El Zarape Restaurant

If youre looking for a homey stylw authentic medican food def come here! The salsas are soooo goood! Everything we got was super flavorful, i ordered camarones a la diabla and husband got chicken enchiladas, finished every bite! Did one carne asada taco which wasnt my favorite the meat seemed really dry. But rest was 10/10

Excellent seafood entrees. The shrimp burritos and tacos are the best! The prices and portions used to be very fair. Sadly no longer the best deal in San Diego for quality, taste, and service. Update: Tried the adobado taco. It was very good, so we'll add it to our faves. Prices have increased again, but quality remains the same. Update: Prices have increased again! Update: Prices have increased again and the burritos are 1/3 smaller. Quality is still good, but prices are no longer fair. Update: Got the Shrimp Burrito and Fish Taco combo plate, and the Fish Chimichanga. Everything was very tasty. Update: Got the Shrimp Burrito and Fish Taco combo plate, and the Shrimp Chimichanga. Everything was very tasty, but the Chimichanga was not fried long enough and was not crispy. Update: Prices have increased again. Got the Shrimp Burrito and Fish Taco combo plate, a grilled Mahi-Mahi taco and a shrimp taco. Everything was very tasty.

We stopped late at night, right before they closed. The service was great and I loved my burrito. Very fresh ingredients and home made sauces. Tasted very clean. The carne was tender, not too greasy. Soft tortilla. Will definitely be back!

This might just be my favorite chile relleno burrito in all of San Diego! I can’t believe I’ve been missing out on it until now. Can’t wait to come back and see what other deliciousness is on the menu!

Excellent local spot. Fun take on Mexican food. Home of my favorite burrito right now: Chile Relleno burrito with added shredded chicken. Come early as sometimes they close before time listed on Google. Haven’t had a bad burrito experience - haven’t experiment with much else of the menu to be honest.

This little shop makes the best burrito! Fresh ingredients, excellent service, quaint space. Put this on your must go to if you’re looking for great Mexican cuisine!

My first time eating here. My boss raved about the food, and detoured off the 5 Fwy North back to Orange County just to get takeout for our ride back. I wasn't disappointed. I ordered a steak and shrimp burrito that was damn good. Fresh ingredients, tasty, and worth the price. I would detour again to eat here.

Best chicken burrito in San Diego is the El Zarape burrito - big claim to make but this juicy chicken + pasilla peppers + creamy cheese PLUS the amazing red sauce is my go-to stop every time I visit SD. Love love love (also the House burrito with chicken+mole is amazing! Green sauce is great too!)

The restaurant had a cool interior as you walked inside, the menu was placed on the wall. It was a little difficult to read, but the prices were good. The lady working was sweet! After ordering, we headed into the dining room & it was pretty dark as you got closer to the back of the seating. The area near the restroom was dim, but they had lots of tables available. They even had a few tables in front of the restaurant as well. I just ordered one battered fish taco. It was pretty average and the salsa (green) wasn't spicy. It was ok for the price. My friends ordered other items and enjoyed them!

Went here tonight and ordered a chile relleno burrito and it exceeded my expectations! The burrito was delicious, it tasted like it was homemade! The service was also really good, will definitely be coming back.

This place has sooo many options! I was trying to eat on the healthier side so I got a salad with carne asada & it was very tasty. My husband also enjoyed his machaca. Food seems authentic and staff were very welcoming and attentive.

I come here every time I am in town when I'm visiting family. I love how fast the service here, I love the chips and salsa, but I ultimately come for the refried black bean and cheese burrito and their fish and shrimp burrito. You can tell their flour tortillas are fresh and it's authentic Mexican food. They are always so friendly and they keep their restaurant clean!

Wow... just wow. The chicken enchiladas were to die for like so delicious. We had speedy service and I liked the overall design. This Mexican restaurant is like a whole in the wall. The flavors and sauces are out of this world. You have to eat here!!

Ohhh elll zarape... how i mosss uuuuu... been livin that beach life keeping from crossing the 5 & 163. I was in DT for a biz event and cruising up 163 w/a babe and got those old school late night desires and veered off 163 onto washington. Popped in Zarape and ordered my fav grilled chicken supreme burrito w/no guac add black beans & potato. That first bite was sooooooo goooood!! I'll try to not neglect you zarape... where's the salsa bar????? :P

This might just be my favorite chile relleno burrito in all of San Diego! I can't believe I've been missing out on it until now. Can't wait to come back and see what other deliciousness is on the menu!

