I stopped by Raffi's Place for dinner on a Tuesday evening around 8:15 p.m. This Persian restaurant doesn't have parking so your best bet is paying for metered parking on the street. I, for one, hate paying for parking. Upon walking in, I was told there would be a 10-minute wait (the restaurant was busy but there were several tables open). I was seated within five minutes. Ambiance (4/5): What's interesting about Raffi's is that the restaurant is designed in a way that makes you feel as if you are sitting on an outdoor patio, when you are in fact inside for the most part (though there is an open-air component). It's an interesting set-up, and you'll fully understand what I'm talking about when you stop by. Service (4/5): My waiter was pretty slow to initially greet me, but once he did, service picked up. He checked in on me, always had a smile, and took care of my bill promptly when I was ready to check out. They also have free WiFi which is always a nice touch. And the bag they gave me with my to-go box was of higher quality than you almost always get at a restaurant. Another nice touch. Drinks (N/A): While Raffi's has a cocktail menu, wine, and more, I went with an iced tea. Not a lot to report. Food (4/5): There are things I loved, and things I didn't love about my meal here. First off, for Persian food, this is some of the most expensive Persian cuisine I've ever come across. I understand this is California but there was some definite sticker shock. It does help that you're given some complimentary bread, butter, onions, and more to start things off. I ended up going with the chicken barg, one of my favorite Persian dishes. It's served with a grilled tomato, pepper, and basmati rice. I upgraded my rice to one of their specialty rices with barberries for a surcharge. It also helps that the portion sizes are generous. You get a heaping serving of rice. Their dishes could easily be split between two people. The rice was one of the highlights of the meal. I had never had barberries before, let alone with rice. The berries gave a nice sweetness to the rice. The grilled tomato was also bursting with flavor. I love a good grilled tomato. The chicken on the other hand, while well-seasoned, was a bit overcooked. The chicken was a bit dry rather than juicy as it should be. Raffi's is a popular restaurant that won a Michelin star in 2019. While it's been seven years, I can see some of the elements of why they were awarded this prestigious honor. read more

After hearing about this place from a couple of friends, I decided to check it out. I came in on Monday, March 9 around 5 PM, and I'm really glad I did. The food was very good, the ambiance was nice, and the space was very roomy with plenty of seating. The service was excellent, very attentive, with staff frequently checking in to make sure everything was going well. Our server Ciro, was great, and everyone else provided exceptional service as well, including Jose, Garcia, and others on the team. Overall, it was a great experience. I would definitely give this place 5 stars and highly recommend it to othes! read more

Raffi's Place - Hummus - Middle Eastern Near Me - Glendale, California

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Went here with my Father, nephew, and Hubby. Father's choice. I'm glad we tried this place but their meals are very hefty.. enough to split. I had beef tenderloin (filet mignon) and it was huge. I lived off of that for 3 days! This place has a nice Mediterranean type feel and the food is prepared the way you want it. You pick how you want your meat cooked and they do it. The service is attentive but when it's busy it was hard to flag ours down. The whole place was an outdoor vibe with a lot of activity. Definitely had a lot of groups when we were there. read more

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great place amazing food mid customer service must try if ur in la! the wait time is long tho read more

Raffi's Place - the restaurant - Middle Eastern Near Me - Glendale, California

The quality of food and service is exquisite. The place was packed the entire time we were there so prepare to come early and go shopping while you wait. read more

Food: it was good as always. Huge portions Service was good ... a couple times we had to repeat our request but the 2nd time it was immediately there Ambiance: busy and loud ... read more

My boyfriend and I came here for a late lunch for the first time and had a great experience. When we arrived, we noticed they offer valet parking for $12--just make sure to bring cash, as the valet is cash only. We signed in and were told the wait would be about 20 minutes, but we were called much sooner than expected. The restaurant has a good amount of seating, both indoors and outdoors. Since it was a nice day, we chose to sit outside. The food was phenomenal, and the service was excellent from start to finish. Our waiter, Christian, was awesome--very attentive and helpful with food recommendations. We started with the hummus and Tourshi appetizers, which were both really good. For our main dishes, we ordered the Soltani Kabob plates. Be prepared--the portions are generous, especially the amount of rice. We also tried the yogurt soda. It wasn't really our cup of tea, but it seemed popular with other guests. I'd recommend asking for a taste if you're curious. Overall, our first-time experience was fantastic. We drove from Riverside to try this place and would absolutely make the drive again. It's also in a great location, with a mall just a block away and several coffee shops and eateries nearby. Definitely a great Sunday spot! read more

