Do not book a private event here. Do not spend a dime here. Do not expect quality service. Do not recommend coming here at all. Do get this place shut down. I flew from out of town for a private family event with 80+ people, and I thought the place was cute and humble at first glance. Hold on... Who was the random old man in the room? And why is he walking around our event with a creepy look in his eyes and disrespecting my family with his unsolicited comments? Thats the owner. There are other comments that talk about him. Be warned. Zahir does not have a grasp on people skills and the tone of his voice switches from soft old man to grumpy old man without warning. He sat at a desk during the event with a judging side eye while my family filled in for a crew he did not adequately coordinate with. Made no sense that my family became the workers at their own event, and the venue lacked communication on how this event should flow. I did not finish my food, but it got the job done. Satiated at best. I preferred the appetizers that my family brought. The space is very humble and intimate and has a nice outdoor area that offered a break when my family needed a breather. The place is an older building so ventilation did struggle. However, Zahir locked a side door and told the guests that he would kick them out if they were seen using that exit. Fun fact, that side door was originally the planned enter/exit for this event. Parking lot is small but theres street parking available. A small Indian food truck took a portion of the parking lot and I would rather eat there instead of this place. Save yourself a trip. Book somewhere else. read more

We booked this venue for a family wedding and had a disappointing experience. The "open bar" was misleading--it ran out within an hour with no notice. We were charged unexpected cork fees, including for a broken bottle we didn't use. The event manager constantly hovered around guests, creating an uncomfortable atmosphere. Verbal agreements didn't match written contracts, leading to undisclosed charges. While the staff was helpful, the rigid rules (heavily controlled AC, forcibly closed doors) and lack of transparency made it difficult for guests to relax and enjoy the celebration. Unless terms are crystal clear and match all documentation, I'd recommend looking elsewhere for a special event so you don't have to micromanage your guests just to satisfy the owner. When the bride is stressed about the impromptu rules more than the guest management should be a strong indicator of the level of service you would get here. Edit: I've learned from other guests that we were also charged a "service" fee for the help staff to open soda cans for soda WE supplied. Air ventilation is also ridiculously poor to the point where most guests hung out outside in the parking lot because of how hot it was inside and we were refused when asked to open the side doors or windows. Also should add that we paid until 10pm but Zahir pulled the bride aside to tell her the event ends at 9pm with NO valid reason. We also received reports that our guests were being threatened with being kicked out by Zahir simply by entering through a side door (closest door to the parking lot) read more

