My advice in summary: Order Kabobs Lentil soup is a great side Complimentary humus and bread starter My husband is Iranian, I know Persian food. This was just disappointing. We assumed the negative reviews from yelp users with Iranian names might might be a bit harsh, so we still gave it a shot. Good news for non-Persians. You might still like the food, IF you don't know what the real dish is supposed to taste like. No need to order appetizer, if you are not so hungry. They bring a satisfying and complimentary humus, olive and bread plate which is pretty good. The kashk (eggplant) appetizer we ordered was just OK. The main dish we ordered was Chicken Fesenjan. Nothing like the dish back home. It lacked quality and flavor. Some missing key ingredients and some not needed ingredients. A good example on how to butcher a dish... or how my husband put it "they just added whatever ingredients were present in the kitchen". My advice on what to order. Iranians are best at cooking Kabobs, stick to those. They can't go wrong with that. Also the main entree comes with the choice of lentil soup or salad. We got the lentil soup, it was great! The owner makes a sweet gesture at the end, they bring a red rose for female customers with the check. A bit gender biased, but I am woman ;). And this is not just for Valentine's Day. Ambience is nice, love the open well-lit seating next to windows. Great outdoor feeling in chilly-windy winters. read more

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Great experience! The food was excellent, but their hospitality and service exceeded all of our expectations.

The service was fabulous! This was one of the best dining experiences that I have ever had. The staff cared not only about the quality of the food but about the "dining experience" as a whole. I highly recommend! read more

Best ever Mediterranean food!! Owner and server was so helpful and very nice We will visit this place again when we come back here in Chicago!! read more

My boyfriend and I spent our first anniversary here last night and it was amazing!!! The atmosphere was so inviting and relaxing, the staff was so nice, and the food was GREAT! 10/10 recommend for any occasion or no occasion at all :) Oh! Best part. The waiter brought me a rose with the bill! read more

Pars Cove - What a sweet gesture, but the rose was given to me by the restaurant - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place still seems mostly "undiscovered" but isn't likely to remain so; I've been reading more and more about it recently. I went there with three friends in March, late on a Sunday evening. It was nice and cozy for a cold night and we had the restaurant to ourselves. As mentioned elsewhere, the service is unparalleled. One of our party ordered a salad; the rest of us nothing but entrees. So that we wouldn't be left out, the server brought us a free appetizer sampler. We later got free desserts (vanilla ice cream with honey) and then a lovely rose for the one lady among us. The food was all very good. I had the (apparently famous) walnut pomegranate chicken, which I loved despite my usual aversion to fruit-and-meat combinations. This place is probably livelier earlier in the evening and in the afternoon, which would add to the fun, I'm sure. I will definitely return to Pars Cove for almost any occasion when I want delicious Middle Eastern food and excellent service. The atmosphere lends itself well to dates and they have a dinner-for-two deal which seems like a great value. read more

An inviting restaurant with a top notch selection of Persian food that accommodates every food interest on Diversey and Pine Grove in the heart of Lakeview and Lincoln Park. To start, the hummus is hands down the BEST in Chicago! The $40 dinner for two (2 appetizers, 2 drinks, 2 entrees, 2 desserts and choice of a soup/salad per guest) certainly meets most budgets. From experience the chicken, beef, and lamb selections are superb. Every time I return, I am drawn to the chicken with walnut pomegranate sauce. But owners Max Pars and his wife are always available and eager to make a food recommendation or design your meal based on your taste. They certainly aim to please! In typical Persian hospitaility, female guests are always treated with a rose at the end of the meal. Simply the tastiest and healthiest Middle Eastern restaurant in Chicago - you won't be disappointed! read more

This was the BEST Persian food I've ever had! Not only was the food delicious and flavorful but the owner went out of his way to make my friends and I feel so at home! He gave us complementary wine, appetizers & dessert with our meal out of the kindness of his heart and roses with the check!! COME HERE IF YOU CAN!! read more

