Jess was great I loved all the food. It was great. Everything was very fresh highly recommend read more

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Absolutely loved this place. The food was fresh, flavorful, and honestly one of the best meals I've had in a while. Every dish came out perfectly and the atmosphere made the whole experience even better. The beef kabab and fattoush salad paired so well together, and their pita bread is absolutely to die for. Whatever olive oil blend they use with the balsamic vinegar should honestly be bottled and sold, it was THAT good. Citrusy, slightly sweet, and ridiculously addictive. Huge shoutout to Jess for the amazing service!! He was attentive, friendly, and genuinely made us feel welcomed the entire time. You can tell he really cares about making sure guests have a great experience. Definitely coming back and highly recommend asking for Jess if you visit! 10/10! Ps. Loved the dessert, the one with yogurt was my fave. read more

Zaytinya - Lava cake and yogurt with peaches - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

We went for the Mother's Day menu and it was a disappointing experience. Seems like there might have been a mix up with items coming out of order- we waited almost 50 min for our 2nd course to come out, and instead they brought out our 3rd course. We then had to let them know that we never got the 2nd course and so they brought it out after. We did not get any refills of pita breads after the first basket and no one really checked on us to see if we had questions or concerns. We absolutely love the Zaytinya in DC so we were really excited for the Palo Alto location. Unfortunately it did not live up to our expectations. read more

Zaytinya - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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One year to celebrate my best friend and I's birthday. We made reservation reservations for the evening and we were sat down within 10 to 15 minutes. Firstly, the ambience is pretty loud for dinner time. Felt like I had to definitely yell a little bit to have a conversation. The restaurant inside, however it was really chic and classy. The order of brussels sprouts and a salad for starters and for our main dish we got the platter. The bread that was served is also very delicious. I definitely see their brussels sprouts are a must-- you can never go wrong with that and I really loved the taste of the salad. I felt like I never got tired of it. The platter was also very interesting because they allow you to try different meats I did think that I had liked the chicken a bit more and there was also some lamb but it's still a good experience to try. read more

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Zaytinya is a restaurant nestled at the Stanford Shopping Center by renowned Spanish-American chef José Andrés. They opened in December 2025 so my friend and I were excited to try as this is my first experience at one of his restaurants. We walked in on a Sunday afternoon around 1PM for lunch. Since it was sunny and warm, I asked for an outdoor seat when checking in with the host, but the wait was up to 45 minutes. Fortunately, there was a table inside right by the opening to the outdoor seating near the bar, so we were able to catch partial sun rays. SERVICE Based on previous reviews, there was a lot of feedback about the customer service. Like any restaurant, there is a period when improvements are made. I can assure anyone reading my review that the service was excellent. From the host to our server, Gil, great personalities and good vibes all around. FOOD We ordered a few apps & mezze to share. - Complimentary Bread with Oil & Vinegar - HOMMUS purée of chickpeas, garlic, tahini, harissa chili crisp - FALAFEL traditional crispy chickpea fritters, tumeric pickles, cherry tomato, tahini - ZAYTINYA FRIES crispy potatoes, house mushroom salt, roasted garlic yogurt - OCTOPUS SANTORINI grilled mediterranean octopus, marinated onions, capers, yellow split pea puree - SHISH TAOUK grilled chicken skewer, sumac onions, garlic toum, grilled tomato Everything was fresh and tasty. Highlights we really enjoyed were the hommus (so smooth and fresh!) and falafel. My only main feedback was that the octopus was overcooked and dry. The pea puree was flavorful but quite thick and slightly gritty. We thoroughly enjoyed our server and the delicious food. I will definitely return to try more menu items and explore the dinner offerings. The interior decor is immaculate, truly transporting you to a Mediterranean destination. read more

