La Taguara is a locally owned Venezuelan restaurant at 3502 E Washington Ave, Madison, Wisconsin 53704, United States of America, on the east-side East Washington Avenue corridor near the Carpenter-Ridgeway and Hawthorne neighborhoods. This is the business’s original location, distinct from its Crossroads Drive bar and grill. Travelers come for home-style Venezuelan cooking: stuffed arepas, cornmeal empanadas, cheese-filled tequeños, and substantial meat-and-plantain plates. Its appeal is a casual meal built around Venezuelan staples rather than a generic Latin American menu. The official website introduces both Madison locations.
What to Expect at La Taguara
Expect an unfussy dining room and a menu that rewards ordering across several textures: crisp cornmeal shells, soft arepas, fried plantains, and slow-cooked meat. Pabellón combines shredded beef, black beans, rice, and fried plantains; it is a useful introduction to the kitchen’s Venezuelan identity. Arepas and empanadas offer a smaller starting point. Isthmus’s restaurant profile particularly highlights those dishes and the empanadas’ cornmeal crust.
For a shared introduction, the El Papi Sampler brings together cheese masa balls, yuca sticks, ground-beef empanadas, arepitas, and tequeños with nata, guasacaca, and tartara verde. The East Washington ordering menu lists it at $15.99. Another option is to build a lighter meal around an empanada, listed at $4.99, then finish with cinnamon-sugar churros, listed at $6.99 with chocolate or dulce de leche sauce. These are food prices, not admission charges.
- Arepas: Venezuelan corn cakes are a central reason to choose this restaurant.
- Empanadas: Corn turnovers come with beef, chicken, cheese, or beans and cheese.
- El Papi Sampler: A practical sharing plate for comparing several Venezuelan appetizers.
- Pabellón: Shredded beef, beans, rice, and plantains make a substantial main course.
- Weekend breakfast: Saturday and Sunday opening times make this branch useful for an early meal.
La Taguara at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | 3502 E Washington Ave, Madison, WI 53704 |
| Neighborhood / Area | East-side East Washington Avenue corridor, near Carpenter-Ridgeway and Hawthorne |
| Operating Hours | Monday–Thursday 11am–8pm; Friday 11am–9pm; Saturday 9am–9pm; Sunday 9am–3pm, according to the official location page |
| Admission & Ticket Prices | No admission charge or tickets; food and drinks purchased separately. Empanadas listed at $4.99; El Papi Sampler $15.99. |
| Recommended Visit Duration | 45–75 minutes for a seated meal |
| Nearest Transit / Parking | East Washington Avenue transit corridor; check Metro’s trip planner for the closest active stop and call the restaurant for parking arrangements |
| Official Website / Phone | Official locations and hours; 608-721-9100 |
Visiting Tips, Getting There & Nearby Pairings
For breakfast, target the weekend: the official location page advertises 9am openings, while weekdays begin at 11am. Arriving near opening leaves more flexibility than arriving shortly before Sunday’s 3pm close. The ordering platform displays earlier collection hours than the main website, so telephone before making a special early trip. No attraction tickets are involved. The website’s reservation link is specifically labeled for Crossroads; contact East Washington directly about larger groups. For takeout, select the East Washington branch before paying.
Use Madison Metro’s trip planner with the full street address rather than assuming the two restaurants share a stop. Ask about parking and the easiest entrance before arrival if mobility is a concern. The East Washington listing identifies wheelchair access and highchairs; call about restroom clearance or space for a larger stroller. For a 5–15-minute outing, keep the walk local rather than treating this roadside location as downtown sightseeing. Olbrich Botanical Gardens and the Wisconsin State Capitol are better separate itinerary stops, not short pedestrian pairings.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is La Taguara open, and when should I visit?
Published East Washington hours are 11am–8pm Monday–Thursday, 11am–9pm Friday, 9am–9pm Saturday, and 9am–3pm Sunday. Choose a weekend morning for breakfast; telephone about holiday hours or earlier pickup times.
Are tickets or reservations required?
There are no admission tickets. Pay for your meal, with tax and any gratuity additional. Call 608-721-9100 for group seating rather than using the Crossroads reservation link.
How much time should I budget?
Allow 45–75 minutes for ordering and a seated meal. Leave additional time when sharing appetizers and dessert, or order ahead if you need a quicker pickup.
Is La Taguara suitable for families and wheelchair users?
Highchairs and wheelchair access are listed for this branch. Empanadas and shared appetizers offer flexible ordering for families. Discuss specific entrance, seating, and restroom requirements directly with staff before traveling.
When browsing more top-rated breakfast restaurant in Madison, consider pairing your visit with nearby highlights such as Short Stack Eatery (6.7 km away) and Dexter's Pub (2.2 km away).
