This is a beautiful & trendy restaurant. The interior decor is aesthetically pleasing, and the atmosphere is welcoming. I loved the indoor layout more than the outdoor one because it was more inviting and comfortable. As we entered the restaurant, we saw a variety of individuals, some with bright smiles and others with food-filled mouths. Most were taking pictures, and you could tell they were having a great time. It was PACKED! We were then seated near the open kitchen where we could see the chefs whip up their magic. Unfortunately, it was too hot that day and due to the unbearable heat we had to move to another table closer to the window where we could get some air in. The highlight of my Zai Experience has to be the FOOD! I genuinely can not express how grateful my tastebuds were that day. We ordered the Zai Mixed Burger, and can I just say that it was PERFECT (10/10). For drinks, I had a gorgeous cocktail. Unfortunately, I can't remember the name, but it was too good. The service, I'm a bit disappointed in but I understand that it was busy so I can't fault them much for that but in the future, I think it would be best to hire more people to help with serving customers since having one waiter cater to 2/3 tables at once is not ideal. My overall Zai Experience was amazing and I would recommend this place 100%.
Food: 5
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 4

We received the worst service. And the waiting time is insane yet the place wasn't even full..When my partner walked in, no one welcomed her and they didn't offer her a drink for like 45mins, we actually counted. Imagine waiting that long before being offered something to drink...Our waitress was so friendly and amazing even though they had her running around like Crazy. The food was absolutely amazing and the portions are definitely worth the price. The food did take very long to arrive. The waitress was so busy that we had to go up to her at the till to pay our own bill...The place is gorgeous. But I'd never go there ever again. And I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. The worst part is that my partner works in the service industry and takes excellent customer service very seriously. So we really were annoyed by the poor customer service.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
R 450–500
Food: 4
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 3
Recommended dishes
Burgers, T-Bone Stake with Compounded Butter

Went on a brunch date with my bestie. Venue looks great and was quite busy. Florida road vibe a bit noisy but okay for a pre-party vibe si definitely for a younger adult crowd. Food was delicious with nice drinks but more on the non-spicey side. Only the chairs backs are far so you sitting straight up for the most part than leaning back. Toilets are nonbinary. wheelchair friendly but no real parking space as you park on the road. Manager is very good on checking if we are okay though waiter was a bit slow and found ourselves calling others to get his attention . Altogether a nice experience would recommend to try at least once.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
R 500+
Food: 4
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 3
Vegetarian options
Limited to regular menu items.
Dietary restrictions
Not halaal.
Parking
On the road limited to possible 15 at closest to venue.
Kid-friendliness
No child friendly
Wheelchair accessibility
Yes but not sure about the toilets.

It was my first time coming to this place, I've been eager to try it out but got the worst service ever. Firstly we got there waiting to be seated down and no one attended to us. When a nice lady came and finally told us to wait by the bar while she tries to find us a table, we waited for a good 30 minutes, but no one gave us the menu. Even after we have managed to get the menu, we ordered hubbly and wine, we knew the hubbly would take longer because they set the expectation, as for the one it never came, when we were about to cancel the entire order, only then they brought the hubbly and never gave us the wine, which we decided we did not want it anymore because our mood was already off. To top it all, one of the waiters came to us telling us we needed to move from our table because he wanted to give it to his people as if we were not paying customers. Personally, I was dissatisfied and I don't think I will be coming back again.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
R 450–500

My friends and I recently visited Zai for a farewell dinner, and the experience was nothing short of appalling. Despite our excitement, we were left utterly dissatisfied with the horrendous service we received. We were unattended for nearly 45 minutes, while other patrons who arrived after us were promptly served. It was as if we were invisible and deemed unworthy of their attention. Even when we decided to leave due to the lack of service, no one cared about our departure. This negligence and discrimination left a bitter taste in our mouths. It seems that Zai believes only a select few are entitled to excellent service Discrimination has no place in any establishment! Every customer, regardless of age, attire, or any other characteristic, should be treated with dignity and respect. This treatment left a bitter taste. I cannot recommend Zai after this experience.

If I could give this place a zero I would, what a terrible service!!! The staff is very classist, they don't pay attention to customers except ones that they feel they meet the "standards" of the place. We waited more than an hour for our food and it only came after I asked how long, we waited 10 min for wet wipes to clean our hands with, of which I feel they should've been with the cutlery. There was a big wait as well for drinks. The bill was just left on our table no questions asked regarding cash or credit. They only brought the card machine 10 min later after we asked again. I was served food that had frozen mixed vegetables!!! what happened to fresh vegetables?! On top of that u are forced to pay a tip that they don't even deserve since their service sucks.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
R 500+

