I have done some very ungodly like things at this place. And I must say... it can go from dead to PACKED in 30 minutes, its rather amazing. I've only gone to Zuma's on Monday nights (I work at a nightclub, so those are the only days we have off) and its still pretty poppin' for Mondays, plus you have Chris Villa as a DJ on Mondays, so how could you go wrong? I also came here for Saint Patricks day which was great., they had 5 dollar shots of jameson (my favorite) and green beer! One of the only places on Mill that didnt have a cover which is always a selling point for me. *SQUIRREL* Returning to my review.......... GETTING THERE. I live in North Phoenix so its a pain in the butt to get down to Mill, especially when I know I'll be drinking and parking can be less than favorable. Well, if you park at I want to say University and Mill (right next to firehouse?) theres a student parking lot with visitor parking too! I believe after 10pm you dont have to pay for parking till the morning, so its a smart way to get out of those meters. And btw, when I left my car parked in that lot for 2 days cause I couldnt find a ride back down to mill, I returned to a ticket on my vehicle..... SAD FACE. When I looked at the fine total is was 0.00... HAPPY FACE! DRINK. DRANK. DRUNK. You can get these ridiculously large drinks for 10 dollars, its like a personal pitcher of liquor. I cant remember what these damn things are called...but theres a chalkboard above the bar that describes the different ones you can order. I always run into promotion girls here, which is also cool. Who hates being given free alcohol and merchandise? I mean, my Wild Turkey bottle opener keychain has been a lifesaver multiple times. ONE LAST THING...... Who is that ridiculously handsome bartender that works there? If you've been there... you know who I'm talking about. Hes like 6 feet tall and resembles a Ken doll. I think half of my income has gone to him in tips just hoping to get a wink. My mouth waters! yum yum yum.
(4)
Gem V.
I really wanna give it 0 starts. This was the ONLY bar in Tempe that denied an id from Puerto Rico. Yeah that's a legal American citizen document you uneducated fucks. Read a book. Hire people with an education.
(1)
Christopher K.
I had a friend in town on a Monday evening. We walked around Mill Avenue and decided to go in there. Bad idea. This place was disgusting and it smells horrible. I ordered a drink and almost threw it up. It tasted spoiled. The place is super dark and I'm guessing this is because the place is in such poor condition that they don't want you to see how bad the place is. I would stay away from this place!
(1)
Natasha A.
So this place smells like kush and 10% of the people there were white. Now neither of those are a bad thing if you like them, just giving everyone a heads up. To put everything into context, I came here on a Saturday night. The strobe lights leaking out onto the street were beguiling. I was yelling at my friend, "LET'S GO THERE LET'S GO THERE!" Like moths to a source of light, we were taunted and pulled in. Once in, we were caught on a bug strip - it was smelly, dirty, scary, and uncomfortable. We tore ourselves off and outta there. Flew to Rooftop pretty fast. Given my metaphorical story, the dance floor was the entire place, which is a plus. BUT what good is a huge dance floor if you don't feel comfortable enough to dance there. For those that like details, this place was super packed, and there was a hip hop DJ.
(2)
Sanjith J.
Do you seek crowded spaces? Douche baggery? The same over-played hip hop music you hear everywhere and overpriced drinks? If you said yes to any of these questions than boy do I have a place for you! Zuma! We went there after midnight on a TUESDAY and it was PACKED. You can't reach the bar easily and apparently the lines to as well as the condition of the bathroom was bad. If you are looking for the whole hip-hop dancy thingy on Mill then go to Vintage. Cheaper drinks and less crowds but the same douche baggery and overplayed hip-hop.
(1)
Melinda H.
The staff are very friendly, very nice, very attentative. The game was on, and the folks that go there are very passionate about the football, so it made it fun to watch the game. The food was very good, and game out, very quickly. This would be my choice of places to go on Mill Ave.
(4)
David S.
This was one of the many bars on Mill Ave. that we went to. The food and drinks were cheap, the service was okay, and it wasn't that crowded so you could actually have a conversation in here. Definitely worth checking out!
(4)
Justin R.
This place isn't bad but isn't great...extremely small but there drinks are affordable I think the only bar on Mill that serves pitchers of AMF that's a plus ....no room to dance tho which sucks
(3)
Michael S.
If you want to go to a busy bar in Tempe, there are better options than Zuma. This place is no bigger than the closet in my guest bedroom and smells like the dank socks that I forgot were in my gym bag (probably due to the fact that the A/C can't keep up with the occupancy and everyone is sweating like an Olympic wrestler caught in a half-Nelson). I would like to say service is slow, but it might only seem that way since I always have to battle my way up to the bar (see closet comment ^^^). All-in-all, I really don't like this place at all and wouldn't recommend it to anyone. BUT, the female talent in here is usually pretty good, so I give it 2* and may even go back haha.
(2)
Happy J.
Similar to many neighborhood restuarant/bars with a sports theme. Stopped with a friend for lunch on Sunday after walking around the Tempe Arts Festival. The guy who cleared off the table for us said he'd bring menus...and didn't. Took a while to get someone's attention to actually bring us menus. The service was good after that. I had planned to order a "Zuma Burger," until the waitress said that particular dish takes a little longer to prepare. When I asked her why, she said, "I don't know. That's all I was told by the kitchen manager." I pictured some hairy-armed guy 'infusing' the chipotles into the raw beef to make their signature Zuma Burger - LOL!. Since she didn't have a good answer, I went with the tried-and-true bacon cheeseburger. Nothing exceptional about the food; typical neighborhood restaurant/bar food. And, the menu prices were about the same their competition. My bacon cheeseburger, the spicy chicken salad my friend ordered, and two sodas came to $21.50. The little sign on the table promoted some of their happy hour prices, but the prices didn't seem too 'happy' to me. I mean, $5 Jager Bombers? I think that's the same price or a buck lower than what I usually pay for those evil shots (evil companions make me drink them...and she knows who she is). I'll go back to Zuma when there isn't some big event happening in Tempe and give them another chance.
(3)
John V.
I have entered the 7th level of Hell, and it is Zuma Grill. Let me set the mood. It's Friday night, I am out with some "gym buddies" we don't hang out often, one is like me, low key, chill prefers places like Casey Moore's, the other likes the clubs. As we hang at Casey Moore's a debate begins of what we should do next, Club dude, wants to walk down Mill and hit up some of the more club like places, with dance music, girls scantly clad, etc etc. My other friend and I decide after a few hours of whining, that we should just head out and let our Club dude, do his thang. We reluctantly leave Casey's, as I as good bye to my "regular" buddies, and head down Mill. After trying a few places, (Library, Sky Bar or something) we settle on Zuma. I immedately feel akward here, and realize how lame Mill Ave is between Rula Bula and Casey's. I felt like I had waked into the movie Idiocracy as i witness disturbing behavior and conversations about absolutely nothing. Coming from the art diverse,and somewhat intelligent low key crowd of Casey's into this, was quite the decline into oblivion. We ordered drinks, and drank...drank....drank. It was getting late so club dude, hit the pseudo dance floor that developed in the middle of the bar, and my laid back friend and I went out to the front "patio" so he could smoke. We continued our conversation about Stanley Kubrick while Club Dude, did his thang. It was cool compromising, something I have learned to do better as I mature. We all were able to be in our own environments for a period. Sometimes when you go out with new people, you don't know what you are going to get, but in this case we ended up having a decent time. I don't recommend Zuma for much, high priced drinks, really annoying atmosphere, and drunk people just falling out of the place, like lemmings on vodka. However if that is your thing, than go for it. Don't say I didn't warn you. Classy moment of the evening: Walking by a table with 2 plastic fake glass buckets of ice, 2 bottles of Moet's imitation champagne turned upside down, now if that doesn't say enough, I am not sure what will about Zuma.
(1)
Adrian F.
Less than average. They have 2 things going for them. Cheap drinks before 11pm. And quick, friendly bartenders. Other than that, I'd say avoid this place. You're only going to stand in line for an hour to get inside and find out that it's over crowded with douchers and blasting crappy top 40.... which could be your thing. Definitely not mine.
(2)
Stef Y.
LOL, with much definitive ardor and obligatory freak dance
(4)
Faith A.
For some reason this seems to be the only pub that is always PACKED on any given day on Mill Ave.. That's about the only reason why we always end up there if we are partying on Mill Ave. I gave it three stars because this place is so darn tiny and oddly shaped (think of a wide hallway) and yet somehow it works.. The crowd seems to be mainly ASU kids partying too much with their fake IDs. The crowd is like, 40 percent douchy, which is actually not too bad considering it's Mill Ave. I can't complain about this place, I don't love it, I don't hate it, It's okay but I would never go out of my way to go there. Not really my scene but when you're stumbing around Mill and it is the only alive looking place on the block, I'm bound to walk in. :)
(3)
Aaron H.
Went there to drink... I hardly pregamed and I paid for it... I spent roughly $70 on beer and liquor.. one bill of 2 beers and 3 shots was 23... so not horrible but geeeeez im broke. lol
(3)
MIchael W.
Since its just around the corner and only $3 drafts, I had to make the effort. Carne Asada Queso Dip hit the spot, though under seasoned and not too spicy. Did hit the spot though when paired with one of their new drafts, Coronado Idiot Double IPA, at 8.5ABV!! Service? They should try harder. Seems always someone in training. (pardon, that,s the two beers). Still a good vibe here.. I'll be back!
(3)
James R.
Why does this place get business? There are only guy bartenders and they are all dooshbags. The drinks are weak and extremely overpriced. You have to walk through the minorities dancing to get to the bar, and when you get there you are constantly bumped into by DABS. The DJ is ok, but Robbies and Canteen have better ones. This bar was cool back in the day, but now it sucks and I don't miss all the annoyances I experience when Im there.
(1)
natasha n.
$3 ZUMA juices are the shit! 9pm happy hour burgers are dec. This place is perfect to start a night of bar hopping on Mill.
(4)
Nettie X.
I loved the old menu, but the changes gave me a change of heart. They had the best sandwiches & it was always quiet from 5 until 8 so you could sit & eat. The new menu is okay & we liked what we got, but we would've left if it wasn't happy hour. Even though the servings are big(maybe too big) the prices are retarded now. The buffalo chicken tenders were pretty good, but perhaps too spicy in the wrong way. I used to go & send people all the time, but without those yummy sandwiches & with the higher prices, we prolly won't make it back again. The servers usually are slow & fairly unattentive, but the menu was bringing us back. :( sad to see it change that way.
(3)
Danielle P.
