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Name: La Merenda
Address: 125 E National Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53204
Telephone: (414) 389-0125
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 4.36

La Merenda

125 E National Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53204

(414) 389-0125
Store is closed

La Merenda Menu

Main Menu

La Merenda Salad

Kilaw Ceviche

Tostones

Empanadas (v)

Duck Confit Crepes

Jamaican Jerk Trout

Croquetas

Spiedini

Patatas Bravas Y Chorizo

Cantonese Spring Rolls

Spanakopita

Pork Galbi

Quesadillas (v)

Argentinian Style Beef

Sauteed Spinach

Beef Wellington

Local Artisan Cheese And Meat Plate (v)

Roasted Beet Salad (v)

Roasted Squash Ravioli

Sambal Goreng Udang (v)

Chupe

Siu Yuk

Green Beans

Grilled Pork Loin

Braised Veal Short Ribs

Spiedini
Dessert

Tres Leches Cake

Seasonal Crene Caramel

Car Bomb Cake

Seasonal Crene Brulee

Healthy Meal suggestions for La Merenda

Main Menu

La Merenda Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Kilaw Ceviche [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tostones [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Empanadas (v) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Duck Confit Crepes [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Jamaican Jerk Trout [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Croquetas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spiedini [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Patatas Bravas Y Chorizo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cantonese Spring Rolls [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spanakopita [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pork Galbi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Quesadillas (v) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Argentinian Style Beef [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sauteed Spinach [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Beef Wellington [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Local Artisan Cheese And Meat Plate (v) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted Beet Salad (v) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted Squash Ravioli [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sambal Goreng Udang (v) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chupe [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Siu Yuk [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Green Beans [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Pork Loin [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Braised Veal Short Ribs [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spiedini [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Dessert

Tres Leches Cake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seasonal Crene Caramel [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Car Bomb Cake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seasonal Crene Brulee [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Visit below restaurant in Milwaukee for healthy meals suggestion.

Auntie Anne’s ( 2500 N Mayfair Rd )

Visit below restaurant in Milwaukee for healthy meals suggestion.

Auntie Anne’s ( 2500 N Mayfair Rd )

Write An Anonymous Review

Lily O.

I've been here multiple times and the menu is always different, and everything is great. All of the ingredients are from Wisconsin but the taste is all over the world. The escabeche, grass fed wisconsin veal with carrot risotto and the Indian butter chicken are my favorites. I've been here with large groups and just one other person multiple times and the experience is great. I did take away one star because when I was with a group of 10 the service was slow and they didn't even offer the desert menu, the waitress brought out the check and we had to ask for it. They also don't split checks. Other than that it's my favorite restaurant in milwaukee.
(4)
Liz S.

Ugh, this breaks my heart. I LOVE the food here so much that the food alone is worth 5 stars. BUT, we have been coming here for 5 years and the service keeps going downhill. Tonight we dined here and experienced THE WORST service we have EVER had at ANY restaurant. Water glasses empty despite asking for more water. Wine bottle empty despite every attempt to ask for more. Dirty plates piling up, never were brought clean plates. Our server was literally an "order taker" and then we never saw him again. And don't get me started on the food runner... A miserable 20-something who acted mad we were there in the first place. Good food alone does not make a nice night out...service is KEY when it comes to your experience. Shame on you La Merenda
(2)
Yvan P.

First time out in Milwaukee with some co-workers and I wanted to find something else than a steak house. I read about this place and thought that I would give it a shot. Contrary to what I'm used to, this place was quite bright and the decor... how could I describe it... Different? That never stopped me before, and we sat and started ordering... Wow!! Food was very good, the portions just the right size for a party of 4 (we were three so we always end-up splitting the last one :-) We tried the cheese plate, chorizo, veggie empanadas, beef, duck and pheasant, etc... All good and well spiced up! I will definitely go back when I'm the area.
(4)
Steve L.

First visit was Friday, June 20; arrived around 8:15pm and found 4 seats at the bar. + Plenty of food offerings including plenty of gluten-free options + Dishes seemed reasonably priced - Only 2 beers on tap; rest of brews are in bottles (wasn't clear via menu) + Mixed drinks were well made + We ordered 12-15 small plates; plates were perfect for sharing amongst our group of 4. Each dish was better than the next, no complaints about anything. + Menu is pork-heavy, just a FYI + Check the chalkboard for daily specials and don't be afraid to get a little adventurous - Bartenders became quite overwhelmed/inattentive after a while; it took a true effort to flag them down for refills and/or to order additional plates - Free valet is a great idea, but they need more than one guy working the station. There was a line of cars 3-4 deep when we arrived.
(4)
Rachel G.

Loved this place. Came here with party of six, we were ready to sample most of the menu and we did. The variety of flavors, textures, and cultures of the food was fantastic. Loved it all. Wine list was beautiful! Atmosphere was awesome, warm, inviting, colorful and full of noise--just like at home! Would recommend over and over and definitely will be back for more! Excellent!
(5)
Katie S.

You must eat at La Merenda! Let me rephrase that - You must make a reservation far in advance, then eat at La Merenda! I choose this place every year for my birthday dinner. It's my favorite restaurant in Milwaukee. They have a great selection of food. My favorites are always the goat cheese curds and the vegetarian empanadas, but to be honest, I really haven't tried anything I didn't like. The drinks, specifically the caipirinhas are always really yummy. The atmosphere is upscale, yet casual and comfy, and the service has always been spot on. I love everything about this place. But again - make a reservation. Even on a Tuesday.
(5)
Hey Yon Y.

Argentinian beef was a little salty but if you take a bite with the plantain, it's delicious. The shrimp chip appetizer was very refreshingly. It's best to go with a group of 3-4 people.
(4)
Jeff C.

Great place with small plates from all over the world. The wine-by-the-bottle prices were fair. Very flavorful food, and each plate has enough to share among 3-4 people. Fun times await you!
(4)
Joe P.

Descriptive phrase: interestingly delicious small-plate dining. La Merenda is the restaurant that started the foodie revolution in Walker's Point, and after all these years they continue to be the pinnacle. This place would be hidden off of 1st and National (actually in Harbor View) if it weren't for the line of cars waiting for valet. The first little entry room is their bar, which opens then into the larger dining area. It's always been full for dinner when I've been there, but never felt crowded. You'd be forgiven for believing La Merenda is a Latin-only restaurant based on their name and decor, but their menu branches around the world. I opened with their drink special that night and was impressed with THE best Whiskey Sour ($8.50) I've ever had. They add a few of their own home-grown ingredients and it mixed so well together. La Merenda is the perfect place to come with 4 people. We each picked one item off the menu, in two rounds. Round one consisted of [in deliciousness order] Pork Tostadas ($8.00), Pork Belly Confit Crepes ($9.00), Goat Cheese Curds ($9.00), and Ceviche (spicy) ($9.50). Round two: Argentinian-style Beef ($15.00), Patatas Bravas y Chorizo ($7.00), Chorizo Ravioli ($8.00), and Butter Chicken ($8.50). I'm not going to bother describing them all, because you should just order everything and enjoy. Even the least among those dishes was absolutely perfect. La Merenda is one of the best restaurants in the city, hands down. Go with an open-palate and leave with happy taste buds.
(5)
Brian M.

After our dinner here, we asked ourselves, "How long has it been since the last time we were here?" and "Why don't we come here more often?" The answer had a common theme: Odd Duck. We realized we hadn't been here since Odd Duck has opened, and that is a shame. La Merenda is a true stand out. It has been one of the most consistently successful hot spots for over five years now. I just can't think of a single shortcoming from our most recent visit. We had five different plates but it was difficult to pick a favorite. Was it the butter chicken, the potatas bravas and chorizo, or the duck empanadas? It might have been the seafood risotto. Tough call. There are no reason they can't all be favorites. The service was well timed yet not rushed. I do appreciate that any server will pick up an empty plate as they pass by. Great team work. Prices were very reasonable. Most everything on the menu is in the $7-10 range. 5 tapas, 4 drinks, dessert and coffee was $85 before tip. Worth every penny. One random thing that I really like about La Merenda is the large waiting area. You usually don't find that in a restaurant this size. I credit La Merenda with being one of the "new wave pioneers" of the MKE food scene. They weren't the first restaurant in the 5th ward, but since they became established and showed that if you do it right, the crowds will follow. Many other restaurants have opened in the area and many of them doing small plates. Few are doing them as well; Odd Duck I suppose. I hear c. 1880 is right up there too. Plagiarism is the highest form of flattery. Oh yeah, make a reservations weeks ahead or get there when they open and sit at the bar.
(5)
Samantha H.

My dad and I are stupid thinking this was a taco joint. Walked in expecting a simple Mexican dinner. Ended up buying a bottle of wine, five small plates, and dessert! Best meal ever! Okay, so first of all our servers name was Maya and she was amazing, loved her. Everything she suggested we went with, and I'm so glad we did! She sold us a 1/2 priced bottle of a wine called Shug. Never heard of it before tonight but it is now my favorite...ever. We had the seasonal tart, the meat and cheese plate, the pork belly, the almond squash something ravioli, the Argentinian beef, and then chocolate truffle ice cream. Everything was impeccable, but the Argentinian bee was TO DIE FOR. So freaking good. Please check this place out. I'm telling you!
(5)
David G.

I really should start to make this a mandatory dinner during our monthly Milwaukee visits. Everything about this place shines. Casual atmosphere with engaging, informed staff. Killer by the glass offerings and strong selection of beer and interesting cocktails. And every dinner is full trip around your tastebuds. So much diversity. So much flavor. This go round's memorables were the Trout Rundown, Empanadas, and a Hong Kong Beef. But really, everything the put in front of you is typically on point. Must visit more!
(5)
Maria-Elena T.

We started with the bread plate for $2.50. There were two slices each of a sour dough and a cranberry nut bread. It came with an garlic chive butter and strawberry jam. You could tell it was freshly made from a bakery which made it hard to resist. Our waiter explained the local sourcing of the reataurant's ingredient's and brought us our drinks. I got the Moscow mule and was warned about the $27 fee for stealing the copper mug! I still thought about it! Lol. I got the halibut special. It was delicious and on a big bed of arugula salad with carrots. They arugula was more like the European rocket- very peppery and spicy. I got the veal which was slightly salty and served over a bed a mildly sweet carrot risotto. A good combo!! No music and a medi noise level. Very casual atmosphere. Temperature felt perfect when we walked in but then got cold. You could see the tapestries moving due to the "breeze". Then they turned it off and it got comfortably warm again. For dessert we got the tres leches cakes based on the numerous pictures. It took awhile to arrive due to "a mix up". When it did finally arrive, it was perfection. The cake was moist, the icing was sweet but not overly sweet and creamy. The sweet pool it rested in complimented the other textures. The cake was garnished with strawberries. You appreciate the local farming in this dish because the strawberries were perfectly ripe and sweet. Not picked a month ago and tasteless! Marcello our waiter was personable and knowledgeable. He had good advice throughout the meal.
(4)
Gary B.

Simply the best tapas in MKE. Good choice and very good quality. I definitely prefer to eat outside than inside so go there where weather is good.
(5)
Mike L.

Do not be fooled by the entrance (storefront), inside is a nice quaint ambiance. We had Pork Crepe, Cranberries Salad, Patatas and Chorizo, Veggie Tart and dessert: Tres Leches and Chocolate Bomb.
(4)
Katie S.

I LOVE SMALL PLATES! I DO I DO I DO! There I said it. The thing is, I love food so much that I often want to try everything on the menu. With small plates, you can! Or at least come closer. We called for a reservation from the bar next door and they said they were full but they had walk-in tables usually so since we were still a little early, we should come on over. We were seated promptly on their backyard patio which I would never have guessed was back there. It was comfortable and cool. There was a small garden, a fireplace, a table for large groups, and lots of shady table under the pergola. Late summer evenings were made for a patio like this. Three of us ordered drinks and 9 small plates. We had way more food than we needed. The food was from all over the world and each one was fantastic (ok ok, except for maybe one). From the Bread Plate to the Truffled Potato Skins to the Empandas to the Patatas Bravas to the Argentinian Beef - oh so good. The Beef Stroganoff was almost icky, though, but perhaps that's because the midwestern version that involves canned soup has ruined me. The server was fine, nothing special here, although I dropped some Bravas on my white shirt and they were johnny on the spot with a napkin and seltzer for me. They did pace the plates out so we never had more than three on the table at a time which was very nice. I want to come back and eat everything that I didn't try last time.
(5)
Pita J.

This place rules. You want amazing small plates, go here. odd duck is good, this is great, no offense odd duck. prices are fair, food is top notch. if some one is Milwaukee from out of town, this is where i take them.
(5)
Bruce K.

"You need to go to La Merenda." "Don't forget about La Merenda!" "Have you been to La Merenda yet?" Practically every time I would run into a Milwaukee Yelper, they'd want to know when I was going and why I hadn't yet been to La Merenda. Fine! I went! It sucked. LOL, it totally did NOT suck. From the hostess who brought me to my table to the two waitresses that took my order and made sure my food was great and refreshed my drinks to the manager that stopped by. All were most pleasant and seemed sincerely happy that I had visited. As for the food... even more lack of suck. I had the ceviche to start. More like a fish salad, it was tart and yummy and went down well with the plantain chips (I believe they're technically called tostones). And a moment later, the goat cheese salad arrived. A big scoop of yummy soft herbed cheese on top of a good sized pile of mixed spinach and other leaves plus two sliced tomatoes that were juicy and meaty. And speaking of meat, of course the main course. One of the night's specials was Hong Kong beef. Big pieces of steak strips in a spicy tangy oriental sauce. Too spicy? Not really but the big bowl of white rice might have had something to do with that. It wasn't cheap, but it was good. It was a dark little spot and so if you're looking for a good date night, and especially if you're not sure what kind of food your date might be eating, you can't go wrong with La Merenda. Okay, Milwaukeeans, will you leave me alone now?? :-)
(5)
Aiswarya C.

Let's start with the entrance, when I saw so many cars and people outside I was assured the food was great! Although we had a 40 minute wait time, the ambience and the food was totally worth it. Various dishes from different parts of the world make the menu even more interesting. Their presentation is very appetizing and the food itself is great!! The fact that the place is expensive for a tapas place, otherwise everything about this place is just amazing!
(4)
Richard S.

Another visit to La Merenda did nothing to change my mind. It is still one of my favorite restaurants in Milwaukee. We started our night with a Cinnamon Plum Manhattan made with Dickle Rye, Rishi Cinnamon Plum Tea and Sweet Vermouth and glass of Greut Rose Sparkling Wine. The Manhattan was a unique twist on a Classic Cocktail. The sparkling was fruity, without being too sweet and a very nice way to start a meal. Dish #1 Enchiladas de Cazador Confit of local game birds mixed with Flyte Family Farm Horto Beans, Red Mole, Sour Cream and Clock Shadow Creamery Chihuahua Cheese topped with Alsum Sweet Corn and Pomegranate Pico de Gallo. This was one of the best enchiladas either of us have ever had. High quality local ingredients blended together perfectly and the unique twist of Pomegranate in the Pico de Gallo made this dish stand out! Dish #2 Tart of the Day Mushrooms, Cheddar Cheese, Red and Green Cabbage. This was our least favorite dish. The Gastrique served with the Tart just didn't match well. Dish #3 Roasted Heirloom Squash Ravioli House Made Ravioli filled with local Heirloom Squash, Clock Shadow Creamery Quark Cheese, Herbed Breadcrumbs and MontAmorÃ© Cheese tossed in Browned Butter, Sage and Pecans. Another great version of a classic dish. Dish #4 Sambal Goreng Udang Shrimp sautÃ©ed with Tomatoes, Coconut Milk, Ginger and Sambal, served over Coconut Mashed Potatoes. Homey and comforting. This is a dish my Indonesian Grandma would make, if I had an Indonesian Grandma! I Love La Merenda! Not just for their food, but also for their commitment to providing an outstanding experience for their customers.
(5)
Alicia R.

So "goat cheese" and "chorizo" are some of my favorite nouns in the entire world. La Merenda has combined these into one dish, which makes me giddy even thinking about. Sangria was awesome. Goat cheese curds dish with chorizo was killer. Crepes we had with pork were awesome. Service was awesome. The two other dishes we had, however, were forgettable. Well prepared, but nothing to write home about. Like, I forgot what else we had. Thus, 4/5 stars. Also, I'm withholding by nature. All this being said, so worth it. Prices were reasonable without being inexpensive, atmosphere is cool, service was personable and quick. Get the goat cheese curds.
(4)
Raquel M.

Service was rather lackluster but the four plates my husband and I tried were good. He got the butter chicken which was good but not great. The spice notes were slightly off, perhaps due to too much cardamom. However my husband really liked both types of empanadas, veggie and meat. The veggie empanadas slightly out-edged the meat empanadas flavor-wise. The truffled potato skins were good but more cheese layered throughout the huge pile of potato skins would have made them better. Overall, our experience was pleasant but not remarkable.
(4)
Jen G.

Love, love, love! Amazing tapas! Such great stuff!! mmm!
(5)
Katie K.

La Merenda... I love this place. First, make a reservation! We had to wait two weeks to get in on a Saturday evening. Make a reservation several days before you want to go! We started with a few drinks at the bar. The Perfect Storm was delicious! My friend mentioned his Sangria was kind of lacking. We had a really nice waitress who explained the concept and the evenings specials. All foods are served as small plates, meant for sharing. She suggested ordering 2-3 plates per person, as many as we wanted at a time, but told us they'll be brought out as their ready, not necessarily all at once. We ordered a bread plate and a quesadilla to start. The bread plate was delivered right away and while we were working on that, the special quesadilla came out. Since we were all in the middle of masticating a block of carbs, no one touched it for a few minutes. Good thing, because about three minutes later, a different waitress came by and swiped the quesadilla of the corner of the table telling us that it was meant for another table. Ok... 1) we also ordered that 2) what if we had been picking at the pile of black beans on the plate? I wouldn't want something delivered to me that had been sitting on another table for a while 3) quesadillas cook quickly, just make another one for the other table! Obviously, that was a little weird, and left us all scratching our heads, but they brought us a fresh one a few minutes later. After that, everything was fine. We especially enjoyed the flavorful butter chicken, savory meat empanadas, Patatas Bravas with chorizo, crisp truffle parm potato skins, and veal stew. The Xi'an beef was a major disappointment-- definitely lacking in flavor. Not at all spicy! We skipped dessert because we were so full by then end of the meal, but saw it delivered to another table looking absolutely beautiful! Despite a weird service moment and a few underwhelming plates, I will definitely be going back soon!
(4)
Adoley J.

On a recent trip to Milwaukee I had the pleasure of dining here with a group of girlfriends. The restaurant was really cozy and cute inside. Our waitress was very nice and helpful. We ordered a ton and I mean a ton. We got the empanadas, goat cheese curds, truffled potato skins and mushroom soft tacos to start. The empanadas and truffled potato skins were delicious. The empanadas were seasoned just right and the outer part cooked perfectly not too fried but also not too undercooked. The mushroom tacos were the only thing I would say I wouldn't order again. They were not bad but compared to everything else they were just meh. Next we got Spaghetti Squash Carbonara, Butter Chicken and Lemongrass Beef. The Butter chicken was a hit. Totally understandable why it is such a popular item. The Spaghetti Squash Carbonara was also very delicious. While I was at first nervous that carbonara is only made well with regular pasta the chef proved me wrong. The meal was super delicious and affordable. I like when restaurants mix flavors and add a twist to seemingly ordinary recipes. I cannot wait to visit this place again when I am in Milwaukee.
(5)
Crystal K.

One of my fave tapa restaurants - anytime I'm back home in MKE it is a must visit. Super chill energy, cute space, great service. Make a reservation in advance online so you don't have to wait as long.
(5)
Mark Y.

My suspicion after my last visit to La Merenda was spot on. The night of bad service was just an isolated incident. This was apparent during a recent visit I paid to the restaurant when service was superb. The highlight of the night was still the cuisine! My table of three ordered eight plates and a bread basket, so I'll brush on the ones that truly kicked ass (all were great by the way). The empanadas were made of a fried, somewhat chewy dough. They weren't greasy like some of those you find out there. The beef is braised in New Glarus beer and is of the melt-in-the-mouth quality. Top it off with a citrus aioli, and it's an unbelievable tasty value at $8 an order! The pork belly crepes were another dish that I really enjoyed. First off, you have to like mushrooms for this dish to be to your liking. You get two crepes, made with badder a little thicker than your ordinary crepes, stuffed with a pork belly confit and large chunks of mushrooms. A creme sauce accompanied the crepe. The dish doesn't look like a whole lot, but these will really fill you up! The trout was another dish that was packed with a lot of punch. You can never go wrong with fish from Rushing Waters in Palmyra. The fish was pan fried simply with salt and pepper. The accompanying potatoes and red peppers were topped with a coconut sauce with a little Caribbean style kick! The other fish dish we ordered, halibut on top of a creamy quiona mixture (special of the night), was also excellent. For dessert, we split a slice of the tres leches cake. The yellow cake was drenched with the "three milks" as the name implies. Whipped cream topped the cake with fresh strawberries. This thing was so damn good that my sister and mom ordered an extra slice! The cake wasn't overly sweet nor heavy.......just perfect. You may be mesmerized by the cocktail program and beer selections at Le Merenda, but the artesian sodas cannot be overlooked. I didn't get who the vendor was who prepared the non alcoholic drinks, but they were fantastic. I opted for a ginger beer and cola light. The ginger beer had just the right amount of kick/spice to it for me - may be too much for some. At $2 a piece, I was shocked by what a bargain they were! And now back to the service. Like I previously mentioned, service was superb during this visit. Being a Saturday night, the place was absolutely jammed packed. The water was flowing, and not once did my glass become empty. Timing of the dishes was spot on, and there were never any gaps between our plates. Everybody from the host to the food runners were so nice. This experience put La Merenda as one of my top restaurants in Milwaukee. Being relatively inexpensive, I plan on making many return trips in the future!
(5)
Lisa P.

Went for the first time and have to say its only ok. Our group of 4 were told it was a 45 minute wait but took 90 minutes. Ordered a Whiskey cocktail and the bartender had no idea how to make the drink despite her asking and me explaining. It's whiskey, orange bitters, and simple syrup with orange peel. Somehow they screwed it up. Apparently they didn't have simple syrup (hello-bar syrup people! It's Wisconsin) so instead tried to just stir in sugar. The menu was limited for those of us who have allergic reactions to food prepared spicy hot peppers. They should at least indicate which foods have hot peppers or any other allergens, and offer more selections w/o those spices. The room is very noisy due to nothing on the walls to absorb sound. To like eating in a gymnasium or school shower. I'll stick with odd duck thank you very much.
(2)
Margreth C.

Came here because of the yelp reviews. Decided to come and tried to make reservations and the closest time for 2 was at 9.30pm! We ended up trying to go in early to see if we could get seated at an early time but the wait was one hour and a half! The bar was first come, first serve so we ended up getting a seat at the bar after 15-20 mins of waiting. We did the sangria pitcher which was so delicious! As for the food, we tried the pork tapa, escabeche, bulgogi and the special of the tiger beef that's Thai. Everything was so good! I would reorder all of them. The tiger beef was a little spicy but still very tasteful. I would definitely go back again in fact am looking forward to coming back and trying other small plates!
(5)
Erica S.

This place opens at 11:00...came early to secure a spot at the bar. I liked the food here however, I think all the hype left me feeling its just average. I had 4 dishes and only liked one. I will give it another try before making a final review.
(3)
Vicky S.

We ate here late Friday night and here I am Monday afternoon still dreaming about the beef tostadas we had. I would knock your grandmother over right now for another bite of their Irish "car bomb" chocolate cake. Oh. My. God. La Merenda is friggin amazing. Reasonable prices, fresh, locally sourced ingredients, interesting & creative menu, good service, and out of this world delicious food. I will definitely be back. Yum, 1000 times over yum.
(5)
T T.

Great restaurant! Food and service was great. Tried the Argentinean Beef, Goat cheese curds, empanadas, and mushroom tacos and everything was amazing.
(4)
Jeff Y.

People say this place has the best tapas in MKE but I didn't think so. The food is good, some of which was unique, but all together not very impressive. The potential wait is a killer or so I've heard, so we showed up at 445pm. We were seated promptly with the caveat that we had to leave by 630 since the table was reserved. This wasn't a problem and the waitress had forgotten. Food is reasonably priced, ambience is properly hole in the wall-ish in a sketchy part of town, but I don't think it lived up to the hype. It's good, but not great.
(3)
Steve B.

I love this spot, excellent variety of tapas from different regions. Nice to see a tapas restaurant in the Milwaukee area. South loop in Chicago was the last place we found one comparable to here
(5)
Jonathan H.

Rockfish ceviche. Penang curry shrimp. Vietnamese pork With spring rolls and vermicelli. Butter chicken of course. Washed down with house red wine beer and crem Brule. The sambal shrimp is not on the menu anymore but the curry shrimp is great. Used our city tins as well. I don't want to tell you how little we paid for this much great food so go for yourself and find out. A great deal and experience sitting outside on a fine July night.
(5)
Tanya M.

La Merenda was the first legit restaurant I tried in MKE before I officially became a resident here. One of my now co-workers recommended it, as the small plates offered a variety of options. I was sold right away after looking at the menu with the international flair to your traditional Spanish tapas! That first time I had the Argentinian Beef and Goat Cheese Curds. Those are both favorites of mine, along with the Truffled Potato Skins, Butter Chicken and Ravioli plates. I usually stick with the plates I've tried and enjoyed, but they also have good specials and we have had some success with those. I've had great service - friendly, attentive and dishes are timed to arrive at the table evenly to thoroughly enjoy each "course" without either a) having to wait too long for the next to arrive or b) having too many plates sit on the table to go cold before you have a chance to try it. It's best to make a reservation (they use Open Table!), as it does get busy especially on weekends. There are some seats at the bar, so that's also an option if you're solo or with someone who doesn't mind and can grab an empty seat or two. Oh, and beer is cheap here!! $3-$4 per bottle or on tap. You can't beat that! ...Or, maybe I'm still used to Chicago bar prices.
(4)
Hope W.

I've been to La Merenda twice with the same people. Delicious both times. The beef is yummy. The sangria was much better at my first visit; a little medicine-y taste for me the second visit. Some picky eaters in the bunch so there are some items I would still like to try. Solid food. One of my favorite Milwaukee restaurants.
(4)
Stephanie S.

I can't see how La Merenda can get less then five stars. My husband and I are in love with this place. We love the beer list and we love the drink list. The bourbon mule is the best. I love the tapas and able to try different dishes. :). The pork confit crepes are amazing and the butter chicken makes me smile. Last night we had the rock fish and scallop risotto with kale- AMAZING. Chef Sandroni has outdone himself. Go here, be adventurous. You will be pleasantly surprised!
(5)
Chelsie L.

Two words: holy YUM. This place was so yummy! International tapas style food, everything we got was delicious but my favorite was the pork tostada, it is a must. Hours after dinner we were still talking about how good the tostadas were! Four people is a great number to go with and share, as most of the food we got had four pieces/bites/etc. We ordered a lot of food and got drinks and desert (car bomb cake, a delightfully boozey treat) We were all pleasantly surprised when the check came, the bill was so reasonable! The atmosphere at la merenda is also great, very cozy and inviting. I can't wait to come back again!
(4)
Michele D.

Loved every meal. Enjoyed that it had variety. Chinese, thai, seafood, Indian, korean.. Pretty much anything you crave can be enjoyed here. A must try!
(5)
Betsy K.

