The food was excellent, the staff was very friendly and courteous. Cherish was amazing, she made sure we were all taken care of. I love this place. read more

Spacious restaurant with paid valet parking in the back or free street parking if you can find it. The staff were really welcoming and nice. We ordered the appetizer combo so we got to try a bit of everything (roasted eggplant, yogurt dip, and hummus with domas), and Tahdig crispy rice appetizer with three different stews. We also ordered the combo platter #2 with beef, chicken and a separate order of filet mignon that came with salad, rice, cucumber salad, and roasted tomato, bell pepper and onions. Everything was really delicious and flavorful. read more

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2 out of 5 stars. I've been to this restaurant several times with my Persian friends who speak Farsi, and every visit has come with excellent service. That's why I was excited to bring my girlfriend and her friend here today. Unfortunately, this experience was completely different. Our waiter, Amir, barely checked on our table. His greeting and every interaction with us felt monotone, rushed, and completely lacking any warmth. There wasn't a single smile or welcoming gesture throughout the meal. At one point, I walked to the restroom and, on my way back, saw the same waiter enthusiastically speaking Farsi and providing attentive, friendly service to several other tables. The contrast between how those tables were treated and how we were treated was impossible to ignore. Based on my experiences here, it certainly felt like customers who are Persian or speak Farsi receive a much warmer level of service than those who don't. The food is still good, but service is a big part of the dining experience. I left disappointed, especially after recommending this place to others. Unless you speak Farsi or are Persian expect mediocre to poor service. This shoutout is for you Amir! Hopefully management reads this review. read more

We had an amazing dining experience at Sadaf Restaurant! The food was absolutely delicious--every dish was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. A special thank you to Behnam, our waiter, who provided exceptional service. He was friendly, attentive, professional, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout our meal. His outstanding hospitality made our visit even more enjoyable. Great ambiance and design in the restaurant. If you're looking for authentic, high-quality Persian food with excellent customer service, I highly recommend Sadaf Restaurant. We'll definitely be coming back! Again, Behnam thank you for the great service. read more

Food is incredibly tasty. Portion size will surprise you in a good way. Staff is friendly and quite accommodating. Oh, the menu is huge. Lovely place with bubbly hostess. read more

We arrived with a large group on a weekday for dinner and they were able to accommodate us. It was our first time here so the server gave us some recommendations. We ended up ordering 1 combination appetizer and the dolmeh was good. Usually I may not like the flavor at some places, but this one I was able to eat. We ordered Juicy chicken (2), koobideh Kabob, Naderi kabob(2) and boneless lamb (2). They were able to plate them family style for sharing and so we got the mixed rice so we can try one od each type. They were nice enough to give a little extra rice to make the presentation of the plate look full. We were able to get 3 salads to get served family style as well. The sadaf salad came in the biggest plate to share, the beet and shirazi salad came in smaller portions. The chicken was big and juicy! All the meats we ordered tasted good... soft and tender. I really enjoyed the beet salad as it also had some sweetness to it. The mixed rice variety allowed us to try all the choices: Albaloo had sour cherries in it, Zareshk had barberries (was my husband's favorite), baghali has lima beans and dill, Asas has lentils raisins and dates making it a sweeter rice dish. They could have provided more bread for our appetizer platter and since we had more people but if you ask for more they will bring more. Everyone enjoyed the food. We did have a lot of leftovers so it would have been nice for our server to let us know to order a little less. We probably could have gotten away with a couple orders less. Also would be nice if they have some kind of chili or hot sauce or peppers for those that like a little more spice to their meal. It wasnt too busy when we went (but it was a weekday) so our party felt like everything turned out well food-wise and service was attentive, just a tad on the pricier side (Juicy chicken is $28 for 5 pieces and rice, and lamb and Naderi were $40 &$39). read more

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There are not that many restaurants in the valley that can seat a party of 13. Then the list becomes even smaller when you factor in the quality of the food. The chicken was so good to the point where I didn't want to tell anyone because I didn't want to share it. The eggplant appetizer had these chips of garlic inside it that almost tasted caramelized. That was so freaking good our table ordered 5 total. read more

