Service was not good. We got forgotten about and had to ask the bus boy for assistance. The staff knew nothing about Persian food or the food on the menu. Way over priced. Servers should know about thr food on the menu. read more

This is my Favorite restaurant Ever...and I've traveled close to half the World...the food is superb and Max and his family are amazing....My wife and I used to live 1 blk from Pars Cove and we used to eat there 2/5 times a week(2yrs) and since then we go back as we still have family in Chicago we always go there...Do yourself a favor and give it a visit...Simply the best read more

This is a nice restaurant with everything made from scratch and to order. They are friendly and accommodating to special requests. The price point is good and the service is wonderful. It's a quiet, relaxing spot to eat, not a place to go if you're in a hurry. I'm definitely returning ! read more

Before I start my review let me state that I am not Persian and had never had Persian food (although plenty of Middle Eastern/Turkish/eta), so my review might be slightly biased. We came here with a Groupon since my family was in town and I always wanted to try it. It's such a small cute place. The host/hostess are absolutely adorable and they treated my whole family with great respect. Our serves was absolutely delightful. As for the food, the appetizer was soooo good. The lentil soup and salad were okay..nothing to brag about. The lamb shack and lamb rack were absolutely great. My foreign ass mother who loves complaining about everything only had good things to say about her lamb dish (that's when you know it's a good restaurant). My brother's hispanic girlfriend who is not too familiar with middle eastern food loved her chicken dish (not sure what it was). My little brother who is so picky its annoying -loved his beef kabob. Overall I would totally recommend. read more

The food at this place is amazing! I had the chicken koubideh. It was full of flavor and it filled me up really quick. The rice side was also pretty amazing. My sister had the hummus salad and she realized that she's been having bad hummus all her life. This hummus was beyond good! Highly recommend this place! I'm gonna come back really soon. read more

Incredible food and service. One of the best Mediterranean meals I've ever had. The kabob meal for 2 came with an appetizer sampler, salad or soup, a full entree with plenty of food, and baklava and ice cream. All of this was $55. You can't beat the price and quality. Very covid friendly with outdoor seating and safe indoor seating. read more

Pars Cove - Kabob meal for 2 - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Phenomenal food, charming atmosphere, bang for your buck, owner makes you feel at home !! Could not recommend more!

My concern was the bread felt like not fresh, and the eggplant "baba ghanoch" was oily. The chicken was nicely cooked but the dressing didn't feel like Persian traditional sauce. read more

If you're looking for a one of a kind dining experience look no further than Pars Cove. Cozy, low key, slightly romantic yet family friendly. Thanks to my friend yelper Andrea for giving me the heads up! This is authentic Persian cuisine served with awesome hospitality. Over visits we've had: Wine and different martinis A + Hummus Good Lentil Soup It was ok. Sea Bass with veggies It was ok. I think my partner wished for a bigger portion. Appetizer Platter With Hummus, Mediterranean salad, roasted eggplants, olive tepenade, mozzarella pieces, grape leaf rolls stuffed with fillings, and fresh hot pitas. Fantastic! So many different flavors and all well made. I loved it all. Seafood platter special With scallops, shrimp, and white fish with veggies on rice I always get this!!! So well seasoned and light but filling. A must!! Lamb with walnut and pomegranate sauce with veggies He didn't like it. Everything is well plated. They give a long stem rose to every table with the check! And Max Pars, the owner. He's just the kindest and funniest and honest guy. Our second visit he flagged us for a drink on him and mentioned he almost never drinks, but will make exception. We each had a toast to Lakeview and life. Then had a deep yet amusing discussion about business and the city. He's a class act and cares about his customers. I recommend for some Persian food with good service. read more

Food was really good. Got the sampler platter as recommended by other reviewers. Getting a rose was a nice touch. Unfortunately it is too expensive. For that price you sort of expect a lot of food. But the portions were not big enough to fill either me or my date up. Also we had this awkward moment where we had no idea who to talk to in order to get a table, there wasn't a clear hostess. read more

