Pretty cool concept. This is the place to slowly introduce Vietnamese food to your friends whose never had it. Yes it is a Vietnamese American menu but still serves justice to the bahnmi and bun (vermicelli noodles). The tacos are good as well. One of my co workers enjoyed our lunch here today. BAM!! I told her she just had her first Vietnamese food. read more

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The Chicken and Pork Meatballs are so delicious!! I love this Asian version is Chipotle's assembly line and menu choices. Simple, fresh, and healthy. I got the meatball salad with all the fixings --- rice noodles, green onions marinated with ponzu sauce, cilantro, sweet carrots, peanuts, and more. The staff are super friendly here. Oh, and they let you sample their food on with their Thai ice tea and Vietnamese iced coffee. Drinks were way too sweet, but the food was on point! I hope they open one in Cali soon. read more

Zao Asian Cafe - Meatball bowls on bowls - Asian Fusion Near Me - Sandy, Utah

This joint is great for a Japanese bowl! Very casual. I HIGHLY recommend the yellow curry sauce with rice and chicken! The sauce is amazing and it's not spicy. The green beans are in a sauce that is SO good so make sure to get those. The photos on the wall are of pretty scenery and the vibes are great! It's kind of hard to talk though because it's pretty echoe-y so don't go if you need to talk or have a meeting with someone. read more

I've really enjoyed the two meals I've had here thus far. The first we took to go and ate at home, the second we just had today in restaurant. It's bright, open, clean, and fairly quiet, and the food is super fresh and delicious. I can't remember what I ordered the first time, but I'm sure it was some iteration of a rice bowl. Today I ordered: Zao bowl with rice noodles, meatballs (chicken and pork), green curry sauce, and all the veggies They give the noodles a quick shot of oil before serving them up, which keeps them from sticking together (brilliant). The meatballs are DELICIOUS, and I'll absolutely order them again. Great flavor and texture. I loved the green curry sauce - there's some heat, but you also get a lovely coconut flavor that's not too sweet but keeps the sauce from being too one note. The veggies that come standard are cooked well and super flavorful (some pickled carrots/jicama, roasted corn, roasted green beans and onions, fresh scallions and cilantro) and are great additions. The service is fast and the food is great. I'll definitely keep Zao in my back pocket! read more

Zao Asian Cafe - Rice noodle bowl with meatballs and green curry sauce - Asian Fusion Near Me - Sandy, Utah

The food here is fantastic! I am visiting from Orange County, CA and wasn't really sure what to expect based on such a simple menu but it was recommended so we thought we'd give it a try. I am so glad we did. The menu might be simple: choose from 4 options, salad, sandwich, tacos or bowl. Then you choose your protein and the various veggies. But simple doesn't mean boring or bland. This place is far from it. I decided to try the tacos with grilled chicken. I had them create the tacos with all that comes with it, including the Thai red sauce which I was not familiar with. It was fantastic. Not only were all the ingredients fresh and perfectly diced or sliced but the combination of veggies and sauces, topped with cilantro, gave my taste buds an exciting experience. I cannot describe it well enough to fully capture my meal but trust me, this is a place you cannot pass by. My friend opted for the bowl and selected half brown rice and half white rice with chicken. She had different veggies to choose from than the tacos. Grilled corn, grilled green beans with purple onion. Different unique sauces were added with additional fresh veggies and cilantro and it too was amazing. Completely different flavors but still unforgettable. I am currently sitting at the airport to fly home and am so sad I will have to wait until my next trip to the Salt Lake City area for more Zao Asian Cafe. read more

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Had a great experience at Zao Asian Cafe! The staff was friendly and the line moved quickly. I enjoyed some tasty chicken tacos and got a free drink! The Mango drink and tacos were both delicious! I gave 4 stars instead of 5 stars because I feel that a lot of their food options does lack flavor. A few more spices would do the trick! read more

Zao Asian Cafe - Chicken Tacos, Mango drink, and Yakisoba Noodle bowl - Asian Fusion Near Me - Sandy, Utah

I was impressed with this "Chipotle style" Asian restaurant. I got the chicken rice noodle bowl with the green curry sauce and was not disappointed. I would definitely visit this restaurant again while in Utah. P.S. They have awesome Main Root fountain drinks. read more

Zao Asian Cafe - Chicken rice noodle bowl with the green curry sauce. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Sandy, Utah

Think Chipotle with a Vietnamese twist. Many new restaurants are adopting this business model and it has been proven to be very effective. Right when we stepped in, we were greeted and asked if there were any questions about the menu. First choose the type of entree you want (Banh Mi Sandwich, Tacos, Rice Bowl, or Salad) and then the meat (Chicken, Steak, Meatballs, or Tofu). I was able to try the chicken and meatballs in a bowl with vermicelli (rice) noodles, with no complaints at all. Also was able to add sriracha to spice things up. To quench my thirst, ordered a Thai Ice Tea and really liked it because it wasn't too sweet like others at other restaurants. What was pretty cool is that their fountain sodas had some interesting flavors besides the usual generic Coke. It was a quick, pleasant, and delicious meal that I will definitely be going back again for lunch. read more

