Cantina Barba — Restaurant in Houston

First time trying this place, food seems a bit over priced, if they knocked off maybe $1 each of the menu items for food specifically then the quality and quality would be justifiable. I ordered the barbacoa, smoked pork and pollo tacos, my girlfriend got 2 quesadillas with a side of rice. And we both got a watermelon agua fresca. The tacos were okay but lacked depth of flavor. I ended up using the green salsa to give them a little kick but overall not bad, just overpriced. My girlfriend's quesadillas were pretty good, but you can't really mess up a quesadilla to begin with. It came with a side of special dipping sauce which was surprisingly good, the rice on the other hand was basic and bland (did I mention it's a 4oz serving for $3?). Lastly the aguas frescas, totally not worth the price, you are better off getting a soda or tap water. For $3.50 you get a 8oz plastic cup with what I assume is a store bought flavor mix "agua fresca" that taste more like the watermelon rind than the actual watermelon. Very tart, not at all sweet like a genuine watermelon agua fresca should taste like. If this place is trying to pay homage to the traditional street taco cuisine they're doing it all wrong. Food needs a careful revision for pricing or at least flavor if they're going to keep pricing the same. The atmosphere lacks life, it's a small eatery with maybe enough space for 30 people max, and that's including outdoor seating. The lady at the counter was nice so no issues on hospitality. Overall I would only recommend this as a quick fix for late night street taco cravings, and that's about it. I personally will not eat here again as I consider first impressions vital when charging these kinds of...

After reading about this place on Secret Houston I wanted to love it so much. Unfortunately I did not and one of the reasons was because of why I wanted to go in the first place, Birria. Upon arriving we were told that the Birria isn’t available until 2pm (would have been good to know) so we ordered other tacos off the menu. We tried the papas con rajas (best taco we had!), smoked pork and carne asada. Apps we had were plantains. The meat tacos were fine, just like any other taco and the tortilla seemed pre-made. The best taco was the papas which was very good! The plantains were amazing as well and would recommend. After we got our food the lady who took our order came and told us it was our lucky day because the Birria was done early. So I eaglery hopped in line and got 2 orders. First the price was a bit high because it was $11 for 2 tacos and then the whole taco itself. I must have hyped it up in my head so much because the tacos were disappointing. We had Birria a couple weeks before in Vegas and those were damn good, so I was hoping the same. Unfortunately it wasn’t close. The meat and broth were fine, no flavor really, and the tortilla seemed pre-made again. The only flavor came from the cilantro and onions. Needless to say I was let down and wouldn’t recommend the Birria. We were told the most popular item on their menu was the hamburger, and no one in our party got that, so that’s our fault I guess. If you stop you gotta get the papas con rajas and plantains. Also make sure you stop Thursday - Sunday because the bar next to it is open! We wanted to try the bar (another reason I wanted to visit) because it’s the tiniest bar in Houston and the drink menu...

I’ve been coming here for the past 5-6 years since I moved to Houston. A buddy recommended it to me, and it instantly became my favorite taco spot to go to. But I don’t come here that often. Why is it that you ask… it’s my favorite spot after all. Their prices are just a bittttt overpriced.

These 2 tacos cost me $13.41. Just a Carne Asada and add avocado…basically $14 for 2 tacos that are slightly bigger than street tacos is crazy work. Please, y’all’s prices are a bit much. I can go to another taco spot around town or a damn good taco truck and get more for less.

Other than that, the vibes are immaculate. Customer service is straightforward but nothing to write home about. It’s really a “No BS” kind of spot, so you just get what you get. They’re not rude, but I feel like often times it feels as if they’re a bit too “cool for school.” Another annoying nitpick is they don’t have a phone number you can call, which is…bizarre to me. Maybe they’ve added one since this review, but I’ve never been able to find it.

The deck & cover they added on the side is a really nice touch compared to the gravel that was there before. It keeps the sun from destroying your soul in the middle of summertime.

And the small little shack they have on the opposite side of the deck is a whole damn vibe in the summer and whenever they have it open. You get some quality DJs in there, and it’s a super fun time.

Overall, I’ll keep coming back because they’ve never given me a reason not to. This is one of the dopest spots in Houston to hit up for some...