Zola + BarZola

Two sleek, modern rooms that share a menu. One has a big bar, which seems to specialize in cocktails. The food was an interesting blend of innovative and traditional, and uniformly tasty. We liked 3 of the 4 wines we tasted (the St Emilion was the outlier). Service was friendly and competent, although the drinks took a little while to arrive. $150/person for appetizer, main, 2 glass of wine, and a shared dessert, after tax and tip. We've added it to our list of places to go back to.

Food was great, and the table service was top notch. We split the lobster crepe; my girlfriend had the black cod buerre blanc, and I had the beef cheek bourguignon. We split the creme brulee to finish things off. All uniformly excellent in presentation and quality. My only real complaint was that it was bit dark where our table was located - I had a lot of trouble reading the menu.

Loved the food. Had some starters which were nice. But loved my beef cheek. Perfect on a cold (bay area) winter day. Drinks from the bar were well crafted. I honestly didn't like the Mai Tai (too far off from the original) but I switched to another drink and absolutely loved it. Service was the perfect blend of giving people time, suggesting items, and checking in

I thought this French Restaurant was pretty good except bites of my burrata appetizer was a lil salty. The gnocchi and brussels sprouts were on point 😋 the New York steak and french fries was satisfactory but I didn’t get a feel of a French cuisine by eating it. I noticed they put a lot of fennel and some mustard in certain dishes which I’m not a big fan of, though it didn’t ruin the food. We had a chocolate mousse, which was rich and creamy followed by a pistachio cake which was pretty good, but not amazing.

Sept '23 A very different recent experience makes me completely change how I feel about this restaurant. Previously considered a family favorite, the place disappointed in food, in service and in ambiance. We came for a BD celebration and were pleasantly surprised by the greeting card and pin, lovely touch! Also the beautiful cocktails and delightful pretzel and bread. Following our waiter's recommendation, I ordered the halibut: the fish was ok, but either because of the cappers or how it was seasoned, it was quite salty, needed to use bread to offset the saltines. The green beans it came with were almost completely raw, not even undercooked, as if they forgot to boil them even for a minute. Then the service: after taking our dinner orders, our waiter disappeared and for more than an hour no one checked on us to offer wine, desert or the check. Waiters from the neighboring tables eventually made eye contact and asked someone to stop by - we ordered desserts with the new waitress and when I told her we are here for a special celebration, she did not seem to know it from our reservation notes. One of the appetizers we ordered was a plate of olives, wonderfully warmed by the olive oil - they came with a little bucket for pits and... with two pits among all the whole olives, which in the context of the experience, made me wonder if these could be a left over from another guest? The restroom was at its last toilet seat cover, no candles, kind of neglected and the entire mood of the staff was disengaged. All this is happening around 9 pm and at a weeknight, not at closing time or when the restaurant is full. So sad to see beloved Zola as this. August '22 Lovely vibe with a classy interior and great service. Local farm-fresh tomatoes and oh, the mushrooms in the gnocchi were so tasty, it changed my perception for the gnocchi as a boring dish. Great variety of cocktails. My only recommendation for the Old fashioned is to use a better size proportion between the glass and ice cube: a cube too large for the glass takes away from the experience and enjoyment of the cocktail. Citrus candies at the door. Richly fragrant candle in the bathroom to complete the stylish color scheme of the deep green tiles and playful concrete of the décor.

Zola is special. It perfectly blends comfort and upscale in a classy establishment. The pricing is just right for a light date night or drink/food with business partners and colleagues. It provides a lovely semi-formal experience. Food is warm both literally and figuratively. Honest ingredients laid out with love. The baguette was crisp and soft, the cheese plate flavorful, and the burrata decorated well. I had the halibut which was perfectly cooked and adorned with capers. Only warning is that all portions are on the smaller side. Dessert was also spectacular, especially the pistachio cake. I'm really glad I discovered this place. It has so many practical reasons to frequently visit. Keep in mind that reservations run out fast so book ahead!

We've been coming to Bar Zola for quite some time and so glad the bartenders are always the same! We enjoy sitting at the bar watching the professionals do their thang to make us such delicious cocktail. Some of our favorites are Lost At Bay, Jai Alai, but everything is so yummy. Their schnitzel is to dieeeeeeee for along with their corn soup. Anything you try, you won't be disappointed! Valentina is the best!!