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It was a dark and stormy night...heh, I always wanted to start off a sentence saying that. Actually when we went to Pars Cove it was raining buckets out but it wasn't dark so at least I got it half right. Quiet evening for the restaurant, there were only two other tables there when we arrived. We were greeted right away by the host and were told we could pick any table. We picked a cozy table towards the back of the restaurant. We were given our menus and the specials and yay...they had Sangria! We decided to go with the cool platter. For our entrees I had the split pea and crushed tomato with lime sauce over chicken and my husband got the salmon and lamb skewer. Cool platter came out first and it was really yummy. I especially liked the hummus and the salad. Next came the vegetarian lentil soup. Soup was good but we both added some salt and pepper. Our entrees came out next and ooo they were so good. My chicken was just a bit on the dry side but everything else was just wonderful. We asked for a dessert menu but we were both so stuffed that we thought we would just look to see what they had for next time. Our waitress informed us that the meal came with ice cream, drizzled with honey and sprinkled with cinnamon. Ouch. Okay, we got one order. Ooo, I was hurtin'. The meal ended with me getting a beautiful red rose. I loved Pars Cove and will definitely be back and next time with friends...yeah and my husband too...he is my ride after all. ;) read more

One of my favorite restaurants. I live around the corner and come here a couple of times a year for a nice meal. If you go with the deal, it's very inexpensive for two people. Appetizer platter, bottle of wine, two entrees (up to $18 each) and ice cream for dessert for $60. I've had the chicken and lamb fesenjan and the lamb arabiata and everything has been delicious. The malbec included in the deal was also good. In additiom, my GF threw a surprise bday party for me here a few years ago and everything was great. The kicker for a romantic evening is that each lady receives a rose at the end of the meal. I think this makes a special evening a little more so. read more

Try everything. If Mike is cooking ask him to whip you up some scallops and pasta. Not on the menu but - WOW ! Max, Mike and Neda are the ultimate hosts. read more

Pars Cove - Great Outdoor! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

What a wonderful place! Max the owner deserves the world, the food is phenomenal and I will be back!

I went here on April 12, 2013. I got the four course dinner for two groupon. My date I took was fine, I got some of the worst food poisoning of my life. The whole nine yerds: Bi-directional effluent, chills, the werks. When you get food poisoning, it's hard to pin down the exact source unless you...take a sample, and I didn't do that. They offered to comp me a meal, and I never took them up on it because I was afraid, but that was my experience. I'm sorry I took so long to bring this up in a review, and I don't know if me speaking out about this is coming off as an attempt to besmirch their name, but this is my experience, and I have witnesses to prove that what happened to me happened to me. I'm sorry everybody for any trouble I may have caused. read more

We have dined here a couple of times now. On our most recent visit we sat towards the back but if you can get a table in front that's the place to sit! Front seating feels cozy and romantic, kind of like dining in a cave. The back, unfortunately, feels like sitting in the basement. Even so, the owner and staff are able to make your dining experience, no matter where you sit, feel special. Ladies are always awarded a rose at the end of the meal. We had the four course meal with appetizer sampler, soup or salad, entree and dessert. Appetizer sampler: Hummus, Eggplant Kashk, Tapenade, Shirazi Salad, Dolmeh. The humus is excellent! Eggplant Kashk is different than what I am used to tasting in an middle eastern eggplant spread. It's not bad but I am not quite sure that I like either. Tapenade is great! I like to use it with my hummus on the bread that they serve - also great bread! Shirazi salad is basically a tomato and cucumber salad - delicious. The dolmeh, stuffed grape leaves - I think these are the best I have ever had. Yum! Soup: We had the lentil soup. This past year was the year of the middle east. We did a lot of traveling there and learned that lentil soup is pretty much a staple everywhere. The lentil soup here didn't disappoint. Entree: I chose the chicken fesenjan and hubby had the lamb shank fesenjan. Fesenjan sauce is a walnut pomegranate sauce. It is wonderful. My chicken was good as was his lamb shank. Dessert: Vanilla ice cream with cinnamon and honey. So simple and yummy, I can do this at home and I think that I just might! read more

