We went to Darya because we were craving Persian food. It had been recommended to us by some Persian coworkers and friends, and I have had it bookmarked on my list for a long time. We decided to make a little trip out of it and drove out to West LA just for dinner. There was no wait and no line at 8 PM on a Saturday, so we were seated right away. The servers were very attentive from the start and made the whole experience feel easy and welcoming. We ordered panir sabzi, ash reshteh, chicken soltani with chicken koobideh and chicken barg for me, and the rack of lamb for my husband. I really wanted tadig with ghormeh sabzi, but unfortunately we got there a little too late and it was sold out for the day. I have heard great things about their tadig, so that just means we will have to come back. The food came out a little slower than expected, but it was worth the wait. The panir sabzi arrived first. The goat cheese was very good. The walnuts were a little cold and slightly stale, but overall I did not have strong expectations for this dish, and it was still enjoyable as a starter. The ash was excellent. I did not grow up with a Persian presence in my childhood or early adulthood, but this soup felt very homemade. It was warm and comforting. The lentils, noodles, and herbs created so much texture and depth. The koobideh was incredibly buttery and melted in my mouth. The barg was just as soft and tender. I genuinely have no complaints about the meats. This was better than other Persian restaurants in the area that are much more popular. We mixed the rice with butter, tomato, and sumac, and it was simple but very flavorful. My husband loved the rack of lamb. He said it was one of the better ones he has tried. He liked the grilled smokiness and how juicy it was throughout. I highly recommend Darya if you have the chance. We are already talking about trying their sister restaurant, Sadaf, nearby. This experience definitely pushed us to explore more Persian spots in the area. read more

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When you go to Darya restaurant, you have to be careful about the prices because they write one amount on the menu, but the bill says another. My friend and I went to the Darya restaurant in Santa Monica at 4:30 and ordered two servings of Shish Kabob, which was $22.99 on the menu, and we gave our card at the time of payment. Unfortunately, we didn't pay attention, and when we got home, we realized that instead of two servings, they had charged us three servings. After calling , they said that the amount was for lunch, but from 5:00 , the price for dinner is changed ! First, we were at the restaurant before 5:00, and second, there was no explanation on the menu about the price of dinner and lunch, second the waiter didn't give us any explanation. In my opinion, as a customer, it was very unethical and distrustful. read more

I had no idea that Darya had multiple locations as I had only been to the location in Orange County. Food: - Beef Koobideh: 2 strips, rice, and roasted tomato, overall good flavor; in comparison to my memory of the OC location, this koobideh was drier and had smaller portion sizes - Lamb rack: good flavor and texture, also smaller portion sizes than OC location, specifically the amount of rice, but this could be the cost of living in LA Service and Ambiance: - waiters were friendly and helpful - decor was themed and there were plenty of tables inside and outside read more

Darya Restaurant - Rack of Lamb - Middle Eastern Near Me - West Los Angeles, California

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First time ever!!!! It was a long wait but worth the wait. Celebrated my son's 17th birthday. He loved the food. I was very pleased. We will return again for the great Service and fantastic food. Very savory and it was a dinner to remember. Thank you to our waiter that brought dessert for my son. read more

Darya Restaurant - Beautiful ambiance that is elegant yet casual. - Middle Eastern Near Me - West Los Angeles, California

This place is so great. They have the best salmon. My phone is acting up so I did not get a photo of it, but trust me, it is the best. It is a nice portion and it is cooked to perfection. This Darya is in Santa Monica, but I consider it the West Side. It matters not. The food is amazing. We love Persian food and often forget to go, but we have been to a few in the past month and are hooked again. Darya is just lovely. It is very comfortable and the lighting is perfect. It is clean inside and out. It has an adorable awing outside so you won't miss the place. The service is very nice. It takes a minute to get your food, but when you do it is cooked to perfection and ever so good. There is nothing we don't like on the menu. They carry a yogurt type soda and that is just weird, but everything else is great. I love their salmon and all of their chicken dishes. Their Zereshk Polo has steamed white rice mixed with barberries and is served with the best seasoned slow-boiled chicken. We also love their lentil soup, which is something I never order elsewhere. It is just so comforting. All of their salads are great, our favorite being the Darya Salad which is a combination of Romaine lettuce, mixed greens tossed with tomatoes, cucumbers, lentils, raisins, dates, imported feta cheese, walnuts, and great olives. You just can't go wrong here. The prices are fair for what you get and you will want to nap when done. read more

