Catrina Café’s Wealth of Mexican-Milwaukee Choices

Catrina opened on the north end of Walker's Point in 2024 and obviously hit the bullseye.

by

Let’s Eat!

Ducking through the doors of Catrina Café on a winter day can be a little bit like stepping through a magic portal—the contrast between the frigid January weather in Milwaukee and the warm, boisterous atmosphere of a Mexican cantina is startling in all the best ways. The restaurant's Mexican-Milwaukee fusion is immediately reflected in the long bar, high ceilings, exposed Cream City brick, dark wood tables with wooden chairs and leather banquette seating. Catrina opened on the north end of Walker's Point in 2024 and obviously hit the bullseye. It started as a brunch spot inside the existing Snifters Tapas & Spirits but had taken over the property by the end of the year; the owners are teasing a second location to open in Bayview in 2026.

My biggest hurdle turned out to be the breadth of the menu. Indecisive about my meals at the best of times, I was faced with a wealth of choices that all sounded fantastic, all at reasonable prices, including plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free options. At one point I considered just closing my eyes and pointing at something. While I dithered, the first order of business was cocktails. Catrina Café has a lovely variety of house margaritas, mojitos, micheladas and sangria plus an array of cocktails centering on tequila (cazadores, reposado and plato), mezcal and rum. My Cielo Rojo, a strawberry-lime concoction with mezcal and Cointreau, was refreshing and dangerously smooth.  I could happily have ordered and reordered again if my companions and I were planning on whiling away an afternoon.

For my meal, I finally settled on the Torta Chilaquil, a massive sandwich that hit the breakfast/lunch crossover point. Stuffed with eggs (I followed the chef's suggestion and ordered them over medium), onion, avocado, cheese and double salsa (both red and green), the sandwich comes with a choice of breaded chicken or steak. I put myself in the hands of our server and had the steak. The softness of the roll and the messiness and sheer volume of the savory fillings meant this was a knife-and-fork sandwich rather than a pick-up-and-eat sandwich, but I had no complaints. It was large enough that I saved half for my next day's lunch. As if my sandwich wasn't enough, I traded up the included side of potatoes for the Catrina Baby Reds. The sizzling pan of roasted potatoes came topped with a delectable pastor—thinly sliced pork marinated in chilies, rich spices and pineapple—peppers, spinach and a creamy mix of cheeses.

Breakfast, Brunch and Dinner

Others at the table ordered the Huevos Rancheros (fresh, delicious, and well suited for those who like a milder level of spice) and the Enfrijoladas (tortillas stuffed with eggs and chorizo and smothered in a creamy black bean sauce and topped with roasted poblano peppers, avocado and more chorizo). I got to taste a bit of everything and discovered that a close-my-eyes-and-point method of choosing a meal wouldn't have steered me wrong. Service throughout was excellent—friendly, helpful and efficient.

The breakfast/brunch menu switches over to the dinner list at 4 p.m., with some overlap in dishes but a strong emphasis on seafood. I already have my eye on the aguacate relleno, two ripe avocado halves stuffed with the house ceviche, but it may take me another extended stretch of time to choose from the extensive list of fresh seafood entrees.

Catrina Café also does catering and their basement-level event space can host parties up to 70 people. The patio in the back is an inviting place for a happy hour or a summer meetup—when the weather turns fair, I'm planning on returning with friends, ordering a few of those cocktails, and whiling away an afternoon.

Catrina Cafe

  • 606 S. Fifth Street, (414) 249-3770, catrinacafemke.com
  • Hours: Open every day 8:00 a.m.–9:00 pm. Breakfast/lunch served until 4 pm.
  • Breakfast/Brunch: $9–$25
  • Cocktails: $7–$13
  • Dinner: $15.99–$28.99