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

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

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Can't say enough how we enjoy Barrio's...usually I have my favorite surf and turf tacos, but tried the loaded burrito this time and was delicious. The food is fantastic, and everyone there is so nice and friendly. Great family run business. Might want to sit and listen to the music at Crafter's Brew next time while enjoying Barrio's food. So good! read more

Barrios Mexican Cantina - The Loaded Carnitas Steak Loaded Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Every single time, every meal, every bite, excellent. I have eaten here maybe 10 times so far. I cannot say enough good things about the quality of the food. The food is so flavorful and fresh. This time we had a large group, about $300 worth of food and tip and not a single issue or bad bite of anything. The best Mexican food we have found in Anderson County. My favorite, and now my family's favorite! The fried ice cream was a taste of nostalgia of amazing food from the West coast. The place is cute, and the service was very good. Please never change the recipes or execution. Flawless. Thank you and see you soon!!! read more

Food was okay, par for East TN Mexicqn cuisine. Service was competent. My main pet peeve is they charge MORE THAN the amount you sign for on the credit card!! Will not go there again. read more

Food was good, service polite and efficient. Been there twice, EACH TIME Barrios charged me MORE than the number I put as payment on the receipt. WTF?? I don't know if they are adding a surcharge for using a CC, but will NOT go there again. No one mentioned anything about an additional fee for CC usage, I saw no signs indicating such, the wait staff never mentioned it, I am just *assuming* they are charging me EXTRA for using a CC. if that's the case, they should tell you BEFORE you pay. Will not go there again. Caveat Emptor! read more

Looking for birria tacos or birriadillas? Barrios has got you! The food is a solid 5-star awesomeness for me and it is the service that knocked a star off. No one answers the phone so even for carryout, we had to go there to order....which kinda defeats the "call ahead and have food ready" convenience of takeout. To add insult to injury, they tack on a takeout fee. Doh! Once ordered (on a Tuesday), we waited 45 minutes for our food. Some of it was sitting the majority of the time and was cold while the rest was fresh and hot. Now for the good stuff. My carnitas birriadilla (a birria taco with cheese, pressed like a quesadilla). It's not on the menu but they can make both this or birria tacos. Holy Moly!! SO good, y'all. Soaking the tortilla in the dipping sauce prior to frying it up made it so dang flavorful. My husband really enjoyed his loaded/smothered burrito, too. We split street corn and the blacked mahi mahi taco (asked for fried but got blackened) and both were good. Our main dishes were the stars, though. The queso and chips were pretty solid, too. The queso had a good consistency, not runny nor easily congealed and a slight jalapeño kick. Can't wait to come back to this place! What a good find. read more

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The service was good, we were seated quickly even during the busy lunch rush. The tacos we tried were good, very unique flavors with lots of fresh cilantro. One star off for pretty meh guacamole. It tasted pre-made or like Costco, not like fresh avocados and cilantro. Just not worth ordering in my opinion. Atmosphere was okay, a little odd layout. The ladies restroom is not two feet from tables so that's awkward. Overall good, I'd try them again. read more

The food is very good as well as the service. It was very clean and everyone was friendly.

Service was good....... Food was ok and had to add shot w/gran manier to try and make marg something. That's all I have to say about that.... read more

Barrios Mexican Cantina - Beans and rice - Mexican Near Me - Oak Ridge, Tennessee

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Barrios Mexican Cantina's tuna ceviche, tinga tacos, and Baja mahi mahi tacos are all delicious!

Love the tacos and the margaritas at excellent, fresh lime, no mix used. Their salsa is a tad spicy and they have a hotter one you can request. Service is friendly. read more

First timer and loved this restaurant, fresh and homemade Mexican food. The tamales were super delicious. The family owned environment were warm and welcoming. Definitely loved the decor of the restaurant. I wouldn't necessarily recommend for large groups, it's more of a family size tables. read more

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In my experience, most small town Mexican restaurants are all the same. Not barrios though. They have great food, margaritas, and service. They have an extensive vegetarian menu and the giant veggie burrito is such a winner. Happy hour lasts until 7 and you get a giant marg for $8 and it's a GOOD margarita, not just a concentrate. Highly recommend read more

Wow, what a find. Love good Mexican food and down to the salsa, it is truly authentic. A must stop.

