Acapulco
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
39 Reviews for Acapulco
it's been a minute since i have been here but it was always good and the waitress emma at the time was dope.... little too pricey though. other than that - two thumbs up!
Came here with a friend to wait while his bike was being built up over at The Bike Shop Santa Cruz. Place was pretty busy, it was graduation day for the high schoolers.
We sat outside, and service was pretty slow. I can't hold it against them, though. They were doing the best while being understaffed.
Food was pretty good, and the outside seating is very nice. Price was reasonable for what you get.
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Overall impression: A cheap mistake.
I suppose consulting Yelp before visiting this place wouldn't have helped us avoid it, so I feel less bad about our decision to enter and eat despite my gut reaction at what I saw on (bafflingly empty) plates - doesn't look so good.
God I feel like a snob*. But, onward.
The guacamole was literally pickled** in lemon and funny tasting. The beans were bland. The lettuce was iceberg. Not great for a taqueria, which is where we definitely should have ended up, and even less acceptable for a sit-down place...and yet the prices were so reasonable, it's fairly guilt-inducing to come down too hard on them.
Definitely a place for the hungry, as their plates are big, and their chips and salsa are excellent. They sell booze and have a patio, which must be pretty instrumental in keeping people coming back. The waitstaff were really nice, too, and happened to mention that the restaurant hadn't been making a profit in some time. My ungrounded suspicion is that were the owner to raise the prices, he'd have to do something about the taste factor of the food (ie ingredients, prep staff), and that might just send expenses to a place where they're making even LESS money. Tough situation. Doesn't mean I feel bad enough to return here, though.
*Because I am. We've established this.
**"effervescent" said Jules, which was a better descriptor
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We had not planned to come to eat here while we were in Santa Cruz, but after strolling down Pacific Avenue looking for a suitable dinner place on a semi-busy Saturday night, we settled on the Acapulco. We were seated right away, toward the back where it's actually quieter. I ordered their taco salad ($9.95) and upgraded the meat to skirt steak for $2 extra. It was well worth the upgrade price as the skirt steak was fantastic. I also liked that the salad included both iceburg and spring mix lettuce, and the combination of all the different texture of the ingredients was very interesting.
By the way, our server, Rachel, was really nice and helpful.
Bottom Line: I'm glad we came here, as it exceeded my expectations.
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Good place to go out to dinner & get some good Mexican food w/ friends. As others have said, great endless chips & salsa! So addicting...just don't eat too many before your meal arrives!
The fajitas are delicious and quite filling. I got the portobello fajitas and they were amazing! I'd def. order them again. They were pretty generous on the portions for everything we ordered.
The staff is very attentive, and took time to take pictures of our group. They checked up on us multiple times to ask if we wanted refills on drinks, and chips & salsa.
Note: For college students who go out to eat in groups, and like to separate checks, they don't do separate checks for groups 5 or larger. Just a heads up.
Since it's nearing Cinco de Mayo, I'm devoting my next 3 reviews on Mexican restos here in SC...starting with this place:
Saturday afternoon lunch spot. Had the fish tacos because I've been craving Rubio's (yes, out of all places...I freaking love their fish tacos!!!!) and santa cruz doesn't have Rubio's. The plate was huge and because I was hungry, i thought that i could the entire thing but i couldn't in the end. Enjoyable fish tacos, friendly service, I wouldn't mind going here for a mid-day pick me up (margaritas) if necessary.
Really good Mexican food! Free chips while waiting... mmmmmm. I just wish they had a fresh cut tomato type salsa, that was mild. The service was very friendly at the bar where we ate and drank. Great Midori Margarita's! I tried to focus on eating my food while my friend was getting an earful from the gay guys next to us... filling us in on their wild adventures. The bartender was catching parts of the shocking conversation too... LOL... Let's just say it was a very "interesting" night! ;)
I didn't realize I hadn't reviewed Acapulco yet! After being in Santa Cruz for over 5 years, this is one of the few restaurants in town that hasn't shut down AND has been one I've consistently gone back to.