Pars Cove - Chicken Fesenjan Chicken in Walnut pomegranate sauce - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is where its at! The lamb... oh the lamb. So good and tender. I came here with two yuppies and we started with a trio appetizer that came with delicious and creamy hummus and hot pita breads. We then ordered the main course, and I got the lamb gourmeh sabzi, my one friend got the baked lamb fesenjan with the pomegranate sauce, and my other friend got a beef entree. I honestly do not know how the other dishes tasted as I focused solely on mine, it was that good. The meals came with soup and salad, and at the end we got a tasty ice cream dessert. Total came out to be around 20, so def very reasonably priced. I am a big fan of Mediterranean food, and Pars Cove you came through! And thanks Max, the owner, you are the man! read more

My sister had been raving about this place for years but I was skeptical because I'm a picky eater and don't usually like new foods. She finally talked me into picking up takeout and EVERYTHING IS DELICIOUS HERE. Try whatever kind of meat you like with the fesenjen (walnut-pomegranate) sauce, that stuff is magic. My beef entree was really juicy and flavorful. The restaurant is a gem, and it's so close to the zoo and lakefront! I can't wait to go back. read more

Persian food, yes. It's a little different from Mediterranean food but it's the differences that make it so interesting. My friend was visiting and before he left he wanted some middle Eastern food because he doesn't have access to it in Brazil. Thanks to Yelp for bringing this place to mind because I've passed by it a few times but have never been here. Always, really hoidy-toidy looking. The Wednesday night we went to was pretty terrible out and two hours close to closing there was no one there. Since we were the only table it's kind of hard to gauge service but our waitress was attentive and helpful. We picked the dinner for two which is a great deal: two drinks, two appetizers and two entrees. I never had Kashk before but I liked the flavor of it, the mix of milk and eggplant reminded me of something but I'm not sure what it is. Whatever it was it was good. The hummus was okay I've had better from other places but not a bad one either. My friend rather unimaginatively got the chicken kabob but it was really good, the roasted vegetables really blended well with the roasted chicken. It really made the whole dish, which is hard for me as a meat lover to admit. The filet vino is a little strange to see but also delicious, again the mushrooms and the wine made the filet's sweetness stick out. Sort of like a marsala. Obviously, a lot of other reviews have mentioned the ice cream so I am not going to say anything else other than, it's good, it's free and it's awesome. I would come back regularly if the parking around there wasn't so damned hard. read more

We had a groupon to Pars Cove, and it was such a great find! This is the kind of place I'd love to become a regular! Their menu is fantastic, the prices are more than reasonable, the value is excellent even without the groupon. The menu has a few sections to it-- the appetizers (try the cold sampler, which came with our groupon... there isn't a bad thing on the plate and the hummus is especially memorable!), the kebobs, the meat & sauce mix-and-match section, and the seafood. We all ordered our entrees from the mix-and-match. I got the vegetarian fesenjan and it was phenomenal. I've had homemade fesenjan/fesenjoon made by some Persian friends before, and this was easily as good (sorry, Obie-- you'll just have to try this sometime!) At least you know it's authentic! Every entree also comes with vanilla ice cream and usually a honey drizzle, although ours had some mini-baklava and cherries on them, which was the perfect finish to the night. And as if that weren't enough, my mom and I both got roses from the presumed owner of the establishment. He came over and explained his handwritten bill to my dad, which included tip but charged for the least expensive entree (since we bought an extra one beyond what was included in the groupon) but ended with "you pay what you want to" So nice! The one thing that wasn't authentic was our Eastern European (?) server who admonished us for ordering the fesenjan sauce, warning us that it was sweet (it's not, it's more tart/tangy)... This is clearly their specialty, why would they have waitstaff cautioning guests against their specialty?? He was also really unfriendly and seemed really unhappy to be serving us. Our busboy though was fantastic, laughing and joking with us, giving us hints on what we would like and bonding over mutual vegetarian trials. He should get a promotion for sure-- or at least a raise! read more