Zao Asian Cafe - Vermicelli Bowl with Meatballs - Asian Fusion Near Me - Sandy, Utah

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"Zao always hits the spot" said my husband on our drive back from zao. The atmosphere is cute, simple with lively color. We always describe this as the Asian chipotle since they have the same set up/similar menu style. I almost always get the chicken bowl with chili lemon grass, half noodle half brown rice here ($7.05 including tax). My husband loves the meat balls as well. It's seriously so good! You can ask for almost extra anything with no extra charge (except for the protein). Their steak is $2 more than chicken, which in my opinion is not worth to get the steak. You can get 3 huge tacos with the same price. They are pretty generous with the portion so that's always a plus for me. If you haven't tried this place yet, I definitely recommend it! They're opening 3 more locations in Murray, Provo, and Fort Union. Yay! read more

Zao Asian Cafe - Chicken bowl with half noodle half rice - Asian Fusion Near Me - Sandy, Utah

This place is consistently good. Their menu is small but it's very fresh with simple ingredients (perfect for someone with dietary restrictions). I also love that they have tofu for vegetarians. read more

Wonderful food with unique, special flavors. Everything was totally fresh and appeared of high quality. I've been to many "build your own bowl" type of places but this is the best. Unfortunately I live in L. A which is in dire need of a Cafe Zao. read more

Just tried Zao's for the first time. I am super impressed with how great the food is! I got a brown rice and steak bowl with chili lemongrass and all the toppings. It blew me away! I may come back tonight to try a yellow curry with chicken bowl. Portions are big. They even had four fun flavorful teas in addition to soda. Do half mango half passion for a great drink. read more

Everything was so fresh and delicious! The employees were super nice and presentable and the bathrooms were so incredibly clean. Love this location truly makes a difference to come here! read more

They no longer have disposable chopsticks. Hard to eat noodles with a fork. read more

Zao Asian Cafe - Rice noodles with green curry and chicken. Thai iced tea - Asian Fusion Near Me - Sandy, Utah

We gave it a try..it wasn't too far from home, village baker was closed (a sign maybe) and we really liked it. Food is actually pretty flavorful, well presented, portions are reasonable and it is different. We had the meatball sandwich, the bowl (which I really liked! With brown rice, chicken, corn and green beans with soy sauce) and the tacos. For a quick lunch or take out, it is actually a pretty good deal! Worth trying! :) read more

Zao Asian Cafe - Asian Fusion Near Me - Sandy, Utah

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The food was great. Healthy, fresh, very tasty. I will go back there again while in Salt Lake City.

We'd never been to one of these places before so was a bit surprised that it was like Asian subway. It was good, not too badly priced & staff were helpful. $17 for the two bowls. I had noodles with chicken a lemongrass and something sauce, hubby had beef noodles with the green curry sauce. He said the sauce had a good spice to it. read more

Zao Asian Cafe - Noodle bowls - Asian Fusion Near Me - Sandy, Utah

I found myself unexpectedly eating at the Zao Asian Cafe in Draper last month when the other restaurant we had driven to Draper for was closed earlier than we expected. The staff were great. There was one small problem with our food and they went above and beyond to remedy it. I was surprised how good it was! The bone broth soup was so delicious. My husband and I decided that this would be our "go to" place for soup when we are feeling ill. The curry rice bowl, fruit drinks, and other things we ate were so delicious and healthy. We now have a new favorite quick dinner fix option with Zao's. I will say that we ended up going to the Zao's in Lehi about 2 weeks after that first visit to the Draper location. It was still good, but the one in Draper was better...I'm not sure why. I think we will likely make the drive to Draper next time. read more

Love the food but the Draper location is soooo stingy with portions. And that was even before several price increases. The manager Gil is not friendly to whites and won't hire them. He's the one telling workers to scrimp on portions. Lots of friends have complained about him too, noticing things are fine when he's not there. He acts like every piece of broccoli is going to cripple his P&L dramatically. We cringe when we see he's working because we know we are going to still be hungry when we leave. The food is excellent however. read more

Honestly not our favorite for the bowls. We got the noodles with curry sauce (vegan) and the noodles were not soft enough to bite through easily, while the sauce was too little to taste much of. Still not a bad meal, but we felt it was expensive for just the bowl and not really good veggie options. The green beans were too crisp for cooked green beans as well, but others might like that. Liked the Thai tofu, though. I think I'd try a banh mi if we were to go here again. read more

Zao Asian Cafe - Thai Tofu noodle bowl with the Curry Sauce (vegan) - Asian Fusion Near Me - Sandy, Utah

