Simplemente delicioso!!! Pedí unas enchiladas con huevos y agregué carnitas, y fue una muy buena combinación!! Mi esposo pidió unos huevos rancheros y también estaba deliciosos!! El arroz con leche, el chocolate abuelita también estaba deliciosos, Todo es una explosión de sabor!! Claro que volveremos a este lugar!! read more

I have never heard of a birria bagel so naturally I was intrigued. We visited el Zocalo on a recommendation and since we were in IV, decided to try it out. We ordered a breakfast burrito and the BBB bagel. My husband really enjoyed the breakfast burrito and salsas they provided. The birria bagel with consomé was a unique combination that oddly worked. The bagel soaked up the consomé nicely and although really hard to eat, the flavors of the birria, fried egg, and cream cheese went very well together. I got a couple of pieces of inedible fat in my birria unfortunately but the flavor was really good. I wouldn't get this again as it was way too filling for me and instead would opt out for the taco or quesabirria next time. Service was friendly and quick. I really enjoyed the vibe in there and understand why it's a recommended spot. read more

Zocalo - Birria bagel - Mexican Near Me - Isla Vista, California

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Cute little place in Isla Vista. Wasn't sure what to expect. I ordered the breakfast tamales and a strawberry mint drink. The drink was so good, but my breakfast tamales were excellent! Great home cooking- reminded me of my grandmother's food! I loved this place and would love to go back! read more

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This is a truly authentic restaurant with delicious food and amazing staff! I loved the way the restaurant is decorated! I had the BBB Bagel and it was the best bagel I had ever tried, definitely a must try the birria tasted amazing! It also comes with a side of consome. Their chilaquiles were just as delicious had a nice spicy kick to them! I tried their horchatta matcha which was my favorite drink. It was very creamy and loved the matcha flavor. Their abuelita latte is def for the coffee lovers it was very strong and fragant. read more

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Best food place, my friends and I've been obsessed with it since April of last year. At some points during the year we would go 3 times a week. 100% recommend. It's so good we even asked for photos with the cashier. read more

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3.7/5 I ordered the protein burrito and was very disappointed. If you're ordering a PROTEIN burrito you'd expect it to be primarily protein, but instead this was more like a RBCOP rice bean cheese onion burrito to my disappointment. There was some meat in the first few bites, but it was downhill from there. For the price point especially, I expected a lot better. I fairly rounded up my rating because this place looks like good stuff, I guess I just ordered the wrong thing unfortunately. read more

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One of the best breakfast burritos I had, small place, they allowed us on the patio with the dogs. Everything was made to order, e got there around 10 AM when they opened. A must if you are in the area. read more

Zocalo - Breakfast burrito delicious - Mexican Near Me - Isla Vista, California

Whenever I crave a Quesabirria taco OR a protein burrito, Zocalo is the place to be. I ordered both their Quesabirria tacos with consommé and their protein burrito. It's a family run business and they are always happy to serve their customers! The tacos are filled to the brim with birria and cheese while topped with the perfect balance of cilantro and onion. Squeezing like onto your tacos and the consommé is a must! The protein burrito is amazing if you can't choose one protein. My recommendation is to do both asada and their chorizo. The salsas they have work so well with everything they have on the menu! read more

Got the tacos de lengua and really enjoyed the morita salsa! The Spanish rice was also superb, extremely flavorful with a great texture. I've always felt like refried beans were whatever, the ones here were very smooth in texture. Others got the Zocalo tacos, mole enchiladas, and quesabirria. The quesabirria looked absolutely fantastic and had me jealous when they came to the table. I would definitely order the quesabirria next time, but I'm sure that there are no wrong choices on the menu here and that everything is delicious. read more

Definitely one of the best places you can eat in IV! Zocalo is a reliable spot you can get tasty Mexican food and sit with friends! Super affordable and portions are HUGE! You will never leave feeling hungry. If anything, you'll leave with a to go box in hand! My boyfriend and I stopped in here the other night to get a quick late night meal. We wanted something super filling, and burritos always come to mind. We got there about 45 minutes before close, so it wasn't busy! The staff were super helpful and our food was done within 10 minutes! I got the choriqueso burrito and my boyfriend got the protein burrito. The choriqueso was so good! For starters, it was massive and weighed a ton. The flavor was there, not too salty and they did not skimp on the protein. The chorizo was super flavorful and I love that they crisped the cheese inside. Super melty but had texture at the same time! I also added guacamole to the burrito which was fantastic too. My boyfriend enjoyed his burrito as well! He got asada and birria as the protein options. I had a bite and it was super tasty!! Overall, one of the only spots in IV with good quality food that's tasty and filling! Definitely a must visit spot :) read more

