Barroco

I was really excited from all the Unilocal reviews and the atmosphere after I walked into this restaurant. But this was honestly the most disappointed and led astray that I’ve been in a long time. The restaurant has a really great environment, with Colombian-​esque relics and trinkets adorning the walls, fun paintings on the walls, and tons of graffiti left by adoring guests. It’s a really cool atmosphere.
However, the service was pretty bad. It wasn’t all that busy and the waiter was no where to be found most of the time. The food also took a really long time to come out.
I ordered a beef arepa with a side of chips and could not have been more disappointed. It was boring and pretty much tasteless. It needed sauce, which was no where in sight. And my side of stale tortilla chips came with no salsa or anything. When I asked the waiter what the other sides were, he was so unhelpful, I got annoyed and simply ordered chip. Who serves chips without anything to dip them in?!
Huge disappointment.

I have never been to an authentic Arepa bar that uses feta & mozz instead of the cojita, queso blanco or queso fresco. This is disappointing. Food is tasty but compared to NYC Arepa bears the arepas are thin. Good not great.

I stopped at this place based on the Unilocal reviews. It was a very small closed place. I came here on saturday around 7 p.m. I got seated immediately but it was very loud in there because they had a man playing the guitar with speakers. The place was overly crowded and the tables next to us were an inch away from us. Overall I like the theme of the place. I had one of the best drinks. It was called padre nuetro. It was so refreshing and tasty. The food itself was tasty and the spicy peanut condiment was very flavorful.

Can we just talk about their hot sauce for a minute? OMFG, their hot sauce is what dreams are made of. Seriously, it’s as addictive as heroin. It’s spicy (not too spicy) and peanuty and f***ing delicious. Our server wisely mentioned to me that they bottle it and sell it for $ 5. I would have paid $ 100. Now, on to the rest of the story:
The atmosphere is laid back and cool, kinda like momocho. The arepas were fantastic. We also started with the cheesy corn appetizer (which they made vegetarian for us) and it was super good. Also they note on the menu which items they can make vegetarian and they offer to add more veggies instead of meat. Score! Our server was friendly, quick and very knowledgeable. Great experience overall, and we will definitely return. Wait, did I mention how amazing their hot sauce is?

Wonderful food and artistic environment. Friendly staff. The pocket sandwich is awesome.

I really, really wanted to like this place. I saw all of the Unilocal reviews and was super excited…
Came here around 1 on a Sunday and had no problem getting sat right away.
Service was nice, but extremely slow at times. We had our appetizer, food, and beverages picked out before the server came to greet us. I did like that you pay up front after you’re finished. That’s quick and efficient.
My boyfriend’s cocktail was very good, a decent size for around $ 8.
We started off with the shrimp ceviche, which was the biggest disappointment. It was a bunch of tiny sized, heat cooked shrimp in a too-​sweet tasting tomato salsa. I’m merely speculating, but the tomato salsa tasted like any jar salsa you’d find at the supermarket and perhaps had been «doctored up» with cilantro and diced red onion. Really unimpressive and misleading. $ 12? Not a good deal at all for what the dish ended up being.
My mexicana arepa had chorizo, cheddar cheese, pickled jalapenos, and a one ounce portion of guac on the side. I barely finished it but I figured I’d just take it home and throw in whatever contents were left inside with eggs for breakfast tomorrow. Perhaps I just don’t like arepas, as this was the first time I tried them, but the texture was so hard to get past. It was crumbly, somewhat flavorless, and hard and chewy on the edges. I got the yucca fries which basically taste like a very starchy, dry and flavorless potato. There was no seasoning on them. I didn’t finish this, either. I barely got through one fry.
My boyfriend’s dish was much better. It had braised beef topped with and egg. He said it wasn’t bad and finished it all. I had a bite, and I thought it was okay, too. He got the red bean chili which he said was good, I tasted it but I was unimpressed.
For one cocktail, one appetizer and two medium sized dishes the check came out $ 56. I haven’t been this disappointed in a really long time…

