Met another couple at 5:00 pm - and glad we went early was packed by 6:00 The apps, tacos, salad and burrito were all very good - drinks were spot on as well !! Nice setup and vibe - good service as well ... Great addition to VH food scene read more

Stepped off the boat in Vineyard Haven and stumbled across El Barco and I'm so glad I did. The margaritas were excellent, especially the ones made by Johnny. If you stop in, definitely ask for him, he knows what he's doing behind the bar! The general manager Mike was incredibly kind and gave some awesome recommendations on what to order. I went with the elotes and the quesabarro taco and both were absolutely delicious. Great food, great drinks, and even better hospitality. Can't wait to come back! read more

A yacht chef review of el barco in Vineyard haven Martha's Vineyard Walk off the ferry from woods hole and the first thing you see is the hordes of people of course. Suit cases rolling here and there. E-bikes and all sort of "eco-friendly" gizmos. And OF COURSE everyone's favorite...dogs in a baby stroller. Nothing screams MV better than that. But looking past all that you have to ask yourself....now what do i want? And as with anyone on vacation that answer is....a drink. (Even those on the proverbial wagon will say the same thing. And start looking for the AA special) Well folks you would be in luck. Not even 100 yards aways you will see & hear the bar crowd at "El Barco". (No!!! Its not a dog park or "bark park") - its a place that you will be drawn to sooner or later. So it might as well be the first and the last stop on your visit to the island. Being from Texas, seeing a beachside tequila and taco bar the moment you walk off the boat isn't exactly shocking. But let's be real here--Martha's Vineyard is further from being Texas than just the distance on a map. (Some of you may get that. If not, you're allowed to phone a friend.) Walking up, you see an open-air attraction--not just an atmosphere. It's bustling, vibrant, and somehow set up so you can people-watch while making extremely important decisions. Bar seating 360 degrees, a self-order system, and a food concept that's equal parts efficient and magically convenient: you order, you wait (dramatically), and then your food arrives like it's been routed directly through vacation karma. Don't be shy. Be as agreeable or aggressive as any HOA "Karen" when hunting an open seat at the bar. Otherwise, just plop down at any table--because that's how it works here. Be understanding that you may need to elbow up and share the table with others in desperate pursuit of an adult beverage, or a friend of John-approved substitute when the menu forces tough choices. ### The food: The menu is exactly what you'd expect from a taco-beans-and-rice kind of place--comforting, familiar, and in no way trying to reinvent lunch. But it does have some standout offerings, especially *for the Vineyard*, where "Southwest/Tex-Mex" doesn't always show up with this level of confidence. You've got the carnitas (because obviously), and of course the fish. The breaded haddock comes with citrus, cabbage, and chipotle mayo--an actually good combo that tastes like someone in the kitchen has been listening when people say "make it flavorful but not weird." And then there's the short rib "quesabirria." I know--I know, it's been said a thousand times. But "trust me, I'm a Texan." This is absolutely in my wheelhouse, and it's hard to go wrong when the flavors land the way they should. Pair that with a customized rita and you've basically found your beachside nirvana. Although the food and booze are better than you might expect for this pricey little island, the best part of the visit is the service. Yes, you may have to wait for that all-important guacamole--or for that "no, seriously, I need another one" rita. But the people are welcoming and genuinely inviting, and they actually want to engage with you. They're not just clocking in; they're showing up like they care about your day ending in something delicious and preferably lime-flavored. They come from all over the world and spend 120 days on this tiny island just to serve you. So in the words of my favorite Roadhouse movie line... **Just be nice.** Tip them like they're related to you--because the relationship they're hoping for is pretty clear: you, them, and a thriving tip economy. (I know that can go either way, but if you've gotten this far, you know which side of that scale works best for you in the long run.) read more

El Barco - If you are lucky she will be working. Only one day a week though. - Tacos Near Me - Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts

El Barco was an average experience overall. The highlight of the meal was definitely the chicken flautas appetizer, which was crispy, flavorful, and the best thing we ordered. The chips were fresh, and the green salsa was decent. The tacos were underwhelming. The fish taco had very little fish, and the shredded pork taco was just fair--nothing particularly memorable. The cocktails were also disappointing, lacking both flavor and the quality you'd expect from a well-crafted drink. Overall, the food and drinks weren't bad, but they also didn't stand out. There are better Mexican restaurants if you're looking for bold flavors and generously filled tacos. read more

El Barco is a great addition to the casual yet tasty dining scene on Martha's Vineyard. You order at the window, given a buzzer, find a seat, get yourself a drink at the bar (or water for yourself or your dog) and wait for the order. Everything we've tried has been very good, especially the smash burger taco, carnitas (in tacos, burritos, or burrito bowl) and the quesaburria. I think they make their own corn tortillas, and they are legit. It's not a huge menu, but everyone we've brought has found something to eat. Also it's right by the Vineyard Haven ferry terminal so you can see the ferries come and go. My only negatives would be that it's a little pricey (but it's the Vineyard!) and the menu is hard to read! Have also heard good things about the cocktails. read more

