Open for lunch until ten. Later on weekends. More than one location. We go to Broad St. Loud inside. Fun atmosphere. The usual Mexican food. Chimichangas, fajitas, enchiladas etc. Good size drinks. All good. Plenty of parking. read more

Mi primer vez y mi última. La comida con olor a viejo. Pedí un arroz estaba con mal olor y pegajoso . Y todo lo que pedimos está con olor de meados. read more

The food is disgusting. They took 2 hours to bring our food. Not all the orders came. The food was burnt and the beans were bad. The beans were sour. read more

It was our first time visiting, and at first glance the place looked sleek and clean--we were excited to try somewhere new. Things went downhill quickly. We asked for chips and salsa, but the server said they didn't have any due to a missed shipment. We ordered three entrées, and all of them arrived lukewarm, overly salty, and lacking flavor. My dish was supposed to come with a spinach cheese sauce, but there was no spinach at all. When I pointed it out, the server simply said they didn't have it. The pico de gallo listed on the menu was also missing. After I raised these issues, the server said they would remove my dish from the bill. When the check came, my entrée was indeed taken off--but there was an unexplained $3.50 charge. When we asked about it, he said it was an extra charge for a taco. The order was a "Mix & Match" option (choose 1, 2, or 3 items), and my cousin had selected three items, including a taco. There was no mention of any additional charge for that on the menu. Throughout the entire experience, the server never apologized--just stared at us blankly. Between the poor food quality, lack of service, and unexpected charges, the whole visit was incredibly disappointing. I'd strongly advise others to be cautious--this was not a good experience. read more

They just make good food, and they're a bit shy. Very nice family operation. There's NO ICE in there, just old-fashioned warmth.

Food is great and i love the karaoke. I think in particular they specialize in seafood which is not as common at your neighborhood mexican restaurant. read more

The food was amazing, the best chimichanga I have ever had and I have traveled so much. I'm from California, been to many South American countries. Very authentic. There is a language barrier, but that's due to authenticity. Just open your translation app if you have no Spanish. I'm not at all fluent but got along fine. My server Francesca was very good and patient. If you want to escape Columbus for a bit, this is the place. Mucho bueno! read more

Super fun atmosphere - each time we have been, they are doing karaoke with a gentleman who has a fantastic singing voice and works the crowd well. The food is fine, service is fine. Wish the margarita was a little stronger but overall, a different experience than any other Mexican restaurant that you'll find in Columbus! read more

The only reason I am giving this place any stars is because of the waiter. Me and my boyfriend went for dinner and waited an hour for our food. His came out and halfway through him eating his, mine came out. He got the steak burrito and he said the steak was really dry. I ordered a chicken chimichanga but ended up with beef. I let the server know and opted to just end my meal. I knew it would take way too long to remake it ans my boyfriend was already done with his meal. The chimichanga itself was also definitely put in the fryer too long as it was burnt. The margaritas were a shocking $15 EACH! I have NEVER paid that much for a margarita and neither has my boyfriend. We were pretty disappointed and it wasn't worth the $60 spent on two margaritas, queso, and his steak burrito. read more

I would like to leave less than one star, terrible service, the drinks are very bad and if you tell them that you didn't like something, they answer you rudely, take it away and still charge you for it, it is one of the worst places I have visited, and to top it off, they bring you the bill for another table and if you don't pay attention you pay more than what you consumed, they don't even deserve one star read more

Clean restaurant, fun decor, and our service was great. The menu is pretty extensive with pages dedicated to their exciting seafood specialties. It's a little difficult to understand all the offerings for non Spanish speakers, particularly those on the seafood specialty pages that I think were build-your-own platter items. Pricing for my meal was fair, but bottles of Modelo were overpriced at $5.50 each. As for the food, my meal was fantastic. Fried snapper, covered with shrimp, and sitting in a thin spicy red sauce. It was accompanied by rice, salad, garlic bread and fries. I can't recall the name. It was offered on the menu as tilapia, but they were willing to swap for snapper. The wife's vegetarian fajitas were standard, but the veggies were a little too mushy. read more

El Barco Mexican Restaurant - Fried snapper with shrimp draped in a flavorful spicy sauce. - Mexican Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

El Barco is far and away the best for ceviche on the West side. My first trip was a couple of yearsgo but I've had reason to venture over here since Dad is in Doctor's Hospital a block away. This time I ordered a small ceviche Pescado, as i wasn't that hungry. I don't know how they manage to do it but there's hardly any line juice present here. Makes things a tad dry but still good. Next time 8m in I'll try the ceviche tropical for a comparison; the pineapple wedge looked interesting on the menu. Well, what do you expect from a restaurant named The Boat? Nothing but steak? read more