Yes, indeed. La Merenda is as good as it gets. I have four words for you: PORK BELLY CONFIT CREPES. Melt-in-your-mouth style. Talk about perfect not-too-greasy confit and delish accompanying sauce (rosemary cream). The empanadas with their chipotle lime mayo is nothing short of incredible. Our table kept ordering them over & over & over... And the goat cheese curds? Why have I never had a goat cheese curd yet? I clearly have not LIVED. Dined on their delicious Patatas Bravas Y Chorizo. The chorizo had perfect smokiness and I got to wondering why I don't put garlic aioli on, well, everything. THE BULGOGI. I'm a huge fan of Korean-prepped food and this one was satisfying to the umpteenth degree. Get it, love it and thank me later. They get their bread products from Rocket Baby Bakery (the best bakery ever) and serve it up with chive butter and fresh rhubarb preserves. My taste buds were in heaven AKA I was in heaven. The truffled potato skins, the La Merenda salad, Butter Chicken and Mushroom soft tacos all deserve a huge pat on the back as well. Did I mention that I went with a large group and was responsible for coordinating the reservation? My reservation kept going between 10 and 12 people and if I were the hostess I would have wanted to punch me in the throat for all of the back and forth. Instead she sashayed things around to make it work. We had three extra guests show up and they were able to squeeze them in although there was an almost two hour wait. They did all of this with a smile! That goes a long way in my book of life. They deserve cherries on top of everything. I LA LA MERENDA.
(5)
Kristen D.

Great place! Buzzing and happening and good food to match! We shared 5 plates between 3 people and it was great! Started out with our 3 favourites if the night: beet salad- great flavour nice crunch with the hazelnuts and loved the freeze dried raspberries! Grilled shrimp escabeche : nice flavour, could've been a tad bigger for the price. Pork tostadas, my personal favourite of the night, nice and spicy, very tender, overall great flavour! Next up we had the lamb which was good, but could've had a bit more depth. And the Moroccan goat- very good flavours nice tender meat. Service was great and prompt, portions were ok, which Is why I docked one star. Could've been a touch more for the price of each. Would definitely go back, lots of great choices!
(4)
Chetan M.

2.5 stars. Nothing was spectacular. Perhaps I had higher expectations with the other reviews on Yelp. Overall, most dishes were underwhelming and very oily. I prefer Odd Duck for similar small plate concept in MKE. We tried: - House salad (standard) - Goat cheese curds (OK) - Ceviche (don't get this) - Seafood bulgogi (decent) - Potato skins with truffle oil - Perogies (too much oil on top, otherwise standard) - Duck sausage (this was actually the only flavorful dish) - Argetenian beef (meh) - Lamb Italian dish (not great) - Irish car bomb dessert with Bailey's infused ice cream (definitely good)
(2)
Kathleen S.

I can see why one of Milwaukee's top 5 restaurants for 2013 is La Merenda. It has a terrific selection of small plate/tapas style dishes from all over the world. Great ambiance and service. I liked most everything that we ate and they earned 4 stars for every item except one, which was over the top great! It was their Seasonal Tart of the Day. It was so yummy and perfect, I want to try to recreate it myself!
(4)
Joshua J.

Went here for an anniversary, the outside appearance is no where a good judge for its interior. The inside is pretty nice, has a good vibe to it. The servers are very kind and the fresh flowers delivered is a big plus! We purchased about 6 plates (Potato Skins, Argentina beef, The lamb, Coconut Shrimp, Butter chicken, and a tres leches cake) -The Potato skins are a great appetizer and they give you plenty! -Argentina Beef was delicious and I loved the plantains underneath. -The lamb was a little stringy, the entire plate was covered in one flavor but not bad -The Coconut shrimp (Not sure if that is the actual name) was delicious if you do not like coconut do NOT get it... its very strong flavored. -Butter chicken was a little dry but it had a very unique taste to it (Im indian) and I enjoyed it greatly! -The Tres Leches cake was soooo good! I would highly recommend it! We got a standard chardonnay (Was good) and a sour drink forgot the name (was very strong, but is that really a bad thing? I think not) (Our bill came out to be $75) All in all, would recommend again especially for date night! 4/5
(4)
Danielle R.

I was really excited when I walked in because the place was so cute! It was homey and warm and felt so comfortable. I love tapas as well so that was just the cherry on top. However, I'm not sure of it was because of what we ordered or what, but the food was unimpressive. One dish, the beef was good but quite fatty. Another pork dish was pretty good. And the last egg roll type dish was awful. Spice and lime and flavors that did not go together well. Like I said, maybe it was just what I ordered, but I'm not running back to try again.
(3)
Jim G.

Daughters birthday celebration. Excellent drinks and tapas. Had ceviche, truffled potato skins, goat cheese curds, pork belly confit crepes, Wisconsin meadows braised veal, jerk salmon special and curried lamb meatball special. Had the perfect storm, villa terrace and grain exchange cocktails. Dessert was creme caramel and car bomb cake. Everything was off the hook.
(5)
Steven P.

Alright. I'm impressed. I can't say that I have a lot of favorite places in Milwaukee, but La Merenda has been added to my list of places to go if I want stellar food, service, and want to spend my recently acquired paycheck. Service was outstanding. Our waitress shared with us the specials and was patient while my partner and I decided what to order. Being first timers here, she recommended we get 5-6 plates for 2 people. 5 was plenty. I recommend ordering in waves as you judge how full you become. The Monday night we went was half-priced bottle of wine night - though we didn't take advantage, combined with the general atmosphere makes this a perfect date spot. I could spend paragraphs describing the dishes we had. Instead I'll list off my favorites: Empanadas Chiviche Duck Confit Crepes Braised Veal Make a reservation. This isn't like most places and you'll end up waiting or eating at the bar. I was able to make a reservation the morning of for early evening and was fine. I can't stress the quality of food you'll receive here. Pricey, yes. But well worth it.
(5)
Alice S.

La Merenda was ok, but I don't get all the fuss. First off it is very loud. If you're ok with that, then fine. It's just not easy to have a conversation. But that's my issue. The service was fine. Our server was certainly very attentive, but forgot things (my sparkling water) and brought the wrong wine (rectified quickly). The wine we did get was actually quite wonderful and may be worth returning for in and of itself! It's a Sauv-Viognier combo. The food. Well, the ceviche was fine. OK, undersalted, adequate. The special Hong Kong beef was nothing special. The shrimp goreng was very good but I found the mashed potatoes to be an odd pairing. My husband loved the pork belly confit and it was very good. The chorizo dish should probably have made clear that it is Mexican, not Spanish chorizo. So all in all, it was not really worth the desperate wait to get a reservation. I get it, it's got some good things, and I bet we could find better dishes, but it's not the be-all end-all of food.
(3)
Kay C.

We went to La Merenda last night after quite a long hiatus. When the restaurant opened in 2007, we were one of the first customers and wondered how a place off the beaten path in an old garage with no windows and concrete floor serving small plates could ever make it. But we loved it and made sure to tell everyone we knew to check it out. Many of my, as well as my husband's, coworkers started to go there for both business and personally. The food has always been good and it is fun to pick out three to four to five plates to share. The atmosphere is casual, cozy yet hip and funky. They have a great beer selection (with nice prices) - mostly local, and a nice wine list as well. The desserts are fantastic and are not small plates. Well, after telling so many people to check this place out, we found that we couldn't get in anymore without a reservation. Good for them! Bad for us because we are typically a "let's go there now" kind of diners. Last night we got lucky. We went out after 8pm and a table had opened up - of course, they were very busy, as usual. We started out with a couple of local beers. Lakefront brews a special ale for the restaurant, which is quite tasty. I had a couple of Capitol Ambers. I kind of wanted to stay in a bit of a theme so went with the Butter Chicken, Trout "Rundown" and Sin Yak Goreng (pork belly, not yak) as they all had an Asian/Indian, coconut curry similarity. We loved all of them, with the Trout as the standout. Three plates were enough for us last night, but I was tempted to try so many more. Instead, we finished dinner with a Tres Leches cake. Oh my...yum. I am sure we'll be back soon...and may consider making a reservation. If not, there might be room at the bar. ;)
(5)
Jason m.

Nice little gem! Took out a client for lunch and we pretty much had the place to ourselves. excellent food and service, great options for meat lovers and vegetarians. Highly recommend this place!
(5)
Purplized E.

Many places around here are filled bad food, bad service, or is just plain ol' bad. However, this place certainly don't disappoint! Great Service, awesome staff, food's made to perfection, and the atmosphere here is very warm with people coming in and out all smiley. Highly Recommendable, especially if you are staying at the swampy local hotels nearby with no good restaurant in those locations!
(5)
Suzanne O.

I've been here 3 times now, so I've tried close to everything on the menu. For the most part everything is delicious. I love how they feature dishes from various countries, I just wish they would mix up the menu every one in a while or at least have specials. Here's a list of the dishes I remember: Prosciutto Salad: 4/5 Very good salad, but nothing inventive Empanadas: 4/5 the dipping sauce makes this dish Goat Cheese Curds: 2/5 not impressed with this one. goat cheese curds simply taste like a regular old cheese curd. pretty disappointed because I love goat cheese Mushroom soft tacos: 3/5 This was just okay Lemongrass Beef: 5/5 one of favorite things here, definitely order this! Duck Confit Crepes: 4/5 very good, just not a huge duck fan Patatas Bravas y Chorizo: 5/5 yum! can't go wrong with potatoes and chorizo! Sambal Goreng Udang: 5/5 my absolute favorite. shrimp with a creamy coconut sauce. I could eat this all day long! If you like tapas, check this place out. You won't be disappointed. This place isn't huge though so I would suggest making a reservation if you don't want to wait for a table. I went last Wednesday and I didn't think of making a reservation since it was the middle of the week, but we still had to wait 45 minutes. Weekend waits are even worse.
(4)
Adam L.

La Merenda sets the standard for what local restaurants should strive to be. They have great food, great service, and a great atmosphere. The food is as local as it can be and it is always fresh. I have been here 10+ times and have never had a bad experience. If you like a tapas style restaurant, and if you like great food, then just bring some great company and you won't be disappointed.
(5)
Adam B.

FAVORITE restaurant in Milwaukee. Amazing food, wonderful variety, fresh fresh fresh and all made in-house. Even the drinks (except wine) are made in-house. The menu is constantly evolving and Chef Peter is a rockstar at making a great experience. LaMerenda is also reasonable and, as such, is always busy - whether it's a Tuesday night or Saturday night. I can't say I've ever had a bad bite at LaMerenda. Who else can take an old commercial facility and turn it into a vibrant hotbed of flavors, small plates, moving in and out constantly. It's literally food heaven and I can't say enough.
(5)
Marie W.

OH MY LAWD. These are the only words needed when describing La Merenda. Small-plates are my kind of thing. I find it better to try a bunch of different things in small portions than just one thing in a large portion -- like most restaurants do. La Merenda is not like most restaurants and everything I ate was TO DIE FOR. I feel that I do not need to write a long review because there are no words to describe such a heavenly experience.
(5)
Vivekananda C.

One of the best restaurants I dined in US. I give 5 stars for their menu and also the taste. Tried 6 dishes and nothing dissappointed me. Their diverse menu (a dish from each country) is very impressive. PATATAS BRAVAS CHORIZO is the best...fried potato with a spicy kick to it. Reserve your table if you dont wanna wait as this place is very popular. Will surely recommend this to everyone as there is something for everyone here.
(5)
Justin L.

Cute little jewel of a restaurant in the place where you least expect it. The area it is located looks kind of sketchy at night. However, the atmosphere changes once you enter that small door. The front has a bar and is dimly lit while the main dining room is towards the back. The place is packed so you know it must be at LEAST decent...and it sure was better than that. Overall, great place for small parties...small plates/tapas on different worldly cuisines to share! Food was delicious but there were little things here and there that prevented the full 5/5 for me. Sangria - Red wine with green tart apples and limes only? It was too tart for my taste. I prefer adding additional sweeter fruits, but that's just me. Goat cheese Salad - Pretty decent salad with light vinaigrette topped with thinly sliced radishes. I like how the goat cheese molded into a round on the side so you can decide how much goat cheese to eat with your greens. Not a fan of salads with a crapload of pungent cheeses added and you have to pick out the cheese bits yourself (think blue cheese salads) Siu Yuk: This was basically the ever so popular pork belly with a Asian glaze. When I think pork belly, I think soft and melt in your mouth...unfortunately, this slab of pork belly for us was too lean. Who says that nowadays in a health-conscious society, right?! But if I'm getting pork belly...I want delicious fat! Cassoulet - This was a delicious take on the traditional cassoulet. This was a duck confit on top of black beans instead white beans. The main seller for me were the deliciously marinated/seasoned croutons that topped it. Yum! Veal Short Ribs over Risotto - This was braised short ribs (think ragu) over risotto. The veal rib meat ragu (more fitting name IMO) was good but the risotto was a little gritty. The rice wasn't cooked thoroughly, I believe. Buttered Chicken - Tasted like curry chicken to me. Not too special but was tasty, nonetheless. The rice served with this plate was again not cooked well enough...Idk...what this place is with rice. Tres Leches Cake - This was a very delicious tres leches, though typical. They have the slightly denser cake which is perfect for soaking up the milk that comes with this dessert. Delish! Overall, I think it's a cute concept (around-the-world tastes in small plates) and food is executed decently. Tip: Don't be afraid to order more...they are SMALL plates! Decently priced at that! So dig in!
(4)
Colin R.

Not my favorite small plates restaurant in Milwaukee but a close second. I have been here 3 times and each time was better than the other. Maybe I just needed to get better acquainted with the menu. The way the menu is set up is pretty fun as each dish is from a different part of the globe. This really allows you to experience and enjoy a whole world (see what I did there) of different flavors. Some of my favorites include: empandas, grilled shrimp escabache, ceviche and the pork belly crepes. Save room for the Tres Leches! Words of wisdom: If you're going on the weekend make a reservation ahead of time.
(4)
T C.

Its hard to put a star rating on this place. I've been a couple of times and the food has always been outstanding. The outdoor dining area is probably one of the nicest outdoor dining areas in Milwaukee. But the service each time has been just terrible. The first time, the server told us that she would be having a new server "shadowing her." The sad part was that it should have been the other way around. When she wasn't around, he was personable, chatted with us, and gave us some great information. When she'd come back, it was back to being a part of her misery of being there. Sadly, we've not seen the new server since that day. Maybe the co-worker atmosphere was too dismal for him. Anyway, the food was amazing, the prices reasonable for the quality, and it was a great birthday dinner. Though I don't normally reveal my birthday, we mentioned that it was my birthday dinner towards the end to try to break her Soviet flight attendant impersonation, but it was met with basically a shrug and a "does this have anything to do with an order?" blank stare. After she walked away, the new "shadower" lingered for a quick, friendly, apologetic chat. Most recently, we brought friends from out of town there and sat outside. It was a really nice atmosphere out there, with a massive fireplace and garden. Someone brought us water but then nobody came to the table for a good 15-20 minutes. The server took our drink order then disappeared for another eternity. When she finally came back with the drinks (a pitcher of their house beer), she offered no information about food or menu items and made us feel that we were a huge imposition to her night. The entire meal, she whisked past the table and it was almost impossible to get her attention. She never checked on us or asked if we needed anything. The only thing I can recall her saying to the table other than the bare minimum acknowledgement of our order items was "thanks" as she threw the check on the table at the end of the meal and disappeared. Fortunately, the food was really good and so was the company. The truffle oil potato skins were a big hit and we ordered a second portion. they are thin peelings, fried crisp, and with truffle oil and some cheese on them. Thinner and lighter than potato crisps. On the other end, the ceviche was good, but everyone thought that was the least memorable dish of the night. So, all in all, the food is memorable and worth going back for. But, for me, it has been consistently the worst service I can recall in Milwaukee.
(3)
David H.

She said "Yelp that Isht" and so it is...best Tapas spot ever. Good food, good drinks and no disappointments.
(5)
Claire K.

Whenever I am in Milwaukee I make it a point to stop at La Merenda. The atmosphere is amazing and the service is great. That being said, they could serve the food in an alley and I would still go back. Each dish is prepared to perfection, bringing out all the right flavors in the wide variety of every changing dishes they serve. La Merenda is always a good idea when your going out in Milwaukee.
(5)
Lei L.

I really really wanted to love this place, from sparkling yelp reviews to glowing praise by friends, I was so excited and then left slightly disappointed. It seems hard to get last minute reservations at this place, at least via open table, so before to make reservations ahead of time. La merenda is in a cute little building, we drove around trying to find parking before realizing that valet is free, how sweet is that! The restaurant itself super cozy, somewhat playful Mediterranean meets industrial meets grandmas dining room. I love that the tables were all different and the atmosphere didn't feel at all pretentious. Our server was excellent and attentive. Started off with some sangria which was absolutely delicious and house made soda which was like a fruity ginger soda, SO good! The menu looked amazing, love that they source locally and seem to focus on fresh seasonal foods. At this point I was ready to be wowed. We started off with the ceviche, which looked lovely on the plate but the flavors and textures just didn't come together. Avocado and scallops and rubbery plantain just didn't seem to meld together, the dish was begging for a more crispy tartness. Next came a goat cheese and beet salad, while the beets were delicious, the salad again felt muddled, over dressed and the cheese piled on top like a little scoop of ice cream didn't add much. We then got the chorizo and potato dish, chorizo was a lovely smokey flavor that went well with perfectly cooked potatoes, but unfortunately it came in a full sausage form that had been somewhat prescored but not fully cut so we had to take it out and cut it ourselves. Not a huge deal but like my husband said, it's tapas, make it easy to eat, I shouldn't have to cut up an entire sausage so the others at the table can go at it. Lastly we got some enchiladas of local game birds with an excellent mole sauce but couldn't taste much of the actual meat. Sad! I really wanted to love it but the food really fell flat for us. Drinks and service were excellent though!
(3)
Philip S.

What a find. This unassuming spot is a bit out of the current mainstream but there is great food and service to be had for those who venture out. Plenty of vegetarian options.
(4)
Justin S.

received good reviews from a friend and went to visit with the gf. Great atmosphere, comfy, cozy, a bit dive-y. Delicious small plate, great beers, good chill environment. Nice date place.
(4)
Jay j.

If you don't like this place, you suck. *This is only the second restaurant to earn this highest review
(5)
Mel K.

Food was generally solid and the international menu interesting, but service (sparse) and atmosphere (cold; concrete floors & walls) were not worthy of 5 stars. Probably will try somewhere else next time we're passing through.
(3)
Nicole H.

If I could separate them, I'd give the food itself four stars, but the rest of the experience was so bad, that it really brings the whole thing down. But the food - the food was stellar. It started with a broken wine glass. And maybe it could be said my opinion of the meal was death by a thousand little glass slivers. None of this stuff on it's own would have been an issue - but all of it combined to leave me with a poor opinion of the meal and restaurant. So the wine glass breaks right after we sit down. No big deal - these things happen. It might even have been our table's fault. The waitress picked up the bigger pieces, but we could still see slivers all over the table and no one ever came back with a napkin or rag to clean up the rest of the mess. Eventually I took my own napkin and started wiping the table - and the amount of dirt and dust my napkin picked up in just a few swipes to pick up remaining glass shards was stomach-turning. Any food surface in a restaurant should get cleaned multiple times a day and by the looks of the dust build-up on my napkin, this table hadn't been cleaned in a long time. I folded up this napkin and set it on a plate at the end of the table. It stayed there the entirety of our meal and was never removed. It was not a good start ... They replaced the water closest to the broken glass, but we had to ask to have others replaced that may have been compromised by shards of glass and that should have been a given. Our table kind of split into two ordering groups and our side ordered five plates to share, but only four ever arrived and we had to point that out to the waitress at the end of the meal to make sure we didn't get charged - she didn't even notice. She was generally kind of flighty - she was rarely the one that delivered the plates or checked in on us. That scattered approach is likely what led to some of this breakdown in service. The busser came around and filled five of the six water glasses on our table, leaving one completely empty and moving on to the next table. I finally had to flag someone down and ask for water, as the cup was bone dry for awhile and no one noticed. There were six of us at a bigger table, so I'm not sure what everyone's experience was, but the two of us at my end spent the whole meal waving off fruit flies. I live in reality and understand that a fruit fly will happen and were it just a single fruit fly, I wouldn't mention it or hold it against them, but we dealt with probably four fruit flies at just our end of the table for the whole meal - couple that with the filthy napkin and I wasn't left with the best opinions of the cleanliness, you know? I'd been to La Merenda multiple times, but never made it to a table - the wait was always long and we chose not to stay. I had high hopes for the meal and the food itself did deliver. But with all the amazing restaurants in town and knowing I have to plan ahead to get a table here, only to end up with this experience, I'm not sure I'll just through the hoops necessary to come back. Which is really such a shame.
(2)
Dylan M.

Loved the patio. Sampled many dishes much of the menu can be adjusted to b vegetarian which I appreciated. The serves was attentive. I would defiantly go back. The inside seat was a different environment and much preferred the patio.
(5)
Joe K.

This will not be my best review. I do not love small plate dining. My special lady does. She likes nice stuff. We have gourmet coffee at her house and everything. So we go to a lot of these kinda places. I do not review many or them because I feel my view do not represent the truth. Read some of the Yelp Elites' reviews or read Angela W's review for a better review of this kind of place. I think it is expensive. If you are a foodie type you may have a great meal. If you love steaks, pork chops, getting a decent value on your mustard, ribs, chicken breasts enhanced with stuff so they get huge, or any breasts enhanced to be huge, baked potatoes, 2% milk, hamburgers... I guess if you have the bigger is better attitude on food; this probably won't be for you. It is nice for dates where you take a long time, and your girl can choose nice wines and stuff, but it is not my speed. I am more of the bigger, stronger, faster type. All that said- the Prosciutto Salad may be best salad there ever was. Maybe in this town. I have had some great steak salads across the country, I have even had the prime rib salad at Duke's in Scottsdale. The Prosciutto Salad here is the best I can remember. It probably had been a year since I have been to La Merenda and I felt obliged to Yelp about it just for this salad. I actually eat a lot of salads. My doctor said they are good for me. So if you go in and think, you are just not smelling what they are cooking....Just order at least two Prosciutto Salads and at least you will be able to have a wonderful experience.
(3)
Evan K.

Loved all the creative and well thought out tapas. Try the seasonal tartes. They are delicious.
(5)
Kelly G.

Very low key place, but it's bigger than it looks. The place was packed because it was half off wine, so we sat at the bar. The food was awesome. House made sodas were on point. The service is the only thing keeping this from 5 stars.
(4)
Michelle P.

Absolutely charming small plates restaurant. We were visiting Milwaukee from out of town, the neighborhood seemed a little bit off the beaten track but a close drive from downtown. We were at La Merenda for a late night bite so we only ordered a few things - amazingly delicious mushroom soft tacos, and the tart of the day, which was red peppers and seasonal vegetables. We also got the truffled potato skins, which were so-so, basically crispy potato chips that tasted slightly of truffle oil. I wish I had been hungrier, there were so many interesting vegetarian items on the menu, and we saw some delicious desserts being served to other tables. Definitely want to go back if I'm in Milwaukee again!
(5)
Jenna B.

Wow, the tapas here blew me away! The highlights of the meal were the mushroom soft tacos, the pierogies, and the La Merenda salad! Who knew a salad could be that good, but it truly was! I was little disappointed that we had a reservation (booked well in advance) and had to wait 20 minutes for our table to be ready. However, it was a busy Saturday night so it is a bit more understandable. Would highly recommend this place!
(5)
Mary V.

We went to La Merenda twice in the last month. The first visit was with another couple and the second with a group of 7 including children aged 13, 10 and 7. On both occasions the service was perfect. The dishes ordered came out a couple at a time so that we weren't rushed. Favorite items include the goat cheese curds, la Merenda salad, trout, Argentinian beef, empanadas, patatas bravas y chorizo, Rocket Baby bread, and dulce de leche cake. The 7 year old is a picky eater but loved the Argentinian beef and desserts. Unfortunately she had to share the beef dish with us -- next time we'll order more than one. The 13 year old loved the empanadas so much he took 2 of them on the plane home to Seattle.
(5)
melanie p.

So many of my friends like this restaurant, so while in town we decided to check it out after a cocktail at Blue Jacket. Maybe we ordered the wrong things. The empenadas are orange..what the hell? I've had authentic ones, I thought these we were cheesy puffs..confused. The salad was just ok, the argentinian beef dish was just ok. If the first 3 things didn't impress us, we definitely were not going to order anything else or dessert. I'm not sure why this is so popular, other than the back outdoor patio looked cool. Our waitress didn't like her job. Over all, this restaurant depressed me. So many other great options in Milwaukee. I am so perplexed.
(2)
Jit D.

I have been to this gem of a restaurant many times, every time the food is tasty, desserts are tastier, sangria is heavenly and the price is reasonable. Can't beat it!!
(4)
Bret B.

Fantastic food and staff was top notch. The food came in waves and every single dish(8 of us, we shared all entrees) from the lamb, veal, pork belly, meat and cheese to the empanadas were thumbs up. We had a vegetarian with us and they went out of their way to accommodate. The decor and space was not attractive, unlike most of the joints in Walkers Point - only detractor from experience. I will go back. Tasty.
(4)
Andrew R.

Stumbling from an encounter with the Milwaukee Brewing Co., we managed to make our way to the highly-rated tapas place, which may or may not have been within walking distance, but no matter. Thank goodness there was a wait because that brewery tour needed to wear off. But boy howdy! Them's tasty food! It's pricey, but most tapas somehow seem to be, usually for no great reason. That aside, it's delicious, and you likely can't go wrong with anything that's ordered. I remember the Argentinian beef being particularly good.
(5)
Ming F.

Went there on a Tue night for my birthday, surprisingly it was packed. We waited for half an hour to get our table. We ordered four plates for two of us. The food is really good. And it's not that expensive. Will def go back!
(4)
Zach O.

Easily my new favorite restaurant in the milwaukee area. I started this review ages ago, and am only just now getting around to finishing it. So my exact details will most likely be slightly off, but the overall message is the same. My date and I for that evening ordered a couple plates from each different cultural background. There was something from Singapore, a few India plates, and a little representation of South America if I'm not mistaken. The important thing is that EVERYTHING was amazing. Each dish was unique and perfectly cooked. The food was served at the appropriate temperature and in a timely fashion, the server was very attentive and kind, and the drinks were top notch. There is not a single bad thing to say about this place. I can't wait to go back so I can give you all a more detailed and visually stunning review of one of Milwaukee's most underrated restaurants.
(5)
Aravind Kumar J.

Best Tapas bar ever. Carefully chosen small plates from the best cuisines around the world. Great service and the waitress there know their food very well. Make a reservation before you go there. A must visit in Milwaukee
(5)
Marybelle P.

I went to La Merenda with my family because we were recommended by a friend. At first it seemed very modest almost sketchy on the outside but upon walking into the restaurant the atmosphere completely changes! It was vibrant and every seat in the house was filled with people! You would never guess that it was a Monday night! I had reservations for 6 people that I easily made through Open Table. When we got there, we were seated right away with no delay! Our dining experience included 14 dishes and all 5 desserts that were shared among 6 people. Everything was delicious! Each dish offered something different from each successive dish but regardless, they were all full of flavor! We had the Philippine Ceviche, Mexican Mushroom Soft Tacos, Moroccan lamb, Siu Yuk, Singapore Grilled Pork, Pad Holapha, Veal Short Ribs to name a few but our favorite was the Argentinian style beef. With regards to the desserts, we loved all of them! To top it off, the chef came out and spoke to us personally. He told us how he came up of the idea of the restaurant as well what it took to get the restaurant where it is now. He was very passionate and full of excitement. We really appreciate that he took the time to share a moment with us. What a great overall experience!
(5)
Todd S.

