Zazá Bistrô Tropical

This is an elegant restaurant located in the heart of Ipanema that features an appealing menu of fish, meat and vegetarian dishes influenced by South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine. I had the tuna with lemon crust and it was delicious. The restaurant also has an impressive selection of beverages both alcoholic and non alcoholic including an extensive wine list. I had a detox ice tea and it was refreshing. The ambiance here is elegant but casual and suitable for families or a romantic dinner for two. The service staff was courteous, professional and my server spoke good English - the menu is also available in English. I highly recommend this fine establishment and would definitely dine here again.

Great food, long wait — but worth it We waited about 1 hour for a table of six at 7 PM on a Monday without a reservation. Thankfully, the staff was friendly — our waiter suggested we enjoy drinks outside while we waited, which made the time pass more pleasantly. Once seated, everything was excellent: the food was fresh and flavorful (tuna in lemon crust was amazing). The boho-tropical decor and relaxed vibe add a special charm. Definitely worth visiting, but make a reservation if you’re in a group!

The ratings on this restaurant were over-hyped in humble opinion. My group's dining experience wasn't the worst but not great. I dined with a party of 5 and didn't have any reservations, just walked up and waited about 40 minutes to get a table. In between the waiting we had some cocktails to kill the time but the drinks were watered down. Once we were called to our table it wasn't inside but outside on a circle table that was tilted and next to the corner of the busy streets. Our server was nice and kind but quite forgetful. Missed one of our table members orders and they had to wait an extra 15 to 20 mins to get their meal while the others were basically done. One additional note, for tourists, be careful and always double check your bill. They tried to squeeze in an extra cocktail we never ordered and added a 13% table service charge, hand written without any explanation until we asked to confirm. The server then asked for more tip on top of that even though the service wasn't great and they messed up the orders. Overall here is my breakdown. Pros: - The restaurant is popular and easy to get too. - The inside of the restaurant looked pretty. - The staff were friendly, some spoke little English. - The plants looked beautiful. Cons: - The general food service wasn't great. Slow and very inattentive. - The food looks great but tastes bland. - The cocktails look great but are watered down. - The price per dish and drink is higher here than most restaurants. (Based on the location, it's a tourist hot spot) - The seating was not great and other guests waiting to be seated were behind our table chain smoking. Overall, not the best experience and I wouldn't recommend it but maybe it's better for locals? :)

Lovely Michelin starred experience! We had reservations upstairs and were seated at the lively patio bar area. We shared the lamb croquettes which were to die for and I had the Lamb entree which was amazingly tender and the perfect portion! If you’re craving a nicer meal while in town I highly recommend it. The drinks were very good as well.

What a wonderful restaurant! The vegetarian options are amazing! It took us a while to find our best dining in Rio this week! Please stay in business. We traveled many places but I don’t remember good food as you served us tonight.

Nice environment for indoor or outdoor dining. They have a separate small vegan menu in addition to their full menu including meat and fish options. The service we received was really good, very attentive including cleaning the table and wiping it down in between courses. Nice drink and good selection.

Very busy place. Excellent food and cocktails. Lovely ambience inside and with some curbside tables too. Attentive, friendly and helpful staff. On the evidence of a Thursday night in June, reservations would be advised!

A tasty but a bit high paced dinner -22.985413°, -43.204969° Zazá Bistrô is known for its eclectic fusion cuisine and vibrant ambiance. Inspired by Brazilian and Southeast Asian flavours, the restaurant offers a unique dining experience. There are seats outside along the busy street, at “the bar” overlooking the street, inside and upstairs where guests remove their shoes to sit at low tables with grassy carpets. Highly professional servers speak English and xhef Arthur Cardoso’s creative menu is in English. Because of its listing in the Lonely Planet, tourists and foreigners alike find their way to this bistro in Ipanema and it gets crowded, leading to a less relaxed dining experience. You have to wait for a seat or make a reservation. In April 2025, we ordered Mignon Filet au Poivre (tenderloin) with baby potatoes, mushrooms, pearl onions, broccoli, chives, farofa and citrus poivre sauce (R$115). Minutes after ordering, our dishes were served. We were surprised and a little sceptical about this pace, but the cutlery was very effective and showed the Mignon was well prepared. It tasted very good, with nice texture and flavours. Very enjoyable. The red house wine Amaterra Carmenère (R$42) was a good pairing. For dessert, we ordered Angel’s cake with chocolate sablé dough, artisanal hazelnut spread, 54% chocolate cremeux and toasted hazelnuts with milk ice cream (R$45). Dessert was served amazingly quickly. This is a well-oiled restaurant: while serving guests, they do take-aways and deliveries. The cappuccino lacked its Italian roots: probably Nescafé. A sad note to a great, but a bit high paced, dinner. Overall, the kitchen and restaurant brigades are very effective and efficient. Ordering and serving are streamlined to have a high turnover per seat. But that pace distracts from enjoying their excellent food. Zazá has a very creative menu, cooks deliciously, the service is very professional, but the fast pace distracts from the overall experience. Recommended.

