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    Zapoteca

    4.2 (126 reviews)
    ModerateMexican, Seafood
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Zapoteca Photos

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    ZAPOTECA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Touristy
    Trendy

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    Recommended Reviews - Zapoteca

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    Reviews With Photos

    Rachel K.

    There was no wait for a weekend lunch. Small restaurant inside plus a patio. Server was knowledgeable about the menu and our order was fast to come out. We tried totopos (chips with guac , feta , and pico de gallo) , fish tacos , and chicken enchiladas. All was cooked perfectly and tasty. Fish tacos were a little spicy. Enchiladas came with a ton of sauce.

    Chocomole
    Jenna D.

    In. Sane. This gem of an authentic Mexican restaurant is hidden at the beginning of the White Rock main drag. There is convenient (albeit a little spendy)parking across the street in a lot. Walk across and be welcomed in by mariachi music and the friendly staff. We sat outside in the covered, heated patio and it's definitely heated enough to be comfortable. None of that cold winter water wind chilling your food right away! The whole space is tiny and if you're going with more than two people, you definitely want a reservation. The drinks are super cool and inventive, with probably the best margarita I've had in years and a really inventive drink called the De La Tierra. It's sweet, tart, and dangerously delicious. We saw a few other drinks pass by the table and they all looked gorgeous and tasty. For apps, go with the ahi tuna ceviche - it was phenomenal. Like I would probably order two and just eat them all myself as a meal. Portions were pretty generous as well. I got the barbacoa, because I need to not always get the same thing when I go to a new Mexican place, and it was some of the best barbacoa I've had. It's served in a boiling stone bowl and it was till hot an hour later when we were finishing. The steak was very good, and the mole got rave reviews. I hear the chocomole was also delicious - thick and rich - but I blinked and the whole thing was gone! Definitely worth the drive across the border and I can't wait to go back to try all the other dishes!

    Brunch
    Mike M.

    We love that they have dishes that are rare elsewhere The food is very well prepared Highly recommended

    Halibut Al Pastor
    Priya C.

    Every year we celebrate our first date anniversary. And this year we decided to try out some Mexican food at Zapoteca. We called ahead to get a reservation. We sat inside but their patio dining was warm as well. For drinks we got the margarita and blueberry mohito. For appy we got chips and salsa and choriqueso with vegan chilorio. For mains we got the enchiladas with rainbow salsa and side of rice and beans. And the Halibut al pastor. The staff was friendly. The food was good but felt it was overpriced. $27 for enchiladas which does not include rice and beans ($7) and $2 extra for rainbow salsa is pricey.

    Next to our outdoor, covid-friendly seating.
    Barry W.

    One-line review: Decent for Mexican in the lower mainland; better than average venue. As people who spent much of our lives in California, we are particular about our Mexican food. And while there's been a lot about Vancouver to enjoy, our Mexican food experiences have been... mediocre, especially for the prices. The photos from Zapoteca looked promising, and we enjoy walking the shore in White Rock, so we thought we'd give it a chance. When we arrived, we discovered that the parking is free in White Rock starting November 1. I don't know if that's always true or if it's an attempt to draw visitors during this COVID season, but we were glad for it. A good start! Zapoteca has dining on their patio, which is a must for us; we haven't eaten inside a restaurant since at least March 2020 and given the surging coronavirus case numbers, outdoor dining (or take out and eating at home) is non-negotiable. The heaters on the patio were appreciated in November. :-) We had chicharrones de pescado (seemed a bit like a fried calamari alternative to me but pleasant) and the Carmela (a stone pot stew of beef, chicken, and chorizo -- fairly meaty and as a bonus, it stayed hot throughout our meal, even though we were dining outside on a cool day; but it was not what I was expecting. I think I envisioned grilled meats), served with a side of beans (didn't love this; thin and very smooth pintos(?) -- no discernible individual beans) and a dozen tiny corn tortillas (good but would have welcomed more). We added the jumbo tiger prawns (not big enough to be considered 'jumbo,' but I like shrimp) and later, the pico de gallo salsa (should have ordered this earlier). Taste was fine but not special, though it helped that we brought our own hot sauce. Service was fine though not memorable. I liked their set up for COVID -- dining on the patio, hand sanitizer on the table, a carafe of water (rather than the server returning repeatedly to refill), a QR code to get the menu on your phone. As someone who needs to be a little extra careful, I appreciated their obvious planning to make things safer. Bottom line: The food at the restaurant was fine, and I'd eat here again. Probably not good enough to merit a return trip before we've tried more of the many options in White Rock, always a nice place to be on a good weather day.

