We've been going to Barrio Queen since it opened at Desert Ridge but last night was definitely the best night of service we have received. We checked in with the hostess and waited about 15-20 mins which wasn't bad for a Saturday night in November. The waitress sat us at a high top outside but we needed a high chair which just didn't work. One manager saw we were debating and promptly tried to help us. He brought over a high chair so we could see how much lower it would be then offered to check for another table. While he was doing that, another manager walked by and asked if we needed any help. The first manager came back and said he could get us seated right away inside. For time sake we took the inside table and were so thankful for all the help on making a simple table decision. You could tell all of the management was helping with every aspect from turning on heaters to rolling silverware. Then one of the most wonderful waiters helped us. His name was Angel and I definitely recommend that you ask for him. He was attentive even though he was busy, he was efficient and very friendly with our 4 year old. He was teaching him a few words in Spanish even though my son was being shy. He was such a pleasure to speak to and truly made our night better! We were exhausted from throwing our daughter's birthday party that morning and just wanted a relaxing night out to eat. I can't wait to go back to enjoy another relaxing night out! Thank you so much for your hospitality! read more

Very cute restaurant and I was excited to see it opening closer to where I live! Just sad that the food wasn't quite up to par. They did just recently open though so I'd give it another try. The people working here are really nice, the highlight of our night was watching a man dance as he was making tableside guacamole haha, it was awesome. First they bring out chips and salsa. Salsa was pretty good by the chips were pretty bland, not my fave. For my meal I got the three different vegetarian tacos with a side of black beans. My sister got veggie tacos and French fries. I didn't care for the cactus taco or the poblano pepper taco, just didn't have a very good flavor, insides kinda slimy. The last one, I forgot what it's called, was pretty yummy. The jalapeño on top adds a kick! The beans tasted oddly soapy, I barely ate them. The fries were surprisingly the star of the show, they had the perfect amount of spice. They have discount tacos on taco Tuesday so the price was right! I think I will come back but now I know what not to order. read more

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Love this place, but my LORD, HAVE THEY GOTTEN CHEAP ON THE MARGARITAS!! ALL ICE NOW. Order one up and you get 2/3 of a glass. I know Covid was rough, but at $13 each, don't rip me off!! Bartending quality has plummeted. Tacos are outstanding still. read more

This is a great spot for afternoon cocktails! First time at the Desert Ridge location. The decor is beautiful, very Frieda Kahlo/Day of the Dead chic. We sat at the bar and the bartender was really attentive. We tried the jalapeno margarita, the skinny margarita, the ginger fever and el pepino loco (jalapeno cucumber). They were not only delicious, but beautifully garnished. They all had special cocktail glasses too. The jalapeno margarita was my favorite, but I'm obsessed with jalapeno, so I'm biased. I also tried the classic Sonoran dog (bacon wrapped hot dog). It was good, heavy on the mustard. I've had them before with pico de gallo, and I think I like that better. It comes with fries, and it's only $8.00, a bargain! read more

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Such great food and service Our server was so nice, literally top tier customer service. So glad we met Angel who's granddaughter sang us happy birthday read more

So a lot of the reviews mention 'new' location start up issues..... We got there early (grandma was with us) about 5 PM and took a table for 6 inside. We were seated immediately but told the patio was 45 min to an hour wait. So I can see the frustration there. Our waiter was not bad. After the first round of drinks, subsequent drinks showed up really quickly. And the food was REALLY GOOD for everyone. 5 of us got a verity of tacos with the 3 taco plate and I got the ARIZONA (green Chile marinated pork) Burrito, apparently a house specialty. It was exceptional. I would go back in a heartbeat, but I guess I would make it early!!! read more

I'm so excited that Barrio Queen has opened a location closer to home! I used to live in Old Town and Barrio Queen was one of our favorite date night spots. Now we have a new favorite up North to visit! I attended the launch party tonight and loved every minute! Walking in, you are immediately taken away from the hustle and bustle of desert ridge marketplace and enter this oasis filled with ambience and charm. A huge patio welcomes you with a large tree sweeping over the tables to make for a perfect al fresco setting. The inside is just as charming if not more. It's spacious and colorful, filled with plenty of tables, a large wrap around at with both indoor and outdoor seating and even a private tequila room perfect for entertaining a private party. The food. Oh the food. It doesn't get much better than the food at Barrio Queen! Whether it's the table side guacamole, the street tacos or one of their signature dishes, everything is excellent and the new location is no exception! The food was spot on and better with every bite. I personally love the street tacos and table side guacamole the best but I also love the enchiladas too. The staff was super friendly and I could tell the entire team has been a lot of work into making the launch, restaurant, experience, food and drinks excellent. They succeeded! I can't wait to visit again and again! read more

