"Rainer Becker's robata Japanese on the Palm Beach point, all sea view and otoro with caviar — book weeks ahead to impress clients."
Rainer Becker opened the first Zuma in London in 2002; the Cannes outpost landed on the Palm Beach point in 2023, in a 1929 seafront pavilion with floor-to-ceiling glass over the bay. The robata grill runs in full view of the room, and the dish that signals what the kitchen can do is sliced otoro with smoked tomato dashi and oscietra caviar. Reservations go through SevenRooms and vanish for summer weekends weeks out. Sashimi starts around €49, and a full dinner with sake clears €150 a head before anyone reaches for the wine list.
The Kitchen
The format is the one Rainer Becker built two decades ago: izakaya share plates split across three sections, a raw bar, a kitchen, and the central robata. The Cannes menu carries the group's signatures and a few it added for the Riviera. The miso-marinated black cod, the spicy beef tenderloin with sesame and red onion, and the rock-shrimp tempura travel from every Zuma; the otoro with smoked tomato dashi and oscietra caviar and a beef tartare with sancho pepper, myoga and black truffle are the Cannes-specific plates worth the surcharge. Fish quality is high, the robata sears with real char, and pacing is calibrated so plates arrive in waves rather than a flood. None of it is cheap: sashimi runs €49 to €79 a board, nigiri €15 to €26 a pair, and the bill compounds fast. What you are paying for is consistency at scale and a kitchen that holds its standard through a packed August service, which is harder than it sounds and rarer than it should be on this coast.
The Room
The dining room opens straight onto the Croisette bay, with a long terrace that fills first and a high-ceilinged interior built around the glowing robata. Lighting is warm and low after dark; the sound climbs to a real buzz on summer nights, so this is a lively room rather than a hushed one. Tables on the terrace are generously spaced, the interior tighter. Dress is resort-smart, no beachwear despite the sand below. The room seats well over a hundred across terrace and interior, and a sunset booking on the terrace is the version everyone is there for.
Best for Impressing Clients in Cannes
Book Zuma to host clients because it does three things a deal dinner needs. The Palm Beach setting and the Zuma name carry weight before the first plate lands, so the venue does some of the talking for you. The share-plate format keeps the table sociable and lets you order generously without anyone studying a menu. And the open robata gives the evening a focal point during the lulls in conversation. Reserve a terrace table for sunset, ask the kitchen to send a selection, and steer the sake list rather than chasing grand cru Burgundy.
Not for
Not for a quiet, budget, or purist-sushi dinner. Zuma is loud, expensive and built for glamour and groups; a counter omakase or a small neighbourhood room will serve a solo diner or a tight budget far better.
Frequently Asked
Is Zuma Cannes worth it?
Yes, if you want the Riviera's most polished contemporary Japanese and a sea view to match. The robata grill turns out genuinely good food, the otoro with smoked tomato dashi and oscietra caviar is worth ordering, and the Palm Beach setting is hard to beat at sunset. It is expensive and the room runs on glamour as much as cooking, but the kitchen holds up. Go for an occasion rather than a quiet weeknight.
How much does dinner at Zuma Cannes cost?
Plan on roughly 120 to 180 euro a head before serious wine. Sashimi selections start around 49 euro and run to 79; nigiri is 15 to 26 euro a pair; robata and signature plates such as the miso-marinated black cod sit higher. A few share plates and a bottle of sake climb quickly. For the wider scene, see our Cannes dining guide.
How hard is it to book Zuma Cannes?
Hard in summer, easy off-season. Reservations run through SevenRooms on the Zuma site, and prime July and August evenings on the terrace go weeks ahead, with a 50-euro-per-person late-cancellation fee. Book early, ask specifically for a terrace table, and take an earlier sitting for the sunset. Midweek lunch in spring is the quiet way in. Phone +33 4 12 38 12 38 for larger parties.
What is the dress code at Zuma Cannes?
Smart and resort-glamorous rather than formal. There is no jacket requirement, but this is a see-and-be-seen Palm Beach room, so guests dress up: linen and loafers, summer dresses, no beachwear or flip-flops despite the seafront setting. Evening service skews more polished than lunch. Aim for the level you would wear to a smart hotel bar on the Croisette.
Is Zuma Cannes good for impressing clients?
Yes. The sea view, the open robata theatre and the share-plate format make it an easy room to host in, and the brand carries weight with most guests. Book a terrace table at sunset, let the kitchen send a selection, and the evening runs itself. For other options, see our guide to the best restaurants to impress clients.