Extremely disappointed with this venue. My husband and I had our wedding here recently, and it turned into one of the most stressful and embarrassing experiences of our lives. From the ceremony to the reception, almost everything we discussed and confirmed beforehand was ignored. Before booking, I specifically asked Evelyn if the Indian food truck would be there on our wedding day, and she assured me it would not. However, it was parked in the lot during our wedding, and their customers took up parking spaces, making it difficult for our guests to find parking. We also clearly instructed them that guests should enter through the side door during the ceremony. Instead, they were directed through the front entrance, where they saw unfinished table setups before the reception was even ready. The bar was supposed to remain closed during the ceremony, and hors d'oeuvres were not meant to be served until afterward. Instead, the bar was left open, and guests started eating appetizers before the ceremony even began. Evelyn promised there would be enough staff to handle the reception setup, but our own guests ended up setting up dinner tables. She also promised to save hors d'oeuvres for my husband and me after photos, but by the time we returned, there was nothing left for us to try. We were also told the owner, Zahir, would not be present, but he was there the entire time micromanaging guests and making everyone uncomfortable. He even threatened guests that they would be kicked out if they opened the side door, forcing everyone through the front entrance. Multiple guests commented on how uncomfortable his behavior made them feel. We paid for an open bar package, yet the bar was shut down and they only had 30 minutes of the bar. Evelyn mentioned that our guest was gonna get tickets for the tickets for the drinks, they did not have that. On top of that, we later found out guests were being charged for sodas that WE PROVIDED ourselves. They should at least give our money back for the open bar because both our family and friends were paying for their drinks. Completely unacceptable. To make matters worse, as the bride and groom, we were served dinner last. Almost everyone had already finished eating before we even received our meals, and my sister had to track someone down just to ask where our food was. On top of that, we were assured there would be plenty of food for all of our guests. Unfortunately, food ran out quickly, and several of our guests didn't even get the chance to try it. That was extremely embarrassing and unacceptable, especially at a wedding where we paid to make sure everyone would be properly taken care of. Our contract also promised water and iced tea service, but neither was provided. Evelyn, who promised to coordinate and be present throughout the wedding, was nowhere to be found when issues kept happening. At one point, I -- the bride -- had to go into the kitchen myself to find her. During cake cutting, there were no plates prepared, and I had to yell for someone to bring plates and serve guests. We also paid to have the venue until 10 PM, but Zahir suddenly PULLED ME and said the event would end at 9 PM. On top of all this, the venue was unbearably hot the entire night with almost no ventilation. Guests were sweating throughout the ceremony and reception. There was even water leaking from an opening in the women's bathroom ceiling, and some guests had water drip onto their clothes. By the end of the night, we were so overwhelmed and frustrated that we could not even enjoy my own wedding. This venue was unprofessional, disorganized, understaffed, and incredibly disappointing. We are beyond unhappy with how everything turned out and deeply embarrassed in front of our guests. We absolutely do NOT recommend this place, and we hope no other couple has to go through what we experienced. read more

Have been to Zahir's twice, both times for family functions. The place is clean & spacious. Food served have been great. And the service clean up was very good. Would recommend for private functions &/or go there for lunch, dinner or after hours drinks. read more

My wife and I chose Zahir's for our fiftieth wedding anniversary party. BIG MISTAKE. Zahir's basically cheated us out of $289.00 for a champagne toast that was never served. Zahir's flat out did NOT serve the champagne toast to our 45 guests but charged us anyway - for the non-existent champagne, the sales tax that was added on, and a twenty percent tip - ALL charged for absolutely nothing. $289.00 dollars for absolutely NOTHING. The banquet manager refused to correct the bill and so we thus got cheated. We vowed to NEVER set foot in this place ever again. We suggest patrons stay far away from Zahirs. They don't care about their customers at all. We have NO idea why, but for your peace of mind, just STAY FAR AWAY. You won't regret it. read more

It's funny that the first review I saw when I looked this place up was Kayla's about how the owners treated her terribly for having the audacity of parking in their parking lot. I can vouch for her because I got the same treatment. I live nearby and was minding my own business walking my dog on the sidewalk, and a man who was outside watering their plants or something told me, word for word, "don't let [your dog] sh*t near the restaurant." I understand that there's a small minority of dog owners who don't clean up after their pets, so I held up my clearly full waste bag and said "I have bags!" Given the opportunity to treat a neighbor better, he doubled down and kept yelling at me, even though we were moving and my dog had no indication of stopping to squat at any point during this interaction. Sir, your attitude towards strangers is atrocious that I don't think some dog doo or a person parking in your parking lot is going to detract from that. Given that Kayla and I are both nearby your restaurant a lot, it's safe to say you've lot at least two potential repeat customers. I hope you treat your employees better, but I somehow doubt it. read more

