I recently had lunch here and was both impressed and disappointed by it. The chips and salsa were excellent. The chips were the best I've had in the Twin Cities and left me wanting more (and wondering if they weren't sprinkled with crack). The tomatillo salsa was the best of the three provided, but all were great. If you go, you have to get the chips and salsa. The entrees were a mixed bag. The mahi mahi taco was pretty good, but nothing to write home about. The shrimp taco was awful. It tasted like liquid smoke had been poured all over the shrimp at the end of the cooking process, and the shrimp itself was rubbery. In my mind, I have a concept of what ass tastes like. This shrimp taco came very close to that concept. The chicken enchilada was the best of the entrees I had. Perfectly cooked, good but not overpowering flavors. I'd order it again. The service was just so-so, and I found myself surprisingly forgiving of its mediocrity since it was provided by the cutest waitress I've had anywhere in the world in recent memory. That v-neck t-shirt with a hint of cleavage definitely helped what was mostly an otherwise forgettable meal.
(2)
Peter C.
Well it has been awhile since I have posted on Yelp (not that I've stopped eating at as many locations as possible), but I had to try the new "Mexican" restaurant at 50th and France to see if my search for good Mexican food in Minneapolis (and my neighborhood) had finally been solved... In a a word, "NO." Barrio suffers from a multitude of problems. Aside from the crappy service (the wait staff sucked, which is inexcusable compared to other recent opening such as Mozza Mia, Raku and Lola's), and the food just simply isn't that good. It's like a glorified Chevy's or an awful rendition of Pink Taco in Los Angeles, without the portions and a higher price. In fact, I would say the recently departed Tejas (which was also mediocre at best) was about the same. The place has a great decor, a hopping bar, and some great ideas for little dishes. When I mean little, I mean for $5 gets you 1 small taco (I could argue that Zantigo's makes a better one). The tamales were sub-par, the drinks were decent but pricey, and the enchiladas were it's only saving grace (well the guac was OK but its pretty hard to totally F-up guac). I'm pretty used to spending some $ in this part of town, but at least at the surrounding places I get the grub and service to semi justify its existence. If you want a comparison I would say Rojas at West End (St. Louis Park) is far superior. All-in-all, not a great addition to the area in comparison with other recent openings.
(1)
Brooklynn C.
I am so disappointed by the attitude of the bartenders the last three times I have been to this location. The first two didn't convince me enough to write a review, but after THREE TIMES of going and being snubbed by a bartender, I am now compelled to write this review. The bar area is not that big, and any of the times I have gone, there have not been more than 5-10 people at once. This last time, before even sitting down, the bartender said, "I'm going to need to see some ID's." I hadn't even sat down!! Let alone tried to order a drink?!?! I handed over my ID and without making eye contact the bartender made some snide remark about sting operations and underage drinking. I ordered a glass of lemonade and a water, my dinner companion ordered a water. She made us feel like if we did not present our ID's to her we were not allowed to sit at the bar. She was incredibly rude. Once we ordered our drinks, she brought a lemonade to my companion and just a water to me. I tried to correct her order and ask for another water, but I wasn't given the opportunity as she didn't ask if there was anything else we needed, did not ask if we were interested in food. I turned around and asked the hostess for a seat on the patio outside (which is small, but quaint.) She said it would be a few minutes but she would let us know. We waited at the bar for about 15 minutes, which wasn't a problem, but in that entire time we were not approached by the bartender for refills, or ANYTHING, for that matter. Once we were told we had a table outside, the hostess asked us to please pay for our bar tab. I went outside to sit and wait for my date to pay for our drinks. It took him TEN MINUTES to get the bartender's attention. He stood up, pulled his card out, I left, all the obvious signs you can make to signal you are finished. In all, the bartender appeared to be a self-righteous, arrogant bartender with a rude demeanor towards customers....and this was not the first experience I had like this. The wait staff, on the other hand, was phenomenal and I really enjoyed the food. If only the grouchy bartenders hadn't put such a sour taste in my mouth I might have actually enjoyed my eating experience.
(1)
Leah B.
We went back! They've updated the menus, they now take up much less room, drinks and food are condensed to one double sided menu . They've also added seasonal monthly specials and added a new salmon tostada that is scrumptious and added many more options to the happy hour menu. Love this place, but I'm a huge fan of latin/mexican done right :)
(5)
Whit F.
I'd go back for drinks and the habanero salsa. The guac at Chipotle is better and more generous for the price. Went here for a drink and a snack. The host was rude with that 'I'm too cool attitude' which set a bad tone. The service at the bar was top notch along with the drinks. Had chips and guacamole and a few other appetizers. The rest of the menu didn't really appeal to me.
(2)
Steven K.
After a very much anticipated wait, we finally made reservations at Cocina del Barrio. We've been to Barrio in downtown Minneapolis and loved it. All the hype for Cocina del Barrio was promising. But the reality of our experience there came down to this - the results are so mixed that i couldn't really rate it higher than 3 stars. Now, if I were rating on food alone, no-brainer: 4 stars. There were four of us, and we ordered quite a variety of items. Everything was very good. I think the highlights were the ceviche, the fish tacos, and the lobster empanada. So here are the complaints. No. 1 - They've got to get a handle on their reservation system. My wife and I arrived right on time. But our dinner companions were a few minutes late. We ended up waiting about a half hour longer after they arrived. So in total, we didn't get seated until 30-45 minutes after our reservation time. Based on some of the other Yelp reviews, that seems to be a real problem. No. 2 - When we did get seated, it was at a high-top table in the bar. So the bar scene at Barrio is getting a lot of buzz. But man, is it loud. We would have preferred a table in the dining room. No. 3 - Service. Not really bad. But not so great either. As I noted above, we stuck with small plates for our meal. But one person in our group inquired about one of the entrees. "Oh," our server advised. "It will take at least a half hour for that to come out of the kitchen." So what's the problem? Do the servers really want to discourage customers from ordering something that looks good on the menu? Or is the kitchen so disorganized that they can't put up a meal in a reasonable amount of time? One more gripe about the service - our server forgot one of the items that we ordered. We were about finished when we asked about it. "Oh," he said. "I forgot." There are so many good standby restaurants at 50th & France, I'm not sure if I'll make an effort to return to Barrio. Actually, if I feel the urge for their delicious Mexican small plates, I'll probably go downtown again. Too bad.
(3)
Micki C.
Stopped in last night for a small bite to eat and few drinks. Our server was great--very informative and her descriptions of the menu items was outstanding. She told us the menu at the Edina location was a bit different and more expansive with a salad/soup and entree section; Barrio uses local, in season, and organic produce whenever possible. I had the blackberry mojito. It was ok but nothing to brag about. The corn chowder was heavenly. A definite must get. We also got the shredded beef torta, it had a great bbq flavor. We also tried the wild mushroom enchilada--a little heavy on the sauce but otherwise good. Really though, the chowder is the way to go.
(3)
Clara K.
I love spicy food and this place doesn't mess around. The spicy habanero salsa is delicious and quenched my appetite for heat. I enjoyed the small plates, as it was a great way to taste many different things vs just one big meal. The carnitas taco and chicken tostada made the top of my list. The service was prompt and attentive, seemed knowledgeable and friendly. I'd definitely go back!
(5)
M C.
I have eaten the chicken tacos, the chicken enchiladas and the quesadillas here and they are all delicious. I really like Cocina del Barrio. There is a nice feeling here, whether it's crowded or empty. I wish they were open a little later, and didn't start closing up shop once it slows down for the evening. It makes me feel like I have to slam or wolf down what they just served me. But...I guess it is a restaurant/bar in Edina. All in all, I'm glad it's here!
(4)
Josh C.
Saturday night I went to Cocina Del Barrio with my girlfriend and one of her girlfriends. Their website says they close at 1am but they did last call and started locking up around 11pm. Having worked in a restaurant I understand that it may not be worth staying open on a slow night, which it was. However, shortly after last call (around 11:20) I went to go have a cigarette and realized the door was locked. I went to the bartender (Steven) and asked if I would be able to go outside quickly. He very rudely replied "Well, the door is locked so no but I guess if one of your friends over there wants to get up to let you in go ahead." Keep in mind that along with me being a paying customer, I was with my girlfriend and her LADY friend. This is unacceptable. How hard would it have been for him to walk over and open the door when I needed to come back in. And not only did he say no but it was the manner in which he said it. One of the female servers did offer to open the door for me which was much appreciated. I don't think the hospitality field is right for Steven.
(2)
Cullen H.
I visited Cocina Del Barrio for brunch this Sunday, and I must say that I was rather disappointed, especially after my wife had great things to say about the downtown location. My experience echoes those of some of the other reviews here... the food is really nothing special and perhaps overpriced. My Huevos Rancheros were downright bland and the portion size was relatively small. My wife only ate about half of her potato-chorizo hash because it was bland and served lukewarm (I sampled and have to agree with her). The waitress seemed programmed to say everything on the menu was excellent. Unfortunately, it is just not very good.
(2)
Monica R.
Yeah, this place is not bad - I've been here a couple of times for dinner and it's..fine. the food is decent and the prices are ok. Tonight we had a chicken soup, lobster empanadas, squash fritters and churros. There wasn't anything outstanding about the food, but there was nothing inedible either. I realized too late that the wonderful churros that I had in my mind were actually the churros from Masa (not Barrio...sigh). One bonus star because our service was pretty good - they even made our churros after the kitchen had already tossed the chocolate sauce for the night (and so they made our sauce to order.)
(3)
Alysha R.
Disapointed! My fiance and I decided to host my birthday party here last night. I was concerned at first because initially we had made reservations a few days beforehand for 8, then before I knew it I needed 15. I called Cocina the morning of, and spoke to a guy who was super helpful and made some adjustments for my 7 additional last minute guests to be in their only party room- he was great! Me and most of my guests showed up on time, but we had to wait 30 minutes to be seated as the previous party was still packing it out (understandably not there fault). We sat at the bar for our wait and our bartender was bubbly and excited- loved her! We were finally seated and the waitress explained the tapas menu. Our server seemed not really there and not very enthusiastic (wouldn't you perk up for a big party to get good tips??). She also only filled our waters twice in the 1.5+ hours we were there. We ordered appetizers since our guests were starving by this point, guacamole and chips. The guacomole is FANTASTIC, but over priced for an appetizer considering. We got our meals, each coming out at differnet times as the server had explained. I ordered tacos, which the tortillas flaked and fell into a pile of quarter-sized sheets- so I ended up forking the substance of my tacos and ditching the tortilla. It took a very long time to get our check at the end of everything too. The restaurant its self is gorgeous and very clean. I loved the dimly lit vibe in there. Afterwards as I met my guests for drinks, we all discussed together that the food for them was OKAY and that it could have been BETTER. Bummer, perhaps my expectations were too high?
(2)
Bev L.
This is more of a bar than restaurant, with drinks and small plates dominating the menu. There are a few entrees but I didn't see anyone order those. Most people get a couple of the small plates, Mexican tapas, I would call them. I liked the portk carnitas and wild mushroom quesadilla I had, but my companions did not like the shrimp taco much. My husband, who is not a big eater,had to order another round to not go hungry. Also everything seemed warm, not hot, so I would fault the service a bit. All told this is probably why we could walk in at 7 on Saturday night.
(2)
Blake A.
Great Food, Great Drinks, Good Service. Be warned, however, that the d-bag crowd rolls pretty deep here, as do the gold-diggin' she-folk. Unless you are of one type and are seeking the other, bring your own company and you should be fine.
(4)
Joe M.
I dont understand why the bad ratings? The lunch special (pork carnitas) was very good. i like the old fashion green coke bottles made with real sugar imported from mexico. 2 of my co-workers also got the lunch special and were pleased. My other co-worker got the soft shell crab and was not happy with it. He stated it was too salty and too fishy smelling. We all had churros for dessert and it was ok. It could of used more cinnamon.
(3)
Cait B.
I have been here twice in the past week and have had two different experiences. The first time was on a friday night and we had an amazing time. We sat at the dimly lit bar area that had views of oversized bull heads and candelabras with white wax dropping carelessly above the hostess. The drinks are made well and the service was great-during the first visit. The second visit was so crowded that we had to order our drinks at the bar after waiting 20 minutes. I'd play it by ear and if it looks full but not overflowing, then go in and have a drink. If not, then keep walking down France. Food-the tamales are amazing. I miss the ones in downtown LA that are a $1...but beggars can't be choosers. Make sure you order the guacamole! The chips are spiced and pair perfectly with a nice cocktail. Great for a date, small party, and a night out with the girls. You can wear jeans-but dress them up :)
(4)
Matt W.
I went here with a friend for happy hour the other day to catch up as we hadn't seen each other in a while. The atmosphere has a very after work type feel and I loved the decorations on the inside, making it feel modern and not to gimicky. The maragaritas are fantastic but holy cow you better only have one if you're planning on driving, definitely worth it though if you ask me. Once it starts to roll around six it becomes a pretty hip place to hang out and unwind from a day of work, so we ended up leaving then as having a nice conversation proved tough in a loud hopping place like that. However the bartender was super nice to us and offered us a lot of help in deciding on our drinks and appetizers, super attentive too and not in an overbearing way as well which I found professional and friendly. I highly reccommend this place if you're in the Edina area, and if you love mexican food it's really the place to be. The crowd isn't super young, so if you're looking for a more 20 something place to be you may want to check out uptown or other minneapolis joints.
(4)
T K.
Another restaurant ruined by the noise level. My partner and I went on a recent weekday evening, and it was only half full but after a few futile attempts at a conversation we ate our food quickly, paid our bill as quickly as the waitress could run our card, and emerged from the restaurant with a huge sigh of relief that the aural assault was finally over. Sorry ladies and gentlemen, never again.
(1)
Marisa V.
I've been spilt on by a waiter and had better service. Don't go here. The food was OK. Nothing amazing. The table side guacamole was not put together table side, and was fairly small. I had the Mahi Mahi Taco and Chicken Enchilada, which were both fine. Now on to the worst part - the service. Our waiter greeted us by asking what time it was, and when we replied 8:10, he said that they close in 50 minutes. Fine, except that he constantly reminded us of their close time by saying things like "you don't want anything else, right, because we close soon." It was clear he wanted to leave. The cherry on top was when our waiter gave us the wrong bill - a $20 check for what should have been $80. When we told him he gave us the wrong bill, he said "OK" (no apology), came back with the correct bill and said "you should have stuck with the other bill, it was cheaper." If you are a manager reading this, please have Travis take another customer service training course. And please correct your hours so it reflects that you close at 9PM, not 10PM. People were trying to get into the restaurant to meet their friends after 9, but couldn't because the doors were locked.
(1)
Jen W.
Went for happy hour and it was okay. The space is missing the cool factor that the downtown one has. It tries and it comes close, but not quite. And this locale doesn't serve The Good The Bad and The Ugly which is on the cocktail list downtown (and my fave). However, The Miguel was pretty tasty. The guacamole was good, the jicama salad was not. I guess I prefer it over Salut next door, but not over Barrio downtown.
(3)
Nicole P.
First attempt we called for reservations on a Friday night and they were booked until 10pm. So we came back the next day for lunch instead. The place was quiet for lunch hour. The decor is very cool, reminds me of the Hell's Kitchen downtown. Lots of red and black. Wait staff were average, cordial. We ordered a few things to split and share: - Guacamole: good but not great. No spice but it was fresh. Chips are Homemade! and tasty. The salsa is bland, very little spice. - 1 Pork Carnitas Taco: Pork was beyond great, but then they screwed it up with this weird green sauce (maybe tomatillo) The sauce killed all the flavor the pork had. The only way i know the pork was so great is that i dug some out from under the sauce to try it alone. - 1 Fish Taco: Lack luster, fresh, good but nothing great - Shredded beef torta: Excellent grill flavor, had some cheese and black bean spread on it that wasnt necessary, the meat had a nice flavor and the bread was grilled and crunchy. Our lunch with drinks was $40ish I'm excited to go back, the food was clean and authentic. Not loaded with sauce and cheese. The bar was nice and they had a great selection of beers and high end liquor. If you want to save some cash and be seated right away go for lunch, otherwise you'll need a reservation or be willing to wait.
(3)
Keshar N.
Meh! That's really all I can sum up for this place. Meh. We arrived here for dinner (not by my choosing - I checked Yelp, and was a little concerned) on Friday night around 7:30. And I know that it is Friday, and everyone is busy, but when we make reservations a week in advance and we still have to wait an hour I can't help but get a little annoyed. The place was SWAMPED, so I was pretty excited about the food, as a busy restaurant usually means really good food. After our table FINALLY left, we were able to sit down and order some drinks. The service was fast and attentive and our server had some great food suggestions. I ordered the shrimp tamal and Bob got the mahi mahi, pork and steak tacos. The food is tapas style, so the plates are pretty small. Our table started with the queso fundino and guacamole. The guacamole was pretty good! I usually find that guacamole is really bland, but this was spicy and tasty! The chips were also really good and seasoned well. The queso was ok, nothing special. Plus, with the prices, I would definitely pass on that as a starter. The shrimp tamal was also ok. Nothing great. A little heavy on the garnish and the flavor was a little off, like the plate was missing something. Bob really enjoyed the mahi-mahi taco but the pork and steak tacos, were ok. Overall, the entire meal was OK. Nothing good, but not too bad either. The reason for the 2 stars instead of 3 was the prices. I think this place is really overpriced. For the amount that we paid here, we could have easily had an amazing 3 course meal at Bar La Grassa or Corner Table. Sorry Minneapolis, when it comes to Mexican, we have to do better than this.
(2)
Dan G.
Overall, we really loved the food, especially the steak tacos. HOWEVER (yes, it needs to be capitalized)... 1.) Our service was absolutely terrible. Food we didn't order arrived more than once. Multiples of the food we did order also arrived, to our perplexion. Finally, the manager just gave us the extras and inquired as to what was missing. The waitress was abrupt to a fault, missing my wife's dinner order by walking away too soon. 2.) The chicken entre came out raw. Not kinda pink, but bloody. Yeah. Eww. The manager brought us a new one and comp'd it, but it wasn't enough. 3.) The bill was wrong. They tried to charge us for the food we didn't order. I can't believe we even left a tip. All that said, I might go back for tacos at lunch, but never again with a group for dinner. This place doesn't have their stuff together.
(1)
Amanda B.
I love their guacamole/chips so much that I order it every time, even though they give me a stomach ache (rich!), every time! So worth it. :) Great margaritas too.
(4)
India C.
NOT IMPRESSED...the guacamole is mediocre at best...needed either some salt or acid nor was I impressed by the chips. Asked the waiter what a 'torta' was and if the pork torts was like a pulled pork sandwich. After somewhat fumbling with the answer, he said that it was basically a sandwich and yes the pork was pulled. So, I was surprised (not pleasantly) that it was basically a fried pork sandwich patty with watery vegetables. The salad with it was good, though maybe a little salty. The potato sopes were not good, though our waiter recommended them. My friend had the mahi mahi taco (it was also fried) and was NOT impressed. This was for lunch and I didn't have any alcohol so I can't speak to the drinks...but that may be the only thing I'd ever go back to try...
(2)
Alejandro C.
Great food, music, ambient and service... Great fan of Cocina de Barrio
(4)
P X.
Met a few friends at Cocina del Barrio on a Thursday night and was shocked by how busy the place was at around 7pm. I was however super pumped that my friends had scored a table (which I found out via text) and went in search for my gals....this search was rudely ended by a very aggressive hostess who virtually demanded to know what or whom I was looking for in the restaurant by yelling at me in the crowd. Luckily, I found my friends in the back and settled into a cozy booth. About 20 minutes later a waiter came to the table to take drink orders. We also ordered food at the time and waited.....and waited....enter drinks (very good and strong. I recommend the blood orange margarita).....wait 10 more minutes....enter yummy guacamole.....and then probably the most random thing of the night: the waiter brought out each individual tapas separately by person (even if two people ordered the same thing). So, first one friend got one small plate, we waited 5 minutes and watched her eat, then she got her second plate, we waited 5 more minutes and watched her eat, then the second girl got her first plate (which was the same thing as the previous girl's first plate), we waited 5 minutes and watched her eat....you see a pattern?? Then we were totally ignored by the waiter until the bill came (when he made jokes with us). So, needless to say, we were not impressed by the staff or service. The food and drinks were wonderful (almost 5 star worthy), but it is hard to look past service that includes being ignored and watching your friends eat for nearly a half hour while you wait for a taco. I am just not overly eager to return.
(2)
Steve M.
We ordered 2 shots of Corzo tequila at the waiters recommendation. They came out, were completely clear, and had no odor. After doing the hots, it was very apparent it was tap water. The waiter check with the bartender, and they agreed it was not Tequila. They opened a new bottle, and poured the shots. These shots had the scent of tequlia, and a very smooth flavor. No apology from the staff, no offer to comp our replaced 'water' shots. What a horrible way to run a business. I wish I had complained to management, but instead I write this review and will never return.
(1)
Steve S.
This review has nothing to do with the food and everything to do with the service at the bar. I swung in to Cocina del Barrio yesterday evening (9-ish) for a quick beer and possibly dinner. I sat at the bar and immediately felt that I was an inconvenience to the bartenders. Rather than a "How's Your Night?" I got a "Do You Need Something?" I ordered a pint and asked for a food menu. The bartender returned 5 minutes later (which is a fine amount of time) and said "Alright, what do you want?" Being that it was my first time at this exact Barrio, I asked him what he liked. He pointed out two suggestions which seemed completely random. I then asked him what he didn't like (which I think is just as important). This question seemed to stump him and he got flustered...enough so that he glared at me and shook his head in disgust. At this point, I was fed up with the 'service' and said that I was just going to have my beer and take off. The bartender just tossed the check in front of me saying curtly "sorry I couldn't answer your question" and walked away. Several minutes later, I just asked him to run it on my card they had requested to start a tab. They said they gave it back to me, that they ALWAYS give it back to the guests. I knew otherwise. They looked for my card and found it by the register. Now I know some restaurants will keep your card until you close out, but for a bartender to completely blank on giving it back when that is their policy is completely unacceptable. The bartender ran the card and again tossed it and the check at me, simply saying "bye." Now I'm not one to complain, and this is the first review I've ever written of a restaurant. I'm sure there are plenty of friendly servers at this particular Barrio, and I'm sure the food is up to par with the other locations. I was so bummed out by how I was treated at the bar, though, that I probably won't return for quite some time. And for reference, the music at Cocina del Barrio was loud at this time of the evening, and the bar area was fairly full with attractive 20-somethings. It seemed a little tamer than the DT location, but not as relaxed as its neighboring restaurants in the 50th & France area. This is neither a good thing nor a bad thing, just a point to call out in case a louder 'party' atmosphere isn't your scene.
(1)
Mj L.
I love this place. Food is good and location is better.
(5)
Chrissy B.
After 3 times going here, I can definitely say that we will not be back. The food is atrocious. The first time we went, I had the chile relleno small plate as I wasn't very hungry. It was so disgusting I couldn't even eat past 2 bites. The bf said his chorizo sandwich was pretty good. The second time we went, I had the lunch special which was spring chicken tacos served with chips, salsa and guac. The only thing edible that time were the chips and guac. How can a Mexican restraunt have such terrilble salsa? They have three kinds of salsa and not a single one of them is decent. Sad. The tacos were an abomination. Dry, flavorless..... you would think that the waiter would notice that I only took one bite out of three tacos, but he didn't care. Then tonight.... the rib eye. While the actual piece of meat was cooked nicely, there was this atrocious sauce mess on it that literally tasted like hot dogs. How can a sauce taste like hot dogs? I have no clue. I don't think that they were back there pureeing hot dogs, but that is exactly what it tasted like. I will never go back and am waiting for whatever 5036 France ave becomes next as food this bad can't stick around for long.
(1)
Michael N.
Stopped in on opening night for some apps and margaritas. Ordered the red snapper ceviche, carnitas and steak tacos. The place was pretty crowded as expected. It has a different feel than the Minneapolis and St. Paul location but seems pretty fitting for the Edina crowd. Food quality was on par with the rest of the Barrios, I just think it's a little spendy to make it one of my regular places. They did a good job of designing the space and it's a welcome addition to the area.
(3)
Terry C.
