Since its grand opening in 2001, El Zarape has built a reputation worthy of some of the best Mexican cuisine and margaritas in Northwest Ohio.
In June 2008, El Zarape relocated from where the restaurant Cinco De Mayo is now, to 1616 East Wooster St. in the Greenwood Center. The new building holds 229 customers with a patio weather permitting, which is slightly larger than the old location that held 180 customers.
David Olivarez is El Zarape’s general manager and his family is also part owner of the restaurant. He said what sets El Zarape apart from other Mexican restaurants is their unique style of jalisco cooking.
“We are definitely known for our margaritas, but we also focus on our original jalisco cuisine,” Olivarez said. “Jalisco is the region in Mexico my family is from; it’s around Central Mexico. Like any other country, you have variations of food in different routes, and jalisco is some of the most authentic Mexican styles around.”
El Zarape’s margaritas by the pitcher are a student favorite and some of the best around. Senior Derik Meadows has consumed enough of them to validate that reputation.
“The lemon lime margaritas are delicious,” Meadows said. “Sometimes restaurants use too much alcohol, but here they’re just too smooth. They go down pretty easy. But I just like to come here, hang out, get a meal and meet up with friends.”
El Zarape has been the recipient of several awards for their prompt service and satisfying dishes, the most impressive being the online survey sponsored by The Toledo Blade, CitySearch.com, which rated El Zarape second out of 60 non-franchise owned restaurants in Bowling Green.
With a packed parking lot and customers waiting out the door, El Zarape stays its busiest on the weekends and even draws in a large crowd on Sunday evenings.
“We stay pretty steady every day of the week,” Olivarez said. “We try to bring in more people by having a lot of different discount cards. On Thursday, anyone who is some kind of student and has an I.D. can receive 10 percent off their meal. We also have happy hour Monday to Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m.”
Freshman Meghan Chambers, a regular at El Zarape, said customers definitely get their money’s worth and receive a large portion of food for a reasonable price.
“I love El Zarape’s chips and salsa,” Chambers said. “They give you a lot of great food and it isn’t too expensive. We usually come on Thursdays and get the student discount. I’ve probably been here nine or 10 times since I’ve been living in Bowling Green and that’s only four months, so that says a lot about El Zarape’s reputation.”
Some of El Zarape’s best dishes are open for debate, but Olivarez said the chimichangas, fajitas and the quesadillas are some of the favorites. While the food at El Zarape brings in enough customers by itself, the service staff shares a close bond to many of the community regulars.
Ricky Davila is a busboy and has been employed at El Zarape since 2007. He said he enjoys working at El Zarape and getting to know the people in the Bowling Green area.
“I know a lot of people in Bowling Green from talking to the customers and being friendly,” he said. “I love working here and meeting new people. The community has a different outlook and is much more cooperative with service issues. They know we are working people and their very considerate when it comes to tipping.”