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Sitting at Zaytinya, you'll be transported to the stunning Mediterranean. This beautifully decorated space, with its whitewashed walls, terracotta pots with olive trees, and soothing hues of blue, will make you feel you are sitting at an elegant seaside taverna. Throughout our meal, service was exceptional - friendly, efficient and attentive. We started with the Hommus dip, which was as creamy and flavorful as it should be! The green chickpea garnish added a great finishing touch to the dish! The warm, puffy pita bread with olive oil swirled with pomegranate molasses was so one of the highlights of our meal and our server was kind enough to keep replenishing the warm bread. The Garithes Me Anitho (Shrimp with dill, shallots, lemon and mustard) was excellent. The shrimp were perfectly cooked and we couldn't resist dipping our bread into the zesty lemony sauce. The Fatoush Salad, while refreshing, surprised us with its absence of the traditional lettuce component. The Crispy Brussel Sprouts Afelia was one of our favorite dishes & the fried Brussel sprouts contrasted nicely with the barberries & garlic yogurt sauce. It was also one of the more generous portions of the dishes we ordered. The Octopus Santorini was tender and succulent & it was complemented by the creamy yellow split pea puree. However, we couldn't help but be taken aback by the small portion size of the Kofta Kebab, priced at a hefty $19. This was a recurring theme throughout our meal - the dishes were incredibly tasty and beautifully presented, yet the portion sizes were shockingly small for the prices. We understand the high rents in the Stanford Mall, but customers also deserve value for their money. The Chicken Muhammara was the only dish that was a decent portion size. I guess that is considered a "main dish" but that too came with a hefty price tag of $45. So our final thoughts are that Zaytinya is an excellent choice for those seeking upscale Mediterranean cuisine. However, be prepared for small portion sizes and higher prices. read more

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Meh. Have you been to Santana Row lately and tried one of those contemporary-looking, over-priced restaurants with bland food? Zaytinya felt like their Palo Alto sibling. Dishes supposed to be hot were all lukewarm. Not enough spices. Service was slow and lacky. I would go to Meyhouse any day over this place. M is slightly pricier but worths every extra penny. read more

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Had dinner for the first time here! Beautiful restaurant and ambience. Jess was our waiter and he was so wet and helpful. Loveddd the yogurt with peaches on the dessert menu! read more

Zaytinya - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Great sips, decent meat Here a lot of great things about this place so figured would come check this place out. The ambiance here is modern and chic, and being in Stanford mall, it was popping on a Saturday night. They do offer a chef's menu, but it seemed like too much food. We went a la carte. *3PM in Instanbul - Probably my favorite thing here. This is apparently their most popular cocktail. It is well balanced and the lavender tea and thai basil blended surprisingly well with the fruits. *Baba Ghannouge - Pretty standard, but well made. Topped with pomegranate. Went well with their complimentary poofy bread. *Crispy Brussels Afelia - I didn't know I would enjoy deep fried brussels sprouts so much. Call me basic. The garlic yogurt cut well into the richness. *Octopus Santorini - The grilled octopus paired very well with the split pea puree. While I liked the octopus, I actually through the puree was the star of the dish. It tasted like a smooth, spiced sweet potato. *Kofte Kebab - Kind of small, but the meat was pretty juicy. Seated on top of a layer of extra butter. I felt the butter was doing the heavy lifting when it didn't need to (ground beef is usually pretty moist on its own). Also the tomato ezme was a tad sour for my taste. *Sesame Salmon - Loved the sesame crust. The salmon was a touch overcooked, but still pretty juicy. The oyster mushrooms were a good choice pairing. Price: At face value, the menu here is pretty expensive. I mean, who would pay $20 for a small kebab? However, after all the InKind shenanigans, the food seems normal price or perhaps slightly discounted? I for one, do not like the gimmick of it all. I did go through the exercise to try this place out. Come here with InKind credits or you will really feel the bill Overall: The highlights for me were the drinks and ambiance. I think the dishes feel fancy for sure. However, the first thing to come to mind when I come to a Mediterranean restaurant is the meat. Sadly, their meat was good but not great. Plenty of other regional spots can deliver better meats at a better value. Still enjoyed our dinner though and its not a bad deal if you are willing to jump through the InKind hoop read more

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We ordered Kebab platter Sesame salmon Octopus Santorini The ambiance is good and service is 5 star Will definitely come back again read more

