Zookers Cafe

Had the Portabello Stack, which included portabello mushrooms, spinach, roasted vegetables, and goat cheese, with drizzled vinaigrette. It was wonderful. Service was very attentive. Staff frequently showed up to top off drinks. Ambience is great, too. The main room was shadowy and airy on a very hot day. Well done.

I had the Oriental chicken salad, and it was so delicious. My boyfriend had the sirloin burger and wasn’t expecting the potato wedges to be more like roasted potatoes than fries, but the burger itself was very tasty. The food was a little pricey, but the staff was incredibly nice. We will definitely be back!

One thing that I liked about this place was the fact that the waitresses and staff were very attentive, nice, and respectful. No complaints there. The food left us unsatisfied though. I had the Eggplant Parmesan but it came out a bit too soggy/​mushy and it was just stuffed with too much goat cheese… the flavor was overwhelming. It came as a very large portion. I think we waited about 45 minutes for our food to arrive. I was starving by the time it got to us. We also ordered a Bruschetta but weren’t exactly satisfied with it due to the fact that it was buried under 90% tomato and a tiny dab of cheese on the bread. There was a lot of tomato! That was all I could taste. The dessert somewhat saved the day. I had the flourless chocolate cake and it had the perfect balance of bittersweet flavor in it. I wasnt too crazy over this place so I’m not sure what I would recommend besides the chocolate cake.

Wasn’t really crazy about this place. The food was decent but nothing to write home about. I ordered my sandwich and asked for no sprouts but yet still put sprouts on it. They said it was fresh turkey but it tasted like bland store-​bought stuff. When I think a fresh turkey I picture thicker pieces right off the turkey. These pieces were very thin and all the same shape which implies they came in some sort of package and was not fresh. It comes with pita chips (which were stale) but the blue corn chips were very tasty. Their French onion soup wasn’t anything special actually looked very messy and just thrown together. Pretty pricey for what we got and probably won’t return.

I really like this place. The service was excellent and the food was even better. I loved the pita chips that came with our sandwiches. My friend had the Curry Chicken Salad and said it was delicious, and I had the Pastrami Reuben (they make the Pastrami in-​house) which I thoroughly enjoyed. They make almost everything from scratch in their kitchen which really makes a difference in the quality and taste of their food. Some people might think the prices are a little high, but you get really nice sized portions and great quality so you do get good value for your money. They have a nice menu with a variety of choices so that there is something for everyone. Zookers Café will be my go-​to place when I am in Carpinteria.

Best burger anywhere, ever. Chicken curry salad (small size is PLENTY) is XLNT.
Not the cheapest food on the planet, but probably the best. Just wish they wouldn’t charge extra for the pita chips!

We were passing through Carp after hours of traffic. What a pleasant surprise to find this high quality restaurant.fabulous.will go there each time I’m passing through.

Hole in the wall that is hard to find. Don’t miss it. The food is fabulous. I had the triple of two half sandwiches and a cup of soup. I felt like a real over-​eating whale, but it can be all three meals for the day. That could have been the best seafood chowder ever. The sandwich selection is wonderful. Salads, and more all great and fresh!

I love that the food is locally sourced and/​or organic whenever possible. The ambiance and service is fantastic. Many (most?) of the dishes are invented by the chef, and are always flavorful. I might make different choices in the balancing of the ingredients in some of the dishes. Things with a subtle flavor profile are easily overpowered by things with a strong flavor. For example, garlic is commonly overused by many people, and as I recall, their Caesar salad has too much garlic. Overall I love their food. This is the go-​to spot when we have guests from out of town who want natural/​organic/​healthy food.

We were given a gift card from a special friend who highly recommended Zookers.
We had discussed eating there many time as we visited the quaint beach community of Carpinteria.
We read that this place was special from other Unilocalers.
I am so glad we finally went.
We had a beautiful table by the window with a gorgeous mountain view.
The service from Nicole was spot on. They checked on us often and refilled our water frequently.
Then the food came out beautiful and then it was delicious!
My pecan crusted salmon with roasted winter vegetables which consisted of sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, butternut squash and spinach with a maple glaze. Amazing!
My husband had the roasted pork tenderloin with roasted winter vegetables and beet purée. Also delicious.
We would definitely recommend Zookers to anyone looking for a delicious meal and great service.

