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Zins
Category: Restaurants Tapas Bars Tapas Bars [Edit]
227 2nd Ave SECedar Rapids, IA 52401
(319) 363-9467
- Hours:
Tue-Thu 11 am - 9 pm
Fri 11 am - 12 am
Sat 5 pm - 12 am
Sun 10 am - 2 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Valet
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Classy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
47 reviews for Zins
Review Highlights
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"My only regret on this small plate." In 5 reviews -
"outstanding wine list for a restaurant this size in Iowa..." In 6 reviews -
"...small plate is enough food, get the truffled pommes frites." In 3 reviews
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47 reviews in English
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Review from Cory H.
Cedar Rapids, IA
2/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
I was able to try a few plates at Zins on a Friday night. I heard a lot about the place prior to visiting. We arrived there while they were on a wait and was able to find a space at the bar. The place looks very nice inside and and the service was good even though the bartender seemed pretty busy we had multiple people at times, including the greeter, taking care of us.
We had two plates and a desert each. The pacing was good for each course. Every plate we had tasted great. Even though I only ordered 2 plates and a desert I left feeling very satisfied. I still recommend getting another plate. The plates were all very flavorful and unique. The deserts were very rich and tasty.
I feel like I have only touched the tip of the iceberg and I look forward to trying more plates and pairing some wines on my next visit. For the food experience I received and the reasonable price, Zins is a really great place to eat. -
Review from Kate M.
12/22/2011
I really liked Zins, the food, the service, and the atmosphere were all top notch.
We had a reservation for 8 on a Saturday night, but I don't think that was really necessary. The restaurant wasn't full and cleared out by 9. No offense to the rest of Cedar Rapids, but I think this is the most aesthetically pleasing space I've seen in the city so far. Its a very pretty dining room and bar. There was a semi private room (separated from the dining room by a pair of curtains) with a large window affording a nice view of the kitchen.
We ordered only a few things, my favorites were the calamari and the scallops. Tapas isn't a great idea for me because the small portions make it easier for me to justify ordering the entire menu, but I restrained myself. This time.
I'd like to go back to Zins to try a few more dishes. So far, this is the nicest restaurant I've encountered in Cedar Rapids. Makes me feel like I'm home, and that's priceless when I'm traveling.Listed in: I'm in Iowa, and I'm hungry
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Review from Kristine D.
Cedar Rapids, IA
12/3/2011
Zins is my favorite restaurant in Cedar Rapids. I've been several times and my only hold-out on 5 stars is that the service can be a bit spotty. The servers are always very nice and pleasant, but aren't the best when it comes to pacing a coursed meal. 2 out of 6 visits, I've not received the courses as requested. For a restaurant to move to that next level, the service needs to be consistent and it's just not quite there.
The food is great, I have not yet had a dish I didn't like. And I really enjoy that the majority is locally sourced/grown so it's fresh and flavorful.
The wine list is reason enough to return. I've lived all over the US in some big cities with amazing restaurants so I was afraid of not finding a decent wine list here. Zins does not disappoint in this realm. There are some great selections that are reasonably priced. And the buy one, get one half price bottle night (Tuesday I think?) is great!!
Overall, this restaurant is on par with what I consider a great dining experience and I will go back over and over again. -
Review from Michael P.
Bel Air, MD
Tapas in my definition are small plates where the portion is the correct size but the taste of the dish is suppose to leave you wanting more. The dishes I ordered made me ask for the nearest waiter to hurry up and take my dish away. The calamari was topped with peppers and served with a cilantro aioli, the combination sounded interesting but to me it didn't turn out to well. The French onion soup tasted burnt and over powered with too much wine, this dish had my palet saying where is the closet Mc Donald's. The Lamb Chops were disappointing, just a heads up if you prefer your lamb to be cooked medium to well done please request it because the waiter's never asked. Several people ordered the lamb and no one was asked how they would like it cooked. For dessert I ordered the fudge brownie, this was the one dish I wanted more and more of. Overall I give a 3 out of 5, the customer service was good, the facade indoor and outdoor was well maintained and up to date.
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Review from Hannah B.