El Barco Mexican Restaurant - Ceviche de Pescado - Mexican Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

With their seafood enchiladas a creamy spinach cheese sauce pools around, over, and below two rolled tortillas, a warm sea of yellow brimming with green flotsam. It gives a milky balance to the beach broadwalk carnival of flavors, a subtropical wharf of tastes lively with crab meat, well grilled shrimp, and mild Pico de gallo embarked inside. With the fresh avocados slices and sour cream floating on top it's the best Mexican seafood combo I have had since catching Fileta Ralleno at Alegria's, a former restaurantes de mariscos mexicanos, long sunk now to Davie Jones locker. I am so grateful to have been invited here, a Mexican seafood joint worthy of its name el Barco, the boat. For it treats its seafood offering with the care of a professional fishing vessel cruising the Caribbean for bounty. Not only did I find a treasure in the aforementioned dish my pirating of a friend's shrimp, thin cut strips dripped with a spicy bbq sauce, revealed a dish just as excellent. This suggests the menu needs explored; It features the entire school of expected dishes, authentic Mexican and the usual Tex-Mex add-ons, but the real catch to troll for is seafood. After all, It is the sea that decorates the place; nautical themed ornaments are colorful on the walls. This stripmall deck is ultra clean, well dressed, and inviting. A beautiful bar with red chairs accenting its light wood counter, and reflecting shine from mosaic lamps makes an excellent date spot or a solo stop while out. There is plenty of space on this ship; Ample Booths in the stereotypical beach hut design, and tables floating between for group like ours allow for many parties at a time. Above vintage tin ceiling tiles cover half the spot. It is a nice eating environment. It has been awhile since I have been in Lincoln Village. I was really impressed with the clean, new look of the area El Barco sails. It is a favorable comparison with the area just East under 270, where an economic tsunami has washed away hope itself, leaving voids in space and time and in hearts, leaving everything covered with a light white concrete dust. It was encouraging. read more

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only people here, took forever to get our food. My buddy was done eating by the time my food came and both our meals were cold. Waitress just talks on her phone. Will not be back!!!! read more

We enjoyed our visit. Our server was a soft spoken, but kind and eager to please first generation immigrant. She is still working on her English, but that made it fun for me, leaning back to my High School Spanish classes. The restaurant was clean and nicely decorated. The menu had several traditional American-Mexican items and some unique dishes. The food was tasty and well prepared a bit spicy but not overwhelming. We'll be back. read more

El Barco Mexican Restaurant - The outside is a a little nice, but the inside really pops. The ceiling is beautiful. - Mexican Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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The Seafood Enchiladas at El Barco are amazingly good. They take two flour tortillas that are filled with crab meat, grilled shrimp and fresh made pico de gallo and they top that with an intriguing creamy spinach cheese sauce. This dish has an amazing mix of aromas, tastes and mouthfeel that's like no other Mexican dish I've ever had. It's served on a huge platter and is almost big enough to share but don't, it's a feast you'll want to enjoy all for yourself. Other than that, El Barco has some other unique seafood dishes if you want to get adventurous. They also have all the usual Tex-Mex tacos, burritos and chimichangas etc, etc, etc that you'll find in any Mexican restaurant all over town. The food is good, the portions are huge and the prices are reasonable for the quality and quantity you get. Whatever you decide to do, come with an appetite and enjoy some delicious Mexican food. And A Little More Food For Thought: ** They have a Yelp check in offer for 20% off your visit. Use this to check them out. ** The Giant Eagle in the same plaza has coupons for El Barco on their receipts. $5 off $30 and $10 off $50. They expire 9-15-19. ** Happy hour is offered Monday-Thursday from 4p-7p with half-priced appetizers and discounted drinks. ** Their draft beers are a much better value than their bottles. Recommended Dishes: (A+) Seafood Enchiladas are absolutely delicious. My absolute top recommendation for dinner here. (A+) Pollo Con Espinacas comes with a grilled chicken breast covered in the same sauce as the Seafood Enchiladas with rice, beans and tortillas. Highly recommended. (B+) The Ceviche is freshly made and has a very crisp and clean taste. Great on your chips or get some Queso Blanco and add a little in for a special taste. (B) The Mazatlán is a dish inspired by the cuisine of the coastal Mexican city of Mazatlán. You get one crab enchilada, one shrimp quesadilla with lettuce, tomato and sour cream. Worth trying! (B-) Sopes are a very thick corn tortilla from Central/Southern Mexico that come with refried beans, lettuce, tomato, sour cream and your choice of beef or chicken. It's good but the thick tortilla makes it somewhat bland. If you want to try this, get it as an appetizer and share. read more

