My friend and I accidentally ended up here after trying 2 previous spots and didn't like them. I felt like I was in the South. The hospitality here is great; the staff were friendly and welcoming. The food was really good. Better than good. Far better than we expected. My taste buds were definitely not prepared for this. We checked in our hotel thereafter and fell asleep. The end. **Note: We sat at the bar because we were told that they were only serving at the bar.

The soul rolls are always a safe, yet satisfying choice. The temperature of the food was perfect and we didn’t wait long after ordering for our food to come out. The staff was very pleasant and attentive. We went for lunch and other than a few take out orders coming and going, it was pretty empty. I have had bad experiences with Zanzibar before (mostly having to wait upwards of 40 minutes before getting our food), but I believe the management here is making a great effort to turn this around and put a better taste in the mouth of Cleveland. Please support this Black-owned business!

This place is amazing...from the waitress to the kool-aid. Me and my family(8 deep) came in from Pittsburgh and loved the atmosphere. It felt right at home, however we came for the food and it didn't disappoint. That honey glaze chicken was incredible, the mac was cheesey and the yams were sweet. It was almost to much my wife had the catfish & chicken she was blown away she just kept telling everyone how good the fish was...and that kool-aid OMG im soo glad I took sum to-go..bottom line when I'm back in Cleveland I'm definitely going to end on Prospect Ave some way or another!!!

Zanzibar Soul Fusion is a must visit if you're looking for amazing food. The hosts welcome you with a warm smile and even sing a song about the restaurant. I couldn't resist coming back for more before my flight because the catfish, yams, mac n cheese, cornbread, and the Prince drink were all absolutely delicious.

Stepping into this restaurant felt like entering a culinary haven. The decor exuded sophistication, setting the stage for an extraordinary dining adventure. The menu, a symphony of inventive flavors, left me torn between choices. Every dish that graced my table was a testament to the chef's artistry. Impeccable service and a tastefully curated wine list added the finishing touches to a memorable evening. This establishment is a true masterpiece for food enthusiasts.

It's been more than 2 years since I've been here and quit frankly nothing has changed in the place. Understaff, food quality was garbage and the chicken taste more like fish then chicken. Sides were cool and that's the good about this place. The hostess took forever to come to us and damn near told us we can only get Service at the bar and said the wait at the tables would be long. I challenged her on her assumption since the place was empty at the tables beside one other big party there. Service was terrible but I will say the manager did rectify one issue for me. What I didn't like was the chairs that I almost fell through that's been there for probably 15 years, poor waitress and table service. We waited damn near a half hour for one beer for my date to get mad I ended up going to the bar to get it. The decor is old , drab and they need new furniture ASAP. I've had better decor and service Apple Bees on a 2 for twenty when I was a kid. I don't understand how they put 15% included in your bill for poor food, poor service and just a bad experience. You guys need new management, new furniture, trained servers and hostess too. I think the owners don't care about things anymore or the community they serve.

This place was fantastic! The food was great and the service was amazing. We were there for our grandmother’s birthday and there were about 12 of us. Suzette, our waitress, was amazing! She was super attentive, got all of our orders right, and even got all of the checks correct! The food came out quickly and everything was cooked super well. I got the BBQ salmon with collard greens and beans and rice and it was great. The BBQ sauce was really tasty and the salmon was cooked perfectly. I highly recommend!!

Let me first say I'd go back. But this first experience wasn't the best. The chicken was fried a little too hard. The French connection drink I had was awesome. The purple rain drink was good until I saw some stuff floating in it that I couldn't identify. The mac and cheese and yams were great. The pasta was tasty as well. They need to clean the panels around the bottom of the bar a little more.

