Zola
Categories: American (New), Bars [Edit]
Neighborhood: Penn Quarter800 F St NW
(between N 8th St & N 9th St)
Washington, DC 20004 (202) 654-0999
- Nearest Transit:
Gallery Pl-Chinatown (Red, Green, Yellow)
Metro Center (Red, Blue, Orange)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:30 a.m.-12:00 a.m.
Fri 11:30 a.m.-1:00 a.m.
Sat 5:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
Sun 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Dressy
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Best Nights: Fri, Sat, Sun
- Happy Hour: Yes
- Alcohol: Full Bar
- Smoking: No
- Coat Check: Yes
63 Reviews for Zola
Went here for lunch on the company's tab. I thought the set up was cool and the bar looked like a great place for evening drinks. The dining areas were nice and interesting with the huge ice buckets full of wine bottles. The menu was very distinct and had some great choices. I love going to a place where the choices are limited, yet you see multiple dishes that look appealing (in direct contrast to a Cheesecake Factory, where the menu is two miles long and good choices are sparse).
I had some corn and mussel chowder to start, which was very good. I had the Zola steak and cheese sandwich, which I liked, but I regretted not getting either the Lobster mac & cheese, Blue crab omelette, or the Skate wing. I'm not sure why I chose the traditional steak and cheese over those options, but I definitely won't miss them again.
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Zola's is in the same building as the Spy Museum, and if you're the kind of person who can afford a $20 museum in a city full of free museums, either your parents are in town or you'll love this place. It's shmancer than I do generally, but not in a snobby way.
We went to Zola for restaurant week, and they had the whole menu available, which is a nice change, and had some good options. I went with corn chowder, which had bacon and big muscles, some sort of kumquat shrimp, which I thought were kind of weird but good, and the strawberries with strawberry whipped cream and shortbread cookies. My friend got lamb sliders, cod (she couldn't remember what it came on, and we couldn't figure it out by eating it, which creeped her out a bit), and the chocolate bomb. The desserts went really well together!
Our waiter was really nice (and pretty cute!), and at the table next to us the waiter brought a lady a black napkin so that the white one wouldn't get lint on her dark dress. nuts?! The only sad thing was that they forgot to give us bread, although we were both stuffed and happy at the end anyway.
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Okay so here we go. I went here the other day for the end of Resturant Week because my friend and I were having our Cosmopolitan Day, and we wanted to get all dressed up and act like we hit up $50.00 plate resturants like everyday. Zola was supposed to be the finale for the evening, and after making reservations a few days prior, I am very happy to say that they did not disappoint. I have to step back and say that it's not the resturant that I'm giving the five stars too. The food? It was really good, though some parts were bland. I'm a seasoning kind of person, and I love having food that's flavorful and insanely explosive, even if its just a little bite (see the review of Cafe du Parc.)
Zola's portions were rather large for a fancy resturant, which is good, but their food is like someone at Food Network who has scraped all their tastebuds out, then decided to make the food, and after tasting it, decides it is a culinary masterpiece regardless of how it actually comes out. Hmmm...that may be a little harsh, but eh.
They get five stars for their service. On the way over to Zola, my friend (who had been seeing someone for two months prior) saw this same man on the street heading to another resturant with a DIFFERENT woman!!!! Needless to say, the scandalous nature of this dramatic monologue threatened to wreck the evening, but when we got to Zola, the servers, the manager, and even the bartender swarmed around her to take care of her (and they did six shots of Patron, and three glasses of wine plus dinner later.) So yeah.
Pricey? You bet. Even with the resturant week theme, the bill still came to $75.00 a person, so this is a place I'd hit up like twice a year. But it's still very worth it. And the service is impeccable, not to mention the insanely cute guy walking around cracking pepper for the patrons.
Well done, pepper boy. Well done.
After weeks of waiting for our Restaurant Week reservation to arrive, the verdict is in... Zola was worth the wait!
Had a great time here tonight with a group of friends from work. It was a careful choice based on RW reviews from past years and a menu that would hopefully appeal to a varied group, and it was a success. I was a bit apprehensive that the dining room would be lamely spy-themed but those worries were quickly put to rest as soon as I walked in. This restaurant is definitely a cool place and I loved every sleek detail of the furniture, colors and decor. Everyone agreed that the chairs at our big table were awesome and that the hugely tall, round red booths in the corner were even cooler. (Not to mention a childlike obsession with the giant revolving bathroom door.)
