Zuzu — Restaurant in Napa

An absolute MUST go location if in the area. My wife and I stumbled across this gem of a place upon arriving to Napa, taking an after nap from all the travel, and then realizing that the entire town practically shuts down at 9:00pm. Zuzu was one of the few places that remained open after that point, so we took a chance on them.

On our first night, we were out for new experiences. Even with the dance club blaring music not a block from the store, once you sat down inside, you could still comfortably converse with others at your table. My wife wanted to have something light to start not alcoholic and so the server recommended the Lime in the Cocunut for her and for me, I had never trued a Gin-Tonic before but since it was featured prominently, i decided to ask. When i told him what i liked, he recommended a Japanese gin featuring fruity notes Ume and Yuzu citrus alongside the Juniper and Shisou flavors and paired with an Elderflower infused tonic. It was incredibly refreshing and enjoyable to sip, and was large enough to enjoy together with the food throughout the meal. For the meal, we ordered the Akaushi (a favorite that we ordered everytime. Use the bread to maximize the use of the chimichurri oil as a delicious extension of the appetizer), the Zuzu Paella (Delicious chicken, sausage, and clam Paella with a creamy texture that goes down easy). At this point, we had been wowed with flavors, so wanted to try a wine to pair along with some of desserts to sate her sweet tooth. The "Del Puerto" Fino was recommended, and we selected the Tres Leches cake (honestly, the best tasting one I've ever had. Creme was light, flavorful, not overly sweet, and tasted of whole milk, not oil while the cake was gently moist) as well as the Flan (my wife was initially disappointed when the 'pudding' she was expecting turned out to be the hard-variety one, but bery quickly changed her opinion after the first bite. This creamy consistency and subtle hints of cheese-cake like flsvors while still being flan made her fall in love with the dish, particularly whwn with the wine she ordered).

The experience was so good that Zuzu became the bar of excellance that we compared every other establishment in Napa against. "This is good, but the cost-benefit to quality and quantity can't compare to Zuzu" or "The server was nice, but their recommendations and knowledge of their own menu and pairings couldn't compare to Zuzu" were frequent conversation topics we had while touring around the area. Given that servers informed us that the establishment has been around for more than 20 years, I'm honestly surprised that the place still had an almost hidden, locals-secret vibe, while still being so incredibly welcoming towards tourist such as ourselves.

In the end, we ended up enjoying it so much that we ended up returning to the restaurant on 3 seperate occasions. The 2nd trip, we enjoyed Arròs Negra seafood Paella as our main dish, along with the Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic, buttery shrimp... don't waste the sauce! Dip your bread in it for an extra Appetizer treat!), Akaushi, and my wife discovered just how much she absolutely enjoys the almost cheesy, smooth taste of Basque-style Cider from the bottle of Astarbe that we ordered to pair with the seafood in the meal (incredible value for the volume provided for both of us to enjoy), and since the meal was larger, we had only a single dessert this time (that Tres Leches really was too good to pass up) along with a server recommended Carajillo (Espresso based cocktail) that set yet another new standard for enjoying the dish. And on that 3rd time (revisited the classic Paella, along with the pork-cheek, halibut, and our go-to Akaushi... no surprise, everything still tasted amazing), the waiter and waitress who helped us from the previous nights immediately recognized us and made a point to stop by, chat, and make some additional recommendations for the expanded nenu being offered that night. I cant wait to go back the next time i visit the area to see what new flavors and pairings are...

TLDR: Local who frequents this restaurant comes in for anniversary dinner and has an awful experience. Staff was rude. Food was bland, raw and cold. Service was sub par. Won't be returning or recommending this restaurant to tourists/family/friends anymore.

