Only reason anyone would know this place exists is either they stumbled on it or someone told them about it. It is unassuming and semi-tucked away; you wouldn't actually notice them unless you're actively looking. However, that unassuming feeling disappears once you find yourself inside the establishment. There is this feeling that I cannot explain that sends shivers up my spine. One can't help but feel welcome here. Rose is an amazingly friendly soul that just puts you at ease with the tone of her voice. Even the other customers are friendly with the way they acknowledge you as you walk by towards wherever you're seated. There is happy banter in the air and friends of the establishment would often show up and make themselves immediately at home. You get the point. You're welcome here. But what makes it so special to me now is always the food. And for what they already offer to start, that states quite a bit to what I think of this place. There are many Persian/Middle Eastern fare in this area and most serve the usual so nothing seems to really stand out. That is, at least, until you order their Jujeh Kabob (grilled Cornish hen). Sounds simple, looks simple, but the depth of flavor and the tonguegasmic moments you have partaking of the dish changes their level in the culinary game in the area. It was so good, so so good, I felt completely blown away. I raved about it to Rose, who then told the chef-owner, and then told her I'd be back the next day just to try it again. No way it could be that good I thought. I had to come back again to make sure it was indeed the case (instead of ordering it for "dessert" right in the moment). Well, I showed up at lunch again the next day for exactly the same dish. I just had to. I was hooked. I was made a perma-fan. As I write this, I know I'm about to do what most crazy foodies do as they gain traction in their mind. Get ready and go get some more. Time to wrap this up and head there. See you around some time. Definitely recommend their Jujeh Kabob beyond words. read more

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I hate to write a bad review, but I have to share our experience, because it was truly awful. The food was inedible. Grape leaves - paired with the fact that the oils were solidified/ congealed which is really unappetizing - had MOLD on them. The meat was legitimately mystery meat, the texture was rubbery for the lamb, and way too mushy for chicken. I have no idea where their ingredients are sourced from, but this was truly a "miss". We will never order from here again. read more

A cozy, humble restaurant with beautiful artwork from Iran hiding among the decor. My husband grew up in Iran, and he said many of the dishes tasted like delicious home cooking. This place is sentimental for us because we went on one of our first dates here over 20 years ago! The food is really excellent classic Persian goodies, with superb service from our waiter, Nik, and outstanding cooking from chef Hadi. We had the shallot yogurt/mast o mooser, garlicky eggplant spread, bakhtiari (mixed grill with chicken and beef) and crispy rice/tah dig topped with yellow split pea stew/ghemieh. I started with the barley soup since it was such a rainy raw night and it was so warming and delicious, served with a squirt of fresh lemon. The cardamon tea was also so so good. The best part was the warm and welcoming service. If you've never had Persian food, they would help you order something tasty! There aren't a lot of Persian restaurants in the area, so make sure to go out and support them! read more

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My family are regulars at this restaurant. We have been coming here for years. Food is great quality and tastes delicious. They are understaffed but it's totally fine. The restaurant is calm besides some people being a bit noisy. I would definitely recommend coming here. read more

I came here with my family for New Year's Eve dinner, we arrived an hour before closing. We were led to the table, sat for about 30 minutes without being offered even menus, eventually we just walked out. We have eaten there before so I must there food is good but their service most definitely does not reflect. read more

Horrible service. They have only one person to wait on customers and takeout and the kitchen. Waited 15-20 minutes and was never offered water/bread, etc. Walked out and will never go back! The restaurant is not up to the task of customer service! read more

Visited on Labor Day 2022 for dinner at 8 pm. There were 2 of us and the restaurant had just one table occupied, so we were able to find a table without any trouble. I did call ahead to make sure but they assured me that it wouldn't be a problem. The host mentioned that they didn't get their order of chicken thighs that day so we couldn't order chicken kubideh which was a bummer. We were hurried to order as soon as we got there as the chef was taking last orders. We ordered 2 items, both were good: Chicken Barg Beef Soltani read more

