Zócalo Mexican Bistro & Tequila Bar

A MOMENT OF SILENCE PLEASE.
Absolutely besides myself even now when I went there yesterday for some good Sunday boozey brunch with bottomless mimosas and found out they SHUT DOWN.
Where am I supposed to go now!!!
Though Friendly Toast is a good succesor. Maybe that’ll make the one in Cambridge less crowded since I live close to that one.

Went here for brunch on a Sunday– didn’t have reservations but was seated right away (party of 2). They have $ 10 pitches of mimosas (entire bottle of champagne) and a variety of flavors– we had raspberry and it was delicious and worth every penny!
The food was average, had the chorizo huevos rancheros and it was a large portion, a bit greasy but good flavor overall. If I went back would prob order something else for the food but the mimosas made everything better!
They also played 90s hip hop/R&B the entire time which was a nice touch! Very unexpected!

Had an average dinner here on a Thursday night in the summer. The store front doors/​windows were all open which gave the restaurant a welcoming vibe. It was pretty crowded table wise and at the bar.
The food was just alright; at parity with your average Mexican joint. The salsa brought to the table was decent, but the tortilla chips were greasy. We ordered the fajitas that came out on a steaming plate and the chicken enchiladas. Both portions were huge and were wrapped up for lunch the next day. Enchiladas were kind of soggy and the chicken lacked flavor. Basic rice and beans came on the side so nothing special there. The fajitas looked much better, but the meat winded up being dry and under seasoned. The meal is definitely filling and priced well but the food quality is not there.
On the bright side, a pitcher of sangria was reasonably priced and stronger than expected. There was also no problems with the service.
If you are in Back Bay, Zocalo is in a great location but there are also better Mexican places to dine at.

I had a great lunch here sitting at the bar.
Torta ahogada: I was expecting more from the homemade chorizo, and something to be «drowning» the sandwich. But good size and good bread. Next time I’ll try the carnitas torta.
–with sweet potato fries: delicious!
–with salad: I didn’t like the dressing, but I did like that there were 2 sides with a huge sandwich.
Chips and salsa: star of the show! The salsa was so good. Tangy, a little spicy, smoky/​chipotle flavor. I would order chips and salsa if you can.
And 5 stars rounded out by the price…$ 12 with a tip, even with flour next door for a sit down meal and service. Great job!

I was impressed by the vibe, the service and the location. Not so much about the ceviche & the tacos. I would come back for drinks, maybe, but not for food again. I eat anything and I never have high expectations when it comes down to food but the food in here wasn’t good. The half pitcher of «red» sangria came out looking like a baby pink color but that was delicious.

This place is amazing for brunch. They have a special for drinks during brunch that ends up being $ 10 a person for pitchers of mimosas. There are lot of different flavors. We tried the Bostonian and Bellini. Both were delicious! The food was ok. I got the enchiladas but the sauce was a little too watery but I still ate every last bite. Then again I could have just been feeding my hangover. There were lots of groups have brunch together, reminiscing about last nights festivities. It was a great atmosphere. Our server was super nice and great with recommendations and questions. I will certainly be back.

I went here with my friend for a Sunday brunch and it was t the best experience. I was greeted with a warm welcome and the female host was lovely. She took my to my table. I sat down and received some water. That was a nice touch. I then ordered a drink I think was called the sarud or sharud, anyways it had cucumber vodka, mint, etc… Well it is a drink that will never quench your thirst. I’m sad I got it. Should have just stuck with the water. We then ordered the brunch for two with the mimosa pitcher. We ordered the strawberry mimosa which I won’t complain about because you get what ou paid for. The food was not at all impressive. The breakfast burrito was bland. I asked for hot sauce and never got it. There was no salt and pepper. The salad was dry. The best part of the dish was the garnish of half a strawberry. My friend got the huevos rancheros which was not that amazing either. The sauce was peppery and his food wasn’t that warm. My server was nice enough truly however, he wasn’t around long enough to talk about the food and again just to give me hot sauce to finish my food. I ate less than half of it and no one seemed to care. Honestly it’s a good deal for pretty crappy food and mediocre service.
I personally would rather pay for quality than quantity. I don’t plan on coming back here at all. This place is just not for me and. Not a place I would recommend.