I should have paid closer attention to some of the reviews and tips for this University Heights taco joint. Long gone were the days of $0.99 fried fish tacos and other seafood tacos for less than $4. The prices have significantly increased due to inflation and labor wages. The parking situation remained atrocious in this neighborhood. I had to circle around the side streets multiple times on a weeknight before I was able to snag a curbside space. When I arrived, the shop was about half full of customers and there was no wait to place an order. Dine-in seating was sufficient to hold a couple of dozen customers. There was large chalkboard menu on the wall to the left of the service counter. Some smaller menus were also placed at the counter. I proceeded to order one fish taco, one scallop taco, and one wasabi taco. The last was a fried shrimp taco with a wasabi aioli/sauce added on top of the lettuce and tomato. It was the best of the trio as I felt the first two were very ordinary, especially for the scallop. If you live nearby, then El Zarapre is probably a decent stop for a quick Mexican fix. Otherwise, I think there are much better eateries around town without the hassle of searching for limited parking. My dining experience at this taqueria garnered three stars.

This place used to be my absolute favorite. I don't live over here anymore so it seems like a treat to go back to this old spot and have a burrito. The burritos are still pretty good. In the old days, they had really cute decorations on the walls and a nice little self serve salsa bar with chips. It doesn't really make sense to me why they had it so sad looking now. Maybe it's under new ownership? Also the salsa used to be the best salsa in town and now it's not bad but it's not as thick as it used to be. Turned into a place where people just come to get takeout.

Stopped in on a rainy Monday. The front door was open the counter man was wearing a coat and beanie And it was cold inside and dim lights in the table area I had to request the the door be closed Good news the food was hot and tasty But this is really a take out place, not meant for dining in .

My wife and I really enjoyed the food at this restaurant. She had a Chile relleno and I had a carne asada burrito. They were both delicious. Great flavor and a generous portion. The gentleman at the counter was very helpful and nice despite the constant phone orders coming in. This place is one of the best Mexican restaurants in San Diego. Try it!

It's cool. decent price. surf turf burrito had subpar meat and shrimp. I liked the creaminess though. Boring burrito. Fried fish taco had nice crunch, but small. Next.

Right next to the University Heights sign, El Zarape has been one of my go-to spots for years. The second I caught that familiar smell of tortillas, grease, and spices in the air, I knew I had to stop in. The carne asada? Still perfect. Nothing fancy, just really good food that hits every time. It hasn't changed much over the years, and honestly, that's what makes it such a staple in the neighborhood. However, an update on the bathroom is much needed.

Not sure what happened to this place, it used to be so good. They don't serve beer anymore, the salsa bar is gone, and the food we ate last night was truly terrible. My wife usually gets a carne asada burrito and she raves about this place. She took three bites of her burrito and threw it away. I got a California burrito and only ate half of it. Luckily I bought an extra bean and cheese burrito and it was decent. It's pretty hard to mess up a bean and cheese. The salsas we got at the counter were not as good as it used to be either. Such a shame as this was one of our favorites spots.

What happened to this place? What a dump! This place was once buzzing with customers and it's now a ghost town with the occasional walk-in. No wonder I was the only one eating in. The interior of the restaurant is dark and run down. The serving tray my food was served on was filthy. The food tasted mediocre. The free chips provided when dining in are not enough to keep me coming back let alone to have me dine in. The salsa is watered down and flavorless. Any good restaurant knows the salsa pairing should be the cherry on top when it comes to flavor. Do yourself a favor, skip it!

Food was absolutely delicious! I have been looking for a place that actually has a good bean and cheese burrito and I think I've found it! Some of the other places I've tried always had oily and sometimes cold cheese in the burrito.

We get take out every time we are in visiting our family. Variety on the menu, everyone is happy.

House burrito is delicious (Love the mole). Great rolled tacos. Love the carne asada burritos. I highly recommend El Zarape

My family's been coming here for 10 years (maybe more) and it's consistently delicious every time. Yes, they no longer have a salsa bar but they will always give you plenty free of charge. I do wish they'd bring back their thicker salsa verde recipe, but their current recipe is still delicious. Love the food and enjoy eating it outside on the patio, too.

The chicken is super flavorful and the beans are cheesy. The food came out quick but the portions are small compared to the price, i was still hungry after. I probably wouldn't come back, i would rather try a new place for a better price.

