Came here for a spontaneous dinner and was served by Adrian. The food was amazing and more importantly, Adrian was such a great server. He was so thoughtful and knowledgeable about the food, and made the entire experience feel more welcoming. And the food was delicious - lots of vegetables that were seasoned well that made everything taste very complex and fresh at the same time . read more

We had such a wonderful experience. The food was amazing. We enjoyed the lamb chops, the chicken skewers, and the beet salad! everything was so flavorful and wonderfully cooked. Our server Jess was amazing and attentive! read more

I was at the bar and had the best drinks made by Brixton! I will always come back for his drinks! 5 stars hands down! read more

Zaytinya - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

We always look forward to dining here, and a huge reason is because of the delicious food and our server, Adrian! He consistently makes every visit feel special. He's incredibly attentive, meticulous, and takes the time to walk us through the menu, answer every question, and make thoughtful recommendations based on our preferences. Beyond his outstanding service, Adrian is personable, kind, and has a way of making every meal feel welcoming and memorable. We love celebrating our special occasions here knowing he'll be taking care of us. Thank you, Adrian, for your incredible hospitality and for making every visit one to remember. We can't wait to come back! read more

I have been to other locations of this restaurant and unfortunately this one is not even close to Chef Andre's usual standards. - terrible service. Water not filled despite our asking twice. Waitress disappeared for 30 min when we needed to add food. -the kebabs were average at best -the falafel was over fried -some dishes never arrived so I can't say -tiny portions - the kebab "platter" for $7O had only 4'small Individual skewers. Other than the pita bread which was hot and fluffy, I really don't think anything was above average for a shopping mall food here. read more

Had a chance to try Zaytinya and enjoyed it! This restaurant has a beautiful interior and service was very good. These were the items I tried: * babaganoush - this was delicious and fresh and went exceedingly well with the fresh pita bread. I loved how soft and pillowy these were * brussel sprouts - these were crispy and full of flavor in every bite. Would definitely get this again * chicken muhammara - this was yummy as the chicken was crispy and the veggies it came with went well together. Overall good but wouldn't say it was amazing Overall it was fun trying this spot out and if I went back I would go ahead and try some of the other dishes! read more

minus 1 star because it was like 3 minutes before opening and the person said "come back at 4pm" How about you just take our name and # of people down? All of the food was delicious and beautifully presented. The service was GREAT. they filled up our water. Servings were small for the meat but maybe that's the cost of things. The bread was so cool! puffed up like balloons. Came with olive oil and vinegar. Perhaps give each person their own so that we don't mix germs but also my daughter doesn't like vinegar. Ambiance, I don't get the strange string art behind the hostess (that looks ok) but it repeats again on another wall (doesn't look as good) looks like some sad sailor ghost but the rest was very modern, very cool. Love the colors. They're dog friendly, you just have to sit outside. negative: their outside has no shade because of wind. I hope they figure that out because the sun is fierce. read more

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Located in the Stanford mall, in the corner with Blue bottle coffee. I loved the menu and the welcoming modern decor . Always enjoy the ambience of a spot with indoor olive trees and the laterns hanging from the ceiling were so pretty. My main gripe would be that I wish they offered a sampler plate with multiple dips, because it's always hard for us to choose amongst them. We ended up getting the eggplant dip and the labne which were both really good. Comes with the pita that is baked into a huge puff, and is nice and thin for dipping. You can add on vegetables to dip with which is a nice option - but it's hard to dip with the leaves that make up the majority of the bowl! The carrots, bell peppers and cucumbers were nice to dip with though The crispy Brussels sprouts are a must. I usually find the brussels sprouts at restaurants to be too greasy, but these were well crisped without feeling oily in the mouth. I was intrigued by the Spanish crudo on the menu. It comes with on top of a potato purée and a sprinkled with some chips, most of my family thought the dish was a little weird, but I was into it ! The octopus was also beautifully pleaded, and also came on top of a puree, it comes as a chopped up arm, but you can see all the tentacles as well, which we prefer. We also enjoyed the cheese pide that came with halloumi cheese. Overall excellent food, beautiful decor, sufficient service We'll be back ! read more

