Z’s Oyster Bar & Steakhouse - Downtown
115 S 4th St, Louisville, KY, 40202
Z’s Oyster Bar & Steakhouse - Downtown Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Louisville for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Louisville for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Louisville for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
115 S 4th St
Louisville, KY, 40202 - Phone (502) 855-8000
- Website https://www.zsoyster.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Parking : Garage, Street, Validated
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Richard H.
First of all, service was impeccable. Sarah did an outstanding job and was very attentive. Bread arrived shortly after being seated and was fantastic. Sarah recommended the calamari and she was right. Perfectly fried in a light batter and served with both an outstanding tartar sauce and an even better orange chili sauce. My date and I both ordered beers and they were served in ice cold mugs. For entrees we had the NY strip and the seared ahi tuna. The strip was perfectly cooked and the flavor was delicious. The tuna was nearly perfectly seared. It was encrusted in sesame seeds and was exquisitely paired with a balsamic glaze. Four cheese macaroni was our side dish and it was worth the 6.95 price tag. Told that it was two serving but it was more like 3 or 4. And on a cold, Louisville night, the coat check was a nice touch!
(4)Will L.
I have been eating now for 29 years, only about 22 of which I can remember. In 22 years of eating out the service myself and the rest of my party received was Undoubtably, Undeniably, Unmistakably THE WORST. I would further elaborate on other areas such as ambiance, food quality, price, but I cannot. My experience was so negative the entire meal was void. I gave an extra star because I assume the (2) $57 Crab Legs were good, I was far too distracted at how terrible, horrible, awful our server was in every way that I blacked out whilst eating. If for some reason you go here by mistake and are served by a dark-haired woman with glasses, run away!!
(2)Chris S.
We had reservations at Jeff Ruby's last night to celebrate our parents 50th anniversary. However, they were closed for renovations and suggested Z's downtown. We showed up for our reservation last night at 7 and the first thing I noticed was how empty it was. The waiter came to take our drink order and a good 10 minutes later we received our drinks. The menu presentation was long and intrusive. They did not have the wine we ordered from their wine list twice! The crab leg appetizers came on an ice plate that the server assistant spilled all over my wife and the table. The table maintenance was terrible all night with dirty dishes, water refills, and crumbs on the table left unattended. When the same server assistant came to clear the ice plates she promptly spilled them all over the table and chairs. Pacing was another issue with the time between ordering and receiving the food or drink was too long. We joked at the table how we should start per-ordering items to ensure we always had something when we needed it. Saving grace of this place was the food. The steaks were very good as was the seafood. The potatoes au gratin was a terrific side dish. The servers and host staff were friendly and accommodating. However, the table service did not match the price points on the menu. It is a shame too as the food and ambiance of this restaurant rated high with the group I was dining with. If Z's can figure out how to match their service with the quality of food then this place will be great. Until then I would not recommend the experience.
(2)Jeffrey S.
I'm giving it two stars and the only reason was the oysters were good. The service was terrible in the kitchen, the bartender tried but he was overwhelmed by the poor kitchen staff. The food overall was average at best.
(2)Charles W.
My wife and I were on our way to the river when whe walked by a sign that said "Oysters." Well, like fresh tilapia, we were hooked! We entered into a surprisingly nice restaurant. The space is great. The service is awesome. And finally, the food was fantastic! Our servers were Kaitlin and Justin and they were great. Kaitlin kindly narrated the specials on the menu without a stutter in her words. We took her advice and ordered the scallops and walu fish. Both were fantastic! I don't know what the previous reviews were based on, but my experience was exceptional. The feeling is priceless when I'm surprised by a great restaurant that is picked out of thin air from a short walk. It makes it even better when I can spot a 5 star restaurant that has a 1.5 star yelp review. I really hope this place makes it. My wife and I had a wonderful experience. I feel that if this restaurant was back home in Philly, it would be appreciated for how great it is. Louisville, check this place out and thank me later!
(5)Ron W.
