They've made me a customer for life and I will tell everyone to go to their restaurant for as long as I talk about Chicago. This restaurant is 50+ years old and has been in the same location for that long too. The inside is a bit darker and there are very few windows but they have ambient lighting and music playing that doesn't make your really realize it. There is a lot of seating for smaller and larger groups. The service is some of the best I've had. The owner, Max, personally comes to take your order depending on the rush and he is so sweet to recommend dishes. The food itself is so flavorful and all of the proteins fall right off the bone. They were also able to accommodate a big group and were so kind to play music and serve cake for my birthday! Truly one of those spots where you will leaving feeling full in your stomach and your heart read more

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How can a restaurant be both cozy and dungeon-like at the same time? The unusually shaped, unconventional-looking Pars Cove somehow managed it! This is just a provisional review, as I've only eaten here twice. The hummus was good and the pita was delicious (unlike most American restaurants, where the pita tastes like cardboard.) The main dish, lamb shank in walnut and pomegranate sauce, was somewhat disappointing. The lamb was fairly tender (though not on par with Greek-style lamb) but I couldn't taste any walnuts or pomegranates whatsoever. It came with a big heap of flavorless rice. I'll update my review when I try some other dishes. I'm a little worried about this place. They've been around forever, but the two times I've been here, it was almost deserted. read more

Pars Cove Restaurant - Lamb Shank Fesenjan - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Absolutely delicious and great prices! They were so sweet and attentive. Will definitely be coming back ! read more

Pars Cove Restaurant - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've walked by this place for a few years and never went in but so glad I finally made it. The restaurant gets busy and I definitely see why. Good food that is not outrageously priced. The staff are all very nice even though they're busy running around. The owner checked in on my friend and I and we finally decided on the entrees to order and she threw in the hummus on the house for us to try. We loved the hummus and it's a perfect starter that isn't too heavy. We ordered the Lamb Koubideh ($18) and Beef Soltani ($21). Both were delicious but I enjoyed the lamb a bit more. It was softer and juicier than the beef in my opinion but both were still great. This is definitely a good spot to come for dinner or even get take out. I remember during Covid they had signs for takeout and I definitely recommend. Their entrees come with soup/salad, the protein, and rice. Perfect for a night in or out to dinner without breaking your bank. read more

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This is a neighborhood gem! My friends and I ate here this past weekend. The restaurant is super cozy and the food was really good! They kindly expanded the dinner for 2 special to be a dinner for 3. The service was fine and they gave me and my gal pal a rose to take home at the end of the meal. Will definitely be coming back read more

I grew up in this neighborhood in the 60s-80s. Been there a handful of times. There are alot of places to eat in this area. I've walked by several times and decided on somewhere else. I decided to try again after a long time. I was not disappointed. My companion wanted lamb shank which is not on the family style menu. I had the lamb and beef kebabs. I don't like to order lamb shank because it' can be fatty. I am so jealous, hers was not fatty at all. Both of my kebabs were so juicy. I will definately be back. read more

Definitely not a busy restaurant, but I thoroughly enjoyed both the appetizers sampler & my chicken dish. read more

Pars Cove Restaurant - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Food: I'd say the food are taste better with the experience, my fav is the appetizer sampler. A great start to enjoy a chill night. Service: we came to the area and check all the restaurants, this one is like a hidden gem, both the server and the owner came outside to invite us very friendly, I'm so grateful that we accept the invitation and enjoyed a unforgettable night with great food, drinks and ofc the rose. The owner Max was talking to us and introduce all the food in detail, Ambiance: again, it's a hidden gem, come visit sometime when you are not in a hurry, sink in the restaurant and smell the romantic vibe at each small corner. Price: $65/2 ppl with discount read more

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A wonderful surprise below street level. Very cozy on a chilly night. Excellent food and staff. Highly recommend!

The first Persian restaurant I've ever been to. I don't know much about their food, but after trying this I'd go back. It was near my sister's new apt and we were looking for somewhere new to take my parents. We got the appetizer sampler to start. Very good choice, had a wide range of items and you got to try several different foods. For my main dish, I got the lamb kofteh. I liked it, had a good amount of meat, and came with rice and veggies on the side. They also had several varieties of sangria to choose from, we went with one of the white ones, sweet and good. It's located on Diversey, in the heart of Lakeview/Lincoln Park, so there's a lot to do in the area. If you're interested in trying Persian food I'd recommend checking this out. It was all good and nothing too extreme or anything. read more

