Zona 78
7301 E Tanque Verde Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85715
Zona 78 Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Tucson for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
7301 E Tanque Verde Rd
Tucson, AZ, 85715 - Phone (520) 296-7878
- Website https://www.zona78.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Chuck M.
Snotty nose in the air service. Although I enjoy the food I won't be back anytime soon. Started with one server who seemed to be having a bad day. He took our drink order, ten minutes later we get a "new" server, she again takes our now forgotten drink order. Drinks arrive 15 minutes later and then she takes our order. Food arrived 20 minutes later, (the tomato basil soup is excellent BTW) and then didn't see our server again. I got up to ask another server for salt and additional silverware. Needless to say, none to happy. I enjoy the food but will wait a while to return and see if hte service gets better.
(1)Terence L.
Teachers, calamari, and Guiness!!! Oh my!!! On a recent Friday some of my esteemed colleagues and I decided to enjoy a happy hour together. After some research and collaboration, we decide on Zona 78. This would be my first time at Zona 78. I arrive late and find myself sitting at a small table between my coworkers and another group of coworkers. It turns out the group next to us were teachers also. The bar area is fairly small, and at around 3:30 when I arrived, the place was fairly buzzing. Aside from the loud din of conversations going on within a cozy area, the ambiance was really nice. I ordered calamari, which was braised in a lightly spicy sauce. The quality of the calamari is what one can really expect from living in the middle of the desert, but the sauce made up for it. My coworker ordered the same thing and pretty much licked the bowl clean of sauce. As noted in the "title," my first drink was a Black & Tan. I love a place that serves Guiness on tap, and Zona 78 does so. The overall selection of beer is decent. The bottom line for this place is that it's a great value for happy hour. The appetizers were half off. I thought I read somewhere that the draft beers were $2.50, but I was mistaken. Still, I think the drinks on tap were half off as well because the Black & Tan was like $3.50. I can't really comment on entrees, so the rating is only a partial one in all honesty.
(3)Jenn E.
I don't spend much time in Tucson, but was forced to the area to attend a friend's wedding over the weekend. Luckily, I was with some friends that had grown up in Tucson, so they were able to find us some good places to eat. We strolled into Zona at about 9:45 on Friday night....I am sure the wait staff were silently cursing us because they close at 10...but we were hungry and not going to take no for an answer! Luckily, we didn't get any resistance from them and we had a seat. The interior is modern and clean, and there were just a handful of tables finishing up their meals, so it wasn't very loud. We tried a variety of things, bruschetta, hummus, tomato soup and a couple of the pizzas. Everything was very fresh and tasted great. I had the BBQ Chicken pizza and I really loved the spicy BBQ sauce that they used, plus they put bacon on this version...and really, bacon does make everything better! We finished up at about 11 and I am happy to say, that even though they were in the processing of closing down for the night, the service was great.
(4)Nells Z.
Bad service. I didn't even enjoy my food because the service was so bad. I sat at the bar at least 15 minutes and no sign of the bartender. When he finally appeared, he gave me a menu and another 10 minutes went by before he asked for my order. When he did, he seemed rushed (but it wasn't busy). I ordered an appetizer and before i could even ask about a small salad, he cut me off, turned around and left. If that wasn't enough, the appetizer took about 20 minutes to arrive. I don't think the bartender checked up on me except to leave my check. Also, someone in the kitchen was whistling so loud the entire time it was annoying.
(1)Chelsea P.
I dined at Zona 78 on Saturday night with 3 good friends. We started with wine, which was recommended by our server. He did not steer us wrong! We also enjoyed the Tomato and Mozzarella Bruschetta with a brilliant sauce that was just amazing. For my entree, I decided on the Macaroni and Cheese. I was torn, as I've enjoyed many meals at Zona 78 and didn't know if I wanted to "settle" for Mac and Cheese, but I was GLAD that I did. It was creamy and complex and delicious. Sadly, two of my dining companions had slightly less enjoyable meals with a bland salad and a salty pizza. From my experience, however, being unsatisfied seems to be the exception, not the rule. As a bonus, it was clearly Winter Formal night for a nearby high school, adding free entertainment watching girls in wobbly heels split salads while texting each other and boys in suits and tennis shoes scarf down whole pizzas in record time. As always, the atmosphere was great - casual and relaxed yet somewhat sophisticated - and our server was attentive and knowledgeable about the wine and food. I'll be back!
(4)Nikki R.
One of the best happy hours in town. Always a good beer selection and the garlic cheesy bread with a side of marinara can't be beat. Keep going back :)
(4)John T.
Decided to stop and try instead ofl driving to Vivaci Pizzaria on River. Impressive food and good service. Had BBQ chicken pizza and a San Tan Ale - great combo. Will be hard choose between Vivace, Zona and Vero Amore. Jury is still out. Meanwhile enjoy any of these.
(4)Dale A.
If you're wanting something 'upscale Italian' on the east side.....this is the place. Consistently great food and amazing happy hour deals. Be sure you try the thin and flavorful Bianco pizza, it's not the sausage stuffed mess that some people are looking for! Don't make yourself sick from too many 1/2 priced drinks and appetizers! Great staff and management and worth going to on a regular basis.
(5)Kevin B.
Salmon ravioli was wonderful!! And Jim the Bartender Was Fantastic!
(5)Jessica R.
While visiting Tucson for the holidays I enjoyed a great dinner out with friends at Zona 78. I was glad Zona 78 had opened this east side location. We enjoyed wine and I ordered the Tuscany pizza. My favorite was the crust it had a great flavor. Our server was very friendly and I cannot wait to go back.
(3)Jennifer C.
I enjoyed Zona. Dipped in for a bite to eat around 5:30PM so we caught the 3PM - 6PM Happy Hour. It was Thursday evening and the place was jam-packed. Having just moved back to Tucson and feeling blue about the recent economic circumstances, I was pleased to see people out 'n about and spending money. Would have loved to sit on the patio but it was completely full. We found the last table in the bar area. Ordered a yummy glass of zin ($5 happy hour special - usually $11 - now that's recession-friendly), the organic tomato and mozzarella bruschetta, the cilantro hummus, and the blanco pizza. Bruschetta was flavorful, the balsamic dressing added a ton of yummy flavor. The hummus was full of yummy cilantro flavor, and the blanco pizza? Yea - white truffle oil makes everything taste delisshh! Oh, and the apps are 1/2 off!!
(4)Eclectic E.
Tasty pizza. This is a very nice dinner or meet for drinks place. Look forward to going back. Variety of interesting things on the menu -- I needed to be hungrier to take full advantage.
(3)Stephen G.
Overpriced and overhyped.
(2)Joe K.
Three of us had lunch at Zona 78 and we were all very happy with the results. The portions were generous, the ingredients were fresh and the flavors were well balanced - they make several of their own cheeses and have a policy that prioritizes the use of local produce (a real plus as far as I'm concerned). With upscale decor and friendly, prompt and helpful serving staff, we had a very comfortable lunch, left satisfied with our first visit and agreed that Zona 78 would be added to our dining itinerary.
(4)Michael F.
As always, good food. Tonight the service was on the poor side. I asked about local brews and the server started talking about something from Phoenix! I asked whether they had anything from Dragoon or Borderlands and he didn't even know what I was talking about. Decided to go for wine instead. My wife had a nice Italian Sangiovese/Merlot blend and I had the Tobin James "Cacheflo" blend. Both went great with the pizza. When it came time for a second round, though, I wanted some variety and looked at the wine list again. I asked the server "How is this Malbec?" and he just said "Great choice" and took off. Luckily I had about decided on that but it was dropped off by someone else before I even had a chance to say anything. So much for listening to the customer.
(3)Patrick O.
Meh, it was okay... I had a Pesto Pasta with chicken that was overseasoned with Pesto, my friend had a procuitto pizza that was tasty so I think I just ordered the wrong thing. I'd be open to give it another try. Also had nice decor, friendly staff and attentive service.
(3)Bobby L.
Been here many times, and the food is always good. The pizzas are great, and with a salad they make a perfect meal. Most of the main courses are very good too, including the Chicken Parmesan and the pork chop special. Service is excellent, and the manager is always out on the floor overseeing the dining room. The bartenders are helpful and congenial, and it's really hard not to make this place the default option when you've decided to go out. They never disappoint. (Frost is about ten steps away, and there's no better place to go for an ice cream desert.)
(4)Debby B.
Three of us went to Zona 78 yesterday for lunch and each one of us got Pizza - two had the Bianco Pizza and one had the Chicken & Broccoli. ALL 3 of us got quite sick starting at about 1AM. We talked to Daniel the manager and he was very uncooperative and rude. He refused to refund our money treated us very poorly. We have been going to Zona at least once every couple of weeks since it opened and found Daniel's attitude and behavior very up-setting. We will not return and will tell everyone we know what happened.
(1)Leo B.
Been there a couple of times since my first encounter and had better times but the service there still lacks. My wife and I wet recently during a busy evening and it was fine but today we came for a late lunch and the place was basically empty and though nice survive was slow and the waitresses were nowhere to be found for good portions of the meal.
(3)Surranna V.
I am in love with this place. So few places in Tucson have any class or modern flair and this place does. First off they make everything from scratch and use local ingredients when possible. The drink menu was over the top, fresh, and innovative, try the blueberry basil mojito. The menu was perfect, but I don't like a huge menu. The garlic bread was great. the salads were yummy and the pizza was awesome, I love the crust. We had great service and the happy hour looks like one of the better ones in this town. Fresh homemade good food!
(4)Rachel A.