    Totopos & Costillitas as de Maiz
    Cristina R.

    This quaint, beachfront location is a flavor powerhouse. The elote ribs and totopos platter are super fresh with vibrant flavors. You won't find a better piña colada in the the Lower Mainland. It's super creamy and topped with a delicious dehydrated pineapple wedge. The molcajetes were packed with meat and veggies. Each one has a different, incredibly mouth watering sauce. If you ever get the chance to do brunch here, DO IT. The friendly staff will bring you unreal coffee in a french press with condensed milk on the side. Their chilaquiles roja with barbacoa is next level. I love that everything is made fresh to order, straight to your table. Zapoteca is an easy Top 3 for Mexican.

    An older photo of Queso Fundido I've had before. It's a vegetarian dish but we ordered it with chicharonnes!
    Pauline T.

    So lucky to have a gem like this place across from East Beach in White Rock. Zapoteca is a small Mexican restaurant that makes up for it with their big bold flavours. It gets very busy here especially during peak dinner hours so reservations are highly recommended. Luckily if you come with friends, you can order a variety of dishes to try! The main highlight for me are the share plates called Molcajetes. The Queso Fundido is the one that, once you try it, it then becomes a staple dish you order each time you visit. It says to share for two guests, but you can share it with more people, or just have it by yourself :P I have tried other dishes, but this is the only one that I can remember because it's that good. Service- can be a mix, but also be mindful that it does get very busy here. The few times I've been, the servers were great and attentive. Seating- as it's small, it can get pretty cramped. On a hot summer day, it might not feel the best, but luckily the beach is just across the street! Parking is also easy to find and very accessible.

    Horchata - so damn good
    Sandie C.

    Loved this place. I've been craving tru legit Mexican food and wow. This place turned it UP!!!! I love a good horchata, its not winter yet but I was super excited to try it here. Its always a test to know if the roots are deep in the food and drink. And I was wooooowwwwwweeeed. This horchata was bomb. I ordered the Barbacoa because why not? I didnt know what to do with so much meat... it was delicious... but I wished I had veges or something... I liked the pickled onion and the sauce.. uh my lips were numb but the waitress warned me so now I'm warning all of yall. It was delicious though! But I felt the portion of meat was too much for the wraps? But I loved it... but I didn't.... heh Anywho to end the night obviously had to get dessert.. so i got a flan.. it was quite cheesy but delicious.. was expecting more of a creme Brule.. but didn't disappoint I guess... If u venture out to white rock please come to this Mexican restaurant - the pheromones are too good to not eat here. :D

    Carnitas
    Cody H.

    Came here with some friends on Saturday night and had an awesome time. The place isn't big but it was packed and had a great vibe. To drink we all had margaritas of course, which were delicious and very authentic. Our server was also awesome, very personable and gave us great service even though she was very busy. Wish I got her name to give her a shoutout! To eat, we had the ceviche to start, enchiladas and the carnitas. All I can say was wow, zero complaints, everything was super fresh, flavourful and most importantly for me at a Mexican restaurant, it was authentic!! Not to mention very filling, so we definitely left full! Overall, this was a great experience and I wish we tried this place sooner! 9.1/10

    Tacos
    Susan K.

    I ordered fish tacos and my husband ordered the steak burrito. It took awhile for our food to arrive but when it did, the presentation was beautiful! You could tell the chef took the good care to serve a delicious dish. 6 stars based on the first bite. This is a restaurant that serves quality versus quantity. The server was helpful regarding the menu. My tacos had a bit of a bite from the marinated cabbage. The steak in the burrito was tender and favorable. We did not have trouble getting a table but I suspect it will be a wait in the summer.

    Barbacoa
    Clara C.

