This place is incredible! My boyfriend took me here on a weeknight and it was pretty empty but decorated super nicely. We each got margaritas - I got a habanero one and he got a strawberry one. Mine was literally one of the best margaritas I've ever had, and I'm pretty picky about them. Super spicy (which I love) and basically not sweet at all (also a plus). My boyfriend thought his was great too. The complimentary salsa has a really nice kick to it and I couldn't stop eating it. Then I ordered the shrimp fajitas, but asked for it spicy (there's a theme here) and the waiter said he added a chipotle sauce to them when they came out. Insanely insanely delicious. Only complaint was that the shrimp tasted very.. fishy? Almost frozen or not fresh, but I ate it all regardless. And there's something about the refried beans here - they're addicting. My boyfriend doesn't even like beans and ate them all. So so good. Also, our waiters were super nice and attentive and made it feel very cozy. Would come back plenty more time to try some other stuff! read more

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Was in search of a sit-down Mexican restaurant with authentic Mexican vibes--this place nailed it. Situated in the middle of a residential area, this restaurant is a hidden gem. We got there around 3:30pm on a Saturday and the place was surprisingly dead, which I didn't mind at all. The decor inside was perfect and even decorated nice for Christmas with a big tree and everything. They gave us chips and salsa, which were perfect--salsa was tasty and the chips were crunchy and not too salty. We also were given a complimentary cheese quesadilla! I loved that! I didn't know what I wanted so I got a Combination platter with a hard shell taco, an enchilada and a flauta, the waitress made a substitution for me, which I appreciated. Our food came out pretty quick and good because I was starving! Food was yummy, and I cleaned my plate. I'd definitely come back here!! read more

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2nd time going since the new owners took over and 10/10 everything was delicious great portion sizes! Service is amazing! Their Herero margarita is actually spicy and delicious! Decor is clean and great Mexican vibe! read more

Zapata - Fried icecream - Mexican Near Me - Palisades, New York

Food is incredible, i got the vegetarian platter and a starter of guacamole. 10/10! Amazing decor and interior aswell, with stellar service, will be returning! read more

Zapata - Sarape,Enchiladas,Vegetarian Plate - Mexican Near Me - Palisades, New York

GET THE CHICKEN NACHOS!! And the margaritas !!!!! Sooosososos good. This is my favorite interior for any Mexican restaurant in the counties!! The people there are SO nice! Love it there !! read more

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In being that I'm from San Diego, I take Mexican food seriously. With that being said, everything was amazing! I had the enchiladas suizas , were authentic and just what I expected. The staff were friendly, and attentive. The ambiance was perfect. read more

Wow! A new favorite go to spot for sure. We came for my brother's birthday dinner and I was beyond impressed. The chips and salsa brought to the table are fresh and fantastic. Drink orders are taken instantly and water is brought right away! Our server was outstanding he was extremely attentive and made sure we had time between meals and were never left looking for him. We started with a table ceviche and the shrimp were super fresh, it was perfectly seasoned and had just the right amount of lime. I wasn't sure what to order so I waited to order my food after everyone else. I opted for an appetizer because I filled up from the ceviche and was super full already. Everyone's portions were delicious and huge! We all had leftovers which is always a plus. There is ample parking in the lot outside. The inside and outside are decorated very nicely and festive. The flan is a must try! Super delicious and packed with flavor! I cannot wait to return and try their famous margaritas! read more

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The staff are friendly and caring, the decor is cute, and it's probably the only Mexican place in a 10 or 15 mile radius. We had fun but TBH the food was ok but not inspiring. I have to say I haven't had really good Mexican food since I moved from Texas 30 years ago and maybe Zapata is just answering what the local market wants. Certainly as good as any other Mexican in the area. read more

I loved this place and the attention we received. Im glad we decided to come here without looking at the reviews first so that my experience wouldn't be influenced by someone elses bad experience. I have no negatives so far. It was an easy find after a few hours hiking the giant stairs at the palisades! The entrance door have this really nice hand carved picture of Zapata and when you step in you're welcome by beautiful dark decor and friendly staff eager to serve you. My first stop was to the bathroom to freshen up and it smelled nice and it was very clean When I arrived to my table there was already chip and salsa waiting and shortly after a server arrived with complimentary cheese quesadillas. We scanned the menu and everything looked appezing however we were starving and went straight to our entré. My friend and I both ordered the beef fajita. It was a bit overpriced honestly but we were so hungry and it tasted so good that we didn't even mind! The servers were really friendly and attentive. After we were done w our food with stayed a bit longer chitchating over coffee, which they offered to refill several time. Overall is definitely a place ill come back to after my hikes and try different items on the menu. I take a star because the price is little bit high fir the area but honestly the taste makes up for it read more