Absolutely delicious, authentic, and welcoming. The place we had planned to go to was closed, so out of hungry desperation we descended into this paradise of Parisian cuisine. The hummus was bright and lemony sweet, the pita warm and fresh, the Turkish tea delightfully sweet and deceptively strong. The veggie faljaseed was deliciously hot, sticky, and sweet! From sitting down to paying the Bill the service was outstandingly friendly, attentive, and welcoming. This place is a warm homemade plate of delicious Mediterranean cuisine in a cold brick city. I'll be back every visit to Chicago! read more

I was excited to try this place given the reviews. We had a groupon so received an appetizer sampler, 2 soups/salads, 2 entrees, a pitcher of alcohol/wine, and ice cream for dessert. The food tasted alright - except a little salty. It wasn't my favorite Persian restaurant. Everything was fine until I went home. About 6 hours later, I was vomiting everything up. The next day I continued having classic food poisoning symptoms - diarrhea, chills, soreness, vomiting - and I really believe it's from this restaurant. This restaurant has been traced to salmonella poisoning before, and it's too coincidental that I started having issues shortly after eating dinner. Stay away!! Unless you want to get sick. read more

The best restaurant I've ever been to. The lamb was extremely succulent. Rice everywhere, truly unbelievable

Went for the first time using groupon. I am officially their biggest fan. Prices were very fair, and every single course was DELICIOUS. Hummus and baked eggplant were awesome and a must if you're coming here. Lentil soup was lovely. For our entrees, I got lamb shank fesenjan (?), and my SO got beef vino. Both of us were so impressed. The lamb shank was so tender and fell off the bone. The pomogrante sauce was light and sweet. Finally, the ice cream dessert was paired with a nice flaky baklava. As if that wasn't enough, ladies get a rose. The owners were so friendly and service was out of this world. Cannot reccomend this more read more

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My husband and I came here for the 2-person 4 course Groupon deal on a week night (base price $61 with added tax $8). It was a mixed experience. It started off not so great...the waitress said that because we paid with Groupon, we could only choose from two types of wine--cabernet sauvignon or chardonnay. We chose the cabernet sauvignon and it ended up being a bottle of seven daughters (this currently goes for $10 at most local stores). Unfortunately, the wine arrived to our table already open! I wonder if it was swapped out for something else, because the wine tasted extremely funky. I've had this wine before and it absolutely tasted off. Anyway, from there things did look up. The appetizer sampler was excellent, as was the lentil soup. Entrees were okay (not bad, but not as good as the sampler and the soup). The ice cream was very good. In the end, the Groupon price didn't end up saving us very much. After tax and tip we ended up paying about $84 for the Groupon deal. I would come here again without the Groupon, but probably for the appetizer sampler and lentil soup only. Actually, I may have considered coming back for an entrée, but the deal-breaker was the wine situation. I have never ordered a bottle of wine before that was delivered to the table already open AND it tasted extremely funky. My advice for those considering going here: don't waste your money on the Groupon deal, and insist that they open the bottle of wine at the table so that you know you're not getting something wonky! Or just come for lunch and skip the wine altogether. read more

Pars Cove - Outside - Middle Eastern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Had a weird experience here. My second visit, and it will be my last. First off, the food was really good. Hard to beat the 2 person kebob platter deal. Food 4-5 stars. Now, I have to admit I'm fairly reasonable when it comes to servers since I used to wait tables at some point, so I get it. But, you have to be respectful, quick, and on your game at all time. That's the business of providing food to people. While the staff was friendly, the service was incredibly slow. Like really slow. We went on a Sunday evening around 7:30pm. Almost empty. It took us almost 2 hours to get through the meal. Can we have hot sauce? Sure, 15 minutes later. Can we have water refills (not sure why I should have to ask). Sure, 15 minutes later. Can we have a box to go please? Sure, 20 minutes later. Can we have the check please? Sure, 15 minutes go by. I go and ask for the check and out server is eating away, and doesn't have even put the food plate down and simply says, oh yes I'll get the check right away. Ok, that's where I said I'm done here. Wait that's not it - their credit card machine was now not working so they said cash only. Three stars is pretty generous here - I'd give two stars but the food is worth taking out. Suggest take out only!!! Funny enough they said some table "dined and ditched" while we were there. While I originally empathized, I actually am pretty sure they were fed up with the constant waiting that they simply left. I almost did. read more

