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    Cucina Zapata

    4.7 (275 reviews)
    InexpensiveFood Stands, Thai, Mexican
    Closed 12:00 pm - 6:00 PM

    Cucina Zapata Photos

    Business Info

    CUCINA ZAPATA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Cucina Zapata

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    Reviews With Photos

    Capn Crunch Tilapia Tacos
    Christine L.

    This Asian Mexican food truck is heavenly. Located at Drexel University, it's very convenient to the Amtrak Train Station at only an 8-10 min walk away. I saw a food influencer post videos of the tacos from Cucina Zapata and I knew I had to try it the second I visited Philly. I ended up getting the Cap'n Crunch Fish (Tilapia) Tacos, and they are not playing around when they say Crunch! The fish is fried to a crunchy perfection. The breading of the fish is super tasty and they definitely do not skimp on the amount of fish you get. I love all the sauces they drizzled on top of the tacos too. I got my tacos super quickly and the service was really friendly. The tacos were bigger than your average taco too which was a nice surprise! It is definitely a little messy to eat, but they provided tons of napkins to account for that. At $9 per two fish tacos, this food truck offers a quick, yet fantastic quality of food for a great price! Cucina Zapata is a must try if you're in the area and looking for a quick bite. They're open Monday to Friday (and sometimes Saturdays!), but definitely check their Instagram to see when they're opened or closed. People also say that they only take cash, but on the food truck there was a Venmo QR code, which inclines me to think they also take Venmo! Definitely check out this food truck -- you won't be disappointed!

    Satay chicken platter
    Leah L.

    Highly recommended this place out of ever in food truck row Second time visits and I must say not only is the customer service great. The food is delicious. They are usually packed during lunch time but it's worth it.

    The truck - can't miss it with its colors
    Alicia J.

    After a couple of painful years closed due to COVID, Cucina Zapata's truck is back and just as good! They have an active Facebook page where you can submit pre-orders and see the menu for the day, which changes slightly each day (but should always have a version of their signature chicken katsu and Cap'n Crunch tilapia). Their chicken options are also halal on Thursdays and Fridays. I recently went and ordered two Cap'n Crunch tilapia tacos for $8 - the usual burrito wasn't on the menu today, but honestly tacos are just as good a vehicle to get the super-crispy fish and spicy mayo into your mouth. If you order at the truck, it's still about a 10-15 minute wait like it was before, but worth the wait of course. Old-timers and newcomers alike, come check out this super unique and tasty food truck at Drexel!

    veggie burger with chips!
    Jackie M.

    My last review was almost 9 years ago.....dang! This place is just as good as ever. Stopped by and got the veggie burger and a thai tea. Prices have increased from my college days but now the burger comes with chips which was a pleasant surprise. The veggie burger is slightly different but possibly better?? My biggest complaint before was that it would fall apart very easily. The burger I got today was darker in color but it held together A LOT easier. The guy who took my order was really nice. When I asked if the veggie burger was the same he said "yes but possibly better". I ordered around 11:45 and it was streamline and easy. I remember waiting 30mins+ in the past so it's nice that it was an easy experience. They take venmo and cashapp. Glad I stopped by and need to come back sooner rather than later.

    Cap n' Crunch Tilapia platter with fried egg Cap n' Crunch Shrimp platter
    David C.

    During my college days, Cucina Zapata was THE truck of choice amongst my friends on Drexel's campus. It's been 7 years since I last had my hands on their renowned Cap N' Crunch Fish platter so I decided to go down memory lane (more like Ludlow St and 31st where the truck is located) and grab lunch on a sunny but windy Friday. I finished a 20 mile bike ride with my cousin prior to picking up lunch so we had definitely worked up an appetite. I placed the order through instagram a day before: 2 cap n' crunch tilapia platters with a fried egg on both 1 cap n' crunch shrimp platter and a thai tea. After the first bite, it immediately brought me back. Flavors didn't miss a single beat. Most of their menu items can be ordered as tacos, burrito, or a platter. I've always preferred the platter which comes with rice, a side salad, and sliced avocado which was missing this time but not a biggie. Get all the sauces (sriracha, spicy mayo, and green sauce) and I always ask for a fried egg which is a dollar more but is key. They cook the egg perfectly over easy where the yolk is nice and runny mixing well with the rice. The shrimp platter seemed like a newer item but it was just as great as the fish platter if not better. HUGE 6 pieces of shrimp fried in their Cap n' crunch batter. It was my cousin's first time trying Cucina Zapata, and he gave his stamp of approval which was less of a relief because I did hype it up but more of a reassurance of how good Cucina Zapata's food is. Super happy Cucina Zapata has been here all these years and so glad I came back to the same friendly service and amazing food.

    cap 'n crunch tilapia burrito
    Esther L.

    visited this food truck in philly back in 2019 & i have yet to find anything like this !! this was recommended by a friend as this food truck is located in drexel university , and i am so glad i got to try this yummy deliciousness! cucina zapata is a korean & mexican fusion food truck & i remember the cap 'n crunch tilapia burrito was around $6 so it's super worth it !! i heard that they were closed during COVID but they are open again! if you are ever around the philly area, i recommend checking them out. also don't forget to bring cash (just in case they don't take card) !!

