Zen Zero — Restaurant in Lawrence

Review 2019: everything was perfect this time. Service was prompt, dinner was hot and fresh. Pace of meal was as expected! This is truly a favorite restaurant of mine in Lawrence and everyone should experience the for here.

Reviewed 2017: I arrived at 5:45 pm to an almost full restaurant, two my friends had met us and gotten a table just before us arriving, they got a bottle of wine, and ordered an appetizer, the server proceeded to tell them it would be a while until they got their bottle of wine. When I arrived, we weren't greeted for 10 minutes to even get a glass of water. It was about a 55 minute wait for our food to be prepared... We only had 3 entrees! About 25 minutes into ordering, I double checked with the server, and he proceeded to print the check showing me he'd placed the order, he explained the kitchen was down a cook. One of our 4 guests at the table, got their food 'early' (45 minute wait)and we expected the rest of our food to be on it's way, instead, he sat for approximately 10 minutes with food before the other two entrees arrived.

All in all.. the food was still good but I cannot excuse the poor service, management for not visiting the table after I questioned the extended food delay, or the disorganized kitchen. Down one employee does not cause this much failure to execute. I'll come back to give this place...

Im so sad that I have to write this but after ruminating on my visit for a couple weeks, I think it's important to say that the aggregate 4.5 rating on Google is more realistic for pre pandemic Zen Zero.

This was my favorite restaurant when I attended KU 4 years ago. I recently was back in town and had a birthday dinner here. We arrived around 5pm and they only had 3 employees in the entire restaurant. They were (understandably) extremely stressed out and the host was literally sprinting back and forth in the restaurant and was not very pleasant. It took forever to get our food (once again understandable if they were understaffed). But it seems like the food prices have increased dramatically and the portions have decreased to about half. The pad Thai was mushy and flavorless and the rice dish we got had a tiny cup of cooked rice (you would think bulking up on the rice would not be that much additional cost for the restaurant). I ended up having to cook dinner when I got home because no one was full. On our way out, I stopped by the bathroom and it looks like no one has cleaned it in months.

Really bummed out because ZZ used to be so good!! But now just save yourself the $$$ and trouble and...

Ordered $50.00 worth of food and we were very disappointed. The Pad Thai seemed to be just noodles tossed in ketchup with a few specs of green and some peanuts, barley any chicken. It was bland. I actually called after weighing the shrimp in my meal, tails off, to ask if that's really the amount of shrimp you are supposed to get. It came to 1.8 oz of shrimp, the "large" shrimp. The guy on the phone's attitude was like how dare you question our food, and I told him I'd never eat there again. He says "really man???" and started to say something in a whiny voice when I hung up on him. I should have listened to myself last time when we went in and had a rude waitress that tried to argue with me about a $6 mistake on the bill that was HER FAULT. She didn't even apologize, and I did not tip her. People go here for the atmosphere and intricate menu, but they must be mostly vegetarians that don't feel screwed. Go to Bann Thai and get real food and service. They give you twice the amount of...