Zuni Café

Pricey plus 25% mandatory service fee is definitely something to watch out for.

Service is very slow despite us telling them we are in a hurry and every dish can come as soon as possible. We waited for the fettuccine for over an hour. And it came 50 mins after the second last dish, showing how dis managed the kitchen is.

Food is not that surprising. Just gimmicks (shoestring fries) yet very pricey.

Oyster is not bad so gives two stars.

A San Francisco institution. It is both sophisticated and easy going. It has the ability to put a stunning culinary presentation down on the table in the same unpretentious manner it delivers a favorite standard. The well thought out wine list is not intimidating with quality and variety at a range of price points. The bar is solid; always seeming to feature something new and delightful. Service always thoughtful and knowledgeable. Management perennially charming. In charge, but not too much so.

One of my professors whole-heartedly recommended Zuni's roasted chicken "WITH THE BREAD SALAD! " during a zoom lecture at the start of the pandemic. I really went out of my way to try the chicken. We had the fries (appetizer) and chicken. I think it would be enough for four people with smaller appetites. It is an hour wait and it is worth it. We had excellent service despite sitting outside sans reservation. The restaurant was beautiful and not annoyingly formal. Ordering the chicken is perfect for date night- but make sure you have really good conversation skills and get the chicken order in quickly! If the date goes badly, not to worry, you will have leftovers.

Where to begin with the legendary Zuni Cafe. Known for its excellent roasted chicken, and excellent service, the Zuni Cafe that many had come to love was not present on the dinner service on 5/23/21.

While there was still plenty good going on; I was still a bit shaken up by my negative experience.

An older gentleman named Joseph was the main gripe of the night. While well spoken and knowledgeable of the menu, Joseph would stop by our table roughly every 2 minutes to ensure that our water glasses were constantly filled to the brim. While this could come off as a nice gesture, it was a bit too intrusive, as he was almost constantly at our table filling water.

When he wasn't silently judging us for being College students dining at a nice restaurant, he was busy telling me how messy of an eater I was! Bussing our plates, he says: "my oh my, someone left quite the mess today. " He doesn't stop there, and he proceeds to pick up the piece of lettuce and chicken bone that i had let fall off of my plate, with his clean hands and then walks away.

Under no circumstances should it be in the Server's perview to judge the customers, and make them feel bad.

A $160 check for two diners who left a bit disappointed is not the way to go if you want to keep people coming back. There are plenty of places to spend money, so restaurants should be fighting for customers in the way of excellent food, and service.

Food: 4/5
Service: 2/5
Atmosphere: 4/5

It’s Zuni. The food was incredible and our server was outstanding. Everyone was fabulous. Can’t wait to return. ️

Food was as good as I remember pre-covid. Service didn't meet my expectation for a default 25% addition. Won't be eating here often anymore with these prices.

Fabulous to be back at Zuni's. Everything was perfect. Chicken tasted tastes marvelous as does everything else.

The chicken! The oysters! The wine selection, the shoestring fries, even the desserts are amazing. It's all served by friendly and attentive staff.

Food was OK but the prices are high for what you get. They have a sausage item in the menu that's articulated really fancy, with grapes and stuff, but you actually get 1 little kebab.
I ordered the hamburger and had to pay extra for tomato and onions. And hamburger was 18$, so I get the place is upscale, but upscale is not an excuse for over scaled prices IMHO.

You have not lived until you've had the chicken for two, actually will feed four. Another fantastic dish is the house anchovy appetizer, absolutely amazing and it's not your mama's anchovies!

We have had many dinners over the years at Zuni. I think that says it all. It is just one of our favorite restaurants in all the world.

It was like sitting at a table in a “tent city” while ripping up $20 bills for 2 hours. Completely mediocre, tepid, and outdated food. They can’t even be bothered to put some sheer blinds facing the nasty alley filled with vomiting hobos. Don’t bother—the server said she lives in the city and this is “typical”. Gross.

All around great restaurant! The food was incredible. We ordered the famous chicken and I can tell why it's so famous! So damn good. We order so much food we had plenty to take home and the chicken is even just as good from at home. Plus the friendly wait staff and cute interior didn't hurt either.

Absolutely wonderful experience.

The waitstaff was friendly and knowledgeable. They all had smiles on their faces as they helped us.

The ambiance is fun and neat. An industrial feel with a modern twist.

And the food was fantastic.

Great service but very loud. And yes I did try the chicken, it was very good, not dry like I expected

To remain popular for the length of time Zuni has, a San Francisco restaurant needs to stay at the top of its game. Zuni is the rare eatery that has been able to do that. The famous roast chicken is as good as ever (and the accompanying bread salad is spectacular!). Starters are varied and fresh, pastas and gnocchi are delicious. Service is polished and efficient. I hadn't been there in quite a few years - and was truly impressed.

Had the roasted chicken and ceasar salad. Simply decilious! And great portions as well. For dessert, Gateau Victoire is a must. It's the lightest cake I've ever had.

I recommend making a reservation. They accommodate walk-ins but be prepared to wait 20-30 min. Still worth it!

Came here for lunch, had the chicken for two, definitely will come back. The chicken is roasted in an brick oven and served with a salad on top and delicious bread underneath. Amazing flavors! Paired it with a great Chardonnay. 100% recommend this place!

One of my favorite restaurants in the city. Ambeance is nice for a special occasion and most importantly the food is quality.

Wonderful, iconic restaurant that is still one of SF's best. Focus on Northern California farms for their ingredients.