Had lunch here with a friend today. I had the 3-appetizer combo ($25) and chose the Hummus, Maast O Khiar, and a spinach/yogurt based item. My friend got the soup and salad combo. All three of the dips were a generous portion and the bread accompanying them is delicious. The bread was refilled 3 times during the meal. Very, very good. Each of the dips was different and very tasty. The Hummus was smooth and flavorful and the Spinach (served warm) had a garlic flavor. I took a lot of the dips home - the bread was so delicious, I filled up quickly. My friend thought the salad (Salad Alamut) was ok, but the soup (tomato based) was very good. We each had a decaf cappuccino, which were also very good. The service was outstanding. The bread basket was refilled several times and our water glasses were tended to very well. The place was not crowded and we had a leisurely lunch that lasted almost 3 hours. There was no impatience to present us with the bill, and, after we paid, we were still offered refills on water as we lingered for a few more minutes. Excellent service! We felt very welcomed here. The restaurant has a traditional Persian restaurant appearance. It's nice and light, a bit fancy in appearance, but not stuffy. read more

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Divan Restaurant is a Persian place with a menu that takes you on a trip to exotic lands and flavors - all of them wonderful! We were having dinner with some friends and this was centrally located - plus one of our friends is Persian and she insisted - so we were offered a lovely glimpse into this beautiful cuisine. As any of you who have read my reviews know, I am Greek and Greek food is among my favorites. Well, Persian food is "kinda sorta" like Greek food only slightly different to keep it interesting. I was pleasantly surprised. We started out the meal with a sampling of appetizers. Zucchini fritters, hummus, fresh tomato salad, octopus, beet salad. All wonderful and all perfectly prepared and beautifully presented! For our main course, we had some lamb, a ground beef kabob and chicken kabobs. All wonderful. The lamb was - in my opinion - perfectly cooked; the meat was "fall off the bones" tender, just the way I like it and just the way that Greek cuisine would cook it. I did not need a knife to cut it. WOW!!! There was also a beef stew so luxuriously seasoned that it transported me to the Middle East! Cinnamon, probably star anise, cloves definitely! Really different and lovely. As good as all the food was, the rice might be the star of the show for me. They have a way of preparing rice so that it has a crust to it. The outer layer is crispy, crunchy (in a good way) and I loved that. The inside rice is tender and chewy. Divine Divan!!! The ambiance of the dining room is okay. Nothing special. Nothing wrong with it, but nothing to add an additional star to this review. Service was professional and fast. Will I return to Divan? Oh yes! Do I recommend it? Oh yes but not on a night when I want a table there!!! read more

(4) ~ very good overall food & service DRINKS: ** Water (tap) = (4) very good, must be filtered;) ** Persian Tea = (4) very good, wish they had rock candy though... FOOD: ** Bread & Dips = (4) very good ** Beet Borani = (4) very good ** Soupeh Joh (Persian Barley Soup) = (4) very tasty (see photo) ** Kabob Torsh (medium) = (4) very good, wish the tomato was charred... ** Faloodeh = (4) very good * Berries Divan = (3.85 read more

Divan Restaurant - Soupeh Joh (Persian Barley Soup) - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Mclean, Virginia

Great food with Great friends. We enjoyed Great service. Consistently Great ambience. We love this place. Different dishes. All were great read more

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Delicious! We came here for Valentine's Day and the restaurant was absolutely lovely. We were sat right away and took in the ambiance. Low lighting, tasteful themed decor, not too loud music. The vibes were just right. Our server was amazing. A beautiful woman by the name of.... Noir maybe... maybe Dior. I don't quite remember but she was amazing. She walked us through the menu thoughtfully giving us some background information and her personal recommendations. The food was PHENOMENAL. This was my first time having Persian/Iranian cuisine and I was absolutely blown away. Can't wait to go back and try something new. read more

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Have been there multiple times, and every time it was an amazing experience. The atmosphere and the staff are super nice and friendly. My favorite part is the appetizer and the bread that comes with the saffron butter. My favorite Persian restaurant in the DMV. read more