We did have to ask quite a few questions to decipher the unique ingredients on the menu, which I think may be strategically chosen for mere garnish due to their exotic-sounding names rather than any actual addition to the dish. But our waiter laughed at us in more of a friendly than a condecending way and patiently answered 1,937,204 inquiries all beginning with "what is....." Among other things I can now thank Zola for introducing me to beef cheek ("classy pot roast" if you will), which was unamimously declared quite tasty by our entire table, minus the vegetarian. Everyone liked what they ordered and we were impressed by the generous portions of all three courses.
A note on Restaurant Week: Either the menu is updated regularly, or they altered it slightly for RW, because there were a handful of additions and slight changes from the one posted online (though it looks like they were actually for the better). I greatly appreciate that Zola opens up their entire menu for RW, though the regular list prices are very reasonable so it makes sense to do so. Given that appetizers fall in the $10-15 range and entrees in the $20-25 range, the (newly raised) fixed price deal roughly works out to the equivalent of free dessert. Which was good, but not the best part of the meal and dare I say unnecessary after such well-sized first and second courses.
HINT: A slight bummer to find after the fact... the restaurant's website states that they have a $30 pre-event menu from 5-7pm each night which offers the same one-from-each-page choice for even less money. I'd go back for this in a heartbeat.
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I love Zola! I've only dined here twice, but the two times I have been there have always been pleasurable. The first thing you'll notice about Zola is the trendy and chic ambiance, so it's definitely a great place to go if you want to get all decked out with your girls or on a cute date.
Get their pork loin or lamb entree, they're the best!! Both dishes were prepared just right, well at least the times I've ordered it. They were tender and moist and the flavors were not overpowering and definitely not bland. The pork loin may be a better deal because you get a little more meat than the lamb. I was definitely still hungry after sampling my lamb dish; I probably could have eaten two on my own in one sitting.
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My boss took myself and a couple other coworkers here for an appreciation lunch recently. Upon entering Zola, I was immediately impressed by the surroundings. After looking at the menu, I knew the choice would be difficult since there are many imaginative and tasty sounding things listed. I chose to go with the corn and mussel chowder to start out with and it was spectacular. The mussels were huge and there were bits of bacon in the chowder that made it even better. After finishing that, I had the lobster mac and cheese for my lunch. It was excellent. We all had a great time at Zola and everyone was very happy with their meals. Add in the fact that this is connected to the International Spy Museum (which is also great) and you have an excellent location serving up some very good and imaginative food. I look forward to coming back and sampling some more from the menu.
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I went to Zola last night for restaurant week with 3 others. They offer valet parking for $10, which I thought was a good deal considering the location. The decor and layout are pretty nice, and I'm sure it would be even better on a fri or sat night. As noted by others, Zola offers the majority of their menu available for restaurant week. This was a pleasant surprise, giving us a variety of appetizers and entrees to choose from.
For appetizers I ordered the lamb sliders. 3 sliders came out on buttered toasted buns. Even though my friend decided to refer to them as "lamb balls," I was not deterred as these lamb balls tasted delicious. The toasted buns added a nice crunch, and the butter, cheese, and other topping added a nice flavor to the smoky tasting lamb ball. I'm a big fan of burgers, and I thought this lamb ball sandwich was great. I only wish I could order a larger lamb ball burger. Count me in as a fan of lamb balls. My other friends ordered the scallops and the flatbread with prosciutto and figs. The scallop portion was on the small side, but my friends had no complaints. The flatbread covered the whole plate, and was too much for my friend to eat. I thought the flavor combination was balanced well, with the sweet figs, salty prosciutto, and starchy bread.
For entrees, I got the bbq kumquat shrimp over polenta. Moderate portion of blackened shrimp, over a loaf of polenta. The bbq sauce was good, and the kumquat added an interesting citrus flavor. The shrimp was blackened, but not overcooked. I'm not a huge fan of polenta, but the bacon bit/flavor added a nice touch. My friends ordered the pork loin and fillet mignon. My friends pork loin was a big overcooked and tough. I'm kind of surprised to see it overcooked, since it was a uniform patty like cut of pork. The mashed potato had a good garlic flavor and was creamy. I didn't taste the fillet mignon, but my friend had no complaints. After seeing the appetizer portions, I was a little disappointed to see similar sized entree portions. Both the fillet mignon and pork loin were cut to smaller rounded portions.
