Correction: This version corrects the description of Beer Barrio's pork taco.

Mexican food can be found on the streets of Downtown Wilmington once again. Beer Barrio, owned by husband-and-wife team Stephen Durley and Hayley Jensen as well as Hayley’s mom, Carol Jensen, opened this past weekend at 35 N. Front St. The newly remodeled building previously housed Dirty Harry’s Burrito and Juice Bar.

Jensen and Durley met while working at DBGB Kitchen and Bar in New York City. Jensen served as beer sommelier and Durley, a trained chef who had worked previously for DBGB owner Daniel Boulud at his famed restaurant Daniel, was part of the kitchen staff. The two would eventually move to Taproom 307 where Jensen again served as beer sommelier and Durley came on as executive chef.

Dreams of opening their own restaurant eventually led the couple south, where more affordable real estate options were available to them.

Jensen and the Durley describe Beer Barrio as a craft beer-infused modern Mexican restaurant. The menu is focused on simple Mexican fare such as tacos, quesadillas and pressed burritos, to which Durley has imparted his own unique flavor combinations.

Taco offerings include Carolina pulled pork with house-smoked local pork, cole slaw and Carolina vinegar barbecue sauce, as well as beer-braised ground beef tacos served on a flour tortilla with cheddar jack cheese that is then wrapped around crispy tortilla shell and served with lettuce, pico and chipotle sour cream.

Jensen said that some of the top sellers so far have been the pork, beef and fish tacos as well as the hushpuppies, which are prepared with local fish, fresh corn, jalapenos and a chipotle dipping sauce.

“We had to put a few nods to the South on our menu,” she said. “And sure enough, those hushpuppies have been really popular so far.”

Jensen has selected nearly 30 craft beers to serve on tap and there are fresh margaritas on tap as well. That’s right: margaritas on tap.

“We make our margaritas from fresh squeezed juices and pour them into a keg so they can be served on tap,” Jensen said.

Jensen said she wants customers to be comfortable coming in and having a beer or margarita at the bar anytime without the pressure of having to order a meal.

“As much as we pride ourselves on our food, we pride ourselves on our beverage selection as well, and want customers to feel welcome to come in for just a drink,” Jensen said. “We’ve got a great selection of local beer as well as beer from around the globe and we want to be a part of the beer-drinking circuit.”

Beer Barrio is open Sunday-Wednesday from 11 a.m. to midnight and Thursday–Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.

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