Cedar Rapids, IA
4/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
Bad service took us half an hour just to get drinks and get a waitress to talk to us. After an hour we've only had one course, and our waitress kept blaming everyone else for our late food. Food was dry and luke warm by the time we got it. This is the third time I've had low quality service and this is my last time returning. Don't waste your time or money here.
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Review from Na W.
Iowa City, IA
5/6/2012
Best service
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Review from James S.
Denver, CO
11/28/2011
While visiting the Cedar Rapids area for Thanksgiving we wandered upon Zins for dinner one evening and couldn't have been more thrilled to find this treasure! Although I wanted to try every small plate on the menu, we limited ourselves to the Roasted Pear & Maytag Blue Salad, Wild Caught Walleye, and a large plate Berkshire Grilled Pork Chop.
The salad was excellent, the walleye was full of flavor, and the Pork Chop reminded me of why I love Iowa pork. Simple flavors, but combinations that truly brought out the quality of the fish and meat.
We finished with the Gooey Louie, Chocolate Bread Pudding and a White Cake with Maple Frosting and Sugared Bacon. (Seriously, all $3?) All were quite good, but the cake was the real standout - it was like eating a pancake! Try it, you won't be disappointed!
From the upscale decor, to the great drinks (I suggest the delicious Manhattan, or the Hendricks & Tonic which they know to serve with a cucumber!) to the food, Zins is a real winner. Please check it out - I want to be able to go back next time I visit Cedar Rapids! -
Review from Daniel A.
Hands down, the best restaurant and bar in Cedar Rapids. They are so far ahead of any other place around, you don't even need to waste your time eating anywhere else.
I prefer to sit at the bar and see the action, but you can sit in the dining room if you want a waiter to serve you. The menu looked great, but luckily the bartender told me to order a few of the small plates so I could try a nice variety...What a great suggestion! I simply told him to bring me the 4 most popular dishes and wow, they were amazing.
I was lucky enough to have:
1. Great Lakes Walleye
2. Pappadelle and Italian Sausage
3. Midwest Lamb chop Lollipops
4. Grilled Spring Asparagus
Check out my photos of them...delicious!
If I was in town a little longer, I would definitely be back.
Note: This location was severely flooded during the flood that swept downtown. The owner and his son (the recently appointed head chef - and a good one at that), have worked very hard to bring this location back to its glory. They have done a great job. Go support them. Good food, great drinks, kind people, what more do you need?! -
Review from heidi r.
Chicago, IL
4/16/2012
Great place - wonderful food and the service was excellent. We were traveling through on our way back to Chicago and had an excellent diner at this restaurant. I think the portions are very well sized and allow you to create a three or four course tasting menu which is great. If we are ever back in Cedar Rapids - we will definately go here again.
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Review from Jason A.
Peoria, IL
3/3/2012
Zins was a pleasant surprise while on business in Cedar Rapids. The staff was polite and knowledgeable, and the food was delicious. My coworkers and I were happy to find a quality restaurant in the otherwise empty downtown area. If I find myself back in Cedar Rapids, I'll definitely be visiting Zins again.
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Review from Krissy K.
Brooklyn, NY
10/8/2011
Great restaurant! Although I wouldn't quite call it tapas since tapas is appetizers. I would classify it more as small portions or tastings of their menu, which in itself, is still a great idea. You can pick as many as you like and they are all $4.50. I had the pomme frites (fries), Roasted Local Beets, and flat bread. All the food was beyond delicious. I enjoyed the smaller servings so you could try a number of different items instead of just one large meal and being stuck with it in the case you don't like it.
The service was great, we never had an empty glass and the food was timed perfectly so you didn't have multiple plates at once. If I were to go back to Cedar rapids (was there on business) I would definitely come back here again! -
Review from Ashlee V.
Kaukauna, WI
7/17/2011
Well, shit. There are nice things in Cedar Rapids after all.
We came last night right before a show at the theatre was supposed to go on, and the waitress let us know of a dish inspired by the show. In addition, we had come after a day where the local farmer's market happened earlier and they had another specialized menu based on that. I can appreciate a restaurant that does its best to accommodate for special events and make new menus with local ingredients.
But Zins has value beyond novelty: for a tapas restaurant, it's quite impressive. Compared to the tapas bar in Madison (The Icon), this restaurant is based more on comfort food and American classics rather than classic tapas.