    Chicken katsu platter + thai tea
    Carlie H.

    This is, honestly, the best food truck in Philly! Their price point is perfect for a filling meal for lunch. I usually get the chicken katsu platter, which costs $6. Some days, I like to add on an avocado or egg for a small, additional fee. I've also heard good things about the Cap'n Crunch tilapia burrito/platter. Every time I've gone, there's been a bit of a wait, both with ordering and finally getting the food. I've learned to come a couple of minutes before noon, which is when they open, to be one of the first people in line. Also, they're responsive on their Facebook page and make sure to post when they take the day off. If you post photos of your meal and tag them, they like sharing them to their page as well. And on my recent birthday, they were super nice and treated me to a refreshing thai tea (:

    Cap N' Crunch Tilapia Platter
    Jackie S.

    Cucina's is one of the best food trucks on Drexel's campus. It's also a quick walk over from Penn's campus. You get delicious food and huge portion sizes for cheap. The food is a fusion between Asian and Mexican. The Cap N' Crunch Tilapia platter is $7 and the burrito version is $6. I love how they're really generous with their sauces and they cover the entire tilapia with sriracha and mayonnaise. The food truck is really popular so whenever I go there's always a line. But they get the food out really quickly and I've never had to wait that long. My only complaint is that their hours are really short. They're open from 12pm-6pm on Monday-Thursday and 12pm-5pm on Friday's. Note they're closed on weekends and it's cash only.

    The chicken Satay taco! My favorite
    Sebastian B.

    Food truck got legs! I have been visiting Drexel University for about 5 years now and I'm lucky to still be able to get the chicken satay tacos from Zapata. These people have been the first truck I go to and the first truck on the street since forever. A short bit sweet menu and everything comes out hot fresh and fast. The people are friendly and the prices are great. This food truck is awesome. Come here get some Thai fusion street food from them and see what I mean.

    $7 platter of fish over rice with sriracha and mayo sauce. Rice, salad and avocado included
    Lauren K.

    One of my favorite food trucks in the ucity area! Grab a friend and go together because there's a bit of a wait here but the food here is worth it. My go-to is the fish (tilapia) over rice which is the $7 platter. It comes with a generous portion of fried tilapia over rice with salad and avocado. If you're up for spice, I would recommend getting both the sriracha sauce and the mayo. The food itself is so delicious. They're not skimpy with the fish and it's slightly crunchy with the soft tilapia giving it great texture. Coupled with the sauces, the food is a great example of Asian fusion. I particularly like how fresh everything is because they make it right then and there (hence the wait) but if you haven't gone - you're definitely missing out

    Menu

    Amazing food and service. Took less than 3 minutes for me to get my food. I had the Katsu platter!

    Tilapia Tacos $6

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    6 months ago

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    4 months ago

    So glad this truck still exists post-COVID. Long live the Captain crunch tilapia burrito!!

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    4 months ago

    Fried tilapia fish Cap'n Crunch battered tilapia burrito!!!!! OMG must have, 100/10, torchhhh eats

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    Page 1 of 7

    Ask the Community - Cucina Zapata

    Is it open June 2022?

    Yes! Just went today (August 17, 2022)

    Is this open April 2021?

    Unfortunately no, not yet open.

    IIs this currently open in January 2021?

    Nope, unfortunately still closed :(

    Is it currently open?

    Nope.

    What days are they actually open? There seems to be some inconsistencies in there actual hours. I went 2 days in a row around 4 and they were closed. This was a weekday.

    I'll say your best bet is weekdays 12-5. Never weekends. They extend occasionally after 5 and again very rarely might run out before 5

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    Cantina La Martina

    Cantina La Martina

    4.4
    (112 reviews)
    4.2 mi

    I can't believe I am giving Cantina La Martina a ONE star review! I couldn't even muster a 2 given…read morewhat they gave me to eat tonight. I ordered the carnitas tacos and churros. The meat in the tacos was so dry that it was hard to chew and swallow. Some of the pieces were cooked to a crisp. No amount of salsa could make them better. I'm sorry I didn't take photos of the tacos, but trust me me I get no pleasure from leaving a bad review for this place; I am not lying or exaggerating. I thought they were going to be one of our local gems. I choked down a half a taco, gave the rest to my husband and he couldn't eat them either. The churros actually had raw batter in the middle and the outside was rubbery and hard at the same time. You could barely bite through it. I'm a cook and I know that that is about keeping the oil at an even temperature to get the inside done and not overcook the outside. Someone in the kitchen did not know what they were doing. The thing is, I have had their food before and it was pretty good. I don't know if there is a new chef or what happened, but I can't trust them after this experience.

