Zenobia Cuisine & Bar — Restaurant in Canfield

I was really expecting a 4.5 star restaurant, but all we got was the mediocre food, service, and atmosphere of a 2 star hole in the wall. I swear restaurants make up the reviews with their employees...either that or people just don't know good food.

First off, made a reservation online for 6:30 on a Friday, come in that day to find out nobody has my reservation, and also come to find out their online registrations have been broken for months. Maybe remove the reservations online?

We got seated at very small table that didn't fit anything around you that also blinded you in sunlight. The army of waiters they had pacing the floor back and forth back and forth and not one minded the sun just in my eyes. At this point I was obviously contemplating shutting the blinds but thankfully a waiter ended up seating a more serious couple and one of them closed the blind for the disgruntled man.

We were asked for our drinks very promptly, but when the water cups came out, there was lipstick all over the mouth of the glass. Absolutely disgusting.

When our appetizers started arriving we quickly saw an issue with the table we were sitting at.....it's not big enough for their humungous plates. Seriously this appetizer plate took up about 50% of the table, and mind you about 30% of the table was already taken up by the random salts, peppers and basket of pita bread (what the heck is the pita for if you don't order appetizers? What if I just want a sandwich? This really made the ordering process stressful for me, since I wanted to utilize the nice pita on the table... I really should have just ended up getting a sandwich....)

We asked for ranch with our appetizer plate. Got none. Asked for no sauce on the veggies, still got sauce....Wow okay...off to a bad start.

Their menu photos don't look like anything they actually served us. Their potato appetizer platter with veggies online looked like a nice fried potato pancake of sorts with zucc and asparagus....it was literally underdone oily chewy potato chips with a little oil and lemon thrown on top of them. The asparagus roots were left on the final product, really amateur. I don't want to have to tackle my asparagus and hope I got the veggie part and not the root. Zucc was fine.

My lamb on the rod was the worst lamb I've ever had the displeasure of tasting... no marinade, the pieces were cooked medium well, the pink was nice so I was excited...just how I ordered...yes!!....but these lamb pieces were like chewy jawbreaker gumballs. Not to mention the flavor was off and tasted like a burned grill. This is not how it's supposed to be. It's really sad. I've eaten at many middle eastern and Mediterranean food joints in Ohio and Michigan so I know what good lamb is supposed to be. This lamb would probably be great if it was actually seasoned correctly. My girlfriend's family come from a Arabic/Yemeni family so I've been shown the ropes and this really isn't acceptable lamb.

Your rice tastes like it came from a rice-a-roni package. Upgrade your quality of rice.

The side salad was a bunch of wilted romaine lettuce with tomato. Pretty normal affair but I've had better execution at other places for sure.

Your sauce cups look the exact same...which one is garlic...which one is lemon? A slight annoyance after all our table has been through.

I wanted to love this place, but I don't think we will...

I would highly recommend Zenobia. This was our first time here...we will be back! My husband got the lamb over rice. I got the lamb combination plate. We typically share so we get to try more items. Both were delicious! And the portions were significant. We both took some home. We got the sampler appetizer (not sure of the exact name). The potatoes...omw! Well, we ate all of those. It had asparagus and zucchini with it as well. I Do Not eat asparagus, but my husband encouraged me to try it...I did...It was really good. If asparagus tasted like this all the time, I would eat it...a lot! The sauce on the asparagus and zucchini was very good. My lamb was done to perfection. I am not a fan of grape leaves but these we very good. This is the first time I had kibble and I really liked it as well. I did put the hummus on it, I did prefer it that way. My husband's meal, the lamb over rice, was so flavorful and actually quick delicious. He preferred his meal over mine but liked them both. He is not a fan of grape leaves but said the ones with my dinner were the best he had ever had. The service was wonderful! Very attentive (but not overly obnoxious). She was kind and knowledgeable about the different items and was happy to answer all of our questions. The atmosphere is quite nice. Very clean and pleasant. Not loud at all, however, we were there at about 1:00pm. Not sure how it would be in the evening. They have a very nice patio. We sat inside and I was a bit chilly but not terribly uncomfortable. That would have been my only complaint if you even call it a complaint. Honestly, it wasn't even that bad. Two thumbs up from us! 👍👍 We even got a gyro to-go for our son to try. We'll see what...

A Cozy Atmosphere with Great Service, But the Food Fell Short

Zenobia has a lot going for it—starting with the friendly and attentive waitstaff who made us feel welcome from the moment we walked in. The atmosphere is beautiful, upscale, and cozy, especially if you’re able to grab a seat outside on a nice day. It’s the kind of spot that feels both relaxed and refined.

I also really appreciate that Zenobia caters to a diverse crowd by offering both halal options and a full-service bar—something you don’t often see at Mediterranean restaurants in the area. That flexibility is a big plus depending on who you’re dining with.

That said, the food was underwhelming overall. We ordered a variety of dishes—chicken over rice, grape leaves, hummus, hot tea, kuffta, and more—and while nothing was bad, nothing really stood out either. For the price, we were hoping for more generous portions or more memorable flavors. The presentation and seasoning just didn’t quite hit the mark, especially when compared to other Turkish and Mediterranean spots just a short drive away on the Canfield strip that offer a more authentic and flavorful experience at similar or better value.

To be clear, the 3-star rating isn’t a reflection of the service, which was excellent—it’s more about the food not living up to expectations for the price point. I really want to see Zenobia succeed, and I hope they continue refining the menu because the setting and staff...