Had dinner on a Friday evening. Food and service were great! The server was friendly but professional, described the feature menu items in detail, was very attentive throughout. The chef came out to ask how we were enjoying our evening. Our table had mostly seafood, including the fresh ahi bigeye tuna, crab cakes, oysters, shrimp ceviche. One person had a filet mignon, and we shared sides of asparagus and creamy potatoes and mushrooms. Everyone said their food was fresh and very good. We would definitely go back.
(5)Zain K.
I think the key thing to note here is that while the steak is unspectacular, the seafood is very good (maybe a name/brand change to call this out wouldn't be a terrible idea). From the oysters to the sesame-encrusted ahi to the souffle dessert, everything I had was memorable. Definitely on the pricey side, but the food and ambiance justify it. I do have to wonder, however, how long this place will last, as I've heard it's almost always near-empty.
(4)Laura S.
Mediocre ribeye. Fair service. Coffee was ice cold. Doesn't deliver on its promises.
(2)John H.
Service is always good and food is outstanding. It's like being right at the ocean, thanks to UPS. I was disappointed they didnt have the Ahi Tuna, so i had the Red Tail Snapper which was outstanding.
(4)J D.
Mixed reviews for Z's are justified. Food marginal, service terrible. Walking down 4th street my wife joked that we should just go to Potbelly and call it a night. Despite misgivings about this place my wife and I thought the menu looked good and the hostess was very nice. Should have followed my wife's advice about Potbelly. I hate to be so negative but do not patronize Z's our waiter was pretentious and condescending without any cause. While ordering his mind seemed elsewhere and the execution showed. We ordered a wedge salad, hold the tomato. Salad was half an iceberg, with tomato, two croutons and no bacon. Asked for some bacon and received 5 small crumbles. Come on! Other app was lobster bisque. Good bisque with deep rich flavor. Yes! Ordered the wet aged ribeye to share. Sides of spinach and loaded baked potato and side of bernaise. 20 min after app was finished entree arrived. Ribeye was the bone in dry aged which was perfectly cooked and delicious but not what we ordered. Potato was cold. Bernaise was absent. We couldn't wait for new steak so agreed to eat the one served. Waiter told us that bernaise was not up to chefs standards so he was making some fresh. It arrived during the discussion about the steak. The bernaise was so cold it had a film on top. Chocolate soufflé was bland. More like bread pudding. Not worth the effort or time. To top it off the waiter insisted I ordered the wrong steak. I was very specific in ordering the boneless wet aged ribeye but he said no. His comment was "measure twice cut once". I pointed out that he failed to do so and could have asked. What a rude twit. Mgr comped our drinks and charged for the proper steak which was nice but the evening was really a disappointment. A special night out was ruined by poor service and a lack of attention to details. In Chicago this place would be closed.
(1)Ray T.
The Ahi Tuna was fabulous with sesame seeds coating but the Clam Chowder very very salty and taste was rather bland so I sent it back. My buddy had the wet Ribeye and he loved it and I tried it and it was great! Also the service was great. The place was very clean and nice atmosphere.
(4)Becky N.
Absolutely the best piece of seared fish I have ever had. All the fish is fresh and flown in directly from Hawaii. Also the key lime pie is made in house and it is wonderful.
(5)Jared K.
If ruining a bachelor party is what you're looking for, choose Z's. What a disaster. Screwed up half the orders and the food tasted like the horse apples at Churchill. No thank you friends.
(1)Angie A.
The steak was awesome! The arrogant waiter talked us into selecting their made to order soufflé for dessert which needed to be ordered with the entree for timing purposes. The oscar lobster sauce topping on our steak was dry so we asked for additional sauce which was delivered 10 minutes later and was cold! Too much time passed in between courses. Fifteen minutes after our entree plates were cleared, the waiter informed us that the delicious soufflé didn't turn out. I said "I wondered what was taking so long" and he attempted to argue with me about the time. He didn't offer any consolation or apology, he simply tried to sell us another dessert. The mushroom bruschetta was the best!
(2)Kathi W.
