Zuni Cafe
(415) 552-2522
1658 Market St
San Francisco,
CA
94102
37.7735
-122.4211
Neighborhoods: SoMa (South of Market), Central East
What People Are Saying About Zuni Cafe
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
The Scene
Tucked into a narrow corner building shaped like a slice of pie, Zuni is ideal for people-watching. Expansive gallery windows, exposed-brick walls and a coppertop bar set the scene. The quieter second-floor loft is perched above an open kitchen, where chefs buzz from the old-fashioned brick oven to the sparkling oyster bar. Although most of the tightly packed tables seat a dapper business crowd, Zuni also attracts the occasional affluent family with well-behaved children.
The Food
The French and Italian inspired menu changes daily and offers a few menu staples. The entrees come with a twist; here, "meat-and-potatoes" means perfectly cooked Grimaud Farm guinea hen on a bed of buttermilk spuds, juicy seared carrots and crumbled house-made pancetta. A major draw is the fresh and richly flavorful oyster bar, with exotic choices from British Columbia to Cape Cod. All-ricotta gnocchi, cured anchovies and oven-roasted chicken for two are some of the popular standards on their daily rotating menu. All meat is organic, and the legendary Zuni burger is seasoned 24 hours in advance--with nothing but salt.
User Reviews
danandashley
March 08, 2009
"Fair at best" is an appropriate description. Hate that we spent 175 with a bottle of wine and tip. Service was mediocre, very non-intursive to be polite. chicken served with a slight pink hue, which I am not accustomed to; combination of flavors was to be commended with the fried sweet potatoes and bitter greens. Tuna was a bit strong and not much flavor and too much char on the veggies. too many other good establishments to choose from. they must have comp'd the fodor's et al reviewers.
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KnowsQuality
March 07, 2009
Zuni Cafe has been around soooo long, and yet it is still so very relevant as a culinary destination. We arrived on a Thursday night and the place was packed. It was around 8pm. We were given a table in a smaller room upstairs, not bad considering we had no reservations. The server was incredibly friendly and very attentive without being overbearing. He made great suggestions and did not become negative when my friend ordered two appetizers. My friend had the polenta with marscapone and a Caesar salad. I had the rabbit salad and the flat iron steak. We split a bottle of Qupe Petite Syrah. There were other items on the menu I wanted (the beat salad, the sole, etc), so you should be able to find a selection of items that will appeal to most tastes. This place has a very sort of New York feel to it. I love it. We will be back!
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MelissaFromIL
August 12, 2008
My husband and I chose to go here after noting the 5-star review on CitySearch... Wish I had read the review right before mine first! We had reservations for 10. We were seated where I thought was a terrible spot - in a hallway-like bottleneck right across from the waiter's station, looking into the kitchen. My husband thought it was neat to watch the food being prepared, but I would have much preferred a seat by the window, especially since we had reservations! Our waitress was friendly - when we saw her, which was hardly ever. You'd think that being by the waiter's station would mean she's be around frequently, but nope. She took our orders, and about thirty seconds after the food was served (by someone else), she asked how it was. Our menus, bread, salads, food, and drinks were all brought out by assorted mute staff. Had anyone cared to ask how the food was after we actually had a chance to taste it, my husband would have said his pork was amazing, and I would have said my "baked" salmon was raw. Literally. It was cooked through about 2mm. If I had wanted sushi, there are plenty of other places I could have gone. I picked around the green bean salad seasoned (too) heavily with cilantro, my husband finished his pork... and 20 minutes later someone cleared our plates. Didn't ask how it was, nothing, just grabbed the plates and silverware and took it away. To summarize, if you choose to go, get the pork, and don't expect any kind of service from your waitress.
read full reviewThe Details on Zuni Cafe
When to Go:
If you seek their signature burger, plan to go for lunch or go late; it's not on the dinner menu until 10pm.
Know Before You Go:
The friendly, laid-back attitude at Zuni means you should expect to wait a while for food and even aperitifs; also, reservations are encouraged.
Save Money:
Keep in mind that Zuni charges a $20 corkage fee.
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Travelers Check
Restaurant Special Features:
Local Favorite, Brunch, Outdoor Dining, People Watching, Business Dining