I didn’t think it was possible for Barroco to get any better, but it did! They now serve alcoholic beverages and they are super tasty. Between all of the orders at our table, I was able to sample most of them. They also have a happy hour from 3 til 6:30 on weekdays. Most of our cocktails were 5 bucks! Best of all, the drinks are made with higher-​end liquors and fresh juices. There’s nothing worse than ordering a margarita and being served a lime-​green concoction that’s been sitting in a plastic container all day.
My favorite drink that we tried is the Padre Nuestro. (see picture). Forgive me for not remembering all of the ingredients, but trust me on this one. You’ll love it. It’s vodka based, and I believe there was a little lemoncello in it as well. I also enjoyed sampling the Paloma (made with 1800 silver and watermelon juice), Red Sangria (with lots of fruit to snack on), and a piña colada.
To go with our cocktails, we ordered the Tostadas con Todo for our table. It is a large platter with many different samplings of their food offerings. The fried plantains that come with it are the best I’ve ever had.
It’s rare for me to spend an extended amount of time in any restaurant because I get antsy. However, we were at Barroco for over 3 hours catching up with old friends, enjoying the atmosphere, and best of all, the cocktails.

Great Colombian food! Tried their chicken arepa and the carne asada, so good! Setting is so laid back and prices are very decent. Must try their yuca fries! Just like how we used to make and perfectly cooked crispy: D! Can’t say enough about their sauce selections… I wanted to buy and take home.
Besides what we ordered, I’m sure everything on their menu is a safe yummy bet! If you’re in the area, must try their food… Find it On Thrillist top choices too!

Wow Wow wow ! Great food and friendly staff. The food was fresh, well made and generous. My wife had a chicken dish and I had Chorizo. All so tasty!

Great place to spend time. I have been in this place several times. Great great ceviche. You should try it. It is one of the best ceviche that I have ever eaten. Staff are so friendly and nice. You would have a great time there.

THIS IS NO LONGER BYOB. I learned this after I brought some beer and was told I couldn’t drink it. They also don’t have their liquor license yet, but they promised it would be coming soon. It’s worth it for just the food, anyway.
I’ve been here twice around dinner-​time and it’s never been crowded. The walls are basically chaos with all of the decorations, lights, and hand written notes everywhere, but it doesn’t come off as trashy or unorganized. It just gives it a relaxed feeling. They keep it dim inside.
You could probably order anything on this menu and be happy with it. There are a lot of flavors to consider, and many items I was unfamiliar with, but the waitress was happy to explain my questions. There are also some definitions of the back of the menu.
I ordered a beef dish and it was fantastic. This place is uniquely Colombian and it’s not like anything I’ve had before. I ate everything on my plate and still couldn’t stop staring at other peoples’ dishes.

This place has a «I’m not in Cleveland anymore» feel. The arepas are what they are know for. I really enjoyed the pork arepa I had and the cheesy corn. The black bean soup was good but its essentially black beans marinated in lime. The arepas are large and I was full after half of the meal. The food is very flavorful already but they have a wide variety of sauces to try from garlic to spicy peanut. They will soon be able to serve alcohol at this location although bar was not yet running why I was here in mid February. Service was quick and accurate and the place was crowded even at 6pm on a Saturday evening. I was most impressed by the flavor profile of the pork and the cheesy corn.

I had the Hawaiian Arepa, and it did not disappoint. It was loaded with ham and pineapple. As my side I got the Yucca fries… by far my favorite part of the meal. The sauces provided are also very tasty.
Definitely a great place for a flavorful meal!

The food never disappoints and the service is great! Currently, they’re in the process of obtaining their liquor license, so it’s not possible to BYOB right now.