My mom and I were looking for a late dinner choice within walking distance from our hotel. This restaurant was recommended and I'm glad we decided to try it! The decor is cool and modern, in soothing dark woods and earth toned upholstery. Unique ceiling lighting with an almost space-like feel. Z's has a beautiful glass-enclosed wine cellar for our viewing pleasure. Yay! First of all, there was a Yelp check-in deal on wine and cocktails. Score!!! From the host at the door to our wait staff, the service was impeccable. They were always present, but not intrusive. We both had Caesar salads to start, which were prepared table side. All Ingredient were fresh, and the in-house made dressing was awesome. Just the right amount of tang and creaminess. I chose the veal porterhouse (sorry, baby cow). I tend to like my steaks med-med well, but they recommend medium or higher, so although I was skeptical, I went with it - and it was amazing! Served with a gravy of shiitake mushrooms and blue cheese. Unusual but yummy. My mom's rack of lamb was equally well prepared and awesome! We shared the sautéed spinach prepared with garlic, white wine, shallots and olive oil. I loved this so much, I'm going to try it myself! If there was one downside, it's that the bread was not warm - which was sad because the flavor and texture was great. Our server even assisted/escorted us with exiting the restaurant so that we could utilize the skywalk back to our hotel, thus avoiding the pounding rain! Above and beyond. I plan to visit this city again and Z's will be on my list!
(5)Uday S.
One of my worst restaurant experiences ever. We were at a business dinner and we waited for 2.5 hours for our food only to be told they ran out of the steak. The manager was even worse, not apologetic and refused to remedy the awful situation. Do yourself a favor and never ever go here. Places like this don't deserve to be in business.
(1)Chris F.
Went to Z's with my girlfriend for a nice, quiet dinner. I really enjoyed the ambiance of the place and the menu options. Tons of wine & bourbon options. There also was plenty of choices for meat and fish items. We had the Pork chop and Walu butter fish along with the mushrooms. All were excellent choices. Service was fantastic and what you would expect from a fine dining establishment. Props to the staff.
(5)Tom H.
We had a group for dinner recently. We started with a oysters and their $115 seafood tower as an appetizer. The oysters and crab on the tower were excellent, but the large shrimp were rubbery and truly without flavor. I had to use cocktail sauce (the horror) to give the shrimp some flavor. Several of the entrees that others ordered were well-received. I ordered the sesame encrusted Bigeye Ahi Tuna -- big mistake. You could tell by looking at the fish that it had been cooked on a griddle or in a pan, with the trademark gray/brown coloring. It was definitely not seared over a grill. The flavor matched the pale color -- the dominant flavor by far was of vegetable oil, with a background of the sesame seeds. The tuna itself was nearly flaorless. The texture of the tuna was very mealy. Perhaps I just received a bad piece? I wound up eating only 3 bites. I guess I should have known better since the menu described the accompanying sauce as Kikkoman Dipping Sauce -- yes, Kikkoman soy sauce. Surprisingly, our two servers never asked us how the food was, and made no comment at the end of the meal when 95% of my tuna was not eaten (and the tuna was the only thing on the plate to begin with). Never again. Unfortunately, considering the high prices and poor quality, this meal will go down as one of my bottom 5 of all time.
(1)Mark F.
One of the nicest establishments I've ever dined at. Very extensive wine list and full service bar, some of the freshest seafood you can find in the city and prime beef steaks (Highly recommend the bone in dry age ribeye!!). This is a diamond hidden inside the city of louisville! Everyone should really check it out.
(5)Courtnie C.
The food was awful. The waiters recommendations were not good. They advised against my choices. The cavatappi with cheese was dry noodles. I would not recommend this restaurant to visitors to the Louisville area.
(1)Leo Y.
Great for a large party since it's big, empty and quiet...for good reason. The service was good and very apologetic. You can't blame the waiters for the poor reviews. It's not their fault the food is subpar and the bar lacks the necessities to function properly. How do you serve Moscow mules and tell us after that the bar doesn't have ginger beer?
(1)Steph Y.
I'm so surprised the reviews of this restaurant are so terrible. I came here for dinner with a group of six and the food was all really decent. The server was really nice and really knew the menu well; he was very professional and helpful. Our table ordered a few appetizers, steak entrees, a fish entree, a few sides, and some dessert. I can't remember exactly what the dishes were, but they were all fine. The ambiance was nice, service was professional, food was alright. A solid three stars.
(3)Carman S.