Ambiance: 5/5: cute restaurant with indoor/outdoor seating. They take their tropical name to heart. Everything is very well decorated and thought out. Food: 5/5: This was one of my favorite spots in all of Rio. Ceviche was fresh and so flavorful. Same thing goes for the poke bowl. The added mango made all the difference. For dessert we got the chocolate mousse and the mango sorbet dessert. Both were extremely yummy. I am not a big fan of chocolate mousse, but i could not stop eating this one. It was just so good. Service: 5/5: the waiter was nice and attentive. When we sat down he made sure to ask if we needed Portuguese or English menus. What I loved was when you ask for the check they bring out their own version of a "fortune cookie". Its a mini scroll with an inspirational quote inside. Such a cute detail. Totally recommend this place!

This place was AMAZING! I had the seafood feijoada which was out of this world delicious. The drinks were also so good here. The Bloody Mary was made with real tomato juice and beef broth. Absolutely delicious. If you are in Rio you HAVE TO go to this restaurant and if it's on a Saturday - even better. Highly recommend. Service was impeccable and the restaurant is on a cute corner. Our large group sat outside Al fresco and had a lovely time.

I recently visited Zazá Bistrô Tropical and had an overall wonderful experience. The food was absolutely delicious, with every dish bursting with flavor. The setup of the bistro was super cute and added to the enjoyable atmosphere. I particularly loved the dessert, which was a perfect ending to the meal. However, I did notice that the restroom could use some attention, specifically with the plumbing. It wasn't quite up to the standard of the rest of the bistro. Despite this minor issue, I would highly recommend Zazá Bistrô Tropical for a delightful dining experience.

This cozy restaurant, just a few blocks from the beach, offers a charming atmosphere with cute decorations and uplifting messages on the walls. The food was not only delicious but also beautifully presented. Dining alongside locals added to the authentic and inviting experience. A lovely spot for a memorable meal!

Zazá aims for higher quality taste and presentation while trying to give you a memorable experience. This review will be more critical because of that. They're just short of the mark they're aiming for. You can tell they try to elevate dishes but I can't tell if they're doing that for locals or tourists. For example, the curry adds bananas as a garnish. I've never seen that before, but I liked their taste. However, the curry itself taste off. It wasn't balanced between the spices and the added heat. The cashews in the rice probably should have been added to the curry itself while the mangos didn't add much of anything hiding inside white rice. The fish dish was very attractive but fell flat thanks to the garnishes around the dish. The stringy texture of the greens took away from the quality fish and sauce. A perk that I loved is that you can order a sampler plate of cold or hot appetizers. That's a wonderful menu addition that should be on more menus. Service is wonderful. I felt welcomed and attended to. Staff speaks English and accepts credit cards. You can sit indoors or outdoors. I'd visit any time but try something new next time. I can tell they want to give you the best they can which I appreciate and respect. I just can't tell who they're cooking for.

Had an absolutely lovely lunch here! We decided to stop in after spotting this restaurant on a walk around the area. The service was really great. Our server tried his best to answer any questions we had about the menus. The food was super flavorful. My favorite dish was the labneh with truffled honey. The truffle flavor was subtle and delicious. The sourdough bread that it came with for dipping was also great. I also had the pork rib kebab which was also delicious. The atmosphere of the restaurant was laid back and inviting. Don't skip out on the drinks both the alcoholic and nonalcoholic options are tasty! Definitely worth trying if you're in the area.

