Took my Mother for a Birthday Dinner (84) with my Sis. Everyone's meal was very good except for mine... Special (Local Sea Bass) ... Very Dry (no matter the sauce they use to "help"). Service was just OK. I'd have to think twice about going there again. read more

The service was amazing. The food arrived incredibly fast and it was super delicious. they even bring bread on the house. My recommendations are the Duck confit tacos and the tuna tartare read more

Amazing!! Great service and food was prepared quickly! My husband and I both were sad we haven't visited Zookers sooner! 100% will go back! Along with some wine, the pear and grilled beet starter salad, I had the Filet special and my husband had the swordfish special, both were amazing! The crème brûlée was so tasty too! read more

We were spending some days in Carpinteria and wanted to have a nice dinner. We drove by this restaurant and liked that they had patio dinner, so we made a reservation and they told us we could bring our doggy to the front patio. The food is great from appetizers to dessert. Service is very nice too, everybody is very professional. But going back to the food, I loved the personal twist on common things, like their herbal bread and butter with lemon. The bruschetta is filled with fresh tomato, (absolutely delicious). I also love that they had local food (I had a -special of the day- local halibut with herbs crust) that was fantastic. read more

Great food, great service, nice atmosphere. The cob salad was delicious, and definitely recommend the sesame-crusted ahi! read more

Zookers Restaurant - Sesame-crusted ahi - American Near Me - Carpinteria, California

Zookers is a hard restaurant for me to rate. My first experience was so horrible I swore up and down I would never go back. Then after boycotting the restaurant for two years I relented and went in because I had a friend that wanted to go. It was a five star experience from the food to the service. A few more five star experiences and then we had another one star experience from a horribly surly waitress to horrible food. I am starting to realize Zookers is the place that 1 in 5 times you will have poor service and/or food that is off. High points: The burger is excellent! You won't be disappointed. The specials are always very creative and good as well. My husband loves their meatloaf. Also, make sure to make a reservation if you want a certain table or they will stick you in a corner even if the restaurant is empty. I can't decide if two or three stars is deserved. I will give it three because of averages, but they really need to work on some things! I have stopped going there because as I do enjoy gambling, I don't enjoy it when going out to eat! read more

One of the best dinners we have ever had! Came here for an early dinner, Jen was our waiter and she was very helpful and suggested some great wine (Pinot Noir) and the dinner specials.....We ordered the salad special Duck (something) it had roasted duck huge tomato slices and the best was the prosciutto wrapped figs...Absolutely wonderful. Also had the pork chop special....it was huge, cooked perfectly and was stuffed with caramelized peach and Gorgonzola Amazing. The best for me was the Bacon wrapped Filet Mignon ....I usually don't order steak at restaurants because it is a disappointing out come, but this was THE EXCEPTION! The Filet was cooked perfectly and was nicely topped with caramelized onion, tender and delicious! The mashed potatoes are freshly made and the veggies are garden fresh. Even the bread they offer is amazing! We where celebrating our anniversary and this was a wonderful way to do it. Thanks again to Jen and all the staff at Zookers...great job! Go and you will be happy you did. read more

Zooker now, or zooker me later. This place was a casual delight. Great spinach salad, with some dried apricots, raspberry vinaigrette. Then I went with a braised wine lamb shank. Sufficient. I guess I haven't been paying attention but this was the first time I tried the local Island Brewing Company. They have it on it on tap here. Their "blonde". Yes, yes, yes, I know. Two blondes are better than one. read more

I picked this place because it was a mile away and it had four stars on Yelp. I'm so glad I did, I had three co-workers with me, one of them a senior vice president, my bosses boss. As i understand, they try and purchase local products, especially produce from local growers. I believe this is why their food is sooooo good. Had the heirloom tomato salad as did my bosses boss. We both agreed it was the best tomato we have ever tasted. It was so good, he ordered a second salad for the table. I also had the shrimp and scallop tostada which was incredible. It was loaded with shrimp and bay scallops which I love. All four of us thoroughly enjoyed the food we ordered. One had the chopino, another the Reuben and one had one of the other salads I can't remember which one. Our service was awesome and our waitress was stunningly beautiful. This is really a great place. read more