For a sit-down Mexican meal, this is where I'd go. The service use to be pretty lousy even on an empty day, but over the years they've really ramped it up, so now even on busy nights you are served very timely.
Their lunch menu is nice, and Acapulco is a great spot to take a nicer lunch break than grabbing a quick slice of pizza at Pizza My Heart next door.
I'd recommend the fajitas. Yes, they are a bit on the $$ end but if you are like me, they will easily carry over for another meal the next day. I'd also recommend requesting the vegetarian rice and beans if your meal comes with them- I find them more tasty! Maybe the endless chips and salsa are also probably a reason why I can't ever finish my food here....
I think I have eaten my weight in chips and salsa here. It's really good-quite possibly the best chips and salsa in town.
I think I actually come here for that-and for the fact that they have SUCH a cheap lunch menu-lunch for two (minus alcohol or soda) I'm outta there with tip at 16-17 bucks max. And that's for a combination plate!
It might be funny looking on the inside but the service is decent and you aren't forking out a ton for a sit down meal.
I don't necessarily go here for a good margarita-they are a bit overpriced for bottom shelf tequila-but the last time I went out, the waitress upgraded our tequila for free. I think that is worth 5 stars!!
Anyway...LOVE it. Oh...and the portions are definitely on the huge side.
I really enjoy eating here. The food isn't blow-your-head-up good, but everything is quite tasty--if you like steak, don't pass up trying theirs. As lots of people have said, the free chips are piping hot and delicious... I'll often eat dinner there just to justify chatting with friends over chips. The atmosphere is nice and the servers are friendly. It's simply a nice place to eat.
Out of all the places to eat in Santa Cruz, I walked into this joint. The food wasn't too bad, but it wasn't anything to write home about either. As for the restaurant itself, well it was okay. There was just nothing at all that jumped out at me, good or bad which makes this place easy to forget.
All in all, I'd say everything was pretty mediocre...the food, the service, the restaurant. They did have decent chips and salsa though.
Not a place I'm planning to return to.
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I'm only giving 3 stars because of the exceptional service. Our food was only 2 stars - huge portions - but the food was way too salty. The margaritas weren't that great either. However, the salsa was pretty good and the atmosphere was festive.
On the night we were here, there was some sort of game on the TV and there were people yelling and carrying on - I found this annoying - if I wanted a sports bar, I would have gone to one.
Next time I'm in downtown SC, I'll probably go elsewhere for Mexican food.
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By far and away one of my favorite places to eat-amazingly they have probably the best BURGER in town-absolutly to die for!The wings are always a great treat and the bbq chicken quesadilla is fantastic-big enough for two.The Bandito cocktail is strong and flavorful for those that dont do TQ.
-Free chips and salsa while you wait for your food
-Delicious sopas, chicken sandwich, taquitos, and tamales
-Amazing fajitas!
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The carne asada here can melt in your mouth, unfortunately it's also been too salty before. The veggies have always been overcooked and the service is generally slow and can smother / overcompensate. Their margaritas are alright, though they can be on the watery side.
There are certainly better places in Santa Cruz that are cheaper. (El Chino is one of them.) However they might not be in as nice or convenient a location.
Protip: Although I haven't been, I hear their happy hour is decent, price, food, and drink-wise.
P.S. They share a kitchen with Pizza My Heart.
This place is pretty delicious. It has a really strange menu and the layout is kind of weird, but their food is fantastic and the service is pretty good(although last time our waitress dropped a full tray of drinks on my mom and all we got was some free guac :( ) Anyway, when I say their menu is weird, I mean if you are looking at the standard mexican dinner chicken subsection you have a choice of the following chicken dishes:
Chicken Mole
Chicken Club Sandwich
Some sort of chicken pasta dish.
