Food was good. Smaller portions than what we expected since it is share style. Service was okay. Had to ask for water a few times and coffees came out way before dessert. read more

I updated my review from one star to two because I searched Yelp and OpenTable for other reviewers who thought they were deceived about being charged for water. Out of hundreds of reviews, maybe one sounded like they might have been charged unfairly for water. At the time, to me, it seemed like outright deception, but maybe it was a miscommunication. Still, they didn't bring the free bread, but they brought the $10 bottle of water. All the same, I don't want to be overly harsh over a possible misunderstanding. BELOW IS ME ORIGINAL REVIEW: _____________________ We had a bad experience. We ordered water and ended paying $30 for stilll water. We didn't ask for still water, didn't even know what it was. They gave us two bottles to start. The staff didn't explain that we were being charged $10 for each bottle of water. Later, we asked for more pita bread and more water. They never brought the free pita bread, but they remembered the $10 bottle of water. We didn't want to argue, so we paid the bill and even paid the 20% pre-selected tip amount. But that's it for us. None of us will ever go back. The food was fine, the rest of the service was OK. But the feeling of being misled about the silly still water issue is what stays with us. read more

Barish was a great server. He was very hospitable and no doubt food is great! We had excellent experience in Washington, D.C. and were excited to know that there was a location in Palo Alto. read more

My girlfriend and I were really excited about this new Mediterranean restaurant opening in Stanford shopping center. The ambiance is very trendy and ideal for date nights or a chill girls night out. My friend and I shared a variety of dishes. We had the tzatziki, scallops, kebab platter and fries. I have no complaints about the dishes but the service was pretty mediocre. Our server took a while to greet us. She also told us she'd bring us bread for the oil but it never arrived. We also had to wait a bit for the check. With that said, I would go back for the food if I'm craving Mediterranean as there aren't many good Mediterranean restaurants in the Bay. But Dio Deka is a notch better than this spot in terms of food and service. read more

Zaytinya - ZAYTINYA FRIES - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Came for Mother's Day for the first time. Unfortunately, the service was not good at all. They had a fixed menu and kept bringing new dishes without clearing the dirty plates from the table. We had to repeatedly ask for plates to be removed. They also forgot our drinks, and the salmon was served cold, so we didn't eat it. Overall, very disappointing, especially for a special occasion. As a resident of Menlo Park for more than 30 yrs won't be coming back here. read more

Jess did a good job. It is a bit noisy but he helped us switch table. The food was great. BABA ghannouge and lamb baharat was the highlight.

Jess was a great server and the place was beautiful food was delicious would highly reccomend read more

Zaytinya - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

The interior is beautifully done. It's huge with cozy booths and tables. The bar is gorgeous with light wood furnishings and an amazing blue disc design that covers the entire back wall. It is extraordinarily loud inside the restaurant. You cannot hear yourself think for the roar of conversations happening all around you. The food and drinks are a solid "good", not exemplary (which is what I could normally have expected from a Jose Andreas establishment.) We had six of the mezze plates-- shrimp in dill lemon sauce; brussels sprouts with garluc yogurt sauce; eggplant cakes in yogurt mint sauce; hummus with pita bread; tomato mozzarella flatbread; and lamb skewers with tomato and onion. The coffee we had at the end of our meal was lukewarm at best--really? The dishes were nicely presented. In general, the taste did not deliver in a way that I had anticipated from a Jose Andreas restaurant. Everything was more of a bland "meh" than a tasty "wow." Unusual and unfortunate. The prices are quite high. Considering the quality of the food and the distractingly loud enviromment -- paying so handsomely is a bit galling. The service was decent. We showed up 10 minutes early for our reservation, and we were instructed to wait in the bar even though there seemed to be plenty of empty tables both inside and outside. Either their timing is so precise that a guest arriving 10 minutes too soon puts them off kilter, or they are just a little "too cool for school." The bartenders were fun. The food wait staff seem to have strict job descriptions that prevent the one who delivers your food from taking a drink order. A bit odd for a high end establishment. I love Jose and all his good works. What first drew me to his restaurants was the consistently superior quality of his food. Sadly this one falls well short of the mark and you pay dearly for the privelage of dining here. It is highly unlikely that I will return to Zatinya in Palo Alto. read more

