Wow the atmosphere and environment was so welcoming. The aesthetic is perfect for a date night. Honestly one of the best Mediterranean food I have ever had. My friends and I went for brunch and the Steak and Eggs were on another level! Definitely want to come back for the great service and even more amazing food. read more

I was thrilled we were getting a Zov's in San Clemente. After 20 years of dining at the Tustin location. Told all my neighbors how wonderful the food was and planned a dinner for 10 friends from SC. Sorry to say my Seabass was too salty! And after several calls to make reservations and being told not possible on a Friday night I show up early to reserve 2 tables next to each other an hour before everyone shows up only to be told sorry we can't tonight. After 6 of us are seated there is a booth next to us and our waiter tries to get our other 4 seated there only to be told the manager says it's reserved for 4 who requested a booth! While our other 4 had to sit across from them! No apologies no comped anything and at no time did anyone during my calls mention we could make reservations for 2 tables in fact they said repeatedly no reservations on weekends! Not sure we will be back! Such a shame because we dine out weekly and I would have loved to add Zov's to our list. On top of all this it's very loud and the top Deck with a view is not open! read more

My cousin recently retired and I wanted to celebrate her retirement by taking her somewhere special for lunch, so I took her to Zov's. I love the ambiance there and the appetizers and food are amazing! The hostess was very sweet and asked our preference for seating. Our waiter Micah, came over almost immediately to introduce himself and asked if we wanted anything to drink or had any questions about the menu. She asked his recommendation on chicken or beef kabobs and was happy she took his advice and ordered the beef. I had the chicken. Both were cooked to perfection, and very tender. The food, cocktails, atmosphere, and service were all top-notch! Micah, our waiter was wonderful! Zov's has become one of my new favorite restaurants in San Clemente. If you haven't been there yet, you need to go! read more

Maybe we went on an off night, but our experience was a bit mixed. The mezze platter was the standout, really flavorful and well done. Unfortunately, the seabass and meatloaf were both dry, beet salad was average. The butter cake was delicious. Service was pleasant, though not particularly polished, there seemed to be quite a few newer, possibly inexperienced staff members. The interior is beautiful and thoughtfully designed. Hoping this was just an off night, as there's definitely potential. read more

Phenomenal service by Micah. Food delicious!! Highly recommend!! Great way to celebrate the bday girl with sweet friends!!

The food, ambiance, and service here is AMAZING!!!! The experience feels elevated because of all of these factors. One of my new favorite spots, definitely needed in the area. read more

Zov's - Mediterranean Near Me - San Clemente, California

Overpriced and loud. Great location and service. The short ribs/pappardelle was not good. However, the angel hair pasta diss, mezze, and the chicken paillard were great. read more

Terrible . Tasteless food. Eggplant fries super soggy and no flavor whatsoever. Very bland sea bass and salmon. Just planted the check on the table without asking if we wanted dessert and collected plates before we were even done. Unfortunately on top of that " forgot " to give me back my credit card. Awful experience in every way! read more

Enjoyed Zovs for a belated mother's day lunch. It was delicious (we had the sea bass & the filet of beef kabob) & the service was perfect. Looking forward to coming back in the evening & trying out a cocktail at the bar. read more

Beautiful restaurant. Old world recipes with fresh modern twists. Delicious fresh food and hospitable service.

This place is awesome. We stopped here for lunch on our way to Long Beach. The service was excellent-the food was SO good. I would definitely go here again!! read more

I've dined at Zov's 2X and the food was amazing. The beet salad was over the top. And their flatbreads are very tasty. The service was perfect. All staff was very attentive and made sure we were happy with our food. The one reason why I'll NOT return to Zov's, is the ambiance. The noise is beyond brutal. We even tried sitting in the "patio" area only to find that again, we couldn't take the noise and could not hear each other speak, at all. Huge disappointment and the noise will keep me from coming back. I understand about all the little tweaks it takes to get it right. But I don't see/hear how to soften the noise. Sorry, but both times just weren't enjoyable at all. Best Blessings. Diane read more

Great food and service! First time there, but will definitely return. We both had omelettes, they were delicious.