For dessert I ordered the chocolate bombe. This is the ONLY dessert to not have a brief description(on the menu it was labeled as like "Bombe...Chocolate Bombe"). I figured there had to be something special to it, and kept referring to it as "the bomb" and making AYBABTU references. A flourless(I think) chocolate cake, with a dollop of vanilla ice cream and touch of raspberry sauce came out. I nibbled my way around the edges, eagerly hoping that there would be a melted chocolate bomb in the middle. I was unfazed at my friends mocking, clinging on to the hope there was melted chocolate goodness waiting in the middle. My friend described me as an "orphan child hoping to be adopted by a family", and sure enough she was right as I broke the middle to find no chocolate bomb. Maybe next year lil'timmy. My friends ordered the banana rum mousse cake and a pomegranate tart. The mousse cake was very good, with multiple layers of texture and flavor. I think my other friend enjoyed her tart, but was not overly impressed.
Zola definitely did not disappoint and is a good dining experience. I would definitely consider coming back another time or for restaurant week next year!
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Great food. You MUST try the lobster mac and cheese - comes as a main or an appetizer.
Too bad my date wasn't as exciting.
But the cocktail menu helped solve that.
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I recently infiltrated Zola's retro spy world for a birthday dinner with a few friends. I immediately loved the design, with port hole windows on the doors, a trick swinging door leading to the bathrooms, and red velvet backing on the walls. The booths are generous and covered with a supple red leather, and there are hidden tables for two (perfect for espionage) with curved seating. Soon I was transported into an era brimming with international intrigue.
The cocktails take you to a luxury hotel in the Riviera, and have names like the IRS (pink but manly with its Makers Mark) and the Blue Sting (an unexpectedly delicious concoction of blueberries, mango rum, blueberry honey, lime, and mint). I believe that the Zola, with its white cranberry juice, is internationally famous. My god, was that James Bond at the bar? I thought he had been captured.
Zola's food ensnared me with its beautifully executed preparations and strong flavors. I was initially concerned about the contents of the menu (two lamb dishes on a summer menu), but those thoughts soon dissipated as a luscious salad of duck confit, figs, mixed reds, a poached egg, and a banyuls vinaigrette appeared on our table, accompanied by bread crisps and rich butter. That salad was enough to make me succumb to the enemy and give up all my secrets. My companions raved about the corn and mussel chowder, and declared that the lobster bisque was average, but I couldn't be bothered to put down my fork to find out. Even femme fatales can fall in love.
For the main course, the table ordered the ribeye steak, the kumquat barbecue shrimp, the black cod with fennel and oranges, the seared skate wing with blue crab, and the chicken. The black cod dish was succulent, easily the strongest dish of the night, with an addictive salad of fennel and oranges that compelled me to carry on a clandestine affair with someone else's plate. The shrimp were perfectly grilled and lightly basted in a spicy sweet sauce, but were served with bacon polenta and arugula, rendering a somewhat disjointed dish that did not excite me. By then, my heart was racing at the prospect of seeing the black cod and fennel pollen spaetzle again, and only the fantastic savory quinoa that accompanied the ribeye could calm me. I sampled the chicken dish and the skate, but by then the cod's spell had been completely cast, leaving me yearning for the spy who loved me to return.
That's when the lobster macaroni and cheese sauntered in. A provocative, steaming beauty acting demure in its cast iron ramekin, this dish was filled with hunks of lobster, and was perfectly rich with its sexy melding of Gruyere and fontina cheeses and tender pasta. The affair was passionate but too brief, and I was left wondering if I had been used. After dinner, there was nothing to do but slide into my Aston Martin and drive fast along the coast, vowing never to love this way again. After all, you only live twice.
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Decent restaurant. I have eaten here a few times. Although we didn't do an early dinner tonight they do offer a three course dinner for $30.00 from 5-7 PM. Overall, service is very nice. They occasionally change up their menu...so you won't always be able to go back have the same they. They have an nice specialty drink menu. The blue sting is awesome. It is like a blueberry mojito.
A little disappointing this past visit as they were out of the Passionate Tart dessert. They were also out of Maker's bourbon at the bar.
