Eating Mexican in Port Washington

Tello’s Grille & Cafe. Photo by Cari Taylor-Carlson.

There are many reasons to visit Port Washington, located about 35 minutes from downtown Milwaukee, and one of those reasons is Tello’s Grille & Cafe, a Mexican and Greek restaurant on Grand Avenue. You will see it on your left if you enter Port Washington on Highway 33 from the west.

Before you indulge in a meal at Tello’s, check out Port Washington, a charming and classic Wisconsin small town that grew along the shores of Lake Michigan. Here you will find shops, cafes, a meat market, more restaurants, and a couple of delightful places to stroll, including Rotary Park and Coal Dock Park. Both parks are adjacent to downtown, and if you choose to saunter in Coal Dock Park, you can extend your walk by crossing a bridge and entering a hidden gem, the five-acre Port Washington Avian Sanctuary. Here you will find a path lined with wildflowers, many shorebirds, and the soothing rhythms of Lake Michigan.

This is an easy place to linger, but lunch at Tello’s is on the menu. If you want to start with a sample of their Mexican specialties, order the Guadalajara. My companion’s plate included an enchilada, a chimichanga and a tostada. Also on the plate were rice, beans, a scoop of deliciously chunky and freshly made guacamole, sour cream, a serving of pico de gallo and, hidden underneath the enchilada, green salsa. From a list of beef, steak, chorizo, chicken and pastor, my companion chose steak, a wise decision as every bite was tender and juicy. The steak in the enchilada was cut into small pieces, while the steak in the chimichanga had been diced and sauteed.

The chile relleno, another humongous entrée, included two large poblano peppers stuffed with cheese and smothered with a rich tomato-based sauce that featured roasted fresh tomatoes and strips of sauteed red and green peppers.

Another companion ordered tacos, three chicken tacos served Mexican style. (You could also choose American style with lettuce, tomato, black olives, cheese and sour cream.) Mexican meant taco meat topped with chopped onions and cilantro. When you read the menu at Tello’s, you will see that the owner has thought of every nuance for every dish on this voluminous menu.

The restaurant is located in a former turn-of-the-century hotel. The cuisine of owner Angel Tello plus the artistry of muralist Juan Flores have transformed the hotel into a restaurant where you will find a delightful tour of the food and the countryside of Mexico. Every wall in each of the multiple rooms is covered with murals painted by Flores that depict the history, the people and the beauty of the countryside.

When Tello’s opened in 2006, the restaurant offered mainly Greek dishes, which explained the entrees we noted on the menu such as Greek chicken, Greek salad, a gyro and chicken souvlaki. When Tello’s customers began asking for dishes from his native Guanajuato, his recipes from home became the focus of the menu.

Because I was curious, I left with an order of broasted chicken. When I went to eat it, it looked like fried chicken. I looked up broasted and learned that instead of using oil in a deep-fryer, the chicken was cooked in oil in a pressure cooker, a process that created a golden, juicy, crunchy chicken that was impossibly tender. Also in the takeout bag, I found mashed potatoes, gravy, garlic bread, chicken tortilla soup, chips and salsa.

We were told they make a killer margarita, and if you are lucky, Angel Tello will be behind the bar. When happy hour starts at 2 p.m., margaritas are two for one, and you could indulge in this worthy special while you enjoy the tasty dishes at this delightful restaurant in Port Washington.

On the Menu

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The Rundown

• Location: 200 W. Grand Ave., Port Washington
• Hours: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mon-Sat, 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sun
• Website: https://www.telloscatering.net
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TellosGrilleAndCatering/

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