Last night we had dinner at Sadaf - Encino, a modern Persian restaurant with several locations. We arrived at 6:35 p.m. and were told there would be a 20-minute wait. Because large parties were gathered near the entrance, we were asked to move into the bar area while we waited. (The restaurant does not take reservations for groups smaller than five.) While waiting, I noticed several tables for four sitting empty on the patio. We were told we could check our place in line via text, but the message never updated beyond "You are 11th in line and should be seated between 7:03-7:09 p.m." After several trips back to the host stand, we were eventually told it would be another 11-12 minutes. We were finally seated at 8:06 p.m.--after waiting more than an hour. I would never wait this long for food anywhere. Unfortunately, the service after being seated did not improve the experience. We had to request menus, and initially were given only two. After placing our order, two additional menus were brought. We asked for water three times before it finally arrived. Later, when our entrées were brought out, the server had removed our silverware and we had to ask for replacements. We started with the Tahdig (crispy rice) served with two stew toppings: Ghormeh Sabzi (slow-cooked beef with sautéed herbs, kidney beans, dried lime, and special seasonings) and Gheimeh Bademajan- eggplant stew. The eggplant stew was definitely the better of the two. For salads, we ordered the Beet and Feta with Persian cucumbers, lemon juice, olive oil, feta, and mint--it was just okay. We also had the Shirazi salad with chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, onion, olive oil, and lime juice. This is a classic combination and hard to get wrong, and it did not disappoint. For entrées, we tried the whitefish (charbroiled), which my friend felt was not as good as on a previous visit, and the Shish Kabob, which one of us really enjoyed. The true standout of the night was the Juicy Chicken. It was honestly one of the best chicken dishes I've ever had--boneless chunks of incredibly tender chicken, perfectly marinated and charbroiled over an open flame. It was the redeeming quality of the meal. I would give the Juicy Chicken five stars. That said, I would never wait over an hour for it again. While the Juicy Chicken alone would have warrented 5 stars, the service and wait time knocked it down to three. Unfortunately, dining in was not a pleasant experience. read more

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Wow, I just had the tastiest and most filling Persian lunch! Came here for work, my first time but not for my group. I can see why they come here all the time. This place is delicious! I had the Juicy Chicken plate with a side beet salad. Everything, I mean everything, was good. Rice and veggies on point. But let me tell you about that chicken! Juicy as advertised and perfectly seasoned. Wow. Plus the beet salad was meticulous. I tried my buddies salmon and that was also just as good. Highly recommend and wanting to come back to try more. read more

Sadaf Restaurant - Beet salad - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Encino, California

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The food here was delicious and some of the service was good. Our waiter was great. However when we got there we were made to wait for a table even though there were only a few people there. We were sat in this back corner that was very hot and we couldn't enjoy the atmosphere because there was a podium in our way. When asked to move they did accommodate us but when dining at a restaurant for the first time, first impressions are important. read more

Amazing food! Truthfully outstanding great customer service as a Latina woman I approve of this amazing Persian food!

Been to Sadaf several times, and every time, it is excellent. Ambiance is beautiful and clean. Food - I think their chicken kabob is the best I've had in LA. It is better than their beef koobideh and barg, though those are still good. I have had better beef koobideh at other restaurants like Raffis or Shekarchi. Their bread is so fresh and is an elevated experience compared to the usual lavash bread that restaurants give. My friends had the salmon and they really liked it. The maast o khiar is really good too. The service is excellent - all the food came out quickly and the servers were nice. I will say I am Persian (and look very obviously so) and for some reason one lady only looked at/spoke to my husband and not me. I would say it's 4.5 stars because I was put off by this. Parking is tough right next to the restaurant but can be found metered down the street if you don't want to valet. We were a party of 4 at 7pm on a Saturday night and were seated right away at a booth. read more

1-Star Disappointing food and borderline deceptive hidden fees I will not be returning to this place. We ordered the ground beef kebab, and it was a massive disappointment--dry, bland, and completely lacking the flavor you expect from a proper kebab change the quality no the same as before .To make matters worse, their billing practices are completely ridiculous. They auto-charged us an 18% service fee for a party of only FIVE people. Forcing an automatic gratuity on a group that small is a complete joke and feels like a total cash grab, especially when the service doesn't warrant it. Watch your receipt closely so you don't accidentally double-tip on top of their forced surcharge.Overpriced, mediocre food, and shady billing. Save your money and go somewhere else. read more

Delicious, exquisite, and explosive flavor to go with tenderness. I can't even find the words to describe the flat iron steak, and honestly my whole plate was delicious. Prime protein you will not regret. read more

Sadaf Restaurant - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Encino, California

