The chicken and rice are awesome. Chicken was juicy and so flavorful. Yogurt and chive appetizer was great. The waitress recommended it and it was way better than I was anticipating. Tachin was something completely different. So many different flavors and textures. Great change up. Wouldn't be my go to. But once in a while I could enjoy it. read more

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We walked in and tried to get a table for 2. And the owner asked us if we had reservations. But there was plenty of seating inside and outside. Funny part is, no one walked in after us. We were then seated, the first girl asked if we wanted anything to drink which we did but we never got our drinks til another waitress came and asked us 20mins later. We told her we were ready to order and we had to wait another 10mins for another waiter to order. We got the chive/shallot yogurt, lollipop lamb chops, Koobideh and Joojeh Kabob. The kabeb dishes came with grilled tomato, grilled pepper, rice with tadig on top. They also make this pink butter to put on the rice. Food is good and everything was seasoned well and not over cooked. I want to give this place a try again but they need to work on their customer service. They catered more to other tables and we didn't even get offered the dessert menu like the other tables around us. Also, we had to ask for the check and no one even came to check if we were ready to pay we had to go up there. read more

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Amazing food, great ambiance, sweet staff and everything else you may look for in a restaurant. The bread is fresh and warm, so good! The food especially the kebabs are delicious. We are regulars and we love everything. read more

Good things: food was good. Not the good things: parking is a challenge, bring a coat because depending on the temperature you will be chilly as they just open up their front door and keep it open and it's drafty and cold if you aren't sitting next to one of the 2 heaters that they keep outside (it was actually colder inside the restaurant) and most of all- there seems there is a huge language barrier or maybe there is some odd communication issue with the staff. The menu looks beautiful and classy but is not easily understandable to a new customer. Also the waiters seem to have communication issues, problems to understand questions asked when ordering and about the food. It's is a cute place. Delicious food, cute ambiance, odd waiters. read more

Persian Nights Restaurant - Menu - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Oakland, California

My friends and I had never had Persian food, but I will definitely be back. It was so delicious and incredibly memorable. I had leftovers and they were just as delicious the next day. The staff was very kind a very memorable man helped us didn't get his name, but already craving it again. We bought the meat platter, which had a lot of variety, but the chicken was so yuuummmmy!! read more

I was just here and honestly--hands down--every appetizer and dish was amazing. Everything tasted very authentic and delicious. Great service and Ambience! We ordered the kabob koobideh, jooje kabob, mast-o-musir, kashke badenjan, and I highly recommend their shishlik kabob. read more

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This was a huge catch up with my partner and his college friends so with that, we had to order the huge platter along with crispy rices, a soup, roasted eggplant and a few other delicious dishes that came with herbs, yogurts and dips. We also ordered a pistachio refresher along with a honey refresher. Food was 10/10, ambiance was great and service was impeccable read more

Persian Nights Restaurant - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Oakland, California

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My wife and I have been to Persian Nights twice. Both times, the food was quite flavorful, with large servings. My wife and I, as well as my brother and sister-in-law, didn't have enough room in our stomachs to eat more than the entrées. There are lots of choices for non-vegetarians. I have celiac disease and had no problem finding gluten-free options. FYI, though, they only have one vegan/vegetarian option for a main entrée, although they have several vegetarian (but not vegan) starter options. I really like the owner. He's kind, friendly, and clearly both loves and is knowledgeable about Persian food. I recommend reservations, at least if you want to sit in the covered semi-enclosed outdoor seating area. There are a few cons, though: * It's in the Lake Merritt area, just across the street from Children's Fairyland, so finding parking can be difficult. * Also, Grand Avenue is a busy street, so if you sit in the semi-enclosed outdoor seating area traffic noise can be a bit loud. * Finally, both times we came in the early evening (around 5-5:30 PM). The second time we came there was one waitress inside serving a large table (maybe 16 people). The owner pretty much took care of all of the outside tables himself. As far as I can tell, we didn't experience any delay in getting our food. I don't know, though, if there's more wait staff later in the evening. read more

This was probably one of the best Persian restaurant me and my parter went to. He got the lamb chops and they were so tender and flavorful. I got one of the chicken stews and that was amazing as well. Their homemade butter on the rice was crispy and delicious. Highly recommend. read more

Food was not portioned right The rice tasted stale Service was good and person was friendly Ambiance was nice it has good outdoor indoor seating read more

