Barcocina Lakeview

First time at Barcocina’s Lakeview location and I left full, happy, and plotting my return. The food? Fire. The drinks? Too easy to keep ordering. But the real stars of the show were Fernando and Aaron. Those two? Top-tier. Like, if great service were an Olympic sport, they’d be standing on the podium with medals and micheladas. They made sure we were taken care of from start to finish, and it honestly made the whole experience feel special. The tacos were chef’s kiss and the terrace was giving good vibes and good lighting. Everyone around us looked like they were having a great time, and it was easy to relax and actually hear each other talk. Fernando and Aaron, y’all crushed it. Someone give these boys a raise or at least a round of applause. I’ll definitely be back. 💐

I hosted a surprise birthday party for my partner. The restaurant did a great job helping me plan everything. I was able to order all the food a couple of weeks in advance, and they let me rename a drink in honor of the birthday boy. They also had a live DJ playing. The staff was extremely helpful and took down all the decorations for us after the event, and cut the birthday cake for us. Overall, my guests and I had a great time, and I would host another party here in the future.

It’s one of the fun places in Lakeview area, especially in summertime! Their outdoor patio is very nice! I really enjoyed there, cocktails and mocktails options. Their ceviche and tuna tartar are fresh and flavorful. I would recommend visiting this place for a happy hour or lunchtime with friends and family. So much fun to hang out.

I’m excited to share that my event was an absolute hit! The food was a crowd-pleaser—everyone raved about the bang bang shrimp tacos and the hanger steak quesa-bowls! It was fantastic to have a variety of meat options to accommodate everyone's dietary needs. While I didn’t go all-in on vegetarian dishes, I was happy to provide a vegetarian meal out of pocket, and let me tell you, it was totally worth it! The drinks were equally impressive! They struck the perfect balance and the mocktails were a big hit too. I usually stick to my favorite pineapple screwdriver, but the tequila selections were just too good to resist! Kudos to the amazing staff! Aaron, the GM, was incredibly approachable and seemed to know exactly what I needed, often before I even asked. He adjusted the AC to keep me comfortable while I mingled, and I really appreciated his discreet support (especially for keeping my little Red Bull secret from my wife!). Alexis and Alyssa were fantastic—super attentive in clearing plates, helping guests, and even fetching my wife’s misplaced phone. And can we talk about the music? Alexis nailed the vibe perfectly! Speaking of vibes, Barcocina delivered in spades! I felt right at home with the energy and setup. The way the venue was staged, the warm greetings for friends, and the delicious food all made for an incredible experience.

Wow, Colin is such a good server. He seriously took care of my whole group of 15 for brunch. And paid extra attention to my gluten and shellfish allergy. Awesome service even on a chaotic morning!

Great atmosphere, staff is courteous, and the food is delicious. I ordered Jamaican Jerk Tacos. They had just the right flavor and texture for me. The restaurant is buzzing with a feeling of friends getting together, eating a good meal, and enjoying the ambiance.

My friend and I got to give Barcocina Lakeview a try and I will say it was worth it! The lunch special was amazing! $15 one appetizer, a salad, and two tacos! The food was really fresh and it was very filling! The churros could have been Cooked a bit longer but other than that it was amazing! The service was great! Our waitress Bella was very helpful and gave good suggestions! The atmosphere was different from other places I have been to! Give BL a try and you won’t be disappointed!

Thoula & Madison were the absolute best bartenders! My cold brew tini was perfectly shaken with foam on top, followed up by a few amazing “I met you in the summer” tequila blackberry cocktails! Can’t wait to hangout here all summer!

Happy hour is awesome! Great prices, would highly recommend the House Fire margarita. Love the patio space. Good shade and seating. Service was slow for not being very busy. Didn't stop us from having a great time. WILL COME BACK!!!

Don't waste your time on Taco Tuesdays. Service is at a snail's pace so you get a couple of tacos, a small marg flight, and guac + chips. When you do eventually get a taco or two they are not great. Place looks nice, but go somewhere else.