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It was my first time trying Darya LA and overall it wasn't a very pleasant experience. The positive: our server was fantastic and extremely polite and friendly. He's not Persian but speaks Persian better than many people I know. The only good dish we had was the Barg (filet) kabob when served at the restaurant. The to go order was extremely overcooked. The Negative: overall all of our dishes were extremely salty! The koobideh, the white rice, the ghormeh sabzi stew and tahdig, the loobia polo... I was chugging down water the entire day/evening after our lunch. The worse dish was the loobia polo, it was a cinnamon bomb and I had the hardest time eating it due to the very heavy cinnamon flavor. The gheymeh stew was also heavy on cinnamon. The last negative is the atmosphere, for the expensive cost of the dishes you expect much better atmosphere. We paid $300 for 6 entrees, one appetizer, one beer, and one coke! Definitely do not recommend! read more

Darya Restaurant - Tahdig with three stews - Middle Eastern Near Me - West Los Angeles, California

This is where I took my brother for his birthday since he's visiting from Canada and wanted some authentic Persian food. This place never disappoints. Been coming here for many decades. read more

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Overall experience was very good. This was my first visit after many years! The decor was updated since my last visit. It's still a relatively tight space. The workers are fine. But provide the basic services well. Our waiter, Amir, was experienced and got better and better as our part of 4 indulged a full set across the menu! Appetizers, main dinner size dishes around lunch time, drinks, sweets, and several rounds of it! We tried Naderi Soltani and jojeh kabobs with either a rice and salad split or adas-polo upgrade. Food quality and quantity were excellent. Kashko-badmjune was tasty but the portion could have been more given the price. The shallots yogurt was average, not creamy enough. Koobideh kabob was a bit dry. But the chenjeh portion was delicious and succulent. A decent 4-star is well deserved. Thanks Darya Restaurant. read more

Darya Restaurant - Naderi Soltani - Middle Eastern Near Me - West Los Angeles, California

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I live near the city of Long Beach, and I am part of a facebook group "Real Men Brunch." I need to get out there, I thought, so I went to their first dinner event that was going to be hosted in this restauran: Darya. When I first got to the parking lot that held the restaurant, I was frustrated. I did not find a lot of parking spots. I circled and was deterred by signs that signaled that this place is for Smart and Final shoppers only. I am not sure if there was a Smart and Final there, I am just using that store to indicate that parking spots were reserved for shoppers of certain stores. The parking garage had a fenced area. So it was a lot within a lot. I got in there the hard way. There was an opening, small, and I felt anxious, but still made my way into it. I got lucky, that I did not hit the fence. I have been known to hit posts and walls as a park. I wish this was a lie but it is true. But it also happened in the past, so I became a better driver since then, more proof that practice makes perfect. I then got mad at myself, cause there was a regular entrance, from the street into the gated parking lot within the bigger parking lot. I was running a bit late, and I dash to the front door. Except that it was not the front door, it was the door to a wash room where the dishes and pots are cleaned. It was like I opened a door that allowed me to view a different form of my life. One where I toiled for pennies. One where I toiled cleaning pots and pans, amidst other people, in a small room. It smelled like ammonia, it was cramp, it was sad, it lacked color or life. It was just a room where people worked without hope for a workshop or a meeting that felt like a break. I closed the door. And one of the workers came out and told me that the door to the restaurant was the next one. I opened the new door, and that is where I belonged. I entered and was immediately happy that I had entered a fancy place with training wheels. For instance, they had white walls, and pillars. It felt like I was in a Greek Isle, except within a room. The chandelier spoke of elegance, and form. But I knew that the chandelier was dressed for the prom, not for the Met. I still appreciated the attempt to communicate glamour and sophistication. Perhaps my eyesight was tainted because I entered a parking lot with stores and similar stuff and thus knew that this place was never meant to be marvel-rock fancy, but still I was super happy that I entered a place that surprised me with styrofoam founded fancy. It was lovely! Truly, I just have been lucky enough to have tea at a Beverly Hills Hotel so I know what fancy is when it is done with fancy material. What did truly wowed me was the food! I never had Persian food. And I was surprised that they gave butter packets for bread, and in the same plate, they offered radishes. One of my dining mates, out some salt on the radish and enjoyed it! Did the same, and it was good! Now I know that radish can be the pre-appetizer, you know what the French call an amous-bouch. I spelled that wrong, I know, but, it is suppose to amuse the mouth so it is ready and willing to receive the rest of the meal. I got the salmon, a green salad with rice pilaf. I did not picture what resulted but I left my plate completely clean. I enjoyed every single bite, and the plate with remnants was proof. I also ordered a grilled onion, and it was also great! It was all flavors that I knew and loved, and all of these came packaged as Persian food. As a result, I now can say I love Persian food. If you look at the pic. the plate was composed and pretty which means that you enoy your food visually before your palette does which is usually what you are suppose to do first. Like I said, I ate with about 20 other men that I had never discovered. It was such a joy to be in a table where we discussed culture, like the Hollywood Bowl, upcoming pool parties in mansions, and in general, the quiet glitz of life! I could relate to some things that they were saying but not others. I guess I was able to see through another door to another version of my life. When the bill came, the server dived each check into 4 or 5 people. I have been in situations where check discussions become volatile. And I always hated it. But here, someone took charge, and said add what you ordered and then add a 25 percent up charge for tip and tax. I was glad to be directed to my total. It seemed reasonable. I was just happy that we nickled and dimed each other out respect, instead out of vigilance and overwrought frugality. I added this here to add some color to my experience and perhaps a life lesson on adulthood that is marked by maturity. I highly recommend this place, and I wonder what else I will enjoy when I explore the menu more broadly, and trust me I want to ! read more

