Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Zocalo Mexican Bar & Grill

    4.2 (98 reviews)
    ModerateMexican, Bars
    Closed 11:30 am - 9:00 pm

    Order Zocalo Mexican Bar & Grill Takeout or Delivery

    Zocalo Mexican Bar & Grill Photos

    Business Info

    ZOCALO MEXICAN BAR & GRILL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    More like Zocalo Mexican Bar & Grill

    Recommended Reviews - Zocalo Mexican Bar & Grill

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Veggie Bowl without tortilla chips
    Alexis K.

    This is one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in the area! The waitstaff are all so kind and attentive and the atmosphere is so welcoming. They always have nice music playing and have it decorated for the holidays. I came with my friend for dinner and had a great dining experience. I am currently doing a cleanse and can only have fruits and veggies. I was so happy to see they have a vegetarian section and vegan options on the menu. The veggie bowl was perfect for me because it had no cheese, all veggies and beans, and I was able to get it without tortilla chips too. My friend got the seafood enchilada and she said it was delicious! I always look forward to eating here because of all of the menu options and fast service. Can't wait to come back to enjoy more of their food and cocktails.

    Carne Asada
    Kimberly V.

    Small restaurant in a mall, came here for a family gathering. Place was very quick to seat and take our order! Lots of options on the menu for all types of preferences. The server was also very polite and patient with my family constantly changing things. This is the carne asada. Here you see a skirt steak with a slice of cheese, yellow rice, guacamole, pico de gallo, beans in a tortilla bowl, and a warmed tortilla. Food generally was pretty good but a little more of flavor could have helped. The cheese being seared was a very nice touch! Price was pretty decent for what you get. Atmosphere was nice, there's a bunch of cute Mexican decor and details.

    Manish C.

    I was a bit apprehensive visiting Zocalo Mexican Bar & Grill since it's located inside a struggling mall in Ithaca with quite a few empty/closed down shops, but was pleasantly surprised with the food here. The ambiance and decor is that of an upscale and trendy Mexican eatery, and everything seemed modern and well maintained. They serve complimentary chips & salsa which is always a great way to start off a meal. Two of our party ordered Mexican beers which were reasonably priced at $5. For the appetizer, we ordered cheese nachos which were served in a generous portion with yummy chips and perfect tasting cheese. For meals, we went with the Hungry Coyote (chicken), the chicken quesadilla rellena, and veggie fajitas. Across the board, the food was presented well and was both delicious and satisfying. While I'd ordinarily rate each of the individual items ordered, it'd all rate a 4.5 to 5/5. This was case in point of solid, hearty, fresh, and flavorful Mexican food that was delicious and well-prepared using quality recipes. Service was cordial and friendly through the meal, and the waiter even took the time out to give us local recommendations after finding out we were visiting from out of town. If there was an award for best Mexican mall restaurant in the country, I'd certainly cast a vote for Zocalo for their delicious food, and would certainly recommend them to others for great tasting Mexican food in Ithaca.

    Margaritas
    Shawnna P.

    No real complaints. We were seated right away. Drink orders up. Waters brought. Food came fast. I had the carnivore asada. It was tasty, but a little dry. Hubs had enchiladas. He said they were a bit bland. Portions are huge! Margaritas are right up there with the best of them. Decor is relaxing. Music isn't annoying. It's busy, so you are seated really close to families with lots of noise going on. I might just sit at the bar next time. Watch some sports and day drink.

    Lina L.

    Definitely a decent Mexican spot in Ithaca. * Al pastor Street Tacos ($15.99) This was okay but somewhat disappointing/bland compared to Tacos CDMX downtown, which has more of a pop of acidity from the pineapple. For this, I barely tasted the pineapple even though I saw little bits of it. I would rate this a 3 out of 5 - it's not bad but it's not the best. * Street Chori Fries ($10.99) Fries topped crumbled Mexican Sausage, onions, cilantro, sour cream, cheese dip with a hint of chipotle (as menu states) - can't go wrong with that classic combination! I would give this a 4 out of 5. Overall, I'll give Zocalo a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

    Huge burrito! Delicious.

    My friend had a humongous burrito and I had 3 baby tacos with rice and a refried beans edible bowl on the side. We took pictures. Totally delicious and filling. A great birthday celebration!

    Samantha K.

    I love this place. Super convenient being in the mall. It's usually pretty quick stop too. The food will generally come out quite fast. I do recommend coming closer to dinner time as the good during lunch hour seems like it's been precooked as opposed to the fresh cooked taste at dinner. But it is always well worth it for me! The drinks are great, the bartenders always make them right and do not skimp on the tajin!! I dually love that you can substitute salt, sugar, or tajin on the rim of your margarita! The place has the perfect mix of Mexican delight and relaxed dining. The service is always friendly, informative, and quick! Give this place a try because it's a perfect one stop shop if you're at the mall but want more than pizza or subs! Very affordable as well.

    Burrito Cochino
    Tahj A.

    Zocalo was really enjoyable! The portions were gigantic and very affordable. I ordered one of their carnitas burritos and I was very satisfied. The service was good; I always had a full cup of water and enough tortilla chips to fill a house. Above all of this, the music was really nice.

