After seeing the photos and reading the reviews, I was really excited to try this place. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The restaurant is quite small, with only three tables, and the food in the buffet area didn't seem very fresh. Our rice wasn't fully cooked, and the chicken was dry, which was disappointing--especially since I had high hopes based on the reviews. On a positive note, the olivieh sandwich was pretty good and had a nice homemade feel to it. read more

Marjan - Zereshk Polo - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

Got takeout from Marian for the 1st time. My wife liked it, but it was not really for me. The Zereshk Polo was fine, but the berries were sour to my taste, and the chicken lacked much flavor. My wife liked the Khoresht Gheimeh With eggplant. The Shirezi salad needed a bit of salt, and the recipe's addition of parsley overshadows the other flavors for me, but again, it was fine for my wife. read more

I love this place, especially their zereshk polo, bagali polo and their lamb shank. Give them a try if you want to pick up an amazing lunch or dinner for family. I'm grateful to them because their recipes allow my son to enjoy traditional Persian stew dishes and without us having to worry about his many allergies. They cook their food with care and are so conscious of what they put into it, that they can relieve you of any stress and questions you may have on whether someone with allergies could have certain dishes. I am grateful to them. And the food is awesome. the stars are the Zereshk Polo with fall-off-the-bone chicken (leg & thigh) and the Bagali Polo with the melt-in-your-mouth Lamb Shank. read more

So good! While visiting the bubble tea shop next door, we spotted Marjan. Lovely smells were coming out of this restaurant and we had to pay a visit. Online ordering was simple and straightforward. Our order was ready in a timely manner. Everything was neatly wrapped and ready to go. The employee was welcoming and kind. There is little seating inside, this is mainly a takeout and catering restaurant. I like the homey feeling to this place. We enjoyed every dish ordered. Super fresh and the flavors are all there. The dishes are aromatic and well prepared. Nothing was overly greasy or heavy. Seasoned perfectly. Quality ingredients are used and they are generous with the portions. The Zereshk Polo and Bagali Polo with Lamb is where it's at. You also can't go wrong with some Mast-O-Khiar and Shirazi Salad to accompany your meal. read more

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Rarely do I find a restaurant that I visit over and over again, enjoying every last grain of rice as if it was the first time. Marjan is one of those restaurants for me. I'm still sticking with the gormeh sabzi (famous Persian herb, meat, and bean stew) and zereshk polo (chicken rice pilaf with barberries). The cucumber salad is delightful and refreshing. The yogurt sauce is perfectly tangy. Everything tastes like you stopped by the house of your favorite Persian aunty who is a great cook and she's thrown together some of her best dishes. I suggest ordering directly from the restaurant instead of through an app. Pickup is available, though I usually get delivery. It's been one of my favorite spots during the pandemic, and I'm happy to keep supporting a family-owned small business. read more

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We love Persian/Iranian kebabs and had no idea a whole variety of these comforting stews existed. We've been driving by Marjan for years, not realizing they were a restaurant (I assumed they were a catering business). I'm so glad we finally got to try it. I love that each stew had it's own distinct flavors. Everything tasted so delicious that I can't pick a favorite. The Abgoosht is a tomato based stew flavored with lamb shank, potatoes, and chickpeas. This dish looked simple but was bursting with flavor. The Khoresht Karafs is a lemony stew flavored with celery and beef. It tasted so comforting over rice. I'm usually not a fan of celery but this stew was so good. The Ash Reshteh is a vegetarian noodle soup. It was a lot lighter tasting but the crispy shallots? yogurt? and mint they put on top gave it a bright flavor. A big surprise was the Kashk Bademjan, a mashed eggplant dip. This is seriously the best eggplant dip I've ever had. Sadly it didn't come with any bread so we'll be buying some pita later today. Online ordering was a breeze. The estimated time was spot on. Overall, I'm so glad I finally got to try this local restaurant. Stews and rice are such a comforting meal. read more

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Really good place for short hangout. Tea and lamb shank were really impressive. We will back for rollett Also super welcome please read more

Marjan - Lamb shank was phenomenal Marjan is really nice she took care of us as our parents did! - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

