Really outstanding food. Top tier all the way! Authentic, delicious Persian food tucked away in this small restaurant in San Marcos. Very, very good! read more

Food? Amazing! Serving hot soup in melted plastic? TOXIC! I will change my review to 5 stars when your hot soup is no longer served in plastic for togo orders. Please stop serving hot food in plastic! Terrible. read more

Everything on the menu is delicious. Great place to take family. Something for everyone. Get extra pita, it's too delicious, there might be crack in it, just kidding, it's just that good. 10/10 read more

Excellent food and service. Hummus was made fresh. Pita was warmed and plentiful. I recommend the chicken kabob and the lamb. Definitely a return visit in the future. read more

Aria Restaurant - Chicken kabob - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Marcos, California

I had the chicken kabob with basmati rice and salad. The chicken was delicious, tender, flavorful and perfectly cooked too. We had it with tzatziki, and a spicy red sauce for added flavors and heat. The beef koobideh was also delicious. I also liked their baklava. Staff is really nice. Will definitely go back here again. read more

Came for a veggie platter of some sort. They advertise vegan food but when you get there find out not really. We got the falafel plate. You would think that comes with hummus. Not here. You get a couple tablespoons of hummus. Price of chickpeas has doubled since Covid now it's a $1 a can. I get it. You get dry rice that goes right to the garbage and half of a pita bread. Kinda ridiculous. The falafel is dry and flavorless. Hummus was ok. Not interested in going back. read more

Aria Restaurant - $17 Falafel plate not worth it. Falafel not good very dry and lacking flavor. Couple tablespoons of hummus and dry rice - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Marcos, California

We had dinner at your restaurant for the first time and were pleasantly surprised ! Service was excellent , ambiance was lovely and very clean . Food was very good . Rice with Lima beans and dill was just way too dry ! I hope they will fix this the rest of the dinner was great !! read more

We are craving for some Mediterranean food. We checked on Yelp for surrounding area. Came in and checked the place. The service was really good and accommodating. We want to order the bottle of house wine but she let us have a taste first. It's not to our liking so we opt to another bottle and much better. We both ordered the kabob. Very flavorful came with huge salad on the side. Chicken, beef and the lamb were all very tender. We will definitely coming back. read more

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The salad was old dry and stale. Ordered chicken Koobideh kabob were good but they put too much butter and poor quality rice with no safron. Not a good match compared to other Persian Restaurants in the area. Ambience is not that great and service is just so so. read more

The BEST Iranian (Persian) food in San Diego. PERIOD! I stand on that!! I've been eating a lot of Iranian food the last several years and Aria Restaurant will give you lasting memories of amazingly unique flavors that keep wanting you to have more. Appetizers: Eggplant dip and shallot dip are Iranian classics and Aria hits it out of the park with both! The eggplant dip has a deep umami flavor that is complemented well with the crispy onions and mint. Shallot dip brings out a cool, yogurty, yet savory calmness that is absolutely incredible. Put either on bread and it's breathtaking tbh. Real ones will know to get the tahdig with 2 stews as well. Just absolute class - nothing else to say. Mains: The meats here are some of the best I've ever had (pause) and you cannot go wrong with the beef or lamb soltani. I always go with the soltani option because it gives you the flexibility to get a skewer each of the barg (beef: filet mignon, lamb: tenderloin) and koobideh (ground meat). My preference is the lamb medium rare but the beef is just as wonderful. The char on the meats is done perfectly and the marination is world class. They give you a side of charred tomatoes and onions which balance out the richness of the meat. The rice with saffron is nicely portioned with the right amount of subtle butteriness. Combining a bit of the meat, onions, and rice in one bite is to die for! Ghormeh sabzi is the national dish of Iran but is def an acquired taste. Here at Aria, the stew is tangy and citrusy with slow cooked beef, kidney beans, and greens. The look of it is a bit off-putting and when I had it, it was just a tad bitter for some reason, but it was very heart-warming nonetheless. Dizi (abgoosht) is a hands on dish but worth the experience if you're up for it. In the little pot, slowly pour ONLY the juices into the empty bowl and then mash the meat inside the small pot. Take some of the mashed meat and beans, put it on the bread wit some of the herbs/spices, dip it into the juices and boom - a flavor bomb of savory goodness in one bite Dessert: The baklava here was amazing - nice floraly, pistachio flavor. The zoolbia and bamiyeh were also nicely done though I must warn you, it's decently sweet so I would highly recommend sharing with multiple people AND getting some tea to balance out the sweetness. Overall, the ambiance is nice and cozy - nothing too glamorous but very welcoming indeed. The waitress we had was super nice and kindly told us how to eat the abgoosht! If you're in the San Diego area, Aria is a MUST for Iranian food! read more

