After more than five years, one name modification, and a concept shift, Little Cancun Sports has closed. We were originally tipped off to the news by a thread on the Bay View Town Hall Facebook group, and it was confirmed by a post on the restaurant’s Facebook page that said October 10 was its final day in operation.
The Bay View bar and restaurant, which was originally called Little Cancun, opened at 3040 S. Delaware Ave.—which was the longtime home of Hector’s and the not-so-longtime home of R&D Pub—in April 2019. Though the Milwaukee establishment was the sister location of the original Little Cancun that has thrived in nearby Franklin since 2005, it didn’t experience the same level of success as its predecessor.
The COVID-19 crisis caused the business to temporarily close for much of 2021. Post-pandemic, the restaurant added its “Sports” suffix, which was accompanied by the addition of burgers and other sports bar fare to the menu that still had an abundance of Mexican food options available. Last October, Little Cancun Sports was handed a 15-day suspension by the Milwaukee Common Council as a result of complaints from neighbors about excessive noise outside the restaurant-turned-sports bar.
While it was a bumpy ride, we’ll remember Little Cancun (and Little Cancun Sports) most for its freshly made tortilla chips, its two tasty salsa options, its weekly enchilada special, its surprisingly solid fish fry, and as a place to get a drink and watch a game on Bay View’s southeastern most corner. Those of you who will miss Little Cancun Sports can still get the food (minus the sports bar) at the original location at 7273 S 27th St. in Franklin.