This taco shop has a small piece of my heart., but it's been a very long time since I've eaten here since I moved to North County. We came for Saturday lunch and we were surprised how empty it was compared to the restaurant next door. There is no hesitation to walk in though, we're looking forward to it! So many vegetarian options here! From veggie burritos, nopales (cacti), and potato tacos, and of course Chile relleno! It was so hard to choose from, but ultimately my love for potato tacos wins because its rare to find such a simple luxury of potato tacos! I ordered rolled potato tacos and my partner ordered a Chile relleno burrito which comes with chips. The rolled tacos comes with cheese and guacamole, and although tasty with the traditional toppings, I also love lettuce and tomatoes on top of my rolled tacos. In their chile relleno burrito, it comes with rice and beans - yay! Their green and red hot sauce are great pairings for both of our dishes. Service was great. The lady was patient as we looked at their menu wall and answered our questions on what's inside the burritos. When we're in the area and lucky enough to find parking, we'll be back. read more

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I'm not entirely sure why this place sits at a 3.8-star rating. Sure, it's not a fancy restaurant with upscale service, but that's not really what it's trying to be. It feels like a neighborhood taqueria serving simple, comforting food, and I appreciated that. As a vegetarian, I was pleasantly surprised by how many menu options I had. Usually I'm stuck choosing between one or two dishes, but here I actually had several options to pick from. The service was quick, and the restaurant has plenty of indoor seating along with a couple of outdoor tables. I ended up ordering the rolled potato tacos with cheese and guacamole, and they were really good. My only complaint is that I wish they gave a little more of the green salsa without having to ask for extra.Overall, I enjoyed my meal and thought it was a solid spot. I'd definitely come back, especially since I'd like to try the nopales next time. read more

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Great customer service, food is delicious and beautiful location. Salsa needs a little more work, come check it out. read more

El Zarape Restaurant - Horchata time. - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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The restaurant had a cool interior as you walked inside, the menu was placed on the wall. It was a little difficult to read, but the prices were good. The lady working was sweet! After ordering, we headed into the dining room & it was pretty dark as you got closer to the back of the seating. The area near the restroom was dim, but they had lots of tables available. They even had a few tables in front of the restaurant as well. I just ordered one battered fish taco. It was pretty average and the salsa (green) wasn't spicy. It was ok for the price. My friends ordered other items and enjoyed them! read more

El Zarape Restaurant - Fish Taco - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Amazing food, service was bien amable y la comida tan sabrosa! Delicious!! Detail-oriented owner with incredible taste in art to create a cozy joint! Horchata was perfectly balanced and not too sweet. Gotta return soon for the pork belly! read more

El Zarape Restaurant - Pork belly chilaques verdes!! Fusion Pinay breakfast lechon. My brother loved his tacos, too! Regresamos pronto! - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

This place has sooo many options! I was trying to eat on the healthier side so I got a salad with carne asada & it was very tasty. My husband also enjoyed his machaca. Food seems authentic and staff were very welcoming and attentive. read more

El Zarape Restaurant - Carne Asada Salad - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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I come here every time I am in town when I'm visiting family. I love how fast the service here, I love the chips and salsa, but I ultimately come for the refried black bean and cheese burrito and their fish and shrimp burrito. You can tell their flour tortillas are fresh and it's authentic Mexican food. They are always so friendly and they keep their restaurant clean! read more

Wow... just wow. The chicken enchiladas were to die for like so delicious. We had speedy service and I liked the overall design. This Mexican restaurant is like a whole in the wall. The flavors and sauces are out of this world. You have to eat here!! read more

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Ohhh elll zarape... how i mosss uuuuu... been livin that beach life keeping from crossing the 5 & 163. I was in DT for a biz event and cruising up 163 w/a babe and got those old school late night desires and veered off 163 onto washington. Popped in Zarape and ordered my fav grilled chicken supreme burrito w/no guac add black beans & potato. That first bite was sooooooo goooood!! I'll try to not neglect you zarape... where's the salsa bar????? :P read more

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Went here tonight and ordered a chile relleno burrito and it exceeded my expectations! The burrito was delicious, it tasted like it was homemade! The service was also really good, will definitely be coming back. read more