Barrio has officially turned the corner and is heading in the wrong direction. The last three times I have been there it has been almost empty, with so-so service and food. Why is this? Your downtown location is always consistently good with great service. Why can't you get the same here? We went last Saturday night for a drink after eating somewhere else. We arrived around 10:30 and there were four people there and a staff that clearly did not want to be there. We walked into some heavy metal blaring which made absolutely no sense based on the place and was likely set on volumes that would work if they were packed. Service was brutal - the one bartender kept leaving to attend to other duties. The place had a bad bar rag smell and overall missed the mark again. I so want this place to get it. Edina needs a place like Barrio should be.
(3)
Kiki B.
knowing how busy this place has been, i bothered making reservations for my friend and I, even though we were arriving at 5pm on a Thursday. the restaurant was empty, so maybe our waitress was bored. but we were gabbing as girls do, hadn't looked at the long and hard to read menu/drinks list yet. i gave the normal, "i think we need a minute" that you give when you're not ready. um, when i say that i don't think i literally meant count to 60 and come back. she did this several times before we were finally ready to order something, seriously conveying the "hurry up and order" feeling. so we ordered drinks (not necessarily what i wanted but i was in such a rush, geez!). still, the restaurant was empty. our drinks arrive. again, she asks what else we want to order. hello, we're still talking. "we need a minute" (maybe i should have learned my lesson and said that we need five minutes, since she's clearly timing us). so we order the guacamole, it's great (tiny), and hopefully buys us some time. no, she hovers. the restaurant is still empty. we eventually order a few more things (our food arriving at completely different times as other reviewers have mentioned) but all the while her checking in every two (or 60) seconds. not being friendly, certainly not hiding the emotion of "well this table isn't ordering $200 worth of food tonight so definitely isn't worth my time". anyway, we weren't worth her time. barrio isn't really worth mine. there are so many great restaurants to eat at in this neighborhood, i won't be back.
(2)
Bill D.
We stopped in on day 2 for dinner. Bottom line is great place for drinks and chips. Taco was really small. I would give Chipotle a much higher rating for their food. One person in our party liked their soup. Margarita was served without salt and we sent it back for repair. On balance, fun spot. By the way. the Tim P. was there with family which was fun to see. Merry Christmas!
(3)
Whitney W.
Never heard of the place and the fiance decided we should try somewhere new. A coworker of his suggested checking it out. So we did.. The restaurant is set up weird. The tables are all jammed together and the bar is huge; overly huge which wastes so much space. They sat us at a high small pub table and I felt like we were practically sitting on the people next to us. It was awkward, like a first uncomfortable date. The decor is not the best either- kind of dark and unusual. So the menu was easy enough. The waitress said "can I start you off with some fresh guacamole" We said sure. Come to find out, it was $8 plus every time she brought out extra chips it was $1- which is dumb. Ok, we can live with that. We ordered two tacos a piece. They are tiny. Which is understandable but they were $5 a piece. The food tasted ok. One of the tacos I had didn't have any sort of sauce or salsa. It was just a tortilla with some meat. Oh and a few pieces of raw onion. We ordered churros for dessert because we were still hungry. You actually got a huge plateful. That was the only thing that wowed us. I don't know. All-in-all the price was way too high even for Edina. Almost ridiculous for what you got. Maybe try it, but you aren't missing out if you don't. If you want to pay a huge amount of money for hardly any food that is mediocre, then this is the place.
(2)
Jason K.
My buddy and I scooped in here for happy hour. You have to love $3 Dos Equis We were here just for beers, but the food looked really good. The happy hour guac looked a little cheesy compared to the fresh made guac. If I see a non man made guac coming from the kitchen, I will bring my rating down to 1 if I see non man made guac. I want fresh. Our waitress was cute and fun. Overall, a good time.
(5)
Stefan R.
"Neighborhood kitchen"? This place was so hipster, even the name was ironic. I had the Cuban Sammy with horseradish. Food was good, atmosphere comfortable, nice waitress, kinda pricey but it is on France avenue...
(4)
Kay E.
Why does anyone like this place? The food is over priced and not good. I hate getting little expensive bites of things. It just seems like a way to charge too much. No thanks.
(1)
Leah G.
Breakfast at Barrio. Say What?!?!?!? The rumors are true, Cocina Del Barrio now serves breakfast, and it is goood (yes, triple O good.) It's so nice to find a place in Edina that serves booze during breakfast. I had the mimosa with spanish cava and it was so delightful I decided to order two. Onto the food. My man ordered the Chorizo and Potato hash with sunnyside up eggs on top. The spice level was perfect with its mix of poblanos and chorizo. I ordered the Eggs Benedict with spicy chipotle hollaindaise. The hollaindaise was so rich and decadent that i found myself scraping the excess sauce with my potatoes so I wouldn't waste a bit of it. Barrio is a must if you want some spice added to your brunch, just make sure to bring enough money, it's a lot spendier than your average breakfast spot.
(4)
Alexa C.
This Barrio is supposed to have the more extended food options, but I think the downtown location has better food options. It's a very seafood heavy menu, and they have the usual tapas offering. The drinks were the usual barrio price (a bit more than I'd like to pay). The Chips and Guacamole were delicious as always, can't beat their chips and guac at any locations. We have had reservations and still had to wait 20 minutes after them. The noise level is out of this world loud most weekend evenings.
(2)
Jason G.
I need to stop going here with the expectation that things will get better. Barrio is a good place for a drink, nice energy, a fair selection of beer, not bad at all. But we keep eating there every few months, hoping that the atmosphere will carry over into the food. No suck luck. It's almost as if the food gets worse with time. It is simply over thought. The skill and consistency in preparation isn't there to carry complex dishes through to a pleasant finish. They need to step back and focus on the individual components of each dish, ensuring quality of taste before looking at what appears on paper to be a good plate of food.
(2)
Stefan H.
Bad food, EXPENSIVE, hurried, crabby waitress, lighting like in a gas station, no love. Will not go back even though we live 5 blocks away
(1)
Katherine B.
People in Edina seem to like to take their babies out to eat. Barrio doesn't seem like a particularly baby friendly place, but little babies don't really care where they are, so why not? Still, the number of babies on a Friday night at 7 pm was jarring. Also, lots of expensive clothing. Very Edina. If you look at the menu online and think it sounds good, then you'll like it. I like the food. I like the drinks. If the menu seems like not your style, well it probably isn't. This is not the case at every restaurant. When I've been here with a reservation, the service is awesome! Awesome like oops we brought you an extra free tamale! Your drink arrives in minutes! You can sit at a big awesome table in the back! No reservation? Shouldn't be a problem. But the 10 minute waited I was quoted was over 30. Maybe it was bc the hosts could tell my clothing was cheap. And I didn't bring a baby.
(4)
Keshar N.
Meh! That's really all I can sum up for this place. Meh. We arrived here for dinner (not by my choosing - I checked Yelp, and was a little concerned) on Friday night around 7:30. And I know that it is Friday, and everyone is busy, but when we make reservations a week in advance and we still have to wait an hour I can't help but get a little annoyed. The place was SWAMPED, so I was pretty excited about the food, as a busy restaurant usually means really good food. After our table FINALLY left, we were able to sit down and order some drinks. The service was fast and attentive and our server had some great food suggestions. I ordered the shrimp tamal and Bob got the mahi mahi, pork and steak tacos. The food is tapas style, so the plates are pretty small. Our table started with the queso fundino and guacamole. The guacamole was pretty good! I usually find that guacamole is really bland, but this was spicy and tasty! The chips were also really good and seasoned well. The queso was ok, nothing special. Plus, with the prices, I would definitely pass on that as a starter. The shrimp tamal was also ok. Nothing great. A little heavy on the garnish and the flavor was a little off, like the plate was missing something. Bob really enjoyed the mahi-mahi taco but the pork and steak tacos, were ok. Overall, the entire meal was OK. Nothing good, but not too bad either. The reason for the 2 stars instead of 3 was the prices. I think this place is really overpriced. For the amount that we paid here, we could have easily had an amazing 3 course meal at Bar La Grassa or Corner Table. Sorry Minneapolis, when it comes to Mexican, we have to do better than this.
(2)
Steve M.
We ordered 2 shots of Corzo tequila at the waiters recommendation. They came out, were completely clear, and had no odor. After doing the hots, it was very apparent it was tap water. The waiter check with the bartender, and they agreed it was not Tequila. They opened a new bottle, and poured the shots. These shots had the scent of tequlia, and a very smooth flavor. No apology from the staff, no offer to comp our replaced 'water' shots. What a horrible way to run a business. I wish I had complained to management, but instead I write this review and will never return.
(1)
Michael N.
Stopped in on opening night for some apps and margaritas. Ordered the red snapper ceviche, carnitas and steak tacos. The place was pretty crowded as expected. It has a different feel than the Minneapolis and St. Paul location but seems pretty fitting for the Edina crowd. Food quality was on par with the rest of the Barrios, I just think it's a little spendy to make it one of my regular places. They did a good job of designing the space and it's a welcome addition to the area.
(3)
Kiki B.
knowing how busy this place has been, i bothered making reservations for my friend and I, even though we were arriving at 5pm on a Thursday. the restaurant was empty, so maybe our waitress was bored. but we were gabbing as girls do, hadn't looked at the long and hard to read menu/drinks list yet. i gave the normal, "i think we need a minute" that you give when you're not ready. um, when i say that i don't think i literally meant count to 60 and come back. she did this several times before we were finally ready to order something, seriously conveying the "hurry up and order" feeling. so we ordered drinks (not necessarily what i wanted but i was in such a rush, geez!). still, the restaurant was empty. our drinks arrive. again, she asks what else we want to order. hello, we're still talking. "we need a minute" (maybe i should have learned my lesson and said that we need five minutes, since she's clearly timing us). so we order the guacamole, it's great (tiny), and hopefully buys us some time. no, she hovers. the restaurant is still empty. we eventually order a few more things (our food arriving at completely different times as other reviewers have mentioned) but all the while her checking in every two (or 60) seconds. not being friendly, certainly not hiding the emotion of "well this table isn't ordering $200 worth of food tonight so definitely isn't worth my time". anyway, we weren't worth her time. barrio isn't really worth mine. there are so many great restaurants to eat at in this neighborhood, i won't be back.
(2)
Steve S.
This review has nothing to do with the food and everything to do with the service at the bar. I swung in to Cocina del Barrio yesterday evening (9-ish) for a quick beer and possibly dinner. I sat at the bar and immediately felt that I was an inconvenience to the bartenders. Rather than a "How's Your Night?" I got a "Do You Need Something?" I ordered a pint and asked for a food menu. The bartender returned 5 minutes later (which is a fine amount of time) and said "Alright, what do you want?" Being that it was my first time at this exact Barrio, I asked him what he liked. He pointed out two suggestions which seemed completely random. I then asked him what he didn't like (which I think is just as important). This question seemed to stump him and he got flustered...enough so that he glared at me and shook his head in disgust. At this point, I was fed up with the 'service' and said that I was just going to have my beer and take off. The bartender just tossed the check in front of me saying curtly "sorry I couldn't answer your question" and walked away. Several minutes later, I just asked him to run it on my card they had requested to start a tab. They said they gave it back to me, that they ALWAYS give it back to the guests. I knew otherwise. They looked for my card and found it by the register. Now I know some restaurants will keep your card until you close out, but for a bartender to completely blank on giving it back when that is their policy is completely unacceptable. The bartender ran the card and again tossed it and the check at me, simply saying "bye." Now I'm not one to complain, and this is the first review I've ever written of a restaurant. I'm sure there are plenty of friendly servers at this particular Barrio, and I'm sure the food is up to par with the other locations. I was so bummed out by how I was treated at the bar, though, that I probably won't return for quite some time. And for reference, the music at Cocina del Barrio was loud at this time of the evening, and the bar area was fairly full with attractive 20-somethings. It seemed a little tamer than the DT location, but not as relaxed as its neighboring restaurants in the 50th & France area. This is neither a good thing nor a bad thing, just a point to call out in case a louder 'party' atmosphere isn't your scene.
(1)
P X.
Met a few friends at Cocina del Barrio on a Thursday night and was shocked by how busy the place was at around 7pm. I was however super pumped that my friends had scored a table (which I found out via text) and went in search for my gals....this search was rudely ended by a very aggressive hostess who virtually demanded to know what or whom I was looking for in the restaurant by yelling at me in the crowd. Luckily, I found my friends in the back and settled into a cozy booth. About 20 minutes later a waiter came to the table to take drink orders. We also ordered food at the time and waited.....and waited....enter drinks (very good and strong. I recommend the blood orange margarita).....wait 10 more minutes....enter yummy guacamole.....and then probably the most random thing of the night: the waiter brought out each individual tapas separately by person (even if two people ordered the same thing). So, first one friend got one small plate, we waited 5 minutes and watched her eat, then she got her second plate, we waited 5 more minutes and watched her eat, then the second girl got her first plate (which was the same thing as the previous girl's first plate), we waited 5 minutes and watched her eat....you see a pattern?? Then we were totally ignored by the waiter until the bill came (when he made jokes with us). So, needless to say, we were not impressed by the staff or service. The food and drinks were wonderful (almost 5 star worthy), but it is hard to look past service that includes being ignored and watching your friends eat for nearly a half hour while you wait for a taco. I am just not overly eager to return.
(2)
Terry C.
Barrio has officially turned the corner and is heading in the wrong direction. The last three times I have been there it has been almost empty, with so-so service and food. Why is this? Your downtown location is always consistently good with great service. Why can't you get the same here? We went last Saturday night for a drink after eating somewhere else. We arrived around 10:30 and there were four people there and a staff that clearly did not want to be there. We walked into some heavy metal blaring which made absolutely no sense based on the place and was likely set on volumes that would work if they were packed. Service was brutal - the one bartender kept leaving to attend to other duties. The place had a bad bar rag smell and overall missed the mark again. I so want this place to get it. Edina needs a place like Barrio should be.
(3)
Mj L.
I love this place. Food is good and location is better.
(5)
Chrissy B.
After 3 times going here, I can definitely say that we will not be back. The food is atrocious. The first time we went, I had the chile relleno small plate as I wasn't very hungry. It was so disgusting I couldn't even eat past 2 bites. The bf said his chorizo sandwich was pretty good. The second time we went, I had the lunch special which was spring chicken tacos served with chips, salsa and guac. The only thing edible that time were the chips and guac. How can a Mexican restraunt have such terrilble salsa? They have three kinds of salsa and not a single one of them is decent. Sad. The tacos were an abomination. Dry, flavorless..... you would think that the waiter would notice that I only took one bite out of three tacos, but he didn't care. Then tonight.... the rib eye. While the actual piece of meat was cooked nicely, there was this atrocious sauce mess on it that literally tasted like hot dogs. How can a sauce taste like hot dogs? I have no clue. I don't think that they were back there pureeing hot dogs, but that is exactly what it tasted like. I will never go back and am waiting for whatever 5036 France ave becomes next as food this bad can't stick around for long.
(1)
Bill D.
We stopped in on day 2 for dinner. Bottom line is great place for drinks and chips. Taco was really small. I would give Chipotle a much higher rating for their food. One person in our party liked their soup. Margarita was served without salt and we sent it back for repair. On balance, fun spot. By the way. the Tim P. was there with family which was fun to see. Merry Christmas!
(3)
Jovan M.
First off, when you come in, the open design is spacious, yet warm and inviting. We came in early on a Saturday night, sat at the bar, and watched Barrio fill up with with a mix of ages and styles. The restaurant filled up, but was never loud, and our conversation never got above regular volume. They have a great selection of beer, for a Mexican style restaurant, and a fair selection of bottled wine. The Trinity Margarita was awesome, even for a casual margarita drinker. We tried the grilled flatbread, snapper ceviche, and the mahi tacos. The flatbread was flavorful, aromatic, and a good sized portion. Even with the chorizo, it was not oily. The ceviche was a good balance of fish, citrus, and spices. The mahi was battered and fried, however it was not greasy or heavy. (A grilled option would be nice) The sauce was a great compliment. Considering the quality, flavor, and portions of the food and drinks, as well the location, the pricing was very good.
(4)
Adrian J.
This place is one of the worst "Mexican" restaurants I have ever been in my life, I do not know what kind of food they serve, because is not Mexican for my taste, as a Mexican American I can tell the difference. Price wise is too expensive, save your money and time, go somewhere else.
(1)
Mark A.
Noisy place! Even if it's not busy its tough to have a conversation. Great tequila selection. The chips and gac is the best thing to order. The fish tacos are also very good.
(3)
Yohann T.
we read reviews and checked out the menu before coming here. my wife and i love mexican food and decided to give it a try since we were in the neighborhood. we got there a little after noon on a saturday. it was only us and another table. i ordered the wood grilled chicken plate. the waiter had suggested habanero sauce on the side so that's what i did and i'd have to say it was spicy!! my wife got the pork carnitas taco and the red chile enchilada. my dish was good. the chicken was moist and juicy and it tied in really well with the rice and cabbage. my wife loved her dish. it was a different take, especially the enchilada give there was an egg on top with slices of radishes. it was definitely something new. we would love to come back and try their made to order guac, their margarita and their dinner menu. it was definitely different given it was more of an a la carte/tapas place but still very good. i recommend coming here. we will definitely be coming back.
(5)
Megan E.
This is one of the best options in the 50th and France area. I really like the different varieties of fish tacos and the vegetarian options. The service is great and the space is nice and fun to be in.
(4)
Peter C.
Well it has been awhile since I have posted on Yelp (not that I've stopped eating at as many locations as possible), but I had to try the new "Mexican" restaurant at 50th and France to see if my search for good Mexican food in Minneapolis (and my neighborhood) had finally been solved... In a a word, "NO." Barrio suffers from a multitude of problems. Aside from the crappy service (the wait staff sucked, which is inexcusable compared to other recent opening such as Mozza Mia, Raku and Lola's), and the food just simply isn't that good. It's like a glorified Chevy's or an awful rendition of Pink Taco in Los Angeles, without the portions and a higher price. In fact, I would say the recently departed Tejas (which was also mediocre at best) was about the same. The place has a great decor, a hopping bar, and some great ideas for little dishes. When I mean little, I mean for $5 gets you 1 small taco (I could argue that Zantigo's makes a better one). The tamales were sub-par, the drinks were decent but pricey, and the enchiladas were it's only saving grace (well the guac was OK but its pretty hard to totally F-up guac). I'm pretty used to spending some $ in this part of town, but at least at the surrounding places I get the grub and service to semi justify its existence. If you want a comparison I would say Rojas at West End (St. Louis Park) is far superior. All-in-all, not a great addition to the area in comparison with other recent openings.
(1)
Cait B.
I have been here twice in the past week and have had two different experiences. The first time was on a friday night and we had an amazing time. We sat at the dimly lit bar area that had views of oversized bull heads and candelabras with white wax dropping carelessly above the hostess. The drinks are made well and the service was great-during the first visit. The second visit was so crowded that we had to order our drinks at the bar after waiting 20 minutes. I'd play it by ear and if it looks full but not overflowing, then go in and have a drink. If not, then keep walking down France. Food-the tamales are amazing. I miss the ones in downtown LA that are a $1...but beggars can't be choosers. Make sure you order the guacamole! The chips are spiced and pair perfectly with a nice cocktail. Great for a date, small party, and a night out with the girls. You can wear jeans-but dress them up :)
(4)
Alejandro C.
Great food, music, ambient and service... Great fan of Cocina de Barrio
(4)
Joe M.
I dont understand why the bad ratings? The lunch special (pork carnitas) was very good. i like the old fashion green coke bottles made with real sugar imported from mexico. 2 of my co-workers also got the lunch special and were pleased. My other co-worker got the soft shell crab and was not happy with it. He stated it was too salty and too fishy smelling. We all had churros for dessert and it was ok. It could of used more cinnamon.
(3)
Amanda B.
I love their guacamole/chips so much that I order it every time, even though they give me a stomach ache (rich!), every time! So worth it. :) Great margaritas too.
(4)
India C.
NOT IMPRESSED...the guacamole is mediocre at best...needed either some salt or acid nor was I impressed by the chips. Asked the waiter what a 'torta' was and if the pork torts was like a pulled pork sandwich. After somewhat fumbling with the answer, he said that it was basically a sandwich and yes the pork was pulled. So, I was surprised (not pleasantly) that it was basically a fried pork sandwich patty with watery vegetables. The salad with it was good, though maybe a little salty. The potato sopes were not good, though our waiter recommended them. My friend had the mahi mahi taco (it was also fried) and was NOT impressed. This was for lunch and I didn't have any alcohol so I can't speak to the drinks...but that may be the only thing I'd ever go back to try...
(2)
Whit F.
I'd go back for drinks and the habanero salsa. The guac at Chipotle is better and more generous for the price. Went here for a drink and a snack. The host was rude with that 'I'm too cool attitude' which set a bad tone. The service at the bar was top notch along with the drinks. Had chips and guacamole and a few other appetizers. The rest of the menu didn't really appeal to me.
(2)
Steven B.
I recently had lunch here and was both impressed and disappointed by it. The chips and salsa were excellent. The chips were the best I've had in the Twin Cities and left me wanting more (and wondering if they weren't sprinkled with crack). The tomatillo salsa was the best of the three provided, but all were great. If you go, you have to get the chips and salsa. The entrees were a mixed bag. The mahi mahi taco was pretty good, but nothing to write home about. The shrimp taco was awful. It tasted like liquid smoke had been poured all over the shrimp at the end of the cooking process, and the shrimp itself was rubbery. In my mind, I have a concept of what ass tastes like. This shrimp taco came very close to that concept. The chicken enchilada was the best of the entrees I had. Perfectly cooked, good but not overpowering flavors. I'd order it again. The service was just so-so, and I found myself surprisingly forgiving of its mediocrity since it was provided by the cutest waitress I've had anywhere in the world in recent memory. That v-neck t-shirt with a hint of cleavage definitely helped what was mostly an otherwise forgettable meal.
(2)
Steven K.
After a very much anticipated wait, we finally made reservations at Cocina del Barrio. We've been to Barrio in downtown Minneapolis and loved it. All the hype for Cocina del Barrio was promising. But the reality of our experience there came down to this - the results are so mixed that i couldn't really rate it higher than 3 stars. Now, if I were rating on food alone, no-brainer: 4 stars. There were four of us, and we ordered quite a variety of items. Everything was very good. I think the highlights were the ceviche, the fish tacos, and the lobster empanada. So here are the complaints. No. 1 - They've got to get a handle on their reservation system. My wife and I arrived right on time. But our dinner companions were a few minutes late. We ended up waiting about a half hour longer after they arrived. So in total, we didn't get seated until 30-45 minutes after our reservation time. Based on some of the other Yelp reviews, that seems to be a real problem. No. 2 - When we did get seated, it was at a high-top table in the bar. So the bar scene at Barrio is getting a lot of buzz. But man, is it loud. We would have preferred a table in the dining room. No. 3 - Service. Not really bad. But not so great either. As I noted above, we stuck with small plates for our meal. But one person in our group inquired about one of the entrees. "Oh," our server advised. "It will take at least a half hour for that to come out of the kitchen." So what's the problem? Do the servers really want to discourage customers from ordering something that looks good on the menu? Or is the kitchen so disorganized that they can't put up a meal in a reasonable amount of time? One more gripe about the service - our server forgot one of the items that we ordered. We were about finished when we asked about it. "Oh," he said. "I forgot." There are so many good standby restaurants at 50th & France, I'm not sure if I'll make an effort to return to Barrio. Actually, if I feel the urge for their delicious Mexican small plates, I'll probably go downtown again. Too bad.
(3)
Matt W.
I went here with a friend for happy hour the other day to catch up as we hadn't seen each other in a while. The atmosphere has a very after work type feel and I loved the decorations on the inside, making it feel modern and not to gimicky. The maragaritas are fantastic but holy cow you better only have one if you're planning on driving, definitely worth it though if you ask me. Once it starts to roll around six it becomes a pretty hip place to hang out and unwind from a day of work, so we ended up leaving then as having a nice conversation proved tough in a loud hopping place like that. However the bartender was super nice to us and offered us a lot of help in deciding on our drinks and appetizers, super attentive too and not in an overbearing way as well which I found professional and friendly. I highly reccommend this place if you're in the Edina area, and if you love mexican food it's really the place to be. The crowd isn't super young, so if you're looking for a more 20 something place to be you may want to check out uptown or other minneapolis joints.
(4)
T K.