My boyfriend and I have been here twice together and I myself have been here about 5 times with my family. All experiences were fantastic! What we liked: 1. Food (try the famous prime rib, you won't regret it) We ordered the prime rib 12oz, cooked medium. Came out within about 15 min or more. Cooked evenly and very satisfying. The prime rib was so good my boyfriend insisted on ordering another one Togo! I usually get Cioppino, unfortunately at this time during COVID restrictions they said they were not able to get the ingredients needed for this lovely meal, but I highly recommend it once they do start serving this again. 10/10 the best Cioppino I ever had. The pasta nicely complements the sauce. The sauce is so flavorful, I usually squeeze lemons on everything I eat just to give it a little more flavor, but I don't need to add anything extra on this. 2. Drinks (they do not hold back on alcohol) I ordered an AMF and not only was it good, but it definitely did the job! Most restaurants I've been to hold back on their alcohol. Maybe because I'm small? Lol. Well there's no holding back over here. You get your money's worth for sure. 3. Service (they don't forget about you) Every time I've been here service has been nothing but welcoming. Good timing and they will get you what you need when you need it. BONUS: Good company (Zahir, himself) The owner, Zahir, has been one of THE nicest restaurant owners I ever met. He'll talk to you every now and then to make sure you've enjoyed your meal and to see how you're doing. I believe that he genuinely cares about the people and his restaurant is a reflection of that. We'll most definitely come here again, and make this place a part of our regular restaurant rotation :) read more

Zahir's Bistro - Zahir's Famous Prime Rib (12oz, cooked medium) - Italian Near Me - Milpitas, California

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Dont bother to try , nothing was good . Appetizers, Steak, Pasta ... all were unsatisfied, spolied our holiday party 's mood. read more

Zahir's Bistro - Take home food, i dont know what to do with this so called" famous Prime Rib" - Italian Near Me - Milpitas, California

We had an event over here and not even a minute after we ate the staff immediately started helping themselves to our left overs. My family paid for the food and was under the impression that the left overs will be ours to take home. They helped bag what was left, everything except the protein. Would not come back, would NOT recommend. Unprofessional staffing including the store owner is what i have to say about this so called "Bistro". read more

I went to Zahir's Bistro with a large party. I was the first to arrive at the restaurant as it had barely opened at 5pm. I was kindly greeted by two members of the staff, and they led me over to the bar area. Zahir's Bistro had a pretty good selection of liquor especially top shelf brands. I ordered a gin and tonic and was pleased to see they had more than the typical London Drys. While members of my party funneled into the bar, we ordered several appetizers. For the first round I wasn't able to get my hands on the bruschetta or calamari. The second round of appetizers included 2 orders of garlic fries and an order of Calabrian chicken wings. The garlic fries were standard, but the Calabrian chicken wings were very tasty particularly because the pesto was great. I did find, however, the wings weren't that warm nor crispy after they had recently been served. I felt like I spent a lot of time waiting during dinner. Our waiter appeared to be a little uneasy and also wasn't assertive enough to call everyone's attention to him. At least 15 minutes went by until our server asked for our orders. Then it took even longer to receive the food. I don't quite understand why soups and salads weren't served right away when they came out. The soups and salads were sitting on our cart across from us for like 5 minutes before they were served to whomever ordered them. I kept myself busy with the delicious and fresh sourdough bread, but it still felt like forever until we received the entrees. I ordered the prime rib, and it was OK. It wasn't the best prime rib I've ever had, but it hit the spot. What threw me off the most was that the cut looked medium rare, which was how I wanted it, but the texture of the meat was tougher than I expected. The dish came with sides of mashed potatoes, vegetables, au jus and horseradish. Mashed potatoes were good and buttery. I liked the mix of veggies that consisted of carrots, green beans, beets, and zucchini. The au jus was salty and flavorful. The horseradish was creamy, so it didn't have the bite that I prefer. Overall customer service was great. The staff is super accommodating. I thought our waiter was very friendly despite the ordering sanfu, and Zahir is just the nicest if you get the chance to meet him. read more

I'm enjoying their happy hour 5:30-7:30. Good line up for apps and drinks. Somehow it's $$$ on yelp but Ya more likely $$ unless you order bottle of wine. Highly recommend it for the romantic dinner, casual date, and group hang out. read more