Well this is the most detailed and disheartening review I've written to date... I've been coming here for 3 years for special occasions and they generally don't disappoint, but something was really off last night. I brought my boyfriend here for his first time for our anniversary. We check in with the host and he's very rude and unwelcoming right off the bat. He says it will be a 25 min wait and we put our name down and tell him we're going to grab a drink next door and we will be back in 20 minutes. I set a timer on my phone for 20 mins and we come back before the timer is up. The host then exclaims that he gave our table away and he said 10 mins. We both look at him, flabbergasted, as he definitely said 25 mins and not 10. He continues to argue with us and ends the conversation with "well idk what you guys want to do and idk what to tell you." thanks buddy. Some host. We say we will wait, and we'll be right outside the second a table comes up. 15 mins later we finally get seated, starving and excited to finally eat some yummy food. Our server was ignoring us to cater to a large party of 8 that was sat shortly after us. It was difficult to get his attention (we shouldn't have had to) all night. We had to ask for bread FOUR times, twice from two different employees. It didn't come out until after our food was dropped. I ordered the Catalan salad (disappointing and lacking flavor, their pear salad that they used to have was so much better), paella del dia, and grilled octopus. I ordered the flat iron steak, hot shrimp (i forget the name) and seasonal veggies for my bf, because he's a picky eater. Everything came at once except the steak and veggies. The paella was hardly lukewarm and severely lacking the comfort and flavor that it usually provided. The grilled octopus was cooked perfectly and tasted great, it was the only good part of our entire meal. The shrimp was hot and flavorful (finally hot food!) but only came with 3 pieces and some broth, which I suppose is to be expected at a tapas restaurant. I tried to eat slowly while waiting for my bfs food to come out. 30 mins pass and still no steak and veggies. I start wondering what the heck is taking so long so we get our servers attention and inform him that we're still waiting on his food. He says "oh! It should be coming right out!" At this point we're in a rush to catch our movie so I ask for the check now so we can eat and leave quickly. He drops the check and says that the food will be out "in about 5 mins". Now I'm starting to worry and think that he either A) Forgot to order part of our meal or B) decided to assume we were coursing out our meal without asking. Either way he should have been honest and just told us what happened. I paid $100 and left a tip that i was rather hesitant to leave based on our service. So the steak finally comes out after ANOTHER 10 minutes, and it is completely RAW. Not rare, RAW. There was no sear on the outside, the entire plate was full of blood and oil, and the center was so RAW that it was STILL COLD. Absolutely disgusting. I took one small bite and almost threw up. He took one bite, still starving and couldn't even swallow it. We left the dish on our table and walked out before the veggies (that we paid for) even got there (who knows if they were ever even coming). We left pi** off, feeling robbed, he was still hungry, and i was upset that we spent such a special night getting treated like garbage somewhere when we could have gone anywhere else. Not only do I have no desire or incentive to come back, but I will no longer be recommending it to clients and tourists who ask me for dinner recommendations at the spa I work at downtown. I won't be recommending it to all of my friends and family either, like I used to. What a waste of precious...

Restaurant Review Zuzu in Napa.

Zuzu, once a beacon of excellence in Napa's dining scene, has experienced a significant decline in service quality, which is now detrimental to the overall dining experience. My history with Zuzu dates back to 2018, during which the restaurant consistently delivered outstanding service and culinary delights. Over the years, I’ve invited both family and friends to enjoy what I once considered an exemplary dining experience. This established record of excellence led me to choose Zuzzu for a special occasion—a reunion with a fellow wine professional. The decision was further bolstered by the restaurant's previous ability to complement high-quality wines with their service, prompting me to bring a rare and prestigious bottle: a Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial Marqués Murrieta 1986 White, a 100-point wine according to renowned critics.

It is reasonable to expect that a restaurant with Zuzu's reputation and history would provide service befitting the occasion, especially when handling a wine of such caliber. This expectation is rooted in their past performance, where service and attention to detail were paramount.

High-end restaurants, particularly those in wine-centric regions like Napa, are expected to have staff who are not only well-presented and professional but also knowledgeable about wine service. This is crucial, especially when patrons bring in wines that require expert handling. In past visits, Zuzu met these expectations admirably, contributing to a reputation that justified my decision to host such an important event there.

However, the reality of the experience starkly contrasted with my expectations. From the outset, the hostess's unkempt appearance and dismissive attitude set a negative tone. This initial disappointment was compounded by the server’s evident lack of experience and confidence, particularly in the delicate task of opening and serving a vintage wine. While I understand that everyone starts somewhere, transparency and communication are key. Had the server acknowledged his inexperience, we could have approached the situation with more patience and a shared opportunity for learning. Instead, the tension was palpable, detracting from what should have been a celebratory and relaxed evening.

While this review reflects a single visit, it highlights a concerning drop in service standards that could potentially affect Zuzu’s long-standing reputation if not addressed promptly. The shift from an establishment of excellence to one that falters on the basics of service is disheartening.

Zuzzu’s once stellar reputation is now under threat, as lapses in service quality become more apparent. For those considering a visit, especially with high expectations or special wines in tow, it may be wise to reconsider until improvements are made. The restaurant's past merits deserve a chance at redemption, but as of now,...