This place is very black and white as it has things that were both outstanding and unacceptable. I went there a few days ago on a Friday night. There were no tables, so the owner told us to wait at the bar. He gave us a glass of wine to share (I was with one other person) which was amazing! We were seated shortly. It took the waitress 10 min. to acknowledge us, and when she did, she made no eye contact, no smile and said "what can I get you". As we were briefly making a final decision, she said "I'll be right back".... This was unacceptable, as she merely just left and we were ready to order. It took her another 10 min to come back. We placed our order. 5 min. later, a busser came and asked us if we had ordered an appetizer. We said it wasn't ours. The same busser came back 2 min. later and asked, and again, we said we did not order one. He came back 1 min. later and put it in the middle of our table. We were confused, but said "thank you". Our food came to us shortly after. The food was to die for! Very flavorful and unique!! VERY VERY GOOD!! Our waters were never refilled and I was dying of thirst. When we were done, we had to wait 15 min. before the server came. I was PRAYING she came with the check, as we were ready to move on, but she set down dessert which was persian style ice cream. We were thankful, but again confused as we did not order it. We REALLY wanted to leave, and had to wait another 15 min. and she never came. I had to go up to walk around and find her and I asked her for our check. She said "sure". She came back and our bill was $40, which seemed right since our meals were $17/piece. I had a coupon that was "buy one entree, get one free" (that's the main reason we even came). When I put the coupon and my credit card in there, she had charged my card $36, meaning she took off a whopping $4!!!! This was very upsetting. Even though we were given a free app, wine and dessert, I will not be back as she took off $4 from my coupon, and she was VERY unnatentive. read more

The owner, Max, and his establishment were amazing! I came here for a larger group birthday and Max and his crew were more accommodating and hospitable than any other restaurant group I've ever seen. We were always taken care of and the food was absolutely delicious. Max is the sweetest person and clearly cares about his customers and the experience they deliver. I can't wait to come back! read more

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Very welcoming. The ambience is superb! Above all is the food. Very flavorful, tasty, and well presented. Generous portions. Friendly and attentive wait staff. We had the appetizer sampler. Everything was very delicious. The grape leaves (domeh) were so good we ordered some more! The variety of items on this sampler gives you a wonderful insight into the range of excellent things to eat! The lentil soup is rich in flavor! The vegetable fessanjan was so flavorful, walnuts, pomegranate....super! Folks at our table also had lamb kabobs - left them smiling! read more

I found another favourite Mediterranean restaurant in the city. I have been wanting to check out this place for a long time, so got a promotional deal and came here with a friend. Gosh! Why do they even need to run deals??? This place is sooo good! The service was soooo attentive even though they knew we were here on a deal. The deal included a bottle of wine, the owner helped us pick out a bottle from their wine list that suited our taste. The food was sooo fresh and delicious! The owner also rec'd us to do the appetizers platter to start, so we can try everything from their app. menu, but the platter didn't include the dolmeh (the grape leaves) which we liked. So he sent us an order on the side! The best vegetarian dolmeh I have had because it was served warm! :D I had the Chilean sea bass with the garlic tomatoes sauces as entree, excellent! the sea bass was so fresh, the vegetable and the sauce went so well with the fish! I would def. come back again! read more

The dinner for two is the way to go. Loved the malbec wine that we chose. The dinner deal includes a mezze (appetizer) plate with various goodies along w/pita bread. Then each person gets their choice of multiple entrees. That night's special was red snapper. You get to choose also from various sauce preparations and I went with the saffron sauce. At the end of the meal, you get ice cream. Who doesn't love ice cream? All in all, a perfect dinner. Great, unrushed service and very friendly staff. Food perfectly prepared and piping hot. read more

