I was skeptical going to this place based on reviews, but our group had a great experience! For cocktails, we all kind of questioned if there was even alcohol in the margaritas, but they were still tasty. I'd probs just get a beer or something instead. Food was all delicious and generously portioned. I got the carne asada quesadilla and it hit the spot. It made for great leftovers, too! Everyone seemed to enjoy their meals. The service was friendly but could have been a little faster. We ordered guacamole and had to wait forever for the chips to go with it. The main reason I'm giving them four rather than five stars is because they charge after the first basket of chips (I've never experienced this at any other Mexican restaurant, but maybe people were taking advantage of it) and they are unable to separate checks, which is also pretty uncommon in this day and age. Overall, a good option if you're staying at Copper and looking for some Mexican food. read more

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I have been for 50 years since I was 19, they have never disappointed me with their food and their service and their smile and I have been to all of them Salinas. They can't compare to them definitely a five star restaurant. read more

The food here was OK. I don't think I would come back to eat here. The rice seemed very mushy and dry, which was a disappointment. The Steak à la Chicana was good, but there were more peppers and onions and actual steak strips. There was good flavor in the Carnitas burrito. The Michelada was also good. I was not too impressed with my kiwi margarita. I personally did not really taste any tequila and I felt like it was very overly sweet. The salsa was really good though. The service was OK as well. I felt like since it was towards the end of the night, they were trying to rush us out. They started vacuuming right near us, which I didn't really appreciate. Overall, they had lots of seating available, including a bar area. I was just not too impressed with the food and service. read more

Been here twice in 2 years Service... 5 stars; friendly and fast. This place is always busy but they keep up fine. Food... 4 stars; everything we've had was fresh and tasty. This place is definitely above average for a normal city and far above average for average for a touristy town. Mole sauce and green chili sauce are both very good. Carnitas is good (better than many I've had) but doesnt have a ton of flavor itself without the green chili Prices... the menus show lower prices than they charge you. And there is an unexpected resort fee. In all this adds ~20% to the bill. Portion Size... 4 stars; some dishes are definitely better portions than others read more

This place is a hidden gem!! In the Food was plentiful (a fajita for 2 fed 3). And everything is fresh. They easily adapted to gluten allergy. Located in Center Village near ice rink. Add this to your list. Well worth it. Tell Roger we said "hi"! read more

El Zacatecano is located in Center village of Copper Mountain ski resort! My friend and I went in the middle of lunch time and we were the only 2 customers in the restaurant. We should've knew right then and there this was probably not going to be great. Because it is in the center of a resort, I knew food prices were high, but definitely not worth it! Food ended up being okay and the service was horrible. We were the only table in the restaurant... and how hard is it to wave down a server just for water refills and to ask for our check.... which by the way, they will not separate your checks or do split checks either. I would've given them 1 star, but their chips and salsa was good, so I'll give them credit for that! Not recommended! read more

El Zacatecano - Mexican Near Me - Copper Mountain, Colorado

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I rarely write reviews. Visited this place yesterday. Ordered fish tacos and asked for Topo Chico mineral water. They gave me tap bubbly water with a piece of lime instead. The dude came without a bill and asked for $37. Tacos were $24. I requested detailed bill and he went back for the bill. They charged me $4.50 or so for tap bubbly. I asked him to confirm if bubbly water is really $4.50. I left NO TIP. Tacos themselves were OK. The garnish and chips looked premade and were indistiguishable from what one would get in Costco. Go there only as a last resort. read more

Place was ok, got the fajita taco salad and it was very filling and tasty. Would've been nicer if my server could speak better english. Overall, ok dinner place. read more

Food was okay, 2 of our orders were messed up. They charge 5$ for a second bag of chips and cant split checks. They were also completely out of margaritas. Prices were high as expected for a resort, but the quality of food was just okay for the price. Portions were big but the service was terrible. We had our orders messed multiple times and were charged extra without being told. Would not recommend to anyone unless you have no other option in copper mountain. read more

WORST service ever! ABSOLUTELY Rude server and management! Disagreements over how the rice was cooked, got a lecture about how "traditional " rice is to be cooked. Did receive replacement beans, but would not eat, probably spit in it. Would steer clear of this place. Can't give ZERO stars! Then I was scolded at the table for giving a bad review. read more

