Cocina de Barrio

This place was pretty fantastic. We were set up at the little private dining room, in the back... our waiters were attentive, friendly, and handsome. The menu was delicious, everything we got (we tried each others' things) was awesome. The aguachile with a mango flair was one of the best things I've had. Cocktails were excellent. Honestly, just A+ all around. I'm craving their tlayuda right now, as I'm typing this. Quite worth checking out!

Stumbled upon this restaurant during local pride weekend and we decided to try! There was a road block for the event on 5th Ave so there was a line but luckily we didn't wait too long.The service is good from the hostess to the server, they were very attentive and genuinely care towards the customer!The food is ok as well as the price! We ordered Huevos rancheros with lamb birria and Chilaquiles rojo with chicken. The drinks tho, it was so good! We did unlimited mimosas for 2 hours with Tamarindo and Mango juice! The ambience is ok, music was loud since there was a block party where the stage was right by the restaurant, I asked the server if the restaurant has music typically and she said yes but only inside! In my opinion they need more good music in general to bring the hype up. I checked the music inside and it was mehhh! It is upscale Mexican restaurant so they need to bring the ambiance a little up! VERDICT: MAYBE I will comeback

Sadly, I forgot to take pictures of my delicious meal. Fortunately, I am still able to express how much I enjoyed my food. I ordered the arroz con leche pancakes. Upon first sight, I thought to myself "damn, this is going to be way too sweet." However, I was pleasantly surprised by how well-balanced the dish tasted. The pancakes themselves were fluffy, warm, and a tad crispy - everything you want a pancake to be. The arroz con leche topping really captured the flavor of one of my favorite childhood desserts while making this feel like a fresh, exciting, and unique Mexican-American dish. The sweetness, arroz-con-leche flavor (think of it as a rich, creamy, and milky sweet pudding with a dash of cinnamon), and overall presentation of the dish was great. I had small bites of my friends' dishes and they were all great. Next time I'll try their chilaquiles because they tasted bomb. I really wish I remembered the names of the cocktails that we purchased because they were all amazing. I got the tequila-based cocktail, and my friend got the rum-based one that was garnished with a coconut paleta - genius! The ambiance of the restaurant was pretty and bustling with plenty of customers. We came on a Saturday early-morning time, and we had to wait a bit for a table; however, not an issue as the food was great. Finding parking was a nightmare, but that is to be expected of the area. Service this time around was alright - no fault to the server, but I think the service could be better next time. Overall, I'm giving this place a 4.8 rounded up to a 5. I'm looking forward to trying more dishes and recommending this place for a brunch spot for many times to come.

Came in here on a busy Saturday morning. Wait time wasn't too bad, about 30min. The food was okay. My son got the chorizo yesterday papa plate and didn't like it much. The mazapán pancakes were good and so were the buttermilk ones but just a little too big, I didn't even get to finish half of mine. So for the people that love quantity, the plates are big here. My boyfriend got a Bloody Mary and didn't like it bc the consistency was too thick. He sent it back and got a michelada which was so much better. I got an orange juice which was okay, but wish I would have given their cocktails a try. Also, the place is big and restrooms are super small. Went in there and door was closed but it was packed in there with girls in their late teens just taking mirror pics. Were very rowdy and annoying about "being in line for the restroom"Childish. Either way I dislike establishments that are big but only have a restroom stall or two. By the time I walked out of the restroom there was a big line. Hoping to try their chilaquiles and cocktails next time!

We were welcomed in with a smile, staff was all super nice and made good suggestions for drinks and food. The drinks were amazing, I will say the popsicle ones are strong (hence the popsicle on top) but so good! And the food was amazing, held a lot of flavor and presented nicely.The ambiance gives, home cooks meet lively city which blends perfectly with Hillcrest.

This location we visited was in the Hillcrest area. 1. Paid street parking only2. Indoor and outdoor area. It was cold but our group of 7 braved the outside and they kept it warm that it was not an issue and besides the outdoor area is so light and airy 3. Food - adequate portions and beautiful presentations Worth a visit!

