Zarela Restaurant

Love this place. I've been going there for many years and don't get tired. best margaritas and salsas in town. got all her books too!!!!! Pros: Best margaritas and salsas in town. Cons: can't think of anything. more

Don't expect your mother's food ( if you are Mexican). the Margaritas are very good, the salsas as usual are fresh not like some other places where they give you ketchup with Tabasco as a salsa. the problem here is that they are charging for everything, if you want rice or beans which usually come with your food in any other place, they charge you. the owner is old now and not there most of the time, therefore the place is going downhill. by the way she is not from Oaxaca as a lot of people think, she is from El Paso, Tex. that explains why the food is not as good as people expects from an authentic Mexican place. I would always go back for the margaritas and the salsas. I keep my jacket so I don't have to pay ""coat check"" Lol. Pros: salsas are fresh, food ok. Cons: Zarela is not there anymore, place going downhill. more

I went with my family a few days ago. Upon arriving we were asked to give our coats to coat check only to realize it costs $1 a piece!! C'mon!! We were seated, the waiter took our drinks and then informed us that the 2-1 special was for bar seating only- it was too late as by then the drinks had arrived. My mother is a vegetarian and there was literally NO entrees for vege's-only sides which was disappointing. I casually ordered Tabasco or any type of bottled hot sauce...the waiter brought habanero sauce whcih was awesome except he failed to tell me that it would cost $2. The food was mediocre at best. I've had better Mexican in Manhattan. All in all- we were disapponted with the service, food and nickle and diming. Our bill between 5 adults + 2 rounds of drinks was $115 + tip. needless to say- Zarella did a lousy job in convincing us to come back. Pros: ATMOSPHERE Cons: NICKEL & DIMING/ No Vegetarian Entree more

A wonderful experience...fresh, delicious, and unique flavors combined with friendly, knowledgeable service made ours an excellent evening out. Pan-fried plantains with mole sauce, pork shoulder slow roasted in avocado leaves with sour oranges and habanero pepper relish. The desserts were outstanding--almond crepes with dulce de leche and amaretto ice cream, pecan-kahlua-chocolate pie. The manager came to suggest a Mexican wine that paired quite nicely with our dishes. Definitely a Turtle Bay highlight. Pros: Authentic flavors, amicable service more

I recently ate at Zarela's and while enjoying delicious food and yummy margaritas, my wallet was stolen out of my purse. I had it when it came time to pay the check, but we decided to stay for another round of drinks. When the second check came, my wallet was gone. Needless to say, this was a very upsetting situation and the staff at Zarela's couldn't care less. The extent of their help was looking around with a flashlight for about 5 seconds, never offering to call the police, comp a drink, question a staff member, or even an apology. Basically, if you decide to go here, watch out for your stuff! Who knows if this place is regularly targeted or if it was an inside job, but either way, dont expect any sympathy or even a decent human social skill from the staff at Zarela if it happens to you! more

A group of 5 went to Zarelas, the margaritas were good, the service was horrible. Empty plates were left on our table, we all ordered margartias, appetizers and some entrees. But still were forced to order more because of the minimum per person; which we weren't told about til after we all had settled and ordered drinks. My entree was forgotten, and the waiter reassured me it wasn't my fault. Who says that? I however, still had to order more food which I told them to put in a to go box. The waiter didnt seem to know the menu because when he was asked if one entree could be shared between two people he said ""yes"" when in fact it couldn't be. It was overall the worst mexican restaurant experience I have ever had. Pros: Margaritas Cons: EVERYTHING ELSE. more

After hearing all the hype about this place, I went there with a group of six. I ordered a pork dish, and almost immediately bit into what turned out to be a piece of a broken plate. I obviously had to wait for a new dish to arrive, but the waiter/manager failed to comp us a drink, or even my new entree, simply saying that it was enough that we didn't have to pay for the dish with the broken plate in it. more

The margaritas are made right! The most I've ever heard anyone drink is 4 or 5!\r \r And the tasty food will keep your blood-alchohol level below .2%\r \r Call a cab! more

I've been eating at Zarela for years and have always enjoyed the food and Margaritas. I find it to be one of the best mexican joints in the city, although the attitude at the door is a big turn-off for me. Regardless, its hard to find really good mexican food here, so we keep returning and once seated, and sitting in front of a nice margarita, its all OK, just don't expect 4 star service! Pros: food, margaritas, festive Cons: attitude, service more

Zarela's is one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in the city. The aptmosphere is festive and the food is nothing to sniff at. Don't come here expecting to have a civilized and quiet meal. It can get rowdy and loud. But if you are looking for good food, a fun environment, and a decent value, come to Zarela's. Pros: It's a Party Everyday, Good Drinks and Food, Won't Break the Bank Cons: Can Be Rowdy more