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I'm Persian and this reminded me of my mothers food. I got the vegetarian bademjoon/gheymeh (comes with rice), a roasted veggie skewer, and multiple plates of salad shirazi. The bademjoon/gheymeh stew was an 8/10; excellent veggie version. Could've used a bit more saffron (I'm sorry this sounds horribly rude, but a good gheymeh has a perceivable amount of saffron) and tumeric, and the split peas were a tad undercooked. But still very good. Huge portion. Loved potato chips on top. The basmati rice was a 9/10. Obviously good. Salad shirazi was a 10/10. I've eaten this every week for almost three decades. This was the best I've ever had. I scarfed it down. The salad pushes this from 4 to 5 stars. If you eat meat, I can't speak to that, but I'm sure that they do meat well too. Service was kind. Very kind. Come one come all to Aria! read more

Aria Resturant , San Marcos Delicious Persian Food My wife had dinner here a few weeks ago and raved about it. My wife son and I had the pleasure of meeting Mike and our dinner was fabulous. I started with the lentil soup and that was delicious as were the salads We had the lamb shank it melted off the bone and the gravy was perfect I also suggest the rice and fava beans Great music as well read more

Aria Restaurant - Lamb Shank with rice and fava beans - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Marcos, California

We arrived on a Wednesday night and there was only one other customer in the restaurant.  The 2 of us shared the hummus and pita, kabob and hot bread and a chicken koobideh plate.  The pita was soft, warm, and delicious! We asked for more pita because it was all gone right away! The chicken koobideh plate was delicious and tender. It came with rice and a good size salad. We ordered this with the abaloo polo cherries rice and it was amazing! We've only had this cherry rice at one other place (Raffi's in Glendale) and have not seen it anywhere else.  You can imagine our excitement when we saw this on the menu.  The hot bread was the only thing we did not care for. It was very thin, and with the beef koobideh on top, it made the bread super soggy.  Overall, we had an amazing meal here and we even had leftovers for another meal the next day. Sevice was attentive and I wish there's something like this in SGV. Will definitely visit again if we are near San Marcos. read more

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Really good Persian food! The portion is huge, which reflects the cost. I got the chicken and beef soltani and upgraded the rice to baghali polo. It comes with green beans and it's tasty. They have sumnac flavor packets that you should ask for to sprinkle all over your food. My friend recommended it be done this way and I couldn't agree more. The baklava was decent, not my favorite I've had. read more

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Delicious and great price quality value. Gyros sandwich, Soltani plate and lentil soup. Oh and a little different baklava more most and lemon than how we know it but lived them too! read more

This is a great place, they have a nice atmosphere. They have great food and even better service. You can tell they prepare their food with love and care, some of the best Persian Food I've ever had. It's a nice clean place and the servers are friendly and efficient. Super convenient right off the 78 freeway just off Rancho Santa Fe Rd. read more

Aria is one of our favorite Persian restaurants in San Diego County. Their koobideh is so juicy & flavorful! Today we tried their dizi/abgoosht for the first time too, and it did not disappoint. Basically it's a lamb stew with beans or chickpeas cooked in a little pan called a dizi,and you pour out the soup and eat it with bits of bread torn up in it. Then you mash up the remaining lamb & veggies and eat that with flat bread like little wraps. They do a great one here! read more

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North County hidden gem! The chicken kabob and beef koobideh were wonderfully juicy and flavorful. Saffron rice was amazing. Serving portions were quite reasonable for the price, and service was also attentive. I was actually surprised they weren't busier for dinner, this beats 99% of the other restaurants I've tried in this food category. Shame I didn't know of this place earlier, my interest was only piqued from seeing them on the freeway. To the gentleman whose big complaint was their salad dressing bottles... I hope you one day find the fancy dressing bottle of your dreams. While you do that, I'll be here enjoying the food. read more

