This place is by FAR the best bar/loungy type place I have been to in good 'ol SpoCompton. Strong Drinks? CHECK. Bomb food? CHECK. (try their macaroni... ) Place for a large crowd? Check. *they have sweet booths and areas for 8-10 people Place for a date/romantic evening? CHECK. they have tables that are made out of old roller coaster rides and if youre with your love you can cuddle up and get close and not be bothered by drunken tools or hoes. All in all, try to come to Zola when they have live music because you'll want to start to get your dance on after you've hammered in some of their strong drinks. read more

Threw a surprise birthday dinner for my mom here with about 15 people & was totally impressed with the service we received. The vibe was exactly what I wanted & they had some incredibly talented singers too...we were groovin & moving. We all had a blast! They have a good little happy hour too! read more

I want to love this place. I really and truly do. And that is what keeps me going back, even though every time my friends and I go we get the worst service any of us have had in Spokane. Messed up orders, servers no where to be found, openly rude despite our best efforts to be friendly and considerate. And hey, it isn't like we don't know how to tip. I get that the place can get really busy and that slow service is to be expected when it does. But when it is off hours and barely anyone is there, that is when it gets really frustrating. The food is great, the drinks are always good, and the atmosphere and decor is wonderful. I just wish they would address the service issue. read more

Hands down THE best food I've put in my mouth since I've gotten to Spokane. I just had the grilled cheese and tomato bisque, but boy, oh boy, was it goooood! To drink, I had the Messy Sex. The grilled cheese had bacon and it was just perfectly cooked! The bisque was the perfect compliment, rich and creamy. The portion was a bit small, but it was just the right amount to fill me up. Messy Sex was sweet but tasty. I liked very much :) Park on the street, it's Downtown. 3 hour parking, free after 7pm. I will definitely be back for HH, it's such a good deal!! Oh and there's live music too. read more

This place has a few features that win points from me right off the bat: 1) live music damn near every night of the week 2) tilt-a-whirl cars as booths upstairs. That's right, I said tilt-a-whirl. When you return from your childhood flashback, go down there for a beer and a listen. I like the vibe of this place. It was busy when a hefty group of friends all converged there one evening and we had a good ol time. It's kinda industrial-feeling inside. And did I mention the tilt-a-whirl boothy things??? hell yeah, man. That's ingenious. read more

Love, love, love this place! I have never had a bad experience in this establishment. The bartenders are always wonderful, and super talkative. They are an affordable place to have a night out at. The food is also amazing, their sliders and fries are by far the best dish, in my opinion. There is always delightful live music and positive vibes here. read more

ZOLA - Great night out with the best friend of mine. - Bars Near Me - Spokane, Washington

Zola is where I go for drinks downtown when I want to feel classy. It's got a nice vibe. The interior is really nice looking despite being somewhat cluttered and busy. There is an old boat hanging from the ceiling, tilt-a-whirl cars as seats in the upper level and a number of other items that would normally not be found in the same place, much less work well together. The staff is always very friendly, though the bartender can be slow. My friends and I used to go most Sundays for their happy hour. However the prices have steadily increased to the point where the savings is non-existent, so we don't go as much anymore. The reason I'm giving Zola a four star rating mostly because I'm glad it is here. Spokane doesn't have enough places with great ambiance, live music and good drinks. read more

Love the space. Lots of recycled pieces are used throughout the two-story lounge-y area as furniture and decoration. (I especially liked the upstairs booths which were the old rides used for the "sky tram" of Spokane's Expo Park. Also liked the hull of a boat which was rotated on its side such that you could sit in it). Lots of nooks and crannies to chill with your group. On this evening we were treated to listening to some nice reggae (someone's iPod?), but they have a small stage here, and have some live shows here as wel. The bartender was super nice, and hooked us up with libations. Oh, and I saw some bottles on their top shelf with flies (as in fly fishing) on them. I was wondering, "now what can that be?". As I walked out, I saw it was vodka, AND from Spokane (http://www.dryflydistilling.com/). Very cool. Wasn't really feeling the crowd. Granted it was a Sunday night and it was dead, but the other crowd here were some pi$$ed drunk dudes screaming about their prowess with the cats (they used another word)---and man, I can't believe they actually had women with them sitting through that. I guess that's how they roll in Spokane. It was funny to listen to them try and go through their tabs, "Who ordered a $7 cocktail?! I ain't payin' for that!!" read more

