I'm not spiteful enough to give it two stars but let me tell the story: I had a Table of 12 people. We ordered 5 appetizers, some drinks, and 4 of us had entrees. The owner came up to me to complain that he was mad we weren't all ordering yet were using such a big table. Yet, his tables were hardly filled to capacity so I'm not sure what potentially more profitable business he was forgoing to cater to our "meager" $280 check. I'm not totally unsympathetic to his issue with us, but when you're not turning people away, we're money you're making that you wouldn't otherwise. It's a net gain for him and I was taken aback by his rudeness in bringing it up to me and his poor math skills because most kindergarten students can tell you $280 dollars is more than $0. Seems pretty basic to me. Anyways, moving past the incredibly rude owner, the food was not exceptional. The appetizers were standard fare for any persian restaurant (of which that neighborhood has many) and my entree, a sweet chicken stew was decidedly saccharine is a most unappetizing way. There is simply too much food in NYC for this to warrant a second look. read more

The rice is good here. I mean they do give a little too much compared to your order so you walk out filling so full not cuz of the good food in general but cuz of the rice. Service was perfect. Friendly and attentive. We started with an eggplant appetizer that had mint and tomatoes. It was served warm and delicious with the table bread. For entrees we got the grilled king salmon with cherry rice and the beef stew with dill rice. The beef in the stew was very tender and full of flavor and we appreciated cuz we've never had stew at Mediterranean restaurant before. The salmon was cooked perfectly with crispy skin and good grilled flavor. We didn't get dessert. Too stuffed with rice but we would come back here. read more

My husband and I were visiting the Frick Collection and were looking for a good place to eat that, considering the area, wouldn't leave us spending our entire life savings. Using the almighty Yelp, we found Persepolis. From the moment we walked in, we were immediately taken care of. The place was poppin, so we were excited to see what the food was like. As an appetizer, we ordered the Mediterranean Guacamole. Which is absolutely nothing like guacamole, but I'm not mad at it because it was delicious! Whatever spices they used were magical. It was mostly chickpeas with a little bit of avocado and even less feta (if any, really). It came in a bowl and with a pestle, which was interesting as we had to mush it up ourselves. We ended up keeping it the way it was without mashing it because it was just that good. The bread that came to the table was the perfect compliment to it. For our entrees my husband had the chicken and beef kabobs with plain rice. He raved about the rice and the beef but said that the chicken left a bit to be desired. I got the salmon kabob with sour cherry rice. The rice was SO good. I could have just eaten that. The salmon wasn't the worst I have had, but also not the best. But put together with the rice, it was good so I wasn't too deterred. It also came with a charred tomato which was a little confusing because the char was still on it. Which is different but also not very delicious and time consuming to remove to get to the actual tomato. They also give you sumac to add to your dish as you please. Which is genius. Because sumac is so, so good. So even if you order something you aren't a fan of, you can put this stuff on it and it will be delish. Since the desserts were pretty unique we chose to have one--specifically the rose ice cream and lemon sorbet duo. I was not a fan, but my husband loved it. He's Greek so he's into things made with rose but I'm not about that life, so I was not feeling it so much. Overall, it was a really good experience, excellent service, good food, and won't break the bank. Great choice if you happen to be in the area. read more

Persepolis - Salmon Kabob with Sour cherry rice. - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

I brought my friend here last night for a birthday dinner on recommendation by another friend of mine and everything was pretty good. The place is kinda big but really clean and the staff is really friendly. To start we got an oder of the hummus and baba. The humus was amazing unlike the baba, not to say the baba was bad, just wasn't what I was expecting (sounded better on paper!). For our meal I had ordered the saffron chicken and lamb combo with the dill and fava bean rice. My friend ordered the saffron chicken with the polo shirin rice. My friend liked the saffron chicken but i personally thought it was okay, I liked the lamb better. However both types of rice we got were excellent. Portion size was just right, we didn't feel like we were going to explode when we were done. We didn't order dessert because we had just come from a chocolate store but had received two pieces of baklava on the house. I don't know if thats what they usually do or because when I made the reservation I mentioned it was my friends birthday regardless it was really nice of them and the warm absolutely delicious pieces of heaven we needed before we went back out into the cold! read more