Another restaurant ruined by the noise level. My partner and I went on a recent weekday evening, and it was only half full but after a few futile attempts at a conversation we ate our food quickly, paid our bill as quickly as the waitress could run our card, and emerged from the restaurant with a huge sigh of relief that the aural assault was finally over. Sorry ladies and gentlemen, never again.
(1)
Marisa V.
I've been spilt on by a waiter and had better service. Don't go here. The food was OK. Nothing amazing. The table side guacamole was not put together table side, and was fairly small. I had the Mahi Mahi Taco and Chicken Enchilada, which were both fine. Now on to the worst part - the service. Our waiter greeted us by asking what time it was, and when we replied 8:10, he said that they close in 50 minutes. Fine, except that he constantly reminded us of their close time by saying things like "you don't want anything else, right, because we close soon." It was clear he wanted to leave. The cherry on top was when our waiter gave us the wrong bill - a $20 check for what should have been $80. When we told him he gave us the wrong bill, he said "OK" (no apology), came back with the correct bill and said "you should have stuck with the other bill, it was cheaper." If you are a manager reading this, please have Travis take another customer service training course. And please correct your hours so it reflects that you close at 9PM, not 10PM. People were trying to get into the restaurant to meet their friends after 9, but couldn't because the doors were locked.
(1)
Jen W.
Went for happy hour and it was okay. The space is missing the cool factor that the downtown one has. It tries and it comes close, but not quite. And this locale doesn't serve The Good The Bad and The Ugly which is on the cocktail list downtown (and my fave). However, The Miguel was pretty tasty. The guacamole was good, the jicama salad was not. I guess I prefer it over Salut next door, but not over Barrio downtown.
(3)
Nicole P.
First attempt we called for reservations on a Friday night and they were booked until 10pm. So we came back the next day for lunch instead. The place was quiet for lunch hour. The decor is very cool, reminds me of the Hell's Kitchen downtown. Lots of red and black. Wait staff were average, cordial. We ordered a few things to split and share: - Guacamole: good but not great. No spice but it was fresh. Chips are Homemade! and tasty. The salsa is bland, very little spice. - 1 Pork Carnitas Taco: Pork was beyond great, but then they screwed it up with this weird green sauce (maybe tomatillo) The sauce killed all the flavor the pork had. The only way i know the pork was so great is that i dug some out from under the sauce to try it alone. - 1 Fish Taco: Lack luster, fresh, good but nothing great - Shredded beef torta: Excellent grill flavor, had some cheese and black bean spread on it that wasnt necessary, the meat had a nice flavor and the bread was grilled and crunchy. Our lunch with drinks was $40ish I'm excited to go back, the food was clean and authentic. Not loaded with sauce and cheese. The bar was nice and they had a great selection of beers and high end liquor. If you want to save some cash and be seated right away go for lunch, otherwise you'll need a reservation or be willing to wait.
(3)
Stefan R.
"Neighborhood kitchen"? This place was so hipster, even the name was ironic. I had the Cuban Sammy with horseradish. Food was good, atmosphere comfortable, nice waitress, kinda pricey but it is on France avenue...
(4)
Kay E.
Why does anyone like this place? The food is over priced and not good. I hate getting little expensive bites of things. It just seems like a way to charge too much. No thanks.
(1)
Leah G.
Breakfast at Barrio. Say What?!?!?!? The rumors are true, Cocina Del Barrio now serves breakfast, and it is goood (yes, triple O good.) It's so nice to find a place in Edina that serves booze during breakfast. I had the mimosa with spanish cava and it was so delightful I decided to order two. Onto the food. My man ordered the Chorizo and Potato hash with sunnyside up eggs on top. The spice level was perfect with its mix of poblanos and chorizo. I ordered the Eggs Benedict with spicy chipotle hollaindaise. The hollaindaise was so rich and decadent that i found myself scraping the excess sauce with my potatoes so I wouldn't waste a bit of it. Barrio is a must if you want some spice added to your brunch, just make sure to bring enough money, it's a lot spendier than your average breakfast spot.
(4)
Alexa C.
This Barrio is supposed to have the more extended food options, but I think the downtown location has better food options. It's a very seafood heavy menu, and they have the usual tapas offering. The drinks were the usual barrio price (a bit more than I'd like to pay). The Chips and Guacamole were delicious as always, can't beat their chips and guac at any locations. We have had reservations and still had to wait 20 minutes after them. The noise level is out of this world loud most weekend evenings.
(2)
Jason G.
I need to stop going here with the expectation that things will get better. Barrio is a good place for a drink, nice energy, a fair selection of beer, not bad at all. But we keep eating there every few months, hoping that the atmosphere will carry over into the food. No suck luck. It's almost as if the food gets worse with time. It is simply over thought. The skill and consistency in preparation isn't there to carry complex dishes through to a pleasant finish. They need to step back and focus on the individual components of each dish, ensuring quality of taste before looking at what appears on paper to be a good plate of food.
(2)
Stefan H.
Bad food, EXPENSIVE, hurried, crabby waitress, lighting like in a gas station, no love. Will not go back even though we live 5 blocks away
(1)
Brooklynn C.
I am so disappointed by the attitude of the bartenders the last three times I have been to this location. The first two didn't convince me enough to write a review, but after THREE TIMES of going and being snubbed by a bartender, I am now compelled to write this review. The bar area is not that big, and any of the times I have gone, there have not been more than 5-10 people at once. This last time, before even sitting down, the bartender said, "I'm going to need to see some ID's." I hadn't even sat down!! Let alone tried to order a drink?!?! I handed over my ID and without making eye contact the bartender made some snide remark about sting operations and underage drinking. I ordered a glass of lemonade and a water, my dinner companion ordered a water. She made us feel like if we did not present our ID's to her we were not allowed to sit at the bar. She was incredibly rude. Once we ordered our drinks, she brought a lemonade to my companion and just a water to me. I tried to correct her order and ask for another water, but I wasn't given the opportunity as she didn't ask if there was anything else we needed, did not ask if we were interested in food. I turned around and asked the hostess for a seat on the patio outside (which is small, but quaint.) She said it would be a few minutes but she would let us know. We waited at the bar for about 15 minutes, which wasn't a problem, but in that entire time we were not approached by the bartender for refills, or ANYTHING, for that matter. Once we were told we had a table outside, the hostess asked us to please pay for our bar tab. I went outside to sit and wait for my date to pay for our drinks. It took him TEN MINUTES to get the bartender's attention. He stood up, pulled his card out, I left, all the obvious signs you can make to signal you are finished. In all, the bartender appeared to be a self-righteous, arrogant bartender with a rude demeanor towards customers....and this was not the first experience I had like this. The wait staff, on the other hand, was phenomenal and I really enjoyed the food. If only the grouchy bartenders hadn't put such a sour taste in my mouth I might have actually enjoyed my eating experience.
(1)
Leah B.
We went back! They've updated the menus, they now take up much less room, drinks and food are condensed to one double sided menu . They've also added seasonal monthly specials and added a new salmon tostada that is scrumptious and added many more options to the happy hour menu. Love this place, but I'm a huge fan of latin/mexican done right :)
(5)
Jim R.
Tasty small plates and tacos are features at this Mexican outlet. On our most recent visit the food and drinks were up to their usual tasty standards. We started with the extra crispy chips (a great deal at only $3) and the crab empanadas which come 2 to an order. Later I had two of the "gringo" tacos-crispy shell with seasoned beef, onions, cheese and hot sauce (yum!) while my wife had the salmon special. Of course no meal is complete with one (or two) of their signature margarita. Bottom line good tasty food and drinks
(4)
Tim E.
I took ~20 people from work for dinner. They hail from all over the country including Seattle, San Francisco, Dallas, St Louis, Denver, Omaha, etc. Everyone was impressed and stuffed when we were done. The service was fast and attentive. The food was fantastic! we sat in the main restaurant but were able to talk easily. A great experience. One of my favorite places!
(5)
Brittanie M.
This is more like a tapas bar or gastropub than I was expecting and that's not really my thing. Most of the food you order a la carte - they bring it out on single plates without sides. I tried the gringo taco and the verde enchilada as well as an order of chips and salsa trio. The taco came out first (and before any of our other food, which was weird and not desirable) and was served with a lime (which, why? it's a beef taco with cheese, it doesn't need lime). It was really good and not too spicy for my sensitive tongue which I appreciated (though it's called a gringo taco for a reason). Next came my enchilada which was pretty tiny but remarkably flavourful with three different sauces (a pablano red sauce, a sour crème sauce, and the salsa verde). I was pleasantly surprised. The chips were really thick and salty, though - they tasted a lot like bagged pita chips - but once I scrapped the salt off, they were really good. The salsas were kind of boring, even for someone who isn't into spice. I would have loved a small side of the pablano sauce that came on my enchilada for my chips over any of the salsas. They also had an extensive tequila menu if you're into that and was the second place I've seen the "michelada" drink after never having heard of them until this past month. I went with a Mexican bottled soda instead. I ended with the churro which was three pretty large churros with a (or what I assume was) chocolate cinnamon sauce. I'm not sure how you mess up the churro - it's fried dough covered in cinnamon sugar. However, these tasted like oil and had barely any sugar or cinnamon on them, and the sauce added nothing but a weird cocoa flavour. It was also more than either my taco or enchilada, though it was bigger. I guess I expected more from that because I've had better churros for $1 at a county fair that had been sitting under a heat lamp for who knows how long. Overall, while the flavours were good and the service was friendly, the prices were more than I'm normally willing to pay for the quantity - especially with Mexican-style cuisine where I'm used to getting a lot for a little. It seems like a place that is trying hard to be a trendy and hip in an upperclass area, and that is definitely not my vibe.
(2)
Cullen H.
I visited Cocina Del Barrio for brunch this Sunday, and I must say that I was rather disappointed, especially after my wife had great things to say about the downtown location. My experience echoes those of some of the other reviews here... the food is really nothing special and perhaps overpriced. My Huevos Rancheros were downright bland and the portion size was relatively small. My wife only ate about half of her potato-chorizo hash because it was bland and served lukewarm (I sampled and have to agree with her). The waitress seemed programmed to say everything on the menu was excellent. Unfortunately, it is just not very good.
(2)
Jon D.
Best chips ever!! Excellent Mahi Mahi tacos. Great Service
(4)
Suzanne P.
The version of this Barrio restaurant is the epitome of all looks no substance to me. The space here is GORGEOUS! So gothic and beautifully decorated with stained glass, heavy on the red and black finishings and metal embellishments. It has the traditional candelabra with wax dripping down everywhere that I've seen at each Barrio around town. (This time it's higher up on the wall near the door). The back of the bar is beautiful tile, warm reds and oranges and there are candles everywhere making it very romantic and ambient. The art on the wall in interesting to look at and there's the really neat metal bull head on the wall separating the two rooms. It's not my decorating style AT ALL, and yet - I am blown away at how beautiful it is in here. The food and drinks had good, thoughtful presentation making an artful feast for your eyes. I especially appreciated the perfectly cut radishes, the slivers of jalapeno strewn about, the strawberry slices in my drink and on my glass making the bar garnish more of a focus than an afterthought. AND YET - 2 stars?! YES. The food tasted... well, not quite like anything, really. The guacamole - bland as ALL GET OUT. The chips - greasy and tasting only of oil. The spicy chick tamale - no spice! The black bean and chicken tostada - more like a bland salad. The sangria - well, that tasted like wine. But sangria is supposed to taste like SANGRIA, not exclusively red wine. It's too bad that the taste (or SEVERE lack there of) didn't match up to the ambiance.
(2)
Abbie F.
This place is bad. The food is overpriced and doesn't taste good. The only thing getting it two stars is the host was super friendly and our waitress was nice. Other than that the guac tastes like it is out of a squeezable pouch and the enchiladas were tough. I've tried the one downtown before too and that one is just as bad. Barrio is bad!
(2)
Dave F.
We stopped here for Happy Hour due to heavy traffic. The Happy Hour experience was good, and we ended up staying for a dinner of small plates. The food was very good and service was great. We tried many different dishes and some of my favorites are the ceviche, pork carnitas tacos on the happy hour menu and the tamale's were very good. Their guacamole isn't up to California standards and comes with a tiny amount of chips. Salsas are bland and I'm spoiled on better Cal Mex food. Service, eating in their bar, is excellent.
(3)
Sarah A.
It was delicious. We came for happy hour and ordered the chips and guac. I'm not sure if extra chips are free but we had some guac left and wished we had more chips for it. The tacos were small but expected. They were very tasty. I didn't leave full, but very satisfied.
(4)
The Mighty C.
Had reservations for two and ordered fresh guac and some tapas type dishes. The chips with the guac were scant, cold, greasy and rubbery. I asked for more chips and the second serving was somewhat better but still greasy. Tacos were good but by the time I ate my enchilada it was cold. Service was mediocre--had to ask 3x for more water. We eat ALOT of Mexican food but this was sub standard. I heard their other location downtown is much better. The other reviewer was right--all looks, no substance at this location.
(2)
Jenni B.
Barrio's food is served tapas style with lots of small plates that come out sporadically as they are prepared so you can dabble in a variety of distinct flavors. Everything I've had has been good, maybe a little pricey given the size of their small dishes, but really not bad compared to most places in Edina. Last night our server was very helpful in helping my boyfriend pick out a tequila to try with his dinner. He was super knowledgeable about all the options and even offered cinnamon on orange as a side to contrast the flavor and get the most out of his selection. Pretty cool, you definitely can't get that kind of expertise just anywhere. We started off with queso fundido with chorizo. I usually find chorizo to be oily and the flavor overpowering, but in this app it was smokey and wasn't running at all, it was very good. My boyfriend then had the chicken tortilla soup which was pretty darn big, I bet that would be the only small plate needed to fill me up. I had the salmon tostada which was good. It came with soft avocado and a super spicy arbor salsa. I loved that salsa. My boyfriend had room for one more and went with the habanero chicken small plate, which I got to try and didn't have quite as much heat as my salsa. I like it here. It's good food for Edina prices but they do Mexican food well.
(3)
Maddy D.
We got the gringo, carnitas, chicken enchilada, and mahi mahi tacos. They were good but pricy! $5/taco. The gringo and enchilada were just ok. Great guac and salsa. Cilantro rice and corn was great!
(3)
Julia H.
What a fun meal! We went to Barrio based on recommendations from locals and could not have been happier. We were a little nervous because despite what we had heard some of the Yelp reviews were not great. We sat in one of the big comfy booths in the bar and started with tasty margaritas and their homemade guacamole. Everything on the menu looks great and it was impossible to make dinner decisions! We needed up ordering about 7 items for the table. Didn't write them down but loved them all!
(5)
Monica R.
Yeah, this place is not bad - I've been here a couple of times for dinner and it's..fine. the food is decent and the prices are ok. Tonight we had a chicken soup, lobster empanadas, squash fritters and churros. There wasn't anything outstanding about the food, but there was nothing inedible either. I realized too late that the wonderful churros that I had in my mind were actually the churros from Masa (not Barrio...sigh). One bonus star because our service was pretty good - they even made our churros after the kitchen had already tossed the chocolate sauce for the night (and so they made our sauce to order.)
(3)
Jacob W.
I've eaten here a few times - all for dinner and all on the early side (6-7 PM). I recommend this place for a few reasons: 1) It is big so seating usually isn't an issue. 2) Service has been very fast. 3) By and large, the food is great. I can never have too many mahi mahi tacos. 4) I don't go for the Tequila so I really appreciate the Fulton and Surley on tap. Of all the restaurants lining the 50th and France drag, I find Barrio to be the least hassle and therefore the perfect weekday treat.
(4)
Alysha R.
Disapointed! My fiance and I decided to host my birthday party here last night. I was concerned at first because initially we had made reservations a few days beforehand for 8, then before I knew it I needed 15. I called Cocina the morning of, and spoke to a guy who was super helpful and made some adjustments for my 7 additional last minute guests to be in their only party room- he was great! Me and most of my guests showed up on time, but we had to wait 30 minutes to be seated as the previous party was still packing it out (understandably not there fault). We sat at the bar for our wait and our bartender was bubbly and excited- loved her! We were finally seated and the waitress explained the tapas menu. Our server seemed not really there and not very enthusiastic (wouldn't you perk up for a big party to get good tips??). She also only filled our waters twice in the 1.5+ hours we were there. We ordered appetizers since our guests were starving by this point, guacamole and chips. The guacomole is FANTASTIC, but over priced for an appetizer considering. We got our meals, each coming out at differnet times as the server had explained. I ordered tacos, which the tortillas flaked and fell into a pile of quarter-sized sheets- so I ended up forking the substance of my tacos and ditching the tortilla. It took a very long time to get our check at the end of everything too. The restaurant its self is gorgeous and very clean. I loved the dimly lit vibe in there. Afterwards as I met my guests for drinks, we all discussed together that the food for them was OKAY and that it could have been BETTER. Bummer, perhaps my expectations were too high?
(2)
Blake A.
Great Food, Great Drinks, Good Service. Be warned, however, that the d-bag crowd rolls pretty deep here, as do the gold-diggin' she-folk. Unless you are of one type and are seeking the other, bring your own company and you should be fine.
(4)
Dan G.
Overall, we really loved the food, especially the steak tacos. HOWEVER (yes, it needs to be capitalized)... 1.) Our service was absolutely terrible. Food we didn't order arrived more than once. Multiples of the food we did order also arrived, to our perplexion. Finally, the manager just gave us the extras and inquired as to what was missing. The waitress was abrupt to a fault, missing my wife's dinner order by walking away too soon. 2.) The chicken entre came out raw. Not kinda pink, but bloody. Yeah. Eww. The manager brought us a new one and comp'd it, but it wasn't enough. 3.) The bill was wrong. They tried to charge us for the food we didn't order. I can't believe we even left a tip. All that said, I might go back for tacos at lunch, but never again with a group for dinner. This place doesn't have their stuff together.
(1)
Bev L.
This is more of a bar than restaurant, with drinks and small plates dominating the menu. There are a few entrees but I didn't see anyone order those. Most people get a couple of the small plates, Mexican tapas, I would call them. I liked the portk carnitas and wild mushroom quesadilla I had, but my companions did not like the shrimp taco much. My husband, who is not a big eater,had to order another round to not go hungry. Also everything seemed warm, not hot, so I would fault the service a bit. All told this is probably why we could walk in at 7 on Saturday night.
Amazing service from the bartender. He was attentive, funny and made the best drinks. Food is top notch aa always. Amazing decor. Have to stop here ever ytime I'm in Minneapolis. It doesn't get better.
(5)
Poppy W.
I've been to barrio on many occasions. If there were a rehab for taco addictions their mahi mahi would be the one putting me over the edge...however what keeps me coming back besides the mahi mahi taco is the bartender with the man bun. Brad is the best bartender to catch when I'm in, always attentive with a refreshing splash of playful banter. Love the food, the vibe and always bring my friends here to sit at the bar. Don't skip the michelada!
(5)
Elisabeth M.
This is my new favorite for yummy Mexican food. Start with the corn chowder. Just do it. The carnitas taco and the quesadilla are also delicious. And OH the tequila. Amazing cocktails to boot! Quiet atmosphere. Perfect for a date or catching up with friends.
(5)
Holly M.
Best margaritas in town. The salsa trio, corn chowder and guacamole are a must followed by a few individual tacos.
(5)
Jess F.
The location is very hit or miss for some reason. I've been here for brunch, lunch, and dinner, and it's all been a very different experience. Brunch was terrible - food was off, server was tired, place was just kinda subdued all around. Terrible Chirro, shudder! Lunch was good - all around just good. Nothing stood out, so not much to say. Dinner was great! Food was perfect, savory, spicy, and delicious. Drinks were amazing and could have drunk so much more. Service was lively, talkative, and knowledgeable. I've had late night food at the downtown location and have been to the St. Paul location for drinks. The Edina location is all together different, and I'm going to say it has to do with the neighborhood, kids, etc...general demographics of downtown Edina more than time of day.
(3)
Josh A.
Well, I gave Cocina del Barrio two chances and each time I left with a bad impression. Take it from me, there are plenty other spots around 50th & France, you'd be better selecting them instead of CDB. About 6 months ago I tried CDB for the first time and was really not pleased with the food or service, but liked their atmosphere and location so decided I would try them again before forming an opinion. I should have gone with my original gut feeling. I stopped in today (12/26/13) and bellied up to the bar. I was in the area and realized they had a Happy Hour, so thought I would give it a stab. The place was pretty slow. There were 2 other parties of 2 sitting at the bar, and a couple people at the high top tables. After about 5 minutes of watching the bartender prep fruit he greeted me and asked what he could get me to drink. I believe his name was Brad, but I would not be able to tell you for sure; because, he never gave me a bill or told me, I just heard a server say his name. After getting my drink I sat for another 25 minutes with no menu, no silverware, and not another word from the bartender. At this point I was annoyed and realized I was not going to be able to get lunch before heading out. I paid for my drink by leaving cash as to what I assumed the price would be and left. The bartender, Brad is a prime example of why ill trained staff is a detriment to establishments. He was busy using his cellphone, cutting fruit, and doing other misc. tasks instead of paying attention to the customers in front of him. I heard the couple next to me voice their distaste in the service and watched the man in the other group roll his eyes at him. I gave this place a second chance and it failed at both attempts. Avoid this place, there are plenty of other options that know how to actually serve customers.
(1)
Kristine O.
I ordered a Green Salad and it was inedible. So bitter and salty disgusting. Lucky they took the salad off my bill so I ordered the: mahi mahi taco; Tiny but the only thing I liked Steak taco: Tiny and blah Pork appetizer- Tiny and blah Mushroom enchilada- Tiny I hated the sauce This mexican just didn't fit me. Very over priced for their portions. If you want the best mexican food ever go to El Loro. They are the best and you will eat the best white cheese dip of your life (which comes free) unlike this place that charges you $3 for like 8 chips then $1.50 if you want more.
(1)
Chen P.
I echo the other reviewers that the food is not particularly good and certainly doesn't merit the high prices they charge. I get especially annoyed when they charge you for a second dish of chips when the first dish was tiny. They nickle and dime you at every chance. We always leave there wondering how the heck our bill ended up so high. That said--here's the reason for the 3 stars--the gal at the bar makes a spectacular, 5-Yelp-stars margarita. We tend to only go for happy hour when they're $5, and only when we're walking home. Outstanding! One other gripe that's a pet peeve of mine, and seems to be especially rampant around the 50th & France area--their happy hour "specials" are just half size orders of their regular appetizers. The happy hour guacamole isn't even worth ordering--it's half the price but about a third the size, made ahead of time, and they still charge you extra for a paltry few extra chips. So we'll be back for the margaritas but make our own guac at home.
(3)
Glen S.
Barrio has maybe the best manager (Brian) in the Twin Cities. Went there with a larger group and he not only came over and greeted us, but gave us a discount simply because it was a bachelor party (the bachelor got a free shot, as well). I have continuously sent people here simply based off the service we received while there.
(5)
Jonathan E.
Ive seen mixed reviews for Cocina del Barrio, but I can't say I have many complaints. Overall, I think it's just a great place to have lunch, particularly if you can take advantage of the $10 special. The interior is the first thing that makes the trip to Cocina del Barrio worth visiting. Im not sure if their other locations (Minneapolis & St. Paul) have similar designs, but I was very impressed by the atmosphere created by the lighting and warm colors. They are known for their tequila selections as well, so it's a nice touch to see the open bar from most of the dining area. The food isn't the best Mexican food Ive had in the cities, but it is still quite good. Everything that Ive had there is very fresh and some of the flavor combinations are quite unique. I had never had cumin fried chicken tacos before and I was not disappointed. The house guacamole is outstanding, too. I once had an issue with an overcooked piece of grilled chicken and the chips can often be a bit overly salted... But those are my only minor complaints thus far. I havent sampled the dinner menu yet, but I can vouch for the quality of the lunch menu. I highly recommend the $10 lunch special. Typically, it will include two specialty tacos (changes frequently) and a tray of salsas/guac with chips. Pros: Multiple locations including the Barrio taco truck, fresh ingredients, excellent interior design, $10 lunch special, free parking ramp Cons: Small portion sizes, somewhat limited menu
(4)
Ben S.
Excellent Happy Hour. Great prices, great food selection and friendly staff. It's my favorite place in the 50th and France area if you want to meet friends for cocktails and appetizers. I haven't eaten dinner there yet so I can't speak to that menu but the guacamole was fantastic a long with all of their tacos. Our server, Laura, was very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful when making selections and did not steer us wrong. We were even approached by the General Manager Tyler who was also helpful, and grateful that we stopped in. I'll definitely be back there and look forward to the summer atmosphere!
