Zaitoon Restaurant, Tambaram — Restaurant in Tamil Nadu

On May 1st around 2:30 PM, I visited Zaitoon’s Tambaram outlet for lunch with my family, including our 2-year-old child. Unfortunately, what was meant to be a relaxing family meal turned out to be a deeply disappointing experience.

We waited around 20 minutes to be seated — which was understandable given the crowd. Once settled, we placed our order: chicken clear soup, fish finger, special Zaitoon tandoori, and a couple of mutton biryanis. The chicken soup arrived promptly within 5 minutes, and to be fair, it tasted good. However, that’s where the positives ended.

For the next 30+ minutes, no other food item was served. We followed up multiple times, and every time we were told the food was "almost ready" and would be served in “2 minutes.” After nearly 40 minutes, only the biryani was brought to our table — none of the starters we ordered arrived.

When we inquired again, the response was shocking: “Haven’t you already received your starters?” — clearly indicating a complete lapse in order management. After waiting 45 minutes, we were then told that the starters would take another 10 minutes, at which point we had no option but to cancel them altogether.

The service was extremely poor, with no proactive communication, no accountability, and absolutely no attentiveness from the staff. With a toddler at the table who had been waiting eagerly for the starters, the delay and mismanagement made the entire experience worse.

What’s even more disappointing is that I’ve been a regular customer at Zaitoon’s Velachery branch, and we’ve never faced such hassles there. It had always been our go-to spot for family meals — but this visit to the Tambaram outlet was nothing short of frustrating.

I left the restaurant with great disappointment and have decided that I won’t be revisiting this branch again. This experience truly did not reflect the standard or hospitality that one expects from a brand...

Zaitoon's recent branch in Selaiyur, opened with a statement making building and exterior and interior design.

Great ambiance....place becomes quite busy in the evenings and families wait inside and outside for their turn to get a table. They do serve complimentary drinks for all who wait in queue. That's a good touch of service from the management!

Food - great collection of middle-eastern and north Indian style available. Food tastes lovely and also presented nicely on the plate. Well cooked and well balanced oil and spices. This place can be repeated for sure and is recommended.

Service is good but could improve further...few examples for improvement below: E.g. 1 - Had to ask for water 3 times before it was served. E.g. 2 - Had a housefly fallen in the Mayo at a later stage while eating...and we asked to replace the Mayo...the cup was taken away but the guy didn't return with fresh Mayo...we didn't remind him as it was a trifle thing. E.g. 3 - Even though we had regular water, we were charged for Bottled water with taxes. When highlighted, we had to wait for 10mins to sort out their billing, finally only the bottle price was manually reduced but not the taxes included with the bottle price.

Ample parking on the service road and also the...

Zaitoon, Selaiyur – Our Go-To Dining Spot Anytime, Any day 😊

Zaitoon at Selaiyur has been our absolute favorite for all our special occasions and dinner night outs. The variety of food they offer is simply outstanding, especially their range of barbecue chicken. From Egyptian and Afghan barbecue to pepper barbecue, classic barbecue, and their exclusive Zaitoon special barbecue, each one has a unique, phenomenal taste that sets it apart.

Their tikka selection is next level! The chicken tikka, paneer tikka and tikka masalas are packed with flavors that leave you craving more. If you’re a seafood lover, their prawn biryani is a must-try..it’s simply divine!! The seafood platter and non-veg platter are also a treat, offering a great mix of flavors. Their fish barbecue and mutton-based dishes are just as impressive!!🫶

And of course, their mojitos are refreshingly perfect to complete the meal. Every visit feels like a feast, and Zaitoon has truly become our second home when it comes to dining out. If you’re looking for a place that serves exceptional food with a diverse menu, without food colours, Zaitoon should be at the top of your list!! 🫰

HIGHLY...