Delicious!!!! Craving the scallops and shrimp tostada cute location and friendly staff read more

Zookers Restaurant - Rear patio - American Near Me - Carpinteria, California

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Whenever I feel the need to imagine my fantasy restaurant (beautiful decor, brilliant staff, food that takes one to a new reality), I pause and say, yeah! Zookers has all that! read more

Best burger ever. I wanted to lead with the highlight, but I can't complain about a single thing. We were seated quickly in the middle of the lunch rush. Service was impeccable. I got the sirloin burger with cheddar cheese. It was the best burger I remember eating. The bun was delish and grilled. The burger was juicy and flavorful. The herb aioli was divine. The crispy, roasted red potatoes were the perfect compliment. I will definitely return. read more

We were on our way up to pismo beach. I was passed out in the car and next thing you know it, I'm sitting at the restaurant. Zookers has a really cool, small-town vibe. It's located behind chase in a cvs/albertsons shopping center. Our table ordered a roast beef sandwich, meatloaf, and Caesar salad. My Caesar salad tasted very watered down but everyone else loved their food. The best part of the meal for me was our waitress. She had so much sass and energy from the start to end. She messed up our bill but fixed it immediately. Great service! read more

From start (the crispy pita chips they bring to your table) to finish (the ice cream sundae we had for dessert) everything was wonderfully prepared. Our server was very knowledgable about the wine and dinner menu and made very helpful suggestions. My boyfriend had the steak and I had the sea bass and we absolutely loved it. We can't wait to come back! read more

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Always a staple when we are in Carpinteria! Super yummy and healthy food and awesome people working there!

Stopped by on the way to Pismo beach large portions & quite tasty. the dishes we ordered were Ahi Nicoise salad and the seafood pasta both very good . read more

Great service. Yummy food. Large portions. My 6 and 10 year old loved it! Funny area, kind of a hole in the wall in a strip mall

I love this place, and have never had anything less than a stellar meal here. Never bad service, never bad food. Good wine list, local beer on tap, fresh produce, lots of flavor, and great sauces paired with really good cuts of protein. First time I ate there was a couple of years ago, I said then it might be the best restaurant I've eaten at, and having eaten there consistently, I think it may still be. The fact that I can come in wearing shorts and flip-flops without garnering a funny look from the staff is an added bonus. The little gem salad is great. Spring rolls are fresh and delicious. I've never had the pasta entrees, as I tend to stick to meat, poultry and fish paired with vegetables, but each of these is a solid, flavorful, inventive meal. The filet mignon with bacon wrapped asparagus and gorgonzola-wine sauce is just....insanely good. My wife, who abhors rare meat, tore through a very rare, very bloody filet. Normally she would send something like that back (crazy, I know), but the bite she had was so good, she decided to jump in and rip it to shreds, and enjoyed every morsel. As for the decor....it's Carpinteria--laid back, local, and real. I'd rather sit on Carp Ave. and Casitas, watching the campers go by and eating great food in casual clothes, rather than have to put pants and shoes on to sit in some dark room and stare at the walls. The prices are reasonable, too. You're eating great food and getting good service, and you're doing it for a lot cheaper than at a steak house or posh, trendy joint in either LA or SB. The most expensive steak entree on the menu is what...$28? A fresh cut of ahi $24? That's a steal, in my experience. read more

Attentive service. I ordered chippino and it had lots of seafood. Kids menu was great! Kids got steak and veggies. Large portions

