I've seen this place popping up on my Yelp app for weeks now - so I finally gave in and checked it out! My girlfriend and I visited Zapatas for a 'romantic' date night, having said that - it's definitely not first date food! ----- Zapatas is a brightly lit family restaurant on Melbourne St. It boasts a large menu of traditional and more western Mexican food, along with a pokey and homey feel. The decor is very old fashioned with a straw ceiling buffering warm reds, yellows and browns; stained glass and pictures of famous Mexican freedom fighter Emiliano Zapata are littered throughout. It feels crowded but in a good way, I've never seen Zapatas quiet, ever. ------ We decided to skip entree's and head straight into the mains, I ordered the Tostada with Beef, GF went with the Chica Enchilada (WHICH INCLUDES A TACO) The Tostada is kind of like a bowl made out of the shell of a spring roll it's deep fried but light and puffy with rice inside, beautiful marinated beef, lettuce, cheese, and salsa, guacamole and sour cream to garnish. Served with a side of Refried beans on old fashioned crockery. The Tostada is rich with flavour so very Moorish with every element combining well. The servings here are huge! The enchilada along side a taco is served again on the old crockery with a side of rice and Refried beans, both were tasty and everything you expect, the flavours live and breathe Ol' Mexico. ------ This is once again a very harsh 4, the food is great it is generously proportioned and very tasty. We waited a little longer than I expected, the staff were friendly but didn't go above and beyond. Lastly the Sangria... Oh! The Sangria, was woeful I love Sangria and there are some beauties in Adelaide, Zapatas definitely need to work on theirs. I would never lie and say we didn't have a wonderful time, alas The price of being a 7 time (IN A ROW) family restaurant of the year is the weight of expectation. read more

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This is Mexican done right, not 'beans & corn chips 101' like their old once loved competition down the road. I love this place. I've had the steak, the chicken, enchilada and the salad too... But what keeps me coming back is the nachos. Piled high and packed with punch (not forgetting half price on Wednesday) they make a great starter to share or meal all by themself. The atmosphere has a great vibe to it and you quickly grow fond of the squishyness of some areas. The friendly and accommodating staff have no issues with large groups who want to split the bill, just let them know on booking and they'll have numbers all over the table for you. Margaritas all round to start the night off and a shot of Patron to end, and you're set for a great night out. read more

Zapata's Mexican Restaurant - The half serve, even too large for one! - Mexican Near Me - North Adelaide, SA

Muy bien chicos and chicas you deliver service, value and style in one large ranchero package. This is a restaurant you can feel comfortable bringing a big group of friends to any night of the week. The place is cosy but not crowded and table service ensures you can sit back and focus on the friends, not the line up at the counter. Our table had almost one of everything from the mains from steak to barramundi, tacos and tostadas. All were delivered steaming hot and fresh. I was very impressed that they had a gluten free menu for my friend and a good wine list of some classics - we didn't even get into cocktails but it sounds like that will have to be a Thursday to take advantage of the 2 for 1 margarita night! My chicken breast tostada had crisp lettuce, salsa, refried beans, a bit of a kick and was not smothered in sour cream. The best bit? You can eat the tortilla shell at the end when it is a mix of crisp and soggy blended with the left over sauce. I would normally question the price of $22 - 28 for a simple main Mexican meal but at the same time the atmosphere, service and quality of ingredients justifies spending that little more. And if you have room it is worth doing a coffee liquor at the end; a perfect winter warmer before you leave and brave the elements again! read more

Zapata's Mexican Restaurant - Chicken breast tostada - Mexican Near Me - North Adelaide, SA

This is my absolute favourite restaurant in Adelaide!!!! I love it here!! I've visited with just one other person and also in big groups and have always had the same pleasant service. Zapatas can seat big groups of people comfortably and in a manner that you're not yelling down the table to speak to somebody. Wednesdays is half price nachos night (seriously, I dare you to even finish the half serve) and Thursdays is half price margarita night. My absolute favourite dish here is the tostada! Simply delicious. Not just your average corn chips and beans Mexican place. Would recommend this above anywhere any day of the week !! read more