We loved our experience at Zov's, from the ambiance when you walk in, the food items we tried, and our wonderful service from Victoria and Mark, the manager. This is definitely the kind of spot you could come to once (or multiple times) a week & never get tired of!! read more

I'd have to say my experience wasn't the greatest, and it ultimately ended up costing me nearly $4,000. I decided to stop by Zov's and sat at the bar. It had a great atmosphere, and I ordered the hummus platter. As I ate the olives, I placed all of the pits off to the side of my plate. Later, I decided I wanted to take the rest home, so I asked the bartender for a to-go box twice. The bartender took my plate and packed everything up for me. Unfortunately, I didn't realize the olive pits had been scooped into the container along with the hummus. Later that evening, I grabbed a piece of pita, dipped it into the hummus, and bit down on what I thought was just hummus. Instead, I bit into one of the olive pits that had been mixed in, and it cracked my tooth completely in half. It was a Sunday night, so finding emergency dental care wasn't easy. The injury ultimately required a root canal and crown, leaving me with nearly a $4,000 dental bill. I don't believe anyone intended for this to happen, but it was a very unfortunate and painful experience that could have been prevented with a little more attention when packing up the food. read more

Very noisy, hard to hear. Tables along one side are close together, you can hear everyones convesations. Service was good, waiter was polite and knowledgeable. Little disappointed with the Moroccan Salmon Salad. It had too much dressing and the salmon was undercooked. Otherwise, food was good, not great. Cockage is on the high side at $35. We will wait a few months before returning. read more

The service was very good, the server knew everything about what was on the menu & his recommendations were delish! We've been to the one in Irvine, this one was did not dissolve. read more

1st time at this location. After I was seated at my table. No one came to ask me what I would like to drink. I waited 10 minutes and went to the bar and order some wine. The bartender was outstanding and also took my order. She made my experience great. The ambiance was very nice. Also the food was great. read more

We were staying right on the beach and wanted to order carryout to enjoy good food but also enjoy our amazing view of the ocean and pier. We called to see if we could place an order over the phone. Our cell reception was poor in the area, but I heard enough to understand we needed to come in to place an order at the bar. When we got there, the place was packed, but we were treated with excellent customer service by multiple employees. We felt like we were in the way placing our carry out order, but no one made us feel that way. When I got better cell reception today, I discovered I had received a call back with a friendly voicemail explaining that we could order carryout but would need to do so at the bar. The food was absolutely delicious, but to receive this kind of customer service on a busy Friday evening for a carryout order really impressed us. read more

We went to the soft opening yesterday and the food and service exceeded expectations. Mitchell our waiter was amazing, he was attentive with a sense of humor. Alexandra our bartender made me a really good cocktail, the blackberry bourbon smash, highly recommend. read more

After patiently waiting for this gem of a restaurant to open I finally went in this evening with two of my best friends to celebrate one of their Birthday's. To say it's been worth the wait is an understatement. Everything was amazing! The craft cocktails, the food, the service (thank you Victoria...you were awesome) all perfect. And we ran into so many friends. Just a wonderful experience overall. The owner came by to greet us and ask us how everything was. He was so gracious and truly interested in our feedback. I am so happy to have Zov's here in San Clemente. A wonderful addition to our community. read more

Big build up. Rotten night. Noisy. Food poor. Average offerings. Not ready for full service on menu. Skip

I have lived in San Clemente for 23 years and, up until today, have never referred a restaurant. Everything about Zov's is 5 star!!! The food was outstanding, the environment was peaceful and inviting and the noise level was such that we could actually visit. We will be going back again and again!!! read more

Such a great spot that is lively but not loud. Our server, Avery, was attentive, a great listener and knew the menu by heart. If you are a dessert person, make room for the brown butter cake soufflé...10 out of 10! read more

Finally! After waiting about 3 years Zov's is open serving great Mediterranean cuisine with a slight American twist. San Clemente is shining a little brighter. The kabobs are fantastic as well as the Golden lentil soup and even the sliders. Super friendly staff, great location and good drinks. You have to go at least once. (at least once a week !) read more

