Zaks Waterside Grill and Diner, Barrack Street, Norwich

Sorry for the delay. I've just got back from a lovely winter break in Morocco. Feeling refreshed after a bit of sun and plenty of food, of course!

Just before I went away, I took a trip to one of my favourite casual dining venues, Zaks.

Zaks has been a feature in Norwich since the 1970s and my Dad often tells stories of getting a burger from the original caravan after a night out.

Nowadays, Zaks has 2 restaurants in Norwich and 1 out of the city in Poringland. Each one has a slightly different style and this visit took me to the Waterside branch - with it's flamingo pink exterior and retro feel.

The American diner theme suits the menu - with chicken, ribs, steaks, burgers & hot dogs available. In my opinion, Zaks Waterside has the best atmosphere - big booth seats are great for a group visit accompanied by music from the 1950s and 60s. 

We hadn't booked (booking is definitely advised) so sat in the 'Sunset Bar' to eat - round tables with tall bar stools. The staff are friendly. The restaurant is always busy, so they aren't always overly attentive, but rarely leave you with an empty drink or waiting for dessert.

My favourite starter is the Awesome Nachos. A huge plate of corn chips topped with chilli (beef or vegetarian available), jalapeno cheese sauce, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, lettuce and extra jalapenos. 

However, at this visit I had a real craving for chicken wings, so no photo of the nachos this time.... I'd never had the Famous wings (£5.45) before and went for the sticky BBQ sauce (Hot Sauce, Garlic, Tennessee Glaze, Lime and Tequila & Naked wings are also available).

With no celery left, I was offered coleslaw instead. The wings also comes with a pot of blue cheese sauce (not pictured). Tender chicken with a slightly crispy skin and a seriously sticky, smoky BBQ sauce. It's difficult to see in the photo, but I had aboutn 6 wings - Zaks always provides a good portion! 

The salty blue cheese doubled up the sauce on the wings, complimenting the BBQ. Thankfully a finger bowl was brought out, so I dove in with my hands (the only way to eat chicken wings or ribs in my opinion!)

Sticky BBQ Famous Wings, £5.45

Mr NF forgave me for not ordering the nachos (his absolute favourite!) and had Garlic Bread (£2.95) with grilled monterey jack cheese (extra 75p) (also available plain or with mushroom or bacon bits). 

Garlicky sour dough with lots of cheese - these went down well (I was definitely forgiven for the nachos!)

Garlic bread, £2.95 + 75p for cheese

Then onto the mains. Zaks is best known for the burgers with a choice of 20 on the menu plus regular off-menu specials. There really is a burger for everyone (chicken and a selection of veggie burgers are also available with any of the toppings). Everyone I speak to has a different favourite - Mr NF alternates between Surf 'N' Turf (prawns in a cocktail sauce) and The Godfather (mushrooms and parmesan on a garlic toasted bun) and those who remember the original burger van can reminisce with The Big Un (a double-stacked cheeseburger wrapped in foil likes the original burgers).

Being the food lover that I am; I can't decide on a favourite and over the years I have tried almost every burger on the menu (the menu changed just over a year ago - so I a bit of a regular customer...!) 

Today was the perfect opportunity for The Meltdown (£10.25). Labelled as the sloppy option on the menu with crisp bacon, mushrooms and the jalapeno cheese sauce (the same sauce as on the nachos). All burgers come with a choice of Fries, Curlies, Jacket Potato or Wedges. For an extra £1.50 you can also have Sweet Potato Fries and I went for the upgrade to share with Mr NF in exchange for some Fries.

As I've already mentioned, Zaks is known for it's portions. Out came a tasty beef patty topped with two pieces of crispy salty bacon, some fried mushrooms smothered in a seriously cheesy sauce with a hint of spice from the jalapenos.

My picture does not do justice - the sweet potato fries were soft on the inside with a crispy outside and were perfect for dipping into the jalapeno sauce. I also had a few Fries from Mr NF - 

Meltdown, £10.25

Mr NF went for The Godfather (£9.75) and ended up with a double helping of garlic. Juicy fried mushrooms complimented by salty parmesan cheese. Also, take note of my generosity - look at the sweet potato fries compared to the fries I got in return!!! Ha ha! 

The Godfather, £9.75

It is pretty impossible to eat the burgers as a whole. The combination of size and the fillings make it a messy option! Due to the serious plateful of food, I normally can't even manage the top half of the bun and this visit was no exception!

No dessert this time - it's almost impossible to have a starter AND a dessert. There are some great options and naturally a big portion!

Zaks is really good to Customers - offering a loyalty card with discounts changing monthly (2 for 1 on burgers, 10% off, free refills etc). 

I am a big Zaks fan and this is often my go-to place for food, a catch up with friends, a casual date night or a big group meal. I've celebrated many an occasion here since my childhood, so Zaks holds a lot of memories for me personally. As a skater with the Norfolk Brawds, I was really happy when Zaks became our sponsor 2 years ago. Zaks offers 10% discount for Customers wearing a Norfolk Brawds Roller derby t-shirt (available here).

Please note that although I am a skater with the Norfolk Brawds, all views are completely my own. As previously mentioned, I have been a loyal customer at Zaks since childhood.

Food - 8/10
Service - 8/10
Atmosphere - 9/10
Value for Money - 9/10