Zula Bistro & Wine BarMussels and flatbreadMy only criticism for Zula is that they need to advertise better. Most people I know have never heard of it, and it's such a shame. The menu is fabulous: great appetzoers, an extensive variety of mussels preparations which come in a steaming pot, and delicious flatbreads. The tuna crudo and eggplant fries are some of my favorites, and the seasonal mushroom flatbread is light, airy and flavorful. A fantastic wine list, with tons of new wines by the glass to try out! Finally, the price is right. The quality of food is amazing, and the prices are very low. TRYIT!5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat eveningA friend and I dined at Zula Bistro with the goal of a light and creative meal, a pleasant atmosphere, and a place where we could visit and hear each other. Zula met all out goals. We had a 7:00 p.m. reservation and it was a weekday so it wasn't crowded and none of the big tables were filled, I'm not sure what difference a large table of diners would make to the noise level. I was so please that we didn't have to talk over loud music. I've already recommended Zula Bistro to others.5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMBread is really good! ButBread is really good! But so is everything else! I like that this is not terribly priced and you can share a few different things with another person. Portions are not enough to share between more than 2.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMWelcome!Great to have another good option on the OTR scene! Zula continues the trend toward better dining that appeals to lovers of "adult" food in a hip scene; it has real quality across a good range. I love the emphasis on mussels - can't wait to get back to try other preps.
Great service & space is fantastic - a balance of chic/warm that is well struck. I like "cool", but not so cool I can't get served and when I do I routinely have to remove a stranger's elbow from my entree.
Refreshingly for a tapas restaurant, one can actually fill a belly absent 17 courses - good for those who love to share but also satisfying for a traditional diner.
Glass wine pours are INCREDIBLY stingy, which must change if they are to be credible as a wine spot.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMMay Festival NightIt was great to have a restaurant close to Music Hall that served good food, The only complaint that I had was the noise lever, I could not always hear my dinning companion when we were talking. My daughter says that's because I just don't understand the new restaurants. Everything else was great. I would certainly come back and recommend it to anyone. In fact I have already done that. I have an unusual way of rating restaurants, can I have done the meal any better and could I have done it any cheaper, the last I usually have to yes to but not if I figure my time. You passed on both criteria. Thank you5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMA+ flavor combinationswe ordered 3 different dishes to share and each was wonderful, but not filling, so we decided to order 2 desserts to share. they were each out of this world! the Olive Oil Cake is a unique and complete surprise. The tiramisu will make you dizzy. Two great reasons to go out... just for dessert.5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMBirthday BashLoved it. Went for my birthday on the recommendation of a friend. Trying all the new joints in town. All the food choices were great. Eggplant fries, Thai mussels, Yellowfin Tuna crudo, Spanish flatbread, crème brulee and panna cotta. Nice bottle of a spakling Spanish wine. Some minor service issues. Will return soon. Rivals any of the new joints including Abigail.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst time and will go backThis was our first visit to Zula and we will return. It is the kind of place you could go to often, a couple or with friends, and not tire of the food. We are fans of mussels and Zula does them right and with a side of delish hand cut fries and you have a meal to share. No need to eat too much, just very well.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMfourth time @zulastill my favorite restaurant in town and I'm a serious foodie5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMThe atmosphere is modern,The atmosphere is modern, bright, cheery and relaxed. The noise level is unobtrusive and a table of four or more can visit together easily. The service is prompt and helpful. The menu specializes in mussels, and our group of four tried two different pots that were delicious. We tried salads that were fresh, crisp and tastey. The home-made bread is wonderful, and so is the flatbread. Our Italian white wine from Piedmonte matched perfectly with each of our courses. The desserts were equally wonderful to look at and eat. And the espresso cappuccino made a perfect finish.
