My boyfriend and I went here for a casual dinner one Sunday night. It was below street level, which I always like in a restaurant - it gives it a hidden, secret quality. Two other couples were in the dining area with us. I liked the ambiance - it was warm and cozy, and you could watch people walk down the street if you looked up and out the window. Our waitress was extremely quiet, but all our food came out correctly and in a timely fashion, so no complaints there. Tay and I agreed that the hummus was really special. It had something unique in it - dill, we thought - that gave it a real flavor compared to most other restaurants where the hummus tastes of nothing but chickpeas. The pita appeared to be fresh baked - it was hot and flaky when we ripped it in pieces. I loved the lentil soup because it was extremely simple. It tasted very much like the lentil soup made by my family. Certainly nothing fancy going on with it, but that is why I liked it. Our entrees were also lovely - I tasted Tay's kebab, which I though was very well prepared, but the seafood entree (Seafood Mediterranean) was really something. The rice had been cooked in a seafood broth, and the dish was loaded with different kinds of flaky, juicy seafood. I wish there had been more shrimp and scallops - there were many pieces of some kind of white fish, but not as much of the other seafood. Also, the vegetables seemed to have come from a "vegetable medley" can or frozen bag. The overall taste effect was fine, but it felt a bit silly every time I spotted a corn kernel or carrot cube in the dish. After we had finished, the waitress brought over free ice cream - it was absolutely decadent. Nothing but vanilla ice cream with honey and cinnamon, but it was such a treat. I had no idea it was so simple to make boring vanilla ice cream taste so exotic and luxurious. It was a perfect end to the meal. I also was given a long stem rose at the end of dinner (as are all the ladies), which was a very elegant and thoughtful touch. read more

Just as excellent as the last time I was there but I had to update my review for one reason -- Please, do yourself a favor and order the Chef's Seafood in tomato garlic sauce. Full of veggies, perfectly cooked shrimp, scallops and bass. Amazing. read more

I came here with a friend. His logic was, if the place has been opened for a long as I can remember (some 20 years), it must be good, yes? Umm....yes! It was a Sunday afternoon and not very crowded so the waitress let us choose our seats. We went with a deal they have; 1 appetizer, 2 entrees, 2 drinks (alcoholic or not), and 2 house desserts for $40. Great deal for the amount of food. We started with the sampler appetizer and both chose the lentil soup. I adore lentil soup and nearly licked my bowl clean, it was that good! The salmon on my friends dinner was cooked to perfection. Soft, with no hit of that other cooked flakiness places often . My vegetarian entree was delicious with just a hint of heat, but by the time it came out I was nearly full! It's made for a great lunch the next day. Dessert was ice cream with a bit of pastry and honey. Small, thankfully, because I was stuffed by that point. The service was excellent, on par with the food. Our waitress checked in constantly, but without being annoying, the food came out hot and fresh, and dishes were cleared promptly. An older gentleman brought the check out and with it a rose for my friend (a guy) to give me. Such a sweet touch! The is also offer a 6% discount to the total bill if you pay wish cash. Score. I'll be back Pars Cove and next time I'm bringing many more with me. read more

A neighborhood staple! The first time I tried Pars Cove, a courier had accidentally picked up my order. The owner recognized this mistake, poured me a glass of wine while he re-made my order. An incredibly friendly and passionate guy. But THIS FOOD! Oh my god. Everyone needs to try this place!! The hummus is phenomenal and anything with the fesenjan sauce is out of this world. High quality service and food. If you're craving a home-cooked meal, this is the place to go. read more

Great Service, very flavorful food, and very filling! My fiance and I ordered the Spicy Chicken and Lamb for 2. They give you 2 appetizers, 2 soup, a meal, dessert and 2 drinks. We normally don't eat that much, but it was worth it. A fun touch too - I got a red rose with the check. I also saw something about early dining some nights of the week (3-6pm) is 50% off - don't remember what days though. We'll be going back again. The waiter did tell us about the salmonella scare with the Taste of Chicago - and that their hummus was confiscated. But how do you get salmonella from hummus???? Either way, we didn't get sick :) read more