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Came to zaytinya on a Sunday night in a group of 4. Inside the restaurant is very modern and clean. Lots of natural light, love the ambiance. Service was good. Food was amazing!! We shared a bunch of dishes. Our favorites were the seared halloumi, hummus and kofte kebab. The Turkish coffee chocolate cake was soooo good too. They have pitas for the table, ask for as many as you want ;) Would definitely come back read more

Zaytinya - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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Came here with coworkers so we ordered a lot. Good excuse to try almost everything. All the spreads were solid, we got the baba ganoush, labneh, hummus, etc. The pides were good too, can't go wrong there. The octopus was cooked and seasoned perfectly. Table favorite for a lot of us. But the real star was the lamb shoulder. Perfect amount of woodiness, seasoned perfectly, came with a bunch of sauces and paired with the bread they give you it was such a simple but great combination. Tender but still meaty, which is exactly how I like lamb. I don't like when it just falls apart. The steak was cooked to a perfect medium for the group. The whole fish was moist and cooked well, though a little bland on its own. Paired with the other sides on the table it worked really well though. The cocktails were also really good. The 3PM in Istanbul was a group favorite. Not too sweet and the flavors kind of evolved as you drank it. They also have a lot of solid vegetarian options which is always nice to see. The ambiance inside is sooo nice and the decor is really well done. This would make a fantastic date spot. Service was extremely friendly. Wish I had caught our waiter's name because they were amazing. I'll be back! read more

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First off, the decor and details inside this place are beautiful. It's a large spacious restaurant with lots of seating. One thing to note, it is a noisy dining experience (maybe because our booth was right by the bar area). Our server was great and all the staff we interacted with were very nice. We opted to order everything family style so we could try as many dishes as possible. The portions are pretty small, but the flavors were great. The dishes that stood out: * cauliflower was perfectly cooked * smoked beet salad was incredible and truly had a smoky flavor * the chicken blew us away, the perfectly crispy skin was 10/10 * kebab platter was a good assortment of different types of meats for all of us to try. Everything was well seasoned. The dips and bread were really great too, but nothing extraordinary especially based on the price. Overall, a great elevated dining experience. I look forward to coming back. read more

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Had high expectations for this place since it's one of Jose Andres restaurants. Loved the decor and the service was first class. People came around to check on us frequently and to refill our water. For the price, however, I was expecting more. Tried the smoked beet salad and hummus to start. The portion for the salad was quite small and was like a side salad but I enjoyed the flavors and it was delicious! The pita bread was a nice fluffy puff and served hot. The hummus had a good blend and flavor as well. We split the kebab platter which had 4 different kebabs, onions and tomatoes. It was enough for two mildly hungry people to split but was also a fairly small portion for $70. It had good flavors and we liked the meats and sides which we put in our pitas. We overall enjoyed the meal and service. read more

Zaytinya - KEBAB PLATTER* - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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What an amazing experience in a Mediterranean restaurant at Stanford Shopping Center! Really excited to come here with my mom and her friends. I'd like to thank them for inviting us here! Place looks really nice inside and I like how staff takes care of the tables while we're still dining here. Just imagine living here. I mean it's nicely decorated with good materials to build this place. About the menu, not really much options when scrolling through everything since obviously there were a few pages, but definitely know that they will serve good food. Food is really tasty and authentic here. Not really big portions though the quality of the food is very peak. Also, the bread tastes good. Highly recommend wrapping around meats and other sauces with the bread. My favorite dishes are the ones that come with three meats and ones that look like cheese pizza. If you're planning to come here, it can get crowded especially on the weekends. Just be sure to plan ahead since it can get packed during that time. read more

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We went for the Mother's Day menu and it was a disappointing experience. Seems like there might have been a mix up with items coming out of order- we waited almost 50 min for our 2nd course to come out, and instead they brought out our 3rd course. We then had to let them know that we never got the 2nd course and so they brought it out after. We did not get any refills of pita breads after the first basket and no one really checked on us to see if we had questions or concerns. We absolutely love the Zaytinya in DC so we were really excited for the Palo Alto location. Unfortunately it did not live up to our expectations. read more

