First time here. We stopped going to Moby Dick at other locations because the bread taste/texture…read moredeclined and the food just wasn't as good as it was in the past. Was in the area and thought we'd give this a shot. We each ordered the chicken platter, one with half rice/salad and the other with all salad. Also got a hummus with bread. The hummus (their brand, in a sealed package) is good. Flavorful and creamy. The bread had a better texture than at our last few visits at other locations (not as hard), but still just "meh" for flavor. I've had better bread at other kabob places recently. It was served warm, but not hot, which surprised me. The chicken in the entrees was well prepared. The meat tasted good and was juicy. I think the portion (number of pieces) looks smaller than in the past, but still plenty to eat. The salad was fresh. The dressing is a lemon oil combination that is very, very lemony. One of us liked it snd the other found the lemon flavor overwhelming. The rice was "meh". Although cooked properly, it lacked any flavor. "Meh" like the bread. I likely won't come back because the bread and rice don't really add anything to the meal. There's better alternatives around.

I've been a loyal customer of Moby Dick Bethesda for years, but this will probably be my last…read morevisit. The chicken joojeh portions have become ridiculous. The chicken pieces are now the size of thumbnails, yet the prices keep going up. This feels like pure shrinkflation. Longtime customers notice when quality and value disappear. Very disappointing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Really cute space! Love the indoor trees and decor! Staff super friendly, passionate and kind…read more Loved the falafel and mushroom shish kebab! Those were my favorites. Followed by the Zaytoon and then hummus and cauliflower. All really good but in that order of preference! Can't miss the first two. So much flavorrrrr

They charged for olives in my martini! First I ordered their signature drink, after asking and…read morebeing told it was not too sweet. It was very sweet. Our server suggested a glass of white wine - undrinkable to my taste. I asked for a martini, up, with olives. It was a very nice martini - until we got the bill. They charged $1 for each olive! Outrageous! Who does this? I will never go back and promised I'd share this story with as many people as possible. The decor is old, they've done nothing to update since the prior restaurant, Positano, left. If you're contemplating this place- walk past! Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else

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

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

It was my second time going there .I had good company which made it fun but I was not very thrilled…read morewith the service.the bottle of water that you are served is straight tap water and you can taste the chlorine. the servers bring your food to the table and reach across and hand you your plates which was odd to me. my favorite persian restaurant in VA DC area will remain Rumi .

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

Had a wonderful experience at Darvish Kitchen. The restaurant is beautifully designed inside with…read moreelegant Persian decorations and a warm atmosphere that makes the dining experience feel special. The staff was incredibly kind, welcoming, and great at giving recommendations throughout the meal. The food was flavorful and authentic. I got the Persian ghormeh sabzi (herb stew), which was absolutely amazing with rich, comforting flavors, and the wheat soup was also delicious. For dessert, I tried the Persian affogato, which was a nice ending to the meal as well. Overall, a great spot in DC for flavorful Persian food, beautiful ambiance, and excellent hospitality.

Made a last minute reservation here for dinner with six colleagues. The staff were so accommodating…read more~ and patient ~ with our group. We ordered a variety of things, including their combination appetite platter (citrusy olives with pomegranate seeds was the total standout!), chicken breast, eggplant, filet mignon kebab, and whole branzino. All delicious! The service was fast and friendly. The decor was outstanding ~ even the bathroom became a destination for several of our party members. A delightful experience and I'd happily return and have already recommended it to others.