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The food and service here are excellent! I ordered the Darya Salad and bone-in chicken to go, and while I was waiting, they graciously offered me a complimentary cup of delicious Persian tea. Such a thoughtful touch! The chicken was grilled to perfection--every piece was incredibly tender and juicy. The salad was fresh, and the dressing was outstanding. Instead of using sugar, they balanced the sweet and sour flavor with bits of date. Absolutely brilliant--and tasty! This was easily one of the best chicken kebabs I've had in LA. Well done, Darya! read more

Darya Restaurant - Darya Salad - Middle Eastern Near Me - West Los Angeles, California

Ordered: Shirazi Salad (~$10): chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and parsley Tahdig 3 (~$17): crispy rice from the bottom of the "dig" (rice pot) topped with all three stews - Ghormeh Sabzi, Gheimeh Bademjan, and Fesenjon Chicken Soltani (~$30): one chicken barg and one skewer of chicken koobideh, served with with zereshk polo (+$3) and a grilled tomato Soltani (~$37): one charbroiled filet mignon barg and one skewer of the beef koobideh, served with steamed white rice and a grilled tomato Aya's take: Is it even a trip to LA without Persian food? Darya was incredible!! Upon entering, I saw most tables were filled by Persians. That's a great sign. We started with the Tahdig 3 which was delicious. All 3 stews were exceptional and some of the best I've had. I thought the stews would be served on the side to keep the tahdig crispy, so that would be my only complaint. Flavor-wise, zero complaints! So comforting & bursting with layers of flavor. We also did family-style for the Chicken Soltani & Soltani which gave our party of 4 a taste of the chicken barg, filet mignon barg, chicken koobideh, and beef koobideh. In my opinion, it's the perfect combination if you want a little taste of the top hitters. All the meats were absolutely incredible. They were well-seasoned, unbelievably tender, buttery, and addicting. I could not get enough. In addition to the white rice, we got zereshk polo which is one of my favorites! The barberries are lightly sweet, tangy, and balance out the meatiness of the kabobs. I totally understand why people say Darya is a top 5 Persian spot. Highly recommend! read more

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The street view of Darya is unassuming and fits into the generic, 1960s-style Los Angeles building design. There is no hint of what's inside. Walking into the restaurant feels like being transported back to what I imagine was the Western-oriented elegance of pre-revolutionary Iran. An air of the "old days" is palpable. Having never had Persian food, we relied on the recommendations of our formally-attired male waiter. We were not disappointed. The Darya salad, a combination of Romaine lettuce and mixed greens tossed with tomatoes, cucumbers, lentils, raisins, dates, feta, walnuts, and olives, is very refreshing. We like pomegranates, and when the waiter suggested Fesenjon, a stew with chicken drenched in a puree of ground walnuts and pomegranate, served with rice, we couldn't resist. It was delicious. Dessert was an ice cream dish topped with rice and cherries. Half a lemon squeezed over the top added a nice citrus flavor. The wait staff is friendly, very attentive, and knowledgeable. Don't let your unfamiliarity with traditional Persian food keep you from trying this wonderful place. read more

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Best Persian food in all of LA!! My family and I have been going to this restaurant for 20 years and it's still the best kabob I have ever had. They have incredible rice and chicken. I have yet to find anywhere as delicious! read more

Their chicken lunch special is unbelievable good They have the best chicken kabab in the town for sure read more

Darya Restaurant - Loubia polo - Middle Eastern Near Me - West Los Angeles, California