(5)
Whitney F.
I definitely had my guard up coming to 50th and France for brunch in general. I adore my hole-in-the wall pancakes and coffee, and for some reason just could not picture barrios delightful chips and guac paired with 50th and france, putting together a great brunch. Yep. Wrong. The space in the Edina location is fantastic! Spacious and thoughtfully decorated, much like the downtown version would look like if you were not sitting on top of the guests at the next table. They have a few big TVS around a beautiful center bar. There are also nice tables next to floor-to-ceiling windows. The coffee was great, big mug (i'm picky about these things) and I also ordered the french toast. Not out of the world good, but I'm a happy lady when it comes to breakfast sweets. There was a dried fruit compote which I was not in love with, but still managed to clean my plate without a problem. My dining companion had the house bloody, filled with enough "stuff" to make it a little snack, and also ordered the mushroom and cheese enchiladas. I wish I was a savory girl after having these - phenomenal. Barrio - consider adding these or a version to your dinner menu! As for food - so-so - there are so many other delicious joints in the neighbor hood for brunch, but for HH/dinner/and a pretty delightfully unexpected atmosphere - I'll be back!
(3)
M C.
I have eaten the chicken tacos, the chicken enchiladas and the quesadillas here and they are all delicious. I really like Cocina del Barrio. There is a nice feeling here, whether it's crowded or empty. I wish they were open a little later, and didn't start closing up shop once it slows down for the evening. It makes me feel like I have to slam or wolf down what they just served me. But...I guess it is a restaurant/bar in Edina. All in all, I'm glad it's here!
(4)
Josh C.
Saturday night I went to Cocina Del Barrio with my girlfriend and one of her girlfriends. Their website says they close at 1am but they did last call and started locking up around 11pm. Having worked in a restaurant I understand that it may not be worth staying open on a slow night, which it was. However, shortly after last call (around 11:20) I went to go have a cigarette and realized the door was locked. I went to the bartender (Steven) and asked if I would be able to go outside quickly. He very rudely replied "Well, the door is locked so no but I guess if one of your friends over there wants to get up to let you in go ahead." Keep in mind that along with me being a paying customer, I was with my girlfriend and her LADY friend. This is unacceptable. How hard would it have been for him to walk over and open the door when I needed to come back in. And not only did he say no but it was the manner in which he said it. One of the female servers did offer to open the door for me which was much appreciated. I don't think the hospitality field is right for Steven.
(2)
Whitney W.
Never heard of the place and the fiance decided we should try somewhere new. A coworker of his suggested checking it out. So we did.. The restaurant is set up weird. The tables are all jammed together and the bar is huge; overly huge which wastes so much space. They sat us at a high small pub table and I felt like we were practically sitting on the people next to us. It was awkward, like a first uncomfortable date. The decor is not the best either- kind of dark and unusual. So the menu was easy enough. The waitress said "can I start you off with some fresh guacamole" We said sure. Come to find out, it was $8 plus every time she brought out extra chips it was $1- which is dumb. Ok, we can live with that. We ordered two tacos a piece. They are tiny. Which is understandable but they were $5 a piece. The food tasted ok. One of the tacos I had didn't have any sort of sauce or salsa. It was just a tortilla with some meat. Oh and a few pieces of raw onion. We ordered churros for dessert because we were still hungry. You actually got a huge plateful. That was the only thing that wowed us. I don't know. All-in-all the price was way too high even for Edina. Almost ridiculous for what you got. Maybe try it, but you aren't missing out if you don't. If you want to pay a huge amount of money for hardly any food that is mediocre, then this is the place.
(2)
Jason K.
My buddy and I scooped in here for happy hour. You have to love $3 Dos Equis We were here just for beers, but the food looked really good. The happy hour guac looked a little cheesy compared to the fresh made guac. If I see a non man made guac coming from the kitchen, I will bring my rating down to 1 if I see non man made guac. I want fresh. Our waitress was cute and fun. Overall, a good time.
(5)
Micki C.
Stopped in last night for a small bite to eat and few drinks. Our server was great--very informative and her descriptions of the menu items was outstanding. She told us the menu at the Edina location was a bit different and more expansive with a salad/soup and entree section; Barrio uses local, in season, and organic produce whenever possible. I had the blackberry mojito. It was ok but nothing to brag about. The corn chowder was heavenly. A definite must get. We also got the shredded beef torta, it had a great bbq flavor. We also tried the wild mushroom enchilada--a little heavy on the sauce but otherwise good. Really though, the chowder is the way to go.
(3)
Clara K.
I love spicy food and this place doesn't mess around. The spicy habanero salsa is delicious and quenched my appetite for heat. I enjoyed the small plates, as it was a great way to taste many different things vs just one big meal. The carnitas taco and chicken tostada made the top of my list. The service was prompt and attentive, seemed knowledgeable and friendly. I'd definitely go back!
(5)
Katherine B.
People in Edina seem to like to take their babies out to eat. Barrio doesn't seem like a particularly baby friendly place, but little babies don't really care where they are, so why not? Still, the number of babies on a Friday night at 7 pm was jarring. Also, lots of expensive clothing. Very Edina. If you look at the menu online and think it sounds good, then you'll like it. I like the food. I like the drinks. If the menu seems like not your style, well it probably isn't. This is not the case at every restaurant. When I've been here with a reservation, the service is awesome! Awesome like oops we brought you an extra free tamale! Your drink arrives in minutes! You can sit at a big awesome table in the back! No reservation? Shouldn't be a problem. But the 10 minute waited I was quoted was over 30. Maybe it was bc the hosts could tell my clothing was cheap. And I didn't bring a baby.
(4)
Jim R.
Tasty small plates and tacos are features at this Mexican outlet. On our most recent visit the food and drinks were up to their usual tasty standards. We started with the extra crispy chips (a great deal at only $3) and the crab empanadas which come 2 to an order. Later I had two of the "gringo" tacos-crispy shell with seasoned beef, onions, cheese and hot sauce (yum!) while my wife had the salmon special. Of course no meal is complete with one (or two) of their signature margarita. Bottom line good tasty food and drinks
(4)
Tim E.
I took ~20 people from work for dinner. They hail from all over the country including Seattle, San Francisco, Dallas, St Louis, Denver, Omaha, etc. Everyone was impressed and stuffed when we were done. The service was fast and attentive. The food was fantastic! we sat in the main restaurant but were able to talk easily. A great experience. One of my favorite places!
(5)
Abbie F.
This place is bad. The food is overpriced and doesn't taste good. The only thing getting it two stars is the host was super friendly and our waitress was nice. Other than that the guac tastes like it is out of a squeezable pouch and the enchiladas were tough. I've tried the one downtown before too and that one is just as bad. Barrio is bad!
(2)
Dave F.
We stopped here for Happy Hour due to heavy traffic. The Happy Hour experience was good, and we ended up staying for a dinner of small plates. The food was very good and service was great. We tried many different dishes and some of my favorites are the ceviche, pork carnitas tacos on the happy hour menu and the tamale's were very good. Their guacamole isn't up to California standards and comes with a tiny amount of chips. Salsas are bland and I'm spoiled on better Cal Mex food. Service, eating in their bar, is excellent.
(3)
Brittanie M.
This is more like a tapas bar or gastropub than I was expecting and that's not really my thing. Most of the food you order a la carte - they bring it out on single plates without sides. I tried the gringo taco and the verde enchilada as well as an order of chips and salsa trio. The taco came out first (and before any of our other food, which was weird and not desirable) and was served with a lime (which, why? it's a beef taco with cheese, it doesn't need lime). It was really good and not too spicy for my sensitive tongue which I appreciated (though it's called a gringo taco for a reason). Next came my enchilada which was pretty tiny but remarkably flavourful with three different sauces (a pablano red sauce, a sour crème sauce, and the salsa verde). I was pleasantly surprised. The chips were really thick and salty, though - they tasted a lot like bagged pita chips - but once I scrapped the salt off, they were really good. The salsas were kind of boring, even for someone who isn't into spice. I would have loved a small side of the pablano sauce that came on my enchilada for my chips over any of the salsas. They also had an extensive tequila menu if you're into that and was the second place I've seen the "michelada" drink after never having heard of them until this past month. I went with a Mexican bottled soda instead. I ended with the churro which was three pretty large churros with a (or what I assume was) chocolate cinnamon sauce. I'm not sure how you mess up the churro - it's fried dough covered in cinnamon sugar. However, these tasted like oil and had barely any sugar or cinnamon on them, and the sauce added nothing but a weird cocoa flavour. It was also more than either my taco or enchilada, though it was bigger. I guess I expected more from that because I've had better churros for $1 at a county fair that had been sitting under a heat lamp for who knows how long. Overall, while the flavours were good and the service was friendly, the prices were more than I'm normally willing to pay for the quantity - especially with Mexican-style cuisine where I'm used to getting a lot for a little. It seems like a place that is trying hard to be a trendy and hip in an upperclass area, and that is definitely not my vibe.
(2)
Suzanne P.
The version of this Barrio restaurant is the epitome of all looks no substance to me. The space here is GORGEOUS! So gothic and beautifully decorated with stained glass, heavy on the red and black finishings and metal embellishments. It has the traditional candelabra with wax dripping down everywhere that I've seen at each Barrio around town. (This time it's higher up on the wall near the door). The back of the bar is beautiful tile, warm reds and oranges and there are candles everywhere making it very romantic and ambient. The art on the wall in interesting to look at and there's the really neat metal bull head on the wall separating the two rooms. It's not my decorating style AT ALL, and yet - I am blown away at how beautiful it is in here. The food and drinks had good, thoughtful presentation making an artful feast for your eyes. I especially appreciated the perfectly cut radishes, the slivers of jalapeno strewn about, the strawberry slices in my drink and on my glass making the bar garnish more of a focus than an afterthought. AND YET - 2 stars?! YES. The food tasted... well, not quite like anything, really. The guacamole - bland as ALL GET OUT. The chips - greasy and tasting only of oil. The spicy chick tamale - no spice! The black bean and chicken tostada - more like a bland salad. The sangria - well, that tasted like wine. But sangria is supposed to taste like SANGRIA, not exclusively red wine. It's too bad that the taste (or SEVERE lack there of) didn't match up to the ambiance.
(2)
Sarah A.
It was delicious. We came for happy hour and ordered the chips and guac. I'm not sure if extra chips are free but we had some guac left and wished we had more chips for it. The tacos were small but expected. They were very tasty. I didn't leave full, but very satisfied.
(4)
The Mighty C.
Had reservations for two and ordered fresh guac and some tapas type dishes. The chips with the guac were scant, cold, greasy and rubbery. I asked for more chips and the second serving was somewhat better but still greasy. Tacos were good but by the time I ate my enchilada it was cold. Service was mediocre--had to ask 3x for more water. We eat ALOT of Mexican food but this was sub standard. I heard their other location downtown is much better. The other reviewer was right--all looks, no substance at this location.
(2)
Jenni B.
Barrio's food is served tapas style with lots of small plates that come out sporadically as they are prepared so you can dabble in a variety of distinct flavors. Everything I've had has been good, maybe a little pricey given the size of their small dishes, but really not bad compared to most places in Edina. Last night our server was very helpful in helping my boyfriend pick out a tequila to try with his dinner. He was super knowledgeable about all the options and even offered cinnamon on orange as a side to contrast the flavor and get the most out of his selection. Pretty cool, you definitely can't get that kind of expertise just anywhere. We started off with queso fundido with chorizo. I usually find chorizo to be oily and the flavor overpowering, but in this app it was smokey and wasn't running at all, it was very good. My boyfriend then had the chicken tortilla soup which was pretty darn big, I bet that would be the only small plate needed to fill me up. I had the salmon tostada which was good. It came with soft avocado and a super spicy arbor salsa. I loved that salsa. My boyfriend had room for one more and went with the habanero chicken small plate, which I got to try and didn't have quite as much heat as my salsa. I like it here. It's good food for Edina prices but they do Mexican food well.
(3)
Maddy D.
We got the gringo, carnitas, chicken enchilada, and mahi mahi tacos. They were good but pricy! $5/taco. The gringo and enchilada were just ok. Great guac and salsa. Cilantro rice and corn was great!
(3)
Julia H.
What a fun meal! We went to Barrio based on recommendations from locals and could not have been happier. We were a little nervous because despite what we had heard some of the Yelp reviews were not great. We sat in one of the big comfy booths in the bar and started with tasty margaritas and their homemade guacamole. Everything on the menu looks great and it was impossible to make dinner decisions! We needed up ordering about 7 items for the table. Didn't write them down but loved them all!
(5)
Megan E.
This is one of the best options in the 50th and France area. I really like the different varieties of fish tacos and the vegetarian options. The service is great and the space is nice and fun to be in.
(4)
Jon D.
Best chips ever!! Excellent Mahi Mahi tacos. Great Service
(4)
Jacob W.
I've eaten here a few times - all for dinner and all on the early side (6-7 PM). I recommend this place for a few reasons: 1) It is big so seating usually isn't an issue. 2) Service has been very fast. 3) By and large, the food is great. I can never have too many mahi mahi tacos. 4) I don't go for the Tequila so I really appreciate the Fulton and Surley on tap. Of all the restaurants lining the 50th and France drag, I find Barrio to be the least hassle and therefore the perfect weekday treat.
Amazing service from the bartender. He was attentive, funny and made the best drinks. Food is top notch aa always. Amazing decor. Have to stop here ever ytime I'm in Minneapolis. It doesn't get better.
(5)
Poppy W.
I've been to barrio on many occasions. If there were a rehab for taco addictions their mahi mahi would be the one putting me over the edge...however what keeps me coming back besides the mahi mahi taco is the bartender with the man bun. Brad is the best bartender to catch when I'm in, always attentive with a refreshing splash of playful banter. Love the food, the vibe and always bring my friends here to sit at the bar. Don't skip the michelada!
(5)
Elisabeth M.
This is my new favorite for yummy Mexican food. Start with the corn chowder. Just do it. The carnitas taco and the quesadilla are also delicious. And OH the tequila. Amazing cocktails to boot! Quiet atmosphere. Perfect for a date or catching up with friends.
(5)
Holly M.
Best margaritas in town. The salsa trio, corn chowder and guacamole are a must followed by a few individual tacos.
(5)
Jess F.
The location is very hit or miss for some reason. I've been here for brunch, lunch, and dinner, and it's all been a very different experience. Brunch was terrible - food was off, server was tired, place was just kinda subdued all around. Terrible Chirro, shudder! Lunch was good - all around just good. Nothing stood out, so not much to say. Dinner was great! Food was perfect, savory, spicy, and delicious. Drinks were amazing and could have drunk so much more. Service was lively, talkative, and knowledgeable. I've had late night food at the downtown location and have been to the St. Paul location for drinks. The Edina location is all together different, and I'm going to say it has to do with the neighborhood, kids, etc...general demographics of downtown Edina more than time of day.
(3)
Josh A.
Well, I gave Cocina del Barrio two chances and each time I left with a bad impression. Take it from me, there are plenty other spots around 50th & France, you'd be better selecting them instead of CDB. About 6 months ago I tried CDB for the first time and was really not pleased with the food or service, but liked their atmosphere and location so decided I would try them again before forming an opinion. I should have gone with my original gut feeling. I stopped in today (12/26/13) and bellied up to the bar. I was in the area and realized they had a Happy Hour, so thought I would give it a stab. The place was pretty slow. There were 2 other parties of 2 sitting at the bar, and a couple people at the high top tables. After about 5 minutes of watching the bartender prep fruit he greeted me and asked what he could get me to drink. I believe his name was Brad, but I would not be able to tell you for sure; because, he never gave me a bill or told me, I just heard a server say his name. After getting my drink I sat for another 25 minutes with no menu, no silverware, and not another word from the bartender. At this point I was annoyed and realized I was not going to be able to get lunch before heading out. I paid for my drink by leaving cash as to what I assumed the price would be and left. The bartender, Brad is a prime example of why ill trained staff is a detriment to establishments. He was busy using his cellphone, cutting fruit, and doing other misc. tasks instead of paying attention to the customers in front of him. I heard the couple next to me voice their distaste in the service and watched the man in the other group roll his eyes at him. I gave this place a second chance and it failed at both attempts. Avoid this place, there are plenty of other options that know how to actually serve customers.
(1)
Kristine O.
I ordered a Green Salad and it was inedible. So bitter and salty disgusting. Lucky they took the salad off my bill so I ordered the: mahi mahi taco; Tiny but the only thing I liked Steak taco: Tiny and blah Pork appetizer- Tiny and blah Mushroom enchilada- Tiny I hated the sauce This mexican just didn't fit me. Very over priced for their portions. If you want the best mexican food ever go to El Loro. They are the best and you will eat the best white cheese dip of your life (which comes free) unlike this place that charges you $3 for like 8 chips then $1.50 if you want more.
(1)
Jovan M.
First off, when you come in, the open design is spacious, yet warm and inviting. We came in early on a Saturday night, sat at the bar, and watched Barrio fill up with with a mix of ages and styles. The restaurant filled up, but was never loud, and our conversation never got above regular volume. They have a great selection of beer, for a Mexican style restaurant, and a fair selection of bottled wine. The Trinity Margarita was awesome, even for a casual margarita drinker. We tried the grilled flatbread, snapper ceviche, and the mahi tacos. The flatbread was flavorful, aromatic, and a good sized portion. Even with the chorizo, it was not oily. The ceviche was a good balance of fish, citrus, and spices. The mahi was battered and fried, however it was not greasy or heavy. (A grilled option would be nice) The sauce was a great compliment. Considering the quality, flavor, and portions of the food and drinks, as well the location, the pricing was very good.
(4)
Adrian J.
This place is one of the worst "Mexican" restaurants I have ever been in my life, I do not know what kind of food they serve, because is not Mexican for my taste, as a Mexican American I can tell the difference. Price wise is too expensive, save your money and time, go somewhere else.
(1)
Mark A.
Noisy place! Even if it's not busy its tough to have a conversation. Great tequila selection. The chips and gac is the best thing to order. The fish tacos are also very good.
(3)
Yohann T.
we read reviews and checked out the menu before coming here. my wife and i love mexican food and decided to give it a try since we were in the neighborhood. we got there a little after noon on a saturday. it was only us and another table. i ordered the wood grilled chicken plate. the waiter had suggested habanero sauce on the side so that's what i did and i'd have to say it was spicy!! my wife got the pork carnitas taco and the red chile enchilada. my dish was good. the chicken was moist and juicy and it tied in really well with the rice and cabbage. my wife loved her dish. it was a different take, especially the enchilada give there was an egg on top with slices of radishes. it was definitely something new. we would love to come back and try their made to order guac, their margarita and their dinner menu. it was definitely different given it was more of an a la carte/tapas place but still very good. i recommend coming here. we will definitely be coming back.
(5)
Chen P.
I echo the other reviewers that the food is not particularly good and certainly doesn't merit the high prices they charge. I get especially annoyed when they charge you for a second dish of chips when the first dish was tiny. They nickle and dime you at every chance. We always leave there wondering how the heck our bill ended up so high. That said--here's the reason for the 3 stars--the gal at the bar makes a spectacular, 5-Yelp-stars margarita. We tend to only go for happy hour when they're $5, and only when we're walking home. Outstanding! One other gripe that's a pet peeve of mine, and seems to be especially rampant around the 50th & France area--their happy hour "specials" are just half size orders of their regular appetizers. The happy hour guacamole isn't even worth ordering--it's half the price but about a third the size, made ahead of time, and they still charge you extra for a paltry few extra chips. So we'll be back for the margaritas but make our own guac at home.
(3)
Glen S.
Barrio has maybe the best manager (Brian) in the Twin Cities. Went there with a larger group and he not only came over and greeted us, but gave us a discount simply because it was a bachelor party (the bachelor got a free shot, as well). I have continuously sent people here simply based off the service we received while there.
(5)
Jonathan E.
Ive seen mixed reviews for Cocina del Barrio, but I can't say I have many complaints. Overall, I think it's just a great place to have lunch, particularly if you can take advantage of the $10 special. The interior is the first thing that makes the trip to Cocina del Barrio worth visiting. Im not sure if their other locations (Minneapolis & St. Paul) have similar designs, but I was very impressed by the atmosphere created by the lighting and warm colors. They are known for their tequila selections as well, so it's a nice touch to see the open bar from most of the dining area. The food isn't the best Mexican food Ive had in the cities, but it is still quite good. Everything that Ive had there is very fresh and some of the flavor combinations are quite unique. I had never had cumin fried chicken tacos before and I was not disappointed. The house guacamole is outstanding, too. I once had an issue with an overcooked piece of grilled chicken and the chips can often be a bit overly salted... But those are my only minor complaints thus far. I havent sampled the dinner menu yet, but I can vouch for the quality of the lunch menu. I highly recommend the $10 lunch special. Typically, it will include two specialty tacos (changes frequently) and a tray of salsas/guac with chips. Pros: Multiple locations including the Barrio taco truck, fresh ingredients, excellent interior design, $10 lunch special, free parking ramp Cons: Small portion sizes, somewhat limited menu
(4)
Ben S.
Excellent Happy Hour. Great prices, great food selection and friendly staff. It's my favorite place in the 50th and France area if you want to meet friends for cocktails and appetizers. I haven't eaten dinner there yet so I can't speak to that menu but the guacamole was fantastic a long with all of their tacos. Our server, Laura, was very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful when making selections and did not steer us wrong. We were even approached by the General Manager Tyler who was also helpful, and grateful that we stopped in. I'll definitely be back there and look forward to the summer atmosphere!
(5)
Whitney F.
I definitely had my guard up coming to 50th and France for brunch in general. I adore my hole-in-the wall pancakes and coffee, and for some reason just could not picture barrios delightful chips and guac paired with 50th and france, putting together a great brunch. Yep. Wrong. The space in the Edina location is fantastic! Spacious and thoughtfully decorated, much like the downtown version would look like if you were not sitting on top of the guests at the next table. They have a few big TVS around a beautiful center bar. There are also nice tables next to floor-to-ceiling windows. The coffee was great, big mug (i'm picky about these things) and I also ordered the french toast. Not out of the world good, but I'm a happy lady when it comes to breakfast sweets. There was a dried fruit compote which I was not in love with, but still managed to clean my plate without a problem. My dining companion had the house bloody, filled with enough "stuff" to make it a little snack, and also ordered the mushroom and cheese enchiladas. I wish I was a savory girl after having these - phenomenal. Barrio - consider adding these or a version to your dinner menu! As for food - so-so - there are so many other delicious joints in the neighbor hood for brunch, but for HH/dinner/and a pretty delightfully unexpected atmosphere - I'll be back!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Garage, Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Music : Background Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat Coat Check : Yes Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Steven B.
I recently had lunch here and was both impressed and disappointed by it. The chips and salsa were excellent. The chips were the best I've had in the Twin Cities and left me wanting more (and wondering if they weren't sprinkled with crack). The tomatillo salsa was the best of the three provided, but all were great. If you go, you have to get the chips and salsa. The entrees were a mixed bag. The mahi mahi taco was pretty good, but nothing to write home about. The shrimp taco was awful. It tasted like liquid smoke had been poured all over the shrimp at the end of the cooking process, and the shrimp itself was rubbery. In my mind, I have a concept of what ass tastes like. This shrimp taco came very close to that concept. The chicken enchilada was the best of the entrees I had. Perfectly cooked, good but not overpowering flavors. I'd order it again. The service was just so-so, and I found myself surprisingly forgiving of its mediocrity since it was provided by the cutest waitress I've had anywhere in the world in recent memory. That v-neck t-shirt with a hint of cleavage definitely helped what was mostly an otherwise forgettable meal.
(2)Peter C.
Well it has been awhile since I have posted on Yelp (not that I've stopped eating at as many locations as possible), but I had to try the new "Mexican" restaurant at 50th and France to see if my search for good Mexican food in Minneapolis (and my neighborhood) had finally been solved... In a a word, "NO." Barrio suffers from a multitude of problems. Aside from the crappy service (the wait staff sucked, which is inexcusable compared to other recent opening such as Mozza Mia, Raku and Lola's), and the food just simply isn't that good. It's like a glorified Chevy's or an awful rendition of Pink Taco in Los Angeles, without the portions and a higher price. In fact, I would say the recently departed Tejas (which was also mediocre at best) was about the same. The place has a great decor, a hopping bar, and some great ideas for little dishes. When I mean little, I mean for $5 gets you 1 small taco (I could argue that Zantigo's makes a better one). The tamales were sub-par, the drinks were decent but pricey, and the enchiladas were it's only saving grace (well the guac was OK but its pretty hard to totally F-up guac). I'm pretty used to spending some $ in this part of town, but at least at the surrounding places I get the grub and service to semi justify its existence. If you want a comparison I would say Rojas at West End (St. Louis Park) is far superior. All-in-all, not a great addition to the area in comparison with other recent openings.