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If they were more stars I would give this place unlimited stars! I usually only write reviews when the place is horrible. Not this time! From the time I walked in the door I felt like I was in the right place. I watch them build this place from ground up and couldn't wait till they opened up. The appearance of the place is a WHOLE VIBE. The staff is amazingly welcoming (Yolonda)! The food DELICIOU!! I always take food home but this time I left nothing. This is the first Mexican restaurant I've tasted the seasoning on my meat. I got the 2 steak burritos and I ask them not to cook my steak well done. They did even more by seasoning it!! A+++ in my book. THIS IS NOW MY GO TOO FOR MEXICAN!! You should definitely make it yours!! read more

Inside a shopping mall, we were immediately greeted with Tejano karaoke that at first feels super loud but we got used to it as we settled in. Per the reviews I ordered the seafood enchiladas & they were indeed amazing! The salsa, & appetizer we ordered were great as well. The real highlight of the night was ordering their house drink. At $28 it's worth every penny coming in what I can only describe as a huge pottery jug. Couldn't tell you what's in the drink aside from tequila and some sort of light refreshing fruit juice. The rim was chamoey and chili powder maybe? We would come back here for the food and drinks read more

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Unfortunately did not have the best experience. We came here a few nights ago for dinner. Our server was not attentive at all and it took a long time to get our food and there were only a few other tables occupied. I got the Burrito Mexicano. It was good expect my veggies were burnt so it ruined the flavor of the entire dish (unless I pulled the veggies out). My husband had the el barco burrito. I tasted it and didn't really like the red sauce. The chicken quesadilla was good. Overall, we left not wanting to return. read more

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Mexican food that's worth driving across the city!! El Barco is a great restaurant for families or for friends getting drinks at the bar. The interior is bright and cheerful with eclectic decor that somehow all manages to work together. And while the space is large, a gorgeous hanging ceiling of silver embossed metal tiles together with warm lighting makes each table feels like a cozy gathering space. But you didn't come to El Barco for the atmosphere, did you? The standard chips and salsa are good, with a salsa that's got a nice bit of heat in it. There's also a tangy coleslaw, tomato, and cucumber salsa that adds a fun twist. The menu is large with unique options not seen at many Mexican restaurants; unlike some places, they aren't just trying to come up with ways to combine 5 or 6 ingredients with the same sauce. Our waitress said they were known best for their seafood. After tasting the seafood enchiladas, I heartily agree! The two enchiladas were filled with shrimp and other seafood and topped with a light creamy spinach sauce that worked perfectly to accent the seafood without smothering it in richness. Waitstaff were friendly. Bar area looked inviting. And the restrooms are clean. Quit looking at Yelp and drive the 20 minutes it takes to get to El Barco! You won't regret it. read more

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New Mexican restaurant on the Columbus westside. "barco" ... meaning ship...is heavily seafood based and it is fresh and fantastic. As you get complimentary chips and salsa they include a small serving of cerviche..and you're sold. They make homemade chelada (kinda like a Mexican bloody Mary) and it's nicely spiced with just the right heat. The pork tamale was delicious with a creamy tomato based red sauce. My husband's meal was filete relleno($20) which was white fish covered on a variety of seafood with queso on top, serviced with french fries, rice and a salad. My cerviche tostada ($7) was fresh and pilled high with scallops, shrimp, fish and octopus. Amazing. Very clean and reasonable prices. A real boon to the area read more

El Barco Mexican Restaurant - Pork tamale - Mexican Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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I heard so much compliments about this restaurants and like I love seafood for sure I want to try it! I travel across the city just to get here but was worth it! First the place is really spacious and clean, I like the decoration and the service was good! Food was really well served and tasty! I order shimp cocktail and a mixed tostada but take it to go because was so much food! My husband and friends order red aguachiles were great as well and the fish too Really good I recommended! read more

El Barco Mexican Restaurant - Shimp cocktail - Mexican Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Very seldom do I get blown away in a Mexican restaurant. But today I did. The pork used in my burro was tender flavorful and just a little crispy on the ends. All over wonderful flavor. Hope I didn't just get lucky on my first visit. Will be back to explore more of the menu. read more

El Barco Mexican Restaurant - Wow. Very good. Pork was perfect!! - Mexican Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