Went here on a Friday night with my family and honestly it was a really bad experience. It took over 25 minutes just to get water on the table. The place looked understaffed -- seemed like the owner was the only one serving everyone. After finally getting water, we told them we were ready to order but no one came back to take it. When we did order drinks, we waited another 15+ minutes and still nothing came out. At that point we just decided to leave. It's pretty ridiculous to run a busy Friday night with only one server. Definitely not a good experience and I wouldn't come back. read more

It's tough to find Persian food in the northern part of the Bay, especially that which would be considered authentic. However Persians Nights is a great choice if you're looking to experience traditional Iranian cuisine. To start with the appetizers, the Kashk E Bademjan was killer. A combination of eggplant, fried onions, and olive oil, the rich flavor was a perfect spread for the fresh barbari bread provided. Also great were the Mast O Khiar yogurt spread and Sabzi plate (containing feta cheese, walnuts, and fresh herbs such as mint, cilantro, and dill). The use of mint in both give the dishes a fresh aftertaste and perfectly set you up for the main course. For the entrée the Kabab Koobideh is a must - the beef skewers paired with fragrant saffron rice, tahdig (crispy rice), and tomato were rich in flavor without feeling too heavy. The restaurant itself was adorned with modest Persian decor, and the service was excellent as they were enthusiastic about introducing various Persian drinks, such as chai (Persian tea) and Doogh (a classic yogurt soda). If you're looking for a spot to try traditional Persian cuisine, make sure to hop over and have yourself an excellent 'Persian Night.' read more

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Came in around 6pm on a Sunday, there was only one other table. The ambiance inside was so peaceful, unfortunately, it was noisy on the street right outside the restaurant so that would be disruptive at times. The owner and servers were really friendly! 5/5 The shirazi salad was way too sour for me. I really like this salad normally but every bite I grimaced because of how sour it was. I could taste a bit of sweetness from the tomatoes but it was mainly drowned out by how sour the overall flavor was. 2/5 The kabob koobideh was well seasoned and juicy. The meat, the rice and the tomato made for a perfect bite. However, the rice was too buttery for me at the end. I would take a bite of the rice then go to the shirazi salad to cut through the oiliness. Which was then too sour therefore an unpleasant cycle. The pepper was yummy and spicy, a nice addition to every bite. 4/5 The lamb chops were a tad bit dry. Wouldn't order this again. 3/5 The pomegranate lemonade was also way too sweet. I had to pour some water in to dilute it. Other than that, the flavor was good but I wasn't really able to taste the pomegranate flavor. 3/5 read more

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Lovely restaurant. Very nice decor. Friendly welcoming service. The food was delicious. I had a chicken stew with walnuts and pomegranates. Also shared the cheese, walnut and herb appetizer plate which was really good. Overall highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Persian Nights Restaurant - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Oakland, California

Enjoy the food at Persian Nights. Everything was prepared immaculately. The Homemade Dolmas were the best I've ever had. I ordered the Kabob Koobideh, which was seasoned with Sumac. Perfection. Can't wait to go back and try other dishes. read more

I ordered barg. It came out raw and wasn't able to eat it. Still purple and bloody. If I'm paying that amount of money, I have higher expectations. Even though I told the owner he didn't take it back or offer to take it off the bill. Flavors though were good but greasy. Idk if I'll come back though. read more

The best. Is the closest thing I can get to my grandmother's cooking, which is the highest compliment I can give. Hospitable service, delicious fresh food. I grew up eating Persian food and going to all sorts of Persian restaurants in San Jose. This by far is the best. My advice is don't be afraid to venture outside of kebab. The stews here are also delicious. This is my second time here, will be back. read more

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A 10/10 experience. The food, the service, and the ambiance are all incredible! The place itself has such cozy cute vibes. The food is traditional and absolutely delicious. The staff serve with passion, love, and care. Highly recommend to stop by!!! read more

Amazing local spot! I come to the coffee shop next door all the time and decided to pop in and order to go from here. Ordered the koobideh and mast moosir. It was really good! Koobideh cooked perfectly and the rice had a small tadig which was a nice surprise. Mast moosir was really good too. Great gem in the neighborhood. A must try! read more

Persian Nights Restaurant - Koobideh - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Oakland, California

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Bring back Bacheesos, the fresh organic veggies, the hot buffet. The sweet deserts. The friendly service

Excellent food! We had lamb chop dinner and chicken in pomegranate and walnut sauce. Loved both the dishes which come with Persian rice. Ample parking on the road. read more