We came here with some friends who are more familiar with this restaurant and food. We followed their lead and let them order for the entire table and everything was amazing. Between the shrimp divan, maast o khiar, salade shirazi, jujeh kabob, etc everything was so fresh and full of flavor. Our absolute favorite and must must try is the gormeh sabzi. If you are in the area highly highly highly recommend this place. read more

SERVICE FOOD AND ATMOSPHERE!!!! We took a chance on a Sunday evening after hearing about this small restaurant that gives you a little bit of Persian and a little bit of mediterranean blended recipes. Whatever they're doing just hits the palate just right. My sea bass melted in my mouth and the balsamic rice was presented beautifully. My lemonade mocktail was delicious. Barry had the seafood pasta which was full of mussel, shrimp and scallops. His cocktail was prepared well he said. I forgot to mention our salads - the dressings nicely prepared- like just for us. Lastly tiramisu- they make it in house -what a great place for a Sunday evening dinner!!- read more

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Back again and same exceptional service with Rian taking great care of us and Cyrus the owners son is caring for everyone like they're family. The quality of the food is immpecable. The tahdeeg is EXCEPTIONAL!!!! The authentic flavor profiles are to be commended. And also the photos posted online of the interior do not do it justice... it has high ceilings and huge windows and lots of natural exposed brick. Really charming. Fun fact- this family has owned restaurants in DC that have been INSTITUTIONS !!! Anyone remember Picolo Restaurant in Gtown ?! In the gorgeous historical home ?? Yep theirs !! Plus a multitude of others. This industry is in this families blood and they're killing it ! read more

Divan Restaurant - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Mclean, Virginia

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A higher end Persian restaurant with amazing food and great service. The interior has a very classy feel to it despite being an older strip mall. We were treated like first class guests the whole time, from the entry to the entire meal to a friendly good bye at the end. The food was great- the olives and dolmen were great appetizers, and we split the duck for our entree. Everything was well seasoned, good portion sizes and amazing flavor. One of the best Persian restaurants I've been to in the area. read more

One of the best Persian restaurants I've been to! Very elegant restaurant and the service was superb. The waiters came back and wiped down the table after every dish and they would replace your plates and silverware. The waiter came back to refill my water frequently. Excellent service! I ordered the lamb chop shandiz and I got to say that it was the best lamb dish I've had thus far. The lamb was very soft and tender. And there was a minimal gamey taste. Not pungent at all. They provide you with naan and dip in the beginning as well. Highly recommend this restaurant! So much to choose from - you can't go wrong with any choice. read more

Divan Restaurant - Lamb - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Mclean, Virginia

We came for valentine's day dinner. There were many issues with the night that led to our dinner feeling more like a joke than not. First issue: many tables were added for valentine's day. This created an extremely cramped dining room where we were sitting almost shoulder to shoulder with the folks next to us. The other issue this created was that many food runners had no idea where the tables were now that many more were added. Certain tables near us had 3 or more visits from food runners who brought the wrong food. Food runners often looked lost and ambled around, often asking the customer whether they had their food or not. Second issue: the load generated from the holiday + extra tables overloaded the staff. We waited about 40 minutes for our drink and appetizer - 1.5 hours from sit down for our mains. By the time our mains came, we were ready to leave. We were served a dip without any bread - 10 minute wait for bread to eat our lukewarm dip. Third issue: the food was all served lukewarm and was missing seasoning. The food was spiced and had lots of herbs sure - but no salt to bring the flavor out. Everything tasted dull and the temperature of the food was extremely surprising. Tahdig varied greatly. Ours was a bit light, the tables next to us got burnt tahdig. Our roast chicken was dry, and the whole trout had lost its crisp by the time it hit our table, and we found a bunch of pin bones still present in the fish. Service was largely lacking. We had to flag people down for more bread. Add in the lost food runners, and we ended up thinking this was a bad joke. I am giving two stars as the food, minus the seasoning and temperature, was just OK. The service apologized a couple times, saying the tables added and busyness was tripping them up. Sure, but that's no excuse. Bottom line - $75/pp wasted. Food, service, experience was all poor. When you are charging $40 for a plate and $20 for a drink, there is a service expectation that needs to be met. We will not be back - there is no shortage of great persian restaurants in the DMV area. It's a shame given how many times I have been recommended this restaurant. read more

