This place is truly a gem. Best Persian food in the area. And that's saying a lot since there are…read moremany excellent Persian restaurants in the Baltimore area. Everything on the menu is fantastic! Get the hummus app. Get kabobs... any kind. Also try the Khoresh!

So happy we decided to stop here for dinner. My family and I were headed to Towson for a franchised…read moreexperience when we saw the highly rated but physically nondescript Villagio Cafe. Villagio is of the cadre of restaurants bringing other worlds to homes in America. Mr girls had never had Persian food but the basmati rice and flavorful tender kebabs were familiar. We loved the hummus and mast-o-khyar, the Anneslie family tour entree and the saffron pistachio ice cream. We even took an extra order home. Will absolutely be back, and highly recommend. Or server was attentive, kind and helpful. The ambiance was intimate, clean and cozy!

Just ok but worth a try if you're in the area. We started with hummus, which had excellent flavor,…read morebut the bread it is served with is a hard, stale sesame seed bread that is just not good. A fresh pita would go a long way. For entrees, we shared the ghormeh sabzi and joojeh. Both were good, I especially enjoyed the heavily peppered veggies and pomegranates on the rice. The entrees were solid. However, the ambiance is lacking, and that is one area they could easily improve with dimmer lighting at dinner. The space is washed out with overly bright lighting that makes it feel more like a fast food joint. The cocktails are also lacking. They have interesting drinks, but they are not well mixed, with way too much juice and way too much ice. I would be interested in trying the lunch menu, as the options are different. We came for dinner on a Friday, and while we may have enjoyed the food as a lunch takeout option, it did not hit as a Friday dinner spot.

We had an unfortunate experience at KooKoo. The reviews for this restaurant are positive and I…read morereally enjoy Persian food. And so we came here early on a Friday evening. The ambience is comfortable, the tables are nicely spaced apart and the noise level makes it possible to have a conversation easily. The food was meh. There was nothing particularly distinctive or flavorful about any of the appetizers or entrees that we ordered. The quality of the food was good, but the taste was nothing special. There was only one server working in the entire restaurant. He ran around the place and did his best. But he was truly overwhelmed. We ordered drinks to begin the meal, neither of them arrived. We ordered 3 appetizers and only 2 were brought to our table. At the end of the meal we were charged for the appetizer that we didn't receive. That is just not good form. Our service was extremely s-l-o-w. I enjoy myself when dinner is nicely paced. I appreciate being able to sit and savor dishes; and not be served entrees when I am still enjoying the appetizers. On the evening at KooKoo we waited nearly 45 minutes to receive the appetizers and another 45 minutes before the entrees arrived. That is just too slow. All in all, a disappointing dinner at KooKoo. There are other excellent Persian restaurants in DC and we won't be returning here.

Place is clean, no parking lot at the restaurant but street parking close-ish, up north on Belt rd…read more(ok in good weather but you wish it was closer if bad weather). I was craving kebab and this unfortunately did not hit the spot for me. We got lamb and chicken kebab combo (#5) and ghormeh sabzi. The meats were bland and very dry. Usually when I order lamb kebab I expect full of flavor and juicy, but this lamb was TOUGH like I had to really chew and there was no flavor. Ghormeh was bland too and not that many cubes of beef. Pita bread and rice were both good. The staff were friendly but not really helpful...we asked what ghormeh was and he just said it's "beef." I would say gourmet bazaar (Rockville) is much better.

This chain has several locations, but it is notable that the one in DC appears to offer more on the…read morevegetarian side that some of the others do, so this one is specifically what I'm reviewing. The entree was a bit of a cafeteria style thing, but it fit the bill; the menu says it offers not only tofu but some red kidney beans in a stew of greens with lime flavor, and while I can't think of any similar combination I've had in all my travels, it works. The yogurt they offer on the side is a Persian staple, but what really shined was the fresh bread whose odor wafted through my vehicle as I drove my takeout elsewhere. A delightfully thin and browned creation, it was 100% worth adding despite the fact that they already gave me a massive pile of rice (with a bit of saffron rice on top of the plain white rice). This isn't high-end cuisine, but they delivered distinctive flavors in a timely and convenient fashion, and with a good range of vegetarian choices. Of their other locations in DC, Maryland, and Virginia, some of them offer these stews with tofu mixed in and some do not, though falafel and a few other options remain available.

Wow! Pleasantly surprised how great this place was…read more Parking is a little tight & on a hill so be caution of that! Menu has a great selection of meats and kabobs to select from in addition to apps! I opt for the saffron chicken that pairs with saffron rice (can opt to have salad as well) and this was amazing!!! Chicken was extremely flavorful & juicy (for chicken breast especially!) the rice was fluffy & tasty (perhaps had some butter mixed in) I wish there was so sort of sauce to pair with this meal but still amazing. Service was friendly and nice - there indoor seating but the dining space a little limited. Recommend coming before dinner rush bc this place is packed!

Great persian food and probably the best kabab Kubideh in town. Very friendly and helpful staff. I…read morenormally go there on the weekends and have never been dissatisfied with the food or the staff. If you are craving middle eastern food, Amoo kabab is your place.