Zahir's Bistro - Italian Near Me - Milpitas, California

I've seen this place in Milpitas for as long as I can remember. I've also never been willing to try the place since it always seemed empty, but we decided to take a risk! I'll say it paid off! We ordered a few items since we had a larger party: - Calamari - Caesar Salad - Clam Chowder - Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara - Zahir's Steak (Medium Rare) - Prime Rib (Medium Rare/Medium) There was not a single thing that disappointed. Everything tasted fresh and was seasoned perfectly. I was pleasantly surprised with every single dish that came out. Everything was a hit with each of us and we finished everything off our plate. Service was great. Very attentive. They remembered which dishes we shared and brought extra plates. Asked us about water and refilled several times. They were just the sweetest. Overall, didn't see this coming at all, but we loved this place. Food and service is great all at a reasonable price. We'll be coming back. read more

service is no nice and considerate , not crowded place if you are seeking quite place to talk. We have been here 6 year ago and everything keep the same . Very nice ! read more

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I believe this is one of the most flavourful steaks I've had in some time. If you follow my posts at all, you know I can eat some steaks! I'm also grain and gluten free so it's sometimes a challenge to find good food that fits my desires. Zahir's service was great, food was awesome and presentation was top notch! Nageena waited on me, along with other coworkers. The teamwork among the staff is amazing. No one was put out when they stopped at my table to make sure I had. Everything. I. Wanted. Excellent service, excellent food, very fairly priced! I'll be back! . read more

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Came by for dinner the other night. Made a same day reservation with Zahir and he was very courteous over the phone. Upon arrival, his restaurant was both relatively basic and modern. Started off with the complimentary bread and it was okay. ...not too hard and not too soft. Moved on to the appetizer sampler and it was good. The stuffed mushrooms were okay and the Cajun prawns were of decent size. The calamari was pretty fresh and wasn't overly fried. At $21, it was on the pricier side. Moved on to the pear salad and the greens were very fresh. According to the menu, they were organic too at $6! Our main course was the 12 oz prime rib which was excellent. The flavoring on the crust was excellent and the meat came out medium rare. The meat quality was top notch and very smooth. The $26 dish also came with fresh asparagus and mashed potatoes. The biggest disappointment of the evening were the desserts. Both the tiramisu and chocolate mousse at $8 each were both store bought and very mediocre, especially at this type of establishment. ...if only the desserts were homemade, this place can earn my 5 stars! :D Service was very courteous and thorough by Leah and Zahir. ...what's all the noise with his old location and being evicted after being behind by $20k?!? read more

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Came on a Wednesday evening for a long catch up dinner, as highly rated was shocked to see only three tables with people, don't know how this place can stay open. Nice place, cordial waiter and greeter ( owner ), nice big parking lot, empty. Had calamari appetizer, give it four stars, bottle of wine if it was half the price would be four stars but at the price and the face the wine we wanted wasn't available three stars I had steak came medium rare and wasn't the best but worthy of almost four stars, my guest ordered the salmon was dry and a bit over cooked two stars. read more

Zahir's is a restaurant on Main St that I've driven past countless times and never paid much attention to on my way to the mall. However that all changed on Saturday night at 8PM when I searched 'steak'. This place is a diamond in the rough! Fresh, warm bread & butter to start. The menu has a great selection of steak, chicken, and pasta dishes. The staff was very attentive and the service was top notch. Prices are kind of steep for Milpitas but the portions are very generous! My medium rare prime rib was slightly tough for my taste but everything else was amazing. I wouldn't object to coming back anytime soon for a special occasion. read more

Zahir's Bistro - Prime rib was ok but the star of this plate for me was the mashed taters! - Italian Near Me - Milpitas, California

Thanks again, Zahir, Evelyn and your staff for making our celebration a success. Your attentiveness, friendliness and attention to detailed was impeccable. Everyone raved about the food, so thank you for that. We will certainly recommend Zahir for the next event! read more

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The food and service were pathetic! Zahir who I think is the owner was rude and very racist! I would never go back to this place again! If you don't believe me, look at all the recent reviews before you think of eating here.. read more