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Everything about Barrio Queen was 5 star quality! The food was unique and well presented. The service was top notch. Our server Emily prepared guacamole and educated the young ones about the process and ingredients. The happy hour was a great deal with good options for a tasty house Margherita and an excellent variety of tacos from which to choose. We loved the decor, the bar, they were able to accommodate our large group in an organized and timely manner. Barrio queen was awesome! read more

Barrio Queen - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Group of 7 on a Sunday afternoon. Everyone was happy with their food and drinks, no complaints. Surprising because some in my posse can be real finicky when it comes to Mexican food. Service was friendly and prompt. Margaritas were decent. read more

Disappointing experience last night at a typically good local restaurant. It was 50 degrees outside and the management had the windows and doors open the entire night. There was no where to go to keep warm. When asked to shut the garage size windows near us, management said they didn't want to cut off the people outside and "break the section". We all know they didn't want staff to have to 'god forbid' open and shut a door while carrying trays to keep customers comfortable. The entire restaurant inside was frenetic and more like a cafeteria than an enjoyable dining experience. If going choose the bar or the outdoor area, it's much more enjoyable. read more

Food is decent, not great but good enough. Place is fun with cool decor. Would come back soon.

My family and I chose Barrio Queen over a few other Mexican joints because of the wonderful reviews and menu items . The restaurant is beautiful and the five of us didn't have to wait to be seated. I was excited to see grilled elotes on the menu! We ordered our drinks and opted for the table-side made guacamole to accompany our chips and salsa. The chips were over cooked and bland, but the salsa and guac were on point! Between us, we ordered the carnitas, carne asada and chorizo tacos, carne asada and the burrito verde. All of the food was good, not great, and the elotes were room temperature. We had to ask for our drinks to be refilled. I don't think we'll be back any time soon. read more

We've been waiting for something halfway decent in our hood! We went here for lunch today and this place did not disappoint. The staff was on top of it. Although the waitress was a little slow, she was apologetic and the manager was wonderful and checked on us as well. They were very accommodating with my food allergy too. I really really hope this place keeps it up! Great ambiance and great food! Can't wait to get back there this weekend to try the margaritas! So we went back last night. Complete disorganization. We waited 20 minutes for a drink at the bar (and there were at least 10 bartenders behind the bar) and then once we were seated it took 30 min to get drinks, another 30 to get an appetizer and then we waited 20 more min for a round of drinks. I told the waitress to forget the last round and bring our check but instead after 10 minutes, she brought us our drinks that we cancelled, THEN brought our check and charged us for the drinks! Total Shit-Show. I totally get that it was the first Friday but OMG they've got to get it together! Tons and tons of staff roaming around aimlessly and nothing getting done. Chips, salsa and appetizer were good so I'm leaving 3 stars. We will wait a couple of months to try it again and hopefully I can go back to a 5 Star review. Don't blow this Barrio Queen! Train your hostesses, bartenders, servers and managers! read more

Barrio Queen - Shrimp Ceviche! - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Interesting place, if you can get a seat. The place was very busy, so maybe that is why service was slow. We ate a lot of chips and salsa as we had to wait quite a bit for our food to come. Overall, was good, but I would really want to come back and see if my experience with the wait staff was any different, or if this place is only busy because of the mall. read more

This place is located in a large outdoor mall area. It is a large place its self. There is a lot of indoor and outdoor seating. It was later in the evening so we opted for outside to enjoy the more mild temperatures. It took a little while for our server to come by our table. Once she did, she was quite nice and helpful. We started with drinks. I chose the El Rey. It is El Tesoro Anejo Teqila with Extase XO Orange Cognac, fresh lime juice and Azunia Organic Agave Nectar Syrup. It was pretty good. The flavors blended together nicely. I enjoyed every sip. It is a premium drink and priced as such, so it is more for sipping. We started with the Coctel de Elote. It comes in a bowl off the cob which is very convenient. The corn is topped with butter, mayo, aged cotija cheese, Mexican hot sauce and lime. It was blah. There was a lot of water in the bottom of the bowl and that washed the ingredients off of the corn. It also diluted the mayo and butter. Consequently there was very little flavor. For my meal I chose the three taco option. They have a lengthy list of taco options. Definitely something for everyone. I chose the Chorizo, Carne Asada Chorizo Y Queso and the Carne Asada Y Huevo. They were all ok. None were bad, but none were remarkable either. I would go back here for drinks but maybe not for a meal. You do get chips and salsa for the table too. The chips were good and the salsa was decent. read more

