ZEN Asian Fusion Tapas & Lounge
2315 Santa Clara Ave, Alameda, CA, 94501
ZEN Asian Fusion Tapas & Lounge Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Alameda for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Alameda for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Alameda for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
2315 Santa Clara Ave
Alameda, CA, 94501 - Phone (510) 521-7070
- Website https://www.zenasiantapas.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :5:00 pm - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
A. M.
A parent from my daughter's soccer team suggested I try this place out. So, last night, a friend and I decided to check it out. It's a great sign when the owner comes out and introduces herself. She's just awesome! To learn that it's her and her family that are pretty much running the place was great to know. Well let's start with the drinks. I had to try the Sakitini with Lychee. I still have know idea what lychee is but suffice it say it's fabulous. And what a kick! I'm know lite weight but this drink had some punch to it!! We had the salmon carpacchio, tuna tartar with wontons, roasted duck watercress salad, the prawn and scallops with white rice, and of course, we had to try the sweet potatoe fries with that kickin' spicy aioli dip. All of the dishes were just like some flavorfull explosion the instant they touch your tongue! The salmon as smooth as silk and just melted in your mouth. I was totally unprepared for the sweet potatoes fries - WOWWA! Needless to say this experience was magical. We'll definately go back for more. Anna
(5)amy k.
Drool...I can't stop thinking about those crispy sweet potato and taro fries and the spicy garlic aioli...SO worth the 3 miles I ran on the treadmill this morning... Then there's the delicious Basil Fried Rice...and the Kimchi Fried Rice...big yummy bowls of comfort...another 2 miles on the treadmill... Followed by the delicious Sea Steak Salad-seared ahi tuna on a bed of greens with wasabi cream dressing, and the Cold Duck Nooodle Salad...both were refreshing and had the perfect amount of spice. Finally the 4 desserts- mango mousse cake, raspberry mousse cake, chocolate molten lava cake, and coffee creme brulee-- all were TO DIE FOR, especially the coffee creme brulee. Every bite was scrumptious at Zen and so worth the marathon I'll have to run to work it off!
(5)Joshua C.
Great service and prices. Asian inspired cocktails with Asian vodka and sake. Lychee-tinin was perfection. They use real lychee puree. Yum. The Asian fries were good, but the spicy aoili got a little too rich after a while. I used some of the sauce from the Yin & Yang Wings (sweet chili sauce) and that was a good combination! Other dished we had were - Kim chi fried rice (ordered with no beef), Soft shell crab done katsu style, Agedashi tofu (no bonito flakes) and the raw cherry stone clams. What made this dinner enjoyable was the staff. They checked on us frequently without being all up in our business. I loved the big couch bench they have. It's so comfy and perfect to lean back on after eating. Their menu has a lot of seafood, which I don't really eat. I think they could use a few more chicken and vegetarian items on the menu. I'd go back for cocktails and the Asian fries. I hear they have happy hour too, so that would be worth a visit.
(4)My best mea l.
Just went on Valentine's day. We didn't have reservations but only had to wait fifteen minutes. We were headed for Barceluna which we loved in its old location near the theatre. It felt like a hidden gem because it was small but had great food. The new Barceluna likes like a high end restaurant but the prices have increased to boot. Anyways back to Zen. While we were waiting for our table, we fired up Yelp on our iPhone to get recommendations. We're really glad we did. We ordered the Asian Fries, Wakame Salad, Tuna Tartar, Kakuni Pork, Roast Duck Vermicelli Salad and Salmon Carpaccio. The Asian Fries were good but I'll have to disagree with most people here. I liked them but didn't love them. For great fries you can't beat Java in San Francisco (look it up here in Yelp). The Wakame Salad was standard seaweed salad but it was exactly what I wanted. For the price, the portion was a great size. My wife and I finished all of it. The Tuna Tartare was good but not a big wow factor. Ours could have been seasoned better. The chips that came with it were very nice though. Next up was the Kakuni Pork. This showed their Asian flavor and was a lot like Chinese bacon. Melt in your mouth good but the pork fat got to be too much after a while. By time the Roast Duck Vermicelli Salad came we were getting rather full. That probably skewed our expectations. It was good but not the big wow factor I've heard. Our last dish was the Salmon Carpaccio. I loved the presentation and the red onions, capers and daikon sprouts were great. I rolled up the Salmon with the veggies inside and it was a great bite. This place deserves five stars because the food was top notch and the prices were very reasonable. For the quality and quantity, they could easily charge 20-30% more. Of course, in this economy they're wise to keep the prices down to keep the patrons coming in (hint, hint). Oh and by the way, we ordered hot tea with our dinner. I was pleasantly surprised to see it comp'd and not on our bill. That's standard fare in my hole in the wall chinese restaurant but I expected to be charged. I'll be back again with more people. Highly recommended!
(5)Mamma B.
This place is so yummy! I ate and ate...well maybe a little too much! We ordered: *Butter Lettuce Salad- basic but refreshing, a great start *Eggplant- I forgot the full name but if you like a smoky grilled flavor you will love it. I ate the whole plate since the bf doesn't like eggplant. His loss. *Asian Fries- these are so damn good you cannot get enough. Taro and sweet potatoe tempura dipped and fried in nice clean oil served with some kind of aoili that was delish. We ordered 2 (which I regretted in the am). *Teryaki Salmon- my bf LOVED this, I was like "ok, it's good" but I am never too impressed by teryaki since itis easy and basic to prepare. *Grilled shrimp- tasty and great quality shrimp. Could have used a bit more flavor like a zippy sauce drizzled over it or dip or something. *Rasberry Charlotte- my bf loved this! I thought it was fresh, fruity and satisfying. The filling was a bit gelatenous...is that a word? Loved the fresh rasberries. Their desserts look very indulgent and plated nicely. My bf thought he might still be hungry, but after a closing round of Asian Fries he was full and we decided to skip the movie and go home to sleep :) Service was GREAT while ordering, then drops off a bit. Wish they would have cleaned our table mid-meal as those Asian Fries make a mess! We didn't order alcohol, so we didn't get the real attentive service but we are used to that. We will definitely be back...so many other dishes to try!
(4)Dianna T.
The sushi pizza is great!
(4)Tracey D.
Finally, food in Alamediocre is looking up! Started with the Zen Beef Carpaccio. Yummy, fresh and light (well, as light as beef gets). How good? I couldn't stop making nummy-nummy noises. Asian Fries with spicy aioli were lightly tempura'ed and fried until crisp. The aoli really made the flavors come together-a great combination! A bargain-$4 for a generous portion. Kakuni Pork was good, although I think Bagan does it better. It was a little fattier than I like-I know it's bacon, but there is a certain meat-to-fat ratio that I prefer. Served with spinach and a dollop of rice. Unagi Kabayaki was decent, nothing to rave about. For the chocoholics, save room for the molten chocolate cake! It was almost too chocolate-y...almost. Can't wait to go back again. A dining experience that I am excited about. In Alameda???
(5)Julie C.
I came here with my family for my birthday dinner. I thought the place was pretty yet quite small. The food was just decent. I mean nothing was extraordinary about it. Although, I do recommend their Asian Fries, and the desserts. It's a must have!! For those interested in Asian Fusion type of food. Defintely check, this place out!!
(3)Eric M.
The atmosphere was very chic and modern which is a nice departure than the traditional Japanese motif. There were comfortable couch style seating and the space didn't feel too crowded. As far as food and drink all of it was beautifully plated and served. The food came in very modern looking plates and bowls and the drinks were served in curved cocktail glasses. The taste was nothing to write home about it was quite average. I was expecting fusion of flavors but the menu wasn't as creative as I though it could have been.
(3)James N.
This is a true treasure not only for Alameda, but for the bay area as a whole. We go to ALOT of Japanese and Asian Fusion Restaurants, I even used to run one. This is not only the best Tapas I have had in the bay area, but the single best dining experience i have had in the last 5 years. Their cocktalis are fantastic. Dishes to Try: Pork Belly Rib Eye Sushi Pizza Asian Fries Scallops and Shrimp Every item we have tried we LOVE! The owner/operator is FANTASTIC. She is personable and pleasant. She truly makes you feel like a VIP family member. The wait staff is FANTASTIC. Seriously, we never waited for our table to be bussed, drinks/food to arrive, or to order the next shift of amazing food. This establishment sets the standard for dining for the entire bay area, it is a honor to patronize this place.
(5)Van L.
We went to this restaurant on a lark a few Saturdays ago. The hostess and our waitress were very kind and helpful. The vibe at the restaurant is warm and family friendly. It's a family owned restaurant, too, so you'd be supporting a mom and pop joint. We highly recommend their taro and sweet potato fries with a garlic aioli. Very flavorful and delicious. We devoured the entire basket and would've purchased a bottle of the aioli if they had it. We also ordered their salmon carpaccio. That was also very yummy, balanced nicely with lemon & olive oil drizzled on top. Although the quality of the fish is superb, we found a lot of their dishes to be one note. For example, the Tuna Tartare lacked flavor. We had to ask for wasabi and soy sauce. The dish just was not well seasoned. We ordered a total of 6 dishes, and most lacked a wow factor.
(3)Maria L.
Looking in from the outside I wasn't too impressed until I went inside and was greated and served very warmly. I came in with my husband and 2 children (3 year old and 7 month old). They were very accomidating and had fantastic service. Aside from the great service, I really enjoyed the mix of food and the presentation. I recommend the seafood mix, asian fries and their chicken wings. Their salmon chicken wasn't anything out of the ordinary. I would go back again and recommend to others. Good experience and good food :)
(5)Meg L.
Awesome place for Asian fusion tapa! Love their service and ambiance. Welcomed with smiles and attentive service, our group was impressive with their innovative dishes. I personally LOVE Japanese and Korean cuisines, and I'm very impressed by the creatively blended ingredients & tastes. The price wasn't bad at all, and we gotta try many different tapas. Here are the must-order dishes: Asian fries (i love the dip) Jap/Kimchi oysters Spicy sushimi salad Zen tuna melt Tiger eyes (don't order this if you don't like squid. the sauce is excellent) Kimchi fried rice Mentiko spaghetti (Two thumbs up! note: very creamy) Clam & Mussels in cream sauce I guess their desserts are really good (from looking at our next table), but i had no room for dessert by then. Anyway, i definitely will go there again!
(5)Patti j.
Food is pretty good for a small plate and price point. Not a fan of Low alcohol drinks. Service is good.I really like the food here will go back.
(4)Alex L.
Great place to take friends and family for a great meal. The restaurant has its genuine small town feel in all of the greatest ways. Friendly environment with a great owner and staff. It also doesn't hurt that they have delicious food that will have you leaving with a smile on your face and a full stomach.
(5)Robert B.
Had another great dinner at Zen this evening. Kudos to Lydia and Christine (aka Bala) for not only the wonderful dishes but the friendly service. If you haven't eaten there yet, you've got to go. Unique and interesting menu items - all of which are delicious - great service, and prices that will fit anyone's budget. I can't wait to go back!
(5)Siu Mei M.
after searching for an hour for a place to eat, my friends and i finally settled on zen restaurant. outside looks like... the normal alameda private owned business, but the inside was super nice! the interior is very inviting and set up really well. the bathroom sink is really kool too haha. i ordered a pear saketini which was okay. a little bit weak, but didnt taste all that bad. but... as it is a martini, i wish i could taste the alcohol a bit more. for my meal, i ordered a seafood bake which was amazing i loved it! perfect size too. restaurants seem to always give so much dang food. i mean it looks small but it filled me up like crazy. but, if servings that look small actually are small for you, i suggest ordering 2 meals or an appetizer to go along with your main dish. the plates and glasses were all really interesting too. service was good and pretty quick, but i did come late at night too (9pm?) cuz i see a lot of people complaining about service on here. def would come back. i wanna try the fries next time since everyone is raving about them!
(4)Bri L.
workers are very friendly & food is awesome!!!
(5)danielle d.
Tried this brand new spot on a whim last Friday night and loved it! The place was empty when we arrived (which I usually hate) but we got great service and super delicious food. I wanted to try almost everything on the menu (lomi lomi salmon, kimchi oysters, fish-n-chips, pork belly, beef carpaccio, hamachi sashimi, ...too much to mention!.) We shared the lobster bisque, baked clams, wagyu beef salad, and crab club... all so good! The owners were gracious and fun, and seem really engaged in providing fresh ingredients and inspired cooking. Finally some fantastic young energy on the Alameda restaurant scene! ***Update*** Second time was just as good as the first... Kimchi oysters - inventive, simple, delicious. Carpaccio - a lot going on, but still tasty and beautiful. Fish&Chips - a heavenly panko crust envelopes light, fresh, flaky fish along with those delicious fries and both aioli and caper tarter sauce. Ceviche - served with micro-sprouts on top (in Alameda!!!) Squash soup - healthy, hearty, and comforting. Seaweed salad - super delicious, and I don't usually like seaweed. Fabulous!
(5)Lucky M.
Awesome place to go for a GNO (Girls Night Out) to chat it up with the girls and get the latest gossip, while sipping on a cocktail and enjoying all the good asian tapas this place has to offer. We must've had about 10 different tapas (maybe more) and all were fantastic. I think my favorite was the Asian Tuna Melt. It just melted in my mouth. And the Asian Fries, woah gotta try them, I couldn't stop munching on them, in fact I wanted to get a second order, but my friend told me not to because we had a lot of food coming. She was right. I was so stuffed by the end of our meal. It's a good addition to the array of Alameda restaurants.
(4)Gina W.
For a Wednesday night the place was pretty packed. The waitress who served us was really nice and friendly and gave some helpful suggestions. We ordered the Asian fries, steamed mussels, Lomi Lomi, Beef Carpaccio, Lamb and Kimchi fried rice. All were good dishes, the lamb was a bit small for the price but by then we were so full it was fine. The kimchi fried rice was really tasty! I would definitely come back again.
(4)Ed Y.
I wanted to take my GF to a nice dinner for a special occasion and usually I would find something in SF that I know has good food. Anything else, you're tempting fate. So I tempted fate, and tried some place I've never been, Zen Restaurant. I wanted to try this place during the day, just to be sure, but they're only open during the evenings as of this writing. Oh well, buy flowers from Lyal Nickals for my GF and all will be fine. I pick up my GF after work and have to show her the massive roses I had gotten for her because the roses literally took up the trunk of my car. She's very happy, and that's all that matters. We are able to find fantastic parking and head in. Zen Restaurant has that chic lounge feeling, and is totally something you would find in trendy SF. Lounge music, flat screen TV, and a mom with kids having dinner, remember you're in Alameda, not SF. Anyways... What we ordered: Tuna Tartar **** Seafood Ceviche **** (mango, avocado, red onions, tomatoes, shiso, scallops, salmon, shrimp, cilantro) Kaki Fry ****1/2 (Fried flattened oysters) Zen Beef Carpaccio ****** Ying & Yang Wings **** Asian Fries ***** Samuri cocktail ***** (Asian vodka, sake, Asian pear, Fuji apple) Mango Melon Martini **** Out of ***** stars Snap, this place is fantastic. I really liked all the dishes that came out, the flavors were well balanced for all the dishes, but there were standouts like their Zen Beef Carpaccio and Asian Fries. I liked wrapping up all the little pieces, capers, onions, and Romano cheese, into a roll of beef carpaccio to get all the flavors the chef wanted you to taste in a single bite and it was absolutely delicious. The Asian Fries with the spicy aioli sauce is just top notch; the taro fries were especially flavorful with the sauce. The Kaki Fry oysters were also tasty, especially considering that usually I'm only ok with oysters in general. Both the Kaki Fry and Ying&Yang Wings each had their own sauce in a separate dish so you can control how much sauce you like. I also really liked my Samuri cocktail because it was very well balanced. We were definitely full after five dishes and cocktails, but we had to try the Asian Fries and we're glad we did. After tempting fate, Zen Restaurant exceeded my expectations with reasonably priced and good to great dishes. Dishes ranged from $4-$18 with most dishes in the $7-$11 range as of this writing. We spent about $30 + tip per person, and you could spend less. I also want to point out that we had wonderful service from everyone at the restaurant. My GF really enjoyed Zen and we later topped off the night with some gelato down the street. From my point of view, Zen Restaurant is definitely a little gem that I would go back to. Zen has all the pieces and flavors that would make it big in SF, but since its in Alameda, I don't have to fight for parking or higher prices that many SF restaurants command. I would definitely recommend Zen Restaurant to anyone. Go get some!
(5)Dragon M.
I have eaten here twice and both times were delicious. I would definitely recommend the following; Basil Fried Rice, Soft Shelled Crab, Seafood Bake, Deepfried Oysters, Lamb Chops. Just stay away from the Prawn salad the dressing tasted like perfume.
(4)Manni P.
nice concept, asian take on tapas or some of us may call...iono...dimsum? they serve all alcohol derived from rice, like rice-vodka and rice tequila, it's good stuff, drinks are delicious...don't get me wrong. ambience has fallen short, to sit on a lumpy couch and have asian tapas? pass. that's just downright disgusting. you know those kinds of couches, house the most FECAL matter!??!! it is like a vacuum suction of poop particles! gah! pass pass! I also enjoyed some of the food, basil fried rice and those sweet potato fries?! oh heck to the yes! salmon capaccio, bland! bland...it's thinly slice salmon, water crest, capers drizzled with olive oil...and i'm pretty sure it was soaked in EVOO. all and all, sorta fun with the right people, food was good and service doen with a smile. that's more than I can say about asian restaurants around town. good luck and FTW #local businesses!
(3)Emily H.
i have been to this place twice and it was delicious both times. The Asian Fries are good, as most people recommend. Their Mussels are decadently flavorful in both broths, lemongrass and cream. Their cocktails are not strong, so if you like to feel the alcohol content after only one drink, you wont find it. Maybe after two bullet trains (their most potent mixed drink) you might. The service is good, and its only a few blocks form home, makes this a neighborhood fave'.
(4)KH G.
Great place but food is inconsistent. One some nights, the food tastes great, worth raving about. However, on other nights, just okay. Wish I can remember which are better than the others. When my freinds come to Alameda to visit, this is the place I take them to. Alameda's not a boring little island city anymore! Zen's got fairly trendy lounge decor, comfy couches, easy parking, girly drinks, and best of all, tapas! I've found myself coming back again many times, just to try something new. Here is a list of tapas I make sure my table orders: Asian Fries (sweet potato tempura) Kimchi Fried Rice Beef Carpaccio Seafood Ceviche
(4)Heather H.
Delectable, flavorful, mouthwatering and DELICIOUS, is how I would describe the food. The menu is extremely unique, from taro/sweet potato fries, palatable clams that are seasoned to perfection, to their thinly slice hamachi and tuna tartre..WOW is all I can say. The drink menu complaints the food and the SERVICE is so friendly and quick to service you. I recommend this place to EVERYONE who loves classy, structural , extremely tasty food....
(5)C B.
I am so excited about this place! Try the house spaghetti. It sounds like a crazy suggestion in an asian fusion restaurant, but I'm not crazy. At our table of 4, it was the favorite. We tried the tuna tartare, seared tuna salad, kimchi oysters and sauted clams. all were excellent. the only thing we didn't care for was the crab BLT. it wasn't awful, but the bread was not the best. i can't wait to go back. great variety on the menu! small plates, lite fare! love this place!!
(5)Edmund Y.
I wanted to take my GF to a nice dinner for a special occasion and usually I would find something in SF that I know has good food. Anything else, you're tempting fate. So I tempted fate, and tried some place I've never been, Zen Restaurant. I wanted to try this place during the day, just to be sure, but they're only open during the evenings as of this writing. Oh well, buy flowers from Lyal Nickals for my GF and all will be fine. I pick up my GF after work and have to show her the massive roses I had gotten for her because the roses literally took up the trunk of my car. She's very happy, and that's all that matters. We are able to find fantastic parking and head in. Zen Restaurant has that chic lounge feeling, and is totally something you would find in trendy SF. Lounge music, flat screen TV, and a mom with kids having dinner, remember you're in Alameda, not SF. Anyways... What we ordered: Tuna Tartar **** Seafood Ceviche **** (mango, avocado, red onions, tomatoes, shiso, scallops, salmon, shrimp, cilantro) Kaki Fry ****1/2 (Fried flattened oysters) Zen Beef Carpaccio ****** Ying & Yang Wings **** Asian Fries ***** Samuri cocktail ***** (Asian vodka, sake, Asian pear, Fuji apple) Mango Melon Martini **** Out of ***** stars Snap, this place is fantastic. I really liked all the dishes that came out, the flavors were well balanced for all the dishes, but there were standouts like their Zen Beef Carpaccio and Asian Fries. I liked wrapping up all the little pieces, capers, onions, and Romano cheese, into a roll of beef carpaccio to get all the flavors the chef wanted you to taste in a single bite and it was absolutely delicious. The Asian Fries with the spicy aioli sauce is just top notch; the taro fries were especially flavorful with the sauce. The Kaki Fry oysters were also tasty, especially considering that usually I'm only ok with oysters in general. Both the Kaki Fry and Ying&Yang Wings each had their own sauce in a separate dish so you can control how much sauce you like. I also really liked my Samuri cocktail because it was very well balanced. We were definitely full after five dishes and cocktails, but we had to try the Asian Fries and we're glad we did. After tempting fate, Zen Restaurant exceeded my expectations with reasonably priced and good to great dishes. Dishes ranged from $4-$18 with most dishes in the $7-$11 range as of this writing. We spent about $30 + tip per person, and you could spend less. I also want to point out that we had wonderful service from everyone at the restaurant. My GF really enjoyed Zen and we later topped off the night with some gelato down the street. From my point of view, Zen Restaurant is definitely a little gem that I would go back to. Zen has all the pieces and flavors that would make it big in SF, but since its in Alameda, I don't have to fight for parking or higher prices that many SF restaurants command. I would definitely recommend Zen Restaurant to anyone. Go get some!
(5)Sean S.
Really nice decor and comfortable seating. A great place to take your better half out if you want to relax and chill for a bit. The food really was only average. The kimchi fried rice is not kimchi fried rice. I'm not sure what it is but that is not it. Maybe I'm spoiled by the KBs of San Jose but it's way too dry,, bland, and americanized for my taste. Other than that everything was fine. The food's not memorable but the decor and the relaxed atmosphere are great.
(4)casey j.
What a treat! The Asian fries always a hit. The Zen melt was good for my kids. I just find the rice and pasta portions to be tapas size, not enough for our family of four.
(4)Woobie W.
Went here for Valentine's day - first visit here and was very impressed. The wait wasn't bad, about 30 minutes- I had called about reservations but they were not taking any. While we were waiting we had time to soak up the ambiance - very trendy and cool :) and checked out the menu and saw dishes coming out - all thier dishes were plated beautifully and I had fun trying to match them with the menu I had while I waited. Their food presentation was awesome, loved the uniquely shaped white plates - they made the food pop visually. Started out with a Hawaiian Tropic cocktail, lots of fruity fun - it was hard to choose from their drink menu - it all looked good, but I went with the suggestion of the hostess and liked it very much. Unfortunately they ran out of their crab cake appetizer, it was almost 8pm, I hope to try it on another occasion. We ordered the duck vermicelli salad - awesome flavor - it made an excellent first dish and I couldn't wait to taste what was still to come. We ordered the Niku Niku Steak, it came with asparagus and the perfectly cooked steak was topped with garlic and feta cheese - it great! We also ordered the fish and chips because I wanted to try the asian fries and for a few dollars more it came with panco crusted fillets of fish. This was also very good. Lamb Chops were also ordered, I'm not a lamb person, but if all lamb was cooked like this I would eat it every time. :) Had a hard time deciding on dessert but got the mango cake. It was a nice ending to the meal. Overall the food was excellent, everything tasted fresh, was plated beautifully and the hostess and wait staff were very friendly. I was very satisfied but didn't have the feeling of being over stuffed. I'll be back for more for sure and I'll bring friends!
(5)Harry Y.
We went here for the first time on New Year's Eve with about 30 people! We were totally blown away by how good everything was. Our favorite was the sole fish special, everyone loved the eggplant, kim chee fried rice... I think we tried 7 different dishes and everything was delicious. Of course the wait staff and service were great as well. I would totally recommend this place to everyone. In fact we are planning to go tonight...can't wait, hopefully they have the fish special.
(5)Melanie C.
My friends and I hit Zen for dinner recently. After reading many wonderful things about it, my curiousity was peaked. There were only about 2 small groups in front of us to be seated, but several groups came in with reservations and what was supposed to be a 15 minute wait, then became over an hour wait. The owner was very sweet, apologetic, and gave us a glass of wine on the house and apologized for the extended wait. I feel they should just make it first come, first serve. It's too small of an establishment to juggle reservations. The food was absolutely amazing! I loved the Asian fusion flavors and Alameda needed something new and different. (We have enough Mexican and Sushi restaurants!!) We tried the Tuna Tartare, the fish n' chips, the Zen salad, the seafood bake, the Asian fries (a must try!!!), and edamame. They also had a decent drink menu and selection of wine and beer. The prices were decent and besides the wait, the service was great. This place is a must try!!! I hope it stays around for a while. I can't wait to go back!
(4)Sean V.
We really really (that's right, two times) liked this Zen. The bride and I hit it up for an early dinner on Sunday prior to going to the movies (just around the corner from the theater). They have a sweet drink menu, and sneak shochu and sake into most of the cocktails. We had the mojito and the geisha, both of which were very tasty (not very strong, though). The service was outstanding, and the decor was very tasteful. I wasn't a fan of the music they were playing, but that's a minor complaint. They have a ridiculously comfortable couch running the length of the place on one side, I would definitely recommend sitting there if you have the option. On to the food. The majority of the menu are "small plates", a fact which we used to justify getting 5 different items! The yin yang wings, pork belly, and noodles were pretty good, and the sushi pizza and shrimp/scallop skewers were great! Desert was tasty, not spectacular, but definitely good. If street parking isnt available, the movie theater parking garage is about 100 yards away. Overall, a great dining experience and I would absolutely go back.
(4)stefanie h.
let's all have a moment here. i actually wasn't expecting this place to be as good as it was. i was also a little worried that it would be direct competition for Dragon Rouge (one block over), since the concept and interior are almost identical (they both have the asian fusion-red and black-dim lighting-lcd on the wall-bar on the side thing going on). but have no fear, both can co-exist peacefully in Alameda-- Zen is a little more asian fusion and not focusing on a specific ethnicity, while Dragon Rouge is more traditional vietnamese fare. the plates here are tapas-sized (small dishes), which is good if you're with one other person or a small group, but i wouldn't recommend coming with a large group. otherwise, order doubles. i really don't have any complaints about any of our orders. this included japanese eggplant, grilled prawns, braised chicken, and beef salad (it had a fancy name, but i don't remember). everything was flavorful and distinct. the only mishap was that we ordered the dressing on the side for our salad, and i think i poured way too much, so it ended up on the salty side (but, of course, at no fault to them). four dishes came out to be about $30, which isn't that bad, especially compared to some other "tapas" places that get away charging $10/plate. the only thing stopping me from giving Zen a 5-star review is because this was my first time here, and i only had 4 out of the, like, 50 dishes on the menu (okay, maybe not 50, but their menu is pretty big). so it'll take a while for me to try all their other dishes. be patient, young grasshopper, be patient.
(4)Mike F.
Went for lunch. The dishes were not all perfect but that isn't the end of the story. This place doesn't mind risking, that is, putting together creative dishes. This is the spirit of a fusion restaurant, adventurous but overall interesting and tasty. The decor is alright, hopefully it will evolve over time.
(4)Christine C.
I went recently to Zen to meet up with some friends during their Happy Hour, which is between 5-6:30pm, and I only had 8 minutes left before HH ended. However, the waitresses were so accommodating and didn't seem to mind when I kept bothering them to order more cocktails for my friends that were coming later. One of them even came by to tell me that HH was ending soon and if I wanted to order anything else. She could've just let it lapse and had us order it for regular price. We had pretty much all the small plates and they were excellent, although the gizzards were a little too chewy but still tasty. Gotta save some money in this economy, so Zen with its HH prices and wonderful customer service is the place to go for somewhere nice with prices to match.
(4)Richard S.
The food is good and decent but very small portion. Price is fair for the small portion. Service is REALLY BAD.. It took us about an hour and 15 minutes to get a table, additional 15-20 minutes before any waiter gets to us and it took 30-45 minutes to get our food on the table. Way too long if you're hungry. They need to hire more help in the kitchen and the dining area.
(2)Ina L.
I really enjoy the basil fried rice.. its delicious and filling.. worth my 7$! I always try their soup (which changes) and I haven't been let down yet. My all time favorite dish at Zen has to be the baked seafood... thinking about it makes me drool. and also you can't go wrong with the zen melt! Their deserts are pretty good too. Overall, I think Zen has interesting ingredient combinations and every dish I have tried has been awesome!!!!
(5)Kiki P.
Asian tapas? Never knew there was such a thing until I discovered Zen, and impressed I was! The seafood ceviche was fresh and tangy, it looked like something that appears on the cover of some fancy cooking magazine. The lamb chops were tender and the kimchee fried rice was tasty. I'm not really sure what's with the half-proof alcohols used for the cocktails but I wasn't a fan of that. The service was nice and the decor is creative and modern. I give this place five stars mainly because I think the chefs are very talented.
(5)Edward M.
This was our first time at Zen. The place looks very nice, love the sofa seats. The wait staff was super nice and very attentive, we ate the Asian fries-delicious, I'm not a raw eating person but the Carpaccio was great, the Lamb was lambtastic-well made and we finished it off with a molten chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream -loved it. This is a great first date place.
(5)Mali M.
What a great place! Very good food, simple but very pleasant and calming decor. Friendly and professional service. Will be back!
(5)Nancy G.
One can easily miss this gem as it is conspicuously located on a street perpendicular to bustling Park St, and it is definitely not a place that one should miss. Salivation, oral fixation, and gratification is what happens when dining at Zen's. The mere thought of their zesty garlic aioli with sweet potato & taro fries makes my mouth water and tongue curl. Only when you think it can't get any better, out comes another delightful dish with thinly sliced salmon carpaccio with shaved onions & daikon sprouts in a light ponzu sauce. The salmon was so fresh and the sauce created a perfect balance of ying and yang. Sorry for the cheesy Confucius talk, but you just can't help when you are greeted with a Budda statue the moment you walk in. It puts you in the state of enlightenment, and believe me-- I was enlighted for hours as plates of tender Kobe beef salad, perfectly seared Ahi steak salad, refreshing Hawaiian Lomi Lomi, etc was passed around the table. For those who are anti-Atkins, I highly recommend their basil fried rice. It is off the hook! It's made with Jasmine rice that is cooked perfectly (with a bite. not mushy) and stir fried together with just the right amount of basil. I am amazed at how a simple dish like this can put me on cloud 9 and eventually... to sleep. I had more than my share of the fried rice and sweet potato frites and started suffering from carb overload. And It definitely did not help that the seating was an enclave of big comfy sofas. Zzzzzz..... You have to try it for yourself to really experience the food therapy at Zen's. For a tapa style restaurant, they surprisingly serve up well to do portions with even bigger flavors, at moderate prices. The staff is extremely friendly, and for a busy night with 3 large parties, they seemed to have everything under control. Zen is definitely worth coming back to again and again.
(5)Mike F.
My Wife recently had a birthday celebration here. We had a great time. The drinks were generous and the dishes unique. The Asian Fries and the salmon over crostini stole the show. The ambience is hip without being pretentious. We were totally relaxed in the plush sofas. The staff is also friendly and willing to make your special occasion memorable. They turned down the house lights for us as my wife's birthday cake was brought out adorned with sparkly candles. It was a nice touch. I'd reccommend this restruant to anyone.
(4)thuy m.
Today I went back and Kristine came up with a new dish to try. It's a roast duck vermicelli salad. Really good with some mango to give it a lil" sweet and tart taste. Hope she decides to put that on the menu. ;o
(5)Eric S.
Zen restaurant is absolutely fantastic! I've been there three times, ordering different dishes each time, and I have yet to find something I haven't thoroughly enjoyed. However, some are just exceptional. Cool atmosphere with a great choice of music. I'm sure I will return often to try all of the selections on their menu. The cocktails are great too!
(5)Wendy S.
Good food very friendly staff and great atmosphere
(5)Noelle H.
I'm probably not the best person to do tapas style with because I underestimate how quickly these plates can add up. Even during happy hour, we racked up a bill of $80!! And we still weren't that full.... We started with 2 drinks, the lost hound and the mojito. They were ok, not that strong but they were refreshing. Items ordered: Takoyaki: not bad. I felt that it was a tad too mushy for my liking compared to others that I've had. There was minimal pieces of octopus, but I wasn't expecting there to be. Marinated beef short rib special: I didn't try this, but my partner said it tasted similar to Korean BBQ style. Oysters: $1 during HH! Luckily they were nice and plump, with no fishy taste. Agedashi tofu: Probably my favorite dish of the night. Perfectly fried outside with the silky interior. Ying Yang Wings: Eh, tasted like burnt garlic. And the "yang" part of the wings was the typical sweet chili sauce on the side. Basil Fried Rice: This was supposed to have beef, but there were only a couple of tiny pieces. The rice had good flavor though! Small portion. Sushi Pizza: Small portion for $15! I did enjoy the wasabi aioli spread on the pizza, it packed a good punch. But other than that, it was just ok. None of the really stood out or WOW'd me. Service was nice and attentive! But overall, I felt like it's too pricey for what you get.
(3)Mimi L.
This place was ok.... Oh! Don't ever order their Kimchi fried rice.... They shouldn't even call it kimchi fried rice ... U can't even see any kimchi in it... The only good thing that was good about that place would be the half of wine selection! I give them that!
(3)Sandy S.
The two stars are for the portions and the price. We went with a Groupon but we will not go again. The food was good - in fact the infused hamachi was excellent - but this place is way overpriced. Service was hectic but good. It has a lot of potential but not for us.
(2)Elaine N.
Early dinner: - Spicy Edamame - soy beans stir fried with sesame oil, seven spice, soy sauce and garlic. This was the best thing we ate during dinner. SERIOUSLY! -Gyoza - pan fried pork and vegetable potstickers, served with a spicy sesame soy sauce. Nothing you wouldn't expect from a typical gyoza. - special crab cakes = more like crab balls. Nothing to rave about. It wasn't great. - special seafood risotto = a little too dry but edible. Food was alright and so was the service. Maybe I will give this place a second chance due to other factors that might have ruined my appetite.
(3)Susan A.
I love this place. Their happy hour rocks!! First of all I stopped drinking Cosmo's when everyone else started drinking them. Zen has made me start drinking them again. They are the so delish and $4 during Happy Hour. As for the food.I agree with others, its a bit pricey but the creativity and flavors are worth the price. Don't miss out and try the Tuna Tartar, Pork Belly Sushi, Beef Carpaccio and the $1 oysters (fresh and oh so good). Save room for dessert, the 3 combo creme brulee is fabulous!
(5)Dor H.
My first review for this place seems like so long ago. I came here yesterday and the day before after a brief absence and lots of things have changed. A majority of their signature cocktails are gone, as are the neat glasses they were served in. This is probably due to the space for their previous bar being torn down to make way for more seating, which isn't a bad thing at all. I just miss having more of those cocktails to choose from. I seem to remember that the Asian fries were a mixture of taro and sweet potato, the menu only states sweet potato but they are still quite good. My favorite thing here used to be the spicy sashimi salad, which they were very nice to make for me a couple of days ago, seeming that they do not offer it because they are missing an ingredient. I took it anyways since it's just that good. Hopefully they can just offer a new version of that. None of these are bad things, it's just unfortunate and I will miss them. I'm happy to see that they are offering takoyaki, it's one of my favorite treats. Especially having that marked down at happy hour? Great! One of the things that has stayed consistent here is the service. This place continues to hire kind and courteous people that are so nice to have around. Good job, management, for your great judge of character,
(4)rose l.
We have tried Zen when they first opened years ago. For some reason, haven't returned until recently. It seems to have the same decor but appeared to be busier. This restaurant is Asian Fusion with small dishes but presented well and dishes were tasty! Portions are small but that's ok, healthy eating!! Staff were busy but attentive when they are there. Zen is different but a nice discovery for the adventurous. It is certainly worth a try!
(4)Becky C.
This place was yum! The Asian Fusion tapas were all enjoyable. My friends and I ordered the pork belly sushi, kimchi and pork belly pizza, beef carpaccio pizza, salmon wrap, spagetti and got the curry mussels free with check in. We liked every dish as they were all flavorful and the portions were pretty good for tapas too. I would definitely come back.
(4)James E.
The $1 happy hour oysters are worth coming back here over and over. Food is good, expect to want to try every menu item.
(4)Eric C.
Pretty good Asian restaurant with very friendly, attentive service. All the food was well prepared, and well seasoned. The atmosphere is for the trendy, and would be big enough for groups of 4-6 people. I do not recommend bringing children as the location is pretty small and the door leads to a main street. Pro-tip: go during happy hour, you'll get your money's worth if food to fill you up.
(4)Roberto K.