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Can't go wrong with the food and atmosphere. I recommend the soltani to get more variety. This is classic fare that reminds me of my childhood. Service is great and restaurant is huge. read more

Wow! Incredible dining experience here at Raffi's. I've heard rave reviews of this place from others, but had never gone. I finally got the opportunity to go and this place did not disappoint! Our waiter was very attentive to our table, despite being fully booked and busy that day. It was a lunch date with me and my gals. We had two appetizers: hummus and a Greek salad to share. We all ordered martinis: pomegranate and sour apple. We also had the chicken breast kabob and the filet mignon. Both absolutely divine and with charred veggies on the side! Their rice was so fluffy and delicious as well. For dessert, we went with a slice of chocolate cake, vanilla custard and the rosewater ice cream sandwich. We loved this place and highly recommend it! P.S A note about parking: $12 cash for valet or you can park behind the restaurant in the parking garage for $2 per hour. Unfortunately they do not validate but the price for parking is reasonable. read more

It was great ambiance! The food took a while to get to our table, but it was warm and delicious. My colleague said it needed more seasoning, but I enjoy adding my own salt. Me only wish is there was a plate with mixed protein's/ entrees. read more

I finally got a chance to go to the greatest Persian/Iranian restaurant of all time. Raffi's Place is located in Glendale, California. It's an upper scale place for people who want to have a great dining experience without being disturbed by others. Great dining experience at an upscale restaurant is something I'm very strict on, especially when I'm paying higher price for higher quality food. As a very picky Iranian, I look at everything. As I'm coming inside, I was greeted and seated right away. I was amazed by the dining room area. It's so relaxing. For lunch..... I ordered myself a Lubia Polo which comes with one stick beef koobideh. Very nice presentation when I got the food. I must say the food was delicious and delightful. It was filling, which means the food I ordered was more than enough to satisfy my hunger. Service was great too. They got some great employees who knows customers are #1 priority. Overall.... I'll be back here soon for some more good stuff. 5 stars!!! read more

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Loved trying this popular Persian staple. Parking has street parking and valet available for $12. The vet lot is a one way only street so make sure you don't miss it. Cash only! Weekends are no reservations, you have to walk in and out your name down but it goes by pretty fast. We ordered the beef koobideh, chicken koobideh, gormehsahbzi with tahdig, pickles, shirazi salad and the eggplant dip. The appetizers were alright but nothing special. The main star was definitely their koobidehs. Super juicy and HUGE. Each order comes with two meats. They have the sumac and white onion ready on the tables with fresh lavash and butter for the rice. read more

Raffi's Place - Shirazi salad, chicken koobideh, tahdig - Middle Eastern Near Me - Glendale, California

I'm not sure how much my review will make a difference out of 7,000+ reviews, but here goes: My family and I were in Glendale to do some shopping and wanted some good Mediterranean food afterwards. I had heard of the famous Raffi's and how it's one of the staples in the SGV. I have tried many Mediterranean restaurants and wanted to try one of the originals, so we decided to stop in. How could we go wrong? It was Sunday afternoon and the place was super packed! We were informed of the 30-45 minute wait and said to ourselves "The food must be amazing," so we waited it out. We sat down and the waiter said the kitchen is really busy and it'll take 45-50 minutes for food to come out, so we quickly ordered. I ordered the Soltani Kabob, my brother ordered the Chicken Barg Kabob (breast) and my mom ordered the Chicken Boneless Kabob (thigh). When the food came out an hour later, we were impressed by the portions, although they give a TON of rice. Unfortunately, most of the dishes were lacking flavor. The ground beef was flavorless and dry. The beef filet had a tiny bit more flavor but was also dry. My brother thought the Chicken Barg Kabob had flavor but was too dry. My mom liked her Chicken Boneless Kabob; I tasted it and it was pretty good, but I've had better at plenty of other places. The Ikra appetizer was quite tasty, though. The vibe itself seems great when you walk in. There's plenty of people and families enjoying themselves -- next to us there were two large parties of 24 people each. It's definitely a "hot spot" but honestly, I'm just not sure what the appeal is. The food was mediocre at best and it's so busy that you feel like just a number -- The service isn't personalized at all, although the staff is professional. Clearly this place does it for a lot of people, but not us. We'd prefer to go somewhere a little more low key with personalized service and flavorful food. Unfortunately, I can't see us coming back. read more