Honestly, it was a bit disappointing. The celebration rice and the branzino were amazing. However, the rest of the dishes were a little underwhelming. The use of pureed chickpeas was honestly disgusting. I like hummus as a side dish to be used as a dip. I am definitely not a fan of using it as the main starch. Not a fan at all and reduced my rating from a four star to a 3 star. Love Jose andres, but this is not one of his stronger restaurants read more

At first, our appetizers didn't arrive, but one of the main courses was brought out early for our group of seven. The person who received it couldn't even eat it everyone looking at him. Then, everything showed up at once--the appetizers and the all of the food--which made the timing feel very disorganized. The food tasted very basic, and two of the dishes were simply not good. Service was disappointing overall. Staff kept passing by without clearing the used cups and plates, even though we had them organized and ready to be taken away. The only positive, aside from the nice design of the place, was our server Adrian. He was amazing--very attentive and genuinely tried to make things right. If the rest of the operation matched his level of service, this place would easily earn great reviews. read more

Zaytinya - Adana, but is not Adana, like kofte, or kobide. Taste was horrible whatever it was. - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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I really wanted to love Zaytinya, and while the ambiance sets a strong first impression, the food did not quite justify the prices. The space itself is beautiful. The lighting is warm and very well done, creating a stylish and comfortable atmosphere that works well for date nights or business dinners. From an ambiance perspective, they clearly invested thoughtfully. One interesting detail is the name. "Zaytinya" comes from the Turkish words zeytinyağı, meaning olive oil, with a playful twist on the wording. Given how central olive oil is to Turkish and Eastern Mediterranean cuisine, the name sets an expectation of authenticity and depth in flavor. Unfortunately, the food quality did not fully meet that expectation. While presentation is polished, the flavors were mild and somewhat underwhelming, especially considering the price point. Portions also felt small relative to cost. For Mediterranean food at this level, I expected bolder seasoning, more complexity, and dishes that really stand out. Service was professional and smooth, and the restaurant feels well run overall. Still, the value equation leans heavily toward ambiance rather than culinary excellence. If you are going mainly for the atmosphere and a refined setting, this place delivers. If you are looking for food that truly reflects the richness implied by the name and pricing, there are stronger options in the area. read more

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Visited Zaytinya on March 28 at 5 PM with a party of 9. The service ruined the entire experience. Our server had an attitude from the start. He interrupted us, didn't listen and was consistently dismissive. Basic service was sloppy. Water was spilled while placing glasses. We brought our own wine and asked to start with a tasting pour, but he ignored us, served it his own way and spilled wine across the table. He acted busy but the service was slow and disorganized. We eventually had to ask him to actually listen and serve properly. The food was just okay, but the service overshadowed everything. We came ready to tip well, but the service did not deserve it. If you recognize yourself, reconsider this job. Overall, the staff felt poorly trained and the restaurant seems more focused on appearance than substance. If they want to last, they need to seriously improve the fundamentals. read more

We've been looking forward to trying Zaytinya since we learned about its opening a few months ago. The Mediterranean decor was welcoming. Our favorite dish was the kebab platter with meats cooked to perfection and accompanied by flavorful sauces (tahini, garlic, harissa). The 3pm in Instanbul cocktail was the most underwhelming cocktail I've had in ages despite being their most recommended one. The spicy sausage pide was another favorite dish from the evening among seared halloumi, baba gannoush, and sea scallops. The olive oil cake was interesting. Overall, the food was delicious however still left much to be desired while the staff was attentive in waves. read more

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What a fantastic new restaurant added to Palo Alto. It was impossible to get a reservation so we just showed up early for lunch on Saturday and we were seated quickly. The overall vibe and ambiance are cool and your eyes gravitate toward the details in the restaurant like the bar. The food was outstanding, we tried 1. Hummus 4.5/5 stars 2. Octopus Santorini 3/5 stars ( a bit undercooked for me 3. Kabob platter 4/5 stars 4. Brussels sprouts 5/5 stars 5. Turkish coffee chocolate cake 4/5 read more