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Great food Clean Staff is wonderful Real Mexican vibes Best Margaritas Prices are reasonable read more

My husband and I came here on a weekday. We sat in the bar area. The bartender was very friendly and attentive. It seemed like there was a lot of local people there are sitting at the bar that seemed very friendly with the bartender. Service was great. We enjoyed the complementary quesadilla that we received. It was flavorful and not bland. The chips and salsa were delicious. I liked how the salsa was very fresh with, good size onions and herbs in it. I had a spicy jalapeño margarita, which was good not great. I would try different flavor next time. Our entrées were tasty. Portion sizes were large. I would definitely go back here and give it another try. read more

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Steak Ranchero is SOOOOOOO good!!!! :) Waiters are so nice. Not always busy, so it is relaxing on some days. read more

Zapata - Steak Ranchero - Mexican Near Me - Palisades, New York

I cannot remember the name of the dish that I ordered. I think it was a cold carpaccio. DELICIOUS and very fresh! I tried my husband's burrito and my daughter's quesadilla too. Both delicious read more

Delicious Food and great service!! I highly recommend them to all. I loved the decor and design, as well!

Excellent food and great cold drinks. Gets very crowded but has a large dining room, so they can accommodate many reservations. Only complaint is that when a table leaves not only do they wipe down the table and chairs with a cleaning solution and rag but they move every chair and sweep underneath the table and all around the table. Found it quite annoying and disgusting that while the dining room is jampacked that they move chairs and tables to sweep and spray cleaning solutions while I was eating my dinner. I think it's great. They like to stay on top of it and keep it clean, but I think they can save the sweeping until after they close for the night. Otherwise highly recommend. read more

With so many Mexican restaurants in our area, Zapata is our family's top choice! From the moment you walk in, the owners greet you with warmth and the wait staff provides attentive, thoughtful service throughout your meal. They're quick to refill your chips, and the salsa is excellent . The drinks are good, and the Mexican food is authentic and tasty. The restaurant is clean with a nice Mexican feel and the prices are reasonable. Zapata is a standout! read more

Amazing authentic family owned Mexican restaurant Best taquitos Salsa is better then México itself Chips are fresh The frozen margaritas are the best you will find Amazing selection of tequila Staff is prompt profession and friendly Clean establishment Shrimp is always so good Perfect refried beans Rice is flavorful and authentic No texmex if that's what you like This is amazing Mexican food! read more

Great Mexican restaurant if you're ever in the area for a hike! I highly recommend the ceviche- always fresh. The interiors featuring Zapata is very unique and definitely has a nice vibe to it. Service is usually pretty quick even on busy weekends. read more

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This is post COVID. All staff wore masks. As you can see from my past reviews I have been here for early dinner on Cinco De Mayo over the past several years and always enjoyed my meals and the high quality service during this busy time of Cinco de Mayo. This is one of my top two Mexican restaurants in the area. We arrived for early dinner on Cinco de Mayo without a reservation and were seated almost immediately at a nice table for two. We were lucky to arrive early because they are always busy during the dinner hour. I started with a margarita and enjoyed my steak fajitas as usual. My total bill was $95 less gratuities. We agreed to continue to return here on Cinco de Mayo or any other day. read more

Zapata - My spicy Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Palisades, New York

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My 21 yr old daughter said it was the best Mexican food around. So I've learned my daughter knows nothing about great Mexican food. That being said this place has a great cantina vibe and the service was great. We had the queso con chorizo and it was great. For the mains I had the # 6 combo ( I love a combo) and my partner had the #3 both were good and it was what I expected. I'm sure it's fun at night ( we went for lunch ) read more