Come on the last day before my Got Daily Deals voucher expired. Never been to Zahir's when it used to be on Calaveras and it was my first visit to its new location on Main Street. We came on a Tuesday evening and were quickly seated. Zahir's outdoor seating and spacious inside really doors make this a huge restaurant. Apparently there was another room for the bar area too. The service here was wonderful. Everyone was very attentive and helpful. We ordered the fried calamari, Chicken Marsala, and Pecan Chicken. Everything was really good. I'm not usually a fan of fried foods but the batter of the calamari was light and it was seasoned nicely. The Chicken Marsala came with mushrooms, zucchini, and rice. The chicken was super soft and very flavorful. The server said this dish along with the Artichoke Chicken were their most popular dishes. If you are craving sweets, skip the dessert and order the Pecan Chicken. The chicken was equally soft and moist and coated with crushed pecans. There were whole pecans on top. The dish also came with zucchini and rice. Overall, it was good but a bit too sweet for me. I don't think this is the best place for large groups although it is set up for banquets. It was really quiet inside and finally a place where you can hear the person you're with when they are talking. Also, the instrumental Toni Braxton and Boys to Men was a nice touch too. I would definitely like too come back to try their other dishes! My only complaint: This place is closed on Sunday and Monday. read more

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Delicious fresh cooked food . Plenty of room for big parties and Banquet . Lots of food choices to choose from for your party. Owner is very accommodating. read more

The inside of the place is not well ventilated. It has windows but owner did not open the windows or door in a hot summer event. Owner is very unprofessional and unreasonable. He changed the party's ending time from 9pm to 8pm same day of the party with no price adjust to us. Not happy at all with this place and the service provided. read more

I had some very excellent beef jerky here a few weeks back. Of course I had ordered prime rib. The vinaigrette dressing was lacking in ette being pure vinegar. read more

Despite the mixed reviews and outdated website, we wanted to give this place a try because we heard the food was good! We came in on a Friday night with reservations and fairly low expectations. We were seated immediately in the main dining area when we realized that their happy hour is still going on, so they were kind enough to reseat us at the bar (even though we killed half of our bread and butter). We loved the bar atmosphere! It's a different room than the dining area; the lighting is better and the bartenders and servers there were more lively and attentive. A basketball game was on as regulars came and sat at the bar and chatted with the bartenders. We were more comfortable in this setting! I ordered the Shrimp Fettuccine without bell peppers and my boyfriend ordered the Prime Rib, and it came out very quickly! Delicious! I didn't taste a single bell pepper and the medium rare Prime Rib was satisfying with the mash potatoes and roasted veggies. Drinks are also very yummy; take advantage of their happy hour which lasts for a pretty long time (Tuesday to Friday 5-10pm). Although the atmosphere of the main dining area felt a bit dated, the food was spectacular and exceeded our expectations! Nothing negative to say about Zahir's service, but with a bit of marketing help and better online presence, they could make a longer lasting impression. Might be back for happy hour drinks and appetizers! read more

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I was actually quite disappointed with my experience at Zahir's. I didnt really bother to check reviews before trying this place out, but figured that it's 4 stars was worth trying on it's own. Now i'm realizing there are a lot mixed reviews. This place is definitely trying to be "high end", but not exactly making the cut. Their pricing is moderate, but I think the $$$ it has on Yelp is due to the fact that it's priced high for the quality of food it is. I feel like I could of had better going to a generic Italian restaurant (like Magianno's or Cheesecake Factory). 1. They charge you for water unless you get Tap water. Which wasnt specified when they asked us what kind of water we wanted. 2. The bread and butter was good - but what bread and butter isn't good?? 3. Clam Chowder: Not the best that i've had. It didnt really stand out to me, but it wasnt terrible. I would actually compare is to canned clam chowder I've had, but not as chunky. I usually love clam chowder and would finish a whole bowl while wanting more, but not with this one. Didnt really care for finishing it. 4. Tomato Basil Soup: Big disappointment. Lacked flavor, bland. Also came out warm and cooled quickly. 5. Chicken & Shrimp Cabonara: This was one of the better dishes out of all the dishes we had gotten. Good flavor and good shrimp & chicken to pasta ratio. But again, nothing that really stood out to me as being amazing. However! Warming it up to eat as leftovers was good. 6. Steak Zahir: Thought the steak was going to be amazing considering that they described it as "medallion of filet mignon" - sounded real appealing. It wasn't the case though. The meat was soft, but the flavors were not up to par. It did not leave us wanting more. At that point it was just eating the steak to finish the meal rather than out of enjoyment. The mashed potatoes served on the side was also dry and bland. Since the meal was a disappointment, we opted out of trying their dessert. The service here, however, was fantastic. So, i really tried to give this place a chance! Sorry that it was not up to our expectations. The staff was very attentive. I must add that it was quite a slow night that night - with 2 other tables. Giving an extra star for their good efforts and the great customer service we received. read more