Pars Cove Restaurant - Appetizer Sampler - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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To the owner: please sell this restaurant while you can. The location is great and you can recoup a good profit on just that alone, I'm sure (pending renovations, of course). The meal I had here was so wild that I don't know where to start. The restaurant was empty and looked like a dungeon. The platter for 3 was incredibly small (only a few pieces of meat). The platter itself was a mess. The meat was hidden under heavy stews that wouldn't typically be served that way. My guess is they were trying to obfuscate poor quality meat. The lamb kabob wasn't a kabob but rather a burger patty (hidden under what I'm guessing was supposed to be fesenjan, but was definitely not fesenjan). The khoreshteh sabzi was obviously from frozen and had canned corn in it which was so weird. The whole thing was a mess. The humus was great. But that's not enough to save it. The Sysco ice cream at the end was unnecessary. I left feeling embarrassed to my guests for suggesting we eat here. We all left hungry and I left both hungry and a little grossed-out. read more

There's a reason this place has survived since 1976. The food is OUTSTANDING. The chicken is tender, juicy, and flavorful. The hummus is the perfect texture and has the kind of seasoning to make it uniquely original. Even the rice has its own flavor! Pita bread is perfectly toasted, pan roasted, whatever - it's fresh and delicious. And for a neighborhood night out, it has a delightful patio for al fresco dining. If it couldn't get any better, the service makes you feel like you're at your best friend's home: friendly enough to make you feel welcomed as one of their own yet polite enough to give you your space. I recommend the Chicken Ju-Jah Kabob platter and hummus. Love love love read more

Just a great restaurant! Very homey and the food was so delicious and comforting! I have no idea why this cute, family owned Persian restaurant isn't popular. It would also be a great take out or lunch place too. The main comes with a lentil soup or salad - which was so yum! Service was amazing too. Highly recommend if you're missing some home cooked food! read more

Pars Cove Restaurant - Forgot to take a picture before I started digging in - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We had a great dinner at Pars Cove last weekend in Chicago. We started with the hummus, which was my favorite part of the meal and was so good that we ate the rest with our spoons after we finished the delicious freshly baked flatbread. I ordered the lamb fesenjan and my husband got some beef and lamb skewers. Both were great and we left feeling very satisfied. Our waitress was also lovely and gave us a rose at the end! Highly recommend this cozy spot for a date night, especially if you can sit in the little greenhouse area up front. read more

Purchased a groupon for this establishment quite a while ago when planning my trip. Restaurant location is tricky (big signage out front but located in a basement). Pre-fix dinner included an appetizer sampler, pita bread, soup or salad, entree (up to 18.00), bottle of wine or pitcher of sangria, & dessert. Pita bread was warm and fresh, sampler platter was good and not overwhelming in size. Salad was an arugula mix with a very tasty house vinaigrette dressing. Ordered the chicken tenderloin (breast) kabob plate with rice and a small serving of salad. Dessert was pound cake with ice cream for 2. Chicken was very tender and pound cake was a tad dry. Overall food was good and portions were just right so you didn't leave stuffed and ready to roll out of there. Server and owner were very friendly, personable, and genuinely nice guys. Definitely support this local gem if you are a local or even visiting from out of town like I am! read more

Pars Cove Restaurant - Appetizer sampler - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place is a hidden treasure in plain site! Amazing quiet ambience, absolutely fantastic food and wonderful service! We had the appetizer sampler, lentil soup and a tray with a sampling of different meats, rice, veges. I cant say enough good things about this place! Just go! read more

The first time I came here was more than 15 years ago. I've told myself I'm going to come back over and over again every time I ate middle eastern food, and never did... until tonight. The lamb fesenjeh tasted exactly the same as it did back then. The hummus was so rich and flavorful, and the owner... still the same sweet old man I met 1.5 decades ago. Sometimes, I really don't like going back to places like this because I have a very personal connection to them. And it makes me very sad that father time is catching up to all of us, and memories popping up of past times that I'll never live thru again, with people that I will never see again. I will be back for sure and this time it won't be another 15 years. Also the lamb and chicken are halal for all my Muslim peeps. read more

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We ordered the Kabo Tray and loved it. Our favorite appetizers were the grape leaves, potato salad, hummus, shirazi salad, and cove salad. We loved the lamb koubideh and chicken tenderloin the best, but everything was excellent. The red wine and ice cream were also great. Almost the entire menu is gluten free besides the bread! The wait staff is very nice and generous. We will certainly be coming back. read more

Excellent Persian food, great portion sizes! Shirazi was great, they even included sumac and pita!! Authentic Persian perfection!