Had a BLAST!!! We were in town for a memorial service and found this bar on Yelp because it had a smoking patio. We walked up to the door on a Thursday night and Skylar, the doorman, asked for ID and $2. I asked what the $$ was for and he said there was a band. The band was currently on break but when they came back they were pretty good. Not bad for $2. We weren't sure how loud the band was going to be so we sat in the back. Evangeline (sp?) was our server. She was extremely quick and friendly. It looked like she had quite a few tables but yet no one was ever without a cocktail or food. We started to look around and noticed there were quite a few recycled items. For example, the light above us was an old mailbox that was turned over, bottom removed and turned into a light. There were old tilt-a-wheels on the second floor that served as booths. There were old license plates on the wall to give it that industrial feel without using sheets of steel. Way cool! We ended up sitting at the bar that night talking with someone we met on the patio. That's where we met the bartender, Tyson. He was talkative, outgoing, FAST and friendly. We stayed until close. Friday we hit some other places with the family for happy hour. Once the family went back to the hotel, we were going to explore downtown a little more. After an intense, lengthy conversation that lasted 5 minutes and we were back at Zola. Skylar greeted us at the door and remembered us! We went inside for drinks. We were standing behind some people sitting at the bar when Tyson looked up. "Jeff! Jen! The usual?" . Are you kidding me!?!? He remembered our names and what we drank. My first thought was what did I do last night to make him remember me??? The place was packed and the band was even better than the one the night before. We managed to get seats at the end of the bar and the next thing I know Evangeline is behind the bar (bartending tonight rather than serving) calling us by name as well. What did we do last night? We stayed until close again this night. Yes, we went back again on Saturday. This time, no discussion - straight to Zola. We took my mother-in-law and step dad-in-law and they had a blast too! The band, a different one again, was pretty good. Not as packed as the night before, but a very good crowd. They don't mess around here - they card everyone, the drinks weren't overly strong or overly weak either. We didn't get a chance to try the food but we def will next time we are in town. Apparently, we drank them out of Stoli, Skyy and Absolut (maybe it was Ketel). Don't judge, we were on vacation! (sort of). If we lived in Spokane, this would definitely be our local neighborhood bar. It has a comfy feeling and the staff is divine! Kudos to all of you! read more

FAIL!!! Sat at a table be the entrance and for ten minutes servers walked by us and had no service at all! I grabbed my own menu from the sever supply stand and left after not getting any love what so ever. Good job Zola! Never coming back to your place again! !!! read more

Come for the drinks ....not the food. My husband's Po'Boy was hotter than the lowest pit in hell. Pretty sure that's not what a pulled pork should taste like, but hey, what do I know? The mac and cheese was ok but bland. I found myself adding a lot of salt and pepper to it and there wasn't much cheese sauce. The overall atmosphere is cool though. read more

Yikes, this was a bad way to end a Friday night. My friends and I arrived at 7. Place was surprisingly not busy. We were saying "hey score! We can sit in a prime spot where we can get a regular server!". Oh we were wrong. Three different waitresses kept walking by and when we tried to flag them down, they all said "your server isn't here yet". Um, but we were. Personally, I would have left if we were not meeting other friends there. A half hour passed and one of my friends had to wave her arms to ask for a waitress. Yay, we finally get to place an order! Another 30 mins pass and we get our drinks. For the GF crowd, there is only one food option: tacos. I was unimpressed. Dry, lacking in taste. Well folks it's now 9p and we're sorely unchecked on. I asked for my tab. Twice. Never arrived. It's now 10p and I really must leave. Walked out without signing since she already took my credit card info at the beginning. Next day, I found that she had the nerve to give herself a 20% tip! I am a fabulous tipper when the service is good but that was what drove me to post this on Yelp.  I understand that some places do this now when a customer leaves without signing. But for shame when your customer has to walk out like this because of terrible service. read more

What a fabulous spot! The decor is fantastic. They have this great alcove upstairs with old carnival rides that have been refurbished into cozy tables...perfect for those intimate moments. The Happy hour is a great deal. Their menu of food items is impressive and very inexpensive...not to mention that the food is delicious. The atmosphere is wonderful and although sometimes the service can be a bit slow, everything is worth the wait. They have a decent tap list and the mixed drinks are quality. read more

So my wife and I decided to go here for dinner on a Sunday night. On the plus side we found out that every Sunday is Happy Hour and that means everything on the menu is only 5.50 for food! That was great news. Unfortunately we didn't find that out from anybody that worked there as it took well over fifteen minutes to be acknowledged by one of the waitresses. It is a seat yourself restaurant, and although the people that worked there did make eye contact, they still didn't say hi or sit wherever you like. Since most spots were taken up downstairs we thought it would be fine to sit upstair in one of the old tilt-a-whirl chairs, where another couple had food and drinks already so we thought we'd be noticed shortly. As I said we waited for about fifteen minutes to have a waitress notice us, she had just started her shift. My assessment of this place is as follows; good food, cheap beer on Sundays, don't go if you are in a hurry to get out of there in less than two hours...make sure you have paid enough to the parking meters. read more