I'm so happy that The Barrio Queen has opened up at Desert Ridge! We usually go to the Barrio Cafe but this one is so much closer to home. We were there on October 25th for lunch. We arrived early and got great seats on the patio. The hostesses and servers were all very nice and efficient. The food is the best upscale Mexican food in town! We ordered the ceviche and the guacamole, they were great. We will certainly be returning for dinner. My girlfriends and I are already planning to become regulars. They must have a great happy hour, a few days later I was driving by and the whole place was packed! Since they've only been open for about 2 weeks, give them some time to get their rhythm. read more

Barrio Queen - Ceviche and guacamole. - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

This place was the place to be on a Saturday night. Very busy. The service here was not what I was expected. When we got our food, my husbands order was wrong. He is trying the plant based thing right now and ordered the vegetarian protein bowl. They brought him The chicken protein bowl. Our server never came back to check on us so my husband ate it anyway. I had to flag someone down to refill mY water. Now onto the food... the only complaint is the chips, I did not like them at all. The salsa was really good. I got the queen enchilada. They were good. My husband said his bowl was ok but if he was going to end up eating meat he would have rather gotten something much better. Anyway, give this place a try. You'll prob like it but I think like us, it a place I don't need to go back to. read more

Barrio Queen is nothing special and was an average experience at best. The food was okay but not great. Very bland and lacked flavor. The staff were very slow and non-responsive. We had a group of 10 and were seated in a large booth area that was nice. Unfortunately, the ledges behind the booth area were dusty and had dead flies. It was obvious this area had not been cleaned for some time. To top it off the prices are too high for the food, service, and atmosphere. There are many better food options in Desert Ridge to consider. Barrio Queen needs to improve in many areas to stand out in a location where there are many options to eat. I do NOT recommend Barrio Queen. If I had to narrow it down to one word it would be...lackluster. read more

This place is okay. Service is always nice, but I haven't found a single food item that I actually like. Also, it's pretty expensive for what you get, and everything is an extra cost. read more

First visit tonight. Not impressed. Checked in. Told 45 min wait and they took my phone # to text me when ready. I had to ask if there was somewhere to wait and yes the whole patio. Ok let people know! Drink: Got a sangria while waiting. It came with no fresh fruit as advertised..none. it was a glop of mango puree in the bottom of the glass topped with wine. Food: chips too thick. Salsa just ok. Burritos came..wrong order and cold. Sent back. New ones sent out..cold again. No green sauce to be found on either one. Rice and beans not included. sold separately! $3 each extra! Service: lacking. Server too busy with a table of 6 making guacamole and drinks at the table. Really should have someone else specified to do that. Our server really only took our order and brought the check. I was really excited to try this place because of the history but it was really disappointing . read more

I've enjoyed Barrio Queen for years and sadly I think it turning into yet another casualty of the times. I don't mind paying for good quality food but our most recent experience was terrible. One of our fav's the Barrios Pollo burrito. The one's we just got were like soup on the inside with less quality and quantity of protein than I get from a frozen meal. It was terrible and for $18???? We felt taken and probably won't be back. read more

Just ate here and Angel was amazing! Great service and even better food! He chose the best margaritas and even brought my son a special dessert, he knew exactly what we needed. Don't walk, run to Angel! read more

If you love Mexican culture and food like I do, this place is for you! The walls are adorned with "Dia de los Muertos" sugar skulls, the drinks are overflowing with tequila, and the burritos are enough to feed three people. Plan on waiting a long time if you're going on a busy night, but there's a large patio with drinks. The Caldo Tlalpeno is AMAZING. I can't wait to be sick, so I can go in for a big bowl. The tacos are small, so if you're not too hungry, this is the perfect bite at the right price. Try the Cochinota Pibil. Like I said, I you're really hungry, get a burrito. The Arizona burrito has a great green Chile pork! I LOVE sweet, fruity drinks, and the Toloache is a slam dunk. read more