My friends and I have come into Zuma multiple times. It's one of the two places we hit EVERY TIME we come to Mill. There's always a line but no matter how far back we've been it always goes by super fast so that's nothing too bad. The pitchers here are so good and are only $10!!!! I usually get either the Zuma Blue or the Otter Pop! Both really good! The reason why I gave it 3 stars is because this last time that we went which was on 10/04/14, was a terrible experience! Like enough to not make me not wanna go back for awhile if not at all! First of all, every time we go the DJ plays older music which is cool once and awhile but the entire time I don't want to hear the hits from legit 2004-2008 with like one or two current songs. Also, it was like NO ONE decided to wear deodorant this night. Omg it smelled soooo bad! Like every person that walked straight up smelt like they hadn't showered in a couple days! It was absolutely DISGUSTING! And though the bar can't kick people out for stinking, it just made the experience bad. The main thing that really annoyed the SH*T out of me was that there was a group of like 3 guys and about 4 girls pretty close to us just being down right obnoxious from start to finish! Every time a girl would walk by they would like "trap" her and dance around her until she got mad. They were jumping around like idiots and SCREAMING lyrics for absolutely no reason. THAT is something I think the security should have fixed because it's not like Zuma is a huge place to begin with. It's pretty small so to have people jumping, trapping, and screaming is ridiculous. I honestly thought that when we left I was going to have to punch someone cuz if they would have danced around me like that I would have lost it. But luckily they didn't ;) Anyway, I'm taking a break from Zuma cuz that night was just too much to handle.
(3)
Kyle H.
When I go to Mill my circuit is Robbies, Canteen, and then Zuma. If I want to get ripped then I start early at Fat Tuesday's with their slushies and add in Cue clubsomewhere in there with their ridiculous AMFs (or Long Islands). Zuma, however, is a staple. I know of very few times I have came to mill and not gone to Zuma. Even when I've been the only person in the place... I've gone. Generally if that happens, I order a full Zuma-juice drink and slam it like a shot. Weak, drink, I know, but fun and goes down easy. And remember, I'm by myself so who cares what "everyone" thinks! The only thing negative that I can say is that at times when it is busy it can be annoying to see the door bouncer letting all his homies in while you wait. Shit, and I even know one of the main barenders and I can't do that. Damnit! My drunk is wearing off. The place is fun though. Stripper pole in the back (off-limits to guys when it is busy... I found out the hard way, lol). When it is busy half the people are dancing on the tables and booths. I even had a guy throwing dollar bills at the people on the floor like some sort of baller... everyone was too cool to pick up the money so I did and bought some Jack in the Box on the way home.
(4)
Taric W.
No freaking clue why Zuma was so packed on a Tuesday when so many superior bars were open, but maybe they're just doing something right. Or maybe the loudest bar wins Mill Ave? Super loud music doesn't bother me, but this was Front-row-at-a-rock-concert loud. Seriously, like I-have-to-yell-in-the-bartender's-ear loud. A notch below that is where you want to be, thank you. So anyway, you know the bartenders are no good when you order 3 of the same drink, and they all have drastically different amounts of liquor in them. Get that shit on point. Also, why do you have the Guinness tap up, only to pop open a CAN when I order one? GTFO with that. The layout isn't crowd-friendly, and I saw quite a significantly older men cruising around trying too hard to fit in. I'm not your "bro" and I call it "increased efficiency", not "double fisting". Nothing about Zuma strikes me as special...well except for whoever does their marketing. They totally deserve a raise for making such a mediocre spot so popular.
(2)
Jamie M.
Came here last Friday night with seven of my friends. The bar was DEAD while other bars nearby were packed. Perfect. We can come in, get good seating and spend a lot money. Sadly one of our friends was turned away because his pants were too baggy. Ironically, the bouncer's pants were considerably baggier than his. The bouncer was rude. It felt very racist. Way to set the tone of how your establishment is run. We went elsewhere and dropped a bunch of money. Just walked past and they're still dead. Go figure.
(1)
James A.
Loud, overpriced, and annoying. I wouldn't wish an afternoon there on my worst enemy.
(1)
Cherie B.
For a Bar, Zuma has some excellent food. Not the typical bar menu. We try to eat at Zuma when we are in downtown Tempe or before events/concerts etc. the Management and Bar Staff are very social and friendly etc. Love the bottomless Mimosa specials on weekends! Have not been there for the nightlife/late night but I hear they pack em in.....
(5)
Bret T.
Great place to grab a quick, cheap lunch in a laid back environment. The $5 Burger Box comes with three toppings (cheese, bacon, avocado, red onion, to name a few) and a side of fries. I like the sweet potato fries. The bar staff are friendly and attentive and I always here the most random statements from day drinking patrons.
(4)
Tyler M.
Yeah went here on a whim to go drinking.. about 5-6 of us. Waited in line for 10 minutes and finally got to the the front of the line, of course they let in the 2 girls in the group then tell us to wait while. For the next 25 minutes they let in other "in" people ahead of the line while were still waiting to get in with our friends. After the FOURTH group of people were allowed in ahead of us and trying to talk to the dbag bouncer we left. Never even got in... later found out the place was empty inside while we were waiting outside for no reason... this place is a complete waste of time and money.. go next door to Cue Club
(1)
Chris D.
what the F*** is that smell. Have they ever cleaned this place?? Drink specials? who cares, If I gave you a free beer with dog crap rubbed all over the sides would you drink it?
(1)
G Q.
FAIL!!! So I take my good friend out for some fun on Mill Ave on a Monday night , so I always swing by my favorite spot Mill Cue Club. As the night is ending she is out on the patio smoking a cigarette and she is feeling the vibe of a song playing outside next door at Zuma's, anyways, I said well lets go take a peek, ( Ive only been in this place once and only on the patio to share a drink with a friend..) So as we proceed I noticed that Zuma's Bouncer is chumming it up with Mill Cue Club's bouncer and talking about who knows what, as we walk litterally 5 feet over to Zuma's line to get in the EMPTY bar, the bouncer comes up and says 'Can I help you' I proceed to pull out my I.D. and he says under his breath ' uhh your pants are too baggy" I replied saying Excuse me'? He says "your clothes are too baggy", I laugh and say , "dude im Fat !" (plus i was wearing shorts not pants) I look over and see maybe 4 people in the bar including the 2 girls outside smoking up their cancer sticks. And Im thinking to myself, I just spent $40 bucks at Mill Cue Club because I had an awesome time, and we all know when we are buzzing we tend to spend MORE MONEY! SO NOW IM OFFENDED, I tell the Bouncer, "The only reason im wearing shorts is because its Hot ass hell out here and Im usually wearing a dress shirt and tie daily! people this a freakin bar for goodness sakes, a hole in the wall, its no Bistro, Its no classy spot, and you can honestly smell a stench coming from the place, weather its the bleachy pissy smell, or stank coming off the BAD SERVICE!! KISS MY BROWN ASS ZUMA, YOU WONT GET A PENNY NOR A GOOD WORD OUT OF ME.. Keep it classy and go next door to Mill cue club, its nice inside, great service, smoking hot staff and cheap good drinks.. Im so glad there is an avenue that us customers can share our thought and opinions as well as our experiences.. DONT SUPPORT ZUMA!!!! NO BUENO!!!!
(1)
Kai F.
Had a late lunch here last week with family during ASU graduation week. We started with the boneless chicken wings in both "hot" and "bbq", and both were really tasty...obviously not really "wings" since they were meaty chunks and big...probably breasts. Which is awesome since I haet picking the tiny bits of meat of most places wings. (They do offer wings with bones as well). The Baja chicken sandwiches were a hit, and you can also get them as a wrap. The nachos were average.The grilled cheese was the only thing that wasn't acceptable - bread too thick, not enough cheese. This is definitely a college town bar and grill, with prices appropriate for students, and pitchers of fun concoctions - many with flavored vodka and red bull. the staff is friendly and the environment is definitely casual and young. I like the roll-up front "garage"-style door so you can eat/drink outside, and be art of the scene that is walking by. really open and airy, and they keep the air-conditioning on so it's not stifling hot. If I were still in my 20's, this would probably be on my regular stomping ground list.
(3)
Chris V.
Our cocktail waitress Haley was so rude and unprofessional... Doesn't surprise me for a college bar... Try the other places around there and avoid this place.
(1)
Lauren F.
Restaurant and bar by day, nightclub by night. This is a popular bar on Mill Avenue near ASU campus. They usually have drink specials, but not all day. The staff is good at handling large crowds. I really like the music/ DJ they have here, but the dance floor is tiny.
(4)
David G.
I've never been here at night, but I hear it gets pretty packed and crazy. I have, however, been here several times for lunch, so that's what this review is based on. The lunch crowd is usually pretty small (if there's one at all), which is fine by me. It means it's easy to get a table. The drink prices are good (two dollar beers), and seating is plentiful (including a nice little patio). On the downside, because this turns into a nightclub at, well, night time, the seating is kinda weird for lunch. Many of the tables are long and narrow with seats only facing one direction (so you can watch the invisible daytime crowd). Still, it makes it easy to do your best last supper impression! The food here is actually pretty good, and for the price, it's one of the better lunchtime deals on Mill. They have a great $5 build your own burger basket where you pick your cheese and toppings from a good selection, and they cook it up fresh. It's served with fries (they have a couple of options on the side). The portions are pretty good, and it's the perfect lunch portion. Oh, and the fries, they're excellent. They are honestly some of my favorite in Tempe. So, as far as a nighttime destination, I don't know, but during the day, give them a shot if your in the area and need a bite to eat!
(4)
Thomas S.
Great burger deal! Decent nighttime
(3)
Carrie F.
I use to love this place the last few times I have been in here its been horrible. I work down the street and would go for lunch. People at work have talked about what bad service they had been getting and now I see why. Last time in there there were 4 tables including ours. We sat there for an hour waiting for our food. Of course pure lunch hour was over and we had to go back to work with no food. I asked to put the money back on my card and the kid couldn't even figure out how to do that.. I will never go back and I don't think any of my co workers will either.
(1)
Barbara H.
Complete assholes. Nuff said
(1)
Brad W.
You won't find me at Zuma or on Mill late nights anymore, but if you time things correctly and know where to go, it is pretty easy to have most of the bars on Mill all to yourself believe it or not. This situation unfolded on Friday night during happy Hour at the Zuma Grill, where only a handful of folks were inside. Three drunken female coeds did wander inside, but they were on a birthday bender for their friend. Anyway, the bearded bartender, who might be a manager, was really nice during my visit, even switching on my team's game, not from me asking, but from our conversations at the bar. Appetizers were all half price, but I opted to try the $5.50 build your own burger which comes with three toppings of your choice and a 1/4 pound patty. The other burgers are 1/2 pound, but this one should fill up most people. Sauteed onions, bacon and slices of avocado graced my well done (of course) meat. Bartender told me to go for the onion rings and that also was a success. Always liked when places put ketchup in little cups also instead of bottles on tables. Although, I will likely not be here with all the college kids later at night, I can tell them from experience that a sweaty, crowded, sticky, tough-to-get-a-drink bar IS a college bar and stop complaining and embrace your local divey college bars.
(5)
Sunny B.
Trying to think of something new for my lunch date with Robert M., I remembered they had a $5 burger basket at Zuma's. I hadn't been there for lunch before, I typically stay away from bars when I am working.. Something about a stale nighttime booze smell is not the best for daytime lunch spot.. We walked in (yes the booze smell was there), we were immediately seated and ordered ice tea. To my surprise the $5 basket could be a burger or a chicken sandwich with your choice of 3 toppings and came with fries. I opted for the chicken with avocado, pepper jack cheese and bacon. Our order came fast and our bill was under $8 bucks. Wasn't the best chicken sandwich in the world but it was worth $5 and I would go back again, but probably sit outside on the patio this time to avoid the smell.