My husband and I are Mexican food fanatics. Our hotel was not far from Zarela and we thought we would try it out. Their happy hour must be a good time, as the bar was packed when we arrived at 7pm. We were taken upstairs to a very crowded dining room. Our table was positioned right in between two other couples and it felt like we were all dining together. The atmosphere was loud and it was difficult to have a conversation when competing with the music and the people sitting right beside you. The chips were fine and the salsa was quite good but I have had far better drinks elsewhere, and we upgraded our tequila. The menu was lacking and did not have many options. I had a shrimp dish that was delicious but I was already disappointed by the time I received my meal. When we ordered, the waiter asked what side dish we wanted. Thinking a side dish was included, we both ordered the cheese rice, which was not Mexican at all and after receiving our bill found out the side dish was not included with our meals. The waiter had ""suckered"" us into ordering side dishes by making us think they were included. He did not ask if we wanted to order a side, he asked what we wanted as our side. If you want a side, this isn't a problem but if your meal is large enough, you will want to be aware of this. The service was lack luster and it was very difficult to understand our waiter, especially with the noise. I left the evening feeling riped off instead of satisfied. Pros: Good entree Cons: Service, Ambience, Price more

I had a feeling this place was going to be great when I heard the owner was from Oaxaca, Mexico. If you know anything about Mexican cuisine, you know that Oaxcans can cook! Zarela never dissapoints! As a pure bread Mexican woman, I dare say that she does it better than my grandma (please don't tell, it would send my beloved abuela to her grave if she heard me say these things). This is REAL Mexican, not the Tex-Mex so many of us are used to (but heah that stuff is still great for a hangover). The food is slightly pricey for my student budget, but it is certainly better than a trip across the border. It is the best I have had outside of Mexico and certainly the best in NYC! Pros: There is no better place for a party of 2-4! Cons: It is a bit crowded and not good for a big group. more

All those folks who wrote about the friendliness of the staff at this place must be patronizing the alternate universe Zarela. Can't possibly be the same place I know. After a visit, I often say to my wife, never again. But yes, we recently found ourselves shoe-horned into the packed upstairs dining room. The reason -- the wildly inconsistent food is sometimes head and shoulders above most other Mexican in the city. But man, what an attitude. Google the NY Times review/article on the place of a year or so ago. Says it all. Pros: Inconsistent but sometimes exceptional food Cons: Nasty tude more

In town as tourists for the holidays. Very friendly staff and bartender. Cheerful atmosphere & above standard food. Generous servings and well priced. Birria was great. Highly recommended. A gem. I will seek it out on my return to NYC. more

My friends and I all went to Zarela the other night and I must sing it's praises. What a gem. Zarela is one of the most charming restaurants on the upper east side. The food was , in my opinion, the standard setter for mexican cuisine in the city. The ambience was fun and romantic. The service was very friendly as well. We all left very satisfied. If you are in the neighborhood stopping by to dine at this amazing restaurant is a must! Very highly recommended. Pros: Ambience, Food, Service more

Went for dinner with a few work friends on a Wednesday to Zarela's and wasn't impressed. I LOVE Mexican food and have better in Queens. The place is very cute and out waitress was amazing. The service and drinks were great but the food left a lot to be desired. Pros: Great waitress, Nice Atmosphere Cons: Appetizers, Food in General more

Once you go to Zarela, you will never want to head to another Mexican dining spot again and it may become one of your top destinations for frozen drinks too. Reasonably priced, very personable staff and casual atmosphere make this one of my favorite spots to return in NYC. Pros: Service, cold drinks and fajitas (do not forget the guacamole!) Cons: Small space...make reservations if possible. more

This restaurant is not an ordinary chain Tex-Mex or taco joint. This fare is from Oaxaca, a southern region of Mexico, if I remember correctly. The entrees were unique and delicious. The last time I was there my husband and I chose the three course fixed price menu. The price was around $20 per person and included dessert, which was also scrumptious - and a fabulous deal! The atmosphere and staff are both charming. Try Zarela's if you want a unique and different experience at a very reasonable price. Pros: cool decorations, yummy rice more

I went here a couple weekends ago with two friends. I'm a vegetarian and not very familiar with Mexican food, so went out of my way to ask the waiter that what I was ordering was vegetarian. The server, however, did NOT understand English and sent a dish with chicken. The restaurant was dark and the chicken combined with other ingredients so I did not realize his mistaken until after a couple of bites. I have been a vegetarian for 14 years so obviously this was deeply disturbing. Our table was clearly very upset and he was completely incompetent and unsympathetic to our situation. I do NOT recommend this place at all. I don't understand how a server can make such an important and fundamental mistake, especially when a patron goes out of her way to confirm that she is getting a vegetarian dish. Worst customer service Ever!! Cons: Waiters don't understand English, Don't care about Vegetarians, Completely Incompetent Service more

I'm a huge fan of mexican food, and any other latin cuisine due to the fact that I'm hispanic myself and come from a huge family that loves to cook. My boyfriend and I have been on a quest to find a truly authentic Mexiacn restaurant in the city. No luck yet. My two favorite spots are in Forest Hills and Sunnyside Queens. I've read about Zarela and was looking forward to going. Margaritas, service, and chips and salsa were the only good things. Highly dispointing menu selction ,small portions , and you had to pay additonal for your sides which btw, were nothing exciting and far from mexican. We walked out of there so disappointed and will never go back. Better places in the city to choose from. Pros: Margaritas, service Cons: menu selction, portions, expensive more