{"id":38949,"date":"2026-10-01T07:41:46","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T07:41:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/38949\/"},"modified":"2026-10-01T07:41:46","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T07:41:46","slug":"review-mexican-barrel-house-in-creve-coeur-serves-upscale-fare-in-a-fun-festive-atmosphere","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/38949\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Mexican Barrel House in Creve Coeur serves upscale fare in a fun, festive atmosphere"},"content":{"rendered":"

Remember back in the early \u201980s, when you checked your Swatch, popped your collar or adjusted those two-story shoulder pads, and sashayed into Casa Gallardo for a platter of enchiladas and a margarita that could double as a wading pool? Casa introduced \u201cupscale\u201d Mexican fare in St. Louis, and we took to it like MTV took to Madonna. Walking into the new Mexican Barrel House is like a trip back to those salsa-stained days. Everything is big, loud, and fun.<\/p>\n

The d\u00e9cor, for example, takes \u201cMexican restaurant\u201d straight to DEFCON 1 level. Every wall is shingled with an entire pueblo\u2019s worth of tchotchkes. Multiple levels, including an extravagant, brilliantly lit bar and a balcony floor with seating, add a lot to the ambience, creating the simultaneous sensation of both intimate nooks and a festive atmosphere. We can\u2019t recall dining anywhere else with casters on the chairs, an odd detail that actually makes conversation easier, especially at larger tables. Resist the urge to take one on a spin across the checkered parquet floor.<\/p>\n

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Dining choices here are, ah, expansive. Instructions for reprogramming your cable box seem positively childlike in comparison to the menu. Pages of offerings cover seemingly every Southwestern possibility, from Monterrey to Midland. We got la banquete rolling with a very credible ceviche, salmon, and finely chopped shrimp with cilantro, onion, and avocado, all smacked with lime juice. A good ceviche puckers the palate, just short of sour, and this one does a piquant, chilled job, with chips for dipping. Another, simpler starter is a chilled salsa that\u2019s dark and smoky; the signature taste is from fire-roasted tomatoes. Although it\u2019s a bit unusual for the chips and salsa to not be complimentary, this version is worth the price.<\/p>\n

Nearly a dozen tacos are offered. We sampled three, all in corn tortillas. Two were exceptional. Lime-spritzed grilled shrimp, along with mashed avocados and slaw in a mango-infused habanero sauce, sounds over the top. It\u2019s terrific, though, with the creamy avocado moderating the spicy shrimp. Arrachera (skirt steak) is tough as a roller derby skate, but marinated\u2014as it is here with lime juice\u2014renders the cut tender and flavorful. Combined with melted cotija cheese and a mild pico, the result is what tacos might taste like if Matisse made them instead of paintings. The \u201cgrill-bello\u201d taco is a good idea, but it doesn\u2019t work well\u2014the mushrooms are meaty but can\u2019t carry the taco off satisfactorily.<\/p>\n

Photography by Kevin A. RobertsPhotography by Kevin A. Roberts\"EnchiladasEnchiladas Platter at Mexican Barrel House<\/p>\n

The quality of enchiladas is a prime standard for judging a Mexican restaurant. This version scores high, with a trio of them; the tortillas are baked until the corn flavor pops. Stuffed with pulled chicken, cheese, and ground beef, and served under ladles of red and green sauce, the latter is redolent of that vegetal earthiness of tomatillo and chiles; the former is suitably hot, pepper-warm, and aromatic.<\/p>\n

From the grill, hefty slices of carne asada deliver a steakhouse-worthy skirt steak that tasted more elaborately marinated than the same steak in the tacos, with hints of orange juice and soy sauce in the perfectly tender meat. It\u2019s one of a half-dozen grilled specialties that also include quesabirrias, chicken asado, and grilled octopus. The house\u2019s \u201cMexi-Q Boards\u201d feature the choice of a ranchero\u2019s worth of meats\u2014brisket, chicken, or ribeye, all with grilled peppers and tortillas.<\/p>\n

Photography by Kevin A. RobertsPhotography by Kevin A. Roberts\"CarneCarne asada served with rice, beans, and house-made tortillas<\/p>\n

\u201cBarrel bowls\u201d are still another dinner option on the menu. They\u2019re a sort of \u201cmeal in a bucket,\u201d with jasmine rice, diced sweet potatoes, and a whole vegetable garden tossed with avocado cubes; queso fresco; charred pineapple; along with chicken, steak, or shrimp. It\u2019s probably popular with those who routinely check \u201cAll of the Above\u201d when life\u2019s choices are offered.<\/p>\n

Torta-listas will be pleased with the selection here. The telera bread is authentic, puffy, and light, like a potato bread. Go for the fried carnitas stuffed inside, along with refried beans and mayo.<\/p>\n

Halfway through dinner, a \u201cflight\u201d of barbecue sauces appeared tableside, though it wasn\u2019t clear what they were meant for. They ranged from \u201ckinda sweet\u201d to \u201creally sweet,\u201d with a taste more Tex than Mex. The sauce accompanying the arrachera steak is far superior\u2014nuanced and multilayered in flavor.<\/p>\n

Photography by Kevin A. RobertsPhotography by Kevin A. Roberts\"LasLas tres Amigas; three 8oz house margaritas; lime, strawberry and peach<\/p>\n

If it\u2019s an alcohol that comes from anywhere south of the border, the Barrel\u2019s got it. There are more than a dozen tequilas, a mess o\u2019 mescal possibilities, Mexican beers, and even some of Mexico\u2019s wines. Sorry, but matching a good whiskey with funnel cakes would be easy compared to pairing Mexican food with wine. The margaritas, however, are worth exploring.<\/p>\n

Even if there were a production of Stomp! going on somewhere in the place, it would have been muffled by the noise of the crowd here. It\u2019s loud. This is a place where, while MTV\u2019s dead and acid-washed jeans have faded, that old Casa vibe is still lively, convivial, and happily buen\u00edsimo.<\/p>\n

Mexican Barrel House
\ud83d\udccd1085 N. Mason, Creve Coeur
\ud83d\udcde 314-370-6010
\u23f0 9 a.m.\u20132 p.m. and 4:30\u20139 p.m. Mon and Tue, 9 a.m.\u20132 p.m. and 4:30\u201310 p.m. Wed and Thu, 9 a.m.\u20132 p.m. and 4:30\u201311 p.m. Fri and Sat; bar only 2\u20134:30 p.m.; brunch 9 a.m.\u20133 p.m. Sun.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Remember back in the early \u201980s, when you checked your Swatch, popped your collar or adjusted those two-story shoulder pads, and sashayed into Casa Gallardo for a platter of enchiladas and a margarita that could double as a wading pool? Casa introduced \u201cupscale\u201d Mexican fare in St. Louis, and we took to it like MTV<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":38950,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[32177,26528,5050,5116,5114,5117,5115],"class_list":["post-38949","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-mexico","tag-creve-coeur","tag-may-2026","tag-new-mexico","tag-new-mexico-dining","tag-new-mexico-food","tag-new-mexico-grocery-stores","tag-new-mexico-restaurants"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/vive.im\/@dc\/117364528558001774","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38949","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38949"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38949\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38950"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38949"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38949"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38949"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}