It's been years since I've eaten at Bel Aire, but since I was visiting friends who live on that side of town, I figured, why not stop in for some good tacos? We walked in and were a little surprised by how empty the restaurant was around noon, but that meant we had our pick of tables. We got settled in, and our waitress dropped off the menus. I was happy to see that my favorite tacos were still on the menu! We ordered our drinks and caught up while we waited. When the waitress brought our drinks, I started wondering where the chips and salsa were. Then I noticed on the menu that they have to be ordered separately. I understand prices have gone up, but to me, chips and salsa at a Mexican restaurant should be complimentary. That's just part of the experience! We ordered the three salsas, and thankfully, they tasted just as I remembered. All three had great flavor and were a nice way to start the meal. For my meal, I ordered the shrimp taco and the pollo verde taco, both on flour tortillas, along with a side of rice. When the tacos arrived, they were flavorful and definitely brought a smile to my face. It was nice coming back after all these years and finding that the tacos were still just as enjoyable as I remembered. Sometimes it's worth going back to an old favorite! read more

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Street parking, we went on a late weekday afternoon & didn't pay a meter The patio is a walk from the inside dining Staff super professional & hospitable Patio seatings right by the river & so much greenery shrubbery it truly is a vibe They had a special , mystery shot / unknown liquor & i partook! $5 mezcal shot Fish tacos, chicken tacos, vegan tacos, shrimp tostada salad , table chips & salsa, everything was yummy yummy Rice & black beans accompaniments yummers Will recommend for sure & return next time I'm in town ! read more

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It was quick and easy and tasty. There were lots of good vegetarian options and a vegan option but I'm sure I could have made some more vegan. The chips, salsa, guacamole and rice as well as one of the beans is vegan and labeled as such. So they are very easy to order from. The atmosphere was relaxed and casual and the drink was also really good. It was my birthday so they gave a warm churros and whipped cream on the house. My friends also enjoyed their meat tacos. A little pricey but at least quality and if you order three tacos you get rice and beans for free. read more

BelAir Cantina - Tacos! - Mexican Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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We had a large party for dinner on a weekday and reserved the downstairs room. Service was dodgy, there were a few forgotten orders, understandably in the chaos of a large party, but every time we reminded them, we were met with a "it's on its way" though "it" never arrived. Food-wise, we really enjoyed the apps. The trio of salsas, guacamole, queso blanco, elote and the thin crispy chips. We filled up a lot on them! The veggie tamale was good and the chili sauce with it was spicyyy. The tacos (shrimp, swordfish) were ok, nothing great. I would not order them again. The highlight of the night was my sweet tart margarita. Strong, flavorful, and perfect to sip on throughout the dinner. read more

BelAir Cantina - Sweet tart margarita - Mexican Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

As we walked into the restaurant we were seated within a couple of minutes. Very cute vibe inside just slightly cold. Chips and salsa were presented to us and tasted pretty good. Ordered our tacos a couple minutes later and came out within 15 minutes. Definitely order 1 less taco than you think you will eat they are very filling. They were delicious especially paired with salsa. Would come back read more

There aren't a lot of good dinner choices within walking distance of Boswell Books, this might be your best choice. They serve dishes inspired by Mexican food, at a significant markup over authentic Mexican cuisine. The servers do not speak Spanish. If you're looking for authentic Mexican food, head to one run by a Mexican family like Guadalajara on the South Side. If you drove to Boswell Books then you don't want to lose your parking spot without making full use of the neighborhood so you should come here and try the shrimp tacos, but I want you to be clear on what to expect, this is not actual Mexican cuisine. And, to be fair, they don't purport to be, there's no cultural appropriation here. Attractive décor. read more