Instead of getting several tapas, I ordered one of the three big plates on the menu. I got the grilled bone-in Iowa porkchop which I'm certain was one of the juiciest pork chops I've ever had. The gouda was silky but with a hint of pleasant bite. In addition, the demi-glace was terrific--really added a nice juxtaposition to the pureed sweet potatoes that really solidified the dish.
I had a few bites of the crispy potato gnocchi and it was terrific. Truly out of this world--easily one of the best gnocchi dishes I've ever had and the balsamic reduction made it a home run. For me, the mushrooms were a detraction of the dish, but I'm also not a person that particularly enjoys mushrooms.
The desserts were amazing, too. Easily the best cap to the night. I had the lemon meringue tart and I can say with absolute certainty it was the best lemon curd I've ever had in my life. The bread pudding was divine as well--tasted like a molten brownie cake with a tinge of cinnamon.
The service was a little slow as the cooks were backed-up; they had made a promise to patrons that those that came in at 6pm for the show would be out by 7:15pm--which is admirable, but as we weren't going to the show, we had to wait. Didn't bother me, but I've seen others complain about slowness here too. But I'd rather them be slow and have excellent dishes than fast and mediocre.
I'm enthralled with Zins. Next time, I think I'm going to go with the small plates--I want to experience more of what the chef and cooks can do here. But the thing I really liked most about Zins was--while they are small plates, they are slightly larger than the tapas I've experienced elsewhere so you're getting more bang for your buck. Significant other remarked about how surprised he was to get a good meal like this for potentially around $14. I couldn't agree more and I hope to come back sooner rather than later.Listed in: I would shank my favorite…
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Review from Tony H.
Henderson, NV
2/19/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Great little restaurant. Very classy feel, great service, and AMAZING food! Everything we ordered (calamari, risotto, ravioli, wagyu beef, duck confit, creme brulee, banana duet) was absolutely delicious and the prices are very reasonable. Already looking forward to my next visit!
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Review from Ethan Z.
Robins, IA
12/25/2011 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
Amazing and affordable.
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Review from Jodee R.
Cedar Rapids, IA
9/27/2011
Great food and atmosphere! Once in a while, you'll get an insanely slow waitress but usually great service! Good wine selection and tasty drinks. Definitely go!
Only thing that is kind of negative is lunch can be super slow if you sit in the restaurant area, but I usually go for dinner with zero timeline so I don't mind. -
Review from John M.
Bountiful, UT
6/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Service was OK. Prices reasonable. Food delish. Braised beef, prawns and mac and cheese were very good. Very good place for a nice dinner in Cedar Rapids.
SERVICE: 5/10
AMBIANCE: 8/10
FOOD: 8/10
PRICE: 6/10
UNIQUENESS: 9/10
OVERALL SCORE: 72
Service: Graded by the "Keep my cup full principle".
Ambiance: Pretty self-explanatory
Food: A high food score does not always indicate it is a place for foodies. It is weighted based upon the establishment - thus bar food can receive a high score
Price: Price is graded based upon what I believe is fair value for the food you are receiving. A high score does not necessarily indicate the establishment is cheap.
Uniqueness: Higher scores indicate desire to return. -
Review from Frank L.
Cedar Rapids, IA
11/21/2011
I absolutely love this place. The food is fantastic, the staff is courteous, and the management greets and thanks customers like they're supposed to. We were sitting at a window seat and saw the manager walk around the outside sidewalk and pick up trash and cigarette butts! That's the most responsible thing I've ever seen from a shop owner. Will continue to support their business!
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Review from Arthur S.
State College, PA
3/20/2011
I was in Cedar Rapids on business, and wanted to have a nice dinner. After poking around Yelp for a bit, I decide to eat at Zin's -- I like the small plate focus and it sounds like the cocktails would be good.
I was not disappointed with my dinner in the "library." My waitress suggested I order 3-4 small plates, so I order three. They arrive one at a time, and I am full after three small plates (and a tasty just-right size dessert for just $2). The cocktails were nice, and it was a relaxing dinner after a hectic trip.
Of course, that was one experience, and I prefer to go to places twice -- so on the next trip I go earlier in the evening. It's busier, so I sit at the bar. This lets me pester bartender Jaime for custom cocktails, and she delivered them with aplomb (along with my food).