Truly delicious food! Our waiter was great and our eggplant Parmesan and our honey lavender crime brûlée were outstanding. Not an inexpensive option, but a great place for fresh delicious food!

Holy sh*t Batman, now THIS is what I call superb dining. Well FINALLY someone in this city got it right!!!
I ordered a starter Caesar salad — yum! The greens were thick, crunchy, nutrient dense, YUM. Every bite was So good and of such quality. Their bread basket — AMAZING. Their mixed herb butter — amazing. Even their hot water with lemon and honey was yummy!!! Well the bear honey container was iffy– probably just high fructose corn syrup. If they’re using high quality ingredients for everything else, they should swap their honey for raw, organic honey. It would make SUCH a difference in their honey!
Okay so back to my dinner: I ordered the grass fed, locally bought filet mignon wrapped in bacon with a wine reduced sauce, creamy mashed potatoes and perfect veggies… I took one bite and had to close my eyes and just let the flavors explore my taste buds– SO F*cking good!!! Oh my word, it was EXCELLENT. The entire dish was PERFECT.
Dessert: I chose the brownie sundae. PERFECTION. I swear the chef just whipped together the brownie batter just minutes before; it tasted so fresh. It was made from scratch– no boxed treats here missy!!! The chef combined a perfectly crunchy on the outside, soft and delicate in the inside brownie with coffee ice cream, whipped cream and a few strawberries, with sliced roasted almonds sprinkled over the top. I took my first bite of brownie and coffee ice cream with a few almond slivers — - well SHUT THE FRONT DOOR. Are you KIDDING ME!!! I am a PICKY eater and I could’ve fallen on the floor with the goodness of this dessert (and ALL aspects of the food I ate). Whewwwwww child that was GOOD!!! A TAD bit sweet for my taste but everyone else will like how sweet this is.
Literally the BEST quality ingredients combined with a SUPERB chef and I was SOLD. I am literally the pickiest eater and when others say it’s good, I usually can’t stand it. And this!!! Everyone needs to come here.
The atmosphere is great, welcoming to both fine dining and to the casual. My waiter was kind and funny and had a good heart. He giggled with me as I exclaimed how GOOD the food was.
I wish I could’ve ordered everything! There’s so many more dishes I wish to try.
GO HERE. The food is SUPERB.

Fantastic food, friendly service, Scott was funny and amazing. The meatloaf and roast veggie salad were out of this world. The space is open with big windows and views of the mountains. Highly recommend.

Outstanding roasted beet and goat cheese salad with arugula. So flavorful, fresh, and the beats were still warm. Paired with a glass of the Flying Goat white wine it was worth coming back for. My husband had the burger with caramelized onions, and guyer cheese. Cooked to perfection and very filling. Great service.

It’s just ok. Really. Nothing special, just sandwiches and pasta. Service is meh, food is meh, décor is meh. It’s were you take your grandmother and her friends to have a salad and stare at cars passing by.

I had the sirloin burger that comes with potato wedges. You don’t get the option of actual fries, which i get– but you can’t substitute for a side salad either.
The potato wedges were terrible. I think they were old, which didn’t help.
The burger itself was good.
And i’ve had the chicken caesar salad that was good too.
Overall– eh

Best bruschetta we’ve had in a long time!
Dinner was tasty but we will go back for the bruschetta.
I gave 4 stars because there isn’t a clear place to go when you enter to be seated. Also we sat outside (which was nice) but our waiter wasn’t very attentive and the table next to us had a different waiter that for some reason could not stop at our table and fill my water glass, clearly at the end of the table and empty.

Once again, Jeannie & her team did an excellent job.
TLC goes into everything they create!

Just walked out on Sly’s and came to Zookers at my daughters direction. AMAZING!
Myles was our waiter and he was a great compliment to the wonderful meal we shared. These guys are on it and the food is outstanding.
We will be back for sure.
Thanks Zookers, I’m full!

One the benefits of staying in Carpinteria is this fabulous eatery. I’m eating here every night I’m in town. Delicious meal from the salad to the dessert. Crime Brûlée is not my thing, but Chocolate Coconut, oh yeah, delicious! Nice people, good atmosphere. I don’t drink alcohol so the fact that they have Coca-​Cola is the fifth star in my rating. Outstanding.