I wish I could give 3 1/2 stars. This is a good deal for the price. Pizzas are really good, other entrees pretty good. A nice place to have dinner with a family. The wine list is pretty good. The huge TV with sports blaring from the other room takes away a little of the dining experience but you're paying $9-$15 for an entree that uses fresh ingredients, so you can suffer a little.
(3)Dennis N.
Been here too many times to count. We love it. Chicken parm, pasta, wood fired pizza. Can't go wrong. A go backer.
(4)Jenna B.
You couldn't pay me to eat here. My husband and I went on a Wednesday night. It was very noisy and crowded, but we didn't mind...at first. We were seated at a very small 2 person table, you could tell that they had added tables as they were scattered in no pattern and ours was very close to a large party. We ordered our drinks and an appetizer; at first our server was pleasant. Our drinks took almost 15 minutes to arrive. When they did come our server informed us that there was a delay with our appetizer and that he would bring us a complementary order of mozzarella sticks as well. Another 15 minutes passed still nothing. Finally a food runner brought us out our entries. I explained that we never received our original appetizer or the completely one promised to us. At this point I was irritated and did not want to send back my entrée. The manger then appeared and was having a conversation with the large party next to us. He did not strike me as a restaurant manager and was talking to this table about how he used to be a radio DJ. At one point he leaned over and I kid you not, put his ''ass' over our table. He actually almost knocked over my, at this point empty, drink. I loudly said "excuse me". I know he heard me because he appeared to freeze and a couple of people from the table he was speaking to looked over. However he did not acknowledge or apologize. When our server did appear we expressed our concerns, he explained that he would remove that appetizer from our bill and that the complementary one he offered us had been given away by the time he got back to the kitchen (was it just laying around? ). I was able to get a soda refill; my husband still did not get a refill from the bar. Our sever explained that the kitchen was backed up and that it wasn't his fault. Finally after we ate, the food was mediocre and my husband's food was cool, I asked to speak with the manager. The same "gentleman" to put it nicely, came over and I explained the issue. The manager told us that it was our waiter's first night, and seemed to be putting all of the blame on the waiter. The "manager" then asked us what "we want him to do". I stood there in shock; I told him that I felt that my husband's entrée and drinks should be compted. He agreed. Yet another person brought us the bill at least 15 minutes later (I wanted to just walk out) and he only compted the appetizer that didn't arrive and my soda. We were so upset we just left cash for the balance, no tip, and walked out. I will NEVER eat at this restaurant again. Truly despicable.
(1)Marsha W.
Not worth my time, hovering waiters, noise level way too high and mediocre food. This place is trendy without any real ambiance or class. Not a place I would return to for another try.
(1)princessaja g.
This restaurant is the best by far. I eat here every Friday and I enjoy the chicken Parmesan. Must have
(5)Kaylan B.
Zona 78 was just fine. We ordered a salad and pizza to split, and it was tasty but nothing to rave about. Our service was prompt, albeit our server was pretty awkward. Probably the best part is you can walk over to Frost for dessert afterwards - delicious!
(3)Bill W.
For Tucson, this place rocks! Wood fired pizzas and tasty Italian plates, delicious.
(4)Saba B.
The half-price happy hour app menu is short but sweet. Brussels and Bacon is a worthy take on the much-maligned veg, and while the bruschetta could have been toastier, the mussels (not on the half-price happy hour menu) were decadent in a sweet tomato-basil sauce with a little fire. The menu says "wild-caught" calamari, I guess as opposed to farm-raised although I can't imagine squid suffering in sea cages or their flavor being somehow enhanced by floating free in the ocean. I guess I prefer "Free Range Calamari" as I imagine them hopping trains and exchanging road stories around a hobo campfire. Free is always better, I guess. The service is always prompt, knowledgeable and friendly. I would love to see more Zonas pops up around town and further afield.
(4)Niki T.
So last year Zona 78 was at Viva La Local, they had delicious pizza and a lavender lemonade. The staff was incredibly sweet and gave us a bunch of free app cards... Never ended up coming back. Had family in town and the restaurant we wanted to go to was really busy and then we remembered Zona. At 6pm there were tables available but still a good crowd. Hosts were very friendly. Service was decent, food took a while. Ordered bbq pizza and chicken parm. Hubs liked the pizza. I hated it. Bbq sauce had zero flavor. Crust had good flavor but too crispy burnt. I couldn't even eat it... The chicken on the parm was amazing, breading was delicious, cooked perfect. But pasta was boring. Sauce did taste really fresh but lacked flavor. Put a bunch of butter on the pasta so the marinara didn't stay on the pasta. Over all I just wasn't impressed enough to come back. They've got a good beer menu, fun drinks.
(3)Isabelle L.
We ate dinner here on Saturday June 13. We arrived a little before 6:00 pm. We've eaten here several times before, and usually liked it. My husband ordered the Mediterranean pasta and I ordered the Mediterranean pizza with whole wheat crust. We had to wait over half an hour for our entrees. My husband was ready to leave. One thing that a restaurant can do when the wait is long is to bring out appetizers. We received nothing. The restaurant does not include salads with the entrees, and the server did not even bring out any bread. When it finally arrived, my pizza was a huge disappointment. There were virtually no toppings. In the past the pizza had a nice amount of artichokes, feta cheese, and olives, but this was virtually all crust. I was very disappointed and will never return.
(1)Hilda G.
My hubby said he would have been happier with McDonald's instead. We went for Mother's Day dinner and it was just ok. Our appetizer never arrived, our pasta was way under cooked and they were not even that busy to excuse these things from happening on a day that mom expects not to cook. My hubby had the avocado bacon salad and said that the dressing tasted like plain old mayo. On the plus side they had half off the bottle of wine of your choice and the sauces on the pastas were great. We skipped dessert and we are definitely not going back.
(2)S M.
It's the 2010's version of Olive Garden. It's meh food. My mother-in-law really liked it, but she also hates flavor and vegetables. My husband and I found it okay, and will only go back when we don't have to pay.
(3)Paul C.
I used to come to Zona 78 for happy hour from time to time, but today was my first time there for lunch. I went with a group of people from work. There were 6 of us, and the restaurant was otherwise nearly empty. And considering that, service was pretty poor. The waiter took our orders fairly quickly, and brought us our drinks. The food showed up two plates at a time until the 5th plate came alone, leaving me with nothing. The host (or manager?) who brought the food said mine was on its way. Several minutes later, the waiter returned and asked if anybody had told me what happened to my food. It was "overcooked", he said, so he had them remake it. I appreciate not being served food that was cooked incorrectly, but was a little surprised at how long between everyone else's plate and mine. The rest of my group sat there looking awkwardly at their food, and I told them not to bother waiting for me to get mine. Despite that, I didn't penalize the review any stars for this because it's still better than getting burnt food. When my food did arrive, it certainly looked good. I ordered the "Yardbird With An Italian Accent" zeppole, with the "Artichoke Feta" salad. I put the first one in quotation marks because it's a complicated name, and the second one in quotation marks because there was no feta. Well, I did find one chunk of feta, but could not find a second. The others who got the same salad also expressed confusion at the missing feta. The flavor on the salad was good, except for the lack of the much-anticipated feta. The texture, on the other hand, was bad. Some of the artichoke appeared to be leaves rather than hearts, and were very tough to chew. The zeppole itself was like a piece of fried flatbread, folded in half with a sandwich in the middle. Considering this, it held together pretty well. There was way more chicken breast than I would have expected in a sandwich, and the flavor was subtle but pleasant. The flatbread was greasy and not entirely pleasant to eat, similar to Taco Bell's chalupa, but not quite as chewy. The waiter cleared our plates fairly quickly, but was gone 10 minutes before he came back to ask if we wanted to see a dessert menu. For a nearly-empty restaurant with plenty of staff, it seemed like there were a lot of unnecessary delays. The good news at the end, however, was that he had no problem splitting the checks for the 6 of us. I would definitely come back again some time, although I think the prices are a little high for a lunch menu. But I would skip the zeppole and the "artichoke feta" salad.
(3)Brian H.
Zona is a diamond in the rough. Or at least it's an exceptional joint in the desert. I tried it recently while traveling on a suggestion from a co-worker. When I arrived the first question was "have you ever visited us before?" When I answered no I was quickly caught up to speed. Apparently all of the cheeses are produced on site and all of the produce is sourced from a local farm a few miles away (in the desert!). Once seated my waiter was very helpful. I'd already decided on the rainbow trout, but I had to ask him what the story was on this fish in the desert. He explained how it was brought in fresh and how the preparation had been perfected in his opinion. Just a little extra crisp to the skin setting off the texture of the fish... He was dead on. Delicious! While I waited for the check the general manager came around and chatted with me for a few minutes. He had family where I had family and such. A nice guy. He wasn't just visiting me though. I was a stop on his trip around the dining room. You could tell he had a passion for food and making sure his customers got everything they paid for. He even rattled off a few restaurants he'd lost chefs to when I asked who else I should try while in town. Each one had moved up and he took pride in that. If you follow my reviews you know I value few dishes above trout. This wasn't a Catskills prepared river fresh trout, but for a brick oven pizza joint in the middle of the south-western desert it was an amazing substitute! Zona is a must visit!
(5)Chris R.
