five of us were there for an hour crowded into a four person table, ordered 2 pots of hot tea, 3 cold drinks, and an appetizer. we received only the initial free naan with feta, radish, and mint; hot tea; and one bottled drink. we never even got ice water. the hostess told us about halfway through they were out of clean glassware and having trouble getting everything washed, but that was the only explanation we got until we decided to leave, when she said they were understaffed and the kitchen was focusing on online orders rather than the restaurant. the location was pretty and everything was clean and well-kept, but it was too warm, there was a strong glare from the unshaded windows, and it was very loud. it seemed mostly to be set up for family groups. read more

Pretty disappointing experience after I heard all the positive reviews. I was searching for good Persian food. Koobideh specifically. I ordered a family plate meal for 4 people and another koobideh plate for myself. Family plate came with 3 tomatoes and 3 jalapeños for 4 people. The koobideh was dry and bland. And on top if it all my order pick up was late. Not sure why the reviews are so good but my experience was lacking. Terrible service and food will not be back. read more

Shandeez Grill - Family Plate 1 - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Austin, Texas

I love Persian food and was excited to try Shandeez Grill after reading all the positive reviews. My first impression upon entering was hopeful, as I encountered a clean, well kept restaurant with friendly servers. However, the food left a lot to be desired. We ordered: - Kashk-o-bademjan. This was an interesting and unique starter. - Mixed kabob platter. The chicken kabob was overcooked, the beef koobideh kabob was flavorless, and the rice was undercooked. - Falafel was extremely dry and difficult to eat. - Pita bread was hard and tasted stale The hot tea was tasty and presented nicely. Probably the best part of the meal. To top it off, this restaurant is expensive! I spent $75 on a mediocre, disappointing meal. I would not recommend. read more

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Today is turning out to be a plant based day with a fruit parfait for breakfast. For lunch I decided to have hummus, which was made with a blend of tahini sauce, chick peas mixed with fresh lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. The hummus was thick with a perfect flavor profile. I packed half to go as it was a large portion. Amar was an amazing server! He immediately brought pita bread, cheese and butter to the table. He pretty brought water to the table pretty quickly along with a to go container and bag. Pretty chill vibe in Shandeez Grill... read more

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Stopped into Shandeez Grill on Anderson Mill when I wanted something that felt home-cooked but still restaurant-level (and I didn't feel like doing the "where should we eat?" loop for 30 minutes). Atmosphere: Quiet, comfortable, and more "family dinner" than flashy date-night. It's a simple dining room, but it's clean and relaxed--easy to actually talk without yelling over music. The kind of place where you can tell regulars come in a lot. Food: This is what you come for. I went the kabob route--juicy, charred in the right spots, and seasoned so you actually taste the meat (not just smoke). Rice was fluffy and came out hot, and the grilled tomato/veggies were a perfect add-on. Also grabbed a yogurt-based side (maast style) and it was super refreshing between bites--especially if you're doing anything spicy or super savory. If you've never had Persian food, this is a solid entry point: it's flavorful without being intimidating, and everything feels filling without being heavy. Service: Friendly and patient--no rushing, no weird attitude, just genuinely helpful. They'll explain dishes if you're unsure, and everything came out at a good pace. It felt like they wanted you to enjoy your meal, not just flip the table. Wrap-up: If you're in NW Austin and want legit Persian comfort food--kabobs, rice, stews, the whole deal--Shandeez is a really easy recommendation. Great "treat yourself" dinner that still feels warm and low-key. read more

Introducing friends to Persian food is always a joy, and Shandeez Grill was the perfect place to do it. We shared the mixed kebab platter, and everything from the fresh sabzi starter to the endless rice, perfectly grilled kebabs, and hot chai at the end of the meal was delicious. Just as memorable as the food was the warm, welcoming service that made us feel right at home. Visiting during Nowrooz was an extra bonus and made the experience feel even more special. خیلی ممنونم read more

