My wife and I popped in for dinner this weekend for the first time and I must say we had a delightful experience.
Great bar scene, with a great wine list and local beer menu. The restaurant was very warm and inviting.
Tried a few items off their cheese and charcuterie menu, which included the a pork pate, local goat cheese, and fried head cheese. All were amazing, but the fried head cheese was like having the best pulled pork you have ever had in a croquette. Please don't take that off the menu!
The pork belly wontons were so good! Crispy, succulent and balanced with a great dipping sauce.
We had both the seared scallop and shrimp scampi dishes which were fresh, light, sweet, and cooked to perfection.
The cookie sandwich dessert with rice crispies, marshmallow and bourbon caramel sauce was off the charts delicious!! Such a fun and playful twist on a great summer dessert!
Service was just fabulous. Can't wait to go back!
We were looking for a new restaurant at which to celebrate our anniversary. Thought that we would look for something out of the Boston area. Boy did we find a gem! The food was fresh, beautifully presented and deeeeeelisssshhhh! We spent 2 1/2 hours slowly eating, drinking and enjoying. We started out with drinks and a complimentary bouche amuse of tuna tartare served on cucumber slices. The waitress, Jessica,(who was terrific) then brought us a basket of homemade fresh piping hot sliced bread. It was well worth the wait. My husband and I split an appetizer of Hawaiian Poke and we then shared a delicious salad of bibb lettuce, goat cheese, locally grown strawberries with a pistachio dusting on top. Because the chef felt that the kitchen was slow he sent us an appetizer of grave lox with creme fraiche. For our entree I enjoyed the salmon while my husband ordered the tuna. The waitress knew that it was our anniversary and brought us a chocolate cake with chocolate ganache accompanied by a raspberry puree.OMG the whole experience was superb from start to finish!!
Review Source:The Picket Fence Chard is very good.
We happened to stop in here on National Chardonnay Day (who knew) to find a number of Chardonnay specials. Â After chatting with the bartender (who was *very* helpful) and sampling quite a few (not a problem) we chose the Picket Fence California Chardonnay. Â It was very good.
On to some eats...
I'm a flexitarian -- a vegan who'll eat vegetarian, or anything else for that matter when I'm in the mood. Usually, when eating out, I *try* -- sometimes, not very hard -- to eat vegan.
It wouldn't have been hard to eat vegan at Zebra's. Â They have a vegetarian menu separate from their regular dinner menu and when asked they were more than willing to prepare a vegan version of a number of their vegetarian and/or non-vegetarian menu choices. Â That's what people like me really like to see when they eat out -- a flexible kitchen / chef :-)
On this visit I decided to "flex" a little: Â We had the Marinated Olives from the Snack Menu to start (vegan) followed by a roasted pear salad special that included a mix of greens and nuts and veggies *plus* a fried egg -- "flex #1". Â We followed the salad with the Grilled Ramp Pizza from the Starters menu. Â A small white pizza with Gouda Cream, Mozzarella, Fiddleheads, Oyster Mushrooms, and another Fried Egg.
Basically, we did "tapas" for dinner this night.
This was our first visit to Zebra's, but it's on the way home from work and we'll definitely be back!
*Note: Â Originally wrote this review on google in 2011.
Not worth the hype. We've been wanting to try Zebra's for a few months now. After reading the menu online and seeing the all the positive reviews, we were very excited to try it. Turns out though - just a lot of hype.
The "Beef Tenderloin" appetizer was tough. Borderline Hangar Steak grittiness and the portion was microscopic. Even by Tappas standards, much overpriced at over $12.95. $8.95 would have been a justifiable rate for the tiny portion of meat if they in fact used tenderloin - but I'm skeptical that they did.
I got the braised short ribs. They were good. Home- cooked short-ribs kind of good. Enjoyable. But worth $25? Not in a million years. And while being much easier to chew than all the other meat on our table last evening, it still clearly wasn't very high quality meat. It was listed as coming with Horseradish Mashed Potatoes and "Root Vegetables", but the only root vegetable was carrots. The carrots were very good to their credit. But from their description I was expecting at least one other root vegetable or even a root vegetable medley. All in all, this meal was enjoyable - just way overpriced for the flavor and portion.
My girlfriend got the mango chutney pork chop entree on the special menu. The mango added a good flavor to the dish, but once again the meat was tough as leather.
Our waitress was helpful enough, but didn't come across as being sincere. The ambiance and atmosphere were fantastic and the hostesses were very friendly. But that won't be enough to make us come back.
