El Barco Mariscos

ESTE RESTAURANTE NO ES BUENO AHORA. In fact es un restaurante muy mal!I used to live close to this restaurant about ten years ago and had dined there a few times in the past. I came back recently and it was a disaster. The octopus was the worst I had ever had! It was not only bland, but it also tasted bad. Then we ordered enchiladas con camarones and it was awful to the point that we just could not eat it and we were still charged for it. The enchiladas were thick, overly buttery and oily, the cheese was stringy and flavorless and the shrimps were tasteless(I am not sure how one can possibly get shrimps wrong). For our main we wanted the whole red snapper grilled and I had called them ahead to ask and was told yes. However on getting there they stated it could not be grilled, or pan fried either so we had to have it deep fried. It was okay. The salsa de tomate that came with it was tasteless and bland!. Overall it was an awful array of poorly prepared food with bad ingredients! Very expensive as well!. Our bill was about 140 dollars for two appetizers and one main with two margaritas! Ambiance: 3/10Service: 7/10Taste and flavor: 1/10Authenticity: 0/10Value for money: 0/10Recommendation: 0/10Return factor: 0/10I DO NOT RECOMMEND DINING HERE. It is a waste of time and money!. Not until they change their ingredients...and chef!

I have frequented El Barco a lot before. It used to be my dad's favorite seafood place. We would come here on special occasions and would enjoy the service, and endured the long wait times. I will say it has been at least 6 or 7 years since I've been back here, and I brought my finance for her first time.Unfortunately this was a very disappointing experience. The service and time for food arrive was top notch. No complaints there. The waitress was really good at explaining the menu items and the different styles the food would be served when we asked. But the only thing we really enjoyed was the frozen Margaritas. Good balance of alcohol and sweet taste. It was so good she ordered a second and I regretted not getting one myself. Here's what we had. Ostiones - Regular: Half dozen came in a normal plate with ice cubes on top, which should have been fair warning by itself. We were kind of hesitant at having them. Nothing to write home about and they only included a normal spoon and vinegar mix that had seen better days. Cantarito-mango: served in a normal glass with lots of ice I couldn't taste the alcohol. Tostada de Ceviche: Seafood mix- it was okay but the pulpo (octopus) was very rough and chewy. Enchiladas de Camarón: w/rice and beans - this was the worst plate of the evening and it was the one she ordered unfortunately. The rice tasted like dry cauliflower and the retired beans had either been in a pot for a week or were overcooked and microwaved. It was not fresh at all. Horrible flavor. The enchilada tortilla was fine and the shrimp just had no flavor. Mole was flavorless too. Langostinos: Estilo El barco- I wish I knew what kind of sauce these came in but I didn't ask and assumed it was just chili sauce or spicy and salty like I'mUsed to. This I won't fault as much since I didn't know what to expect but it's not my cup of tea. The sauce is a tomato and ragú mix of sorts. Tasted like a pasta to me. Wasn't a fan. Langostinos seemed to be cooked fine though. Come here for frozen margaritas and walk across the street to Alegría. Btw side note: this place was half empty on a Saturday evening with incredible weather. Definitely has to be new owners or new chef.

Food is super authentic and the place is filled with Mexican patrons which is a good thing to see. Nice atmosphere and in a good location in Chicago's West Town. But, the food is prepared sloppy. I have a carne asada salad that tasted good but had bits of avocado peels in there. Also, if you're going to slice oranges in the salad, do the rest and take out the seeds. The Shrimp Soup tasted great but why not take the shrimp shells off the tails instead of making the customer dunk their hands into hot soup and remove them? Just lazy. Too bad too because the food is tasty.

Non existent service....come here and be ignored with a smile!! Hot house is way better than the food here.... Sadly my memory of this restaurant were way better and I won't be back

This place absolutely deserves a higher rating! Love, love, love this place. Neighborhood seafood staple serving massive entrees of fantastic Mexican dishes. The crab legs and the whole snapper (huachinango) are to die for. Service is fast and attentive and they are usually very nice. Beachside vibes with a cool wall of vintage tequila bottles, usually always a game on the tube and the hottest Latino hits on the playlist. Do not sleep on this spot, weekends it is crazy but during the week it's very easy to walk-in.

We enjoyed margarita pitchers at this cute spot for cinco de Mayo. These are not shown because we drank them too fast! It was a nice day out so we took advantage of their outdoor seating which did not take away from the attentive service. The guacamole was good but a bit boring/not very flavorful. The calamari was DELICIOUS. I would solely go back for that and another margarita. I was wishing I had leftovers for the next day. I am honestly surprised this place was not more crowded!

Purely based on the food, 5 stars. My cousin and I had the Parrillada for 2 and it was delicious. The seafood was perfectly cooked and seasoned! Love love love. Also had some margaritas topped with tajin. The server was super nice and checked in as needed (was very mindful since my cousin and i were catching up). And it's kinda cool to see their tequila library / showcase. So many tequilas out here.

Very disappointing all around. Product was moderate quality for a higher price and not a great experience. Too many other places to eat in Chicago.

This place is FABULOUS! I loved every single food I've had, along with margarita. The waitress was very nice and restaurant is spacious. They offer chili oil type of salsa as a complimentary and it's delicious. I recommend to people who enjoy Mexican seafood.

Fire ass spot. The Chamoy cocktail whatever it is, is really good. The whole red snapper with Diablo sauce or whatever is so good. It's the only thing I'll get there. I wish I still had the photos I took.