I took advantage of the Yelp special offer. And glad I did! The serving sizes for the Tapas were a good size for sharing between 2-4 people. The larger dishes were a bit on the small side. We thought on how the restaurant is nice, and the custom couch seats are super comfortable. PLUSH. The restaurant only lacks a little bit with the interior feel. Just a couple pieces of large artwork on the walls would make a huge difference. Otherwise, nice place to enjoy casual food and wine/beer.
(4)AJ H.
Three stars = A-OK, which is perhaps an exaggeration but that's grade inflation for you. Good: pork belly was tasty, ambiance was nice, service was very pleasant. Not so good: in general, the food was not interesting. We ordered pork belly sushi, salmon dungeness crab rolls, fish and chips, clams & mussels, and fried bananas with ice cream. Nothing worth recommending, except possibly the pork belly. Everything would have benefited from a spicy sauce or a dash of horseradish. We asked for some wasabi and it was so mild we could eat it straight. Odd. Worst part was eating a terrible, terrible mussel towards the end of the meal. Tasted like putrid rotten feet and I should have spat it out but didn't and now I'm worried that I'll be clinging to the toilet for the next 24 hrs. I'd say this is a perfectly nice place to eat your dinner, but don't drive 20 miles to it like I did, and leave those partially opened mussels on the plate.
(3)Mengting L.
Delicious Asian food and good service. We tried mentaiko spaghetti, oyster, takoyaki, zen salad, Ying yang wing, and enoki beef. They are good very yummy and recommended. The only thing is the size is too small and we have to do street parking.
(4)L W.
Had a date night out with the wifey and saw this place on Yelp. The food was definitely beyond my expectations and we would go back, but maybe during happy hour because if you're hungry the bill can add up pretty quickly. Or, I recommend a quick trip to BK or Jack in the Box before hand to fill up the tummy a bit first. :-P Food was very good, though. Tasty and well presented. Service was good and attentive. We also met three ladies dining next to us and we shared our thoughts on different dishes. They also clued us in on the special Yelp offer if you log in to the app and do a check in! Hint hint.
(4)Quincy W.
It's not the first time I've been here, and I just remember I forgot to give them a review :) I've always wanted to give them 5 stars since the first time I was here, I love fusion food myself, which make it a plus for me, price are fair, People there are super friendly and food are GREAT!!! the dishes are not that big (come on its a tapas cuisine, if you want bigger dishes, you might wanna go to an american restaurant i guess....), but I thinks it's definitely great for a girls night out or a romantic candle light dinner kinda place!!!!!
(5)Lisa F.
The water cress salad is soooo yummy!! Love the Asian fries!!! Everything we had was soooo good. If my phone didn't die, I would have had soooo many beautiful pics to share. price was soooo reasonable. Food Was great, Service Was fast, And Bill Was Really cheap. The free mussels in curry sauce that you get for free if you Check in on yelp is fantastic. My girlfriends and I really enjoyed it here. Ps, we ordered seconds on fries and salad, not because it was small but because it was sooooo good. ;)
(5)Andrea B.
I came here with a friend and we shared the octopus puffs, a salad, the mussels, the salmon wrap and the molten chocolate cake. All delicious! Service was good too. Only slight downside was that the portions were sort of small considering how pricy the items were. But all in all, we had a great time and the food was great.
(4)Wiseley F.
Alright, let me start by saying that, I hope everyone knows what Asian tapas before they judge this place. I honestly don't think that it's fair that people have been complaining that the dishes are small and expensive. Like c'mon, that's what you should be expecting if you're going out to eat Asian tapas. Anyways, I came here for dinner on Saturday night and omg, parking was not the business. But that's besides the point, as I entered with my friend, we were greeted by one of the friendly hostesses. She asked us if we had a reservation so that worried me since I was already starving on the drive to Alameda. Luckily, this wasn't a problem at all and we were seated abruptly. The restaurant itself has a semi-classy atmosphere and caters to a similar audience. I'm not gonna lie, me and my friend were slightly underdressed but that's alright, it's not like they have a dress code or anything. With that in mind, this place is a perfect place to bring a date (make sure to have a large budget). After checking in, my group utilized the 'free sake' per check-in before we began our order. Since we already knew that the bill would be rather large, this was basically Round 1 for dinner. We ended up ordering the enoki beef wraps, fresh oysters, takoyaki, pork belly & kimchi pizza, and the salmon tobiko fried rice. I'm gonna start by saying that everything was amazing! First of all, I love enoki mushrooms, but the tender beef was simply the perfect compliment. The fresh oysters were relatively large, but $2 each was expected since it wasn't Happy Hour (HH) or anything. The takoyaki was flavorful and the sauce didn't overpower the octopus whatsoever. Now on to the interesting items. I was really curious about the 3 fusion pizzas on the menu, but what better way to find out than to order it? The pizza was basically the size of a personal pizza with 6 slices. It comes out of the kitchen piping hot so be careful! However, if you are patient, you'll take a bite into a light and fluffy pizza; the ingredients definitely mesh well and the pork belly is delicious. Last but not least, my favorite part of my dining experience. The salmon tobiko fried rice was AMAZING. I mean, you have to be a fan of salmon to enjoy this dish because you're pretty much getting a bowl of salmon, but it's definitely worth a try. Overall, this tiny restaurant is definitely worth checking out if you're looking for a nice restaurant in Alameda. Like I said before, if you're looking for a date spot to show off your refined taste in dining and drinks, you should bring him/her here!
(5)Angelica Z.
Very zen-like ambiance and great service! I feel relaxed. My belly had a yummy meditation. Happy hour was a great deal, about 4 per dish. Best things on the menu: Short rib sushi - marinated to perfection Takoyaki - perfectly cooked, creamy, with that crunchy octopus in the center Agedashi nasu - really light but flavorful, not fried like the other stuff Also good things Wasabi shu mai - but fried, so that was a little different Enoki beef Kimchi fried rice Oysters, but tasted a little like the sea Tuna tartare was on the healthier side, but decent. Not really the typical kind with spicy mayo Curry mussels were ok, but not super fresh, but did come free with the meal so can't complain For all of that, came out to 49. Not bad!
(4)JC N.
Not a lot of good filling portion food option that I like. I just go there for their oyster happy hr, drinks and edamame. The waitress service was good and she was nice. She come back often to check on us. The atmosphere is ok. Parking sucks. Overall 3 star.
(3)Judy V.
After seeing one of my friends post the pork belly sushi, I had booked mark this place to visit the next time I'm in Oakland. My friends and I went here for happy hour before going the warrior's game to grab a few drinks and early dinner. We were one of the first people who was there so we got seated right away. The food was good but nothing that stood out in my memory where I would want to come back. Here is the list of what we tried: Infused hamachi (3 stars): Sort of fishy and lacked a little bit of salt Pork belly sushi (4 stars): It sounds and looks so yummy but the rice was overcooked so it broke apart too fast. The pork belly was marinated and cooked beautifully. Oysters: (2 stars): Was not fresh, skip it. Chicken wings (4 stars): It was extra crisp and seasoned very well. I really enjoyed the dry rub. Beef wrapped enoki (2 stars): I like the sauce it was cooked in but beef that was wrapped around the enoki was too tough. Takoyaki (3 stars): Crunchy exterior and cream interior with bits of octopus. It was good. Wasabi sui mai (1 star): I didn't like this appetizer at all. Ahi poke with wonton chips (1 star): The ahi poke was not season and didn't taste fresh. The fish was definitely frozen. Overall, this place is a solid 3 star in my books. I would come back only for the happy hour deals.
(3)Kayla S.
I've lived in Alameda a long time and I'm soo surprised it took me this long to come here and now I'm there once every couple weeks I love it! I usually like to go for their happy hour which is M-F from 5-6:30. They have good appetizers and drinks. I especially love the $1 oysters during happy hour yum! The place itself is a little dark and quiet which is pretty neat with couch/cushion like seating along with regular chairs. Nice little ambiance. & lastly the service as always been top notch when I've gone. Really enjoy coming here.
(5)Cathy N.
Amazing food, delicious and very special. They have $1 oyster during happy hours from 5-6:30pm. The oysters are very delicious and fresh! I would recommend pork belly sushi, very special and not fatty. Salmon wrap with crab meat is awesome!! Seafood pasta is delicious, it's much better than Italian restaurant. The service is friendly and nice.
(5)Sandy L.
First of the employee were extremely friendly & very sweet. By far the best customer service I have ever experienced . My friend brought me and my other friends to this little Asian fusion/ tapa restaurant that age said it was amazing . Therefore I yelped this place to see what I should order & I as the zen pasta and I know I'm going to order that . Normally I don't like creamy sauce just because I never had any good one or ones that have favors besides creamy milk taste . This pasta is amazing , the spaghetti wasn't soggy @ all , they gave like 4 tiger shrimps not 2 and it was really tiger shrimp as they described in their menu and clams were clean all for $14 , the cream sauce was very light and they had basil . #noms Also they had these Asian fries instead of using potatoes they used sweet potato & taro , I believe they used tempura batter served with spicy aioli. I wasn't that satisfy with their Shrimp scampi just because it had a lot of alcohol & sauces which made the baguette soggy. This restaurant needs to be more known , there unique food & combination is great ! Tapa doesn't always mean small, as long as their is fresh , good n cleanliness.
(5)Phillip D.
I came here via searching through nearby restaurants on Yelp. I would have never found this place otherwise. (Thank you yelp!). Decent size restaurant. Attentive service, and This place is quite surprisingly amazing. They serve Japanese fusion tapas. We tried 11 total dishes. I would recommend trying the Pork Belly Sushi!! The Enoki Beef is also another a must (which is onion and mushroom wrapped in a thinly slice rib-eye. The Sushi Pizza is pretty good too but you really have to eat it fast because it can get soggy and doesn't hold it's shape. The dessert we had topped off the night! They had this Japanese toast served with Vanilla ice cream! I would highly recommend! I am definitely coming back here!
(5)Art H.
The food - yes four stars. Lots of reviews and I concur with what folks have said about the pork belly sushi, the su mai, the mussel/clam combo and the spaghetti. All were pretty yum. So the rub - it was an odd service. The two servers came by our table several times repeating the same questions. Kept pointing out we were being served by the other person. The salad we ordered as an entree came early. The appetizer came late. Drinks ran empty. Turns out the room isn't split between the two servers. They were expected to work any table they say as needing service. Um, nooooooo.......either split the service so one server starts with drinks and appetizers and the other put in for entree and dessert, or divide the tables and have each server work them from beginning to end. The servers themselves were nice, but they were running around too much for a half-full restaurant. Hopefully management reads this and make some changes! Too bad, kinda ruined the zen of the meal. Ha. Had to get that in.
(3)Jess L.
Great food! Might be my favorite restaurant in Alameda, at least given how often I've eaten here. I've loved all the dishes that I've tried, especially the fish dishes. Never made it to desserts though since I usually opt to go to a dessert place instead. Service here has always been friendly and accomodating.
(5)Josh L.
Went here with a large group. I would like to try just with two people. The pork belly sushi was tasty, I liked the $2.00 tacos. Service was nice and quick.
(4)Stephen S.
No idea how this place get such good reviews? how I rate places is money/quality at this place the amount you pay for does not equal to the quality nor quantity you get. portion is TINY and really its TINY. their food is just average maybe a little above average. had much better tapas elsewhere. not my type of place.
(2)Stephanie S.
Service was great. Ambiance is different unlike any place I have been before. We came with the Groupon deal which was a great bang for your buck. If we didn't have the Groupon I think I would have felt like I overpaid for what it was. I may go back for the happy hour which looks like there are some good deals!
(3)Renee Y.
When I came on a Monday, the atmosphere was relaxing and not crowded at all. Plenty of street parking and easy to find. However, if it wasn't for HH I don't think I would've ever came here. I'm a pretty big eater so tapas aren't usually my style since you have to order a bunch of dishes to get full and of course the price adds up with it. The food itself was pretty good and of all the things we ordered the beef enoki was the best (however, I do wish there was just little more meat in it). Pork belly sushi was just a piece of pork belly on top on rolled rice. Nothing too special in my books. Oysters were $1, but they were really small. As a big eater, I wouldn't come back here. Nothing really wowed me and the portions were too small (at least for HH items and steam clams). Definitely would recommend to those who like tapas though!
(3)Musetta S.
We came here for lunch, not realizing that they have a different menu for dinner so we didn't get to try everything we wanted to. I'd say lunch here is on the pricier side. The clams with curry sauce was one of my favs. The chicken & waffle is also pretty good.
(4)Sanni Z.
I love it here !!!!! By far the best Asian fusion cuisine around. Every single time the food and service gets better and better. Dishes i would recommend trying will have to be their kimchi fried rice, Asian fries, and zen melt. Once you try those items, you will be hooked. Normally, I am not the biggest kimchi fan, but I order their kimchi fried rice every single time. The flavors here are like no other, and I would recommend this place to anyone. Plus the drinks here are strong.
(5)Talia W.
Customer service was great. I went with the coworkers and the food was great. I enjoyed the mussels and oysters, plus the drink
(4)jun k.
Surprisingly decent place in a random area of town. Came here for HH snacks with C. I got the porkbelly sushi (was it?), C got the ahi tuna, and we shared the asian fries. Portions aren't huge, but it felt okay. I liked the comfy couches lining their walls, and it wasn't super loud as C and I were trying to catch up. Unfortunately, the waitstaff here doesn't really know how to not be abrupt. The two different women running the place kept coming up and random times and interrupting. Especially when it came to the bill, it just got annoying. Please, just leave the bill and then leave us alone. sheesh.
(4)Tony ..
Was great! Good place for small bites.
(4)Jennifer R.
Good food. Nice ambience - intimate but not so much so that you can't bring kids. We like the small plates format. Great happy hour prices. Generally can be seated pretty quickly - attentive service. Dishes we've liked: Asian Fries, Enoki Beef, Pork Belly Sushi, Infused Hamachi, Salmon Wrap, Roast Duck Watercress Salad - dishes have nice balance in taste and texture. The only reason it doesn't have a fifth star is because the menu is a little heavy on the fatty side - or maybe that's what appeals to us.
(4)Christine M.
HMMM! Just reviewing the HH stuff. We came on a Wednesday right when they opened. WIne is half off on Weds. Ambiance is similar to Ozumo in SF. Cozy...wonder how its like during their weekend brunches.. we ordered nasu- it was okay, tasted a bit oily. agedashi tofu- not what i am used to... yam fries- they were okay, good dipping sauce wings- lots of garlic, okay oysters- $1 what more can I say pork belly sushi- yummy, very fatty and soft, good rice lost hound- soju, grapefruit...and something else, comes in a tall glass, didn't taste the alcohol and too sweet creme brulee trio- interesting! cute display, tasted good, nicely torched sugar on top. we were pretty full, so couldn't try anything off the regular menu, which I think I need to do next time. Forgot to redeem my curry mussels! darn! service was good, but there was only one other table when we went, got busier around 7... will be back to try other things!
(3)Bamboo H.
I love this place. The Tuna tartare, oysters, garlic noodles, etc. Everything here is delicious. The waitresses are very friendly and very accommodating. I definitely would recommended it for any event.
(5)Mia K.
Love their happy hour. This is our go to place before the movies! Amazing oysters, wings, tuna tartare, pork belly sushi and amazing amazing garlic noodles!!! The staff are fun and warm and it's always a great visit :)
(5)Suelene C.
This place is amazing! The food is deliciously made and I enjoyed every order I picked. The pork belly was to die for. I would highly recommend this restaurant and the inside is very nicely decorated as well, good for a first date ;).
(5)Carlos G.
Finally getting around to reviewing Zen. I no longer patronize this place cause everytime I left there I spent $70(for 2) on dinner and needed a bigmac after ....small portions.Guess $100 would have filled me up. That said the food here is decent.I normally ordered the fish and chips.....the fish was always fried perfectly and not greezy at all.The fries as well.The ying yang wings and asian fries were equally good.Love the Aioli dips Really want to frequent this place butI guess I'm a glutton ....just not enough grub on the plate for muah!
(3)Gabriella L.
Pleasant ambiance and service. Food was decent and inexpensively priced. I recommend going during happy hour because many of their signature apps are a great deal. Though not on the happy hour short list, the hamachi was a standout dish. My criticism of this place is that they appear to rely too much on battering and deep frying for the majority of the dishes we sampled. We weren't expecting sweet potato fries to be battered, for example, and asked that they remake them without the batter. Much better that way.
(3)Michelle K.
I've been here twice for Happy Hour and both times have been great. HH runs M-F 5-6:30. HH Specials/Appetizers: -Pork Belly Sushi: CLEAR WINNER!!! This was the best... If it was just this on the menu, I'd come back and give Zen 5 stars. The pork belly is sake, mirin and shoyu braised on top of "futokaki rice" (fancy way of saying they mix the rice with nori flakes). The rice was a little on the dry side and kind of falls apart, BUT the pork belly more than makes up for this lackluster performance on the part of the rice. It's super tender and the fatty part of the belly is almost melts in your mouth good. There's a slight gaminess, but really unnoticeable unless you're super sensitive. -Agedashi Nasu: Japanese eggplant topped with bonito flakes in a light ginger soy sauce . Tasted good. Would recommend over the Agedashi Tofu. -Agedashi Tofu: Breaded tofu topped with bonito flakes, fried shallots and sesame oil. As I'm not a huge fan of tofu, I was surprised to find that this was quite good. -Asian Fries: Sweet potato fries that have been fried. Basically tempura sweet potato fries :P Comes with a "spicy" aioli sauce. Not spicy. Not at all IMHO. -$1 oysters: $1.. ONE DOLLAR OYSTERS! Oysters on half shell served with tobiko, green onion and ponzu sauce. I was concerned about freshness, so I only ordered one at first; however, they're fresh! Chef's Special: -Baby Back Ribs with Mint Sauce: Overly peppery and SUPER salty. I would pass on this one. The mint sauce is on the sweet side and only a hint of mint. Main dishes: -Kimchi Fried Rice: Fried rice with beef, red onion, and spicy radish. REALLY good. I was a bit hesitant about this dish, but I'd definitely recommend. Drinks: -I've had the mojito and when my friend ordered the lemon drop tonight, I could SMELL the alcohol from the glass. They don't seem to skimp on the alcohol here. Nice selection of beers (I think I saw: Stella and Blue Moon for sure, but I know there were a few more for $4), house red/white wine, and 4 cocktails (lemon drop, mojito, saketini, and I think... cosmos?) all $4 a pop. I want to go back to try the pizzas... they seem pretty unique (ie pesto pizza with kimchi, braised pork belly, and mozarella). Hidden gem!
(4)Vincci W.
Food are nice and nicely presented. The restaurant has a warm and intimate atmosphere. very relaxing. I enjoyed my meal here very much. Would come back for sure. We love the sweet potato fries btw. lots of people said the pork belly sushi is good, but I didn't really like it that much. I will not order that again.
(4)Khoa N.
Service here is excellent for an asian restaurant. Food portion is "kid size" or "fun size" Prices are "adult with a good job size" It sure has flavors , the best item to order is the fries. And sushi pork belly. We ordered 6 items to get "almost full"
(4)Shirley P.
This place definitely deserves 5 stars, if not 6. First off, I love their happy hour (5-6:30PM): they have $1 fresh oysters and $4 drinks! Some people are saying the dishes are a bit pricey compare to the portion you get, but you gotta keep in mind you're paying for quality too. I prefer QUALITY over QUANTITY. It's not expensive, but it's not cheap. Everything, seriously EVERYTHING on their menu is ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!! I would eat here everyday if I could. P.S. I love the vibe at Zen and the servers are very professional and friendly; HOT GIRLS WORK HERE! ;) P.S.S. If you haven't been here, try this place, you won't regret it.
(5)Rich H.
It has been awhile since I was last here. My wife & I decided to come here for dinner. We arrived @ around 5:45 & it was empty. I really liked the jazz music in the background, it added to the nice ambiance... We ordered the Ying Yang wings, Asian Fries, Cold Ramen, Infused Hamachi, Salmon Wrap & Pork Belly Sushi. The cold ramen was on their daily specials menu & was surprisingly tasty. Otherwise, our favorites for the night were the Salmon Wrap & Asian Fries. The hamachi was good whereas the wings & pork belly were okay, we felt they were a little lacking on the flavor side... Nice restaurant atmosphere: sleek, modern & clean. Server was friendly & checked on us frequently. Parking is good with the Alameda Theater multi-level parking structure a half a block away. Definitely on the pricey side considering it's tapas style, but a great place for a "date night." A bonus for the evening was being able to use a redeemable coupon, for a free desert, after I checked-in on Yelp! We received a scoop of green-tea tempura ice cream. As we were leaving, the restaurant was almost completely full.
(4)Ron B.
The food and the service was AWESOME!! We went with a party of 8 people and were seated right away and we tried literally everything on the menu. It was a great experience and we will definitely be back!!
(5)Taylor A.
It's kind of an Asian style tapas restaurant. Overall, I was a little disappointed in this restaurant. The service was very excellent I must say. However, the interior Decor, albeit slightly romantic, was mostly IKEA chic. That's okay, however needs some work. But, the food, seems a little small, a little overpriced, and especially in the case of salmon carpaccio, absolutely not worth $14 for a very small, and tasteless portion. I did love the free appetizer (if you checked in on yelp)-- muscles with roti bread and curry dipping sauce was absolutely delicious.
(3)Greg F.
So, the pork belly sushi was good, but could use a few more minutes in the cooker. Oysters, primo. Tofu fries, suggested. Tuna tar tar, don't miss it the wontons kill it. Salmon sashmi, quite nice. Drinks are rocking!
(4)Jen S.
We had the top 3 recommended dishes: pork belly sushi, basil rice, and the carpaccio. Carpaccio slices were thicker than usual, which gave them a chewy consistency. Basil rice (supposed to be a main entre but was smaller than the tapas) was oily, had a garlic flavor (not in the description), no basil flavors, and a few one third inch cubes of steak that were chewy, and also drenched in oil. The pork belly sushi was delicious. The service was great. I just can't get this garlic/oil taste out of my mouth!
(1)Anne M.
Great menu, friendly service!
(4)Denine J.
the vibe is really nice the soft music playing and the couch-like chairs make it really relaxing and the food was delish...only thing that could have been better would be to have a full bar.
(4)Loan M.
I have been here several times and all those times the food was delectable and consistent. Location: Zen is only walking distance from the parking garage and Alameda movie theater, making it easy to find parking (Zen opens when parking garage is free!) and to watch a movie after dinner. Decor/Ambiance: It is a small restaurant yet it had accommodated my big and small parties. They have a big comfortable sofa along the wall and they have colorful lanterns, creating an intimate ambiance. Service: The servers were nice and they were quick. They came by often to refill water and to make sure everything was good. Food: I've tried spicy endamame, asian fries, pork belly sushi, yin-yang wings, infused hamachi, oysters, roast duck watercress salad, mentaiko spaghetti, basa, basil fried rice, kimchi fried rice, and few other plates on their special menu. It was all very flavorful and well-balanced! Dessert: I have only tried the creme brulee trio (espresso, raspberry, and original-I like the espresso the most!) and japanese toast. I had japanese toast at other places before but this is the best. The bread is soft and it has condensed milk with fruits and vanilla ice cream. For me, Zen is one of those few places that have a lot of delicious food on their menu! I will be back soon to try their fusion pizza dish.
(5)Roger W.
Food was great!! Excellent service and friendly environment!! Go check this place out if you have time or around the alameda area. Pork belly sushi awesome so is the kimchi fried rice
(5)Ciccy H.
This is absolutely my favorite restaurant in Alameda! I've been there many times and always get good service. The food was delicious. I always get the Pork Belly Sushi, Kimchi Fried Rice, they are my all time favorite! Also, they have the best dessert menu! :D Always enjoy having dinner here.
(5)Nga M.
They are in the heart of Alameda! We came as a party of 8, so they were very accommodating especially for a small restaurant (like always, there is a 18% gratuity charge for parties 6 or more). The ambiance is very cozy and lounge like. The music adds a nice relaxing touch. They have small plates (tapas), a few larger dishes, a wine list, cocktails, soju, and a dessert menu. They have no-meat dishes too (note to the vegetarians) and lots of seafood/ fish options. The have $1 oysters and $4 drinks M-F 5:00 pm-6:30 pm!! Service is great! They're constantly refilling our water and it's not those tiny glasses! It irkes me when the glasses are tiny and servers do not refill my water glass and I'm thirsty as heck! I always like to start off with the ASIAN FRIES and a MOJITO. The fries are battered; it is not like your typical fries. It comes with an amazing creamy dipping sauce, spicy aioli sauce. The mojito is just right for me, not too strong and not watered down. I really like the YING YANG WINGS. They're perfectly seasoned to taste and garlicy, just the way I like it. I don't even need the dipping sauce that it comes with, which is like a sweet chili sauce. Other dishes I liked were: - Mentaiko Spaghetti - I don't think anything can go wrong with garlic and parmesan! - Infused Hamachi - I love hamachi to start, but I didn't think to eat it with fried shallots and onion! YUM! - Basil Fried Rice - I love basil so I like the incorporating. It's a simple dish. - Ahi Grilled Rice - My favorite part is the crispiness of the rice. - Salmon Carpaccio - Refreshing and simple! I can eat lots of this! - Steam Clams - It's cooked with a light wine sauce that is uncomplicated and delicious. - Roasted Duck Watercress Salad - I WOULD ORDER THIS AGAIN IN A HEARTBEAT! If you love duck, this is it! I love the tangy, citrusy dressing and the taste of duck! It was heaven! As for dessert, we have only tried the JAPANESE TOAST and CREME BRULEE TRIO. I absolutely loved them both. We get them every time we come back. They are great dishes to share. I haven't had better Japanese Toast anywhere else :) I would recommend this place every time and come back all the time!
(5)Clare B.
I've been to Zen twice and each time was a great experience. Asian tapas are their deal so we ordered several different small plates and each one was an absolute hit. The Asian Fries are sweet potato and taro fries with a light tempura breading and come with spicy aioli sauce. The Infused Hamachi is probably my favorite: thin slices of hamachi sashimi with mint leaves, thinly sliced jalapenos, shallots, and onion, with hot oil and shoyu sauce. Just brilliant. The Pork Belly Sushi is also a must-have. It's pork belly braised in sake, mirin, and shoyu on seasoned rice. Happy Hour is 5:00PM-6:30PM. Kudos Chef Kristine Wong.
(5)Ryan Y.
This place is horrible. Over priced and small portions. They have no rice during the day?! Fusion pizzas are disgusting also. Worst fusion restaurant ever.
(1)Frank T.
Wow wow wow! This has the best food I've had in years. Utterly fantastic. The pork belly sushi is to die for. 5 pieces of total 5 levels of heaven. Decadent, savory, 5 stars. They had a special Dungeness crab wrapped in salmon with avocado. 4 pieces I wish I could move in there and have this every night. Unbelievable! I wish I had come here years before. I feel bad writing this because if more folks find out about this place, it means a longer wait to get in.
(5)Missy W.
Such an excellent experience. I'm gluten intolerant and the waitress had a list of all the menu items I could get. We got the salmon wrap and grilled prawns to start. Both were unbelievable - excellent quality of shrimp and the flavors in the salmon wrap - so good! We then shared the salmon teriyaki and chicken teriyaki. These came without the teriyaki sauce and had to get plain sticky rice instead of the furikake rice but the flavor wasn't substituted at all. Salmon was cooked perfectly and came with some nice asparagus. The waitress was great and even brought tartar sauce for me, and their house sauce that is mayonnaise based. We finished with some creme brulee and vanilla ice cream. Both were very good, especially the creme brulee which seemed home made (and not cold like it was just brought out of a fridge). Overall, great restaurant and already looking forward to going back. Also, a nice quieter place. They have comfy seating with couches so made for an easy place to also have nice conversation.
(5)Mario T.
The staff was very attentive, and the food was good, the place was comfortable, overall I had a pleasant experience
(4)Liv A.
I never really understood the whole Asian Fusion concept. Maybe because I prefer the real authentic Asian cuisines and deep inside I wish I was a fob. This is not the reason for my 2 star rating. Actually I would rate it 3 stars based on my first visit, however after 4 additional visits, my experiences at Zen seemed to head downhill. The first visit, my gf asked me to meet her here for happy hour. We ordered a few cocktails....all seemed very watered down and sugary. I know it's happy hour, but still. We ordered a variety of small plates. The lamb chops were only 2 small chops for $13. Pork belly tasted good but was also tiny piece. Nothing spectacular but for happy hour in Alameda, a good alternative to your dive bars with fried everything and beer. My favorite dish was the tuna tartar. Another visit, I came here for dinner. The wait was a bit long but not too bad. We brought our own desserts and the waitress kindly placed them in the refrigerator for us. We got the kimchee fried rice - just OK, beef carpaccio - also OK, prawns and scallops - not OK (was some grit in the scallops). The portions were also very small. I know it's tapas but the prices were a bit high for what you get. I kept going back, hoping it would be better. This place is owned by my friend's brother's friend, so we were trying to support a local business. I won't go into too much detail on my last two happy hour visits but I'll highlight the things that I remember. Again, the drinks were very watered down. There were flies all over that kept flying near our food so we were constantly shooing them away the whole time. The chicken gizzards were so tough, they were inedible. Even though the tapas were at happy hour prices, I didn't think the value was there.
(2)Marie B.
First and last time to come here. It was simple enough, my boyfriend and I ordered two items each and a bottle of wine new years eve. They brought out three items we never ordered, took a long time for the food to come out. Doesnt make sense to get a main entre first, a tray you didn't order and falls onto the table, then appetizer, which we also didn't order, then the wine, then two more items we didn't order, then what we really ordered came in. Wasn't busy at all that night, we were trying to be polite and just keep the food since it was already made, but it didn't even taste good. The first thing the guy said, was did you touch it? I should've had them return it because sometimes people think its okay to re-serve food that hasn't been touched by another customer though it has been handed out and on their table. Very disappointed. Wasn't even communicated to us that we may have had changed waiters after the mix up because its frustrating to want service and the guy who waited on you, whom was right there in front of me, just stares at the wall the rest of the night folding napkins as the other waiters keep helping the others, never even looking over at us to see that we had been waiting for our checks to leave. Worst experience I've had. I wonder if they do that to customers to get more money. Hand out lots of food you didn't order, which has been sitting in the back, so they can profit off food customers didn't even want in the first place. We paid for that nasty ahi cripsy rice thing which i threw away anyways, but now I know not to be so nice and try not to waste food. I'll send it back instead of being charged for food I didn't order, didn't enjoy eating, and was scared to eat from fear of my teeth being chipped. This place would be better if they had their shit together.
(1)Che K.
One of my favorite restaurant. Basil fried rice and ahi tuna grill rice. Yummm!! $4 cocktail from happy hour menu. Great place to hangout. Love it!
(5)Adrienne K.
Zen is one of favorite Asian fushion restaurant. Here are a list of my favorite tapas: Spicy Edamame, Asian Fries, Zen Salad, Fish & Chips, Kimchi Fried Rice, Salmon Carpaccio, Grilled Prawns, Pork Belly Sushi. I can eat these over and over again :)
(5)Ami D.
This restaurant ranks as one of my top three favorite in Alameda. I hate cooked tuna. I really do. But I tried the Zen Melt because my friend made me and I actually loved it! Zen does it right! Another must have is the Spaghetti! I can't wait to have it again! The portions are on the small side but, trust me, it's better for everyone that way. I also had the molten chocolate cake for dessert and it was delicious! The service was great and the atmosphere was divine. I will be back again very soon! CONS: I wouldn't recommend alcoholic beverages here. They are tasty, but very watered down. Go to Monkey King for that ($4 Lychee Martinis after 5pm!).
(4)Becky M.
This place is definitely unique. I've come here in the past but it didn't leave that great of an impression on me until recently, when I was able to explore the menu a bit better. Although the appetizers are on the pricier end, they are definitely a must try. My favorites would have to be the asian fries and spicy sashimi salad. Would highly recommend coming during happy hour (discounted drinks and appetizers).
(4)Miss H K.
Came here with friends tonight for tapas and had a wonderful experience! I've been wanting to try this place for awhile and was definitely impressed by the food and service. I liked the decor and atmosphere here, relaxing and not rowdy or too loud. Also liked the cushioned seating for more of a lounge feel. Good assortment on the menu and specials also. We ordered a few plates here including the Duck Watercress salad, Wasabi Shui mai, Tofu fries, Meintako spaghetti, Ying Yang chicken wings and basil beef fried rice. All of the dishes were good and definitely a perfect portion for sharing. My favorites were the spaghetti, fries and basil rice. Good flavor and the tofu fries were addicting! Also had the Tempura green tea ice cream for dessert (free thanks to a Yelp check in special)! Our waitress was friendly and took care of our table. Plates came out fast and we were never left waiting for food. Prices here are also reasonable, most dishes were $6-$15. I would definitely return here again for Tapas. Great place for small groups or a date!
(5)Jeff C.
Came here on a Friday night to celebrate a family birthday because the birthday girl loves to eat here. When we walked in, the staff was very relaxed and accomodating, offering us a seat and water although our whole party hadn't arrived yet. They were also very helpful in explaining the dishes, as some of the dishes are quite unique even for those who are Asian and/or eat Asian food frequently! The great thing about eating tapas in a big group is that you get to try a bunch of stuff. We ordered the Asian fries, Agedashi Nasu, Tiger Eye, Mentaiko Spaghetti, Tuna Tartar, Clams and mussels, Basil Fried rice, and Pork Belly Sushi. The dishes were all presented well, looking nice and appealing as they came out. We enjoyed most of the dishes, there were a couple that were so-so or meh, not too much of a surprise considering we ordered such wide array of dishes. The highlights: Asian Fries, Tiger Eye, pork belly sushi. We loved the sweet potato fries with a great aioli dip, the Tiger Eye was a delicious bite with wonderful texture and flavor, and pork belly sushi... so rich, fatty, and delicious! The pork belly was my favorite. Meh: Mentaiko Spaghetti, Basil Fried Rice. Not sure what was making it that way, but for some reason it was very spicy, like when you have too much onion or garlic. Either way, I took a little of this dish, tasted it, and kept passing it along... Basil fried rice was a little bland. Overall, it was a nice experience. Great service and for the most part, pretty good food that's a little different from your usual Asian fare. A little on the pricier side, but I wouldn't mind coming back one day!
(4)Marc L.
Finally made it, and to my surprise, the restaurant was EMPTY!!! We were the only patrons in the place... granted it was 8:30pm, but it was a Friday night! Regardless, the service was great and the food was excellent. We ordered tapas: *Agedashi Tofu: It was good, but prefer the traditional dish with the deep fried tofu sitting in a broth. Probably not something I'd order again... but not bad. *Asian Fries: The spicy aioli made the dish... A nice dish as a cheap filler. *Takoyaki: Good, but nothing special. *Pork Belly Sushi: This was awesome! The pork belly was stewed just right and was a perfect balance of fat and meat. Sitting a top a ball of rice and futokaki... A must order! *Ahi Grilled Rice: This was my favorite dish! The deep fried ball of futokaki rice topped with the mixture of tuna was amazing. The only way to make it better would be to have the rice ball crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Overall, great food, great service... but for a lounge, it was a bit bright! I'll be back!
(4)Ava C.
I hate expensive places where you don't walk out full. I have a normal appetite, about 115 lbs. We ordered to share; the tapas were entree prices but appetizer sizes. So frustrating. Paid 90 for 3 people and still wanted more. Won't be coming back anytime soon.
(2)Austin N.
Alameda is slowly getting there with the food and I'm happy to say Zen contributes to that. I was sold on the word "FUSION." Food: I've been here probably 20+ times, majority of which is during the HH (between 530-630 I believe). Typically order looks like: Taro Fries, 2 orders of the pork belly sushi, Enoki Beef(not a HH special), Ying Yang Wings, agedashi tofu (no longer on HH as of recently), Zen Melt (also no longer on HH), and mojitos. A few things I would pass on: Oysters, Takoyaki. Simply put, not consistent with the oysters, and the takoyaki is just average. AMBIANCE: Modern, more dark setting. Black and red type theme, nice comfy couches, very laid back environment that's more slow paced. SERVICE: Consistent, the waitresses were always prompt, friendly, and checked up on us. Sometimes a few forgotten things, but overall still great. PARKING: Given it's park street, this ranges throughout the day. I typically park in the lot next to the theater which is free after 6. If you go before, it's only 50 cents an hour (way better than 25cents for 8 minutes in SF!). Overall: One of my go-to spots in Alameda for HH, it's a must try.
(4)easy m.
Entree price for teeny tiny portion of every dish. Each dish consists of a few mouthfuls of food. If you have a normal appetite, you can easily eat 5 dishes and then go home and feel like eating again. Well, that means Zen is very very expensive. The only thing that is good is the service. The waitresses are very friendly and polite. But the ridiculously small food portion will keep me away from this restaurant.
(2)A B.
This restaurant has a marketing problem. The location is a bit out of the way, the interior looks dark and a bit kitchy, and the menu at first appears boring. But the food is REALLY REALLY GOOD! We were so surprised to find such good food in Alameda! We liked everything we ordered: The salmon (sashimi) rolls were so fresh, the tobiko fried rice was so delicious, as was the mentaiko spaghetti. The pork belly rolls were also delicious, and I think it's the only place that makes good chicken satay in the whole of alameda. The chicken is dark meat (not white), and soft and not dry. It was yummy! I suggest that everyone in Alameda come in and give this restaurant a try. I'd even say the food is good enough to ask our friends on the East Bay to drive to Alameda just to try it. A note: We found this place not that toddler friendly. It's just too dark in there, and the food came out a bit slow, and much of the food was a little spicy--not enough even for some adults to notice, but just enough so that toddlers won't eat it. If you bring young children, either make sure they have an adventurous palate, or pack their own food.