Molana Restaurant - Chicken Barg Beef Soltani - Middle Eastern Near Me - Watertown, Massachusetts

If Rumi was alive he would have certainly killed himself or at least made an attempt after trying the "PERSIAN" food there. I ordered chicken kebab and berg and chicken smelled and tasted like rotting meat. The only consolation here is the attitude of the lady who served us. She did realize that we were not happy with the quality of the food. Overall the place smells funny, short staffed and operating on a take out kind of setup. read more

Molana Restaurant - Lentil soup was prepared and didn't taste fresh either - Middle Eastern Near Me - Watertown, Massachusetts

Fabulous food. Service was amazing. The lamb shank was perfect. Freshly made hummus. First time diners and we will definitely be back.

First time trying Persian cuisine. Restaurant was fairly empty for a Sat evening. Waitress was friendly and showed us pictures of the main dishes. Decor is nice but service became sporadic and inattentive. Staff seemed more interested in each other's stories than serving customers. We wanted to try the Persian crispy rice app but was told they don't have it. Ended up with the eggplant with mint served with pita. While the app portion was generous, the flavor and texture was just so-so. Our party wanted the salmon kabob but they were out of salmon! We ended up with the beef kabob, lamb kabob and an eggplant entree with basmati rice. While the meats were grilled well and was fairly flavorful, the rice was bland and the plates contained only a grilled half tomato. The eggplant entree was just ok. Too bad - we really wanted to be wowed but weren't. read more

Ordered take out tonight and it was suburb! My husband said it's the best Iranian food he's had in Boston and he lived in Iran for ten years. We've been working our way through the Persian restaurants in the city and we might have found our spot. My husband picked up the food said the interior was beautiful and the people very kind. Thank you! read more

Molana Restaurant - Chicken koobideh kabob - Middle Eastern Near Me - Watertown, Massachusetts

Had Baghali Polo With Lamb Shank and Chicken Kubideh. Both were good. I did not like baghali polo much, the regular saffron rice was more fresh. Lamb was cooked perfectly. Chicken was good too. Although it was not very busy, the waitress disappeared for long time frequently, which was very inconvenient for us. 4 star for food, 2 star for service. read more

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Hi, Just returned from dinner at Molana's with four friends - first time. All of us were very pleased with the service, food, and price. Plenty of parking in a nearby parking lot, free on Sundays. The waitress was very pleasant and patient, The portions were large but not so that one felt stuffed - comment by several of my friends. First time I have had Persian food but will certainly go back to try the other delicious offerings. Strongly recommend that others give it a try. (No, I am not related to any of the staff!). The Persian ice cream was a big favorite with all. Bon appetite! read more

FIRST time having Persian food and it was AMAZING! I got Zereshk Polo with Chicken paired with a Heineken. The chicken was perfectly skewered on top of sweet and sour currant saffron Basmati rice, topped with dried pomegranate seeds. The sweet and savory flavor combo was delectable. My date got Khoresht Ghormeh Sabzi which was a flavory Persian herb stew of sautéed parsley, leeks, coriander, spinach, kidney beans, black limes and beef. This dish was paired with their House Doogh which is a savory yogurt drink, ours was topped with fresh mint. We ended our meal with hot tea (with a side of sugar cubes), baklava, and my new favorite ice cream flavor: saffron with rose water and pistachios. read more

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Our go to favorite dinner spot. The food is always mouthwatering. The quality of food is unmatched, service is excellent. I'm a huge fan of Persian food after eating at Molana. read more

Place was next level disgusting. They put soda and water on the table in cans and won't remove when you say you don't want to buy them. Empty on a Saturday night, not surprisingly. Chicken was dry, falafel soggy, lamb tough and fatty. read more

