Zaytoona Moroccan Restaurant in Portsmouth - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

I visited Zaytoona with my best friend in July. The minute we walked inside we were made to feel most welcome. The restaurant was tastefully decorated and had a lovely ambience. The Moroccan manager talked us through the menu and made some suggestions, that we took up. The food was absolutely wonderful. True Moroccan cuisine! The chef was Zina, the manager's mum, who cooked from the heart! Service was attentive all night, and nothing was a problem. It's a family run restaurant and simply lovely. They deserve to make it a big success. I'd highly recommend visiting.

Nice little place, great food, good atmosphere, nice Lebanese wine. Very nice waiter saw use looking in window and came out to chat! Glad he did

This is the second time that I have been here and I have been very impressed on both occasions. The service is amazing, warm, friendly and welcoming. The food is spectacular in terms of taste and presentation. Amazing gem in the heart of Southsea.

Ate here recently with my husband & we were not disappointed. Our first time for Morrocan food - just delicious. We had the lamb tagine with couscous & dressing. Can recommend Morrocan wine too & the baclava for dessert with mint tea. Nice atmosphere & welcoming service. Will definitely be back when in Souhsea. I'm now looking for Morrocan restaurants near us at home in N.Ireland.

What a wonderful dining experience. We called in for lunch on Friday. We were made to feel very welcome and had a lovely comfortable position in the window. The food was incredibly fresh and tasty. We opted for the sea bass tagine with salad, couscous and lentils. Will definitely return the next time I am in Southsea. Gorgeous!!! Thank you ☺️

We enjoyed the kafta tagine and Harira at Zaytouna – it was perfectly seasoned and tender. Great atmosphere👌

Delicious selection of mezze, helpful, friendly service. Also excellent value. Highly recommended. Great vegetarian choices.

I drove all the way from Ruslip london to try this Moroccan food as I struggle to find good Moroccan food . The service , atmosphere and the food is just wonderful and quite the best I have received in a long time , will recommend this to everybody you must go and visit Zaytoona!

Amazing restaurant, with delicious food and a lovely atmosphere. Highly recommend The best restaurant in Portsmouth, great service and very delicious food

Delicious food in beautiful surroundings & excellent service

There is such a concentration of good restaurants in Southsea and Zaytoona is a worthy addition. The food and service was excellent. It is not a large menu but each dish was top notch. You will not be disappointed.

The food here is astonishing. The service is amazing and it's a great price. Definitely will be coming back.

The food was amazing, the lamb was so soft and tender and full of flavour! The owner is also really nice and gave us really good recommendations! All in all a really great restaurant!

The food and service was first class.Lots of choice. Will definitely return and recommend to others.

Amazing family run restaurant! Food is absolutely delicious and the service is outstanding. Well deserved five stars and highly recommended!

We had lunch this past Saturday there. We loved the delicious food, everything was really delicious, we will definitely repeat. It is a family restaurant decorated in a beautiful way. And a very pleasant service, thank you very much..

Great Moroccan restaurant in Portsmouth, very welcoming and authentic. The staff is incredibly nice and attentive to customers. Great for small parties too.

We had a very good experience in this restaurant, the food was delicious and all the staff is lovely, friendly and very helpful with everything. Would definitely recommend the place, and to try the pastillas, they were amazing! They were also so considerate for special dietary requirements and made a separate meal to suit our needs. Thank you for everything ❤️

Most Authentic Moroccan Experience I Ever Had. It is a Must Visit place. 💯

Food was awesome, staff were friendly and welcoming. I recommend 👌

Great staff and the food was excellent

Another Southsea Gem. Independent, family owned, traditional moroccan restaurants with a nice selection of starters and various Couscous/Tajine. Vegan option available

A lovely family run restaurant. We shared spinach and olive starter dish and hummus and homemade bread; then had vegetable couscous as a main. Great quality fresh food, attentive and very polite staff.

Absolutely loved it, will definitely be back 😁

My daughter and I had a lovely, authentic North African food experience at Zaytoona yesterday... ambience & attentive service were top-notch. Will definitely return & highly recommended.