(4)Carla C.
Great place to share tapas. We loved the shiu mai, pot stickers (best we've had in a long time), tuna tartare and really everything! The service was great. Wednesdays they offer half price bottles of some wines, great bargain. Price was very reasonable for such a high level of food.
(5)Connie Y.
One of my favorite Asian fusions hidden in alameda. Excellent service and excellent flavors! Some of my favorites: pork belly sushi, pork belly tacos, enoki mushrooms and beef, salmon wrap, infused hamachi, sushi pizza, clams ...
(5)Suzanne S.
Very accommodating with special requests
(4)V B.
i'm on the fence about this place. i guess i need to try it again. nothing about it was bad, persay but i guess i was expecting more. the wonton chips that came with the 'won ton nachos" were pale in color, and appeared to be store bought chips. not anything fresh. the size was rather small on the dish, even as a tapa to share. but the flavor was good. the oysters were fine. the setting is quiet, and dark. they have this huge custom couch that wraps along the entire restaurant, which is comfortable. my biggest let down, or mediocre-ness was the sake. "extra dry sake" came. it was cold. which was great. but it was not extra dry. it was sweet. they lack in selections. its more of a wine bar, with asian food in small plates.
(3)Blue Hat M.
I guess it was the chef/owner's night off because I can't imagine the two dishes my wife and I were served were meant to be so bad. A new rule of thumb for me: When hungry never go to a restaurant crowing about fusion. I ordered Chicken Teriyaki, right? And I would have been happy with anything slightly better than mediocre. My wife ordered Thai basil rice with beef. I may have been served a half a chicken thigh, but I doubt it. I am not exaggerating. This was a $12 entree. Some gobbets of chicken with a surprisingly tasteless gloppy excuse of a teriyaki sauce, on a bed of wilting into sliminess lettuce. Oh, and an equally tasteless little triangle of some kind of special rice. You could see the sesame seeds. My wife's rice dish, at $9 for the bowl, would have filled a small child. Tasteless white rice cooked in some kind of broth with tiny shards of gristly beef. I kid you not. This was all so bad we were in hysterics at the table, doing our best to muffle our giggles. The bill, of course, pushing $30 with the tip, was a bit of a cold bath. One star because the waitress was efficient and pleasant and seemingly not in on the fraud. And the green tea was, well, green tea. We came home as hungry as we left. I made popcorn.
(1)Peter G.
Cool place. Great location. Friendly staff. The Ahi Crudos are delicious. They also do take out.
(4)Jill T.
I found this place on Yelp quite a while ago and had bookmarked it and I am sooo glad I did. This place has great food!!! The atmosphere is comfortable with comfy couches to sit on. It is decorated in a stylish but comfortable manner. The noise level is nice, not loud and bustling. It was calm but lively. The shining star was the food. It was so good. We ordered one round of tapas and they were so good we had to try more and actually reordered a dish. This is Asian Fusion at it's best. Don't come expecting your run of the mill food, come looking to to experience the food and you will be happy. Highlights were: Basil fried rice! Ahi Tuna over rice! Sushi Pizza! Hamachi Infusion! and some others. It was all good and all interesting. The service was great, the food was great, and atmosphere was great! It's a winner.
(5)Nicole C.
Go during happy hour, it's pretty okay priced during happy hour. I thought the food was pretty good. I liked those Asian Fries which are basically tempura battered fries with some good dipping sauce. I'd definitely go back again.
(4)Annie C.
We came here for dinner a few times, and we loved everything we've tried so far. Get the Asian Fries! You won't regret it! Asian Fries - Irresistible aioli... no I can't resist. ): I believe this is sweet potato mixed with yam? I seem to get two kinds of fries every time. Ahi Grilled Rice - This was an interesting plate. The grilled rice was... crunchy. If you've ever had clay pot rice, the "grilled rice" is just like the crunchy rice that sticks to the clay pot. We like it, but it could use a little more flavor. Mentaiko Spaghetti - Our favorite! Garlicky with a generous sprinkle of cheese. Spaghetti is the perfect texture. Fish roe adds a kick to the bite. Yum! Basil Fried Rice - This comes close, if not tie, with the spaghetti. We always get one or the other. The onion gives the fried rice a very nice and aromatic flavor. I think we also had the Agedashi Tofu and some sort of beef... or pork... I can't remember so I won't comment on that, but we haven't had anything bad from Zen to date, so that's a good sign! (:
(4)Kevin M.
This is our 3rd time back and it continue to ROCK! Let's talk food! It seem as though we order more items every time we come here, everything is delicious-including the drinks! With that said, You can't go wrong with any item because everything is so FLAVORFUL! Given that everyone have different taste buds, it's a must that you try their KIMCHI FRIED RICE! It moderately spicy with endless flavor that will keeps you loading up the carbs! There's also the BASIL FRIED RICE, just as good but without the spice. PORKBELLY SUSHI, an awesome combination! FRIES!!! more carbs, but it's so worth it! EDAMAME! YINGYANG WINGS! If you're a SEAFOOD lover! Another must have is the INFUSE HAMACHI! The fish is so fresh and melts in your mouth! FRESH OYSTER, always down for more! CRISPY RICE AHI TUNA! I haven't got to the Drinks or desserts! and how it's a block away from ALAMEDA THEATER!
(5)Dhruv P.
Two Stars for food, they got the extra star for friendly service. They really need to revamp the menu, the offerings are limited and somewhat repetitive in style. Nothing special, there are far better asian fusion places throughout the bay area. Happy hour pricing was good and that was a plus but the normal dinner menu was a bit overpriced for the quality. There is just nothing that stands out about the food here, its very very average. They need to revamp the menu and enhance the quality to make the items stand out until then I wouldn't come back.
(3)Pacita D.
This is our all-time favorite place to dine. Can't have enough. We have brought so many folks to this restaurant, and they have all come back, and brought THEIR friends. We ALWAYS get the spicy edamame. It is so finger-looking good we ask to take home the remaining sauce. We've sauteed with it, even used it as salad dressing. It's yummy on everything. The chefs continue to surprise us by adding specials to the menu. When we first started dining there, Kakuni pork (pork belly) was served over rice in a dish, then as sushi, and finally as a fusion pizza. Love love this version especially since the pizza dough is thin, crunchy, yet firm so that it doesn't fold over like some other pizzas. And on my prodding, the chef accommodated me by making kakuni sliders :) Wonder what it would be like as a Kakuni eggs benedict? After reading and watching videos on how to cook kakuni pork, I have a much better appreciation for this dish. The pork is incredibly soft, juicy and tasty. Kimchi rice --- we've had all versions, starting with beef. Lately, we've asked for the chicken kimchi rice. All are just phenomenal. They are also very accommodating. I'm sure if someone requests, they can prepare vegetarian versions of some of their foods on the menu such as kimchi rice, spaghetti or pizza. Glad they put the Japanese toast on the manu--- it even got better, topped with a variety of fruits. Visually appealing, and it tastes as good as it looks. The last time I was there, we got the six-shot shoju sampler. What a treat! Love the presentation in a rainbow of colorful tall test-tube looking glasses. Keep up the great work --- we love you guys!
(5)Megan L.
Yum, but portions were a bit teeny
(4)Cindy S.
We ate at Zen to celebrate a friend's birthday. As recommended by all the other posts we did try the Asian Fries. They were very good- the mix of sweetness from the sweet potatos and taro mixed with the flavor of the dipping sauce gave a good kick. Since we were in a large group we all tried a variety of foods. Asian Fries- definetly a must try. Kimchi Fried Rice- just spicy enough and very flavorful. There was a light smokey flavor from the beef which added to the flavor and aroma. Clams- the clams were served in a butter, wine, garlic sauce with chinese sausage and slices of bread. The sauce was good, this dish might have been better with rice. Vermacelli Noodles with Duck- small refreshing salad. The duck was marinated well and had a little spice. Fish and Chips- saw a couple of posts raving about the fish and chips but they seemed pretty normal to me. Maybe I didn't use enough sauce. Pork Belly- I never really had pork belly before. I did like this dish. The sauce was tantalizing and meat was tender. It was served with rice. Spicy Tuna Pizza- worth trying. The tuna was really spicy and served on flatbread. You really get a good kick from the tuna. Overall the food was really good. Service was a little slow. We wrote our order out for the waitress but I guess the restaurant had 2 other parties so the kitchen was trying to accommodate us all. It was really warm in the restaurant. We had to ask for an extra cup of ice a couple of times to chill our room temperature water. Some items can be pricy but others not so bad. For a party of 9 we paid about $20 a person and had some left overs. I would visit this place again.
(4)Linda P.
Food was great! Must try kim chi fried rice and pork belly roll!!! Waitress were pretty amazing too!
(4)James T.
We made reservations for a Saturday night for a party of 7. We got seated promptly, got a table where half was a comfortable cushioned bench and the other half was individual chairs. Our waitress Tiffany was friendly, knowledgeable and not to mention cute. Ordered some cocktails and a beer. They have their own little twist of classics like flavored mojitos and greyhound with soju in lieu of vodka. Drinks tasted great, not weak or too strong and finding the perfect balance between flavors. My only small gripe is that cosmos should come with a lemon twist. Onto the food...I wish I kept the receipt to remember what we ordered, but we tried so many dishes. The ones that stuck out the most was their chefs special mint crusted rack of lamb cooked medium rare and served with green beans and paella, just thinking about it gets me all wet...my mouth that is. Also try their yin yang (spicy and sweet) wings with a yummy dipping sauce. The salmon carpaccio had hints of Vietnamese flavor and a nice tangy sweetness to it. We also got a shellfish risotto, infused Hamachi sashimi, pork belly sushi, tuna tartare, duck salad and a fried rice with some tobiko (fish roe). All those things mentioned would be great choices and would not disappoint. And now for dessert. My personal favorite was the chocolate molten cake. A perfect hot and gooey rich chocolate cake with a cool and creamy vanilla ice cream. To me, the molten cake dessert is the perfect yin and yang. For the other party goers, their favorite was the Japanese toast topped with strawberries, kiwis, bananas and vanilla ice cream with a drizzle of chocolate sauce was just visually stimulating and delicious as well. Overall this restaurant is a gem in Alameda. Even though I don't live in the bay anymore, if and whenever I get a minute to visit, I will for sure hit this place up for some downright spectacular good eats and friendly service. You will most definitely walk out happy and fulfilled after dining here.
(5)Jomary B.
SOOOOO good!!! We had the Curried Mussels. We had to fight off the (wonderful!) servers until we had spooned up every drop of the sauce! Our one and only complaint---it should have been served as a soup. We had the "Nachos" special--a spicy and delectable concoction of ahi, tobiko and other yummy things with crisp wonton chips. We had the oysters that taste of the sea, the Infused Hamachi, a nice salad, Ahi Fried Rice, and two desserts--Molten Chocolate Cake and Fried (read "tempura") Bananas that came with more ice cream than we could eat. Yes, our food bill was right at $70. No, we did not want a Big Mac. We can't wait to come back (from the South Bay!) and bring our friends!
(5)Jillian S.
Zen is really nice and is one of the most quiet places in Alameda. There is never a huge wait, and the food is delicious! I've had their kimchi fried rice, which was wonderful (I recommend). I've also had the pork belly sushi which was a treat! My friends and I have enjoyed happy hour here and tapas which makes for a nice evening, definitely worth a shot to check it out!
(5)Jeannie C.
Went there this past Saturday night! I have to say i was skeptical.... BUT PLEASANTLY SURPRISED! The Food was PERFECT!!!! Loved all the small plates we had and the dinner plates as well! Loved the OYSTERS and the Sweet Potato Fries with Aoli Sauce!!! I would definitely return!
(5)Priscilla V.
My boyfriend and I came here to venture out in the Alameda area and found this wonderful gem. All of the waitresses were friendly and attentive. I particularly enjoyed our waitress, Sukiya (spelling?) because she very detailed and treated my boyfriend's fruit allergies as if they were her own. We ordered the miyagi oysters, infused hamachi, pork belly sushi, crunchy tako and Japanese toast for dessert. We even ordered another pork belly sushi to go along with garlic shrimp and a chocolate lava cake. The pork belly sushi was delicious and original - the pork belly tasted like a mix between a Vietnamese and Filipino adobo. The futokaki rice that it came on was AMAZING. I think it was constructed with vinegar, sugar, soy, mirin and seaweed flakes. The miyagi oysters were decent, but nothing spectacular. The flavor of the infused hamachi was good, but I was disappointed in the quality of the hamachi cuts. I expected for the price of about $14 or $16 that they would use sashimi grade hamachi and not the scrap cuts that get thrown away or used as tartare. The crunchy tako had a tasty batter and was more soft than chewy, probably because they used the baby octopus that was previously marinated, like the ones you eat cold for the first course at a Chinese banquet dinner. The Japanese toast was simple, yet satisfying. The toast itself was very thick and crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. The strawberry jelly and condensed milk drizzle on top added the perfect amount of sweetness. The pairings of fresh strawberry, kiwi and banana was a nice touch as well. The garlic shrimp was decent and we haven't had a chance to warm up the chocolate lava cake to try yet. We will be back soon to try other fixings on the menu!
(4)Frank K.
So wasn't a very busy night for them, but we had a good food experience here. The Agedashi Nasu was nice, the eggplant not overly fried or oily, nor overcooked. We had the Wasabi Shu Mai, not your typical shu mai, but they were tasty, the wasabi not overpowering and you definitely got a taste of it. The Infused Hamachi was good but nothing special. The Mentaiko Spaghetti was basically garlic noodles, but good nonetheless; and the Kimchi Fried Rice isn't your typical Korean-style kimchi rice or bokum, but this was a tasty dish that succeeded for me as well. We also used the Yelp check-in free garlic mussels, and these were excellent I must say, but it's a small portion unfortunately when you order it this way. We were still hungry after all this, so we got the Ying Yang Wings, which were again a variation on the Korean-style chicken wings, but with the sauce on the side. Not the best but good and yummy. Would say this was a pretty decent Asian-fusion soul-food place.
(4)Geoff D.
It's a neat idea - Japanese little bites. I will say that the presentation is quite nice, but it's not really my taste. A tad too spicy in every dish. Too much wasabi, jalapeno and over-spiced gyoza sauce - again, for my taste. But if you like zingy food, this might be a good choice for you. Happy hour is quite a good deal and the surroundings are very nice.
(3)Vivian X.
The food is not bad but dishes are so small even smaller than your expected..lol.. if you have a party more than 4ppl, please stop your step, this place totally not suitable for family or big party garthering. I had birthday dinner there last night, and we asked for some hot tea, and they charge us $2/person for the tea w/o noticed. It's terrible..
(2)Chelsea B.
My husband and I stopped by this place at lunch time on a whim. I was a little concerned by the menu (having not fully understood asian fusion at the time) but decided to stay and try it. I ended up getting the spicy miso soup (which was the current soup of the day), my husband got the kimchi burrito, and we shared an order of the dumplings/potstickers with the soy sauce. OMG... Heaven. That soup was amazing, the dumplings were just as wonderful (especially that soy sauce dip), and my husbands burrito basically made him go cross eyed with how delicious it was. We will definitely be making another trip to Alameda for Zen Restaurant. Hopefully around dinner so we can try out the dinner menu next time!
(5)Liza Marie N.
Cute place. Delicious Asian fusion tapas. Several makes a good dinner.
(5)Ramon T.
Zen is one of Alameda's gems. Very comfortable ambiance, with many dishes that appeal to all palates, young and old. Staff is very accommodating, warm, and courteous. Been coming here for last three years, great place to grab a nice meal before heading to the movies. Favorites are the Zen salad that comes with an awesome dressing, dressing is great for dipping other bites. Basa, Panko fish, basil fried rice, grilled prawns, and pork belly sushi round out the meal. Great drinks! Zen is one of Alameda's gems. Very comfortable ambiance, with many dishes that appeal to all palates, young and old. Staff is very accommodating, warm, and courteous. Been coming here for last three years, great place to grab a nice meal before heading to the movies.
(5)Cynthia C.
Zen delivers when it comes to fusion ambiance, service & presentation. -Wasabi shu mai, not what I expected, they were fried, the filling tasted like it was store bought, did not like the dipping sauce. -Gyoza, these should have been MORE pan fried, they were greasy, but without the crunch, not okay. -Beef carpaccio, I know there is always capers, parmesan, but this time it totally overwhelmed the meat. -Jalapeno Hamachi, I really liked this, tweaks: less oil and more acid. -Duck Vermacelli, enjoyed the flavor and the incorporation of lettuce. -Sashimi salad, reminded me of Korean Chirashi w/o the rice. -Special of the night, crabcake, was WAY too mushy inside & flavor wasn't there. -Pork Belly, this was similar to the Chinese style, but the overpriced smaller version. Total for 8 items & sake carafe, a little over $100, not inclusive of tip. We ate sparingly, so we had three little boxes to take home, within an hour we were hungry again.
(3)Feed M.
My husband and I always get double orders of the enoki beef and pork belly during happy hour. They are amazing. We've tried a lot of other menu items and they were all good, but our must haves are the enoki beef and pork belly.
(4)Vee 2.
Tuna tartar - prepare for the crunch! Tiger eye - soooo unexpected! Love the minty flavor! Asian fries - the sauce is yummy! Hidden taro pieces! Basil fried rice - deeelicious! Tastes like fried rice! The yummy kind! Pork belly sushi - EAT THE FAT PART!
(4)Jared J.
All I can say is that this place deserves every "STAR!" Me and my friend Amy came by after work last Thursday and fortunately they were still open! First thing you notice is the ambiance! Very warm and comforting! The waitress was very pleasant and accommodating. She promptly seated us and we place our drink orders! I was so impressed that they serve Guava juice as one of there many beverage choices! So you know that's what I got! Along with tea & water! While reviewing the menu, I noticed and appetizer constantly being whisked away to other tables, and my curiosity kicked in and asked the waitress what it was, she replied "Our Spicy Edamame!" The owner who was hosting that night remembered Amy and came to our table to personal greet us and offered the Spicy Edamame on the house! AWESOME! They are so addicting that I asked for more, got more and even took the sauce home! Now our order....we were both very hungry! Me: A seafood pasta in a creamy pesto Alfredo sauce w/ shrimp, clams & mussels(minus the mussels extra clams & shrimp as a substitute) - main course, the Spicy Asian Fries, Spicy Ahi Salad & Clam Chowder as my appetizers! Amy: The Sushi & Pork Belly Pizza - main dish, Oysters on a half shell - appetizer! For dessert we shared the Triple Sampler Creme Brule' - Espresso-Plain-Raspberry and the Double Chocolate Molten Lava Cake w/Vanilla Bean Ice Cream! The food & dessert were excellent! Every time I go back and I will indefinitely do so, I will try something different on the menu, simply because everything I've had so far was great and makes me want to taste everything they have! My recommendations is to go and enjoy the experience for yourself! You will not be disappointed!
(5)Cathy C.
@Oakland White Elephant Sale and needed to fetch some food for friend working the sale. Yelped Asian take out and Zen popped up. Asian tapas with an assortment of wonderful sauces. HIghly recommend.
(5)DJ S.
In one word, Zen is AMAZING!!! The decor, comfy lounge seating, music and INCREDIBLE food never disappoint. We love coming here for date night or their delish happy hour. Our favorite small plates: spicy edamame, Asian fries, tiger eye and ahi grilled rice.... seriously all SO GOOD!!! The Mentaiko Spaghetti was one of the best things I've ever tasted in my life. The owner and staff are professional and always very welcoming. We just love, love, love all things Zen!
(5)Burrito M.
On the surface you would assume this place could be great, but there was just something off about the whole thing. It was like food cooked in a very rudimentary fashion, gussied up with fancy names and served on fancy plates to fit a "fancy restaurant" setting, from a food perspective, none of the dishes were particularly elegant, authentic or thoughtful. The food had no 'IT' factor. Furthermore, this place is definitely not for vegetarians...There are a couple of salads and appetizers to choose from, but basically no vegetarian entrees. Here is what we ordered: 1. Asian Fries - yam and taro dipped in tempura batter, fried and served with "aioli", which was essentially mayo mixed with sriracha. This was the only dish I could really dig into, they came out hot and freshly fried so it's hard to go wrong here, but I was stuffed so full of fries at the end that I felt kind of sick. 2. Agedashi Nasu (V) - this ended up being cut up pieces of raw eggplant, deep fried (no batter or seasoning) and served in a pool of agedashi sauce (we skipped the shaved bonito). This was probably the worst dish of the night. I gave up after forcing myself to eat 2 pieces. I don't know if you've ever dealt with eggplant, but it is like a sponge to oil, so you can guess what happens when you deep fry it, it is so filled with oil that the rules of osmosis deem this veggie impervious to any kind of agedashi sauce meant to provide any flavor, poured after the fact...On top of that, the deep frying made the eggplant skin rubbery and tough. Not cool. 3. Wakame Salad - seaweed salad served on a butter lettuce leaf, thinly sliced cucumber and a couple wedges of cherry tomatoes. Decent, nothing special - you could probably get the same salad at the prepared food aisle at the grocery store. 4. Salmon Carpaccio - I didn't taste this, but it did not look good. Slices were not thinly cut enough, it was drenched in olive oil, lemon juice and capers. I would even go as far as to say this dish was insulting - especially if you've ever had raw fish carpaccio style from Nobu. 5. Basil Fried Rice - beef, fried basil leaves, stir fried with rice. I had some of the rice (picked out the little beef there was). Nothing special. 6. Kakuni Pork - 3 pieces of pork, served with rice and some greens. I've had some good kakuni pork in the past, this just didn't look right, color was not dark enough and too much fat. I didn't taste this but my dining buddies were unimpressed. 7. Ying Yang chicken wings - According to my dining buddies, this was the best dish of the night. Too bad for me, cuz pre-veggie days, wings were one of my favorite foods. 8. Fish and Chips - Fish encrusted with panko and deep fried, served with (1.). S.B. suspects that this was sprinkled with MSG...Automatic thumbs down in my book. 9. Garlic noodles - Spaghetti mixed with garlic, pecorino cheese and oil, topped with fish roe. This tied (2.) for worst dish of the night, pretty disgusting from a smell, taste and texture perspective. I ate a decent portion since there wasn't much else for me to eat...Blech! Portion sizes were small to moderate, we were able to finish off almost everything (except for the agedashi nasu and garlic noodles). Total bill was around $90 with tax, tip and drinks, which is highly reasonable since we ordered so many dishes... Aside from the food, the service was pretty good and couches were tacky but comfortable. Highly unlikely that we make a return visit to Zen, not unedible, but I wouldn't waste my belly space on this place again.
(2)K T.
OMG, the fish and chips are to die for! These are the best fries I have ever had in my life! MUST Try! The chocolate molten cake was also delicious. Everything was great! A little pricey for Asian food but it's "fusion". I will definitely be back!
(5)Rachel K.
Finally, I got chance to try Zen. I was told many good things about it. Their menu is quite small, not many items, maybe it was lunch. We tried those popular tapas like, Asian fires, sashimi salad, etc. I think I like the fires the most, other than that I was not too impressed. There is nothing wrong with the food, actually everything was tasty, I just feel like nothing is original. I guess I was expecting to try some new tapas that created by ZEN. But, it is a copy of every where. I appreciate food to be creative too. I agree Zen is the best Asian Tapas in Alameda so far, there are lot more better tapas restaurants in the bay area I have been to.
(3)M N.
I liked this place. It is a nice fusion place. I rather go here than eat unacceptable sushi at other Japanese restaurant. Atmosphere is very nice and their couch is nice and comfy. Very relaxing environment, and food is decent.
(4)Hung Wai M.
I already had dinner, but decided to keep my miniature (I would've made this word much smaller fonts if I could've to emphasize) friend company to eat at her friend's place called Zen. I've never heard of it nor been there, but when we got there, the food came right out. This was only because my friend knows the owner and already prepared the food for her, so I'm not going to factor in the quick service. Anyways, we had chicken skewers and salmon belly to start off with. The chicken skewers were quite tasty, but Wow! The salmon belly was DEEEE-LICIOUS!!! We then had kim chee fried rice...DEEEE-LICIOUS!!! I've been searching for a place that has something comparable to Green Belt's (Los Angeles) kim chee fried rice and every kim chee fried rice I've had in the bay area S*CKED! This restaurant's kim chee fried rice is the next best to the one I had in LA. We also had some special pork (this was a special only for the owner's friends)....DEEEE-LICIOUS!!! They gave me a BIG glass of sake...or was it soju? I don't know, but I chugged it down pretty quickly! One thing was that I wasn't hungry, but the food was so good that I ate most of the food and more than my miniature friend that eats a lot! I've read some reviews on this place before writing my own and some mentioned negative things about "small plates", but...HELLO...isn't that what tapas are? I'm not going to minus points for that. It's like classes of cars. You have to compare SUV vs. SUV, because they're in the same class and not SUV vs. a sports car, which are 2 very different classes. So my final conclusion....DEEEE-LICIOUS!!! I am adding this new paragraph to my review, because my miniature friend isn't only miniature, but she's cute and sweet and nice and...is this enough my miniature friend?
(5)loan h.
Wow!, this place amazing! their Asian fries are to die for, its a mix of taro and sweet potato served with aioli. Oh, and you got to try the raw clams and their Pork and Baked Salmon, there's no exact words to describe it but Effing delicious!!
(5)Marjorie H.
The hubby and I have always walked by Zen and wondered about it. We finally tried it and really enjoyed their happy hour menu. Drinks were $4 and were pretty good. We pretty much ordered everything off the happy hour menu and it was all pretty good. My favorites - asian fries, Zen melt and the tuna tartar. We also tried the Sushi pizza... sounded weird but it was really good. Everything was really good - the food, the staff, their service and the ambiance. Will definitely be back to try things off the regular menu.
(4)samantha s.
The food was excellent! Everything was fresh and delicately served. The prices are very resonable. It about $23 per person and my group left happy and full.... The "asian fries" was awesome, very creative..... instead of potatos, they cut yams and other asian squashes into strips and deep fried them..... i found them to be better than the actual fries..... the portion was nice! Well done =)
(4)Matthew R.
If you time when you arrive here right you are definitely in for a treat. They do not have a lot of seating so there might be a wait, but once you are seated you will enjoy what awaits. The food is not dinner food at all but much smaller portions like appetizers, but the food is some of the most unique and flavorful food I have ever had. At first the menu sort of scared me as the lack of "safe" items were non existent but if you are willing to venture out a little you will taste some of the best food you have ever had. The Ying/Yang Wings were phenomenal and the seafood pasta I stole of my girlfriends plate it was so good. The only reason I couldn't give it 5 stars was the servers were not as attentive as I would like. Aside from that bring a few friends and get a few plates and have fun sharing some amazing food!
(4)Janice T.
This is one of my favorite places to relax with few friends after a long work day. The ambiance is great, I love the lanterns hanging from the ceiling. Beef carpaccio, agedashi tofu, prawns and scallops are some of my favorites. Plus a cocktail to top it off. They are all great, but I especially fancy the posmo.
(5)Brett L.
I have absolutly no bad things to say about this place. Food was delicious, service was friendly an we even spoke with the owner who gave us her take on the dishes. We didn't see the bill cause we didn't pay, but I know it was reasonable. Otherwise , we wouldn't have been taken there. And even better, if you buy wine from Alameda wine company and bring it in, there's no corkage fee!
(5)Tori B.
We had a great experience at Zen this past weekend. The place is fun and lively with out being obnoxiously loud or too uber trendy. The food is good and the service is great. Skip the mojito... but try their other drinks.
(3)Michelle F.
Really nice looking place even though you can't really tell from building's exterior. Service was friendly. Great food for good prices, especially at happy hour. Me & the boyfriend ordered, Asian fries- Best $2 ever spent Ying&Yang wings- Pretty good with the sauce Wagyu beef salad- Salads a little salty because of the beef but i liked it Kimchee fried rice- interesting taste but not all that Clam chowder- only b/c it was the special and i was craving soup. other than that, it's just reg. clam chowder Molten lava cake- they got the chocolate to be just right Definitely worth going to try.
(5)Ryan J.
Food.Decor.Ambiance.Music.Staff/Service... all GREAT! Zen is a family style restaurant which gives a very warm vibe to all customers. Service has been always great... will answer all your questions if your a newbie to tapas style. TAPAS means.. *Any of various small, savory ASIAN dishes, often served as a snack or with other tapas as a meal.* For those who are new to this, some dishes comes in small portions while others are a great size to share with your love ones... prices are very reasonable! I tried just about everything on the menu and i can just close my eyes and choose anything. Though, my top five is... Seasteak Salad,Agedashi Nasu,Tuna Tartar,Kimchee fried rice & Ying Yang Wings. Time to see how adventurous you can get! .. chicken gizzards i was afraid to try at first, turns out pretty good! Last but not least.... The table is set with fork & spoons to start... meanwhile if you DO need a knife, ask the servers. HELLOOOO!! Knives on the table would be kinda...Hazardous? especially with kids around or not.
(5)Janet N.
I love this place! Everything my foodie friend and I had was delish - Sashimi Salad, Basil Fried Rice, Pork Belly, and this bruschetta topped with crab meat & tobiko (forgot what this was called). Definitely recommend coming back.
(4)Alex F.
excellent service, good food, and a great atmosphere! glad to have found this little gem on the island of alameda. it's a perfect place for happy hour/dinner to chill with friends family or a date. they have tasty cocktails and delicious food to munch on while you chit chat and unwind after a long day in a Zen like state.
(4)Doris L.
Zen Restaurant was alright. It was nothing that special nor great as I was led to believe through other Yelpers. The food or should I say appetizer sized meals (tapas) that cost the price of an entree at any other restaurant were overpriced for what it was. My party of 6 odered Asian Fries, Zen Melt, 2 orders of Jalapeno Hamachi, Sushi Pizza, Fish and Chips, Niku Niku Steak, and Grilled Prawns. We ended up ordering another Zen Melt because the rest of the portions of the food were SMALL and well the Jalapeno Hamachi dish you would've needed to place at least 4 orders of this dish to not even be full still. The only decent sized tapas we had that were worth your money was either the Zen Melt or the Fish and Chips. I wouldn't suggest coming here in a large party as you will need to order A LOT of dishes to not even be full. Good thing we were celebrating a birthday and someone in our party brought along a cake for dessert and so that helped fill our half empty stomachs after eating at Zen. :D
(3)Suzy G.
These folks have a terrific eclectic menu with a little something for everyone. They're also very accommodating if you want your dish prepared in a specific fashion. The atmosphere is cozy and romantic - a great place to bring a date. Over all, most of their dishes are fantastic. My one complaint from last night, that I hope they read and consider, was that the dishes I ordered were unnecessarily heavy on the tart-side. First I got the roast duck watercress salad. It was SWIMMING in a vinegary sauce that was curdling my tongue and most of the duck bits were just skin. I was jealous of my husband, who got the duck vermicelli salad, which was delicious and meaty. Next we shared the beef carpacchio. This is a favorite dish of mine and they did it perfectly except for one thing - it was swimming in a vinegary sauce. I had to literally pour the sauce off onto a spare plate. Like the duck, the taste of the beef was completely masked by the tartness of the sauce. Skip the sauce! To me this says that they lack confidence in the food's ability to stand alone. Our next choice was the seafood ceviche, which was delightful and had the normal tartness one would expect from a lime juice marinade. I would have enjoyed this more if it hadn't been for the previous two sour plates. Finally, we had the lamb chops, which were divine and almost brought us to blows since there were only three. What kind of sadists lay out a plate with an odd number of items? Also, avoid the Argentinian Merlot.
(3)Hilarie A.
Doesn't look like much from the outside so we didn't bother going to Zen for a few years. Then, a couple weeks ago we tried it. Wow! great food, the owner is super nice, service was great, wine was great. Every dish we tried was fantastic, even the asian fries. We even brought our kids for an early dinner one night and they loved the food and owner/servers were incredibly nice/helpful. Zen is our new favorite restaurant in Alameda.
(5)Nick R.
I really love the concept of this place, Asian style tapas. It's really young, fun, and modern. The food is also good too! My favorite is the hamachi jalapeno. You gotta try it!!! The service is really good.
(4)Linda P.
Came here to eat one evening months ago before going to Alameda Theatre to watch He's Just Not That Into You. Since then, I find myself constantly thinking about their Tuna Tartar, Ying Yang Wings, and Salmon Cappacio. Zen's manager, Chris, has a great sense of humor and an honest opinion about each special dish. I'll be back as soon as I step foot into the Island.
(5)Irene L.
the best fusion good in east bay!
(5)Koala P.
This place is swanky with cool decor and music. Food is creative and fun. Feels like you are in New York!
(5)Raymond O.
Spicy Sashimi Salad & Kim Chi Fried Rice - THE BEST. Bela, also THE BEST!! ZEN - THE BEST!!
(5)Melody W.
If you haven't been to Zen Asian Fusion Tapas, you need to go there! The service was impeccable and the food was delish!!! Recommended dishes: -lamb chops: Medium rare and well seasoned. You'll love it! -yam and taro fries: So yummy! I love the texture(light, crunchy batter outside and soft inside) of the fries. I'm definitely going to order this again next time. -Zen tuna melt: This is not your typical tuna melt. It's very well made. The tuna is not fishy at all. Great bread too. -Sashimi Salad - The dressing was perfect. Not too salty or overly sweet. Sashimi was very fresh. Infused hamachi - I think the mint and shallots really elevated the sweetness of hamachi. The jalapeno added a pleasant spicy note to this dish. I will try to replicate this dish at home. My mint plant is growing like crazy! Might as well use it and maybe make some mint mojito to go with it. haha Kimchi fried rice: Great 'wok' flavor! My brother in law was making fun of me and said 'besides Asians, do you think other ppl would know what you mean by 'wok flavor'? I'm sure some of you know what I'm referring to right? Anyway, 'wok flavor' in my mind is: food that's cooked/scorched in a wok at a very high heat in a short amount of time to bring out the flavor of the food but without burning the food. Fresh oysters and cherry stone clams - They are so sweet and fresh! The last time I had cherry stone clams was in Miami. I was pleasantly surprised that it was on the menu. Enuff said! I highly recommend this place!!
(5)Anthony B.
Went out on a date and found ZEN, it was a great place to have drinks and the food was delicious. I tried the kimchee fried rice and grilled shrimps, man that was good! Anyone in the area should stop by and give it a shot, great atmoshpere and did I mention comfortable couches?
(4)Patrick T.
My first time here and it was great! Had the Roast Duck Vermicelli, Kimchi Fried Rice, the YING AND YANG wings ( i didn't have any), Tuna Tartar, and the asian fries. But my favorite was the Tuna Tartar. It was the best out of all the dishes we had. The flavor of the tuna was just right. came with the wonton chips. The tuna wasn't over powered by the sauce that they put on it. I'll definitely order the tuna tartar again, and try the sushi pizza next time i go there.
(5)Mei N.
i think most people don't realize or forget that this is a "tapas" restaurant. so when you complain that the portions are small (or smaller), well... they are SUPPOSE to be small. with that said, ZEN is a gem in alameda. the dishes are creatively put together and the service is great. the ingredients are extraordinarily fresh because the owner purchases everything fresh the day of. everything here is worth a try. but if you don't try anything else (but i recommend trying everything!), try the asian fries (taro and sweet potato) with aioli.
(5)Jennifer Y.
I went to Zen's on a Saturday night with a group of girlfriends and had a great time. Spicy sashimi salad was great, along with the asian fries. Decor is nice and service was great. I only wish the portions were bigger.
(4)John J.
I plan on writing a much more well thought out review.....I am too hungry to do that now just thinking about their food and kind service is making me drool all over the keyboard and that ain't good. Try the seafood pescatore with cream sauce and the fish and chips (asian fries) nice change from french fries. The owner is SO Nice. Try everything I have made it through about 1/3rd of the menu and it is all delicious. Won't even take a star away for the lack of a hard liquor license. Have Sake or some of their low % drinks. Get there ASAP you will be happy dappy doodle all the day.
(5)Catrina S.
We found this place on Yelp a year or so ago and have completely fell in love! We love the decor with fresh flowers daily. The serving staff is always friendly and attentive. If you are here for Happy Hour, try everything: Asian Fries, Agedashi Nasu (eggplant), Tuna Tartar... We also love their regular dinner menu items: House Salad, Chicken Teriyaki, Basil Fried Rice... If you are in the area, this is definitely a great place to visit!
(5)Jessa C.
Some of the food was passable, some of it was tasty, all of it was way overpriced. This is definitely one of those restaurants that is more about decor and having an upscale appearance than it is about having upscale food.
(3)Stephanie D.
