El Barco
1035 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL, 60622
El Barco Menu
-
Ensalads
-
Pa' Picar
-
Carne Asada
-
Mexican Hot Grill
-
Pa' Chupar
Healthy Meal suggestions for El Barco
-
Ensalads
-
Pa' Picar
-
Carne Asada
-
Mexican Hot Grill
-
Pa' Chupar
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant blood pressure menu details.
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
1035 N Ashland Ave
Chicago, IL, 60622 - Phone (773) 486-6850
- Website https://elbarcochicago.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :10:00 am - 11
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
William B.
What a strangely compelling place. The atmosphere is bustling, the straight-backed chairs are uncomfortable, the drinks are huge (and looked plausible -- but I didn't try one), the service is fast, and the portions are seafood oriented. But the reason I was here because of strong recommendations for the salsa macha, a sort of nut-chile pesto that they put out on the table and was both unique and delicious. (I liked the green creamy salsa too, though not as much and it was not as unique.) Those salsa were the star of the show. There is something about the atmosphere here that reminds me very much of Mexico -- not just the bustle and the many happy families, but also the rack of limes, salt and hot sauces which you're expected to combine with the tostadas and salsas to assemble your meal. I could imagine this place in Puerto Nuevo; apparently their two other locations are in Mexico City and Houston. Highly recommended for a cold or snowy day when you'd like to imagine that you're a thousand miles or so to the south.
(4)Tatum A.
Good place for a inexpensive bite to eat. The margaritas were perfect. My husband ordered fajitas and they charged him $3 for a side of cheese which was absurd. I had the shrimp and cheese it was really good! Warning! The salsa is very very spicy!!!! I think this is a good place for a date night. It was rainy when we went but the outdoor seating looked nice and cozy.
(2)Nichole M.
Great food but uncomfortable seats. That sums it up. I went with my brothers over the weekend. The backs if the seats are so straight it's unbearable. Just lean forward and drink your margarita. The menus are gigantic and heavy. Ok those are the only negatives. The margaritas are plentiful and taste great. The kiwi, the mango and the like are all good. The dips are spicy so be warned. We started with chicken quesadillas which tasted good. I had the shrimp cocktail, I got the large which was mistake only because it was too much shrimp, it tasted good. Next time I'll get the small and a side. My brothers got steak tacos and steak fajitas. All were delicious. Can't wait to come back!
(4)Eric W.
Love this neighborhood gem! The seafood tacos are excellent. I've had the fish tacos and the shrimp tacos. I'd recommend both! Also - go for the margarita pitchers. They are delicious and inexpensive, especially for the amount you get. Warning: The salsa that comes with the chips is very spicy.
(4)Patrycja E Z.
It is my favorite Mexican place for sure! Amazing food. Love the ceviche and fish tacos. Pitcher of margarita for $12. During the weekend u have to wait few min to get a table, but it's worth it! Love the patio there! Staff is super friendly :_0 recommended to all my friends!
(4)Rebeca M.
This place was delicious. From the crab legs to the salsa. Everything was cooked to perfection. Only a 10 min wait during dinner too. Will definitely come again :)
(5)G A.
I really like the service it was exceptional the crew and the manager are on top of everything the food was acceptable we had to exchange the first cause it was cold but it was no hassles at all. So for Service A Food B Beer selection B Cleanliness C+ bathrooms need more attention but over all very nice
(4)Ms D.
My family and I just ate here this evening around 730pm. We were actually on our way to Veneno that's across the street but we saw there was no line at El barco and we have yet to try it for the extreme Waite they usually have. So everything started ok, we got seated right away and the waitress came by to greet us. However that's pretty much the only good thing I have to say...... My kids plates were brought with the appetizers (about 20 minutes before mine and my husbands plates arrived) we were left without silverware so pretty much ate their food with a tostada. My husband finally seen our waitress at the bar had to get up and ask her for some because she pretty much had disappeared!! Finally by the time our food got to the table the kids were finished and pretty restless. I ordered the langostinos which were cold and flavorless :( I am a regular at Veneno and Islas so I know my prawn!!!!! My husband had the red snapper and the presentation was good but the Diabla sauce that came was inedible it was pretty much just smashed chipotle peppers!!!! We never got a refill on our water or checked on to see if we needed anything...... Very poor service!!! This place has too much traffic to be so understaffed! Anyways all of this was told to the waitress before paying the bill and she just told us it must be an off day usually it's good...... Not the response we were looking for but a lesson learned if curiosity killed the cat then most likely will kill your appetite as well. I wish I would have just went to Veneno because now I'm sitting at home still hungry because we didn't eat much and didn't want to bother taking it home (yea that bad)!!!
(1)Elizabeth E.
Came here for dinner on a Saturday night. It was absolutely packed! Not sure if they take reservations but we did not have one. They told us about 10-20 minutes for a table for two and I'd say it was closer to 40-45. Once we were sat we dug into the gigantic menu. Literally huge- so many options. We had Margs and modelos to start and a fish empanada. Everything was great. The empanada was probably the cheapest thing on the menu (less than $3) and the size was reflective of the price. But it was a great item to share while we waited for our entrees. My boyfriend had the steak fajitas. Much bigger portion than what you get at most places. Lots of rice and veggies, beans and guac. No cheese but they were great. I had the garlic shrimp. Also delish. Such big portions though! We could have easily split one entree although we didn't want the same things :) I ended up taking 12 shrimps home. There must have been more than 35 on the plate. Yum. No dessert for us. The place was very authentic and filled with locals. Can't wait to come back and sit outside in the summer.
(4)Linda P.
Food rocks. Good vibes. Great decor. Ate there yesterday. I wasn't going to leave a review, but after reading multiple recent reviews, I agree with other patrons. Cleanliness seems to be an issue, but replies from management acknowledge the reviews. However, after eating there last night, your staff still has not addressed the cleanness. My daughter used the wash room, and told me to not go in there. Said it was gross.
(4)Happy C.
The food is really good. The place isn't very clean. I got a dirty fork. The waiters were really nice and helpful. I enjoyed my Rice with seafood.
(4)Natalie F.
I would have given 5 stars but the bathrooms seemed to have flooded last night, water was all over the floor and know one on staff seemed to have mopped it up, I was sliding all over the place. The food without question is fantastic, although I would like to see a mild sauce for chips for those of us who can't handle super hot, and even hotter. I tried both and they were tasty but I just can't handle the heat. This place is a little expensive, but quality is good, only one flaw on my seafood platter was the mussels had sand in them. That to me is a big deal if I can't enjoy them. Margarita's are insanely delicious and very strong, only way to go. :)
(4)Justin B.
Had a solid dinner at El Barco last night; the place was crushed at 4:30 on Labor Day, so that tells me that El Barco is always crushed! I tried the chips and guac, the baja califas tacos, and the skirt steak with breaded shrimp. The guac was just okay, and the shrimp was a little overcooked. But otherwise this was a great meal; the steak was incredible and the sides were mostly pretty good. One major note--the space inside is pretty tight. Like, if you are 6'1", 190, and want any elbow room, El Barco might not be for you, especially if you come with a large group. That said, it's surprisingly not crazy loud inside...it's just kinda loud, which is good if you bring a loud one-year-old. Solid experience...looking forward to coming back, but maybe sitting on the patio the next time around!
(4)Melissa F.
My friend recommended El Barco for her visit back to Chicago (she has moved away). We had to wait a bit on a Saturday night, but it was not a huge problem because they had us seated within when they told us they would. Not all restaurants do that! Upon being seated, you have at your table a basket full of saltines (?) and tiny limes. A bit random, but unique and kind of cool! The guacamole people at my table ordered was incredible. We also had a frozen and regular margarita pitcher, and I liked the frozen that I tried. I knew the selling point was seafood, so I got shrimp ceviche and really liked it. I expected a bit more from it in terms of ingredients (love jicama, cilantro, etc. in mine!), and I found a small shell in it. It was had good flavor, but I might get the tomato sauce-laden shrimp cocktail next time! The main dishes here are ENORMOUS. They can feed two people easily. But let me back up - I got the carne asada fajitas, but I also wanted some shrimp, and they let me mix the two (not sure if they usually mix them, so adjust expectations). Unlike many Americanized fajita plates, this one comes with a huge variety of vegetables (corn, broccoli, peppers, onions, and more). The shrimp was delicious and so was the perfectly cooked steak. By the way, I think I ate about 1/4 of it at most. It was so big. And other plates are big, too, such as the snapper AKA an entire fried fish. It is a cool restaurant, too, because it feels like a real neighborhood spot and not somewhere that's trying too hard and either overpriced or takes itself too seriously (love you, Big Star, but...yeah...). People from different backgrounds go here, and it's really cool to see awesome Mexican seafood uniting all sorts of people!
(4)Cindy Y.
I'd been meaning to check this place out since I first saw it months ago. So glad I did! Like a few other people, I dug into the green salsa right away and OMG was it spicy! I downed my water quick and ate tons of chips to help with the heat. Then I got smarter and scooped up less with my chips. YES, after the burn went away I still played with the fire. I can't help it, I love it and the two salsas were good, even better after a little love from the key limes (seriously, key limes as a condiment, love that!). I ordered the octopus ceviche and the rice and seafood platter. The ceviche was good with the octopus cooked just right, not too soft and not too chewy. The seafood platter was nice and flavorful. It was a lot of food so maybe I'll split it next time as most people should know, seafood is only best when eaten fresh (obv. if you take it home to reheat, it's going to come out looking a little hungover). One of the girls ordered the langostinos and that was delicious if you love explosions of flavor in your mouth. Another girl had the fish tacos. I didn't try them and she said they were decent. I can't wait to go back during the summer and enjoy a margarita outside with some more ceviche. Perhaps with one of those fried fish that everyone's talking about. or langostinos. yum. My only caveat? I went when it was super cold and we were seated by the window and hot air was blasting at us from every direction, wind tunnel style. In hindsight, we should have mentioned this to the server but we were so hungry and happy to be seated, my friends and I just stripped down to our camisoles and enjoyed our meal. Yup.
(4)Milan P.
I went there today. The food was MEH !!!! not good at all. I had langostinos a la diabla. The rice feels like old rice and the langostinos are not fresh. The waitress never come back to check how is the food are. U guys better go to Restaurant Veneno De Nayarit.
(1)David H.
If you like sea food it's a must try. The service was below average but the food was delicious
(4)Cuitlahuac F.
Love the seafood here. They really know how to cook authentic Mexican food. Came here last night for a birthday and got the large surf and turf platter. Will be back in again next time I'm craving red snapper.
(5)julie q.
I was here a few years back and ordered the typical enchilada mexican fare and was not impressed. Finally went back last night, got the seafood platter for two and it was AMAZING! So much food, such good food, for such a great price. Margaritas were crazy big and good and the guac was a hit! I now understand why this place is ALWAYS packed...I get it and we'll be back.
(4)Tucker P.
I just want to echo all of the positive reviews here. This place was unique and amazing!!! I can't wait to come back. The portions are huge too. Next time I swing through, I'll split a plate with my woman.
(5)Cynthia R.
Went here on a whim one night with my sweetie when he still lived in the hood. We walked in and it was piggitypacked! But we decided to wait...even though we were all up in the way. There's really no place to wait here so we moved from spot to spot. Also, it wasn't the most sterile place I've been, and I'm a bit OCD, so I was just a tad weirded out. So you're probably thinking, why the heck is she giving this place 4 stars??? Well, let get to that... We ordered a pitcher of margaritas...wait, it was actually 2 pitchers...see, I barely remembered that . The margaritas were delicious....and strong!!!! We ordered one of their whole fish specialties. AWWwww man we went sooo hard on on that fish, it was ridiculous! Definitely worth going for the food and margaritas alone. Service was ok. Nothing to complain about.
(4)Coco B.
Great flavor, fresh seafood! Had the shrimp and octopus cocktail, fresh oysters and fried garlic red snapper. Cocktail had lots of shrimp Oysters tasted fresh and were a good size Red snapper had chunks of garlic and was so crispy and tasty.
(5)julie n.
Great Mexican seafood restaurant. We ordered whole fried red snapper, shrimp fajitas, and chicken enchiladas to share between 4 people. The red snapper was huge, enough for 2-3 people. Very crispy, I would have liked some kind of sauce. The fajitas and enchiladas were ok. All the dishes came with grilled veggies, rice, and beans. The tables are equipped with limes and a variety of hot sauces. Each table has a bowl of fried tortilla and some dippers (that we didn't know what to do with). Service was ok, not super friendly but got the job done. Prices are good. I watched the servers bring out several dishes that I would love to try, when I return to Chicago.
(4)Kristine N.
Decent service. Good location. Plenty of street parking. They had a deal with Uber that offered free rides to their restaurant between 11-2 for restaurant week. Awesome deal. We didn't end up doing the restaurant week menu. The complimentary chips and salsa are good. Big whole tortillas fried and set at each table so they aren't the most fresh chips, but still good. They have so many salsas to choose from, you're bound to find one you like. We ordered the deep fried red snapper in garlic sauce which seems to be the dish to get here. It was perfectly fried, well seasoned, and came with rice and veggies. It's a lot of fish, can easily feed two or three. We also ordered the shrimp fajitas which were good but a little skimpy on the shrimp (perhaps it was because we ordered the lunch portion). That came with rice, beans, veggies, and a cheese quesadilla type thing. The chicken enchiladas lunch portion came with three enchiladas, rice, beans, and veggies. Super yummy. Not too smothered in cheese and sauce like other places to mask their tortilla or meat quality. Overall, a good experience and would definitely come back.
(4)Lin C.
The minute you walk into the restaurant, you get hit with a strong scent of lime. We went early on a Tuesday night and the place was already packed. We were able to secure a table right in front of the kitchen, across from the bathroom. Not the best seat in the house. The table itself was stacked with individually wrapped saltine crackers, limes, and a large variety of hot sauces. In addition, the waitstaff brought out a stack of tortilla which are greasy and 2 sauces/dips (the red and green). We ordered a whole snapper with their chipotle butter sauce on the side. The fish was over fried, it was dry, and the chipotle butter was lack luster. The snapper plate came with rice, beans, mixed veggies, and some guacamole. I was told that the portion of the guacamole was small and ended up ordering a side of guacamole, which turned out to be too much guac. The guacamole was decent. I would have prefer some kick to it, like adding jalapenos or something. In addition, we also ordered the grilled octopus, which was very tender, sweet, and needed more salt. I was told by the waitstaff that most people tend to load on the sauces so they don't typically add much salt to it. On top of that, we also had a pound of prawns, which included the heads on it. The sauce was greasy and mildly seasoned. Overall, I would definitely give this place a second try.
(3)Roxanne P.
Came here on a Sunday to celebrate my birthday with my family & boyfriend. Cons: Difficult to find parking on a weekend & the restaurant is a bit cramped Pros: Delicious seafood with monstrous portions. I would definitely come back here again. We had ordered the Ceviche Tocho Morocho (fish,shrimp octopus) as a starter-very refreshing then for the main we had the Pariallada for four. There was grilled squid,octopus, fish, prawns, shrimp, chicken, flank steak, snow crab legs, and sides of corn, beans, rice, and zuchinni. This tray of food could have fed 10 people. Everything was delicious!
(4)Samantha G.
I'll keep this simple: Huge portions of pretty good food Strong drinks Hot salsa Bland chips I'll eat here again because one of my friends loves it and it's close to her house, but it would not be my first choice for seafood or mexican food.
(3)Rozalynn B.
We ran in at about 815pm right before closing, so I wasn't expecting the best, but I wasn't thrilled at all. Ok it's only 2 of us, but we're not small chicks & we carry large bags!!! Lolbs. Anywho we get seated at a tiny 2 seater. With salsa, guac, menus, & other things taking up 75% of our space. (VERY IRRITATING) This table definitely was only meant for 1 or just drinkers. I pick up the menu and spill the guac! FML Then I reach for our pitcher of mango margarita & spill my glass all over my pants!!!!! This is getting better & better. I decide 2 just order because I dont wanna spill anything else! I order the steak fajitas and add shrimp. The waitress never asked how I wanted my steak cooked either. She seemed rushed honestly..Food comes & it's not what I waited 7 months to rave. It didn't live up to the rave I've been dreaming about. It was just ok. The guac was very tasty so it livened up the steak fajitas. The shrimp were tasty, eaten alone. Because we seemed rushed we just packed our things and left. I will go bk once more and try the seafood like fish or crablegs. Atleast there were no bugs around our food!!!
(2)Jorge O.
El Barco is the perfect example of a restaurant that just doesn't give a shit anymore. Hey people are going to come irregardless of whether or not we're serving hot garbage. Even something that you would consider a staple of sea food restaurant like shrimp soup and ceviche were completely inedible. Hot water with shrimp in it, and some nasty ceviche that I'm sure was sitting there for god only knows how long (which I'm sure I will be paying for days to come, just punishing my toilet!). Wish I could give this "restaurant" a zero rating. Is anyone at the restaurant actually tasting the food?
(1)Shardool P.
I've been here on 2 different occasions and both were great as far as the food. On the first occasion we were seated in the left corner of the restaurant, which is really dark and I did not appreciate nor enjoy the ambiance there. The second time we were seated in the main dining room and it was great. My advice is to turn up the lighting alot in that left corner! Note that if you order certain beers, there are the large sizes which I think are not too much more, and they'll pour half and bring the other half of the bottle in a bucket and keep it on ice table side, pretty sweet! On to the food, which is without a doubt first class!... On my first trip we had the deep fried red snapper in garlic sauce and it was amazing!!! We also got the octopus diablo, which had a great meaty texture to it and the diablo sauce is nice and tangy yet spicy with a kind of chipotle kick to it, overall a really tasty sauce. The snapper itself is huge so it's plenty to share, you could probably share it between 3 if you wanted to. There's also some sort of a yellow seasoned rice that comes in a healthy portion around the fish as a compliment but I have to say it's likely the best seasoned Mexican rice I've ever had -- so good it's hardly a side dish but more of a main attraction! On my second visit, I ordered what I believe was called the Caldo de Muchos Mariscos, which is a huge seafood soup. It comes out piping hot with all sorts of seafood hanging out of it, including crab legs! It's really, really hefty and I couldn't even finish it. The seafood was great and the broth was spicy and great for a cold winter day (though on this particular day it was a warm Summer night, not the best choice in a poorly ventilated dining room, haha). My friend ordered chicken tacos which proved to be very basic and nothing special, so I would stick to their specialty which is seafood. I'll definitely be back for more, this is becoming one of my favorite spots, and you can have a really great meal for prices that won't break the bank!
(4)David V.
Me and wife have been coming here for years. cant get enough of the sea food dishes we have tried every dish and every drink they have . i highly recommend this place to everyone
(5)Dan O.
After driving past this place for years we finally tried it. This is a 2.5-3 out of 5. The good - The fish tacos. The guacamole. The margaritas. The bad - the salsa they put out as an appetizer is awful. The service that night. They sat three of us at a two top table and then it took 20 mins to get drinks, it wasn't busy. The ugly - when we were there, the same terrible song played 8 times in a row. People in the restaurant were looking at each other wondering what was going on? I'd try El Barco for beers and apps on a Saturday afternoon in the summer, but not sure I'll be back for dinner anytime soon.
(3)Chi D.
So enjoyed this wonderful playground of seafood! There are several different authentic varieties of shrimp, prawns, snow crabs and even lobster. All delicious! But the Frito Al Mojo De Ajo was amazing and flavorful. I also thought that I might be in trouble ordering Carne Asada at a Seafood Restaurant, but no...it was perfect! May I also add that the portions are more than ample. Overall I enjoyed the service and the food. Parking is a bit annoying, but you'll soon forget about that.
(4)Michelangelo V.
Honest review foods good but its expensive the restaurant is extremely small so its clutterted n the service is terrible i mean terrible there rude n dont do anythin i spilled water told the waiter n they did nothing the margaritas that are so famous dont have any alcohol n the fish is good but u can do it at home for that price all in all nothing special for the price i rather go to gt fish and oyster where its actually good n u get treated like royalty n parking sucks it really does
(1)J.M. P.
Dinner was delicious! Wait time was long (over and hr), but excellent service, and the best margarita's I've had yet in Chicago (try the mango)! :)
(5)Aja G.
I don't eat seafood. I wrongfully shunned this place for years. Tequila Gods forgive me because these are the best frozen margaritas I've ever had. 13.99 gets you 32 oz of frozen, fruit infused peace of mind. The drinks get stronger the closer you get to the bottom so be warned: sharing is advised, but a deal this good means you can mix, match, swap, and indulge.
(4)Ana F.
Addendum: Hi Carmen G from El Barco. I was there on December 18th, yesterday, around 5:30 p.m. I truly was saddened to not have loved this place. I had passed the restaurant on numerous occasions and always wanted to try it. But I do appreciate you responding. Thank you Ana
(1)Gisela G.
I hadn't been to El Barco in many years and I thought I'd give it another try. The service was good, the ladies that served me where very nice. I order my son the breaded shrimp, the portion wasn't bad at all, but the salt was a lil heavy along with the grease on it. It almost seems like they cook the shrimp and fries in the same oil. The rice it came with was also heavy on the salt and just a lil dry. I order the Shrimp Cocktail which I'm extremely picky about and I'd have to say it wasn't that bad. My friend order the ceviche and that was pretty good too!!! Would go back again I just wouldn't order the the breaded shrimp.
(3)Luri A.
Best piña coladas you could ever want and the portion size is pretty huge. The parilladas are really good. The tortillas are often freshly hand made. The atmosphere is good, but the seating arrangements and table placement could be highly improved as it can be a little cramped at times and hard to maneuver.
(5)Brianna L.
Oh my word! Deeeeeeeeelicious!!! We started our meal with ceviche de pulpo tostada for each of us. $5 for one, it's got a lot of meat on it, but it's lacking in the flavor department. It didn't have the citrus taste I was expecting and love from ceviche. It also had way too much raw onion, blah, gross. Onto the main attraction. We got the signature dish for $56. Holy shiznit it was it a lot of food. It definitely was more food than 2 ppl could eat. It was filled with great food though. It had bomb.com retried beans, rice, broccoli, potato, corn, and carrots (which looked dried n burnt). It came with a plethora of yummy yummy shrimp!!! Crab legs, squid, octopus, mussels, fried fish & grilled fish. Everything was suuuuuuper delicious! I can't wait to go back and try all the amazing things el barco has to offer. Parking= plenty of it Service= much to be desired. Our waitress barely checked on us, never asked if we wanted more water or tea. Didn't offer us more napkins than the napkins our silverware came in. She didn't even swing by to ask us if everything was good. Then we had to wait to see her to ask her to pack up our leftovers and bring us the check. It was lunch time on a Friday and it's lent so I know they're busy, but come on!!! Be a lil more attentive since that is what you're Job is.
(5)Christopher M.
We have long been fans of El Barco for a lot of reasons: the menu has something for everyone, very fast service, and the food is really unreal. Some of the best Mexican food we've ever had, particularly the ceviche. However, I have to say we were very let down last night. We put our name in at 7pm and were told it was a half hour wait. That's totally fine with us. We went and got a drink and returned 25 minutes later. We were told to hang tight, just a couple more people ahead of us. No worries. 45 minutes later were seated. 45 minutes. The half hour wait was actually an hour and fifteen minute wait. That's not even in the ballpark, particularly on a night when we had to wait outside in the cold. Clearly they need a better system here or a host who is better at predicting wait time. We'll be back to El Barco but we will avoid it at all costs during peak times. 62/365
(3)Howard L.
I really like this place. Definitely my favorite full-service Mexican in Noble square. Also, the staff is very attentive! Great decor, fresh food and a large menu. They also have the largest pile of crab legs as you walk in that I've ever seen. They serve several types if whole fish, head and all. My only complaint is that the margaritas have hardly any alcohol, which could explain why they are so inexpensive. Great place but expect to wait some on the weekends.
(4)Alexander C.
LOVE THIS PLACE!! i have come here for many birthday partys, special events, and just a nice night out for a bite to eat and i am never disapointed. The red snapper is a stapple there and is always delicious! Ive also tryed the fish tacos that are great and the grilled calamari wich was very fresh but not that flavorful...it was no big deal becuase they have plenty of condiments that can be added. Coming here AGAIN tomorrow for my birthday! hope its just as good as any other time.
(5)Joseph G.
I came on a Friday night with a friend and it was good to see that it was packed. We waited no longer then ten minutes to be seated. The decor is pretty cool with an entire wall full of different tequilas. There are large fish hanging from the ceiling and mariachi blasting from the speakers. We got our complimentary chips which were more like tostadas and they arrived with two different salsas. One was very dark which resembled molé but it was very deep in flavor. I really like it! The second one was orange in color and also had great flavor... Both had a good kick to them. We ordered apps. We got the shrimp empanadas and 6 oysters. The empanadas were perfect. They had a really nice, luxurious filling and the outside was nice and crisp. It came with a Chipotle mayo. The oysters on the other hand.... That was a failure. I use to work at Frontier and definitely know my oysters. They came to me without being disconnected from their abducter muscle so I had to flounder with them with my fork which just felt foolish. Not Only that but instead of putting them on a bed of ice they just put cubes of ice right in the oyster. THIS MAKES NO SENSE. The most important part of an oyster is it's natural liquor inside and the ice just waters that down. Some one needs to train these guys on how to serve their oysters. I ordered a pitcher of their margaritas! Lime, blended, and they were delicious and cost effective ;) Next was the entrée. My friend ordered chicken enchiladas. I felt bad because she was the one that talked this place up and she ended up having to send her entire plate back because El Barco was heavy handed on the salt. The plate did look good though. The waitress was very kind about the situation and took them off our bill. I ordered shrimp tacos. They came with rice and beans on the side and interestingly enough the tacos came individually wrapped. I was kind of disappointed because the tacos didn't come with any veg inside... Just meat and cheese. Pretty boring but they did taste good. El Barco has some good stuff going for them. They are definitely different and they have some unique flavor. The service is good, also. They really need to work on some key things, though, like how to properly handle their seafood and how to hold back on the salt. I'll go back and try some more stuff on the menu.
(3)Dianne J.
Big portions!!! It's okay ... The food that I ordered is a bit salty, I had the mahi-mahi platter with all the fixings.
(3)Dave W.
We dined at the restaurant the night I wrote the review, Friday 4/3. Since then I've had the fish tacos at Taco Joint on Halsted, that is how I envision that dish should be presented and taste.
(3)Joyce H.
This place is amazing for massive quantities of seafood. First of all, we came here on a Saturday night at 9pm and the place was STILL busy! The place is just packed with people, which creates a really exciting atmosphere. Our party of 5 ordered the seafood platter for 4 and it was definitely plenty of food. They bring out chips + salsa, which we snacked on too much because we should have saved room for the seafood. The platter had crab legs, shrimp, a larger shrimp that I can't remember the name of, fried fish, mussels, calamari, perhaps other shellfish... all on top of corn, potatoes, and perhaps a few other veggies. Sidenote: the veggies soaked in all the flavors of the platter so they were DELICIOUS. The only reason it's not a 5 is that my friend who's come here a few times said that the seafood wasn't as fresh as it normally is. I generally enjoyed my experience and thought that it was still really great.
(4)Jingo D.
I had my first dinner here as a Chicago resident, and I must say it was a great welcome to the city. Parking was easy, since there was free street parking in the area, and you can smell grilled fish a block away as you head towards the front door. We arrived around 8pm on a Friday night and the place was PACKED. Thankfully, we were seated right away. Despite the lack of room to walk around, the place was pleasant in a chaotic way, and service was quick and attentive. As for the food, it was delicious. I have no idea what we ordered since someone else did it for us, but it was good... and there was plenty of shrimp, fish and other grilled seafood goodness to go around. Whatever it is that we ordered, it was just right for 6 starving adults. I'm not entirely sure what was Mexican about it, other than the wall of tequila bottles, chips/guacamole and other Mexican condiments, but nevertheless, it was still a neat dining experience. I recommend it for smaller groups who don't mind sharing a big plate of seafood!
(4)Moon Beam B.
One of my emergency go-to's...mostly a draw of the $16 margarita pitchers. They expanded the menu which is great because there are now more options. Of course, the red snapper is a must. Good for small and large groups, best option for outdoor seating in the summer time. As far as quality of food goes, Restaurant Veneno De Nayarit (which is a BYOB) directly across the street has WAY better quality of food, but with out all of the "pizazz" of El Barco. And by "pizzazz" I mean the hanging dish decor & all of the smoking hot waitress staff that El Barco has managed (how is that even possible?).
(3)Anthony F.
Went here for lunch today and I have to say it was a great experience. It is unique to find a latin seafood restaurant. Great taste, great value and really good service.
(4)Gary L.
I like this place and the fact that it's in my neighborhood and I would definitely go back. It's cool looking inside and it has great outdoor space. Awesome chip sauces which will KNOCK YOU ON YOUR ASS. The super hot one is green and looks like guacamole but it's not. The other is some kind of grilled peppers which taste more like spicy sun dried tomatoes. They have a small margarita that they call their enormous margarita (I think) and it's under $8 and it's great and it will KNOCK YOU ON YOUR ASS. It is actually pretty big and the consistency is that of shaved ice. Incredibly smooth texture. Not granular at all. I had the diablo Langostino and unfortunately it's high labor content. Not that much meat. They cook them sliced open and I think some of the meat falls out. It's mostly shell. But the flavor is awesome. It has that smokey, spicy, grilled flavor.
(4)April R.
You win my heart if your horchata is delicious! ;D They make it just the way I like it....SWEET and not watered down :) I came here with my boyfriend and a dinner for two was around $30...not bad!!
(4)Candace W.
I used to come to El Barco all the time. Hands down they used to have the best refried beans. Came for a visit tonight after many many years. The service was friendly and prompt although we were only one of two groups being served. The food was good and the beans are still tasty. But the lettuce and tomatoes were not fresh. My only issue is that I was charged for Pico de Gallo. The sauces that come with the complimentary tostadas are hot and hotter. I wanted a mild option and asked for salsa or pico, thinking that would be comp like many other restaurants. It was an additional $2.50 for a small bowl. What's worse is that it wasn't good because the tomatoes weren't fresh. So I paid for something I didn't even eat.
(3)Vanessa R.
I don't like this place everything taste like CILANTRO.,. If your a cilantro fan then this is your spot .,.. Literally everything taste like cilantro .., the setting it nice
(1)AV G.
Basically, the place sucks. I am giving it an extra star because the service was nice, and the place is not very expensive. Pitchers of Margs are $12 and this gives about 5 drinks. I had the snapper which many yelpers insist that it is dry. I agree, because this is a huge fish that drys out when something this big is fried. We also had the seafood platter that is a huge platter of slop. Choose another place.
(2)Jasmine R.
I work in Bucktown and I often see the long lines outside of El Barco. I assumed that the food was delicious because of the long wait. So a friend and I decided to have dinner on Friday. The atmosphere was ok, the service was average, and the food...well let me explain. We asked for drinks before ordering food because we were so indecisive. We ordered a mixed frozen margarita pitcher. The drinks were pretty good. I ordered a shrimp dish, I'll say it was shrimp with melted cheese with veggies and rice. Before I could dig into my dish, I noticed a string of hair sitting on top of my broccoli. Disgusting!!! Why didn't the chef/cook look at the dish before sending it out? I pointed this out to the waitress and politely asked for a new dish. The waitress sent the food back to the cook. I could visibly see the interaction between the both of them. Less than 5 minutes later I received a "new" dish. I questioned the timing of the new dish and I was told that my order was bumped up. Meaning, l took someone else's food. I did not believe what was being told to me. I believed that the hair was simply removed from the dish and I was served the same food. I ate my food, excluding the veggies because of the hair thing. Long story short, I will not be back. I refuse to pay for hair in my food. It's not worth it. Dine someplace different!
(2)Mauricio G.
This was our first and LAST time we eat at this restaurant. We knew the place was small from the beginning bit we were ok with that. Waiting time was about 35 minutes but surprisingly the food was ready in our table 15 minutes. We ordered the parillada. The vegetables, refried beans, chicken was cold the octopus was over cooked. Chicken was dried. Over all everything was cold except the tortillas. The food is over priced for the quality. VERY disappointed WILL NOT recommend it. Mofood72@gmail.com
(1)Amber K.
Great service and fantastic strong CHEAP margaritas! $12 for a great pitcher can't be beat! Guacamole is great too! We ordered the salmon and the fajitas and it came with soooo much food.
(4)Laura G.
I've been in this restaurant a couple of times before because my dad loves sea food (although I'm not a fan of this particular restaurant), but today I had a very unpleasant experience. My husband and I took my parents to eat today and my mom (a 68 years old lady) wanted to order from the kids Menu. The waitress told my mother she couldn't serve her from the kids menu because (obviously) of her age, I asked the waitress if she had anything for seniors (small plates). She said no. Me, wanting to look for another option for my mom, I asked the waitress to call the manager just to see what he could do, not much for complaining. Waitress returned to our table stating that the manager said he was too busy to see us and that he couldn't do anything for us. My dad is 69 and I didn't want to make a big deal but I did want to leave that place right away... Needless to say, I pay my $115.00 for the four of us, but I hope never to return to this restaurant. If the manager does not have time for me, why would I spent my money there? I will save time and not mentioned the rude service.
(2)Guillermo A.
Went to have dinner and requested to sit outside so we were SHOCKED when the waitress tried to put us in a table we didn't want. All I can say is that after having been here several times we will NEVER. Return.
(1)Delia V.
The hubby & I decided to try this neighborhood "gem" on a rainy Friday during lent season. It was pretty packed & hard to find parking. We waited about 20 min but that was okay with us as we were hoping for greatness. Unfortunately our appetizer- the fish ceviche was far too drenched in lime! It seemed that it had sat around in lime all day as opposed to have been made fresh. Bummer!! The hubby tried the mojarra en mojo de ajo. My grandma made these for me growing up & unfortunately this one was under seasoned! Mega bummer!! I had the fish tacos & they were okay. They came with refried beans & rice. The rice was good. The beans dry. My son's kids menu fried fish was good though. Funny how his entree was the tastiest. We will not be returning, except for a drink & guac & chips! Those were delicious!
(3)Rodrigo R.
If you like sea food and feeling like a boss and want to go big or go home this is your place to come to the food is delicious and the chicks who work here are sexy.
(5)Kika W.
Whole fried red snapper and margaritas! I always go with those. But other items are great too. Big portion, tasty, well cooked and somewhat authentic. Down side is they don't take reservations, so be ready to wait on busy days/weekends
(4)Bill G.
The place has hilariously cheesy decor. Big plastic fish and lobster traps hanging from the ceiling, huge blue rimmed margarita glasses. The salsa was surprisingly good, the food was not
(3)Jess P.
I love this place. Only place I go to eat seafood and that's actually cheap. I also get the seafood platter. The grilled octopus is my favorite part! The margaritas are great too! Definitely recommend this place especially in the summer
(5)Elizabeth E.
Good stuff. As far as I can tell, most dishes are large enough to split if you aren't starving - if you are, there are plenty of appetizers (but few desserts). I've had shrimp each of the three times I've visited, and have left (overly) full and happy, particularly due to all of the other delicious things on the platter: roasted vegetables, guacamole, and rice. Totally worth the money for two if you can split something - otherwise it gets pricey quickly. Despite this praise, El Barco really isn't anything outstanding. There are far too many TVs for the small space, so I hope you like Spanish-language music videos! Service is fine but inattentive. It's quite loud and can get claustrophobic quickly. In the summer, you can wait outside, but in the winter, you and 15 of your brand new closest friends will be crowded together in the entrance, buffeted back and forth by servers with enormous platters of food and other diners coming and going. I'm not sure that the salsa you're served is intended for dipping - or how fresh the "chips" - entire tortillas - are. I've also never figured out what exactly you're supposed to do with the basket of tiny limes. The michelada, however, is a total steal. I ordered one on my first visit because it was cheap and I figured also small - no way! In fact, it was as big as my head.
(3)Jack B.
Frozen margaritas, fish ceviche, and seafood platter with chicken and steak. Probably one of the best mexican meals I've had. Good time and fun place to eat/drink.
(5)NaNett G.
I drive past El Barco a few times a week. I know a few people who have raved about this place - mainly the food. Last night, my boyfriend and I finally had a chance to check it out and I'm sorry to say, but we were not impressed! Although it's a small crampy environment, that really wasn't the issue... it was the food... it's just not great! First off, they give you the tortilla chips, and two dipping sauces that were both extra spicy! Thank God I don't have ulcer or colon issues because they sure as hell don't warn the customers, nor do they offer a milder option. When I asked the waitress for non-spicy sauce she said she'd bring us some guacamole instead. We assumed the small plate was a replacement, till we got the bill and saw we were charged $18!! For my entrée, I ordered the steak and mahi-mahi combo. The fish, beans, rice and vegetables were okay, but that damn steak - my goodness - tough as nails! I ordered it well done, as I do at any restaurant, but either the knife was too dull or the meat was actually rubber. My boyfriend and I decided well, we've finally checked it out, but definitely no need to go back!
(2)Yami L.
I have to say that everything I have had here is great! I give it 4 stars only Bc I haven't had everything their menu. I recommend everyone to come and eat here if you are seafood lover! The flavors are astounding.
(4)Cesar M.
" me le quita me le pone, ni madre!! nos chingan la medida". (quote from their menu) After a failed attempt to eat here (1 + hr wait, not me thanks) I came here a few days ago. Not before calling and asking about the wait time. Table was available. So we get there and get seated shortly granted it was a Tuesday right before 11 pm. We were not crazy hungry but still decided to go for the seafood platter. It was only 2 of us and thought maybe we could manage to finish it. Service is nice and the drinks are decent. The tostadas they have there are about the worst tostadas I have ever had. They do have a little basket with key limes in each table and that is pretty cool. The salsas: the red salsa is great. It is perfect for seafood. (this sea food???? we will see when the food arrives). It is always packed. from the very young to the very old, couples to families. We were there past 11 pm and for some reason there were a lot of people with babies in the restaurant. I guess a lot of people don't get that babies do not do well after their bed time LOL. And yes, by that I mean there was a lot of crying and moving around. Don't get me wrong I love babies and for that reason I wouldn't have my babies out so late. So come on people!!! Little chit chat a couple of laughs and the waitress is there with the food. And now that we are talking about the waitresses. They all were really pretty. I think that is a requirement to work there. lol Joke aside they were really pretty, all of them. So the food is there, huge platter with different types of sea food. Calamari, shrimp, prawns, crab legs, clams and everything was OK. Honestly I don't know what is the big hype about this place. I could go to some better seafood places in the southside of Chi town. The portion was huge no way we could've finished that much food. I had to take a little less than half home. It is a little pricey
(3)Julio V.
I guess those that rated this place high are either in prison or deprived. This was my third time and I am making it my last one. every time I go back I hope that the previous time was just an Off night but not so. I again had the red snapper but this time , the one for 2 and it was just blend. There was NO flavor to this fish unless you count all of the fluff on the side. I even tried some of the sauces on the table and adding some lemon. But no dice. It sucked. I'll go back to china town ,,,theirs is not the best but at least better . The Guac was good and margaritas were great that my GF had 2. But at the end of the night ..the main course is what it's all about. So I'm calling it ! LOST MY BUSINESS!!!
(1)Mike K.
This place sucks. It's a fish...Thrown in a fryer.. and it costs that much?? Please. I can't wait to hear the cut and pasted response that the business owner gives me! haha.
(1)Maria M.
Empanadas de Camaron where very good.. Salsas where super spicy.. Them came the main course, my fried mojarra was weak & more bones than meat.. My husbands fried shrimp where weak in the batter..veggies on the plate are awesome, but they were supposed to be hot and grilled., they were cold & almost raw...also, if your drink is at the edge of the table & empty, you should get an immediate refill(if the staff was attentive) my husband had to wait 10minutes before his refill..but wait, the best part, he was charged for a refill on his soda!! So, this would be the 1st & last time I visit.. I've had better Mexican seafood.. This one was way to Americanized for my taste.. For a whopping $ 55, I could have cooked a better meal at home..#disappointed #seafood #rating
(2)Richie D.
The place is shaped like a Barco? What else can be said?! At a first glance it seems as if dreary Ashland is the perfect street for a shipwreck and another Cy's Seafood [now out of business... 'nuff said]... Thankfully it was quite the opposite so put on your flippers and sunscreen on and dive in to the Mexican Coast! The owner's collection of decade-aged tequilas lines up the rear wall making me want to sing La Cucaracha. Plus TELEMUNDOOOOO and risqué Latina dancers on the televisions help me feel more welcomed. Take the seafood aromas, alcohol, bright colors, música latina, limes on the tables, and all we need is the smell of the sea! The waitresses weren't the friendliest bunch. I wanted to give them a sip of my killer Margarita to cheer them up. That's probably all they needed. While speaking of Margarita, here they do them right! Whether on the rocks or not, with or without salt, they taste like a happy paradise. By the time I left El Barco I think I was on Cloud 9 heading to get frozen yogurt. Not to mention that the other Yelpers were quite well off when they took many of the Yelp business photos... Since they're known for their 2 lb. Red Snapper, which I feel required to mention is on the red endangered seafood list of fish to avoid eating, I could not help my finger from pointing at the Huachinango (the long, tongue-tying Central/North American Spanish word for Red Snapper) while flipping through their gigante menu. Let's say that after pointing and not looking back, I'm glad I did. The fish on a plate alone is enough for a photograph. I got it fried with a side of garlic sauce to smother the fish in...mere perfection! We also ordered the guacamole and shrimp ceviche tacos which were simply average, perhaps because their menu is too vast for the chefs. When I go back, it's all about the snapper. It also may be a great place to celebrate a birthday with all that tequila--just sayin' (there's a free margarita coupon on their website).
(4)Deborah C.
I'm from California so I take Mexican seafood seriously and this place does it right! Do yourself a favor and try the shrimp tacos!!!
(5)Mo C.
the best place to eat at i mean the best .me and my 2 yrs old son loves there food better then the one across the street. we eat here at least once a month. you want good Mexican seafood this is the place to go.
(5)K D.
Just went here for a date night, and it was awesome! Yes, the sauces are not very good, yes the margaritas are both from a machine and delicious, yes the seating/lighting/TVs suck. I got the crab legs on a bed of rice and vegetables and it was all so good! Don't pay $18 for the guac- they give you some with your meal! BF got the whole red snapper, which he loved. It's too pricey to go all the time, but this is a great place to check out a couple times a year. I sitting outside in the summer and sharing a pitcher with e friend!
(4)Bridget K.
Mexican food done right. Took my boyfriend here about a month ago (it was my second visit to El Barco). We ordered the ceviche and guacamole. The ceviche, is the freshest/most dankest thing I've ever scooped into mi boca. The guac was the perfect shade of green and was not overly salted or cilantro'd. The chips were crisp and the drinks were strong. Not only is the food amazing, the staff is welcoming and very attentive. The owners put alot of love into their restaurant and it shows. My boyfriend wishes we could eat El Barco for every meal. Highly recommend.
(5)Sue W.
So today was my first experience dining out at El Barco because I heard the food was exceptional. I'm giving this place 2 stars because the server was HORRIBLE!!! I mistakenly ordered the wrong shrimp ceviche because the menu doesn't specify between the different kinds and when I told the server she replies, "well I can bring you another one but I'll have to charge you." Besides that, she forgot to put in my taco order and when I asked about them she said, "you told me you wanted the ceviche and not the tacos anymore." She was not attentive or didn't care for that matter because that's NOT what I told her. I ended up canceling the taco order even after she offered to put in the order because by that time I was completely done with my dining experience at El Barco. The servers don't really care to give you great customer service because the tip is included in the bill even if you are dining with a party of five or less. I recommend going to another Latin restaurant for better customer service and the food could've been better.
