Zócalo Tequilería

The drinks are great here, but the food is just ok. We’ve been a few times, and cannot think of a great experience. It’s too bad because the location is really great, nestled in the heart of the hip 4^th St area of downtown Cleveland.
Stop for a drink, before you head elswhere for your eats.

Took a spontaneous trip to Game 4 of the 2016 NBA Finals and while exploring the area we thought margaritas and tequila would be a perfect way to kick things off before the game. It was indeed but this place is very OK. They have an outdoor area and we were seated near the window which was nice to feel the breeze. We mostly drank and the margaritas were pretty good but a little bit more on the sweet side. It could’ve had just a tad bit more tequila to kick it up a notch. I don’t like drinking alcohol that just tastes like juice personally and some of the margaritas did like the Mango one. I did enjoy my Mexican Mule though! The chips and salsa we got on the table were again OK. The chips were SUPER salty where I found myself brushing the salt off of the chips. I did end up ordering 1 shrimp taco as well which again was OK. I think the theme of this review is this place is very OK. I think the one thing they have going for them is the outdoor deck and openness of the seats inside too. If they amp up their delivery on drinks and food it could be a 5 star place. Either way, this got us intoxicated for what was a great game to come. Go Warriors!

My boyfriend and I stopped here in downtown Cleveland when we

Had to make a quick decision because it had just started raining. I guess with a location like this you don’t have to focus much on food or drinks to get people to come in.
The outdoor patio and open air bar area are nice. I asked for a blood orange margarita with no sour mix, the waiter did his best to convince me their sour mix is «organic and house-​made» but I don’t like sour mix. It was good without it.
Ordered the carnitas with a side salad. This was some of the worst pork I’ve been served in my life. Fatty, over spiced, yuck. Served with some pieces of pale pineapple and pickled stuff.
Side salad was mixed greens with 2 slices of tomato without even the offer of dressing.
All in all, a tourist trap. And we got caught. :(

Atmosphere: pretty fun on fourth Street. It is deceptively large given the smaller storefront.
Price: on the pricey side but maybe that’s because it is on fourth Street. Very small portion sizes for the $/​item especially the guac and queso and tacos
Service: average although he did a very good job warning us about certain food items that other people complain about such as chicken salad versus salad with chicken. Also– handled the kids pretty well.
Food: steak quesadilla is delicious but it does not come with any salsa. Queso Blanco is average. Salsa is good. Nothing is very spicy here.

The food was just okay. My tacos kept falling apart so ended up just making a taco salad instead but if you go for the drinks, you won’t be disappointed. I enjoyed my alcohol far more than my meal but for what you pay and what you get I have no complaints. I’m shocked to see this place has such a low review rate.

Customer service is horrible. Absolute run around. I had bad experiences in the past, but gave them yet again another chance. Last time. Leaving hungry with food order never placed.

Sporting delicious, affordable Mexican food (with more than an adequate amount of vegetarian items), and a fabulous décor, Zocalo is perfect for happy hour or for a nice dinner out with a partner. Comparisons to Barrio are inevitable, but Zocalo sets itself apart by providing a much more comprehensive menu, and a classier vibe. Their tequila list also includes some massively expensive top, top, top shelf bottles to entice the connoisseur. While the tortilla chips could have been a little crispier, the food was well spiced and the guac was killer-​good. The portion size is also pretty generous given the price. Worth a look for anyone searching for an alternative to the jaw-​dropping wait at Barrio down the block.

This was one of the worst restaurant experiences I’ve had in a long time. I was visiting my friend in Cleveland and we were downtown trying to find a place to eat. We only had a few options at 3:30 because lots of the other restaurants in the area were in between lunch and dinner service.
We walk into the restaurant and we are greeted with two employees doing the tango… Ummmm okay. So we get seated by the window near the bar. The waitress came and first thing she said was «why were you seated here» we had asked the person who seated us to let us sit there since there wasn’t a lot of people in the restaurant and she had agreed. We explained, the waitress said «oh okay not sure why she sat you here but okay.» Now why does that matter!!! Ain’t NOBODY else in this restaurant.
We order drinks and the order was sent to the bartender who then proceeded to yell «peach mango margarita!!! Why would you do that??? Oh come on girl???» I’ve never heard any bartender yelling back orders and making jokes but hey maybe it’s a Cleveland thing.
The waitress was terrible. During our time at the restaurant she was on the phone (while taking our order and while walking away from us), stepping outside to bum a smoke, and getting our order incorrect.
Now the food. I am from California so I have high expectations when it comes to Mexican food. I ordered the veggie quesadilla and a fish taco. Both of which were edible at best. No flavor at all. My friend had two shrimp tacos. She said they were okay. We had to pay an extra 1.00 for guacamole… normally quesadilla comes along with salsa or guacamole and sour cream. But none of that came along with my meal. Anything added (condiments) cost an extra 1.00 or 50¢ or something. I was surprised we didn’t get charged extra for the hot sauce!!!
If you just want chips and salsa and drinks this is your spot. If you don’t care for customer service come on down to this place. If flavor is not important to you then order off the menu.
I won’t recommend this place.

