There’s a brand new way to enjoy the cuisine of Taqueria Buenavista thanks to the new Buenavista Banquets & Restaurant located at 7507 W. Oklahoma Ave.
It’s been ten years since Enicacio Sanchez opened his first taqueria at 6000 W. Burnham St. Since that time, he’s grown the business – with the help his sons Alejandro, Leonardo and Ruben and daughter Lizbeth – expanding the restaurant’s reach to include a second location at 3447 W. Forest Home Ave. as well as three food trucks with regular service at Chase and Oklahoma Avenues, 108th and National Avenue, and 92nd and Greenfield.
But, over the years, as demand for catering and the food trucks grew, the Sanchez family found themselves in need of an official headquarters, complete with a commercial kitchen.
The need was fulfilled this summer when they closed their location on Forest Home Avenue and purchased the former Norway House on 76th and Oklahoma Avenue, which they renovated to accommodate both a restaurant and banquet hall, which accommodates up to 250 guests for weddings and celebrations.
.jpg)
The restaurant
The full-service restaurant, which softly opened about two weeks ago, features seating for about 70 guests in a casual environment decorated in warm woods and purple hues and showcasing a mural of the Sanchez family’s home town of Buenavista, Mexico Mural painted by local artist Brendan Hermanson.
offers a wide range of items available both at Taqueria Buenavista on Burnham and the food trucks. However, the menu has also been expanded to include a number of items including tampiquena, steak or grilled chicken served alongside a cheese enchilada, onions and roasted banana pepper ($13); carne zamorra featuring bistec or pechuga served with frijoles de la hoya ($13); and mar a tierra, steak served with grilled shrimp and tilapia ($15.75).
They’ve also introduced parrillada, the traditional Mexican mixed grill with costillas de res (beef ribs), pechuga de pollo (chicken breast), bistec (steak) chorizo and y lomo de puerco (pork loin) with onions, banana peppers, a small quesadilla and a side of fresh guacamole and pico de gallo ($17.50 or $35 for two). Shrimp is also available for an additional $5.
"When my father-in-law first opened the location on 60th Street in 2008 his goal was to be as authentic as possible," notes Vanessa Sanchez, who handles banquets and events for Buenavista. "They started off with ten dishes, all based on recipes from his mother, Guadalupe, who still comes into the restaurant at least once a week to make tamales."
Buenavista Restaurant will host a grand opening celebration on Friday, Jan. 18 featuring food and drink specials along with other festive touches. Follow Buenavista Banquets & Restaurant on Facebook for additional details.
Buenavista Restaurant is open Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to midnight.
For additional information about Banquet Hall rentals, call (414) 573-2918.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
.jpeg)
