New Bars and Restaurants That Opened in February
Three Mexican restaurants, a wine bar and a boba cafe among 9 new places now open.
Site of El Caporal, 721 S. Cesar E Chavez Dr. Photo taken Nov. 29, 2022 by Sophie Bolich.
Some restaurants take pride in a quiet, laid-back atmosphere — where the music is dialed down and guests converse in low voices while tucking into their meals. And then, there’s El Caporal.
The new Mexican restaurant, 721 S. Cesar E Chavez Dr., burst onto the scene in February with disco lights and a 10-piece band in tow, ready to wow customers with dinner and a show.
At the center of it all is owner Jose Lozoya, Jr., who, during the grand opening, smiled and clapped along as a lively procession of employees and musicians danced their way through the dining room.
It’s always a party at El Caporal, but the menu is not to be overlooked. Molcajetes overflowing with crab legs and shrimp tails, juicy birria tacos and trays loaded with fresh-shucked oysters stream through the kitchen doors in quick succession, accompanied by sweet-spicy mangonadas in frosty glasses. In addition to a wide variety of seafood, the restaurant showcases traditional dishes like fajitas, enchiladas, chiles rellenos and menudo.
The two-story restaurant replaces La Playa Mariscos y Bar in a building shared with National Liquor Mart, which Lozoya also owns. El Caporal is open daily from 11 a.m. to midnight, according to its Facebook page and you can read more about it in our earlier story. It’s among nine new places that opened in February. The others include:
Cork Wine Bar
After a series of soft openings, Cork Wine Bar officially opened on Feb. 27 in Walker’s Point, bringing business to the southwest corner of S. 5th and W. Washington streets for the first time in nearly 19 months.
Located at 1039 S. 5th St., Cork offers a diverse selection of wine, cocktails and spirits, with knowledgeable bartenders on hand to offer guidance and advice.
Craft Boba
A new bubble tea counter is open at 3rd Street Market Hall, offering a wide variety of milk teas, refreshers, milkshakes and yogurt drinks with customizable toppings.
Craft Boba, led by husband-and-wife team Zaw Naing Win and Khin Sabei Win, is located within one of the food hall’s smaller hawker stalls, replacing Shuckers Crab Shack & Oyster Bar.
Forage Kitchen
The long-awaited Forage Kitchen opened for business Feb. 1 at Milwaukee Public Market, 400 N. Water St. It’s the first location in the City of Milwaukee for the Madison-based chain, which operates nearby restaurants in Whitefish Bay and Pewaukee.
Forage Kitchen sells a health-focused menu of salads, grain bowls, soups, wraps and fresh-pressed juices.
Maider Kitchen Restaurant
A new addition to the Northwest Side specializes in stuffed chicken wings, pork belly, curries and more. Maider Kitchen Restaurant, operated by first-time restaurateur Xiong Pao Lor, is now open at 6318 N. 76th St., inside Phongsavan Market.
The restaurant, which honors Lor’s mother, showcases dishes from across Asia, including pho from Vietnam, Hmong sausage and Singapore-style noodles.
Mr. Taco
Mr. Taco, a popular food truck, made its brick-and-mortar debut at 2531 W. National Ave. in early 2025, bringing its own twist to the building formerly occupied by Taqueria El Toro.
The family-owned restaurant offers tacos — of course — along with burritos, tortas, tostadas and alambres. House specialties include chiles rellenos, ceviche and more.
The Slow Buffalo
It was a slow burn for The Slow Buffalo, but the gastropub has finally arrived on Milwaukee’s far Southwest Side.
Joseph Vagnini and Jeremy Chounard, owners of The Hale House, revamped the former 1st Choice dive bar at 3872 S. 92nd St. into a home for the new business, which offers a classic bar program alongside creative pub fare like bang bang shrimp tacos, dill pickle smash burgers and steak ‘n bacon chop salad.
Mi Pueblo Mexican Restaurant & Bar
Hermogenes Correa Miramontes expanded his carnitas-focused restaurant with a second location in February.
Mi Pueblo Mexican Restaurant & Bar is now open at 8412 W. Morgan Ave., serving its signature shredded pork, along with Mexican staples like tacos, tortas, menudo and more.
Teen ‘n’ Out
Teen ‘n’ out, billed as a safe hangout spot for youth, opened its doors last month at 1950 W. Hampton Ave. The new business is led by Sharron Hart, who has three kids of her own.
The lounge is designed with teens in mind, offering mocktails and snacks, plus daily activities ranging from karaoke to job trainings.
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