My fiancé and I were trying to find a new place to try and while looking through Unilocal we came across Barroco Grill. Reviews were good and the pictures looked good so we decided to head over to Lakewood. Parking was nonexistent (as in most Lakewood restaurants) so we parked on a side street. As we walked up, I got a cozy vibe as the place reminded me of a little house. As we walked in we noticed there was a front part of the restaurant and then a hallway to the back part of the restaurant. We didn’t make reservations so we were told a 20 minute wait. We were offered a spot at a small «bar» like area in the back but we declined as we preferred a conventional table for our meal. The place was packed so we thought this has got to be good; boy were we wrong.
We were seated in 10 minutes at the front part of the restaurant at probably at the worst placed table in the whole restaurant. The table was wobbly, chairs uncomfortable and we were located right next to where customers pay for their meal or where patrons who are picking up their to-​go orders. Also my fiancé was seated directly in front of where the servers grabbed patrons plates, it was a miracle she didn’t get bopped in the head.
To be fair our server was friendly when she greeted us and with it being a Colombian restaurant & our first time, I was pleased she went over the menu with us beforehand but after we ordered she basically vanished until we received our bill. She explained that the cheesy corn was «the bomb» in her words and to get arepas’s for our first time. Our cheesy corn came in about 15 minutes which came with arepa fries. I truly don’t understand how so many people enjoy this dish. A bowl of what tasted like crappy velveeta, canned corn and unidentifiable meat mixed together served with cornmeal triangles really was to be blunt, gross.
After eating about a 2 bites of the appetizer each, 20 more minutes went by when our server stated that our food would be out shortly. After 20 MORE minutes of waiting our arepa’s arrived. The arepa’s are like a cheese pita pocket sandwich. Mine was called the Reina Pepiada (chicken, avocado, roasted red pepper and feta). More like flavorless chicken, nonexistent avocado or pepper and feta more on the plate than in the sandwich. The arepa tortilla tasted like hard glue paste. Truly a miserable sandwich, my fiancé agreed that hers was terrible as well (I maybe ate 10% of mine). Even my side of fries were lukewarm and soggy.
I normally do not give 1 star reviews (I have only one other time) but this place truly deserves it. I won’t say for sure that I got food poisoning but I was stomach sick and barely moved from the bed the rest of the weekend. The server was a ghost, we were surrounded by other customers the entire time because of our seating arrangement and paid 50 dollars for 2 crappy pita sandwiches, soggy fries and some crappy cheese corn. I would have 100% gotten a better meal at Taco Bell for a fifth of the price. Skip this place, not because of the lousy food and service but because I don’t want you to get sick like I did for 2 days. I wouldn’t come back even if they comped me 100 free meals. This may have been one of the worst restaurant experiences I’ve ever had.

Unreal. This place rocks. I’ve been here lots, taken friends in, brought my wife, meet ups with friends and I’ve sent my customers in too. Barroco is likely my favorite restaurant in the area– the atmosphere is extremely pleasant, I love to B my OB and pay a measly cap’n’cork fee to do so, the music is spot on, the patio is neat and the food is excellent.
As others have said, the cheesy corn is amazing but what’s even better is that the waitresses don’t look down on you for eating it with your fingers when the plantain chips are all gone. I’ve wept like a baby who lost a balloon when that dish went empty.
Now the dishes, I don’t speak any non-​English dialects so I’m bad at remembering what I ate, but I do remember the ropa vieja. And it was amazing. One of the Top 5 plates I’ve eaten in my life. The Bandeja Paisa and the Punta Carne weren’t far behind. Service was great but a bit slow, but remember you are waiting on delicious food and delicious food takes a while to cook– it doesn’t sit under a heat lamp.

Everything is amazing here. You must celebrate your birthday here as the birthday crew is top-​notch!
The food was all super amazing. They make street food a delicacy. When I bit into my arepa the blanket over my taste buds was thrust away as it awoke from a long hibernation.
Come early. Even with a reservation we had to wait a bit since the location is small. But do not despair, IT IS WORTH THE WAIT. The décor is unbelievable and everything is authentic Columbian, even 99% of the staff.
After your meal, you even have the option to write your name with your crew anywhere in the restaurant for a great memory.
I’d come again with no hesitation.

This is my 2^nd time here. The first time was fine. Tonight, I am NOT impressed. I just waited nearly 50 minutes for «Shrimp Ceviche.» There is no excuse for a person ordering ONE appetizer to wait longer than the 4 dinner entrees. As I was waiting, I started to watch the video ads and decided to request the green sauce (that has Cilantro) in the mason jar. I asked the waiter how much the jar cost (pointing to the tv). He said $ 5, can’t beat that! He returned with a VERY miniature Mason jar, which was not even shown on the tv. I’m from Cincy, that jar wouldn’t even last me one day smh. I requested the only item that is on their TV, how do you get that wrong? I AM DISSAPPOINTED and I will NOT be returning to this establishment.

