Zins RestaurantWonderful ExperienceI really do not know why people would go anywhere else. Zins is marvelous. The food is ALWAYS GREAT. The service is IMPECCABLE. The atmosphere is WONDERFUL. The price is very REASONABLE. Easy to park. They take reservations or just walk in... Enjoy a great drink at the bar and have a meal. They have small or large plates. They are healthy meal friendly. They buy farm products local that are available. They are great community members and constantly give to the community. They survived tge floods if 2008. These are real people (not a chain) doing a great job in our community. Eat here!!6/13/2013 12:00:00 AMWONDERFULLove, love, love this restaurant......the food is very New York - and why the rest of this town has not discovered this, I have no clue!6/9/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulous in unexpected waysEach dish had ingredients that startled the taste buds with newness. Applewood creme caramel delved deep into this region.
My friends comments, yum like bacon but not. Who would have thought to make this combinations of sweet & deeply woody flavors6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMRise from River to Regale2008 flood gives rise to small plate feasts. Sharable morsels of delight served in an intimate setting where quiet conversation is a star. Wait staff attentive, skilled, not cutesy or snobbish. A night on the town for groups or romantic duets.Started with melt in your mouth calamari with a subtle wake-up your palate jalapeño relish. The lamb lollipops with mint chimmichurri were perfectly pink inside & delicious. The puttanesca sauce on fresh pasta was richly flavorful. Fingerling potatoes brava was a blend of crisp outer layer and tender center served with a kick of garlic aioli. Lemon meringue was a silky smooth delight with a tangy bite of candied lemon zest. Don't wait for special, Zin's brings special to the table for you.6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Food, Good ServiceMy husband and I have eaten at Zin's many times and actually refer to it as one of our favorite places to eat in Cedar Rapids. While the food has always been exceptional, their service lacks any sense of urgency. For example, during our last visit my husband had a beer at the bar and I enjoyed a wine flight. After being greeted by our server she asked if we would like drinks and I ordered one of the wines from my flight. Server left us to review the menu, came back and asked if we were ready to order - without my wine. We received our salads and were half way through them before I received my glass of wine. Examples like this happen every time we dine at Zin's. We will keep going back because we love their food and the atmosphere.6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent experienceService was wonderful, the food is amazing. I'm one of "those" that has comfort zone with foods and the menu prodded me into ordering outside of that. I wasn't let down either. I got the Cedar Smoked Salmon (I'm not usually a seafood person in any way shape or form) and it was mouthwatering. I could eat it every day. The prices were a little on the high side, especially for the portion, but the ambiance, service, and the flavors make up for it. Be prepared to spend at least $60 for dinner for 2 - more if you have wine.6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMDepartment luncheonThis was the first experience for most of our party; everyone really enjoyed the atmosphere, food selection and taste. We had a great space for our group (off to the side a little), which was great for our group to visit. Most of us didn't know each other so we had a little privacy, yet felt part of the entire restaurant experience. Definitely will be returning.6/4/2013 12:00:00 AMAttention To DetailThe owner is always on site and has an immaculate attention to detail and service. You know things are going to be excellent when you see him there. The lamb lollipops, pommes frites, and asparagus appetizer are my favorites.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMConsistently excellentZins is outstanding. Another great Bday dinner with my daughter and the family. Great food, service and wine.5/28/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Place for Special ExperienceThe ambience & décor make this a pleasant environment. The food and how it is presentation make this a special eatery.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMZins is the perfect placeZins is the perfect place to dine before attending events in downtown Cedar Rapids. Being able to place a reservation on line is greatly appreciated. The ambience is wonderful and the service is always top notch. Brunch is incredible and very kid-friendly, we loved the pancakes, muffins and the eggs benedict is incedible. I highly recommend the bibb lettuce salad which is delicious and just the right proportion. The blade steak is very tastey, tender and beautifully presented. All the desserts we have ordered have been fabulous. I have dined at Zins many times and it is very affordable, the food is served in a timely manner and it is always a wonderful experience.5/23/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat place for a business meeting.I would recommend this restaurant for a lunch business meeting. The size and atmosphere are perfect for discussions.5/23/2013 12:00:00 AMI found this option by chanceI found this option by chance but wanted to support local businesses working to come back after the flood. It was great for all of the reasons I love to dine out. Good food from local farms. Great presentations, service and ambience. Will go back every chance I can.5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMAwesomeWe loved our recent visit. It was our first time and we will definitely come back again. The food was great and the ambience was very relaxing and lovely.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food, Great service!It was such a great night! Emily was our awesome server for our party of nine! Each course kept getting better and better! Loved the Mac and Cheese and the Duck Pot Pie. Definitely recommend Zin's if you are in the area! Loved it!5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Food, Excellent ServiceThis is the second time I have picked a new restaurant based solely on reviews from TripAdvisor. As before, I was impressed. The service was superb and attentive. The food savory and made with care. As the servings are small, Tapas style, you have a lot of control over the size of your meal and a good bit of variety. Both the steak and the burger were exceptional. The building is located in downtown Cedar Rapids just off of I-380 and the 1st St. exit. As such, I found that i had to do a bit of hunting for a parking space even after 6 PM.5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst visit..will be backWe dined here recently during a trip to Cedar Rapids. I had done some research on where to eat and we weren't disappointed. We all (three of us) all ordered several different small plates and followed it up with desserts. Everything was good and moderate in the price department.5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways goodWe love Zins and it is always great food and amazing service! It's at the top of our restaurant rotation when we decide to head out for dinner.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMUnique and special occasion diningWent with older kids for a Mother's Day get together. The menu was interesting and all items were ala carte. Food was ok....not the best that I have had. The place itself was very nice and the atmosphere made up for the lack of spectacular food. Service was excellent! Would likely go for another special occasion but probably not just for an average night out.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMSunday BrunchA pretty slick Sunday Brunch spot. The three plate option is a nice size and variety of dishes, and you can select from light to very filling options. I enjoyed the biscuits and gravy thoroughly. Our waitress was professional and attentive.5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food and atmosphere.Great food and atmosphere. Seemed under staffed and had to wait awhile to be served and our order taken. They were all hustling and working hard. Need more help. I would definitely go again. Everything else fantastic !!5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat eveningWas a good experience from beginning 2 end.