Great attentive service Amazing atmosphere and patio Guacamole was good and came with a balsamic glaze on top of it that was an interesting flavor combination. Tacos were probably a 3/5 on taste but that's coming from a Tex mex affecionado so I'm picky about tacos! Will definitely come back to try a marg!

Solid experience at Happy Hour! Loved their chips & guac, the balsamic glaze addition was delicious and they have great, thick chips (4/5). Wasn't obsessed with my margs, the sweet one was a bit too sweet/syrupy (3/5) & the spicy one was a bit too spicy (2/5). Tacos were both just okay, Jamaican jerk was better than the mahi, both a 3/5. Loved the ambiance of this place tho! Huge, bright space and large patio. Also had fantastic service here! Would come back again to sit outside.

Horrible service, drinks were mid at best. Offered unlimited drinks and it would take 20 minutes to get 1. Food is advertised as Mexican but is just gentrified worse than Taco Bell food. Would be great for anyone not Latino. Reservation and party are the same thing, how can there be a party without a reservation, mind blowing.

I've been to Barcocina a few times, most recently for my friend's birthday. We had the octopus app and the ahi tuna tacos. Both dishes were very tasty but I must say the ahi tuna tacos were my favorite as the shell was perfectly crunchy and the ahi tuna was very flavorful. The service at Barcocina was unmatched (as always). I've had different servers/ bartenders each time I've visited and I've always had very positive experiences.

taco bell is also great :) i love the idea of barcocina but like the service was not my fave

Barcocina in Lakeview has quickly become one of my favorite spots, and it's all thanks to their amazing staff and unbeatable happy hour deals. Every time I come here, I'm greeted with friendly smiles and great service that make the experience so much better. Their happy hour deals are fantastic and have kept me and my friends coming back for more! Their delicious drink options to their must-try guacamole and addictive yucca tots ate total staples, and we can't resist ordering them every time.

Great place for brunch! I'd likely not search this place out on my own, but for a coworker brunch, it was a great choice. Cheeseburger tacos! Okay, let's try them. YEP. Delicious. Solid place for brunch. They have a breakfast buffet also, if you partake of that sort of thing.

I had the tacos and they were absolutely delicious! Everything was crazy and well done and fast. Definitely worth going.

My friend and I got to give Barcocina Lakeview a try and I will say it was worth it! The lunch special was amazing! $15 one appetizer, a salad, and two tacos! The food was really fresh and it was very filling! The churros could have been Cooked a bit longer but other than that it was amazing! The service was great! Our waitress Bella was very helpful and gave good suggestions! The atmosphere was different from other places I have been to! Give BL a try and you won't be disappointed!

This is one of my favorite spots in Lakeview for dinner before a night out. I love the location of Barcocina. Besides their selection of tacos, they have delicious dips/sides options and appetizers to split. You can definitely find something here if you aren't in the mood for tacos. Their drink menu is solid and expansive too. My favorites are the Kiwi Cooler, Guava-Mente, and Blackberry Sangria. The vibes here are great. I love their patio space in the summer. During the winter, they sent up igloos outside. Our server was awesome and very attentive the last time we visited.

I went on a taco Tuesday when it was worthy because you could have all you can eat tacos, that has changed I think so or at least at West Town location. Poke taco is a MUST, shrimp taco is delicious too. I would have probably every single appetizer if I could. Drinks are good too, especially mezcal margarita. It can be a bit pricey for tacos though. Overall great place.

A place for singles to mingle. If you're a mellenial looking to get over your hangover on a Sunday morning this is your place. I warn though the music is load. The pear mimosa was refreshing - strangely watermelon like. Had the churro waffle and chilaquiles both excellent. The elote was ok. Listen the food here is secondary. This is a spot for a gathering of your friends in a trendy chic place that's its raison d'être.

The patio at the Lakeview location is one of the best patios in the area !! I absolutely love meeting friends here for dinner because the vibes are always so good. The food is also good but the portions are small in my opinion for what you pay! I also ordered the corn dip as an app and they gave a TON of chips for a small small corn dip. I wish they had proportioned that better!

I liked the ambiance and space, they had both indoor and outdoor seating. I enjoyed the variety on bottomless drink menu, I just wanted a little more at the all you can eat buffet portion. Overall, I enjoyed my visit.