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after reading some of the reviews and not sure of where we wanted to go i decided this would be somewhere that would at least not be bad + give us some good choices...overall the meal was not terrible (side dishes saved it) but would i go back? not a chance.
the entrees killed the entire meal.
i had the blood orange cod
friend had the caramelized onion chicken
sides: lobster mac-n-cheeze + gouda fries
sides were very good. but they were sides. 10$ for the mac-n-cheese was overpriced IMO but i figured what the hell its supposed to be great. i DID enjoy it a lot, and it was enough for two to split. the fries were amazing. easily the second best i have had in a LONG time (next to 5 guys) just excellent. also cost 6$ - what a steal!
the caramelized chicken was cooked perfect (not over done, not undercooked - juicy but not too juicy) but something was just "off" about it. the sauce/glaze and the chicken just did not mix well. the tastes were off to me...maybe its better other nights, but neither my friend nor myself were impressed. both of us really like chicken, cooked any way...but this was just unimpressive (a theme). my friend ended up eating about 3 bites of the chicken - was not that the sauce was "bad" or that the chicken was "bad" just the combo of sauce/chicken just did not mix.
the blood orange black cod - i am a HUGE fan of fish and enjoy oranges as well so i was pretty excited about the dish. sounded good on the menu, looked good on the plate but then when i bit into the fish to say i was disappointed would be an understatement. cod is a white fish, which is something that usually takes on the flavor of whatever it is marinated in/cooked in and can be a pretty damn flavorful piece of fish if cooked right... but this cod was completely tasteless. not kind of tasteless. completely. there was texture and nothing else. to be fair, towards the end of the meal it started taking on the taste of the bed of what it sat on but it had ZERO taste otherwise. i dont know how you cook a white fish in a way that it has no taste but somehow they were able to do it...that was at least impressive
the service was "ok" (waiter was a little difficult to understand - especially when he was announcing the daily specials) and was not especially good. we were not too dressed up but overall some were very dressed up (suits/cocktail dresses) and some were very casually dressed (jeans + polo/tshirt)
a complaint my friend brought up: the tables. they are unusually long and they are three footed/pronged - which means if your not careful the table will rock...ALL MEAL LONG. also i think one of the feet was somewhat bent because no matter what the table rocked - when cutting into the chicken, picking up water glass, anything that changed how the weight was distributed made the table rock...
(we sat at the window facing the museum btw)
the sides were probably 4 *'s
the service was probably 2.5 *'s
the entrees were 1 * (only because they were actually what we ordered)
overall: 2* (and for the price it should be 1* - but the sides bump it a little)
Zola is the only restaurant where I've been asked whether I would rather have a black napkin instead of white so that my lap wouldn't get linty.
The cocktails are boozy and tasty (I just tried the Zola which is essentially a clear cosmo) and the food is consistently good. For some reason I tend to gravitate towards the seafood options and always leave happy and generally impressed.
The only downside of Zola is the rushed and often inattentive service. Maybe it's because all the servers are actually spies?
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Took my mama here for mothers day last week. They were offering a three-course tasting for $45 but we opted to order off the menu instead. I think it was a better choice.
The service in general was mediocre. When we arrived, the host and hostess seemed dazed and very out of it. It was NOT busy at all because we arrived right when they opened for dinner at 5 PM. Once we were seated, it took our server quite a while before he came over to ask us about our drinks. We decided to try out their non-alcoholic juice. It consisted of crushed mint leaves, blueberries and some other yummy things. It was quite delish. Our server also did not let us know of the specials until after we received our drinks and we had already been staring at the menu for about 10 minutes.
Their zola house salad was very tasty and came in a pretty nice sized portion. It had these little breaded thingys on top...looked like croutons but they were soft on the inside. I thought they were cornbread/hush puppy-ish but when I checked the menu, they were chick pea croutons!! How creative.
I ordered a rib eye with cous cous and my mom ordered the lamb loin with lemon gnocchi.
The lamb loin was definitely better...
Portions were very generous and we were stuffed.
Overall, nice atmosphere...cool revolving door to the restrooms...good food.
Iffy service...
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After my first Caps game experience, my date suggested grabbing a drink here. Pretty awesome place to grab a post-game drink!
The wine list is immense... so immense we had a terrible time chosing. I let him chose and we tried some pretty good champagne. I like that they have splits of champagne, cause what two people can really drink a whole bottle themselves!
The one thing that was somewhat frustrating was the service. It took them an extremely long time to produce our champagne. Also, both mine and my date's champagne flutes had big chips taken out of them, which was kinda scary. I hope i didn't eat any glass!
