Zapata's Mexican Restaurant is easily my favorite Mexican spot in Cornelius--and it's not even close. I've tried just about every place around here, and this is the one I keep coming back to. The food is consistently great, the portions are solid, and everything comes out hot and fresh every time. Whether you're going with the classics or mixing it up, you really can't go wrong. The service is always on point too--friendly, quick, and they take care of you without overdoing it. It's just an easy, reliable spot that delivers every time. If you're in Cornelius and want good Mexican food, this is the move. read more

Love love this place!! Wonderful food and great service that's always consistent. Had a blast on Cinco de mayo this year there.

We have been here a few times in the last year and each time is the same experience - okay service and okay food. Nothing to call home about but nothing to complain about. After trying a variety of items - tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas - I recommend the fajita quesadillas. The meat is better quality, and it has a lot of flavor to it. The chips and salsa are always good. We tried the guacamole this time which was creamy but needed more lime juice and salt to it. If you want Mexican food in this area, I would say it's better than other places, but there isn't much to choose from around here. read more

My family went there for my nieces birthday and we had a great time , we would recommend them to tourists

Public parking is plenty Fun spot with traditional Mexican decor Our server, Geronimo was a blast and very friendly and fun- pleasant dining experience indeed. Attentive without hovering. We did NOT have cocktails at this venue but certain there was a full bar. Chips n salsa to get you started but don't fill up on those - the plates are very generous with the rice & beans side - table top boasts a Salsa Extravaganza... plenty of options (go on... try it ) priced accordingly- believe there's a couple of these places (family or franchise??!) Clean and spacious. If I'd live closer... I'd be back. read more

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Good friendly service. I liked the glass blown light fixtures and art. Good chips and salsa. The salsa was a medium heat level. I believe they have a mild salsa if you ask for it. Queso was good. Zapata margarita was good. We shared fajitas which were good. Nothing special but not bad. read more

I took my mom there to eat Saturday and I ordered the birria tacos and there was a bug my consomé.

Zapata's was at one point my favorite Mexican place in Huntersville. I love the ACP with sautéed peppers and onions added. Recently though, I noticed they sneakily placed their health department score behind a few other plaques near the entrance. They have an 88. A B+ is great if we're talking school work, but this is pretty bad for a restaurant. My friends and I went here recently and my ACP was what I expected it to be, but one friend got the chorizo chicken and it was very dry. Couple that with our worries about seeing the score, and we decided that was probably our last visit. The ambiance of the restaurant is always great. Feels clean in the dining area and they have a great bar. I love the lighting. If they can get their kitchen in order, I'll definitely be back! read more

We moved here from Southern California 5 years ago so we had a good selection of Mexican food. When we first ate here we were so happy! The food is so good with a great variety to choose from. The food and service never disappoints. I've tried other Mexican restaurants in the lake Norman area but to me this is the best by far!!!! read more

This is the best Mexican restaurant in Cornelius! All food is fresh and prepared with great care. You begin your meal with amazing chips and homemade salsa like no other. The salsa is a combination of spicy and sweet. Just the right balance. Wash it down with a frozen margarita, a must. The main courses at Zapata's are made to order and are served by a friendly waitstaff. We have been coming to Zapata's for over 10 years. You will not be disappointed!! read more

Food and service was excellent. Our server Argentinia was 5 stars. Top shelf Margaritas were very good.

Best Guacamole in town. Street tacos are my favorite there. Try the Zapatas Margarita! read more

We were really excited to come here considering it is highly rated on yelp for Mexican food in our area. The ambiance was really nice with cool lights, amazing bar, and seemed like a good local spot. We ordered house margarita, which tasted like syrup, and a tequila pineapple that had a hickory smoke taste to it. The service was very attentive yet not personable. We ordered the seafood chimichanga which was filled with a ton carrot bites (which was not mentioned on the menu) and the seafood tasted like a frozen bag of mixed seafood mush. Like a Sheppard pie burrito. My wife ordered the Hawaiian tacos which looked much better than mine but she said was bland and just okay. Best part was their homemade salsa which was great. Overall not impressed at all. Maybe we ordered the wrong items but who knows we might try again a different time. read more

Zapata's - Seafood chimichanga - Mexican Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

Went there as I work close by and was brought by locals and loved it. The atmosphere is fun, clean and colorful, service was really good we sat at the bar. The chips and salsa were plentiful, and I had a great meal. I had beef tacos, rice and beans and all were delicious and good sized portions. You could get more chips and salsa when asked. This was my first meal here and I will be back to try other items on the menu so many things did look really good and I recommend this restaurant. Casual dining, reasonable pricing good portions. Enjoy! read more

Lovely decor, good food, nice staff. can be relatively pricey but the portions are huge.