My husband and I ate at Z back in July and we love it, I had the butterfish which was the best fish I have ever had and my husband had the surf and turf, which I tried to steal his steak which melted in my mouth. The only thing that he did not like was the escargot (he's from France so he is very picky about it) but overall we like it and plan on going back
(4)Claire B.
I was a big fan of Z's Fusion and was shocked to find it replaced by the steakhouse. I just recently moved back to the area, so I didn't hear about the switch. I'm wondering why this was considered a smart business move, as Jeff Ruby's, Eddie Merlot's, and Morton's are all about a block away from Z's location. Who looks at that market and thinks, "Gosh, what this place needs is a steakhouse?" The interior has not been renovated that I can tell, not that it needed it. The beautiful tile work behind the bar, the glass work along the walls, and low lighting all work together to give the place the feel of a modern underground bar. The windows have all been covered with wood blinds, blocking any outside views and lowering the light levels to a point where it is difficult to see the menu. Despite the lack of changes visually, the place is definitely hoping for a fancier clientele. Two years ago my group ran in from the rain during Thunder and comfortably ate in our blue jeans and polos. Now it's mostly people in suits and we felt very out of place in our game-day attire. I don't know if Z's is still on the Urban Bourbon Trail, but I do know that a) they don't have a cocktail menu and b) they can't make a proper mint julep. The bartender, who was new, made one that was close but just a little too sweet. She asked one of the servers to show her how to make one and, while it was pretty, it was not sweet at all. The food we ordered wasn't bad per se, but I won't be back for it. The salad my mother ordered was mostly lettuce, with one little piece of celery, one artichoke heart slice, two cucumbers, and some red onion. Yes, it was the house salad, but one would expect something a little more interesting than that for the prices. My lobster bisque was nothing special and was a bit heavy on the celery salt. The ahi tuna sashimi was anemic and the amount of tuna for the price was ridiculous. The only thing going for this place was the friendly service. Everyone was kind and chatty. Food came in a reasonable amount of time. I miss the days when you could walk in and get an awesome plate of sushi for a reasonable price and the drinks were strong and inventive. I suppose I just have to let go of the glory days.
(2)Hunt H.
I very rarely write online reviews and therefore very rarely read online reviews of restaurants. But after my latest experience at Z's I felt compelled to give this glowing review. Wow! Its all I can say. My girlfriend took me to the downtown location (First time ever at the downtown location) for my birthday dinner. First off, the setting was beautiful, quiet and romantic. We were seated in at a table that apparently is reserved for anniverseries but due to the fact there were none that night, the GM gave us that table. The food was excellent, our server made perfect recommendations for oysters as we both love them. The Steak tartare was delicious! We ate a few dozen oysters so for our entrees we only had salads, which were excellent. We had the berries and grand marnier for desert. Then as we are about to leave our server returned with a hand signed Birthday Card from the whole staff, I know it doesn't sound like much but it just goes to show you that they try to separate themselves from the rest of the crowd. Z's is now my birthday spot from here on out. Everything was perfect! My only complaint is the liquor prices. The mark up on wine I can deal with, but $10.50 for Jim Beam, which I don't even drink is a little hard to swallow. Basil Hayden was $15 and is almost double what you pay most other places. I highly recommend Z's for your next special engagement.
(5)Victor M.
Awful. Took a group of 16 to this place during the Derby and ok, it was busy. But these clowns should be ready for that during the Derby. Took an hour to salads, the ones of us that we're lucky enough to get salads. Many didn't. The next thing was unbelievable. Took between an hr and a half to 2 hours to get our entrees. If u got a steak as a dinner u were SOL cuz they didn't have steak knives. Luckily the steaks were tender and moist so we could use our butter knives. What finally put us over the edge was au gratin potatoes that were raw. In 3 hrs these clowns couldn't cook potatoes. Sent the potatoes back and they sent out raw potatoes 2 more times. If u have all night to go here for dinner, I wouldn't suggest au gratin potatoes. My steak was good. My wife's lobster tail was like a piece of rubber. When she finally got butter after 10 minutes, it was almost edible. When the manager finally came over after repeated requests, there was no apology and he really seemed to not care in the least. Said "it's Derby time and we're busy.". Save to say that none of us at our 2 tables will ever go to this place again. Although, I assume it will be closed soon enough with service like this. Pathetic
(1)Jeffrey S.
