Zaytoona Moroccan Restaurant in Portsmouth

Travelled 25 minutes to come to the restaurant especially as had driven past on more than one occassion and thought how nice it looked. So welcoming and friendly and the food did not disapoint, really tasty, highly recommend.

We had lunch at Zaytoona today. One of the best meals we've had during our travels!! Maybe even the best. Lots of extremely fresh and perfectly cooked vegetables, lamb shank was tender and flavorful with lots of meat. The cous cous and sauce went well with the lamb. Very nice mint tea to accompany. There are plenty of choices for vegetarians, vegans, and meat eaters. The staff were all extremely attentive and welcoming. Also very knowledgeable as to Moroccan cuisine. We definitely recommend!!

Five stars are just enough for this place… From the moment you sit down to the delicious food served you are transfixed to Morocco 🇲🇦 So hot and tasty I wish I could do it all over again …. Who knew Moroccan wine was so tasty with Tagine . FANFLIPPINGTASTIC You will not…. No never be disappointed. Thank you .. Mark and Tracey

A M A Z I N G ———————- If you haven’t been here yet , then you absolutely need to. This is fantastic ….. Family run and simply superb 👌 I can’t fault anything , even the Moroccan 🇲🇦 wine went with the meal, that was so hot any full of flavour. First class service and we just cannot wait to come back ….. it would be tomorrow if I had my way. Thank you all . Mark and Tracey Yes first time here but not the last.

Loved the whole atmosphere,the food delicious,the drinks Casablanca Beer and the Moroccan White Wine great.This was just a walk by but came back and very glad we did.

Excellent service and really good, authentic Moroccan food. Recommend!

I had a really lovely meal here. The food was excellent and the staff were so welcoming and lovely! I will definitely be back

I've been looking forward to trying Moroccan cuisine for a while now, and I'm so glad I did! The exotic decor gives it a holiday feel, perfect for a Friday lunch. We ordered the lamb shank and sea bass, it was tender and full of flavor! The staff were welcoming and attentive, Eissa's service was excellent! We will definitely come back and bring our friends! It was my first time to eat Moroccan food and it was so good! At noon on Friday, I originally planned to go to a nearby Western restaurant for All Day Breakfast, but when I passed by Zaytoona, I was attracted by the exotic decoration of the restaurant, so I changed my plan and went in to eat Moroccan food. We ordered the leg of lamb. The chef spent 5 hours simmering it. The lamb was tender and soft, and the gravy was fragrant. It was the best leg of lamb I have ever eaten. I felt warm after eating it! The waiter was very attentive. He knew it was our first time to eat Moroccan food and patiently introduced us one by one. He was considerate and attentive. Will definitely come again next time!

From start to finish,were made to feel like we had been invited into the family home.The waiter was very knowledgeable and gave us good recommendations on what to choose.So lovely to visit a well run family restaurant. The food was served very hot.Cant wait to visit again.Thankyou for a lovely evening.

A restaurant serving delicious Moroccan meals

The food and service are excellent.

This was our fourth evening visit to Zaytoona and the fourth time, as a couple, we had come along with two or three friends. Each time we’ve really enjoyed the food, atmosphere and ambience of a Moroccan, family run, restaurant. The food here is authentically Moroccan, full of flavours and aromas and presented in a rustic yet attractive style. The service at Zaytoona, is attentive and thoughtful, with helpful information provided where required. We have enjoyed the occasional interactions that we’ve had with the members of the restaurant and front of house team, each of them friendly, welcoming and warm. The food and drinks on offer are very reasonably priced, the house wines we’ve had have been good and the ‘Casablanca’ beer, though quite strong, is very flavoursome. If you’re in a hurry to ‘eat and go in a hurry’ this restaurant may not be for you … but if you’re looking for a restaurant where the food is prepared with experience, and love where the food is authentically moroccan, where you can hear and be heard when talking with your companions and eat in an unhurried atmosphere, there’s probably nowhere better in the Portsmouth area. We thoroughly recommend this restaurant.

Very authentic Moroccan restaurant, and one of the friendliest hosts you will ever come across. Very polite, generous, and humble. Food was quality and on point! Good portions, and overall highly recommended!

We had a lamb shank tagine and a seabass tagine, Both were excellent and had a lovely chat with the delightful family that own the restaurant. We look forward to coming here again!

