There’s no shortage of Mexican restaurants in the Milwaukee area, many of them well-known favorites. Sometimes, though, you’ll discover a gem you didn’t even know should be on your list of go-to places.
Luna’s Mexican Restaurant is one such gem. The owners changed the name from Swayz last October to honor their grandparents who ran a popular Mexican place years ago called Luna’s Texas Restaurant. They share some of the family recipes. Located on an unassuming corner in St. Francis, you could almost miss Luna’s when driving by. Don’t let the exterior Milwaukee tavern vibe throw you off. Inside, you’ll find a cozy dining room with a small bar and several comfortable tables, and unobtrusive Mexican music playing in the background.
Service was fast and friendly. It didn’t seem but a few minutes had passed before our server welcomed us with a sunny smile and a basket full of delightfully crisp tortilla chips with tasty salsa. Yes, most Mexican restaurants make fresh chips, but these were remarkable as they were delicate, lightly seasoned and so fresh that they were obviously still warm from the fryer. They’re so good, in fact, it’d almost be worth a trip to Luna’s just for the chips.
Luna’s offers all of the Mexican dishes you’d expect to see: tacos, quesadillas, fajitas, tostadas, chimichangas and burritos. But, like the excellent chips, it’s the little details that sets them apart. Luna’s isn’t trying to challenge their diners with unexpected gourmet creations. Instead, they’re successfully putting out good, solid Mexican comfort food, which often is just what diners are looking for. Standouts like grilled shrimp tacos ($10.95)—a choice of flour or corn tortillas filled with grilled shrimp, cabbage, onions and tomatoes and topped with a creamy chipotle sauce—will truly make you wish you could eat even more than the three generously stuffed tacos included. If seafood isn’t your thing, choose the chunky beef as a meat choice; it’s incredibly tender and makes an excellent filling for the humongous burritos ($10.50) or perhaps for the lightly fried and not-too-greasy chimichangas ($10.75).
Photo credit: Shane Potter
All dinners come with the ubiquitous Mexican rice and beans, but like some of those other surprising Luna’s touches, they are quite good. It might have been nice to have an option for black beans, but the pinto beans were tasty enough for it to not really matter. And certainly any Mexican restaurant worth its salt has a good margarita, and Luna’s is no exception. The house margarita ($5.95) is a properly refreshing accompaniment to food with a spicy kick to it. Or, if you prefer flavored margaritas ($6.50), they’re available in coconut, cilantro, cucumber, jalapeño, mango, peach, rainbow, raspberry and strawberry flavors.