In 30 years of eating out this was the probably the best meal I have ever had. So nice to have traditional food cooked to your own liking with amazing and personal service. Our waiter Eissa was an amazing host and the decor fitted perfectly. This is an oasis in the desert of Portsmouth cuisanary culture.

Absolutely delightful little restaurant with really friendly staff and a great menu. Had hummus & bread, salad, tagine, baklava and assorted pastries - it was all delicious! Such a wonderful atmosphere and good selection of drinks too, as well as knowledge of cuisine! Looking forward to the next visit!!

My first time here and I had a great time! The home cooked food was excellent as was the service. I highly recommend and will be going back.

The restaurant boasts charming decor, a delightful staff, and exceptionally flavorful cuisine, culminating in an overall delightful dining experience.

Came here for my sons birthday meal. Great service and food, we will def be back!!

Fantastic all round experience, now one of our favourite local restaurants.

Wow, 5 stars is an understatement! As someone who visits Morocco frequently I was amazed to have such an authentic experience in Southsea! From the way we were greeted, to the delicious food and spectacular hospitality, this is definitely going to be a regular spot for us! Of course I ended my night at home with a shisha, a true Moroccan experience! ;)

Have wanted a Moroccon restaurant to open in Portsmouth/Southsea for many years, then after lockdown one magically appeared. From the first visit we were treated as honoured guests (and still are), nothing is too much trouble. You are transported to a Moroccon family home with your hosts all working behind the scenes. The food, all home cooked is an absolute joy to eat. You can tell this is put together with the love of giving honest home cooked food. There is enough choice each visit to try something new. Such lovely people and probably one of the best places too eat. You will go again and again. Love Gordon and Claire

Amazing food and atmosphere , royal couscous was absolutely delicious, the zaalouk is one of my new favourite dishes.

Great restaurant, loved the food. The staff were so friendly too! Got a mix of veggie starters which were delicious. Loved all the decor and the dishes the food were brought out on too. It was dog friendly so perfect for us ☺️ will be back again!

Our first time in here, as a person with Moroccan heritage this was absolutely sublime. The service, vibes, food and treatment made me feel like I was back home in Morocco. Definitely coming back

Had been meaning to try this place for a while and it didn't disappointed. A gorgeous, authentic family ran business where you're made to feel welcomed from the start. The service was exceptional throughout and they really invest in making you have a wonderful experience and it pays off. The wine was gorgeous, the tagine was lovely, and Mum's backavas were to die for! And to top it off, they do loyalty cards that give you a free meal!!!!! Will definitely be back. Thank you for a lovely night.

Fabulous early eve dinner, and not to disappoint, lovely welcome, fabulous service, and the food absolutely amazing… honestly our taste buds were tingling. Tried almost all the starters… a couple of the Tagines, and put it all on the table together, to share the delights. Managed to fit in dessert and a coffee… Chef came out, to ask if we enjoyed our food…. Empty plates all round???

The most welcoming and friendly Restaurant I can ever remember visiting. Staff couldn't have been more attentive, Food taste is absolutely sensational, highly recommend the Houmous and the Lamb Tagine, all made with genuine passion and love. Prices very reasonable, truly authentic experience.

This restaurant has a very authentic feel to it with lovely service and exquisite food. Definitely going to be returning soon!

The food was flavorful and delectable; the tea was lovely and refreshing; I would really recommend it; and the vibes were emaculate. In addition, the service was amazing, extremely friendly, and worth your time.

Had a beautiful meal in Zatoona. The service was impeccable, and everyone was so friendly and obligingly nice. The food was truly excellent, very flavoursome and well prepared. I highly recommend this Moroccan restaurant, and it makes a brilliant change to the other types of restaurants in Southsea.

Myself and my wife went to Marrakesh last year and were looking forward to trying out this restaurant since it opened. It did not disappoint, infact we were so impressed by the service, the incredibly tasty food, we felt we were back in Morocco! 5 star service, top quality food. We will be back soon!

A beautifully freshly cooked dinner with excellent service. Freshly cooked bread, and I ordered the best fish Sea bass tagine

They are friendly, the food was tasty and fresh. The tajen was 5/5. I will definitely come back as the experience deserves to be repeated.