Bene here a couple of times, and most recently got the wasabi burrito. This place never struck me as that special, but I do appreciate that there are many choices on the menu for burritos, tacos, and ceviche, especially since I feel like not many places have ceviche. That being said, I feel like many of their different options are average. At least for the wasabi burrito, it had fried shrimp but not that many pieces, and mixed with sliced lettuce and wasabi and cheese, which didn't seem like the best combination of flavors and textures. There's always plenty of seating inside, usually pretty empty. Service is good though, they're efficient and nice and quick to get the food out.

Paid a visit here for taco Tuesday last night with my roommates. We got there about 7:00 p.m., we're sat right away. The restaurant wasn't too packed, maybe at 50% capacity. The patio was closed, which I feel like is the cutest part of the restaurant. I've watched a lot of Instagram stories about this place, so had a sort of idea of what to expect with the ambiance and vibe, however the inside is a lot more simple than I expected. We ordered a few drinks, and at first, I ordered the smoke mexcal mule. The first time I tried it, didn't taste the way expected. Not like a normal meal at all. I asked her a place to drink with a leychee martini, I know very different type of drink, but was amazing! They give you complimentary chips that comes with red and green sauce. I ordered the Taco Trio, which included a grilled shrimp taco and two birria tacos. My roommates ordered the oysters, ceviche, and chicken stir fry. Overall, the food was pretty satisfactory. I do think they could have added some more sauce or spice to give it some flavor. Overall, I would come back to sit outside and have a couple of drinks with friends. I'd also be interested to check out their brunch menu.

WHAT? the zarape has happened here? Just came here for a couple of scallop tacos which I remembered were good, back when and now they are a disaster ; [ What? are you taking baby, teeny tiny scallops away from their Mother's when they are two days young? I've never seen such itty bitty scallop-life?! Here's what I ordered: simply two scallop tacos with guacamole and a small side 'o beans. What did I get?; two cold corn tortillas right out of the package with a cheese and sour cream mess that had a few 1/4" scallops running around in them. The side of beans turned out to be a $7 full size, enough for a small latino familia. Oops! I can remember the good 'ol zarape days where there was a line out the door, there was a salsa bar. The place was hoppin'. Now, they keep the salsas behind the counter and look at you sideways if you want a few extra. The dude didn't listen right when I said a side of beans. They had always served their scallop or seafood tacos on flour instead of cardboard. Now they blend their frijoles to a pulp that you can use them to hang a picture on the wall. WHAT HAPPENED? The tables and eating area is poorly lit like a dungeon. Maybe dungeon is the look they are going for? I do feel for the businesses in this and other areas that have fallen victim to the new and improved, "no parking - sorry you have to walk for blocks to get a damn taco", City imposed disaster. I'm all for riding a bike and making ample room for them but I just don't think this helped local business, at all. El Zarape, I do feel a bit nostalgic and sad for what used to be and what isn't any more. Or as Led Zeppelin put it, "What is and What Should Never Be". [mic drop] and: " We're Not Going Back " ~ Kamala Harris 2024!

Walking in it's a really great setting of a classic Mexican restaurant with cute hints of design throughout the restaurant. We were seated quite quickly and our food came out at a decent time. Although our food looks great it wasn't sadly. I hadn't even really eaten my soup. It was dry and just not a great flavor. My boyfriend hadn't enjoyed his food very much either.

What a busy place and all for the reason to be. Reasonably priced! Great variety of picks for anyone and everyone. The seating inside is small but great to order takeout it you do not wanna dine in. Family friendly. The staff is so friendly and very accommodating to requests. Best mexican food I ever had. Flavorful and super tasteful! Highly recc!!

I used to come here all the time in the mid to late 2000s (omg am I that old now) and I loved it. I was feeling nostalgic and ordered from here this last weekend and either got the wrong burrito or they didn't know the 4 ingredients to the low fat veggie burrito. I also ordered potato tacos. I did not expect the whole potato! Not good

I'm uncertain of the relationships between the three El Zarape restaurants on or off of Adams Ave however they are really good, this particular keeps up with the tradition of serving great Mexican food. The only negative is that the portions are kind of small especially considering the price point of taco shop nowadays but the food was excellent and it has a hole in the hole in the wall vibe which is what I want out of a late night taco shop. The cashier was great and kind of funny so I appreciated that, she was very personable.

