Amazing!!! With a 30 minute notice, we were able to easily make a reservation for two - on a busy Saturday evening! The wonderful service continued with every moment of our time here. Aaron, our server was absolutely charming throughout. He offered us samples of the yogurt drink we were curious about. And, we're so glad he did because he was right, it was not the sweet yogurt drink we're accustomed to. Yep, the Arnold Palmer and regular ice tea were much better choices for our palates for sure. The entree portions here are really plentiful, so we split their world famous, delicious chicken dish (Adas Pollo). The large portion of rice with dates, raisins, and lentils was so delicious. When we asked Aaron about the dessert selections, he almost convinced us to try the baklava, but then he described the pistachio ice cream and we were sold. This was a wonderful dining experience, made all the more enjoyable because of the wonderful service, the inviting decor, the really nice background music and the delicious meal and dessert. read more

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Sit back and enjoy this story... I made a reservation for Mother's Day for a party of 10, and everything seemed normal. Today, I mentioned to my sister-in-law that we were planning to go to this restaurant, and she suggested that I follow up to confirm the reservation since I had made it a few weeks before Mother's Day. I called to confirm, and lo and behold -- they didn't have our reservation on file. Instead of apologizing or trying to help, they were incredibly disrespectful over the phone and kept trying to blame us for their mistake. I have no idea why they couldn't just take responsibility. They even tried to gaslight me into believing I hadn't made the reservation correctly. All I did was call, give them my information, and they told me I was all set. I honestly don't know how that could be misunderstood any other way. Needless to say, we won't be spending Mother's Day there -- and after the way they handled the situation, we probably won't be returning at all. read more

This restaurant was recommended by sister in law, & we are so glad she did. We made a reservation on Open Table the same day for 5 adults for dinner. We ordered the Group Appetizer, World's Famous Chicken, Wild King Salmon & Prime Center Cut Shish Kebab. This was plenty of food for all 5 of us with lots of leftovers. All of the food was absolutely delicious! The chicken & salmon were so moist and delicious as well as the basmati rice. We enjoyed the beef shish kabob, but not as much as the chicken & salmon. The restaurant was decorated nicely with art & statues. Our server, Tiba, was pleasant, respectful, & very responsive to our needs. We highly recommend Bandar & will definitely be back. Thank you read more

Bandar Restaurant - World's Famous Chicken Dish - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Diego, California

Dined at Bandar for the first time in 26 years! At first I was shocked to see that the $35 shish kebab I used to order now costs $69. But then I considered that beef prices have basically doubled in that time, and it made sense. I ordered the barg kebab because I've come to prefer that cut. The beef was just as delicious as I remembered. Incredibly tender and perfectly seasoned. And you still get a ton of meat and rice. Easily enough for two meals. The pesto hummus was very good. The shirazi salad was disappointing. It used to be zesty and tart, but this time it was bland and the tomatoes were underripe. Granted, it's February. But for $16 they need to find a ripe tomato! I like the restauran's ambiance. The decor is unique and cohesive. It's nicer than the old location. Service was good. I saw some people complain about an automatic gratuity but there wasn't one on our bill. I'm so glad that Bandar has lasted for 30 years and I hope they last 30 more. San Diego doesn't have enough Persian restaurants and Bandar is the best by far, imo. read more

The best restaurant in San Diego! The food is absolutely delicious, full of authentic flavor, and professionally prepared. The prices are a little higher than some other restaurants, but the large portions and outstanding quality make it completely worth it. The service was also great, and the atmosphere was very welcoming. Definitely a place I would come back to again and highly recommend to anyone looking for amazing food and a great dining experience.The service was also great, and the atmosphere was very welcoming. Definitely a place The service was also great, and the atmosphere was very welcoming. Definitely a place I would come back to again and highly recommend to anyone looking for amazing food and a great dining experience. read more

We came in today 1/8 around 6 pm as a group of three after a long day out and were ready to order a lot of food. The restaurant was empty when we walked in. The server immediately asked if we had a reservation. I said no and asked if we needed one. She replied do you not see it is not busy I am just asking. That set the tone right away and felt very rude and unnecessary. We then asked if they had tadig. She said I am not sure. We asked if she could check and she said no we do not have it. We asked if there were any soups and she said we do not make soups here. Persian restaurants usually do have soups so this was not some strange request. Between the rude attitude from the start, the lack of basic menu options and the overall feeling of being unwelcome, we decided to leave. It was surprising to see an empty restaurant treat walk in customers this way and not even try to retain them. Very disappointing experience. read more

