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    Sadaf

    4.0 (618 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Sadaf Takeout or Delivery

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    SADAF ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Sadaf

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    Reviews With Photos

    Cucumber salad (Shirazi Salad)
    Vanessa M.

    NEW LOCATION same great food!! They are down the street from original location @534 5th st.

    Crisp Naan
    Christian M.

    Absolute banger. The food makes you feel like youre home. I got their beef koobideh plate and a side of the cucumber yogurt and it was amazing. The naan is freshly made and has the right crisp. The service was fairly quick and the ambiance is nice and quiet. Would definitely recommend this local shop and would come back again

    Menu
    Ritz L.

    This establishment has been my favorite place to eat since I've lived in downtown San Diego(I left for Texas in 2005, but come to San Diego often with my job). I usually order from DoorDash, bc it's usually too far from where I'm staying, but I'm staying in downtown today, so I decided to walk there and dine in. It wasn't busy since it was after lunch. I ordered vegetable soup, Salmon Kabob(my usual), Persian tea and Gormeh Sabzi to go for tomorrow. My server was very kind and welcoming. The soup was delicious(greens, beans and noodles). Salmon Kabob was hot and tasty and Persian tea was amazing. This establishment is spacious and comfortable(outside dining is also available). The weather was so beautiful today and I'm so glad I walked over here to eat. I highly recommend this hidden gem.

    Sohrob H.

    Food Quality: * Service: ** Setting: *** Cost: ** I honestly don't understand the hype around Sadaf Persian Restaurant in San Diego. It's easily one of the worst Persian places I've been to. I've had Persian food at plenty of places, and this just didn't cut it. The barg (skewered beef) was tough and chewy, not at all what I expected. I could barely get through it--it felt more like I was chewing on rubber. The chicken was another letdown: dry and overcooked, lacking any sort of flavor or tenderness. Definitely not worth the price. The service wasn't bad, but it also wasn't anything special. The restaurant itself was fine, just a basic setting with no real charm. Overall, I was extremely disappointed, especially considering how much I was looking forward to a good Persian meal. I won't be coming back here. There are so many better options in San Diego for Persian food. Definitely don't recommend it.

    interior
    Kayson T.

    I wouldn't say the food was out of this world, BUT it's a great place to sit down and talk with friends and eat Persian food. It's pretty cozy inside and the service was a 1000/10, and you definitely will feel valued as a customer. Armand (If i remember his name correctly) was SO kind and made this restaurant really stand out! Definitely worth a try if you're in the area!

    Alex H.

    After many days at comic con recently my group was just wanting to eat somewhere away from the crowd on 5th and our Airbnb was down the street and we were feeling like some Persian or anything along the Mediterranean My friend was like hey this place seems cool and without the major crowds coming down that far on 5th we should have no issues Well the place.had a few tables in service outside but we arrived and quickly realized service may be slow because it was just one person doing the job for everything but the cooking but hey we understand I get it Can't fault that but yeah we sat inside and after a good wait on all things we eventually get some drinks and eventually our food and the food was actually good we liked it Lot but we definitely felt they needed more help that night and our order got a little mixed up but again we get it with the guy doing the best he could Like I said all food we got was good!

    Marjon F.

    I went here with my mom after craving some persian food, we were also looking for a persian food cater for my wedding. We stopped by this past Sunday to try some different dishes for my wedding. We had a few starters, the baba ganoush and dolmeh were amazing! There dolmehs are made in house and they taste just the way you'd have them at grandmas house! We tried their chicken kabob, koobideh and bar kabob. The chicken was well seasoned and flavorful, and our beef was juicy and tasteful as well. I was really impressed with the food quality. I'm really excited and looking forward to trying more of their dishes!

    Bowl of Fessenjan with chicken
    David Y.

    An absolutely amazing meal with a Persian version of babaghanoush, and a stew called fessenjan with chicken! The service was good, considering that they seemed a bit understaffed, and our waitress was very helpful and friendly. This has been the best meal I've had in San Diego, and it's the best Persian food I've ever had!

    Pomegranate Stew (Fessenjan)*CHICKEN*
    Joe S.

    Wow!! I enjoyed this place. I love Fessenjun and Koobedeh, and they make both that taste delicious. Lovely place, nice atmosphere. Two thumbs up definitely!

    Reagan W.

    The. Food. So so so good, prices weren't bad at all and the portions are very generous. Went out with my parents- I got Albaloo Polo and some appetizers, 10/10!! Waiter was so friendly, and the place was surprisingly not busy for the quality and area. Next time I'm in San Diego I'll be back!

    Bland sour tasting rice..
    Robert R.

    Warning there is absolutely no way this restaurant is getting 5 stars.. their menu is a scam and the food is horrible.. we ordered four meals with grilled chicken, a bowl of soup, sides of tzatziki sauce from DoorDash. all we received was four bowls of rice and some soup for $90.00 . When we called them to ask about the order the man on the other line was rude and basically told us that four small bowls of rice costed $90.00. .. there was more to this story that is seriously unbelievable... bottom line is do not support this establishment. Trust is quality ingredients, flavorful food, with kind service if all you will not find here..

    Shishlleek filet -
    William J.

