This is a hidden gem in San Jose. I have been searching for a Persian restaurant that serves fesenjan and my wife came upon this restaurant. It is located in a nondescript group of businesses near Camden Avenue. We were warmly greeted by the owner and she described the different menu items. We selected the fesenjan of course, and also the combo plate of koobideh and chicken kabobs along with hummus as an appetizer. The fesenjan was excellent with a perfect blend of the pomegranate and walnut gravy. Kabobs were tender and delicious with just the right seasonings. The rice that comes with it had a smooth texture and a nice slightly smoky finish. There was a small flat serving of crispy rice that was a bit hard to chew. We had the hot Persian tea that went well with the meal. Overall a great find and we will be back. read more

I discovered this gem few weeks back. The place looks very simple and it is family owned and operated. My very first order at this restaurant was Chenjeh Kabab (A classic Persian dish consisting of cubed, skewered, and grilled meat). I asked for it to be cooked medium, and to my surprise few minutes later the Chef himself (Co-owner of the place), brought the sizzling Kabab to my table and asked me if the meat was cooked the way I wanted it. And yes, not only it was exactly like what I wanted, also the taste was out of this world. Juicy, hot and absolutely flavorful! I have tried almost ever meat dish on their menu and I am yet to complain. Koobideh Kabab (Traditional Persian minced meat kebab), tasted almost the same way as I remember it as a teenager when I lived in Tehran/Iran. Today (May 25th), I tried their combination Soltani (Marinated filet mignon with a juicy Koobideh, and it was a heavenly experience. I can go on and on about this restaurant. In all honesty and IMHO, at this point they are the best restaurant in San Jose. I've been living in this area for more than 40 years now and know what I am talking about. Yo've got to try this place yourself! I promise a love at the first sight. read more

Their food and price make sense Overall is ok I recommend to try their koobideh Bur the dining area is not good Try koobideh , read more

I've been wanting to try Gilan- finally got a chance to go. The chicken kabob and koobideh were delicious. The eggplant was also flavorful. Service was polite, but lacking. read more

See all

We had an incredibly frustrating experience here on a Sunday around 12:30 PM. Even though the restaurant wasn't busy at all, they were already out of Barg. The environment inside was miserable. The restaurant temperature was around 85°F, and everyone inside was sweating like hell. They left us sitting in the sweltering heat for an hour before they finally turned on the AC--possibly due to cost saving at the expense of paying customers. To make matters worse, our water bottles were never once refilled during the entire visit. The service only went downhill from there. We waited for over half an hour for our food to be served and simply asked for some additional bread while we waited. The manager told us, "I will bring it with your food." When the food finally arrived, we asked again for additional bread. She bizarrely responded with, "I already brought it." We replied, "Yes, but can we have some more bread?"--to which she just repeated her previous answer. It wasn't until we explicitly told her that she could charge us extra for the bread that she finally said, "Ok!" The level of resistance over a basic request was exhausting. To top it off, the food quality was disappointing compared to other Persian restaurants in town. We ordered the Koobideh, Kashk e Bademjan, and Chengeh Torsh. The Chengeh Torsh wasn't even marinated properly; it was just poorly glazed with walnut and pomegranate paste. When we politely mentioned to the manager that the food quality wasn't on par with what we're used to in the area, her response was: "We don't compare ourselves with others." I guess letting your customers sweat, ignoring their water glasses, and refusing to listen to feedback is a "new thing" in customer service. Unprofessional attitude, poor communication, and mediocre food. We will not be back. Good Luck! read more

Yesterday, I called in an order for Zereshk Polo and Soltani with Salad Shirazi to go. The order was ready right on time, and the restaurant was very clean and welcoming. Both dishes were delicious and full of flavor. We really enjoyed our meal and will definitely be coming back again! read more

Great quality food and friendly service. Plenty of parking. They do catering as well. Thanks. Will back soon read more

Some Persian friends brought us to this hidden little gem across from the Cambrian Park Plaza. Everything we tried was delicious. The meat was incredibly tender. Even our toddler happily gobbled up bites of everything! read more

