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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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

Walked in and was initially told to expect a wait for seating by the bar, but then we were seated in the main dining room within a few minutes, which was a pleasant surprise. The space itself is sleek and impressive--very "corporate outing in Vegas" energy--but also loud enough that you catch yourself leaning in more than you'd like. The one miss was the Octopus Santorini, which showed up lukewarm and a bit undercooked. We mentioned it, and the manager handled it exactly right: quick fix, no fuss. The replacement came out hotter with a much better texture. Everything else landed well. Good hummus, smoky babaganouge, and the crispy Brussels sprouts were the dish I kept going back to. Service had a slightly odd beat--when we asked for favorites on the menu, we got the specials read to us but nothing from the actual menu was pointed out. Overall, a mostly solid meal with a couple bumps, in a space that feels built for big groups and expense accounts. read more

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Upscale Jose Andres spot that had a cool vibe but just ok food and drinks Food 3.5 Atmosphere 4.5 Service 3 Cost to worth it rating: 2 (dips $13, flatbreads $16 small kabobs pieces $17, mains $45-85 ) Opentableable: yes Return worthiness: maybe Highlights - Swanky atmosphere and artistic backdrop for the bar. - Quality Babaganoush: smooth, solid flavors, nice pomegranate seeds for a plating touch. 4.5 stars - Flatbread: enjoyed the cubes of halloumi and garlic oil flavors. 4.5 stars - Bread was puffiest I've seen kinda fun to shovel dip into 4 stars - Red pepper dip smooth on bottom slices on top good texture don't feta 3.5 stars - Brussel sprouts: super crispy but bit oily fried. 3.25 stars - Unique cocktails tried 3pm in Istanbul and had different flavor with a strawberry Thai basil aperol Midlights - Chicken skewers: few small chunks and bit over seasoned for my taste. 3 stars - Octopus: beautiful presentation and cut into shell pieces but fishy for me. 3 stars - Later in the evening music got louder for more party vibes. Not sure how I feel about it on a random weeknight. Lowlights - Wine got few glasses and didn't care for any of them. 3 stars - I ordered a glass of white wine and pointed to the item on the menu and got delivered a glass of red. - Was expecting a lot more for a Jose Andres place, but was just ok read more

