Bites Nearby: Beanies Spices Up Downtown Port

If you can’t quite decide where to take your mom for her birthday, your best friend for a long lunch, or where to grab a quick bite around town, you’ve come to the right place.  Every week Port Washington-Saukville Patch finds a restaurant close to home that’s worth stopping by.  Here’s this week’s pick:

— With its fun atmosphere and authentic Mexican cuisine, Beanies spices up dining in downtown Port Washington.  

Situated in the heart of the city, Beanies is open daily for lunch and dinner and provides a list of daily specials.

The menu boasts recipes that come straight from Mexico, like tilapia served with mango salsa and the Conchita Pibil made with spicy, marinated pork and served with habanero salsa.  Of her restaurant’s many original recipes, co-owner Joanie Nigrelli calls the green encharitos — beef, pork, or chicken rolled in a fresh tortilla served with chihuahua cheese and homemade green sauce — her favorite.  Beanies also serves traditional favorites like sizzling fajitas, crispy chimichangas and tacos.   

However, Nigrelli says that of all her restaurant serves, “We’re known best for our salsa.”  The hot, but not too hot, salsa that accompanies entrees and baskets of fresh chips is also available at Sendik’s grocery store. 

And all of this can be enjoyed in a fun and family-friendly atmosphere.  The bright dining room with views of downtown is the perfect spot to enjoy dinner, but the focal point of the cantina is the bar that looks straight out of the tropics.  Shaded by a giant tree, guests are invited not to pull up a seat, but to take a swing and relax. 

When looking for a little bit of Mexico closer to home, Beanies is the perfect choice.  102 E. Grand Ave.  262-284-7200.  Open daily at 11 a.m.  Entrees $6 to $20.