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Let's start with the bread. As you can see there's no pictures of it. It held its weight. While warm, it was easily some of the best I've had with the saffron honey butter. I had the koobideh and Caspian Punch. The punch was a refreshing yet subtly strong cocktail - I very much recommend it. My fiancée had the lamb chop & I've got to recommend it over the koobideh. That said, paired with the fries and spice offerings, it was a very solid meal! Finally, the service. All very attentive & friendly. I have to recommend Divan, I know we'll be back. Check it out! read more

Divan Restaurant - Koobideh - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Mclean, Virginia

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A friend told me to come to Divan because I told him I was craving grilled octopus and he stated I would not be disappointed... and I was not! It was so good that I ordered two! Along with some grilled shrimp (which lacked flavor) and this Cornish hen dish (which is definitely plenty of food to share). Be careful of the green sauce the restaurant brings to the table with the bread (it contains nuts). The server did not explain what was in the sauce until I asked. Glad I did not eat it. The service was slow at first (and it was not even crowded), but then it got better. It seems like all the servers help with each table. The ambiance was nice and cozy. It is perfect for a date night. The majority (98 percent) of the customers were older. So if that is not your type of restaurant, you might want to find somewhere else to eat. There is plenty of free parking around the building. read more

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We had dinner at Divan, a beautiful Persian restaurant. The setup and ambiance are truly outstanding--elegant, warm, and inviting. The service is among the best I have ever experienced at a Persian restaurant across VA, DC, NY, GA, NJ, IL and CA. The owner is exceptionally welcoming and personally greets guests, which adds a very special touch. The menu is extensive and thoughtfully influenced by Northern Iranian cuisine, offering a refreshing variety of traditional dishes. That said, my main concern was the quality and quantity of the food. Unfortunately, the dishes were neither well prepared nor sufficient in portion size. Additionally, the pricing is significantly higher than comparable Persian restaurants--approximately 40% more than Georgia, 35% higher than southern CA, and about 25% higher than New York City. Because of these last two factors--food quality and value--I would likely pass on returning, despite the excellent ambiance and service. read more

I've dined at Divan in McLean before and enjoyed the food, but recent experiences with management--specifically the General Manager, David--were very disappointing. During a visit in October for a celebration, a server accidentally dropped food on my shirt and blazer. While the GM initially acknowledged the incident, the situation was handled poorly afterward, with dismissive and unprofessional responses rather than a reasonable customer-service gesture. On later visits, the situation escalated. I was told I was "not welcome," and during my most recent visit with my young son, I overheard the GM speaking negatively about me to staff. When I calmly addressed it, we were refused service and asked to leave. Accidents happen; how they're handled matters. Unfortunately, the repeated hostility and refusal of service overshadowed what used to be a good dining experience. Based on this treatment, I can't recommend the restaurant. read more