Came in for breakfast which I believe should be the easiest to get right on any menu. Our drinks order took more than 30 mins, food even longer. There were 3 of us and 2 orders came first then another long wait for the last order which was a replica of one of the 2 that had come earlier so I don't understand how it got delayed. Got asked how I wanted my eggs and the complete opposite came, sent it back and something worse was returned. The waiter couldn't careless and made us feel like us coming out that day was a massive inconvenience for him. I will give it a 10 for ambience but if you are looking for more than a nice space to take pics it's a solid pass from me. Hostess is a gem though...
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Breakfast
Price per person
R 350–400
Food: 1
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 4

If they had zero stars option i would definitely put zero, the worst experience ever i was sooo disappointed that the Zai people speak so highly of has the worst service. My friends and i got there and we waited for almost an hour to be attended and no one came to even take our drinks order or something, they took orders from people who came after us it was like we weren't even there. I honestly think they're classists and they are very discriminating because they would have definitely attended to us if we looked monied. We decided to leave and when we mentioned the reason for our departure no one really cared to calm us down they just minded their own business as if we didn't add value. I would definitely not recommend it shame nka loma fence

Great spot in Durban with the best staff, they're friendly and polite. We had the mini ribs as starters (not the best for me) BUT the main meal was to die for ... We had the most cheesy and meaty lasagna that came with a side of a salad.. Yummiest And then we had the ribs and a side of chips.. Zai was NOT stingy at all ke when it came to those ribs... Mouthwatering from the time the waitress was bringing our order to the table! The atmosphere was chilled, music was playing softly but we still could have our conversation.... Note: Zai is an experience one shouldn't miss out on when in Durban!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4

We visited Zia Restaurant for my birthday for an early supper so it was about early afternoon and not as busy which was great . It was very cozy and had such a niche ambience about the place . The food was amazing , I will definitely recommend this restaurant upon my first visit - it’s is such a vibe .I was even offered a slice of cake on the house as they knew it was my birthday which was a cherry on top . Loved it .
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
R 350–400
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4
Recommended dishes
Beef Fillet, Lamb Chops

Aesthetically appealing. Ordered the rib-eye on bone steak (medium cooked), extremely tough and charred. Before I ordered, I asked the waiter the thickness of the cut but he didn’t know and didn’t have apathy to find out. My partner ordered the oxtail pasta (against my better judgement) let’s just say she didn’t enjoy it. The highlight was the cheesecake that was quite delicious and the fact that they had my favourite wine Kadette K. Cape Blend, the Mojito my partner was drinking was nice as well.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
R 500+

My friends and I wanted to try a new place in Durban. We were seated but without menu's. We had to ask for menu's. We then waited 10 minutes before a waiter came to our table. At this point, we decided to just have drinks and leave. We ordered a drink each which took 15 minutes. We were so appalled by the standard of service that it completely put us off from having dinner there. The only positive thing I can say was the aestetics and playlist were great. A very disappointing experience from a place that holds great potential.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner

It's one of my favorite places by far... Zai is beautiful, the food is amazing and the staff are welcoming and friendly. It's a must go to place.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
R 500+
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Oxtail Ragu
Parking space
Plenty of parking
Parking options
Free street parking
Parking
Even though it's a street parking, there's plenty of security and car guards looking after cars, so you can have a piece of mind without worrying about your car.

Great place to hang out with great company. I simply went for their popular breakfast buffet which they offer on weekends. Absolutely monies worth..... @150 pp you get cold & hot breakfast with bottomless juice @200 pp you get cold & hot breakfast with bottomless mimosa Loved the ambience and beautiful finishes. Keep up the great standards
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Breakfast
Price per person
R 350–400
Food: 4
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 3

I would definitely eat there again. The food was well-seasoned, well prepared and tasty. The service needs more work. It wasn't a busy night at all but our waiter was MIA half the time and the rest of the staff let us sit with dirty dishes for a good 15min. The restaurant decor is great and the music is on point.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
R 500+
Food: 5
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 4
Recommended dishes
T-Bone Stake with Compounded Butter

The service that my family and I received was absolutely horrendous, it took over half an hour close to two hours for us to receive our food, the place wasn’t even that full. To make matters worse we could see one of the chefs on his phone while preparing the food, our drinks took roughly 30 to 45 minutes and yes I counted. Honestly the three stars is just for how aesthetically pleasing the place looks.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
R 400–450

What a beautiful place but the food mmmhhh it's not ncaahh at all Baby chicken downfall on stream peri peri haaiii you can taste castor oil and that peri peri mustn't affect the taste I am so disappointed I even told the waiter and the Manager guy who kept asking are we fine, he said he'll tell the Chef. After that we felt we need more bite because we were hungry yooh ai I ordered chicken wings for Chimuchara yoooh what a disaster again yoooh ai never yooh

Good morning ,i must say kumnandi eZai but yesterday we witnessed a terrible thing a customer sitting next to us dropped money and it was under his chair ,in order of the lady waiter who was short and braided ekhanda picking it up nd returning it she picked it up jept it for herself ,me and my guys were shocked as to why ,if it was was a phone or wallet she would have done the same as well,it truly raised eyebrows about trust belongings.

