I was craving Persian food & chased down this location & had a good experience. Mixed appetizer was tasty & large enough to share & the kabobs were juicy. The baked Naan was great. I'm not from London but the location was far from center, but good food read more

I would come back. The prices are reasonable for the portion sizes. The flavors were good and leaned towards more the subtle side than the "flavor explosion" side. Service was responsive when we asked for water / the bill, but could definitely be more engaging. read more

This place is excellent. I've been coming here since about 1997, and never really tire of it. The only downside to the place is that it's tiny, so often difficult to get seated without having to queue. Oh and if you need to visit the toilets during your visit, be prepared for a hike up several flights of stairs along narrow winding corridors. It's quite amusing actually, but you find them eventually! read more

Beautiful/humble little resto with a really yummy menu. I've only been here once - a fact I'd like to change soon. I have no idea how authentically Iranian the food is, but it's very satisfying and flavourful. Lots of stews and grilled meats. Great breads. Gorgeous fresh mint tea too. The dish with the okra (sorry I don't remember the name) was proper good and I'd go back just to have it again. On a busy bit of Westbourne Grove, people watching from Alounak's giant windows is a delight. The staff are lovely too. One waitress went waaaay out of her way to make sure she was able to provide a thorough answer to a question my dining buddy asked. Prices are right considering the location and the quality of food. I guess the only complaint that I might have during a future visit could be that there's a no-rez policy. I got lucky nabbing a table when I dined here. But by 8pm there was a queue out the door - which given it was actually freezing and snowing outside might give good indication of the kinds of crowds this place can attract! FYI: BYOB read more

We were a large group on Friday evening but they managed to seat us within 15 minutes. We ordered the specials as well as chicken kebab. The bread is made fresh and you can order your entree either with rice or with bread. The food was great and all kebabs were seasoned well and grilled to perfection. This is a BYOB and most customers had brought wine bottles along with them. They don't provide wine glass so you would need to drink in the regular cups. read more

I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this place and the servers were pleasant. I was hoping the food would be a bit more of a home run, but it was still good and I'd recommend it if you're in the area. Not worth a trip over there, though, as there wasn't anything special. This was my first time eating specifically Persian food. I'm quite familiar with Middle Eastern food in general, but had never properly sat down at a Persian restaurant before. Many of the dishes throughout the Middle East have similarities, so the food wasn't foreign to be at all. Salad Shirazi - cucumber, tomato, onion, and herbs. These were chopped incredibly small and seemed more similar to a salsa than a salad. Not much flavor, but the salad did seem fresh. Mast-o-khiyar - chopped cucumber and herbs mixed with home made yogurt. I was really hoping this would be better. I love yogurt in general, but this one wasn't as thick and creamy as I'd hoped. It was rather thin. Also, I didn't care too much for the flavor. I'm not sure if it was the abundance of mint or something else, but I wasn't crazy about it. Taftoon bread - not good. It was burnt and crispy instead of soft and fluffy. Super thin and it was essentially like a large cracker instead of bread. We couldn't eat half of it because of the texture. Also, no real flavor. Chelo-kabab koobedeh - two skewers of minced lamb served with grilled tomato and rice. So this dish is split. The rice (basmati and saffron rice) was subpar. They just didn't nail it as the texture was off and there wasn't any flavor. The lamb, on the other hand, was the best part of the entire meal. The flavor, the texture, everything about it was just spectacular. Soft, moist, delicious. I would highly recommend getting as much lamb as possible here. Iranian Tea - not a huge fan of mint, but wanted to try this as it's traditional. Quite good and unique. The tea cups and sugar bowls are beautiful. The price is reasonable and the portions aren't too small. The hallway leading to the bathroom is really lovely. read more

Food is outstanding in this small place. If you are craving for real Iranian food I think this is one of the best around here. You have to order a start to try their fresh bred! Amazing food in general, although don't expect much out of the atmosphere in here. It's an ordinary seating with average rating. The quality of food makes it worth the price. You have to try it once! No bookings. Order the tea after your meal, it's kinda heavy and dark but tastes good. read more

+Great chicken skewer +Great bread +Great service -pickles are very strong of vinegar read more

While visiting London we came across Alounak Persian food. The wait was about 20 minutes or so but we met some very friendly locals so the time went by fast. The service and food was great. Great chicken and lamb and the bagali polo was very yummy. Would recommend for sure. read more

Alounak - Wall of all local awards. - Middle Eastern Near Me - London, XGL

One of my favourite restaurants in London. I go about twice a month and almost always have the same thing: a combo plate with marinated and minced lamb with a mixed starter and the taftoon bread followed by a glass of Iranian tea. The atmosphere is great, the fresh bread is made right in front of you and served hot and the prices are very reasonable. The service could be probably better, but it's good. If you are going on Saturday, make sure to have the special. You won't regret it. Also, if you can arrive before 8pm or expect a wait of 20-40 minutes. read more

Awful experience and I truly recommend you factor in at least an hour of waiting in the freezing cold. Why did we wait? Because we were continuously told that we were basically next and that we shouldn't go elsewhere. There were many people in the line too that we overheard being told this to. In other words, if you want to be lied to and feel like a fool then this is the place you will love. Otherwise good food. read more

