Had a great experience at Barra tonight. Ordered cocktails, ceviche & tacos. Excellent service, delicious drinks & food, and a great outdoor seating area. Recently moved from Southern California to Somerville & this was the best Mexican food I have had here so far. Will definitely be back! read more

Place opened at 5pm and we had a reservation. The waitress didn't show up until 545pm , ridiculous I don't know who owns this place but you should rethink the business you are in ! Took another 30 mins to take our order. Avoid this place like the plague. read more

My husband and I were craving quesabirria on a Saturday night and we'd heard a lot of BARRA and they had tables available.. so an hour later we were sitting enjoying an amazing quesabirria order each, along with some chips and salsa (not on the menu but they indulged us). The salsa was phenomenal, super fresh. The chips were good but a bit cold which was odd. No notes on the birria. It's a cool vibey spot though a bit cold/ not very cozy in my opinion. Will definitely be back read more

BARRA - Quesabirria - Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Barra is a great Mexican spot in Somerville. I loved the drinks and food. I wish there was more alcohol in the cocktails. Mole was awesome The vibe was lacking though, and the interiors look cheap. I wish it was better read more

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Came here for an early dinner on a Thursday for their happy hour deal and the place was quite literally empty. This wasn't a negative for us though at all - it meant quick service and the music was enough to liven the atmosphere decently so it didn't seem too quiet. We got a table inside and the space was on the smaller side, but felt plenty homey. The menu had a good mix of foods and I settled on getting two tacos along with some chips and guac. The price during happy hour is honestly a steal - I would definitely come back given how good of a deal it was. The food came out quickly and was really tasty and flavorful. Portions also were great. If you're ever in the Union Square area looking for some decent Mexican food, look no further! Thanks, Barra! read more

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grabbed drinks at the bar & loved it! good vibes, friendly service, and fun margaritas read more

BARRA - prickly pear spicy mezcal margarita - Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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My boyfriend and I live not too far from Union Square so we wanted to try the spot out for a date night. The night before we noticed that it was booked up for reservations so we thought we would try to get there promptly at five to see if we could be squeezed in. To our surprise when we got there right at five we were the only ones there no complaints though we were seated right away. I noticed right away how cute the place was, although it was small. The server and someone in training came over and poured water for us and told us all about the menu. They were very, very friendly and knowledgeable. We got some apps to start. I was really excited for the guac, but it was just OK. Chipotle's is better tbh. I was also really excited for the corn tamale but for some reason it kinda just didn't hit it for me. I was bummed. Then the mains. I got the empanadas and my boyfriend got a fish taco. He enjoyed his fish taco, but my empanadas were kind of meh. They didn't really have a flavor. Our whole time we were there no one else came in. I thought that was kind of strange. I'm not really sure if I would recommend this place. We didn't have a bad time, but the food wasn't as amazing as I was hoping. read more

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Ambiance is great. Service is very slow. We sat at the bar and it took almost 40 mins to be able to put our order in and took 20 more minutes to get our drinks. I got a mocktail and it was not that great. read more

BARRA - Mocktail - Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

it's small and quaint but I really enjoyed the food and drinks. The tamal enmolado was delicious and authentic. Will be coming back.

Very high prices. 45 minutes to get chips and salsa. Even longer for our entrees, which came out 5-10 minutes apart from each other. Just terrible overall. read more

Excellent food, service and vibes. I arrived early and was able to sit out on the patio which was a pleasant experience especially on a warm summer day in Sommerville. Staff is friendly, attentive and open to talk to you about the menu. It can be so hard to find true, authentic Mexican food, especially in Massachusetts, that is not watered down for Americans. I deeply appreciate that BARRA celebrates the vast richness of ingredients, seasonings, culinary traditions from Mexico instead of minimizing or not having on the menu at all. When restaurants decide to stay authentic and true to their roots, culture, history and flavors the customers will always come and the food will be known, appreciated and respected. Easier said than done but it is time we recognize that the best culinary traditions can and do come from other parts of the world - not just Europe. BARRA, hands down has one of the best nopales salad I have ever had. The nopales salad was fresh, firm yet still soft and not overly wet. It was perfect and recommendation from staff is to add a dash of their chili oil to the salad. I could eat this salad every day. Make sure to stir the salad so the cheese can break down and coat all bites as you enjoy and savor every fresh and delicious bite. The mezcal margarita was smooth, delicious and it can be hard to just have one. Sip, savor and enjoy! Dobladas de papa y camarón tacos were good as well. I appreciated the pickled cabbage that came on the plate and added that to the tacos plus requested their hot sauce which added additional flavor. Overall, BARRA feels like a treat especially since they succeed in creating authentic dishes that are rich in flavors, using fresh ingredients and letting the world know Mexican cuisine is fine dining, elevated, rich in history and doesn't need to be watered down for American or European palates. I can't wait to return to BARRA. Also music is on point and there really isn't a bad seat at the restaurant. Would recommend coming early, if you can, since it is a small place with limited seating especially if patio is not open. read more