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AWESOME!! The food here is totally delicious! The service is outstanding. The owner is so friendly and comes to every table to make sure that everyone is enjoying their food. We had the following: Hummus - very different from what we have had previously. You can taste the sesame paste which gives it a very nutty flavor - delicious Yoghurt with spinach and garlic - delicious especially with their pita and soft bread Filet Mignon Barg - it's a filet mignon kebob, but not on the stick. tender and delicious with a yummy sauce that you put on it along with a shaker full of spices you put directly on the beef. Vegetarian Eggplant with bean stew - delicious, flavored with cinnamon and cardamon Lemon chicken with butter sauce - absolutely delicious with yummy lemon flavor rice with sour cherries - yum rice with oranges - yum Baklava - great - much lighter than we were used too, not over saturated with honey Rose water Ice Cream with roasted Pineapple - Very delish Persian Tea - delish, you can taste the cardamon The owner gave us a free glass of this yogurt club soda concoction that was delicious. We will definitely be coming back! read more

One of the best Persian Cuisine rest in the USA due to: Food (especially Chicken with bone, Lamb shank, all Kebabs, appetizers, rice, and deserts. Service ambiance Have dinned in this place for over thirty years, and in most of the globe for over 86 years. Perfection in total. read more

I walked in after church services. I have passed this place several times. As I thought, it is not near the deep. luscious taste of Greek and Italian food, but I was satisfied with the food, service and decor. I cut out beef for Lent so had chicken. I could have spent $5 for chicken and rice, but wanted to see how they did it here. I had lemon chicken with a seemingly wild rice and beans (I have to ask them the type again). It was light and tasty. The yellow chicken sauce was good. I asked for more. The sesame bread was great; the wheat pita bread was okay. The dessert was Heavenly: Persian lemon sorbet with rose ice cream. Yum. The bathroom was clean. The music was a light dance music with few or no vocals. This attributed to a Heavenly feel since I did not envision and so inwardly comment on musicians. The service was quick and polite. read more

I love how the lunch menu ends so late on weekend. It really helps to narrow down what to order because everything on the menu sounds delicious. And at $17 for an appetizer and entrée, there's not really much more to think about. Okay, the restaurant might look a little cheesy with the colossal grey goose bottle in the entry way, but it's eye-catching, right? Regardless, food stands on it's own here - there is no need for gimmicks because one bite of the food was enough to get me to come back again. read more

Got FOOD POISONING / PARASITE!! DO NOT EAT HERE DURING COVID. I've eaten here 3x before in the last 3-4 years but this latest round was awful. So awful that I logged into Yelp just to write this review because I don't want anyone else to suffer like I have. Ordered the lamb shank on August 31st and have had stomach issues / a parasite since. I'll admit it didn't look too appetizing / felt a little cold but thought "Its Persepolis. I've eaten here before so it should be fine." I was wrong. Signs of a parasite include diarrhea, headaches, acid reflux. weakness, and unable to sleep at night. I'm now taking parasite medication and crossing my fingers that my symptoms go away. My guess is they're keeping food on hand longer as business has decreased during Covid, causing the meats to go bad. Just a hunch tho. Either way, DONT EAT HERE. read more

Came here for a fun night out with b/f and BFF from work. Wanted to go to a nice place and b/f recommended one of his favorite places for Persian food, Persepolis. So we made the trek to the Upper East Side (I didn't realize it went up so far!) and finally arrived. Was a little shocked to see a "B" rating from the DOH on the window, but decided it was worth the risk. Our reservation was available immediately so we were seated quickly by the friendly host. Things got off to a good start when we ordered Persepolitans, which are some cosmo-type drink. They are red and delicious....I felt like we were in "Sex and the City", only it was two middle aged guys and a woman and none of us are particularly slutty or have a shoe fetish. Anyway, since my b/f is not only incredibly handsome but smart and very knowledgable about Iranian food, he ordered a plate of crispy rice with some type of meat sauce on top of it. I think the rice part is called tah-dig, but I'm not sure. Like Shakespeare said, rice by any other name is still freakin delicious and this was very good. Also, the bread they served was very good and was served with this interesting sauce that had a peanutty quality to it. Off to a good start. For entrees, BFF got the grilled shrimp and steamed rice, I got the lamb kabab with cherry rice and b/f had the chicken and sirloin duo with rice. I have to say, the rice was outstanding, the shrimp was completely devoured and the chicken was wonderful. My lamb was well cooked but surprisingly bland, even with the sauce. I'd probably go for the sirloin next time. Beer selection is regrettably mundane. I cringe a nice place offers Coors Light. I'm not sure if there is much beer production in Iran but at least have some local microbrews! However, they do have a nice wine selection and a whole page full of specialty cocktails so you can wet your whistle. Service was very efficient throughout and after we finished eating, we were not rushed out the door. One of the great things about NYC is that you don't have to get on a plane to eat delicous food from another culture, so I recommend you grab your passport, head over to the Upper East Side and get to know Persepolis. read more