It's about time I left my mark on Yelp about Zen. After all we were there again last night for our 3rd weekend straight. Heard about Zen, drove by it often but never bothered to give it a whirl. What were we thinking!! We usually hop over to Zen on Saturday nights, anywhere between 8:30-9pm. (I run on Hawaiian time). Usually able to be seated right away as all of the other on time dinner diners are wrapping up. The staff is sweet and attentive. We were recognized last night as come backs. Good memory! The simple attractive menu is our challenge. Yes they will leave you the menu so you may keep ordering through your meal but just deciding on what to start with is tough enough for us. Its hard to steer away from our usuals which has to be the Infused sashimi (YUM), asian fries, kukuni pork, and the hubby's new fave...BASIL FRIED RICE. Throughout our visits we've also tried the vongole, tuna tatare, lomi lomi, beef carpaccio, ying yang wings, baked clams, kimchee fried rice, lamb chops, fish and chips, plus a few I know I'm shamefully forgetting. Not one dish we're we able to say "EH" about. I notice alot if not all of the other patrons in the place order the sushi pizza. Something thats next on our target order! Zen brought something different to Alameda, something new and refreshing for us local diners. With all the close by eateries in SF, Berkeley, Oakland and so on just being a hop skip n jump away I still rather enjoy my asian tapas experience here. We'll be back next Saturday gang!
(5)Tom M.
Zen. What a nice change-of-pace restaurant. I've been there 3 times and very much enjoyed each visit. The Asian tapas style dishes are innovative, well prepared and served by a very attentive staff. On my first visit I was accompanied by my favorite two women friends. We had just finished eating at Kamakura a few blocks away, noticed this new Asian fusion place and had to check it out. We sat at the bar (sake, wine and beer only, but that seems to suit the style of Zen just fine), and the owner comped us with an order of Asian fries. One taste and we knew we had to return for a grander experiment. Visit number two. Was accompanied by my good friend, Snake (no last names, please). Snake's appetites for food, drink and life itself are large, so we ordered big. Kim chee rice, crab cake, seafood ceviche, dry cold sake etc., etc. Everything was well prepared with nicely balanced flavors, spice that matched the ingredients. The owner, Paula, curled up next to us on the plush seating and talked with us for a while. The wait staff was attentive to our every dining need. The third visit was similar to the first two. I look forward to new items on the menu, though I haven't tried every dish on the current one. There's lots to choose from. This restaurant is an Alameda gem. Don't miss it. Its small, and as word gets out I expect that it may soon take some patience to get seated. While the Alameda Park St. strip has zillions of restaurants, if you eliminate fast food, Chinese and Mexican you're left with about a dozen. Oh yeah, and scratch that groatly pseudo-Italian one with the huge portions of white-sauce pasta dishes; the same one that gave me food poisoning when I tried to eat healthy there by ordering a salad. Zen, and a few others including Kamakura, Yume, Havana and Dragon Rouge, offer hope and good dining to those of us who can tell the mundane from the inspired and we look forward to more innovative, quality eateries on the Isle of Style.
(5)Alameda M.
another successful night and dessert to die for!
(5)yelping a.
I love this place. Everyone who works here is always so welcoming when you walk in the door. The food is fabulous! I havent tried anything here that wasnt good. Must try ...Asain fries, kimchee fried rice , braised pork belly , ...oh just try everything . you wont be dissapointed!!!zen
(4)Regina N.
I'm giving this place 0.5 stars! We went here a few weeks ago. After reviewing all of the Yelp reviews, we were excited about having Asian tapas and drinks. It was a Friday evening and the wait was not bad, about 15 minutes. Overall, first impression of the decor was cute, we looked at the menu and it had a large variety to select from. When we were seated, our server did not greet us or offer water. Another server noticed and gave us 2 glasses of water. We told him it's our first time so we wanted to get several dishes since the menu looked so appetizing. I was giving him our order and after the 4th dish, he was ready to take the menus from us when we were still ordering. Then he gave us a look on why we would order multiple dishes for 2 people. Why would that matter? We are giving them more business right? So, he takes the rest of the order and then returns back with a glass of wine and beer. My glass of wine had floaties in it and I brought it to his attention - they replaced my glass with a new one. So this is what we ordered: asian fries - pretty tasty, out of everything we've ordered, the fries were the only appetizing dish we had for the evening. tuna tartar - never received, read below seafood bake - okay, was not hot garlic noodles - too much parmesan soft shelled crab - okay salad dish - okay Any rate, the service was extremely slow, the food was okay, some dishes were at room temperature - we were there dining for about 1.5 hours and didn't get the tuna tartar, so we flagged our waiter and told him to cancel it since it hasn't arrived. Okay, there's a problem if your waiter doesn't check up on you and ask if we needed anything else, follow up, etc...It's tuna tartar and we noticed other tables that arrived after us received it - so there may have a been a mix up? Oh well, so after I tell him to cancel it, he says he has to check in the kitchen to see if it's already made and returns back to us and asks us if we are certain that we didn't get it....We still had all of the other dishes, hardly touched on the table and I asked him why we would inquire about it if we did not receive it. He doesn't bother to listen and rolls his eyes at us. At this point, my husband is fed up and told him to just get us the bill. He insists that we've had the tuna plate and questions us once again. Why would you question us a 3rd time? Does that make any sense? So he finally gets us the bill and throws it on the table without saying a word. HOW RUDE! The service was so horrible and there is no reason to behave in that manner. This is probably the worst dining experience we've had. We've seen other diners disappointed as well, at least 2 other tables had some problems - not sure how this place is getting rave reviews. Maybe it was just our inexperienced server, but we will NOT return - it was a huge disappointment.
(1)Peter K.
The menu is a combination from Japanese, Italian, and Elephant Bar. I had the raw beef; it was rough, dried and the presentation is not very attractive. Hoping they will consider to use quality beef, such as Neiman Ranch or similar. The chicken and duck they served are from neighborhood's China town. Instead, they should be more to their own preparation. Service is great, always with a smile on their face. Price is a little bit high as to compare to their culinary art.
(3)Zammis S.
The concept is totally late 80's but the food was well executed. The menu didn't blow anyone away but that's the best part, "fusion" can turn into con-fusion pretty quickly. Kudos to the kitchen for not mixing in any 'soy foams' or 'rice wine reductions'. The upside- the Asian Fries, the Carpaccio and the Tuna Tartar, the down side- watercress stems are hard to eat and pork belly is better when the belly part is crispy. Still, an awesome place, THANK YOU for bringing Zen to ALAMEDA!!!
(4)naomi n.
it was a regular friday night where me and the boyfriend normally just pick a local spot to grab dinner. the overall decor was nice and very trendy. the sofa/benches along the wall seemed comfy but we came when they were busy and we got a regular table with regular chairs =( drinks came first. i got the cosmo with "asian vodka" which is just soju. it was on the strong side considering it was soju =) the bf stuck with soporo bc he's no fun lol food-wise, this place does tapas which is small plates i think. im not sure what the whole definition is lol. so we got the sweet potato fries which was very good. it surprised me a bit bc i was expecting just fried sweet potato, but they do a kind of batter on it which was nice. and they also mixed in taro which i liked a lot but the bf couldnt tell the difference between the 2 lol. we got the tuna tartar which was amazing. perfectly seasoned. The texture and the size of the little cubes was done to perfection. the best ive had in a long time. =D then the fried calamari came. it was nicely flavored but very soft. the batter wasnt crispy enough, which made the overall texture mushy. some people like it that way but i prefer it to be a bit crispy. we also got the salmon carpaccio. It wasnt as good as i expected. i tried to get to it as soon as it got to the table so the acid wouldnt cook it too much, but it still tasted cooked and kinda had a mushy texture... the peppers on top were very good. i normally cant handle spicy but it was a good accent to the fish. we were in the middle of eating and the bf wanted to add the basil fried rice. we were pretty full by the time it came out but it was a portion perfectly sized to share and we ended up finishing up everything. the rice was very good and the seasoning was just right. i love basil so you cant go wrong. over all, i think i gave them 3 instead of 4 bc i heard people rave about it so my standards for the place were set kinda high and i feel like they didnt reach them. i read another review stating how they're inconsistent on how good the food is. i would come back again just to prove this theory true bc this place has a nice vibe to it and i enjoyed eating there. so i will be returning =)
(3)Sara G.
ah jeez! i am that ONE reviewer that is now going to be known as THAT reviewer. sigh! So to their credit, the food was way yummy. The ceviche - which was my very first little number - was DELISH. HOWEVER, from there, it went south... i waited ages for my mojito, they didnt have ice cream for the ice cream part of the dessert, and worst of all, the whole experience took FOR EH VER! It didnt help - but its hardly worth mentioning - that the dessert menu was FULL of spelling errors. The sad part is that the wait staff was super nice. Super nice. But super inefficient and suh low. yawn! And I want to give them another chance (CEVICHE was SOOOOO yummy) but, but, but, I really dont want to go back! Love, Sara
(2)Lynn S.
So I am probably the ONLY one that doesn't like ZEN, well me and my bf that is. I ate there yesterday for the first time and was not impressed. The waitress was VERY nice, but other than that, the food was OKAY. Everything is soooo small and I've had a lot BETTER at other places. I am definitely never going back to this restaurant.
(1)Rafael N.
Asian fusion tapas??? Nothing too typical and some a bit weird. But, trying new things(asian or not) is what makes us wider(use suspenders instead of a belt). So here it goes. Asian fries. Perfectly fried sweet taters with a bomb garlic sauce. Twice cooked pork nigiri. Simple fusion idea and had an awesome texture and was savory. Beef and salmon carpaccio. I could have these everyday. Both tasted fresh, chilled, and the other ingredients rounded these dishes nicely. Oyster shooter. Fresh tasting and the punch you get from the shot makes you want 1 more. KimChi fried rice. Fusion once again works well with the combo of flavors dancin over your buds. If you like KimChi & fried rice you gotta try it. The house salad. Garden fresh and best memory was the dressing. Choco cake. Ended the meal with a satisfied feeling. The service. Easy smile and frequent. No frowns here. The drinks. Had a mojito and took a sip of somthing else which I don't recall. They were a bit measured almost watery. Overall, if you want a warm experience and decent quality for a decent price then do it.
(4)Kimberly T.
This was the first time I have been to Zen. I loved the atmosphere and the comfy couches along the wall. Service was very friendly and prompt. We had the japanese eggplant which was pretty good and the salmon and asparagus, which was great. I had an asian-pear martini which was light and flavorful, but also very much on the weak side - (I can only assume it actually had alcohol in it...). For dessert we had the fried banana with green tea ice cream, which I would highly recommend. I do like the small tapas-like plates, I tend to have a pretty light appetite, so that works very well for me!
(4)Harry F.
Pretty cool restaurant, thought I was going to be left unsatisfied but was not. The drinks were awesome especially the "Bullet Train." It hits as hard as it sounds. The food was good but wasnt extra special. The waitress was super duper nice (and cute). Went there with 4 other friends and for my bday she gave us a round of Sake Bombs, and gave me two! So, after two bullet trains, 2 Sake bombs, and asian fries, I conclude with satisfaction.
(4)Amy M.
I went here with my mother a few weeks ago and was amazed. After eating in Alameda for 27 years I'm pretty sick of all the mediocre restaurants. This was a nice change a pace and had some original dishes. The salads were fresh and I just loved the sushi pizza. And, the food felt healthy enough that we didn't feel too guilty ordering the chocolate molten cake, which was definitely worth the calories. The two of use ordered 4 tapas and dessert and it was more than enough. My only complaint is that they never offered to refill my tea, but I'll see if that's a pattern when I go back.
(5)Gsk A.
I love this place it's got quite a charm to this place. The food is a collaboration of different regions. It's really fun to bring your friends and hangout. What an innovative menu.
(5)Donovan P.
Amazingly friendly staff, great food, incredibly interesting specialty cocktails. I recommend exploring the menu and trying things you wouldn't even imagine trying, you will be pleasantly surprised. I can't say enough good things about this place, so go see for yourself.
(5)Dawn T.
A delight! Great atmosphere. Cool music. Reasonable prices. Delicious food! It was our first visit. I had an Argentine Cabernet....full bodied, and tasty. We ordered the sweet potato fries. Don't miss this! It's a taste sensation...pieces of sweet potato caressed in a very light tempura batter and dipped in an aoli sauce...it literally melted in my mouth and left my taste buds wanting more. It was yummy! We almost ordered a second batch but held back. The spaghetti was really different, but very tasty...and the molten lava dessert with vanilla ice cream is a chocoholic's dream. We also had the unagi, lamb chops, and wakame salad. All good! We found everyone there to be warm and friendly. Lydia, our server, was attentive and very efficient. Kristine, the owner, was warm and gracious and even introduced us to her father who had just dropped by to visit. This is a "tapas" place, and compared to other tapas restaurants, ZEN gives you very generous portions. They will open for lunch soon, so do try it! I want to go back to try other selections on the menu. Well worth the drive even if you don't live in Alameda. I highly recommend Zen.
(4)Sheila L.
This restaurant is really great! I have eaten here several times. The last time I brought my brother and sister-in-law from Phx. They are real foodies and very picky about restaurants and food. It was a big hit!! We all thoroughly enjoyed our choice of dishes. The fries, and a marinated hamachi dish were fantastic. The service was perfect for us, not too rushed. I highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)Vera H.
Went there again and the service is stil SLOOOOW. The food isn't that great where it balances out the long wait.
(2)W B.
My husband and I wanted to try a new restaurant and Zen was recommended by a friend. I am soooo glad that we took her suggestion. We had a great time and our server (Lydia) was very friendly and made us feel right at home. Everything we ordered was great... from the spicy sashimi salad to the asian fries. Of course we couldn't have dinner without having desert... the molten lava cake wonderful. I can't say enough about how great the food was. We will definitely be returning to try the other items that we didn't have.
(5)Cony K.
Decor is nice. Wait staffs are friendly & attentive. My favorite food is Sea Steak salad, it's light but tasty. Japanese raw oyster is fresh...I love cheese...their Seafood bake is awesome. Seafood pasta is rich & excellent. Asian fries taste yummy. Desserts are great too....not too sweet. Yes, their portion is small, but hey...it's tappas style...that's the style so you can try more dishes. I think their pricing is more than reasonable. I will recommend everyone to try.
(5)Gregg F.
Zen is creating quite a buzz in Alameda. I needed to take clients out for dinner. They were leaving Alameda for good and I wanted them to experience something special but still Alameda. I made the right choice here even though one of my guests was a meat and potatoes type of person. No problem though as she experienced the Asian fries, the shakin beef salad, and grilled salmon. The rest of us enjoyed the eggplant, ying yang chicken, and a second order of the fries. The prices turned out not too bad for the quality and the experience. Great place a definite repeat!!
(4)Marc J.
Came here Saturday night for a party. The food was outstanding. My favorites are the uni pasta and the kakuni pork.
(4)Julie T.
Finally a place in Alameda that feels like a big city restaurant! Tried it twice with different people and they loved it too! We tried tuna tartar, infused sashimi, kimchee fried rice, grilled prawns, carpaccio, and love the spaghetti! The cocktails are yummy, not strong but just right to visit and talk. The wait staff is great, very attentive but not so much so! The atmosphere is great. Love the comfy seats! Don't miss it, can't wait to get a babysitter and head back!
(5)C P M.
YUM! Great drinks, excellent food, fantastic service; we have been back many times and always look forward to our next visit. Must-haves: kim chee rice, lomi lomi salad, ceviche, and sushi pizza. Don't forget the house fries if you go with a group! Their house white wine goes great with everything on the menu, too. Visit Zen!
(4)Jenn O.
This place is fantastic. The food is so delicious. I'm tasting flavors here that I haven't tasted in other places. I really like the tuna tartar, sushi pizza, beef carpaccio, salmon carpaccio, and kimchee fried rice. Those are my top recommendations. The asian fries are good, but they aren't my favorite. The sauce for it tastes better than the fries. Even though I haven't tasted everything, I don't think you can't go wrong with anything you order from here. To top off the great food, the owner and staff are very nice. Good food, nice staff, nice and clean restaurant... Go eat there already. :)
(5)Kathy W.
Awesome food, awesome ownership, awesome atmosphere. What she does with food combinations is just incredible and I think that tuna tartar is the best I've ever eaten. Everything is fresh and well prepared. If you haven't been, I'd highly recommend it.
(5)Stephanie C.
mmm so i haven't been on yelp in awhile since i've been abroad in japan, but my friend took me to this place as a welcome home and it's great! i especially loved the asian fries and the chicken wings ;) i've also had the sea urchin, lamb, spaghetti, ceviche... all bomb! i had to leave a good review for good food on the homeland... more details later
(5)Cynthia Y.
Ok here is the scoop. Zen's food is mediocre. I see a lot of good reviews well maybe my standards are just higher than others. When me and my family went in it was still early dinner time abou 5pm only one or two people were in there. The server did come immediately to take our orders. Then we never saw her again until we had to flag her down for our bill. We asked her if they had anything that a child of 8 can have like plain rice or noodles because my child is allergic to fish of all things. I guess she didn't get this because everything she suggested had fish in it so the only thing I could order for her was the asian fries. Not kid friendly at all not a good start. Then when the food came the only thing we did like was the skewers of chicken hearts that had good flavor. The tuna tartar had no taste to it and so did the other items we ordered. Although a restaurant like this in alameda looked promising it failed to deliver. You may try it if you like you may have a better experience than us or you may not. Anyways those are my 2 cents on that. Zen "Cortina Contigo"
(1)Jack M.
Wonderful food and a very nice atmosphere. The Asian fries are superb! Just a great dining experience. We hosted a visitor from Washington DC here recently and he loved it also. A real find!
(5)Michele D.
Love the decor, love the concept, loved the service. The food was the only downside of the experience. It was all much too rich- the flavors were overwhelmingly loud, instead of a nice soft, light, dimly lit room on an island, which is where you could be when you see the inside. Mildly disappointed, will likely give them another chance & see if it was a one-time thing or my palatte.
(3)Raul C.
This place is great. Excellent food, fun place, great service. The zen fries are really good, along with the halibut sashimi, the arranged ahi salad, the gyoza, and pretty much all their main dishes. I've been three or four times and was never disappointed. Plus, every time the bill comes I was pleasantly surprised--not cheap, but lower than I expected for the quality of food. The only downside--not a full bar.
(5)alameda g.
Everything about this place is yum! Menu looks scary at first but so good! You have to try if you live in Alameda. And DONT forget dessert! And White wine!!! Try the spagetti with roe, spicy ying yang wings, just try it all! If you love mussels as much as me get that!
(5)AO H.
We were the first through the door at 5pm thursday. They have really good specials for happy hour. The Asian Fries and the kimchee oysters are outstanding. Light, and they don't leave you feeling as if you have a ton of batter in your stomach. It was a wonderful experience. They are good people. The staff is awesome and the owner is approachable. She will stop by your table and chat. Give it a shot you will not regret it.
(5)Gaby C.
I've been to Zen twice, and both are really good experiences. I really like the decor and the ambiance, and the waitress is really nice and attentive too. The food is really good, and they are not that expensive. My boyfriend really liked the tuna tartar and the beef carpaccio, and i really like the ika sansai and the asian fries. OH, andd you HAVE to try the mango mousse soleil (or w/e that's called). IT'S RELALY DELICIOUS! it's not even that sweet, which i really liked. So for those of you who do not like really sweet dessert, that could be a good option
(5)M L.
The food was delicious and this place is worth going back to again. The portion size is not bad. We had the Asian fries which was delicious. The kimchee fried rice had just enough spices to make your mouth water. I truly enjoyed the taste of the baked salmon. It did remind me of the Lion King roll from Sushi house. Lastly, the chocolate molten cake was to die for!
(5)Jessica L.
We tried this place the week it opened and it's my new favorite! Everything we ordered was wonderful and perfectly prepared! The Tuna Tartare was amazing and the fries were one of the best things I've had in a long time! They were so good that we ordered a second serving of them! The service was great, so friendly and they were really on top of things! And the place looks great, they made some drastic changes to the interior. Since they just opened they were not crowded at all, take advantage of that now because I'm sure this place will catch on and eventually be packed! This is the best new spot in town! Be sure to try the fries with the garlic aioli!
(5)Jaydee C.
Fabulous. I have gone to Zen twice now and I am telling everyone how great it is. Every single dish we have had has been incredible. They have 1/2 price cocktails for happy hour so we ordered 4 different ones between 2 of us,(which was fine since they use weaker alcohol). We loved our waitress, she made great recommendations. We had the chocolate dessert which was awesome, but they need to coffee to go with it. We love the trendy hip atmosphere.This is one of the best finds in Alameda.
(5)michele k.
I read the reviews and I came. Maybe I expected too much. The food was alright. Fresh but not cuisine if you know what I mean. I came with my cousin and Co. We love food and this just didn't do it for us, The service was clumsy at best and a female server basically told us to leave because they didn't have anymore customers. I believe it was 9:30. I think it's a great concept but execution was a flop.
(1)Karen L.
ordered zen salad, ying-yang wings, sushi pizza, and kimchee fried rice. all good, and reasonable price too. oh, must have fried banana as dessert; nice presentation and good!
(5)Teddy L.
super delicious food for something different. the kimchi fried rice is my favorite, there are also alot of good dishes like the pizza
(5)Vince S.
All the positive reviews on this place is a huge surprise because my friends and I had a HORRIBLE experience... The service was WACK! Me: Hi, can we please get the check, we're trying to make it to a musical starting @ 8 (the time is now 7:40, and we got there at 6pm). Server: Ok, would you like to see our dessert menu? UM REALLY?...DID YOU LISTEN TO WHAT I JUST SAID?!! Idiot. The service was horrible and slow, it's not a good place for vegetarians (according to half of our party of four who are avid veggies), our house salads were dry, and our fish & chips seriously could have been made by anyone who knows how to work a fryer. The aioli served with the fries is like tapatio mixed in with mayonnaise. Ew. We were all very disappointed, due to the fact (as you all can read), that it came highly recommended by many of our friends. Maybe you'll have a better experience, but it's a nay for any of us to return. Small, but important detail: There were about three parties that we observed that literally got up and walked OUT of the restaurant. People do that for a reason. Just saying.
(1)Sun K.
We have been to this hidden gem in Alameda a couple of times now. Each experience has been better then the other. The Chef has been on point each time. We also love there "happy hour", which has many fusion cocktails that will rock your world. If you live in Alameda or visiting, this place must be checked out. The service is great. The staff fantastic. And the Food Awesome. Go there: )
(5)Justin G.
I was impressed by the staff, food, decor and atmosphere. this was a nice small restaurant that seemed very comfy as the had a long sectional couch that lined the walls. All the tables were full as we arrived so we were asked to sit in their waiting area. The waiting area had only a few seats but a nice little water fall to keep you preoccupied. The waitress then asked us if we had wanted to order a beverage or drink or water while we waited which was nice. After about 10 mins of waiting, we were seated and quickly tended to. We had brought our own dessert that night of bread pudding and red velvet cupcakes from Sugar Butter Flour in Sunnyvale. They were kind enough to put it away in their fridge while we ate our dinner. The dinner was delicious as we ordered several small plates. Salad, tuna tar tar, marinated pork. The food was delicious although that was the first for me for the majority of our meals. After finishing our meals they were kind enough to bring out our dessert with plates and forks for us to indulge in. At this point they were already nearing closing but not once did they rush us. We actually left the restaurant at 11 but their sign said 10pm close. I guess they were just so kind to let us be since we were enjoying the food and each others company. So if you want a nice place with decent prices and good food you need to check this out.
(4)Kathleen B.
Okay, tonight was the second night I've gone there and the food was just as good as the first time. The service is pretty good too. I think it's cute how the bill comes in a little cup. Both times I've been there, I've gone with a group of 7 or more, and we practically tried half the menu. Everything we've tried has been pretty good. Nothing was bad to me. Favorites that stood out: Asian Fries Ahi Tuna Basil Fried Rice Unagi dish Teriyaki Salmon Gizzard (although they took it off the menu, so it wasn't there today. Bummed us out.) Their Strawberry dessert Their mango dessert Their chocolate dessert is good. Pretty rich, so if you don't like chocolate too much, this may not be the one to try. Their Saketini The Mount Fuji drink is yummy too. I really liked the Apple Sake in it. Their service was pretty good. They didn't hound you every 5 minutes, which was nice, but they came around enough to make sure you're doing okay. The bathrooms are clean! Very cutely designed too, with a glass sink and all. =) The whole design of the restaurant is cute too. I like that it's a small, intimate place. However, that means if you plan to go, it's probably best to make a reservation. Oh, and price is okay. The food is worth the price. Although if they raised the prices, I probably wouldn't go back. We already saw one dish go up $2 since our very first visit.
(4)Garrett H.
Had to check this place out based on all the positive things I had been hearing. Sadly It was a disappointment. The drinks were bland and watered down, major bummer for an 8 dollar cocktail. The meat was undercooked big time. I ordered Lamb and my fiance beef. My fiance asked for medium rare and I asked for medium. Both of our entrees came back blood red and raw. I mean it looked like the whoever was preparing the meat just flat out didnt care. Not cool. And of course they just tossed them in the microwave and reheated them complete with all the other portions on the plate, therefore ruining the rest of the meal. Total bummer. The service was decent and the ambiance pretty cool but the food and drinks were just terrible. Seriously disappointed. Sorry Zen I'm just not a fan.
(2)Shib W.
Zen is great, I am so happy it's in Alameda and don't know why I didn't review it earlier. All experiences have been the same - wonderful! Some of the small dishes are executed brilliantly (ika tempura, spicy edamame), and the larger dishes are also very well done. The pork belly musubi kind of thing is really fantastic - best pork belly I've had in these parts with the proper changes in texture in each piece. The well-balanced seasoning does not overwhelm the fresh pork flavor. The salmon dish is also a big hit with the family. The ambiance is a tad on the lounge/hipster side and I'd probably like the music turned down 1 or 2 numbers on the dial, but really that's very minor and didn't distract me from enjoying delicious meals there.
(5)Brenda L.
I like this place. I love their Asian fries and their kimchi fried rice. The lights and designs are lovely. The owner of the restaurant is really nice too. I used to work right next to their store, and they came in for yogurt and I was just talking to her about how I like their fries. And they just brought some in for me. I would really like to go back to eat soon.
(5)Tiffany H.
I'm giving this place 4 stars but I doubt I'll be coming back often, only because I'm not too big on the ingredients used in Japanese fusion. For example, most people I know love the salmon carpaccio and the sushi pizza, but the flavors for these types of dishes tend to be very sour, using seasoning and ingredients that overpower the fish. That isn't to say the fish wasn't fresh--it definitely was--but I prefer sushi that is simpler and cleaner in taste. A great example of this is what is arguably their best item--unagi! You can't go wrong with unagi anyway (at most places at least), but I loved the way it was prepared here. The sauce wasn't too heavy and the meat was perfectly tender--literally melted in my mouth. Our family loved it so much, we had to get another order! In that vein, I also really liked the agedashi nasu (eggplant), which is a dish many would find to be 'bland' but it's one I enjoy. It's simple but tasty. What Zen is probably most known for, though, is their 'Asian fries' which are simply yam and taro fries. These were probably my second favorite just because I love taro so much! In addition to the salmon carpaccio, we also ordered the other fish carpaccio (I forget what it was, though). It tasted very much like steamed Chinese catfish, so in that sense, the flavors were more to my liking than the salmon carpaccio, although the meat itself was tougher and not as fresh. While I personally preferred the taste of this carpaccio, most fans of fusion will probably prefer the salmon. The buta no kakuni (braised pork) was a treat, but prepared in what tasted like the Chinese style (rather than the traditional Nagasaki style), which I didn't mind, but it's something I'd rather not go out and order if I know my mom can make it at home ;) It was still absolutely delicious, though, and if it's a dish you don't eat often, you definitely should try it! We also had the basil fried rice, which was pleasantly and surprisingly unique for me and my family. Even though we were eating so much rice, something about the basil left us feeling refreshed rather than overstuffed. Finally, for dessert we had the chocolate cake a la mode and the creme brulee--both of which were wonderful! In all honesty, what will make me come back will probably not be the food but the ambiance and service. Even though our waitress was so young, she was considerate, thoughtful, and just a delight to be around! She gave great recommendations and even introduced us to the owner afterward--a kind, hardworking Chinese woman. Zen is a great addition to the family-owned Japanese and fusion restaurants in Alameda and I hope they keep up the good food!
(4)Kim G.
Great service and yummy food. Hubs and I had Enoki beef, lamb skewers, fresh oysters, Hamachi, beef carpaccio, pork belly sushi, and tuna tartare. Also had fried green tea ice cream and 3 kinds of creme brûlée. For drinks, Lost Hounds. Great place for eats in our town!
(5)P S.
Met up with 3 of my very good gfs for drinks after their dinner here. Cute little place, but server was not nice when it came to closing out the tab. Could have told us that they were closing at 9:30pm! What restaurant closes that early on a weekend, especially on a SATURDAY? Anyway, at least she was nice enough to keep on taking decent photos of us. Saw the dinner plates, they were tiny maybe 4"x4" for a full plate's price. No wonder the check came out to be over $150... and they were barely stuffed by it. Not recommended for big eaters. Parking sucks!
(2)Serena L.
I live and work in alameda and have driven by this place countless times. but it wasnt until I finally looked on yelp and really found this place. I had no idea the inside looked so nice. its not until you actually walk up to the window and look inside do you realize how nice this place actually is. FYI: this place is currently NOT open for lunch, so I had a difficult time making reservations, but I called around 4 and they picked up and we're able to schedule my group for that night. honestly I was really excited to come here, looking at the photos and the reviews got me hyped up. the service here is very good. they're a tapas bar, so its pretty much a lot of small plates to share. so let me break down the food we ordered last night.... -daily special raw clams: first time having raw clams, pretty good. -lomi lomi: raw salmon salad pretty much, very good and the slamon had a hint of a bbq taste to it. -fish and chips: dude, theyre not regular chips, they're asian fries but what the menu fails to tell us is that the chips are actually taro and sweet potato. helllla good. high five for being different -kimchee fried rice: I was skeptical to try this dish bc of the mixed reviews. but we did anyways. this isnt fried rice like you'd expect at a korean restaurant, it is a fusion restaurant afterall. its more dry and has less kimchee in it. the traditional dish is very moist. I enjoyed it. -zen beef carpaccio: also very good, sliced very thin -kakuni pork: fatty pork, very well flavored and comes with a little veggies and rice on the bottom. i wouldnt eat this as a meal, but it was great to share. -ying tang wings: chicken wings, probably one of my favorites last night. I ordered two orderes to go. its a must try. so I hope this helps. I love the decor and the atmosphere is very lounge like, as its named. I think I'm just overly excited we have this place in alameda, now I dont have to leave town when I'm lazy to get good food. lol oh and I like their cups and bowls...
(5)Peggy H.
Zen is one of my favorite restaurants in Alameda. When you get there, be sure to ask for the comfortable couch seating along the wall. When we came last, we were rushing to make happy hour before 6:30, but to my surprise hh is all day for Tuesdays to Thursday! All of the cocktails and most of the appetizers were $4. The cherry blossom with lychee, grenadine, and nigori sake-is one my favorite, it comes out in a pretty milky pink color with just the right amount of alcohol. Must haves: -Asians fries (taros and sweet potatoes) with the spicy aiola sauce (For those who like it spicier, be sure to ask for sriracha to mix it) -Pork belly sushi melts in your mouth with the right consistency of rice and meat -Kimchi pizza was new! The flavors combination of sour and spicy kimchi with pork belly and pesto sauce made a great fusion pizza. It is a personal size, so order more for bigger parties. -Crispy rice and tuna (baked? crispy rice square with a mix of creamy tuna tartar has a desired texture with tuna that melts in your mouth! All the great yelp reviews can not be wrong!
(5)Zi Ran D.
Came here for happy hour and dinner before, and I really love the food here! The portion size is perfect for girls... and the dishes are very beautifully set up, and also DELICIOUS :P Here are what I ordered: Tuna Tartar Tiger eye Asian fries/sweet potato & taro fries pork belly sushi baked salmon over rice baked clams Zen melt They are all interesting items to try on the menu :) Zi~
(4)Kim D.
My feelings about Asian Fusion Eateries are often uh... mixed. The execution of Zen's menu is similar to the format: hot and cold. A big seller - the Asian Fries are sweet potato and taro served with a mildly spicy aioli, but I have never noticed consistency with the tempura batter, so some are crispy, some are soggy and the dreaded "f-word". Flaccid. Big sad face. Previously, I'd tried the kurobata pork entree which was as rubbery and I was shocked the kitchen had the audacity to serve it. I haven't seen it on the menu recently, so I think that they're working on some refinements, which are much improved. Without fail, whatever the weather, I order the Roast Duck Salad, with their house ume vinaigrette ($8) which is another F-word: Fantastic. I have been known to double down on this dish and have it as a salad entree. It's not heavy on the meat, but there's just enough to add a very balanced and savory component without making you feel heavy afterwards. There are very few salads that rock my world, but this one is a happy exception! Happy Hour Highlights: Kakuni Pork - 3 generous slices of melt-in-your mouth braised pork belly are a MUST-TRY, served on seasoned sushi rice for the HH price of just $5. The Agedashi Tofu is enough to share and more of a silken texture that I prefer - the shoyu broth is delicate - I like I ask for it on the side to preserve the very light breading that coats each round of tofu. HH beverages are $4 starting at 5:00pm and they still pack a punch. Because I don't drink alcohol, I do enjoy Fauxjitos and was delighted with the lychee version that the bar improvised for me last night - definitely a repeater. Chill tunes are always playing - not bad for a local place with decor comprised primarily from Ikea. Seriously - the HH Kakuni Pork has earned a Porkgasm Designation and should not be missed by my fellow Pork lovin' Yelpers!
(4)Mellisa R.
We made it here for happy hour as a detour to another place to grab a bite. This place is absolutely the place to come locally, we had one of everything to try it out and the Asian fries the spicy edemame their form of nachos absolutely loved. This has great decor the service was absolutely great I felt that we weren't rushed we had friendly faces and quick service. Absolutely will be returning here! Not to mention their prices are on point no complaints with the amount of food and fullness we got. Great date night
(5)Teresa P.
"A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety." Zen is such a place to provide an atmosphere fitting of this sentiment by Aesop - except of course, you get more than just crust! Great spot to impress a date or some visiting out of town friends. Ladies, if you are coming in for dinner with your man, request a table by the window - the light will cast a glow that will make you look fabulous. :D Amazing, unpretentious ambience, with delicious offerings on the menu - including the drinks. Everything we ordered was excellent, and I cannot add more to what has already been said by the other reviewers. But I would be remiss if I did not call out the PORK. BELLY. SUSHI. If you love Unagi as much as I do, you have to try this - it is like a meat-lover's version. Its a perfect bite of meat, fat, sauce and rice. YUM. Also great is that its close to the parking garage, which is free after 530pm and weekends. Zen has definitely made it to my favorites list for Alameda! :)
(5)A L.
I definitely dig the interior of the place, nice ambiance and I'm loooving the couch cushions. I was lucky enough to get a seat in the corner of the restaurant where it was super cushiony! It felt like I was eating dinner on my couch at home. You'll know what I mean when you see it. Everything was really good and fresh, especially the asian fries. It's basically fried taro covered in batter. I was a little intrigued with the sushi pizza at first, although it was good I wouldn't say it was great. I probably wouldn't order it again though. The cocktails were all very good. I'm not sure if I'd like to even call it that cause I couldn't taste the alcohol at all :p It's whatever--it's a restaurant, I don't blame them for not making strong drinks. Each of my friends ordered a different drink and all were very good. They use fresh juices so much of the drinks tasted like a smoothie. Everything is definitely on the pricey side. It's a great place to go to on a romantic date. You're looking at 30+ dollars per person every time you come here. Definitely worth it if you're a fan of sushi and raw fish.
(4)Kristin H.
Popped in here after a workout last night and boy, are we glad we did! It wasn't too crowded and we were seated right away. Dimly lit, relaxing atmosphere with a super nice and helpful staff. We started out with the Spicy Edamame which was delicious. The spices with soy and garlic was sooooo good. We also had the Wasabi Shu Mai which was a hit as well. The Asian Fries we both felt indifferent about...but then... The Kimchee Fried Rice and Pork Belly Sushi was a grand slam for us. SO good!!! All in all, with a glass of wine and 2 salads, I think the bill was $50. Limited but decent wine and beer selection and good looking low-alcohol content cocktails. Totally worth it, close to the theater and Park St. You won't be disappointed.
(4)Rebecca H.
Hits and misses. That characterizes our experience, some things were very good, some not. The clams and oysters on the half shell were so fresh and delicious. The Asian fries, which are tempura fried taro and sweet potato sticks, also delicious with the aioli. Seafood ceviche was good, but the cucumber was bitter and threw the dish off, would be better without it. Asian pizza has fresh ahi, it's interesting and well flavored. I didn't like the kimchi fried rice, it had a weird cajun sausage flavor and the beef was tough. Asian pancakes are bland but the kids like them. I didn't try the spaghetti or the chicken wings but people liked them. All drinks can be made without alcohol so the kids loved them, they got "cocktails" that were basically juice and grenadine. Service was a bit anxious but also eager to help. Food comes out in pieces, so I recommend ordering more "tapas" style, rather than full meals for each person, because you may not get dishes at the same time. Keep the menu and order more if the urge hits you. Desserts are good! I didn't try the fried bananas, they went over well with the other diners at the table. The lemon mousse was so light and airy; I don't know what coconut and chocolate concoction is on top, I could have eaten a bowl of that alone. The molten chocolate lava cake is ok. The space can get crowded and loud, if you don't have reservations get there early. Because the kitchen can get swamped you may wait awhile for diners to finish and move on if you come later in the evening and there isn't a big lobby. It's very kid friendly, which is great, but the long waits may wear kids out.