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I had really wanted to try a restaurant by José Andrés, however after reading some fellow Elite Yelp reviews I was a little hesitant. The overall rating hovered around 3.5 stars, and much of the criticism seemed to focus on service--which can be pretty subjective--so we decided to give it a try anyway. From start to finish, everything went smoothly. We were warmly greeted, promptly led to our table, and well taken care of throughout the meal. The food was excellent, and there was an endless supply of fresh pita bread--light, airy, and clearly fresh made. Prices felt reasonable for the quality, flavors, and portion sizes. *** only comment--the women's powder room was a bit messy and half the stalls were missing tissue--and it was only 5pm... *** no happy hour like their other locals We'll definitely be returning. read more

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Went on a Saturday as a party of 8.l got lunch Parking was easy since it's in a mall. The drinks are phenomenonal. People got espresso in Chios , the za-atar margarita was very interesting with the zaatar flavor. Also the magic carpet was super interesting- it was a clear drink but with st germain and Greek yogurt- kind of on the sweet side but tasty! They kept bringing the free pita bread with olive oil We ordered a bunch of appetizers The halloumi pide and the soujouk pide were tasty The Brussels sprouts were really flavorful with the garlic yogurt The baba ganoush was good but the quantity was abysmal Also got the chicken shish touk. It was tasty but the quantity was tiny for an entree. Four tiny pieces of chicken! We were celebrating a birthday and ordered the Turkish coffee chocolate cake- yummy! Great vibes. Great drinks. Good food- only wish the portion sizes were bigger read more

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Came here for a weekday lunch. Zaytinya is a relatively new spot (opened December 2025) located in the Stanford Shopping Center, with a modern and chic ambiance. We started with the Hommus and Baba Ghannouge, both were creamy and flavorful, just as they should be. The complimentary warm, puffy pita bread (with pomegranate molasses) was a nice touch and honestly one of the highlights. The fried Brussels sprouts were also surprisingly good. For mains, we ordered the Lamb Baharat Adana Kebab and Köfte Kebab. Unfortunately, dishes that were supposed to be hot came out lukewarm, which was disappointing. Portions also felt on the smaller side. When I think Mediterranean food, I expect bold, well-seasoned meats, but overall, the flavors here leaned mild and could have used more spice. Service was fine, but the food itself was just okay. Thankfully, we used an InKind deal. Otherwise, I would've been pretty annoyed by the price. Come with credits, or you'll definitely feel the bill. read more

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A great addition to Stanford Mall dining options! I recommend coming with a small group and ordering a plethora of mezze & small dishes. Lots of variety in flavors & sauces to dip the amazing (complimentary) pita in. Dishes to order: - Crispy Brussels Afelia - Cauliflower Tiganites - Sesame Salmon Wait: Walked in with a group of 4 at ~5:30pm on a Saturday night and we were seated ~6pm. Service: Make a reservation if you want attentive service. In the bar section, tables are shared across 3-4 different servers who don't communicate well with each other, so it felt very scattered & we had to flag them down a few times. read more

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Such a gem! We had a delicious time together after a day of work and a little shopping. The food was amazing and staff very attentive too. And the ambiance was warm and inviting - a little hip and cool. read more

Zaytinya - 3PM in Istanbul a signature cocktail to start the delicious experience!! - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

We came here for the drinks. The minoan sour has a really nice pear aroma to it. light and well mixed. creamy from the egg white. Interior modern and filled with light. read more

I found out about this place because of IG, not my typical neighborhood but I'm glad I ventured out. I was able to make a reservation the day before I wanted to dine. I think there's more availability for lunch seatings than dinner so reservations are highly encouraged. The restaurant is slightly tucked and inside the mall next to RH, so parking can be a little tricky but doable. The restaurant itself is beautiful, very open and bright and I especially love the bar, it's giving updated art deco. We started with sips, I had the Za'atar Margarita. The bulk of the flavor came from the za'atar atop the foam. It was light with slightly sour taste. My friend had the 3 PM in Instanbul. Now this drink was fun and complex. I think it was the mixture of the thai basil,vanilla and aperol. For bites we tried the Hommus, very smooth and creamy, The fattoush salad, this helped satisfy my vegetable craving, the crispy brussel sprouts; these were amazing, just the right amount of char and I think it was the sprinkle of pomegranate that really made them pop. And the falafel for a dream. Overall a very solid meal and if I'm back in the area I'd love to explore my items from the menu. read more