Aria Restaurant - Chicken & beef plate - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Marcos, California

The food was amazing. Everything was so delicious. We cleaned our plates! Even the appetizer. The Persian platter was wonderful. The lamb kabobs were unforgettable. The vibe also very chill. Cheap (decent) wine :) read more

CHEF'S KISS! Everything I have ordered here is delicious and delightful! Driving up, the outside gives the vibe that the building is closed, but when you walk inside you're transported to a beautifully cute family owned place. The host and server has been the same every time I go and she is incredibly friendly and already knows my faves, often times guessing before I even place my drink order. Food takes... the shirazi salad... the SHIRAZI SALAD!!!! Order it! Divine, flavorful and crisp, I often order another to take home. Their entree portions are large and filling or even enough to pack some to go. I tend to stick to the salmon kebab plate which is served with grilled veggies, a bed of basmati rice, and a grilled tomato. I have also had their beef shawrma and chicken. My first time here I had the saffron ice cream and I am telling you everything we have ever had there delicious! Their regular house salad comes with maybe an itialian dressing, nothing special... therefore again... you should upgrade to the shirazi salad! (Hahaha). Hope you enjoy! read more

Aria Restaurant - Shirazi Salad- ORDER THIS! - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Marcos, California

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They have fantastic kabobs. I just wish they would serve raw onions and pita bread, and butter with your meal. I will definitely be coming back. read more

Best I've had in a long time. The beef soltani was so tender and moist, the rice was cooked perfectly, the eggplant dip was incredible, and the salad was fresh. Definitely ate everything on our plates. Authentic Persian food, great service, and nice ambiance. Will be back. read more

Neighborhood gem in San Marcos: I went for dinner. It's spacious inside and plenty of parking outside. Right next to the freeway. But you don't hear that inside. Plenty of people for a Monday night. They only sent us over you if you speak Persian. No one asked if I had been here before, and of course I had a lot of questions. Lots of good options on the menu. Wonderful "dough" [Persian drink with yogurt, salt and mint.] But when I ordered the second one, it was more watery. Apparently all three were from the same picture, so evidently one needs to stir it before pouring. The cool jazz music in the background and then beautiful artwork on the walls makes the ambience very nice. The menu is rather expensive so everyone should be able to find some thing they like. I got the house specialty on a silver platter which was a lot of fun. Just wish the Lamb was tender her. The waitress said the lamb shank would've been tenderer. But the sauce/stew tasted like a real authentic, home-cooked Persian stew. This could be a wonderful date night spot, or there's a huge banquet room. It was a very relaxing dinner, so please don't be in a rush. North county is very lucky to have this restaurant. I will definitely come back. They have all my favorite stews. It's also very telling that there are a lot of Persian people that dine in here. Only a half hour drive from Del Mar. So, when you want a change of pace, this restaurant makes a nice ending to a full day. They serve until 8:30 PM PS I was hoping that they had Noon-o-Panir-o-Sabzi [Bread Cheese Herb], aka Sabzi Khordan. I've had Persian food in San Francisco, San Rafael, and downtown San Diego. This was almost as good as the others. Very delightful place an excellent menu. And very reasonably priced. And the Persian ice cream did "blow my mind away". read more

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First time here and the chicken kabob plate was surprisingly good! definitely will be back.

I like the location of the restaurant being very close to the freeway.I rate the restaurant as follows: Ambiance = 5/5 Service=5/5 yogurt and shallots= 3/5 lentil soup = 4/5 rice= 4/5 chicken shish kabob= 3/5 I gave overall rating of 3/5 because the taste of the chicken kabob was most important to me.The taste of it is OK, but really average to me.I think this place is worth trying out if you live within 10-15 miles of the location. If you live south of Solana Beach, I don't think it is worth driving out of your way for.Having said this , I have not tried the beef kabobs and the stews,which could be better.I loved the ambience and the service. read more

Amazing food. The restaurant is always clean, and the service is great! We have eaten at Aria's several times now, and it's about time I do a review. read more

Dress nice if you come here! Not like black tie nice but at least a polo and some slacks. I felt weird stopping in with my jean shorts on while I was working. Nevertheless, the food itself was alright. Falafel sandwich tasted pretty good but it was a lot smaller than other similarly priced sandwiches I've had. It was nice and soft and had just the right amount of spice though. I'd recommend this place for a date or a business meeting or something, not really if you're hungry read more

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Salmon kebab & Greek salad were delicious, very nice staff and relaxing environment. Highly recommend checking this spot out!

