Reviews Zocalito Latin Bistro

I recently attended a wedding in Oaxaca city and fell in love with the food that the region has to offer. We were there for 5 days and ate a different dish every single meal, I couldn’t get enough of all the different flavors. Upon returning to Colorado I was craving those flavors almost immediately and found Zocalito just 2 blocks from where I live. I figured it would be extremely Americanized with tons of salt and no authentic spices but couldn’t have been more wrong. Everything I had there I ended up saying “this is some of the best ____ I’ve ever had”. The chef/owner goes directly to the source for the peppers... I felt like I was right back on a oaxacan rooftop being mind blown by the flavors accompanied by a good mezcal. If you’re a fan of good mole, go. If you want to explore New Latin flavors that isn’t just tacos, burritos, and green Chile, this is your spot!

We were impressed by the delicious pops of flavor at Zocalito. The calamari and black cod were especially well executed. Our cocktails and the service were excellent, too.

Always an amazing experience at Zocalito, it is becoming my go-to when out in Denver. The menu is very unique, and the food always outstanding. Probably because the chef and the staff are very knowledgeable about their cuisine and the culture behind it. Their recommendations are always on point! The chorizo and poblano cheese dip is a must and even though I'm never hungry by the time comes dessert... I always end up ordering the crepes, because they're so delicious! Highly recommend!

We had a group of ten and it was a lovely evening. All our drinks and dishes were fresh with authentic ingredients and flavor. Service was helpful and attentive. It was a great find for our visit to Denver! I highly recommend Zocalitos. Enjoy!

Small place but nice menu with a few modernized “Latin “ but really highly Mexican inspired options. Calamari appetizer was perfectly fried : crispy yet tender and served with a flavor bomb of a sauce. Trout was well cooked though a bit meager for the price and served on too small a plate (I guess designed to make the plate seem full) that made for awkward eating. Service was just outstanding. Super attentive waiter (wish I had got his name) who was paying attention to everyone’s needs. Great evening

Excellent service! Great food and drink. Perfect margs! Made with lime and were not too sweet. Oaxacan chicken was spicy, flavorful and authentic. Desserts topped off the meal with 100% satisfaction. Our table of 5 were impressed!

Absolutely incredible South American inspired cuisine. Their moles were great. We enjoyed the skirt steak and the black cod. Both dishes were fantastic. Can't wait to come back!

Chef Michael Beary has been running Zocalito in Aspen for the past 15 years, but has just (December 28, 2018) relocated to the Denver Place complex in downtown Denver. The new space is very pretty with large windows facing 18th Street, a large bar, and multiple seating areas. Alebrijes, Mexican folk-art sculptures, by Pedro Linares are everywhere and bring an authentic charm to the space. We arrived for lunch on the fourth day that the restaurant has been open. There were a few minor glitches in service (the chicken wings arrived after the rest of the meal, the check took a long time to return after payment), but everything ran pretty smoothly. The server was charming and helpful. The chef is fascinated by heirloom peppers from the Oaxaca region of Mexico and has been instrumental in creating a market in the wider world for them so that they don't die out. These are not particularly hot peppers, but they are very unusual and all of the items we tried had unique and interesting flavors. We started with the salsa and guacamole. The presentation of this dish was very different. We received a soup bowl of pico de gallo with a little mountain of guacamole in its center. The unusual peppers gave the salsa a wonderful, smoky taste while the guacamole and fresh chips were both fantastic. We made short work of this beautiful dish. My friend and I both ordered soups, I had the tortilla while he had the pozole. I've had a lot of really bad pozole around Denver. I don't understand why. This pozole was amazing. A wonderful flavor from the special peppers, rich and delicious. My chicken soup was just OK in comparison. The ingredients were good individually, but the depth of flavor I wanted in the broth was lacking. The menu interestingly offers four versions of chicken wings with varying combinations of spice blends and heat levels. We tried one of these at the medium heat level and received a generous eight pieces of legs and wings with a nice crema for dipping. Again, the spice blend was unusual and delicious, but not too hot, and the chicken was very tasty. The chef was trained in the French tradition and combines these techniques with Oaxacan ingredients and traditional Oaxacan recipes along with other regional Mexican dishes. The results are very special. Zocalito is a wonderful addition to the Denver dining scene.

Fantastic food, cocktails and service. If you like mezcal, you will like the bar. The staff were very attentive and understanding of our large group.