This place is a gem of a restaurant. Started at the bar with some wine and oysters. A great selection of super fresh oysters were available.Dinner was delightful. Great Cesar salad, bread and butter was so good, and the roast chicken is worth the hour wait. Wonderfully crafted cocktails were consumed and enjoyed.Highly recommend this spot
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Clasica Caesar Salad, Shoestring Potatoes, Roasted Chicken with Bread Salad, Oysters on the Half Shell
T K
These reviews are all fake.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Patricia T.
ambiance and service fuel the hype. I'll admit that I got some really cute pics here. and yeah the famous fries are a SPECTACLE they are so fun. got a drink here (was good), mainly came to drink and share some fries with a friend. dear reader, these fries are doused in a healthy bucket of salt. very crispy, delicious, but salty to the point of ingesting seawater. had to go home and wash out my mouth with water kind of salty. if that is your thing you should defs get the fries. but yeah I'd still come back this place is a classic
Collin
Raving reviews online so expectations were extremely high. Oven roasted chicken was very good but portion was too much for two pax. Pretty much one chicken, some oysters and we are done. Nonetheless still a great restaurant
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Roasted Chicken with Bread Salad
Richard Hsu
Do yourself a favor and remember to order the roasted chicken with bread salad right when you get seated. Don’t delay. It takes an hour and doesn’t go in until you order it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Clasica Caesar Salad, Acme Levain Bread with Butter, Roasted Chicken with Bread Salad
Bous B.
don't recommend the chicken unfortunately as it was not juicy, but service and ambiance is great. The ceaser salad was alright, but not worth the price.
A L.
I ate here a long time ago, and I remember the drink was good and the food was great. I've even referred people here for their roast chicken. Today I'm giving Zuni only one star for the following reason: I ate here last Sunday, and the food was good, but I was not happy with my waiter Richard. Zuni puts on a 20% tip on the bill automatically which opens the door to not the best service. When the bill came, Richard of course defended the 20% gratuity. I asked to speak to the manager, and when the manager came, he didn't ask about what happened - he right off the bat said he'll take off the tip, whatever I want. What he said was unexpected, and I felt as if I was the bad guy. I left a smaller tip, but overall, not exactly the nice dining experience I would have hoped for. Beware the automatic 20% tip!
Pete Ribeiro
A little sub par when you consider the costs. I would not recommend the roasted chicken, the food in general was a little sub par.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Shoestring Potatoes, Roasted Chicken with Bread Salad, Oysters on the Half Shell
Anne Fiorito
Has always been a favorite! Drinks and apps at the bar, dinner at a table. Roast chicken with bread salad was divine, as well as the fried squash appetizer- divine! Excellent cocktails ?Vegetarian options: Good seasonal vegetable dishes.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Clasica Caesar Salad, Acme Levain Bread with Butter, Roasted Chicken with Bread Salad, Oysters on the Half Shell, Salad, Ouse Cured Anchovies with Celery Reggiano and Olives
Steve Jarrett
Simply superb. Zuni has been a San Francisco institution for decades but I am still impressed with the perfectly cooked and deliciously seasoned fresh food that they serve. The roast chicken and oysters are rightfully famous, but many other things on the specials menu such as their pastas and salads as well as their mixed drinks (including non-alcoholic options) are world class. The food, diverse and well-curated music, and light-filled room are with matched with happy, attentive, and authentic service. One of my favorite meals in any city. Bravo.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Clasica Caesar Salad, Oysters on the Half Shell, Flourless Chocolate Cake
Best chicken on the planet. Best French fries on the planet. The food doesn't do the hype justice. A must go!
ruge Killings
Zuni Café, nestled in San Francisco, serves up top-notch dishes in a cozy yet classy setting. The roast chicken here? Unreal. I still dream about its crispy skin and juicy meat. But it's not just about the chicken; their salads burst with flavor, and the pasta dishes hit the spot. Plus, their desserts? Divine. The staff knows their stuff and adds to the experience. If you're in SF and craving a memorable meal, Zuni Café is the spot to hit up.
Patrick Rylee
I really dislike restaurants that add a 20% tip to every check. This morning, my friend and I split the check and he added 20% not realizing that 20% had already been added. Fortunately, he was able to scratch through it. To their credit, they put a red stamp on the check stating that a tip had been added. I still don't like it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Shoestring Potatoes
Misha T.
So we still haven't tried the chicken but we did split the burger, fries, and this green vegetable food. Everything was great, though we probably could have got our own soups and burgers as these aren't huge portions. But they are tasty ones. The burger is nice and beefy, and the bread it comes on makes it pretty unique. I don't think I prefer shoestring fries but they're a fun treat once in a while and the ones at Zuni are crisp while still retaining some moisture. The soup was really great. Savory but not too salty.
gary l.
The hamburger, requested medium rare, was over cooked. Not much flavor either. The polenta was great. Caesar salad was good. Meringue dessert was good. Server was great. Both myself and my dining partner were underwhelmed and disappointed.