Bar Cocina is a great neighborhood spot for an outdoor patio in Lakeview. There is usually lots of room, unless it is Tuesday for Taco Tuesday deals. For outdoor seating alone I would give it a 5/5 Their happy hour menu is limited but great for a quick bite. I had their bang bang shrimp tacos, and they were alright. Definitely have had way better tacos in the area, and for food alone I would give it a 2/5. Drinks are very good and fairly priced. 5/5. Special shoutout to the passion fruit margarita. Our service has been wonderful every time we have been here. Overall, we keep coming back for the outdoor seating and convenience of location. Barcocina is right next to the Diversey Stop, which makes this a great place to try if you frequent the brown or purple line.

Funky spot in west town with huge outdoor area, they have overwhelming variety of margaritas from smoky to sweet, different fruit flavors. The food is great - we've tried taco and fire cracked shrimps. Service was very quick and the stuff is very friendly!

The vibe of this place is so fun! We sat outside and it was perfect, the service was great! Our food came so fast and everything was delicious. Would love to come back here again next time I am visiting!

Came here for brunch for the first time and it was energetic! The playlist was so fun (mid 2000s and I knew every word). It was also VERY loud, so be warned if you're interested in having a quality catch up or have someone hard of hearing in your group. Service was normal - nothing especially incredible or terrible. Normal is good! I had the avocado toast which was just what I needed. I wasn't in the mood for a ton of sugar or a huge meal. Mission accomplished! I'm not sure what all was on it but it wasn't basic. I all do decided to try a mocktail - Summer Bliss I believe it's called. Lovely and refreshing! My friend ordered churro bites but the dulce roll appeared. Our server did correct it, but it took a long while for the right dessert to come out. Once it did, we fully enjoyed it. The churro bites were so soft! The chocolate sauce is Nutella and was my favorite dip. They currently have rentable outdoor igloos if you'd like a winter dinner for two or a small crew. I was happy to find free parking across the street! Permits aren't enforced but between 6pm-6am, so you're clear for brunch!

Ive been to Barcocina a few times now. They have a great patio for the summer and lots of space to be seated. At night the music is loud and at some point the lights dim. The service is hit or miss. Ive had very quick service but also very slow. I always start with the guacamole, the balsamic glaze is a great touch! The ahi tuna tacos are definitely my favorite tacos there. Bang bang shrimp being my second favorite. They have some interesting combinations that ive also tried, the cheese burger and pineapple pork which are both just ok. At the end of the night you can skip dessert. We tried the churros and they were not that good. Over all I do continue to come back its a great first date spot.

I came in to eat good food so this review is for that. I came with bunch of friends for a Friday night dinner. The place was empty so we got seated instantly. We ordered Chicken Tinga, Bang bang Cauliflower, Al pastor Tofu tacos, pesto chicken quesadillas. It was below average in the taste and were overpriced. The tacos were pretty light on the filling also for an $18. We also ordered corn elote which was better than everything else on the table. I'm giving it a 3 stars only because the service was great and super attentive. The ambiance was pretty lively and they played some good music. A good place can invite me inside but only good food will want me to go back again. I will not visit again. Recommend for drinks, but not food.

Good patio vibes with good food and drinks. Service was good and accompanying as we kept having additional friends joining our table. We were so hungry that I didn't get a chance to take a picture of our food but the adobe steak tacos were really good along with the yuca tots. The yuca fries were not as good as the tots they were more on the dry side since the tots were filled with cheese. The guac and chips were also pretty good. My husband also liked the shrimp quesadillas.

Margaritas was great as well as the guacamole and corn dip. I ordered the guesabirria and I have never had such spicy birria in my life - overall this was the second spiciest thing I have ever eaten. My face had tears rolling down my face, mouth and lips tingling, so so spicy for birria.

Great good, great vibes, decent service for a busy place. Seems like a great place for groups as there were several 6+ groups in the restaurant. We had 6 and all tried different tacos - brisket and tuna poke were fan favorites for us. The drinks came out a little slow but were great as well! Would come back again.