Zaytinya - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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One year to celebrate my best friend and I's birthday. We made reservation reservations for the evening and we were sat down within 10 to 15 minutes. Firstly, the ambience is pretty loud for dinner time. Felt like I had to definitely yell a little bit to have a conversation. The restaurant inside, however it was really chic and classy. The order of brussels sprouts and a salad for starters and for our main dish we got the platter. The bread that was served is also very delicious. I definitely see their brussels sprouts are a must-- you can never go wrong with that and I really loved the taste of the salad. I felt like I never got tired of it. The platter was also very interesting because they allow you to try different meats I did think that I had liked the chicken a bit more and there was also some lamb but it's still a good experience to try. read more

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I liked this place. The space and set up is beautiful. I felt like I was back in Europe somewhere on the Mediterranean. I wish. The service was excellent. One server was Spanish, another was one Turkish and we could exchange some talking in both languages. Then came the food and we enjoyed it very much. It is difficult to find a restaurant nowadays that combines everything well from food, price and atmosphere and this one did it for us. read more

Zaytinya - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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Zaytinya is a restaurant nestled at the Stanford Shopping Center by renowned Spanish-American chef José Andrés. They opened in December 2025 so my friend and I were excited to try as this is my first experience at one of his restaurants. We walked in on a Sunday afternoon around 1PM for lunch. Since it was sunny and warm, I asked for an outdoor seat when checking in with the host, but the wait was up to 45 minutes. Fortunately, there was a table inside right by the opening to the outdoor seating near the bar, so we were able to catch partial sun rays. SERVICE Based on previous reviews, there was a lot of feedback about the customer service. Like any restaurant, there is a period when improvements are made. I can assure anyone reading my review that the service was excellent. From the host to our server, Gil, great personalities and good vibes all around. FOOD We ordered a few apps & mezze to share. - Complimentary Bread with Oil & Vinegar - HOMMUS purée of chickpeas, garlic, tahini, harissa chili crisp - FALAFEL traditional crispy chickpea fritters, tumeric pickles, cherry tomato, tahini - ZAYTINYA FRIES crispy potatoes, house mushroom salt, roasted garlic yogurt - OCTOPUS SANTORINI grilled mediterranean octopus, marinated onions, capers, yellow split pea puree - SHISH TAOUK grilled chicken skewer, sumac onions, garlic toum, grilled tomato Everything was fresh and tasty. Highlights we really enjoyed were the hommus (so smooth and fresh!) and falafel. My only main feedback was that the octopus was overcooked and dry. The pea puree was flavorful but quite thick and slightly gritty. We thoroughly enjoyed our server and the delicious food. I will definitely return to try more menu items and explore the dinner offerings. The interior decor is immaculate, truly transporting you to a Mediterranean destination. read more

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We did the tasting menu which my boys loved! Plenty of food even though I skipped a few things (oysters and shrimp). Waitress was awesome and she offered to sub things for these courses, but boys were happy to eat the extra. Also did the wine tasting which was fine and reasonably priced. The kebabs were the star of the show. Lively atmosphere, good drinks, a nice addition to Stanford Mall (actually coming back with a friend 2 nights later!) read more

Zaytinya - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Sitting at Zaytinya, you'll be transported to the stunning Mediterranean. This beautifully decorated space, with its whitewashed walls, terracotta pots with olive trees, and soothing hues of blue, will make you feel you are sitting at an elegant seaside taverna. Throughout our meal, service was exceptional - friendly, efficient and attentive. We started with the Hommus dip, which was as creamy and flavorful as it should be! The green chickpea garnish added a great finishing touch to the dish! The warm, puffy pita bread with olive oil swirled with pomegranate molasses was so one of the highlights of our meal and our server was kind enough to keep replenishing the warm bread. The Garithes Me Anitho (Shrimp with dill, shallots, lemon and mustard) was excellent. The shrimp were perfectly cooked and we couldn't resist dipping our bread into the zesty lemony sauce. The Fatoush Salad, while refreshing, surprised us with its absence of the traditional lettuce component. The Crispy Brussel Sprouts Afelia was one of our favorite dishes & the fried Brussel sprouts contrasted nicely with the barberries & garlic yogurt sauce. It was also one of the more generous portions of the dishes we ordered. The Octopus Santorini was tender and succulent & it was complemented by the creamy yellow split pea puree. However, we couldn't help but be taken aback by the small portion size of the Kofta Kebab, priced at a hefty $19. This was a recurring theme throughout our meal - the dishes were incredibly tasty and beautifully presented, yet the portion sizes were shockingly small for the prices. We understand the high rents in the Stanford Mall, but customers also deserve value for their money. The Chicken Muhammara was the only dish that was a decent portion size. I guess that is considered a "main dish" but that too came with a hefty price tag of $45. So our final thoughts are that Zaytinya is an excellent choice for those seeking upscale Mediterranean cuisine. However, be prepared for small portion sizes and higher prices. read more

