Zarzuela

I first visted zarzuela with some friends who are local to SF. I went up to visit and was treated to a great tapas experience. the sangria was so good and every plate we ordered was so full of flavor and adverturous.\r \r I don't usually like the dark crowded tapas bars but this place had a lot of character. it could've easily been a cold, dark, restaurant but it was so bustling and full of people enjoying the food that it really turned the atmosphere into something cozy.\r \r It was a memorable experience and the best tapas I've ever had. Pros: great selection, ambience Cons: cramped quarters, long wait more

Having passed Zarzuela on the Hyde St. Cable Car for the past two years, it was finally time to heed the raves from locals on the Cable Car. We met our friends from Portola Valley to plan a trip to Italy. Arriving early in the dinner hour we had no trouble being seated. The service was very helpful since we had never eaten at a tapa resturant before. The selection was numerous and covering a range of tastes, so if octpus or snails are not for you, there are many other choices, including cold, hot and entree size options. We began with one cold and three hot selections and a bottle of excellent white wine. They were all excellent. We followed that with three other hot items and were equally pleased. Having more than enough to eat, we finished with wonderfully strong coffee, then crossed the street to have a small ice cream cone at the Original Swensen?s Ice Cream Parlor. A wonderful evening with good friends, plus the beginnings of a trip to Italy. Pros: Food quality, ambience, staff more

I have gone to Zarzuela 3 times over a span of about 12 years since I only get to San Francisco occasionally. The food remains superb each time I go. I have eaten at quite a few Spanish restaurants in the US, and it is easily the best and most authentic aside from Cafe Iberico in Chicago. The grilled mushrooms with serrano ham and garlic were excellent, as was the jamon iberico with tomato bread. The wait can sometimes be a little bit irritating, as there is nowhere really to wait other than outside and the fact that they are closed on Sundays and Mondays leaves you to make careful planning if you are only in town for a couple of days. Pros: Excellent Spanish food, great variety Cons: Very loud, no place to wait for table, closed 2 days a week more

A couple of my Spaniard friends (ex-pats) advised me that they offer tapas just like at home. The place is... more

A couple of my Spaniard friends (ex-pats) advised me that they offer tapas just like at home. The place is cozy and family owned. There wasn't a ... more

This is my favorite restaurant in the Bay Area. It is a complete bitch to find parking on a Saturday night... more

This is my favorite restaurant in the Bay Area. It is a complete bitch to find parking on a Saturday night in Russian Hill, but it is so worth it.... more

With my girlfriend we were looking for a romantic tapas place, the name sounded nice. Food was good, but not amazing at all + portions were small, too small for the price (about $8 for each tapas), the lamb dish, was $8 for 2 minuscule skewers. The atmosphere was OK, but not romantic, I think it's a good place for a group but not just a couple... Pros: Nice location, service OK Cons: Price, quantity more

A fabulous tapas joint with a lot of 'panache?! The first impression was the cozy dining hall behind the big bay windows, with every inch packed. Parking was an issue, but we decided to park a little far and take a cab. There are no reservations taken for two, and when we reached, there was a wait in a tiny room where we entertained ourselves with ?sangrias?. The sangrias were not the best in town, but what followed was really fantastic. Breads and sauteed olives were provided as a welcome gesture, as we coursed our way through the interesting yet varied menu. We decided to go for the hot/cold tapas plates followed by small entrees. My favorites were eggplant wrapped around goat cheese (yummy) and the juicy chicken stripes dipped in cheese and breadcrumbs. Other tapas we tasted were calamaries, sauteed shrimps in garlic and olive. For entrees, grilled sea bass and chicken sauteed in sherry followed. In all, it was an awesome experience with great food; romantic ambience and a relaxed destination, which took us to a little dreamy, cozy villa in a make-believe Spanish countryside!!!\r The staff/owner informed us about the chef?s expertise, who is originally from a town near Madrid and the food prepared was therefore very authentic and original to the Spanish platter. A great experience and will definitely go back again for the tasty small dishes!!! Pros: Tapas,Tapas,Tapas Cons: Parking more

