Brookside Barrio Review

Photo by Ally Griffith

I’m constantly on the hunt for new “regulars” in terms of restaurants, seeing as I get bored quickly with the same old Chick Fil A or Jimmy Johns. So, when Brookside Barrio opened at 63rd and Wornall, I knew I had to see if this new Mexican restaurant could oust my $9 Chipotle burrito.

I found a friend to join me for dinner and put my name in on the Nowait app in hopes of being seated upon arrival, seeing as they don’t take reservations. But, even with that 20-minute window between putting my name in and arriving, we still had to wait 25 minutes at the restaurant before being seated. Luckily, sitting on their patio in the 70 degree evening made it hard to complain, and the rest of our experience made it well worth the wait.

We chose to be seated outside on the patio underneath the string lights, which made for a cute and calm atmosphere. I was worried about being underdressed since I had come from a lazy afternoon in my Lululemon shorts and tank top, but fortunately the general attire ranged from athletic-casual to full-blown girls’ night glam.

Glancing over at surrounding tables, I wished I could try their specialty margaritas that everyone seemed to be downing, but since they didn’t have a nonalcoholic version, I decided to stuff my face with chips and salsa instead.

I decided to splurge on the $6 queso, which made me realize I need to reevaluate Salty’s Iguana dip as my go-to. The chips were warm and crispy — hands down the best I’ve had in KC. Moving on to the main course, I opted for the Carne Asada. The two flour tortilla tacos with a side of black beans and rice were well worth the $12.

The grilled steak topped with caramelized onion, roasted poblano, corn relish, queso fresco and salsa made it hard to be jealous of my friend’s order, but I decided to steal a bite of her $11 Burrito Lucha Libre anyway. Rivaling my Chipotle order, this burrito was stuffed with chicken, jack cheese and ranchero beans topped with queso, salsa roja, sour cream, guacamole and pico de gallo. The spices made the well-done meat taste gourmet, especially compared to my usual Prairie Village Burrito from Salty Iguana. The colorful presentation only enhanced the meal.

The menu left me wanting more, but my stomach made me resort to a to-go box. I won’t complain, though, because the leftovers made for an easy and delicious lunch the next day. Next time, I’m bringing my family so I can persuade my sisters to get the BBQ burnt end quesadilla or the fried avocado tacos for a chance to sneak my fork into their meals.

This restaurant fits any and every occasion. I can’t wait to come back, whether it’s for a casual dinner with the family or a classy birthday bash with my girlfriends.

I didn’t know I could ever find something to compete with Salty Iguana. One thing I do know, though, is that I won’t get bored of Brookside Barrio. This “regular” is going to stick.