Food was really disappointing. Limited menus. Minuscule overpriced portions. Bland food. My order was naked pasta with steamed vegetables. No sauce. No seasonings. And small portion. Will not visit the restaurant again,
Atmosphere: 3
Service: 3
prateek bansal
The food and ambience is excellent. Just a bit pricer but fresh … hot chocolate is one of the best I had.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Avocado Toast
Nan Carder
Heirloom tomato and pomegranate salad was delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Breakfast Potatoes
Kasey Gomez
I came in early for my reservation on christmas eve and sat on one of the couches to wait for my family. While waiting, I heard loud screaming coming from what seemed to be the back of house or kitchen. This really startled me as men yelling makes me extremely uncomfortable. All at once, all the staff came to the front and started talking about the disrespect they just endured and were arguing with what seemed to be a manager. I asked one of them out of curiosity and was told everything was okay and it was just the exec. chef. I have never experienced in my whole 38 years of life that level of disrespect from a “chef” to their employees. Especially on a holiday like Christmas where it’s already stressful enough. I have worked in the restaurant business, this is not normal. The employee I talked to even mentioned they have reported this to HR and other higher staff (who saw this happen) and nothing has been done. I will never come to this restaurant again until they get a new chef or do something about this aggressive man. After doing some research I believe his name is Christopher House (his face is the first thing on Zinos website). Something needs to be done about this. I do not recommend supporting this restaurant in the meantime. These employees are excellent at their job from what I have noticed and deserve to not be disrespected and screamed at right before their shift. I watched as they were hesitant to even enter the kitchen after. Zino, please do better. The old chef was excellent and kind, your staff deserves better.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 5
Barbi
We were disappointed with the food. The best part of our meal was the salad with the goat cheese. We each had a rigatoni main course. My vegetarian one had no sauce and tasted like black pepper. My husband had the meat version and he felt it was a small potion and it was just okay. There was no Parmesan cheese provided. In other restaurants the server often grated the cheese at the table. We shared the chocolate mousse which was the smallest dessert we have ever seen. Our server was friendly and helpful. The restaurant was almost empty on a Saturday night and I think I know why. The food is not great and the prices are high.
Kelly Grantham
Nice staff, but found a large piece of jagged broken plastic in the compote on my pancakes. Wouldn’t recommend it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 5
This beautiful space SHOULD have a top notch restaurant catering to both hotel guests and food-jaded locals. We've now tried this place for both breakfast and dinner and it continues to disappoint. Avocado toast and a French toast at a nice restaurant in Berkeley both depend on the use of high quality bread. Both used cheap, boring white bread. Avocados were thin sliced and unseasoned—the Zataar and olive oil left helplessly UNDER the toast, so dipping the bottom is the only option. Servers were nice, but once again the restaurant was near empty on Xmas day at a time when most everything else was closed. Should have had a captive audience of hotel guests and locals. This does not bode well.
GloriaB
This was the only place we could get a reservation at Christmas Eve. We thought that, being in a hotel, Zino's atmosphere at least would be nice. But there was a cold wind (not just a breeze) blowing through the cavernous room, and the personnel apologized, but could do nothing about it. A large number of the tables were empty, so we didn't even have fellow diners to warm up and enliven the place. I had the whole Dorade fish--it was very large, but disappointingly overcooked and dry. My companion said her Penne was quite good.
PerP
The appetizer, salad, and entree were delivered simultaneously. Not sure why this happened, but it's difficult to eat an "appetizer" when all of the other food is also sitting there.
Sylvia E
Hadn't been here in a long time. Menu did not really read as "Mediterranean " but both of our dishes were excellent, salmon and sea bream. Really really good food. Our server Ignacio was attentive and gracious. The bar was out of some ingredients, which made the special cocktail menu obsolete… However the bartender literally came over to our table and worked out what we might like instead of our original orders, and the drinks thus negotiated were so good we ordered seconds. The restaurant was festively decorated with Christmas trees, which I was hoping for and appreciated. It was very quiet, I hope business picks up because we had a lovely experience and it's different from my usual "hot" dining spots in Berkeley where you can hardly hear yourself speak much less hear your dining companion. Our overall experience was relaxed and elevated.
Great menu and great food...try the place and you will be happy.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Molly
Delightful in every way: wait staff, food, interaction with fellow diners, simply all cheerful and welcoming. We'll be back again. This was the second time and it just gets better.
Thanksgiving spread was good. Only disappointing experience was that a “kids buffet spread” was listed on the menu. It was the reason I booked as I didn't want to waste money on food my 6 y/o wouldn't eat. When I asked where kids spread was located, I was told the kids have access to all the regular buffet items, but there was no extra dishes for them. They did ask the chef if they could make some thing, which the chef did. But it felt like they were doing me a favor and going out of their way to do this, when the menu, explicitly states, those items are supposed to be there. Other than that experience, everything was fine
esme
Really small brunch menu, old potatoes overcooked, eggs needed to be sent back besides emphasizing repeatedly that I wanted them well done. Overpriced poor quality food in a very pretty space.