(2)Maria R.
Needed to kill some time so I decided to stop by and check this place out with my husband. Had a margarita pitcher for $14. Definitely not impressed... it was bland and had very little to no tequila. Also had the Queso Fundido dip with shrimp... it was ok. Nothing to really brag about, might possibly try it again and actually order a meal.
(3)Kathryn F.
This place is amazing, Sergio was extremely helpful and made sure we had a wonderful dining experience. This will definitely be our new go-to dinner spot with friends and family, we can't wait to go back. My husband has celiac and they were able to run us through the menu to show what was safe and what to stay away from. The portions were enormous, and the well priced margaritas were flowing. Thanks so much! Totally worth the wait and glad to live right behind this neighborhood gem.
(5)Sarah R.
The wait to get a table is an absolute mess. Mistracked, expectations not properly set (quoted 25 minutes for an hour and 35 min wait), no one checking back in, people in a herd waiting to hear their names. While the food and beverage at this place may be great, the experience needs a lot of work.
(2)Amy T.
This place has a little bit of everything. I definitely love their chips and sauces! We came on a recommendation from a family member (we came for a birthday "party"). It was pretty good. Their margaritas were pretty strong, yet tasty. Their fried whole snapper was pretty delicious. Though, the birthday girl had a few comments on being over fried and tasteless. The place was packed the whole night! It didn't stop the waitresses from coming over to the table with the cake and singing :) It's a friendly place. I definitely recommend people just to try their fried whole snapper!
(4)Patrycja S.
This place is absolutely amazing. The staff/service is GREAT. Very attentive, friendly, professional and upbeat, from the moment we were greeted with a warm "hola". The food... Oh so good. Wow. Portions are huge and delicious. I am impressed.
(5)Wayne B.
A good-looking place, but the service is minimal and the food is average...
(2)Nicki W.
Dined here last night with some of my co-workers. We were hungry and ready to drink. The place is super fun on the inside with a sort of vacation/seaside theme. Right when we sat down, these sauces arrived on the table with chips. BEWARE: They are SPICY, and trust me, I learned the hard way when I consumed a huge scoop of it. My mouth was numb for about 10 minutes. It doesn't help when the drink situation is lacking. Waters didn't arrive right away and they weren't very good about refilling them either. Right off the bat I ordered a pitcher of traditional margaritas because I didn't realize they had all sorts of fun frozen ones. The traditional margarita was gross, but loaded with booze. We then tried some sort of frozen passion fruit which was SO good. The seafood platters arrived and I couldn't believe how much food we had in front of us. Of course my boss over ordered and ordered two huge platters for 5 people but we chowed down. Everything was really good and seemed fresh. We enjoyed it! The bathroom situation though presented a problem and we dined on a slower Monday evening. I can only imagine how long the lines are on the weekends. Having them right next to the open kitchen is a pretty awful idea. Great little neighborhood gem. Check it out!
(4)Henri M.
Yum! It was super busy, even at 8:30 on a Sunday night (a good sign) but we were seated right away. I recommend the whole fried red snapper - you could easily spit it but it was so good I finished it myself. 4 stars because the margaritas are straight from a mix, but everything else is home made.
(4)Keke W.
I have been back to El Barco more than a few times since my first visit. The price of the pitcher of Frozen Margaritas have risen to about $12, however, to be honest, this is one of the best margaritas that I have tasted at a restaurant. We usually make it a girls night and order a pitcher of Strawberry and Lime Frozen. We tried the one the rocks and it was not strong.... At all. As far as food, The Mussels in garlic are EXCELLENT, the tacos are good, The steak is great, I did not care for the enchiladas, but all of the platters have been good. The red snapper looks so good but the portion is so big that I don't want to waste it. It seems to be one of the favorites judging by how many times the waitresses deliver it to various tables all night. They have been cleaning the women's restroom a little better but it still is in a serious need of a remodel.
(5)Angela S.
Recently visited again, Tue before last, and the ladies room was still an issue. Nothing worse than entering a washroom that is nothing short of atrocious when I'm already covered in my own seafood mess. I did inform a staff member of the conditions but at this point it was so far gone I could've washed up elsewhere and came back again. Even the giant roll of toilet paper that was balancing on the back of the tank instead of the dispenser, was soaked as if it fell into the bowl. Yes, customers and people in general can be slobs. But it's doubtful that an employee had even occupied the ladies room that day to make it a point to check the situation. Did I mention the food is still delicious? Hard to swallow when the bathroom makes a place so unappetizing.
(3)Jilian S.
The service can be spotty depending on your server. The two times that I went I felt that every item of the seafood could have been more fresh. I tried one of the large combination platters both times and was equally disappointed. Nothing bad to say about their drinks however!
(2)Sherlock A.
This place smelled so good. Unfortunately worst service ever. The waitress took so long that I had to serve my own water. I could hear several other people around us complaining about the slow staff and people getting the wrong food. She clearly did not understand English Never bothered to introduce herself. Found out later that her name is Jenny. Another waitress almost dropped a tray on my head and spilled some other tables food. Luckily we only ordered an appetizer. The mussels were not cooked. Needless to say we asked for our bill and got the hell out. Looks like the seafood place across the street has better reviews. Look forward to trying them out.
(1)W A.
We really like the fried Mojarra, delicious & enough to share. The only down side is how food is handled :( We are big on washing hands, food poison & colds. 1. The waitresses that handle payments, registers, cash - ALSO prepare the basket of tostadas with their bare Not Washed hands. 2. The salsas are recycled :( 3. Id recommend the owners to RENOVATE the Bathroom. Too small for the capacity. Waiting 15 min in line while dining impacts the full enjoyment. Besides these concerns - Id probably visit here more often if I wasn't worried about how food is handled.
(3)Jessie R.
This is by far my favorite "Mexican" seafood restaurant. With that being said, this place is always packed! You might want to go during "off" hours. Early during a weekday, would be your best bet or in the evening, not too late. Appetizers: I love the "chips" and salsa. The ceviche is delicious as well and they have some empanadas that are yummy as well. I love the "camarones a la diabla" and the Red snapper. The portions are HUGE! The drinks are "meh," but even though, I already know this, I always end up with a margarita lol. You can't go wrong with a beer though, if that's what you like. The servers are hit or miss. I've had a couple of encounters with some rude, inattentive ones, but overall, they have usually been very good.
(5)Renard W.
Hanging with the homeys after a good night of "Getting it in on the town", this is a real nice place to grab a Sunday meal in the midday. I prefer going in the mid because late night is almost impossible. You will wait at least an hour or two if you want this meal. No place to wait inside also, so you will be hanging outside in the winter if you make this place your dining choice in the evenings.The food is well seasoned, and fresh. I have a tendency to ask other patrons how's their meal and not once have a received a negative response from here. If you are a lover of seafood and spice, this is a solid place to choose. Although I have others I prefer more, in the right situation its ideal.Hands down try the ceviche, YUMMY!!!! Drinks are pretty good two. Service is ok but as expected when not dealing with a 5 star establishment. I did go there one time and requested for my server to be replace as a result of her inattentiveness, Though I can't say this place has "THE WOW" factor, it certainly has its charm and unique niche. It's a place I will frequent at least 4-6 times in the course of a year.
(3)Izzy N.
You know a place is fantastic and is doing right when you're still thinking about how great the refried beans are. Mmmmmm. Mmmmm.. MMMMMMM!!! Typically I push them and the mexican rice aside on my plate or I'll ask for none at all but these look different, not like grey trying to be brown death on a plate. And it looked rich and fatty. I can't resist fat. So tasty. The focus here is mostly seafood so I always have to order something from the sea here and good thing they have lots of that paired with the carne asada. Heaven on a plate I tell ya. The best of both worlds. The plates- they're huge retangular plates to hold all that comes with your entree. Mexican rice, refried beans, a mix of lightly perfectly seasoned veggies like corn on the cob, green beans, brocolli, cauliflower and a generous dallop of guacamole at the end of the plate. It's enough for 2 people to split. I like how it's all served without any tortillas as I'm not a fan and wouldn't have touched them :) the carne asada, delicious and simple. The shrimp fajitas is really good with lots of well cooked onions and peppers, tomatoes and big, plump perfectly cooked shrimp. Their margaritas are huge and perfect for some day drinking. I would have accepted one from a drunk hanging near our table (we were seated right by the bar) and told him to shoo once I received my drink but that's messed up. Their shrimp empanadas are also pretty good- very shrimpy and very rich that I could only finish one in one sitting. I loooove how they also have a nice little row of hot sauces to put on your food, as I like mine really spicy and my favorite habenero sauce was present. I see they also serve red snapper the way vietnamese presents our version- fried whole but sometimes we put a sauce on top of the whole fried snapper. That made me miss home. It can be packed on weekends and there will be a little bit of a wait. I was cool with a few minutes but nothing over 20, hell no. It's cramped, expect people to constany bump into your table during your meal. Drunk patrons trying to buy you drinks if you're a female. The one thing I didn't like was that since it was tight quarters in there, the waitress often hovered over us and I felt like we were being watched as we ate. That was a little unpleasant. I'm willing to overlook that a little because of the food. Entrees are about 12 dollars and up and you get soo much. My takeout box felt pretty heavy afterwards. It was my first meal of the day see.. I couldn't do a shock and awe on my stomach. I have to come back and see if the oysters are any good. Word to the wise: let your waitress pack up your food for you. Doing it yourself is a pain cuz the tables are small, the plates are huge retangles so it's heavy and awkward to try and efficiently pack your food to go. I highly recommend, the line starts here.
(5)Alex D.
Whole red snapper with garlic and onion complete with an Enormous Margarita (that's what it's called on a menu)? I'm in. The prices are higher than I expected but when you receive your giant wooden slab filled to the brim with food. Plenty left for a doggy bag if you have the guts to stop eating. Unfortunately, I chickened out and ate the whole fish. No regrets. Other than that, the steak and salmon I ate off my friend's plates was great, the rice is good, the beans are excellent and both the lime and blackberry margaritas are delicious. I'll be back.
(4)Javier C.
Ok so where to start. So we were here just last night me and my gf wanted to max on on some great seafood. We started with getting drinks, she got a maragarita was was excellent for her and I ordered a michelada with victoria. It was our 3rd time dining there and I noticed that the michelada was smaller than usual or before, so was a little dissapointed by that because I was looking forward to having a nice big cold mug to pour all the beer in but on to the next. So we ordered an appetizer the pulpo a la plancha and it was was phenomenal, prob best octopus plate ive had yet. After that I ordered camarones sarandeados and she ordered camarones empanizados (her favorite). So when we got the food we noticed the portioning was small compared to the previous times we've dined there. She was ok with her plate, she didnt like the rice it seemed pre-made. I tried the rice myself it was just ok. My plate was slighlty above average, the adobe flavor on shrimp was good but overall flavor of plate was ok. Wouldnt go back for the plates especially after spending $75 (they also charged for clamato in my drinks :(. Its definately worth a try, I would go back maybe for drinks and appetizers.
(3)Kei A.
This place was pretty good! Had dinner with my father. We had the Langostinos and a fried red snapper with shrimp. Everything was sublime and tasted authentic. I also had a tequila sunrise, which was exquisite.
(4)Mo W.
Whatever you do, get the WHOLE RED SNAPPER... Yum yum yum!!!! Not a bad spot, the servers are pretty decent as well. A lil pricy, but for what you are getting, you can't complain much.
(4)Chrystarie H.
The food was ok. Not worth a second trip. Wouldn't recommend. The snow crab wasn't very good :/ steak was decent ...yummy shrimp soup tho
(2)Elizabeth M.
This place is one of my favorite places in Chicago! There is no hit or miss here, it is always a hit here. The Barco is known for it's sea food but it also has non sea food items for those that are non seafood fans. I have been coming here for years and I never tire of the menu! On the contrary my mouth always waters in anticipation for my next visit. The food, service and cocktails are great! The margaritas are large, and strong without the strong taste. I recommend the strawberry mango margarita, it is the best! Their fish is always fresh! The meat is always cooked to perfection, and grilled vegetables are always DELISH!!!!!! If you have not been here, you are missing out!! Lines tend to be long on the weekend nights but it is worth the wait, if your not a fan of waiting try and go during the day, but none the less once you get your plate and drink you will be lost in a world where your taste buds go wild!!!!
(5)Christina B.
I live in the neighborhood and finally tried El Barco Marisco. I am very happy that I did because it was truly excellent!! The food is outstanding, very fresh and tasty. The service and atmosphere were nice, as was my margarita, but I still think about how great the food was. It is my new favorite restaurant!
(5)Ari B.
Terrible service, cramped, uncomfortable and three of us got sick. Any time we needed something - order drinks, order our food or even ask for the check, the waitress definitely made it feel like we were causing her a great deal of trouble. The experience as a whole was bad, but I'm not one to dwell on something like that. The kicker was what happened when I woke up the following Saturday (about 36 hours after eating there.) I was throwing up and well, going number three, all day, and have been since (it's been about 72 hours of hell now.) At first I didn't attribute this to El Barco; my girlfriend and I were both feeling crappy and figured we'd come down with the flu. Then we heard that one of the other people we had been there with actually went to the ER within a few hours of our initial symptoms showing. The common denominator? Their margaritas. From everything that we can deduce, it seems we contracted something from this restaurant, as it's the only time the three of us were in the same place at the same time, and the only thing that we all had there. There were two others in our party that did not get sick. Steer clear. There are better and safer alternatives for good food in Chicago!
(1)Annabelle F.
This place is great. The margaritas are delicious and cheap. Amazing seafood platters to share, great quality and value.
(5)jessica J.
5 stars for food 1 star for service. El Barco....It's maybe getting worse? The whole everyone is you're server thing is really not working out. This time I had food but no silverware, I had to flag down a waitress (not the one we started out with bc she disappeared) to get my drinks and then had to do the same when I wanted to leave. It PAINS me to know that after I wait for 30 minutes or more outside (which, for the amazing food is well worth it) I'm going to sit and have terrible service. It happens every single time :( This last time was my birthday....and well, it really sucked to have to track a waitress down for every little thing.
(5)Gabriela J.
Great Mexican sea food . I am Mexican and I was looking for an authentic place and I am glad I found it. The food was great and the service excellent. We had the shrimp Coctel and the mahi mahi a la diabla . I can't wait to go back .
(5)Stohn C.
Me & my wife ordered the whole red snapper and the crab legs with 2 margaritas. Portions: large. Drinks: large. Wowzers! No complaints there. Food was delicious. They had my favorite things in the world already at the table, limes! Everyone says the salsa is hot, only if you're a wuss. I thought it complemented the fish wonderfully. I asked to sample my wife's crab legs and she said "no". So the bill was about $70 and I think it was totally worth it. Our table was silent when the food came. Like two little fat kids scarfing down our last meals. Lol. So after dinner and leaving to go to our car, I see this other restaurant across the street. Turns out we went to the wrong damn place! But I'm still happy and next time I'll have to give that place a try. They have very similar names too.
(5)Michael A.
Went to El Barco again this past Friday, and it was not nearly as good as last time. Service was not as prompt or attentive. I ordered the shrimp stuffed with cheese and wrapped in bacon. I had asked the server if I should order that or the shrimp enchiladas, and went with her recommendation. Bad choice. First, the bacon was SALTY! And not just a hint of salt...I felt like a cow licking a salt lick. The salty bacon overpowered everything, and was not tasty at all. It was so bad I had to peel off the bacon because I could not eat it (and I *LOVE* bacon, so thats saying a lot). Second, the shrimp had a lot of shells still on them. You would assume when they are wrapped in bacon (and stuffed), that the kitchen staff would remove ALL the shells (and Im not talking about the shell at the bottom by the tail, Im talking about the "meat" of the shrimp) So not only was I eating salty bacon, but I was crunching on shells. Which was DISGUSTING. I had to spit out a few bites. And it was not just one shrimp that had a piece of shell, it was probably half my order. I ended up not even finishing my meal, and eating some of my fiance's shrimp (grilled - much better choice). And the final low point of the meal? The veggies that come on the side with my shrimp were COLD. Not warm, not cooling....COLD. So to recap: Poor service, SUPER salty bacon, unpeeled shrimp, and cold veggies. The meal (literally) left a bad taste in my mouth. Might think twice before going there again. And that makes me sad, because my first meal was so good. Now Im not sure which is the norm for this place.
(3)Daniel C.
This place is a Fiesta! I went with some coworkers and we each got two of their gigantic margaritas. They were delicious and filled with booze! I was definitely wasted when I left! On to the food ---- My friends got the crab leg and the red snapper! The whole red snapper is crazy! I had the carne asada. The entrees all came with a billion sides, veggies, rice, refried beans, and mine came with Guacamole! My coworkers had so much they took home a lot and probably will have enough to eat for another few meals!
(4)Emily C.
The food here is good - we usually get the seafood platter, though it's always a bit greasy and way too much food, ha). The red snapper is great here too. And the Corona's are huge! Prepare to wait on a busy night. It's nice in the summer because they have outdoor seating. There is a VERY small lot across the street but we can usually find street parking. 57/365
(3)Laura L.
Could not be happier to have finally tried this place. Unique touches all around and a menu unlike any I've found in Chicago so far. Great, really really great seafood. Hubby had the snapper, I had the crab legs (with a sauce that was clumsy to eat and made me feel like I was about to encite a food fight). Got a shrimp empanada for starters, along with the great chips & dips they provide automatically. Really great experience. Just can't say enough. Maybe because we didn't know what to expect and came out with a unique night out, but thinking about this place just makes me want to go back right away!
(5)Nicole G.
If you go here on the weekend, expect a long line of couples and families ahead of you. However, this place is worth the wait. I come here on a weekly basis, it's one of my favorite places to eat in the city. In the summer there's a lovely patio and the interior of the restaurant is a nautical theme. Everyone who works here is friendly and very helpful. The menu is huge! There are a variety of great drinks! My favorite is piña colada, they serve it in a giant glass. There are also margarita pitchers for $12! It's an awesome deal. They serve fresh oysters here, you can get them with salsa. Cameron's de ceviche is great too, it's fresh shrimp, in pico de gallo. Arroz con Mariscos is my favorite dish lately, it includes rice, veggies ( on the side), a crab leg, shrimp, octopuses, calamari, and muscles all sautéd in garlic. Absolutely delicious!
(5)Casey C.
Easily the best Mexican restaurants I have ever had the pleasure of eating at. The ceviche and special sauce is out of this world. The manager, Carmen, is not only personable but also very quick to help in any occasion. Definitely recommend.
(5)Bee B.
Amazingggg sea food ! I'm surprised they do not have more stars. The margaritas are good and strong as well. You can't go wrong coming here for a date night.
(5)Llamar 2.
I love Mexican seafood, but this place is a rip-off. For an appetizer we ordered the grilled calamari which wasn't grilled at all and tasted like I was eating egg whites. When I asked for Shrimp Cocktail Sauce, they gave us ketchup! We asked to make due and they confirmed it was mixed with ketchup and didn't have only cocktail sauce... Uh... Ok? Then we had the fish tacos that had so much mayo it made us gag and lose our appetite. We also ordered a shrimp and octopus cocktail that was chingon (The large) but I was still hungry! And they really lacked on the octopus. Service was fine. Major fail and I won't be back. If you want great seafood for less go to Las Islas Marias.
(2)My B.
Not bad for a first visit, but we will most likely order differently next time or take a small army with us. We had a party of 4 adults and 2 toddlers. We ordered the huge combo platter for 4 - but really should be for 6 or 7. The items on the platter were a bit salty and started tasting the same after awhile.
(3)Dasha B.
Seafood platter for two is more like for 4 people. Try mango frozen margaritas! Delish!!! The service is slow and they forget to bring you things that you ask for - twice...like the salsa for the chips. Overall, really delicious food and drinks!
(4)Anitada B.
So so food . Server very pretty . . But very bad service
(3)Nicole K.
If you love seafood and trying out authentic restaurants in Chicago, you will love this place!! First off, this is not to be confused with Mariscos El Veneno, which is right across the street. I've heard that place is just as good, if not better, but if you're looking for a lively atmosphere, I would definitely choose El Barco. We happened to just beat the Saturday rush and only had to wait about 30 minutes for a table. We ordered the guacamole, ceviche and the mariscadas for 2. Everything was fantastic. The mariscadas for two came on a huge platter with crab legs, octopus, baked and fried fish, shrimp, mussels and rice, veggies and beans. The platter was $55 and we had enough leftovers to take an entire To Go box home. I saw a ton of people order the whole red snapper, which looked amazing as well. This place gets really crowded, with nowhere to wait but outside. You'll only see your server a couple of times throughout the meal so try to order everything you need up front. Also, if you don't speak fluent Spanish, you're definitely going to stand out here, so keep that in mind. All things considered I enjoyed the entire experience and will definitely be back.
(4)Rag C.
This place seems crowded during dinner service (maybe that is a good thing?). The items are a little more expensive than the typical Mexican restaurant. This is a place you should come to if you like seafood and get that Mexican taste to your seafood. If you are driving, be prepared to drive around and look for parking as it is hard to find one. If you don't want to wait in lines, try coming here on a weekday evening.
(4)Mookie S.
The seafood at El Barco is wonderful!!! I have brought friends from around the country here and they always request to come back the next time they are in town. :) I recommend sharing the variety plate because you get to taste everything. You always get SO much food! Even when I share standard entrees we end up taking leftovers home.
(5)J T.
We had to wait an hour for a table and yet when we had called earlier to make a reservation, they said they didn't take reservations. The food was just ordinary and got cold pretty fast. Nothing special.
(2)Merissa L.
I love this place! It has great ambiance and AMAZING service and food. I have been there 2 times over the past 4 years, the most recent just 2 weeks ago. I would have given it five stars, but I ordered the prawns and I found that they lacked meat. However, they were still delicious. My boyfriend ordered the tilapia and it was a bit dry but tasty. Our food came with amazingly delicious rice, veggies, and a small portion of guacamole. Next time I will order the shrimps. This is one of my new favorite places because of the whole package...great ambiance, great food and lots of food options, great drinks (we had margs), and GREAT service.
(4)Lizz R.
My all time favorite! Can't complain on EL BARCO. GREAT CHEAP PRICED MEXICAN SEAFOOD AND CHEAP PRICED DRINKS. I love the outdoor patio in the summer. Am outdoorsy and in that I like getting buzzed on their Margaritas and the house specialty the Michelada..Great place to go with friends, family for some tasty and affordable S@@FOOD a diverse and lively fun place.
(5)tony w.
The place can get a little crammed but that's okay the food is really good. Before the meal they serve mediocre tortilla chips with mole and some green salsa both are a bit spicy. They break one of my personal rules and that is to never serve food before you serve a beverage especially really spicy food. Fajitas are very very good different then you have probably had anywhere else in that they have things in there like a small piece of corn on the cob and potatoes served up on a very large long plate. My wife had the shrimp with cheese she thought it was outstanding she counted 14 shrimps on her plate. She said her margarita was strong and delicious. The menu is huge plates alll look great. They have earned a B+
(4)Ivanka B.
The first time I came here many years ago, I mentally gave this place 4 stars. I'm not quite sure what happened though - I didn't care for my shrimp tacos in the weird bbq sauce and my sisters shrimp with cheese weren't much better. The shrimp themselves were really the problem - they tasted kinda funky. I know this was not the case the last time I came here. C'mon el Barco - I hope you bring it for the summer outside margarita sippin' season!
(2)Kennen M.
Bright, lively Mexican seafood joint that makes you almost forget you are in Chicago. Tables are stocked with limes and a variety of hot sauces and the wait staff was on top of everything. The pitchers of margaritas are at a great price point and the tequila display is impressive. Entrees are generous and even the bottomless pit boy had leftovers to take home. I have had the whole snapper, fajitas, soup, skirt steak, seafood mix and all have been very good! One thing I was impressed by was the clientele- there was not one minority or majority - as the song goes "Black, White, Cuban and Asian" - a real melting pot of everyone! Next time I am the winter blues, I am coming here to warm up - south of the border style!
(4)Roberto F.
This statement sums up another trial by fire for Mexican Seafood: Not great but good. Overall there was nothing wrong with this place it just left me a little unimpressed. They start you off with chips and salsa but the salsa is just way to spicy and you need to make sure you have a drink on hand. Don't get me wrong, I love spicy but this was overwhelming. The fish/shrimp were cooked well but lacked a little flavor, especially the Shrimp Ceviche. It was really good but in this area it could have used some serranos or jalapenos for kick. Not leave this place on a bad note it did have some of the best Frozen Margaritas in the city.
(3)Francisco V.
My first time and last I came here with my family ,service was terrible ,floor and tables dirty our food was plain no flavor at all I have to wait 20 min for order of tortillas really just for 3 pieces
(1)Bryan A.
Food is good reasonably priced, but service is always very insipid.
(3)Lisa K.
I was invited to a group dinner here, and everybody absolutely love the food! Generous portions, options of both fried and steamed fish (I had the salmon and it was delicate, moist and amazing) and the guacamole was one of the best I've ever had. The restaurant was busy and noisy on a Saturday afternoon, but the food came quickly, and was delicious. Definitely recommended!
(4)Michelle P.
When we walked in the door and saw the fish hanging everywhere and the vibrant environment, we thought this would be a great place. Unfortunately, appearances can be decieving, and everything else about this place sucked. It took at least 5 minutes before a waitress even brought menus to the table, and another 5 before we got water. We decided to split one of their specialty meals, which included an array of seafood, meat and vegetables, as well as rice and beans. We ran out of water pretty quickly because the dips they put on the table were so spicy (and we love spicy), and the waitress didn't come by to refill. I saw her standing in the kitchen eating, so we asked the bartender to give us more water. When our food finally came, it looked like a delicious feast. However, taste was a different story. The meal only came with 3 scrawny crab legs, all overcooked and soggy. There were also 3 prawns, but they were so overdone that we only ate 2. the octopus was underwhelming, as was the breaded fish. The flank steak was dry and tough and the shrimp were in little bits, but all still had shells on them. The refried beans were crusty and overdone, and we didn't even touch the rice. It looked like it came out of a box. The only mildly decent items were the mussels, which were surprisingly not overcooked, some kind of whitefish, and the broccoli. By the end of the meal, we both had stomach aches and felt disgusting. This was made worse by the bathroom situation. The bathrooms are located right next to the kitchen and services area where the kitchen door constantly swings open and you have to stare at piles of dirty dishes. There is only one women's and one men's bathroom, so men and women have to line up amongst the tables and press against the wall to avoid being trampled by the wait staff. The rug by the doors was soggy and dirty, and the person in the ladies' room before me couldn't even get the door open. My fiance said someone had thrown up in the men's bathroom sink and hadn't rinsed it very well. Gross. This was the first time in many years that I consciously did not tip 20% because the service was so bad. I think all the good reviews must come from people who had the margaritas and were drunk when they ate this food. I'm so sad we wasted a night out on this place.
(1)O O.
I really wanted to like this place more. My wife and I ordered the parrillada one of their signature dishes. It is $60 for 2 people but really could have fed 3-4 people. While you get a lot of food, it simply didn't taste fresh. The grilled shrimp and the crab legs were good. Everything else was a dissapointment and way too fishy! The octopus was very tough, the filet and mahi mahi over cooked. It was especially dissapointing that my skirt steak was overcooked. It was so overcooked that it tasted like liver. Also, the rice was very clumpy whch makes me think it was re-heated. La Pasadita across the street is much better for a lot less money. 2 stars only for the grilled shrimp, crab legs and the big Tecate that they serve in an ice bucket. You can do better. We didn't even take a doggy bag even though we left a ton of food. I wasn't going to reheat something that was already old and tough.
(2)Izola W.
Best place in the world for Seafood! Order the platter!! I We ordered the platter for 4 and it was 5 of us. We still had food left over. The margarita pitchers are amazing!! Try the passion fruit and mango swirl!!
(5)Summer W.
Absolutely fabulous seafood and great guacamole!!!! My mother always said if you walk in a restaurant and can't smell the food, turn around and RUN!!!! When I walked in there were all kind of wonderful aromas in the air!!!! My cousin and I got a pitcher of Mango margarita (passion fruit) for like eleven or twelve bucks and my dear sweet mother was able to get a glass of red wine from somewhere around the bar...wow...lol!!!! The prawns and mussels were full of flavor and just absolutely amazing!!!!! The red snapper was to die for and tasted just as good the next day. They give you the leftovers in a aluminum pan so you can easily warm them up in an oven instead of a microwave....yum....Wonderful place! Will bring the family back!!!!!
(5)Sarah C.
Went to dinner here last night--called ahead just to check what the wait time was because a member of our party has a bad back and didn't want to be on his feet standing for a period of time. We were quoted 20 minutes, which seemed reasonable so we headed over. Well, 20 minutes turned into 45 minutes....just as I was suggesting we go somewhere else our name was finally called. We surmise that they must tell EVERYONE 20 minutes because that's just about the amount of time anyone would be willing to stick around to wait (we saw a group of friends there, who came separately, who were also told "20 minutes" and waited approximately 40-45 as well). The dining room is small and almost uncomfortably cramped. There is absolutely no elbow room on the table if you are sitting next to someone. Luckily they don't cram you in there so tight that you don't have any room to back your chair up! The table is also crammed with saltines (couldn't figure out why) and tons of sauces. Frankly, all that stuff is just clutter that takes up valuable real estate. The service was.....not the greatest. The waitress didn't bother bringing us menus the first time she came to the table; we actually had to ask for menus (WHAT?!!?). Several times we had to ask for additional napkins, remind her to bring us our margarita pitcher we ordered and she never came by to check on it, we always had to flag her down. The food, on the other hand, FREAKING AMAZING. Holy huge portions, Batman! And wow delicious. We got one of the seafood sampler platters that said it fed 4....but honestly it could probably feed 6 people (we had 5 in our party). Everything was cooked to perfection, and thankfully the only thing the waitress delivered on time was the food, so it was still very hot. The margaritas are also very good--we got the lime flavor on the rocks. There is a decent amount of alcohol, not an overly generous amount, but as much as I would expect. Give that this was my first experience here, I certainly will be visiting again. My friends go there often, so I must have just experienced an "off night" with one of their waitresses. Their food totally made up for the lack of attention we got for our basic needs. Just be cautious that when they quote you 20 minute wait...if there is at all any sort of line at the door, you'll probably be waiting longer.
(3)Tony S.
The atmosphere is crowded, but festive! The food is not meant for gringos, the food is flavor full and spicy! I have been going here for a couple years, a great place to bring friends from out of town. I usually spend 25$ and I am super full and pleased the my experience. **I have only been here on the weekends, I don't know what it is like on weekdays.
(5)Tiffany T.
It's right across the street from Marisco El Veneno, and looks a lot more fancier. Of course, they've done marketing right. If you tell the cab driver that you are going to Marisco, he'll take you directly here instead of El Veneno. Anyway, their deep-fried whole fish is phenomenal. The portion for two people (for only $30!!) is usually more than enough for three, and it comes with tons of rice and vegetables. Everything is so flavorful and delicious that you simply cannot stop eating. So don't ruin it and try to make gorgeous fish tacos out of it. Must try Calamari Diablo for an appetizer. It's grilled calamari / squid soaked in hot Diablo sauce -- the real bomb-diggity!! Don't forget about their magaritas -- I love the strawberry and tamarindo ones!
(4)Alana T.
I absolutely love El Barco. Trust me, it's for more reasons than the strong margaritas that will have you on your ASS if you over-indulge. Not only is El Barco great for libations, it's equally awesome for great food. The Spot I'd like to begin with the big fish outside of the restaurant so you're sure not to pass it up. Come on, the fish is BLUE! It might be a sword fish, hell, I don't know. Anywho, you walk into the spot, and of course, there's this tank right in your face with alllll kinds of sea creatures. I don't entertain that tank...ever. Next, if you look around, you'll see TEQUILA...all.kinds.of.TEQUILA. Blue tequila, red tequila, here a tequila, there a tequila, tequila alll around. It really adds to the festive atmosphere. The Service After you're seated, they uncover these tortilla's and bring you several sauces. Eat this sauce at your own risk. Your butt hole will be burning for a few weeks if you over-indulge! SPICE-EYYYY!! However, if you're planning on grabbing some margaritas, which you'd better if you want to be happy and ride ponies and fly like beautiful butterflies. These margaritas will make that happen for ya, eat lots of the tortillas so you can soak up the tequila! Wait, the service is good. The waitresses are a little off on the English, but hell, most of us Americans can't speak English too well. But, they are super nice. The Food My first time going, I tried the Garlic Red Snapper. AMAZING. It's huge, it's succulent, it's flavorful (with garlic...DUH) and it's filling. It comes with beans, rice and lots of vegetables and of course, your choice of tortillas (corn or flour)...This IS a Mexican spot, after all. The tacos and fajitas are also all yummy. I really like the steak and chicken tacos. All their food is soooo flavorful. The prices are SO reasonable. I think it's less than like $20 bucks for the whole red snapper. Take away this... Drink the Margaritas to enable flying capability Eat the food to reduce flying capability from the Margaritas by the time you leave Leave... Return... Repeat!
(4)Melanie H.
I really wish I would have asked for recommendations before eating here :( I totally ordered the wrong stuff! I ordered what I thought would be a delicious appetizer of queso fundito....but unfortunately it was literally a clump of semi liquid cheese with 3 pieces of shrimp inside...very disappointing, but my fajitas were good-just nothing impressive. Margs tasted like a pre-mix. But a lot of surrounding dishes looked amazing thats why if I am up to it maybe I'll go back someday
(3)Diana F.
Food is a hit or miss & service is terrible... always. However, the margaritas are tasty & the ceviche is good- the only reason why I come here. Try to avoid coming late during the weekend, its always packed.
(3)Don H.
I am going to admit something right off the bat: I wanted to get drunk here. I remembered their margaritas from a long time ago and, since we had 1 hour until a massage, we thought we could cram in a meal before hand. We started out with the chips and salsa. And by salsa I mean the most delicious chipotle sauce. It was so tasty that we ate two bowls of chips with it before our meal even came. That with the two margaritas in my system, we were nearly full. But we ordered anyway: My partner ended up with the very simple, but sublime camarones (shrimp) and I ordered the overwhelming mixto. As always, the fish was INCREDIBLE and I know it's not the tequila talking. It's always good. Always. We inhaled our food, had some more chips and chipotle, and got on our way. I loved the crowd here, by the way. It's 2p on a Monday and there's a mix of people off from work and workers on their lunch breaks. Cop-looking people. It was totally worth it. I cannot wait to get back there.
(3)Monica B.
So this place is wonderful! The most unique but authentic Mexican restaurant I have been to in chicago. The only negative I'd say is they don't take reservations so we had to wait 20+ mins (granted it was a Friday night at 8pm). And the place is small so your kind of squished like a sardine while waiting but it's ok we just salivated over the great looking food and drinks! The food is amazing and the portions are very generous. The atmosphere is fun and the decoration is unique (covered in tequilla). The margaritas are so good and very fresh, it looks like they use fruit to make it right there. Now the food is outstanding. We got one of the special to share for 4 and they literally brought out a HUGE tray of seafood (so fresh and tasty) and meat (seasoned and prepared very well). Everything we saw on other people's tables while waiting was jaw dropping too. Highly recommends for good foood and a fun time!
(4)michael s.
We chose el barco instead of the mariscos place across the street, to see if we would prefer it, sat at the patio and ordered the platter for 2, the only thing good on the platter was the shrimp. The octopus, prawns, and crab were overcooked to death, only 4 legs of crab when the waitress told us there would be more. I think the only pleasant thing was the pitcher of daiquiri. waitress was nice but overall i might come back and try the huachinango once just to see how good it is.
(2)Crista L.
If you enjoy seafood, GO TO EL BARCO. Walking in to El Barco, I knew it was gonna be a good place. Their food is AMAZING - FLAVORFUL. Expect LARGE PORTIONS. My meal (the crab legs) was equivalent to 3 meals. I loved the crab legs - so much that I didn't even dip the legs in butter. My BF had the prawns, he was in heaven. I talked about this restaurant to 4 or 5 people since we were there last week. We plan on going back next week. If you're smart, I'll see you there. Oh, this place would be good for a large group of people.
(5)John P.
Great seafood selection with a killer margarita. But if you go on the weekend at dinner time be ready to wait in line for a while. I always order the whole red snapper with a combination of seafood's on a large platter. They serve a amazing dark salsa that has a hint of chocolate in it....I dream of that salsa once in a while.....
(4)Bernice L.
LOVED the food! Mexican seafood at it's best! You could feel the excitement in the air as we all spotted the huge red snappers coming out of the kitchen, as well as the Mariscos platters. I was a little intimidated by the atmosphere and location of the place, but once you're in, you don't want to leave. The place is decked out in seafood decor and seeing all the families and friends gathered together to enjoy a delicious meal together was the best. Everything tasted fresh and delicious for our party of 6. We couldn't have left happier, especially with our $11 pitchers of frozen margaritas! They were icy goodness! We all agreed that they beat out Caeser's margaritas by far with price and taste! Our night out was super fun and tasty! I can't wait to take my friends and family there to show them what they've been missing!
(4)Rob J.
I'm calling it....best fish tacos in Chicago hands down. I literally just got back from dinner and couldn't wait to write my review. I got both the grilled fish and shrimp tacos on flour tortillas and they were fantastic! I also give a little credit to the couple of margaritas I downed. ;) A little side note, this place is so authentic that they could barely understands my order...a very good sign when you are looking for good fish tacos.
(5)Nikki C.
I think I may have pissed off the chef, slept with their pets or daughters during my last drunken adventure and forgot to take my shoes off when I visited their home, because my meal at EB was the meh. Service was good from beautiful, smart women with smiles to match. Drinks poured and water wet etc... but the food. My snapper was overcooked, my veggies were overcooked, my empanadas were cooked well and tasty. but the insides tasted like chicken(I ordered shrimp and pescado empanadas mind you.) The shrimp cocktail is more ceviche style, tasty, but not your gringo western style which surprised my dining guest. Her tilapia was overcooked, but she liked her veggies. So apparently she didn't sleep with the cook's kids or kick their dog which apparently they thought I did. at least I now get Karma credits now to do such things as I tipped well for a meal not so bueno for me culo;-(
(3)Jorge A.
Not very happy with the quality of the food, drinks were water downed and expensive. I been to el barco many times before, lately I been very disappointed not only with th food but the drinks being horrible. You have to wonder if they mess with the drinks what do they do with the food????
(1)Lily M.
I went to El Barco last night with friends, and as usual we enjoyed the meal and the margaritas. I paid with my credit card but sat at the table chatting so long afterwards that I forgot. As we were leaving, I left enough cash to cover the check plus a tip, meaning I paid the check twice. Our server ERIKA stopped us just as we were walking out the door because she suspected there had been a mistake, which there had been. Thanks for your honesty ERIKA!!
(5)Jaw Nelly L.
Terrible service...owners you don't need pretty faces ..do you need good people for work...
(1)Denise G.
Fun atmosphere and great margaritas. I have to agree that service is less than par. The food was good - loved the ceviche tostada and fajitas.
(3)Katherine M.
Most of the food dishes I give a 4 or 5 stars and the frozen margaritas are wonderful. The stars are lost over repeat visits with continued too harried service or mistakes made. They either need to hire more experienced servers or smarter ones. platter are a good idea, the octopus is EXCELLENT. I just have a very hard time with the servers...getting their attention, getting my order in a timely manner etc.
(3)Jessica M.
What a hidden gem, I'm shocked this place isn't a household name in Chicago. First time here and have been greeted with warm smiles and large [but still small enough to be made delicious every time] margaritas (recommend trying the mango frozen btw). Love the freshly delivered (and complimentary) black pepper oil sauce on the table and the fish tostados could not have been better. Great mix of authentic coastal Mexican cuisine amd atmosphere and fun tasteful dining. Strongly recommend a visit. Forgot to finish post 5 months ago, have been back countless times since; still no less than spectacular experiences here. PS to J.T. - You're really upset they don't take resos? A fourth of Chicago restaurants don't take resos, boo-hoo, and please, the food is ANYTHING but ordinary, that statement HAD to have been sarcastic (?!).
(5)Laura J.
This place is AMAZING. The food is mind blowing. I highly recommend the shrimp with garlic and cilantro sauce. Dont forget to get a pitcher of margaritas! They are relatively cheap, taste amazing, and are strong. A pitcher is great for 2 people. If you love seafood and margaritas you wont be disappointed.
(5)Kevin A.
MMMM....MOLLUSCS Yes, we all know about the gargantuan fried snapper and the huge platters of seafood. But do people know that this is the home of perhaps the best octopus / pulpo in the city? Let me be clear. I love, love, love, love octopi. I love saying it, I love seeing it when I'm diving, and I absolutely love eating it. So I was thrilled to find that El Barco serves up generous portions of tender, juicy, crave-worthy octopus for about $10. $10 for a giant plate of octopi awesomeness? Yes, please! Add a cerveza or four, and that's all I need for a great meal. Too often I'll go to tapas places to get my octopus fix only to get a dish that's 90% veg/potatoes and only 10% octopus. Not at El Barco! I've had it two ways here, grilled and sauteed with mojo de ajo and potatoes. You can't go wrong with either.
(4)Ale R.
This review is long overdue.. The food here is delicious. I went for my birthday, had reservations and was seated promptly. You might be wondering where the Three Star rating comes from... Customer Service.. or lack there of! .. The waitress was alright a little inattentive and the guy behind the register was rude and ignorant. If you don't mind okay service as long as the food is good then give it a try. As for me, it's just not worthed.
(3)Hoang L.
This place was packed last night. Recommended by our friend Maria, we had no idea what to expect. We saw some fish hanging from the windows, so we're like cool, we like seafood. Looked around to see what everyone was eating and asked the hostess what people usually get. He pointed to the menu and said Paradillada (see pic uploaded) It was amazing! It was like a Thanksgiving feast without the turkey. It came with a tray full of fish, steak, chicken, mussels, octopus, crabs, shrimps, prawns, rice, refried beans, tortillas, and on the side you have fresh limes and a bunch of hot sauces. Seriously, what more can you ask for? Seafood tacos are delicious! My girlfriend said, "I can't eat crab without butter", so we asked for it. They brought out a bowl of warm butter and we dipped everything in it. I accidentally dropped a piece of fish in it and it was the best thing I did that night. I am not lying, they had the BEST butter I have ever tasted. Disclaimer: the butter probably isn't very healthy. Dinner for 2 was $40 (plus tax and tip) but it's really dinner for 2 hungry male athletes. We could have used a 3rd person. The passion fruit margarita was enormous! Definitely recommend it, frozen, although it's not as strong as the ones from Caesar's Killer Margaritas. Tip: Don't come here with nice clothes (the butter made everything slippery). Come here when you're ready to get down and dirty! =)
(5)UncleMichael V.
This is my new favorite spot when it comes to seafood or mariscos. Fresh tasting seafood, great decor, good selection of hot sauces to try, and great drinks. We went on a Tuesday night and got the seafood platter for about $21 a person. So. Much. Food. Everything from fish, grilled and fried, crablegs shrimp, crayfish, steak, chicken, mussels, mariscos style, and rice, beans with steamed fresh veggies. I heard that their snapper fish is really good. Best thing is that you get a lot for your money. And they don't short you on value and freshness. Plenty of options and variety to choose from here. More reason to come back here lol. And my birthday is coming up soon, might be a good reason to revisit El Barco! Make the trip! And enjoy!
(5)Cheese M.
