorite meal here is breakfast, the coffee is delicious. Fresh coffee brewed in pots that are scrubbed clean every day, unlike Starbucks. They add a little cinnamon, and the result is some very good coffee. Chilaquiles here are my favorite, but I also like their tacos, tortas, and burritos. Right after you can shop at Supermercado El Rey, but you probably won't be able to cook Mexican cuisine as well as El Tlaxcalteca restaurant even if you get all the right ingredients. read more

Small, unassuming, space with a little some festive kitsch- loved it. Authentic food that tasted like it was made with a lot of care. Someone else said, it felt like you're eating in their home- and that was exactly how it felt. My husband had the Quesadilla Birria and loved every bite: shredded beef, cheese, onions with a crispy shell. The consommé had a really nice subtle heat. I went all carte and had an Asada Taco with cilantro & onion on an outstanding corn tortilla along with a chicken enchilada with red sauce. The red sauce also had a subtle heat - which was a nice surprise. We both had rice & beans and split an order of Elote. All were perfectly seasoned and the Elote was pure comfort in a bowl. read more

See all

Best authentic Mexican food in Milwaukee! We live in Green Bay and have talked about driving down sometime just to get food from here. And someday, I'm positive we'll do just that. read more

The food and service was amazing! The drinks good- guacamole- Fajitas Yummmm My friend had a giant burrito and the others had tacos- all good read more

wowza. literally a hole in the wall next to an El Rey supermarket, this place serves up delicious Mexican and Nicaraguan food. worth a trip!

I just love experiencing new restaurants where ever I am and that's why I continue to go to new places and today was this restaurant for lunch to try. I am a fan of Mexican food so that's why I g to so many Mexican restaurants and they are probably the most popular cuisine because there are so many of them. I MUST WARN YOU that they do not give you complimentary chips and salsa like most places but that's no deal breaker for me. It's in the El Ray strip mall on the end and it's a small place that is very colorful. The menu has all the usual suspects and I ordered a strawberry margarita and received a lime margarita which is ok and it was ok but blended poorly because it was very liquidy and not enough ice was used. I ordered the combination plate with a taco, enchilada and a tostada with rice and beans. I opted for the carnitas taco, al pastor tostada and Asada enchilada as my combination plate. The rice was over cooked and slightly mushy and bland. The beans were unseasoned also but no big deal because I always mix them together and top with salsa or hot sauce which always makes them good. The carnitas taco had big chunks of pork that were crisped up on the grill. The al pastor tostada was good with beans, lettuce, tomato, cheese avocado wedge and sour cream. The Asada enchilada had plenty of moist steak and also good. Overall I would say that my meal was in the middle of good to very good so 3.5 stars because it was better than average but not the best that I have had from other places. read more

See all

Amazing birria tacos - been here probably 20 times and it doesn't ever miss! You can't go wrong with really anything birria!

I don't know why I am so late to the game with birria tacos - I had some in Chicago a few months ago and I had to find them in Milwaukee and yes I did and I must say these tacos are life changing in a good way. If you don't know what a birria taco is imagine slow cooked beef or goat in a corn shell with cheese that are pan fried until crispy and then dipped in a consommé. Calories be damned because this is my new favorite dish and I can't get enough of them. When I did pickup this place was wall to wall people speaking Spanish so again a legit place. People were walking in and seeing the wait and walking out - the place is small so be prepared. It's not fancy but who cares when you can this type of taco. The rest of the menu looks great but I don't know if I will be able to bring myself to order anything else but the birria tacos! read more

Visiting from Texas. Came across this restaurant on Yelp. Excellent food and service. Not a fancy place, but well worth it. Went on my own on night one. Night two a colleague from Poland was in and we went together. Excellent food. read more

From the food to the service is excellent! The ambiance is like you're in Mexico, so vibrant and fun!

Your car may be not be there where you parked it after you are done eating BUT.. you will be calling the police to file a stolen auto report with a HAPPILY FULL STOMACH! The people working here are great and helpful. The food is wonderfully done, flavorful, and worth having to carry a concealed weapon. The booths are rickety garbage and the tables are somewhat clean. It's all tolerable. 10 millions times better than WASTING your damn money at a STUPID Taco Bell! I WILL be going back to try other things on the menu! read more

This was the best send off food. We got 20 birria tacos for $65. You can't feed 10 people for this cheap anywhere. Also when i arrived they gave me a free 16oz Consume. The people are nice and all speak Spanish!!! Great place amazing food, good people. Este fue el mejor envío de comida. Tenemos 20 tacos de birria por 65 dólares. No puedes alimentar a 10 personas por tan barato en ningún lugar. Además, cuando llegué, me dieron un consumo de 16 onzas gratis. ¡La gente es agradable y todos hablan español! Gran lugar, comida increíble, buena gente. read more

El Tlaxcalteca Restaurant - Birria tacos - Mexican Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

See all