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

Come here for the "vibes". And, the bomb complimentary pita. The end. // There was so much hype and anticipation for José Andrés' first NorCal location of Zaytinya. Sadly, we had a poor experience and seems like we went to different resto than the raving reviews. Before someone comes at me, not everyone is going to have the same experience for various reasons. Zaytinya is located on a quiet section of Stanford Shopping Center next to RH. They have ample indoor and outdoor seating. Rezzies recommended. M E N U Mezze, small plates inspired by Greek, Turkish, and Lebanese cuisine. Separate lunch and dinner menu with the former having wraps and reduced cost for some items. Full bar. Lunch started on a bad note. Arrived 5 minutes early for our rezzies (no other customers). One of the hostesses said, she'll seat us when they open. Two minutes later, a lady walks in with no rezzies and was seated. Then, three more parties walk in, two with no rezzies and all three parties were immediately seated. Highly doubt she forgot as she saw us waiting. I checked in again with another staff and told him I checked in 10 minutes ago. We were then finally seated. F O O D * Complimentary Pita w/ olive oil + balsamic vinegar: https://tinyurl.com/4y3zrhej Best part of our meal, their fresh housemade football shaped pita reminds me of Turkish balloon bread. Delicately crispy on the outside with a great soft chew. So bomb. It was too late at this point but we overheard another server tell the table next to us that it's unlimited refills. I wish we were offered a refill with our kebab platter. * Sujuk Pide: Spicy sujuk sausage, kasar cheese, 65° egg ($16): https://tinyurl.com/4szpfmc9 Price seemed reasonable. And, then it arrived. It's kid's sided compared to other pides I've had. Crisp crust but the interior was dry and dense, not fluffy soft as it should be. The toppings were surprisingly bland. * Zaytinya Fries w/ house mushroom salt, roasted garlic yogurt ($9): Sounded like a good munchie on paper but it ended being ordinary fries with a plain yogurt dip (did they forget the garlic?). * Kebab Platter: Lamb, kofte, chicken and adana kebabs served w/ tomato, garlic toum ($70): https://tinyurl.com/2xykafx3 - Lunch menu: $60, dinner menu: $70 (charged dinner price for lunch) - Supposedly serves 3-4 people...IMO, 1 hangry person can kill this. After waiting for nearly an hour, the kebab platter was underwhelming, universally bland with no charred flavor. - Shish Taouk: The chicken breast was pale, dry, and needed seasoning. - Lamb Barat: Chewy strip of flavorless lamb. Cooked medium. - Kofte Kebab: Tender and juicy but needed seasoning. - Adana Kebab: What happened to the rest of it? Lol. Half the size of the norm, heavy handed with the cumin. The kebabs were served with fresh tabbouleh (herb + bulgur salad), sumac onions, and tomato relish. Condiments: - Toum: Creamy, fluffy texture was on point but too mild in garlic flavor. - Tahini: Bland - Tomato sauce: Missing Dining companion ordered a Diet Coke that was served in a smallish glass filled with ice to the brim. It was $7 and when offered a refill, we were charged another $7. S E R V I C E Most of the staff we encountered were friendly and welcoming. While we were waiting for our food, there were one lady (management?) that made rounds, she was very kind. Food service is snail paced with no sense of urgency. It wasn't busy at the time yet it took 30 minutes for apps and an hour for our shared main. Asked for ketchup and by the time it arrived, the fries were cold. I'm surprised that nobody asked for feedback on the food. Lastly, I had to flag someone down for the bill. A M B I A N C E Stunning, sleek modern vibes with a trendy bar area. Made for IG and TT. There was a mix of tables and booths. Beautiful side patios away from foot traffic with overhead heat lamps. There was music bumpin' inside but not on the patio. Overall, Zaytinya doesn't seem ready for primetime. I've heard great things about Zaytinya's first location in DC so hopefully their PA location can get it together in the next 3-6 months. I want to give them grace because they're new but it's hard to overlook all the missteps particularly the hostess situation. TBH, it feels like you're paying premium prices for Zaytinya's "vibes", prime location, and the celebrity chef name. read more

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We love this newly opened Mediterranean restaurant in Stanford shopping mall. Everything here is special - pita bread is so thin and delicious like nowhere else, and they keep bringing the warm bread every few minutes. Hummus and Baba ghanoush are out of the world and so are main course. Our favorites are kebabs, salmon and lamb chops! This was our third visit in the last two months. Our server today was Mahir and his hospitality was impeccable! read more

ambience is lovely, too many staff. Food is not so great but not bad as well. The prices are reasonable but i think it seems like a good menu for large groups of people. I think the staff seemed to rush us out in terms of taking our plates off as soon as we were done and trying to get us leave soon, maybe micro aggressions and subconscious bias. Definitely not going back and not recommending this place to anyone personal or at work. read more

Randy gave us a great experience at Zaytinya. He gave us great recommendations and the food was spectacular!. read more

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Well, shoot. I was super excited for Zaytinya to open here - I loved the DC location. It was delicious food at really reasonable prices and fantastic service as most Jose Andres restaurants have. First off, the lighting in this location is so dim literally every table young and old had their phone flashlights out. I get it - dark is stylish and trendy. You know what isn't stylish and trendy? Phone flashlights. Sigh. Unfortunately in the transition to the west coast, prices went waaaaay up. And to be fair, it's been a few years since I was in DC so maybe that location is much more expensive now too. But we spent over double for our meal and we got less items. The pita bread is still the best I've had. It's puffy delicious and it's really easy to eat way too much of it. The hummus and babaganoush were tasty but both were a tiny smear for $13 each. The beet salad was tasty. The scallops were a huge miss - fishy tasting and not well browned. The yogurt sauce they were in was good by itself but an odd choice with scallops, as it completely overpowered the delicate scallop flavor. And this dish was tiny. 3 little itty bitty scallops for $21. The family style kabobs plate was good. The chicken was standout, the lamb was ok and the two ground meat kabobs were ok. The Chicken Zeytinyagli's dark meat was good but the white meat was dry. It said half chicken, but was only the thigh and breast, deboned. The olive oil cake was like eating a bucket of sand. Dry, very little flavor and lacking. The whipped cream and grapefruit were pungently at war with each other and your taste buds ended up collateral damage. read more

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Really great atmosphere , food, and service. We ride various dishes they were all amazing read more

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

Our new favorite lunch spot near Stanford. Great food, service, and ambiance! Try the labneh and eggplant dishes (bantijian bil laban).

