Zapatas - Ballantyne Cannot wait to go back!! First time here - the guacamole was incredible with the perfect amount of salt. We both had Shrimp Caesar Salad - a must try, I put some of the guacamole on it too! Shrimp were fresh and perfectly cooked. Great service, and portions for the price. read more

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Zapata's is my family's favorite Mexican place. The service is always good and the prices are very affordable. If you're looking for a recommendation, my wife swears by the calamari tacos. She gets them every time and says they're the best tacos in the area. read more

This is one of the best Mexican restaurants in the Ballantyne area. The setup inside is decorative and inviting. The service and food are always consistent. The servers are friendly and attentive. And the serving sizes of the dishes are huge! I always leave with leftovers. Their margaritas are tasty. On my last visit, I had a piña colada that was pretty good, but not great. The flavor was a bit watered down, unfortunately. My go-to dishes are the enchiladas and the deluxe burrito. read more

Zapata's - Piña colada - Mexican Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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We started going back here about a month and a half ago. I like the menu. The nachos were extremely good. Very old school. Service was good. They paid attention. Some places you don't get that. The inside of it is very cool. My friend when her daughter was little used to like for me to carry her over to the fountain.. And they do have some tasty margaritas read more

We had great food, drinks and service! Margaritas specials for Cinco De Mayo were worth going for as well!

We stopped by Zapata's for lunch on Sunday and the food was good but very over priced. One of the interesting things about moving to Charlotte was the difference in Mexican food. Down here, ACP has red sauce on it?? At Zapata's you're looking at an $18 price tag for ACP and $1.50 extra if you want cheese dip on top. My husband got a combination platter that had a good size portion, and I ordered 1 soft taco with a side of rice. The beef in the taco was very flavorful but the taco shell was just a regular store bought flour tortilla. When the bill came, the taco was $4.50 which makes sense, but my side of rice was a whopping $6! How in the world does a side of plain rice cost that much? We'll continue trying Mexican eateries in the area but we have yet to find one that sticks. read more

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Four of us had dinner here; a very colorful atmosphere and an extensive menu. The service was very attentive. Chips and salsa came to the table. I requested a milder salsa and it was also placed on the table. We ordered guacamole appetizer which was made fresh, Pollo borracho, a chicken dish with a cilantro wine cream sauce which I didnt care for, polo poblano with a chocolate based sauce, which my friend liked, traditional quesadilla and a Bombay chimichanga All came out hot. Most all tasty. Rice and bean sides all tasty. I like the coleslaw salad side. Prices on par for the area. However my friends poblano chicken came out almost 10 minutes after all 3 of us had our food and started eating . We weren't sure why this happened. I would probably return and try another menu item. I found out one can make a reservation but only for 8 people or more. read more

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I placed an order looking at the food menu online and when I went to pay I was charged a higher price. The manager said that prices changed 2 weeks ago but how am I supposed to know that when the menu online prices are significantly different... read more

Upon entering the restaurant, I was greeted by the warm and inviting atmosphere, complete with vibrant colors, traditional decor, and lively music. The staff was very friendly and attentive, making me feel welcome and valued. During my recent visit to Zapata's, I had the pleasure of trying their Cadillac Margarita and quesadillas. In conclusion, my dining experience at Zapata's Mexican Restaurant was great. From the warm welcome I received upon entering and several staff members greeting me and ensuring I am all set, to the expertly crafted Cadillac Margarita and delectable quesadillas I enjoyed during my meal - every aspect of my visit exceeded my expectations. If you are looking for an authentic Mexican dining experience in Charlotte or simply desire a delicious meal prepared with care and attention to detail - look no further than Zapata's! read more

Zapata's - Cadillac Margarita Cheese Quesidilla - Mexican Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Great and quick service. Carne Asada Chimichangas hits the spot, EVERY SINGLE TIME. This meal was no different. Not only is the presentation beautiful but the food was delicious. Guess what you guys, they have a nice VEGETARIAN menu as well. Bombay Chimichanga is the way to go if you want leftovers for another day. Margaritas was standard but no complaints. Diana was our waitress and she was both friendly but not too chatty. My type of gal. She was quick with providing additional items to our table and answering any questions we had. I normally go to the JM Keynes location but I like that this spot provided to a more intimate setting. I would definitely return. read more