Friendly family ambiance and attentive service. Vegetarian menu was a little restricted, but the sea bass and lamb were very nice indeed. Tasty Moroccan pastries and a lovely coffee to round it all off. Everyone enjoyed themselves and ate well. Will be back!

We popped in for a drink one evening and were very impressed by the friendly staff. As we didn't have long we didn't have food, but it is very welcoming and comfortable feeling and I cant wait to go and sample the food - which smelt amazing!

Had an amazing experience all round, from the food to the service. The atmosphere is welcoming, perfect for a family meal or a cosy date night. We’d a delicious meal with great service and will definitely be back☺️

Unfortunately, not a pleasant experience. I would not recommend it to anyone. It is a beautifully decorated place which is the only good thing about Zaytoona. The customer service was not friendly at all. The food was bland, it could have had some flavor. Serving time was veryyyyy long. The old man was very humble and nice but one of the waiters/servers was quite rude when inquiried about long waiting time for food. The serving size was less. I feel sad for the old man but I wish they improve their service. For now, many apologies but it was a sad and bad experience for wasting more than 100 pounds.... sadly

Fabulous Moroccan restaurant run by the family. I couldn't think of anything negative from the tasty food to the cleanliness of the toilets. We will definitely be back.

A quiet, unassuming cafe/ restaurant that brings back memories of Morocco. Comfortable with excellent friendly service.

I've wanted to come here for a while & it was worth the wait. Fantastic food & fantastic service. Simple ingredients cooked amazingly well, felt like I was in their home eating their home cooked food. Loved it.

We had a great meal, all of it authentic Moroccan cuisine. Interesting starters, lovely tagines and a bottle of good Lebanese white wine. A very friendly vibe, just a stone’s throw from Palmerston Road in one direction, and the Waitrose car park in the other direction. Very much a family affair, and staff enthusiastic to show off their culture and cooking, and to explain how they prepare dishes and source their ingredients. The food didn’t arrive very swiftly, but was worth the wait. But if you have limited time, it might be worth telling the front of house staff, and asking which dishes can be prepared more quickly,

An amazing restaurant, the food was incredible. Beautiful inside and very friendly staff. We were really looked after. We will be back.

Myself and Hubby spent valentines 💝 evening here last night and had a wonderful time . The food is freshly cooked and tasted delicious, entertaining us was a beautiful belly dancer it just felt like being in Morocco 🇲🇦 for the evening .. A big thank you to the owner and he's son for making us feel so welcome ! We will be back 100% .. please go and have a bite to eat here you won't be disappointed I promise ..

Unfortunately, extremely poor service. Waited more than 1 hour before the food was served. Even the starters took about 45 min. One of the main dishes (lamb tagine) was burnt and I couldn't finish it. I showed them the burnt tagine but was not compensated. I wouldn't be going to this place again. Very bad experience and worst customer service.

My worst dinner experience in 9 years in Portsmouth. We visited the restaurant Tuesday evening. The mains arrived late (more than 1 hour). When we were asking the reason, the waitress was quite rude instead of apologetic. I do not think he knows how to communicate with customers. The food was not good and one of the tagines was burnt. Never again.

Had a brilliant evening out, Eissa was an amazing host, gave us recommendations on food & drink, served us promptly and was exceptionally friendly The food was amazing, served traditionally and piping hot. I will definitely return in future

This place is a must. Everything is amazing. Definitely one of my favourites restaurants in Southsea. So far so good. Highly recommended❤️

What a lovely little restaurant. Cosy and unpretentious. The staff were so lovely and welcoming. They said they are a new restaurant and are clearly a hard working family who want to share their food and culture. The food was very nice and full of flavour. We ordered a lot of starters and wanted to try to it all. They went out of their way to make us feel welcome. The chef came out to talk to us in his traditional clothing and you could see they have put their heart and soul into the place.

