Barrio Chino

Recently rebranded and just known as Barrio, the place does great Mexican burgers and shoestring fries. Dishes have a bit of spice to them. Staff were really friendly and took bookings. They also accommodate for takeaways, as we had to duck out early, due to an ill child. They do have one high chair available for use and a cool opening in the roof to the sky. I can also really recommend the sangria.

This review is for a delivery from this restaurant. So there’s nothing to say about the location or scene. I ordered the chips and Guac and I felt that it could have been better packed for delivery. There was a scoop of Guac just thrown into the cardboard box, not in its separate container. The Guac is too smooth so I’m under the impression it’s not made on site. It also lacked some flavor. The fat boy chicken however was really good! Perfect amount of sauce and a good size. The sandwich would probably stay together better if there was a pick going through the sandwich. Will probably order or stop by again although I wasn’t fully impressed.

Came here with my wife and her friend. If you are up for a social scene with some noise then its all good, but I wouldn’t be coming here on a first date because man it is LOUD. Be a bit tough to talk and I even struggled to hear what my wife and her friend were saying. They do split bills which is good if you are with a few people and all paying separately.
Food wise, the grub is good and tasty, but tacos are a little bit steep. One taco for $ 7 – 8? A bit much, which was a shame as the selection looked tasty. Good if you are a smaller eater though. I got the Carne Asada Bravo main, which is a sirloin steak marinated and covered in this tangy garlic sauce with a mushroom purée on the side, steamed mushrooms, and crispy fried potatoes.
They do have an all you can eat taco special on Wednesdays for $ 25 which is good if you are a large eater, but if you’re good with 3 – 4 probably not. So just on the basis of the value for money and noise I give it 3 stars, Otherwise I would have given it 4. I would like to come back on a sunday though as I hear they have $ 3 tacos.

My favourite local hang out for a great cocktail and nice food. Just recently had my birthday here. We got the $ 35 set menu. Which I think is great value.
You get chips and dip, grilled corn, meatballs with salad and rice and tacos. We were able to order our own drinks at the bar which made it easy when it came to pay the bill with 24 people.
I love the $ 10 burgers on Thursday and also the $ 3 tacos and $ 5 beers on Sunday. Have to say around great place. It’s always at the top of my list for Friday drinks and cheap eats.

Great space to have group dinners or to host a function, the space is really nice, the service isn’t too shabby either.
I’ve never had the Mexican food here… just the burger. For a place that some people claim has the best burger in Sydney, I’ll say it’s alright… but when I dream of a burger in Sydney this place doesn’t register a blip on my radar.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a pretty good burger but when it comes to a burger craving it doesn’t do anything for me. It’s like if you’re single and you have a crush on someone and that person is all you think about… but you have someone else who’s interested in you and you kind of know they are but you’re just not all that interested so you don’t even think about them when push comes to shove. This burger is like that.

Been going here for a casual feed with good atmosphere for some time now. The food is good and I’ve tried quite a few things on the menu. The tostadas, tacos, and most of the small plates!
Flavours are always fresh and vibrant and that’s what you expect from a Mexican restaurant. If you’re into salads, you will not be disappointed with the jicama or quinoa salads. Both are bursting with textures and flavours.
My one disappointment has been the ribs. The ribs tasted amazing, but the sauce that was on it was cold. If it was warm it would have been a winner.
And one word of warning. If you order the pork belly quesadillas, it won’t come out like your usual quesadilla. This one has a number of toppings and it’s still delicious, but don’t expect everything inside the tortilla.
Definitely a great place for a casual feed and catch up with friends!

I went here after reading a bunch of reviews suggesting it. The food was pretty good and it is a cool little venue. The Bacon and Avocada Guacamole was delicious and we both enjoyed our tacos although I feel there was a bit of hype around what were pretty good but not necessarily epic tacos. The fried chicken was good too and the dipping sauce was especially tasty.
We found a nice table in the back which was a pretty good place to have a nice catch up chat with a friend.
The service was pretty average for Australia meaning that in Canada I would have said sub average but I think there is a different level here.

Look to be honest I avoided this place because of mixed reviews. I didn’t review on my first visit because I needed to ensure I was giving good advice!
It’s great. It really is a good Mexican place with really nice clean food with all the handmade hallmarks you want in good Mexican food e. g handmade corn chips.
Really impressed with the food. Service is good not amazing that’s why they lose 1 star.