My wife and I came here on a date night after my pestering. The restaurant was well lit. We sat inside but there were fire/heat towers outside to help with the chill for those sitting outside. Service here was decent. The waiter asked us if we wanted water but didn't bring it until I reminded him. But overall very friendly. I got a Rostam36 beer for $14. Nothing special other than it claims to be a "Persian beer". The food was good. We got the Kashk Bademjan to start. It came with bread. The texture was different than many other Persian places, but in a good way. It was a little thicker, but less oily than I've had from other places. My wife got the Shishlick (lamb) kabob and I got the Fesanjan. Everything tasted great. Our only issue was the portion sizes. My wife only got four lambs chops in her order, and I received one tiny chicken thigh/leg--looked like it was from a Cornish game hen (see pictures). I was a little disappointed with what we got given the price point. We might go back, but I probably would order something different. read more

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Absolutely stellar dining experience here!! I don't shill often, but when I do... We celebrated our 8th anniversary here and my lady is Persian (so I was really counting on them). The food was top shelf all the way. The mast o khiar was a fantastic start and they used dill oil to really give it a wonderful flavor boost. My ghormeh sabzi was perfect with a good balance of flavor and acidity. My love's khoobideh was tender, moist and seasoned beautifully. The Persian pilsner was so good and my love had a really delicious champagne cocktail with honey and chia seeds. So unique!! The service was excellent and the Owner was very kind and we enjoyed our time immensely. The restaurant was spacious, attractive and well lit with wonderful Persian music that my love had the most fun singing along to. There's a great outdoor seating option too, that we can't wait to try when the weather turns. All in all, this is a gem in Oakland and I can't encourage you foodies enough to support a local, family owned restaurant!! 10/10 if I could!! read more

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I ate at Persian Nights Restaurant in Oakland and unfortunately I had a very disappointing experience. The food quality was very low and did not meet my expectations at all. In addition, the prices were very high compared to the quality of the food they serve. Based on my experience, I would not recommend this restaurant to others. When I go out to eat with my family, I expect good quality food and reasonable prices, but this place did not deliver either of thos. read more

The food was really good here, the service was very friendly. It was a bit odd that one person sat us down and got our drinks but someone else could only take our orders. Not a complaint just was different. The flavors were really good, and the portion sizes are on point. They didn't have Tadhig with a stew made them lose 1/2 star but otherwise I would have given them 4 1/2 stars overall. read more

Though I did not have the pleasure of eating in the restaurant, my daughter and son-in-law did on Tuesday night and brought me home a meal that was amazing. It was joojeh which was made with quality ingredients , fresh and flavored to perfection. The rice with berries and slivered almonds was delicious as was the bread. Give them a try you will be glad you did Bon appétit read more

Persian Nights Restaurant - Joojeh-yummy! - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Oakland, California

This is a family owned restaurant. I am not normally a fan of dolmas without meat, but their dolmas Appetizer was excellent. The lamb lollipop appetizer was very good. I appreciate every time they brought a dish over. They let you know how to eat it with the combination of sauce and cabbage. I enjoyed the lamb appetizer so much. I went for the lamb dinner once again. They hit it out the park. For dessert, we ordered the pomegranate ice cream with pomegranate leather and dark chocolate. I didn't think the milk could get any better but this may have been the best dessert I've had in a long time. Thank you Persian nights for an amazing meal. We will be back with friends. read more

Such a great spot for Persian food! The koobideh was super juicy, and that crispy tahdig was everything. I'm obsessed with the sumac butter--so good. Chill vibes, pretty plating, and the saffron dessert was the perfect sweet finish. Definitely coming back! read more

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I really love the atmosphere of this restaurant. It makes me think what an old Iranian restaurant in Tehran used to be like before the revolution. The music is awesome and mellow and the service is very good. Food was good also. We got the eggplant dip , kashke bademjoon, and dolmeh as appetizers. Fesenjoon, chicken, lamb shank and gheymeh for mains. I will defiantly go back. read more

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Went to Oakland from San Jose for an event. Had lunch here, the food was excellent with the vibe, service and atmosphere to match. Go check it out. read more

Persian Nights Restaurant - Joojeh Kabob - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Oakland, California

A few weeks ago my wife and I dined in after learning about their existence. I was excited to try a rare Persian restaurant in the Oakland area. In short, this is the best Persian restaurant I've been to in the US. The holiday decorations are very tasteful and pleasing. The service is perfect and caring but it is no match for the food. Everything that we ate was incredibly delicious (and I'm very familiar with Persian cuisine since it's one of my favorites). Today I placed a takeaway order and I sat at my dining room table with my dog as we both cherished every bite. I've never been to a Persian restaurant that serves Tahdig and it feels like a blessing. I've been telling everyone I know who appreciates food about this place since the first time I went. I'll be going here frequently as long as they exist. read more