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Place an order at 8:30am to be delivered by 12:30 same day. Got an email that they canceled my order 15 min before it was to be delivered. If you can't handle the tech, don't use it. There are real people on the other side of the screen. read more

Darya Restaurant - Not Ok to cancel 15 min before delivery is due - Middle Eastern Near Me - West Los Angeles, California

We always enjoy going to Darya. The food is generally good. Their juicy chicken is a must. The tables are a bit small. I was there with my brothers and the Table for four was too small for three. Their service is decent as well. If I was to rank the restaurants I go to, Sadaf in Encino is definitely number one. read more

Delicious! I tried the lubia polo and the beef koobideh as take out. Both were high quality and I got *so much* for the price. While I understand they don't serve the salad with their takeout, I feel like the quantity of my leftovers more than made up for the lacking salad. Called the order in and it was completed promptly and I got so much lavash and related side dishes with it . All-in-all, this was quite a great take out experience and I look forward to dining in in the future. read more

The way that the guy handled the situation was such a turn off. I don't usually post negative reviews because I always support small businesses but whoever you have in the front from the time of 7:30 PM to 8 PM on October 24 was the biggest pain in my ass for the longest time I was going to order from this restaurant, but the way that the order taker was just, so annoyed with doing his basic job it just didn't sit with me. Well newsflash I came into a place of business not at your house on your couch next time treat people with better respect instead of looking annoyed, taking my order and canceling my order because I had enough of your attitude read more

Absolute Best .... Darya Has the Best Food and Service . The kabobs and Grilled Salmon are extremely tasty , And I must Say no other restaurants make Persian Rice like Darya. read more

Best Persian food in all of LA. Their gormeh sabzi is great and I personally love their juicy chicken. Instead of the rice I get the Darya salad which has dates and feta in it. Portions are also massive (you can have a full dinner and take the rest to go for lunch). If you ask any Persian their favorite go to Persian restaurant it will likely be here. The place is extremely old looking but the food makes up for it. For all my non Persians: ask for tadhig with gormeh sabzi, juicy chicken with Darya salad or albaloo polo (white rice with sour cherry). Service is good and ambience is filled with Persians so you can get an authentic feel. read more

My friend was visiting from Charleston, SC and craving Persian food when she stumbled across this restaurant in Santa Monica. We called in our food orders for pick up. The restaurant is very lovely inside with pretty decor. We got the Fesenjan (vegetarian and the option with chicken) as well as the Eggplant appetizer, Chicken plate and sour cherry rice. Everything was very tasty! The eggplant appetizer was probably my favorite taste of the bunch. Found a couple bones in the chicken Fesenjan which always is unappetizing to me, but the flavors were really good. Overall, I am very happy and satisfied with this restaurant. Staff was very friendly. Also the portions were pretty huge. read more

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One of my absolute favorite Persian restaurants in LA! I can't get enough of the beef koobideh (so delicious), beef barg (incredibly tender and juicy), and chicken barg (soft and flavorful)! The service is fast, and the staff is always friendly. I've been a loyal customer for nearly a decade! read more

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We order chicken combination half rice and half salad and chicken barge . Chicken barge was very dry and half of salad was rotten. I expected better quality. I took a picture of rotten salad. I give two stars only and do recommend to check your food specifically salads for rotten vegetables. read more

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Great reasonably priced food, large portions, first class service, in a very attractive setting. Been here several times and have tried kebabs, juicy chicken, various stews, kashke bademjan eggplant appetizer and all have been delicious. Always look foward to dining here. read more

My brother introduced me to this place. He said he went here growing up all the time with his best friend and his family who are Persian. I have never had Persian food before and i have now become addicted! read more

The food is amazingly and an excellent service . Delicious fresh meat and foods . The building is old and needs renovation . It's definitely worth to go back again and I'm suggesting to whoever wants to try Persian's delicious food to go there. read more

Rack of lamb so tasty, well worth visiting for that. Eggplant appetizer also excellent.

Their food is consistently good, and it's fun to go there. Try the juicy chicken and the rice with berries. Yummy!

