Zuni Cafe

Doesn't Recommend

kosherhotdog

Joined 10 years ago

Don't waste your time. I used to love stopping into ZUNI years ago, the crowd was fun and loved good food. the service was on the mark and the drinks were great. Over the past several years I've watched the quality of the food go down and the service is just plain BAD. This used to be one of those places I'd always take out -of -towner's for an only in SF feeling. Now, I can't imagine ever going back. It's a shame really, this was a place that really made the city a foodie destination.

Doesn't Recommend

jenwng

Joined 10 years ago

a long time customer. i can't believe that the editorial review gave this place a 9...people at zuni must have known you guys were coming. i used to live around the corner and go there every weekend. i would have given the place a 10 about two years ago but not anymore. i went there recently and i barely believe how much the service went down the drain. someone else said it correctly...since when did zuni become a self-service place? i had to ask for bread and water after a half hour. then after eating my main meal, i watched my empty plate for another half hour. then when my plate was picked up, the waitress held the plate over my head while cleaning off my table!!! i'm never going back again. such a waste...

Recommends

efstredo

Joined 11 years ago

Superb!. After living in SF for 5 years, we decided it was time to try Zuni. Some of the mixed reviews listed on citysearch made us a bit nervous, but we decided to go for it anyway. We really enjoyed our meal, the ambiance, and the service! The chicken for two and ceaser salad are superb! And the waiter was very helpful in helping us choose the oysters, wine, and dessert. In fact, the service was excellent all the way around! We will definitely return!

Recommends

steveno

Joined 10 years ago

Zuni. Now and forever.. The Zuni vision of what a restaurant can be is more European than American, but the food could only be in California. Judy's personal take on French, Italian, and California food (get the cookbook!) is poetic and definitive, a story that begins with the city's freshest oysters and cleanest cocktails, moves through fascinating, simple salads and comforting peasant food, then on to wood oven roasted entrees, and finally, a perfect unadorned dessert: a granita, a tart, a slice of chocolate cake, or a bit of cheese and fruit. Zuni doesn't try to dazzle. The room is design-free -- just a slice of sunny urban corner divvied up into bustling kitchen, bar, and dining areas. On the rare bad day service can be uneven; that's when you pretend you're in France. It's a sturdy classic, and one of the best restaurants I've frequented, anywhere in the world.

Recommends

Jason_W

Joined 10 years ago

A must for a late lunch. Have a late lunch here. Best Bloody Mary I have ever had. Great service. Food took a while to make, but was worth the wait. Atmosphere added to the dinning experience. Arrive at off times or make reservations if you do not want to wait.

Doesn't Recommend

italygo

Joined 10 years ago

Over-rated. Terrible service. So-so food. Uninspired atmosphere with bad lighting. Once we finally ordered, we barely saw the server- she never asked us if we wanted another bottle of wine, failed to bring us another bottle of water, and didn't seem very knowledgeable about the food. She certainly didn't help the otherwise lackluster experience at what felt like a very tired restaurant.

Doesn't Recommend

elizabeth_huey

Joined 10 years ago

Service, PLEASE!!!!. Since when did Zuni become a self service restaurant? The food was good as usual, but I had to beg for a coffee refill, water, pepper for my salad, and ketchup for my fries. It gets a bit tiresome when you have to keep flagging down your waiter. Not my idea of relaxing lunch.

Doesn't Recommend

iweke

Joined 10 years ago

Can you say "Not Good". I hung out at the bar before our table was ready. Low and behold they didn't serve martini's. Irritating to start off with. No chairs to sit down during a hard day at work. When we were finally seated, ordered, etc... I found the food to not be filling. Let's just say a trip to McDonalds would have been more satisfying. This was a true disappointment.

Doesn't Recommend

gutenberg

Joined 11 years ago

too slow, too cold. I have been to Zuni a number of times and have enjoyed the food. However, my visit yesterday was particularly disappointing. As always we ordered oysters and these took about forty minutes. Then it took a long time for our pizza and burger. And, worse, while waiting we froze! It was a wet day outside and we hoped for a warm place inside. The whole building was so cold, everyone sitting in coats and sweaters, at least one person with a scarf. Our neighbors had the same trouble. And those on our other side, who ordered after us, somehow were served before us. If burgers take a little longer, as they said when we complained, then this could/should be explained up front. Won't go again, soon, and never in winter.

Doesn't Recommend

collatinus989

Joined 11 years ago

overrated. What is the big deal?

We tried twice - both times were disappointed.

The "special chicken" was not up to the glorious recommendation.

Chez Panisse on the other hand...