First, I love the concept of sourcing local foods and supporting local farms! I understand it can cause prices to go up a bit, so Zona's prices area bit more understandable if you look at it that way. Sure, the portions are tiny, but you are keeping money local! Anyway, the food was unfortunately just okay. We had a large group and we were all able to share some meals to an extent. I had some of the following: Chilled Watermelon Soup Wild Caught Sauteed Calamari Cilantro Hummus and Housemade Flatbread Brussles and Bacon Tuscany Pizza Local Beef Bolognase (seasonal) So let's start with the Chilled Watermelon Soup... I was interesting, sounded good, but was rather strange and a bit sour. My girlfriend nailed it when she said it tasted like liquid mexican candy. Sweet, a bit sour, and spicy... strange... but not in a good way... The Cilantro Hummus and Housemade Flatbread was actually pretty good! The hummus was not too shabby, but the Flatbread was awesome! Fresh, hot, soft yet crisp; that stuff was really good. It tasted nice dipped in the Calamari sauce. The Wild Caught Sauteed Calamari was okay, not bad, but the sauce was good. The Brussels and Bacon was good, a really nice combination of flavors. The Tuscany Pizza was, in my opinion, over powered by the flavor and saltiness of the Kalamata olives. The pizza also had a sweetness that was so powerful that it distracted from the other flavors present. I did not want more than one square. Now onto the main star... the Local Beef Bolognase (seasonal)! Luckily, I ordered this dish for myself, so I was able to eat a bunch of this. It was delicious and savory. I opted for the ribbon pasta instead of the linguini. Overall, the service was great and the server was very personable and attentive. He took our watermelon soups off the bill after noticing we were not loving them. He also had a pizza remade for us because he said it did not look proportional. Unfortunately, due to the variance I experienced in the tastiness of the food, I will probably not be coming back on my own accord, but might be willing to try it again with some friends.
(3)Mimi M.
I got a pizza at Zona 78 for takeout. It's hard to find a good gluten-free pizza crust but Zona 78's was the best I've found in Tucson. The guys who work at the front and do takeout orders were very polite and the pizza was ready quickly in spite of how busy the restaurant was. The best part was my gluten-free 10in pizza with 3 toppings came to about $20. That makes their gluten-free pizza, while being the same size as Dominos' GF pizza, not much more but certainly tastier!!!!
(4)Isabella J.
Zona 78 is a tried and true favorite in town, whether you go there for their awesome happy hour specials, for a crisp thin-crust pizza, hand made pasta or decadent dessert, there is something on their menu for everyone to enjoy. Over the years Zona has continued to evolve and they are bringing more and more exciting things to the table that are worth a review just for that! Zona 78 has hosted three pop-up dinners and I finally made it to one of them. Last week they turned Zona 78 into a two-night pop-up restaurant called "Our Table- Farm to Fork. So for two nights they literally stopped all normal Zona 78 operations to host a dinner that showcased the farm to table concept, meaning that the menu was created around locally sourced Tucson ingredients from meat to dairy, produce and even some items that the the Chef/Owner Kevin Fink & staff foraged or grew themselves. For those still trying to understand the concept of locally sourced product/ingredients, local doesn't necessarily limit it to the Tucson area. Let's be real, that would be impossible. Everything on the menu was sourced within 100 miles of Tucson. I believe the fish, which we did not order, came from Mexico. We enjoyed the pop-up dinner on the first night and it turns out the menu for the second night would have different presentations, so I am curious about night two. Dishes we ordered: Mesquite Smoked Ribeye with horseradish Meringue, smoked broccoli and smoked mesquite gel- This is dish was in fact smokey. But not overwhelmingly smokey. The beef was perfectly cooked and all the flavors came together with a nice punch, $19. Beet Textures: Essentially beet in three ways. There was a beet nest (which resembled machaca), beet and goat cannoli, and beet gel. You must like beets to enjoy this homage to the beet. It was unique and creative. $13 Fava Bean Agnolotti in a broth with mint oil and shiso. Agnoloti are a like ravioli. These were small bites filled with fava bean. This dish was also unique in presentation. The flavors were pure. Fava beans have a distinct flavor and they did not mask them with other flavors. $13 Shortrib Risotto with green onion foam and roasted salsify. This was the hit of the night for us. We ordered three for the table! The process of making risotto is slow and requires patience and again this dish was not altered a million ingredients. I rarely order risotto when I go out because often times I find that the risotto is undercooked (as in crunchy) or it's apparent to me that the kitchen takes shortcuts. Not here! This risotto was made with the simplest ingredients and yielded the rich and creamy texture that it should. This dish was heartwarming perfection. $17 Chittarra Pasta with quail egg, sage foam and creme fraiche. Chitarra is a type of handmade pasta that gets its shape when the fresh pasta sheets are placed over an instrument that has strings, or you can also use a special rolling pin. It's like a spaghetti noodle but it it's thicker and textured, which allows it to hold sauce better. I really enjoyed this dish. The sage foam was the binding ingredient in this dish. $12 Our dinner guests also ordered the White peach with house made Culatello $12. I did not get to try it but it was plated beautifully. Dessert: We ordered both on the menu: A chocolate cake with peanut butter and jelly. Hard to describe but this dessert was genius! An elegant way to recreate PB & J subtly. This should be a regular item! We also ordered a fruit tart dessert. Also delicious. With our dinner we sipped on local brews from Dragoon and Ten55. I also enjoyed a glass of Torrontes wine, made by local native Brennan Firth. It was crisp and refreshing and a well crafted wine. I plan on ordering it again! My only gripe is that our server described the dinner as family style, which was a little misleading. The portions were small and conceptual, which is fine, but did not fit the family style mold. And in a group of four or more, the dishes didn't really lend themselves for splitting. We figured that perhaps he meant to say it was tapas style. They also suggested to order a lot, which we did, but it certainly added up! I'm grateful for the team at Zona 78 for stepping away from the norm and bringing a unique experience to our community. It's clear that a lot thought, hard work and technique went into coordinating this menu. From making foams to beet gel, smoking meat and foraging ingredients, this dinner displayed a high level of technique and culinary enthusiasm. I can't wait for the next pop-up dinner!
(5)Magic J.
Zona always does an excellent job. The decor is relaxing and somewhat elegant but without a hint of pretentiousness. The staff is attentive, courteous, and well trained. The menu is varied and everything I've had has been delicious. The cilantro humus is amazing, the cheeses they use for their pizzas and other foods are terrific. The wine and beer menu extensive. The prices are very reasonable.
(5)Helen B.
Ok, born and raised in Chicago for the last (almost) half century. It's the ultimate food town, annoying to say but true. Secondly, I'm Italian. Just moved to this town...yes for the weather and the view but so far NOT the food. I don't even say that as a food snob just as a mere human with taste buds. This place surely had my Sicilian grandma spinning in her grave. I don't understand this place, it definitely has an identity crisis. There is hummus, pizza, pasta, chilled watermelon soup, trout, Zeppole as an entree? I've only ever known that to be an Italian "doughnut" dessert. Cannoli and cupcakes. "BLT" items with chipotle or lemon flavors.....say what. Anyway, I digress. I ordered the blueberry basil mojito. The drink is supposed to be muddled (pressed to release the flavor of basil and/or mint ect.) but all the ingredients were chopped. It was impossible to drink without choking to death, not to mention how unpleasant that sensation is. Think: orange juice with giant pulp x10 (read:vomit). I couldn't get it through the straw either as all the muck stopped it up. My entree was the housemade tagliatelle and I added the housemade sausage. Glad I ordered the sausage because that was the only thing that had any flavor what so ever. There was literally no flavor to the pasta and butter lemon sauce. My husband had the local beef bolognese. It consisted of shredded beef kinda like chunky pot roast consistency and a sauce that tasted akin to chef boyarde and I'm not being facetious. Also, was lukewarm, my husbands major pet peeve. Curiously the manager/owner? came by our table before our entrees arrived and said they just changed the bolognese recipe and that he would be back to ask what we thought. Well, he never came back. Perhaps he read our faces from across the room? It does not give me pleasure to give one star reviews hopefully it's one to grow on for the chef and owner. I mean this place is always packed, another curiosity, so I doubt this will mean anything. Actually the food would be zero stars, the one star is for the nice young lady hostess.
(1)Cheryl A.
It makes me uncomfortable to post this review, but really think it is the right thing to do. I love reviewing excellent restaurants and sharing the good news, so I think it is only fair to share a poor experience. Our party of 6 women went to Zona 78 for a night out. Many of us have enjoyed the place in the past, and were looking forward to excellent italian and drinks. This was a much-awaited occasion, so we were expecting a wonderful experience! Our servers were 2 jokey "comedians" that seemed to be looking to put on a show more than they wanted to provide great customer service. One was the primary server and the other was a trainee. It was all a little intense and scripted. We were only told specials at our request when we interrupted this comedy show. Upon ordering, the main server offered us all side salads with our entrees, so we accepted. Little did we know that these side salads were $6 a pop! Imagine our surprise when we received our bills to learn that we were charged for these side salads, and that they cost that much! It was literally a small plate of greens (no more than 5" in diameter) and dressing, nothing else. It was not even listed on the menu. The issue was less that the salads were pricey - The true issue is that it was not mentioned that they were NOT included with the entree and that there was a charge for them. When expressing my surprise to the main server, he became defensive and said that he explained it when we were ordering (which he clearly had not). He gave some story about how he had shown us the menu to display the half salads on the menu, but that was besides the point as the house side salad was not on the menu. I couldn't believe how he had made this story up. When he could see that I was not satisfied, he offered to bring the manager by. When the manager approached our table, he did not introduce himself to us. He had to be asked if he was the manager, then replied yes and asked what the issue was. I explained what had happened and he simply said that he is sorry that I misunderstood and that he would take it into account. Zero people skills, zero customer service skills. Then he simply walked away.. .! There was nothing he did to make us feel any better about this experience. In fact, it only made it worse. So we resigned to pay for it, and decided this would be our last/only trip to Zona 78. But what made it worse, you ask? :) - As the server returned our credit card receipts to sign, he acted all sad and said that we had made him feel very small. Made HIM feel small? How should we feel as the customer? We were very respectful when expressing our concerns, and we felt this was not reciprocated. He said that never in his 6 years of serving did he experience someone surprised at this charge. This is surprising. I wonder how many people reading this review would be surprised by a $6 a pop side salad that was offered as "would you like a side salad with your entree?" - My friend asked if he could throw in a couple extra pieces of pita for the hummus as she was getting it wrapped up to go. He said "No problem!" As you may have expected, we were nickle-and-dimed again by a $1.50 charge on the bill. Again, it's not the price itself that is the issue (as she probably would have been fine with it), but why wasn't this charge mentioned instead of pretending he was doing us a favor? - We noticed that it was almost as if there was a playbook that they were going by, for how to service a table full of women. At one point, the main server asked "Can I bring you anything else, like my phone number?" which was kinda funny, but a little inappropriate. The message coming across was definitely to charm us more than do their job (e.g. our water glasses were mostly empty while they kept pushing another bottle of wine). - As we got up to leave, the servers were laughing very loudly at the table next to us about us(!) Way to smooth things over. In conclusion, we felt that there was a lack of respect shown to our party by all 3 of the individuals with whom we interacted. I've honestly never received such poor service, period. This is no way to run a business that must be supported by the community to sustain itself. For the sake of the owner(s), I hope these service issues are resolved so that there is some hope left for its survival.
