Cancel

Open app

Search

Barrio Chino

3.9 (1.2k reviews)
ModerateMexican, Bars
Closed • 10:00 am - 10:00 pm
Updated over 3 months ago

Barrio Chino Photos

BARRIO CHINO ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Hipster
Casual
Classy

You might also consider

More like Barrio Chino

Recommended Reviews - Barrio Chino

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Hunter S.

Still an under-appreciated hidden gem on the LES. While nearby spots with mediocre food are busy, you can usually get into Barrio Chino without the fuss. They have amazing tacos and margaritas as well as delish entrees. Service is always fantastic.

Maria M.

Went there with friend's and picked this place because it is located at a prime street in the area. The ambiance and seating is good. Service is ok. Menu is limited and we had to wait a substantial time for our orders. Actually it took the server a long time to even take our orders. It was weird seeing the place was not super busy. Food was ok too-Nothing exceptional. For the time we waited on our table it was kind of disappointing.

Chilaquiles with steak
Veronica H.

Long overdue review, a classic place for great Mexican food, opinion from a Mexican gal. Didn't have a wait this Sunday afternoon so that was even better. Nomz: Had the chilaquiles and added steak. Pro tip: ordered the eggs scrambled and mixed in and damn every bit was packed with flavor, spice and deliciousness. It was the perfect amount of saucy and the steak was delicious - although pricey I was pretty full for most of the day. Drinks: Had the strawberry margarita, came with house made Tajín on the rim and chunky pieces of strawberry in the drink, good flavor. Service: We had some miscommunications on the order but they were able to remedy. Ambiance: Cute, cozy, cool with outdoor seating available. Nope or Dope: Dope, it's hard to find good authentic classic Mexican food in Manhattan and this is one of the ones that keeps giving!

Camarones Borrachos
Ashlee S.

Great food from such a small spot! We started with drinks - two of us got the hibiscus margarita which was so damn good! The guacamole is also a great appetizer option as it comes with chips and salsa too. For our entrees, we went with the Ensalada Cesar de Tijuana, Enchiladas de Mole (contains peanuts), and the Camarones Borrachos. We all thoroughly enjoyed our meals! I only gave it four stars because I really wanted to try the Tuna Tostada and they ran out on the day we visited.

Coliflor tacos
Maggie B.

We enjoyed this restaurant on a Tuesday night. They have indoor and outdoor seating. The indoor tables were a bit cramped. Our group of six sat at a high top with barstool seating and definitely would've preferred more space. The table was shared with another party and bar seating was directly behind us so it was a tight squeeze, but we made it work. They don't have table hooks for personal items, but they do have hooks on the walls where you can hang coats and purses. We shared guacamole and chips for the table. They top their guacamole with peanuts. The nuts were bright red, but didn't add much flavor for the dip. The avocado was chunky and fresh. For my main, I had the cauliflower tacos. The cauliflower was roasted, but I would've preferred a bit more of a charred texture. Still, it paired well with the onions and other toppings. Overall, it was tasty. My friends also enjoyed the chicken and fish tacos. You can specify a two or three count for all of the taco orders. To drink, I had the habanero grapefruit margarita. The habanero infused tequila is quite spicy so they invite you to sample it before ordering. I ended up asking for half spicy, half plain but I wish I went all in because the drink was pretty mild. It was garnished with fresh grapefruit which I enjoyed. For large parties, they automatically add gratuity.

Enchiladas Verdes Plato, Enchiladas Rancheras Plato
Megan H.

I wish I could give 2.5 stars but there were a few things that were good about this spot - the host was kind enough to accommodate our party of 8 very quickly on a nice Saturday afternoon. The cocktails were also delicious and there was great variety, I got the hibiscus margarita but definitely think the others were better. The chips they had were AMAZING and the guacamole paired so well with it. The entrees however and service that followed was not great. We ordered enchiladas, chilaquiles and the Benedict. This took almost an hour to come out and when it was served to us, the server gave us enchiladas stating they were chilaquiles and that we had ordered in fact the enchiladas. It continued to get messed up and after a few minutes the server who took our order came to apologize. Even then the food quality wasn't anything special and the prices were rather expensive.

cauliflower tacos
Jason M.