This place is a solid 4 star restaurant. The food was good. The prices are reasonable. The portions are gracious. The interior looks clean. The dining area was tidy. They have a 98.0 sanitation grade posted. The decor needs to be updated. Everything looks a little tired and worn. The bar area is cool. The service was satisfactory. Chips and salsa were delivered to our table promptly. Our server delivered our drinks and meal to our table in a reasonable time. Our orders were correct. He kept our drinks filled. He also was kind to me when I wanted queso sauce on my enchiladas instead of red sauce and I wanted a pork enchilada instead of a beef one. He made it happen! read more

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We used to go to Zapata's, pre-Covid times, on a fairly regular basis although it has admittedly been a few years in terms of dining in anyway. But, in terms of getting takeout/delivery we have been frequent customers. It's good Mexican food with a few unexpected twists like diced mangos in/on some items. I tend to get the Enchiladas Trio fairly regularly which comes with one beef, chicken, cheese enchilada each with a different sauce. Have also tried the Crispy Shrimp tacos which include the aforementioned mangos and enjoy the "Worlds Best Tacos" on occasion. While not even being CLT's best tacos, they're still tasty. Cheese dip and guacamole are good choices as well. They've been around quite a while and have consistently delivered the Mex food goods the entire time. read more

I LOVE their tacos. It's mostly because their tortillas are amazing. The texture is a little denser and less fluffy than your traditional soft flour tortilla. I'm not sure if they're cooking them fresh everyday or what's up, but I love their tortillas. I usually get "The World's Best Tacos" and they're honestly really good. Maybe not the world's best, but I'm living the steak, sautéed onions, and mango salsa combo. Also their guacamole is homemade and really good, and their queso is solid too. All around I'm super happy they're right around the corner and my go-to Mexican place in Cornelius. read more

Much much better than the "strip mall" food I was expecting. The "free"chips and salsa...the salsa was really good. It had onions and cilantro ...and you could taste them. Of course I had to have the "Mas Picante" salsa.... I mixes the two and I was in heaven. I had nachos for dinner - I know, not super fancy. But the "Supreme Nachos with Chicken" were delicious. It kind of takes away the purpose of nachos to need to use a fork, but there was so much chicken and cheese, it was mandatory. Delicious. And the guac - muy sabroso for my Spanish speaking friends. Fresh and flavorful. And if you need a "refreshment", the Pineapple Tajin was out of this world. I had 3...Probabaly shouldn't admit it. If you can get Aiden as a server, a definite plus. read more

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Went to Zapata's today to celebrate my Birthday. Great customer service and food as always... love Zapata's , We celebrate every special occasion here.. always great in everything .. no complaints food is by far the best.. today we had great service and our waitress Argentina was excellent.. read more

Service was fine. Margarita was yummy. However I got the strangest Caesar salad I have ever had. The shrimp was good but never did find some of the ingredients listed on the menu. Plus no Caesar dressing on it. Seemed to be Italian dressing. Won't order that again if I ever go back read more

This is my first visit to this Mexican restaurant! When I initially stepped in, the waiter who served us smelled like he hadn't had a shower in days. Next, the food was disgusting and had been prepared the day before. My friend had carnitas, which were awful not excellent, and I ordered a deluxe burrito. When we told the waiter that the food was awful and needed to be improved, they simply answered, "Have a nice day." If I could leave a negative star, I would! DO NOT ATTEMPT TO VISIT THIS RESTAURANT! The manager was rude to us and had no intention of even apologizing for the poor service! Best wishes. read more

Zapata's - a chandelier made of paper flowers - Mexican Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

Rediscovered Zapata's after letting it fall off of our list. So glad it's back on our rotation again! Service is always great and food delivered fast and hot to our table. Living the Maui Quesadilla and my wife leans towards the Deluxe Burrito. $24 dinner for two can't be beat! We try to dine before 6pm and have never had a problem with waiting for a table or speed of service. Being inexpensive is a wonderful bonus. read more

Zapata's - Deluxe Burrito with chicken - Mexican Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

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I found four hairs in my food, and when I mentioned to my waiter she was extremely difficult and denied that the hairs were even in the food. Would not recommend. read more

Delicious food, enormous portion sizes, friendly service, and great prices are why you should come to eat here. Consistency is why you'll keep coming back. Excellent all around and one of my favorite spots to grab dinner in the area. I can only speak for this location but all dishes have been delicious. I've ordered burritos that come out the size of a subway footlong, the "worlds best tacos", and the quest fundido tacos. I'd get them all again but also look forward to trying more. Also, that pineapple margarita was one of the freshest I have ever had. The only thing I wish they served the salsa differently, but it's still good. read more

So far, the dine is experience is where this place shines. The carne Assada is on point and probably the best if. It close to the best I've had around here. The service is always friendly and prompt. Take out: our car wash asada was okay, but the rice and beans were refrigerator cold (I live less than 5 mi utes away), we were missing guacamole and the tortillas. We also only got one small thing of salsa for the 2 of us (good thing I keep extra on hand. I maintain a good review because when I called them, I was assured that this is not the usual and that there was a new cook. The manager also made things right by us. We will keep this place as our go to As long as w front have these types of inconsistencies. read more

Zapata's is a go-to for my husband and I. The staff are always extremely attentive and friendly and the food is delicious every time. I get the shrimp enchiladas and they are so good I crave them. My husband gets the ACP. Whenever we're in the mood for Mexican, Zapata's is a no brainer for us! read more