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This place surprised me! I wasn't expecting much but this spot really exceeded my expectations. Given the affordable pricing and quantity + quality, solid 4 stars! It's located near UCSB so lots of college students nearby. I got the Zocalo taco meal which comes with 3 tacos, rice and beans. You can only choose one kind of meat, I wished we were able to mix and match. I got the carne asada. Also got the horchata, total came out to about $17. Imo that's a pretty good deal, I guess it caters to the college students. The asada was so tender and juicy! Also loved the rice and beans, killed all except for one taco. Good enough food to get you full! I loved the red and green salsa, they were spicy esp the red one. So good! The foods here are definitely above average, I wanted to come back and try their other items next time! read more

Cheese so unmelted, I can still see the strands of cheese. I can almost tell which brand you used. How can enchiladas have unmelted cheese? Update: they kindly offered a refund and a change of dish, I was just disappointed when I brought the plate to gf but she's happier now ! Thanks. read more

Zocalo - Enchiladas Suizas - Mexican Near Me - Isla Vista, California

We ordered tacos and crispy tacos. The food was ok, the crispy tacos were kind of dry. The tacos come in a set of 3 but they don't allow you to have any variety. All 3 tacos have to be the same. Just one napkin each. I went back for more and got one more. The food was served hot, the atmosphere is nice. It's easy to park. The horchata is real which is so nice. read more

Got the Norteno breakfast burrito and it was excellent. Fluffy eggs, carnitas, spicy sesame salsa, and chunks of potato. I'm picky about my burritos having lived in SD and LA, and this burrito met my expectations. Staff was also very friendly. I'll be back the next time I visit my daughter to try other things. read more

I ordered a breakfast burrito to go, and I was worried it might turn soggy. Surprisingly, it held its shape perfectly, even after being refrigerated for 24 hours. When I reheated it in the microwave the next day, it was still firm and not soggy at all, pretty impressive! read more

Zocalo - Breakfast Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Isla Vista, California

Head across the street to Freebirds so you can tell the folks back home you had an Isla Vista culinary experience. However, if you want a MUCH BETTER, cooked-to-order Mexican meal with far superior flavors, skip "the Bird" and just go to Zocalo. You won't be disappointed. read more

the food is soo yum! The guy at the counter was so nice!!! love the comforting vibe in the place too ! overall super good! read more

Zocalo - The BBB - Mexican Near Me - Isla Vista, California

I'm so glad I tried this place before I graduated!! Eating here was such a pleasant experience and if I ever visited the area again, I would make a stop here. I came by with a friend for lunch and I ordered the quesabirria and a strawberry mint agua fresca. The quesabirria came out piping hot and with more than enough consome and was delectable!! The agua fresca was also delicious and refreshing. To make the whole experience better, the workers are super sweet, friendly, and easy to talk to. There's a good amount of seating indoors and outdoors! The place is cute and I would totally recommend to others :)) read more

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Stopped by to get a breakfast burrito. Really friendly staff and there was plenty of seating. I enjoyed their breakfast burrito even though it didn't bring everything I usually like in one. However, the downfall was they didn't wrap the burrito good enough and it fell apart. So I didn't get to fully enjoy it as a burrito, more like a burrito bowl. Overall though pretty good. read more

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Stopped by Zócalo for breakfast and went with their breakfast burrito. The portion was generous and filling, and I appreciated that it came wrapped up warm and ready to go. Flavor-wise, it leaned more on the rice and beans side than the chorizo, so the ratio wasn't perfectly balanced for me, but it was still satisfying. Adding avocado was a good call--it gave the burrito extra creaminess and tied the flavors together. To go with it, I ordered the Abuelita latte with oat milk. Loved the chocolatey, cinnamon warmth--comforting without being too sweet, and the oat milk worked really well with it. Overall, a solid breakfast spot in Santa Barbara. A little more chorizo in the burrito would be ideal, but still a tasty and hearty option that I'd come back for. read more