I'm in love. I'm a sucker for a good neighborhood place, even more so for a place where the owner is present. Not only is the owner present here, he is actively involved with every table. Leave it to Groupon, once again, to bring us to a great place. Now I'm kicking myself for overlooking it for so long. Once we were seated, our server and the owner came over to take our order. The owner is friendly and enthusiastic and told us he would take care of us. He immediately ordered the appetizer samplers for us to share and then moved on to recommending wines and food. When I was looking at the menu, I noticed that all of the wines are the same price. I liked it, makes choosing a wine with a group much easier. None of the selections are super fancy but the malbec and riesling we chose were both very good. I also noticed on the menu that they offer prix fixe dinner deals that are very reasonable for a night out. On to the food. The appetizer platter was delicious. I think we all but licked the plates. We had hummus, mediterranean salad, roasted eggplant, olive tapenade, and mozzarella. Everything was fresh and tasty. As a nice surprise, they also sent over lentil soup for the table. Very good and an interesting preparation. I'm glad we didn't miss it. For my entree, the owner recommended the sea bass with tomato and garlic sauce. I was already so stuffed after cleaning all of my previous plates but I just couldn't stop eating it. The sea bass was light but full of flavor. I loved how it was prepared with tons of veggies as well. I had about a sliver left over and I still brought it home. So good. Two others of our party ordered the lamb and could not stop talking about how delicious it was. I hate lamb so I didn't try it, but from the sound of it, I might have been a convert. On second thought, probably should have tried it. I was so stuffed but I couldn't pass up the ridiculously good spice cake with apple and honey-drizzled ice cream for dessert. Yep, there's always room for that. Our evening was topped off with a rose for the ladies at the table and a fond farewell from the owner. I love this place. Did I mention that? I'm so happy to have finally found it. Now I have go-to mediterranean place in the neighborhood. And our out of town guests were raving. I love this place. (just in case you were wondering) read more

By far one of my favorite spots in Chicago. The food and service couldn't be better. The hummus - and amazing warm, golden bread served with it - is the best I've found. I always get the walnut pomegranate chicken... simply orgasmic. They always serve complementary lentil soup, ice cream with honey and cinnamon for dessert, and give the ladies each a red rose... I heart you, Pars Cove. Will you marry me? read more

OMIGOD! Max the owner is such a charming stud muffin. The establishment is very romantic, dim lights, real flowers on the tables, intimate and cozy. Each item on the menu is unbelievably wallet-friendly while the portions are tummy-friendly! We were at a local bar around the area and stopped by to check out the restaurant, not knowing what to expect. We had a couple drinks and wanted food. I'm so glad we decided to stop by here. It was a Friday night and wasn't too packed. We walked in and were sat right away. We ordered the appetizer sampler and dolmades. The dishes came out in a timely manner. While we were enjoying our late snack, Max came by asked us how we were doing and left. He then came back with a bottle of wine and offered us a glass of wine! Of course, I can't say no to such a cute man like him. So when we asked for the check, Max came back with a rose for the man and the check for me! How ah-dorbs!! Overall, my first experience at Pars Cove was an unforgettable one. I can't wait to go back! read more

Need a cozy place for date night that will not break the bank? Give these guys a shot. My wife and I rocked a Groupon for date night on a cold, snowy February night and down into the bowels of Pars Cove we go. I recommend sitting in the back, nice and toasty back there thanks to the space heater, and dark too. Parking can be tricky due to the area so if you drive allow time for that. Kudos to the ladies on dates that night because all were dolled up well including my girl ;) The food is Persian and comes in multiple courses - here's the Groupon breakdown $49 for a four-course dinner for two (up to a $104 total value) Each dinner includes the following per two diners: One maze platter with hummus, dolmeh, tapenade, baked eggplant kashk, fresh mozzarella olivieh, shirazi salad, and feta (a $16 value) Two soups or salads (up to a $10 value) Two entrees (up to a $36 total value) Two servings of ice cream (an $8 value) A bottle of wine, pitcher of vodka lemonade, sangria, martini, or bottle of San Pellegrino or Badoit water (up to a $34 value) As for the food, it was all good, no slouchers. The only thing that was average was my lentil soup, other than that the food was good. For drink my wife opted for the sangria, we noticed the other tables did as well. She thought it was a bit tart or dry and would probably go with the bottle of wine next time. Due to the Groupon the bill was just tax (very small amount) so cash was preferred over credit. A nice touch by the owners, a single rose for the lady at the end of dinner. Atmosphere was warm, cozy, low lighting, and romantic, very conducive for date night and that was definitely the crowd that was in there this night. Service overall was good. A few things noted - Our first table choice against the wall was for four (we were a party of two) and our server asked if we would sit at a two person table instead because other customers were coming. Our dinner reservation was at 8pm and the place was pretty empty so I had my doubts, but I gave her the benefit of the doubt. Of course no one ever came and sat at that table. The second table was too wobbly so we moved to a third. Due to all the table moves, we did not end up with a lit candle, so I had to steal one from another table. Our server, young gal, did not have much of a personality, but that could also have been lost in translation (language/culture). I was drinking water and could have benefitted from more frequent refill visits. I appreciate the quick peek to check on me and not disturb our quality time but keeping my water glass full is appreciated too. Snow/slush/sidewalks/curbs/parking - downtown was a mess and galoshes were in order for walking around, don't ruin your good shoes Plenty of places nearby to hang out - bars/rests/etc We would use a deal here again read more