The location is safe and secure underground parking at Washington Park is readily available. We plan to return often.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMYummyThe food was excellent as was the service. Interesting new ways to serve a dish. Great place to try new things.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMOur favorite new placeWe've been to Zula five times since it opened about 2 months ago. We loved it right from the start. The ambience is fun and energetic but relaxing and fun. The wait staff is excellent, and the food is wonderful. The raw tuna is especially noteworthy but I've loved everything there. Zula is not to be missed.5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat eveningBest mussels I have ever eaten. Be sure to get their bread to go with mussels. Delicious ! Also had baby kale salad and it was a perfect compliment to the mushroom mussels. Dressing was light and perfectly seasoned. Wait staff was friendly and knowledgeable about food and drinks. Thanks Zula for a great evening. We will be back and have recommended to others.4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMLoving the food here, greatLoving the food here, great add to the downtown dining scene. Got stuck at an awkward two top in the back but still had a great meal.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat experience. ExactlyGreat experience. Exactly what the review promised.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMNever thought I'd be eatingNever thought I'd be eating at a restaurant on 14th and Race but Zula is part of the revitalization taking place in Cincinnati's urban core. Excellent menu and the food is fantastic; loved the wide variety of mussel dishes. Also like how Zula organizes their wine list. Will definitely go again and try to sit at the bar which looks like a lot of fun.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Mussels and great wine!My wife and I were seated promptly for our reservations. Service was very good except our bottle of wine took quite awhile to arrive after we had ordered it. We had two orders of the mussels. I can't recall the exact name, but one was a white wine sauce, and the other was tomato based. They were both delicious. We split the Kale salad which was good, but a tad too "citrusy". The bread was fantastic, except I didn't know we were getting charged for each order of it. Very unique spot and the noise was very energetic/loud. I would definitely recommend it!4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways great!We live near Zula and have gone several times, and are always very pleased. They have a nice diversity on the menu and it's great for sharing. The mussels are awesome, and the bread is terrific. Love everything there!4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMPerfect before concert at MusichallThis place is a homerun! It was our second time there and our experience was almost perfect. If your going to Musichall for a concert, this is the perfect place to go before hand. Most of the menu is small plates, tapas, which is perfect for a light or bigger meal beforehand. The service has always been prompt, friendly and the food comes out very quickly, which is important when you have to get to a show. I highly recommend Zula.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMZula was great. We sat atZula was great. We sat at the 'bar' in the back, directly in front of the flatbread station. The chef was very friendly and our server, Jamie, went above and beyond. We would definitely go back.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMMy daughter and I both agreedMy daughter and I both agreed that this was the best meal we ever had. We had such fun sharing the pot of mussels (enough for 3 or 4) and the mushrooms with bacon (incredible, savory flavor). The pinot noir I chose was superb (Brophy Clarke?). We also had a flat bread and unique, dreamy desserts. We are returning with other friends is a couple of weeks. Recommend it to everyone. Service was great; nice atmosphere - lively yet not noisy.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food and service, veryGreat food and service, very small wine pours for the price.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMThe server was friendly andThe server was friendly and competent. Other servers as well as the manager stopped by to check on us. We thoroughtly enjoyed the dining experience. We had the special brussel sprout flatbread, moussaka and two desserts, the papcotta and the rasberry cake. Each menu item was delicious. I will definitely return.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMSuperb addition to OTR!Great food, great service. And they take reservations.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMThe flatbread despite beingThe flatbread despite being somewhat thick was delicious, cranky, light and tasty. Others loved the mussels. Lively, fun ambiance.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was great and itThe food was great and it is similar to tapas style. Staff was very nice and attentive. A must try!4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMTop shelf, excellent food,Top shelf, excellent food, our server, Kelcy was extremely helpful, but not hovering. Reasonable pricing.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMSelection is limited, someSelection is limited, some items way below quality, ie egg plant, risotto ball, muscles were good, not great, bread was great, lite salmon and tuna very good!4/10/2013 12:00:00 AMZula has a great vibe andZula has a great vibe and wonderful food. Our server was maxed out, but handled it really well! I would go back in a minute!4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMon a rollbest spot in town right now
very fresh/no gimmicks4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMOTR GemZula is a splendid addition to the OTR restaurant scene. A pleasant alternative to the frenetic and over the top noisy atmosphere of some of the Vine St. Venues while still maintaining the perfect level of energy. Went there twice before writing this review to measure consistency . Food was wonderful both times with a high level of quality. Service was perfect with food coming out quickly and at the right temperature. Jamie was a great server with a good deal of élan.. This restaurant is a must visit for everyone and most especially welcome to symphony and theatre goers looking for a great meal.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMWow! A wonderful additionWow! A wonderful addition to the over-the-rhine near downtown near Washington Park scene. Great tasty food in reasonable portions. Love the baby kale salad, the heated flatbread, the mushrooms, and the Mediterranean mussels so far. very frendly. lotsa seating. World cuisine with a Mediterranean touch. Chef trained in Paris.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMIncredible experience. Vic,Incredible experience. Vic, the owner and chef was awesome. Devin, the manager and Som.... Impeccable , and Brandan. Our waiter, perfect.