    Make reservations if you can! This authentic Mexican restaurant is always a neighbourhood favourite and was packed even when we showed up around 8:30 pm on a Friday night! They've also extended the restaurant to include enclosed & heated patio dining. *MUST TRY* Barbacoa (5/5) - $25 Taste: This was delightfully served with the stewed beef & pork presented in a hot stone bowl. On the side, they provided corn tortillas and man, by far some of the JUICIEST tacos I've had! I would scoop a little bit of the meat stew combination onto my tortilla, add a bit of pickled onion & hot sauce, and every bite would be dripping with the juices from the meat. Absolutely scrumptious! Portion Size: 8 corn tortillas - sharing size for 2 Totopos (3/5) - $15 Taste: A good side appetizer to go with the meal - essentially chips with guac & salsa. It wasn't bad, but nothing crazy special that you couldn't make yourself at home. Portion Size: Sharing size for 2 [Value for Money] Between two people I'd share a starter & a traditional or 2 traditionals (for the hungrier appetites) for the best bang for your buck! I would say that this is a mid range price point but a great spot to try some sit-down Mexican food!

    Quesabarrias
    Melissa E.

    This is a fantastic Mexican restaurant! You can reserve, it's in a great location and the service is friendly. I ordered tuna carpaccio to start and let me tell you it was fresh tuna and melt in your mouth goodness. The sauce on it was yummy! The tacos were a bit on the oily side but them pork was tender and flavourful. I wanted a crunch on the taco but didn't quite get it. The chicken burrito was filling and a nice portion. Chicken was perfectly cooked and not dry. I will be back for sure!

    Corn "ribs"
    Nina H.

    Best thing we ordered was a unanimous vote on their "costillitas de maiz", or deep fried corn "ribs". Absolutely delicious. Chicharrones de calamar was also good! The dressing dips it came with were so interesting, one of jalapeño and one of pineapple. Grand madame, the potatoes were so nice and crispy on the outside. Our waitress was nice, but we didn't have our waters taken care of so much. There were only two other parties in the restaurant, and it was not busy. The overall vibes were cozy and chill.

    Calamar Taco

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    11 months ago

    The food was amazing, great service and nice patio to sit on. We are definitely going to come back again.

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    2 years ago

    Wonderful service, fresh herbs and seafood, and I had no idea I liked mole sauce until I had their homemade mole.

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    Sonora MX Taqueria - Chicken tinga burrito

    Sonora MX Taqueria

    4.5(11 reviews)
    22.4 km

    Awesome family owned and operated authentic Mexican food. Great story and great food and service!…read moreAbsolutely legit quality food. Their tacos are great, but their other dishes are equally great for quantity and quality. The ceviche tostadas are amazing. The Birria tacos are a favorite. Everything on the menu is great, you just have to find your own favorites. The place fills up during dinner, but even their takeout is still good. Service is on point, and the place is always clean. They have a great selection of Mexican beers and sodas also!

    Hello Yelpers, just wanted to start off by saying I'm from the Bay Area, California. California is…read morearguably home to the best Mexican food you can get outside of Mexico itself. With that being said, I frequent the lower mainland to see my family and often times stay in the Ladner / Delta area. I've heard about Sonora MX Taqueria from my family as it is the first legit taqueria in this area. It was mentioned to me that over the last several years, there has been an increase in migrant workers and this is go to taqueria. I thought I had to try it. It must be good! Finally, this past Saturday was the day. We went in as a group of three and a baby. We were quickly greeted and provided a menu. The taqueria is clean and airy with a decent sized dining area. We ordered a chicken Tinga burrito, quesabirria tacos with consume, two fish tacos, a carnitas taco and a horchata. The order took a lil time to make but was all packed really well. Everything was amazing! The tacos all had great flavor. The red salsa had an amazing kick! And tje horchata was very tasty. One of the Better horchatas I've had. The food is up there! You can check out my pics! Everything was great and I am excited as this place grows in Ladner and hopefully more people find out. My only suggestions are to please add a salsa bar. It would be nice to pour your own chips, salsa, and peppers. I'm used to that in California. Also, some of the tacos were really hot and the to go containers can Make some of the items soggy. But if you eat at the taqueria this is not a problem. All in all Excellent experience and we will definitely be back!

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    Quesabirria tacos with consume and salsa

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    Zapoteca - mexican - Updated May 2026

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