One of our worst meals out ever !!! Very very slow service - food was tasty but took AGES to arrive and then all came out in the wrong order plus one of our party was left without his main course completely while the rest of us ate. Our table was for 8pm and we got mains at 9:30om …..rightly or wrongly we were left with the impression that this restaurant is run by a local family with little or no relevant experience. There are only a couple of people in the kitchen and they just don’t seem to be able to cope - even though the place was half empty ! We certainly wouldn’t return again as it was quite pricey and definitely not worth the money or the wait ! - Very disappointing as we like to support local businesses ☹️

Went here for my birthday with my mum then for some dinner with friends, both times have been absolutely amazing, the service was brilliant! The bar team had provided tasters of the wine to ensure we liked them, the food was outstanding, can’t recommend the zalook enough! I’m vegetarian and they provide lots of options for me so was very grateful, the chefs bring the food out explaining the dishes and ensured everything was up to our expectations before returning to the kitchen. The front of house manager is superb and made sure that we were all happy and having a good time and spoke to us about Moroccan traditions and the history behind specific dishes. Also half Moroccan myself so I can promise you if you’re looking for authentic Moroccan cuisine this is the place to be!!

Tonight was our first visit to this restaurant, and if we lived locally, it definitely wouldn’t be our last! The food was wonderful, the service was attentive, friendly and efficient, and the ambience was perfect for a fun night out. All of the staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome and to make sure we had everything we needed and that we enjoyed our evening. We ordered A LOT of food (because we couldn’t pick just one starter and main course each) and everything without exception was delicious. We will definitely return next time we are visiting the area

Six of us went to this restaurant for dinner. We decided that we would skip the first course and go just for the mains. We ordered a mixture of the tagines (chicken and barkok) and the sea bass and also asked for some of the starters (the zallouk) as sides to the mains. So we waited and waited. Eventually the zaalouk arrived with no mains accompanied with bread which looked like ordinary cheap bread rolls you buy from Tesco. We said to the front of house staff we had ordered the zaalouk as sides to our mains and they went away, presumably to try to get our mains delivered to the table. So we ate the zaalouk and waited and waited. Eventually five main courses arrived but there's no sign of my chicken tagine. So we waited and waited but still no sign of my tagine despite the FOH staff promising me that it was on its way. The other five at the table had to start eating as their food was getting cold. They had just about finished when my food was brought out by the 'chef' dressed in a Moroccan outfit. I said that it was too late as I wasn't going to sit there eating by myself. He then went on to explain that the fault lay with his stove which was too small to cook 6 meals at the same time (as if this was out fault for turning up as a table for six)! To cap it all, when the bill arrived, my non-existent tagine was on there and we had to tell the FOH staff to take it off. No discount was offered for the chaos of the service. So to summarise, the food was ok, the service was awful (not the fault of the FOH staff) and I had to sit and listen to the chef blaming his tools for the mess. Never going back. Let's see how long this restaurant (the latest of a number of now closed restaurants and bars run by Mr Arabbetou) lasts.

Wow... what a meal highly recommend and no stressing from me gf wise, as somewhere new for us. family style, yummy food and very attentive

1. Excellent food, served in traditional Moroccan style and authenticity. 2. Cosy atmosphere. 3. Stellar service - truly the highlight of the experience. Outstanding service throughout. Friendly, attentive and patient staff. It's clearly a family-run and family-style restaurant because they treat you like guests with warm hospitality and care. I cannot recommend this place enough and look forward to making this a regular spot.

Fantastic, this family ran restaurant is a treasure. The service and food was first class but what stole the show for me was the homemade harrisa made by the mom Chez Zinab amazing.

Very nice guy called Eissa working at the bar

This family run restaurant provides a warm welcome .It has a great ambiance In which it’s really easy to relax. The authentic Moroccan food is sumptuous. It’s prepared to a high standard and the service is excellent .

We were made to.feel like VIP's, the staff are amazing and the restaurant is family run.. the lamb tagine was amazing and fresh.. the lamb melted in the mouth. We have been back a couple of times since and was consistently brilliant. Expect to wait a little during busy periods as the food is cooked freshly every time. But I would recommend soaking up the cosy atmosphere and enjoying t he experience.

The Food was amazing, I felt very healthy eating it and the service was 10/10! Will be back again! I recommend the zaalouk!

Wonderfull food and service , recommended

Beautiful well cooked food, excellent service and great surroundings. What more can you ask for...yum

Great atmosphere and food in a wonderful family run restaurant. The tagines were great! We enjoyed every morsel!