A good friend of mine introduced me to this place. She's Persian so she knows wassup. lol. I had some bad experiences with Persian food but my friend insisted that I give this place a try. AND I am glad I did! I really enjoyed the Kabob Koobideh! However, was not a fan of their yogurt appetizer. Service was phenomenal! The manager helped us choose from the wine selection. My friend insisted that we get it by the glass. But we were there to celebrate her for getting into dental school so I insisted we get the bottle to toast! The manager recommended that the "weak sauce" drink tea to sober up after. That being me. The person who can't hang. Surprising. Hence, we ordered tea. A single cup for one of us. lol. Positives: great ambience. The place was decorated with Iranian art. Dope. There's a huge parking lot to the left of the restaurant. Only thing is you gotta pay the meter. But it's free after 6pm. read more

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Agha Tehrani, the owner is so gracious and helpful. We had an event and got the food catered. It was delivered exactly when he said it will be delivered. It was so fresh . Food review: Everyone asked where we got it catered from and I jokingly said I made it. The food was amazing looking, absolutely delicious and fresh. This was the exact flavor one would get in Iran.I ordered Chelo kebob, jojeh kebob, albaloo polo and the amazing Gormeh sabzi.....it was so delicious. My guests took all the left overs and were obsessed with the food. I have found a place where the food is fresh, absolutely mouth watering and excellent experience. I highly recommend Molana restaurant if you want an authentic experience, delicious and fresh food. This is my permanent place to get food catered. Thank you Agha Tehrani. read more

Excellent service by Rose who is a perfect hostess who remembers every order completely without writing anything down and always has a smile on her face and greets you as if she has known you forever! Ambiance is good. Food is excellent, zehrish pulao and chicken was moist and delicious,the beef kubedeh,bughali pulao, beef barg all excellent choices of and always brought out in a timely fashion. Our compliments to the Chef and Owner, Great establishment! Thank you Rose!! Thank you Chef! read more

Warm pita bread definitely gets this place bonus points. We noticed the "$11 minimum per person" note in the menu, but figured we had that covered with the 3 appetizers and the 2 entrees between the 3 of us. Dolmeh Moe - Stuffed Grape Leaves (Sweet and Sour), cooked rice, parlsey, spring onion, leak and mint $6.99; the warm little bundles were pretty tasty. Hommous Tahini - Garbanzo beans, fresh garlic, tahini and lemon juice $4.99; the hummus may not have been the best we ever tasted, but it was still pretty good, especially with the warm pita bread! Barley soup - A delicious cooked mixture of barley, vegatables and herbs $4.99; made me think of Chinese congee. It was okay, but warning - it was served really hot! Boneless Lamb Kabob* - Chunks of marinated lamb tenderloin cooked over open fire $17.99 Shirin Polo* - Skewered chicken breast cooked over open fire. Served with rice mixed with sweet orange peel and almonds $17.99 Both entrees were good, but of the two, the tender white meat chicken took the prize with the yummy (but not at all bitter despite the inclusion of the white pith in the orange peel) rice. When we ordered dessert, we found out they didn't have coffee. (But it is on the menu... were they just out of it for the night?) Rolet - Persian-style rolled cake with chipped cream $5.99; a bit more tough than tender, but still tasted good. Persian Ice cream - Made with saffron, rose water and Persian cream $5.99; the winner of the two, it was very fragrant and flavorful. A good meal indeed. read more

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I understand that during covid things are a bit tough, but I am very disappointed with the quantity. I ordered beef and chicken kebabs, which had fine quantities, but the lamb kebab was much less than what they give in the restaurant. For 21$ this is disappointing. I suggest ordering other dishes or waiting until after covid to get the lamb kebab. read more

Molana Restaurant - Lamb Kebab - Middle Eastern Near Me - Watertown, Massachusetts

I was tempted to go for a 3 because the food that we ate was good -- except the tahdig, which was tough and not crispy. But the major downside was the rude waitress and poor service overall. We were never able to get water refills when needed. After waiting a long time, my daughter went up to the front to ask for water and was barked at. Getting the bill and paying the bill was very slow. On our way out, part of our group was waiting in the lobby while one person was in the restroom. Other people were still eating inside the restaurant. The waitress came out to the lobby and demanded that we turn off all the lights so that no new customers would come in. So we had to wait and then exit in darkness, and my friend exiting the restroom had to navigate through a dark lobby. Surely there are more gracious ways to let newcomers know that the restaurant is closed for the night. read more

