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

Cute mini store with goods. Excellent pitcher of margaritas. Cool vibe. Great, fun staff. Ate every…read morebit of my shrimp quesadilla!

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

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

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

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

When we lived in Oak Ridge we were regulars here for lunch. First time back in 5 years and were…read morequite pleasantly surprised to find the same good food and very reasonable prices. They have lunches as low as $4.75. Most of the staff is the same. Our server even remembered us. Walls decorated with Mexican art among the TVs showing sports and news. Very large menu with many selections from which to choose.

We had Easter lunch at this location recently and it was a mix of reviews from all of us. My steak…read morewas fairly chewy and a small portion. Our server also became fairly inatentive quickly on, with many of us waiting for drinks or chips. Other than the main complaints, the store was clean, a majority of our food was delicious, and the food was quick.

The food and staff were so friendly and the ambience in the restaurant with the hand paintings on…read morethe wall, which just outstanding very authentic looking. The food was nice and fresh and the drinks were OK. That's also a super on the chips was super fresh. We didn't stay for dessert, but we'll be back to try it again.

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

First time here on 1-18-26. Atmosphere is very clean and colorful. Good sized portions at…read morereasonable prices. Claudia was my server and although competent, here's a suggestion; instead of dropping the check when I'm close to finishing my meal, how about trying to upsell and offer some dessert? I was on the fence about getting sopaipilla with ice cream which would have increased the check by $7 resulting in more money into the owner's pocket and a bigger tip for Claudia. However, she made the decision for me when she brought the check and didn't bother to upsell.

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

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

Great authentic Mexican food! First time here service was good and our server was friendly !read more

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