Keeping with my Mediterranean theme of restaurants I have to say Pars is a hidden gem. I always have a nice warm experience when eating here. I like that you have to walk down a few stairs into a cozy environment. I ordered the chicken kabob and I think the addition of saffron to the dish really made it one of the best I have ever eaten. I don't know all the nuances to the different styles of Mediterranean cooking but the Persian style really has that extra something. After dinner they brought us the vanilla ice cream with honey drizzled over it. This was blowing my mind at how awesome it was and such a nice way to end the meal. read more

I concur with the other posts regarding the hummus - it is fantastic. There is something unique in it that gives it a different flavor. The Tapenede was also very flavorful and tasty. The actual menu is much more extensive than the ones I've seen online, so don't think they have just a few dishes. They basically have Chicken, Beef, or Lamb - each of which can be cooked in various ways, with a variety of veggies and sauces. The Chicken Ju-Jak Kabob was fantastic - juicy, full of seasonings. We also had the house salad - amazing homemade dressing. The lentil soup that comes with each entree, and the complimentary vanilla ice-cream w/cinnamon and honey is an excellent way to end an excellent meal. I also believe there is no corkage fee if you BYOB, but they also have a pretty good wine list at decent prices. read more

This place was great! I was greeted with a rose for God's sake by the wait staff. Great date spot. really cute underground little atmosphere. The food was awesome - it was like nothing I'd ever had before. Great flavors, really fun entrees. Good value - really reasonable prices. I think I had the "Chicken Fesenjan" really amazing and different. I wish I still lived in Chicago - I would totally come back here! Really great service too. read more

What a gem! We went in a large group for a New Years brunch and we left so happy! The owner is so involved in making sure he customers are happy! He offered to serve us "family style" and basically brought us a wide variety of EVERYTHING! Right from appetizer to soup to entree! And we felt like one big family! The hummus was to die for and so was the lentil soup. Very reasonable. Definitely recommend. read more

Pars Cove - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I went there on a Sunday night. We were the only table in the restaurant so we got to sit by the nice fireplace. The restaurant is nice and dim and the tables aren't too close together. We got some kabobs for appetizers and I got the chicken with walnut/pomegranate sauce. My date ordered the lamb with tomato/garlic sauce. Everything was really good and they have a wife range of entree prices ($14-$40). read more

here's a quick review: friendly service. Attentive chef, waiter and owner. i went in on a sunday early evening so maybe that's the reason. You cant go wrong with the recommended meal package they have. i had the bass cooked with herbs and lemon. Very lightly cooked and yummy. Also had kebabs, eggplant and another appetizer that i cant remember. i would recommend this place for a casual meal with friends and family or even a date. friendly owner/service wins me over every time. read more

Watch the negative reviews about this place, most people appear to be complaining about the portions and a "bait & switch" regarding the specials. A) The portions are more than enough. I went with three other people and we all ended up taking to-go containers. B) They do have specials on the menu, but with the Groupon you're still paying less. I'm assuming people want the gratification of knowing they got an exclusive deal, as opposed to the special essentially being a staple of pretty much everyone who attends. Either way, these complaints may be unwarranted unless your expectation is to eat an ungodly amount of food upon arrival. Waiter was okay, but honestly I didn't care much. He kept the food coming and the table clean. Food is surprisingly good. I got the aforementioned special for four and we were all nearly full after appetizers and soup/salad. Oh, not to mention, they brought out two bottles of wine. Entrees are surprisingly good and everyone commented on how much they enjoyed the food. Ice cream was delicious, though hard to put down after all that food. Only negative was the location of our table, which was directly in line with a noisy air conditioner that would systematically turn on and off throughout the evening. It was blowing cold air directly onto our table, meanwhile the temp outside was around 60 degrees. Not sure if they are able to control the temp from inside, but this was mildly unsettling. Still, a minor complaint. FYI, be ready to pay a premium for tip/tax @ the end of the meal, particularly if you go w/ four people. I was trying to impress the people I brought here and took a leap of faith based on yelp reviews. Everyone loved it and two people in the party even said they might come back that same week. Mission accomplished. read more

