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Zuni Cafe
Categories: Restaurants American (New) Restaurants Mediterranean American (New), Mediterranean [Edit]
1658 Market St(between Page St & 12th St)
San Francisco, CA 94102
Neighborhoods: Civic Center/Tenderloin, Hayes Valley, SOMA
(415) 552-2522
- Hours:
Tue-Thu 11:30 am - 11 pm
Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 12 am
Sun 11 am - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Classy, Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
1401 reviews for Zuni Cafe
Review Highlights
"The bread salad YUM YUM with the chicken."
(in 228 reviews)
"It was absolutely amazing for roast chicken."
(in 209 reviews)
"The Oysters are simply fresh and amazing."
(in 325 reviews)
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1400 reviews in English
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Review from Nadeem A.
Union City, CA
2/8/2012
Every once in awhile, wifey and I stray from our dining mainstays and put on our big people pants and venture out into the grownup dining world. You know, establishments that take reservations and have white table cloths and nicely decorated interiors.
For us, Zuni is such a restaurant. Since they are known for their roast chicken for two, we knew exactly we were getting before we even walked in the door. We knew it was going to be an hour wait. And we hoped it was going to be worth it.
Luckily our table was in a cool spot, where we could see all of the action in the kitchen while waiting for the chicken. It was like our own episode of a Food Channel show, where we got to see exactly what happens at the various kitchen stations. We paid close attention to the roast chicken station, and now we can probably make our roast chicken. All we need now is an industrial kitchen!
Anyway, the chicken came out, and we gobbled it all up. It was moist, flavorful, and delicious. The bread salad was interesting, and good too. While the meal wasn't worth the hour wait, it was still a cool experience, so we'll go back sometime. When we do, we'll skip the chicken and try some of the other dishes mentioned in the reviews. -
Review from Liliana A.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2012
I'm giving this place 3 stars because:
- I would and have gone here multiple times and I would recommend this place to someone else.
- However, I don't feel that this place is mind blowing,
- And for the cost you could probably find more interesting food. (Although they are pretty generous with their portions)
- Service was okay and we also had a cramped table.
It should really be more like 3.75 stars.
Conceptually this place does not offer anything new. But in terms of execution, it's fairly impeccable. The first time we went, we had a burger which tasted good but the bun was so oily and completely took away from the flavor of the burger.
We also had oysters which were fresh and tasty.
The second time we came here with my mother in law and ordered the chicken and the pork. Both were fantastic and we had plenty to take home for leftovers.
Their fries are killer and they give you plenty of them. -
Review from Ryan W.
1/31/2012
A business associate took us to Zuni for lunch, noting its prominence in the vanguard of the sustainable cuisine trend. Big deal. The food is kind of boring. The roast chicken intrigued me, but the 1 hour preparation time is ridiculous. I'm sure there's some sort of culinary justification for it, but it's just not a very user-friendly concept, especially at lunch for those of us who are gainfully employed. In fact, the concept is so absurd that even putting it on a lunch menu is bordering on pretension. (Even on a dinner menu it's a little silly, unless they add a disclaimer that reads, "1 hour roasted chicken is designed to encourage you to drink more alcohol, which is where we make our profits.") I never spent so much time yelping about something I didn't actually order.
Unfortunately, the chicken (which I didn't have) was more memorable than the pizza (which I did order). It was thin, crispy and totally unremarkable.
I'm all for good, simple cuisine, just don't leave out the "good" part. -
Review from Rose A.
The roasted chicken for two with the Tuscan-style bread salad is fabulous. Be warned, it takes an hour to cook. Unfortunately noting that with my reservation didn't help because my husband and I still waited the full hour, plus 10 minutes.
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Review from caitlin k.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2012
I'm not sure what the hype about for Zuni Cafe is! This was another restaurant that people were raving about, but I wasn't as impressed with the chicken and bread dish that takes an hour to cook that everyone was so quick to suggest I order. Yes, the chicken came out tender, but it needed more juice or it needed to come with more salad. Something was missing.
I also ordered the mussels. I LOVE mussels but there was NO sauce underneath the mussels! I thought the whole point was to be able to dip your bread in it?! It was good however, that there were breadcrumbs as a topping over them. That made it interesting.
