El Zocalo

El Zocalo is one of my favorite central american restauraunts outside of central America.
The pupusas are delicious. I love the cabbage slaw they come with. I frequently have to decided between them and the Enchiladas Mexicanas. I get the enchaladad with chicken but you can choose from other types of meat. The salsa verde is spicy the way it should be. Sometimes it is too spicy, but a side of sour cream will help that. The cheese on top is fantastic.
Food is made fresh to order and comes out hot.
I was disappointed to find they changed their chips and salsa. I hope it’s a temporary change.

Came here on a whim after work and soooooo many drs appointments this week. Soooooo glad I did! The owner was very nice and so was the server. I’m going to be back to try other dishes but the burrito and the pupusa did not disappoint!

I just don’t understand these positive reviews, and it is not because I was expecting tex-​mex… I have spent time actually living in Mexico. The issue is that this food tasted like it was made with the lowest possible quality ingredients. Chicken in the enchiladas Mexicana was tough and tasteless and the cheese was like melted plastic. Had tacos al pastor and al fajita, and the meat quality was awful. I couldn’t finish any of it.

Another of my hidden Jefferson gems… Yes, this place does keep changing names, and yes, it can’t quite decide if it’s Mexican or Salvadorian, but in a town with little to no authentic Mexican (without driving all the way to Kenner) this place gets close enough for me…
Sparkling clean, and the pinup girls are a nice touch. Owner is extremely friendly. Still working through the menu, but pupusas and tacos are very good…

Accidentally wrote a review for La Profecia because this place keeps changing names. I went when it was called Hondumex. Now it’s called El Zocalo, and while the menu looks different, the dishes they serve are still largely the same, or perhaps all the same.
That other fellow who trashed this place absolutely does not know what he is talking about. He seems to justify his authority by proclaiming his love for Tex Mex. Then again, the same fellow panned the Joint, which is as «I-know-real-barbecue-and-this-isn’t-it» arrogant as it gets. His descriptions of their food are different from how it’s been every single time I’ve been there, and that’s plenty, but The Joint’s another restaurant, and degustibus non est disputandum.
So, El Zocalo – I used to come here all the time when I was working with my Honduran coworkers doing lawncare. They love the food, and I love it. The owner/​manager is a super friendly Mexican fellow, always a huge smile on his face and he’s always checking to see if you have everything you need.
Anwyay, that said, the carne asada and pollo con tajadas are my two favorite things here. But the other stuff is delicious too – gorditas, burritos, pupusas. With all of the dishes they throw in some extra sides, usually an ‘ensalada’ of cabbage and lettuce, as well as slices of avocado, a whole cooked (poblano?) pepper, and sometimes rectangles of some type of queso blanco. They have delicious, tender cubes of beef tongue if you fancy that, just ask for it with any of the typical tongue choices – tacos, flautas, etc. Rich, wonderful soups as well. Go check them out – this place needs more business.

This week I took the opportunity to check this place out. I dined alone and as I did, I took the opportunity to chitchat with the owner who was friendly.
OK let me start off that this place isn’t «Mexican», the majority of the menu items are Central American. The owner is Mexican but the chef is Salvadorian. Just like «La cocinita», they cater to the vast Central American population is New Orleans, although they do offer some Mexican and texmex foods.
There were a few glitches that I’d expect from a Central American restaurant (being that I’ve lived in Central America for a couple of years). Food took a while to come out but was compensated by owners friendliness and great food once expedited.
The place looked clean (bathrooms included), and enjoyed to what some might consider offensive, the Latin pinup girl posters placed around food and soccer team displays.
The location isn’t the best, but it had ample parking and shows that this once desolate part of town wants to grow. For the shopping strip it’s on, this business is an asset to what most locals might dismiss as skid row.
I ordered pupusas. They were good and much bigger than the traditional 4inch diameter, these were about 5,5″. They did sway into the Mexican culinary tradition because they were served with a side dip of salsa. Not a big deal but in El Salvador or Honduras they’ll only be served with coleslaw and «encurtido”(pickled spicy onions). Aside from that they added beans with meat whereas traditionally I’d expect cracklings and/​or cheese. Overall, they were great. I did convey this to the owner but it is his restaurant. I did promise to comeback.
If you ever come from this part of town, I suggest you stop by and try it out. It’s definely a new flavor to a city that already offers great food.

Absolutely fantastic AUTHENTIC Mexican food with a few central American dishes as well. If your idea of Mexican is tex-​mex, go back to Texas. Everything is fresh and delicious. I have had the chicken flautas, quesadilla, carne asada plato, and it was all very good. My favorite is the enchiladas mexicanas. Absolutely the best enchiladas I’ve ever had.
I live in the area and eat here regularly but everytime I leave I wonder why I don’t come more often.
This is the third restaurant to be in this spot with pretty much no change in décor. It’s the best version by far. If there is better Mexican food in Jefferson parish, I haven’t found it yet.
They speak very little English.

The only good thing in Awfulstin, TX is the Tex-​Mex.
Saw a review of El Zocalo on Unilocal and was excited for the possibility of good Mexican/​Central American food.
This is not the place.
I had a wide assortment of the menu:
Tacos: Fajita beef, chicken, al pastor.
Enchiladas: Chicken and cheese
Flautas
Tostadas
Rice and Beans
All of it horrible. Threw all of it away after a few bites.
We don’t have great Tex-​Mex, Mexican or Central American food in New Orleans but we do have better than this.

This is as close as I’ve found to real Mexican food in New Orleans. I lived in MX for 4 years so it’s like home cooking for me. The owner, Raul, is actually from D.F. (most Mexican places here seem to be run by Salvadoreños, Dominicanos or Hondureños).
It’s not high end by any stretch but it’s pretty authentic family-​style food. We left full and happy.
Tip: try the fried bananas (but eat them with the green chile sauce).