Rumi's Kitchen DC was an absolute standout and one of my favorite meals in DC. The flavors were…read moreoutstanding, and what impressed me most was how beautifully they let the meat shine without overwhelming it with spices or sauces. Even the vegetarians in our group were raving about the food. We ordered the lamb merguez, mushroom hummus, eggplant appetizer, and a family-style spread of soltani kebab, lamb kebab, and chicken barg. Everything was packed with flavor and beautifully prepared. The portions are HUGE, so definitely plan to share. I also loved the fresh sabzi served with pita--it was such a simple but delicious addition. The mocktails were excellent as well and paired beautifully with the food. Service was outstanding. We were a large group, and the team took excellent care of us with quick, attentive, and friendly service throughout. The ambience is fantastic, with a rustic, warm vibe that makes the restaurant feel both lively and inviting. Between the incredible food, generous portions, and excellent service, Rumi's Kitchen is an easy recommendation and a place I'd happily return to.

When my wife and I lived in Atlanta, Rumi's first location in Sandy Springs represented our…read morefavorite restaurant in the metro area. It has since expanded into other markets. A recent visit to DC with some dear friends provided the perfect opportunity to check out their branch here and assess how it compares to the original. Happily, I found the food here essentially equivalent to what I sampled at the Atlanta locations, that is, excellent. We started with the sabzi and bread service, which pairs Rumi's excellent and freshly baked Persian style naan with fresh herbs and feta cheese, which makes for a light and refreshing start to the meal. Our appetizers comprised the lamb hummus, the fatoush salad, kashk-bademjan eggplant dip, and the duo of yogurts. All were great, with the classic, creamy eggplant and the tangy, cooling yogurt duo standing out for me personally. We ordered three entrees, including the lamb kebab, beef soltani combination, and the duck fesenjan stew. All the kebabs possessed a juicy texture, great seasoning, and had an excellent cook. The duck had a tangy sweet flavor profile that may not be for everyone but was nonetheless satisfying with rice. Speaking of the rices, the fluffy grains complimented all of our dishes well and we particularly enjoyed the dill-fava bean as well as the lentil-raisin renditions. Do note that portions here are generous, and splitting entrees is suggested especially if you opt for a decent number of appetizers as we did. Special mention should be made of the cocktails at Rumi's. While I personally did not have a mixed drink, my friends all raved about the flavor profiles of their libations and found them refreshing and balanced relative to others we had in the city. Service here meets the high standard I experienced at the Atlanta locations, and our waitress was helpful and attentive. The space itself is bright and strikes a great balance between rustic Persian accents and more modern, swanky touches. Overall, Rumi's offers a well rounded Persian dining experience with great food, drinks, service, and ambiance which is hard to beat. It's well worth a visit for any fan of Middle Eastern flavors, and my wife and I are already planning our next meal here.

This place is truly a gem. Best Persian food in the area. And that's saying a lot since there are…read moremany excellent Persian restaurants in the Baltimore area. Everything on the menu is fantastic! Get the hummus app. Get kabobs... any kind. Also try the Khoresh!

Best Iranian food i've had in a while and one of the better places overall in Baltimore. We tried…read morethe grilled chicken thigh and the barg filet mignon and they were both excellent. The beef koubideh was decent but much preferred the grilled meats. They were out of tahdig unfortunately but would love to try it next time.

Went with a group, we ordered a couple of shareable items such as the Potato Gratin, Beef and…read moreChicken Skewers, the Lamb with rice, Falafel - all amazing dishes. Went during lunch and wasn't too busy. Honestly, I walk past this place all the time and I think what this place might need is better signage. I'm so glad I stopped by, it was sooooo good. I will definitely be coming in more. You won't regret coming here! Also, the decor is super cultural and clean.

July 2026: I recently went back to KooKoo with a friend and we shared the Kashk Bademjan, Khoresh…read moreFesenjoon, and the Gigot of Lamb. I also ordered the salmon to-go. The ambiance and service were both good, and all the dishes were delicious. In particular, the Kashk Bademjan was creamy, smoky, and flavorful. However, the protein-to-rice ratio for all the main dishes was extremely low, especially for the price point. Notably, the salmon I ordered to go had just two medium chunks of salmon with a lot of rice for $35. To KooKoo's credit, when I mentioned this, they apologized and made it up to me. Additionally, there was a minimal amount of lamb once we took it off the bone and there was a lot of plain rice left over. Nonetheless, the food quality and taste itself is great. February 2025: I recently went here with two friends for a weeknight dinner and loved my experience. While the food came out on the slow side, the ambiance was good, the food was worth the wait, and KooKoo's prices are fair for the dishes and portions. KooKoo started by giving us complementary bread and seasoned vegetables, both of which were delicious. We shared the Tahdig, which was fantastic. The rice had perfect crispiness and the stew was a great hearty complement. I got the Khoresh Fesenjoon for my main and enjoyed it. While I wish there had been more meat in my stew to even out the stew-to-rice ratio, it was flavorful, with perfectly cooked chicken and rice, the right amount of pomegranate molasses, and good crunch with the walnuts. I look forward to going back to KooKoo!