I'm not sure I'd go back to Zuni. I'd rather eat at Park Tavern which I frequent often. -
Review from phillip w.
San Francisco, CA
1/18/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Too many people have reviewed this establishment and for a good reason. Zuni Cafe obviously brings out delicious food. So being brought up to the second level towards the back near the window but in a booth...this is what we dined on...
- The Polenta - as heavy as it looked was actually quite light and with the faint bits of marscapone cheese..
- The Cured Anchovies - were nice, especially with the addition of the parmigiano.
- Oysters - on the half shell, who would complain? wonderfully fresh.
- Chicken - the chicken, that buttery buttery chicken with the bread salad. The bread soaked up the buttery goodness of the chicken and I know if I ate too much I would of got sick but I still I did anyways.
And for dessert...
now I don't remember the name of that dessert...and I only have a photo of it left on my phone. But that dessert was really good. Now I dont usually order such things after a heavy dinner too but this dessert, I would definitely order again and again. It was amazing. The next time I head there I will let you guys know what it was.
Service at Zuni was top notch, the staff were informative and quick. They made sure we were comfortable. OH and they made sure our bubbly was not stale and got us a new bottle because they felt the quality was not there.
I will be back again Zuni...I will definitely be back... -
Review from Steve J.
Marin County, CA
2/7/2012
I love this place. Even though the location kinda drawback, the service and the taste is amazing. Judie and Gilbert is doing great job there! One of my favorites in the Bay Area.
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Review from Mylinh M.
San Francisco, CA
1/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'm kind of against reviewing places with more than 1,000 reviews but I just had to put in my 2 cents about Zuni. Zuni has been such a SF staple that when my friends from out of town suggested it, I really wanted to try it out.
I would say Zuni Cafe is a place I'd recommend going when my grandparents want to take me out in the city. The food doesn't wow and the offerings aren't new and scary. It's food they are familiar with. They want to impress you by taking you somewhere nice and fancy and seemingly trendy for SF. It's huge with different levels of seating and you can get tons of different wines here and there is valet parking so the grandparents aren't left to find street parking and walk around Market Street.
The menu is a little un-inspiring. There wasn't anything in particular that I had to have. We didn't order the chicken but our friends did and it was a delicious chicken. It was moist and the bread salad was very good since it had soaked up the juices form the chicken. It's just not something I'm dying to wait 1 hour for or split with someone. Their menu changes every 2 weeks except for the caesar salad and the chicken. I had the fish dish and it was fine. Nothing notable to say either way. My husband had the squab and same thought. The caesar salad was very good and enough for 2 people to share. I did like that salad.
The dessert menu was the same, un-inspiring. We opted for the cheese plate and I have definitely had better. The cheese was good but the accompaniments were meh.
Service was very attentive and pleasant. The place wasn't bad, but I'm not dying to ever go back or would I suggest it to someone as a must try in SF. I would give the food 3 stars overall but the prices for that food have brought this down to 2 stars for me. -
Review from Richard K.
Honolulu, HI
1/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
We had to wait about 15 minutes even though we had a reservation. Lucky they had a full bar, but the drinks were expensive. I ended up with a draft beer, whatever, no biggie. But our table was ready in the middle of my beer and they wouldn't let me transfer the tab to our table so I had to close out.
We were warned that the roasted chicken would take about an hour to cook, so we ordered it right away. They weren't kidding about the wait, but since it was expected, all was good.
The ambiance is nice. We were sitting near the big, brick fireplace. The crowd is varied; people getting off work, hipsters, locals, tourists... -
Review from Jason T.
San Francisco, CA
2/4/2012
One of my favorite restaurants in SF. Get the chicken, which is enough for 2-3 and worth the wait, and a side of extra bread salad!
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Review from Jerry D.
Irvine, CA
2/5/2012
Zuni has fabulous fresh seafood, as well as their world class gourmet cheeseburger served on foccacia. The breads are a marvel. The staff is pleasant and knowledgeable. The only ding I give them is a bit of a wait for food to arrive at the table.
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Review from spooky s.
Beverly Hills, CA
1/31/2012
silly to review with so many reviews in place but... The food was excellent, however, the service was ridiculously slow and our orders were so botched we couldn't believe it. The chicken took more like 1 1/2 hours and while it was good, it was very fatty and greasy. Polenta was exceptional as well.