Barrio Queen - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Went there recently for a quiet dinner for my husband's birthday. After several previously good experiences, this will be the last. Both the hostess and the server clearly didn't want to be there or seem to really understand what their jobs were. The hostess barely acknowledged us and guided us aimlessly to the patio, where we eventually chose a table, took the menus from her, and sat ourselves. On a quiet weekday night, it took about 5 minutes for our server to come with water, which was fine, but my mention of my husband's birthday went unacknowledged (for a second time). The meals were okay, but the portions had been cut back compared to other visits (only 3 shrimp on a large salad??) The desert we ordered was awful. Burnt, overcooked flan. Yuck. We then had to wait a while for the bill, and when it did finally arrive, we were anxious to pay and leave. After waiting, again, and getting frustrated, we paid with cash and handed it off to the only person in the entire restaurant who was smiling - the bartender. With so many other choices for places to eat in the valley, we definitely won't waste our time and money here again. read more

Our waiter Angel was more than spectacular to us! One of the best experiences I've ever had, my entire family had a wonderful time! Best waiter here! read more

Barrio Queen - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Good food. Nice casual ambiance. Service was great as well. I'd certainly come back.

I hadn't been to Barrio Queen since the Spring of 2022. (Snowbirds). My husband and I were both very excited to return for some of our favorite Mexican dishes. Sadly we were VERY disappointed. They have cut their menu in half and removed one of favorites. The Marasco, a seafood enchilada. I ordered shrimp tacos; there was one piece of shrimp in each taco. Wow!! Don't over exert yourself. Obviously, we will not be returning. read more

If I could give the service here 10 stars I would! Our Server Jose Angel greeted us with a warm welcome & kept the chips & salsa coming (they are very delicious) he kept checking up on us to make sure we were doing good & if we needed anything else! his customer service is amazing! Definitely will come here for the food but mostly to have him be our server again! read more

The food and drinks were outstanding! The desserts were finger licking good!! We got the Tres Leches and the Oscuro Dulce (Mexican Chocolate Cake)...sorry no pictures on those; we are sweets people and just dug into them before we remembered to take the picture! Service was great! Our server, Angel, was very friendly and attentive to all of our needs considering the restaurant was extremely busy! Kudos to Angel and thank you for the great service! read more

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It was freezing in this place , we asked the bartender if we could either turn the air off or down she explained to us that they already have turned it up . She than explained that her manager loves it at 65 degrees and begs them to turn it up . As a guest we had to leave and not have dinner because we were so uncomfortable . read more

Great food! I got the Chile en nogada and it was delicious! Our server Angel was absolutely amazing and got our food out quick! We will definitely be back! Exceptional service! read more

Best chips and salsa in town. We go for Taco Tuesday. The street tacos and some of the best I have ever eaten. Carnitas street tacos are our favorite from there. Server Jasmine is the best and we like when she is our server. Friendly, fast and always goes above and beyond with great customer service. read more

Scott, the bartender is super friendly and very helpful with menu selections. The Queen Cooler is to die for! Also the Queen Enchiladas with chicken or shrimp are mind-blowingly delicious. We will be back again and again. I would have to say tho, the weak link was the "host" staff. Not very hosty. Jussayin. read more

Had a great dinner with the best server, Angel..Food was delicious, and Angel was extremely attentive. Been here many times but this was the best server. read more

Delicious food and outstanding service as usual! The queso fundido comes to the table in the form of molten goodness! read more

Barrio Queen - Queso Fundido - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Normally fantastic but if you eat outside, beware! Typically you have to deal with birds hovering and sh**ing on your food but now they have a bug infestation in their tree so your table, chairs, plates, drinks and food are crawling with critters. Nothing like the feeling of ants biting you and crawling over you while you eat. The food and service are great though, they just need to get this issue fixed and fast!! read more

I came here for my birthday. Our server was very sweet. The food at this establishment is delicious.

