When Milwaukee visitors ask if there are any good Mexican restaurants in town, they are almost always referred to the booming cluster on the near South Side.
Some people swear by La Fuente. Others like the vibe at La Perla or the shrimp soup at Botanas.
Mexican food fans on the West Side know they don't have to travel far to get a chips, salsa and combo plate fix. There are several options, including Guadalupe, 11320 W. Bluemound Rd.
After driving by the building that formerly housed Greek Village for several months, we decided to give it a try. The floor is ceramic tile, the walls are bright. The bar area is separate from the main dining area.
The food? Over the course of three lunch visits with a total of six diners, it generally created a "solid, but not spectacular" impression.
Dishes like tamales ($7.95) and chiles rellenos ($11.25) which produce uneven results at different places, were deemed above-average at Guadalupe.
The lunch staples, a taco dinner ($7.95) -- three tacos with ground beef, chicken, pork, shredded beef or steak -- and a burrito dinner, which featured a healthy-sized burrito stuffed with beans, lettuce, tomato and a choice of ground beef, chicken, flank steak and pork, were delivered to the table quickly upon ordering but came off as ordinary.
"This kind of feels like it came straight from a steam table assembly line," one dining companion said of the combo plate, which featured a taco, tostada and enchilada stuffed with beef or chicken.
"It's OK, but it doesn't feel like there is any ‘love' in it. It tastes like what you could get at any other place. It's good. It's filling. But, it ‘s not outstanding. I'd come back and eat here, but I wouldn't make a special trip."
After exploring other parts of the menu, adventurous diners were rewarded with more memorable experiences. The seafood selection is extensive, and choices like Huachinango A La Veracruzana O Al Mojo De Ajo ($14.95), a red snapper topped with a tomato sauce, and sopa marina ($11.95) -- a soup made with shrimp, crab legs, octopus, crab and fish -- were winners.
Another table favorite was the pollo con mole poblano ($10.95), tender pieces of chicken topped with a chocolate-colored sauce that had just the right amount of flavor and kick.
These and other "special" items, coupled with friendly service and a clean environment, put Guadalupe on par with nearby competitors like Hector's, Habaneros Mexican Kitchen, Mi Cocina, Senor Luna, Fiesta Garibaldi and El Matador.
Parking is plentiful and the location, just a few blocks from Mayfair Rd., make Guadalupe a solid stop for hungry diners looking for a quick Mexican meal that doesn't necessitate a drive to the South Side.
Host of “The Drew Olson Show,” which airs 1-3 p.m. weekdays on The Big 902. Sidekick on “The Mike Heller Show,” airing weekdays on The Big 920 and a statewide network including stations in Madison, Appleton and Wausau. Co-author of Bill Schroeder’s “If These Walls Could Talk: Milwaukee Brewers” on Triumph Books. Co-host of “Big 12 Sports Saturday,” which airs Saturdays during football season on WISN-12. Former senior editor at OnMilwaukee.com. Former reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