(3)Doc V.
I LOVE this place! The interior decor is pretty nice, though, lighting can be dim. It's a cozy spot that offers Asian Fusion Foods, including Tapas and great drinks! How much better can you get? My "sister" and I stumbled upon this place when we both used to work in downtown Oakland. We had "date nights" every Tuesday nights after work and as usual, we didn't know what the heck we wanted to eat, so, he turned to his handy dandy I-Phone and searched through YELP for places to eat. Because I expressed a desire to eat Tapas, we found Zen and decided to give it a try. We ordered the Pork Belly Sushi $11 and it was Ah-Maz-Ing! The pork belly melted in my mouth and my tongue sang "oh-la-la!" And my tummy echoed, "Uh-huuh." We also ordered the KimChee Fried Rice $8, which did not disappoint. The Ying-Yang Wings $6 were eh, okay. The tuna tartar $10 was also very good. I ordered some girly mixed drink to wash down the yumminess that I consumed, and although I can't remember exactly what it was, I did enjoy it a great deal. Because I was so pleased with this place, I took my little bro (well, he's not that little... But, he's younger than I am)...and we ordered pretty much the same items, minus the tuna tartar and Kimchee fried rice. We did order the Zen Pasta $14, and that was so good! My brother liked the Pork Belly Sushi so much that he asked for a second order. Yet again, I ordered a girly mixed drink and somehow, can't recall the name, but, can attest for the great flavor. The service has always been great there. The wait staff are all friendly and attentive. The place usually fills up after 6pm. I've never been there on a weekend, but, I imagine, it gets quite busy. Parking can be a pain as it is in the heart of downtown Alameda. But, that should not deter you from trying this place. You should definitely try this spot out.
(5)Kim-van T.
For my birthday festivities I decided to make a reservation at Zen Restaurant. I wanted to go to a restaurant in Alameda and Zen has been on my list of restaurants to try for awhile. Perfect! Making reservations for a party of 12 was easy peasy. The staff at the restaurant is so nice and super welcoming. The restaurant is tapas style so be forewarned! The menu is creative and fun and everything I tried was really yummy. The drink menu is also pretty extensive with a lot of fruity concoctions (right up my alley!). Definite stand outs for me were the sushi pizza and the fish and chips. Both were super tasty and I loved how delicate the fried fish was. I also had some bites of the basil fried rice and kimchi fried rice. Both were very flavorful although the kimchi fried rice could definitely use more kimchi. Prices are pretty reasonable. I would definitely come back soon!
(5)Marina G.
Literally one of the most amazing meals I have ever had! I love sushi and this place somehow elevated everyday sushi to something even more spectacular. The staff was incredibly courteous and attentive. We will for sure have to go back until we try everything on the menu because each bite was just spectacular! The spicy sashimi salad had to be my favorite, I could eat that every day for the rest of my life. It was generally more than I like to spend on a meal but for fresh seafood and delicious combinations it really was worth it!!
(5)MJ A.
Asian fries are great, Chicken Soyhu (think i am spelling it incorrectly) was incredibly salty, and a bad version of Chicken Adobo. Everything else was tasty though. Tuna tar tar with fried wontons? worked well together, and i am still craving this dish. Wine selection subpar-- we split a bottle of Riesling and couldn't even finish the bottle. Not a good sign for alcoholics. Service ok, but they gave my Beef Enoki to another table, and didn't realize it until i asked "where's the beef?" i was not willing to wait another 25 minutes, which seems to be how long it takes to get a beef or chicken dish prepared. They took it off the tab and brought us dessert. Fair warning to all: No coffee served here. Would come back but prices, wine selection, and heeps of salt will keep me away for at least 2 months.
(4)Ivana Y.
The boyfriend and I stumbled upon this restaurant when we were on our way to Toomies, our usual Thai food spot. Wanting to try something new, we decided to check this place out. We started off with oyster shooters, which were pretty good. For our entree, the bf had the rib eye, and I had the salmon carpaccio. None of our main dishes really stood out.The Asian fries were the only thing that we both enjoyed, and personally I wouldn't go back just for that. Overall, $100 for dinner plus a bottle of wine, we left hungry and dissatisfied. Won't be coming back.
(2)Jackie D.
This is a nice little secret (or maybe not) in Alameda that offers some bigger city flavors in a cozy town. Came in on a Thursday night at 7:30 and the place was full but 3 of us found a table quickly. Friend had recommended the Asian fries (taro and sweet potato) which were pretty solid -4 stars. Maybe it was just me, but I couldn't distinguish between the two types of fries...I was also too in love with the aioli to really care, so no biggie :)! Basil Fried Rice - 3.5 stars. This was a solid fried rice dish, I secretly was wishing it had a stronger basil flavor because all of the other dishes were very flavorful compared to this one, but I guess it was nice to have a break - no need for constant flavor explosion. Specials Asian Nachos - when I saw this my mind instantly went to baseball stadium nachos and I was trying to get my mind around the fake oozy cheese and how they made that Asian...but asking the waitress cleared it up for my lack of imagination and thank god we asked! Crispy wanton "chips" with an ahi/avocado dip...SO GOOD!!!! 5 stars, I could eat that stuff all day, why don't they serve those at baseball games?? Asian pancake. Got really excited thinking this was a Korean bbq pancake and wanted to chant PANCAKE PANCAKE, but it wasn't :(((. Still really tasty, sort of like a flat bread, with a sweet soy sauce dip. 4 stars. Would def go back if in the area :)
(4)Jessica V.
Yummy! Friendly staff, and delicious food!
(5)Jessica M.
Asian Fusion Tapas. Eat, Drink, Be Happy. What more could you want? Another great restaurant in Alameda. I'll be back.
(4)Chris I.
This place is great! The atmosphere is very welcoming, I liked the seating and even the music (which plays softly). The food is unique, stuff you couldn't get elsewhere, and it tastes amazing! Seriously, try something that looks off or weird... you'll end up loving it!
(5)Kymberli C.
Yum. I'm a fan of all these new asian fusion tapas restaurants. I love small plates so you can share and get different tastes of things. Zen has a wonderful menu. I've been here on two different occasions and both meals were very good. I've had their Cherrystone clams, asian fries (which are tempura sweet potato and taro), ahi grilled rice, pork belly sushi, baked salmon, tuna tartare, fish and chips, infused hamachi and their pesto pasta. The only thing that we didn't enjoy was the pesto pasta because it wasn't very pesto-ey and it just didn't taste right. Other than that, everything here was simply delicious! The place is also really nicely decorated and very zen like. They also have a drink menu that has cocktails made with soju. A great place to dine with a girl friend and catch up or with a group of friends so you can share all your dishes.
(4)Fashions M.
OMG Asian Fusion. I have been here several times (as recently as last Sunday) I decided to finally decided to write a review. The owners are awesome they always have daily specials. Services is always great the waitress are very attentive. Did you know they even have Sunday Brunch? My fav drink is mojitos, and I love the kimchi fried rice, ying/yang chicken wings, pork belly tacos w/ the sauce. I usually just go with a bunch of friends and we all order different things and try them out. I love this place! dinner hours, tapas, happy hours, awesome desert, strong drinks what's not to love?
(5)J. C.
Another decent addition to Alameda. Like most of the previous reviews have indicated, the Asian fries are a must-have. I would go back just to have those as a snack. We also had the eggplant, duck vermicelli, kimchee oysters and pork belly. All were decent but nothing unique or spectacular. Some of the flavors seem too similar (think sweet soy sauce). Ambiance and service were just fine. Although Zen won't make it into my regular restaurant rotation, I will probably be back at some point.
(3)Cory G.
OK enough Asian fusion food in a nice, lounge type setting. My butter lettuce salad was pretty straightforward but presented well and tasted good. The seared tuna salad looked awesome, but unfortunately I didn't get to try it.The little pork chops were OK, I'd almost forgotten I'd ate them because they were so tiny. Unfortunately, the pork belly wasn't cooked very well and looked unappetizing. It didn't taste good either and just kind of sat there all alone on the table. The Asian fries were really the best part and the portion was good enough for all four of us. Service was nice but it was SUPER cold inside and we all had to put on jackets. They turned down the A/C after a bit but it was still alarming to get a blast of cold air when we walked inside. Also, there were no knives, just spoons and forks. The pork belly definitely needed a knife, but it was nowhere to be found. I think this place will do well, but nothing really wowed me on my visit.
(3)Gwen H.
One of the best food experiences I've had recently. We hit up the happy hour for tuna tartare and fries -- I am not a huge fry fan but MAN I have been craving these since we went, they are the perfect combination of crispy and melty soft and sweet/salty -- then had the beef carpaccio [a delightful explosion of flavors] and...I'm blanking on what Chad had, but it was delicious, too. Service was awesome though I was disappointed that whatever mushroom-bacon concoction the staff group next to us was eating was not on the menu. I guess you gotta know someone...
(5)Jenny W.
There's a ton of places with this formula in SF but I'm glad we now have one in Alameda! Chic, semi-lounge, modern environment with friendly service. Beef carpaccio-beef was very fresh, interesting idea of adding cheese, capers are ok but I prefer lemon Yin Yang chicken wings- frozen chicken used, bones broke apart but still very tasty KimChee fried rice- rice was lukewarm, didn't have enough kimchee Chicken gizzard kebobs- tasty, a bit chewy Molten chocolate cake- you have to order this! We'll have to come back to try the seafood dishes...
(4)Phai M.
Thanks to the pics on yelp, i was pretty excited to try out this new place. Nice small spot, good eats and service was superb. The food tasted as good as it looked in the pictures. The bathroom was nice and clean, that's always a plus for me! It's always a good night when you're hanging out with the right group of friends! Thanks girls for joining me in celebrate my 30th birthday!
(4)Stephy Y.
At first, I didn't even notice this place until my mom pointed it out that the owner of this place is a friend of a friends so I decided to check it out. The first time I went was for a friend's birthday back in February. We tried a few different things and thought that it was pretty good. In the following months, I've been back about 3 or 4 times. Their menu is pretty small, since it's a tapas style kinda place. So far, I've tried most of their menu and only found a handful of items that I would order again but having been several times now, I find their food just okay. Service is pretty good. The staff are nice and very helpful. Drinks are okay but a bit on the pricey side. Food: I would recommend the Roast Duck Vermicelli Salad and the Basil Fried Rice but everything else is just mediocre. Dessert: I've not had dessert here since I can make most of it myself; thus $7 for a dessert that they probably bought from the supermarket for much less than that is too much. Decor is very nice but the lighting is a bit too dim. So I would recommend that at least try this place once but it's definitely not somewhere I would choose to go often.
(3)Jona C.
Whenever I have a dinner date with my 2nd mother and sometimes with her family (she treats me as her own son, I wonder if he's jealous???), we always decide on this place because 1) she prefers Asian cuisine 2) it's in her neighborhood and 3) I won't say no to a free meal. It's a great little spot I've seen flourished since they first opened; the food, service, and the increased number of folks that dine in here. We never have a problem with seating but I prefer a chair than the plush bench that runs along the wall of the restaurant. 5 out of 5 times, an order of fries are present at our table. I wasn't too impressed with the infused hamachi I think it was but anyway, my mother doesn't eat anything raw so I try to accompany her because sharing is caring. The mussels as well as the scallop and prawn skewers are also generally present. I also like the lamb, gizzards, and basil fried rice. 1 out of 5 times, I will get to the check first and my timing was off this time because I had to drop a C-note and then some for a party of 4. Note to self....Get to it when it's a party of 2.
(4)Tracy T.
I'm not a big fan of Asian Fusion restaurants, so much so that I try to avoid them whenever possible. Through experience I've found that fusion cuisine can be hit or miss in terms of taste and logic (some concoctions are just blasphemous). We ended up here at random after being ignored at another restaurant, and so were definitely on a low note- cranky, hungry, etc. But that soon changed as we were tended to lightning fast with friendly and efficient service. Now on to the food. I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did. I had the Kakuni Pork and Baked Salmon(forgive me if there was a name for this). The pork was mind-blowing- choice cuts of meat perfectly marinated and cooked. Delicious. The salmon was also excellent and quite surprising in terms of flavor, definitely something that has not been served at many restaurants. This place will definitely be one of our regular hangouts from now on!
(5)Kathy C.
How much this restaurant has changed!!! If you have ever been to Chin's or Uncle Wong's, you're in for a special treat at the complete renovation of this restaurant! The transformation in terms of the decor, the atmosphere and the staff is definitely worthwhile in itself to come and visit. But on to the food review!! One word: Excellent!!! For a tapas place, you will be pleasantly surprised at how great their portions are. We ordered 4 dishes - the Tuna Tartare, the Sashimi Salad, the Duck Vermicelli Salad, and the Rib Eye Steak. This was perfect for two people to share. The Tuna Tartare was very tasty and I absolutely loved the Sashimi Salad. It kind of reminds me of the Tuna Salad from Angel Fish, but with a variety of fish. And it's spicy - just the way I like it. I highly recommend the Duck Vermicelli Salad because it is very original, light, refreshing, and very tasty! The duck is cooked to perfection. The Rib Eye Steak, I think, deserves its own paragraph. I don't eat red meat so I can't review it first hand but based on my boyfriend's response, I think you will have to try it. Upon his initial taste, he had a look of pure satisfaction. He was quiet throughout the entire meal, literally shivering with excitement. He then explained that it "cuts and tastes like butter", believes that it is "better than the $60 steak from Ruth's Chris" and would definitely "make this one of [his] last meals". And for $23, I'm sure you will not be disappointed! I did taste the sides (mashed potatoes and artichokes) and those were ridiculously good. Also a plus - they have a huge cocktail list. I had the Lychee Saketini and loved it. We also got to speak to the owner and she's very friendly! So all in all - service, ambiance and food - fantastic!
(5)Annie D.
I came here with a group of 6, we were seated immediately. Walking in I was admiring the decor of the restaurant. Very cute, contemporary and i Love Love the couches. Nice touch! The service was Excellent, very attentive and friendly. The food was innovative and tasty. One dish that stood out to me was the Zen Fries. I love the crisp of the taro and the sweet potato. The only down side is that the dishes have little amount. I know it's a tapas however it really small for a tapas. We found ourselves with one spoon full of each entree between 6 people and 6 dishes. So we each had 6 spoon full of food each that night. Next time I come here, i'm going to try their happy hour.
(4)Theary K.
I have no complaints about the food. I like it all. I'll eat it all. The price is good. We ordered 4 plates and the bill was less than $30. The price was right or we just happen to order the cheaper things (House Salad, Tuna TarTar, Garlic Noodles, Lamb Chop). The plates aren't big; it's more tapas style. The lambchop had 2 pieces of "pick up with your hand" size chops - which was perfect because it was a party of 2. I recommend everything on the menu. :) I hope that helped. My receipt said I saved $4, I'm still trying to figure out how. I think they're just trying to tease my OCD.
(5)Tami H.
New favorite Tapas restaurant! Yumm!
(4)Jenn M.
Absolutely amazing! I don't normally give out five stars, but tonight was great. I had been dying to come here for over a year now, and I am so glad I did. My friend and I came casually dressed, jeans, hoodie, the casual works. The place was 3/4 full, and just the amount of loudish banter that I needed. Dark maroon walls, with black accents, and Asian decor meets 21st Century all over. Dimmly lit. Great Ambient beats and music playing. First course we ordered the Fish and Chips. Holy Crap, I almost touched myself. Light white fish white a light tempura coating and sweet potato tempura on the side with two delicious sauces. Then we had the Kim Chee Fried Rice. It is just enough spice and kick, but leaves you wanting more! The chunks of beef were tender, and it was so flavorful. Then we got the Ribeye with feta. It comes with grilled asparagus. We asked for it to be cooked medium. Fricking amazing. There are no words to describe the flavor and the textures. Just so great. I had a very sweet Plum Sake and my friend had the fusion green and black tea. She soaked it in sugar unfortunately, but it had great flavor too. We also had dessert (after we unbuckled our pants). She had the molten cake with ice cream, and I had the creme brulee (espresso flavor). Again, I almost touched myself. Amazing service. Amazing flavors, and just an all-around yummy meal. A+++!! :)
(5)Amy M.
Dudes. Let me tell you, these servers are HOT! They are fast and professional in a warm touchy feely sorta way which I totally DIG! Went with a big group of peeps the other day and so we had the luxury of trying just about everything on the menu (except the fish and chips, which I didn't sweat because HobNob has got that covered, though that won't stop me from ordering 'em from here later down the line just to give 'em a chance...) The lounge environment was crazy sexy cool Ikea-style and though they face their customers with the Havanna bullshit plastic seat or comfortable cushioney chair decision, I must say, the food was enough of a distraction from any objection I could possibly come up with. I ordered the Lobster Bisque Shots and the Baked Clams and, yeah, gotto say, the Chef here, whoever he may be, really knows what is up. It is about freaking time that someone owns this restaurant who has the capacity to identify neon lights as a BAD decorating decision and enough tastebuds working at warp speed on behalf of the rest of us jerks who just want to insert fork and say mmm. Zen is right. The zen goddess in me forsees that this restaurant is only going to get more popular.
(5)Jennifer E.
Living on an Island with over 100 Chinese restaurants I honestly did not even notice when the long time hole in the wall closed its doors and Zen appeared in its place. But, when my friend told me a new Fusion was in town my mouth began to water with possibilities of first to review. It was clear that the restaurant had just opened because the place was EMPTY. Good for me!!! The wait staff was super nice and very attentive - the owner came to our table multiple times to check on the food and our bellies. When she noticed we barely touched the crab spring rolls (too salty), she brought us an off the menu Tuna Roll (too delicious - don't worry, I told her to add it to the menu.) They did not have their shot glasses in for the soup yet, so they brought a bowl of the Kabocha Squash - I ate it all - licked the bowl. I also ate all the Asian fries' ailoi sauce with my finger. I was so full I was barely able to finish the Seafood Ceviche, which was 95 percent fish and 125 % worth every penny. This place is awesome. Go there. And bring 15 friends.
(5)Wendy Y.
The first star is for the decor. It's ikea chic, I love that they made the place look good for cheap. The second star is for the Asian fries and their Cosmo, it didn't taste like alcohol which is good for me and not so for those whose prefer their alcoholic drinks to contain alcohol... Kimchi Oysters- Yuck!! Not a good combo. fermented (rotten) cabbage and slimy oysters is not love... Roast Duck Vermicelli- What so special about it? its duck and rice noodles dressed with hoisin sauce... Ying Yang wings- Marinate wings with salt and pepper and deep fry, accompany with bottled sweet chili fish sauce from the asian market and there you have it. $10 for 6 wings ??? Come on now... Spicy Sashimi Salad=not spicy... Garlic noodles with fish eggs, no not tobbiko that bursts with flavor in your mouth, but the white yucky bitter fish eggs, Yuck, just yuck! Accquired taste, i guess...
(2)Audrey B.
Infused hamachi, asian fries and drinks were the highlights. A solid experience overall. Happy to return for more.
(4)Fe R.
Nice ambiance. I always choose going here when I want to go to a lounge place that I can also eat and drink. Very casual and unpretentious. The food is fantastic but in smaller portions so if your are looking for big portions, this is not the place for you but you would find that you will get full reasonably fast. The drinks are unique as I can't say that I have had them anywhere else although I imagine that it does.
(4)Audrey C.
Food is ok, would try it again, except for the fluorescent lighting. Money spent on nice dishes, paper shades and cushions all lost to blu-ish, blinky fluorescent light. That will keep me away.
(2)sara m.
There is nothing better than eating out with friends..... What a wonderful place to eat. The food was wonderful and the design and the way they presented the food was beautiful. I think this is one of the best places in alameda.
(5)MonkeyPants S.
Yet another great addition to the Alameda restaurant scene - Zen! A welcome refrain from the boring, bland and downright gross Asain-inspired restaurants on the island. My husband and I tried Zen on a whim, after we walked by and noticed the fabulous remodel of what was once a sad and dirty Chinese restaurant. We perused the extensive menu posted outside and decided to give it a shot - we were thoroughly impressed. I started with the Zen salad (mixed greens, avacado, cherry tomatoes and a light and tangy dressing). Delicious! We also had the Kimchee Fried Rice (spicy fried rice with kimchee, beef and hot peppers) which was out of this world FANTASTIC! I had a flat iron steak for my main course, which was nicely flavored and served with a different kind of brown rice on the side - this dish was very good, though not great. My husband had a dish with spinach, salmon and mushrooms (I think) which he said was heavenly. The atmosphere of Zen is very calming and pleasant. The servers are extremely knowledgeable and attentive, and the pricing is very fair. I definetely recommend Zen and will be returning.
(4)Irene L.
I'm giving this place a 3.5 stars. I came here on a wed night with some old friends at about 6:25. The waitress quickly came over to asked us if we've heard of the happy hour specials which ends at 6:30 ( which we didn't ). so we ordered 2 appetizers right away for half price: ASIAN FRIES-YUMMO!!! taro and sweet potato fries AGADASHI TOFU-crispy and hot Then we ordered our main dishes (tapas) and cocktails and the waitress informed us that happy hour was over with-snap!! Tapas we ordered: LAMB-surprising yummy(we asked for med rare, but it came out bloodier than we expected) TUNA TARTAR- I didn't like this too much.It had way too much sesame oil for my taste buds ZEN MELT- this was different. ahi, tobiko, swiss cheese melted on bread Cocktails: MOJITO-NOT good. Wendy said it tasted like minty toothpaste Lychee-tini-it was aiit. i've had better lychee drinks dog hound-too grape fruity bitterness I would come back and order dishes i've tried for happy hour, but no cocktails for sure. maybe beer will have to do...=)
(3)JacQue S.
The place is small but they have awesome food. I love the Duck Vermicelli Salad. The only thing is the portions of their food is small but it all taste great. I recommend this place and will definitely be coming back here.
(4)Laura B.
Nice happy hour here! Lots of specials on food/drink and the drinks are weak so you can try a lot of different flavors!!! (See, there is a bonus for not-so-strong drinks, albeit kind of a stretch of a bonus...errr....) We tried a bunch of the different ceviches and salads - very fresh fish and tasty flavor combinations. I wish I could remember the names of the dishes since the menu is not online. The asian fries were YUMM-O; I really liked the aioli they were served with. Overall, it's a very chill place, comfy seats and dark interior.... virtually empty on a Thursday at 5pm. The desserts were GREAT. We got the chocolate one, the mango one, and the straw/raspberry one? - I can't remember. Food coma by that point.
(5)Tina S.
OK, so I am a picky eater. I'm allergic to shellfish so I have to be pretty careful or mayhem will ensue. That being the case, I found it a bit difficult to eat here; other than the wonderful fish and chips, there was little that didn't have shellfish-like products in it. The decor is splendid, however. And, the "cocktails" during happy hour are a fun way to have a drink without so much as a buzz. Lovely drink combinations (the purple gecko is sublime), combined with the yam-fries make for a wonderful prelude into an evening meal somewhere else! I must admit, my table mates raved about their dishes (such as sushi pizza) and will probably have a much different take on things. But, from my vantage point, it's still a place that I will reserve for "drinking" and socializing, but not much else.
(3)Reynaldo P.
As my wife and I were going over to Ole's Waffle House, we came upon a Grand Opening sign. The windows were darkened so we couldn't tell. There was a sandwich-board sign stating we were open, so decided to change from Ole's to Zen. Upon opening the door, I noticed the decor was pleasant and inviting. The hostess (maybe owner) was pleasant and inviting and provided us with seats and menus quickly. We didn't know what to expect but we realized that it was asian small plates. We ordered the ceviche which was very tasty and refreshing. The other items we tasted were very good as well. We ended the night on a high note; the strawberry shortcake dessert we ate was heaven! Even though we wanted to try the molten chocolate cake, the strawberry shortcake was amazing. (The cake was sold out)
(4)Lauren V.
I went for happy hour and didn't notice the drinks were low proof liquor until after I ordered. While it was a yummy mango mojito I would not want to pay full price for it. I had the tiger eye salmon squid sushi like appetizer. It was unique and tasty but it had a weird flavor of soap in it. Like it had lavender sauce on it or something. Not my favorite flavor. I also had the tuna tartar. This was a very good tuna tar tar. The prices were fair at happy hour but I would not want to pay more for either dish.
(3)Winnie C.
I LOVE THIS PLACE. (: this place is so calm and relaxing! good to come when you have a stress & long day at work! friendly service. love it here will come back!
(5)Jackie S.
Found this place on Yelp! It was a half-way point between our family in Vallejo and Redwood City. The food was wonderful. Very flavorful and well displayed. The price was very reasonable, while the portions were just right. Although it's such a nice restaurant, we felt very comfortable bringing our 3 yr old and 8 mos old with us. The service was phenominal. Very pleasant, professional, but not pretentious at all. The long bench-couch was so comfy. I love this restuarant. We ordered: Asian Fries- Plentiful and fried-yummy goodness. Duck Salad- It was so nice to taste something so different and delicious. Tangy and savory. Basil Fried Rice- Fragrant with basil. So good. Grilled Shrimp- Perfectly grilled to perfection. Just the way shrimp should be cooked. Soyu Chicken- Plentiful, nice for sharing. Flavors were so perfect. Seafood Ceviche- Nice sized pieces of fish and seafood- Tangy, delicious. Grilled Salmon- Nice sized piece of fish- perfectly cooked. We will definitely go back. I am craving it now!
(5)Matt H.
Fantastic. Dinner for 4 for my wife's birthday on 2/19/11. The most tender potstickers I've ever had. Calamari so perfectly cooked. Great, attentive wait staff with good menu suggestions. Wide variety. We tasted, at least, 8 different dishes. Dessert was just as pleasing. The light tempoura batter on the fried banana was wonderful. Very affordable wine. We shall return.
(4)Will A.
So, I really liked the food here. Nice Asian fusion with some Hawaiian takes on some things. The one thing that is so-so is that they really water down the drinks. The fries are very good, and probably pretty fattening but sometimes that is ok. Tuna tartar was very good, and my friend ordered the Hawaiian-flavored pork.
(4)Bridget K.
the bf and i drove down to this area for some cuban food at Habana (which had about 4 people sitting inside--not happening). We decided to just look for parking anywhere and just walk around till we decided what we wanted to eat instead of sitting in a quiet cuban food joint watching...basketball..? and drinking mojitos. we finally found parking in front of a little place called zen. "PPFFFFFTTTTTTTT...asian fusion. I HATE THESE KINDS OF PLACES!!!" was my initial reaction to their banner. the words 'asian fusion' usually translates to..."hey, come eat our over-priced shitty japanese tapas with a side of horrible service." but we saw a "people love us on yelp" sticker--which can sometimes be deceiving--and yelped it while checking out the menu outside. **** four stars and it was pretty busy. and the menu looked pretty appetizing... my bf and i were skeptical--but why not? we didnt have a particular place in mind after driving by the dead quiet Habana, so we might as well give this place a try. what's the worst that can happen? we get proven right, write a scathing review about how much of a rip off asian fusion is in the suburban bay area, and never come back here again. or we get proven wrong, and we continue to come here for agedashi tofu (the love of my life)....i guess there's no REAL loss here... surprise, surprise...ZEN IS DELICIOUS and the service was spectacular! what to get: -beef carpaccio (really liked this, except i thought that there was too much romano cheese which took away from the natural flavor of the beef. but still really good, i would definitely get this again) -agedashi tofu (AMAZING! super crispy on the outside and silky smooth tofu in the center.) -pork belly (too bad this was the last thing we ordered--we already ate like 5 other dishes--it was super flavorful and tender. i loved the sauce that was glazed over the pork belly. next time, we're going to get this first so that we can fully enjoy it!) -prawns (grilled to perfection! it had great flavor and the rice was delicious!) misses: -tuna tartar (it was good, and i love their take on chips by frying wonton skins. only complaint is that there was a bit too much sesame oil and really took away from all the other ingredients in the tartar) -lomi lomi (there isn't very much salmon compared to tomatoes and cucumbers in this dish and it's a VERY small portion. didn't really stand out in flavor. there wasnt anything wrong with it, it just wasnt very memorable) seriously, my bf and i are REALLY, REALLYYYYY skeptical of asian fusion hipster places because they're usually one big gimmic... (as i'm sure a lot of people out there think as well) but Zen really proved us wrong. their food was absolutely amazing and we will definitely be back soon!
(4)Bibby L.
Food was just mediocre and therefore pretty overpriced! Service was wonderful, but I go out to eat for good food, not something I could make at home for 1/3 of the cost.
(2)Chow L.
I can see the effort but the execution is not there IMHO. I no come back.
(2)Anna R.
Asian (sweet potato) fries, basil fried rice, freaky but strangely delicious pizza with fish on it, fried banana with green tea ice cream- lush. Cocktails with alcohol lite? why bother? Stick with beer and wine if you want to get your buzz on. Good times, I like it.
(3)Faye H.
Warm staff, attentive service, relaxing yet modern ambiance along with great food....in Alameda....could not ask for more!!! It will certainly take a couple more visits to THOROUGHLY test out everything on the menu. My favorite was the YAM fries with aoili sauce (I'm a YAM fanatic). I also had live fresh uni, tuna tartar, beef carpaccio, kim chee fried rice, and lastly chicken wings. Just the thought of that meal makes me want to rub my belly. =) DId I mention that they have the yummiest and dreamiest YAM fries??? ~ 7/3/09 update ~ Paying a second visit with high expectations as my first ZEN experience was amazing! This time, we let the server run with it and she came back with plates of delish creations. Each dish is not only yummy, but presentation is top notch. You can really see the creativity and heart that the chef put in while she cooks. Got to know the owner a bit more this time and found out she runs the show pretty much solo, impressive!!
(5)Vincent V.
Zen Restaurant is a hidden gem in Alameda. Friendly service and a variety of Asian inspired small plates, I really enjoyed our experience here. The taro fries were tasty and thick cut. The grilled chicken entrails tasted like I'd picked them up on a street somewhere in the Philippines (That's a compliment). I've only been here once but I'll definitely be back!
(5)Tracy M.
This spot has been our favorite for the past 2-3 years. Any time we have out of town guests, we bring them here to experience the wide variety of little plates of yumminess. The owner, Mala, is a wonderful entrepreneur and always gives us the warmest welcome. We used to live only a few blocks away, but moved out of town when we bought a house of our own. We don't get there as often, but it's still #1 in our hearts!
(5)Alvin W.
I discovered Zen when my co-workers decided to get together for dinner. Zen is a chic and trendy place that serves small plates - or tapas as most know. The restaurant has a long L shaped couch that lines the perimeter of the dining room. Dining tables and chairs are set up along the couch making it a great way to accommodate large groups. We tried a variety of dishes to get a good sample of the Chef's style. The Beef Carpaccio had capers and Parmesan cheese. Great twist on this dish. The Yin Yang chicken wings were interesting, the yin was the spicy and the yang is the sweet. Pretty good but you can't really mess up chicken wings. Tuna Tar Tar was very good. The tuna had a slight sesame oil flavoring and was served with triangle friend won ton skins. The steamed black mussels were good but not the greatest. The broth could have had some kick to it. The mussels itself were pretty good in size. Kim Chee fried rice was so-so. The kim chee didn't have a kick to it so it basically tasted like regular beef fried rice. We were adventurous and tried the Chicken gizzard kebobs. The flavor was nice but the gizzards were actually a little too chewy for my taste. We also tried a noodle dish, but I can't recall what it was called. The noodles were good, not too salty and not bland. We ordered cocktails and even though there is a disclaimer that the alcohol was low in proof, the drinks were tasty. The cocktails they serve are weak but tasty enough to throw back a few and enjoy the food.
(4)Josh M.
How does this place rate 4 stars? I usually go to American Oak next door, but tonight my wife and I decided to try Zen--big mistake. Our server was very pleasant. We ordered the house salads which were good. I took one look at the sake cocktails and ordered a beer (I'm a cocktail snob). My wife got a long drink of some sort and it was just horrible--tasted like a capri sun. Next came the spicy edamame which were covered in a vat of oil. How am I supposed to eat these? They provided wet naps--reasonable at a BBQ or lobster place, but for soybeans? Bizarre. Then came the tuna tar tare which was sort of like ahi poke, but much smaller pieces surrounded by wonton chips. The tuna was tasty as were the chips, but I have my suspicions about its freshness (more on that in a minute). Then the "fish & chips". The fish must have been frozen because although the panko bread crumbs were well cooked, the fish on the inside was still raw in places. No bueno. The "chips" were some manner of sweet potato cooked in tempura batter--swing and a miss. Finally came the grilled shrimp which consisted of about about 5 shrimp, all of which were overcooked. When the server asked how things were, I mentioned the fish was under and the shrimp were over. She apologized and offered us a free dessert, but we declined--it was time to go. For all this we paid the kingly sum of $75. There are many other places I could have gone within a few blocks and gotten much better food for the money. But here's the kicker: on the way home I started feeling queasy and that's when I started questioning the freshness of the ahi, because as soon as I got home I puked my guts out. So yeah--safe to say we won't be back.
(1)Deanna A.
I've got to hand it to them. This place is innovative and bold. Definitely the most creative vibe in Alameda that I've come across, in terms of cuisine. The restaurant is small- probably seating about 30-40 people. Modern, clean, asian-inspired decor. Its loungey and relaxed - definitely ZEN-like! :) Food was good. I've had better, but I do commend Zen as an entire package (service, menu, and happy hour drink selection.) I recommend their Sushi Pizza and their kobe beef appetizers.
(3)Rany A.
Amazing food. Great twist on Asian favorites. Get the duck vermillici, mussels, spicy edammane, ying Yang wings and seaweed salad. Yummmm. And creme brulee to wash it all down.
(5)Richard H.
The service: This was exceptional - attentive and considerate. The food: I started up with various appetizers, large plates, and desert. I would like to tell you what I had, but I do not want to ruin your journey on all the wonderful things the menu here has to offer. I've been to many, many Asian Fusion restaurants, and I'd have to say this is one of my top 3 choices. If you want to have your taste buds indulge in some great food, be sure to visit Zen.
(5)Jeffrey C.
i come here from time to time when i have money because its a bit pricey. food is good service is good. love them asian fries.
(5)Lil I.
My new fav! The Basa fish is the most delicious thing you will ever taste in your life! The basil rice is pretty darn amazing. You will be in carb heaven! The enoki beef is a taste sensation. More importantly, the soju comes in a neat beaker set, chemistry lab style. Bring your eye goggles!
(5)Anna C.
I came here with a couple friends who had already been drinking. There was a total of 6 of us and we were a bit of a ruckus to deal with. But the waitress was so nice and made sure to ask us if we wanted to put in any other orders before the happy hour menu closed. We ordered the apple and mango soju, which came in a cute chemistry set. I preferred the apple since it tasted more cleaner. The mango was a little more sweeter than I wanted. We also had $1 oysters! Yum!!
(4)Jocelyn C.
Definitely five stars! Wonderful service, great food! Definitely great for romantic nights too, because of the dimmed lighting with the Japanese lanterns. So lovely! Every single tapas item my boyfriend and I ordered, was absolutely amazing! I also love how they have happy hour deals throughout the week. Our waitress was so lovely and amazing! She gave us Asian fries, ON THE HOUSE!!! Such great service! I look forward to definitely coming again. I still can't get over it! I'm definitely an ongoing customer, FOR SURE!!! If you're trying to find a place to eat in Alameda and/or are visiting, this is definitely somewhere to check out! PS: check out my photos!
(5)Justina C.
The food is so different since it's fusion. The lighting here is romantic if you want to bring your date here. I came here with my parent and my significant other once, and I loved it. I loved the happy hour. We had oysters and a few appetizers. They were all yummy choices whichever dishes that you do decide on. We had a few beers and drinks. I recently got a groupon for this so we will be coming back. I'm excited. Lol. I will definitely update my review after.
(4)Aradhana V.
*I went to Zen during Happy Hour (M-F, 5 - 6:30 PM) and being an "on-the-budget college student", only ordered from the HH menu* Decided to have a more sophisticated Taco Tuesday experience by planning a trip to Zen with some friends, and it was a wonderful outing! We got many top picks from the HH menu: pork belly tacos (a must!!), oysters, shu mai, tuna tartare, takoyaki (free with Yelp check-in!), and strawberry-flavored yogurt soju (another must!). The food was great! All very Americanized so expect saucy, battered-up dishes. I wasn't happy with the tuna tartare because it lacked the citrus-y taste that I love so much with my tuna - but other people seemed to like this different flavor. Though my friends weren't a huge fan, I personally liked the Takoyaki! It had a yummy calamari-like crunch to it amidst a fried ball of dough. (Yes, definitely a splurge in the caloric department!) + Pro-tip: you best be getting the flavored sojus! Yummy taste & comes with cute graduated 50 mL beakers for sharing. 1 between 4 people will get each person a little more than 100 mL (lol, you can actually measure this with those handy dandy beakers) of soju. As you can tell from my descriptions, this place is more on the sinful side, but with a beautiful and fun ambience (dimly lit, lanterns decorating the ceiling), it makes for the perfect place for a sophisticated evening/date out for Happy Hour! Though I would think twice to pay full price for fat and carb-loaded dishes, the great deals for HH were totally worth it -- they call it happy hour for a reason, yaknoww (;
(4)David R.