Our espresso martini was good. We asked for a side of Bailey's to make the martini creamy. Much to our surprise, the shot of bailey's was $10! 50 Cents MORE than the mixed drink!
Next time we are in the mood to drop $75-125 for dinner for 2, we'll head to Sel De La Terre in Natick, Truffles in Milford, or Tavolino in Foxborough. We are in disbelief that this place is talked about so positively.
Liked: Atmosphere
Disliked: Food, Service, Value
So let me start by saying this is the "finest" dining option in Medfield. Part of me feels like I shouldn't even review it because there aren't any other options.
The place is hopping. We came for an 8:30 rezzie and didn't get seated until 9. At 10:30, when we still had two 1/2 bottles of wine left - the wait staff made it known that it was time to wrap it up by talking loudly and lingering in the kitchen doorway behind us. Â We rushed through our wine and stayed until 11. The last party of 6 in the dining room.
Apps and mains all around - the crab cake was super fishy - I took a few bites and decided I shouldn't eat any more. Too bad because it was a large size and looked to have tasty potential. Fail. I also had the squash bisque which had a healthy dollop of sour cream in the center and a drizzle of what seemed like balsamic vinegar. Micro-greens also topped my soup and I wished I had taken them out before stirring everything together - I didn't love the bites of soup with little clover like greens in it. Hearty, yet a bit too sweet overall for my taste.
The braised beef short rib was flake with your fork good - the goat cheese polenta an almost win except for the 2-3 bites of whole peppercorn that ended up in a mouthful. This was not a welcome surprise to something on the more delicate side.
The broccoli raab was bitter as if should be but over lemoned which in turn lended it's lemon flavor to my braised short rib and goat cheese polenta. Boooo.
The cod main was bland and the lobster risotto was thick and mushy.
The rib eye steak was cooked well, however was clear that it did not rest long enough. There were a lot of juices on the plate. The truffle roasted potatoes were great.
Seems like a great place to have drinks and grab sushi in the bar area although I caution you to be wary of the fish which didn't do much to win me, or the rest of the table, over.
Have not been back to Zebras yet, but wanted any Yelpers to know that the owner responded, very quickly, to my original post with an uber-professional message and offered to 'make things right.'
Have not gone back, but thought it important to mention to anyone considering eating here.
My husband and I live in the town where Zebra's is and in the past have found it to be a fun place to meet up for a quick bite/drinks, meet friends, or have a nice dinner there. Â But the last few visits have been less appealing and a little disappointing. Â Things have changed. Â The food is average and overpriced where before it was good and overpriced. Â We usually sit in the bar area because we find the service better/friendlier and is a livelier atmosphere (which we prefer). Â The menu has changed drastically in the past few months....and not for the better. Â The first dinner we ordered from the new menu wasn't quite average. Â It was nicely presented but lacked flavor - I felt like I needed to add salt to my dish. Â The next two times I came with friends and was disappointed to find that the bar menu had changed and there as no longer "munchies" to order. Â I had already eaten dinner and wanted something small to have while I sipped on my cocktail with friends. Â My other disappointment is the overall menu. Â It is heavy on the fish and seafood side. Â My husband is allergic to shellfish and we both have limited palettes for fish in general. Â I have found that there are few other alternatives to fish that we like or seem appetizing to eat. Â I understand change happens but we're disappointed in the direction it's heading. Â Zebra's has always been a place we loved going to and supporting local business. Â We hope they go back to some of their old classic menu items and offer for things for the bar area.
Review Source:Zebra's attempts to take a South End style restaurant and plant it in the burbs...and partially succeeds. The sushi is well prepared but the service and atmosphere are just 'ok'. When I asked the hostess to re-seat us after putting us adjacent to the kitchen, there was an audible sigh. I was so uncomfortable that I joked "we came to a restaurant to try to get out of the kitchen'...dead silence. The food was pretty good but pricey. If you want the South End experience...you'll need to drive to the South End.
If you want better food, friendlier service and better prices, try Takara which is less than 1/4 mile away. I'll bet William, the host will remember your name by the second visit.
