Review Zak's Restaurant - West Lakes

My husband and I celebrated our Wedding Anniversary with a Dinner @ Aura Greek Restaurant tonight. The Food was so delicious and very authentic Greek Cuisine. A big thankyou to Management and staff for their attention and service given making it a memorable night. We highly recommend the food and service we will be back. Greg & Miriam

My wife and I had our twentieth wedding anniversary tonight and went too Aura. Great meal and the service was second to none. Food was awesome and I’d definitely recommend to all my family and friends. Thanks again see you guys time.

Back to having great food and service. Only 4 stars because there was no desert but otherwise loved it.

took the team for dinner & it was amazing very generous servings, great prices & excellent customer service

Okay - so loved Zacs BEFORE it changed ownership and they allowed the new owners to continue to trade under their name and completely destroy it! So it was with some trepidation we tried Aura - was it the same owners that bought Zacs who had just changed their name to ditch the reputation or was it new owners? Good news - it IS new owners - just on a month now. Was a big, big fan of the original Zacs - so these guys at Aura have gone with the authentic Greek cuisine and also added in some Middle Eastern stuff - real twist to the menu now! Partner and I went with the authentic - figured if they got that right it was safe to come back and try the new stuff! Moussaka was fabulous and the Lamb Souvlaki the same. Service was good, attentive, but not helicopter hovering - good personalities in the wait staff - prices what you would expect - certainly not “pricey” with some very reasonable specials on the board. Come on all ya folk that loved the old Zacs - give these guys a try - it is actually really good and they deserve our support! (Just in case ya wondering have no idea who owns it and no affiliations whatsoever with this restaurant - apart from being a hungry local that loves good food and good service!)

this is a great lakeside setting right next to the water. the food selection is great but a bit pricey. tried a fresh grill with tasty seafood including calamari, whiting and prawns. it was tasty and fresh but not worth $35. service was friendly and prompt and the setting is nice.

I don't often leave poor reviews, but a recent experience at Zak's was so appalling, there was no way I could let it go. There were so many things wrong, I don't even know where to begin. <br/><br/>Even reading the countless bad reviews online, nothing could have prepared me for this. Walking into a near empty restaurant which felt like a renovation zone was warning enough, then seeing the $35+ prices of mains was completely shocking and unexpected. <br/><br/>When our vegan guest asked for suggestions, the waitress offered her the dolmades (served with tzatziki) and the calamari. Yes that's right, CALAMARI. When we all stared at her, not sure if she was serious, she looked at me and said "Oh, can she not have that?" <br/><br/>But my favourite part of the evening was once the mains arrived. Never in my life have I known a Greek restaurant to run out of pita bread. A waiter appeared with one of the main courses, and asked, "who ordered this?" When we asked what 'this' was, he said he didn't know as he hadn't asked the chef, so he would go back and check. 'This', which was supposed to be served with pita bread, came without it. When questioned about where the pita bread was, he returned to the kitchen to check, then came back to advise us that there was no pita bread left. He seemed confused by our gobsmacked faces, and offered us some garlic bread instead. How very Greek. <br/><br/>Another waitress approached the table as the mains were being served to let us know that one of the dishes we ordered was actually unavailable, and that she was very annoyed at the kitchen for not advising her of this. I'm not sure she was quite as annoyed as us though, seeing as the person this meal was destined for ended up eating nothing but a few chips from another plate. <br/><br/>The whole evening ended up being a joke, and even though we weren't able to enjoy any of our meals, at least we all had a good laugh.

This place is appalling. Visited in a group of 10 for dinner tonight and couldn't believe how bad it was.<br/><br/>Didn't get informed that they had run out of pita bread until the mains arrived. We were one of the first diners tonight so I assume they never had pita bread to begin with. <br/><br/>One of the other members of the group got informed that they had run out of her main meal after everyone else had already got their mains. The meals were all very average with tough meat. And to top it all off, they are charging upwards of $35 for all their mains. This is ludicrous overpricing. Will definitely not be returning!