Service was friendly. Food was not. The house margarita wasn't bad and I'd have had another if we stayed around longer. We had chili rellenos (crispy) and they were burnt on the outside and not quite done on the inside. Pintos and rice were really bland. I hate to be negative and like I said, staff was friendly but this is not a good Mexican restaurant. read more

Overpriced restaurant with Terrible food terrible service all served on plastic plates and hostess that does not understand customer service and you need to ask several times for anything. They "cannot" split checks today in the 21st century and they charge you for any extra chips salsa etc . Do not recommend stay away. read more

Staff: The staff was super nice and friendly. Food: The food wasn't anything to write home about though. Mediocre at best. The medium salsa is what gives El Zacatecano three stars! Kid friendly: Word to the wise for children with kids.... The beans and rice that came with the kids meals were too spicy for my kiddos and they usually enjoy spicy. Setting: Cozy, warm, and fun music. Bathrooms: They were disgusting with no soap, very unsanitary! read more

El Zacatecano - Kids menu taco plate - Mexican Near Me - Copper Mountain, Colorado

I understand this place is located in a prime location in a ski town. Let me tell you, the food is not good. It taste like frozen food warmed up in a microwave. The cost was outrageous and the drinks were very expensive and not strong. The service was rude and slow. I will not be returning. This is the worst place to get food/drinks around copper. read more

The food was good, noting to rave about. My husbands steak fajitas didn't have much flavor. I preferred the chicken. Portions are large and the prices are very decent. It was super packed on a Sunday. There aren't too many restaurants in Copper. Our server was excellent tho. It's a warm and cozy place. I'd come back. read more

El Zacatecano - Chicken Fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Copper Mountain, Colorado

Okay, you're probably in the same boat as our family: hungry after skiing a day at Copper. Just hoping some restaurants survived the pandemic and are still serving. Yes? Then read on. Is this a Michelin-rated establishment? No. Is their food worth traveling long distances to savor? No. Do you read the reviews and worry: is this food edible? Are you like our family of 4: hungry for something, anything that will fill a stomach and taste like food? Yes? Well you've found it. Looking at the scant choices for evening meals here in mid March 2022, we chose this spot, I came to take out 4 burritos (carnitas, 2x chicken fajita, chipotle). Took at a look at the packed restaurant, was thankful to see 'doggy bags' going home with diners, and headed home to consume our meal. And, was it delicious? Yes. And filling. It is a solid restaurant folks. Order with confidence, and eat up. Just don't expect French cuisine and white glove treatment. It's Tex mex and it is yummy. read more

I came in with pretty low expectations just given the fact we're at a ski resort, but it was still a very meh meal. The place was packed with people even 15 min before close. The best part was the complementary chips and salsa. We tried the enchiladas, tostada, and fajitas, and it was all very meh. The shredded steak was impossible to bite into. Chicken had no flavor. Vegetable fajitas were from frozen vegetables. Margs were okay. My friend couldn't even finish her frozen marg cause wasn't great. Come if you're starving, but low expectations. read more

The food quality is bad. I got food poisoning and I am currently miserable bc of a burrito.

After skiing all day, El Zacatecano was the answer to all of my group's hunger problems. We were waiting for one of our friends to get out of the clinic after the mountain had closed and we decided to wait with drinks in our hands & full bellies. So we came here and ordered margs & beers and all the food we could handle. FYI if you're looking for a giant Marg, get the large marg - truly humongous and can easily be split between 2 or 3 people (or 1 if you're feeling frisky). The chips and salsa were a great start to curing our hunger - that salsa is so spicy, chunky & delicious! We also ordered guac & queso which were also good. For our main meal, the fajita Burrito was the move. We got it smothered in green Chile and I happily split that with my boyfriend. Others got the quesadilla which also looked delicious. We hung out at this spot for a good while as we were not only waiting for our friend to get out of the clinic, but we were also waiting for traffic to die down. So we appreciate them for not booting us from the restaurant! After our meal, our waiter brought us Mexican dessert: tequila shots on the house! That was a definitely a fun way to end the night. Overall, great experience at El Zacatecano. We'll be back! read more

