Josef — Restaurant in Zurich

Eating at Josef was a bit of a confusing experience. The place feels stuck between trying to be too many things at once. Entering the restaurant you stand at the bar section, with tall tables that were empty when we arrived at 18:00, and mostly empty when we left at 20:30 (on a Saturday evening), with just one company of older gentlemen drinking draft beer. Further in is the restaurant, where tables are crammed next to each other, with very little space to get in and out of your seat. I think what most sticks with me after our dinner there is the inconsistency. The service was nice, polite but not very engaging -which is fine as the restaurant was quite busy. But, at a place where the waiters will take your coat for you (?), why would you not also offer a fresh glass for a different kind of wine? Like, why have the person taste the pinot noir in the same glass that still has a sip of orange wine? I would much rather hang my own coat and then have the waiter bring a fresh glass to enjoy my wine. Similarly, I ordered a bird negroni which was delightful, so I ordered a second one, which tasted completely different to the first one. It looked like my previous glass may have been reused, as the ice cubes had melted to half the size from the first one, there was no lemon skin and the berries were in the cocktail instead of added as garnish at the top. It had also not been mixed properly and I could see the different colours of the drink components in the glass. No horrible crime, I could stir it myself, but why not keep it consistent? The food was also not consistently imaginative or yummy. We had the set vegi menu (87CHF per person). The bread was 4.50 per person for basically 3 slices of cold bread, which was yummy but not worth the price and should have been brought out warmed up. The roasted beetroot was flavourful, but nothing mind blowing. The potato was delightful, but it’s hard to go wrong with crispy potatoes, cream and truffle. Props however, as the potatoes were crispy to perfection and the truffle was perfectly complementary, not overpowering. I loved the homemade tofu with the mushrooms, that was imaginative and delicious -the broth was to die for. The pumpkin ravioli were mediocre, the homemade pasta were a bit rubbery and you couldn’t really taste the pumpkin, I feel like the dish was lacking some savouriness/acidity. The dessert was a Zimtschnecke, a delicious fluffy little cinnamon roll, with a vanilla ice cream scoop -quite nice, no complaints. I feel like there’s love put into the dishes, and it would be great for Josef to make a choice (draft beer bar? Fancy restaurant with creative cuisine?) and stick to it, making sure it’s done exceptionally. I would get rid of the tall bar tables, expand the restaurant fully and give more breathing room between the tables. Expand the wine selection and the cocktails -the reservation time is pretty long, but the dishes were coming out a bit slowly. A more attentive service would have probably resulted in us drinking a bit more, which should compensate for getting rid of the bar tables. For the two set vegi menus, two glasses of wine, two cocktails, bread and water we paid 270 CHF (including 10% tip). It didn’t feel so much like value for money, had it been a more all round positive experience I think we’d be more...

From the moment I entered Josef Restaurant, I was treated to an unparalleled experience. A delightful fusion of sophisticated sophistication and inviting coziness creates the ideal environment for an unforgettable dining experience. The menu represents a pinnacle of culinary prowess, as every dish presents a novel and inventive interpretation of traditional fare. The flavors are robust, well-balanced, and unforgettable; each bite is a journey for the palate.

The service is outstanding. By mastering the art of attentiveness without being intrusive, the staff at Josef guarantees that each diner feels like the most significant individual in the room. Their profound expertise regarding the menu enables them to provide astute suggestions that accommodate every dietary inclination and need.

To cap it all off, Josef's meticulously curated and extensive wine and cocktail list guarantees the ideal complement to any dish. Every successive sip amplifies the harmonious composition of flavors that unfolds on the gustatory organs.

Amidst an extensive array of dining establishments, Josef Restaurant emerges as an epitome of culinary excellence. It is an extrasensory celebration, not merely a meal. Exceptionally recommended for diners in search of an...

Overall, food is decent and the ingredients are of good quality. Maybe the food could earn 3 stars on its own, but the problem is that the execution is inconsistent and some dishes lack refinement. The pasta for example was overcooked, the steak was chewy, the cake was not the right consistency. And at the same time, the lamb was cooked beautifully and the risotto was perfectly al dente.

Flavor is also hit and miss. Some dishes, such as the asparagus with raspberry vinaigrette, are just subpar, irrelevant and plain. Other dishes (particularly the fish ones) are nice, but the overall the food never reaches that higher level and simply is not good enough to warrant the price tag.

Even for Zürich standards, the food is quite overpriced for the quality and quantity. The portions are tiny and yet still priced at 20-24 CHF per plate. They should either increase the portions or decrease the prices. Walking away hungry and having paid 180 CHF for 7 dishes and two drinks is disappointing. Also, the drinks were not particularly good, so I wouldn’t recommend it as a bar.

The atmosphere is quite nice. Service was attentive. All in all, a decent restaurant that promises more than it manages to deliver, and charges too...