On Saturday, 2/21/15, my girlfriend and I ate at Zen Asian Fusion Tapas & Lounge for dinner. Atmosphere/Decor: Zen is set up like a lounge but the lighting is a little bit on the bright side for a lounge. The restaurant is on the smaller side. The walls are lined with couch seating and on the other side of the table they're regular chairs. The Asian decor throughout the restaurant is not that great but it's not horrible. They can definitely use some tips from an interior decorator. Food: We ordered the Pork Belly Sushi - pork belly braised in sake, mirin and shoyu, served on top of futokaki rice, Pork Belly & Kimchi Pizza - pesto, mozzarella cheese, braised pork belly, kimchi and Basil Fried Rice - fried rice with beef, red onions and Thai basil. The Pork Belly Sushi was our favorite dish. The pork belly had a good meat to fat ratio. The flavor of the futokaki rice was delicious. It almost tasted like a teriyaki sauce. The pork belly could have been warmer. It was on the luke warm side. The Pork Belly & Kimchi Pizza was different. The pizza was really tiny. It was more like a flat bread style. I thought it was going to be a lot bigger for some reason. The pork belly tasted good. We thought the ingredients didn't work well together to enhance the flavor. They kind of just tasted weird together. My girlfriend liked the Basil Fried Rice a lot. The only thing we didn't like about it was the beef was super chewy and fatty. The beef had no flavor. If you're a fan of basil you'll like this fried rice just order it without the beef. My girlfriend got the Creme Brulee Trio. It came with 3 different types of Creme Brulee, Vanilla, Espresso and Raspberry. My girlfriend is a big Creme Brulee fan but she really wasn't expecting it to be much at an asian fusion restaurant. When she tasted all three Creme Brulee flavors she was pleasantly surprised. She said all three flavors were really good. Service: Our waitress Tiffany was very nice. She made sure our waters were always topped off. Our food came out pretty quick. Overall: Zen is a good restaurant if you want a light meal and to just hang out and relax. The food was decent. The service was good. I'll be back for the Pork Belly Sushi. If you're in the area give Zen a try.
(3)Jessica Y.
LOVE this place!! I love tapas and this place does not disappoint. Food is spot on and service is so friendly. Ambiance is nice and romantic for a date, but I also saw lots of groups there. Oh and the booth is so darn comfy!! My favorite was the sushi pizza and creme brulee trio, but everything was really good. Can get a little pricey since portions are small and you'll always want more, but I'll be back when I feel like eating a bit more fancy :)
(5)Amy J.
I wish I did not eat here. I thought the menu sounded amazing, but I was not impressed with the food. My husband's HH red wine tasted old, but I enjoyed my HH prosecco. There was nothing here for our child who loves sushi. Things were either covered in mayo or a spicy sauce or cooked. (She likes a few pieces of nigiri or sashimi.) I would not come back again.
(1)J.A. K.
Unlike many Yelpers we have been to both Zen and Xyclo, which have the same Yelp rating. Of the two we infinitely prefer Zen. Our "hit ratio" was a lot higher here, as opposed to Xyclo which only gave us one great dish and two very poor ones. Winners: Pork Belly Sushi - braised pork belly, furikake rice. Still a two-biter, but the 3rd best pork belly in the EBay. No small feat coming in right behind Robin Low/Post Meridian (now closed) and Bo Man Tam/Bistro 1491 Albany! If you love pork belly this will make you swoon. Kimchi Fried Rice - beef, red onions, spicy radish. It got hotter so our approval rating went up too. If they'd offer a fried egg on top life would be perfect and we would visit once a week. But alas.... Spicy Edamame - soy beans, garlic, sesame oil, seven spice, soy sauce This is a very simple but creative concept. The edamame are left in the pods, but stir-fried with seasonings similar to the familiar Sichuan Green Beans. Salmon Wrap - salmon sashimi, crab, avocado, tobiko, red onions, house sauce. We are not usually lovers of kewpie mayo, especially when used to mix with Dungeness crabmeat. But there is something about this combination that works. A dish of subtle flavors, with everything nicely balanced. Special soup: clam chowder. Maybe a little light on the clams, heavy on the butter, but Spouse had no objections. What clam chowder has to do with Asian fusion went unanswered, but this is one of his favs so he loved it. Average: Gyoza - pork and vegetable potstickers, spicy sesame soy sauce. Not well filled but tasty. Zen Beef Carpaccio - thinly sliced rare beef, red onions, capers, Asiago cheese, extra virgin olive oil, ponzu sauce. Too many capers; when we flicked them off the ponzu was a sufficiently tart accent. So many restaurants, not just Zen, are guilty of overwhelming the flavor of good quality raw beef. Why even bother serving it? Don't order again: Wasabi Shu Mai - wasabi infused pork dumpling. They came deep-fried, which was unexpected. If there was wasabi in the filling neither of us detected it. There did seem to be some in the dip. I felt they tasted like old frying oil, unpleasant. Takoyaki - crispy octopus puffs. This looks picture perfect but isn't. By far the weakest dish. The batter fries up golden brown but is pasty and doughy inside, like bad mochi. The two small cubes of chewy octopus were okay; they just needed a better batter. Overall: one of the better Asian fusion restaurants. You can bring a group here and everybody will be able to find something they want to eat. Not perfect, but very good. Even more importantly, they are consistent, and that's a quality underrated these days, that should be more appreciated because it's much more rare than one thinks, even in the SF Bay Area.
(4)Em S.
I booked my reservation thru yelp. It was very convenient. I got a confirmation email and also a call. The food was great. I was looking forward to the pork belly sushi and it delivered! It was so yum! We ordered oysters, the pasta, fried rice, fries, Brussels sprouts, eggplant, mango soju, strawberry soju and I forgot what else. But it was good!!!! Service was great and food was great so we will be back! :)
(5)Alice X.
Happy Hour is M-F from 5pm - 6:30pm and we ordered everything on the Happy Hour menu. Items that I thought were good are the takoyaki, agedashi tofu, spicy edamame, tuna taretare and the pork belly sushi. I naturally dislike tempura food and the fries are tempura! It wasn't even written on the menu or on the website! I also don't like eggplant so I didn't like the agedashi nasu either. I would also pass on the wasabi shu mai because they taste like something I can get in the freezer section at Ranch 99! I love chickens wings and the ying yang wings were just decent... and I wouldn't order again. The oysters that I had didn't taste super fresh either... For drinks, I got the sweet pearl and the blush. Both drinks were watered down and tasted like water to me! On Wednesdays, they have half off wine bottles from 5pm-9pm. If I come back here again, I will ONLY order the spicy edamame and the pork belly sushi.
(3)Jennea R.
This is a nice cozy restaurant for a date night. The pork belly sushi is really yummy. Sushi fries were a good filler since the drinks they give are pretty strong (they taste yummy, but they will creep up on you at the end!). The live uni was pretty good too. I look forward to coming back and trying some other items on the menu. Also, they give the soju in a beaker which is really cute!
(4)Carmella N.
This is a wonderful place to get fresh raw oysters. We ate about 25 each and each one was big and juicy. The pork belly sushi is also not to be missed. Service was fantastic and extremely fast and attentive. I will be back for sure!!
(4)Christa B.
I was definitely disappointed with the quality of the food tonight. The food was not fresh at all and most things on the menu are fried. We ordered 5 dishes and I was not impressed with any of them. The salmon fried rice had hardly any salmon and lacked flavor. The salmon wrap was okay but the inside was old crab with tons of mayo to cover the staleness. The Takoyaki was okay- the best of everything we ordered.The fish and chips had poor quality fish but the chips were okay. The only positive was that the service was great but it was totally dead inside. It was way overpriced for the quality!!! I would not go back again.
(1)Peter F.
Just ok. We were pretty appalled by how small the plates were for how expensive they were. Food was good but not great. Definitely way overpriced. We walked out paying a substantial bill for what equated to a small snack.
(3)Jen A.
Omg! I'm here right now and everything is on point. Drinks, salad, pork belly sushi....I'm speechless because my stomach is so satisfied. Go!! If you're in the mood for Asian with smaller portions...come here. Everything was made to perfection. I will definitely be back. Also a nice, relaxed ambiance with soft lighting. Great for first dates ;)
(5)Lovetea C.
if you are looking for a fair price fusion restaurant, this is the place you will want to come. Good ambiance, great food, price is fair. We love the pork belly sushi! love love!
(5)Jessica Q.
Right off the bat, no one greeted us when we walked in. We waited a couple minutes before anyone acknowledged we were even here. If I were uptight, I'd take off a star, but shit happens. We ordered the wings, tuna grilled rice, takoyaki, cod roe noodles, beef carpaccio, beef rolls, and we got the curry mussels for free with a yelp check in. The service was completely adequate (other than the first part). The food though. The food was amazing. They understand the play between sweet, salty, sour, texture and umami. The wings are crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside and had a good garlicky flavor. The tuna grilled rice had a fresh and cool sensation and the rice added a crunchy texture. The takoyaki was delicious. The cod roe noodles were cheesy and garlicky and roe-y. They were perfect. The beef carpaccio was a flavor damn explosion. I wouldn't order the beef rolls again, although they didn't taste bad. And the broth for the mussles was so amazing. It was kinda like tom yum soup but with coconut milk. So much flavor! I cant wait to come again.
(5)Shannon B.
Went here last night and quite enjoyed it. Shared five things with the BF: salmon carpaccio, beef carpaccio, pork belly "sushi," infused hamachi, and the spaghetti with prawns. LOVED: the salmon carpaccio. Actually, I'm really surprised with how much I loved it. Normally, I'm all about the tuna, but last night, I was all about that salmon. I came close to ordering a second helping. WILL ORDER AGAIN: spaghetti with prawns. Mmmmmm garlic. Mmmmmm salt. Mmmmmm big ol' prawns. LIKED: the beef carpaccio (but would have preferred less olive oil/sauce), infused hamachi (but would have preferred more of a kick if it's supposed to be infused with spiciness/jalapenos, and the pork belly sushi (huge portion of pork belly, actually, but slightly over cooked for my taste and I would have preferred just a side of their sticky rice + sauce and slices of perfect belly--this is prepared "sushi" style with each portion of rice having a piece of belly on top, which made it really difficult to eat). Will definitely be back. And will probably order two servings of that salmon carpaccio.
(4)Sammi L.
Love the food here. The ying yang wings are bomb I like how the chicken wings were so crispy but moist inside. Yummy!
(5)Hans I.
The basa is amazing, and the basil rice is great as well (get the rice first since the flavor isn't as strong and can be overpowered, but it's great on a clean palate).
(5)Johanna L.
One of my favorite spots in Alameda! Great tapas, friendly service, and very trendy atmosphere. A bit pricey but I don't mind paying for quality! My favorites - Asian Fries Pork Belly Sushi Kimchi Fried Rice Tuna Tartare The cocktails are a bit strong for my taste but I really enjoy the flavored soju. Comes out looking like a science experiment in glass beakers & oh so delicious! Save room for dessert - they have some tasty sweets! I especially like the Japanese Sweet Toast and Creme Brûlée Trio (Raspberry, Vanilla & Expresso). Tip: Happy Hour from 4pm-6:30pm daily. Pork Belly Sushi & Asian Fries are on the HH menu!
(5)Da Chubby R.
We had the pleasure of working with Tiffany and Lily, sisters/co-owners of Zen when we hosted a private lunch for 30 guests last Saturday. Our family and friends all enjoyed the buffet lunch of house salad, Asian fries, gyoza, chicken teriyaki, clams and mussels, basil fried rice and ribeye. And the salmon wrap was a crowd favorite! We chose Zen for many reasons: its simple yet chic decor exudes a modern Asian-lounge ambiance that is unique from other Asian-style places, the food is fresh and delicious and service is exceptional. Planning our small affair with Tiffany was a breeze. She was professional, friendly and very accommodating. We wanted an impressive, fun but stress-free party that everyone will enjoy...and Zen Asian Fusion did not disappoint!
(5)Julie H.
I really liked the ambiance of this place, really chill and a great place to bring a date! However, I feel that the wait time for the food was pretty disappointing. There were only 3 other tables and yet the food came out REALLY slow. Check in for a free order of takoyaki! It was delicious and normally $6. We ordered the pork belly sushi and the ying yang wings, which were both really good. The entrees we ordered was the mentaiko spaghetti and the salmon tobiko fried rice. The mentaiko spaghetti was not bad but the smell was really strong! I didn't mind it though since I am used to strong smelling foods. The salmon tobiko fried rice was really good! The tobiko in the rice gave the dish a really good texture and taste, I definitely recommend that. The service was really good! The waiter and waitress were both really nice and welcoming. Also, came to check up on us multiple times to make sure we were good. -1 for the long wait for food
(4)Lisa T.
Was in the area and decided to stop by here for dinner. They have happy hour here until 6pm. To drink, I had the honey citrus and sencha. Honey citrus was good. The sencha was pretty nasty, our server was nice enough to switch out my drink. For the food, the good stuff was the asian nacho, enoki beef (I really loved this and would recommend it), Zen beef carpaccio, and Kim chi fried rice. There were all delicious. The dishes I did not like was the shuimai wasabi. It was fried. They should have steamed it instead. Also the tuna tar tar was kind of lame because it wasn't very flavorful. Overall, most of the dishes I had were good. Also, our server was awesome and let us pre-order food and drinks off the happy hour menu before the 6pm deadline and brought them out gradually so our food wouldn't get cold.
(4)Tony Y.
I come here and the owner calls me by my chinese name and tells anyone who is dining with me what my mom and her friends call me. = ) The food here is decent and very generous in portion size considering this is supposed to be a tapas restaurant. I tend not to get the raw fish items here because I prefer walking around the corner for awesome quality fish. but dont get me wrong, its not bad. I eat what my friends would like to eat. I love their fly rice, opps sorry i meant fried rice. Good Food and excellant service
(4)pat r.
Fun, different and interesting favors. A small gem.
(4)Colleen C.
Sushi pizza - get it ! Basil fried rice was another favorite.
(4)Leona T.
My husband and I eat out a lot and this is by far our favorite restaurant in Alameda. Just thinking about their menu makes my mouth water and my taste bud tingle. The oysters are the best we've ever had. My husband and I usually order a dozen each. Yes, it's that good! Everything else on the menu has the perfect fusion of Japanese, Thai, Korean food with a delicate balance of all these contrasting flavor. The service is excellent and the restaurant itself reminds me of trendy restaurants in the city.
(5)Fish Y.
Once you tried ZEN, your dinning experience and expectation will change forever, this place looks ordinary from outside yet its food surprises me every time visit here. Zen offers me that cozy and imitate feeling. Friendly and knowledge staffs always know what I wanted. This place is great for any occasions, HH ect. Mix drinks are good here! When it comes to food recommendation, my personal favorite is Basil Fried Rice, i usually order 2 haha, Mussel and Clams, pork belly sushi, infuse sahsmi, and sometime they have fresh Uni yay (happy face)..too many to name. Try out the menu yourself! Highly recommended!
(5)Jian L.
I dont know why so many of my friends are crazy about the place. It is a very par so called Asian Fusion spot, I noticed they try to duplicate some dishes from actual high end restaurants but only failed. Honestly I been here couple times but I don't think I am going to come back.
(2)My C.
I love love love this place! You can't go wrong with anything on the menu! Everything is super delicious and satisfying! What I do crave for are their Asian Fries and their Seafood Bake. But the Kimchi Fried Rice, Duck Vermicelli Salad, and the Ying & Yang Wings are all very awesome as well! Service is great... they're very attentive and food comes out as it's ready. can't ask for anything better!
(5)Arushi S.
Came here for M-F Happy Hour that lasts 5 - 6:30 PM. The tapas were $1-$6 which made it a good deal but I didn't think the food was that great. A LOT of pork belly options. I've had more flavorful Asian-style pork belly before. The octopus dish and wasabi shu mai did not really resonate with me. The tuna tartare was spicy but didn't have any citrus or greens. In general, the food lacked the 'WOW' factor. I do love how the Soju is served in a 'round-bottom' boiling flask (straight out of your chemistry class!) and the shot glasses are small 50 ml beacons. So cute/nerdy! At least we enjoyed our strawberry soju (which was quite sweet-tasting).
(3)Janette P.
Delicious, delicious, delicious mouth-watering finds in this cute restaurant/lounge. We had the octopus puffs, the enoki beef, the pork belly sushi, the watercress duck salad, and a Fish dish. Such a wonderful mixture of tastes and textures. I lived every bite.
(4)Nicole S.
4.5 stars : Asian fusion tapas done right! The bf likes to have a variety so tapas is always a great choice for us. For the two of us, we ordered 8 dishes which included the soup of the day. We did leave with leftovers so 6 dishes probably would've been good for the two of us. We went with: *Soup of the day: clam chowder - Nice and comforting during the cold weather. The soup is on the small side meant for a single serving. Three clams still in shell are served in a creamy broth. I liked it but the bf thought the soup wasn't thick enough. *Pork belly sushi ($12, 5 pieces) - Tender braised slices of pork belly are served on a square of delicious furikake seasoned rice. *Ying yang chicken wings (5 pieces, $7) - The wings had a nice crisp without drying out the meat. They were sprinkled with fried garlic and served with a side of sweet chili sauce. *Takoyaki ($6) - The puffs were nice and light. It contained a small slice of octopus which gave the puff a nice chewiness to it. *Gyoza ($6, 5 pieces) - The pork dumplings were slightly fried so that the skin had a slight crisp. It's served with an addicting spicy sesame soy sauce. *Wasabi shu mai ($5, 5 pieces) - There was nothing special about these tiny pork shu mai. The exterior was crispy but I didn't taste even a hint of wasabi. These too are served with a side of spicy sesame soy sauce for dipping. *Kimchi fried rice ($9) - The must order dish of the night! The didn't have the traditional fermented taste, but the rice was well seasoned with a tiny kick and small pieces of beef were mixed in. *Mixed mussels & clams entree ($15) - The mussels and clams were served in a delicious Thai basil cream sauce and five pieces of bread to soak up the sauce. My only complaint was that the shellfish was on the tiny side. Definitely a place worth coming back to! WHAT TO KNOW: *Reservations can be made on Yelp, however there were plenty of tables available on a Saturday at 7pm. *Vegetarian requests can be accommodated for certain dishes *Free curry mussel appetizer with Yelp check in *Credit cards are accepted *Both service and the kitchen were fast and efficient. We ordered, ate and were out in less than an hour. *Good for large groups. Tables can be pushed together. *Metered street parking
(4)Rosanna B.
Awesome happy hour specials and GREAT service. We came in around 6p and were immediately greeted by our server and waitress. After glancing at our menus we looked up and were promptly served water. Our sweet waitress gave us a few minutes to decide on what we wanted to eat and we ended up with some great choices; * takoyaki ($4) crispy octopus puffs - loved the sauce it came with and was very flavorful. Kind of wish it came out more crispy, but that's my preference. * pork belly sushi ($6/3pc) - let's face it, anything pork belly is a MUST. nomnom * agedashi tofu ($4) - one of my favorites that meal, light, and came with fried shallots nomx3 *oysters ($1/each) - I prefer smaller oysters if I'm gonna eat it raw. These were medium sized (just as the waitress described) and came with a ponzu sauce w/green onion. I gave my last oyster to my bf -_- *tuna tartare ($6) served with fried wonton chips, this was easily my favorite. Just a lil spicy the tuna was perfect. Nomx100 *infused hamachi ($14) - not on the HH menu but we decided to try. Came with jalapeños and fried shallots with ponzu sauce. Didn't blow me away, but yummy nonetheless. True to his nature the bf got a beer while I opted for the mango soju carafe (which we shared -$10). First impression, looked like juice, dark like OJ and poured thick like it. But don't let that fool you.. We got a pretty good buzz, lol. Why this establishment deserves 4 stars is the awesome customer service. Not overbearing, gives you time to order without standing over your shoulder, food came out FAST, and our table was cleared of empty plates immediately. The staff was attentive to all tables and greeted everyone with a smile. Plus who doesn't love Yelp check-in specials? (free takoyaki with check-in!!) I'll come back!!!
(4)timmy l.
Happy hour!!! $1 oyster $4 beer $5 cocktail!!! $2 pork belly taco is off the hook! Don forget to check in for your free takoyaki ! The food here is delicious and service is excellent. You gotta try this place if you are in Alameda.
(5)Timothy J.
Stumbled on this place while walking in Alameda. Who doesn't like a good asian fusion place. Ordered the Pork Belly Sushi based on the other yelp reviews and a few other things. Was definitely satisfied. Very unique dish. The only thing is that the portions are small for the price. But the taste was awesome!! Will definitely be coming back to try the other fusion items on the menu. (take advantage of the yelp check-in offer!!)
(4)Michael W.
Short Story: Now and Zen :) Long Story: Okay, now that I've said that line, let's get to the meat of the story. I came here with friends to eat and we ordered lots of appetizers. We got fries, calamari, and gyoza. We also got the crab cakes which were super moist. However, other than the crab cakes, I can't say that the place was super memorable or worth coming back to. The service was average along with the ambiance and decor. Verdict: I could come back here if my friends wanted to...but probably not by myself.
(3)Carl K.
Service was not very attentive. Food was forgettable. Oh, wait, my date decided to send the salad back because the lettuce didn't look fresh.
(2)Ben T.
ZEN is an asian fusion, little cute restaurant in Alameda. A block away from the theater, it is right downtown where all the action is! Parking shouldn't be too much of a hassle because of the parking structure a block from there. It can be busy some nights, especially if you are with a large group. We had a group of 8 and we came on a Friday night at 8pm. We were able to get seats without a problem though - lucky us! All the waitresses were really nice and kind, they weren't afraid to laugh and joke with us. On the flip side, they knew their stuff and was able to give us suggestions. I was able to take a couple bites from my friends and ended up trying many different things. The Katsu Teriakyi entry was delicious, it goes for 10 bucks. Its a relatively small size for a guy that doesn't get full off a below average portion. The Salmon Teriakyi, which was 14 bucks was REALLY good. I think it was my favorite, this would be my suggestion but it's also very pricey for the small portion. It comes with rice and mixed greens. The fries were a good appetizer to share, and for 4 bucks, we thought it was worth it. The curry mussels were a super small portion as well, but the curry sauce was really good! When I say small portion for all the above, I actually mean it. I'm taking about fancy upscale restaurant type of small portion. I think ZEN is real good, but just not for me because of the price. The price doesn't match the setting and environment for me, but for others maybe its a whole different story! Pro tip: check in on Yelp for free mussels ;) You're welcome.
(4)Monti S.
First the positive - excellent food, reasonably priced, and very good service! The pork belly sushi, tuna tartare and the ahi rice were all excellent! Asian fries were good too. We went before 6:30 and enjoyed better pricing for happy hour. The restroom was updated and very clean. Yay! So why did I give it 4 stars rather than 5? Cleanliness. Or should I say lack thereof gave a very poor first impression. The menus were nasty and stained with food. The seating was either a hard chair or a beat up, filthy sofa that looked like it had been left outside and was subsequently relocated to a homeless encampment. Carpet was ready for replacement as well. While no one appreciates a clean restroom better than I do, I find it shocking that the restroom was cleaner than the dining room! Yuck!!!
(4)Max N.
To sum it up everything was great. Made reservations on a friday at 7.45pm but didn't even need them. Walked in and got a good seat without even mentioning the reservation. Got the Mango Soju and it was really good. Asian fries are really good as well, sort of taste like regular fries in tempura batter but it really works. Pork Belly "sushi" was really good as well essentially a pork belly piece on some rice. Salmon wrap was my favorite, tasted great, one complaint being the portion was really really small. Crunchy Tako was really well prepared and not chewy. Desert was green tea ice cream, a really generous portion and tasted great as well. The staff was really attentive and would refill water without us asking etc. Will certainly come back.
(5)Andrew L.
I came here with a party of 9 on New Years Eve. The service was friendly even though it must have been disappointing to have to work on New Years. The food was fairly good, but leaning slightly on the expensive side. The pork belly sushi was good, but there are chinese places in the bay with better pork belly dishes (without the rice) for less that have the same quality if not better pork belly. The salmon wrap was very good, but the portion is very small for the price. teriyaki chicken was not very good Kimchi fried rice was far from traditional but i personally think it is better (and i'm korean). The oysters were fantastic the beef mushroom wrap was also fantastic and was acceptably priced. The reason for the 4 stars is really the experience as a whole, sure i ended up spending $100 paying for two, but the service and attentiveness made it feel like it was a higher class place than it was. If you are looking for just food due to hunger, i wouldn't recommend this place, but on some occasions where you want to try a variety of foods that are almost all passably good to quite good and don't mind the price this will have you leave feeling satisfied and pleasant about your meal.
(4)Penny L.
Oh my gosh. One word: yumtastic. I'm usually not into Asian fusion because it tends to be over-the-top and pricey. This place has convinced me otherwise. The setting is a little dim, but it works and creates a zen-like (no pun intended) ambiance. The servers are friendly and attentive, but don't encroach on your space while you're dining. As for the food...the pork belly sushi is divine - they did a great job of preparing pork belly that wasn't extremely fatty. Normally I could feel my arteries clog with each bite, but not here! The sauce that they use to accommodate the dish is so yummy, I dipped my sweet potato fries in it. I also loved the roasted duck watercress salad. The duck is well seasoned and tender, the watercress is fresh and crisp - pair them with their homemade dressing and you've got an epic salad. Of course I ordered more than those 2 items, but those are the ones that stood out the most and have led to cravings (of which I have yet to satisfy...). The other dishes are as follows: Asian fries (sweet potato) - 3 stars Takoyaki (deep fried octopus balls) - 4 stars Tuna tartare - 4 stars Salmon wrap - 3.5 stars Creme brulee trio - 3 stars Bonus: this place has happy hour Mon-Fri from 5-6:30 pm. Same great food, but discounted? Count me in, nom nom nom!
(5)Dina L.
Food was amazing. We loved how surprising the flavors were. Faves: takoyaki, the octopus balls were creamy with the first bite then chewy as you get to the octopus. Savory sauces completes it. I fought for the last one! Enoki beef was a nicely balanced bite of flavors and textures. Beefy ribeye and onion, hmmm. Still thinking about it. Infused hamachi was the weak link. It lacked acid and the tuna wasn't as tender. All in all we'll be back
(4)Mary M.
We were thoroughly pleased with our tapas and entree. Desserts were wonderful and offered a selection that pleased all members of our family! Go early! By 6pm was packed! We are definitely returning !
(5)Dan M.
Very good tapas fusion restaurant in Alameda. Their cocktails are all sake-based as well. We had a few pints at PS Eatery nearby and wanted to get our eat on somewhere else. This place had solid ratings, so we figured why not? I think one of our friends had visited before and gave it good marks. The place is pretty small inside and right across the street from a CVS. Every table was taken pretty much, but we were able to snag one without a reservation. I was under the impression the portions would be small, so we ordered a bunch: -Pork Belly Sushi was ok, but nothing to write home about. Same with the shu mai. -Big fan of the enoki beef. Those mushrooms are only ones you can get at Asian grocery stores (Safeway, get on that!), and wrapped in the ribeye...so good, we had to order it twice. -Wings weren't very spicy but had a good crunch. Not like a standard buffalo wing, but tasty. -Zen beef carpaccio was different. That cheese though... -Kimchi fried rice was really good, just spicy. Nothing wrong with that though. I'd definitely recommend the fried rice and enoki beef if I had to choose again. For drinks, I just went with a Saporro and Tsing Tao, so nothing new to report there. There's happy hour from 5-6:30, so make sure to get that all in beforehand. Tapas for $4-$6 and beers are $4. Waitress was attentive and on point; even offered to put drinks on layaway for us (at happy hour prices) until we were ready to get a second round. My girlfriend wasn't feeling her second drink and she offered to switch it out, without charge (as they should). That was much appreciated. Only downside is that for all of the apps and drinks we ordered (at least 6 food and 4 drinks), we didn't get any items on the house. I'm not asking for the entire bill to be waived, but it's just sound business practices to encourage me to come back if you threw in just one appetizer or the second round of drinks. With tip, the bill was about $100, eating $10 of food/drink won't make this place go belly up. Oh well, I guess not everyone shares my New York-esque mentality (buy some, get some back). A good place nonetheless for food and basic (but quality) beverages.
(4)Felicia F.
This place is a hidden gem! My boyfriend and I came across this place because we were looking for happy hour before the Warriors game started. They had happy hour from 5-6:30pm and it's 50% off bottles of wine on Wednesdays! We ordered the Pork Belly Sushi, Oysters ($1 each!), Tuna Tartare, the Ying Yang wings, AND! you get a free Takoyaki with your yelp check-in! For drinks, we ordered a bottle of Pinot Nior, and 2 Blush Drinks! (White peach with Sake) For a $56 tab, that's amazing! The service is fantastic; they're attentive and they even pour your wine when you're running low. Granted, there weren't many tables but our server definitely went out of her way to provide amazing service. Also, it's only 10 mins from the Stadium! Great place to drink and eat before going to a game rather than spending ~$10 on a beer.
(5)Bridget O.
I'll keep this short and sweet. I came for happy hour which is a pretty small window that goes from 5 - 6:30. But none of the items cost more than $6. The service was excellent, attentive but not a nuisance. I was surprised by the ample food selection on the menu. I had the curry mussels (free with check-in), a pork belly taco, which I would have liked better if the onions were cooked and not just raw and the wasabi shu mai. It had good texture and taste with a slight heat at the end. To drink I had the blush which was incredibly weak in my option, but then again my tolerance level is questionable. It's not a place I would go out of my way to eat at again, but it serves the job if you're looking for a quick bite.
(3)PatrickJ T.
My sister made a reservation for our party of 7 for dinner. The restaurant has a nice intimate ambiance. Our table was waiting for us when we arrived. Good thing she made a reservation because the place does not have a lot of tables. The restaurant filled up to capacity real fast. I was able to try several dishes here. They were the following: Salmon Tabocki Rice was tasty. (3 stars) Seafood Pescatore was also okay. (3 stars) Asian Nachos was very disappointing. (1 star) Pork belly sushi was amazing!!! (5 stars) I think that the portions are about right for the price with the exception of the Asian Nachos. These nachos were not what I expected at all. There was very little of it and from what there was it was not worth the price. Sorry. Make sure you take advantage of their Yelp Check-in deal. During our visit, they gave a Free sake with check in! It was pretty darn good too! (4 stars for the Sake!) Service was excellent! The girls were attentive and friendly. Not intrusive at all. (5 stars for Service!) Overall, with the exception of the Asian Nachos, I was very pleased with our experience here. I would not hesitate to return to Zen Restaurant again.
(4)Suzanne T.
This place is awesome! I was looking for a tapas place on the way back from our Sonoma trip and this place popped up in Alameda. Thank goodness I went with my instinct and made reservations here. The food is amazing and the quantity is great considering it's a tapas place. My BF was worried that we may not have ordered enough but between the pork belly sushi, lemongrass mussels, salmon wrap, and the yelp check in curry mussels, we were stuffed. I could barely finish my food. Although they're all good, I would rank the dishes as follow: 1) Curry mussels -- amazing! 2) Pork belly sushi -- rocking taste & quantity 3) Lemongrass mussel -- lighter taste 4) Salmon wrap -- decent My BF was skeptical of this place before eating here and now he's a fan. Please try this place. You won't be disappointed.
(5)LL T.
Just tried their weekend brunch which was very tasty. We had: grilled kurobota sausages, bacon wrapped tomatoes, steak and eggs, and the salted caramel waffle with bacon. The brunch menu has so many more items to try. (I can't eat that much.) So put Zen on your brunch restaurant list for Alameda. It's a nice change from the usual American fare.
(5)Raquel Y.
Asian tapas! We ordered 6 dishes and everything was good/not bad. Service and decor was great too, so I definitely liked this place. Note: HH 5-6:30pm Mon-Fri! $4-6 appetizers and only $4 drinks!! (delicious too, I got the mojito 4/5) 1) BEEF ENOKI - 5/5 - OMG!!! THIS DISH WAS AMAZING!! The sauce was seriously heavenly, and was the best dish out of the 6. MUST ORDER!!!! 2) TUNA TARTARE - 4/5 - HH item with pieces of tuna and chips to pick them up with. It was pretty good, especially for its price 3) PORK BELLY SUSHI - 3.5/5 - this was a little disappointing, since I expected it to be amazing after everyone on yelp raved about it. It's nothing special, pork belly on top of rice to make it "sushi." But the pork belly wasn't even tender like it's supposed to be, so this wasn't the best dish like everyone said it was. The beef enoki was WAY better than the pork belly sushi. But at least it was a HH item that was 3 pieces for $6 4) OYSTERS - 3/5 - HH item, $1 a pop! Pretty good, not bad 5) CHICKEN WINGS - 3/5 - standard flavorful chicken wings 6) CLAM WITH CILANTRO BROTH - 3/5 - a bit salty...but was still good since we killed it. Zen needs to turn it down a notch in the salt OVERALL: All the food was about 3/5, but there are so many dishes on the menu that I still would wanna try, and the beef enoki was AMAZING and the mojito drink was delicious, strong, and only $4. Service was good, decor is nice and modern with comfy couches on the wall, so I think I'd come back to try other dishes on the menu :)
(4)Armelle R.
Food was ok, really no more... Food was really not tasty... This is really not fusion like.. Service was just ok but slow We decided to leave with no desert in case it was going to be like the rest We won't be back
(2)Michele C.
It's been a few years since I've been back here and I completely forgot how good their food was!!! Crazy me! Originally we were gonna have dinner at Havana, but that place did not acknowledge is even though a kitchen worker passed by is and did not say a word to the server. We stood there for 10 minutes and left. So we headed over here and the two servers were so great. We ordered the curry mussels (it was a free appetizer when you check in on Yelp) try the duck salad, their pork belly sushi is a must! Also our friend ordered a beef carpaccio and it was so good. So good try this spot!
(5)CoCo V.
I have tried this place a few times now, and I have to say that I've been pretty happy each time. The comfy couch that is along the walls that is paired with the tables is super comfy ( I don't know if its a bad thing since after you finish your meal, you just lay back and don't want to leave, hehe) Service is great and prompt. What got me coming back the second time around is their Duck Vermicelli Salad...OMG! Talk about a burst of sweet, tangy, tart and savory flavors in one..very good. Some of their other dishes that I like is the Pork belly...They cook it to perfection, and anybody that is a cook and have cooked pork belly before knows that in order to make it melt in your mouth..you have to braise it for quite some time....but i think the sake does the trick cause that thing is SUPER soft when you bite into it. So I would highly recommend these two dishes for sure! The ONLY thing i'm bum about is that they close at 9:30pm. =( But other then that, its a cute place to go on a date or catch up with a friend.
(4)Nobbi L.
Well, another 5 stars!!! Went tonite for my birthday. Great service. The waitstaff which includes the co-owners is fabulous. Really attentive, friendly, personable. I really likes the food also. It's typical fusion cuisine--they do it well. Carpaccio, tuna tartare, mussels in a lemon grass garlic broth. My favorite was the unagi. Better than any sushi place I've been to. I also got some plain kimchi--not on the menu per se. Loved it. Great beer, great sake! This is Alameda??? Yes, it's where I live!!!
(5)Aya T.
ate here last night. it was deeeaaaad; nobody was in the restaurant when my boyfriend and I entered. but anyway. order the much-praised Asian Fries as a starter and was not disappointed. I do love me some taro slivers to dip in that spicy aioli sauce. I had the Kakuni Pork and my boyfriend had the Shoyu Chicken. I gotta say, the presentations of our dishes were a little.. underwhelming. I mean, I wasn't expecting an extravagant display of my pork belly slices. well, it wasn't enough to disappoint me or anything, it was just a thought that crossed my mind. as for the taste of this pork... it was good. I'm not sure if it's because my taste buds are pretty sensitive towards salt or what, but it was salty. more so than I thought it would be. I know it was braised in soy sauce and mirin, but I didn't think it'd be so... salty. lol if I had a little more rice, I think I would've been okay-- but the rice portion was kind of small for what they give you for the pork. dessert was great though! I had the creme brulee. the consistency of their creme brulee was a little thinner than I'm used to, but that didn't take away from the taste! it was creamy goodness and the perfect dessert to finish off with (as always). the drink I had was quite tasty as well-- the Cherry Blossom cocktail. it was lychee sake, nigori sake, and grenadine. just sweet enough so that you can hardly taste the alcohol. yummm. (: the overall ambiance was great and the sofas are such great seats! I thought they would be too low or too high, but they were juuuust right. I am definitely going back to try more things on the menu! the pork belly was definitely me going out of my comfort zone as far as seasonings, but I think I'll love the other things on the menu much more. I'll be back, Zen!
(4)Nick C.