Now, granted you can get chicken fajitas, tacos, burritos, etc from those individual sections. But I imagine a lot of people will feel weird about the chicken section, as I know I did(by the way I got the chicken club once and it was very good.) The highlight of this place for me is that they EASILY have the best mexican rice in santa cruz(if you read my reviews you will know I am obsessed with mexican rice). It is certainly not vegan/vegetarian, but it is VERY tasty. Last time we went, I got the chicken and shrimp fajitas and my girlfriend had the portabella mushroom fajitas. She is a vegetarian so she actually got the veggie rice, which wasnt bad at all. The mushrooms were probably the best I have ever had and my shrimp and chicken were cooked well and there was plenty of them. The salsa is a bit hot, but not tooo hot. They also have a full bar with delicious margaritas. After rereading all this I am not sure why I am only giving a 4 and not a 5, but I would say a 4.5 is appropriate, but I dont want to turn into the guy giving every place a 5.
Happy cinco de mayo !!
We decided to explore what SC had to offer. We were going for breakfast but after seeing some menu around downtown, we decided to take a chance and go to a Mexican restaurant...and we were both hesitant but after sitting down, receiving chips and salsa...we were hopeful.
I ordered the steak fajitas and the boy ordered chili verde plate...with corn tortillas...hmmm....very good stuff! The portions were just right...like we weren't hurting to get off the table good portion...and the service was nice. It was nice that we were able to take a chance and discover a good place in the end...
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I've been here twice and both times were awesome.
The first time I came with my friend for lunch. The chips and salsa were amazing and the food itself was delicious. I can't quite remember what I ordered, but I do remember it was good (I think it was fish tacos, yum...). I thought it was great that when my friend and I asked for crayons and the coloring placemat, our server was happy to provide us with them, despite us not being children. Coloring really makes the time fly by!
The second time I came here was with my housemates. We all went downtown to do some school work and decided to have breakfast together. We were really sad that Acapulco opened at 11, because we got downtown around 10-10:30, and already the breakfast places downtown were already packed, with huge lines going out the door.
After walking around, we were finally able to be seated, the first of the restaurant. I feel like they should come in a little earlier to set up so that they can open right on time, especially if there are people waiting.
We chose outside seating, which was nice, until the weather got windy. We noticed that some of our utensils were a bit spotted. Our server noticed my knife was dirty when she was setting up the table and took it away, but never seemed to get one back to me (which didn't really matter, because I didn't need it for my meal, but still...).
My housemates ordered their Pozole and Huevos Rancheros. I ordered the Chorizo & Egg with another housemate. It was definitely not what I expected, but still very delicious and super filling. Watch out for their plates! Those things are scorching hot. I tried some of their Pozole, and it was SO good (better than the one I tried at La Cabaa).
They have a pretty large selection, so I wonder what my next meal will be...
simply put, Acapulco is a really nice restaurant with a nice selection to choose from while you are munching on their chips and salsa. The staff was very nice as well. They don't hold back on the portions and I have to say that they sure know how to cook. The wait sometimes may take a while but thats expected at a place like this.
I had just eaten lunch.
I WASN'T hungry.
My boyfriend said he had never been to the Acapulco.
*gasp*
We B-lined it to the Acapulco.
Ordered a margarita and a prawn burrito.
He hates prawns.
But not these prawns.
These were garlic-butter-delicious prawns from heaven.
With veggies, and black beans.
I gained about five pounds that day.
BUT, I earned major cool girlfriend kudos.
I love the Auapulco.
See you this weekend.
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I visited The Acapulco for the first time on a Tuesday night for dinner. It wasn't too busy so we were immediately seated and the wait staff was very prompt. They brought over chips and mild salsa immediately and took our drink order right away. I ordered a chicken burrito and was shocked how quickly it came as well as how large the portions were. But the best part was how it tasted. The refried beans and rice were great and the chicken burrito couldn't have been better. The price was super inexpensive which made me smile too. I'll definitely be coming back again. 5 stars!!!!!
Went here for happy hour.
From the nachos and the dinner plate we ordered, I can tell this is really excellent food. The nachos are on the happy hour list, so they were cheap as hell, too. The chips and salsa are OK, I think the chips are too crispy.
The service was excellent, friendly and prompt.