(3)
Brandon S.
Food takes forever to come out, then its debatable if it done rights.... Guessing you get that you pay for... In this case the manager ended the meal by comping us since it was that bad!!!
(1)
LuckieMaounds P.
This place smells sour... grimy. Yiiccch. Service was friendly and quick and happy hour appetizers are half off. However, "no tap beers during the summer." Say what?! We tried some mini chimichangas and meatball sliders. The chimis were deep-fried and the chicken center was pasty mush. The sliders had no flavor, not enough marinara, and came with a side of fries that tasted like they had been cooked in last Tuesday's oil. One of the jucier of the roided bartenders was called "mangina" by a drunk old man and took it really personally - that was quite amusing. Bottom line, though: It's a dirty bar, and it's just not the type of place you're supposed to see in the daytime.
(1)
James T.
Preface: Take some time to read the negatives and judge yourself if they sound reasonable... Zuma Grill is within walking distance of ASU on Mill, so it wouldn't be wrong to say that there is a college vibe at night. That isnt necessarily the norm though and during the day it is a laid back place to have lunch or just watch a game. It is a small space and naturally that means standing room only at peak times.The food is decent bar fare and the drinks are fairly strong for the dollar. There are weekly and monthly events, notably a popular ladies night that gone on for more than five years. Bottom line; If you don't like crowds or need a personal touch, visit during the day or early evening. If you can handle a packed space and are reasonable about what to expect in that circumstance then the night is great too. ---------------- How I rate - I try to be a tolerant, patient, and polite person. I do not exaggerate and I believe that very few experiences rate in the extreme (almost never a 1 or 5). Definitely a carnivore but otherwise not picky. No allergies. And I know it is pointless to post a counter to the negatives but many of the reviews for this place have skewed the appearance of it unfairly. There is a big difference between being wronged by something outside your control and having questionable judgement or inflicting a poor experience on yourself, which appears to part of the problem in this case.
(3)
Ben T.
I've passed this place a zillion times. The only time it really catches my attention is if i happen to pass on a Friday or Saturday night and there's a line of people waiting to get in. Pretty sure Zuma is the only place in Tempe with a consistent line out front. Given the sheer number of drinking spots in this town at my disposal, the whole thing is a huge turn-off, as it seems like an unnecessary hoop to jump through to get to the same end. Bottom line: never been inside. Fast forward to today. After running some errands, I found myself smack-dab in the middle of downtown Tempe right around high noon. Where to eat? So many things come to mind, but they either seem uninteresting or too much of a hassle for a pop-in lunch. As I started to walk toward home, I encountered one of those sidewalk signs advertising a "build-your-own burger basket" for only 5 bucks. Upon further review, it also said they had drink specials between 11a.m. and 11p.m. I immediately looked for an asterisk to direct me towards the fine print, but there was none! (Note: It's my day off...I'm not getting loose on my lunch hour) Where am I, I thought. Zuma Grill? My mind immediately flashed back to those images of shiny shirts in line for Long Islands. Ah, what the heck, let's do this. The place was fairly empty except for what appeared to be small groups of folks from the surrounding offices on their lunch breaks. I took a spot at the bar and got a Skyy and Red Bull ($4 all day) and a menu. I skipped the burger special and ordered a Buffalo chicken salad instead. Within about 5 minutes my food arrived, just as I was sucking back my 2nd drink. I was pleasantly surprised that the chicken was grilled (I was anticipating deep fried "fingers"). For 8 bucks, it was a satisfying lunch. I cleaned the plate and kicked back a couple more drinks before tabbing out. Score!...forgot to add one of those to my bill. This seems to happen to me more and more lately, not that I'm complaining. Zuma makes a decent lunch spot, and I'm glad I gave it a shot. Can't say that I would ever try to stop in after the sun goes down, though!
(3)
Vi W.
Zumba is just an average bar. They have decent music and drinks but the place is just too small and gets crowded quick! I came here for reverse happy hour a few days ago and had their wings, which were decent. If you want cheaper drinks, a little more room, and pool then I suggest Cue right next door.
(3)
Brittany T.
I like Zuma and I don't think it warrants such a negative rating. I've been a fan of Zuma since I started school at ASU and I was only able to go for the food. I really enjoy their grilled cheese sandwich (plain, I know!) and also they have a great appetizer that is a tomato stuffed with either tuna or chicken salad. Definitely one my favorites. Mainly, I like zuma because the bartenders and staff are always very nice and accommodating. I never have to wait for a drink with them and very often they are pretty giving with generously poured drinks and occasionally a free shot or two for myself and my friends. They also have a fabulous ladies night on Wednesdays where they have free food and champagne for girls (yes, it's not fair boys complain complain complain but you guys get plenty of perks in other industries!). Favorite bartenders are Tommy Tau and Mike!
(4)
Vaishali N.
I should have paid heed to my friend's incessant complaints about this place, but I'm the type of girl that has to go through a bad experience to learn from it. I am trying to gather my thoughts together to explain why I think this establishment deserves such a low rating. Anyway, let me begin. I should have been more observant before venturing here. From the outside, I saw a bunch of little men with Troll-esque hair to compensate for their short stature. They were embarking in the "fist pumping" movement. Blech. No doubt, they thought they were the chosen people. I ignored the unsettling feeling in my stomach, and due to my friends that desired to go here, I held my breath and walked in. Before I go on, I will add that I have been here before. During the summer, I would stumble in here on the later half of my Monday nights. My friends preferred Fat Tuesday's for their dollar drinks and laid back crowd, but I always wanted to go to Zuma to look at the "pretty people" with their meticulous hair cuts, and their blemish free faces. I suppose I am slightly masochistic. Anyway, I guess I have had it. I am boycotting this place, no matter how tempting it looks. The bartenders spend more time gazing upon their reflection in the mirror and catering to their narcissistic tendencies than serving their clientele. The bouncers act like they have had Botox on their faces and can not muster a smile, unless their "douche" friends swat them in their arms and that's when their face cracks. I mean, there are one or two that are tolerable. Birds of a feather flock together. May I add that this is the watering hole for men and women that think they are levels above everyone in this place. This is Tempe. This isn't a glamorous red-carpet event. I'm sorry, but when I go out, I want to be surrounded by people that don't look down on me. I found something even more amusing. The people that were acting the most arrogant were inches shorter than I was. Napoleon Complex, anyone? Oh, and yes...as far as the drinks go. They are mediocre. Nothing special. Kiss my brown ass, Zuma! If I ever venture by your side again, I'm going to Cue Club where the people actually are classier than you.
(1)
Karrie K.
My girlfriends and I love to go out for ladies night and Zuma always looks like it's happening just because everyone is outside...but you go inside and normally it's dead :( I love the pole in the back and the overall ambiance. The bartenders are normally nice yet they never know their drink prices, special prices and often ring them up incorrectly... For some reason I keep coming back...BUT the main thing that pisses me off about this place is the seemingly buff blonde "bouncer" aka ASU IthinkI'mcoolwithauthority guy with a shirt that says security. Thursday night, 3/21, my friends and I went to Zuma and this same douschey "security guard" was here again. He takes my ID, looks at it, shines his light on it, looks at me, looks at it, repeat this process 3 times then seriously almost folds it completely in half twice. You fucking kidding me? You want to break my license? I said "hey man please don't bend it that hard, if you break it I'm screwed..." and he goes "well if it's real it won't break". Okay...so you want to test its limits and try to break it? Credit cards would break with that pressure. Dousche. Another night with this same guy my girlfriend and I got out of our cab, hadn't had anything to drink, she was wearing extremely tall heels and she scuffed the front on a loose brick, she caught her footing, barely unbalanced, laughed and kept walking. We go to give him our IDs and before he even looked at them he holds up his hand and goes "OH NO NO I saw you stumble drunk I can't let you in here." Seriously? Get off your power trip you balding loser and actually do your job of deciphering whether someone is coherent based on meritable tests, not because someone scuffs their shoe. Please. Get rid of this prick.
(2)
Mark N.
Always fun, always good music. Even food @ lunch is pretty good. (Burger special).
(5)
Craig M.
SO DISAPPOINTED. Stopped in on a Monday night, we were one of 5 tables. My first impression was the staff could care less if me and my family were in there or not. My kids were excited with their "build your own burger", so we went in. Waitress forgot our appetizer, the build your own burger wasnt anything bigger than a McDonalds hamburger (good enough for my kids tho). I ordered a ceasar salad, which came with NO DRESSING. Waitress only came back to give us the bill. No check back, no drink refills, no "how is everything?" Just another bar on Mill Ave, passing the time until Friday and Saturday. Keep walking if your looking for a place to eat. This might be good for bar hopping, just not to eat.
(1)
Steven G.
Met up with some old friends for dinner here and it wasn't too bad. Spent about 8 bucks on an okay burger and a drink so make sure you take advantage of their happy hour. Parking on Mill can be a pain in the ass sometimes but Zuma is close to the parking lots and garages. My only knocks on the place was that the food was average which is why I am only giving it a 3 star.
(3)
Nicola V.
When my friends were talking about coming to this bar, all I heard was to try their famous drink, the Zuma drink. Being an out of towner, I really wanted to try a "Mill St, Tempe AZ" only drink. However, I'm glad I got a sip of my friend's Zuma drink, because I opted for my grey goose/pineapple regular instead. That Zuma drink, to me, was a lot of watered down redbull with some store brand vodka. IN THEIR DEFENSE, my friends who are locals in Tempe said the bartender made that Zuma drink bad, and it's usually better. I'll take their word for it....I think. (-) small dance area, okay music (+) big bar PS My friend just told me it's actually called Zuma Juice (not drink) and called me a butthead. Whatever, it just meant that it wasn't memorable!!!
(2)
Peter N.
This is a great bar with great prices, I've gone here so much I've developed a relationship with the doormen they always hook it up (thanks), and also there are a lot of people I know that either work here full time or for special occasions. There bust night is Toxic Monday's. It gets wall to wall packed so I would suggest getting there early unless you know the people at the door you can hop in the VIP line. They do tend to make people wait in line quite awhile here, because its a small place, and it gets packed quickly. Don't try to wear athletic/baggy attire here because they will not let you in what so ever. I know they do a ladies night on wed and Tuesday night they usually let a local DJ take over on the decks and on the weekend except for Thursday it is a typical packed Mill Ave Bar. They also offer table and bottle service sky bottles starting cheap and champagne starting at only $40 a great place to get a buzz on mill. They are also famous for there Zuma Juice and Snorkel. (be sure to ask Jackson he has a mowhawk to make you a snorkel).
(5)
Melissa H.
Maybe I like Zuma because we go early and leave early and are never there for the annoying crowds. But seriously, this is still our go-to place on Mill for cheap drinks. It was the first place our group hit up on Saturday for the pub crawl and it did not disappoint in the cheap category. $2 Miller Lite bottles and $3 Zuma Juice were the drinks enjoyed by my husband and I. Chris said the Zuma Juice (vanilla vodka, cherry vodka, cherry juice, sprite and redbull) was like drinking Kool-Aid. Also on special were $4 Skyy and RedBull and $5 Jagerbombs. So for $13 (before tip) Chris and I enjoyed five drinks. Also, service at Zuma whether you are at the bar or a table is always fast if you go early. Even though it was logical on how our group was split (three couples), our waitress still took the time to keep everything seperate and gave each couple a bill instead of having us have to figure it out. Not a bad daytime/early evening option on Mill, but I definitely wouldn't go late at night.