I love Bandar and Persian food in general. It's a staple for Persian cuisine and a must visit whenever family is in town. It's been around since I moved to San Diego, and it's still my favorite spot for Middle Eastern and Persian food, even with so many options in the area. The service has been great every time I've visited and huge portions. They've even upgraded and remodeled since the last time I was there, which was a nice surprise. read more

Bandar Restaurant - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Bandar is a sleek, modern-looking restaurant right next to the Horton Plaza Parking Garage. The cuisine is Persian, with an emphasis on grilled kabobs. If the restaurant staff won't warn you, I will. Portions are absolutely huge, and a single entree feeds 2-3 adults easily. We over-ordered and got an appetizer and two entrees for 2 adults and our 4-yo son. Quality-wise, the food is top notch. The World Famous Chicken is grilled to perfection and super juicy, despite its large size. Light on the burned portions too. They must have marinated for a while. The side of rice is more like a mountain, and there's like 2 roasted tomatoes. The Solani is essentially the same chicken dish but with a Beef Koobideh kabob added. Also super juicy and I loved how the seasoning is just right. Some places go a bit overboard but Bandar manages the saltiness to the right level. They give free flatbread that goes well with their eggplant appetizer. Otherwise, its best to stick with just one entree for there people so you can make room for apps and dessert. They validate parking in the Horton Plaza for $12. read more

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We had dinner here with a friend who had never had Persian food and wanted us to introduce him to it. The restaurant is intimate, beautifully decorated, and lovely relaxing lighting. Our server was prompt and responsive but seemed busy and in a hurry. We ordered classic hummus for the noon, and appetizer of tadik with vegetarian samples of the three stews, and koobideh subbed with zereshk polo. The koobideh and zereshk polo was delicious as was the fesenjan. I make tadik and all three of the stews at home taught by a Persian family i was close to when younger. The tadik wasn't as crispy and flavorful as I'm used to and same with the ghormeh sabzi and gheimeh. But as I said the fesanjan was perfection as was the kebab. Pistachio ice cream we got at the end was a tad floral but rich and delicious still. Overall a pretty good spot if you can't have home cooking! read more

Bandar Restaurant - Tadik appetizer - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Diego, California

Food and service were great. Had the world famous chicken and the lamb shank. Both were delicious. I regret not trying the lamb chops. read more

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Automatic 20 percent surcharge I'll never go to this horrible spot what kind of spot can't pay their servers a livable wage yet they do this and think it's actually going to the servers and not the actual restaurant. read more

Bandar Restaurant - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Diego, California

Great food, service, and a really quiet and lovely restaurant. The servers were friendly and attentive. Food was great portion, well cooked, and clean. Highly recommend the pomegranate stew and their beef and chicken. read more

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I'm deeply grateful for the kindness, care, and attention I received from the entire team at Bandar. From the moment I called to place my order, I felt truly looked after -- something that means the world to me as someone with serious food allergies. Golsa went above and beyond on the phone to help me choose items that would be safer for me, patiently sharing with me options and ingredients. Tiba followed up with a call to confirm every detail of my order, and when I made a mistake on my end, Tiba was incredibly kind and accommodating in helping me adjust it. The food itself was absolutely wonderful. We love their Koobideh -- it's incredibly moist, flavorful, and always cooked to perfection. We also tried the Dolmeh, which was unlike the Dolmeh I'm used to -- it had a unique flavor that reminded me a bit of Ghormeh Sabzi, which I really enjoyed. And the Tahdig... so crunchy, golden, and just fun to eat! Thank you to the team (chefs and everyone involved) at Bandar for not just serving great food, but for doing so with heart. It truly made a difference. read more

The chicken is the best in San Diego at the Bandar restaurant. The owner was there and greeted us with a smile. We're definitely giving her five stars. You can sit in the bar and have a drink of your choice before you start your dinner. We got the family style chicken, rice, and hummus. The ambience is beautiful read more

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It is so expensive the koobideh is not good and meat is not good quality, each dish is 3x the price. They automatically charge you a 20% tip for themselves. The service is not good and they never check on you either read more

I've had the pleasure of eating food from Bandar on a few other locations, mostly catered. This time we ate in the restaurant for an office dinner and this review is based on this visit. This was a great choice for this dinner since it is conveniently located for us and they were able to accommodate a party of 13. The space is very classy and upscale with servers wearing full suits, however felt that the diners were dressed more on the casual side. Upon entry we were greeted at the door and service throughout our meal was excellent. The food here is quite delicious with an emphasis on the meats, not to mention the huge portions! Everyone had to take the leftovers to go and it would likely provide 2+ meals which makes the price rather decent. The most ordered dish was the Chicken Soltani (chicken & beef combo) and I can see why it's called "world famous chicken" - tender and great flavor. The yellow and white rice is also my favorite. We also ordered the hummus platter to share which was a perfect appetizer for a large group. We ended with baklava and pistachio ice cream to add to the overall excellent experience. I'm sure we will be back and/or ordering more catering. read more