They have quite a list of tequilas you can use for your margarita, and we ordered Cazadores Reposado. It was a little syrupy, but otherwise delicious. Came to $6.00+t/t each during happy hour. I think the normal price for that is something around $7, and I'm pretty sure I read on the menu that "top shelf" margaritas were $5.50 during happy hour, so I don't know what the deal was there. This is a little pricey for happy hour for me, and I'm too picky to order well tequila. I didn't look at their beer selection, maybe it's a better choice? This is the reason I'm not giving them 5 stars.
But man, the food alone is a good enough reason to come here. Definitely one of the best non-taqueria style mexican restaurants in town.
Oh, and MAJOR points for friday happy hour and outdoor seating on Pacific Ave!
Service was s bit slow at times but our food was tasty and the patio seating was nice for people watching. The chips and salsa near filled me up before my meal came and the margarita was tasty, albeit a little weakish. Good to kick a craving but not the most likely destination restaurant. More like "oh, Mexican food sounds good. Let's go here."
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Is it the best mexican food you've had, no. Is it pretty cheap? Yes. Do they have awesome service? Yes. Do you get tasty chips and salsa? Yes. Do they mix a mean margarita or daqueria? OH YES.
And well the food, is pretty tasty, I love cheese and there's lot of that, I like there red sauce, the meats are pretty good though not super fantabulous, I love their enchiladas and flautas, mighty tasty. It's tasty, fun, never a huge crazy wait even on weekends and really its a good little mexican place for downtown.
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I was so surprised at the number of options there were on the menu for vegetarian food - they were open to making anything vegetarian (including a soy based protein option), and it actually tasted good.
The salsa that was served in the beginning was quite spicy, but it was very fresh tasting...and the chips were warm, so it made for a great combo.
There was a lot of food for the lunch time portions. I mix and matched and got different items in my combo, and it was a perfect first visit, because I liked everything. I would definitely stop in here again.
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I've eaten at Acapulco on several occasions and never had a bad experience. The margaritas are great, they have vegetarian (and vegan items on the menu), and they have outdoor seating which is great for people watching on Pacific Avenue.
They have a great vegan burrito made with soyrizo , which is what I usually get. I've also tried the fish tacos and most of the seafood dishes and they are all very good.
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It's a great little restaurant on Pacific. The food is good, and the service is good too. It's definately better than Taqueria Vallarta, but definately doesn't even compare to La Corneta in San Francisco. I ordered a tamale plate which came with black beans and spanish rice...It was good, not great. (3 stars)
On a recent visit to Acapulco, I had an amazing meal! I ordered the Blackened Prime Rib plate ($14) and it was more than worth it...it was delicious, the rice was perfectly seasoned, the veggies were tasty and there was enough to save for a midnight snack! Their chips are crispy and freshly fried, along with their fresh and spicy salsa. The pico de gallo is good too, but be prepared for it to show up on your bill if you ask for it. Overall..a great place to get dinner on a Friday night in Santa Cruz!
Why don't they make this place a burgers and fries place. I think they are better off that way. Anyway, they have mediocre mexican food and they have a really good Mexican waiter who refills your chips if they ever run out. Crazy stuff. But, their burgers and fries is the BOMB, it's better than the Mexican food they trying to hard to make. Overall, I would go back again if it wasn't that expensive for a burrito.
My boyfriend went out to Santa Cruz for a couple of days last year for our 4 year anniversary. We went downtown for some dinner and we saw this place.
We got some taquitos for an appetizer which were VERY good! I loved them. The food wasn't exactly authentic mexican food, but it was still very good. I got chicken fajitas which were very good.
I'd go back again, when in Santa Cruz.
This was intended to be a fun night out. Two friends and my self went out to have some good food, and good drinks. This was successful. Then came our hostess... she was not treating her customers (us) appropriately. After just finishing with our dinner, and working on our last margaritas, she asked us to get up and move to a different table, or leave.... she needed our table to seat another party. It was just rude, considering we had just spent $60 on dinner. She would have not ruined our night out, if she would have waited 5 more minutes and not rushed us. It was all about money, not experience.