Zapata's Mexican Restaurant - The tostada. Simply delicious - Mexican Near Me - North Adelaide, SA

I'm a bit surprised I haven't written a review about Zapata's on Yelp. For one group of my friends, this is our go to place. Open till late (for Adelaide) and an all round pleasing menu, it's a good all rounder for casual dining. I hadn't been for a good 6 months or so till last nights experience, so I'll focus on that for my review rather than prior interactions. I was pretty disappointed by my Sunday night dinner due to a various combination of things, nothing was a big problem, but lots of small things did add up to one annoyance... Service was slow, which is fine, it was a fully booked restaurant and there did seem to be a bit of short staffing going on with maybe three serving staff and no maître d'. This meant flagging down staff to put in orders which is OK, if not amusing when multiple tables are all trying at the same time and jump out of their seats to snag a waiter, but does become tricky when you can't find one and would like a little attention leading to a while to place our orders. Our meals were slow to come out, at first understandable due to the high volume of guests, but soon reached the point where we were glancing at watches and trying to work out when we ordered. Never a good sign at the dining table. We did get starters, which arrived promptly, but mains took far too long between courses. We ordered more drinks whilst we waited but our order was lost so came out 30 minutes after we ordered. As we dined, our table wasn't cleared, which meant that our various drinks and starters remained at the table after we finished our mains, again, not a major issue, but still an annoyance. My meal of the Sin Carne was quite nice, piping hot, with a small salad on the side and the rest of the group opted for the famous Tostadas in various iterations. There was some murmuring about the meat being a tad too chewy from my friends but the food otherwise was the standard Zapata's. We then came to settling the bill, not a lot of wait staff again, so we went to the counter, only to find that the Eftpos machine was down and they were getting it sorted. Another annoyance as none of us had brought cash (in an era of PayWave, who does), so we waited. We checked back 15 or so minutes later and still no luck. As we debated heading to the ATM a few blocks down, we checked again, only to find it back in working order. This was a bit strange, as one of the few tables left I would've expected them to let us know, but nevertheless we paid and left. Overall I was a bit annoyed with this whole experience . So many little issues added up to a highly unsatisfying dining experience that could've been easily relieved with some simple communication but staff seemed so pressured, a couple of simple words never occurred. I've had good experiences here before, but I must review in the present, so following the Yelp review system, this was definitely a "Meh, I've experienced better" night out. read more

The restaurant is very cramped and has seen better days. If you are claustrophobic, this venue could be a challenge. The maitre d' was a thoroughly disinterested humourless person, who found it a chore to seat us and see to our basic needs of settling in, and ensuring drinks were ordered. These things are overlooked if the food is great, but I can say that corn chips, salsa, and cheese mexican does not make. There is no creativity to the menu, nothing that arrived was exceptionally well cooked, and really a bit bland and stodgy. Melbourne Street has some excellent new restaurants, and Zapata's is falling behind very quickly in this regard. The service was not confident, and food orders were mixed and we were twice delivered drinks which were for another table. When we were leaving, the clerk asked a question about the Amex being used before correcting herself, and apologising for asking the question. We said her question was quite alright. The maitre d' was standing by and said "She should be sorry. She can't help it, she is blonde and from the country" What!!?? The poor lady looked like she wanted the floor to open up and swallow her there and then. So as we left, the heartburn we felt wasn't from the chilli in the food, but from the side dish of chauvinism, served on the house. With social attitudes as old as the restaurant's decor, I will not be returning. read more

No. I'm sorry, but no. This is not good Mexican food. It's Mexican food made by somebody that saw a picture of it in a book once. The picture was also kind of grainy. The flavour is lacking, everything is very bland and "meh". From the guacamole to the burritos. In fact, the guac comes without onions, tomatoes, lime or chilis in it (though it does have a sprig of chili on top). At this point I would be surprised if it had salt and pepper in it. Service is also usually fairly average, I was brought guacamole here once with no chips to accompany it. One star for atmosphere and decor. Save yourself the trouble and cook the stuff at home. read more