Really good drinks and killer food. Shout out to our server David for keeping us entertained! While I enjoyed the menu items throughly (quesabirria ftw), the best part about Barcocina is the night patio. The inside feels a little too clubby but the outside has gorgeous lighting and dynamic seating options. I nearly forgot I was in Chicago for a second. It feels like a bar in California! - AT

We stopped by this place for a quick bite. I loved the igloos outside, especially in winter, but you need to reserve them in advance. Since it was a weekday, it wasn't busy. We tried tofu tacos, chicken tacos, pesto chicken quesadillas, and cauliflower and corn. The food was okay, but I really liked the quesadillas, although they were a bit less in portion size. Overall, it's a decent place to eat.

First time ever at Barcocina! This restaurant is hard to miss - it's all white on the outside and has an upbeat, spacious outdoor patio. We were able to get a reservation superrrrrr last minute (I'm talking 1 hour before arriving last minute) and they actually had a good amount of times available online. We were seated inside quickly. The service was super slow, but then again it was a Saturday night. We didn't get waters or greeted until around 20 minutes into sitting. We also asked for separate checks at the very beginning since I know it can be annoying for servers to do that (especially at the end when the orders are already placed) and they said yes but still brought out 1 check at the end. However he was super nice and the hostess also let me charge my phone at the host stand which was very sweet of her! The food was okay, nothing too crazy or out of the ordinary. I had the tuna poke tacos and they were good, but as a huge poke fanatic it wasn't anything I'd necessarily go out of my way to get again, but I did enjoy them. My friend got the chicken quesadillas and said they were lacking some flavor. My other friend got the cheeseburger tacos and said they were just regular ground beef tacos. I got a skinny marg with a Chamoy rim and I liked it a lot! I would come here again to try out their outdoor patio with some other shareables and drinks!

Food and drinks were very good, cocktails we tried -bloody paloma, apple Spice spice baby, go fig or go home. all ok but all (not in the sweet section of the drink menu) were sweet. for food chips and salsa, good salsas, Truffle sweetcorn guacamole- ZERO truffle flavor but good corn quac, Mexican onion soup- very good, Octopus- very good, Zuchinni fritters- didnt care for these, tacos- Bang Bang shrimp and bang bang cauliflower- good but too sweet, All pastor tofu, too dry !! didnt have any salsa or sauce, just greens and peppers. would have tried more tacos but you cant mix and match can only order 1 style. good energy and a large 20-30 something crowd. we will try it out again.

I went to Barcocina for brunch and it was good. I got the bang bang shrimp tacos and my friends got the chilaquiles. I would definitely order the shrimp tacos again. We also tried the truffle street corn guacamole. They inside was nice and spacious. Their outside patio is also pretty spacious. We sat inside but they had the doors open so it was nice. They do have bottomless for $60 during brunch. I got myself a mock tail and it was super tasty! Parking: plenty of street parking available

My friend took Me there Friday for my birthday at happy hours margaritas were great service was fantastic.

Very good! The smoke show marg is veryyyy smokey, but it was a delicious meal! Restaurant was very clean and not too packed. They have igloos outside you can reserve in the winter as well

Probably the oddest dining experience I have ever had. I truly appreciate when business owners show their thoughtfulness and care for their customers, and that unfortunately was not my experience here. I made a reservation for a party of 4 at 7:30 and we were seated right away, which was great. Upon arriving, I did notice it was pretty busy, but that's been my experience anytime I come here on a Tuesday. We sat and ordered chips and guac and margarita flights. About 15 minutes after, our waiter came to our table and let us know that our food may take awhile (as well as the drinks) because the kitchen was very busy. We had no problem with it, assuming it would only be a few extra minutes. Another 10ish minutes went by and she came back to let us know that she couldn't even put the order in and that the kitchen was on a "pause" (I have quite literally never heard this before). She said it would probably be another 30 minutes until she could put the order IN and another 45 minutes until our food would come out. To keep this review shorter than a whole novel, we waited around 30 minutes for our chips and guac and drinks. When our waiter ended up coming back around again after another 20ish minutes, I kindly asked if she could let us know if it would be worth it to still order food. She said no, which we appreciated her honesty, because we would be waiting a significant amount of time. I was truly shocked by this because all we ordered were tacos. Anyways, probably would come back for drinks if I were in the area but I won't be going out of my way to dine here