This place is DIVINE. I think it may be a portal to heaven.
It’s BYOB, so it definitely helps to know that before you go, but forget about drinking — this place is all about the food.
We ordered the the Cheesy Corn appetizer to start. It was so big, we had to take some home. Words can’t even describe how delicious it was. It had chicken and bacon chunks served with arepa fries — HOLY COW.
I ordered the Ropa Veja which was needless to say, incredible. I was so full from the appetizer, I had to take most of mine home, but I really didn’t want to stop eating. Everything was divided on the plate, which I prefer, but once combined for a singular bit, created the perfect pairing of flavors. It came with fried plantains, black beans, rice and braised beef. I’m just at a loss for words how amazing it was.
I cannot wait to go back, I don’t think this place could have one bad option on their menu!

This place is pretty darn good. We always go for the corn fritters and cheese (corn triangles). Be sure to try all of the sauces — I especially like to mix the pineapple with the spicy one.
it can get quite crowded, but if you go in the summer you can sit outside in the back.
We’ve never gotten service quick here, but the experience has made up for it.

Barroco — is one of my Top Favorites in Cleveland area!!! If you come to Cleveland just for one day, please stop by here to eat!
Every time I go here, I enjoy everything: music, atmosphere, appetizers, and main dinner! Their sauces they give you with the meal are out of this World!!!
Bistec a Caballo is the dinner I could eat every week. Their arepas are delicious as well!
Now I am hungry just writing about it :)

We went here for a second time using a groupon. The food was once again great but the service not the best. We called ahead for seating and they said that would be fine yet we still waited 30 minutes for a table. I understand waiting for a table but they corral you in a hallway while you wait and you’re just in the way.
Otherwise, the plantains and guacamole appetizer was great. Our arepas were delicious.

The flavors here are really good. Next time I am having the Ceviche as my main entrée, it is delicious! The tostones are the icon here, thin, crunchy, large and with the right amount of seasoning.
The arepas are good but they are way overpriced judging by how much they taste like Arepaso y Pupuseria and they are double the price. I would be back for Ceviche but not for arepas.
I would recommend this place. The best latin flavors I had found in Cleveland/​Lakewood.

So good!
We had the guacamole with plantains to start, and ended up too full to finish our arepas.
They have a variety of sauces, which is fun. Had to get to go boxes! Also, BYOB which is awesome as well.
Our server was very nice and explained the menu items, making sure to answer any questions we had. We will definitely be back!

This place is awesome! Columbian food in style! I tried this place because I kept seeing Groupon deals for them. Now we just keep going back…
The food is amazing and you must try the recommendations from the server since some things you may have never heard of before! Have not yet had a bad dish there! Very nice environment and friendly service! This is a true gem in Lakewood! Will be going back again soon!

We were in the area first time my boyfriend and I went here. Found this place from Unilocal from highest review restaurant. And my oh my, this place is the bomb!
I love unique food and Barroco has amazingly flavorful latin american food. This review is based on my second visit here. Since I only have pics from my second visit. Both times have been amazing tho.
Food: ¹⁰⁄₁₀
Service: ⁸⁄₁₀
Appetizer: Fresh Guacamole for 2 people. ⁷⁄₁₀
It was delicious. Not the best guacamole I’ve ever had. And I’ve had plenty in my experience. This one is still very good. It comes with plantain chips which we really enjoyed.
Side: Yucca Fries. ⁹⁄₁₀
We both love yucca fries. It’s very simple but really tasty!
Entrees:
1. Carne Asada & Calentado: ¹⁰⁄₁₀
Both times I’ve been here, this is the only dish I order. Not because I wasn’t interested in trying other ones but because it is sooooo delicious. The skirt steak is so thin and perfectly cooked and seasoned, it tastes amazing. The piccalilli salsa has a little kick to it and it’s to die for. I’m OK with the grilled cheese arepita triangles, nothing too special for me about it. As for the rice and beans, yummy!
2. Bistec a Caballo: ¹⁰⁄₁₀
The boyfriend got this and he said it was delicious. The fried egg on top just makes it even better! And since we both enjoy the fried plantains, having them on the entrée is a plus.
Sauces: ¹⁰⁄₁₀ They have a variety of sauces offered. My favorite is the cilantro/​pesto like sauce. Because I love cilantro and pesto. Also the spicy mayo sauce of course is always a favorite.
Service the first time was awesome. Our waitress was very attentive. Second time we were seated outside and it wasn’t quiet busy so we were kind of forgotten. But not too bad.
Overall, definitely worth the trip here to enjoy some authentic meal!