If I had the option of rating them lower I would. The service was horrible, the food was really bad and the female waitress was so rude. We had a reservation for seven, two in our group had an emergency and couldn't make it. As we arrived and told the female waitress that it was only five of us and apologized . She start cursing and acting rude toward us. My kids, 15, 17 and 18 years old decided to leave and not put up with that attitude. There were only three table occupied in the restaurant. They ordered food and drink and went sit in the car. Me and my wife sit in the restaurant and nearly ate the awful food. The kaobideh kabob was not cooked and taste awful. I asked for it to be cooked longer. She took it while fussing and brought them back burned. As a Persian who eats out all the time, this is was the worse experience ever. Also non of the people in the kitchen had mask on as required by health Dept. Oh, she had the audacity to add 20% tip to the bill and when I questioned it she said any party over six we add tip. But there was only five of us and three ordered to go. Unbelievable, she must have have been desperate. read more

I'll never forget when my family and I came here all the time for dinner and one day we casually stopped by for some chai and dessert - the restaurant was practically empty with one other couple eating and we sat down at our usual spot to be told by the owner, "Unless you're ordering dinner, we can not serve you dessert and pastries".... like what? You guys show off your pastries and your baked goods and it's empty in here as it is. $40 in pastries and chai wasn't good enough for them. Being Iranian, the whole experience rubbed me the wrong way. You don't say that to guests, especially when it looks like you need the business. On top of that, we Persians pride ourselves in hospitality and graciousness. To be a jerk and tell us to leave because we don't want to order meals and only cake for some chai and pastries - is such a weird thing. Overall, we moved away and would never suggest going here. As I live in a different city now and have tried many Persian restaurants nearby - Molana's kabobs were subpar compared to other restaurants. read more

Food was great. Had the beef stew. Next time...lamb kabob! Persian ice cream was Awesome. Ambiance was very interesting. Rose, the waitress, very kind and the owners great people. read more

Definitely overpriced for the quality and quantity of food. Overpriced would be an understatement.

Went here after it was recommended and had a wonderful experience! The food and presentation was excellent and the staff were all wonderful, friendly and provided great service. Highly recommended and definitely planning to visit again! read more

Molana Restaurant - Variety of rice offered - Middle Eastern Near Me - Watertown, Massachusetts

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Gotta love a place that flanks their menu with a wikipedia article on the front and poetry in the back. Anyway, the service was great. Polite, knowledgeable, and fast. Bread came out a little cold, but that's not the end of the world. Food was delicious and cooked perfectly. Price was a little high but appropriate for the portions and the fact that it was halal. There were no weird smells, despite what some other reviews may have mentioned. Parking was metered which was kind of annoying but nothing out of the ordinary. Overall I really liked this restaurant and will be sure to return in the future. read more

Poor quality food. Tried the Chicken Kebab and Salmon Kebab. Also the packaging was not appropriate , they use low quality plastic containers. read more

Since going to Israel could no longer buy store bought Hummus. However the Hummus here is also to die for. This place is a hidden gem. Had the combo platter that we split that was delicious. Can't wait to try the Persian ice cream. Service was great. Perfect ambiance read more

Spoiler: it has a better ending than you'd expect Weirdest service experience of my life. We walked into the restaurant to not be greeted for a full 5 minutes, while there were only 3 occupied tables. Then we were finally seated and when we tried to get the waitress's attention she yelled at us saying she was busy. All we had said was excuse me when she was walking past us. She then proceeded to be extremely rude for another 10 minutes. For some reason midway through this experience, she suddenly began to be extremely kind and polite after having been rude to the entire restaurant up until this point. For the rest of the experience she redeemed herself with much kinder actions. Overall, first impression was a 0/5, but by the end I would say 4/5. I'll be nice and average out at 3 though. In terms of the food it was pretty solid. As a Persian who was craving good Persian food, I was a bit disappointed by the beef koobideh but other than that it was pretty tasty. Must o khiar was a 10/10. Would recommend if you can take a little bit of extreme rudeness. If not go elsewhere. Xoxo, Gossip girl read more

