An eclectic mix of menu items (not just Italian) means there's something for everyone. Extensive wine and cocktail options too. We usually sit at the bar and have had good service from everyone. Cute location in downtown Hartland. read more

They lost our reservations for a big party of 10 and only said sorry. Took our information but never heard back from them. They said this happens often! read more

In my recent experience at Zesti's, I arrived about an hour before close which may have contributed to some of the issues I had. On the good side, I ordered the stuffed mushroom appetizer which was small (2 mushrooms), but tasty. For my main entree I ordered the lasagna, which was frankly terrible. I had 3-4 bites before I could not eat it anymore. It tasted microwaved (was hot in some areas cold in others). Also, the meat seemed to be all one clump with no distinct taste or flavor. Additionally, for dessert we ordered a chocolate cake of sorts which tasted subpar. Our waiter was attentive and nice, as seemed the rest of the servers. The food at this facility, to me, was not worth a revisit. read more

Visited Zesti Sunday night for my nieces birthday. Can't say enough about the staff, ambience, excellent food and pre-bidenomics pricing! We enjoyed the short ribs (cooked perfectly), spaghetti bolognese, salmon and stuffed pork chops prepared with a peach pan sauce. Everyone loved there choices and we each tried a bite of all dishes. The birthday girl enjoyed a special chocolate treat which again was shared by all and was delicious! read more

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Came by for dinner. Ambiance was relaxed, service was great and the food was pleasant. The dishes were clean and simple yet vibrant. Quality of the ingredients shined and the crème brûlée was the highlight. Possibly the best yet. read more

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Loved this place. The atmosphere is great. The customer service spot on. The food was amazing. Anyone looking for creative pasta dishes or simply amazing food. Needs to come here. The portion sizes were perfect. read more

Zesti Restaurant - Creme brulee - New American Near Me - Hartland, Wisconsin

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My cousin wanted to come here for his birthday last week but unfortunately, there was an electrical fire! SO we came last night around happy hour! This was my first time coming and I loved it! There were many conversations leading up to this dinner regarding everyone's meal selections. I went with the Salmon Special that included a risotto cake, veggies and this delicious sauce - would love to see this added to the menu! My cousin got the duck and my grandma got the short rib - both always a favorite! Now the appetizer?? We got the dip trio and let me tell you, it was so so good. Just hummus, eggplant and tomato dips, with peta bread. They also brought out gluten free bread for my cousin. The atmosphere in here was so cool all decorated for Christmas - will definitely be back! read more

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Great food, great find. Our table of 4 enjoyed the ribeye special, short ribs and salmon. All delicious and the ribeye better than steak houses in the area. Service was on point and the cocktails delicious! We were there at the height of dinner service and drinks and dinner were served timely. Sound in the dining room was a little hollow and noisy. We will definitely be back! read more

Poor slow service, less than average food, charges sales tax on the tip....unheard of. ! Stay away. Many Many better options for a good dinner. Very noisy! read more

Nice place to stop in for a drink or an Italian meal. Wait staff is very friendly and attentative to what we need. Enjoyed a leafy green salad and a vegetable pizza. Forgot to take a picture of the salad. The pizza was delicious. Great atmosphere. Would highly recommend Pizza is about plate size. Great size for two with a salad. read more

Zesti Restaurant - Veggie pizza - New American Near Me - Hartland, Wisconsin

Ambiance is great. Service was attentive but when you're unsure of a menu item, it's probably not a good idea to let the customer know you've never had it and make something up on the fly. My Caesar salad dressing tasted more like Italian. My wife ordered the duck. It was over cooked and her potatoes were cold. My bolognese was unremarkable. Pretty disappointed after past visits read more

When I tried to schedule a dinner with some family partway between Madison and Milwaukee I didn't expect to find a gem! This restaurant is very cute, clean and certainly delicious. The menu had a wide variety of items with options for everyone and very interesting daily specials. I was happy to see a very nice drink menu as well. I got the gnocchi with shrimp and I was not disappointed. The sauce was tangy and well balanced, with soft and plentiful gnocchi. The creme brûlée I got for dessert hit the spot - there wasn't a better way to wrap up a perfect meal. Definitely add this to your list! read more