Raffi's Place - Middle Eastern Near Me - Glendale, California

One of the best kebab places on America and few other countries that I have tried . Food is delicious and GIANT portions . I'd say one plate is great for 2 average people . Interior is amazing and service is 5 star . For me music is missing. Parking is valet which is 12$ only I believe but it's super convenient in downtown Glendale . You can tell the food quality from smell of it at front door . read more

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Raffi never disappoints. Can't believe I've never written a review for this place. Guess I was always too busy enjoying the food and not taking pics. lol They have valet parking and if you're fortunate enough, you may find some street parking. There's also a paid parking structure nearby. The atmosphere is cool and relaxing - kind of an indoor & outdoor eating area. Service here is always very good. Raffis has been around for a long time and they know what they're doing. Food is excellent! Everything is really good and I always have a hard time deciding what to order. Their meats are well seasoned and cooked. Grilled veges and the rice are perfect compliments to the meat. The portion sizes are very generous - recommend ordering a few dishes depending on size of group and sharing. Raffis is one of those places that every foodie should try. read more

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The pLace was still the same as ever since , haven't been here in a while. Food was delish ... their meat has this tenderness when you bite. Servings were super huge. It could be shareable... Appetizers are enticing as well... you'll never go wrong with their hummus... Servers were attentive. Think of the time , you want to dine , parking gets busy and line as well. Better have reservations to avoid long wait. This is a place to celebrate a lot of occasions. Ambiance was fine... They have an open air area which can be a good spot to enjoy the food. read more

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The best meat-induced food coma I've ever experienced in my whole life. Wow. Boyfriend and I came into Raffi's on a whim on a rainy weekday night. The place was busy, but we were seated almost immediately. It was nice, clean and inviting inside. We both ordered the Soltani Kabob plate. The portions were extremely generous and the meat was cooked to perfection. The filet mignon had to have been the most perfectly cooked and tender cut of meat I've ever had in my life. I ate ALL of it. Like, literally, ALL of it. Even when my body kept saying, "chilllll... that's enough meat!" - NOPE! I kept going. Why? Because it was THAT good. I spent the next few days still feeling obscenely full and sluggish but BOY was it WORTH it. I truly can't wait to go back. read more

Food 5/5 Service 5/5 Ambiance 4/5 Classic persian/mediterranian restaurant that I have been going to for over a decade now. This place is a staple in Pasadena and is always busy, but super efficient and consistent with the quality of their food and service over the years. They have valet parking, but recommend parking at the parking structure across the street and walking over. Outside and spacious seating. Service is fast. Always get the chicken and steak kebob plate and it comes with half rice and half salad. Portions are HUGE ( lasts me 2-3 meals) and quality is always top notch. Food is fresh, flavorful, meats are cooked well and not overdone or dry. Got the hummus and it comes with this naan bread on the side (thin and cut like sheets of paper and not a fan of these, but it's free). Would recommend this place and will def be back. read more

Raffi's Place - chicken and steak kebob plate with side salad and hummus - Middle Eastern Near Me - Glendale, California

One of my favorite places to go during the holiday season. The seasonsings and flavors of the food taste like Christmas! The food here is the best!! I've been to all the nice Persian/Iranian places in OC and LA and this places tops them all. Portions are huge and quality is superb. Service is always attentive as well. Chill/romantic vibes. 10/10 read more

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This place does not need a Yelp review because the food and service speak for itself. Delicious and amazing. We wanted to order everything on the menu. It's very nice place. Fresh air! read more

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We came here on a weekday and there was a short wait but that may be because we were seated in the courtyard area that was outside. Overall, the food was good. I highly recommend any of the kabobs and the tahdig appetizers. I don't think the lamb shank was that good and it lacked flavor. Otherwise, the other meal items were very good. read more

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Delicious food and great service considering the place was packed on Easter Sunday. It was a little warm due to it being a warm day and the indoor/outdoor seating isn't very ventilated. Could definitely use some fans in the indoor/outdoor area. Food was exquisite. Very large portions. A lot of rice and the skewers come with 8 pieces of meat per skewer read more