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Review from Dexter N.
San Francisco, CA
2/3/2012
Sorry, Zuni. We love to come over and throw down a bunch of oysters, and we've been doing it for years, but when you are charging THREE DOLLARS AND FIFTY CENTS EACH for Kumamotos, we're outta there. Just came back from the Northwest and they are a buck everywhere you go. We are happy to pay good money for good food, but this is highway robbery, plain and simple.
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Review from Janet H.
Petaluma, CA
2/2/2012
You can do better. Food is ok to good - but nothing special. Service is a bit snobby and very very very very slow. Atmosphere is nice. Located on the sunny side of the street. I would give it 3 stars except for the price I expect more.
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Review from Russell H.
Pacifica, CA
12/21/2011
If you like being ignored and/or humiliated by wait staff, paying too much for okay food, and having your conversation overheard by every other diner in the restaurant, then this place is for you.
If not, I can recommend a dozen other restaurants that are a better deal for your hard-earned money, or the interest of your trust fund the size of Texas. (And which are much more fun!)
Had a freaky loud-voiced "helpful" waiter tell me how to "properly" get ketchup out of a bottle--all because he went to the goddamn Heinz 57 plant in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales. (Pretty cheeky for someone who relies on tips for a living.) "YOU POINT IT AT A 45-DEGREE ANGLE, SEE, LIKE THIS! AND THEN YOU HIT IT RIGHT AT THE 57 LOGO. YES, JUST LIKE THAT! YOU GOT IT!"
Con-effing-gratulations, honey. You turned every head in the place to stare at me and make me feel like a moron. (And $28 for a burger? Will the ghost of the cow give me the winning lottery numbers or clue me in to the next big stock tip? Or am I paying for the haute-cuisine knowledge of their world-traveled wait staff?)
Well, it backfired. I have never gone back, and will suggest other locations to anyone who brings up this over-rated establishment.
D-I-S-A-P-P-O-I-N-T-I-N-G -
Review from Randy F.
12/12/2011 6 photos
What a wonderful restaurant! After all these years, I'm still a fan of Zuni. And it's perennial inclusion on SF's best list (usually for their roast whole chicken) is a testament to the strength of this restaurant as well.
Interestingly, I've never had the chicken and I may never. The fact it has to be shared for two (thus limiting the entrees you can order) and that I've brined at home makes it less tempting than so many of their other menu items.
Service is spot-on and I love the warm ambiance as well as the two floor dining. Our choices for lunch:
Balsamic Bloody Mary - holy cow was this good! I'm a big bloody Mary fan but have not been exposed to the sour sweet combo of balsamic vinegar. Chowhounders apparently have long been in the know but I'm gonna have to research the recipe.
Oysters - abundantly fresh and the equal of any more seafood centric restaurant I've tried in the city. Loved the Humboldt Kuma.
Wood oven pizza - the wood oven is a gem (it's where they roast the chicken for 1 hour) and the pizza is wonderful from there as well. Great Cowgirl Creamery cheese, fresh onions, and a wonderfully thin crunchy crust.
Grass fed burger - it was cooked slightly more than I requested but the Zuni pickles and focaccia bread were top notch. If there's any criticism, I don't like that the nickel and dime you for the cheese, grilled onions, and mushrooms.
House cured anchovies - tasty. Paired with a great cheese, tiny olives and a top notch olive oil.
Shoestring potatoes - addictive. Light and crunchy. Goes great with the house ketchup (a tad sweeter than regular ketchup) and the house mustard.
It was great to return to Zuni and enjoy the atmosphere and great food once again. It's still a popular spot and it's easy to see why.
Zuni accepts credit cards, Including American Express. -
Review from Ed U.
What can be said about Zuni that hasn't been said already? It's about as definitive a San Francisco dining experience as you can possibly have, and it continues to thrive no matter what new eatery hogs the spotlight. I hadn't been in many a moon until last week when I was having a hankering for something nice after the Yelp Elite soiree down on Valencia. Taking a chance that a table might be available, I got lucky and got the little bar table right behind the piano player. No, I didn't heckle him or yell at him to play Vince Guaraldi's music from "A Charlie Brown Christmas". I was tempted though since the warm, lofty ambiance made me want to do the Sherman shoulder dance on that brisk evening. Y'know, the one where he pulls his shoulders up to the beat as he shifts his head from side to side.