Ugh. I wanted to like this place... But both the dishes I ordered were gross. So gross. My daughter and I didn't eat them. The roasted broccoli tastes like it has an artificial smoke additive? My daughter also has a peanut allergy and I told them of this and it was hard to figure out what I could get for her. At the end, they still put her food next to an open bowl of crushed peanuts... didn't apologize when I was like ummm can you please not set my daughter's food there? read more

5 stars all the way. I've been a frequent customer and I always leave with a happy tummy. The service is fast, friendly and informative. It is apparent they care about customer satisfaction. Great group of people. Now, on to the food. Everything I've tried has been incredible, clean, fresh, and amazing flavors I haven't tasted elsewhere. The asian tacos have me hooked for life - as well as the steak Bahn Mi. Check this place out!!!! read more

Zao Asian Cafe - Zao tacos. Asian tacos...what?! (YUM.) - Asian Fusion Near Me - Sandy, Utah

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First time here. Had yellow curry chicken and brown rice. I love the s or hex vegetables. Yummy. I'll go back for sure

I got a steak bowl with a mix of the yellow and green curry sauces. It was a lot of food for me. I think that most would be okay with just the kids meal version of the bowl. It says on the menu that you can only get the teriyaki sauce on the kids meal bowl but you really can get any of the sauces. The flavor of the food was okay. If I go back I probably won't be getting the steak again because it was pretty dry. read more

I love this place. The soup in particular is just perfect for a lunch that doesn't feel like suicide. Great place and great service. Reasonable price. read more

Service is reliably bad. Food ranges from great to food poisoning. May the odds be in your favor

I love Zao! It's such a great place if you're looking for something healthy and fresh to eat! I usually get the salad with chicken or steak, but I tried the soup for the first time this last time I came here, and it was so good! I will definitely be back for the soup again! I also really love the fruit teas that they have next to the fountain drinks. read more

Like many other reviewers, I don't think that this place is anywhere close to authentic Asian food (similarly to how Panda Express isn't either). But I have to say that I really like the rice bowls here! The yakisoba looked really good too, will try next time. This place reminds me a lot of Chipotle and has the same ordering process where you get to pick your choice of carbs, protein, and veggies. The portions are decent and pretty affordable. The restaurant is spacious and clean. Service was really friendly. They have other options like banh mi, but as a Vietnamese person I'm very skeptical about banh mi's in Utah because I have yet to find an authentic one. Overall I would come back and get another rice bowl from here! read more

Zao is one of my favorite restaurants! It's fast, affordable, and healthy. What more could you want? I also love how they offer vegan options as well. Their tofu is to die for! Not only is the food amazing, but their customer service has always been kind and informative and the atmosphere/layout of the restaurant is modern and clean. You can't go wrong with Zao! read more

Food quality is text book average. However, it's quick and easy to eat. Loved the outdoor sitting option.

Zao has the best yellow curry bowls I have found! Great, friendly service, and yummy food choices!

Zao is one of my favorite local chains. This location is my most frequently visited. The staff is always kind and welcoming and the food has never disappointed. The chili lemongrass sauce is my favorite and I haven't had anything like it at similar places. It's light but filling, and affordable. They keep the place very clean and I love the outdoors seating they have. Great place, good service, good food. read more

Tried the new hash today and it was SO GOOD!! The employee Selena was very helpful and kind while suggesting it us. The chef Gilberto came and talked to my friend and I on the patio after we finished our meal and was so nice too! I highly recommend trying the hash with their new orange sauce. read more

Had Zao for the first time today. It was a big hit in my house, especially with my little kids! The restaurant is also super clean and the staff very nice, though I grabbed it to go so we didn't miss the game. We'll be back for sure. read more

Zao Asian Cafe - Asian Fusion Near Me - Sandy, Utah

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Looking for something a little different, yet healthy. Zao's the place. Bahn mi sandwiches, rice bowls and the best one of all Asian tacos! Love the Asian tacos filled with chicken, veggies and topped with two different sauces. You get three in an order so if you're hungry you've got a great meal and if not you can share them with friends. Fast, friendly service and great food. What more could you ask for? read more

Zao Asian Cafe - Chicken Asian tacos - Asian Fusion Near Me - Sandy, Utah

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Bowls were amazing. Handmade chicken meatballs are so tasty especially with the teriyaki sauce. ** best teriyaki ever!

Every time I go it seems to get better! I love that you can customize your meal to get exactly what you want! I am vegetarian and their tofu is one of the best I've ever had! I couldn't recommend this more! read more

I'm vegan and I go here 3/4 times a week and get the tofu bowl. It's absolutely amazing and the people are great, friendly and always filled with smiles. Vegan or non vegan it's a great place read more

Zao Asian Cafe - Asian Fusion Near Me - Sandy, Utah

Zao is my go-to date place lately with my wife. Can eat healthy with a lot of great flavors in whatever we order. Great and friendly service every single time. Have visited over 10 times to date. Highly recommend. read more

We accidentally ordered from a different Zao and they called and cancelled our order and remade our food quickly. Kira helped and she was professional, courteous and so lovely. Thank you so much for the best service ever! read more