Nice. I generally enjoy Persian food but have really only frequented a couple restaurants and usually end up with some kind of skewer of meat with rice. Today I tried the beef stew and was shocked at the unique flavor profile. The sour plus a bit of sweet was delightful. It think due to the dried lime. Anyhow. I may just be enamored with this little discovery but I will dedicate stop by next time I'm on the upper east side. And I am gonna try the stews at other Persian spots from now on. I was here at 2pm and it was quiet. Has a bit of an uptight older vibe I associate with old German restaurants but with string heavy smaltzy big band music in the air. I wouldn't let this dissuade you. I imagine the crowd that shows up at night will set the mood more than anything. Much weirder than whatever porkbellyramenvegascupcake food truck you are searching for. Note to vegans. The vegetarian stews are vegan. Just ask that they leave the butter of the rice. Lovely, professional service. read more

My Persian uncle and wife were in town and invited me to this restaurant recommended by a good friend. Me being away from home momentarily doing an away rotation in NY and missing some good persian food couldnt resist! This place is good....real good. I am extremely high standard when it comes to my persian food believing my dad to be an amazing chef that prepares kebab every sunday . I'm skeptical when eating out but this place satisfies. Appetizer for the table was Yogurt and Shallots w/ accompanying nan= Delicious!!!! I'm not a big fan of yogurt but i may have to reconsider now. Great selection. My main course was the Saffron Chicken w/ polo sharin (basmati rice w/ almonds and orange). My only complaint was that there wasnt more after I finished. It truly is prepared well. I also had the apple martini and strawberry martini. Both were done delightfully and packed a good punch in a welcomed way *wink wink Hats off to you guys for giving me a great meal. Would certainly recommend and bring friends here! Cheers! read more

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The food at Persepolis was excellent. I ordered the borani (yogurt with spinach) as an appetizer and soltani lamb kabob with albaloo polo (cherry rice) for my entree. Both dishes were delicious. The kebab was tender, flavorful and cooked perfectly. read more

Persepolis - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

Had dinner here last night and it was delicious. It's my friend's favorite restaurant and I totally agreed it was the best Persian place I've eaten at. We shared the hummus plate and kebabs. The basmati rice and warm breads were also a nice touch. The chicks kebab and lamb was by far my favorite. We ended our delicious dinner with cappuccinos which were so yummy! The service was super. Loved having the waiters and staff come over every few minutes to check in on us or replenish drinks. Highly recommend this place! You won't be disappointed. read more

Stopped by for dinner on Friday night with a friend. Reservations are recommended as the placed was packed by 7:30-8. Nice ambiance. Service was good, very efficient. We had the Baba & the Labu salad to start with. My friend had the Soltani duo of filet mignon barg and kubideh & I ordered the SALMON KEBAB and we both got it with polo baghali (basmati rice with dill and fava beans). Everything was really good & quite tasty. Over all, it was a pleasant experience & would like to come back again. read more

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I thought I had reviewed this spot already, as it's one of the best meals I have ever had in New York City. I thought I knew what to expect from Persian food, but Persepolis blew me away. It was so different than other Middle Eastern food, with flavor combinations that I never would have expected (beet yogurt, for example). I highly recommend going with a large group, so that you can order multiple menu items to share. The service was fantastic, attentive without being overbearing, and the prices weren't crazy, considering the location. The eggplant dishes were cooked perfectly, and my mom had the Khoresh Gaimeh (a beef stew with a unique blend of spices and vegetables), which was rich, savory and nourishing. They have plenty of gluten free options and actually brought us some GF crackers when my mom mentioned that she has a gluten intolerance. If you find yourself in the neighborhood, definitely swing by for dinner. We made a reservation (for a Saturday night during the NYC Marathon weekend), but there were plenty of open tables, so you may not need to call ahead. read more

