Zocalo

(This was my first review I never finished, and I’m sad the place is now closed.) I visited this place on a
voucher with my family for a Sunday dinner a couple of years ago. I had a great mojito and salsa picantes tastings! The creamy habanero salsa was hot but definitely the best, and I’m not devoted to really hot foods! Great tacos en cazuela and chile relleno. Ceviche aguachil and fish tacos were okay. Great churros y champurado desserts. Good service and décor.

Okay… here goes. I had heard great reviews about this place (from Unilocal and friends). So needless to say, I was expecting way more than what I experienced. I went there on a Tuesday for dinner. Upon arriving… I think I counted 10 people in the restaurant (three of which worked there). Music in the background was putting me to sleep within 5 minutes. A bit confused about all the fuss I’d heard about this place.
However, I gave this place my full attention throughout my dining experience with hope that it will come back a rock star. But I think the only semi-​rock star was our waiter. While he was quite the pushy gentleman, I will say he knew the menu like the back of his hand. He described how the dishes were cooked as if he was the one that was preparing them in the kitchen. He took his time describing everything. Literally.
For an appetizer (and being the typical Mexican) we ordered the Trio de Guacamole. I was very disappointed. It was not fresh and I could tell it was prepared in the earlier part of the day. The original guac needed more salt and lime. The guac with fruit… was pretty disgusting. On this particular day they added strawberries to the mix. The guava and strawberries were old and very mushy. Extremely bad texture. Lets just say. that one went untouched. The 3^rd guac. was literally just the original guac but with a bit of salsa on top. I guess you could say I liked that one better since the salsa gave it a bit more flavor. The malanga chips… not that great. I’ll stick to the typical corn chips.
For dinner I had the Mole Mancha Manteles. Grilled pork tenderloin with a Oaxacan mole, a side of white rice and plantains.
I heard great things about this place but was quite disappointed with my experience.

Wish this place would re-​open. It was always packed and one of our favorite date night spots!

These margaritas are the business. THE. BIZ. NESS. Super fresh and yummy and fruity (if you get a fruity one). I’ve had so many margaritas, so the difference between the good and the bad is massive, in my mind. These are good. Strong also. Addictive. Strong and addictive, great combination! Take a cab, people!
My group of four got the guacamole trio, the house salsas, and the tacos all pastor. Anything these people do with fruit is good. Seasonal fruit guac = yes. Tomatillo-​pineapple jam on the pork tacos? More please.
Sexy, trendy atmosphere, though not a packed house to match. Where is everybody? I know that chips/​salsa/​guac aren’t the best criteria on which to judge a restaurant, but it was enough for me to happily agree to come back! At minimum, stop in here for a margarita before a night out — you may be inclined to make your «night out» nothing but margaritas at Zocalo!

What’s going on? This joint has gone seriously downhill. They’ve drastically changed their menu and not for the better. What happened to the awesome fajitas I used to get?!
On the service side, it’s just awful. We came in and asked for a regular table, which they said they didn’t have. I saw an empty one and asked for it but they said it was being held for a potential party. So we said we’d wait until another opened up. About 10 minutes later, they seated us at the same exact table that I pointed out…
To add to the awesome service, our waiter took roughly half an hour to bring lemons to the table and to take our order. Seriously?
Things to get: the mango guac.
Things not to get: the grapefruit margarita.

Good food, service and environment. I tried and liked the guacamole trio, ceviche, Costillas de Barbacoa (braised short ribs), and Cochinita Pibil (pork shoulder).
A picky friend wanted to make a substitution in her dish, but the choices she was offered were limited. My recommendation: if you find something on the menu that sounds appetizing except for one ingredient, it’s probably better to order another dish entirely, or order something on the side (e.g. plantains or vegetables).