Pars Cove has been around since 1976, but my love and I finally made our dining debut here on a recent chilly weeknight to celebrate the anniversary of our first date. She possessed a nice Groupon deal, so it was time for us to have a romantic dinner at Pars Cove. The restaurant has a very long layout, and apparently on less busy days some dining sections are "dark" and left unused. We were seated by our kind server in the "front" of the restaurant, a cozy space that is below the street level of Diversey. Our four-course dinner deal had so many wonderful elements to it. We chose a pitcher of vodka lemonade, a refreshing beverage to complement our Mediterranean food (other drink choices include wine, sangria or martinis). Our parade of food began with the appetizer sampler platter, with delicious dabs of hummus, potato salad, kashk (made with eggplant), dolmeh, salad with cucumber and cheeses, and this fantastic tapenade featuring crushed olives. The pita bread was crisp and went well with the apps. Then came my lentil soup and her salad with a unique onion balsamic vinaigrette. The entrees were yummy, but if you are on the Groupon deal please note that some of the selections have an overage cost of a buck or two. My lamb shank fesenjan was superbly tender and features a distinctive Persian sauce with crushed walnuts and pomegranate. My love enjoyed the lamb koubideh, tasty grilled ground lamb along with a bed of rice. Our shared dessert featured vanilla ice cream with honey and a light carrot cake - yum yum. All the food seemed to be just right. To top it all off, my love was presented with a red rose at the conclusion of our meal. Who does that anyway? The rose giveaway to female diners has apparently been Pars Cove's signature move for years, and my love certainly appreciated the flower (it lasted almost a full week on display at home). Go to Pars Cove with someone special, and your taste buds will be impressed. read more

Wow.... From beginning to end felt like we were having dinner at a family event. The owner was our host and personally came up to the table to help with menu selection. From the appetizers, to the main dish, the food was not only flavorful but so well prepared with attention to detail. We had the platter and hummus as the appetizer, wonderful selection just covering everything.... Would strongly recommend this. For the main course, we had two lamb dishes and a third was the lamb koubodeh, and our fourth was the vegetarian sabzi. The entree had a soup included and to top this off, a wonderful desert with glazed honey and icecream . A feast !! Literally They had both indoor and outdoor seating , since it's chicago and the weather was awesome , we decided to sit inside and loved the brick interior ... classic gave it a warm feel . It was quiet, server was friendly in addition to the owner , can't believe this is almost going to be 50 years for this place in 2026. And after all that to our delight, Mr Pars, the owner brings two beautiful roses for the ladies at the table :) WoW ! Just a wonderful experience read more

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I mean they've stood the test of time for a reason. The ambiance the quality of the cuisine. Just comforting and timeless. What more can one say? read more

I recently dined at Pars Cove in Chicago and I can confidently say that it was a fantastic experience from start to finish. A friend and I ordered the vegetarian tray for 2 and it was the perfect move. The appetizer sampler was a great start to the meal, but what really stood out to me was the hummus. It was absolutely delicious! The lentil soup was equally amazing - it was warm and savory, the perfect comfort food. For our entrees, we ordered one side with fesenjan sauce and the other side with sabzhi. Both dishes were cooked to perfection and packed with flavor. I had never tasted anything like the fesenjan sauce before, but I loved it. The combination of flavors was truly unique and it made the dish unforgettable. Despite the generous portion sizes, the price was very reasonable. We left feeling full and satisfied. The staff was helpful, welcoming, and attentive to our needs.The restaurant itself is beautiful, with a lovely ambiance. read more

Excellent food, delicious flavors, steaming hot and fresh. The service was out standing, we were encouraged to try a veg sampler in the house. It was fresh, and the home made.the pita was great. The soups were include with the main course and came out piping hot. The lamb was perfectly cooked, the vegetarian dishes were fantastic. The ambiance was romantic and quint. We were blown away with the experience. The evening ended with yet another surprise with a sweet platter to share of ice cream and cake with a touch of honey and cinnamon, included with the meal !!!!! AND a fresh long steamed rise to take away. Mr Pars you made our evening in Chicago one to remember. read more

This was one of my favorite places while visiting Chicago. Our friends took us here and it did not disappoint. If you're looking for delicious food with amazing service this is the place! We all still talk about this place to this day. Service went above and beyond making sure we were all taken care of the whole time. I also recommend taking the owner's suggestion on what to order as he wants you to get the most and best out of the experience. But overall, you can't go wrong as everything had so much flavor and was delightful. I still dream of their dessert. Pars Cove has a homey-familial feel and I loved it! Will be back when we visit again. read more

Pars Cove Restaurant - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ordered in Chicken Fesenjan with rice. It tasted terrible and the chicken was smelling. Looked like they just added boiled chicken to the sauce and served it with half cooked rice. It tasted so gross that I threw away the whole thing. Would have given them zero stars if I could. read more