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It has been on my list since it opened a few months ago. We had a really good and personable experience Food - we tried a few different menu items. Everything tasted very fresh and light. Generally, I don't feel good after eating mediterranean food at most restaurants but did not feel that way here. Portion sizes are small for most items. It was interesting that they don't have any vegetarian dish on the main course menu but it's better than an overpriced no protein entree dish Baba Ghannouge - 5/5 I don't like eggplant dishes, this included. The baba ghannouge here changed my mind. I couldn't tell it was eggplant, in a good way Tzatziki - 4/5 I love yogurt in general, so the bar is pretty low on how you can make yogurt taste good. The flavors were all good. Tasted fresh and everything. I rated it 4 star because it met expectations. This wasn't out of the world dish or different in flavor from other places I have had Halloumi Pide 3/5 I was not particularly impressed by this dish. It tasted like a weird version of margharita pizza Smoked Beet Salata 4/5 This was a good salad - flavorful, fresh and delicious. Rated 4 because this was not a stand out salad dish Mediterranean Milk Punch 4/5 - Really interesting unique drink - yogurt and citrus. Great presentation. Small serving. Seemed overpriced for $14 Person with me ordered Minoan Sour on server's recommendation for a low to no sugar drink. They liked the flavor but it was not low sugar per her They serve a complimentary basket of bread. This bread was unique and delicious 5/5. Service was spectacular. Our attendant was for sure a people person - he cared about our experience, made good and thoughtful recommendations. Very bubbly, friendly and welcoming experience. When it got a bit busier, it took them some time to check in on us and bring us more bread but generally a great experience. Ambiance - very spacious, very welcoming. We also went there on a day with beautiful weather - bright sunshine - neither hot nor cold, very pleasant day. We were on a table which is at the intersection of their indoor dining and courtyard, so we had a little bit of both worlds. The restaurant is in Stanford shopping center. On most days, it's relatively easy to find parking read more

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4/11/2026 Sat. Lunch Situated in the Stanford Shopping Center, this restaurant by Jose Andres is beautiful, high ceiling, modern, and spacious interior has a very similar feel as Twelvemonth in Burlingame. Service was excellent. Our server was friendly and accommodating. We ordered the hummus and octopus to share, along with the lamb pita sandwich and Adana lamb kebab. Overall, the food was fairly mediocre, nothing was particularly bad, but nothing stood out as exceptional either. The food is also on the pricier side, which is expected given its location in Palo Alto. One thing worth noting is how the bill is handled. For an upscale restaurant, using a handheld payment device and presenting it directly to the table feels out of place. The tip options were also preset at 22%, and had I not checked, I would have ended up leaving more than intended. read more

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Incredible ambiance -- great vibes, wonderful staff, and such an uplifting energy. The halloumi flatbread was great, and I loved the pita that came to the table -- so fluffy and fresh. The hummus was my favorite: lemony, smooth, and with just a little kick of spice. The falafel was okay, but I've had better, and same goes for the za'atar flatbread -- the hummus really does top everything. Very reasonable prices, especially given the incredible ambiance. read more

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Date of Visit: 1/11/2026 Zaytinya has finally opened at Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto! Zaytinya has been one of my favorites restaurants in Washington DC and has been my must visit restaurant every time when I visit Washington DC. Once the Zaytinya in Las Vegas has opened, we also visited back in July 2025. The Zaytinya in Palo Alto is conveniently located at Stanford Shopping Center, which is very great for shoppers to go for lunch or dinner. Inspired by the culinary traditions of Turkey, Greece and Lebanon, the menu featured small shared plates. This is one of the restaurant by Chef José Andrés, based on his knowledge of Mediterranean cuisine and years of travel throughout the region. 3PM in Istanbul $19 I ordered the featured cocktail on the menu. Made with lavender tea infused vodka, grapefruit, strawberry thai basil aperol, vanilla, and lime. Very fruity and refreshing. 2024 Dio Fili Xinomavro Moschomavro Rosé $13 Husband ordered the Rosé from Siatista in Greece. With the hint of strawberry and raspberry. Fattoush $15 We ordered the salad that the waiter highly recommended. Made with tomato, cucumber, red onions, green pepper, radish, pita chips, and decorated with pomegranate vinegar dressing. A little too salty. Garides Me Anitho $20 Sauteed shrimp with dill, shallots, mustard, and lemon juice. The sauce was a great pair with bread too. Octopus Santorini $24 The popular grilled Mediterranean octopus, with marinated onions, capers, and topped with yellow split pea puree. Lamb Chops $65 For the main dish we got the lamb chops with eggplant kefalograviera puree, broccolini, lemon, and lamb jus. The lamb chops were about medium, with slim and fatty parts mixed perfectly. Crispy Brussels Afelia $16 The brussels sprouts was super crispy with coriander seed, barberries, and on top was the garlic yogurt dressing. read more

