el zarape mexican

super good, super cheap

this place is the real deal if you're looking for mission-style burritos. great fresh flavor, fast service, packed with locals. i'd probably be here once a week if i lived in sd. they've also got a lot of non-standard menu items that i'd love to try like lobster burritos. i only wish we'd found this place at the beginning of our trip instead of the end!

a smaller menu than the park blvd location, with mostly tacos, burritos, and bowls. price for a taco is near $4, and not really worth it. the quality is not that great, it's not the worst, but i've had better.

i opted for potato tacos, with cheese and lettuce, along with beans and rice. the tacos themselves were alright, but the salsa helped give it flavor. the beans had a strong meat flavor, and are semi-mashed but mostly whole. the rice was pretty terrible as it was flavorless, even though it had great color.

the salsas were actually pretty good, specifically the orange one. overall, it's mainly a no for me, with less than stellar food.

i would give this place five stars buuuut....

it took 10 minutes for our server to go to our table and afterward we sat tight fifteen minutes for our beverages. extremely disillusioning.

alright now the great part.

my better half arranged the catch of the day. yellowtail. he was expecting a steak however got a decent measured filet. it was somewhat over cooked. be that as it may, the brilliant shock it was perched over compensated for it. okinawa sweet potatoes!!! sacred child jesus. unimaginable.

my crab topped filet mingon was heavenly and superbly cooked. in spite of the fact that it wasn't on the menu so the cost took me aback...way path back! $44. made it not appear as heavenly as it was at one time the check came.

the barkeep could have invested more energy on my bloody mary.

the warm coco nib cake was normal.

the place was clamoring with clients and every one of the servers were strolling around quick, strolling quick, strolling with void hands . it was odd.

by and large, i was content with the sustenance. the administration was fine.

furthermore, i unquestionably would love to return .... going to need to spare my cash for some time. kinda expensive.

they have good fish tacos. i like that they have a variety of seafood on the menu from shrimp, scallops, lobster and fish. it was very authentic mexican food. good prices too. we had a variety of bowls, burritos and tacos and everyone liked their choices. they serve beer and some other alcoholic drinks as well as the standard mexican drinks. and flan for dessert. nice people run it.

tiny place, generous portions. i got a surf and turf burrito, which was delicious, and chips with guacamole that i sadly couldn't finish. they have a large menu, so brace yourself for indecision. like i said, tiny place- hardly any where to stand while you wait for your order (which is worth it) let alone sit.

excellent salsa and beef -- avoid carnitas. mild salsa was very good. medium okay. hot salsa not so much (not spicy and not a great flavor). beef taco was probably the best beef i've ever had from a mexican restaurant. carnitas burrito was made of probably the worst carnitas i've ever had. based on the taco and salsa, i'll be back. overall i consider the 89% rating to be valid.

this hole-in-the-wall-ish restaurant is exactly the type of place you’d expect to find a solid mexican meal.

the line moves fast and so do the staff. wasn't helpful when asking for a recommendation but went with the chicken chimichanga ...omg out of this world the best! it's crowded and recommend getting it to go!

we were down to escape the canadian cold for a few days and stumbled upon this neighbourhood gem. as if we needed any other reason to fuel our fantasies of selling everything and making san diego our new home. ha! if only teachers made better money in the states. we were seduced by the steak and shrimp burrito. the carnitas were so delicious. i was in heaven at the salsa bar and snuck as many little containers of salsa out with me to eat with our chips. i will skip vegas the next time i'm down south and spend my days between el zarape and the beach! anyone looking for a dedicated employee? i'll move in a heartbeat!

shrimp and steak. shrimp burrito wonderful. best carne asada ever. steak & shrimp burrito great
teens loved nacho supreme w carne asada. would go again! would order carne asada

love this place. awesome every time! food is spectacular! i always take out-of-town guests for a truly mexican experience. i am never disappointed.

top notch. first stop in san diego and urban spoon user review guide did not disappoint. both my wife and i had fried fish burritos and a nachos supreme. fresh, homemade quality mexican and we were both fed for $18. worth a stop if you are in the area and hungry.

great fast casual mexican. the set-up is more chipotle's-esque than i'd anticipated - it's basically fast-casual, with a fairly small seating area, fountain drinks, etc - but the food was quite tasty and there was a wide variety of offerings. i appreciated the good salsa bar as well.

fun place to hang and tasty food. i love this place. it has a wide menu and generous salsa bar. i used to load up on the 99cent fish tacos and carrots. nice area to people watch also as small bar is nearby.

what we love about el zarape is the ridiculous amount of options we have to choose from, with so many of them sounding downright amazing. nick tried the chicken mole burrito the first time we went, and just recently tried a spicy shrimp. i’ve fallen in love with the vegetarian burritos on the menu, specifically the low fat veggie which has black beans, rice, lettuce, and pico de gallo – all in a wheat tortilla.