Zov’s Bistro Tustin

This place is amazing! Not only great food but a sense of honest customer service and gratitude. My beautiful girlfriend after enjoying a meal there, and on accident left an envelope contains $ 700 cash. The envelope was unmarked and could have been easily taken. An employee named Miguel noticed the envelope, recovered it, and turned it in. Yesterday while she and I returned for lunch we were approached by multiple employees. Natasha our server explained she knew who my girlfriend was (because of frequent visits) and further about the discovery. The envelope was returned with (7) crisp $ 100 bills. We both are completely impressed by not only the service and the food, but the honesty and true customer service alike. There are truly good honest people in this world and this restaurant is full of them. WE WILL CONTINUE TO EAT HERE TIME AND TIME AGAIN. Thank you!

This place is a hidden gem! It really does need more reviews. Here is my contribution.
The ambiance is great. It’s very modern and trendy. Our server was really nice but went missing when we needed him. The food is realllllyyyyy good. The calamari appetizer with crostini’s. I’m drooling! Also opted for the trio with hummus, red feta dip and a third I cannot remember. I shared the steak with fries and a salad.
Overall, I’d come back if I was in the area. Wish I had room for dessert to hit up their bakery.

We had a Sprinkle Baby Shower in the Power Room on 05÷21÷16. The Power Room may hold up to 14. That might be a little tight. Because of cancellations, we had 9. It was wonderful. The Power Room had 2 alcoves for shower gifts. The room was very comfortable with good air conditioning and music — just right. The servers checked on us often.
Nikki Robles the catering manager was extremely helpful. Maybe I am high maintenance and need my hand held. She was very accommodating — not to mention there were 2 other large functions at the same time. We would not even have known it except we wandered around earlier.
We had 2 bottles of wine, and an additional caprese appetizer along with the starter dish. Many of us ordered the Beef Kabob. It was so tender and flavorful. My husband doesn’t like Mediterranean food. I have to take him there again to order that dish.
I am not expecting to host any additional functions there — because nothing is coming up. We will definitely be eating there again.
Thanks Nikki Robles — excellent job.
Karen Jones

Food is excellent, amazing gourmet Mediterranean cuisine. This was the first place I ever tasted lebne, and their steak was really delicious.

Came for lunch today and the service was amazing. The atmosphere is really pleasant, busy but quick and amazing service. I had the salmon salad with jicama and pears. The salmon was a bit bland but overall really good.

Hosting a bridal shower for 20 at Zov’s was a great decision! We expected it to be wonderful and they surpassed our expectations. Nikki Robles, the Catering Manager, walked us through their simple, well-​organized process, helped us make decisions, and allowed us to customize details. The menu choices that we selected ahead of time were perfect (salad or soup, four entrees choices, two dessert choices and several choices of wine) and printed out on a personalized menu sheet. Non-​alcoholic beverages were included in the price (and that is not true at some of the other venues we looked at). The wine room where the shower was held is off to the side in an uncrowded private room with comfortable air conditioning and sound system.
Both waiters, Edward and Kevin, were very professional and pleasant to have around. There was one snafu when one group was not able to arrive until after the lunch orders were taken. Several tables of us got up and remixed the seating chart to accommodate them, completely forgetting that the waiters had already taken our orders! How embarrassing when we realized the burden put on the waiters! But by the time we realized what we had done, Edward and Kevin had already quietly figured out what had happened and some how were placing the correct orders in front of each of us, spread out among four tables. Quite amazing and professional — and without drama.
Yes, Zov’s is not a cheap restaurant but it compared in price to several others in the area that we had checked out. The difference was the private, comfortable room and the amazing food and staff. We were very happy with the special day we had planned for the bride and her friends and would definitely consider Zov’s for a future special event.