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Zahir's Bistro is a fantastic place to meet friends for a quick bite, or enjoy a delicious meal. The happy hour menu is great; calamari is awesome. read more

Zahir's Bistro - Beyond scrumptious .... this Latin influenced platter was delicious . Thank you Zahir and his amazing team, Evelyn and Moses. - Italian Near Me - Milpitas, California

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I love their bar menu happy hour. Try the calamari (fried to perfection) and the chicken wings (fall off the bone tender in a rich pesto sauce). The primetime fries could use some serious work though- the steak topping is really dried out and chewy and the cheese topping clumps everything into a soggy mess after coming out of the oven. Service could also be a *little* speedier. The price is right for the drinks though, everything else is delicious and I'm glad I found this place. read more

This place is amazing! Been here several times already, but its my boyfriend's first time and he loves it! The ambiance, the quietness, you can totally hear and talk to person that your with... now the food, amazing prime rib! The cut is perfect and the vegetables were cook right! I had the chicken and shrimp carbonara and it doesnt feel heavy at all... service, great!!! Family oriented place, they are always asking if we need anything, the owner even came up to us and talk for a bit... all in all, we definitely going back... its going to be our go to place especially date night! read more

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Excellent service and food. Restaurant is run by an honorable family. The environment is classy and the food is prepared with love and care. Order the prime rib, it is delightful. read more

Zahir's Bistro - Excellent service and food. Restaurant is run and owned by an honorable family. - Italian Near Me - Milpitas, California

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We went out a day before Valentine's Day. Our service was excellent as well as the atmosphere. I ordered the salmon stuffed with crab, side of vegetables, and mashed potatoes and it was wonderful. It was REAL crab too. Definitely will be back. Thank you for the wonderful dinner on our anniversary. read more

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First time eating here and had an all around excellent experience. We went here after an all day work event and I have nothing but good things to say. Staff was so friendly, they made me feel like I've been coming for years. Bartender made me an exceptional margarita from scratch, yum! Had the chicken which was moist, juicy and delicious. The sourdough bread was soft and warm. I would definitely recommend going here if you want good food with a warm welcome! Too bad I had to leave before dessert was served Could only imagine how good that would've been. read more

We came with a group of 6 people. The service was great. The freshly brewed iced tea was a nice touch. Because it was freshly made, it didn't have the bitter tea tannins. The cocktails from the team looked great and they all enjoyed them. I'm confused about the 4 star average score. They appetizer sampler with stuffed mushrooms, calamari and shrimp was ordinary. The calamari was tough. I've had better at Maggiano's. the mushrooms were under seasoned with a thick layer of cheese melted on top. For the main entree, I had the blackened ribeye, medium rare. Because the steak was so thin, it was cooked more like medium to medium well. The seasoning wasn't crusted with a Cajun mix that I would attribute as blackened. The taste was overall good, just nothing special. The veggies were done perfectly, cooked, but still crispy. read more

