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Categories: Mexican, Latin American [Edit]
2270 Hasting St EVancouver, BC V5L 1V4
Neighbourhood: Grandview-Woodlands
(604) 569-2220
Happy Hour Tapas!
Come to El Barrio for 5.00 tapas from 5-6 pm Tuesday to Friday.
Enjoy most of our Appetizers at $5.00; from Thurs. to Sun. Burrito specials.
- Hours:
Tue-Wed 9 am - 10 pm
Thu-Sat 12 pm - 11 pm
Sun 12 pm - 9 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
14 reviews for El Barrio Restaurante Latino
All Reviews
El Barrio Restaurante Latino
6/21/2010
1 Check-in Here
I ended up coming here the first time when the boyfriend and I were having a hankering for some Mexican food and wanted to try someplace we'd never been before. Good choice! It happened to be a Friday night, so we got to enjoy some open mic entertainment while being treated like old friends by staff and checking out all the art on the walls by local Vancouver artists.
The food is incredible and not your typical heavy North American style Mexican/Latin food. Definitely more authentic than the usual fare found around here. My personal recommendations? The Sopa Azteca (awesome tomato based soup) and the garlic/lime/butter/tequila prawns, both off the appetizer menu. And I want to try basically everything else at some point.
My only complaint is that it was a bit hard to see the first time we went there, especially since we weren't sure exactly what we were looking for. The outdoor signage is all all red and black and not illuminated, so we nearly drove right past it trying to find the restaurant at night.
Definitely going back.
El Barrio Restaurante Latino
6/20/2010
What a team! Front and back of house have it together here. Kelly is a wonderfully honest and gracious host. The kitchen turns out flavours that are actually delicious, not assaulting. All of the staff were attentive to all of the patrons, and it won't be long before we return with friends.
You can't eat the decor, thankfully. Basics great, needs more art that stands up to the assault of black yellows and red.
Looking forward to cabbing it home next time after "staying for another".
El Barrio Restaurante Latino
6/16/2010
2 Check-ins Here
Late night good times!
My friends convinced me to join them for a late night snack, and we ended up at El Barrio for the first time. It was open mic night, which was very cool if a little loud. The food, however, was fantastic - I hadn't planned on ordering more than drinks, but I was swayed by the delicious smells coming from the kitchen. We'll definitely be back - any place with good salsa is tops in my book, and EB's pico de gallo was *incredible*.
El Barrio Restaurante Latino
8/14/2010
I found El Barrio on Yelp! after searching for good Mexican food in East Vancouver. When I went to highschool in the neighborhood of El Barrio in the 90's the population of Latin Americans was quite large so I knew that I'd find some good Latin American food in this neighborhood.
The guacamole, albeit expensive (at $7.50 with 4 toritillas) was delicious. Often when you order guacamole or salsa and chips at Mexican restaurants it's not very good but here the taste was very flavorful.
We had enchiladas which were pretty good and chorizo tacos which were amazing. It's not very often that I don't have to add salt to food at restaurants but this was one of those times.
The service was extremely friendly.
The only complaints I have were that for the quality of food, I would expect excellent sangria but I would say it was decent but not something I would order every time. The guacamole was too expensive.
All in all, it was a great experience and I look forward to going back and trying other dishes at El Barrio.
El Barrio Restaurante Latino
Updated - 6/14/2010
2 photos
Since I don't have an i-gadget I'll pretend:
*8* "Check-ins here!"
I absolutely LOVE the food and the atmosphere at El Barrio.
The space is a fair size and a good layout. The bar is at the front but the cuisine is not to be missed, as Chef Luis brings the best of Salvadorian / Latin fusion to the table.
The BEST part, is that the whole menu is basically gluten free, which means I can relax and eat with out worry.
I ordered the Bison Tacos again, because I had to. (I'm addicted!) -and they had a wonderful smoky taste, they're just so delicious!
The Tostadas are outstanding, the Mole is rich. There are so many wonderful choices on this menu.
Chef Luis puts his heart into his cooking and he and partner Kelly are both gracious hosts that make all patrons feel welcomed.
See previous reviews for more details about the menu.
Listed in: Gluten Free/ Dairy free eats., Come on over to the North EAST…
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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2/28/2010
Today we had brunch at El Barrio, this is a great departure from the usual egg's n' bacon thing.… Read more »
Comment from luis m. of
El Barrio Restaurante Latino
6/19/2010
Thank You very much! VIVA Honduras!!!!!!!!!!!