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Was excited to try this new restaurant on my birthday, but did not have a pleasant experience here at all. This restuarant is situated in the Palo Alto Stanford Shopping area, parking shouldn't be an issue. Had a reservation for Friday night, and my friends and I were seated right away. The ambience is quite nice, esp the bar area has some eclectic design. It was very busy inside and our server was extremely slow. We ordered: Falafel, Halloumi pide, fries, Humus, Kebab platter (Family style), Garides Me Anitho (Shrimp). Every single thing ordered was underwhelming. Falafel was nothing spectacular, fries were thick and not crunchy on the outside, Halloumi was thick and not seasoned well, humus was decent, shrimp were stale and my stomach became upset instantly after eating the shrimp. We returned the kebab platter, as it had beef and honestly, after the let down of the previously ordered dishes, it seemed like a good decision. Since it was my birthday, the server got a complimentary sorbet, which also didn't taste as great. But, honestly, it didn't feel very celebratory, like how other restaurants would celebrate an occasion. The cherry on top was, the billing had included the "complimentary" sorbet and another item. This is supposed to be a high end restaurant. The sheer inattentiveness of the server along with the forgettable food had me quite disappointed. read more

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Let me start off by saying don't taste your time waiting for a table because you only ever up waiting even longer inside. Save your time and money this restaurant is awful. Our waiter didn't even bring water until I asked after waiting for 15 mins. We placed our appetizer order and waited for 35 mins and nothing arrived, our waiter didn't even come to it'd table to take our order for our mains. Nothing arrived and after 45 mins we ended up leaving after our waiter told us he never placed our order at all. Mind you the place was not that busy and we were seated next to another table that he waiting on and he got their order in. Horrible experience and awful (lack) service. If I could rate negative stars I would. read more

Food is delicious and my waitress Sydney was amazing. The mezze is the way to go. The hummus and the brussels sprouts are my favorites.

Great ambiance, good food choices and very healthy. Had a great time with the fam, Lily was a great server!

Really yummy food and the bread is my favorite. The waiter made some great recommendations and the ambience was fab. Highly recommend to try out some great Turkish food. read more

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We loved Zaytina. Came to celebrate a milestone but didn't have reservations (booked out for a month) but bar and lounge were walk in seating which was nice. Bartenders were very friendly and accommodating ensuring we still get the best service with pita flowing. The food was very very good though our favorite was the brussel sprouts. It is quite expensive for the amount of food but it felt worth it for the experience. The wine was perfect and pairing recommendation was great. The olive gin cocktail was spot on. Would definitely come again. read more

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was extremely excited to try out zaytinya after having it in DC a couple of times. zaytinya in the bay area had excellent fries, pita, garlic toum, and nonalcoholic beverages. aesthetic and interior design are beautiful as well. however, food and service were ok. the steak kebab was good, along with the hummus and dips, but chicken quality is ok. the bay area has a lot of solid food, so they need to improve. very expensive for extremely small portions as well. will be back for fries and pita, but really want zaytinya to improve and flourish. read more

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Shoutout to Andres who was so attentive and helpful! We ordered almost everything he recommended and he did not disappoint! From the spreads we ordered the hummus, labneh, (both made in house) and crunchy veggies. The labneh was excellent and was served with warm fluffed up pita bread. From the Mezze we ordered the falafel, Brussels, and fries. The fries are a MUST GET! They were DELISH! We also shared the kabob platter without the lamb. The chicken shish was my favorite. Overall beautiful ambiance and decor. The bar area is breathtaking. A great place to share various plates over lunch or dinner. read more

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I'm so happy to have this restaurant nearby! Great quality food, reasonably priced and amazing service. Ana Maria and Andrew were super friendly and guided us through the menu and offered great recommendations, including the olive oil cake which is the best I've had. Other than the cake, I would highly recommend the shrimp, their hummus, pita, and the seared halloumi. Everything we ate was so fresh and the temperature was just right when delivered to our table. The restaurant itself is also beautiful - light-colored wood throughout with pops of color from their dishware. read more