Came here randomly after walking around with my boys (whomst I love) after years of seeing this restaurant but never going in. I wasn't really sure what to expect but we were all blown away after this intimate dining experience shared between the lads. We did two orders of the 4 course meal for two. (Two times two equals four) Crushed the appetizer sampler, followed it up with lentil soup, split kabobs (chicken and shrimp were best in our collective opinion). Dessert isn't here yet but 5 stars no matter what. Will be back with the boys (whomst I love) soon read more

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We have lived near this restaurant for a year now and finally decided to stop in. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but you will not be disappointed by the food! They have some nice outdoors seating and their indoor space has a nice skylight that lets lots of natural light in! We started with hummus and dolmeh, both were unique and delicious! I had veggie fesenjan for my entree and loved the bright pomegranate flavors mixed with the walnut! This is a cute spot that shouldn't be missed!!! read more

Pars Cove Restaurant - Hummus and Dolmeh - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wow wow wow wow. A true hidden gem. Amazing food, somehow- even better service. The ambiance truly transports you to a different world. Max & team will treat you like family and frequently surprise you with little treats. New top 5 restaurant in Chicago. read more

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Max Pars is a staple in the neighborhood. Pars Cove has amazing ambiance, food and service. I always get the appetizer sampler, lentil soup, and chicken kabobs. Such a gem! read more

Pars Cove Restaurant - Amazing food even better service! Thank you Max Pars you are a legend. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We did a delivery order from Pars Cove for 12 people and I could not have been more impressed. Tonight, we were looking for a Mediterranean or a Persian-style meal and they popped up as a good option, so I ordered. Everything was delicious. My whole family, from the kids to us parents to grandparents were very pleased. We had a wide array of dishes from chicken, lamb, salmon to vegetarian. Everything was great. We will certainly order here again. I highly recommend them. read more

Excellent food , original Persion food and friendly atmosphere, perfect place to relax and enjoy the best food and services

What a delight! Went here once and wish I knew about this place sooner. The inside is cozy and intimate. The family that runs this place are wonderful- they are so kind and genuine. We were even served tea for free while we waited for our food to cook! My friend and I got the lunch special. Hummus, kebab, salad, pita, rice, lentil soup, and veggies for $10! A steal. I would add an extra meat kebab the next time I go. Everything was fresh and was cooked fresh! Love this place. Excellent food and customer service. read more

Pars Cove Restaurant - Lunch special! Meat kebab, hummus, pita, salad, rice, veggies. Ate it outside :) - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Everything was absolutely amazing! The food was delicious- my husband is still raving about it 5 days later. Even if you're not a fan of lamb, try the lamb! You won't regret. Owner is so hospitable and kind as well. We will definitely come back soon! read more

Pars Cove was amazing! The food was delicious and service was equally inviting and amazing! We each had meals from the light menu and it was plenty! We started with hummus, it's the best hummus I've held in a long time, followed by chicken and koubidah kabob plate. We finished with a vanilla carrot cake desert! If we lived in Chicago this would be our go to for Persian food! I highly recommend! read more

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Finally ate here after years of walking by and I am not disappointed! The food is amazing! We had the appetizer sampler which was delicious and gives you the opportunity to try several items, some of which I had never had before. We each ordered lamb shanks although prepared differently and both were so good! The meat was literally fall off the bone tender. Everything was delicious! We were served by the owner himself who is so pleasant. And, at the end of your meal, every lady gets a rose. How sweet. :) read more

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This place never disappoints. I've come on and off for 20 years and it always feels like a special occasion. The food and atmosphere are so nice. The food is delicious and the lentil soup I could eat every day. Don't miss out on the little gem. I've known the owner Max and he's always so nice and welcoming.. read more

Pars Cove Restaurant - The front room. Romantic.... Bring a date.. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

One of the best meals I've ever had. Sat outside and enjoyed a complimentary hummus app, had a few glasses of white wine, and the lamb kebabs with rice and salad. It came with a delicious dessert of ice cream and carrot cake, Persian style. Excellent service, I really enjoyed sitting outside, and fair prices for the amazing quality of the food. Can't wait to come back. Yum x 1000! read more

Pars Cove Restaurant - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Me and my boyfriend came here this past weekend. The service is over the top amazing! Our server max was very kind and welcoming. The food was the best I've had in Chicago since moving here. And the best lamb I've ever had. The vibe is very clean, cozy and nicely decorated! With lots of beautiful art and decor to look at while eating. This will definitely become a regular restaurant for us to frequent. read more

After eating here I had to check my hymen (spoiler alert: it was gone). What I'm saying is I lost my virginity at Pars Cove (but not in the gross way) read more

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