Great atmosphere and the drinks were REALLY fresh and tasty!
They have a dining area, bar area, and small cocktail tables you can sit on.
It’s a little dark inside but I think that contributes to the overall ambiance and theme of the restaurant.
Tapas were also really fresh and yummy. We got the Blood Orange Margarita which was excellent, the ceviche which was very fresh and empanadas. Empanadas are a little expensive as they only give you 2 for like $ 10. And they are pretty small.
Only complaint is that they are quite pricey, $ 10 for a cocktail which is 50% ice and $ 10-​$ 15 for a small plate of tapas. They should consider offering happy hour specials as the place was pretty empty at 5pm (only 3 other tables)

I’ve been here twice now on groupons (one was mine; one was a friend’s) and the experience was excellent both times. I am a huge fan of guacamole and their trio is amazing. You get regular, fruity, and spicy versions with three different types of chips to dip in. After trying the non-​tortilla chips, I’ve been addicted to root chips (Terra!) from my grocery store. The other appetizers and entrees we tried have also been quite good, though I preferred my flautas over the other two things I tried: the cold beef tostadas and the queso with chorizo app. Their margaritas are also strong and delicious.
They have a unique menu that serves your mexican faves with an upgraded flair. I think it’s a great date place as well as good for groups. They usually have groupons out, I think because they’re in an area that’s a bit out of the way and they need a way to attract new customers, not because they don’t get return ones.

Came here last Saturday for a weekend pre-​Cinco de Mayo dinner. We were really excited as we have been to Zocalo previously and really enjoyed it.
It seems as though the company may be revamping their brand, which includes changing the name of the restaurant (now it’s officially Zocalo D.F.) and also the menu. The change in the menu was the biggest bummer as there are only a handful of selections on the menu now, most of which include the same ingredients and most of which are pretty fancy. I just wanted your typical good mexican food… nothing too fancy or gourmet… but it was hard to find on the new menu. I finally settled on enchiladas (which were good) and my husband got tacos. For the most part, those were the only two entrees under $ 22 and the only on the menu that was the mexican food we were craving. I’m sure the other dishes were great, too… but they almost all included duck and had fancy culinary words I didn’t know.
Pros: The service was great. We made a reservation and our table was ready for us right away. Our server was very nice and helpful and the guy who refilled our water was on it… as our food was very spicy (I’m not kidding, every kind of meat was extremely spicy). Atmosphere is great, margaritas are awesome (especially on Mondays…$ 5)
Cons: As mentioned, the new menu… the price, and the spiciness of the food. I can’t even explain how weird it was for my husband’s duck, pork, and beef tacos to all have the same intense spice as my enchiladas!
We will probably not come back for dinner, but will be back for the margaritas and appetizers.

Came here on a double date with my little sister and her bf for dinner and drinks before going out on Hubbard St.
SERVICE:
TSK TSK. They lost our reservations after calling to confirm that same day! We had to wait an extra 45 minutes at the bar. Then, they forgot to put the candle on the surprise cake at dessert. Note to restaurant: Pay more attention to the details.
FOOD:
+Guacamole Trio: interesting variations of guac. Who knew guac could be so fancy, but they brought out a sample of guac with fruit, one spicy, and one regular. Pretty tasty.
+Empanadas– 2 small but tasty appetizers
+Red Snapper: Soft fish that melts in your mouth
+Chile Relleno: Pretty delicious just wish all their entrees were a little bigger considering they’re about $ 15-​$ 25 a dish
+Tres Leches– super dry and I’ve had way better; skip this one and get the
+Flourless Chocolate Cake– YUM; so tasty and rich
+Drinks: Delicious! Get the Prickly Pear Margarita or the Chili-​Mango Marg– worth it!
AMBIENCE
Upscale mexican restaurant with nice décor, Frida Kahlo paintings on the wall and varied lighting
I’m from Texas and have had my fair share of Mexican food, but this place gets points for doing an upscale, loungy kinda night
–Hungry Hungry Pongy

Food is great and service is excellent and the ambiance is new, hip, and trendy. I would though, to save a little bit more money, go to Nacional for tacos and tapas with a Latin feel, and Mercadito if you are looking for the best mexican food in River North but Mercadito is more expensive.
My girl friend and I sat at the bar at 6:30 on a Wednesday night and by the time we left around 8:15, it was more crowded. We got greeted with friendliness right away and were proceeded to a high top table. Our waitress was extremely knowledgeable about the menu and cointinutely asked us what we wanted to eat, gave us details about the cocktails, and checked up on us the entire night. She also went back hapilly to the cooks to ask if we could make adjustments on a few things.
The tradional guacaomle for 5 dollars was excellent, perfectly spiced. We also got the Empanadas con Platanos and Fritos which were different, quick, and easy to eat. We both got Enchiladas, my friend go the Rojas and I got the chicken. She is in search for the best Enchiladas in Chicago, and Zocalo was ‘ok’ for her. Mine on the other hand was delicious! The rice was moist as well as the shredded chicken. I got the chile-​mango margarita which was okay, it was strong and had a bit of a kick but not what i was expecting. My friend felt like her’s was okay too.
It was about 72 dollars between the both of us but I would have rather just gone to a taco joint and spent about 25 between us and had a beer with two tacos or if i wanted to, I would have went to Mercadito. I know Zocalo has a happy hour special each day so I should have tried that. It was a good time, good food, excellent service, but not worth 72 between 2 people.