We had a group of seven & they were so accommodating. Drinks were a little slow to come but they were super apologetic & comp'd us a delicious bottle of Shiraz. The food was outstanding. Probably the best lentil soups I've ever had. We loved our appetizers, especially the eggplant. We had pretty much every meat at the table, beef (unbelievable flavor), lamb (fell off the bone), chicken & salmon. Every single entree was amazing. Very, very good! I highly recommend. Also, upon leaving the owner gave all the ladies a single rose. Nice touch! read more

We had a GREAT experience eating here! We came in with a Groupon, and got the the chance to sample the menu. The appetizers were delicious, along with the warm bread. For our mains, we got the lamb chops and soltani. Both were perfectly cooked, with great flavors! We ended the meal with some ice cream and baklava. DELICIOUS! Throughout the meal, the wait staff was very kind, gave us great recommendations, and took the extra effort to make us feel safe during this pandemic. Will definitely visit again in the future! read more

Great date place! My friend and her boyfriend went on a date here. I also tagged along. It was date night for my friend and her boyfriend, plus me. Lol. My friend and her boyfriend saw a dinner for two special. I asked to be included. We tried to find a dinner for 3. But at the end(!), they got their dinner for 2 and I got my own entree plus desert. For about $25, you get a 4 course meal-- -the starter that comes with the pita bread and hummus and various types of dips -lentil soup -the entree (I got the chicken kebab plate, which comes with the kebab and their amazing rice) -ice cream (they served vanilla ice cream with honey and cinnamon on top, yum!) The atmosphere was very intimate. At the end, they gave a flower to my friend.... and me. I would definitely recommend this place for anyone that wants a dinner at a nice, homey restaurant. read more

Wonderful place, food is fresh, flavorful and well prepared and the staff is very friendly. I would recommend this place very highly! The $ 10 winter special is awesome. read more

This is my Favorite restaurant Ever...and I've traveled close to half the World...the food is superb and Max and his family are amazing....My wife and I used to live 1 blk from Pars Cove and we used to eat there 2/5 times a week(2yrs) and since then we go back as we still have family in Chicago we always go there...Do yourself a favor and give it a visit...Simply the best read more

I've been here a few times and it's always a lovely experience. I'm not sure what their specials actually are but, what drew me in on my first visit was the 3 course dinner for $14.95. I make sure to ask for this special whenever I come for dinner and they always accommodate. I've liked everything I've had here. The hummus and pita is delicious, so is the simple salad they serve. I usually get some kind of chicken dish--I've had both the chicken with the walnut pomegranate sauce (that's definitely my fav!) but the saffron is always good. I love that they end the meal with a "palate cleanser" of ice cream with honey and cinnamon. And they always give you a rose. It's the little touches here that remind me why I keep coming back. Pro tip: the restaurant is byob! read more

Favorite persian/med food in the city with incredibly friendly environment. The owner welcomes you and makes sure you're enjoying your experience - the last time I was in, he added an additional appetizer platter for free because he wanted to make sure our whole party got to try all the food AND after dinner, he gave us a free bottle of unopened wine saying, "This is what you were drinking tonight. Keep enjoying". Please support this business. read more

Par's Cove is so great! I love the lamb fesenjan and the humus appetizer is my favorite in all of Chicago. Such a wonderful place to bring my girlfriend for special occasions and the owner is always very good to us. Highly recommended! read more

Such a relaxing environment. Great food and wine! Outside environment great for relaxing and the inside very romantic. Surprise at the end for everyone! If you want good authentic Iranian cuisine this is the place! Lamb racks are amazing!! The quality meat was really good! read more

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Service was not good. We got forgotten about and had to ask the bus boy for assistance. The staff knew nothing about Persian food or the food on the menu. Way over priced. Servers should know about thr food on the menu. read more

This is a nice restaurant with everything made from scratch and to order. They are friendly and accommodating to special requests. The price point is good and the service is wonderful. It's a quiet, relaxing spot to eat, not a place to go if you're in a hurry. I'm definitely returning ! read more