Barrio — Restaurant in Minneapolis

I really tried my hardest to handle this internally but the claims were dulled down with insensitivity and no empathy. I frequent this place at least one time a week I enjoy going because the food usually is good for a snack. Never go here with the intentions on getting full! Over the past few months on my visits I have been noticing things with the staff. It took over forty five minutes for my lunch special to come out about a month ago I didnt think anything of it other than just bad service, then a few weeks ago i over hear staff talking about homeless people on the streets and this really hurt me because I live in the area and I see first hand of what the Pandemic has done to the community. My last sit down encounter was about a week ago I sat on the patio to eat and get work done it was a hot day in the one hundreds and i was the only person of color sitting on the patio and the first person out there. The young lady walked past my table 7-9 times without bringing me any water however I was sitting in the middle she had to walk by me every time. The people water she was filling barley had taken one sip and my glass was completely empty. .

Today, I walked in to address my concerns. I walked in ordered and asked for a manager. The gentlemen came up and said he was he didnt seem like he was the GM based on his deminer so I asked him his position he stated " Ill tell you after you tell me whats wrong" So then I said let me rephrase the question "May I speak with the store manager?" So the store manager comes out and said the other manager didnt have to tell me his name or position. Moving on I begin to tell the Store Manager about experiences in the location hoping i could hear just one ounce of empathy, but boy was I wrong I was pouring my heart out as a regular paying customer. The store manager made it clear to me in his words "You could be a random guy off the street..." Even after i elaborated all these people have seen me before, then he said well you probably wasn't recognizable. Well to sum up the conversation every issue I arise he countered with a politically correct answer to make me seem as if I am just preaching to the chorus. Which is why I am here writing this review. The store manager didnt care one bit about any problem I addressed. I mentioned to him how I hear the staff make fun of the homeless folk and his response was AND I QOUTE "My staff has been through alot with those people" . I couldn't believe he said that I responded. "Thats no excuse to downtalk fellow men and women This is a professional enviorment and they chose to work here thats wrong for thinking of people that way" This is when I knew our conversation was over. I paid for my order...

Barrio definitely has a lot going for it, but it's got some growing to do in order for it to make its mark.

The Good: It's interior is harmonious and elaborately designed, and you can tell that much effort went into every tiny detail: the multi-colored water glasses, the plating, the dancing mannequins, and the western movies playing on a big screen. The food is great, and for once reminds me of authentic Mexican cuisine (not just a Minnesotan interpretation).

For those expecting gargantuan portions and mountains of red beans & rice, you will be sorely disappointed. Rather, the portions are adequate, elaborate, and appropriately priced. A dinner for two consisting of 2 small plates and 4 tacos will cost you under $30, but I HIGHLY recommend throwing in the chips for an extra $4. They aren't free, but they're far better than your average dried corn disc & economy sized salsa you might find somewhere else.

The Bad: While well designed, the small footprint of the building makes for uncomfortable, cramped quarters and it gets downright UGLY on a busy Saturday night. Busy hours should be avoided if you don't like sitting at the bar and getting elbowed by waiters and customers clawing through the small passageways.

While most of the food is very good, some dishes aren't up to par. Avoid the shrimp skewers: they look fantastic but the measly little cocktail shrimp are overcooked, swimming in sauce and have little character. If you've got a desire shrimp, get the taco instead: they are served with mint and are excellent. Also avoid the crab soup: it's old, smelly crab disguised inside of a spicy, creamy broth.

I've noticed that most of the reviews reflect the lack of customer service at Barrio, and I generally agree, with some exceptions. The servers are a mixed bag, which means you have about a 50/50 chance at getting a good one. This would be tolerable risk if the hostesses weren't so abrasive. If you don't have a reservation prepare for the worst: you may wait all night.

Barrio is best experienced during slow times:...

My husband has celiac, which means he can't consume any gluten. We found the Barrio on some "celiac friendly" websites, and happily went for dinner last night.

Many items on the menu had an asterisk that was identified at the bottom as gluten friendly. I went ahead an asked to ensure that items we were looking at--starting with the chips and salsa--were actually gluten friendly. Nope. They cheerfully fry things like kids' wheat breaded nuggets in the same fryer.

It's one thing to point out that unintentional cross contamination in a kitchen preparing both gluten containing and gluten-free items is possible, but that you're doing your best. It's quite another to claim certain foods on the menu are okay for people who can't eat gluten--but you're really cheerfully and knowingly contaminating those foods with gluten by sharing a fryer.

That being said, I ate the guacamole and chips. The guac was a tad salty, but overall, delicious. I ordered the yuca fries with chimmichuri as I wasn't terribly hungry. The could have been fried hotter and made more crispy, so I only ate a few.

Our hostess and waitstaff were very polite and friendly. I knew it wasn't the waitress's fault about the gluten, so we didn't take that out on her. The place was busy and folks seemed to be having quite a bit of fun for a Monday night.

I would recommend the restaurant for anyone looking for a new place for Mexican night--but absolutely not for those with a...