Zócalo University Village — Restaurant in Sacramento

Out of all the higher end Mexican restaurants in the greater Sacramento area, I would have to say that "Zocalo" is the place to be and be seen. This ain't your old school no-frills Mexican place; here you will have a chic, upscale, and aesthetically pleasing restaurant complete with a beautifully wrapped bar and posh seating. This is one of five locations with the others being their original (on Capitol Ave. in Midtown) as well as Roseville, Folsom, and West Sacramento.

Located at the UV (University Village) Shopping Center at the corner of Howe Ave. & University Ave. in Sacramento, this place has been dishing out amazing upscale Mexican cuisine since early-2018. However, it took me a good 4 years to finally make it in since I don't frequent this part of town much anymore. I came here during the evening of Saturday February 12th, 2022 at around 5:30pm. I would highly recommend booking reservations in advance as well as giving yourself enough time as the parking lot can be quite cramped with several other popular businesses.

My +1 and I were greeted and immediately seated within a couple minutes. We decided to sit at the bar since the area was open and inviting. We received two iced waters as well as chips, salsa, and black bean dip complete with cotija cheese sprinkled on top. As far as the menu, this place serves up your typical Mexican food (tacos, burritos, enchiladas) but also some delicious progressive alternative items including Arrachera (marinated hanger steak) and Cochinita Pibil (smoked pork shoulder) that are unique which definitely sets themselves apart from other places.

I decided to go with their "Trio of Tacos" that included a side of their Zócalo Cilantro Lime Rice & Black Beans. Since I wanted the full experience of tacos, I went with three different kinds; Carnitas, Carne Asada, & Fish. My +1 went with their "Salsa Roja Enchiladas". These enchiladas are loaded with cheese and chicken braised in red chiles including a dollop of sour cream and cotija cheese as well as the same sides that I received. And to drink, I went with the #1 recommended beverage that Zocalo sells, their "Blackberry Margarita".

The service here is top notch as we actually had multiple waiters/waitresses that made sure our waters were refilled as well as replenishing our chips & salsa. I see why a place like this has rave reviews since they focus on customer service while making sure your experience is a positive one. When our main entrées finally did arrive, everything was brought out to us on large piping hot plates. My tacos had a ton of meat in each of them as the rice was moist while the black beans had excellent flavor to them. Everything was balanced perfectly as Sacramento is very fortunate to have this place serve our community.

Overall, the "Zocalo" at the UV is worthy of a five-star rating based on service, ambiance, food quality, preparation, and price. Its an excellent option to take a date or an inviting atmosphere to bring the kids. And considering their very extensive menu of options and elaborate drink selection, this place is a...

Okay, I have to give this five stars for maybe one of the funniest experiences of my life. If whoever looks through these reviews and works there can please reply I’d be forever indebted.

I walked in with a friend today, we were early to a reservation. I first noticed that a woman who seemed more in charge took the menus and sat us when out waitress was going to initially. Immediately felt like special treatment but I also thought I was crazy.

We were brought chips and beans and salsa.

Then our waitress arrived with an incredible “hola chicas” loved it. We put in our drink order. She goes away. Another server/busboy arrives and asks if we need more chips or salsa or beans. We say no thank you.

Someone else walks by and asks if everything is okay. We say yes. At this point we feel like literal celebrities. We are wondering if they think we’re food critics. Our server returns with a “hola lindas”, again. Love it.

We get our drinks. Put in our food order. She goes away. Busboy comes and asks if we need water. A FOURTH server walks by and asks if we’re good. We say yes.

We are trying to guess what is happening. We’ve been checked on five times by four different people in fifteen minutes. Our food arrives. We get checked on again. They apologize that our server hasn’t been with us in awhile.

We’re chugging our water trying to give poor busser something to do. Someone stops by and asks how our food is. Wonderful of course. I finish my water. First in charge woman clocks it immediately. Laser focused i see her zero in on my empty glass, she grabs a pitcher and fills it up within seconds.

Our waitress returns, “hola hermosas”, and apologizes for stepping away for so long (it’s been maybe ten minutes and four people have checked in in the meantime), her “manager needed to talk to her”, my friend and I want to tell her we’d literally fight battles for her. There is NO need to apologize.

We’ve moved on from celebrities and critics to thinking maybe it’s the men in suits standing in the middle of the dining room? Is that why everyone is checking on us? I don’t know.

I finish my drink. We time how long it will take someone to notice. I wait until all eyes are averted and set my empty glass on the edge of the table. Six seconds. It’s gone.

10 seconds once our plates are cleared. We feel so special and so confused.

10/10. I want to come back every single day. You made me question if I was a well known celebrity or food critic (I’m not I swear).

Please I need to know why we were checked in on every minute and a half. This is not a complaint. But it...

We recently dined at Zócalo in University Village, drawn by their mission to provide the best hospitality experience—and they certainly excelled in that regard. Our server, Katie, was outstanding, attentive, and friendly. She kept our table spotless, checked in frequently, and had answers to all our questions, adding a warm touch to our visit.

To start, we shared the queso fundido, which, though not the traditional preparation, was delicious. It set a great first impression, raising our expectations for the meal to come. However, when it came to the main courses, we were left a bit underwhelmed.

I ordered the Cochinita Pibil, a true icon of Mexican cuisine with roots dating back hundreds of years. While the pork was savory and expertly cooked, the dish was far from authentic, tasting more like an Americanized BBQ pork than the traditional cochinita pibil. This was perhaps the biggest disappointment, as it’s been years since I’ve had the genuine taste of this dish, and I’d hoped Zócalo would deliver.

My wife ordered the camarones enchipotlados, which were also well-prepared in terms of texture, but the sauce lacked flavor, and the signature smoky warmth of chipotle was absent.

Overall, Zócalo provides an exceptional hospitality experience, and the food was visually appealing and well-executed in technique. However, for those seeking authentic Mexican flavors, some of the dishes fall short. Zócalo is a fantastic place to enjoy great service and ambiance, but if you’re craving the traditional flavors of cochinita pibil or chipotle-based dishes, you may leave wishing for more...