Burnt end nachos, shrimp & mango tacos: Cali-Mex restaurant opens another KC location

Locally owned and operated Barrio is expanding again.

Briarcliff Barrio, a Mexican Kitchen + Bar, was scheduled to open in The Village at Briarcliff at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 22.

The new 5,000-square-foot location, at 4125 N. Mulberry Drive, seats 150 inside and 100 on the patio.

Briarcliff Barrio will offer Cali-Mex dishes including shrimp tacos with mango relish, burnt end nachos or quesadillas, Surf & Turf kebabs (with grilled vegetables and a cilantro chimichurri sauce), birria tacos and Southwest chicken salad, along with an extensive tequila list and specialty margaritas.

“People ask what Cali-Mex is. We use a lot of fresh fruits — a brighter flavor, more freshness to it,” said Chris Ridler, co-owner.

It has daily dine-in specials such as $20 pitchers of margaritas or sangria on Wednesdays, and chicken or steak fajitas for $12.95 on Thursdays.

Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Mondays through Fridays; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturdays; and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays.

Brunch, with bottomless mimosas, will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. It also has happy hour specials.

It also has a private event space for up to 50 seated customers or 75 standing.

Ridler and Luke Pickett opened the first Barrio in Brookside in early 2018. They expanded with a location in the Red Bridge Shopping Center three years ago.

They spent a year gutting and remodeling the Briarcliff spot. They installed three garage doors that open to the patio in nicer weather. They also doubled the size of the patio, relocated the bar to a more central location, and put in new furnishings and fixtures from top to bottom.

The Cafe at Briarcliff Village formerly operated in the spot. Then Jose Pepper’s Border Grill & Cantina took it over, remodeling the space for a late 2014 opening. It closed a couple of years ago, citing loss of business from the pandemic.

This story was originally published June 22, 2022 at 11:04 AM.