I come here about once every three months on a Saturday with the same friend and spend about $60 on lunch. Every time it's worth it. Always go with the seafood platter. The quality of fish truly is great. It's not BYOBe but makes some rally solid margaritas
(5)Ariane S.
I feel like I should really like this place but I cannot get over the horribly fishy smell (that permeates all of Ashland Ave) and the entire fishes that they carry out on a tray (but hey, I have weird food problems.) I had the fish tacos which were really oily and greasy but the table next to us had a huge platter of shrimp that looked really delicious. Unfortunately, I just can't get over the incredibly steamy, fishy inside and the fish with eyes.
(2)Lucy F.
I love this place...their langostinos are amazing.. The cocktail shrimp is really good, I also had a michelada and it was delicious. My husband had the skirt steak dinner, and it was tons of food. Their salsa and chips are great.. I also tried their piña colada which was nice an creamy.. Will definitely come back!
(4)Nicole C.
Although I've only been here a few times, this has always been one of my all-time favorite Mexican seafood restaurants in Chicago (next to Mixteco Grill on the north side). I'd highly recommend the red snapper (see pic) -- it is one of there specialties and comes in a wide variety of preparations. We shared the fried snapper with chipotle sauce, which was delicious -- just watch out for those bones! It is served on a bed of rice and lots of steamed vegetables. Oh, and I must mention that the raw oysters are fresh and delicious and served freezing cold on a bed of ice -- as they should be. They're so tasty they just need a little splash of fresh lemon. We finished off a dozen in about ten minutes. No joke. We went on a Friday night without reservations (I don't think they take them?) and had to wait for about 20 minutes, which wasn't bad -- we snacked on the free Mexican candy.
(4)Dan R.
So first of all, this is Jeremy, not Dani writing this review... we started this so we could both write reviews but this is my first. We have been to El Barco a couple of times and I have not been impressed with the food. We weren't interested in spending a ton on dinner so Dani ordered the chicken enchiladas and I ordered the tacos al pastor instead of some of the fancier seafood entrees. The enchiladas were good, pretty much your run of the mill enchiladas, but they were tasty despite some of the side vegetables that came with being so overcooked we weren't interested in trying them... The reason this review is very poor is for the tacos. Now, I'm no taco connoisseur or anything like that, but I think (or thought?) I knew what a taco al pastor is. Really delicious marinated pork with a lttle bit of pineapple, cilantro, onions.... delicious, and one of my favorites... So you can imagine my surprise when I unwrap the tacos and realize I'm looking at fish tacos with nothing else in them other than some cilantro. I called the waitress and told her I had ordered the al pastor tacos, not fish. She proceeded to tell me that at El Barco, the al pastor tacos are fish tacos. I asked her in disbelief a second time just to be sure I heard her correctly... I went ahead and ate one of the tacos and Dani had one too, and we both agreed that they were about the worst taco we've ever tasted. There was something the fish was dipped in but the sauce was completely tasteless. I have no problem with restaurants departing from the normal standards of a dish, but come on... if you are going to offer a dish that is known to be one thing and serve something completely different you'd better highlight it on the menu. It's like a burger joint serving you a turkey burger if you just ordered a regular cheeseburger... On top of it all, the food is overpriced for the experience. We won't be back. Particularly when the place directly across the street has some of the most fantastic Mexican dishes I've had this side of the border.
(2)Michael C.
This place is awesome! I love the environment, the food, and the busy wait staff were nice too! The platter of food we got was amazing!!!!!
(5)Dom M.
Loved it! First "Mariscos" experience in Chi, and enamored. The seafood came out fresh and piled on a huge plate. The cocktails were good, and the service perfect! I have been recommending this place to everyone I know in Chi, and looking forward to going back. We don't have anything like this where I live in KC.
(4)Arturo B.
I've been going to el barco since I saw it on Check Please, I've never had any problems with the food. Always very tasty, abundant portions and reasonable prices. Which is why I return fairly frequently. However as others reviewers have said it is usually packed and the service has been somewhat erratic. Several times I have not finished my appetizer , or barely started and I'm being served my main dish. To be fair this is not the only restaurant which has been guilty of this. I think that because their so busy and they don't want the second order to be delayed the wait staff have been instructed to not wait to enter the main dishes, so I can understand it. However I do not accept servers who keep passing by the table and not bother to inquire if I need something, especially after the rush has passed. Their tip reflected such poor attention. Happily my most recent visit was remarkable. Not only did my server inquire as to my needs but so did several of the other servers.!!!Big improvement.
(4)Dan B.
Amazing Mexican style fish place! Best ceviche in town! Great for group dinners. I enjoy this spot very much!
(5)Will B.
My co-workers and I enjoy going out after work on Friday and we decided on El Barco. The service was attentive and the food was very good. The tortillas and spicy sauces served on the table were good appetizers. I ordered the Salmon Rellenos for my main course. It was foil-wrapped, steamy deliciousness. The salmon was tender and well-cooked and the accompanying shrimp were perfect. I really enjoyed the side vegetables (zucchini, corn, carrots, peppers, potatoes). I found that the guacamole was lacking a bit of salt, but that was easily remedied. However, I thought the rice served with the fish was incredibly salty and it was my least favorite part of the meal. I ordered a standard margarita on the rocks, which I felt was pretty tame and didn't pack enough wallop for me. All in all, El Barco serves really delicious, fresh seafood and should not be missed!
(4)Salina V.
This is the second Mexican seafood restaurant I have ever been to and I love this one as well. I like this one better than El Veneno because there is more space and the waitresses are young hot Latinas. The food is awesome here too. I had the red snapper and the seafood soup. Super inexpensive here. You really get your bang for your buck. The portions are large too.
(5)Jeff S.
Ate there with a friend who just moved in a block or two away. The food was really good. I loved the spciy guacomole dip and we sat outside with a couple of large Coronas in metal pails. I went for the Huachinango a la Veracruzana which was excellent. Why the two stars then? Woke up in the middle of the night sick to my stomach, which is rare for me. I can only think that the food preparation would be the cause. I'd love to try it again but probably won't risk it; no matter how the food tastes or is cooked that can't make up for proper sanitary practices.
(2)Niya K.
When people say it's crowded here on a Sunday they are not lying. My friend and I arrived at 6:30 and it was packed. We sat on the patio because the gods granted us a 70 degree day after 40 degree weather the day before. The menu is extensive, and as a pescetarian I had lots of options. Our waitress was really busy, but was as attentive as possible. We started with the empanadas (shrimp and fish). After ordering out waitress came back 20 minutes later and told us that they had run out of the shrimp, and so we just had the fish. They were delicious and fresh. Because it was busy I think we probably waited for 40 minutes for our empanadas , and 5 minutes later our food came out. But this was true with everyone else around us. I think you have to expect when a restaurant is that busy you are going to wait. I had the tomato and cheese covered shrimp. It came with rice, beans, mixed vegetables, and guac. It was really flavorful but room temperature. I like my food steaming hot but it was good none the less. My friend got the grand shrimp and oyster cocktail. She seemed to really enjoy it. As we sat there after we finished our meal we noticed that people were getting their food quicker as the place cleared out a little. So if you come after 8 and possibly before 6, expect fast service. We ended up having the chocolate flan. This was the crowing jewel to our meal. It was so good. I would come back here for just dessert. After all ways said and done I would definitely recommend this place, during non peak times, I want to try the red snapper (except I don't want my food coming out with its eyes staring at me) and definitely save room for dessert. Our bill ended up being 40.00 for a meal full of fresh seafood and dessert so we definitely got our bang for our buck.
(3)Angela S.
Don't listen to the haters: I left Chicago a few years back, and every time I visit I specifically look forward to eating at El Barco. I've never had a bad meal here, the food is plentiful, and it's affordable. They also have drinks as big as your head. I've never had bad service here (former server=I'm picky), even when I've come with an annoying toddler.
(5)Allison S.
I ate here with a group of 6, we started with some guacamole and margaritas, which both were delicious. I got the Mahi Mahi Fajitas which I would 100% recommend and would get again! So tasty and a huge portion but a great price! My sister got flank steak and crab claws, which they did not give her the proper utensils for the crab, so she struggled to get any meat out. The flank steak was also greatly lacking. If you come here to eat, stay away from anything but the seafood! I would definitely come back here though.
(4)Kimberly K.
This place is fine. We went on Memorial Day in the evening and had to wait a while for a table. They seemed very unprepared for a large crowd. The waitresses were overworked and couldn't attend to each table like they should. But, they were all very nice and friendly and did their best. The margaritas were just okay. They make a pretty good Michelada. We had shrimp ceviche, fish empinadas, and fish tacos. All were pretty good!
(3)Nguyen L.
El Barco is a great choice for seafood served Mexican style. It's tasty, authentic, casual, fun, and reasonably priced. El Barco is always full. This is a good sign of popularity, no? People eat at every hour too, since many Latinos will eat late lunches or dinners. There's extra room in the summer when they have outdoor seating. I think El Barco is actually less crowded now than it used to be, once Mariscos El Veneno opened up across the street. The food is very good. Their garlic grilled seafood is great, especially the pulpo (octopus). The langostinos a la diabla are great too; hopefully you don't mind a bit of spiciness. I enjoy the ceviche a lot; I think there are five seafoods to choose from like shrimp or fish. I really like their seafood cocktail. If you've never had a Mexico seafood cocktail, you gotta try it! Tomato juice with a bunch of seafood in it, served in a margarita glass. Works wonders for hangovers.... I had the deep fried red snapper for the first time yesterday. That's a great fish dish! We had it flavored with garlic. The parradilla is fine but nothing special. You could do better by ordering individual dishes. A bunch of Yelp reviews knock on the service a bit. Yeah they may not be as attentive as some other places. But I don't think many authentic ethnic restaurants care to be so attentive. Sometimes you just need to flag someone down, or show em you need some dishes cleared out. I'm still very full and satisfied once I leave the restaurant. All in all, El Barco is a very enjoyable ethnic restaurant. You may be able to get better, fresher stuff in Mexico, especially in coastal towns. But for an inland American city like Chicago, El Barco will stimulate your taste buds nicely.
(4)Erika G.
I come here occasionally. Once in around 1996 or so, and once last week. I forget how fun this place is. I always feel like I have to say the name of this place in my deep "dog voice" EL BARCO MARRRRRIIIIISSSSCOOOOO or "Telemundo! Cinco! Cinco! Cinco!" voice. More fun. Pitcher of margaritas for around $9 was yum, and packed a whallop (there was a thunderstorm last night?!). Cute, sweet waitresses, great service. Several kinds of ceviche. The one we got was the chopped up everything chilled in a giant glass. It tasted fresh and delicious, I loved it. The other "everything" thing we got I didn't like as much, the smoky sauce was not to my liking. Overall this place is great. And I love the sexy Spanish music videos.
(4)Allyson A.
My sister took our fam here for my dad's birthday because nothing says dad like humongous fish heads -well, at least for my dad. Therefore, my parents fittingly picked the Red Snapper for two and made me take pictures of it before they proceeded to tear it apart. I snuck in a bite and all I could say is "mmmmm." In spanish, that is "mmmmm." My reaction is pretty much the same for everything else we had there. My sister and I split the shrimp with garlic. We also started off with the ceviche. My brother was not impressed with his fish tacos but he has unreasonably high expectations when it comes to fish tacos so ignore that fact. He still ate them too quickly for me to sneak in a bite. This is also where I discovered that potatoes and guacamole are amazing together! Blew my mind.
(4)Derrick T.
So in college, while driving around, we saw the sign of a huge colorful fish over the street. Curious? Yes. But onward to the destination... In graduate school, El Barco was reviewed on some show on TV with focus on a whole deep fried red snapper. Intriguing? Absolutely... Three years after grad school, and a total of over 10 years later, I finally decided enough is enough. I'm coming here to try the food already. My fiancee and I immediately sat down and fumbled with the massively sized menu. (Note, the menu is massively sized, but it doesn't mean they have a massive amount of items to pick from). Everything translated into a simple line, no real descriptions, so we went with the fried snapper for two that I've been curious about for years. And as the 3.5 lb snapper made it's way to our table from the kitchen, I couldn't help but think "Man, that's a whole lotta fish..." The first few bites were delicious. Crispy skin, tasty seasonings, soft tender fish. The veggies accompanying it were good, the guacomole was excellent, and the rice was alright. As we picked apart the snapper over time, we found that little by little, the flavors and textures just weren't as good anymore... the oils crept into the meat and the fish was only alright. It seems like everyone around us got tortilla's to eat with their meal, so I don't know if our waitress forgot or lost something in translation (which seemed to happen a few times) but it would've been nice to have them to help balance out all the fish. Since we agreed we may not likely come back as regulars, we decided to try to pile in some dessert while we were here... resulting in a flan with a chocolate cake base. The flan was slightly stiffer than what I was used to, but the taste was superb. The chocolate cake tasted dry when eaten with the flan, but on it's own, it was actually quite moist and respectable. Verdict: Three stars, A-OK. This would be a fun date place, and I'm curious about some of the other food on the menu now that the Red Snapper has been tried. I would suggest you share the Red Snapper with a few more people (maybe group of four) along with some apps, so that it doesn't have too much time to cool. Dessert was tasty, but nothing to go out of your way for either. Bonus: I've never seen so many different bottles of tequila in my life. Their tequila wall is nuts. Who knew?
(3)Slick. A.
Best place in chicago !!! Celebrating Valentine's day !! Great Food !!! Super big portions for the $$
(5)Sasha B.
Amazing seafood. The shrimp here are amazing and the freshest I've tasted in chicago. Plates come with a generous portion of rice and veggies. The margaritas are good. Not the best but the price for $13 a pitcher cannot be beat. I live down the street for this place and come here once a month at least. In the summer the outdoor seating is cute. Only complaint is that the employees are a bit standoffish and if you aren't Hispanic they aren't as nice to you.
(4)amber t.
Had a craving for seafood and actually wanted to go to Half Shell but it is not kid friendly so I decided to check out this place and I loved it. I ordered the combo plate for me, my cousin and two kids and there was plenty left over. The steak was soo good. I also ordered a plate of crab legs too because there was only two that came in the combo :( but other than that everything was good. It got packed quick and I sitting next to a wall full of tequila WOW never knew there were so many different kinds.. Definitely going back to try out some more dishes. The atmoshere is kind of loud it has tv's all around but that didnt bother me the kids liked it and so did I. But there was a table that was drunk and loud right next to us but they got kicked out, thank god or I would have said something to them. Overall, good place dont hesitate to try yelpers!
(5)Alonso G.
First, let me say that 80% of the food here is spectacular. The other 20% is "hit or miss". I was a fan of their page on Facebook and always gave my compliments as well as suggestions. I am an Executive Chef myself and i know that, the only way to fix or address a problem, is if you are aware of it! Apparently El Barco got tired of me suggesting that they re-train or re-arrange their whole method of service and blocked me from commenting on their posts on Facebook!. We would have dinner here 3 times a night if we knew that the service wasnt going to be as horrible as it ALWAYS is. Im not the only one to complain about this. Ive seen many others complain about the same thing. When I say complain, I dont mean in a rude manner. I do it politely but direct and to the point. So why block me from suggesting something that would increase your business from us and many others? What a shame. I will continue to blog about EVERY experience I have hen i do go there. Please look forward to it...
(2)Kori E.
We went here last night for my birthday (Cinco de Mayo) and there were 14 of us crammed into the tiny dining room! It took a while to put in drink orders and at times it didnt appear the waitresses knew what we were talking about or trying to order AT ALL. It was pretty insanely busy due to the fact that it was Cinco de Mayo, so I will let that one pass. The food was very good, I got the chicken enchiladas and was very happy and my boyfriend got the mahi mahi fajitas and the fish was really good! I did notice that they like to serve carrots with every meal, which i thought was a little strange, but whatever. I wouldn't suggest ordering the quesedillas though, you get about 3 pieces and they are tiny! The margaritas are HUGE, I didn't try one, but they looked good. I had the paloma's and they were great! It was a great birthday dinner and I will definitely be back to try it on a less busy night! Some of the seafood platters looked amazing!
(4)jaclyn r.
The Red Snapper is simply amazing! Great chips and salsa too! love this place!
(5)Grace N.
The restaurant owners must have read the reviews because the service was energetic and frequent, even a little too much. A different server stopped by every minute asking "everything ok?" The ambiance is festive, although we sat outside which on a cool night, which was still fine since they were blowing heat through the vents and the plastic covering kept the wind out. The place was packed on a Friday night, but we only had to wait for a few minutes. My fiance and I ordered the assorted seafood feast for 2 (forgot the name of it, but that's basically what it was), which came with mussels, shrimp, calamari, chicken, beef, and veggies and it met both our needs: his need for fast and plentiful, and my need for spice and flavor (they had 5 different types of salsa and limes, which I used liberally). The only downside was the lack of cocktail sauce (next time I'll bring my own), and the giant octopus legs in the dish which were kind of a turn off. I also ordered the raw oysters, which were ok, but not the same without the horseradish and cocktail sauce. Fun place and we left very satisfied, we'll be back!
(4)Gail C.
Yea baby, I'm feeling El Barco's. Came here with a big group for my son's birthday. I thought our waitress was phenomenal, food was good. The only complaint I had was that there were no round tables available. That lessened the party atmosphere. Definitely a come back to place.
(5)Pat G.
I have finally found a decent seafood place that's not too foo foo and has wonderful tasting food with decent portions. My place to satisfy my crab leg fix has been found. I forever have been trying to find a place that's not in downtown and not too pricey and this is the place. I went on a weekday because I heard it was packed during the weekends. Thank goodness. The place wasn't packed and the service was good. I wanted to get their famous platadillos?? which is a seafood platter that has fish, chicken, scallops, clams, octopus, squid and crablegs, but the person i went with didn't have an adventurous pallet, so I decided to get the crab legs. Wow. they give you like 10 crab legs, it came with rice, veggies and some avocado. The portions are huge and me likey. I'm definitely going here again and satisfy my need for good seafood.
(5)Jessica K.
Deep Fried Red Snapper...isn't all that it's hyped up to me anymore. I wanted to love it so much after seeing so many great reviews on Check Please! Bah. It's mostly hearsay I say. It took us a little while to get greeted on a Wednesday night as we stood in the middle of a cluttered hodge podge collection of my grandma's antique collection. The food is so so at best, the service is a hit or miss and for the most part the servers are usually behind the bar chatting away. I can't swallow a $60 bill for 2 for blah service and mediocre food.
(3)Char Y.
We came after hearing lots about this great seafood place. We ordered guava margarita - ok, HUGE portion seafood plate - ok, just too much seafood without seasoning I thought the whole idea was quantity over quality, and I did not enjoy my meal due to the oiliness of the food. I also didn't think the seafood was really fresh.
(2)Min K.
They serve the best quality food in the United States. Red snappers are so delicious...usually the wait is really long Saturday nights but we went there Sunday afternoon and it was awesome. We received a great service. We had ceviche and red snapper which was exceptionally tasty.
(5)Will V.
I went here Saturday with a couple of friends. The dining room was busy but not packed, and we did not have to wait for a table, so we chose one on the patio. The atmosphere was a little loud on the patio, and the seating was a little tight, but not too bad. There was a table next to ours with some people who were wasted, and had been over-served. They did not stay the whole time we were there, so it did quiet down on the patio after a while. We started off with some mussels in white wine sauce, and a ceviche. Both were amazingly good. There was a huge amount of shrimp, fish, and squid in the ceviche. I think you could easily make a meal out of one or two appetizers at El Barco. They also serve a basket of chips (tortila-size) at the table with some amazing and VERY HOT chili sauce and some other green sauce that was also good. Not your usual chips and salsa. When the main courses came out, I didn't know how they would fit on the table. They were huge. I ordered the camarones a la diabla, it was amazingly tasty, and again, very spicy. It was perfect for my palate, but I think most people would find it about ten times too hot to eat. The menu did warn that it was hot. It was served with some vegetables, guacamole, and Spanish rice that seemed a little on the dry side. The veggies and guacamole were yummy. I can't believe I did it, but I actually finished all the shrimp on my plate. The portion was ginormous. My friends ordered the tilapia tacos, and a whole fried fish that I don't recall (it was not the snapper). I did not taste the tacos, but the fried fish was perfect. I think next time I will get the red snapper, unless I decide to just sample some appetizers. We had two pitchers of margaritas that were quite tasty. They were not the strongest I've ever had (one reviewer complained about the seeming lack of alcohol) but they were not the weakest, either. The mix seemed home made, not out of a bottle. After we left the restaurant, we went home and made margaritas with Mrs. T's (out of pure convenience) and 1800, and they simply did not compare with the margaritas at El Barco. The service was certainly adequate, but not the most attentive or friendliest. Given the price (just under $90 plus tip for 2 apps, 3 entrees, and 2 pitchers of margaritas) I think El Barco is an excellent value, and the service is in line with the price. In case you are wondering, "el barco" in American is "the barco".
(4)A. Renee B.
Two words. De Lish
(5)Ardeshir G.
The Red Snapper is the signature dish of El Barco and it is a delight. It is servered whole, fried in a variety of flavors such as garlic. It is delicious. The service is very friendly and the rest of the food is fresh and tastey.
(4)Tita P.
I typically spend my Friday afternoons at a local Mexican chain that has stellar Margarita's. My friend suggested a new spot and as long as it's Mexican or has margaritas I'm in! El Barco looks large from the outside but when you walk in it feels cozy. The seating is more family style and this place gets packed. They offer margarita pitcher at a steal, so ummm the cost of 1 at the other spot. the food was good and I have a feeling that I may be returning...ummmm today IS Friday so you never know.
(4)Javito D.
HYGIENE WARNING We went with 14 friends on Saturday night. I will not go on the specifics of the low quality food and service. Instead, I will just give a warning for those of you that consider hygiene a serious issue. This is what happened. We order some Negra Modelos. When we started drinking them, we tasted an odd taste and smell--not typical from this nice Mexican beer. After a more careful examination of the bottle we realized the bottles were covered with VOMIT. So literally, we ate a random person vomit. My friend went to the bathroom and vomited herself. I could not eat no more. When we asked the waitress to change the beers due to this peculiar episode, she did it. And she did it so naturally as we were ordering some guacamole. Apparently, changing vomited beers is as common as ordering guacamole at El Barco. Without apologizing she then charged the whole beer later on our check--plus an extra for the request of changing the beers. Beautiful. Finally, let me add that the men restroom was also vomited. May be is all part of the same loop: give vomited drinks to customers, customers vomiting and then eating the vomit again, and so forth. Who knows, but consider this carefully before choosing this place. Personally, I do not think we will come back and I will probably call the The Food Protection Division of the Chicago Department of Public Health tomorrow Monday.
(1)Amy J.
While the food was not bad, (I ordered Shrimp Quesadilla and Ceviche with Fish), the serviice was what makes me re-think coming back. We were seated, and about 15 minutes after being seated my date and I were asked to move to a different table due to a larger party coming in and they wanted to use the space we were sitting at for the larger party. When we did move, our appetizer chips did not follow us, and we recieved no help in moving our drinks, etc. As a result... our ceviche arrived and there were no chips to eat it with. Repeated attemps to flag down our waitresses were unsuccessful, so my date ended up eating his ceviche with saltine crackers that were on the table. I was less than impressed and felt I did not get to enjoy my meal to the fullest. Others around me seemed to be enjoying their meals, but from my experience there are many more places to go where the service will more than make up for the lack of extensive seafood offerings that El Barco boasts.
(2)Matt C.
This is the type of place where you can't help but ogle every dish coming out of the kitchen. "Is that a foot-long red snapper fried whole? Why yes it is, and damn it looks good." The El Barco Mariscos seafood platter is the star here. A massive platter of sea creatures loaded with cilantro, garlic, and lemon, cooked to perfection and served on a giant plank of wood. Hell yeah. It's a whole lot of food and it's really, really, good -- grilled squid, prawns, fish, octopus, fried fish, calamari, chicken and steak piled high on top of grilled veggies and mexican rice and beans. You order the dish by how many people are going to be in on the nautical feast, and per the waitress "order for two if you are going to be three." She was right -- We ordered for two and we had enough sea creatures left over to feed even the drunkest of pirate. The decor in this place is awesome -- think giant models of sharks hanging from the rafters. The food is pretty inexpensive as well for how good (and plentiful) it is. My only reason for not giving this place five stars is that the service was not great, a bummer considering how spectacular the food is.
(4)Kymberly J.
This review is based only on the chips and salsa, dessert, and drinks. Looking at the menu I wish I had not eaten dinner that night at home! I love seafood and this place had a great variety. So anyway, my friend and I shared a pitcher of margaritas for less than $10.00 - what a deal! This is the place to go for cheap drinks that taste good. Try the guava! Instead of chips and salsa like every other Mexican restaurant, they serve tortas with a red pepper sauce that was a thick almost paste of chopped dark red roasted peppers mixed with garlic and olive oil. The other sause was similar to a salsa verde but thicker, alomst like it had mashed avocado in it. We snacked on the chips and a tres leche cake that was moist and not too sweet while sipping our perfect guava margaritas outside.
(4)Denise K.
We've been here twice - Had a bad experience the first time around and thought we'd give it a second chance. It still didn't win me over. The first time we were here, I found a staple covered in dirt and hair in my rice. GROSS. Of course, this was at the end of my meal - I thought I was going to vomit it all up! I had the salmon, it was just okay. The second time I was here, I was not served a staple, which was good. However, the food was still just "okay" and the margaritas were pretty weak. In addition to these experiences, we live about 1/2 block away from this place and when the wind blows a certain way, we get an awful smell of rotting seafood. I honestly don't know how anyone can eat here after smelling that "not so fresh" seafood stench. Eat at your own risk!
(1)Brittany V.
Love coming here. I'm a pescetarian, and I never feel like my options are limited. Amazing margaritas. Huge portions that make great leftovers.
(5)Jennifer E.
This place started off bad as soon as we sat down. Our waitress came up to us and said "hola" we said hello back. She must not of heard us but went to the table right behind us and gossipped with the other waitresses and said they must not know what hola means loud and clear and we completely heard it. So didn't start off to a great start. We got chips and two different types of sauces but no salsa. I ordered the steak fajitas. Almost all of my steak was way too tough and burnt. I did like how they gave you a lot of sides but everything was drenched in salt. My stomach was so upset after this meal. Almost every place I've gone to offers free refills on drinks but they charged us for ours. We waited about 20 mins to finally get the bill. Just an awful experience. I was really excited to try this place but thumbs down I would never go back.
(1)Tom T.
I loved El Barco. It was a little hard to reach in Chicago but the food was great. There were two hot sauces brought with the chips. One was a dark hot sauce that was very, very hot. It burned my mouth and I could not stop eating it! It was the craziest thing I have ever been through. I had the whole fried snapper that was great. If your in the city, go to El Barco and enjoy
(5)Nadeem P.
The fish, the fish, the fish...there's not more to say about this place that hasn't already been said, the fish here rocks. We've had both the mesquite broiled as well as the fried, and preferred the fried, and not to mention you don't have to wait 45 minutes for it. The frozen margaritas are like nectar from the gods, perfect mix of freezy creaminess. Try the mango, and that was our favorite!
(5)J. M.
My boyfriend and I have been looking all over the city to find a great and reasonably priced seafood place. Since we often pass El Barco and our friends have raved about the place we figured it was time to stop in for a taste. Upon arriving on a Sunday afternoon we were seated at a back table that is rectangular shaped. The table is divided by a shelve and some hot sauces along it. My boyfriend is very small and even he said he was cramped in the little space we had. Not to mention we had another couple just next to us hearing our every word. I guess though, this is common for the city and busy restuarants. Next the waitress came to our table to take our drink order, I ordered a bloody mary since it was Sunday... but they dont make those even though they have a FULL BAR. My boyfriend stayed true to the Mexican theme and ordered a Michilada. Usually a waitress will ask what kind of beer you want it made with... instead our waitress did not and just brought a watered down Michilada to the table made with American, Bud Lite.... I mean, are you kidding me!?? Why would you make a Mexican drink with American beer? Anyway, my boyfriend could not even drink it so he asked her to have it remade with Modelo instead. That drink NEVER CAME.... I do have to say that the food portion of the meal was alright. The Ceviche was good but could use some sort of kick to make it a bit tastier, I had the Camerones El Mojo De Ajo. I have to say that either the waitress didnt hear us correctly or perhaps this is just how they make it but there was NO GARLIC in the whole plate. There were some odd stew like veggies included on the plate but nothing like the menu promised; like the garlic and wine sauce... then again, the waitress didnt speak much English and my boyfriend had to translate everything so perhaps it was lost in translation. We finished unsatisfied and we wanted to get outa there in a hurry. We spent $50 for the two of us to eat. It took FOREVER for the waitress to bring the check, and she didn't until we asked her. She however, was very quick to come back to get it repeatedly. She actually ended up charging us for the Michilada that never came so we had to have her correct that. She didn't even appologize, she just said that another waitress was suppose to bring it and was shocked that she didn't. We gave her cash and waited for the change... and waited, and waited. Finally I was getting agitated and got up to ask the manager at the front for our change and let him know we had been waiting for quite some time. I was so disappointed in the service. Like the reviews said, the place is cute, the food is good but the service is the WORST I have seen in quite some time... and I have to say that I am not a picky person as we aren't fancy people expecting too much.... It's to bad too because if the waitress would have been more attentive, appologetic or some how come back from the Michelada incodent I think everything else could have been avoided. We WILL NOT BE BACK.
(1)Diana G.
My guy took me here for my birthday dinner. I was not impressed! The waitress didn't seem to care and barely came to check up on us. The guacamole was so spicy that I couldn't even eat it. That other dip was weird. A bit sweet and a bit spicy.....just weird. I ordered the red snapper with adobe sauce. My guy ordered the steak fajita. My fish was.......a bit dry and no flavor. The veggies were a bit old and no flavor. I did like the potato, but I'm a sucker for potatoes. The guacamole that came with the meal wasn't spicy, but bland. I barely ate any of it and had it packed to go. My guys fajita - he said it was ok. They didn't even give him tortillas. He had to ask them for them......WTF!
(2)Steve M.
It was a rainy night. We got soaked on the walk over to El Barco. (Honestly, we were trying to eat at Mariscos El Veneto across the street, but their wait was too long, so we headed over to El Barco.) It was crowded and busy, but the folks at El Barco wasted no time in getting us a table. Our server was friendly, if not a little flustered by the level of activity in the dining room. Plus, her fingernails were the most blinged-out fingernails I think I've ever seen. It was like she bedazzled herself before the dinner shift. We ordered the seafood Parrillada for 2 people. WAYYYY too much food! There was shrimp, calamari, crab legs, steak (!), chicken, mussels, potatoes, tons of garlic, fried fish, grilled fish, and tons of other stuff. It was so good. Midway through the meal, the rain water started to leak through the ceiling right next to me. It definitely added to the memorability factor. That and a crab claw took a chunk out of my thumb last night. Ouchie. All in all, definitely an experience. I'd probably go back. Oh yea! One other thing. The guacamole is disarmingly spicy. It will surprise you.
(4)Daisy S.
Best Mariscos Place in Chicago! The empanadas de camaron (shrimp fried puffs) are a must try with the spicy creamy orange sauce. Daniel the Manager is awesome he is always very attentive and nice to us. We come here often so we know him well now. My husband and i split the Carne Asada con camarones a la plancha. Its sooooo good! the drinks are also good I recommend the pina colada and margaritas. The restaurant has any liquor u can think of and its displayed behind glass along the side of the wall. There is also an out door patio where you can eat, although i always prefer to eat indoors. Try to come at a good time because its always packed...maybe lunch would be best.
(5)Laura G.
I live down the street from this place, and now the smell makes me nauseous. Ever since we moved in, I've been excited to eat here. The big fish on the sign is so welcoming and obnoxious, and who doesn't wanna live on the same block as a restaurant shaped like a boat?! The first time I was there, they were nice enough to put on the Hawks game for us. Other than that, the food wasn't outstanding. The seafood seemed fresh, but not truly prepared with seasoning or anything that made you go, "wow". Next time we went there, I was just thinking maybe I ordered the wrong thing, so I tried the bacon wrapped shrimp stuffed with cheese. Bacon, shrimp and cheese are my favorite food groups, so how could they go wrong, right? Well, that crap was rubbery. I was pouting, and now when I walk by El Barco all I smell is disappointment. Oh yeah, and two of the servers were grinding on eachother when they didn't think any of the patrons noticed. Well, ALERT, I noticed!
(2)Mely A.
This is one of the best restaurants in Chicago. It's authentic and it's delicious. I don't typically eat the beans and rice at Mexican restaurants because they are always an afterthought on the plate, but at El Barco they are no afterthought. They are just as good as the main dishes and I still think about these delicious beans frequently. Everything on my plate was perfect. However, don't be fooled by the impressive wall of tequila, they only stock a few brands behind the bar.
(5)Helen H.
Average service. Average quality seafood. Everything was really salty, overly flavored- shrimp was just overwhelmingly garlicky, and some veggies were overcooked. It was really packed- lots of people kept on bumping into me, and it was incredibly loud to the point where I couldn't even hear my dining partner talk when he was literally 2 feet away from me. Prices were decent though.
(2)Dustin C.
You want something authentic in taste, atmosphere and service? Hit El Barco Mariscos! This spot specializes in Mexican seafood dishes, specifically salmon & mahi mahi, although you can get any generic Mexican meal there. The tequilla selection is 2nd to none - the entire North wall of the main dining room is filled with varities of the Tequilla. Above all, one must understand that most Mexican is a dime a dozen and this simply isn't. If you enjoy latin american flavors of the sea this is a must.
(5)Lore L.
I've been here a handful of times, and have been more than satisfied with every meal. Personally, I've only eaten the Parradilla - a smorgasbord of chicken, steak, crab legs, shrimp, octopus, veggies, etc etc.......all piled high on a large slab that's meant to feed a group of people. And it's delicious every time! The last time I was there, the octopus was over cooked....but that was easily forgiven. Also had the raw oysters, which were tasty and fresh. Husband has had the ceviche, which he loved. Cannot wait to try some of their other dishes...... The service isn't remarkable, and sometimes you do have to ask for things more than once - but the quality of the food is amazing, and it won't break the bank. Definitely try this place out at least once!
(4)T J.
Wishing yelp had 1/2 star ratings because this is really a 3.5 star rating...anyways Went on a Thursday night so my bf could finally get his fish fix. He had the whole snapper which was perfect..actually it was so big we could have shared. The veggie sides were really tasty as well. I had shrimp enchiladas which were tasty (3 star). It took quite a while for our food to come out (at least 1/2 hour) so we got bored and ordered daquiris, they may as well have been virgin cause there was no liquor detectable, felt like we were drinking slurpees. There's lots of room for improvement for the service! Waitresses were pretty much absent and not very helpful while ordering. And there was not a water pitcher in sight for a refill, the bf's water glass sat empty on the edge of the table (hint hint waitresses) for nearly the entire meal. For the price we were expecting better service, but we will undoubtedly be back to to split that snapper. If we want great service we will go to Glenns Diner.
(4)Maya H.
Went to this place because Veneno ran out of food at 6pm. Since El Barco was right across the street, we decided it was all the same. Have to say, pleasantly surprised. The best thing on the menu is the prawn appetizer. Grilled head, shell and all, it had the complex taste of the seasonings with the natural taste of the prawns. My crab legs were meaty and my friends had a beautiful fried red snapper. Sides were nothing to write home about but a sip of the passion fruit margaritas dropped me right onto the beaches of the Baja Mex. Good pricing also
(4)Kris R.
tres.cinco attempted to try and stay cool on the patio on a hot summer night. our friend ordered us straw-mango frozen margs which were tasty. the patio is fun. great atmosphere. we ordered steak tacos and shrimp fajitas - everything was pretty decent. kept the pitchers flowin'. chips and salsa were good - SPICY! but good. it's definitely a fun place to come with a bunch of friends to chill outside on the patio.
(3)Andy C.
I appreciate El Barco because it's not pretentious. I remember my trip in the winter when there was snow built up on the ceiling. Water was dripping down through some cracks in the roof, and they were completely ok with just placing buckets on the floor to catch the drips. I was completely ok with this. If you look at the shelves holding the liquor, you'll notice that they sag in the middle due to years of weight. It looks cool like that, in my opinion. The parking lot across the street is nice if you can get a spot. If you can't, there's metered parking within walking distance. The outdoor patio is a nice touch too in warmer months. Onto the food and drink review. Others have alluded to the variety in liquors. The micheladas are delicious, and properly spiced. Don't like ice in your beer beverage? Don't get it. But if you understand that ice in your michelada is as traditional as apple pie and baseball games, then you'll be a fan. They're pretty flexible at the restaurant and will let you pick which beer you want it made of. You'll notice on the menu that there's something that says "good tequila" priced at a modest 4 dollars. Yes, they do shots of Patron Silver for 4 dollars. Four. Not 8. not 7.50, not 7. But 4. Who likes prawns? I do. The prawns here are huge, and you can get them grilled as is or with a variety of sauces. They are a definite "must" as an appetizer platter to share. Their whole fish is a hallmark, but I myself like the combination platter that has just a little bit of everything. The mixed ceviche is a personal favorite of mine. If you pick the right time to go (early evening, or even in the afternoon if you can cut away from work for a few hours), it's a very relaxing atmosphere with no feelings of being rushed or ushered out quickly. I have seen the place packed at night though, so just beware of that. Overall, a really fun place that has good pricing on food and drinks. It gets loud when it's packed, but if you go during non-peak hours, it's a really chill place.
(4)Angie M.
I really, really, really wish I loved El Barco. The exterior looks cool. It can't be easy to turn a restaurant front into a makeshift boat. But more importantly, El Barco combines two of my culinary loves, Mexican and seafood. It should be the mother ship calling me home. Unfortunately I cannot be beamed up by El Barco. =( After one breath inside, I realized that my El Barco experience would be al fresco. The fishy smell is overwhelming on the inside of this restaurant! I know that it's a seafood place, but sweet Christ, a restaurant should NOT smell this way. We were greeted with chips and some of the hottest salsa this side of the border. Make sure to have your water, soda, margarita, whatever, ready before you dive into this fiery treat. I ordered the mahi mahi tacos, which were good, not great. I was not feeling the steamed veggie side. Boring and blah. I know that I should have expected this to be more of an authentic Mexican meal, and not really Tex Mex, but come on El Barco. Flavor is a requirement! El Barco is on the inexpensive side, so the bill wasn't empting my wallet, but I don't know that I'll be back. It was a very OK experience.
(3)Alan F.
A local steered us to this Mexican seafood restaurant, in a slightly off-the-beaten-track location. Whole fried fish (sea bass, I think) and shrimp enchiladas were excellent. Accompanied by fresh chips; a thick, creamy guacamole which was much more heavily spiced than usual restaurant fare; and a milder but still piquant tamarind-based salsa. Outdoor seating available, though the patio was full-up on a pleasant August night.
(4)Charlotte O.
Do you like seafood? Do you like Mexican food? Do you like when the meet? I know I do. The inside is neat, albeit limited seating and cramped seating aside. They have plastic fish everywhere. Limes and hot sauces adorn every table. The waitstaff sat Aaron S. and I down and where kind enough to move us to a different table when i told Aaron that I didn't like the table we were sitting at because we were so close to the door and in the middle of the room. Very nice. They also bring out freshly fried tortillias along with some spicy tomatillio salsa and mole sauce for dipping. (Another review mentions spicy guacamole I can assure you that it is not guacamole!) The menu is huge and extensive but I highly recommend sticking to the seafood. I really love the whole fried snapper. The one with the garlic. Yum.Also they give you a small side of assorted veggies, really tasty yellow rice, and a glob of guacamole.All goes very nicely with the fish. I tasted Aaron's shrimp ala diabla and that was also very tasty and nice and hot just like it should be.
(4)Michael S.
Finally, I ate here after passing it on the street for 15 years, or so. Marvelous fun. I loved it: the food, the pitcher of margaritas for $8.93, the lovely service, the extremely attentive and deferential female servers stuffed into tight t-shirts; and the Spanish music videos that flagrantly objectify women, but it's not misogynist because the subservient women are all smiling; all having a good time stroking and otherwise ogling the "Machismosos," falling all over themselves and out of their clothes, too, into which most of them are stuffed and look like...uh...well, not exactly the bring them home to Mom-type - at least not without some very hairy eyeball, but it's all somehow okay; they're all happy; not cheap hooker-looking at all. You know, grown from the genre of Spanish TV shows that make an oxymoron and complete mockery of "Hispanic Feminism." (with apologies to Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Rosario Ferré, Rosario Castellanos, Montserrat Roig, and Rosa Montero.) We ordered the little-bit-of-everything ceviche (translation: chopped/diced scraps from other dishes served chilled in a huge martini glass) and some other hot dish which was also a-little-bit-of-everything dish with some delicious smoky sauce. I forgot what it was called or how it was prepared, but if you come here, they have three or four different versions of things that have a-little-bit-of-everything. Just get one of those. Really; come with at least two people, and you can taste scraps of everything they serve here in one or two or three cleverly disguised dishes that give you a sample of the 50 or so other dishes that span a 6-page menu. It's an ingenious bunch of variations of all the same 19 things: 1. Booze. 2. Shrimp. 3. Prawns. 4. Oysters. 5. Salmon. 6. Squid. 7. Octopus. 8. Red Snapper. 9. Crab. 10. Mussels. 11. Smelts. 12. Fish Fillet (unidentified) 13. Mahi Mahi 14. Chicken. 15. Steak. 16. Pork 17. Vegetables (includes peppers) 18. Rice 19. Beans That's it. With great service, TV and music videos that remind you in America we are still Puritans with far too little sense of humor. I'm getting Spanish cable tv today. Where's Comcast's phone number?
(5)Kyle H.
I've heard a lot of smack talk about this place, and I think most of it has to do with the fact that El Veneno is right across the street and more people consider that place "more authentic." But you know what? Just because it has more of a taqueria and less of a restaurant atmosphere doesn't make it any more authentic. My boyfriend asked a Mexican coworker what restaurant he thought had "el mejor huachinango," and he said El Barco was the place to go. And the huachinango was definitely awesome. Super crispy on the outside and just delicious. I didn't eat much more than was given to me, because I am grossed out by picking at a fish that still looks like a fish (sorry, I'm a total girl about that - it still has eyes!), but it was damn good. Their coctel de camaron is good, but I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that there's tons of hot sauces and key limes right on the table, so you can doctor it up to your liking. Otherwise, there wasn't much in it other than shrimp. A few pieces of avocado on the top, but that's about it. The service was pretty surly, but I honestly think it's because there weren't enough servers on the floor and all of them were in the weeds at all times. That's not a good work environment to be in, so I understand.
(4)Chan K.
The red snapper is the best thing on the menu here (I recommend the chipotle sauce). My friend ordered the king crab legs, which were good but nothing to rave about. The ceviche appetizer and grilled octopus with diabla sauce were also delicious. I came here over a year ago, and the food and service was top notch. The quality of the food and service at El Barco have diminished while prices have shot up since then. The homemade earthy red salsa has been replaced by a green, creamy salsa that packs some heat but is otherwise boring. The black salsa has become oilier and less tasty. The shrimp soup is no longer served in a cast iron pan and is not as rich as before. The lunch menu is smaller and cheaper, however, the grill items are not served on hot plates like at dinner. The steamd fish and scallops dishes are no longer on the menu. El Barco is still unique and delicious but clearly not the amazing restaurant it once was.
(3)Ming C.
