Belair Cantina in Milwaukee is a Local Favorite [REVIEW]

Belair Cantina 

2625 N. Downer Avenue 

Milwaukee, WI, 53211 

414-964-1190 

Weekdays 11AM- Bar Close 

Weekends 10AM- Bar Close 

Mexican 

$3.00-$19.00 

Attire: CASUAL 

Reservations: NO 

Payment: CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED, CASH 

 
Rating system: ☆☆☆☆☆ 

Service: ★★★★★ 

Setting: ★★★★★ 

Food:     ★★★★☆ 

Value:   ★★★★★ 

Overall: ★★★★☆ 

Why do local Milwaukeeans look forward to Tuesdays and Thursdays? Three words: Two-dollar-tacos. Belair Cantina is a Milwaukee-based Mexican restaurant with six satellite locations in the greater Milwaukee and Madison areas. After the opening of its first location in 2010 on Water St., Belair’s popularity among the community led to expansions in Oak Creek, Brookfield, Wauwatosa and the most recent debut in downtown Madison, according to The Milwaukee Business Journal.  

With flavors reminiscent of southern California and the color pallet to match, Belair’s fresh Mexican cuisine is distinguishable from the rest and has gained a well-deserved reputation throughout the city. While known for its tacos, the menu also features a diverse array of dishes including burritos bowls, soups and salads, desserts, brunches and an exciting assortment of fruity drinks. Belair’s menu is thrilling in design and in food options. The flavor combinations like the Rainbow Roots and the Journey House Taco are creative and rotate semi-annually to introduce fresh tastes to the menu.  

Belair introduced a new set of menu changes earlier this month aligning fresh flavors with the start of the warmer months. The new menu includes some daring new ideas like the Karate Kid, a taco topped with fried grasshoppers, which is a perfect addition for Milwaukee’s diverse and adventurous foodies.   

My roommates and I were particularly intrigued by the installment of bug-themed tacos to the menu and decided to try for ourselves at the Downer location. Unfortunately, busy college schedules didn’t allow us to reap the benefits of two-dollar-tacos, so full-priced Mondays had to do. Even for students on a budget, the food was reasonably priced, and the à la carte style menu made overspending easy to avoid. Most Milwaukee residents have been to Belair at least once during their time in the city or are at least familiar with the name or bull-shaped logo. Having eaten there before, the changes in the menu are always incentives to return when looking for a fresh and adventurous dinner. While switching up the flavors, I like to keep my order to the three-dollar taco dinner combination.  

The initial motivator of the dinner was the Karate Kid taco with tempura-fried grasshoppers, microgreens, arbol salsa, guacamole and pico de gallo ($4.15). Any incorporation of insects into a meal is a risk, but Belair approaches cuisine with a flair of assurance. A few bugs won’t hurt, right? We asked our server, Jack, if he had tried the tacos. He said he hadn’t, but he did pop a ‘hopper in his mouth; recommending the smoky taste. The taco was indeed smoky in flavor and the fried grasshoppers added a crunchy texture that was balanced by the softer layers of guac and pico. I’ve never particularly been drawn to smoky flavors, so the overall taste of the dish wasn’t my favorite but not unpleasant. The textures were exciting, and I think that was the main appeal of the dish.  

The second taco was the Pollo Verde with pulled chicken breast, salsa verde, queso cotijo, onions and cilatro ($3.28). This dish was lacking severely in color and looked a little dry with the white meat and green dressing. But what was lacking in color was made up for in flavor. The salsa verde was tart and tangy and worked well with the chicken and queso. I am one of the lucky ones who enjoys the fresh taste of cilantro, so the garnish added a familiar summery flavor. This taco, along with the others, was served on a warm corn tortilla and even as leftovers it kept its fresh taste.  

The Barbacoa was a taco I had heard recommendations about as it is comprised of shredded beef slow cooked and marinated in Modelo, orange soda and Coca-Cola, raw onions and cilantro ($3.99). The flavors in this were very exciting. However, the shredded beef was dense and lacking in vegetable crunch, and the marinade soaked through the tortilla quickly. It might have been the expectation for flavor, but this taco was only slightly disappointing in presence and in flavor. Perhaps a crunchy insect feature would have done the trick.  

Not only did Belair amp up their menu, but also their dishware. Now, rather than serving each person’s food all piled on one colorful plate, each meal comes on a larger, neutral-toned plate with the rice and beans as a separate side dish. At first, I considered the environmental concerns of washing additional dishes, but I came to realize the luxury of being able to comfortably dissect each dish on the larger plates. The Downer location always has a pleasant mix of server staff who are open to discussion on staff favorites and are concerned with customer satisfaction. The atmosphere is colorful, lively and clean which makes for a perfect environment for a group night out. The complementary chip basket and three signature salsas are a special twist on the classic Mexican restaurant experience. One can never mistake Belair’s salsa flavors with anything canned from the store.  

Milwaukee is diverse in flavors and cuisines, especially in the South side’s expansive selection of local Mexican diners, groceries, and food trucks. The East Side reflects the city’s diverse population and, with Belair in two locations in the area, the food and atmosphere of the restaurant makes for a worthwhile experience. Other Mexican restaurants in the area are less recognized for their originality compared to Belair. With more average flavors and food options ranging from tacos to enchiladas to fajitas, the dishes more or less all look the same; a fried, meaty dish served on the same hot plate as some warm rice and refried beans. Belair gives you the option of refried or whole beans and corn or flour tortillas. Other restaurants in the area are less flexible with the personalization of the meals and only allow a more stringent selection of sides or substitutions. Belair on Downer has a very clean feel in the layout of the restaurant, with bright lighting and contemporary music. Other restaurants are more dimly lit and usually have Mexican or Latin music playing to accompany the atmosphere. That is a feature I think is important to the restaurant’s management and any background music adds a positive effect.  

Belair is a community favorite, and for good reason. The recent menu changes are worth experimenting with and will make for a fun outing for the adventurous flavor-seekers, no matter the budget. The food is fresh, exciting and leaves you feeling energetic and nourished, rather than weighted down by grease. Fresh food is worth paying for, and Belair applies this idea fairly in value.  

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