Amongst the glitz and upper class glamour of trendy North Adelaide, lies one of the city's best restaurants that has gone old school Mexican to the delight of Adelaide diners city-wide. Don't let the slightly garish façade fool you, Zapata's is Adelaide's oldest Mexican restaurant and has won the Restaurant and Catering Award for Excellence in 2006, 2007 and 2008. There are many true highlights of its cleverly chosen menu. Unlike its commercialised vaguely lemon tasting soda water competitor, their version of lemon squash is enough to bring a tear to your eye; literally. The Sangria is also excellent and uses real chopped fruit like the Spanish intended it to be. Wednesday is the famous 'half price Nacho night' and is marked in some diner's calendars every week. The portion size is enormous and for just over $13 for enough Nachos to comfortably feed two, the value for money is excellent. The clientele is varied but always entertaining. A glance around the room reveals cosy corners with gushing couples holding hands over their enchiladas, to families enjoying a night away from cooking. Next to this features hoards of adolescent boys from the nearby North Adelaide University Colleges, all trying to escape for one night from the death sentence that is college food. The staff are very lovely and are knowledgeable about the menu. They once advised my Dad to downsize on his order, despite the extra profit they would have made. Of course with anywhere there are a couple of downsides. Being as popular as it is, a reservation at Zapata's is a must. The atmosphere can also be a little loud on occasion due to the large number of diners, but hey who ever heard of a quiet Mexican? read more

Today we were at Zapata's Mexican Restaurant in North Adelaide. They claim to be Adelaide's oldest Mexican restaurant and probably are, being established in 1975. We walked into an almost empty restaurant as dinner service had only just started and a waiter came up to us with no smile and gave us a sense that we had interrupted something really important that he was going to do. It almost made me want to walk out but I've wanted to come back to this place for years so we just followed behind him to our table. He sat us by the window and actually it was nice because we could see what was happening on the street outside and it felt a little more intimate. The disinterested waiter gave us some menus and asked if we wanted to order something to drink. I really wanted to try their sangria but I hadn't seen it on the drink menu so I asked if they did Sangria. He rolled his eyes and using as little words as possible said chastisingly "front". I turned to the front of the drink menu and yes, there it was. Silly me. So I ordered some Sangria and tried not to cry. I have to say, I LOVED that they had Mexican music playing. Loved that! It puts you in the mood. I love the way it's decorated too. If you've been to Montezuma's you'll know what I mean when I say it's not as gaudy as the Montezuma decorations but a more elegant modern Mexican style. (FYI Montezumas is a guilty secret passion for me and gaudy does have it's place!) So back to the menu; I thought there were a lot of what you'd expect to find in a Mexican restaurant in Australia, as well as couple of Mexican inspired dishes. What I should have researched more was the fact that they have half price nacho's on Wednesday's! I had heard people saying these serves are really big and when we ordered a large serve to share as an entree, the disinterested waiter's eyes grew big (Effort) and said "they're big" and I shut him down with a "we're big eaters" and he turned away. Turns out he was right. They were big, but I hate when people say that because my expectation of "big" is not the same as others. Still, they were a big serve and hubby and I easily shared a plate. You'd have trouble getting through this on your own I think! But remember people, although these nacho's are definitely worth coming here for, make sure you come on a Wednesday because they're not cheap. There was nothing to complain about that's for sure! They were delicious! A different waitress came to take our main order and she was lovely. I was so relieved. Hubby went for the Carne a La Tampiquena - Combination plate of barbecue fillet Steak with onion and capsicum, a Chicken & cheese Enchilada coated with hot mole sauce, frijoles & salad. I ordered Chilli Colorado - A typically Mexican dish of hearty beef chunks in a spicy sauce of red chilli served with rich, frijoles and fresh garden salad. Mine was just delicious. It might not look so pretty on the plate but the beef was tender and just so full of flavour. The sauce was a little spicy but not overly so that you lose all taste in what you're eating. The rice was cold which was a little disappointing and the salad wasn't dressed but I enjoyed this dish anyway and it was perfect on this cold Winter's night. Hubby's dish was equally interesting... I'm not sure what he was expecting but when he bit into his steak his eyes glazed over. When he was able to, he told me that it was an excellent cut of steak and one of the most tender steaks he's ever had. The tomato and avocado on his plate was so heavily salted that he couldn't eat it. He kept begging me to try it but why would I want to eat something that I've been told is over salted? No thank you. I'd rather reserve my taste buds for things I'm hoping to like. The chicken and cheese enchilada was an interesting item on his plate too because it was coated in a mole sauce. We didn't really know what this was. He got me to try it as he said it had a sweetness to it. Now sweetness is something I don't mind and I definitely did taste sweetness. I've since looked it up and know what's in a mole sauce. It wasn't unpleasant, and it was good to try something different but I'm not sure that hubby will go for it again. So to sum everything up, we enjoyed our time here despite the efforts of the grumpy waiter - and let me add that the rest of the staff were really very lovely, warm and friendly. The menu was varied, the food was good, the sangria was excellent and the nachos were great (Even better on a Wednesday) read more