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Came here with middling expectations, and mind blown. We got the warmest greeting from our server, Andres. My friend, her husband and I came with my mother. Andres greeted my mother with a warm, "hi mom!" We started with cocktails: the ancient olive, the Minoan sour, the magic carpet, and a glass of Moschomavro. My Ancient Olive, variation on a gin martini, was a spectacle ... the cocktail, a sidecar of calstelvetrano olive juice, and a plate of calstelvetrano olives. "Sip the martini, sip the sidecar, bite the olive," instructed Andres. Amazing! Probably my favorite martini that I've ever ordered in a restaurant. (And I am more of a vodka martini person usually.) The first thing to come out was complementary warm puffy pita with olive oil and balsamic, which we quickly devoured. And before we could even ask for it, more was on the table. We decided on the lamb shoulder, family style, and built our menu around that. Andres told us that the lamb was a good size and we would have enough food. In addition, we ordered the baba ghanoush, seared halloumi, crispy brussels sprouts, and garides me anitho (shrimp). The food was absolutely amazing. It exceeded all of our expectations. This is the first time in a long time where I felt absolutely wowed by a restaurant. And of course, the service... Andres was exceptional. So fun, so funny, such a great server. We will for sure be back. read more

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Nice ambience and a very beautiful bar! We went in for a dinner without reservation and were seated at the bar. Love the bar backdrop!Our highlights are definitely the warm fresh pita and the chicken skewers( shish touk). The crunchy vegetables are a good addition for some texture and go well with the dip. -* due to slow service. The bartender is extremely tentative, but it seems that either the kitchen or servers are short staffed. The octopus dish came out lukewarm and the two meat dishes(chicken skewers and kebab) came out very late. The bartender kept telling us dishes will be out soon, but they never did. After seeing us just sitting with empty plates for a long while, he decided to personally go to kitchen and check on for us. Other than that, I think this is a great place to visit. I'm hoping since it is newly opened, they can make more adjustments to improve on the food serving speed. read more

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Four stars for the food and three stars (or less) for the experience and service Zaytinya is well-appointed, even hip ambiance. In the evening, the lights are dimmed -- maybe even too low. The food is excellent. H'tipiti pepper dip: a bowl of Mediterranean goodness with a bit of texture from the feta. Yum! Smoked beet salad: the beets are indeed smoked and pair really well with candied walnuts and crispy apples. yup, feta again. Brussels afelia: very crispy and accentuated by garlic yoghurt. Garides Me Anitho: Sautéed shrimp with mustard. Sounds odd, tastes great. House pita was fine but needed for all the above. But... There were multiple dogs inside the restaurant (is that even allowed?) and one was repeatedly barking. There are outdoor tables but not many people dining outside on a chilly evening. We were trying to spend time catching up but felt rushed. I guess they wanted to turn tables. The bill comes as a QR code and we couldn't figure out how to split it using the payment app. We asked a hostess passing by for help and she huffed "that's not my job but I can find someone for you." Ok. Apparently the multiple other reviews about off-putting service here are completely accurate. Really liked the food -- enough to come back to sample other items -- but I'm not sure I will. read more

Zaytinya - Seafood menu (Jan 2026) - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