(4)
Michelle H.
I went to Zuma Grill for lunch, and it was awesome! I have very high standards for green chile, since I am from New Mexico, and their green chile pork stew was great. I also had their bacon cheese burger with green chile. I highly recommend eating there. In fact, I signed up for Yelp specifically so I could write a review on the delicious food offered at Zuma Grill.
(5)
Marty F.
I was pleasantly surprised about this place. In the evening time this place seems to be the happening club vibe; bouncers outside checking the IDs of ASU students, lights going all over the place and music fills the air. However we were there for some food earlier before anything really started. When first walking in, the place really looks like a dive bar. All the booths are on the ends of the place with a huge opening in the middle. TIP: if you are a big person.. ya might be a bit uncomfortable in certain booths. We ordered some drinks and then checked out the menu. The menu has things that seemed like they were trying to be a hip place to eat.. so I guess that gave me the impression that the food would suck. So glad I was wrong. I ordered their BLTA sandwich (Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, & Avocado) and ohhhh was it good. Came with a side of seasoned french fries. Delicious. My girlfriend got a chicken sandwich she loved and my buddy got their huge plate of nachos. For a bar/grill, they really had good food. I only have it three stars because of the venue itself. The name of the place is Zuma Grill, but it definitely felt like a bar that had food should you request it. Would I eat there again? Of course I would. But I would make sure to be there before the club crowd gets there.
(3)
Beth B.
I went with some friends on a Friday night.. the crowd was a great mix and everyone was really friendly, granted.. i am from atlanta, and so I did catch a little hell about my accent.. I had fun. They played a good mix of music, it was a good time.
(3)
Jade K.
I LOVE Zuma. I hate the celebrity bar tending night which is possibly Wednesday? But, I love the regular staff that you encounter on any normal night. While in school I lived in walking distance from Mill and Zuma quickly became my favorite bar. I was able to celebrate my 21st birthday here and then continue the tradition of coming here ritually every weekend for an entire year - oftentimes during the week too. The bartenders (Chuddy, Tommy, Tony, Mike) are all so friendly and easy to talk to that they are half the reason we came so much and so early. Most people don't start the party until later but we were always at Zuma during happy hour or for burgers just to hang out. Once everyone does pile in - it gets very crowded and very loud. You should get bottle service. It helps a lot and if you're tired of dancing you can sit down and drink. I love this place and can't wait to go back and see everyone! Oh, plus - if you can stand the smell of alcohol after a night of slamming it back, they have unbelievable burger baskets. I believe it's 3 toppings on your burger (including cheese/avocado/bacon & many others) plus fries for 5 bucks. Talk about a deal and something great for a hung over stomach.
(5)
Christie S.
I was here for their monthly girls night and it looked like so much fun! I didn't get to partake in any of the festivities since I was teaching pole dance tricks, but the bar had free champagne from 9-11, a chocolate fountain with strawberries and bananas, free gifts in a raffle for various local businesses and $3.00 drinks all night. They have a pole installed in the back with seats all around so you can get your pole on with your friends! The place is pretty small, but cozy and the staff were so friendly. They had great music playing that you could dance to and the burger I had was great!
(4)
Jeannette T.
Stopped in on a scorching Saturday afternoon with a group for a quick lunch. Seating was limited but we were practically the only ones there at that time of day so it didn't matter. We weren't expecting much, just typical bar fare - but we were all impressed. Good menu selection and when I got my food it was delicious - as was everyone elses. I'd go again, no doubt!
(4)
Melanie K.
Great place for Happy Hour! My husband and I went to Zuma Grill for happy hour. We sat outside and enjoyed our cheap eats. I loved the $4.99 burger basket with sweet potato fries. Staff was nice and quick. I would definitely go back.
(5)
Valerie M.
Monday night attract a bros and hos crowd that thinks they are better than everyone else with a few cool people mixed in. The bar is small and there is nowhere to sit so prepare to stand all night. I will only come here on a Monday because there is nowhere else to go.
(2)
Chica S.
I hate Zuma! They are always crazy crowded! the space is so awkwardly shaped moving around or getting to the bar is nuts. This past weekend the line for the ladies' room was horrendous because they only had one working stall. Boo!
(1)
Danielle T.
Zuma is a seemingly fun happening place on Mill. I've been to Zuma a few times in the past and have never really cared for it. And I have yet to find a reason as to why it seems to always be packed. The smokers' patio in the front must be why it always seemed packed thereby giving off the illusion that it's packed because at times, when you get past the packed smokers' patio, and actually enter the bar itself, it's dead. Given, they have some decent music and they have drink special that aren't that bad, but the atmosphere and the people aren't enough to overcome their shortcomings. The crowd there seems to be trying a bit too hard to be something they obviously are not. The girls are trying a bit too hard and end up seeming classless. For The men, well can anyone "Tool Academy, future class of ..."? Actually, the students of Tool Academy might be a step up from the men that seem to gravitate to and work at Zuma. The bartenders are a bit of an ass hat, what with their superior attitude and their less than superior looks. You think if they'd be trying to imitate a Scottsdale feeling, the tool of a bartender would at least mix like one and look like one if they insist on wearing those tight V neck tees. Their mixing abilities, not the best. I get my usual mixed drink and it wasn't up to par as it is in some other places. The only way to survive this place is if you're already drunk.
(1)
A D.
Place is too small and always crowded. Pretty hard to get in if you're a dude and not friends with the bouncer since the line is long and they let in 2 people every 15 mins. The bald headed bouncer loves his free hugs from the ladies and lets them in without checking their ids most of the time. I love their music mostly hip hop but towards the end of the night it gets so crowded that the ASU dudes are ready to get into fights for stepping on each others foot!
(2)
Lauren V.
during the day, when it's nice out, i like this joint. you can sit in a large booth that rests right up against the patio, so it feels like you're outside. small patio, food is OK. basic hamburgers and sandwiches bar food fare. lots of brews on tap, which is always a plus. weekend nights i haven't been in a long time, but i imagine it gets really crowded, not because it's amazing, but because it's a bar on mill.
(3)
Alisha M.
Zuma Grille is wonderful during the daytime when it is a restaurant serving lunch, however, the minute it turns into a bar it looses all appeal for me. It is an under lit, cramped space in which there are too many people trying to fit. The bathrooms are strategically placed in the very back (which may take you 10 or more minutes to get to if you are trying to navigate through the sea of people) and all tables or seating areas are reserved so don't even think about sitting down because you will be forced to move. The drinks are overpriced (however, the bartenders are very good looking) and the DJ spins very generic music (mostly rap and R&B) which might be somewhat fun to dance to if there were enough room to do so. The crowd is comparable to what you would find in a Scottsdale club; very good looking people but very pretentious.
(2)
Christina W.
I would choose no star if I could. A bunch of us girls from SF came to AZ for a bachelorette party. We came to this bar and was harassed for what the bald headed bouncer thought was a fake id. Come on we're celebrating a bachelorette! We're all 30+. He held on to one of our girls id for more than half and hour telling us he was going to have the police validate. Well, we suspected he never told the police, he was just trying not to let us in, because we were asian. we were very disappointed to see that all non asians were let in the bar as the bouncer hugged every girl. So we finally called the police and before we got through the bouncer got nervous and gave us our id back. In a college town, in Western america we get discrimination??? They will be getting a notice from the Better Business Bureau soon. Thanks a lot for ruining our Saturday night Baldie. You should be ashamed of yourselves.
(1)
Maurice G.
Surprisingly, since I'm a sour, but dapper twenty-something, toe-ing thirty years old, I don't hate this place. With the right company -- and please beleive, you have to be with the perfect group -- Zuma is a pretty good time. The drinks are pricey by college-student standards, but for people with actual incomes, its a reasonably economical choice for drinks. Their minute smoking patio is silly and you can overhear some real idiots talking about the most menial shit like you used to talk about in college [or present-day, after pints of Gran Reserva Tequila]. Zuma is a pretty good option before going to play with the grown ups elsewhere on Mill.
(3)
Daniel H.
I have to say up front I used to hate, with a capital H, Zuma. Well a buddy made me go back and I was shocked, it wasn't as bad as I remembered. Yes the guys were still pretty douchey and the girls were obviously not talking about art and politics, but wait its a bar on mill, not the fucking Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, from CNN, do I have to explain everything to you? My main problem was really with the staff but I noticed the crew working was not the same as my last visit. I spoke with a bouncer and he mentioned they had changed it up a little, I say bravo. Zuma is worth another look.
(4)
Tyrone B.
Hate this place so much. It must be an employment requirement for any male (bartenders and bouncers) to be roid-monkey d-bags who spend more time flexing and hitting on chicks than actually doing a half-decent job. The space itself SUCKS, there are always people just standing everywhere, no traffic flow whatsoever, and it's a nightmare if you ever have to run the gauntlet in an attempt to take a piss in the tiny bathrooms located allllll the way in the very back. Navigating through a sea of ASU's finest collection of Affliction-wearing tools is not my idea of a good time. The only reason I can even justify a single star is because the "Zuma Juice" IS actually pretty tasty and cheap, there was one extremely hot female bartender, and Soloman holds a residency there and is one of the better dj's in PHX when you're in a forced top 40 environment. Otherwise, I generally try to avoid this place like the plague, while there are usually a few cute girls here, they're usually a bunch of vapid retards whose admittance into ANY college leaves me totally amazed.
(1)
Kelly W.
I've been to this bar on a few occasions. I love the food! Their seasoned fries are to die for. The bartenders aren't that knowledgable when it comes to cocktails and only seem to know the basics so if you're looking for a more sophisticated cocktail menu, this isn't your place. However, if you're looking for the basics and enjoy drinking with the ASU crowd you'll feel at home here. They also do a killer ladies night on the last Wednesday of every month with free champagne for the women!
(3)
jay b.
dont be fooled by the queue, its not as busy inside as it is out. a bit small but still good for dancing. i always have a good time here which I cant say about a lot of places girls here are good
(4)
Eric L.
If you like dark crowded hallways that play music way too loud, than this is the place for you. This place is way too small for the amount of people they let in and there is no dance area but plenty of music to dance to. During the day it's not to bad but avoid when there is line out front because it will be way too crowded and impossible to get a drink.
(2)
Bone D.
Place is pretty ill. Got some good brews on tap to sip on and they do make your drinks pretty strong. The only thing is it is way too packed and if your trying to chill outside its not gonna be comfortable. One of the best on Mill, though.
(4)
James A.
If you could give zero stars I would. This place is literally the worst bar I have ever been into. If you love super loud club music, no lighting, expensive drinks, and douchey Frat dudes you will love this place! You cannot see anything its complete dark, the drinks are terrible, weak, and pricey. you cant talk at all because the top 40 techno remix music is way too loud, and the only people there who are bigger douchebags than the patrons are the Affliction tee, Tribal tattooed bartenders. With so many other great options on Mill, just keep walking, this place absolutely sucks.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Late Night Parking : Garage, Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Very Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Michael T.