Place is clean, no parking lot at the restaurant but street parking close-ish, up north on Belt rd…read more(ok in good weather but you wish it was closer if bad weather). I was craving kebab and this unfortunately did not hit the spot for me. We got lamb and chicken kebab combo (#5) and ghormeh sabzi. The meats were bland and very dry. Usually when I order lamb kebab I expect full of flavor and juicy, but this lamb was TOUGH like I had to really chew and there was no flavor. Ghormeh was bland too and not that many cubes of beef. Pita bread and rice were both good. The staff were friendly but not really helpful...we asked what ghormeh was and he just said it's "beef." I would say gourmet bazaar (Rockville) is much better.

This chain has several locations, but it is notable that the one in DC appears to offer more on the…read morevegetarian side that some of the others do, so this one is specifically what I'm reviewing. The entree was a bit of a cafeteria style thing, but it fit the bill; the menu says it offers not only tofu but some red kidney beans in a stew of greens with lime flavor, and while I can't think of any similar combination I've had in all my travels, it works. The yogurt they offer on the side is a Persian staple, but what really shined was the fresh bread whose odor wafted through my vehicle as I drove my takeout elsewhere. A delightfully thin and browned creation, it was 100% worth adding despite the fact that they already gave me a massive pile of rice (with a bit of saffron rice on top of the plain white rice). This isn't high-end cuisine, but they delivered distinctive flavors in a timely and convenient fashion, and with a good range of vegetarian choices. Of their other locations in DC, Maryland, and Virginia, some of them offer these stews with tofu mixed in and some do not, though falafel and a few other options remain available.

Great persian food and probably the best kabab Kubideh in town. Very friendly and helpful staff. I…read morenormally go there on the weekends and have never been dissatisfied with the food or the staff. If you are craving middle eastern food, Amoo kabab is your place.

I had the LAMB CHIMICHURI with KUBIDEH which was a customized SULTANI and it was AMAZING something…read moreI would definitely try again the FOOD, the SERVICE, and AMBIANCE, is definitely unmatched and the owner is very HUMBLE so are the workers very nice and easy to talk to I definitely do recommend this SPOT

Genuinely beautiful. The food was amazing. Service was attentive and friendly. I thoroughly enjoyed…read morethis. Star of the show was definitely the lamb tagine. However, the halloumi and scallop were impeccable as well I will be back for Many more visits as my wallet allows.

Holy Toledo! You can't get much better than this. Maydan offers delicious middle eastern food set…read morein two different dining rooms, both unique, cozy, and beautiful. We dined on the Medina side. The room was wonderfully decorated, styled like a royal palace in a desert oasis. Only complaint -- the room was too cold (coming from someone who loves frigid temperatures). The other indoor seating option, which appears to be their main room, surrounds the central pit. The restaurant host (or manager) was incredibly kind and gave us a tour. I think the other seating option was better. Regardless, the food was top notch! We got their Tawle (tasting menu) with wine pairings. We also opted for their lamb shoulder. It was well worth the upgrade! Juicy, charred, and well seasoned. There were so many leftovers, too. I can't wait to return!

For a late Friday dinner (late for me at least), I arrived at Shamshiry at 10pm to a packed…read moreestablishment. My friend and I managed do get one of the few remaining open tables so. I ordered the Chelo kebab kubideh ($20.99). This entree had 2 ground meat skewers, a grilled tomato, raw onion, and rice. The skewers were not simply juicy and well spiced. They redefined how much flavor I could expect out of grilled ground meat, making others taste flat or missing something. The rice portion was absurd. I hadn't eaten anything all day, and yet could barely finish it. I passed out in a food coma afterwards.

My sister had recommended this spot to me because she knew I enjoyed Persian kebab, and when I had…read morea chance to be near today I stopped in. First, I didn't realize it was a sit down and order restaurant, I was used to short order. I was quickly seared and within a couple minutes one server had brought me water as well as fresh tandoori bread and a delicious spicy green sauce to go with it. A second server appeared quickly to take my order. I explained I was used to short order, and all I wanted was their version of chicken and steak (not ground beef.) The waiter explained how he'd do the combo on the menu and off he went. Having looked at the menu, I feared this might be an expensive option, and it was. But a few minutes later I was presented with a platter of delicious looking steak, chicken, rice, onions, tomato, and event a char-roasted jalapeño. It was enough food for my wife and I have had for dinner between us, so the price was well justified. Every thing was delicious. At the end of the meal, I asked if I could order another tandoori bread, and get a small to-go container of the green spicy spread to bring home for wife to try. They brought me both a generous helping of bread and the sauce, and charged me for neither. This service, combined with a delicious meal that, while expensive, will end up being three meals, means this is definitely a spot I plan to go back to as well as recommend.

