Vagabond
1122 N Edison St, Milwaukee, WI, 53202
Vagabond Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Milwaukee for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Milwaukee for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Milwaukee for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
1122 N Edison St
Milwaukee, WI, 53202 - Phone (414) 223-1122
- Website https://www.vagabondmke.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Loud
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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Ilana O.
The place: it's sort of all kinds of awesome. It's like walking into a simpler time, right in the heart of Milwaukee, albeit a little off the beaten path. It's bright, blue, a little jetson-esque, with a bit of a Mexican flair. Service was excellent, which is maybe a little surprising for downtown dining week. The taste: places that serve more than just the traditional guacamole automatically get an added star. Pineapple and mango guacamoles were fun and flavorful. I ordered all three vegetable tacos, and all three were delicious. Cheesy, veggie goodness wrapped in a flour tortilla. Chips and salsa were plentiful. My tacos came with beans, and when the waitress realized I ordered all veggie tacos, she came out and asked if I was vegetarian, and let me know that the traditional beans (frijoles? Yay I know Spanish) are cooked with chorizo, which I don't eat. The black beans were plenty tasty. Actually, it was way too much food, but leftovers were as delicious. My face: downtown dining week might not be the best deal in this place because you don't have to spend $25 on the meal, but it ended up being two meals for me, so I didn't mind. I was uber-impressed with Vagabond. Craving tacos? Then go forth. Enjoy. Olé!
(4)Bethany W.
My big annoyance here is that if you order your tacos with corn tortillas they only have one per taco. So all three of mine basically fell apart because of the liquid or they were too full. It would be a big improvement of they double upped their corn tortillas. Other than that flavor was ok. I actually prefer bel air tacos over vegabond.
(3)Jamie P.
This place was copying Belair almost exactly. However, they didn't live up to their standards. They had three salsas, all of which were okay tasting. They gave you endless refills on it which is a huge plus. The tacos were expensive for their small size, although they are affordable on $2 tues/thurs. The waitstaff was semi-friendly. The atmosphere was probably the highlight of the place. Even if you don't eat there, its a cool place to check out and have drinks at.
(3)Kari G.
This is indeed a great change! I love the interior design by Flux Design. It is exactly what downtown needed. I decided to treat myself to lunch this past Wednesday and I was blown away when I walked in. The staff were friendly as usual, and very attentive. The menu had so many different types of tacos, it was very hard to choose just two or three. I wanted to try them all! For my lunch I ordered two types of beef tacos, and the gringo pollo taco. I was offered a basket of tortilla chips and three types of salsa (verde, mild, and possibly a habanero based salsa). The tortilla chips were great! I loved all three of the salsas. When my tacos came, I was blown away by the presentation. They we're placed neatly in a tin plate. Because I ordered three tacos, they came with a side of "green" rice and black beans. Each taco had its own delicious and distinct taste. They were all out of this world flavorful. The rice was truly a star. It had a very refreshing taste which led me to max it before I even ate the tacos. The beans were okay, but were not hot enough temperature wise. That was not a big deal for me. I washed it all down with a pineapple Jarrito. Do you want to know what I really loved? The house music in rotation that had me head bopping and dancing in my seat. It was like going to the club during work hours! Yeah, party over here with my plate of tacos! I will definitely be back to try more tacos during lunch.
(5)Colin A.
I don't need a DJ or a marquee to make tacos taste delicious. If I wanted a marquee, I'd go to a show or movie. If I wanted a DJ I'd probably just walk in front of one of Vagabond's chic Airstreams -- while it was moving at a high rate of speed -- because I can't think of things that are less compatible than tacos and DJs. Vagabond failed at a pretty simple task of making tacos taste delicious. The rice was dry, the beans lacked flavor, and I've burned steak that tasted better than the Argentinian steak offered by Vagabond. Others have mentioned this as well but how the #%$@ are you supposed to dip the chips in the salsa receptacles provided? It's like trying to figure out the three seashells in "Demolition Man." Service was awful (slow, incorrect order delivery, wrong drinks) until I realized one of our party's siblings worked there. Things improved, but not nearly enough to warrant a return. I'd rather this spot had just remained Rudy's, but BelAir is popular so if you want a subpar version, enter at your own risk.
(2)Jennifer T.
Horribly awkward. All the opportunity to provide a great experience - but was a MAJOR let down. I called to make reservations for Father's Day, and they only took my name and time, when I asked if they wanted the party count they said no need. (Granted it was for mid-afternoon but wouldn't you want to know if it was for 2 or 15 people since it was a holiday?) Got there and the decor was awesome, but our group of 7 was only given 2 menus (had to remind waitress we needed more) and service was horribly awkward the whole time. At one point we were the only table, but we waited on drinks, barely got refills, and our table sat full of empty dishes for way too long. I was literally having to hand them to the waitress or she would've walked off without anything. The food was good, but overpriced for what it was. My dad got a burrito on a metal plate wrapped in foil. (What?!?) I'd suggest that the 'ambiance' be considered for different service times - your lunch / late afternoon crowd is VASTLY different than the late night crowd. Conversation was sometimes inaudible because of the music volume. What's sad is the concept sounds great - but isn't executed well. We loved it when it was Rudy's, and had hoped that same experience would be refreshed and updated - but without service, a stunning decor only goes so far.
(2)Aimee T.
