Zuma Bodrum — Restaurant in Bodrum

Disappointed in Zuma Bodrum – Not the Zuma Experience I Know

As a loyal customer of the Zuma brand for many years, I’ve always held this restaurant in the highest regard. Zuma has been my go-to place for special occasions, and celebrating my birthdays there became a tradition – always memorable, always flawless. Sadly, my recent visit to Zuma Bodrum was deeply disappointing and fell far below the standard I’ve come to associate with the brand.

From the moment we arrived, the service was noticeably poor. After being seated, we waited over 20 minutes before anyone even approached our table – not even for water. When we finally placed our order, the food was served with no care or attention. Dishes were brought and simply dropped on the table, and then the staff disappeared completely. No one came to check on us, refill glasses, or ask how things were going. My partner had to actively search for someone just to get a second bottle of water, as all our glasses sat empty.

What made the experience even more disappointing was the mishandling of what was meant to be a birthday celebration. My partner had spoken to the woman at the entrance and arranged for a special dessert surprise, something we’ve done in the past at other Zuma locations. She promised to take care of it, but when he asked our server later, the response was simply, “I don’t know anything about that.” Eventually, a dessert came with just a generic “Happy Birthday” – no name, no effort, nothing personalized. A small detail, but incredibly disheartening when compared to the thoughtful touches I’ve received at other Zuma locations.

To make matters worse, the atmosphere wasn’t what you’d expect from a high-end dining experience. There were far too many young children running around, which disrupted the ambiance that Zuma usually delivers so well.

Zuma has always been a place of consistency, quality, and elevated service. Unfortunately, Zuma Bodrum did not live up to that reputation. I sincerely hope this location takes steps to align with the high standards the brand is known for. While this won’t be my last time at Zuma, it will certainly make me think twice about returning to this...

We booked a table for as soon as the restaurant opened and at the start the service was prompt and we had no complaints. We ordered our food smoothly and it all came fast initially. The only thing I would say is the hot food came first before the sushi and I think this would be better the other way round. I don't think the food is worth the money you pay, you pay more for the vibe. Special mention to the lady sommelier she was lovely and gave a great service.

After a while, the restaurant became fully packed and that's when the service dropped and the food/drinks stopped arriving as quickly. We asked for cocktails that we waited 20-30 mins for and we had to ask to find out it was forgotten. We also ordered dessert and that also took 20-30 mins to come. We still enjoyed ourselves but when it came to the bill, we wanted to remove the service charge and leave our own tip instead. When we requested this and explained why we wanted to remove it, the waiter got extremely rude and started shouting saying you didn't say there were any problems when they happened and snatched the bill from the table. This was an extremely disappointing end to a relatively good night, if the service charge is optional then we as the customer have the right to choose our own tip. A manager then came after the rude waiter and he was polite and we explained to him we wanted to choose our own tip. Overall, a nice atmosphere but overpriced food and a shame the waiter had to end our...

Total Disappointment – Feels Like a Scam

I rarely write reviews, but after spending over €1,000 for two people at Zuma between the restaurant and bar, I have to be honest — this place feels like a total fraud.

The food is just average at best. Portions are ridiculously small — you need at least six plates for two people — and it starts to feel intentional, as if they want to keep tables turning as fast as possible.

The restaurant is stunning, no doubt about it. But it feels more like an Instagram trap than a dining experience. One of the employees even told us that in the summer, people wait up to two hours just to take a photo in front of the famous Zuma sign over the pool — and that part of their job is managing confrontations between Instagram and TikTok visitors fighting over who gets to take pictures next. That says a lot about what this place has become.

What made things worse was the service. The waiters treated us like we were “small clients” compared to the rich yacht owners walking in from their boats. They need to remind themselves that their salaries wouldn’t even cover a dinner at their own restaurant — so a little humility and respect toward all guests would go a long way.

For travelers coming from far away just to experience Zuma, this is a huge letdown. They seriously need to rethink their approach if they want to offer more than hype and social...