Awesome!!!
(5)Danielle G.
I have done some very ungodly like things at this place. And I must say... it can go from dead to PACKED in 30 minutes, its rather amazing. I've only gone to Zuma's on Monday nights (I work at a nightclub, so those are the only days we have off) and its still pretty poppin' for Mondays, plus you have Chris Villa as a DJ on Mondays, so how could you go wrong? I also came here for Saint Patricks day which was great., they had 5 dollar shots of jameson (my favorite) and green beer! One of the only places on Mill that didnt have a cover which is always a selling point for me. *SQUIRREL* Returning to my review.......... GETTING THERE. I live in North Phoenix so its a pain in the butt to get down to Mill, especially when I know I'll be drinking and parking can be less than favorable. Well, if you park at I want to say University and Mill (right next to firehouse?) theres a student parking lot with visitor parking too! I believe after 10pm you dont have to pay for parking till the morning, so its a smart way to get out of those meters. And btw, when I left my car parked in that lot for 2 days cause I couldnt find a ride back down to mill, I returned to a ticket on my vehicle..... SAD FACE. When I looked at the fine total is was 0.00... HAPPY FACE! DRINK. DRANK. DRUNK. You can get these ridiculously large drinks for 10 dollars, its like a personal pitcher of liquor. I cant remember what these damn things are called...but theres a chalkboard above the bar that describes the different ones you can order. I always run into promotion girls here, which is also cool. Who hates being given free alcohol and merchandise? I mean, my Wild Turkey bottle opener keychain has been a lifesaver multiple times. ONE LAST THING...... Who is that ridiculously handsome bartender that works there? If you've been there... you know who I'm talking about. Hes like 6 feet tall and resembles a Ken doll. I think half of my income has gone to him in tips just hoping to get a wink. My mouth waters! yum yum yum.
(4)Gem V.
I really wanna give it 0 starts. This was the ONLY bar in Tempe that denied an id from Puerto Rico. Yeah that's a legal American citizen document you uneducated fucks. Read a book. Hire people with an education.
(1)Christopher K.
I had a friend in town on a Monday evening. We walked around Mill Avenue and decided to go in there. Bad idea. This place was disgusting and it smells horrible. I ordered a drink and almost threw it up. It tasted spoiled. The place is super dark and I'm guessing this is because the place is in such poor condition that they don't want you to see how bad the place is. I would stay away from this place!
(1)Natasha A.
So this place smells like kush and 10% of the people there were white. Now neither of those are a bad thing if you like them, just giving everyone a heads up. To put everything into context, I came here on a Saturday night. The strobe lights leaking out onto the street were beguiling. I was yelling at my friend, "LET'S GO THERE LET'S GO THERE!" Like moths to a source of light, we were taunted and pulled in. Once in, we were caught on a bug strip - it was smelly, dirty, scary, and uncomfortable. We tore ourselves off and outta there. Flew to Rooftop pretty fast. Given my metaphorical story, the dance floor was the entire place, which is a plus. BUT what good is a huge dance floor if you don't feel comfortable enough to dance there. For those that like details, this place was super packed, and there was a hip hop DJ.
(2)Sanjith J.
Do you seek crowded spaces? Douche baggery? The same over-played hip hop music you hear everywhere and overpriced drinks? If you said yes to any of these questions than boy do I have a place for you! Zuma! We went there after midnight on a TUESDAY and it was PACKED. You can't reach the bar easily and apparently the lines to as well as the condition of the bathroom was bad. If you are looking for the whole hip-hop dancy thingy on Mill then go to Vintage. Cheaper drinks and less crowds but the same douche baggery and overplayed hip-hop.
(1)Melinda H.
The staff are very friendly, very nice, very attentative. The game was on, and the folks that go there are very passionate about the football, so it made it fun to watch the game. The food was very good, and game out, very quickly. This would be my choice of places to go on Mill Ave.
(4)David S.
This was one of the many bars on Mill Ave. that we went to. The food and drinks were cheap, the service was okay, and it wasn't that crowded so you could actually have a conversation in here. Definitely worth checking out!
(4)Justin R.
This place isn't bad but isn't great...extremely small but there drinks are affordable I think the only bar on Mill that serves pitchers of AMF that's a plus ....no room to dance tho which sucks
(3)Michael S.
If you want to go to a busy bar in Tempe, there are better options than Zuma. This place is no bigger than the closet in my guest bedroom and smells like the dank socks that I forgot were in my gym bag (probably due to the fact that the A/C can't keep up with the occupancy and everyone is sweating like an Olympic wrestler caught in a half-Nelson). I would like to say service is slow, but it might only seem that way since I always have to battle my way up to the bar (see closet comment ^^^). All-in-all, I really don't like this place at all and wouldn't recommend it to anyone. BUT, the female talent in here is usually pretty good, so I give it 2* and may even go back haha.
(2)Happy J.
Similar to many neighborhood restuarant/bars with a sports theme. Stopped with a friend for lunch on Sunday after walking around the Tempe Arts Festival. The guy who cleared off the table for us said he'd bring menus...and didn't. Took a while to get someone's attention to actually bring us menus. The service was good after that. I had planned to order a "Zuma Burger," until the waitress said that particular dish takes a little longer to prepare. When I asked her why, she said, "I don't know. That's all I was told by the kitchen manager." I pictured some hairy-armed guy 'infusing' the chipotles into the raw beef to make their signature Zuma Burger - LOL!. Since she didn't have a good answer, I went with the tried-and-true bacon cheeseburger. Nothing exceptional about the food; typical neighborhood restaurant/bar food. And, the menu prices were about the same their competition. My bacon cheeseburger, the spicy chicken salad my friend ordered, and two sodas came to $21.50. The little sign on the table promoted some of their happy hour prices, but the prices didn't seem too 'happy' to me. I mean, $5 Jager Bombers? I think that's the same price or a buck lower than what I usually pay for those evil shots (evil companions make me drink them...and she knows who she is). I'll go back to Zuma when there isn't some big event happening in Tempe and give them another chance.
(3)John V.
I have entered the 7th level of Hell, and it is Zuma Grill. Let me set the mood. It's Friday night, I am out with some "gym buddies" we don't hang out often, one is like me, low key, chill prefers places like Casey Moore's, the other likes the clubs. As we hang at Casey Moore's a debate begins of what we should do next, Club dude, wants to walk down Mill and hit up some of the more club like places, with dance music, girls scantly clad, etc etc. My other friend and I decide after a few hours of whining, that we should just head out and let our Club dude, do his thang. We reluctantly leave Casey's, as I as good bye to my "regular" buddies, and head down Mill. After trying a few places, (Library, Sky Bar or something) we settle on Zuma. I immedately feel akward here, and realize how lame Mill Ave is between Rula Bula and Casey's. I felt like I had waked into the movie Idiocracy as i witness disturbing behavior and conversations about absolutely nothing. Coming from the art diverse,and somewhat intelligent low key crowd of Casey's into this, was quite the decline into oblivion. We ordered drinks, and drank...drank....drank. It was getting late so club dude, hit the pseudo dance floor that developed in the middle of the bar, and my laid back friend and I went out to the front "patio" so he could smoke. We continued our conversation about Stanley Kubrick while Club Dude, did his thang. It was cool compromising, something I have learned to do better as I mature. We all were able to be in our own environments for a period. Sometimes when you go out with new people, you don't know what you are going to get, but in this case we ended up having a decent time. I don't recommend Zuma for much, high priced drinks, really annoying atmosphere, and drunk people just falling out of the place, like lemmings on vodka. However if that is your thing, than go for it. Don't say I didn't warn you. Classy moment of the evening: Walking by a table with 2 plastic fake glass buckets of ice, 2 bottles of Moet's imitation champagne turned upside down, now if that doesn't say enough, I am not sure what will about Zuma.
(1)Adrian F.
Less than average. They have 2 things going for them. Cheap drinks before 11pm. And quick, friendly bartenders. Other than that, I'd say avoid this place. You're only going to stand in line for an hour to get inside and find out that it's over crowded with douchers and blasting crappy top 40.... which could be your thing. Definitely not mine.
(2)Stef Y.
LOL, with much definitive ardor and obligatory freak dance
(4)Faith A.
For some reason this seems to be the only pub that is always PACKED on any given day on Mill Ave.. That's about the only reason why we always end up there if we are partying on Mill Ave. I gave it three stars because this place is so darn tiny and oddly shaped (think of a wide hallway) and yet somehow it works.. The crowd seems to be mainly ASU kids partying too much with their fake IDs. The crowd is like, 40 percent douchy, which is actually not too bad considering it's Mill Ave. I can't complain about this place, I don't love it, I don't hate it, It's okay but I would never go out of my way to go there. Not really my scene but when you're stumbing around Mill and it is the only alive looking place on the block, I'm bound to walk in. :)
(3)Aaron H.
Went there to drink... I hardly pregamed and I paid for it... I spent roughly $70 on beer and liquor.. one bill of 2 beers and 3 shots was 23... so not horrible but geeeeez im broke. lol
(3)MIchael W.
Since its just around the corner and only $3 drafts, I had to make the effort. Carne Asada Queso Dip hit the spot, though under seasoned and not too spicy. Did hit the spot though when paired with one of their new drafts, Coronado Idiot Double IPA, at 8.5ABV!! Service? They should try harder. Seems always someone in training. (pardon, that,s the two beers). Still a good vibe here.. I'll be back!
(3)James R.
Why does this place get business? There are only guy bartenders and they are all dooshbags. The drinks are weak and extremely overpriced. You have to walk through the minorities dancing to get to the bar, and when you get there you are constantly bumped into by DABS. The DJ is ok, but Robbies and Canteen have better ones. This bar was cool back in the day, but now it sucks and I don't miss all the annoyances I experience when Im there.
(1)natasha n.
$3 ZUMA juices are the shit! 9pm happy hour burgers are dec. This place is perfect to start a night of bar hopping on Mill.
(4)Nettie X.
I loved the old menu, but the changes gave me a change of heart. They had the best sandwiches & it was always quiet from 5 until 8 so you could sit & eat. The new menu is okay & we liked what we got, but we would've left if it wasn't happy hour. Even though the servings are big(maybe too big) the prices are retarded now. The buffalo chicken tenders were pretty good, but perhaps too spicy in the wrong way. I used to go & send people all the time, but without those yummy sandwiches & with the higher prices, we prolly won't make it back again. The servers usually are slow & fairly unattentive, but the menu was bringing us back. :( sad to see it change that way.
(3)Danielle P.