The food was good here. I enjoyed everything I ate. Must get the Mezze plate for an appetizer and choose the walnut caviar. Very good. Food +4 stars. Management –1 star. So that gives this place 3 stars.
I was not going to write a review because the management was so horrible, but then I saw that they responded back to my friends review in a rude way as if we were incompetent and have never dined at a restaurant before. First of all, they said they couldn’t split the checks. Just by 3 tables, not by 15+ ways. Then the waiter said he could split the checks.(I have worked in a restaurant. It is pretty simple to split a check. So no I am not just some common diner who does not know how the restaurant business works.) Then we questioned why the gratuity was 20% and he said the manager put it on. So we said we wanted to talk to a manager. The server then said that he was not suppose to split the check and would have to put it back on one check. Are you serious? They have it printed on the menu stating a 18% gratuity is suggested on parties over 8. It does not say they will charge 20% service charge on parties over 8. They charged us 20% gratuity on the bill. It does not say service charge. It says gratuity. I will upload the receipt as my proof.
The management says «It’s unfortunate this misunderstanding occurred. And even after trying to explain the difference and reducing your group’s service charge, it’s unfortunate to see this review. Especially after two members of your party posted similar inaccurate reviews.»
Yes it was unfortunate that this happened and its unfortunate that we had to waste about one hour to get this fixed because Oscar and some upper hand lady took forever to even deal with this situation. I would like to know how that makes the reviews inaccurate that we were upset that the restaurant charged us 20% gratuity and had to waste time? Did we lie about that? No.
Yes I understand and know that dining with a big group can be a hassle, but this management is just posting responses to look good on Unilocal.They did not act in a nice way and they want us to thank them? for waiting an hour to decrease the 20% gratuity to 18% and say it was a service charge, when on the receipt it says gratuity. I don’t think so. Apparently the management thinks the customer is not right here.
I would come back, but not in a big group so that I would not have to deal with the management or with the 18%/20% gratuity aka «service charge.»

We visited Zov’s for the first time for my birthday dinner. We had a wonderful time and excellent service. The dirty fries were sinfully delicious and the fresh baked rolls were addictive. We were pleasantly surprised at the lack of a mark-​up on their extensive wine list, so we decided to buy a very nice bottle. Although it was not on the menu, our server arranged for us to get a beautiful cheese and fruit plate which complemented the wine perfectly. We were too full for dessert, but our server packaged up a chocolate bomb to take home. :) Thank you Zov’s for a delicious birthday!

If it were not for the high prices, I would have rated it 3 stars. But seriously, for the price you pay you aren’t getting anything special.

Its amazing that it has taken so many years for me to try this place. I’ve had people I know, whose taste I respect, tell me about this place many times. I’ve also had people bring me take-​out a few times, which also made me interested. Of course, it all started long ago when Zov first opened her first full fledged location, and it was in the Orange County Register.
So one of the things I’ve heard is that the food here is very good. Not just good for Orange County, but LA County good. The Armenian food is very noteworthy in its authentic preparation and peculiar spices, whereas so many «Mediterranean» places tend to get very homogenized in flavor. For my fine-​in experience, I had the chicken/​beef kebabs with fries instead of rice. It was EXCELLENT. I’ve also had their pastries and sweets and they certainly are very good with an eclectic kick, which is always important to keep the culinary an art.
So their location in Newport Beach has bounced around I believe, but I’ll try that next since its certainly closer to home, but this location is great if you’re in the area. Plenty of parking, and it seems very popular with take-​out also, both apparent by the number of people coming and going I saw while I sat on the patio, and by the dedicated parking spots for pick-​ups.

Came here for New Year’s dinner and was a happy camper. Being that it was New Year’s, I was expecting unpleasant crowds & rushed service but got quite the opposite.
With a party of eight, we were seated in the private room on the side towards the back. It was located near the bar. I really liked the intimacy of the room and appreciated how attentive the servers were. They did not forget about us even though we were detached from the rest of the place.
On the to the food! We started off with the mezza plate which included hummus & babaganoush. I personally liked the hummus the best but the babaanoush was interesting, plus it is a fun word to say, so might as well order it.
Like I mentioned, since it was New Year’s there was a different set menu but all the items were great. Of course with a party of 8, you are going to try a bite off of everyone’s plate ;) Yeah I am that friend… Opps.
All of the dishes had wonderful flavor and I must say that my salmon was cooked to perfection. The kir royale paired well with our dishes and was a lovely touch to the New Year’s meal.
Zov’s has a lovely bakery next door; instead of ordering off the dessert menu we ordered the Chocolate bomb. And they were accommodating enough to get it for us. We also got the Nutty Irishman to top it off. It was pretty strong but hey, I am not complaining. I had a lovely time here and thoroughly enjoyed my night.

