What happened? I am crossing fingers the usual chef is simply on vacation because our meal tonight…read morewas terrible. Carnitas Guacamole special is always my go-to. Tonight, the meat was sparse, dry (yet fatty), and bones were left in. There was undercooked rice and underseasoned beans (which are usually amazing). Probably the worst part of the meal? The guacamole had literally no avocado in it. They instead chopped tomato, cilantro, and onion and tried to pass it off as guacamole. My husband was also missing avocado that was supposed to come with his meal, so they must have been out. If so, we would have loved a phone call to let us choose an alternative or give a discount, given that guac was a main part of my meal. My husband ordered the beef rib plate and said it was perhaps the worst meal he's had all year. It was served with tortillas but the meat was so incredibly chewy and inedible, served as a long strip with bones intact. He felt the same as me about the rice and beans. We DID like the cojita cheese with the beans, the homemade tortillas, and the tortilla chips with salsa verde. We normally love the queso with its tasty, somewhat runny consistency, but today, it was congealed with a hard film covering the top. We microwaved it thinking it would help, but it was still so chunky that we couldn't dribble it over our meals. It got tossed. Because of previously amazing experiences, we will try it again (and hopefully update review) but if it is the same lacking quality, we will probably find a new spot.

I just ran in to get some tamales to go. They had a warmer right by the cash register full of…read moretamales!! I got 2 packs of 4 each (2 pork snd 2 chicken) and was thrilled!! I've just now heated them up and they were delicious!! My grandparents lived in South Texas so I grew up having authentic Mexican food at times and I'm very partial to tamales!! Glad to find my go to tamale place!!

Owner and her daughter are gracious and kind. They provided authentic Mexican that gave us a…read morelasting impression. Please , please go by and try it out. They both work so hard in the quality of their food. I have hunted for tasty Mexican because I am from Texas. I finally found it here in Tennessee.

First time here and we had great times. Service was fast. We had Flautas, fajitas, margaritas,…read moretacos.. they were all delicious. We also like the spicy smokey sauce comes with steak fajitas, such unique flavor. It was happy hour on a Saturday. Their cocktails are highly recommended. This restaurant has a small Mexican apparel store in it. They sell traditional bags, slippers, dresses etc. with great prices.

Had lunch on Saturday with my sister. We decided Mexican food was today's choice. The restaurant…read morewas open with lots of tables. The wait staff were friendly. The food, outstanding. Would definitely recommend trying when in Oak Ridge. After you can shop next door at Hobby Lobby.

Tl;Dr service is crap now and it reeks of human waste and has for at least six months…read more Look, the good is...pretty much on par with the area, there's better but it's not the absolute worst either. Years ago the price, quality and service couldn't be beat for town. Years ago. Whatever. Quality went down but portions, pricing and service remained better than the rest around four years back. Two years ago quality/flavor continued to tank, but service was okay and prices still okay. This past year? Gross. They're charging almost as much or the same as places in town that are much better in all fields: taste, quality, service, pricing, ambiance. Price creep came first. Then quality and flavor. Then came service and ambiance. Honestly, I hesitate to even brush it off as ambiance, it's closer to a health issue now and has been for at least six months. The area near the rest room absolutely reeks of sewage and human waste. I went to use the rest room and I genuinely vomited. When the smell hit me I was going to just...not use the bathroom, but my body had other plans and I was forced to use it because I had to vomit. I held my breath but then I tasted it in my mouth and vomited again, and then one last time. It was that bad. I don't know why I went back to this place, honestly. Dumb old me assumed twice now they would have this disgusting issue under control. "Surely by now" I said. It's not even that good, the only thing I can think of that possessed me to give this place a try the past two times and now this final time is that I have memories of this place. My family is close to the (previous) owners and waitstaff, we had my mother's wake here when she passed, things like that, and the make my margaritas strong because of that relationship. But that staff has been leaving over the past year, and the service shows the loss. Last time we were here we stood there for ten minutes to be seated. It wasn't anywhere near close, four hours to go actually, a weekend, and pretty dead. I understand why now. The guy in the kitchen just kept looking at us. Some other guy was in the office/kitchen just talking in the phone. The poor BOH kept ringing their little bell and couldn't even get any of the staff to come run food, it was ridiculous honestly. The mod food isn't even consistent anymore, it's like they can't even keep a cook so you order something and it comes out complete different every time, down to the salsa. One day spicy no cilantro, next day not spicy at all heaps of cilantro, one day no spice no cilantro etc. Avocado salad is the same way. So are other items. At this point, and it really hurts me to say it due to nostalgia, there is no point at all in visiting this place unless you like poor to mid food priced the same as better places in town, awful service, and the literal smell of human feces. RIP Gallo Loco.

Very inviting atmosphere with kind and helpful staff. We were seated immediately but I bet this…read moreplace can be quite busy. The food was excellent. We all enjoyed the beans that they served with the chips, a nice surprise. All the meat was cooked expertly and everyone liked their meals. We will be back.

