Barrio Tacos Lakewood — Restaurant in Lakewood

I picked this place because it had such great reviews. My wife and I visited on a Wednesday. We couldn't help but notice that every restaurant in the area was dead empty, except for Barrio, which was jam-packed with a 30 minute wait for a table. That's always a good sign.

The decor was interesting - every inch of wall space was covered in a huge hand-painted mural featuring stylized skeletons. There was music playing in the background, and it was quite loud because there were so many people inside. We tried looking to see if we could wait at the bar for a table, but there was no space there, either.

After a 30 minute wait, we were seated. Our attentive server offered us guacamole with our chips and salsa. The chips were warm and tasty, not overly salty, and the guacamole was some of the best I've ever had. The salsa was also excellent, with a bite, but not too spicy or salty.

Never having been here before, we had no idea how large the tacos were. I figured "a taco is a taco" and so my wife and I each ordered four - two with a soft flour tortilla, two with hard corn shells. The menus are slips of paper with circles you fill in with a pencil to design your taco. Each taco was $3, with a $1 surcharge for Coca-Cola marinated steak (which I did try). You also get a surcharge if you want multiple types of protein on a taco, which we didn't try. I figured $12-$15 for each of us, for four tacos each, that would be an economical dinner. My wife ordered a shot of tequila, which was miniscule when it arrived, so she ordered a second one. We also each ordered soft drinks.

The tacos...they were delicious. The best I have ever had. Each bite was a different combination of flavors, some of which you wouldn't think would go together...but they did. The shells, usually bland and ignored in tacos, were flavorful and really added to the overall taste. Amazing! No wonder this place is constantly packed! They were actually larger than I thought they would be - I could have probably gotten away with three instead of four...or maybe even two, if I wasn't too hungry.

Our bill arrived, and I nearly had a stroke. Expecting a bill of maybe $30, our bill actually came to $72!!! My wife's tiny tequila shots were $6 each. Our soft drinks were $2.75. The guacamole was $4. But what really pushed it over the top was the fact that on top of the $3 for each taco, they charged us an extra $2 for almost every topping on the tacos! Nowhere on the menu sheet does it mention that you are charged for the toppings, so we selected quite a few toppings on each taco. The only thing on the menu sheet that shows an extra charge above the $3 is for double protein, and for the Coca-Cola steak, as I mentioned. We were shocked!

Our cheap night out for tacos ended up costing us $85 for the two of us, with tip. That is simply outrageous for tacos!

While I definitely would otherwise have gone back on a regular basis because of the delicious food, I will not be going back because of the...

ALWAYS CHECK YOUR BAG! I have done takeout twice and ate inside once in past month.They ALWAYS forget my chips & salsa every time I order them. First take out I always order the same thing bowl with dbl potatoes & mushrooms & cheese with pico on side because I have a lil drive home but it’s never in the bag they will get it when I look and tell them. But I pay for the double potatoes they are never doubled it’s was a normal order will be when I have in past that’s why I get double. They added lettuce on this order which was not even on the ticket oh and the smoked cheese that was not ordered also. We then ate in on a Saturday around 6pm they were out of fish and potatoes which I understand they run out of stuff but that early it was dinner time and after waiting for 25 minutes for a table it would have been nice that they told us when we first put our name down to wait because my husband enjoys the fish tacos and I the potato. So last take out yesterday ordered checked the bag missing again chips & salsa no pico I thought it was in bag but was not until I got home didn’t put the cheese on the bowl but charged me for a side of cheese which wasn’t what I ordered and the mushrooms were also missing off my bowl. I don’t understand why this happens every time I order from there it’s getting to a point that I’m not even wanting to go back anymore. Also I have rewards either they say when I ordered at the bar to go they put them on never did or take out at front desk you tell them they ring up your order and you can’t have them added because they don’t do it when you tell them also have had them tell me you can’t get rewards on to go orders. Since when & why do some do it and others and they we’re managers that said no you can’t. It’s all the over the place at times in there also to many people like managers coming over to desk and getting the hostess messed up. I always tip very well even with take out to have this happen almost every single time. And this was all from past 3 weeks. Also from ordering the same thing almost every time the price changes which I just don’t understand how that can happen it would be say 20 1 week next time 16...

Sometimes hot or trendy restaurants can be a let down or a flash in the pan. Not the case with Barrio. They are known for one thing and they do one thing really well - tacos. But I digress, they also do queso, quac, cocktails and salsa pretty darn well also.

My primary taco: Bomba De Tocino bombshell (flour soft+corn hard+queso+crumbled bacon), thick cut bacon, chihuahua, lettuce, pico de gallo, cilantro-lime aioli, pickled jalapeños

My second taco: Camarone ( shrimp) Agrietado flour shell, jalapeño lime shrimp, cilantro rice, napa slaw, crack sauce

My third taco: El Gringo Certified Angus Beef flour shell, chili spiced ground sirloin, smoked cheddar, lettuce, pico de gallo, chipotle crema

Really enjoyed the special queso: CRAB RANGOON QUESO queso blanco, spicy blue crab claw, thai chili sauce, scallion. We asked for extra Thai chili sauce.

My son had some Queso Blanco with homemade nacho chips.

My wife had a Pear-flavored- Barrio Casa-Made Margarita Made with El Jimador Reposado | 100% Blue Agave tequila | On-the-rocks

My wife and other son customized their tacos from the checklist. See photos.

Service was exceptional!! Great looking, eclectic interior dining room.

My family already is planning what they are getting when we come back!!

Side note: can be very very busy. Anticipate a 15 to 20 minute wait and possibly longer during peak hours.

build your own tacos Choose from our large list of over 30 fresh, local ingredients to build your perfectly crafted taco. The possibilities are endless with over one million...