KENT, Ohio -- Barrio’s newest taco shop opened up today in downtown Kent, located just down the street from Kent State University. The iconic Cleveland taco chain already has found fans in the new market.

A line started to form outside the restaurant two hours before opening, with customers waiting outside on the sidewalk to order some of the first tacos.

“When we had first announced it, we were so happy to know all the Kent students were loving it,” Barrio social media and marketing director Antonietta Bovenzi said. “Not even just the students, but the community as well. They won’t have to drive so far away to Cleveland to get tacos.”

Bovenzi said that in the weeks leading up to the restaurant’s official opening, customers have been peeking into the building to track progress and taking selfies with Barrio’s outdoor signage.

The location is Barrio’s sixth restaurant in Ohio. The flagship Barrio opened in Tremont seven years ago. The chain has grown quickly, earning a fans with its build-your-own tacos, fruity cocktails and hip, upbeat atmosphere.

Kent was a natural next step for the business, said Bovenzi.

“It’s always been in the back of [the owners’] minds,” she said. “We have a lot of people on our team that went to Kent, so they love the city. They’ve been waiting for the right opportunity.”

Customers can purchase special Kent-themed Barrio t-shirts featuring black squirrels holding tacos. The space also hopes to appeal to students with a new happy hour on Friday afternoons.

The menu at Kent’s Barrio is the same as what you can expect at any other location -- funky double-layered tacos with rotating specials, spicy and sweet margarita varieties and chips and salsa delivered to every table. The space features the same decorations as other Barrios, too, with Day of the Dead-themed paintings by artist Michael McNamara.

Barrio isn’t slowing down after its newest venture in Kent. It’s prepared to open its new Michigan location soon, and has announced a Strongsville spot to open in 2020. Another out-of-state Barrio will be announced soon too, Bovenzi said.

“It’s really cool to see them expanding into new cities and states,” Bovenzi said. “We’ll probably be in four different states by the end of next year.”

See more photos from Kent’s Barrio in the photo gallery above.

For photos and videos on the extraordinary food and drinking scenes in Northeast Ohio, follow @DineDrinkCLE on Instagram.