If you LOVE margarita, you would LOVE this place. 9 bucks a pitcher. Can't find such good deal anywhere else in Chicago. Besides, the margarita is so creamy and thick that you won't stop drinking. Not like some mexican places where you have to chew ice cubs in their margarita. Yuk! I am a seafood eater, so I love everything in this place. One of my favoriate places. Uncle Julio is americanized mexican. This is real geniune mexican.
(4)Courtney J.
Craving fish? How about some freshly made Guacamole? Oh, and how about a Mango Margarita mixed to perfection? If yes to all the above, your next pit stop is El Barco. As a avid foodie, and open minded adventurer, I dared to try the El Barco style prawns and opted for a Mango Margarita. The prawns exceeded my expectations by being a firework of flavors in my mouth. It was messy and full of prawn love. Savory yet sweet, El Barco style prawns were an experience in and out of itself. If you like cheese quesadillas like I do, El Barcos Quesadilla's come caramelized and cheesy as can be. The Shrimp Quesdilla with Chipotle is delicious!!! This place gets 5 stars from me. I will be back and back again.
(5)Bob D.
The long and painful search for amazing Mexican food North of Roosevelt road continues to disappoint. I thought I could boost my funnies by saying El Barfo, but that is too easy, besides its not gross just pedestrian. For some inexplicable reason this place is packed, luckily we arrived and got the last available table before the slam, this gave us plenty of time to stare at each other wondering which of these well tight t-shirted latinas would be waiting on us. They should line them up and let you pick. We started with some drinks, the guava margarita was good, the Modelo was Modelo $3.47 no complaints so far. We attempted to order the grande snapper for two, but they were out. our apps arrived while the over-sized dirty menus were still in front of us. 6 on the half shell oysters covered in ice. I take issue with this because the brine around an oyster is magical, it should not be diluted with Chicago's chromium and chlorine rich lake water. On second thought, thanks for diluting the rank off flavor the oysters had. Not rotten, just ick. Not even the bland table salsas could resurrect the flavor. The other app was coctel de cameron. I love shrimp cocktail Mexican style, there are plenty of places that do it ok, but the ones that do it well are dear to my heart. This was the worst version I have ever had. The shrimp still had some ice crystals inside, most likely they are bringing in pre-cooked frozen shrimp. The coctel sauce was watery, bland and only help to dilute the already watery flavor of the shrimp. Entree's, I got the fish soup, the broth was rich, over reduced and murky, with scant amounts of anything other than some talapia. Really lame. The other entree was whole snapper al mojo de ajo (garlic sauce) when this preparation is right it is amazing, this one was not amazing. After it arrived we could see no garlic, I asked the waitress if this was indeed al mojo de ajo, and she smiled without looking and said yes. Bullshit then, there was no flavor other than some pan roasted onions on this fish. Fish was served with potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower, the potato was cold enough to hold in your hand, none of the veggies were seasoned and were just there to fill the plate. As for the fishes preparation, as usual it was dry (whole fried fish more times than not are this wauy) but it was a bit fishy, and we left a third of the fish there. Next time I want some amazing mariscos, I will get in my car and drive to the south side to one of many places (I can think of four on Pulaski alone) for Mexican seafood, I will be treated better, fed better, and not have to worry about 100 people looking over my shoulder to see if I am done yet.
(2)Venetia E.
Excellent Seafood! By far the best grilled octopus I've had in Chicago.
(5)David R.
This place is the BEST MEXICAN FOOD IN CHICAGO!!! if you want seafood or tacos or just a pretty girl to bring you margaritas, this is the PLACE TO GO!!!! I have been going there for years and even though it gets busy its worth the wait.
(5)Pre J.
OMG.......THIS PLACE IS AMAZEBALLS. I went with a friend and we were floored by the food. She had the shrimp quesidillas and I had the shrimp & cheese as appetizers. The shrimp was seasoned so well I almost had an orgasm. I mean I was in food heaven. For our entrees I had the steak & guacamole which was off the chain. She had the shrimp fajitas, which were very very good. We also had a pitcher of passion fruit & lime margaritas. Again I was floored by the greatness. I will be returning
(5)Karina A.
I'm a pesca-ovo-vegetarian from California and sadly I've found its difficult to find fish tacos at local mexican places (i.e. the pittance of choices at La Pasadita across the street) as easily as I did in Southern Cali... I just moved to Chicago and thank god this place is just a few blocks away from us! Service: I visited here twice and both times the food has been delicious. I don't really know whats going on with other people's reviews of poor service. The help will likely assume you speak spanish so maybe its just a cultural-barrier? We ate outside both times and the service was friendly & prompt. The decore is awesome as well, haha (fishy and fun in a copper boat-shaped restaurant!) Full disclosure: we always leave inadvertently trashed. They have AMAZING margaritas that are made from real fruit ($11 for a pitcher). First time we had lime on the rocks... and the second time they mixed up some strawberry and mango margaritas for us since we couldn't decide... Fajitas are gorgeous! Tacos are delectable. Fried shrimp + french fries for the kiddies in a boat shaped wire basket! You just can't go wrong.
(5)Stacy G.
I have been to El Barco several times now for dinner and drinks. I must say that I judge a Mexican restaurant by it's frozen margaritas and they are absolutely delicious! I went there yesterday for lunch to celebrate my bday and I had the best time ever! I ordered the steak fajita and I what I got was beyond my expectations. I felt like I had a plate of dinner with healthy veggies all around. Plus I got a tortilla dipped in some sauce to go along with it and a free shot of tequila! I was so full afterwards I had to walk this off. It also helps to have a great waitress, Mary Lou. If you ever go in there, ask for her and let her know that Stacy sent you. I can't wait to go back again! The red snapper is a popular dish there that I have yet to try. The ambiance of this place takes you to Mexico. Aye!
(5)Ben K.
There are definitely some highlights here. The intricate copper facade and centrally displayed langostines definitely create a fully "barco"/boat vibe. There are about a million bottles of tequila displayed in glass cases on the back wall. There's a great outdoor patio. And on the tables, they give you two fairly unique salsas and a basket of delicious fried tortillas, a nice change of pace from the standard chips 'n salsa baskets at most mexican restaurants. El Barco has about 17 pages of menu items, all of which are priced surprisingly precisely, to the penny ($11.37, for example). We had the Parrillada for 2. It really is an hilarious amount of food. For $44.63, we got generous amounts of grilled steak, chicken, fish, octopus, shrimp (peel n eat but delicious!), poatoes, peppers, onions, and fried fish. Some items were extremely delicious, some were just OK. Needless to say, despite my fairly large appetite we did not come close to taking this puppy down, and we left feeling slightly ill due to the quantity of tasty but greasy food we had just ingested. I will come here again, but I will probably avoid sending myself into a coma next time and try the snapper or fish tacos.
(3)Daniel V.
Service was terrible. Food wasn't that good. I went with my family in a group of about 8. They not once asked us if we wanted refills. The salsa dip they gave us was amazing. Probably the only good thing about the place. It's loud and crowded. We had to wait over an hour after we ordered to get our food. And the waitress didn't even apologize. I had a marisco because I had an amazing one in ATL two weeks before and was craving one. It wasn't nearly as good as the one I had there. I really don't recommend this place after all that I went through. I will definitely not be coming back anytime soon...
(2)Keith D.
Great food. Great atmosphere. Good ass drinks. If you like different, you're going to really enjoy. Gigantic plates of mixed seafood and steak. Note: try not to hit a club after this place, you will be the smelly person as all the deliciousness sinks into your clothing.
(4)Marlon R.
Vuelve a la vida is the best coctel ever!
(5)Adam E.
El Barco has become one of my favorite places to go for seafood. If you like fried fish or ceviche you've got to to try this place! I've been to seafood restuarants in Mexico and they were great! But I expected that being so close to the water. I was a little hesistent about going to a Mexican seafood restuarant in Chicago. But I figured I'd give this place a try and I'm glad I did! The red snapper is great! All the preperations are good. The individual red snapper is a large enough portion for two people. Take a look at the photo's and you'll see what I mean.
(4)Philippe F.
Gimmie a "DIS" - DIS! Gimmie a "AH" - AH! Gimmie a "POIN" - POIN! Gimmie a "TED" - TED! What does that spell?!?!? - EL BARCO!!!! Sorry, guys. I gave you a try....I really tried to enjoy myself. But I believe I have been spoiled by those guys across the street. I had a dozen oysters to start off. Didn't get sick, so that goes under the category of "good". The fish was aight, the crab legs (the ones I thought came in a garlic sauce) were tender and came with sauteed garlic onions....BOO! The shrimp, well....it came out sans the head. Another BOO! I did enjoy how fresh and chunky the gwak was....but that's about it. So solly EB, but "fool me once shame on you".....Fool me twice....not an efffin' chance!!!! I might wave from across the street.....keyword, "MIGHT".
(1)Rich G.
Wow! Friends took us there for dinner and I must say we were blown away. Best Mexican food I've had since vacationing in Zihuatanejo. That adobo sauce that's on the table when you sit down is amazing. The Guacamole and Ceviche were outstanding. The four of us shared the mixed grill for 2 and the Huachinango for 1 and I am still stuffed! I've had Huachinango that is dried out, but this was crispy on the outside but moist and flakey inside. Did I mention the Margueritas?
(4)Kathy K.
I've been a couple of times. For the price the seafood is fantastic. I've had shrimp, ceviche, and red snapper deep fried and all were pretty good. Getting an entire red snapper served to you with sides for under $20 is pretty incredible. I don't love the margaritas or the chips and salsa. The chips are dry and bland and the margaritas taste too sweet and syrupy.
(3)ann s.
We've almost eaten here countless times over the past dozen or so years, attracted by the Mexi-nautical looks of the place and my love for all things briny. I even went in once and looked at the menu but decided it was expensive (I must have been feeling really broke that year). We finally took the plunge. Will we be back? Aye-aye. We walked in fairly early on a Saturday night and got both parking in the lot (which isn't very big) and a seat by the window right away, so things got off to pretty much a perfect start. Our waitresses started trying to take our order within about 30 seconds of our being seated, and our food came quickly. If anything, I felt dinner flew by too fast. It was our anniversary, and it would have been nice to linger a bit. We were in and out in less than an hour--and that spanned a pitcher of drinks, appetizers, huge entrees and the wrapping up of leftovers/settling of bill. Lively, congenial, fish-studded room, with way too many televisions, but I didn't mind because they weren't tuned to sports. Just Spanish-language videos, commercials and the like. And they're mounted high, so it's easy to mostly ignore them, or look at a hanging plastic shark instead. Our order: On-the-rocks margarita pitcher--tasty, cheap (about $9), not strong. On this occasion, we appreciated all of those qualities. Served in attractive barware, which counts as well. I kept seeing huge tankards of micheladas going by to other tables, and they looked good as well. Raw oysters--not amazing (might be better if served colder), and about a third were almost too tiny to bother with, but okay for the price (I think about $8/dozen). Next time I'm getting ceviche or a seafood cocktail of some sort. Shrimp quesadilla--succulent, with a generous amount of nice-quality shrimp. Served with a tasty remoulade-like sauce. I'd order it again. Whole fried snapper mojo de ajo--About $19 and huge, perfectly cooked, not oily in my estimation, though I'd like to notice the garlic more. Love that it comes with an abundance of lightly cooked vegetables, a pile of grilled red onions and a nice bit of fresh guacamole. Plus the rice was tasty--a little salty, but in a good way. This easily could have been shared by both of us. Shrimp chiles rellenos. I just had a little taste, but good. The poblano peppers had nice color, not overcooked or overwhelmed by batter and cheese. Again, generously portioned and plated with rice, beans, vegetables and a good dollop of guacamole. On the table: a couple of unexpected salsas, lots of hot sauces, a basket limes (you cut with provided knife) and whole fried tortillas, which are waiting on the table under what looks like a hair net or shower cap until you sit down. So they're not warm out of the fryer or anything, but they're very decent. I don't think it will be long before we return.
(4)Bridg G.
Barco is a fun place to have an inexpensive mexican meal. They don't mess around with the mixed drinks, this is the first time a pina colada made me tipsy (and there have been MANY pina coladas!) You wont be disappointed if you order the snapper, it is really fresh.
(3)Rosanne B.
The food was OK. But the service was Horrible!! I never experience such bad service before...I will never go back because of it. Go across the street to El Veneno-Good food plus good service!!
(1)Raul B.
OK. I am giving this place 4 stars because i am spoiled. I live in the suburbs and in the suburbs parking is very accesible. However, in El Barco it isnt. Although, every time i have gone i have been very lucky to park in their 5 car lot. Pros Great food, great prices, hot servers, cheap drinks Cons, too crowded and the parking. Def a must. The plates are huge, the alcohol is well mixed and the atmostphere is great. Ill continue to eat there when i am in the area
(4)Jonathan C.
Long line to get in (atleast when I ate there). But its worth it. Its lots of food, for a decent price. Plus where else can you get a whole red snapper deep fried with the head still on??
(4)Lunch E.
This place is awesome. If you can't get a seat or don't want to wait for a table la vaca is their new restaurant, same master chef, same fish vendor, same massive portions and out of this world flavor!
(5)Christy Q.
I love that I live just around the corner from El Barco. I love that every time I go I leave somewhat drunk due to one too many pitchers of cheap margaritas. I love the ceviche. In fact it's a meal on it's own. I love that you get more food than you can possibly ever finish. I love that I always get seated quickly. I love that they have outdoor seating in the summer. I love El Barco.
(4)Teri C.
Margarita time yo! All the tastey refreshing limeyness you can handle; mixed with the bold spicyness of thier chips and homemade salsa makes a perfect beginning to this latino experience. The baja fish tacos are out of this world. Chipotle chilli sauce is right up your alley if you are into the spicier foods. I was an instant regular after the first visit.
(5)Den M.
A friend recommended this place for Ceviche. I wasn't disappointed at all. Ceviche is good. Margaritas are decent and service is nice. Good place to go before or after anything. Will be back
(3)Angelo P.
I had a great time at El Barco with my family...I showed up on a Sunday afternoon with my uncle and my grandfather who was visiting from Mexico City...he wanted Mexican seafood so I mentioned El Barco which I had never been to. I ordered Ceviche "tocho mocho" my uncle ordered a cocktel de camaron and my gramps had a whole red snapper fried with garlic. All of our items were super tasty and the attentive (& hot) waitresses were there the second we needed more to drink. My grandfather struck up a conversation with the owner who was sitting next to us about Mexico City (where the owner is from) and he kindly sent expensive tequila shots our way and a couple free apps. The food was good, service was great...only downside is the sides...they kind of sucked ass.
(4)Colleen Anne F.
Walked into this place with no expectations on a weekday night, and had the busiest buzzing friendly staff welcome me with super ceviche, and an awesome seafood platter that could feed a whole tribe of urban dwellers with bottomless stomachs. Doesn't look like much from its rustic exterior, but the mesmerizing scent bellowing from El Barco's grill & exhaust leads you inside like a kid tracking a popcorn trail. A must try for seafood lovers w/o the formal circus.
(4)Rick C.
I drove by here last night and realized I still haven't reviewed this place. We've been here a handful of times and it's always kind of nutty. It's a bit divey and always packed. Be prepared to stand shoulder to shoulder as you wait and elbow to elbow as you eat. I love seafood, so I'm willing to overlook some of the negatives. The fried whole snapper is a winner. I like it without any sauces. It comes standing upright so you can pick at the sides.We also like the grilled seafood appetizer and cerviches. On some nights we've gotten the complimentary tequila shots too. I took my family here once and while they didn't love the atmosphere, the snapper was a hit. They get a bonus for making my dad happy. All in all, a divey, busy, mexican joint with pretty cheap seafood.
(4)Erin Z.
Great Mexican seafood. Large menu which created a dilemma for what to order. Great service... the tables are a bit packed inside which creates a bit of a crowded feel. I also had a mango margarita that was to die for!
(4)Arlene G.
LOVE THIS PLACE! went here with the crew and we all enjoyed our foods! so much different seafoods to choose from that i wasnt sure what to order. i ended up with the mixed seafood over rice with vegetables. there was shrimp, squid, octupus, and fish all in it - very tasty! i also tried the raw oysters and they were so fresh and magnificent! you cant get fresh tasting oysters everywhere so this was definitely a plus for them! 1 of the girls got their special - fried red snapper. that thing was huge & so flavorful! i had to try some of that too! from what i hear this place gets quite crowded & the wait is usually long but we went on saturday at 1pm and there was empty tables available. i will come back & bring my mom and dad next time cuz they love seafood as well!..... oops, i almost forgot about our waitress. she was AWESOME! i cant remember her name but she was so nice to us and let us practice our spanish with her. great girl, just too bad i cant remember her name to give her props on here!
(5)Roberto M.
When the sun is out, nothing beats enjoying some Mexican style seafood with lime, cilantro, salsa verde and a cold margarita. El Barco does Mexican seafood well. However, my only reservations are the service (lacking) the table sizes (small) and the wait times (may be long). The plates are large. The menu is gigantic (and funny) and the restaurant is full of life and energy. You will enjoy the food. Trust me. But you will complain about the service. Most people venture across the street to "El Veneno" for seafood. I wouldn't. Stay put and enjoy what El Barco offers.
(3)Guillermina I.
This place is awesome. The butterflied shrimp and the mango margaritas are AMAZING!!! Great food, drinks and great staff.
(5)Michael P.
El Fantastic-abulous!! THAT'S RIGHT, I MADE UP A WORD!! to describe El Barco. They deserve it, a word of their own. This place is one of a kind, sensory overload from the moment we walked in. Lights!!! Noise!!! Bustle!!!! People!!!! Giant hanging fish from the ceiling!!!! All the hallmarks of a great dining room. We got seated right away, service was, yup, pretty darn good. And the food - Six Flags!!! Of course I got the whole fried snapper, and it was great, tender, juicy, a little crispy. Flowers got the Mahi steak with vegetables that was maybe Five Flags - little dry but delish. All came with steamed vegetables, rice and a small dish of guac. All in all, a unique and delicious experience. Get there early before the tourists get in from the 'burbs. Pricey. I'll be back, maybe not soon on account of the price, but I'll be back. Six flags. More flags, more fun.
(4)Rocky S.
The best seafood restaurant in all of Chicago. I love seafood with real spice and flavor. I can't believe how amazingly fresh the seafood is here. It tastes like it was just fresh caught the same day. It is very reasonably priced, and great place to take the family. The Latin twist is the best part.
(5)Chelsey L.
The service is okay but the food and margaritas are so good! I've been twice first I got the cilantro and garlic shrimp. So freaking good! Margaritas on the rocks or blended are yummmmmy! Second time I got the carne asada and chilli rellano with stuffed shrimp. So. Darn. Good.
(5)Mark K.
Somewhere along the way I learned that the general rule of thumb is to not trust any restaurants that are shaped like vehicles. El Barco defies this law. And defies it quite well. It is the perfect intersection of spice + fish. The dueling fresh hot "sauces" delivered to the table upon arrival pack a kick yet are super tasty. We had the ceviche trio (great texture!), el diablo calamari (great heat!), and the garlic deep fried snapper (great value!). They were out of the smelt when we were there, but that's somewhat acceptable in my mind when a place prides itself on the freshness of their seafood. The portions were generous and our total bill was much less than expected when you saw how packed our table was. The service was amazingly pleasant with each dish coming in a fairly quick pace. Perfect for those who like to pick at appetizers while feasting on the main. El Barco itself loud and bright which really reflects the bold food they put in front of you.
(5)Rachelle B.
Four of us split the Big Platter of Grilled Stuff for Three*. We ordered the Big Platter of Grilled Stuff for Three even though we had four people because once I got Big Platter of Grilled Stuff for Two and shared it with with one other person and it was too much. Even when we ordered down one last night, we still took some home. The BPoGSfT has steak, crab legs, chicken, grilled fish, fried fish, calamari, octopus, shrimp, mussels, onions, broccoli and potatoes and comes with sides of rice and beans. *Not the real name of the entree.
(4)Travis M.
Seafood. It's all about the seafood. Perfectly fried Snapper. Huge,overflowing marisco platters. Then again there's some pretty tasty skirt steaks -great carne asadas. Killer drinks also. Maybe it's the atmosphere. Tables filled with 3 generations of families laughing and speaking Spanglish. Birthday songs every ten minutes. Waiting for a table at 10 pm on a Tuesday night. This place is not about sterling service. It's crowded and loud and the waitresses will ignore you if you give a hint of attitude. It's high energy and really great authentic food. It's just a fun place to eat. If you don't get this and feel it's neccesary to have deferential ass kissing service at every restaurant you go to then stay away. This place is not for you. Means we get a table faster.
(5)ExPlorer I.
Great food and drinks.! Food Presentation is fun. Very interesting collection of tequila displayed alongside an entire wall for restaurant goers. Was fun to just look at! Sat out on the patio which is relatively small BUT it works well. Hard to loose with FRESH SEAFOOD!! Highly Recommended.
(3)Ericka R.
I liked the place and the seafood was great. Servers were pretty attentive and knew the menu. The tables are a bit close to each other but otherwise my experience was great.
(3)Sarah N.
I went there for dinner on a Friday night with 5 other people. We arrived around 7 and only had to wait 10 mins or so for a table. We had been wandering around looking for food and were excited that we found such a great looking place. There were so many people there it had to be awesome right??????? NO - it wasn't. We received menus, chips, and salsa/dips as soon as we sat down. However, it was probably 15 minutes before anyone offered us water. I'll also mention that none of these water glasses were refilled ONCE throughout the entire meal. Um.. usually when customers are eating spicy food, they like to wash it down with some water... just an idea. We were ready to order drinks and food at this point. We placed our order. About 20 minutes later, we don't have any of our drinks and the waitress brings out half of the entrees..... 7 minutes later... still no drinks. Meanwhile, some of us are staring at our meals waiting for our buddies to get their food. The rest of the food arrives yet there is no booze on our table. After we ask, the waitress tells us that there are no clean margarita pitchers and it will be just a few more minutes. Why couldn't she have mentioned this before and offered to serve us something else? Or at least to let us know what was going on. By this time we are just a bunch of grumpy people who need a stiff drink, which only makes the overly loud pop music even more annoying. And it turns out the drinks were closer to koolaid than a real margarita. There are only 2 toilets for the entire restaurant which probably seats about 200 people? Dumb idea if you ask me. The only part that was good was the food. And honestly, that did not make up for the poor service, cramped tables, and incredibly loud volume of the place. Maybe regulars receive better service. Maybe it's better on a weeknight. Not sure and don't care to find out.
(2)Cicele B.
Came here on a humbug, and was pleasantly surprised. The food was all very good, and reasonably priced. The service was also good. I will be back.
(3)Jennifer B.
Not your typical Mexican hangout.....it's just BETTER! I loved having the round fried corn tortillas that you can break and dip into the salsa....gives new meaning to the word, "breaking bread!" Also, the salsas were inventive and one was basically a thicker mole sauce....YUM. I had the salmon and basically it was a portion that could feed an army! Presented on a heap of grilled vegetables, it should have cost around $39.00. But $13? Such a steal! The atmosphere of El Barco is that of a seaside escape....if you can get past the part that when you walk outside you won't be on a sandy beach, but rather good ole' Ashland Ave! The service is pretty good at El Barco and they try really hard to make your experience a pleasant one.
(4)Joyce C.
This place gets a '4' for three things - the fried snapper (both the original and garlic flavored... awesome!), the grilled octopus and the ceviche. (The smelt is pretty good too!!) They also have a full bar and they also serve micheladas, which I don't see very often at Mexican places. Please don't even bother with the sides, the vegetables are crap. They boil the hell out of the veggies so it's soggy and flavorless. The rice is also super dry. The atmosphere is really laid back and prices are really reasonable for what you get. But boy does this place get packed. The longest we've waited to get seated was 45 min. BUT to make up for the wait they handed us glasses of margaritas. Free alcohol for standing there?? OK!! I do have to agree with a lot of the other reviews, in that service is inconsistent. More often than not you'll have about 3-4 waitresses wait on your table cuz it's impossible to track down your original waitress. It's worth a try if you like seafood.
(4)Reid G.
Went this place as a special occasion but wanted a casual place to enjoy good food and nice people, El Barco hit the spot. Getting there was very easy and free parking across the street. Upon arriving we were given chips and amazing dipping sauces. Also ordered a pitcher of margaritas [strawberry] which was very good, it was a smaller pitcher but it only cost $8 its more then worth it. But the real food is whats important first item ordered: Shrimp Seviche. To say the least it was amazing, a fine taste and a great texture. It was like an amazing salsa but made of raw seafood instead of.....well salsa ingredients. Would highly recommend it, a small served about 2-3 people, cost under $10. Second item ordered, the seafood platter. This was amazing, with all the sauces that El Barco provides for you, the tortillas that come with it [your choice of corn or flour] and the amazing seafood. Calamari, octopus [not rubbery! cooked perfectly], skirt steak, shrimp, prawns, it was all just amazing. Our final bill was about $62, so not to bad for how much we ordered. We also received a complementary shot at the end of the day which was fantastic
(5)Adam K.
Fish tacos, unique drinks, HOT chix everywheres. Great service, Will def b back. I think I am in love with every chick who works here. Did not have a mojito tho, so 1 star off 4 that. Don't just drive/walk by, go in, its bomb.
(4)Yonina G.
I'd been wanting to try this place for years and I hate to say that I was disappointed. We ordered some sort of platter with seafood and vegetables. The seafood was very greasy and the vegetables tasted like fish. They have a nice outdoor space, so maybe it would be better for drinks and appetizers but I don't think I'll be back to try them.
(2)Alex R.
This place has a small parking lot accross the street that gets full pretty quickly, so be prepared to have a back up plan. Alas, once you have found parking, you can journey into El Barco. Upon entering El Barco, you will notice the strong smell of fish! This is not necessarily a bad thing for me. You will also notice the awesome array of fish hanging from the ceiling, painted on the windows, etc. A wall of good liquor behind glass that seems to say, break in case of emergency is a good back drop. There are many wooden tables and chairs ready with Tabasco salsas of all degrees, and limes waiting for your use. You will be served tostadas (chips) that are wrapped (yay for sanitary reasons!) and 2 very yummy salsas. The menu will offer a good variety for a reasonable price. To start off, my friend and I had an appetizer whose name I cannot recall, but it included perfectly cooked calamari, delicious octopus, little black clams, etc. all for the very reasonable price of $8.00. You come here for seafood with a Mexican flavor, and this place delivers. The appetizers definitely had a Mexican twist, not the usual sauces/batters you find at American seafood places. I find that they complemented the food well and were not overpowering. For lunch, I had the salmon and shrimp platter which is pretty big. It comes with delicious veggie sides which include corn on the cob, red potatoes, carrots, etc. Also served on the side is a generous portion of rice and some guacamole on a banana leaf. My friend had some shrimp wrapped in bacon with Mexican cheese. Unfortunately, the cheese was non-existent...not a trace to be found on the shrimp... (the waitress claims it "melts" during cooking) but the dish was still quite yummy evidenced by the fact my friend ordered yet another dish! The service itself was pretty standard. The waitresses do need a bit of nudging to remember to bring you water/drinks, etc. However, everyone was pleasant, and nobody was rude. Overall, I would recommend this place and would come back here again. I would love to give it one more star, but the seafood did not blow me away. Alas, I have been spoiled being from the Gulf Coast of Mexico and used to tasting seafood right out of the water :( so please don't let the 3 star deter you from trying this place. It is pretty yummy!
(3)Rebecca N.
I've been PAST this place A MILLION times, and decided to finally stop in with a friend, because I heard about $10 margarita pitchers... My QUICK DISH: ambiance: +felt like I was in a little beach town suddenly, booze and fish EVERYWHERE, rustic crowd: +very diverse--women, children, young and old, hot or not, Mexican, white, black, Asian and more...loved it! Packed in elbow to elbow, +no wait on Friday night @ 7 for INDOOR seating, outdoor look great though. food: +Nice seafood selection (obviously) We shared the 39.00 seafood platter thing (w/steak and chicken) Would've feed 2 more people...huge portions, +prices are just right service: -the waitress just breezed passed us several times telling us "You okay!" and away she went...So if you're a needy patron-beware, but if you cool just taking your time and kicking back with your friends/date there...then it's not a big issue My take-away: +can't wait to go back and try some more adventurous dishes, if you're feeling bored and want a cool ambiance to get your energy going before a night out, check it out! Oh and yes, $10 frozen strawberry margarita pitcher are a must!
(4)J J.
I was just a lucky bystander. Some friends were running late and told my gf and I to stop by and chat with them as they ate dinner and drank Margaritas. They got a giant platter of food, they described it as everything on the menu. I was given a little bit of everything cause it was too much for them and it was delicious!!!! They seemed to love their pitcher of Margaritas. One strange moment. Everyone went out to smoke and the bill was dropped. I was still at the table and in the five minutes that they were gone, three different waitresses stopped by multiple times to check on the bill. I finally had to put my hand over it to stop the constant reaching and disappointed looks. I can't wait to really eat here!
(3)iddells E.
**UPDATE** 1/13/08 I went here again for another celebration and ordered the red snapper. It was DELICIOUS. I don't think any experience here is complete without an order of the deep-fried red snapper. Everywhere you looked, there was red snapper on each table. There are different kinds of snapper. The one we ordered was the deep-fried garlic red snapper....yummmmmm! ** I have been to El Barco twice for the past two weekends. I LOVE their seafood platter We ordered the seafood platter for 4, which was literally a mountain of shrimp, calamari, octopus, crab legs, mussels, and skirt steak and chicken for the non-seafood eaters. Anyways, there were 6 adults who shared the order amongst ourselves and to our surprise, we still had leftovers. El Barco is tremendously generous with their servings and you'll walked out amazed at how much you spent on the bill. I'm so glad we chose to go here rather than the commercial Joe's Crabshack. Also, their horchatas are delish and huge!!! Everything here is huge!!! Another dish to try which was mentioned throughout previous reviews is the Deep Fried Red Snapper. Oh my goodness was it delicious!!! So soft and juicy in the inside and crunchy on the outside, it was amazing. I took away a star due to the service. The second time I went there, it took us a while to get our water. The Red Snapper that we ordered came 10 minutes before the soup and our other dish. The waitresses just were not on top of their job. But, if you want delicious and authentic Mexican seafood, El Barco is the place to go to!
(4)Andrew D.
All I can say is that the average 45 minute waits you'll experience at this little gem on Thursdays through Sundays are worth it. Only place that even tries to mimic this unique Mexican seafood estalishment is Islas Marias, which rails to do so. Great fresh fish, amazing spices, and again, very unique serving style. Good drinks too. Fun to order family style so everyone can try each others food. Entrees are huge to this place is perfect for it. Good for big groups - if you can get seated...
(4)Brady H.
Bleh. And the place is packed!!! The portions are indeed large - the fish ceviche dish was massive. Unfortunately, the fish was way over cooked. The oysters on the half shell were warm - would it kill their finances to throw more than 3 ice cubes for a dozen oysters? The fried snapper was decent and the carne asada was fine. Service was attentive and friendly, but it seemed the kitchen had forgotton about our dishes. There are much better Mexican places just to the north and south of this place.
(3)Irene O.
Fried fish is always good. Love the sides that come with it. The place is small and felt like I smelled like food afterwards
(4)ZZ K.
Me gusta, me gusta, me gusta...si, si, si! Oh El Barco, I like sailing on your ship of tasty authentic Mexican food...you can take me away any day!!! This adventure (not really) started when I was speaking to a neighbor, who was obviously a food lover, who also happened to be of Hispanic decent. So who better to get suggestions from, on where to get some good ol' Mexican style seafood? Si? Ole! And.....when we went inside El Barco most of the people where Spanish speaking....hello?! Jackpot baby! We waited several minutes for a table outside (such a cute seating area) to be wiped clean. We had not yet realized what a mess a giant fried red snapper, a platter of langastinos and rice with seafood makes....but stay with me. We started off with a reasonably and dare I say cheap, yet tasty pitcher of margaritas. We were hungry and dove into the basket of tortilla chips and 2 different, spicy sauces. They were not salsa, but whatever they were, they were good, especially the darker, sweeter one. We tended to stay away from the bright red...usually that means danger. They were out of the smaller snapper, so we had to get the 3lb one. We got that deep fried and served with garlic and onions. We wanted to get it broiled, but it would take 1hr and 15min and we just weren't willing to wait that long. The fish was huge and tasted nice and flaky. There was plenty of "fish meat", and we had no problem avoiding the bones. It came with veggies, guac, Spanish rice and corn...as did all the meals. Half the fish came home with us, but was a little dry the next day My langastinos were made in that same brown sauce that came on the table and was tasty...but messy to eat. Although, it seemed like all of us were making a mess, since the portion sizes are big and can barely fit on the platters. My fiance and I liked the langastinos, but our friend was a little standoffish. It was too much work for him and a little too messy. Or maybe he just felt sorry for the little guys since you could still see their little black eyes starring back...some still had them. Half of this came home with us as well, and I swear it was better the next day! Our friend had mixed seafood (crab legs, shrimp and squid) with Spanish rice. It was garlicy and yummy. Our waitress Cary was very friendly and nice, and did a good job dealing with our silliness and Spanglish. Everything we had was good and again very reasonably priced. We will definitely be back to try some of the other menu items. Don't hesitate to come here and try the food. Parking was not an issue since we went during the week around 8:00pm.
(4)Gina H.
Went to El Barco for the first time last night after wanting to check it out for a few months and left happy. Sometimes I just want to get some good seafood that isn't sushi, and this place didn't let me down. I ordered the Shrimp A La Plancha (grilled shrimp) and it was very delicious - came on a giant elongated platter with rice and veggies, overall it was a lot of food, and I noticed the other platters coming out also had quite a bit of food as well (including some crazy dish that literally had an entire fish standing straight up on the plate, eye-balls still intact...I think I'll avoid that, but it still looked pretty cool)....the fiancé got a different kind of grilled shrimp (garlic shrimp) which was tasty too. The actual make-up of the restaurant is lively and very casual - walking in I noticed that there were a lot of people eating there which was a good sign that the food would be good. Oh, and they had some interesting looking margaritas although I didn't try one....I chose to stick with Pacifico. This place is not really much of a 'date night' place as it's boisterous and well lit, but I'd pretty much go here for anything else. I'm looking forward to going back again to try something else out!
(4)Adrian J.
I would say this is the kind of place that you pass by on the street and wonder if the restaurant inside is any good. The outside is in the shape of a boat made out of copper. Yes. Once inside you're greeted by a lot of light. The place is super bright. Between the lights, the 10 TVs playing music videos and the bright display case of tequila, your retinas will get burned while you eat here. No matter. Our party of 3 ordered a group platter that had seafood, chicken, and steak on it for $40. Now we ordered the 2 person platter at our waitresses' suggestion and we're glad we did. The portions are huge. Tons of shrimp, octopus, squid, chicken and even crab. It's quite a feast. On each table there are no less than 8 or so different kinds of hot sauce. And then they bring you more sauces once you sit down. The orange one is super hot so use it sparingly unless you're well trained. Their drinks are extremely reasonable. We got one pitcher of a mango frozen margarita and another one of jack fruit. They were both really good. Out of all of the hits of the evening, the service was sometimes a miss. We had to ask for water twice which I consider a basic necessity when dining. As a plus though, their waitresses are quite pleasing to the eyes so it's easy to forgive once a few glasses of their margaritas are served.
(3)Seth F.
Appearance - Lively looking corner joint in the ukrainian village. Bright colors. People streaming in and out, and milling about, and a nice patio area. Atmosphere - As lively as it looked from the crowd. You can hear yourself talk inside, but it's probably better not to be in too big of a party. They can accommodate you after a wait, but you're not going to do too well talking to the other end of an 8 person table. Bring your espanol if you want to meet your fellow diners. Huge bright wall of liquor bottles, backlit. Not sure if you can order any of the liquors though? Service - A little sloppy. Server just kept walking by after awhile as we sat on the patio, but once we reminded her and a busser that we hadn't ordered, they got it together. Tables are a little close together out there. Food - Delicious! Mostly seafood offerings. Fantastic, traditional ceviche that could be a meal in itself. Shrimp in a guajillo sauce was mild in heat (plenty of hot sauce options on the table, 4 total, plus the two sauces they give you with the fried tortillas), but very flavorful. Everything seemed to come with a side of rice, veggies, and a guacamole covered potato. Pretty standard, well made guac. Margaritas, on the rocks, were sub par, but there's a lot of frozen fruit flavors for those who need their margarita frozen (you people are shameful). Next time I'd just see if they have a tequila list because of all those wall bottles, and sip something good. I'd probably 3.5 this if I could, but I'm happy I can't. The food is the most important part, and it stands above all the mexican neighborhood joints.
(4)Kristin R.
Me encanta el barco! So far this Mexican restaurant hits the closest to home. They have really yummy shrimp enchiladas and, although I've never tried one personally, I've seen huge plates of whole fish served to shocked and satisfied customers. The service is fast and friendly and they have enormous margaritas which especially hit the spot on a beautiful hot summer afternoon. I also love the decor. They have countless bottles of liquor in glass cabinets and an array of fun fish hanging from the ceiling. This place is great and I will definitely be back!
(4)Pubert Rose E.
When our girl Maria first told us about El Barco we were intrigued. Flash forward to a few years later and we finally made it. Actually, we made it there twice in the past two weeks. Our first experience was on a busy Saturday night; there was a bit of a wait and when looking into the restaurant it appeared crowded and crammed. But when we actually got seated, it felt as though there was plenty of room. However, the menus are so giant it made it a bit difficult to sort through all the offers between its pages. The first thing we ordered was a pitcher of margaritas; these margaritas are the tops and the most notable thing about them is they are $10 a pitcher and freshly made to order -- they aren't a sugary margarita mix. Score. For an appetizer we got pulpo a la plancha, one of our most favorite octopus dishes and one which we order wherever it's offered. Real meaty, this pulpo, and tasted great -- nothing over the top with spice or flavor but just a really solid dish. We got this both times we went; the first time it was better, more blackened and grilled. The second time it was still good, but could have been charred more. So, food. First time 'round we had the ceviche and a salmon steak dinner. The ceviche was fresh and nice, nothing out of this world in flavor, but satisfying and a good portion. The salmon meal was good; it's essentially a salmon steak and rice with a bunch of vegetables on the side. Good, and a lot of food, but nothing mind blowing... for $16. Second time, we got chiles rellenos with shrimps and cheese enchiladas; both solid dishes and satisfying. We thought the enchiladas were fine, better than many places and the rellenos were good but surprisingly not breaded. The service was fine, friendly in general, though our second trip to El Barco pitted us against a waitress who didn't seem to care to be our waitress. She barely spoke to us or attended to our needs; instead, she let her coworkers take care of us when we flagged them down. Strangely enough, the first time we went it was real busy and we had great service from three or four waitresses; on a slower weekday night, we still had good service from all but the waitress who seemed to be in charge of us. Maybe she doesn't like the looks of the Rose. Most notable about El Barco is the decor. It's comical, really. Big ol' fish hang from the ceiling, the whole place is nautical themed, and there are bottles of alcohol lining the walls. The place looks like a ship. There's even a pirate up front who stared at us creepily the entire meal. It's is a spectacle, a wonderful spectacle. Overall, worthwhile place to catch a meal and a decent price, especially the margaritas (they gotta be the cheapest, tastiest in the neighborhood). For two pitchers of margaritas, an appetizer, and two entrees, you're looking at about $70. Nice environment with a friendly staff and a look that makes you wanna set sail. We'll definitely be back for another taste, baby.
(4)Josh B.
I had an excellent time here. First off, it is a very cool place! On one wall you have bottles of tequila, as many as you could imagine. On the ceiling and other wall you have plastic fish which give the restaurant a nice look. On the table you will notice about 5 different hot sauces, as a fan of hot sauce there was a good variety to choose from. Also when they bring out your chips you get two salsas, one verde the other hot and very good. We ordered the pollo tacos and the red snapper. The tacos were good and the snapper was magnificent! A lot of meat me great flavor! A must have if you ask me. Why I did not give it 5 stars? It was busy, but I needed to frequently ask fr my water to be refilled. It was a little loud for my liking, they were playing a music channel and the music was fine, just loud. I will be back and I highly recommend it!
(4)Damon M.
Anyone in for Montezuma's Revenge? Dear GOD. So my wife and I had been driving by this place for the past year or so always wanting to give it a try, but never remembering it when trying to decide on the nights activities. Until yesterday when we did. We made 7:30 reservations and were seated pretty much right away at a spot outside. We were given chips and two salsa's which were both very good with a nice kick. Took a bit to get water to the table so our mouths were on fire, but no biggie. We both ordered our meals. My wife got the steak tacos and I ordered the oysters with the tequila/chipotle sauce to start and the shrimp pastor tacos for my meal. We also ordered a pitcher of their margarita on the rocks. We got the margarita's after a few minutes of waiting, and they were just ok. Tasted like it was just poured from a generic/pre-made mix. The oysters came out first, and these were just ok. Nothing special. I've had way better. I was starving, so I sucked them down. After a few more minutes of waiting, our entree's come out. My wife ordered a side of cheese with her tacos, and they forgot to include and had to wait about 5-10 minutes for them to bring it out. My shrimp tacos were very very boring and lacked much flavor. I tried my wife's steak tacos as well, and they were the same. Very bland, again lacking necessary flavor. By the end of our meal, the margarita's were WAY too sweet and combined with lack-luster food, we headed out very disappointed. Me with a pain in my stomach. Remember my comment above about Zuma's revenge, well, I have to end this review for my 3rd session since 6am. Needless to say, I'd pass on El Barco.
(2)Emily R.
A great place for amazing, fresh seafood and huge cocktails. The food here is sooo good and filling! So why two stars? HORRIBLE SERVICE. None of our food came out at the same time. Our water glasses were NEVER refilled. They never asked if we wanted more cocktails. They wouldn't clear any plates before bringing out more food at a VERY cramped table. We had to ask our waitress three times for our check before she brought it and when she finally did, she brought us the wrong bill! Unfortunately, it is not worth the headache to come here for some good seafood. There are plenty of other fish in the sea!
(2)Jordan D.
I found a piece of glove in my tacos.. Ceviche was still raw tasted funny and I really wish I could rate lower. And i'm mexican so my standards for tacos are freakishly high... Needless to say these people do not understand what flavor looks like or tastes.
(1)Caty H.
El Barco has been a little disappointing the last few times I've been. It hasn't been bad, but it's not a fantastic as it used to be... Just an update...
(3)Marcia T.
I use to pass this place so many times...and I always though...who would want to eat at a place shaped like a boat? Hmmm I guess I did...lol...to my surprise it's a nice looking place...nice decor...def a Mexican seafood restaurant...it's hard to find those kind of restaurants here in the city...I ordered the shrimp enchiladas...very delicious...it came with some yummy refried beans...there is also outdoor sitting...It's a nice restaurant...I'm def a fan =)
(4)Hugo V.
I'm a big fan of the Margaritas. I've been 3 times now with three different meal selections and the food has been consistently good.
(4)Ramona Z.