I found myself at Barrio Chino for my work holiday dinner. As the resident Yelp Elite in my department, I was asked to find a place for us to celebrate the season - my only limitations being that it wasn't Italian (since we had that last year), and it wasn't a place I had been to before. Taking those factors into consideration and the fact that we were a party of 10, I did some exploring and found BC. The menu, good reviews, and the fact that they could accommodate our party size sold it for me - so off we went. Located in the Lower East Side, Barrio Chino primarily serves up Mexican fare. Like many restaurants in the area, it's not large - the bar in the back serves as a focal point with a few tables scattered throughout the space. We were seated at a long high top table in the middle of the dining room which I figure allows them to easily take reservations for large groups. The aesthetics are super casual - exposed brick, worn accents, and casual music playing in the background. The menu has a good selection of apps, tacos, soups, salads, entrees, and drinks. We decided to start with drinks - I had one of their tequila-based craft cocktails which was quite good, strong but tasty. For round 2 I had a watermelon margarita which was tasty as well. For food, we started with some apps to share - chips with salsa and guac, tuna tartare, cauliflower tacos, and two types of quesadillas - cheese and chorizo. Everything was tasty - the real standout for me was the chips as they were kinda thick and really crispy mmmm. For my main I decided on the enchiladas mole which were stuffed with shredded chicken, queso fresco, crema Mexicana, onions, and lettuce. I thought it was really good - I could tell the ingredients were fresh and it had great flavor. The dish was a little sauce heavy, but I didn't mind too much since it had great flavor. Black beans were served on the side but they were atypical in the fact that they were pureed - an interesting take, not sure how I felt about that but I ate them so there's that. Service was great - everyone was super friendly, the food came out at a good pace (and each course all at once which I appreciated), and overall I really felt we were taken care of. I had a great first experience at Barrio Chino, and would definitely return for another meal.

Kelsey B.

It actually hurts me to see so many great reviews for Barrio Chino. Perhaps things have changed over the years, but I found this place to be incredibly mid and their prices to be unbearable. I came on a Tuesday night and it was moderately busy, but we didn't need a reservation. We were seated at a high top table which I never really like when you have to share it with multiple parties. The waitress here was incredibly nice, I wish I remembered her name! I got a spicy watermelon margarita which tasted fine. It wasn't groundbreaking but was up to the standard I'd expect. I also left fairly tipsy off one drink so they are generous in that sense! Unfortunately, my margarita and 2 tacos were the same price. $8 per taco !!!! These are not full tacos, they are not big, they are incredibly normal in size. I have been ruminating over this for two weeks since I visited. How can a taco be $8 USD? On top of that, how does it taste so incredibly below average? There are a plethora of incredible taco spots in NYC. I simply could not in good faith recommend this to a friend or family member visiting. Maybe I'm just not in the right tax bracket to enjoy it, but I'd rather go to a cheaper place with better quality even if the lighting isn't as vibey, every single time.

Tamarind con mezcal
Whitney L.

Excellent service, food with flavor and tasty drinks. I love Barrio Chino and am so glad it has survived the pandemic. It's a cozy spot in LES, very warm and inviting. The service is wonderful. Personable and accommodating. I love their drinks. They have a nice happy hour M-Th, from 4 to 6pm. I ordered the tamarind margarita with mezcal. DIVINE!!! Food is tasty and so well flavored. I highly recommend and can't wait to come back!!!

a plate of quesadillas and a bowl of salsa
Anuraag R.

Food was good but pricey for the portion side. We mainly drank and had a few bites to share. Atmosphere is nice and place is always jam pscked. Worth trying but not itching to go back immediately. Solid vibes overall, and drinks were also bettrr than average.

