Tavos Offers Impressive Mexican Options

Family owned and run, Tavos delivers creatively designed and carefully prepared dishes to a modest clientele.

by

Let’s Eat!

Upon first stepping into Tavos Signature Cuisine, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d stepped into a front room, with another room tucked away behind a door. But no, what you see is all there is: A single small, intimate space, with just five tables arrayed along the window and the combined bar and front counter. But the size perfectly reflects the kind of place it is. Family owned and run (“Those are my in-laws in the kitchen,” our server told us), Tavos delivers creatively designed and carefully prepared dishes to a modest clientele. If the crowd was larger, the chefs would have to delegate the hands-on work and the dishes would become less distinctive. As it is, a single server can handle the entire space, adding to the familial atmosphere.

When we arrived, we were served an amuse bouche of Molletitos: Thin slices of soft bread topped with refried beans, tomatoes, truffle oil and queso franco. The dish is on the menu as a starter, if you want more—which we did, but ultimately decided not to fill up too soon.

For their space, Tavos offers up an impressive array of drink options. It helps that they keep their focus tight, offering one variety each of gin, rum, bourbon, brandy and vodka compared to six tequilas and eight choices of mezcal. I went for the house margarita and was rewarded with a drink that was smooth without being watered down, refreshing and light, with no hint of margarita-mix sweetness. Now that I’ve established a successful baseline, I look forward to exploring their more inventive recipes on future visits. Options like fresh jalapeno and coriander, rosemary, and spicy habanero make my mouth water, and the idea of an avocado blended margarita or a mole margarita is worth exploring!  (Speaking of mole, Tavos offers two varieties, and if you’re stuck trying to pick between them for your entree, you can order a mole flight with tortilla chips as a starter.)

Unexpected Guacamole

For our appetizer, we had to try the guacamole. Tavos has a pattern of offering a classic version of a dish, then spinning off unexpected variations. Of their three types of guacamole, we opted for the Guacamole Azteca, traditional guac loaded with grilled sweet poblanos and roasted corn. Instead of tortilla chips, it was served with house-made plantain chips. Sturdy and salty-sweet, they had enough physical and flavor heft to lift the loaded guac without issue—and were tasty enough to eat by themselves.

Choosing an entrée was difficult. Friends rave about the Ribeye Steak Tacos and Fish Enchiladas. I’m a personal fan of their Enmoladas, but it seemed fair that I try something new for this review. I opted for the signature House Fish Tacos. The fish is a pan-seared mahi mahi, and its flavor, a middle ground of mild and sweet, paired beautifully with the sauce, an unusual combination of dragon fruit and strawberry. My companion opted for the Traditional Chile Relleno Dinner, and chose corn tortillas to help sop up the savory sauce. It may have been the dishes we chose, but everything was piquant and layered without being overly spicy; if you want something with a mouth burn, ask the server for recommendations. The list of a la carte options goes beyond expected pick-and-choose tacos to also include individual sopes, gorditas, tostadas, enchiladas and enmoladas.  Choices are a bit limited for vegetarians; if your diet includes fish and seafood, however, you’re very well served.

Perfect Desserts

Dessert was churros and ice cream, both made in-house. The churros were perfectly crisp on the outside and soft and tender inside, beautifully arranged with artful smears of raspberry and caramel sauce for dredging. I passed on the house flan with rum sauce, just because I’d had it before and could already vouch for it being first-rate.

A logistical issue cast a pall on the otherwise excellent experience. Menus via QR code instead of printed menus annoy me, but usually that’s just my personal preference; this time it had the added frustration of us being blindsided by a $5 per-person charge for a split check, as the condition wasn’t apparent on the digital menu. Don’t let that stop you from experiencing the exceptional food at Tavos, but I strongly suggest settling the bill between yourselves after the check has been paid! 

Tavos has an outdoor patio space encircled by raised flower beds, but the location at the busy intersection of Hawley and Bluemound means that the cozy and quiet inside seating is preferable. Tavos does not take reservations, so be prepared to be flexible at peak times. If you’re coming with a party of more than four, call ahead. While you won’t be able reserve a table, you’ll be able to gauge how crowded they are.

Tavos Signature Cuisine  

  • 5814 West Bluemound Road
  • (414) 239-8888
  • tavossignaturecuisine.com
  • Appetizers $8-19, Entrees $18-$38; a la carte options $5-$9; desserts $11-$16
  • Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 4–9 p.m.; Closed Mondays