I might be going to Cedar Rapids again, and one of the places I already anticipate eating at is Zin's.
The menu varies, so I won't go into specific dishes -- but both vegetarian and omnivore dishes were well-prepared, and I had no quibbles on the quality. Service was focused and helpful -- the first time the waitress even gave me her stain-treatment pen after I put a spoonful of chocolate mousse on my dress shirt.
Vegetarian note: This place is definitely vegetarian-friendly. Vegan friendliness seems less so, but I fear that's the case everywhere. -
Review from K H.
Belmont, CA
10/4/2011
WOW.....what a great surprise!!!
I visit Cedar Rapids a couple times a year, and typically eat at a few places I know that are dependable but not anything special. Chose to use Yelp tonight, which turned me on to Zin's.
Wow....two major pluses for me.
1. The beer selections are very very nice. Great to have a spectrum of craft brews, some which I had not heard of before.
2. The food was fantastic, and with the small plate variety, I left without having over stuffed myself. Yet I got to try three different small plates, each were fantastic.
Great to see alot of patrons strolling in, as it towards 8pm, but still lots of room. I chose to eat at the bar...which worked out just fine, seeing how I was on my own.
The Zin house salad was very good. Nice spectrum of flavors and very fresh greens, super crispy croutons just the way I like them...
The Corn Chowder....was fantastic. Nice and hot..and also some spice. My only regret on this small plate...was that it was a small bowl. I nearly ordered a second helping.
I finished with the Zin Burger. It's a mini burger...but not what I would call a slider. It was very nicely prepared.....and very very good. I tend to make smaller burgers at home..and this was toward that size. Just right.
Wow...I will be back again!!! I checked out the wine list....a variety of great wines also available. A few of my favorites from back home in California.
But with this beer menu.....who needs wine. :) -
Review from John L.
Estes Park, CO
2/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
Good food! Too bad it's a bit loud in the evenings. Very nice for lunch or a nice dinner.
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Review from Jessica W.
Marion, IA
11/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
First time at Zins and sadly, it was not as good as I thought it would be.
We ordered the pommes frites; apple, Gouda and bacon flatbread; late harvest potato and sweet corn chowder; braised beef short rib; mac and cheese and the Iowa Angus hanger steak. For dessert we ordered a butternut squash creme brulee and a pears-3-ways.
Break it down:
The pommes frites were really good with the garlic aoili served. But they are fancy French fries, albeit still French fries.
The flatbread was okay, the toppings were fine but I felt like something was lacking in taste. Nothing really stood out and the actual bread that it was served on tasted like a few layers of store-bought pie dough. That's the best description I could think of. I ended up scraping most of the toppings off of the bread because I didn't like the taste of it at all.
The potato and corn chowder was pretty good. It had a spicy kick to it, which was good. But the base was breaking down and it was pretty brothy. I was expecting a thicker base. This was still tasty overall.
The braised beef short rib was good (we got one of the last ones...after that they were substituting OX TAIL?? Literally! I double checked on that one). The meat fell right off of the bone.
The mac and cheese was not good, not good at all. It tasted like Velveeta and American cheese on some noodles, no thanks! I love mac and cheese like you wouldn't believe, but I would not recommend this version to anyone.
The hanger steak was okay, but it had a strange taste to it to me. Boyfriend thought it was good, but he also said it was just a steak. I thought there was supposed to be some kind of a blue cheese and demi-glaze on it, but that was missing. Either that or their online menu doesn't match their actual menu. The crispy fingerling potatoes that came on the side with this one were very good.
The desserts were good overall. I wasn't sure what to expect from the butternut squash creme brulee, but it was interesting in a good way. Sort of an earthy sweet taste. The pears-3-ways was good except for the frozen pear which I couldn't even bite into. Rock hard, brrrr!
Overall the atmosphere was very, very nice and they had a very impressive craft beer and wine list. However, Boyfriend and I both agreed that the food didn't live up to the rave reviews. -
Review from Douglas L.
Grand Rapids, MI
8/8/2010 5 photos
Food - 4.5/5
Service - 5/5
Atmosphere - 4/5
Price - 5/5
Here for Sunday Brunch - $12
Here in Cedar Rapids on a 40hr overnight. Looking for something for Lunch on a Sunday afternoon and found Zins on Yelp!