Awesome restaurant! Great for groups, diverse menu, great for sharing. Each dish is delicious, full of fun flavors. Great drinks and ambiance, especially the patio. Fun events, locally sourced. The tapas fill you up and the bill is always less than what you would expect. Enjoy!!
(5)
Weifei Z.

It pains me to say this place was overrated. I was excited by all the 5 star reviews, but of the three dishes I ordered, only one could be described as great, the other two dishes were not memorable. Additionally, I had to sent back my caipirinha because it just tasted terrible and not at all like what a caipirinha should be. Subbed a mojito for caipirinha and while it was better, it was still slightly weird and not a drink I'd except from a restaurant with such great reviews.
(3)
J S.

This place has been suggested to me a few times, and as many times as I've come to Milwaukee, I finally tried it last week. What a great place! Tried a few things and each dish seemed better than the last: patatas bravas y chorizo, pork empanadas, prosciutto salad, beef tostada (YUM!!!), pork belly confit crepes and the Bahamas salmon cooked in coconut oil were all amazing! The prices were reasonable too! We waited about 45 minutes for table with no reservation (on a Monday night too!), but we didn't mind the wait since we sat in the bar area. I'm from out of town, and the neighborhood didn't seem to be the best area. We found a few more watering holes a few blocks down, so that was a plus. But if you're only going to this place, it's certainly worth the trip!
(5)
Jennifer C.

La Merenda...what can I say. The food was fantastic...so delicious! I don't know why my husband & I waited so long to come here! We came here because we had a City Tin for it. Here is the rundown of what we had: 1. MUSHROOM SOFT TACOS The tortillas were warm, which I absolutely love. The mushrooms were beautifully seasoned and were juicy. The salsa added a nice touch. It was delicious - I could eat it every day. 2. BUN THIT NUONG The pork loin was beautifully seasoned and was my favorite part of the dish. The rice noodle salad was different - I've had something similar at Vietnamese restaurants and the noodles have been more soft. I don't know if it was me or if the noodles weren't cooked all the way but minor detail. The egg roll was fabulous. 3. BUTTER CHICKEN This is a classic Indian dish that is my go to dish at an Indian restaurant. It was fantastic here - it reminds me of being at an actual Indian restaurant. My husband and I were full just in 3 dishes. We will definitely be back and will try other dishes that they have.
(4)
Danielle W.

We were a group of 8 on a beautiful summer night. We sat outside which in my opinion one of the best patios in Milwaukee for dinner. Very quaint and felt like we were in a pretty backyard garden. Each of us have been major fans since La Merenda opened and all agreed it just keeps getting better. The staff are all just lovely, attentive and informative. Now the food: AMAZING as always. wonderful variety, fresh ingredients, creative mix of flavors- this foodie group was in heaven. Group favorites of the night - special Thai beef tenderloin, pistachio salad, empanadas, pork belly crepe, butter chicken, chorizo, and the beef tostadas were the biggest hit of the night. Thank you for a wonderful night of great food enjoyed by a very happy group of friends!
(5)
Jake B.

Another great dinner experience at La Merenda. We ordered about 6 to 7 dishes to pass around the table. We went here for our son's birthday. I nine-year-old, a 13-year-old, and two adults. We had a salmon special, potatoes bravas without chorizo, Argentinian beef, butter chicken curry. Everything was tasty. The only complaint came from the kids who didn't like the homemade cola and citrus sodas. This service is very nurturing, attentive. The atmosphere reminded me of my time in another place. Miss matched chairs and tables with random pictures on the walls. And a dimly lit ambience. The wine selection gives you just enough from each key region
(5)
Dylani H.

located in a shady part of town this is a hidden gem. I was pleasantly surprised when my friend was able to get a reservation in the day before we went out. First let me get "the ugly" out of the way. the waitress was soo bad. she did NOT want to be there at all. good thing i was out with some great friends who made great conversation. first she came and took our drinks order and she said she will return with water . 15 minutes later she comes back after the other two friends arrived and got their drinks orders. no water no drinks yet finally the drinks arrives and she said she will be back to take the order. some other waiter got us water our waitress was not to be seen , anyway I do not want to bore you with the waitress diasater...it was soo bad !! I would have walked away if I wasn't out with such an interesting bunch :) The food was amazing - Beef Tostadas were my favorite. OMG loved it. (be warned my friends who are not used to a lot of spice did get a kick out of this :)) - Pork Belly Crepes and Pierogies were a tie for the crowd favorite. - truffled potato skins were soo good salty and paired great with the wine - Argentinian style beef was awesome. everyone raved about the mashed sweet potatoes although I personally didn't really care for the potatoes - Mushroom soft tacos were great too (omg all the food was great) :) - Goat chees curds were pretty good but got a thumbs down from the others Not so great - empanadas were a disappointment - we wanted to have shrimp but the waitress recommended the Ceviche which was horrible (ok by now we should have known not to take any advice from the server !!! so maybe this was due to our poor judgment lol ) the wine was pretty great and we had few cocktails and shared a wine bottle. all in all the bill was only $50 each (for the four of us with drinks) I would go again during summer and sit outside and enjoy the food :)
(4)
Violet P.

Went on a sunny afternoon with 3 other gals for lunch. We decided to sit out on the patio and so glad we did. It's so cute and roomy. Gorgeous fireplace out there as well for the chillier nights. We even the the pleasure of seeing one of the cooks picking some fresh herbs out of the garden. Started out with the sangria. Yummy!! We shared 10 dishes. The food as usual was amazing! So fresh as tasty. We especially loved the paella which was special of the day, the pork belly crepes (a definite must try!!) and of course the Argentinan beef. We were served by Sinceree and she was very attentive and I really appreciated that after a few dishes, she gave us clean plates for the next couple. Absolutely just love everything about this place and can't wait to go back.
(5)
Pamela M.

I've waited so long to write my review for La Merenda that I can't specifically quote each and every dish -- but enough reviewers have already done that, anyway, so we are covered there. What I can tell you is what La Merenda is, big picture. Which is: it's one of the first places that I recommend to people who are new to Milwaukee. It is a great place that I feel comfortable telling people to go for a fantastic meal. The place is usually hopping, so make reservations! The inside is an eclectic mix of tables and chairs. A small front bar area, larger dining area and now there is a deck out back for the warmer days (only wish we had more of those!). La Merenda often has specialty dinners, as well. To learn more, get on their mailing list. They also have a rewards card, inquire inside. It's not always "traditional" tapas, but still for me, the best tapas in Milwaukee. Go and enjoy!
(5)
Ilana O.

I thought my friend and I were being very European when we made 10:15 reservations on a Saturday night, after catching a show at Next Act theater, but we were not alone. When we arrived at 10:05, we had to wait a little bit. There were 3 seats (not together) at the bar, and the main room of the restaurant was filled almost to the brim. Since I am normally in bed by 10:15, I was surprised to even see some children still eating. This taught me that reservations on a Saturday night are obviously a must....and probably are every night of the week. Service was prompt and polite, and the food was exceptional. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was probably because it gets really loud, very easily, and the fact that ta almost too busy to get in. The food was dynamite. My friend and I shared the ceviche halibut - fresh, creamy, flavorful- the grapefruit added a lovely accent to it. We inhaled this dish. Next, we shared the tart of the day, which had cheese and nuts and a sauce drizzled over it....it was divine. Nice to have a warm dish after the cold fish, and a delicious one at that. The salmon curry over tamarind rice ended our late night excursion. A punch of spice and flavor, with perfectly cooked salmon. Moist. Delish. We had a city tin $10 discount, otherwise our total for a party of two would have been $35 pre-tip. Instead, it was $25 which was sort of amazing for the quality and diversity of the food. I'll be back, with a reservation, when time permits, La Merenda. Well done.
(4)
Jamie P.

This has, and I think always will be, my favorite Milwaukee restaurant. Food is always suburb. They have so many options, most of which are gluten-free and they have great cocktails. Came here right at 5PM so we could sneak in without a reservation and they sat us on their gorgeous backyard patio. What a perfect evening. Great service, extremely flavorful, yet healthy and organic food. My favorite dish was something with curry, salmon and rice. Make sure to ask your waiter for wine/food pairings!
(5)
Will G.

My wife and I went here on a Friday night. We had to flag down someone to get our waitress because they never came to our table to introduce themselves. It was a mild annoyance, but there was some miscommunication. Once our waitress came she was incredibly friendly and apologized. The service ended up being great.! We ordered 7 tapas and every single one of them was awesome! The serving sizes were bigger than we expected and we ended up taking 3 of them home! We will definitely be back.
(5)
Rick R.

I received an email that the Veal Osso Buco was coming back for two nights only. I knew it would sell out, so I arrived on the first night at 5:00 sharp! Tender pieces of veal is served like a stew over risotto milanese. It's pure bliss with deep, rich flavors and textures. It must be a lot of work to prepare if it's not on the menu or available more often. The reservations were booked that night. I got really lucky to sneak in at 5:00 when they opened. While I was there, I also tried the Sambal Goreng Udang, with large succulent shrimp in a cococunt milk, with tomatoes, ginger and Sambal, served over cocunut mashed potatoes, another winning dish. We also shared another special that night, the Masaman Curry with scallops, crawfish, and salmon. Stop me if you've heard this one, but it was delicious! It was creamy and savory with ample seafood. You cannot make a bad choice atthis restaurant. You can only suffer from analysis paralysis, as you try to figure out what to order on this visit and start planning your next visit.
(5)
Shannon C.

We celebrated my birthday the other day at La Merenda with another couple. We had so much good food and drinks! The couple we were with really enjoyed their sangria, but I kept it simple with a tequila seltzer. Their mixed drinks are strong and expertly made - the husb really enjoyed his cocktails. We ordered a variety of small plates, but the ones that really stand out (three weeks later, I must admit) are the La Merenda salad, the proscuitto salad (both the dressings were out-of-this-world fantastic), and the Argentinian style beef, the flavor of which was outstanding. None of the plates were disappointing, but I don't think I'd go out of my way to visit La Merenda again, not with a place like Balzac literally three blocks away.
(4)
Melinda P.

YUM! Seriously, this place is delish! We went there one night when I couldn't decide what I wanted for dinner, and remembered the waitress at their sister restaurant (Engine Co #3) recommending this tapas place. It is truly an international set of dishes that they serve....we ended up getting Argentinian beef (with mashed plantains, so good!), the pierogis (average), the pork empanadas (good, but I like them better elsewhere), the butter chicken (which the Hubben hoovered up and declared some of the best he's had), the goat cheese curds (A++ from me!) and some steamed spinach to feel like we had a balanced meal. It was a charming setting for our eclectic meal (which was 75% homerun!), and I loved seeing the cross-section of Milwaukee residents who were there....truly a spot for everyone. Our waitress was fun and chatted with us (and shared the love for the butter chicken), and it was a great Monday night meal. Definitely looking forward coming back on a night when it's not too chilly for the patio.
(4)
Sarah M.

The menu is diverse and great. Everything is locally sources and amazing! The presentation was wonderful on all of our dishes but most importantly they all tasted awesome. We ordered the shrimp ceviche, a pork tostada special, the Argentinian beef, patatas bravas with chorizo, pork belly crepes and lamb. Our favorite was the crepes, lamb and patatas bravas. Also the tres leches was to die for!
(5)
Robbie O.

Very nice .. Ate at the bar.. Place is off the main path.. Ask a local and you can find it .. And it's amazing tapas! Great wine ! Knowledgable bar tender helped out .. Best place in Milwaukee so far happy I was pointed this was as a ny-nj visitor.. Well done hidden gem.. Do not pass it up if visit Milwaukee and have time .. Additionally had a real nice wine selection. No pretentious attitudes just great local produced ingredients mixed with a modern Spanish tapas flare ...
(5)
Greygoose S.

The goat cheese with the red sauce is insanely good. I also enjoyed the mini beef tostadas as they were well flavored. A little bit spicy to tease your tastebuds for wanting more. Save room for dessert as the Tree Leche is to die for. A hint of coconut with a melee of strawberries and cream. Is this place worth it? Yes and reasonable too!!! Thank me later and enjoy!!!
(5)
David A.

This is my wife's favorite restaurant. Top 5 for me. Everything I've had there has been ultra-yummy. Favorites are the goat cheese curds and pork empanadas. Not super cheap, but worth the price because it's so good. The ambience and staff are also awesome.
(4)
Angela W.

Each and every time I have eaten at La Merenda it has been deserving of 5 stars. Tonight was no different. Went in to celebrate a friends birthday. 8 small plates were added between us and tried all (see pictures). The shrimp with coconut mashed potatoes, were dreamy. It's always on their menu and I order it every time and each time it leaves me wishing for more, I could actually eat these on a gluttonous level. Also ordered the "special" empanada of the night. It was halibut with potato wrapped in a cornmeal pastry, it was one of the last items to arrive and admittedly I was full, but had to try.... BEST decision ever. These were so perfect. The fillings texture was perfect, so smooth an flavorful and the outside was a wonderful compliment to the filling. All of were at the edge of full but each finished that empanada. Also ordered the Argentina beef served over smashed plantains. The meat was something you are in silence in order to truly savor how perfect it was, perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned and the sweetness of the plantains was brilliant. I give serious props to the server who was crazy busy, but took the time to explain and recommend items to us without making us feel like she had 5 other tables (which she did). All o her recommendations were spot on and you could tell by the smile, that she was happy that she had recommend items we loved. I will continue to bring friends to impress to La Merenda!
(5)
Denise L.

I heard this place gets pretty packed, but we were lucky and were able to get a table right away. Fun atmosphere; the crowd is very lively here. We started with house made ginger beer and cucumber soda. Pretty refreshing the first few sips, but I wish I went with the lemon lime soda instead (not a fan of ginger and I've come to realize I just don't like vegetable flavored drinks). The waitress was super friendly and helpful when helping us decide what to order. We knew we wanted something with cheese (duh Wisconsin). We had the bread plate, veal ravioli, argentinian style beef, and some sweet & sticky cheese block (can't remember the name and it had walnuts and a thick layer of honey on it). Everything was exceptional. Unique and enjoyable food.
(4)
Jason M.

So if this restaurant was in San Francisco, I would give it three stars but being in Milwaukee, I give it four. Compared to other dining establishments that I have been to in this city it is very good, but its execution of dishes fails to be perfect. The veal was too salty, the risotto had too many items in it and seemed to be more like fried rice than creamy risotto. The pork belly, though increadibly tender and rich, lacked depth of flavor. The special of chicken in fresh made pasta was wrapped in a very tender pasta and covered in a delicious lemon thyme sauce, but was a bit stringy. Overall this restaurant has a great menu and uses great sustainable and organic ingredients, but falls a bit short at execution. However the sangria is very good and for that reason alone I give 4 stars.
(4)
Josie I.

Hint: always ask people who work in the field of International Education (study abroad/intl stud advisors) where to eat and you will never go wrong. These people are dead serious about their food. This is how I found out about La Marenda. I was in Milwaukee last spring for a workshop and asked casually about the good places to eat and this was one of the them. It looks like a bar or factory from the outside but inside is a sweet bar/waiting area and then good-sized, main room. Love the mismatched tables and chairs. The menu? I am lover of small plates (i hate committing to just one dish) and La Merenda has tapas from all over the world. Highlights: empanadas, the lamb shank, the sambal from indonesia, and the beet salad. Since then, I've been there two more times with different sets of people and I realize that it's a good place to impress people--it seems people have low expectations when the outside looks like an industrial building. It's great for groups..actually scratch that: it's great for adventurous groups so invite wisely!
(4)
Angie N.

This is by far one of my favorite restaurants in the City - and I have noticed I'm not alone! It functions perfectly for a 2 person romantic date and just as suitable for a large party for a celebration dinner. This is my go to restaurant when I have guests - it's unique, the food is delicious and the service is fantastic. This tapas restaurant goes beyond the norm, by including dishes from around the globe. The menu changes pretty much seasonally and offers specials nightly so you're almost always guaranteed to have the chance to try something new. They've really got something for everyone and the best part is you get to taste everyone else's something! I love being able to taste a variety of dishes. The portions are perfect for sharing (1 dish for 2 people is about right). The more people in your party, the more things you get to try! Their wine list reflects the global influence and if you're lucky enough to be there on Mondays - they offer half price bottles of wine! The staff is attentive - the chef himself often comes out to check on the patrons. Take a date, take a party, it's a great gem here in Milwaukee!
(5)
Kim B.

Do you ever go to a restaurant and wish you could order 10 things on the menu? La Merenda is the place to go! This tapas restaurant uses local, fresh ingredients and combines multiple types of cuisine. The patatas bravas, Argentinian style beef, tomato basil ravioli, and tuna ceviche are all fantastic. There are lots of vegetarian friendly dishes, and plenty of gluten-free options. The desserts are fantastic, and the wine list is great. The prices are more than reasonable. They also have free valet, which is fantastic in the Wisconsin winter. The one issue we always have is getting a reservation. Yelp your reservation at least five days in advance.
(4)
Roxanne M.

THIS PLACE IS DELICIOUS. Very few places I would go back to, but this is one of them. Everything we ate was wonderful, and the atmosphere was amazing. Definitely recommend this place.
(5)
ali s.

Do you like small fried things? Do you like sangria? I do. I took my mom and sister here and we sat at the bar because the wait for a table was 45 minutes. But the dining area is cute. I hate eating at tables but I would consider a table here because the atmosphere is lively and on the dimmer side. We thought we were lost, and it was dark and quiet outside, but we walked in and it was bustling. Really cute. It is a bit odd that the tapas are from around the world - but I suppose it appeals to more people that way. Food is not that amazing, though definitely tasty - again, I like everything that is fried, but it really is a great place. If you want a table on a weekend i'd suggest making a rez, unless you don't mind waiting at the bar. I'll be back.
(4)
Laura P.

Fantastic restaurant with excellent tapas. You would never know to go in this place if you hadn't heard of it. Very blah on outside. But walk in. The food and service is fantastic and it is spacious and charming inside. The ravioli is insanely delicious. As is the argentine beef. Actually, everything was delicious and the dessert is a must. A home run.
(4)
Kelley P.

Food was good. Disappointed with the service. Had our daughter (18 months old) with us and we felt like we were out of place. Called first to make sure it was kid friendly. They said yes. Came early 5:15 so that we could get in and out fast. Our waitress was standing around chatting to other servers while we waited to be greated... Not sure I would go back because of the service...
(3)
Hunter R.

Interesting international twist on small plate/tapas. If you've had tapas before this will meet but not exceed your expectations, i found it a bit overpriced, not ridiculously but just enough so that you notice. The food and presentation was good, the atmosphere is warm and welcoming. The menu options and wine list are refreshing. The Argentinian beef was over-hyped in my opinion, just some medium rare beef medallions. Irish car bomb cake and plantain chips are good. I also enjoyed the duck crepes. Probably won't come back but was a good culinary experience.
(4)
Jenny s.

This place is pretty good but I can't help feeling ripped off for the price. I know the mismatched chairs and tables are supposed to be country and quaint, but it just looks cheap and junky, like they bought out the half off day at Value Village. Last time I was there the woman bartending was rude and ignored us for most of the night while we tried to get food at the bar (which she offered in place of sitting in the dining room). Finally..... the ceviche. I don't even want to think about it. I love ceviche but this almost put me off it for good. It was served with tortilla chips in a small cocktail tumbler (like you'd put your whiskey in) and it looked like pureed vomit. No, really. It was runny and chunky, all the colors you'd expect to see regurgitated after a hearty meal. It looked SO SO disgusting, I had to put my napkin over it. That was from a visit months ago, but I can still see it in my mind. Some things you cannot unsee. :( I probably won't ever go back. Unless this experience fades from my mind, like listening to Joanna Newsom, and I feel like, it can't have been as bad as I remember, it can't have been THAT bad.. and then I have to check it out again just to be sure. I assume it, like Joanna Newsom, will indeed still be that bad.
(3)
Bobby G.

Busy as hell..... but very good. People are cool and attentive. Owner seams to be a very nice guy and the food is priced well. Tapas are always fun for groups and I enjoy the tasting of many things. Great restaurant in the walkers point area. Love the supporting of local, just like Industri cafe and crazy water. Just make sure to book a reservation as they get busy always.
(4)
Tim T.

Hands down, amazing. Make a reservation. Excellent food, great service and a fun bar crowd.
(5)
Anthony R.

Great place! I came on a Monday night - which was, it turned out, half price bottle of wine night! Sweet! We paid $14 for a great bottle of tempranillo - a serious value. Even better, they had decent-looking house wines for $19 regularly which would be a serious serious value on Monday -- and I'm guessing a decent value the rest of the time. We were seated right away, arriving early in the evening to a nearly empty restaurant around 5:45 which filled up with a decent-sized crowd by 6:30. The "international tapas" theme is great -- we had the "tel aviv" salad, made with watercress, grapefrult, and oranges, patatas bravas with a delicious chorizo sausage (mm!), the roasted spicy olives (nice), and the special of the evening which was a really tasty mushroom ravioli in a creamy sauce. All very good, and I'm always happy to try inventive, diverse cuisine in addition to bar food and beer on my visits to Milwaukee. Good work La Merenda!
(5)
Paul U.

Food is incredible. A real adventure. Save room for dessert. Busy on Wednesday, can mean only good and it was. Will come back!
(5)
John S.

This place is out of this world! I've been there several times and can't say enough about it! The atmosphere is great for sharing food with one or many friends and the dishes are just so tasty! Tres Leches cake is also beyond awesome! LOVE this place!
(5)
Beth S.

I live in Milwaukee and this city has many good restaurants but La Merenda is my favorite. It is my go-to place for perfect food. The thing about this place is the value. The food is really, really, really good and at the end of the night it's usually only about $30 a person, maybe $40 if you splurged on drinks (like on New Years). La Merenda does international tapas - so one may be skeptical, but the amazing thing is is that everything is fantastic. I have never eaten a thing there that wasn't just delicious. And even better, every small plate feeds (at least) four. So whether you're with a small group or a large one, everyone can get to try everything they want. We just keep ordering until we're full, and amazingly, every time it's $30 a person. I also love that they source the majority of ingredients locally, so everything is fresh. My favorite items are the Argentinian Beef, the Chorizo and Potatoes, the Osso Bucco, and the Pork Belly Confit. For non-meat-eaters I recommend the polenta with mushroom ragut and the tostones. Of course, everything is always excellent. And last but not least - the tres lecches cake is the perfect end to the perfect meal. Did I mention this is my favorite restaurant?
(5)
Atlantian T.

Excellent Excellent - Food, Service, Wine .... Phenomenal place to get some dinner, hangout with friends. Quite frankly for whatever reason you like to go out, I am sure you will find this place more than satisfying. Daily specials are usually interesting and their standard menu items like Argentinian beef are consistently great. You can't go wrong with the food here. Order away! Half price wine on Monday is a steal. Even if you end up here on another day of the week, the wine is very reasonably priced and they change the wine list enough to keep it fresh and exciting. Service is excellent and the staff is very friendly and if you go here often enough they remember your preferences too. If you are looking for a personal touch nothing beats that. Nice decor and the overall vibe is almost comparable to a neighborhood restaurant in San Francisco Highly recommended!!
(5)
Sahithi B.

AMAZING food and Drinks! Roasted Squash Ravioli and Patatas Bravas- Must try!
(5)
Raquel D.

We did not have a reservation and ended up eating at the bar on a Friday evening. The place looked very cosy and had a lot of charm. Here's what we ended up ordering - *) Kilaw Ceviche - quite refreshing to start off our meal with, and the sweet and sour components were balanced very well. *) Roasted Beet Salad - I typically don't order salads while dining out but the fiance insisted on getting this one. The portion size was quite huge. I love beets and I love goat cheese so pairing the two of them together is genius :) Happily finished off every last morsel. *) Roasted Squash Ravioli - I have read other Yelp reviews praising this dish, but we both didn't like it sooo much. I found it a bit too buttery and sweet for my liking. *) Argentinian Style Beef - The STAR of the evening! I will come back again to this place just to eat this! The beef was oh so tender, I loved the char and the spice seasoning was perfect! The plantains were well cooked too and complimented the meat very nicely. *) Creme Brulee - Yummm! It was perfectly sweet and salty, and not heavy at all. We also had a couple of drinks at the bar. I had the red wine sangria which was nice and the fiance had some whiskey cocktail which he enjoyed as well. Overall, we both enjoyed our evening here. This place is definitely worth visiting again!
(4)
Heather S.

Enjoyed a nice meal here. The food was very good with interesting and unique combinations, and I liked that. It's a place everyone should try whether you're a party of 2 or more. They have a very good wine selection, and the creme brulee was OUTSTANDING!!!!! They have valet parking. The service was excellent!
(4)
Becky S.

This restaurant was great! Almost every tapas we ordered was delicious and we tried quite a few with a party of 8. Favorites were the Argentinian Beef, La Merenda Salad, Sauteed Shrimp, and the Chupe. The beer was reasonably priced and the wine/sangria was excellent. I would go back here in a heartbeat.
(4)
Natalie P.

Brought friends here who were visiting from Chicago, and we all agreed this was the best meal in recent memory. The atmosphere lends itself to socializing, drinking and sharing- and that we did. Since everything on the menu sounded delicious, we ended up ordering probably all but 2-3 items. Not a single thing disappointed. Just a note- there were four of us and the sharing worked out perfectly. Everyone got a decent sample of each plate. Can't wait to come back and experience again!
(5)
Stephanie M.

I looove this place! Especially on Mondays when wine is 1/2 off bottles! There is almost never a wait, and if there is, the bar is always available if you are hungry. The service is nice, and the food is excellent! it's always great to be able to go to a place with friends, order a bunch of different tapas and be able to share. The prices are very reasonable - great place for a date night ;)
(5)
Gregory M.

Even though, I have only ate here once (at least it was for my birthday), I often tell people that this is one of Milwaukee's best restaurants. I think I haven't gone again because: A) It is a tapas restaurant, so I instantly feel overwhelmed at the task of getting six to eight friends together to dine here. B) I think of it as Milwaukee's Dorsia (from American Psycho, if you have been living under a rock) where it is impossible to get a reservation (not true at all). For the full dining experience, you must be willing to share, as well as, be adventuresome in trying different foods from different cultures. I remember the empanadas, paella, and Argentinean style beef being quite delectable.
(4)
Jessica O.

We returned with a large group and got a good waitress this time so I am upping the rating to five stars. This place is fastly becoming my favorite restaurant. Additionally I got to try a few more dishes. Veal Osso Bucco: Words fail me. I have never tasted anything so flavorful in my life. The meat was tender, the sauce flavorful, and rich and the risotto a perfect creamy balance. I can't rave enough about this dish. I want this for my las meal. I scraped every last bit off that plate and had to be restrained from licking it right there at the table. I am smitten. Sauteed Asparagus: Very flavorful, and the addition of mushrooms pulled this side dish together. Aside from above we also ordered the ravioli again and were so satisfied by them. We also ordered a special of fresh mozzerella and prociutto on a salad. It wasn't anything great and I wouldn't order it a second time if it came up as a special. Overall this place is fantastic.
(5)
Brandon H.

Great selection, not your average tapas restaurant. It was fun to try tapas-type dishes from around the world rather than traditional Spanish tapas. Great prices too! My favorites were the Hong Kong Beef special and the turtle creme brulee.
(4)
Anna W.

La Marenda is just great. My roommates and I try and come here at least once a semester. My favorite menu items? The spanakopita and duck crepes. yumm. I always bring people here to try and impress them with the great places Milwaukee has to offer :)
(5)
stephen l.