Very pretty restaurant with exceptional service! This is a perfect date night or special occasion place, the quality and presentation is beautiful! The menu is short but has nice options for both meat lovers and vegetarians a like, the portions are small but rich in flavor and satisfying. They serve breakfast as well, but dinner and desserts is what you really come here for. Great drinks and nice atmosphere, worth a stop!

Food was quite over priced but still good. The 2 star review is due to the horrific experience at the end when dealing with splitting our check 3 ways (party of 10) after one hour of dealing with 3 tiers of management. the gratuity of 23% when down to 18% (where it should be) however, the food was decent.

Food was great, service was okay until they tried to charge 20% gratuity on the post tax total when it was supposed to be 18% on the sub total. Wonder if the FTB would be interested in this. Aren’t «service fees» supposed to be taxed now? Not the other way around like they’ve been doing to people?

Foods to try:
1)whole grain toast extra toasted w butter and jam.
2)yogurt and granola
3)homemade potatoes
Ambience:
1)open, loud when busy
2)covered patio w heat
Service:
1)generally good but when you sit outside, a little slower

They overcharge every group and CHARGE the 18% gratuity FOR GROUPS on POST TAX AMOUNTS also omar the manager is super rude. They also tried to «accidentally» charge 20 percent tip post tax.

Zov’s is a modern, upscale Mediterranean-​fusion restaurant that is perfect for business lunch meetings. Service is reasonably fast but not hurried, the food is tasty and a bit exotic, and the ambiance is fashionably chic in a way that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
There are actually two sides to this restaurant — the bakery/​café side, and the «bistro» side. While both sides are open for lunch, the café side has an outdoor patio area and is intended to be more casual than the more formal bistro side. This is good because it allows flexibility depending on the type of meeting or lunch you’re looking to have.
Tip: if you are meeting someone here, make sure to tell them which side of the restaurant you are on! I’ve gotten mixed up more than once.
Food wise, there’s not much you can go wrong with on the lunch menu. I am a big fan of the lunch salads, all of which are unique and quite flavorful. The seared ahi caesar is a top contender for me, as well as the Moroccan spiced salmon salad, which has a layer of couscous on the bottom. The lamb burger is also really good, especially if you are in the mood for something familiar yet a bit different.
Zov’s also has an pretty awesome happy hour, if you are looking for a mellow, upscale kind of bar that has reasonably priced beer on tap and special bar appetizers that are really good. The bar is in the bistro side. It is relatively small and usually frequented by the older crowd.
Things get a bit more serious at dinner, where Zov’s trends more toward a formal dining restaurant. The menu offerings have the strong Mediterranean-​Moroccan flair, which is something a bit different than you will find at other restaurants in this price range. Again, there’s not much you can go wrong with on the dinner menu — I’ve had great experiences with the filet mignon and the kebobs.
Overall Zov’s is the best at doing what it does and is worth visiting for lunch or dinner. It’s definitely my favorite Mediterranean place.

Had breakfast on a recent Sunday here and was greeted by an unsmiling, kind of different
Character who silently led me to the table, unfortunately adjacent to two young parents with a screaming daughter. Despite efforts to attract a waiter it took about 10 minutes. He apologized, and said there was confusion about what stations the waiters were assigned to, but there was nothing he could do about it. He took my order and promised to get coffee immediately which took another 10 minutes or so, And the need to collar a passing waiter. Coffee was lukewarm, not worth the wait or effort.
I had the special omelette and it was very good, in fact excellent although a little bit overpriced in my opinion.
The pastries in the adjoining room look fabulous, but a few too many calories for me on this occasion. Not a bad place for breakfast, but also not one I would go out of my way to patronize.

They have Armenian string cheese here! Great place to have business lunch. One star less than perfect is because of the slow service — took forever to bring out some hummus and cheese.

We met our Financial advisor form Ron Blue at Zov’s. We started with a Mezzo appetizer and everything was awesome. My wife decided a couple of bites of my dinner would be enough and after ordering the Lamb we proceeded to eat the best Lamb I ever had anywhere, hands down. The service by Bijon was amazing and this was one of the best meals in a long time.