First walking in and you know you're in for something special. Great looking bars and well uniformed employees made me feel like I wouldn't get duped into sub-par food.
Our server was Emily and she was quick and cheerful. She asked if this was our (Me and the other pilot) first time to Zins and gladly explained their concept. This was refreshing to find a server that knows what they are there for.
My order was "Tell the chef I'll eat anything put in front of me"
First up - Muffin Tray.
2 Pecan/Zucchini
2 White Chocolate/Raspberry
Softened Butter
2 Bite in size and delicious. I'm glad they didn't serve a flavored butter as I think that would have masked the subtle flavors in the Pecan/Zucchini muffin. The Which Chocolate/Raspberry didn't need anything else - it was great as is.
Second up - Breakfast Pizza
Tender scrambled eggs, a wonderfully melted cheddar with juicy sausage and bits of bacon on a wonderful white flat bread. Wonderful combination where each component had a voice. Cheese was not greasy or grainy and added a wonderful texture to the eggs. The sausage was a great freshly made pork w/ hints of fennel. A few bacon bits for crunch round out the overall experience.
Third - Chicken Fried Steak and Egg
One word - Beautiful
The gravy was a great fresh cream and black pepper based sauce that complimented the entire dish. The steak was wonderfully encased in the light breading. The breaded piece had a perfect crunch while still allowing the steak to maintain its juicy and tender consistency. The over easy egg on top - in one word - perfect! This dish IS balance.
Fourth - Shrimp and Grits
This is the dish that kept this review from 5 stars. Overall it was okay. The grits were undercooked. Creamy yes but crunchy - yes too. Grits are one of those hard things to master. Their window of opportunity is small - you go from undercooked to perfect then quickly to mush if you're not careful. The white wine based sauce was light and tastefully refreshing and it allowed the star to shine - the SHRIMP! OMG they were juicy, tender and sweeter than ice cream.
If I get back to Cedar Rapids I will revisit with an empty stomach and open point of view. -
Review from Patrick K.
Cedar Rapids, IA
7/26/2011 Seated via OpenTable
At this point, sadly, this is about the only place in town to have a dining experience. The prices look reasonable, but if you go here wanting to get filled up you will spend some serious cash. Also, if you are a oeniphile you will definitely want to sample their wine list.
You can do Zin's for a nice casual lunch, but dinner at Zin's is reserved for a special event or occasion (at least for us). The food is original. It is unlike anything else you will find in Cedar Rapids. They do some experimenting here so not every bite is a 10, but almost all of them are very, very good. The ambience is classy and modern, the bar is terrific and the desserts are phenomenal. The service has always been very good - not great.
It also stands out because the drop off in Cedar Rapids between Zins and the next classiest/nicest/best place is pretty steep. That's a shame, but reality is reality. The local pallette can only (maybe) support one of these in CR. I'd love to know how this place peforms from a cash flow perspective. Something tells me the owners are taking a bath for the sake of keeping at least one nice restaurant in town alive. -
Review from Eric L.
Brooklyn, NY
8/3/2010
The only reason I can't give this place 5 stars is that I was 4/5 on my dishes. The way dishes are served here is that you order 3 or 4 and they are small plates, similar to Tapas. In fact I think everyone at the table was in that one shy of perfect range. The bread pudding and chocolate cake were fantastic. The mac and cheese was good. The lobster risotto was good (other than I personally think the sauce is too sweet that is around the edges). The only thing that didn't work for me was the pork pizza and that was just bad.
They have a great beer selection including an awesome local brew from John Generations that was a white ale. I think I ended up trying 4 or 5 different beers on the menu and they were all excellent. I'm not sure if I'll ever make it back to Cedar Rapids, but if I do, I'm coming back through here. It's a great spot. -
Review from Michael P.
Chicago, IL
3/29/2010
First my apologies to the clientele at Zin's this weekend - my urban snob attitude told me I could get away with sneakers and jeans anywhere in cedar rapids
touche Cedar Rapids you cut me with Zin's
this place is ROCK STAR
Thank you for dreamy cocktails - and oh you have cakebread chardonnay by the glass you say - nice
oh yea there is the super cute atmosphere - the window into the open kitchen!