I don't know that much about Persian food, but everything I ordered was delicious. Several of the salads and sides I ordered were fresh and obviously top quality, so I'm definitely going to return! read more

I would give it zero star !! I had the worst service in my life !! Wrong order, dirty dishes and you get to be called a LIAR !!!! read more

I was just telling a friend about my experience here and figured I'd better write about it on Yelp to share with all of you! One word: heavenly. I hadn't had Persian food in months, so coming to Persepolis -- one of the few Iranian restaurants in Manhattan -- was a long-awaited treat. Everything from the decor and ambiance (I love good, dim lighting) to the food (the koobideh!) was superb. We had such a lovely meal, with great wine to go with it. I will be back! Recommendations: the kashk e badamjan, kabob koobideh, and yogurt with cucumber and mint (maast-o khiar) I also love the fresh bread and sabzi plate that was served to us right away. Persian hospitality at its finest! read more

The service was really good. wait staff and manager made sure we were well taken care of. Had the Yogurt and beets for appetizers and the Ground chicken kubideh as entrée. I also tried the lemon chicken my company has ordered and I'm definitely getting that next time. Really good. The food is so good, and extremely rich and filling. I was stupidly stuffed leaving the place. read more

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Persepolis is an absolute delight. I'm a huge fan of a Persian cuisine in general. And this restaurant has pretty good authentic dishes. I am crazy about their Fesenjan chicken that goes well with dill and fava beans basmati rice. Basically, it's shredded chicken cooked with walnuts and pomegranate. THE BEST COMBO EVER. The cherry rice is amazingly delicious too. The Lamb Shank is so tender and soft that once you touch it with your fork, it falls apart and once you put it in your mouth, it melts. Baba is good and fresh as well. Don't order Tabouleh though. It'll ruin an actual tabouleh taste for you. Dessert section: my favorite is the rose water ice cream one. It's like sensation in your mouth and your brain cant comprehend all these amazing flavors, that's why you become speechless for a few minutes when you try this dessert. The staff is great, super friendly and pleasant people. read more

Persepolis - Sharing bunch of dishes - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

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Descent food. I don't like the koobidehs here at Persepolis, but the stews are pretty good. Unlike other persian restaurants in town, they usually have the "Tah deeg" appetizer. Friendly staff. Luckily they're only two blocks from us. read more

I came here for a Persian birthday and it was amazing. The food is fantastic. I suggest getting the platter for the most variety. All of the rice options are great but I got one with cherries that was outstanding. Honestly I need to come back here ASAP. read more

I have been searching for a good Persian restaurant in the city and so far have been unsuccessful. This place is decent, and the food was fine too, but i won't say that this is the best Persian i have had, which hands down has been in LA. A lot of people have complained about the tight seating, but i did not find it to be tight by any means. If anything, i felt the seats were uncomfortable. I ordered the SOLTANI BAH FILET which had a skewer of (mignon barg & kubideh kebab) each came with Basmati a sour cherries. The quantity was filling, but food was OK. I also felt the servers kind of watch you too much, which was a bit uncomfortable. read more

This place offers the most amazing persian food I have ever had, BUT it loses a star because of the food to price ratio. Service was pretty good and the restaurant itself was very nice and looked like a good date spot. The entree plates start at $17. My friend and I shared the caspian ($22) and it was very delicious! The basmati rice was cooked perfectly and was very fluffy and buttery and the kubideh and chicken were both very tender and flavorful. The chicken was also great because it was very juicy and not the least bit dry! I definitely recommend this restaurant. I am dreaming about the next time I can have those flavors of that buttery rice and tender meat in my mouth again! read more

A wonderful restaurant with good atmosphere. I'm not Persian but seeing many Persian dinning in here tells me this is a good place to get some Persian food. Food is delicious. I can't speak for its authenticity but it tastes awesome and I will most definitely return again. read more