Food was amazing!!! And staff was so nice and friendly. This is my new go to spot in Encino

I didn't dine in but regardless the food was definitely a 10/10 I would like to come back to dine and and order more dishes to try. My fav so far is the ghormeh sabzi stew, delicious. read more

Food and ambiance was great. Service was below my expectations. We have been to this place in the past with party of 4 or 6. But party of 16 was apparently too much to handle. We had toddlers and despite asking to be seated elsewhere, we were seated by the bar. Food took an hour and half to arrive. Had to ask multiple times for water refill. Since gratuity is automatically added to large party....service is overlooked. read more

If you speak to people who hail from Iran or the Middle East and ask them to recommend places that can serve unforgettable kebabs, most of the time you will find that the name, Sadaf, is included in their lists. One can debate, who makes the best kebab? Does it come from India, Pakistan, Iran, Armenia, Israel and so on. That is really a topic that deserves discussion at a later date. For now, I would say that, if you look for an abundance of a cuisine that serves a wide range of kebab types, we may have a leading candidate. I'm talking varieties....minced meat, chunks of meat, also talking chicken, beef, lamb, quail, Cornish hen, fish, to name a few. I would say at least in my experience, the Persian restaurants top the list in all these categories. So I had to come here for the first time, to Sadaf, a celebrated restaurant, in Encino, touted for serving Modern Persian Cuisine. I started with my favorite, the Maust Mousier (Creamy plain yogurt mixed with minced shallots). The shallot taste was hardly there, so I asked for a spike, and they obliged. Dip into that with their Pita bread (rectangles and triangles), not from a grocery shelf and you will be elated. For my main, I was looking for a different kebab, something unique, that I have never had before. It was the Naderi Kebab. They say that it is, "the most tender center-cut of filet mignon marinated and charbroiled". It is priced at $38. However, if you go for the Naderi Soltani, at $42, it also includes, their "perfectly seasoned ground beef koobideh kabob". So I chose the Naderi Soltani. For a few more dollars, I also substituted the standard saffron rice, with my favorite, the Arashek Pollo (sour barberries). What transpired was a culinary awakening. The Naderi Kebab, chunks of meat (I asked for it medium rare), was unlike any fire grilled meat I have ever had, anywhere. This was gastronomic ecstasy. Every bite was evenly grilled, juicy and charred perfectly, flavorful and infused with an intoxicating aroma and taste. Wow. My taste buds danced in thankful joy. The Koobideh did not disappoint either. Hands down, for me, this is the best Persian restaurant, not only in the valley but anywhere else, in Los Angeles. I am going back soon to try their other preparations. Merci. read more

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8.5/10 If you're hunting down some of the best Persian food in Los Angeles, Sadaf in Encino absolutely deserves a spot on your list. Their koobideh beef is what I came for, and it did not disappoint. Juicy, well-seasoned, and tender, it instantly earned a spot as my second favorite koobideh in LA--and that's saying a lot since I take my beef day seriously. I've had one that edges it out on flavor, but Sadaf's rendition is still excellent and definitely worthy of a rotation spot for Persian cravings. The portions are generous, the rice is perfectly fluffy, and the balance of flavors makes it clear why this place has such a reputation. Next time, I'll be trying their juicy chicken, which I've heard is the star of the menu and the most popular dish here. Only downside: parking. From what I saw, it's valet-only, which feels like an inconvenience in this part of Encino. Still, the food makes up for it. Bottom line: If you're in the Valley and want one of LA's top Persian food experiences, Sadaf is worth it--just come hungry and maybe ready to valet. My personal favorites for beef koobideh are 1. Raffis 2. The spot & the kebab factory 3. Sadaf read more

Sadaf Restaurant - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Encino, California

I usually opt to dine in but decided to call in an order from Sadaf today. Service was outstanding and food was delivered on time. I ordered a combination koobideh plate. The chicken was perfectly seasoned and incredibly succulent. The ground beef was cooked to perfection and bursting with flavor. Plate came loaded with rice, grilled tomato, and a side salad. Thank you to the Sadaf team and keep up the great work! read more

This is the best Persian kabob I've ever had, IMHO better than Raffi's which many people consider the best. I would definitely come back since every dish we had was perfectly executed. The meat quality is outstanding and I'm sad we hadn't been eating at Sadaf all these years! Service was great too and the restaurant is design well. read more