During my recent trip to Rio de Janeiro, I chanced upon Zaza with two friends. We were talking from Copacabana to Ipanema - we opened up our maps app and found Zaza in our radar. What a lovely place this was - with a tropical atmosphere with a hint of the far east. My friends and I ordered the following: -Appetizer sampler which included labneh, ceviche, and a fish tartar -Brazed lamb shoulder with ravioli and mint sauce -Seafood moqueca accompanied with passion fruit farofa -Manga maravilha ("brulee") The food here was well portioned, well executed, and well flavored. While this is not totally authentically either Brazilian or Moroccan, it is a fusion of different world cuisines based off their menu. I am a fan of moqueca, and the version here is definitely different what you might find in Bahia, but I still enjoyed it. The farofa with passion fruit was a great accoutrement, as it enhanced the tropical feel of this dish. The lamb was also good - with typical "Middle Eastern" flavors and spices, but neither too heavy nor bold, likely to fit the taste buds of the local palate. For the dessert, I enjoyed the brulee'd mango. Never had a mango this way before - it definitely took such a simple fruit up a notch with that oh so yummy flame torched sugar. If you're visiting, I'd definitely recommend Zaza for a wonderful fusion meal. I normally don't like fusion restaurants, so this is saying a lot! And a side note... because the restaurant has an "open" layout (doors/windows usually open), I did get bit by a mosquito a few times here. So, keep in mind that if you do visit, you should probably wear long pants (which might be kind of hard if you're coming here directly from the beach).

Ok the food here... unbelievable! We ordered the feijoada de mar and it was delicious! Service was nice and friendly. We sat outside to enjoy the rain on the covered patio so not sure how big the inside area is. I definitely recommend!

Great Moroccan Restaurant in Rio de Janeiro. Nice Moroccan saloon with Moroccan ambiance upstairs! The food was great quality so many good options to choose from and the quality of ingredients is high standards. Service always on point every time I visit this place!

Good food, a happy mix of locals and tourists in a charming and colourful place. Rio at its best.

I was completely blown away - the restaurant cultivates a beautiful and comfortable tropical atmosphere and the service was fantastic. I had the white fish ceviche with traditional leche de Tigre and fresh mango sorbet, seared tuna with grilled orange, labneh and sweet carrots, and chicken curry. Interestingly, all of these dishes are well outside the usual cuisine of Rio (one of the reasons this restaurant stands out!), but they were all perfectly executed. In particular, adding mango sorbet to ceviche was absolutely delicious and very creative. And the chicken curry was perfected by adding dried apricots and banana to the Thai-style curry dish. Amazing! Even more impressive than the food was the drink menu and bar service. The drink menu was more than two pages long and included some unique combinations, such as ginger caipirinha and smoked New York sour with yuzu foam (instead of the traditional egg yolk). I sat across from the bar and could not take my eyes off the bartender the entire time- he carefully crafted each cocktail with immense detail as he waved around the bar instruments like a percussionist in the orchestra. Overall, this is one of the best restaurants I have visited. I hope you'll give Zaza a try!

Amazing food, wonderful service, fun atmosphere! Cannot miss with anything on the menu. I loved it so much I came back the next day.

I got food poisoning at this restaurant. The staff are extremely rude and took over an hour on my order.

All time favorite I can't say enough about this gem of Rio. A real MUST when in town. Food, drinks, the dishes are SO unique and tasteful. This is my go to place when in Rio. Although should have never been remodeled before was way cozier and warm. Thumbs down for this unnecessary reno.

The best ever in Leblon. Love the ambiance, Energy, drinks and food. The combination of Brazilian flavors are outstanding! Always on my agenda when I am in Rio.

Cute place with good ambiance and has different areas of seating. We sat inside next to the bar and couldn't sit in the hall upstairs as there were no seats available. We had made reservation before coming here. For drinks, we got a caipirinha and Michelada. The latter was different from other places and had no tomato juice in it. For food, we got Moroccan chicken pockets along with beet salad for starters. The pockets were alright though the salad was quite good. For entree, we got the filet mignon with the vegetables. Filet was done perfectly and the veggies tasted good with the sauce. Thick cut of meat. Service was fast and good. Overall good experience while visiting Rio. Def bit pricey. Better to make a reservation before coming.

The food here was outstanding! Best food we have had in Rio. We had 3 different entrees and all of them were delicious! Two of us had cocktails that were unique and satisfying. The ingredients were fresh. Presentation was unexpected. Service was attentive. And enjoyed the atmosphere. Our family enjoyed the whole experience! I hope to be back!