Our waiter was great! He was freaky fast. We had a big group and had us sit in the back of the restaurant indoors. I like that they have free rice and beans when you order three or more tacos ! And they have $3 taco deal on Tuesday and Thursdays. They also have a beer deal so take that deal when you can! Ambience wise it's a place to chat loud, if you're with a group you can focus on your neighbor and don't worry about hearing your friend across the table. Their restrooms , at least for the female bathroom they have a Spanish tutorial audio going on, in contrast to the restaurant which plays music. They were playing good vibes only music. If you come here on a typical dinner Time on a $3 taco night, get there early to reserve and wait for your table. Drinks are great, I love their horchata! Tacos are great!!! Try them all! read more

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Food was good. I had shrimp tacos and thought they were delicious. Our whole table liked their food. Service was good. It's what you want at a Mexican restaurant. Chips were replenished quickly and the drinks were replaced when empty. Our servers were friendly. We ate out on the back patio. The weather was perfect for an evening dinner. Only downside- a homeless man entered in through the back and went from table to table asking for $. They couldn't have stopped him at that moment. Might want to invest in a back fence. read more

I've been here twice with my most recent visit on Sunday 2/25/24 around 7pm (which this review will be focused on). The restaurant wasn't packed, and we received great service (I wish I had caught our waiter's name, he was great!), and our appetizers, drinks, and food came out at a respectable time. I highly recommend getting the chips and salsa (comes with 3 types, all not too spicy). My group got a couple of tacos (great selection), birria burrito, and the carne asada burrito. The burritos were HUGE and could've fed 2 people. Since it was $5 margs happy hour, we all got a round and all of our flavors were great (watermelon, regular, and raspberry). I'd recommend looking up their latest deals since they're pretty budget-friendly. I highly recommend coming here and can't wait to come back! read more

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This was my first time at the Water Street location. I've been to the Tosa one plenty of times. We came a little later in the evening around 8ish and there was a wait for a table so we asked to wait and just grab a drink at the bar while waiting on a table since there wasn't enough seating for us at the bar. Great service at the bar, speedy, well made margaritas. Our table was ready in about 15 minutes - we were seated and handed menus. After about 8-10 minutes we still had no server (or chips and salsa!) We caught the hostess when she walked by and asked if we could get waters, chips and our orders placed - she said she would get our server and get chips for us. Well she got chips for another table that just sat down and still nothing for our table. Several minutes later to the point where we almost walked out our server came over and we instantly ordered and asked for water, chips and salsa. I understand that we already had drinks but that was the only thing we had at that point. I was the only one with water left in my water cup the other two finished theirs. The food was really good- we had to ask a third time for the salsa as our guacamole came out with chips so they weren't planning on bringing us the salsa... it was a bit embarrassing because we were really talking up Bel Air to our new friend who is new to WI/MKE and had yet to try Bel Air. We told her it definitely was a one off hence a 3 star review still. The food of course was good. Just not great service that evening. read more

BelAir Cantina - Menu Strawberry Mango Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Molly D. Was amazing! First time - NOT the last time. The jalapeño popper taco was unreal. $5 margs?! Say less! Wonderful service, great food, can't wait to be hungry & come back! read more

BelAir Cantina - Burris taco/jalapeño popper taco - Mexican Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Came here for a quick bite/take out to hold me up before dinner. I ordered an order of guac and the Asian beef taco, and blueberry lemonade. - Guac **** actually has jalapeños even though the server said that it didn't - so watch out if you're not a fan. Otherwise, guac was fresh and they do throw in raffish and a bit of tomatoes on the top for presentation. - the Asian beef taco **** was a bit tasty with big chunks of meat. It went well with my guac - the blueberry lemonade was on the more sour end - *** This is a casual spot with plenty of seating inside and it is nice and cool if you're looking to stay out of the heat during the summer. Service: staff was helpful, but while there wasn't anyone in te restaurant except another table, food came out pretty slow. read more

