01/09/09

Good drinking environment; Fun atmosphere

by jayoldenburg

Food is just okay. This establishment makes its money on the Margaritas (they are good). There are better places for Mexican, but this place has an energy that I enjoy. The tortilla soup is really good. I like lunches here better than dinners.

• Pros: Fun environment; great margaritas
• Cons: Food is just okay

08/15/08

Don't believe the HYPE!

by marc4fun

When I moved from Chicago to Milwaukee one of the things I told everyone I would miss was the great Mexican food. I would have to say that at least 9 out of 10 people I asked for a recommendation said "go to La Perla, it's the best!"... So eager to try Milwaukee's best I went... the food was pitiful at best. The atmosphere was a like a frat house and the Margaritas were watered down. Now to be fair, maybe I'm just too old for this place considering I am out of college for almost a decade now... but for me I won't be back nor will I probably ever go back to any of the places at 5th & national...if you not just trying to take care of your pre frat party needs and your over 24 yrs old, do yourself a favor and pass on this place and go to Cempazuchi instead.

• Pros: low prices
• Cons: Everything else, Bad food, bad service, rude crowd, dirty tables...need I go on?

09/12/07

Best place to meet and eat!

by mrseleanor

Had a great time! Loved the atmosphere, food and service. Can't wait to go back! I am new to Milwaukee and some people from work took me there. Tuesdays' may be La Perla night!

03/02/07

Best time - Great food - Good looking crowd

by mexicalucy

Best time -- busy place but worth the wait. best margaritas and excellent combo platters. new bar attracts great crowd. I had only been there for lunch before; dinner was awesome and a lot of fun to sit, drink and watch the different scenes. then plenty of food to take home for breakfast.

• Pros: good food. great service. everyone having good time
• Cons: crowds

12/27/06

Horrible food and presentation

by dherath

I have passed this place couple of times and it seems to be crowded all the time. so i ASSUMED the food must be good. What a mistake !!!

I ordered some roast pork dish. When I got the dish I didn?t even feel like eating anything else for the whole day. The supposedly Roast pork looked white in color then they have added a gravy which was yellowing in color. Yeiks !! it was horrible. White colored meat in yellow source ?????

My boyfriend took a bite out of my dish and he didn?t want to continue. His dish however was below average however edible.

Will never go to this place

• Pros: Large portians (if you can eat bad food that is)
• Cons: Bad presentation of food, bad taste, cannot be categorized as Mexican

11/03/06

Someone hijacked the adjective "Mexican" and applied it to this food.

by legaldiva

This is not mexican food. If you want mexican food, try "Azteca" or "Botanas," but don't expect to get anything mexican from La Perla. This joint mostly caters to the suburban crowds too fearful of the South Side to venture very far from what the television tells them is mexican cuisine. In fact, I'd say La Perla fails even by a Chi-Chi's standard. The tables and seating are crowded, there is no shelter from the cold winter air that fills the restaurant each time the door opens, and the table tops are too small to accomodate the troughs La Perla uses to serve the function of a plate. Pop a Lean Cuisine in the micro and play some Thalia and you'll have a more authentic experience at home.

• Pros: Everyone knows about it, because La Perla does TONS of advertising.
• Cons: The food is disappointing, the atmosphere is creepy and not enough tequila can distract me from the fact this is a gringo version of Mexican.

07/26/06

Excellant authentic Mexican fare. Great seafood dishes.

by ruah

Excellant authentic Mexican. Some unique dishes not found elsewhere. If you like seafood, one of the few Mexican restaurants with good Mexican sea food dishes. Service is great. Very busy, but not overly crowded since the outdoor dinning.

• Pros: Food, Service, Ambience

04/28/06

a good time

by smithereens

thanks LaPerla. Love your new dishes. the new rooftop patio is beautiful too. I'll be bringing my girlfriends back again this weekend!

04/14/06

chile doesn't work

by ummno

The salsa is extremely mild and the place looks like a fast food restaurant. The food is not very good either.

03/25/06

Did the Chef die in the fire?

by albanaco

La Perla used to be an outstanding restaurant, full of charm and delicious, hip Mexican fare. The restaurant burned in a fire, however, and took some time to rebuild. We went back there recently and were surprised how bad the food had become. The service was spotty, the salsa was terrible, and the entrees were poorly balanced and barely palatable. We've heard similar reports from other long-term La Perla diners, and, regrettably, the joke is that the chef must have died in the fire.