Loved this place in Ipanema, cozy, excellent service, great food and fantastic cocktails! What can I say? Everything is awesome! Come & Visit! Amé este lugar en Ipanema, acogedor, excelente servicio, buenísima la comida y los tragos riquísimos! Qué puedo decir? Todo fue bérbaro! Vengan & Visiten!

Best sealed tuna with citric crust. Caipirinha well served and balanced. Excellent service and place is located in a neighborhood where you can walk a lot and look around.

Charming restaurant in a beautiful coloured house in the center of Ipanema. A bit pricey but ok and the food is good not excellent. Had some ceviche which were unfortunately already prepared before we arrived and the fish had already " cooked "... The lamb was nice even if the mix with stuffed raviolis and creamy sauce made the whole dish all but light The octopus had the same issue with such a mix of tastes it was too strong. Simplicity would be much better. Overall a nice evening for R$ 400 which is very pricey for Rio...

Absolutely must try! The cutest place with amazing food. I had the northest red fish from the chefs suggestions and it did not disappoint. "Fish grilled with mush palm and tomato, coconut milk, cilantro sagu, tapioca biju and brazilian nuts". I dont know what sagu or biju or but damn give me more. The tapioca were like little bobas which added great texture to the dish, surprisingly! The fish reminded me of something from a thai restaurant due to the coconut milk, and the tomato puree was a perfect addition to the creaminess of the sauce. The entire plate was beautiful too. My friends had the wallpaper drink which was full of passion fruit flavor with a little kick at the end. It definitely tasted better than it looked. Make sure to go to the bathroom, I loved the writing on the walls. The upstairs room is worth checking out too, its carpeted and people sit on cushions. Would be a great date place!

Some of the best food I've had in Rio... or just about anywhere. Gracious servers, nice patio with windowbox herb garden, and you can hang out on cushioned benches next to the tree in front with your caipirinha while waiting for your table. I've eaten at Zaza about 4 or 5 times since 2007. During my latest Rio visit, for a week in early Feb, I ended up there twice. Favorite starter is currently the samosa, and favorite dish is currently the filet de bacalhao (cod filet, tender, succulent, sweet, I could go on...). The "bananas carpaccio" desert (uploading pic shortly) was spectacular. I see some reviews say it's pricey but it's certainly less than what you'd pay for in the US for something even halfway as good. Plan about US$80-100 for two including drinks and said desert...

Downgrading my previous review after my latest visit. Looks like they made a choice to invest more in decor and less in the food. We got the tuna sashimi appetizer and the seared tuna main along with the moqueca. The tuna was embarrassingly low quality- I can't believe this is the best product they can source. It's just frustrating knowing I can go into Whole Foods and get some tuna that is way better than a higher end restaurant in one of Rio's best neighborhoods. Literally grocery store sushi is better than this. Fwiw my wife enjoyed her moqueca. I don't see us coming back again.

This is one of the best meals and cocktails I've had anywhere in the world. Highly recommend the food here .

Zaza is very consistently amazing! The service is always on point and the assortment of dishes offers something for everyone. Last time I went, we had a vegetarian, a vegan, a no-gluten gal, and a regular carnivore. Everyone was able to find something to suit their diet. My favorite dishes are the seared tuna with wasabi mashed potatoes and the grilled octopus with broccoli rice and baroa. To drink, I tried the tamarind spicy margarita and the ginger/lemon caipirinha. Both were very yummy! Our waiters all spoke decent English and were very attentive. You pay for what you get. With a main dish and 2 drinks each, we each paid about R$160 but we all left happy.

Very cosy place, and very attentive staff, no delay. Fresh food and very original and tasty. Various menu

Maybe the worst place I ate on this trip. The service was great but everything is overpriced and slathered with unhealthy sauces.

Went with the beet salad and fish stew for dinner, and bookended it with a lychee-lemon-ginger caipirinha and vanilla ice cream with Brazilian chocolate. Great atmosphere and friendly service.

