Barrio

"Brunch Mexican style with fried chicken & churros or a breakfast burrito with housemade chorizo, black beans and scrambled eggs, and add on two hours of mimosas, bloody marys, and bloody marias for $35 from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Groups looking to share plenty of drinks can also opt for a pitcher of margaritas or a tower that can be poured at the table. Make a reservation through OpenTable." - Samantha Nelson

"There’s space for groups of all sizes at Barrio. Tucked beside the main dining room, the Casita has room for 11 with a sliding door and AV setup creating privacy for a corporate dinner. The dining room itself features a row of cabanas equipped with curtains to provide an intimate feel for groups to share tableside guacamole, fajitas and towers of margaritas. Blank’s Bar is also available for rent, and parties can customize the lighting and music for their cocktail party. Number of guests: 12-60." - Samantha Nelson, Eater Staff

"DineAmic Group each summer slings a puppy patio menu this splashy spot in River North. Spot and Fido get to choose among chicken breast, burger patty, skirt steak, and a dairy-free woof-cream dessert." - Naomi Waxman, Eater Staff

"There’s a certain kind of restaurant you associate with River North. A huge restaurant with loud, thumping music, full of out-of-towners ready for a night out in the city. There might even be a celebrity chef attached to the concept. In other words, a scene. These things don’t necessarily mean a place is bad - as long as you know what you’re getting into ahead of time, and the food is good, some spots like this can be enjoyable. But Barrio is not one of them. This upscale Mexican restaurant has all the above-mentioned River North qualities, including a former Top Chef contestant behind the scenes, a DJ booth, and a disco ball in the women’s bathroom. And while to some, these might be understandable reasons to walk the other way, they aren’t the issue with Barrio. The problem here is the food. The dishes sound interesting on paper, but almost everything on the menu has a component that ruins it. The octopus tacos (topped with potato crisps) taste like someone squeezed a bottle of lemon juice from the grocery store all over them. The achiote marinated chicken in the chicken al pastor has a nice flavor, but needs salsa to bring it back from the edge of dehydration. There’s also a major consistency issue. Things that are fine on one visit will likely disappoint you the next. For example, the charred eggplant. One time we tried it, it was the right amount of crispy. Another time, it was heavily soaked in oil and charred to the point of bitterness. Same with the housemade corn tortillas. They can be gummy, dry, or rubbery - and sometimes all three, depending on how many come with your meal. Barrio does have a few redeeming qualities. The nachos are always pretty good. And the servers here are very nice and helpful. They also really seem excited about the food - to the point that you leave hoping they’ll be able to move on to better restaurants. Going out to trendy spots in River North can be a gamble. There are lots of options - some great, and some truly awful. If you don’t know which is which, you run the risk of falling into an expensive trap. Barrio, with its overpriced and inconsistent food, is a bad bet." - Adrian Kane

"The trendy Mexican spot from DineAmic Hospitality will reopen for one day only on Cinco de Mayo to help Chicagoans throw a taco party. Chef Katsuji Tanabe’s $60 DIY pack feeds four people and includes chicken al pastor tacos, chips, guacamole, salsa verde, and charred corn elotes. Add a margarita kit for $55." - Jeffy Mai