(1)Brooklynn C.
I am so disappointed by the attitude of the bartenders the last three times I have been to this location. The first two didn't convince me enough to write a review, but after THREE TIMES of going and being snubbed by a bartender, I am now compelled to write this review. The bar area is not that big, and any of the times I have gone, there have not been more than 5-10 people at once. This last time, before even sitting down, the bartender said, "I'm going to need to see some ID's." I hadn't even sat down!! Let alone tried to order a drink?!?! I handed over my ID and without making eye contact the bartender made some snide remark about sting operations and underage drinking. I ordered a glass of lemonade and a water, my dinner companion ordered a water. She made us feel like if we did not present our ID's to her we were not allowed to sit at the bar. She was incredibly rude. Once we ordered our drinks, she brought a lemonade to my companion and just a water to me. I tried to correct her order and ask for another water, but I wasn't given the opportunity as she didn't ask if there was anything else we needed, did not ask if we were interested in food. I turned around and asked the hostess for a seat on the patio outside (which is small, but quaint.) She said it would be a few minutes but she would let us know. We waited at the bar for about 15 minutes, which wasn't a problem, but in that entire time we were not approached by the bartender for refills, or ANYTHING, for that matter. Once we were told we had a table outside, the hostess asked us to please pay for our bar tab. I went outside to sit and wait for my date to pay for our drinks. It took him TEN MINUTES to get the bartender's attention. He stood up, pulled his card out, I left, all the obvious signs you can make to signal you are finished. In all, the bartender appeared to be a self-righteous, arrogant bartender with a rude demeanor towards customers....and this was not the first experience I had like this. The wait staff, on the other hand, was phenomenal and I really enjoyed the food. If only the grouchy bartenders hadn't put such a sour taste in my mouth I might have actually enjoyed my eating experience.
(1)Leah B.
We went back! They've updated the menus, they now take up much less room, drinks and food are condensed to one double sided menu . They've also added seasonal monthly specials and added a new salmon tostada that is scrumptious and added many more options to the happy hour menu. Love this place, but I'm a huge fan of latin/mexican done right :)
(5)Whit F.
I'd go back for drinks and the habanero salsa. The guac at Chipotle is better and more generous for the price. Went here for a drink and a snack. The host was rude with that 'I'm too cool attitude' which set a bad tone. The service at the bar was top notch along with the drinks. Had chips and guacamole and a few other appetizers. The rest of the menu didn't really appeal to me.
(2)Steven K.
After a very much anticipated wait, we finally made reservations at Cocina del Barrio. We've been to Barrio in downtown Minneapolis and loved it. All the hype for Cocina del Barrio was promising. But the reality of our experience there came down to this - the results are so mixed that i couldn't really rate it higher than 3 stars. Now, if I were rating on food alone, no-brainer: 4 stars. There were four of us, and we ordered quite a variety of items. Everything was very good. I think the highlights were the ceviche, the fish tacos, and the lobster empanada. So here are the complaints. No. 1 - They've got to get a handle on their reservation system. My wife and I arrived right on time. But our dinner companions were a few minutes late. We ended up waiting about a half hour longer after they arrived. So in total, we didn't get seated until 30-45 minutes after our reservation time. Based on some of the other Yelp reviews, that seems to be a real problem. No. 2 - When we did get seated, it was at a high-top table in the bar. So the bar scene at Barrio is getting a lot of buzz. But man, is it loud. We would have preferred a table in the dining room. No. 3 - Service. Not really bad. But not so great either. As I noted above, we stuck with small plates for our meal. But one person in our group inquired about one of the entrees. "Oh," our server advised. "It will take at least a half hour for that to come out of the kitchen." So what's the problem? Do the servers really want to discourage customers from ordering something that looks good on the menu? Or is the kitchen so disorganized that they can't put up a meal in a reasonable amount of time? One more gripe about the service - our server forgot one of the items that we ordered. We were about finished when we asked about it. "Oh," he said. "I forgot." There are so many good standby restaurants at 50th & France, I'm not sure if I'll make an effort to return to Barrio. Actually, if I feel the urge for their delicious Mexican small plates, I'll probably go downtown again. Too bad.
(3)Micki C.
Stopped in last night for a small bite to eat and few drinks. Our server was great--very informative and her descriptions of the menu items was outstanding. She told us the menu at the Edina location was a bit different and more expansive with a salad/soup and entree section; Barrio uses local, in season, and organic produce whenever possible. I had the blackberry mojito. It was ok but nothing to brag about. The corn chowder was heavenly. A definite must get. We also got the shredded beef torta, it had a great bbq flavor. We also tried the wild mushroom enchilada--a little heavy on the sauce but otherwise good. Really though, the chowder is the way to go.
(3)Clara K.
I love spicy food and this place doesn't mess around. The spicy habanero salsa is delicious and quenched my appetite for heat. I enjoyed the small plates, as it was a great way to taste many different things vs just one big meal. The carnitas taco and chicken tostada made the top of my list. The service was prompt and attentive, seemed knowledgeable and friendly. I'd definitely go back!
(5)M C.
I have eaten the chicken tacos, the chicken enchiladas and the quesadillas here and they are all delicious. I really like Cocina del Barrio. There is a nice feeling here, whether it's crowded or empty. I wish they were open a little later, and didn't start closing up shop once it slows down for the evening. It makes me feel like I have to slam or wolf down what they just served me. But...I guess it is a restaurant/bar in Edina. All in all, I'm glad it's here!
(4)Josh C.
Saturday night I went to Cocina Del Barrio with my girlfriend and one of her girlfriends. Their website says they close at 1am but they did last call and started locking up around 11pm. Having worked in a restaurant I understand that it may not be worth staying open on a slow night, which it was. However, shortly after last call (around 11:20) I went to go have a cigarette and realized the door was locked. I went to the bartender (Steven) and asked if I would be able to go outside quickly. He very rudely replied "Well, the door is locked so no but I guess if one of your friends over there wants to get up to let you in go ahead." Keep in mind that along with me being a paying customer, I was with my girlfriend and her LADY friend. This is unacceptable. How hard would it have been for him to walk over and open the door when I needed to come back in. And not only did he say no but it was the manner in which he said it. One of the female servers did offer to open the door for me which was much appreciated. I don't think the hospitality field is right for Steven.
(2)Cullen H.
I visited Cocina Del Barrio for brunch this Sunday, and I must say that I was rather disappointed, especially after my wife had great things to say about the downtown location. My experience echoes those of some of the other reviews here... the food is really nothing special and perhaps overpriced. My Huevos Rancheros were downright bland and the portion size was relatively small. My wife only ate about half of her potato-chorizo hash because it was bland and served lukewarm (I sampled and have to agree with her). The waitress seemed programmed to say everything on the menu was excellent. Unfortunately, it is just not very good.
(2)Monica R.
Yeah, this place is not bad - I've been here a couple of times for dinner and it's..fine. the food is decent and the prices are ok. Tonight we had a chicken soup, lobster empanadas, squash fritters and churros. There wasn't anything outstanding about the food, but there was nothing inedible either. I realized too late that the wonderful churros that I had in my mind were actually the churros from Masa (not Barrio...sigh). One bonus star because our service was pretty good - they even made our churros after the kitchen had already tossed the chocolate sauce for the night (and so they made our sauce to order.)
(3)Alysha R.
Disapointed! My fiance and I decided to host my birthday party here last night. I was concerned at first because initially we had made reservations a few days beforehand for 8, then before I knew it I needed 15. I called Cocina the morning of, and spoke to a guy who was super helpful and made some adjustments for my 7 additional last minute guests to be in their only party room- he was great! Me and most of my guests showed up on time, but we had to wait 30 minutes to be seated as the previous party was still packing it out (understandably not there fault). We sat at the bar for our wait and our bartender was bubbly and excited- loved her! We were finally seated and the waitress explained the tapas menu. Our server seemed not really there and not very enthusiastic (wouldn't you perk up for a big party to get good tips??). She also only filled our waters twice in the 1.5+ hours we were there. We ordered appetizers since our guests were starving by this point, guacamole and chips. The guacomole is FANTASTIC, but over priced for an appetizer considering. We got our meals, each coming out at differnet times as the server had explained. I ordered tacos, which the tortillas flaked and fell into a pile of quarter-sized sheets- so I ended up forking the substance of my tacos and ditching the tortilla. It took a very long time to get our check at the end of everything too. The restaurant its self is gorgeous and very clean. I loved the dimly lit vibe in there. Afterwards as I met my guests for drinks, we all discussed together that the food for them was OKAY and that it could have been BETTER. Bummer, perhaps my expectations were too high?
(2)Bev L.
This is more of a bar than restaurant, with drinks and small plates dominating the menu. There are a few entrees but I didn't see anyone order those. Most people get a couple of the small plates, Mexican tapas, I would call them. I liked the portk carnitas and wild mushroom quesadilla I had, but my companions did not like the shrimp taco much. My husband, who is not a big eater,had to order another round to not go hungry. Also everything seemed warm, not hot, so I would fault the service a bit. All told this is probably why we could walk in at 7 on Saturday night.
(2)Blake A.
Great Food, Great Drinks, Good Service. Be warned, however, that the d-bag crowd rolls pretty deep here, as do the gold-diggin' she-folk. Unless you are of one type and are seeking the other, bring your own company and you should be fine.
(4)Joe M.
I dont understand why the bad ratings? The lunch special (pork carnitas) was very good. i like the old fashion green coke bottles made with real sugar imported from mexico. 2 of my co-workers also got the lunch special and were pleased. My other co-worker got the soft shell crab and was not happy with it. He stated it was too salty and too fishy smelling. We all had churros for dessert and it was ok. It could of used more cinnamon.
(3)Cait B.
I have been here twice in the past week and have had two different experiences. The first time was on a friday night and we had an amazing time. We sat at the dimly lit bar area that had views of oversized bull heads and candelabras with white wax dropping carelessly above the hostess. The drinks are made well and the service was great-during the first visit. The second visit was so crowded that we had to order our drinks at the bar after waiting 20 minutes. I'd play it by ear and if it looks full but not overflowing, then go in and have a drink. If not, then keep walking down France. Food-the tamales are amazing. I miss the ones in downtown LA that are a $1...but beggars can't be choosers. Make sure you order the guacamole! The chips are spiced and pair perfectly with a nice cocktail. Great for a date, small party, and a night out with the girls. You can wear jeans-but dress them up :)
(4)Matt W.
I went here with a friend for happy hour the other day to catch up as we hadn't seen each other in a while. The atmosphere has a very after work type feel and I loved the decorations on the inside, making it feel modern and not to gimicky. The maragaritas are fantastic but holy cow you better only have one if you're planning on driving, definitely worth it though if you ask me. Once it starts to roll around six it becomes a pretty hip place to hang out and unwind from a day of work, so we ended up leaving then as having a nice conversation proved tough in a loud hopping place like that. However the bartender was super nice to us and offered us a lot of help in deciding on our drinks and appetizers, super attentive too and not in an overbearing way as well which I found professional and friendly. I highly reccommend this place if you're in the Edina area, and if you love mexican food it's really the place to be. The crowd isn't super young, so if you're looking for a more 20 something place to be you may want to check out uptown or other minneapolis joints.
(4)T K.
Another restaurant ruined by the noise level. My partner and I went on a recent weekday evening, and it was only half full but after a few futile attempts at a conversation we ate our food quickly, paid our bill as quickly as the waitress could run our card, and emerged from the restaurant with a huge sigh of relief that the aural assault was finally over. Sorry ladies and gentlemen, never again.
(1)Marisa V.
I've been spilt on by a waiter and had better service. Don't go here. The food was OK. Nothing amazing. The table side guacamole was not put together table side, and was fairly small. I had the Mahi Mahi Taco and Chicken Enchilada, which were both fine. Now on to the worst part - the service. Our waiter greeted us by asking what time it was, and when we replied 8:10, he said that they close in 50 minutes. Fine, except that he constantly reminded us of their close time by saying things like "you don't want anything else, right, because we close soon." It was clear he wanted to leave. The cherry on top was when our waiter gave us the wrong bill - a $20 check for what should have been $80. When we told him he gave us the wrong bill, he said "OK" (no apology), came back with the correct bill and said "you should have stuck with the other bill, it was cheaper." If you are a manager reading this, please have Travis take another customer service training course. And please correct your hours so it reflects that you close at 9PM, not 10PM. People were trying to get into the restaurant to meet their friends after 9, but couldn't because the doors were locked.
(1)Jen W.
Went for happy hour and it was okay. The space is missing the cool factor that the downtown one has. It tries and it comes close, but not quite. And this locale doesn't serve The Good The Bad and The Ugly which is on the cocktail list downtown (and my fave). However, The Miguel was pretty tasty. The guacamole was good, the jicama salad was not. I guess I prefer it over Salut next door, but not over Barrio downtown.
(3)Nicole P.
First attempt we called for reservations on a Friday night and they were booked until 10pm. So we came back the next day for lunch instead. The place was quiet for lunch hour. The decor is very cool, reminds me of the Hell's Kitchen downtown. Lots of red and black. Wait staff were average, cordial. We ordered a few things to split and share: - Guacamole: good but not great. No spice but it was fresh. Chips are Homemade! and tasty. The salsa is bland, very little spice. - 1 Pork Carnitas Taco: Pork was beyond great, but then they screwed it up with this weird green sauce (maybe tomatillo) The sauce killed all the flavor the pork had. The only way i know the pork was so great is that i dug some out from under the sauce to try it alone. - 1 Fish Taco: Lack luster, fresh, good but nothing great - Shredded beef torta: Excellent grill flavor, had some cheese and black bean spread on it that wasnt necessary, the meat had a nice flavor and the bread was grilled and crunchy. Our lunch with drinks was $40ish I'm excited to go back, the food was clean and authentic. Not loaded with sauce and cheese. The bar was nice and they had a great selection of beers and high end liquor. If you want to save some cash and be seated right away go for lunch, otherwise you'll need a reservation or be willing to wait.
(3)Keshar N.
Meh! That's really all I can sum up for this place. Meh. We arrived here for dinner (not by my choosing - I checked Yelp, and was a little concerned) on Friday night around 7:30. And I know that it is Friday, and everyone is busy, but when we make reservations a week in advance and we still have to wait an hour I can't help but get a little annoyed. The place was SWAMPED, so I was pretty excited about the food, as a busy restaurant usually means really good food. After our table FINALLY left, we were able to sit down and order some drinks. The service was fast and attentive and our server had some great food suggestions. I ordered the shrimp tamal and Bob got the mahi mahi, pork and steak tacos. The food is tapas style, so the plates are pretty small. Our table started with the queso fundino and guacamole. The guacamole was pretty good! I usually find that guacamole is really bland, but this was spicy and tasty! The chips were also really good and seasoned well. The queso was ok, nothing special. Plus, with the prices, I would definitely pass on that as a starter. The shrimp tamal was also ok. Nothing great. A little heavy on the garnish and the flavor was a little off, like the plate was missing something. Bob really enjoyed the mahi-mahi taco but the pork and steak tacos, were ok. Overall, the entire meal was OK. Nothing good, but not too bad either. The reason for the 2 stars instead of 3 was the prices. I think this place is really overpriced. For the amount that we paid here, we could have easily had an amazing 3 course meal at Bar La Grassa or Corner Table. Sorry Minneapolis, when it comes to Mexican, we have to do better than this.
(2)Dan G.
Overall, we really loved the food, especially the steak tacos. HOWEVER (yes, it needs to be capitalized)... 1.) Our service was absolutely terrible. Food we didn't order arrived more than once. Multiples of the food we did order also arrived, to our perplexion. Finally, the manager just gave us the extras and inquired as to what was missing. The waitress was abrupt to a fault, missing my wife's dinner order by walking away too soon. 2.) The chicken entre came out raw. Not kinda pink, but bloody. Yeah. Eww. The manager brought us a new one and comp'd it, but it wasn't enough. 3.) The bill was wrong. They tried to charge us for the food we didn't order. I can't believe we even left a tip. All that said, I might go back for tacos at lunch, but never again with a group for dinner. This place doesn't have their stuff together.
(1)Amanda B.
I love their guacamole/chips so much that I order it every time, even though they give me a stomach ache (rich!), every time! So worth it. :) Great margaritas too.
(4)India C.
NOT IMPRESSED...the guacamole is mediocre at best...needed either some salt or acid nor was I impressed by the chips. Asked the waiter what a 'torta' was and if the pork torts was like a pulled pork sandwich. After somewhat fumbling with the answer, he said that it was basically a sandwich and yes the pork was pulled. So, I was surprised (not pleasantly) that it was basically a fried pork sandwich patty with watery vegetables. The salad with it was good, though maybe a little salty. The potato sopes were not good, though our waiter recommended them. My friend had the mahi mahi taco (it was also fried) and was NOT impressed. This was for lunch and I didn't have any alcohol so I can't speak to the drinks...but that may be the only thing I'd ever go back to try...
(2)Alejandro C.
Great food, music, ambient and service... Great fan of Cocina de Barrio
(4)P X.
Met a few friends at Cocina del Barrio on a Thursday night and was shocked by how busy the place was at around 7pm. I was however super pumped that my friends had scored a table (which I found out via text) and went in search for my gals....this search was rudely ended by a very aggressive hostess who virtually demanded to know what or whom I was looking for in the restaurant by yelling at me in the crowd. Luckily, I found my friends in the back and settled into a cozy booth. About 20 minutes later a waiter came to the table to take drink orders. We also ordered food at the time and waited.....and waited....enter drinks (very good and strong. I recommend the blood orange margarita).....wait 10 more minutes....enter yummy guacamole.....and then probably the most random thing of the night: the waiter brought out each individual tapas separately by person (even if two people ordered the same thing). So, first one friend got one small plate, we waited 5 minutes and watched her eat, then she got her second plate, we waited 5 more minutes and watched her eat, then the second girl got her first plate (which was the same thing as the previous girl's first plate), we waited 5 minutes and watched her eat....you see a pattern?? Then we were totally ignored by the waiter until the bill came (when he made jokes with us). So, needless to say, we were not impressed by the staff or service. The food and drinks were wonderful (almost 5 star worthy), but it is hard to look past service that includes being ignored and watching your friends eat for nearly a half hour while you wait for a taco. I am just not overly eager to return.
(2)Steve M.
We ordered 2 shots of Corzo tequila at the waiters recommendation. They came out, were completely clear, and had no odor. After doing the hots, it was very apparent it was tap water. The waiter check with the bartender, and they agreed it was not Tequila. They opened a new bottle, and poured the shots. These shots had the scent of tequlia, and a very smooth flavor. No apology from the staff, no offer to comp our replaced 'water' shots. What a horrible way to run a business. I wish I had complained to management, but instead I write this review and will never return.
(1)Steve S.
This review has nothing to do with the food and everything to do with the service at the bar. I swung in to Cocina del Barrio yesterday evening (9-ish) for a quick beer and possibly dinner. I sat at the bar and immediately felt that I was an inconvenience to the bartenders. Rather than a "How's Your Night?" I got a "Do You Need Something?" I ordered a pint and asked for a food menu. The bartender returned 5 minutes later (which is a fine amount of time) and said "Alright, what do you want?" Being that it was my first time at this exact Barrio, I asked him what he liked. He pointed out two suggestions which seemed completely random. I then asked him what he didn't like (which I think is just as important). This question seemed to stump him and he got flustered...enough so that he glared at me and shook his head in disgust. At this point, I was fed up with the 'service' and said that I was just going to have my beer and take off. The bartender just tossed the check in front of me saying curtly "sorry I couldn't answer your question" and walked away. Several minutes later, I just asked him to run it on my card they had requested to start a tab. They said they gave it back to me, that they ALWAYS give it back to the guests. I knew otherwise. They looked for my card and found it by the register. Now I know some restaurants will keep your card until you close out, but for a bartender to completely blank on giving it back when that is their policy is completely unacceptable. The bartender ran the card and again tossed it and the check at me, simply saying "bye." Now I'm not one to complain, and this is the first review I've ever written of a restaurant. I'm sure there are plenty of friendly servers at this particular Barrio, and I'm sure the food is up to par with the other locations. I was so bummed out by how I was treated at the bar, though, that I probably won't return for quite some time. And for reference, the music at Cocina del Barrio was loud at this time of the evening, and the bar area was fairly full with attractive 20-somethings. It seemed a little tamer than the DT location, but not as relaxed as its neighboring restaurants in the 50th & France area. This is neither a good thing nor a bad thing, just a point to call out in case a louder 'party' atmosphere isn't your scene.
(1)Mj L.
I love this place. Food is good and location is better.
(5)Chrissy B.
After 3 times going here, I can definitely say that we will not be back. The food is atrocious. The first time we went, I had the chile relleno small plate as I wasn't very hungry. It was so disgusting I couldn't even eat past 2 bites. The bf said his chorizo sandwich was pretty good. The second time we went, I had the lunch special which was spring chicken tacos served with chips, salsa and guac. The only thing edible that time were the chips and guac. How can a Mexican restraunt have such terrilble salsa? They have three kinds of salsa and not a single one of them is decent. Sad. The tacos were an abomination. Dry, flavorless..... you would think that the waiter would notice that I only took one bite out of three tacos, but he didn't care. Then tonight.... the rib eye. While the actual piece of meat was cooked nicely, there was this atrocious sauce mess on it that literally tasted like hot dogs. How can a sauce taste like hot dogs? I have no clue. I don't think that they were back there pureeing hot dogs, but that is exactly what it tasted like. I will never go back and am waiting for whatever 5036 France ave becomes next as food this bad can't stick around for long.
(1)Michael N.
Stopped in on opening night for some apps and margaritas. Ordered the red snapper ceviche, carnitas and steak tacos. The place was pretty crowded as expected. It has a different feel than the Minneapolis and St. Paul location but seems pretty fitting for the Edina crowd. Food quality was on par with the rest of the Barrios, I just think it's a little spendy to make it one of my regular places. They did a good job of designing the space and it's a welcome addition to the area.
(3)Terry C.
Barrio has officially turned the corner and is heading in the wrong direction. The last three times I have been there it has been almost empty, with so-so service and food. Why is this? Your downtown location is always consistently good with great service. Why can't you get the same here? We went last Saturday night for a drink after eating somewhere else. We arrived around 10:30 and there were four people there and a staff that clearly did not want to be there. We walked into some heavy metal blaring which made absolutely no sense based on the place and was likely set on volumes that would work if they were packed. Service was brutal - the one bartender kept leaving to attend to other duties. The place had a bad bar rag smell and overall missed the mark again. I so want this place to get it. Edina needs a place like Barrio should be.
(3)Kiki B.
knowing how busy this place has been, i bothered making reservations for my friend and I, even though we were arriving at 5pm on a Thursday. the restaurant was empty, so maybe our waitress was bored. but we were gabbing as girls do, hadn't looked at the long and hard to read menu/drinks list yet. i gave the normal, "i think we need a minute" that you give when you're not ready. um, when i say that i don't think i literally meant count to 60 and come back. she did this several times before we were finally ready to order something, seriously conveying the "hurry up and order" feeling. so we ordered drinks (not necessarily what i wanted but i was in such a rush, geez!). still, the restaurant was empty. our drinks arrive. again, she asks what else we want to order. hello, we're still talking. "we need a minute" (maybe i should have learned my lesson and said that we need five minutes, since she's clearly timing us). so we order the guacamole, it's great (tiny), and hopefully buys us some time. no, she hovers. the restaurant is still empty. we eventually order a few more things (our food arriving at completely different times as other reviewers have mentioned) but all the while her checking in every two (or 60) seconds. not being friendly, certainly not hiding the emotion of "well this table isn't ordering $200 worth of food tonight so definitely isn't worth my time". anyway, we weren't worth her time. barrio isn't really worth mine. there are so many great restaurants to eat at in this neighborhood, i won't be back.
(2)Bill D.