We asked the wine expert, the waiter, and the chef to show us there best, all night...no menu....they hit it out of the park!4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMOur first time and they hadOur first time and they had only been open 8 weeks. Loved all the plates we chose. Love the space. Fresh open and clean. Would highly recommend. In house bread is fantastic.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMi've been to several of thei've been to several of the new otr restaurants lately and this one is top on my list of new faves. the prices were very reasonable. the food was great for sharing, tasted great, was prepared well, and the offerings were varied enough for all four of us. the place was way bigger than i thought it would be so the turnover was such that i didn't see anyone waiting. there was enough wait staff to cover the territory and except for our flatbread, which took a long time to arrive at our table, everything came out of the kitchen quickly. i will absolutely be going back.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMZula is definitely one ofZula is definitely one of the hip spots to be in OTR. You definitely don't feel like your in Cincinnati! More like San Francisco or Chicago. Prior to arriving I had requested a window table and our request was granted. Our server was very knowledgeable and helpful on the menu and we took his recommendations. Plancha Mushrooms which were superb along with the Yellow Fin Tuna Crudo and the wood-fired Flat bread with Thyme Roasted Tomatoes. My only regret was not having enough room to try any of their Mussel dishes which looked fabulous. I think next time we will try to sit at Z table (communal table)and you can sit there and watch your salads be made. Definitely my new favorite restaurant!!3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat menu. If you love flatbreadsGreat menu. If you love flatbreads and mussels, this is the place to go. Fantastic wine list, with many choice by the glass. Make time to check out Zula!3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMWe have been to Zula severalWe have been to Zula several times and have never been disappointed. The food is wonderful!! Love sitting at the bar by the wood-fired oven and watching them whisk breads and flatbreads in and out of it.3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMWine list was impressive andWine list was impressive and I appreciated the range of prices. Great selection and quality.
Great ambiance and decor would definitely come again!!3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMA must try if you have anyA must try if you have any love for mussels and flatbread! My date and I tried the New Orleans mussels with a Thyme and Dried Tomato Flatbread. They were both impeccable. I had a glass of the cheaper wine on the list but it was still delicious!3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMwent on my bdayWe were excited to try the mussels, as we get them most times we dine out. We ordered the mushroom ones. We were suprised that they weren't very full of flavor. They weren't bad, yet very unremarkable. They were bland and didn't have seasoning. A touch more garlic,salt and pepper would have helped greatly! The beers and wines are nice, especially the price points! The olive oil cake was very yummy. The lamb was great too. The art and design of the interior was very hip as well.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat new restaurant in OTR.Great new restaurant in OTR. Food was very good, especially the mussels.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious food, great wine,I was at Zula last night and I had the best time. I was catching up with some friends and we spent a lot of time talking and the server was very accomodating to our slow moving pace. The wine menu was great with reasonable prices and a lot to choose from. The food was outstanding. We had the tuna crudo, beet salad (it was perfect!), mussels (about 10 varieties and they are a must), the egg plant flatbread (also a must), the special(sweet breads with shrimp and gnocci which was to die for) and the vanilla bean panacotta which was perfectly light. I enjoyed every single thing about our meal. The reastaurant itself was very inviting with great ambiance and it was decorated very nicely. I will def be going back here very soon.3/14/2013 12:00:00 AMMussels and artisan breadMussels and artisan bread are unbelievable! One of my favorite spots in terms of ambiance. Just loved it!!!3/13/2013 12:00:00 AM