CASH ONLY. My second time here. The first time, I got the lobster burrito which has a cream-based sauce + shrimp taco combo, and I enjoyed both. This time around, I tried the shrimp Diablo burrito, which was super packed - on the spicier side but not really. I would get this again, tons of flavor. I also got the fish taco (just standard) and the scallops taco which was good but not sure I'd get again for its price if $4+. The scallops did have flavor contrary to some other reviews.

They changed the type of fries on the Fries Supreme & that my friends, was a bad decision. That change has turned this dish from a really good one to a not so good one. The new fries have no taste and the taste of the chicken doesn't have the little fellas out. For whatever reason they made the change, it's unfortunate because it's definitely enough from returning to order the same thing. So long ol' friend :(

I can't believe that shrinkflation caught up to this place. I ordered 2 surf and turf burritos because they have really good 1s here but was disappointed when I got it. It's the size of my iPhone!!! It's like they only had enough ingredients for 1 burrito and split that to make 2. It's no longer worth it for me to come back. It's a sad sad day.

The Carnitas was cold and dry and small portion. Filled half the plate with shredded lettuce instead. The beans and rice lacked flavor. The California burrito was also mid, wouldn't get again.

Ordered 2 tacos plate to go one carne asada, the other carnitas both were deliscious. Used to be a regular here when I was in college, so glad they still around giving us Mexican Food. I miss the oj slasa bar though lol

Delicious! One of the family owned restaurant. This place was recommended by a local. Delicious!

The food definitely has changed. it's not the same. The sizeflation took charge... they double the price, yet 1/2 the portion. We had guests, and we said we would give another chance. Unfortunately, we were wrong. Our order was: Chicken Quesadilla, Shredded Beef and Bean Burrito, 2 Combo Plates, Chips & Guacamole, 1 Zarape Burrito, 1 Caesar Burrito. Our total was over $100 Every plate, burrito and the salsa were tasteless, and the portions were cut in half. The chips were cold and stale. I ended up pealing off the tortillas because I couldn't see any chicken. The salsa was watery, not chunky. The green salsa completely changed in texture and taste. It's a rip-off for this kind of food. We live in the area, and we used to come to El Zarape 2-3 times a week. We stopped for a while because of the price and shrinkage of the ingredients... if there is a zero rating, I would rate it as such. It was a horrible experience, we will never go again.

Always great food. The house burrito is perfection. But really it's all good. I do t eat carnitas but I've heard good things

I my say El Zarape located near the University Heights sign is different than most regular Mexican eatery in town, first you can taste the freshness of their ingredients. Second is reasonably price. I ordered a combo plate of carnitas taco and beef burrito with beans and rice, that food is very good and I was given three different kinds of salsa, which were all well seasoned. You order your food in the counter, it was a bit busy but got my order less than 15 mins. The place is clean and has a rustic Mexican vibe. The only thing that prevent me for co ig is parking could be a challenge, but will definitely come back to try other offerings.

Extremely tasty ham breakfast burritos and bacon breakfast burritos!! Another winner is their potato rolled tacos too!!! Yummmm!!! Always quick and friendly service!

Small Mexican food joint right on Park Ave. Grabbed takeout and staff was friendly and food was ready pretty quickly. Had the surf and turf burrito which was very yummy and filling. Pretty cheap for the amount of food we got. Will be back to try other meals!

El Zarape is one of my favorite places to get Mexican food. The menu can be overwhelming and some of the items can be a hit & miss but my go-to is either the supreme breakfast burrito or surf & turf (beef & shrimp) cut in half with horchata. I miss the salsa bar but they usually give two salsa if you ask. I like the green more than the red for my breakfast burrito and the red for my surf & turf. Parking isn't super easy but I live near the area so I would usually walk to it after partying at Park & Rec or grabbing my weekend coffee run to twiggs. Next to Bahn Thai and close to Madison, you can use this street to help your indecisive eater decide where to eat whether its romantic, casual or cheap! Zarape also has a huge selection from tacos to tj hot dogs. Price: $ Wait time: 10 minutes on phone Parking: Meh :/ Recommendation: Surf & Turf or Supreme Breakfast

The scallop burrito is a steal for the cost! What a treat! The fish chimichanga was also very tasty and unique! I came based on a recommendation of Jessica from LA.