Molana Restaurant - Middle Eastern Near Me - Watertown, Massachusetts

Let me first start off this review by saying I am Persian. Like..... born in Tehran, Iran.... Persian. My mom is an AMAZING cook + we never had McDonalds, just lots ooooh delicious rice growing up! I've lived in Rhode Island for almost 9 years now + I'm always sad that there are no local Persian restaurants + will drive to Boston + beyond for that goodness. I honestly love this restaurant + would give it 10 stars.... why do i love it SOooooooooo? 1. great service 2. great atmosphere--- aw precious persian music + decor is so perfectly persian 3. the food is EPIC--- my boyfriend + I had the chicken soltani + i had the kabob soltani... both DELICIOUS + cooked to perfection. 4. i love that it is run by iranians... you can hear them yelling in the back kitchen... yelling is very persian. Our waitress was persian + sounded just like every persian lady I know! So cute + polite! 5. the appetizers are amazing we had the eggplant + yogurt/cucumber YUMMMMMIE 6. they have persian milkshakes... made perfectly + super salty + very very persian 7. persian ice cream for dessert eeeeee so yummmers if you have room Honestly was like being at home + it made me TEAR UP... my american boyfriend didn't know what to do! I miss my family + being persian + I am glad I know I can always go there when i need a fix! Parking is a little tough but you can find some metered spots or on the street if you are lucky. Entrees are big enough to share + pricey but WORTH every penny. I took enough home for a second meal. SO PERSIAN. Say persian again. If you need a hit of rice like whoa, this is your kinda place. read more

Molana Restaurant - Middle Eastern Near Me - Watertown, Massachusetts

Incoming rant: This place has the WORST customer service I've ever experienced in my life..and their food is mediocre at best. My friends and I were driving back from a 4 hr trip, and were looking forward to having dinner at this place. We call ahead and ask to make a reservation for 8:15, the guy on the phone replies with we close at 9. So I say ok, is it OK to still come by? To which he replies, yes and took down my info. Next, we show up on time, only to find all the lights off and the place looking closed. We walk in anyways and see a lady sweeping, and she recognized that we were the group who called and said we were coming at 8:15. She replies with oh the chef already closed up and he left for the night. ARE YOU KIDDING ME???? Why tell us you can accommodate us, and then decide to close your restaurant a whole hour earlier than what you have listed online, and what you said over the phone?? This isn't the first time your shitty service has rubbed me the wrong way, but this will certainly be your last as I'm not putting up with your nonsense any longer. Keep it up though, if covid didn't kill your business, your service will, and more and more people will stop going to your restaurant. And lastly, I like to give restaurants the benefit of a doubt and not give a bad review after just one incident. But if there is anything Molana is consistent with, it is crap service, and small portions all while being overpriced. Keep it up Molana, you're doing a great job at putting yourself out of business soon . read more

I came here because of a Groupon deal which I bought for 49 dollars. Appetizer: #1 Kashk Bademjan - Vegetarian-friendly. Pretty heavy with the oil but I suppose that is traditional. It came with a generous portion of warm flatbread. The sauteed eggplant had a near-puree texture and was well-seasoned with spices without being overly salty. Entrees: #18 Kabob E Soltani and #20 Boneless Lamb Kabob - Meats were very tasty and not at all fatty. I liked the marinades which were flavorful. This came with lots of rice and a nicely grilled tomato that added a good touch of acidity. Dessert: Persian Ice Cream - Easily my favourite of the meal as it was flavorful and not cloyingly sweet. I loved the bits of pistachio and overtones of rose water. Beverages: Persian hot tea - I liked the hint of cardamom in the tea. Otherwise, nothing particularly spectacular. Service was okay. I would recommend the entrees for the delectable selection of meats and Persian ice cream. Although I had a Groupon, tax and ~18% service charge (apparently included so I didn't have to tip?) were included to come up to 20 dollars extra. Honestly, I thought the food was above average but 70 dollars in total was too steep and not the best value for money. read more