We got a few drinks and dinner here - the seafood was excellent. Had a good time - service was good too (we went early and got done with dinner when there was no crowd so had a dedicated server)

Can't believe this place was our first dinner in Brazil a year ago. We've come full circle and decided to stop by for some drinks after partying with the Ipanema Bloco for the last few hours. Of course everyone had similar ideas- a restroom break, some chairs to sit on, more drinks, some food. They had their crowd control gates and a guard to determine if you were worth enough to come in. The hostess determined if we were potential customers and decided to let us wait inside the gate until a seat opened up. We were lucky and the first tall bar table in the front opened up shortly and we got a perfect view of the Bloco craziness and a table for four (though tight). We tried their drinks, my favorite being the shangri-la, a vodka based drink with strawberry, cranberry, mint, lime and with a spicy chocolate rim for R$29. The Zaza fresca, a vanilla vodka with coconut water was quite refreshing and the standard caipirinha, wasn't as sweet as the standard Brazilian one usually is. The Bellini with peach purée was delicious although light. If you're alcohol-ed out or need a break they have a good selection of non-alcoholic drinks like The Zaza soft, which is a delicious combination of lichii, basil and tonic water at a slightly cheaper price of R$15. Although we just came for drinks this time, we did receive excellent service and managed to get a table in the middle of carnaval blocos. They were doing an excellent job of weeding out the overly inebriated to keep the inside environment safe and comfortable and got people the tables and seating they needed despite the crowds.

Absolutely fantastic bistro in Ipanema about two blocks from the beach. We ate there tonight and immediately made reservations to go back in a few days. Okay, let me break it down for you... Menu - superb. Everything we ordered was perfectly cooked and tasted incredible. Two of us had the namarado which is a white fish on a bed of asparagus, hearts of Palm, carmelized bananas, and all that drizzled in chili oil. We both will order it again when we go back. Odd flavor combination that work beautifully together. Light and delicious. My sister had the ahi and it was some of the best I've had. It comes with horseradish mashed potatoes and tapioca and flash fried kale. Also fantastic. For an appetizer, we tried the warm appetizer sampler. It comes with three items but the pork rib samosas were unanimously considered the best of the three. I recommend just getting a plate of those. Cocktails-- excellent selection of wines and signature cocktails. I highly recommend the zaza tropical which is made with Brazilian Caracas and then they add lychee and basil. The preta pretinha was good-- chocolate rimmed and strawberry flavored. The zaza love was also good-- watermelon juice with jalapeño and absolut. All good but I liked the zaza tropical the best. Service - superb. Attentive servers with excellent recommendations. Fluent in English. Menu - in Portuguese and English Ambiance - romantic and intimate. Candles, lively Brazilian music, colorful decor. We sat on the patio but there is inside seating as well. Prices- somewhat pricey but worth it. Expect to pay $12 USD for a cocktail, $15 for an appetizer, $17 - $35 for an entree. Tip: get a reservation, esp. If you prefer outside seating. Make your reservation online. Area: located in the upscale Ipanema neighborhood. Safe to walk at night and only two blocks from the beach.

Love this place! Great location - one block from Ipanema beach. Very tropical beachy feel with bright colors and pattern with Gilson Martin placemats. I started off with the chilled tomato soup with beetroot crouton. Delicious and very much like the traditional gazpacho of Spain but without so much garlic. I had the chicken curry (delicious) and my friend had Pad Thai (fantastic). I wouldn't say the food is complex or groundbreaking, but it is made with dedication and love. Every detail of Zaza is meticulously thought out. Nothing is taken for granted. The service is excellent and unobtrusive. Fantastic place!

Zaza is an amazing chef that takes very good care of her menu and her recipes. its always a very charming place to go and to have a blend of a modern Brazilian cuisine. in the heart of Ipanema the restaurant is in a house and the second floor is a barefoot Moroccan style atmosphere.

This is easily my favorite restaurant in Rio. During a one week visit I came here three times - that should speak for itself! In a few words: eclectic tropical-inspired modern food in a cool space with great service. Additional info: 1) Both the upstairs and patio dining spaces are really cool places to eat. Upstairs you eat shoeless at low tables with dim, mysterious lighting. The patio offers warm, al fresco dining on what feels like a porch patio. 2) Check out their "executive lunch" Wednesday through Friday. R40 ($20USD) gets you three delicious courses, mains rotate daily! 3) For dinner, the guidebooks all recommend the seared tuna and coconut milk chicken curry. Both are amazing. The banana brulee should also not be missed; if you are getting a second dessert, check out the "for the kids" chocolate fudge dessert featuring primo vanilla ice cream. 4) The carafe of sparkling wine with fresh fruits as well as the fresh juices are outstanding. Worth the premium over drinks elsewhere.