I think a Cornish hen dish at any Persian restaurant is the best way of rating the place. From how they cut the hen, season it, cook it and plate it. It takes a lot of experience to do it properly. And of course I love the dish. So if I see it on the menu, there is not much thinking about what to order. This place has been around for about 30 years. It has grown in size as they expanded, and from what I know the owners have remained the same during this entire time. And during this period, it has remained one of the best persian foods around West Los Angeles as a lot of other places have come, gone, changed hands or remained the same. The place is somewhat a typical Persian restaurant, trying to show as an upscale place. In all the times I have tried this place, we have always had great service, there seems to be someone always available to serve you. I've tried many of their dishes and most of it are top rated. As a Persian guy, this seems to be the spot to pick if we are hungry and want good food. One of the things that has impressed me over the years is that when I see one of the owners there, who has been operating restaurants over the years, if they notice that the place is busy and perhaps the kitchen is getting backed up, they roll up their sleeves, wash hands and go into the kitchen and help out. I believe the success of this place is based on the beliefs of the owners wanting a great experience. It's not easy to maintain high quality food experience for such a long time, and my hat is off to them. We will keep coming back. read more

Darya Restaurant - Cornish hen, half salad/Rice. - Middle Eastern Near Me - West Los Angeles, California

Amazing fresh food for sure!!!! Service when I come here varies unfortunately You get the better service and care when you come with friends who are of the culture But the food is amazing regardless Just remember when you come in to be respectful to the people this is their food and they cook it differently than other styles read more

Amazing fresh and wonderful Mediterranean food.great ambience.This place always busy so plan for parking ahead of time .

We went to the other Darya restaurant in OC and had a great experience, so we know the food here is good and authentic. As in every Persian restaurant, the portion was decent with huge piles of rice with different toppings and flavors. We ordered the rice sampler with three different flavors, smoky eggplant paste as appetizer, and a HUGE meat platter with grilled chicken, beef koobideh and filet mignon. Everything was cooked to perfection, tons of juice and flavors! Highly recommend. read more

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Darya is an odd place. The interior is gorgeous. The service is slow and chaotic despite having tons of staff. Food takes a long time to come out. Food itself is solidly good and authentic but not the best I've had. Prices are slightly high. Not much else to say. read more

Barg and Naderi kabobs were really tender and juicy. Well seasoned and extremely well cooked. The best kabob I have had in LA. Service was good as well. Ambiance was ok, but has a bit out-dated interior. read more

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This restaurant can be so much better than it is . Service is slow , the place needs a good cleaning and dusting! Dust everywhere even on the menus and the food at best is mediocre. I hope the Managment takes feedback seriously and make some improvements. The only good are the busboys who are paying attention and provide good service. read more

Fantastic Persian food. Great service. The decor is glamorous and ornate with a huge chandelier and mirrors on the walls. A bit like if you stepped into a classic restaurant in Paris. It's relaxed and fun. The food was very fresh, and the khobideh and chicken were very juicy. They have Tadiq with different toppings... try it with fesenjon. Easy parking in the back. It's super casual but with a very glamorous looking interior. The tables are a little worn but I love that it is very authentic and such a nice change from many of the other stark dining rooms of a few other Persian restaurants in the area. read more

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They denied us service after taking our orders! It was 8:20pm when we came in and were seated, the sign on the door was open and online it said the restaurant was open until 9pm. We were 6 of us, tired and hungry coming directly from LAX. The waiter, a Latin gentleman with glasses who's helped us in the past, came in and didn't greet us cordially but instead with a frustrated tone said, "what are your orders because you're late". We ordered, they brought us tea and bread. After a few minutes they told us that they were now closed and would not be able to take our orders. They apologized but the damaged was done. After 14 years of coming to this restaurant, the damage was done. Some of the Persian waiters were very apologetic but this was the decision of the manager. Tea on the house they said. Luckily we went a few blocks away to Javan restaurant who happily took our orders because the sign on their door was OPEN! read more

Always Return For Boneless Chicken Kabob (Juicy Tender). Request Dark / Thigh Meat. Delicious Yummy. Happy Belly. read more

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A small place that's hard to spot from the outside. They have parking in the back of the building, thats usually not busy. We come in quite often to order food. The staff are nice and listen to our requests and go beyond what we want. The food comes out pretty quickly, considering how packed it is. The food is good, and they don't seem to rush you at all. I would recommend. read more

Absolutely love Daryas. I've been coming here for 10+ years! I rarely deviate from my usual, which is the chicken shish kabob. A very large portion which is difficult for me to finish. I like it that they allow you to customize the dish and choose salad over rice which is what I prefer. I have tried their other dishes and they were equally delicious. I learned to drink Persian tea (Sadaf) here. They literally got me hooked. I am not Persian but I sense that everything I eat here including the tea is super legit ! Finally, I have always been treated well. I see some of the same waiters today that served me 10 years ago. Always very good service and very prompt Persian tea refills. This business survived the pandemic well and judging by some of the staff who are still working there after years gives me the impression that this establishment is well managed. read more