Sadaf Restaurant - Koobideh combo w/ Albaloo pollo and salad - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Encino, California

Beautifully designed restaurant that has excellent Persian/Iranian food. The portions are absolutely huge and I had to grab a to-go box for over half of the food which I could not finish. I also thought that the Dough (yogurt drink from Iran) was a great touch and a perfect way to beat the heat and pair with meat. The restaurant is located on Ventura Blvd making it very convenient to access and you can easily run errands at say, the nearby Whole Foods after your meal. Highly recommended!!! read more

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Food is top notch. The fish, the kabab and appetizers especially the kashk e bademjan I can't get enough of. I'd say top three in the country. I only come with family. It's always something different and very special. The service is among the kindest most polite and respectful of any restaurant. I feel at home here and all of the staff are amazing. The ambience is somewhat casual. It's a very beautiful restaurant and super clean. read more

The absolute best normally come once a month because it's so good Great quality food read more

Absolutely the rudest manager. Food ordered in an amount of over $550 They send food with a raw onion to the medical office When I called the manager, she didn't care, totally dismissing our concern ... when she called earlier to confirm the order, she yelled at my staff, "Don't put me on hold " - LADY, this is a medical office. This is last time that we will order food or I will go to this place read more

Sadaf Restaurant - Raw onions, not grilled ones, were sent to the medical office. - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Encino, California

An absolutely unforgettable and fantastic meal. The service is excellent, the ambiance is delightful, and the food is exceptional. The flavors were amazing and the juicy chicken is probably the best bite of chicken breast I have ever enjoyed. The combo plate #3 and we added a skewer of koobideh and WOW everything was fantastic. We absolutely must come back for dinner because the desserts and other menu items all looked incredible but we were full for lunch. Thank you to our server Iman who took very good care of us and explained the menu for our first time. All of his recommendations were stellar, and the cherry rice in particular was just perfectly balanced. Parking in the back lot will be $7. read more

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Delicious food and atmosphere. Will become a regular! Everyone was so nice. The Chicken soltani is amazing!!!!

I'm a regular at Sadaf Encino and really enjoy the food, which is why I keep coming back. I did want to share one experience I had when I picked up a takeout order my husband placed on the evening of July 28. The hostess who helped me didn't greet me when I walked in, and when I asked how much longer my order would be, she just told me to "have a seat" without giving me any idea of how long it would take. The interaction felt pretty dismissive and came across as rude. I didn't ask for her name because I didn't want to make a big deal out of it or be disrespectful. I hadn't seen her there before, so she may have been new. She had a stocky build and looked to be in her late twenties. I love the restaurant and will definitely keep coming back, but I think a little customer service training would go a long way. Even something as simple as greeting customers and giving them a rough wait time makes a big difference. read more

Juicy chicken was the best chicken I've ever had. No hyperbole. I'll definitely be coming back here. It's our new favorite spot.

This used to be one of my go-to spots, but after my recent visit, I can confidently say it's no longer worth it. The beef koobideh and beef barg were not just disappointing they were concerning. The meat tasted off, like it was either going bad or being mixed with old product. That's not a small issue, that's a serious quality and food safety concern. The Shirazi salad has completely lost its authenticity. Instead of the fresh, bright lime/lemon flavor it should have, it tasted like it was tossed in a bottled dressing. Completely unacceptable for a place that used to do this right. The hummus came with bread that was stale and hard, which just adds to the overall lack of care coming out of the kitchen. And then the pricing charging extra for rice and Shirazi salad on top of already $28 plates is excessive and feels like nickel-and-diming customers. It's honestly disappointing to see how far this place has fallen. Between the drop in food quality, lack of freshness, and inflated pricing, I won't be returning. read more

So been going here for years and the food was always constant for the most part. We went there last night and got koobideh and kornish chicken and completely a different recipe and different taste! It went from quality and taste level A to levelD! We could barely eat it. The only thing that was the same was the rice but the kababs tasted different and looked different. So disappointing! Consistency is a key where 90% of restaurants can't keep. Not going back. read more

The staff was so amazing! Got my friend to come here for her bday. And it was super amazing! I don't remember all the names but thank you Amir! read more