This place is my new go to. They just opened, and a lot of my friends liked it so I wanted to try it out. I was not disappointed to say the least. FOOD : The food was absolutely amazing and huge portion sizes. I got a cheese dip as an app with meat in it....scrapped it clean. Then got this seafood pineapple that surprised me in the best way..the portion was so huge that I couldn't finish it, but took it home and it was just as good later. DRINKS : I got this original marg. It had oranges in it AND came with the shaker to refill when I needed. SO GOOD Server : Quick and Very Helpful Atmosphere : Lively / Fun read more

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The star is for the hostess who answered the call. She needs a raise. Burrito was supposed to come with beans, rice, sour cream and pico - instead it was a soupy fajita veggie mess - Imitation crab not real crab, and every cooks biggest mistake POOP in the shrimp. Do not eat here. Go to that taco place in Budd Dairy hall instead. Wayyyyy more authentic, care, and less expensive. read more

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HORRIBLE! The pricing from last time I was here has gone up way high. If I pay $126.00 not including tip, I at least expect to be served real sea food! I only got 5 shrimp and 3 muscles and More then Half of the plate was imitation crab. The kids drink was $4.25 and my wife asked to substitute the salad for more rice. When we got the bill we were charged extra $4.00 for the rice we substituted for salad. There was also a $3.66 fee that I still don't know what it was for. Will never go back nor I recommend anyone who works hard for there money to go there! read more

El Barco Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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RIP OFF . today i ordered the cola de la langosta. It is a seafood mix (mostly shrimp) that included fake crab and three tiny pieces of lobster. 69.99 for one entree! A box of 8 lobster tails at restaurant depot costs 114 so only a moron would by their 'market price' shtick. And it took almost 40 minutes to eat the most expensive entree of my life!!!! RIP OFF read more

El Barco Mexican Restaurant - This piece of lobster cost me 15 dollars (my whole entre was 70$) RIP OFF - Mexican Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

So far everything I've had here was great. Been twice and will continue coming back. I definitely recommend. read more

El Barco Mexican Restaurant - Salsa an Civiche dip they bring to you to start off - Mexican Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Bang for your buck: 8/10 Quality: 7/10 Service: 10/10 Ambiance/Location: 10/10 Overall: 8/10 We were really excited for El Barco to open. Since it's right in our neighborhood, we're rooting hard for this business! We went right after they opened, and it was clear they were still working out some kinks, but I bet they have solved those issues since the last time we were there! Our food was pretty good. Typical Americanized Mexican food with lots of seafood offerings. At our table we had enchiladas, burritos, and quesadillas. All were good, but no stand outs. It is definitely worth checking out and most certainly preferable to El Vaquero. read more

The boat! A casual sit down Mexican restaurant focused on a more coastal flare for foods. In other words--Not your typical Tex-Mex. I stopped in at El Barco on a very chilly day in hopes of something warm and delicious for lunch. I was actually quite surprised by the inside of this restaurant which sits in the strip mall off Broad street near JoAnn fabrics, and behind Roosters. The inside was quaint and quirky with the seafaring and nautical décor. Definitely different from most Mexican restaurants of rancheros and bull fighters (Spain influenced, but.... I digress) There's very few windows to the place, so the ambiance is more on the dark and cozy side. I took some Yelp advice from my friend Mike G. and tried the seafood enchiladas. The husband was extra hungry, so we ordered queso to accompany our complimentary chips and salsa, which there was a slight hiccup in what I ordered. I asked for Queso dip, as in just plain Cheese sauce, but unfortunately ended up with the 'Queso-Chorizo', which was not bad by any means. I will say though - I was so disappointed in the seafood enchiladas! I wanted to like them SO much, and Mike's write-up made them sound absolutely delicious, but they fell a little flat for me. I was not a fan that the pico de gallo was placed inside instead of as a garnish on top to bring a little more 'freshness' to the plate. The rice and beans were completely cheap and forgettable as sides and to be honest I ate very little of this entrée. The locals here were eating a lot of the soups and stews, and I wish I would have ordered some ceviche to try. So, it appears that the soups and more traditional things may be where the magic is at. Our service was A-OK through the meal, so I can't complain. I probably would come back to give this place another try, but the first impression wasn't necessarily a life changer for me.... Especially with places like Los Galapagos a hop & skip away. read more

El Barco is a work lunch staple! I haven't heard anyone complain of this place yet. Their seafood enchilada is a must try! The lunch fajitas are huge and you will have left overs. Also, the seafood ceviche is delicious. This time around I got the chicken chimichanga and it didn't disappoint. Their prices can be a little higher but their menu consists of a lot of seafood, which is different than most Mexican restaurant menus around town. The restaurant is a fun ship and sea theme. Chips and salsa are good. I'd recommend this spot to anyone! And I'll definitely be back. read more