I should have paid closer attention to some of the reviews and tips for this University Heights taco joint. Long gone were the days of $0.99 fried fish tacos and other seafood tacos for less than $4. The prices have significantly increased due to inflation and labor wages. The parking situation remained atrocious in this neighborhood. I had to circle around the side streets multiple times on a weeknight before I was able to snag a curbside space. When I arrived, the shop was about half full of customers and there was no wait to place an order. Dine-in seating was sufficient to hold a couple of dozen customers. There was large chalkboard menu on the wall to the left of the service counter. Some smaller menus were also placed at the counter. I proceeded to order one fish taco, one scallop taco, and one wasabi taco. The last was a fried shrimp taco with a wasabi aioli/sauce added on top of the lettuce and tomato. It was the best of the trio as I felt the first two were very ordinary, especially for the scallop. If you live nearby, then El Zarapre is probably a decent stop for a quick Mexican fix. Otherwise, I think there are much better eateries around town without the hassle of searching for limited parking. My dining experience at this taqueria garnered three stars. read more

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This might just be my favorite chile relleno burrito in all of San Diego! I can't believe I've been missing out on it until now. Can't wait to come back and see what other deliciousness is on the menu! read more

El Zarape Restaurant - The Best Chile Relleno burrito in town - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

This place used to be my absolute favorite. I don't live over here anymore so it seems like a treat to go back to this old spot and have a burrito. The burritos are still pretty good. In the old days, they had really cute decorations on the walls and a nice little self serve salsa bar with chips. It doesn't really make sense to me why they had it so sad looking now. Maybe it's under new ownership? Also the salsa used to be the best salsa in town and now it's not bad but it's not as thick as it used to be. Turned into a place where people just come to get takeout. read more

Been here countless times, huge fan of the impossible/beyond california burrito. The seating is basic, I've always preferred it as a takeout place. read more

I got beef tacos and the beef was sooo juicy and the tortillas were fresh and delicious!!! Such good food and friendly service :)

Stopped in on a rainy Monday. The front door was open the counter man was wearing a coat and beanie And it was cold inside and dim lights in the table area I had to request the the door be closed Good news the food was hot and tasty But this is really a take out place, not meant for dining in . read more

My wife and I really enjoyed the food at this restaurant. She had a Chile relleno and I had a carne asada burrito. They were both delicious. Great flavor and a generous portion. The gentleman at the counter was very helpful and nice despite the constant phone orders coming in. This place is one of the best Mexican restaurants in San Diego. Try it! read more

It's cool. decent price. surf turf burrito had subpar meat and shrimp. I liked the creaminess though. Boring burrito. Fried fish taco had nice crunch, but small. Next. read more

Right next to the University Heights sign, El Zarape has been one of my go-to spots for years. The second I caught that familiar smell of tortillas, grease, and spices in the air, I knew I had to stop in. The carne asada? Still perfect. Nothing fancy, just really good food that hits every time. It hasn't changed much over the years, and honestly, that's what makes it such a staple in the neighborhood. However, an update on the bathroom is much needed. read more

El Zarape Restaurant - Front of El Zarape in University Heights - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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Not sure what happened to this place, it used to be so good. They don't serve beer anymore, the salsa bar is gone, and the food we ate last night was truly terrible. My wife usually gets a carne asada burrito and she raves about this place. She took three bites of her burrito and threw it away. I got a California burrito and only ate half of it. Luckily I bought an extra bean and cheese burrito and it was decent. It's pretty hard to mess up a bean and cheese. The salsas we got at the counter were not as good as it used to be either. Such a shame as this was one of our favorites spots. read more

What happened to this place? What a dump! This place was once buzzing with customers and it's now a ghost town with the occasional walk-in. No wonder I was the only one eating in. The interior of the restaurant is dark and run down. The serving tray my food was served on was filthy. The food tasted mediocre. The free chips provided when dining in are not enough to keep me coming back let alone to have me dine in. The salsa is watered down and flavorless. Any good restaurant knows the salsa pairing should be the cherry on top when it comes to flavor. Do yourself a favor, skip it! read more