One of the best restaurants in downtown Cleveland, the only thing I hate is the long wait during the weekend!
The margarita is fantastic!

This place was just ok. I went here with a large group on a work trip. We were seated quickly (we had a reservation though, and it was early evening). The timing was about what you would expect with a big group, except they got several people’s order wrong, causing the entire table to wait to eat out of politeness. The red sangria was the best part of the whole experience, and it was good, not great. Our table ordered a few guacamoles and salsas, which were again good, not great. I ordered the chimichanga, and it was ok. It had a TON of peppers and onions in it, which was fine but I had hoped for more meat and cheese.
I would not pick to go here again out of all the great restaurants that I’m sure exist in a city the size of Cleveland. Maybe I’m a little biased and used to better Mexican being from Texas, but this place sure didn’t meet expectations.

While being a beautiful restaurant the service was ok and everything is overpriced. Just seems like a very good concept but no bang for your buck. We weren’t the only ones as the people next to us had to ask for many things including the check. Tacos are, in my opinion, a cheap good easy thing to make. Putting ur own twist sets u aside from ur competition but Zocalos is different in menu and prices. We had the roasted poblano and goat cheese guacamole and it literally looked like they added goat cheese and poblano on top of pre-​made guacamole. Not saying the entire experience wasn’t good, just what we paid wasn’t worth it. I’d go back because the tacos were good, drinks were good, and service was decent. Atmosphere is great. I wouldn’t go back because of the price… I mean who wants to pay $ 5 for ONE taco?

I was in Cleveland with a friend for a baseball game, and we pulled out our handy dandy Unilocal app to find the best eats nearby. Zocalo was recommended to me before we arrived in Cleveland, so I already had a hunch that we would be eating here.
The first thing we were concerned about was tequila: how can we can the most possible asap. Zocalo offers pitchers of Margaritas in all different flavors, ranging from 28 $ to 60 $ depending on the brand of tequila, flavor etc. We went with a frozen pitcher, and our waiter who was super cool let us mix the mango and strawberry flavors together. It was SO good, arguably the best frozen marg I’ve ever had.
They give you complimentary chips and salsa, which were really good. The salsa didn’t have too much cilantro in it, which I appreciate. The waiter also recommended the queso (not telling us it was another 4 $) and it was SO GOOD. It was a white queso, really thick and creamy. I got the steak quesadilla as an entrée and was pleased.
Again, our waiter rocked. He was really helpful with the menu and made conversation with us about the sporting events we were seeing and about our hometown. Definitely a must-​stop if you love tequila like we do!

Dammit, Stephanie. You love Unilocal.Why didn’t you check Unilocal before you walked in?
Sammi and I arrived in Cleveland at 7:30PM very hungry. We knew we were staying in the Gateway District, and I told her that we can just eat when we arrive because there are many restaurants and bars in that area. Instead of checking Unilocal like logic would tell me to do, we decided to walk around and see what looks good. Barrio was right next to our hotel, and if I would have checked Unilocal,I would have known it was a good choice. Instead we decided to walk more and see what our options were, but we didn’t make it long because we were a little chilly and STARVING. We decided on Zocalo because how do you mess up Mexican? According to Zocalo, pretty easily.
We walked into their entrance, which is located in a side alley off E 4^th, and was semi-​greeted by a very apathetic hostess. Bar or dining room? was all she mustered off to us as she hastily sat us down at a bar table next to the window. Our seat was a great place to people watch, especially on a Friday night downtown.
It took at least ten minutes for our waitress to get to us, which was especially frustrating because it was obvious the restaurant wasn’t busy yet. The Cavs game was only in the third quarter, and the restaurant wasn’t even at half occupancy. The waitress behind us was entrapped conversing with the table behind us, which I guess is fine, because I’m going to assume that she didn’t know these people. She talked to them like they were her friends, but their conversation leaned on them being out-​of-​towners as well. Another waitress finally came around (I didn’t keep a time clock, but we sat there for long enough time to where I wondered if we were supposed to order at the bar), and she seemed rushed and annoyed that we were even there. She took our drink orders quickly, and she didn’t even ask if we were ready to order. We obviously were because we had sat there waiting for eternity for someone to acknowledge us!
When she came back with our drinks (Sammi ordered a frozen strawberry margarita and I ordered a pomegrita), she took our food orders. We ordered a chorizo queso, and Sammi had a quesadilla tradicional while I had the quesadilla suprema with chicken.
The margaritas were absolutely horrendous. We each ordered a grande of our margaritas both lamented about how watered down they were. We ordered grandes and didn’t even feel a slight buzz. Maybe chalk it up to being college students with high aptitudes for alcohol, but I should feel something when I order a $ 20 margarita.
The food arrived quickly; so quickly that the quesadillas arrived before our queso. The waitress gave brought the queso right afterward; I understand that it was $ 5 but that queso was TINY. Like as tiny as the side guacs you get from the suburban tex-​mex joints in our respective cities. It was delicious, and I’m very picky on my quesos. It wasn’t drop dead delicious like the chorizo queso at Bakersfield in OTR, and it reminded me a bit of Skyline chili dip (non-​Cincinnatians look it up; it’s easy and dank), but it definitely served its purpose — which I think was to supply to only flavor of the meal.
Sammi ate her quesadilla without complaints, but I think that’s because it’s super difficult to mess up a cheese quesadilla. Plus she was a little more than hungry so she practically devoured it. My quesadilla on the other hand, was atrocious. It looked wonderful and promising, but my first bite was underwhelming. It lacked any sort of flavor or seasoning and the refried beans and jalapeños were the only flavors available. I was disappointed, to say the least. I LOVE quesadillas, and it was more than saddening that it didn’t deliver.
When Sammi and I left, not one hostess or waitress said goodbye. Poor customer service combined with abysmally flavorless food creates an experience that’s remembered for all the wrong reasons. As a couple of Clevelanders pointed out to me while I was at a different bar, Barrio is the place you need to go for tex-​mex in the Gateway District.