DISGUSTING!!!!!!!!<br/>Saturday 9/12/2017<br/><br/>Just came home from the most disgusting experience. My husband and I went this evening on a special occasion and literally walked out of the restaurant. <br/><br/>We walked in and were told to stand "Here" until called.. We waited up to about 8 minutes. We finally took our seats and given the beverage menu.. We waited a little while for our drinks which was fine however 40 mins later we were still waiting for our menu.. We got Nothing!<br/><br/>we noticed another couple walk in around 15-20 mins after us and were given a menu by the same waitress who initially presented us with our drinks..... this woman was walking passed us frequently and took no notice of us. I get she was busy however the place was not extremely busy when we turned up initially.... after 40 mins of waiting for a menu that we still never received, we decided to get up and leave but not before approaching this same waitress at the bar who was on the computer entering other food orders.... clearly angry, i told her we were leaving and that the $60.00 voucher we had to use tonight was left with them! <br/><br/>She absolutely did not care less and was screaming, turning her head to the kitchen saying that "Raj" was suppose to help you with your table etccc. she kept repeating this for "Raj" to take notice.. Raj is apparently the manager there....<br/><br/>I have dined at this place many times before with the previous owners and have NEVER had an issue.. This was beyond disgusting.. i think what upset me most was this waitress telling me to have a "Goodnight" very sarcastically and "Yep No worries" again sarcastically when i was clearly upset and disgusted by their service. The sheer arrogance of her and blaming "Raj" and yelling his name was a first for me.. I told her i wanted to speak with Raj... Raj was behind in the kitchen oblivious to what was going on, however another employee came closer wondering what was going on with his dirty plates..it was beyond for me to even wait for Raj,the waitress was clearly angry herself for whatever reason, shaking and nearly tipped the other waiters dirty plates.. i just looked at the other waiter and could not stand there witnessing this anymore. i literally walked out with my husband....my goodness, this place was the absolute worst service in dining history and i advise anyone to completely stay away from this place..to make matters worse, the cutlery was also dirty with smudging of grease and it had a very negative vibe in the place. The waitress is a complete liability to the business along with its management. Its a real shame because the venue is in a lovely position along the lake... but the people who have taken over this restaurant clearly need to pull their heads in.. DISGUSTING!! NEVER AGAIN!!!<br/><br/>PS: one would imagine that if patrons left your restaurant in disgust, the manager would do everything is their effort to confront the people for at least some sort of explanation....Again, Just Appalling .....

The food was okay . The lamb cutlets were chewy and cold. The long island ice tea tasted only of alcohol ! Would not recommend!! The calamari was good . The quantity of the eggplant dip was surely not worth the price .

I am super disappointed. We came to Zak's to celebrate something important with a nice dinner. It has the slowest service ever (not for the first time). This time we got one entree almost 40 minutes later because "they stuffed up in the kitchen". Then waited for the mains almost as long and watched it to be delivered to the other table by mistake! Waited some more. Miscommunication in the kitchen, as we were told. 9 tables to serve on Friday night surely shouldn't be the rocket science! Brought the mains. My steak was raw mostly instead of medium rare and I couldn't even eat it. The manager offered $5 discount on top of our Entertainment book discount! I couldn't believe it! Absolutely shocking! Wouldn't recommend this awful place to anyone ever!

Lovely view to the water. Staff were friendly and helpful. Meal was OK..but for the price, underwhelming. After paying the bill we realised that the 3 dips we ordered to share , for $17, is served without bread. Hence it was $2 per serve for pitta to add to it to eat it. For 4 of us, it was $8 plus the $17..dips were quite nice. Main meals were OK too but underwhelming. Used our Entertainment card which helped pay. Coffee by the water eas nice.BYO was $15 corkage which is fair. Would we come back? Probably not.

We've been to Zac's several times for a quick dinner on a nice summer night. The food is nice enough for the price and is tasty. We often get the seafood platter and share and it's plenty of food for the both of us. It's nice to sit outside by the lake and watch the sun set in the distance and the sky change color. If you live locally you should give them a try for a nice casual meal with family or friends.

Just not what it used to be! <br/>I've been coming to Zak's for years. It always offered fantastic greek food, nice ambience and friendly efficient service.  The new management has really let this place go and it lacks what used to be great about it. Food is ok, but just average. Standard grilled meats / seafood which you could cook at home. Flavours were fine, but nothing like it used to be (i found myself looking for more salt/pepper/lemon). The produce didnt seems as good - prawns were tiny and chevapchichis looked like the ones you buy at coles.<br/>And the servings are not anywhere near as generous as previous. You used to not be able to finish your meal. This time, we ate it all and weren't stuffed.  Speaking of not being generous: I found it strange that a platter for 2 only had one of everything on it (i.e. one tiny piece of whiting, one skewer with 3 tiny prawns).Service was efficient enough and not unfriendly, but it just seemed too casual. We were greeted with a 'how yous goin' and it just seemed like the waitress didnt genuinely care to be there or enjoy serving people. It just felt a bit sloppy. The place has great potential and is in a beautiful setting, but feels a little dated. It could do with a freshen up of paint, furniture, and even crockery, which seemed to  have stains on it. <br/>Sadly, I dont think we'll be back. Estia is just down the road and far superior.