I believe this was my first time trying Persian food. My friends and I didn't know what to order so we went with what our server recommended: Salade Alamut- Arugula salad with beets, goat cheese, and raspberry vinaigrette. It's a nice refreshing salad to start the meal with, but at the same time, not very memorable. Grilled Octopus - Grilled octopus drizzled with olive oil and vinaigrette. The octopus was grilled perfectly and was very tender. Mirza Ghasemi - Eggplant and egg dip with Persian bread. It was a nice little light appetizer. Kabob Torsch - Beef tenderloin kabobs marinated in pomegranate juice. This dish was a little too sweet and the beef was a little too overcooked and dry for me. Mahi Shekampoor - A whole trout stuffed with herb greens and nuts, on sauteed spinach. I think this is my favorite of the night. The fish was cooked perfectly with the herb greens and spinach. I would get this dish again. Mahechay - Braised bone-in lamb in broth. This was my second favorite dish of the night. The lamb and broth was so flavorful with the spices. I would also order this again. Persian Saffron Rice Pudding - I didn't enjoy this. It tasted a little too floral to me. I should have picked a different dessert, but everything else seemed non-Persian. Each entrée came with a plate of rice. Service was great. Our server was very attentive and patient in explaining items on the menu. The owner came over to check on us. The restaurant has a nice cozy decor. It seems kind of upscale, but you don't need to be dressy to be here. read more

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Delicious Persian cuisine. May be the best we have had yet! The braised lamb was amazing, as was the Persian pasta and the barg combo. Limited seating. Higher end dining. Service was friendly and very helpful in picking out dinner choices. Great experience overall. read more

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Omigosh this place!!! My friend and I are now making it "our place." Because everything about it blows your socks off. First of all, all the service, from the foodrunners to the bartender, were sweet and fantastic. Then, it's also beautiful inside--such luxurious blue velvet. My garden cocktail was like a more strongly flavored martini, which I loved....and the red wine (I think I got a merlot??) was full and smooth. The the food. ::mouthwatering emoji:: I never order olives at a restaurant, I think it's a waste. Not these ones. They convinced us to order them and MAN I could have eaten pounds of them. I don't know what the sauce was but it was addictive. The eggplant was warm and creamy and SO GOOD. The Persian Pizza's flavors and spices could blow you away. The only thing that was mediocre was the stuffed meatball, but that's only because everything else outshined it. And there are SO MANY other things on the menu that I want. I can't wait to come back here again and again. read more

What a treat . loved this place. Food was A++. Rian our server was so friendly and accommodating. All his recommendations worked out perfect . The Tahdeeg was awesome and bread basket was perfect start to the afternoon. Thank you guys !! keep up the good word. read more

I loved this place! Phenomenal elevated mom and pop style Persian food. The service was great, ambiance was wonderful. When I'm back in DMV- I will be coming back! read more

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The food was absolute divine!! House bread was soooo delicious; we had 2 baskets. Smoked eggplant had its own unique taste was nothing like Baba ghanoush. We LOVE the saffron basmati rice with the crispy layer on top. Yummo!!!!! Amazing service! Although the restaurant is kids friendly, it doesn't offer a kids menu. They were flexible and made butter noodles for our kid. Our 4 yr old likes steak and we ordered Barg for him. Try the lamb shank! It's super tender and falls off the bone. Beautiful ambiance. Loud but we don't mind the noise. read more

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Food was not prepared well and staff was unprofessional. I do not recommend this restaurant.

Food was amazing! Lamb chops were tender and the sauces were amazing. The Bread. Thats it the Bread. Hence why theres no picture of the bread. The bread with the honey saffron spread and olive/eggplant spread was to die for! The service was a 10/10! The ambiance was great as well! I will be going back and will bring my friends here as well! Highly recommend. read more

Divan Restaurant - Caspian Punch - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Mclean, Virginia

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OMG. Persian Food with a modern Mediterranean twist. Paella was Persian style with Turkish Beef sausages and more tomato sauce than saffron. Tasty seafood We had grilled octopus and an eggplant dip for appetizers. The bread and dipping sauces were a jalapeño base and a sumac base. I had to he stuffed trout while other family members had seafood pasta and a variety of kebabs. Service was impeccable and the waitstaff remembered our cousins. The day was sunny and warm so the window/doors were open for freshness. The ambience was modern and relaxed. Our Waiter was from Turkey and gave us a broad view of the cuisine. read more

