Zookers Restaurant

Great place to go in Carpinteria. Food, service, and atmosphere are top notch.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I LOVE THIS RESTAURANT! FOOD IS DELICIOUS! It was so good we came back for dinner!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

This was a very disappointing meal. First, we ordered a bottle of wine that on the menu was a 2019. However when the wine came out it was a 2021. I said that was fine but then asked the price since a two years younger wine was significantly less expensive. Answer: no still $54. Odd and off putting but whatever.

The actual food was mediocre at best. My wife got the filet mignon special which was also $54. She ordered it medium rare but it came out medium well to well done. Fine, we sent it back no big deal. They said it would take five minutes. Again, totally fine.

Twenty minutes later it still hasn’t arrived and everyone else finished eating. We tell the staff to cancel it and just not charge us. She had food from other people. They say “it’s already ready so at least let us give it to you to go.” She says fine.

Guess what: they still charge us for the entire meal including the steak special. Rather than fighting we just paid and left. However, the whole thing was very off putting. It was mostly older folks who I assume are local but apparently they’re okay with this. Don’t look at the reviews- this place is bad.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 4

Kyle was my server, he was wonderful! The beet and grilled pear salad was superb and mt eggplant Parmesan was delicious! An unexpected find in a shopping center close to my hotel. Excellent!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
We visited Zuker while camping with our four kids, and it worked out perfectly! They had a kids’ menu, gave us a big booth, and were so patient and accommodating. The seafood was very fresh, my husband really enjoyed the meat, and the farm-to-table veggies were wonderful—the seasonal heirloom salad was especially delicious. Our server was kind and attentive, and the whole place had a very friendly atmosphere. Fresh food, great service, family-friendly—we’d definitely go back!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

salmon excellent!!

A pleasant meal. The $19 tomato starter was okay but needed to be on a larger plate and the lettuce was sad. Way overpriced. No bacon was needed. The swordfish was very tender and delicious.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4

It's 1:00 and time for Lunch, and a break from driving! I searched local restaurants, aside from the chains, and found this place. I was able to find their menu and checked it out.
A Reuben?! I'm done looking!
I walked into a fairly empty dining room and was seated right away. I ordered, and within 10 minutes had my meal.
It was... burnt! Outwardly, it did not look so but it's a whole wheat / nut bread and that type just toasts differently! It was so off that I decided to cut the better bits off and eat it from the inside out.
Sadly that was a disappointment too!
The meat was lacking flavor, the sauce was very weak and ultimately for a $30 sandwich; I was massively disappointed!!

So why didn't I say something?
Why didn't I send it back?
Two reasons:
I feared retaliation from the Kitchen...
And, I was anxious to get back on the road.

I just hope my review can maybe save somebody else from such an expense!

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 1

Service: 4

Great atmosphere. Amazing and quality food.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Strong with the flavors, this place is. Seafood pasta, a feast most satisfying it was—mussels, clams, shrimp, fish, and scallops, all bathed in a lemon-pepper white wine sauce. A balance in the Force of flavor, indeed.

Service—attentive and kind, the Jedi Council would approve. Yet, a disturbance in the value I sensed. Over $110 for two (no alcohol), and yet… bread, not freely given? A mere six slices, small they were, for an extra $4 credits. A Sith move, this charge for bread feels.

To the light side of taste, the meal belongs. Yet, to the dark side of pricing, it strays. Stronger in generosity, Zookers must become. Until then, a wary Jedi shall remain.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Seafood Pasta

One of the best meals on our trip, Cioppino was superb and the Seafood Pasta was seasoned perfectly. Our waiter, Alfonso could not have been better. I'm sure we will be making this a regular stop on our travels.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Cioppino, Seafood Pasta

Restaurant closes at 9pm and my family was turned away at 8:15 on a Friday night. That’s completely unacceptable

Service: 1

Zookers is the best restaurant in carpinteria!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Decent food.
Kind and friendly service by Kyle.
Surly host.
3% credit card processing fee.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 3

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Cioppino

Loved it!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5