Zesti Restaurant - The creme brûlée was delicious. - New American Near Me - Hartland, Wisconsin

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Although the atmosphere is really cool (you do really have to see this place) and the staff is nice, I just haven't thought (in three separate trips here) that the food justified the high price point. I don't mind spending a lot on a meal if the experience is extraordinary, but I thought the portions were quite small and the dishes we ordered... underwhelming. To be fair, I thought the rosemary hashbrowns we had for brunch were unique and delicious, but there just wasn't enough of them. It was probably the smallest amount of hashbrowns I've ever seen on a brunch or breakfast plate. And for the money, I thought I should get more, not considerably less. The breakfast wrap I had with it was very good, and I could tell it was chef-prepared, with its sautéed peppers and caramelized onions, but again, it was quite small. I was still hungry after having finished. To sum up, Zesti just falls short of the hype, to me. I really want to like this place, based on the atmospheric vibe, but I don't think I'll be back for a fourth visit. read more

The drinks were great, the apps were awesome and the dinner was fine. The paella dinner was very tasty and the spaghetti bolognese was great! Note after we purchased a round of drinks at the bar we heard from some bar patrons that they have happy hour specials from 4:00 to 6:00, we will certainly keep that in mind next time! read more

I've been visiting Zesti since they opened. My last visit.... Is my last visit. The Olive Garden would be a step up. Since he opened, chef Fecker has made dramatic changes to the menu. The once wonderful beet salad is now a salad with a few crumbs or Gorgonzola cheese and some thin slices of beets. For dinner, I ordered "Paella de Mariscos." Here is the description on the menu: A Spanish specialty of La Bomba rice, cooked with saffron, wild-caught shrimp, dry pack scallops, wild-caught cod, and smoked sausage topped with mixed veggies. I received two tiny scallops and four shrimp. I could not detect any cod. The "vegetables were thin slivers of vegetables. The portion was super small and lacked flavor. The final downfall was the lack of a decent glass of wine. Now he has his own cheep wine that he marks up for his profit. The whole place is a grave disappointment. It's too bad. In 2016.... Six years ago... He won Open Table choice award. That was a LONG time ago! read more

Great gluten free food!!! It looks a little run down, but it is a great place to eat. read more

On the recommendation of a friend, we had dinner at Zesti's. We started with the short rib nachos - delicious. My husband had the spaghetti Bolognese...it's a dish he has all the time and has very strong feelings about. He said Zesti's Bolognese is good, if a bit salty. I continued with the short rib theme and had the entree as well. So, so good. I find short ribs to be hit-or-miss; so often restaurants don't cook them long enough so they are still a bit tough. Zesti's gets it right. These short ribs were falling apart, melt in your mouth delicious. The atmosphere is lively with a modern decor. It's a great neighborhood restaurant that is worth the drive. I'm sure we'll be back often. read more

Absolute deliciousness! Amazing food, wine and service. From appetizers to dessert our meals were spectacular. Great vibe and energy. Highly recommend! read more

Cute place! The food was outstanding and service excellent. I loved the wide variety on the menu. I highly recommend Zesti and plan to return soon. read more

Great food. Never had a bad meal there. I usually get the ravioli. Delicious! A little noisy though...