My husband and I came to celebrate my birthday /our anniversary. I had made a reservation several days in advance on open table and asked that we not be put in a table in the center of the room as we wanted something a little more private. (it is quite noisy). They put us at a long skinny area where you are literally 12 inches from the tables on either side. You can hear each others conversations and have to get up to let each other in and out. We started off ordering one of our favorite bottles of wine which we have frequently at home: A robust Italian red. It arrived ICE COLD. When we complained that it was not drinkable so cold and that it killed the flavor, the waitress said it was "cave temperature" and it would warm up. An hour and forty minutes later- after finishing our appetizers and our dinners,- it still  hadn't warmed up, but we had to drink it at that point anyway or toss it out as it was in the glasses. It would have been nice to have a drink with our appetizerss and dinners. I had the rabbit ragout and it was pretty bland. My husband's corn chowder was the best part of the meal, but all in all it was a huge disappointment. Our special evening out left us frustrated and with a bad taste in our mouth. I would not recommend ordering a bottle of wine from this restaurant-it cost more than all the food combined-and NEVER have I been served red wine like this ANYWHERE!! Oh and did I mention there were bugs flying around us the entire time. The highlight was when I finally swatted and killed one and the tables on both sides of us cheered. Enough said.
Review Source:Big fan of the food! The last time I visited I popped in for a glass of wine and appetizer (short rib and 5 lily wonton). Â As always the food did not disappoint and the wine selection is wonderful. Â If you are not a lover of wine there are always fun daily cocktail specials and great beers! Â If you are a fan of sushi the OMG is a must try, it's out of this world!! The wait and bar staff has always been nothing but friendly and helpful. Â I would visit more often but the prices are steep which is why I can only give Zebra's a 4-star rating.
Review Source:Portions here were pretty decent, dinners were goodand the sushi appetizers were well done. For a surburban location, I think this was a good pick. Â I would offer this -- they could probably stand to drop a couple bucks from drink prices, given the location. Â 13$ for a single-malt is downtown Boston pricing. Â As a wine bar, they stand to make a good profit off booze anyways, so no need to scalp. Â I will come back when I can.
Review Source:The food was excellent as was the service and atmosphere. Â I ordered the grilled sirloin and asked for the Roquefort Butter which was absolutely delicious. Â The servers are attentive but not aggressively so, which is the way I like it.
My friend ordered lamb which she said was delightful. Â She also ordered two mixed drinks, both which were perfect.
I was impressed by the eclectic menu - from italian to sushi. So, it took us awhile to decide on our dishes, but the food lived up to the hype we heard about. Sushi was as good as some of the top places in Boston, I loved my lobster and fig pizza, and the gnocchi chicken was pretty good. The service was slowww, and the prices were pretty high (especially since the restaurant is a good drive outside the city). The decor has a youthful vibe, though the patrons are overwhelmingly older, white couples - so we sorta felt outta place. Still, tasty food, but maybe not worth the trip since you can find the quality of food in the city (but not necessarily all under one roof).
Review Source:Bottom line for Zebra's is that it is overpriced. Â
Went here the other night with my wife for dinner. Â We came early on a weekend night and had a reservation but didn't need it. Â The bar was filled up, and they have a little lounge area in the bar with nice sofas, chairs and tables. Â Very nice setup for a cocktail or after work drink. Â They also have what looks like a sushi bar adjacent to the bar as well. Â I don't like sushi, so I didn't even notice.
Two hostesses were friendly and quick to seat us. Â The waitress was also very good and did a good job as the place filled up quick. Â Great atmosphere in this place but it isn't that big. Â I was expecting it to be a little darker inside too for some reason but it was well lit. Â I didn't mind the lighting, I'm just used to these places being on the darker side. Â It was a nice change of pace.
For apps we had the calamari and cesar salad. Â The calamari was ok, but a little too chewy for my liking. Â The cesar salad was fantastic though..
I had the sirloin and the wife had the swordfish. Â The sirloin was good, but it wasn't $20 good. Â The swordfish was a little better. Â For sides they have your basic vegetables/potatos but they also had this crusted asparragus which was fantastic.
Decent beer list with some random beers but I liked what I had (the IPA).
To sum it up I have to say I really liked this place, but the price just simply did not add up to the food quality or quanity. Â I'm also rating this because a place like Zebra's should be compared to similar type bistros and not your average pub. Â If I had money to throw around, I might come here once a week or so. Â But I don't, so I won't.
I would never go here again. I had a Groupon so that softened the blow, but my entire meal was bland and I would have preferred to eat at a Denny's.
The service was slow but decent, the decor was nice, all around I thought it was going to be a good experience.
However, they seriously need to get a new chef, add more flavor/spice to their food, and re-create their menu.