It was only medium-level crowded for a Thursday night, so it was as ideal as you could get for such a popular watering hole. Even though I was hungry enough to eat the roasted chicken and bread salad for two ($48...ka-ching!), I was way too cheap to consider such a humiliating gorging. Instead, I ordered the $10 Zuni Caesar Salad, which probably was a trendsetter at the time it was concocted but was honestly just a good, hearty Caesar with fresh spears of Romaine lettuce (see photo). Jamie W. finally got out of his neighborhood meeting and was able to come join me at that point. He ordered the $15.50 Spaghetti with Rapini, Pancetta, Red Onions, Garlic, Lemon Zest and Pecorino Romano (see photo), a modest plate filled with robust flavors that were quite satisfying.
My entree was the $27.50 Grilled Sea of Cortex Grouper with Radicchio, Baby Leeks, Faro, Chanterelle Mushrooms and Sage-Lemon Oil - a lovely piece of fish that was nicely contrasted with the faro and the sauteed vegetables (see photo). Between the big wedge of country bread (see photo) and the $6 mountain of Shoestring Potatoes, you would think that would be enough high-end food for two people. But alas, we were on a Zuni roll, so we tried a slice of the Sierra Beauty Apple Tart with Creme Fraiche and Caramel Sauce (see photo), which we had the gall to think was too small. We also thought the creme fraiche tasted more like sour cream than whipped cream giving the meal a somewhat tinny ending. No matter as Zuni still evokes that wraparound feeling that makes me wonder why I don't come back more often. Oh yeah, it's kinda pricey.
FOOD - 4 stars...still classic American cuisine pretty much copied everywhere else somewhat to their detriment
AMBIANCE - 4 stars...cozy, lofty vibe despite the crowds
SERVICE - 4 stars...pretty attentive
TOTAL - 4 stars...I've been Zunified -
Review from Michael N.
San Francisco, CA
12/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
Oh Zuni, how do you do it? I came here with my girlfriend as a treat to celebrating the semester being over and we were simply amazed by the place. The food here was amazing. If I could give the place higher stars, I honestly would.
We saw a review for this place and how they have the best burgers in the city and honestly we needed to try them. The girlfriend has been here before but never ordered the burger, so it was a first for the both of us. It was amazing. I order my burger with cheese and a grilled onion and she just ordered the grilled onion. It was honestly so delicious I wanted another. Everything about the burger was so amazing, from the focaccia bread to the succulent patty itself. I was simply dumbfounded by it all. Thank you Zuni chefs. You made my day -
Review from Lily Z.
1/23/2012
Came here for holiday work dinner. We sat upstairs by the window and it was nice to be able to look out of the window. Our server was very knowledgeable and helpful. Would def revisit again!
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Review from Kevin Q.
San Francisco, CA
1/8/2012
Horrible service! I thought this
place had some rep to uphold?...guess I was mistaken...easily one of the worst waiters in the world!...ouch zuni! -
Review from Andy G.
Tempe, AZ
1/4/2012
WOWW!!!!.. my mom and I come to san fran about twice a year every year.. we have many favorites here (the slanted door, ikes place)
Anyways.. when we arrived we were reminded of the great aroma which greets you.
As they set up our table we had a drink at the bar..
then came our roasted chicken that we have so long prepared for!!! basically it was GREAT FOOD and mediocre service... but the food makes up for that aspect.. -
Review from Lisa Q.
11/23/2011 Seated via OpenTable
They have the roasted chicken that launched a thousand ships.
Their chicken is a total CILF.
That roasted chicken is both a whore and an angel, the alpha and the omega.
We waited an hour for it, as the menu said we had to, but we didn't even notice the time pass because there were lots of yummy distractions: House-cured anchovies with celery, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and coquillo olive, the Zuni Caesar salad, and a rabbit salad. The anchovies and the Caesar share a lot of the same flavors so if you're not an anchovy fiend like me and my uncle then you're best off just having the Caesar. Their Caesar is pretty unique in that it's just really raw--- nothing is cut up into little pieces and there are three major flavors (garlic, anchovy, egg) and the dressing sits glistening on the leaves with cool slivers of parmigiano over them. The croutons are rustic cubes that perfectly complimented the tangy-ness of the dressing.