The food was delicious, though the service a bit trying. However, completely willing to look past the people give that the bread, appetisers and mint tea were so amazing. read more

After re-reading all the glowing reviews the day after our meal, I'm starting to wonder if maybe we did something wrong, rather than the restaurant... Okay I'm not Iranian or have never been there, but i really was expecting better, especially after so many people seem to love this place to pieces. The lamb (we tried both minced and marinated varieties) was not especially tasty and could even have been described as tough. It comes with rice and basic salad, nothing that exciting. Nice dips and bread and large portions the only redeeming feature of an otherwise over-hyped, lacklustre meal. A queue for half an hour to sit down and eat (although the food does come out speedily). Our last kebab experience was an Ockbasi place in Hackney and Alounak simply paled in comparison. I wanted to like this place, i really did, but i just couldn't recommend it to anyone with a clear conscience... read more

Its rare to have a true middle eastern (or Iranian) meal in London the way you'd have it in its home country. The food here is very original, the staff are very friendly, and the atmosphere is awesome. My favorite: Bread is baked in an iranian oven! They say they're open until midnight but for 45 mins before they close they're only open for takeaway read more

When I visited the restaurant on a Monday night, it was very crowded but a good and warm atmosphere after all. The furniture is plain and simple, without tablecloths but in a good shape, clean and the restaurant was kept warm by some cozy, interesting clay ovens. As a Vegetarian, I was slightly disappointed with the menu as there was only one vegetarian main course. The food was nice and served quickly, the waitresses were friendly and attentive, everything was great, but the food is meant mostly for carnivores, which is a bit of a pity. It is worth noting this place doesn't serve any alcohol, but you are free to bring your own and drink it there. However, beverages are relatively cheap and prices are quite moderate in general. read more

Amazing place! I've been here already few times and each visit was an amazing experience! Decoration is pretty nice and improves the atmosphere a lot. The staff are nice, welcoming and polite. There's a wide variety of sensational dishes and drink in the menu. Can't really begin to choose from. All that on a reasonable price! read more

The quality of food is good for the price you pay. Nice decoration Ok service Sometimes just take cash only Good for groups A bit noisy when it gets crowded Worth a try read more

Today I was not only sickened by the old hard gone off lamb, and the too soft okra that tasted like spongy aubergine and with a bitter tasteless stew and the mouldy tasted rice but the so cold Asian manager for a( Persian restarant) told me that the food was made fresh and that if I wanted something else I would have to pay for my meal and the additional meal to take away. I was furious. I had to pay 10.90 which included service charge. As I made my payment today , I told the lady that I would never again return and I mean it. read more

It's so good, one of the places I really miss in London. The bread is homemade before your eyes. I would recommend going there at 4pm in the afternoon no line, the skewers are amazing and the "salade olivier " is really as good as it gets. Delicioso, in one of my favorite neighborhood : Bayswater / Notting Hill; don't miss it. read more

I could sit and drink the mint tea all night. The kiddies were skeptical as usual, but after their skewers they were sold. Portions are large and tasty. Lamb was great. Taftoon bread taftoon bread taftoon bread baked in the clay oven just steps away. We were there on a cold rainy night so the heat from the oven was very welcome. read more

This is a fantastic Persian kabob restaurant. Absolutely mouth wateringly delicious in every way possible. As an Iranian who has had many a kabobs in her life, Alounak is right on the money when it comes to the taste, flavors, and overall yumminess that is Persian kabob. There are several things of note: Alounak, more or less, specializes in a variety of kabobs and not the other Persian "stews" (khorshets). So, for instance, I wouldn't go to Alounak to get my Khorshet Anar fix. However, there are lots of kabobs: koobedeh (ground meat), barg (fillet mignon), jojeh (chicken), and a veggie kabob skewer. One can order these kabobs with rice, with bread, and in different combination of kabobs. Depending on which combination you order, the price can be as low as £8 to £20. Also, the restaurant is on the smaller side which means that depending on the size of the crowd, it can be a wait for a table. I imagine it's easier to be seated as a group of, say, 4 or 2 than it is 6. Finally, order the bread. They make it right there in this cool oven contraption and it is super yummy and warm. If you are not a neophyte when it comes to Persian food: the rice was cooked very well and came with the necessary grilled tomato to make the kabob entree complete. In re: previous review below: I never felt rushed by the wait staff. I did feel self-imposed rush to leave once done with food as there were about 8 people hovering about waiting to be seated. I figured it'd be good karma to roll out when the food was done. read more

Best Persian food I've ever eaten in my entire life. Salad shirazi, taftoon, kabab chenjeh and koobideh, kebab makhoos and barg, mint cardamom tea, Persian ice cream and faloodeh. Lamb was the most tender one can imagine. Left here stuffed, but in a good way. Hint: If you order sweet cardamon/mint tea while eating, you might get strange looks. Order the yogurt drink instead if you're seeking an authentic Persian experience. read more