If you're looking for great service, amazing food and high class dining this is the place to go!!! We brought over 100 people from our company and we heard nothing but how great the food was, everyone went for seconds. The staff like Tariq was accommodating and respectful! Didn't complain about any of our request! The Rack of lamb meat just fell off the bone, the salmon and chicken was absolutely amazing. The beef was fine and tender! I have never tasted beef cooked this well. Everything as cooked to the T, with the rice, pasta and nicely served green vegetables. The atmosphere with low dimmed light, classy decorations and clean environment set the tone or a high class fine dining. I would recommend this for EVERYONE. This was my first time coming and I would definitely come again!!! Zahir himself is one of the most kind hearted genuine people who truly cares for his customers like his family. You will definitely be taken care of when you come. read more

This has to be the most delicious beautiful and quiet restaurant nestled in Milpitas you can find. Probably the best prime rib I have had all year- including the holidays. The drinks are well made and good wines too. The wait staff very professional. I truly enjoyed this meal as we could talk, dine well and have great service. Definitely will be going back. read more

Zahir's Bistro - Italian Near Me - Milpitas, California

Came here for Valentines = BIG mistake. I typically don't like to eat out on Valentines because I know it will be ridiculous. Let's focus on TIME management: (The bad) We had a reservation at 8pm which got pushed to 9pm.. Which again got pushed to 9:15pm..... Which then resorted us to wait an additional 30minutes.. We finally got a table at 9:45pm. (The good) the guy up front at least comped us for drinks while we waited for a table to free up. (More bad) We got seated with no menus.. Waited another 10min for that.. Took the waitress another 15min to take our order. We asked 2 different people 3-4 times for water, which took another 15min. Food came out 30min after ordering. We finished eating in 15min.. Asked for our check which took another 15-20min.. Overall time spent waiting = an epic 2+ hours.. What started as an 8pm reservation turned into us leaving there after 11pm.. (Not epic) Now let's focus on quality of food: 3.5 stars - complimentary sourdough bread. Fresh, crispy on the outside, warm on the inside. 0 stars - Famous prime rib. Ordered rare which came out medium well, dry, and was by far the worst prime rib I've ever had. It was supposed to come with au jus but I didn't bother asking because it will take another 15min to get it. Not worth $29, not even $10. 3.5 stars - Horse radish and the mashed potato fried thing. 3.5 stars - Seafood risotto.. Portion was not worth $30.. Not even worth $20 but the overall flavor was alright. Last, service: Slow. Disorganized. Frustrating. Lazy. 1) Pushing back reservations and having us wait defeats the point of having a reservation. 2) Waitress was nonexistent, didn't refill our waters, didn't check on us at all, and didn't even come back EVER after dropping off our food. Another waitress picked up our dishes, and took our check. Really disappointing.. The least she could have done was let someone else know to take care of us, and notify us if she was having a breakdown (I know, harsh.. but seriously though) 3) The manager never walked around to check on the customers. He just sat at the podium, staring off into space. If he knows his staff is struggling, he should be there to help them run the food, refill drinks, check on tables, drop/pick up checks, etc. It was sad watching how many customers complained and after dining at Zahir's, I'm sure lots of couples are going to split up.. I seriously thought this one lady was going to knock out our waitress after asking her and 3 other people for their check over 5-6 times.. She waited 30min for that check and got so mad, she walked out so she wouldn't beat the crap out of someone. But hey, dining out here would definitely be a true test of your relationship =D. I highly recommend coming here if you want your significant other to dump you.. I am positive this will help you get out of any unhappy relationship =] Overall experience was simply disappointing.. I had high hopes of this 4 star restaurant, and although I understand busy nights like this will lead to long waits... quality of food should NEVER be THAT bad. I was heartbroken that the prime rib made me wish I was eating the mystery meatloaf I had in high school.. Because at least that was moist and memorable. read more