I used to go to DC a few times a year and this is a restaurant I would frequent often so I was happy to see it open in Palo Alto. The main difference that I see in the menu is that this location doesn't offer the preset menu and only offers ala carte. Thankfully, I tried this location out on Valentine's Day and they had a set menu. Course #1 included vegetables, hummus, and pita bread. Their pita bread is one of my favorite things at Zaytinya. For course #2, we chose the sea scallops and crispy Brussels afelia. The brussel sprouts were crispy like their name and scallops sooo good. For course #3, we chose the lamb chops and sesame salmon. The salmon was nice and tender. Course #3 was also a pretty good size. Course #4 was a dessert which was a Turkish coffee chocolate cake to share. The drinks are also delicious with a good drink and wine menu. The ambiance is sleek and modern. The service was spectacular. read more

First visit and can't wait to return. Beautiful atmosphere with super flavorful food, wonderful service -- our waiter separated out our multiple shared dishes into courses that made perfect sense, but that we would not have thought of. Prices are reasonable for the area, too. (We are attending a book signing with José Andres this evening where we can hopefully share our fabulous experience with him.) 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

Jess was amazing. We had a great time. We had the lamb chops and kefta. Definitely recommend read more

The experience was amazing. The food was fresh, flavorful, and perfect for sharing. Our server Ivan was very friendly and attentive. Overall, a lively spot with excellent food and solid service. Definitely worth a visit. read more

I love the Brussels' sprouts, pita bread, beef kebabs, shrimps, the olive oil cake and the server is very nice and good looking! Imlove the ambience too read more

Food was amazing. Andres was our server and made our experience great here. Super personal friendly and efficient. Would come back read more

Zaytinya - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

I've been around long enough to know that eye-catching restaurant decor such as lush flower walls, a centrally-placed fountain or tree, or in Zaytinya's case -- a modernized art deco bar -- are sometimes distractions from mediocre food. My biggest complaint about Zaytinya is the minuscule serving of Shisk Taouk; one chicken skewer consisting of just four pieces, with a couple inedible fatty, dark meat bites, is criminal. I'm not a big eater but if I were, I'd have to spend $60 for their four-skewer Kebab Platter to get a decent helping of protein. My lunch partner reported that his Lamb Baharat, a spiced-rubbed lamb loin kebab, was nothing special. We paired our dishes with their sufficiently-garlicky toum & pillowy, football-shaped pita for a more full meal; our starters of Zaytinya Fries & Garides Me Anitho (sautéed shrimp in herbs, mustard, & lemon juice) also bulked up the meager portions. Overall flavor was fine, & that's the reason for a lukewarm three stars rather than two. Located next to RH (although if I'm in that immediate area, I would choose RH over Zaytinya & I suggest you do the same.) read more

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The vibe is cute, love the decor and we have always loved Jose Andres's restaurants in vegas. However this one left much to desire. From the person welcoming us, to those serving and waiting on us. I first tried coming here for valentines. I made reservations and things seemed fine. Then the Thursday before they called to share that it was only a prefixed menu. We have two kids so obviously that would not work for us as I refuse to pay 100+ bucks for kids who don't eat that much to begin with! So we had to cancel and figure out other plans super last minute. That already rubbed me the wrong way. We were in the area and I wanted to still try it. So we came in. Upon arriving the woman at the front just seemed exasperated. While I don't expect a super bubbly personality, some warmth would have gone a long way. Now the ordering, took forever. We sat there for a while, sat more, saw people get pita bread, wondered why they kept passing by our table. Finally we ordered. We got the shish and the kofte kebab, labneh, and a side of falafel. The kids were not fans of much of anything. We liked the kebabs but the price point for such small portions of food is just wild. I would much rather go to sultans kebab and get my fill than come here. The flavor was alright but nothing to write home about. No kids menu. They were nice about my husbands birthday which was a nice perk. But just not sure I would go out of my way to come here again. read more

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Gil was amazing! He's super attentive and love his vibes overall. He made sure we were well taken care of and would definitely come back!