As others have shared, Marjan is not easily seen from Maple Avenue in downtown Virginia, but it is definitely worth the extra effort to find to try their delicious food. Marjan is tucked back off the street on a driveway fronted by the Maple Avenue restaurant and the old car wash. On our maiden visit we were pleased to be warmly greeted by the owners who were very helpful in deciphering the options in front of us in the warming station. The options we went with, the Lamb Shank, the Lentils with Chicken and the Beef & Vegetable Stew (Ghorme Sabzi) were absolutely fabulous. Served with more than generous portions of rice/basamati rice (with a topping of fried rice) and a green rice combo with the Lamb Shank, we were stuffed. But that did not deter us from also taking an order of the Vegetable Noodle Soup (Ash Reshteh) that was creamy yet very flavorful, and a side of eggplant that was thinly sliced and baked just right with again wonderful seasonings. As a carry out this was so delicious we didn't think to take pictures. And if you are a Persian dessert lover, they had plenty of options in a display case that looked decadent and delish. We will be back! read more

I was craving something sweet and found Marjan through yelp search. Marjan is located in the heart of Vienna off 123. Plenty of parking spots available (6). 2 gentleman inside, one who was extremely helpful. I had eaten prior so I was only looking for a desert. Deserts are sold by package, not individually. Marjan has Persian cuisine (soups which smelled delicious, entrees, packaged refrigerated items) for dine-in (2 tables) or carry-out. I picked-up: Latifeh - Persian cookie (reminds me of a cream puff). The cookie is drier than a cream puff but soft. The whipped cream is not as sweet and the pistachio was not noticeable in flavor. They also carried Zaffrus products. Lemonade- It's not Persian lemonade unless it has cooked basil seeds floating around. I love Persian lemonade. The best lemonade ever! Saffron honey - Whew. This is some legit honey. I use this honey with warm water (honey water for my mornings). read more

Marjan - Latifeh cookies - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

So many good things to say about this place! This was my first experience with Persian food and it was amazing. We came in for lunch on a Tuesday. It's an unassuming place tucked in off Maple Ave, with just 3 tables, but the food will blow you away. The owner was so great - we admitted we knew nothing about Persian food and she got us all set up with three delicious meals. The lamb!!! OMG. The chickpeas!! OMG. Each dish was so different and so good. Highly recommend this place. read more

Marjan - Beautiful sides - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

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Mom and pop- homemade style Persian restaurant. Mostly carry out orders. Good to dine in with small groups and carry out or cater from here. The food is perfection! It is so yummy! The rice is fresh- most places I have been to the rice usually tastes a bit old and microwaved but the rice here is FRESH and served straight from the oven! They have a variety of stews. The shirazi salad is like a "Chopt Persian salad" made with tomatoes, cucumbers and onions in a little lemon juicy dressing. The bowls and plates are really cute! And they serve you tea right after your meal. When dining here you really feel like you are in "Iran" having a meal. The owners are very welcoming- a very cozy place. I love it and highly recommend everyone to try it! read more

Marjan - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

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I came in tired and so very hungry. I leave with not only a full tummy but some new friends as well. This business not only does catering but there are a few tables inside so that you may sit and enjoy some warm, healthy, stick to ya ribs kind of food. I ordered a combo platter with lentils, some fall off the bone chicken and saffron rice and a cucumber and tomato salad. I tried a yogurt mint soda which I enjoyed very much. It was not too thick nor too sparkly. Most yogurt drinks I find a bit too thick, like buttermilk. I would definitely return to this establishment in a heartbeat. They also have a lovely selection of pastries as well. Anything from cream puffs to cookies. She is located near Swan Cleaners. So come on and say, "Hello". read more

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The worst food I ever had. I basically trashed my $37 in the garbage. It was greasy, had been sitting out for hours and the oil made me sick. Never again. read more

We've periodically ordered from this place over the last three years. Consistently excellent. Their Ghormeh Sabzi is exceptional.

!!!!Avoid this place we went there just because of the good reviews but the food was very old that was the worst ghormeh sabzi we ever tried. The food was very sticky and slimy. I don't know how are they still running their business. I don't recommend this place at all. read more

Marjan - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

Went to this place since everything was closed. It wasn't terrible but not the best..also their prices went up which is fine but they need to update their menu it that's the case. read more

We ordered from Marjan for the first time for a small luncheon to honor my recently deceased father. Marjan offered all of his favorites- Baghali Polo w/ lamb shank, olivieh salad, kookoo sabzi along with dates and halva. Everything was wonderful and I'm sure my father would have been pleased with this lovely persian meal. Marjan prepared the dishes on my platters, which I was so grateful for. Wonderful service, delicious food. read more

Both dined in and ordered for an event. Fabulous Shirin polo and baghali polo. Chicken and lamb shank was amazing too. Very tasteful and tasty. read more