Great kebabs, top notch rice and food. Worth the pit stop for sure…read more I ordered the lamb kebab and my son the chicken and it was amazing.

My partner and I had a very pleasant meal here last night (Wednesday). You order at the counter…read moreand have a seat. Someone brings the food out to the table when it is ready. We ordered the 4 mezeh appetizer plate (4 8-oz containers). There are a number of choices and we got the baba ganouche, Mirza ghazemi (eggplant, tomato, garlic), pickled cabbage and beet hummus. Most were very good (I would say the weak one was pickled cabbage - crunchy, but not as flavorful as it could have been.) The beet hummus was a new item for us and we both enjoyed it very much. The dips were accompanied by a decent portion of triangles of pita. The pita was "ok" - a bit hard and chewy. We each got chicken kabob. The chicken was very moist and flavorful. I got mine in a platter with half salad and half rice. I enjoyed both. We also ordered roasted vegetables, which were one of the highlights. Onions and zucchini - roasted perfectly. The platter is a lot to eat and we took most of the dips home for another time. The staff were helpful. One person was friendly and the other oddly not. The restaurant seating area was comfortable.

Great place for burgers and fries, didn't get to try the kabobs on this visit but will definitely…read morebe back! Got the cheeseburger and loaded fries. The cheeseburger also came with fries, which were a huge portion. The loaded fries had steak, onions, and their special sauce. The portions were generous and a great place if you want some comfort food. My only regret is that I was too hungry and ate the food before I could take pictures.

I love the veg samosas here. They are a good size, stuffed with flavor. I get them unheated and…read moretake them home to heat fresh in the air fryer. The two sauces are good, but spicy. I like them and also the Trader Joe's mango chutney. Maman Joon's also has meat options. I've also had their butter chicken, which is very good. Their milkshakes are thick and homespun. The ice cream is so thick you have to work on getting the shake up the straw. I consider this a good thing as you know it isn't processed stuff coming out of a machine. I need to give their burgers another try. The fries and onion rings are good, too. This place is on the higher $ side but the food is fresh and the staff is pleasant. You won't go away hungry...you get a fair amount of food for the price. Even better, you get quality ingredients which is not cheap, especially now that food prices are so high.

Ok, so I'm mixed about review stars, but am giving 5. We ordered take out as we have for years…read moresince the sit down restaurant closed. I always orfer same thing as well as my husband. It is like someone either changed the recipe & maybe cut back on the stew ingredients like molasses, pomegranate & walnuts. Its not as savory as years past. Sad!! My mixed thoughts are specifically on my ultimate FAVORITE & ONLY dish I go specifically to Yekta for, Fesenjan. I have ordered and had this for at least 20 years, but later night was 1st time in either 1 or 2 years & I was truly disappointed. It tasted less spectacular, chicken cubes, only found literally 3 cubes for an $18 meal were very dry, tough & had NO flavor of the sauce, so they obviously were thrown in, not simmered for hours in the stew which usually they are & absorb all the wonderful flavors. I may not return much to my husband's dismay. Hubby had 1 of his usuals and LOVED it, Kabob special, both beef & chicken skewers. All rice as side with pita. Ww forgot to ask for salad but he had plenty to eat without. Everyone was friendly, place is well managed. Sorry no pics, got too excited to eat instead.

Consistent and delicious food that tastes homemade and made with love. I've been going here for…read moreyears and they have never disappointed me. Put your order in at the counter and shop while they make your food- it's so efficient! My go to order: -Combination koobideh: 1 beef kebab and 1 chicken kebab served over a bed of saffron rice and sides of lavash bread, grilled tomatoes, onion, butter and sumac. This feeds me and my husband for two meals- so worth it! -Hummus: they have the best hummus in Rockville!! Garlicky, smooth, and dare I say, luxurious. You HAVE to try it! -Shirazi: refreshing cucumber, tomato, and onion salad with I think dried mint and lemon. So simple but so good. I could eat a whole container of this with hummus and rice. -Fried eggplant dip: this is fabulous too, and tastes so unique with the whey ingredient. You just have to believe me and try it. The dry mint makes it taste like tea leaves and so fragrant. -Their sandwiches are fantastic too and remind me of Vietnamese banh mi with the pickles, deli meat, and fresh herbs. We like the Kalbas sandwich- garlic mortadella with pistachio! The market is my go to place for dried chickpeas, olives, walnuts, Barbary bread, Persian cucumbers, feta, Persian yogurt, local eggs (Poolesville), fresh and dried herbs, olive oil, and so much more! I cannot get the same quality elsewhere, and I appreciate their careful and thoughtful sourcing. They also make fresh cookies in house- my fave is the cookie mix that has like 5 different cookies. The staff is extremely friendly and kind, and the place is super well organized and clean. It's always so calming and enjoyable to shop there. And they are a local business that has been around for a long time and clearly a beloved pillar in the community. Definitely do yourself a favor and check them out!