We had the $ 55 set menu. The food is absolutely wonderful. It’s a shame the portions are larger though.
We originally sat outside but due to water leaks all over the place we had to be moved inside.
The waiters were courteous and prompt.
I would definitely come back again.
I wouldn’t say this is authentic mexican but it’s certainly a fusion of some sort. The quality is top notch though.

Good food. tick!
Great atmosphere… tick!
Great service.. tick!
Came here as part of a group of 17 to celebrate a birthday. We were able to reserve the lounge area for pre dinner drinks which was a great little area of couches and chairs. There was also a great bar area where you are able to sit and watch the bartenders make their concoctions.
As we were a large group we had to select the $ 45 pp set menu. The menu was great with the grilled corn a definite star of the menu. The churros were also delicious and I couldn’t help but smother the churro in the chocolate sauce! Only gripe would be that we could have done with more food!
There was a great selection of drinks including a large selection of tequila! The sangria however was a bit disappointing as it was a bit weak and on the watery side.
The service here was faultless– the wait staff was attentive and very accommodating with our large group. Food came out promptly and wait staff were on the ball with taking drinks orders leaving no one dry! They happily helped with my requests for pre dinner drinks and organising the birthday cake. Also there was no cakeage which is a bonus!
Perfect place for a celebration, for groups, or drinks at the bar and a fun night out!

For Australian Mexican, this place is probably nearing a 4, but I just can’t give it points for being the best of the mediocre.
Barrio Chino has great potential and is definitely on the right track. Their cocktails (R&R Spicy Margarita especially) were fantastic. They have a great layout with a more casual bar/​lounge area in the front and the food hall in the back.
Praise also goes to the house made hot sauce selection. I stuck with the hottest which had a good kick and a great flavour. The medium and mild (coriander jalapeño) were also pretty tasty.
Another huge win was the BBQ corn. Probably the best I’ve had down under.
Sadly I found the rest of the food to be a bit of a let down. There’s tons of potential with beautifully cooked shredded meats that are just crying out to be simmered in spices and seasoning to pack in some flavour. Even the fish for the tacos would have benefited from a coriander/​lemon (or chipotle) marinade before being battered and fried.
My last gripe is with the sangria. While I was really impressed with the cocktails, I found sangria weak and watery. And, but for a couple slices, the jug was fruitless.
Completing my compliment sandwich (am I the only one that remembers being taught that in high school? It seemed to be a new thing to everyone after that MKR episode), the service was pretty good. There was an initial wait to order drinks after being seated, but after that it went off without a hitch. The server seemed to be nearby whenever another drink was needed, and the timing of food service was impeccable.

Wow barrio chino was a fun night. Dining as a work group of twenty, it was loud and fun.
The corn is by far the most amazing corn on the cob I’ve ever eaten.
The chicken, fish, lamb wraps were all unique and well seasoned with nice balance of Chilli.
Certainly would return to this place with a group, or as a couple.

BARRIO CHINO!!! Authentic and fun Mexican food!
Come here any night of the week and this place is buzzin’. Tuesday’s are my favourite with the $ 15 menu options that includes a can of Tecate. Add a shot of tequila for $ 5.
Love the taco selection and the spicy pork torta. Some of the entrées are tiny and only designed for a sample tasting. Order a glass of sangria and make sure to take a taxi home because it is a silent creeper. Stay a bit longer and have a night cap in the bar.

Ii think Sydney needs a new restaurant category: Trendy Expense Account Chino-​Mex. This outpost of Tacos and Tequila leads the way. While the flavors seem to be close enough to give an Aussie nod towards authenticity, and I use that term loosely, having to pay $ 8. for a decent taco on a 6″ mission foods corn tortilla just does not fly with me. Also a 4 oz margarita for $ 15 (okay with ice it was 8oz) still chaps my value hide. Did not quite get the connection to Chinatown, I’m feeling generous, and I have met one of the owners and she is a very nice person, so they get 3 stars from me.

I can’t believe I didn’t eat here sooner. I’m going to need to drink double the margaritas when I visit now, just to make up for lost time.
We had a dinner here the other night for a group of 10. We loved the set menu option and had more than enough food. It was really awesome value for $ 25 dinner per person. We had chips with guac and salsa, tostadas, tacos, salad, grilled corn and sides of rice and beans. Seriously, so much food. Compared to certain other Mexican joints in Sydney you would be looking at $ 35−50+ for a similar meal. Margaritas were $ 15 – 17 which is standard for Sydney, but really good.
I recommend it for a group (make a booking). It got really crowded later on. So not sure how convenient it would be to rock up on a weekend and wait for a table. Food came out really quickly and service was friendly.
This place totes belongs in my Top 3 Sydney Mexican spots now. Let’s go again pretty pleaseeeee!

