Zu Ekpunobi (Dr. Zu)
As of Jan 2026, Taza now takes the top spot in Madison for Middle-Eastern fare.
Warm, friendly, fast service. You can also tell the chef pours love into the dishes and prepares them as authentic as possible. It could use some small sprucing up, but it’s still warm and inviting. Great value for the food quality.
I recommend the tawook + kafte combo
… morePam Buss
Met a friend here for dinner. First visit for both of us. We were seated immediately. The restaurant filled while we were eating. We had the Arabic coffee which was very different but good.
We were there for a long time. The servers were respectful.
The menu is interesting. Serving portions are Iarge. I would go back and try some of their other items.
… moreFaith F
Such a great authentic restaurant. We started with hummus and grape leaves for appetizers and in hindsight we would’ve been full off of all the hummus with our dish (they have big servings) but it was so good. Very creamy and flavorful. The Greek salad was delicious but a ton of feta. For the entree I had chicken kebabs which were excellent. And the desserts were made very well. Overall a great place for Mediterranean food and their staff were all so nice and helpful.
… moreGrace Marchello
Restaurant that offers a variety of Middle Eastern dishes. Their Yellow Split Pea soup is absolutely incredible- a wonderful blend of savory spices! The Lamb Couscous was tender but was rather bland.
The service is great; the servers are attentive and make sure you have pita.
There is plenty of free parking in the free parking lot.
… moreAndre A.
Really good food. We loved the lamb kebab and gyro combo lunch meals. Good portion sizes. Food was really tasty. No thrills decor and service – basic. Would give an overall 4-4.5 rating for the place, but food was really good bumping it to 4.5-5.0. Very tasty.
… moreJennifer Kallias
Delicious food, overall generous portions, nice atmosphere. Loved that there were a few beers and wines on the menu that were reflective of the Mediterranean region. We had the gyro plate and the lamb kebab, and we each had one of the amazing house soups. The entrees were both good, but the kebab was outstanding, as were both soups and the tiramisu we had for dessert. The two disappointments: 1) the pita bread (VERY dry and tough, nothing like the fresh, soft, pillowy pita people were mentioning in other reviews) and 2) the baklava, which was also quite dry and a very small portion as compared to our tiramisu (photo is misleading as baklava is in the foreground so it seems bigger). It was good enough that we’ll return to give it another whirl, though!!!
… moreBabette Leshinsky
We had an enjoyable late luncheon here. I’m giving it a 4 rather than a 5 because the babaghanoush was not thick enough and the pita bread was not fresh even though it was warmed up. They have an intensive menu with lots of reasonable choices for lunch. A great place overall.
… moreMonyka L
Food came out in a reasonable time, and everything was delicious and packed with flavor. The hummus might just be my favorite in Madison. I literally used every piece of pita to swipe the plate CLEAN. Another favorite of mines was the spinach lentil soup! It was a lovely blend of tangy and sour. The seafood soup was also very rich and flavorful (I could truly taste the seafood in the broth.) Perfect balance of savory dishes, creamy dips, and comforting soups.
Pictured below is: Beef Shish Kebab, Chicken Shawarma, Fattee Bel-lahmeh, Spinach Lentil Soup, Seafood Soup
… moreBarbara Gulten
Great option for middle eastern and mediterranean food. This is a 3.5 star review. Friendly helpful staff. Extensive menu with options that a geared for large groups and people that like to share. Everything we ate was fantastic. Started with the lentil spinach soup. Don’t skip the soup; it is delicious and lemony. The stuffed artichoke was a surprise – it is baked in sauce and white sauce. The kefta kabob platter was great and enough for the two of us to split. The kefta was a tiny bit too dry but well seasoned and tasty. We had a glass of wine; they have a light selection but enough for this type of dining. Included the bill, split to show how much the total was and how much it was for one person. Nice spot to satisfy your cravings, enjoy!
… moreSilma Raisa
Everything tasted sour. I don’t know why. I’ve never tasted Mediterranean food this sour before. I am disappointed. Only good item was the grilled onion. Rice was cold.
… more