Cady Child
I was hoping for more Mediterranean dishes, the menu when we went was mostly pastas. Regardless the food and drinks were very good.
Food was really disappointing. Limited menus. Minuscule overpriced portions. Bland food. My order was naked pasta with steamed vegetables. No sauce. No seasonings. And small portion. Will not visit the restaurant again,
Atmosphere: 3
Service: 3
The food and ambience is excellent. Just a bit pricer but fresh … hot chocolate is one of the best I had.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Avocado Toast
Heirloom tomato and pomegranate salad was delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Breakfast Potatoes
I came in early for my reservation on christmas eve and sat on one of the couches to wait for my family. While waiting, I heard loud screaming coming from what seemed to be the back of house or kitchen. This really startled me as men yelling makes me extremely uncomfortable. All at once, all the staff came to the front and started talking about the disrespect they just endured and were arguing with what seemed to be a manager. I asked one of them out of curiosity and was told everything was okay and it was just the exec. chef. I have never experienced in my whole 38 years of life that level of disrespect from a “chef” to their employees. Especially on a holiday like Christmas where it’s already stressful enough. I have worked in the restaurant business, this is not normal. The employee I talked to even mentioned they have reported this to HR and other higher staff (who saw this happen) and nothing has been done. I will never come to this restaurant again until they get a new chef or do something about this aggressive man. After doing some research I believe his name is Christopher House (his face is the first thing on Zinos website). Something needs to be done about this. I do not recommend supporting this restaurant in the meantime. These employees are excellent at their job from what I have noticed and deserve to not be disrespected and screamed at right before their shift. I watched as they were hesitant to even enter the kitchen after. Zino, please do better. The old chef was excellent and kind, your staff deserves better.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 5
We were disappointed with the food. The best part of our meal was the salad with the goat cheese. We each had a rigatoni main course. My vegetarian one had no sauce and tasted like black pepper. My husband had the meat version and he felt it was a small potion and it was just okay. There was no Parmesan cheese provided. In other restaurants the server often grated the cheese at the table. We shared the chocolate mousse which was the smallest dessert we have ever seen. Our server was friendly and helpful. The restaurant was almost empty on a Saturday night and I think I know why. The food is not great and the prices are high.
Nice staff, but found a large piece of jagged broken plastic in the compote on my pancakes. Wouldn’t recommend it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 5
This beautiful space SHOULD have a top notch restaurant catering to both hotel guests and food-jaded locals. We've now tried this place for both breakfast and dinner and it continues to disappoint. Avocado toast and a French toast at a nice restaurant in Berkeley both depend on the use of high quality bread. Both used cheap, boring white bread. Avocados were thin sliced and unseasoned—the Zataar and olive oil left helplessly UNDER the toast, so dipping the bottom is the only option. Servers were nice, but once again the restaurant was near empty on Xmas day at a time when most everything else was closed. Should have had a captive audience of hotel guests and locals. This does not bode well.
This was the only place we could get a reservation at Christmas Eve. We thought that, being in a hotel, Zino's atmosphere at least would be nice. But there was a cold wind (not just a breeze) blowing through the cavernous room, and the personnel apologized, but could do nothing about it. A large number of the tables were empty, so we didn't even have fellow diners to warm up and enliven the place. I had the whole Dorade fish--it was very large, but disappointingly overcooked and dry. My companion said her Penne was quite good.
The appetizer, salad, and entree were delivered simultaneously. Not sure why this happened, but it's difficult to eat an "appetizer" when all of the other food is also sitting there.
Hadn't been here in a long time. Menu did not really read as "Mediterranean " but both of our dishes were excellent, salmon and sea bream. Really really good food. Our server Ignacio was attentive and gracious. The bar was out of some ingredients, which made the special cocktail menu obsolete… However the bartender literally came over to our table and worked out what we might like instead of our original orders, and the drinks thus negotiated were so good we ordered seconds. The restaurant was festively decorated with Christmas trees, which I was hoping for and appreciated. It was very quiet, I hope business picks up because we had a lovely experience and it's different from my usual "hot" dining spots in Berkeley where you can hardly hear yourself speak much less hear your dining companion. Our overall experience was relaxed and elevated.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Great menu and great food...try the place and you will be happy.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Delightful in every way: wait staff, food, interaction with fellow diners, simply all cheerful and welcoming. We'll be back again. This was the second time and it just gets better.
Thanksgiving spread was good. Only disappointing experience was that a “kids buffet spread” was listed on the menu. It was the reason I booked as I didn't want to waste money on food my 6 y/o wouldn't eat. When I asked where kids spread was located, I was told the kids have access to all the regular buffet items, but there was no extra dishes for them. They did ask the chef if they could make some thing, which the chef did. But it felt like they were doing me a favor and going out of their way to do this, when the menu, explicitly states, those items are supposed to be there. Other than that experience, everything was fine
Really small brunch menu, old potatoes overcooked, eggs needed to be sent back besides emphasizing repeatedly that I wanted them well done. Overpriced poor quality food in a very pretty space.
I was hoping for more Mediterranean dishes, the menu when we went was mostly pastas. Regardless the food and drinks were very good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5