Highly recommended Great food Great service Great Ambiance Great and kind owner High quality food read more

"This restaurant isn't anywhere close to any other Persian restaurant. My wife and I took a two-day trip to San Francisco on July 5th. After having a good time and enjoying a delicious halibut at a restaurant on Pier 39, we decided to drive back home. As a Persian, I wanted to try a Persian restaurant different from the one we usually visit every time we travel to San Francisco. Finally, we decided to have dinner at Persian Nights. Despite a very respectable waiter and a gentleman who might have been the owner, I wasn't impressed with the food. I ordered Koobideh Kebab, and my wife ordered Zereshk Polo. The rice on my plate was more like the steamed rice you'd find in a Chinese restaurant and nowhere near the Persian basmati rice with saffron that you typically get in any Persian restaurant. My kebab also tasted like a hamburger. When I cut into it, I could see it spread, and it wasn't anywhere close to a juicy Persian kebab. The dish's presentation was also unusual; instead of adding more rice to accompany the kebab, there was a large green pepper, as big as a bell pepper, taking up most of the space on the plate, along with grilled tomatoes. My wife's Zereshk Polo chicken seemed to be marinated in turmeric oil and was served with that oil, along with a small portion of rice and barberries (zereshk). My wife took one bite of the chicken, stopped, and couldn't finish it. I wouldn't give this restaurant more than a 2-star rating, and I won't ever go back there, despite how polite the owner and waitress were." read more

Haven't been here since they remodeled and I love what they've done with the place. Very ambient and they have a bar with a tv, even if it is just beer and wine stil a nice touch. The food was very well seasoned and fresh, I would've like my lamp chops to be a little less and the portion looked a little sad but not bad. Service was great, wouldn't mind coming back to try some other things on the menu. read more

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Cannot comment on authenticity, since we're not Persian, but the food here is very tasty, and while they have a selection of kebab dishes, there are more obscure (to us) dishes we tried too. All the dishes come with fantastic basmati rice (no idea what Max G. got served) cooked so that it's served with a crispy bottom, but served upside down, sort of like a flan. We love crispy rice, and it was the highlight of the dish for us. We also tried the Persian sparkling yoghurt drink. By itself, it's kind of strange, but it really does go well with the food. Service was friendly. The outside-ish patio-esque area is a great area to sit in on the warm-ish evening we were there. read more

Went here with two of my friends because we were seriously craving good Persian food--and there's not much around until we found this place. The food was amazing, super flavorful, and everything was cooked perfectly. The customer service was also really solid--everyone was friendly and made sure we were taken care of. Definitely coming back. So glad we found this spot! read more

Persian Nights Restaurant - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Oakland, California

(4.5/5 ) We came here an hour right before closing and what stood out other than the food was definitely the service. We ordered the beef kebab plate and the chicken tachin. The server let us know it may take around 40 minutes for the chicken, and though it was a wait before closing, the waiters still treated us very well. We felt bad that they were already starting to clean up and we were the last customers, but the waiters were still very positive and caring to our table and actually reassured us the food was coming! The chicken tachin plate was definitely worth the wait. The meat was falling off the bone and super tender and juicy. My only reservation was that I wish it was more flavorful. However the quality was amazing. My favorite part of my meal was the golden rice. Like tahdig, it was crispy on the outside but the inside was very moist. I think an egg was fluffed in it? I still think about the rice, and try to find it in other Persian restaurants but have not been able to! read more

Persian Nights Restaurant - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Oakland, California

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Great place for Mediterranean/Persian cuisine in Oakland. Amazing authentic delicious fresh dishes. Presentation is awesome with individually cooked rice dish with crispy rice/bread on top! So delicate touch! Try Baklava for sure. It's so rich and baked with honey, no sugar! It has plenty of indoor and outdoor tables. Good for groups, kids, small party and casual night out. Heaters around when needed. Owner is a respectable gentleman who's also serving and hosting with very welcoming attitude. Great add to the setting! Highly recommending. read more

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absolutely delicious. i was a bit concerned with the amount of oil but over time the rice soaked it right up. nice and sour cranberries with the butteriness of the chicken and crunch from the pistachio is phenomenal. i toon my food to go but the inside is decorated beautifully, would make for a nice lakeside date night. the man who gave me my order seemed very nice. read more

Persian Nights Restaurant - vaziri - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Oakland, California

Their food is delicious! I love Persian food and this place has just the most flavorful rice with fava beans, along with their kabobs. Next time I come, I must try their lamb shank with the fava beans rice. The service was also very attentive and servers were warm and friendly. read more