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There were many things to love about our experience, along with a few areas that could be improved. Overall, I'm thrilled that Z has opened here and remain hopeful that our next visit will be a better one. However, I give a Rating 2 due to the service and the NUT Allergy precautions to be aware about here. To begin, we did find the service somewhat slow, as it took nearly 15 minutes before our waitress came for our order. However, the restaurant was clearly very busy, and our waitress apologized, so we assumed it was simply an especially popular evening. My daughter was excited to order the salmon entrée for dinner. Unfortunately, our waitress appeared to misunderstand and brought the salmon crudo appetizer instead. She apologized, removed the crudo, and placed an order for the salmon entrée, which was later served. At check-in, we informed the hostess that someone at our table had a peanut/tree nut allergy, and we reiterated this information to our waitress. We were therefore surprised to find obvious pine nuts scattered throughout the vegetables accompanying the salmon (see photo). Upon reviewing the menu afterward, pine nuts did not appear to be listed among the ingredients. The menu reads "Sesame Salmon: caramelized onions, greens, golden ladolemono, oyster mushrooms, green chickpeas." As a result, my daughter (who has the peanut/tree nut allergy) was unable to eat the dish she had been looking forward to and was understandably extremely disappointed. We let one of the OTHER waiters know, as our waitress was not checking in on us... We didn't want to wait for yet another dish for her, so we let it go and she ate the other dishes that were ordered (albeit skeptical that there were unspoken nuts in those too). The other dishes were delicious, by the way. However, to add to the frustration, the salmon crudo (the earlier appetizer that we didn't order and returned to the kitchen) remained on our bill despite being left untouched. The charge was removed after we brought it to the staff's attention, but by that point the experience had already dampened the evening. We did pay for the salmon entree. We appreciate the restaurant's efforts and are excited to have Z in the neighborhood. With greater attention to food allergies and billing accuracy, we believe the dining experience could be significantly improved. read more

Zaytinya - Sesame Salmon Entree - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Food was amazing. Andres was our server and made our experience great here. Super personal friendly and efficient. Would come back read more

Zaytinya - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Had a great time at Zaytinya!! Food was amazing and everybody was super friendly. Sydney noticed that it was my daughter graduation lunch and got us some surprise desserts! read more

Jess was an incredible server. The food was delicious!!! An unforgettable lunch!! I will be back!!

Came with my friends after work for dinner. The restaurant is beautifully decorated & has so much natural lighting. Once the sun goes down, the mood lighting in the restaurant makes for a perfect vibe. We had reservations & were sat right away. We started with the pita and tzatziki, the Pita was thin and unlike any pita I've had before but it was fresh baked & we couldn't get enough of it & they kept refilling our basket! We also tried the fattoush which I loved, a wonderful combination of sweet and salty flavors with crunchy textures. The shrimp appetizer was flavorful but the shrimp were slightly overcooked. For our entree we had the lamb bahrat, the lamb was tender and paired well with the tabbouleh & tahini sauce. For dessert we had the Turkish coffee chocolate cake which was warm, moist and the filling was delicious, the only thing we didn't like was the mastic ice cream it was paired with. The cake was so rich and the piney flavor of the ice cream did not go well together at all. Overall the food was delicious, I can't wait to come back and try more menu items! read more

Zaytinya - TURKISH COFFEE CHOCOLATE CAKE - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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Very sexy interior, luxurious and spacious. Crispy brussel sprout afelia was DELISH and the highlight of my night. It was so flavorful and unique with and tang from the garlic yogurt and the sweetness from the barberries. Our server had great recommendations with the Kofta Kebab (super seasoned, petite serving size) and the Soujouke Pide (runny egg on a flatbread with sausage and cheese) The serving sizes are on the smaller size, which makes this more suitable for parties of 2-4 in my opinion. Would come back! read more

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Our new favorite lunch spot near Stanford. Great food, service, and ambiance! Try the labneh and eggplant dishes (bantijian bil laban).