A friend and I had dinner here on a Friday evening; the food was delicious, the service was so friendly and accommodating, and the atmosphere was lovely. Would highly recommend. Thank you Zaytoona for a lovely evening!

The staff were attentive and friendly. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and has real Moroccan ambiance. We had a started to share which was on the house. Out chicken tagline was full of flavour and cooked well. Decent Rioja.

Such a lovely experience.Amazing staff, delicious food and cozy environment 🤍

Went for a birthday dinner. Family run restaurant with fabulous, friendly staff, especially Eissa. The food is authentic, made with love, using spices and herbs bought from Morocco. We enjoyed prawns, harira soup, chicken cous cous & beef kofta tagine. It was all perfectly cooked. The baklava is traditional Moroccan and delicious. The decor is really nice. Very well worth a visit. With several other dishes not tried, we’ll certainly be back with friends.

Went for a birthday dinner. Family run restaurant with fabulous, friendly staff, especially Eissa. The food is authentic, made with love, using spices and herbs bought from Morocco. We enjoyed prawns, harira soup, chicken cous cous & beef kofta tagine. It was all perfectly cooked....

Sadly bland food and expensive for what you got , rice was even a added extra . Misleading prices so choose carefully .

Very disappointing. Small servings, disorganised and loud TV in background.

It was our first visit to Zaytoona Restaurant. The food was delicious. The staff were very friendly and professional. Eissa in particular made us feel very welcome and provided a 5 star service. We will definitely be back in the new year. I highly recommend.

Tonight was our first visit to Zaytoona, we were not disappointed. The food was excellent. My partner had the lamb tagine, and I had the barbecued lamb.tlThe staff were so friendly and helpful that Eissa deserves special recognition for making us feel so welcome. We...

The food was delicious we will definitely come again

Friendly staff. Wonderful food. Thoroughly recommended. We had 3 courses as well as mint tea and enjoyed the whole experience.

A great lunch in a very relaxed venue. Food lovely. Service friendly and relaxed. Will go for lunch there again. The dinner menu looked good too

Had a great dinner, the staff were so fast bringing out food and drink, it was overall great service, the price was fantastic too!

Great food, staff treated all of us with respect and was very welcoming. Would definitely go here again if was around the area.

A wonderful evening spent with colleagues. The food was delicious. I had a lamb tagline with couscous and I loved it. The service was excellent and we were a big group. Will definitely return soon.

The food and decor are very excellent, and the staff are courteous. It is worth a visit👏

Interesting food, well presented. Very friendly, helpful member of staff/owner "on duty" (Bottled beers were expensive, at over £6 each - a single minus point).

This is a must visit restaurant . Lovely food and very attentive friendly staff . Price very reasonable too , give it a go .

Great place to eat. Taken there by friends who live in Southsea and have eaten there before. Food was lovely …..full of flavour and beautifully cooked. Staff were excellent ….helpful, friendly and attentive. It really is well worth a visit. Mary G

Great food …..beautifully cooked and full of flavour. Staff were helpful, friendly and attentive. Food was well presented and full of great flavours.

Had a very good meal,tasty, fresh food cooked from scratch. Lovely friendly family run business. Staff very knowledge when asked about the menu.Great to see all the family involved hands on in the restaurant. We could have been in their home having a meal together...

Genuine welcome from Essia Who clearly knows and enjoys his job. The fruit juices are the best I’ve tasted outside Turkey. The food is excellent. We will certainly come back.

Authentic Moroccan food that is delicious (I recommend the Chicken Pastillas as a starter). Attentive and professional service from all the team. Thank you for a wonderful evening.

Was hosted here as a party of 15 and the food and service was on point throughout! Brought out an amazing selection of starters with the best hummus I've ever tasted. And the the mains to follow were delicious! Run by a family who put everything in making sure their customers have a good experience! 10/10 recommend!

Delicious food and incredibly friendly staff! Will definitely visit again ☺️

Annie and I had a wonderful dinner here. We came back to try the new menu, in particular the Royal couscous. It was fantastic, huge portions and full of flavour. The family that run Zaytoona are lovely and make the evening special. They make you...