Cafe Corazon - Milwaukee's Cafe Corazon in Riverwest

A cozy little neighborhood gem in the Riverwest neighborhood of Milwaukee. A great place to become a regular if you're a local, and also worth a try for those looking for something a little off the beaten path. Expect close quarters (unless it's warm enough for outdoor dining) and perhaps a wait, but also a local, laid back ambiance with colorful dia de los muertos-style eye-candy artwork to ease the wait.

Cafe Corazon is a cozy cafe, with just six tables maneuvered into a wedge-shaped building. In summer months, outdoor seating catches most of the overflow, and the wait for a table isn't as long as it would be during cold months. If you don't mind standing to wait for your table, it's worth it to order a margarita from the bar and bask in the very non-Wisconsin atmosphere of the colorful, art-filled cafe.

As far as dining, local is the rule, so don't expect anything mixed in a five-gallon bucket. Nor do you need to expect the "food coma" that inevitably comes from dining at many a Mexican restaurant. Corazon, with offerings such as tofu enchiladas, mussels, grilled tilapia and stuffed peppers, offers a more finely flavored twist on the usual, and doesn't overly rely on cheese and refried beans to create its original menu.