Los Gordo’s Serves Souped-Up Snacks on South Side
New business offers Mexican-style duros, elote and more, along with ice cream and other sweet treats.
Los Gordo’s, 2691 S. 6th St. Photo taken July 23, 2024 by Sophie Bolich.
Frozen custard may be Milwaukee’s reigning summer treat, but a new southside snack shop is making a play for the crown with a mile-long menu of refreshing sorbets, tajin-topped sundaes, icy lemonades and more.
Los Gordo’s, now several months into its tenure at 2691 S. 6th St., serves a core menu of Mexican-style snacks such as cueritos, fresas con crema, paletas and mangonada—a spicy-sweet blend of mango sorbet, mango chunks and chamoy.
But that barely scratches the surface.
The longer you look, the more there is to see, with munchies covering nearly every flat surface in sight. Gallon-sized bags of pale orange duros line the glass-topped counter, begging for a heavy-handed pour of Valentina. Cake slices chill in a narrow cooler. Chips, candies, cookies and freeze-dried ice cream sandwiches crowd the shelves and hang from clips on the walls.
A full ice cream case offers scoops by the cone, dish or blended into milkshakes with optional add-ins. You’ll also find paletas, candied grapes, mini pancakes, fruit cups and other sweets scattered across the menu.
On the savory side, there’s elotes, Buldak ramen bowls, soft pretzels, hot dogs, loaded baked potatoes and “candy cucumbers” topped with hot sauce, spices and citrus.
The shop takes a maximalist approach to snacking: start with a base like fruit or hot chips, then dial up the flavor with layers of sweet and spicy toppings. Even the fresh-squeezed lemonades are topped with a tangle of gummy worms or a cloud of cotton candy.
Much to the delight of younger crowds, owner Josephine Vargas also stays up to date on viral food trends, offering items like Propitious Mango ice cream, chamoy pickle kits, Dubai chocolate and sour candy-coated Gushers.
To drink, there’s boba tea, matcha, aguas frescas and a wide variety of canned and bottled beverages.
The southside building, painted a vibrant shade of lemon yellow, is eye-catching on its own. But on weekends, when a rainbow of inflatable bounce houses fills the parking lot, the shop becomes a full-blown magnet for kids from across the city.
On Saturdays and Sundays throughout the summer, Los Gordo’s raises six “epic bouncy castles” along the north side of the building, allowing kids to jump all day (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.) for a flat, $5 fee.
Meanwhile, parents can lounge on the shady outdoor patio or head inside to soak up the air-conditioning. The business often has discounted snacks such as hot dogs, snow cones and popcorn for kids on these days.
Inside, Los Gordo’s is equally vibrant, with pastel-pink walls, colorful lighting, an air hockey table and a handful of claw machines. An array of oversized popsicles in the back corner makes for a cute photo-op.
Established in early 2025, Los Gordo’s replaces Chu-Chi’s, which was first proposed in 2023. The previous business shared the same ownership under Vargas, but rebranded under a new name in January.
The business is continuing to expand as it settles into the neighborhood, with community-focused events and future plans to launch a taco truck. For more information and updates, follow Los Gordo’s on social media.
Los Gordo’s is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Photos
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