I went to this place because of a recommendation and I have to say it was disappointing from the beginning. When we got there the place was packed and I thought was a good sign so I was excited to eat here. We had to wait for a table but that was ok, what wasn't Ok was watching the man at the door seat people before us that we knew came after us (they were 2 so were we) because we watched while he wrote their names down after ours. We were finally seated and because it was busy the server took awhile to come to the table and when she finally came she asked us what we wanted to drink but we were never given a menu so we had no idea what they had especially since it was our first time here so we had to ask for menus. We looked it over and decided on a pitcher of margarita on the rocks. We drink margaritas often but this one was horrible, it tasted watered down and as though there was no tequila in it at all. I guess that is why they only charge $10 for the pitcher, lime juice and ice only. Our server never bought us the tostadas and salsa they brought to other tables until we asked and even when she brought the basket she didn't give us plates or silverware, we had to ask for those things when our food came. We ordered our food and it took a long time but I figured it would because it was busy. I ordered Carne asada with crab legs and when we finally got it, it was cold. I ordered my steak well done and it was medium rare. I picked at the food a little and just ended up packing it up. The experience was bad for me and I will not go back. I also thought the place was kind of dirty. I had to be very careful I didn't fall as I went to the restroom because the floor was very greasy and dirty. I realize it was close to the kitchen but that floor was pretty nasty.
(1)Tiff W.
The mole sauce that comes with the fried tortillas is so delicious. A big kick, but it's weirdly addictive. $9 pitchers of margaritas, also so delicious. I got the chicken enchiladas because I wasn't too hungry, but they were pretty good. A friend got shrimp tacos though, which looked awesome. Service was slow, but I'll be back for their mole and tacos!
(4)Double L.
Still awesome. Finally had a whole snapper, totally worth it and amazingly tasty. Service is still sort of questionable but who cares? Micheladas still $2.50 for a large mug and their pulpo chiveche is nuts.
(5)Rachel M.
Yes, I'm giving El Barco 5 stars in spite of their horrible service, but the food and drinks are good enough that they make up for it. Word of advice: if you want water, ask repeatedly! This place has the most delicious mango margaritas ever, make sure you get them on the rocks. The food is delicious; in addition to what you order, you get rice, beans, guac (sometimes), and lots of veggies. Everything is amazing, and the prices are reasonable, too. The chipotle salsa is fantastic, too. It's easy to find parking, and you will definitely leave full and satisfied.
(5)Chi-foodie A.
I was here for Lunch with some friends, the place looks nice it does looks like a boat, once you walk in they have big cooler with fresh fish at least it looked fresh Decor is different what you will expect in a restaurant overall is nice,rustic with and ocean feeling lot of windows Tables are to close to each other definitely expect some delay on your meal , as well loud place. Service was reasonable I order their arroz with mariscos,their portions are big, presentation was average,onceIi try their rice it was flavorless, the calamari was hard, and the shrimp overcooked, the vegetable on the side were just grilled no seasoning at all. My friend had a red snapper, was overcooked as well for drinks they have variety of tequilas, margaritas and beer. The place has a lot potential i will try it again.
(3)Mrs. F.
I just went there yesterday, was packed, didn't mind the wait. I ordered Camarones Mojo de Ajo, was okay, I had better...but my worse I have to say was the service. Our waitress, Michelle, kept forgetting our water and when we would nicely ask for it, she would make us feel like we were bothering her. She never once checked up on us to see if were were okay. She just wanted us to eat, leave and clear table for others. Although I would given food another chance, the service alone made me decide not to go back.
(1)Frances C.
This is the worst restaurant in all of Chicagoland. Seriously. My friends go here all the time because they live right there. So I said I wanted to try it. It was disgusting. They messed up the appetizer and then looked at us like we were stupid when I pointed it out. I ordered tilapia and I got a nasty slab of fish skin on my plate. I sent it back. That really put their panties in a knot. Oh, and it only took 1/2 an hour for them to come over to my table after I requested to send it back. Everyone was done with their dinners and they gave me shrimp fajitas as a replacement. It was ok. Overpriced. The burps were an awful reminder of how gross it was. Cue a Wendy's frosty. I'll never come back here. It's dirty, the waitstaff is rude and its overpriced. Woof Woof Woof all around.
(1)Miguel B.
I have been to El Barco 3 times prior to our visit on 6/20/2010. I was contemplating whether I should give them 3 or 4 stars and decided to give them 4. The service was mediocre at best. I understand that it was Father's Day and if this was my first time here, I would have given them 4 stars. The first time that I went to El Barco was back in 2007 for Mother's Day. The service was great and the food was delicious. I liked it so much that I decided to take my father for Father's Day (2007). Again, the service was great and the food was delicious. I returned back in May 2009 for a friend's birthday. The food was delicious as always but the service was not as great as the 2 times prior. Nevertheless, I made the best of it and "assumed" that the lack of service was due in part to my party which was all men. This past week was VERY slow service. I asked for a horchata to drink and my sister asked for a Coke. My sister and I never received our drinks. We had ordered a pitcher of sangria to drink BEFORE our meal. They brought the sangria but they never brought our other drinks. The appetizer was brought WITH the meal and we constantly had to look for our waitress. I felt that if they did an exceptional job on Mother's Day and Father's Day 2007, then why should I give them 4 stars this last visit? Will I return? Perhaps. However, It will not be my first pick.
(3)Tanya Z.
My sea food experience did do fine in this place. been to this place multiple times because its not far from my house and i wanted to try their food but only first time was good. All other times went there it was very busy and for them to keep up w the service i think they pre-cooked a lot of the sea food and it tasted very bland! no flavor at all. for last time i guess we went there yesterday and i ordered some grilled calamari and they looked bad and tasted the same. very greasy and had a black color i guess maybe from the grill that wasn't cleaned for a long time. i told them about it and they took it back but i didnt order anything else because i didnt wanted to get another bad plate. They give u a lot of food but not quality. for the prices they charge i think they could do better, but maybe its not in their interest. not only my food wasnt good my friends ordered some crab legs which had no flavor and also the rice was bad.... So yeah will not be going back !!! No no no!!!!
(1)Ashley C.
SERVICE SUCKS. the waitresses are not attentive at all and just ignore you when they walk by. the food is good but they forgot the langostinos in our dish. wasn't much of a busy night either. have been here three times and this time it'll be my last.
(1)Chino V.
Good huachinangos, a little pricey but good
(4)Cat C.
El Barco Rocks! Ive never had a meal at this place that I didnt love. I know that some people are put off by an entire fish served on a plate staring right back at ya but after the first bite, all I can think of was how the lightly crispy on the outside, flaky and not fishy on the inside...so delicious I was ok with being stared down by the meal! I also have to mention that have a killer guava margarita.
(5)Jinyoung J.
As I've been on a Mexican food kick lately, I went to satisfy my craving since it came highly recommended. I was anxious to try it out. I first liked it that I could find street parking pretty easily. But this was on a week night so I'm not sure how it is on weekends. They had outdoor seating and a moderately sized dining room. The thing I really didn't like was the smell when I first walked in. I really didn't need to be greeted by smell of fish when I first walked in. I don't care how fresh the seafood is...I honestly can't say it's one of my favorite smells in the world. So we chose to sit outside. Menu was packed with things I haven't seen before and fairly priced. We ordered a pitcher of margarita at ~$9, which was only $3 more than their giant glass of margarita. So if you're with a group, definitely get the pitcher. I ordered Chilles Rellenos hoping my craving for Chuy's Chilles Rellenos I had in Dallas would be sufficed, but as I came to find out, this dish can be done in hundreds of different ways and it was not the same. BUT I was plesantly surprised by their version. It was packed with fresh shrimp and melted cheese on top and to top it all, they had this tasty sauce on top. Loved the steamed veggies that were served with the dish. My friends ordered chicken tacos and adobo salmon fillet and they loved their dinners as well. Overall, everything was delicious including the giant round corn tortilla chips with their unique salsa. Don't be fooled by their spicy mayo looking dip thinking it'll be less spicy than the uber spicy looking one. It's actually the opposite. I'll definitely dine here again and will order the dinner combo platter which looked and smelled amazing.
(4)Tim Y.
Red snapper is the way to go here. Very spicy, cooked well, and a plate full of vegetables (green beans, potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, and more) rice, and guacamole make appetizers and sides completely unnecessary. Service was decent on a busy night. Though my empty plastic water cup languished without refill, the server did ask repeatedly how everything was and if she could get anything else. Originally set to be seated indoors, the table was too close to the door so outdoor seating was chosen instead. Way, way better. The pungent smell of seafood combined with the extremely high chatter volume make for an unpleasant environment. I was on the fence after reading the reviews since I have awful luck and typically experience the worst. Not so! Although I won't give it five stars since it didn't blow me away, I'm happy to throw three stars and a solid recommendation to go give El Barco a shot.
(3)Susan L.
Proving to the world that there are several ways to prepare fish, El Barco Mariscos allows you to choose how you'd like your red snapper prepared - that's what they are famously known for. While they have an expansive menu, I do like the snapper fried with garlic sauce. Not only does the red snapper dish come with rice, veggies, guacamole, and corn on the cob, no matter what you order, you get a complementary plate of housemade crispy tortillas to dip in two delicious sauces - one is a mole sauce and the other is more like creamy green salsa. The chips may seem "harder" than most places but it's sturdy enough to hold the sauces. For appetizers, the ceviche and mussels are also VERY tasty. When I have friends in town, I like to bring them to El Barco Mariscos for good quality seafood, heaping portions, and overall value (did I mention their portions are huge?). To top it off, their cheap and yummy margaritas are JUST $6 a glass - I'd actually prefer to call it a royal chalice of deliciousness.
(4)Shari N.
El Barco is extremely hit or miss. The service can be very good or notsomuch depending on when you go. The same goes for the food. The first time I went I was actually depressed because I ordered some type of fish and I swear to you there was not one granule of salt or anything that tasted remotely like seasoning on my plate. Today was a completely different story. I ordered the mussels with garlic & wine sauce. OH-EM-GEE. It was soooo goooood. I could seriously get an IV of that broth straight into my veins. My friend ordered shrimp and it was pretty bland, but we decided we would just dip it into the mussel broth and all was right with the world. So, I think with this place, you need to just go when it's not too busy and know what to order. It's a little trial and error, but I'll defintitely try this place again.
(3)Carolina P.
Maybe I was there on an off afternoon but the staff forgot about us. The chips and salsa were funky and not in a good way. We had a cool seafood combo, it was a dinner with almost every seafood they serve. It was sort of good but the food became cold very quick. The tortillas are fake and not the best fake tortillas. note: When I say fake tortillas I mean store bought not made from scratch. I'm a snob when you can buy instant tortilla flour its not that hard to make them.
(2)Chicago g.
The langostino is better at Las Isles Maria's but is the nest at The ChickenRun and Seafood place. Too salty here.
(2)BenoitTro W.
Are you people high? This is/was the worst restaurant experience I've had in Chicago, possibly anywhere, anytime, which includes both a fly in my food and a platter full of flies at a Mexican seaside joint. I'm writing this Monday and am just now feeling a bit better, as is my Wife, from our atrocious Saturday evening dinner. I'm not one that gets heartburn and indigestion, but, after the slop that was tossed at us at El Barco, my chest and stomach was on fire, I was unable to sleep and I continued tasting their, not by design or request, alcohol-free margaritas long into Sunday afternoon. Arriving at El Barco early Saturday evening, the three of us were quickly seated outside, which was extremely lucky as the inside of this restaurant was absolutely sweltering. A young lady, slim, very attractive, never cracking a smile, or offering a pleasant look and certainly never a kind word, quickly arrived to take our order. We had literally just been seated and only just then handed menus so we asked for a few minutes but were lucky enough (unlucky as it turned out) to grab her as she was fleeing to order a pitcher of margaritas. The margaritas were quickly delivered by a male server and tasted like processed limes on steroids, I don't know if I/we were expecting fresh-squeezed lime, nor do I think it absolutely necessary for a decent margarita but, holy jeezus batman, this stuff will turn you inside out AND, I challenge anyone to show me there was ANY tequila in this mess! We ordered one of their "signature" platters for three and after begging our server not to run away, were lucky enough to slip a salad into the order. We did not have time or the opportunity to order soup or an appetizer, as the server was clearly not interested in being at our table or helping us. If giant American portions are your thing or perhaps you measure the pure heft of the food as a quality indicator then this is your place. The platter arrived and can only be described as seafood nirvana, it had everything you can think of, was 3/4 the size of our 4-top table and could not be lifted by anyone with one arm! The food however tasted rubbery and overcooked at best, bland, unappetizing and prepared last week at worst. Not at any point did our server or anyone else ask how was our meal or if we'd like anything else. So, I repeat, are you people high or was our experience, soup to nuts, just an aberration? Actually, I don't really care to know, as I will never go here again, no matter what. The service was as unkind, unfriendly and rude as I've ever experienced, the food is not fit for human consumption and, ironically enough, God bless the ether their patrons must clearly be on for it to be the money maker (hand over fist by the look of things) it clearly is. Check Please be damned!
(1)Trinidad F.
The tostadas that were out for us to munch on were old and chewy. The service here is terrible. I saw the waitress twice. She didn't check if we needed more drinks or if the food was ok. I ordered Camarones a la diabla. So spicy but you can tell the fish or the shrimp isn't fresh. I will admit that the rice and the veggies were great!!! Everything else was pretty weak. Being dehydrated at a restaurant is no bueno. Also there isn't a waiting area. This place is always busy and packed so if you're waiting for a table you're basically in the way of all the waitresses. So here I am dying of thirst and some other waitress decides to come over and ask if we're done and ready to pay. LOL. Theres just something about rude waitresses that I just can't stand. PFFT!!! I will definitely not return...probably cuz I choked on an old tostada and had no water to wash it down.
(2)Suzy C.
This place is a 3.5 star for me, but since I can't do a half, I will be nice and round up. Food is pretty good here but I do wish I could have tried more dishes before writing a review. Either way, here goes: 1. Atmosphere: I thought the atmosphere was a lot of fun. Space is limited, yes, and the tables are too small, but I loved the limes on the table with your own squeezer, the cheesy boat motif and the general sea house feel. 2. Margarita: Okay, I can honestly say the margarita here is great. I normally do not like margaritas but I thought I'd give theirs a try and I wasn't disappointed. It was the right amount of alcohol and it wasn't too sweet even though I got the frozen variety. Mango margarita- give it a try. 3. Grilled calamari appetizer - great fresh calamari. We got the one cooked in garlic white wine sauce. if you love garlic, this is the dish for you. Quite good, but I must warn you, it was a bit on the buttery side. If you are looking for a more fresh taste, try a different sauce b/c the calamari comes with many different sauce choices. 4. Steak fajitas - The steak itself was not well flavored and it was tough. However, the steak came with refried beans that were to die for. There was also fresh guacamole and sour cream, grilled veggies, corn, rice, etc. and it was quite good. A great add-on dish to the main meal, which was the deep fried snapper. 5. Deep fried snapper - Mmmm quite good! We picked the Diablo sauce to go with the snapper. It is spice and my bf enjoyed it, but I wished for something sweeter. I'm a fan of lighter sweeter sauces with my snapper so this sauce didn't work for me as well. The snapper, however, was very impressive. It was meaty and tasted great. It is big enough to share between two people. 6. Chips on the table- Delicious and it comes with two sauces. You won't find your regular salsa at this restaurant. One sauce is a spicy chipotle sauce that I found delicious. I ate it with my fajita and it worked great. The other sauce was an olive type sauce. It was very good although I couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was made of. All in all, good food if you are looking for seafood with a mexican flare. I can't wait to go back and try some more dishes!
(4)Ryan G.
We stopped in to check it out since I have heard some good things. The service was really good but the food was so so. Probably wont try again.
(3)Brenden C.
It's unfortunate that I'm not quite at the legal age yet, because their tequila bottle decor was just calling my name all night. But besides my thirsty habits, this place was nothing but enjoyable. It was easy to tell that many people in the restaurant felt the same way, because on a Tuesday night there were still multiple parties who had to wait to be seated! First off, the staff was great. My parents couldn't have asked anymore questions about the menu and when I was beginning to get irritated at my own parents, our waitress was answering them like she was taking the ACT. It was very impressive that she knew the menu as well as she did. The food was out of this world. My sister and I split one of the "two person" meals they offered. The plate was impossible to finish and had everything from fried fish, shrimp, chicken, steak, calamari, octopus, beautiful veggies, and so on. Not a single thing on my plate disappointed me and even had my parents picking away. If you love Mexican food as much as I do, and you love sea food, this might be your bliss.
(5)Olivia L.
If you ever find yourself thinking, "Man, I wish there was a restaurant that was like a more upscale version of Red Lobster on crack," well, kids, El Barco is there to fulfill your dreams. Kitsch goes overboard at this joint, starting from the outside, as the shipwreck-like boat building is quite the standout on the otherwise dull stretch of Ashland south of Division. Continue inside, and enjoy a ludicrously huge menu exploding with cartooned crustaceans and the most random prices I've ever seen in my life (everything seemingly ends in 18 or 24 or 94 cents). Getting through the menu will take you a while--options are plentiful and almost all seafood-based. Although I speak Spanish, one section carried a heading that I wasn't familiar with. When I asked a waitress what the word meant, she replied, "You know, like....'really awesome.'" And, indeed, my meal was pretty awesome. I ordered up some sort of fish and shrimp combo, and although my friend had warned me in advance that a lot of food would be coming my way, I wasn't expecting a two and a half feet long trough to be out. My "plate" (really, it was a trough) was filled with copious vegetables, a monster serving of tender rice, and enough seafood to feed a family. Because one can never be too indulgent, we also split a pitcher of sangria, which was muy deliciosa. Overall, if you're looking for good seafood, El Barco will get the job done. Everything is well-cooked, well-seasoned, and very fresh. But at the end of the day, I look forward to feeling like a still functioning human being at the end of the meal, whereas a dinner at El Barco is guaranteed to make you feel like you're about to birth a food baby. Cut back on the portions a bit, El Barco, and we'll be in business.
(3)O O.
I love this place for something out of the ordinary. I took my family plus significant others here and they all loved it. The drinks are good, but everyone (even those who didn't get the snapper) couldn't stop talking about the red snapper. ****Note, I have learned to get split the snapper with one other person (you get chips before hand, and you get sides with the snapper, and to get the fish with garlic sauce. The sauce is not overwhelming, it just makes the fish a bit less dry. They also have yummy drinks. It's very reasonably priced especially if you split a red snapper. The deco is fun too.
(4)Robert H.
Not a big seafood fan, but this place was really fun and energetic. The decor was really nice with hardwood look and feel all around. The margarita's are awesome. Bring your spanish dictionary! Most of the staff doesnt speak english very well!
(3)Phillie P.
Good: Food Bad: Lack of water
(4)David S.
Went here today for lunch after coming from the health club. The waitresses were all very pretty and nice. Mine brought over some large, very dry, tasteless chips and some not very good sauces. Some creamy green sauce that just wasnt good. I ordered the shrimp tacos and a margarita. The margarita was watered down and not very good. So when I asked her to give me another one with top shelf tequila she told me they were already pre-maid. I passed on it.When the food came The refried beans were super greasy. The tacos had a nice little taste but there was no cilantro on them so I asked the waitress to bring me some. I might give them a second chance.
(2)Posie R.
I went with my family -big seafood fans as a bonvage dinner for my brother who was off tto military duty. We got seated right away on a Saturday around 1pm. No too busy. Got busy right around 3pm. Ambience: The atmosphere is pleasant to look at but not to listen to! Blaring the same 3 reggaton music videos on all the tvs is not exactly ambiance setting -in fact really gives it a cheap feel. DOnt get me wrong I love reggaeton but seriously can El BArco add more to its collection . Food: Portions are huge! Ceviche was tasty yum! The dishes included: Camerons al Diabla, Steak and mahi mahi, shrimp enchiladas, and veggies and salmon, veggies and mahi mahi. OVER COOKED -it might as well been microwaved! THE SHRIMP ARE NOT CLEANED! means the veins are left in for you to savor the pooo! illll! mahi mahi was just not good overcooked no seasoning, VEGGIES HAD BROWN SPOTS -not all of them but most what the hell?! Service: Horrible! Is too much to ask for mixed enchiladades (shrimp, chiken, cheese) -their answer "we have to charge you for all three dishes" We got checked on about twice for a 2hour dinner, Overall I might reconsider coming here for margaritas and appetizers BUT THATS IT!
(2)Caitlin L.
TGI Friday's meets Davey Jones's locker. I can be quite cynical at times but I think when I came to El Barco tonight I knew what I was expecting and embraced oversized book-of-time menus and all the crazy crap on the walls. If it was an actual chain though, I'd probably want to barf. Our waitress was sweet. I'm glad I split the "regular" sized Snapper w/ a friend and we still had a ton of leftovers. I took a little pleasure in being able to show off my filet skills from when I was a server in a fancier restaurant. You know a fish is cooked right when it easily comes off the bone - which this one did. Overall, broiled fish and veggies, that's pretty healthy and ok w/ me. Good price for the quality and amount of food. Definetely a place I'd only want to go for a fun night w/ a group of friends. If I went on a date here I'd probably get embarrassed and dunk my head in my goblet of sangria to hide.
(3)Brett W.
Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale Of a ship-themed place to eat With fish hanging from the walls And right uncomfortable seats The fish they sell is fresh and good The waitresses are sweet But hope that you get all your food Cause the service could be beat If you have a group don't fear this place The drinks are stout and true And you'll have a second meal that day Of this I am quite sure.
(3)Friar J.
I was excited to try something different from your typical burritos/Mexican joint and their menu definitely had the diversity. LOVED the tequila wall and though it was crowded small space, the seashore decor was amusing. (think hanging fish, few of them from the ceiling). The space smelled fishy: one could assume FRESH FISH. Wait staff did their job, but wasn't attentive. Make sure to get a jug of water for their spicy salsas. Food was presented on oversized rectangular wood/skillet plater for the small crowded tables they had. Unfortunately, the foods lacked the flavor it claimed. One of my party didn't like his dish and because no one came or acknowledged why he hasn't touched his food, we finely got the manager who happen to sit behind us. He defended the food and said we should have spoken up earlier. Which I agree if someone even paid attention to us. The last five minutes ruined the experience, and left us wondering if it's worth it to come back.
(3)Megan M.
El Barco has delicious food, but the service is lacking. Last time I went, the host forgot we were waiting and sat multiple groups before us, even though they arrived after our group. Then we waiting a good 15 minutes before our server even gave us menus. The good news is that El Barco does mexican seafood really, really well and has fantastic drinks. I love the shrimp tacos. They are definitely worth putting up with the lackluster service. The pina colada is delicious and I swear the pitcher of margaritas is never ending. Prices are good and there's a pretty nice patio. If you're on a schedule, don't go here. If you're looking for a leisurely dinner and some good people watching, check out El Barco.
(3)Michael D.
My girlfriend and I visited El Barco Mariscos last Friday and really enjoyed our dining experience. Quickly: Salsa and chips were quite unique. Presentation of chips was unique, salsas were rare - i love Mexican food and have never had any like them. Both very spicy so beware! Guacamole was fresh, needed salt and lime. With those two it was great. Mahi-mahi enchiladas were superb. Again, unique. Steak tacos were sparsely decorated. Nothing but steak and corn tortillas. So... I recommend adding the beans from the plate, some lettuce, cheese (had to order it extra), lime (available at table), and the red salsa. And some salt. After that, they were great, really delicious. The refried beans were the best I've ever had. By far. My gf says thats because they're made with lard. I say, make more food with lard if it tastes that f-ing good. Drinks were not refilled very quickly at all, scary stuff given the spicy salsa. The manager graciously allowed us to wait for a private table (some large tables are set for two parties). Really nice guy though honestly they need a real host. All in all, very likable - would certainly recommend.
(4)Scott D.
The service was very slow and poor. The waitresses DO NOT speak English very well. This is a Mexican seafood place in America, after all, and the clientele is at least 85% gringo. We got our food before we got our silverware. We had to ask for silverware. We asked for and never got water. We had to ask to see a menu. There was only one menu available. I ordered fajitas. They never gave me tortillas with the fajitas, and the waitress looked confused when I asked for them. She said she would get them. Never got them. The girl I took here ordered Shrimp Fajitas. Her dish was about $16, and her plate was about 1/3 full of the biggest, freshest shrimp you'd ever care to see. This has to be the best shrimp value in Chicago. My steak fajitas were average to below average. The chips were great. The salsas were some sort of sun-dried tomato or roasted red pepper goo that was ok, and a yellow-orange very, very hot salsa. Disappointing that more traditional salsas are not served with those chips. One gets the impression that this place is run by someone who just sort of decided to open a restaurant years ago without much thought or experience, and the bad habits and sloppiness just sort of continued as habit over the years. One last thing: wiping a table off with a greasy wet rag and leaving the table wet with a coating of slime is not a clean table in my book. Even McDonalds gets wiping a table off correctly. Is this so hard? She and I agreed that for about $60 with drinks, there are lots of other places we'd rather spend out money. We aren't going back.
(2)DJ S.
My boyfriend and I have walked out of this place twice! All because of horrible service. They take your order and forget about you. The food always looks good, which is why we gave it a second chance. But both times, horrible service. No more chances!!!
(1)Shaun S.
This place is good. Portions are nice, service is ok, the mango margaritas are GREAT! I usually get the broiled red snapper stuffed w/ garlic shrimp and it's awesome!
(4)Michael S.
**First time trying this place! And after debating if this place would be a good pick for my fiance and I because of the reviews we tried El Barco on an early Sunday afternoon. The place was full, and we asked for outdoor seating and waited about 10-15 minutes. As we waited outside we loved watching all the foods coming out, from the snapper to the huge plattios the portions were huge! The SERVICE kicked ass, as our waitress was not overbearing checking in with us and offering polite menu advice. We got the fish plattio for 2...which feeds 4. Delicious all around with my finace and I loving the grilled octopus that was in the plate, but everything was cooked perfectlyand delicious. Great service, food, atmosphere, and it was really cool seeing the families and cultures enjoying themselves on a beautiful Sunday in Chicago.... if you complain about the parking you're obviously . Yes they're parking lot holds 4 cars, however Divison can accomodate parking about a block down. Enjoy, and don't read any other reviews except this one...you will not be disappointed!!!
(4)Lia K.
One of my favorite places to go for seafood and steak with a Mexican kick! My favorite is the diablo shrimp with steak. It comes with rice, refried beans, veggies and corn or flour tortillas. The portions are HUGE. My bff absolutely loves the shrimp ceviche and the steak tacos - 3 for $10! I've had the red snapper, fried with a creamy chipotle sauce. I was surprised the fish wasn't super greasy! The prices are reasonable, the portions large and the place is always loud! The margaritas are strong and good, but the waitstaff can be lost sometimes and the guacamole could use a bit more flavor. The veggies can look like the chef just didn't care about the way it looked and sorta cooked the living daylights out of it- but, hey..I'm here for the meat and seafood- who wants veggies?! I've taken a good handful of friends here and they crave this place all the time. Parking on Ashland can be a bit difficult, and the side street the restaurant is located on is permit parking only. The restaurant has a small parking lot, but the spots go fast! Try parking behind, on Milwaukee and cut through the side street to the restaurant.
(4)Brian J.
My review has nothing to do with the quality of the food or service you will find at El Barco. Instead, this is a plea to the owners and patrons of this restaurant. PLEASE do not park your car on W. Cortez Street if you do not have a residential zone parking permit. I have seen countless customers leave this fine establishment to be greeted with a parking ticket on their windshield seemingly because they didn't notice or chose to ignore the signs posted along the street. I would recommend the owner(s) of El Barco post a BIG sign on their front door reminding customers of these parking regulations. As a homeowner who lives nearby, I also find it extremely annoying when my guests or I cannot find parking because customers of El Barco are illegally parked. Please respect the neighbors living nearby and park elsewhere.
(1)bridget l.
OMG this place is AMAZING!!! The entire menu is outstanding. If you are visiting Chicago or a native dont miss this place. It is very unique family owned and you will taste the home-cooked difference :)...and did I mention Margaritas ? :))
(5)Robin W.
I seriously can't believe I passed this place up for this long. A group of friends forced me here on Sunday and between the extremely affordable and tasty Sangria and Mai Tai pitchers, and the gigantic portions of fresh fresh seafood...i'm sold. The place is packed, the tables are awkward and the lights extend hot and bright over your head making you feel like you're in an interrogation room..but this is just the greatest place for fresh crab, giant shrimp prongs, mahi-mahi quesadillas, and salmon fajitas. The table salsas are extremely spicey! Also, each dinner comes on a huge place-mat esc slab with fresh whole steamed vegetables, (potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, green beans).
(4)Dan A.
The place was packed and they still got us seated quickly. Appetizer was awesome. Amount of seafood in the dish was the most I've seen anywhere. Not to mention the variety. Good service, good atmosphere, comically large menus, Mexican music videos, what else can I say...except for the red snapper staring at me from the next table, that was creepy.
(5)steve h.
Every meal I've had here has been delicious. The seafood is so fresh it makes Will Smith look like he's less fresh than he actually is in comparison. Also, the best chip setup of any restaurant I've been to, the spicy black paste is bomb-dot-com. Plus, the ladies that work there are quite fetching. Make sure you say hi to Carmen when you go there, she's a very friendly gal.
(4)Michael W.
Went here for Cinco de Mayo, and my friends and I chose it solely based on the fact that it's shaped like a boat. We sat out on the patio and went through about 4 pitchers of their frozen margaritas, which I have to say are very good. I really liked their shrimp enchiladas, but then again by that time we'd already polished off 2 pitchers so my judgment might have been skewed...
(3)Brandon B.
After walking by many times and seeing the huge wait outside, we finally caught the place earlier one evening and got a relatively quick table...still very crowded and very busy. I can see why: this is probably one of the most festive interiors in the entire neighborhood with all the colors and music, massive menu with huge portions, etc. I might have raved and given this 5 stars had I not ordered the all meat/seafood platter, which was a HUGE sampler of all the protein compounds grilled in the USA. I guess I ate too much or just hadn't eaten that much for a while--felt a little ill, so a lot went home in the doggie bag. The next day we tried to heat this up and returning to the kitchen had the worst reaction to the smell of the shrimp (?rotten cat food smell?) which I'm sure wasn't a reflection of the quality of the food as it was to my general aversion to seafood. I want to try this again sometime after my inner reaction calms down. Great salsas--strong and concentrated.
(4)Ioan B.
great and decently priced.
(4)Rene N.
I want to preface this review by saying that the rating has suffered on account of shitty customer service. The bf and I went here in June and sat outside...nothing fantastic about the view (you get to see people eat at el veneno across ashland) it's just that it was back-sweat hot inside. It took about ten minutes before we got a waitress...a bitchy one. She seemed annoyed we were there and generally above it all. We ordered margaritas, guac and fajitas. The guac and margs were ok, I've had/made better. The fajitas were pretty incredible, you get a big spread (a bit overwhelming and landing on the overkill side of overkill, think carrots-i.e. why?,) good quality and cannot be beat for the price. But uh, where were the tortillas? I must have been mistaken and not have gotten fajitas right? We had to ask for them and got an obscene amount of shitty attitude when doing so. We got the check and were in the process of polishing off the margs when the waitress stopped by 3(!) times to ask if we were ready to pay. We handed over a card, signed and tipped. She then opened the binder to see how much we had tipped and rolled her eyes so hard I thought her bitch head was going to snap off and roll down her bitch back. Second time we went was with a friend. We ordered fried calamari but got grilled calamari, they're mistake? WRONG. Asshole waitress told us what we ordered, clearly three people remembering an order are trumped by a curmudgeony waitress. We ordered fajitas, same deal with the tortillas...are all the waitresses there giant bitches? Our friend ordered tilapia thinking it would be a fillet not the entire fish. She couldn't the fish and wanted a replacement. The waitress refused and we asked for the manager and my bf got all gay-bitchy and finally they complied. So to summarize: they've got good food but expect to get treated like a dirty tampon. I'm actually surprised they don't order for you then tell you that you made the mistake in ordering and force you to heat up your own tortillas.
(1)Vivian Y.
I went to El Barco on Wednesday night for my birthday. The margaritas are great! and the appetizer we had, the seafood combo of squid, octapus, shrimp - SUPER tasty! But, was really disappointed with what I thought would be the highlight of the meal, the red snapper fried with garlic sauce. It was really dry. It had essence of garlic, but not alot of sauce. it was well presented, but just not that good. I ate it anyway because It was $18. I didn't want to let it go to waste! We also got the paradilla (?) for two. HUGE seafood platter. If it wasn't in a Mexican restaurant, this dish would easily be worth $100 in another contemporary restaurant. The seafood on the platter was delicious, but could definitely life without the potatoes, chicken and skirt steak. Don't waste stomach space on that! I would go again, but only if others suggest it.
(3)Rick J.
Absolutely horrible. This place has presentation going for it, but that's about it. The salmon was overpriced and nearly tasteless. The waitstaff was abysmal and made me feel like I was being processed through a service line. The vegetables look pretty in photos, but that's because they came out of a frozen bag. They're nearly inedible. I can't think of a worse restaurant experience I've had in Chicago.
(1)Jenn K.
El Barco is definitely the place if you're completely and totally in the mood for Mexican-style seafood-- they've got everything you can hope to find in the sea prepared in a dizzying variety of ways. Octopus tacos? Why not? Fish empanadas? Sure thing. An entire red snapper as big as a house cat? You got it! The menus are enormous-- too big for the tables, actually, so either plan your order before you get there or make ordering a collective activity via one menu. My friend and I were completely overwhelmed by the options, so limited ourselves to appetizers. We went a bit overboard, but everything was pretty good and we got a great range without filling up with the unnecessary extras that come with entrees. The best of what we had was definitely the empanadas. Fish was very good, but shrimp was phenomenally good. Ceviche was also tasty-- we got the fish version and the fish was very firm, served with pickled onions and fresh avocado. For landlubbers, the quesadillas are a good bet-- thick with chihuahua cheese and pretty exceptional in a world where every chain restaurant thinks it can do passable quesadillas. The one thing I would pass on in future visits would be the oyster and shrimp appetizer. Oysters on the half shell were meh and not served with any of the usual accompaniments (though a basket of key limes and a supermarket shelf of hot sauces are available on every table). In a bad expediting choice, the raw oysters are served, not on a bed of ice, but on the same plate as the large hot shrimp (which we expected to be cold. We also expected that their heads would have been removed, but that was before we saw the mammoth whole snappers and recognized a theme.) So the oysters got a little warm and that did not make them tastier. The pitcher of lime margaritas on ice was good, cheap and nothing exceptional save its goodness and cheapness. The glass pitcher came with the tiniest glasses you've ever had a drink that wasn't a shot out of, but since refilling was difficult with shrimp-head covered hands, they served to slowed our drinking to a reasonable pace. El Barco is definitely not the place to wine and dine someone you're trying to impress, unless that certain someone is into a hands-on, shrimpy-fingered, noisy room, okay service, overwhelming options of Mexican-style seafood experience. I'm generally that kind of person, though, so I had a good time.
(3)Jenny z.
Any place that brings you an entire red snapper standing up on a plate gets 4 stars in my book. FYI, it's very tasty once you figure out how to deal with it. Menu is very consistent, everything is good. That being said, if you are with a group be sure to get the parrillada plate - it has chicken, steak, shrimp, octopus, crab, veggies, etc. SO good, I can't even think straight. Fights have been known to break out over the last tasty morsel of this or that...of course, the alcohol could have been affecting us. Drinks..... Strong drinks. Tasty drinks. I am getting drunk just thinking about their drinks - their bartender is that good. You will drink as much as you eat here - be forewarned. Clean, friendly, relatively inexpensive ($20 - $30 bucks a head depending on how much you drink), the perfect place for a leisurely dinner with friends.
(4)Melissa L.
I love the food here, but definitely agree that the wait staff could stand to be a little more attentive. The four stars is solely based on the food. I love seafood and everything I've eaten here has been fantastic. Last time my parents visited, we came here two days in a row upon their request! We ordered the deep fried red snapper both days. Delicious! There is also a 'meal for two' or something like that on the menu and it was definitely enough food for four people if you ordered it alongside the red snapper. Last time I dined there, I decided to order a steak fajita instead of the usual seafood. The steak is AMAZING! I crave it, it's that good. Food is awesome, drinks are great, service is ok.
(4)klassy k.
oh em gee. what is up with that spicy black sauce?? it rules. i always scoop what's left on my table into my to go box. and i ALWAYS have a to go box because the portions here are HUGE. my staples here are the empanadas (cheezy fishy yumyum) and the garlic shrimp. the garlic shrimp comes on a plate that's half fresh delicious veggies. i always have enough to take home another meal's worth of to go food, so that's how i justify the prices here (which, true, are higher than other mex joints) my only complaint is i wish the wait staff would fill water glasses more often cause my mouth is always on fire from the spicy sauce. (and i swear the fake fish on the ceiling are always staring at me....)
(5)Eli B.
This spot gets packed in the summer w/alfresco action & everybody goes. skip the hassle if you want service and convo friendliness. otherwise is party time w/loud ass reggaeton repetativness. the snapper is snapping served upright how i like, camarones frescos diferent estylos. Bomb bargain margaritas & banging buts that come standard on the all femal wait crew. Cool coronitas (mini) in a bucket a real table salsa/chips abound. Get a michelada if smashed or not! if your tall dont sit under the hanging swordfish or you might hit your dome piece something fierce. Cool quirky vibrant atmosphere like being on boat minus T pain & Samburg, but hey my fave spot by the bar up front has captain blackbeard to kick it w/.
(4)Jose T.
Great Mexican style seafood! Go on a short vacation to El Barco - the mesquite grilled snapper is the best in the city. Throw on top of that the various delicious salsas & a few cold ones. You can't go wrong with anything on this menu.
(4)Carol M.
1 fish 2 fish huge-snapper-with-the-head-still-attached-red-fish blue fish And the place is shaped like a boat! SOLD! We got the platter for 3...there were 4 of us...and we had a TON of leftovers. Their mango-something (tasted more citrusy than anything) frozen margarita went well w/ the platter. Service was good and quick...till she forgot for like a half hour to bring us our check...but I was so full at that point I wasn't ready to do such things as...stand up...or....walk myself home. I'll be back! 29/52
(5)Saverio T.
This place get high points for decor and kitsch but scores much lower on the tastiness of its signature dish, Snapper. Yes. I am an east coast fish snob and do know my finned friends, but this place is to fish, what the TGI Fridays is to the burger. Portions are large as to distract you from the fact that no matter how you get your Snapper prepared, it all tastes the same. Give me less fish, but more flavor! PS the Margarita tasted canned. Stick to beer or their vast selection of Tequila.
(1)Brad C.
I drive past El Barco at least once a week and have been wanting to make a stop in. Today on the bike ride home from work my finance and I decided to go to dinner at El Barco. It was great, there was a bike rack right out front. The place seemed pretty busy but there were plenty of tables and no wait. Once seated we were given this giant menu, about a foot wide and 2 ft tall. If you were at a table with a large group it would of made it really hard to flip through the menu. It wasn't even that there were a lot of items - it was that the type was just giant with lots of cartoon pictures. To drink I went with a mango margarita and my finance tried the sangria, both of them were good. We were seeing the size of the food come out of the kitchen and figured we should share an entree. But we did go with two appetizers, but think we should of gotten only one. I just really wanted to try an octopus tostada. I had never had or seen a octopus tostada so I wasn't sure what to expect. It was just a tostada shell with a bunch of octopus on it - nothing else. I don't think I would get it a again but I am glad I tried it, it just needed some of the tostada fixings. We tried to get the waitress to suggest a red snapper to get but she had no idea and couldn't explain the different sauces. Randomly we picked the broiled snapper with adobo sauce. I think we made a good choice since the snapper was excellent! Overall we had way too much to eat. I think two people could just get drinks and share one entree and have a great meal.
(4)Alexis H.
El Barco's has some things that are great about it - great enough that I definitely will keep going back. Prime examples of what will make me return: $9 margarita pitchers. PITCHERS. Seafood platters at extremely reasonable prices. Delicious sauces (watch out, they're caliente!) served with tostadas instead of the usual chips and salsa. Oh, and $9 margarita pitchers. This place has mastered enormous portions at value menu prices. But in all seriousness, this place falls short in a couple areas which leaves a restaurant with great potential with just lackluster reviews. The waitresses often don't seem to speak English, which would be okay except every time I have been there they have completely missed a part of my order. The seafood is good quality and fresh, but it is always slightly greasy. I ordered grilled shrimp and it clearly came out cooked sauteed in oil. I think no matter what it says, every single item on the menu is cooked in the same sauce and sauteed in oil. Good thing I like the sauce. Oh, and did I mention the $9 margaritas?
(3)Rachel S.
I LOVE THIS PLACE! I think it's quite hilarious that the people that don't like this place are the people that should stick to lincoln park! LOL If you are easy going and don't have to have a romantic ambiance everytime you eat food then this is your place. AND for the people that think a FISH restaurant shouldn't smell like fish then dont come here or go to FL cuz that's what fish means lol... The plates range from 10 to 15 dollars and the meals by far are about the size of two platters. They come with your fish and tons of steamed veggies, guacamole, rice and beans. As well, for anyone who loves hot stuff this is your place. They give you chips and salsa...with salsas even mexicans can't handle. Ask for the orange salsa if you dare =)! Across the street they have a small strip of parking otherwise ashland usually isn't too hard to find some.
(5)Taylor S.
A few words about this place: -Fresh -Not boring -Tasty Some how this place seems to straddle a authentic cultural Mexican restaurant, tacky boat house, high-end restaurant, and dance club -- making it... not boring. They have gone a little 'overboard' (haha) with all the giant fish hanging in the restaurant - though interestingly enough they are fake. Their menu has an awesome selection and everything sounds awesome. They bring tortilla shells, two sauces, and lemons to the table when you sit down. The sauces are both really good, but you find you are a little confused, as they are not 'salsa' and you feel strange about breaking up the tortilla shells to use as chips - never really got an explanation. As an appetizer, we got calamari in a white wine sauce - different grilled calamari than I'm used to - very thick pieces - but still quite delicious. I got the shrimp that they describe as "very very good, just order it".... and it was very very good but probably 3 lbs of shrimp worth - for 2 or more people. Though, a be prepared that it's pretty salty. All in all, great place for a Mexican seafood dinner and not overtly pricey for fresh seafood.
(4)May O.
Does the owner know what is going on in this place? I agree the worst place to eat seafood. Dirty Dirty overcooked seafood !!! I odered shrimp not carrots. I would think the Margaritias would be fresh not an instant mix. The health dept needs to visit this place. cheap awful bad taste in your mouth with food and afterwards.
(1)Anna C.
I definitely love this place. Amazing! I used to come here once or twice a week. I love the orange salsa sauce and the red one too! I always get the langoustines or tilapia a la diabla dish. FYI, their servings are huge, Their margaritas are awesome! i just wish the place was a little bit more spacious. Other than that, I can't complain. Service is great. The waitresses are very nice. I would definitely recommend this place!
(4)America Q.
I enjoy seafood but this place doesn't impress me much. The parilladas are the only dishes I like and I've had better shrimp cocktail elsewhere. I've gone only a few times spread over several years. So that in itself says a lot.
(2)Stuart W.
Great food. Great price. Great service. I am definitely coming back. This restaurant is a bit quaint, but very authentic. I went here with my friends over the weekend and it was packed. I guess the secret is out!
(4)Orack B.
El Capitan done steered this ship into a harbor of hungary gringos content with charred arrachera and dried out beans. The waitresses are the most appetizing thing at this spot. It used to be the food but... At least they lost the over-sized menus. For all you newcomers, you missed the boat!
(2)Adys L.
I was really disappointed with El Barco. I ordered the red snapper and my boyfriend ordered the fish fillet. The red snapper was really dry and tasteless. The waitress were rude and were completely disorganized. The aisle are really tight I can't imagine someone in a wheelchair able to get around freely. I would give them a negative star if I could. Ps. I hope you dont get stuck sitting near the bathroom!
(1)Sharlene K.