Had not been here in a while as prior management was not all that friendly. Stopped in two weeks ago and again last week. WOW have things changed. New managers are both awesome. Super friendly. Hard workers. Reasonable covid precautions. VERY glad for the change. If you have not been here for the same reason, come on back! Drink menu and wine selection are very good. Their sour is one of the best I have ever had. Food is also very good, and very fresh. Caesar is lightly dressed and very flavorful. The half-moon ravioli are filled with real crab, spinach and ricotta, with a Spanish saffron sauce that is pleasantly sharp and goes deep. And the pasta is on the thin side so you get to taste all the flavors in each delicious bite. Sicilian eggplant is also very good, and has an old world recipe taste. Friendly, clean, great food and drinks, fair prices, staff and kitchen that really care, reasonable covid precautions - gotta love it! Say hi to Kayla, the bartender/manager. She is a treasure! read more

Really cool Italian joint in Hartford. It has a A very cool look to it, rustic, brick walls, unique pipe wall lamp and red velvet curtains. The staff were super friendly and welcoming. Great brunch ....the Spain (omelette) was super tasty great flavors. read more

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Love this local spot but wish they'd reopen for lunch! Downtown hartland needs more than a coffee shop and a bar at lunch and Zesti was always the best option. Food is excellent; Michael Feker and crew, keep up the good work! read more

I decided to take my wife out to diner for her birthday - she wanted to go to Zesti's as she had not been there and we have both been to IL Mito - which was very good. They sat us at a table that wobbled very badly. The waiter was very difficult to understand and always seemed like he had to be somewhere else. When the food came - we tried the duck. The duck was very good. The spinach was cold. Then there was this potato thing. It tasted like someone undercooked scalloped potatoes and then pressed them together - not good. In the end - no dessert and no happy birthday....overall very disappointing. I do not think we will ever be back. read more

A few months back, I met some friends for dinner at Zesti. The décor gave a cozy look, but at times it seemed noisy with the conversations from the busy dining room. The menu was packed with delicious items and descriptions, and it was a struggle for me to settle on what I wanted. Among the 6 of us, I don't think there were any duplicate items ordered, so we were able to share and try a lot of items. One of the starters was Baba ghanoush, a savory charred eggplant dip served with warm pita points. The hummus was equally delicious and also served with warm pita points. One of the specials for the night was salmon, and it may have been the best tasting dish in our group, although I was also impressed with the lasagna that was stepped up with a beef short rib filling instead of ground beef or sausage, and I loved the lamb shank I ordered, listed on the menu as Mahiche Bareh. The lamb was incredibly tender and the sauce it was served in was rich and delicious. Our server was attentive, friendly, and fun, and the manager stopped to check on us, as well. I wish I lived closer to Zesti, but it is definitely worth the drive out! I certainly plan to return. read more

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We really enjoyed our experience here at Zesti tonight. We came before dinner service for happy hour. A glass of wine and an appetizer for only $11. I had the meatball with ragu sauce and garlic mashed. The wife had the filet de boeuf over fried onions and fries. Perfect medium rare with a delicious compound butter sauce on top. We both loved the apps, and they were almost enough for a full meal. We saved half of each to bring home and have for lunch tomorrow. For dinner, I ordered the blue crab, spinach, and ricotta stuffed ravioli with shrimp and asparagus, in a rich and tasty sauce. Very solid. She had the Capelini, which was angel hair pasta with fresh veg and she added shrimp. Light, fresh, and tasty. Really delicious food in a cozy environment. Looking forward to returning to Zesti the next time we are in this area. read more

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One of our favorite go to restaurants. Its very cute and cozy with friendly staff. We haven't had a bad thing to eat here and they have great cocktails. The prices are fairly reasonable as well! The only complaint is they close pretty early. read more

Best kids buttered noodles ever!!! Great atmosphere and welcoming environment. Workers and very personable and friendly with kids. My favorite dinner spot! read more

A lunch prior to this visit was satisfactory, though our dinner tonight was extremely disappointing....the calamarI tasted fishy and the mushrooms were dry and ready nothing special. As far as the award winning pork chop, it was very dry, overdone and flavorless. The dessert tart was uneventful. WOW, not what we had expected?? However, the drinks were great and our server was the BEST! Not sure if we will be back? read more

