Council Approves New Tavern For Mitchell Street
Machillo's Place is cleared to open in Muskego Way neighborhood.
2000 W. Mitchell St. Photo taken May 27, 2026 by Sophie Bolich.
The southside building at 2000 W. Mitchell St., formerly home to the troubled El Infierno tavern, is poised for a fresh start under a new operator.
Diana Gonzalez opened Machillo’s Place, a laid-back neighborhood tavern featuring alcoholic beverages, pool tables and a jukebox, earlier this month. A proposal also included several amusement machines. The business does not serve food.
Gonzalez appeared before the Licenses Committee in April, citing past experience bartending at her late mother’s taverns. “I’m trying for myself to open a business,” she said.
Area Alderperson JoCasta Zamarripa shared support for the application and praised Gonzalez for her open communication.
“I’m excited to welcome this woman-owned bar back onto Mitchell Street,” Zamarripa said. “Historically, the previous applicant definitely was a bad actor, but I have determined, after talking to [Gonzalez] at length, she’s not connected at all to the prior applicant.”
No neighbors were present to testify at the hearing.
Zamarripa moved to recommend approval for the business’ license without objection. The Milwaukee Common Council unanimously upheld that recommendation on May 12 and the business opened shortly thereafter.
Hours of operation for Machillo’s Place are Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m., Friday through Saturday from noon to 2:30 a.m., and Sunday from noon to 2 a.m., according to a license application.
The 1,431-square-foot tavern space was vacant for more than a year, after the previous business was shut down by the city following a Milwaukee Police Department investigation that billed it as a drug trafficking hub.
Antonio Martinez operated the shuttered tavern, which authorities tied to 10 arrests, eight firearms and more than 9,000 grams of drugs, including more than 1,000 grams each of cocaine, methamphetamine and THC.
Gonzalez did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
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