Zuni Cafe

02/11/2008 Posted by snoopral

Some people are so quick to report when their restaurant experience isn't perfect. Perhaps the waiter was rushed, or it was busy & they had to wait, or the manager was upset about something. However, rarely do people go back & mention when they had a great experience. Well, I was there on a Sunday evening with a party of 4. We sat at the entrance having cocktails, got a great table upstairs, the service was awesome, the daily menu was wonderful, the food was amazing, the desserts were also amazing. I liked it so much, that I am going back to give it a great review. Don't let those "Neigh" sayers steer you away. This place is great for a date, a big dinner party, or whatever you got in mind. We even saw a dude eating solo & loving it. So, go there, relax, enjoy & eat like royalty.

Pros: the food

Cons: parking

09/20/2007 Posted by frankie46

I had the worst possible experience at Zuni cafe The manager was the weirdest passive aggressive person I have ever met. Apparently the kitchen is open till late-until you order something, then the manager will ask you to leave and concoct some B.S story about a no cell phone rule when other people are on the phone all around you Its obvious to me that the staff do not want to stay late-so do not order the chicken-it takes an hour and that will upset them, and if you really complain as to the absurdity, they will call the police and waste their time as well Do not go there, it's really weird

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful

09/13/2007 Posted by joefoodster

I just returned to the Bay Area after moving away for several years. Been reacquainting myself with the food scene. Just had an extremely enjoyable lunch at Zuni --- thank goodness for old standbys that never change! The pizza crust was a masterpiece. The salad light and perfectly tossed. And the burger ... still a classic best! Thanks Zuni for hanging in there after all these years! Like an old friend who you haven't seen in a few years, it was easy to pick things up where we last left off.

Pros: Consistently good food after all these years

Cons: Difficulty in getting reservations

08/18/2007 Posted by bakerspercentage

I feel compelled to speak up. Zuni has always been appealing for location and ambiance and was the exact reason Deb and I choose it for catching up. Instead of oysters and martinis we chose noshing and a gin ricky for catchin-up. I haven't been to Zuni in about 6 years because my friends and I have always felt let down for one reason or another -- depending on the day/night service is off, staff can be rather uppity, food inconsistent. For a place lasting 20 years in SF I was really hoping things had improved. Hey, you have a published cook book proudly displayed bible-like for cryin-out-loud. This time it's bar service. Taking into consideration mixology is complex we were not surprised when a young bar tender did not know what a Gin Ricky is...nor did the 'experienced' bar captain. But, much to our amazement no effort was made by the bar captain to find out how to make it. What -- no reference book behind the bar? Shame on you Zuni. With a $41 roasted chicken on the menu and gushing written reviews I expect and demand excellent service. And how about a raspberry and a fresh mint leaf to add something to your flourless chocolate cake. Better yet, find a recipe that is not devoid of moisture. Thanks to a cheerful waiter and great conversation Deb and I enjoyed catchin-up. After all, why let underwhelming food and inferior bar service ruin spending quality time with those I love. Next time we'll head to the Mission.

Pros: ambience, location

Cons: mediocre inconsistent service and quality

08/01/2007 Posted by deEepsheep

mmm to the food. very delightful and sunny place to be, to break away from the daily grind. love the french fries, love the burger not because it wasn't heavy, not because the bread was perfectly soft, not because the beef was juicy and flavorful, but because one look at it, one whiff of it you immediately fall in love.

Pros: atmosphere, french fries, burgers,

Cons: parking, small cheese plate, tables are tight

06/30/2007 Posted by crescendo

Because of the good reputation of Zuni's burger, I invited my friends to Zuni Cafe, but their service was terrible. They seated three of us upstairs at a tiny corner space where there was hardly room to get into the seat. The space was too tight, so the waitress tried to pull the table out for us to seat. We were barely seated, yet the table was touching our stomachs. So we asked for another seat and the waitress said all seats were reserved but the seat next the front door was available for us, which space was another small corner of the restaurant. We were not pleased at all, but a new waitress approached us to get our orders. So we placed our orders from the menu. The waitress said that we had to wait over an hour to get our food, meanwhile, she suggested that we should have some wine while we were waiting for our food. We were not there to drink, and we didn't anticipate to wait for our orders that long. So we all stood up and left Zuni. That was enough experience with them. We will never go back to Zuni.

Pros: location

Cons: service, attitude

06/12/2007 Posted by babydoll75

one of my favorite restaurant in San francisco, just great.the food has been consitent over the years and also the service

Pros: food

03/15/2007 Posted by gmcadam1

"What a cool venue - we read the reviews and had to see what the fuss was about. First impressions on arriving by taxi is that this is a cool, small, local restaurant - then they take us up through a labyrinth to the back top corner of the restaurant where Reubin looks after us. We had read the reviews and instantly looked for the $20. burger - not there..hmmm..is this a new menu.. . Reuben gives us the daily menu - it is hard to distnguish the starters/appetizers from the main courses.. not a problem..as mix'n'match is encouraged.. we took the rabbit sausage, piccolo fritto & the "infamous" caesar salad (it is how it should be with the correct flavoring of anchovies as previously over-exaggerated by a prior reviewer). All starters are great - good flavor and not over-powering - so far so good - full marks. For the main courses we try the duck breast (with asparagus, white beans & kumquat-olive relish), polenta (with parmesan) and the ricotta Gnocchi... as to wine Reuben was able to offer a choice of 2 wines - a cabernet or a pinot noir (wow ! he had an opinion)..Impressive. The Gnocchi was bland both in flavor and in texture and needs to be worked on to pep up the flavors/texture. The rabbit sausage was exquisite ( we ordered a second portion). Overall service was good and ambiance great. Definitely a recommended visit for foodlovers... not sure if regular visits would become a tad boring with the small menu however it seems they change the menu often, so the spark of interest is kept.. Great Restaurant!"

Pros: Great ambiance of local restaurant & good food

Cons: number of choices on menu

01/03/2007 Posted by travelgirlsf

What a burger. I can't explain it in words but was it great. The service was fair but I will never forget that burger. I have lived in the city for years and have dined at Zuni before but I never ordered the burger. When you dine at Zuni at least one of your group must order the burger so everyone can try it.

Pros: Ambience

Cons: Service

12/02/2006 Posted by stevehuang

I've been here many times now even though I live in Sacramento. Everytime I go, I'm still amazed by the food. For lunch or dinner, you can miss out. The Oysters are simply fresh and amazing. The legendary chicken lives up to its hype. I'm not a fun of the shoe string fries though, but it is well done. The deserts are great! A good choice for either romantic or large groups. Just be sure to get reservations early and if you are going for a romantic date, request a nice cozy corner table as the tables are a bit jammed packed and can be noisy if in the wrong location.

Pros: food, oysters!!!, chicken!

Cons: parking, crammed tables