The first time I heard about Zen was through United Taste of america ...whatever that show was called, showing the sushi pizza. To my surprise, my girlfriend took me here on my birthday, and since it's a Tapas restaurant, I got to sample a good amount of the awesome food this place has to offer. Being that it was my 21st birthday, I also had many opportunities to sample the many debauch concoctions of Zen. I had such a good time here I could go on and on, but I'm gonna narrow down the pros of this place to a few things: -The owner of Zen, Bala, is one of the coolest restaurant owners -the tempura fries, wow...with the spicy mayo sauce, I was pleasantly surprised by this delicious but simple dish. Another thing I enjoyed was the Kimchi fried rice and duck vermicelli. All of which was very good. -As for the drinks, I ordered a Samurai, but at the end of the night, our table was topped with numerous cocktails, none of which I can remember (you could say I was enjoying myself a bit too much). The drink was a bit strong, but being the burly man I am, I took it in stride and relished in the fact that I received extra alcohol. If anybody needs a nice date spot but doesn't feel like crossing any bridges, I'd highly recommend this place. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to try any desserts, but around the way there are many places to choose from (Frutti Yogi, gelato shop, bars, lounges, etc...) . In fact, writing this review just reminded me to revisit Zen to sample their desserts.
(5)Sari O.
Overall, I would say we had a great experience. My husband and I were looking for something different in Alameda and a restaurant that we both hadn't tried. Zen Restaurant met both criteria. We ordered a green salad, the mussels and a special that was a soft shell crab burger with a side of the french fries. The food was great. The french fries were by far my favorite but then again, deep fried anything is delicious. I was expecting the typical sweet potato fries but was pleasantly surprised at how different and unique they were - a mix of taro and sweet potatoes in a tempura batter with a spicy aioli - yum! My only complaint, if you can even call it that, was I would have liked the mussels to come with more bread to soak up the tasty lemongrass and basil sauce. The service was attentive but not overbearing. We came in towards the end of the night, maybe 20 minutes before closing but we didn't feel rushed or hurried out, which made for a relaxing experience. In the end, I found it hard to leave, as the couch cushions were so comfortable, I could have stayed there all night.
(4)Brandy S.
Definitely one of my fave tapas restaurants now! This place was pretty small, initmate, dimmed lighting, quiet. Friendly & helpful staff! To start off, I had a lemondrop cocktail. It was pretty good. Some places dont know how to make it right but this place does! There was a good variety of mixed drinks to choose from but I stuck to my usual =) For dinner we had the pork belly sushi, sooooo flavorful & yummy! There was a small piece of deliciously juicy pork belly on top of a little bundle of sushi rice mixed in with what looked like furikake (dry seaweed & spices seasoning) The clams & mussels were deeelish! It was sooo tasty and it was also my fave dish of the night! It was in a garlic cream sauce, but it wasnt too thick. The wasabi shu mai was just ok to me. It had a hint of wasabi, not too overwhelming... and it was very small too. Smaller than a regular shu mai at a dim sum spot. I probably wouldnt try it again. The cajun soft shell crab (this was a Special of the evening) was pretty good, very crispy & light taste of cajun seasoning. Probably coulda used a little more seasoning. And lastly, the teriyaki salmon, which was actually for my toddler son. He loved it and practically ate the whole dish by himself. I also had a taste of the asian fries, it was good. Had a sweetness to it and it came with a dip and the spicy endemame was ok. The endemame had a very familiar taste to it but I dont what it is. Its not spicy either, haha. I definitely want to try everything on the menu eventually so I WILL BE BACK FOR SURE! And I will post pics next time around, I was too busy grubbin' this time! Haha
(5)S S.
Yum. New favorite restaurant in Alameda. What took me so long? are you a truly hidden gem? Well hide no longer! The sofa chairs--oh yeah, it's all i could do to leave--me likes a comfy chair. but really, it's the food. the calamari is PERfect. nice wait staff, chill hip music. good for dates. thank you Zen. (one minor note, i would like the lighting a little dimmer to enhance the romance factor.)
(5)Java G.
I had a Mojito , Zen salad, Japanese eggplant in ginger sauce, Miagi oysters Japanese style plus roe on top . Very nice staff, cool music and atmosphere! I liked this place quite a bit!
(5)Robert S.
Surprisingly tough to review. I came here for Kim-Van T's birthday. It's a fun looking place in downtown Alameda, and I was pretty excited to check it out. I, as many other reviewers were, was unaware of the tapas style of this restaurant. But we were here, and we were gonna eat. My table of four split a baked salmon, pork belly sushi, beef carpaccio, and lamb chops. Really delicious, especially that pork belly. I didn't expect them to be so tasty! Since it is tapas style, the dishes aren't very big for what you pay, but it isn't terrible. Service was quite good. Our waitress kept up on drinks pretty good, and managed our 12 person table quite well. And she was very friendly. Big groups aren't always the easiest to manage, so her demeanor was very much appreciated. Pretty cool place! Excellent place to combo with drinks afterwards :D
(4)Pierre L.
I came here tonight with my family and one of my bff's and his family. Since they are friends with the owner we got the hook up. We didn't order and the owners just brought out their signature dishes. Good thing I was famished because the food kept on coming and coming and coming. Zen describers themselves as Asian tapas and I would say it's a fairly accurate description. They have a bunch of different dishes but it seems their foundation is based upon Japanese cooking. Reason why I say this is because a lot of the sauces, the raw fish dishes, and other the rice balls that are used as a garnish on each dish reflects it. Now I could be wrong but it feels that way. We had what seemed like roti bread with a sweet soy sauce, Asian fries (I think they were mix of yam and potato) with a spicy aioli, baked salmon, soft shell crab, hamachi, salmon in ponzu sauce, mentaiko pasta, duck fried rice, lamb chops, beef rolls, seafood skewers with prawns and scallops, their version of fried tofu, and much more. What I enjoyed about the dinner was the different varieties they had. If I hadn't come here with the family friends I definitely wouldn't have been able to try all these dishes. I have to admit everything was tasty. You wouldn't think there would be a place like Zen in Alameda but there is. The owners are the people who run the place and they are a friendly bunch. If you are in the neighborhood or want to try something different, come by and check it out. I heard they only open for dinner so don't come during lunch time. Because it wasn't too busy (since it was a weekday) the place was Zen like. Quiet, dim, and calm are some of the words I would use to describe it.
(4)Leslie Y.
My friend took us out to dinner on my bday. They go there all the time, the atmosphere is quite on the romantic side with sofas all along the wall, small and comfortable enough. The four adults had asian fries, ooh and the sauce that goes with it, don't let them take it away when you finish the fries. lol, And the baby had tons of fun too, looking at herself in the gigantic mirror and eating veggies. We had a first for me, sushi pizza, it was the first thing to go. Salmon was another and the vermicelli and duck, and at last, lamb chops. Desserts were molton--yummy--and coconut creme brulee. The food was pretty good and simple.
(4)C C.
Great ambiance and food! My favorite was the pork belly tacos, watercress salad and the spicy edamame!
(5)Michelle L.
An excellent place for a girls night out dinner. Definitely my first choice for good food, comfortable relaxing environment and friendly customer service. My husband gets jealous for times that I had dinner at Zen's with my girlfriends and forgot to order take-out for him..hahaha!! Surprisingly, it's kids friendly too..both my daughters age 6 and 9 loved Zen's as mush as I do. Definitely highly recommend Zen to friends and family...and did I mention my in-laws too!!
(5)Doreen M.
When I go out to eat at a restaurant, I want to have an all-around pleasant experience. If you feel the same way, come to Zen. My husband and I were so happy to have tried Zen and to work with Bala when we were searching for a place for our wedding rehearsal dinner (party of 27). She is accommodating and a pleasure to work with. We felt the pricing is fair, there's tasty menu selections, and the ambiance exudes a sense of relaxation and warmth. We have awesome service from the waitstaff every time we eat here. We have tried many things on their menu and our favorite items to date are the Zen Melt (a bit spicy and worth every bite), Teriyaki Salmon, Niku Niku, Asian Fries (tempura sweet potato fries with a yummy dipping sauce). Great food, great service, great experiences--things went so well at our rehearsal dinner that my sister wanted to have her 30th birthday dinner here as well. We came back with a group of about 14 people and had an equally enjoyable experience. We can't help but spread the love--you have to try this place.
(5)Aaron G.
When it comes to the food, Zen is pretty damn good. Having tried many items on their menu, I can safely say that there isn't anything on there that i wouldn't eat, except for the lamb, but that's because i don't eat that type of protein, period. I've even tried a few things that aren't on their menu. One being their Asian Nachos, which was delicious and the other being their Uni Noodles. Otherwise highlights are their Asian Fries, Kim Chi Fried Rice, Spicy Seafood Salad, Mushroom Roe Speghetti (i forgot the name of this dish) and the Pork belly. Also if you ever get a chance to try their Lemongrass Chicken and Rice Soup, DO IT!! It's sooooo good! As for their alcohol beverages selection, I would say its pretty decent considering their lack of a full bar. All their cocktails are created with soju or sake. Unfortunately, it's not my favorite. I would totally prefer hard alcohol when it comes to cocktails. The one outstanding drink, however, is their oyster shot (not really a drink) but its super delicious and if you love oysters, i would totally recommend it! The one and only complaint that i had the first time i came here was their service. When someone enters a restaurant they should be greeted and then either be told to wait or be seated. It's kinda simple. We were never greeted or acknowledged until almost 5 minutes later. Not cool. I had already started throwing a minor hissy fit by that time. I also don't really like that they don't have a reception area. This was a problem only once, but still left a bad impression after all this time. Their actual table service is excellent, however, so its kinda a give and take thing even though i like to just take when it comes to restaurants.
(4)Nnekay F.
HEY YOU! Wanna get your sexy on? Got a hot date, you wanna impress, but sick of the whole SF hub-bub.. ohhh which station should I pick you up at... oh does muni go there? Can I park my fixie out front? Stop that, and check out Zen in Alameda. Decor is really modern, yet incredibly stylish... and suprisingly intimate considering how teeny-tiny the joint is. The food- mmmmmm... get the tuna tartar right now, or I might cry. Well, I wont cry, but your stomach will because it will be missing out on great yumminess. Four stars... because the drinks, though they have fancy names and come in shapely glasses- are rather uninspired. I want more UMPF with my booze. Go there. Do it.
(4)Zee Z.
I like this place :) Last night, my bf and I wasn't feel like cooking... SO we decided to try something new in Alameda. Zen is great! The price was good with the exception the portion is a little small. We order 4 things: Sushi Pizza, the Ying Yang Wings, chicken lemon soup with rice, and muscles & clams. With the Sushi Pizza being my favorite and the Soup my least favorite. Overall, this is a to go place. I will totally come back!
(4)Daniel H.
Good atmosphere and very well-prepared and well-made tapas dishes. The style is Asian fusion and they make it almost worth the super expensive prices (I tend to need to eat a lot). Good, but a bit out of my price range for dinner. Ok if only trying one or two plates with a drink. I tried the sushi pizza, enoki beef, salmon carpaccio, and the ceviche. All very good. The wait staff was nice but they were sort of all over the place as we didn't have a personal server so we just had four or five different people helping us throughout dinner.
(4)T L.
I absolutely loveeee this place. Came here once and fell in love! I wish I could come here more often to develop my relationship with Zen, but sadly it's a bit far. It's a little hard to find parking at times, because it's mostly street parking but I wouldn't say it's impossible. Perhaps factor in an extra 5-10 minutes for it. The place is BEAUTIFUL. They have a great Asian Fusion ambiance. It's very well decorated to look classy without being over the top or too cheesy. My all-time favorites here are the.. - taro fries (It's so unique compared to sweet potato fries that are everywhere. And the dipping sauce that comes with it is so creamy and complementary. I haven't found anything like it anywhere else!) - zen melt (I would compare this to bruschetta but with warm cheesy goodness. It's is sooo amazing. Biting into it makes you want to close your eyes to savor the taste. - a spaghetti? (I can't remember what it's called but there is a seafood spaghetti-like dish that is really delicious also). Perhaps this may be an obvious point...but you should come with a decent size group of people (5-6) so that you can order many dishes to share. It's a tapas place, although it doesn't look it, so definitely order a variety of dishes (about one dish per person in your party) giving everyone the chance to try a little bit of everything. I've tried almost everything on the menu and it is all veryyyy tasty (some dishes more unique than others). Definitely a must-visit in Alameda!
(5)jason g.
If you combine Japanese, Chinese, Korean, French, Italian, and a little bit of the England...............you get Zen restaurant. In this day and age with fusion being such a big phenomenon, Zen has it all. They have married all of these flavors, combined the best possible combination and reinvented such classics as french fries, fish and chips, carpaccio, vongole and mussels in traditional European flavors. This whole melting pot of flavors would generally deter me away because I like more focused cuisine. If I wanted Japanese.........I'll go to a Japanese restaurant. If I wanted Chinese.......well.......you get what I mean. This restaurant wouldn't do too well in San Francisco because the critics will just compare it to the higher end restaurants. The higher end being more refined, focused, and well marketed. But.......in a local setting like Alameda, this will do amazing. Some of dishes that shined were: Kim chi fried rice or basil fried rice ( can't go wrong with either) fish and chips(you just have to try it) Asian french fries Salmon carpaccio Fresh uni tuna tartar tuna sandwich( I know I know........but this was fantastic) Fatty pork Raw oysters/clams mussels and clams in a creamy white wine garlic broth All were very good and very tasty. This is a solid 4 star restaurant but I will give them an extra star for being original and advenerous with their menu. A true treat for the people in living in Alameda. For people who want to try something different.............hop on the Bay Bridge and you are 20 minutes away from being treated to a cuisine I am sure you are going to like.
(5)Grace H.
This is hands down my favorite spot in Alameda. The food here is amazing - a really delicious asian-fusion menu. My favorites are some of the sashimi dishes that have great flavors and spices, particularly the salmon carpaccio and hamachi with jalapeño. Their raw oysters are also always great, and the cocktail menu is wonderful too. The staff couldn't be friendlier, the atmosphere is low key and nice - really, there's nothing not to love!
(5)Cat B.
The one thing I'll give credit to this restaurant for is the wait staff. They were quick to seat us, served us with a smile, and were super friendly and fast. But... the food left a lot to be desired. My husband and I sampled a bunch of small plates and nothing made me do my happy dance from my chair -- the food just seemed bland. The one highlight was the season special - crab chowder, which was excellent, but 1 out of 6 different dishes is not enough to make me go back. We sampled the following: *Sweet & Hot chicken wings *House sweet potato fries (and taro root, which was good) *Crab cakes *Crab chowder *Calamari & mushrooms
(2)T'Hud W.
*Loved* it! A friend and I went there last night. We had the Infused Hamachi, Zen Melt, Zen Salad, and the Pork Shu Mai. Really good quality, the Zen Melt was out favorite. Best tuna melt ever! Service was good, atmosphere was lovely. Because of the pricing (which is reasonable, considering the quality) and the portion sizing (on the smaller side), I would consider it more of a treat or special-occasion eatery than a once-a-week type of place. But absolutely delicious, spot-on flavor combinations.
(5)Sue C.
Setting: cozy and warm Quality of food: so delicious, each dish tastes yummy. I had steamed mussels, enoki beef, agedashi tofu, asian fries and few other items. I highly recommend the steamed mussels.
(5)Shasta M.
There is some strange phenomenon going on in this restaurant. It attracts flocks of Lesbians and yet there is no folk music or political rally. I guess this is where the ladies go to have a nice dinner. First off I want to be honest I am not a fan of asian food normally and I was in a super grumpy mood the night I ate here. Full disclosure said, the service was spot on and ambiance was very nice. Seems like a real great date place. I quickly cheered up with all the attentive service and beer in hand. The food was cooked well but like I said not a fan of Asian food. I was not making rational choices that night. We had the Ceviche which was the best meal served to us. The best part of the entire meal was the dessert who would have guessed. Girlfriend had the chocolate molten cake and I had the strawberry shortcake and both I could have licked the plate clean. I will likely never go there again but it was an nice experience.
(3)Risey P.
One of my local faves. The cocktails are good, the servers are sweet, and the various rice-based dishes I've tried (kimchi, basil, etc) are all fantastic. There's something really remarkable about the texture of the rice here. Yum! Also enjoy the duck confit with watercress salad.
(4)Allen Y.
I have eaten at Zen numerous times and consider this gem of a restaurant in downtown Alameda to be one of those rare places that I can count on time after time for fantastic food and an excellent time. Everyone that I have taken here for dinner has raved about the food and all but out of state visitors have become regular patrons. The dining area is sophisticated with a casual twist due to the couch seating along the walls. The place effortlessly embodies cool and hip without screaming trendy. "Asian fusion" can be a little cliché but this place does it right. The food is very unique, inventive, exciting, and most importantly delicious! Service is always warm, friendly, and un-pretentious. I have tried most everything on the menu and I don't recall a dish I would not order again. I am not a big fan of desserts but the desserts here are of the same caliber as the food. I love living in Alameda and Zen restaurant is one of the many reasons why!
(5)sophia l.
After reading all the reviews on yelp, I had to check out Zen. My friends and I had a triple date and it was the perfect place to be. The ambiance and decor fit my taste. We made reservations and got seated right away. The waitress and waiters were all really nice. My bf and I were starving so we shared 6 plates (4 would've been plenty). Everything was delicious! The asian fries are a MUST HAVE! The duck vemicelli was tasty..... We also ordered a baked salmon... Garlic noodles and kimchee rice were good too, but I wish they came out before the salmon. I was so stuffed at the end, I couldn't eat much rice/noodles. We will definitely be back =)
(5)Chris G.
Upon entering this establishment, one gets the feeling that everyone there is having fun. The ambiance is very inviting and the adage that "less is more" rings true -- the modern touches of simple elegance is truly inviting. Now, what about the food? Absolutely WONDERFUL! I travel from Fairfield at least once every two weeks in order to partake of their delicious choices. Although I am a sushi bar "nut", ZEN incorporates flavors not found at a regular sushi establishment and yet satisfies the sushi experience. The sea steak salad incorporates a fully loaded salad as well generous portions of sashimi. The artful positioning of the avocado; sliced cucumber; spears of al dente asparagas; tomatoes; red peppers and lettuce create an "art on a plate" visual treat not to be outdone by the ultimate satisfaction rendered by actually eating it! Another personal favorite is the "Zen Melt" which is a savory blend of tuna and various flavors on triangular toast. The burst of flavor serves to surprise as there is a subtle yet obvious spicy enhancement that completes the experience. Orders are served rapidly and the friendly wait staff makes one feel like family creating an all round pleasant experience. Although the tables are somewhat close in proximity to each other, engaging in conversation with other diners who are by and large amenable to this kind of exchange lends to the friendly communal atmosphere. During a recent meal, the table next to ours ordered up assorted desserts, and the next thing we knew, we were encouraged to share samplings of their orders, too! Our dining experience consistently lives up to our expectations and we will continue to patronize this establishment frequently.
(5)Art O.
Before our all-night pinball run in the island, we cruised around off of Park St and came across Zen. The three of us shared the following Ceviche Yam fries Grilled eel Scallop and prawn skewers Green tea ice cream Raspberry mouse cake Although nothing stood out, the food was solid and I felt we got a good value. If the prices were higher I would not recommend this place. The decor was stylish and the place seemed full of mostly island locals. The service was so-so and again, nothing stood out but it wasn't terrible. Overall I'd give it 3.5 stars but will round up cause I'm in a good mood.
(4)Janice F.
It's a tapas place so all the plates are going to be small. All of the food that I tried was good and although we ordered a bunch of food and shared, I was still a little hungry shortly after leaving. I guess I just need to order more next time. My friends and I went here on a Friday before 6pm. I'm not sure if they take reservations but it's a small place so I can imagine it gets busy fast especially when it hits dinnertime. It's street parking so be prepared. Everyone that works there is pretty friendly and the decor is super cute. I'd go here again. :)
(3)Dez B.
Went here for my birthday in May and recently went back for my brother's birthday (2 weeks ago). The ambiance is amazing and good for a date or even a girls night out although both times I've been here my 3 year old daughter came along and didn't cause too much of a ruckus. haha. the staff is really attentive and nice. the food is A-MA-ZING. we've had almost everything on their menu and nothing has disappointed. i must say that my favorites are the kimchee fried rice, spicy edamame, braised chicken (we call it chicken adobo), and their special spaghetti. Oh yeah, i would totally give them an extra star since they're the only restaurant that I know of that serves furikake mix over rice since that's my daughter's absolute FAV-O-RITE. :)
(5)Concerned Consumer s.
OK service, great presentation, but just OK food. There's a reason why the place is often empty. Food is overpriced and the portions are small. So plan to walk away still hungry.
(2)Benjamin C.
This is one of the best tapas in the area. Surprisingly the dishes are small but i get full and satisfied. This place is very comfortable to just hang around and munch on some asian fries. I enjoy their mojitos a lot. My faves are salmon carpacio , basil fried rice, and tuna melt. Its really yummy. Its a bit pricy, but tapas are always pricey. I had a great experience. Their spicy edamame is crazy good. I heard that they changed their menu. im going to come back and try their new menu.
(4)Mikki K.
" You have to try it!!!!" Great food, Superb service! Just different from your everyday japanese food or chinese food or American meals... I like!
(5)Maxine D.
First time here. Got the free glass of wine thru Yelp check in. Also got there before 6:30 so we got 6 oysters for $1 each and they were excellent. Went there to celebrate my son coming home for the summer from his first year of college and the reviews were very good. We had such a variety of dishes which we really like so we can taste many dishes. We all had different favorites and they were all good: pork belly sushi, steamed mussels, baby octopus puff, and salmon carpaccio were our favorites. A great place to go for variety, great taste, light dishes and the service was excellent. Even the fish and chips were tasty and not at all greasy.
(5)Aaron B.
First visit to Zen, and it was great! Had the Lamb, Basil rice, BBQ Shrimp, and the Sashimi Salad. The service was great, and the food was great also. Definitely recommend going here for a quiet, and enjoyable dinner. Will definitely be back!
(5)Andrew L.
Food was good, but prepared with a heavy hand. Service was adequate but not terribly attentive. The atmosphere was pleasant and refreshing. For the quality and quantity the food was considerably overpriced.
(3)Ziru C.
My friends eat here a lot, so when we finally got a chance to go together, I was rather looking forward to it. Upon walking inside, for some reason, the place wasn't what I had expected it to be. Not too shabby. A little on the small side and couches along the walls. Service was nice. Didn't expect to hear lots of loud Chinese in a small place like this (from one table!). The three of us had the Basil Fried Rice, Baked Seafood, and two specials, the Tiger Eye and Pan-fried Sole. The Tiger Eye was salmon wrapped in a shiso leaf and calamari with a lemon caper sauce (?) sauce and tobiko on top. There were six pieces arranged like sushi for $8. I must say, it was pretty good. The calamari was cooked just right (not overdone and chewy at all). The flavors really melded well together. Also, I love the tanginess, but one of my friends said it was a little too overpowering. The Basil Fried Rice is really tasty. There's a little smokiness to it and was just very flavorful. I liked how the rice was cooked. Definitely had a different texture than rice from a rice cooker. The Baked Seafood seemed more like an appetizer to me, but it was rather rich, so I could see how it could be a bit filling. I liked the bread. Although it was slightly toasted, it was still soft and easy to eat (good for my brace face!). $1 for extra bread! The Pan-fried Sole was good. Lightly covered in panko bread crumbs and pan-fried topped with a lemon caper sauce (theme for the specials that night?) and a side of the furikake rice. The fish was cooked well, soft. As for flavor, it mainly came from the capers. I wish there were more little grape tomato wedges on the plate. All in all, the place has good food. I would like to try out the rest of their menu and maybe coming in one night for their drinks. The prices are a little up there for how small the dishes are (cute plates though!), but not unreasonable.
(4)Evelyn M.
Eh. What's all the hype about? Is it about the servers who don't know how to remember customers' orders? Is it about getting a cup of juice that's passed off as a mixed drink? Or is it about tuna tar-tar that looks like strawberry jello? If you said all of the above, you're a winner! I would have given 2 stars, but i'm giving them the benefit of the doubt that they just haven't learned how to serve a large group. But trust me, that's not an excuse to have crappy service. Picture a waitress shouting at the customers the name of the dish she's holding in her hand. Not helpful. It caused mass confusion and multiple drinks and dishes getting sent back to the kitchen, only to get served again because the waitress "didn't know who ordered it." Mass chaos. So anyway, to the food. I got a drink... forgot the name, but it had mango, passion fruit and "asian vodka." If asian vodka = ice, then yes, i was very satisfied with my beverage. Tuna Tar-Tar: Just some fish that had no flavor. i didn't even eat it all. And I eat everything. That should say it all... you know Asian people don't waste food. I had a bite of the kimchee fried rice, and that was actually good. Some spicy rice with a little beef is hard to screw up, and i'm glad i got some of that. Fries: Pretty good. I liked the aoli sauce, and the fries had a tempura batter which was a nice twist. All in all tho, I'd suggest you try elsewhere before coming here. It's not worth the poor service and eh food.
(3)marc a.
We came here last Thursday for dinner and cocktails and I have to say, this place is definitely one of those hidden gems. Barely visible from the street, it's a few feet off bustling Park. A quick word of warning: don't park across the street at the Long's parking lot because Alameda PD will give you a ticket even at 8:00 PM while the lot is less than a quarter full. Tough times for Alameda, I suppose? I was immediately overcome with a sense of deja vu, surrounded by dark reds and cherry wood comprising this dimly lit, minimalist interior decor. The concept and food were strikingly similar to Uncle Bo's back in Honolulu, one of my favorite establishments to date. The menu is a collection of Asian-inspired dishes with a hint of Western European. Pretense was non-existant as the majority of patrons were clad in jeans and a t-shirt. Memorable selections included the Tiger's Eye, Lomi Lomi, Tuna Tartare, beef Carpaccio, and Kakuni Pork. The small plates were all very well presented on modern plating. One trend here is that everything is bite-sized and easily handled by chop sticks or bare hands. Perfect for heavy drinkers such as myself, who quickly find use of a fork and knife both cumbersome and annoying. Although everything had a strong salty/soy sauce undertone, it was all undeniably delicious when paired with a few large Sapporos and some cold nigori sake. The only thing that impressed me more than the food was the service. The waitress offered helpful, honest suggestions the for the "Zen virgins" in our group. Service was quick and curteous as the staff shared tables and responsibilities. The one element lacking here is an actual full bar for the less social drinkers out there. It would definitely complete the image of a lounge. Otherwise, there was nothing else to complain about, especially considering that our meal was very easy on the wallet. If you don't feel like dealing with the hustle and bustle of Jack London or the City, I would highly recommend Zen.
(4)James G.
This is the best food!! Great service, clean and warm environment. Food is out of this world. I eat here often and am planning to go this weekend for what I know will be another sure thing/winner of a meal. With two kids and expensive babysitting every meal needs to be good or I get very upset. This is my go to place!
(5)William H.
(from December of 2008) Zen is a small Japanese restaurant in Alameda off Park Avenue. The decor is actually something to talk about. Most things are red and black, and there seems to be some effort made in the setting and utensils of the restaurant. In some ways it's fusion because of the cocktail menu and their small alotment of wines. The theme is Zen, which is in some ways "non-traditional" in this sense. The places are not completely round or the glasses not in orthodox shape. I went there for the second time with some friends last week. We ordered the yam fries and a salad as an apetizer. The lamb came next and my friends ordered some of the wasabi shu-mai. I ordered the mentaiko spaghetti, one of my favorite dishes. All was well. I had a cranberry cosmo and my friends had some mohitos. The drinks are not too strong, which is usually the Japanese way. Desserts are pretty good, but I haven't tried many. I don't think this place is much of a bar, but for a small snack and conversation it's not bad. For Alameda, it's definitely a place to try some day.
(3)Kim R.
Food & service are great. I highly recommend the salmon tobiko fried rice-- it's addictive!
(5)Linda C.
MEH! With a name like ZEN, I should have known. Nice decor, but the same old froufrou Asian fusion SHIAT. I really don't know if it was I'm invisible or just because I was part of a massive group that took up half the restaurant, but this place is...a disappointment and seems to have really inexperienced servers. I don't really give a rat's ass about how MANY people are in a group, as a SERVER you still walk around with the plate and find out who ordered what, if you don't remember. It was bad enough that 3 measly, tasteless lamb chops cost $11, but the fact that I wasn't even SERVED made it much worse. By the time I realized that my order was just PLOPPED in the middle of the table, an hour had passed and my shitty lamb chops were ICE cold. Even worse, the server had to go ask (I presume) the owner/manager what to do. I mean, come on. In this case, as a good waiter/waitress would do, you would apologize and take the order back and make the customer a fresh order, no questions asked. Instead, what they did was make me wait while they went to ask the owner/manager what to do, and then have the owner come over, only to take my plate back and just RE-COOK the same shitty lamb chops so that it was now both tasteless AND tough. EW. I should have just asked for it to be taken off my bill. 11$ isn't a lot of money, but for that type of service and food, it sure as hell makes me never want to come back to this dump again. True, the "Asian Fries" were good, but honestly its just fried taro and sweet potato. Not like you can't get this anywhere else. And yes, I KNOW this is a TAPAS restaurant, and portions are supposed to be small. But I'll have you KNOW that I ordered the lamb chops under the section that was clearly labeled ENTREE. So, there is no doubt in my mind that it was "supposed" to be bigger than 3 little itty bitty slices of rack. If you eat with your eyes and not your stomach, then come here. Otherwise, if its good food and service you want, I wouldn't really recommend this place.
(2)sharon b.
happy hour "asian tapas" can't be beat. the drinks...that's a different story (menu contains a disclaimer that all drinks have a lower alcohol content -so much for "happy" hour). 3 bucks for the sweet potato/taro fries. crunchy on the outside and soft and mushy on the inside. YUM! it is served with an aioli that i actually like (i really can't stand mayonnaise). the tuna tartar on the wonton chips are fantastic (most of the time). out of all the times i've been here, the tuna wasn't at its freshest only one time. agadeshi nasu - (eggplant) is great when you pair it with the kimchi fried rice (not on the happy hour menu). off the happy hour menu recommendations: kimchi fried rice and roast duck vermicelli. while it has the lounge feel and looks pretty nice on the inside, i wouldn't necessarily bring the homies to zen if we wanted to go to a lounge, only because of it's location. it's across the street from walgreen's and next to a nail shop with a constant stream of skateboarders and teva-wearing families rolling by. NEVERTHELESS...i love coming here for cheap and delicious eats :)
(4)Amalia O.
Love the pork belly sushi, its lightly braised pork belly slices on a bed of rice that soaks up the flavors and makes every bite juicy goodness. I love their happy hour special prices that keep me coming back every week!
(5)Minnie H.
This restaurant is a delectable pick, whether it's for a large group or a date this is a spot to dine at. If you're looking for happy hour they got it! There's a vast variety of drinks and several appetizers for a good deal on their happy hour menu. A few of my favorite dishes from there has to be their Enoki Beef, Kimchee Fried Rice, and the Pork Belly Sushi. Their dishes are small portion but you will be pleasantly satisfied when you finish. I like that because the portion are smaller you can order more food to share and try out everything. All their cocktail drinks in my opinion are fruity and can be strong. Oh yeah and I can't forget to mention service here is excellent, they are there to refill your water and check up on you throughout the meal and very friendly, in fact it puts a smile on my face and make me want to tip them well.
(5)J K.
Stumbled in one friday night. I was by myself, yet they seat me in one of their comfortable sofa (4-top). I love to go to dinner by myself, but I hate how they love to seat me in the corner crappy table. Let me tell you what, I will probably spend more money then that water-drinking couple; don't discriminate me now....lol... Anyway, Christine was amazing; she went to every table to make sure everyone is having a good time. Now, that's customer service. Loved the Sea Steak Salad; Asparagus was great extra in the salad. Kimchee F/rice was great favor, I didn't finish it, took it home...omg, it was still great late night even without re-heating it. The cocktail there is made with lower proof liquor. Not a place to get drunk, but a great extra to a good meal. p.s. Mario, the chef, used to work at Luciano's. Good Pick, Christine
(5)JUDY L.
some of my favorites (i've been here many, many times) roast duck vermicelli asian fries tuna tartare beef carpaccio lamb chops seafood ceviche raw oysters and clams yin yang wings mentaiko spaghetti sushi pizza dungeness club expresso creme brulee molten lava cake fruit tarts fried banana mojitos (all of the flavors) i want to try the tuna melt!!!!
(5)Valerie L.
Very disappointing! Made the mistake of reading reviews and, of course, was let down. My friends said the specialty cocktails were very good and I thought the appetizer was very good. However, the entrée left a lot to be desired. Plus, even though the restaurant wasn't busy and there wasn't anyone waiting for a table, we were asked to leave to make room for other guests and we'd only been there a little more than an hour (and, no, they didn't kick us out for being rowdy, we're mature women, we don't do "rowdy"). But what's worse, in their rush to get us out, we didn't realize until later that they overcharged us. Did I mention the service was extremely poor? No, I will never go there again!
(1)Kitty A.
The salad's are amazing and worth dining here just for them alone. Great layers of flavors and the sauces are to die for. Some of the main dishes are TINY and others are a good size. Ex: $16 for 5 paper thin pieces of hamachi (rip-off!!!) and $10 fish and chips (deal). If you have the money ($25-35 pp) and 3+ people to eat with, then this is an excellent choice for tapas style fun. It's worth driving into Alameda to eat here.
(4)N I.
This is a hidden gem in Alameda. I would've never known this place existed if it wasn't for a friend's birthday dinner a year ago. I always wanted to go back to try some other dishes, but they're always busy on the weekends! So last night, I came here with my boyfriend and we finally got a table! Actualy, we got a table with the couch seating and it was super comfortable. Love the decor for this place too. The food here is delicious and the service is superb. Most of their dishes are small plates. We had the Asian fries, Lomi Lomi, Shoyu Chicken, Basil Fried Rice, and Duck Vermicelli Salad. I remembered the dishes being a lot smaller, but it was a bigger portion than I remembered. We had more than enough food and even leftovers to take home. Definitely a must to check out this place!
(5)Lloyd D.
interesting good but nothing that made me want to order more and more.
(3)Pacita D.
Took more friends and clients to Zen on different occasions. And each time, our guests raved about the food and the extra special touch that Bala gives our group. Since we went during the week, it wasn't mobbed as it always is on Friday and weekend nights. We introduced our guests to Zen melt --- they liked it so much they went back a couple more times, and even ordered it to go. For the seafood lovers, this is the place to go. One of my friends doesn't eat meat, and she had lamented there were no good places in Alameda for seafood --- until she came here. We all loved the baked seafood and the baked salmon. Bala also served us the infused seafood dish --- lightly seasoned, perfectly cooked, served beautifully. It's good that regardless of one's inclination (vegetarian, pescatarian, or carnivore), there's something for everyone. Easily our favorite restaurant on the island. Also love the fact that we can buy our wine from Alameda Wine Company, and not be charged corkage when we drink it at Zen's. Lovely!
(5)Bea C.
This place is AWESOME! We are regulars here.The food is always so good and the service is amazing. The staff is very pleasant and they make you feel at home. The tuna tar tar is so delicious and the sashimi salad is the best! Oh and the kimchi fried rice, to die for! They have a very good drink selection as well. One of my favorites is the tropical paradise. I highly recommend this place!
(5)Doctor G.
I am highly suspicious of anything called Fusion Food. I was talked into going to Zen which locally has a great reputation. I enjoyed the meal. Many of the dishes were basically a version of some Asian cuisine and not really Asian cuisines mixed together in the same dish. I guess I would describe Zen as a tapas place where different Asian dishes can be ordered in one meal. However, they did have this great noodle dish that seemed to be a bit of every Asian cuisine that I enjoyed. The desserts were also wonderful and the service was excellent. They've done a fabulous job in decorating the place considering that it used to be a dingy Chinese chop suey place with superb won tons and a wonderful hostess years ago. A very young, hip clientele - for Alameda. Street parking OK, but the parking garage for the city is only a block away.
(3)Johnson B.
I like this Asian fusion. Everything ordered was really good, except for the pesto pasta (couldn't find the pesto). I would say it was mybad, should of thought about a pesto fusion (not much to fuse there) first before ordering it...... Just stay with the things that you think are fusible then you'll enjoy a great dinner. I left with a great taste but not a full stomach (could just be my fast metabolism)......
(4)Lily M.
I came here last night with my girlfriends to have dinner. What I had not realize prior to making the reservation was that this is a tapas style restaurant. No biggie, my friends and I decided to give it a try and were pleased. The restaurant was small and had an intimate ambiance which my friends and I enjoyed. All items on the menu were tapas portion but it was just enough for my friends and I to pass it around and have a try and bite of everything. The food were delicious along with the many mango mojitos we ordered. Our waiter, Kale (I told you I would write a review :P) was very attention and informative with the choices we've ordered! I also liked that the plates came out one by one so you can eat and chat at the same time. And because of this, we were all full from the 9 tapas plates for the 7 of us! Would I come back again? Yes! The food were delicious and the service was fantastic. I plan to revisit the restaurant if I am around the area and thank you for introducing me to tapas style cuisines! Parking was also fairly easy to find as we parked around the block. There's also a parking garage across the street around the corner as well. Not sure if they do validation.