This is one of my choice places during the summer and it has some of the best seafood in Chicago for the price you're paying. If you've never been, someone at your table has to order Red Snapper something. Anything really. My personal favorite is the steamed Red Snapper with the garlic sauce if you have 40 minutes to wait for a giant Red Snapper to steam perfectly. If you want to horrify and garner awe from newbies, you will order their deep-fried Red Snapper. You ever watch Blue Planet? It's a crispy golden brown version of the angler fish, but edible! The Shrimp Diablo is a spicy wonderful mess and their butterflied-grilled Shrimp is a delicious alternative to heavy BBQ food if you want something with a charcoal taste. Seemingly, nobody realizes that the brown sauce is their house recipe Mole sauce. Something that families pass down from generation, a good Mole sauce is a guarded recipe. Seriously, it's something I've tried to coerce out of old Mexican grandmothers because that's something a chowhound does; we accost grandmas for recipes. It's a spicy chocolate sauce combined with roasted chilies of all sorts like ancho or chipotle. AND you can buy it to go. Next time you make quesadillas or enchiladas, do it with Mole you didn't make but can pretend you did! No one will believe you because you're not a grandmother, but it's worth a shot. You and Rick Bayless can rule the homemade and Mexican-food-made-by-Non-Mexicans world. Warning: the portions are gianormous. Most people could split an entree with someone and be full. When I train to competitively eat, I come here and try my hands on a single entree and appetizer. Their appetizers are about the size of an entree elsewhere. I strongly recommend splitting appetizers to a table, because otherwise nobody will be able to come close to finishing their dinners. The oyster sampler is amazing and the mussels appetizers are BIGGER than what most restaurants offer up as entrees. If you're drinking, and just want something to nibble on, try the ceviche. Ceviche is raw fish "cooked" in acidic liquid like lime/lemon juice. Theirs is just absolutely perfect. Alcohol: do yourself a favorite and go with the house margarita (lime) on the rocks. Yes, bright pink and blue margaritas are amazing delicious adult slurpees, but they're not as amazing as their own house-blend here (especially since they're more expensive). If you can't stand the traditional margarita, there is a delectable mango flavored one. Things to avoid: It's true their crab legs are soggy and wet. I find them to be awesome, but then again, I only order crab legs when I'm wearing a bib and lack any concern for outward appearances. I also avoid their octopus. It's not so fresh and sometimes they just overcook it. Overcooked octopus is just not delightful.
(5)Mars B.
El Barco Mariscos experience is always great for me especially if you are craving for seafood. The staff are friendly and nice. Tables are a good size to make good conversations but a little smaller because is filled with all condiments and other things like extra plates, lemons. The waiting time after you order is good. I love particularly the Parillada that would actually feed 2-4people depending on their appetite. Parillada is a LARGE plate of grilled seafood of shrimp, crab legs, mussels, crawfish, squid, fish, skirt steak and other veggies. It has already a good flavor but you can try vinegar for dipping for added flavor. I am not that satisfied with the margarita and sangria because they are water down. I feel like I'm drinking flavored water. Next time I will probably tell the server to add more liquor to satisfy my drinking mode. In general my experience is amazing.
(4)steve k.
This restaurant is like a Mexican T.G.I.F. on seafood crack. The place is loud as hell on a part of Ashland that is otherwise pretty bland and monopolized by La Pasadita (three of them). I went inside to be greeted by seafood everywhere from the decor, to the fish tank to the hanging fish that adorns the ceilings and walls, but surprisingly not the bathroom. I waited for my date to arrive and was sweating up a storm, not out of nervousness but because the restaurant's lights were so bright and beaming and the heating must have been turned on. The waitresses were polite and all but seemed impatient with me because I was sitting by myself making me feel like I really didn't have a date coming or that I got stood up, so I finally ordered a pitcher to show that yes indeed I do have another coming to join me for dinner. They brought me one cup...uh, hello? Who the hell drinks a pitcher of Margaritas by themselves? (I'm sure some yelpers can but not this one). My date arrives and we decide to order the mussel plate - not very good. Portions were small, half the shells were closed and the sauce drowned out the tiny 8 mussels we got. We decided to get one of the specialty dishes in the back of the menu. I forgot what it was called but had every animal on the platter from octopus, shrimp, mussels, chicken, steak, squid, white fish, crab legs and a couple of potatoes. This heaping plate of animal was quite good but a little salty for my taste. Plus I don't usually like head/shell on shrimp because of the inevitable mess it causes on your plate, not to mention eating the shell on accident. I think the order for two can easily feed 3-4 people and the variety of hot sauces was a nice touch. I don't know if I'll go back because I think my experience was just okay, mostly because I had a ton of leftovers and was over stuffed. Don't come here alone because the staff will definitely make you feel like a loser.
(3)Rhoda Y.
I've been here before but this last visit really prompted a review. We went on a Thursday afternoon so they weren't too busy. It took about 15 minutes before the waitress came to our table to take our drink order, Strike 1. We ordered the seafood platter for two...which included everything from prawns to crab legs. This dish was quite yummy with just the right flavor! Our appetizer on the other hand was a different story. We got the spicy grilled octopus which was slathered in a thick sauce which wasn't spicy and had the consistency of mole. We definitely don't recommend it. Anyway, the reason I felt the need to review this place was for the service. I already mentioned how low long it took the waitress to come to our table despite the fact they weren't really busy. She did not come by to check on us, NOT one time! Strike 2! My boyfriend was done with his drink and you would think they would readily offer to bring more drinks but we actually had to flag her down for another one which she never brought until we reminded her another 15min later. You would think this would be Strike 3 but not yet. We were so disgusted by the lack of service that we just asked for the check which she brought back promptly along with the drink we asked for oh so long ago. My boyfriend didn't even want his drink at this point so we just left. We then saw the manager outside and I proceeded to tell him about our horrible experience and he just nodded his head and blankly stared at me. Offered no apologies or anything! I guess he was more concerned with moving his car than talking to a dissatisfied customer. So here was Strike 3! So as they say, Strike 3...you're out! You're outta here El Barco! Despite your decent food, your horrible service will keep me and my recommendation far, far away!
(1)Poppy C.
This is one of those spots I have avoided because the whole ship wrecked boat kinda reminds me of a rain forest cafe for adults. I was doing my shopping tour of Ashland today, and decided to stop in for lunch. Do not order the margaritas, they are awful. Stick to a nice tequila and a tecate. I had the mahi tacos which were really yummy. The beans were also very good. I have no idea why they serve those mixed veggies with the entrees. They were overcooked and just didn't belong on the plate. Less is more. If I am in the area and craving fish tacos I would go back. So I have changed my mind I love el barco you just have to know what to order. I love the red snapper grilled and served with the veracruz sauce, the chipotle cream sauce is also very yummy. The appetizer you must order is the botona con pulpa y calimari so so so yummy. I also like the ceviche withe the mix of whitefish, octopus, and shrimp. No side dishes needed they kind of suck stick to all protein at this joint and you will leave very pleased.
(4)Edward H.
I was told by a reliable source that El Barco was like the Reel Inn (LA) but cleaner and Mexican. I figured it was as good a night as any to try it out. Got there just prior to the real dinner rush so the wait was only 20min instead of the 1hr plus for the poor saps to follow. Things were off to a good start as the staff did a good job of cleaning before seating us - wow, they even windex the granite tabletops and thoroughly de-gunk the hot sauce bottles! The menu was full of seafood and steaks each with up to 5 or 6 different styles of preparation. They all sounded excellent but we eventually caved for a variety appetizer platter, a fried red snapper, and some grilled mahi mahi with shrimp. While the kitchen worked to crank out our food, I stuff myself with some VERY good tortilla chips that were the size of my face (not one bit oily... baked maybe?). The food arrived quickly as I mopped the now beading sweat from my neck - yep, I fished the giant jalapeno out of the salsa and ate it with my over-sized tortilla... what can I say, I'm a glutton for punishment. The appetizers had some of THE most tender octopus and calamari that I've ever had. The fried snapper came out crispy and tender... although I couldn't help but stare at a nearby table's even more delicious looking snapper in garlic sauce... no man, I wasn't checking out your wife... just her fish. My mahi mahi, however, turned out kind of meh - the tender veggies and tasty shrimp were this entree's saving grace. At the end of the night, we left with our bellies full of seafood. The service, although overworked, was good. I think I discovered a mild allergy to shellfish as my lower lip started to swell to what resembled a gag wax lip but you'll hear no complaints from me. Well... except why oh why didn't I get more octopus and calamari. 3.5 stars rounded down to a 3... I'll hold off on that extra 0.5 until I figure out why there was a rope with what seemed to oddly resemble a noose hanging conveniently from the ceiling exactly where my head was as I got out of my seat.
(3)Scotty O.
Wish I had better things to say. Went on my birthday, wanting to break out of my restaurant rut. Wish I had stayed in my rut. I will say in the restaurants defense that they do print very clearly on the menu that they don't bring water unless asked. However I still think that is a little cheap. My fish was okay. Not what I would expect from a place that is committed to preparing and cooking animals from the water. I didn't expect the Four Seasons but hey - you're a seafood restaurant, right? Staff was friendly but I must have looked frightening cuz they didn't spend much time with me and the place was empty. If management were to change I'd consider going back. Well, that and if they invested in a proper exhaust system so I didn't smell like the fry-o-later all night after my meal Sangria was pretty good, too.
(2)Martha S.
Had a late lunch...........it was god awful!!! Ordered the ceviche it was inedible.......the octopus in the ceviche was like rubber and could be used as teething ring for a shark........ The steak fajitas were overcooked, the rice had no flavor and you could choke on the beans....they were so dry. When the server asked how we were doing I explained to her that the ceviche was terrible and should not be served to the public! The serves did not express any concern whatsoever and as a matter a fact asked if I would like to order something else..........needless to say my meal was over.........no apologies were made. Will never go back nor recommend to anyone!
(1)Emily M.
Oh my gosh. Heavenly. I wanted everything on the menu. The octopus was amazing. Everything was amazing. Service was amazing. The restaurant was very crowded and I don't know how the servers got through the aisles, especially while carrying food, but they did it and they were attentive. The only negative of the place is that it is very crowded. The tables are pretty close together. But whatever. Delicious. I didn't have a problem navigating through the restaurant. If you are a bigger individual, you may have an issue. So good.. I need to go back. I suggest making a reservation especially on the weekends. There wasn't much room to wait in the restaurant. People were waiting outside in the cold just to get in. It was particularly cold for the mild winter we're having too. Delicious!
(5)Rachel P.
One of my favorite sit-down, chill-out, eat for ages restaurants. Love the patio on warm days. Inside, tables are fine but the chairs are a bit uncomfortable (straight backs). Best part: the dark dip served with corn shells pre-meal - made with dried fish, I believe, and smoky spices. I'm addicted. Servings are generous. Watch out for the original lime margaritas, though, cause they're super-sweet.
(4)livija m.
oh this place is great! I used to go there during the summer to satisfy my shrimp tacos cravings. The place is pretty much always busy, but it's definitely worth it. The shrimp tacos are just fabulous: warm, big, tasty. They add some kind of cold crab taco as a side dish , which is pretty cool. I haven't had any other stuff from that place but the huge margaritas always used to make me drool while waiting at the counter for my "to go" order to be ready ...
(4)Carolyn A.
"Wow!" I said to my husband, as we left El Barco, "I'm glad I didn't listen to the negative reviews for this place!" ...The smell clung to your hair and clothes! Really? Bad service! Really? Close quarters! I'm the queen of claustrophobia, so again...Really? I guess every restaurant can have bad days so if that's the case I definitely went on a good day. The husband had been here before with his brother last year and had been saying how he wanted to go back and that I would really like it yada yada yada, so off we went on a Saturday night. We walked in and the place was hopping but we only had to wait about 10 minutes before we sat down. And fine, did the smell of seafood hang in the air? Well yes because you are in a restaurant that primarily serves seafood so there is a likely chance that it will not smell of roses, puppy paws or fresh linens. It was not a bad smell or over powering or even pungent by any means but it is what it is. We were immediately taken care of and continued to receive really good service for the rest of the night. It's not the kind of restaurant where they're on top of you anticipating your every move like perhaps Alinea or even Gibsons but I never felt like I had to flag our server down. In fact they were so attentive that as soon as I sat down and spilled my glass of water all over the floor, it was cleaned up before I knew it. Onto the food... We ordered a shrimp empanada and a shrimp quesadilla with a delicious cheese/chipotle dipping sauce as appetizers and they were very good. For our entree we shared the seafood platter for two. It came with assorted veggies and some potatoes, a little bit of chicken and steak but with goo gobs of crab legs, shrimp, calimari, octopus, mussels, white fish etc. Just a big platter of yummy seafood, as the name would suggest. There was even enough to bring home for lunch the next day. I also had a glass of sangria to wash it all down with and I could not have been more satisfied because it was all just so friggin delicious! Now, the deep fried red snapper? I'll take a pass on that one, but that's just me.
(5)Trisha A.
We ordered the Paridilla (mix of shrimp, squid, octopus, vegi's, steak, chicken, crab and mussels) for two - for the house specialty and being a seafood resturant, you'd think they would have gone out of their way to make this a winning dish...sadly all the seafood was overcooked. It definately was tasty, but just really overcooked! Actually the steak and chicken were the best things on the plate. The margaritas were cheap when you order the pitcher, but were weak. The salsa's were wonderful, but the guac was boring. Service was okay. If we do return it will be to order the snapper...which is what everyone around us seemed to be ordering. Maybe management should be making that the signature dish and NOT the Paridilla.
(2)Johnny A.
Go for the giant margarita's for $6 stay for the food. The portions are huge and they have many sauces to try. I like both of these aspects. The atmosphere is great. It feels like you are on vacation. I love this place!
(5)Samantha B.
I am a huge fan of Seafood and well as Mexican food so you can imagine how excited I was to try El Barco Mariscos. We walked in late one night after driving around for a while trying to figure out where to eat. Did I mention I used to live a block away and never visited? Shame on me! What an amazing unassuming place. We were immediately seated and handed the largest menu I have ever seen! We walked in and saw huge margarita glasses and giant super fresh red snapper. My mouth began to water. I quickly reviewed the menu and ordered the small Ceviche to start with. While we were waiting our server brought over fresh corn tortillas and three different salsas, all of which were fantastic. They also brought over the spiciest guacamole I have ever had, did I mention how much I love spicy foods? It was great! When they brought over the Ceviche it was in a huge margarita glass; I thought to myself, wow this is a huge serving of Ceviche for $3. Turns out they brought us the wrong size but I am glad they did, it was fantastic!! For my entrée I ordered the deep fried snapper with garlic sauce and my boyfriend ordered baked red snapper with tomato sauce. My deep fried snapper was huge!! I mean HU-MON-GOUS!! And the price was incredible, about $15 for the whole dish which is included veggies and rice. You can't buy a snapper of that size at the store for $15 and it was cooked and seasoned to perfection. Yum! I have only been once but I will definitely return. In the words of...umm...I don't know Jesus? "Give a man a fish; you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish; and you feed him for a lifetime." Well I don't know how to fish, but I know how to get to El Barco Mariscos!
(4)Ricky B.
I usually just have steak fajitas and a little bit of my dining partners meal. I must say, you really get your moneys worth here, so much food. Every time I have came it has been really busy, but I have always gotten seated within a few minutes. The meat they use for the fajitas is really good quality and tastes great.
(4)Julie S.
the mixed seafood plate is very big and has variety of seafood, so you won't be regret if you order that dish. however, the steak was really really oily that after i finish it, i felt lik throwing up...ek.. oyster tasted so weird that i had to return it to the kitchen.
(3)Eve A.
Great food, fresh tempo in the environment, chill patio...
(4)molly c.
i just smacked myself on the forehead in disbelief. HOW could i have not reviewed one of my FAVORITE places in the city?? HOW!! anywho, el barco is the shit. it's super tasty and different and i have never disliked anything i have had here. it's a trip to the coast of mexico but all you have to do is take the #9 bus! the drinks are hella strong, the civeche is awesome, red snapper is an adventure and everything is worth a shot. i bring out of towners here and they always find something they like.
(5)Caitlin D.
DEEELish. El Barco has got atmosphere. There is a gigantic wall lined exclusively with tequila bottles. There are large fish on the ceiling. But on to the food- they bring out a little assortment of salsas when you sit down, and one of them is this brown stuff that is so good. Dunno what it is but damn. They have great guac. We had the shrimp ceviche, the whole fried snapper ("frito y ya") and shrimp tacos. Everything was fantastic, no fishy fish. Expect to wait a while on a weekend.
(5)John C.
My boy Ben H (aka Harvard, Banjo, or Pomade...see his review on this place) took us over here last night. I was expecting lots of food, lots of fun, and I guess a "Mexican Hooters". Took us about 20 minutes to get seated, which isn't that bad considering it was Saturday night, but it was a very tight fit. I felt that I was in the way all the time as we were waiting for our table. When we finally got seated, one of the ladies ordered a fru-fru drink called the Miami Vice. Okay, so I know I'm going to lose my "street cred" right here, but the drink itself is almost worth going to this place. It's one of the frozen blended things, and it made me immediately reminisce to lazy days on the beach in Hawaii drinking a Lava Flow. Anyway, let me take my skirt off and continue... The drink was delicious, but I continued to drink my Tecate and wait for the dinner for four. Which by the way was a mistake. You see, Ben H was adamant about going with the platter dinner for three, since there is no way we were going to eat it for four. So he orders but the waitress had this confused look, and counted four people. I mean her English wasn't great, but you could definitely understand her. So Ben H sorta panics and all of sudden we are getting it for four instead of three. Not a big deal, until the platter came! Piles of octopus, peeled shrimp, unpeeled shrimp (with the head/legs), skirt steak, chicken, mussels, crab legs, etc. A huge pile of a fresh catch of the day. The octopus was a bit chewy and tough...I mean the whole leg was there...I've never seen this except in Korean cuisine. The unpeeled shrimp was tough to eat...there's gotta be a trick to eating it other than ripping the head off, picking each leg off, and then scraping off the shell. Everything else was good, with the steak and mussels being my favorite. The rice, beans, and tortillas were absolutely perfect. The crab legs were a bit too soaked...if any of you eat crab legs a lot...I hate it when you try to crack a section and it just bends instead. Ugh. There was WAY too much food. We had plenty leftover. Go with one less when you get this dinner platter. So overall I would definitely go back. I liked the food, but I'm going to try to order from the menu next time. The big hit looked like the whole snapper and some of the seafood soups. Hey Ben H...I still have cat hair all over my coat...even after two cycles in the dryer...I hate that cat!!!
(4)Dee J.
So, I went during downtime, early afternoon just after lunch, and the service and food was great. I could imagine this place bumpin' and getting an adverse experience, but that was not the case. The portions were HUGE and everything was delicious. Definitely would recommend the deep fried red snapper...sooooo good! I heard they used to have a guacamole covered broiled snapper and was wishing to try it. Oh well, maybe another time because I'll be returning for sure. My family had the steak fajitas and they were delicious. The portion was enough to split. I also enjoyed the frozen mango margarita, which I would have never ordered on my own. It was so smooth and refreshing. As a summary, I would recommend going during the "off" hours if you like a mild setting with hospitable service. The food was amazing in it's taste and presentation. As a seafood lover, I will be back and will re-review as necessary.
(5)Ben H.
El Barco how I love thee. With it's head scratching 'fish on crack' sign and it's location smack dab on 'Assland' avenue, one might quickly dismiss this Mexican seafood stalwart. To do so would be a crime punishable by a lifetime of eating at Hardees. You walk into this place and it's lit up like grandma's bingo parlor. Crazy marlins and sharks(?) hang from the ceiling and the decor is about as subtle as Elton John's sunglasses. You sit down and get a menu bigger than the Bible and the Koran, combined. What the heck do you order? My friend, I beg of you. Skip all of the nonsense and just order the special Dinner for 3 (or 4). But Ben, I don't know what is on this? Will I like it? Will it be enough food? Shut up. Order. It is savory and you will likey. We usually go with 4 people (this place is the best with groups) and order dinner for 3...always bump it down one person. If you have 5 or even 6 people, you can get away with dinner for 4. If you only have 2 people? Well you'll have lots of scraps to feed Snoopy. So the dinner comes out on a giant cast iron platter and it's like they took a big net with the catch of the day and dumped it on the grill. Breaded fish, steak, calamari, grilled chicken, octopus, potatoes, peppers, onions...wow. This isn't a meal, this is an experience. I took my brother and some other out of towners here (this ain't Applebees chappy) and he proclaimed it gift from the seafood gods and second to none as far as as monumental meals go. Dinner for Four runs you about $68 bucks...not bad the copious amounts of food you get. Margaritas are a steal at $6 apiece and they are as potent as they are tasty. Their tequila selection borders on absurd and if you order enough food the owner may just buy you a round of free shots. Even the 'chips and salsa' are unique. You get a big basket of fried round corn tortillas (full size) that come with two dips or salsas...I don't know what they were but they were spicy, tasty and good enough to make me play the air drums at one point. Actually that may have been the tequila that made me do that, but I digress. Come here with a group for a memorable experience that you won't soon forget. A word to the wise, if you don't like seafood or your idea of good Mexican food rhymes with 'Farlos O'Jelly' please stay at home and make those Ortega Taco Kits and play with your cat. Thank you.
(5)Sam S.
I live just a few doors down from this place so I had to check it out because it was so close! My roommate mumbled something about "Be prepared for a whole breaded fish" and I just kind of ignored her and went. My tacos were good, the fish was fresh and they had a nice citrus taste. The vegetables on the side, however were very, VERY disappointing. My potatoes weren't cooked through, the carrots weren't peeled (I know that it's not necessary, but it also doesn't take a lot of time), they hadn't cut the ends off the peas and the rice was crunchy. My friend got the fish and yes, it was a whole fish--a bit dry, he said. Be prepared for something different!
(3)Nick L.
Place is very fun. Very authentic latin food, very casual and you get lots of food for the money. Langostinos and whole red snapper are great, except I didn't like all the sauce on the snapper. The margaritas are cheap but seems like just a lot of sour mix, just get the beer. Service is usually good, although sometimes I feel not welcomed because I'm not latin. But I don't really care, I still go because its great food.
(4)Rita W.
I have to admit that I was pretty impressed by El Barco. I wasn't expecting much but walking into the restaurant, I was amazed by how large and busy it was! The back wall of the restaurant is filled with exotic bottles of tequila and other various Mexican liquors and each table has their own basket of mini limes. We sat outside and it felt like we were on vacation in a little beach town. As we were walking to our table, I noticed that each table had huge platters of seafood, I was practically salivating on the way on to our table! We started out with the fresh oysters which weren't bad. It didn't come with any cocktail sauce so we had it au natural with a little bit of lime juice. They were a little on the lean side so there wasn't as much taste. Then we had the grilled octopus in white wine sauce, the octopus was delicious, chewy but not too rubbery and the white wine sauce was not overpowering. We had the shrimp cerviche, which was citrusy and avery refreshing. And the main course was our deep fried whole red snapper - now this display was impressive!! The fish is also surrounded by assorted veggies, rice and a bit of guac. It was a little dry for me, but then I was still impressive by one, how large the fish was, and two, mostly by the presentation! I only have one complaint, I wish that someone would have refilled my water glass, but other than that, I thought service was not too bad. The menu here is extensive and you know it is pretty authetic when english is listed in smaller font under spanish. Overall I was pretty happy with my experience at El Barco and would definitely come back!
(4)V V.
The only place I go for a giant whole fried snapper. It'll run you about $18-20 but its large enough to split. Every time I've had it, it's perfectly fried so the skin gets crisp while the flesh stays moist. The waits can be up to an hour on a Friday or Sat, so I usually try to get there early on the weekends. The portions are humongous and are served on foot long wooden planks. The service has always been friendly though with such a high volume of diners they can be a bit slow with water refills and getting you your check.
(4)ER S.
Great food (mmm... shrimp tacos), great prices, fun place. So why only 2 stars? SERVICE! It was incredibly, painfully slow. We have a 3 year old daughter and we just can't take her someplace that takes that long. Well, to be honest, I have a 39 year old husband and he was about to throw a temper tantrum several times during the evening.
(2)Curtis B.
Great place for lunch if you're in the neighborhood, with outdoor seating for when the weather cooperates. The shrimp tacos were good, as were most of the sides.
(4)Megan P.
If you are in the mood for a great Mexican feast fit for a king, you need to go to El Barco. You are served a gigantic plate of meat and/or seafood and grilled vegetables along with tortillas and rice & beans. They have a great drink menu and the atmosphere is casual and very fun.
(5)Justin L.
Honestly the food here is great. but there are a few things that I have to complain about which makes the overall experience kind of wack. Been here a couple of times and every time the place is jam pack, busy and smelling delicious. All of this for a very reasonable price. Dish suggestions: Open with grilled calamari in a wine and garlic sauce. Money Shot! Then do some prawns with the chili sauce. Another Money Shot! Always get a fajita plate to share along with any other main. Triple Money Shot! As many will mention a must have is the Red Snapper. Money Shot in the left eyelid! Margaritas are great and so are sangria pitchers. All that aside great food but now the reasons to avoid: Service is spotty at best. Sometimes non-existent. One time we had to wait about 30 mins to get a check and the second time I had to ask some one else's waitress to get our check for us. The tables are so small! It makes no sense to order so much and then have to put cups on top of plates and balance utensils on top of your cups. It is like a dangerous tower you are building over the course of dinner. It also does not allow for easy sharing of dishes. In fact because you have to stack stuff around it is actually like building a little wall around your dish. Lastly, the last time I went there even with the bad service I decided to tip 20%. Apparently that was not enough for the waitstaff because when my credit card bill came in the mail at the end of the month they conveniently added a couple of zeroes to the tip. Now I am no baller so I dont think I would tip 600x the actual bill. Overall great food. Pay cash.
(3)Yasoob A.
Went to El Barco on a Saturday Night. 45 minute wait but it was a Saturday night in the City. I ordered the steak tacos ( only thing is ask for no seaweed). I didn't get a chance to really enjoy the food because it was packed so there was not much elbow room. Food was good however the shots of tequila for 4.22 and the beers for 4 bucks was much better. If your a fan of good food and great drink specials El Barco is the neighborhood place for you.
(4)Bess R.
Went to El Barco for the first time last night, and was seriously disappointed. The service was pretty bad, and it wasn't busy at all. It took about 10 minutes to get our drinks (just iced tea and lemonade) after we ordered them, and had to remind two servers. Speaking of, there were about 10 servers around, and all of them ignored us until we stopped and asked to be helped. I ordered the crab enchiladas, and the bf ordered mahi mahi and shrimp (didn't have time for the 45 min. red snapper). About 25-30 minutes after we ordered, one of the servers came back out and told me there was no crab. wtf? Could you not have let me know sooner? So I randomly substituted the mahi mahi. Neither of us were impressed by the taste of the food - I expected the mahi mahi in my enchilada to be soft, but it was really crispy and tough. Overall, the guacamole, veggies and shrimp were good but thumbs down on everything else. Maybe I should have ordered the red snapper...or the crab legs...? Oh wait, no crab last night. argh.
(2)Stan W.
Quantity does not equal quality. Barco Mariscos definitely gives you quantity - a great value if what you like to do is to get a giant overflowing platter and shove mass quantities of meat and sea animals down your throat. I think they cooked the entire platter together so it all tasted the same to me.
(2)Todd A.
A Mexican seafood restaurant with an atypical upscale interior - copper flashing, fresh seafood on display on ice, a bunch of different tequilas on the wall. All the classic Mexican fish preparations are available, fra diavolo, veracruz, green moles, etc. The chipotle sauce on the fried fish is tasty but chipotle is becoming one of those trendy spices appearing in all sorts of restaurants where it doesn't below (not here though), not unlike restauranteurs uncontrollable compulsion to put some sort of seared tuna preparation on their menu, regardless of the concept, but I digress. Not enough shrimp on the dinner portion for the price. Dinner portions come with steamed veggies, bed of rice, plantains or potato with a dollop of guacamole, albeit a bit pricey for whole fish ~$20 for a small snapper. The lunch menu offers smaller portions at reduced prices, but the real find here is the EMPANADAS on the appetizer menu - easily the best I've had in Chicago thusfar. There are only the shrimp and fish varieties with similar cilantro veggie potato seafood mix. But with a flaky thin crust at less than $2 per empanada you could make a meal out of 3-4 of them for lunch. Savory deliciousness.
(3)Jake B.
One of my good friends highly recommended this place and I'm glad I finally went. Getting there on a Friday night around 9PM meant a 45 minute wait but it was worth it. The menu has a wide range of seafood options to satisfy anyone's craving. But their specialty is the red snapper. I had mine de-boned and fried with garlic. Delicious. It came with the usual sides of beans, rice, and guacamole. I didn't give this place 5 stars because I wasn't a fan of the added vegetables on my fish platter (I can do without cauliflower and string beans at a seafood restaurant). But my wife who is vegetarian had a delicious cheese enchilada dish with all of the added vegetables and was very happy. I washed it all down with Negro Modelo (which they have on tap) and they have a wide-range of margaritas which were tasty as well. The atmosphere is festive and definitely gets 5 stars. The prices are reasonable and the portions are satisfying. There is also private parking across the street which is nice. Overall, a delightful dining experience for seafood lovers.
(4)Lorenzo V.
I don't really do seafood but I will at this place, excellent ceviche. Alot of tequilas to choose from the and waitress are beautiful. Reasonably priced and they serve big portions.
(4)Anne Marie J.
The fried snapper with garlic sauce was def the best part of the meal. I almost always order snapper at restaurants that offer them and so far, this one brings out my memories of Jamaica and Mexico the most. The steak fajitas were bland, although they did give a lot of tender meat (but where was the flavor???) The margarita and sangria were begging for more alcohol -it was essentially all mix - a fresh and delicious mix, but just mix.
(3)Jonathan S.
Love this place. Great atmosphere, portion size, and value. We had the red snapper and the mahi mahi and both were delicious. Next time however I'd probably do without the garlic slices (there were a million of them). Margaritas left a bit to be desired--could barely taste the alcohol. There's something in their green dipping sauce (that comes with the chips) that's really addictive.
(4)Mark W.
Ive never been huge on seafood, but this place is a few blocks down from what i call home, so i decided to give it a shot. I was accompanied by a roommate who had previously been here. He sugegsted we share the dinner for two. (the waitress thought we were a really cute couple... i did correct her, but i dont think she bought it. Two men, love sports and a nice meal. Not gay at all. lololzz) Anyway, the food was pretty darn good. It was enough food for each of us to have about three full meals. The margaritas were also pretty good. I like all the fish hanging from the ceiling and the boat-like design of the building. It enhances the experience a bit. I think i would give this place 5 stars if i was more of a seafood person, but overall i was very happy with my visit. I will return and try a few other things on their menu. (for those of you who can not stomach seafood, they also prepare land and air creatures)
(4)Samara S.
We did not like the overcooked seafood at this restaurant. I have never been to a mexican restaurant that did not serve salsa, which was disappointing. We went to El Barco in hopes for a great Mexican seafood experience. I ordered the Red Snapper Ranchero, which was served with what tasted like a canned toimato paste, the fish overcooked and dried out, the potatoes were undercooked. My guy ordered the Deep Fried Tilapia, which also was burnt/overcooked and dried out. He asked for garlic butter sauce on the top, but the smothered the overcooked fish with red onions, which did not help the flavor. I had great expectations for this restaurant when I walked in, but I left disappointed. In addition, the Margaritas sucked, they did not even use real limes in their Margaritas - they used this syrup tasting substance. I expected a fresh margarita to accompany some fresh seafood, but I was highly let down. This restaurant is a No, No!
(1)Edith K.
My husband took me here, since i love seafood so much. Service; we had to wait at least 15 mts (friday night) not to bad, the bad part is that we were sited close to the bar..... and when the place got crowded people were actually talking and passing stuff over my head, i think they should rearrange their sitting location if they want to have so many people. Chips are presented to the table ( awhile after you are sited) and it comes with two sauces, One sauce is a spicy chipotle sauce and the other sauce was an olive type sauce. Food; i order the calamaris, since is my favorite every where i go, this were on the grill and came with a slightly sauce and potatoes, very good. My husband order the cocktail ceviche, which he had to add some more limes (they were so many all over the table) and really enjoyed it, his favorite is Peruvian Ceviche, from a Ay Ay PIcante, according to him the best Ceviche in town, but ...... this mexican restaurant seems to have another winning ceviche... I think the place needs to be more consider of their customers and provide more space, i really didnt needed all the people going on their business all over my head, also check you check! BEFORE YOU PAY, waitress was charging me for a soup i never order.... OOPS she said, now it was only $10.00 but it was my money.... really, she barely saw us and wanted to charge more... terrible service Place is very noisy, maybe some people like that, i don't, i will return but in a different time, maybe for lunch. Also our food arrived but we didnt get the silverware after 10 minutes later,
(3)Alison T.
I loved this place! Two of my friends and I wanted a good, casual dinner on a Saturday night. I had tried the place across the street the previous night. While the food is very similar (both very good), the atmospheres are totally different. El Barco is really cute inside, great for groups. The menu was overwhelming and we wanted to try a lot of things, so we went with the Paradillada (sp?). It included flank steak, chicken, mussels, shrimp, octopus, and fish. Even though there were three of us, we got the platter for two, and it ended up being more than enough food. All very good! We also got an order of the fish tacos, which were good too. The best part was probably the margaritas... $10 pitchers! They were so good. The other thing I really liked about this place was that we got a second pitcher at the end of our dinner, and we did not feel rushed at all to leave even though the restaurant was very busy. For all of that food, plus the drinks, it only ended up being like $25/person. Great deal! I will definitely be back!
(4)Mmmritz B.
So i was down here to visit some fam and they ended up bringing me here so i can try it. We had gone on a sunday so what do u expect on the weekends, the long wait. Service was ok. I ordered the whole snapper and gosh that thing was huge, a lil dry. But no prob just put alot of lemon juice and salsa and ur good to go. The pina colada was delicious. My uncle was not satisfied with his langostinos he said they looked like tarantulas so he did not eat them. My aunt and cousins were just like oh well, we got to go out.
(4)Kathy C.
Awesome, it's worth it.: We ordered the parrillada (for 2), with grilled and breaded filet of fish, grilled chicken breast, shrimp, skirt steak, crab legs, octopus, onions, fried potatoes, rice, beans and pico de gallo, Yes, I would go back again because I love the way the food was seasoned, cooked, and the size of the portions. We went there during the Lunch special but we didn't like any of the lunch specials. The portions are huge and worth the money. The fish & chicken was too dry. The shrimps, skirt steak, & other were cooked properly and tasted good. The floor was wet in the bathroom & eating area. They forgot our water & gaves us flour tortillas instead of corn. It was very distracting to eat while they restocked tables with condiments & etc. I did not like the wooden chair they were unstable and old. The place is not good for large groups. The table are too close and the place tends to get busy after lunch. I love this place, will come back again. I've been there more than 5 times already
(5)Anthony R.
Mmmm... tons of delicious seafood and $9 rita pitchers. Prime time (5-7p) can be a bit hectic.
(4)C P.
Delicious! Dining room is always packed, but totally worth the wait! WARNING - you may not be able to stop eating once you start!
(5)Harpreet K.
Man, I haven't had mahi-mahi tacos this tasty since my last visit to the cheesecake factory (don't hate!! that shit is DELICIOUS!!) This place. Also delicious. I ordered a ridiculously obese taco platter, inhaled it all and chugged it down w/ a super-gulp-sized Mexican Mai-Tai. I wish the steamed veggies that came w/ my meal weren't quite so steamed. or quite so veggies. But, I'm willing to overlook the blah-factor on that one b/c the mole/salsa was damn tasty, and I respect a restaurant that has no-shame-in-its-ambiance-game; this is fish territory suckas! and if you don't get it, just look above, beside, and in front of you. represent!
(4)Katherine R.
Don't go to this restaurant if you are looking for a quiet dinner. Do go to this restaurant with a group or to have cocktails and some dinner. I had the carne asada and shrimp dinner and the steak couldn't have been better. They have big, lip-smacking margaritas that will send you into hysterics over the bizarre music videos playing as you dine.
(4)Marco G.
I like this place. The food is decent and the atmosphere is really nice, especially during the summer. It's not expensive and the food is good. The waitresses tend to be nice on the eyes. The food is prepared Distrito Federal (Mexico City) style. I like the carne asada and the huachinango. The place is not fancy and seems somewhat tacky. But if you go in with friends, I'm sure you will have a great time. Definitely recommend it.
(4)Lee B.
This place is a great cheap date. You can have a huge tasty fish that feeds two people for $20, and a pitcher of strong frozen margaritas for $8. Don't know much about the non seafood options as it is not the type of place you go to unless you are looking to eat seafood. Go early on a Friday night or the weekends as this place definitely draws a crowd. The salsa on the table are very good, but watch out if you can't handle spice. The hottest salsas I have ever had on a table in the city of Chicago. Fun atmosphere for a big party of people to kick back and get drunk cheap.
(4)Alissa G.
El Barco is boisterous, Mexican fun. Meaning "the boat" in spanish, El Barco is shaped like nothing less than....its namesake. Plus, there are a plethora of feisty fish hanging from the ceiling which makes dining her memorable to say the least. I've never seen El Barco less than 90% full and with good reason: few seafood restaurants in this city are as good or as cheap. From flavorful shrimp to calamari with real zing, the menu excels at being diverse and delicious. Plus, the margaritas are to die for...
(5)Demetrio P.
El Barco is okay. Usually order the carne asada, but have ordered other dishes. Usually hit or miss on my steak being the medium that I wanted, but eh, still edible. Overall, food is okay, service is okay, and prices are reasonable.
(3)Justin G.
I originally gave this place five stars. Portions were good and tasty and served ona hot plate. They in fact had one of the best carne asadas I ever had. I was especially fond of listening to a drunk woman loudly cackling at the bar, which was funny. The only drag was finding parking. However, since they ended up on "Check Please," the quality has gone down. I think it is purely from being overwhelmed with lots of business. The portions are still good and the price isn't bad, but the taste isn't what it used to be. But what really kills it for me now is the atmosphere. It is extremely packed and you are forced into a cramped seating situation. It is almost like those nights back in college or high school when you go to a kegger and it turns out that there isn't another party within 20 miles and everyone knew about this one and it is just begging for the cops to come in and bust it as you take about 20 minutes to move ten feet with all the bodies in the room. Last time, a friend called in our reservation around 5pm and we were told that we'd be able to get a seat at 8:30. We all got there early and didn't get seated until 9:15.
(3)Emilia G.
I know, I know it's super crowded. It is worth it. I love the food at El Barco, and you definitely get a lot for your $. I've been there several times, and plan to go back in the future.
(4)steve h.
i took a picture of the deliciously huge, flaky, meaty, flavorful huachinango al mojo de ajo (red snapper in a garlic, wine, cilantro sauce) but i ate that too. i want to give this place 5 stars, but i need to go back one more time to sample some of their other stuff. *ok screw it, i'm gonna give it 5 stars on based on the snapper alone. ps-their mole sauce is top notch. its tough to find a really good one that doesn't come off as too 'chalky' in texture, and they have done it very well here.
(5)PG M.
After spending somewhere around 500 hours of my life eating Mexican food in the Wicker Park/Bucktown/East/Ukrainian Village neighborhood I'm ready to call El Barco Mariscos the best option. I'm not aware of any Mexican joint in Chicago gives you a more diverse menu or better quality food. I order the fajitas (salmon, beef, or vegetarian) almost every time I eat here. Regardless of which kind you order, the fajitas are served with a ton of great vegetables. The chips are crisp and the approach they take in presenting them is pretty cool. The salsas are really heavy but taste great. I've had the seafood platters, but they don't feel like Mexican food and I don't like having my entire meal consist of chips, salsa and fish. If you are a seafood platter type person, you get a lot of bang for your buck here. I'm not into it, just an idiosyncrasy. This place does get loud and crowded and the drinks are pretty expensive. All that stuff is irrelevant when you are just there to get fat off their food.
(5)Nicole I.
I love this restaurant. My sister and I always order the mixed grill platters so we can taste everything. I mean it is just delicious!!! Even the free chips and salsa is great. The margaritas are perfect. The seafood is wonderful. I even tried the octopus which isn't that bad... I especially liked the mussels and the steak. I will definately come back here. The parking is a bit of a nightmare, but it's actually worth the hassle!
(5)Nancy C.
I am very disappointed with this place, what a letdown. I have been going there for years and have taken many people there who are now frequent customers, but I had a horrible experience that I would NEVER return. On 6/16/11 I was there and enjoyed a taste dinner with my husband. As we usually do almost every other week. There is nothing special about the service and they don't even recognize their frequent customers because they have so many of them, but I have overlooked that b/c I have enjoyed their food. But, on this one visit I paid with my debit/credit card and when I checked my account online the following day a noticed I was double charged. One charge was for the meal without the tip and the second for the meal with the tip. All in all it added up to over 100 bucks, I don't know about all of you but every penny counts for me so I wanted to make sure I took care of the error ASAP. I called them as soon as I noticed the charges and Daniel, the Host, told me to wait a few days b/c sometimes the bank will do that. I'm not sure if the banks do or don't do that, I just know this was the very first time I have ever seen that since I've had my account over 10 years. So, fine I did not want to give anyone a hard time and gave it a few days. With no changes on my account, it clearly looked like there was two separate charges. I called on Monday they were too busy to help me over the phone and Lila, who I was not aware was the business owner, took my information and said to call her the next morning. On Tuesday I called her at 9am and she explained that she was too busy and could not look into it and would have to return my call. I wanted to make sure she did b/c it almost seemed that at this point it was going to be a while b/f anyone helped me, so I asked her at what time to expect her call b/c I'm very busy with work and wanted to get this resolved ASAP. She could not give me a specific time, so I asked her if I could speak with the business owner and that's when she told me it was her. I was pleased to hear that thinking I was going to get some help with my situation, but as it turns out it was the complete opposite. She began to get nasty over the phone and would not listen to anything I had to say or would shut it down. One of the worst experiences I have ever had with a business. I eventually ended up getting my money back (the second charge without the tip) from Daniel one week later. I had to go in person with a statement printout. The experience I had with Lila was just unbelievable that I refuse to go back and spend my hard earned money and give it to that arrogant, selfish, greedy person, who obviously does not appreciate her customers.
(1)Nathan S.
I give this place 4 stars overall for it's plentiful, tasty food and great atmosphere. I had a lot of fun dinning there. Admittedly, I had a few in me when we arrived, and that might have influenced my opinion of the food. I thought the salmon and shrimp were great--juicy, buttery, and mixed well with the mini-garden of veggies served on the side. Probably not the best Mex. seafood in town, but tasty enough--and if you're with a fun crowd, you'll have a ball.
(4)Kelly R.
I really wanted to like this place because I've heard a lot of great things. However between the slow, non-attentive service and the fact that my enchiladas were straight up bad, I just didn't. The stale tostadas they serve didn't help matters any and I didn't like the salsas, although the guac was really good. As were the margaritas. I'll definitely give El Barco another try because I'm hoping it was just the dish I ordered. They have a huge menu so there are certainly a lot of other options.
(3)Julia P.