With my craving for Mexican food taking over my mind, I went out for dinner at Adelaide's oldest Mexican restaurant, Zapata's, on Melbourne Street in North Adelaide. Upon arrival, we had to wait at the front... desk(?) for a small period of time, waiting to be waited on, whilst being in the way of anybody who wanted to come in or out of the restaurant. When finally we were looked after, (by a very manager-looking guy who did not seem impressed that we had not been seated yet) we made our way through the cramped dining area, feeling very lucky I am short as the roof seemed very closed in above us. Again, we had another wait for the menus to come to us, and instead of the waiter stating he'll "be right with us" for our order, he stated we should "yell out" when we were ready. Fortunately, even though the restaurant seemed fairly busy, the food did not take its time. We were served our cocktails and not long after our meals arrived. And boy, were they delicious. Mexican is something which can never been eaten with class, and I think we proved it. Apart from the service, and the closed-in feeling, the food and the atmosphere were fantastic. On a 37 degree day it was good to be in a place with well-working air-conditioning! Also, it was interesting to see all of the Mexican artwork surrounding the place. read more

I used to live right next door to Zapata's. Literally 5 steps from the store-front. Their nachos are some of the best I've ever had, They are monstrously large. Refried beans, sour cream, jalapenos, salsa, cheese, and of course corn chips. A full main serving could easily fill to average human beings. Zapata's' other Mexican dishes are fantastic as well. Everything on the menu, is just superb. Everything that is meant to be spicy, is just perfectly spicy. Crunchy things are crunchy and soft things are soft, in their respective places. I hope you understand what I'm trying to say. Articulation is not my best skill at midnight on a Monday. I strongly suggest taking advantage of their half price nachos night every week, which is Wednesdays. You should also take advantage of their half price margaritas night every week, which is Thursdays! read more

Out of the few Mexican restaurants in Adelaide, I have to say Zapata's is quality. Compared to other places, the food here is fresh and more authentic-tasting. It's colourful and full of texture, with more spice and hit than other places. Walking in, you will pass the outdoor front area into a main room with another outdoor area separated by glass... If that made any sense. The Cuban Rums are good, so are the Margaritas of course! Where do I start with the food... For starters, I love garlic bread, and their garlic bread is really buttery and thick - sooo good. I really like the chicken fajitas, burritos, and churros for dessert! Just try it if you haven't. I guarantee your tastebuds will be satisfied! read more

