Love this place! Best lamb skewers I have ever had. So tender! Flavors were wonderful. Naan - Amazing Lamb Kabobs - Best Ever! Chicken Masala - Sooo good! Would so recommend! read more

I ordered from DoorDash and was very disappointed. I had been craving Persian food, and unfortunately, this did not satisfy that craving at all. I ordered the beef soltani with zereshk polo for $38.36, tahdig with gheymeh for $15.60, and a small side of shallot dip for $2.08. The DoorDash menu is misleading. They should really indicate the portion sizes in ounces. The "small" was more like a sample size, about the size of a condiment container and maybe two bites at most. The flavor was not even good, so I am glad I did not order a larger portion. Overall, the food was very average. Nothing really stood out to me. Since I did order on DoorDash, I will say it was packaged nicely, however they did not provide utensils or sumac. read more

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Sadaf absolutely delivers on flavor. I ordered the ghormeh sabzi, and the dish had the kind of depth I look for in Persian food: herbaceous, savory, and brightened by the unmistakable tang of dried lime. The portion size was generous, the saffron rice was a nice touch, and overall the food felt rooted in tradition rather than toned down. Where things fell apart was the pickup experience. I drove about 20 minutes and still ended up waiting around 30 more minutes inside before my order was ready. The bigger issue was not just the delay, but how poorly it was handled. The front of house seemed overwhelmed, communication was minimal, and there was little acknowledgment of the inconvenience. So for me, Sadaf is a place where the kitchen clearly outshines the service. The food was good enough that I would order again, but the pickup process needs serious improvement. read more

I have ordered food from Sadaf for 20+ years, always great and super nice people! Every items is delicious and Persian Cuisine is considered tops in the Middle east as well as Turkish Cuisine. read more

Absolute banger. The food makes you feel like youre home. I got their beef koobideh plate and a side of the cucumber yogurt and it was amazing. The naan is freshly made and has the right crisp. The service was fairly quick and the ambiance is nice and quiet. Would definitely recommend this local shop and would come back again read more

Sadaf - Crisp Naan - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Diego, California

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This establishment has been my favorite place to eat since I've lived in downtown San Diego(I left for Texas in 2005, but come to San Diego often with my job). I usually order from DoorDash, bc it's usually too far from where I'm staying, but I'm staying in downtown today, so I decided to walk there and dine in. It wasn't busy since it was after lunch. I ordered vegetable soup, Salmon Kabob(my usual), Persian tea and Gormeh Sabzi to go for tomorrow. My server was very kind and welcoming. The soup was delicious(greens, beans and noodles). Salmon Kabob was hot and tasty and Persian tea was amazing. This establishment is spacious and comfortable(outside dining is also available). The weather was so beautiful today and I'm so glad I walked over here to eat. I highly recommend this hidden gem. read more

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Food Quality: * Service: ** Setting: *** Cost: ** I honestly don't understand the hype around Sadaf Persian Restaurant in San Diego. It's easily one of the worst Persian places I've been to. I've had Persian food at plenty of places, and this just didn't cut it. The barg (skewered beef) was tough and chewy, not at all what I expected. I could barely get through it--it felt more like I was chewing on rubber. The chicken was another letdown: dry and overcooked, lacking any sort of flavor or tenderness. Definitely not worth the price. The service wasn't bad, but it also wasn't anything special. The restaurant itself was fine, just a basic setting with no real charm. Overall, I was extremely disappointed, especially considering how much I was looking forward to a good Persian meal. I won't be coming back here. There are so many better options in San Diego for Persian food. Definitely don't recommend it. read more

Sadaf - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Diego, California

I wouldn't say the food was out of this world, BUT it's a great place to sit down and talk with friends and eat Persian food. It's pretty cozy inside and the service was a 1000/10, and you definitely will feel valued as a customer. Armand (If i remember his name correctly) was SO kind and made this restaurant really stand out! Definitely worth a try if you're in the area! read more

Sadaf - interior - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Diego, California

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After many days at comic con recently my group was just wanting to eat somewhere away from the crowd on 5th and our Airbnb was down the street and we were feeling like some Persian or anything along the Mediterranean My friend was like hey this place seems cool and without the major crowds coming down that far on 5th we should have no issues Well the place.had a few tables in service outside but we arrived and quickly realized service may be slow because it was just one person doing the job for everything but the cooking but hey we understand I get it Can't fault that but yeah we sat inside and after a good wait on all things we eventually get some drinks and eventually our food and the food was actually good we liked it Lot but we definitely felt they needed more help that night and our order got a little mixed up but again we get it with the guy doing the best he could Like I said all food we got was good! read more