We stopped in on day 2 for dinner. Bottom line is great place for drinks and chips. Taco was really small. I would give Chipotle a much higher rating for their food. One person in our party liked their soup. Margarita was served without salt and we sent it back for repair. On balance, fun spot. By the way. the Tim P. was there with family which was fun to see. Merry Christmas!
(3)Whitney W.
Never heard of the place and the fiance decided we should try somewhere new. A coworker of his suggested checking it out. So we did.. The restaurant is set up weird. The tables are all jammed together and the bar is huge; overly huge which wastes so much space. They sat us at a high small pub table and I felt like we were practically sitting on the people next to us. It was awkward, like a first uncomfortable date. The decor is not the best either- kind of dark and unusual. So the menu was easy enough. The waitress said "can I start you off with some fresh guacamole" We said sure. Come to find out, it was $8 plus every time she brought out extra chips it was $1- which is dumb. Ok, we can live with that. We ordered two tacos a piece. They are tiny. Which is understandable but they were $5 a piece. The food tasted ok. One of the tacos I had didn't have any sort of sauce or salsa. It was just a tortilla with some meat. Oh and a few pieces of raw onion. We ordered churros for dessert because we were still hungry. You actually got a huge plateful. That was the only thing that wowed us. I don't know. All-in-all the price was way too high even for Edina. Almost ridiculous for what you got. Maybe try it, but you aren't missing out if you don't. If you want to pay a huge amount of money for hardly any food that is mediocre, then this is the place.
(2)Jason K.
My buddy and I scooped in here for happy hour. You have to love $3 Dos Equis We were here just for beers, but the food looked really good. The happy hour guac looked a little cheesy compared to the fresh made guac. If I see a non man made guac coming from the kitchen, I will bring my rating down to 1 if I see non man made guac. I want fresh. Our waitress was cute and fun. Overall, a good time.
(5)Stefan R.
"Neighborhood kitchen"? This place was so hipster, even the name was ironic. I had the Cuban Sammy with horseradish. Food was good, atmosphere comfortable, nice waitress, kinda pricey but it is on France avenue...
(4)Kay E.
Why does anyone like this place? The food is over priced and not good. I hate getting little expensive bites of things. It just seems like a way to charge too much. No thanks.
(1)Leah G.
Breakfast at Barrio. Say What?!?!?!? The rumors are true, Cocina Del Barrio now serves breakfast, and it is goood (yes, triple O good.) It's so nice to find a place in Edina that serves booze during breakfast. I had the mimosa with spanish cava and it was so delightful I decided to order two. Onto the food. My man ordered the Chorizo and Potato hash with sunnyside up eggs on top. The spice level was perfect with its mix of poblanos and chorizo. I ordered the Eggs Benedict with spicy chipotle hollaindaise. The hollaindaise was so rich and decadent that i found myself scraping the excess sauce with my potatoes so I wouldn't waste a bit of it. Barrio is a must if you want some spice added to your brunch, just make sure to bring enough money, it's a lot spendier than your average breakfast spot.
(4)Alexa C.
This Barrio is supposed to have the more extended food options, but I think the downtown location has better food options. It's a very seafood heavy menu, and they have the usual tapas offering. The drinks were the usual barrio price (a bit more than I'd like to pay). The Chips and Guacamole were delicious as always, can't beat their chips and guac at any locations. We have had reservations and still had to wait 20 minutes after them. The noise level is out of this world loud most weekend evenings.
(2)Jason G.
I need to stop going here with the expectation that things will get better. Barrio is a good place for a drink, nice energy, a fair selection of beer, not bad at all. But we keep eating there every few months, hoping that the atmosphere will carry over into the food. No suck luck. It's almost as if the food gets worse with time. It is simply over thought. The skill and consistency in preparation isn't there to carry complex dishes through to a pleasant finish. They need to step back and focus on the individual components of each dish, ensuring quality of taste before looking at what appears on paper to be a good plate of food.
(2)Stefan H.
Bad food, EXPENSIVE, hurried, crabby waitress, lighting like in a gas station, no love. Will not go back even though we live 5 blocks away
(1)Katherine B.
People in Edina seem to like to take their babies out to eat. Barrio doesn't seem like a particularly baby friendly place, but little babies don't really care where they are, so why not? Still, the number of babies on a Friday night at 7 pm was jarring. Also, lots of expensive clothing. Very Edina. If you look at the menu online and think it sounds good, then you'll like it. I like the food. I like the drinks. If the menu seems like not your style, well it probably isn't. This is not the case at every restaurant. When I've been here with a reservation, the service is awesome! Awesome like oops we brought you an extra free tamale! Your drink arrives in minutes! You can sit at a big awesome table in the back! No reservation? Shouldn't be a problem. But the 10 minute waited I was quoted was over 30. Maybe it was bc the hosts could tell my clothing was cheap. And I didn't bring a baby.
(4)Keshar N.
Meh! That's really all I can sum up for this place. Meh. We arrived here for dinner (not by my choosing - I checked Yelp, and was a little concerned) on Friday night around 7:30. And I know that it is Friday, and everyone is busy, but when we make reservations a week in advance and we still have to wait an hour I can't help but get a little annoyed. The place was SWAMPED, so I was pretty excited about the food, as a busy restaurant usually means really good food. After our table FINALLY left, we were able to sit down and order some drinks. The service was fast and attentive and our server had some great food suggestions. I ordered the shrimp tamal and Bob got the mahi mahi, pork and steak tacos. The food is tapas style, so the plates are pretty small. Our table started with the queso fundino and guacamole. The guacamole was pretty good! I usually find that guacamole is really bland, but this was spicy and tasty! The chips were also really good and seasoned well. The queso was ok, nothing special. Plus, with the prices, I would definitely pass on that as a starter. The shrimp tamal was also ok. Nothing great. A little heavy on the garnish and the flavor was a little off, like the plate was missing something. Bob really enjoyed the mahi-mahi taco but the pork and steak tacos, were ok. Overall, the entire meal was OK. Nothing good, but not too bad either. The reason for the 2 stars instead of 3 was the prices. I think this place is really overpriced. For the amount that we paid here, we could have easily had an amazing 3 course meal at Bar La Grassa or Corner Table. Sorry Minneapolis, when it comes to Mexican, we have to do better than this.
(2)Steve M.
We ordered 2 shots of Corzo tequila at the waiters recommendation. They came out, were completely clear, and had no odor. After doing the hots, it was very apparent it was tap water. The waiter check with the bartender, and they agreed it was not Tequila. They opened a new bottle, and poured the shots. These shots had the scent of tequlia, and a very smooth flavor. No apology from the staff, no offer to comp our replaced 'water' shots. What a horrible way to run a business. I wish I had complained to management, but instead I write this review and will never return.
(1)Michael N.
Stopped in on opening night for some apps and margaritas. Ordered the red snapper ceviche, carnitas and steak tacos. The place was pretty crowded as expected. It has a different feel than the Minneapolis and St. Paul location but seems pretty fitting for the Edina crowd. Food quality was on par with the rest of the Barrios, I just think it's a little spendy to make it one of my regular places. They did a good job of designing the space and it's a welcome addition to the area.
(3)Kiki B.
knowing how busy this place has been, i bothered making reservations for my friend and I, even though we were arriving at 5pm on a Thursday. the restaurant was empty, so maybe our waitress was bored. but we were gabbing as girls do, hadn't looked at the long and hard to read menu/drinks list yet. i gave the normal, "i think we need a minute" that you give when you're not ready. um, when i say that i don't think i literally meant count to 60 and come back. she did this several times before we were finally ready to order something, seriously conveying the "hurry up and order" feeling. so we ordered drinks (not necessarily what i wanted but i was in such a rush, geez!). still, the restaurant was empty. our drinks arrive. again, she asks what else we want to order. hello, we're still talking. "we need a minute" (maybe i should have learned my lesson and said that we need five minutes, since she's clearly timing us). so we order the guacamole, it's great (tiny), and hopefully buys us some time. no, she hovers. the restaurant is still empty. we eventually order a few more things (our food arriving at completely different times as other reviewers have mentioned) but all the while her checking in every two (or 60) seconds. not being friendly, certainly not hiding the emotion of "well this table isn't ordering $200 worth of food tonight so definitely isn't worth my time". anyway, we weren't worth her time. barrio isn't really worth mine. there are so many great restaurants to eat at in this neighborhood, i won't be back.
(2)Steve S.
This review has nothing to do with the food and everything to do with the service at the bar. I swung in to Cocina del Barrio yesterday evening (9-ish) for a quick beer and possibly dinner. I sat at the bar and immediately felt that I was an inconvenience to the bartenders. Rather than a "How's Your Night?" I got a "Do You Need Something?" I ordered a pint and asked for a food menu. The bartender returned 5 minutes later (which is a fine amount of time) and said "Alright, what do you want?" Being that it was my first time at this exact Barrio, I asked him what he liked. He pointed out two suggestions which seemed completely random. I then asked him what he didn't like (which I think is just as important). This question seemed to stump him and he got flustered...enough so that he glared at me and shook his head in disgust. At this point, I was fed up with the 'service' and said that I was just going to have my beer and take off. The bartender just tossed the check in front of me saying curtly "sorry I couldn't answer your question" and walked away. Several minutes later, I just asked him to run it on my card they had requested to start a tab. They said they gave it back to me, that they ALWAYS give it back to the guests. I knew otherwise. They looked for my card and found it by the register. Now I know some restaurants will keep your card until you close out, but for a bartender to completely blank on giving it back when that is their policy is completely unacceptable. The bartender ran the card and again tossed it and the check at me, simply saying "bye." Now I'm not one to complain, and this is the first review I've ever written of a restaurant. I'm sure there are plenty of friendly servers at this particular Barrio, and I'm sure the food is up to par with the other locations. I was so bummed out by how I was treated at the bar, though, that I probably won't return for quite some time. And for reference, the music at Cocina del Barrio was loud at this time of the evening, and the bar area was fairly full with attractive 20-somethings. It seemed a little tamer than the DT location, but not as relaxed as its neighboring restaurants in the 50th & France area. This is neither a good thing nor a bad thing, just a point to call out in case a louder 'party' atmosphere isn't your scene.
(1)P X.
Met a few friends at Cocina del Barrio on a Thursday night and was shocked by how busy the place was at around 7pm. I was however super pumped that my friends had scored a table (which I found out via text) and went in search for my gals....this search was rudely ended by a very aggressive hostess who virtually demanded to know what or whom I was looking for in the restaurant by yelling at me in the crowd. Luckily, I found my friends in the back and settled into a cozy booth. About 20 minutes later a waiter came to the table to take drink orders. We also ordered food at the time and waited.....and waited....enter drinks (very good and strong. I recommend the blood orange margarita).....wait 10 more minutes....enter yummy guacamole.....and then probably the most random thing of the night: the waiter brought out each individual tapas separately by person (even if two people ordered the same thing). So, first one friend got one small plate, we waited 5 minutes and watched her eat, then she got her second plate, we waited 5 more minutes and watched her eat, then the second girl got her first plate (which was the same thing as the previous girl's first plate), we waited 5 minutes and watched her eat....you see a pattern?? Then we were totally ignored by the waiter until the bill came (when he made jokes with us). So, needless to say, we were not impressed by the staff or service. The food and drinks were wonderful (almost 5 star worthy), but it is hard to look past service that includes being ignored and watching your friends eat for nearly a half hour while you wait for a taco. I am just not overly eager to return.
(2)Terry C.
Barrio has officially turned the corner and is heading in the wrong direction. The last three times I have been there it has been almost empty, with so-so service and food. Why is this? Your downtown location is always consistently good with great service. Why can't you get the same here? We went last Saturday night for a drink after eating somewhere else. We arrived around 10:30 and there were four people there and a staff that clearly did not want to be there. We walked into some heavy metal blaring which made absolutely no sense based on the place and was likely set on volumes that would work if they were packed. Service was brutal - the one bartender kept leaving to attend to other duties. The place had a bad bar rag smell and overall missed the mark again. I so want this place to get it. Edina needs a place like Barrio should be.
(3)Mj L.
I love this place. Food is good and location is better.
(5)Chrissy B.
After 3 times going here, I can definitely say that we will not be back. The food is atrocious. The first time we went, I had the chile relleno small plate as I wasn't very hungry. It was so disgusting I couldn't even eat past 2 bites. The bf said his chorizo sandwich was pretty good. The second time we went, I had the lunch special which was spring chicken tacos served with chips, salsa and guac. The only thing edible that time were the chips and guac. How can a Mexican restraunt have such terrilble salsa? They have three kinds of salsa and not a single one of them is decent. Sad. The tacos were an abomination. Dry, flavorless..... you would think that the waiter would notice that I only took one bite out of three tacos, but he didn't care. Then tonight.... the rib eye. While the actual piece of meat was cooked nicely, there was this atrocious sauce mess on it that literally tasted like hot dogs. How can a sauce taste like hot dogs? I have no clue. I don't think that they were back there pureeing hot dogs, but that is exactly what it tasted like. I will never go back and am waiting for whatever 5036 France ave becomes next as food this bad can't stick around for long.
(1)Bill D.
We stopped in on day 2 for dinner. Bottom line is great place for drinks and chips. Taco was really small. I would give Chipotle a much higher rating for their food. One person in our party liked their soup. Margarita was served without salt and we sent it back for repair. On balance, fun spot. By the way. the Tim P. was there with family which was fun to see. Merry Christmas!
(3)Jovan M.
First off, when you come in, the open design is spacious, yet warm and inviting. We came in early on a Saturday night, sat at the bar, and watched Barrio fill up with with a mix of ages and styles. The restaurant filled up, but was never loud, and our conversation never got above regular volume. They have a great selection of beer, for a Mexican style restaurant, and a fair selection of bottled wine. The Trinity Margarita was awesome, even for a casual margarita drinker. We tried the grilled flatbread, snapper ceviche, and the mahi tacos. The flatbread was flavorful, aromatic, and a good sized portion. Even with the chorizo, it was not oily. The ceviche was a good balance of fish, citrus, and spices. The mahi was battered and fried, however it was not greasy or heavy. (A grilled option would be nice) The sauce was a great compliment. Considering the quality, flavor, and portions of the food and drinks, as well the location, the pricing was very good.
(4)Adrian J.
This place is one of the worst "Mexican" restaurants I have ever been in my life, I do not know what kind of food they serve, because is not Mexican for my taste, as a Mexican American I can tell the difference. Price wise is too expensive, save your money and time, go somewhere else.
(1)Mark A.
Noisy place! Even if it's not busy its tough to have a conversation. Great tequila selection. The chips and gac is the best thing to order. The fish tacos are also very good.
(3)Yohann T.
we read reviews and checked out the menu before coming here. my wife and i love mexican food and decided to give it a try since we were in the neighborhood. we got there a little after noon on a saturday. it was only us and another table. i ordered the wood grilled chicken plate. the waiter had suggested habanero sauce on the side so that's what i did and i'd have to say it was spicy!! my wife got the pork carnitas taco and the red chile enchilada. my dish was good. the chicken was moist and juicy and it tied in really well with the rice and cabbage. my wife loved her dish. it was a different take, especially the enchilada give there was an egg on top with slices of radishes. it was definitely something new. we would love to come back and try their made to order guac, their margarita and their dinner menu. it was definitely different given it was more of an a la carte/tapas place but still very good. i recommend coming here. we will definitely be coming back.
(5)Megan E.
This is one of the best options in the 50th and France area. I really like the different varieties of fish tacos and the vegetarian options. The service is great and the space is nice and fun to be in.
(4)Peter C.
Well it has been awhile since I have posted on Yelp (not that I've stopped eating at as many locations as possible), but I had to try the new "Mexican" restaurant at 50th and France to see if my search for good Mexican food in Minneapolis (and my neighborhood) had finally been solved... In a a word, "NO." Barrio suffers from a multitude of problems. Aside from the crappy service (the wait staff sucked, which is inexcusable compared to other recent opening such as Mozza Mia, Raku and Lola's), and the food just simply isn't that good. It's like a glorified Chevy's or an awful rendition of Pink Taco in Los Angeles, without the portions and a higher price. In fact, I would say the recently departed Tejas (which was also mediocre at best) was about the same. The place has a great decor, a hopping bar, and some great ideas for little dishes. When I mean little, I mean for $5 gets you 1 small taco (I could argue that Zantigo's makes a better one). The tamales were sub-par, the drinks were decent but pricey, and the enchiladas were it's only saving grace (well the guac was OK but its pretty hard to totally F-up guac). I'm pretty used to spending some $ in this part of town, but at least at the surrounding places I get the grub and service to semi justify its existence. If you want a comparison I would say Rojas at West End (St. Louis Park) is far superior. All-in-all, not a great addition to the area in comparison with other recent openings.
(1)Cait B.
I have been here twice in the past week and have had two different experiences. The first time was on a friday night and we had an amazing time. We sat at the dimly lit bar area that had views of oversized bull heads and candelabras with white wax dropping carelessly above the hostess. The drinks are made well and the service was great-during the first visit. The second visit was so crowded that we had to order our drinks at the bar after waiting 20 minutes. I'd play it by ear and if it looks full but not overflowing, then go in and have a drink. If not, then keep walking down France. Food-the tamales are amazing. I miss the ones in downtown LA that are a $1...but beggars can't be choosers. Make sure you order the guacamole! The chips are spiced and pair perfectly with a nice cocktail. Great for a date, small party, and a night out with the girls. You can wear jeans-but dress them up :)
(4)Alejandro C.
Great food, music, ambient and service... Great fan of Cocina de Barrio
(4)Joe M.
I dont understand why the bad ratings? The lunch special (pork carnitas) was very good. i like the old fashion green coke bottles made with real sugar imported from mexico. 2 of my co-workers also got the lunch special and were pleased. My other co-worker got the soft shell crab and was not happy with it. He stated it was too salty and too fishy smelling. We all had churros for dessert and it was ok. It could of used more cinnamon.
(3)Amanda B.
I love their guacamole/chips so much that I order it every time, even though they give me a stomach ache (rich!), every time! So worth it. :) Great margaritas too.
(4)India C.
NOT IMPRESSED...the guacamole is mediocre at best...needed either some salt or acid nor was I impressed by the chips. Asked the waiter what a 'torta' was and if the pork torts was like a pulled pork sandwich. After somewhat fumbling with the answer, he said that it was basically a sandwich and yes the pork was pulled. So, I was surprised (not pleasantly) that it was basically a fried pork sandwich patty with watery vegetables. The salad with it was good, though maybe a little salty. The potato sopes were not good, though our waiter recommended them. My friend had the mahi mahi taco (it was also fried) and was NOT impressed. This was for lunch and I didn't have any alcohol so I can't speak to the drinks...but that may be the only thing I'd ever go back to try...
(2)Whit F.
I'd go back for drinks and the habanero salsa. The guac at Chipotle is better and more generous for the price. Went here for a drink and a snack. The host was rude with that 'I'm too cool attitude' which set a bad tone. The service at the bar was top notch along with the drinks. Had chips and guacamole and a few other appetizers. The rest of the menu didn't really appeal to me.
(2)Steven B.
I recently had lunch here and was both impressed and disappointed by it. The chips and salsa were excellent. The chips were the best I've had in the Twin Cities and left me wanting more (and wondering if they weren't sprinkled with crack). The tomatillo salsa was the best of the three provided, but all were great. If you go, you have to get the chips and salsa. The entrees were a mixed bag. The mahi mahi taco was pretty good, but nothing to write home about. The shrimp taco was awful. It tasted like liquid smoke had been poured all over the shrimp at the end of the cooking process, and the shrimp itself was rubbery. In my mind, I have a concept of what ass tastes like. This shrimp taco came very close to that concept. The chicken enchilada was the best of the entrees I had. Perfectly cooked, good but not overpowering flavors. I'd order it again. The service was just so-so, and I found myself surprisingly forgiving of its mediocrity since it was provided by the cutest waitress I've had anywhere in the world in recent memory. That v-neck t-shirt with a hint of cleavage definitely helped what was mostly an otherwise forgettable meal.
(2)Steven K.
After a very much anticipated wait, we finally made reservations at Cocina del Barrio. We've been to Barrio in downtown Minneapolis and loved it. All the hype for Cocina del Barrio was promising. But the reality of our experience there came down to this - the results are so mixed that i couldn't really rate it higher than 3 stars. Now, if I were rating on food alone, no-brainer: 4 stars. There were four of us, and we ordered quite a variety of items. Everything was very good. I think the highlights were the ceviche, the fish tacos, and the lobster empanada. So here are the complaints. No. 1 - They've got to get a handle on their reservation system. My wife and I arrived right on time. But our dinner companions were a few minutes late. We ended up waiting about a half hour longer after they arrived. So in total, we didn't get seated until 30-45 minutes after our reservation time. Based on some of the other Yelp reviews, that seems to be a real problem. No. 2 - When we did get seated, it was at a high-top table in the bar. So the bar scene at Barrio is getting a lot of buzz. But man, is it loud. We would have preferred a table in the dining room. No. 3 - Service. Not really bad. But not so great either. As I noted above, we stuck with small plates for our meal. But one person in our group inquired about one of the entrees. "Oh," our server advised. "It will take at least a half hour for that to come out of the kitchen." So what's the problem? Do the servers really want to discourage customers from ordering something that looks good on the menu? Or is the kitchen so disorganized that they can't put up a meal in a reasonable amount of time? One more gripe about the service - our server forgot one of the items that we ordered. We were about finished when we asked about it. "Oh," he said. "I forgot." There are so many good standby restaurants at 50th & France, I'm not sure if I'll make an effort to return to Barrio. Actually, if I feel the urge for their delicious Mexican small plates, I'll probably go downtown again. Too bad.
(3)Matt W.
I went here with a friend for happy hour the other day to catch up as we hadn't seen each other in a while. The atmosphere has a very after work type feel and I loved the decorations on the inside, making it feel modern and not to gimicky. The maragaritas are fantastic but holy cow you better only have one if you're planning on driving, definitely worth it though if you ask me. Once it starts to roll around six it becomes a pretty hip place to hang out and unwind from a day of work, so we ended up leaving then as having a nice conversation proved tough in a loud hopping place like that. However the bartender was super nice to us and offered us a lot of help in deciding on our drinks and appetizers, super attentive too and not in an overbearing way as well which I found professional and friendly. I highly reccommend this place if you're in the Edina area, and if you love mexican food it's really the place to be. The crowd isn't super young, so if you're looking for a more 20 something place to be you may want to check out uptown or other minneapolis joints.
(4)T K.
Another restaurant ruined by the noise level. My partner and I went on a recent weekday evening, and it was only half full but after a few futile attempts at a conversation we ate our food quickly, paid our bill as quickly as the waitress could run our card, and emerged from the restaurant with a huge sigh of relief that the aural assault was finally over. Sorry ladies and gentlemen, never again.
(1)Marisa V.
I've been spilt on by a waiter and had better service. Don't go here. The food was OK. Nothing amazing. The table side guacamole was not put together table side, and was fairly small. I had the Mahi Mahi Taco and Chicken Enchilada, which were both fine. Now on to the worst part - the service. Our waiter greeted us by asking what time it was, and when we replied 8:10, he said that they close in 50 minutes. Fine, except that he constantly reminded us of their close time by saying things like "you don't want anything else, right, because we close soon." It was clear he wanted to leave. The cherry on top was when our waiter gave us the wrong bill - a $20 check for what should have been $80. When we told him he gave us the wrong bill, he said "OK" (no apology), came back with the correct bill and said "you should have stuck with the other bill, it was cheaper." If you are a manager reading this, please have Travis take another customer service training course. And please correct your hours so it reflects that you close at 9PM, not 10PM. People were trying to get into the restaurant to meet their friends after 9, but couldn't because the doors were locked.
(1)Jen W.
Went for happy hour and it was okay. The space is missing the cool factor that the downtown one has. It tries and it comes close, but not quite. And this locale doesn't serve The Good The Bad and The Ugly which is on the cocktail list downtown (and my fave). However, The Miguel was pretty tasty. The guacamole was good, the jicama salad was not. I guess I prefer it over Salut next door, but not over Barrio downtown.
(3)Nicole P.