We have had a GREAT experience here and a so so experience here. We went here when we first moved to Chicago from NYC with our twins. The waitress was great as we moved from outside to inside as we had our twins along with us and it was getting colder in the night air. She very graciously accommodated us. Our little boy does not like sauces and it was hard to find. At first they were not able to help us in making something without sauce but the son (we believe) of the owner was cooking that night and he came out , apologized and whipped up some pasta for our little boy. Hugh points in our book as it allowed the rest of us to enjoy our wonderful meal. Everything we ordered was amazing. If I could have picked up the plates and licked them I would have done so. We did return later in the year on Halloween evening and it was an ok experience with the same type of meals. The sauces were just not that great and flavorful as they were during our Aug experience. I think the father was cooking this night. So we believe that it can vary based on who is cooking. We could be wrong but that is our hunch as everything seems to be prepared pretty fresh. We would definitely return here though as the atmosphere is warm and friendly and the cooks and staff attend to your needs and are genuinely concerned that you like the meal and have a pleasant time. read more

Trusted the rating on Yelp and was not disappointed!! The menu itself was mouthwatering and the multi-course special worked perfectly (we split an appetizer sampler, a soup each, 2 entrees, a dessert and a pitcher of sangria) for 3 people. The Chilean sea bass was so light and fluffy and the lamb kabob was tender and juicy. Top t off with stellar lentil soup, fragrant basmati rice and vanilla ice cream with fruit compote, honey, cinnamon and rose water and you have a truly delicious meal!! I highly recommend the appetizer sampler to try all of their great starters. Our waitress was so lovely!!!! Right from the time we arrived she helped us through the menu with great recommendations and helped us get the best deal. We sat in the little atrium and had nice light for most of our meal. This is truly a gem! read more

My boyfriend found this place last minute while searching for somewhere to bring his parents. We arrived and were immediately treated like royalty. I could tell that this place was family owned and would be authentic. First, they gave us one of the nicer bottles of wine for the cheapest price. Then, after a delicious hummus appetizer and entree of fresh halibut, the waiter asked us if any of us would like another meal, free of charge! All of us were full except my boyfriend, who got an entire second dish of mahi mahi for free. At the end of meal, the waiter brought us a surprise unopened bottle of red wine for us to bring home for free (it was delicious) as well as two red roses - one for my boyfriend's mom, one for me. I am so glad to have discovered this restaurant, I will definitely be going back soon! read more

I got the 4 course dinner for 2 off Groupon, it was about to expire so my lady and I end up going Sunday evening, It was pretty empty. They started us off with the sampler plate with warm pita bread and pitcher of white sangria. The sampler plate was pretty decent but the sangria wasn't that tasty at all, tasted bitter far from sweet tasted like no alcohol was in it. My lady ordered the seafood soup with side salad and I ordered lamb chops with the side soup. She said her food was ok and mine was pretty decent. We finished off with a scoop of ice cream a piece which was ok. So basically it was a ok experience, customer service ok food ok. We both feel like we wouldn't come back. read more

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It is an awesome place to eat Persian food. Very friendly and kind staff and delicious food. Price is so reasonable. I tried chicken kabob and it was best kabob i have ever eaten in Chicago. read more

Pars Cove - Chicken Kabob - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Never have I felt so compelled to write a Yelp review - Max and his staff make your dining experience worthwhile. The vegetarian appetizer combo is a wide range of Persian specialties and their meat is cooked with the most delectable sauces. From seabass to halibut, lamb chop to chicken, their tasty meat entrees will fill you up with great flavor. Their hospitality is one of their best qualities and provide for a comfortable space to enjoy this authentic Persian cuisine. Those flavors are something that I will never forget! read more