Consistently good is the perfect description for Zampatas. The tosdata is my personal favourite, vegetarian beef or chicken whichever you would prefer. The nachos are delicious. By warned the half serve is still quite large and the perfect starter for a group of people. Any questions you have will be answered by the helpful waiting staff. They will recommend serving sizes and what dish they prefer. read more

Mexican of my tastebuds, this place has it. Such a groovy place, and though there are many tables, it still feels like for some reason - you are all there together (and in a not creepy way). Mix traditional with the modern, take a burrito or a enchilada. Have sangria, beer or softies. Bring the kids, the family, the first date. Come and just experience the tasty good food here. I am definately coming back again! read more

I drive past two Mexican restaurants to get to Zapata's in North Adelaide, and it's well worth the drive. This place is busy most nights of the week which is a good sign of the good quality meal and terrific service on offer here. Parking on Melbourne Street can be a challenging, but if you persist, you'll find something only a short walk away. Large table and big dishes make this the perfect place for group booking and a shared meal. I'm big fan of the sangria and love the spicy enchiladas. read more

Have had good experiences in the past but a little disappointing this time. Had a poor meal on our table, just average as a general assessment on the others. Slow service at times - forgot to bring drinks out and had to get up to order. Probably 2 and a half stars in fairness. read more

The restaurant was very nice and it had an authentic Mexican vibe, we had to awkwardly wait at the door for a minute before receiving some unfriendly service but everything from then on was really nice. I ordered the 'el Bandido' it was great and it almost filled me up completely but I was still a bit hungry afterwards for the price I would have expected a bit more. I did have another patron interrupt me while I was eating with the lady that served us at the door as they wanted to use the power point behind me to charge a phone it was quite unusual. Other than that the cervesa was good the food was good, the service was not up to scratch but if you're desperate for Mexican give it a go. read more

Mexican dishes to delight any palate, a good range of dishes. Food is piping hot when delivered to the table and it's definitely fresh! I had the Enchilada Chicas, a relatively small chicken enchilada which came with a beef taco too! It's was all very tasty but a bit of a mix and match dish I didn't know what to eat first and felt like the taco was added to make up for the small enchilada. The staff need a boost here! although they are not rude or slow they are kind of "meh" and I feel like they don't want to be there...this makes it a bit of a dreary place to be. read more

The few times I've been here is always busy and good atmosphere. The staff are friendly and attentive. Food is average. Big meals but tastes bland. The chili con carne was nice but not amazing. The enchiladas are yummy but come with a bland tasting rice and retried bean mix which isn't great. Don't rate the tacos at all. They didn't taste very nice. To be honest I'd rather go buy a taco kit from Woolies and have them at home (even if it's not as traditional, I think it tastes better). Cocktails are first class! Great for catching up with friends in a big or small group. Recommend the piña colada and strawberry daiquiri. Also have a large range of Mexican beers which are nice. read more

Had a 70th birthday party for 18 people there, arrived at 6.30 orders not taken until 8pm! It was a hot night, aircon barely worked. On arrival were offered a table in a room with no aircon but refused to sit there. Cramped conditions, food average. Would not go back. read more

Good service, delicious sangria, warm intimate space. The veg options of the tostada are good because instead of just having a lack of meat they op in mushroom, zucchini, carrot & potato. read more

The food is fabulous, flavoursome and fresh. If you have a massive appetite then you will have to order the "dinner for two" meal for yourself. They are small serves, but I don't mind that. So far the best marguerites I've had ever! read more

I took my family here for a late dinner and really enjoyed it. The serving staff were pleased to seat us despite it being close to 10pm and service was fast, which was great because we were hungry. The kids meals were plain but generous, which is what I would expect. The mains were tasty. I had the Enchilada Grande, one beef and one chicken enchilada, and really enjoyed it. While not the best Mexican I have ever eaten, it was well above par and good value. read more

RUDE manager/host/head waiter ruined great food - reminds me of Arizona style Mexican food. With so many good restaurants in Adelaide serving good to great food with friendly wait staff, not sure it's worth coming back to have to deal with a rude,snarky host. read more

Go here often. Always great food. The cocktails are delicious and everytime the meals r consistantly good. Warm and cosy atmosphere. We go here often. The one at semaphore is great to..good mexican! read more

Meh, these guys are coasting. Nothing special, but there's not much competition to what they offer.