First attempt we called for reservations on a Friday night and they were booked until 10pm. So we came back the next day for lunch instead. The place was quiet for lunch hour. The decor is very cool, reminds me of the Hell's Kitchen downtown. Lots of red and black. Wait staff were average, cordial. We ordered a few things to split and share: - Guacamole: good but not great. No spice but it was fresh. Chips are Homemade! and tasty. The salsa is bland, very little spice. - 1 Pork Carnitas Taco: Pork was beyond great, but then they screwed it up with this weird green sauce (maybe tomatillo) The sauce killed all the flavor the pork had. The only way i know the pork was so great is that i dug some out from under the sauce to try it alone. - 1 Fish Taco: Lack luster, fresh, good but nothing great - Shredded beef torta: Excellent grill flavor, had some cheese and black bean spread on it that wasnt necessary, the meat had a nice flavor and the bread was grilled and crunchy. Our lunch with drinks was $40ish I'm excited to go back, the food was clean and authentic. Not loaded with sauce and cheese. The bar was nice and they had a great selection of beers and high end liquor. If you want to save some cash and be seated right away go for lunch, otherwise you'll need a reservation or be willing to wait.
(3)Stefan R.
"Neighborhood kitchen"? This place was so hipster, even the name was ironic. I had the Cuban Sammy with horseradish. Food was good, atmosphere comfortable, nice waitress, kinda pricey but it is on France avenue...
(4)Kay E.
Why does anyone like this place? The food is over priced and not good. I hate getting little expensive bites of things. It just seems like a way to charge too much. No thanks.
(1)Leah G.
Breakfast at Barrio. Say What?!?!?!? The rumors are true, Cocina Del Barrio now serves breakfast, and it is goood (yes, triple O good.) It's so nice to find a place in Edina that serves booze during breakfast. I had the mimosa with spanish cava and it was so delightful I decided to order two. Onto the food. My man ordered the Chorizo and Potato hash with sunnyside up eggs on top. The spice level was perfect with its mix of poblanos and chorizo. I ordered the Eggs Benedict with spicy chipotle hollaindaise. The hollaindaise was so rich and decadent that i found myself scraping the excess sauce with my potatoes so I wouldn't waste a bit of it. Barrio is a must if you want some spice added to your brunch, just make sure to bring enough money, it's a lot spendier than your average breakfast spot.
(4)Alexa C.
This Barrio is supposed to have the more extended food options, but I think the downtown location has better food options. It's a very seafood heavy menu, and they have the usual tapas offering. The drinks were the usual barrio price (a bit more than I'd like to pay). The Chips and Guacamole were delicious as always, can't beat their chips and guac at any locations. We have had reservations and still had to wait 20 minutes after them. The noise level is out of this world loud most weekend evenings.
(2)Jason G.
I need to stop going here with the expectation that things will get better. Barrio is a good place for a drink, nice energy, a fair selection of beer, not bad at all. But we keep eating there every few months, hoping that the atmosphere will carry over into the food. No suck luck. It's almost as if the food gets worse with time. It is simply over thought. The skill and consistency in preparation isn't there to carry complex dishes through to a pleasant finish. They need to step back and focus on the individual components of each dish, ensuring quality of taste before looking at what appears on paper to be a good plate of food.
(2)Stefan H.
Bad food, EXPENSIVE, hurried, crabby waitress, lighting like in a gas station, no love. Will not go back even though we live 5 blocks away
(1)Brooklynn C.
I am so disappointed by the attitude of the bartenders the last three times I have been to this location. The first two didn't convince me enough to write a review, but after THREE TIMES of going and being snubbed by a bartender, I am now compelled to write this review. The bar area is not that big, and any of the times I have gone, there have not been more than 5-10 people at once. This last time, before even sitting down, the bartender said, "I'm going to need to see some ID's." I hadn't even sat down!! Let alone tried to order a drink?!?! I handed over my ID and without making eye contact the bartender made some snide remark about sting operations and underage drinking. I ordered a glass of lemonade and a water, my dinner companion ordered a water. She made us feel like if we did not present our ID's to her we were not allowed to sit at the bar. She was incredibly rude. Once we ordered our drinks, she brought a lemonade to my companion and just a water to me. I tried to correct her order and ask for another water, but I wasn't given the opportunity as she didn't ask if there was anything else we needed, did not ask if we were interested in food. I turned around and asked the hostess for a seat on the patio outside (which is small, but quaint.) She said it would be a few minutes but she would let us know. We waited at the bar for about 15 minutes, which wasn't a problem, but in that entire time we were not approached by the bartender for refills, or ANYTHING, for that matter. Once we were told we had a table outside, the hostess asked us to please pay for our bar tab. I went outside to sit and wait for my date to pay for our drinks. It took him TEN MINUTES to get the bartender's attention. He stood up, pulled his card out, I left, all the obvious signs you can make to signal you are finished. In all, the bartender appeared to be a self-righteous, arrogant bartender with a rude demeanor towards customers....and this was not the first experience I had like this. The wait staff, on the other hand, was phenomenal and I really enjoyed the food. If only the grouchy bartenders hadn't put such a sour taste in my mouth I might have actually enjoyed my eating experience.
(1)Leah B.
We went back! They've updated the menus, they now take up much less room, drinks and food are condensed to one double sided menu . They've also added seasonal monthly specials and added a new salmon tostada that is scrumptious and added many more options to the happy hour menu. Love this place, but I'm a huge fan of latin/mexican done right :)
(5)Jim R.
Tasty small plates and tacos are features at this Mexican outlet. On our most recent visit the food and drinks were up to their usual tasty standards. We started with the extra crispy chips (a great deal at only $3) and the crab empanadas which come 2 to an order. Later I had two of the "gringo" tacos-crispy shell with seasoned beef, onions, cheese and hot sauce (yum!) while my wife had the salmon special. Of course no meal is complete with one (or two) of their signature margarita. Bottom line good tasty food and drinks
(4)Tim E.
I took ~20 people from work for dinner. They hail from all over the country including Seattle, San Francisco, Dallas, St Louis, Denver, Omaha, etc. Everyone was impressed and stuffed when we were done. The service was fast and attentive. The food was fantastic! we sat in the main restaurant but were able to talk easily. A great experience. One of my favorite places!
(5)Brittanie M.
This is more like a tapas bar or gastropub than I was expecting and that's not really my thing. Most of the food you order a la carte - they bring it out on single plates without sides. I tried the gringo taco and the verde enchilada as well as an order of chips and salsa trio. The taco came out first (and before any of our other food, which was weird and not desirable) and was served with a lime (which, why? it's a beef taco with cheese, it doesn't need lime). It was really good and not too spicy for my sensitive tongue which I appreciated (though it's called a gringo taco for a reason). Next came my enchilada which was pretty tiny but remarkably flavourful with three different sauces (a pablano red sauce, a sour crème sauce, and the salsa verde). I was pleasantly surprised. The chips were really thick and salty, though - they tasted a lot like bagged pita chips - but once I scrapped the salt off, they were really good. The salsas were kind of boring, even for someone who isn't into spice. I would have loved a small side of the pablano sauce that came on my enchilada for my chips over any of the salsas. They also had an extensive tequila menu if you're into that and was the second place I've seen the "michelada" drink after never having heard of them until this past month. I went with a Mexican bottled soda instead. I ended with the churro which was three pretty large churros with a (or what I assume was) chocolate cinnamon sauce. I'm not sure how you mess up the churro - it's fried dough covered in cinnamon sugar. However, these tasted like oil and had barely any sugar or cinnamon on them, and the sauce added nothing but a weird cocoa flavour. It was also more than either my taco or enchilada, though it was bigger. I guess I expected more from that because I've had better churros for $1 at a county fair that had been sitting under a heat lamp for who knows how long. Overall, while the flavours were good and the service was friendly, the prices were more than I'm normally willing to pay for the quantity - especially with Mexican-style cuisine where I'm used to getting a lot for a little. It seems like a place that is trying hard to be a trendy and hip in an upperclass area, and that is definitely not my vibe.
(2)Cullen H.
I visited Cocina Del Barrio for brunch this Sunday, and I must say that I was rather disappointed, especially after my wife had great things to say about the downtown location. My experience echoes those of some of the other reviews here... the food is really nothing special and perhaps overpriced. My Huevos Rancheros were downright bland and the portion size was relatively small. My wife only ate about half of her potato-chorizo hash because it was bland and served lukewarm (I sampled and have to agree with her). The waitress seemed programmed to say everything on the menu was excellent. Unfortunately, it is just not very good.
(2)Jon D.
Best chips ever!! Excellent Mahi Mahi tacos. Great Service
(4)Suzanne P.
The version of this Barrio restaurant is the epitome of all looks no substance to me. The space here is GORGEOUS! So gothic and beautifully decorated with stained glass, heavy on the red and black finishings and metal embellishments. It has the traditional candelabra with wax dripping down everywhere that I've seen at each Barrio around town. (This time it's higher up on the wall near the door). The back of the bar is beautiful tile, warm reds and oranges and there are candles everywhere making it very romantic and ambient. The art on the wall in interesting to look at and there's the really neat metal bull head on the wall separating the two rooms. It's not my decorating style AT ALL, and yet - I am blown away at how beautiful it is in here. The food and drinks had good, thoughtful presentation making an artful feast for your eyes. I especially appreciated the perfectly cut radishes, the slivers of jalapeno strewn about, the strawberry slices in my drink and on my glass making the bar garnish more of a focus than an afterthought. AND YET - 2 stars?! YES. The food tasted... well, not quite like anything, really. The guacamole - bland as ALL GET OUT. The chips - greasy and tasting only of oil. The spicy chick tamale - no spice! The black bean and chicken tostada - more like a bland salad. The sangria - well, that tasted like wine. But sangria is supposed to taste like SANGRIA, not exclusively red wine. It's too bad that the taste (or SEVERE lack there of) didn't match up to the ambiance.
(2)Abbie F.
This place is bad. The food is overpriced and doesn't taste good. The only thing getting it two stars is the host was super friendly and our waitress was nice. Other than that the guac tastes like it is out of a squeezable pouch and the enchiladas were tough. I've tried the one downtown before too and that one is just as bad. Barrio is bad!
(2)Dave F.
We stopped here for Happy Hour due to heavy traffic. The Happy Hour experience was good, and we ended up staying for a dinner of small plates. The food was very good and service was great. We tried many different dishes and some of my favorites are the ceviche, pork carnitas tacos on the happy hour menu and the tamale's were very good. Their guacamole isn't up to California standards and comes with a tiny amount of chips. Salsas are bland and I'm spoiled on better Cal Mex food. Service, eating in their bar, is excellent.
(3)Sarah A.
It was delicious. We came for happy hour and ordered the chips and guac. I'm not sure if extra chips are free but we had some guac left and wished we had more chips for it. The tacos were small but expected. They were very tasty. I didn't leave full, but very satisfied.
(4)The Mighty C.
Had reservations for two and ordered fresh guac and some tapas type dishes. The chips with the guac were scant, cold, greasy and rubbery. I asked for more chips and the second serving was somewhat better but still greasy. Tacos were good but by the time I ate my enchilada it was cold. Service was mediocre--had to ask 3x for more water. We eat ALOT of Mexican food but this was sub standard. I heard their other location downtown is much better. The other reviewer was right--all looks, no substance at this location.
(2)Jenni B.
Barrio's food is served tapas style with lots of small plates that come out sporadically as they are prepared so you can dabble in a variety of distinct flavors. Everything I've had has been good, maybe a little pricey given the size of their small dishes, but really not bad compared to most places in Edina. Last night our server was very helpful in helping my boyfriend pick out a tequila to try with his dinner. He was super knowledgeable about all the options and even offered cinnamon on orange as a side to contrast the flavor and get the most out of his selection. Pretty cool, you definitely can't get that kind of expertise just anywhere. We started off with queso fundido with chorizo. I usually find chorizo to be oily and the flavor overpowering, but in this app it was smokey and wasn't running at all, it was very good. My boyfriend then had the chicken tortilla soup which was pretty darn big, I bet that would be the only small plate needed to fill me up. I had the salmon tostada which was good. It came with soft avocado and a super spicy arbor salsa. I loved that salsa. My boyfriend had room for one more and went with the habanero chicken small plate, which I got to try and didn't have quite as much heat as my salsa. I like it here. It's good food for Edina prices but they do Mexican food well.
(3)Maddy D.
We got the gringo, carnitas, chicken enchilada, and mahi mahi tacos. They were good but pricy! $5/taco. The gringo and enchilada were just ok. Great guac and salsa. Cilantro rice and corn was great!
(3)Julia H.
What a fun meal! We went to Barrio based on recommendations from locals and could not have been happier. We were a little nervous because despite what we had heard some of the Yelp reviews were not great. We sat in one of the big comfy booths in the bar and started with tasty margaritas and their homemade guacamole. Everything on the menu looks great and it was impossible to make dinner decisions! We needed up ordering about 7 items for the table. Didn't write them down but loved them all!
(5)Monica R.
Yeah, this place is not bad - I've been here a couple of times for dinner and it's..fine. the food is decent and the prices are ok. Tonight we had a chicken soup, lobster empanadas, squash fritters and churros. There wasn't anything outstanding about the food, but there was nothing inedible either. I realized too late that the wonderful churros that I had in my mind were actually the churros from Masa (not Barrio...sigh). One bonus star because our service was pretty good - they even made our churros after the kitchen had already tossed the chocolate sauce for the night (and so they made our sauce to order.)
(3)Jacob W.
I've eaten here a few times - all for dinner and all on the early side (6-7 PM). I recommend this place for a few reasons: 1) It is big so seating usually isn't an issue. 2) Service has been very fast. 3) By and large, the food is great. I can never have too many mahi mahi tacos. 4) I don't go for the Tequila so I really appreciate the Fulton and Surley on tap. Of all the restaurants lining the 50th and France drag, I find Barrio to be the least hassle and therefore the perfect weekday treat.
(4)Alysha R.
Disapointed! My fiance and I decided to host my birthday party here last night. I was concerned at first because initially we had made reservations a few days beforehand for 8, then before I knew it I needed 15. I called Cocina the morning of, and spoke to a guy who was super helpful and made some adjustments for my 7 additional last minute guests to be in their only party room- he was great! Me and most of my guests showed up on time, but we had to wait 30 minutes to be seated as the previous party was still packing it out (understandably not there fault). We sat at the bar for our wait and our bartender was bubbly and excited- loved her! We were finally seated and the waitress explained the tapas menu. Our server seemed not really there and not very enthusiastic (wouldn't you perk up for a big party to get good tips??). She also only filled our waters twice in the 1.5+ hours we were there. We ordered appetizers since our guests were starving by this point, guacamole and chips. The guacomole is FANTASTIC, but over priced for an appetizer considering. We got our meals, each coming out at differnet times as the server had explained. I ordered tacos, which the tortillas flaked and fell into a pile of quarter-sized sheets- so I ended up forking the substance of my tacos and ditching the tortilla. It took a very long time to get our check at the end of everything too. The restaurant its self is gorgeous and very clean. I loved the dimly lit vibe in there. Afterwards as I met my guests for drinks, we all discussed together that the food for them was OKAY and that it could have been BETTER. Bummer, perhaps my expectations were too high?
(2)Blake A.
Great Food, Great Drinks, Good Service. Be warned, however, that the d-bag crowd rolls pretty deep here, as do the gold-diggin' she-folk. Unless you are of one type and are seeking the other, bring your own company and you should be fine.
(4)Dan G.
Overall, we really loved the food, especially the steak tacos. HOWEVER (yes, it needs to be capitalized)... 1.) Our service was absolutely terrible. Food we didn't order arrived more than once. Multiples of the food we did order also arrived, to our perplexion. Finally, the manager just gave us the extras and inquired as to what was missing. The waitress was abrupt to a fault, missing my wife's dinner order by walking away too soon. 2.) The chicken entre came out raw. Not kinda pink, but bloody. Yeah. Eww. The manager brought us a new one and comp'd it, but it wasn't enough. 3.) The bill was wrong. They tried to charge us for the food we didn't order. I can't believe we even left a tip. All that said, I might go back for tacos at lunch, but never again with a group for dinner. This place doesn't have their stuff together.
(1)Bev L.
This is more of a bar than restaurant, with drinks and small plates dominating the menu. There are a few entrees but I didn't see anyone order those. Most people get a couple of the small plates, Mexican tapas, I would call them. I liked the portk carnitas and wild mushroom quesadilla I had, but my companions did not like the shrimp taco much. My husband, who is not a big eater,had to order another round to not go hungry. Also everything seemed warm, not hot, so I would fault the service a bit. All told this is probably why we could walk in at 7 on Saturday night.
(2)S L.
We have been here twice in the past month and have fallen in love. I spent the last four years marinating in San Francisco food snob culture and I can't for the life of me see what there could possibly be to complain about at Barrio, so I don't know what to say about the negative reviews other than... meeeerrrp you're wrong. Let's recap my two experiences' wins, in order of importance to me. * Accommodation for food allergies: A+ I can't have gluten, dairy, onions or garlic - all common ingredients in tapas. Both times I have been here (a busy, busy Friday night with a group and a moderately busy Saturday midday with just the two of us) our server has *double-checked* with the chef and me (and I do mean checked twice) to ensure I could eat the ensuing amazing meal without paying any food allergy penance. I mean, literally (and I say that with *every* understanding of "literally"), that never even happened in San Francisco. #soimpressed * Service: A+ In addition to the aforementioned gracious and incredibly helpful accommodations for food allergies, both times our servers have been happy (so clutch for a positive restaurant experience), funny, have told well-timed, not-too-long snippets of stories, didn't interrupt conversations, checked in at perfect intervals, checked on drink refills and extra tapas orders at incredibly well-times intervals... this felt like a film or something. Like, ahmagah good. * Delicious Food-ness: A+ So good. So, so, so good. Freshly made guacamole (to order!). Fish tacos are out of this world - I am picky with fish tacos, too. Our first time here, we did more of a smorgasbord effect, so I got to try a number of things, all of which were great. I usually go for fresher, lighter (as in taste) things, and my husband goes for spicier, more savory things - we were both very happy. * Drinks: A+ Margaritas are on point. Husband loved his mojito, too. * Décor: A Beautiful. Great ambience. On the darker-lighting, romantic side, so it's great for date night. Rich tones. * Price: A- You get what you pay for. You want to spend less, you get a cheaper experience. It's good here and the prices are fair. * The Takeaway: Go already!
(5)Matthew M.
Amazing service from the bartender. He was attentive, funny and made the best drinks. Food is top notch aa always. Amazing decor. Have to stop here ever ytime I'm in Minneapolis. It doesn't get better.
(5)Poppy W.
I've been to barrio on many occasions. If there were a rehab for taco addictions their mahi mahi would be the one putting me over the edge...however what keeps me coming back besides the mahi mahi taco is the bartender with the man bun. Brad is the best bartender to catch when I'm in, always attentive with a refreshing splash of playful banter. Love the food, the vibe and always bring my friends here to sit at the bar. Don't skip the michelada!
(5)Elisabeth M.
This is my new favorite for yummy Mexican food. Start with the corn chowder. Just do it. The carnitas taco and the quesadilla are also delicious. And OH the tequila. Amazing cocktails to boot! Quiet atmosphere. Perfect for a date or catching up with friends.
(5)Holly M.
Best margaritas in town. The salsa trio, corn chowder and guacamole are a must followed by a few individual tacos.
(5)Jess F.
The location is very hit or miss for some reason. I've been here for brunch, lunch, and dinner, and it's all been a very different experience. Brunch was terrible - food was off, server was tired, place was just kinda subdued all around. Terrible Chirro, shudder! Lunch was good - all around just good. Nothing stood out, so not much to say. Dinner was great! Food was perfect, savory, spicy, and delicious. Drinks were amazing and could have drunk so much more. Service was lively, talkative, and knowledgeable. I've had late night food at the downtown location and have been to the St. Paul location for drinks. The Edina location is all together different, and I'm going to say it has to do with the neighborhood, kids, etc...general demographics of downtown Edina more than time of day.
(3)Josh A.
Well, I gave Cocina del Barrio two chances and each time I left with a bad impression. Take it from me, there are plenty other spots around 50th & France, you'd be better selecting them instead of CDB. About 6 months ago I tried CDB for the first time and was really not pleased with the food or service, but liked their atmosphere and location so decided I would try them again before forming an opinion. I should have gone with my original gut feeling. I stopped in today (12/26/13) and bellied up to the bar. I was in the area and realized they had a Happy Hour, so thought I would give it a stab. The place was pretty slow. There were 2 other parties of 2 sitting at the bar, and a couple people at the high top tables. After about 5 minutes of watching the bartender prep fruit he greeted me and asked what he could get me to drink. I believe his name was Brad, but I would not be able to tell you for sure; because, he never gave me a bill or told me, I just heard a server say his name. After getting my drink I sat for another 25 minutes with no menu, no silverware, and not another word from the bartender. At this point I was annoyed and realized I was not going to be able to get lunch before heading out. I paid for my drink by leaving cash as to what I assumed the price would be and left. The bartender, Brad is a prime example of why ill trained staff is a detriment to establishments. He was busy using his cellphone, cutting fruit, and doing other misc. tasks instead of paying attention to the customers in front of him. I heard the couple next to me voice their distaste in the service and watched the man in the other group roll his eyes at him. I gave this place a second chance and it failed at both attempts. Avoid this place, there are plenty of other options that know how to actually serve customers.
(1)Kristine O.
I ordered a Green Salad and it was inedible. So bitter and salty disgusting. Lucky they took the salad off my bill so I ordered the: mahi mahi taco; Tiny but the only thing I liked Steak taco: Tiny and blah Pork appetizer- Tiny and blah Mushroom enchilada- Tiny I hated the sauce This mexican just didn't fit me. Very over priced for their portions. If you want the best mexican food ever go to El Loro. They are the best and you will eat the best white cheese dip of your life (which comes free) unlike this place that charges you $3 for like 8 chips then $1.50 if you want more.
(1)Chen P.
I echo the other reviewers that the food is not particularly good and certainly doesn't merit the high prices they charge. I get especially annoyed when they charge you for a second dish of chips when the first dish was tiny. They nickle and dime you at every chance. We always leave there wondering how the heck our bill ended up so high. That said--here's the reason for the 3 stars--the gal at the bar makes a spectacular, 5-Yelp-stars margarita. We tend to only go for happy hour when they're $5, and only when we're walking home. Outstanding! One other gripe that's a pet peeve of mine, and seems to be especially rampant around the 50th & France area--their happy hour "specials" are just half size orders of their regular appetizers. The happy hour guacamole isn't even worth ordering--it's half the price but about a third the size, made ahead of time, and they still charge you extra for a paltry few extra chips. So we'll be back for the margaritas but make our own guac at home.
(3)Glen S.
Barrio has maybe the best manager (Brian) in the Twin Cities. Went there with a larger group and he not only came over and greeted us, but gave us a discount simply because it was a bachelor party (the bachelor got a free shot, as well). I have continuously sent people here simply based off the service we received while there.
(5)Jonathan E.
Ive seen mixed reviews for Cocina del Barrio, but I can't say I have many complaints. Overall, I think it's just a great place to have lunch, particularly if you can take advantage of the $10 special. The interior is the first thing that makes the trip to Cocina del Barrio worth visiting. Im not sure if their other locations (Minneapolis & St. Paul) have similar designs, but I was very impressed by the atmosphere created by the lighting and warm colors. They are known for their tequila selections as well, so it's a nice touch to see the open bar from most of the dining area. The food isn't the best Mexican food Ive had in the cities, but it is still quite good. Everything that Ive had there is very fresh and some of the flavor combinations are quite unique. I had never had cumin fried chicken tacos before and I was not disappointed. The house guacamole is outstanding, too. I once had an issue with an overcooked piece of grilled chicken and the chips can often be a bit overly salted... But those are my only minor complaints thus far. I havent sampled the dinner menu yet, but I can vouch for the quality of the lunch menu. I highly recommend the $10 lunch special. Typically, it will include two specialty tacos (changes frequently) and a tray of salsas/guac with chips. Pros: Multiple locations including the Barrio taco truck, fresh ingredients, excellent interior design, $10 lunch special, free parking ramp Cons: Small portion sizes, somewhat limited menu
(4)Ben S.
Excellent Happy Hour. Great prices, great food selection and friendly staff. It's my favorite place in the 50th and France area if you want to meet friends for cocktails and appetizers. I haven't eaten dinner there yet so I can't speak to that menu but the guacamole was fantastic a long with all of their tacos. Our server, Laura, was very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful when making selections and did not steer us wrong. We were even approached by the General Manager Tyler who was also helpful, and grateful that we stopped in. I'll definitely be back there and look forward to the summer atmosphere!