Went there last night for daughters graduation,11 of us, unfortunately was just a bad experience,service was extremely poor,not fault of waiting staff as there was only two of them,they had to take orders food & drink,pour the drinks as well as serve them. They tried hard to serve us as best as they could but we had to wait ages for drinks,entree's mains & desert. Food was nice, all at table all seemed to have enjoyed it,portion sizes was great but service killed the night. if the manager is going to operate the business in this manner i don't think Zac's will be around much longer,i for one would not go back again. Disappointing !!!!

New owners are doing a great job fantastic food and very friendly staff. Zaks is back :)<br/>Great view of the lake and great atmosphere.<br/>will most definitely be back

This restaurant has recently changed hands and what used to be a pleasant dining experience is no more I'm afraid. Food is extremely expensive, boring and lacking in presentation, decor is outdated, and you aren't paying for the service either. The last time I attended for lunch the waitress that served our table was horrid. If it wasn't for the fact that I was dining for a family member's birthday I would have left before ordering. I was not made to feel welcome and everybody else in my party agreed. The eye rolls from this waitress when my 1yo nephew was crying was also not appreciated. I will never return.

Went to Zak's last night for dinner. Ordered the meat and seafood combo for 2. Meat was cooked to our request and seafood was delightful. Chips were golden and crunchy and the salad was dressed well. Really couldn't fault anything. Also the water was filtered (no gross table water). Staff were friendly and provided good service. George Thomolaris

Came here on a weekday for lunch with the family. <br/>it wasn't too busy, but still got a few tables occupied, therefore, we still manage to get the outside seatings. (is outdoor, but covered, love it cause wants the breeze but bear can't stand with the reflection from the water). <br/>3 of us ordered seafood plates for 2, and a side salad and, of course, two gelatos at the end to finish. (just disappointed that they didn't put effort in the dessert serving....only one scoop each in a bowl, but well, it tastes good).

Hands down one of the worst dining experiences ever. The 1 is .5 for the dips & bread & .5 for the girl who served us. <br/>Waited 20-30min for our dips & bread to arrive. No offers to get drinks all night after the first. <br/>Asked where our haloumi entree was after 1hr & was told they forgot. Cancelled that and requested main only. Waited 1 1/2 hrs to get our mains. I had mixed grill & to say the meat was over cooked was an understatement. If it wasn't for the fact i was so hungry & we had a movie to go see Id have sent it back. <br/>Also missed our movie as we arrived 2min be4 the start & the lines were huge! Thanx for the shit date night Zak's

My wife chose Zacs for her birthday lunch overlooking the lake and ordered Garrides - char grilled prawn cutlets.<br/><br/>My wife expecting the "cutlets" to be filleted, were instead whole pawns and were resting upon bed of chips. Feeling uncomfortable she asked the waiter to have the prawns filletted. Once re-served my wife disappointedly found the prawns to not taste as charred grilled but instead bland, and the chips soggy under the prawns.<br/><br/>Whilst my lunch was wonderful, and the waiteres was very attentive, very disappointing for my wife.

We had decided mid week that we wanted to go out for dinner on Friday night but to go somewhere different. Well Zak's was the choice, we like Greek food, the Zomato rating was ok and we almost never go to West Lakes. <br/><br/>The entry was very unappealing but opens out to bright area looking out over the lake. You can sit inside or outside, the outside area being well protected from the elements. <br/><br/>The menu had all the Greek standards, we started with saganaki with quince paste and some meatballs. I tried the quince paste with the cheese but did not enjoy it. The cheese itself was very good. The meatballs were very nice. <br/><br/>For mains I shared a mixed grill for two with Michele. It was made up of lamb chops, pork and chicken souvlaki and chevapchichis. They were nice but it could have done with some more elements I.e. Greek sausage. The two condiments were tzatziki and an uninteresting BBQ sauce. Salad was very nice, a cross between a Greek and garden salad. The chips were good, crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside and they were slightly flavoured. One thing that I normally expect from a Greek restaurant is that the servings are large and they were just average. <br/><br/>The others dining with us found there meals to be ok. <br/><br/>The staff were nice, knew about the items on the menu. <br/><br/>In summary, decor was fine (a couple of the plates were showing signs of age) , service was good and the food was generally good. Would return if in the area but would not make the trip specifically. <br/>

Been almost a decade since eaten here and and tonight it was simply amazing everything was perfect the food omg was tasty and the service was AAA++. The sharing platters was perfect for the group of ten we had a meat and seafood platter and was very filling huge drink menu and very good kids menu. I would highly recommend people try this place out👌

Location on the lake is excellent and so is the food- large serves too (no need for entrees). Service is quite good too. We will definitely be back.