Oh Pars Cove, how on earth did you last so long like this? The stained glass on the wall in the back said something about Pars Cove opening in the 70s. I really didn't need it spelled out for me, the rest of the decor made that perfectly clear. It's almost charming though. It's intimate and dark and warm and all the things you want for a good date. And it was, but that had nothing to do with Pars Cove. The food was good. We ordered the hummus, salmon with a walnut pomegranate sauce, and chicken kabobs. We ended up eating an appetizer sampler, lentil soup, salad, salmon with walnut pomegranate sauce, chicken kabobs, and ice cream with honey and raspberry something for dessert. Apparently Pars Cove has more food than they know what to do with. It was all very good. The salmon was especially good, the chicken didn't knock my socks off (it didn't even budge my boots). Actually, the Manhattan I ordered was maybe one of the best I've ever had. Now let's talk about the service and such. The server was very nice, although she seemed a tad distracted. I thought she smelled like alcohol, and that made me jealous, but it also explained the distraction. She began by asking if we were paying with a groupon or if we had a coupon. When we said "no" she explained the special to us; a 4 course meal and drinks. As I mentioned earlier the decor was a tad...odd. There was a fish tank in the back part of the dining room, above it an electric fireplace. I'm not a fire marshal, but that seems like a poor decision. In the bathrooms (both men's and women's) there was a fake fireplace on the walls. Why all the fireplaces?! When I got back from the restroom after our meal the bill was on the table and so was a rose. I believe my exact words were "what that?" and he said "Oh, it's not from me!" (incredibly romantic, huh?). I picked it up and half the petals fell off. Apparently there's a discount if you pay cash, something less than 10%, I didn't do the math to figure it out. Considering all the pushing of the specials you'd think they'd be all discounted out, you'd be wrong. So, in summation....mostly decent food (more of it than you order), distracted servers, odd decor, discounts galore, and sad roses. Will I go back? Doubtful. read more

Really, Yelpers? We went here based on that awesome 4 star rating and WOW were we disappointed. We walked in at 6 on a Thursday and no one else was in the place. For the next hour and half, no one ever came in. The restaurant smelled bad which almost inspired us to walk out (we should have.) The only thing tasty was the flat bread and hummus. The main courses (chicken with pomegranate walnut sauce and a lamb dish) were disgusting. Even the ice cream everyone raved about was just okay. The worst part was it wasn't even cheap - $50 for a bad meal makes me really cranky. read more

I went there for the second time yesterday; this time on a date. I can't say enough good things about Pars Cove. A friend and I stumbled into the restaurant after seeing a film at Landmark Century Cinema. The service and the food are exceptional. Last night, we started with the Cool Sampler, which consists of dolmeh, salad, hummus, feta, and baba ganoush and it's served with piping hot flatbread. Then came the vegetarian lentil soup. For an entree, I had the chicken in lime and herbs over rice. You have to let it rest in your mouth for a moment before chewing it up because the flavor is unlike anything else I've ever had (and oh so tasty). Though, I liked mine a tad better, my date's chicken was cooked in a honey type of sauce and was succulent. For dessert, they bring out vanilla ice cream with honey drizzled on top; a perfect end to a meal. As mentioned in another review, all ladies do get a rose with the check. This kind of a place is almost nonexistant. Anyone who wants something above par on every level, this is the place to try. EDIT: I was one of the people with food poisoning after eating the hummus at the Taste. I'm heartbroken, really heartbroken since this restaurant will likely fizzle out due to the incidents at the Taste and it was quite good. Bad things can happen in multiples. read more

