After an extensive remodel that transformed every corner of the former Houlihan’s in Creve Coeur, The Mexican Barrel House (1085 N. Mason) is ready to roll. The 280-seat space is currently in the soft-opening phase, with limited hours on select breakfast, lunch, and dinner dates ahead of the grand opening on February 16. Additional details will be posted on its Facebook page. Here’s what to know before you go.
The Menu
Owner Alfredo Flores categorizes the menu into three interwoven parts: authentic Mexican favorites, Tex-Mex barbecue, and American breakfast. Customers can combine the ingredients in a variety of ways—for example, ordering brisket from the smoker, steak from the grill, St. Louis’ own pork steak within a single “Mexi-Q Board,” a make-your-own-tacos spread for the table.
Flores has given the culinary team, led by head chef Ulises Lopez, license to innovate and experiment, just as he likes to do himself. The Mexican section includes classics such as tacos but with fillings including deep-fried braised pork shoulder, grilled chicken and chorizo, adobo-marinated chicken thighs, plant-based al pastor, and grilled portobello. The torta sandwiches feature grilled telera bread with a crispy cheese crust and a DIY list of proteins, toppings, cheeses, and garnishes.
Noteworthy shareables include the agua chile de ribeye (seared sliced steak marinated in citrus and jalapeño juice plus soy and Worcestershire sauce), queso over shredded smoked brisket with fries, and grilled “corn ribs” (a mess-free version of street corn on the cob with butter, cotija cheese, and cilantro).
The kitchen will also offer rotating daily specials like a roll of brisket and steak atop a bed of mashed potatoes.
Although the barbecue is technically Kansas City style (meaning it is dry-rubbed, slow-smoked, and served with a tomato-based sauce—or, in this case, a choice of six house-made sauces and an equal number of salsas), the kitchen uses Mexican spices such as paprika and Chile powders along with sugars in its seasoning blends. Flores also leans toward the serving style that he grew up with. “Mexico has a big barbecue culture, but we plate it with fresh vegetables, not so heavy on proteins and carbs,” he explains.
The options for sides are plentiful. Dishes like the pulled pork sandwich and the brisket Philly sandwich can be ordered with fries, street corn potato salad, or charro beans—a side similar to baked beans but named for Mexican cowboys or charros.
The restaurant is only open for dinner through February 7. The breakfast menu that launches February 9 is still in development, but Flores says it will lean toward American classics such as pancakes.
The Beverages
On the beverage side, as in the kitchen, bartender Nico Romo is was encouraged to be creative with the cocktail list he’s. The N/A options include six barrel mocktails like the Nada-Rita and Whiskey Palmer made with zero-proof spirits developing., with more options available as specials.
In anticipation of high volume, Flores has set up a separate compact bar station off the kitchen to take the pressure off the main bar staff. An even smaller bar cart stocked with the basics can be rolled out tableside as well.
House margaritas start with a high-end Cadillac, followed by a spicy version with cucumber, a bourbon-based Kentucky version, a tropical version with homemade mango shrub, grilled pineapple juice, and hot sauce. Other cocktails are listed under the heading The Mix, which ranges from a uniquely fruity Green Apple Moscato Sangria to a standard Blue Hawaiian and from a riff on the historic Martinez (gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and bitters) to a modern a Ranch Water (a Texas highball with tequila, lime juice, and sparkling mineral water).
It’s rare to see Mexican wines in the States, but Flores has arranged for a very nice introduction to the country’s viniculture. Highlights among the whites include a Chenin Blanc from Monte Xanic, heralded as Mexico’s first boutique winery when it was established in 1988, and a Chardonnay with Chenin Blanc from RGMX in Valle de Parras, one of Mexico’s original wine regions, where vines were first planted in the 1500s.
Among the reds, note the Sangiovese Grosso from the family-owned Paoloni winery. The Italian-born winemaker uses techniques from his home country, but with grapes grown only 10 miles from the Pacific in the Northern Baja region.
Another unusual sight in a Mexican restaurant is a dessert wine list. “My pretension wasn’t to be high end,” Flores says, “but in Mexico, people have a digestif or a hot tea or a dessert wine for their digestive system. I thought, ‘Why not do that here?’” The selections include a dolce, Riesling, ruby port, Grand Marnier, and Amaro Montenegro.
To avoid competition with the Flores family’s Casa Juarez Mexican Town, just a few miles to the north in Maryland Heights, The Mexican Barrel House will not host tequila tasting events. However, it offers a well-curated selection of tequila brands and styles.