    Nabil K.

    After seeing a movie at Cinemopolis we decided to give Zocalo a try. The only real issue was at the start of our interaction and it was about a 20 minute wait. Once seated the service was very quick. We had food within 10 minutes of ordering. The place was packed so getting it that quick was amazing. Waitress also forgot my second drink. I got Dinner Special #4 which was a chicken burrito, a chicken enchilada, beans and rice for $12.99!? The gf got a platter with grilled chicken with a fried vegetable medley tortillas guacamole and sour cream for $15.99. Very good and would definetly go again.

    Lunch chicken fajitas
    Melanie P.

    Went with a small group for lunch during the week. Service was a bit slow but they seem to be understaffed for front of house. The food and drink were so delicious and prices are decent.

    Carne Asada
    Katie-Ann F.

    This place was bustling, but my party of 2 was seated quickly by nice staff. More people came, and the staff took one of our tables away, but they were kind and gave us queso and guac on the house. The chips, salsa, warm queso, and fresh guac were great. The guac was especially seasoned well with tomatoes and lime juice. For our entrées, we got the Combo Gordo ($19.99) and Carne Asada ($16.99). The Combo Gordo was 2 plates of ground beef burrito, a chicken enchilada, a chicken tamal, ground beef taco, a bean tostada, a chile relleno, a cheese quesadilla, rice and beans. It was a lot of food, but the quality was less than mediocre. Every dish was extremely heavy with heaps of shredded cheese piled on top. There was no harmony in the flavors. The Carne Asada came with grilled marinated skirt steak, rice, refried beans, guacamole, pico de gallo, lettuce, and tortillas. The steak was very thin and not much flavor that I ended up dipping it the queso. Overall, the service was nice, but the food quality not the best, and wouldn't come back.

    Shredded chicken nachos, carnitas, beans and rice and chips and salsa.
    K A M E G.

    This is our absolute favorite restaurant/ place to be in Ithaca. The atmosphere is incredible, the food is amazing and the service is always great!

    Chips and salsa obv
    Laur L.

    "They say money can't buy happiness... ion kno about you, but I've never been sad at a Mexican restaurant!" Loved the ambiance, the food, and that the alcohol wasn't diluted! The food coma afterwards was an 11/10 Took the parents here and we split a bunch of dishes. I want to try their soups and margaritas next time.

    people eating

    See all

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kurt B.
    34
    93
    47

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tosha S.
    11
    19
    14

    26 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 2
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Alex M.
    9
    292
    7

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Don H.
    0
    12
    0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tom D.
    0
    27
    1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Erica R.
    3638
    623
    3661

    5 years ago

    Helpful 21
    Thanks 1
    Love this 13
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 2
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Ruhi M.
    323
    8
    11

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Pam H.
    16
    35
    10

    3 years ago

    So good & so many choices !! Packed full on a Sunday night. Great menu, margaritas, and service.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Cee N.
    0
    18
    19

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Zocalo Mexican Bar & Grill

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Mexican 362 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    The Regent Lounge

    The Regent Lounge

    4.5
    (22 reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $$

    We stayed at the Statler Hotel for work and enjoyed dinner here both nights. Not pictured are all…read morethe appetizers we devoured (crab dip, chicken bites, sweet potato fries, and the fried polenta). I personally wasn't a fan of the fried polenta, but also did not try it with the sauce. The first night I tried their lavender lemonade (non alcoholic), which I thought was good, but fell in with the Lemon Tree cocktail the second night. Both nights I ordered the "burger of the month" which was a pesto burger. I added bacon and asked for a Caesar salad instead of fries. We ordered two of the chicken bites so the group could try both sauces, but since I'm not a fan of spicy, I only tried the honey truffle one and loved it. Our servers were very nice and patient (we were a group of about 10), and if I'm ever back in town, I'll be sure to try some of the other entrees!

    The Regent Lounge is one of those hidden gems that never misses. The food is consistently…read moredelicious, the drinks are thoughtfully crafted, and the vibe strikes the perfect balance between relaxed and elevated -- whether you're out for date night or catching up with friends. What truly sets this place apart, though, is the staff. Lowell and Brooke are fantastic!!!Every time I visit, I'm met with genuine hospitality, great recommendations, and the kind of service that makes you want to come back again and again. It's one of my favorite spots in the area -- cozy, stylish, and always a good time.