I had the Statler Chicken on Gnocchi, no gnocchi so I had to get mashed. The mashed was the only decent thing on the plate. However, the crispy parmesan asparagus was actually pretty good so kudos for that.
My girlfriend had the sushi, she ate it and liked it but we have had far better at dives around the city.
Bottom line, if you want to actually get what you are paying for, and enjoy good food then go to a place in the city or closer to the city. For instance, I strongly suggest Gargoyles on the Square in Davis Square Somerville, MUCH better American Contemporary cuisine and around the same price.
Don't let them fool you! Zebra's didn't open up in the city because they wanted to bring a city bistro to the suburbs, it's because they couldn't survive in the city with all the competition!
Went here the other night with the girl, kinda left disappointed. Â This kinda out of the way for us, but I heard some good things and I wanted to give this place a shot.
-We sat down and ordered our drinks, some sort of mango martini for her and a beer for me. Â Her martini was ok, not a fan of mango so I won't take points away for that.
-For appetizers we got the Point Judith Calimari with truffle caper aoili and marinara sauce and the pulled pork tostadas. Â The fried calimari was good, but I wish there was more aoili. Â The tostadas were 8 nacho sized chips with a great amount of pulled pork and pepper jack cheese on top, served with guac. Â The portions were bigger than I thought, and the pork was pretty good.
-For dinner I got the beef short ribs over horseradish mashed potatoes and root veggies. Â They say that the ribs were marinated in a blend over night, but I couldn't taste anything other than the beef to be honest. Â The beef was tender and flavorful, but just didn't seem marinated. Â The potatoes had no hint whatsoever of horseradish and I got six small bits of carrots for veggies. Â The girl got the Veal cutlet with mushroom raviolis and pearl mushrooms in a wine sauce. Â All you could taste was the wine, which isn't really ideal. Â The veal cutlet was very meh and seemed to be store bought to be honest. Â Dinner was just kind of disappointing.
-For dessert I got the flan and she got the tiramisu. Â The flan was a lot thicker than it should have been and didn't feel right when eating. Â The tiramisu seemed store bought and didn't do anything for us.
Overall, it is a very nice place inside, but for the prices, I would have expected more quality in the food. Â Didn't try the sushi, but I probably still wouldn't have been blown away seeing as how pricey sushi usually doesn't live up to the price.
I have been to Zebra twice and each time I thought the food was wonderful but that the portions might be a little on the light side for some. I am in love with the fig, lobster, and blue cheese pizza. The bay scallops were succulent. 2 out of 3 of us thought our meals were stellar but each time I went with different people, there was always one person disappointed and they both happened to order sirloin. Also, we had mixed reviews on the service. While we all felt rushed at first, as the restaurant got busier, the waitress let us relax and enjoy our meal. But there was 1 diner that just thought she was downright rude throughout. Hard to say while we differed so much. So what I would say is that 75% of diners will enjoy it and 25% will think it's not all it's cracked up to be. For me, I am definitely going back when I can afford another splurge.
Review Source:We recently visited Zebra's, as we had a "New England Perks" certificate and it was a good opportunity to give it a try. Fortunately, they are on OpenTable and had an open rezzie for 6:30pm on a Saturday night.
It's very easy to find, right off Rte. 109 in downtown Medfield, which isn't as far as some might think. Plenty of parking on the street.
The atmosphere was nice. Jazz music playing, loud but good vibe, crowded bar. Fortunately, the couple we were seated next to with their two loud toddlers were just finishing-up their meal. At least they had the decency to dine at 5:30pm instead of 7pm.
As for the food....
Three words: Pulled. Â Pork. Tostadas.
Three more words: Oh. My. Gawd.
Yeah, these were memorable, for sure. It's on the daily specials, and according to our server Megan, it is always on the daily specials and there is hope that it'll be added to the regular menu. Â About 15 big tortilla chips, each individually topped with a big scoop of tasty pulled pork (is that redundant?), then sprinkled with pepper jack cheese & broiled a little bit. Â Served with a very good dish of guacamole. I could've had two of these plates and be very satisfied for my dinner.
My wife had the Arancini for a starter, and was presented with three baseball-sized mounds of deliciousness, served with a tangy marinara sauce.
For entrees, my wife had the braised short ribs w/ mashed potato. I had a bite and it was delicious. I had the sauteed veal cutlets w/ mushroom ravioli, and they were good but not great. I would opt for the braised short ribs 9 out of 10 times over the veal cutlets. The ravioli were very good.