The Team
Flores is joined by two of his children in operating the restaurant. His son Alfredo Jr. manages the front of the house, and his daughter Maggie is handling a variety of roles while Flores works with the kitchen to finalize the menu.
The Mexican Barrel House has been described as a sister restaurant to Casa Juarez, which Flores and a group of his siblings opened in 2018. But it is also related to the four Las Fuentes Mexican Restaurants and Oats and Honey Café—and Flores has had a role in all of them.
He started working in local restaurants in the early 1990s, after arriving in the St. Louis region on a basketball scholarship at Lindenwood University. He worked at El Maguey before moving on to management roles at corporate outfits like Chevy’s Fresh Mex and Olive Garden. Those experiences taught him a great deal about best practices for processes such as inventory and for kitchen structure, which he applied after returning to El Maguey and helping the company expand.
Eventually, Flores and his brother Jerry decided to open the first Las Fuentes in Florissant in 2002. Around the same time, Flores also worked with another brother, Ramiro, and their sister Guillermina to open Chihuahua’s in Maryland Heights. That small restaurant eventually transitioned into the much larger Casa Juarez, and during the process, the entrepreneurs received their first Small Business Administration loan. The experience motivated Flores to purchase the former Houlihan’s building in 2021.
The Atmosphere
The first weekend of The Mexican Barrel House’s soft opening coincided with the snowstorm that blanketed the St. Louis region, but waiting a few more days didn’t dissuade customers who had been eagerly anticipating the restaurant since it was first announced in 2022.
Purchasing and renovating the 45-year-old building posed significant challenges, including dealing with damage from burst pipes, updating civil engineering and architectural plans, and extensive electrical and HVAC work. Even though Flores had renovated other restaurants, the 8,700-square-foot building was next-level. “I didn’t know how hard it was going to be,” he admits. “I wanted to call it quits at some points.”
But instead of quitting, he used the delays to conceptualize the design. “I dined at Houlihan’s twice, and I remember looking at that brick downstairs,” he recalls. “I fell in love with it.” The brickwork is still a prominent characteristic of the entire restaurant, serving as a backdrop for intricate décor that tells Flores’ life story.
There’s a sign from the street where he grew up, Calle Reforma, in Chihuahua, Mexico. There is an entire wall of loved ones’ photos showing his parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents (including a remarkable image of one set of great-grandparents’ 23 daughters). There is the house number from a home that his grandfather built.
Flores is a resourceful business owner whose connections across industries helped him find deals on everything from the exterior brick to interior tiles—and, in the process, kept excess building materials out of landfills.
He followed the same principles of sustainability with leftovers from the restaurant’s own renovations. For example, he repurposed metal from the roof into edging for the bottoms of the booths to where they meet the floor. The lamps on the walls are made of acid-treated mirrors; the wooden blocks holding the salt and pepper shakers are handcrafted from two-by-fours.
The booths are original to the building, though they have been reupholstered. The black-and-white tile floors are also original—and, of course, Flores kept the brick that impressed him on earlier visits.
One section of the main floor is dedicated to the U.S. military in honor of Flores’ two sons, who are currently in the Marine Corps, as well as his children, nieces, nephews, and other family members who have served in the Air Force, Navy, and Army.
The religious symbolism throughout the restaurant represents Flores’ Catholic faith, which helped him persevere through the challenges of building out the restaurant. The crosses, hearts, and archangels are obvious, but other details require a closer look, such as the small eyes underneath shelves holding archangels, connected in the Bible to all-seeing God.
Even the logo has symbolism. It is modeled on a St. Benedict medal that Flores carries as protection in times of fear and uncertainty—which is basically every day when renovating a restaurant. “You’re going to fail, but you’re also going to learn,” Flores says.
As costs rose beyond the anticipated budget, several of Flores’ siblings stepped up to help out financially, motivating Flores when an unexpected challenge arose. “There’s a lot of sweat equity in this building, but it was worth it,” he says.
Flores is looking forward to February 16, when the restaurant will serve its full menu for the first time. “A grand opening always gives me butterflies,” Flores says. “Just like when you fall in love with somebody. I get those feelings from seeing people in my restaurant.”
The Mexican Barrel House
📍 1085 N. Mason, Creve Coeur
📞 314-370-6010
⏰ 9 a.m.–2 p.m. and 4:30–9 p.m. Mon and Tue, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. and 4:30–10 p.m. Wed and Thu, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. and 4:30–11 p.m. Fri and Sat; bar only 2–4:30 p.m.; brunch 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Sun. (Hours after February 16 grand opening)
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