Went here for my birthday and the staff were excellent and my food was great. The atmosphere is perfect for a great meal with some friends and although some of my party weren't satisfied with their meal, the chimichanga I had was amazing. An awesome place to try out when you're in the mood for Mexican! read more

Best Mexican in Adelaide. Doesn't get the full five stars however due the lack of attentiveness. We waited for over 10 minutes before a wine list or menu was even given to us to look at and were out out front with the glare of the sun in our eyes. But from there it was all positive. Great food HUGE servings and friendly enough staff. Left there very full and happy and the pricing was very reasonable. Will be back next time we have a Mexican craving. read more

Went there on Saturday with a group of friends for a birthday party. Foods were ok, just lack a bit of punch you normally associates with Mexican foods. Service was good though, fast with foods and drinks orders. The ability to do split bills is definitely a big bonus :) oh yea, they do accept entertainment card too, 25% off read more

I love Zapatas! I have had a soft spot for it ever since I came here for my twelfth Birthday dinner. They (the Zapata's staff) sung Happy Birthday, gave my family sombreros to wear and provided an overall fun experience. And to top it off, it is all held within a great and authentic environment. My impressions were Mexicans like to have fun. I like it! Ever since I have continued to remain loyal and fond of Zapata's, although I feel that it has lost some of its "fun" appeal. However perhaps this has to do with eating here for a Christening dinner. I don't think Zapata's are used to catering for such large groups of people. With this said perhaps resist holding large functions here with no more than ten people. read more

Great vibe, incredible food. Worth every cent. Only annoying thing was staff aren't organised so kept getting asked the same question over and over (did we want to see a dessert menu - 4 times) read more

As soon as we arrived we were waiting for about 10minutes for service and staff knew we were there but didn't greet us. However as we sat down they were more attentive and the environment is cosy. I ordered a cocktail, it was nice but I wish the fruit they used were fresh. Food was overall okay. read more

I go to Zapatas regularly. Not for the good service, but for the amazing cheese sauce. The service, especially from one older server is quite frankly appalling, but most of the younger staff are very friendly. The food will keep me coming back though read more

You guys need to up your game. I have eaten tons of Mexican food and then some. Your food is nothing from what've tasted before. I had the chilli.... need to spice it up as traditional chilli. The food was bland and needs seasoning. Give us traditional Mexican food and we will come back. Not this watered down stuff for the Aussies....... they are much more experienced. read more

I love the dishes! It was just amazing. The first time I tasted mexican food and felt in love because of those rights ingredients. They offer so many options of dishes and I picked taco and nachos and one other dish (kind of rice with curry beef). All were tasty. The staffs are friendly and helpful. The price is a little bit more expensive than other mexican food rest, but the taste of dishes nailed it! read more

Decent food, but nothing special. Had to wait for 50 minutes for our tacos and nachos.

Do not go there. Massacred the nachos, restaurant smells of dank wet carpet and to top it off it was quite expensive!

I have had more Mexican meals than most {being an all time favourite of mine!} and that may have well led to the very disappointing experience I had here. The food was overall average/tasteless. The size of the serves were a little on the small side, but given their generally woefully uninspiring taste that isn't necessarily a minus. The service was not great and the conditions a bit cramped. value for money....no way! read more

Great Mexican food - we mostly eat Mexican in California and this was just as good. And MOST IMPORTANTLY I would like to thank this place for being open on a Sunday which shouldn't be such a strange thing but apparently it is. The restaurant was a life saver and the food was great. Definitely recommend. read more

Great atmosphere at this place. Recently had a work do here and the food was spot on! Try the grilled barumundi dish, these guys know what they are doing. read more