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Large place, always plenty of seating and short waits. Typically, if I'm in the university area and I want Mexican in gonna eat here. I can't say I ever gone wrong. Usually, I order my norm, a chicken taco salad, fish tacos, or a fajita, BUT this time I ordered the steak fajita bowl and OMGOODNESS it was delicious! The steak was flavorful, and tender mixed with all the ingredients in the bowl was the perfect mix of flavors bursting in my mouth. Lots of veggies, in the shrimp fajita bowl, as a matter of fact, my friend and I said a little too many onions. The fajita bowl is definitely my new favorite and will definitely be ordering it again. read more

Zapata's - Steak fajita bowl - Mexican Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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The food was good but the chicken fajitas were $19 and there was very little chicken. And this was at lunch. There were a fair amount of veggies but not enough chicken. I would suggest for lunch they do a cheaper lunch menu. Then a smaller amount of chicken wouldn't have stung so much. I will not order them again. read more

Got a to-go order and started eating 5 mins after picked up. Got a cold enchilada with shredded cheddar cheese that wasn't melted. So gross. Chimichanga wasnt even deep fried, just rolled up burrito with salsa on top. Beans were watered down, almost needed a spoon. Again more shredded unmelted cheese on cold beans. This place will probably close soon. Oh yeah the price at the restaurant is $3 more than the menu on their website. Count your days... read more

Zapata's - Chimichanga - Mexican Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Nice sized portions. It did take a bot for the staff to seat us and take our order even though they were not busy. Food was hot and fresh. read more

Zapata's - Chimichanga - Mexican Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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I don't know if you can ever go wrong with Mexican food any day of the week. I was seated fast and the food came out fast as well. Was piping hot and seasoned perfectly. I got the birria tacos, so yummy! They are right on the lake at the boardwalk so great place to eat dinner and then walk it off enjoying the lake or just sitting and relaxing taking in the scene. read more

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Overall, good Mexican food, the service is so so. I recommend going by if you're in the area. 10 out of 10 on food five out of five on service. read more

My family and I Stopped in for lunch. I didn't check the reviews prior to walking though the door. Honestly, we were heading to Bad Daddy's, but my husband said the food was good here. From the outside I expected this restaurant to be small inside. To my surprise it's quite a large space. And the interior is beautiful. I'm obsessed with the light fixtures. We were greeting with a warm smile by the hostess who was disinfecting the menus at the stand. We were shown to our table. I should note my husband and I brought our toddler along. Don't worry she didn't destroy anything. Our booth was clean, our server was patient and kind. Food: We were given a kids menu aka coloring page, which my daughter enjoyed. The kids menu has five or six times listed (I think). We ordered a chicken quesadilla and fries for my daughter. Her food arrived piping HOT. The portion was huge. I had to ask for a booster seat. I wish this was offered when we sat down. The regular menu offers a great selection. Here's what we ordered: Trio Enchiladas - a combination of three enchiladas, one chicken, one cheese and one beef. Topped with three different enchilada sauces. Served with sour cream. Carne Asada Chimichanga - Stuffed with skirt steak, roasted corn, caramelized onions, roasted pimiento peppers, mushrooms and queso fresco. Topped a roasted poblano cream sauce, guacamole and sour cream. We shared our meals. Everything was hot, fresh, and delicious. Not to mention our food was beautifully plated. I would definitely dine here again in the future. We had a delicious experience. read more

Zapata's - CARNE ASADA CHIMICHANGA - Mexican Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Incredible place for Mexican food. Of course they start you off with free chips and salsa, and it's some of the best chips and salsa I've had. We got the fajitas and they were excellent. The service was outstanding and our waiter tended to our needs in a timely manner. We'll be back! read more

Came here for lunch- and left a bit unsatisfied. I would consider this food more authentic Mexican vs Tex Mex - started with the chips + queso/salsa (they are included so bonus points) and they were pretty good! Ordered the traditional quesadilla & it was okay- underwhelming with the chicken and slacking on the cheese. Both my friends got the tacos and said "they weren't the BEST ever but they were good" The interior was decorated very "Encanto" vibes - best description I got.... Lastly lots of parking out front! Overall, subpar experience - don't think I would go back. read more