Once the chicken was on the table, everything in the world was obliterated. There was just this chicken dish. You know when flavors work perfectly together--- like chocolate and hazelnuts? Apparently warm bread salad with scallions, mustard greens, dried currants, and pine nuts is the best combination for roast chicken in the world. What's more is that the chicken was so, so, so, so, juicy and its drippings are soaked up tenderly by the bread salad. If I could just eat that bread salad I'd be happy, but oh happy day I get to have the best roasted chicken in the world with it!
Seriously, I have not had a better roasted chicken since. The roasted chicken at Barbuto in the West Village of NYC comes pretty close and so does the chicken at Range in the MIssion of SF. But the number one chicken in the world for me is at Zuni Cafe. If you don't order the roasted chicken you'll have ordered wrong, so come correct. -
Review from Sal E.
Los Gatos, CA
12/31/2011
If you're going to visit the city, live there, or live in the bay area, if you want a great restaurant experience, this is the place to go.
The food here was excellent. From the fresh Ceasar's salad to the warm bread, to the rabbit appetizer (I had rabbit for the first time in my life - it will be my last - though it was very tasty like the best chicken I've ever had, it stlll is rabbit - I just can't wrap myself around the fact that I'm eating a rabbit!) to the lamb dish and polenta.
The dessert was out of this world!!!!!!!!!
The atmosphere was quite unique with it's three floor triangular building and wood floors!
Thank you Zuni! -
Review from Angela P.
Dallas, TX
1/25/2012
We had a wonderful meal at this SF institution starting with the champagne and elderflower cocktails. Then we split the following among multiple people: caesar salad, mixed chickories salad, gnocchi, and the famous roast chicken with bread salad. Everything was as good as you'd expect for a restaurant with this kind of reputation. Service was great as well.
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Review from Jay S.
Castro Valley, CA
12/23/2011
Completely over rated by the 4 and 5 stars and the 3 star reviews stretch it. I would give it 3 because their french fries are oysters are a 5 but the main courses there were a 0, thus a rating of 1.
For $30.00 I had the Tuna which was the thinnest and weak pink looking tuna I have ever seen at a restaurant that is supposed to be at this level. Clearly the lady who wrote the cook book is not controlling the quality any longer and I have heard this from others who ate there and won't go back. My daughter had the duck. The 4 tiny pieces were extrememly thin like roast beef in a sandwich and looked almost as thin as my tuna! 1/8 inch which was a complete rip off. It should have been called an appetizer platter because the portion size was ridiculous for the price.
We also ordered the sea bass which I have never experienced fishy sea bass but this had a very prominent fishy smell, We were in a rush to get out of there for a show which was down the street and the waitress was gone so much we ended up asking for things from another waiter who was walking by. Our waitress had no enthusiasm about the restaurant and couldn't make a single recommendation when I asked her about the menu. Everything was "Oh yeah that's good." and so I just believed her everything was good.
Well everything we ordered was HORRIBLE! Cold, and cold fish is just gross. The only highlight was the french fries which were fantastic, as I do give praise where praise is do. They were crispy on the outside, and the portion was nice and large so we go to eat french fries for dinner because the other food just didn't fill you up (due to the tiny thin pieces they give you of meat and fish).
SAVE YOUR MONEY!! We spent more hear than many better places in San Francsico.
We used to always go to Espetus right down the street for Brazilian Barbeque and thought we would mix it up as we have never been here. Sorry we wasted our money hear and we'll be back at Espetus which for the same price you get all you can each salads, 15 different meats, and a wait staff that is top notch.
Sorry, to be blunt but this place just sucks when it comes to main courses.
Gordon Ramsey would have been gagging in the garbage bucket when he ate the fish, especially the cold tuna which was tasteless.
Russell H. and Jeffrey Y. are very accurate. This place has become way over rated! -
Review from Patrick S.
Oakland, CA
1/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Love this place so much! Except the fact that the chicken for two is $48. When you eat it I suppose it seems worth it, though it's actually enough for 4 (far more reasonable per head)!