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VERY expensive.....my husband had a mixed drink thst cost 19$ the glass was not even a quarter full but the humungous ice cube took up half that space. The lamb shank was so tiny that I gave him half of my meal. The meals had so much rice you could have served 4 people covering the shank in an attempt to hide the miniscule portion.I had the shish kabob which was a bigger portion, thank goodness or my husband would have gone hungry. Again, so mich rice....why is this necessary. It was way overpriced as well. I am extremely disappointed. read more

I was quite famished when we went to eat at Bandar's and we really liked it! The place was quite clean and welcoming, their food was fantastic and flavorful! Our waitress was quite lively and friendly & made our experience delightful. I personally had the salad and the Soltani and it was quite tender & yummy! The rest of my crew were also delighted with their orders. The Owner Bruce came up and asked if everything was good, and we couldnt have been happier. The owner is very friendly and courteous. I look forward to tasting more of their cuisine and will definitely be back with more friends! read more

Bandar Restaurant - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Barg kabob is supposed to be made with filet of beef. It was obvious that this barg was not made with filet since it was tough and not at all tender. Koobideh kabob was good but the best was the chicken kabob. read more

CONSISTENTLY THE BEST PERSIAN KABOB IN CALIFORNIA We were back again and the quality has not changed at all. All the kabobs in San Diego have gotten worse EXCEPT for Bandar in downtown, it is the ONLY reliable restaurant left for delicious Persian cuisine in the whole county! read more

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Dining area is well appointed...but very noisy/loud when full..which is often as room is small. Really could not even hear dining companions. Would not go hear is you want to have major dinner conversation. Serving staff was pleasant. Food was fine, ample portions. read more

they add a 20 percent tip to themselves charging you another 30-40 dollars because the owner doesn't wanna pay their waiters so we have to instead. service is so bad they are so rude, the food is decent but not so great for the price they are charging. greedy too you ask for something for a big group of people and they bring you the amount for one. read more

Food was decent. Tahdig fesenjoon is awesome. Service was below our expectations for an automatic 22% tip is not right. Been coming for years, will not return. read more

Elegant Iranian restaurant in the Gaslamp area. Delicious food. Big portions. Service was nice overall. read more

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A friend recommended me to go eat there telling me that I could park in the parking lot across the restaurant on 4th street and that the restaurant would validate the parking. So i did. After having dinner this evening the server gave me a printed validation and said once you scan it the parking would be free. While I was exiting the parking I scanned the validation but it still wanted me to pay $ 12.00 which I had to. Neither my friend nor the server informed me that a validation does not cover the price for the parking. Some scan this was. The dinner costed me some $ 80.00 including tip and parking. Customers beware!!!! read more

My husband and I went on our first date here, 20 years ago and have been hooked ever since! The food and service have always been amazing. The owners treat us like family! I can't recommend Bandar enough!! read more

Ridiculously expensive Hides tiny meals in mountains of rice AND deceptively added 20% to the outrageous bill...I will never return

I recently dined at this restaurant with a friend, and I have mixed feelings about the experience. Right off the bat, a 20% service charge was added to our bill but we were a group of two, which left me questioning whether this is standard practice for all guests. Terrible service read more

Expensive.. never saw these prices in San Diego with this low quality arrogant service ..

Been coming here for years! Quality and consistency has always been there. Their service has always been very attentive and upscale. Their "world famous chicken" truly earned the name. It's so juicy! Love bandar!! read more

Ordered: Chicken Soltani Platter (~$35): combination of Bandar's World Famous Boneless Chicken Tenderloin and a strip of Beef Koobideh served with white basmati rice topped with saffron rice Cucumber Dip (~$10): homemade yogurt mixed with chopped cucumber and mint Aya's take: Bandar's portions are enough to feed an army. I'm serious! One platter can easily be shared among 2-3 people. I had enough leftovers for at least 2 meals. Great portion for the price. The chicken and beef were butter, tender, grilled perfectly, and most importantly - well seasoned. The rice was light, airy, and fragrant. The Cucumber Dip was refreshing and I highly recommend sprinkling some sumac on the meats! read more

Bandar Restaurant - Chicken Soltani Platter (~$35) - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Best food in town!! Wish we could have it all the time! Our favorite dish is the Koobideh. The staff is very friendly and drinks are so good! Highly Recommend! read more