Get your horn rim glasses, tight pants and a hoodie. It's time for hipster tacos!!! Very trendy with a hipster vibe. Food was hot hot hot. Some strange combs of duck on the menu and overall I just miss Rudy's. It's probably a fav for some in the "downtown scene", which I am clearly not, but it's not what it used to be.
(2)Isaac S.
Came here tonight. I was impressed. This is what downtown needs. Pros: Atmosphere- well designed with a lot of nice cubby areas for more of an intimate feel. The Tannoy sound system sounds really good. Food- The food was good too. I had two beef tacos and one chicken and all were tasty. I hope they do a discount taco night. That would help with pricing. This place could easily fit into LA as a California taco place. Service- most of the time. We had two waitresses which was strange but even still, there was a time when I had no water in my glass. It would have lasted longer if they filled my glass with less ice. Cons: Service- at times we were without service but most of the time good. Music- sometimes it was loud and sometimes soft. They need to normalize and balance the volume.
(4)Jessica O.
So very underwhelmed by Vagabond. The Airstreams, records, and decor are all very hip, but it feels like they're trying too hard. And if they're going to put that much effort into appearance, the bathrooms could use an upgrade, because they were cold and concrete, and the toilet I used was leaking a questionable puddle all over the floor. Yuck. I'd seen mediocre reviews, so I went with enchiladas, because those are pretty hard to mess up. And they were fine. Nothing special, but good. The raspberry margarita was okay, but the predominant flavor was syrupy, sugary, artificial raspberry. My girlfriends ordered fancier options from the menu, but the presentation was definitely lacking, and none of them were terribly impressed by what we got. Normally we pass dishes around, but in this case, nothing was really "You've GOT to try this"-good. The chips are good, but the salsas are impossible to dish out in the containers that they're using. I liked the green, but it was incredibly liquid-y, and ran all over the place when I tried to pour it on a chip (because scooping was impossible). With the red, green, and orange salsas, attempt at a hipster vibe, and the "three tacos comes with rice and beans" offer, I feel like Vagabond is trying to be Bel Air, and failing.
(2)Batilly H.
I wish the food was as good as the atmosphere. We came in, excited for some delicious nom. It was okay. First, the service was slow. There was a 8 min gap between saying hi, getting the chips, getting the drinks and taking our food order. I think it's the guy's first server gig. However, he was polite and gracious. Maybe there weren't enough servers. We ordered the watermelon margaritas. Holy alcohol. It was literally a giant pitcher of tequila, water, ice and some watermelons at the bottom. If you're looking for the traditional sweet margaritas, this is not it. Get one of the classic ones. We sent it back and got the strawberry one. Much better. The manager was kind enough to swing by and clarify the types of margaritas. We ordered gringo pollo, mango shrimp, hanger steak and Argentinian tacos. The chips and complimentary salsa was really good. The best taco was the mango shrimp. The steak tacos... There seemed to be a flavor component missing, like some sauce on top. The flavor profile of the mango shrimp was really good. Wish it was the same for the steak tacos. I just got a mouthful of slaw. Not sure if I will be back. Not going to actively seek it out. Maybe if someone else wanted to try it. Bel Air is better as the general consensus goes. Again, the atmosphere is so cool. Wish the food was just as exciting.
(3)Billy D.
Last night we ate at newly opened Vagabond and were pretty impressed. They've put some airstream trailers on the inside to have a taco-truck theme. Their menu is comprehensive with something like 15 different tacos to choose from and other items. I really like the idea and what they are doing with the place. Brisket taco, portabella confit, and the guacamole were the best items we tried. Margaritas were pretty tasty and many different varieties. Some other things (salsa selection, chicken verde tacos, and duck confit) were not good, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt of just opening and still working out the kinks. Pro tip: Taco Tuesday/Thursdays has a good selection of selected $2 tacos off the main menu.
(4)Ashley W.
Mehhhhhh. Atmosphere was kinda cool (maybe even too cool for me) and the servers were really nice. The chips were hot and salty (yessss) and the salsas were decent. Margaritas were Delish but a little too sweet and lacking on the tequila (we got a large pitcher). The guacamole was absolute perfection. The tacos. This is why we're here, right? Sunday night and I'm feeling like I'm eating the weekends leftovers. The meats were dry (dry duck? Nooooo thanks), chorizo was charred, shrimp taco had zero sauce on them, and the short rib bahn mi just might be the weirdest (not in a good way) taco I've ever had. Wasabi? Whhhhhy. Nothing about it resembled a bahn mi nor short ribs. I see what you're going for and trying to do, but this flavor combo just isn't working. That being said, I'll be back to try another drink and get more of that guacamole.
(2)Crystal F.
I am not one to post bad reviews too often as I am a server and I can relate to the other side of reviews too often. But just stopped in to check the place out because I know flux design and they told me about their new addition to Milwaukee. Amazing job at the interior decoration as always. The food was decent but the review comes from the service. We sat at the bar and it wasn't busy by any means. The young bartender was rude and inattentive as she was too busy on her phone. Hospitality in the industry goes a long way and so does a smile. I am sure if I sat at a table it would have been a much different review coming from me. Maybe next time
(2)Krista L.