I have always heard good things about Barroco, so I came here with my family for a late dinner on a week night and we enjoyed it very much. We all ordered something different, so there were 4 dishes to sample from, each one just as good as the next.
I ordered the Huevos Rancheros arepa. It came on a cheesy arepa with delicious chorizo, black beans, and a fried egg. I chose the black bean soup as my side item, and it was great. Next time I’ll try the red bean chili, as it looked really good in other Unilocalers’ photos.
They also bring out 6 different sauces for the table. One of the most interesting was a sweet pineapple sauce almost like a jelly. I liked the garlic sauce best though.
The service was friendly and everyone was very nice. It took a long time to get our food, and they brought out one of the wrong dishes to our table, but since the food was excellent I’m still giving a 5-​star review.

Barroco is my favorite restaurant in Cleveland and it’s sad it’s taken me 3 years and countless check-​ins to write this review.
My favorite items on their menu are:
1. Montañera Arepa: I love their hogado sauce and when it’s with rich beef and toped with a fried egg, it forms a satisfying combination.
2. The classic Arepa made with pork: their vegetable are cooked perfectly and are well seasoned. The pork tastes and feels like carnitas, fatty and also well seasoned. This arepa is incredibly unctuous.
3. Bandeja Paisa: this is he ultimate sampler entrée with delicious meats and side dishes.
Miscellaneous food notes:
* Always order the Cheesy Corn appetizer because it’s heaven and reheats nicely
* The Arepa sandwiches are hearty portions, so pace yourself with appetizers
* Instead of fries, ask for Arepa Fries; they’re made of yuca and are crispier and more flavorful
* Add a fried egg to ANY arepa for extra richness and fun
* Ask for little to-​go sauce cups to bring a little of your favorite (or all 5) sauces home for leftovers (or other food requiring a boost of flavor)
While my favorite is their spicy peanut sauce, all five of their signature sauces are excellent and go well with anything on their menu. Try the spicy peanut on the Bistec a Caballo and the garlic aioli with arepa fries, fries or plantains.
The service is consistently good. I’ve been here when it’s been super busy and orders are flying and I’ve also dined here alone (literally, I was the only customer) and the servers have always been knowledgable, efficient and friendly.
Lastly, while I miss the dark back room with four tables, the post-​renovation dining area is awesome with more seating and artwork. Also, the new outside seating area is excellent and you can bring your pets along.
I enjoy this place a lot. The next time I’m here it’ll be for brunch, which they just recently begun serving on the weekends.

What a very pleasant surprise! I came in not knowing anything about the restaurant (fiancée told me we were going when we got in the car) so thus had no expectations.
The place (on the inside) looks like a pimp my ride version of a big renovated garage. There are garage doors in the place to boot. It’s totally decked out with funky chalk boards and hippy wall beads. I was wondering what type of Latin American fare this was until I saw the Columbian flag.
I kind of got the vibe like this would easily make ‘Diners Drive Ins and Dives’ whenever they next come to CLE. It has a very cool atmosphere and keeps you looking around at all the unique art work and items on the walls. Definitely very thoughtful and not chincy or thrown together.
Food was delicious! I had beef sitting on a bed of fried sweet plantains. The flavor was definitely there and our service was great.
I will only add this as a slight negative: she had suggested a fried plantains dish to us for the appetizer but then also directed me to the entrée as well. I should have known better because it ended up just being wayyy too much fried sweet bananas for my taste and I probably would have picked something else. Overall was very intensely rich as an entrée after the app.
Regardless, the dishes were very flavorful, I can’t wait to come back and try the Arepas!
I’ll leave with this thought: this place sort of reminds me of eating at an awesome spot in Austin, TX. It has that kind of vibe, FAN!