My friends and I have come into Zuma multiple times. It's one of the two places we hit EVERY TIME we come to Mill. There's always a line but no matter how far back we've been it always goes by super fast so that's nothing too bad. The pitchers here are so good and are only $10!!!! I usually get either the Zuma Blue or the Otter Pop! Both really good! The reason why I gave it 3 stars is because this last time that we went which was on 10/04/14, was a terrible experience! Like enough to not make me not wanna go back for awhile if not at all! First of all, every time we go the DJ plays older music which is cool once and awhile but the entire time I don't want to hear the hits from legit 2004-2008 with like one or two current songs. Also, it was like NO ONE decided to wear deodorant this night. Omg it smelled soooo bad! Like every person that walked straight up smelt like they hadn't showered in a couple days! It was absolutely DISGUSTING! And though the bar can't kick people out for stinking, it just made the experience bad. The main thing that really annoyed the SH*T out of me was that there was a group of like 3 guys and about 4 girls pretty close to us just being down right obnoxious from start to finish! Every time a girl would walk by they would like "trap" her and dance around her until she got mad. They were jumping around like idiots and SCREAMING lyrics for absolutely no reason. THAT is something I think the security should have fixed because it's not like Zuma is a huge place to begin with. It's pretty small so to have people jumping, trapping, and screaming is ridiculous. I honestly thought that when we left I was going to have to punch someone cuz if they would have danced around me like that I would have lost it. But luckily they didn't ;) Anyway, I'm taking a break from Zuma cuz that night was just too much to handle.
(3)Kyle H.
When I go to Mill my circuit is Robbies, Canteen, and then Zuma. If I want to get ripped then I start early at Fat Tuesday's with their slushies and add in Cue clubsomewhere in there with their ridiculous AMFs (or Long Islands). Zuma, however, is a staple. I know of very few times I have came to mill and not gone to Zuma. Even when I've been the only person in the place... I've gone. Generally if that happens, I order a full Zuma-juice drink and slam it like a shot. Weak, drink, I know, but fun and goes down easy. And remember, I'm by myself so who cares what "everyone" thinks! The only thing negative that I can say is that at times when it is busy it can be annoying to see the door bouncer letting all his homies in while you wait. Shit, and I even know one of the main barenders and I can't do that. Damnit! My drunk is wearing off. The place is fun though. Stripper pole in the back (off-limits to guys when it is busy... I found out the hard way, lol). When it is busy half the people are dancing on the tables and booths. I even had a guy throwing dollar bills at the people on the floor like some sort of baller... everyone was too cool to pick up the money so I did and bought some Jack in the Box on the way home.
(4)Taric W.
No freaking clue why Zuma was so packed on a Tuesday when so many superior bars were open, but maybe they're just doing something right. Or maybe the loudest bar wins Mill Ave? Super loud music doesn't bother me, but this was Front-row-at-a-rock-concert loud. Seriously, like I-have-to-yell-in-the-bartender's-ear loud. A notch below that is where you want to be, thank you. So anyway, you know the bartenders are no good when you order 3 of the same drink, and they all have drastically different amounts of liquor in them. Get that shit on point. Also, why do you have the Guinness tap up, only to pop open a CAN when I order one? GTFO with that. The layout isn't crowd-friendly, and I saw quite a significantly older men cruising around trying too hard to fit in. I'm not your "bro" and I call it "increased efficiency", not "double fisting". Nothing about Zuma strikes me as special...well except for whoever does their marketing. They totally deserve a raise for making such a mediocre spot so popular.
(2)Jamie M.
Came here last Friday night with seven of my friends. The bar was DEAD while other bars nearby were packed. Perfect. We can come in, get good seating and spend a lot money. Sadly one of our friends was turned away because his pants were too baggy. Ironically, the bouncer's pants were considerably baggier than his. The bouncer was rude. It felt very racist. Way to set the tone of how your establishment is run. We went elsewhere and dropped a bunch of money. Just walked past and they're still dead. Go figure.
(1)James A.
Loud, overpriced, and annoying. I wouldn't wish an afternoon there on my worst enemy.
(1)Cherie B.
For a Bar, Zuma has some excellent food. Not the typical bar menu. We try to eat at Zuma when we are in downtown Tempe or before events/concerts etc. the Management and Bar Staff are very social and friendly etc. Love the bottomless Mimosa specials on weekends! Have not been there for the nightlife/late night but I hear they pack em in.....
(5)Bret T.
Great place to grab a quick, cheap lunch in a laid back environment. The $5 Burger Box comes with three toppings (cheese, bacon, avocado, red onion, to name a few) and a side of fries. I like the sweet potato fries. The bar staff are friendly and attentive and I always here the most random statements from day drinking patrons.
(4)Tyler M.
Yeah went here on a whim to go drinking.. about 5-6 of us. Waited in line for 10 minutes and finally got to the the front of the line, of course they let in the 2 girls in the group then tell us to wait while. For the next 25 minutes they let in other "in" people ahead of the line while were still waiting to get in with our friends. After the FOURTH group of people were allowed in ahead of us and trying to talk to the dbag bouncer we left. Never even got in... later found out the place was empty inside while we were waiting outside for no reason... this place is a complete waste of time and money.. go next door to Cue Club
(1)Chris D.
what the F*** is that smell. Have they ever cleaned this place?? Drink specials? who cares, If I gave you a free beer with dog crap rubbed all over the sides would you drink it?
(1)G Q.
FAIL!!! So I take my good friend out for some fun on Mill Ave on a Monday night , so I always swing by my favorite spot Mill Cue Club. As the night is ending she is out on the patio smoking a cigarette and she is feeling the vibe of a song playing outside next door at Zuma's, anyways, I said well lets go take a peek, ( Ive only been in this place once and only on the patio to share a drink with a friend..) So as we proceed I noticed that Zuma's Bouncer is chumming it up with Mill Cue Club's bouncer and talking about who knows what, as we walk litterally 5 feet over to Zuma's line to get in the EMPTY bar, the bouncer comes up and says 'Can I help you' I proceed to pull out my I.D. and he says under his breath ' uhh your pants are too baggy" I replied saying Excuse me'? He says "your clothes are too baggy", I laugh and say , "dude im Fat !" (plus i was wearing shorts not pants) I look over and see maybe 4 people in the bar including the 2 girls outside smoking up their cancer sticks. And Im thinking to myself, I just spent $40 bucks at Mill Cue Club because I had an awesome time, and we all know when we are buzzing we tend to spend MORE MONEY! SO NOW IM OFFENDED, I tell the Bouncer, "The only reason im wearing shorts is because its Hot ass hell out here and Im usually wearing a dress shirt and tie daily! people this a freakin bar for goodness sakes, a hole in the wall, its no Bistro, Its no classy spot, and you can honestly smell a stench coming from the place, weather its the bleachy pissy smell, or stank coming off the BAD SERVICE!! KISS MY BROWN ASS ZUMA, YOU WONT GET A PENNY NOR A GOOD WORD OUT OF ME.. Keep it classy and go next door to Mill cue club, its nice inside, great service, smoking hot staff and cheap good drinks.. Im so glad there is an avenue that us customers can share our thought and opinions as well as our experiences.. DONT SUPPORT ZUMA!!!! NO BUENO!!!!
(1)Kai F.
Had a late lunch here last week with family during ASU graduation week. We started with the boneless chicken wings in both "hot" and "bbq", and both were really tasty...obviously not really "wings" since they were meaty chunks and big...probably breasts. Which is awesome since I haet picking the tiny bits of meat of most places wings. (They do offer wings with bones as well). The Baja chicken sandwiches were a hit, and you can also get them as a wrap. The nachos were average.The grilled cheese was the only thing that wasn't acceptable - bread too thick, not enough cheese. This is definitely a college town bar and grill, with prices appropriate for students, and pitchers of fun concoctions - many with flavored vodka and red bull. the staff is friendly and the environment is definitely casual and young. I like the roll-up front "garage"-style door so you can eat/drink outside, and be art of the scene that is walking by. really open and airy, and they keep the air-conditioning on so it's not stifling hot. If I were still in my 20's, this would probably be on my regular stomping ground list.
(3)Chris V.
Our cocktail waitress Haley was so rude and unprofessional... Doesn't surprise me for a college bar... Try the other places around there and avoid this place.
(1)Lauren F.
Restaurant and bar by day, nightclub by night. This is a popular bar on Mill Avenue near ASU campus. They usually have drink specials, but not all day. The staff is good at handling large crowds. I really like the music/ DJ they have here, but the dance floor is tiny.
(4)David G.
I've never been here at night, but I hear it gets pretty packed and crazy. I have, however, been here several times for lunch, so that's what this review is based on. The lunch crowd is usually pretty small (if there's one at all), which is fine by me. It means it's easy to get a table. The drink prices are good (two dollar beers), and seating is plentiful (including a nice little patio). On the downside, because this turns into a nightclub at, well, night time, the seating is kinda weird for lunch. Many of the tables are long and narrow with seats only facing one direction (so you can watch the invisible daytime crowd). Still, it makes it easy to do your best last supper impression! The food here is actually pretty good, and for the price, it's one of the better lunchtime deals on Mill. They have a great $5 build your own burger basket where you pick your cheese and toppings from a good selection, and they cook it up fresh. It's served with fries (they have a couple of options on the side). The portions are pretty good, and it's the perfect lunch portion. Oh, and the fries, they're excellent. They are honestly some of my favorite in Tempe. So, as far as a nighttime destination, I don't know, but during the day, give them a shot if your in the area and need a bite to eat!
(4)Thomas S.
Great burger deal! Decent nighttime
(3)Carrie F.
I use to love this place the last few times I have been in here its been horrible. I work down the street and would go for lunch. People at work have talked about what bad service they had been getting and now I see why. Last time in there there were 4 tables including ours. We sat there for an hour waiting for our food. Of course pure lunch hour was over and we had to go back to work with no food. I asked to put the money back on my card and the kid couldn't even figure out how to do that.. I will never go back and I don't think any of my co workers will either.
(1)Barbara H.
Complete assholes. Nuff said
(1)Brad W.
You won't find me at Zuma or on Mill late nights anymore, but if you time things correctly and know where to go, it is pretty easy to have most of the bars on Mill all to yourself believe it or not. This situation unfolded on Friday night during happy Hour at the Zuma Grill, where only a handful of folks were inside. Three drunken female coeds did wander inside, but they were on a birthday bender for their friend. Anyway, the bearded bartender, who might be a manager, was really nice during my visit, even switching on my team's game, not from me asking, but from our conversations at the bar. Appetizers were all half price, but I opted to try the $5.50 build your own burger which comes with three toppings of your choice and a 1/4 pound patty. The other burgers are 1/2 pound, but this one should fill up most people. Sauteed onions, bacon and slices of avocado graced my well done (of course) meat. Bartender told me to go for the onion rings and that also was a success. Always liked when places put ketchup in little cups also instead of bottles on tables. Although, I will likely not be here with all the college kids later at night, I can tell them from experience that a sweaty, crowded, sticky, tough-to-get-a-drink bar IS a college bar and stop complaining and embrace your local divey college bars.
(5)Sunny B.
Trying to think of something new for my lunch date with Robert M., I remembered they had a $5 burger basket at Zuma's. I hadn't been there for lunch before, I typically stay away from bars when I am working.. Something about a stale nighttime booze smell is not the best for daytime lunch spot.. We walked in (yes the booze smell was there), we were immediately seated and ordered ice tea. To my surprise the $5 basket could be a burger or a chicken sandwich with your choice of 3 toppings and came with fries. I opted for the chicken with avocado, pepper jack cheese and bacon. Our order came fast and our bill was under $8 bucks. Wasn't the best chicken sandwich in the world but it was worth $5 and I would go back again, but probably sit outside on the patio this time to avoid the smell.