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Stopped into Bel Air for lunch today for some drinks and shareable. We started with frozen margaritas (El CHEAPO) I got mine with mango and it was perfect for a hot day. We also ordered the Tin Can Nachos to split along with some tacos. Our server was great and the food and drinks were out really quickly! We ordered another round and tried a ranch water and the seasonal strawberry basil margarita. I love that their drinks are not super sweet. They're fresh with real lime juice instead of sour mix which is perfect! Not too busy. They also have an outdoor patio we didn't sit at because it was hot but also a great option. Perfect weekend lunch spot and will definitely walk over again! read more

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This place has a certain vibe of freshness and energy to it. It's very inviting. Very clean. The decor is spot on. Our server was knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful with the menu. The blueberry lemon Agua Fresca was so good. It was delightfully refreshing. It pops with all different flavors and sings "welcome to Spring!" it is a bit expensive, but in someways it's a drink worth getting. My wife will usually just eat half of her meal, but her Baja cobb salad managed to disappear from the plate. My burrito was certainly a belly filler. Full of flavor. The Korean beef added both sweetness and spice to every bite. I thoroughly enjoyed eating this meal. We shared a churro dessert, but could've easily finished off individual servings. The churros were perfect, lightly crunchy on the outside and warm and chewy on the inside. Perfectly covered with cinnamon and sugar. If this place everhas an "endless churro day" they're going to be in trouble. Overall, this made our day trip to Milwaukee a pleasure and very enjoyable. It was a bright sunny day. Lots of people around. We could people-watch from our window seat. We are from Madison and I found there is a restaurant here. We are definitely going to check it out. read more

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Bel air is not it. I thought maybe being drunk would make me not care about the taste of tacos but even being wasted can't make these taste good read more

BelAir..... long time customer and I'll just say it on behalf of the whole world - we miss $2 tacos. I even could get behind the tiered tacos (when it was $2-4 range depending what you got), but the fact that its $3 tacos just seems silly. The only perk of this $ increase is my husband did point out the tacos seemed bigger than previous orders we've had. Food was good, service was also good. read more

BelAir Cantina - Mexican Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

August 23rd, Saturday. It's 5:13 PM I arrive at the Humboldt Park event and I can feel the rumble of my stomach. It's a churning that cannot be described with words. Pain? I persevere. And then I see it. The glowing tent of my favorite taco joint: Bel Air Cantina. I am unsure what will satisfy my cravings until I see it: the walking taco. Second grade memories come rushing back and I can hear the call of my second grade teacher calling us in for recess. A wave of nostalgia passes over my body. I'm buzzing with excitement (and hunger) as I take my place in line. I can't wipe the smile off my face as I order from the nice lady. She seems excited for me. Lo and behold, it arrives (3 minutes for 46 seconds later). I am suddenly struck with astonishment and slight confusement (it's a word) when I appear into the bag. Where are my Fritos I remember so fondly? No no no... these are far too orange.... Are they? Doritos!?? One bite, two bites, three bites....the fourth bite. I still am unsure what's happening and my gut is telling me things I cannot comprehend. I miss the salt of my childhood Frito treat, like an undeniable ocean breeze. You know, the kind that moves you. I miss the sweet corn that reminds me that yes, I am just kid from the Midwest after all. The point of my review is not to complain, but take us back to our second grade roots and satisfy the taste buds we all remember so fondly. Fritos are the true origin of a walking taco and despite the attempt at altering my second grade experience, it did not work and quite frankly traumatized me. I don't know what to do with these feelings. I'm left feeling lost and feeling unknown, which is the worst feeling of them all. I remember when Abel Air Cantina made me feel seen. I digress. I conclude the review with also a recommendation, the magical coalition of bee colonies. A local Milwaukee group! Despite my altered second memory of my favorite dish, the music whisked me away into a fantastical bliss. Indeed, my mind and body were wiped from my walking taco catastrophe and became one source once again. God bless read more

Delicious food. Friendly staff. Table was clean. Being from the southwest I am very picky about Mexican food, I will definitely be back.