Went for lunch during a work day. Took over an hour for the entire "meh" experience. Food was mediocre and not presented very well. My friend's pineapple "guacamole" was just chopped pineapple... my other friend had a HUGE plop of sour cream on only one side of her taco. All the tacos looked pretty greasy. My salad came without dressing and without the chicken. Worst of all - we had to wait about 10 min. just to order and then we never saw our waiter again. Never again. We waited about 30 min. and then tracked down a hostess who sent someone else over to give us our bill. No water or drink refills the entire time. Terrible experience and I will not be going back.
(2)Danielle W.
Visited Vagabond for lunch on 4/15/2015. The remodel is fantastic! Loved the light fixtures, the metal accents and the wall of speakers. The food was excellent! Presentation was superb, taste was perfect and the food came quickly. The only problem-after the food arrived, our waiter disappeared. When we finally got our checks it took him forever to get change. I will go back but hopefully the service will improve.
(4)Allie E.
Delicious and diverse menu. Shoutout to Raul! Amazing server. We will comeback soon. Pineapple Gaucamole is a must.
(5)Stephanie R.
I am an official fan of Airstream trailers, although I've apparently misplaced my fan club card. The Airstream bar just inside the door is a fun atmosphere and it's really one of the reasons I kept thinking about Vagabond. I thought the drink menu design was a clever touch, made to look like a record cover. It was $2 taco Tuesday when I visited, so a few of the tacos on their menu were available for $2. The spicy pork verde was a $2 Tuesday taco and it had some slow heat to it. I wouldn't be opposed to trying it again, but look forward to trying some others, such as the hanger steak or Orizaba brisket which both caught my eye. The Pescato with blackened Mahi was a full priced taco and it was just OK in my book. I had expected the pickled corn to be more of a wow, but on this night it was really just some cooked corn kernels to me. I won't keep this taco on my list to order again. I washed the tacos down with a glass of Cabernet for $7 (the Bodega Navarro Correas). I really enjoyed the wine. We were also given a basket of tortilla chips and three small ramekins of salsas: salsa rojo (sweet red), salsa verde (fresh green) and salsa picoso (spicy orange!). At first the verde was my favorite, but the rojo really started to grow on me. Desserts are available, and include flan and fried ice cream. The music seemed to span a wide variety of genres. Some songs reminded me of popular music from when I visited San Juan several years ago, others reminded me of the Go-Go's and some reminded me of club music. From my seat at the corner of the bar closest to the hostess stand, the music did make it a little difficult to hear our soft-spoken bartender at times, maybe due to speaker placement. She was hustling, and would disappear at times, and I finally realized that the back bar takes a Z turn around the corner to where there is another Airstream trailer bar. She was busy serving customers at both bars, but she was friendly and checked up on us several times, so all was good. I'll be back to try some more of the taco selections, and I'm also interested in trying the posole.
(3)Patricia K.
If you're looking to drop too much money for very little food, this is the place. I ordered two shrimp tacos. For $8.99 I got two 4 inch tacos. No sides. Nothing extra. My iced tea was $3 with no free refills. I will definitely not be returning. One star is too much.
(1)Steven N.
I took the family for dinner this Saturday night. The restaurant was busy but not overwhelmed. Service was excellent. The complimentary chips and salsa were fine, but the waiter would have saved himself a lot of trips back and forth if he had filled the basket well and brought a more generous amount of salsa. Most of us had the tacos which were tasty but not extraordinary. And they were extremely small and not well-filled. On a $2 taco Tuesday this would be reasonable but on a regular $5 night, the dinner portion needed (at least 3 tacos) adds up quickly. Frozen margaritas are served in a small mason jar; emphasis on the small size.
(3)Rachel W.
I had several drinks (whoops!) and each one was more delicious than the next. I think the Mayan Mule was my favorite. Second runner up: White Sangria We had ordered an appetizer of the Dos Equis Cheese Curds to have before our meal but it ended up coming out at the same time. They apologized and stated that they were changing out the batter. I didn't even care because the curds were hot and delicious and the chips and salsas we had prior to our meal were enough of an appetizer for us. I had the Taco Salad with the blackened Mahi Mahi. I realize this now but did not at the time of my meal (Excuse me, I was a few Mules in at this point) the Mahi Mahi wasn't "blackened" it was deep fried. Hm. I loved it all the same though. My friends tried a bunch of the tacos (Duck and steak were the two I remembered) and they really enjoyed them. I think the atmosphere is fantastic, and they just opened so let them work out the kinks and this will be a really great addition to downtown.
(4)Tara V.
More like fast food than a restaurant. We were sat, served and give our food and bill within 30 minutes. There were several open tables around us, so they weren't rushing people to move tables - the service was just very pushy. Seriously, qdoba or chipotle is just as good, the same speed and half the price. This was my first and last visit!
(1)Christina B.
I have been wanting to try Vagabond since it opened and it was definitely not worth the wait. The atmosphere is very cute, taco cart, outside street feel BUT the tacos were super greasy and lacked flavor, the waitress recommended the guacamole but it also lacked flavor, and was overly mushy .... Also not sure why their salsa dipping bowls are so tiny, you can barely fit half a chip inside them...all in all cute atmosphere, decent drinks but greasy and bland food left me with a desire never to return...
(2)Andy S.
Fun atmosphere! Retro 80's theme and two airstream's inside! Had the chorizo and bahn mi tacos. They were really good. Also ordered guac and it was really fresh. The house made salsa was fresh too. Would go back at night when they have a dj spinning tunes.
(5)Becky B.