(2)Nathan A.
I have been twice in the past week. Menu is very inventive and food was excellent each time. The service on the first visit was excellent, but barely adequate the second visit. The server seemed rushed (you could almost see the smoke coming out of her ears), and on several occasions walked away from the table with incomplete orders (first drinks, then food). She also seemed annoyed by questions about the menu (with a menu this creative, questions should not be a surprise). I'll chalk it up to our server having an off night. I will definitely be back.
(4)Zachary H.
Really quite good. The Caesar kale zeppoli was very good. The pizza boy was good but lost points for being. A bit too greasy. Really pretty good all around. Keeping it short because it was good.
(4)Jme M.
Our office went for our Xmas lunch. It was my first time here, I ordered the Mediterranean pasta with chicken. When I saw my plate I thought they got my order wrong and gave me salmon instead of chicken. That was not the case, my chicken was so undercooked and pink that everyone at my table thought I ordered salmon. I sent my order back and they remade it. I understand it takes time to redo everything but by the time I got my food back everyone was done with their meal, so I'm sitting at the table eating my meal by myself. I just wonder why they would let chicken go out that raw? Over all my first impression was not a good one.
(2)Judi K.
This is the first place I eat at when I arrive in Tucson. I have a second home there and come down 4-5 times a year I go at happy hour to get the good wine prices and eat the Best. Pizza. Ever for $5 The pizza Bianco, which is a marvel of deliciousness in its simplicity Usually get a salad- all are good, especially the BLT salad - and a small is easily shareable Generally share an entree also but this time I wanted the fettuccine Alfredo with wild shrimp and since my husband does not eat shrimp he got the Bolognese When our entrees were delivered his order was correct, mine was not No biggie- our server had pushed the wrong button on ordering and she assured me my meal would come soon It did- but in their rush to get it to me quickly the shrimp were terribly undercooked, almost like sushi At this point I was feeling full enough so sent it back with no other requests Soon thereafter the manager stopped by to offer his apologies I was very impressed On a visit to another restaurant EL Corrall I had some problems with my meal and asked to speak to the manager and was ignored We chatted a bit , I assured him that I Was still a loyal customer ( Ahh that Pizza Bianco!) and would return That was not enough for him He told me he would make another order of my pasta to take home in case I got hungry Unbelievable customer service, the gold standard Highly recommended
(5)David A.
This place is going downhill. First of all, we waited a LONG time to get our food, let along even give our orders. Our server wasn't too nice and when he brought over a pitcher to refill our water, there was just ice poured so it looked like the cup was filled because the ice took up a lot of space. Enough of that. The guy messed up on my brothers pasta. He asked for GF and they screwed up. They ran out of beef so my sister couldn't get the skirt steak she was hoping for. My pizza was okay. Too much oil but it was fine. I have no need to go back for a while.
(2)Anita G.
Visited Zona 78 for the first time for lunch. Nice atmosphere and friendly staff. I have only 2 complaints. The menu was lacking descriptions for some items so we had to ask what things were and the spaghetti sauce was very spicy. The BLT Avacado salad was very good and the Mediterranean Pasta was also very good. There were only 2 pasta dishes on the lunch menu: Mediterranean Pasta and Spaghetti and Meatballs. Neither of them had a description. We asked about what was in the Mediterranean Pasta, but I didn't think of asking anything about the Spaghetti. The meatballs were huge and very good but the sauce was just way too spicy for any of us to enjoy. It left my mouth and lips burning. I just don't enjoy many spicy foods and spicy does not agree with my tummy. If there had been a description on the menu saying it was a spicy sauce I would have ordered something else. I'm sure lots of people love the spicy sauce as to me it had great flavor but was just too spicy for my wimpy taste buds and tummy. I'm sure we will try Zona 78 again and next time I'll ask more questions so I'm not disappointed with something too spicy for me to enjoy.
(3)Tera E.
I've been going to Zona off and on for years.. I think the first time was probably in 2006. The staff is always wonderful - very professional, attentive and personable. I think their prices are great for the quality of their food and level of service they provide. I love love love their fresh ingredients! I can't seem to get enough of their house made cheeses and other local offerings. Every time I come I end up starting with the beet salad and usually get a different entree. Last time I got the pork osso buco... the goat cheese polenta was what caught my eye and was definitely the best part. They seem to switch up their cocktail offerings every so often which keeps it fun for the regulars. I usually order a prickly pear margarita which even though it isn't always on the menu they will make. They also usually have a few local beers on tap which is great. Although I don't have any dietary restrictions I also appreciate that even being an Italian restaurant which is known for being very carb heavy they make an effort to accommodate those with gluten intolerance and note those dishes on the menu... even the pizza can be made with gluten free dough (for a hefty upcharge of $5). Definitely a local favorite. I'm hoping they host another farm to table event soon like the did in August because I missed that one but it sounded amazing!
(5)Randy W.
We went in on a busy Friday evening for a quick bite and a beer. Not wanting to wait for a table, we sat up at the bar. The food was tasty and the beer cold, but the service was terrible. Bartenders were so busy talking to each other and one of their friends, that everyone else (and the bar was full) was pretty much ignored. Maybe a little training and/or supervision would help....unless, of course, the manager we also the bartender. Anyway, we'll probably go back, as the place is convenient and the food's good. Hope the service is better next time....or it'll be the last. Hope you step it up, Zona.
(3)Lauren L.
I can't not give this place 5 stars.. it deserves every one of them! When I used to live nearby I loved stopping by after work to have dinner with a group of friends. Everything we ordered was always delicious. Their white garlic pizza is ABSOLUTELY to die for. My mouth is watering right now just imagining it... oh how I miss Tucson! This is also the kind of place where you can turn it into a tapas tasting meal with a group. They aren't know for it but totally doable.
(5)Tony F.
Zona 78 is a good restaurant, has great ambiance for date night. The food was a little disappointing for the price. I had the Tuscany pizza which boasted in-house made sausage. While the sausage had good flavor, it did not give the overall pizza flavor something special. Also the waiter did mess up the order a bit as I asked for no onions. Good place to go if you have some extra cash but there are better options out there.
(3)Thomas O.
Just had New Years Eve dinner. We chose the multi course menu. It was one of the finest meals we have had in years. Not a flaw in the 10 items we had between the two of us. Our group of five thought everything was was exceptional. Nice job Zona!
(5)Jessica H.
Wow -- after Yelp's Pleydate I have been craving Zona 78's homemade noodles. We went last week and were not disappointed. Seriously their house made pasta, in-house cured meats and delicious plates cannot be beat. I don't even really like Italian food (it's generally too heavy for me), but I would recommend Zona 78 to anyone looking for a good restaurant in town. Not to mention how wonderful our service was. Our waitress was friendly, helpful and even gave us a few tips we can use next time we come in (get a half size of a pasta and add the salmon). I was so bummed when we got turned away from Sushi Garden because they were 15 minutes from close -- we walked into Zona maybe 10 minutes before they shut the doors, but we were never rushed or treated rudely. Everyone was so wonderful. Great food, great service.
(5)Jim B.
Pizza was great. Nice and quiet tonight. Nice place to chat over a bite with s friend.
(4)Deb B.
O.M.G. AMAZING food! I had the Orecchiette Alfredo which featured the best homemade pasta I've ever had, cooked to al dente perfection. And, while the Gorgonzola made this dish technically *not* Alfredo, standard Alfredo (or what passes for it in most restaurants) will now always pale in comparison for me. Just fabulous. My husband had the Housemade Tagliatelle with the house-made sausage and, as good as my Alfredo was, I'll be ordering that the next time we go (which can't be too soon): The sauce was to-die-for, the pasta, again, perfectly cooked and the sausage divine. And, to top it all off, the restaurant itself was casually elegant and nicely laid-out and the service was mostly very good as well. (A bit slow to start, even though it wasn't busy at all when we went in, but it picked up after we were served.) I am SO glad I talked my husband out of his fall-back fave for Italian (Olive Garden!) and into trying a local spot. We'll be back, often!
(5)Mon G.
This pizza place has sophisticated feel without being snobby. We always opt for the dining area, where you can either get a table or a booth, but the tables tend to be fairly close to one another. Two things to try in this place is their whole wheat crust, which is thin, crunchy and delicious, and their house-made mozzarella!