(5)Whitney F.
I definitely had my guard up coming to 50th and France for brunch in general. I adore my hole-in-the wall pancakes and coffee, and for some reason just could not picture barrios delightful chips and guac paired with 50th and france, putting together a great brunch. Yep. Wrong. The space in the Edina location is fantastic! Spacious and thoughtfully decorated, much like the downtown version would look like if you were not sitting on top of the guests at the next table. They have a few big TVS around a beautiful center bar. There are also nice tables next to floor-to-ceiling windows. The coffee was great, big mug (i'm picky about these things) and I also ordered the french toast. Not out of the world good, but I'm a happy lady when it comes to breakfast sweets. There was a dried fruit compote which I was not in love with, but still managed to clean my plate without a problem. My dining companion had the house bloody, filled with enough "stuff" to make it a little snack, and also ordered the mushroom and cheese enchiladas. I wish I was a savory girl after having these - phenomenal. Barrio - consider adding these or a version to your dinner menu! As for food - so-so - there are so many other delicious joints in the neighbor hood for brunch, but for HH/dinner/and a pretty delightfully unexpected atmosphere - I'll be back!
(3)M C.
I have eaten the chicken tacos, the chicken enchiladas and the quesadillas here and they are all delicious. I really like Cocina del Barrio. There is a nice feeling here, whether it's crowded or empty. I wish they were open a little later, and didn't start closing up shop once it slows down for the evening. It makes me feel like I have to slam or wolf down what they just served me. But...I guess it is a restaurant/bar in Edina. All in all, I'm glad it's here!
(4)Josh C.
Saturday night I went to Cocina Del Barrio with my girlfriend and one of her girlfriends. Their website says they close at 1am but they did last call and started locking up around 11pm. Having worked in a restaurant I understand that it may not be worth staying open on a slow night, which it was. However, shortly after last call (around 11:20) I went to go have a cigarette and realized the door was locked. I went to the bartender (Steven) and asked if I would be able to go outside quickly. He very rudely replied "Well, the door is locked so no but I guess if one of your friends over there wants to get up to let you in go ahead." Keep in mind that along with me being a paying customer, I was with my girlfriend and her LADY friend. This is unacceptable. How hard would it have been for him to walk over and open the door when I needed to come back in. And not only did he say no but it was the manner in which he said it. One of the female servers did offer to open the door for me which was much appreciated. I don't think the hospitality field is right for Steven.
(2)Whitney W.
Never heard of the place and the fiance decided we should try somewhere new. A coworker of his suggested checking it out. So we did.. The restaurant is set up weird. The tables are all jammed together and the bar is huge; overly huge which wastes so much space. They sat us at a high small pub table and I felt like we were practically sitting on the people next to us. It was awkward, like a first uncomfortable date. The decor is not the best either- kind of dark and unusual. So the menu was easy enough. The waitress said "can I start you off with some fresh guacamole" We said sure. Come to find out, it was $8 plus every time she brought out extra chips it was $1- which is dumb. Ok, we can live with that. We ordered two tacos a piece. They are tiny. Which is understandable but they were $5 a piece. The food tasted ok. One of the tacos I had didn't have any sort of sauce or salsa. It was just a tortilla with some meat. Oh and a few pieces of raw onion. We ordered churros for dessert because we were still hungry. You actually got a huge plateful. That was the only thing that wowed us. I don't know. All-in-all the price was way too high even for Edina. Almost ridiculous for what you got. Maybe try it, but you aren't missing out if you don't. If you want to pay a huge amount of money for hardly any food that is mediocre, then this is the place.
(2)Jason K.
My buddy and I scooped in here for happy hour. You have to love $3 Dos Equis We were here just for beers, but the food looked really good. The happy hour guac looked a little cheesy compared to the fresh made guac. If I see a non man made guac coming from the kitchen, I will bring my rating down to 1 if I see non man made guac. I want fresh. Our waitress was cute and fun. Overall, a good time.
(5)Micki C.
Stopped in last night for a small bite to eat and few drinks. Our server was great--very informative and her descriptions of the menu items was outstanding. She told us the menu at the Edina location was a bit different and more expansive with a salad/soup and entree section; Barrio uses local, in season, and organic produce whenever possible. I had the blackberry mojito. It was ok but nothing to brag about. The corn chowder was heavenly. A definite must get. We also got the shredded beef torta, it had a great bbq flavor. We also tried the wild mushroom enchilada--a little heavy on the sauce but otherwise good. Really though, the chowder is the way to go.
(3)Clara K.
I love spicy food and this place doesn't mess around. The spicy habanero salsa is delicious and quenched my appetite for heat. I enjoyed the small plates, as it was a great way to taste many different things vs just one big meal. The carnitas taco and chicken tostada made the top of my list. The service was prompt and attentive, seemed knowledgeable and friendly. I'd definitely go back!
(5)Katherine B.
People in Edina seem to like to take their babies out to eat. Barrio doesn't seem like a particularly baby friendly place, but little babies don't really care where they are, so why not? Still, the number of babies on a Friday night at 7 pm was jarring. Also, lots of expensive clothing. Very Edina. If you look at the menu online and think it sounds good, then you'll like it. I like the food. I like the drinks. If the menu seems like not your style, well it probably isn't. This is not the case at every restaurant. When I've been here with a reservation, the service is awesome! Awesome like oops we brought you an extra free tamale! Your drink arrives in minutes! You can sit at a big awesome table in the back! No reservation? Shouldn't be a problem. But the 10 minute waited I was quoted was over 30. Maybe it was bc the hosts could tell my clothing was cheap. And I didn't bring a baby.
(4)Jim R.
Tasty small plates and tacos are features at this Mexican outlet. On our most recent visit the food and drinks were up to their usual tasty standards. We started with the extra crispy chips (a great deal at only $3) and the crab empanadas which come 2 to an order. Later I had two of the "gringo" tacos-crispy shell with seasoned beef, onions, cheese and hot sauce (yum!) while my wife had the salmon special. Of course no meal is complete with one (or two) of their signature margarita. Bottom line good tasty food and drinks
(4)Tim E.
I took ~20 people from work for dinner. They hail from all over the country including Seattle, San Francisco, Dallas, St Louis, Denver, Omaha, etc. Everyone was impressed and stuffed when we were done. The service was fast and attentive. The food was fantastic! we sat in the main restaurant but were able to talk easily. A great experience. One of my favorite places!
(5)Abbie F.
This place is bad. The food is overpriced and doesn't taste good. The only thing getting it two stars is the host was super friendly and our waitress was nice. Other than that the guac tastes like it is out of a squeezable pouch and the enchiladas were tough. I've tried the one downtown before too and that one is just as bad. Barrio is bad!
(2)Dave F.
We stopped here for Happy Hour due to heavy traffic. The Happy Hour experience was good, and we ended up staying for a dinner of small plates. The food was very good and service was great. We tried many different dishes and some of my favorites are the ceviche, pork carnitas tacos on the happy hour menu and the tamale's were very good. Their guacamole isn't up to California standards and comes with a tiny amount of chips. Salsas are bland and I'm spoiled on better Cal Mex food. Service, eating in their bar, is excellent.
(3)Brittanie M.
This is more like a tapas bar or gastropub than I was expecting and that's not really my thing. Most of the food you order a la carte - they bring it out on single plates without sides. I tried the gringo taco and the verde enchilada as well as an order of chips and salsa trio. The taco came out first (and before any of our other food, which was weird and not desirable) and was served with a lime (which, why? it's a beef taco with cheese, it doesn't need lime). It was really good and not too spicy for my sensitive tongue which I appreciated (though it's called a gringo taco for a reason). Next came my enchilada which was pretty tiny but remarkably flavourful with three different sauces (a pablano red sauce, a sour crème sauce, and the salsa verde). I was pleasantly surprised. The chips were really thick and salty, though - they tasted a lot like bagged pita chips - but once I scrapped the salt off, they were really good. The salsas were kind of boring, even for someone who isn't into spice. I would have loved a small side of the pablano sauce that came on my enchilada for my chips over any of the salsas. They also had an extensive tequila menu if you're into that and was the second place I've seen the "michelada" drink after never having heard of them until this past month. I went with a Mexican bottled soda instead. I ended with the churro which was three pretty large churros with a (or what I assume was) chocolate cinnamon sauce. I'm not sure how you mess up the churro - it's fried dough covered in cinnamon sugar. However, these tasted like oil and had barely any sugar or cinnamon on them, and the sauce added nothing but a weird cocoa flavour. It was also more than either my taco or enchilada, though it was bigger. I guess I expected more from that because I've had better churros for $1 at a county fair that had been sitting under a heat lamp for who knows how long. Overall, while the flavours were good and the service was friendly, the prices were more than I'm normally willing to pay for the quantity - especially with Mexican-style cuisine where I'm used to getting a lot for a little. It seems like a place that is trying hard to be a trendy and hip in an upperclass area, and that is definitely not my vibe.
(2)Suzanne P.
The version of this Barrio restaurant is the epitome of all looks no substance to me. The space here is GORGEOUS! So gothic and beautifully decorated with stained glass, heavy on the red and black finishings and metal embellishments. It has the traditional candelabra with wax dripping down everywhere that I've seen at each Barrio around town. (This time it's higher up on the wall near the door). The back of the bar is beautiful tile, warm reds and oranges and there are candles everywhere making it very romantic and ambient. The art on the wall in interesting to look at and there's the really neat metal bull head on the wall separating the two rooms. It's not my decorating style AT ALL, and yet - I am blown away at how beautiful it is in here. The food and drinks had good, thoughtful presentation making an artful feast for your eyes. I especially appreciated the perfectly cut radishes, the slivers of jalapeno strewn about, the strawberry slices in my drink and on my glass making the bar garnish more of a focus than an afterthought. AND YET - 2 stars?! YES. The food tasted... well, not quite like anything, really. The guacamole - bland as ALL GET OUT. The chips - greasy and tasting only of oil. The spicy chick tamale - no spice! The black bean and chicken tostada - more like a bland salad. The sangria - well, that tasted like wine. But sangria is supposed to taste like SANGRIA, not exclusively red wine. It's too bad that the taste (or SEVERE lack there of) didn't match up to the ambiance.
(2)Sarah A.
It was delicious. We came for happy hour and ordered the chips and guac. I'm not sure if extra chips are free but we had some guac left and wished we had more chips for it. The tacos were small but expected. They were very tasty. I didn't leave full, but very satisfied.
(4)The Mighty C.
Had reservations for two and ordered fresh guac and some tapas type dishes. The chips with the guac were scant, cold, greasy and rubbery. I asked for more chips and the second serving was somewhat better but still greasy. Tacos were good but by the time I ate my enchilada it was cold. Service was mediocre--had to ask 3x for more water. We eat ALOT of Mexican food but this was sub standard. I heard their other location downtown is much better. The other reviewer was right--all looks, no substance at this location.
(2)Jenni B.
Barrio's food is served tapas style with lots of small plates that come out sporadically as they are prepared so you can dabble in a variety of distinct flavors. Everything I've had has been good, maybe a little pricey given the size of their small dishes, but really not bad compared to most places in Edina. Last night our server was very helpful in helping my boyfriend pick out a tequila to try with his dinner. He was super knowledgeable about all the options and even offered cinnamon on orange as a side to contrast the flavor and get the most out of his selection. Pretty cool, you definitely can't get that kind of expertise just anywhere. We started off with queso fundido with chorizo. I usually find chorizo to be oily and the flavor overpowering, but in this app it was smokey and wasn't running at all, it was very good. My boyfriend then had the chicken tortilla soup which was pretty darn big, I bet that would be the only small plate needed to fill me up. I had the salmon tostada which was good. It came with soft avocado and a super spicy arbor salsa. I loved that salsa. My boyfriend had room for one more and went with the habanero chicken small plate, which I got to try and didn't have quite as much heat as my salsa. I like it here. It's good food for Edina prices but they do Mexican food well.
(3)Maddy D.
We got the gringo, carnitas, chicken enchilada, and mahi mahi tacos. They were good but pricy! $5/taco. The gringo and enchilada were just ok. Great guac and salsa. Cilantro rice and corn was great!
(3)Julia H.
What a fun meal! We went to Barrio based on recommendations from locals and could not have been happier. We were a little nervous because despite what we had heard some of the Yelp reviews were not great. We sat in one of the big comfy booths in the bar and started with tasty margaritas and their homemade guacamole. Everything on the menu looks great and it was impossible to make dinner decisions! We needed up ordering about 7 items for the table. Didn't write them down but loved them all!
(5)Megan E.
This is one of the best options in the 50th and France area. I really like the different varieties of fish tacos and the vegetarian options. The service is great and the space is nice and fun to be in.
(4)Jon D.
Best chips ever!! Excellent Mahi Mahi tacos. Great Service
(4)Jacob W.
I've eaten here a few times - all for dinner and all on the early side (6-7 PM). I recommend this place for a few reasons: 1) It is big so seating usually isn't an issue. 2) Service has been very fast. 3) By and large, the food is great. I can never have too many mahi mahi tacos. 4) I don't go for the Tequila so I really appreciate the Fulton and Surley on tap. Of all the restaurants lining the 50th and France drag, I find Barrio to be the least hassle and therefore the perfect weekday treat.
(4)S L.
We have been here twice in the past month and have fallen in love. I spent the last four years marinating in San Francisco food snob culture and I can't for the life of me see what there could possibly be to complain about at Barrio, so I don't know what to say about the negative reviews other than... meeeerrrp you're wrong. Let's recap my two experiences' wins, in order of importance to me. * Accommodation for food allergies: A+ I can't have gluten, dairy, onions or garlic - all common ingredients in tapas. Both times I have been here (a busy, busy Friday night with a group and a moderately busy Saturday midday with just the two of us) our server has *double-checked* with the chef and me (and I do mean checked twice) to ensure I could eat the ensuing amazing meal without paying any food allergy penance. I mean, literally (and I say that with *every* understanding of "literally"), that never even happened in San Francisco. #soimpressed * Service: A+ In addition to the aforementioned gracious and incredibly helpful accommodations for food allergies, both times our servers have been happy (so clutch for a positive restaurant experience), funny, have told well-timed, not-too-long snippets of stories, didn't interrupt conversations, checked in at perfect intervals, checked on drink refills and extra tapas orders at incredibly well-times intervals... this felt like a film or something. Like, ahmagah good. * Delicious Food-ness: A+ So good. So, so, so good. Freshly made guacamole (to order!). Fish tacos are out of this world - I am picky with fish tacos, too. Our first time here, we did more of a smorgasbord effect, so I got to try a number of things, all of which were great. I usually go for fresher, lighter (as in taste) things, and my husband goes for spicier, more savory things - we were both very happy. * Drinks: A+ Margaritas are on point. Husband loved his mojito, too. * Décor: A Beautiful. Great ambience. On the darker-lighting, romantic side, so it's great for date night. Rich tones. * Price: A- You get what you pay for. You want to spend less, you get a cheaper experience. It's good here and the prices are fair. * The Takeaway: Go already!
(5)Matthew M.
Amazing service from the bartender. He was attentive, funny and made the best drinks. Food is top notch aa always. Amazing decor. Have to stop here ever ytime I'm in Minneapolis. It doesn't get better.
(5)Poppy W.
I've been to barrio on many occasions. If there were a rehab for taco addictions their mahi mahi would be the one putting me over the edge...however what keeps me coming back besides the mahi mahi taco is the bartender with the man bun. Brad is the best bartender to catch when I'm in, always attentive with a refreshing splash of playful banter. Love the food, the vibe and always bring my friends here to sit at the bar. Don't skip the michelada!
(5)Elisabeth M.
This is my new favorite for yummy Mexican food. Start with the corn chowder. Just do it. The carnitas taco and the quesadilla are also delicious. And OH the tequila. Amazing cocktails to boot! Quiet atmosphere. Perfect for a date or catching up with friends.
(5)Holly M.
Best margaritas in town. The salsa trio, corn chowder and guacamole are a must followed by a few individual tacos.
(5)Jess F.
The location is very hit or miss for some reason. I've been here for brunch, lunch, and dinner, and it's all been a very different experience. Brunch was terrible - food was off, server was tired, place was just kinda subdued all around. Terrible Chirro, shudder! Lunch was good - all around just good. Nothing stood out, so not much to say. Dinner was great! Food was perfect, savory, spicy, and delicious. Drinks were amazing and could have drunk so much more. Service was lively, talkative, and knowledgeable. I've had late night food at the downtown location and have been to the St. Paul location for drinks. The Edina location is all together different, and I'm going to say it has to do with the neighborhood, kids, etc...general demographics of downtown Edina more than time of day.
(3)Josh A.
Well, I gave Cocina del Barrio two chances and each time I left with a bad impression. Take it from me, there are plenty other spots around 50th & France, you'd be better selecting them instead of CDB. About 6 months ago I tried CDB for the first time and was really not pleased with the food or service, but liked their atmosphere and location so decided I would try them again before forming an opinion. I should have gone with my original gut feeling. I stopped in today (12/26/13) and bellied up to the bar. I was in the area and realized they had a Happy Hour, so thought I would give it a stab. The place was pretty slow. There were 2 other parties of 2 sitting at the bar, and a couple people at the high top tables. After about 5 minutes of watching the bartender prep fruit he greeted me and asked what he could get me to drink. I believe his name was Brad, but I would not be able to tell you for sure; because, he never gave me a bill or told me, I just heard a server say his name. After getting my drink I sat for another 25 minutes with no menu, no silverware, and not another word from the bartender. At this point I was annoyed and realized I was not going to be able to get lunch before heading out. I paid for my drink by leaving cash as to what I assumed the price would be and left. The bartender, Brad is a prime example of why ill trained staff is a detriment to establishments. He was busy using his cellphone, cutting fruit, and doing other misc. tasks instead of paying attention to the customers in front of him. I heard the couple next to me voice their distaste in the service and watched the man in the other group roll his eyes at him. I gave this place a second chance and it failed at both attempts. Avoid this place, there are plenty of other options that know how to actually serve customers.
(1)Kristine O.
I ordered a Green Salad and it was inedible. So bitter and salty disgusting. Lucky they took the salad off my bill so I ordered the: mahi mahi taco; Tiny but the only thing I liked Steak taco: Tiny and blah Pork appetizer- Tiny and blah Mushroom enchilada- Tiny I hated the sauce This mexican just didn't fit me. Very over priced for their portions. If you want the best mexican food ever go to El Loro. They are the best and you will eat the best white cheese dip of your life (which comes free) unlike this place that charges you $3 for like 8 chips then $1.50 if you want more.
(1)Jovan M.
First off, when you come in, the open design is spacious, yet warm and inviting. We came in early on a Saturday night, sat at the bar, and watched Barrio fill up with with a mix of ages and styles. The restaurant filled up, but was never loud, and our conversation never got above regular volume. They have a great selection of beer, for a Mexican style restaurant, and a fair selection of bottled wine. The Trinity Margarita was awesome, even for a casual margarita drinker. We tried the grilled flatbread, snapper ceviche, and the mahi tacos. The flatbread was flavorful, aromatic, and a good sized portion. Even with the chorizo, it was not oily. The ceviche was a good balance of fish, citrus, and spices. The mahi was battered and fried, however it was not greasy or heavy. (A grilled option would be nice) The sauce was a great compliment. Considering the quality, flavor, and portions of the food and drinks, as well the location, the pricing was very good.
(4)Adrian J.
This place is one of the worst "Mexican" restaurants I have ever been in my life, I do not know what kind of food they serve, because is not Mexican for my taste, as a Mexican American I can tell the difference. Price wise is too expensive, save your money and time, go somewhere else.
(1)Mark A.
Noisy place! Even if it's not busy its tough to have a conversation. Great tequila selection. The chips and gac is the best thing to order. The fish tacos are also very good.
(3)Yohann T.
we read reviews and checked out the menu before coming here. my wife and i love mexican food and decided to give it a try since we were in the neighborhood. we got there a little after noon on a saturday. it was only us and another table. i ordered the wood grilled chicken plate. the waiter had suggested habanero sauce on the side so that's what i did and i'd have to say it was spicy!! my wife got the pork carnitas taco and the red chile enchilada. my dish was good. the chicken was moist and juicy and it tied in really well with the rice and cabbage. my wife loved her dish. it was a different take, especially the enchilada give there was an egg on top with slices of radishes. it was definitely something new. we would love to come back and try their made to order guac, their margarita and their dinner menu. it was definitely different given it was more of an a la carte/tapas place but still very good. i recommend coming here. we will definitely be coming back.
(5)Chen P.
I echo the other reviewers that the food is not particularly good and certainly doesn't merit the high prices they charge. I get especially annoyed when they charge you for a second dish of chips when the first dish was tiny. They nickle and dime you at every chance. We always leave there wondering how the heck our bill ended up so high. That said--here's the reason for the 3 stars--the gal at the bar makes a spectacular, 5-Yelp-stars margarita. We tend to only go for happy hour when they're $5, and only when we're walking home. Outstanding! One other gripe that's a pet peeve of mine, and seems to be especially rampant around the 50th & France area--their happy hour "specials" are just half size orders of their regular appetizers. The happy hour guacamole isn't even worth ordering--it's half the price but about a third the size, made ahead of time, and they still charge you extra for a paltry few extra chips. So we'll be back for the margaritas but make our own guac at home.
(3)Glen S.
Barrio has maybe the best manager (Brian) in the Twin Cities. Went there with a larger group and he not only came over and greeted us, but gave us a discount simply because it was a bachelor party (the bachelor got a free shot, as well). I have continuously sent people here simply based off the service we received while there.
(5)Jonathan E.
Ive seen mixed reviews for Cocina del Barrio, but I can't say I have many complaints. Overall, I think it's just a great place to have lunch, particularly if you can take advantage of the $10 special. The interior is the first thing that makes the trip to Cocina del Barrio worth visiting. Im not sure if their other locations (Minneapolis & St. Paul) have similar designs, but I was very impressed by the atmosphere created by the lighting and warm colors. They are known for their tequila selections as well, so it's a nice touch to see the open bar from most of the dining area. The food isn't the best Mexican food Ive had in the cities, but it is still quite good. Everything that Ive had there is very fresh and some of the flavor combinations are quite unique. I had never had cumin fried chicken tacos before and I was not disappointed. The house guacamole is outstanding, too. I once had an issue with an overcooked piece of grilled chicken and the chips can often be a bit overly salted... But those are my only minor complaints thus far. I havent sampled the dinner menu yet, but I can vouch for the quality of the lunch menu. I highly recommend the $10 lunch special. Typically, it will include two specialty tacos (changes frequently) and a tray of salsas/guac with chips. Pros: Multiple locations including the Barrio taco truck, fresh ingredients, excellent interior design, $10 lunch special, free parking ramp Cons: Small portion sizes, somewhat limited menu
(4)Ben S.
Excellent Happy Hour. Great prices, great food selection and friendly staff. It's my favorite place in the 50th and France area if you want to meet friends for cocktails and appetizers. I haven't eaten dinner there yet so I can't speak to that menu but the guacamole was fantastic a long with all of their tacos. Our server, Laura, was very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful when making selections and did not steer us wrong. We were even approached by the General Manager Tyler who was also helpful, and grateful that we stopped in. I'll definitely be back there and look forward to the summer atmosphere!
(5)Whitney F.
I definitely had my guard up coming to 50th and France for brunch in general. I adore my hole-in-the wall pancakes and coffee, and for some reason just could not picture barrios delightful chips and guac paired with 50th and france, putting together a great brunch. Yep. Wrong. The space in the Edina location is fantastic! Spacious and thoughtfully decorated, much like the downtown version would look like if you were not sitting on top of the guests at the next table. They have a few big TVS around a beautiful center bar. There are also nice tables next to floor-to-ceiling windows. The coffee was great, big mug (i'm picky about these things) and I also ordered the french toast. Not out of the world good, but I'm a happy lady when it comes to breakfast sweets. There was a dried fruit compote which I was not in love with, but still managed to clean my plate without a problem. My dining companion had the house bloody, filled with enough "stuff" to make it a little snack, and also ordered the mushroom and cheese enchiladas. I wish I was a savory girl after having these - phenomenal. Barrio - consider adding these or a version to your dinner menu! As for food - so-so - there are so many other delicious joints in the neighbor hood for brunch, but for HH/dinner/and a pretty delightfully unexpected atmosphere - I'll be back!
(3)