Ass. To start, there was a big struggle by the staff to simply honor our Groupon deal. We waited a long time for the food to be prepared, which was average quality, at best. Our night came to a nice happy ending when we found a long strand of hair in our ice cream dessert...there was no effort from the staff to reduce the cost of our meal afterword. Average food. Below average service. Great hair in the ice cream. read more

This is more of a 2.5, and would have been a 3.5 or a 4 if I didn't feel like the owner pulled one over on us with the bill. A girlfriend and I went with a Groupon for the fixed price meal, and were both really excited given the good reviews. The atmosphere is nice and cute, and everyone was very friendly. We had a decent bottle of wine, and a good selection of the food. Everything tasted pretty good (except the spicy sauce on my sea bass was so packed with jalapenos it was inedible - and I love spice). Anyways, it was all fine and good until we got the check. Basically, the owner added 50% of our total bill in tax and tip - now, we all know Chicago taxes are high, but not that high. I tip 20% standard, and would have happily tipped 20% for this meal. I imagine that this is because people using the Groupon in the past have shorted out their waitstaff, but I do not feel I should have to make up for that. The worst part is that the actual value of the meal was listed on the menu and it was not much higher than the Groupon, so that did not make up the difference. We didn't want to be rude and fight it, but I did feel that it was sort of a sneaky and not-so-nice move to add that much tip for a meal that would not have cost that much even at full price listed on the menu. I was disappointed that this was the end to what was otherwise a nice meal! read more

Gosh the food is the best Middle Eastern I've ever had...and within my top 5 favorite restaurants in Chicago. The hummus appetizer with their homemade, unlimited, "naan-like" pita, D-Lic! Well that is if the rest of the food included with each entree isn't enough! Every entree begins with a delicious Lentil Soup and pita. Then you have your large portioned entree which is followed by not just vanilla ice cream but vanilla ice cream with honey and cinnamon. Who knew simplicity could be so yummy?! All of their meat is absolutely flavorful and tender. My personal recommendation is the Lamb Fesenjan which is marinated meat in a walnut pomegranate sauce with basmati rice (if you're not a lamb fan get the chicken). I also enjoy the multiple people meals because they come with plenty of food, give you a good variety of dishes and are reasonably priced. The owners and staff are what make this place pop. The other day, one customer didn't care for her meal (I think she was just picky though) so the waitress offered her something else which was denied. The cook then brings out a brand new steak cooked differently and on the house to make her happy. The lady loved it after all. The staff is always wonderful by being super friendly and active in the community by participating in Dine Out for Life (with 50% of the meal donated to AIDS organizations!!) and many other promotions. The cutest part is that all the women (or men if you ask) get a rose at the end of the dinner. If you're looking for a great meal, a nice outdoor eating area (or interior), and somewhere without a wait but a quaint-feel don't pass up Pars! read more

This restaurant is great! I went here with my wife back in February. We sat underneath the window towards the front of the restaurant, which was a pretty cool feature. The service was very attentive. The owner was also around that night, and he was pleasant to interact with. The food was pretty good and the portions were enough to take home. He gave us dessert on the house, a scoop of vanilla ice cream with cinnamon and honey. I would recommend this place to others. read more

In an attempt to make my Mom try all kinds of ethnic foods, I took her to Pars Cove. She got the chicken in walnut pomegranate sauce and I got the chicken in honey and bayberry sauce. Both dishes were EXCELLENT! We also got the appetizer for 2 and the hummus was to die for! Once again the meal was finished off with complimentary dessert and a rose. My Mom was very impressed and kept saying "This is delicious!" Once again, well done Pars Cove. Your service and food is fantastic! read more

My parents were in town this week and we were looking for a place near their hotel to get lunch. After using the yelp app to check out places nearby we decided that Mediterranean food sounded like a good idea and settled on trying Pars Cove out due to it's good reviews, we certainly were not disappointed. Although we were a bit early (they open at 4 and we got there about 2, I think the listed business hours on Yelp are incorrect) the owner, Max, welcomed us right in. I'm not sure exactly how the dialogue led to this but we ended up just telling Max to go ahead and serve us a meal of his favorite dishes. We ended up with 4 courses starting with their excellent hummus and cucumber salad, followed by chicken salad, eggplant, tepanade, lamb chops (amazing), salmon, and finished with ice cream drizzled in honey and topped off with a black berry. All the food was fresh and delicious. When we were finished Max brought all the ladies a rose and then he let us pay what we thought was fair for the meal. I hope we were generous enough because we definitely left completely satisfied. Highly recommended if you are in the mood for Mediterranean. read more