Food was okay but that's were it ends. The furniture and decor is outdated and is in need of a revamp. Staff seemed to be unorganised and our mains took an extremely long time to come out....

I've been here many a time for functions and dinners and have always enjoyed the experience. Last visit we ordered a selection of entrees and they were all delicious even the chicken livers which I hadn't been excited about. Felt like dipping crusty bread in the sauce but only had pita bread which doesn't absorb! The mains are huge and definitely worth the price. Nothing disappointed and the service is professional and attentive. The best part is the view of the lake and on a nice day an outdoor table is a must.

Amazing!. Great food and great customer service. <br/><br/>We had a range of meze and loved every one of them. They were all authentic and tasted amazing. My sister had the mixed grill plate which was huge and really tasty. It came out really quickly as all the food did.<br/><br/>The owner made sure we loved everything and was happy to have a chat with us.<br/><br/>The waitress was attentive and knowledgable.<br/><br/>A great buzz even for a Tuesday night. <br/><br/>Will most definately be back!

Although everyone seemed to be served before us even though we were there before them, the food was on point. Will be returning

Disappointing. Very disappointed with Zak's customer service. Given a voucher for Christmas, only lasts for 6 months, so now out of date, told because it has expired nothing that can be done. Loss of $100 and pure profit for the restaurant!!!!

Randells. This place is getting more and more expensive. Whilst the food is nice I cannot justify takeaway prices at $30 for one meal. Meaning two meals and a side salad costing $70...for takeaway! Trying other Greek restaurants next time.

Flocky. The dips were great but the platters and the rest of the meal was very ordinary! we have been to Zak's a number of times now and last night was very average and we will not be back again,!

Too much, too little. We ordered share plates for 5 of us, but some came with 4 items on plate so people had to cut in half. I don't think they really thought the menu through, I mean if you order 6 share plates they come out small enough for 2-3 people shouldn't you advised that? I miss the old menu with the mains. was a pricey dinner for 5 people. The waitress was really nice and gave us good suggestions.

Not the best Greek I've had. The meat platters were small although 2 fed 4 of us there was no wow factor to anything on the platter. We also ordered moussaka and it was very rich as though they cooked the tomato to a paste then slapped it all together. Wasn't the best experience especially on my birthday. The staff were all lovely. We had one main waitress who happened to be pregnant and she was so lovely. She was very helpful and threw in a few jokes here and there. Definitely lifted our spirits, can't say the same for the food. The view? Was beautiful. Pitty we were seated inside.

Great Greek. Firstly let me put it right out there, I am Greek. When dinning out Greek cuisine is not at the top of my list after all I prepare it at home and eat it frequently at my many relatives homes, so it was with some rolling of eyes that i ventured to Zack's for a birthday dinner.<br/>A banquet had been ordered and I have to say right from the start I was pleasantly impressed and really it just built from there. Delicious saganaki (what's not to like about fried chewy salty cheese), sensational tasty meat balls in a tomato sauce. Vegetarian and meat moussaka both excellent, little dishes of crispy white bait, dips that weren't your regular Greek fare. The staff were pleasant and helpful. <br/> Of course there is the clichéd Mediterranean blue and white decor but I can easily get over that when I leave with my tummy full and excellent flavours dancing on my palate.

Great food, great prices, great staff, great atmosphere!. We went to Zac's for our wedding anniversary. We arrived half an hour early but that wasn't a problem. We were immediately seated by the helpful and friendly staff. The meal was mouth watering and very well priced. The atmosphere was very relaxed and the balcony seating gave us the opportunity to watch the sunset on the water. We will definitely be going there again!

Service expectations exceeded. This restaurant is well worth the short trip from Adelaide. The view is great, even if you don't get an outside seat, which I believe you won't unless you book in advance. The food is super! And the waitstaff are friendly and efficient. Big thumbs up.

Lovely sa seafood and service

Group Xmas show tonight at Zac's. Absolutely superb food. Fantastic, friendly service. Chose the $50 banquet which was ample amount of food. Definetly will recommend & certainly will return for another great night.