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I went here with my mom after craving some persian food, we were also looking for a persian food cater for my wedding. We stopped by this past Sunday to try some different dishes for my wedding. We had a few starters, the baba ganoush and dolmeh were amazing! There dolmehs are made in house and they taste just the way you'd have them at grandmas house! We tried their chicken kabob, koobideh and bar kabob. The chicken was well seasoned and flavorful, and our beef was juicy and tasteful as well. I was really impressed with the food quality. I'm really excited and looking forward to trying more of their dishes! read more

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An absolutely amazing meal with a Persian version of babaghanoush, and a stew called fessenjan with chicken! The service was good, considering that they seemed a bit understaffed, and our waitress was very helpful and friendly. This has been the best meal I've had in San Diego, and it's the best Persian food I've ever had! read more

Sadaf - Bowl of Fessenjan with chicken - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Diego, California

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The food was wonderfully delicious. We went at an 'off' time, 3pm, for a late lunch, so we were the only customers. The service was great -- and by the owner! Our only concern/warning is that when the check came the prices didn't match what was on the menu. (Only a couple dollars more, but transparency matters.) When we inquired about the discrepancy the owner said it was due to an additional credit card charge. We then asked why it wasn't disclosed on the menu, and she claimed it was not legally required of her. NOT TRUE! Per Google: "In California, recent legislation mandates that any mandatory fees, including credit card surcharges, must be clearly displayed at checkout. This means that if a restaurant charges an extra fee for credit card payments, it must inform customers upfront." We would certainly go back for the food, I would just check the menu for the disclosure first. read more

Wow!! I enjoyed this place. I love Fessenjun and Koobedeh, and they make both that taste delicious. Lovely place, nice atmosphere. Two thumbs up definitely! read more

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The. Food. So so so good, prices weren't bad at all and the portions are very generous. Went out with my parents- I got Albaloo Polo and some appetizers, 10/10!! Waiter was so friendly, and the place was surprisingly not busy for the quality and area. Next time I'm in San Diego I'll be back! read more

Sadaf - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Spectacular food and amazing service. I've been to Iran a couple times and this is the closest Resturant I've had to be close to it. Amazing. read more

Warning there is absolutely no way this restaurant is getting 5 stars.. their menu is a scam and the food is horrible.. we ordered four meals with grilled chicken, a bowl of soup, sides of tzatziki sauce from DoorDash. all we received was four bowls of rice and some soup for $90.00 . When we called them to ask about the order the man on the other line was rude and basically told us that four small bowls of rice costed $90.00. .. there was more to this story that is seriously unbelievable... bottom line is do not support this establishment. Trust is quality ingredients, flavorful food, with kind service if all you will not find here.. read more

Sadaf - Bland sour tasting rice.. - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Diego, California

Excellent food Excellent service We enjoyed the food very much. Had lunch with 3 kids, we cleaned all the plates . read more

Great food and plenty of it. Not only was the ambiance authentic and welcoming, service was top notch. The baba ganoosh appetizer with naan was so well done, eggplant roasted to perfection that I could not stop thinking about it. Our main courses, from the lamb kabobs to the juicy ground beef and flavorful rice were not only fulfilling but an experience. Thank you! read more

The food is absolutely delicious! Some of the most flavorful Persian food I have ever tasted, and we've been to some good spots. The server was very friendly and accommodating with our party (my daughter kept spilling water ) and she told me they even do take out orders for parties. Will definitely be coming back read more

We had dinner here after seeing a show at The Balboa. Everyone enjoyed their meals. My friend raved about the cherry rice. My beef barg was tender and delicious. The price was good for the quality. Service was great. read more

Sadaf - Beef barg - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Diego, California

Excellent Persian Friendly service Nice atmosphere Sat outside very nice Good value. read more

Sadaf - Shishlleek filet - - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Diego, California

Very great and healthy food and environment , nice staffs and they care of customers very well.