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I booked Barra for a private Bridal shower on October 28th for 14 people, and they did a fantastic job. We had signature cocktails, passed Hors d' oeuvres, and then a sit-down lunch. The food was amazing. I highly recommend booking them if you have a small party. The space was perfect. read more

Third time here - and pleased to report it's been consistently good. Lots to choose from on the drink menu. Good is authentic and lots of unique ingredients. Probably not the best place for a fussy eater; we've found the quay of everything to be top notch. While the price for a taco may seem a bit high - they are of a generous portion and super delicious. Service has been generally good - maybe not the fastest - but better than feeling rushed I guess! But always friendly! Makes for a great stop in Somerville. read more

BARRA - a plate of food and a glass of beer - Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Had seen this places on a couple of "Must Try" lists and was excited to go. Disappointed overall. The portions were painfully small (ex. $9 for one small taco) and the service was non-existent. Every time we wanted anything we had to flag someone down and not everything we ordered came out. I will say the food itself tasted good, but you'd probably need to order about 5 plates each to feel full. read more

BARRA - Taco de Camarones Empanizados ($9) - Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Average Place The sangria was good though. Also, the ptio looked nice if you can get a spot! read more

I leave reviews when things are really good or really bad. Take what you want from that. This place was ass lol. The food literally taste like nothing. The salsa was sweet and too tomato-y, the chips tasted store bought, the fish tacos tasted like they were from the market basket frozen section???? What the actual fuck? They put kitchen salt on the rim of my mezcal margarita.... The comparisons to cdmx street food is disrespectful lol. Come here drunk. It might taste good and you might not remember it. I for one will. Sad. read more

I admittedly came to BARRA per a friend's recommendation and did not read any of its reviews until I myself came here to write my review. Sadly, I am obliged to echo the sentiment of my fellow reviewers: my BARRA experience was strikingly mediocre. It was not actively bad, but it surely was not good. Nor did I find the venue "interesting" on the sole basis of having chapulines on the menu. There seems to be much potential that either remains untapped or was not well directed. I sampled a decent handful of dishes and drinks: the tetela, papitas, gringas, the BARRA Margarita. I'm not in the business of reviewing cocktails or drinks, so I'll say the margarita was fine and leave it at that. My Victoria was good, but that cannot be attributed to the venue in any way, shape, or form. Sorry! As for the food. I'll start with the gringas, which were decent. The so-called entree comes with a measly two (2) mid-sized tacos. They were flavorful and sufficiently topped with cheese, pork, pineapple, and a very little bit more. The quality was good, but the portion was fit for a wee child. The tetela was fine, although lacked flavor, tasting like corn-based masa and nothing more. The papitas are really a snack more than anything else...potato chips with some Valentina on top. A side note: I did not try the guacamole (it may be amazingly delicious for all we know) but will say its size is utterly MEASLY given its price tag. Overall, the food was not bad, but left nothing to write home about. I had a hefty snack when I arrived home after. I get that this place is trying to be trendy and fancy, but the prices were simply not commensurate with the quality or the quantity of the food. $18 for two tacos. $17 for a margarita with some chapulín dust. $9 for a taco with avocado and cactus. $14 for a small tetela. $13 for the tiniest portion of guacamole. Come on. I get that there is a business to run, but without the quality to make up for the quantity, it borders on insulting. The service was fine, though. Although my experience may have been negatively biased by the fact that I returned from Mexico City three days before visiting, my impression of BARRA is one lacking enthusiasm, esteem, or interest. I would by no means seek it out as a dinner venue. I might return if pre-chosen by a group of friends, but would not be the one to make the recommendation. A tragedy of our days, indeed, that a restaurant idea with such potential was so lacklusterly realized. But it is not so far gone that it cannot be fixed. read more

Saturday date night here recently. Loved the unique decor (particularly the grasshopper neon sign). Had a delicious cocktail with Sotol which I hadn't tried before and the grasshopper topping on the chips was a lot of fun and very enjoyable for a first time eater of grasshoppers. Quesabirria was terrific, fish tacos al pastor were also excellent and different than any fish tacos I've had, especially in a city with fairly sparse options for Mexican food. Tamale was perfect. Our waiter was extremely nice and gave good recommendations and checked on a few ingredients for us very graciously. Will definitely be back. I don't think prior reviews do it justice. read more

Best margarita in and around Boston! A wide selection of tequila and mezcal. The fresh tortillas are such a treat. This place transports you to Mexico City! read more