Went on a Friday night for my Birthday: food was great, but service horrendous. It was not even very busy, but they seemed to be having a problem with staffing that night as there were only a couple of waitresses. Our waitress seemed extremely stressed out & our food took an extremely long time. I would definitely go to Bel Zaire Cantina over going back here. The atmosphere is very cute & food good, but not worth it for the poorly executed service.
(2)Kristin G.
Big fan of the Argentinian beef taco, the short rib taco, and the Paloma (cocktail). The service was definitely underwhelming and the atmosphere is almost too cool (trying too hard)... But the food was good enough to make that acceptable. I'll definitely go back.
(4)Stephanie L.
It's true. The airstreams are inviting. I walked in from the Milwaukee cold feeling like I was in the backyard of a SoCal taco joint. The surprise was the lack of patrons enjoying the same experience with televisions a plenty and college basketball showing. More chips and salsa for me. I liked both. The salsas were a nice spectrum of mild to hot with the tomato-laden, cilantro-centric, and ghost pepper varieties. The medium cilantro salsa was so fresh and bright. It was my favorite of the trio. The chips were fresh too. You sometimes worry that the refills toward the late afternoon/early evening will include a basket of stale ones, but not the case here. In addition to the complimentary salsas, we ordered the guacamole and some specialty margaritas. The mango mescal was delicious. It was smoky and sweet with a hint of jalapeno. It was the perfect ratio of each ingredient. I did take a sip of the blackberry basil, and I found it to taste mostly of tequila and not much like blackberry or basil. It's too bad, because the ingredients could be wonderful if crafted precisely. I was a little disappointed that it wasn't a better flavor, since the drinks took more than 10 minutes to receive after the guacamole came to the table. We were given waters as soon as we sat, so at least there was something to sip on in the meantime. For $10 and $9, you do expect a little more in terms of size. The jars are cute, but aesthetics do not justify price. The drinks were sippy-cup size. Margaritas for the same price at Bel Air will get you a pint-sized beverage. I have to admit that my 3 taco selections were in line with what I would normally order at Bel Air too. I wanted to check the taste and presentation factors against my normal go-tos. I ordered the portobello, the avocado tempura, and the mahi rojo. I ordered them all on flour too. I found them wanting. Unfortunately, the taco fillings were sad. When you have vegetarian fillings, you have to compensate and provide a "meatier" substitute. The portobello pieces were thin slices and in short supply. The "queso fundido" was baked on the tortilla. I envisioned a creamy fondue sauce atop meaty pieces of mushroom. It was as though I was dining on the leftovers. It definitely needed more to show for the wait. The avocado was sadly packed with little filling as well. There were cubes of deep fried avocado versus deep fried strips, which had it been the latter, it would have been more substantial. The mahi was probably the only taco that filled the tortilla. There was a single piece of battered fish with a jalapeno slaw. I wondered why there was an abundance of stinginess, but a lack of tasty fillings. Perhaps the restaurant is named Vagabond, because they're scrounging for ingredients. I'm just trying to figure it out. I want to like them. Tacos are a "last meal on Earth" for me. I see that I'm not the only one questioning the taco presentation, so hopefully Vagabond will improve their offerings. I will be back to check stock and give a second shot.
(3)Amanda W.
The cocktail selection is great. The Marengo margarita was awesome. Loved the atmosphere and they played good tunes- made me want to stay the whole night. Had the duck tacos and veggie tacos. A nice mix and match menu, cool spin on traditional tacos. I will be returning.
(5)Kathleen W.
I would have given 5 stars but I think there were a few issues that could be ironed out. Went in randomly with 2 friends while walking around on a Monday afternoon. Decided that "street tacos" sounded appetizing. The decor immediately puts you in a good mood with the 80's boomboxes and cassette tapes. There was 1 other person in the restaurant when we arrived. The hostess was also our waitress since it was slow. As we were headed to our table there were several other tables that still had dirty dishes on them. I could understand if people had just left but no one walked out when we walked in. We asked our waitress what she recommended for drinks since it was our first time there. She started with listing coke products. It was margaritas Monday! We eventually talked about margaritas and ordered one each. They were good for $3 but I probably wouldn't order them for the menu price of $6 any other day. Chips and salsa came. One hot and one mild salsa. Overall not impressed with the salsa. It was pureed and neither had a lot of flavor. Seriously needs some garlic and cilantro. The hot one just tasted like Tabasco out of the jar. But don't judge this restaurant on the chips and salsa. We all ordered 1-2 different tacos and we all agreed that they were FANTASTIC. I had one with Argentinean steak and chimmichurri. The steak was so tender and so flavorful! It actually made me wonder if the person that created the taco menu created the salsas? We sat for a while after we ate since we had margaritas to finish. The waitress never prebussed the table. I'm not a fan of sitting with my dirty plate on the table. I did notice that as soon as we left she had stacked the plates neatly on the table... and those dirty tables when we came in were still dirty. Moral of the story: don't air your dirty laundry.... clean the tables, please I'll be back though. May not munch on chips and salsa but I'm definitely eating a big plate of tacos!
(4)Brooke V.
I love this place! My boyfriend and I were on Water Street looking for a place to go so we tried Vagabond. As soon as we got inside I knew I was going to love it. The atmosphere is amazing. I got chicken enchiladas and they were great. He got three tacos and said they were also excellent. The waitress was nice. Service could have been better but I'm still giving it 5 stars because I loved everything else.