Overall a very pleasant after the game drink experience.... but i dont know if it can compete with the very nearby matchbox sliders :-P
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This place is pretty good on several fronts:
1) The bar is very nice and has a wide array of tasty beverages. There are huge windows overlooking F Street, so if you manage to capture a table by the windows, you are set to enjoy some PRIMO people watching. The bar can get really packed on Verizon Event nights, but otherwise it's a very nice place to have a sip. Pricey though.
2) Restaurant -- MAN this is one tasty joint. The food is so very yum; they have this lobster and macaroni which is divine, you might consider going just for that. Also, a great selection of euro-inspired seafoods and meats; and a spectacular Bond-esque decor that is the perfect compliment to a great meal.
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It's funny how no one knows where Zola is. But if you ask people if they know where the Spy Museum is, they do. Well, Zola is right above it.
Beautiful restaurant along with some good food! Ceasar salad was served with fresh croutons and cheese. I had the prime rib with mashed potatoes. Dessert was fabulous and light! (I'm trying to remember what it was. Lemon and raspberry something. Damn!)
The only thing I noticed about this place was that it didn't seemed to be handicapped-accessible. Zola places tables of champagnes and wines right in the middle the walkways. You already trying to be careful to walk around without bumping into the patrons sitting near these tables. It's a suck-in-your-tummy situation.
Other than that, nice place with some good food. Be sure to dress up and take your date here.
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Zola was disappointing. The service sucked -- our waiter was awkward and didn't speak english well and wasn't attentive. The beer selection is severely lacking. And several of the dishes, some recommended by my fellow yelpers(!!), were disappointing.
DO ORDER:
--Blue Crush Cocktail
--Pork Loin
--Lamb Loin
DON'T ORDER:
--Truffled Sheep Ricotta Tortelloni appetizer -- undercooked and overwhelmed by the ricotta
--Madeira Glazed Mushrooms -- hard to eat and bland
--Lobster Mac and Cheese side dish -- oily and bland
--Passionfruit tart -- too liquidy and runny, crust was too hard.
MAYBE ORDER:
--Bombe..Chocolate Bombe -- overwhelmingly dense. It was like eating a giant truffle.
--Cod
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Great decor, good food and drink- we went for our anniversary and found it the perfect place for a dressed up night.
I love Zola for the bar up front. The huge windows really make the scene, and even though the bar area isn't that big, the proportion between sitting area up front by the window, divided by a long standing table, and the actual bar area with more seating works pretty well even when it's crowded. I had an especially great happy hour there when I left my last job and as I was the last person to show up to my own happy hour, everyone yelled out, "Surprise!" even though it really wasn't a surprise party haha. The staff was very accommodating to all 20+ of us and I just love the atmosphere. The drinks are reasonably priced as well, especially the wine. This is one of my favorite spots in Chinatown.
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Swanky Comfy bar /
Yummy Mussels Corn Chowder /
Relax in high style.
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I had the paella, the lobster mac and cheese and the lamb. The paella was really bland and plain. I did not enjoy the mac and cheese. The lamb was pretty good. So why my one star? Well the server was terrible. He brought out the wrong thing (which isn't a big deal) but he NEVER came back. I actually had to ask the busboy to get someone and he sent over the manager (I'm assuming)....who was a complete (fill in the blank). She was probably the rudiest person in customer service I have ever met. Based on her alone, I will never go back. The drinks were really, really good (I think I had a blueberry mojito or something) but they did not make up for her. I think she was the devils' daughter. If I did not experience her (even despite the poor service and mediocre food) I would probably go back. It looks like other people enjoyed it though,....
Again, the drink was really good.
Right smack near the spy museum, the decor is sleek, sensual, nice and RED. a very suitable fit to the "spy" sultry theme. i also like the fact that if you sit in one of the booths, you can look directly into the kitchen to see what's going on in there.
i've been here on multiple occasions and I have to say that I haven't really been disappointed yet. My only minor complaint, was a seafood entree i had ordered being a bit on the salty side.... I am not in complete awe with their main entrees, but nonetheless, very good.
However, I will vouch for their phenomenal appetizers and side dishes. Their tuna tartare is absolutely amazing every single time i get it and it has just the right amount of cucumbers to make it refreshingly delicious. Their sides are also excellent, lobster mac n' cheese and corn off the cob with a superb green butter sauce. The food is very close (but not...) to southern comfort food with a contemporary twist.
They also have an impressive drink list..if you savor fruity drinks that is.
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Reasons why I love Zola...