This restaurant was impeccably clean, the owner was so kind, and I enjoyed the best lamb shank over rice with vegetables! A sign outside says the Persian Cuisine is based on recipes from 550 BC. Now that's authentic. read more

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Mostly to go and catering place with an option to dine in with limited seats . Variety of food available. They also sell hand made desserts and tea boxes . Family owned business. Parking in front of business which is reserved and free . I got Tachin which is baked rice and chicken dish . Latifeh is sweet confection light sweet and soft , tasted good . Fesanjon is one my favorite among Persian cuisine and their fesanjon is authentic and very tasty . Halva is made of wheat flour zafran rose water and sugar . Compared to Pakistani halwa it is more tough and chewy. Not fan of Persian halwa. Also their prices are on high end , 4 things I got , paid 40 dollars. Overall satisfied with customer service and food taste . read more

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Ordered the eggplant dish with tadiq (rice) and it was pretty good! The owners really friendly and it was a great introduction to persian food read more

Food is average, overpriced! It doesn't hurt to try. One good thing is the greeting and taking your order. I was not impressed at all after all the advertisements.... read more

I can't compare it to home, as everyone thinks their grandmother is the best cook. However this place has a good business model as it's authentic, it serves stews you would not find at other establishments and it can definitely fill a need for home cooked Persian meals if one does not have the time to make them. I personally like the idea of convenient khoreshts. read more

I love this place , !!!! If you don't believe me go ahead and try it , A lot of good stuff there especially cookies read more

So friendly It feels like eating my mom's cooking at home,,, Great food and great price read more

Marjan - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

Just stay away from this place. Quality is poorer than any other Persian restaurant I've been to; prices are overpriced; and as far as food hygiene they're a disaster waiting to happen. read more

Marjan is a wonderful Take-out spot for authentic Persian food. Eating here is like having a taste of home, so I highly recommend. The owner is very lovely and she always asks about my family. The gormeh sabzi always hits the spot and sure beats making it all from scratch when you're busy but want that taste of home. Portions are plentiful and very affordable. Parking is right in front of store and is a great spot for some delicious Persian Take-out! Customer for life! read more

Suboptimal catering. Attended a wedding last night where this restaurant apparently took care of the appetizers because they left business cards hoping to get future business.. not really sure how because it was absolutely unimpressive. Shadowed by a "fancy" presentation the food was not edible. Frozen weird looking cocktail shrimp that measured at best 3/4 of an inch per piece, had a strange pink color, and looked more like earthworms. Stale chips. The worst hummus I've ever had. So much that I still have the aftertaste of overpowering garlic in my mouth after three mouthwashes. Cardboard cutout looking charcuterie. The last saving grace I thought would be at least something relatively enjoyable was when I saw the yogurt dipped pretzels. I figured these came from a grocery store or something, took a bite and couldn't even swallow it. Also stale. I feel bad for the other guests who also had to endure this gastro-pain. read more

Never noticed this small restaurant on Maple Ave! It is family owned - the parents cook and cater Persian food and the son works the store. They have some pre-made food available to eat or take to go - everything we tried was really good! The food was authentic, hearty, and flavorful. We had some sort of gigantic meatball stuffed with dates and egg, and covered in a rich meaty gravy. They were very friendly and let us try a dessert - a sweet pudding. I saw some photos of their catering jobs and they seem to do a beautiful job (everything is presented with pretty plating and patterns) - they definitely seem to pay attention to detail! It is tiny inside, but there are a few small tables to dine in. Seems more of a to-go kind of place though. Love supporting local, mom & pop shops! read more

Very impressed by their selection of Persian dishes, being an Iranian myself I'm very critical and picky when it comes to Persian food and by far Marjan is one of the only places that comes close to true Persian home cocking. Ash Reshteh (traditional Iranian noddle soup) was freshly cooked and absolutely delicious. Must check out this place! read more

A MUST TRY in Northern VA! This is my go-to for Iranian food in the area/in the United States. No other place can even come close to the fine quality of Marjan's food. You can really tell that Marjan is passionate about what she does, it really shows in the mouthwatering food and pastries. The owners, Marjan and Jamshid, are beyond sweet and very accommodating. They went above and beyond to meet my catering needs and the food was presented beautifully; in the end, everyone was pleased. They are such friendly people who truly care about their customers and make sure you're getting nothing but the best. Whether you just want to carry out a quick Iranian meal or want quality catering services - I recommend Marjan! read more