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Meh. Have you been to Santana Row lately and tried one of those contemporary-looking, over-priced restaurants with bland food? Zaytinya felt like their Palo Alto sibling. Dishes supposed to be hot were all lukewarm. Not enough spices. Service was slow and lacky. I would go to Meyhouse any day over this place. M is slightly pricier but worths every extra penny. read more

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I am familiar with zaytinya based on their offering in DC (it was a frequent stop of ours whenever friends/family was in town), and so was excited to see this Jose Andres offering expanding to the west coast. We made a pit stop here on a bright Saturday morning after a hike at the Stanford dish, and were pleasantly surprised by how quickly we were able to get seated without a reservation. The quality of mezzes here remains top tier. Our server recommended about two mezzes per person (which was more than enough when accompanied by the free pita bread). The must trys include the baba ghannoush and their falafel (6/plate) as well as their kebabs. Overall Zaytinya remains a highlight mezze option and will definitely fit well into my rotation of dining choices in the area! read more

We ordered Kebab platter Sesame salmon Octopus Santorini The ambiance is good and service is 5 star Will definitely come back again read more

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Amazing service and delicious Mediterranean food. A must try! Jess and Ivan are wonderful. read more

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Great food but expensive. Very nice ambiance with high ceilings and spacious dining room. Located inside Palo Alto Shopping Mall. They have a lot of smaller mezee appetizers if you want to mix and match items. About $25 apiece for those. They also offer larger shared plates under the family platter section. Kebab is very good and comes with 4 types of meat skewers. Very flavorful, you can taste the spices blend and it comes with tahini, garlic, and red dipping sauce. Rice platter is flavorful but portion is not big enough for more than 2 people to share. Coffee cake was fine and fairly priced at $13. As a side note, this is one of the few restaurants supporting Bilt mobile checkout so Bilt cardholders can get $25 off their meal with CC redemption. Overall conseus, an authentic Mediterranean / Middle Eastern restaurant with upscale vibe and pricing. read more

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I had really wanted to try a restaurant by José Andrés, however after reading some fellow Elite Yelp reviews I was a little hesitant. The overall rating hovered around 3.5 stars, and much of the criticism seemed to focus on service--which can be pretty subjective--so we decided to give it a try anyway. From start to finish, everything went smoothly. We were warmly greeted, promptly led to our table, and well taken care of throughout the meal. The food was excellent, and there was an endless supply of fresh pita bread--light, airy, and clearly fresh made. Prices felt reasonable for the quality, flavors, and portion sizes. *** only comment--the women's powder room was a bit messy and half the stalls were missing tissue--and it was only 5pm... *** no happy hour like their other locals We'll definitely be returning. read more

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Went on a Saturday as a party of 8.l got lunch Parking was easy since it's in a mall. The drinks are phenomenonal. People got espresso in Chios , the za-atar margarita was very interesting with the zaatar flavor. Also the magic carpet was super interesting- it was a clear drink but with st germain and Greek yogurt- kind of on the sweet side but tasty! They kept bringing the free pita bread with olive oil We ordered a bunch of appetizers The halloumi pide and the soujouk pide were tasty The Brussels sprouts were really flavorful with the garlic yogurt The baba ganoush was good but the quantity was abysmal Also got the chicken shish touk. It was tasty but the quantity was tiny for an entree. Four tiny pieces of chicken! We were celebrating a birthday and ordered the Turkish coffee chocolate cake- yummy! Great vibes. Great drinks. Good food- only wish the portion sizes were bigger read more