You can usually tell a restaurant is going to by worth it when there's a clay oven baking fresh taftoon naan right by the front door. Our next clue (besides all of the below yelp reviews) was the fact that the place was packed and continued to be so throughout our dinner. No group that showed up refused to wait for a table to open up since turnaround time was so quick and the wait staff was on top of it. The BYOB setup was a nice way to split a bottle of wine and keep the check under £30. Tonight's dinner made us grateful for yelp reviews since we're on our honeymoon and we don't know our way around London at all. This review is our way of giving a little back for steering us in the right direction.. read more

This place was horrible! Run! The food was bland. The service was horrible. Who are these people leaving these awesome reviews? The minced lamb was edible. The starter appetizer was ok. The marinated lamb was dry and flavorless...Btw I'm American maybe we just prefer our food with flavor and seasoning. I'm not sure but my friend hated her dish as well. This place is cheap, but it's not worth it at all. Last, I saw a server dipping cups in a bucket to wash it. She didn't wash anything. That was barely a rinse. I also saw her dump water out of a water pitcher from a table then reuse it without washing it. Sanitation must not be important here. read more

Love this place however wish they would make the rice portion a little bigger. It's very little compared to kabab served for example.

This is an excellent small Persian restaurant frequented by my entire family. The place has been refurbished a few months ago after an alleged fire burnt the restaurant down. It is a tightly packed place with patron often queuing up for up to half an hour at busy times. Service is no nonsense and quick. Food is always consistently of high quality and have never once complained. The food is definitely value for money and is not expensive. A must go place! read more

I am a huge fan of middle eastern food and I have to say that this place did not disappoint. It was a bit pricey in relation to how much a similar meal would be in Los Angeles, but not too expensive for London. I thought that the chicken lamb combination was pretty good and well flavored. My only complaint was that the salad was a bit dry. A little sumac and lemon juice changed that. I typically eat more Lebanese style middle eastern food, so this was a nice change and a great introduction to Persian food. read more

Beautiful restaurant! Chicken and obideeh were wonderful. Great hoummus. Recommended. Good hours as well.

Wednesday night special Chelo Khoresh Bademjan (lamb and aubergine stew); absolutely amazing. It alone will make me take the trip back to London. read more

Awesome persian food. I highly recommend the chicken soup and most of all the marinated lamb, very tasty and great with the bread! All the dishes are made with apparently simple ingredients, but very tasty and light! I would surely come back there, affordable prices. read more

Sadif is better imho. I did not enjoy the salty rice. We liked it but I know there are better places out there. Tea was nice !

Sorely disappointed. Terrible, distracted service from servers who took away one of our party's cutlery before serving his main course so he just sat there for 5 minutes unable to eat. Bread was dry and brittle and we received one order when we ordered two. The 'paneer' starter was three slivers from a block of 50p white farmhouse cheese under a high pile of mint which did not seem washed. The kebab was dry and overdone; the rice was also dry and the tiny bit of grilled tomato nowhere near enough to sauce the plate. Think: everything dry and served with a frown. Dessert--how do you screw up dessert?--tasted indifferent at best. Even the tea was bitter and astringent. What's up Yelpers why did you send us here :/ read more

Get ready to queue during peak times. It is relatively a small place considering the demand. The Persian food is excellent--thoroughly enjoyed the lamb and okra stew and the kebab was tasty as well. The bread and the appetizer sampler was tasty and overall--a great value. We were rushed so we were constantly hailing down the waitress, but overall service was ok. I'd go back! read more

Good food but personally I don't see the glam everyone is talking about - for me, it is just another joint. Too crowded for what it is.

I have been there few times and i would say thats a real persian food. Very delicious and well prepared. I would suggest the Yugert and after the food persian tea and Zafaraan Icecream. read more

The lamb chops were the best that I've ever had. Homous and fresh bread were a big hit for starters. Decent wine selection as well. I tried my friend's chicken plate and it was delicious, but the lamb chops clearly won in the taste department (they were just that good). read more

This is a small restaurant that does not take reservations. You can often find a queue out the door. We came for lunch on a Saturday and took one of the last tables. The place is a bit crammed. The service is ok. The food was delicious. We got the minced lamb kebabs and chicken kebabs. The dishes come with rice and grilled tomato. Everything was great, we have since gotten take out for dinner. Prices are very reasonably for London. read more

I stopped by for some persian food after the Notting Hill carnival. I tried the fresh baked bread with "Mirza Ghasemi" and Olivier salad. For main course I had the special kebob which is the fillet and ground kebob combo. Kebobs were really tender, juicy, and well seasoned. The "Mirza Ghasemi" was not fresh, but overall, the appetizers were great with the warm bread. read more

Lots of locals and families seem drawn to this place, and the place appropriately favors regulars. I echo the food reviews here about the lamb, bread, and tea . . . Very tasty! The rice and side salad we nothing special, but the main elements were a great treat. read more

How do the Persians keep their kebabs so deliciously juicy? That's the rub, the secret, the reason I keep coming back. Their assorted meat kebobs are so tender, so juicy, so full of flavor. I tear up just thinking about them. Combined with fantastic appetizer platter and warm fresh-baked bread...just wonderful! If you are ever in the London Bayswater district, stopping here for a meal is a must! read more