The fact that there is NOT a bad table in the entire place - who designed this place they should design every restaurant - did you read - NOT A BAD table.
Very cool
Additionally the Food is stellar- I would prefer not to see lobster on the menu in the middle of the country, i don;t think it was farm raised - alas the lobster cheesecake was marvelous - and may I say teh cassoulet was BRILLIANT - so much so that we harassed the chef to tell her
desserts
staff
clientele
seriously worth a trip to CR -
Review from Jim B.
Cedar Rapids, IA
4/27/2008
My wife and I went to Zin's for their Sunday brunch. For $12, you can pick three 'entrees' or plates as they are called. Each plate is designed to give you 6-12 bites.
For my three selections I tried the Biscuits & Gravy (with andouille sausage.), the Eggs Benedict, and the Yogurt Parfait. All the selections were very tasty and quite enjoyable. We each selected a dessert for $2, which for me was the Chocolate and Caramel Waffles.
We marveled over the variety of serving dishes used for the plates...we discussed this with our waitress who confirmed our suspicion that it makes for a big headache for the dishwasher!
The service was adequate. While the waiteress we had was friendly, she was a bit slow in realizing that I needed a refill of my ice tea.
Overall it was a good, but not exceptional dinning experience. The portion sizes were adequate if not a bit on the small size, but then I am a 6'4" tall, 220 lb guy afterall! -
Review from Michael S.
Stillman Valley, IL
Loved our dining experience here. This was our second time doing dinner tapas style, and we really enjoyed it.
Two things that wouldn't made our dining experience better:
1)--get a reservation. We got there early for a Saturday dinner--5p--and they were nearly full. We were fortunate to get a seat.
2)--specify wine size. Had one great glass of Petersen Cabernet; menu read $5.50/glass. Final bill showed $11. Our waiter Austin said that their wine glass servings come as Half Glass & Full Glass. Apparently I ordered a Half Glass.
We were confident the menu read only bottle/glass prices. If there were sizes involved, our waiter shouldn't asked: 'half or full glass?'. He did not ask.
We loved our dining experience here...the last issue was a sour note for us, and was unfortunate. -
Review from Mike B.
5/18/2010
A very mixed experience at Zins.
Pros:
-wonderful space, friendly staff
-fantastic bar, great spirits, interesting takes on "classic" cocktails
-outstanding wine list for a restaurant this size in Iowa, great selection of wines by the glass
-garlic foccacia and dipping oil
Cons:
-pacing, even on a slow night the pacing was way off, apps came at the same time as one of the mains
-truffle fries had no hint of truffle at all, even though they were supposed to have both truffle salt and truffle oil on them
-meatloaf was good, but cold
-brussels sprouts were not grilled/cooked nearly enough, very tough and chewy
-mac and cheese just wasn't all that good, even though it is a 'fan favorite' and came highly recommended by the server
All in all, I'd go back for cocktails and a great wine selection any day, but probably skip the rest of the meal, which is too bad as it is such a nice space. -
Review from mel c.
Homestead, IA
7/24/2009
Stopped here on a recommendation from a local biz owner...sat at the bar for a bevvie and partook of some interesting new snak crackers they're rolling out- and fried olives. It's official- I think I've tried everything that can be fried- fried. (the black ones- yes- the green ones- aight)
Had a big girl table in 'the library' and have to say- the restaurant is really beautiful. The springroll was 5 star and so was the recommendation- the halibut- and I ain't jis sayin it for the...nyuknyuk
The wine list needs a more varied selection (like sancerre or rose?I didnt even bother looking at the reds- it was too hot) and if I felt like being a snob it would've been quite easy to do. So PLEASE do up the ante on the wines.
Decent wait staff- 5 stars to the attentive maitre'd...good luck to this place- its nice to know there's something decent in CR to dress up for. -
Review from Chris S.
Kennesaw, GA
2/25/2010
This is a small plate style restaurant which isn't necessarily everyone's thing....but you should definitely try it. My wife and I went there for brunch and had an amazing meal.
Brunch is about 12 dollars for 3 different items and a drink. We each got something different and all of it was delicious. Though I definitely recommend the crepes and the fruit scramble.
The service was a little bit on the slow side, but that might have been because they seemed a bit understaffed. The staff themselves are incredibly nice and helpful. All in all it was a fantastic dining experience.