My girl friends and I enjoyed our lunch so much. Our server, Adriana was fantastic. She was patient, and gave us excellent recommendations. This is a return spot for us now! read more

Visited Zaytinya recently and had such a great experience. The restaurant interior is absolutely gorgeous, beautifully designed with a really cool bar area that gives the whole place a stylish, lively atmosphere. The food was excellent across the board, and everything we tried was flavorful and well executed. Our favorites were definitely the lamb kebab and the chicken kebab -- both were cooked perfectly and packed with flavor. A special shoutout to our waitress, Sydney, who was incredibly sweet and attentive throughout the meal. She gave us great recommendations and really helped us figure out what to order, which made the experience even better. Definitely a spot I'd come back to again, especially with a group, since there are so many other dishes on the menu I'd love to try. read more

We are obsessed with the menu and the execution of the dishes. This was our second visit here, recommended by our sales associate. Every plate we ordered was delicious, with some offering their own innovative and fun twist. The wine list was excellent, and the cocktails were tasty, though we wish the serving glasses were a bit larger. Not a complaint, just an observation: the drinks could have been more generous, which would have made them even more enjoyable. The service was good. Our previous dinner waiter was more knowledgeable and professional than the lunch waiter this time. The decor and ambiance were lovely and not loud. We plan to return whenever we're in town shopping--our new favorite spot near Stanford Mall. read more

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Whitney was an amazing server and the food was excellent! Lebnah was on point, scallops were perfectly as well. read more

We came for the food and stayed for the excellent service by Andres--hospitality you often don't see anymore. The moment we sat down our experience was warm, friendly and his knowledgeable of the menu on various dishes was enthusiastically shared. We enjoyed the kale salads, Brussels sprouts, falafel, humus , and the chicken we almost didn't have-- but he highly recommended it so we also indulged. Our meal was topped off with a tasty and airy apricot yogurt and a glass of champagne. Come here to celebrate life with old friends and make new memories. We will be back! Donna and Alice. read more

Came for Mother's Day for the first time. Unfortunately, the service was not good at all. They had a fixed menu and kept bringing new dishes without clearing the dirty plates from the table. We had to repeatedly ask for plates to be removed. They also forgot our drinks, and the salmon was served cold, so we didn't eat it. Overall, very disappointing, especially for a special occasion. As a resident of Menlo Park for more than 30 yrs won't be coming back here. read more

My husband has been to the DC branch of this restaurant so he was really happy that we stumbled upon this while shopping in the Stanford Shopping Center Zaytinya is middle eastern / middle eastern mezze aka small plates by José Andrés and we loved it! LOVE the modern yet middle eastern vibes inside and the soft wood / blue theme. Imagine dining in a middle eastern countryside restoration hardware ish vibes. Hubby was raving about the big poofy pita from DC and he was right. My biggest pet peeve and what I Karen over is cold bread. The complimentary pita served at the table was warm, pillowy-poofy, and soft. We asked for more with our food and they just kept refilling. Mmmm. 3PM in Istanbul was the cocktail our waiter recommended. I worried that it would be too sweet based on the description but it was not, and very refreshing and slightly on the sweeter side. Between 2 we shared the: - baba ghannouge: mild smokiness but loved the balance with pomegranate and lemon garlic - Brussels sprouts: when are deep fried Brussels ever bad? This one was not too oily and the grease and oiliness of being fried was cut by the thin layer of garlic yogurt. - sautéed shrimp (Garides me antho): 6 medium sized shrimp, good flavor, more on the firm side - lamb kebab (lamb baharat): flavor was mild and very tender, not gamey at all, but be aware that the portion size is quite small which is why we ate everything then added falafel - falafel: wow! the size of the falafels themselves is small but they were actually really flavorful and NOT dry at all. Pleasantly surprised coming from someone who typically feels very meh about falafel and hates dry falafel. Keep in mind these mezze portions are small. We will definitely be coming back! read more