Having visited the Shaker Square location previously, I was looking forward to a good meal. That was accomplished and was delicious overall, however, I found not all dishes arrived hot to me (the House potatoes, for instance). Also, please note that all Zanzibar restaurants do not share all menu items. This visit, their jerk chicken wing dings (accompanied with Cajun corn and corn muffins, sides changeable upon request), the catfish meal (accompanied with cole slaw, but is also changeable upon request), coffee, and a soft drink known as The Sunrise (made with lemonade and red Koolaid). Even though I was very hungry, pictures have been provided for your viewing pleasure! If you fancy a soul food meal and just happen to be in the Downtown Cleveland area, go ahead and give them a try. 4/5

Food was perfect, service was great. Wish they had on in Atlanta. Googled this place trying to find something to eat while we were here

We came from Pittsburgh PA to eat here. 10 out of 10 fire…. Food and Service was awesome. Harold is the man, very knowledgeable about the menu. He gave us food and drink suggestions. When we mentioned we were from Pittsburgh, he left and came back with his Browns gear on. lol You just don’t get this kind of customer service now days, he is the best waiter I’ve had in a very long time. Ray was a very nice guy too very helpful made sure we were good the whole time. Highly recommended!

Let me start by saying that the food is delicious!! Seriously, the best shrimp and grits I've had outside of Charleston, SC. The fried chicken and waffles were delicious as well. The service...oh boy. You will wait, wait, and then wait some more. Even if the restaurant is empty, be prepared to wait at least 45 minutes for your food. I suggest looking at the menu before you come so that when a server finally comes to take your order, you can put it in all at once. Otherwise....you'll be waiting another 20 mins for just your drinks before putting in your food order. Today, I saw at least four staff members on their phones, standing around, while two elderly men acted as servers. We only had to wait about 5 minutes to be seated and another 10 to have our order taken. It took us about 15 minutes to get a beer, rum/diet, and one tea. 48 minutes later, our food arrived. A couple who was there before us still hadn't received their food when we left. Was the food delicious? Yes! Will I come back? No, the service was whack.

Google black owned business while in Cleveland Ohio and this spectacular restaurant pops up. The pictures, atmosphere, staff, food, drinks, the list can go on of how wonderful this restaurant is. We went during All Star weekend and its located minutes away from the Cavalier's arena so there was a bit of wait. The peach cooler was said the be divine. The house potatoes was a step up for scalloped potatoes. The greens were cooked in the most succulent way. Thw rice and salmon cakes were a must try and they did not fail. My only complaint was the macaroni and cheese was just macaroni. I was sad for sure.

I visited Zanzibar over the weekend after attending a play in downtown Cleveland. We sat at the bar, ordered drinks, appetizers and our entrees. It was quite busy for a Sunday for that reason service was just okay. It took some time before our entrees came out but by this time I decided to just pack it up and take it home. I was looking forward to my honey glazed chicken, until I cut into it before reheating. The chicken was definitely still alive. I called the restaurant to try to resolve and even used their "contact me" option on their website but its been several days and I've still not received a response.

Haven’t had in a while wanted a soul roll ended up getting that and a dinner. Spent $33 to only eat the soul rolls which that’s what I should’ve gotten only. The Mac and cheese was dry and tasteless. The fried okra was okay but the jerk wings were small and salty. I remember some years back the jerk wings were bigger and delicious not like the past any more. I don’t think I’ll return.

Personally, I loved the walleye cakes and the soul rolls. My date tried the catfish, shrimp and grits, and gumbo; his plate of shrimp and grits was was spotless. Would highly recommend if I’m the area. Great music and atmosphere as well.

Me & my friends had an great time. Food was great and hospitality was A+. The Owners to the Bar Maids every one was fantastic with there great customer service. Even the one gentleman that helped clean the bar and made sure we was good throughout our dinning experience was A+ as well. Me & my friends appreciate the hospitality and great customer service. We will definitely be back again soon! Thank you all Kindly!

I had a wonderful time here. My waiter was Jaylen and he made sure we were ok. Kept our drinks full. He did a wonderful job. The food was really good. The soul rolls was awesome. People there was really nice.

Stumbled into Zanzibar before a concert downtown. The food was delicious, we ordered appetizers - soul rolls and the Mac and cheese. The staff was was very friendly and attentive. Manager was coming to all the tables to check how everything was and the bartender had great recommendations and kept our drinks coming! We will definitely be back!