(3)Brandon S.
Food takes forever to come out, then its debatable if it done rights.... Guessing you get that you pay for... In this case the manager ended the meal by comping us since it was that bad!!!
(1)LuckieMaounds P.
This place smells sour... grimy. Yiiccch. Service was friendly and quick and happy hour appetizers are half off. However, "no tap beers during the summer." Say what?! We tried some mini chimichangas and meatball sliders. The chimis were deep-fried and the chicken center was pasty mush. The sliders had no flavor, not enough marinara, and came with a side of fries that tasted like they had been cooked in last Tuesday's oil. One of the jucier of the roided bartenders was called "mangina" by a drunk old man and took it really personally - that was quite amusing. Bottom line, though: It's a dirty bar, and it's just not the type of place you're supposed to see in the daytime.
(1)James T.
Preface: Take some time to read the negatives and judge yourself if they sound reasonable... Zuma Grill is within walking distance of ASU on Mill, so it wouldn't be wrong to say that there is a college vibe at night. That isnt necessarily the norm though and during the day it is a laid back place to have lunch or just watch a game. It is a small space and naturally that means standing room only at peak times.The food is decent bar fare and the drinks are fairly strong for the dollar. There are weekly and monthly events, notably a popular ladies night that gone on for more than five years. Bottom line; If you don't like crowds or need a personal touch, visit during the day or early evening. If you can handle a packed space and are reasonable about what to expect in that circumstance then the night is great too. ---------------- How I rate - I try to be a tolerant, patient, and polite person. I do not exaggerate and I believe that very few experiences rate in the extreme (almost never a 1 or 5). Definitely a carnivore but otherwise not picky. No allergies. And I know it is pointless to post a counter to the negatives but many of the reviews for this place have skewed the appearance of it unfairly. There is a big difference between being wronged by something outside your control and having questionable judgement or inflicting a poor experience on yourself, which appears to part of the problem in this case.
(3)Ben T.
I've passed this place a zillion times. The only time it really catches my attention is if i happen to pass on a Friday or Saturday night and there's a line of people waiting to get in. Pretty sure Zuma is the only place in Tempe with a consistent line out front. Given the sheer number of drinking spots in this town at my disposal, the whole thing is a huge turn-off, as it seems like an unnecessary hoop to jump through to get to the same end. Bottom line: never been inside. Fast forward to today. After running some errands, I found myself smack-dab in the middle of downtown Tempe right around high noon. Where to eat? So many things come to mind, but they either seem uninteresting or too much of a hassle for a pop-in lunch. As I started to walk toward home, I encountered one of those sidewalk signs advertising a "build-your-own burger basket" for only 5 bucks. Upon further review, it also said they had drink specials between 11a.m. and 11p.m. I immediately looked for an asterisk to direct me towards the fine print, but there was none! (Note: It's my day off...I'm not getting loose on my lunch hour) Where am I, I thought. Zuma Grill? My mind immediately flashed back to those images of shiny shirts in line for Long Islands. Ah, what the heck, let's do this. The place was fairly empty except for what appeared to be small groups of folks from the surrounding offices on their lunch breaks. I took a spot at the bar and got a Skyy and Red Bull ($4 all day) and a menu. I skipped the burger special and ordered a Buffalo chicken salad instead. Within about 5 minutes my food arrived, just as I was sucking back my 2nd drink. I was pleasantly surprised that the chicken was grilled (I was anticipating deep fried "fingers"). For 8 bucks, it was a satisfying lunch. I cleaned the plate and kicked back a couple more drinks before tabbing out. Score!...forgot to add one of those to my bill. This seems to happen to me more and more lately, not that I'm complaining. Zuma makes a decent lunch spot, and I'm glad I gave it a shot. Can't say that I would ever try to stop in after the sun goes down, though!
(3)Vi W.
Zumba is just an average bar. They have decent music and drinks but the place is just too small and gets crowded quick! I came here for reverse happy hour a few days ago and had their wings, which were decent. If you want cheaper drinks, a little more room, and pool then I suggest Cue right next door.
(3)Brittany T.
I like Zuma and I don't think it warrants such a negative rating. I've been a fan of Zuma since I started school at ASU and I was only able to go for the food. I really enjoy their grilled cheese sandwich (plain, I know!) and also they have a great appetizer that is a tomato stuffed with either tuna or chicken salad. Definitely one my favorites. Mainly, I like zuma because the bartenders and staff are always very nice and accommodating. I never have to wait for a drink with them and very often they are pretty giving with generously poured drinks and occasionally a free shot or two for myself and my friends. They also have a fabulous ladies night on Wednesdays where they have free food and champagne for girls (yes, it's not fair boys complain complain complain but you guys get plenty of perks in other industries!). Favorite bartenders are Tommy Tau and Mike!
(4)Vaishali N.
I should have paid heed to my friend's incessant complaints about this place, but I'm the type of girl that has to go through a bad experience to learn from it. I am trying to gather my thoughts together to explain why I think this establishment deserves such a low rating. Anyway, let me begin. I should have been more observant before venturing here. From the outside, I saw a bunch of little men with Troll-esque hair to compensate for their short stature. They were embarking in the "fist pumping" movement. Blech. No doubt, they thought they were the chosen people. I ignored the unsettling feeling in my stomach, and due to my friends that desired to go here, I held my breath and walked in. Before I go on, I will add that I have been here before. During the summer, I would stumble in here on the later half of my Monday nights. My friends preferred Fat Tuesday's for their dollar drinks and laid back crowd, but I always wanted to go to Zuma to look at the "pretty people" with their meticulous hair cuts, and their blemish free faces. I suppose I am slightly masochistic. Anyway, I guess I have had it. I am boycotting this place, no matter how tempting it looks. The bartenders spend more time gazing upon their reflection in the mirror and catering to their narcissistic tendencies than serving their clientele. The bouncers act like they have had Botox on their faces and can not muster a smile, unless their "douche" friends swat them in their arms and that's when their face cracks. I mean, there are one or two that are tolerable. Birds of a feather flock together. May I add that this is the watering hole for men and women that think they are levels above everyone in this place. This is Tempe. This isn't a glamorous red-carpet event. I'm sorry, but when I go out, I want to be surrounded by people that don't look down on me. I found something even more amusing. The people that were acting the most arrogant were inches shorter than I was. Napoleon Complex, anyone? Oh, and yes...as far as the drinks go. They are mediocre. Nothing special. Kiss my brown ass, Zuma! If I ever venture by your side again, I'm going to Cue Club where the people actually are classier than you.
(1)Karrie K.
My girlfriends and I love to go out for ladies night and Zuma always looks like it's happening just because everyone is outside...but you go inside and normally it's dead :( I love the pole in the back and the overall ambiance. The bartenders are normally nice yet they never know their drink prices, special prices and often ring them up incorrectly... For some reason I keep coming back...BUT the main thing that pisses me off about this place is the seemingly buff blonde "bouncer" aka ASU IthinkI'mcoolwithauthority guy with a shirt that says security. Thursday night, 3/21, my friends and I went to Zuma and this same douschey "security guard" was here again. He takes my ID, looks at it, shines his light on it, looks at me, looks at it, repeat this process 3 times then seriously almost folds it completely in half twice. You fucking kidding me? You want to break my license? I said "hey man please don't bend it that hard, if you break it I'm screwed..." and he goes "well if it's real it won't break". Okay...so you want to test its limits and try to break it? Credit cards would break with that pressure. Dousche. Another night with this same guy my girlfriend and I got out of our cab, hadn't had anything to drink, she was wearing extremely tall heels and she scuffed the front on a loose brick, she caught her footing, barely unbalanced, laughed and kept walking. We go to give him our IDs and before he even looked at them he holds up his hand and goes "OH NO NO I saw you stumble drunk I can't let you in here." Seriously? Get off your power trip you balding loser and actually do your job of deciphering whether someone is coherent based on meritable tests, not because someone scuffs their shoe. Please. Get rid of this prick.
(2)Mark N.
Always fun, always good music. Even food @ lunch is pretty good. (Burger special).
(5)Craig M.
SO DISAPPOINTED. Stopped in on a Monday night, we were one of 5 tables. My first impression was the staff could care less if me and my family were in there or not. My kids were excited with their "build your own burger", so we went in. Waitress forgot our appetizer, the build your own burger wasnt anything bigger than a McDonalds hamburger (good enough for my kids tho). I ordered a ceasar salad, which came with NO DRESSING. Waitress only came back to give us the bill. No check back, no drink refills, no "how is everything?" Just another bar on Mill Ave, passing the time until Friday and Saturday. Keep walking if your looking for a place to eat. This might be good for bar hopping, just not to eat.
(1)Steven G.
Met up with some old friends for dinner here and it wasn't too bad. Spent about 8 bucks on an okay burger and a drink so make sure you take advantage of their happy hour. Parking on Mill can be a pain in the ass sometimes but Zuma is close to the parking lots and garages. My only knocks on the place was that the food was average which is why I am only giving it a 3 star.
(3)Nicola V.
When my friends were talking about coming to this bar, all I heard was to try their famous drink, the Zuma drink. Being an out of towner, I really wanted to try a "Mill St, Tempe AZ" only drink. However, I'm glad I got a sip of my friend's Zuma drink, because I opted for my grey goose/pineapple regular instead. That Zuma drink, to me, was a lot of watered down redbull with some store brand vodka. IN THEIR DEFENSE, my friends who are locals in Tempe said the bartender made that Zuma drink bad, and it's usually better. I'll take their word for it....I think. (-) small dance area, okay music (+) big bar PS My friend just told me it's actually called Zuma Juice (not drink) and called me a butthead. Whatever, it just meant that it wasn't memorable!!!
(2)Peter N.
This is a great bar with great prices, I've gone here so much I've developed a relationship with the doormen they always hook it up (thanks), and also there are a lot of people I know that either work here full time or for special occasions. There bust night is Toxic Monday's. It gets wall to wall packed so I would suggest getting there early unless you know the people at the door you can hop in the VIP line. They do tend to make people wait in line quite awhile here, because its a small place, and it gets packed quickly. Don't try to wear athletic/baggy attire here because they will not let you in what so ever. I know they do a ladies night on wed and Tuesday night they usually let a local DJ take over on the decks and on the weekend except for Thursday it is a typical packed Mill Ave Bar. They also offer table and bottle service sky bottles starting cheap and champagne starting at only $40 a great place to get a buzz on mill. They are also famous for there Zuma Juice and Snorkel. (be sure to ask Jackson he has a mowhawk to make you a snorkel).
(5)Melissa H.
Maybe I like Zuma because we go early and leave early and are never there for the annoying crowds. But seriously, this is still our go-to place on Mill for cheap drinks. It was the first place our group hit up on Saturday for the pub crawl and it did not disappoint in the cheap category. $2 Miller Lite bottles and $3 Zuma Juice were the drinks enjoyed by my husband and I. Chris said the Zuma Juice (vanilla vodka, cherry vodka, cherry juice, sprite and redbull) was like drinking Kool-Aid. Also on special were $4 Skyy and RedBull and $5 Jagerbombs. So for $13 (before tip) Chris and I enjoyed five drinks. Also, service at Zuma whether you are at the bar or a table is always fast if you go early. Even though it was logical on how our group was split (three couples), our waitress still took the time to keep everything seperate and gave each couple a bill instead of having us have to figure it out. Not a bad daytime/early evening option on Mill, but I definitely wouldn't go late at night.