Megan was an absolutely superb server. We had no issues with the timing of the meal, or the service, or the hostess who seated us promptly at 6:30 when we walked in the door.
I don't think Zebra's is a once-a-week destination, as it is a bit pricey, but it is definitely more than a once-a-year destination, and we will be back. Especially if those Pulled Pork Tostadas make the main menu.
My fiance and I were quite disappointed with Zebra's; it wasn't terrible, but the quality was not at all worth the high price (luckily we had a buywithme).
We had the crunchy sushi roll as our appetizer, and it was the only thing I really enjoyed about the entire experience. It was fresh and quite good.
I had the baked cod, which was a little bland and came on a bed of very mismatched flavors: capers, sweet potatoes (a tad undercooked), red potatoes (also undercooked and bland), kalamata olives, and tomatoes. These flavors just really didn't go well together at all.
 My fiance had the same problem with his meal-a pork special stuffed with goat cheese and sundried tomatoes, and then topped with cranberry sauce. The cut of meat was too thick and therefore tough, and again, these flavors didn't all mesh.
Service was pretty slow, even though we were there fairly early we waited a long time for our appetizer and meal. Our water glasses went unfilled until practically the end of dinner and then we waited again for the check.
Maybe try out the sushi/bar but past that I can't recommend it!
Really 3.5 stars.
We came for a laid back birthday dinner and were really excited about the Oysters for a dollar. There was a bit of delay in the hostess getting to us. Â She did acknowledge us when we first came in, but she really was on the phone for too long. We were standing around needlessly while the place was practically empty.
There was also some confusion about the Oyster special. Â Their website said the deal was over, but one person in our party got an email that it was still on, the hostess thought it was still on, but the waiter had to correct everyone - there was only one type of oyster available that night. Â Sheesh.
The service was good. Â The food was good (rack of lamb, salmon, seared duck, and some appetizers). The atmosphere is good. All good, but not quite good enough to rank a four star experience.
I was surprised for my birthday dinner at Zebra's on a busy weekend. The food and service was amazing. We started with the fig pizza and we ate every bit. My steak was cooked to order and was delicious. They also had a special Wednesday menu. I would go again hands down.
I did not try the sushi but it looked really nice and I even saw a few take out orders. The restaurant was waaay out in the middle of nowhere but the food was great. I would think of it as a special occasion place since it is a bit pricey.
Eh, it's okay, not as all that as they think they are though. Â I guess trying to be a fancy shmancy restaurant in the middle of the boonies is what makes this place stand out. Â I will say, the decor is nice and contemporary. Â The food is pretty good too, the lobster and fig pizza is actually pretty delicious, but I could do w/out the lobster. Â Service is okay. Â Our waitress was a little bluh. The hostesses didn't make us feel very welcome what-so-ever, I mean they hardly said hi when we walked in, we were the first ones to say something, and the place was empty at 5pm. Not the way it should work. I think those ladies need a retraining session. Â No music in the fancy restaurant, just get to hear a bunch of noisy blabber, which kind of ruins the whole experience. Â Such an important little detail overlooked. Â The desert alcoholic specialty coffee beverage that cost $10 was seriously an amount of 3 sips and all I tasted was coffee. I might as well have just gotten coffee itself. Â
Bottom line, the 2 stars I gave is for the food, because what I had was indeed pretty good, but honestly there are so many other options where one can get good food, that it's not even worth going there, thus when you go to a classy restaurant you want the whole experience, I assume, and I just wasn't feeling it in this place. Â
The 3rd star is for the hot bartender :)
Zebra's is my favorite restaurant in the area. Â
I love the variety on the menu, everything I have tried has been delicious. The 3 course prefix menu they offer is a nice way to try a few things at a good price.
My favorite aspect of Zebra's is their sushi!!! Â It's delicious!! Â Favorite rolls include: Â Crunchy, Spicy Scallop, & OMG!
We went there for dinner and it was very very good. I called en route and they told us 8:00. We got there about 7:20 and secured a spot at the bar. Service is really good. The drinks were great. We eneded up eating at the bar. Food was really good without being fussy. I had a bistro salad and the arancini's My husband had the duck special and thought that it was really good.
We will come here again as we are new to the area and this is one of the better restaurants that we have found.
I first visited Zebra's a few months ago with a bunch of girlfriends and I had some sushi and we tried the fig lobster pizza (they had me at lobster and blue cheese). Â I thought the sushi was great, well executed and fresh and the sake choices were more than I had seen in a place that did more than just Japanese in a long time! Â When I saw some of the other girls dishes I knew I had to come back with my husband and the groupon that came out sealed the deal!