I have to admit that despite the very tasty food this place is in grave danger of becoming a ‘typical party restaurant.’ I’m thinking fast-​forward 5 years and the dad-​has-​paid Eastern suburbs 21^st birthdays are over and instead the place is full of suburban hens parties and people who ‘don’t know where they are, just somewhere in The Cross with a big group of friends.’
Am I coming across all old and boring if I said I’d like to hear the waiter? The person next to me? I say this sincerely because I’d really like to go back for the food, but the pumping atmosphere completely ruins the experience.
I’d love to take my husband but I don’t think he could possibly survive the teenage screaming and long long tables of birthdays who will be heading to the club next door straight after dinner. In short, I think Barrio needs to decide what it is here… a restaurant or a (rather tacky) nightclub.
The décor isn’t that special, if anything it’s a little boring. The service was excellent, food amongst the best Mexican in Sydney. But the atmosphere… not for me.
Won’t be back, being Bayswater Rd and all I wont be holding my breath for any big changes here.

The owner posted a friendly, professional response to my review, and they promised to look into the mayo content of some of their dishes. +1 star for friendly ownership that takes feedback seriously.

It’s a nod to the Chinatowns of the Latin American world, and it’s a delicious one too — as I discovered when I went along for dinner with a friend this week. Taking to a massive bench seat in the rear, partially covered courtyard, we started off with a round of cocktails — my Breakfast Margarita went down very nicely, but could have done with a bit more oomph tequila wise.
Most of their dishes are pretty snack friendly; we tried out their updated summer ceviche with spicy snapper, squid, chunks of mango and little jewels of pomegranate, followed by the plate of four mini pulled pork tostadas, all slow-​roasted and succulent with matchsticks of crunchy jicama to top it off. The quesadilla of the day had a roast chicken filling, but even with the accompanying corn purée was a little on the dry side. Churros for dessert were smothered in sugar spiced with cinnamon and fresh nutmeg, with just enough chocolate and caramel sauces for dipping. I’d definitely come back here, especially with larger groups.

Highly recommend!
Mexican is really coming on strong in Oz. There are more to choose from now and Barrio Chino seems to be one of the best new additions. The menu is less street and more refined. They still have the common taco and tostada, however their combinations are contemporary and thrilling. Take the lightly battered blue eye with cumin-​lime crema & cabbage or the roasted pumpkin with capsicum, cactus & toasted pepitas. Interesting. The tuna tostada with corn chip, tuna sashimi, avocado and chipotle mayo is to die for. The tacos have a really light crisp to them and overall you don’t feel like you are 10kgs heavier after eating here.
The modern décor provide a more stylish alternative to traditional Mexican and their cocktails rival any bar in the fashionable vicinity. Bookings over eight need to order from a set menu and their choices are varied enough to keep you satisfied but of course if something takes your fancy you can always deviate. I just had to try the seared yellow fin tuna, jalepeno-​garlic sauce and pineapple-​jicama salsa. It will not disappoint.

Barrio Chino is being touted as a tequila bar and I looooove tequila. So was a little disappointed to find a selection of only about ten tequilas in this mediocre Mexican eatery. I’d read a few raves about Barrio Chino (they’re pumping the publicity as it’s brand new) so maybe my expectations were a little high, but I found it cavernous and unwelcoming and extremely noisy even though there weren’t many people there– just a smattering of Hugo’s Lounge-​type posers.
I was hitting Barrio Chino in its capacity as a tequila bar and had already eaten so just ordered guacamole and chips. The chips were bland and hard and the guac was fresh but pretty uninteresting. I’ve just been reading a few other people’s perspectives and apparently you’re meant to get three hot sauces with the guac– I could have seriously done with that bit of flavour! I may give it another go when I’m hungry sometime as they do have some interesting sounding dishes on the menu but I wouldn’t go near it again on a weekend night. I’d been planning to try a selection of their tequila but ended up just having one shot and a glass of red and then bailing as the atmosphere and service didn’t particularly encourage me to stay. Not sure quite what they’re trying to go for here — bar? Nightclub? Restaurant? But it felt like a food court and is no match for Hugos across the road.