Zapata's - Mexican Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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My husband and I enjoyed our lunch at this lovely restaurant. The decor is bright and inviting and service was excellent. When the food arrived, it was hot and flavorful. My husband had the pollo poblano and I the the pollo borracho. The little side of slaw was terrific! This was our third time here and we've enjoyed every visit. read more

Zapata's - Pollo Poblano w/Black Beans - Mexican Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Please note...I'm from San Diego so my standards are high for Mexican Food. No one greeted me at the parking lot door so I grabbed my own menu and headed to a table. Place is well decorated! Service was below average...no drink refill, no Check in. Food was pretty bland for me. No real spice. Portions are huge. Overall, not terrible but not exceptional. read more

This place is amazing. The staff here are attentive with their smiles, and unless chips and salsas we had regular/mild/hot all delicious. The Cadillac Margaritas were the tonight's special drink along with the long island prices were good. My Baja Fish Tacos was bomb.com, and my wife had the Pollo Fajitas Bowl wonderful as she raved about how delicious it was. My brother in law had the Expresso Burrito, and he told me yo it's legit, kid!! My daughters had Chicken and beef Quasdillas and a Taco platter. My sons enjoyed their chicken fingers and fries. All in all, this place gets 10 outta 10 madones. Our waitress Jasmin was also so kind to us as she served with excellence. Come check this place out hermanos y hermanas. #yelper-helper #vivamexico read more

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This place is so amazing. Fast seating and service. The food was the best I've ever had. I took a plunge and tried the aloha tacos and they were amazing. Our waiter was so sweet and everything tasted authentic. read more

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I do love me some "white people" Mexican food!! This was good - I wasn't a fan of the beans but overall the enchilada and tostada were tasty. My friends dishes also looked nice - especially the carne asada! I'll try that next time!! Waitstaff were quick and friendly. We will go back. read more

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My son asked for a kids meal and the waiter said no so we had to order a overpriced large meal that he couldn't even finish and made us waste money on their overpriced mid food. read more

We were greeted with friendly hostess. Our server seemed a little off. May coz they were understaffed or something. If not she needs a little more training in customer care. Food was really awesome so were the drinks. Also liked home made salsas. I was surprised to find 18% gratuity added for 4 adults and 2 kids for very average service. Will have to come back for tacos but may not bring 4 adults coz don't want to get charged 18% gratuity. Overall 4.25/5 given the average service and 18% gratuity. read more

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Ordered from a delivery app. This is what we received. Not even an 1/8" high for $12.00. Pretty ridiculous. read more

Zapata's - Queso - Mexican Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I am still on my hunt for the best Mexican food in town. Zapata's is right near my house and it does the trick when I really need Mexican food but it is still not exactly what I am looking for. The restaurant is large and each time we have eaten here the service has been different, sometimes its good, sometimes slow, bad, average, we've gotten it all. Salsa is also hit or miss which it kind of good because it leads met to believe that they actually make it in house. Food has been average, nothing has been bad but nothing has been amazing either. read more

We arrived at Zapata's after being turned away at another restaurant in the area. The atmosphere was great and the hostess was quick to get us seated. We were almost immediately served and provided with chips and salsa once we were seated. Our server also took our order for a guacamole appetizer and for our dinner entrees at the same time. The chips were hot and light, not greasy. The salsa was excellent. The guacamole was out quickly, was freshly prepared, and was probably the best guacamole that I have tasted at any Mexican restaurant in NC. We had both ordered street tacos as our entrees. They arrived quickly and were hot and tasty. The accompanying rice and beans were also. Our servers kept our glasses and chips filled up during the meal. They were also fast with the check once we were finished. I would highly recommend Zapata's to anyone in the area looking for good Mexican food. read more

Excellent all around. One of the best margaritas I have ever had. It tasted fresh and strong. The food portions are enormous and everything was very flavorful. Quick, friendly service is always a great bonus especially these days. Looking forward to eating here and getting takeout frequently. read more

