19-Jan-17 – Mexican will be the fare served at the new restaurant taking over for Blackfinn Ameripub in River North. Barrio will open this spring in the northwest ground floor of 330 North Clark, DineAmic Hospitality Group, the restaurant’s parent company, announced on Thursday.

Part of a chain of sports bar/restaurants, Blackfinn opened in September 2013 but was gone with 2016. The 6,000-square-foot space went to DineAmic, which also owns Siena Tavern, located in the northeast corner of the same building, and Public House one block east.

DineAmic calls Barrio “a creative take on traditional Mexican fare with pan-Latin and American influences” and says it will have a “bustling bar and lounge.”

“We wanted to create a Mexican restaurant that combines the rustic and casual attitude of the culture with a level of refinement, quality, and polished-edginess that appeals to the River North area,” says DineAmic partner Lucas Stoioff (left).

The menu will be a “shared plate” format and include “playful twists on classic Mexican street food as well as American gastropub dishes with a Latin spin.”

Dishes, “exciting yet approachable,” says partner David Rekhson, will include Guajillo Glazed Berkshire Pork Belly and Grilled Diver Scallop with Poblano-Uni relish.

“We want Barrio to be a place where guests don’t have to be ‘in the mood for Mexican’ in order to dine with us,” says Rekhson.

Chicago architect Ryan Nestor of Barker/Nestor and interior designer Katherine Ingrassia will transform the space into four areas – a main, oval-shaped bar that DineAmic says will be the restaurant’s “main attraction,” an elevated deck with private party rooms, the main dining room, “both intimate and playful,” and a smaller private dining room.

Metal beams will rise from the back of the bar and extend to the main and outdoor dining areas.

The renovation will cost $907,500 according to a construction permit issued on January 4. The general contractor is Crane Construction Company of Northbrook, Illinois.

(Right) Taco dish from DineAmic’s Twitter page. (Click on image to view larger version.)

Hours will be 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m., Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Sunday.