Barrio Truck

Grabbed some nachos and guacamole before the Wits show at the Fitzgerald. Best nachos ever. SALT people. Yes, salt on the nacho chips; heavenly.
The guac was creamy and just enough spice.
Can’t wait for next week at the Fitzgerald/​Wits.

Barrio employees are angels for agreeing to come out to Zombie Pub Crawl. Honestly, who would want to put up with hordes of the undead… These guys were champs though; dishing out tacos at top speed to the unruliest crowd. There were jerks harassing them and yelling idiotic stuff, and that didn’t phase them one bit.
I am fully prepared to say that the Mahi-​Mahi taco at Barrio is the best fish taco in the city. I’ve been let down too many times by other tacos (I’m looking at you Sea Salt and Chino Latino) to ever turn back. I could’ve eaten a truck load of these! And probably will in the near future.

My first experience with the Barrio Truck was a bit heartbreaking. I had heard it was on 7^th, so I went a-​wandering around 7^th Street in Downtown Minneapolis and could not for the life of me find the thing. As it turns out, they meant they were on West 7^th. In Saint Paul. Whoops.
When they’re in the city I’m in (usually the parking lot on 4^th St and 1^st Ave N, FYI) they’re a solid lunch option. I absolutely adore their barbacoa burrito — it puts Chipotle to shame, really — and the various tacos are both creative (like tongue!) and delicious.
I have two gripes, though. First is that it feels like they botch the simple stuff a little too often: stone-​cold tortillas, chunks of avocado in the guacamole, seasoning issues, etc. All of those little details that really shouldn’t come up but kinda wreck things when they do.
Second is that they’re definitely on the pricey side for a food truck. Tacos are about $ 4-​$ 5 each and you’ll probably want more than one. Throw in a beverage and some chips and guacamole and you’re looking at a $ 12-​$ 15 lunch.

The Barrio Truck is right outside my downtown office. I stopped by Monday for lunch & got two carnitas tacos for $ 8. Within a few minutes, my tacos were ready & I was on my way.
Although they are small, they are filling. There is a ton of meat packed inside these tiny tortillas & they are full of flavor.
The price is comparable to most lunch spots downtown. I wish there was a place to sit outside & eat nearby, but there really isn’t, so back to the office I went.

I had the carnitas taco and the chips and salsa, and they were delicious! I went when they were parked outside the Walker for Music + Movies, so there was barely a line, and I got my food quickly, which is sometimes a problem when you visit food trucks during rush hour.
The taco was amazing. Think perfectly roasted pork with a tangy salsa verde, crisp onions, and fresh cilantro… yum! Plus the ancho salsa had a really rich flavor… not too spicy, but still packing a little heat!
The only downside is the price… I think $ 4.50 for a small corn taco is a little excessive. But I can’t wait to come back and try their crab taco and the grilled corn!

I tried the carnitas and the lengua tacos today at the Barrio Truck in Minneapolis (parked near Pizza Luce).
The cooking of the carnitas, OMG… so juicy and tender. The only thing is that I’m not crazy about the liberal use of cinnamon on the meat. It’s just a personal thing because it reminded me of a mini donut and that was throwing me off, and I bet a lot of people might love it. The lengua? Solid all around.
The sauces that come on both the tacos are fantastic. I love a good sauce. And Barrio’s guacamole is insane. I didn’t get it today, but I assume it’s the same fresh guac in the truck as they serve at the restaurant and it’s amazeballs.
In addition to a few kinds of tacos on the menu, I saw a soft shell crab torta and a barbacoa burrito that sounded great. They offer quite a few Jarritos flavors and Mexican Coke if that’s your thing.
There is a definite level of quality here that deserves four stars, but this truck is not without its downsides. Each taco combo comes with two tacos for $ 8+, but you can’t actually split your order between two varieties. I like variety in my life… and I also have to say something about those prices. It’s a little spendy, especially when you have to pay extra for guac, chips and extra salsa.
If I was at a festival or something, yeah I wouldn’t hesitate to eat here again. But if I’m downtown already, I think I would prefer to eat the same delicious tacos for the same price at Barrio itself. Also, I’d invite a margarita to my table.

So happy that Barrio truck came to Mpls. I work right across the street from Barrio, but that patio gets nuts at lunch on a nice day. I’d much rather head to the cart and eat outside. The barbacoa burrito is fantastic. Just the right amount of kick. The tacos are also super delicious. Great seasonings and sauces. I like the lunch special of 2 tacos with guac, salsa and chips for $ 10. Their guacamole is so good! It is also nice to see them out at Walker events, even though that menu is more limited than the regular lunch items.