Can't go wrong with anything on the menu here. Service was great and they were very accommodating to our 13-month old. Need a reservation and parking can sometimes be slightly difficult but otherwise a great semi-casual place to eat. Definitely suggest the Duck Confit Crepes.
(5)
Kelsey J.

I'm giving the overall experience a 3.5. I love the idea of Tapas, and sharing a wide variety of food with friends over good cocktails, wine and conversation. My last experience I went with a group of 7, I feel like we tried the majority of the menu. Everything was good, but there were 2 or 3 real stand out dishes. I think the food is only about a 3 due to the hit or missness of each plate as well as each visit. I wanted every plate to make me go, mmh this is soo good. Standouts I believe were the Duck Confit Crepes, Beet Ravioli and the cocunut milk shrimp dish. The ceviche was downright bad. Which was disappointing since the last time I was there it was my favorite. Overall I really like the place. I will go back for sure and hopefully the plates become more consistently great to match the ambiance and experience.
(4)
Christian M.

Very plain looking building for the outside, inside it is beautiful with a nice classy atmosphere and very attentive and friendly employees. Easy to find parking nearby. The bread is homemade and the butter is very good. I had Tostones serves with hot salsa and fresh guacamole, Arepas served with a very traditional chimichuria sauce, Quesadillas, Argentinian Beef cooked to perfection, tender and tasty. All the food items were very good! I do not frequently visit Milwaukee, but this place is a gem and highly recommended.
(5)
Mary D.

I've never had a bad time here! This is a great date place, with an extensive wine list and well-prepared food. There are enough choices on the international tapas menu to please anyone. GO HERE!!
(5)
Christopher M.

This place is great. The tapas are interesting, the price is right and the food is locally sourced. The chef does some great stuff with Braise, too.
(4)
Amy M.

Was looking for Tapas in Milwaukee and this turned out amazing. Excellent choices with very reasonable prices. Valet parking was an added benefit. A fun fun place to be with friends.
(4)
David R.

Been here a few times now and I am more impressed every time I go. The other night we had the Osso Bucco, the Tostones, the Spanikopita, the Short Ribs the Sambal Goreng Udang, the Cheese Plate (w/ 4 cheeses), the Arancini, the Chorizo Ravioli (a special), and the Irish Car Bomb desert along with the Fried Banana & Chocolate egg rolls and the Almond Joy Creme Brule. I honestly don't have enough time or patience to get into details on each dish but suffice it to say EVERYTHING was excellent. It amazes me how this place can churn out all these dishes with such an excellent level of quality and taste for each and every dish. Easily one of my favorite restaurants in Milwaukee, and a great value too. My friend and I had 3 drinks and split 6 dishes and the total bill for the two of us was just under $60. Incredible food, incredible value.
(5)
Tiffany Ann W.

I love this place! If the butternut squash ravioli is there, order it!!
(5)
Jim F.

Unique dining experience for Milwaukee, and it can be difficult to get a reservation on weekends. That is because the food is so good here. They serve menu items tapas style, but the food hails from all over the world. You can mix Spanish tapas with an asian noodle dish. And, surprising, it is all done well. The only slight down side is that service is sometimes spotty, but does not diminish from the experience. It is OK for kids (it gets loud) but I would go early rather than later.
(4)
Anne H.

La Merenda never disappoints. Every small plate is excellent. It's fun to be able to try such a large variety of tastes in one meal.
(5)
Kelly K.

Perfect for a group and especially a GNO (Girls Night Out) I have been here twice and loved it both times! Great for people who can never decide on what they want to eat - you can try EVERYTHING! PS - Go for the desserts - they are amazing! The price range I am giving it is two dollar signs but that is INCLUDING alcohol! I went with a group of 6 and we took down almost every small plate there was and then some, AND had at least 3 bottles of wine - I think we ended up paying about $25 each (including tip!) AMAZING
(5)
Emily T.

Loved our experience. Didn't love the sangria, but when I told our waitress she brought me something else. No complaints. Great food and you can try so many things because portions are small (and cheap!!)
(5)
S B.

La Merenda, it's sad that it's come to this .. We were huge fans of La Merenda when it first opened and recommended it to everyone we knew. Over time, the menu has stayed largely the same and some of those menu items really should be improved, especially the desserts. Our biggest problem with La Merenda, though, is the waitstaff. They don't really seem to be there to serve food, but more to stroll around as if they're on a fashion runway, and often they seem to be genuinely annoyed when flagged down for an order. It's the waitstaff and their bored and surly attitude that have kept us from going back, even though we were such fans during their first year.
(2)
Aletta J.

We visited Mke this past weekend so many reviews to come! We ate at LaMerenda on Saturday night. Reservations for 7 p.m. and were able to get in right away. Kitschy with the different sized tables and kitchen chairs of all sizes shapes made it fun and casual. My husband said that not one of the waitresses had the same haircut. ?? Our waitress was nice enough, but didn't crack a smile once the entire night and we tried! We had the cheese / meat selection (hello, we're in Mke!) and also the roasted beet salad w/ fennel and goat cheese. A bit over-dressed but still yummy and zingy with a pepper I can't figure out. For our entrees we were pretty full from our lunch at Five Guys in Bay Shore so we ate light w/ polenta and mushroom ragout (yum!) and got the Thai curry chicken. The latter was made with roasted chicken - light and dark pieces which made it interesting. Wasn't hot -- heat hot -- tho when it arrived. It had been sitting. Having a huge selection of tapas from around the world was great. Nothing too heavy, or too light. Now, if you've read my reviews before, you know that my DH has a gluten intolerance. This place was fantastic about gluten-intol folks! One last thing, after being at all the distilleries and breweries all weekend, it was nice to see them support the local guys. We'll be back.
(4)
Jamie S.

Wholy cats, this is one of my favorite spots in all of Milwaukee. I almost never give 5 stars...Its fantastic! A la Ba Ba Reeba Chicago style, they have tapas and wine for every taste.. although the menu is more cheesey/chorizo-ey, you can find some other options, which is important for me. The house wine at $5 a glass is nice, and its tasty - not icky and cheap. The ambiance is homey, and tight, bordering on romantic- set up in what seems to be an old car garage, with mismatched tables, chairs, and mirrors all over the walls. It reminds me of Seville Spain. The people watching is good too- alot of 3rd wardy yuppy well dressed people.The waitress' are knowledgeable and I cant tell you how QUICK they are with bring the food out. This is a great place for a first date, or a large group.
(5)
Katie D.

This is one of my favorite places to eat in Milwaukee. Excellent sangria and love the little plates. The food may taste salty to some, but if you eat it with all of the items on the plate, it is in perfect harmony. We ordered the weinerschnitzel which was on special. I first tried one bite of the meat and I thought it was super salty. Then I tried it with the sweet and sour kraut and it was perfectly balanced. The duck crepes are a must try as well as the beef dish with mashed plantains. We had the pleasure of meeting the chef the last time we were there and he was passionate about his food! The Irish car bomb is another must!
(5)
Kristen W.

One of my favorite restaurants in Milwaukee! It's so much fun going with a group of people and ordering a bunch of different plates to share. Mondays are half-off bottles of wine - can't beat that! Make sure you make a reservation a couple of weeks ahead if you want to get in at a decent time.
(5)
Mike R.

Excellent!
(5)
Elizabeth M.

Always amazing. My boyfriend and I have NEVER had a bad experience at La Merenda and I bet we have been there 20+times. we are bar people so per fer to sit at the bar if there is room. Stubs the bartender always gives us great service and suggestions. If we do sit in the dining room we always have wonderful service. where do I begin on the food...veal oso bucco, Korean beef, la Merenda salad, cheese plate, PORK BELLY (its like a giant piece of bacon), beet salad, and always get dessert. Tres leches cake and Guinness cake will knock your socks off! Mondays are half price bottles of wine, so if you go make a reservation. Actually make a reservation whenever you go, its great for a date or for a small group. Amazing is how I would describe La Merenda
(5)
Emily A.

I have to admit--I'm a fan! First I'll say off the bat: I'm a bit conservative with my money. That is to say that I get pretty damn irritated when it comes time to split the bill and you suddenly end up paying 2x the amount you ordered since you all decided to split it "evenly" even though half the things people ordered were nasty that I didn't eat. With La Merenda this was not the case! My grouchy self was so pleased. Everything my 7 friends and I ordered was delicious. The prices were very reasonable too--$6-$8 per tapa. My favorite was the patatas. Fried potatoes in a spicy tomato paste/sauce--must try! I also really enjoyed the Patachos (I probably spelled that really wrong). It was a tostada like cracker with chicken and tomato and other yummy stuff. All in all most everything was good and I got to try a wide variety of food that I might not have otherwise tried. Cute little place, I definitely recommend you check it out.
(4)
Michael T.

Highly international menu with amazing selections prepared to the highest caliber. This restaurant will blow your mind.
(5)
Joann W.

nice cozy atmosphere unique plates. except our server was a little dull. We had to keep getting her attention to come to us because she would just walk by and not say nething so it was a little annoying. other than that everything else was good
(4)
Joe J.

pretty great place through and through. Tapas are such a great thing when dining with a group. I have enjoyed myself every time I have been to la merenda!!
(4)
Ji-In L.

Love love loved this place. The restaurant is super cute and quaint. And the dishes were so tasty! I'm a huge fan of Asian food, so I was a little skeptical of the Asian-y dishes, but they were some of my favorite (the Korean beef... mmm...). We went for lunch during the week and it was so cozy and comfortable that we ended up staying an hour and half just grazing and chatting. I think in general, tapas are best down in groups of 4 or less so everyone gets some of everything and there's not an awkward attempt to split things 8 ways. Just my two cents...
(5)
Adam D.

What a wonderful experience! Bar staff and wait staff are professional, attentive but not overbearing. Warm atmosphere, especially in the bar. Food was great--love the tostones!
(4)
Sona B.

I have been here numerous times and am a huge fan. They are great at accomodating large groups and I always see birthdays being celebrated. That being said, reservations can be tough to get last minute. There is always open seating at the bar. However from past experience, in order to get a seat at the bar during peak hours, you have to be ok with being creepy (staring at the couple finishing up their dessert), pushy (pushing past the throng of others heading towards the two open seats), and a ninja (how else are you going to take down those old ladies that think those seats are theirs?). The place does not look like much from the outside, but inside, you have a spanish terra cotta like feel. The international tapas dishes are numerous. There are definitely hits and misses. I highly recommend the ceviche, their specials of the night, the patatas, their lamb dish, the thai curry, and their desserts!!- The creme brulee and tres leches cake are phenomenal! I believe Monday nights are half off wine nights as well. Overall, this is definitely not a place to miss while in Milwaukee.
(5)
A.A. Y.

I've eaten at La Merenda about 15 times in the past year & a half and love it. The food is consistently good. I will never, ever grow tired of this place! If you don't want to eat in the dining area (it can get a bit loud) eat at the bar. The first 5 or 6 times I ate there we actually never even went into the dining room. The bar is its own separate room + the bartender is as solid as they come.
(5)
Eric O.

Dined here for the first time and liked it. Casual atmosphere, fun menu, delicious dishes, and great service. My only criticism is that the wine glasses were smaller than most other restaurants. We will definitely be going back again!
(4)
Laura F.

Also LOVE the location in Walker's Point. They also have a cute, welcoming bar and waiting area and a cozy but rather loud dining room. The sound level on a recent bustling Saturday night is the only reason I would not recommend La Merenda for a romantic dinner. I would, however, recommend it for any sort of upbeat dinner with friends or family, especially if your group has adventurous palates. They have a great wine list and a highly varied international tapas menu. I definitely love a restaurant where you can order: Thai jicama and papaya slaw, Argentine beef with mashed plaintains (to die for), empanadas filled with beef and yucca, spanish spicy potatoes and a panang chicken curry off one menu. Finish it off with a piece of tasty flan and my friend and I were a happy duo. The best part was, without drinks, our bill was $35. No one dish is more than $10, most are in the $6-$8 range. I'm updating my stars to five after an amazing meal here this weekend. There were 10 of us for a friend's birthday, and instead of ordering on our own they arranged a sort of chef's tasting. We got to try a big chunk of the menu, and almost every dish was wonderful. Service was very good as well and the restaurant and bar were packed - very good sign for fledgling Merenda.
(5)
Jane K.

i'm sorry but i still don't think this place is 1. as good as people say or think and 2. as good as they could be! it upsets me because they have everything going for them and i just don't think they deliver. the menu, on paper, is really very inventive and exciting. but the follow through is disappointing. i recently went and sat at the bar to eat. i had not been there in a couple of years. i was extra excited because it was half price bottles of wine night and they have some appetizery happy hour deals. the wine offer is a total steal. it is worth going to sit at the bar for a bottle of wine and not having any food. they have some very nice selections at quite reasonable prices for a restaurant. but the food really brought me down. it was just ok and i was SO routing for it to be great. just the descriptions had my mouth watering with anticipation. and then waa-waaaaaa. bummer. next dish...dang! next...oh man really????? it has been a few weeks since i was there so the only thing that i really remember from the food was that i ordered their ceviche and i swear it was drowning in that "special sauce" that they put on a big mac. it tasted like thousand island dressing. really unappealing and completely overpowered the seafood. and where was the citrus? it was ceviche! look up the definition. secondly. yuck. i don't mean to bag on them. i know the chef takes great pride in his food and his using local ingredients but it is sad to see a place with all the right ingredients not manage to hit a home run. i'm not saying i won't ever go back but it might be a while. sorry.
(2)
Kristin P.

I have been to La Merenda in the past, it was good. I went last night. Long story short, I called to make a reservation, the hostess told me I could eat at the bar. She gave no option for a table, no in sight as far as if there were tables and told me "we stop taking reservations at 10pm." That's not what I asked, it was 8pm! When my group of 4 got there, again she told us to sit at the bar and eat. I explained to her there were 4 of us and we would like a table. She started to rub her eyes as if she were irritated and said "you can eat now if you sit at the bar." I felt as if I were fighting for a table, reservations, and a good atmosphere. When my boyfriend went up to ask for a table she told him to sit at the bar and didn't offer a table, a waiting list, no info about when we could be seated although the dining room was getting empty. It was 10pm. I believe a manager came up, over heard the conversation and seated us right away. I mentioned to him I felt as though I was fighting for a chance to sit at a table, he responded "oh". That was it! Nothing about this place screamed $135 for our meal! The only good quality about the restaurant was the fact the waitress didn't come back for 20-30 mins at a time. My company was great, food was subpar and today I woke up with the worst gut bomb I have had since my drinking years and I didn't have a sip of alcohol last night! It is 1:20pm now and I have been on and off the toilet since 6:30AM along with my husband. My friends text me this AM asking if I were sick too! Last time I'll be paying for diarrhea.
(1)
J W.

This review should not deter you from going to this restaurant as it is 10 times better than any "chain" restaurant. Ok here goes... Monday lunch: We walked in having had a strange experience finding a parking spot as I wasn't sure where you could park? There is a lot that it fenced in right next door but looks like a business, then there is also a lot in the back that looks like its for condos? Then there is the street that I am assuming is a free for all but still not sure. Parked on the street with no ticket. We entered as nice little bar area just perfect for the size of the the restaurant and separated as not to bug the dinners. We were seated by a nice waitress. I have to say and I mean no offense this place truthfully is the cheapest yet best outcome of a build out I may have ever seen! Painted orange cinder block walls, all tables and chair had to come from a resale shop, likewise mirrors and 'art' ceiling is black with parts drop ceiling. Yet it all works for some reason! The should let me redo their art and mirrors but I'm just being picky :) Ok the real stuff! Food for the most part was great and some was just ok. To start Tostones: plantains with Guacamole and salsa Verde: Chips a little big and filling but dips were PERFECT!!! Second was: Lumpia Shanghai Spring rolls, these were out of this world with a great sweet and sour sauce! Third Empanadas, These for some reason were great and just ok at the same time and I don't know why! Sause didnt do much for me. Fourth the Patatas Bravas y Chorizo: This was way to heavy for tapas! It was too salty and the Chorizi was too much for the plate. Four small pieces would have sufficed. I have to say it would be great for a really cold night at home as it was heavy! All in all great food, obviously fresh and healthy! I do feel that the plates are a bit large for Tapas, And this from someone from Milwaukee! If they didn't do this every person would have said the plates were so small.. LOL I think you need to mix and match and probably have the chef recommendation as listed on the bottom of the menu and everything would be perfect! Price was good, and I have to compliment them on having 2.50 domestic beers as this is a fair price! thank you and I will be back! *** We did try to go on a Friday night at 7:30 and the wait was 1 and half hours so make sure you plan accordingly! Drink list looked really good! ****I forgot most interesting tres leches cake I have ever had! I loved it!
(4)
D J.

I'd almost forgotten that tapas were my favorite food option - LOVED the food at La Merenda! Tapas is a misnomer actually, since the cuisine is pretty eclectic and international - for a vegetarian try sauteed spinach and polentas from Italy, Spanish patatas bravas, and my personal favorite - Colombian tostones (fried plaintain chips); The empanadas and ceviches looked great and my friends claim it tasted just as good! We realized that the "small portion" concept extended to the desserts as well - the much anticipated chocolate concoctions turned out to be skimpy and if it weren't for the fact that I wasn't craving their rather ordinary sangria, I would have been devastated that they ran out after just a couple of pitchers! La Merenda is a great dinner option in the city, and if the space was any trendier, it would certainly rank higher in my scale.
(3)
Kelli P.

I've always heard great things about this place and finally had the opportunity to check it out. From the outside the place looks like a total dive, but don't let that distract you because the food is great. It's a good place to order lots and lots of dishes and share. A group of 4 probably works best because most items they brought 4 of. The items are reasonably priced, so you don't feel bad ordering so much. Six plates and three beers was just under $60 before tip, which seems reasonable for such great food. Would definitely recommend to others.
(4)
Elizabeth S.

The food was good, not great. Loved the $9.50 bottle of house Pinot Grigio (it was half-off Mondays). Started with the Som Tum salad, it had good flavor, but the julienned vegetables were overpowered by heavily dressed Thai vinaigrette, and I was hoping for a little more heat. I much prefer the green papaya salad at Pho Hai on 27th Street. Next came the spinach and speck ravioli with a light marjoram cream sauce. The filling and sauce were very tasty but the homemade pasta was a little tough. I couldn't tell if it was from under cooking or over kneading. The star of the trip was the veal shank osso bucco with a roasted red pepper risotto. OMG, I would go there and order two of these to have as a meal for myself next time. The flavors were spot on, distinct but blended, and the risotto texture was creamy and al dente simultaneously. Five stars for this dish! Still hungry we opted to order a couple more dishes. The Lumpia Shanghai were nothing to write home about. They were like Chinese-style taquitos served with the bottled sweet chili sauce I have in my fridge. The flavors inside were indistinct and kind of mushy. The presentation was unimaginative and could have used a bit of greenery, a shiso leaf (I know it's Japanese, but it's pretty) underneath perhaps, or at least a colored plate? Something besides yellow fried taquitos and orange sauce on white dinnerware. Our last dish was the Humba - braised pork with a mildly sweet sauce. It was ok, but pretty basic. I cook a lot and could too easily replicate these flavors at home. The presentation was lacking again. We were served a bowl of brown pork with brown mushrooms and brown sauce and a bowl of white rice. Snippets of scallions or chives would have made this dish much more appealing as well as added a little fresh zing. Also, it seemed (flavor wise) that the filling for the Lumpia Shanghai was the Humba, but I could easily be wrong. Overall, the experience was good. Our waitress was very kind and attentive, a great deal on the wine, and I'm tempted to return to order the Osso Bucco, it was that good. One thing that surprised me was the lack of fresh specials. We have so much produce ready for harvest, I'd like to see them used here, as this is the venue. One of the specials was a salad of strawberries and asparagus with walnuts and goat cheese, but we're on the tail end of local asparagus and strawberry season. The only other special was a chorizo ravioli with a marinara sauce. When asked which we should order (the chorizo or the spinach ravioli) our server recommended the spinach. I always thought the specials were supposed to be a bonus to the menu, not something to be passed over. Overall, it was good, but just good (except that Osso Bucco!) Dinner for 2 - $46.28 without gratuity
(3)
Nancy S.

Who knew I could get great tapas in Milwaukee! This place was a pleasant surprise on a Saturday night when I was in town to visit friends. The wait time was not bad, we had a drink in the loveseat area before grabbing seats up at the bar. The bartender was a lot of fun and turned me on to the special: a spare rib dish which was out of this world. I devoured it. This meal was over four months ago and I still think of that dish often. We shared a couple of plates including a curry/rice dish and an Asian dish. I enjoyed everything. I should mention that I sampled some delicious tequila as well.
(4)
Amy S.

We went here with a larger group and it was delish - were able to try a lot of different things and not very expensive.
(5)
David Z.

Wow, obviously popular. For five years now, La Merenda has been attracting friends who enjoy the food and hippie ambience in a neighborhood in Walker's Point trying to become trendy. The ambience is early consignment shop and late junk. For creative types, the variety of chairs pairs with the diverse countries from which the tapas are supposed to come. The food is admittedly tasty, although more fusion than authenticity. The Sampas are filling, although Indonesians know nothing about mashed potatoes. We actually found two small plates and a side of asparagus sufficient by adding a house wine, a shared Tres Leches and a coffee. $39 plus tip to the waitress and valet wasn't too bad for an interesting experience. However, this was not a really high class experience and some of the offerings were high priced. It would be a fun place to hang out with friends, and there are a number of larger tables to allow for this.
(3)
peter k.

We came to La Merenda with high expectations. After reading a lot of good things about La Merenda on the internet - we made a reservation a week ahead. When we arrived, the hostess told us she couldn't find our reservation- but that we'd be seated within five mnutes. 15 minutes later, we were seated at a small table with a wooden bench - which was uncomfortable as it looked. Our waitress was stuck with a table of 30 people as well, who seemed to be annoying and difficult - so we barely saw her for the first half an hour we were seated. While the waiting forever for drinks and to order was annoying - she seemed to mean well, and her party of 30 seemed genuinely complicated - so it was hard to fault her. The food itself was pretty hit or miss. The cheese plate offered a great selection of cheeses, and a very good balsamic reduction. My wife had the gorgonzola ravioli - which she liked quite a bit. The best dish of the night was absolutely the veal osso bucco on red pepper risotto. It was fantastic. We had the polenta and the french style steak and fries - which were both pretty boring. The Morrocan lamb briouats were quite a disappointment. My wife's family is Morrocan - so we were very excited for this dish. While the cumin vinaigrette dipping sauce they came with was quite good -whatever flavor was in the lamb was totally overwhelmed by the heat. I would still recommend this place, and probably will go back (for the veal osso bucco and to try other things on the menu).
(4)
Chris M.

La Merenda is a great tapas bar and I highly recommend eating there during the week with a few of your friends or family unless you call ahead for a larger group. We ordered the Argentinian Beef, Asparagus, Ceviche, Beef Wellington, and sipped on their Sangria. The server was amazing and very helpful. She brought out the tapas one by one in a fashion so that we started with an "appetizer" (the ceviche) and ended with our "entree" (the Beef Wellington). All in all it was a great place to eat and fairly inexpensive.
(4)
Stella B.

Great food, great atmosphere, great service. Not one complaint. Just FYI: make reservations, no matter what day and time.
(5)
Yvonne C.

La Merenda is one of my favorite restaurants in Milwaukee! It's a casual, comfortable restaurant that's nice for an easy meal out with friends. They have great cocktails and the sangria is delicious. Surprisingly, they do all the international tapas quite well. Some favorites from a recent visit: pork belly confit, duck crepes, chorizo and patatas bravas, and calabacitas. They're usually pretty busy on weekends, so reservations are recommended.
(4)
Gregg D.

Really fair pricing from food to drinks. I have tried most things on the menu, but the veal Osso is the best I have ever had. You don't know whether to eat it or boink it. Yeah, it's that good.
(5)
Peter Danny H.

This is a great place for a group with eclectic tastes and appetites! I hadn't been there in a couple of years, so I went back this past weekend. Whether it's Asian, Latin American, Caribbean, European, or what have you, this place delivers great dishes for whatever type of cuisine you're in the mood for. Also, the ambiance is very social and works for a first date or gathering of a group of friends.
(5)
Alan C.

What a great place! My wife and I visited La Merenda on November 14th, which was a Saturday night. The restaurant was packed. And, once we got a seat and tried the food, we knew why. The service was friendly and efficient. We especially appreciated the fact that the owner/chef took the time to come out from the kitchen (on a night when he must have been jammin' back there) to patiently explain the heritage, ingredients and theory behind each of our menu selections to us. The overarching theme here is freshness. The way freshness is maintained at La Merenda is principally through the committed use of locally obtained ingredients. The diverse cuisines offered are a pastiche of flavors from around the world. The focus here is not so much on ethic authenticity in terms of ingredient choices in particular dishes. Rather, each item represents an homage to a type of cuisine prepared as though a native of that culture had been dropped into Wisconsin, cooking dishes with the tastes and techniques of his home culture but using only such ingredients as he might find fresh and in excellent quality in the greater Milwaukee area. In particular we enjoyed the Roasted Beet Salad which used some really excellent local beets and fennel. A Thai style curry was delicious which, though slightly different from the menu description, on this night featured peas. Garden peas are not a typical Thai ingredient, but in this presentation they were perfectly cooked (as opposed to overcooked) and melded with the curry base to produce an unexpected and excellent result. We also very much enjoyed an unusual Moroccan-style phyllo-dough and lamb dish. In terms of prices, we might not be the best guides since we come from Las Vegas and are accustomed to having to pay top-dollar. Notwithstanding that, though, we were struck by how very reasonable the prices were. The two of us waddled out of the place deliciously stuffed to the gills for less than $40.00. This is not only a great place; it's a great deal. We can't wait to return the next time we're in Milwaukee!
(5)
Erin B.

I'm a huge fan of tapas and have been meaning to try La Merenda for a while. Finally made it there on Saturday for a quick dinner before a party. There were only two of us and we did not have a reservation. We were seated at a table for two tucked right in front of the server station. When we were seated I specifically asked if servers were going to be reaching behind me the whole meal and was told no. Wish this was the case. I got to spend the entire meal listening to the loud clanging of silverware being wrapped right behind my head. Very disappointing. All the of the tapas items were ordered were great, however, either the kitchen or our server didn't space the items well and we ended up with just about everything at once. The sangria was very disappointing, bascially wine with some fruit floating in it. I make better at home. I'd go back for the food but they really need to step up the service and an actual sangria would be nice!
(2)
Bob D.

After reading the numerus glowing reviews I went there this past Presidents Day for an anniversary lunch with my wife, in-laws and daughter. We were the second table seated with a larger group already there. The place had a faint smell of backed up sewage which anyone familiar with the third/fifth Wards has no doubt smelled at some point. The food here is very nice, although if your looking to "eat until your full" it's going to cost you some $$$. My main issue with our meal was the service; and I don't necessarily mean our waitress. She was cooly effecient but never friendly. What got me is she seemed to be doing EVERYTHING: seating people, taking orders, getting drinks AND answering the phone. This is OK when there's 2-3 tables busy, but the place started to fill up with 7-8 tables. While another woman arrived to work the phone and seat people, service on the meal overall was slow and inattentive, and I demand top notch service from any restaurant of this supposed caliber. I'm guessing they bring their A-Game for the dinner crowd, and hopefully this was just a hiccup in a place that does have some very interesting cuisine.
(3)
Matthew H.

It was alright. Some very unique flavors and items from around the world. Maybe not in the best part of town. The service was alright enough. Mushroom tacos should go, very blah. Vegetable empanada was crispy and had great Chipotle aioele dipping sauce. Shrimp starter was my fav. It was like a zesty lime flavored cocktail sauce dip. Spicy sausage with potatoes had some delicious heavy red sauce. However, the potatoes were over salted. They had some fun soda pop options. If you prefer your traditional Coke or Pepsi products with your meal you should try something new. This is the way sodas were meant to be enjoyed. From the reviews I expected amazing, and got good. I'm glad I went once, but it wasn't good enough for a second try.
(3)
Anne M.