Came here with my family because we were given a gift card. I ordered the two napkin chicken sandwich, it was just okay. The bread was the best part but even that got super soggy because of the sauce that the chicken was drenched in. My fiancé ordered the lamb burger, which was pretty good but not worth another visit. I did love the s’mores bar we picked up at their bakery (that I will be back for). The service was great.

I attended a lovely luncheon for 40 a few weeks ago and it was fantastic! The food was exceptional, the service was stellar, and the setting was so perfect! The private dining room options are so flexible for various size groups!
Thank you Zov Karamardian and team. You always rock it! Merry Christmas! Deirdre

Zov’s coffee was sub-​par my wife said. At $ 3.50
A mug, that’s a bit much. I had Zov’s special omelette and wifey had the Black Forest ham omelette. Hers was about average and mine was a little above average. We are both gluten free diners so, instead of the hash browns we asked for sautéed potatoes. Our waiter wasn’t much help with that. He did not suggest any subs, just told us what contained gluten. We had to suggest the potatoes and he didn’t seem sure it could be done. Thankfully, the potatoes were the best part of the breakfast. Competent, but not a place for repeat dining. Anything you order you’ve already tasted somewhere else. The price suggested something more.

After a very productive work week awesome boss took all of us out for lunch!
Our sever was so informative. I told her I had Celiac and Boom she was right on it. So, I had the Salmon salad. Sweet!!!
Perfect lunch to match the great weather thanks to my boss.

Quick Review: This place has great ambiance but the food is mediocre. Service is good.
Pros: Beautiful establishment, classy and a great date spot. Bakery built in next door.
Cons: Food is quite meh actually, really failing to hit the taste buds, especially at the prices posted.
This is one of those difficult situations, where I love the place from top to bottom, but the food really falls flat. I took my Mom here with my brother for a nice dinner because she was in town. We really enjoyed the venue, it was upscale without feeling pretentious. Very tasteful and clean. The wiat staff were on point with their service, very attentive but at the end of the day it’s about the food right?
Soujook & Shrimp Rigatone $ 24
Here’s an interesting dish, recommended by the staff. Big yummy pieces of pasta with a flavorful sauce… is what I would like to write but it lacked flavor. It lacked punch and honestly, we barely ate through half this dish.
Pan Roasted Sea Scallops $ 30
I love scallops! So does my Mom, and this plate came with risotto, it was supposed to be a win. But unfortunately the risotto had no texture, perhaps being couscous. The scallops were on the small side and dry making them kinda chewy. These are no-​nos with scallops. *sad face*
Sauteed Calamari $ 15 (Appetizer)
So this is the only dish that was fair. Unfortunately at $ 15, it was only fair… and if I’ve had better for less then my experience usually is rated at meh for not hitting the bar.
Luckily we did not order a 3^rd entrée, opting to split because of our smaller appetites. I wanted to enjoy Zov’s but I don’t see myself returning. This is a shame because I still have a gift card to use there but I can’t imagine anything else I’d want to try… and leaving money on the table for food says a lot.

Amazing place. Didn’t think much when I walked in but when the food started coming, I was pleasantly surprised! Best thing about this place was the portion size! Huge! We ordered the chicken nachos as a starter– the chicken was extremely tender and flavorful! Quite impressed! It was seriously a hot mess!
I ordered the mediterASIAN salad, perfect combination of salty, sweet and spicy. The cilantro was a great touch.
The shrimp Greek salad looked simple but it was good. The salad had a kick of lemon juice and olive oil.
The salmon salad was more of a legit meal. It came with wild rice, salad and salmon. Huge!
For dessert we ordered the key lime pie and the slice of carrot cake. The carrot cake has tiny pieces of walnuts and carrots with layers of cream cheese frosting. The key lime pie had three blobs of toasted marshmallow on top of which was to die for. Both we’re amazing but I honestly think you can’t go wrong with which ever dessert your heart pleases !

