Restaurant Zola

We tried this place on June 29 and found it closed with a ""Gone Fishing"" sign in the window. Cons: NOT OPEN more

The food was alright..a bit over rated, really. Our water only refilled our drinks once during the hour and a half that we were there. Pros: Atmosphere Cons: bad service more

During my dinner with friends, our evening started out with an impertinent waiter admonishing us to taste our food before we salted it (duh). My appetizer and main course had too many conflicting flavors and both courses tasted a bit too sweet. Three of us ordered the grouper special. For two of us, one of our wo pieces of grouper was fine; the other, however, was mealy. I thought the waiter should know this. His response was a lecture about this particular grouper having come from the Yucatan, or wherever, and perhaps not the grouper we, the great unwashed, were used to. (Actually, I thought we were quite nicely dressed.) A good kitchen wants to know when something isn't prepared properly or an ingredient is of poor quality. Either the waiter didn't bother telling the chef that half of two entrees were inedible or the chef didn't care. All that was necessary was an apology. None was forthcoming. Pros: Potato skins were good, but you can get those at TGIFriday's Cons: Too many flavors spoil the pot more

I took my boyfriend to Zola's in September to celebrate\r his birthday, hoping to experience a fabulous dinner\r and also because it is known as ""Nashville's Most\r Romantic Restaurant"". \r \r Number one reason I won't return to Zola's: It is\r impossible to get a drink! You order, then you wait,\r and wait, and wait. And wait.\r \r We decided to try the lamb meatballs. Not good.\r Ok, we let that one slide. We both ordered the\r Pork Tenderloin as our entree. It arrived covered\r in a thick layer of cheese. Five words: Nothing To\r Write Home About. Don't leave home for this dish.\r The dish was bland. I made reservations for THIS?\r \r The waiter seemed to have little knowledge about\r how dishes were prepared, what the specials were,\r what the desserts were. I asked if he was new,\r he said no. Maybe it's just me, but I believe the\r waiter should know a bit more about the dishes. \r \r Is Zolas a romantic restaurant? Yes. Is the food\r at Zolas fabulous? No, mediocre at best.\r \r \r more

I made reservations for a group of eight and was so pleased that we were immediately and unequivocally welcomed. When we arrived, the staff received us warmly and ushered us into a beautifully decorated area. From so many other reviewers, one will see that the food is simply outstanding. The wine recommendations from staff were superb. However, the presentations of the dishes were gorgeous. Everyone at the table spoke of the wonderful textures and combinations of the foods. I had the pork and can only speak to its beautiful and lush taste. These people know what they are doing! Trust them and enjoy a wonderful culinary experience! Pros: Excellent cuisine, beautiful presentations, lovely ambience more

Wanted a special restaurant for Vanderbilt parents weekend. Was told Zola was one of the best restaurants in Nashville. I do not recommend it! Each entree had so many different ingredients that the main point of the dish was lost. The pork was so undercooked it was dangerous to eat. The beans in the halibut dish were slightly crunchy. So were the cubes of butternut squash in the salad. Inedible. We were at the table close to 2 hours before our food arrived. Our waitress told us this was unusual. Another employee said it was not. Pros: suppose to be great food Cons: food not good & waited too long for food to arrive more

After having a horrible experience at another restaurant last night, it truly made me appreciate the quality and care that goes into every dish at Zola. I dined there earlier this week, and as always, enjoyed an exquisite meal. I have eaten here countless times and have never had anything that wasn't top notch.\r \r Kudos to the staff at this restaurant for always maintaining a high level of culinary skill and service! Pros: Outstanding Food & Great Service Cons: Lack luster dining room more

During Nashville Originals restaurant week, we tried 4 new restaurants. The 1st was Zola. The food was... more

During Nashville Originals restaurant week, we tried 4 new restaurants. The 1st was Zola. The food was good, the service was fair, but the Gazpac... more

During Nashville Originals restaurant week, we tried 4 new restaurants. The 1st was Zola. The food was good, the service was fair, but the Gazpac... more

I called Zola at 7:30pm today, on a Monday to ask about immediate seating. I was told that I could be seated at 8:30. Ok, a busy restaurant in Nashville on a Monday, must be good right? Not quite. We arrived punctually and took about 5 minutes to seat. Upon being seated we were greeting by our friendly waiter and offered freshly baked bread by another. The bread was fair while the menu looked interesting. We decided on the cold soup special...fruity and refreshing although not quite suited for a pre-dinner soup but rather a sorbet-like dessert...and also the lamb meatballs which were good. I ordered the paella and my girl the venison. The waiter stated the paella was their ""signature"" dish. If I only knew ""signature"" meant it would take over 30 minutes to prepare, I would have strayed away and ordered something else. My girlfriend's meal was cold when it came out due to the long prep time of my paella which was mediocre at best. The spinach we ordered was also mediocre. After complaining about the long wait and poor service we ordered the dessert right when the entrees came out to avoid another prolonged wait. After a spicy paella that I could not finish due to my shrunken stomach (from waiting) I was disappointed to indulge into an extremely spicy peanut brittle chocolate cake with spiced bananas. Although it did sound appetizing, it was hardly what I needed after a spicy paella. I had to elaborate excessively on all the things that disappointed us for this near $100 meal to get the not-so-friendly owner to credit us a cold entree in addition to the over-the-top dessert. I would recommend trying one of the other highly rated yelp dining locations if you're ever in the Nashville area. Pros: Bread, appetizer, environment Cons: Poor service, long wait for the entree, cold entree, more... more