Shandeez Grill - Kebab and all the lovelies - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Austin, Texas

I rarely write negative reviews, but I believe honest feedback is important and I hope this feedback is taken constructively. Persian food is known for flavor and quality, and this experience fell short of those expectations. Given that this is one of the only 2 Persian restaurants in Austin, we were actually really excited to try it.. The food overall was bland and felt low quality. The barg was extremely chewy and rubbery, with an odd texture and appearance. The chicken breast tasted frozen and lacked freshness and the koobideh was mediocre at best. Unfortunately, the bread served at the beginning with cheese looked as though it had been taken from another table and reheated. It had residue on it, as if it had been sitting with other food, which was off-putting and immediately affected our appetite. We mentioned and showed our waiter the barg and how rubbery it was and impossible to separate. Our waiter was polite and apologetic, though he was not responsible for the food itself. But the response was an offer of ice cream for dessert. We spent $110 for two people and left roughly 70% of the food untouched. The only item that was decent was the tahdig with ghormeh sabzi and gheymeh. Aside from that, it was a disappointing experience. read more

We came for a late Tuesday lunch and shared an appetizer and an entrée plate. Upon sitting down, we were greeted with a complimentary appetizer of pita bread, walnuts, butter, and feta cheese. I understand that the plates were refrigerated, but I would have preferred the walnuts to be dry. That said, it was a generous offering, and the feta added a nice punch to start the meal. I had seen Tahdig online and was excited to find it on the menu, so we decided to order it along with a kebab plate to shae between the two of us. The Tahdig was definitely an adventure! The rice was very crispy and remained so even with the two large portions of sauce/topping on it. I preferred the Gheymeh (split pea stew)--the sauce was mild in flavor but packed with texture, pairing well with the crispy rice. The Ghormeh Sabzi (peas with spinach and leek) was a bit too sour for my taste, but I appreciated the opportunity to try it. We didn't end up finishing the Tahdig, but having it on the menu with two sauces to sample made the experience more enjoyable than just judging the dish at face value. As for the kebab plate, the Koobideh and naan were quite decent! The dish included two kebabs, four pieces of naan, onion, and roasted tomatoes. The beef kebab smelled great and was juicy. The onion added both flavor and texture, while the roasted tomato helped balance out the richness of the meat. We shared the plate between the two of us, and it was very filling by the end of the meal. We didn't finish the appetizer but did finish the entrée plate, leaving us satisfied. The restaurant's interior is traditionally furnished--don't let that deter you! The server was very friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu. The restaurant is also adjacent to a bakery. I was too full for dessert this time, but the cakes looked delicious, and I'll definitely stop by next time! read more

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The best kabobs in Persian style i have found in austin - flavor packed, tender, served with fluffy rice absent the oily coating found elsewhere. The joojeh kabob was phenomenal (bone in Cornish hen) and basically its all good. Reasonable price point given the quality ($18-25 entrees) since lunch at chipotle is $20 these days! Attentive service and a clean decor round it out for me. Give this spot a try you wont regret it. read more

Shandeez Grill - Joojeh and koobideh kabob plate (added the beef to the Joojeh Kabob order) - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Austin, Texas

I don't live in Austin, I live in Killeen. In 2009, an Iranian American here in Killeen recommended me to this excellent Persian restaurant. Ever since then, every chance I'm in the Austin area, I do my best to have an enormous appetite and visit such a fine establishment. Yesterday, 6/27/2026, I paid a visit again. And like before, there is no disappointment; the food is excellent, but this time I had the pleasure of having Jiyan wait on my table. What a hustler and attentive young man. Outstanding service from this dude. Quick, fast, and accurate, and on point in the service he provided. Highly recommend. Kudos to Yiyan; hopefully, I get lucky again, and he waits on my table next time I go there. read more