Some restaurants serve an excellent meal. Maydan creates an experience…read more This reservation had been on my wish list for quite some time, and when everything finally aligned, it exceeded every expectation. The restaurant itself is stunning. Walking in, you're immediately greeted by the massive open hearth where much of the cooking happens. Watching the chefs tend the fire throughout the evening adds another layer to the experience and sets the tone before your first bite even arrives. Our server explained the tasting menu ($95 per person) and optional wine pairing ($75 pp), but we decided to order à la carte--and I wouldn't change a thing. We started with the Carrot Havuç spread. It was impossibly light, silky, and beautifully whipped. I'll admit, the bread seemed understated at first, but after the first bite, it became clear that the spread was meant to be the star. Every bite was packed with flavor. The lamb shish kebab was incredibly tender, juicy, and perfectly seasoned. The Omani shrimp arrived with five enormous shrimp that were cooked flawlessly. Then came the whole roasted chicken. Watching it roast over the fire as we entered made us excited, but nothing prepared us for how incredible it would taste. It was, without question, some of the best chicken I've ever eaten. Moist, deeply flavorful, beautifully seasoned, and delicious completely on its own. It came with an accompanying sauce that was excellent, but honestly, use it sparingly--you don't want anything distracting from the chicken itself. When a dish can stand entirely on its own, that's greatness. Since it was a whole chicken, we happily went home with leftovers (which felt like winning the lottery). The cocktails deserve their own standing ovation. A special thank you to Nancy upstairs-- Great bartenders don't just make drinks--they elevate the entire experience, and she certainly did. The Serpent was beautifully balanced with bright citrus and herbal notes, while the Medina Palmer was refreshing, unique, and one of the most memorable cocktails I've had in a long time. Every drink felt carefully crafted rather than simply mixed. In the beginning of our night they asked if we were celebrating anything and I immediately answered, "my friend graduated from nursing school." Little did we know, they came with glasses of bubbly at the end of our dining experience to celebrate! Such a lovely gesture to end our evening. The word that kept coming up throughout dinner was divine. Service was warm, knowledgeable, and genuinely enthusiastic about guiding us through the menu. A few practical tips: * Reservations book well in advance, so plan ahead. * Street parking is limited. We chose to Uber and were glad we did. This was one of those meals where every course made us look at each other and say, "Wow." I can't wait to return.

Came on a Sunday evening, chose the alacarte route. Hummus, beet, and carrot dips. Zucchini and…read moreasparagus for greens. Lamb and scallop kabobs. Ribeye for the main. Two condiments - harissa and garlic toum. Had a mix of drinks between four of us from beer to cocktails (gin, mezcal, burbon), and wine. Total was ~$430 all in (they include service fees). The endless bread is wonderful and the server was kind and attentive. I just didn't LOVE the meal, especially for the price. The zucchini was sliced incredibly thick and felt like it might as well have been baked. The hazelnuts added a solid crunch and fun flavor, but I wanted crisp. The asparagus was decent but nothing to write home about. Hummus was... Hummus. The carrot havuc was quite good but the beet borani was the crowd pleaser. The lamb kebob was my favorite part of the meal - perfectly cooked, rightly sized, and an excellent cut of meat. The ribeye was precut and sizable, with a fair number of slices without hefty doses of fat. It was perfectly seared and paired well with the condiments. All in all, it was a good meal that felt over hyped and heavily focused on bread. The restaurant itself is designed in a way that makes you feel like you're on vacation. The open hearth is awesome to see, but gosh is it toasty. Summer time might not be the best time to visit!

It was my second time going there .I had good company which made it fun but I was not very thrilled…read morewith the service.the bottle of water that you are served is straight tap water and you can taste the chlorine. the servers bring your food to the table and reach across and hand you your plates which was odd to me. my favorite persian restaurant in VA DC area will remain Rumi .

For a late Friday dinner (late for me at least), I arrived at Shamshiry at 10pm to a packed…read moreestablishment. My friend and I managed do get one of the few remaining open tables so. I ordered the Chelo kebab kubideh ($20.99). This entree had 2 ground meat skewers, a grilled tomato, raw onion, and rice. The skewers were not simply juicy and well spiced. They redefined how much flavor I could expect out of grilled ground meat, making others taste flat or missing something. The rice portion was absurd. I hadn't eaten anything all day, and yet could barely finish it. I passed out in a food coma afterwards.

Great kebabs, top notch rice and food. Worth the pit stop for sure…read more I ordered the lamb kebab and my son the chicken and it was amazing.

I have been patronizing the Böro Kabob which "Boro"means "to go" in Persian language. They have…read morebeen successfully in business for the past 4-5 years. The service is very consistent and very reliable. The food quality is great and I believe they use very high end ingredients in their products to create the perfect taste and texture of their food. I highly recommend to try their Sumac Fries which tastes that came from heaven. Their Kabobs are also juicy and tasteful. The interior is very beautiful despite not much of the sitting area for crowd to chill. The service is excellent and the owners Sanaz and Raymond always present there and super duper friendly people and pleasant seeing them. I highly recommend and suggest them for anyone looking for a good Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine!

This place was amazing my wife had recommended it the other night and today we came to try it. It…read morewas AMAZINGGG the cashier was very welcoming and the food was GREAT I rarely leave reviews but this place earned it, if you haven't already come try it. 10/10

Great place for burgers and fries, didn't get to try the kabobs on this visit but will definitely…read morebe back! Got the cheeseburger and loaded fries. The cheeseburger also came with fries, which were a huge portion. The loaded fries had steak, onions, and their special sauce. The portions were generous and a great place if you want some comfort food. My only regret is that I was too hungry and ate the food before I could take pictures.