Vibe: 3/5 Service: 2.5/5 Food: 3.5/5 Drinks: n/a Value: 2/5 I deeply admire José Andrés as a chef and humanitarian, and whenever I get a chance to support his businesses, I always do. Sadly, Zaytinya will not be on my frequent flyer list. First, the good: I loved the complimentary bread and their honeyscrisp sorbet dessert. That's it, folks. While this restaurant harmoniously combines three cuisines, its service, prices, and food are at odds with one another. I still can't believe we spent almost $50 on a small rice dish that barely contained any chicken. But if you want rice, that's your only option. And don't get me started on the $65 overcooked tiny lamb chops. This entree will leave you craving more food because it's certainly not enough to satisfy a grown adult. The $13 hummus seems like a great value until you realize that the whole portion is barely a spoonful. The smear it along the sides of the plate so the portion looks larger than it actually is. They use high-quality ingredients, and the food tastes fine, but with so many other excellent Mediterranean options in the South Bay at half the price and with tastier dishes, this place doesn't make much sense. Usually, such places provide exceptional service to help distract you from the fact that you're spending an irrational amount of money on okay food. Not here. The formal attire couldn't hide the blatant service issues. Here's all the fun we experienced and observed: -Bread service seemed to follow no rhyme or reason. The table next to us got their spreads and sat a long time waiting on the bread, while other tables got two baskets or refills. We got our bread nearly 20 minutes after sitting down, but didn't get the oil dip for another 10 minutes. -Our $10 sparkling water came with potentially unwashed citrus. How else would you explain the QR stickers on the lemon slices?!? -Our entree was dropped off at the wrong table and then redelivered to us. The table behind us kept being served the wrong wine. Not sure if they thought the guest wouldn't notice, but that wine connoisseur called them out--twice! -They dumped the brussels sprouts into the same to-go container as the $50 rice. Not cool. 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

This place is so luxurious. The pita was so delicate and puffy. Babaganoush was delicious. I also really liked the pita wrap. The wrap was huge. Everything was well priced. I left full and not stuffed. read more

Zaytinya - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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I had such a wonderful experience at Zatinya! From the moment we walked in, the service was friendly, attentive, and welcoming without being overwhelming. The atmosphere is absolutely beautiful -- classy and elegant, yet comfortable. It's the perfect spot whether you want to dress up for a night out or keep it a little more casual. Everything is done so tastefully. The food was incredible from start to finish. The pita bread and hummus were fresh and flavorful, the salmon entrée was cooked perfectly, and the chocolate cake for dessert was the perfect ending to the meal. Every dish felt thoughtfully prepared and delicious. I've brought both friends and family here, and it has been a hit every single time. Zatinya never disappoints -- highly recommend! read more

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wife had a great meal at zaytinya in d.c. and suggested we try the location at stanford shopping center...josé andrés group restaurant...it's definitely priced high in comparison to similar cuisine...lunch for 2 adults and 1 child...wife starting with a cocktail...pomona $16...greek ouzo cocktail with lemon, mint and pomegranate...refreshing and good...browsing menu and deciding on the kebab platter $70 and soujouk pide $16...complimentary puffs of pita bread with great olive oil and vinegar served first...olive oil is so thick and good...white puffy oval hollow bread....has a nice chew and delicious...kebab platter is served with a wonderful tomato sauce, some garnishes, pepper, hummus and garlic toum (slightly tangy white garlic spread)...garlic toum was great...platter consists of lamb, kofte, chicken and adana kebabs...all four cooked perfectly and goes perfectly with the bread to add sauces and garnish to make a perfect pita bite...it was delicious...soujaouk pide is a football shaped flatbread with dense thick slices of sausage, cheese and silky runny eggs...again, very good...the lunch was fantastic...seasoned perfectly and tasting great...only negative was the kebab portions and prices...little short...getting 2nd order of complimentary bread helped fill up...about $130 total for lunch after tax and tip for 2 adults and a child... read more