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A great addition to Stanford Mall dining options! I recommend coming with a small group and ordering a plethora of mezze & small dishes. Lots of variety in flavors & sauces to dip the amazing (complimentary) pita in. Dishes to order: - Crispy Brussels Afelia - Cauliflower Tiganites - Sesame Salmon Wait: Walked in with a group of 4 at ~5:30pm on a Saturday night and we were seated ~6pm. Service: Make a reservation if you want attentive service. In the bar section, tables are shared across 3-4 different servers who don't communicate well with each other, so it felt very scattered & we had to flag them down a few times. read more

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The space itself is breathtaking.- all soaring high ceilings and massive floor to ceiling windows draped in sheer linen that lets light through. From the moment we sat down, our waiter, Ivan, struck the perfect chord. He was attentive and thoroughly professional, but anchored everything with a sincere, confident warmth and a genuine smile that made us feel instantly welcomed. The kitchen moved with an impressive, effortless rhythm, filling our table with beautiful small platters that were practically art. We started with the homemade pita bread, which arrived light, fluffy, and still warm from the oven--the absolute perfect companion to the aromatic za'atar pide (our favorite) Smoked beet salad (unique flavor for beet salad). kofte kebab, falafel, garides me anitho(shrimp) To drink, the Pomona cocktail with distinct anise notes of the ouzo lent an authentic, refreshing touch. For dessert, we shared olive oil cake. It melded a slightly crumbly texture with the perfect balance of salty and sweet, all brightened by fresh strawberries. It's the kind of place that's perfect to laugh out loud and just be happy with friends. read more

Zaytinya - Open, airy, bright. High ceilings,unique lighting at ZAYTINYA - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Solid 3.5 stars, rounded up because the service was nice and ambiance too. The chicken skewer was amazing but for the size (1 stick with a tiny piece that barely fed 2 people) was not worth $20. Really wish this was bigger for the price. The garlic shrimp was the best dish on the menu. Appreciate the complimentary pita and birthday dessert. It does get quite loud in there. read more

I found out about this place because of IG, not my typical neighborhood but I'm glad I ventured out. I was able to make a reservation the day before I wanted to dine. I think there's more availability for lunch seatings than dinner so reservations are highly encouraged. The restaurant is slightly tucked and inside the mall next to RH, so parking can be a little tricky but doable. The restaurant itself is beautiful, very open and bright and I especially love the bar, it's giving updated art deco. We started with sips, I had the Za'atar Margarita. The bulk of the flavor came from the za'atar atop the foam. It was light with slightly sour taste. My friend had the 3 PM in Instanbul. Now this drink was fun and complex. I think it was the mixture of the thai basil,vanilla and aperol. For bites we tried the Hommus, very smooth and creamy, The fattoush salad, this helped satisfy my vegetable craving, the crispy brussel sprouts; these were amazing, just the right amount of char and I think it was the sprinkle of pomegranate that really made them pop. And the falafel for a dream. Overall a very solid meal and if I'm back in the area I'd love to explore my items from the menu. read more

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Great sips, decent meat Here a lot of great things about this place so figured would come check this place out. The ambiance here is modern and chic, and being in Stanford mall, it was popping on a Saturday night. They do offer a chef's menu, but it seemed like too much food. We went a la carte. *3PM in Instanbul - Probably my favorite thing here. This is apparently their most popular cocktail. It is well balanced and the lavender tea and thai basil blended surprisingly well with the fruits. *Baba Ghannouge - Pretty standard, but well made. Topped with pomegranate. Went well with their complimentary poofy bread. *Crispy Brussels Afelia - I didn't know I would enjoy deep fried brussels sprouts so much. Call me basic. The garlic yogurt cut well into the richness. *Octopus Santorini - The grilled octopus paired very well with the split pea puree. While I liked the octopus, I actually through the puree was the star of the dish. It tasted like a smooth, spiced sweet potato. *Kofte Kebab - Kind of small, but the meat was pretty juicy. Seated on top of a layer of extra butter. I felt the butter was doing the heavy lifting when it didn't need to (ground beef is usually pretty moist on its own). Also the tomato ezme was a tad sour for my taste. *Sesame Salmon - Loved the sesame crust. The salmon was a touch overcooked, but still pretty juicy. The oyster mushrooms were a good choice pairing. Price: At face value, the menu here is pretty expensive. I mean, who would pay $20 for a small kebab? However, after all the InKind shenanigans, the food seems normal price or perhaps slightly discounted? I for one, do not like the gimmick of it all. I did go through the exercise to try this place out. Come here with InKind credits or you will really feel the bill Overall: The highlights for me were the drinks and ambiance. I think the dishes feel fancy for sure. However, the first thing to come to mind when I come to a Mediterranean restaurant is the meat. Sadly, their meat was good but not great. Plenty of other regional spots can deliver better meats at a better value. Still enjoyed our dinner though and its not a bad deal if you are willing to jump through the InKind hoop read more