See all

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

11 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Green enchiladas were soooo good and Mia the server was a gem!!! Such a good spot to go sunset turning into night.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Jack M.
744
1421
1499

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

10 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 0
Love this 7
Oh no 1

6 months ago

Garbage restaurant, horrible staff, terrible management, surprised they're still open.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

3 years ago

Helpful 8
Thanks 0
Love this 7
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 2

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

3 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 3
Oh no 0
Photo of Dan P.
0
53
25

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Sha M.
254
346
1276

5 years ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Love this place! Carmen our waitress is so fun to talk to and is great! We love coming for the margaritas and the staff.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Brenda L.
225
36
9

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Anu D.
7
36
63

5 years ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

Page 1 of 31

Barrio Chino Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Barrio Chino

Do they have vegetarian options?

They have some vegetarian options! The quesadilla has a cheese option (and I think veggie), they have veggie options for the enchilada and cauliflower tacos for brunch and dinner.

Will you be showing the next Mexico World Cup game on Monday, July 1?

View All 5 Questions

You might also consider

Verify this business for free

People searched for Mexican 71,878 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

Verify this business

Toloache 50 - Balcony

Toloache 50

4.0(2.4k reviews)
3.1 mi•Theater District, Midtown West
•$$$

Lunch at Toloache yesterday is Lori's favorite meal so far, and tied for me with Kanyakumari. It's…read morea contemporary upscale Mexican bistro located at 251 West 50th Street in the Theater District of Manhattan. Founded in 2007, and led by chef-owner Julian Medina (who grew up in Mexico City and trained in prominent New York kitchens like Maya and Pampano) along with Chef de Cuisine - Fidel Rodriguez, and Sous Chef - Julian Medina. They have real Mexican food like huitlacoche, and Oaxacan-style seasoned grasshoppers. There is a dedicated guacamole and ceviche bar, and a wood-burning oven. The name toloache is Jimsonweed, a flowering plant in Mexican folklore said to be brewed into a love potion that guarantees anyone who drinks it will always return. For drinks, Lori had the Paloma De Pepino - Gran Centenario plata, cucumber, grapefruit soda, lime, and I had the Margarita de la Calle - Maestro Dobel Diamante, cucumber, jalapeño, lime. Both were excellent, and perfectly balanced. Toloache has one of the best guacamoles we've ever had, and they made it fresh and customized it for us. Cilantro tastes like soap to Lori, and each of the three guacs listed it. Also there is a mild traditional, fruta medium, and rojo spicy. We wanted traditional but spicy, and without cilantro. That's what we got. The accompanying chips were better than most as they were the perfect size, not greasy, and strong enough to not break. With the guacamole came a Roasted Tomato salsa that was spectacular. It has roasted tomatoes, chipotle, onion, cilantro, garlic, and a "secret ingredient". It is medium spicy. I'm going to try to figure out how to make this one. Lori loves Fajitas, which are course Tex-Mex, but they make it with Prime NY Strip Steak, and it is amazing ... and huge. Two could share this for lunch. I had the Enchiladas Borrachas - pulled chicken, tomatillo-5 chiles salsa borracha, Mexican cheeses, crema, and avocado-radish salad. This was a delight with great layers of flavor - smoky, moderately spicy, slightly tangy, with a lot of richness from the cheese and crema. The shredded chicken was tender, savory, and relatively mild, mostly there to carry the sauce. When you eat this, be sure to put a slice of the enchilada on your fork, and then with your knife scoop up sauce and pour it over the bite. It's so flavor-packed. We LOVED Toloache, and highly recommend it.

Visited with a reservation on a weekend evening and the place was packed. All seats upstairs and…read moredownstairs were filled except one table, which was reserved for us. I noticed a few people standing outside the restaurant waiting for a table and were less prioritized due to no reservation. Ordered Platos Fuertes Carne Asada, and Frutas Guacamole. Unfortunately I do not remember what my friends ordered but they did order tacos and noted how bold the flavors are and how delicious they tasted. Guacamole was not too spicy, but perfect. Carne Asada dish was smoky and savory. Overall, recommend!

Photos
Toloache 50 - Margarita de Jalapeño

Margarita de Jalapeño

Toloache 50 - Trio de Guacamoles

Trio de Guacamoles

Toloache 50 - Tacos de Chapulines

See all

Tacos de Chapulines

Barrio Chino - mexican - Updated October 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...