I'm giving it two stars and the only reason was the oysters were good. The service was terrible in the kitchen, the bartender tried but he was overwhelmed by the poor kitchen staff. The food overall was average at best.
(2)Ron W.
Had dinner on a Friday evening. Food and service were great! The server was friendly but professional, described the feature menu items in detail, was very attentive throughout. The chef came out to ask how we were enjoying our evening. Our table had mostly seafood, including the fresh ahi bigeye tuna, crab cakes, oysters, shrimp ceviche. One person had a filet mignon, and we shared sides of asparagus and creamy potatoes and mushrooms. Everyone said their food was fresh and very good. We would definitely go back.
(5)Zain K.
I think the key thing to note here is that while the steak is unspectacular, the seafood is very good (maybe a name/brand change to call this out wouldn't be a terrible idea). From the oysters to the sesame-encrusted ahi to the souffle dessert, everything I had was memorable. Definitely on the pricey side, but the food and ambiance justify it. I do have to wonder, however, how long this place will last, as I've heard it's almost always near-empty.
(4)Jared K.
If ruining a bachelor party is what you're looking for, choose Z's. What a disaster. Screwed up half the orders and the food tasted like the horse apples at Churchill. No thank you friends.
(1)Angie A.
The steak was awesome! The arrogant waiter talked us into selecting their made to order soufflé for dessert which needed to be ordered with the entree for timing purposes. The oscar lobster sauce topping on our steak was dry so we asked for additional sauce which was delivered 10 minutes later and was cold! Too much time passed in between courses. Fifteen minutes after our entree plates were cleared, the waiter informed us that the delicious soufflé didn't turn out. I said "I wondered what was taking so long" and he attempted to argue with me about the time. He didn't offer any consolation or apology, he simply tried to sell us another dessert. The mushroom bruschetta was the best!
(2)J D.
Mixed reviews for Z's are justified. Food marginal, service terrible. Walking down 4th street my wife joked that we should just go to Potbelly and call it a night. Despite misgivings about this place my wife and I thought the menu looked good and the hostess was very nice. Should have followed my wife's advice about Potbelly. I hate to be so negative but do not patronize Z's our waiter was pretentious and condescending without any cause. While ordering his mind seemed elsewhere and the execution showed. We ordered a wedge salad, hold the tomato. Salad was half an iceberg, with tomato, two croutons and no bacon. Asked for some bacon and received 5 small crumbles. Come on! Other app was lobster bisque. Good bisque with deep rich flavor. Yes! Ordered the wet aged ribeye to share. Sides of spinach and loaded baked potato and side of bernaise. 20 min after app was finished entree arrived. Ribeye was the bone in dry aged which was perfectly cooked and delicious but not what we ordered. Potato was cold. Bernaise was absent. We couldn't wait for new steak so agreed to eat the one served. Waiter told us that bernaise was not up to chefs standards so he was making some fresh. It arrived during the discussion about the steak. The bernaise was so cold it had a film on top. Chocolate soufflé was bland. More like bread pudding. Not worth the effort or time. To top it off the waiter insisted I ordered the wrong steak. I was very specific in ordering the boneless wet aged ribeye but he said no. His comment was "measure twice cut once". I pointed out that he failed to do so and could have asked. What a rude twit. Mgr comped our drinks and charged for the proper steak which was nice but the evening was really a disappointment. A special night out was ruined by poor service and a lack of attention to details. In Chicago this place would be closed.
(1)Ray T.
The Ahi Tuna was fabulous with sesame seeds coating but the Clam Chowder very very salty and taste was rather bland so I sent it back. My buddy had the wet Ribeye and he loved it and I tried it and it was great! Also the service was great. The place was very clean and nice atmosphere.
(4)Becky N.
Absolutely the best piece of seared fish I have ever had. All the fish is fresh and flown in directly from Hawaii. Also the key lime pie is made in house and it is wonderful.
(5)Kathi W.