Took a taxi, so parking was not an issue. We waited for an hour, first outside and then inside in the tiny waiting area. Fortunately, the wait allowed us to work up a huge appetite. Our waiter was delightful, I looked forward to his returning to our table. There were 2 of us, we ordered 6 items, which pleasantly were not all brought out at once but in a steady progression. The marinated,grilled peppers were wonderful and added great flavor to the other items. The empanda was crisp on the outside and delicious on the inside. The mussels were melt in your mouth delicious. The sauteed mushrooms were tasty on the crusty bread. My favorites were the potatos and the grilled eggplant with goat cheese. more

Love this place. Been there several times. The value for what you get and the quality can't be beat by any tapas place in the city. The service has been exceptional each time I have been there. I always reccomend this place to friends in search of a good Tapas restaurant. Pros: great food, good value, excellent service more

Went to check our Zarzuela after it was recommended by a ton of people and after reading Michael Bauer's praise of the restaurant's paella. Was expecting a great meal, which turned out to be decent, but nothing special. The paella was a bit too dry for my taste. Comparing it to my last experience at Alegria's, Alegria's comes out on top - no doubt. Cons: parking is impossible more

Exceptional dishes at affordable prices. Wait, this can't be in San Francisco, and just a few blocks from Lombard street, can it? This is Spanish comfort food at it's best. With attractive prices and rich, soulful preparations, I find myself jealous of those who live within walking distance. This is a truly great neighborhood restaurant. Although recent additions to the local Tapas scene surpass overall food quality, the friendly service and rustic dishes will bring me back. Pros: Value, Tapas, Service Cons: Parking, Parking, Parking more

We had eaten here a couple of times last year, but had not been back for several months. This used to be the holy grail when it came to tapas and sangria... what the heck happened? I was more than mildly suprised to see that the place has indeed deteriorated in the last year... everything is now just... well, average! more

After reading all these reviews I was so excited to go to there! We were seated as promptly as they could...but then the service was really slow.... the food was just ...well generic! nothing new...the same old goat cheese with eggplant... sauteed prawns...! the best part of the meal was this non alcholic pinot.....yuummmmy!!! my only suggestion...a more enthusiastic staff and some innovative dishes is all this place needs! Pros: non alcholic pinot Cons: ambience, service, parking more

You can't go wrong with any of the dishes at this tapas place. It's worth the long wait. I didn't think i'd every find a tapas palce in the states that beat the ones in Spain... This one does. I was pretty bummed after sharing 5 dishes I was extremely full... I wanted to try everything! Pros: Food, Service Cons: Ambience, Seating more

Everything on the menu is delicious. The servers are so friendly and excited about what they're serving. The sangria is good and inexpensive. Love it! Pros: Food, Service, Everything more

This place has the most wonderful tapas - rivals anything I've had in Spain. The service was delightful and helpful. Try the gambas alijo (sp?), chorizo in wine sauce, roasted peppers, tortilla espanola... really, all of it. Everything we had was wonderful. Great sangria too! And really quite inexpensive too. I can't wait to return. Pros: service, sangria, authenticity Cons: none! more

Zarzuela has it all - wonderfull food, attentive waiters, beautiful atmophere. There are many small plates to the choose from and the ones I have tried are fantastic. The paella is pretty good but I usually stick to the small plates. This place does not take reservations so avoid peak dining periods. If however it is unavoidable you can wait outside and order Sangria. It is not too bad though because the restaurant is in a beautiful area on Hyde Street and the Cable Car rattles by every so often... Pros: excellent food, excellent atmosphere, excellent service Cons: no reservations more

This is by far and away the best Spanish restaurant in the City. I believe that most of the people here come from cities that are very close to each other. The tapas are authencitally prepared and cooked to perfection. The service is truely Euopean and they always give you plenty of time to enjoy your meal as opposed to being rushed out the door. If you need to get a good spanish fix, this is the place to hit for sure. Pros: Great Food, Great Service, Great clientel more