The food was OK. I got guacamole which had no lime or salt in it. I had to ask the lady twice to bring over some lime & salt so I could make it less bland. I also had to keep asking for water as they only had one waitress for the restaurant at the time. The reason I give this three stars is that although their chicken taco are well seasoned. I received a burnt fish taco. When I told the lady it was burnt she took my plate and started digging through the taco right in front of me. I was very turned off by that. Shortly after a woman came to our table from the back... I think she was the chef or maybe the owner. She asked me if there was anything else that I wanted... but I really just didn't like their food that much so there was really nothing else that I wanted. My friend who ordered the chimichanga also was not impressed and didn't finish it or take it to go for leftovers. One recommendation that I would have is to add an option on the menu of just chicken, rice, and beans (not a taco or associated with a tortilla). Best of luck read more

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This place is pretty yummy. The service can be kinda slow at times but I don't mind it so much. The staff is very nice. Would definitely recommend! read more

The Tacos are okay. I was a bit disappointed. I ordered 3 tacos al pastor/shrimp/barbacoa. The barbacoa was the best of the 3. The shrimp taco was mostly breading and the al pastor was much too charred for me. The music was loud. I'm not saying I wouldn't come back but I'd make different choices. read more

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Let's start with the fact that we got 3 tacos and a a bucket of 5 beers for $27.50. What a deal! The tacos were really good. We got cachete, surf and turf, and carnitas. All of the were really good and good size. Service was fantastic, restaurant was clean and bathrooms were even cleaner. You have to try this hidden gem. read more

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I have been looking for a Mexican restaurant n the Oak Ride/Farragut area since arriving here in June, with very limited success. I was about to give up finding anything satisfactory to me, when I discovered Barrios Mexican Cantina. It is not the largest space, but it is not crowded and it the decor is lovely. Everything was clean and the staff was very friendly and helpful. Then to the food...I was born in and have lived near Texas most of my life, spending lots of time in various places within the state, so I have wide experience of Mexican or Tex-Mex foods. And I can genuinely say, the meal I had at Barrios was the best I have had since leaving that part of the country. I had the verde chicken enchiladas with a side of their street corn and I am looking forward to my next trip there and debating what I shall try next. I may still try other Mexican restaurants, but this will be a hard choice to top. read more

Really good food. Pleasant service and clean bathrooms. I was impressed. Would recommend!

Servers are friendly, nice ambiance, delicious food. We love the Mahi Mahi or shrimp soft tacos with Baja sauce. Street corn is amazing when it's right, and that's 75% of the time, so pretty good. Chips and salsa are so fresh and yummy. read more

I've had takeout a couple of times from Barrios. Overall, the food is good. I've had the carnitas, Al pastor and street corn. Everything had good flavor. I especially liked the carnitas plate and street corn. The chips were fresh made. The salsa and guacamole were good. Next time I'll stay and dine in. Have to check out the cocktails. So, I will be back. read more

My husband and I went to Barrios today for lunch after a recommendation from a friend. We have lived in Southern California for 30+ years and I regularly visit Mexico (Tecate and TJ). We are new to Oak Ridge and I was skeptical of having Mexican food here. Barrios did not disappoint! I love lengua and theirs was awesome. Pretty close to what I have in TJ. I also had a birria taco and it was one of the best that I have ever had. So, not skeptical anymore! Will most definitely be going back and recommending! And will be coming back for dinner and a margarita too! read more

My friends and I come to Barrios frequently after working at the hospital down the road. This is hands down one of my favorite places to eat in Oak Ridge! The tacos are divine- especially the mahi! We've had it both fried and grilled, and while I prefer it fried, both ways are sooo yummy. I also love the Al pastor taco! The meat is always so tender and everything is very fresh. Our other go-tos are the queso and guacamole. As for drinks, the house margarita is good and the Paloma is my favorite on the menu. The service is quick and friendly, and it's a warm cozy environment. A pleasant addition to the Oak Ridge dining scene! read more

Barrios Mexican Cantina - Mexican Near Me - Oak Ridge, Tennessee

I came here excited to try some birria after having tried it in San Jose, CA and loving it.... It was amazing as was the banana chimichanga. I'll be going back for more very soon. read more