My mom and I were looking for a late dinner choice within walking distance from our hotel. This restaurant was recommended and I'm glad we decided to try it! The decor is cool and modern, in soothing dark woods and earth toned upholstery. Unique ceiling lighting with an almost space-like feel. Z's has a beautiful glass-enclosed wine cellar for our viewing pleasure. Yay! First of all, there was a Yelp check-in deal on wine and cocktails. Score!!! From the host at the door to our wait staff, the service was impeccable. They were always present, but not intrusive. We both had Caesar salads to start, which were prepared table side. All Ingredient were fresh, and the in-house made dressing was awesome. Just the right amount of tang and creaminess. I chose the veal porterhouse (sorry, baby cow). I tend to like my steaks med-med well, but they recommend medium or higher, so although I was skeptical, I went with it - and it was amazing! Served with a gravy of shiitake mushrooms and blue cheese. Unusual but yummy. My mom's rack of lamb was equally well prepared and awesome! We shared the sautéed spinach prepared with garlic, white wine, shallots and olive oil. I loved this so much, I'm going to try it myself! If there was one downside, it's that the bread was not warm - which was sad because the flavor and texture was great. Our server even assisted/escorted us with exiting the restaurant so that we could utilize the skywalk back to our hotel, thus avoiding the pounding rain! Above and beyond. I plan to visit this city again and Z's will be on my list!
(5)Uday S.
One of my worst restaurant experiences ever. We were at a business dinner and we waited for 2.5 hours for our food only to be told they ran out of the steak. The manager was even worse, not apologetic and refused to remedy the awful situation. Do yourself a favor and never ever go here. Places like this don't deserve to be in business.
(1)Chris F.
Went to Z's with my girlfriend for a nice, quiet dinner. I really enjoyed the ambiance of the place and the menu options. Tons of wine & bourbon options. There also was plenty of choices for meat and fish items. We had the Pork chop and Walu butter fish along with the mushrooms. All were excellent choices. Service was fantastic and what you would expect from a fine dining establishment. Props to the staff.
(5)Tom H.
We had a group for dinner recently. We started with a oysters and their $115 seafood tower as an appetizer. The oysters and crab on the tower were excellent, but the large shrimp were rubbery and truly without flavor. I had to use cocktail sauce (the horror) to give the shrimp some flavor. Several of the entrees that others ordered were well-received. I ordered the sesame encrusted Bigeye Ahi Tuna -- big mistake. You could tell by looking at the fish that it had been cooked on a griddle or in a pan, with the trademark gray/brown coloring. It was definitely not seared over a grill. The flavor matched the pale color -- the dominant flavor by far was of vegetable oil, with a background of the sesame seeds. The tuna itself was nearly flaorless. The texture of the tuna was very mealy. Perhaps I just received a bad piece? I wound up eating only 3 bites. I guess I should have known better since the menu described the accompanying sauce as Kikkoman Dipping Sauce -- yes, Kikkoman soy sauce. Surprisingly, our two servers never asked us how the food was, and made no comment at the end of the meal when 95% of my tuna was not eaten (and the tuna was the only thing on the plate to begin with). Never again. Unfortunately, considering the high prices and poor quality, this meal will go down as one of my bottom 5 of all time.
(1)Mark F.
One of the nicest establishments I've ever dined at. Very extensive wine list and full service bar, some of the freshest seafood you can find in the city and prime beef steaks (Highly recommend the bone in dry age ribeye!!). This is a diamond hidden inside the city of louisville! Everyone should really check it out.
(5)Courtnie C.
The food was awful. The waiters recommendations were not good. They advised against my choices. The cavatappi with cheese was dry noodles. I would not recommend this restaurant to visitors to the Louisville area.
(1)Leo Y.
Great for a large party since it's big, empty and quiet...for good reason. The service was good and very apologetic. You can't blame the waiters for the poor reviews. It's not their fault the food is subpar and the bar lacks the necessities to function properly. How do you serve Moscow mules and tell us after that the bar doesn't have ginger beer?
(1)Steph Y.