Came to Zov’s for lunch and boy did it fill up quickly! The outside looks a bit outdated, however, the inside is spacious and beautifully laid out.
The lamb burger was incredibility juicy, tender, and flavorful. It came with a side of shoe-​thin fries sprinkled with red pepper. It was filling enough but not food coma status. Who ever thought about putting a patty and Greek together to create a «Greek burger» is flipping genius.
Right up there with the lamb burger is the chicken kabob plate. This came with pilaf rice, salad, and 2 chicken skewers. The chicken was moist and tender and the pilaf rice was perfectly seasoned! Mind you the white glob on the side is not tzatziki, it’s garlic paste :)
Only con about this place is parking sucks during the weekday lunch hour — ended up parking across the street and crossing the road.

Very nice atmosphere and attentive waiter. The food is good but the dessert is better. Limited menu for lunch. I think the price is a little overpriced for a lunch menu.
The Ahi Tartar was alright, the pickle is radish is over powering the fish. The soujock ragutonie was delicious. I like the artichoke ravioli, ready to pay extra if you want chicken or shrimp on top. Kids menu are actually big portion for the price, a plus. However the macaroni was dry not much cheese. Dessert is really good, we order the classic which come with 3 different things. Kids love the ‘bomb’ so much that we have to walk to the bakeries to get that togo. The crème Brulee was really creamy with nice crunch to the top.
Overall, food deserve 3 stars but atmosphere, dessert, and service add up to 4.

After enjoying an evening at 2015 Taste of Anaheim, one restaurant caught my attention to come back and try more of their food. I’ve always thought of getting Mediterranean food from fast serve locations, but by visiting this fine establishment, I am so looking forward to coming back and trying out more exotic dishes. The reputation of this restaurant wasn’t even a factor of me coming in. To be honest, I didn’t know this place was recognized on so many occasions. Let’s celebrate my pre-​birthday at Zov’s Bistro in Tustin.
Located on the on the southwest corner of Enderle Center Dr. and 17^th St. in a shopping plaza, you will find Zov’s Bistro Tustin. From the outside, Zov’s doesn’t look appealing, but didn’t someone tell you to never judge the book by it’s cover. Well, this isn’t a book anyways. When you see an exotic water fountain, you know this isn’t any typical restaurant. Its a special occasion restaurant. My girlfriend and I entered through Zov’s Café and Bakery. At first, I thought I made a bad decision celebrating my pre-​birthday, but I saw signs that led to the main dining area in the back. As we got closer and closer, the whole atmosphere had changed. It felt like we rented out a huge, private cabana. We went from café to million dollar club. The tables are elegantly displayed. The booths are actually one long couch with pillows that you want to cuddle with.
We were greeted by the lady at the desk, possibly the Manager. I had reserved through OpenTable, but it was not necessary for a Monday Evening. We were seated at a booth or specifically at a luxurious couch with a dining table. Our host of the evening was Justin. He was absolutely great from the introduction to the end of our evening. We ordered our favorite drink, two Shirley Temples ($ 3.50 each). Before Justin left, he offered Zov’s specials to think about. My attention was on the soup. I am not sure if I got the name right, but I believe I had a hankering for the White Bean Soup.
The vibe of the restaurant was very soothing. I did not realize I could find a place like this in my neck of the woods. Its hidden and the same time, I want it to be hidden. Only the ones who enjoy the adventure should discover Zov’s Bistro. As Justin came back, we got our drinks. My honey and I were ready to order. My honey ordered the Pistachio Roasted Seabass with Couscous instead of the Brussel Sprouts ($ 27.95). I ordered the Falafel Crusted San Dabs ($ 23.95). Justin mentioned that I ordered a special dish. San Dabs are normally located in the northwestern region of the United States. At the time of ordering, I had no idea I ordered fish. All I saw was FALAFEL!
The Manager came by to check out our table and noticed that we didn’t get bread. She got bread delivered to our table. Its not Justin’s fault, we were just caught in the moment at Zov’s Bistro. We were brought some delicious roll with some creamy butter. Again, what is it with free bread?! Its like we won the lottery. The wait for our meal was about 15 minutes. There were more customers coming in and enjoying their evening. As I look around, I realized that the shades covering the windows can make the dining room turn into an outdoor patio. I would love to experience Zov’s Bistro during the day. I am sure the vibe would be very different than the evening.
Justin brought my White Bean Soup and showered some fresh pepper. Delicious beans and I am not sure if its a tomato-​based soup, but it sure set back my potential cold a few days. It had carrots, celery, and, of course, the white beans. It is not on the menu, but do ask Justin or your host to try it. Our main entrees of the even came and presented beautifully on a plate. How art can come in a form of food, always amazes me. I’ll let my girlfriend write her review on her food, but I did love the Quinoa cakes that were molded very well to support the Sea Bass and other ingredients. As for my Falafel Encrusted San Dabs, OMG… I LOVE IT! Never in a million years would I thought Falafel and a fish would go so well. With each slice of the Falafel Crusted San Dabs in the Tahini Sauce with the Rice Pilaf, I was enjoying it more and MORE! How could I have not heard of this dish before?! Every bite of the San Dabs got me loving Zov’s more and more.
After our meal was over, we thought we were just going to walk out. Instead, Justin brought me a little birthday treat before we left. I told him, «You didn’t have to!» But he smiled and said, «I couldn’t let you leave without celebrating your birthday.» Thank you Justin!
Zov’s Bistro is amazing & if they hadn’t stopped by Gardenwalk’s Taste of Anaheim, I would have missed this place & never knew they were in my backyard. With so many distinguished awards and honors, it was still off my radar. I thought I had to go to Costa Mesa or Huntington Beach to try something exotic, but it was in a simple city of Tustin: Home of Zov’s Bistro.
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I came here on two occasions: date night (boyfriend’s idea) and my commencement dinner.
ATMOSPHERE: Bring a date because it’s incredibly romantic at night. Great ambience and extremely clean!
FOOD: We ordered a bunch of food, and I honestly cannot remember everything that we ordered, but from what I can see, they have modified their menu a bit since the last time I went there. In terms of appetizers, I highly recommend getting the sauteed calamari. Unlike most places where the calamari is usually fried and eaten with tartar sauce, the sauteed calamari at Zov’s is drenched in this delicious chardonnay butter sauce. From what I can remember, a few of us ordered the duck with cranberry sauce, a pasta dish, and a dish with chicken. The pasta and chicken dishes were really good. The duck with cranberry sauce may be a bit of an acquired taste, though. I tried some of it and it was a miss for me, but my friend who ordered it loved it and thought it had a great blend of flavors.
SERVICE: Overall good service.
OVERALL EXPERIENCE: I would come back for another date night. I love mediterranean food and as a big seafood fan, I am dying to try some of their seafood selections.

