01/29/09

Charming Delightful Little Restaurant

by pghgasman

I read the reviews on this site and I wondered if they were talking of the same restaurant that I found tucked away on Spahr Street in Shadyside. Either that, or Cafe Zinho has taken the criticisms to heart and mended their ways. The service was excellent. Yes they did make a mistake and brought us two appetizers when we had canceled one, but they were very apologetic about it. The food itself was excellent. I had snapper and my wife had the lamb and both were delicious. We shared a dessert between us & the dessert itself was heavenly (white cake with icing). Those reviewers who complained about the prices have obviously not eaten at the other Shadyside restaurants. I thought that a delicious meal for two at $50 was excellent value for money. At another restaurant around the corner, they charge $12 for a glass of mediocre wine, so BYOP at Cafe Zinho was defintely a plus. I was surprised that they don't accept credit cards, but to me, paying for food by a credit card is really moronic unless one is talking of huge cash amounts. There is something charming about paying for something you have consumed immediately and not carry a credit on it. I would go back there in a hearbeat.

• Pros: Ambience, service, food.
• Cons: Everytime restaurant door opens a draft of cold air comes in. Spartan decorations.

11/24/08

If Phyllo dough is your thing, then this is your place.

by JMB27

My girlfriend and I decided to try Cafe Zinho on a whim. From the moment we walked in, something just felt off. It was freezing cold and so dark inside the restaurant that we could hardly read the menus, which consisted of dishes that were just as unappealing as their descriptions made them sound. As much as we tried to find something good about Cafe Zinho, our dreams of having a good meal that evening were crushed with too-tiny plates covered in Phyllo dough. At the risk of sounding mean, it felt like we were in a refugee camp. If you make the mistake of going there, you'll know exactly what I mean.

• Pros: Pleasant waitresses
• Cons: Absolutely everything else

09/20/08

Below average food and bad service - don't waste your time!

by cellogal

We just had dinner at Cafe Zinho this evening for the first time. We have been curious to try this place since it is in our neighborhood. The service was very slow, and our waiter was quite awkward and not very sociable (not good for being in a service-oriented business). The food was below average and my husband's pork chop was seriously undercooked and raw in the middle, so that we had to send it back. We will not be returning to this place - there are far better restaurants in Shadyside. Also, keep in mind that this is a cash only restaurant that's right, no credit cards. Please don't waste your time or money with this one.

• Pros: Ambience
• Cons: Everything else

02/09/08

Hoped for a taste of heaven; Founda bite of hell

by Yefimovich

Were there insects in the meals? No, of course not. Were there spiderwebs visible even for the lazy eye? No, of course not. No. Let me rephrase...unfortunately not! That's correct. Crawling insects and spiderwebs would've made the evening bearable for my wife and I.

Shall I commence with the service? Well, as a foreigner, spelling is a tough subject; but nothing surprised me more than finding out that atrocious customer service is spelled C.A.F.E Z.I.N.H.O. The employees, it felt, were taking the role of American Idol judges way too seriously with their constant eye-rolling, hidden curse words and the attitude of a soldier coming home with his tail between his legs. And to think, I had to experience this sort of behavior on my 11th anniversary with my wife, Katusha Maya.

The food? Let's just say the only thing delicious was the thought of the first food I'd have after the two weeks of digestion complications and medicine. For those who didn't get it; the food was sub par, to say the least. The price? Wow. You know you're in a Capitalistic society when feces cost as much as a mansion with a detached garage and back porch.

The ambiance was nice.

• Pros: Ambiance.
• Cons: The rest.

06/17/07

Nice crowd but overpriced average food

by bidimu

We had an average experience at Cafe Zinho but left a bit unsatisfied for the $50 we left for two entrees. Also we weren't expecting to be paying $5 for the bread and butter they served before dinner. The bread was very good. Though, we don't remember a single place with entrees starting from $15.95 charging for bread and butter.

The dishes were mediocre. I had the salmon, and my girlfriend had the duck. The meat in both dishes were good and tasty. The vegetables served with the meat were the same in both dishes and were not anything special. We heard people at the other tables complaining about the same thing.

Nice crowd in general. Very European feeling (although you have to bring your own wine). The place doesn't accept reservations, which is okay but they also don't accept credit cards, which is obviously unacceptable for a place that serves $16+ entrees.

Overall, it was nice sitting outside on a nice summer evening and the food was fine but we don't think we'll go there again.

• Pros: Fine service, fine crowd, outdoors sitting
• Cons: Overpriced for the quality, charges for bread and butter, doesn't accept credit cards

04/11/06

BYOB is a bonus

by natalieg77

Hit or miss is the most frequent description I hear of this restaurant and I know many people who love it and some who have had a very bad experience. Personally, I fall into the former camp as I find the staff extremely friendly and efficient and the food excellent. The goats cheese and vegetable platter are good if sharing. On the entree side, the pork medallions are a must although I have been served under-cooked ones before so check before you eat! The duck is fabulous too. All the desserts are good. The chicken is very bland and the only dish I have had there that I would not order again. Remember to take cash and bring your own wine, something I am a fan of as it prevents the large mark-up restaurants often apply to wines. PS check out the store at the back.

01/27/06

Horrible New Year's Eve Dinner

by kristind

Citysearch recommended Cafe Zinho as a great place to celebrate New Year's Eve. I had enjoyed the atmosphere in the past so I thought it would be a great place to celebrate with my family and out of town guests. From the second we arrived we were all very disappointed. When we sat down the very unpleasant waiter announced, "no specials tonight." No specials summed up the whole night. There was nothing special about Cafe Zinho!! The food was worse than restaurant chain quality. The calamari wasn't fresh & the steaks were a cheap cut of meat served with fries that tasted like they had been nuked in the microwave. It was very obvious the staff couldn't wait for us to leave & quite frankly we couldn't wait to get out of there! Please don't waste your time or your money!

07/11/05

Wonderful

by mbgst9

Who would have thought that such a little place tucked away on Spahr Street would be such a find. The Goat Cheese appetizer is a must and the Duck was cooked to perfection. I also recommend the Salmon, Crayfish Cake, and Buffalo Meatloaf. I've hear good things about them all!

• Pros: Food
• Cons: Cash Only

11/09/04

The excellent cuisine of Pittsburgh favorite, Baum Vivant, in a smaller, more relaxed atmosphere.

by Contributor

The Scene
The back wall is painted with the restaurant's logo, tables and chairs appear to be Goodwill and flea-market finds, yet the space is good looking. Also attractive are the people of all ages who frequent the place. If you're lucky, you might get the single table in the back "art room," which features very bad reproductions of very good paintings.

The Food
The menu is eclectic, serving moderate portions of unusual dishes for both lunch and dinner. The roast garlic and tomato bisque with dill is a delicious first course. Everyone seems to enjoy the shrimp cake with toasted macadamia nuts, coconut milk, lime and Dijon mustard sauce, as well as the steamed mussels. Another dish of note is the chicken liver mousse pate.

• Pros: singles scene

07/31/04

Great food, not great service

by hessian499

The food here is excellent (I would recommend the pork medallions) and the decor is in a pleasing Bohemian style. However, the service is very slow and the wait staff seems indifferent to their customers; the restaurant may want to go for a casual atmosphere, but it comes across as so casual as to be almost uncaring. Whatever you do, don't get the table set right by the front desk - the staff will stand around and hold loud conversations only two feet from you!

• Pros: Entrees, Decor, Desserts
• Cons: , Uncaring staff, Cramped tables