(4)Christian M.
Super busy on Friday night, and though they don't take reservations they do put people who "call in" ahead of you on the list, even if they called in after you checked in for table . AMBIENCE: 4 stars. I really like the feel of this restaurant--it is warm and inviting, the back of the restaurant has a brick oven for pizza and you can see where most of the food is prepped. The bar is great. One caveat--it is ALWAYS packed after 5--expect a wait, and grab a table in the bar if you can. SERVICE: Host Staff: 2 stars. OK, maybe this is not fair. We were greeted promptly, given a wait time of 20 minutes (which is GREAT for Friday night); the problem is that we ended up waiting almost an hour (55 minutes, but who is really keeping track). There is not ANYPLACE in Tucson that I would wait that long for--but she kept saying that we would be next, etc--so we waited. The problem is those phone-in's that seem to somehow be a reservation that isn't actually a reservation (since they don't take them)--BUT it gives those people apparent priority over those of us who just walk in off the street. She was polite, and this is very unlikely to be her fault at all--but a policy/management issue. Wait staff/Bar staff: 4.5 stars. Great service, great knowledge of menu, and super efficient and energetic. Once we got to the table we were very well taken care of. Managment: 4 stars. We do not usually complain, but my wife did make our situation known to the manager and he was very nice, helped get us seated, got us an appetizer on the house, etc--so that effort was much appreciated. FOOD: 4 stars. I am ALWAYS happy here--from the Chop-Chop salad which is probably my favorite salad in Tucson to the fresh pasta and homemade mozzarella to the brick oven pizza--everything is very good. COCKTAILS: I am a margarita snob, but I love their margarita--it is not on the menu currently, but they still make it---just ask the bartender and she will know what you mean! OVERALL: 4 stars. Despite our issues with the wait, we will keep coming back here (though we may call ahead next time!!)
(4)Tony N.
I have been coming there for years, usually once or twice a week for lunch, I always ordered ordered the chop chop salad with bacon as a wrap. Then all of a sudden the manager said they could not do it as a wrap anymore and they were changing their menu, the part that made me walk out was it was still on their menu. Seriously, how hard is it to wrap something. There was ni attempt made at customers service, I got the impression of take it or leave it, so I left. Sad because the food is good but lack any form of customers service from the server to the manager.
(2)Linda S.
I'm from the East Coast and this restaurant reminds me of California Pizza Kitchen. Good food and good service. The avocado, bacon BLT salad was very good.
(4)Nali M.
i will never get tired of zona 78!! we went again tonight when we were both tired from work and not wanting to deal with cooking dinner. i always get their bianco pizza and modify it slightly to my own taste. (try throwing some ricotta cheese on there! it's amazingggggg!!!) i noticed on their kids menu that they have pizza dough for kids to play with. i totally zoned out and didn't ask for any for our three year old. but it's a great idea for next time!! the wait staff is always very efficient and gracious at the same time. even with this place being packed to the gills tonight, everything we ordered came with great timing. keep up the good work, zona! see you guys again real soon ^_^
(5)Josh F.
Hey now! So I really wanted to love Zona 78 as I'm an east coaster always looking for awesome italian.... The night started great....we ordered the Bianco Pizza which is basically thin crust garlic bread pizza topped with some truffle oil! Really freaking good...I didn't even care it was a little oily via some times being a little fat-assie is so delicious! From there, sadly pretty downhill...I was really excited to see fresh pasta on the menu...but honestly it just didn't taste like fresh pasta...I believe that it was homemade but for whatever reason it just didn't have that really great grandma rolled pasta flavor. The pasta comes in a butter sauce which really should help the pasta stand out (eh) but is also way to greasy and lacked flavor...and not the good oily like on the Bianco Pizza! Even the sausage in the pasta was lackluster and just needed more seasoning and flavor. Miss Keri rocked the rigatoni bolognese and while she liked it ok, it was "good not great" and we could probably make it better at home.... I will say our server was very friendly, they had a great draft beer selection, and pretty good wine by the glass selection (although beer list is quite a bit better). All in all I think our bill was around $100 and I think next time I got back would be just for happy hour and a Bianco pizza!
(3)Anne P.
I was super excited to check out Zona 78 after hearing that they serve local food. My husband and I went for lunch and ordered a pizza to split, and it was pretty good. I don't know if it was because of the time of day, but the service was incredibly slow. I had to get up from the table to get the check from our waiter. Granted, the workers were very, very nice, they kind of just forgot about us. Overall, a good place to grab a solid Italian bite.
(4)Amanda N.
This place is so close to 4 stars for a nice neighborhood Italian restaurant. I ordered the Caesar salad and the homemade tagliatelle noodles with a lemon cream sauce. I liked the Caesar dressing because it contained no anchovy. The sun dried tomatoes were a nice addition but I wish they were a little bit harder and without pits. I really enjoyed the lemon cream sauce and the tagliatelle was cooked to perfection.
(3)M K.
As much as I like the food quality, the wait staff is not skilled in delivering food. Bringing the second course while you are still eating 1st is annoying. So I would recommend ordering your courses separately. This resturant is not a 1st choice for me. I pay for it all-food, service, atmosphere.
(2)Shane P.
Awesome place, and love that they use local as much as possible and love gluten free on the menu, the pizza is amazing pasta is amazing it's all amazing, this location is a little noisy though, if you want a more quiet setting try the river rd location.
(4)Mark S.
It's Saturday afternoon. My wife and I have spent the morning doing chores and part of the afternoon doing errands. Time for happy hour! It's always assumed we are going to Zona 78. In the previous review, I mention that the food has been hit or miss. The last few times we have been there it's been more of a hit. We visited during restaurant week a while back. Their special was: A salad for each, a pizza to share, a dessert to share and a bottle of wine. The price for all this: $30... a great deal. We each had a Caesar salad, which was just OK. We split the Tuscany pizza, which I really enjoyed. The fennel on the pizza was a nice complement to the other salty, earthy ingredients. The wife did not care so much for the portobellos on it. She does not like mushrooms. I snagged the ones she extracted from her pizza. Dessert was obviously forgettable, because I can't remember what it was. As I mentioned, all of this was washed down with a bottle of wine. They have beer (all their beers are high-end stuff), wine and well drink specials to accompany 1/2 price appetizers during happy hour. Some samplings: Beer: Squatters Hoprising Double IPA - high alcohol content, hoppy and slightly sweet... A beer-drinker's beer. Garlic Bread with mozzarella cheese, served with a side of rustic sauce - this is our go-to item. For the $4.75 price tag during happy hour, you can make a meal out of it. Cilantro Hummus - a recent discovery. A generous portion, served with warm flatbread.. very nice. Happy hour price: $3.25 Calamari - not your typical calamari. Served in a creamy, spicy broth that is just drinkable. Unfortunately, the hot broth almost assures it will be overcooked. Slivers of fennel, again, are a nice addition. It will set you back $4.25 during happy hour. Heather M. mentions that the menu does not change very often. This is true, although the beer selection seems to rotate. I do wish for more variety as in the food. We go here quite often. Changes in the menu would be nice, but if they ever remove the garlic bread from their appetizer menu or change their recipe for the rustic sauce, I may question my loyalty.
(4)Ty F.
Is this a chain? Has a sort of chain restaurant feel. Went for happy hour which I don't usually do since some restaurants can be crowded. There were about 3 tables open in the bar when we got there. The drinks were great (1st mojito) to pretty good (2nd mojito) and at half price, it can't be beat! The charcuterie plate thingy was good and yummy. Ordered an gf pizza which had a thin hard crust and had not so much cheese. Could have used more cheese. Service was good, not great. Overall, a good chain restaurant experience. This is a chain, right? Will I be back? Likely not. I prefer the organic pizza place better though they don't have a full bar.
(3)Jan E.
I ordered the Beet and Goat Cheese salad and was VERY disappointed. There were 4 small chunks of beets with maybe a tablespoon of white shredded beets on a HUGE mound of mixed greens with maybe 2 teaspoons of goat cheese in all. Definitely not worth the $10 I paid for the salad. The menu should really read Mixed Green Salad with sprinkles of beets and goat cheese! Beets aren't that expensive and I was really looking forward to more than I was served. I will probably stick to the pizza from now on as it is usually very good.
(2)Rich Y.
There are some miscellaneous charges here and there. I actually have to pay $1 to write this review. Kidding, but I wouldn't put it past them to do that. I haven't been burned by a hidden charge like other reviewers but I do see where the confusion is. Read carefully, order carefully, and enjoy some good food.
(4)Miranda J.
I had heard great things about Zona 78 as a brand (I have friends who rave about the other location's great service and company philosophy), so I decided to try it one Thursday night with my husband when I did not feel like cooking a full dinner. Our evening was not started on a good note. My husband and I walked up to the hostess desk upon arrival asking for a table outside since it was freezing cold inside. The hostesses (yes, there were two of them) gave us the blankest, rudest stares and then proceeded to say that we could seat ourselves wherever we wanted. We took the menus and went to a seat outside, which the hostesses were only kind enough to point out the way to after we stood there a little confused for a second. We were seated outside (on a slightly dirty table) waiting for quite a long time before anyone came to see us even though we were not the only ones outside. We finally were asked our drink orders and proceeded with our evening. When our appetizers were brought out, which was by someone other than the server taking our order (whom we barely saw at all), they were given to the wrong table. Honest mistake, no biggie. Except it happened again with both of our meals, which were not even brought out complete (I had to remind them about a side dish they'd forgotten to bring out). This was a little frustrating because it had taken so long to get the food in the first place. The food was also all cold, which might have been due to the fact that we couldn't even start eating when we got our food because we had not been given any silverware. Overall, the service was just horrible. While we were outside we noticed that another couple was seated by the hostess; I guess they were customers of higher importance than us. The server didn't even introduce herself to us; she more or less just rushed in and out getting the little bit of information she needed to take our orders. The food was good but not great, and it definitely was not worth the horrible attitudes and service we encountered. I did not feel like we were respected or treated well at all. I definitely would not recommend this location to anyone at all. I might try the other location to see how it compares.