Dear Amazing Culinary Fairy,
Thank you for sprinkling your magic culinary dust all over Zov’s Bistro! I took my friend here the other day for a birthday lunch and was wow’d.
The hummus and red feta dip were delicious and it was a generous portion of both for a starter. The birthday girl was ecstatic over the salmon salad that is typically on the menu and I thought my salmon salad that was the special was pretty good. I think maybe a little more dressing would have made me weep with joy, but the salmon was cooked to perfection and the ingredients were incredibly fresh. Let your friend «The Sandwich Fairy» know that next time, I’m all about that Turkey Dip!
Please pass along my thanks to your colleague the Service Fairy because I could not have been more impressed with the level of service we received. From the incredibly nice woman that took me over to see the bakery, to our server who took excellent care of us, to the manager that came over to answer questions around the Lunch & Learn classes they have starting back up in Feb, everyone was so good to us!
I will definitely be back! And you’ll have to hide all of the pumpkin cheesecake in the bakery because I took a tiny one home for a special dessert and now I can’t stop thinking about that creamy, dreamy cheesecake atop yummy crust and topped with a dollop of whip cream!
Sincerely,
Robin L

My entrée was decent– scallops with couscous risotto. Scallops had a nice char to them and the couscous I really liked the lemony flavor to it. The presentation of this dish was also beautiful. I’m trying to recall what appetizer I had (I think it was in teh shape of a ball on a stick) but the fact that I can’t remember it is probably an indication that it wasn’t something I enjoyed that much.
The outdoor patio is one of the better I have seen. Feels like you are transported while you eat out there, that is probably my favorite thing about this restaurant.
I definitely want to check out the bakery side on my next visit– they had some great looking desserts on display!