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Review from Sheri K.
San Jose, CA
12/5/2011
Have been here twice before, last evening was my third. Zuni never disappoints.
My husband and I didn't have time to order and wait for their famous roast chicken (it takes an hour), but their other menu items -- the gnocchi, mussel tagliatelle, and onion soup -- were sublime. The service was also very good. -
Review from Irish L.
Plano, TX
1/19/2012
A friend suggested I go here when I told him I was going to San Fran for business. This place has THE BEST ROAST CHICKEN and I never like to order roast chicken in restaurants but it was delicious! Love this place, Love the views!
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Review from Maxwell M.
San Francisco, CA
11/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Zuni has some quality food, a beautiful restaurant, and some mediocre service. I'm particular about the service, because it was a nuptial celebration. Though, I give food credit where credit is due.
It was a party of 8, and we ordered a chicken to taste between the table along with shared apps and individual entrees. The food was all very well prepared, and a special highlight to the burger (though overpriced), the caesar salad, the duck confit, and the chicken.
The Caesar - A wonderfully balanced and dressed salad, though the croutons are very unappealing and tough to eat.
The Burger - Flavorful, juicy, and the "zuni pickles" are wonderful. Make sure to get some of their fries with this, though be sure to have a person or two to share these with.
The Chicken - Juicy, crispy, wonderful bread salad... It's a shame it takes so long to order it, but if you are a fan of chicken or you want to be, this is a wonderful way to eat it!
The Opah - Delicate, perfectly cooked, and it's seasonal vegetables were also lovely. Beautiful dish.
The Duck Confit - Meltingly tender and juicy. Stunning and an excellent smaller sized entree.
Our server, while polite, let champagne and water run dry for periods of over 10 minutes, who I personally tried to ask for ketchup for about 20 minutes, and who also neglected to order my father-in-law his entree until after we had all eaten.
It's amazing that servers make all the money, isn't it? Even at restaurants as successful as Zuni, who represent and execute great california inspired cuisine, the service for important and forever memorable moments falls short.
Clearly, based on other reviews that compliment the food, the service appears to be a consistent flaw. Zuni, your service is "Puni." But please don't stop making that chicken. -
Review from Biqi C.
11/21/2011
I had such a BEAUTIFUL meal here.
A friend came to visit me (and food) this last weekend and we came here for our last dinner after 2 nights of michelin dining(boooring!), and this was by far our favorite restaurant. We actually didn't plan on coming here, but we were walking along Market Street all night and thought we should have dinner before calling it a night.
To be honest, I didn't think I would like it. I thought it would be like Chez Panisse, which would boast high quality ingredients, but have no flavor. But I was wrong. My partner and I ordered oysters and clams, the Zuni Cesar salad, seafood fritters, and onion soup. We weren't really that hungry, so we didn't plan on ordering dinner. But they sat us right next to the kitchen. My friend is a cook (and soon to be chef), and I used to cook, so we just watched and watched ... and we decided we had to get the chicken for 2.
Everything was SO delicious! Honestly, do yourself a favor and get this Cesar salad. It is such a huge salad, and the dressing is to die for. The romaine leaves are so crisp. I joked to my friend and said "You think I can do salad boy's job?" and he goes "No."
The food was so good. And it had so much soul. I am just really glad I went. I liked our waiter, he seemed very nice, but even though he always looked at our table, he never actually stopped by and asked if we wanted anything while we were waiting for our main course.
Do yourself a favor and eat here! I am definitely going to come back here with my boyfriend. =) -
Review from Vera W.
11/10/2011
Came here for a lunch with the manager on Friday (TGIF). Glad my manager picked Zuni Cafe, as it is on the 7x7 list waiting for me to cross it off. Make sure you make reservations!
Specifically, I was looking forward to the chicken bread bowl that is so infamous. I couldn't believe the price--$48!!! Good thing I didn't have to pay for it, otherwise I don't think I could order it. Note, if you are going to order this item, order right when you sit down because it takes an hour. I kid you not.