(1)Michelle G.
Zona.... How i love thee..... If i was stranded on a desert i could live off of those tiny Red pepperpoos that are on the anti pasto plate alone....Absolutely fabulous ambience, service, and the food.... The food is amazing. And just a note, the manager Paul stopped by our table during our visit, what a fabulous and passionate manager! Thank you for your excellent service Tam! Each time I go, I become more addicted...... Zona! Yum yum yum
(5)Annie L.
Came here after work to grab some dinner with my girls and boy, was I lucky to have discovered such a gem. I'm still fairly new to Tucson and coming from San Diego, I have high expectations for food and service. Zona 78 just exceeded all of my expectations. Customer service was top notch, I wish I could remember my server's name. She was so personable, we all felt like she was joining us for girls night. We ordered and shared the Antipasti Platter, BBQ Chicken & Pizza Boy Pizzas. The Antipasti Platter had the perfect amount for sharing between 3 hungry girls, the pickled peppers were by far my favorite. BBQ Chicken Pizza is always my "go-to" when offered on any menu and I have to say that it was tasty but could've done without the shredded chicken. It was on the dry side and lacked flavor. Pizza Boy Pizza was the highlight of the night. The pizza sauce was robust and full of flavor with the perfect amount of acidity. The toppings were delectable and I wish I had been able to consume more. All in all, wonderful place. I'd definitely bring my visitors here.
(5)Christy F.
I was thrilled to find a place that is farm to table oriented. What I mean, is that they deal with local growers for their produce and meat as much as possible. Another fact that I was excited about was that they make their a lot of their own cheese. AND it is mad from pasteurized milk, aka. safe for pregnant women! We started with the cauliflower app. I high recommend it and I am stealing the recipe and roasting myself some asap. I had the burrata pizza on whole wheat. Burrata means "buttered" and was rich, fresh and melted like butter. It was goooood. Warning it is heavy on sauce and light on cheese overall. But they do not skimp on the burrata. My husband had the house special pizza on regular crust. I liked the fennel sausage, but the pizza had too much going on for my tastes. Since they have their own pastry chef, I felt the need to try the white chocolate salted caramel bread pudding. I didn't really get white chocolate, but it was tasty. The food was good and reasonably priced. However, I found the apps pricey. 10 dollar garlic bread? Our server was fantastic. He was on my husband's refills like a stalker. I am super curious about the pop up dinners they are hosting and would love to attend!
(4)Jason H.
Food was good. Caesar salad was tasty and the chicken parm was very good as well... I would say the good was four stars.. The service however was closer to 2 stars.. Our waitress took half our orders and then split... Weird! Maybe just a off night... I would try it again though because the good was good...
(3)Barnum G.
My husband and I split the antipasti, which was very good. We waited to order our pizza, specifically so we would not have our appetizer and pizza on the table at the same time. Well you can guess what happened. The pizza came out while we were still trying to enjoy our appetizer. That really was a huge disappointment, especially because we felt we had to rush through our remaining appetizer to ensure our Pizza Boy was still warm. We were very happy with the quality of the meal. Very nice flavor. Quantity of food... Lacking. Went out for more food afterward. Will I go back, yes. But not for dinner.
(4)Erin C.
We went there this past weekend to celebrate my moms birthday. This is only the 2nd time I've been and have always had great service-that might be the highlight. The waitress we had was great and helpful in selecting a bottle of wine. However, once we ordered it they were out! So I tried the blind wine challenge- watch out, cause it reads funny on the menu and you only get the glass free if you guess correct, not the bottle. I showed it to the mgr who was less than interested in the feedback and did nothing to remedy the situation. We ordered a variety of salads and pizzas for everyone to share. The BBQ chicken Pizza and Caesar salad were there favorites. Both were delicious and definitely big enough to share. I've never tried the pastas but they look delicious! Next for dessert, they were once again out of everything! They only had the cannolis left which did not look good. Extremely disappointing to be out of wine and dessert!! The mgr better start planning better! Maybe if he actually listened to his customers he'd be ok ;) All in all good food and excellent service. Hopefully you go on a night when they're not sold out of all the good stuff
(4)Kim M.
Was at the River Rd location with my kids for a quick dinner. Have been going to this restaurant at both locations for years. Usually get a salad with grilled chicken as I did tonight. The chicken was grilled and smelled so bad that try as I might, I couldn't eat even the salad. My 10 year old daughter kept asking what smells so bad. I asked the waiter to take the whole thing away. A guy then came to the table, didn't introduce himself or tell me who he was but assured me the chicken was fine and there was nothing wrong with it . Um except that it smelled like feces. Honestly, I have been to this restaurant at Tanque verde many times. Is it good customer service to tell the customer something is absolutely fine when they complained and didn't eat it? They actually took it off the check which surprised me BUT I don't think I will be going back.
(1)Wendy A.
Last night went back to give this place a second chance. I mean it has such great possibilities! Close and it's Italian!!! So we went back and boy was it awesome! We were seated by Paul I believe he was the manager nice guy discussed food and football. Then had Rhea as a server she was so knowledgeable! And from New Orleans' so she has to be awesome! She and my husband discussed beer and what was close to his new fave the Dogfish head 90 minute IPAD and she nailed it he was happy. She gave me a suggestion on the wine and it was great as well. Started with a scallop dish with sun dried tomatoes it was the best scallop ever! Then a tomato and mozzarella salad that we split. My husband is NOT the biggest salad fan and he said he LOVED the salad. They make the mozzarella fresh and you can tell! They need to sell it for it was delectable! For my entree I chose the pork osso bucco that had goat cheese polenta. My husband had chicken Parmesan with bologenese sauce. The pasta was fresh! The osso bucco melted in my mouth as did the polenta too bad I was so full! My husband loved his as well. Kevin was our chef that night and he came out just to make sure we enjoyed it all and we did. He also got my husband to try the cheesecake tres leche and it was good I had to try a bite. Overall one of the best experiences I have ever had! The service was so welcoming and the food spectacular! We will be back!
(5)Elizabeth N.
I have been to this place on multiple occasions but had yet to write a review. The servers and food are fantastic. I wish they would have non-alcoholic cocktails on their menu. I also wish that they would bring back some of their old menu items (such as the Burrata Caprese). Their homemade mozzarella tastes great. We always get their signature pizzas and I have not had any complaints about those. Overall, great establishment :)
(4)Chef Nomad ..
I dined there wih friends while staying in Tucson, AZ. We started with the Cilantro Hummus and Chef Salad. For Entrees, we had the Bianco and Tuscany Pizzas. On of the Tuscanys we ordered the freshly made Zona-mozzeralla cheese substituted in. All was very good as was the service. Wine list is more than adequate as is the beers on tap.
(4)Bob B.
The hostess was rude . She handed us the menus and directed us to the bar where we sat for 15 minutes befoe anyone came by to check if we were ready to order. The food was average , reasonably priced , overall dissapointing.
(1)Kate L.
After my loving yet lukewarm review of the Tanque Verde 78 (compared to the awesomeness that is the River site), I received a wonderful email from Kevin (owner/chef). He was grateful for my feedback, concerned as to how they could improve, and asked me to return again to see if they could get it right. So recently, my husband I and decided to come back and take Kevin up on his offer. We went at 5 pm, hoping to beat most of the dinner rush (no dice, it was still hopping but at least we didn't have to wait for a table!) and bring our 1 year old as a TRUE test of their efficiency (and patience, god bless 'em!). We were very happy to catch them during their happy hour time (wines discounted, and half price apps)... We ordered my favorite, the hummus, as well as a Blanco pizza for the kiddo to munch on. The last time the hummus was a little off, almost a little too limey? This time it was right on point--a mirror to the River recipe and totally delicious. The Blanco is always tasty to me and this time was no different. Our apps were brought quickly, despite the QUICKLY accelerating dinner rush. Our dinner followed shortly thereafter (a blessing when a long, leisurely dinner is no longer an option for the pint sized drill sgt. we must now accommodate). I ordered my favorite, the Mediterranean pasta (minus the olives, extra artichokes) and my husband got his usual the Pizza Boy (a meat lovers type pizza). Everything was on standard for what I expect from Zona. Delicious, generous (enough for leftovers the next night), and fresh. Throughout the evening, I had a very friendly owner come over to check in with us and chat... I appreciated the special attention (I did let our waitress know I was a return Yelper on Kevin's request). He even brought over some raw pizza dough for my son to play with! Though I cringed every time the dough would go flying to the floor, it was a lovely bit of entertainment for him and allowed me and my hubby a little time to relax and enjoy some tasty wine. I love their kids menu--mini pizza and a drink for about $6, great deal and my kiddo LOVES their cheese. Kevin even came out from the kitchen at one point, thanked us for returning and gave us a special tasting of a dish... and al dente cheese pasta. I'm not an al dente person but liked it, my husband is an al dente person and thought it was great. I wish I could remember the name but I'm sure of you ask a waitress (it has an orange colored sauce) they will know what you're talking about. All around it was a great experience... as long as the kitchen is able to keep up speed-wise with the popularity of this spot (and of course keeping the food quality at their standard), Zona will continue to be one of my very favorite places. I do have a couple of wish list items: 1) Magically make more parking appear! This is wishful thinking, it's a great location but a small lot. C'est la vie! 2) Add some low tables to your outdoor seating area. I wouldn't mind sitting outside, but impossible with a high chair... and it's not my favorite when when I'm adult-only dining. Full disclosure: Zona did comp my wine and one appetizer on my return. This did not influence my opinion in any way (but it was very nice, thanks Kevin).