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We had such an amazing experience! Joe, Cyrus, and Cynthia are the best!!!! I'm definitely coming back!!!! read more

Date of Visit: 1/11/2026 Zaytinya has finally opened at Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto! Zaytinya has been one of my favorites restaurants in Washington DC and has been my must visit restaurant every time when I visit Washington DC. Once the Zaytinya in Las Vegas has opened, we also visited back in July 2025. The Zaytinya in Palo Alto is conveniently located at Stanford Shopping Center, which is very great for shoppers to go for lunch or dinner. Inspired by the culinary traditions of Turkey, Greece and Lebanon, the menu featured small shared plates. This is one of the restaurant by Chef José Andrés, based on his knowledge of Mediterranean cuisine and years of travel throughout the region. 3PM in Istanbul $19 I ordered the featured cocktail on the menu. Made with lavender tea infused vodka, grapefruit, strawberry thai basil aperol, vanilla, and lime. Very fruity and refreshing. 2024 Dio Fili Xinomavro Moschomavro Rosé $13 Husband ordered the Rosé from Siatista in Greece. With the hint of strawberry and raspberry. Fattoush $15 We ordered the salad that the waiter highly recommended. Made with tomato, cucumber, red onions, green pepper, radish, pita chips, and decorated with pomegranate vinegar dressing. A little too salty. Garides Me Anitho $20 Sauteed shrimp with dill, shallots, mustard, and lemon juice. The sauce was a great pair with bread too. Octopus Santorini $24 The popular grilled Mediterranean octopus, with marinated onions, capers, and topped with yellow split pea puree. Lamb Chops $65 For the main dish we got the lamb chops with eggplant kefalograviera puree, broccolini, lemon, and lamb jus. The lamb chops were about medium, with slim and fatty parts mixed perfectly. Crispy Brussels Afelia $16 The brussels sprouts was super crispy with coriander seed, barberries, and on top was the garlic yogurt dressing. read more

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Ambiance is very impersonal and designed to create the illusion of larger space that it is. Food is fine although nothing spectacular. The service is slow and there is no attention to detail. As example, the salad served to the table next to us was missing the third ingredient: feta cheese. There were also a lot of yellowish leaves of watercress on a couple of our dishes. Lamb was very well cooked. The waiter brought a bottle of wine after a long wait, and he didn't bother to show us the level before opening the bottle of wine. Anyway, there is a lack of "picardía" in dishes, ingredients, flavors and presentation. I was surprised Jose Andrés is behind this restaurant. A couple of times our experience in "Jaleo Washington DC " 2-3 years ago was considerably better in all aspects. I don't know about his Mexican enterprise in DC, nor Zaytinya DC. To me Zaytinya Palo Alto is a good restaurant, not memorable or spectacular. read more