(5)Anthony L.
I would consider this a hidden gem in Alameda. Its on beaten path of Alameda although its off of Park St. It is really easy to just walk by and not notice it. The service is great and the staff is friendly. I really enjoyed the spicy edamame, Pork Belly Sushi, Salmon Rolls, Salmon Fried Rice, Beef or Salmon Carpaccio, Mentaiko Spaghetti, and Chicken Skewers. I think they can improve on the decor and menu presentation, but as long as the food is good I will continue to come.
(5)Jennie P.
Elaine H. and I were here last night for a quick happy hour dip. We ordered 2 drinks each (Hawaiian Tropic, Tropical Paradise, Bullet Train and Geisha) and a couple of appetizers.. the Tiger Eye and Zen Melt. This place looks really nice.. the modern decor, the dimmed lighting, the comfy sofa seats against the wall.. it was very ZEN.. haha Service here is EXCELLENT.. very attentive and courteous! Drinks were OK - very fruity! The Bullet Train may have been the strongest drink.. I tasted a lot of liquor. The Tiger Eye was surprisingly VERY good. I loved that sweet sauce they had on there. The presentation and plating was impressive. The Zen Melt reminded me of the crab and artichoke dip at Skates. IDK why, the flavors were similar.. although the Zen Melt didn't have any crab or artichoke in it. Anyway, this place is pretty amazing.. gotta check it out when you have a chance!
(4)Winnie C.
Celebrated my bday here with ~ 24 friends, and loved it! The servers were all very courteous, attentive, and accommodating, especially since some of my friends came a bit later, and we were able to make space for them. I love that happy hour is from 5-6:30pm 5x/week! Were able to get some stuff during happy hour, and then on the regular menu. On my side of the table, we shared some Oysters, Asian Fries, Tuna Tartare, Tiger Eye, Basil Fried Rice, Kim Chi Fried Rice, and Pork Belly Sushi. As for drinks, I tried the 6 Shots Sampler of Soju and 3 different cocktails: Mojito, Cosmo, and Lemon Drop. Overall, everything was yummy!!! I liked all of the soju, but enjoyed lychee and green apple the most. All of the food was creatively prepared and had a mixture of different flavors that blended well together. I believe that everyone in my group also loved what they had, and had a great time. Would definitely come here again =)
(5)Samson M.
I took some fellow foodie friends since I loved this place so much. I knew that they would love this place just as much. one of my friends moved to singapore and was visiting. because he loved the food he'll take his wife here being that she is more of a foodie than he. my favorite had to be the asian fries, hamachi belly, hamachi carpaccio, kim chee fried rice, basil fried rice... wait, it's probably easier to list what I don't like. hmm, I don't think I had a dish I didn't like. oh yeah, I almost forgot about the pork belly sushi. now this is a must have! it's only been 2 weeks but I'm looking forward to my next visit to Zen. the staff is friendly and helpful which makes the dining experience even more enjoyable! 5 stars!
(5)Meuy S.
First time there for our anniversary, our favor was steak and eggs and roaster ducks w/watercress salad.
(3)Kathleen W.
A bit sluggish on the upstart (took them forever to come by and take our order), but after a low growl (not from me for once) they cleaned up their act. I've never been a fan of tapas type places ... and certainly never with groups more than 4 - but this place wasn't so bad. It would probably be easier for me to just list the stuff we DIDN'T order ... but how would that help you? The highlights of what I remember: Asian fries - cause everyone seems to talk about them, were about 10% above average. The dipping sauce could have been better - a bit too rich. Mussels - these were a winner. The sauce was yummy. Clams - stick with the mussels. Shoyu Chicken - seemed a bit out of place when everything else was tapa-esque and presented on pretty plates, but this was tasty nonetheless. Tuna tartar, ceviche and a sashimi salad - fresh and tasty, but not memorable
(4)Bonnie S.
I love coming here whenever I'm back home. My favorite is their basil fried rice. The taste is very unique. Rice has a different consistency than your regular white rice. I'm also a fan of their Asian fries although I can never finish them. As yummy as the sauce is, it always tends to get me full quickly
(4)Linda C.
We're always looking for great places near our hood in Alameda. So when we heard of this place awhile back we had to check them out. It's possibly my favorite go-to for a consistently tasty meal and awesome service. They serve a lot of Asian-fusion small plates with an emphasis on seafood. Some of our favorite dishes are: the sushi pizza which is tuna sashimi on a naan-like flatbread with fresh microgreens and some sort of yummy spread, asian fries made from taro with yummy dipping sauces, pork belly nigiri, decadent and delicious! All of the other dishes we've tried have been super tasty as well, but those are my favorite 3. The atmosphere is nice and lounge-y but didn't feel out of place bringing our baby out for dinner. The staff is also very accommodating and wonderful. We love this place and go back often!
(5)Vladimir P.
The food was absolutely delicious, it was prepared with care, the service was very good. One of the best restaurants in Alameda.
(5)Amy T.
Fast friendly service. Loved the marinated and crunchy wings, ahi fried rice, and takoyaki ball.
(5)Julia T.
Went here because of the good reviews. We waited abt half an hour. Not bad on a Fri night. The restaurant was busy with a few large groups and really noisy. Asian Fries: Good when hot Hamachi, duck vermicelli: Both over-sauced. Hardly any duck, more duck skin. We didn't finish the vermicelli dish because of the extra sauce. The hamachi was otherwise fresh and did go well with its sauce. Kimchee fried rice: Greasy and only good to eat when it first came out. After a few minutes it was clumped together from the grease. Steamed mussels: too much chopped garlic in it. I think it had miso paste too? A cpl mussels were filled with it and that was not pleasant to find. Service: The waitress asked if we wanted to take the leftovers and we said no, then she never brought us the check. We waited about 15 min (she was chatting with one of the larger groups with her back to us) and finally got someone's attention. This was when the restaurant no longer had a wait and was less than half crowded. Overall: Based on the other reviews, maybe we got there when it was too busy? It's too bad, we wouldn't consider going back after that meal. The bill (incl sake, iced tea) was arnd $66. Not bad, but the food is not worth coming back for. Would rather move on and try another restaurant.
(2)Hanh T.
awesome food, awesome sevice!
(5)Kenny L.
I'm pleasantly surprised with this place. Asian fusion usually means "Chinese or Japanese-lite." Here, not only are east and west fused together, but the eastern influences aren't just from one Asian country. Highly recommended is the the Sushi Pizza, the only thing that would have made this dish better would have been better tomatoes, but tomatoes aren't totally in season yet. Asian fries were a mixture taro and sweet potato. Oddly enough, the taro was much better than the sweet potato. Partly because they used Japanese Sweet Potatoes, which are starchier than the American Sweet Potato/Yams used everywhere else. I would have loved it if they offered only Taro fries by themselves.
(4)Kim P.
2.5 stars I recently came here and was quite disappointed with what I had. Location/Ambience: Was easy to find but only street parking..which isn't so great for dinner time. It's a small place but you're not touching the customers next to you. Dark/dim interior. It was so noisy the night I went I could barely hear myself. Since it was the first time my group has visited, we asked for the specials. The waitress verbally listed all the specials of the night so quickly that none of us caught anything and had to ask her to repeat. At first the service was ok. As soon as we finished one plate another came immediately, but half way through it started taking way too long for our food to come out. They even forgot one of the items. On the brightside, they didn't charge us for it when they finally brought it out. I felt like I spent more time waiting for the food than eating it though.. Mentaiko Spaghetti was super salty! Half the dishes tasted way too salty actually - making me drink so much water afterwards.Everything tasted so-so to me. The presentation of the food was nice though.
(3)Christine B.
This is a pretty awesome place to chill with your friends after a long day. The ambiance is nice! I really like the decor and the music. The waitstaff is also very friendly! I've been here several times and it's probably my favorite place to go to during happy hour! You really can't go wrong with cheap and yummy food and drink! Since it's a tapas style restaurant, sharing is recommended. That works for me since I like to try a little bit of everything. The asian fries are pretty delicious! Deep fried sweet potatoes in a spicy aioli sauce, so good! I also like to order the tuna tartare which is served with crispy wonton chips. One of my favorite dishes is the mentaiko spaghetti! Ever since my friend recommended it, I always have to order it. It's super flavorful, you can really taste the garlic and parmesan! I also tried the wings, takoyaki, salmon teriyaki, and sushi pizza. I've had better, but it was still pretty decent. I haven't had anything that I disliked here. Extra points for having all of the cocktails on the $4 happy hour menu! I will definitely be back!
(4)Philippe H.
Zen is the Best Asian Fusion restaurant in all of Alameda. Each and every time that I have dined there, the food was consistently off the charts!!! The Pork Belly Tacos leave you wanting more, the Hamachi is phenomenal, and the spicy edamame is the ultimate in appetizers.
(5)Hally J.
Food- AMAZING!!! Ambiance- I love the dimly light aroma very much. Makes me feel cozy and comfortable... Personal Faves- The original Creme Brulee. Very Delish!!! Basil Fried Rice- I can live without it. :( Very disappointed w/ that. Overall- Fab place. Come visit!!!
(4)Melinda Y.
I feel like this restaurant tries too hard to be trendy, with its decor and tiny portions. We ordered: * ceviche * baked salmon * asian fries * basil fried rice * something else that wasn't memorable...some kind of seafood dish The basil fried rice was the best of the 5 dishes. Maybe we ordered the wrong entrees? For about $25 per person and less than satisfactory food...giving Zen 2 stars is a bit generous, considering that they "lost" our reservation and we had to wait 20+ minutes for a table.
(2)Lori L.
Love the food here. A small, hip restaurant with great service and quality food. They only serve happy hour and dinner. Our usuals: Asia Fries - sweet potato deep fried served with a yummy, spicy sauce Baked Salmon - over rice, super yummy but takes a while to make Tuna Tar Tar - served with chips, price increased to $10. Won't be ordering this again, plus we should be eating less tuna (overfishing...). Kimchi Fried Rice - hard to find anywhere in the Bay and always goes well with everything. Totaled to about $40 w/o tip for two. Also, since it's a smaller space, they try to accommodate larger groups, but when it gets busy there might be a long wait.
(4)james m.
It's 7:30PM and we're starving. But the usual suggestions I make (Mexican?, Pho?, Korean?) gets me a rolling of the eyes and a disgusted noise from the girlfriend. I'm running out of ideas fast. "In n Out?" "Elephant Bar?" "Indian?!?!" I ask exasperated. She looks like she wants to punch me in the face. So I'm driving around hoping for some inspiration when I remember to bust out my Yelp app. I search furiously, my left knee on the steering wheel and a watchful eye on the grumpy lady. Luckily, I found Zen at the top with solid reviews. First impression: Cozy, comfortable, very relaxing and zen-like. There was a couple getting a little frisky on the couch right next to us, I guess the sexy ambiance was working for them. Zen is definitely a good place to take a first date. I finally got to relax with a beer, and the gf seemed to enjoy the cocktail. We had the teriyaki salmon, and the basil fried rice. Both were good, no complaints here. Also ordered the Beef Carpaccio and that was delicious. Service was a little bit slow, but the servers were really nice. On the way, I noticed a lot of other restaurants close to here. Alameda is pretty cracking. I'll probably be back in the area to hit up a new spot soon.
(4)Elizabeth B.
Loved this Asian-style tapas restaurant. With the dim lighting and cute & stylish decor, this restaurant's great for both groups and to take someone to for a date. I went with my friend for dinner, and we ordered the Asian Fries, Tuna Tartar, Prawns & Scallops, and the Pork Belly Sushi. The food came out promptly, and I loved the Asian fries-sweet potatos and taro with spicy aioli sauce. I wasn't too crazy about the pork belly sushi because it was a little too salty for me, but it was still good! They also had really interesting cocktails (the majority of them made with sake) that were each $7. I didn't order one this time around, but I can't wait to go back to try one and all the other food as well.
(4)Olivia B.
Yum! Bookmarked this place and finally tried it a few weeks ago. We were super hungry and decided to get a lot of little plates to share. Best idea ever! Sweet potato and taro fries: delicious! Texture was a little funny but after a few bites you get over it and discover the great taste of the fry. Basil fried rice: lots of great basil flavor...little bit on the salty side Tuna tartare: delicious! The tuna was fresh and well seasoned. Served with wonton chips. Favorite dish of the night. Lamb chops: cooked to a perfect medium rare...juicy and delicious. Served with a great sauce and perfect portion Will definitely be back!
(4)Buck N.
Very good - pork belly sushi roll Good - beef carpaccio pizza, fish & chips OK - basil fried rice
(4)K M.
Went here on Valentine's night because the hubs didn't make a resie on time. A couple things I would like to share. 1. What is so ZEN about not being able to share a meal like we normally do and not being able choose from the menu. 2. Zen is not being sat next to a couple where the woman is breast feeding an infant. 3. Zen is not cheap champagne with chunks of frozen peach in it. The only thing that tasted decent were the asian fries and the beef that the food gestapo forced on me due to a 'restricted' menu. Not going back. On the brightside, they had cute salad bowls
(1)Linda L.
Oh my goodness, we had heaven on earth, I tell you. I mean there were three of us having apps, dinners, and drinks and we even order extras and shared a dessert of a decadent chocolate stuffed with chocolate lava with vanilla ice cream on the side. Everything we ordered seemed better than the next. One that will stay in my mind (for now, that is) is the enoki beef. Man, that shjkj# is so good, somebody better call the cops! I have never seen this one, but when our server suggested the pork belly sushi, I thought "I'm not trying to catch no worms" but I love a well-cooked pork dish. When she brought our dishes out, it was crazy-good. We shared the apps and then we did a round of "taste this" "taste that". When the enoki beef arrived, I took one bite and all I could think was How'd they do that? Then came for me to try the pork belly. It was seasoned to perfection and the juicey oils melted right onto my rice. The delicate meat glistened on my plate and stood firmly on the block of warm rice shaped like a small tower. Of course, we had to try each others meals, too. The wasabi-enfused shumai was beautifully spiced and tasty, but I'd like to see it in a larger size and not looking like one of those sewing "thimbles". I'm so not into sewing class at dinner. Last, but not least is the fruti de mare with spaghetti with shrimp and clams in a light cream sauce. Now, I don't mess with cream sauces to much, between you and I, they make my thighs look like the letter "W". Once in a while it's okay. We will go back this week on our date night. I suggested we go back on date night but, all I got out of him was ahhhs and ohhhs. I'll ask again today while I know the only thing on his mind is his golf, more sports, and baseball. I suppose I can get his attention if I hit a birdie into first base and yell "four"!
(5)E-man A.
Everything I ate was great except my steak! Asked for a medium rare and got a rare steak. It was still cold in the middle! That's the only reason why it's missing a star. Atmosphere & customer service was just lovely. I'll be a regular customer but if they don't fix that steak, I'll be forced to move on!
(4)Jim D.
There have been some new restaurants to develop In Alameda lately and I have to say this is the best one. OK, first experience my partner in crime and I had to wait because it was packed on a Saturday night and two families were socializing. They had taken up four tables. Give it up people...the wait was worth it though. This is what we ordered: Roast duck watercress salad ($8) roast duck was rich in flavor, yummy dressing over watercress Sushi pizza ($13) ahi with tomatoes, onion plus aioli on a thin pizza crust...never had this before. It was flavorful and then you could taste the aioli because the onion did not over-power it. Agedashi Tofu($5) breaded tofu with bonito flakes, I've never had breaded tofu but it tasty and light. Clam and mussels($13) Manila clams and mussels in a cream sauce and baguette. I thought the cream sauce would be heavy and offset the taste but it was light enough to showcase the flavor of the clams and mussels. My favorite dish. I thought it was a rewarding first experience and I can't wait to try some other entrees. The asian fries...yes!!!.
(4)Acacia Q.
This place is really lovely. A trendy and somewhat romantic space, yet comfy as all hell--I worry that I might start falling asleep in the sofa-esque seating. The atmosphere evokes feelings of Zen... the Zen you feel not with a cup of tea and an open field, but the Zen of a refreshing cocktail and tasty bites. I have only been here for Happy Hour, and it's quite the deal--the small plates are on par with much fancier, more expensive restaurants, in terms of quality of flavor and plating. The succulent pork belly and the crispy sweet potato fries are absolute musts, but the eggplant and the tofu are wonderful, as well. The service has always been great, and the cocktails have been consistently tasty. Just be aware that they only have "lighter" alcohol (Asian vodka and Sake) so you won't be getting a strong buzz on immediately (nor will you be getting smashed.) I look forward to trying their sushi pizza!!
(5)Pris S.
Yes, as an ambiance LOVER, this place really tickles my fancy. I'm not a fan of brightly-lit rooms so i love the lighting in the room, so Zen's dimly lit calm, serene and cozy setting really hits the spot for me. On top of that, it's tapas! I love tiny plated meals! My personal must tries: asian fries, rib eye, and the teriyaki salmon. This place is great for just desserts as well! My personal favorite: the original creme brulee. Yum! happy eating!
(4)Jimmy L.
I'm giving 4 out of 5 because I haven't tried the entire menu, in which I will definitely be back. The things I did try tonight was pretty good. Minus the Oysters were a tad small. But again over all the food was tasty.
(4)Chela R.
My friend texted me 2 days ago and told me we were going here to celebrate our friend's bday. I had never heard of this spot before, so I was intrigued. It is an asian tapas spot, with small plates, and quite affordable. The first thing I tried was the Asian Fries. Damn.. hella good. They're sweet potato & taro fries with some delicious sauce. Whilst my friends and I waited for our tardy for the party friends, we ordered some bevs and I ordered spicy edamame, which also satisfied my soul, :) I had the samurai drink, which had sake, asian vodka, pear and apple . After a few sips, I was already warm and cozy I had the enoki beef (thin sliced rib eye wrapped in enoki mushrooms) and basil fried rice. The enoki beef was very succulent, and full of flavor, while the basil fried rice just as pleasurable. I tried my friend's beef carpaccio; something I wasn't familiar with and enjoyed that as well. I also tried the wasabi shu mai, while it had that wasabi kick, it wasn't overbearing, and you were still able to taste all the flavors of the shu mai. There is quite an array of delightful dishes to choose from, so I am sure everything else is up to par with the rest of them. All in all, great place to go with friends, or on a date, etc. The place is a small, but comfy and welcoming. The server was super sweet and helpful when it came to drink selections and taking our food order. The small plates were enough to share around and definitely filling. We were a larger group, and were able to be served and helped in an efficient manner, and weren't rushed at all. Good times all around.
(4)Jo H.
A group of friends gathered here for a birthday dinner. This restaurant isn't very big. Two or three large groups could easily fill all of the table space available. There were 10 or 12 of us that night. We ordered a bunch of things to pass around. Spicy Chicken Wings: I liked these, the skin was crispy and the spice really woke up my palate. We had a few rounds of this. Tuna Tartare: I only had a small taste of this one. The fried won ton crisps were too delicate. They snapped before I could get a decent scoop of tuna. Asian Fries: I had the fries a few times that night. First as a stand alone dish and then along with the fish and chips. A lot of the reviews rave about these fries. They were definitely an interesting way to fuse new flavors with an old favorite. I liked the taro fries the best, I'm not big on sweet potato fries. The dipping sauce that came with them was good. Fish and Chips: The fish and chips seemed to be a must try item according to a lot of the reviews I read before visiting. I didn't find anything remarkable about the fish. The portion was pretty big but the flavor just wasn't there for me. It took a while for this one to leave the table. Fries aside the fish seemed like something you would get at a high end cafeteria. Unagi with rice: I loved this one! This dish is responsible for my new love of unagi. Huge pieces of unagi over a bed of sticky rice with a sweet glaze. I admit I ate most of this one and loved every bite. Pork Belly and rice: Tender fatty goodness. I've never had pork belly before. The meat and fat just melts in your mouth. Each chuck of pork belly sat atop a ball of sticky rice. I'd drive back to Alameda for this dish alone. I also sampled the clams with sausage: The presentation was cool. The dish was surrounded by pieces of bread for dipping. The clams and sausage were sitting in a shallow pan full of broth. I ordered the Samurai cocktail. It was very heavy on the sake. Not much of anything else really came through. Good bang for your buck if that's what you're looking for. Service was pretty good. One thing that seemed a little odd. Water was served at room temperature. It was an unusually hot summer day and the restaurant had a full house. A few ice cubes wouldn't hurt. One of my friends had to eventually request a cup of ice! Other than that I had an enjoyable meal. I wish I lived closer to Zen I'd like to check them out for happy hour some time.
(4)Tadashi Y.
Opened in April of 2008, Chef/Owner/Waitress Kristine "Bala" Wong's Zen Asian Fusion & Tapas Lounge née Zen Restaurant has since established itself as a local hipster eatery. Born in China, Wong immigrated to Oakland at the age of seven & spent the better part of her life in restaurants including that of her father Joe Wong's New Gold Medal in Oakland's Chinatown. Zen's ever-changing menu is an amalgam of American, Chinese, Thai, & Korean cuisine elements. As delicious as I found most of their offerings, Zen has several shortcomings, some that are a bit blaring. The absence of any website in this day & age is almost unforgivable for an establishment wishing to be hip. Drinks w/ "lower than average proof" bemoans the fact that Zen doesn't have a hard liquor license. The server Sophie while friendly could have been a bit more attentive. The prices has also edged up a bit. For example, the $6.00 Kimchee Fried Rice went up to $8.00. What was devoured: Tempura-battered Sweet Potato Asian Fries w/ Aioli ($6.00) Surprisingly bland compared to the other items ordered. Gyoza ($6.00) Yummy. Oysters Kimchee ($11.00) I could eat a BUCKET of these! These inspired me to make some of my own at home. Prawns & Scallops ($13.00) Delish. Kimchee Fried Rice ($8.00) Tasty w/ the right amount of zing & complemented the oysters. Mango Soleil ($7.00) Mango desert perfection. Saketini ($7.00) Matched the meal nicely. Blue Melon Martini ($7.00) Looks like mouth wash, & tasted a bit like it. Santa's Yelper sez: "Need more oysters..."
(4)Hottsauce S.
So after hearing a lot of buzz about Zen, I finally checked this new joint out over the weekend. It doesn't look like much from the outside and we almost zoomed right past it. But like I've said before (read my review on The Nail Shop) looks can be deceiving! The awning looks better suited for a drugstore or another antique shop in Alameda. But once you walk in the décor is super cute! Zen is a combination of red and black trendiness with a touch of warmth with its cozy sofas. A perfect new little date spot ;) All the "small plates" we ordered were pretty tasty, though they could have amped up the spice and added more kimchi to the Kimchi Fried Rice. We also tried the Sweet Potato/Taro root Fries, Zen Salad light, Eggplant, and Softshell Crab, all of which were scrumptious and distinctive. Their "small plates" aren't very small either. They were able to feed my hungry self and my pregnant girlfriend...with leftovers for her abandoned boyfriend waiting at home =)
(4)Maya W.
Zen is an amazing culinary experience. The owner, Bala, is a woman with vision. The best Asian Fusion restaurant I have ever been to. Be sure start with the spicy edamame, and don't miss out on the Enoki Beef, Roast Duck Watercress Salad, Infused Hamachi, and Basil Fried Rice. Bala made us an incredible desert with Japanese French Toast, fresh fruit, and ice cream. Not sure if it's on the menu but worth asking for. I didn't want the meal to ever end.
(5)Christina L.
Great Food! I love the sushi pizza, taro fries, and the mentakio (spelling?) spaghetti. Salads - a little sour for my taste, but still very good. Also has pieces of raw tuna in it. Basil fried rice - Tasty, but too much of a certain spice that overpower the rice. Fries - Awesome! This is a must try! Especially try the spicy sauce it comes with. Sushi Pizza - raw tuna on top on a thin pizza crust. My favorite! Chicken gizzard - tough, but favor was good mentakio (sp?) spaghetti - Awesome! Spaghetti with some kind of graining sauce but works very well together. Another favorite of mine. Clams - awesome, no other word to describe it. Rack of Lamb - Very tender and juicy Ribeye - Decent, could do without the cheese on top. espresso creme brulee - must try if you love coffee! I can't remember what else I had. But everything was decent-awesome. Nothing I dislike eating. Everything had a unique taste. Service was quick and friendly. No complaints here. The prices were a little high and I wouldn't recommend coming here unless it's a special occasion or you're just rich. The portions were a little small compare to other restaurants, but it's definitely something you won't taste at other restaurant either.
(4)Greg B.
I'm surprised I haven't stumbled upon this gem before in my epicurean pursuits. How did I miss this place? Saturday night and my date and I can't decide what sounds good. We decide to go exploring and find Zen. The outside is deceptive.... not in the prime restaurant area of Park street and no hint of the amazing food and ambiance that awaits inside. We didn't have reservations, but had no problem walking in at 7PM on a Saturday night. The restaurant is tastefully decorated, a bit dark/romantic and very comfortable. Soft jazzy background music fits perfectly with the rest of the theme. The wait staff was very attentive without being intrusive. The cocktails, labeled on the menu as "low alcohol content" were the only disappointment. We were much happier switching to Sake with the meal. The small plates began arriving quickly and the pace of the meal was perfect. First to arrive was the Wasabi Siu Mai. Lightly fried and with a hint of Wasabi in a flavorful dipping sauce. Excellent. Next was the Enochi Beef..... delicate flavors and melts in the mouth. The Infused Hamachi with mint leaves and Jalepenos was probably our favorite. Perfectly balanced, with no single flavor overwhelming the other. The Rib Eye Steak (medium rare, of course) came next. The steak have a great smoky sear on the outside and was juicy and tender inside, with a Blue Cheese crumble on top and a side of rice. We finished off the meal with Rasberry Creme Brulee, which was also done nicely. Many restaurants can't get this simple desert right, but I was very satisfied with Zen's version. I was surprised when I received the bill.... only $75 for the meal, including 2 large bottles of Sake, 1 cocktail and all the food mentioned above. A bargain for the quality of the food, compared with other Bay Area restaurants I frequent. Overall, an excellent dining experience and I can't wait to return and try more items from their menu.
(5)alamedabrian m.
Mussels and clams were excellent and plentiful. Kim chee spicy rice was Keri's favorite - super good. We both enjoyed the lemon chicken rice soup. All around good food. Service was good as well. The decor is very spare, other than the enormous quantity of paper lamps.
(4)Anna S.
This place is pretty awesome. I came here to celebrate my friend's birthdays and the food was delicious! Although the portions were a little small for our party, I think it was made for individuals as opposed to sharing, it was still a great experience. The dessert was soooooooooooo good! I loved the espresso crème brulee. My favorite dish has to be the spaghetti. Fresh garlic! mMmmMmm The staffs were very friendly as well! And so willing to share their opinion of the dishes. I'm glad we asked for their recommendations! :-)
(5)Bernadette M.
Zen Restaurant does not have fusion asian food nor did it have reasonable prices. Their Salmon roll wrap for $12 that had crab n scallions were merely 4 small pieces of salmon will crab meat inside. It was an abomination to order more of their so called "tapas" food. We left without ordering a meal.
(1)Paul U.
"An absolute hidden gem!" I had no idea this place existed until this evening. A good friend of mine (Nina!!!) decided to bring me here for my b-day dinner and...... whooo-weeeeee am I glad she did! From the moment that I walked in and took a seat on the very VERY comfortable couch and took in the enticing ambiance, I am a fan! Seating.... this is how it is done. Take a load off, order some food and wine. Relax and take it all in. I am really looking forward to dining here with the GF. For tonight's menu we had: the Zen beef carpaccio, fries, pork belly nigiri, fries, steamed mussels, enoki beef, infused hamachi. Oh... we had a bottle of wine; of which I cannot remember at the moment, but it was red. = ) Everything was unequivocally delicious. The service was attentive, consistent(meaning that our server came by every 7-10 mins to check on us) and friendly. I think this place will definitely be a go to spot when craving tapas and an inviting atmosphere. Really looking forward to eating here very soon!
(5)Michelle S.
This place is fantastic. My bf and I love coming here for some drinks and a bunch of small plates. Everything is really really tasty, and the presentations are always beautiful! I love the Tues-Thurs happy hour, it's a great way to try a whole bunch of stuff out for a fraction of the price. They have a pretty long list of cocktails, and most of them are really good! Come with a friend, and try a bunch of the small plates (our faves are the grilled ahi tuna rice and the pork belly sushi, duuuh! yum! ). You won't leave disappointed. Also, plus points for playing Nujabes!!
(5)Rob T.
Post Game Dinner at Zen after the Raiders beat Cleveland! Atmosphere - cozy, loungy, clean Staff - friendly and attentive Food = overall, very good! Spicy Edamame - soy beans stir fried with sesame oil, seven spice, soy sauce and garlic - 6 = warm and flavorful Tuna Tartar - ahi tuna, onion, sesame oil and spices served with wonton chips - 9 = very good Infused Hamachi - thinly sliced hamachi sashimi with mint leaves, jalapenos, shallots and onion with a hot oil and shoyu sauce - 16 = my favorite dish, fresh, melts in your mouth! Clams and Mussels - Manila clams and Prince Edward black mussels sautéed in a cream sauce with shallots and basil served with a baguette - 14 = goooooood, sauce to die for Prawns & Scallops - grilled tiger prawns and scallop in a lemon capers sauce with futokaki rice - 13 = good Basil Fried Rice - fried rice with basil, onion, and beef - 8 = like Kimchee Fried Rice - fried rice with spiced radish, onion, and beef - 8 = good Ribeye - grilled to order rib eye steak topped with feta cheese and roasted red onions - 17 = ok
(5)Rossi K.
Came here for dinner on Saturday night and here's what we ordered: Pork Belly Sushi (more fat then we prefer, but definitely lived up to it's name..you will get a fat belly if you get this by yourself!) Ying Yang Wings (the yang (sauce) made up for the ying-less chicken) Chicken Katsu (pretty good) Oommm
(3)Bill F.
This is my 5th time here, they have a new chef special menu & new drink menu. Now they have the dollar oyster at happy hour. Always something different. I love it
(5)Julia S.
I highly recommend this place!! I came here for the first time with a few friends for happy hour on a Thursday night and we loved it. FYI - their happy hour is only from 5pm to 6:30pm. We arrived at 6:20pm and were greeted pleasantly and didn't feel pressured to order quickly. During happy hour drinks are $4 and appetizers range from $2.50 to $5 (from what I remember). Of all the things we tried, our favorites were the Asian fries (lightly battered sweet potato & taro) with spicy aioli dipping sauce, tuna tartare, the pork belly sushi, the lychee sakatini drink, & the espresso creme brulee. The pork belly sushi wasn't on the happy hour menu and cost $10 but was totally worth it. Service was great - friendly and attentive. The decor was also very pretty and the music was appropriate and relaxing. They also have very comfy seating (squishy couches) that go along one side of the restaurant. If you can, sit there!!! You'll practically want to fall asleep after a long day and a few of Zen's tasty drinks :) I also liked that their seating arrangement isn't super cramped and there's enough room for people to have their own space. I also saw some tables order the shrimp and scallop dish and the roasted duck salad which both looked very appetizing. I will definitely come back here again!
(4)Cat L.
We tried Zen Restaurant for the first time tonight---we are so in the habit of going to the standard Asian restaurants in Alameda (which we really like), but were in the mood to try something different and new. I had been reluctant to try this place because I'm not crazy about the commercialization of the term "Zen" and I had visualized this place as a cold nightclub-ey place (maybe thinking of the "Buddha Bar" who also co-opted a Buddhist term). The waiters/waitresses were really sweet and gave good service. The wine selection was also good. The atmosphere and interior design is attractive and clean and yet still warm (with lanterns hanging that warmed the place up). ***My complaint--very little vegetarian food (only 2 salads that didn't sound that interesting, and very few small plates) and NO veg entrees!!! Huh, a restaurant called "Zen" that isn't veg friendly???? I realize the term has been widely misused and commercialized, but at least tip a hat to Zen Buddhism (which requires vegetarianism, after all) by offering some vegetarian entrees (and I don't mean seafood.) Overall, this place has the potential to be a great addition to Alameda and in a great location. But for now I can't give them a decent rating until they add more options for the many of us who are vegetarian.
(1)Michelle D.
been so long since i ate here but it was one of our first stops when we moved to alameda. obviously we were unaware of the so many great spots to eat. this wasn't one of them. so over priced and the food was just ok. definitely not authentic.
(3)Oleg H.
"Gavin Rosdales favorite restaurant in Alameda" Good appetizers and interesting drinks Havent had a chance to have a more substantial meal here yet. Food seems really good though.
(3)Sean H.
Came here for my birthday dinner because the wait at Burma Superstar was way to long for our hungers. Came her eon the suggestion of Dory who wrote a really good review on here about this place, so defer to hers if you want to read another positive review! We ordered 4 things here to split among 3 people. The Japanese Fries, the Yin and Yang chicken wings, the kimchee fried rice, and the calamari. The fries are a must order here. They're simply made as just french fries with tempura batter, but wow they taste amazing. The kimchee fried rice was my favorite though. Super spicy but super good. I could have eaten this whole thing as just one dish. The calamari and the chicken wings were kind of normal tasting, but that's because I don't think they were supposed to be anything special in the first place. I also ordered one of their cocktails, because it was my birthday after all. I think I had the samurai, and I ordered it because it looked like the best tasting one with the most alcohol in it. Didn't really enjoy it all too much. Couldn't taste the alcohol at all, which is normally a good thing, but in this case it was just way too sour to drink normally. The decor of this place is really neat. I can easily see this place becoming a nice little nightlife spot if they ever wanted it to. Can't wait to come back here again and try out some more of their dishes!
(4)Winé C.
Zen had such an amazing ambiance. Everything about it called out to you as drinking-fall-over-your-head-in-heels love scene. Relaxing environment that encourages quietness. On with the food!: Ika Shiso - Lightly battered calamari with delicious enoki mushrooms. The batter they fry the items in is light and immediately crispy with the right amount of flavor not to overpower the fried item. I could've licked that bowl clean. Clam and Mussels - I sincerely could've taken shots, happily, of the cream sauce these mussels and clams were in. The perfect harmony of sweetness and saltiness. With delicious bread. Mentaiko Spaghetti - While the least favorite of the three, I had an enjoyable time with this Asian Italian fusion. It tasted a little nutty though, and had a light perfectly mixed cream sauce for each strand. As Tapas, we only came in expecting a snack and a snack you will get for entree prices. I wouldn't come if i was itching for cash or a little bit strapped in our economy, but nice to have a good food booster every once in awhile.
(4)Mariel F.
My Recommendations FOOD - Pork Belly Sushi: Pork Belly braised in Sake, Mirin, & Shoyu on top of Futokaki Rice - Mentaiko Spaghetti with Tiger Prawns, Enoki Mushrooms, Garlic, Onion, & Salted Fish Roe with Parmesan - Zen Melt with Ahi Tuna, Tobiko, Mayo, Avocado, Onion, & Swiss Cheese on Ciabatta Bread - Shoyu Chicken: Chicken braised in Sake, Shoyu, & Ginger with Futokaki Rice - Midnight Oysters - Asian Nachos DESSERT - Japanese Toast with Fruit & Ice Cream - Espresso, Raspberry, Blueberry, & Green Tea Creme Brulee COCKTAILS - Lychee / Watermelon / Green Apple / Asian Pear / Fuji Apple Saketini: Made with Asian Vodka - Hawaiian Tropic with Lychee Sake, Mango, Pineapple, Triple Sec, & Lime Juice - Mount Fuji with Fuji Apple, Sour Apple, & Asian Pear Sake The food is Awesome. I just wish the Cocktails contained more liquor. The staff is friendly. I Love dining here. Zen is definitely one of my favorite restaurants in Alameda.
(5)Robert C.
3 1/2 stars actually. Dinner began with eggplant topped with bonito shavings. The temperature was hot ( not spicy ). The topping made it look as though it were alive ! This was pleasantly light. Sea salad followed that included sliced raw tuna. It's nice to have that as part of a nice salad that one could share. Our third course was meniciko ( sp.? ) spaghetti. Think of it as vermicelli with garlic and perhaps cheese ( parmesan ). The next dish was uni ( fresh raw sea urchin ). I decided to try it after recently reading about it in a recent issue of Forbes Life. It was good. Be adventurous and try it. It will set you back $ 15. Dessert was fried bananas and vanilla ice cream. A nice way to finish a meal. The memorable part of this visit was the uni. I won't forget it. My wife loved this place. The service was good and staff warm.
(3)Nicole C.
I like to bring friends here for Asian style tapas, the fusion style is quite good. I usually pick ceviche and carpacio dishes, and the dessert is worth a try.
(4)Conan G.
Went here randomly for dinner one night. My girlfriend and I walked by and decided to try it out. We had strictly tapas for our dinner and all of them were delicious. The service was phenomenal; friendly, engaging, and consistently checking in with the table without being annoying. I would highly recommend the Asian Pancakes. They're not on the menu, but the server said that they're typically a special. It's definitely a hidden jewel of Alameda, being a little out of the way, but definitely a great casual yet sophisticated dining experience with great food! I'm definitely heading back again.
(5)Jenn H.
I love this place!! Everything is always soo good! Great flavors and awesome drinks!
(4)