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Paid a visit here for taco Tuesday last night with my roommates. We got there about 7:00 p.m., we're sat right away. The restaurant wasn't too packed, maybe at 50% capacity. The patio was closed, which I feel like is the cutest part of the restaurant. I've watched a lot of Instagram stories about this place, so had a sort of idea of what to expect with the ambiance and vibe, however the inside is a lot more simple than I expected. We ordered a few drinks, and at first, I ordered the smoke mexcal mule. The first time I tried it, didn't taste the way expected. Not like a normal meal at all. I asked her a place to drink with a leychee martini, I know very different type of drink, but was amazing! They give you complimentary chips that comes with red and green sauce. I ordered the Taco Trio, which included a grilled shrimp taco and two birria tacos. My roommates ordered the oysters, ceviche, and chicken stir fry. Overall, the food was pretty satisfactory. I do think they could have added some more sauce or spice to give it some flavor. Overall, I would come back to sit outside and have a couple of drinks with friends. I'd also be interested to check out their brunch menu. read more

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We get take out every time we are in visiting our family. Variety on the menu, everyone is happy.

Bene here a couple of times, and most recently got the wasabi burrito. This place never struck me as that special, but I do appreciate that there are many choices on the menu for burritos, tacos, and ceviche, especially since I feel like not many places have ceviche. That being said, I feel like many of their different options are average. At least for the wasabi burrito, it had fried shrimp but not that many pieces, and mixed with sliced lettuce and wasabi and cheese, which didn't seem like the best combination of flavors and textures. There's always plenty of seating inside, usually pretty empty. Service is good though, they're efficient and nice and quick to get the food out. read more

My family's been coming here for 10 years (maybe more) and it's consistently delicious every time. Yes, they no longer have a salsa bar but they will always give you plenty free of charge. I do wish they'd bring back their thicker salsa verde recipe, but their current recipe is still delicious. Love the food and enjoy eating it outside on the patio, too. read more

The chicken is super flavorful and the beans are cheesy. The food came out quick but the portions are small compared to the price, i was still hungry after. I probably wouldn't come back, i would rather try a new place for a better price. read more

El Zarape Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Walking in it's a really great setting of a classic Mexican restaurant with cute hints of design throughout the restaurant. We were seated quite quickly and our food came out at a decent time. Although our food looks great it wasn't sadly. I hadn't even really eaten my soup. It was dry and just not a great flavor. My boyfriend hadn't enjoyed his food very much either. read more

El Zarape Restaurant - Tampiqueña - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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Food was absolutely delicious! I have been looking for a place that actually has a good bean and cheese burrito and I think I've found it! Some of the other places I've tried always had oily and sometimes cold cheese in the burrito. read more

What a busy place and all for the reason to be. Reasonably priced! Great variety of picks for anyone and everyone. The seating inside is small but great to order takeout it you do not wanna dine in. Family friendly. The staff is so friendly and very accommodating to requests. Best mexican food I ever had. Flavorful and super tasteful! Highly recc!! read more

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WHAT? the zarape has happened here? Just came here for a couple of scallop tacos which I remembered were good, back when and now they are a disaster ; [ What? are you taking baby, teeny tiny scallops away from their Mother's when they are two days young? I've never seen such itty bitty scallop-life?! Here's what I ordered: simply two scallop tacos with guacamole and a small side 'o beans. What did I get?; two cold corn tortillas right out of the package with a cheese and sour cream mess that had a few 1/4" scallops running around in them. The side of beans turned out to be a $7 full size, enough for a small latino familia. Oops! I can remember the good 'ol zarape days where there was a line out the door, there was a salsa bar. The place was hoppin'. Now, they keep the salsas behind the counter and look at you sideways if you want a few extra. The dude didn't listen right when I said a side of beans. They had always served their scallop or seafood tacos on flour instead of cardboard. Now they blend their frijoles to a pulp that you can use them to hang a picture on the wall. WHAT HAPPENED? The tables and eating area is poorly lit like a dungeon. Maybe dungeon is the look they are going for? I do feel for the businesses in this and other areas that have fallen victim to the new and improved, "no parking - sorry you have to walk for blocks to get a damn taco", City imposed disaster. I'm all for riding a bike and making ample room for them but I just don't think this helped local business, at all. El Zarape, I do feel a bit nostalgic and sad for what used to be and what isn't any more. Or as Led Zeppelin put it, "What is and What Should Never Be". [mic drop] and: " We're Not Going Back " ~ Kamala Harris 2024! read more