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We were a party of 6 and all vegetarians and were on the fence if we should go or not go. Mostly due to limited vegetarian menu. We bit the bullet and went for it. We are glad we went for it. The experience was good. Great service by Ana Maria and Brikston. Very observant and saved us from having beef gelatin based desert. Note for the GM Cyrus Khayat, to appreciate his team members. No complaints about the food. We probably tried every dish on the vegetarian mezze menu. Had to double it to feel satiated. The haloumi was good and the Brussels sprouts and everything else. GM Cyrus to add one main entree with protein for the vegetarians. It'll be highly appreciated. Or atleast have an item that can be customized for vegetarians. The service is top notch and the ambience is great. Will go again when they introduce some vegetarian dishes or maybe with meat eating folks . It's a big place but also can get noisy, if it's full. Also another attraction was Jose Andrez. The food was definitely uniquely. read more

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

Dinner was excellent! Adrian was a great server. We shared many different dishes as a group, including the fish, taboulle (awesome), the oysters (delish) the shrimp (amazing) the hummus (mildly smokey) and the bread (addictive). The drinks were great too. We will be back. read more

At first, our appetizers didn't arrive, but one of the main courses was brought out early for our group of seven. The person who received it couldn't even eat it everyone looking at him. Then, everything showed up at once--the appetizers and the all of the food--which made the timing feel very disorganized. The food tasted very basic, and two of the dishes were simply not good. Service was disappointing overall. Staff kept passing by without clearing the used cups and plates, even though we had them organized and ready to be taken away. The only positive, aside from the nice design of the place, was our server Adrian. He was amazing--very attentive and genuinely tried to make things right. If the rest of the operation matched his level of service, this place would easily earn great reviews. read more

Zaytinya - Adana, but is not Adana, like kofte, or kobide. Taste was horrible whatever it was. - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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Visited Zaytinya on March 28 at 5 PM with a party of 9. The service ruined the entire experience. Our server had an attitude from the start. He interrupted us, didn't listen and was consistently dismissive. Basic service was sloppy. Water was spilled while placing glasses. We brought our own wine and asked to start with a tasting pour, but he ignored us, served it his own way and spilled wine across the table. He acted busy but the service was slow and disorganized. We eventually had to ask him to actually listen and serve properly. The food was just okay, but the service overshadowed everything. We came ready to tip well, but the service did not deserve it. If you recognize yourself, reconsider this job. Overall, the staff felt poorly trained and the restaurant seems more focused on appearance than substance. If they want to last, they need to seriously improve the fundamentals. read more

My girlfriend and I were really excited about this new Mediterranean restaurant opening in Stanford shopping center. The ambiance is very trendy and ideal for date nights or a chill girls night out. My friend and I shared a variety of dishes. We had the tzatziki, scallops, kebab platter and fries. I have no complaints about the dishes but the service was pretty mediocre. Our server took a while to greet us. She also told us she'd bring us bread for the oil but it never arrived. We also had to wait a bit for the check. With that said, I would go back for the food if I'm craving Mediterranean as there aren't many good Mediterranean restaurants in the Bay. But Dio Deka is a notch better than this spot in terms of food and service. read more

Zaytinya - ZAYTINYA FRIES - Turkish Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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

Let me start off by saying don't taste your time waiting for a table because you only ever up waiting even longer inside. Save your time and money this restaurant is awful. Our waiter didn't even bring water until I asked after waiting for 15 mins. We placed our appetizer order and waited for 35 mins and nothing arrived, our waiter didn't even come to it'd table to take our order for our mains. Nothing arrived and after 45 mins we ended up leaving after our waiter told us he never placed our order at all. Mind you the place was not that busy and we were seated next to another table that he waiting on and he got their order in. Horrible experience and awful (lack) service. If I could rate negative stars I would. read more

Amazing food, really fresh and savory! Lovely atmosphere :) and Andres, our server, was so great! Super nice staff all around. Would def come back read more

Really yummy food and the bread is my favorite. The waiter made some great recommendations and the ambience was fab. Highly recommend to try out some great Turkish food. read more

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