Gilan - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Jose, California

What made us uncomfortable was not the public reply, but the personal outreach afterward through social media and what appeared to be a suspicious LinkedIn account. Reviews are a normal part of running a business, and customers should be able to leave honest feedback without feeling personally pressured afterward. Since this seems to be the only place I can reply to your message, I want to clarify a few things. Neither I nor my partner had any conversation with your staff about the food being "delicious." The message you sent us also contained multiple things that were simply not true. We did not finish all the food, and we did not take extra food to-go. Ghormeh sabzi was good, but as an Iranian, I personally did not enjoy the koobideh. I found it dry and lacking flavor. My partner loves koobideh, and he could not even finish one skewer. You mentioned respecting everyone's opinion, but contacting both me and my partner through different platforms, and copy-pasting the exact same Instagram message to both of us, did not feel respectful or professional to us. Customers should be able to leave honest reviews based on their own experience without feeling personally followed or pressured afterward. read more

Gilan - The owner of the restaurant started stalking me after I posted a review - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

We randomly found this place and it did not disappoint! The kababs, rice, and appetizers are amazing! It's a clean and the service was extremely friendly by the owners. If you want to go watch a game or listen to Persian music in the background, they have a big screen TV on the background too. read more

Almaden resident who found them on Yelp. Got takeout for my Persian wife here. Delicious and reasonably priced Persian food. People are friendly. Will be back! Actual restaurant is clean and bright but spartan. I wouldn't recommend dine in for a first or second date. read more

I ordered takeout from here for my family and they loved it. I wish I got a photo of the food, but it was so good they instantly devoured it. We all ordered the koobideh entree that came with rice. The meat was very flavorful and cooked well. The portions are large too, so there were some leftovers for us the next day! Very good local Persian food. read more

Friendly lady who was also the co-owner served us delicious Persian food. I asked her what she recommended and she suggested the koobideh which I ordered while adding a chicken kabob. The #11 combo was cooked just right, with the saffron rice slightly smokey, and the right texture. The koobideh was as tasty as she claimed and the chicken kabob moist and tender. My husband wanted to come when he heard there was Fesenjan offered here! He's doing a review as well, so I'll let him give his review! Come and try this new place and you'll like the service, food and happy atmosphere! A bit far from Fremont, but worth the drive! Liz P! read more

See all

I've dined at Gilan a few times now, and the quality is consistently great. The Soltani and tenderloin kabobs are my go-to orders, and they're amazing every single time. read more

This little mom and pop place is becoming my favorite weekly persian restaurant. Third time there, I am slowly working through the menu, the olive pomegranate appetizer is one of my favorite. So far the best dish I've had is the chicken kebab, followed by koobeideh. I tried their chicken feesanjhan this time round even though i have gotten spoiled eating it cooked with duck at a relatives house this one made with chicken was very good. The persian music is also a great treat when we go. It's not in the fanciset place but absolutely worth the visit. I have a persian place walking distance from my home but i still drive here for persian food read more

See all

The beef was so tender and juicy ! I loved all the tastes ( this is my first time to taste everything) I'm so happy I tried the cuisine in this restaurant! read more

The food was delicious beyond belief. The meat in the koobideh plate was so well seasoned and it was so tender I cut it with a fork. I cannot express how good it was. The hummus was pretty good. The service was wonderful, the woman who helped us was so friendly and helpful. The music fit the restaurant pretty well too. read more

Great, tasty food and friendly service! Appreciated being able to order veggie kabobs on the side. read more

Gilan - Menu (April 2026) - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

Amazing food , friends service. Koobideh Kabob was so delicious that I ate the leftovers for a week. I recommend Gilan Kabab to everyone!!! read more

Gilan - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Jose, California

I am glad I tried this new restaurant. I believe it is an owner-run restaurant. The ambience is simple and clean. The food was one of the best Persian foods we have had in the Bay Area. Also, the service was very welcoming and pleasant. We will definitely be getting back. read more

I got the togo order and it was the worst Persian food ever! Rice was mushy ,kababs taste weird and defiantly not fresh ,Even the chopped onion that they gave extra were old and soft! read more

I had an incredible time at Gilan Restaurant with a party of nine. From the moment we walked in, the experience was flawless. If you are looking for authentic, high-quality Persian cuisine, this is the place to be. *****Exceptional Culinary Quality: The food is cooked to perfection and tastes way above any other Persian restaurant in the Bay Area or Sacramento. You can see and taste the professional touches that usually come from a Michelin-starred chef or years of high-level experience. *****Generous Portions: They serve real, hearty Persian-sized kebabs alongside fresh, fantastic, fluffy rice. *****Impeccable Service: The atmosphere is highly welcoming, and our large party was seated immediately. Drinks and appetizers were on our table within 5 minutes, and the main courses arrived in just 15 minutes. Our friendly waitress was prompt and kept the table clean by clearing empty dishes as we ate. *****Outstanding Hospitality: The owners are fantastic. They actively check on the dining room to ensure you are taken care of, making the entire experience cordial and accommodating. We finished our meal with tea and baklava, served just a few minutes after ordering. Awesome prices, excellent service, and incredible food. The ample parking, new dining area, and wonderful atmosphere make it a fantastic experience. Highly recommended! SSS read more