While traveling, I like many people will default to Yelp in search of the perfect local dining establishment. After a long day of work preceded by a 5 1/2 hour drive from Northern California, a Yelp search landed us at Zookers. We arrived early on a Tuesday evening for dinner and decided to take our places at a table outside on the patio adjacent to a bubbling fountain. We were immediately greeted by a member of the staff, given menu's and a wine list, and was informed our server would be out promptly. Jen, a striking brown eyed east coast transplant, would be the competent, polished server with the unenviable task of attending to a couple of road weary knuckleheads from the bay area. Jen immediately injected a spark of energy and symmetry into a evening that without her presence, would have likely produced a dull and desolate monologue consisting of shop talk, baseball, and political rants. First order of business: Suds. A couple of ice cold Tap It brewskies from SLO. Perfect! Next: Vino. As the saying goes, "When in Rome", so a Pinot was in order. Our choice, The Flying Goat Pinot Noir, was well-mannered and at the perfect temp. Next: Salad. Zookers Caesar salad is now in the top 5 on my Caesar salad leaderboard. Next: Main course. The bacon wrapped filet! What can I add about this delightful provision that hasn't already been covered by Yelpers in previous reviews. In short, its one mean chunk of protein! Lastly: Tiramisu. C'mon, Its Tiramisu... In all, a 3 hour session of agreeable spirits paired with outstanding food, a colorful conversation with a equally colorful co-worker, and a patient, knowledgeable server who's professionalism and command of the menu was surpassed only by her outrageous charm. Zookers - Great food, good atmosphere, and professional, attentive staff. Thank you! Jen - You hit it out of the park! Best service I've had in years. Thanks for a memorable dining experience. Go UDUB! I'll be back soon...... read more

Okay .. I'm a foodie . Also kinda hard to please & Zookers really is a wonderful dinning experience. Organic everything !! There specials are amazing . I've had the Pork , Pasta's , veggie dishes , salads .. great wine list .. it rocks !! The service also is really top notch . They get busy and really go out of there way to make a very nice dining experience. Thank you read more

This place is a gem! Food is fabulous and generous portions. The staff is friendly, accommodating, and kind! I HIGHLY recommend this restaurant!! The only problem is they're closed on Sundays! Ok...I know you need a day of rest too! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this restaurant!!! read more

Bar none, one of the best meals i've ever had outside of home. I've eaten at restaurants with a Michelin Star and Zookers Cafe trumped them. The quality and preparation of food is stupendous. My Girlfriend and i were in town for a our anniversary and got into town late. They were open and came highly recommended, I'm thankful to all the locals that pointed us there. Have a meal there, i promise you will love it. I had the chefs special that evening, it was a rib-eye steak cooked to perfection and the mashed potatoes and fresh asparagus that accompanied the the steak were second to none. Bravo Zookers! Bravo!!! read more

Best restaurant in town. Delicious flavor and great service! Must stop by when you visit Carpinteria.....

I came here for lunch on a quiet afternoon. We were greeted nicely by the waitress who was very pleasant. We started off with the hummus and pita bread appetizer to share. It was very tasty and we finished all the bread but had a lot of hummus left still. The waitress was really nice and brought us more bread at no charge. I got the grilled vegetable salad without the cheese (to make it vegan) and loved it! It was loaded with tons of fresh veggies that were grilled to perfection. I especially loved the crispy potato croutons! I'd happily come back and try some more items off the menu. read more

Zookers Restaurant - Grilled Vegetable Salad. Delicious! - American Near Me - Carpinteria, California

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The best food in Carpinteria. Hands down. Sometimes slow service, but hey, your in Carpinteria, it's a different pace, a great opportunity to enjoy the one your with. read more

The Zooker's chicken sandwich was the best sandwich I've ever had. I also shared my son's potato wedges and they tasted just like French fries. The kids enjoyed their burgers and red pasta. One child's pasta can feed two kids. Staff were very attentive. Will be back ! read more

Well we found Zookers from a YELP search. Boy are we glad we did! The service was great, the club sandwich was perfect. The Grilled Vegetables were wonderful. We looked at the dinner menu, drooled a bit, and wished we lived closer. We will be jumping off the 101 to visit, and try to time our visits to be hungry in Carpenteria! read more

So, I stroll into this sleepy little town late, looking for a quick, yet healthy bite before it gets too late. I give Zooker's Cafe a call to place a take-out order, but Scott graciously invites me to come on in even though it's approaching closing time. I give him my order and head on down the road. What a find! The daily special was the Sea Bass -- a tad spicy as he warned -- but just perfect for my taste. It is served on a bed of pasta and vegetables with this incredible sauce! Finished things off with a nice Apple Blueberry Fruit Crisp a la mode! A cozy little place on the outskirts of a shopping center, it's a little more expensive than one might expect, but the food and the fantastic service make it definitely worth a return trip. read more