1.) The black napkin
2.) The cocktails! They are all delicious.
3.) Lobster mac & cheese.
4.) The decor -- modern yet warm.
I went to Zola with my best friend from LA and we ordered the asparagus and tuna tartar, lobster mac & cheese, gouda fries, and the fingerling potatoes. I had the Zojito and she had the Blue Sting.
The entrees didn't seem very appealing to either of us, but we were both delighted with what we ordered.
I definitely recommend Zola!
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First, I have to say if you think 2 vegetarian options on a menu is amazing, you are going to the wrong places. When I lived in the middle of nowhere in central PA, sure, I came to expect dinners of iceberg salad and french fries for dinner. But in a metropolitan area, I've come to expect and nearly always find oodles of veggie options - and good ones! These places that only offer one or two entrees to veggies that clearly have no real inspiration behind them, other than to say they're there, are a real disappointment. But I'll get off my soapbox now...
The service at Zola is generally really good. For me, it's almost uncomfortably good, because I don't go to these kind of joints unless it's on the company dime. On both occasions I made a reservation through the web site, which is a great feature. You receive an email confirming your reservation, and the first time I also got a follow-up phone call confirming my reservation. The food is definitely tasty and is very well presented. The atmosphere is very elegant and classy. If you want fancy, you've got it. Personally I can only eat mushrooms for dinner so many times without feeling really bored and kind of duped. However it does seem to be a good place to go for meat-eaters on special occasions or to impress a job candidate or client.
I knew it was going to be an excellent evening of wining and dining when I found that the earliest reservation I could get for RW was 9:30. This is usually the time I try to go to bed...but I've heard such good things about Zola (Thanks Stef W. for your review!) that my friend and I decided that we would have a "late date" anyway. With the snow and ice we had yesterday, I was hoping some people would cancel their reservations, but the hostess told me that it was completely booked and that I should definitely keep my 9:30 reservation.
Everything about this evening was 5 star. The decor of the restaurant is really cool - a play off of the fact that it's in the Spy Museum complex - I loved it. It was hip and modern but at the same time it felt cozy and comfortable. I liked the music - it was loud in the bar area, but in the dining room, it was at a comfortable level that wasn't too overpowering.
We were seated and greeted with a plate of a puffed pastry with salmon mousse. I hadn't eaten anything all day so this was a great way to start off. Mm. I opted for a glass of red - a cab/merlot blend - the 2 Brothers Big Tattoo Red - and it was the perfect choice. I really like how they present wine. In each section of the restaurant, they have a wine station where even if you only order by the glass, they bring the glass to your table and pour tableside instead of just bringing you a glass with the wine already in it. I appreciated that - and that I got to taste it first. Classy.
The whole menu was available for RW and again, I had a really difficult time deciding what to get because everything...and I really mean EVERYTHING sounded amazing. Prior to ordering, we were brought some bread and butter. The rolls were hot and I really liked that. In addition to some rolls, there was also some baked tortilla type bread that was really good.
I ended up getting the tuna tartar to start and the pan roasted scallops with a purple potato confit, braised chanterelles and cauliflower. My friend decided on the special soup (sweet potato and lobster!) and the roasted lamb with lemon gnocchi and asparagus. My tastebuds were overjoyed with everything that was brought to our table. I hadn't been that excited about food in a long time! The tuna was very fresh and I loved every bite. I also tried my friend's soup and it made me want to order my own bowl. The scallops were cooked perfectly and the mushrooms, potatoes and cauliflower complemented them well.
All the while we sat, chatted, and ate first and second courses, we must have seen 12 desserts go by and our eyes bulged each time. I liked that instead of taking our dessert order when we ordered everything else, that we were presented with dessert menus and had the option of everything on it. My friend got the basil creme brulee with a pastry swizzle stick and I got the strawberries and cream with shortbread cookies...and a second glass of wine. Oh my gosh. SO GOOD. Fresh strawberries, strawberry cream and cookies...it was the perfect way to end the evening.
Our server was friendly and very attentive but not overly so. He was knowledgable of the menu and wines and was very professional.
I can't believe in the 4 years I've lived in DC, I haven't been to the spy museum or been to Zola...but I will DEFINITELY be back. It was one of the best dining experiences I've had in awhile.
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Zola is one of the few DC restaurants that I come back to over and over again. The food is great, the restaurant is in a great location (right near the Verizon center), prices are reasonable, cocktails are awesome, and the lounge opens until late (for cocktails).
