Zocalo Cocina Mexicana

05/05/2008 Posted by lalong01

EXCELLENT!!! Best kept secret in town! Cozy atmosphere (perfect for a first date!) varied menu that caters to the likes of any/all, friendly wait staff, valet parking and reasonably priced. Guaranteed enjoyable and memorable dinner. Well worth the trip to Allston/Brighton!

Pros: Comfortable atmosphere, music, valet parking, friendly staff

11/18/2007 Posted by jaako

I had heard this restaurant was pretty good with reasonable prices so my friend and I decided to check out the Sunday brunch. We were seated immediately and brought free tortilla chips and salsa and water. (On the other hand, we were only one of 4 parties and the others were already eating so I don't know if this is stellar service or just good timing.) We ordered very tasty margaritas ($6). I had the Huevos Veracruzanos with a choice of home fries or mashed potatos (I chose mashed). The serving size was what serving sizes should be - enough to satisfy your hunger but not so much that you pig out or waste a lot of food. The food was yummy with just enough spice to make it interesting but not overwhelming. The waitress was friendly and attentive. The decor is charming - even in the bathroom! My portion of the total bill came to $14 plus tip - quite reasonable for brunch in a nice restaurant. I want to try the dinner menu now...

Pros: on the T, good prices, relaxing and charming atmosphere, decent food

11/11/2007 Posted by shockus

pleasantly surprised by this little gem in Brighton. NIce decor, background music, friendly staff. authentic cuisine, very reasonable prices. had the guac, huevos con chorizo, same rancheros (pardon the misspelling!) recommend this for someone looking for mexican outside Border cafe!

05/31/2007 Posted by mdfoodcritic

I've been in food service all my life, so I tend to have high expectations. I do drive my wife crazy when we go out, but if I may add, I also leave a good tip. We were a party of four and went on a Saturday night in the middle of May and surprisingly, the place was practically empty at 6:30. (Maybe because all the students have left town?) Not your average Tex-Mex joint.; forget about Chile's and Margaritas. This Mexican food is the real McCoy. Guacamole is made to order right at the table. If you check out the website, you'll see the place is spacious, clean and has a real south of the border feel to it. Our service was prompt, chips, salsa and water arrived right as we got settled in. We ordered a pitcher of red sangria and the sampler plate, both of which were great. Our server didn't hound us or forget about us either. I rarely say this, but her attention to our table was just about perfect. We ordered another pitcher and dinner. I had the batter fried peppers with shrimp and it was fantastic. The rice and beans were actually tasty and not salty too. My father had the steak and he said it melted in his mouth. Everyone else at the table really enjoyed their meal. Even better, after everything was said and done, the bill was surprisingly reasonable. A must recommend.

Pros: Authentic Mexican, great service and reasonable prices

Cons: Comm Ave, so parking can be a challenge. There is valet parking for $6, which, of course, beats a ticket.

04/27/2007 Posted by desieclipse

I went here last night with high hopes of finally finding a good Mexican restaurant on the East Coast. The valet service was efficient and polite & the ambiance was wonderful. It is a really pretty restaurant with a relaxing and tasteful decor. The chips and salsa were excellent as was the peach flavored red wine sangria we ordered. However, when it came down to making a recommendation for my order the waiter was not able to suggest anything definitively & the dish I ordered (a vegetarian stew) - upon his recommendation - was basically tasteless. I'm thinking if I ordered an enchilada or meat dish I might have had a better experience. By the time I was able to flag down another server to send my dish back, my dinner companion was already done with their entree - the wait time for service was completely unacceptable - I decided not to order anything else. It was a very unpleasant experience & I'm not sure I would go back to this restaurant. I'm disappointed because things started so well with the chips and the sangria...

Pros: Nice ambiance, valet parking, many varieties of delicious sangria

Cons: Extremely slow service, vegetarian stew is awful, other dishes are average

04/27/2007 Posted by mu9999

I have never had a bad experience here, and that's perfect considering it's right in the neighborhood. The food is yummy - be sure to get the freshly made guacamole. There is an interesting sangria selection and nice atmosphere. Consistently really nice and a good value as well.

Pros: good mexican, nice atmosphere, good value

Cons: none!

10/30/2006 Posted by beansbean

went there last night with my boyfriend. we always passed by this place but decided to have dinner and it was great! i love the salsa and chips that came in the beginning and the kiwi sangria was okay - not a lot of kiwi. great prices. my sirloiin steak was cooked to perfection and the beans and rice was a good accompaniment but it was an okay meal. my boyfriend had the tuna rare and i gotta say - that chocolate sauce is AMAZING. i will be getting that next time. the flan was okay nothing to rave about. service was a little slow at times, but it filled up really fast while we were there. will def be coming again!!!

Pros: food, ambience

10/27/2006 Posted by davidakido

I took a date to Zocalo early in the week and was impressed. The sangira was great and the sampler let you try the variety available before you commit to a full glass. The pork and braised beef plates are great choices, very good and filling. Most plates are $10-$15 when they should be $8-$12, but service is great and if you live in the area, it's a great place to take a date. Probably one of the better dining choices in Brighton/Allston.

Pros: Decor, location, staff

Cons: a few dollars more than the area warrants

07/24/2006 Posted by nop247

It is sad that there aren't more family style mexican restaurants in the brookline brighton area. I am also sad to see the turkish restaurant go. While free chips and salsa can make a meal for a poor college kid, the ones served here were mediocre. The chicken dish was unappetizing and pricey for its size. restaurant would be wise to spice up their food a little more. The two bright points in the meal were the ceviche, which they prepare at your table, and sangrias with fruit. I'm sure that these guys make descent burritos, so stick to the basics. service was good

Pros: good drinks and ceviche

Cons: needs more spice

03/12/2006 Posted by mommaboston

elegant and spanking clean, this restaurant will bring tired parents back to their days of romantic dates--even with their chirping tot right beside them in a restaurant highchair. the food is delicious to all (our 10.5 month son loved my guacamole, black beans and chicken mole, and of course the whipped cream and raspberry sauce on our chocolate bread pudding) and the staff could not be warmer. when we were last there the evening ended with our son in the arms of our waitress surrounded by most of the other staff with whom he'd been maintaining a mutual admiration society all evening long. there is also a cool little craft shop in the back to fascinate your young ones, as if the guacamole prep wagon that rolls up to your table isn't magic enough. this place is baby--and parent--paradise. i've heard similarly glowing reports from other neighborhood friends. enjoy!

Pros: on T, spacious, good food great srvc