Not the best, not the worst.
Wanna get drunk on half decent margaritas and sub-​par chips and salsa go right ahead.
Cleanliness of restaurant and staff is questionable
Kinda wish some other restaurant would occupy this precious space on E. 4^th

I have been here quite a few times, mainly for the location. It is located right in the middle of East 4^th street and conveniently close to the casino, Quicken Loans Area and Progressive Field.
The food here ok, but by no means some of the best mexican food I have had. They have selections that include quesadillas, tacos and some house specialties. They chips and salsa with guacamole is pretty good here, so i always like to get an order of guacamole. I usually get the quesadilla with black beans and its pretty good!
Over all if you are downtown and want a good meal for a decent price this is a good place to go. If you plan on going a Friday or Saturday night especially with a large group, I highly suggest you make a reservation.

I was a little surprised by some of the reviews here. Zocalo’s may not be flashy, but if you are look for a quick spot to grab some snacks or drinks, then it gets the job done.
The staff was very accommodating and Becca, our waitress, was fantastic! She was super friendly, attentive, and took great care of our table.
Admittedly, we only had chips, salsa, and guacamole along with a pitcher of margaritas, all of which was tasty and reasonably priced. The menu had your standard Mexican restaurant options (burritos, enchiladas, tacos). The restaurant was fairly clean with a lot of space and several big screen tvs for airing the games. There were private rooms downstairs.
All in all, if you are not looking to wow anyone and want good food at a reasonable price, then Zocalo’s is worth checking out.

Nothing special here. I’ve been here a few times since I live very close but the food fails to impress every time. Tacos are extremely bland, even the speciality ones that are supposed to deliver on flavor are tasteless. They do have good drinks and happy hour specials.
Unlike other reviewers mentioned, I had a good experience with the service here each time. The girls are very nice and attentive. I think if they changed the menu a bit, they’d do better. They have everything else down so how hard can it be?
Nice outdoor seating, spacious indoor.

Last resort for lunch or whenever I’m with my coworker that really likes this place. With so many options around, it physically hurts me to eat here sometimes. This place can and should do better for the sake of East 4^th’s reputation.
The service = Meh… the hostess was practically running ahead of us. Slow down lady, I’m in heels and your floors are slippery. The server was nice but she seemed to hurry us out. I get we are on lunch and you say that you don’t want to us to be late getting back to work but pump the breaks.
The food = Eeh. The chips and salsa they give you are ok… I mean you can’t really mess up chips and salsa, unless there is a crapton of salsa that spilled all over half of the chips. I ordered a salad, it was pretty tasty but really hard to eat. The tortilla shell it came in was just too much.

Not sure why everyone rags on this place. I’ve only been here a handful of times, but the drinks have always been great and the chips and salsa fresh and tasty. The food is made with fresh ingredients, has good flavor, and is served up quickly like most Mexican restaurants! I had the Zocalo Carnitas Burrito and it was really good… savory, oooey, gooey melted goodness on a plate! I’ll get a pic next time!
Service is average… not the greatest, but not the worst… it depends on the night.
Well, if you’re downtown and craving Mexican before a Tribe or Cavs game, Zocalo doesn’t disappoint. Stop in and have a margarita!