El Zacatecano - Fajita Burrito smothered in green chile - Mexican Near Me - Copper Mountain, Colorado

The food was not worth the outrageous cost. I will most likely not be returning to eat here again. The service and ambiance were OK. Although i still do not recommend to dine here. read more

Casa Sanchez in Copper Mountain has closed and El Zacatecano has opened in it's place. If you liked Casa Sanchez you'll like El Zacatecano, but if you didn't like it the same will also be true. Reason being that I didn't find any differences between the two. Aside from a new sign out front, the space looks identical on the outside. And absolutely very little has changed on the inside. The same booths that are badly in need of repair are still there. There does appear to be a fresh coat of paint on the inside, which does help brighten up the space. Inside I couldn't tell that much had changed with the food either. The place my food was served on was the same blue plate I had a year prior. The rice was the same, and the beans too. I had a medium combination plate with a chimichanga and an enchilada ($12.99). Pretty average tex-mex food here. There aren't a ton of places to eat in Copper, and this is the only Mexican around, so there isn't a lot of competition. I just had hoped for more when I heard that the Mexican place had changed, but then I soon realized that not much had truly changed. read more

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We are staying at Copper Mountain and walked here for dinner around 7pm. The place was very packed but we were seated pretty fast (estimated 30 min but seated within 10min) It came with free chips and salsa but the chips tasted very burned. We ordered the margaritas which are alright. We ordered fajitas for two x2 so we tried all the proteins but DO NOT RECOMMEND. There were so little meat/ shrimp and the whole plate was mostly onions, and onions plus some peppers... the tortillas are also tasting store bought... the serving speed was odd as well. The tortilla and rice and beans came out a lot faster and was starting to get cold until the hot plate came out. If you are in the area for dinner, maybe just drinks here? read more

This place isn't good. Your run of the mill Mexican place, just without quality. Copper Mountain should demand better out of their tenants. Great chips and salsa, but that's where it ends. Bait and switch with the protein in items, stuffing meat on the end of burritos with little to none in the middle. Ventilation is also bad, don't intend on wearing your ski jacket the next day. read more

We showed up 20min to close and we were still seated right away and had great food and service. Highly recommend the carne asada quesadilla as an appetizer, it was perfect to share. read more

Not worth at all. Took over 20 minutes after being sat to even get chips and salsa and another 10 till our server came and took our order. Ordered nachos as an appetizer and to see if we should get an actual meal. Nachos were ok. Nothing more than that. I could have done that in the microwave and maybe 1/8 of a cup of chicken. Tried to get our check and that took another 30 minutes. For the cost go somewhere else. I thought the other reviews over reacted but no they were spot on read more

We were vegans bikepacking the Colorado trail and rolled into Copper starving. Unfortunately most restaurants had limited to no vegan options, and had small portions of food, especially considering the resort prices. After deciding Mexican food sounded good, we rolled over to El Zacatecano where we got immediate service. They let us sit next to the window by our bikes, and immediately served us our complementary chips and salsa (which were delicious). We got super attentive service from our server, who was interested in our adventure, and was excited to talk about it. It was definitely pricey but cheaper than a lot of the restaurants in copper, AND THE PORTION SIZE!!!!!! Absolutely great portion sizes, probably about double the food you normally get from a typical burrito order, we were full after finishing which is surprising considering we're burning thousands of calories a day. We both ordered the veggie burrito without dairy, which they were totally flexible to do, and it was DELICIOUS. Would totally come back if we're in copper again. The ambience was great, and overall a nice feel! read more

El Zacatecano - Veggie burrito without dairy - Mexican Near Me - Copper Mountain, Colorado

Probably the only place worth eating at in copper, good food, good service, Fajitas for 2 was huge. Staff was nice from stepping in to leaving. read more

El Zacatecano - Mexican Near Me - Copper Mountain, Colorado

Really poor customer service. Won't be returning. Long wait and they charged us for the complimentary shots...