Overall experience was wonderful.... Me n my 96yr old grandmother came for our weekly Friday lunch dates and for decided to try this place and it didn't disappoint The waitress was very sweet kind n attentive (not overbearing like some places) The inside was super super cute n posh at fist we felt like we were underdressed but as soon as we sat down we felt welcomed n right at home They have beautiful chandeliers and a rose at every table Complimentary pita with butter Walnuts n feta as soon as u sit down We ordered the ground meat IT WAS AMAZING!!!!! Extremely soft and full of flavor Even asked if they could add some crispy rice and they did no problem! But when they say fluffy rice !!!! It's fluffy!! We were full from that but we can not wait to return and try the Persian ice cream I've been craving since ever seeing this place They also have a little bakery with beautiful desert! Lots of parking, easy to find, super cute windows and clean clean bathrooms read more

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By Far the worst Persian food I ever had in my life , not sure what that meat is they call beef . Chicken was bland , I ended up eating the feta and pita and that even tasted old , not sure how these people managed to stay in business for so many years? I guess no competition for the gringos to compare it to, because I know no Persian would go back to this place after trying it once . read more

Shandeez Grill - Joojeh soltani - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Shandeez is the best! Authentic tasting, great service, large portions, really nothing like it.

There are reportedly two Persian restaurants in town and this is definitely the better one. It has a bakery next door (together), great food, great experience. Ps: Maybe could add a little more cultural decorations, music and experience? It will make it more fun for the customers. read more

Excellent food, wonderful owner and staff. Elisa bakery is also located next door with mouth watering tastes read more

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Shandeez used to be our go to for years and years. The last time we ordered (2+ years ago) it was not the same. We have not returned until today for another to go order. I ordered the family meal for 4 with all ground beef kabobs (kubideh). They were quite thin not substantial (but juicy and tasty). We were 2 adults and 2 kids and we also ordered an appetizer and it was not enough food. (we had plenty of rice left ) This was my family. Had I ordered this for guests or 4 adults I would have been embarrassed because we wouldn't have had enough food. There were no grilled tomatoes or herbs provided and the pita wasn't fresh. Their feta cheese was authentic and they gave us walnuts and butter. Unfortunately I can't recommend what we ordered. I recommend they change the description of this item on their website because it will not feed 4 adults. It came with five kebabs, two containers of rice, a small piece of onion, some feta cubes, walnuts, and some pita. I think if they increased the number of kebabs, this would feed four people. I did not enjoy the kash benejan appetizer. It was quite sour. read more

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Incredibly delicious Persian food. We ordered takeout and everything was perfect. Generous portions with lots of flavor. We will be coming back! read more

Excellent Persian dishes as experienced historically. However, I no longer see the complimentary appetizer of pita bread, walnuts, butter, and feta cheese which was a disappointment was considering the entree prices have gone up. Will go visit the restaurant again in the future? Of course I will. read more

Excellent service and incredible food too! Highly recommend you make a reservation as many people know about this local treasure! If possible save room for dessert!!!!! read more

Tanmay's scale: - Scrumptiousness: 4/5 - Service: 5/5 - Ambience: 5/5 - Cleanliness: 5/5 - Value for money: 3/5 - Vegetarian friendly: 3/5 - Parking: 5/5 We had veggie kabob and falafel plate for our lunch. Falafel were tasty, and well plated. However there were no kabobs in veggie kabob plate. It was a few grilled veggies with rice and hummus. It was a good experience. read more

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It is with a great pleasure to express my utmost experience at the SHANDEEZ GRILL RESTAURANT in Austin-TX. As always, we had a wonderful experience with the Quality of Food & Services... I have been going to this Restaurant for the past (9) Years. It is and has been a Family-Own Business, with a great consideration in maintaining a Clean & Friendly Dining-Environment, where you can feel comfortable to take your time to enjoy the Authentic Persian-Food with your Family & Friends... I also read quit many Positive-Reviews , and a few Negative-Reviews. Please keep in mind that, Persian-Food is way different to prepare, which takes time and time and effort to prepare... I highly recommend to provide a feedback, as I always do.... This is the only way, management would truly understand the Quality, Size, Amount, Smell, Cleanliness, Serving, anything and everything about their Products and Services. I hope you all enjoy the Persian-Food, as much as I do... read more

Excellent food and service. Husband had the lamb shank and it was very tender, melt in your mouth. I had chicken kabob salad and it was delicious. read more

Shandeez Grill - Baghali Polo with Lamb Shanks - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Great little place. Good food, great atmosphere, nice staff. Will be back to try more of the menu.

