This is some of the best Mexican we have found in the valley so far! We had the deep fried quesadilla and the combination fajitas. Both were things we would order again! The portions are good size and worth the price tags on the food. read more

I love El Zarape! I make it a point to stop by every time I visit the Imperial Valley. I urge you to try their chicken enchiladas with molé sauce. Absolutely mouth watering. It's become my new favorite dish! Environment is friendly and inviting. Small space. Great service, love Lupita and Bernice! read more

El Zarape is a local Mexican restaurant that has won my heart. The staff is as friendly as family. The food is wonderful and the they have thee best salsa! read more

Way overpriced! Went today for a take out order and asked the guy 3 times if everything is there. He said yes. What do you know it wasn't when I got home. I know I should of checked before leaving but dam really! They always mess up orders. read more

Amazing everything from the chips and salsa to the very special casadilla is just amazing ps have a bees taco on flour it's great do yourself and your family a favor and stop in at this local favorite we always do when we're in town read more

Food and service was great. Really enjoyed the atmosphere. . Everyone there was pretty friendly. Will definitely go back for seconds. .

This place is so amazing... we walked up at closing time (not knowing it, never had been to the location before). We were walking away and they opened the door to welcome us in. I've never had such friendly attentive service. I love this place from the moment they asked us to come in and have dinner. The food was so delicious and I can't wait to come back. Pricilla is the best waitress and the rest of the staff gave us outstanding customer service. Ive never had such a high review of a restaurant - EVER. Xoxo read more

I fly for an air ambulance and I had just landed at the imperial county airport at 8:30pm. I 've been working all day, didn't have lunch and was starving. I looked up for the closest place that was still open and called El Zarape. I asked if they delivered but they said no, so I ordered a California Burrito and told them that I was walking over there and that I would try to make it before they closed at 9pm. I started to walk on the opposite side of traffic on the highway, it was pitch black and then I say a car pull over. It was the very kind Lupita from El Zarape that came and got me on the freeway without even me asking. I obviouselly highly recommend them. They are very nice and the food is terrific. read more

My favorite place to get a breakfast burrito, ever! I find myself daydreaming about my time in the valley and coming here for a delicious egg, potato and bacon burrito with that delicious salsa. (my mouth is watering as I type this.) read more

Good food. The wait time for the food was lengthy. I went there for breakfast. The pancakes were amazing ,but the manchaca was only ok. The orange juice was from a bottle(minute maid) and the coffee was a 9/10 read more

One of the best Huevos Rancheros I've had. Cute place too. My friend had the machaca and she said it was really good too.

Very good. Their style of Quesadilla Especial which seems to only be found in the Imperial Valley is excellent. I had it as an appetizer, followed by the daily special of 3 chicken enchiladas with green salsa verde. The best salsa verde I have ever had-- better than Celia's in El Centro which is very good. Zarape's one downfall is that they bottled diet Italian salad dressing. Ask for your salad without dressing and use a little salsa on it. (Yes it was too much food, I should have skipped the chips, but I may not be back in the area for a while, so...) read more

This place was awesome! Special quesadilla with shrimp left me excited to come back on my next trip to imperial. Staff was way cool especially the bartender. Great dinner all around! read more

Honestly can't find a better California burrito anywhere else. Love the carne asada special quesadilla too!

Good food. Excellent customer service and very clean as well. I love that they always have a special going on. Their carne asada tacos are good, as well as their zarape burrito. read more

As my day comes to an end, I feel a strong urge to fuel my appetite with something extra tasty. I know the imperial valley is very accommodating when it comes to Mexican restaurants, but I needed something that would really leave not only me, but my appetite with a smile. A friend recommended this restaurant to me and said "it's pretty good". I decided to go for it and it changed my life. Within seconds of sitting down, drenched in sweat from a long, 120 degree day, my friendly/handsome waiter brought me very tasty chips and salsa and ice cold water. Just what I needed! I decided to be a dare devil and order breakfast for dinner. I ordered a egg, bacon, hash-brown burrito. I then thought, "you only live once Austin" and added a pancake to the side. Wow! My taste buds were satisfied before the food even hit my mouth. I'm pretty sure this is the most joy food has brought me in quite a while. After such a long, scorching hot day. This restaurant made it a day not so bad. The only minor complaint I have is that there was no music playing. No biggie tho! I guess real chefs concentrate their cooking in silence. read more

Everything on the menu is great traditional mexican food. I eat here at least once a week great special quesidillas, great salsa and pico de gallo. Tacos are great order the extra crispy. Great burritos and great breakfast menu. read more

Went their recommended by family so i decided to give it a try. I ordered the fried quesadilla I shouldn't have too fried too much grease and cheese took my appetite away. Specially since I was waiting on the food their was flies everywhere and one thing that grossed me out more was how sticky the table was plus very humid and hot in their. read more

Best Mexican food in the Imperial Valley. Period. You can order tamales with a 24 hour notice to take home after eating lunch or dinner. Closed on Sunday's. read more

Always great food to be had at El Zarape. They have won multiple awards for their cuisine. Salsa is hit and miss but always fresh! My favorite is the rolled taco plate, crispy!!!! read more

This is my second favorite Mexican Food restaurant in the Imperial Valley. The staff is incredibly nice and the food is good.