The place is charming and the waiters and staff. We started w salads which was okey, but the recommended pork belly crepe and the argentine beef were SOooooo good! The trileche cake is a must!
(4)
Teddy B.

It has terrible management, it's way too kitschy, and I know firsthand that it is quite overpriced. This dive feels like a dungeon on the inside. A fantastic way to ruin a good meal. If you have respect for the "local food" "small plates" experience, skip it.
(1)
Angela M.

I choose this place every year for my birthday dinner! So, it's no surprise that I absolutely love this restaurant. I went for the first time in 2009, and have been back countless times since. Wine: Fabulous wine selections, and the wait staff have all been extremely knowledgeable if you have any questions. Also, Monday is half-price bottle of wine night if you're interested.. I know I am! Be sure to try their sangria. Hell, just order the pitcher, don't even waste your time with a single glass. Food: TO DIE FOR. I repeat, to die for! While I usually dine here with a few friends, I've definitely run the gamut in party sizes. I've gone to La Merenda with just my boyfriend, and I've also gone with a group of 15. But, every time without fail, everyone has loved their food and waddles out. It's amazing. There are dishes for everyone, and again, the wait staff is extremely helpful if someone has allergies or diet restrictions. I'm a big fan of the tapas style, because as a fickle person, I can never choose which dish I want anyway. This way, I can order several and be happy/confident that I made the right choice! And if there's a dish you find phenomenal, well, why not.. go ahead and order two! The menu changes seasonally, so be sure to check for updates. Atmosphere: Perfect. I love how it's casual, yet fancy, but not stuffy. You can come in jeans, or in a dress and heels, and not feel out of place. I love the dÃ©cor, which is laid back, yet polished. The restaurant gives off a very welcoming vibe. Service: As I mentioned, the servers are very knowledgeable. They are also polite, friendly, and serve you with a smile on their face despite some large, and sometimes chaotic, groups (birthday parties, I'm talking to you!). Price: Pricing is actually very reasonable. For some reason, with all this delicious and fresh food, I always expect it to be higher. Whenever we get the bill, everyone's always shocked at how little it is for the amount of food and drinks that were ordered. Reservations: I make this a category because it's a must. If you are a walk-in, well, good thing they have that pitcher of sangria. You can either use Open Table (limited availability) to schedule a reso, or I find it easier to simply call. If you don't, you will wait. But it's so worth it. Overall, I couldn't say better things about this place. Now go try it out if you haven't already. You'll thank me later :)
(5)
Bryan L.

SO GOOOOD. Best mushrooms tacos, hands down!
(5)
Paul S.

Took the wife out for her birthday and wanted to try this tapas place for while. Had a cocktail at the bar before being seated and the bartender was helpful and friendly. Got seated right on time for our 9p rez. Was really excited to try two dishes in particular. The goat cheese curds in a tomato/chorizo sauce did not disappoint! The pork belly confit crepes were pretty solid and had a nice, rich mushroom cream sauce underneath. Highlight of the meal was the Argentinian beef over smashed plantains. Such a tender piece of meat.... want more ... Would definitely recommend this place to any couple or even a 6 top. We'll be heading back to check out a different set of menu items very soon!
(4)
Stan P.

Amazing selections and flavors, I would raise the dollar sign to 3 or we may have just enjoyed it too much hehe!!!
(5)
Bridget G.

The short version: Everything I got was delicious (all five dishes!) and relatively light and healthy without sacrificing flavor. The long version: I started off with a house Malbec which was tasty and reasonably priced at $5. My friend and I ended up order five different dishes that I'll describe in order. The waitress was very attentive (my water got refilled probably 5 times) and had great recommendations that she was excited to tell us about. First up, an arugula salad she recommended. Really good with a tasty balsamic dressing that was not overwhelming. Light amounts of nuts and cheese on top made this a tasty but still healthy salad. Up second was the ceviche. I was expecting it to come with chips but was happy that it idd not (less calories) and instead came surrounded by blood oranges, avocados, oranges, and pomegranate seeds. It was so flavorful (the cilantro was awesome) and light. We both agreed it tasted like we should be eating it in the Caribbean or the tropics. The next dish to arrive was pumpkin and squash ravioli. Like everything else, it was light but super flavorful--fresh made pasta, a light sauce, and the toasted almonds on the top were a nutty, delicious addition. Then came the Argentinian beef, what we were told was something of a specialty at La Merenda. It actually melted in our mouths. Two thin, non-greasy pieces of beef came atop a bed of mashed plantains with walnuts. I could not get enough of the plantains and loved that they were a unique (and healthier) take on mashed potatoes and steak. We could have (and probably should have) stopped after those four dishes because, while they were modest proportions, it was definitely enough food for two people. But what the heck? We asked for a recommendation for a light, small dish to finish the meal off and ordered the recommended pork tostadas. Again, they were great. It came with two and they were more filling than they looked. They had a bit of a barbecue flavor to them and came with lime, a light drizzle of what I think was sour cream, and avocados on the side. All in all, I love every dish of this meal and was really impressed with all the choices of small plates from around the world, with both standard and more exotic options. I heard tapas and assumed everything would be Spanish style but there was a wide variety. With five dishes and a glass of wine, it was around $38 per person (tip included) which didn't seem too bad for all the foods I got to try.
(5)
Karen S.

Absolutely delicious! Great way to try lots of different foods! Best with at least 4 people so you can eat so many different items. The flavor was delectable! I think my favorites was the peirogis and empanadas!
(5)
Lisa J.

I agree with Rachel's review...3.8 is pretty accurate. 1. The bread from Rocket Baby was warm and delicious-served with an herb butter and blackberry jam. 2. Cheese plate-decent cheese selection, but crackers instead of bread? really. It felt a little like a college girl trying to be classy serving a cheese plate with crackers instead of a baguette. 3. Ceviche...OH MY WORD! YUM! Loved the mixture of citrus with the fish, it was perfect, perfect, perfect. 4. Everyone is right about the empanadas. We went with the beef-they were fried goodness. 5. We had the special of the night-steak with truffle fries, can't go wrong, perfectly cooked steak. Service-so, our server took our order, and then we did not see her again until she dropped off the check. Less than stellar service, but the food made up for it. Overall-La Merenda is a little over-hyped, but still very yummy. Best in Milwaukee? meh.
(4)
David W.

First time here and everything seems to be going pretty well. We waited a short time for an available table and got seated at a communal table with another group. We ordered pretty quickly and our first plates came in a reasonable time. Then it goes downhill after that. We wanted to order wine and it was near impossible to get our server. We ended up asking the guy refilling out water to get our server. After ordering the wine we were waiting a long time until the waitress saw us and realized she forgot our wine. The last plates took forever to come out and we were sitting there empty for a long time. Then after we couldn't find our server, we asked the guy refilling the water again to get our server. She said it was coming out and I had a feeling it was just forgotten. Lastly, we ordered the tres leches cake togo and it never came out! We ended up waiting for nothing and we decided to leave without it. Such a disappointment from a place I've heard good things about. Halibut Ceviche could have used more fish and more seasoning. The flavor was overwhelmed by the coconut milk. None of the dishes made me say wow that was really good, but it was decent. I don't think I would come back and spend $80+ without tip for two people while leaving hungry and getting more food somewhere else afterwards.
(2)
Gregg F.

I've been coming to this restaurant since it opened. I'm actually surprised I didn't review this earlier. This is perhaps one of the best restaurants in the COUNTRY, much less Milwaukee. I travel for business, and I adventure quite a bit... This place gets it done right. Service - A+ Drinks - A+ Food - AAAA++++ To give you an idea on the quality, the owner personally goes to markets and selects only the freshest local products; meat and veggies!! The menu updates frequently, but the best sellers remain. My wife and I love everything! Here are our favorites we think you should try: Goat cheese curds. A friend of ours doesn't like cheese curds at all... he tried these and ordered a second plate :) Argentinian style beef Mushroom risotto (not on the menu but they will make it if you order it) Try this place out, it is absolutely worth the trip!!
(5)
Chad C.

The Vegetarian and I dined here last night after my associate stood us up. The stars aligned, as we were seated immediately without a reservation. Whoa. Have you had the goat cheese curds here? You haven't? What's your deal? Man, they was good. Cheesey goat goodness with a delicious sauce over some crostini. Flavor Country: Population 2. How about the Sambal Goreng Udang? You don't know what that is? What are you, dense? It's a shrimp dish over a baby bed of mashed taters, ya corncob. It tasted very Thai-food-like, but the menu denoted it was from the land of Indonesia. It was CHOICE. Both of these plates were outstanding and I will get both of them again next visit. I had one meaty plate for myself: The Pork Tapa. It was pretty good, but not as special as the two previously mentioned plates. The Vegetarian felt the same way about the mushroom tacos - decent, but pailed in comparison to the cheese curds and Indonesian dish. Service was great and I think 4-5 dishes for 2 people is probably the right amount of food, but they encourage you to keep a menu at the table and order more if you want to. A Purple Door ice cream sandwich was calling my name, otherwise I would've done dessert too. I will return soon and I will definitely be getting my curd on. *UPDATE* Dude, that ARGENTINIAN BEEF. One of the best things I've ever eaten! I've also recently had Lamb Enchilada and Thai Shrimp specials that were some of the best things EVER. Lovin' this place!
(4)
Alyce G.

I finally got a chance to check this place out this year. I come in town for Summerfest and heard about it but wasn't able to go last year. I didn't really know what to expect - I had never been to a tapas bar. The atmosphere was great, the hostess inviting and the waiter very accommodating, nice and informative. The food was amazing. I'm from Dallas and I just wish there was something comparable in my town. I will definitely come back here next year.
(5)
Expected C.

I'm not quite sure what the hype about this place is. Pros: Good service Cons: Portion, price, parking, taste, noise level So I know this place is a tapas place, so I shouldn't really be expecting too big of a portion, but they are seriously so little! I'm pretty sure appetizer portions are a bunch bigger at other stores. The price was a it too much for the portion. It's roughly around $10 for each dish and you get like probably....3-5 bites worth? The food themselves aren't really something to be amazed about. Probably wasn't just up my alley. There isn't much of a parking near this place. Good luck with street parking, especially when it's jammed. Lastly, the place can be quite loud inside. The place is set up for socializing but it gets so loud, you can't even hear the person across from you. Not a place I would go back to.
(2)
Brock H.

Had dinner here while traveling through Milwaukee. The menu has a variety of globally inspired small plates; it was hard to choose only a few as all of them sounded excellent. The goat cheese curds in a tomato cream sauce was one of our favorite dishes, along with the house-made pierogis. The ceviche and the bun thit nuong were good, but fell a bit short of our admittedly high expectations given the other dishes. The pricing is extremely reasonable for such inspired food. Overall would definitely revisit if ever back in Milwaukee.
(5)
Mai T.

Wow! The food and service were the best I've ever had. We ordered the vegetarian expand, potatoes skins, their specials-Halibut and salmon dishes, and got cheese curds. Everything was exceptional. I'm definitely going to return!!!
(5)
Scott T.

Had reservations for a Saturday night and was sat promptly. Food and drinks were all tasty. We tried quite a few of the small plates/Tapas, and enjoyed them. Our waitress was very cool, which made the experience even better. Highly recommend going there with a few people to sample and share some great food.
(5)
D S.

One word: awesome. I typically do not like tapas restaurants because the portions are too small and the price tags are too big. As a result, I often leave broke and hungry. The plates at La Merenda are both affordable and flavorful.
(5)
Elissa B.

My friend warned me that the neighborhood was a little shady, but that everyone else gave La Merenda rave reviews. Yes and yes. The area isn't terrible, but it's not where you're going to hang out at night. The restaurant itself is very cozy inside, especially when it fills up with people. The eclectic decor is sweet and homey, the staff is friendly and helpful. Our server suggested a lovely wine and guided us when we had questions about the menu. The Wisconsin cheese souffle was a nice start. The outside was a bit crusty, while the inside was perfectly fluffy and cheesy. It had a sweet sauce (raspberry, I believe?) that complimented it nicely. I am having difficulty recalling the names of our dishes, so I will manage with what I remember. The Sambal Goreng Udang is a delightful Indonesian curry dish. We had another shrimp dish, Thai this time, that was also quite good. Both were very different, but went well together for the meal. I cannot recall details about the pork dish, but everything we had was delicious. I will definitely be returning here.
(4)
Thomas N.

Great we didn't even really look at the menu just told waitress to bring dishes until we told her to stop. Hearty dishes fresh and tasty. Save room for tres leches cake though. That alone is worth the trip.
(5)
Tim W.

TAPAS! I read the awesome reviews for La Merenda and I had to go see what all the hype was about. Definitely one of the best meals I've had in Milwaukee thus far. I love the idea of a restaurant serving tapas from a worldly cuisine perspective. The portions are meant to be shared and there's a little bit of something for everyone, which is what makes dining here such a great experience. I came here with my gf and we tried: Roasted Squash Ravioli: I love butternut squash ravioli. La Merenda took a classic dish and made it even better with the added bit of crunch from the armaretti cookies. The brown butter was simple and delicious. Ceviche: Served with plantain chips! The dish is cool and refreshing with nice crunch and heat from the peppers. Goat Cheese Salad: Just your basic salad. Excellent lavender honey dressing, which worked perfectly with the goat cheese. Siu Yuk: I swear pork belly is quickly becoming one of my favorite cuts to order whether it be at a fine dining restaurant or a food truck. This is definitely the stand-out dish for me. I was expecting some sort of asian fusion sort of dish, which is definitely what this is, but when it comes down to it, it really tastes like a homemade Chinese dish, like something my mom would make. The generous amount of hoisin with the noodles and crunchy bits of cabbage made me feel like I was eating mu shu without the tortilla. The pork belly was melt in your mouth delicious. Jerk Pork Loin: The weakest dish of the night, but even then it was a solid dish. The pork is flavorful and works surprisingly well with the not-too-sweet vanilla mango sauce. I was also surprisingly full after consuming probably 3 menu items worth of food. I will definitely be back to try some of their other offerings.
(5)
Lilian L.

The staff is very helpful, fast and good. The butter chicken was delicious . They were out of ceviche. It would be good if we had more people so you can try more dishes. It's worth a trial.
(4)
Jennifer A.

La Merenda is a mixed bag for me. There are several items that I could eat time and time again and will continue to rave about, so when I go there I order these items and suggest you try them too: 1) Empanadas (Colombia) GV Savory fried pastry filled with braised WI Grassfed Beef and Door County Cherries served with aji dipping sauce ($5.50) 2) Grilled Pork Loin (Italy) G Wilson Farms Meats pork loin marinated in garlic and sage, served over mushroom risotto ($8.50) 3) Sambal Goreng Udang (Indonesia) GV $8.50 Shrimp sautÃ©ed with tomatoes, coconut milk, ginger and sambal, served over coconut mashed potatoes ($8.50) 4) Argentinian Style Beef (Argentina) G $11.00 Grass fed beef tenderloin marinated in chimichurri and grilled, served over mashed sweet plantains, topped with walnuts ($11.00) I also heard the short ribs and truffle butter potato skins are wonderful, however I have not tried them yet. I was not a huge fan of the Jamaican Jerk Trout. The flavors were not well balanced and some of the other items I mentioned stood out much more. The sangria and the Milwaukee Mule (bourbon drink) were nothing to write home about either. Water or a glass of wine may be a better choice. The last several times I dined in the service was...bizarre. One waitress was trying very hard to be pleasant but it was obvious she did not want to be there. For a while, she disappeared and we needed to hunt down another server for another drink. Another waitress started out strong, but took discussion about dishes at the table by guests as an order and several plates of food showed up unannounced. The restaurant is typically busy and the walls are concrete and glass block, less several curtains. The sound carries in the room and it is difficult to have a conversation across a table without yelling. Two people is a challenge and ten people requires extra-special effort to talk beyond the guest sitting directly next to you. I won't lie - I go back to La Merenda because the dishes I mentioned are amazing. If they were not so good, I doubt I would bother at all. I have high hopes that the service will improve, but so far I am 0 and 3. If you are looking for a nice, intimate dinner you may want to look elsewhere. If you have a lot of patience and want a few small plates to cap off the night, you will be in luck.
(4)
Allysha H.

I have been here a handful of times and each time it is exceptional. It's hard to say what's best because their menu is always changing, but you can't beat farm to table tapas. Plus they are dedicated to organic and local vendors so you know the food is in good hands. The service is simple and friendly, atmosphere is great for small, interactive gatherings, and in my opinion, perfect for dates. One of the best places in Milwaukee, hands down!
(5)
Francie S.

A Milwaukee must eat. La Merenda's international tapas are not only delicious, but chef peter, sources the majority of the restaurant's meats and produce from local farmers and producers, and can often be seen shopping the area farmers markets. A great place to share small plates, try something new, and enjoy and evening with friends. Great patio too!
(5)
Andy K.

What I like about La Merenda is consistency. While the menu changes with the seasons there some items which are great year-round offerings and there is something that's sure to spark your interest. The diverse menu is well written and the dishes are all served with perfection. Excellent service. Excellent value. Excellent locally-sourced menu. A single spot at the bar is pretty easy to score. If it's more than one, make a reservation as the place can get pretty packed any day of the week.
(5)
Roya B.

This is more of a 4.5... And would be a 5 but I deducted .5 because I was really excited about the plantain chips with the ceviche but their deep fryer broke down :( Came here on a Wednesday night with 8:15 pm reservations, and was seated right away. We had an attentive server and put in an order for a bottle of Pinot Noir, which was delicious ('09 Bouchard). We ordered the Phillipine Ceviche, La Merenda Salad, Argentinian Style Beef, and the Braised Veal Short Ribs. We did not have to wait long for any of the dishes. Everything was delicious. The salad was good, and a good size, but nothing TOO special so I think I"ll try another one next time. The Beef was very tender and the mashed sweet plantains that accompanied it was a pleasant alternative to potatoes. The braised veal was yummy, but I think that the risotto made that dish. We had planned on ordering these things "to start" but were pretty full by the end, so we opted for dessert. Ordered the Irish Car Bomb Cake... looks like a big cupcake and it definitely hit the spot. They also had nightly tapas specials so I'm sure you can never run out of options. Overall, I really enjoyed my dining experience at La Merenda and I will be back again soon!
(4)
Katie K.

Fantastic meal. The husband and I thought we would go last minute. No open reservations so decided to go early@ 5pm and hoped the bar would be nice. The place was already packed by 530 and the bar filled up pretty soon thereafter. Two lady bartenders, one didn't seem to really want to be working, the other was top notch. We ordered a lot...see the eight pictures I downloaded. Everything was great. I love the small plate concept because I can try so much. They were great for a part of two but I could see sharing as a party of four. The kale ravioli, recommended by the top notch bartender, was excellent. My husband liked Argentinian Beef best. The specials were great also, Thai beef and lamb phyllo. Everything in general was a tad salty, but we don't eat salty food unless out so I'm not sure if the average person would notice this. Overall, you really can't go wrong!!!
(5)
Danny S.

La Merenda may not look like a whole lot from the curb but don't be fooled. Peter Sandroni's restaurant over performs! The non assuming, simple facade may give a false impression but you will be amazed at the food and the incredible outdoor backyard seating. The tapas average around ten dollars a plate and about three will leave you very full. I loved the empanadas and the beef plates, but the butter chicken was so good my wife and I stopped talking and "fork fought" for the remainder of the plate. Great date place or also terrific for a large group. Make a reservation as they rightfully are booked up.
(5)
Hope E.

Excellent tapas from around the world. Great service. Casual atmosphere which makes it great for a nice night out. One of my favorite places to eat!
(5)
stephanie k.

I loved this place then I liked it but thank God I haven't hated it. First time I went there I was blown away. Second time not so much. I definitely will be back for a third to make up my mind. Cute n trendy inside!
(4)
Isaac S.

This is as good as it gets. Confirming what others have said: this place is delicious. Our only bad comment is that we had to wait for our table about fifteen minutes, even though we had a reservation. The table service and food were both fantastic. We had a variety of dishes, meat, seafood and vegetable and all were meticulously and flavorfully done. Highlights were the trout and the chicken curry. We know the chef so he came out and had a quick chat with us while we were there. He runs a great business. A party of 30, yes THIRTY, was dining that night, at like 11 pm, and service never faltered.
(5)
Patty F.

Food & service are excellent. Great atmosphere. I bring my whole family because they love this restaurant. We start with the La Merenda salad & work our way down the menu. I would make reservations well in advance.
(5)
Kathy G.

The restaurant is small, quaint and I imagine very cramped on a busy weekend. So I am glad we went on a weekday for our group lunch. There were seven of us and this is a great place for bigger groups. The really cool thing is that even though the small plates are designed for 2 - 4 people, they will add more if you want everyone in your group to try something. With that in mind, some items we ordered 2 of and some we ordered 1 and asked for extra servings. The service was fantastic. Since the menu is so diverse and worldly, the server was both patient and knowledgeable about all the items available. Her suggestions were very helpful. So we ordered the Ropa Vieja off the specials board first. We added the Cheese and Meat Plate, and Empanadas to start. They are all so good and as we at those, we ordered the Ceviche, Patatas Bravas Y Chorizo, and Truffled Potato Skins next. The food just seemed to get better and better. Then we ordered Sambal Goreng Udang (the group's absolute favorite of all). Pork Gulasch (my personal favorite), Spinach and Quark Tart, and the Short Ribs. Good thing we had men in our group to eat all this food! It was amazing how everything was a hit and perfectly made. The flavors and variety was incredible. I look forward to going back again for another visit and would highly recommend going here in a group.
(5)
Deanna G.

Great place to enjoy real food and flavors in a comfy atmosphere. The food melts in your mouth. Bring friends n enjoy with a group to taste more dishes. Order the specials you won't be disappointed
(5)
Maile M.

This restaurant was absolutely delicious!! There are so many pros that I will try my best to capture them all but may not do it justice: Staff - friendly and accommodating despite the crowd Atmosphere - comfortably casual but chic Quality - fantastic, they are commited to supporting local farms and you can taste the quality in all their dishes Price - extremely reasonable for the quality you receive Food we ordered - chorizo with potatoes, Argentinian steak, pork quesadillas, and much more! All good! This is a definite must try for both locals and visitors alike! Highly recommended.
(5)
Erin S.

Oooh, I think this is my new favorite place. The inside is so warm and inviting, I love how there are all different types of tables, chairs, and dÃ©cor. Service was exactly how you think service should be. We walked right in on a Tuesday night at 6 and there was plenty of room but it was filling up quickly. Food was outstanding!@ We just wanted a quick little bite and it was quick. Tried the local cheese plate, the tart of the day, the shrimp and mango salsa ceviche and the dish the waitress said was the most popular which was two little pieces of beef on mashed plantains. I loved the plantains! So, SO good and that was perfect amount for 2 people to share for light dinner. We will be back to try the many other things on the menu!
(5)
Tina S.

Every week I try out a new restaurant with a friend. Being a server myself, it was suggested to me by some guests months ago to try this place; I'm SO happy I did. La Merenda was my favorite restaurant we've been to. Definitely will be back.
(5)
Jenna Q.

I was celebrating my birthday at La Merenda that my friend had set up for us. I had heard really good things about this place, so I was excited to try it. The food was good, but unfortunately because of the service and situation we dealt with, I'd NEVER go back. My friend has a severe nut allergy we told our waitress about up front. We made sure we ordered plates without any nuts and even double-checked with our waitress on a few dishes, just to be safe. The chicken plate we ordered, we asked for no cashews, but it came out with cashews. Luckily we caught it right away so we sent it back so not a huge deal. After my friend was eating the goat cheese salad, which did not say it had any nuts, she had a reaction... Our waitress told us the goat cheese was just herb in-crusted after we told her my friend was having a reaction. She then came back from the kitchen and told us there is in fact a small trace of walnuts on the goat cheese, but that is was just a "really small amount." Umm hello!? We then approached the manager because our waitress obviously had no idea what she was doing nor talking about and the manager did nothing. He even said that they were thinking about putting something on the menu alerting guests of the trace of nuts in the goat cheese. He apologized, but handled the situation so poorly that I got so turned off by this place. This could have been extremely dangerous if my friend wouldn't have had her meds on her. It shouldn't have been taken this lightly and La Merenda should really take this more seriously. It could definitely happen to someone else and be a more worse situation. Educate your staff on what comes out of the kitchen and teach your manager about good customer service.
(2)
Tom M.

Warm and jazzy wall colors and decor; friendly and intuitive wait staff; luxurious list of tapas, wines and desserts: La Marenda was a great place to celebrate my wife and my tenth wedding anniversary.
(5)
Jessica N.

This could easily be a 5 star place if the service stepped up to the food. The food here is such a delight! I love the international tapas idea and there are so many delicious dishes to choose from. Some of my favs: *Seasonal Tart (ours was mushroom) - almost melt in your mouth good *Goat Cheese Curds (tomato chorizo cream sauce) - I've never had cheese curds like this and it was delicious. Loved the savory sauce *Singapore Pork over curry noodles - Pork was yummy but the noodles were to die for *Irish Car Bomb Cake - MUST TRY THIS DISH. I love dessert and this was one of the best desserts I've ever had. Things you can pass on: *Bread Plate - a little too plain.... *Cassoulet - as much as I love duck, this could've been more inventive. was a little blah And re: the service thing. It wasn't HORRIBLE. Food came out quickly which was nice. There was just no personality, and our actual server didn't come and check-in on us very frequently. In the end between the 5 of us our bill was $20/person. You cannot beat that! I will definitely be back!!
(4)
Irving D.

Wow! I think that's all I could say about the good. I think for the small sizes it comes perfect amounts (on my opinion). Keep it up!
(5)
Alyssa C.

Just have to jump on the bandwagon on this one: La Merenda is one of the best restaurants I've eaten at during my 24 years of Milwaukee living. The service, the sangria, and absolutely everything we have tried there -- has been to die for.
(5)
Adam R.

It's tapas so it's smaller portions. However even when I eat just two options, I'm quite full. The tastes will pop when you eat this food! You can tell that each item is well thought out.
(5)
Matt M.

This little gem of a tapas restaurant was a regular happy hour stop for us before it got "discovered". Now it's tough to grab a spot at the bar at 5. But it sure is worth the effort. Seriously wonderful food.
(5)
Corey C.

This place has some of the smartest and most interesting flavor combinations around. Don't come for the ambiance (cinder block walls, glass block windows, 2nd hand kitchen furniture), come for the food. The Rosemary pear martini is a little too citruisy, but once your pallette gets used to it, the rosemary hangs above the pear in a delicious top note. The truffled potato skins have a subtle fungal note that is delicious with the pepper and sea salt. and at only $4.50 they are a great flavor value. The empenadas have a smokey overtone that works really well with the shredded beef inside and the mustard Aoli they are served with. They are probably my favorite bang for the buck. The goat cheese curds have a brightness that is delicious with the chorizo tomato sauce. The Argentinian beef is a little steep at $15, but you will not get 2 more perfectly prepared 3 inch slabs of meat anywhere in town. very rare, but with a nice char, and a chimichurry sauce that only enhances the flavor of the meat instead of masking it. and the plantain bed it's served on is to die for. $50 may seem like a lot for a 4 piece appetizer meal. But for a sensory flavor experience, it's worth every penny. My kudos to the chef.
(5)
Dustin T.