Good food, attentive service & a quiet ambiance.
Thank You
Dave & Erica5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMinteresting selection of foodinteresting selection of food and drinks.
More wine/drink menus should be given. Two drink menus for four people is always a hassle. We have to wait until people have are finished looking at it. actually just too many individual sheets.
Nice menu for theater folks.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMUntrained ServiceOur server didn't seem to know very much at all about the food she was serving. We asked simple questions like what kind of cheeses were on our cheese plate. She didn't know.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a very good experienceWe had a very good experience all around. I noted on my online reservation that it was our anniversary, and our waiter presented my wife with a rose - that was a great touch. The chef came to our table to talk about vegetarian fare and we had a very nice conversation. Well done, team.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMWe went to Zins before theWe went to Zins before the Rain performance at the Paramount. Initially we felt that our server rushed us a bit, but then decided it was because she knew we needed to be done by a certain time. She recommended the "pre-show" menu, which was delicious. Overall, the food, wine and service were great, as was the atmosphere! We are looking forward to returning to try many of the small plate items in the future.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMEnhance your night at the theatre!Great place for pre-show meal or after-theatre dessert.
Go in with an open mind and appetite to try multiple plates across a wide spectrum of food to share.
Beautiful interior.
Professional, knowledgeable staff.
Had a great experience that added to a special night and would definitely go back the next time we attend an event in downtown CR.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Place!!Went on a first date, I had been before but my date had not.
We shared our small plates and enjoyed wonderful wine!4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMLooking forward to a second visit.I had a delightful dinner with two wonderful friends after a Saturday matinee show at the Paramount down the street. We were all in from out of town and went to Zin's because it was recommended by local family/friends. The three of us shared five tapas which offered a nice variety of taste testing without overeating. The mac and cheese was my personal favorite and the table bread was amazing! Carb-a-licious! We also had some greens! They were offering a chef special for $50 per person which all sounded like wonderful options and will be the reason I will stop back the next time I am in town. The wait staff was attentive and knowledgeable! I would call the atmosphere sophisticated comfort.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious unique menu andDelicious unique menu and great service! Try the dessert lasagna!4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMTalked to the the owner andTalked to the the owner and his son who was guest chef. Very nice people. Waitress was great - so was the food and wine.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was my first visit toThis was my first visit to Zin's. A friend had made the recommendation. We were a group of five and we were all very pleasantly surprised. The food was unique and had a lovely presentation. The service was great, our waiter was very knowledgeable, and even the owner was on the floor filling water glasses. I will go back on my next trip to Cedar Rapids.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMFood menu was rather limited,Food menu was rather limited, but what we had was very good. Prices were very reasonable. Nice atmosphere, quiet, and romantic. I took my wife there for our wedding anniversary dinner, and we were both very pleased. Service was excellent.3/26/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways our favorite placeAlways our favorite place to celebrate or just have a lovely meal.3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMRich ExperienceHad Sunday Brunch at Zins. Great Food, very personable service. Prices were exceptionally reasonable. Great Dining Experience. Will plan an evening meal at Zins soon!3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMZintastic for FoodiesI've been to Zins since 2009 many times. Focaccia, salads, scallops, crab cakes, lamb chops, pot pie crust and filling were fabulous. Wine and desserts are a must. Great wait staff are knowledgeable and attentive - like Chef's Table was in Iowa City.
They are starting to offer more vegetarian, hopefully vegan options. Their innovative chefs can do anything.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat experience in the barGreat experience in the bar area. A bartender was also our server and did a fabulous job3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst timers for dinner.We enjoyed a business meeting dinner. Wonderful how you pick 2 or 3 entrees to share together over the 4 to 5 course meal. Highly recommend saving room for dessert!!!Plus having valet parking in the downtown makes it a hassle free parking experience.3/21/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a very enjoyable timeWe had a very enjoyable time at Zi's. Worth the trip to Csedar Rapids, despite the canceled concert.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMOur meal was very good. MyOur meal was very good. My wife and I chose Zins as a date night dinner - we have a 15 month old and one on the way, on a recommendation from Grandma. The staff was very friendly and explained the menu and meal process to us. We both enjoyed the evening and liked the presentation and taste of all the foods, we are both Food & Beverage Mangers at a Private Country Club and realize how important those things are. Although we did not order any wine, the list looked like it encompassed many regions and would meet the likes of most people. We would not hesitate to recommend Zins, or go back again.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMIt was our first time andIt was our first time and we thought it excellent. We enjoyed everything about Zin`s from the time we walked into the door and the time we left. Everyone was plesent, outstanding and very helpful with our menu selections. It was great to see the kitchen area with an open window, it was a truely great unique experence, we will certainly recomend Zin`s to everyone. I am truely looking forward to returning again very soon.3/9/2013 12:00:00 AMWent for Valentine's Day dinner.Went for Valentine's Day dinner. Food was excellent as usual. Valentine's special was great.2/15/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was excellent, butThe food was excellent, but the portions left me wanting moreand lack of a better word:hungry. The ambience was wonderful and the service great, but I like to eat!2/14/2013 12:00:00 AM