A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of having dinner at Barbakoa in Downers Grove and it was AMAZING!
The 
Barbakoa concept is a mash-up of Central and South American cuisines with European influences. Acclaimed Executive Chef, Dudley Nieto, did a fantastic job with the menu, he was able to draw from his Le Cordon Bleu training and his Mexican heritage combined with a love for Latin cuisines of all types. I’ll say this, the man is talented!
Seeing as though I’m a fan of trying a little bit of everything, we decided to go with the tasting menu. There are a few variations of the tasting menu at Barbakoa, the largest and best value in my opinion is Tasting Quatro. The quatro is huge, you get to taste fourteen different dishes including dessert! It is NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART, but it was perfect for folks like me who want it all, even if having it all means you are going to take a ton of stuff home.
Here’s what we had:
- Traditional Guacamole
- Pina Guacamole
- Chicharrón Guacamole
- Shrimp Ceviche
- Tuna Ceviche
- Lobster Tacos
- Deep Fried Oyster Tacos
- Pastor (Pork) Tacos
- Shrimp Tacos
- 4 Types of Salsas
- Tamarind Glazed Short Ribs
- Chimichurri Fries
- Wood Grilled Veggies
- Corn
- Chef’s Choice Dessert (Nutella Flourless Cake)
That is one hell of a lot of bullet points and our table was full, my eyes were bigger than my stomach for sure but OMG it was so good. There were definitely some favorites, like the dinosaur sized short ribs with the tamarind glaze, the lobster tacos, tuna ceviche and the Nutella cake all knocked my socks off. My hubs loved the guacamole flight, shrimp ceviche, pastor tacos and shrimp tacos. One of the reasons why I love going out to dinner with him is because we usually order opposite things and he doesn’t really eat very many sweets, so I get to have all of the desserts to myself!! 🙂
Although I jumped right into talking about the food, the interior design at the restaurant is gorgeous! So much texture mixed with playful colors and anchored with rich wood tones. Barbakoa is beautifully done and easily one of my favorite restaurant interiors.
If you are looking for a lively place for dinner or drinks, you must try Barbakoa. The ceilings are high so the sound 
can get kind of loud. Perfect for a night out with friends, a Family dinner or date night. The cocktail, wine and beer menu has a little bit of everything, so you’ll be able to please a wide range of tastes. I can’t wait to visit again.
Leave a comment below and let us know what you think of Barbakoa!
Address: 1341 Butterfield Rd, Downers Grove, IL 60515