Zola is fun! I love the live bands and musicians that play here nightly. I like the upscale feel to this place and enjoy the upstairs seating areas. Great place to meet friends and bring a date! Food is good, though I am not thrilled they stopped serving the beef medallions! :( I see where some have had poor service. I have fortunately never experienced that. Maybe a few times slow on asking for another cocktail, but overall pretty good. Happy hour is great!!! read more

Had a fun night a Zolas!!! My boyfriend and I had dinner and drinks. Robert was our server along with Jen, met a new server here, Ewing. Such great people!! We always have a great time. Mac and cheese is the best in town!! Tacos rocked as well. If you haven't been here, you're missing out on a great time in Spokane. read more

Let me start by saying this my first posted review of Zola. I have had many great experiences here but thought I would share a tip. I had the BBQ pork sliders last night and think they should start over on the BBQ sauce its awful. With so many recipes available online do yourself a favor and pick one. Spokane has no great BBQ, take the lead! Food Guy Out! read more

I've been visiting Zola for two years now, and I've rarely had a bad experience. The happy hour deal is phenomenal, and I'm sure it's how they have built a steady clientele. From 4 to 6 pm on weekdays and all day on Sundays (4 pm to close), they offer $1 PBR, Bud Light and Bud Light Limes and $3 well drinks, and $5 food. The food is surprisingly good. I highly recommend the Kobe sliders, the fries and the smoked gouda mac and cheese. The atmosphere is really quite unique and fantastic, and they often have local bands playing. They offer great deals on drinks throughout the week. I'm not sure if they still do this, but they used to have Microbrew Monday, and all of the terrific micros were on sale for $3. I recommend this for a casual night out! read more

Not sure if it's bad service or good performance art. The food tends towards the edible, and the drinks towards the alcoholic. Music 7 nights a week, that's a good thing, right? read more

In Spokane, this is a true gem in the rough!!!! The entire restaurant/bar is made out of re-purposed materials, including license plates and even old amusement park rides. Happy Hour is 4-7, 6 days a week, or all day Sunday. The menu offers $1.50 beers, $3.50 well cocktails, and all food for $5.50. Not to mention, the entire experience was incredible! The staff was nice and attentive. We never needed to flag down a waiter, even when the place got busy. They were very accommodating and made a wonderful gluten free steak and mushroom dish in a cheese sauce. It was all cooked, seasoned, and executed perfectly. My friends also raved about their Alaska salmon burger sliders and Chicken satay skewers. Great place to return to for my next visit! read more

Zola has become one of my favorites - if for nothing else, just the happy hour. It is one of the best, if not the best, happy hour in Spokane. Not particularly the drink specials, but all their appetizers are available for $5.00. And the food is great. They also have music (the one night I was there they had a swing band) and everyone was having a ball. Apparently they have music almost every night, and different varieties, so check before you come if you are into a specific kind of music. And while you are there, check out the decor. It is in an older building and has been decorated with recycled objects. It is great. I did not rate it 5 stars, because the service sometimes leaves somethings to be desired. Not because the wait persons are not efficient and pleasant, but because often times there isn't enough help scheduled. read more

Ahhhh, Zola. My old stomping grounds. Every time I come back to visit Spokane, the first place I head is Zola. - There's different seating options: something for everyone. Intimate "date-night" cuddling on the tilt-o-whirls upstairs. Larger, more private "rooms" for groups downstairs. Tables facing the stage for those who want to watch the band. Patio outside. - The drink selection: practically unparalleled in Spokane. Best draft selection, knowledgeable bartenders, and good wines. Super great deals for Happy Hour, and (do they still do this?) half-price bottles of wine on Wednesday. Oh, the glory of my friends and I each hauling around a bottle of Duck Pond (and drinking straight from it), as we dance our booties off... - The bands that play here: mostly locals, though I've set up out-of-town bands there, and it instantly becomes their favorite spot to play. I usually made it to Zola for Mon Cheri (hi guys! I miss you!) and Canadian Radio (no longer playing), who play(ed) weekly. 4-hour sets, dance-y and lounge-y all the way! - Decor: unbeatable. License-place shingles and tilt-o-whirls, with a rustic appeal. I can't wait to return. read more