The waiter and waitress need more updated training..... Both of them need to make sure that the customer is having a great eating experience..... make sure and ask customer if everything is fine..... not once did both of them came to our table or any of the others...... need to be replaced..... read more

Stopped in for lunch before a training I had in the area. We got there about 12:10pm or so, and ordered within a few minutes. We didn't get our lunch (small order of chicken nachos and potato tacos) until 12:50pm! The service was ok, wasn't checked on during our dining there, but I guess they wouldn't have anything to check on. They were quick to take our payment and bring togo boxes though. Food was good, not great. read more

The chips and salsa is my fav the customer service is decent but there has been a handful of times when we take out of town guests there and the food takes over 30mins and none of our guests would ever go back. I love that salsa though read more

This is definitely my favorite for local Mexican-style cuisine. It's obviously a lot of other people's favorite too since it is constantly in the BEST OF for Imperial Valley Press's reader picks. Like most of the regional restaurants in this category, the food is not purely authentic Mexican. It's very much border inspired. Even more than that, it's a taste of Imperial Valley's own flavor. Out of those that do IVmex, I give El Zarape my nod and recommendation. read more

YUM! Great food, fast friendly service! I had lunch at El Zarape today, and as this place is one you can count on for a good meal. Lunch at 12:30 on a weekday with a full dining area and we were still served quickly. Very affordable, and unlike some other places that are now charging for a refill on chips and salsa, El Zarape will refill for free. read more

The best real mexican food. Steak Ranchero burrito is killer.

Very good food, good service, good prices and the restaurant is super clean. This is the best Mexican place I have tried so far in the imperial valley. read more

El Zarape is delicious and consistent. I have never had a bad meal. They have had the same wait staff for years and seem to know all of their customers by name. Occasionally during busy times they can be a bit slow but they are always sure to bring extra chips and salsa while waiting. read more

Best Mexican food around! Such nice/respectful employees!

My new favorite place to eat in the Imperial Valley....well, one of them! Great, down-home atmosphere in "downtown" Imperial (in quotes, because there's not a whole lot to downtown). Order a special quesadilla, an Imperial Valley specialty. read more

This is a nice little restaurant in the heart of Imperial. The food is always delicious and the service is great! I'm hooked.

Came through town a couple of days ago. Food is outstanding! I got an extra crispy chicken taco with guac which I think rivals San Diego's El Indio downtown! It was pretty great. Members of my party loved their food too. Our bill had some inconsistencies but it was remedied immediately. read more

Great Food everything they have is good the burritos are great and beans and rice are the best

Best Mexican restaurant in the Valley, and that is saying something! Get a shrimp Quesadilla Nortena (I know it needs a tilda, but I can't find one here!). read more

Nothing special about this place. Basic Mexican food & over priced.

We have been coming to El Zarape for years. Until we came in for lunch today, the last time we came was about a year or so ago. I am in full agreement with the other reviews that rave about the food. The food is very good and the portion sizes are ample for the prices. I love their salsa, too. My issue now is with the service. It was just bad today. This isn't the first time this has happened to us, but since we hadn't been in for a while I was hoping it was a fluke. I'm not so sure if it is or no anymore though. Once we seated ourselves, it took a ridiculously long time to just get menus, let alone have a server come around to ask what we would like to drink or to bring us chips and salsa. I watched the servers waiting, and it just seemed like they either have a bad system or just didn't care. Either way, half of the experience in going to a restaurant is the service, and this restaurant has fallen into The Valley way of having poor service. If you are patient and not in a rush, this place might still be worth trying out since they do have good food. read more

This place is one of the best Mexican restaurants I've been to. It's definitely worth the stop if you're traveling down I-8.

, the service was very good. The fish tacos had batter that tasted like the oil had not been changed. the rest of the meal was marginal. In other words there was nothing overly special. The special quesadilla was pretty dry but the carne was very good., though a bit over priced. read more

Wow! I've always been a fan of the special quesadilla for the past 40 years. Been to Camacho's, La Hacienda, Celia's and all the other good spots growing up but never heard of El Zarape. Hands down best beans which is my test if a good mexican restaurant. Ordered the Special Quesadilla. I loved it. Another at our table has the shrimp ceviche. It was yummy. I'm a super fan now. read more