I LOVE this place! This is the best Persian food around. The portions are huge and delicious! I have been going here since around 99-2000 and the food has consistently stayed amazing I cannot say enough good things about it and highly recommend. read more

I'd come back. The rice was good, the meats were good, the fesenjan is life changing, THE YOGURT DRINK WITH MINT???? EXQUISITE!! Restroom was very pleasant. Service is top notch in my experience. read more

Yelp Review: (1 Star) If I could give zero stars, I would. My name is Ramon Meraz, and after my Christmas Day experience at Bandar, I'm left questioning how this place is even in business. I came to San Diego with high hopes, only to be met with an epic fail in customer service that has left a sour taste in my mouth. It all started with a simple order of Koobideh through Uber Eats. After a long day of travel and business, I was looking forward to a decent meal. Instead, I received a bowl of pasta from who-knows-where. Not a great start, but I called the restaurant to see if I could still get my food. The owner, Shokoon informed me that my Koobideh was ready, but no one picked it up. And then she suggested that I went and picked it up. So, I begrudgingly walked a mile to the restaurant to retrieve it. Upon my arrival, I was told that the delivery driver had already taken my order after I left my hotel. ( why wasn't he told I was instructed to pick it up myself since the first delivery was botched) And guess what? I was informed that if I wanted to reorder, I would have to pay again. Just like that. No accountability, no responsibility taken--just a cold dismissal of my situation. I ended up with nothing after paying for the food, delivery, and tip. The driver was looking for me at my hotel, but because no one bothered to communicate, he left with my food. What's even more appalling is the utter lack of empathy from the Owners. Mistakes happen, but a simple acknowledgment of the issue could have gone a long way. A phone call to the driver? A complimentary cookie? Anything to show they cared? Instead, I was treated like I was at fault, and the two women at the front desk seemed completely uninterested in resolving my problem. I didn't even get to try the food, but based on the service, I can only assume it's not worth the hassle. If Bandar values its customers, it should at least offer some form of compensation when they mess up. Asking me to pick up my meal and then giving it to the driver was a complete lack of organization. As someone who spent over 30 years as a hotel concierge, I've seen my fair share of poor service, but this takes the cake. I'm heartbroken to witness such a degradation of hospitality, especially in a place that should be welcoming visitors like me to San Diego. I hope this was a one-off moment for Bandar, but I can't recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a pleasant dining experience. Save your time and money--there are plenty of other places that actually value their customers. read more

Hands down one of the best Persian restaurants in San Diego. The chicken kebabs are amazing. The portions are huge. I suggest you get one combo kebab and share and try some other dish. Kebabs can easily feed three people. The service was attentive. We had a party of nine so 20% tip was automatically added. The design of the inside was elegant but not over done. read more

Bandar is the best restaurant ever hands down but also the most delicious Persian food you will ever eat! I have been coming here since I was a kid, this was our special event/celebration go to, now I am bringing my own family. The family who owns this are the ones actually running the place so you can always see a happy familiar face and you know it's gonna be great if the owners actually work there and the other employees have also been loyally there for years. The portion sizes are insane so come hungry and know you'll be able to take some home- the food is just as delicious reheated later! The food is definitely cooked with love. Try everything, you won't be disappointed. But start with the shirazi salad, it's simple but so fresh and delicious. The chicken kabob is my favorite, the koobideh is my boys favorite, lamb is my husband's favorite. Try the albalu polo-cherry rice! read more

My husband and I came across this restaurant while in downtown SD and we were pleasantly surprised! We ordered just the one dish: chicken and beef soltani that comes with rice and salad. Firstly, the portions are large and shareable, so win win! The chicken and beef was so perfectly flavored, and the rice was the perfect combo of moist and flavor. The food was absolutely delicious and high quality. My husband also ordered wine, which he said was fine, and was quite smooth. The service was also commendable with wveryone being very kind and the service being top notch The ambience had a slight romantic feel to it, but would also be perfect for an upscale dinner with friends. Overall, we tried just one dish, but we would recommend! read more

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10-10 would recommend! Definitely foodie magic happening in the Bandar kitchen. The chicken and steak are out of this world. Paired with steaming fluffy basmati rice... just sends you into a state of Persian cuisine bliss. The hummus and eggplant to start. A perfect meal all around. Family friendly, but also a classy spot to take a date to. The service is on point every time, we're happy to continue visiting this sweet Gaslamp staple. Try it all, Thank me later. read more

Love love this restaurant!!! The food is absolutely fantastic. It is family owned and the family is super friendly and always available for any questions. I would definitely recommend this restaurant for authentic Persian food. read more