We found this place with Groupon Now. The deal was great, $49 for a bottle of wine and a 3 course meal for two. Nearly everyone in the vicinity had some sort of coupon for their dinner. Even if you do not have a Groupon, the same deal can be found on the menu for $60. The "cool sampler" appetizer platter was provided as the first course and was great. The bread was warm and the hummus was especially flavorful. We had our pick of any entree on the menu, but as other reviewers have mentioned, I received the meat that I ordered with only a serving of basmati rice. There were no vegetables accompanying the entree. We each ordered a lamb dish, I ordered the braised shank, and each dish was delicious. The walnut pomegranate sauce, as suggested by our waitress, was an excellent accompaniment. Dessert was like the first course, it was chosen by the house. However, the ice cream was nice finish to the meal. We dined late on a Friday night, arriving just before 9 pm. The front room was a bit crowded and it seemed as if there was only one busboy working as he was hustling from table to table. The service was a bit sluggish, but overall, I enjoyed dining here and would dine again. read more

I went here for a Friday night dinner with my boyfriend and we could not have had a better experience between the the intimate setting with amazing food and an outstanding waitstaff. The food was absolutely delicious (we each had lamb and chicken dishes). And the hummus appetizer was a dream! The waitstaff was beyond polite and attentive. Before we left, the owner Max even brought a rose! We will absolutely be going back! read more

I highly recommend this restaurant for any event! I went with a large group for a friend's birthday and was astounded by the staff's attentiveness and hospitality. They dealt well with late arrivals/early departures/orders to go/and even splitting the bill between 10 different people with multiple forms of payment without making it an ordeal. They also went out of their way to make my friend's birthday very special, complete with flowers, desserts, and singing! It was the perfect setting for our group get together. We had a number of delicious dishes: the appetizer samplers are perfect for trying a broad range of different menu items, as are the combo platters made for sharing. My favorites were the hummus, the seafood platter, and the chicken kabobs. The basmati rice was also fantastic. In general, everything was perfectly made! read more

Best Service you can ask for. They are very attentive and polite. The owner is such a sweet man that the service reflects that. Everything on the menu is delicious. I love their Sangria! Also, if you're feeling under the weather, I suggest the tea with honey and whiskey. It really helped me out when I was feeling sick. Best Hummus in the city. Great place to take a date, or just dine alone, or even large groups. Every time my family comes in town we always eat here. Their seafood dishes are always cooked perfectly. I highly suggest getting any of the dishes that have the pomegranate walnut sauce. Prices are incredibly cheap as well. This is a well kept neighborhood secret. read more

Great little place. Good was fantastic! A little gem.

Excellent food! Some of the BEST Persian food I've ever had, including while in the Middle East. Pars always is friendly, hospitable, and takes the best care of his patrons. I've been here a few times and have tried everything from the lamb, to the chicken, and the fish, and have always had an excellent experience. The appetizer sampler is also delightful. Some of the best hummus I've had in a while. read more

Pars is a lovely little restaurant. I like that it's family owned and operated, and the combo deal is wonderful. $40 for 2 glasses of wine, appetizer sampler platter, 2 bowls of soup, 2 entrees, and 2 small bowls of ice cream for dessert. Seriously, it's hard to get that amount of food and drink anywhere for that price. I even got a rose on our way out, which was very sweet. The hummus was excellent, as was the olive tapenade. There was a strange flavor in the eggplant spread, some kind of spice that is not normally present in that kind of dish. I wasn't a fan, but that was only one small part of our appetizer sampler. The lentil soup was good but could have benefitted from a splash of lemon to brighten the flavor. We had the mixed grill with chicken and filet and the lamb gormeh sabzi. The lamb was delicious and cooked to perfection. The service was excellent, and the owner made a point of coming out and chatting with us several times. read more