Just stick to the appetizers and a drink or two. I got the slushee drink which was good along with guac and salsa pairing but I wouldn't order a whole meal due to not being authentic Mexican quality that you can have at another spot. read more

food was awesome, waitress... not so much ate at the corners location and had a couple of drinks, apps, and tacos. no complaints whatsoever with the food. our service was as mid as you can get. Our waitress came back three separate times on the front end of ordering because she kept forgetting what margarita they were out of. on top of that, she spoke at the lowest possible volume imaginable- like a wee little mouse. SAY IT WITH YOUR CHEST. After that, realized that she forgot to put in our full taco order, and had to come back multiple times with the last fragments of our order. it was my wife and I's first lunch in forever, and we were both under welcomed with the wait staffs lack of interest in even being there. Be better. read more

I've been coming to BelAir since 2016, and the charm remains. The prices have increased and taco Tuesdays aren't the same, but it is still such a cute place worth stopping into once and awhile. During my recent trip I brought my new to Milwaukee roommate and was reminded what it is like to visit belAir for the first time. She was infatuated with the cute design throughout the restaurant and loved the tacos, she gave the experience a 10/10. Honestly I had forgotten how good the queso fundido was. I remember my first time visiting Milwaukee before I had moved, I met up with a friend and she said you must go to belAir and get the queso, and we did and I assumed once I moved here I would eat this everyday of my life. Unfortunately, my wallet made me forget how good the queso was, and this was my first time ordering it since 2016. It was mind blowing. I will now be eating it everyday for the rest of my life. Spend the $6 and get the queso next time you stop in. There are so many good taco options, but I personally am a burrito girlie. I ordered the shrimp burrito, but subbed the shrimp out for pulled pork (I know I'm weird). The mix of the coleslaw and corn Kim the burrito was to die for, and I had enough food for leftovers the following day. During covid they started charging $1 for the salsa. Never even think about it, this is the best dollar you will be spending. The orange salsa is my favorite salsa at any Mexican restaurant, but the brown takes a close second. If you are looking for an authentic Mexican restaurant, definitely go somewhere else. But If you want funky fun food with a cute atmosphere, this is the spot. And in the summer, definitely sit on the patio that overlooks the Milwaukee river! read more

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My go-to for tacos and a marg (or several) on the Lower East Side Maddie is the best!!

I'm used to visiting this Bel Air in person, but I thought it was actual going to storm (nope) and got delivery. I tend to stick to the same tacos as a vegetarian. I ordered the three tacos with rice and black beans. As always, delicious. Since I'm veg, I can't speak to the meat dishes, but the veggie ones are consistently good. My food arrived on time and warm. I like the containers they use since they keep everything in its place. The delivery person called and texted me to let me know my food was in the lobby. Very nice! read more

BelAir Cantina - 3 (veg) taco, rice, and beans plate - Mexican Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Things started out on the wrong foot. We waited at our table for 15 minutes before any staff noticed us. no water, no chips, no nothing. When our food eventually came out it was basic. read more

Today, I really wanted a burrito, so naturally I went to BelAir knowing they have amazing food and amazing staff. Until I met MATTHEW, this man was SO rude to me when I asked a very simple question. The tone in his voice and the way he glanced at me made me feel like a burden in his life. But, with Dane helping me with my order, he made me feel SO welcome and SO excited that I was a customer at this location. To be honest, Dane made my bad day go away. Not to mention the food was amazing! read more

BelAir Cantina - CARNE ASADA - Mexican Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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I've never felt the need to leave a yelp review before, but the carne asada burrito is the greatest thing I've ever experienced in my life. Almost makes me wish i lived in Milwaukee (incredibly impressive) read more

Love enjoying the back patio next to the river! Service was good and I was seated immediately on a taco Tuesday. I had the lime margarita on the rocks. It was strong but good! I had a corn and black bean taco, shrimp taco, steak taco, and black beans with rice. It was the perfect mean to eat on a sunny evening! read more

BelAir Cantina - Chips and salsa - Mexican Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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I can always count on BelAir Cantina. The food is always very good and I can get good food and isn't too expensive. The staff is very hands off and they just come and go. They are nice but the place has a harsh modern while also mexican. It's a nice place and I don't want to hate on it I just find other locations of this same resturant to be better. Everything else is great about this resturant and the other BelAir Cantina's this one just feels souless. I like resturants to make me feel somthing like amazed by the looks or calm. read more

My husband and I had brunch there recently. The churros were really good. Our waitress Rachel was very attentive and knowledgeable.