This is a Five Star Review on a menu I normally hate. I absolutely adore Persian food. It is one of my favorite cuisines on the planet. But I am very fussy about my Persian food. I want genuine complicated exotic Persian dishes. I want Rice with a beautiful crust burned into the bottom. I want elaborate stews with tart berries mixed in with the meat. I want tea with sugar balls the size of an egg that you hold in your mouth. I want soup made with lamb tripe. Most of the famous Persian dishes have ingredients that you only get in the Middle East. In contrast - Shandeez uses plain ordinary American ingredients. Much of the menu involves gyros and gyro meat. Nearly everything else uses items you could buy in an HEB. These are Persian recipes adapted for the American Restaurant Supply Industry. This normally puts me in a sour mood. But Shandeez is a five star place. * * * Why does Shandeez get five stars? Because they somehow find remarkable versions of these simple raw ingredients. The ingredients may be obtainable in an HEB - but THEIR versions of those ingredients are not. Their versions are better, much better. I was immediately and totally in love. * * * Of special note: a) the best feta cheese in Austin that is not Phoenicia Deli's French feta cheese. b) the best pita bread that is not Phoenicia Deli's own pita bread ... and in the case of Phoenicia you sort of have to eat yours the same day. c) superior Gyro meat d) high quality olives. e) great great great raw onions * * * They give you a free starter of pita bread, butter, their special deal feta cheese, raw onions and walnuts. Frankly, you don't need anything else. I could eat basket after basket after basket of that combo. I virtually never put butter on pita bread. James Beard claims the best sandwich he ever invented was white bread, butter and raw onion. You can make that sandwich yourself off the starter plate at Shandeez. It is just as good as James Beard says. But that feta cheese is going to be hard to ignore - and the walnuts add all sorts of interest. * * * Servings are huge here. One appetizer can easily be a meal for you. They have an appetizer of kalamata olives, feta cheese and the pita bread. I would look at that one very very seriously. But we did the smoked eggplant appetizer. It was utterly insane. I had a gyro salad That item is straight off of the American menu list - here called Greek, rather than American. The salad looks small but isn't. The amount of gyro meat looks ungenerous but it isn't. It turns out that there is layer after layer after layer of gyro meat, with the greek dressing, lettuce and tomato cutting the gyro perfectly. I would have that dish again in a nanosecond. My vegetarian wife adored her grilled vegetables with hummus. The couple we were with got lamb and chicken kebabs respectively. Their plates were huge with vast amounts of rice, good grilled tomatoes and first rate kebabs. * * * Simple grilled meats make up most of the menu although there are a teeny tiny number of stews. My gyros and my co-diners kebabs suggest that grilled meat will do you just fine at Shandeez. * * * So save your elaborate Persian dishes for great cities with large diaspora Persian populations. You can eat like a shah in Los Angeles or London. For the simple Persian pleasures of life, it is hard to beat Shandeez. Now lets have about ten more of those baskets of bread, butter, onion and feta cheese. read more

The food is good. Chicken Soltani is juicy and delicious. Lamb Shank is so tender but the broth is not flavorful. The ambiance is nice. Customer service is good. read more

Shandeez Grill - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Austin, Texas

