If you know me, you know that I am half-Sudanese (Northern Sudan) and half-Egyptian. I moved here over a decade ago, and it was hard to find Sudanese food until I came across Z Zoul. The restaurant is a haven of warmth, cleanliness, and comfort. When I entered, I immediately felt like I was back home, thanks to the delicious aromas and the warm welcome I received from Arif. Aref served us the best homemade Sudanese food that brought back fond memories of my dad and family. The taste of the food and how it was presented just brought tears to my eyes. After the sumptuous meal, we ordered hibiscus drink (Karkade), which was the perfect finale. The food is very reasonably priced, and you get a generous portion for the price. If you've never tried Sudanese food, I highly recommend Z Zoul. My husband, who had never tasted Sudanese food before, and my son can't remember the goodness of Sudanese food. Both were thrilled with the food, and I'm sure you will be too. Aref and Dalya, I cannot thank you enough from the bottom of my heart for the hospitality and the incredible food. May your restaurant continue to flourish, and may your family always be blessed. Thank you again!
Saya Snow
We have been trying to come here for the past few days but they are always closed never open. How's to have a great experience here but it does not seem to happen due to them never opening.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Sharon B.
My kids had a birthday delivery sent to me. Only half of the order arrived. The food looked like it was just tossed into the box with no care. I swear the soup came from a can. Ive never had a salad where every ingredient tasted like vinegar and onions before. I'm not even sure how they accomplished that. The rice was rice. I actually threw it away.
Christopher Partipilo
Excellent food. Come hungry! The lamb shank was delicious and I’d also recommend the rice pudding.
Fresh blended hummus was on another level. Owner was super chill and gave us a homemade hibiscus drink on the house.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cory D.
I was walking around and thought I would cone here for lunch. I had the chicken plate. Was about $21 with tip, no drink or dessert. The food was okay, but I couldn't eat the soup. I requested an onion-free option, and the soup was stuffed with onions so could not go near it. The chicken was okay, had a yoghurt spiced marinated, with white rice and lettuce with pickles. I guess I just still not used to SF prices, but for the price I wasn't all that impressed. Service wasn't great as the guy never told me hoe to get water and I am sad I wasn't told I could not eat the soup I ordered. The place itself was clean, especially for Tenderloin.
Annie McCarter
One of San Francisco's hidden gems ?! We had just returned from visiting The Wiz in Emerald City. Tough trip, so we were hungry. We goggle nearby restaurants and saw that Z Zoul Cafe was only a ten minute walk away at 295 Eddy St. It was Super Bowl Sunday, so the streets were kind of empty. We found the place. The first thing we noticed was how small but quaint it was. We were greeted by one of the owners and seated right away. We were served hot and spicy tea that was delicious! The menu was small, but the choices were great! The four of us ordered different things so we could share. I decided on the Beef Kofta that came with a green salad, Basmati rice with Tahini sauce and hummus, which you could tell was freshly made. When the food arrived, we were shocked and pleased that the amount was huge! We were told they believed in making sure you had plenty. We did! The beef was very, very tender and tasty! None of us were disappointed with anything. I will say that when you go, try the Dalya Pudding. It's made with Egyptian rice and has the right amount of sweetness. We all had leftovers to take home. The price for all of us was far less than we would have paid at well-known restaurants and totally worth it! I know we will be returning to Z Zoul. It's five stars worth it ! By the way, the word Zoul means, 'friend'. Indeed.
Falafels were legit! I went to this place in a good mood and left feeling like a king. the staff was super friendly and the food was delicious. I'd risk the tenderloin daily to get this grub. Hummus: 10, Eggplant:10, Falafel:11. what's more is they offer classes on how to cook the falafel. Are you kidding me?! I'll be hitting the class with my GF so she thinks I'm a genius and marries me.Vegetarian options: Falafel and basically all the sides.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Kofta Ali Baba
Annie M.