Very nice atmosphere, tastefully decorated. The food was very good; they have a mild and medium salsa and both are delicious! I got the pepperjack enchilada and it was fantastic. I even ate the rice and beans, which I rarely do. It's probably the best Mexican food I've had. The wait staff was very attentive and prompt with requests. Great experience! Highly recommend! read more

Came with my bf's friends. The Rosarita is sweet but not strong as I would have liked. I've had better margaritas but it's not bad at all. I should enjoy that being a lightweight . This is probably my favorite Mexican restaurant in CLT thus far. I love the chips & salsa! The chips are nice and thin. Warm with just enough salt. The guacamole is really good as well. My bf and I shared the a chicken, steak, & shrimp fajita dinner. Single serving is a Perfect size for two! I was afraid we would need to order more but we were fine. I will be back when I need a good Mexican fix. read more

Zapata's - Rosarita!! - Mexican Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Appalling... I have attended this restaurant, a multitude of times, and every time I have been here I have been severely disappointed by the quality of the service. It took far too long for our server to serve us. My dear friend, had to wait 30 minutes longer than the rest of us to get her shrimp fajitas. we had to flag down the waiter and her attitude was... wild... to say the least. We have considered this restaurant a household name We are disappointed to say the least. And we were given BOMBASTIC SIDE EYE at the simple request for a couple waters. We will not be gracing this restaurant with our presence ever again read more

The food and drinks are always consistent. The big issue this time was the IDIOTIC move made by the person running my card to pay for dinner. Instead of inserting it so the chip could be read or.... swiping it...this member of MENSA decided to enter the numbers manually. Unfortunately for me this throws up an immense flag to my bank. They immediately declined the charge and flagged my account as suspected fraud! Thank you to my bank for watching my back.....KMA to the idiot who doesn't know how to run a charge card! read more

We've been coming here for 17 years. What used to be a really good Mexican restaurant has really taken a dive. I had Carne asada tonight. A huge plate filled with mostly rice and beans. There was no more than 2-3 ounces of meat. I'm not kidding. You could label the dish as vegetarian. The meat was sooo thin, it only had 1 side. Only 2 small straps like you get in a gyro only paper thin. All for only $20... Next they'll start serving a pint of beer in a shot glass. We'll we won't be there to see it. I'm not coming back. Looks like I'll go to Superica, Azteca, and look for some new places.. Watch the back of my head Zapatas... read more

Terrible service! I went there to eat sea food and drink micheladas the server came just one time! Never check on us

This is one of our absolute faves for taco night! The food is always great, the staff is always attentive and we always leave full and happy! Nico is the best! read more

This place is no bueno. We came here last night around 730pm. There was no one at the hostess stand. We waited and waited. There was a few people that came after us and they ended up leaving. I wish we would of done the same thing. I saw a phone at the stand and I called from my cell phone hoping that would trigger someone to come up front...Nope. I finally went to the bar and spoke with the bartender. He sat us right away but it took forever for someone to come greet us! I ordered a fajita burrito with steak. When I received it, I saw it had chicken in it. Took forever for the server to come back so we can tell her the issue. I got my burrito with steak but it was very sloppy looking from them rushing. My husband got the chicken fajitas and it was sooooooooooooo greasy and oily. I've never seen fajitas like that. Very disappointing. Looking at the other reviews I'm surprised that they are rated either very good or very low. There are so many other good mexican restaurants in the ballantyne area and I just can't believe the service here was that bad. read more

I tried to email to give my experience, but it was returned. I had Janet as a server. Let me tell you that she was so amazing and attentive. The food was delicious! If I asked for extra napkins she went and got them. She was one of the best servers I've ever had, friendly and patient. The food was delicious, the ambiance was fantastic! If I lived there, I'd go regularly, but I don't live too far away! Going back again VERY SOON! Ask for Janet (as that was the name on my ticket). All of the employees were very kind and smiling. Try it, and ask for the vegetarian fajitas--YUM! read more

Service was amazing and manager kept on checking on us to make sure we were satisfied. Drinks are blah . The chicken quesallida was actually better than my entree (pollo con crema) I felt like it needed a bit more flavor, my friends meal had a lot of flavor (chicken fajitas) It is a cute place right next to a duck pond. You can take a walk after dinner if you want to enjoy a cute view read more