Ohio-based, fast-casual taco restaurant Barrio Tacos + Tequila + Whiskey, which announced plans earlier this year to open a Lexington location, has announced it will add to its Columbia offerings with a Devine Street restaurant. These are the first two locations of the chain in South Carolina.
The build-your-own-taco joint will be open seven days a week and until late hours on weekends at 4420 Devine St., owner Richard Kotlarek and real estate firm Colliers confirmed to the Free Times. Barrio’s Lexington location will open at the beginning of October, according to Kotlarek.
“Barrio means neighborhood in Spanish, so their concept is to be the heart of the neighborhood, the neighborhood bar,” John Gressette, an associate with Colliers, said. Barrio Tacos got its start over a decade ago and operates locations in states like Ohio, Texas and Florida.
The hip Mexican franchise’s bread and butter is its build-your-own-taco option, with a variety of protein fillings like braised pork rib and butter lime shrimp, plus eight signature sauces, Kotlarek said. The eatery also offers vegan protein options like tofu and sweet potatoes.
“We work all morning on (preparing) the meats, braising the pork and such,” Kotlarek told Free Times.
Tacos sit just under $4 and margaritas, offered with house-made and fruit-infused tequila, are $7. The restaurant’s happy hour options include $4 margaritas and $1 off tacos, as well as deals on drink pitchers. The eatery and bar will also offer around 100 varieties of tequila and 70 different whiskeys, with an indoor and outdoor bar to accommodate around 175 people. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, Barrio will offer brunch options.
Barrio’s Devine Street spot sits in a building that was meant to hold Griffin Chophouse, before plans for the restaurant fell through. It is across from a row of businesses, including Cosmic Rays Comic Book store and Devine Street Tattoo, in a growing retail district just off of the busy Garners Ferry Road. The area is between the bustling Devine Street District, which houses spots like Backstreets Grill and Cantina 76, and the busier fast-food-heavy Garners Ferry that lends itself to growth through restaurants like Barrio, Gressette said.
The restaurant chain started in a growing Cleveland suburb over a decade ago and has since expanded to 19 locations across the country. Kotlarek, who will operate both South Carolina locations, joined the company in 2020 after spending decades in the restaurant industry as a fine dining chef.
“I could never see myself in a (fast-casual) kind of environment. Before I got here, I never had tattoos,” Kotlarek laughed, looking down at the multiple tattoos on his arms. “I’m kind of living my second life now.” The restaurateur, in his 50s, decided on South Carolina when he was given the option to franchise a new location with the company.
Each restaurant location is themed with different murals and artwork, Kotlarek explained. His Columbia location will feature murals adorning the walls, with depictions of his personal life — meeting his wife, who he’s been married to since the early 90s, and raising their two children together — and opportunities for local artists to display their work.
The restaurant is located at 4420 Devine St. and is set to open in early 2024. It will be open seven days a week, from 3 p.m. until midnight during weekdays and until 1 a.m. on weekends.