I'd definitely recommend the Tuna Tare Tare as an appetizer. Also take a look at their cocktail menu, its got some great selections on there (the last time I was there I had the Blue Sting). The Lobster Mac and Cheese and the Corn off the Cob are my two favorite side dishes as well. If you can fit in a side of the fries, those aren't bad either. Prices are reasonable here as well, with dining for two (including drinks) running about 100-120 bucks.
Decor of the restaurant is very nice... I was a little bit confused by the trick "spy" door to the bathroom... but I hope I wasn't the only one with that problem =/
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This is one of the best Restaurant Week stops I've made, and for lunch the price is really worth it. The play on the spy theme is really cute, but not too much, and the decor is very well done. For lunch, the house salad is very good and not too overwhelming, and it was given a little quirk by what appeared to be tater tot-ish Chick Pea croutons. The truffled ricotta tortellini was heavenly, and the chocolate cake and ice cream dessert was perfect. The portions were well sized. I left feeling satisfied but not stuffed, and I also left feeling like I will definitely return.
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Zola was fun. The decor was fun, theme-y in a untacky way. Service was very good. We were with a non drinking couple so resorted to wines by the glass to hide the true winos we are; their selection was good. But I was sad to miss out on what looked to be a great wine list. I had the truffled tortelloni as an appetizer, and the American Kobe beef for dinner. Honestly the beef was just OK. They cooked it perfectly, and the side of quinoa was delicious, but the meat wasn't anything special. Especially considering the cow was massaged daily and ate spa food his whole life.
In all it was good, what I'd expect to pay for this quality of food. Fun atmosphere, great service.
In all it was a good experience though.
I agree with other reviewers that Zola is very good. Sometimes they struggle with food being not hot when brought to the table, or things being too salty (my experience there).
What is GREAT at Zola is a dessert that is offered only SOMETIMES: a trio of homemade butterscotches in ramekins. They look like half-creme-brulees in terms of portion size. They taste like a pudding and are served room temp. Each is made using a different scotch, indicated by script written in chocolate on a butter cookie placed before each ramekin.
The butterscotches are DELICIOUS and are one of the most unique desserts/ flavor combinations I've ever tasted. I was sad to learn that they are only rarely on the dessert menu. Zola: please bring them back as a permanent item!
I highly recommend.
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Everything about Zola was great. The food was delicious, portion sizes were filling but not stuffing, very good service, and interesting/nice decor. It's a great restaurant week choice as they offer their full dinner menu selection for $30. This offer is also available from 5-7PM Monday through Friday.. I think.
I personally didn't think the appetizer portions were big enough to share beyond 2 people but they're definitely on the large side for an individual. The butter poached shrimp was delicious, as were the tuna tartar and fonduta. The fonduta wasn't as thick/creamy as I expected, even with the flame, the cheese didn't really melt. The sea scallops were delicious and the artic char was very creamy. The mashed potatoes with the pork chops were yummy! Their basil creme brulee with peppered strawberries was very good - despite my worries that basil would taste funny with dessert, it wasn't overpowering and there was just enough hint of basil. It was creamy and not too heavy. The chocolate bombe was also delicious, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
Service was very attentive, friendly and helpful. We asked for recommendations and went with a few and they were delicious! I'd definitely go again - oh and it was extremely easy to get to from the metro.
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Came here for Bobby's birthday dinner after perusing the Smithsonian. A shout out to our transylvanian waiter - the staff was really great. He was soooo friendly and his recommendations were on point. The Transylvanian Sauvignon Blanc was mild and fruity - just what i wanted.
Have you ever had one of those perfect nights? I mean really and truly 100% perfect? Where the stars and planets are aligned in such a way that you wish you could freeze a moment in time to never, ever forget how wonderful life is? I had one of those perfect nights on a date which started off with Othello at the Shakespeare Theatre and was followed by dinner at Zola. The food, drinks, ambiance and service were beyond exceptional from the moment we walked in the door to the moment we left.
I chose Zola because of its reputation. Conde Nast named it one of 75 Best New Restaurants in the World, and Food and Wine said that it had one of the Best Wine Lists in the US. That was enough to get me in the door.
The ambiance fits the setting to a tee. You feel like you are dining at the restaurant over the International Spy Museum, and it's cool to be dining in a unique space like the historic LeDroit Building. Contemporary decor can be a bit cold, but you won't feel that here. The bar is very modern with so many martini glasses that you really wonder if 007 is over in the corner, asking for something shaken, not stirred.
