Zuni is my obvious choice....RIGHT?

[niccole]

hello all

i am coming to SF in a few months, after being gone a year. i moved back home to the east coast after living in the east bay for 5 years. i am planning a girls night dinner with 5 of my best girlfriends who live there. examples of the places we have our girls dinner have been myth, piperade, a16, isa, fresca, blvd, cosmopolitan cafe, scalas, farallon, pesce, and plouf.

i wanted to try something new so i am assuming ZUNI is our obvious choice....? my 2 other thoughts were: coco500 & oola.

of course we want tasty food, but after not seeing my friends for a year i would like to be able to sit & chat comfortably too.

help! thanks!

[Robert Lauriston]

Zuni's great. When you reserve tell them you want a table in the room upstairs over the kitchen, some of the other parts of the restaurant are quite noisy.

I never understand what people mean by Zuni's "attitude." I find it very relaxed and professional.

[Frosty Melon]

Excellent advice, for a table upstairs. I've never sensed attitude at Zuni. You will not be rushed, whereas I think you would at Coco500, or at least feel less inclined to linger.

[celeste]

Definitely Zuni. I love Coco500, and in fact am going there this week, but it will be hard with more than 4 people to hear what each other is saying.

Zuni is a great place for a long leisurely dinner with drinks with your girlfriends. You can hear each other yet still have the going-out, see-and-be-seen feeling. And, personally, I love the food. But as you can see, Zuni is a huge topic for debate on this board and I am definitely in the Huge Fan camp.

[Atomica]

I got back from dining at Delfina about an hour ago, and I think it's far, far better than Zuni. Would you consider Delfina?

[Syre]

I agree that Delfina is much better than Zuni.

More interesting food, less attitude, cozier.

[Frosty Melon]

My favorite restaurant is probably Delfina, but for a group to enjoy a great meal and feel free to sit and relax and chat afterwards...I would choose Zuni in a heartbeat. Especially if you've never been, and you lived in the Bay Area for 5 years.

[niccole]

i know, i cant believe i never made it to zuni OR aziza. i think zuni it is!

[Morton the Mousse]

Both restaurants are excellent but I would pick Zuni. coco500 is very small and they almost discourage large groups because they're a strain on the kitchen. Zuni is a fantastic place for a group of six to share many dishes. You wont even notice the 50 minute wait for the chicken because you'll be eating and drinking the entire time.

Two threads that might interest you:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/45792

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

[rworange]

Lots of love for Zuni but also some naysayers. From your list of past resturants I'd say you would like it. Here's a recent pro report with pictures

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

I love Coco500, but it can get really loud. I would choose Zuni.

[niccole]

i am actually leaning towards coco500, because i can look at the www and the menu. correct me if im wrong ( i hope i am ) but zuni does not have an online menu, right? what other types of food besides this famous caeser salad & chicken i hear about do they have?

[monday]

Zuni is one of my favorite restaurants in the City. The menu (except for the famous dishes that you mention) changes constantly. I always love the soups; they're seasonal, usually simiple and always sublime. I ate an appetizer recently of fresh, local sardines with romesco and white beans that is the best small fish appetizer I've ever had. The wine list is fun, too, though the glassware makes me sad (chunky and too small). Go there!

[rworange]

Not the website but here's a sample menu on menupages.

http://sanfrancisco.menupages.com/res...

[Ruth Lafler]

Those are all good choices. You might also want to consider Aziza which has great food, a fun atmosphere and amazing cocktails.

[niccole]

aziza is out, i cannot believe i have never been but 2 of the girls have been many times. needs to be a new place. between coco500 & zuni, which would you choose?

[Syre]

I was completely unimpressed with Oola, and Zuni has never really done it for me either.

Maybe their famous chicken would win me over, but I've never managed to have it since they won't let you order it before you sit down, and then it takes 50 minutes.