We went on Tuesday night thinking we should be able to get in without a reservation and sure enough they were able to get us right to a table. Â At first I was a little disappointed that they couldn't do pizza that night (the part was not able to be ordered in time due to the holidays) but it was understandable and they were very nice about it! Â We then got lucky noticing the Prix Fixe Special for Sunday's - Wednesdays and decided to do that and do another entree.
We were quickly given our great drinks (a martini and a red delicious) and some bread with a garlic white bean spread that was really yummy and our calamari app came out quickly after, we were very happy with everything so far and really didn't notice how long our entrees were taking because it was just nice to have a night out with the kids and what we had so far was so enjoyable. Â We didn't notice until the manager Joe came over and apologized for the wait because the broken stove was causing them to get a little behind on the entrees and took care of one of them for us. Â We were amazed because we hadn't said anything to our waitress nor had we made faces or anything since we were just enjoying ourselves. Â We decided to then treat ourselves to another round of drinks which our waitress was quick to come out with.
Our meals arrived and I have to say I was a little overwhelmed at first... I have had beef short ribs before but never have had such a large portion and my husband's baked cod just flaked apart and was so tasty with the capers! Â But I have to tell you more about the beef short ribs - there was no knife needed here, my fork was able to do the work and I loved that the carrots had obviously spent a lot of time in the red wine sauce as well. Â The horseradish mashed potatoes just went so well it was hard to not devour every bite of it all and if it wasn't for my husband who was "willing" to have a few bites I fear some of the beef would have been left on the plate and had a hard time saying goodbye to the last of the potatoes we had the waitress take away with my plate! Â We finished off with a creme brulee since it is usually our little test for places like this and it was a very nice vanilla bean brulee but not as impressive as we were hoping after everything we had prior to that but not something that we left any behind!
We will definitely be back again but next time will call ahead to make sure the oven is working so I can have the fig and lobster pizza again. Â btw.. I can see why some people wouldn't be that found of it - it is a different type of pizza and I think it's the type that someone would really love or really hate - all the girls at my table a few months ago really loved it but knew we were expecting something on the sweeter side since one of the girls raved about it before we ordered!
For parents this place is a hit, though we were here without our little one the table next to us had a little boy who seemed very familiar with the place since he opened right up his little menu that even came with crayons to draw on and his chicken fingers came out in a great bento box and had me wanting to look over more to find out what else he had in store there!
I have to add in that both visits our waitstaff was stellar and being someone who worked in the industry for quite a few years when I was younger I know some things can be easily missed and I couldn't have asked for better service!
Mixed bag here. I really liked my scallops w/ lobster rav. The scallops were cooked perfectly and were the better half of the dish. My wife had the fig and lobster pizza appetizer (but it was definitely portioned large enough for an entree). She ate a few bites and decided she didn't like it. We decided to switch plates since I usually like anything and had already wolfed down half my meal. She liked what I ordered much better. Unfortunately, I agreed with her about the pizza. The fig sweetness is just way too overpowering... making the lobster and any other toppings pointless. I advise against ordering it unless you're a really big fig fan. Prices were also rough. I won't quote them here because I can't think of the exact numbers... I just know we were both surprised by the total, even after applying a discount from Groupon. We enjoyed the atmosphere w/ live music. The server was very pleasant as well.would consider returning for a special occasion, but would steer clear of figs... Maybe in favor of sushi.
Review Source:We went to Zebra's with high hopes. It wasn't our first visit. We've enjoyed brunch there, but the dinners had been generally lackluster. Inspired menu but execution didn't always match. Decent food, but the restaurant always felt like it didn't know what it wanted to be when it grew up. Not sure whether or not it would stand out in a more competitive field of restaurants closer to Boston.
But this time was worse. Food was okay, but service terrible. And while mistakes were acknowledged, no one seemed too concerned about our poor experience and little was done to rectify it.
We were quite disappointed, and are not sure whether we will give Zebra's yet another chance.
Zebra's needs to narrow down their mission statement, but other than that, it's a pretty good spot. It's especially good for being in the middle of nowhere (sorry, city girl here!). I've been here twice, both times with my parents. They live in Natick, and while I'm sure there are better places that are closer to them, they seem to enjoy this spot.
