DeMun Oyster Bar transitioning to Barrio restaurant concept

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Photo credit Rick Gould

DeMun Oyster Bar is changing tides with a new name and concept. Beginning April 14, the restaurant will become Barrio (Spanish for "neighborhood"), serving Spanish, Mexican, and Latin American-inspired fare.

“While we’ve loved shucking oysters for the last eight years, we’re very excited to spice things up on our charming little corner of St. Louis,” owner Alan Richman said in a statement.

Rising seafood costs are part of the reason that the restaurant decided to change concepts. It was getting too expensive to fly in fresh oysters almost daily. "We’ve always strived to have high-quality seafood and oysters. That comes at a certain price," says general manager Kelli McMullen. "We didn’t want to sacrifice quality or raise prices. There was a moment when we had to decide whether to keep doing this or move into something else."

The new concept grew from a "Backdoor Burrito" program offered last summer, in which executive chef Daniel Sammons created a different flavor of burrito each week. "It started to encourage this idea for Barrio," says McMullen. "We thought, 'If we were to change the concept, this would be something fun and exciting to do.'"

While Sammons is still finalizing the new menu, it will likely lean toward shared plates. "A big part of why we haven’t specifically said Mexican or Spanish tapas is because we don’t want to limit our chefs or their creativity," says McMullen. "We want our culinary staff to be able to do fun stuff without sticking to one specific category." Street tacos, Cuban sandwiches, and arepas are among the likely offerings.

As for drinks, which will be served alongside a late-night menu? "The beverage program will start with approximately 25 tequilas and 25 mezcals," says McMullen. "We want to expand that further as the concept grows and develops. We’ll have an extensive agave menu, aqua frescas, cocktails, and sangria that use fresh, local, seasonal ingredients."

The space itself could also eventually get a new look. "We’re planning to possibly renovate more next winter," says McMullen. "Right now, we’re doing some minor revamps. We’ll be painting and getting new furniture. Come next winter, we’re looking into doing physical reconstruction of the bar and interior. Nothing is for sure yet, but we’re excited for summer and would hate to have to postpone opening for renovation."

DeMun Oyster Bar will continue to offer its current menu through April 8.

"I want to say a big thank you to the neighborhood and the community who supported the oyster bar over the last eight years," says McMullen. "It’s a project we all loved, and we loved that everyone has shown their support. We hope they support us in our new venture."

Editor's Note: This story has been updated with additional details from McMullen.