My uncle and I went to dinner this week. We had a wonderful experience. The food was fresh and flavorful. Our waitress, Sheena, was friendly and attentive. The atmosphere was inviting and everything we ordered was delicious. We will definitely recommend it and look forward to coming back. read more

Had such a great brunch experience at Zov's!Tanya was our server and she was so kind, attentive, fun, and made us feel really taken care of throughout. The food was amazing and everything came out perfectly. The ambiance was also really nice -- cozy, welcoming, and perfect for a relaxing brunch. Definitely looking forward to coming back! read more

My wife and I had dinner at Zov's San Clemente for the first time and all I can say is "I can't wait to go back!" the restaurant is very well done, very comfortable with lots of natural light. Seating is comfortable and spacious. Our server greeted us immediately and did a wonderful job of making our dining experience a great one and she did not disappoint! The drinks were great and served quickly, the food was excellent (try the Brussel Sprouts appetizer its great!) we had the kebob trio and it was served quickly and was hot and delicious with the proteins all perfectly cooked. All in all a great experience and I encourage everyone especially locals to give it a try. read more

Love the food! Hate that it's sooooo loud! My friend and I left with sore throats being we had to yell across the table to have a conversation! They need to fix this!!! I won't be back to dine until they do! What a shame! read more

So sad about this, food is good, but they use SEED OILS- it's mediterranean food!! I don't get it.

Hate to do this because I wanted to like this place as I live downtown San Clemente, but one star is all I can offer and I won't be returning. It looks fairly nice, and the seating, lighting and ambiance is a little above average. But I went there last night (5/18/26), and ordered a lamb burger and the patty was thin, small and overcooked. It was almost as though it was made by Swanson's and it came pre-made from the frozen foods section of Ralph's. Though it was a Monday night, either close or get a chef in there. The fries were nothing special either. read more

It echoes... difficult to hear your friends' conversations. The food was delicious, great presentation, and service.

Premium price for mediocre food quality and service. I was recommended skirt steak over the beef kabob and it was chewy and nothing special. Couple of simple modifications on the side costed me a whole meal. Asked for olive oil and balsamic and both were poor quality. While not crowded at all, I had to call my waitress and they never checked on me without being called. Ambiance was good. read more

Outstanding service, ambience and food . Our server , Kara (spelling?) was super friendly and helpful! She recommended the Mezze plate which I would not have ordered. Whoa was it delicious! Kabobs were tasty. My husband had the peach sangria ... so refreshing! Highly recommend you dine here soon before the word gets out and there is a wait list! Dined at 2pm on a Friday read more

Excellent food, service and atmosphere. Will definitely recommend this restaurant to everyone, although the word is already getting out and it will be harder to get in. read more

Such good food and beautiful restaurant! Also a very nice girl named Amanda was great!

Went to dinner last night and had a great experience. Omar was great and made the night that much better. We will be coming back often!

Came here last Saturday and the place was packed! We were greeted by a nice young lady at the host stand and were sat in one of their cozy booths near the patio area. This location in San Clemente boosts a more modern and chic vibe than their other locations but it does tend to get a bit noisy. Our server Abtin was so kind and patient and helped us order some of their best dishes including the pistachio crusted Seabass, Grilled skirt steak which he recommended to add some prawns too make it a surf and turf style and the mezze platter. We finished with their butter cake and ridiculous sundae which was to die for! This spot definitely feels like the new go to in SC and can't wait to come back and dine with them. Thank you Abtin and the Zovs team for a great night. read more

Omg so disappointed tonight! Sea bass, lamb app, Brussel sprouts, meatloaf -all very disappointing. Way too noisy as well, Im good with noisy but when spending $300 plus I expect a heck of a lot better! Our server was lovely ! read more

Love the feel of the restaurant. It was louder than expected but the manager said they are working on ways to improve that so they are aware. Mezze plate was shared by our party and 2 best dishes out of 4 were the lamb burger and the shrimp kebab . Eggplant fries were a gift to the table and are AMAZING read more