(5)Ray C.
I've ordered a BBQ Chicken Pizza and it was like heavenly! I requested for more BBQ sauce and it made the pizza even MUCH better! I think this is definiatey my new favorite places to dine out! My friend wanted me to add this part, it was one of the best Italian restaurants in Tucson :-)
(5)Alex H.
I have been to two locations now and they are both wonderful. The service is quick and nice and the food is amazing. I would recommend this resturarnt to student who have family in town or date night.
(5)Rachel L.
Zona 78 is my favorite restaurant. Their mediterranean pizza and mediteranean penne pasta are to die for. They also have a milk stout that the best I have ever tasted. My teenager consistently gets a make your own pizza with goat cheese. I can't recommend this place enough!
(5)Tiffany T.
The food here is delicious and happy hour is always popular. Everytime I go here the service is wonderful. The location is also great seeing as I live minutes away.
(5)Betsy Z.
My husband and I went to Zona 78 on a Friday night. It had a nice, cozy Italian atmosphere. We split a bottle of their rotating red. It was very good, and they were kind enough to cork it for us so we could bring it home. We split a caesar salad. The dressing was really good - not too creamy, with a lot of flavor. My husband ordered the rigatoni and I had the fresh pasta. I loved my meal. I could really tell that the past was made in-house. I would definitely go back to Zona!
(4)Davida O.
Good was fabulous and service awesome! We were so thrilled to have found it on yelp!!
(5)Elsbeth P.
We came here for an early dinner on a Saturday evening. Overall it was a pleasant experience, our waitress was very attentive and our orders came out promptly correctly. Why 4 stars? It echoes previous reviewers' complaints of being nickeled and dimed. They've recently redone their menu so I mistakenly ordered the wrong salad, but I didn't complain because I realized it was my fault when it came out. They used to have this awesome salad with fresh greens, slices of mozarella and giant slices of local tomatoes. What I got was a caprese salad which was delicious, but not quite what I'd expected. My bad for not asking the server before I ordered it. Our BBQ chicken pizza on whole wheat crust was hot and fresh, and delicious as usual. Our dining partner, a vegan, ordered a cheeseless pizza with veggies, including tomatoes. The server asked if she wanted the tomatoes diced, which I thought was odd but didn't give it a second thought until the bill came- the diced tomatoes were $1 extra! Glutenfreepizzacrust says what? I'll continue to go back to Zona 78 for the delicious food and drinks- their happy hour really is unbelievable, but next time I wll be more careful with the extra charges!
(4)Lauren K.
Zona 78 is a pretty good place. It's not super authentic pizza or Italian food, but what they do tastes good. We've had multiple appetizers. The mozzarella garlic bread is a HUGE appetizer, with plenty of fresh garlic and lots of cheese. Very, very tasty. The prosciutto, brie, and apple app was also very tasty, but a little bit on the smaller side. Still a good first few bites for two people to share. The white pizza is another HUGE app, with tons of flavor, and worth trying. The cilantro hummus wasn't my cup of tea. Best of all, though, is that they are all discounted on the happy hour menu! The pizza is enough for two people to share. We usually build our own with pepperoni, fontina, and caramelized onions. The pepperoni is cut thin, and has just the right amount of spicy flavor. It is higher quality than most pepperonis I've had on pizza or sandwiches. The caramelized onions are just slightly sweet, and cooked til they are nice and soft and tender. The atmosphere is nice and a little upscale feeling. The prices are reasonable. The service can be hit or miss, but lately it's been pretty decent. The parking lot can be a huge pain in the butt because it is pretty small. Overall, a good restaurant and good dining experience.
(4)Chef H.
The new lunch menu is a little disappointing, the Zeppole ( Italian fritter which can be sweet or savory) is not what we expected. We received a sandwich made with Zeppole dough, that should be more explained on the menu.
(3)Tom M.
Good food, but you'll have to find the right food to your liking. Had the cheese sandwich with tomato soup and it was great. Tried my sons Alfredo and it was okay (sauce seemed powdery or too rich). Good atmosphere as well. Now service is hit or miss. Had good experiences and bad. Last visit just a couple days ago was horrible. Waiter walks up and does not say anything. Were we supposed to propose questions or read his mind? He eventually asked us what we wanted to drink. Drinks ran empty. There was no discussion or even acknowledgement after we said thank you. Definitely not coming back for awhile. Just providing my observations. Hope it helps...3 stars would be 4 stars if service was better.
(3)M C.
This restaurant was wonderful! We were instantly greeted upon walking thought the door and promptly seated. We stuck to the basics since it was our first time here. We shared a Caesar salad and the Tuscany pizza. Both were delicious! We did not try desert because I was craving gelato which is in the same shopping center. We will definitely be returning!
(5)elmo s.
The food was fantastic and the service was awful, it took 50 minutes to get our food. Our server never came over to tell us why it was taking so long. Then she brought the wrong check. Left her $1 which was too much. The manager was good, but you have too wonder about the training. Overall will give it one more try, but will go to the River store if they strike out again. Such a shame!
(2)Mimi M.
Love this place! I come here often. The service is fantastic, so is the food. One time my pizza was a little too over cooked. I actually didn t notice until my waiter said they were making a new one and I could keep this one to take home if I wanted. I thought that was a very nice gesture.
(5)Kate N.
Came here with my family to celebrate my dad's birthday. First impression was rough just because it seemed like they were having some communication issues with how long people needed to wait to be seated. They were telling people about 20 minutes and they would seat them "as fast as they could" when really they should have been saying 30-45 minutes, and "we'll let you know as soon as something is available." Needless to say, we waited for quite a while. However, when we did get a seat our waiter arrived promptly and gladly took our entire order (because we all looked at a menu while we waited and sat down prepared). Food came pretty quickly and everyone was happy. I had the spaghetti with meatballs. A generous portion of meatballs was a top perfectly al dente pasta and a sprinkle of great cheese. The sauce, however, definitely had a kick to it that I wasn't expecting. Definitely spicy. Mom had the Cesar Salad that was great. Dad had the chicken parm, which he said was good. And my sister had the Mediterranean Pasta. She said it was good, but should have just been called pesto pasta because it was swimming. I'd come back!
(3)Anthony B.
My Wife and I have been here several times and had an excellent experience every time, We Had An incident with a manager over the food at one point in time I was personally contacted by the owner of the establishment and the details of the incident were handled accordingly in a very professional manor. However we have not been back since
(2)Willanne W.
A friend and I met for lunch here a week or so ago. I hadn't eaten here in years. We each had the Roasted Tomato Basil Soup. I'd put it more in the bisque category as it was very heavy on the cream. The basil, while fresh and tasty was probably a Thai basil and had a very strong anise flavor which wasn't great with the cream base. Needed more tomatoes too. We shared a Mediterranean Pizza which was very nice. Loved the whole wheat option for the crust and the thin crispy crust was wonderful. A very nice pizza. Excellent service with a very pleasant waitress. I found the prices a tad on the high side for lunch but everything was very fresh. I'd be happy to eat here again.
(4)Jennifer D.
I enjoy going to Zona 78 for their happy hour! They have great outdoor seating area, that when the night is cool it's a great place to have a nice bottle of wine. The staff is great and wonderful, they are very knowledgable to what is ont he menu. Great date place!
(3)Maison J.
My family loves this restaurant from their beer selection to their entrees. When you go, try their appetizers especially the bruschetta options -- if you are there during happy hour they are 1/2 off! We also love their pizzas, salads, and pasta entrees. We have also always had great service.
(5)Morgen K.
I went to Zona 78 with a girlfriend and we went for happy hour. Their happy hour was pretty good. We shared their brushetta and their antipasto platter. The food was great but the service was slow. The best thing about our food was their delicious bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
(3)Teri B.
This place cooks from scratch. They make their own pizza dough, sauces and cheeses.....the food is very good. Service has always been great. The cilantro hummus was delicious as well as their homemade bread. I haven't liked some of the wines, but that may be my own choosing. Great healthy happy hour!!
(4)Elyse P.
I've been here a couple times and have never been disappointed. The bruschetta with sweet ricotta and prosciutto was fantastic, as was the cilantro hummus. And the Mediterranean pizza was incredible. My fiance recommends the chicken parmesan and the vegetable lasagna was tasty as well. Oh, and it's a silly name, but I always order the Kung Fu Girl Riesling. In addition to the great food, the atmosphere is calm and cozy. I most definitely recommend.
(4)Susan C.
I have eaten here many times, never been unhappy once. Last week I went with my sisters, I ordered the steak and it was so good. The side of green beans was great too, not over cooked. I think the prices are fair too, and the waiter was very nice and prompt. I will continue to recommend Zona!
(5)K M.
This place is a restaurant version of what guys will call a "Chick-Flick, but a good chick-flick." Good food, the handmade pizzas - request your personalized ingredients are good. They have carmelized onions monogrammed with your initials. No, really, just kidding. No, really. Nah, just kidding. No, really. Anyway, good fresh salads, some of the best I have had in Tucson. Professional staff, good menu selection, good atmosphere. Three-1/2 to 4 Stars
(4)Jann M.