I got a rose! OK, everyone gets a rose, but it's such a nice finishing touch to an already wonderful dinner. AMBIANCE: * The restaurant is tucked away underneath the street level, it's a cozy place for a weekday dinner, where your eardrums won't be blown out club music. FOOD: * Lamb shank: The fiance, having been away from Chicago, wants to eat this dish first whenever he comes back to town. I totally get why: the lamb has been cooking to a point where meat is so tender, it falls off the bone. SERVICE: * Perfect. They are attentive so you get your food on time, your drinks refilled. But once you start eating and talking, they are mindful and let you eat in peace. I love this cozy little restaurant, and can't wait to stop by every time we visit Chicago. read more

This is my favorite place to dine. I love the people, the atmosphere, the food, the menu...everything. It always make me feel like I might be in love--that's how enjoyable the experience is. Always. I used to go with the ex, and nowdays I'm roping in new people to go with me. We always get one of the specials, depending on how much we want to drink. For one sticker price, you can get wine, appetizers, main course, dessert, and if you're a pretty gal (every girl is), a rose too. Everything tastes good here. I am partial to the chicken fasenjen. I recommend it to one and all. As far as atmosphere goes, it's quiet and quaint. It's not razzle dazzle shiny brand spankin' new. It's endearing, and makes you think of the stuff that matters--what's behind the facade. It works for them. It won't work for other places the same way. It is, however, romantic. The atmosphere does not distract. If you've got problems with your significant other and need to avoid talking to each other by being distracted and fascinated and dazzled by a restaurant's atmosphere, I suggest going elsewhere. Also, I suggest going in for couple's therapy. It will boil down to what you're looking for. Are you looking for pretentious with uncomfortable seating? Are you looking for overpriced? Are you looking for snobby waiters, invisible owners? Or are you looking for something that's like a frat party? Then this isn't your place. For a laid back, enjoyable, stress free meal, I love Pars Cove, Max, the waitresses (who know what I order now...), the food. It's pretty great! read more

Good food. Bad service. Really dirty. Dirty napkins and broken glass on the floor. Must have had only one server on duty because it took forever. We were using a Groupon which was good for the entire meal: appetizer, two entrees, dessert and a bottle of wine. At the end of the meal we were given a bill for the tax and an 18% tip.....$28 or $25 if I paid cash. I could be wrong but I think that was based on the "total value" ($100+) of our dinner rather than the actual price listed on the menu ($55 or $60 I think) for this "special". Unless these guys deliver, they've lost my business. read more

This is probably more of a 3.5 star if it were just based on food, but the service easily brings it up to 4. We used a groupon here and felt like it was an excellent value. I fell in love with the owner. I could of sat and talked with him all night! Max (the owner) was kind enough to allow us to each do a half bottle of wine instead of one since we have such different taste in wine. We enjoyed the appetizer platter with the hummus being my favorite item of the evening. Persian food isn't necessarily my thing so keep that in mind. We ordered pretty boring. I had a beef-ka-bob or something. It was really good though. The ice cream with honey/berry topping for dessert was perfect. I thought the rose for the women was sweet. I'm not saying it would be the deciding factor in me going back, but it was a nice touch. We actually ended up sticking around after dinner for more wine while we chatted with Max. I loved hearing about the history of the restaurant. The food here is absolutely A-OK and the service is excellent! How anyone has a bad time here is beyond me. read more

Awesome restaurant. The food and service were all excellent. They have a really great Groupon special for two or four.

A 4 star restaurant with absolute potential for 5. This place had THE BEST hummus I have ever had!!! Try the cool sampler platter and you'll get to taste a bit of everything from the appetizer list. I also had the beef tenderloin marinated with the walnut pomegranate sauce. The sauce is real sweet, usually not to my liking, but it was terrific! The beef was extremely tender without a bit of fat or hard to chew bites to be found. It was served with rice and a cucumber type salad. My experience here was so excellent it left me questioning why it was so dead there. Granted it was a Monday night, but i hope my review will spark peoples' interest in going here. You don't even really have to love Mediterranean to like this place, as the beef w/ walnut pomegranate was not a dish I would classify as being Mediterranean cuisine. Look for an update to a 5 star on this one next time I go back. read more