So my favorite lunch with my husband is to share. I get the tuna melt and he gets the grilled veggie salad. Half and half, it's so tasty and nicely made. Yeah I can make a tuna melt, but it's just not as good as Zookers. And my picky eater son loves their chicken Caesar salad and he's not a salad guy. Also the decor and local orchids all over look fantastic and welcoming. I love this place and love to take my big city foodie visitors to this little gem of a Carpinteria restaurant. They're always amazed to get great food in such a small town. read more

The shrimp and scallop tostada was amazing. Some of the best shrimp I have ever had, perfectly cooked abd prepared. My only regret is that I did not have time to order another. Super friendly staff, fast service, and quality food. 100% win. read more

Got their house made fettucinni and it was delicious! A tad bit on the greasy side, but a-ok. Enjoyed the dining space and the service was great. My boyfriend got their turkey mushroom meatloaf and at first I was skeptical about trying a bit of it, but it was surprisingly decent. It was moist and had flavor unlike typical meatloaves I've had. I found it a little weird that the bathroom was outside, took me a bit to find, but I can deal with that. read more

Although the food is delicious, it is a little expensive. Understandable for the quality of food, my favorite is the Fall Salad but of course it's only available in the fall the cajun penne pasta is also a good option. read more

We have been glamping at Carpinteria state beach for over 15 years and Finally stopped for dinner. Clean and cozy bistro feel. Service was top notch. Food was tasty. We had the Pistachio pesto chicken pasta, the seared ahi and the cioppino. All were really good!! A bit pricy but we will return to try the filet. The couple next to us ordered it and it was huge and looked delicious read more

I wanted to use a gag lead line, like "Best mideastern dish by a Serbian chef", though that would mislead readers into thinking only the lamb with tabbouleh was good. It was great, actually, and came with a big slug of freshly made hummus. Hummus, like guacamole, is disarmingly easy to make--yet few can withstand the need to "improve" these perfectly evolved dishes. The lamb plate was so good I had to ask if the chef was mideastern, but no, Serbia. The special that night was grass fed local filet wrapped in bacon and doused in gorgonzola. More delicate than it sounds, and, as the cliche goes, mouthwateringly good. It was preceded by an array of complementary breads and pita chips that could easily have been an appetizer on their own. Service was excellent, wait was short. So no, it's not a mideastern cuisine. This is just a good restaurant with a great chef. read more

Truly delicious food! Our waiter was great and our eggplant Parmesan and our honey lavender crime brûlée were outstanding. Not an inexpensive option, but a great place for fresh delicious food! read more

Zookers Restaurant - Honey Lavender Creme Brûlée - American Near Me - Carpinteria, California

I love Saltimbocca. In town for vacation. Got it to go. Best Chicken Saltimbocca I've ever had!!

Delicious just as the reviews said.. But something I didn't see here... The portions are HUGE!!! Me and my sweetie shared the turkey meatloaf and it was absolutely delicious! We had the southern corn chowder to start. Amazing... Not really like a traditional southern chowder (buttery & super creamy) .. I'm from AL.. But it was very fresh and just awesome. Go enjoy this place .. Delish! read more

Zookers Restaurant - 1/2 portion turkey meatloaf with mushroom gravy and veggies yUM! - American Near Me - Carpinteria, California

Just walked out on Sly's and came to Zookers at my daughters direction. AMAZING!! Myles was our waiter and he was a great compliment to the wonderful meal we shared. These guys are on it and the food is outstanding. We will be back for sure. Thanks Zookers, I'm full!! read more

I've lived in this neighborhood for a long time now. I honestly haven't always been a believer, not so much the food, but more the prices and sometimes the vibe and atmosphere. It has at times felt a bit rigid, and I've sensed fear in the air where perhaps there could be more joy. But what do I know about running a restaurant? What I can say, and have come to realize in no uncertain terms, is this is some of the best damn food around, not just in Carp but in the Central Coast area and beyond for sure. Somewhat limited but smartly varied menu, and every main thing they serve is absolutely delicious. Don't look for a lot of frills, and do not conflate price with sheer volume. Instead, enjoy the exquisite quality, preparation, execution and sumptiuous flavor this local gem is serving up day in and day out, and trust me, you will be full and you too will become a Zook...Hats off to the chef and kitchen, and the super friendly staff. I sincerely hope this enduring and endearing local establishment continues to thrive and evolve in a positive way. read more