I've driven by Zona 78 way more than 78 times on my way to dine somewhere else. Finally my great friend Rob said, let's go. We shared a thin crust pizza with delicious Italian Sausage, Ricotta and Parm cheese topped off with Cherry Tomatoes. Since we had tomato's on our minds we also shared their delicious Buffalo Mozzarella and Tomato salad. The salad was huge with Red and Golden Tomatoes and the cheese was thick and zesty. The portions were huge and it was great to share so we could both taste a variety of things. I had a delicious drink called Laguana Beach and short of drinking it on the beach it was the next best thing. It was light and refreshing and I could almost hear the waves, even in Tucson. The decor is fabulous, the waiter had exuberance to share and now I'll be stopping by often instead of driving by.
(4)Jens J.
Several entrees here, but the focus is on pasta and the yummy wood-fired pizza. We took our dear friends Violet and Jack here for dinner tonight, upon their recommendation. And a good recommendation it was! We had wanted to eat outside, but since there were no open tables on the patio we stayed inside, which was fine. Service was excellent from start to finish. I liked (but JP didn't) that the young waiter kept touching me on the shoulder. I liked even better the humongous second martini he brought out to me. How he didn't spill a drop is amazing. What a sweetie! For an appetizer, we ordered the Goat Cheese and Asparagus bruschetta. Fabulous! I ordered the "Mafioso" individual pizza. It comes with Alfredo sauce, onions, mozzarella, arugula, mushrooms, chicken and a thin crust. I very much enjoyed my dish. JP had some cilantro-basil chicken penne pasta. He liked it. Jack and Violet split a Tuscany Pizza, and to which they gave a thumbs up.
(4)chelsea b.
This is one of my top five favorite restaurants in Tucson. And, every time my family or my husband's family comes to visit from Chicago, they always ask to come here. I have always had excellent interactions with staff. On one occasion we were sitting at the bar and asked a passing staff person if we could order a drink. He apologized profusely that nobody had helped us (we had only been sitting for about 2 minutes, we just knew what we wanted) and he gave us free drinks. I like the Tanque Verde location better than the River Road location. Somehow it seems less busy. Plus, they always let us sit on the patio with the dog!!! This is a major plus in my book. I like to go for a hike on mount lemmon with the dog and then stop at Zona for happy hour. Best happy hour in Tucson!
(5)Lorie A.
***** revisit, July 24, 2011. I wish I could have bumped up a star, but this evening had some 5-Star moments equally balanced with some 1-Star moments. Even though we arrived just past the ideal 'dining with littles' window at 5:40, we were seated immediately and the server was by quickly with drinks and menus. We started with the tomato, mozzarella brushetta and it was good, made great with the addition of the creamy balsamic drizzle served on the side. I was disappointed that the chef couldn't give me an ingredient listing on the baguette, though. It is brought in from Beyond Bread, and ingredients weren't available. (note to managers: when a customer asks about ingredients for an allergy, please always instruct servers to check with the chef and not think that saying "I don't *think* it has eggs in it?" answers the question. ) Service was wonderful and we were kept informed of our order status, which unfortunately was necessary due to the long wait for the kid's pizzas. Once delivered, they were delicious and my husband's chicken parmesan was crisp, juicy, and perfectly sauced--just how it should be. My short rib on risotto on the other hand was a horrible, fatty mess. So much fat that it didn't even have a nice brown finish to it from the braise. The ever attentive manager, however agreed that it was much too fatty and without removing my entire dinner plate (as some places are apt to do when an order is redone) he gave me a new short rib with glace and a plump shallot on top. That rib was wonderful and made me wonder how the chef could ever let the first one leave the window in the first place. So again, bad countered with good. It was a nice gesture to have some portions of the bill discounted to deal with the short-comings of the kitchen that night. This is a perfect example of how a good front of house staff can turn around an otherwise iffy dining experience. And that's what keeps Zona 78 on our list of go-tos on the NE side.
(3)Greg W.
My wife and I ordered different pizza's from the menu (I had the Tuscany and my wife had the Mediterranean) and were greeted with some of the best pizza we have ever had. The wood fired crust was just the right thickness and baked to perfection. The service was great. The selection of draft beers was outstanding. All in all a very enjoyable meal.
(5)Jamie C.
Under normal circumstances I normally wouldn't review a place as expeditiously as this but, this Tucson Gem blew me away and I wanted to write everything I possibly could before my memory started to fade away. I dined her tonight with one of my co-workers and she was equally satisfied. As a side note, I am not a Tucsonian and I'm merely in Tucson on business for the weekend but I am so elated that I found this place! Zona 78 is not your typical Italian restaurant think of this place as an elevated, spunkier Tuscany. Upon entering the establishment I was graciously greeted by two hostesses who were able to seat me and my co-worker within 5 minutes although it was super busy. Once seated our server very eloquently went over the special as well as asked us if we had any questions on the menu. We decided to order the Italian Cobb Salad and the Pizza Boy. To our surprise when the salad arrived it had already been neatly split on separate plates. This Italian Cobb is probably one of the best salads I've had in over 5 years! It was perfectly dressed, the salad was cold and crispy and everything seemed to work harmoniously together. I must admit I was a little concerned about the grilled asparagus on the salad but it worked well and the pancetta crisp on top was the gift that kept giving. When the Pizza Boy arrived my co-worker and I were amazed off of the aroma alone. We opted for the whole wheat crust which was delightful and complimented the wonderful rustic sauce, Genoa Salami and Pepperoni perfectly. I cannot forget the freshly made mozzarella that was on top of the pizza, I mean seriously places like Pizza Hut, Dominoes, and Papa John's should envy cheese that dang good! Since my salad and pizza was so good I decided to spring for dessert (which I rarely do). I ordered the Tres Leche Cheesecake! What an interesting combination of cultures, it was a smooth rich milky flavor that I won't soon forget! All in all I gave this place my highest rating because the Atmosphere was outstanding, food was delicious and the customer service is some of the best I've had. Keep up the good work Zona 78!
(5)Mike S.
Zona 78 is exactly what the East side needs, a snazzy little upscale joint. If I were grading on atmosphere alone I would up my rating to four stars. Sadly, the food didn't live up to the ambiance. Our server was excellent. He obviously likes what he does and does it extremely well. Lately I've become a fan of splitting meals in order to try more of a menu. With that in mind, three items were shared. The Bruschetta appetizer was very fresh and delicious. The Balsamic dip was a nice touch. The Caesar salad was bland. There wasn't much dressing and what little there was wasn't very flavorful. The Mediterranean Pizza could have been tasty if it weren't so salty. I think the olives were the culprit but I can't be sure. I would definitely give Zona 78 another shot. The menu is packed with tantalizing options. Sidenote: There must have been some sort of winter formal going on because the place was crawling with teens in formal wear. Bieber hair needs to go!
(3)J. T.
Great food, but service needs improvement. The dishes taste fantastic and the menu is inspired. However, the service from hostess to wait staff is slow, slightly clueless, and very inefficient. But - overall - if you have patience, ZONA 78 is a delicious choice.
(3)Heather M.
The service in the dining room is great. On my last visit I had the opportunity to not only interact with our waiter but also listen to the other wait staff as the place was sparsely populated. Everyone was friendly and helpful. They know the menu and make suggestions. The wait staff seem to enjoy working there. The menu is a little too much the same for my taste. Variety is the spice of life so I wish it would change more often. Most of the entrees have been on the menu for too long. As for the quality it is generally good. Another review mentioned too much salt, and I've experienced the same problem with a couple of different dishes. I do like the fact that you can put a whole wheat crust on your pizza though. Good happy hour specials and half-price bottles of wine on Tuesday. Overall it's a good place to go on occasion.
(3)Jessica H.
A go to spot to enjoy good food and nice wine. Our waitress Kelly was wonderful. Service is always stellar. Love the Tuscan pizza! It's enough for two. Another dish that's good is the Rigatoni dish which you can also split.
(5)Malachi D.
The chopped salad is a must have here!!
(3)Dani B.
What happened to the bean soup, fried calamari, wide assortments of pastas and other traditional Italian dishes that Zona used to always have and that I loved? I am so confused by pre-Madonna chefs going out of a customers comfort zone and expecting us to appreciate their "art". My daughter and I went to Zona 78 for lunch. It was 1pm so it was a bit late but we were very hungry. We ordered the calamari appetizer, she got a child portion of spaghetti and meatballs, and I had burrata salad caprese. There is an entire section called Zepole on the lunch menu. What the heck is a Zepole? There is no clear definition on the menu and the waiter could not describe a zepole either. So we waited for our calamari to come out for 5, 10, 15, 20 minutes! No one even brought us bread while we were waiting! Here is the description of the calamari- Sautéed Calamari tomatoes, fennel, garlic, cream, red pepper. can be made gluten free. When the waitress brought it out, it did not resemble calamari in least! Granted NOW I see that it sais sautéed, but the waiter never told me it would resemble a stew! When it sais can be made gluten free I automatically assumed it was fried. Very confusing. I sent the calamari back and told them we didn't want it. 2 minutes later our entrees came out. Hmmm, I wonder if our food had been ready all along and someone forgot about us? The waiter did tell me that the burrata would be a "ball of cheese with sliced tomatoes" (exact words!) and since there were so many items on the menu that were very confusing or highly caloric I decided I would go for this. My daughter enjoyed her spaghetti and the burrata salad was delicious or perhaps I was just hungry. The reason for the 2 stars is because we enjoyed the entrees. I will likely not be going back and will discourage my friends from going to this establishment as well. They used to be good and now something has changed.
(2)