Beer Barrio is a Celebration of Sabor Latino with Beautiful Art and Delicious Food
When I went to Wilmington, NC, I was very happy to stumble upon Beer Barrio. Immediately, I was blown away by the beautiful artwork and colorful atmosphere. We were greeted by friendly staff and the environment was warm and welcoming. Although the menu is Mexican, as a Colombian, I felt right at home.
Wilmington is about 2 hours from my mom’s house so I was starving when we arrived and wanted something hearty right away. I decided to get Chips with Chili-Cheese Dip as my starter and OMG was it good!
House made beef chili, cheddar jack cheese, sour cream
Then, my son and I shared a burrito order and a quesadilla order. That way neither of us had to choose only one. We got Al Pastor Burrito and Beef Nachos. No. We were not eating light at all this trip. LOL
As I’ve often mentioned in other articles, I believe in supporting microbreweries and drinking locally. Because of this, I looked for a local brew on the menu and I discovered Red Oak Breweries’ Bavarian Amber Lager. It’s not from Wilmington but from another NC town, close by called Whitsett. I’m now in love with this beer. It’s spectacular. It’s slightly sweet, refreshing, mildly hoppy, and has a moderate mouth feel.
In my opinion beer and Mexican food go great together and Red Oak’s Amber Ale was the perfect choice to compliment my meal.
Large, toasted flour tortilla filled with smoky black beans, pico de gallo, and cheddar-jack cheese. Served with guacamole and sour cream on the side.
I ate so much that I thought I was going to pop. Let me just say, this meal was worth every calorie. Everything I had was cooked exactly as it should be. The chips were not super salty or greasy. The tortillas were perfectly toasted. The chili was seasoned deliciously. The meats were tender. I was 100 percent satisfied with everything I had.
House-made chips topped with cheddar-jack cheese, pico de gallo, and jalapeno slides. Served with guacamole and sour cream on the side.
Woman-owned Business
Of course, I was pleased to find out that the Beer Barrio was woman-owned. Hayley Jensen, who’s practically been working in the restaurant industry her entire life is passionate about beer. It’s obvious that Beer Barrio is a testament to that love. It’s a place where anyone can sit and enjoy their favorite brew with great food in a fun environment.
Beer Sommelier Hayley Jensen serves as both Beverage Director and General Manager. Hayley began her restaurant career in her teens, working in every position from the drive-thru, to the hostess, to the server, bartender, beverage director, and general manager. Her passion for beer led her to Europe where she traveled to the beer countries. She lived in London to further hone her skills, working for an importer/distributor, as well as in an acclaimed craft beer store and pub. Her career-making moment, however, was in New York City, where during her time at DBGB Kitchen & Bar, she became Chef Daniel Boulud’s first Beer Sommelier. She has expansive media experience, appearing on The Today Show, Fox & Friends, NYC’s Nightly News, The Better Show, and more. She also serves on the Beer Tasting Panel at the NY Times and has been profiled by the Wall Street Journal, in addition to many other print publications. Her dream came true when she opened two restaurants and a brewery with her family!