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Let's start with the food was great, especially the steak kebabs. The koobideh was a bit dry but didn't deter us from finishing all of it. The service was great, just a tad bit slow as it was super busy when we went. The dessert was great, I think I'm being haunted by rose water infused desserts as I keep accidentally ordering it when it isn't my favorite. Very date night esque, candle lit dinner and dim lighting. For the lovers and Persian food admirers, this is for you. read more

Divan Restaurant - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Mclean, Virginia

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I definitely started 2024 off right and this is officially my new favorite place! The decor has an upscale but also cozy feel. The chairs are super comfortable. The host was warm and friendly, and there's just something about seeing the owner greet regulars that gives you the warm fuzzies. Food: the shrimp app was sooo good. The lamb chops were amazing. The best I've ever had. So tender and juicy... and the portion was excellent! The pomegranate cosmo was delicious, albeit a little pricey at $20. For desert we enjoyed the hazelnut chocolate cake and then the ice cream duo, however the rose flavor didn't quite do it for me. I hope all my meals in 2024 are this delicious! read more

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Honestly this place shocked me. It's so beautiful in side, amazing decor beautiful ambiance. Staff? Sucks. Noses so high up they can't even hear your order to its entirety. You get scared trying to call them back over to ask for something because they're extremely rude and act like they don't have time for you. Mind you the restaurant was empty, the waiter had all the time in the world to listen to our order. I couldn't believe it, a middle eastern restaurant that's not hospitable is unheard of, but I guess never say never. Then comes the food, everything tastes gamey, the soup had an after taste, the lamb was not washed it tasted so bad. I just could not believe how the look of the restaurant was in comparison to the food. Terrible experience and not worth any money we spent. I returned all my plates full and not one person asked me if something was wrong. Never coming back here again. read more

Upscale Persian/Iranian restaurant in a nice open space with a large menu and attentive service I came here for dinner with my GF on a Friday night, and the place had plenty of tables available. Our meal was started off with a small basket of tasty bread & butter. Also, I got a cocktail which was both very tasty and very strong. For food, we decided to share a bunch of things between the 2 of us. We opted to get 1 main dish and a variety of 4 appetizers. Between us had a hummus appetizer, a grape leaves appetizer, a shrimp appetizer, a meatball appetizer, and a chicken main dish. They were all solid. HIS IS A TIP FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS $+ APPITIZERS-------- They offer an "appetizer sampler platter", which is presented as a "choose 3 of a select number of appetizers" for the price of $27. Since we wanted to get 4 appetizers to split between us anyway, we asked to include the 3 most expensive that we were going to order (a meatball, grape leaves, and shrimp) on this platter, and to order the cheapest appetizer we were going to get (hummus) as a separate order. Frustratingly, they decided to do what was most lucrative for them, and they swapped the hummus (what was the cheapest of the appetizers we wanted) with the the shrimp ( the most expensive appetizer that we wanted) so that the shrimp was a separate order from the platter. If we were to know they were going to do this we would have ordered the platter first, and then ordered the shrimp afterwards. This maneuvering on their part cost us an extra ~10$ Both indoor & patio seating, and also have some indoor tables right next to large open windows/doors Service was very fast read more

Great place. Cozy atmosphere. Tasty food (especially desserts). Fast service. Definitely recommend! read more

The food was amazing and Mr. Raim was our server with excellent service, and friendly care. The ambiance is beautiful, we celebrated my son's birthday. Highly recommend it. read more

I love trying new things with my family so here we went! The restaurant staff was so friendly, and attended well to needs. The vibe was relaxing and the food and desserts were yummy. I loved the way staff explained the food. I would definitely go back as the food tasted so fresh and seasoned well. The 30 minute drive to get there was so worth it! read more

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The food was good, but I agree with the other reviewers regarding the manager. When I asked the manager about a charge discrepancy he was rude and condescending. It was a small discrepancy, just $9, but it could have been handled with more professionalism and courtesy. I won't be returning with my family. read more