Ambiance: this restaurant is hidden in a small alley, very easy to drive by and miss it, they have valet parking, which costs $10, and it's cash only, and the alternative is to park at the nearby marketplace public parking lot, where the first 90 minutes are free, then $1 for each 30 minutes, the main dining hall is semi outdoor, with roof and patio covered on two sides and heater equipped in the middle, then there's also a indoor dining room Service: very friendly and patient with questions, provided useful suggestion, attentively served water and food, although it took a bit longer as they were so busy Food: one of the most authentic Middle East cuisines, each table is served with basil, radish, onion, and pita bread, and all their entrees are served on a bed of fluffy basmati rice with grilled tomato and Anaheim pepper, I ordered the Soltani Kabob, which is the combination of Beef Barg and Beef Koobideh Beef Barg Kabob - **** thinly sliced filet Mignon skewered and grilled, so tasty and tender, recommend Beef Koobideh Luleh Kabob - ***** lean ground beef skewered and grilled, so juicy and flavorful, highly recommend Price: huge portions and delicious food, almost everyone would pack some leftover home, at least good for one more meal, expect around $50 for the combo entree order, but totally worth it. Sharing some insights, according to chit-chat with locals, their food has been downhill over the past few decades, ups and downs, and off from time to time, but overall still the best in the area read more

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lives up to the hype... The rack of lamb which is not included in the photos is so flavorful and well seasoned. The kebab was worth the money only 10ish$ if not getting rice so if you needed more food, great add on. Service is top notch, very attentive. Fun laid back atmosphere. read more

Raffi's Place - Middle Eastern Near Me - Glendale, California

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when you come to raffi's, you're family! this place is a staple in the glendale area and while i am late to the game, i'd love to offer a review. their service is always friendly and the entire atmosphere of the restaurant honestly makes it feel like you're at a giant family gathering with distant relatives you don't know. i'm by no means an expert in this type of cuisine but my favorite thing about it is how fresh everything tastes. all their ingredients that they use really shine through with all their dishes. my favorite dishes were the salmon and the mahi mahi. wanted to try the white fish but they were sold out. will definitely be back for that. keep in mind i'm usually not a seafood guy, and if you're not either, i'd still recommend you try their fish dishes as they are stellar. read more

Delicious and generous portions! Came here on a Tuesday night and although it was busy, we were seated right away. The ambiance of the restaurant was beautiful, perfect for date night. The service was excellent and we got all our questions answered by our server. The hummus is a must get. For the dish, my husband and I shared a beef Solano kebab. As mentioned portions were not only delicious, but huge. I loved the grilled tomato and pepper that came with it. I also enjoyed the Mahi mahi dish and the eggplant dip. Parking: there is vallet parking, but the location is also near a parking garage with the first 90 minutes free. read more

Always a great place to eat and enjoy dishes from Armenia. Staff is run very well...great service to match great food. I had the Salmon kabob...you can ask for 1/2 rice and 1/2 salad...otherwise you get too much rice. read more

Raffi's Place - Salmon kabob with 1/2 rice and 1/2 salad. Salmon was so tender and juicy. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Glendale, California

Food was delicious as usual! The radio is delicious and the mast o mousir is a must try! The chicken luleh and beef luleh are delicious! Definitely try it out read more

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This was my second visit, and it was just as great as the first. Since the wait can be endless during dinner hours, I think I'd go much more often if they had a waitlist system where you could add your name before arriving. The regular meats are delicious, but the lamb is truly the standout. Personally, I usually can't eat lamb because of the smell, but theirs has no odor at all and is incredibly tender--not tough. They always give such a generous portion of butter rice that I can never finish it read more

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Crowded and for a reason! The salmon actually melts in your mouth and the portion size could carry you for a few days! Everything looked wonderful and this is definitely a place to check out in Glendale. read more

Raffi's Place - Salmon Kabob - Middle Eastern Near Me - Glendale, California

Delicious! A must do in LA. It's one of those places you check off j to say you've been there. You will wait ~ 1hr any party size. You can order drinks meanwhile. 4stars due to drink menu. They only have martinis which tasted premixed, no draft beer and wine selection isn't the best. The hummus & kabobs though sheesh are incredible. The Barg Kabob... was the best. I have never tasted a filet mignon this way. Melts right in your mouth. The chicken is crispy on the outside but comes apart perfectly. Try the cherry rice (Albaloo Polo). We were skeptical but it is good! It's not overly sweet and pairs great w entrees. Once you sit service is quick and ambiance is good for a family setting or even a date. read more

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Love this place! I ordered the Chicken Soltani and beef koobideh and it was a 100/10! The rice was super fluffy and adding butter on it was chefs kiss. The Chicken Soltani was flavorful and the beef koobideh was juicy! Overall service was good, it was really busy so it was understandable. There's definitely a lot of seating but the only thing I wished for was some AC because it got REALLY hot at one point. I know Glendale gets hot but yeah it was definitely hot the day I went. Parking is survival of the fittest but they do have valet and some street parking if you're lucky. Overall, I'd definitely come back because the food was really good! read more