More »
El Barrio Restaurante Latino
7/25/2009
* Right idea - but not firing on all cylinders *
I was happy to see a variety of a la plancha offered on the menu. I was even happier when the very friendly server asked how I would like my carne a la plancha cooked. +1
The steak arrived on a sizzling skillet on top of peppers and onions. It came with a side of diced tomato salsa, guacamole, and corn tortillas wrapped in a towel. This all seemed really promising. +1
The corn tortillas were nicely grilled so that the "bubbles" had broken and browned. I think they may still be store bought tortillas but the extra grilling really helped them along nicely. +1
The guacamole had nice big fresh chunks of avocado and was nice. +1
The tomato salsa lacked spice entirely unfortunately. So it was more like a tomato salad almost. -1
The peppers and onions were unfortunately swimming in oil and not caramelized like I like them in an a la plancha. They took on an almost steamed quality as they had that much oil. Too bad. -1
The steak, which I had ordered rare, was definitely not rare at all getting much closer to medium well. Even though the menu promised it would be marinated in achiote and pineapple juice, it had almost no taste of seasoning sadly. Disappointing. -1
I asked if they had anything to spice things up a bit and the server was worried that I thought it was too spicy!!!!! Um, no.....When we clarified that he brought over a bottled green habañero sauce. It was disappointing that the only way to spice things up was a bottled sauce. -1
Pricing was high for what they offered with the a la plancha running $17.95 at lunchtime. -1
Overall there were some signs of hope. Considering all of their other positive reviews, perhaps they are not their strongest at lunchtime and I should return to try them at dinner when they are firing on all cylinders?
Listed in: Vancouver Latin and Caribbean…
El Barrio Restaurante Latino
4/27/2010
I've been wanting to go to this place for awhile and finally went tonight for dinner. Was blown away by the quality of the food. Very flavourful. I had the chichken torta and my partner has the beef enchiladas. Both dishes actually tasted different from one another, which i find is a problem in latino restaurants in this city - everything on the menu usualy tastes the same. The decor is maybe a touch bland, but I don't go to restaurants for my eyes. It's all about my belly! The portion to cost ration is spot on.
El Barrio Restaurante Latino
7/18/2009
I came here with a friend on his recommendation. He's usually on and he wasn't off on this one. The restaurant is a bit out of the way on East Hastings but any place worthy of the food is worth the journey.
The staff were friendly and attentive. The also had some great recommendations. We started with the spicy potatoes as an appetizer. They were fantastic! We polished off the generous plate in minutes.
I ordered a burrito that came with rice, pico de gallo, salsa verde and some black beans on the side. Inside, the burrito included some greens and as a pleasant surprise, cactus - which I love!
The servings was huge but not excessive - my friends didn't think I would finish it all (but I did)!
There's only a few items for vegetarians, but everything that was ordered looked delicious - even to me the vegetarian!
The only thing that I was disappointed by was the lack of (free) chips and salsa at the start of the meal, but the ample portion sizes made up for that.
If you're hungry and looking for some great Mexican/Latin food, give El Barrio a try!
Listed in: Burrito Feast, Vancouver Eats
El Barrio Restaurante Latino
6/19/2009
El Barrio is such a wonderful gem. A friend who lives in the neighborhood, er the barrio, suggested this place when we were getting a group of about 20 together. (The space works well for groups.) That first time I was there I enjoyed a margarita and queso fundido. The queso was awesome- a skillet of Oaxacan cheese with peppers and onions, served with hot corn tortillas. Amazing. The mojitos that others ordered were a big size. I had the chance to sample some potato dish that was excellent.
Last night I went again to El Barrio. I was proud to show off this place to other friends. They had live music- a great duo of Spanish guitar and some awesome vocals. (Two thumbs up for the atmosphere- also love the colourful paintings!)
This time I got the vegetarian enchiladas. They were good. However, they were not what I expected. I expected cheese- but really it was ONION, lots and lots of onion, perhaps sprinkled with some cheese? It was a great flavor- but I don't love onions that much, so next time I'll try beef or chicken. I tried the Sangria... it's good, but nothing I would rave about. Before our meal, we had a variation on the classic chips and salsa. It was a very small bowl of red salsa with thin strips of corn chips sticking out. Unusual- but nice presentation. The sauce I liked, the chips tasted a little bit like Fritos.
Despite not being thrilled with my onion enchiladas, I like this place a lot, and will keep returning to sample new things on the menu.
El Barrio Restaurante Latino
9/7/2009
The owner of this restaurant was really accommodating when it came to hosting a potentially large party here. My party didn't end up being as large as I expected it to but I was impressed with the Luis' (the owner) enthusiasm of having us.