This was my favorite restaurant until I recently found a long black hair in my food. I told the server about it and she replaced my dish- only for me to find another black hair in the new dish. By that time, I couldn't finish my dinner...I was too sick to eat. I might consider returning if the kitchen staff agree to hairnets. Cons: Hair in food, terrible service more

I made a reservation for Zola 3 weeks in advance, but when my husband and I showed up to dinner, they lost our reservation and told us they would not have a table until later in the evening. We understand mistakes and decided to come back later- only to have the server forget about us. We were seated at the table fro over 30 mins before someone stopped by to see if we needed anything. I don't care how tasty the food is, the service was terrible and managment was unapologetic. We will never return. Cons: Terrible Service more

This restaurant was outstanding! Every single aspect of the cuisine was delicious, right down to the complimentary bread. The whole menu was replete with tasty choices that would only offend anyone who loves their food bland. Extremely tasty. Their vegetables were crisp and fresh. The pork tenderloin was outstanding, juicy and the sauce added just the right amount of zest. Also, you must try the chocolate desert which was served with Jack Daniels chocolate ice cream. Wow! more

This restaurant is a little hard to find but worth the effort. The restaurant creates a warm and welcoming feeling the moment that you walk through the door. My group of eaters is always looking for somthing a little different on the menu, and this place fits the bill. The starters of Lamb Sausage stuffed Quail, Summer Tomato Tart with smoked provolone and prosciutto, and Pecan Fried Beet Salad were all original and excellent. The main courses included a Rabbit special, that was truely special, I was impressed enough to ask if the Chef had ever published a cookbook and was told that one might be in the works down the road. I hope it's a short road, the food was that memorable.\r \r more

We tried Restaurant Zola for our anniversary, and quite enjoyed it. The food was eclectic and well-prepared, the wine list had plenty of tasty options, and the service was great. We especially loved the appetizer with the smoked trout, capers, olives, carrots... (can't remember what it was called). The paella was excellent, too. While it's not our absolute favorite restaurant in Nashville, it is very enjoyable! Pros: Food, wine, & service Cons: N/A more

We had reservations for 3 couples on a slow Saturday night. The night started off on a bad note when we couldn't get our server to take our drink orders...then as she was going through all the food they were OUT of she said only a couple of Salmon dishes left. When asked if she would go back and ask the chef to save one of the Salmon dishes she refused. Which set the tone for the entire evening...Horrible service...horrible food. One of the fish entrees came out raw while the other food came out cooked but cold. It took almost 3 hours to get through this painful dinner. Zola's has lost 6 customers! I will NEVER return. Pros: The dinner finally ended Cons: horrible experience. more

Best food in Nashville. Chef Deb knows her stuff & combinations of herbs, spices, & choice of accompaniments superb. Mixed review due to inattentive server. Greatly disappointed with only one vegetarian entree & like previous reviewers, was told must call ahead ?special requests.? If so, WHY does Zola make a point of playing to the vegetarian aspect of their menu? Luckily, the one vegetarian entree was delicious, & if it had been served hot, rather than room temperature, we would?ve been 100% satisfied. (Not on the chef, but server, who delayed delivery.) Lamb entree too was room temperature, however, flavors are exquisite! Had lamb in Greece & this was even better. Tender, moist, flavorful! Accompanying grilled eggplant sandwich divine. Sides: Sugar peas in butter sauce, spinach w/ parm & grilled zucchini. All excellent, favorite zucchini. Pleasantly surprised at generous portion size?enough for leftovers. Best dish: Fried Casseri Cheese Starter with roasted tomatoes, spinach souffle, & candied lemon peel. Delicious, delightful, & simply the best appetizer we?ve ever encountered. Will return to Zola for the food but ask for a different server. Took 30 minutes to get our drinks. Cosmos were watery & lacked flavor & Sangria tasted like a Mimosa at a cheap brunch. (My friend has a long history of running restaurants & was appalled by the server?s attitude.) Had eaten at Ruby Tuesday?s a week prior & left our server an $18 tip on a $30 total bill?we are not hard to please & always reward good service. Total bill with 2 entrees, appetizer, 3 side dishes, & 3 adult beverages came to just over $93.00 including tax. We opted not to have dessert or coffee. Maitre de was thoughtful, & professional. Overall I am impressed with Zola?s atmosphere & food, just be forewarned that there is at least one server who does not make the grade at this fine establishment. No one should have watery drinks or food that is not hot when served while dining at this level. Pros: The food hands down is the best in Nashville for flavor & satisfaction. Exquisite! Cons: Not much parking & slow & inattentive service. more

citysearch says cozy i say stuffy. arriving in a t-shirt and jeans (for a casual night out to dinner and a movie) was the first big mistake. when i asked about the vegetarian dishes the waitress suggested in the future i call ahead and give the chef some warning but she'd see what could be done. the same waitress forgot our appetizer all together. the food was delicious though. Pros: quiet and calm Cons: too stuffy more

My husband, two business friends and associates and I had dinner at Zola Friday. The service was rude; the drinks were not generous, and the wine we had with dinner was bad. The food, while okay, certainly was not worth the price. Our server seemed put out with our questions, and she acted like she would have rather been somewhere else. We all agreed with her - we would have rather dined elsewhere, too. We will not make this mistake again. There are plenty of established fine dining ""hot spots"" in Nashville and nearby Franklin to avoid this pretentious place. Pros: Ending the evening Cons: Everything from service to the food more