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La Fuente
Rating Details »
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good for:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
18 reviews for La Fuente
i'm actually surprised that people don't care for this place much.
i admit that it's the only mexican place i've been to in milwaukee, so i don't have others to compare.
but i gotta admit that i LOVED this place.
the first thing i thought was "man! for milwaukee, this is actually really good! almost as good as california!" :) seriously, i did think that!
the chips were alright, nothing special, but not bad either.
i recall them being warm, and tasty. not stale.
the salsa i really really liked too.
it wasn't pace or tostito salsa. it was good stuff.
not too hot, but not too mild either. just right.
i ordered a carne asada chimichanga with lettuce, sour cream & guacamole, and it came with mexican rice & refried beans.
the chimichanga was actually pretty small, but very yummy!
the steak was flavorful.
i was not disappointed in the slightest!
service was good.
the waiter was super friendly.
i would definitely go there again.
but i would also like to try other mexican places in milwaukee and see how they compare to this one.
The place is huge, service is fast and friendly, there's a great outdoor patio and works really well as a meeting place for big groups at the beginning of a night out -- which is how I end up here over and over, and will probably continue to.
But fact is, the food and drink here just aren't that good. The warm chips are nice, but the salsa is just bland. The margaritas tend to be mix and artificial lime juice heavy, and just aren't that good. Over time, I've tried burritos, enchiladas AND fajitas here, and they are all generally inauthentic, lacking in flavour, and drowned in cheese.
Still, go here if you're in the mood for a pitcher of margaritas and a big group bender, but you're better off elsewhere if you actually want a good meal.
Hmmm...well all I have to say is that the margaritas were delicioso!!! That and the chips and salsa. Went there with 5 girlfriends, and after finishing off our own chip basket and salsas we finally had dinner. Some had chimichangas, veggie fajitas and I had the combo fajitas. The food smelled good but I gotta say, margaritas, chips and salsa is where it's at!
One of the best patios in the city. Food and service are acceptable. This is my outdoor Mexican restaurant until I find a better patio.
Since this is a good meeting place with a nice outdoor seating area, friends always want to meet here. The margaritas are good so I don't mind hanging out at the bar. There is no denying that. But the food is so tasteless. They serve something called chunky beef that looks like Alpo dog food. Good Mexican food does not have to be hot, but it should have enough spice to be tasty. This stuff is boring. I don't understand how it gets such high marks when it is below average.
If you find a stronger margarita, I'll buy it for you. Tasty and cold! We ventured here during a bachelor party. I would say the food was just "OK", but the service was good and drinks flowed without fail.
The Third Ward of Milwaukee is an energized Hispanic influenced version of SoHo in NY. Regulars to this scene are young, eclectic and out-going. La Fuente has a strong-hold in the neighborhood based on the sheer size of the place. It's multi-level, multi-room interior offers plenty of space to bring a group or take a date. Better yet, the sprawling outdoor patio adjacent to the building puts La Fuente at the top of summertime party spots...especially considering it's proximity to the festival grounds that host Summerfest and dozens of ethnic gatherings all season long.
Criticism must be dealt out against the food being served. For an 'authentic' establishment, this Mexican food is nothing special. I can recall having better grub at the now extinct Chi-Chi's chain. Instead, throw a fiesta at La Fuente geared around margaritas and Coronas and supplement your drinking with some chips and salsa. The rest of the menu really isn't worth your time.
I had a good amount of disdain for La Fuente for years. Besides taking business from better local Mexican joints in the surrounding area, I remembered their food only being okay. On a recent trip back to Milwaukee, I went there again (because it's my brother's favorite restaurant, and he was the guy I was lunching with).
So. I had to withdraw some disdain. We went for lunch on a sunny, warm weekend afternoon (and sat out on the patio). It was marginally busy, but the service was still prompt and friendly. We were served the perfunctory tortilla chips and salsa. HOLY MOTHER OF GOD. The salsa was incredible. I'm not usually too much for salsa, but this was really something special. If they make it there, they should really bottle it and sell it on the black market. The food paled in comparison to the salsa. Not that the food wasn't alright. I had Huevos Rancheros, and they were acceptably tasty.
Still, it's a huge place that feels like the Walmart of Mexican restaurants. And their table decor leaves something to be desired.