I wanted to like this place because it has super cute decor and the menu looked appetizing, but the service really brought the overall experience down. I can with a group of friends on a Friday night. My friend Adam recommended it. We didn't have a reservation, but we were promptly seated outside. It took 15 minutes for us to receive menus and when they came, it was only 3 even though we were a table of 5. It took an additional 5 minutes to get water, and our cups were dirty. Food: we ordered the elote dip and a round of drinks for the table. The dip was very lime-y, so if that's not your thing I wouldn't recommend ordering. Our 1st round of cocktails never came. All the tables around us got multiple rounds of drinks and food before our server even returned back to our table to check in. The most frustrating part of all of this was that our bill had a service fee tacked onto it. When I inquired what the fee was for, I was told it was the credit card processing fee that was being passed down to the customers. What doesn't make sense to me is that we intended (and did) pay with cash, so there's no reason the fee should be automatic. I don't live in Chicago, but needless to say I won't be returning back here when I'm in the city for a visit. 0/5

I'm visiting Chicago with my family for my niece's graduation and she wanted to have dinner at Barcocina Lakeview so we came here. If it wasn't because we were celebrating her I would've walked out the second the waiter said they cannot split or itemized the bill. What kind of policy dictates customers that they cannot have their own bill??? A LAZY RIDICULOUS POLICY! Is it too much work to bring an itemized receipts for each customer in a party of 9 people? On top of this, the waiter took his sweet time to take our order... about an hour in case you're wondering. And to add the cherry on top... you're going to love this... the waiter said he can evenly split the check in 4. We were like... fine whatever... I didn't want to make a scene. My niece's dad wanted to pay for cash for his plate, his dad, wife and his daughter (my niece). He put down the cash to cover their food and drinks. The waiter proceeds to take the 3 credit cards and the cash. He comes back with some cash and hands us the receipts for signatures. In case you're wondering what he did... he still split the total bill into 4, took quarter of the payment from the cash that was given to him, split the remaining in 3 equal parts and gave my niece's dad some cash back. I ended up paying $81 for a chicken salad and 1 drink. Not sure if I'm making sense but I'm so angry and annoyed with the whole experience. Never again! Horrible experience!!!

Came here for lunch and ordered from their lunch menu! The cauliflower tacos were a perfect mix of sweet and tangy! The guacamole was delicious and flavorful! The corn salad could've had more corn, but overall delicious. The cherry on top was the service. We requested dessert and they didn't have desserts till 4pm but our server was so awesome and got us a delicious dulce de leche cake with ice cream dessert! We were all so pleasantly surprised! Great time as our first time and will definitely be back again!!! :)

On September 22, 2024, BarCocina incorrectly charged me by $30 on a $60 tab; instead, you charged me $90. I called immediately the next morning and for weeks until a male "manager" returned my call a month later; he explained that the tip was automatically included in the electronic checkout and that no, I would not have received a receipt even though I entered my phone number and email. This manager promised to refund me the $30 difference and yet, here I am still out $30. Your corporate greed -- in the form of theft -- is NOT tolerated and I expect a resolution ASAP.

Really cute happy hour spot, great food, and got the free August margarita flight deal -- a steal! The truffle guac / corn was really good, not super truffle flavored, which is often better in my opinion. They accidentally charged us twice but were super helpful in refunding and very kind. Very cute Instagrammable spot

Came in for brunch and it was pretty good. We got their signature guac and chips and order some drink, when I met you in the summer is my favorite. Got the steak and eggs and they were really good. My friends got the skillets, chilaquiles, shrimp tacos, and French toast. My friend's French toast was kinda burnt, not sure why they would still serve it him. Other than that, Barcocina is still a great choice for brunch.