I've eaten here 5-6 times over the past year. It's a great reasonably priced spot. The chicken and beef kabobs are the best entrees, while the salads have unique dressings and freshly cut veggies in them. I recommend the appetizer sampler. The humus is great as well, as other reviewers have commented. I don't have a problem withe the wine prices, as $6 a glass always seems fair. The vegetarian dishes are pretty good as well. The desserts are an added bonus! Dinner for 2 with appetizers and wine is always going to be under $60, a price you can't beat let alone when the quality of food is factored in. The service is nice as well. The owner is always on hand - never spoken to him but seems to be a charming fella. His lovely wife will happily fix anything that goes wrong with your meal (they have occasionally brought out the wrong dish or been out of an ingredient for something I wanted) but they fix this without argument every time. I never mind restaurants making mistakes - they are allowed to do that, but it is how a mistake is handled that will keep me coming back. I've always left this place with a smile. read more

Complimentary olive oil & pita plate right when you sit down, soup or salad with your entree, and a dessert to finish off your meal. We both had the vegetarian dish with different sauces - mine with the spicy and hers with the classic medi sauce. Great food, great atmosphere, even gave us roses at the end of our meal with a leftover half bottle of wine. So personal and sweet! Definitely a new favorite in the area and will be back soon. read more

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Very nice discreet location. My wife and I ate here and absolutely loved their food. I recommend beginning with their sampler and a bottle of wine. Their special of a four course dinner (for two) for $79 is an AMAZING deal! The setting was very intimate, especially with the Folie A Deux wine we enjoyed. The owner (Max) was beyond a gentleman who showed professionalism in running his restaurant. Him and I conversed in Farsi which brought even more authenticity to the delicious entrees served to our table. I rate this restaurant the best of all Persian restaurants in Chicago, and that is saying a lot. Please give it a try! read more

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There is absolutely no way you can walk out of this restaurant without a smile on your face. We started off with a bottle of Cabernet, had the appetizer sampler which consisted of hummus, warm pita bread, mediterranean salad, roasted eggplant, olive tapenade, and fresh mozzarella. Then we had a salad and lentil soup (yum). Onto the main course - I had the Filet Mignon Kabob and my other half had the Lamb Chops. The owner then brought us out a dessert. I have no idea what it was but it was amazing... The owner brought me a rose when he presented us with the check. So sweet :) This entire restaurant is so cozy (we stayed for a couple hours), the service is wonderful and the owner (Max) makes you feel like you're in his home! I even saw him preparing part of our meals. I will not return to Chicago and miss out on this restaurant as I've done in previous trips. We stayed in a hotel in the Gold Coast area and it was a short 15 minute bus ride to the restaurant. Go!!! read more

Thank You Yelp! I would of never found this place otherwise. The 'Cool Sampler' is a great appetizer to get. I don't even know how to describe how good the hummus is. I don't think I have had better hummus anywhere. The restaurant is huge, A few of us went here for lunch the other day and we were the only ones in there. So kick-ass service! They have great lunch specials too, but it may take you over an hour. At least it did for us and that was appetizer, entrees and coffee. Deliver area is huge too, they came all the way to North & Ashland. read more

Such incredibly delightful service. The owner gave us a great little deal on a full dinner with a nice bottle of wine and dessert. At some point we realized that we were the only ones in the restaurant--because it had been closed for 30 minutes! They didn't mind at all and were super kind as we finished our wine and headed out. The food was wonderful, and we both found great vegetarian options (+1 on the lentil soup and +3 on the carrot cake/ice cream/honey). Small, intimate, charming and unique location! read more

So good!! The price, the portion, the flavor, the service, the interior, everything was so good!! Lol I went yesterday while waiting for my dentist... cuz.. lunch you know, important meal of the day lol and then i saw this place and remembered hearing good reviews about it so I went in. That and also because I was craving mediterranean food lol I was kind of skeptical at first because The stairs was narrow and it didnt look like there was a lot of space inside but after i got down, the space opens up! It's actually quite big down there, if you know what I mean lol I was directed to sit by the window ceiling, which in 30° weather I thought it's going to be cold since I'm the only customer there in the whole restaurant. It was actually really warm! So I was happy because it looks really pretty. The server came and suggested the lamb shank which I was surprised they have lol cant find any on grubhub sigh lol anyway I was excited, ordered it with tomato sauce, it was amazing! I also had a chance to taste the sweet sauce they made with pomegranate. It was a little too sweet for me but it gives that cranberry sauce and ham feel if you like that, then that's your thing! Their house made vinaigrette is delicious too. Sour with a tint of sweet. I don't normally finish my salads but I ate all my greens today #proud lol at the end they served me with a little ice cream with honey, apple, and cinnamon lol i did not know such thing existed!! It was so delicious haha very happy experience after all :) read more