The only reason to go to this place is the Margarita's and if you don't like Margarita's, there literally is no point. I can get better tortilla chips and fresher salsa at El Rey anyday. It's over crowded, they shove people in there like they are tetrus blocks. The food is so mediocre, it doesn't warrant the energy to type about it. And yet, this place is always packed. I just don't get it. I have noticed since they have become a Milwaukee "institution" the attitude of the staff has taken on an arrogant "we don't need to please anymore" quality about it. There are so many places in Milwaukee to get Mexican food that would love your business and a chance to please, I say give your business to them and bypass this La Fuente. They are truly the "Paris Hilton" of the Mexican dining scene in Milwaukee, they are only around because their ill gotten reputation preceeds them.
This place has the best margaritas and the food is pretty good. For hanging out with friends and getting drinks, this place is great. Only thing I don't like is that they don't accept reservations.
The best Mexican place in Milwaukee!! I'm shocked there aren't as many five star reviews. Their rainbow margaritas are heaven on earth. I barely drink usually, but I'll always have one of those. The food is great and comes really fast. The chips and salsa are awesome too - an important aspect of any Mexican restaurant worth its salt. The restaurant is huge with a massive outdoor patio and two floors of seating. It can get really crowded on weekends but the abundance of seating helps keep things moving. I wish they took reservations, but even if you have to wait, you can get rocked on margaritas while you do!
I thought the food was tasty and the service was great, but the decor and ambiance left little to the imagination. I thought the place was dimly lit and the decorations were way too gaudy. I am looking forward to coming back during the summer when the patio is open.
I had kind of forgotten about La Fuente since I had given up a few years back after getting tired of waiting 45 minutes for average Mexican food. Today I tried again, this time for lunch which was much better timing for seating (place was empty when we arrived at 11:30).
In the light of day and emptiness you see how gross this place is. Kind of musty, dirty carpet, odd plastic table coverings. I guess in my night time visits and the big crowds I didn't really notice the ambiance (which is quite lacking).
Salsa is pretty good, a bit on the hot side. Chips are big and not too salty. Decent. Us girls all got taco salads which did the job, kind of light, not too greasy all the cooked stuff at the bottom (mine was the vegetarian mix which was kind of greasy mushrooms, peppers, onions along with a scoop of black beans).
Menu was big yet not very exciting. Props for having a little vegetarian section which is nice to find at Mexican joints. I'm pretty easy to please once I have good chips/salsa and a margarata (patron is preferred and they have it) so I'd go back on a rare ocassion if there isn't a wait for a table...
La Fuente is a fun Milwaukee spot where you will receive the kind of bland Mexican food expected in a city like Milwaukee in a great location with killer Margaritas. My advice - come for the Margaritas, pass on the food.
The patio is great, but there is MUCH better Mexican food to be found in Milwaukee, whether you are looking for tacos (Los Comales), a parillada (Jalisco's), mole (Cempazuchi or Rey Sol) or just about anything good at Taqueria Azteca.
The latter three restaurants all serve great margaritas, and Azteca and Cempazuchi have small, but nice patios. Other than the margaritas, the seen and be seen crowd seems to be the draw for many people dining at La Fuente, but its place among Milwaukee's spots for finer Mexican cuisine is shaky at best.
I like this place for the outdoor patio.
Outside of that I don't visit in the Winter. I HATE the look inside this place. Dark, dank, and unappetizing.
Food is OK. Drinks are the bomb!
Overall Review 6 of 10
This restaurant has one of the best patio's in all of Milwaukee. It is down in the 5th ward, and has quick service which makes up for the very average Mexican food. We always have a good time here, and the price is right.
What We Had 5 of 10
Mexican food anywhere outside of Baja California is just difficult for me. The food here is just like any of the other sit down restaurants in Milwaukee. We are happy with the quality overall, but it is just very standard.
Atmosphere 8 of 10
This is the absolute best patio in the in the city. It is wonderful to sit out there with friends on a Sunday afternoon. I definitely recommend it, if only for that.
Overrated. Crowded. Too long of a wait. La Fuentes run with greatness ended years ago when other mexican eateries moved in.
I like La fuente, but ONLY in the summer! I love sitting outside on their patio for lunch and enjoying some good mexican food! Im not too impressed by the inside of this place, so I stick to visiting this place in the summer!Their chips and salsa are very good, and so is the guacamole! Also had the enchiladas, yumm. Margaritas are always strong, but thats a good thing!
