Ziani

I took my husband to Ziani's last night for his 30th (and also our first dinner out together since our wedding). I really wish I hadn't bothered as I am still upset by the service and food that we received. Perhaps with hindsight I should have realised from the busy cafe like atmosphere when we arrived (and the fact that I could barely hear what my husband was saying) what we were letting ourselves in for - this was not going to be the romantic evening I was hoping for!

We were sat down and asked immediately what we wanted to drink - without even seeing the drinks menu. We had a variety of different waiters hanging over us hurrying our order along. Our first course was slammed down on the table in front of us 5 minutes after ordering - a speedy service is usually a good thing however our food was whisked away from us with the same amount of haste as soon as it looked like we had finished - with no time to sit and reflect on our starters (which by the way were good). My second course was battered squid rings (my husband had battered courgettes as a side order). The batter was soft and squidgy and was not fresh. I really should have complained but by this stage all that all I wanted to do was finish my dinner and leave. None of the waiters looked after us well - we constantly had a different one demanding someing from us. When we asked for the bill from one waiter running past us and he shouted "ok" without even bothering to look at me. After we had asked for the bill another waiter then came and plonked the dessert menus down in front of us and walked off - totally oblivious to the fact that we were leaving.

On a final note I really do object to being charged 12.5% for service when we didn't really receive any. Service should be at the customers discretion. But then again if it was - they wouldn't receive any. With so many other restaurants to visit in London I am grateful that I will never have to go back to Ziani's.
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Marina Phillips
3 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 3
Thursday, November 03, 2011

you do not need to go to Italy to enjoy the best of Italian food, just go to ziani's restaurant . if you're used to having the best, so this is the place.
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Israilton Pereira ( Tonny Pereira) - View all reviews by this user
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, November 01, 2011

We (Chelsea residents) ate there last Sunday for lunch and even on the way there in severe traffic which made us in total about 10 minutes late for our 1.30pm table, we were called to ask if we were coming! We assumed that they had people waiting for tables but the restaurant was only half full. I had a very good experience there a while back and was longing to go back but what a disappointment!

As we perused the menu we ordered an aperitif and were constantly asked if we were ready to order and literally the waiter stood over us until we ordered. Once we had made our choices, the courses were served so quickly we barely had a chance to empty our plates before they were whisked away.

Our whole impression was that they, although being courteous, could not wait to get rid of us. We arrived at 13.40pm and I paid the £132 bill (for 2 people which included a glass of prosecco each and a bottle of rose wine that we were hard pressed to finish) at 14.30pm, according to my credit card receipt. Even in these days it is a lot of money to pay for a meal that took a little less than an hour -especially when it was supposed to be a relaxing experience.
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d walker
5 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 4
Monday, August 15, 2011

I would agree with the comments. I went one evening with a regular customer and Ziani was divine, the food, service and atmosphere were great. I decided to take a friend the following week and we were so rushed it wasn't pleasurable, at one point they tried to take my plate before I had finished - for £50 a head we could have been in and out within 45 mins which seems a bit much.
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8 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 6
Wednesday, June 08, 2011

Excellent food, excellent service (but it helps if you know them)

Ziani is a LOCAL restaurant, therefore visiting tourists sometime get rushed service.

- excellent specials

- excellent recurring meals too, (monkfish, milanese, veal limone)

- they happily cook almost anything you want off the menu

- good pricing on wine list

- a must go for lunch or dinner

Enjoy (and don't mind the socialists' negative reviews)
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8 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Sunday, December 13, 2009

I see nobody has reviewed Zianis since April 2007. All I can say is NOTHING has changed since the LAST review. The only reason why this restaurant survives is because the options for restaurants in Chelsea is strictly limited (anywhere Westwards - into Parsons Green even-and the choice is excellent). Meanwhile back in Chelsea we are stuck with the hopeless Zianis - come on K&C council! Revoke their licence - the people of Rador Walk would be pleased (I don't live there, but nearby) - and at least then I wouldn't "have" to go there and be deeply disappointed everytime! You book - you wait; you don't book - you wait; overpriced retro food and nowhere near as "smart" as it thinks it is. Increasingly populated by silly Euros and up from the country types that last lived in London in the 1980s and er me - but really really NO MORE...I have had enough!
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3 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 3
Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Very enjoyable restaurant with numerous and attentive staff, and (unlike many restaurants) a clientele who are not completely up their own bottoms. I particularly recommend the Costata Di Manzo.
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Charles Vasey
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, July 28, 2009

If Ziani's owners were even half as concerned about making our Saturday evening meal a relaxed and enjoyable one as they were about their turnover, I may be inclined to be more charitable.

To say they rushed us through our meal would be the understatement of the decade. It was more like force-feeding a goose. Within minutes of the menus being handed out, (in fact one of our party of 4 had not even received his menu yet) the waiter pounced on us for our order. Our request for a little more time was met with indignation, and a (literally) 2 minute reprieve. Unless you are an experienced speed reader there is no reasonable propspect of reviewing the full menu before being coerced into making a choice.

At one point we had to phyisically tell the waiter to back off. At which point he actually pointed at his watch.

The ambiance is great and the food and wine was extraordinarily good (although very over priced - 4 tiny tubes of calamari cowering in the centre of a large, empty plate cost £17). However, we all left (1.5 hours and three courses later) feeling distrinctly stressed - not exactly the aim.
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Kerry Liebenberg
5 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 2
Sunday, March 15, 2009

Always friendly service, always delicious food, I think I've been going to Zianis for over twenty years. Because it is hidden away there is almost a family feel to arriving there. Excellent specials.
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- View all reviews by this user
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Wednesday, March 04, 2009