It wasn't great, it was WONDERFUL!!! We were in San Francisco from Sonoma County and Richmond to see the stage play 'The Wiz'. (Loved it!) Afterwards we decided to get something to eat. We goggle and found Z Zoul. It was just a few blocks from where we were so we chose it. The place was very easy to find. It's small but quaint. We were seated right away and given hot, spicy and delicious tea. The menu had plenty of choices ranging from salads, sandwiches, soups plates and bowls. Each of us ordered something different so we could sample. I chose the Beef Kofta. It came with a green salad, hummus, pita bread and Egyptian rice. The amount of food was awesome! I was very impressed by how tender the beef was. Everything was tasty, seasoned just right! We ate as much as we could and had plenty to take home for later. I ordered the Dalya Pudding. I wish I had ordered two. It was very good! The price for the four of us was surprisingly low. I can tell you the service was awesome! I like the play area for the kids. So, if you want to try something new and delicious, give Z Zoul a try! The word Zoul actually means 'Friend '.
Tigran Karakhanyan
DELICIOUS FOOD! It was so good we forgot to take pictures. The owner is also a lovely person.Definitely coming back to try other things from the menu.Lamb Shank was our favorite. Best lamb I've tried so far.
I went with my family and it truly felt like a piece of home came to the Bay. The food reminded me of dishes I used to eat my family’s home in Sudan and the atmosphere transported me to Sudan. The food was delicious and the meat with rice dish would fall right off the bone!!!
Nice people quick service very friendly. Would be a nice experience of Sudanese food in California. I should say that the food tastes good for the most part but unfortunately nothing tasted fresh. The falafel was stale and old. The lamb was juicy and soft and didn't smell so that was the best part for me.
Food: 3
Service: 5
Abdulrahman Al-Sharif
Best foodBest serviceWelcoming staffThank you Chef Aref
Diana Ramirez
Eat, drink, and enjoy art and beautiful history. I highly recommend this place. Take time to hear the owners history and the story behind the mural. What a beautiful inspiration. Thank you for hosting us during NeighborWorks conference.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Yao Xu
Amazing experience for a fun dinner :) Dalia’s rice pudding was delicious. We will be back?
If you know me, you know that I am half-Sudanese (Northern Sudan) and half-Egyptian. I moved here over a decade ago, and it was hard to find Sudanese food until I came across Z Zoul. The restaurant is a haven of warmth, cleanliness, and comfort. When I entered, I immediately felt like I was back home, thanks to the delicious aromas and the warm welcome I received from Arif. Aref served us the best homemade Sudanese food that brought back fond memories of my dad and family. The taste of the food and how it was presented just brought tears to my eyes. After the sumptuous meal, we ordered hibiscus drink (Karkade), which was the perfect finale. The food is very reasonably priced, and you get a generous portion for the price. If you've never tried Sudanese food, I highly recommend Z Zoul. My husband, who had never tasted Sudanese food before, and my son can't remember the goodness of Sudanese food. Both were thrilled with the food, and I'm sure you will be too. Aref and Dalya, I cannot thank you enough from the bottom of my heart for the hospitality and the incredible food. May your restaurant continue to flourish, and may your family always be blessed. Thank you again!
We have been trying to come here for the past few days but they are always closed never open. How's to have a great experience here but it does not seem to happen due to them never opening.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
My kids had a birthday delivery sent to me. Only half of the order arrived. The food looked like it was just tossed into the box with no care. I swear the soup came from a can. Ive never had a salad where every ingredient tasted like vinegar and onions before. I'm not even sure how they accomplished that. The rice was rice. I actually threw it away.
Excellent food. Come hungry! The lamb shank was delicious and I’d also recommend the rice pudding.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Roasted Lamb Shank 'Da'Alah', Pudding, Lamb Shank Dala'a
Fresh blended hummus was on another level. Owner was super chill and gave us a homemade hibiscus drink on the house.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I was walking around and thought I would cone here for lunch. I had the chicken plate. Was about $21 with tip, no drink or dessert. The food was okay, but I couldn't eat the soup. I requested an onion-free option, and the soup was stuffed with onions so could not go near it. The chicken was okay, had a yoghurt spiced marinated, with white rice and lettuce with pickles. I guess I just still not used to SF prices, but for the price I wasn't all that impressed. Service wasn't great as the guy never told me hoe to get water and I am sad I wasn't told I could not eat the soup I ordered. The place itself was clean, especially for Tenderloin.