Holy terrible service, Juan. That was just really, really bad.
The food was actually quite good, but we stared longingly at the table next to us (that sat down after us) and had fresh guac before we even got our water glasses filled and realized that we got the short end of the stick with Juan and not the blonde woman who zipped around taking care of her table. We were told it would be a 20 minute wait and it was 35, but that happens… everything that happened after was just stupid.
Juan didn’t refill waters when they were empty, he didn’t refill salsa when it was empty, he didn’t take orders when we all had our menus down and were staring into his soul… He’s just a terrible waiter or is having a very off day.
The final straw was when he brought our food and gave me and my coworker the wrong sandwiches. She ate some of mine and I picked the onions off of hers. Then we realized and asked him which was which and he was like «oh yeah there’s one of each, I guess I told you guys the wrong ones.» I said «We ate some of them.» and he was like «oh well did you want me to take them back?» as if it were some imposition, but the truth was, I did… however, since he was slow as all hell, we just ate them after they had been manhandled by the other. It wasn’t worth the risk.
Sorry to be so scathing, but get it together man. We won’t be back.

This place is George Michael’s girlfriend Ann on Arrested Development. Mediocre, forgettable and a little surprising in its status as a hotspot.
The carne asada was flavorless and not a great cut, the black beans were mushy, the guacamole was absolutely not made to order as it was advertised, and the drinks… meh.
Zocalo would be a halfway decent airport restaurant. There’s nothing authentic or daring anywhere on the menu… Except the premium prices. It’s perfect for that couple from Des Moines looking for a bite during a layover on their way to Disney.
On this side of security though? I’m not sure how it’s cutting it.

This place has a great patio where you can actually get sun!!! It’s off from the busy street and private. Service good. Music awesome 2000/​hip hop. Mexican egg dishes all taste similar but are good and not over sized. Salsa is awesome!!!

Best guacamole in the city. They sometimes being us out little baskets of fresh, hot mini flour tortillas to go with it, which is a nice touch. Sangria is also yummy, and the pitcher is a lot of bang for your buck. A favorite place of mine to sit outside on a summer evening!

Cheap drinks, good food, and 90s throwback music = a great start to a Sunday funday. The place was busy but not uncomfortably so. Seems like a great location for groups — definitely recommend making reservations though. Maybe I was just hungover but the complimentary chips and salsa were soo good.
Here’s the best part brunch people will love: $ 30 for a pitcher of your choice with two entrees. Deals like this are practically unheard of in Boston. We went with a pitcher of mimosa and got at least 6 glasses out of it. The food was good– not the best I’ve ever had– but the $ 30 deal, fun music, and a lively atmosphere earned this a 5 star in my book.

My workplace gets lunch catering from here occasionally. We usually get tortillas, chips, chicken, beans, rice, cheese, salsa, sour cream, lettuce, and a few other things. Basically ingredients to make nachos or tacos. The food is quite fresh and tasty. The chicken is surprisingly flavorful and tender, which I wasn’t expecting from its appearance.

I would come here for the apps and dessert alone. The guac is the best I have had in Boston by far. The fried avocado is a must order as is dessert. The churros and the fried cheesecake are amazing. The dinners are meh, nothing good nothing awful, just meh compared to the other options. I am perfectly happy here with some chips and guac, some apps, dessert and a pitcher of the red (very reasonably priced) sangria. Come on Mondays for $ 1 tacos!

Went to Zocalo on a Sunday night and thought it had a great atmosphere with good food. The restaurant was about half full at this time. The place is decorated with a lot of cool things, adding color and character, and the bar area looked nice. The meal started off with chips and salsa, both of which I really liked. We also got the guacamole to share, which I thought was decent but nothing special. It wasn’t made tableside as we had hoped, and the bowl that it was served in was deceptively shallow. I ordered the Grande Sampler under the appetizer section for my entrée because I wanted to try a variety of things. You can pick 3 items out of a list of 6 or so, so I chose the fried shrimp tacos, fried fish tacos, and tamale in verde sauce. The order came with two tacos each, both of which were pretty good. The batter wasn’t my favorite, but there was a nice balance of flavors. The tamale surprised me and was my favorite of the night — it’s subtly sweet from the corn, rich from the crema and cheese, spicy from the salsa verde, and tangy from the pickled onions. All in all this is a fun place to go for a nice meal. I probably wouldn’t get the tacos again, and the prices are on the higher side (I guess that’s what happens when you stick the word «bistro» in your name), but it seems like there could be some standout Mexican dishes.
PS They were also playing all the 90s hits when we were there and it was awesome!