"omg, it's sooo crowded!" excuse my sister for being people-phobic. haha. it wasn't really crowded, i think the patio gets crowded. we walked the short distance from the patio to the entrance & it wasn't crowded at all.
restrooms were nasty --- & i'm really particular about restroom usage. i don't blame the cleaner entirely because PEOPLE who use the restrooms should have enough common sense / deceny to clean after themselves & their surroundings! ugh.
the service was all right...it seemed like the waitresses were always in a hurry but there weren't many people there. i think there were enough servers to accommodate each table. anyhoo, i liked it because the chips + salsa were always full but i didn't like the fact that our waters weren't. hm.
food is all right. it tasted a lot like (dare i say it) chevy's. maybe i should have tried out the huge (but ohh sooo good) $7.95 burrito instead.
oh & boo to $2.00 lemonade (+1 refill).
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Great combo of the Churizo and Eggs for Breakfast, a choice of crab and shrimp enchiladas or an alcohol/soda drenched carnitas platter for lunch then to close it all off an awesome skirt steak plater for dinner...
A complete dining experience combo at a reasonable price....DAMN that was good.
Oh and its near the Del Mar theater for a pre or after dinner date...
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At the risk of repeating myself about my priorities. You can sit outside. This would be one of the main reasons for me choosing a place to eat. I'm not a big Mexican food fanatics. I stick with the basics. But there are precious few places in Santa Cruz where you can actually have a Margarita in the sun. The staff is friendly and the wait isn't too long, but you may have to be patient for an outdoor seat.
For many years this place looked like an eyesore downtown with all its beer flags outside, though I had never really taken the time to stop and look at the place, let alone the menu. One day my friend mentioned that she loved the place, and in no time at all I was dining there.
I now consider this the best Mexican food in Santa Cruz! I've been to nearly every Mexican restaurant in this town, but none can compare to the quality and quantity of the food you get here. My favorite is the Carnitas which come with a bunch of stuff and taste sooo good! Other good choices are (though not exactly authentic) are the burger and sandwich. Both are for those nights you get dragged out to Mexican, even though you're not feelin' it. And as expected, the enchiladas and tacos are great.
The pricing is a little more expensive than the average Mexican good joint, but it's so good that it doesn't matter. Not to mention the service is generally pretty fast!
What To Look At While You Wait For Your Food:
There's nothing much to look at when you're inside. The bar is always lively. And you could sit outside and people watch, though I never have since it's usually too cold at night.
Outside seating is great for people watching on a weekend night. The inside has a cozy, sporty, bar, we're all friends, atmosphere.
For starters the chips and salsa are a little different, but in a good way. The salsa is a thin mix without much chunk to it. I suggest ordering the guac and dipping into both with each chip.
The carnitas were very tasty and deliciously moist. The GF eats plain tacos with just cheese and prefers ground beef to shredded. After our trip to The Alcapulco she claims that these shredded beef tacos are the best she has ever had! Because I like to eat, a lot, I finished her order off and must agree. The margaritas are pretty strong but well flavored, a nice combination.
The waitstaff was great and right on top of everything even though the restaurant was very busy. We'll be back when we head down to Santa Cruz.
our regular lunch spot in sta. cruz. nice outdoor seating for drinking good margaritas & good people watching on pacific ave. on a nice sunny day!!! they have great chicken fajitas (love the lunch special deal of $6.95), very tastee served on an iron sizzling plate with a side of rice, refried beans, salsa, guacamole & sour cream. my hub & i actually split this plate & get an extra side of the fixins -- tortilla, rice, beans, salsa, guac, & sour cream.
not much of an atmosphere inside........its dark & there's a bar, not much else going on inside...........
when i was going to college in santa cruz, I'd come here for happy hour. =)
its so fun. grabbed a bunch of friends and visited downtown.
i loved their 2 item or 3 item combos. and I ALWAYS had left overs so i would bring them home and eat it when i got hungry again.
Another Americanized Mexican restaurant, but great flavourful food. Great prices, nice employees. They treat you well, with a lot of amounts of food. Great service in a good location with plenty of mexican food. It is a good place to eat, and probaby the best Mexican food in the area. I recommend this place. They give a lot. They give you like 1.5 plates of food with an order of burrito. Sit outside in the sun on a hot day.
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