This is my favorite Mexican restaurant in Oak Ridge and there are several good ones. The service is…read morealways excellent with generous portions and delicious food. The wait staff is professional and attentive to each customer. Kudos to Rl Cantarito

What a nostalgic experience! Dan and I are visiting family in Knoxville. Today, we drove to Oak…read moreRidge where we used to live and had lunch at our favorite restaurant when Oak Ridge was home. I would love to move back to our Oak Ridge house. If we could move back, we would once again be regulars at El Cantarito and I will tell you why. I'm the frugal yelper. I love a good deal and I recognize value. That doesn't mean I like cheap food or don't enjoy fine dining. I just like value. That's what you get at El Cantarito. Their prices are fabulous and their food must be good quality because it tastes great. Dan and I each got a tostada lunch for just under $5. Dan got the tostaquac which included ground beef and sour cream. I got one with everything besides the ground beef and sour cream. Both had refried beans, lettuce, tomato, and guacamole. Delicious. That came with rice and beans. The salsa was delicious, just the right amount of kick. I made the mistake of ordering the large beer without asking how large it was. It was 32 Oz. Dan got one, too. That was way too much for either of us, so we left much of it. The large draft beer was $4.99. During happy hour domestics are $1.99 for a small and $3.99 large. Modelo is a dollar more. It has a Mexican diner feel to it. It looks authentic and very much is authentic. During lunch hour it is very busy and a little noisy. We recognized our server but she didn't remember us. The check just said she's #2. She didn't recognize us. #2 gave us excellent service. We couldn't have asked for any better service. Oak Ridge is so lucky to have this wonderful Mexican restaurant. I hope they appreciate it.

First and foremost...This place was great! 5+++…read more The restaurant is clean with plenty of comfortable of seating and the staff is very attentive. The chips and salsa were awesome...loved the salsa!!! I had the chicken molé plate. It was flavorful and quite delicious! Wife had the beef taquitos plate. They were definitely home made, were NOT dried out or over cooked as is often the case, and were also very moist and tasty! The rice and beans were spot on! The price was very affordable and they had several daily specials listed as you enter. Also, generous portions!!! Having been born and raised in East Los Angeles, I can say with all certainty, I definitely found a place where I can get good authentic Mexican food! Well done Cancun!!!

I love this place. The food is excellent. The service is on point and the prices are very…read morereasonable. Toughest part for me??? I can't stop ordering the barria tacos. I REALLY want to try something else. But when I get in there and open the menu...it just happens. "Barria tacos and an unsweetened iced tea"... Over and over again. I just can't help myself. Trust me. They are worth the trip. Go give them a try.

We were coming home from a long day of driving and found this place along the way. To say it is…read morethe best Mexican restaurant food I've ever had would be an understatement. Everything was epic. We started with chips and salsa and beer. I wish I could remember the name of the young man who served us because he was a very good bartender and server. I ordered three different tacos and man, oh man! The cauliflower taco was hands down the best taco I've ever eaten. The lengua taco was just as good. The seasoning and accompanying veggies were the perfect ingredients for these tacos. The Baja shrimp tacos were good too, but not off the charts like the other two. The street corn was seasoned nicely and I enjoyed each and every bite My husband, who doesn't really like or eat Mexican food ordered the Philly Steak and Cheese burrito with rice and beans. He ate all of it, so I know it had to be good. We are already making plans to return, although it's over an hour away from our house. I'm excited to try other items. Barrios, thank you for the great food, the clean bar, and the excellent food. We look forward to seeing you again! And, we were aware of the upcharge for using a credit card, so there were no surprises as mentioned in other reviews.

It's time to update my review from 2 years ago! Yes, Barrios, you have a dedicated fan now! Since…read moremy last review, lots has changed about this place and only in a good way! They added an outdoor, dog-friendly patio and a new bar inside. Each time I've come now, that place has been clean and inviting! The service has been great - prompt, attentive, and friendly. But as a taco-loving Texan who now resides in TN, I have to say this is the BEST Mexican food in town. They have the best salsa, margaritas, and everything I've ordered, from tacos to brunch items to green chili has been yummy! While the salsa has been toned down for the 'can't handle the heat' locals - just ask your server for something else with more spice. They will accommodate you. There's some salsa Verde and tomatillo salsa that has a bit more kick and is my go-to! And they have corn tortillas too - you can just ask them to swap them out for the flour if that is your preference. I promise, my partner and I have hit just about every Mexican place in OR - and he even agrees, Barrios is where it's at!

I am amazed at this restaurant. large portions...many selections and great drinks. I live in…read moreAtlanta and this is equal to many of the best Tex-Mex here!

We have no idea how this place stays in business and so busy. Must be good drink prices, because…read morethe food is below mid. The salsa is completely...strange...off tasting...vinegar based? And the rest of our meal was nearly inedible. Avoid if you like good Mexican food. You've been warned.

Highly recommend. Miguel has authentic recipes and quality food. We tried several dishes to include…read morethe Carnitas, Ribeye, Enchiladas and Tamales. All the dishes were extremely delicious and so much flavor. We would definitely recommend Fiesta Charra. In addition the staff was great and provided amazing service. You have to try Miguel's restaurant Firsta Charra.

We stayed nearby at Windrock Park and ended up eating here twice. The food was great but the…read moreservice was even better. The owner took care of us both nights at the bar and was very welcoming to the town and knowledgeable about the area. He was so accommodating and pleasant to get to know. Definitely stop in and try the house made chorizo and cheese sauce with refried beans mixed in. Awesome!

We came from the west coast so we've been spoiled by excellent Mexican food. I had been…read moredisappointed in what we'd found until today. Excellent food, amazing wait staff, super clean and cute inside. Our food was prepared very well from shrimp to nachos to rice and beans. Even the salsa and chips were delicious. This will be a regular spot for us!

We have watched this restaurant go downhill since it was sold sever years back…read more Constant turnover in staff and empty parking lot. There is a reason why the parking lot is empty when we drive by. OUT 35 Food properly labeled; original container, required records available OUT 37 Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage and display OUT 45 Food and nonfood-contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed, and used OUT 47 Nonfood-contact surfaces clean OUT 49 Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices Should have looked up the inspection before going. Contamination prevented is a good reason why we didn't eat here and will not return. If people are getting sick eating the food, that would be the reason for an empty parking lot, and we observed the staff cross-contaminating food.