First time I'd ever been to this Bel Air location and a much better experience than the others! Rachel is hands down the best bel air server I've ever had. She's funny and kind and made sure we had everything we needed. That girl is the real deal. read more

Great service! Our waitress was wonderful and very helpful when explaining how great the food was! We got nachos and they were pretty good with a good amount of toppings! The salsa was all pretty good, although I don't love spice. The guacamole had some good bites but a little too much lime for me. Would be back to try the tacos for sure! read more

BelAir Cantina - Cantina Nachos add carne - Mexican Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Slipped since last time we were here. Ordered specialty cheese curds for $12 and got 6 (six) of them. Tacos were just ok and chicken burrito was mostly rice. Margs were actually solid but took a while... still waiting on those waters. Wasn't very busy but took a long time. Probably going to go elsewhere next time read more

After hearing mixed reviews, finally got to try out Bel Air. I was a fan and would bc I back again. Ambiance: 5/5 Great service and lovely atmosphere. Food: 4/5 The Guacamole was among the best I've ever had. I had two of the Vegetarian Tacos (Soyrizo and Black Bean/Corn). Both were super yummy but nothing majorly standout. Beans and rice were delicious though. Drinks: 5/5 Ranch water was great. Loved the serving in the Topo Chico glass. read more

Very nice taco / Mexican place on the north side of Milwaukee. Neighborhood place with a college town vibe. Nothing fancy. Very interesting combinations and something's i'd not seen before. Very reasonable and great service. read more

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Had a quick Cinco de Mayo lunch with a friend. The food was delicious, drinks were perfect, and our server Rachel took great care of us. We will be back! read more

Food is affordable and good! Service is great and it's not too packed when I go. I recommend the quesabirria; it's huge.

Great atmosphere! Sat at the bar and for a couple of jalapeño cucumber margaritas and the quesaburria... delicious! Paige and Shelby were great and very attentive! Can't wait to come back! read more

We love coming to Bel Air ! Great staff, speedy service and delicious food! I had the Gringo - which is typical taco ingredients (beef, cheese, sour cream) but still better than I get anywhere else! (The hard shell seems to be homemade). I also like that you can pick the number of tacos you get. I appreciate the nice presentation of the dish read more

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Come for the margaritas. Trust me. The house margs are yummy. This location is smaller and maybe hipper than the other locales given its prox to uwm and msoe. Sit outside and take in the scenic river view. Four instead of five stars due to the understaffed Friday night. But boy did our server hustle trying to handle all the outside tables by himself. read more

BelAir Cantina - Mexican Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I have been to BelAir multiple times where my experience has been great. This last time, it was not up to par. I went to dinner on a Friday night- around 8:00. The restaurant was full but there was no wait for our party of 5. Our group was seated immediately and we're greeted by our waitress about 15 minutes after we were seated. Within the 15 minutes our group decided on a margarita pitcher on the rocks and an order of chips and salsa. While we were enjoying conversation a table was seated next to us. They had the same idea as us and ordered a margarita + an app. They were greeted immediately, placed their order, received their order well before we received ours. When our waitress did return we were ready to order dinner. We each ordered tacos (I had the tilapia diablo & black bean and corn- both were very good!). At this time we ordered more chips and another pitcher. Our waitress came back with a blended margarita and no chips. She scurried away and we did not see her for a while, so we went to the bar and the bartender quickly remedied the mistake. The service was a little frustrating as we had to ask for chips multiple times, we rarely saw our waitress, the wait for refills and food was long and we were given the wrong order. As always, the food was good, although the service was below average. read more

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