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    Zapata's

    3.8 (128 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Zapata's Photos

    ZAPATA'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Zapata's

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    Amanda K R.

    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.

    Seafood chimichanga
    Noah M.

    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.

    Chips and salsa
    Rusty J.

    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!

    Chips, salsa, picante salsa, and pineapple tajin
    Douglas W.

    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.

    a chandelier made of paper flowers

    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.

    Deluxe Burrito with chicken

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    4 years ago

    Matt our server was excellent .Food was great. Will definitely go back.True ethnic atmosphere

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    3 years ago

    The Mexican stir fry was the best! The serving was so big I had leftovers for the next day. I'm definitely going back for more.

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    9 years ago

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    6 years ago

    I enjoyed my food at this place. Good tasting and quality food. Great service from my waiter.

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    8 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Absolutely excellent take out. Food was fresh, exactly as we ordered and delicious!! Recommend for authentic Mexican.

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    4 years ago

    Ordered birria tacos and omg so delicious. First time my husband ever tried them and he fell in love also.

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    9 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Great services, food, and margaritas! What's not to love about Zapata's! Always our go-to for great Mexican food!

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    9 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    7 years ago

    They changed the recipe to the chicken soup with vegetables and now it has no flavor at all. Terrible idea.

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    10 years ago

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    18 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    8 years ago

    The absolute BEST Mexican north of Charlotte. Awesome service too! We eat here once a week and have never had a bad experience.

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    5 years ago

    Tacos de Asada were fantastic. Authentic and delicious. Great service, reasonable prices. I love Zapata's!

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    Page 2 of 4

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    El Toro Mexican Grill and Bar - Mojarra Frita

    El Toro Mexican Grill and Bar

    4.1(170 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    Amazing experience from start to finish! The service was outstanding, and every single staff member…read morewas incredibly friendly and welcoming. Special thanks to Berna, our server, who was attentive, kind, and made us feel truly taken care of, and to Jorge, the manager, who clearly runs the place with professionalism and genuine care for the guests. The food was absolutely delicious -- full of flavor, well prepared, and served fresh. You can really tell the cooks take pride in their work. On top of that, the prices are very affordable for the quality you get, which makes the experience even better. The bartender also deserves a big shoutout for the excellent drinks -- perfectly made, refreshing, and clearly crafted by someone who knows what they're doing. Overall, this place delivers great food, great drinks, and exceptional service. I highly recommend it to everyone looking for a fantastic dining experience. We'll definitely be coming back!

    This my first time trying El Toro. I was invited to a teacher appreciation event here. I very much…read moreimpressed from the moment I walked in the door. Two people greeted us at the door and directed us to the event. The waiter was pleasant and explained the menu and cocktails. The food was seasoned well and tasted good. The ambiance was one of an authentic Mexican restaurant. It is festivally decorated. If you want good food and drinks then you should definitely visit El Toro. I will definitely be back again

    Photos
    El Toro Mexican Grill and Bar - There is a well-stocked full bar.

    There is a well-stocked full bar.

    El Toro Mexican Grill and Bar - Churros

    Churros

    El Toro Mexican Grill and Bar - The dining area at El Toro Mexican Grill in Cornelius.

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    The dining area at El Toro Mexican Grill in Cornelius.

    Juan Loco - Taco Loco.

    Juan Loco

    3.9(89 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    I ordered through DoorDash and got the Al Pastor tacos. The pork was very tender and flavorful…read more Will definitely order from here again. You get an order of 5 and it comes with chips and salsa as well.

    Ever since I moved nearby, Juan Loco has always been in a weird category for me. Their food is…read moregood, I love Mexican and Tex-Mex, but their menu doesn't really pull me in. I'm really not a fan of the 5 mini tacos they offer, not because they taste bad, but more because I don't want to deal with 5 little tacos And they only sell their larger tacos in packs of 3, which is fine, but I'd actually order from here all the time if I could just order single tacos and build a custom order the way I want it (similar to Osito's or Tacos 4 Life). And their cheese dip isn't "pure" cheese dip, it has something else mixed in like a chipotle ranch or something, I really don't know, but it's not really what I'm looking for. To me the biggest issue I have is just not being able to customize my order the way I want it because the way they've designed their menu makes me not want to order anything because I don't want to commit to it. I like the a la carte style. So anyway I decided today would be my once-a-year order from Juan Loco just to see if I'm making a mistake by not ordering here more often since it's literally right down the street from me. The food was good. The menu was still a point of frustration. So it's getting 3 stars from me mainly because I'm just not compelled to order from here. I want to. I keep trying. The food is good. But it never draws me back.

    Photos
    Juan Loco
    Juan Loco - Arrachera Quesadilla

    Arrachera Quesadilla

    Juan Loco - The cheese dip I ordered ($6) vs ...

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    The cheese dip I ordered ($6) vs ...

    Bartaco

    Bartaco

    3.4(136 reviews)
    2.5 mi

    I had Bartaco in Birkdale for the first time over the weekend. The set up was cute and there's…read moreplenty of tables. We were seated quickly without a reservation. We had guacamole & chips for an appetizer - this was fine but nothing special. The chips are tostada style so you may need to ask for extra if sharing with a group. For lunch, I got the pork belly and chicken verde tacos. The menu advises 3 bites per taco which is pretty accurate. We ordered street corn & plantains for sides, both were quite good. I got churros for dessert and they were probably the highlight of the meal.

    The first time my friend and I ate here it was great, lovely hostess, great server and delicious…read morefood. Tonight the hostess looked like she hated her job. All of doors were open to outside and it was cold with a draft, I'm not sure why they left the doors open tonight but I had asked her to sit far away from the doors and then she ended opening up another one of the doors so they were all open. She didn't smile once and looked visibly annoyed from the moment I walked in. The food was also not great tonight. The restaurant was pretty dead and the tacos came out cold. The pork belly needed to be heated up more. The tuna taco was terrible tonight with a fishy taste (much different than my last experience) and had a shiny film on it. I took one bite and thought it tasted bad so didn't eat the rest, I'm surprised my server didn't ask me what was wrong with it.

    Photos
    Bartaco
    Bartaco - Love the decor with antiques and this cute TN license plate

    Love the decor with antiques and this cute TN license plate

    Bartaco - Sweet plantains

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    Sweet plantains

    Zapata's - mexican - Updated May 2026

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