One of San Francisco's hidden gems ?! We had just returned from visiting The Wiz in Emerald City. Tough trip, so we were hungry. We goggle nearby restaurants and saw that Z Zoul Cafe was only a ten minute walk away at 295 Eddy St. It was Super Bowl Sunday, so the streets were kind of empty. We found the place. The first thing we noticed was how small but quaint it was. We were greeted by one of the owners and seated right away. We were served hot and spicy tea that was delicious! The menu was small, but the choices were great! The four of us ordered different things so we could share. I decided on the Beef Kofta that came with a green salad, Basmati rice with Tahini sauce and hummus, which you could tell was freshly made. When the food arrived, we were shocked and pleased that the amount was huge! We were told they believed in making sure you had plenty. We did! The beef was very, very tender and tasty! None of us were disappointed with anything. I will say that when you go, try the Dalya Pudding. It's made with Egyptian rice and has the right amount of sweetness. We all had leftovers to take home. The price for all of us was far less than we would have paid at well-known restaurants and totally worth it! I know we will be returning to Z Zoul. It's five stars worth it ! By the way, the word Zoul means, 'friend'. Indeed.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dali Pudding, Roasted Lamb Shank 'Da'Alah', Pudding, Roasted Lamb, Hummus, Beef, Soup, Beef Shawarma
Falafels were legit! I went to this place in a good mood and left feeling like a king. the staff was super friendly and the food was delicious. I'd risk the tenderloin daily to get this grub. Hummus: 10, Eggplant:10, Falafel:11. what's more is they offer classes on how to cook the falafel. Are you kidding me?! I'll be hitting the class with my GF so she thinks I'm a genius and marries me.Vegetarian options: Falafel and basically all the sides.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Kofta Ali Baba
It wasn't great, it was WONDERFUL!!! We were in San Francisco from Sonoma County and Richmond to see the stage play 'The Wiz'. (Loved it!) Afterwards we decided to get something to eat. We goggle and found Z Zoul. It was just a few blocks from where we were so we chose it. The place was very easy to find. It's small but quaint. We were seated right away and given hot, spicy and delicious tea. The menu had plenty of choices ranging from salads, sandwiches, soups plates and bowls. Each of us ordered something different so we could sample. I chose the Beef Kofta. It came with a green salad, hummus, pita bread and Egyptian rice. The amount of food was awesome! I was very impressed by how tender the beef was. Everything was tasty, seasoned just right! We ate as much as we could and had plenty to take home for later. I ordered the Dalya Pudding. I wish I had ordered two. It was very good! The price for the four of us was surprisingly low. I can tell you the service was awesome! I like the play area for the kids. So, if you want to try something new and delicious, give Z Zoul a try! The word Zoul actually means 'Friend '.
DELICIOUS FOOD! It was so good we forgot to take pictures. The owner is also a lovely person.Definitely coming back to try other things from the menu.Lamb Shank was our favorite. Best lamb I've tried so far.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Roasted Lamb Shank 'Da'Alah'
Restaurantji Recommends
I went with my family and it truly felt like a piece of home came to the Bay. The food reminded me of dishes I used to eat my family’s home in Sudan and the atmosphere transported me to Sudan. The food was delicious and the meat with rice dish would fall right off the bone!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Roasted Chicken, Beef Kofta, Hummus, Soup, Falafel
Nice people quick service very friendly. Would be a nice experience of Sudanese food in California. I should say that the food tastes good for the most part but unfortunately nothing tasted fresh. The falafel was stale and old. The lamb was juicy and soft and didn't smell so that was the best part for me.
Food: 3
Service: 5
Best foodBest serviceWelcoming staffThank you Chef Aref
Eat, drink, and enjoy art and beautiful history. I highly recommend this place. Take time to hear the owners history and the story behind the mural. What a beautiful inspiration. Thank you for hosting us during NeighborWorks conference.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amazing experience for a fun dinner :) Dalia’s rice pudding was delicious. We will be back?