Ever wish you could have macaroni and cheese with a side of tacos? You can do just that, thanks to a new dual concept fast casual restaurant which opens today at 2911 N. Oakland Ave. (next door to Cheba Hut).
Behind the fast casual concept is KRS Hospitality Group, which operates local venues including Points View Boîte (Walker's Point), Mango’s East Cafe (East Side), Juana Taco and Makk’n’Cheese (Bay View).
Tacos, makks, melts
On the menu, guests will find tacos with fillings that run the gamut from steak and Baja chicken to cajun lobster, blackened fish and birria. Vegetarian options include roasted pepper and avocado and potato. Pricing for tacos is $4-$5 each.
On the macaroni and cheese side, there’s the signature Makk Daddy featuring a special secret blend of cheeses ($8.99) along with creative combinations like Ranchouse (cheddar, mozzarella, grilled chicken, bacon, frizzled onions and ranch, $9.99) and Hot Cheeto Makk (Makk Daddy with crushed hot Cheetos, $10.99).
There are also taco inspired bowls like Elote Makk (sweet corn, cilantro, Tajin, cojita cheese and hot sauce, $10.99) and Birria Makk (pepperjack, slow roasted beef birria, cilantro and onions, $13.99).
Guests will also find melts (creative takes on grilled cheese) including options like Rodger That (cheddar, Swiss and pepper jack, $6.99); Buffalo Makk topped with signature makk, cheddar, bacon and Buffalo sauce ($8.99).
And yes, you can get taco-inspired melts as well including the Baja (cheddar, pepper jack, Baja marinated chicken, black bean corn salsa, caramelized onions and avocado creme, $8.99) and Birria GC Melt (cheddar, Swiss, pepper jack, slow roasted beef birria, cilantro, onions and a side of consomme, $10.99)
KRS Hospitality Group notes that the mission of Makk’n’Cheese East/Juana Taco is “to bring above and beyond great customer service to our diverse customer base all while broadening cultural horizons through cultured recipes, fun, ambiance, food and community.”
Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. Dine-in, carry-out and limited patio seating available.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