Now, I wondered how can chicken be that great, especially when it takes an hour. When I make my chicken, if I go beyond a short period of time, it get dry. I really wondered. My confusion was resolved once the chicken came out. And, OMG, the chicken melted in my mouth. It was so soft and juicy. I guess those wood-fired brick ovens really work wonders. The bread underneath was soaked in the chicken juice. It was delicious! I highly recommend it, and no wonder it's on the 7x7 list.
Prior to the chicken, we had house-cured anchovies with celery, and the wild arugula salad with pomegranate seeds, mint, walnuts and sheep's milk ricotta, as appetizers. The anchovies worked really well with the celery and parmigiano-regiiano cheese--they were complement for each other. I don't like olives, so I can't speak for the coquillo olives that came with that appetizer. I was surprised at how the anchovies weren't too strong (so I didn't really need to chew gum after lunch). The salad was pretty good, but not too special.
I also had the balsamic bloody mary with spicy pepper-onion relish--one of the BEST bloody mary's I've had. The spicy-ness was a powerful kick to my taste buds. Now that I'm thinking about it, I crave it! I had one of the champagnes as well--I forgot which one, but the waiter had recommended it, and it was very delicious. It was fruity, like a cocktail champagne.
As for service, our waiter was wonderful. Great service, although it can be slow during busy times, as expected. -
Review from crystala t.
San Francisco, CA
11/27/2011
I consider Zuni my "special place" in the city- the ambiance, food, and people are always exactly what I want when I seek a totally fulfilling dining experience. You should try:
1. The oysters: fresh, delicious, and perfect to start the evening
2. The famous chicken: the bread salad underneath is just as good as the chicken itself
3. Any wine made especially for Zuni- once they had the Hirsch pinot and it was soooooo good. All other wines that are Zuni specialties have been really scrumptious
Everything else is good too- the salads, the pastas... very fresh and sized well. You will not be disappointed with Zuni :) -
Review from Raza M.
San Jose, CA
12/2/2011
I didn't hear much about this place until recently, but apparently Zuni is a bit of an SF institution. And now I understand why.
Located in between a fork in the road, Zuni has a really unique layout with lots of little nooks and crannies where you'll find hidden dining rooms behind other hidden dining rooms.
Pretty upscale and classy atmosphere, this place is ideal for both large groups as well as intimate dates.
Service was excellent, and all the dishes we had leading up to the main course were tasty and unique.
The main event is the Roasted Chicken with bread salad. I was initially going to give this place a 4 stars, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about the chicken and bread salad since I left, so now I am upgrading it to 5. The only thing holding this place back from being a full 5.5 is the fact that the menu is pretty limited, and the chicken takes one hour to cook - no shortcuts, no pre-ordering, and no exceptions. But in the end it's worth it, especially if you order some drinks and a few rounds of appetizers to warm up your appetite. -
Review from Seth F.
Oakland, CA
11/13/2011
The only limiting factor of Zuni is price, which makes it a restaurant for special occasions. If you don't mind spending a premium for excellent food, however, you should not hesitate to come here.
Zuni has an extensive wine list, and their sommelier is not afraid to assist in pairing suggestions. Their waitstaff is also extraordinarily friendly and attentive, despite the enormous number of customers they have to assist.
We had the Caesar salad, spaghetti with eggplant and zucchini (of course the noodles were hand-made), and roasted chicken. The star of the show was the roasted chicken, which the menu claimed served two but I'd say it could actually serve four! Probably the best chicken I've had in my life, and the other dishes weren't too shabby either.
If Zuni could find a way to make their offerings slightly more affordable and accessible, I'd give them 5 stars. However, their sky-high prices make this review fall just short of perfect. -
Review from Vickie Z.
San Francisco, CA
12/2/2011
OMG the chicken for 2!!!! OMG it was delicious!!!!
Greatly recommended!!! Go there!!! -
Review from Erich V.
Oakland, CA
1/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
The gnocchi is the slippery boiled kind as opposed to the chewy sauteed kind that Bouchon serves.
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Review from Cindy M.
11/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Food was very good. Great place to celebrate. But service was lacking just a bit. I wan't totally disappointed but I like to be wowed when eating at a place like this ($$) and sadly, I wasn't. I think our server was a little busy because he would disappear for long periods and not check in on us (he did, however suggest some amazing oysters!).