The owner here is so very friendly!! I only stayed for the first course, which was a delicious appetizer platter. I really enjoyed the house-made hummus, and noticed that they have some pretty meal deals. Their meal plans range in price, but if you do their no-booze deal, it's very inexpensive for two people. Appetizer platter, two entrees (up to $18 each) and ice cream for dessert for a little over $40. It's only $20 more to add on a standard bottle of wine. And at the end of the meal you get a nice red rose. This is a perfect place to take a date! read more

Good Mediterranean food, good deal. Don't get the groupon, they have the same $49 3 course with bottle of wine deal at the restaurant. Ps: I don't get what other grouponers are complaining about: $16 appetizer + 2x$20 entree (with soup or salad) + $25 bottle of wine + 2x ice cream. That's a good $90 plus meal, anywhere else in this neighborhood. You are complaining you got it on groupon? Guess what doodo head, the restaurant has to pay groupon 30-50% for your idiocracy ... read more

10/5 first experience! My bf and I ordered the sampler, lamb soltani, and lamb fasenjan - all which were amazing! The flavors of the soltani had a great savory with a smokey flavor mix. The fasenjan was falling off the bone and had a sweet, earthy flavor. We started off with either lentil soup or salad; we got both, which was a great decision! The flavors really balanced each other out, so you weren't overwhelmed with too much of one dish. We also got complimentary vanilla ice cream with honey and cinnamon and a rose at the very end! Finally, our server was super knowledgeable and attentive. Great atmosphere, service, and food! Definitely returning in the near future! read more

I went to Pars again with a date, and they really know what to do. As we were getting the check they brought out ice cream, without even being asked. And they gave my date a rose. Mental note: take all dates here... Oh yeah, and the food is pretty good too. ;) read more

I'm so sad I only recently discovered how good this place is. They have above-and-beyond service with a very polite and genuinely nice (not fake-for-the-tips-only) wait staff and a delightful owner who actually greets the customers. Not one, but TWO portions of our meal was comped AND pretty red roses came with our bill... What more could we ask for? Little things like that really make a big difference. If only other restaurants would realize this... hah. The food, the most important part of it all, was delicious as well. We ordered olive tapenade, lamb shank and beef Mediterranean. Each dish was so good and the meats were both very tender and perfectly sauced/seasoned. They also sent out a free hummus appetizer and free ice cream dessert at the end. SO SWEET! The hummus was one of the best I've had thus far and the pita bread that it comes with is a perfectly cooked. Not too crispy, not too soft, not too burnt. The only thing I probably wouldn't order again are the cocktails... I was pretty excited to try the Pars tea from the description but it sounds better than it tastes so I'll likely opt for wine next time. Go and give this place a try! read more

Just awful. We were a party of 5, and paid $69 for a Groupon that included 1 appetizer, 2 salads/soups, 2 entrees, 2 small ice creams and one sangria. Additionally, we ordered an entree with a soup, and an appetizer. We got YELLED, literally YELLED by the owner, indicating that we cannot order so little since we were using a Groupon. Who does that?!?!?! Extremely unprofessional and fake. I was forced to order an additional entree. Seriously... if I wasn't with more people, I would have literally walked out. The food was meh, the sangria tasted so bad I didn't even finish it. Very overpriced ($18-20 for a "ok" tasting entree). I will not be going there again and will not recommend it to anyone else. read more

I've recently moved closer to Pars Cove and discovered it one night with my husband where we were both impressed. Since then we've continued to bring our family and friends here when they are in town and everyone always leaves ecstatic. I think there are 3 key qualities that make Pars Cove so great. 1) The food is amazing; their attention to detail and simple flavors is evident. The lamb with walnut pomegranate sauce is the epitome of subtle - the sauce is smoky and enhances the flavor of the meat perfectly. The lentil soup is to die for - I think it's the broth base they use that just makes this the best soup. Ever. The beef kabob is delicious - moist and spiced just right. And the vanilla ice cream with honey and cinnamon is just so simple yet so delicious! Everything, right down to the olives they choose, is just impeccable. 2) And, the service is impeccable. It is like walking into someone's home, and having them treat you like family. It's unpretentious. They're humble. The last time I went with a larger group (there were 8 of us) at an off hour and we had the restaurant to ourselves. The owner came out and told us not to order from the menu, that we should just tell him what we liked and he would bring it out family style. We ended up eating 9 courses that day, and all were amazing! The way the food was brought out on big platters to share really did make me feel like I was at the Iranian version of a Thanksgiving feast. It was wonderful. 3) Which brings me to - - the price. After having 9 courses and not knowing what the final bill was going to come out to since we hadn't ordered from the menu, we were all shocked at how affordable it was (I think just over $20/ person!) Granted it was a slow day for them and I know they gave us an amazing deal, but even so, Pars Cove has great food at a _great_ price. read more