Really wonderful food and excellent dining experience! I came here for a birthday celebration with my brother father and grandmother. We had a really terrific server. Appitizers were well priced and we got a very cheap on (the cheese stuffed eggplant) However it was really amazing. Busser checked in on us to make sure we had water and to clear plates from us. Atmosphere was very beautiful. It has a casual yet fancy feel to it. Entres tasted excellent and to top it off so was the dessert. I had the hazelnut chocolate torte and it was out of this world. We also shared a créeme brûlée which was totally awesome as well! One of the best I've had in a long time. All in all, service was great and the food is tremendous. If you want great Italian food with a twist and some worldly dishes (Morroccan, Japanese, Chinese, and local) then you need to try Zesti. read more

Slipping a bit. We booked through open table. It asked if I wanted standard, bar, or high top seating. I chose standard. I got high top. It also asked if we came for an occasion I said birthday. No one acknowledged. Staff was not as friendly as they used to be. We were in and out in less than 45 minutes. Saffron rice was cold. mushroom appetizer was not hot. Salmon was slightly overcooked but hot. Portion size not consistent. Food was still tasty and we will come back. Hoping chef Fekker addresses inconsistencies before we return. read more

We had dinner here last Tuesday. First time and we were very pleased! Moroccan Lamp shank and stuffed Pork chop were awesome! Service was above average. Pleasant and prompt! Desserts were great as well. Only issue e we could come up with wax the Calamari. It's was not great. Very fishy tasting and poorly breaded. We will be back! Thanks read more

We love Zesti. Their Tuscan pea soup and stuffed mushroom caps are fantastic to start with. Tonight, we tried the Korean beef and salmon special and both were delightful! read more

If this review was just based off the food, I would give it 5 stars. We ordered chips and guacamole and the flatbread for appetizer. Both were really great. I ordered a Cesar salad with steak and my husband ordered the orange chicken, incredible! Great job with the food. However, service is something that definitely draws me to a restaurant and our service experience at Zesti was not the best. The food took quite a long time to come out. Our waitress seemed bothered when we asked for more chips for the guacamole and then seemed to have "forgotten" and never brought them. She seemed disinterested overall. Food 5 Service 3 read more

Food good but draft beer prices simply too high. Simple lunch for two, two sandwiches with 2 local draft beers close to $44.00 before tip. $8.00 for small local simple tap beer gouging. read more

Lunch with Ma was an around success. Got a seat outside that had sun and shade. The server was fast and friendly and the burger was tasty.

This as a Super restaurant that hosted my mom, spouse, son and me to lunch. Super! Highly recommend it. Mark read more

I'm meh on this restaurant. I like the venue, the menu had good variety, but the food just didn't hit. One in our party got a spaghetti dish that was very mediocre and another got a lasagna that he didn't like at all. I had salmon - the individual parts of the dish tasted good, but it was weird combo of Asian flavors over mashed potatoes, just seemed very disjointed. But the thing that sealed the 3 star rating for me was the time it took. Very long to get drinks, waiter took forever to get our order, food took a long time, we had to hunt the guy down to get our bill - every step was so drawn out. We weren't in a hurry, but it wasn't good enough food and drink to take that long, and it wasn't comfortable enough to want to hang at that table for hours. We probably won't go back. read more

There should be a sign in the window..."MUST LOVE GARLIC!" Cute, trendy place we've tried in the recommendation of others. Each time I left saying never again. I like some garlic with my meal, but not some meal with my garlic. Non-garlic lovers beware....there may not be a single entre for your tender palette. I'm sure its just me, but I don't think I could attempt another venture into Zesti....especially with one of the best restaurants in all of Milwaukee-land practically right next door...Palmer's Steak House. read more

I'm not a huge Italian Restaurant fan because I feel like its usually just so much carbs and not really worth the money. I can make it pretty decent myself. So.......then I went to Zesti and I fell in love. The sauces are delicate, the portions are good (not 2 lbs of pasta and red sauce). I love the seafood alfredo but basically everything we have tried is good. I've taken people who really can cook to this restaurant and they LOVE it, so its not just me. I also must say its not just Italian. The chef really did pull the best of many cultures to allow for an excellent variety, so its a place you can take the family. There is something for everyone and its priced extremely well. read more