(5)Jessica J.
A little conflicted about this place. I LOVED Rudy's and was sad to see it go so I may be a bit biased. I'm not huge into funky tacos so I got the chicken burrito instead. It was delicious! My main concern was the staff. Everyone was running around with their head cut off. No one could answer questions about the food. I suggest having a separate staff between here and Water Street Brewery. Train your staff so they don't have to over stress and constantly apologize. Our poor waitress looked like she was about to cry.
(2)Sarah J.
Cool interior...way better then the old mexican place that was here. Went for the taco tuesday special. I tried 3 different kind of tacos and they where all good. I don't know if I would pay full price for them but on the special night they are good.
(4)Jay S.
Good tacos, Really cool decor. The bar is awkwardly shaped, it make sort of a "Z" so if theres only 1 bartender it slows things down. Food took a little while to get out to us, but not horribly long. Good substitute if you don't want to venture to Bel Air.
(3)Christyne R.
While my friend waited for me at this bar I was in a car accident; information which he shared with this bartender. He also shared that we had been at another bar prior. Although we had only one drink at the previous bar and I was rear-ended by a drunk driver, it seems the bartender used that information against us during our dining experience. When I arrived we ordered food. Ghost pepper wings to share and an entree apiece. The wings were absolutely awful. They tasted like water. I like spicy food, but mango habanero is my max hot-wise (and I can usually only have one or two). These ghost-pepper wings were not even on par with a mild or buffalo in terms of spicy-ness. They had zero flavor. We each had only one. My friend ordered some kind of enchiladas (which I thought were good but he ate although he felt they were just "ok") and I had a shredded chicken burrito. My first bite into the burrito I found a huge bone. I put it aside and took another bite, only to find a piece of tinfoil and a tiny bone. The bartender explained to me the burritos are wrapped in tinfoil, which I understand but does not explain the bones. I also understand true Mexican food is also cooked with the whole chicken and sometimes all the bones are not found before the food is served, however two bones in two bites (one being huge) is still not acceptable. Being service industry myself, I tried to be understanding and hold my tongue, however the bartender did not remove the wings we initially complained about from the bill, even though he admitted they'd had many similar complaints about the wings and even though they had no been eaten. He seemed to avoid us rather than check on us (probably because he'd heard my complaints to my friend about my entree). It wasn't until after the check had been presented and I'd written in his tip that he offered to take my burrito off the bill (although I had to pay for the wings nobody had eaten). I was irritated. I hadn't eaten all day and felt like I had complained excessively (due to his lack of attentiveness to my complaints with the food). He did offer to replace my burrito with another entree, although I had refused. In the end, he did remove my burrito from the meal, although I still paid for our drinks, my friends entree (which he ate) and the wings appetizer (which we did not eat). The bill was $59 and I still tipped $20 on top of that because I felt I had been a pain with my complaints. I do feel, however, that while poor food quality is not the fault of the bartender or server, it is the responsibility of the person serving the food to ensure satisfaction. I felt that it was clear that I was unhappy and that the bartender avoided us because of it. He did reluctantly remove my burrito, but we also didn't touch the disgusting and disappointing wings. I felt he expected a poor tip and did not want to engage with negative customer feedback and therefore avoided us. Other bar guests asked us about quality of food, which we reluctantly shared our experiences with.We even tried to direct quests to other menu options (such as tacos) we felt might have been better than what we ordered in order to dissuade bad business. It is a shame because I would expect better customer service. While the bartender did offer to replace the entree (as he should have), he did not really take measures to ensure my happiness when I refused this. I can tell he had the capability to take things off the bill (whether he was a lead bartender or had some kind of managerial status) because I watched him remove my entree without manager approval. I would have appreciated him removing all of the items we were dissatisfied with and did not eat. Although I refused a replacement, I happily paid for my drinks and tipped more than accordingly. He could have done the service of ensuring we only paid for the items we were satisfied with.
(2)Zappa N.
vag·a·bond vabänd/ noun 1. a person who wanders from place to place without a home or job. adjective 1. having no settled home. 1. wander about as or like a vagabond. Wow where do I start with this place? Ok its Wednesday night around 7 pm...we decide that we were going to walk across the street and try the newly designed Rudys which was a 3 out of 5 but had great hand made sangria,,,, and fair "white mans Mexican food. What a surprise, when you look at number one of the definition of Vega bond you can quickly understand what is going on. Their chef most likely has been wandering form place to place looking for a clientele that has zero taste buds and will not be able to identify how poorly his food is based on taste, presentation cost, quality and quantity which in this case less food turns out to be a blessing when i come o think of it. we had the pork taco $3.95 for two minute pieces of pork, and the pescadao $4.90 ...could have had both on 6th for less than three bucks on greenfield.REALLY. The food is bland unappealing and minuscule...lets not forget to mention the three teaspoons of what they call boracho beans for $1.90, recipe= canned black beans with some random spices. Did you ask about the drinks???? we had two of what were supposed to be tall vodka soda, unfortunately the only thing that was tall was the soda....come on, apparently the typical Milwaukeien cant figure it out and will continue to patronize this place because to the AIRSTREAM TRAILERS that have been artfully butchered to accommodate he interior decor. the problem there is that the only clientele that will be attracted to this place are the college yutes that could tell an AIRSTREAM from an outhouse. Bottom line the outside looks good but once you get inside you will wonder why you are there, become a VEGABOND yourself and wander somewhere else with your money, you wont regret it..... PS IF YOU ENJOY EATING ALONE THIS IS THE PLACE FOR YOU, THERE WERE NO LESS THAT 11 CUSTOMERS IN THE PLACE ON A PLAYOFF NIGHT! CAN YOU HEAR THE CRICKETS, CHIRP CHIRP TWITTER HANDLE MILWAUKEESUCK1
(1)Carl H.
