Bàrbaro Taquería bringing Mexican street food to Madison St.

New restaurant from Humboldt Park owners to open by summer in Forest Park

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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Bàrbaro Taquería, a Mexican restaurant inspired by family recipes and global influences, is opening a second location on Madison Street in Forest Park. The new restaurant will offer tacos, quesadillas, and other Mexican street food staples, as well as a full cocktail program focused on tequila and mezcal. The owners, who also run a taquería in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood, aim to bring a taste of Mexico City to the Forest Park community.

Why it matters

The addition of Bàrbaro Taquería to the Madison Street corridor in Forest Park will provide residents and visitors with a new dining option featuring authentic Mexican cuisine. The restaurant's focus on street food and cocktails is expected to complement the existing businesses in the area and attract new customers to the neighborhood.

The details

Bàrbaro Taquería's Forest Park location will offer menu items like al pastor and carne asada tacos, mole dishes, and tlayudas (toasted tortillas with toppings). The restaurant will also have a full bar with an emphasis on tequila and mezcal cocktails. The interior design will be inspired by Mexico City street food, with an open-concept kitchen that allows customers to interact with the chefs. Owners Hector Herrera and David Morales are aiming to bring the same neighborhood feel and high-quality ingredients from their Humboldt Park location to the new Forest Park restaurant.

  • Bàrbaro Taquería plans to open its Forest Park location before summer 2026.
  • The previous tenant, Archery Custom Shop, closed in 2023.

The players

Bàrbaro Taquería

A Mexican restaurant and cantina that will open a second location on Madison Street in Forest Park, offering tacos, quesadillas, and other Mexican street food inspired by family recipes and global influences.

Hector Herrera

Co-owner of Bàrbaro Taquería and head chef, who grew up working in his father's taquería in Chicago.

David Morales

Co-owner of Bàrbaro Taquería, who partnered with Herrera to expand the restaurant to Forest Park.

La Haciendita Taquería

Herrera's first restaurant, which was named after his father's taquería in Mexico City and inspired the menu and style of Bàrbaro Taquería.

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What they’re saying

“Not only do we fit into the fabric [of Forest Park] but we will add to it. We know what Madison Street looks like, and we feel like Bàrbaro is going to complement what everyone else is already doing but also bring something else to the neighborhood.”

— David Morales, Co-owner, Bàrbaro Taquería (forestparkreview.com)

“When we talk about Mexican food, a lot of it is rooted in what your experience was growing up. The restaurant is 'my perspective of what I felt Mexican food was like growing up in my dad's taquería.”

— Hector Herrera, Head Chef and Co-owner, Bàrbaro Taquería (forestparkreview.com)

“You could also take your mom for a new experience, and it'll be familiar to them as well. While the space might feel new, the food is classic.”

— Hector Herrera, Head Chef and Co-owner, Bàrbaro Taquería (forestparkreview.com)

What’s next

Bàrbaro Taquería's owners are currently designing the interior of the new Forest Park location, which is expected to have a similar look and feel to the Humboldt Park restaurant, including an open-concept kitchen and a bar with custom built-ins.

The takeaway

The addition of Bàrbaro Taquería to Madison Street in Forest Park will bring authentic Mexican street food and cocktails to the neighborhood, complementing the existing businesses and providing residents with a new dining option that celebrates the owners' family recipes and global influences.