Zapata - Queso Con Chorizo - Mexican Near Me - Palisades, New York

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The service was good and it seems like a fun place to drink but as far as food goes it's not worth the sit. Taco Bell has better tacos, the meat was extremely flavorless, the only redeeming part of the enchiladas was the cheese, the Sopa de pollo wasn't far from boiled chicken water, guacamole was fresh but very bland. The bar was the main attraction of the place since it was the only part of the restaurant that the people seemed to enjoy. But after paying for a meal that wasn't worth finishing we just went home to cook. read more

Stumbled on this place by accident. Looked at the reviews- wow! Let's give it a try! Frozen margaritas - EXCELLENT! **hiccup**. Excellent bartender. Ceviche WTF? Using Crab with a K is pure blasphemy. The dish was mostly imitation crab with a few shrimp. It was gross. The salsa was actually excellent - so much so that we purchased some to bring home. The guacamole was a bit flavorless but ok. My hubs ordered the burrito and when it came out he thought they made a mistake. It looked like 3 small enchiladas. Still it was good. I ordered the chicken Jalisco. It was delicious but most of the chicken was so dry, had it been cooked a minute longer it might have turned to powder. Also we were both perplexed by the frozen peas, corn and carrots in the rice. Can't say we'd come back. read more

We had a great lunch with another couple a few Saturdays ago and really enjoyed the hospitality, service and the food. Excellent place! I had been there a few times before dining in and have done takeout numerous times over the past few months. Zapata always comes through! read more

This place is a hard pass. It is in the same category of "On the Border" chain restaurant. Microwaved food, same exact presentation as the chain restaurant, but pricing was very very ambitious. It's definitely not authentic Mexican by any stretch of the imagination. There were a few bright spots here and there but altogether, a huge misfire. First the positives. The drinks are very good and very strong here. Loved the spiced mango margarita and the mango sangria. Both were not overpowering but strong enough to let you know there's alcohol in there. The melted cheese and chorizo skillet/fondue was spectacular. So spectacular in fact, that we ordered a second round. Service was also good. Nothing extraordinary but pretty solid. They were attentive and friendly. The main platters were awful. I literally felt like I was sitting in an On the Border restaurant. Just a huge mess of sauces intersecting with one another, flavorless enchiladas, one sub-standard basic taco that you could probably get at Taco Bell, and watery purée refried beans...the plate looked like it exploded in the microwave. I say microwave because that's what the food tasted like. Overpriced TV dinners at best. To me, this is a one and done. read more

This is my first Yelp review. Ever. I decided I had to set up a Yelp account to let people know how great Zapata's is for private events. We've eaten there often over the years - they just celebrated their 20th anniversary - so we knew that the food, drinks (margaritas! sangria!) and service would not disappoint. (I didn't even know they did private parties until our neighbor celebrated a big birthday there.) My daughter wanted her bridal shower to be fun, and so it was, with many guests saying it was the best one they'd ever been to- I'm not exaggerating! The manager, Christian, made sure every detail was perfect from start to finish. I was pretty clueless about how and what to plan, and he guided me through all everything, checking and double-checking on every detail. Outstanding! read more

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food and atmosphere is excellent all of the servers a young man always get my order wrong and argues with me it was my anniversary went there I got up set please listen to what a señorita wants. thank you read more

Zapata in Palisades, NY has decent food at reasonable prices. I especially enjoy their lunch menu and the little free appetizer they serve everyone...it is a nice touch. The problem is that often, and it seems to happen about half the time, they get the orders wrong, to the point where it has to be sent back for correction. This is aggravating. I have an issue with sour cream so I tell they them when ordering (in both English and Spanish) 'no sour cream, please...very important'. And every other time, the plate come loaded with cream. So, it has to go back...and when it returns, the portions that they didn't replace are 'lukewarm'. It shouldn't happen. It is a product of carelessness and indifference. While Zapata is a decent place when they get it right, it is not worth the risk of aggravation and upsetting the flow of your visit. read more

Whoever on here is giving this mediocre restaurant more than 1 star is absolutely lying and has never tasted authentic Mexican food, or good food, in their life. I am absolutely flabbergasted at the amount of great reviews this place has. I went here with my friends and ordered drinks and nachos. That alone was enough for my poor digestive system and wallet. Drinks were fine. Nachos were not even nachos; instead we were greeted with sad single store bought chips laid out on a plate with microwaved cheese on each one. Absolutely depressing and delusional to label them as nachos. This dish alone was about $12 and didn't even have 12 chips. If anyone tells you that this place is 5 stars, run away and get them help. read more