The tacos are surprisingly DELICIOUS. I ordered them on a whim and was blown away. The crowd ranges from hipster to older, so you never know what its going to be like. Great people watching and you can get a birds eye view if you sit in the carnival ride seats in the loft. Happy hour all day on Sunday! read more

My boyfriend and I went here on a random Thursday afternoon because we were in the area and wanted lunch. We were the only people in the joint, I can see why people would want to go in the evening for the music and the more bar atmosphere. We had the sliders, Mac & cheese and sweet potato fries, everything was absolutely delicious. I can't wait for our next night out, this is a new go to. read more

Zola is a refreshing, welcome addition to Spokane's bar scene. Their little nooks and niches let you find the just the right space to fit your mood, whether you're there with a big group or just out for an intimate cocktail with your honey. The decor is never dull, the taps are plentiful, & the food crave-able. I love the little-plate concept for food which allows you to share a lot of different things instead of one giant plate of a single thing. Go for the bacon-cheese-kobe sliders & the blue-cheese fries for starters - scrumptious! It is a bar, primarily, so don't expect spot-on restaurant service. If you catch them understaffed you may have to go up to the bar for your drinks, but the bartenders have always been friendly and helpful to us. The live music options are great, but if you're a swing dancer be prepared to share close quarters. When we get to escape to downtown this is the first place on our list. Our hipster nephew, 23 years old, loves it too - so I applaud Zola's cross-generational appeal. read more

Zola is the best. I really enjoy coming here because the staff are fun and really kind, they always remember me. The bands are the best- I LOVE the Reggae band so much. The food is always good, the drinks strong, and the ambiance is really fun. I also feel really safe here because of the bouncers and the friendly atmosphere-you get the sense that everyone cares about each other here. Also, this is a perfect spot for people of all ages- I can come here with my parents, and I can come here with my friends for a great night out. A night isn't complete without a stop at ZOLA. read more

OH YEEEUH. My kinda place. I'm all about some funky, eccentric decor and Zola delivers. Had some amazing appetizers, the mac and cheese was the best! Drank me some Stella from a mason jar (a first, the mason jar part.) The waitress was super-friendly. Enjoyed it all up until my boyfriend told me he wasn't in love with me. Hey, you can't have it all :~) read more

Cool bar with great food. I ordered the maytag blue fries and mini pigs in a blanket. Both were great. The fries come with a delicious roasted garlic bleu cheese sauce. The pigs in a blanket are Italian sausage, prosciutto, and brie served with mustard. To top it off it is all affordable and quick. read more

Love the live music and Sheldon the bartender always takes care of his customers!! Foods on point and drinks are always made with care!

This is my favorite place to go to while visiting Spokane. I've been here a few times for the live music, which has always been great and a good vibe to hang out, dance, or just sit and talk. The first time I was in town, there was a classic rock band doing a bunch of popular cover songs. The second time, there was a soulful singer singing r&b and some reggae and pop. I haven't tried the food but it sounds good. It has trendy hip decor. It's a cool scene. read more

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If I could break down the ratings, I would rate the food 10 and the service a 3. For food to be a rated a 5, I want to say at least one thing on the menu is at least in the top three that I've ever had. Zola delivers. 1. Appetizers are so good they have ruined me for happy hour elsewhere. So good. The BBQ pork is lovely. But the mac and cheese is the best I've ever had anywhere. It should be illegal. Or something. I have to ration myself. 2. Drinks are good. 3. The service is generally awful. Occasionally someone is on the ball, but mostly not. If you go up to the bar and order, it gets their attention. 4. I'm not a big bar fan (mostly because I like to talk when I'm out with people) so late night Zola's isn't my thing, but early in the evening is perfect. Did I mention the mac and cheese? Go there. Eat it. Do not delay. read more

This was the first time I have been to Zola and actually ate there. The first time we were in and out for a drink and still had a great time. The place is well known for Happy Hour apparently and boasts a $5 Bloody all day on Sundays that I will return for... From the exterior, its pretty hard to imagine what you'll see inside. For example, the upstairs is full of awesome nooks and funky seating including Tilt'o'Whirl cars and comfy couches. Amazing food. It was pretty close to the best Fish Tacos that I have had. They were light, full of flavor and even had a hint of smoke or barbeque intermixed with the delicious coleslaw mix. read more

I've been fortunate enough to travel quite a bit for my work. Of all the different restaurants/bars I've been to, this is easily the worst. Customer service is poor. Food is beyond mediocre and their prices are astronomical. I truly would not recommend this place read more