Such awesome flavor the breakfast burrito is so bomb great vibes great people great vibes great people

Man this place was bomb! Very authentic and well portioned and priced . The salsa was very good. My friend got the quesabirrias and they were also very tasty read more

Zocalo - Torta Mexicana - Mexican Near Me - Isla Vista, California

I had the opportunity to finally visit Zocalo for breakfast after hearing amazing things about this place and boy was I not disappointed! First off my son and I love our salsa and merengue music and as we were walking into the restaurant we gravitated by the fun salsa music that was playing inside. It gave it such a warm welcome right off the bat. The restaurant was very clean and a good amount of room to sit. The staff was patient and friendly allowing us time to ask questions on our selections and asking for recommendations. We finally decided on the horchata latte, queso birria, huevos rancheros and chilaquiles. Although my fiancé was not a big fan of the chilaquiles, but my son and I absolutely loved our selections. The consume accompanied the queso birria so perfectly that it was easily sipped all on its own. My huevos rancheros had that perfect crunch and I loved that it was not soggy due to the sauce. I am not ashamed to say that I devoured the entire plate. We will definitely be coming back for some delicious breakfast. I will even stop by just for that horchata latte alone. I am really picky with my coffee and the problem I've had with other horchata lattes is that it is too milky and no taste of coffee. This one was made just right and not overpowered with milk at all. read more

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I just went in the just other weekend and the food was so yummy, and the customer service was great! Sergio, the cashier, took my order and was super sweet and had great enthusiasm! Overall, close to home so will be going again. I recommend the protein burrito! Oh ya and the aesthetics was awesome too!! read more

Best Mexican food in IV!!! The family who works here is super kind and the breakfast burrito is the best breakfast burrito I have ever had

Zocalo is an awesome small, locally owned business in Isla Vista. I stopped in for lunch and was very happy with my meal. I ordered the Zocalo tacos with rice and beans and they were delicious. The pastor and birria were awesome recommendations by the staff. I also ordered the mango mint iced tea and it was flavorful without being overly sweet. The restaurant is small but they do make some awesome Mexican food. I'll be sure to comeback again! read more

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The drinks, food and service are always good! Breakfast burrito with steak is my favorite. Love this place!

I do love small hole in the walls. We entered and were immediately warmly greeted by the chef/waiter behind the counter. Gave some great suggestions. I had their chile relleno while hubby had their breakfast sandwich (egg, bacon and a chipotle sauce on a bagel). Both of us loved our food. Shoutout for my chile and the rice and beans. A college town so free WiFi and lots of places for students to plug in. Thanks for a great breakfast! read more

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I just tried Zocalo for the first time & was very impressed by the menu choices, the quality of the food and reasonable prices. The staff was super nice and I am excited to go back again and again. If you have not tried this restaurant, it's a must do! read more

This place will not disappoint, I'm waiting to come back and try more dishes because I had such a great experience!! To begin, their breakfast burrito is HUGE, so flavorful, and delicious! When I've gone to other restaurants I've been disappointed with the size and quality of breakfast burritos, but this place just exceeded my expectations. It's filled with soft scrambled eggs, cheese, refried beans, and they even have soy chorizo (which taste so real, you can't even tell it's not really meat). You have to try their Mint Iced Tea, it's so refreshing I'm still thinking about it ahaha. The place itself is located a walk away from the beach and other small shops. I love their interior decoration and it just feels cozy inside. The service is 10/10, the food comes out quick and the staff is so kind. I love how it's a family owned business too! read more

Zocalo - Breakfast Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Isla Vista, California

adrian is the best employee you probably have. he was sooo helpful and friendly. he is awesome!!! read more

Zocalo - Quesabirria - Mexican Near Me - Isla Vista, California

I love an excuse to go into IV and was excited to try a new taco spot! Zocalo is delish. It's a bit pricey for IV but the food is really tasty. I wish chips and salsa were included with the meal. I paid extra for them because that's my favorite part of going out for Mexican food. I had to ask to get them before our food came out though, which was a little annoying. They do offer unlimited salsa, which I appreciate. You order at the register and then food is announced when it's ready at the counter. They do not have parking but there is a lot across the street that you can pay to park at or try to find street parking. read more