Came here with a large party for a birthday. We were split up into two tables of 10 next to each other. Our checks were also split up between the two tables and the waiter wouldn’t do them individually (which I get is probably a decent amount of work for him, but we are the customer, part of you’re job is to do that for us) which always bugs me.
I thought the food was very tasty and upscale but also quite pricey. I didn’t really think it was worth it since Chicago is known for mexican food, I’m sure I could get better for the same or less money.

Blah, blah, blah.
I was pumped when we decided to make a reservo on Open Table for our Groupon deal here. We were ready to get our Mexican on… however I really feel that Zocalo was an EPIC fail… Booo, bummer, biased?
So the restaurant was empty because we were eating with the Early bird special… I couldnt help it that I was starving at 630 on a Sat night.
We started with the Guacamole trio. Ok, I have to brag. I make some mean guacamole, but usually a Mexican restaurant out does me. Not here, nope, no way. the guac was mediocre at best. Huge bummer. Also, no salsa, no chips. Next up the main dishes… I had the chicken enchiladas. They were lack luster to say the least. Absolutely no flavor. The best part of my dish was the black beans… sad? Yes, I think so. The fajitas were also just ok. We got the combo fajitas and for $ 20, you would think they would be better. No dice. Also, sour cream was extra, which I thought was interesting with the fajitas and especially with the price.
Our server just disappeared at the end of the meal. The manager finally noticed that we were kind of looking around for him and she got him for us. It took forever.
Overall, Zocalo is a no.

Eh… I think their Taco Joint is much better.
Their margaritas are very good but the dessert martinis are just ok. They lack pizazz.
We got the guacamole trio. It needed seasoning and you can tell wasn’t fresh. I don’t understand the need for taro chips and fried plantains. Just corn chips will do!
We decided to get a few apps since they seemed more interesting than the mains. The flautas were great! Loved the sauce on it. Also the tamales were ok. Not bad/​not great. Then the fish tacos which were super super salty. We almost sent them back.

Zocalo is overrated but really I don’t know if their ratings were ever really good. I was here twice and neither time I felt great about the experience. My first time was in the bar with some girlfriends. We did apps and drinks. I loved the guac flight but the salsa flight was terrible. They do have neat chips with plantains which is a different twist on chips and salsa but I have had better salsa out of a jar.
Recently, I came here for dinner with friends and we had the guac and salsa flights again. The salsa was still terrible and the guac was still good. For dinner I had the enchiladas which were pretty boring. I dont think anybody at the table enjoyed their food. Lucky for us we had pretty good Margarita’s to help with the tasteless food.
The worst part about Zocalo is the price. Ridiculously overpriced for the portions and quality of food… I gave it two shots and I will not be back for more.

Decent at best…
I went to Zocalo for dinner with a group of friends and I must say I was not impressed. I felt that the food was subpar and greatly overpriced.
I thought it was strange that we did not receive any complimentary chips and salsa as I assumed this was a pretty standard practice for all Mexican restaurants. Either way, we decided to order chips, salsa and guacamole. The three different kinds of guac were pretty good but the salsa we terrible and I would not order again.
For my main dish I ordered the steak Tacos al Carbon which are tacos garnished with lettuce, pico de gallo, fresco cheese and served ith roasted red jalapeño salsa and grilled scallions. One word… Boring.
With all the fabulous Mexican options in the city I would recommend skipping over Zocalo