Everything I ate was tasty but it was not "good" per se. I could not put my finger on it. If a friend wants to come here again, I would go and give it another shot but it was not as amazing as I thought it would be. Just average.
(3)
Robert A.

I always hear great things about this place so I figured it was time to try it out. Everything I hear about this place seems to be true. I enjoyed every aspect of my dining experience at La Meranda. Host sat us quickly and the server knew the food inside and out. I loved the recycled dining room tables and chairs. We ordered 6 different tapas to start. Truffle potato skins, Empanadas, both of which came to the table in about three minutes, Butter chicken, Beef stroganoff, Argentinian beef, and Moroccan Lamb. Every dish was absolutely outstanding. Flavors were great, ingredients were fresh, and every dish had enough uniqueness to make them stand above other restaurants serving similar dishes. I definitely will be coming back to try the rest of the menu.
(5)
Luis M.

This is one of those places where everything is so good, the food is amazing easily you end ordering like 6 tapas at least. Highly recommend patatas bravas with Spanish chorizo, the Argentinian steak, empanadas, pork belly crepes and ohh well just get the rest of the menu hahaha.. SO hard to choose just a few. We ordered not sure if 8 or 9 tapas, some wine and it was around $100 tip included, it gets as expensive as you want it to be, you can just go and get a perfect number of 3 to share between two and you bill be under $50. This is a place to sit and enjoy life with a nice talk, get a tapa keep talking get another and so it goes. That is the reason why I strongly recommend making reservations in advance because it is a really really popular place.
(5)
Lynn G.

Tried this place with a couple of girlfriends last Friday and was pleasantly surprised. It started off a bit slow which had us worried since we were directed to the bar by the hostess then proceeded to wait for the bartender to show up for about 5-10 minutes. Then when we were seated, the waitstaff was sitting in the middle of the dining room at the largest table still folding napkins and wrapping silverware; not cool. Once we were seated, we had a wonderful waitress, that I unfortunately, can't remember her name. She had short black hair and delicate features; she was great!! The food was delicious. Between the three of us, we ordered six tapas: mushroom tacos (ok), empanadas (good, but lacking flavor without the mayo), veal with carrot risotto (fantastic), siu yuk (BEST), truffled potato skins (very good) and the Tart of the Day (which made us giggle). It was pears with something; it looked very appetizing and my friends said it was delicious, but I didn't try that. Everything came out to temperature and well presented and the taste and textures were very well blended. I would definitely go back here.
(4)
Cristie F.

I stumbled upon La Merenda through a really strong recommendation of a friend and co-worker. She raved how amazing it was and how we were definitely going to be dining on some tapas during our trip up to Milwaukee. After two weeks of anticipation our time had finally come. Upon arrival we pulled up to a cute, little brick building. We walked inside to find a restaurant filled with bright colors, beautiful art, and an assortment of different antique tables and chairs. The decor was eclectic to say the least. I loved it - so much that it inspired me to redecorate with random dishes, furniture and art pieces. The food was phenomenal. La Merenda's menu offers up an assortment of international tapas, using only local and organic ingredients. There's Mexican, Moroccan, Italian, American, Chinese, Colombian, Indonesian, Lebanese, Jamaican, French, Syrian, Indian, and Spanish dishes....just to name a few! With a vast variety of dishes, it allowed us to sample tastes from a variety of cultures. Amazing, to say the least. As a girl who gets nauseous at the site of seafood, I actually tried the Jamaican jerk trout and actually liked it. You know it must have been good then! My favorites were the spinach ravioli with the creamy centers and spicy diavlo sauce and the wild mushroom tacos that had a deep earthy flavor. The coconut pineapple rice that came with the trout was to die for. It tasted like a bottle of Hawaiian Tropic suntan lotion - and I mean that in the best way possible. The caramelized carrot risotto that came with the veal short ribs was equally delicious. It was sweet, sticky, and had a delicious wine flavor. I could have dined on those rice dishes alone. The full gamut of our order included... // Falafel (Lebanon) Crispy chick pea fritters served with pickled turnips over tahini sauce // Wild Mushroom Soft Tacos (Mexico) Flour tortillas filled with sautÃ©ed River Valley Ranch mushrooms, onions, huitlacoche and Cedar Grove Monterey jack cheese served with prickly pear salsa // Spinach Ravioli (Italy) Handmade local spinach ravioli stuffed with Clock Shadow Creamery quark and green garlic, tossed with fra diavlo sauce and topped with Carr Valley Fontina cheese and crispy prosciutto // Jamaican Jerk Trout (Jamaica) Rushing Waters rainbow trout marinated in jerk seasoning, steamed in a banana leaf and served over coconut pineapple rice // Braised Veal Short Ribs (Italy) Strauss Free Raised veal short ribs braised in red wine and tomatoes and served over caramelized carrot risotto // Tres Leches Cake with Strawberries Service was good. Our waitress was attentive and provided us recommendations to help us make selections. The food came out pipping hot and fresh, and staged appropriately so we didn't get them all at once. Our waters and wine were consistently filled, and we didn't lack for much. The one irritation I had was with making reservations. I called the day before and was told they were booked solid between 5pm on 9pm, and walk-ins usually waited 45 minutes to an hour. Yikes. Seems crazy for a Thursday. Through Open Table I managed to snag us a reservation for 5:30 the day of our visit. When we arrived, La Merenda was 3/4 empty. There were a handful of guests at the bar and 3 tables of guests in the restaurant. My friend and I were there a good couple hours and it didn't get a whole lot busier. Sooooo what's with the lack of available reservations and exaggerated wait times?? We were deterred by the wait times and almost didn't go. I would definitely go back for a plethora of international tapas samplings. The food was great, the service was good, and the ambiance was relaxing and comforting. Two happy thumbs up.
(4)
Toni S.

This was the 1st time we'd been back in a while. We dined at the bar & David the bartender was outstanding! He made great suggestions as well as the people sitting next to me! The squash ravioli was amazing! As was the trout curry plate. Everything we ate last night was just amazing! We won't wait so long between visits again!
(5)
Lindsey C.

La Merenda is definitely on the top 3 of my favorite restaurants in the city. The ceviche is fresh and flavorful, and I can't say enough good things about the pork belly. They shake up their menu fairly regularly, so there are always new things to try. My husband and I got the top layer of our wedding cake from La Merenda, (tres leches of course) and we love being able to have a slice of our wedding cake whenever we want. We usually get two deserts, that and the more savory cheese dessert that I can't remember the name of. A note that they DO GET BUSY. Every time we've gone it's been for an early dinner, and by the time we're halfway through our meal (maybe about 6 or 7) the place is packed, even mid week. Don't be one of those idiots who complains that a busy restaurant has a wait time. Make reservations!
(5)
Matt M.

Great tapas and not just Spanish style. The goat cheese curds were the absolute bomb. Great place for a date or a meal among many friends. Make your reservation early as this place gets sold out quickly, even during the week.
(5)
Brad S.

For a restaurant that's been at this odd spot for the past five years, I certainly haven't noticed it until recently, and maybe that's too bad for me, because I like tapas. I like trying many different things, or to put it more pompously and maybe with a little too much innuendo, I like the constant stimulation of the palette with small bites. I mean, you sit down to eat a 14oz steak, and by bite #3, your tastebuds are checking out. You know what it tastes like - bites #4-37 are going to taste exactly the same way. I went with a friend who had no idea what tapas were, and when I explained it to him he described it as the opposite of family style restaurants like Buca di Beppo, which I thought was a unique way of putting it. Anyway, as restaurants around here are wont to do, the focus here is on seasonal and regional ingredients, and it certainly shone through as we two worked our way through such items as: Tostones Cantonese Spring Rolls Wild Mushroom Soft Tacos (now with extra corn musk!) Spinach Ravioli Duck Confit Beef Wellington Tres Leche Cake Bourbon Maple Pecan Creme Brulee I liked how the menu represented a wide variety of cultures, and while I certainly preferred some dishes (duck confit, mushroom tacos) over others (creme brulee, ravioli), it was all pretty well cooked. At the end of the night, with nine items and six beers between the two of us, the bill only totaled about $90. Really, I just like to try as much as I can, and with the relaxed atmosphere and cooking chops behind La Merenda, it's no wonder this tapas restaurant is a hit.
(4)
Tresa M.

I came here with my friends in a small group. We had (in order of quality) veal, empanadas, ceviche, patatas bravas, and meat and cheese platter. I ordered a beer that I didn't like and asked for a glass of wine. I fully expected to pay for the beer, but it was comped. The food was delicious, service was spectacular, and environment was terrific. I was even able to check the packer's draft pick in the bar. Overall, fabulous.
(5)
P A.

The ambience is really charming, but the food is just average, especially if you have eaten tapas before. The vegetarian patatas bravas just taste like French fries with hot spice powder. The empanadas need more of a punch or unique flavor inside so they aren't just the flavor of crust. I liked dishes like the mushroom ravioli and trout though. I know this place is a Milwaukee staple right now and it is a fun environment, but it was too hit or miss through each of the plates. To be a truly top restaurant they need to focus on the great tapas and get rid of the crappy ones. Every plate should have something special about it, not every other plate.
(3)
Chelsea V.

It is what it is--but I wouldn't rave about it, and I've had places that make me rave months after I've eaten there (Wolf Peach for instance). For a Monday it got packed pretty quickly. We ordered and were told they would space out our food since we had such a small table and well, its the whole point of small plates.., that didn't happen it came all at once-the table next to us had a different server and that server was making sure each new dish also came with new plates (ya know, so you dont have the flavor of cream and pork belly when you're eating tomato drenched cheese curds that sorta thing), we were never offered clean plates. We felt rushed because the server clearly had a larger party to tend to-I understand having a 10 top or whatever and seeing your measly 2 top as an inconvenience but keep that to yourself, dont let your 2 top know you dont want them there longer than 20 min-we were there for our anniversary but it was just way too loud-way too crowded-and if only the food wowed us then it would all go away but it didn't. Wolf Peach/Odd Duck/and even Lazy Susan rank higher on my list for small plate restaurants then this place. Their beer list was meh too- but that could just be me, I was bummed when I found out the house beer was by Lakefront (tons of other local breweries that (IMO) make Lakefront look like Budweiser). Go because everyone will tell you YOU MUST TRY LA MERENDA and they will judge you until you do go- but dont go in thinking its god's gift to small plate restaurants.
(3)
Natalie P.

I can see that this place doesn't really need my review, but nonetheless, I can't pass up the opportunity to praise it. I think this is my favorite restaurant in Milwaukee so far, and I've tried Odd Duck, Wolf Peach and Maxie's Southern Comfort among others. Maybe it's because I love Spanish-style eating, but their tapas are not only Spanish or Latin American. They have a variety of small plates influenced by countries all around the world. The Philippine ceviche was especially outstanding to me. I'm a big fan of Mexican ceviche, and this was a nice twist on the dish they made with coconut milk and red bell pepper. Everything else was incredible and I will definitely be a repeat customer. Make a reservation days ahead of time if you want a table on the weekend. Otherwise the bar is first come first serve.
(5)
Dennis M.

This is my favorite so far in the area, well in all the areas. Our first time here and I just loved the incredible taste. Tuesday night, not a problem one would think. The place was packed, we got one barstool and then the nice people next to us moved down and gave us another stool. Their food smelled amazing. My wife had the sangria and loved it. we looked over the menu while we waited about 30 minutes for a table to open, well worth the wait. We choose three tapas, the empanadas, the chicken and the steak. All were fantastic. For desert we had the Tres Leches cake, very good. This is not Mexican food, it is Columbian and it is so different you have to try it.
(5)
A J.

Tried the beef stroganoff and beet salad...both were amazing! Very busy place. Better to make a reservation on the weekend.
(4)
Kelsey S.

After hearing only good things about La Merenda, I'd been eager to pay a visit myself. At last, with some friends visiting from out of town, we made our way there. Definitely make a reservation - four of us went there on a Saturday evening around 7:00 and it was packed. Fortunately we were able to grab a spot at the bar without a wait; had we waited for a table, the wait was over an hour. La Merenda's reputation is well-deserved. The experience was fantastic. We split a pitcher of sangria among ourselves for $24 (6 glasses-ish) and ordered a variety of tapas dishes. Personal favorites include the empanadas and the spanakopita. The staff was also fantastic; we left feeling no different for having eaten at the bar versus if we had had a standard table in the dining area. Overall, a pitcher of sangria and six tapas dishes came to $80, including tip -- definitely not a bad deal for a good night out with friends.
(4)
Amy G.

We didn't have a reservation so we sat at the bar. Bartender was knowledgeable about the menu and gave us great service. We had the mushroom soft tacos, chorizo and potatoes, Asian beef and broccoli, and pistachio salad. All plates were spectacular. Very reasonably priced and worth every dime. NOTE: They have free valet parking.
(5)
Amy P.

My sister came to town for the afternoon to meet me for lunch. I found La Merenda on Yelp. With the high rating we decided to give it a try and are so glad we did! It was a cold wintry afternoon and we were looking for something warm & comforting. Walking into La Merenda was exactly what we were looking for! Beautiful warm decor and cute little live flowers at each table. We are both foodies and were thrilled with the diversity of the menu. We chose three items to share between the two of us. We started out with their house margarita. It was perfectly made. Love the Gluten Friendly options and their awareness of the allergy. The Sui Yuk pork belly, was tasty & flavorful. A little on the fatty side for my taste but i think it's supposed to be that way. The Butter Chicken was so comforting and warm. It was similar to a peanut stew. Our favorite was the Samba Shrimp over coconut milk mashed potatoes. Yummy!!! There were so many others options we wanted to try but no room in our bellies! We would both return again to try the other selections. Our server was patient & kind. We had no problem getting in on a Mon. lunch. I made a reservation with Open Table but it wasn't needed. Looking forward to coming in the summer. We can't wait to return.
(5)
Allyson U.

Came here on a whim last Saturday night, and I'm glad I did. What a cute place! I love their idea of tapas from all over the world. We got there at about 10 pm and there was a bit of a wait for the dining room so we sat at the bar. The bartender was very friendly, as was every other employee we encountered. The menu and drink list are both very reasonably priced. We ordered two cocktails and three of their small plates and our total was about $40. I had the old fashioned with pear vodka and it was strong but tasty. To eat we ordered: -Patatas Bravas y Chorizo: very good- but would probably not order it again next time, I make a similar dish at home quite often. -Beef Stroganoff: the sauce was soo good and creamy! -Braised Veal Short Ribs: amazing! the carrot risotto is to die for My one complaint was that the bar area had a weird smell- like a hair salon. Not the worst smell in the world, but also not one I want to smell all night. I wished this place was closer to my house- I would be here all the time!
(4)
Chemi D.

Get reservations! It was busy on a Monday dinner. Basically ordered every thing and all of them tasted really good but i say avoid the butter chicken... I've grew up eating Indian food and that butter chicken was probably the worst I've had but everything else is good! I love tres leches and i can also make it make myself. They make it really good, i hope they made it unless they went down the block to a mexican bakery and placed it front of me?.... idk but is was da boooooomb. :) btw there is a valet parking... he's dressed in normal hippy clothes and no he won't steal your car, give him a nice tip because he's nice.
(4)
Josh K.

Great atmosphere! The menu was varied and the food was fabulous. This restaurant reminds me of restaurants in Orange County and San Diego. Good job at bringing this level of restaurant to Milwaukee!
(5)
Ccwriter V.

Had a great meal at this establishment on Saturday night. Arrived a bit early so we could sit at the bar and wait for a table. Dining room is very lively. Difficult to have conversation. Tried the cheese platter, the special pumpkin tart --which was very, very good. My husband had the bulgogi which he described as quite good. We both tried the mushroom soft tacos. These were also very flavorful and fresh. The bartender recommended an Italian pinot blanc which was excellent. As an aside, we were lucky we parked under a street light because a couple cars on the other side of the street had their windows smashed.
(4)
Yayi M.

Excellent food. Good ambiance ! Tried different dishes and they were all good. Love the idea of sharing the food with friends. You get to try a little bit of everything. Or, you can just keep your favorite for yourself. The service was ok, not the best one. Our waiter was really busy, even for a week day, but she wasn't terrible. We had a good experience and I will go back for sure
(4)
Anthony S.

A Milwaukee gem! The Butter Chicken and La Merenda Salad are two of my favorite entrees in the area. The Lamb Stew is a close second; or, third as it were. We also had beet salad, which good.
(5)
Renee H.

I finally ate at La Merenda not that long ago. I wasn't overly impressed. The food is good, but not great. Maybe it was built up too much to me. I actually think it's reputation is based on the past and there are lots of better restaurants that have opened in the area.
(3)
Leslie K.

I would give this place four a half stars if I could. Excellent food, excellent service, great ambience!! Only one complaint. My family and I came here after hearing numerous rave reviews. We sat outside in the patio which had a wonderful view of their vegetable garden and was more comfy and low key than indoors which was a little more hectic and crowded. What makes this place really fun and interesting is that they have dishes inspired from cuisine all over the world. From the philippines to mexico to italy, china and even wisconsin there's something for everyone, and everything we ordered was fabulous. In particular I recommend the grilled shrimp escabeche, the cheese and meat plate, and the patatas bravas y chorizo. Really excellent food, and all for an EXTREMELY reasonable price. We were a party of three people, and we had about four or five plates to share, drinks for each of us, two desserts and coffee for a little under $80. And the best part was that we were all full and content at the end. In addition, they had a great selection of local beers some of which are not available outside of wisconsin. My one and only single complaint is that the first time we went we had the empanadas which were through the roof amazing! Incredibly crunchy and savory. However, we went again a few nights later and the dough surrounding the empanada filling was considerably thicker leaving it far from crunchy and in fact slightly doughy, but still perfectly decent.
(4)
Natalie N.

Well done La Merenda! It's my favorite place to get tapas in Milwaukee for the last several years but unfortunately it's difficult to get reservations..... Everytime I have dined here it's been really, really good. The ceviche is always good and fresh. It's not always really authentic, but it's always tasty. The steak that they had on the menu over pureed plantains was amazing (I think it's the Argentinian beef). If I had to skip anything it would have been the empanadas and the lobster and crab risotto balls, not bad, but not great. The decor is quirky but still intimate and classy.
(5)
Lori B.

To start, every dish I could try (seafood allergy) and the Moscow mules were umm-mazing!! We went with a rather large group of 10, which got a little overwhelming as far as how many of each plate to order. Our red-haired waitress was kept busy with additional orders and even with that said, every bit of service was great. IMO, a table if four to six would be the perfect size for a night here. Can not wait to go again....
(5)
David G.

I tried the Goat Cheese Salad - Marcona almond crusted LaClare Farms goat cheese round baked and served over local mixed greens with lavender honey dressing and dried apricots. The goat cheese was nice and creamy, with the almonds adding a nice salty crunch and the honey and apricots adding sweet. A great blend of flavors and textures which can be summed up in 1 word - delicious! The Trout "Rundown" - Rushing Waters rainbow trout pan seared served over cilantro rice, topped with a Bahamian coconut curry with potatoes, red, yellow and orange peppers had a nice spice level. Great flavor and seasoning. Argentinian Style Beef - Grass fed beef tenderloin marinated in chimichurri and grilled, served over mashed sweet plantains, topped with walnuts another excellent dish. The meat was tender and well seasoned. Very tasty dish. I had the tres leches cake for desert. A nice way to end a great meal.
(5)
Cristian V.

The theme of my La Meranda review is very close to what I thought about another Milwaukee favorite, Maxie's Southern Comfort. Unfortunately it may have been doomed with me from the start, as the hype was so great that perhaps there was little chance for it to live up to the expectations. People RAVE about this restaurant. When I went, I thought the look of it was interesting. I'm all about ambiance & I thought it was strange that there was no music playing. I don't know if that's always the case or someone forgot to turn it on. As far as the food, it's not that anything was particularly bad, it's just that I thought that it was so okay, when I was expecting fantastic. We tried a five different dishes, & one after the next we found to be pretty good, nothing life changing or mind-altering. Expectable for most places, but a little short of what I think a place hailed as one of a cities best should be. In particular, I do remember the Argentinian beef was very memorable & good, but almost overshadowed by my shock when the ceviche dish came complete with out of the sleeve saltine crackers?? I thought that was so strange/lazy for finer tapas dishes... Time has passed since that visit, & especially with a new patio, I would definitely say I plan on returning again to give some other dishes & cocktails a further try, hopefully be wowed.
(3)
Carolin C.

Another great Milwaukee gem! The staff was knowledgeable on gluten free, the menu was quite inviting for me and my non-gf bf. the portions tasty to the last bite. We'll definitely be back.
(5)
Scott T.

Our friends introduced us to this restaurant. Food was absolutely amazing. Spot on great flavors!
(5)
Meg S.

The only thing that could make La Merenda better was if I had a bigger stomach and wallet so I could keep on eating. I would literally order one of everything on the menu, if I could. Milwaukee hasn't quite caught on to Tapas yet, but thankfully La Merenda is here and doing it right. They have a great selection and daily specials, so everyone should be able to find something they like. And all of it is amazing, flavorful, cooked well, delivered on time, and paired with the perfect beverage (should you indulge). Shame on anyone that gives this restaurant less than 5 stars.
(5)
John M.

I haven't been here in a couple of years. La Merenda was once one of my favorite restaurants. This weekend's visit was forgettable. For starters, the food ranged from bad to mediocre. Here's what we had: - Mushroom Soft Tacos: BAD. My dinner partner both stated that we could make something better than this with little effort. Tortillas were totally burnt and uneatable - Lamb Stew: this was decent but not exactly memorable. Way too salty. - Grill shrimp Escabecha: This was decent but is basically a mango salsa you could get anywhere. - Roasted Heirloom Squash Ravioli: Pretty good. One of our better plates. - Argentinian Style Beef: Not good. Dry overcooked beef served over mashed plantains which in my opinion were disgusting but maybe I don't like plantains. I've never had them before. I'd like to comment on the service and overall experience outside of the food. It was very busy, as usual, but our waitress forgot to bring the Ravioli. I'm pretty easy going and this happens but when we inquired about it, she responded "oh, it must have been given to another table". Um, ok. Additionally, our waitress and other waitstaff came by on more than one occasion asking if we were finished and could take away a plate that had a good amount of food left on it. I found this entirely annoying. It happened more than once and towards the beginning and middle of our experience. This really annoyed us. To have to point out that you'd like to keep what is on the table as is there is food left shouldn't happen. Inexcusable. Overall, this was a bad experience and unfortunately, I'd be surprised if I came back and certainly won't recommend anyone visit La Merenda. The competition is much better.
(2)
Cassie D.

I don't have a single negative thing to say about Le Merenda. And I had really high expectations since it's been on my "to try" list forever and I finally got exhausted of admitting to everyone that I haven't been there and went. I had so much fun I didn't event document with a photograph and that's rare for me. It is an experience. Go with people you like-You're in it for the long haul. Order a bottle (or two) of wine. Order as you go, share everything, mix it up. Don't try to construct a highly thought-out menu, just go where your appetite takes you. Always go with at least one special. Do not let things words like veal and pork belly deter your choices or you'll miss out on some of their best dishes. By far my favorite (this time around) the Butternut Squash Ravioli and the Pumpkin Creme Brule. Make sure to read the locally sourced board near the bar. Hail to the amazing number of locally produced ingredients. Do not forget about dessert.....I don't care how full you are it's unacceptable to go without.
(5)
Melanie B.

Went the other night for one app and drinks and sat at the bar. Got way better service this time considering we were one of two couples there. There seem to be a lot of regulars and people that work there at the bar so the bartender did seem a bit distracted but better than the zero service we got last time. Sangria was great and the Dark and Stormy was good too! We got the Veal Osso Bucco......Oh.Em.Gee. I think the hit this one out of the park. Perfect portion for an app (obviously they are tapas but could also be considered apps). If you get nothing else, get this dish and you will be comin' back for more La Meranda, guaranteed!
(4)
Cristen H.

This place was such a treat. It looks small from the street, but inside is just adorable. I love all the mixed tables and chairs - gives it a very intimate, cozy feeling. My co-worker and I ordered the following: Salad with pistachios and prosciutto - not great... not even good. Neither of us liked this. We casually mentioned our thoughts to the waitress and she kindly removed the charge. We did not expect this but the gesture was very much appreciated! Veal short ribs with risotto - AMAZING!!! You MUST order this. It is just sooo, sooo delicious! Wish we each ordered this and we would have been set! Butter chicken with cashews - it was good. I'm not into Indian food, though. Argentinian beef - also excellent! Beef was cooked perfectly and was juicy and flavorful. Car bomb cake - eh... just ok. It was moist and had very tasty frosting. Can't go wrong with Bailey's and more Bailey's. Wine was also very, very good! We will be coming back next time we are in town!
(5)
Kelvin V.

I went on a weekday evening expecting La Merenda to not be that busy. I was wrong. Make a reservation. The food is well suited for sharing. Come with a buddy or two or three. I tried the siu yuk (pork belly). It comes with four decent-sized pieces of pork belly on a bed of cabbage, carrots, and onions. The pork belly is a little fatty, as it should be. The meaty portion (as well as the sautÃ©ed veggies) was firm but tender. This is definitely a "to be shared dish." The first piece of pork belly is good, and the second piece is just alright. The "Chinese barbecue sauce" (which I imagine is predominately hoisin sauce) coats each piece, and there's not much variation in flavor from piece to piece. It's not a bad flavor. The mix of the five-spice coated pork belly and "Chinese barbecue sauce" is a sweet and earthy combination. I also tried the seasonal tart of the day. Mine had a red pepper, spinach, and quark cheese filling topped with a mushroom and onion cream sauce. This was my first time having quark cheese. It's got a great texture when melted: slightly oozy while still maintaining some body. The flavor is mild, and it was a great medium for the red pepper and spinach. I was expecting to be overwhelmed by the richness of the slightly buttery crust, the quark cheese, and the cream sauce. The cream sauce was lighter than I expected, and the mushroom and onions help cut the richness. Overall, this was a well-balanced dish. I don't know why, but I had crazy quick service. It maybe took 10 minutes between ordering and eating. I think I saw a sign for complimentary valet parking; there's also street parking.
(4)
Elisabeth B.

Walked over here for dinner after a fun, tipsy Great Lakes Distillery tour. Really good food and good prices for tapas! We had a shortrib quesadilla that was to diiiie for! Cozy little place- must have reservations, but a must try for those who like good food!!!
(5)
Olga L.

Great food, great service. I will be back.
(5)
Bryan W.

Perfect and pleasantly affordable evening at La Merenda thanks to our gracious Wisconsin hosts. La Merenda appropriately means snack as the menu has about 30 different small international tapas. The country inspiring each dish is conveniently included with the dish on the menu. We started with two tapas: * The BEST empanadas I've had in 10 years! These were made with shredded Wisconsin beef and Door County Cherries. ( * Poblano peppers stuffed with cheese on top of black beans prepared with bacon * Patates Bravas with an AMAZING chorizio We followed this trio up with: * Argentinian style beef * Hoisin stir fried green beans We finished with: *Indonesian preparation of shrimp in coconut milk and simbal (spicy sauce) Each dish comfortably served four people. The casual atmosphere and vibe of the restaurant is awesome too! Dinner for four (4) with two (2) bottles of wine for a little over $100.
(5)
Matt G.

This was our first time at la Merenda...and my first time eating in the small plate-or tapas- style. Let me be honest, I am not generally a "small plate" kinda guy. In fact, I generally support the notion that size really does matter when it comes to serving sizes. However, I was happily surprised. Not only was the food very good, but I left feeling full-and with some money still in my wallet. The restaurant was small, but very clean and well apportioned. The staff was helpful and knowledgeable of their products--willing to make recommendations without being pushy. Since my wife and I only shared four of their menu options on our first visit, we will be back soon to experience many more of their dishes!
(5)
Bobby G.