We came at off hours 3:15 on a Friday. We can walk here in about 4 minutes, so a new neighborhood joint! They don't have lunch hours posted, but the menu says they serve lunch M-F from 12-3. (They were still open at 4:00, but I think they close the kitchen 4-5) It was a nice day - about 64 degrees / and they had the garage door walls all open. (Btw, they have a HUGE outdoor patio) We had the guac which had a balsamic glaze drizzled on it - it was different, a little sweet, and tasty. Then the roasted corn salad. It was really tasty, but it was really a KALE salad with a few toasted corn kernels (not what we expected). Really good flavor, and I'm not usually a kale fan, but we both liked it. The tinga tacos were in hard corn shells (which I haven't had in ages) and had a nice spice to them. We will definitely be back and are looking forward to trying the dinner menu!

Had a fun time at Barcocina on a Friday for happy hour. The When I Met You Last Summer margarita was tasty. Loved the Tuna Poke and Braised Brisket tacos.

We stopped in for lunch and found a scrumptious $15 lunch menu! Service is quick and friendly. It was very quiet on a Thursday at lunchtime but I can see how it would have good energy later in the day. Really great guacamole and tacos. The Mexican onion soup was also a fun twist on French onion soup.

It's a nice place and vibe but the tacos are not that great, lowkey have drench them in salsa. A little bland for my taste, the fish tacos were not good. The chicken was better.

Fun Mexican spot with great margaritas! The tacos are good but nothing special, I definitely come more for the margs and the overall atmosphere. Recently tried their happy hour for the first time, which has really good deals on apps and half-off margaritas. We tried guac, elotes, and the classic and sweet margaritas, which were all awesome. They also have a taco tuesday deal on flights of tacos and margaritas which is fun, but they weirdly wouldn't let us double up on one flavor of marg instead of getting one we weren't interested in, so we just went with individual drinks instead. Besides that the service has always been great and the interior is really cute! They also have a really nice outside area when the weather is good. Overall a cute place with a fun, lively vibe especially for happy hour!

It was good, the service was great! The ambiance has a lot to be desired. We went in a Tuesday and they were doing raffle prizes and screaming into the microphone to amp the energy which in west town this is not the right crowd it was like being on a lido deck on a cruise ship and they have the activists director trying to get you to do water aerobics and not a single person wants to participate. This will unfortunately be the reason I will not be returning. The tacos were good. Elevated tacos at elevated price points.

Came to barcocina for happy hour. Based on Yelp I thought it was discounted specialty cocktails but unfortunately it was $10 off pitchers and we didn't need that much so we ended up paying full price but the drinks were strong. I got the skinny margarita and my husband got a rum drink. We both enjoyed them. We also got the complimentary chips and salsa during happy hour. It was a great portion and the chips were delicious! Salsas were pretty good. For dinner I got the firecracker shrimp and the brisket tacos. The shrimp were underwhelming but I liked the slAw. The brisket tacos were also unfortunately bland. Wouldn't come back for either of those. Ultimately, I would recommend this place for happy hour if you have a group or want a pitcher (still $55 dollars) but I can't say I'm sold on the food for dinner.

We came here for brunch. The restaurant was half empty and the service was very quick and efficient. This place is also very spacious inside and has a huge outdoor patio. We opted to sit inside since it was a little chilly outside. My wife ordered their dulce de leche French toast. It came with coconut whipped cream and strawberries. While the presentation was nice and the dish was tasty, it was not a creative dish. You're basically getting dulche de leche in between two pieces of toast. I wouldn't say really call this French toast. I ordered their chilaquiles. The presentation on this dish was nice as well. A beautifully executed dishes. You get crispy corn tortilla chips smothered in morita salsa, topped with a sunny side up egg, queso fresco, crema and onions. The dish itself was very tasty, and came with a little bit of heat. I would definitely order this again. My only suggestion would be to add avocado to this dish, to make it stand out more. I'll definitely be back though.

BROOKE WAS AWESOME ! Food was great! Infant friendly! We had the steak tacos and quest fondue and both were delicious and a nice little twist to the traditional recipe

I ordered the Guacamole and Hangover Omelet and both were delicious. Our server was great but struggled to hear us over the loud music in the restaurant. The patio seating was extremely spacious and beautiful! Great place for large groups.