It’s okay, the Mussels were salty this time. I didn’t eat them. However the Kingklip was nice. The place is a bit crowded, makes sense since it’s new. The restrooms are nice and clean. Service time was a bit slow when we went. It took maybe 45 minutes to get our food orders. Our waiter was okay, but the others than were cleaning up were a bit off for me. Not friendly, didn’t ask anything-they just grabbed the plates and glasses.

Zai never disappoints had the Fish this time around full of flavour. If you want amazing food just go to Zai ask their waiters who know alot about the Menu especially Bryan he can recommend something new everytime cause trust me you'll be back wanting more.
Price per person
R 250–300
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
T-Bone Stake with Compounded Butter

Excellent food and service ! I had the rib-eye on the bone and also tasted the beef short-rib.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
R 400–450
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4
Recommended dishes
T-Bone Stake with Compounded Butter
Vegetarian options
My colleague had the veg pasta and she said it was delicious - it also looked yummy.

Affordable breakfast Stella service Delectable cocktails And if you love shisha, then you'll definitely want to experience the Zai Restaurant. I absolutely enjoyed myself, so much so that I wanted to stay and have lunch while severing the calm calm atmosphere.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Breakfast
Price per person
R 150–200
Food: 4
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5

Generally good food although we were sitting by their kitchen & sometimes the things you see are a little off putting. Ordered at the bar @ we were served in all different glasses for the same drink. These details matter when you’re purporting to be a more elite establishment. Overall good food & service. And good ambiance.
Food: 4
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 4

The service here is absolute trash. They don’t pay attention to you unless they know you or you come in a fancy car. Their food is average at best and their sushi is not fresh. The waitresses and hostesses have so much attitude. Besides their aesthetic, it’s really not a good restaurant
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
R 250–300

The restaurant Is amazing.... Saturday was my second visit and the service was Horrible. We were served wrong meals and service was slow. I understand the restaurant was full but accommodate everyone. Also the meals were below par. Unlike my first experience. Zai disappointed me .
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
R 500+

I can't wait to visit again. The food, drinks, ambiance, and the great service from the waiters deserves more than 5 stars. The owner was present and checked on all the tables. I have to repeat, the food was absolutely delicious. My friend and I had a really good time.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
R 500+

A simple breakfast ordered..1 bacon and egg meal and a toasted cheese and chips to share...took 45 minutes ...and meal was cold. Bacon not added to meal..came with chips 10 minutes later. No butter on toasted cheese...so dry. Restaurant had only one other table. Very disappointing
Food: 2
Service: 2
Atmosphere: 5

Your manager has poor listening skills. He does not put forth the interest of your customers just because he knows regulars at Zai. Regulars are the networks, they refer us to your place, and if a person who’s supposed to listen to our needs is that arrogant? Rather serve them & lock the door when commoners walk in. …

Horrendous service. We went for lunch with a friend and received no service at all even when we asked for it. After 30 minutes of waiting we decided to leave. Waiters there r the worst I've seen. Ohh! And the noise by the patrons is too much, u'd swear u are at a local shebeen.
Food: 3
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 1

Highly recommend this restaurant but I would suggest that you make a reservation especially during this festive as it gets packed.. the service was exceptional, I enjoyed my fish and drinks. Very beautiful interior and ambiance was amazing!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
R 400–450

Food was great but took a little long to prepare. I'm happy that the chef offered a complimentary dessert as an apology/acknowledgement for the long wait, that's being accountable
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
R 400–450
Food: 4
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5

It was busy, but I understand that it is December. We waited for over 2hrs for our food, it was warm instead of hot. The toilets are clean. After eating we saw a flying cocoroach. They must hire more staff for busy seasons to assist with serving customers faster.
Food: 4
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 2

Our waiter was Sanele Gwala He was so kind and he was kind enough to offer us various drinks he thought we might like and he was right.This restaurant does cater for BLACK PEOPLE TASTEBUDS AND VIBE. Their menus cover all types of foodies..
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

An elegant place ✨️.. Went there on a weekend was busy however once we got our table.. Food was great, enjoyed our drinks and a vibey pleasant atmosphere. Had a good time
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
R 450–500
Food: 4
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4

Wow what a beautiful service and lovely people at zai Ntokozo was my waitress she was so nice and friendly the atmosphere was very good, I love this place a lot.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Breakfast
Price per person
R 250–300
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

It was my first time being at Zai. It was worth the hype I enjoyed every moment. The vibe. The drinks. The people. It was lovely
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
R 250–300
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Lasagna