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I rarely leave reviews for mediocre meals. It's the really bad meals that make you want to Yelp a 1 star rating. But Persepolis was just terribly mediocre. pineapple beets salad- I think the pineapple was canned, and the beets were vacuum sealed. The menu describes them as marinated, but there's little to no flavor added, just pineapple, beets and some shredded lettuce. salmon kebab- was over cooked. I generally like rice with butter but they really go heavy on the butter. baba- was pretty good! I've never had baba ghanoush like it. But it came with store bought pita. We also got lavash which came in its original packaging. Nothing awful, but nothing that I'd pay for again at more or less any price, never mind the fairly steep price tag of Persepolis read more

The one thing that really stood out for me here was their saffron basmati rice. It was perfectly buttery and delicious and I honestly could have just eaten a plate full of that to be satisfied. To start, they bring out some flat bread and pita slices with some tahini. A part of me wished they had jazzed up the tahini a bit, or at least served it with some flavored bread. With both the tahini and breads being very plain, it just made a dry and lackluster combination for me. For the entree, I shared the Caspian duo with a friend, which included one saffron chicken and one kubideh kebab with the amazing saffron rice, a broiled tomato, and some salad. The chicken was tender but could have been a little more flavorful, and the kubideh was just average to me. That rice though - really guys - AMAZING. Overall though, just like many places in NYC, it was an overpriced, average food spot. read more

Persepolis - Caspian entree - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

The restaurant is beautiful. The staff are excellent and treat you with care. The food is delicious. The price for the food was reasonable as we had the prefix selection. The drinks are a bit expensive, but it's NYC, it's expected. We had the hummus and falafel for appetizers and they were super delicious!! My brother had the beef kabob and I had the lemon chicken, both served with basmati rice. I would definitely come again and recommend to friends. I truly enjoyed this restaurant and the delicious Persian cuisine. read more

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Came here as a party of four with a reservation. Staff was friendly, but a little slow at times. Wine list is well stocked with options, which we were happy about. We ordered a bottle of a South African white which was delicious! Then, we got the sambusa and hummus to start as apps. Both were pretty good, definitely fresh but not mind-blowing. My partner had the rack of lamb, and I ordered the ground chicken kubideh. I found the meat to be a little salty, but good portion and again, well made and fresh. This place is clearly a neighborhood spot. There were lots of families seated around, and we sat through several "happy birthdays". If you are in the area, I would recommend checking it out, especially if you have a larger group. read more

Good ambience.....authentic Iranian food Day 2, yesterday we tried the various appetizers called the trio with varying combinations of egg plant. Today I decided to go with the ash soup, the nice thing about Persian food is its not spicy nature , the way they use spinach and beans to make swell cooked dish The lamb shank was divine, soft well cooked just well enough to bring out the flavor inside and out along with very tasty basmati rice with beans. Just the right amount of saffron to give it that flavor To end this completed with traditional baclava, Persian tea with mint I didn't give it 5 because I have not been able to compare with anything similar as these restaurants are few and far! But all in all an enjoyable dining experience read more

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I was in NY for a trip. I tried two Iranian restaurants, one was this and the other one was Ravagh restaurant. Pros: Quick service, welcoming and quiet environment. You certainly feel more comfortable in here than Ravagh. Cons: It's a very mediocre Iranian food. Their Ghormesabzi was not good at all, very watery and no thickness! It also feels like their food is not freshly cooked especially the rice. We ordered Faloudeh for dessert, it was really bad, I mean really bad! Some chewy noodles stuck in ice. That's nowhere close to real Faloudeh. Additionally, I don't know why but they charged $3 for the tea. In other Iranian restaurants it usually is a complimentary service. In terms of food and getting what you pay for, Ravagh seems to be doing much better. read more