Excellent food and service! Very romantic setting. Perfect for a date. I've never seen this place full. Why? Delicious. Everything is very fresh and flavorful. Some of the best hummus around. Seems to be a family run restaurant. The owner is always around and brings out roses for the ladies at the end of the meal. And vanilla ice cream with honey. read more

Best hummus in Chicago! I like to start off with the Cool Sampler, which includes hummus, kashk, Bulgarian feta, dolmeh and a Pars salad in a balsamic virgin olive oil. Next comes the lentil soup, which is good but not great. In the lineup I'm presenting, it is perhaps the weakest link but again, it's still very good. I then usually get the Filet Fesenjan, which is beef in their fabulous walnut pomegranate sauce. It's served with white rice (not dill rice, thank god - why do all the other Persian restaurants serve only dill rice?!) and a diced vegetable salad (cucumbers, tomatoes, onions tossed in olive oil) and is a perfectly proportioned plate. You can finish it without feeling like you are going to explode, especially if you accompany it with one of the delicious Californian cabernets or merlots that they offer. I never feel the need to order dessert because they always bring a complimentary scoop of vanilla ice cream drizzled with honey with a powdering of cinnamon that is a perfect end to a fantastic meal. The place is always dimly lit, creating a very romantic ambiance. The owner and his waitstaff, most of whom are his family members are super friendly. I have been here more times than I can count and can see myself frequenting this place for a lifetime. read more

I can't express in words my love for Pars Cove. My boyfriend and I checked it out because we were starving and it was the closest thing to his house. Holy geez, this place really is Chicago's best hidden secret restaurant in my opinion. It really is like a little cozy cove. We always sit underneath the skylight. The atmosphere is so wonderful and unique, a great date restaurant. Every time I've been there haven't been a lot of people. It's usually quiet and romantic. Their cool sampler platter is a must if you go there. I've had their lamb and their chicken with the walnut pomegranate sauce. Everything I've had there has been awesome. Their piping hot flatbread is so damn good. I love bread, it 's my favorite food, and every time I go there I keep asking for more until I feel like I might explode. Their hot tea is absolutely wonderful if you love tea like I do. I had their Turkish coffee and I was afraid I wouldn't sleep for a week. As for dessert, the ones I've had have been frozen and then thawed so when they arrived they were a bit hard in parts. If they were a little more soft they would have been really delicious. For free they give you vanilla ice cream with cinnamon and honey. It's a great end to the meal, I now make my vanilla ice cream Par's Cove style at home. And of course, the ladies get a rose at the end of the meal. Between 3 and 6pm they have early dinner specials so go then or during lunch for great deals! read more

I used to live in East Lakeview, but never got around to dining at Pars Cove. Too bad, but I'm glad I finally got to visit. It's a small place with a welcoming staff and a simple menu of Persian dishes. The menu format offers entrées by type of meat, with each available in a variety of saucings, as well as an appetizer sampler plate. The appetizer sampler was fresh, tasty, and prettily presented. We both opted for braised lamb shank (my companion's with pomegranate/walnut sauce, and mine with garlic/cilantro), and both of us enjoyed its falling-off-bone succulence. We were using a coupon, which included a "house dessert" of ice cream and carrot cake, which was plain but pleasant. Our deal included a bottle of wine from among a basic selection of food-friendly choices. The staff was uniformly cordial, including the proprietor, who stopped by to say hello, explain the check, and present us with a rose. Nice. The prices are fair, even without the coupon, though not inexpensive - our meal would have been about $85 to $90, exclusive of tip and tax. Now that I've been there, I'm likely to go back - we had a nice meal and a good time. ps - I initially had a similar reaction as Anna T, below, when I received the bill -- it seemed like the tip & tax were too high. However, I went back and looked at the Groupon offer -- it was valued at $114, the tip was 16% of that and the tax was commsurate, as well. To me, the $114 valuation was at least $24 higher than menu price, but since I paid $49 for the Groupon, I was OK with it -- it was still a good deal in my book. read more