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El Zarape

4642 Park Blvd, San Diego, CA 92116
619-692-1652
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Ranked #134 of 2,399 restaurants in San Diego
Price range: S$6 - S$13
Cuisines: Mexican
Good for: Local cuisine, Cheap Eats
Dining options: Lunch Spot, Dinner, After-hours
Restaurant details
Good for: Local cuisine, Cheap Eats
Dining options: Lunch Spot, Dinner, After-hours
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53 reviews from our community

88% Recommend
    33
    14
    3
    3
    0
Rating summary
    Food
    Service
    Value
    Atmosphere
Date Rating
San Diego, California
Senior Contributor
40 reviews 40 reviews
18 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 11 cities Reviews in 11 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 17 May 2013 NEW

A bit off the beaten path, in a residental area, this small dining establishment has excellent Mexican food. Is it a dive, probably...is the food AWESOME. You bet. Have the burritos's shrimp and lobster, if it's in season. The combos are tasty and filling. And their green salsa.....exceptional.

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See 9 more reviews by 91942 for San Diego
Los Angeles, California
Top Contributor
212 reviews 212 reviews
133 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 33 cities Reviews in 33 cities
88 helpful votes 88 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 4 March 2013

Wow, never had anything like it! I had the salmon burrito and it was delicious! The more I bit into it, the more I enjoyed it. I was a bit disappointed they don't have the lobster burritos for a time being since everyone raves about those. But next time, I'll be back to try them for sure! My bf had... More

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See 32 more reviews by nlee1220 for San Diego
San Diego, California
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 25 February 2013

I have lived in San Diego for 10+ years. If a visitor stopped and asked me, "Where can I find good Mexican food in San Diego," I would send them to El Zarape. It is a dive! It doesn't feel extremely clean (the bathroom is horrid), it is cramped, and always busy. However, it is a staple of San Diego... More

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Senior Reviewer
10 reviews 10 reviews
7 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 25 January 2013 via mobile

I went to El Zarape with my family tonight after reading the great reviews on TripAdvisor and Yelp...I was not disappointed! I was looking for good, traditional Mexican food while on vacation in San Diego, and I got it :) My husband and I shared combo #3 which was a "Suft and Turf Burrito" and a fish taco. It also... More

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Denver, Colorado
Contributor
14 reviews 14 reviews
7 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 9 cities Reviews in 9 cities
16 helpful votes 16 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 16 January 2013 via mobile

I went here based on good food reviews. While it looked good, the food had almost no flavor, should of went to Taco Bell or Del Taco.

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San Diego, California
Top Contributor
61 reviews 61 reviews
34 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 17 cities Reviews in 17 cities
14 helpful votes 14 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 31 December 2012

There are 2 El Zarape Restaurants in San Diego, both affiliated. The El Zarape on Park Blvd. is very small with a few tables and excellent Mexican food. The El Zarape at 3201 Adams Ave. is a larger, very authentic Mexican Restaurant. Tortillas are handmade on the premises, and the selection of both Mexican Food, tequila, and beers is superb.... More

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See 28 more reviews by Nancy J for San Diego
Senior Contributor
24 reviews 24 reviews
18 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 16 cities Reviews in 16 cities
9 helpful votes 9 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 27 December 2012 via mobile

Came here with some family for lunch. We got the variety of tacos, burritos, chimichanga's, salad's and soups. Everyone was beyond pleased. Personally the beef burrito was perfectly cooked. The beef just fell apart. I would hight recommend this little gem. Give the chicken chimichanga a try! You won't be disappointed.

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Seattle, Washington
Top Contributor
50 reviews 50 reviews
23 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 15 cities Reviews in 15 cities
40 helpful votes 40 helpful votes
2 of 5 stars Reviewed 10 November 2012

I'm not sure how this place gets such good reviews. I love Mexican food and decided to try El Zarape to see what the hoopla was. Still don't know. To start with, the person at the counter (there is no table service) was pretty disinterested and impatient. I was okay with that because there were a lot of people waiting,... More

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See 10 more reviews by RottHound for San Diego
New York City, New York
Contributor
17 reviews 17 reviews
4 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 22 October 2012

This is by far the best Mexican joint in San Diego, I was so lucky to be taken here! The shrimp diablo burrito is amazing, and so are the scallop tacos. They also have a huge variety of vegetarian dishes, and are very accommodating for changes to the menu. The staff are super friendly, and if you are lucky to... More

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See 2 more reviews by Blake P for San Diego
Top Contributor
332 reviews 332 reviews
208 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 95 cities Reviews in 95 cities
109 helpful votes 109 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 10 October 2012

I was in San Diego for just a day and wanted to make sure I had some Mexican food while I was there. I found this place online, and wow it was great. Hole in the wall, but amazing prices and amazing food. I had a lunch special which granted me rice & beans, two fish tacos, and a soda.... More

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See 3 more reviews by jsnyder02 for San Diego

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