Looking to chow down on some Mexican fare? A new spot has you covered. Located at 65 W Kinzie St. in River North, the new addition is called Barrio.
It's the brainchild of Top Chef alum Katsuji Tanabe and DineAmic Group, which also owns popular Chicago spots Siena Tavern, Public House, Prime & Provisions and more.
The new eatery at the intersection of Kinzie and Dearborn is bringing out Tanabe's unique culinary skills in Mexican and Japanese cuisine. Diners can expect to see a variety of options, including the salsa, which comes in five variations, the house or lump crab jicama guacamole, tacos, seafood plates, salads, and more. (See the full menu here.)
Wash down your meal with a choice from the cocktail menu, which includes the Smoke Show (Union mezcal, ancho reyes, Pur Likor, lime), The Ocho (Bacardi 8, café de olla, egg white, chocolate, lime) and more, in addition to wine and beer. (See the drink menu here.)
With a 4.5-star rating out of four reviews on Yelp so far, Barrio is on its way to developing a local fan base.
Morgan S., who was among the first Yelpers to review the new spot on July 22nd, said: "Amazing tacos - We tried the mushroom, short rib barbacoa, and chicken and loved them all! Also love their cocktails, and try the Pantera Rosa or the Rosé Sangria! Both were great."
Yelper Naywri W. added: “Another one by the Dinamic Group. It has that contemporary taqueria vibe. It has a full Tequila and Mezcal bar. They cooked their food on a Mexican Robata grill which is a style the Japanese uses."
And Maribel D. said: "Is now my favorite Mexican restaurant (sorry Rick Bayless). We tried so much- chicharrones with an amazing sauce, Japanese spiced chips with guacamole, very tasty lamb chops, and tacos were made with blue corn tortillas that were soooo fresh."
Intrigued? Stop in to try it for yourself. Barrio is open Saturday from 5pm–3am, and Sunday–Friday from 5pm–2am.