I always pass by Zapata and wanted to try it. My fiancé I'd a huge fan of Mexican food and we decided to try it one Friday afternoon. We were both impressed by the fast service, delicious food, friendly staff, and two cheese quesadillas on the house! I got the chimichangas and mojito and my final got the breaded steak. The one thing I wish they did was leave off the sour cream off my dish which I requested when ordering otherwise worth the trip for yummy food. read more

Zapata - Mojito (very strong) - Mexican Near Me - Palisades, New York

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I can't say enough good things about this place! The Aguacate Relleno was over flowing with the freshest ceviche making it a light meal instead of an app. We also had the Nachos, where we found each individual tortilla was stuffed with toppings. Topped this off with a Mangorita and it was the perfect meal! The staff was attentive as well! read more

Zapata - Mexican Near Me - Palisades, New York

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Why did I ever go to Blue Moon!? The quality of food here is SO much better, though admittedly the quantity is on the smaller side. The margaritas are smaller, the guac is smaller, etc... but much better quality. They start you off with mini quesadillas. The chips & pico/salsa is fresh. The guac is fine. I enjoyed my green sauce chicken enchiladas. The chicken was braised and flavorful, which reminded me of the chicken in the authentic mission burritos in San Francisco. Good service!! Plenty of parking. Plenty of seating and a separate bar area. Will absolutely be back. read more

Zapata - Mexican Near Me - Palisades, New York

Great margaritas and sangria, delicious entrees (love the enchiladas suizas and camarones al diablo), attentive service, warm and inviting venue...5 stars all around! read more

Was looking for a meeting Mexican restaurant to try and came across zapata on google. I am so happy I went. This place is one of the best if not the best Mexican restaurants I have eaten at up here. And I have tried many. I had the queso con chorizo, burritos, and a delicious desert with a banana rolled up in a fried tortilla. The pina coloada was delicious as well. This is for Sure my new go to for Mexican cuisine' HIGHLY RECOMMENDED read more

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I've lived less than 10 mins away from this place for 10 years and never tried it... what a mistake that was! I LOVE THIS PLACE. They have the most amazing not greasy chips & beautifully flavored guac. Their margaritas are delicious, and the service makes you feel like family. Going again tonight and as much as I possibly can! read more

The best food and the best people! The Godinez family are all so welcoming, you almost feel like you're in their home kitchen. Everything from the menus to the bathrooms are always spotlessly clean. The food is amazing (steak ranchero is my go-to!) and Christian the bartender mixes incredible drinks every time. My family has been coming here for many years and this place is very special. read more

My husband and I have been here a few times, and this restaurant consistently delivers good food, good drinks, and good ambiance. I definitely recommend if you are looking for a quality Mexican restaurant in the area. read more

Came for dinner after some rock climbing on Saturday night. It was pretty packed, which is a good sign, but I guess because this is one of the few restaurants in the area. The restaurant is fairly large, and they do have their own parking lot. We were seated quickly, and received free quesadillas with our chips and salsa to start. Our waiter soon returned to take our drink orders. I opted for a frozen peach margarita. It was pretty good, and fairly strong. I ordered the chimichangas, my favorite dish at most Mexican restaurants. I was surprised to hear I was actually going to receive three chimichangas when I told the waiter I would like one beef and one chicken. But the three that came out looked more like taquitos than chimichangas. Both the chicken and beef were good, but nothing I wouldn't be able to find elsewhere. read more

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Went to Zapata a few days ago with a party of 5 and probably will not return. Although the staff was attentive without being intrusive and the decor was quite nice, the food was typical of any other Mexican restaurant in the area. My main complaint was with the $32 shrimp dish I ordered that included only four shrimp and a mass of shredded unidentifiable vegetables. It takes a huge amount of nerve to actually serve such an entree. Should rename the place to Bandito. read more

Finishing dinner at the bar as I type. Food was great, queso and chorizo was like crack. Fantastic. Great family owned business. The bartender is absolutely AWESOME!!! read more

Zapata - Margarita up with salt. - Mexican Near Me - Palisades, New York

Ordered takeout. Everything was awesome! You're also able to order margaritas by the glass or by the pitcher too. Might be a good idea to load up on margaritas during these quarantine days read more