This is my favorite seafood/Mexican restaurant in Chicago. I lived just down the street for a couple of years. Honestly, now that I've moved back to St. Louis, I wish I would have gone to El Barco more often! The famed red snapper does indeed deserve it's fame. You can get it cooked several different ways and with a variety of sauces. mmmm. And who doesn't love taking a funny picture with a whole fish standing on a plate of vegetables? (c'mon, you know you've done it). I also loved the fajitas and quesadillas. I adore the fact that their food comes in huge portions, aided by the generous sauteed vegetables that accompany most dishes. Not all of them taste particularly mexican-y (green beans and red potatoes?), but they are fabulous. The place gets packed, parking is what you expect along Ashland Ave., but El Barco is definitely worth the trip! Oh, and the fruity daiquris are great- I seem to recall a Miami Vice strawberry daiquri/pina colada mix that made me swoon.
(5)Rocky B.
Love El Barco. I always get the Red Snapper Veracruzana...which is the steamed whole snapper. OMG it is tasty. It's so fresh and light but also very filling as it comes with rice, beans and potatoes. The hot paste they have on the tables to spread on the chips is soooo good. Margaritas are pretty powerful as well. If you love mexican seafood definitely give El Barco a try...you won't be disappointed.
(5)Kaio B.
one of my fav places to go for mexican sea food in chicago. I checked it a couple of years back when it wasnt as crowded and known but this weekend it was filled with all types of crowd my neighborhood is famous for: trixies, hipsters, latinos, asians... love it. I ordered a red snapper this time. Let me warn you, the serving is more than one person can have. We also tried the ceviche and tacos. All very good as usual. You should also check out the huge margarita served here for 5/- :) sweet.
(5)Maegen R.
My love for this place runs deep. The food is so good...best refried beans ever. I always get the salmon fajitas and it never disappoints. I love the chips and salsa, as well as the sangria. The only down side of this place is that it's small, super cramped and always busy on the weekends. However, it's worth the wait and then some!
(5)Yost M.
The food was horrible and the service worse. The waitress had no idea what they offered at their bar and didn't even know what my meal order was. I do not dig fish with the eyeballs popping out. Taste, presentation, everything, all bad! Also, it smells.
(1)Mindy S.
I've driven by El Barco numerous times and can't believe I just went there for my first time. The seafood at this place is some of the best I've had, and the prices so much more reasonable then everywhere else. We had a big group so had to wait a little on a Friday night since they don't take reservations, but it was worth it. I'd definitely recommend the steamed crab legs! Or if you're hungry, try the sampler. It is huge and has a little of everything, with everything being amazing! I should have read the other reviews before going, but guess that just means I'll have to go back to try the red snapper that everyone else raves about!
(4)J P.
El Barco is more fun than good. The food is decent, the portions are huge, the atmosphere is a riot, and gotta love that giant Corona served up like champagne. It's nickname of the "Mexican Hooters" is well deserved, but the service is unapologetically bad. Honestly, we used to be regulars here until one night when we were starving and the wait was super long. We decided to give this unassuming little restaurant across the street called Rudy's Taste a whirl -and we've never gone back to El Barco since. They have several of the same menu items, but Rudy's is SO much better. Seriously, read the reviews for Rudy's -it is such a gem. BTW, if you go to El Barco, your clothes and hair will REEK of fried fish for the rest of the night. It's part of the experience.
(3)Andrea D.
Yummy. Yummy. Yummy fish tacos. Yummy veggies too. I only wish I could trade in some veggies for more tacos.
(4)Nick H.
El barco is great mexican seafood - they have the BEST mixed ceviche in the city! Highly recommended.
(5)Eric H.
Wow, the monitors and loud disco muzak are not for me. The huge fish dinner mess was decent tasting, but I found the presentation pretty nauseating. I scarfed it down quickly just to get the hell out of there.
(1)Zack M.
Huge portions and decent carne asada and shrimp. The fried whole red snapper is great! Chips and salsa were good and much different than most other places in Chicago. The margarita was a bit weak and too sweet, almost tasted like lemonade. Overall a good experience, though I would stick with beer.
(4)Jessica D.
El Barco is definitely a treat! The deep fried snapper is delicious and served as is with eye balls and everything, but DELICIOUS! The grilled seafood platter is enormous with an array of everything you can imagine from octopus and squid to potatoes and cobbed corn, but it is an EXCELLENT dish as well! The margaritas are a little weak considering an entire wall of tequila the restaurant has, but tasty. To add to the other reviews, the salsa is a bit spicy and non-traditional. Overall, El Barco is a good restaurant to try!
(4)Delia C.
so i'm on this first date; we've just been to the museum and he wanted mexican so we're here for lunch. it's a good thing we shared a giant fish and ceviche or we wouldn't have had much to talk about. although i'd been in the neighborhood for a couple of years, i'd never eaten there. (frankly, it looked a little scary. and who wants to risk seafood in the middle of the midwest?) but this afternoon totally won me over. the fish reminded me of a dish my mother used to make - lots of onions and tomatos and garlic on a huged baked whitefish. squeeze a lime over it and eat it with rice, you might as well be in a filipino kitchen. the flavors were very fresh and didn't taste like they were trying to hide something (like poor quality fish or anything) and the ceviche tasted bright. loved the salsa (so many places get it wrong) and a cold corona is absolutely necessary. and lots of napkins! el barco feels like a weekend in baja so go there!
(3)bridget j.
Amazing dinner at El Barco. Great service and great for a night with friends and for families. A bit loud for a date. Entrees are pricey, but you get so much food. My husband & I could have split one meal. The staff was so sweet to our toddler (gave her a lollipop when she ate her dinner). Food was excellent - skirt steak was a little bland but the fish was delicious!
(4)Mike K.
If you really love seafood you'll love this place. If you love small, campy spaces with giant fish hanging above your head you'll love it even more. I hung out at El Barco last week and quickly noticed how addicting it can get. The margaritas were good, nothing super special, but they hit the spot as it seemed like everyone was having them as well. The chips and salsa they offer are unlike any i'd ever seen - i didnt dare try the salsa, as i let my much braver compadre brave through the taste test. And despoite turning 3 shades of red she seemed to enjoy it. Cool. The food was pretty good as well as they do a great job in their food presentation. Out food plate looked amazing, and tatsed the same. I will agree with some other yelpers in it seems that they have lots of pretty girls who really dont seem to be waitresses, as it took a while to get help a few times. Then again, there was a waiting line out the door to get in this comfy liitle place. With the option of seafood and mexican food and great margaritas its the perfect place to bring a casual date, just in authenticity alone. Plus who doesnt want to see the girl dancing in the window across the street doing her best Beyonce impression?
(4)Martin D.
First off, I have been here several times and this is my favorite restaurant in Chicago. So, this review will really be biased. My gal and I can not get enough of this place. Today, we made our monthly Trek from the western burbs to the city to rid my craving for shrimp fajitas and mango margaritas. For starters, the chips and salsa is outstanding. Two different salsas with whole fried tortilla chips paired with mango margaritas is the best foreplay to the main course. The shrimp fajitas for $14 can feed two easily. No kidding, I generally get about 20 shrimps on a plate...and what a plate it is. Paired with rice, beans, guac, and a huge array of veggies, you never feel guilty eating here. My gal had the mahi mahi fajitas. This is her staple. Exactly the same as the shrimp, except with the grilled buttery mahi. Seriously, this place has great food on the cheaps!! The atmosphere is always entertaining, whereas you can eat inside or out. The service is always above average. I promise you, after you eat here, you will frequent this place often. So, get your eat on and do not forget the margaritas!
(5)Ravi B.
Introduced to El Barco by the same pal who tuned me into TAC Thai. El Barco is cool. I'd probably be happy shelling out a few $$'s just for the atmosphere itself. You'll know what I'm talking about once you pay a visit. The salsa's are completely unique and tasty. The unusual size corona bottles also make for a treat. Everyone's already talked about the red snapper--so I won't say much more about it other than I've had it and can confirm it's a good fish. The only thing I don't like is--and this is a thing I've noticed about seafood at Mexican restaurants--the shrimp and octopus can have a bleachy/chemical taste. I really don't know where this comes from--for all I know it's completely natural--but it always strikes me as odd (and I've noticed it in places in other states too). Since this seems to be such a common occurrence, I see no reason to hold it against El Barco. I'd go there anytime.
(4)Karen L.
This Mexican seafood restaurant has huge portions for a great price! To me, the food was decent but not great. I got a fish fillet and it was a bit salty but still had a good flavor. Next time I go I would probably just go for a margarita and appetizers. I need to amend this old posting. I go here all the time now for lunch and they have the best lunch deals. You have to ask for the lunch menu, but you get a HUGE portion for a great price. And you get so many fresh grilled veggies with your meal. Plus, the margaritas are YUMMY!
(4)Ben E.
Definitely a fun place to go with friends, although it fills up quickly on weekend nights. Be warned: portions are enormous. You're best off ordering less than you think you'll want, especially if you choose the Parillada (a vast cast-iron griddle covered in seafood, chicken, steak, and vegetables). We ordered it for three, and the four of us still weren't able to get through it all. The salsa brought to the table is good, very spicy, and not what one would expect at a standard Mexican restaurant. One of the two had strong hints of coffee, or perhaps very dark chocolate. I'd go back and try the huachinango or perhaps some grilled fish, but I wasn't overly impressed by much of what we ordered. And, unfortunately, the margaritas are made straight from a mix. No fresh juice at all, as far as I could tell. Still, it's an enjoyable experience and worth trying.
(3)Alexis S.
Poor service. The servers must all share tips and that is why no one cares about your table. The ceviche doesn't taste fresh. Decor is great though.
(2)Nicholas C.
This place is my hand's down favorite. They serve two type's of salsa with the chips, the darker is the most addicting thing, smoky, sweet and spicy. I'd go there for this salsa alone. Just about everything I've ordered comes with a huge plate of fresh and tasty vegetables which helps offset the wonderfully delicious fried, grilled or marinated whatever you're eating.
(5)Marie T.
Great neighborhood seafood restaurants. For the price you pay you get more than enough food. We ordered the platter for two which was spilling over with a variety of shellfish, calamari, fish and vegetables. The decor was very festive and the staff very lively.
(4)Mike C.
Very nice find in the city. Fun, bright atmosphere with seafood served in ways that make it fun to enjoy dinner. El Barco is casual, very reasonably-priced, yet makes you feel like you're on the Mexican coast eating the catch-of-the-day. I highly recommend this if you're looking for a very reasonably priced, yet outstanding fun new restaurant. Go with friends and enjoy a great atmosphere and outstanding food. Service was not the best, but it didn't matter. We were in no rush because this place is just fun.
(4)Katie H.
Striving for my life's ambition to be a massive sow, I decided to have my birthday dinner here because GOOD LORD - they know how to feed you. Obviously though, don't eat here if you don't enjoy "les fruits de la mer" because there's just no point. None. I go with friends and share the colossal sized seafood platter for two. There's too much seafood to name - it's like the ocean gave birth right onto my plate. We all eat until we're uncomfortably full and then go home with enough leftovers for a full meal the next day. Also, their chips and salsa are the best! Only downside to this place is the lack of bathroom (one lonely toilet per gender)... which will have you slumping (drunk on tequila) against a wall for ages while you wait.
(5)Kristin S.
How can you not like a place that serves you an entire deep fried red snapper? The space is cheerful, small, and crowded and its a bit of a hike but its worth it. I had the shrimp that was smothered in buttery sauce and not only was it amazing but it was a heaping portion. And of course one could say the whole snapper is a heaping portion as well. This is definitely a good place to come with friends for a very filling meal.
(4)rachel c.
Loved it. First we ordered Coronas and were pleasantly surprised that they came in 22 oz. bottles (more beer is always better) in little tin buckets surrounded with ice. There are little baskets of key limes everywhere, so you can cut and squeeze your own. Very cool! The wait wasn't bad, about 30 minutes for peak time on a Friday night. Our waitress, although slammed, took time to explain a few choices on the menu. The chips and salsa on the table were outstanding. Our meals were great too-- lots of fresh roasted veggies came with everything, and I'd recommend sharing because the portions are out of control huge. I had the Mahi Mahi tacos, which were grilled, not fried, and were amazing. Everyone really liked their entrees. The atmosphere was cool too, and it's pretty inexpensive. I'd definitely recommend it and also plan to return.
(5)Alison C.
I love this place! The service is great, girls are cute and the food rocks! I have gotten everything from the oysters to shrimp to a full red snapper dish (yes, head and all). Their portions are huge, definately enough for 2 to share and they side their entrees with fresh vegetables (which I LOVE), rice and beans and guacamole. Their Margarita's are just ok, as long as you order the right one. We have tried a different one each time and always end up getting a beer and a few shots of tequila to make up for the required buzz.... If you want good service, hit them up during the week. The weekends are always slammed with families... ie- crying kids :(
(4)Jane M.
Wow...what a selection! Good food, not too horrible prices, decent atmosphere. Great place for seafood - and fairly kid friendly to boot.
(4)mike l.
wow, talk about an insane dinner. we are eating so well in chicago and it's all because of great local places like this. be sure to wear elastic pants, becuase they were gonna stuff you like a turkey. thankfully, it'll be great mexican food you'll come home so uncomfortably full from. the only downside was that our waitress didn't understand our order, and ended up bringing us a full shrimp ceviche instead of the appetizer portion. bumping our bill into the $70 range. but the parts that she didn't screw up were awesome. that shrimp ceviche I mentioned was really crisp & citrus-y. I had the whole red snapper & The Wife had the king crab legs. Holy balls. talk about a lot of food. this was an embarrasing amount of food. sorry, I've completely ruined this review by just repeating how ridiculously large the portions of their delicious food are. so sorry.
(4)Alma K.
Let me start first with my meal review. I had the Mahi Mahi dinner - it was delicious. Everyone else in my group thoroughly enjoyed their meals. Depending on what you order, it could get expensive. I was there last week (w/o 10/31) with my family as most people there were. I hadn't been there in a while, years actually so I was excited to go back. I walked in and I thought the decor was cool (nautical) but what caught my attention was the number of flat screens throughout and most disturbing what was being shown - trashy latino/hispanic music videos. Some may call it risque latno dancers, I call it trashy. I get it if it's a sports bar - but it's not, it's a restaurant. And from the looks of it, more of a family restaurant. I'm not a prude, but when it comes to having such trashy programming on with very young children present (approx age 3 and up), that just seems so wrong. I'm sorry I have to give it an Average rating due to that. I wish I could say I'd go back but I probably won't. But if I do, it maybe late...VERY late at night when the children should be in bed.
(2)Martha E.
Every time I think I can get away from El Barco, it keeps pulling me back. The service is TERRIBLE as it seems almost everyone agrees upon. There are 10 waitresses waiting on everyone and it appears that they all have short attention spans. The only time they seem to pay attention is as you are walking out and they are checking to see how much you have tipped them. We once got a nice eye-roll when the tip was mediocre for the comparable mediocre service. My first eye-roll since junior high. The managers don't seem to provide any greater service either. I once sent back a shrimp ceviche tostada because it was ridiculously salty and they refused at first to take it off our check. The manager explained (GET THIS) that the reason the ceviche was so salty was because their shrimp was SOOOO fresh that they were the cause of the saltiness in the ceviche. WTF? I've had seafood straight out of the ocean and did not taste remotely salty. "Really dude? You're going to fight me over removing a $5 tostada from a total check of over $100. Choose your battles." Anywho...the food and drinks are tasty and since we have yet to find a better seafood restaurant, we will be returning to El Barco until further notice.
(3)Erin J.
Great drinks and seafood, especially the snapper. The salsas on the table aren't to my taste, and the chips have always been slightly stale when I've been there, but ok. They do about everything on their (gigantic) menu well, but I would say the drinks are the best. Of course, the bar is about 10 feet long, but if you ever need a place to go in West Town/Ukie Village after the dinner rush with a few friends for a REALLY good margarita, this is it.
(3)Judy L.
I noticed El Barco's dinner usually isn't as good as its lunch or happy hour because when the restaurant becomes busy, service isn't as great nor is the food as good. Otherwise, on "better" days their appetizers and margaritas are great! Think of typical Mexican fare with a strong seafood presence. Cheese quesadillas with shrimp, fish tacos, seafood soup, so forth. I would suggest sticking with the margaritas and beer buckets because their Sangrias tasted like Kool Aid. The complimentary tortilla chips shaped like saucers is always something to look forward to right when you sit down....add some lime juice and some hot sauce on top of it then eat it like a pizza! The inside of El Barco resembles Ariel's living quarters in Disney's Under the Sea, don't expect anything romantic. Also, the waitresses all look like they should work at Hooters minus the get up, so don't bring a boyfriend with wandering eyes if you are the jealous type.
(4)Tina W.
El Barco. Look for the restaurant that's shaped like a boat with a sign with a big fish on it. There's a small parking lot, but you can find street parking unless it's a busy night. Big Fish. Not the movie. Big Fish. It's what you order here. It's usually red snapper. A whole fish. Head, tail and everything else in between. You can order it several ways. I like mine with the garlicky sauce. The whole fish is deep fried so there is the chance it may become dry. I suggest ordering the smaller size fish. Aside from the main attraction, I reccommend one of the grilled seafood platters. You can order meat if you want, but it's like ordering a hamburger from Bob Chinn's. The first time we came here, we ordered the grilled octopus with shrimp. It was delicious. The octopus was tender and the shrimp was cooked to perfection. For our entree, we ordered the smaller version of the red snapper wih the garlic sauce. The next time we visited El Barco, we had 4 people in our group. We got adventurous and ordered the seafood paradilla. It came on el barco, literally. The platter was huge and came with tons of fish, shrimp calamari, octopus, and crab legs. In addition, it came with lots of vegetables, rice and beans. We polished off the platter with barely enough room for our huge red snapper. El Barco has a full bar so you can order your margarita or cerveza. If there's room for dessert, you can order authentic sweets like tres leches, a cake made with 3 kinds of milk or other Mexican specialties. Everything at El Barco is big. And the huge tables and chairs make the fairly large dining room seem smaller than it really is. It doesn't help that the dinnerware and serving dishes take up most of the room on the table. If the weather permits there is outdoor seating. My biggest complaint is that there is only one bathroom and on my first visit, we were seated far from the bathroom. Every time I'd get up to go, someone else would beat me. Otherwise, I would consider El Barco one of my favorite seafood restaurants. Another thing that won me over is its fish theme. Even its business cards are shaped like a fish. So don't miss the boat, oops, I mean El Barco and see what really good seafood tastes like.
(4)Dilip J.
I really like eating at this place. The meals are huge, and its a really great menu. The atmosphere is friendly, and the patio is great. Definately check this place out. Save a few bucks and go for one of their great lunch specials. If you like seafood, and like things a little or a lot spicy, this is the place. Its a perfect little Mexican Cantina.
(5)Jake F.
I have been here three times in the past six months, most recently two weeks ago. Seafood here is very good. Each time I have gotten the grilled octopus appetizer in garlic white wine sauce.....very good, but they do like to pile on the garlic. Last time we had the shirimp appetizer stuffed with cheese and wrapped in bacon...what's not to like about that that!?! The only entree I have had here has been the grande huachinango, or large red snapper. We always get it deep fried in garlic sauce. It comes served upright on a huge platter with tons of vegetables....a perfect meal for two and a great idea for a date. Everything from the bar is also good....margaritas are on point....extensive tequila selection as well. The only thing is that each time I have been here water seems to be scarce...so you have to ask your server or busstaff for more...but I can get over that....overall a great place.
(4)Bailey Q.
This place is great, and always packed on Friday night. Inexpensive, yet strong drinks and great food! Only complaint is that I walked out smelling like I cooked the fish myself. I'm waiting until the summer to go back. Can't wait to sit outside and drink margaritas!
(4)Nancy M.
After seeing a review on Check, Please! a long time ago, I chose this for my casual Birthday dinner with my family. We ordered the Parillada for 3 to feed four of us, and I wasn't too impressed. The chicken, potatoes and steak was nicely marinated with their own significant flavor. The seafood ingredients consisted of shrimp, calamari, mussels and crab legs. When the platter arrived with my realization of missing crab legs, I inquired the waitress. She apologized and said they did not carry crab legs that day. They could've said so when we placed the order....thus resulting in one star taken off. Other than that, the calamari was great! The shrimp came with heads on, which I've always loved. However, we had a hard time peeling the shells off due to it sticking to the skin...which should never happen with fresh shrimp! In addition, the texture was chewy and lacked succulence. I knew I should have stuck to my guns and ordered the deep fried red snapper! Its tan, deep fried and crunchy skin seduced me from the table behind me! The couple devoured it quickly too! Personally, I avoid loud restaurants because I enjoy comfortable conversations while dining. The semi-crowded atmosphere on this Tuesday night was relaxing, with outdoor seating available. Even though my first experience was okay, I'd go back to try the other items on their extensive menu. p.s. My Strawberry daiquiri tasted good, but could've had more kick!
(2)Joanna B.
This place is a real find. The food was great. The place was packed. The portions were enormous, definitely enough to take home which we did. Drinks were good. The servers were extremely friendly and helpful. I would definitely go back. As someone else said already though, be prepared to smell like the food when you leave there!!
(4)le n.
been here a couple of times, and they've always been ok, i suppose. el veneno across the street are my real lovers, but when they are too busy whoring out their food to like, a lot of people, i must make do. onward to el barco.. walk in the door and you know what type of cuisine you will be dining on. the last time i was there, i had the mahi mahi and dinner mate had the salmon. both was dry, but fortunately we had plenty of calamansi and sauce to juice it up. i dunno, i kind of want to not cook when i go out to eat. and yes, i'm being sarcastic for the sake of this review and do not really believe that that is cooking. oh, asked for tortilla's and they gave her two and me three. the portions are large with the price replicating the sentiments, but really, three tortilla's for my fajita? the raw oyster was eh too, nothing special and maybe i was being faux pas desiring horseradish at a mexican joint. and we had an appetizer of the grilled squid. it was good. how does one f up grilled squid? in total, we spent and upwards of 100 bucks here. this included 2 beers and a margarita. eh. eh eh eh. oh right, and i left my beloved hat there. we were the last outdoor table of the night...they must have it. came back the next day, saw my server was working again and asked her about it. she appeared to have a recollection of it. she certainly remembered me. she walked up to the front and said some stuff to the host/manager/take out receptionist? in spanish and h/m/tor? turned to me and simply said, "i'm sorry we don't have it". huh? why did she walk all the way to the front of the store to have a full on conversation to have the guy tell me didn't have it? she spoke english just fine. it was weird. and shady mcshady. i guess the employees at el barco needed it more than i. i was probably being a jerk when i said "what you guys stole my hat?" haha it was kind of funny. i know, i was the jerk for forgetting my beloved hat in a restaurant. heavens forbid anyone forgets anything anywhere and expects to retrieve it back. does the loss of my hat make me remember bad things about the food, you ask? hey this is yelp, of course i'm being completely objective. anyway, not that they'd miss me, but never again. even if have to get shitfaced waiting at el veneno.
(2)Grace K.
Great service and amazing seafood. The portions are HUGE! Can't wait to eat here again. Yum!
(5)Angie B.
Went there for the hubby's bday, nice decor, kid friendly and the girls working there were pretty nice and attentive. The parking is non-existent, the food could've been better, dont get me wrong, it's not like i threw up or anything but it wasnt as great as i expected. When you're getting out of the womens bathroom be very careful with the door or you may risk hitting someone coming out with orders!! that space is quite cramped.
(3)Livia C.
It was nice to sit outside but the service was just bad. The portions were pretty big but the food wasn't so great. It was very greasy and the meat tasted old. So unfortunately probably won't be back.
(1)Andrew R.
alright, this is a tough one for me. Ate here last week and enjoyed it so much that I decided to take my parents to it when they visited tonight. They enjoy good food, and there was something about this place that just clicked with me last week. I thought they would enjoy the authenticity, .....and food. Well, we walked in and the place was hot, like a sauna, whatever, not a big deal. SO, we decided to order some oysters (which I tried to order last week, but they forgot to bring them, but not to charge us for them) and they were quite frankly the sickest item I have ever ordered in a restaurant. Milky, sweaty, absolute sick. I love oysters, and truly appreciate a good one. Each of the 4 of us tried one, and we had to send them back. I told her not to worry about bringing out more, I was grossed out. We ordered the rest of our meal which was pretty good (carne asada, snapper, shrimp, mahi ...tiny mahi) and when the bill came we saw that they charged us for the oysters. Was a little pissed, but said nothing. At the same time, the server came up an said she was sorry about the oysters and would take them off. I was content and watched her go up to the manager, and watched him argue with her. She than came back and only took off half of the oysters.. Whatever, but the place just let $4 come between me ever going back there. I am not cheap, the bill was over $100, but just to see that manager argue like we were trying to scam them for 4 oysters completely pissed me off. Fire that guy and the place has a chance. DO NOT get oysters, and do not expect service that wants you to come back. $4, and I am this fired up, maybe I am the one with problems here!
(2)stephanie F.
This place is great. This is one of my favorite seafood resturants. We always order the parilla which is a good mixture of all seafood, and it also has chicken and steak. It can get a little crowded during the summer nights, but it's well worth the wait. I'd recommend going during the week when it's not so crowded.
(5)John H.
Well this is a nice change from the usual mexican fair. It is about $20/person at a minimum so it is not for the college crowd. The food, although delicious, is not consistently well made. For example, the fried fish (red snapper) was hard and flavorless. The steak was excellent and juicy. The chicken definately had a distinct flavor of Mexico. The service was fast, but by no means consistant either. For example, the forgot food items like the rice and beans. We asked once, but ir was never brought. we had so much food that we forgot about it, too. We did not get drinks because of the bad reviews in other Yelp reviews. One of their signature dishes for 2, 3 or 4 people is a dish filled with everything under the sun. Unless you are big eaters dish for two is plenty for three or four. We ordered this dish and were later told that they were out of the crab legs.....ugh! We should have been told before we ordered. They gave us a dish or mussels instead. They tried! Also , the tables are too small for the plates they use and the amount of food ordered for just three people. I enjoyed this place for a change, but still like Nuevo Leon best for Mexican. Menus are cute, but way too big.
(3)Stephanie I.
Hmnnnn, not impressed. A friend and I made a last minute decision to head here on a Friday night, acknowledging we may have to wait a bit. And we were exactly right - walked in to the place and it was paccckkked, took us 5 minutes just to figure out who was taking names, and another 5 minutes to actually give him our name. But it looked promising, bustling with folks eating and more waiting to eat, cute atmosphere, lots of seafood decor and nice lighting...we took our hour wait and jetted to a nearby joint for a quick marg to kill some time. Upon our return the place had died down a little, and we were seated in the bar area, up against the window. The menus are ginormous, lots to choose from and funny prices, like 11.97 for an entree. There was a mystery red sauce on the table and a cup filled with tortilla wedges...looks like chips and salsa, should be chips and salsa, but alas, wasn't chips and salsa. The red sauce was scary, I tried it and have no idea what it was. The waitress was busy, I'll give her that - but we did have to ask for silverware. I ordered an appetizer that she said was popular, had shrimp, octopus, mussels, various other fish and veggies all sizzling on a platter. You had to peel the shrimp, but ours for whatever reason was completely unpeelable, so no shrimp for us. The appetizer was totally meh. I ordered the steak fajitas because that's what I always get and my dinner date ordered the big Barco Fish thing that is basically an entire fish, battered, it's huge and a fun spectacle, I did take a picture. My fajita platter was OK - had to ask for tortillas though, and it was kind of awkward, like, really, should you have to ask? And again, no salsa to be found. Our table was short on space so kind of annoying - and the margs were cheap but weak. Maybe an off night? I dunno, but I wasn't impressed.
(2)Sara S.
ahhh, why did it take me so long to try this place? aside from our pre-pubescent server who didn't know what anything on the menu was, we blindly navigated and ended up with some of the most delicious Mexican food i've had in the city. its not American Mexican, its Mexican. if you've got a weak stomach avert your eyes to either direction but forwards when you arrive so as to avoid the very big, very whole fish staring at you. i am not a fan of their regular margarita's but the strawberry ones looked intriguing. i can't wait to go back. i don't want to know what they put in those beans, but i want em again...
(5)Dee W.
Seafood with a Mexican twist to it. For a bargain, drop by from 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday for one of their lunch specials; $5.95 buys your choice of a main course plus a belt-loosening complement of soup, salad, chips and dip, rice, enchilada, and dessert. The snow crab legs are delish with huge portions and a warm atmosphere.
(4)Sandy D.
this is as good as it gets for a 3 star mexican seafood restaurant. the hot sauce is extremely authentic, sorry for those that don't get it, maybe you should stick with taco bell. the service is 2 star, not their best, but then again, what real mexican restaurant has outstanding service? This restaurant is what you find in some desolate mountain side in mexico's puerto vallarta restaurant. the seafood soup is outstanding! The only thing that i think is unusual and i get a kick out of is the size of the patrons. because they have extremely large portions for the price, there is usually more than extremely sized people. One guy literally needed two chairs. I can't wait to return to this place!
(4)Franny S.
This place serves the most unimaginably huge portions of really great food. Everything we ordered was dee-licious and positively giant sized. The sweet and slushy "Miami Vice" (half frozen strawberry margarita/half pina colada) is killer as well, though it didn't seem to have a tremendous amount of alcohol in it. I sucked that (also ginormous) puppy down like there was no tomorrow and could have easily drank another if I wasn't being all responsible 'cause I was driving. I saw that they've received a lot of complaints about the wait and service, but we were seated right away and the service was quick and attentive (on a Saturday night, no less). I took off half a star because my shrimp came with the shell on and I had to peel 'em all off before I could eat. And another half star for the previously mentioned deep-fried odor...you will take home a little bit of El Barco, because that smell will permeate everything you're wearing.
(4)una g.
The food is great and really one meal can feed 2 people
(5)Patrick F.
What could be more fun than eating a Mexican seafood dish in an odd little building shaped like a boat (El Barco means literally: The Boat). The food is good and the atmosphere is lively. If you peak at some of the dishes that go by, you'll see some really interesting looking offerings (that red snapper caught my eye, for sure).
(3)David D.
LOOOOOVE El Barco! It's a great place to bring a date and split something, because the portions are huge and delicious. Me and my girl always split the mahi mahi fajitas yum yum. They also have this great salsa that must be made of dried peppers. I don't know, but it's addictive. Great service too.Thank you El Barco!
(5)S. M.
hands down, some of the best refried beans and shrimp tacos i've ever had.
(4)Andrea T.
My friends and I would always yell out "El Barco Marsicos" everytime we passed by but it took us forever to actually go there. But when we did I was very pleased. The dipping sauces, not quite salsa, with the big round tortillas were very fresh and delicious. As featured on Check Please! I ordered the gigantic fried red snapper. It is a little crazy/scary looking when this huge fish is brought to your table on a giant platter and its upright sort of staring at you, but once you get past that the food is great. The steamed veggies served with the fish had a real nice flavor as did the spanish rice. My boyfriend got the shrimp fajitas and wasnt that impressed, but hes a little on the picky side. Overall it was a nice experience. We went at around 3:00 on a saturday so there was no line or wait. As we were leaving it was starting to pick up and get crowded. My only complaint, and reason for 4 and not 5 stars is the waitstaff was not all that pleasant and the water refills were slow, which is bad when you are drinking spicy food.
(4)Alex X.
I was taken aback when I stepped through the door on a cold, cold night. I was expecting Mexican, but was met by a seafood restaurant posing as a Mexican restaurant. Well, not posing. But I had a different picture of the place in mind when I was told "Mexican food." I had the tilapia tacos, which were pretty good. My friends had fajitas, which didn't receive the greatest reviews.
(3)Hasan K.
Love the red snapper fish here! It's really good especially the garlic. Their service is really awesome. Everything here is good.
(5)Joe A.
GREAT FOOD and LOTS of FUN. Have you ever been to a Mexican Seafood restaurant? No? Well try this place. El Barco is one of my favorite casual restaurants to go to. Mariscada Para Dos: it is more like para cinco, and very tasty. It's a platter for two people but sometimes we order it for 3. On that dish, you get a little bit of everything from the sea: fried fish, broiled fish, calamari, octopus, mussels, shrimp, prawns... the list keeps going. Prawns: A dish with a pile of prawns on it. There are several preparations, and they are all good. Huachinango: A huge whole fried fish on a plate. There are several preparations, and they are all good. Bottom Line: Dress casually and bring friends with empty stomachs.
(5)Debbie P.
This place is fantastic. Went on a Sat night at 6.pm with a party of 6. Although they do not take reservations,We were seated right away. Attentive staff, delicious seafood civiche, guacamole. The red snapper is a very popular dish for good reason. We also shared the chefs seafood special for 4. It was more than enough for our group of 6, we had so much left over. Will definitely be going back.
(5)Jessica L.
Love coming here for their huge margaritas ! First came here for a birthday and the food is amazing ! Huge portions and definitely satisfying ! Other times I've come here with my girl friends to catch up and get our margarita on! !
(4)J J.
Interesting place to say the least. When you sit down they bring you two types of salsa's, chips and crackers. I like hot spicy food but the green stuff is unnecessarily hot. So hot it made me drink almost half of my margarita to get the fucking taste off of my tongue. They should have a least warned me it was gonna be extremely hot but when you dip your chip in it and try it you wouldn't think your tongue would fall off. Try it at your own risk. The other salsa (I guess that's what it was) was good at first then it got weird on my taste buds. So I asked the waitress what was it. She said it's pepper and oil. I really didn't know what that meant and she didn't stick around to discuss it with me. I didn't give up though. When she came by the table again I asked her what was the actual name of it. Thinking I would Google it and learn more about it. She replied it doesn't have a name they just make it, as she quickly moves to another table to avoid any other conversation about it. Now you know that was some bullshit. She knew damn well what the name of it was, cause when they need to make more of it someone in the back yells "hey we need more of the black stuff". Yeah right! Anyway we ordered the Paridilla, which is all kinds of grilled seafood and meats like squid, shrimp, fish fillets, mussels, steak, chicken, corn, veggies and it comes with rice and beans and corn and flour tortillas.Whew!! a lot of stuff. Oh plus crab legs. Honestly it was hit or miss for me. Some stuff was cooked OK other stuff was overcooked and dry, like the squid and chicken. But it was a lot of food so you just pick thru what you want. One thing I noticed was at least 7 plates of whole fried fish being delivered to tables. If I decide to go back I might try that instead of the Paridilla. Wouldn't get the Paridilla again. Too expensive and not fresh tasting for that price. plus I felt rushed because the waitress keep coming by our table, then she brought the check and i didn't ask for it yet. Damn I just ordered another margarita " Back off".
(2)Janeth O.
I almost feel bad for people that frequently visit this restaurant, I ask myself, have they not had good Mexican seafood in their lifetime?! Man, oh man, this place is so over hyped. When we arrived it wasn't crowded, we were very surprised that it was such a small venue. No biggie, though. I ordered a garlic Huachinango. The garlic was chopped into really big pieces that sat at the bottom of the fish. ODD. The fish was accompanied by Mexican rice, squash, carrots, green beans, one piece of small corn and half a potato. The presentation was very good looking! Until it hit my palate, the entire thing was cold!! The huachinango was very plain, tasteless, good thing they had valentina sauce and limones on the side. Also, I ordered a Margarita that arrived to the table in 15 secs (okay, maybe 30 secs lol) These drinks are pre-made, and stored in their fridge, you gotta be kidding me!! I even sat and wondered if their entire fish selection is pre plated and slightly nuked and then served to the clientele. Which isn't so shocking, I've worked in the restaurant business for a couple of years, you'd be surprised by what some places do to keep up. I wouldn't recommend it, it's over priced and the overall experience isn't worth it. I would've rather gone to Bob Chinn's, perhaps not your traditional Mexican fish but at least I know I'd get quality fish. JS. Parking was easy to score, I'll give you that.
(2)Nida N.
Takes you back to the Caribbean... We had Mixed Ceviche for appetizer and Deep fried Red Snapper with Garlic. They were good in both taste and presentation. It was enough for two people, in fact we had left overs to take home. Service was good not great, overall a pleasant experience.
(4)Danny M.
Shrimp Empanada - Really good and one of their popular appetizer here. Crispy and loaded with flavor! Steak Fajitas - This was really good and it was juicy. Steak was tender. Rice with Seafood - Loaded with seafood! The seafood was really fresh, but the dish taste kinda dry. Crab Legs with Kick Ass Sauce - Good, but the sauce is not "kick ass". It was just okay for the most part. Overall, the service was friendly, but there was definitely a language barrier. She didn't understand what we were asking and she opened the wrong wine. The important thing was that she is really nice, so we said it was okay.
(3)Roby L.
Came here a couple of times but last time around ordered the crayfish/langostinos which normally come out pinkish reddish, to my surprise they were purplish, bluish. Didn't look very tasty and the flavor of the food was very bland. The ceviche is way to salty and overpriced for such a small serving. Wait times are way too long and food is definitely not worth it. The plate I liked most was the grilled chicken!....at this seafood "specialty" restaurant. ....
(3)Lotoyus H.
Lots and lots of hype. I do consider myself a foodie and this was not it. I got the whole red snapper fried with the garlic sauce. Flavorless fish, not overfly dry yet moist. I'm not sure what the hypes about.
(3)Dan N.
Full and drunk, two sensations I don't often feel together but did after my delicious meal at El Barco. We arrived and were seated outside after about a 10 minute wait. We got a pitcher of strawberry margarita immediately and man was it tasty. I'm told that it's made with fresh fruit. It really hit the spot on a warm summer evening. We then ordered the steak fajitas and a plate of rice and seafood after munching on some toastadas. The plate I got was pretty epic...a huge slate of rice, calamari, octopus, shrimp, potatoes, and guac. It's kind of hard to find really good seafood around Wicker, so El Barco is definitely a treat for me. It's a little pricey, but definitely worth it for the portions. The one thing that bothered me about the outside seating was that there was a lot of fuzz flying around. Not sure where it was coming from but it was enough to make note. Outside of that, really good service and food overall. I'll be back, and not just because I live across the street.
(5)Maritsa C.
Seafood is very fresh! Great margaritas! Crab legs! Ceviche! Pescado! Oh my! Definitely our summer must go to spot!
(4)Edgar L.
The wait was to long they told us 15 minutes and waited for 45 minutes the server took 15 minutes to come to the table to ask us if we needed anything there were no napkins in the table the food was not good I'm very disappointed I don't recommend this place! I will never go back
(1)Martha-Victoria D.
Admission- we went here for dinner because El Veneno was closed for some weird reason and boy was I sorry. The place was crowded, probably only because El Veneno was closed. The food took forever and was cold. Never again.
(2)Shi A.
I was fairly excited to try this place since I had heard great things. Experience in a nutshell: -Great outdoor dinning option -Margaritas were huge and fairly alcoholic. My boyfriend wanted the tamarindo margarita but they were out of them. I wanted a blended margarita but their blenders had broken, instead i got a margarita on the rocks. Kind of a bummer. - I ordered a ceviche, which I was sick of eating by the time I got halfway. And I love ceviche! My boyfriend ordered a tilapia and it was alright. Enjoyed the veggies and fish, but the rice was really salty! Check came and ended up being around $60 (with tip) So was it worth it? Probably not. (Also, how does a big restaurant like El Barco only have one bathroom stall??)
(3)Cana Y.
Always a wait but definitely worth it. You also get your own personal endless supply of key limes... Be warned, the green sauce that comes with your chips - IS NOT GUACAMOLE!!! It is some super spicy deliciousness that just looks like guac. The portions are HUGE, the food awesome and the service great. We ordered a ton of different things, I don't think anything we had was bad or even sub par. My fave would probably have to be the spicy shrimp dish my friend had.
(5)Kathy H.
Went yesterday, thinking Labor Day, shouldn't be crowded....WRONG!! It was so tight in there, we were all like sardines in a can. I don't understand why they serve food on such long platters when the tables are so tiny, smh. The waitress kept forgetting things. She brought out our appetizer, grilled octopus, but we had no utensils. She brought my daughter's soda in a covered cup, but no straw. My husband ordered oysters and we had whole limes with nothing to cut them with. We had to request stuff so often that it was not worth eating; we ended up taking most of the food home. The food that i ate was tasty but like another reviewer says, it is something I can make at home. Will not be returning, EVER!!
(1)Superpromoter J.
I've been in love with this place since I was a teenager and my dad brought me here. Ever since I've been a proud supporter of this establishment, very good food and everything is fresh & tasty. There's great outdoors seating in summer and the inside I'd nice and cool to enjoy your hot meals.
(5)Eric B.
I didn't get to try anything except a watered down overpriced margarita. They weren't supposed to close for at least another hour but apparently decided to close early as I walked in just before 10 on Monday they close at 11 and they said I could have a shrimp cocktail and a drink but that they closed the kitchen early and that was that. They then rushed me out the door as soon as I got my drink. :-/
(1)Sarah G.
Great restaurant! The drinks are great and so is the food. Nothing fancy, but i would definitely recommend.
(4)Rhona C.
Got there at 6:45 on a Saturday and waited about 15 minutes.... I would recommend going before 7....its a small spot but most city gems tend to be small... The Food was excellent... my crab leg was sweet and my Carne asada was tender... I will definitely be back again. Meter parking available and some parking allowed on residential blocks... The only bad things were: my food was not hot but it was warm so it got cold quickly and the bathroom was freezing and didn't have hot water, so make it quick lolol...But the Guayaba Margarita will warm you up.
(4)Nakisha H.
Great margaritas! Be sure to get one. The platters serve twice as many people as they advertise. Love the variety on the menu. Service and ambiance is average. I'll visit again.
(4)Rodney H.
This is one of my favorite places to eat and great drinks! We drive a long distance just to eat at this place. We love it and would recommend to anyone! Can get busy but worth the wait!!
(5)Bella D.
OMG!! Yummmay does say it for this great establishment. Fresh ceviche, huge margaritas!!, and yummay portions and fish!! Great service and cool parking! Great prices, you feel like your somewhere else and not in Chicago...come and check this place out!
(5)Melissa H.
A million drives by's and we finally stopped in to El Barco decor: not bad, not great service: good food: not great. crab legs tasted like they were just thawed out from the freezer....enough said.
(2)J D.
Perhaps I've ordered the wrong menu items, but all of them were seafood, e.g. ceviche. Both the raw and cooked seafood and fish were unremarkable. Service was disinterested in guiding me or advising me on certain choices on the menu. I may return, but with reservations.
(2)Robyn A.
Maybe y'all had bad service or whatever, but my experience was guh-reat. Firstly, we had a big group of women wanting a table for a couple hours before another group of women came to join us. How annoying is that for the server! They didn't care though. Secondly, the reason why they didn't care, probably, is because we drank Sangria like it was going out of style--pitcher upon pitcher upon pitcher. Speaking of, we had pitcher upon pitcher upon pitcher of sangria and the bill was hardly more than $40. So to all you lushes out there, go to El Barco and drink up!
(4)Elaine C.
$9 pitchers of margaritas. Mango, Tamarind, Guava. Although I've eaten here a few times, I can't say I can speak for the food because... $9 pitchers of margaritas. And its like 3 stumbles away from my house.
(5)Mike Y.
I've only been here for lunch, but this place will give you a TON of food for the amount of money that you pay. Around $9 and you will get a lot of food. I would give them 4.5 stars. The reason for the extra .5 stars = the ridiculously good salsa that comes with the chips. There are two salsas, but the one that's made of a smoked pepper, oh my... My mouth is watering as I think about it.
(5)C G.
This is one of my favorite Marisco/Seafood joints! NOT! The appeal is definitely the ambience... it's cool & inviting atmosphere but the food alone leaves alot to be desired. I was very impressed with the decor and presentation of the food but the taste was way off. The meat was tasteless / unseasoned, the veggies were over cooked, the seafood tasted old like it had been frozen for a long time. Between 2 adults I believe we spent well over 50.00 and left the restaurant a bit unsatisfied. This is a great place to dine for two because of the seating. The staff. Service was ok but nothing spectacular. Would I go again? Probably only to try their drink menu! They appeared to have lots of top shelf quality alcohol! For the seafood, I think i'd rather go to red lobster. NOT!!