This place is a gem of a restaurant. Started at the bar with some wine and oysters. A great selection of super fresh oysters were available.Dinner was delightful. Great Cesar salad, bread and butter was so good, and the roast chicken is worth the hour wait. Wonderfully crafted cocktails were consumed and enjoyed.Highly recommend this spot
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Clasica Caesar Salad, Shoestring Potatoes, Roasted Chicken with Bread Salad, Oysters on the Half Shell
These reviews are all fake.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
ambiance and service fuel the hype. I'll admit that I got some really cute pics here. and yeah the famous fries are a SPECTACLE they are so fun. got a drink here (was good), mainly came to drink and share some fries with a friend. dear reader, these fries are doused in a healthy bucket of salt. very crispy, delicious, but salty to the point of ingesting seawater. had to go home and wash out my mouth with water kind of salty. if that is your thing you should defs get the fries. but yeah I'd still come back this place is a classic
Raving reviews online so expectations were extremely high. Oven roasted chicken was very good but portion was too much for two pax. Pretty much one chicken, some oysters and we are done. Nonetheless still a great restaurant
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Roasted Chicken with Bread Salad
Do yourself a favor and remember to order the roasted chicken with bread salad right when you get seated. Don’t delay. It takes an hour and doesn’t go in until you order it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Clasica Caesar Salad, Acme Levain Bread with Butter, Roasted Chicken with Bread Salad
don't recommend the chicken unfortunately as it was not juicy, but service and ambiance is great. The ceaser salad was alright, but not worth the price.
I ate here a long time ago, and I remember the drink was good and the food was great. I've even referred people here for their roast chicken. Today I'm giving Zuni only one star for the following reason: I ate here last Sunday, and the food was good, but I was not happy with my waiter Richard. Zuni puts on a 20% tip on the bill automatically which opens the door to not the best service. When the bill came, Richard of course defended the 20% gratuity. I asked to speak to the manager, and when the manager came, he didn't ask about what happened - he right off the bat said he'll take off the tip, whatever I want. What he said was unexpected, and I felt as if I was the bad guy. I left a smaller tip, but overall, not exactly the nice dining experience I would have hoped for. Beware the automatic 20% tip!
A little sub par when you consider the costs. I would not recommend the roasted chicken, the food in general was a little sub par.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Shoestring Potatoes, Roasted Chicken with Bread Salad, Oysters on the Half Shell
Has always been a favorite! Drinks and apps at the bar, dinner at a table. Roast chicken with bread salad was divine, as well as the fried squash appetizer- divine! Excellent cocktails ?Vegetarian options: Good seasonal vegetable dishes.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Clasica Caesar Salad, Acme Levain Bread with Butter, Roasted Chicken with Bread Salad, Oysters on the Half Shell, Salad, Ouse Cured Anchovies with Celery Reggiano and Olives
Simply superb. Zuni has been a San Francisco institution for decades but I am still impressed with the perfectly cooked and deliciously seasoned fresh food that they serve. The roast chicken and oysters are rightfully famous, but many other things on the specials menu such as their pastas and salads as well as their mixed drinks (including non-alcoholic options) are world class. The food, diverse and well-curated music, and light-filled room are with matched with happy, attentive, and authentic service. One of my favorite meals in any city. Bravo.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Clasica Caesar Salad, Oysters on the Half Shell, Flourless Chocolate Cake
Restaurantji Recommends
Best chicken on the planet. Best French fries on the planet. The food doesn't do the hype justice. A must go!
Zuni Café, nestled in San Francisco, serves up top-notch dishes in a cozy yet classy setting. The roast chicken here? Unreal. I still dream about its crispy skin and juicy meat. But it's not just about the chicken; their salads burst with flavor, and the pasta dishes hit the spot. Plus, their desserts? Divine. The staff knows their stuff and adds to the experience. If you're in SF and craving a memorable meal, Zuni Café is the spot to hit up.
I really dislike restaurants that add a 20% tip to every check. This morning, my friend and I split the check and he added 20% not realizing that 20% had already been added. Fortunately, he was able to scratch through it. To their credit, they put a red stamp on the check stating that a tip had been added. I still don't like it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Shoestring Potatoes
So we still haven't tried the chicken but we did split the burger, fries, and this green vegetable food. Everything was great, though we probably could have got our own soups and burgers as these aren't huge portions. But they are tasty ones. The burger is nice and beefy, and the bread it comes on makes it pretty unique. I don't think I prefer shoestring fries but they're a fun treat once in a while and the ones at Zuni are crisp while still retaining some moisture. The soup was really great. Savory but not too salty.
The hamburger, requested medium rare, was over cooked. Not much flavor either. The polenta was great. Caesar salad was good. Meringue dessert was good. Server was great. Both myself and my dining partner were underwhelmed and disappointed.