wife had a great meal at zaytinya in d.c. and suggested we try the location at stanford shopping center...josé andrés group restaurant...it's definitely priced high in comparison to similar cuisine...lunch for 2 adults and 1 child...wife starting with a cocktail...pomona $16...greek ouzo cocktail with lemon, mint and pomegranate...refreshing and good...browsing menu and deciding on the kebab platter $70 and soujouk pide $16...complimentary puffs of pita bread with great olive oil and vinegar served first...olive oil is so thick and good...white puffy oval hollow bread....has a nice chew and delicious...kebab platter is served with a wonderful tomato sauce, some garnishes, pepper, hummus and garlic toum (slightly tangy white garlic spread)...garlic toum was great...platter consists of lamb, kofte, chicken and adana kebabs...all four cooked perfectly and goes perfectly with the bread to add sauces and garnish to make a perfect pita bite...it was delicious...soujaouk pide is a football shaped flatbread with dense thick slices of sausage, cheese and silky runny eggs...again, very good...the lunch was fantastic...seasoned perfectly and tasting great...only negative was the kebab portions and prices...little short...getting 2nd order of complimentary bread helped fill up...about $130 total for lunch after tax and tip for 2 adults and a child... read more

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Thank you to Cyrus and his incredible staff Absolutely phenomenal! This new Mediterranean spot is a gem. The flavors are fresh, authentic, and beautifully balanced. The hummus is velvety, the kebabs are perfectly seasoned, and every dish tastes like it was made with love. The ambiance is warm and inviting, and the service is top-tier. This is officially my new go-to restaurant. Highly recommend! read more

Zaytinya - LAMB CHOPS - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

We had enjoyed this restaurant before, so we brought friends here for their first visit last night. Unfortunately, the service was shockingly poor from start to finish. After being seated, it took 20 minutes for anyone to acknowledge us or even offer water. Throughout the evening, our waitress was nearly impossible to find. Empty glasses and dirty dishes piled up on the table while food runners dropped off new plates but couldn't clear the old ones, and repeated requests for help seemed to go nowhere. A lot of staff and managers were standing around socializing with each other on the sides of the room. At one point, it took so long to track down our waitress to order a second round of cocktails that we decided a bottle of wine might be easier. Unfortunately, she wasn't familiar with any of the Greek white wines and said she would "ask someone else." Not wanting to wait another 20 minutes just to choose, we asked her to pick one for us after consulting. Even then, the wine took almost 30 minutes to arrive. Overall, it was an embarrassing experience to bring guests to, and not the level of service I would expect from a $500 dinner. read more

Food was incredibly tasty! Great flavors, not too strong. Great wine selection. And our server Sydney was very thorough and helpful, she Really elevated the experience. read more

Zaytinya - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Food, service , ambience all great . Our server Jess was the best ! The complimentary starters were great as well

I celebrated my birthday at Zaytinya! The food was amazingly delicious - Baba Ghannouge, Smoked Beet Salata, Crispy Brussels Afelia, Bantijian Bil Laban, Kofte Kebab, and Shish Taouk. The pita bread was endless! JAKE ( our server) made the experience even better, as he was very attentive and generous! read more

I believe that Zaytinya can provide a better meal than what we had, but the one we did get was only decent. I say that because our food gave us the lay of the land, enough to show potential but not enough to be unconditionally enjoyable. I was very excited for the Horta Salata, a variation on a Greek salad with kale, but the portion was meager and the flavor nonexistent (though the ladolemono made a heroic effort to save the unseasoned greens). Regrettably, it was a big miss. My partner's Sea Scallops were a step up, but still an unreasonably small portion. Where the meal was saved was in the Cauliflower Tiganites we shared which was so delicious that we immediately ordered a second (although the repeat order was half from loving the flavor and half from being totally un-sated and underwhelmed by the kale and scallops). We could have each eaten two full cauliflowers and been happier. On the strength of that dish alone, I would give Zaytinya an aspirational four stars, but as it stands, it only merits three. We're not sure if we want to risk another lavish dinner if the cauliflower has to pull so much weight. Another pro is that the space is spectacular, airy and lively with semi-rustic decor that leans into antiquity without be kitschy. Another con is that the bill was only offered as a QR code which was clunky and annoying. read more