El Barco Mexican Restaurant - Lunch chicken chimichanga - Mexican Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Waited forever to sit and for the server to come. Food was average after we had to flag someone down to see when it was coming because it took forever! At every Mexican restaurant the food comes out quick. Not here. The Mexican patrons got all the attention. We white girls didn't. That was obvious. Won't ever go back. read more

Looks like a typical Mexican restaurant from the outside, but they have the best seafood I've ever had at a Mexican place. The prices were a little high but it's definitely delicious. I would recommend getting their oysters and pineapple main dish with a la crema seafood. I'll be back for sure! read more

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Definitely enjoyed the seafood enchilada tonight! Great service! Before we finished the first basket of chips they replaced it with a new basket of warm chips! Will definitely return! The menu was an interesting mix of English and Spanish. read more

El Barco Mexican Restaurant - Seafood enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

First visit for us and we were really excited after the loss of Alegria's. While this place has a cool atmosphere and looks nice, my experience was slow and terrible service, and mediocre food at best. The Campechana coctele was full of artificial crab meat, and had generally no flavor. The langostinos were tiny and initially came out cold, and were saturated in oil when they were returned reheated. This restaurant is new, and perhaps it will improve over time. For what i paid for this meal, there is far too much competition that puts this to shame. Right now, my honest opinion is that this place is terrible and I doubt I give them a second chance. read more

This place is literally a hidden gem!!!.. I've heard of friends mentioning this place so we definitely had to make a trip out, upon entering right away I noticed the decorations, the place is absolutely catchy!!, loved it!. We got seated right away, and noticed how safe we felt dining as covid is still a big situation. They have closed in booths and a QR code to scan for the menu. Tables, and and overall restaurant was immaculate when you think of cleanliness.. our server Nelly, and one of the owners Sonya have the biggest hearts and you can tell they put their love into this restaurant, we met them today as it is our first time in this restaurant and you can immediately tell in the food and amazing service, they love what they do and are proud of El Barco. Now on to the FOOD, one word DELICIOUS!. My husband got burrito, and I got the El Trio, we got the special oysters, and enjoyed some michaladas, margaritas and tequila!!. We enjoyed this place so much, and would recommend this restaurant to every and anyone!. Overall experience from cleanliness, service and food was a overall 10!. Thank you El Barco for a great time!. read more

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We had the caldo seite mar, shrimp ceviche and grilled avocado salad. Everything was delicious! Even the salad was just a little bit tastier than most places. The atmosphere is on point and the service was excellent. Definitely coming back! read more

i'd like to preface this with my being a long time and die hard el barco fan. the service has never been A+ but rarely horrible and the food is always incredible. However, today i went there for dinner and got the worst service of my life. I ordered my food along with my drink first thing as i always get the same thing every time i'm there. Our waitress brought our waters and was nowhere to be seen the remainder of our stay. We never got our Queso, we never got refills, we never got more chips, and between the 3 waitresses that helped us tonight only one seemed to care at all about our experience. I didn't even eat my food as the service was so poor i couldn't get out of there soon enough. hopefully the leftovers are good read more

I ordered off of the "a la carte" menu because I wanted to try more than one type of food. It was so bad I couldn't get more than two bites down. I asked the manager if it had been frozen and then microwaved (It was clear by the texture of the dough and how the cheese and sauce was melted on the plate) to which he didn't deny but skirted my question and curtly asked if I'd like him to take it away. I said yes and there was no issue. My friend got a seafood dish which you could tell was made fresh and was very delicious! We got churros for dessert... hard, small, and not fresh. Margaritas were good and strong! We'll probably not come back and wouldn't recommend. Taco Nice is much better imo. read more

Horrible. Every aspect. Horribly slow service. Horribly sour Margarita with no alcohol. Horribly dry food with no flavor. Horrible prices. Sat at the bar with a buddy. 10 minutes before we see a bartender. Ordered a large margarita. Very sour no hint of alcohol and the glass was filled up only half way. For that I paid $13. A pitcher most places is under $20. Outrageous. Ordered food. Brought out my buddies first. I waited patiently. As he finished his last bite they brought my plate out. That took 20 minutes. Never saw a bartender so I sat there drink-less for 10. The food was dry, especially the steak and shrimp in my fajita. I will not be going back to the place. Much better options near by. Taco Nice is way better and even Tres Potrillos is better. I'd definitely drive to El Vaquero before this place. read more