I had absolutely the most divine experience at Divan! This place has been on my list to try for years, since I love Persian cuisine and have heard many wonderful things. I was thoroughly delighted to discover that my expectations were indeed met and even exceeded by both the food and staff. Divan is a family-run business that takes great pride in their authenticity and quality, both of which are to the highest level. I was able to meet the father and daughter and was touched by their welcome nature and kindness. My friend and I also felt meticulously cared for by all the staff, as many of them would often stop by and check in on us or assist us in whatever we needed. Our waiter especially was so friendly and helpful in his guidance through their extensive menu and ensured that we received the best they had to offer. Our meal was well-rounded with a mix of Mediterranean and Persian selections at his recommendation and I am grateful that we got to comprehensively try a wide variety that did not disappoint. We started off with the beautiful hibiscus rose sour mocktail that not only looked great, but tasted great too. The beverage menu at Divan is so long and unique that I am tempted to return several times in order to try each and every one of their drinks. They also served their complimentary barbari bread that was deceivingly addictive -- so addicting to the point where I packed a few pieces as leftovers and my mouth watered at the smell of the bread every time I would reheat some to eat. In regard to the courses, my appetizer highlight would definitely be the grilled octopus. I've never had more tender tentacles before and the pomegranate molasses provided the right amount of acidity and sweetness to complement the dish. Moving onto the entrees, the lamb chops were my favorite as they were so incredibly juicy and paired well with the sides of sumac and zhoug. Each bite tasted rich and decadent, as if eating the meat was a luxury. Divan's commitment to small details can be seen with the side of tahdig that comes with almost every entree also. The effort to crisp the rice in order to provide their guest with an elevated experience is truly amazing. The addas polo was especially delicious with the addition of lentils, raisins, and sautéed onions that made it possible to just eat the rice and be satisfied. However, the country-style roasted chicken that came with it was so moist and flavorful that I was a huge fan, even as someone that doesn't usually love chicken. After being completely stuffed, my friend and I ended the decadent meal with an even more decadent dessert of chocolate cake and a chai to wash it all down. I personally think it's so special that Divan provides the option to sweeten your tea with rock sugar, creating another unique Persian touch. Overall, this experience felt like a dream, especially with the lovely ambiance of watching the sunset right next to our table and then the dimmed romantic lights when it got dark outside. This was a beautiful meal in a beautiful restaurant, and I'm looking forward to my next rendezvous at this place that stole my heart. read more

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This is a great Persian restaurant. The food and drinks I had here were great. I liked my Tehrattan cocktail, which was their take on a Manhattan. The grilled octopus was tasty and not dry. The koobideh was flavorful and I liked the way the rice was presented in a crispy dome, I thought that was interesting. Overall I had a good experience here. read more

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Food was excellent, service from Raim was even better. Need to ask for Lunch prix fixe menu - great value. Raim was extremely welcoming, even accommodated us early. Minor commotion from owner due to our party being seated early, but Raim more than made up for it. Celebrating birthday - complimentary made-in-house tiramisu that was delicious. Owners had an Italian restaurant previously so Peruvian and Italian selections on menu. Highly recommend for very good food. read more

Delicious authentic Persian food as good as Shamshiri even better maybe the personal TADIG is the way to go. Every dish comes with one I'm just writing! read more

We dined for Birthday celebration.Food was excellent. Service by Raim was superb and he explained menu well . Must try place .

New favorite place in the northern Virginia area. Excellent atmosphere spacious, great decor, friendly people. Raim our server was exceptional. Unlike most places, he actually generally cared about us enjoying our experience... explain the menu and was congenial and pleasant. Food was fantastic. It even impressed my Persian girlfriend. Can't wait to get back there for dinner. Get in there and enjoy the experience! read more

We had our wedding lunch reception here a year go and food was fantastic and staff easy to work with. Had dinner here again and food seems to be even better Valentine's Day weekend and the staff made us feel all the more welcome. The fish and lamb dishes as well as the apps are to keep coming back for. Menu items are incentive with also great mocktail menu (and cocktails)! Will be coming back soon! read more