You could forgiven for thinking Barrio Queen and Barrio Cafe are one in the same. That was after all the original game plan that chef Silvana Esparza had when she opened the first of what would be numerous Barrio Queen locations in Scottsdale. But shortly thereafter, Esparza's business partners Linda Nash and Steven Rosenfeld decided to take the burgeoning chain in a different direction, compelling Esparza to step aside and focus exclusively on her flagship Barrio Cafe (which remains a phenomenal iconic spot). Much of the menu at Barrio Queen retains the look of Barrio Cafe, but with a far more expansive variety. Variety can be good, but it can also take a restaurant's focus off of the important things. With all this in mind, I stopped in for an early Thursday dinner. There's actually three (soon to be four) Barrio Queen locations in the valley. Being my office is closest to Desert Ridge, I chose this one. You'll find it embedded in the Desert Ridge Marketplace just north of the 101 freeway, east of Tatum Blvd. The restaurant takes up a sizable footprint with seating for upwards of 200 between the inside and outdoor patio seating. Summer time means I was dining in this go around and it was fairly busy during happy hour. As I mentioned earlier the menu is vast, so you can be as ambitious as you please. But for my first visit, I decided to mostly stick to basics. After the requisite chips and salsa however, I opted to order the Queen's signature drink. The Barrio Paloma. To my surprise, its prepared fresh table side right in front of you. Maestro Dobel Reposado tequila, salt, and fresh squeezed grapefruit, orange and lime (literally, they squeeze it right there). Served in a rather elegantly painted clay cup. Delish. Now then back to the basics I spoke of. So many meats to choose from. Only so many I can fit on a three taco platter. So I go with a couple of reliable standbys, carne asada and cochinita pibil. And then I opted to go with one that Queen likes to brag about. Their pork chile verde taco. The meats get my thumbs up, but it was actually the tortillas that were a bit disappointing. I'm used to street tacos with soft but firm tortillas that hold everything together. These tortillas were soft but basically disintegrated after one bite. So a messier taco trio then usual. For dessert, I flipped the script and went a decidedly non-traditional route by choosing their Dulce de Leche Creme Brûlée. Basically a small bowl of sweetened caramelized goats milk topped with crystallized sugar, cream and a wafer. I doubt I'd find this anywhere in Mexico, but I loved it. I'm a sucker for good dulce de leche and lots of it. I'm not sure the crunchy sugar topping was really necessary, but a delicious dessert in any event. Total cost for the drink, food, tax and tip came to $46. As other Yelp reviewers of Barrio Cafe locations in the valley had warned me, the prices here are the expensive end. Or at least expensive relative to what Mexican food lovers have grown to expect. I don't mind paying extra for next level Mexican food (something chef Esparza is legendary for in this town). Can you get better tacos for a cheaper price than Queen? Yes, yes you could. Though as I said, the meats here were as good or better than most taquerias I've been to, plus the Paloma and Creme Brûlée were great standouts for me. Next time I come here I'll venture more into the non-taco array of choices. The valley has no shortage of great Mexican and chef Esparza still owns the top spot in my book. Queen may not ring authentic for some, but for a slightly more upscale Mexican dining outing, it offers plenty in the way of fun and flavor. read more

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I was torn on the rating today. Last night I had the tomato soup (monthly special) which was awful, very sour, had to add some cheese on the top to make it edible. Wifes tacos were very good. My Margarita was not made correctly, they forgot the agave syrup so it was sour. The correct proportions for a margarita are 2 parts tequila to one part lime to 1/2 shot of agave ( I know the owners of several tequila companies and they all told me this is the recipe). I have watched them make them and that's not what they do, the shot glass is NEVER FULL , MAYBE 3/4 at best full. I have a basic problem with their Margaritas, they do not pour enough tequila in their drinks, they are very weak, not to say I want strong drinks. I know it's the bartender's jobs to sell more drinks at $13-$18, that's where their profit is. I miss their corn chowder which was excellent!!! Will I be back sure, I will add a shot of tequila on the side to make the drink better (1/2 shot to me half to wife or friend), but that adds to my cost. NO MORE tomato soup for me. I love the Arizona burrito. read more

I absolutely love the atmosphere here. Personally I'm not a fan of the skeletons yeah I understand it as a cultural symbol and appreciate how the restaurant has it in a light and playful manner. The patio is absolutely gorgeous. While inside is modern and chic. Every time I come here I must have the guacamole my server Justin had made it absolutely perfect this past Friday. And I can honestly say I have not had a unpleasant item from the menu yet. The variety of food is vast and reasonably priced. Alcoholic beverages can be a bit pricey as expected in this area but other than that this this place is always been top notch. You're guaranteed to have a good time. read more

Barrio Queen - Mexican Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona