Taco Zocalo — Restaurant in Virginia

I stopped in very late on a Saturday morning to get a quick lunch on my way back from an errand in Chantilly. The location may leave something to be desired being tucked away in an industrial park near the intersection of VA-50 and VA-28. However the food makes a visit worthwhile to be sure. The interior looks bright and clean for roughly 25 to dine in and another five to dine out at a couple of makeshift tables outside. Service proved relatively prompt and straightforward and neither cheery nor brusk. I overheard my order being discussed and checked in Spanish with the line cooks which made me feel valued and respected as a customer.

I ordered some chips and salsa to start followed by three tacos (chicken tinga, barbacoa, and fish proteins) and black beans with a churro being my finale. The salsa had a bright, acidic, and tart flavor with a good amount of cilantro. Chips were a good portion with non-oily crispiness and not over salted as other version I have had elsewhere. The black beans were cooked well and retained their shape without becoming mushy. The tacos arrived as requested without cheese and cream so I could taste the protein, pico de gallo, and guacamole. The pico was among the freshest and brightest I have tasted in quite some time. That part of the taco being so fresh left me hunting a little for the protein flavors even though the ratio between protein to garnish in each taco seemed right. Once I got to the meat and fish, all three had a good cook and taste to them even if they were not the most assertive flavors I tasted. The corn tortillas held their shape well and had good flavor and texture to them. All in all three very good tacos to be sure. A surprising highlight for me was the churro — fried to order after I had finished my tacos which was a most welcome touch and served with a smile by one of the cooks. This churro was hit, crispy on the outside, beyond soft on the inside, and had a nearly-melt-in-the-mouth texture as I ate. The sugar adhered perfectly and was just the right portion at two sticks. A dipping sauce might have been a nice addition, but I could certainly eat these churros plain any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

The total for my lunch was a well-valued $22 excluding tax and tip. A little more cheer in the service and this place would have all the important points of a successful taqueria well in hand. Nevertheless I will certainly remember this place as obscure its location may be if I got a Taco Tuesday craving or otherwise wanted a value-packed lunch when in Chantilly or returning from a trip...

Went there this past tuesday the 2nd of January which happens to be my youngest sons birthday. I ordered 3 tacos and 1 burrito for 27.86 a little steep on price but since it was a local establishment I figured it would be a good investment plus I added additional money for tip for the hard workers. Got back home and my son proceeded to eat the tacos and my wife and I shared the burrito. This place is almost a carbon copy of Chipotle same quality of product and almost the exact same taste. I am not a fan of chipotle never have been never will be. After eating the food my wife, my youngest son, my middle son and myself all came down with food poisoning my wife getting it the worst with high fever and body ache and now the last 3 days all of us have had diarrhea and upset stomach. The manager Basir reached out to tell me how he was sorry but it wasn't his restaurant because they have a great score from the health department and they never had any issues. Sounded just like Chipotle after they served bad chicken, pork, tomatoes, lettuce etc. and refused to accept responsibility for causing us 3 days of pain. He is a narcissist who will tell you how its your fault because his restaurant is amazing and how the health department loves him. He will blame you and accuse you of trying to harm his family business. Please take my warning this place is mediocre and overcharges for chipotle style products. At least Chipotle is a chain restaurant and if they do cause something as serious as food poisoning they can afford to compensate the individual. This place will not refund you, will not cover medical cost, or refuse to. Do not go here if you value quality, taste, price and...

Awkward. Debated giving 2 or 3 starts because the food itself was ok. The steak tacos were good. Anyway, I ordered online. When I got there I gave them my name. Was asked to show a receipt "to be sure." "Ok," I thought, maybe someone has been coming in and luckily guessing the names of takeout orders? I then asked for 5 of those tiny containers with lids to put some sauces in. The sauces are available as self-serve on every table, meaning anyone dining in takes as much as they want, often a lot more than a few tiny containers. Instead I was asked how many of each sauce I need. He said he could give me 3 total instead of 5. I asked if they charged for them, thinking I'll just pay the 25 cents extra for each extra sauce like some restaurants do. He didn't answer the question, and instead just said he'd give them to me. He verified with me that I wanted 3 verde and 2 hot. And then he still shorted me one sauce. Such an oddly stingy way to serve a $30 order. Had high hopes for this place but I don't know if I'll...