Molana Restaurant - Persian ice cream - Middle Eastern Near Me - Watertown, Massachusetts

What a delightful restaurant. We went mid afternoon after going to the nearby Armenian Museum. Plenty of municipal parking for $1/hour and you can use quarters or phone app. or credit card to pay. The restaurant is on a side street less busy and is nicely decorated. Our greeting was friendly and enthusiastic. The waitress was helpful as we were unfamiliar with Persian cuisine. We had Persian tea despite the hot weather, it was delicious, then salad of cucumbers tomatoes and onions (Shirazi). My wife had lamb which she loved and I had chicken (Abaloo polo) Skewers of chicken and basmati rice with sweet cherries. Unique and tasty. We wanted to try dessert so we took some of our entrees home and took our waitress suggestion for ice cream which was rose water and saffron flavored with shredded almonds. Delicious. Our only disappointment was that they don't serve wine. We loved our waitress and our entire expérience at Molana. read more

A gem once you get over your first impression (I.e. - don't get freaked out by the nursing home smell that hits you when you walk in). We had Harpoon bottles, 1 of 2 beers they have available. We also got the yogurt/cucumber to start, and I was served with hot pita bread... Yum yum. Simply satisfying. Warning: dinners are massive! Huge plate of rice and a side of meat. Thankfully the rice is super-good. I had Adas Polo, a spiced chicken served with lentil/raisin rice. Highly recommended! I will return here, and will try more things. read more

Molana Restaurant - Chicken! Polo! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Watertown, Massachusetts

Mohsen is the best and I absolutely cannot wait to visit one day. Everything looks amazing and very appetizing! Keep up the awesome work and I hope to see you soon, my friend! MBTA, Hilary Virginia read more

One of the worst experiences ever!! Service is awful and super slow. The tablecloth had a lot of stains. We waited for like 5 minutes until at last the lady paid attention to us. The same lady was serving all the tables and doing kitchen work, so everything was veeery slow. We didn't get even our water after a reminder. The food arrived after MORE THAN 30 minutes!!! Whereas only 4 tables were occupied. We got the water only when we were almost done with the meal and ONLY BOTTLES, no glasses!! Awful!! read more

I love their chicken kubideh, mast-a-Khiar, and shirazi! My husband is Iranian so we come here often. It's a family favorite. read more

Molana Restaurant - Chicken kubideh - Middle Eastern Near Me - Watertown, Massachusetts

I am Persian, so I know Persian food. Yesterday went to celebrate my birthday with having a Persian meal, but my worst experience to date with a Persian restaurant happened. I asked for Kobideh, which is my favorite. After I was served, I noticed that the grilled tomatoes do not look normal. I turned them around and saw the inside of everyone of them is rutted. I tried to taste a little piece of one. It was disgusting. I asked the waitress to remove them from my plate. She gave me the impression that it was known to them. She didn't suggest that they will grill more for me. Then I began eating the Kobideh. It was soaking with butter, smelled like egg, and no taste of beef or Kabob. After forcing myself to eat a few bites, I stopped eating. Waitress came and asked how is the food, I replied "horrible ", she said "oh" and went back to the kitchen to report my response. A few minutes later she came back and said "ok, we will void its price ". This was an insult to me. No one came to ask why I didn't like the food, offering an apology or ask if I want another dish. I got the bill and paid a large tip to say that your voiding the cost of my meal didn't solve the problem. We got up and left. Again no sign of anyone to say anything. This was my last time going there. read more