Well, I landed in Rio de Janeiro, first time there, and wasn't totally sure where to go eat. I was hungry after a long commute but didn't want to settle for just anything. Brazil has a number of traditional dishes, mainly focused on meat, cheese and bread items, with the addition of fresh fruits and juices. However, I was able to find a number of places that really changed my mind about that, and one of them was Zazá Bistrô Tropical in Ipanema. Drawn in by the whimsical twinkle lights strewn about the dining patio, the blue painted restaurant caught my eye. I know, don't judge a book by it's cover. But whatever, the place looked cool, so, I checked out the menu and it seemed as lovely as the aesthetic. To start, I ordered The Wallpaper (cachaca with passion fruit, sugar, vanilla bean and pepper). This drink was so amazing, I actually didn't even care if the food was any good. There are different dimensions to this drink, making it really unique. You first get a sweetness from the passion fruit, which almost then turns into a sort of cotton candy flavor. Then, there's a really nice heat that follows, which is especially nice since they really don't use spicy ingredients in their cooking in Brazil. Then, I had their Organic Salad Leaves (with stewed vegetables, gorgonzola, green apple and hazelnuts). This was such a delightful salad, it was fresh, had great textures and a nice, light citrusy flavor from the dressing. There's just something magical about the combination of a tart apple, the bite of gorgonzola cheese, and the sweet nuttiness and crunch of hazelnuts.

This restaurant has a nice eclectic atmosphere which makes you feel as if you're in a unique cafe. The tables are a bit too close to each other making you feel like you're in your neighbor's convo but overall a comfortable aura. We ordered the sampler appetizer which included two prices of their most popular starters. Each one was delicious paired with their sauce. For entrees we ordered the white fish special & the chicken with coconut milk, bananas & cashews (spicy chicken curry). It was a delicious meal which combined Asian, Indian, & Brazilian influences. It was almost difficult to stop eating. The white fish on the other hand was paired with a thick pumpkin purée which should have stolen the show when mixed with the fish BUT the fish prepared for us had an overpowering ocean taste. The fish was below average. This dish was the reason why I couldn't give this restaurant a 5 star review. Overall it was a great experience to try something different in an unfamiliar country and will deff come back to get the chicken curry again.

I've had dinner upstairs and lunch outside and while I enjoy the ambiance of Zazá's space I've been less than impressed with the food served in this charmingly converted house, particularly given the rather steep prices. This Ipanema staple (if you come to visit locals there's at least a 70% chance one or more will take you here) serves "tropical" fare which in my visits has meant everything from curry to seafood noodles to Moroccan couscous to fried appetizer with fruity dipping sauces. The food's fine, just not super special by my estimation. Pro tip: It's very popular so definitely book ahead.

Delicious drinks and food, lovely setting (sit on the terrace if possible), a worthwhile visit. Was staying in Ipanema and was recommended to go here by two different people at different times. I had the curry chicken with coconut milk, bananas, vegetables, and ginger, rice with cashews, totally consumed it. First drink (Águas de Amazzoni) was a bit disappointing (too much água not enough Amazonas), but the São Francisco Julep was delicious.

Amazinggggg!! My boyfriend took me here for a surprise date & I loved every bit of it! We are upstairs which is sort of a Chinese style dinner, you take off your shoes and sit on cushions.The ambience is very hipster & chill. There are lanterns, fairies, & a lot of bohemian-ish decor. For starters we ordered the apple spice martini and berry spice margarita. Both were made well & the flavors delicious! We had the tuna & salmon tartare, I ordered the chicken curry and he had the grilled octopus! I enjoyed the curry with just a kick of spice. I prefer extra spicy so I asked for more! To top it off we finished with banana creme brûlée which was heavenly! They also give you the check in little cute boxes . All in all the ambience and food give this place not only taste in flavor but style as well! Go for it :))

Excellent food, taste, presentation and customer service! Very nice place! I totally recommend it!