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Zahir's has a certain...traditional charm that isn't seen often in the murky outskirts of Milpitas. This bistro is probably the closest thing you can get to fine dining in a pinch in Milpitas, so if you're local and looking to impress someone with your wallet, this might be the place to swing by to. I made a reservation for a Friday evening at 7 pm, and to my surprise, there was only one other couple dining in. And even when other people came trickling in within the hour, the customers were...to be quite frank, in the elderly range, haha! The guy and I were probably the youngest patrons that night. The restaurant is a lot larger then it appears to be. It's interior design is simple but romantic and quaint. We were quickly greeted and seated, and the service here was very, very nice. The menu here is rather dated. Their selection of entrees and appetizers aren't particularly innovative, which isn't particularly a bad thing if you're a little older and prefer more of a traditional selection of Italian-American cuisine. We shared: The Portofino Fresco: A selection of mussels, clams, and shrimp over a bed of pasta in a saffron butter sauce. The mussels and clams were slightly overcooked, but the shrimp was spot on! The pasta was decent, and the saffron sauce was dare I say, pretty delightful. Still, pricey for what this was, this came in at $32. Grilled Salmon: Came with a blood orange beurre blanc, some veggies and rice. The salmon was cooked very well. The beurre blanc was unfortunately bland however and I could not grasp onto any scent of blood oranges. $20 Veal Marsala: Came with veggies and risotto. The veal had a good texture, but was just a tad too salty. The risotto was unfortunately slightly under cooked. $24 Exotic Bomba: The dessert. Meh. All this is sorbet in a white chocolate shell. The sorbet was icy, and the white chocolate wasn't particularly high in quality. I'd try something else. $9 Overall, not bad. Just not...amazing. The menu would probably be great if you're hoping to treat out your parents or grandparents to some old fashion, dressed up food. But for actual foodies, I don't think you'll find anything too inspiring here. TLDR; Pricey. Traditional. read more

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Zahirs Bistro is one of the most beautiful hidden gems in all of Milpitas. Zahir is a world class gentleman who takes amazing care of his customers and his food is delicious. I attended a team event there and it was world class. The facility is extremely clean and well decorated. The atmosphere there is amazing, the hospitality and respect all of us recieved is something many places dont offer anymore. The food that was presented to all of us was cooked to perfection. Everything from the salad and bread, pasta, chicken, steak, seafood, etc. Everyrhing was perfect. His staff are extremely respectful and quick to take care of everyone's needs. Words cant express the amount of gratitude I have for the experience we had received that night. I've been recommending this place to everyone I know since that night. If you haven't been to Zahirs, please go see for yourself. This is the best restaurant in Milpitas. It is an experience, many dont get to feel, taste or see. Thank you Zahir for everything you did for us and your amazing staff. I'll be seeing you soon again. read more

Great food during a friend's wedding! The mashed potato's and chicken were so flavorful. A great place for events! They said they will open their doors for 20 people or more! Planning our next event with this place in mind! read more

Not sure how this place has 4 stars on Yelp. Sorry, just crazy to me how polarizing the reviews are, among other things. More importantly, not sure how this place has over 100 reviews. Came on a Tuesday so it's understandably not gonna be the hottest night to dine out but we were literally the only customers at the place at 7:30 PM. The space is nice to look at but it only magnifies how empty it is when there's no one in there. No one. Onto the food. Played it safe - veal marsala and an appetizer. I think zahir's appetizer - with fried calamari, stuffed mushrooms, and something else. Completely unmemorable. And I think I spent $50 on the 1 entree, 1 appetizer, carried out. I gave two stars instead of one star because the owners seemed like really nice and friendly people, but I just find the four star average rating (IMO) incredibly misleading. Maybe we came on a quiet night but boy was it quiet. read more

Service and atmosphere - Excellent and cozy. Price - Where you celebrate quietly with your those around you because Alexander's was too flashy. Ahi tuna - Great, flavorful, and difficult to share. 12 oz. Prime Rib - Looked more like 30 oz. He had a meat mountain on his plate. You could not fit this into a to-go box. Medium rare was delicious and better for 3 people to share. Stuffed mushrooms - Good. Calamari - Terrible according to my mom, aka calamari connoisseur. Vegetables - Awful and squeaky against my teeth. read more

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