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Family lunch on Sunday, we had a great time. They have plenty of space, the layout is open and airy. Our server, Andreas, was polite, informative, and kept everything moving perfectly. Have to call out the pita they bring out first--it is pillowy and light. Served with an olive oil and molasses dip that sounds a bit different but is a must-try. We ordered some fries too, they were just okay. Stick with the baba ghanoush instead; it was smoky and smooth. For the main course, the kebab platter was more than enough for two hungry people. You could easily even stretch it to feed three if you get some extra pita bread to make sandwiches. The falafel wrap was massive and really good, it came with a side salad--they use a nice thin lavash bread. This wrap was incredible value for the the price We ended with the Turkish coffee chocolate cake and it was divine. Great food, great service, and just a solid spot overall. We'll definitely be back. read more

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José Andrés is a genius, and probably one of the best working chefs in the world today. Some of the meals he cooks up are incredible, and the years of training under Ferran Adria at el bulli (the world's greatest restaurant ever) are so obvious at his best restaurants. He's the reason you've heard of tapas (which he popularized in the United States in the 1990s). And he's a progressive icon. But Zaytinya feels like a cash grab rather than anything he inspired. It's a mini-chain of small plates of Mediterranean food (Greek/Turkish/Lebanese, primarily) that hasn't really found a rhythm, and the food lacks any soul. From the onset, service was a disappointment. One of the greeters at the restaurant looked like he was distracted by his phone and far more interested in that then in making eye contact. Our main server was better, but that first impression disappointed. The spot is stylish. But the food is just meh. I love octopus, and this octopus was good enough, but needed a bit more smokiness. The scallops were pretty (and fresh), but I can sear them just as well at home. The garnishes added little to the dish. And the kebab platter - it was fine. It was a filling meal, but I don't ever need to return. I expected more. So if you're going based on the chef's reputation (and most of the branding focuses on the chef), tread lightly. If you just want a decent meal at a mall, it's going to be decent. read more

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Scallops - yum! Shrimp - okay Beef / chicken kebabs - good but small ish portion Tadhig rice - who doesn't love crispy rice? A great dish with a nice meld of flavors read more

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The experience from start to finish with fantastic. The ambience was calm and warm. The food was exceptional and the level of service we got from our waiter Randy was first class. Couldn't have had a better experience. read more

Zaytinya - Kebab platter - delish!! - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Finally, I got to come and experience one of Jose Andre's' restaurants. This is his take of an authentic fusion of Mediterranean cuisine blending Greek, Turkish, and Lebanese food. The restaurant is huge with a clean wood finish, modern lighting with olive plants around the restaurant, and an exceptional ambiance. I started with some fresh pillow-like pita bread which looked like long narrow baguettes. The olive oil is thick and very syrupy which paired beautifully with their pomegranate balsamic. The olive oil is definitely quality. The balsamic pours thick too and has a vibrant taste. For starters, I ordered their Hommus which was creamy and mixed with chickpeas and harissa chili crisp. Their hommus is by far the best I've had so far. For my main course, I ordered the Lamb Baharat which is lamb loin and has tabbouleh and charred tomato.The lamb bites are small but pack a juicy texture. They don't seem to serve rice on either of their dishes which is a bit odd to me. I figured the main focus is on the actual meat with no distractions. I definitely love their cocktail menu though; it has plenty of different mixtures and ingredients I've never seen before from other menus. I'd love to try a few drinks next time! This is a great place to come during lunch with friends and family. I'd definitely like to come back for dinner as well. I imagine this place to be enchanting when it's night time. read more

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The food was great -- we had the adana kebab, scallops, and labneh. On top of that, Adriana was an amazing hostess! We'd highly recommend checking this place out! read more

Food was delicious! Jake was attentive and we so enjoyed our time here together. We'll be back!

Beautiful décor! The service was great, and the food was good overall. The portions were small, especially for a main dish. The chicken kebab came out cold. The beef kofte didn't have much flavor compared to other beef koftes I've had at other establishments. The fattoush was just okay. The hummus was good, especially with the spice and fresh peas. Because we were celebrating birthdays, the server gave us complimentary sorbet, which was a very nice touch. There were three flavors--raspberry, lemon, and pear--and we especially loved the pear. I'll probably come back to try other dishes. read more

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Great food! Loved the pide, kebab and fattoush salad! Jess was an amazing server!! He was so lovely and made the experience. Will be back