Really like the new menu....small plates and choice of so many tacos. Really the only negative was the server. It would have been nice to be greeted with a little more enthusiasm, to ask us if it was our first time there (it was) - then she could have explained the menu, and made suggestions about appetizers, margaritas and the tacos. We did order a half pitcher of the Skinny Margaritas...only to be told they were out of some of the ingredients (really? early on a Friday night??) I also agree with a previous reviewer that she should have had her long hair tied back. The décor was an interesting vibe. Food was great - only wish the service was better!!
(3)Doug W.
Not a bad restaurant, but pretty average food. It's one of those places where everything on the menu sounds better than it is. We tried hard to like it since it's the closest Mexican fare to where we live, but probably won't be back after three attempts.
(3)Nicole J.
Went to this place with my sisters after work one evening, and I must say I was disappointed. I'll start with the fact that it was downtown dining week. I was unaware of this prior to coming, and we were told by our waitress after we placed our order that our order would "take a while" because they were "very busy" due to it being downtown dining week. Like stated by other reviewers, the salsa was nothing to write home to mom about, one was to0 hot to eat, one was waterdown, and the other was tasteless. I ordered three tacos, and got the free beans and rice. THE RICE WAS HORRIBLE! It was dry, spicy, and green. WTH??Then to top it off the beans were DRY AS EVER as well! The tacos were subpar, I had the chicken, pork and beef. The waitress gave me the wrong shells, and she forgot an entire taco for my sister. I indulged in a watermelon margarita, the bits of watermelon were so overwhelming that I could barely drink the water down drink through the straw. Not to mention it tasted as though there was ZERO alcohol in it. THE KICKER: I gave the waitress a tip that was deserving of the mediocre service and food. A few days later when I checked my account the actual amount taken was more than the amount I authorized. REALLY!?? So after subpar food, mediocre service, and water down drinks you're gonna take my money as well?? When I called to speak to a manager I was on hold for five minutes, only to be told they were " very busy and the manager would have to call me back." WAIT, WHAT?? I did them one better and went down to the restaurant where I then met with Manager Mike. He told me since it was such a small amount he would just refund me the money. He then made two lackluster excuses for why this occurred (instead of apologizing and saying it never should have happened, and it would be looked into, and in the meantime please come back with this discount or coupon and let us make it up to you), and when I shut both of those excuses down because they did not make sense he stated "well I'm just trying to make sense of it." At the end he gave me an unapologetic apology. I took my cash and left, never to return again, and I will spread the word to anyone who will listen to not occupy this establishment ever!
(1)Walter M.
This place is AWESOME! Our server (Miz) was cool as ever. The food was Amazing and they do taco specials on Tuesday and Thursdays as well.
(5)Kevin K.
The decor was awesome. The tacos were really good, but their house margarita was more mix than anything else and was REALLY sour. The whole reason we went here is because I wanted a margarita and that was the worst part of the experience. But I'd go again for the tacos. The place was empty but the waiter was too busy talking to the blonde bartender to help us much.
(3)Danielle W.
Awesome variety of tacos!! Great place to sample some creative and classic Mexican street food. Love what they've done with the place since it was Rudy's.
(5)Cosmo K.
Love the new look! Background music gives place good vibe. We were a party of 3. We enjoyed an order of guacamole as we sipped our margaritas. We ordered 9 different tacos and shared them. Each was fresh and unique. Server was really nice. Check it out. Fair price for a nice dining experience.
(4)Damon R.
Vagabond. This review wont be that lengthy. Vagabond is a Mexican foodery that in my opinion is the hip hop version of Bel Air Catina. I am sure that they dont like that much. It is true and you don't have to re-invent the wheel, but you can make different versions. The interior is excellent and they used Rudy's old space and made it into what they saw their vision as. The music hip hop scene is all over Vagabond. They have the wall of speakers that mask a DJ booth i didn't know was there. They also have the RV they sold food from before the brick and mortar and they used it in the interior and decor. The food was almost the same as Bel Air. I had the chicken taco and it was bland and not seasoned at all. The chips however were good. I stopped in on a Tuesday.So it was 2$ tacos of course.The menu is kind of confusing. I am not a fan of adding big name or things we common folk cant pronounce to your dish to make it appealing. Again, more style then substance for me. I probably wont go back to Vagabond. I will go back to Bel-Air seeing that they have more locations and the mystery tequila shots. Sorry Vagabond, valiant effort. I just think that creating something more authentic or different from Bel Air beyond the hip hop theme could give the eatery much more.
(2)Ron R.