I ordered the seafood soup, I wasn't expecting them to put the premixed tiny pieces of seafood that comes in the bags from Publix. The only pieces of seafood that was normal size were the shrimps. The broth wasn't as good as a ciopino broth. In fact it was very bland even after adding lime juice. My wife had the chicken tacos and she said those were really good. The service was very good, the server was very attentive. read more

They are ridiculous and a joke. Charged 24.90 for just two steak and cheese quesadilla nothing else with them or on them. Save your money they are just over priced. Damn 2 order of shrimp was cheaper . Mind you I placed this order before 2pm. I wouldn't go here. I would give them no stars but I have at least do one. read more

Zapata's has gone down a notch or two in recent years, but it still remains one of my top Mexican restaurants in the area. The interior could use some updating perhaps, but it is still comfortable and nice inside. The service is top notch and friendly. The salsa and chips are very fresh and not greasy. Our food was delicious. The shrimp tacos were fresh, but my daughter wasn't crazy about the toppings, purely personal preference. My chimichanga was delicious as were the sides. read more

Zapata's - Shrimp Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

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This is my first time at this location and will be one of my regular spots. I love how they have a vegetarian section on their menu but I settled on their special which was the Bombay Chimichanga and yes it is vegetarian. I was a little nervous about trying it but it turned out to be a winner. On top of that I had an excellent server. read more

Zapata's - Bombay Chimichanga - Mexican Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

Get the chicken street tacos and a large margarita! Best Mexican food in the USA! Thank you Zapatas for being consistently great!

I ordered Togo. Three people walked in behind me. The host looked right over me to assist the customers behind me. Even the customers said "she was here first" he told them with out even acknowledging me to me "oh she's Togo" . Then after he led them to their seats. He told me my food (that I ordered well in advance ) would be ready in 2 more minutes. I said ok. He comes back 15 minutes later. By this time I'm so irritated. I still just gave him the payment and went back to work. The food was absolutely horrible. I'm not sure what took it so long because it wasn't fresh. Fast forward several hours after the fact. I see them take an additional charge off of my card. When I called they were very cocky about not giving me my money back. This was after the first two acted as if they did not speak English. Do not eat here! They are scam artists that cater to a particular group of people! Not all are welcomed! I ordered Togo. Three people walked in behind me. The host looked right over me to assist the customers behind me. Even the customers said "she was here first" he told them with out even acknowledging me to me "oh she's Togo" . Then after he led them to their seats. He told me my food (that I ordered well in advance ) would be ready in 2 more minutes. I said ok. He comes back 15 minutes later. By this time I'm so irritated. I still just gave him the payment and went back to work. The food was absolutely horrible. I'm not sure what took it so long because it wasn't fresh. Fast forward several hours after the fact. I see them take an additional charge off of my card. When I called they were very cocky about not giving me my money back. the worst experience eve! read more

The food sadly has gone downhill in the last year or so. Tonight we visited with friends and the place was empty. We ordered a group of burritos and tacos. The tacos were filled with raw veggies which were not cooked. The drinks were great but expensive. 10 dollars for a mixed cocktail seems a bit expensive. Also the burritos were 15 plus dollars and very wet falling apart although large. I think this place needs to bring in their old staff and cooks:) read more

I've new to Cornelius, been here about 2 months but I have to say this restaurant has had the best food and service out of any local establishment I've been to so far. Amazing chicken dish and I can't wait to have the shrimp that my friend had looked amazing. Wish I took a picture to share but the food was delicious. read more

This is an awesome Mexican restaurant! Their Birria quesadillas are absolutely amazing! Service is great too!

I've visited a few times for lunch and dinner, always seated promptly. They are typically running a drink special so it never hurts to ask! They have great salsa! I'm picky (in a very annoying way) when it comes to Mexican food because if I can't trust your salsa then I'm already somewhat skeptical of your menu. Just saying!! I've have both the ACP and Carne Asada burrito and each dish is consistently flavorful. I actually prefer the location in Cornelius over the University area. read more

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

Excellent Mexican with Service We've been going to Zapata's on and off for probably 20 years. Located where it is, you have to look for it. Food is excellent. My wife is not a fan of Mexican or Tex Mex but put a peanut sauce on it and she's ready to go. As for myself, i prefer a traditional beef dish be in tacos' enchiladas etc or seafood like shrimp. This place fill the bill across the board. Good Food and great service. Atmosphere is OK and typical of Mexican restaurants. All in all, it's good and a regular dining place and I would recommend to anyone in the area or traveling through. read more

Zapata's - Entrance to the best Mexican on the Lake - Mexican Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

We get takeout from here often & it's really good! Their food is a bit spicy compared to others but it's really good if you like spicy! I really enjoy their ACP! The service is really good & I've never had a bad experience here! read more

Zapata's has great food. We've been going to Zapatas since the 1990s. However, their service is lacking. The last few times we have ordered takeout. These experiences have not gone well. They have forgotten to put items in the bag or forgot to make the order all together so had to wait. This makes for a very disappointing experience when you get home and not everything is there. It's not worth the 25 minutes back to the restaurant. They need to do better and evidently don't appreciate repeat customers. Very sad! Do better! read more