(4)Michelle H.
I went to Zuma Grill for lunch, and it was awesome! I have very high standards for green chile, since I am from New Mexico, and their green chile pork stew was great. I also had their bacon cheese burger with green chile. I highly recommend eating there. In fact, I signed up for Yelp specifically so I could write a review on the delicious food offered at Zuma Grill.
(5)Marty F.
I was pleasantly surprised about this place. In the evening time this place seems to be the happening club vibe; bouncers outside checking the IDs of ASU students, lights going all over the place and music fills the air. However we were there for some food earlier before anything really started. When first walking in, the place really looks like a dive bar. All the booths are on the ends of the place with a huge opening in the middle. TIP: if you are a big person.. ya might be a bit uncomfortable in certain booths. We ordered some drinks and then checked out the menu. The menu has things that seemed like they were trying to be a hip place to eat.. so I guess that gave me the impression that the food would suck. So glad I was wrong. I ordered their BLTA sandwich (Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, & Avocado) and ohhhh was it good. Came with a side of seasoned french fries. Delicious. My girlfriend got a chicken sandwich she loved and my buddy got their huge plate of nachos. For a bar/grill, they really had good food. I only have it three stars because of the venue itself. The name of the place is Zuma Grill, but it definitely felt like a bar that had food should you request it. Would I eat there again? Of course I would. But I would make sure to be there before the club crowd gets there.
(3)Beth B.
I went with some friends on a Friday night.. the crowd was a great mix and everyone was really friendly, granted.. i am from atlanta, and so I did catch a little hell about my accent.. I had fun. They played a good mix of music, it was a good time.
(3)Jade K.
I LOVE Zuma. I hate the celebrity bar tending night which is possibly Wednesday? But, I love the regular staff that you encounter on any normal night. While in school I lived in walking distance from Mill and Zuma quickly became my favorite bar. I was able to celebrate my 21st birthday here and then continue the tradition of coming here ritually every weekend for an entire year - oftentimes during the week too. The bartenders (Chuddy, Tommy, Tony, Mike) are all so friendly and easy to talk to that they are half the reason we came so much and so early. Most people don't start the party until later but we were always at Zuma during happy hour or for burgers just to hang out. Once everyone does pile in - it gets very crowded and very loud. You should get bottle service. It helps a lot and if you're tired of dancing you can sit down and drink. I love this place and can't wait to go back and see everyone! Oh, plus - if you can stand the smell of alcohol after a night of slamming it back, they have unbelievable burger baskets. I believe it's 3 toppings on your burger (including cheese/avocado/bacon & many others) plus fries for 5 bucks. Talk about a deal and something great for a hung over stomach.
(5)Christie S.
I was here for their monthly girls night and it looked like so much fun! I didn't get to partake in any of the festivities since I was teaching pole dance tricks, but the bar had free champagne from 9-11, a chocolate fountain with strawberries and bananas, free gifts in a raffle for various local businesses and $3.00 drinks all night. They have a pole installed in the back with seats all around so you can get your pole on with your friends! The place is pretty small, but cozy and the staff were so friendly. They had great music playing that you could dance to and the burger I had was great!
(4)Jeannette T.
Stopped in on a scorching Saturday afternoon with a group for a quick lunch. Seating was limited but we were practically the only ones there at that time of day so it didn't matter. We weren't expecting much, just typical bar fare - but we were all impressed. Good menu selection and when I got my food it was delicious - as was everyone elses. I'd go again, no doubt!
(4)Melanie K.
Great place for Happy Hour! My husband and I went to Zuma Grill for happy hour. We sat outside and enjoyed our cheap eats. I loved the $4.99 burger basket with sweet potato fries. Staff was nice and quick. I would definitely go back.
(5)Valerie M.
Monday night attract a bros and hos crowd that thinks they are better than everyone else with a few cool people mixed in. The bar is small and there is nowhere to sit so prepare to stand all night. I will only come here on a Monday because there is nowhere else to go.
(2)Chica S.
I hate Zuma! They are always crazy crowded! the space is so awkwardly shaped moving around or getting to the bar is nuts. This past weekend the line for the ladies' room was horrendous because they only had one working stall. Boo!
(1)Danielle T.
Zuma is a seemingly fun happening place on Mill. I've been to Zuma a few times in the past and have never really cared for it. And I have yet to find a reason as to why it seems to always be packed. The smokers' patio in the front must be why it always seemed packed thereby giving off the illusion that it's packed because at times, when you get past the packed smokers' patio, and actually enter the bar itself, it's dead. Given, they have some decent music and they have drink special that aren't that bad, but the atmosphere and the people aren't enough to overcome their shortcomings. The crowd there seems to be trying a bit too hard to be something they obviously are not. The girls are trying a bit too hard and end up seeming classless. For The men, well can anyone "Tool Academy, future class of ..."? Actually, the students of Tool Academy might be a step up from the men that seem to gravitate to and work at Zuma. The bartenders are a bit of an ass hat, what with their superior attitude and their less than superior looks. You think if they'd be trying to imitate a Scottsdale feeling, the tool of a bartender would at least mix like one and look like one if they insist on wearing those tight V neck tees. Their mixing abilities, not the best. I get my usual mixed drink and it wasn't up to par as it is in some other places. The only way to survive this place is if you're already drunk.
(1)A D.
Place is too small and always crowded. Pretty hard to get in if you're a dude and not friends with the bouncer since the line is long and they let in 2 people every 15 mins. The bald headed bouncer loves his free hugs from the ladies and lets them in without checking their ids most of the time. I love their music mostly hip hop but towards the end of the night it gets so crowded that the ASU dudes are ready to get into fights for stepping on each others foot!
(2)Lauren V.
during the day, when it's nice out, i like this joint. you can sit in a large booth that rests right up against the patio, so it feels like you're outside. small patio, food is OK. basic hamburgers and sandwiches bar food fare. lots of brews on tap, which is always a plus. weekend nights i haven't been in a long time, but i imagine it gets really crowded, not because it's amazing, but because it's a bar on mill.
(3)Alisha M.
Zuma Grille is wonderful during the daytime when it is a restaurant serving lunch, however, the minute it turns into a bar it looses all appeal for me. It is an under lit, cramped space in which there are too many people trying to fit. The bathrooms are strategically placed in the very back (which may take you 10 or more minutes to get to if you are trying to navigate through the sea of people) and all tables or seating areas are reserved so don't even think about sitting down because you will be forced to move. The drinks are overpriced (however, the bartenders are very good looking) and the DJ spins very generic music (mostly rap and R&B) which might be somewhat fun to dance to if there were enough room to do so. The crowd is comparable to what you would find in a Scottsdale club; very good looking people but very pretentious.
(2)Christina W.
I would choose no star if I could. A bunch of us girls from SF came to AZ for a bachelorette party. We came to this bar and was harassed for what the bald headed bouncer thought was a fake id. Come on we're celebrating a bachelorette! We're all 30+. He held on to one of our girls id for more than half and hour telling us he was going to have the police validate. Well, we suspected he never told the police, he was just trying not to let us in, because we were asian. we were very disappointed to see that all non asians were let in the bar as the bouncer hugged every girl. So we finally called the police and before we got through the bouncer got nervous and gave us our id back. In a college town, in Western america we get discrimination??? They will be getting a notice from the Better Business Bureau soon. Thanks a lot for ruining our Saturday night Baldie. You should be ashamed of yourselves.
(1)Maurice G.
Surprisingly, since I'm a sour, but dapper twenty-something, toe-ing thirty years old, I don't hate this place. With the right company -- and please beleive, you have to be with the perfect group -- Zuma is a pretty good time. The drinks are pricey by college-student standards, but for people with actual incomes, its a reasonably economical choice for drinks. Their minute smoking patio is silly and you can overhear some real idiots talking about the most menial shit like you used to talk about in college [or present-day, after pints of Gran Reserva Tequila]. Zuma is a pretty good option before going to play with the grown ups elsewhere on Mill.
(3)Daniel H.
I have to say up front I used to hate, with a capital H, Zuma. Well a buddy made me go back and I was shocked, it wasn't as bad as I remembered. Yes the guys were still pretty douchey and the girls were obviously not talking about art and politics, but wait its a bar on mill, not the fucking Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, from CNN, do I have to explain everything to you? My main problem was really with the staff but I noticed the crew working was not the same as my last visit. I spoke with a bouncer and he mentioned they had changed it up a little, I say bravo. Zuma is worth another look.
(4)Tyrone B.
Hate this place so much. It must be an employment requirement for any male (bartenders and bouncers) to be roid-monkey d-bags who spend more time flexing and hitting on chicks than actually doing a half-decent job. The space itself SUCKS, there are always people just standing everywhere, no traffic flow whatsoever, and it's a nightmare if you ever have to run the gauntlet in an attempt to take a piss in the tiny bathrooms located allllll the way in the very back. Navigating through a sea of ASU's finest collection of Affliction-wearing tools is not my idea of a good time. The only reason I can even justify a single star is because the "Zuma Juice" IS actually pretty tasty and cheap, there was one extremely hot female bartender, and Soloman holds a residency there and is one of the better dj's in PHX when you're in a forced top 40 environment. Otherwise, I generally try to avoid this place like the plague, while there are usually a few cute girls here, they're usually a bunch of vapid retards whose admittance into ANY college leaves me totally amazed.
(1)Kelly W.
I've been to this bar on a few occasions. I love the food! Their seasoned fries are to die for. The bartenders aren't that knowledgable when it comes to cocktails and only seem to know the basics so if you're looking for a more sophisticated cocktail menu, this isn't your place. However, if you're looking for the basics and enjoy drinking with the ASU crowd you'll feel at home here. They also do a killer ladies night on the last Wednesday of every month with free champagne for the women!
(3)jay b.
dont be fooled by the queue, its not as busy inside as it is out. a bit small but still good for dancing. i always have a good time here which I cant say about a lot of places girls here are good
(4)Eric L.
If you like dark crowded hallways that play music way too loud, than this is the place for you. This place is way too small for the amount of people they let in and there is no dance area but plenty of music to dance to. During the day it's not to bad but avoid when there is line out front because it will be way too crowded and impossible to get a drink.
(2)Bone D.
Place is pretty ill. Got some good brews on tap to sip on and they do make your drinks pretty strong. The only thing is it is way too packed and if your trying to chill outside its not gonna be comfortable. One of the best on Mill, though.
(4)James A.
If you could give zero stars I would. This place is literally the worst bar I have ever been into. If you love super loud club music, no lighting, expensive drinks, and douchey Frat dudes you will love this place! You cannot see anything its complete dark, the drinks are terrible, weak, and pricey. you cant talk at all because the top 40 techno remix music is way too loud, and the only people there who are bigger douchebags than the patrons are the Affliction tee, Tribal tattooed bartenders. With so many other great options on Mill, just keep walking, this place absolutely sucks.
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