It's taco Tuesday, right? Vagabond has been calling me for a bit now, with their retro campers and...well retro trailers I guess. I had the Guero Beef (2$ on Tues) and the Short Rib (4.45). We both asked for the corn tortilla- it's the only way to go. A short time later our street tacos arrived. The Guero was a darn tasty taco for 2 bucks. There was a deep flavor to the meat, a robust seasoning that topped off the corn tortilla and chihuahua cheese. Normally I'm not a fan of sour cream on a taco- but this tiny dollop worked nicely. The short rib was suggested by a fellow diner as his fav- it was tasty, but I preferred the Guero. What really makes me dig it is the vibe- they did a very nice job remodeling the joint. It's a very cool place, even the restroom shows the stainless steel theme. The music was cool, and at a good volume to notice, but not overwhelming. This could be a future weekday chill spot for us!
(4)Rick R.
My last two visits have fallen on $2 Taco Tuesdays and Thursdays. On the first visit my friend and I tried the Corn Esquites ($3.29) which is a bowl of toasted corn topped with anaheim and red peppers, chipotle mayo, lime, and queso fresco. It was a take on deconstructed elote, and we really liked the flavors! The tacos I tried were Papas con Rajas on flour tortilla, Spicy Pork Verde on corn tortilla and Mahi Rojo on corn tortilla. All were good, but all had slight flaws, mainly with too much filler that took away from the flavor and texture of the star of the taco. The Mahi is battered in Dos Equis and was excellent, but I had to remove half of the slaw to taste it. The Spicy Pork Verde needed more verde sauce. I tried my friend's Pork Rojo taco and it had significantly more flavor than the Spicy Pork Verde, which also wasn't really spicy. The Papas con Rajas was solid, and I like the flavor of the rice and beans, although I noted slight variances in flavor from my first visit. Last night I ordered the Guero Beef, Gringo Pollo, and Sofrito Veggie, all on flour tortillas because that's what I was in the mood for. The beans tasted the same, but the rice was saltier this time. I liked all three tacos, although the ground beef had a bit of Taco Bell action going on. The chicken had a decent marinade and was topped with a delicious cilantro crema, and I loved the sofrito veggie taco. I did not expect to enjoy a veggie taco as much as I did, but soft textures and great flavor from the sofrito made it solid. I'm not a fan of any of the three salsas that come with the chips. The habanero ghost has a major kick but tastes bland. The salsa verde also lacks depth of flavor. The rojo salsa is the best of the three but is too sweet. The chips were served warm and aren't stale so that's a plus. Service on all visits has been excellent for me. Vagabond is not intended to be "Mexican" food, at least I hope it isn't. If you get past that, just enjoy the flavors and creativity. Explore the menu because some are hits and some are misses. Take advantage of the $2 taco specials and $5 small plates on Sundays. So far, I'm still like it, but my expectations are tempered.
(3)Marian Q.
Overall the ambiance was intriguing, they really went all out with the street taco theme and I was really digging it. Throw a pitcher of margaritas (strawberry peach) in there and the place starts to look even cooler. The food...let's just say I've had better...tacos. I was a little adventurous and I tried 3 different tacos from their menu (the special was buy 3 get your rice & beans free): Mahi rojo- just ok, too much slaw, not enough fish Avocado tempura- very sour- I think the combination of wasabi cream and pickled vegetables was better in theory Duck carnitas had a nice blend of flavors but again too much cabbage, not enough duck. The saving grace was the duck chicarron but I wanted more! It's a great spot to grab dinner and then run out to the bars/catch a show. Definite plus for having some off street parking. They also accommodate pretty large parties but know they don't do separate checks! I would come back but the next time I'll try different tacos!
(3)Ellie B.
The decor is really great at Vagabond, and it's very cool that they have a parking lot attached. Parking is usually a nightmare in this area. They have someone watching over it, too so don't think you can sneak in and not go to Vagabond! I was disappointed in the food, though. I didn't think their salsas were good at all. Either mild with no flavor or too hot to try. They were also really runny and hard to dip. Again, they need to change the consistency or change the serving ramekins. I was really excited to try the Corn Esquites appetizer because I love versions on this street food, but it was pretty bad. They layer it in a small glass dish so I thought when I got my first spoonful and it was 95% mayo, it was my fault for not mixing it up. Well, I managed to stir it up but it was still SO mayo-y and unappetizing. I doctored it by adding some rice and that helped some. I decided not to get a drink this time around, but tried a friend's raspberry margarita and it was so, so sugary and artificial tasting that I was glad I left that area of the menu alone. I tried the short rib tacos and enjoyed them but because of my overall impression, I don't think I'll be back. There are SO many great Mexican restaurants in the city, but this one just isn't for me.
(2)Pamela M.