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My order: Margarita The Review: I wish I had better things to say. El Barco did not have any way to mitigate cross contamination with gluten, so I could only get a margarita. It was expensive and very watered down, with flecks of something else that contaminated the salt rim. The only table we could get was dirty, and when we finally got someone to help us out, she squirted me with the surface cleaner (I totally would've moved if given a heads-up!). Very very subpar experience at El Barco, but there are several other great restaurants in the vicinity! read more

El Barco - Tacos Near Me - Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts

Food is good but we went for the 9 dollar after 9 taco deal at 9:55 and they said that their kitchen is closed? But it also says 10:30 kitchen closing online and there was still people sitting and watching the game. We were very dissapointed read more

El Barco is open for the season in Vineyard Haven and ready to welcome you. Mike, the new general manager, is fabulous. He is a hard worker, hustles delivering to tables as needed, and brings joy to the place. Bartenders Jon, Justin, Alex are awesome as well as the rest of the staff. Food is great and you can't beat the prices! Come on down for a great relaxing time! read more

Got off the ferry and it was right there, open available and DELICIOUS! We had quessabirria, guac and chips and carnitas tacos. Everything was so good! Fresh and warm. Ordering was easy. The staff were polite. I loved the outdoor seating. Highly recommend! read more

Small portions especially for the price, food was just ok. I've tried different things several times and nothing impressive. Ok for VH but the food is nothing special, outside seating is nice, read more

El Barco - Carnitas Burrito bowl - Tacos Near Me - Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts

Absolutely killer place down in MV! A must while waiting for the ferry. I love the vibe here. Keep rocking read more

El Barco - Order line - Tacos Near Me - Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts

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If you're on vacation and you're looking for an amazing marg come here and get the house marg made by the best bartender, Tyler. She made the absolute best marg I've had on the island by far! read more

El Barco - House Margarita - Tacos Near Me - Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts

Unbelievable Mexican food. The Smashburger tacos were to die for. You have to come here and get the soft serve as well! read more

El Barco - Smash burger tacos - Tacos Near Me - Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts

Super fun ordering a 48$ margarita for 4 people only to be given a tiny bottle that my grandma could chug in 2 seconds. Prices here should be illegal. BTW doubled checked the bottle oz. They one they gave us was 12oz, not 16oz read more

Delicious tacos!! I got the mushroom tacos and they were insanely good. The birria tacos were also yum. Margs and guac were also solid. It's also a great place to sit and enjoy being outside but also sheltered from the rain (if you had a day like us!). read more

El Barco - Tacos Near Me - Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts

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Fabulous location. Fun vibe. The wait staff is very nice. They just opened but the drinks are good and the food is delish. Can't fail in this location. The elote was tasty. Margaritas flavorful. We'll be back for sure. read more

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Great idea - walk-up order food and drinks at the bar, and a great ambiance, with outdoor seating and a fun vibe. However, that's where it ends. The food and drinks are way over-priced. An order of blackened shrimp tacos had three shrimp for two tacos. The drinks were mostly ice and mixer, and finished in a few small sips. We will not be returning. read more

The ambiance is amazing I want to be there every weekend. The food is just okay small bites. Needs more variety. But the view is worth it. Eat somewhere else, drink and nosh at El Barco. read more

A wonderful new addition to Vineyard Haven. The Good - great space, good birria, solid menu, dog friendly, pleasant staff. Fun music. Awesome location and view. We enjoyed the Flautas. Chips and salsa is very large. The needs improvement- weird proportions in burrito bowl - I've never seen so much rice, but like only 8 black beans. My dad's carnitas had a substantial hunk of inedible fat. Weird flow with bar separate from food and no table service. read more

The margaritas were absolutely amazing! It's such a treat to be able to drink and enjoy the outdoors in Vineyard Haven. The bar service was lacking, the bar tenders ignored us despite sitting at the bar, did not check in on us and ruined the atmosphere by only taking to each other and not interacting with any guests despite being packed on a Saturday. I looked forward to coming here more for the food and drinks alone. read more

These small under filled tacos were 21 dollars with a tiny drink cup, and one of my friend's tacos had a long hair in it. Environment of the restaurant is nice, but definitely not nice enough to warrant the ridiculous portion sizes and prices. read more

El Barco - Pork Carnitas Tacos - Tacos Near Me - Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts

This place is awesome for everything! The tacos are really good and the service is really great. The seating is also really cool because it's outside but has a nice cool roof on it the ambiance is a 10/10. Everything is a 10/10 read more

The tacos were very very good and the churros were some of the best we've had. The restaurant was very fun with a great atmosphere. Definitely worth the stop. read more

Love the tacos! I got the Pollo Asado and it was delicious. My new favorite spot in the Vineyard. Great Margs and great atmosphere would highly recommend!! read more

Great addition to Vineyard Haven! Went on their first day and was impressed by how smoothly things were already running. Great food, great drinks and incredible service. read more