Birdtown’s weird, but Barroco isn’t. This place is a true gem, the kind that you can only find in a city. I was so, so excited to learn of an authentic arepa spot in Cleveland!
My mom has been dreaming of arepas for the last 15 years, ever since our Venezuelan exchange student introduced her to them & cooked them from scratch for us with some regularity. She’s only had them once since then, but she talks about them often, so when I learned of Barroco, I knew we’d have to make a pilgrimage up from Akron.
Everything on their menu looks awesome — like, truly. I can only speak to what we had, but it was all delicious — the Mexicana arepa was spicy & overstuffed, with sweet maduros (plantains) on the side; I could’ve eaten three times as many as they gave me, they were that good. My mom & boyfriend both got the Montañera — a «grilled arepa with melted mozzarella served flat on its back then topped with carne (braised beef on our hogado sauce) and with a fried egg» — & they had about half leftover to take home. They both got tostones (savory plantains, smashed flat & fried) on the side, which served as platters for the bevvy of creative sauces Barroco makes available to every table just before they serve you.
The atmosphere inside is fun & funky, with paintings & writings all over the wallls & Christmas lights hanging from the ceiling. On sunny days, sit outside on the patio in the alley. Barroco is BYOB, & they’ll bring you glasses for your wine and/​or a bottle opener for your beer, if needed. Bring whatever you want!
I believe the Food Network named Barroco the Best Sandwich in Ohio, & I’d believe it. There’s not a damn thing on the menu that I’m not interested in devouring. I can’t wait to go back.

Barroco is a favorite of mine and my husband’s and definitely our «go-​to» when we’re craving something different.
We made a trip out yesterday for my birthday and per usual it didn’t disappoint!
One of our favorite things about this restaurant is that it’s BYOB, glad to see that’s still around. It certainly is a big influence in why we pick going here and is what initially got our interest to make our first restaurant. Nice to not be limited to certain beer choices.
We FINALLY GOT THE CHEESY CORN!!! I always see it highly recommended and never bothered. Oh. My. Tastebuds. Absolute perfection and pairs so well with the arepas. We both agreed that we’d probably next time just order 2 of these as our entrees. Very filling for an app!
I got the fajitas con arepas, I think what my husband ordered was the montanera, it came in a corn husk with a friend egg and a complimentary side, he chose the chili. My entrée was good but it didn’t blow me away, I’ve had several other dishes here that have though so I’ll just attribute that to personal preference. Loved the arepas it came with though! My husband was initially unimpressed with the portion size of his but after finishing the meal noted it was actually very filling. We both enjoyed the chili.

Is the Barrio wait too long?
Barroco grill is a unique little Columbian spot on Madison– easy to miss on the outside if you’re not looking for it but has an eye catching funky interior.
They have quite a bit of seating for both large and small groups; so it’s a nice place to hang with friends or bring a date. I’ve been in and out in 45 min, I’ve stayed for over 2 hours. It’s a pretty laid back place and can accommodate almost any party.
They don’t serve alcohol and it’s BYOB so if you’re looking for drinks, this isn’t your place. The food is super filling and flavorful. Like, this food is heavy. Almost the kind of I-​need-​a-​nap-​after-​eating-​this, heavy.
The staff is warm and friendly and doesn’t mind if you ask a million [stupid] questions. Though, you can’t really go wrong with anything you order.
The Cheesy Corn app is super good. Make sure not to overload on it because (again) it sits heavy in your stomach and the entrées are huge!
The plain arepas can be a little dry on their own– come in the sauces! If you were familiar with the [now closed] Helvetica on Detroit, they used a couple of Barroco’s sauces. They bring their 5 house made bottles to each table with your meal; I personally love the spicy peanut but they’re all really amazing.
Also, their Cuban sandwich is probably one of the best I’ve had in Cleveland.
Barroco is definitely worth a visit (or 2 or 5 or 10).