I reallllllly wanted to like this place. We stopped by for a late lunch and ordered chicken shawarma Greek salad & chicken shawarma plate. The plate came with one skewer which was disappointing for a $20+ price point. Not to mention it wasn't very flavorful. Same for the skewer on the salad. The greens were wilting and dressing tasted soured in my opinion. Everyone likes things flavored a little differently, but for me it's a pass. Highlights were the ambiance was sweet and somewhat romantic in an unpretentious way. The waitress was lovely and very tentative but the food did take a bit long. Give it a try and see for yourself, definitely has potential read more

The food was excellent !! The sweet girl serving us explained everything well. The makhloot was a must try. Overall very satisfied with the food. read more

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Very good Persian food with a variety of authentic dishes (as far as I, not having been to the Middle East) can tell. They have some Greek style standards like Gyros and Tabouleh but I think the real point of the restaurant is the Persian dishes - different kabobs, stews and other items that you might not see every day. Menu is fairly large and quality of food is high. read more

I came here last weekend with a friend and the food was not great. I tried the lamb shank which had virtually no flavor and the broth tasted like hot water. The shirazi salad was okay but definitely not worth 8 dollars for the tiny bowl. Overall, the food was not worth it for the very high price point. I can't believe I spent almost 40 dollars for just the meal and a salad, will not be back. read more

Great food and service! Food tastes authentic and homemade. I recommend the koobide plate, the ghormeh sabzi and the gheymeh pollo.

Wow!!!! Wow!!!! Reallly good Persian food. The BEST rice I've ever had. Munching on a Cornish hen skewer with grilled tomatoes, rice, sumac, butter, feta and I couldn't stop "ummmmmmmmmmm"ing!!!! New favorite find! read more

Food here is great! One of the few Persian places in town. The kabobs (and kabob platters) are delicious. Shirazi salad was very tangy. Kashke Bademjan was good. There's also a French bakery attached. Service was lacking a bit when we've been, and ambiance was ok but was loud due to other guests' children whining for a long time (which the restaurant can't do much about this). Normally it's more quiet. Definitely recommend for Iranian food! read more

Shandeez Grill - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Wont be coming back! Food it super overpriced and bland and had to wait forever for a simple meal.

I had lunch here with my family twice previously service was very slow but food was acceptable. The third visit this past weekend was not a good experience. The cheese served with pita bread was poor quality, when we asked for "Sabsi" we were told that they don't serve that. All the varieties of kabobs were mediocre and dry. " Zereshk Polo" was too sweet with no other flavor. My family were very disappointed and I don't think that we will come back again. read more

Best middle eastern food in Austin. I've had a lot kabobs in my life. Persians and Iranians make the best. Kabob was fresh and tender!

Food: great! Yummy, tender, and flavorful chicken and meat. Service: v. good Ambience: need some update and renovation read more

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Truly a 5 star place. The food is SO DELICIOUS! I got the chance to check this place out and it was so lovely and actually unexpected. Usually I feel like I get into the usual rut with mediterranean food all seeming a little bleh but this restaurant was divine. I could have eaten the pita starter with walnuts and cheese alone. I definitely recommend splurging and trying everything- we had the vegetarian platter and split the kabob plate which was perfect to get a real taste. Food is amazing, service was great and the restaurant itself was very nicely set with an upscale bistro touch. 10/10 read more

Shandeez Grill - Vegetarian Plate with Dolmeh and Mixed Kabob with Hummus. The perfect ordering combo!!! - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Well, having read some great reviews, we were ready to try this restaurant. We were a bit disappointed. I ordered the lamb kabob and while it was well seasoned, the meat was very tough. Service was a bit slow but the server was pleasant. Prices are on the steep side but we knew this before we went and expected the quality of the meat to be better to warrant the price. Overall, an OK experience but I don't think we will go back. read more

Bad location, low quality service, ok food, very high pricing. Will not come back and they will not be in business for long.

We have been going here for over 7 years since we moved to Austin. The quality of the food has been going down hill over the last few years. We plan to look for different Mediterranean food places in the future. read more