The restaurant's owners state that they used to live in the South End and missed all the culinary offerings of that area when they moved to the (very deep) suburbs. I can understand that. This spot, however, feels like they were trying to mimic something that they didn't quite understand. The decor is off. It's too colorful, like they were trying to be trendy but missed. I'm not sure those of Medfield much care about this, but it's a turn-off for me. They also display rotating art from local artists, but some of it is downright ugly.
The menu is equally as confused. They offer everything. Steaks and seafood, as well as sushi. In my opinion, they should either go for American bistro or seafood/sushi. It's trying for too much to do both. That said, the food is good. Both times, I've had a nice salad followed by a sizable steak (the accompanying tempura asparagus is wonderful) . I've also fallen victim to their dessert cocktails on both occasions (my stepmother's idea, not mine). They're yummy, but again it feels like too much.
I understand that in an area where the foodie's might find the pickings to be rather slim, offering more might be seen as a good thing. Personally, I would prefer some focus to the menu. One last thing, though they claim the kitchen is open late (10ish), it shuts down early. We've closed the place on both occasions. Zebra might be aiming for the South End, but the South End it is not.
I'm downgrading my last review, largely because the sushi has really slipped, and the entrees remain over-ambitous and confused. The bar's still nice, though, if, ahem, you're into that kind of thing ....
For the best sushi in Medfield (ok, the competition is pretty slim), try Takara's, newly opened.
Mother's Day was a nice time to visit Zebra's. Â Since we live nearby we saw friends there. Â The wine list is nice - many good choices. Â My wife and I had the sirloin. Â My cut was great but hers was not. Â At our request it was served with vegetables instead of mashed potatoes. Â Unfortunately they didn't get the signal that maybe we were being carb and health conscious because the asparagus came out deep fried in a shell of some sort, and they piled a huge load of onion rings on our plates. Â Nonetheless it was a pleasant dinner and I recommend Zebra's if you want something fancy in the 'burbs.
Review Source:Zebra's is the place to go when you have a hankering for fancy -- even fussy -- food that actually does taste as great as it looks on the plate. Another plus is the seasonal menu that changes regularly, so it's often featuring deliciously fresh produce and seafood. It's also a bit spendy -- main courses at dinner are often in the $27 to $35 range. Brunch is also delish and quite a bit less expensive. If you've got a sushi lover in your party, they'll be satisfied with the traditional if a bit bland selection. Kind of a strange add-on given the rest of the menu. My best tactic is to come and sit across from the bar on the comfy couches and order drinks and sushi instead of sitting for the full dinner.
Review Source:Pricey eclecticism (that is to say, an odd mish-mash) in remote exurbia.
I'm a lifelong city-dweller; I start to hyperventilate a little when I get into the wide open spaces beyond the 128 beltway. Driving here from downtown Boston takes me a good 50 minutes with no traffic. Pike to 128 to Rt 109W, then through Westwood, Dover, and Walpole to get to Medfield. I arrive a little disoriented.
Pleasant enough look: blond wood tables and, hard chairs, soothing earth tones, local art on the walls, very much in keeping with their avid self-promotion as an "unpretentious bistro." Huge weeknight crowd at the bar, eating, drinking, and watching the game on the big TV. In the dining room, groups of the Eastern MA equivalent of "Desperate Housewives" having a loud girls' night out, clusters of what look like Wellesley girls, older couples, everyone quite casually dressed.
I expect a modest New American menu, but I'm surprised instead to see a) a long list of sushi and sashimi; b) a fairly ambitious menu of New American dishes with rather high prices, most entrees $25-35; and c) some luxury-priced grilled steaks and chops. Wine list is predictably Napa-centric with a lot of price-gouging on over-familiar marquee wines. Wines by-the-glass are decent, but very small pours in cheap stemware.
The food is admirably executed, but I get the feeling this chef could use some editing: every dish has one idea too many. Example: the complimentary white-bean spread has garlic (good) and truffle oil (not so good: it overwhelms the other flavors) AND a big dusting of Parmesan (utterly superflous), plus the foccaccia it's served with has more cheese baked on. I think this would taste better (and be more unpretentious-bistro-like) as a garlicky white bean spread with plain foccaccia.
Sushi is pretty okay, nothing special. It's odd to see an itamae working in the middle of an unpretentious-bistro setting, set up halfway between the raucous bar and sedate dining room.
This being America, portions are ridiculously oversized. We manage to get through about a third of our entrees and doggie-bag the rest (a practice I mostly loathe). This chef clearly likes to load up entrees and sides alike with butter, as evidenced by how the leftover mashed potatoes solidify in my fridge. It's also possible to drop $38 on a pedigreed sirloin here, but the green peppercorn au poivre treatment doesn't sound like a good idea at all.