It seems to be a trend that Zocalo has great food but lackluster service…
my experience was just that.
I came here with a friend for lunch, who had a groupon. We sat up front by the windows. Our server was unavailable so the hostess ended up taking our order.
GUACAMOLE TRIO
I liked the contrast of flavors between the tradicional, rojo, and fruta. Who would’ve thought: malanga ‘n plantain chips + guac? It was scrumptious.
I probably should’ve ordered half the amount of tacos, but I was feeling ambitious:
BARBACOA
TINGA DE POLLO
COCHINITA PIBIL
CAMARON AL AJO
CEVICHE DE PESCADO
RAJAS POBLANAS
I finished three and boxed the rest for later. The tortillas didn’t quite do it for me in terms of its texture. Most of them were so-​so. However, out of all of them my fav was the cochinita.
For lunch, there were quite a few large groups. I don’t blame our server, but how can she attend to everyone when there’s only one for the entire front and middle section of the restaurant? They’d forgotten about our guac trio and we ended up getting it halfway into our entrees. Prior to that, we couldn’t wait any longer between the lag time to order and time waiting for our food. We gave into our hunger by snacking on most of our chips and salsa. Appetite ruined.
I loved the dark, wood interior and could see this place picking up for dinner service and later. Personally, don’t think I’d go out of my way for another Zocalo encounter.
But if you find yourself there for lunch, try the boxed lunch special of the day. For around $ 10 – 12, you get an entrée, margarita/​beer, plus dessert. Not too shabby.

Three of us came here on a Wednesday night after dinner with a $ 25 Groupon. We asked to be seated in the lounge area but we were told it will be a 15 minute wait even though I noticed at least two empty tables on the side. We waited five minutes before they realized there were indeed available tables. Maybe I will give them the benefit of the doubt because they had to grope for a table in the dim lights.
We then proceeded to ordering the Zocalo’s margarita, Moi’s sangria, and non-​alcohol mojito. The margarita and mojito were decent. The sangria was terrible! Where were the mango, guava nectar with apple, orange and cantaloupes as indicated on the menu? The mango pellets were also flavorless and tough like hard candy. It was a glass of bitter, bloody hell.
Our drinks came to a total of approximately $ 22. I gave them my $ 25 Groupon to apply to the bill.
Waitress: «Oh, a Groupon? Um… I have to consult with my manager?»
I thought to myself: «Are you serious?»
She returns moments later and said «We can use the Groupon, but you will have to pay the tax and gratuity separately. We also can’t return the $ 3 extra from the Groupon.»
Thank you for the attitude! I guess I won’t be returning. Although it’s only $ 3 but I know of eateries that will return a restaurant credit to attract consumers. I guess they weren’t interested in my money.

It’s a late, cold night in Chicago. You’ve been drudging around town for a decent meal and a warm atmosphere. Somehow you decide to check out the end of Ontario street and you pass Zocalo. Don’t continue past, You want to know what’s going on inside, so why not step inside?
I like the late evening. Dimly lit and cozy atmosphere, a live band is playing some rhythmic Latin beat. Something which inspires you to move your hips a bit while standing in the bar sippin’ on your caipirinha. It’s busy as it always tends to be on weekend evenings. With eye candy all around, you’re hardly bored. You’re about to down your second cocktail when a host comes round to escort you to your table. The later the night, they better the odds of a table.
(Something to note, which I often tend to forget, is their offer of a late night prix fix menu. $ 25-​$ 30 for 3 courses, which isn’t bad when you eye over the available menu.)
I suggest bringing a foodie friend or two, so that many entrees can be ordered and shared. I’ve tried a number of appetizers but nothing really stands out and most are just good enough, though not memorable. My favorite combo so far is a few caipirinhas and then the Mex hot chocolate with churros for the finisher. Pair that with a lovely you’ve picked up at the bar and that should equal a good night. It’s «Ri-​No» pronounced like Reno, so ladies are plenty if you’re familiar with the area.

Lauren H. & Mike S. had a Groupon, and Mike couldn’t stop raving about their lunch buffet, so we decided to try out Zocalo for dinner.
Holy. Jeez. I started with the basic margarita, and it was SO good (so good that I had to have two)… just the right amount of sweetness, tartness, and tequila. We had the guacamole flight as a starter… it comes with a mixture of plantain chips & regular chips, and it was amazing. The Rojo had way too much kick for my midwestern taste buds, but the Traditional & the Fruta guacamole were off the charts.
For my entrée, I had the Tacos y Tequila, and it was great as well. Even though we were stuffed, we decided that no meal is complete without dessert, so churros were placed in front of us & subsequently devoured. Everything was so fresh, the presentation was spot-​on, and our server was super friendly and answered any & all questions we had. I love the décor, and during our Saturday night dinner a live band started to play.
Much like Skee-​Lo wishes he was a little bit taller, I wish Zocalo was a little bit cheaper… but I’ll definitely be coming back!