First ever review on Unilocal :)
So I discovered this place on Unilocal because I was trying to find a place for my bud and I to have some Mexican.
When we first walked in, I quickly noticed it was wicked loud in there. I looked at my friend and thought — should we go to Flour next door instead? Idk it was packed on a late Sunday morning and I was expecting a more mellow atmosphere. The host originally said it would be a 25 minute wait but then quickly said there was spot open, so we stayed. We sat down and skimmed the small brunch menu. I looked around and I noticed — I can’t believe I’m saying this — but I noticed hipsters everywhere. There’s a full bar and the tables are a bit cluttered because of the small space. But very nice décor and I’m a sucker for a brick wall. Our server was nice but he was a bit slow. Oh and how can I forget the music — they were blaring old school hip-​hop music — I quite enjoyed it haha :)
Ok so let’s get to the food. I ordered the chicken enchilada and my friend got something similar (I forget), guacamole to share and coffee. Chips and salsa were given right away — pretty good. We waited quite a while for our main dishes but was pleased when it came. The guac was good and abundant but nothing special. Main dishes were delicious — tasted like authentic Mexican. I had my coffee served black and actually enjoyed it. The portions were a good size — I ended up bringing the guac and some of my enchilada home.
The atmosphere of Zocalo was fun but too many chatty hipsters. The food was good but nothing too different. I’d definitely go back sometime but it’s nothing I would crave. I noticed many people drinking mimosas for brunch — def have to try that next time.

Went for the hip hop brunch, I’ve said it before– boston doesn’t do brunch right. But zocalo actually surprised me with the drink options! It was two entrees and you could share a pitcher of whatever cocktail options they had (I did the elderflower mimosa– so, so good!!) I love hip hop– but I wish I could have picked the playlist that the DJ used– but regardless, he was a great entertainer and stand up man, who is definitely willing to add in any song/​music to make the time enjoyable for everybody! The guac was awesome!!! I love guac, and there’s was definitely up there in taste. Got the ensalada Mexicana with shrimp. Nothing to rave about at all. But this spot is cool for brunch!

my colleagues and I went for lunch, and overall I thought the food and service were both okay, and it was a little more expensive than I thought was worth it for the whole experience.
I had made a 12p reservation, but it took some time for a hostess to be available to manage the lines and bring us to our table. unfortunately, our table was right in the middle of a sun spot which made it difficult for some people in our group to see without squinting the whole time.
we started with the guacamole, and I ordered the ensalada with added shrimp, and the dressing on the side. I think the starting chips are very good, they are fairly thick and crispy and the salsa has a nice sweet flavor. I also really liked the guacamole.
it took a long time for the salads to come out, and when mine came it had no shrimp and the dressing was on the salad. the waitress was a little defensive when I asked her about the dressing and shrimp, and my colleagues said they definitely remembered me ordering both. I told her not to bother replacing the salad, since we had already waited a pretty long time for her to come. when the shrimp came, they were slightly overcooked and overly sauced. the salad itself was pretty good, there were two avocado halves with a pickled slaw and crème fraiche, and then the salad part was greens with some sliced tomatoes.

I recently bought a deal on Gilt to go here. The deal included an app to share, two main entrees and one sangria or margarita per person. My boyfriend and I tried the crispy avocado sticks to start (guacamole wasn’t included in the apps), and these were overcooked and super bland. Most of the flavor came from the semi-​burnt coating. The avocado tasted much better smashed on a chip with salsa.
My entrée was actually really, really good. I ordered the Chiles Rellenos and although I’m pretty sure they’re pre-​made, they were delicious. These were stuffed with spinach and cheese and the sauce was awesome. I couldn’t taste the raisins, which I normally would have them hold from the order. This entrée came with a side of sweet plantains which were also delicious. My boyfriend’s entrée was super mediocre. He ordered the Camarones a la Parilla. Bland shrimp over bland guac. Womp.
When we were finished eating it took around 10+ minutes for anyone to come over and package our food and get the check. If the restaurant was busier then I would understand but the place was pretty dead on a Monday night. I probably won’t be back as there are better Mexican options in the area with better service, but if you’re close to Back Bay Station and are craving Mexican then this would be an okay option.

3 words: bottomless mimosa brunch
Not that this is the only reason to check out Zocalo, because it’s great in general, but in a city that doesn’t allow happy hour, I will jump at any opportunity for a great deal on booze. The deal here is, for $ 35 a person, you get one entrée from a limited brunch menu and as many mimosas as you can guzzle in a 2-​hour window. I know what you’re thinking. You order your first one and then your waiter conveniently disappears for the rest of your meal. But nope! They are awesome with the service, practically waiting by your side as you finish your last sip. Also, these aren’t just regular old orange juice and bubbles mimosas; you can choose from a variety of juices like strawberry, peach, elderflower and raspberry.
If the mimosas aren’t enough to sell you, the food is also really good! You’ll definitely be ready for a nap when you leave. Great [free] chips & salsa, too. And I really like the ambiance — fun & festive & lively. All around a great mexican restaurant to check out! With outdoor seating too!