YES!. Excellent in every way, <br/><br/>So often we have had sub par and overpriced seafood in Adelaide. You guys really did impress us!!!<br/><br/>We WILL be back...<br/><br/>A Genuine huge thankyou!

10/10 First visit tonight.... 10/10<br/><br/>First visit tonight and definitely not the last!<br/>My boyfriend and myself shared the seafood platter which was super great. Best seafood ive had, so tender! Big portion size for two as well.<br/>Staff were extremely friendly and looked like they enjoy what they do!<br/>Excellent!

Just had dinner at Zak's and it was brilliant. Had the Mixed Grill and it was all cooked well and was very tasty, service was top notch and it was quick without the feeling of being rushed. Very good experience all around. Highly recommended.

Took the Breadknife for anniversary, the food and service were excellent..will be back

Zaks for Dinner. First time at this restaurant. Heard a lot of reports, some good ... some bad.<br/>We went on a very hot evening and it was really busy. The service was really good and the food was also to a good standard. I thought the servings were a decent size and good value for money.<br/>While I've read a lot of reviews raving about the lake at the end of the day this is about the restaurant and the food not the views. <br/>The 4 walls are bland white walls with wilting ferns dotted along the walkway. There is no ambience as it's just loud with people talking. No chance of background music as you wouldn't hear any. The tables are cheap and wooden . The table cloth is thick paper. <br/>Food - great<br/>Service - great (on this occassion)<br/>Decor - cafe style

Beautiful view, food and atmosphere. Wait staff we're exceptional and exceeded all expectations in every possible way. Highly recommended restaurant and I will definitely return. <br/>Thank you for a lovely evening.

Always a pleasure to visit. Yet again, this place has been a pleasure to visit and enjoy the waterfront ambiance, attentive and caring staff, and especially the food! I have been to Zak’s a number of times and I have unmistakably enjoyed all it has to offer. Some photos are included to show some of our meals during my latest visit (Dec 2012). As always, they were very generous and absolutely delish!

I hit like, but it's more undecided... Have been a couple of times, to check that the first ho-hum experience wasn't a one off, but it wasnt. Some stuff is ok, but others were not right chewy occy and lamb... On the upside the banquet was huge for the price

Slow. Ate there late April. Closest I've ever been to giving up and walking out. Waited an hour and a half between starters and main, it was crazy. Could've understood if everyone else around us was waiting, but not the case. Especially annoying having one of the owners sitting down at the table beside us talk to his friends on that table clearly facing us oblivious to the fact that his friends had been seated after us and had eaten all 3 courses of their dinner, paid, and left before our food arrived.<br/>Positive side, our waitress was nice, and apologized profusely even though we in no way blamed her. Actually felt sorry for her, as she was clearly being let down by rubbish kitchen management. Food when it did finally arrive was good but I couldn't justify going back there again.

Pretty good and would go back. My friend and I shared the mid priced Banquet and before we could get to the main courses we were pretty full, if you choose to do the banquets - don't order anything else. Service was a bit slow and didn't seem personal but I guess that is the difference in OZ and USA. However the location is spectacular around sunset and if you book in advance you are guaranteed a stunning lake view table. Loukaniko sausage was a little too oily and fatty for me. The dips seemed a bit meager for 2 people but overall I would try this place if you haven't had great Greek food before. I asked about corkage and they said they didn't have any. Happy overall for the offering. MANGIA!

We are from Melbourne & found Zak's on Urbanspoon. Not a bad place, local restaurant, no tourists. Food is decent and very friendly service. Servings are decent in size, we shared our mains with our 2 toddlers & there was plenty. Nice river view too.

Ate here approx 4 years ago and loved it, this time around was very disappointed. Service was slow, seafood was rubbery and children's lamb yiros was dry and appeared re-heated. On the upside location and views are great.

West Lakes Cuisine. I origianlly thought this place was a little pretentious, but they really have good food and service (with a lakes view). Great to go to before a 2.40pm game at AAMI stadium. I don't think a $15 corkage is fair though.

Pleasant lunch. Great views over West Lakes coupled with delicious food and good service - a great way to spend a long lunch.

The galaktobouriko has a nice crispy, salty, honey-flavoured crust. Inside is a pasty semolina custard. It’s strange to have the pastry be the exciting bit, and the filling be more mild, but it works here. The ice cream here tastes like medicine. It’s a very interesting taste, but I just can’t put my finger on what exactly it is.

Food is a bit on the expensive side but the view and atmosphere makes up for it.