Dessert is another example of overthinking: a pumpkin bread pudding consisting of: a) an excellent, very smooth, very clearly pumpkin-flavored custard underneath (beautiful); b) a layer of bread cubes baked on top (okay, so now it's bread pudding); c) a scoop on the side of house-made apple ice cream (also excellent, and pairing beautifully with the pudding); and d) a small gravy boat of espresso/chocolate sauce, extremely rich and concentrated in flavor, like a melted truffle, but matching up terribly flavor-wise with the other two ingredients. Just a bit of this sauce clobbers the other delicate elements in the dish. I'm glad I didn't dump it on top of everything.
Service is attentive and extremely pleasant. One of the review quotes prominently posted here (from Zagat) says "If it were in the city, Zebra's would instantly be a hot spot." Actually, no: city diners would expect the bistro menu to be about 30% less expensive, the sushi to be extraordinary, and the "South Dakota aged prime Black Angus" sirloin to be simply grilled and served unadorned -- and this place to be three separate restaurants.
I can understand why Zebra's does what it does: it's in the middle of some of Boston's wealthiest exurbs (Medfield, Dover, Sherborn). Medfield's entire roster of other dining options is Friendly's, Papa Gino's, D'Angelo's, Subway, two pizza joints, a Thai place, and something called Basil. I'm sure it's worth the premium Zebra's charges to save its customers from having to drive all the way to Boston for a fine-dining meal. I imagine brunch, the occasional live jazz, and seasonal outdoor seating to be pleasant. It's probably the only place to get sushi and a real cocktail for miles. But I was very relieved to head back home to the city, where this kind of food is done much better, much more affordably.
I've been preaching the merits of Zebra's Bistro (it is NOT Zebra's Restaurant!) for years now. Hell, we had our wedding reception there. I even worked there for a couple of weeks before I decided that I no longer wanted to wait tables.
Zebra's is a gorgeous room, warm and inviting. The drinks are always good and their wine list rivals big city bistros, but they don't charge quite as much. The food is usually very good. Chef Allen Bonhert takes a lot of pride in his work and runs a tight kitchen. The sushi bar is quite good as well, though those of you who like very high quality sushi may be disappointed...it's usually just ok, quality-wise.
I haven't tried their new Sunday brunch, but I'm looking forward to it someday...red wine poached eggs! Yum.
The other strength at Zebra's is the people. The owner, Craig, always makes customers feel welcome. They have some of the most dedicated waitstaff and bartenders that I've ever met. My only peeve is that like any restaurant server, people have their good nights and bad nights. Coming from the highly ritualized Legal Seafood server training, I'm very, very detail oriented when it comes to servers. Â I notice teensy things like water glasses not getting refilled and finished dishes lingering on tables. Zebra's waitstaff, though always nice and professional, sometimes doesn't pay enough attention to these small things. Again, it depends on who you get and if they're having a good night or not. That is really the only thing that is keeping this from a 5 star review.
Lastly, the wife told me to add that it's always freezing in the dining room. I don't see it, but if you're the type who gets cold easily, bring a sweater!
I REALLY want to like Zebra's and they really want me to like them. They have a great bar and try live music and special nights for all sorts of special events. Over the years, the restaurant has had periods of extremely good food and also provided some of the worst restaurant meals I've ever had.. go figure - recently the food has been on the upswing - service has been somewhat mediocre - but the marketing is amazing - they are constantly trying everything they can think of to bring folks in... not obnoxious at all  - just surprising for a small suburban place. Try Zebra's  I think you'll want to like it!
Review Source:Located in Medfield off rte 109, Zebra is a Bistro that has a lot to offer everyone. Â They only take reservations up until 630 and then have a call ahead system that works pretty well. Â We called ahead and a table was ready when we got there. Â
The bar scene is great, and even though they are an american bistro, they have a serious sushi bar going on. Â
The wine is decently affordable and varied, but more importantly, you can take home what you don't finish.
We started with a crunchy roll with spicy tuna and yellowtail, very tasty. Â Then a ceasar salad which was good, but really huge!
I then had the duck, which was excellent, and my wife had the chicken which was equally good.
Dessert was fantastic, and they have a new pastry chef who is serving up very light desserts.
Overall, I think this restaurant is really great and such a pleasure to have a sophisticated meal without driving downtown.
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