Sending a shout out to our waiter Sanele Gwala ...his service was topnotch .Food was delicious ...Siyabuyaaaaaa
Service
Dine in
Price per person
R 350–400
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Pork Ribs with Salad, Couscous, Beef Fillet

Was a great visit. Went in with awesome people. Waiter was in charge of his environment. Did not explore the menu but my interest piqued with what i saw people order. Will certainly go back soon! Leave the phone and take in the experience.
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4

Great venue beautiful space n great food d waitress was very friendly , definitely il be back,thanks for d great experience definitely (bee )should serve me next time I’m here
Meal type
Breakfast
Price per person
R 200–250
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Really cool spot with great service, delicious cocktails, and good food (I didn’t enjoy my steak but my friends loved their pastas). Aesthetically pleasing and love that it’s not so much within the buzz of Florida Road. Thank you so much :)
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch

Horrible service and food. We waited an hour for our meal and it arrived cold, unseasoned and dry. The waiter was extremely rude and even after alerting management, nothing was done. The only thing nice about this restaurant is the aesthetic. Other than that I would not recommend More

Lovely place and ambiance. Food was great but their service was bad. Waitress was so slow and forgot to even take our food order. Had to remind her that we hadn’t ordered yet. Took forever to bring out bill and went on to serve others while we waited. Food 5/5 Ambiance 4/5 Service 2/5

The waitress had a stinking attitude, gave us incorrect orders for shots and food for my friend. We ended up being over charged and we had to show them pictures of the food as proof that we sent back the first meal to the kitchen because it was incorrect. Horrible customer service!!

The service was amazing and the food was delicious,thank you Zai family for making my birthday a special day❤️
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Brunch
Price per person
R 250–300
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Lamb Chops

So gorgeous, friendly staff. Busy and the vibe /aura is beautiful . Portions are very generous so don't be taken back by the prices. Best you book to reserve your table, call or online booking. Once again Thank you for your an awesome memorable evening …

Brilliant spot Zai is!! Lovely food and location. Better chances of getting parking.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
R 350–400
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Lasagna, Salad, Lamb Chops

I had a great time on my birthday. The service was excellent.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
R 500+
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Chicken Wings and Kebabs, Rib, Lamb Chops

Good food& drinks, great vibes! Can easily be my go to in Durban.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
R 500+
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
T-Bone Stake with Compounded Butter

Food is good, but the service is so bad it's frustrating!!! The waiter's tend to disappear for lengthy periods... Been there twice and experienced the same problem both times...
Service
Dine in
Food: 5
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 4

Amazing food and atmosphere.Its a fairly new restaurant on Florida, I have no doubt that it will grow in popularity.I had their ribs and chips which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
R 200–250

Besides the great aesthetics, they have terrible food. Also they take so long to bring your order even if it’s empty. I’ve tried their food on 3 different occasions and I have been getting disappointed. Breakfast and lunch menu, I genuinely

Had an amazing time. The atmosphere was great. The only issue was that the food took long to be cooked.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
R 400–450
Food: 4
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5

We had a great time at Zai. Simbarashe gave us a 10 star service. The food was excellent.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
R 450–500
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

I absolutely enjoyed my prawn pasta it was really good and my friends had the rib eye and oxtail, that was also amazing. The aesthetics The service was on point our waiter was very attentive. Definitely coming back

The food is excellent! Great service from Ntokozo.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
R 500+
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Beef Fillet

My favourite restaurant on Florida road. The food is delicious and very affordable.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
R 350–400
Food: 3
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5

Delicious delicious food definitely worth every cent. Beautiful restaurant however the service is a bit slow when you are seated outside. Friendly staff. Their pasta and prawns are to die for More

The noise made it feel like a pub, I didn't enjoy dining in that atmosphere. The food was certainly underwhelming and lacked seasoning. I think the place is ideal for drinks with friends. More

We were warmly welcomed, great food ☺️☺️☺️☺️
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
R 500+
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Lovely atmosphere with a good variety for breakfast. Quite affordable and decent service
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Brunch
Price per person
R 500+

One of the best food experiences you will get in Durban. Food exceptional, service is excellent. You really get your monies worth here. Highly recommended!

Nice spot. Cool. Food, sublime. Our waiter was the best.
Service
Dine in
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Absolutely shocking experience. I had made a booking on Friday for Saturday night 7pm to celebrate my partners birthday.

Had a great time there with my friends. Mmm the food was delicious.
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4

The waiters go the extra mile in making you feel valued and feel comfortable. Its just a place to always go to! More

Amazing service and a great restaurant! The food was fantastic, my oxtail Ragu a winner. Steak done to perfection

Beautiful venue, great food and Snecwas very attentive.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

I had a very bad experience The service was really bad. I got there with my family at 12 and at 2pm

Excellent food and service. Hospitality is good also.
Service
Dine in…
More

A great place for lunch or dinner, good food and good vibes.
Food: 5…
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