"Before anything else, visitors should know that Zuni automatically adds 25% on top of your bill — 20% tip plus an extra 5% for “healthcare.” As a European, I find this quite extreme. While a 20% tip can still be tolerated, being forced to pay an additional 5% to cover employee healthcare is something that should clearly be the employer’s responsibility, not the customer’s. This alone is a definite reason for a star deduction. The restaurant itself is stylish, with attentive staff and a good atmosphere. The whole roasted chicken with salad is delicious and definitely the highlight. Just keep in mind that it takes about 1 to 1.5 hours to prepare, so it’s best to order it right away. We also ordered the olives as an appetizer, but the portion consisted of extremely tiny olives — so small that they were difficult to pick up and felt more like leftover bits than a proper starter. We then tried the Shoestring fries. Yes, they are labeled as “Shoestring fries,” but I genuinely didn’t expect them to be that thin. They were hard to pick up with a fork, awkward to eat with your hands, and overall not very satisfying. The cocktails we had were fine, but nothing particularly memorable. Overall: a nice restaurant with very good chicken and solid service, but the mandatory 25% surcharge and some disappointing sides — definitely impact the overall value and are the main reason I’m giving it 3 stars instead of 4."

"Everyone raves about Zuni Cafe, and while it hit many high notes for me, there were one or two niggles that kept me from giving 5 stars. Obviously the star of the show was the roast chicken and salad, and it’s way more than two of us could eat. Great flavor and crispy skin, hit loads of high notes. We also got the little gems salad and the dressing was tangy and creamy, with the hazelnuts it was super balanced. Nice selection of wines by the glass. The cons? Our table was right on the window which meant we were super cold as there isn’t much insulation. And then because of being right on the window we were also directly facing another table that was almost on top of us. No real privacy. All around a great meal but would definitely find different seats next time."

"It is everything positive you’ve heard about this place and more. The service is amazing and everything is delicious, but in my opinion, you have to get the roasted chicken. It’s too much food for two people. It would be better for four people to share an appetizer, salad and share the chicken."

"Excellent martinis. You must go, and you must get the chicken for two. It has bread inside that has soaked up all of the chicken juices it’s amazing. The fries are also so teeny matchbook stick size! You can skip the anchovies and the bread the butter comes out pretty hard."

"The fig popover, lamb chickpea soup of the day, and polenta were all exceptional, each offering a unique and delightful taste. The soup was so good that I am tempted to get the cookbook. Sunday brunch was wonderfully peaceful, creating a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere throughout the meal."