    Photos
    Food menu
    Food menu
    Lavender lemonade
    Lavender lemonade
    "Burger of the month" pesto burger for November

    See all

    "Burger of the month" pesto burger for November
    Level B

    Level B

    2.6
    (17 reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $

    Level B is one of those places that feels like a fever dream -- in the best and worst ways. You go…read moredown into the basement, and suddenly, you're in a dimly lit, curtain-filled labyrinth of crowded dance floors, questionable life choices, and unexpectedly deep conversations in the bathroom line. The Good :) * Coat Check: A lifesaver in the winter. You walk in, shed your layers, and pretend you won't forget to pick it up later. * Photo Booth: If you don't take a chaotic, slightly blurry photo strip with your friends, did you even go? * Seating Area Behind Curtains: If you need a moment to recover from the dance floor (or escape an awkward interaction), this little tucked-away lounge is a solid spot. * Music: Hit or miss. Some nights you'll get bangers, other nights you'll be questioning the DJ's entire playlist. The Bad :( * No Apple Pay. A tragedy, honestly. I lose things easily, so forcing me to keep track of a physical card in a dark, crowded club is a recipe for disaster. It's 2025 -- let me tap my phone and move on with my night. * Bathroom Situation: Three stalls for an entire club's worth of people. Enough said. You will wait, and you will make bathroom-line friends out of necessity. Final Thoughts Level B is grimy, chaotic, and slightly unhinged -- which, in a way, is its charm. You don't go here expecting luxury; you go expecting a wild night and maybe a story to tell later. Still better than Hideaway though! 3/5.

    Level B has some lovely interior design. Plush seating, lights that make your clothes look neon, a…read morewell-stocked bar, etc. People love to come on Wednesdays because it's fishbowl night, but the fishbowls are way too diluted. Management can also be a bit unfriendly and it's Russian roulette regarding if you're gonna get the brunt of it. Personally I like this place more than Moonies, but I feel like there's so much more that can be done with such a pretty basement venue.

    Photos
    I got a fishbowl for the first time over the past summer. Even though there's sixteen shots of vodka in this thing, it's too watered down.
    I got a fishbowl for the first time over the past summer. Even though there's sixteen shots of vodka in this thing, it's too watered down.
    Saturday night, Ithaca style!
    Saturday night, Ithaca style!
    People

    See all

    People
    The Range

    The Range

    4.0
    (7 reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$

    Okay. I do love my friends who perform drag and burlesque here, and I'm glad there is a place for…read morethem. But I have to be real. Not a fan of the racism I encounter time and time again. Last time, the white male bartender just kept ignoring me, the only PoC at his end of the bar. The white fratty-looking dudes who elbowed their way next to me, (also apparently here for the Beyoncé night with their gfs) were the ones who got his attention. The PoC bartender tho? They/she looked like they took him aside, talked to him, then took my order after what felt like FOREVER trying to get this man's attention, with him instead putting all the other white patrons before me. The PoC bartend took over & let me order, which made me feel like crying with relief. I looked at the white group right in their eyes...all who saw me and cut in, confidently knowing this bartender would choose them. There has to be a code of conduct, right? Nope...just smirks back. If I wanted to be real cynical, I would say it's a grift between staff that preys on the vulnerabilities of PoC in a predominantly white Upstate/CNY town to finally be seen with any modicum of respect after being treated as lesser...because I tipped generously for being treated like I deserved to be there. But I refuse to believe QPoC would do this to their own. And the PoC bartender seemed genuinely real, and for that, I really appreciate what they do, looking out for their fellow PoC in the space. But from where I stand, it looks exhausting to have this as a whole second job of looking after PoC and educating white coworkers on top of the actual job...I know the feeling. It's the Ithaca experience. I do have to appreciate the queer white femmes who DID treat me with kindness & grace, giving me space, letting me approach the bar to tip the PoC bartender who takes my order almost every time. The one whom I believe saw how awful I was being treated and swooped in to look out. They even told the bartender I was leaving extra tips for them. They are the allies we need in these spaces! I appreciate them. But yeah...the tall white AFAB femme drag performer who was a drag child of my white AMAB colleague...I did not appreciate how they treated me (an AFAB femme PoC) like a predator for buying him a drink. I felt less than human, and felt disgusting being treated to a buffet of the twisted type of racialized microagressions only white queer folks can deliver. It made me never want to return. And I didn't for a long time, even when I tore it up so much on the dance floor that Spirit Posse gave me swag. The PoC of this space make it humane. But that same night...I saw a white woman inappropriately grope a Black person performing on stage. They had to remind her about consent, which they likely made a regular thing because of how often it happens at Thursgays. I didn't see her at the last couple ones when I returned to go back to supporting friends who perform...but they really need to do better to make this space safer and less stressful to exist in as a PoC. It's not worth me being the "Duke" of this joint if I can't relax and enjoy the show, the drinks, or the dance floor. They may not be the Trump flag waving folks 30 mins away, but this is a Get Out flavor of distress I don't think makes it worth return visits.

    I appreciate that they are requiring proof of vaccination. I really, really appreciate it. That is…read morean excellent way to deal with running a bar in the midst of a pandemic. I do not appreciate a bouncer rushing over to tell me to put on a mask or sit down the moment I shifted from my chair to a standing position at a hightop table. I was polite, of course, and promptly shifted my butt down approximately five inches so that I was sitting. Apparently, it is very important for my butt to be five inches lower to prevent the spread of aerosols that carry an airborne disease. C'mon, people. Think for a minute. Letting people congregate introduces risks. Monitoring whether they are standing or sitting does not mitigate those risks at all.

    Photos
    The Range
    The Range
    Our stage & sound system

    See all

    Our stage & sound system

    Zocalo Mexican Bar & Grill - mexican - Updated June 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...