Latin Fish Fry & Music at Centro Comunidad Unida, Milwaukee

The Friday fish fry is still a way of life in Milwaukee. At the end of every week countless restaurants and neighborhood taverns as well as many churches and community organizations fire up the fryolators.

Centro de la Comunidad Unida is a well-established community organization in the Walker Point neighborhood on Milwaukee's near south side. They provide a wide range of services including a job training program in their restaurant, Café El Sol.



On weekdays Café El Sol serves three meals of Puerto Rican and Mexican influenced food. Friday evenings, a buffet style fish fry ($11.95) is offered.



The spread is pleasantly different from the usual fish fry. Rice and beans stand in for French fries and the fish is assertively spiced. Baked fish and chicken are also available. It's enjoyable food but, as with most buffets, would be much better if freshly prepared. Beer and drink prices are reasonable.

But it's not all about the food. Each Friday a different Latin band performs during dinner. I was impressed with the percussion-heavy Dominican group the week I was there.



Friday nights draw a large (and pleasingly diverse) crowd so reservations are probably a good idea. Strictly for food there may be better Friday fish fries in Milwaukee but the whole package at El Sol is tough to beat.

Café El Sol
in Centro de la Comunidad Unida
1028 S 9th St
Milwaukee WI
414-384-3100 (ext 275)

My wife and I took a day off last summer and went up to Milwaukee for a day. We decided to hit Cafe El Sol for lunch.

If you are looking for a restaurant, you will never find the place. It is in the basement of the Centro Comunidad Unida. And the signage is pretty non-existent. You basically head into the building and people direct you to the basement where the restaurant is located.

When we were there, there were very few people eating there. It seemed like it was more of a cafeteria for the staff working in the area as people were carrying out containers.

The food was good, but not spectacular. I really enjoyed the mofongo, a mixture of plantains, pork and about a ton of garlic, literally. I think that the garlic was pretty overwhelming BUT it all sort of worked.

The rest of the food was pretty good but not particularly memorable.

The community center has an excellent museum documenting the Hispanic communities in Milwaukee. The gift shop had some interesting gifts.

That's good to hear someone else here has tried Café El Sol.

jlawrence01 wrote:If you are looking for a restaurant, you will never find the place. It is in the basement of the Centro Comunidad Unida. And the signage is pretty non-existent. You basically head into the building and people direct you to the basement where the restaurant is located.

Thanks for mentioning that. There are two entrances on South 9th Street: one labeled 1028 (beneath the blue lettering; see photo above) and another somewhat hidden door a little south without a street address but with a Café El Sol sign above (the sign may be a more recent addition). If you approach from the north (photo above) you might not see it but from the south (photo below) it's plainly visible.

jlawrence01 wrote:When we were there, there were very few people eating there. It seemed like it was more of a cafeteria for the staff working in the area as people were carrying out containers. The food was good, but not spectacular.

That's too bad business wasn't better at lunch. Even if the food wasn't great you're supporting a good cause. I don't know if the Friday fish fry always draws such big crowds (it might depend on the music) but if I hadn't arrived early I'm not sure I would have been seated. It was full by the time I left and people were waiting for tables.

I have been really trying to get to Cafe El Sol on a Friday night but have not been successful. I thought about this Friday but I have theatre tickets in Chicago this week.