The food was pretty good, especially on quality. I ordered a chicken burrito and tried the chicken enchiladas with red salsa and the layered tortilla thing with spinach. I found the sauces to be a little on the sweeter side than what I prefer my Mexican food to be. But if you ask for a side of habanero hot sauce, it does the trick. The rice quality is way better than Las Margaritas because you can see the whole grain of the rice. The beans were good, and wholesome, but I would have liked more salt and maybe some onion or garlic in their for more flavour.
I would totally go back there. The sangria was delicious, but really expensive $22.50 for a pitcher! You can get about 5 small glasses out of that.
Listed in: Hola! Bienvenidos a Vancouver!
Comment from luis m. of
El Barrio Restaurante Latino
9/20/2009
Thank you for Booking with us! you guys were a pleasure,…
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El Barrio Restaurante Latino
5/31/2009
2 photos
As a person who had spent over 17 years of my life in the US, I had not been to many Mexican/Latin restaurants I enjoyed here in Vancouver, until now.
El Barrio is owned and operated by Luis Montalvo, a wonderful man originally from El Salvador.
The restaurant boasts a dining area for over 70, ample parking on the streets, and the decor is fun and alive, yet tasteful.
My friends and I all went out to El Barrio for a birthday dinner, and the food certainly did not disappoint.
Amongst us 20 people, we had the following dishes:
Starters:
Totopos con queso: Home made tortilla chips, served with beans, pico de gallo, and melted Oaxaca cheese blend.
Quesadillas Vegetarian: Served with salsa and topped creama fresca.
Main:
Pollo en Mole: Chicken served with a blend of Mexican chilies and chocolate sauce. Served with rice, frijoles volteados, and our pepper medley
Ropa Vieja: Latin traditional shredded beef cooked to perfection infused with chilies and herbs Served with rice, frijoles volteados, and our pepper medley.
Pastel Azteca: Layers of tortillas, cheese, spinach, cuitlacoche (corn truffle) with green salsa, red salsa and crema fresca. Served with rice and frijoles volteados.
Dessert
Flan de caramelo: Custard base infused with vanilla and baked with caramelized sugar.
I had the Chicken Mole for my main dish, and it was delightful! Lots of flavor, volume, and fantastic presentation!
The staff were all very friendly, the margaritas were delicious, and we all left the restaurant fully satisfied!
I would recommend El Barrio to anyone who has a craving for some great Mexican/Latino food, or even just for some fun-filled evening with good friends!
El Barrio Restaurante Latino
8/29/2009
Good stuff. A friend and I stopped in for drinks and tacos with house- made chorizo. Delicious. I'll be back to try a full dinner.
EDIT (Oct 7 2009): I've been eating tacos at Dona Cata and La Taqueria... This review has to change to a 3. I'm not really a fan anymore, but it is decent.
El Barrio Restaurante Latino
9/18/2009
I only come here for drinks, to get my Sangria fix. I believe Drag night is every 3rd Sunday, and there's certain nights for Salsa dancing! I also happened to walk in during an open mic night, and was pleasantly surprised.
El Barrio Restaurante Latino
6/15/2009
El Barrio is my go-to for delicious and interesting Latin food! I fancy myself a bit of an expert on the stuff as its my favorite to eat and cook at home.
El Barrio is just a hop skip and a jump away from my job on the Drive and its the perfect place to get together for after work drinks and appys (free tapas with a pitcher of the best Sangria I've tasted in town!) or for a long Sunday lunch with my hubby. We both love the food - full of all the rich, spicy, and complex flavors I love in Latin cuisine. My "must have" dish is the Totopos Con Queso with added Chorizo. These are not the usual cheese drenched, soggy nachos you'd get elsewhere. House-made chips topped with just the right amount of cheese and sprinkled generously with Luis' home made chorizo, and finished with fresh pico de gallo. Not to mention the smoothest, creamiest re-fried black beans you'll ever taste. I'll order it to start if i have a few friends to share or as my entree if I'm feeling naughty! A new favorite is the Pollo Con Chipotle. My chicken Breast was grilled perfectly and draped in the best chipotle sauce I've ever had. Sitting atop Spanish rice and sauteed vegetables and crowned with warm and crispy tortilla chips, this entree was a feast for the eyes as well as my stomach.
I liked the place so much that I suggested it for a company holiday party and we threw our best fiesta yet! With the help of the talented Chef, Luis Montalvo, and his ever smiling partner in Crime, Kelly James, we threw a shindig for the record books.
The staff is always accommodating and knowledgeable and gives just the right level of service.
El Barrio is tops in my book.