One of my fave California burritos! I'd say the prices are right for what you get. I'm picky with my California burritos however this place has one of the best! It's not your typical arms length burrito however it's right for the price and still enough food if you're absolutely starving. They have inside and outside tables to eat at and the cashier is super friendly!

I haven't been here for a few years and I'm disappointed in whatever happened to the food quality. The staff was friendly enough, but the food has turned bland and tasteless. I ordered a cheese quesadilla, 4 potato rolled tacos with cheese and guacamole, and a side of chips. This all cost $21. I know prices have gone up, I get it, but I'd expect the food to taste the same. The chips were really heavy, dark, and hard versus lighter, salty chips I've had from other Mexican restaurants. The potato tacos were SO bland, even with the toppings. The quesadilla was okay, just a quesadilla. Now I'll admit, this order doesn't scream flavor, but I mean put some salt in the potatoes or something. I noticed they didn't have the salsa bar anymore and I was given 4 containers of green salsa. Even the salsa is different! It's so watery and flavorless. I literally drank the salsa because dipping a rolled taco in it, hardly any of the salsa stayed on the food, it just dripped off. Now I know why it was empty inside the restaurant. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone anymore.

Probably one of the best burritos I've had in San Diego. They have this perfect blend for their California burrito, and they added beans when I asked. Honestly there's no better service and the people were really friendly

You ever have breakfast so late that you're starved? Then order too much, understanding it'll probably be breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Then get your food and be totally okay with that? Welp- you found the perfect spot for your misjudgment of time and a starved brain! Ps. Ask for carnitas to be added to your chilaquiles and sauce to be added on top of your burrito. These tidbits made leftovers smack! Don't be fooled by the gentrified area mi gente! You'll be satisfied. Service- meh.

Disappointing Nachos. I have visited for other times and the food was quite good. However this time around; the nachos were a disappoint. The spicy hot sauce was a little bland and flat. Skip the nachos and get something else

Soo... Although I Absolutely Appreciate the Good Vibes when I Arrived at the Shop. I Hope this doesn't change things... But, I have to be Honest. This IS one of my Go-to Spots... It's 5 Stars. But, Yesterday, 10/26, Early Afternoon I had to Unfortunately put 2 stars because (Although, I Absolutely Appreciate my Food), my Burrito seemed Smaller than Usual... The first bite was only Tortilla. I Appreciate the Cashier was Kind and Mindful to offer me Both. The Hot Sauces are Pretty Good Here. The Green is like a Creamy consistency... For Some Reason the Sauces were Watery. I did Sense some Frustration over the phone from an Honest Misunderstanding. And, I get it. It was a little Uncomfortable, though... But, I do Appreciate the Excellent Customer Service when I Arrived. I will Gladly Change my Rating to 5, as I see Corrections have been made. God Bless you.

Friendly service. Beef Rolled Tacos were 2/5. Too much shredded beef and too much cheese for me. It would have been better with the pickled carrots, jalapeño & onions but they didn't have any available. Chorizo Burrito: 4/5 a little heavy on the cheese and surprisingly not too greasy. The chorizo had a nice flavor. Mild Salsa was fresh. the hot salsa was actually mild.

If you're in the area and craving tacos, quick stop for some tacos here! Cash only. There's an ATM machine. No alcohol served. We did 3 types of tacos. Best to me was the shrimp with the green sauce. Nothing stood out but it was decent. $23 for 6 tacos, no drinks.

We ordered delivery from here via UberEats, and the food was really just OK. We got one lobster taco, two carne asada tacos, a potato taco, and two pollo asada tacos. Most of the tacos were disappointing as we weren't sure the lobster taco actually had lobster in it? The texture was more fish-like. Then the carne asada tacos had rancid beef in them which was super disappointing. Thankfully no one got sick but considering how much we paid for them and how good the reviews were I was expecting much better. The pollo tacos were edible, as was the potato taco. There really weren't any fixins on them either, like pico de gallo or onions/cilantro. They did however put guacamole on the tacos which meant you had to eat them immediately or scrape it off before it went brown. The tacos were a decent size but honestly would have preferred a smaller taco that was better tasting and seemed more like a taco than just some meat on a tortilla. The guacamole wasn't that special, it was avocado, onion, and probably some salt, no lemon because it went brown almost immediately. We got some salsas on the side which were okay, not as spicy as I would have hoped. I think they used almond milk in the horchata as well as my friend developed a rash from his allergy. Overall this was a bummer but you don't know some places unless you try them.