Updated review: 6/2/2024Just got back from Cocina De Barrio after having ordered the Mole Negro con Pollo and it was delicious and perfectly cooked. It came with a side of rice with a really small amount of beans mixed in and it was delicious. There were also nicely cut potatoes which perfectly complemented the chicken w mole. This plate comes with fresh tortillas with an oja Santa and they are delicious. Can't wait to come back! 5 stars yet again for the food, service and ambiance!1/24/2020Cocina de Barrio is excellent and the foodtransports you to Oaxaca with its authenticregional flavors. There are plenty of mole dishes asone would expect since mole comes from Oaxacaand here they are perfectly made and tasty. Mywife and I came for lunch and ordered theHuitlacoche quesadillas as an appetizers and Iorder the chilaquiles rojos while my wife orderedchicken with red mole. We were both floored bythe artistic presentation of the food as well as theexcellent flavors. We were instantly transported tothe amazing family vacation we had a few yearsago in Oaxaca as we ate our way through Oaxaca'sbest restaurants. The food here is that good.

Amazing!!Cocina de bario is one of my favorite brunch places in SD. I've only been twice, but both times my entire party was satisfied with the food and service. The Mexican food is done right here! I love getting their chilaquiles rojos and the bottomless mimosas They have about 6 different flavors you can rotate through. Mango and Jamaica are my go to's but you can't go wrong with any of them - especially when they come out with that little flower . The restaurant itself is also very pretty and makes me want to dress up but you can def come comfy.

Visited Cocina for a late Sunday brunch and my party was seated right away at a "communal" high-top table in the courtyard. This made it a little awkward to talk to each other, but we made the choice to sit there rather than wait for another table. I ordered the chilaquiles verde with soyrizo instead of birria, and I was thoroughly impressed! The tortilla chips were crunchy (not a single soggy chip!) and the verde sauce was delicious. Eggs are not included in the dish, which was a slight disappointment. Would order again. There were a few vegetarian options on the menu, but there is an option to substitute for plant based proteins. The cafe de olla was super cinnamony and smooth. My party also ordered the crème brûlée French toast. This had an orange crème, which was only a subtle taste of orange. I'm not a huge sweets for breakfast person, but this was perfect to share. Overall, I was a fan of the food and would visit again

Cocina de Barrio was not what we had expected upon walking in to check in for our reservations. The inside seemed quite casual but the outside dining was more of a vibe with the dimmer lighting, bar, and music. There were long rectangular heat lamps on top of each table which kept the temperature very comfortable on a cold evening. Ceviche Robalo & Xoconostle ($17): Prickly pear and lime seabass with sliced cucumber, red onion, chiles, avocado, and cilantro served with blue corn tostada on the side. The flavor fell flat here as we needed to add a bit more lime juice and salt to adjust. Esquites Con Camaron ($18): MUST ORDER! Corn with mayo, lime juice, Chile, and queso fresco topped with shrimp. Wow, this was absolutely delicious and definitely the best item we ordered. Spicy, creamy, sweet - all within one dish that tastes great alone or with the blue corn tostada we got from the ceviche!Tacos De Birria ($14): 3 tacos with blue corn tortilla, shredded beef birria, pickled onions, beets, and queso fresco. I was thinking the tacos would come with a side of consume for the barrio but it didn't - overall the tacos itself were decent but I think the beef lacked a bit of salt. Quesadillas de Huitlacoche ($18): Initially we were going to order 5x the amount since w had a party of 9 but our server suggested 3 first for a total of 6 mini quesadilla's. Unfortunately, no one in our party was a fan of the quesadilla, particularly as it got very soggy by the mole sauce. Seems like it would defeat the presentation but I'd ask for the mole on the side.Restaurant seems like it could be a poppin' spot at night with the outdoor ambiance but it closes at 9:30pm which we were quite surprised. Though it was closing as we were finishing up, we never felt rushed - service was great and accommodating for our larger party.