Raffi's Place - Pomegranate Martini - Middle Eastern Near Me - Glendale, California

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Seriously amazing service!!!! They are a bit pricey but the plates are huge!!!! Food is fresh and worth the price. We ordered the favorite beef kabob so delicious... I will be back. read more

Raffi's Place - Middle Eastern Near Me - Glendale, California

An old friend once said that of you want the best food to entertain a friend, bring him/her to Raffis Place. He didn't family in the North Hollywood and Burbank/Glendale area but he has many friends like me. Mr. Chavoushi was a brilliant mathematician and intimated to us that when he goes, he'd like us to all have dinner on his behalf at Raffis Place. Many of his former students who are now lawyers, doctors, teachers, business owners and fashion designers joined us on his final journey. Many teachers and other friends also descended to par take in letting him go to his final resting place. Raffis Place will always be now our restaurant too and I tell you, their food is second to none. Parking OS Valet but you can head to Glendale Galleria for a few dollars iFM parking fees or drive around for metered parking. read more

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Wow is this place super busy. Like very very busy. Unfortunately they don't take reservations so my advice is don't come when you're already too hungry lol. On the bright side the food is 100% worth the wait. The meats are succulent and very flavorful. Easily can share or take leftovers home. Despite them being busy they are good at being attentive and refilling our beverages. Lots and lots of tables with both indoor and outdoor seating. The patio has beautiful trees inside and I'm sure at night it looks nice with the string lights they have. read more

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I thought I took photos but I didn't. The food was good, it's definitely family style and enough to share. The ambiance was unique, half indoor, half patio vibe and the service was great. I do feel the price was a tad bit overpriced, it wouldn't be my first choice but its definitely a place to go with larger groups. read more

The service was very attentive and kind, the servers checked on us several times over the course of our meal despite the fact that the restaurant was packed with patrons on a Sunday afternoon. The food was really nice with really generous portions. We actually packed a hefty portion to go and it ended up feeding my family of 4 for dinner as well. I didn't know but they do refill the lavash bread upon request which was really nice and allowed us different variations for eating the rice and koobideh. Chicken thighs was surprisingly a bit dry. I would lean into beef offerings . read more

Was visiting from out of state and was very impressed with the meal. The chicken koobideh was a larger portion than I expected (you definitely get what you pay for) and tasted great. The shirazi salad was great and a sizeable portion as well. All to say, the food felt home cooked and I understood why the restaurant was very very busy. Kudos to the staff that work there as they were constantly getting everyone's orders and their food out as fast as they could. (My table did end up needing to inquire about our order as it had taken more than an hour...but the staff was helpful in getting our food out). To that end the restaurant is insanely noisy inside so it was hard to hold conversations at the table, but the food is great. read more

Raffi's Place - Shirazi Salad - Middle Eastern Near Me - Glendale, California

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We came here for dinner after shopping at the nearby Glendale Galleria. Glendale has a big Armenian population and is known for Mediterranean food, and Raffi's is highly rated so worth a try. After being on the wait list for about an hour (busy Saturday night), we got seated and quickly ordered since we knew the food would also take time (45 minutes, we were told after ordering). We ordered beef koobideh, and Barg which is thinly sliced filet, both served on a bed of saffron rice with roasted tomato and pepper. The koobideh was so good, juicy and well seasoned. The filet was less flavorful and rather bland. We also ordered hummus to share while waiting for the main dishes, and that was very good. The restaurant is packed, but the service was very good. The restaurant is not very well decorated, lacking in ambiance. We would probably come back again for the food, trying other dishes. read more

Raffi's Place - Beef Bulgogi, juicy and well-seasoned - Middle Eastern Near Me - Glendale, California

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That Ghormeh Sabzi is delish! I'd definitely come back and I would definitely recommend Raffi's place to anyone in the mood for Persian food. I had the chicken plate (can't remember what combo/style chicken) as well as the Soltani Plate, along with regular drinks soda/water. Ghormeh Sabzi 4/5 very good appetizer. Chicken plate 4/5 chicken was very juice and flavorful Soltani plate 3/5 not really a fan of that style beef where it's ground and kinda dry. The beef chunks were great though. Service was good, the beverage refills and the check ups made it a 5/5. Overall a good spot, I would definitely come back and get the tadig with ghormeh sabzi and that chicken plate all over again. The atmosphere was pretty calm for a weekend, it wasn't very packed and it was nice and peaceful. No dress code read more

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