I'll start with the food I (we) had: Dolma - Stuffed grape leaves. Get it if you're in the mood for it. It's not particularly exotic. It'll cost you a pretty penny for what it is. Olivieh salad - This is much much better than eating a normal salad. It tastes and feels like canned tuna, except better. 10/10 would eat again. Ground Beef Kebab - Only comes with 1 kebab stick. Not a big fan of what they did with the beef. It seems a bit processed and doesn't taste very beefy. Aged sirloin? Sounds better than it really is. It comes with dill sauce, basmati rice, red cabbage, Khoresht Ghormeh Sabzi - Beef stew with filet mignon. Rice on the side. It's alright. Don't get too excited about the filet mignon part of it. Not sure if it really makes a difference. Torshi - Persian picked vegetables. This should be smaller and cheaper. It's a decent accompaniment for salty dishes, but you can't really eat too much of it since it's quite sour. This would work better for a group of 4 people. Akbar Mashti - Rose Saffron Ice cream - This is a gem. It's not too sweet and moderately aromatic. I would probably prefer this to green tea ice cream. 10/10 would eat again. Conclusion: Decent food, but meat servings are not big enough for you (me) meat lovers out there unless you're willing to order more expensive dishes. For the kebabs, you can get the "duo" ones for 2 kebabs, or maybe one of the seafood entrees or Chef's specials. The appetizers and desserts are definitely worth another visit though. This stuff is pretty exotic! read more

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Came here for my sister's birthday dinner. I had made a reservation on open table earlier in the week and was able to easily change it to a larger size by calling them. The staff was very accommodating and let us sit while waiting for the last few people in the group to arrive. We were able to take advantage of the two course $17 price fix which was available until 6pm. I got the tabouleh salad and the beef stew. The tabouleh was fresh and was dressed with a light citrus sauce. It was not as sour as other versions of tabouleh that I have tried. The beef stew had a unique combination of fragrant spices that was complemented well by the saffron rice that accompanied it. The stew was not salty and light enough to be enjoyed by itself. For dessert I had saffron rose ice cream. Flavor balance was just right with the rose being slightly stronger than the saffron. Texture was smooth and it was just sweet enough. Three scoops came in three separate dishes. Good if you planned on sharing it. Service was excellent. Will be back if craving Persian food in the future. read more

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Wife and I love Persian food. She's raised on the SoCal variety and knows what's up. This was a great find. Quiet, smaller, without a bunch of cornball Persian tchotchkes. The dishes were wonderful and the rice was butter infused and fluffy. Joojeh was spot on and all meats surprisingly moist. Strong recommend. read more

This is the best persian restaurant in Manhattan. Be sure to ask for Tahdig (crispy rice) with a stew of your choice. The kabab is always well made and staff is very attentive. read more

The food was delicious, fresh and juicy. I ordered a beef kebab and it was splashing with juice: it was tender and rich in flavor, plus the dill sauce was a perfect mix of fresh and spicy to compliment the beef. We also got a chicken stew, which surprised us with its's texture and notes of sweet and sour. I love middle eastern food, and this place did a great job of showing why Persian food stands out from other cuisines of the area. read more

I reviewed Persepolis 2 years ago. Nothing in my enthusiastic notes has changed. Except--tonight in a horrible heat wave when I had a reservation they called me to say that their A/C was out, and that they were still open, but with fans only An extra * and a round of applause, please. A restaurant doesn't get more honourable than that! read more

Clean, attractive, table service Persian restaurant on the Upper East side. We came for lunch, and they have a solid $19 two course prix fixe menu along with a full dinner menu available. Highlights included the tomato, cucumber and parsley salad, and the walnut pomegranate chicken stew. Absolutely amazing! Make sure you get the sour cherry rice (purple rice!) with your dish. Overall, a solid four star experience. read more

I don't write reviews all the time (let alone negative reviews). I really hope readers get to see this before setting foot at this restaurant. The previous reviewer Natalie was right about the mouse and I wish I saw that review before I dined. Halfway through our meals, my friend spotted a mouse running across the dining room. We reported to the server. His first reaction was "are you sure?" At this point, we lost our appetite and didn't bother finishing our plates. The waiter then asked me why I wouldn't finish since I wasn't the one who saw the mouse. He clearly did not take the matter seriously. He continued to downplay the issue, "sometimes things fall from ceiling.." or "well, it's New York, what can you do?". They tried to make peace by offering us free desserts but my friend and I just wanted nothing from the kitchen anymore. They took the appetizers off the tab, nice gesture, but damage was done. Please do yourself a favor and go somewhere else. read more