I'm going to calibrate this review to Copper where the food choices, pricing, and ambiance are ... well, it is what it is ... and it's definitely a far cry from Whistler. But hey, it's also a far distance from Whistler. Staff: I found the staff to be incredibly helpful & friendly. We ate here several times for both lunch & dinner during our week in Copper and every single time the service was great and the staff was very friendly. They even made virgin Margaritas and Shirley Temples for the kiddos. Food: It's totally ok. We tried a variety of things from the burritos to the tacos and a good assortment of things in between. The steady stream of chips, as you'd expect at any Mexican restaurant, hit the spot. Tables: Perhaps the highlight of this place is that there was ROOM. Coming off the slopes around lunchtime it can be hard to find a place to eat. It's a *slightly* longer walk up the alley to this restaurant but well worth it because you can spread out a bit and take your time. Probably gets crowded at a more traditional dinner time but lunch & apres ski ... you're good. read more

The large margarita was in fact the biggest margarita I've ever seen. It was also delicious. Food was good, service was great. We ordered chicken nuggets for our toddler and they were some of the best nuggets I've ever tried. I don't think you can go wrong at this spot, it was all tasty. read more

Spent the rest of the night in the bathroom floor with horrible food poisoning. Happy holidays to me

I need to update a previous 4 star review. The drinks were great and the food tasted pretty darn good. The guacamole was not that tasty. We had the worst upset stomach for hours after. We will not be eating here again. read more

Was in Colorado for vacation with my Parents and they were craving Mexican Food. I'm from Texas and we have really great Mexican food and are known for are Tex-Mex. We decided to eat at El Zacatecano. As soon as we arrived we were greeted and I do admit they were very welcoming. To drink I tried a mineral water with cbd and my wife tried a strawberry Margarita. We started off with the queso and guacamole. The queso was watery but the guacamole was ok. If your Latino and are use to Mexican food this is overpriced and not that good but if your in Colorado and are craving Mexican food... this will do. Nothing special read more

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Kid friendly restaurant offering chicken tenders, and hamburgers for the young ones. Nice menu for the adults and separate Margarita menu as well. Service was very fast, even for a packed restaurant. Tasty chips and fresh guac are recommended. Salsa was very spicy if that's your thing. I had the Carnitas Burrito which was enough for two people. The pulled pork tasted stale, but the remaining ingredients were good. Nice addition to center village. read more

El Zacatecano - Carnitas Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Copper Mountain, Colorado

This restaurant followed all of the rules and regs to make us feel safe at Copper Mountain during a snowstorm/COVID. We were on a waitlist and it took a little longer than they said, but we had two other choices with hour waits. The Mexican music played quietly in the background and we were spaced far apart and the restaurant was VERY clean. We totally felt safe! Dinner was good, not inexpensive, but happy to pay for hot food. The chips and salsa were wonderful. Really spicy, tasty salsa and plenty of it. My husband ordered a taco and enchilada combo; A crispy shredded beef taco with a chicken enchilada with rice and beans. The taco and rice a beans were soo good. My daughter had enchiladas suisas and ate every bite! She later remarked that they were good but not the best she has ever had but she was starving! I ordered the steak soft tacos, the tortillas were lovely and fresh, but the steak was super tough and chewy. I wouldn't order those again, so choose a different protein. The rice a beans were great. I also had a Casamigos Reposada shot, pretty expensive but tasty and my husband loved his margarita! All in all I might normally give this 3 stars, but the service was excellent. The staff were very nice and attentive and the place smelled amazing, just skip the steak. I heard quite a few raves from other diners as we walked out. read more

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Great location but the food was simply not good. Bland no flavor no spice. Service was good but doesn't make up for the food.

Per their website menu, this restaurant does takeout food-except they don't! What Mexican restaurant does not provide take-out food orders? I guess the owners are too busy doing anything but running a restaurant.... read more

Good Mexican food. Nothing too fancy just how I like it. Huge Margarita's for a good price! Great service!! read more

Great service & loads of options! The bonus for us in this "Coke Product" resort was the option of Orange Fanta. Salsa was definitely different....no tomatoes involved; I enjoyed the new experience. read more

The Mexican food is plentiful and tasty. Unfortunately, the table policies are not customer friendly. We walked in requesting a table for two and spotted friends who were already eating. We opted to join them and later found out we were up charged an extra $5 for chips that would have been free at our own table. Plus, we couldn't get our own separate check. Totally ruined the night. read more