I'm so surprised the reviews of this restaurant are so terrible. I came here for dinner with a group of six and the food was all really decent. The server was really nice and really knew the menu well; he was very professional and helpful. Our table ordered a few appetizers, steak entrees, a fish entree, a few sides, and some dessert. I can't remember exactly what the dishes were, but they were all fine. The ambiance was nice, service was professional, food was alright. A solid three stars.
(3)Carman S.
My husband and I ate at Z back in July and we love it, I had the butterfish which was the best fish I have ever had and my husband had the surf and turf, which I tried to steal his steak which melted in my mouth. The only thing that he did not like was the escargot (he's from France so he is very picky about it) but overall we like it and plan on going back
(4)Charles W.
My wife and I were on our way to the river when whe walked by a sign that said "Oysters." Well, like fresh tilapia, we were hooked! We entered into a surprisingly nice restaurant. The space is great. The service is awesome. And finally, the food was fantastic! Our servers were Kaitlin and Justin and they were great. Kaitlin kindly narrated the specials on the menu without a stutter in her words. We took her advice and ordered the scallops and walu fish. Both were fantastic! I don't know what the previous reviews were based on, but my experience was exceptional. The feeling is priceless when I'm surprised by a great restaurant that is picked out of thin air from a short walk. It makes it even better when I can spot a 5 star restaurant that has a 1.5 star yelp review. I really hope this place makes it. My wife and I had a wonderful experience. I feel that if this restaurant was back home in Philly, it would be appreciated for how great it is. Louisville, check this place out and thank me later!
(5)Claire B.
I was a big fan of Z's Fusion and was shocked to find it replaced by the steakhouse. I just recently moved back to the area, so I didn't hear about the switch. I'm wondering why this was considered a smart business move, as Jeff Ruby's, Eddie Merlot's, and Morton's are all about a block away from Z's location. Who looks at that market and thinks, "Gosh, what this place needs is a steakhouse?" The interior has not been renovated that I can tell, not that it needed it. The beautiful tile work behind the bar, the glass work along the walls, and low lighting all work together to give the place the feel of a modern underground bar. The windows have all been covered with wood blinds, blocking any outside views and lowering the light levels to a point where it is difficult to see the menu. Despite the lack of changes visually, the place is definitely hoping for a fancier clientele. Two years ago my group ran in from the rain during Thunder and comfortably ate in our blue jeans and polos. Now it's mostly people in suits and we felt very out of place in our game-day attire. I don't know if Z's is still on the Urban Bourbon Trail, but I do know that a) they don't have a cocktail menu and b) they can't make a proper mint julep. The bartender, who was new, made one that was close but just a little too sweet. She asked one of the servers to show her how to make one and, while it was pretty, it was not sweet at all. The food we ordered wasn't bad per se, but I won't be back for it. The salad my mother ordered was mostly lettuce, with one little piece of celery, one artichoke heart slice, two cucumbers, and some red onion. Yes, it was the house salad, but one would expect something a little more interesting than that for the prices. My lobster bisque was nothing special and was a bit heavy on the celery salt. The ahi tuna sashimi was anemic and the amount of tuna for the price was ridiculous. The only thing going for this place was the friendly service. Everyone was kind and chatty. Food came in a reasonable amount of time. I miss the days when you could walk in and get an awesome plate of sushi for a reasonable price and the drinks were strong and inventive. I suppose I just have to let go of the glory days.
(2)Hunt H.
I very rarely write online reviews and therefore very rarely read online reviews of restaurants. But after my latest experience at Z's I felt compelled to give this glowing review. Wow! Its all I can say. My girlfriend took me to the downtown location (First time ever at the downtown location) for my birthday dinner. First off, the setting was beautiful, quiet and romantic. We were seated in at a table that apparently is reserved for anniverseries but due to the fact there were none that night, the GM gave us that table. The food was excellent, our server made perfect recommendations for oysters as we both love them. The Steak tartare was delicious! We ate a few dozen oysters so for our entrees we only had salads, which were excellent. We had the berries and grand marnier for desert. Then as we are about to leave our server returned with a hand signed Birthday Card from the whole staff, I know it doesn't sound like much but it just goes to show you that they try to separate themselves from the rest of the crowd. Z's is now my birthday spot from here on out. Everything was perfect! My only complaint is the liquor prices. The mark up on wine I can deal with, but $10.50 for Jim Beam, which I don't even drink is a little hard to swallow. Basil Hayden was $15 and is almost double what you pay most other places. I highly recommend Z's for your next special engagement.
