Southside Restaurant Gets 10-Day Suspension

El Tucanazo Taqueria Y Mariscos, 3261 S. 13th St. Photo taken July 10, 2023 by Sophie Bolich.

El Tucanazo Taqueria Y Mariscos will soon take a break from dishing out plates of tacos, seafood and steak. That’s because the southside restaurant will be serving a 10-day suspension.

The Milwaukee Common Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to suspend the license for the restaurant, 3261 S. 13th St., based on a November 2022 shooting that injured one patron.

According to a police report, two friends were eating inside the restaurant when one showed the other a pistol. Not knowing the gun was loaded, one friend accidentally shot the other.

During a June 23 license renewal hearing, members of the Licenses Committee raised alarms over the fact that the shooting occurred after closing time and that employees did not call the police.

Owner Francisco Gonzalez, who initially declined to comment on the shooting, told committee members that he knows the bartender should have called the police, but was likely afraid to report the incident because she knew the patrons involved.

“I’m very alarmed and shocked that that was not reported at all,” said Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic, who initially recommended a warning letter but later asked to increase the consequence to a 10-day suspension.

“I’m unhappy with the cooperation here,” she said. “It’s not exactly what I expected.”

Gonzalez, who opened El Tucanazo in 2017, did not file written objections to the decision ahead of the July 11 meeting of the full Common Council.

The suspension is set to take effect on July 28 and continue through Aug. 6.

The restaurant, known for its seafood and steak, serves a wide variety of Mexican dishes including breakfast options such as huevos con jamon and huevos rancheros, as well as empanadas, gorditas, tacos, enchiladas, burritos and more for lunch and dinner.

El Tucanazo also offers an American food menu featuring hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken sandwiches — all served with french fries.

Gonzalez did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.

Following the suspension, El Tucanazo will resume its regular hours, opening Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.