This place is phenomenal!!! Definitely a must eat at place in Cleveland. My family of 5 dined here and everyone of us, kids included were satisfied! The staff was friendly and we had a few different people greet us at the door. Everyone was on their game. We had the fried chicken, catfish, shrimp and grits, & fried green tomatoes. The collard greens are OUT of this world!!! Do yourselves a favor and swing by this place if you like GOOD not basic foods.

Definitely a place to watch any of the games. Walking distance to Jack's Casino, The Gund Arena(yes I still call it The Gund) and Tower City. The soul rolls were really good and the grilled salmon salad was delicious and a nice portion.

Being from the south and eating good food means a lot to me whenever I'm away from home. This restaurant has some amazing food and it pleases the soul. However, the wait time is ridiculously long and you can be easily overlooked. Will I ever go back YES I follow good food!😋

While visiting the city I found this local restaurant and it did not fail! The food was flavorful and the ambiance was wonderful. Friendly staff upon arrival. Shout out to Shvonne. She was super sweet and attentive.

Ahhhhhmazing Great service, great atmosphere Amazing food! The grilled chicken is thee best and the Cajun corn was a nice twist on flavor. Drinks, deserts everything here is A+.

A couple of friends and I came across this restaurant when we were walking down by The Arcade. It seemed chill, so we decided to give it a try. I'm so glad we did because it was awesome! The food all sounded so good we had trouble choosing what to get. Susan helped us immediately. She steered us in a great direction and all of us were super stoked with our meal choices. They've also got several types of kool-aid on offer, which was a really nice surprise. I can't recommend this place highly enough.

Everything was delicious. Our party had the dry rub jerk chicken, egg rolls, kool aid, salmon, smothered steak, greens and Mac n cheese. Let me just say the yams tasted like Thanksgiving yams. The jerk chicken wings were just right. Not too spicy. The egg rolls were amazing. I was surprised because there were greens, cabbage, even black eye peas and it was delicious. We will be back!! The kool aid is in cute little jars you can take home with you.

1st time here have heard good things but the food is good but not worth the money. We spent 97 for 2 dinners, no alcohol, no desert or anything extra. The service was slow my boyfriend meal was burnt and wrong then had to wait another 20min for his chicken. After we had waited an hour for the initial meal. The furniture is old and ragady. Best part about the establishment is its location

Great soulfood - loved the 2-pc catfish dinner, homemade mac & cheese, yams, & sweet potato muffins!! While service was hospitable and friendly, they didn't stop by too often. So be sure to cluster your requests at once - meaning look at menu and have meal in mind before your arrival. Gave it 4 stars for that reason.

My daughter and I are visiting from Nashville. We saw the window and wanted to try this “sexy stylish soulful” restaurant. The food and service were exceptional. Antonio took fantastic care of us. We had the Soul Rolls (collard greens, chicken, black beans, & roasted corn with remoulade sauce) for a starter. My daughter had the Veggie Platter (Cajun corn, collard greens, candied yams), and I had the Grilled Chicken Breast in jerk seasoning with collard greens and seasoned rice. Both meals came with some of the softest mini blueberry muffins I’ve ever eaten. For dessert we shared the Better Than Sex Cake without the side of ice cream. I can honestly say this was one of the best soul food meals I’ve ever consumed, and this girl loves her some food. My kiddo said she was homesick for that type of cuisine, and it was so good it made her want to cry. My favorite was the collard greens. Hers was the candied yams. As a side note: we both loved the music they were playing too. Do yourself a favor and treat yourself to a scrumptious meal that’ll seem like it’s homemade for you.

Zanzibar is amazing! It is definitely a place you go to if you want an experience! The music, food, and ambiance was exactly what you hope for. While the place itself is amazing, the service we were given by Carissa was even better. She knew the menu, and her memory and attention to detail was lovely. I highly recommend Zanzibar as your restaurant of choice and thank you Carissa!