Get the beef shish kabob, Luke saved my life. It was so good! We parked two blocks up and walked over in the nice night air because the poles had the street closed near by but they validate! You can park at Horton and theyll validate so it's a sweet deal. Also Halal! We were happy. read more

Sadaf - Beef Shish Kabob - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Diego, California

Amazing food and great friendly service from our service Luke. We will definitely be back when in San Diego! read more

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Great Persian food. The mast mousir and bread was something else. Chicken kabob and kabob koobideh very good. Very good service and the ambiance is nice. Best Persian food in San Diego. read more

First time visited Sadaf restaurant in San Diego, and I loved the quality of ingredients, I'm so sensitive to low quality meats and oil, after ate there it was like I ate at home, real olive oil and good meat, if it was different I would be sick the day after. Loved the beef kebab and chicken. The borani was interesting style and tasted good, I will be there this weekend again. The owner was friendly she really cared about the customers experience. read more

I had group of 22 guest for dinner for a celebration. Food came out perfect hot and tasted fresh off the grill on meats. Bread and appetizers were amazing. Service was also good, Luke handled our group well. Thank you! read more

Tired from a long driving trip we happened into this restaurant and enjoyed a beautiful Persian meal of lamb kebabs and salad with cucumber, tomatoes, onions, and feta cheese with a nice glass of wine. Arman was our waiter who greeted us formally and took care of our every need. We were very glad to have happened upon this restaurant. Plus, it was a very calming atmosphere with a beautiful video of Italy and Persian music playing in the background. It was just what I needed. read more

Was a toss between 3 and 4 stars but ended up giving 4. Ordered the soltani, chicken kabob, and cucumber yogurt dip. First I thought it was kind of weird for them to give garlic Nan instead of Persian bread but the Nan was tasty. The chicken kabob was very good and tender so I would definitely recommend. The soltani was a different story. The koobahdi was standard and good but the filet was not filet. It literally tasted like carne asada which I have never experienced at a Persian restaurant before. Price point was on the level for the quality of the food. read more

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Went for a late lunch. Service was good. Clean restaurant. Kabab was juicy. Not the juiciest Irani kabab I have had but still pretty good. 4.5/5 rounded to 5. Would love to visit again. read more

Sadaf - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Diego, California

We had a fantastic dinner at Sadaf Persian Restaurant in San Diego. We ordered the Kabab Soltani and the fish and also tahdig.All the dishes were absolutely delicious. The Kabab Soltani was tender, flavorful, and perfectly grilled exactly how it should be. The portion size was generous, and the saffron rice was light and fragrant. The fish was incredibly fresh and well-seasoned, with a beautiful char that added just the right texture. Service was friendly and attentive, and the overall atmosphere felt warm and welcoming. You can tell this place takes pride in delivering authentic Persian flavors. Highly recommend if you're craving quality Persian food in a relaxed and cozy setting. We'll definitely be back! read more

My parents were in town for a conference so I had a couple of nights to explore gaslamp with them. They were craving Persian so we found this spot right in the middle of downtown. On a Friday night, it was not too busy. We were immediately seated. I ordered a ground beef kebab with some chopped steak mixed with my rice. It was solid. I left with half of my plate to go. I agree with the owner here, you will never leave this spot hungry. Their portions are massive. read more

Sadaf - Ground beef kebab with steak mixed with rice. - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Diego, California

I enjoyed the lamb shank that was tender and flavorful, alongside perfectly grilled lamb skewers that were juicy and seasoned to perfection. The lamb koobideh was also a highlight, it was first time to have and I like it greatly. The service was attentive and friendly, making for a truly enjoyable dining experience. read more

Excellent food each and every time! The owner is a very nice lady and always accommodates your request. Excellent service by a very friendly and attentive server Luke! read more

Sadaf Persian food is a great find! Wonderful food, super-friendly staff, and a relaxed, welcoming vibe. The egg plant borani and Kabobs were out of this world -- I could honestly eat it every day. read more

If you're in the Gaslamp and want a great dining experience, go to Sadaf Persian Restaurant! The food is super fresh, full of flavor, and the team makes you feel right at home. Don't miss the baba ghanoush -- it's incredible. read more

The Chicken Soltani and Sadaf salad is my go to. Excellent food and service. I highly recommend.

The food was incredible. Probably the best Persian I've had across many states! Waitstaff were prompt and friendly. Felt comfortable sitting as a large group of families with kids. read more

The service is excellent, Ilaf welcomed us and helped us to navigate the menu. She is a great stewardess of Persian cuisine! The restaurant is elegant and The babaganush is awesome hands down the best I have ever had up to now!!! Eggplant stew and rack of lamb... It is worth to fly once a year to eat here!!! 6 stars if I could! read more

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Food 10/10, service 100/10. I don't usually use Yelp but wow, this place is incredible. I had a large event and we were looking to spice things up and order different food than the usual. Sadaf's owner was SO helpful and patient with our chaotic ordering, with our party size (30ish), and all our different orders. The food was AMAZING. Lamb rack melted in our mouths and the vegan options had so much flavor. I especially enjoyed their ghormeh sabzi. I've had the bread before and while it's usually served warm at the restaurant it was just a little room temp but as expected at a large event like we had. Got lucky with this one! read more