Zocalo - The Protein Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Isla Vista, California

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The food was amazing, the service was welcoming and speedy. The drinks were made well. Great portions. This place was amazing authentic Mexican. read more

Arrived and still not open when they open at 9am. They had door open but blocked off and no one greeted us. Parking is horrendous. Unless you're a student that lives the in the area. Will not come back to try again. read more

the wait time was kinda long and inefficient, but the food was great!! except the breakfast bagel only had avocado on one half of the sandwich, but quesabirria was good and well-filled read more

This is my second time coming here and it never disappoints. The first time I had carne asada which came with rice and beans + salsa. This time I decided to switch it up and got the quesabirria with consome plus salsa verde. It was really good and I have high expectations since I'm from the bay area--really bomb Mexican food out there! I got the Mango mint iced tea which was super refreshing. I would reccomend this place for birria instead of going all the way to Yona Redz in DT. I love that place but Zocalo is more ideal since it's in IV. Keep in mind I also picked up my order through doordash, it was ready quickly. The christmas decor is adorable! Support local, small businesses! read more

Zocalo - Quesabirria - Mexican Near Me - Isla Vista, California

Hands down my favorite place to eat in IV. Everyone I've taken here has loved it. I always get the chicken Zocalo tacos with green salsa and a horchata. Everything is amazing. The chicken is perfectly seasoned, beans and rice are impeccable, horchata the best i've ever tasted, and the green salsa is life changing. I have to fight the urge to go here every day. The employees are also very nice and helpful. 1000000/10 stars. read more

Zocalo - Zocalo Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Isla Vista, California

Needed to satisfy my burger craving and I didn't want pizza dough as bread, so came over here for a torta. My craving is happily satisfied and excited to try more of the food here! The torta is definitely a two-hand sandwich and a little messy but it slaps so hard that that doesn't matter to me. We also had the QuesaBirria, which was excellent, but the star was really the consommé. Not too salty nor too oily - my partner kept sipping it and saying "Mmmm spicy tea." Lastly, the horchata was super high quality, not the premade stuff and the right amount of cinnamon. Overall, the food could be a little expensive for the average IV student, but the quality is well worth it; and the beverages and breakfasts look reasonably priced. Free WiFi available, friendly employees, and comfortable seating! read more

Zocalo - Horchata, Torta Mexicana con Asada, QuesaBirria - Mexican Near Me - Isla Vista, California

Some of the best Mexican food in isla Vista! The staff is friendly as well :) although it is a little pricey read more

Zocalo - Chicken Torta Mexicana and Zocalo Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Isla Vista, California

This place has decent mexican food. Always made fresh and to order. I enjoy the jamaica and quesabirria the most. I ventured to try something new and got their mole chicken enchiladas and it was okay. I was unsure if the tortilla was corn or flour but it had a gummy texture so im assuming flour which is NOT my preference. The molé was okay, it lacked spices and could have used a bit more chocolate. I was really disappointed in the dish and wished I asked to sample the molé. Add more spices (im not saying spiciness) but probably add more roasted sesame seeds or more charred chiles because the sauce felt a little flat as I could taste all the peanuts/peanutbutter used in this molé. More layers of flavor needs to be added. Lastly, opting for shredded boil chicken would moisten the meat and i find that it soaks up the sauce much better than grilled bits of chicken. The rice could also use more flavor (add more garlic or onion or maybe a bunch of cilantro while it cooks). I think they make good food but it's obvious the flavor is adjusted for the local gringo palette But i think the quessabirria tacos are amazing and worth the value. These are authentic, great sized and full of meat. I'm surprised they don't do a double tortilla for each one which i appreciate. The consume is yummy too. I probably wouldn't try any different dish here as trying the molé last week was such waste of $20, i rather stick to tried and true plates! As for service, they are also so kind and seem to enjoy serving the customers and getting us the extra limón or salsa to us read more

Zocalo - Molé enchiladas with grilled chicke - Mexican Near Me - Isla Vista, California

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