After a recommendatiion from Elizabeth David, Zuni Café became popular, and in 1984 Patricia Unterman wrote in a San Francisco Chronicle review: "The open kitchen at last has stoves, grills, counters, and refrigeration.

"[4] West and Calcagno hired Judy Rodgers (formerly of Chez Panisse) as head chef in 1987.

[6] Subsequently the head chef was Nate Norris, who was succeeded in October 2022 by Anne Alvero.

[9] On reopening in 2021 after the COVID-19 shutdown, Zuni Café replaced tips with a service charge for diners, applied to the pay of back-of-house workers as well as servers.

[12] With gay artist George "Bubba" Geiger, West made the original furniture for Zuni Café, using mesquite trunks and slabs of wood.