Mostly take out and family style which is great for lamb, beef and chicken. Adas polo (date/raisin/lentil rice) awesome for kids. Ate there once and had some of their house specials like eggplant that was great with excellent service and good beer selection. Not loud and great for families with little ones read more

We were immediately taken back by the side salad served soon after we ordered the Chicken Kabob Lunch and the Eggplant Dip. The salad was brought out reasonably fresh (despite the obviously under-ripe tomatoes) with what appeared to be a store brand of bottled Italian dressing inside of an IHOP-style syrup dispenser. Thinking it was odd, we proceeded with caution and only dispensed a small amount of the 'hidden valley' treasure on top of the greens. Now it may not really have been as described above; but considering the taste similarities between what was served and what I had tasted multiple times while in the Navy, I would suggest Aria eliminate that dressing and the syrup bottle thing especially since it's the first impression this customer witnessed today. Aria was not off to a good start. The Kabob was decent. The chicken was properly cooked (breast meat was not dried out), had good flavor and came with appropriate condiments of tomato and onion on the side. The eggplant was, well . . . "simply unoffensive". As I had explained it to my wife, she wouldn't like it if it tasted like eggplant. It really lacked any identifiable flavor other than the fried onions and mint flakes. I cured that by adding just a bit more salt. Then it had a very pleasant eggplant flavor that then was no longer appreciated by her, since she doesn't like eggplant. The mint gave it a nice finish. Give Aria a try. It seems that our experience is not the same as others that have left reviews. We did not have anything close to the 5-star praises. I don't really anticipate us being back since there are several more choices for this type of cuisine in the North County. Dicks read more

Aria Restaurant - Interior decor. - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Marcos, California

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The food here is AMAZING! Definitely try the ice cream for dessert, you will not be disappointed. The staff were very nice and very attentive. You're missing out big time if you haven't been here yet. read more

Delicious, authentic Persian food with affordable prices, great ambiance, and great service! One of the best Persian restaurants in north county San Diego. read more

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Absolutely delicious food! Our new go to place for anything Persian/Mediterranean. We will be back. read more

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I cant tell you enough how AMAZING this place is. Walking in we got a warm welcome. Then I noticed all the beautiful Persian art work all around the restaurant. And most importantly the food was the best part. Make sure to get their falodeh & ice cream (mixed)= bomb! ;) read more

Aria Restaurant - Persian/Iranian Near Me - San Marcos, California

This place has delicious food. My family is constantly ordering food from Aria! It's delicious and healthy

Came here with family, I'm the only vegan and there are plenty of options for me. Not going to lie I was iffy on the location since didn't see many cars parked out front. I did see a ton of take out pick ups. The interior is nicely kept, nothing looks old. The portions were large and very delicious. You definitely get a value for your money which is so rare now. My mom and dad are picky when it comes to the quality of food while eating out and they had no complaints. I would definitely come back here! The waitress was also super patient with our questions and I was very impressed she spoke to my parents in fluent Spanish. All around top notch service read more

We had such a nice lunch today. Hubby had the koobideh plate and I had one of the stews. The Shirazi salad is one of the best I've had. Service was also excellent. And, we have leftovers for lunch! We'll definitely be back. read more

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Had lunch or dinner here a few times, delicious food, great service, very polite and friendly staff. They have the most diecious Mast O Mosir, and Beef Kabab Barg. Thank you Aria restaurant. read more

This is a good restaurant. It's not the greatest persian food I've ever had but it is definitely good quality and worth trying. The 3 star rating is for their portion sizes of the stew. Both stews I had, ghaimeh and fesenjoon, had very little meat. About 4-5 bite size pieces of beef or chicken respectively. For $20+ this feels like a rip off. They give you a huge portion of rice I guess to "fill" you up, but you don't feel satisfied. I want to give it a 2 star rating but I feel that is a bit harsh. Until they increase the serving size of meat to be fair to the price, I would NOT recommend ordering any stews here. read more

We were greeted with a smile, service was perfect and food very good. Nice atmosphere and very clean. First time coming here today & it will not be our last. read more