Zaytinya - Cauliflower Tiganites - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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The food was great -- we had the adana kebab, scallops, and labneh. On top of that, Adriana was an amazing hostess! We'd highly recommend checking this place out! read more

HUGE fan of Jose Andres and his restaurants. Have been to Zaytinya in DC. Was really excited to go here. And I'll tell ya..... in general, this spot is not living up to the Jose Andres brand yet. I really try to base my restaurant reviews on the food quality, taste, value, but this one is the whole experience. First off, all of the food we ordered was good. We enjoyed all of it. There was a group of 5, so we tried three spreads, two salads, three mezze's, the celebration rice, and the kabob platter. Sounds like a lot of food. But honestly, I think everyone left feeling a little unsatisfied. This, plus one drink each was about $400. Not crazy, but not cheap. All of this to say, the portions are SMALL. The dips/spreads are enough for 2 people to share- although they do bring a lot of bread out. I wish the server would have suggested better quantities of what to order- his suggestion was simply "2-3 things per person." So counting above, we got 10 things. But a simple suggestion like "4 dips is better for 5 people" could have been helpful. Or "the kabob platter only has one of each kabob. So not all 5 people will get to taste each one." Same thing with the salads and houlomi. The dishes just weren't big enough for sharing for 5- but we had no idea. If he had told us, we would have ordered more. So, this is just one note about the service. We went on a Saturday night- had a reservation for 7:30. Checked in at 7:15, and they were busy. Told us we would be seated closer to 7:30. Checked in again at 7:40 and they were like "Oh, we're cleaning your table." Sat a few mins later. We didn't get water until just after 8:00pm. Ordered drinks and food all at the same time around 8:20. First glass of wine didn't come until 8:40. An hour after being seated for your first drink is kind of wild. Cocktails came about 5min later. Food was promised to be spaced out, but it all sort of arrived in a 10min window. So hard to really enjoy (even though the portions were small). We were sat for almost 2 hours total and never once got a water refill. We had to wave a food runner down to ask for the check. I saw other tables looking pretty upset, so we figured they must be short staffed. Understandable- it happens. But no apologies, no check in from a manager, nothing. We saw the manager circling the floor looking stressed, but never once checked in with us (or any other tables that we could see). Honestly, a simple "Hey, I hope everything is tasting ok. Sorry we're running a little behind tonight. This app is on me" could have saved everything. But we got nothing. By the time dessert menus came, we were already paying the bill. We would have ordered second cocktails, but again- no one ever asked. So, it seems like they have a lot to work out here. It's hard dropping $400 on dinner and leaving with a bad taste in your mouth and wanting to stop at Falafel Stop on the way home. Standout dishes: The pita + olive oil and pomegranate molasses, babaganoush, seared halloumi, falafel, celebration rice (but none of these are mind blowing) read more

Was excited to try Jose Andres latest addition to his restaurant group. Conveniently located in Stanford Mall, the blue umbrellas, tall ceilings, lighting and decor created a very inviting and comfortable ambiance. Overall enjoyed the meal. The standouts were the lamb shoulder served family style and the beef sausage flatbread. The lamb was served already carved, roasted and seasoned perfectly. Recommended to add a side of pita to wrap the lamb with the accompanying yogurt, harissa and garlic sauces. I'm not usually a fan of flatbread, but it was excellent here, especially with the sous vide egg. The mezze dishes left something to be desired. We had the cauliflower, spanokopita, smoked fish roe - and those were passable. A reminder to remove the wax casing before eating the roe would have been helpful! The scallops were very good and unique with the yogurt topping. The babaganoush was good, but not necessarily a standout. Drinks - Magic Carpet cocktail was light, refreshing, and enjoyable. Consider trying the Greek wines from the list. I tried 2 of the lighter reds (similar to oinor noir) and they were excellent. Service was overall good - our server was enthusiastic about the menu, and staff was attentive. I'd return to try the rest of the menu and especially repeat the lamb shoulder. read more

Zaytinya - THE LAMB SHOULDER - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California