Barrio Queen Still Searching for an Identity

For those looking for an after-dinner sweet treat, there are solid desserts as well. A tres leches cake with berry compote is fresh and flavorful, especially with bites of its whipped cream topping and sprinkling of pecans, but it's hard to pass up the decadent deep-fried and sugary churro with cajeta (caramelized goat's milk) as the go-to meal ender.

Esparza's knack for decorating in a way that's both tasteful and eclectic gives Barrio Queen an upbeat atmosphere with lots of eye candy. Among rich fabrics, tile work, and flooring, there are groups of hanging colored lights, window stencils, Mexican crafts and local artwork, and framed family photos. There's a nice patio and a welcoming dining room with subdued Mexican music playing overhead, but it's the small cantina-like area of the restaurant that I like the best. With its shiny, rust-colored tiles, comfortable booths, overhead cages filled with bottles of tequila, and a black and white Mexican film playing in the background, it's perfect for knocking back a few libations and a mix of tacos with boisterous friends, and it seems most suited to what Barrio Queen was always meant to be.

Jackie Mercandetti

Barrio Queen's 30 varieties of street-size tacos range from the familiar to the exotic — and many of them are excellent.

Location Info

Map

Barrio Queen Tequileria

7114 E. Stetson Drive
Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Category: Restaurant >

Region: Central Scottsdale

Photos

0 user reviews	Write A Review

Details

Barrio Queen
7114 East Stetson Drive, Scottsdale
480-656-4197
www.barrioqueen.com
Summer hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Regular hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday

Tacos: $2.50-$4.75
Arizona burrito: $11
Enchiladas Silvana: $16
Pollo a la coco: $19

Related Content

• Silvana's Changing It Up Again at Barrio Queen: Expect "Mercado" Food, An Ice Cream Shop, and Something Called a "Rasparita" by October
  August 17, 2012
• Chow Bella's Top Phoenix Food Stories of the Week
  August 18, 2012
• Barrio Queen Still Looking to Rule Scottsdale
  July 19, 2012
• Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza Closes Silvana Bistro, Devotes Efforts (and Space) to Barrio Queen
  February 6, 2012
• Silvana Bistro to Open This Friday
  January 3, 2012

More About

• Silvana Salcido Esparza
• Silvana Bistro
• Enchiladas Silvana
• North-American Food and Cooking
• Mexican Food and Cooking

Unfortunately, the service, although friendly and helpful, can often be frustrating in the area of simple, expected tasks. Dirty dishes were frequently left to sit at my table, water glasses went unfilled, and checks were delivered without asking if there were any other orders.

This year has been a busy one for Esparza. On the heels of opening two new restaurants (and closing one of them), she's celebrating the 10-year anniversary of Barrio Cafe and has recently opened its Sky Harbor Airport location in Terminal 4. With the sudden flood of activity, perhaps the notable chef is simply stretched too thin at the moment to focus on the day-to-day operations of Barrio Queen. But the fact that Esparza had the foresight (and the humility) to quickly close a new restaurant that she didn't feel right about may be an indication that she's also able to recognize that Barrio Queen still needs her help to become the place that she originally envisioned it to be — and that her customers desperately want.