House burrito is delicious (Love the mole). Great rolled tacos. Love the carne asada burritos. I highly recommend El Zarape

CASH ONLY. My second time here. The first time, I got the lobster burrito which has a cream-based sauce + shrimp taco combo, and I enjoyed both. This time around, I tried the shrimp Diablo burrito, which was super packed - on the spicier side but not really. I would get this again, tons of flavor. I also got the fish taco (just standard) and the scallops taco which was good but not sure I'd get again for its price if $4+. The scallops did have flavor contrary to some other reviews. read more

El Zarape Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

I'm uncertain of the relationships between the three El Zarape restaurants on or off of Adams Ave however they are really good, this particular keeps up with the tradition of serving great Mexican food. The only negative is that the portions are kind of small especially considering the price point of taco shop nowadays but the food was excellent and it has a hole in the hole in the wall vibe which is what I want out of a late night taco shop. The cashier was great and kind of funny so I appreciated that, she was very personable. read more

El Zarape Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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I used to come here all the time in the mid to late 2000s (omg am I that old now) and I loved it. I was feeling nostalgic and ordered from here this last weekend and either got the wrong burrito or they didn't know the 4 ingredients to the low fat veggie burrito. I also ordered potato tacos. I did not expect the whole potato! Not good read more

El Zarape Restaurant - Whole potato taco - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Ordered 2 tacos plate to go one carne asada, the other carnitas both were deliscious. Used to be a regular here when I was in college, so glad they still around giving us Mexican Food. I miss the oj slasa bar though lol read more

El Zarape Restaurant - Taco plate. - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Delicious! One of the family owned restaurant. This place was recommended by a local. Delicious! read more

El Zarape Restaurant - Carnitas burrito - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

I my say El Zarape located near the University Heights sign is different than most regular Mexican eatery in town, first you can taste the freshness of their ingredients. Second is reasonably price. I ordered a combo plate of carnitas taco and beef burrito with beans and rice, that food is very good and I was given three different kinds of salsa, which were all well seasoned. You order your food in the counter, it was a bit busy but got my order less than 15 mins. The place is clean and has a rustic Mexican vibe. The only thing that prevent me for co ig is parking could be a challenge, but will definitely come back to try other offerings. read more

El Zarape Restaurant - Eatery is near this sign. - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

Small Mexican food joint right on Park Ave. Grabbed takeout and staff was friendly and food was ready pretty quickly. Had the surf and turf burrito which was very yummy and filling. Pretty cheap for the amount of food we got. Will be back to try other meals! read more

El Zarape Restaurant - Menu - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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El Zarape is one of my favorite places to get Mexican food. The menu can be overwhelming and some of the items can be a hit & miss but my go-to is either the supreme breakfast burrito or surf & turf (beef & shrimp) cut in half with horchata. I miss the salsa bar but they usually give two salsa if you ask. I like the green more than the red for my breakfast burrito and the red for my surf & turf. Parking isn't super easy but I live near the area so I would usually walk to it after partying at Park & Rec or grabbing my weekend coffee run to twiggs. Next to Bahn Thai and close to Madison, you can use this street to help your indecisive eater decide where to eat whether its romantic, casual or cheap! Zarape also has a huge selection from tacos to tj hot dogs. Price: $ Wait time: 10 minutes on phone Parking: Meh :/ Recommendation: Surf & Turf or Supreme Breakfast read more

You ever have breakfast so late that you're starved? Then order too much, understanding it'll probably be breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Then get your food and be totally okay with that? Welp- you found the perfect spot for your misjudgment of time and a starved brain! Ps. Ask for carnitas to be added to your chilaquiles and sauce to be added on top of your burrito. These tidbits made leftovers smack! Don't be fooled by the gentrified area mi gente! You'll be satisfied. Service- meh. read more

El Zarape Restaurant - Chilaquiles con carnitas, wet super burrito. And for my picky child, a quesadilla with rice. - Mexican Near Me - San Diego, California

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