(5)Laura S.
Mediocre ribeye. Fair service. Coffee was ice cold. Doesn't deliver on its promises.
(2)John H.
Service is always good and food is outstanding. It's like being right at the ocean, thanks to UPS. I was disappointed they didnt have the Ahi Tuna, so i had the Red Tail Snapper which was outstanding.
(4)Richard H.
First of all, service was impeccable. Sarah did an outstanding job and was very attentive. Bread arrived shortly after being seated and was fantastic. Sarah recommended the calamari and she was right. Perfectly fried in a light batter and served with both an outstanding tartar sauce and an even better orange chili sauce. My date and I both ordered beers and they were served in ice cold mugs. For entrees we had the NY strip and the seared ahi tuna. The strip was perfectly cooked and the flavor was delicious. The tuna was nearly perfectly seared. It was encrusted in sesame seeds and was exquisitely paired with a balsamic glaze. Four cheese macaroni was our side dish and it was worth the 6.95 price tag. Told that it was two serving but it was more like 3 or 4. And on a cold, Louisville night, the coat check was a nice touch!
(4)Will L.
I have been eating now for 29 years, only about 22 of which I can remember. In 22 years of eating out the service myself and the rest of my party received was Undoubtably, Undeniably, Unmistakably THE WORST. I would further elaborate on other areas such as ambiance, food quality, price, but I cannot. My experience was so negative the entire meal was void. I gave an extra star because I assume the (2) $57 Crab Legs were good, I was far too distracted at how terrible, horrible, awful our server was in every way that I blacked out whilst eating. If for some reason you go here by mistake and are served by a dark-haired woman with glasses, run away!!
(2)Chris S.
We had reservations at Jeff Ruby's last night to celebrate our parents 50th anniversary. However, they were closed for renovations and suggested Z's downtown. We showed up for our reservation last night at 7 and the first thing I noticed was how empty it was. The waiter came to take our drink order and a good 10 minutes later we received our drinks. The menu presentation was long and intrusive. They did not have the wine we ordered from their wine list twice! The crab leg appetizers came on an ice plate that the server assistant spilled all over my wife and the table. The table maintenance was terrible all night with dirty dishes, water refills, and crumbs on the table left unattended. When the same server assistant came to clear the ice plates she promptly spilled them all over the table and chairs. Pacing was another issue with the time between ordering and receiving the food or drink was too long. We joked at the table how we should start per-ordering items to ensure we always had something when we needed it. Saving grace of this place was the food. The steaks were very good as was the seafood. The potatoes au gratin was a terrific side dish. The servers and host staff were friendly and accommodating. However, the table service did not match the price points on the menu. It is a shame too as the food and ambiance of this restaurant rated high with the group I was dining with. If Z's can figure out how to match their service with the quality of food then this place will be great. Until then I would not recommend the experience.
(2)Victor M.
Awful. Took a group of 16 to this place during the Derby and ok, it was busy. But these clowns should be ready for that during the Derby. Took an hour to salads, the ones of us that we're lucky enough to get salads. Many didn't. The next thing was unbelievable. Took between an hr and a half to 2 hours to get our entrees. If u got a steak as a dinner u were SOL cuz they didn't have steak knives. Luckily the steaks were tender and moist so we could use our butter knives. What finally put us over the edge was au gratin potatoes that were raw. In 3 hrs these clowns couldn't cook potatoes. Sent the potatoes back and they sent out raw potatoes 2 more times. If u have all night to go here for dinner, I wouldn't suggest au gratin potatoes. My steak was good. My wife's lobster tail was like a piece of rubber. When she finally got butter after 10 minutes, it was almost edible. When the manager finally came over after repeated requests, there was no apology and he really seemed to not care in the least. Said "it's Derby time and we're busy.". Save to say that none of us at our 2 tables will ever go to this place again. Although, I assume it will be closed soon enough with service like this. Pathetic
(1)