On the way out we almost forgot our coats and got the chance to talk with either a manager, or owner, or someone involved with the restaurant. He was interested in feedback and sincerely interested that we had a good meal.
Great food, fantastic people, and affordable. My wife and I will definitely be coming back. -
Review from Sean W.
Cedar Rapids, IA
3/10/2010 4 Check-ins Here
Huge fan of Zins.
Great place to go as a couple or group of friends.
Communal Tapas.
Great service, great staff, great food, great deserts, great wine selection (OZ system too), great beer (comes with sausage) and great mixologists.
The private chef's table with full access view to the kitchen is really great for a group.
So glad they came back form the flood... remodeling is awesome (gotta check out the restrooms too).
I typically get 2 plates, and 1 desert (& drinks). All you need.
p.s. Got to try the Mac&Cheese!
I'll update this review when I get more time.
I just had to put in my quick 2cents. -
Review from Angie T.
Iowa City, IA
2/13/2011 4 Check-ins Here
This place makes me feel like I'm in Tribeca, NYC or in the San Diego gaslight district. Love the ambiance and simple, classy, spacious decor. I tend to go for drinks, but can also say the small plate selections have never disappointed, especially the lobster cheesecake. If you don't feel small plate is enough food, get the truffled pommes frites. That'll do ya.
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Review from Kay L.
North Liberty, IA
Updated - 3/14/2011
My former experience here wasn't all that great, but someone was listening. My complaints were read by the restaurant manager at Zins, and he emailed me personally to offer me another visit to the restaurant. Of course I took him up on the offer, and my second visit was great! I've tried three desserts now, and they're all amazing. I'm giving this restaurant an updated review because I appreciate a restaurant that cares about its brand representation and overall customer experience. Thumbs up!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/19/2011
I have been here twice, and although I was pleased the first time, the second time was not very good… Read more »
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Review from Justin B.
San Francisco, CA
Everyone has already said everything about how great this place is so I'll simply say MILK AND COOKIES!!!
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Review from Carla P.
North Liberty, IA
2/9/2010 3 photos
I am a big fan of Zin's!
I've had their brunch, lunch and dinner. For a more affordable meal, I would go for there for lunch or brunch.
They are very friendly and food is always very good.
They mix up their dishes a lot so there is always something new to try. Since you get to try out a little bit of this and a little bit of that, you will not be disappointed. -
Review from Ryan L.
Cedar Rapids, IA
6/12/2011
The food is alright, a little over priced for what it is and I think this place is really too full of it's self
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Review from Evan S.
Marion, IA
2/15/2011
Really nice Valentines night!! This was my first visit to Zins. I was very surprised that we were able to get a table with 2 hrs notice on valentines day. We were seated immediately. All of the staff was very nice. They had a special menu tonight which included 4 courses along with 4 different wines, 1 for each course. The sweet potato soup was amazing. I am not a fan of sweet potatoes but this was really good. our entree was a grilled fillet of beef. The beef was cooked really well. Although the bill was around $100 for 2 people it was worth it. The atmosphere and having 4 separate courses made the meal very enjoyable. I am not sure if this is how meals are normally served there or if this was just something special for Vday. I will be back this week to try the Sunday brunch. This is a great place for a special night out, but not a weekly visit... at least not on my budget!!
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Review from Christine R.
Austin, TX
11/6/2010
I found myself in Cedar Rapids on my birthday. Luckily my friend took me to Zins for dinner. The space is wonderful, comfortable and includes a glass wall with a view into the kitchen. There are a wide range of wines available by the glass. Highlights from dinner included the polenta fries, the bacon wrapped tenderloin and the macaroni and cheese which was excellent. I had the pecan tart with vanilla ice cream for dessert, and it was too good to share even a bite.
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Review from Abby I.
9/25/2009
Unfortunately I did not get to try Zins since they are closed on Monday (just a heads up). I wish their answering message had stated so or even their website. Looks great on the outside but I still cannot get used to the smell in downtown Cedar Rapids.
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Review from Chad Z.
Swisher, IA
3/14/2010
Great for lunch. Top notch service. Small tappas portions but you will get something unlike anywhere else in Cedar Rapids. Peanut butter chicken tacos highly recommended.