Covid times review: How in the world are there only 3 reviews of Barra so far??? This place opened during a pandemic and has easily become a staple of the neighborhood. Granted - my first visit here was last night. However, my old roommate used to order the drink mixes from here all the time and once they began doing a takeout menu, they began ordering food as well. It all looked amazing, the drink mix they let me take a sip of was fantastic. I used to live down the road from here, but never made my way there. Let's start with some items people specifically search for on Yelp. This place is gluten-free friendly. In fact, my old roommate has Celiac and was still able to dine here with no worries of cross-contamination. When we went, we grabbed a back patio spot and they allowed us to bring the pup with us. These things can change with health codes and different Massachusetts 'phases' at the moment, so I would call ahead just in case. Which is exactly what we did. We were out and about and decided to try to find a place to stop and grab a beer (at 5pm on a Saturday). All breweries require reservations these days and we were on Bow Street. We pulled over and called Barra asking if they accepted walk-ins or if we needed to make a reservation. Luckily, we were able to nab a spot on the back patio and they were more than happy for us to bring the pup along. Turns out the own had a shiba inu as well and was ecstatic we had brought ours along. We were basically the only party there at the time. It was such a great experience. We chatted with the Barra family, ordered some amazing drinks and food, and enjoyed their playlist and twinkly lights. You can find the drinks we ordered in my pics shared. As for food, we asked for the aguachile and the tacos de pescado. WOW. Aguachile was FIRE. And the tacos were amazing. Overall - we will be back, even if just to grab some of their cocktail mixes to go. I still don't get how they only have three reviews.. get your butts over here people and give them a shoutout when you do. They keep their instagram and website up to date, so check them out for patio menu, cocktail mixes, and hours. read more

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Super underwhelming, very disappointing... waited a solid 15 minutes for the waiter to come over. Waited 30 minutes after that to get out drinks (margarita and a mezcal shot and a can of beer). Our first dish arrived before our drinks. As soon as our first drinks arrived I ordered a second margarita; yes that took 30 minutes as well. Food: the food was good, definitely not great, let alone amazing. I saw another user (Eric S.) post, "Easily the most exciting restaurant in years in the Boston area." This is either the biggest overstatement on Yelp ever, or poor Eric doesn't actually know "good" from "not good". The fact that he blames, "impatient cheap massholes and tech bros" as he puts it, is indicative more of his grudge against others, than Eric's restaurant knowledge. But I digress... Barra was featured in Boston Magazine as a top restaurant to try, or up and coming or something like that. If you are going to be on this list you have got to be able to deliver. The service was slow and food was adequate. The bathroom had a shower in it and the decor was half-assed. All good intentions, just not well executed to make it feel special or worth coming back for. Oh, and $9 for a single taco. mmmm, pass. read more

Unfortunate. This spot had been on my radar for a while. We decided to give it a try on a hot night, thinking we'd be in air conditioning. But when we arrived the windows and door were open (it was over 95 degrees out). We decided to give it a try anyways and grabbed bar seats. It was hot but manageable. We ordered drinks at the bar and they were tasty. Then we ordered food and waited and waited. My boyfriend's food came out first, appetizer and meal at the same time. He delayed eating his tacos thinking mine were coming along but when they didn't arrive he ate. He finished his meal and mine was no where in sight. The server apologized and said it would be a minute, but we continued to wait. My bf asked another server at one point where my food was and he seemed irritated. In total I think we waited 30-40 minutes for 2 tacos - I have no idea what took so long. The drinks and food were good but after that experience we will not go back. read more

Amazing food, service and spot. Great dishes and a truly unique delicious variety. Highly recommend. read more

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Love the grasshoppers, love the vibe, great cocktails and staff, blue corn tortillas are excellent!

BARRA is amazing. Friendly staff that is incredibly accommodating. The food is wonderful. There aren't many spots that focus on Mexico City cuisine and I think they take the right amount of chances. Highly recommend the Dobladas tacos and the Tuna Tostaditas. The mixed drinks are always on point and wine selection is really great too. read more

The food was tasty and the patio was nice enough, but the service was on the slow side and it didn't feel particularly relaxing. The beef taco was a delicious little bite and certainly a beautiful presentation, but $9 for one small taco. Even with small plates, I feel like it's more typical to serve two or three. Chips and guacamole were very ordinary, and $11 for the sort of tiny portion that elsewhere might be included on the side of an entree. To be honest, a larger portion of chips and guac would have gone a long way to making this meal better, the drinks menu seemed excellent and I would've been happier waiting for a second drink with something to snack on in the meanwhile. As is, I had a good enough time, but when it was time to decide whether to continue the evening there or elsewhere, I was happy to get going. read more

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Absolutely the best mole sauce I've ever had. A friendly place too. Gazpacho was awesome.