It is a cool vibe and appearance at Vagabond. But I'm really not here to see cool things, this isn't an art gallery. I'm here to eat and drink, number one. There are a lot of interesting margarita choices on the menu. I opted for the watermelon - because yea! That's unique! It was $9. The glass was very small and there was barely any liquor in it so not at all worth the charge. I was disappointed and would not order it again. For sustenance, I ordered 3 tacos which then gets me the sides of beans and rice included. I was excited to see pasole on the menu, a Mexican soup that I've had several times and before and LOVE. It was in the "sides" section so I asked the server if I could have that instead of beans and rice. She agreed. Out came the food. I went after the pasole first and was so excited. All for a terrible, terrible let down. That pasole was horrific and should be changed or taken off the menu at once!!! That concoction would put any homemade dish I've had to shame. It tasted excessively like tomato (canned at that) and like an enchilada sauce, not a rich, delightful, "soupy", slightly spicy, flavorful broth that I know and love from south side home kitchens. Restaurants are "supposed" to do things better than we can make at home, right? That's why we pay them? The tacos: Banh Mi - was the preferred one on the plate. Decent, I liked it. Orizaba Brisket - it comes with brisket, jicama and pablano slaw -- really, a "slaw"? Strips of pablano laid in a corn shell doesn't really constitute "slaw" to me. Either somebody did something wrong or the menu is written wrong. And honestly, I agree with the menu... when some dry strip of meat, jicama and piece of pablano are laid in a corn shell, nothing is bringing it together a slaw would've been nice. Total let down. Argentinian steak - forgetful. And I can't remember but either this one or the brisket were over seasoned to the point in really stood out and prevented full enjoyment of the taco. People pointed out the odd "similarities" with Bel Air to me. I'd agree with the copycatting angle and find it disturbing that Vagabond couldn't come up with their own ideas. One last thing: the salsas. Mild, Medium and Hot the menu says. Not really, more like mild, mild and hot. Also the damn containers they come in!! Can you possibly make it any more difficult to get to the salsa with the chips? I really could have whipped those stupid, poorly designed, small metal vessels across the room.
(2)Lisa A.
What an improvement over the former Mexican restaurant that held this space, Rudy's. This new incarnation feels like something you'd find more on the east side or walkers point or tosa but I'm glad they chose this spot--it's exactly the sort of thing downtown Milwaukee needs, a somewhat casual taco spot that still is trendy and feels a little clubby with all the music piped in overhead. Totally adorable (well, that's the word I'd use for it, anyhow) inside and out, from a movie-like marquee sign advertising specials out front, to the food truck like trailer inside that acts as a bar, to the old school boomboxs on the tables. They have other items (enchiladas, nachos, etc) but the huge street taco menu is where its at. Theres probably 30 kinds (see my pic) from duck to vegetarian to kung pow shrimp. I can't remember all of them, but there extensive and creative. (I cant remember exactly what i ordered but the queso fungo with mushrooms and cheese was my fav.) You can get flour or corn tortillas (I got corn and they were pretty good), and ordering 3 tacos gets you free beans and their very good cilantro-y rice. On Tuesdays and Thursdays have $2 tacos and on Mondays their margaritas (and i think another item) are on special. Speaking of margaritas, they have a full menu of different kinds of drinks, from their very strong watermelon to (my fav drink ever) a chili infused margarita. Service was very good. Our waiter had a newbie shadowing him but they were both very professional and checked in on us often enough without seeming overbearing. Lastly, this place has the very rare parking lot available on the west side of the building. My one caveat here is that for some reason the women's bathroom was freezing! And personally i would have preferred the heat in the whole place to be up a few notches.
(4)Joe P.
Update description: $2 Tuesday special. I came back to Vagabond for their Tuesday (also Thursday) $2 taco special. It's not all of their tacos, but it's at least 1 per style. Tap beers (of which they have many) were also on special for $3 a piece. It was not nearly as packed as I expected, having been to Bel Air on such a night. I tried three new tacos this time: Gringo Pollo (tasty chicken taco), a standard beef one that was like a classier Taco Bell, and a delicious and decadent Pork Rojo. My minor qualms from last visit were all completely remedied; the service (we even had the same server again) was extremely fast and friendly, the prices were low on special, and they even seem to have tweaked the rice and beans a bit to make them tastier. Vagabond for the win!
(4)Paress H.
Such a great remodel! It felt very west coast with the food-truck vibe. Loved the margs, loved the taco choices and tastes and loved the service. All while dining in our big ole booth filled with 6 girlfriends getting ready for a night out. I never made it to Rudy's so I can't compare, but then again it probably isn't comparable. The location is great (if you're okay with minimal parking options) and the inside has a cool vibe and is quite spacious. Would love to come here again with friends for some more margs and tacos. This place blows Bel Aire out of the water. There is a wide range of taco options from meat, seafood and veg options and they are all favorable and not dried up like our buddies over at Bel Aire cantina.
(4)chocolate s.
Horrible service! I had a bartender on Sunday who made our bloody Mary's in the kitchen. O_o (where do they do that at?) Then a female server (I guess they were doing tag team) who was doing double duty of serving, hosting, waiting on guests and steward work. As we departed, they was absolutely NO staff present on the floor.
(1)Nathan T.
First time here since it was Rudy's and I thought it was great. I took advantage of the $2 taco Tuesday and had 2 beef and 2 "Gringo Pollo." The pollo tacos were so good that I would skip the beef next time and go all pollo or try some of the others. Rice and beans are good too. Service was good, nothing to complain about. The music was a little on the loud side which made it difficult for conversation at times. Overall it was great and I'll definitely be back.
(4)Nadia P.
I had a wonderful time. Im surprised Bel Air still has business, but I'm okay with that because there was no wait. The decor was sweet and a lot of spacing for seating whether you wanted a private seating area or more of a social scene. The food was great. The duck, mahi mahi, bahn mi short ribs, and the mango shrimp tacos were perfect. I wish I remembered our servers name, but he was attentive, polite and witty. (If management wishes to thank him we were a party of 4, with 3 separate checks sitting in a booth right next to a server's station tonight). I will be returning. I checked out some of the reviews before visiting and I had no negative experiences.
(4)