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    Zao Asian Cafe

    4.1 (50 reviews)
    Closed 10:30 am - 9:30 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

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    ZAO ASIAN CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Zao Asian Cafe

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    Chicken Bowl
    Rachel B.

    I'm so happy I tried Zao!! Luckily the person in front of me ordered several bowls so I was able to get an idea of what all the options were. I went with a chicken bowl over white rice with green curry. It was delicious and I can't wait to go try new combinations. The employees were very friendly even though it was the last hour before closing. Everything looked very clean and I enjoyed the option to eat outside on the patio. It's definitely a nice change from the normal quick food options.

    The dumplings were very disappointing. You could tell they dont make them to order and it tasted very greasy, too crunchy and rubbery and had a off taste as if the oil was stale too. Service wasnt that great either but it wasnt bad. The rest of the food was amazing though!!!! Had the chicken bowl with the Y noodles and my fiancé got it with rice. Delicious sauces. Protein portion sizes are very small, i got 5 small cubes of chicken lol so if you love your protein sizes maybe its not the place for you or you might want to order an extra portion on the side like I did. I got the chicken meatballs to try and honestly didnt have that much flavor but their yummy sauces made up for it

    Rice bowl, two proteins. ~$8
    Travis B.

    It's fresh, it's different, it's tasty. Excellent little spot to come get your rice/noodle bowl on! Pick your base (i like the brown rice) add a protein (I've tried both the chicken and the beef) and add your "stuff" on the top. There are several different sauces to choose from and the spicy sauce or the curry tend to be my go to. Look. This sounds like a simple little place but the flavors are complex and wonderful. They have some toppings like grilled corn / carrots that really set this dish off and you will be pleasantly surprised at just how tasty a simple rice bowl can be. On a side note, try the guacamole. You will be impressed.

    Bryan J.

    As fans of the downtown Salt Lake location, we've been excited for Zao to open in Riverdale ever since we heard it was coming a year ago. Tonight they threw a pre-grand-opening welcome to the community with a complementary dinner service. They kept the food and friendliness on point with welcomes and check-ups for those in line and eating at tables. Our family's regular go-tos were here: tacos, soup and noodle bowls. The yellow and green curry sauces on the limited-time yakisoba noodles were especially scrumptious. The chili-lemongrass sauce was tasty on the noodles, too. However, it is the banh-mi sandwiches with their hoisin and aioli sauces that have been my fave-of-favorites of Zao's menu--and we learned this location has jettisoned the warm baguette bread in favor of a cold flatbread wrap. They told me that with the growth and expansion they've been undertaking that dependable service on fresh bread hasn't been nailed down, so the flatbread wrap could be rolling out in other locations too. I will have to try it on a subsequent visit, but this was very disappointing news to hear. There are already too many "fast casual burrito" places notwithstanding Zao's Thai-Asian-fusion ingredients. That said, those crispy fried shallots and edamame-avocado guacamole could make up for a lot! We also learned that they have been switching over for the last few months the in-house homemade meatballs to a chicken-only recipe from the chicken-and-pork featured elsewhere. They had the same good Asian-fusion flavor but were a touch dry today. It's possible that this was due to preparing for the huge crowd tonight and not that the recipe has suffered. The diced steak we tried tonight was good, though. Will give these meatballs another try soon!

    Beef Steak Bowl
    Camille P.

    This spot is SO refreshing! Fresh, healthy and light ingredients with a mild and yet full Asian flavor! Our first time visiting, staff were friendly and the restaurant was clean. They offer military discount and the prices are very reasonable considering the quantity you get! 2 bowls served us twice each and we were full each time! Lots of menu options and build your own abilities. The isles are a bit snug, and indoor seating is limited but so worth it! Thank you Zao!

    Chicken rice bowl the Zao way with yellow curry & mango juice :)
    Victoria M.

    I'm so happy they opened up this location! YAY! Definitely closer to us than Woodscross. The service here was great and our cashier was awesome! He smiled, started conversation and even came to check how we enjoyed our food :) I love Zao's protein bowls! My sister and I got the chicken/steak rice bowls the Zao way with yellow curry. Yummy! My favorite at the juice bar is the Mango. Glad to have a Zao near me now!!!

    Chicken Meatballs and grilled chicken brown rice bowl with teriyaki sauce! Delicious.
    Cody B.

    We were heading to a neighboring restaurant for lunch when we noticed the grand opening of Zao. We decided to give it a whistle. Glad we did! I had a 1/2 chicken and 1/2 chicken meatball brown rice bowl with carrots, corn and broccoli. It was delicious! For less than $20, my wife and I had an excellent lunch. Excited to try again in the future.

    My meal

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    3 months ago

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    1 month ago

    Big dark hair in my food for the second time in a couple months. Two bites in and have to trash it again. Hard pass.

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    2 years ago

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    7 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

    I was skeptical. Very skeptical. But this place was awesome. The staff were pretty cool and the food was great. The soup was delish too!

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    7 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Business owner information

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    Zao Customer Service

    We love the fresh vibe review! That's our goal!

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    6 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    Zao Customer Service

    We're so sorry about that order! We love our Zao family!

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Portion sizes are very inconsistent last few times hasn't even filled the bowl half way very disappointing for the price you pay.

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    3 years ago

    The food is delicious! Grabbed a chicken bowl and the flavor was there. Super happy that I got to try it out and will be coming again !!

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    7 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    Zao Customer Service

    So happy you came to check us out! Hope you come back again soon!

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    4 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Great, fresh, healthy, and authentic This fast but the flavor is amazing and you can't feel bad eating it.

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    7 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Ordered online using the app and they forgot the curry sauce. I usually go in and order in person. Will probably never use the app again.

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    4 years ago

    Best food ever AND ALSO STAFF ARE AMAZZINBGGGG best thing to order is the white rice with the chicken meatballs

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Zao Asian Cafe

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    Sonora Grill

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    We ate there last night and the food was good but the bartenders and drinks were great! We sat at…read morethe bar and watched them while they were rocked by a Saturday night crowd. They were awesome. Luke and Brooke were amazing and not flustered by the rush as the drink orders kept coming. We watched them give the same amount of attention to every drink and garnish; each one looked perfect when it left the bar. My wife had a Rosa 75, on the menu, it had a Mexican gin in it that was phenomenal. No big juniper taste, bright tasting and beautiful. She also had a custom creation of Luke's called a "Sassy Marg" that used Ancho Reyes Verde liqueur. It gave the drink just the right amount of spice. I had a classic margarita and then a. Pina Colada that was dangerously tasty. If you ever go here0 make sure to visit Luke and Brooke at the bar. Well worth it!

    Went to the website and it appears you MUST make a reservation. I clicked on the day I wanted and…read morethere were only 3 time slots! Wow, this place must be amazing since it's a Tuesday! Decided to give them a call to see if there were any tables, just in case. To my surprise there was! I got so excited. I arrived at my reservation time of 615 and was promptly seated... in a near empty restaurant. Why the need for reservations? Anyway... after placing our quickly order (since we had studied the menu at home)... finally AN HOUR LATER our food arrived. The server apologized and said we got stuck behind a large party. Now, I'm no scientist, but wouldn't you assume if the restaurant required reservations and their system was showing a fully booked house, including a large party, wouldn't you bring on maybe just one more chef? Anyway... the food was great. Service, not so much!

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    Waiting area
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    Cochinita Pibil
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    Zao Asian Cafe - asianfusion - Updated August 2026

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