Four stars for the food and three stars (or less) for the experience and service Zaytinya is well-appointed, even hip ambiance. In the evening, the lights are dimmed -- maybe even too low. The food is excellent. H'tipiti pepper dip: a bowl of Mediterranean goodness with a bit of texture from the feta. Yum! Smoked beet salad: the beets are indeed smoked and pair really well with candied walnuts and crispy apples. yup, feta again. Brussels afelia: very crispy and accentuated by garlic yoghurt. Garides Me Anitho: Sautéed shrimp with mustard. Sounds odd, tastes great. House pita was fine but needed for all the above. But... There were multiple dogs inside the restaurant (is that even allowed?) and one was repeatedly barking. There are outdoor tables but not many people dining outside on a chilly evening. We were trying to spend time catching up but felt rushed. I guess they wanted to turn tables. The bill comes as a QR code and we couldn't figure out how to split it using the payment app. We asked a hostess passing by for help and she huffed "that's not my job but I can find someone for you." Ok. Apparently the multiple other reviews about off-putting service here are completely accurate. Really liked the food -- enough to come back to sample other items -- but I'm not sure I will. read more

Zaytinya - Seafood menu (Jan 2026) - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Nice ambience and a very beautiful bar! We went in for a dinner without reservation and were seated at the bar. Love the bar backdrop!Our highlights are definitely the warm fresh pita and the chicken skewers( shish touk). The crunchy vegetables are a good addition for some texture and go well with the dip. -* due to slow service. The bartender is extremely tentative, but it seems that either the kitchen or servers are short staffed. The octopus dish came out lukewarm and the two meat dishes(chicken skewers and kebab) came out very late. The bartender kept telling us dishes will be out soon, but they never did. After seeing us just sitting with empty plates for a long while, he decided to personally go to kitchen and check on for us. Other than that, I think this is a great place to visit. I'm hoping since it is newly opened, they can make more adjustments to improve on the food serving speed. read more

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Let me say something good first and that was about the service, which was absolutely fantastic. Also, the dessert was all right. The Turkish yogurt mixed which was more like Panna cotta was absolutely perfect. The problem really was with my main course as a pescatarian, which turned out to be a combination of the shrimp and a scallop appetizers. These were both undercooked and lacked flavor and were overpriced three little scallops, which were still pink in the inside without flavor at $21 was ridiculous. I asked our waitress to get my scallops well cooked and return them to me and she had the whole dish redone. Even after that, the result was still not much better. My family enjoyed the kebab combination, but for the price it was too little. My overall take for this place is that the ambience and the service is great but the prices do not meet the quality. read more

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Such a gem! We had a delicious time together after a day of work and a little shopping. The food was amazing and staff very attentive too. And the ambiance was warm and inviting - a little hip and cool. read more

Zaytinya - 3PM in Istanbul a signature cocktail to start the delicious experience!! - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Had an amazing dinner here today with my dad and grandma. We started with a couple Pomonas and a Za'atar margarita and then ordered the tzatziki and halloumi pide for appetizers and then grilled lamb chops, steak harra, and celebration rice with chicken for our main entrees. And for dessert we had the Turkish coffee chocolate cake, sorbet trio, and our waiter was kind enough to bring us the Greek Yogurt and Apricot for my grandma's birthday. Everything was incredible! Our waiter Mahir was so helpful and kind with recommendations and prompt service, the whole staff was excellent. Also loved the atmosphere of the restaurant it was so gorgeous we had a perfect cozy booth. Definitely can't wait to return very soon! read more

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José Andrés is a genius, and probably one of the best working chefs in the world today. Some of the meals he cooks up are incredible, and the years of training under Ferran Adria at el bulli (the world's greatest restaurant ever) are so obvious at his best restaurants. He's the reason you've heard of tapas (which he popularized in the United States in the 1990s). And he's a progressive icon. But Zaytinya feels like a cash grab rather than anything he inspired. It's a mini-chain of small plates of Mediterranean food (Greek/Turkish/Lebanese, primarily) that hasn't really found a rhythm, and the food lacks any soul. From the onset, service was a disappointment. One of the greeters at the restaurant looked like he was distracted by his phone and far more interested in that then in making eye contact. Our main server was better, but that first impression disappointed. The spot is stylish. But the food is just meh. I love octopus, and this octopus was good enough, but needed a bit more smokiness. The scallops were pretty (and fresh), but I can sear them just as well at home. The garnishes added little to the dish. And the kebab platter - it was fine. It was a filling meal, but I don't ever need to return. I expected more. So if you're going based on the chef's reputation (and most of the branding focuses on the chef), tread lightly. If you just want a decent meal at a mall, it's going to be decent. read more

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