My favorite restaurant in Milwaukee. Excellent food with an even better patio! Lunch is my favorite same dishes less of a crowd. If you are going at night make reservations! My 13 y/o loves it more than I do.
(5)
O K.

Courteous staff, quick service, cute dining room. The food was ok but nothing I'd rave about. We had the special pork loin with potatoes (decent), the spicy potatoes with chorizo (better but not spicy enough for me), and both the beef (mediocre) and veggie empanadas (eh).
(3)
Ajit L.

This is really a fantastic place. We were a small group so we tried most of the dishes. It's an awesome choice for a great dinner on a working day. Can't wait to come here on a Friday night! !!
(4)
Liz S.

Great service every time. International tapas that never disappoint.
(4)
Dennis L.

La Merenda is absolutely outstanding. It is a hidden gem that feels like an underground food scene. The atmosphere is relaxed and communal. I loved it! Of course, our progressive meal of tapas made for an outstanding night. We enjoyed the the following: - Bread Plate: Carb loaded goodness with wonderful spreads - Empanadas: Crispy, beef filled, pockets of joy - Goulash: Pork cooked perfectly and love the potato knÃ¶del - Butter Chicken: Good, yet not my ideal chicken consistency - Trout Rundown: So flavorful! - Dessert Special of Apple pie: Perfect ending to a great meal! If you are thinking about going to La Merenda, stop thinking and do it! Tip: Make a reservation!
(5)
Sonia K.

I've been spoiled by all the great restaurants that are around lately. The downside to all the slow food, locavoracious craft menus is that finding a really great meal becomes a bit harder. La Merenda is it, though. A real shooting star of sustainable creativity and deliciousness. I went there with three other foodies (one vegetarian) and tried about half the menu. The tapas style is so great and really suits both the cuisine and the friendly atmosphere. God, just thinking about the ceviche is making my heart skip a beat. The ambience in the dining room was perfect for dinner: not too dark, not too light, not too loud, but just buzzy enough. Our server was 100% on point, even on New Year's Eve. My only complaint was the tight, drafty bar area and poorly located bathroom (right in the high traffic bar). Oh, yeah, reservations fill up quick. Plan ahead a few weeks to guarantee a spot to relax and spread out.
(5)
Claude S.

I went here with a large party and this place was fantastic. The food was exceptional and delivered to the table by a plethora of wait staff. From the street La Merenda doesn't appear that large but once inside you'll be surprised by the size and the availability of tables. The menu is large and is quite detailed in descriptions of all the foods. As its primary a tapas restaurant, all items come on small plates but that's not even a good description. Small plates with large amount of food that is prepared with love and creativity. As we had several of our guests vegetarians, we sampled a wide variety of that side of the menu with equal delight. If you're a novice of Tapas and open to variety than I would start with the Ceviche, go with either the Lamb Stew, Argentinean or Lemongrass beef, butter chicken was aromatic and flavorful. We had so much coming to the table that we lost count of what was coming. If you're a small group of 2 or 4 there is plenty of selections for all of you. We never actually got to deserts but from what we all witnessed there was a nice selection of cakes and other delightful items. This will be a place I'll go again before leaving Milwaukee.
(5)
Ernie E.

Such a fantastic place. Great vibe, great service and most importantly the food is spectacular. For someone who doesn't like to explore too much, this place offers a great chance to taste new foods. A regular spot for us now.
(5)
Scott R.

Needed a place away from the convention area for dinner and Yelp did its job. La Merenda is outstanding. I've been to Tapas bars in other areas, as well as in Spain, and the food is comparable to the best of them. The selection is a little unusual in that they offer cuisine from several parts of the world, unlike what you would get in Spain. But, it works. I am a big fan of cebiche and their preparation was excellent! I should have just ordered several of these! Service was just a little slow but they were handling several large parties so it was understandable. Ambiance was good, decor was pleasing, overall a good effect. Would definitely go back!
(4)
L B.

My husband and I were visiting from out of town and were excited to snag a late night reservation at this place because all of the reviews we had read made it sound like something really special. After our dining experience, we agree that it is good, but it is nothing spectacular. We had the goat cheese curds (highly recommend!) and grilled shrimp escabeche (also refreshing and delicious) for the first round and the veggie empanadas and spanish chorizo and potatoes for the second round. After sharing those 4 plates, we felt quite full, but somehow a little unsatisfied. The second round of tapas just felt heavy and uninspired. In my opinion, they were also a little too salty. There are many other small plates to choose from, so it is possible that there are some real special dishes, we just didn't find them. We would definitely recommend the car bomb cake, however- it's like a tres leche with baileys! Service was fine and friendly. I could see the potential for it to get a little loud, and the ambience was fine, just a little bit the same as every other cozy place you'd hope to find around a downtown area. If you're looking for a place for a date night or a girls night, I think this would fit the bill, but not necessarily a special occasion destination.
(3)
Angela S.

Great dining experience!! Small plates, we had the argentinan beef with plantains, potato skins, shrimp ceviche and chips, bread plate, and pork sausage with risotto. We also tried two desserts the Irish Car Bomb and a choc cake with a fruit puree. They also have a great out door patio. Can't wait to go back and try other tapas.
(5)
Amy H.

There's a great tapas restaurant in Walker's Point?!? Color me surprised! When I lived in Milwaukee, Walker's Point was a place to go and get drunk. Plain and simple. So when a few friends and I were in town and someone suggested La Marenda for dinner I did not have high expectations, but I had just seen a piece on Sweet Water Organics on the NBC Nightly News (the place that La Marenda gets most of their produce) so I figured it was worth checking out. Being the type of personality that I am, I took over the ordering. Just 'cause that's the way I roll. Here's what we had: *Local Artesian Cheese and Meat Plate - with 4 cheeses. *Empanadas - stuffed with pork and apples. *Tostones - plantains served with salsa verde and guacamole. *Patatas Bravas y Chorizo - fried potatoes tossed in a spicy tomato sauce, served with fresh aioli and topped with a sautÃ©ed chorizo. *Pork Belly Confit - braised pork belly served with summer vegetable risotto. *Veal Involtino - veal pounded thin and rolled with swiss chard and Benedictine cheese, seared and served with rosemary mashed potatoes and Marsala demi glaze. *Veal Osso Buco - veal shank, braised and served over roasted red pepper risotto. *Argentinian Style Beef - grass fed grilled beef tenderloin marinated in chimichurri sauce, served over mashed sweet plantains with crushed walnuts. *Prosciutto and Sweet Pea Arancini - deep fried risotto balls stuffed with prosciutto, sweet peas, and mozzarella served over marinara sauce. Every dish that was brought out was better than the last. This is honestly the best tapas that I have ever had. Ever. In fact, I would make a special trip to Milwaukee to eat at this restaurant again.
(5)
Alissa T.

This place was amazing. There is so much to choose from but everything was great. This our new fav. place! There is a plate from many different countries and different styles. Many items for vegetarians and gluten-free folks.
(5)
Unyime E.

Do yourself a favor and get the veal osso bucco plate. I'll start off with the common comment. Reservations must be made several days, if not a week, beforehand. Of course it slipped my mind to do this; however, being well-aware of the notoriously long wait times for those foolish enough to eat there without a reservation, we decided to go anyway. I must pat on myself on the back for choosing to get there at 5:30 (on a Saturday). The restaurant was still filling up and although we were quoted a 45 minute wait, I believe the actual wait was 30. I was pretty impressed with the dÃ©cor in dining room. The simple wooden chairs and tables could easily be found at a friend's house, which lent to the casual, easygoing atmosphere. The wine list was nice; many of the wines by the glass were under $8. The tempranillo I had was pretty good. A simple, noncomplex wine with a short finish that would pair well with any of the dishes offered. It was akin to an unassuming table wine that you would serve at a dinner party. After your order is taken you are given a few slices of bread with an interesting butter with what I'm guessing was cherry and walnut (only a few days removed and I'm already forgetting the smaller detailed). The slices were small, so you needn't worry on filling yourself up before the food comes. And it arrives quickly. Our dishes: * Quesadillas - Very tasty. A good way to start off your meal. The mole rojo is very interesting. * Veal Osso Bucco - Absolutely wonderful. IMHO it rivals Zarletti's for the best osso bucco in town. Very robust and bold flavoring. The risotto was perfectly prepared and provided a good balance to the boldness of the veal. My favorite dish of the night. * Duck Confit Crepes - Very good, a tad bit on the salty side. I would still get again. * Argentinean Beef - They really found a way to this pull-off matching this with the mashed plantains. I didn't find it to live up to the hype of some of the reviews, but it was good nonetheless. * Potatas Bravas y chorizo - Another fine dish. I've never experience that much flavor from what is essentially diced potatoes. That tomato sauce really worked its magic. Dishes that I'll definitely repeat on the next visit - the osso bucco and the potatas bravas. Servers were good, spaced out our tapas so that there were no more than two at our table. Can't wait until the next time I go back, hopefully I won't leave my debit card there again.
(4)
Kim N.

Great tapas and great outside seating! Definitely coming back.
(4)
jennifer S.

We went on a Friday night around 10:00. We were seated right away. We were starving so ordered drinks and some goat cheese curds right away. We got our drinks quickly and thr sangria was very good. We then ordered the Argentina beef and mushroom tacos. We finally received our main meal but our appetizer never came out. Our server never came back to check on us once since she took our order. We had to get up and ask someone to find her. The best part of the meal was the beef the tacos just ok. If we had better service I would probably give this 4 stars.
(3)
Joanna T.

I was sorely overdue to give La Merenda a retry and find out why everyone gets all excited to eat here (my last trip was "ok"). Well, I get it now - almost everything we had was flat out delicious. Wine: A A very well chosen, reasonably priced list. A nice glass of Domaine Sangliere Rose for $6 - win. Service: C This is the area keeping LM from 5 stars. Our server was nice but checked back very infrequently meaning long empty glasses. They have runners bringing plates, and they weren't full, so no excuse. Food: A Really creative, tasty, locally sourced tapas. Everything is presented beautifully and sized to share amongst 2-4 people, but they will make bigger portions for bigger groups. We had, in descending order of deliciousness: *Duck confit crepes with Rosemary cream.....so, so, so good *Patatas bravas y chorizo - I've eaten a lot of sad, bland patatas bravas. These were perfect - smokey, spicy...and the Tia Paquita chorizo was the best I've ever had. *Grilled Pork with Risotto (3 way tie) - the risotto here was perfect. *Kibbeh (3 way tie) - little lamb meatballs. I'm a sucker for these. It was served with a beet tatziki which made our plate look like it got into a fight with a Susan G Komen logo or a bottle of Pepto. Still yummy, pink sauce or not. *Falafel (3 way tie) - clearly freshly made and fluffy *Beef with Chimichurri - good, but overshadowed by the other things we had. *5 Spice Pork Belly - the only fail of the night. Pork belly does best when slow cooked. This was grilled, meaning it was like eating a slab of really, really fatty Asian flavored bacon. Yuck. Prices: A Very reasonable for the quality. Our bill with all the food above (don't judge, we had to try a lot so I could do a good review, right?) and a bunch of drinks was $77. Minus $10 from the City Tin...good deal. We'll be back!
(4)
MaryAnn T.

We loved the pork belly crepes and creamed spinach. Great service and warm atmosphere. Will come back to try other menu items when we come back to Milwaukee.
(5)
Alyson M.

Some of the most delicious food I have eaten in Milwaukee yet! Fun atmosphere for a group. Small portions but you can taste a little bit of everything. Love the seasonal and local nature of the cuisine. Loved the duck confit crepe! Can't wait to try this place again.
(4)
Ellie B.

La Merenda is a great restaurant. They specialize in international tapas so there is something for everyone. That's the main reason we chose to have our rehearsal dinner there a couple of years ago. Everyone loved it. It's also our go-to place for out of state friends who want a little taste of Milwaukee. Reservations are a must - this place is always packed.
(4)
romita c.

Wonderful food and great ambience. Cannot write enough good things about the butter chicken and the pork tostada. Our server was very good and explained the dishes very patiently. Will be a regular now.
(5)
Peter C.

Always amazing food no matter what dish you order. The waitresses know their wine to help pair up dishes. Love the small plate items too. Highly recommend Fun place to take a date out to or family since can split so all the small plates. My favorite Tapas style bar in the Ill Mill (Milwaukee)
(5)
Kelsey P.

First, I usually don't write reviews but this place was exceptional. My group of 4 arrived at about 6 on a Saturday and was seated immediately. The service was great. Our waitress was attentive but not obnoxious. She explained how the restaurant worked without over explaining and gave us great tips so we ordered enough food but not too much. First round we got the shrimp special, the pork special, the spiedini and the udang (sp?). Now I know for a fact that I can be a bit overly critical so lets start with the bad: the spiedini was a bit tough to separate into 4 portions but wasn't chewy after you managed to get it apart. The shrimp special was a little over cooked and so was the udang. The pork special was a tad salty. The good: the udang sauce was incredible. The chorizo, currant, spicy combo on the shrimp special was to die for. The gnocchi with the spiedini was crazy good. The pork special had a darn good brown butter sauce. Second round we got the Argentinian beef, the crispy duck, the truffled potato skins and the butter chicken. The bad: potato skins were a tad greasy. The good: the slightly sweet combo with the savory in the Argentinian beef was awesome. There are no words to describe the goodness of the duck. The truffle in the potato skins was perfect. We practically licked the bowl of the butter chicken. Dessert. Maple pecan bourbon Cree brÃ»lÃ©e - almost too overly toasted the nuts in top but still tasty. Tres leches cake - yummy but nothing that will blow your mind. Overall a great experience. The other reviewers who say you leave hungry are crazy. We definitely had enough food. Each of us also had a drink with dinner and our entire bill was $107 w/o tip. This place is worth visit. Or two. Or ten.
(4)
Daniel N.

Excellent food, and wine selection. Great for sharing the tapas with someone special. Had the very first date with my girlfriend here and this is our place :) Also took a visitor from France to this place and he told me it was the best restaurant in Milwaukee, and he tried many (including Mr B's).
(5)
Ellie D.

I first went on a date night for my partner's birthday, and we had a blast - great wine, great tapas, great atmosphere, great service. Each time I've returned, the service and food have been consistently very good. I love how international the dishes are, and that it tells you where everything is from on the menu. By far one of the best small plate restaurants in Milwaukee; I highly recommend it!
(4)
Lori N.

Went there on Monday. We did called to make a reservation because we tried to get in twiced the previous week and couldn't! It was our first time there so basically we ordered 9 items on the menu. Everything we ordered was so delicious! The waitress that waited on us was friendly, prompt and so attentive! The food came out pretty quick.I would highly recommend the creme brÃ»lÃ©e for dessert! It's soooo good!
(5)
Rena R.

I initially LOVED this place, however the more you go, the more I realized how inconsistent it is. The food was really good the first few times, some of the dishes not quite as great as others of course when it comes to quality or imagination, but then the next couple times we could barely get a dish that was edible because everything was SO over salted. They did compensate us when we mentioned it so I can't complain on customer service, but their servers are hit or miss as well. I went through our whole meal before I could get our waitress to get someone to give me ONE refill on water and the server herself was hard to track down come dessert and then bill time, the place was not packed. Its a cute restaurant, louder so not super romantic, and the parking (or lack thereof, is lousy) unless you use the valet.
(3)
Beth H.

Went in for a friend's birthday last night. Service was FANTASTIC! We ordered the goat cheese salad, sauteed spinach, souffle drizzled with cherry sauce, beet ravioli, beef goulash, the bread plate, and the Almond Joy creme brulee. Everything was amazing. One of the 3 in our party is a vegetarian, and there were plenty of choices for her, and they were enjoyable for all of us! We will definitely return!
(5)
Leigh S.

Wonderful dining experience! I enjoyed spending time with my party choosing plates to share - it turned dinner into fun social event. Give foods a try that you wouldn't normally pick and things really get good. Portobello mushroom tacos were awesome, my favorite was a veggie ravioli - we had probably eight -nine dishes between three people.
(5)
Jim C.

This could very well be my best meal that I have had in years. There are very few chefs anywhere in the U.S. who cook like the owner here. Every dish provides a new, interesting and yummy flavor. I am amazed that he carries it off given that the menu ranges from Asian, to Italian, to French, to German to Mexican. We had Argentine beef, with shrimp tacos, to Italian sausage and polenta. It was all write home to mom good. What's also fun is that it isn't expensive. Oh how I wish this restaurant were in my home town. What sold me were the photos from Yelp reviewers. It was obvious to me that the chef had something special. I'm now going to try to upload a photo of the incredible tart that we had.
(5)
Kirsten B.

I consider myself quite a foodie, and have traveled all over the country and world in search of a great meal. Finally made it to La Merenda this evening, wasn't expecting much, for I am quite hard to impress, however I must say the meal we received presented food of such quality and originality that I am still happily in awe over the experience. One tip, make a reservation, even though we tried to dine at 6 pm (party of four) the place was completely packed, were able to be served right away at the bar, but a table seat might have added to the whole experience.
(5)
Tony F.

I was traveling on a business trip in Milwaukee and looking for a Tapas restaurant. I've been in Milwaukee all week and decided to take my girlfriend out, who just came up from Chicago Thursday evening. We definitely were looking for a great reason to have a night out on the town. So, I used Yelp. I read the reviews of this place and thought I should give it a shot. Anyway Chicago has a ton of Tapas places that are great. I must say, La Merenda is a great restaurant to take a date. We ordered one of the house wines. I believe it was a bottle of Malbec from Argentina. It was delicious, especially for $19. The items on the menu are in Tapas tradition, yet they offer some plates, not from Spain. I am not really used to this variation, yet I think it was a good niche move on the restaurants part. I give the spread of cultures a two thumbs up. If you are looking for Spanish only cuisines, you will be disappointed. However, if you are open to Spanish and an array of cultural dishes from abroad, you will absolutely love it. The ambiance is nice, yet if you are from a bigger city you might be more critical on the setup and location of the restaurant. I think it is perfect and a diamond in the rough. I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because of the decor/location. However, everything else was great. My girlfriend said the place could have a more professional wait staff. I disagreed with her but we are all allowed to our own opinions. Pros: Fast and good service, Reasonably priced, Excellent Food Cons: Neighborhood is not mainstream for my liking. Or, if you are with people who are not adventurous.
(4)
Tom R.

Great place. Don't be deceived by the exterior or the front foyer. Really cool menu. Great tasting food. Was there at lunch so didn't try any of the craft beers or wine. Will return for dinner.
(4)
Robert W.

My friend and I ate at La Merenda a few months ago and tried just about everything on the menu. All of the food that was brought to us was phenomenal. The Empanadas and Argentinian Beef were my favorite. The tapas style enabled us to try many more items on the menu than traditional full entrees. The service was nearly the best I've ever experienced. Right as we were finishing a dish a new one was being placed at our table to enjoy. I would highly recommend La Merenda, especially when you want to try something different and not risk being disappointed.
(5)
Elizabeth D.

Really lovely restaurant. Great food, charming atmosphere, nice service, and it is reasonably priced to boot. La Merenda works equally well for date nights and dinners with friends. This is one of the few restaurants where I always make sure to save room for dessert.
(4)
K B.

Very solid tapas spot. Try the pork belly, laughing shrimp, potatos brava and the Argentinean beef, with the latter dish being the best. Cute romantic spot. We didn't make reservations and we had bar seats when we walked in. There are a few cool spots down the street...be adventurous.
(4)
Sam H.

Ah good old Tapas and Sangria. I came into this restaurant expecting good things, and La Merenda mostly delivered, minus a few caveats. The decor was pretty solid, but nothing mindblowing. Service was quite normal. My group decided to each order a different type of tapa and share among ourselves. Some of the tapas were very solid, but not worth the money paid for (skip the hot cheese "Chefs special"). However, I had literally the BEST beef in Milwaukee with the Argentinian beef tapas. The meat literally melted a bit in my mouth. Worth it if you want to get a small taste of the "finer" meats in life without going to Capitol or some expensive steakhouse. Unfortunately the house wine was pretty bad and did not mix well with the tapas. Better to try the sangria instead. Desert was superb. The cake I had was so sweet but not to the point of overwhelming the senses. However, it was pretty close and definitely well worth guilty treat. I wish I could give this 5 stars, but I spent $30 (with a 6 dollar class of wine) and still was hungry for more food afterwards. For $30 you can find similar class of food. However, the concept is great and I can see why it is very popular here in Milwaukee.
(4)
Kimberly J.

Tucked next to a dive bar is this place... Hands down the best meal I've had in my two years I've lived in Milwaukee. Attentive staff, warm and inviting interior that oozes charm. Mismatched tables flooded with a warm glow from the fixtures and pumpkin walls. The bar is wonderful. Stellar wine list and the best mojito and caprihana I've had in a long long time. Next time I'm ordering a dark and stormy. Mmmmmmm. The tapas is gastro heaven. Don't skip the empanadas, the veal shank & the squash ravioli. Get dessert. I repeat. Get dessert. Four words. Irish car bomb cake. I'm using all my restraint from typing four letter words to describe how delicious this cake is. It's so good I'm getting a big girl sized cake for my birthday. If you ask really nice, you might be invited and I might share. No promises, it's just that good.
(5)
Kate H.

Wonderful wine selection, and the empanadas were wonderful. The complimentary valet is a plus, especially in that neighborhood, where there seems to be nothing but warehouses and a surprising shortage of parking. We also really enjoyed the trout rundown. Tasty cilantro rice!
(4)
Nina Y.

My boyfriend and I went and ordered around 6 dishes and 2 desserts. Waitress was very nice and the atmosphere was great. The dishes were very well executed in terms of texture and doneness. We also appreciated what they were trying to do with the local ingredients and listed sources of produce and meat. HOWEVER, everything (the 6 dishes) was saturated with salt. It almost tasted like everything was just soaked in the same brine for hours and hours before service. It's just a shame that such good fresh ingredients were being so poorly seasoned. Especially when they were cooked really well. We ended up drinking a total of 11 glasses of water.
(3)
Maggy A.

Quite a lot of hype considering the experience my boyfriend and I had at La Merenda. I called ahead and made a reservation for our first time dining and my boyfriend's birthday. I requested a surprise dessert with a candle and the hostess was very helpful making a recommendation that matched what I was looking for. We had an early reservation so there were few other tables when we arrived. Even so, our waitress was short to the point of being rude. Our plates came out as they were ready and the food runner basically threw them down on the end of the table and inaudibly told us what we were being served. At the end of the meal, our server asked us if we were, "good on food." This is the sort of language you might expect from the Olive Garden and their endless pasta bowl. I tried to make eye contact to ensure that the dessert was in fact coming, but to no avail. We waited another ten minutes during which I told my boyfriend there was supposed to be another course because at this point I wasn't sure the waitress even knew we were celebrating. I was shocked when the dessert came. As for food, it was all pretty ok. Just ok. We both felt it was a little sloppy and too salty. We weren't looking for perfection, just a good meal and a nice dining experience that felt a bit personalized and warm. I'm not sure we would dine again.
(3)
Tom B.

Excellent, excellent, excellent! Also ... Delightful. Every plate was so satisfying & the comfortable atmosphere & great service was wonderful. Tom
(5)
Jeana P.

What's not to LOVE! I had a spectacular meal here this week, one which I'd actually rate higher than #1 rated restaurant in nation last year. Moroccan Lamb was amazingly flavorful, but standout was Butter Chicken by far! Everything was perfectly seasoned. La Merenda added a classy large outdoor area, complete with a garden for fresh produce and stone fireplace that would be perfect in spring or fall, or chilly summer nights. Service was impeccable. Well done Peter and crew...what a pleasure and asset to Milwaukee.
(5)
William U.

Favorite. Favorite. Favorite place. Food is always great. Drinks right on. Service without a hitch as always. This is a great place for tapas. The small plates are plenty filling and they are great to share. The menu clearly marks gluten free options and vegetarian options. Check the hours they are open some days for lunch. Oh and the tapas are not just Mexican they are dishes from around the world. Return here early and often.
(5)
Charles R.

Ten of us celebrated by daughter's graduation from College. We had reservations for 5:30 p.m. and were seated immediately. The place was filled. My daughter brought four of her friends who had never been to La Merenda before - they loved it. The food was exceptional, but the vibe was equally easy and fun. The crowd was all ages and ethnicities. Everyone had a great time and price was remarkable.
(5)
Kelley M.

SUBLIME! Wonderfully executed plates from around the world in the best little spot in Milwaukee. The prices are mind boggling to me... Michelin star flavors and techniques made possible at fair prices, using local ingredients in a casual, non pretentious atmosphere. RUN HERE Thank you Peter and Jason!
(5)
Nelson S.

I'll just continue to toot the La Merenda horn here, but this place is absolutely phenomenal. As a former cook in a high quality restaurant, its very hard to impress me unless the food is extremely well executed, and Merenda exceeded with flying colors. We ordered the two specials of the day (trout with kale, potatoes and scallions; and the shredded beef mole with queso on top), plus a mahi-mahi ceviche and the duck confit crepes. Not only is this menu foodie heaven, its also extremely dedicated to being locally based, seasonal and sustainable; all extreme bonus points. The trout was undeniably the star of the meal, it was cooked and seasoned perfectly, not only standing above the other flavors, but complimenting them at at the same time. While the beef mole had excellent flavor, it was nearly drowned out in a flood of melted cheese (which I'm not a fan of to begin with). This minor gripe was the only faux pas of the whole meal, which is saying a lot. The duck confit crepes were extremely rich, decadent and warming- definitely an indulgence. As for the ceviche, all the flavors complimented each other, while the mahi, mango and a hint of spice stood out the most. Everything here was as at should be, the server was attentive but not overly, the decor was fabulous, and everything was very chic, yet casual. We went on a not-so-busy wednesday afternoon for lunch, so I can't speak for the same on a Saturday evening, but I assume much would remain the same. I'm happy I finally broke my La Merenda cherry, and can't wait to go back! Excellent, Excellent Place!
(4)
Michael D.

Very good food. $8-15 per plate and two plates for lunch was a good amount. Very diverse cuisine. Try the cheese curds and ceviche plates!
(4)
Cory T.

RIDICULOUS. JUST RIDICULOUS. SMOKE & MIRRORS... To be fair, I guess I've discovered that I just really don't enjoy "tapas". I know that they are all the rave, but I don't understand all the hoopla and fanfare about some Sam's Club out-of-the-box appetizers presented in some "artsy" way and drizzled with one kind of sauce or another. First of all, the ambiance of La Merenda leaves a little to be desired. It's a cinder block building with that ridiculously ugly "Tuscan faux painting technique" circa 1995 on the walls. It's like dining in someone's basement. But the food, and everyone's exclamatory reaction to it is something I can only attribute to cognitive dissonance (I'm paying a lot of money for this paltry lot of food, therefore it MUST be good). Tapas are meant to share, right? I dined with a large party, and dishes were brought out in succession, and while I'm not a big eater, everyone must have been as starved as I was: it was like a feeding frenzy at the piranha tank. I talked with one of the guests next to me. Both of us were mumbling under our breath, not wanting to be rude to our host. We were both joking about hitting the McDonald's drive thru on the way home--and neither of us would normally even consider a McD's experience. It was like licking a coating of a sauce off a spoon--then the "oooh's and ahhhh's" from everyone follow. Why?! What is so damned good about this lean cuisine quality food, strategically placed on IKEA ceramic plates in goofy shapes? I don't know why I'm giving this place two stars. it should be one. Perhaps their "mystique" is rubbing off on me.
(2)
Kris P.