    Came here for lunch. Driving and parking is fine in the day. As others mentioned its not a good…read morearea to walk around. Inside I enjoyed the decor and vibe. Staff very friendly. Good: old fashioned, tri-mix of guac (liked the truffle one), steak tacos. Not so good:coco tartare app, I thought most of the other tacos were tried were very okay for the price and would not recommend (shrimp, pastor (one of my least favorite versions of pastor), one with habaenro (not spicy at all). Would have enjoyed some actual spicy salsa to go with it. Overall, I sadly can't really recommend it.

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    Cantina La Martina
    Cantina La Martina
    Cantina La Martina

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    El Rey

    El Rey

    3.6
    (1.1k reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    Honestly El Rey is great!…read more As a Los Angeles native, Mexican food is always a "not as good as California" affair, and with that bar, it's hard to find anything that holds a candle. But El Rey is good in its own right, taking familiar foods and flavors, with a bit of a fancier twist, and making a good meal that I love to eat and enjoy! Seating and service here is friendly and prompt. Even when it's pretty loud and seems packed, there are always a handful of open tables available, where we've usually been able to be seated almost immediately. Such was the case this evening. We were on a bit of a time crunch so we ordered immediately and our food came out so fast that the waiter for our table was surprised as the food beat him with our napkins to the table. We ordered the Tuna Tostada and the Yucatan Spiced Chicken Fajitas. Both were amazing! Good thing for our tight timeline, the food was gone as fast as it came. The waiter helpfully recommend the house hot sauce, which was certainly spicy and a good compliment on our fajitas. Overall, a great place to dine for Mexican-inspired! Laying aside my California bias, El Rey is a fun time every time we come.

    Valentine's Day magic at El Rey? Say less. The steak tacos…read morechanged my life -- and I stand by that. I hadn't been to El Rey in years, but we scored last-minute Valentine's reservations and WOW. The vibe was lively, warm, and perfect for a fun night out. - Let's talk about these STEAK TACOS . Perfectly seasoned, tender, flavorful -- the kind of bite that makes you close your eyes for a second. They were so good I came back two days later just for them. That's not a craving... that's infatuation. - The Chayote Salad completely surprised me. Fresh, bright, and paired with their homemade hot sauce? My palate was awakened. I even brought it home (with dressing and hot sauce on the side) and it still hit! Speaking of heat -- if you love spicy food, ASK for their homemade hot sauce. It's bold, fiery, and addictive. I genuinely want a bottle for home. Service? 10/10. From the manager to the hosts to the bartender -- everyone was kind, attentive, and patient. They even remembered me from Valentine's Day, which says everything about how they treat their guests. Bathroom Check: Clean? Yes. Cute ambiance? Yes. Great mirror for photos? Absolutely. And again -- CLEAN. El Rey, I'll be back soon

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    El Rey
    El Rey
    El Rey

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    Cantina Dos Segundos

    Cantina Dos Segundos

    3.8
    (981 reviews)
    2.5 mi
    $$

    Great little Mexican spot...actually not that little tho on inside! Great happy hour options too…read moreand decent selection of vegan items.

    As a native Californian, I was missing good Mexican food and saw this place was walking distance…read morefrom my front door. I headed over and was greeted warmly by the hostess/waitress Gemma. There were booths, tables and bar seating available with Wonder Years playing on a few TVs with warm lighting and the incandescent Christmas lights that are reminiscent of Grandma's house (bonus points for nostalgia!) I requested a booth and she promptly sat me. She brought me water, menus and explained the specials to me. As I perused the menu, I was overwhelmed with the options available to me. I ultimately landed on one of the dinner specials (Cabernet braised brisket with a side of carrots & buttery mashed potatoes), chips & salsa and a Paloma. Chips landed first and while both salsas were fresh, I still felt the need to add salt. (Everyone's palate is different) Food & drink arrived simultaneously. Paloma was made strong but tasted more like a classic margarita as opposed to the tang of grapefruit that comes with a Paloma. Still good! The food was essentially cold & looked like it had been sitting for awhile being served to me but all the flavors were there. The brisket fell apart, I didn't even need a knife to cut it. The carrots were tender and the mashed potatoes were buttery. I would 1000% go back for the drinks and service, however I may get something different on the menu.

    Photos
    Great tequila selection!
    Great tequila selection!
    GUACAMOLE & CHIPS
    GUACAMOLE & CHIPS
    Margaritas and tequila shots

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    Margaritas and tequila shots

    Cucina Zapata - foodstands - Updated July 2026

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