This place was an excellent value for the quality of food. On Wed, they have 1/2 bottles of wine, so my friend and I definitely took advantage of that. Their wines are really reasonable anyway, but the wine we picked ended up costing up 13 bucks. Score! My friend was craving hummus so we split the appetizer platter - very good. Their hummus is delicious! Then came the lentil soup, which is included with every entree (!!!) Very tasty as well. I got the lamb shank with walnut and pomegranate sauce. It was a really interesting combination; you could taste both and they went together surprisingly well. My friend got the lamb kebobs, which she said were tasty. And...both entrees were only $13! Such a deal. The meal ended with a complimentary scoop of ice cream, and my friend and I both got a rose at the end of the deal. Cheesy? Maybe. But what girl doesn't like to get a rose? I left very happy - bottle of wine, appetizer, soup, entree, dessert, all for $30 - including tax and tip. What a deal! read more

If you order lamb here, and it is already falling off the bone...that's four kinds of good....FOUR KINDS! To be honest, I've never quite noticed Pars Cove in the various times I've been up and down Diversey Ave. A group dinner brought me here, and we were treated to some excellent hospitality and food. The two highlights? The excellent lamb...tender, juicy, flavorful, and falling off of the bone! If that's not four kinds of good, I don't know what is. Finally, a little honey in your ice cream can go a long long way. The ambiance is cozy, a little on the dim side, with seating towards the windows, and some additional areas towards the back. If you're in the area, you have few excuses not to go and give them a try, if you haven't already. read more

Absolutely delicious! The appetizer "sampler" was the best! Pitcher of margarita very good, and the pitcher of sangria equally good. The shrimp kabobs very good; didn't care much for the veggie sampler, but I think we selected the wrong sauce (choose from 4 sauces). Highly recommend. We sat outside, so I can't tell you much about inside, but you do have to descend some stairs. read more

Pars Cove - Mediterranean restaurant since 1976. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This is one of the old-school restaurants that have been around for decades that ought to have more business. Owner and master chef Max Pars offers a mix of traditional Persian fare (now known as Iran) and some American for the unadventurous eater in your party. The prices are quite cheap for the quantity and quality, and I need to go more often. read more

Pars Cove - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I live close to here and visit often. We have ordered almost everything on the menu, and it's all been fabulous. The staff is attentive and the food is excellent. I would like it even without complimentary ice cream and roses for the ladies. I dislike coming here in the winter, as the temperature gradient throughout the restaurant can be uncomfortable. The little basement restaurant has a great feel to it and it is generally pretty dim and very romantic. I like coming here in the summer most because the patio is in the shade as the sun sets. read more

Branch out from the norm and was pleasantly surprise at the excellent tasting food! The lentil soup was a perfect temperature and had mesmerizing taste. Chicken kabobs verywow read more

Pars Cove - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I really like this little hideout. Not many romantic places in this city...not this kind of romantic...dinner here includes a quiet atmosphere, a burning fireplace, and a red rose. Of course you can add the wine, the smoochie-smoochie (or better yet, the sultry sex) talk, the gazing into eachother's eyes and the rubbing of legs under the table....Da Pas'ion!... or you can just come here for a good old Middle Eastern meal...either way... you will like the cove. I had the best hummus here...and the rest of the meal was finger licking good.... read more

I love Middle-Eastern food and Middle-Eastern food loves me. We went here on a Wednesday night so we got a wine bottle at 1/2 price. A great start. We ordered a sampler platter, the fesenjan and the chicken mediterranean. The food was bursting with flavor and had just the right amount of spices. We also got complimentary lentil soup and ice cream. Will definitely go again. read more