Food excellent; service poor. We were there 30 min before someone came to table Meals were not delivered at same time. Two diners had to wait 20 min after rest of table was served. They cannot handle a dinner service, although it's a shame, because the kitchen prepares fine food Pitcher of marg? A carafe for $60. Mostly ice so a rip off read more

Seriously one of the best margaritas in the city. Phenomenal quesabirria and costra tacos. The gringas tacos were also wonderful. Honestly, now one of my favorite taco places literally just for those. Since coming the first time, I've dragged my friends there three times in as many weeks and don't have enough good things to say about the cocktails and those tacos. The only criticism is that some of the tacos come as pairs and some come as singles, and it would be great to have the option of getting the pairs as singles, since one each of my three favorite would be the perfect meal. read more

A dreadful dining experience. The service was atrocious. We waited one hour to receive our drinks and were provided with the wrong order. We waited a total 1.5 hours for our meals to arrive. Very little communication between the servers and our group left us feeling like they did not value us as customers. Food was ultimately good so perhaps better to go when it's not busy. read more

TLDR: The drink menu's definitely worth the visit, and the food's good but quite pricey. The Caipirinha with Sotol, Pulque, Pox, and Barra's margarita were all solid, unique, and exciting drinks. I tend to like things I can't get elsewhere, and all of these drinks definitely checked that box. I'll definitely come back for many more rounds with friends in the future. The food was definitely good too, but it was a bit pricey for what you're getting (eg $10 for a single taco). We had the Tetela, Pipián, Camarones Empanizados, and Cochinita Pibil Plate. read more

Great cocktails, great food, great service. Easily the most exciting restaurant in years in the Boston area. Ignore the impatient and cheap massholes and tech bros. read more

Straight from Mexico City, Paola, one of the owners @barra.unionsquare in Somerville, opened this authentic and at the same time creative Mexican restaurant and bar, tapas style, just three weeks before the pandemic closedown in Massachusetts. As a real chilanga, born and raised in Mexico City, one of the largest cities in the world with a rich culinary culture, I can tell you that this place made me feel like I was back in Coyoacan, one of the most hip places in Mexico City, with the best places to hang out and eat. @barra.unionsquare you can find real tacos, salsas, and some creative dishes like Tetela, that I tried for the first time, and a good selection of mezcal and non commercial tequila brands, tamales and tostadas that feel home made. In a cozy and secluded patio to chill and enjoy great food and great service. You can't go wrong. We will be back! read more

BARRA - Fish tacos al pastor, Tetela, and grasshoppers. - Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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I loved Barra! Many of the reviews point to the high price points, which is fair, but I think Barra is the perfect place for some drinks and a small plate or two, rather than a full meal. The drinks are absolutely delicious and spot on without overdoing the sweetness. The small plates I tried were fresh and full of flavor. An absolute gem in the neighborhood! read more

BARRA - Gringa, cactus salad, and shrimp taco - Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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I feel very lucky that Barra opened up in my neighborhood! Definitely one of the best and most exciting new restaurants in the area. The cocktails are incredible - I especially love the mezcal Palmer. The food is exceptional too - my favorites are the esquite tamal and corn flan. Don't listen to the haters - the prices are in line with other fine dining restaurants in the area, and I'd even say the cocktails are a steal given the quality of the tequila and mezcal they are using! read more

Second time going and was a little disappointed after a first amazing experience. Service was quite slow and my enchiladas came out cold - even the second time they were not that warm. Guac is amazing and the margaritas are excellent. Would recommend the tacos! read more

BARRA - Enmoladas - Bars Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

We had such a perfect evening at Barra last night! Thank you to the lovely owner, Paola for showing us such a wonderful time. Phenomenal drinks, delicious food, all prepared to order & made from the heart. You could taste the love! Amazing service (thank you, Thomas!) The vibes at Barra are beautiful. This place is a GEM!!!!!! read more

Very disappointing, as on paper this place sounds perfect. My biggest complaint was the mismanaged service, we got most of our food before our drinks came, and that food came out of order too (or they were trying to do a tapas type thing without telling us). The food itself was okbut nothing to write home about for a place with a menu like that. read more

I messed up our reservations to Celeste next door and it was late, so we settled for Barra. I wish we had gone to Wendy's. My caipirinha was nice but no promised strawberries in sight. My shrimp tacos had been made with chicken fingers - I even had my husband check. He pulled it apart and was like "yeah, this meat isn't shrimp." He did say his beef tacos were excellent, as was his mezcal Palmer. In the end, I ended up at Wendy's and rebooked Celeste for the next week. Oh well. Not every date night goes as planned. I'm just happy that I get to go on them with such a great person. read more

Way overpriced, and way under-staffed. Dishes tasted good but were way too small. Drinks were good. For example, $10 for a single taco is loco, no matter how fancy. If the prices were halved we'd consider coming back. read more