This place can make your eyes roll back in a foodgasm OR it can make you wrinkle your brows in disappointment. We come here about 2x/month, and have had almost everything on their menu. It's one of our favorite restaurants in Milwaukee - but with that being said, it's still ridiculously inconsistent! One night a dish will be awesome, and then the next it's super salty and dry as cardboard. Come on, LM! Get with it! Here's my take of the dishes. (some are dishes from the previous menu) The Good: -Ginger martini -Ahi Tuna Ceviche: yummy! But no longer on their current menu. Bring it back!! -Korean short ribs: if they cut back on the sugar content, this would be just right. -Korean lamb shank: same as above, but more saucy -Beet salad: yellow, white, and red roasted beets - yum! -Prik Khing curry -Pork belly Confit: when it's good, it's really good. Other times the risotto isn't quite right. The Not-so-Bad -Sangria -Veal Osso Bucco: sometimes good, other times super salty -Sambal gorang udang: sometimes good, other times the shrimp has a weird taste to it. -Roasted Squash Ravioli: average, but one of the better all veg dishes -Croquetas -Quesadilla: greasy, pretty avg -Spanokopita -Patatas Bravas & Chorizo: decent but nothing great The Ugly -Veal Involtino: AVOID. Super salty and dry. Just a waste of a dish. -Colombian ceviche: Bleh. Fishy smell, not a fresh taste, and I don't like the saltine crackers at all. -Jamaican Jerk Fish: Eh, nothing amazing -Fried polenta: meh -Beef wellington: we regretted getting this dish almost immediately. Just nothing good about it. This review has been....about 6 months in the making. If La Merenda would be more consistent, then I'd give it a solid 4 stars, but for now it's A-OK.
(3)
Rachel F.

I've been to Merenda exactly three times. Three point eight is my broke down star rating. So... Break it down now! Wine list? Impressive and extremely well-priced. More than fair, there are great glass pours available for six bucks. Service? Awesome. We sat at the bar, and both of our bartenders were super duper friendly. Really nice and attentive. Also, one of them gave us shots of rumchata mixed w/ GLD's Roaring Dan's rum. Oatmeal cookie? Okay! (I'm not 22 anymore, and I rarely shoot whiskey. I rarely "shoot" anything... but that was okay!) Food? Hits and misses. I loved the La Merenda salad, the goat cheese salad, and our veal over roasted red pepper risotto. I was pretty ambivalent about our fried polenta and Beef Wellington. All in all, the menu is diverse in its international tapas offerings, and everything looks great on paper. I'll be back sooner than later to try more in order to have a more comprehensive, informed opinion. That being said, I think that tapas is a hard medium to work in. Also, like Christopher M said, they do a lot in the way of local sourcing. Yay! Ambiance? Cute, cozy, and insanely busy on the weekends. You may have to wait... but if there's a spot at the bar, belly up there! I almost like it better than the dining room. Verdict? Great spot for wine and conversation over an interesting and diverse offering of tapas plates.
(4)
Stephanie L.

Find me in the happy land of simple plates and delicate craft cocktails. I knew I had reached Nirvana on a 100+ degree day when I smelled the fresh mint leaves waiting to be muddled. That sweet aroma hit me after minutes of entering the restaurant. It was like something out of a dream sequence. That, or a commercial for a Glade candle. Nonetheless, I knew exactly what beverage was being ordered to my table. Other than being a tad smaller than I had hoped, my mojito was made with a gentle hand and the right ratio of rum, simple syrup, and mint. The sweetness crashed over my tongue and my body was instantly cooled after a day spent in sweltering heat. La Merenda answered my thirst's call for quenching, and came just as strong with their delivery of the menu items: a round the world trip from Peru to China. I feel it best to follow the server's instructions of 3-4 plates per person. Every plate comes in servings of 4 items per. You want to experience the different tastes not only to understand the hype, but so you will see the talents behind the scenes. The chefs get the flavors that come from the different countries. You will never state that something is oversalted here. The herbs and seasonings from the listed countries stand proud as nationals. The chefs treat these plates with respect. Try, for example, the Colombian empanadas. This dish stood out as my favorite among the four I tried. The raisins and olives pack these little dough hand pies with sweet brininess. You never envision the two working so well together, but here they were kindred spirits, playing up the tender pieces of chicken. I continued my journey through Latin America with a popular Peruvian treat: tostones. Yum all over. The fried plantains and wickedly rich and vibrant guacamole are the best you will ever devour. The salsa verde as an additional dipper added a spicy kick to make for a fantastic and satisfying plate. I took a little detour from here and opted for a pasta. The spinach ravioli with prosciutto was a surprise hit for me. Again, there was a delicate hand in the creation of these pasta pillows. Creamy, crispy, salty, and fiery. Who could imagine that all of these taste adjectives could be found in four squares of pasta? La Merenda made it happen. My final plate--after much satisfaction--was the Cantonese spring rolls. Although this item may seem standard and available at any Chinese takeout joint, the ones at La Merenda found themselves in rare form. The Hometown sausage could have had something to do with it, or the fact that the mushrooms still carried a meaty punch and the shrimp were sweet. Truly, I think the medley of meats and vegetables were richly flavorful and not lost in a bath of peanut oil. Everything served at La Merenda speaks of its understanding of ethnic authenticity. Perhaps my palette is not educated enough on worldly cuisine, but I do know that I was not disappointed by any of the countries. The only suggestion if/when arriving early and the restaurant is fairly quiet: ask to be seated toward the front of the restaurant. They may otherwise seat you near the very noisy kitchen, preparing for the forthcoming busy dinner service. The reasoning may be to fill from back to front, but this is not necessary. Ask and you shall receive [better seating].
(5)
Max M.

We ordered roughly 15 plates for six people and we had more than enough to eat. Highlights were the duck confit and short ribs. You MUST get the Irish car bomb desert! The building is unassuming but the food will blow you away. I look forward to my next visit.
(4)
Jon A.

Finally made a reservation here to see what all the fuss was about. People kept telling me that this was one of the best places to eat and that the food was phenomenal. The fact that they were booked a month before Valentine's Day made me believe those statements must be true. In reality, it was decent, but nothing that great. I mean, it's a tapas place. Let's think about this for a second.... Next time you and a group of friends want to go out to eat, make a suggestion that you all go to Denny's, order only appetizers and share them together. You'll most likely get rejected and definitely receive some stares. Now let's replace the word 'Denny's' with 'La Merenda' and replace the word 'appetizers' with 'tapas' and everyone will wet themselves with excitement. Yes, you can be assured La Marenda uses better ingredients and is not a chain. The premise, however, is exactly the same. The atmosphere of this place reminds me of a church basement where you hold pot luck dinners, except that the concrete cinder block walls have been painted the ubiquitous orange color that reminds you of the Push-Up ice cream pops. Although, I do have to give them credit for not plastering the walls with Day of the Dead skulls. We were seated right away and ordered some martinis from our server who was very aware and very good at her job. She knew how to pace things and she gave us a sufficient amount of time to choose what we wanted and the order we wanted it to arrive (which I hadn't thought of before going there). We stuck with a mostly vegetarian menu, although I did have some prosciutto from the cheese and meat plate and some spring rolls with pork. We also ordered some Tostones, patatas bravas without chorizo, and Spanakopita. The tostones were interesting and I liked the texture, but they lacked any real flavor. The patatas bravas were good, but probably the saltiest thing I have ever eaten at a restaurant. It was also the only dish we didn't finish because of it. You could have taken one of those potatoes and hung it on the inside of a rabbit cage. The spanakoptia was by far the tastiest item we had. The crust was light and flaky and the filling was creamy with a nice amount of spinach. The Cantonese rolls were a step up from your average egg roll because of the freshness of the filling, but the dipping sauce was too similar to your average sweet and sour sauce. I don't normally get dessert, but felt like trying something else so I opted for the chocolate crÃ¨me brulee. It was very rich and though I'm not much of a chocolate nut, I can imagine this being a dream come true for those who really enjoy their chocolate. When we left the restaurant we just looked at each other and agreed it was good, but felt there was too much hype. I probably wouldn't mind coming back again to try some of the other meat dishes, but I won't be knocking down the door to get in. 3 stars for the overall experience, but I have to add a star for the focus on local ingredients.
(4)
Trischa H.

Last November, when visiting Milwaukee my husband and were lucky enough to experience this place...When our friends suggested a "tapas" place I was somewhat skeptical, as my only experience was an awful place in minneapolis that has since closed. WOW I am glad that I was group-guilted. This place is not to be missed, the argentinean beef was wonderful, as were many of the other items (I'm drawing a blank on what else we had, we were with a group and had a lot!) they have a great bar, i distinctly remember that they had lakefront on tap (awesome local Milwaukee beer) I know if I ever go back to Milwaukee I will be going to this place again.
(5)
Dean C.

La Merenda is one of the few places that I've been that has left me speechless. My wife and I recently discovered they joys of tapas dining and she discovered La Merenda through colleagues where she works. We went there for a romantic dinner for two and it was just spectacular. We had a small raft of dishes that were savory, complimentary, perfectly prepared, were unique in preparation, interesting to the palate and left you incredibly satisfied. The only failure was on our part in ordering a Thai dish that clashed with the Euro-themed dishes we'd otherwise very much enjoyed; the flavor set did not compliment the other selections. Our bad. We also took advantage of the half-price bottle of wine on Monday night with a lovely Malbec.
(5)
Elizabeth A.

Everything is good! The Argentinian beef and the empanadas are excellent. Great place to go with friends - it's so fun to order a bunch of plates and just share everything.
(5)
Nick K.

One of my favorite places in Milwaukee. Took a first date here, if only the date went as good as the food was. Asparagus, Pork Belly, deep fried risotto balls and beef wellington were all ordered. Service was prompt and the food was delicious. Great place.
(5)
Marie E.

I have been here several times, and have never been disappointed. We have always gone on Mondays when it is half off bottles of wine..great deal.. Service is always spot on. The food is beyond wonderful. Please forgive me for being off on correct menu names, but the following menu items were amazing!. Shrimp sambal, tostones, and the daily specials are all wonderful!! Peter knows what to do, and does it well. Make your reservations, and you will be very happy you went. Local food, expertly prepared....what dining should be!!
(5)
wenting x.

Im the type of person that would rather eat 5 small dishes than one hearty meal..so when this tapas place came up..i was more than excited to try it out. However...this place did not live up it the hype/yelp reviews.. Went here on a Friday night..it was packed. Thankfully I made reservations and was seated immediately. The atmosphere was very casual and cute. I really like that the place had a "home" feeling to it..big dining tables with different chairs and also small tables for the intimate couples. I see that its better to come with a group of friends so that you can try more dishes. The menu was very appealing..filled with small plates from all over the world. The food here was all very good but not spectacular due to something was just off with every single dish that I got. I started off with the breaded veal and duck crepes. The veal was fried but the chef didn't drain out the oil on a napkin before plating so it was very greasy, tasty..but very greasy. Duck crepes were very savory for the first bite..then it became a little too salty. We also got the Korean lamb and pork belly with risotto. Lamb was cooked in a sweet broth..too sweet, and the pork belly was cooked perfectly...but no seasoning. I was really disappointed because all the dishes had so much potential, except they were all off by something.
(3)
JiaJia T.

The ambiance was great but the food was average. Seriously, a restaurant cannot make great food from so many different countries. They need to narrow their range of flavors and master those or else everything is just so so.
(2)
Aga A.

I've gone to La Merenda before, but it's been almost two years since my first experience. Last night, we decided to dine there again in a group of four. Some tips: - call for reservation at least two days in advance; unless you don't mind eating at the bar, which also gets crowded often and frequently - know that it is a tapas place, and sharing is a must; make a note of specials...when we were there they had a delicious pork tenderloin served on a bed of creamy risotto...delicious. - get ready to challenge your taste buds...they serve flavors from Greece, France, Latin America, and many more... - interior decor is acceptable, but then again, it's hard to please an interior designer; eclectic in nature, could use better space plane and privacy options, warm and welcoming in general.
(4)
Andy M.

The best Tapas I ever had was in Milwaukee. Who'd a thunk it? Once again Milwaukee provides a wonderful eatery that's hidden in the middle of nowhere. If you were driving by, you could blink and miss the place. The outside of the place is pretty well hidden, but when we went inside we were surprised to see a packed restaurant full of people who were having the time of their lives. The decor is modern and easy on the eyes, but when you're talking about food this good, they could of had clown pictures on the wall and I wouldn't have cared. I have to admit that I was in a bit of a drunken fog when I visited La Merenda, but I do remember that the food was amazing. It was a two hour gorge fest of wine and food. There were plantains, Chorizo, Pork Belly and fried Risotto. Every time I looked up, we were being served another plate of Spanish goodies. After the first hour, I lost track of how much food we had. All I know that everything was delicious. The bottom line on our visit to La Merenda: The food was amazing, the service was wonderful and the atmosphere was second to none. It looked like everybody in the joint was having as much fun as we were. It was a wonderful night that I won't soon forget.
(5)
Lauren D.

One of my all time favorites. "Small plates" without being ridiculously small, and audible "mmmmmms" coming from my mouth as each bite entered it :)
(5)
Ashley P.

Wow. My first visit to La Merenda was long awaited. My friends have been raving for years and I finally made time to go check it out last Friday. D-E-L-I-S-H. Fabulous wine. Very flavorful food. And on top of it all a fun, funky, friendly atmosphere. We shared the Veal Osso Buco, Lobster Ravioli, Patatas Bravas y Chorizo and the Irish Car Bomb cupcake (chocolate decadence filled with a shot of kahlua and topped with cream cheese frosting!) and would have kept eating had we been stuffed. I'll definitely be back! And now I'll be the one raving - sorry to have waited La Merenda, but now we can be best friends.
(4)
Eric S.

I was in town for a three day. That's pretty much all you need in Milwaukee. Unless you're a mega boozer... Back to La Merenda. This place was great. I'm a stickler for local and naturally raised animal. AKA pastured beef, swine, chicken and mostly local veggies. That's how I found them. We ate like a king and a queen for the night. It's a busy place so If your not picky you can sit at the bar. The Filet with plantain puree was great! I actually tried to replicate it myself since being back home. It's tapas which is awesome for groups or dates because you can try a bunch of different items. A nice beer, wine and booze selection too.. That's Wisconsin though. Best part was that we had about 5 different plates, desert and drinks for under $100 including the 20% tip... F'n A right that's awesome!!
(4)
Carolynne M.

I love the idea of tapas. Have you ever been out to dinner and thought that someone else ordered better than you and how you would love to try their dish? Well, with tapas everyone gets to try everything. Its brilliant. This location is a little odd, with the exterior giving absolutely no clue to how cute and hip the interior is. When we were there the place was packed and full of energy. We all decided on different things to order, some of the dishes I remember were the Patatas Bravas y Chorizo which were fried potatoes tossed in a spicy tomato sauce, served with fresh aioli and topped with a sautÃ©ed chorizo. Then there was the Argentinian Style Beef . Awesome grilled beef tenderloin marinated in chimichurri sauce, served over mashed sweet plantains with crushed walnuts. The Prosciutto and Sweet Pea Arancini were deep fried risotto ball delights stuffed with prosciutto, sweet peas, and mozzarella served over marinara sauce. I seem to remember also a Pork Belly Confit, which was braised pork belly served with summer vegetable risotto. I know there were a few others too, but those were the ones that stood out to me the most. Everything we tried was better than the last dish. It makes me want to come back and try everything! This is a great find in Milwaukee, highly recommended!
(5)
Daniel M.

Wow. I have been putting off this review for over a month, just because I couldn't think of a way to write it that did my experience any justice. That said, thank you La Merenda for valet parking. Although we got lucky and got a spot very close to the door, I know that it probably won't ever happen again. Kudos. The outside of this restaurant is very unassuming, drab even. But when you walk in, you immediately realize it's anything but drab. I love the warm, inviting bar... Moving into the dining room, one immediately realizes one of the big reasons why reservations ought to be made at least a week in advance. The second reason: Amazing food. Out of 8 dishes, I LOVED 5, liked 2, and could do without 1. LOVED: Pork Belly Confit, Jamaican Jerk Trout, Veal Osso Bucco, Argentinian Beef, and I think the special was a Squash (or pumpkin?) Ravioli - all awesome. Liked: Empanadas (just "eh"), Wienerschnitzel (a bit salty, otherwise awesome) Could do without: Cantonese Spring Rolls - Not great. A little fishy. All in all, great experience. Very fun with a group of 4 to try 8 dishes. We finished the night with a Turtle Creme Brulee, which was very good, but VERY rich, and a nice, light Tres Leches cake with fresh strawberries that could be addictive.
(5)
Nicholas B.

Parking - Sucks (I always end up parking 2+ blocks away) Food - Good but not great Price - Eh BYO - 8 stars for MKE
(4)
Michael O.

We went there Monday, and they have half-price wine. Very Nice. They also gave us a complimentary dessert for a legitimate birthday we had. Irish Car Bomb cake was so good. I like how they use random furniture to give it a very warm, cosey feeling. We tried a lot of items, and everything was good. I was a bit disappointed that they only had one special item left. I agree with a previous writer that the menu does seem very random. We enjoyed everything we ordered, but it would be nice to see more of a rotation. It would keep me coming back more often. All in all, we had a great meal and I definitely recommend giving it a try.
(4)
Kyle K.

I've been to La Merenda a few times, and I've never left unhappy. Most of the dishes I ordered were good with a few approaching greatness. The best dishes I tried were the Duck Confit Crepes (I thought I was going to have a stroke.), Argentinian Style Beef and my absolute favorite was a tuna ceviche that doesn't appear to be on the menu at the moment. Not being an experienced wine drinker, I will tell you that wine exists here. They have it. Any other analysis would be a complete disservice to the unfortunate souls that read this. The service is always top notch and the ability to make a reservation online is very convenient.
(4)
Jennifer W.

I really love La Merenda and it's high time I told you about it. I went last night with a group of friends - a school night, I will have you know - and as usual had a stellar experience. In fact, I liked the food so much that I ate and I ate and I ate until I broke the chair I was sitting in. True story. It was Monday night, so bottles of wine were half price. Naturally we had four. Our waitress, Micaela, pointed out it was really only like two bottles of wine given they were half price - and I noted I would be sure to point that out to the cop when I got pulled over on the way home. Since there were six of us, and most plates are suited for four, Micaela adjusted our orders every step of the way. We had a cheese and meat plate, Argentinian Beef, empanadas, quesadillas, braised short ribs with risotto, Argentinian Beef again, shrimp, squash ravioli and Argentian Beef, again per Matt's orders. In fact, Matt loved the Argentinian Beef so much that we are pretty sure his life will be defined by the moment he first tasted it and noted that tomorrow (now known as today) would be known as "1 A.B" (after beef). And dessert - oh god, don't make me talk about dessert. The Irish Car Bomb cupcakes are an experience I just can't discuss on this forum. The service was perfection, the food divine, the wine flowing, and the company extraoardinary. Thanks, La Merenda, for a memorable night. Even if I broke the chair.
(5)
Emily J.

I'm not exactly sure why this is such a difficult restaurant to get into. The food was good, but VERY salty (esp. the squash ravioli - breathtakingly salty) and the service was okay - but the atmosphere was sort of uncomfortable. Everything is wood and hard and it's loud. We could barely hear one another across the table. Track lighting runs down the center of the room and my table-mate sat with a halogen bulb burning his head the entire time (bring a sombrero!). It's definitely not a place to linger. It was very reasonably priced. 4 of us had drinks and more than enough food for $83 so I can't complain there. Probably a better place for two.
(3)
J M.

Note about La Merenda: On the weekends, this place is packed, be sure to make reservations ahead of time. Luckily we made reservations for 6 PM but the place was already pretty packed and a lot of people(those who did not have reservations) were waiting to be seated. Oh! And valet parking is complimentary! :) When we arrived our server was very attentive and due to the fact that our party had one person with gluten allergies and one person with mushroom allergies, they checked with the kitchen to let us know which ones were safe to eat with out contamination. We ordered the following dishes: Shrimp & Scallop ceviche Patatas bravas & chorizo Empanadas Tostones Prik Khring Curry Pork Belly Confit Argentinian Style Beef Spare Rib Quesadillas Almost each and every one of the dishes were delicious. The ceviche had a good balance of creamy and citrus and the patatas bravas & chorizo was delicious (those with weaker spice palates might want to avoid this one; the chorizo is nice and spicy!). I would say my favorite was the Argentinian Sytle Beef which came with plantain mash. The mash was so savory and creamy and had just the right amount of sweetness to complement the beef. (The quesadillas were pleasant surprise too. The meat was tender and there was a perfect ratio of meat to cheese.) The one dish that fell flat for me was the pork belly confit. Others liked it a lot, but I thought everything was too heavy. The pork belly was well cooked, but the risotto just made it heavy and didn't balance the dish as well. It was disappointing, because it came out last and everything else had been amazing. For dessert we tried the gluten free chocolate almond cake. It was light nutty and delicious. In the past when I've tried gluten free dessert they were really heavy and sticky, but this was light and flavorful and the toffee & chocolate ganache on the cake made it even better. All in all it was a great experience. I will be returning again soon to try the other items on the menu! :)
(4)
Angela K.

On my one visit to La Merenda, I came in having heard tons of reviews from friends and family and having very high expectations. A lot of my family is in the restaurant business so when they give a place a thumbs up, I trust them. La Merenda didn't disappoint... but it also didn't wow me. I really loved my experience there and enjoyed everything we ordered, but I don't know if it was the clientele that evening or whether something was off but I was expecting fireworks and got a so-so light show instead. We ordered the following: local cheese plate (Not good--avoid this), ceviche (YUM!), patatas bravas y chorizo (spicy and wonderful), tostones (yes ma'am!), and a beet salad (we had to send it back because they neglected the goat cheese... :-/ ). All in all, it was a nice night. Didn't leave me with a craving to rush back anytime soon.
(3)
Pat H.

Excellent food Great flavors. Very attentive. Will definitely be back.
(5)
Richard O.

One of my best friends is having a La Merenda kick at the moment so I got dragged along the other night. It' was okay. I liked the space and I imagine that as far as vegetarian selections in Milwaukee small plates restaurants go, it's probably one of the better places. Nothing really impressed me though. The first odd thing was that there wasn't a beverage menu. I suppose this wouldn't normally be so odd but then when I asked the waitress what kind of tea they had she seemed content with not knowing. The cheese galette was probably the best thing I had on the savory side. The empanadas were okay but lacked something. The potatoes were nothing special and I can't even remember what else we got. The only things I found memorable were the Indonesian Curry dish, which the waitress described as having a little heat to it but which needed a lot of black pepper to rise to the level of souped up mashed potatoes, which is basically what the dish is. The other was the Irish carbomb cake, which was actually pretty good. I suppose it's good that my extreme makeover diet is coinciding with my return to UWM since I can never find food that I particularly enjoy in my beloved home state of Wisconsin. (Except cheese curds, sadly.)
(3)
Jim T.

It's actually been a couple years since I was here, but if you have the chance DO NOT MISS THIS PLACE! The Sambal shrimp dish is THE most incredible thing I've ever eaten. Prices are very reasonable, service is good, and food is awesome. The Argentinian Beef was also a favorite. If I could find a place anything like this somewhere near Seattle...
(5)
Kristy L.

I have been here twice. Yes, reservations are hard to get. BUT, I recommend getting your act together and going. EVERYTHING here is mouth-wateringly good. There are about 5 veg. options on the menu, and the best part is, there are a few more meat dishes you can MAKE veg! Polenta with mushroom ragu is my favorite! I got the coconut and veggies mashed potatoes (without the shrimp) and that was also incredibly delish. The tres leches cake is to die for. GO. Oh yea, and fun drinks too :)
(5)
Becky S.

So glad I finally tried La Merenda. I can definitely see why this is a favorite for many. The ambiance was great and service was friendly and attentive. As suggested by our waitress we ordered a dish or two at a time. This was a nice way to enjoy the experience and linger over the food. My favorites were the Argentenian Beef and the Lamb Confit. Mmmm so tender. The Spring Rolls, Sambal Goreng Udang, and my Sangria were all good. We didn't really love the Scallop Ceviche but that was something different and just wasn't our taste. This would be a great date place but also great to go with a group of friends. There were a lot of plates were wanted to try so we'll be back, probably with some friends or family next time.
(5)
Mark O.

Had an awesome meal this evening at La Merenda. It was truly a great experience. We started with the La Merenda Salad, Seafood Ravioli and Ceviche. Then moved on to the Argentinian Beef and Braised Pork Belly. For me it was a tie between the Beef and Pork Belly. The beef because of the flavor and was cooked to perfection and Pork Belly because, well what can I say Pork Belly. Dinner ended with a personal meet and great with Peter Sandroni (c. chef and owner) and a piece of Irish Car Bomb cake; fantastic. Well we back again to be sure.
(5)
Bria K.

My husband and I were in Milwaukee for the weekend and stopped in at Merenda and loved it! We had five small plates and were stuffed, but we couldn't stop eating the delicious food. We had ceviche, empanadas, siu yuk, Argentinean beef and duck confit. All were delicious! My favorite was the duck confit and my husband loved the ceviche and argentinean beef. They also had a good wine selection... which we thoroughly enjoyed! We also loved the dessert special, some sort of tasty apple and quark cheese. They have a funky, casual ambience created by a cozy selection of what appears to be left over kitchen dining chairs and tables. Overall, we loved the variety of tastes and textures!
(5)
Stephen B.

I have been to La Merenda a 1/2 dozen times over the past 18 months and never been disappointed. The variety and quality of food is top notch. It's not typical tapas in the Spanish sense. They offer samplings of just about every region of the world, which is a nice twist. The Korean short ribs are great, as is the Argentinian beef, the potatoes with chorizo, the empanadas, I think my favorite is the Sambal Goreng Udang. Since my wife doesn't eat seafood, this is an easy choice for me :). Great for dates! My six yr old daughter found some things to eat as well.
(5)
Aaron S.

This is the best place to take a date in Milwaukee. It's one of those rare places (like a good fishing spot) that I've put off Yelping about because I wish it was less busy and popular. The food is always fresh and changes like most people change underwear. Whatever is in season and fresh you will find on the menu. There are always suprises as well. Given the chance, I'd eat at La Merenda everyday.
(5)
Pete B.

really loved this place! the restaurant was hard to find, and its surroundings seemed a little shady, but the interior was cozy and the food was amazing! Get the ahi tuna, it was probably my favorite!! This is probably one of my favorite restaurants in Milwaukee.
(5)
Sara B.

great time, good food, good wine.
(4)
Julie M.

A wonderful place for a group date or girls night! Order lots - and don't hesitate: you'll eat it. Promise. :) Their menu boasts small plates for anyone's eating habits and their friendly staff will accomodate slow eaters and wave orderers.
(4)
Elizabeth R.

In town from Chicago for the weekend and my husband and I were looking for somewhere good for dinner which is hard when we are spoiled with so many options right at our doorstop back at home. We usually stick with our favorites when we are back like Sobelman's or Zafiro's but we wanted to try something different this time. With a recomendation from my mom who lives here we decided to try La Merenda. It was amazing! We started with the queso fondido which was cheesy and delicious. Then we had the argentinian style beef which was to die for and a raviola dish which I can't remember the name of. We didn't have a reservation which was a mistake since the wait was an hour on a Saturday night. So we ended up eating at the bar which was fine, except for the draft from the door on a five degree evening. But other than that the food and atmosphere was a great ecperience!
(5)

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Address : 125 E National Ave
Milwaukee, WI, 53204
Phone (414) 389-0125
Website https://www.lamerenda125.com
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :11:00 am - 2:00pm
Mon : 11:00 am - 2:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

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La Merenda

125 E National Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53204

La Merenda Menu

Main Menu

Dessert

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Main Menu

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