An excellent late afternoon/early evening meal & venue. We were looking for an experience that wasn't the usual 'gastric' pub style that sadly so many are these days. Southsea used to have a good selection of world cuisine but most has become the stereotype of this land which is a real pity if you are looking to experience a more genuine multicultural opportunity. Zaytoona gave us a lovely opportunity to have a more traditional Moroccan meal which was well worth it. As a group Jehovah's Witnesses, we were looking for a venue to take three of our dear friends who had just graduated from pioneer school and wanted to make it a special place for such an occasion, to enjoy a good meal, conversation, and a wholesome environment. The hospitality and service was excellent, and the manager Eissa was the complete host together with his staff, something that can be very lacking these days. He was happy to rearrange furniture, and take into account our needs which puts your mind at rest when dining out. It's one thing to have an authentic meal but it's even better when the ambience, décor and utensils are served as they would if you were in that land - nice touch. We had seen the clay pots used in scenes from Morocco and wanted to try this, so thank you to our host for making the experience more authentic. Did the authenticity stop at this? No. My wife comes from a coastal village where the fish is so fresh it you can tell if it has been 'iced', so she chose the seabass tangine. She was very happy with the dish and noted how the heat of the food is retained for longer when served in the claypot. As for myself, although I am not a vegetarian I chose the vegetarian tangine which was lovely. Those with us tried the lamb tangine and were very happy with their choices. We accompanied this with almost the entire range of side dishes to make the experience more enjoyable. Although there is nothing unscriptural about drinking alcohol and we do on occasion enjoy a good wine or porter for a meal, my wife and I decided to try the mint tea to make the experience even more authentic. It was a lovely accompaniment to the meal. It should be mentioned that Eissa has an interesting range of alcohol to go with your dining experience and it's worth having a chat with him when you dine. Back to the food. Eissa explained to us more about the ingredients used by his parents who were working hard in the kitchen catering for those dining. The sea bass tagine had fish that was fresh that day and was a dish that is only available in the coastal parts of Morocco. My wife was very happy with the freshness of the fish and you can notice the difference when a restaurant uses 'old' ingredients. If the ingredients are picked too soon and not allowed to ripen or are stored for a long time then the food becomes 'dead food' - as in no taste, no real nutrition. Not so with that served at Zaytoona as Eissa himself is a chef and takes pride in the ingredients and food served. As regards the lamb, it was explained that this too was very fresh which helps with the texture and softness of the meat. We were so happy with the meal that we were not going to have any dessert. Normally we don't tend to as the sugar load and dryness of many desserts makes them 'manufactured' and unappealing. But our youngest pioneer kept asking Eissa about the desserts and he very kindly placed a complementary plate of desserts on the table for us to try. I am not normally a dessert person as the dryness of many and the oversweetness I find difficult to swallow, but these samples Eissa gave us we actually in no way dry and were not overpowered by the sugar content. Well worth the sampling and if you dine, we can recommend them. We are very glad to have experienced dining at Zaytoona and hope to have the opportunity again for another special treat. Our thanks to Eissa, his mother and father, and the waitress.

Delicious, homemade food, a family atmosphere and Eissa's service is unbeatable.

Great service and food, very authentic Moroccan.

Beautiful restaurant, incredible food, wonderful service! Couldn't recommend more. Make sure you finish your meal with Nos Nos.

We were a party of 5, the whole evening was delightful, the welcome and the attentive service was very nice, they created a lovely atmosphere. The food was excellent, we all had starters, a main course and a desert. Being a vegetarian was easy here the flavours of the food were authentic and moorish, the sea bass was amazing and the lamb shank was described as the best my friend had had! Desert did not disappoint either, baklavas with gelato was perfect. Throughout the whole evening we were given clean cutlery and serviettes after every course, water was poured without having to ask. We were not rushed at all. We loved it here and we would most definitely recommend coming. We will be back. Thank you.

It's been 18 years since I had a morrocan meal and this place hit all the right taste buds. Amazing service. The food was fabulous. Pastillas is so worth it, had the boneless Lamb tagine and cus cus, Mixed pastries and Baklava with nose nose coffee. Oh wow. I can't wait to come back. Amazing. Thank you.

Delicious food, super friendly staff!

We had fun with my friends ony birthday meal. Excellent service 👏

Very tasty food. Excellent service and typical Moroccan vibe. Highly recommended.

I have had the opportunity of traveling around the world, and recently my husband and I happened to walk in to, what would turn out to be one of the best food and restaurant experiences of our lifetime. This restaurant is a Mama-Pop and son operation, and the service and food we received was delicious, fresh, and certainly memorable.

It’s nice restaurants and delicious food good prices and kind staff I highly recommend

We had a wonderful meal this evening at Zaytoona. Three of us had the chicken shashlik- cooked to perfection. One ordered the vegetable tagine and the staff were happy to swap the vermicelli rice for plain rice to accommodate her gluten intolerance, and the other two people in our party shared a selection of small plates and declared them all to be delicious. Would highly recommend this restaurant if you enjoy great food in lovely surroundings.

Brilliant place, the lamb shank was amazing, well worth a visit!

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

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.

You have to wait for the food as it is freshly made, when it arrives you will not be disappointed. A must try.

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.

Cannot rate this establishment highly enough. Absolutely enchanting decor which takes you to a place far far away, fantastic host Esa showed his genuine passion and desire to make our experience the best ever and knew the menu and specific ingredients in great detail. All food clearly prepared to order and tasted fantastic. Chef must be very highly skilled and enjoy what he/she does in the kitchen. Will be sure to make this a place we go to again and again.

Excellent restaurant they have good options

Delicious food and lovely staff

Great food, fresh taste, reasonably priced definitely coming back

had such a wonderful time here. will always recommend this place to everyone as the service and food were both unmatched. I would suggest asking the staff for what they would suggest if you’re not sure, as they are always happy to help you find what suits you best. Beautiful restaurant, beautiful staff and even better food.

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.

Beautiful chicken Tagine.. Well looked after by staff and decor was perfect .. will go again !

Amazing place and the food was gorgeous as well as the staff!

Delicious food & friendly staff - very attentive! Would definitely recommend!

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 ☺️

Delicious food, wonderful service and beautiful ambience. Definitely one of the best restaurants in Southsea

Just landed in Southsea area on a work trip, searched for food near me and saw Moroccan, oh yes please. Its a Wednesday so a bit quiet around the area and we were the only lads in the restaurant at the time but our host Eissa treated us to literally the best home made Moroccan I have had since I visited Marrakesh. Do yourself a favour and visit Zaytoona if you are in the area. We are Melbourne based Coffee, Food and Wine snobs and this is the best meal I have had in the last 3 weeks since I have been in the UK. Thanks Eissa, legend, you really care about fresh food, it came through in spades, we loved it. Will be back before we leave to go home. 🇬🇧🇲🇦🇦🇺

What a wonderful meal - the flavours were just as I remember them from my time in Morocco! The host was also exceptional. Wil definitely return.

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

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!

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

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

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.

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

Absolutely loved it, will definitely be back 😁

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.

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.

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! ;)

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

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

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!

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.

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

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☺️

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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 ☹️