The food and service were amazing! The quality and flavor of the kabob was so good and the chicken was so tender! Highly recommend this place. read more

We went for dinner and ordered kebab plates. The menu is confusing because it has 2-3 different prices and options for one type of kebab. The mint and basil offered on the side along with onions was nice to have. Unfortunately the rice was soggy and as much as I wanted to finish, the kebabs were soggy and salty I could only eat half of one skewer. The ambience is okay, I think the music needs to be lowered in volume or playing instrumental. I would wait to sweep floors until guests are gone because it distracted from enjoying the dining time. It was odd to see staff visible standing and looking at their phone. Overall, meh. There are better service and food options around, and better kebabs too. I think I'll go to the taco truck next time. read more

We tried this place twice now and won't ever be back. The service is completely lacking and at one point, rude. The food is average. I don't think anyone here has any experience in the restaurant industry or customer service. No idea how they are getting these reviews! read more

All the food was super delicious! I highly recommend getting some for yourself or for catering! High quality food! read more

Gilan - Food - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Jose, California

We just had our daughter's graduation lunch here. Food was fantastic. Service was great. Staff is friendly and very nice. Don't miss out. Check this place out for great Kabobs and Persian cuisine. read more

We have been to Gilan a couple of times now. In both instances, the food has been great. I would highly recommend this local, family owned restaurant. read more

Unfortunately, I had a disappointing experience. The food quality was poor, and the customer service was even worse. Because of my overall experience, I won't be coming back. read more

I was so happy to see a Persion food restaurant open near me. Good traditional cuisine, very friendly service. I'm already a regular. The portions are large, almost family style, so a to-go order easily gives me 2-3 meals. The Ghormazhabsi is fantastic and the kabobs are a delight. Definitely a place to try. read more

We loved this restaurant. Great food, great staff and lots of parking. I strongly recommend this Persian restaurant.

Very disappointing experience at this restaurant. The food quality was far below expectations, and the service was even worse. The manager, a woman, was rude and unprofessional, both toward customers and especially toward the staff. It was uncomfortable to watch how poorly the employees were treated. A restaurant's atmosphere starts with management, and unfortunately this place failed completely in that regard. Definitely not going back. read more

The food was very good, with lots of flavor and the meat was juicy and tender. I would definitely get this food again!

Authentic Delicious Persian food, I loved the koobieh kabab, it was juicy and tasty. Friendly service,

went here with an iranian friend for lunch. this restaurant offers such authentic persian foods. the koobideh with the grilled tomato and raw onion is good . must try if you are a koobideh fan. read more

Disappointing second visit. My first time there was just weeks after they opened. I had a nice interaction with the owner who explained the different dishes on the menu. I chose the combo kabob with rice accompanied by a salad and a package of bread squares. It was takeout order, nicely packaged and the food was very good. I can't say the same about my order a few days ago. This time it seemed the woman behind the counter was more occupied with her phone than customers. As I sat and waited for my order there was a teenage girl clearing tables. The woman behind the counter, watching videos on her phone was not paying attention to my order being put on the counter. The teen who was wearing gloves as she cleared the dirty dishes on tables walked by my order and asked the woman if it was mine. There was an acknowledgment of yes so the teen picked up my bag and handed it to me. So instead of the woman behind the counter taking care of letting me know, the teen with dirty, unsanitary gloves hands me my order. ICK! Disappointed with the lack of customer service and interaction, I left and when I got home and unpackaged my meal, it looked nothing like my last order. The chicken kabob was tossed in on top of the beef kabob on rice with a portion of lemon. No persian bread squares either. The very irregular chunks of chicken were dry and unappealing. The beef kabob was okay, but not good enough to bring me back to potentially experience the same kind of customer service. You are too new of a restaurant to get this comfortable and sloppy. You earn repeat customers with care and consistency. read more