(2)Sank G.
Want to add to what everyone else has said about the deep fried snapper. It is amazing. My wife and I had gone there with 4 friends and it was a tad uncomfortable for all of us the squeeze together on the same table. But that aside, the food is delicious. They started us off with giant chips and two kinds of hot sauce. One of them ( I dunno what it is called), a dark colored one is incredible and I have to stop myself from emptying the whole bowl onto my plate. I had the mahi-mahi fajitas and my wife had the mahi-mahi in the cilantro garlic sauce. Their portions are enough to easily last you 2 meals what with the boiled veggies, refried beans (more on that below), the rice and fish, . A couple of my friends ordered the shrimp ceviche which was really tasty and a HUGE portion as we all ended up tasting some of it. I love their refried beans and ordered a side which was again gigantic and absolutely yum. I love looking at all the bottles of tequila they have on display and wonder which one I am going to get the next time I am here.
(4)Nick S.
I've been here several times now. The only thing I truly appreciated here is the ceviche. Everything else is so-so. I enjoyed their totopos and homemade salsas. I ordered their deep fried red snapper. Visually it's awesome but flavorwise, it needed help. Their garlic oil was actually quite tasty but it was just splashed over the fish while the fish itself lacked SO much flavor. I kind of wish all of their entrees were a little more innovative with their side of grilled veggies.. food kind of loses its appeal when it's accompanied by fat potatoes and carrots and corn.. bleh. On a different visit, we did their parrillada. huge portions but again not as flavorful as i would like. I did however appreciate that they had limes out.. i know those are usually for cervezas and tequila but they also help the food too! haha so all in all.. GOOD ceviche. OK everything else..
(3)Dan D.
We simply loved every aspect of this small and very well-run restaurant. The wait was long, but we chose to hang by the small bar in the corner and have some margaritas (which as fantastic!). So the time did fly by. Before coming here, I read many yelpers talking about the shrimp tacos. I ordered these bad boys and was more than happy. [high five to yelpers]. The portion sizes for EVERYTHING are GI-NORMOUS. All entrees came with a nice assortment of steamed veggies, rice, refried beans, and guac. Everyone could not finish their plate and had much leftovers for the next day. El Barco is known for their fried red-snapper and many folks order this entree - looks good but def is for two people. Quite simply, I will be coming back to this restaurant for its great food at a good price.
(4)Tracy K.
Maybe I missed the magic here because I don't eat seafood. I ordered the cheese enchiladas and found them to be tiny, overcooked (mmm.. crispy burnt edges), and overly salted. I thought the whole tortilla chips were good, but I was not feeling the salsa at all. I like heat and spice, but found their two versions of salsa to be gross. I am happy we did not order a side of steamed veggies as an appetizer because they steam their veggies to a limp, lifeless state. Our waitress was not very interested in serving us, We had our order taken, dropped off, and then had to find her to ask for the check. She never made eye contact with us, and our drinks were never refilled. The woman's bathroom is clean, but its door opens right into the kitchen area, so if you are not careful (the door sticks and I had to shove myself against it to get it to open) you will knock into someone carrying a tray of food. As others have mentioned, the air in here hangs thick with the smell of fish, and when we left there, the smell clung to our clothes and hair. Yum. I would not go back here unless I was with someone who -really- wanted to go.
(2)Evelyn Z.
Nom nom! Fish is fresh and tasty. They have an awesome garlic-onion dressing they pour over their fried fish. Margaritas are pretty strong, only took two to get me a little "happy" ;)
(5)Brynn M.
Food was delicious and plentiful... the outdoor seating was amazing on a Saturday afternoon. Also, $10 PITCHERS of top shelf house margaritas??? Who are we kidding, that's amazing. The only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is because of the service. It was good, but it wasn't great (we had to ask for water a couple of times). Other than that, well worth the trip!
(4)Jean C.
It's been at least a year since I have been to El Barco. I should change that. This place is shaped like a boat from the outside. You really can't miss it. A friend suggested this place to me and so we went. We didn't have reservations and it was a Friday night. A table for two? No problem! I was surprised because the place was packed. Oh and on the way in, we saw my hubby's cousin dining al fresco. It was her first time as well. Anyway, I kind of knew what I wanted because I have this problem where I look at the menu on their website many times to get a feel for the food. Naturally, when I arrive and start looking at the menu, I still have to be the last person to order. They have an extensive menu. Whatever you want, they probably have it. The one dish I order over and over again is the whole fried red snapper with garlic. This dish is delish! They fry the fish and set it on a stand so when it arrives to your table, it's sitting there nice and pretty for you to devour. And when I say whole, I mean the eyes, the teeth everything is still on the fish. The insides are removed though. In addition to the fish you get rice and veggies. This plate is almost as long as my body and I have a long torso. My husband loves the Diavolo Shrimp. Pretty sure he get it every time. Portions are so big that we are always bringing food home. And it's no easy feat to jam a whole snapper in a styrofoam to-go container. One thing that is cool about this place is the wall of tequila. It's amazing and impressive that the shelves are able to hold them all. I would hate to be the table against that wall if anything were to happen.
(4)Yahir N.
Hard to find great seafood and affordable restaurants in Chicago area this place has been my favorite seafood restaurant for long time I love seafood and this place they know how to cook it just the way I like it (my favorite from their menu, empanadas de pescado, pulpo al mojo de ajo, and the ceviche is great)
(5)Sharon W.
I'm going to ignore the fact that I saw the filthy waitress station right in front of the women's bathroom and give this place 4 stars. Sounds good, right? ;-) Honestly, the food was really tasty. We ordered the shrimp ceviche, which was excellent and my favorite part of the meal. And, I certainly can't forget the pitcher of margarita for $10. You should always get the pitcher - even if you're dining alone. A glass costs about $8 - why not spend a few more bucks to get a full pitcher? We also ordered the shrimp and guacamole quesadillas, which were also pretty good. The shrimp were nice and large, not the baby salad shrimp. For the main course, we split the mahi mahi fajita - not my favorite part of the meal, but decent. Service was a bit slow, but it really didn't bother me since I was enjoying a relaxing Friday night dinner. A big plus is a lot of outdoor seating; they even have a pseudo outdoor seating that is covered when it's raining.
(4)Brandon B.
I went back there again after a long time away. I still really like the food, but the place now gets some demerits: - Don't get the sangria. It tastes like Kool-Aid. - Service is still pretty awful. We got our chips, but had to ask twice for salsa. Several times, we were brought food and drinks that weren't ours. - The waitress was nice enough, but we felt ignored for the first 15 minutes. I made it clear to her that I wanted the mixed cerviche, but with no shrimp. Guess what she brought. After our food was served, she then came every 3 minutes to ask if we needed anything. Weird. Good food, plentiful portions, but not great service.
(3)Kelly G.
Last night, my husband and I got the itch to get out for some al fresco dining and booze. We're semi-new to West Town, and I've recently discovered that I'm gluten-intolerant, so we weren't quite sure where to go. After walking for way too long, we remembered passing by El Barco a few times, and realized that it met all of our requirements for the evening: booze, outdoor seating, and lots of options for someone on a gluten-free diet. I think it's unfair to judge a restaurant based on one visit if that first visit is a Saturday night. The staff was very unorganized, a little ditzy and completely ignored my husband when he told them that there was no tp in the mens room. After waiting for way too long, he eventually grabbed a bunch of napkins and went in. Despite these annoyances, there were a few things that made our visit worth the long, aimless walk: - The portions are INSANE. I have an impressive appetite, but I'm the type of person who usually will eat half of my food, and take the other half home for lunch the next day. I'm now in my second El Barco-induced food coma in two days, and I still have enough leftovers for dinner. My husband and I agreed that the next time we go, we're going to split an entree. - The margaritas may be a bit on the weak side, but the prices are excellent. Pitchers are about $9. Many places charge that much for just one margarita! A pitcher serves about 2.5 giant margaritas. The actual flavor of the food was decent, but I wouldn't say it was excellent. However, they load your plate with so many different vegetables (and a potato), that it makes up for it a little bit. Two entrees, two margaritas, and two pitchers of margaritas (um, yeah; we got a little hammered last night) came to just over $60 plus tip. However, now that we know that one entree can fill up both of us, and their pitchers are so cheap, we figure that we can easily stuff ourselves and get a good buzz for probably half of that. One major problem with this restaurant: I absolutely will never go there in the colder months or when it's raining. The smell inside the restaurant was intolerable to me. My husband didn't seem to mind it that much, so I'm probably in the minority. Oh, and if you plan on dining here a few times, save your receipt. You get a free tee shirt with $200 in receipts!
(3)Valerie H.
Great for large, hungry groups with lots of Tequila, margaritas, and seafood options! The seafood parrillada for 4 consisting of grilled calamari, fish, butterfly shrimp, chicken, mussels, and steak can easily feed 6. The seafood is definitely better cooked than their meats. The ceviche and guacamole is fresh and abundant. We also went with a large, fried seabass, which I would've passed on, because it wasn't seasoned well. Also, it may be one of the only places I've been to in Chicago that serves fish tacos (usually reserved for San Diego). Limited parking across the street in a lot, but should be enough street parking on Ashland.
(4)Jason K.
We tried it once, we thought it might be good because it usually looks crowded. But when we get there and say hello to the waitress in English we hear her gossiping about us a few seconds later to another waitress "ha ha they must not understand Spanish." We ordered some of the shrimp and steak items, everything but the corn was horribly over salted. Ugg too salty! Then we were left waiting 20+ minutes for the check, she looked surprised when we finally had to ask for it, another 10+ minutes for our change. Never going back.
(1)Fabiola R.
I love it! The maragritas are great, and the empandas de camaron are delicious!
(5)Carri A.
Ok seriously? I have nothing against seafood and certainly not mexican food, but this restaurant is one of the weirdest dining experiences I've ever had. In a bad way. The menu is very adventurous (and borderline ridiculous) and I was constantly distracted by the Mexican pop music videos playing on the monitors located around the dining room. The salsa/fire paste smelled questionable and was overly, unnecessarily hot. Not impressed with their tortillas either. And if a mexican restaurant, even a Mexican seafood restaurant, cannot impress me with their salsa OR even their tortillas, you are dead to me.
(2)Michael H.
If you're looking for mexican-style seafood, then this is your place. The portions are huge. The whole red snapper deep fried (and spicy) is a must. There is some outdoor seating for when it's warm out too.
(4)Melinda H.
Omg! The food was absolutely delish! I had the Just Order It which came with tons of shrimp, mixed veggies and rice. The platter is absolutely enourmous. Great place if you have a big guy who is heavy into seafood and steak. The steak was seasoned to perfection and the deep fried whole fish was divine. For appetizers I recommend the shrimp empanadas and please believe the magaritas will get you lifted. Definitley not a place for the salad eaters!!
(4)Vickie L.
Love this place! It has tons of character inside and out! It's shaped like a boat on the outside, and inside has nets and plastic fish and kitchy stuff all over the place! Wait staff is pretty friendly too. But the best part is the food! Complimentary chips and salsa are great, they bring you 3 kinds of salsa, they're not your typical kinds, so try them all out! For 4 of us, we typically get one of the large grill platters with tons of steak, chicken, fish, shrimp, clams, corn, potatoes, etc etc. Wow, they give you so much food, we always have leftovers! If you don't like seafood, don't come here, as I had their steak tacos once and they were not good, very dry. But their seafood is awesome. I've also had the fried red snapper twice, both times they were cooked to perfection, I had to stop myself from moving onto the other side and eating the whole other half of the fish. There is a parking lot right across the street, but it's usually full. I wouldn't park there, I always see cars trying to get in and out, it's an accident waiting to happen. Parking is usually really easy on Ashland or on one of the side streets. Also, expect to wait for a table if it's nice out, I usually see huge groups of people waiting outside. Luckily they have an outdoor space to accomodate the increase in patrons.
(4)Winifred b.
Went her for adult conversation with my bouse-do -you crew. atmosphere great for meeting friends and family. Good customer service. We were seated promptly even though it was crowded. They got me a table even though the whole party wasn't there. Food was only mediocre. I got the Red Snapper (reason I went) was decent nothing to write home about. Someone got the fried shrimp, that was good and tasty. One dish bland and not memorable (I can't remember the name) the other dish was sent back and nothing reordered. Overall, El Barco was decent but not a place I would recommend to out of town guest or a go to place to eat..
(4)Paul W.
I'm not mexican...but damn do I love this place. That homemade mole dip they give you is awesome. The shrimp ceviche app is a meal in iteself. Atmosphere is noisy but fun, and they have negro modelo on tap.
(4)Ted R.
If you are looking for a no-frills, fun atmosphere, local food spot... El Barco wins hands down. Don't waste your time or $ on the appetizers, ceviche or guac. Go straight for the fish entrees. Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos were the best I've ever had. And, I've eaten fish tacos in Cali, Florida and Mexico. I couldn't believe how fresh the fish tasted and the sauce it was marinated in was unbelievable. Grilled Shrimp salad was awesome. Big, thick and juicy prawns. YUH! The rest of the reviews are right on about the service. I forgive and forget because it feels more authentic when the waitresses barely speak English. :)
(4)Zerlina S.
What can i say LOved It!!!!!
(5)T M.
I live right in the hood and have wanted to check this place out for awhile. It was well worth the wait! I love this place, and it is now my new fave in the area! The prices were great and the selection was huge! I have to say, the shrimp/cheese quesadilla was probably the best thing I've ever tasted! The margaritas were tasty, and cheap too! I'm in love!
(5)Y V.
We went here on a Friday night and it was packed. There were people waiting outside and in the restaurant. We had to wait over half and hour for a table, and it was a bit uncomfortable just standing over people eating. We didn't have a great start to our evening, but our meal made up for it. I ordered the fried whole red snapper. It was delicious! I'm always a fan of restaurants that serve whole fish. It was moist and flavorful. The side of vegetables were kinda bland, though. It was a simple mix of potatoes, carrots, and green beans. The rice was o.k. I tried a bite of my bf's skirt steak dinner, which was really good. I'd definitely order that dish again. The margaritas were pretty good, too. The customers are diverse, ranging from families to couples and everyone in between. There are flat screen tvs playing Spanish music videos, too. It was a popular place, but we'll try to go back on a non-Friday/Saturday night.
(3)Jaynie K.
Three words: WHOLE DEEPFRIED SNAPPER. I had dinner here with a friend a few years ago while visiting, and that experience lingered in my mind. This summer, I returned to Chicago with a friend from home and I was super excited to bring her to El Barco. She is a picky eater, but she was impressed and satisfied with the meal. We had the pescado ceviche, guacamolito, and the snapper with garlic sauce. Oh my goodness!!! I had side pains and was dizzy for a while from food overload, but it was so totally worth it.
(4)Peter G.
If this place had a bit more weathered feel it could pass for an authentic seaside joint. The novelty stuffed sealife on the walls, oversized menus, heavy wood furniture, baskets of limes, whole fish platters makes it the real thing. I have no idea what I'm talking about, but it just seems very authentic and real. Especially when that whole snapper is staring up at you from its bed of shellfish and veggies, it's just so hard not to love. If you like staring at fish. Skip the oysters, get the ceviche. Reasonable prices, great portions. Good sangria. Loud music videos. Fun.
(4)Patrick O.
Food: Fantastic! Really great, authentic food. Recommendation: Seafood. Price: Not too bad. Worth the price. Other: Pretty good drinks, but not the best margaritas around. Can you get a good margarita anywhere else but Ceasars? Frequency: A few times a year.
(5)Tammy Q.
I really really liked this place. Liked it so much that I ate here twice in one weekend. The food is fresh, comes in large portions and the staff is very friendly. Before you get your main entree, they provide you with chips and twotypes of salsas, one that is super hot and the other that looks like crushed chilis with garlic and oil -- so damn good! Every table has mini limes and all types of hot sauces and A1 sauce so you never have to bother your server. Genius! The meals come with a side of veggies, guac, rice and beans! What more could you ask for? I absolutely love the sangria here and the tres leches cake melts in your mouth. I love enchiladas and burnt stuff. So when my enchiladas were slightly burnt on the edges, I was in heaven. I am definitely going to come back for more.
(4)Sarah R.
The first few times I came to El Barco, I loved it. It's so colorful, and happy. But the more I went there, the less I loved it. All the food seems to be prepared the same way, so even though the menu is huge, it's like you get the same thing every time. Everything is fresh and tastes really good, just the same. And the service is hit or miss. Sometimes, you only see your server when you order, and when you get the bill. Other times, they are all over you and it's just annoying. They do have great drinks. Giant, strong, cheap drinks. El Barco has huge, deliciously spicy micheladas......yum. But the chairs are really uncomfortable. And the limes on the table are usually dried out little nuggets of nothing. I guess I'm trying to say I'd rather get my seafood fajitas at Uncle Julio's. But for huachinango, hit up El Barco.
(3)erin m.
Ew. I can't believe the good reviews this place is getting. First of all, if a TGIFridays menu and the Cartoon Network mated, they would produce these menus as offspring. Seriously ridiculous. What you order off of the menu isn't much better. Sure, it's reasonably priced for seafood and the portions are enormous, but what you get is a whole fish (head and all) that is bland and overcooked, along with a huge plate of over steamed, wilted vegetables. Do NOT order the frozen margaritas- ours arrived in a frightening shade of neon green and didn't taste much better than they looked. I should acknowledge that the service was decent, as were the refried beans and shrimp. Also, I have to say, a giant pirate statue can make any gross meal just a little bit better.
(2)David K.
Very cool and authentic atmosphere. I felt like I was on vacation in Mexico. The food was also good and abundant. This is not your typical Mexican restaurant.
(4)Martha Z.
I fought with every ounce, or shall I say pound in my body to like El Barco, but my experience left me desiring so much more. Maybe El Barco is not the perfect place to have a large party meet up. The tables are small and there are barriers for condiment trays every few feet on the table. Our table of 10 only got two menus to look at, making ordering very difficult. Not to mention the lack of descriptions and the confusion of the the wait staff. "What's the difference between these 4 different tacos?" All I got was a shrug. When the food came out, the plates were so big we had to create double decker strategy to fit everyone's food on the table. My fish tacos were very bland and the fish was in giant chunks making it impossible to eat. The fish itself tasted like it had been caught in the Chicago River. Sorry just not my cup of margarita. The vibe was great with lots of colors, festivities and action, but if you want food that tastes good go somewhere else.
(2)Scott S.
Great seafood, questionable neighborhood.
(4)daniel v.
The food here is pretty decent but the service SUCKS! My sister and I ordered the red snapper and it took literally 45 minutes to get--and the place was half empty! After the 20th minute we kept asking what's going on and they kept saying it will take only a few minutes more. I think they ran out and had to catch some elsewhere. I'd order take out, but plan on spending a lot of time there waiting for your food.
(3)Luis C.
Where should I start. I was going to a street festival on Division and Damen, But it started Raining, I was Really Hungry, So drove down to Ashland, Saw el Barco, Been there once long time ago, and it wasn't a good experience, decided to give it another try, and it turn out to be worst as the fist time, We had the seafod for two or should I say The Rubber band Seafood for two, everything on the plate was bland, All of the seafood Had the same flavor, the only thing that had flavor was the crab legs,, umm I guess because it had a shell and all the bad flavor wasnt in it, If you have good taste buds I wont recommend this place,, It was a waste of money, overall i will never come back to this place ,,,never,, If You like food that tastes like a bunch of Grilled rubber bands, this will be your place,,,Not for me ,,,,,,This place Sucks........
(1)Flor O.
awesome food great pricessss!
(5)joi p.
Giant portions. Love the ceviche and margaritas. Don't get the oysters - a bit fishy
(4)Aven A.
The portions ar large the ambience is cool and that's about it. The staff and service was pretty bad, they didn't bring us tortillas with our fajitas, and by the time we got them the food was cold. Chips and salsa were stale and the salsa was lukewarm. Margaritas were awful. The shrimp in my fajitas was not de-veined. The staff made us feel like we were in the way and they were too busy eating their own food at the table next to us. They started to close an hour early and were literally mopping under our feet. Really rude.
(2)Megan G.
Most delish and affordable seafood. Im in love with the Chile salsa on the table...Good drinks too! Just plan on waiting a long time if you go on the weekends....
(4)Michelle C.
Okay, after many attempts and reading many mixed reviews, I finally made it over to El Barco. Some goods, some not so goods. First off, we ordered WAY too much food. We were so stuffed after starters that it was hard to eat little more than a taste of our entrees. Lets break it down shall we. Oysters- small, briney, no sauce or lemons but plenty of key limes and hot sauces on the table, not great, not horrible, eh. Shrimp empanadas- So good on first taste! Crispy, well seasoned, good. But upon closer inspection we came to the conclusion that the crisp dough tasted exactly like puff pastry, the filled tasted like cheese mixed with cream of broccoli soup with diced shrimp. It on the whole, reminded us of some recipe they might have printed on the back of a Cambell's soup can. It was good, just sort of strange and processed tasting. Shrimp soup- Slightly salty, slightly spicy, scalding hot, MANY HUGE shrimps, no veggies, but none needed. This was great! I think a soup like this could kill any cold as good as if not better than, dare I say, my late grandmother's matza ball soup. Do a mitzvah and order a bowl of this soup. Mixed Seafood Ceviche- Mostly shrimp, a little fish, a very little octopus, couldn't even find the calamari, lots of cilantro, tomato, crisp, clean tasting, very good. Could have used less shrimp and more tentacled sea critters. Mesquite Broiled Snapper in Garlic Sauce- Huge! I didn't get much mesquite flavor in the fish, but it was moist and flaky. Way under-seasoned for my taste, but the addition of a little salt helped a lot. Loved the veggies, rice was okay, guacamole was not my favorite, but not bad by any stretch of the imagination. Margaritas- On the rocks, fine. Frozen with tamarind... my honey thought it was outstanding. I thought it was a little too sweet. Overall, okay. Service- Fine, no problems on a Friday night. We were a little confused as to who our server was, but everyone we asked to help us did a fine job. Maybe it's one of those team scenarios. Decor- Cornball as hell and I loved it! Like Red Lobster with booze on the walls. I liked it inside and out. Overall- Fine, great value, best part... that ancho chile garlic mole/pesto/whatever it was! Amazing! Might be back, we will see.
(3)Andrea J.
Good food, a killer list of tequilas and a fun atmosphere.
(4)Nora B.
El Barco is muy fantastico!!! If you love seafood, try it. If you love Mexican food, try it. If you love steak, try it! If you like yummy drinks, try it!!! Do you get the picture...Everything is good at El Barco! Great decor and a fun little spot with a nice outdoor section in the warmer months! Huge portions of everything, you won't be disappointed!!
(5)Deep D.
Best Mexican resturant in Chicago, great food, friendly staff. Highly recommend the red snapper
(5)Araceli R.
well we decide to celebrate sunday pre- valentines day at el barco.................was pack we wait 30 minutes to get a table for 4 soo i order guava margarita awesome strong ,also order queso fundido con camarones,coctel de camaron, huachinango,camarones a la diabla,and flan,the waitres was nice al the time the food really good see you soon el barco.
(4)Vincenzio S.
El Barco, is my favorite Mexican place in Chicago! Feels like you're more near the ocean, rather being in Chicago. Doesn't get any fresher than this. I recommend this place 2 all my friends. Great service great drinks. Sometimes the wait is long.....
(4)Ricka D.
I came here with a friend, and I was soooo excited to try this place, as it had been on Check Please. It was pretty cold out, and the first thing I noticed was that the icy sidewalk in front wasn't very conducive for my high heels. Eeek! The waitress took a while to get to us, and when she did, she seemed annoyed that we weren't ready. Wait let me rephrase that; she seemed annoyed AT ME. My companion even asked me if I knew her from somewhere else, since that would be the only way to explain her cold behavior. This was consistent throughout our meal, and it got to the point of being so uncomfortable, it was funny. I'm sure the kickin' margaritas added to the humor of the situation. We ordered our meals; I was excited to get my ceviche tostadas. So I was pretty confused when she brought me a martini glass full of ceviche. Apparently, what I received was the ceviche appetizer. Maybe I should have been more specific, but in all of my dining experiences , when I order a dish that appears in both the appetizer and the dinner sections, the waiter will ask me to specify which one I wanted. Ugh, whatever rude waitress. I would give it 1 star for service, but because the guacamole and margaritas were so delicious, I'll bump it up to 3. And I actually hope to return some time, hopefully with a better experience.
(3)Adlyyn Z.
My favorite restaurant when it comes to Mexican seafood. The restaurant is small but the food is delicious! They really do make quality food
(5)Lily R.
Love huachinango a la veracruzana y al mojo de ajo, fish does not taste old. The Shrimp fajitas are delicious! big shrimp. Love the shrimp ceviche. Service is friendly and attentive, my mom loves the black hot sauce they serve upon arrival with chips. Do not order french fries they are not very good. Everything is else is delicious. Happy to have discovered EL BARCO for our seafood cravings. Dine in experience is great and so is carry out (they always get your oder RIGHT)
(5)Adriaan T.
Great place to go for drinks and they have good food to go with it I love to come here for margaritas. You can have the manliest drink in the room when you are sipping your pink guava margarita. I literally felt the hormones racing through my head. I think by now I have tried all the frozen margaritas. They are delicious. If you are feeling hungry you should have some of the food too! Personal favorites is the ceviche con todo (the size has to be chingon) and the parrillada. It makes sense to come here with a big party. If you are only going to eat though, I prefer the small restaurant across the street
(4)Enrique R.
Amazing seafood and service! I have been coming to this place for over a year now and it has never disappointed! I was recommended this place by a bartender at Garcias in Lincoln square. I have gotten several of their items such as their mariscada, fish tacos, and their parrillada and e returning had been delicious. A tip: the parrillada or the mariscada for two is more than enough for three people. It can even feed four.
(5)Dennis R.
Owner wrote me, insisting twice more to order in English to avoid confusion when my Colombian born mother felt confident the Spanish speaking Latina waitress understood. If she wasn't sure she could have asked to clarify, not to mention you can still have confusion ordering in English. Just own up to it, they didn't serve what we ordered, not like I'm trying to get anything from this.
(3)michael w.
A friend suggested this place - Super crowded/packed/Hellacious wait - figure on at least an hour. During poor weather, no where to stand but amongst the diners in the bar. All said and done, the food was OK and the margarita was as well. Not great, but OK. IMHO the item that excels at this place is absolutely free, the smoked pepper spread that they bring out with the chips. Beyond fantastic. My tip would be to come off hours to dodge the masses, have a drink, and pig out on the smoked pepper spread. I think we ate too much of it while we were there and they either cut us off, or they ran out for the night. I saw the fried red snapper with head on brought out, but I wasn't impressed because I am not a fry guy in general, but especially when it comes to seafood. Parking is street, so it can be challenging, and getting across the street can be as well.
(3)Leonard W.
My aunt took me here with my cousin for my birthday dinner (week) and boy was I surprised about this place as I hadn't heard of it at the time and two, My aunt's pick can be a bit of hit or miss and I was sure this place was going to be a hit, but hey I've been wrong before. Not even that big of a seafood fan but I did enjoy coming here. LONG wait took about 40min before we were able to sit down, but we came on a Friday night around 8:30pm with no reservation. Got a few drinks and few appetizers. Enjoyed the atmosphere. Can't recall having anything that I didn't like and can't wait to come again.
(4)Mink L.
No regrets on trying El Barco because of the hype. How do you know if something is good without trying it, right? Maybe it was an off night or maybe we just didn't order right. Large portions for sure, but the seafood was dry and the meat was over cooked. The micheladas; however were great. Micheladas- beer with essentially a Bloody Mary mix. Yum! I'm a fan of bloody Mary's and a huge fan of micheladas. El Barco's was on point!
(3)Cinthya Q.
Fantastic! This is awesome! It's quick service and the food is delicious. You can't go wrong with a place that sells margarita pitchers for $15 ( and we got about 8 martini size glasses from it). Plus the mango margarita was nice and refreshing. We ordered the Parrillada for three people. And boy oh boy is that a huge serving. It has chicken, mahi mahi, calamari, octopus, shrimp, steak, prawns, and even crab legs. It is easy to overcook calamari and octopus and I am usually very weary about ordering them anywhere. However, at El Barco. Wow! They are both tender and delicious. The steak was tender, the grilled chicken had a deliciously sweet/ tangy taste, the mahi mahi was moist, and even the grilled veggies were grilled perfectly. The tables are communal and each has a key lime basket. The basket is so smart because I love me some line with my lime juice with my sea food. In the end we had left overs and asked for a to go box. When I put everything in the box I counted 19 shrimp left over. And we had went to town on the platter! It's a great place to meet with a group of people and enjoy a fun time.
(4)Mark H.
This place goes all-out with everything. Coronas are huge and served in a mini ice bucket, chips are huge, salsas are very spicey. My friends ordered a gigantic whole fish, fried and served with veggies - it was impressive. I got chicken fajitas which were a huge portion and everything was very good. I don't normally eat beans, but this place satisfied me. Things for improvement - Place could have been a little cleaner, it was super cluttered. Slightly on the pricey side and they need some salsas that are actually edible. But overall, very good.
(4)Holly O.
Authentic Mexican food & delicious. This is one of those places you can get a whole fish, eyeballs and all :) Which I think is a selling point! Margaritas available by the pitcher. Limes at the table. Wooden chairs that all say Mexico. Only cons: they play a lot of Latino pop music & they play it very loudly. Also it's so popular that if you come at a peak time (ie every Fri & Sat night), expect a wait. But worth it!
(5)Andrea M.
This is a local Mexican seafood joint for people who care about good food, served simply and well. I have been here 4 times and have never had a bad experience. So I feel like a balance needs to be addressed on here to confront all the people slamming this place: 1) large menus - so what? at least you know when you bring your Grandma she can read it. I get it, they are laughably big, but it provides for added entertainment surely? 2) crowded seating - please visit Paris then get back to me on crowded seating. I think the fact it is cosy is all part of the atmosphere, so try and dig it! 3) mushy sweetcorn - I am grateful for any vegetables adorning my plate in this country. I can name countless places where their idea of vegetables counts as deep fried green beans.I welcome the veg with open arms and it's a welcome break from the spicyness of everything else. Who really cares if one item is slightly overdone? perhaps this is not the place for you? 4) shrimp with heads - these are langoustines, make sure you order them! The shrimp without heads are just as good too! 5) fishy ceviche - 'nuff said, of course it is FISHY. It's made of fish. My favourites: - mixed ceviche - langoustines el barco - shrimp el diabla - calamares el ajo - red snapper - snow crab legs I am a seafood lover and bounce back between this place and Fahlstrom's Fish Market in Lakeview. Both are unpretentious and excellent fun with great seafood and portions. One tip: Order margheritas by the glass if you want them strong! And take home whatever you don't finish in terms of food! The atmosphere of this place is great, Spanish spoken everywhere, fun music and always bustling. Come wearing your nice summer dress and smart shorts for a fun patio experience that can't be missed! Thanks El Barco for converting me to Mexican food!
(4)Pris S.
Service: it's really busy but the waitress kept forgetting about us. Food: we had the mariscada for 2. It was lots of food but the seasoning wasn't all that great. Overall, it was nice to try but prefer the restaurant across the street called Venero De Nayarit. Amazing seafood!
(3)Delaney W.
Grilled octopus. Good god, YES. I could eat 5 plates of this and not regret it. Everything is good. The salsas are good. The tortillas are good. The margaritas are good. The speed in which you get your food is better than good. I've never had to wait more than 10 minutes, but I certainly would. El Barco is my JAM. If you order a platter, however many people it claims its for, add one or two, depending on how much the people you have with you. You'll definitely have leftovers.
(5)Vanessa D.
First time going to this place was a Saturday afternoon. Although a full house, our wait wasn't long. We were given a choice to sit inside or outside. We got seated outside which is what i wanted although we had said whatever was fine. The staff were fairly friendly and our waiters did a good job attending us. I ordered a strawberry margarita frozen which tasted good not too strong or light. Also ordered a appetizer of shrimp empanada which was awesome. We ordered the parrillada for 2 people and we couldn't finish but tasted amazing. As they sat us down we got waters with tostadas and guacamole which was really good but very spicy. The other was like a mole style salsa which tasted very good. I was expecting ceviche like other restaurants. i will definitely be returning.
(5)Mouse C.
El Barco is absolutely my favorite Mexican restaurant as of recent. My bf and I dined here on New Year's Day as we were looking to cure the effects of the previous night's par-tay;) El Barco definitely did the trick. Well first of all, they were open. It's hard to find places to dine on New Year's Day but El Barco proved to actually be sort of packed...I think some party revelers had the same idea as us. I started with a mango margarita. OH LORD this was the worlds largest margarita...it was large enough to bathe in, but I chose to drink it instead. Delicious, and full of tequila! Scoreeeee. The chips and guac that came next were were very fresh and accompanied my marg perfectly. We also chose the queso fundido for an app. It had the option of coming with shrimp, which we ordered on the side, and that gave it an interesting twist. The fundido was good, but very very greasy. For the mains, I ordered the steak tacos. LOVED!!!! The steak was so fresh and they appeared at the table piping hot as they came individually wrapped with a personal helping of cilantro and onion on the side so you can chose to put as much, or as little as you like. Hands down best steak tacos to date. My bf had the fish tacos which were good...they were light, not fried like most fish tacos. Although we were in the mood for fatty and fried. Both taco platters also came with a side of rice and beans. Overall the portions and quality of food at El Barco can not be beat. Warning: if you like firey sauce that will burn each one if your taste buds off - then you will enjoy the sauce they put on the table. Unknowingly, I helped myself to a heaping scoop of the green sauce as I thought it was avocado based and I literally thought I was going to die. 10 sips of my giant marg helped calm me down. The only downfall I could think of regarding El Barco, is that it's a bit pricey. But I'm not hating, because the quality and selection are well worth the extra scratch. I can't wait to be back! ;)
(4)svetlana k.
At first glance, this place is a loud, locals only hole in the wall. The music is eclectic and plays dance techno to Mexican music. Came here for lunch on a Sunday around 2pm, this place was packed! Managed to get the last table available. The menu is HUGE, not only with choices but the mere size of the menu took the entire table! Ended up choosing the two options most popular on yelp: whole red snapper and the seafood platter for 2. This was shared between 4 people. Plenty of food and we managed to finish pretty much everything and were stuffed! Definitely don't order the seafood platter for 4, it would be way too much food. The red snapper was made with garlic and fried ($36). I love garlic but I couldn't taste it at all. Not much seasoning on the fish but it wasn't overcooked and still pretty tasty. The seafood platter had octopus (surprisingly really good and tender, slightly charred), calamari, shrimp (overcooked), mussels (a little fishy), crab legs (moist and delicious), mahi mahi, and fried fillet of fish: All for $58. That's a steal for the amount of food we consumed. We also ordered frozen margaritas, their "small" ones are called enormous and they truly are. Personally, I don't particularly like margaritas but I enjoyed this one. Overall, I would give this place a 3.5. Not quite a 4 because the quality of the food could be better. But great hole in the wall kind of place.
(3)Gary R.
Wow. I loved this place!!' I'm sure they don't need another rave review but I can't help myself! We came with my daughter and son-in-law who had been here before and told us we HAD to come. They were so right! First of all, you must get a pitcher of the Macabrona margaritas. The grand Marnier makes a difference! It is amazing!! We ordered the calamari in wine and garlic sauce ( a departure for me since I always prefer marinara sauce - until now!) A huge plate of the largest, most tender rings I've ever had. Spectacular!! I could make a meal just on those! But that would deprive me of all the other fabulous offerings! The servings are huge. And so tasty! 4 large eaters could barely finish 3 shared entrees!! Keep that in mind - tons of food!! Our favorite was the carne patas -a juicy, tender skirt steak cooked to perfection (medium rare) with crab legs. Holy cow was that good!!! The grilled shrimp was amazing too! And the mahi mahi with diablo sauce? Another winner!! Guacamole, salsa, sides, everything was fabulous. It's tight quarters and very crowded. The platters barely fit on your table so it can be a challenge if you order several items. But GO HERE!! It is so worth it. I'm getting the whole snapper next time!
(4)Sara A.
Oh my god why didn't I discover this before! First things first I'm not Mexican and I don't know a lot about how Mexicans eat their fish. But if they eat it like that I am a fan!! Perfectly cooked, huge portions but for such a low price (are you kidding me I got 20 shrimps, at least 15 calamari, 15 octopus, one huger lobster, corn, vegetables and rice for less than 19$?) I pay more if I bought two wraps of falafel for god'a sakes! Great service tasty food, I didn't think it was greasy (and I'm a health enthusiastic) Waitresses are warm and kind, knowledgable about the menu. I'm coming back every time I crave seafood!
(5)Anna B.
We sat in the indoor patio and felt forgotten. About 5 minutes AFTER the food was brought, the waitress came to check on us and that's when we let her know that we need plates, sauces and refills of our waters. After she took care of that, no one came back to check on us. The food itself was slightly below average in taste. Presentation was nice but I was disappointed in flavor. I always have the calamari from any new seafood restaurant I try and that was decent yet not better than Cafe Iberico or La Fogata's calamari.
(2)Rey C.
Awesome place. The food is incredible, camaron a la diabla has a twist with different sauce that I've seen anywhere in the usa. The red snapper is the dish people come here for. Its huge and they serve it very nicely in this long plate. The wait was disappointing because we were first told it was 1:15, but they sat us after just 35 min.. The service is great, very attentive even though the place is crowded. Will definitely come back here again on my next Chicago visit...
(5)Maurice S.
Great food and atmosphere. The shrimp stuffed with cheese and wrapped in bacon are so good! Definitely the best refried beans I've had at any Mexican restaurant.
(4)Tracey H.
The ceviche is as good as it gets here. The snapper is also excellent. My only complaint is that the restaurant is too small when the outdoor garden/seating is closed for the winter.
(5)Gina V.
I love taking my mother to el barco. She loves her vuelve a la vida, shrimp,oyster, octopus cocktail. I like the tamarindo margarita. The fried fish is like a whale size portion. You will need to share for sure. The parilladas are plentiful and where else is going to serve as appetizers SALSAS bien picosas and forget the drinks. The service is no good. There is no parking so good luck hunting for a place to park. The food is delicious. We go at least once a month yumm
(4)Carolina N.
I thoroughly enjoyed the fried red snapper, and the ceviche was delicious; generous portions. The margaritas were very good as well and inexpensive. I also ordered a side of refried beans that I really liked! The reasons why I am only giving this place 3 stars is first off, because they put me and my boyfriend in the worst spot to sit. We try not to be complainers but I wish I had said something. They put us right by the host stand/computers, where most of the traffic flowed through. My boyfriend was constantly getting bumped by the bussers, and the waitresses would be standing right over there all veering there way around my boyfriend who was sitting on the corner. It was distracting and uncomfortable. This restaurant is small, although it looks way bigger from the outside. They should not have that table we were sitting at be a place to sit at all; not nice whatsoever. Lastly, the service was just okay. The waitresses were not very nice and seemed annoyed and even bothered when I asked for things. A very unwelcoming attitude overall. We were given one word answers and questions that were bothersome, such as, "Ready?", "Drinks?" "Done?" "Beans" (as she practically threw the side of beans that took over 15 minutes to get to my table). We also felt rushed, we were not even done with our food yet, when she asked "Done?" Like no, we are still sitting here, enjoying our food and taking time to eat it. Even after we paid, our waitress watched us sign our bill, and grabbed it right as we put our pen down and looked at the tip right in front of us, which by the way I've worked in the industry and that's a major NO-NO. We left a good tip regardless. I never tip less than 20% even if I wasn't entirely satisfied with my dining experience. Although the food was delicious, I feel like restaurants forget that even though people come to eat good food, they also come for the experience and kind service. That for me can be the difference between just an OK place and an EXCELLENT place. And like others have said, the SALSA IS VERY SPICY. But I guess it makes you drink your margarita quicker and order more to soothe the spiciness.
(3)Stephanie H.
No. I actually debated giving this 1 star. As others have mentioned this place is about quantity than quality, but there's better food at an OCB (Old Country Buffet) than here. Once you walk inside the boat restaurant, your table has crackers, limes, hot sauces, etc there. In addition to a stack of tortilla which are greasy and 2 sauces/dips which were bad- both the red and green. We came for the seafood and margaritas. I must have gotten something different than everyone else. My margarita was awful, I've had better at Chili's. We shared the paradilla plate which is a whole lot of seafood and some steak and chicken. This was meh for sure because it was low quality and full of grease. I will say the octopus was good, but everything else was blah. It's clearly not fresh, which is understandable, but the crab legs were just terrible. This place was packed the whole time we were there, but I'm not sure why. I won't be back.
(2)Ashley B.
I kept driving by this place and finally decided it was time to check it out. I'll try and sum it up with a couple sentences: The margaritas were huge, and a bit too sweet for me. You get SO MUCH food! I left with a couple doggie bags for sure. Ceviche was a little too fishy. I was scared to re-heat my seafood after I got home. Didn't seem all that fresh I'd come back and order less next time.
(3)Mireya F.
Blah! I was super excited to try out this place but I wouldn't even consider going back, that's how bad it was. I don't get all the rave reviews, maybe they haven't tried really good seafood like we have on the southside, I dunno. Food: Everything was super salty! The rice had way too much seasoning & way too much salt, same with vegetables. The shrimp was not even peeled, the skin was still on, yuck! There were 4 of us & no one liked their dish. The skirt steak had no flavor & my mom who had the fish soup said the fish was hard & had no more than 2 bites of it. Even the piece of corn on the cob that they give you was weird, it was so overlooked & mushy I didn't even eat that. The mango margaritas were just that, certainly nothing special. Nobody even took their leftovers, and we had A LOT of leftovers. I really tried to like this place but I've had way, WAY better seafood than this. I really don't know how this place is so busy. The only reason I gave it 2 stars was because the owner/manager was super nice & went out of his way to accommodate me & even ran over to avoid customers' cars getting tickets from CPD for blocking other cars. The restaurant itself is very crowded, a lot smaller than it seems from the outside & super cramped. Chairs are super hard & uncomfortable. All the waiters, waitresses seemed annoyed because they had to navigate around all the customers waiting to be seated. It also took our waitress 15 minutes to come & finally acknowledge us & get drink orders. In short, I'll stick to the south side for good seafood, good prices & where you'll never have trouble finding parking, or have to pay for it.
(2)Thomas C.
Caught the "Chicago's Best" review of this place and rad the yelp reviews. Seafood is the way to go, they've got a lot of it, and it is fresh and it is good. The Ceviche (don't listen to them, one order would be enough for at least four, maybe six) as with all of the portions are large and satisfying. Unbelievable tequila selection, huge margaritas ... but the focus should be on the menu, specifically the seafood. Shared this unbelievably loaded seafood plate that had mussels and shrimp and fish and cactus and all corn and it was supposedly for three but easily would have fed over twice as many as we barely put a dent into it.
(4)Cristina P.
This place is so good, I came two nights in a row. I got the red snapper fried with garlic sauce and Holy Mackerel!! ( pun intended :P) that thing was goooood. The re-fried beans were so tasty and the rice was flavorful too. When you walk in beware; the green sauce on the table is not guacomole; Its a super spicy mix; Before you take a bite make sure you have water. The guava Margarita is the shizzz...seriously please get it. Its on the sweeter side, but you don't find that flavor in too many places , so take advantage. I found a new Chicago favorite.
(5)