The restaurant has three separate rooms with lots of velvet booths and cherry wood. We found service to be the right balance of friendly and professional. The hosts were all smiles and even took our picture, and the server offered some great suggestions and let us lounge.
For starters, we had the Butter Poached Shrimp with orange-mascarpone ravioli, lobster sauce and arugula garnish ($12), and the Soup of the Day, a Bisque ($7). I usually try not to have a whole bowl of soup before an entree will be coming, but I simply could not leave a spoonful behind.
For my main course, I had the Pan Seared Scallops with purple potato confit and braised chanterelles ($24), and my date had the Farm Beef with mushrooms and polenta ($29). I really wanted to try Zola's Lobster Mac and Cheese ($10) since I had read that this was THE best macaroni and cheese in DC, but there was not a bit of room in my tummy.
Zola offers a nice pre-theatre menu with 3 courses, including dessert, for $30. And I'm not normally one to say that you should head to the loo if you don't need to, but the bathrooms here are worth checking out.
I haven't been back to Zola since that perfect night. I guess I would hate to leave here with a less than stellar experience since I hold the restaurant in such high regard. But, I think it's time for Perfect Night II: The Sequel. I have spoken to M and I'm ready for my next assignment to Zola!
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I really enjoyed this place. I went there with a date for dinner last night. We arrived at about 7:30, and as expected, there were no tables available so we waited in the bar. The crowd was young. I agree with another reviewer that the space is a bit sterile, but it didn't bothered me. The bar area had comfortable seating, and the place is surrounded by big windows, which offer a great view of the surrounding area.
We waited in the bar for about an hour it seems. I was drinking wine and having a nice conversation so I lost track of time. I finally asked about a table and discovered that there were plenty of tables available. I guess it would have been nice if I had been notified but that was OK. Maybe they did and I missed it.
Zola's arranges some of their tables for two side by side. I'm not thrilled with this type of setup as you inevitably find yourself listening to your neighbor's conversations. By the time we ate, the restaurant was not crowed so it wasn't a problem. I'm sure I would have been accommodated if I had asked for a more private table.
The meal was excellent and service was very good. I had a creamy tomato and pumpkin soup and the evening's sirloin steak special. My date had the scallops. We shared a dessert. Our waiter was attentive but had the habit of clearing our table just a little bit too early (i.e., taking the last delicious bit of food).
Overall, it was a great experience. I highly recommend this restaurant.
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One word: Yum.
Food was delicious. Pricey, but worth it. We started with the Fonduta. We split this between four. Definitely enough and it was sooo good! We also split the grilled asparagus which was cooked perfectly. I had the scallops which were out of this world. Lastly, we did the lobster mac and cheese. This was good but we already had so much rich good we could have passed on this one. We finished off sharing the bunt cake which was the worst thing we had all night. Slightly disappointing but the food was what really mattered.
Another word: Cool
This place had cool and trendy written all over it. We had drinks in the lounge prior to our dinner and I was loving the atmosphere.
Overall, this place is a plus and I'm coming from a wharped view on restaurants living in SF where everything is amazing. So I would definitely give this place a shot.
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We did the pre-theater menu before taking in Major Barbara down the street. I was impressed with the service - attentive without being cloying - as well as the decor - black and white, subdued lightinig but not too dark, sleekly modern cutlery and plates. I was prepared to be disappointed by the food but wasn't. We had a fine salad and cream of asparagus soup to begin. I had skate with cured ham, small grapes, and pasta pearls that came together wonderfully. My wife had a pork loin with unusually good mashed potatoes. Desserts were a basil creme brulee that tasted far better tahn it sounds and a lemon chiffon pudding.
I'd definitely return.
I went here for Restaurant Week so I guess I didn't have a "true" Zola experience, but I think I got the gist of the place.
The service was really great here. I had the scallops as an entree and some asparagus thing for an appetizer. The scallops were very good, the asparagus appetizer was just OK. However, I did have them modify something on the appetizer, so I guess I can't truly judge it. They really are very accommodating there. The ambiance is cool but I don't really get how there's a spy theme there. I like the bar area for drinks too.
It was a good deal for Restaurant Week--they even offered all their dishes for it. However, I don't know if I'd want to pay regular prices considering I went home a little hungry (and I'm not even that big of an eater!)...smaller portions.