Shoestring fries were amazing. We didn't try the famous chicken or the famous burger (only available during lunch), but I definitely want to return for both eventually. I had the duck which was flavorful and cooked at the perfect temperature to preserve flavor and texture. Duck dries easily and this was nowhere near that.
My friend ordered the grilled cheese sandwich. The menu says it comes with grilled onions and tomatoes--which we both actually assumed came *in* the sandwich--but note, they come on the side.
The desert was phenomenal (it was a fruit and merengue crisp)!
Downstairs, the bar is great. The ambiance of this place is really nice. Low lighting, lots of different nooks and crannies where you can sit. Staff is very friendly.
Make reservations well in advance if you plan on dining from Thursday through the weekend. -
Review from Jeffrey Y.
Sacramento, CA
12/19/2011
I was really disappointed in this place, even after hearing countless raves about their food and quality. I wanted to love it, but there were so many flaws with the meal that I won't go back or recommend it.
When we arrived a few minutes before our reservation, the hostess very curtly told us to wait at the bar, where we had good but pricey cocktails (the bartender even refused to make my friend her favorite drink, how pretentious).
We were seated upstairs at a nice table with a warm atmosophere perfect for the season. As more older wealthy Caucasians were being seated though, I started to feel the societal stares ("who let them in here?").
The waiter was great at describing the dishes and answering questions, but he seemed a little condescending, especially when he corrected the way we ordered food and drinks. But I accepted it, and it made for a funny conversation amongst us.
- Ricotta gnocchi (literally just ricotta balls posing as gnocchi), was merely decent.
- $48 chicken and bread salad - the bread salad was yummy, but the CHICKEN WAS EXTREMELY UNDERWHELMING. I totally agree with another reviewer that Costco rotisserie chicken tastes pretty much the same. Yes it was tender and somewhat juicy, but it was lacking flavor and anything extraordinary. Some pieces also had quite a bit of redness still. I cannot believe so many people have hyped this gimmick.
- Duck confit with breadcrumb stuffing was good, but not nearly the best I've had. The leg was really moist, but they didn't render the skin enough and the meat tasted exactly like chicken, no game flavor at all. The stuffing was like a knockoff of Thanksgiving, but in the worst way possible.
- Pork chop was eaten entirely by my friend, but he left the grainy polenta cake alone
- Gateau victoire and Espresso granita desserts were once again UNDERWHELMING AND PRICEY. The chocolate cake was pretty dry and lacked sweetness. The granita barely satisfied my sweet tooth, but the table didn't even finish them because they weren't true "desserts"
Maybe Zuni is all about bringing the natural flavors and elements out of their ingredients? After the dinner, that translated to me as bland, unimaginative cooking costing way too much.
There are so many better places to eat in the city, don't waste your time or money here.
** The next day - my friend tells me they had food poisoning, almost positive that it was the undercooked pieces of chicken ** -
Review from Melissa T.
San Francisco, CA
11/23/2011 1 photo
The gnocchi were the highlight of the meal for me. They were incredibly fresh and flavorful. The texture was perfect, the sauce was divine... it was one of those dishes that makes your soul smile. I don't even know what that means, I'm just trying to convey how amazing these gnocchi were.
Some other great things:
-Wasabi mashed potatoes.
-Fresh oysters, the ones from humboldt bay stand out in my mind as being particularly good.
-The roasted chicken for two. It was stuffed with a crunchy sourdough that was fantastic. I thought it was a generous size for 2 people.
- Our server was very knowledgeable about the wine list.
- The restaurant was bigger than I anticipated with a nice loft dining area.
The anchovies plate was teeny tiny. I could've scooped the entire thing in my mouth and still have had room for more. Service was a tad slow at times but didn't really effect our experience. Other than that, I really don't have any complaints. I give this place 4.5 stars. -
Review from Shirley L.
San Francisco, CA
Caesar salad is fresh and light, oysters were fresh -- our waiter was really conscientious and gave good recommendations based on our preferences, and of course the brined chicken with bread salad. Worth the hour long wait as long as you get some starters -- besides oysters and the Caesar salad, try a bloody mary or the thin cut potato strings. Consistent quality, always tastes good each time I come back. Still really have to try their famous burgers which looked delicious!
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