Beautiful Persian restaurant. Nice place for casual date night or festive gathering with friends/family. The food and service are equally wonderful! Their chicken kabobs are truly delicious! I normally don't prefer chicken compared to beef or lamb options ;however, their juicy chicken kabobs are a standout here. We also enjoyed the Ghormeh Sabzee (herb stew loaded with dried limes, fresh herbs, veggies, beef) and Gheimeh Bademjan (yellow split pea, eggplant, tomato beef) stews over crispy rice (tadig). They make a great version here (not watery and flavorful). Truly delicious! Location: Besides Encino, Sadaf restaurant has a second location in Thousand Oaks; and a sister restaurant called: Darya in Santa Monica and Orange County. Parking: valet or metered street parking on Ventura. I appreciate the valet service option, because good luck finding parking on Ventura Blvd! read more

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Came to Sadaf Saturday night with my husband and another couple and had a really nice dinner. Sandra was our server and she was great! Super friendly, attentive, and checked on us just the right amount. She suggested the Lavashak martinis and they were a hit at our table! The restaurant was busy but everything came out smoothly and we never felt forgotten. Great food, drinks, and service. We'll definitely be back! read more

I've been a loyal customer of Sadaf Restaurant for years, and I always enjoyed their food, especially the Juicy Chicken. Unfortunately, my experience last night was very disappointing. The Juicy Chicken was nothing like it used to be. It wasn't juicy at all and tasted more like plain boiled chicken. The koobideh kebab was undercooked and completely lacked flavor. The tahdig was so hard that it was difficult to eat. The fesenjan had a good flavor, but it was extremely dry with almost no sauce. On top of the disappointing food quality, the prices have become unreasonable. A simple pomegranate drink cost $20, and the total bill for four people was $160. For that price, I expected much better quality. Sadly, this was my last visit to Sadaf. I hope the management pays more attention to the quality of the food because this used to be one of my favorite Persian restaurants. read more

So, everyone knows I'm a big fan Sadaf restaurant. What makes this place amazing, is the consistency in quality, service and innovation. Folks let me tell you, Persian restaurants have this ability to maintain consistency after a few months. But not this place. Sadaf restaurant, is in a class all by itself. I know, there are bunch of choice restaurants you have, But if you want authentic Persian food in a classy place, that is continuously consistent time after time, this is it. Few nights ago, feeling lazy and hungry, a text message about their special on the juicy chicken BOGO, interested me. I live about 7 to 10 miles away, and I expected the food to be lukewarm, I was ready to settle for something less than perfect from them. Let me tell you, I was pleasantly surprised. The food arrive, nice and hot, and the juicy chicken item was perfect. It is perhaps their best item on the menu. Don't get me wrong, I love their other items as well, But this one really surprised me. First of all, each portion is enough for two maybe three people. I mean, it is huge. But as they say, size is not always the standard. So we go to taste. The rice (Baghali Polo, made with Fava beans and dill) was deliciously cooked and fragrant. The chicken lived up to its name, and it was absolutely juicy. The marination must be unique, as it gave it such a special taste. I have young people in my house and between the four of us, we couldn't finish the two servings. Interestingly, the fragrance of the rice, and the juiciness of the chicken remained until we were able to finish it in the process of two days. If you haven't tried Sadaf, you owe it to yourself to go eat there, or order from any of their locations. If you are a longtime customer, and haven't tried the juicy chicken, then definitely try the next time you're around. read more

Food was amazing! Highly recommend the Beef Soltani! Wow! So well seasoned! Had the best servers Cherish and Sandra!

I read the reviews for Sadaf and hoped the recent negative reviews were wrong, but they were spot on!The service took 50 minutes to get a salad. THATS WAAAAAAY TOO LONG TO GET A SALAD. This place needs more servers/employees to run efficiently. The food was good but took too long to arrive. Plus the lamb my husband ordered was way over cooked. They also had a large party in the back room in which a dog was roaming around and wandered throughout the restaurant a few times without its person. It was NOT A SERVICE DOG. Pets belong at home when people are eating at a restaurant. This left a bad taste in my mouth unfortunately. Good luck diners! read more

The waiter wasn't very friendly. The chicken and beef were good, but the slice of chocolate cake was too small for two people. This restaurant doesn't even offer parking validation. Another Mediterranean restaurant offers friendlier service and a better overall experience. We won't be coming back. read more

Nazzy and staff were incredible kind and helpful during our visit to the restaurant this afternoon. We stopped by to sample some rice varieties for a birthday catering order that we are contemplating. The herb rice and cherry rice were delicious. I highly recommend Sadaf! read more