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Barrios is a go to in OR for a solid bite of Mexican. The birria quesadilla is amazing and the seafood chimichanga never disappoints. The serving sizes are big and the service is always fast. I wish they had some dessert offerings, but overall you won't be sad here. read more

My lunchtime Nacho's with Chorizo took some time to reach my table. OK so it's Sunday and the place is 1/3rd full. The food presentation was very good. it LOOKED interesting with the long slices of avocado and large fat slices of Jalapeno. Interlaced were smooth refried beans and some sort of tasteless queso sauce. Nacho's were invented in Piedras Negras and I don't remember having them with cilantro, but these ones did. Missing were pepper, onions, garlic and a whole host of other things. Even though it looked good , it was really spartan and plain, a little too plain. So parking is easy and plentiful, the restaurant is clean and well kept. The staff know how to do their job. Was it worth $13 for simple nacho's? Probably not. Is it authentic - Yes it is. The reason I went there is because I asked for authenticity, I just forgot to ask for passion and creativity as well. The check you sign is poorly laid out. It requires magnification if your over 30 and caters for the mathematically impaired locals that can't get the tip high enough. The music that is way too loud, is something that your Mexican Grandmother used to listen to, it's the music of the dead. Hopefully this place gets with the times. read more

Great food, great ambience, good vibes and specials every month!!! Very friendly staff.

This place is okay. My gf enjoyed their tamales and they do have some decent food. But I think they try to over price some of the food. There are a lot of Mexican restaurants around here where you can get the same quality item at lower prices. The atmosphere in there is a little better than your average Mexican restaurant. But I got their queso, chicken and rice. It's something that is at every Mexican restaurant that I love to get. I tried it and the rice was pretty dry and there wasn't much queso. The chicken was pretty bland as well. I think it's a decent place but it's just over priced. I probably wouldn't get it again. read more

Was pleasantly surprised by this restaurant. It it tucked away on a side street, but the food was great. Everyone in our party of seven enjoyed their meal. The food was authentic and tastey. read more

Good food, great workers. Ordered takeout, had a minor mix up that was fixed quickly. The food was really good, made fresh. Will definitely be back read more

Food is amazing and authentic The staff made a special request Chile relleno burrito for my wife and it was awesome. read more

Eating here right now after riding at Windrock. We looked on Yelp for open restaurants and it popped up in our way home and so glad it did! Open till 10:00 which is hard to find now days! Food is delicious! I had quesadillas and a smoked chicken taco. We had the queso to start with which was very flavorful and yummy. My husband had al pastor taco, and different chicken taco, and a braised beef taco and we all cleared our plates. Staff is attentive and friendly and the restaurant itself is beautiful and has a really nice atmosphere. We will definitely be back!!! If your in the area check it out highly recommend!! Very reasonable prices for high quality food too! read more

Barrios Mexican Cantina - Receipt - Mexican Near Me - Oak Ridge, Tennessee

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REFRESHING! Great experience. My all time favorite place around. The ambiance is very welcoming and charming. Amazing drinks, food and service. Staff are extremely knowledgeable and make great recommendations. Atmosphere is chill and cool but the staff is still professional and really friendly! Every last detail of this place is amazing, from the music to the chip baskets, so detail oriented and you can tell they really care about their customers. The best family business!! The food is AUTHENTIC, fresh and delicious every time and still diverse, I could dine here every day! read more

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My favorite Mexican restaurant around. They have the best chicken quesadillas and tacos. Tacos are a little pricey but they are the best you'll find and have a good variety. The salsa is a little spicy but delicious. Great service, read more

Best and most authentic Mexican in either Clinton or Oakridge. Even Knoxville. Hidden and clearly underrated, my husband and I were SO happy with the quality of food and freshness. They could Improve on the decor and some minor details - providing fresh limes is a small, but big thing. They didn't at first but we asked and they provided them with our amazing street tacos. Keep up the good work at being different and AUTHENTIC Barrios. Stay true. we'll be back with friends and family. read more

The very best street tacos, and chili rellenos with carnitas. The salsa is the best I have had in Tennessee and you can get their freshly made hot salsa which it graded 8 out of 10. The owners are Geary and very friendly! read more

It was very good, I'll return next time I'm in town. Came from Florida or 620 miles away

I asked for a vegetarian takeaway meal, and got meat. It didn't even look that appetizing; greyish chunks of - pork? - swimming in an oily goo. read more