Barrio Ottawa — Restaurant in Ottawa

I had been genuinely excited about this new addition to the Market for weeks. The design, colors, and overall vibe immediately caught my eye—it’s the kind of spot that feels like it could easily become a go-to for locals and tourists alike. So when we finally made our visit yesterday, I was hopeful and optimistic.

To start, things looked promising. We were greeted warmly by the hosts and offered a beautiful table on the patio—exactly what we were looking for on a nice evening. The menu looked fresh and interesting, the crowd seemed upbeat, and the atmosphere had great energy.

Unfortunately, that’s where things took a bit of a turn.

What really stood out, however, was the service—or lack of it. I noticed the tables around us murmuring about slow service, but I initially brushed it off, assuming they were maybe just in a rush. After all, good food sometimes takes time. But after 35 minutes of sitting with no one even taking our drink order, we had to make the difficult call to leave.

Before doing so, I asked to speak to the manager—not to complain, but in hopes that a quick, honest conversation might help turn the situation around or at least flag a possible issue. Unfortunately, this was the most disappointing part: the manager seemed disengaged and indifferent, showing no real concern or effort to acknowledge the issue, let alone correct it. It felt like a missed opportunity—for both us as guests and for the restaurant as a growing business.

I debated posting this, because I want this place to do well. I really do. It has all the ingredients to be a great spot, and I believe first impressions don’t always tell the full story. I’m hopeful that with some adjustments—especially in customer service and management awareness—things can improve and this place can thrive the way it deserves to.

I haven’t given up on it just yet, and maybe one day soon I’ll give it another try. I’d love to be able to write a second review—one that raves about the full experience, not just...

I rarely leave negative reviews, but my experience at Barrio in Ottawa was one of the worst I’ve ever had at a restaurant and felt compelled to share so that others avoid wasting their time and money.

As someone who is Latin American, I was genuinely excited to share authentic food with my friends. Instead, I was deeply embarrassed and disappointed by what we received. The arepas were burnt, the fries were stale, and the overall food quality was completely unacceptable — especially for a restaurant that claims to represent Latin American cuisine.

The service was equally appalling. We waited 20-30 minutes just for cocktails and an inexcusable 20 minutes for water. The staff seemed completely disorganized and indifferent — no one was clearing empty glasses or plates, and it felt like they simply didn’t care about their tables.

What made this experience truly unforgivable was the complete lack of accountability from management. Despite raising our concerns with the owner, general manager, supervisor, and multiple staff members, no one seemed to know what to do or showed any genuine concern about resolving the issues. We were met with indifference and dismissive attitudes rather than any attempt to make things right.

This level of poor service, disorganization, and management’s lack of care is completely unacceptable. As someone who was hoping to celebrate my culture through food, this experience was not just disappointing — it was insulting. With so many incredible restaurants in Ottawa that actually care about their customers, I strongly recommend taking your...

Embarrassing. $30 for Ketchup Packets and Chaos.

Barrio? More like Blandio. Walking in, the place was dead — not a soul in sight. That should’ve been the first red flag. One of the half-dozen servers (who all looked equally confused) casually mentioned they were short-staffed. If that was short-staffed, I’d hate to see what overstaffed looks like — they were running around like headless chickens with no clue who was doing what.

I ordered the Cubano. What came out? A dry, lifeless, flavourless sandwich. No seasoning, no texture — just a limp piece of meat slapped between bread. Honestly, I’ve had gas station sandwiches with more flavour. It was a culinary funeral.

Then the real kicker: the chicharrón. $30. Thirty bloody dollars. For what? A sad handful of chewy pork and — wait for it — ketchup packets. Ketchup packets! I’m not joking. You’re charging steakhouse prices and handing out condiment packets like it’s a high school cafeteria. That’s not just lazy — it’s an insult to anyone with taste buds.

Oh, and the drinks? They showed up after the food. That’s right — AFTER. What kind of backwards operation is this? Even the most basic diners know how to pour a drink before serving the meal.

The whole experience was a joke. A bad one. The food was pathetic, the service was clueless, and the prices were straight-up robbery. Would I ever go back? I’d rather eat dry toast in the dark.

If you value your money, your stomach, or your dignity — avoid this disaster of a restaurant...