Kind of a shame that the title is Marjan Catering. While I'm certain that they will do an excellent job with a catering order, what makes this place a real gem is the ready to go delicacies, cooked low and slow. Fantastic stews and daily specials. Great variety and a rotating menu, which includes vegetarian options, a requirement for my family. I don't have a Persian background, just got hooked the cuisine over the years -- they are great about explaining exactly what's what if you ask. Others have complained about the pricing, but we've found it to be reasonable --- it's family style portions (large), meant to be shared. Three entrees, and one appetizer, feeds our family of five. If you are solo, the single entrée will have leftovers. Simply a fabulous option for a carry-out family meal or for hosting a gathering of friends. read more

So thankful my friend and I came across this wonderful mom & pop restaurant! The food was amazing & the atmosphere - cozy and welcoming. We tried the lamb (so tender!) & dill rice & the Gheimeh (yellow split pea stew). It was hard to choose because everything looks so amazing. Visit soon and often! read more

Let me start off by saying that I came here because I've heard great throngs about it. However once I got there the lady said I could get a combo that included 3 sides then changed what she said when we got to the register and said the rice and lamb was separate, and ended charging me 6.99 for my side. In total it was $26 for rice, lab, and a side. Overpriced if you ask me. Food was extremely oily. And then when I was done I asked her for a bag, and she signaled where it was so I could get it............. And as I exit the building she was on her phone not acknowledging her customers presence. I am huge on customer service and because of how poorly I was treated I will not be coming back. read more

I was sad to taste the food as it was over cooked, probably because it was sitting in the heat warmers all day. It was close to $16 just for chicken, rice, and a side, I couldn't believe how expensive it was. The food was oily and watery it didn't have any sort of flavor other than saffron and tomato. Def not fresh/ made to order. It's all sitting in heating dishes like a cafeteria. I didn't even finish my meal, I threw in the trash. read more

I eat here ALL THE TIME and absolutely love their food and service. During weeks when I'm really busy (which is often) I will buy food for an entire week. I've tried almost everything they serve and i can say that they're all amazing!! I highly recommend trying the side dishes (displayed in the refrigerator next to the hot foods). They have amazing choices like shole zard (saffron rice pudding), zeytoon parvardeh (marinated olives), torshi (mixed vegetable pickle) and so much more. They also have what I like to call a "secret menu". It's not really a secret, it's just written in Farsi so not everyone might be able to read it. But that short menu has other amazing food options that are not displayed. I definitely recommend asking them about those items if you can't read Farsi! read more

Absolutely fabulous food. Mom cooks, dad bakes, and they cater as well. Can't say enough about how good this food is.

While this place seems primarily to be a catering business, they also offer a rotating selection of about 4-5 dishes (and sides) each day. Unlike so many of the Persian restaurants in the area, Marjan's doesn't just do kabobs. Instead, it offers other stews, soups and specialties -- for example, when I went last night, there were giant meatballs stuffed with herbs, nuts and prunes. I've been waiting for a place to open up that serves other types of Persian cuisine, not the same old kabobs, so was very happy to see this! The first time we went, we ordered the fesenjan, which is a pomegranate-walnut stew with chicken -- it was outstanding. My husband had the lamb shank and said it was very good. The second time , I ordered the ashe reshteh, which is a soup with noodles, chickpeas, lentils, beans and herbs -- it was tasty and VERY filling. The kuku sabzi and eggplant dip are also great, and my toddler is addicted to the cookies. The people who run this place are super nice. When it was raining and I had my toddler with me, the man ran my bags of food out to my car, which was a huge help. read more

I ordered food for a party just a week ago. I ordered Tahchin, Khorshteh Geymeh and Fesenjun, rice, kabab and they were excellent. Marjan did a beautful job with the kashkeh bademjun. I had a party for 30 people and everyone loved it. I highly recommend them read more

Oh my gosh what a treasure this place is! I am Iranian and I think this place rocks. Over the years I have grown tired of the endless "Persian" Kabob restaurants, craving the traditional home made comfort food dishes that I grew up eating; and what a breath of fresh air this was! This food was cooked with love; it tasted like my grandmother made it. How truly comforting to know I can drive down the road and get authentic persian food at a really reasonable price. Three of us ate dinner for under $50! I was BEYOND impressed with their gormeh sabsi (literally could not stop eating it) and their baghali polo was amazing. I will definitely be ordering from here again and again. My stomach is very happy. KHALY KHOSH MAZEH AST! :))))) P.S. Marjan and Jamshid are very sweet and they treated us with love and true hospitality. read more