Came to Rio and asked the concierge where to have dinner. They sent us to this fine establishment. We had a nice little seat outdoors with some pleasant colorful lighting that really set the mood. I ordered a white fish with banana ceviche and I was blown away. Also got palm hearts with it. It was a fantastic experience and the service was friendly and attentive. Next time I am in Rio I will certainly be back.

Wanted to love it...but food fell short...especially at high end prices Between the great reviews and how incredibly charming the place is and the great menu descriptions, we were super excited to eat here. Unfortunately, the food and service missed the mark. The trio of warm apps were all bland tasting and heavily fried. The trio of cold apps was better, but not great. Finally, the beet risotto was overwhelmingly cheesy and risotto itself was overcooked. They even brought out the wrong drink and made a mistake on the bill (charged us for an extra drink) and then took over 20 minutes to fix the mistake. This is too expensive of a place to justify going here again.

The Bistro has a wonderful decor and the food is breathtaking! It's a must in Ipanema! I recomend the Flamed Shrimp with the lemon risoto and the Seared Tuna with the wasabi mashed potatos

Had lunch here yesterday. My wife and I live in San Francisco so we are blessed with so many great restaurant choices. Whenever we travel, we look forward to the new restaurants we are going to eat in more than the places to see. I ordered their Octopus. The order was a few slices of octopus legs on a bed of vegetables (broccoli, potato and olives). It came with a dipping sauce. The meal was good. Not a big portion but just enough to satiate the hunger. There were probably around 4 slices of octopus legs for that lunch meal. my wife ordered the poke bowl. It came with about 6 slices of poke, some vegetables and a whole LOT of tasteless noodles. Would not recommend this dish to anyone. we were seated in the patio and it was full. There was only 1 server so we waited more than usual for service. The location is about a block from Ipanema beach so that is good. The prices were high compared to what they were serving. My octopus tasted good but it was a very small serving for the price. The poke bowl is an order to AVOID. The food here is passable but really nothing special. If you are nearby and the location suits you, then eating here is fine. However, had we known what we know now, we would not necessarily seek out this restaurant for a meal.

This place is absolutely amazing you most try if you are visiting ipanema Thank you for amazing night

Don't even go there! We went there on our second day in Rio and opened the menu... Huge prices! I looked around and ask the waiter what were two items that people around us were eating. The items were tiny. I was particularly sorry for the family next to us which received a kind of a soup that costs over 100 Reals. They took turns staring at it and each other. The four of us got up and walked straight out of the restaurant.

I get it that it's in Leblon and they mainly serve the Brazilian mega-rich. But a good place should also be known for its service and friendliness, not just ambiance and quality of food. Our experience was that we wanted to share a meal but the waiter tried to sell us the most expensive one and kept saying one portion wouldn't be enough for two. Then he saw that we set our mind on a particular dish to share, and he started ignoring us or being straight up rude. I think he expects everyone in Leblon to just be throwing money around and showing off. Wasn't the case for us. He did bring the food eventually, and it was delicious; most importantly, it was more than enough for the two of us, with all that rice and what not. Maybe we just weren't lucky with the guy but that was our experience and we won't be coming back there again next time we're in Rio. Plenty of other great places to try!

The food and drinks here tonight were amazing! The American couple sitting right next to us and fighting most of the night, not so much so. I can't hold this against zaza though as their distance between tables is par for the course. Still, it is fairly off putting to here 'l could throw something at you" or "you're feeling the way you are because you've never lost", and on and on and on... Anyways, I appreciated their selection of local craft beers and enjoyed the eisenbahn strong ale. My wife had the coconut cocktail, which was quite good. After a drink, we mostly talked in Spanish for the duration of our time at zaza about the obnoxious couple next to us and actually had quite a good time. We started with the boiled octopus and guacamole appetizer, which was delicious. For the main course I had the grouper and she had the seafood pasta. Everything was cooked well and seasoned wonderfully, with a tropical flair. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone visiting Rio... Unless of course you plan on bringing your petty apartment hunting argument to dinner, in which case you should stay home.

They lost out reservation which we made by phone from USA. Upon arriving the hostess was INCREDIBLY RUDE and did nothing to accommodate us initially and kept saying it wasn't possible we made a reservation by phone. Finally gave us a table after we were just stranded on the sidewalk for about 10 minutes. (After they said they had no tables) Food - the octopus was delicious. The cod was over salted. Ambiance was not the best / probably you can get a better experience somewhere else in rio for the price.