This is only the 2nd bar I have been to, so I don't have a lot to base it on. But I do know cool when I see it, and this place is awesome. I had heard about it from a friend prior to my 21st and decided to check it out about a week post-birthday. The first bar I went to was the Peacock Lounge and while it was fancy it was completely bland. Zola is anything but. We went there for happy hour (4-6 pm) and weren't disappointed with their apps selection. I had the salmon sliders and the blackened ahi, which I requested medium rare instead of just seared which is how they usually prepare it. The ahi comes swimming in a sea of bbq chipotle goodness and for once in Spokane the dish was actually spicy. The salmon burgers were good too; pesto+tomato is never a bad combo. The service was a bit slow but it was a Thursday night and we were sitting upstairs. Oh yeah, in the old tilt-a-whirls. Zola, I will be back. read more

Amateur hour here, folks. Zola really needs to think about marketing themselves more clearly as a BAR that is 21+. I came here with a mixed age group -- not to drink, but to eat, because we like the food -- and we were told to leave because one member of our group is 20. This would have been acceptable if we were given this info by a bouncer at the front door - the standard for strictly 21+ establishments. But instead, we walked in, were greeted by no one, sat ourselves upstairs, searched around for our own menus and were quite settled in by the time a waitress finally showed up. Her greeting was, "Ok, I'll need to see ID's" which lead to her telling us that they could not have our group in there, period. We went across the street to Saranac, where we had a great meal, those of us who wanted a beer had one, and the service was excellent (like it always is). Hopefully this info will spare future potential patrons the same experience.You're MUCH better off walking across the street to Saranac, trust me. read more

It's what Spokane wishes it could be - semi-cool. Sometimes the bands are lame and sometimes they are tolerable. Drinks are great even if certain bartenders cop big city ubercool bartender tudes forgetting they are in the vibe-less wasteland of pre-apocalyptic America. Hipster Quotient: 150 (a bit high but counterbalanced by Gonzaga law students.) I imagine MILF-cougs would find this place an ok prowling ground. Best feature: the rooms w sliding doors especially when you're on a date with a hell beast who is starting crap up and you need to yell at her and tell her to STFU crazy thing NOW. Perfect for those date nights on hellbound train trajectories. Food: All I ever had were appetizers and OMG HAVE YOU HAD KOBE BEEF SLIDERS??? Of course you have. I think Jack in the Box has em now for .99 bargain appetizers. Yawn. read more

Went to Spokane for the first time ever with my best friend. She was raving about this place and told me that she had to take me here. Apparently, this is one of the bars/restaurants that a lot of Gonzaga University students enjoy going for happy hour. We went here on a Sunday evening because of its all day happy hour. Food were all priced at $5.50. I ordered the Chipotle BBQ Pulled Pork sliders. Very flavorful and delicious. There were 3 sliders, and I ate them all. The bread used on the sliders was very good and had a buttery and garlic flavor to it. Definitely a very satisfying happy hour treat. Good happy hour, but our server was terrible. He did not come to our table to take our orders. Instead, we had to walk up to him and let him know we were ready to order. Also, the food was a little slow. Apart from it's great happy hour, it's a great place to chill with friends. Such a relaxing and chill atmosphere! read more

I really like this place, it is probably my favorite atmosphere in the city when it comes to bars. I'm surprised to find an interior this cool in Spokane. And some of the beer is cheaper than what I pay at dive bars in this lame-ass city. Not the type of place where you're likely to run into dumbass people. Attractive intelligent mature crowd, usually. But they need some vegan food on the menu. If anyplace, I'd think this is where I could find some in Spokane. After all it is under the wing of green-conscious developer Dan Spalding and this is possibly the most liberal-friendly area in the city, thanks to him and other good folks. If they had more vegan/vegetarian options, and if I really liked the live music there, I'd give this place 5 stars (personally i find the music to be too softie and tame, Mondays are one happy exception) read more

Awesome atmosphere!!! Poor service!! We went there on a Sat evening at 6:00 pm. There were about 12-15 people eating/drinking. One bartender and one server. The atmosphere was awesome! Could easily see this as a cool hangout to grab a couple drinks. However, it lacked in service. We walked in and both the bartender and server watched us walk around without greeting us. We grabbed a table and then the server came over. My husband ordered the Sante Fe Tacos and I had the Zola Mac. The food came out fast! We both described the food as average. Our server never came back to see if it was ok or if we wanted more drinks. He came back after we had finished eating and we grabbed the check and left. read more

Came for happy with hour with an old friend! The rosemary fries were so good the sliders did not disappoint either!