Zola BarZola

Really enjoyed this place during my stay in Palo Alto, visited multiple times. Great steak, just ask for sauce on the side, it overpowers the meat a little. Fantastic choice if whiskies, including Springbank Cask Strength.

Visited Bar Zola on 4th of July weekend for drinks. The place was surprisingly empty on a weekend, I guess due to the holiday. They have really amazing drinks and staff. The Ambience is cool. We hanged around for an hour here and would totally go back sometime soon.

Go ahead and order the mango coconut crème brûlée, you will not be disappointed! Steak tartare and the oysters were also good! We ordered truffles on the steak by accident, but didn’t think it was worth the extra cost. Overall, a great place for a date or to celebrate. We spent around $240 for two people. $4 per oyster

Zola + BarZola in Palo Alto was a great venue for the large group private event we hosted. The space is upscale, thoughtfully designed, and worked really well for both mingling and seated time. The food was tasty and well-prepared, though it would have been even better if it had been passed around more frequently—some guests missed out on a few items. The bar and service staff were attentive and professional, and the event ran smoothly from start to finish. Overall, it was a polished experience in a beautiful setting. Definitely a strong great venue for group events.

This place does not really live up to its expectations. Duck breast was well cooked but the duck was gamey. Veggies, puree, sauce were very nice and went well with the duck but the hazelnuts actually enhanced the gaminess of the duck, which I did not enjoy. Dish was nice but could have been better. Dessert was worse. The rhubarb tart had a lot of elements but they did not go together. The rhubarb and the kumquat were also very tart. Overall, it was too tart and I usually like sour stuff. Again, the flavours didn’t really land. Folks around me seemed to be enjoying their drinks. Maybe this place is better for their drinks. If you don’t have a reservation, you can only get bar seats, which I detest. I might try this place again if I’m craving escargot in Palo Alto but I must remember not to have the duck next time.

My husband and I went to Zola to celebrate his birthday. The food was delicious and we really enjoyed the ambience. We ordered escargot, oysters, steak and frites, and the gnocchi. Everything was great. The Escargot was a bit more creative than some of the other French restaurants that we’ve been to, with the sauce being soaked up by bread. The only caveats were one being the candle (maybe switch to a flickering battery operated one or a better candle holder) it was burning hot to the touch and the flame lighting made taking pictures more challenging. And two being the lighting at the tables; it was too dark for our taste. I would suggest getting creative with it. Maybe some more recessed lighting at the ceiling or the floor to increase visibility.

Zola is a total gem—especially when everything else in Palo Alto is closed by 10pm. That’s actually how we ended up here, and what a lucky move that was. The vibe? Effortlessly cool. You’ve got cozy indoor tables, a buzzing bar section, and a tucked-away outdoor space for something more intimate—something for everyone. We ordered the California halibut, the Mount Lassen trout, the gem lettuce salad, and the warm baguette. Everything was beautifully plated and incredibly fresh. The salad was light, crisp, and full of texture. The halibut was flaky and flavorful, and the trout was buttery and balanced. I also ordered a “Last Word” cocktail—one of the best I’ve had in a while—perfectly mixed and not too sweet. We wrapped things up with the sticky toffee pudding with extra ice cream and the pear upside-down cake. Just… wow. That sticky toffee pudding (warm date cake) might go down as one of the best desserts I’ve ever had—warm, gooey, indulgent, and the extra ice cream took it over the top. Shoutout to Evan for making the night even better—super quick, warm, and genuinely attentive service. Even though the kitchen was winding down, we never felt rushed. It’s rare to find a spot with great food, craft cocktails, and a late-night crowd in Palo Alto. Zola nails all three. Will definitely be back.

Went here after a long time they have expanded with a place next door and also a street park let. Menu is limited we had the focaccia bread starter very fancy and tasty and i had the Salmon which came with a crispy skin and vegetable and my friend had the Vegetarian Ratatouille. We also had a Pilsner and my friends had the Penicillin cocktail