    Excellent Persian Friendly service Nice atmosphere Sat outside very nice Good value.

    Beef barg
    Lauren C.

    We had dinner here after seeing a show at The Balboa. Everyone enjoyed their meals. My friend raved about the cherry rice. My beef barg was tender and delicious. The price was good for the quality. Service was great.

    Beef Shish Kabob

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Food is so good and people are friendly Luke is the goat in recommendations. Persian ice cream is a must

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    2 years ago

    Amazing food and service! They give you a lot of food! They were so kind and the food was fast!

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Was visiting in town and was craving Persian food. Very good food and portions. Service was quick.

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Excellent place to get some persian food, family atmosphere, great service, reasonable pricing. Definitely recommend this place!

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Food is excellent quality, great service. Place is located in the heart of downtown san diego. Family-friendly restaurant

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    Page 3 of 16

    Sadaf Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Sadaf

    Is this restaurant halal?

    Yes, I have confirmed with the workers in the restaurant as of 8/2018

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    The Kebab Shop

    4.3
    (2.3k reviews)
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    Healthy dining
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    Food was amazing! Came out quick and fresh…read more Went out for lunch with my coworkers and everything was great.

    I was on jury duty today and I wanted to have some Shawarma so I looked up on yelp and found the…read moreK-pop shop was about a 20 minute walk away. The menu was a bit confusing, but I know that I like grilled veggies and Greek salad and then Ike was able to pick my protein that I wanted so that seemed easy enough. The base price with falafel or chicken Shawarma was Close to $16 but since I chose the meat, they added two dollars to my total. It took about 10 minutes for them to assemble my meal, but my veggies were cooked fresh on the stove, which was really nice. They tasted very freshly cooked just as they would as if I had cooked them myself at home. I was there about 1245 on a Monday and there were a few people there and they had some takeout orders so my order took about 10 minutes before I could walk out the door with it. They had a nice condiment bar where you could pick out some yogurt with dill sauce and then they're famous garlic yogurt sauce, as well as a jalapeño sauce And another spicy hot one that I would never try. When I got back to the jury room to eat my meal, I saw that there was a nice quantity of the fresh salad and the grilled vegetables but the meat was piled high! The employees were working efficiently and the place was spotless and orderly.

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    Shawarma Guys

    Shawarma Guys

    4.7
    (1.1k reviews)
    9.4 mi
    $$
    Kid friendly
    Casual dining

    I can for the viral Wagyu Shawarma Cheesesteak. It was very tasty with a mix of peppers, onion…read morecheese and sauce. Whatever sauce they used gave it a bit of spiciness. I went at 3:30 pm on a Saturday and was surprised that it was pretty busy at that weird time The sandwich was huge ( probably 12 inch sub) so depending on how hungry you are, you could easily split it. I loved the fries. Whatever seasoning they used gave is perfect

    Man I really wanted to like this place due to all the rave reviews. Our first experience was mixed…read morewith some meats being great and others dry beef bits that weren't very tasty or appealing. Our second experience we got the chicken shawarma Brian's way. Everything was cooked well, but I guess although I like pickles, I'm not as big a fan of Mediterranean pickles. The first bite or two were actually good, but subsequent bites the pickle tanginess was overwhelming and just not so pleasant as I finished it. I thought maybe I'll get it without the pickles next time. However, after eating I got an unexpected headache that usually comes from ingestion of MSG. The fries were tasty... maybe there was MSG in those? Not sure. I've honestly had much better phenomenal shawarma in San Joes CA. I have yet to find a great Shawarma here in San Diego. Feel free to recommend.

    Photos
    Ordering counter
    Ordering counter
    Wagyu beef and chicken shawarma plate, hummus and pita bread. All tasted so good!
    Wagyu beef and chicken shawarma plate, hummus and pita bread. All tasted so good!
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    Shawarma Guys

    Shawarma Guys

    4.6
    (1.5k reviews)
    2.0 mi
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    We heard about Shawarma guys from YT featuring best food spots in San Diego. We went to their South…read morePark branch. We were initially aiming for the crispy shawarma however only Mira Mesa and La Mesa does it. So I guess that's next on our list! The wraps were unexpectedly big! This is probably the biggest wrap I ever had! Generous with meat and veggies. Their wagyu egg rolls are definitely must have! Falafel fries is really good too! All of these perfectly paired with their garlic sauces. My favorite is spicy lemon garlic! The staff are very knowledgeable about their menu. It's a food truck set up and there's mini standing tables for alfresco dining. SG was definitely lived up to the title #1 restaurant in the country on Yelp!

    Came here on a Wednesday night around 8:30pm. I ordered online in advance and just waited outside…read morefor my order. There were plenty of parking spots around this time. Not really an ambience since there's not much as far as a dining room. There are a couple of cocktail tables where you could eat. After ordering online at 20:20pm, my estimated pick up time was 8:39pm and got the order at 9:03pm. The cashier informed me their chicken is taking a while and added extra time to the wait. It probably would've been faster if they weren't so backed up. I ordered the Wagyu beef and chicken shawarma plate for me and my wife to share. I added 3 falafels and pita bread on top of it. The food was still fresh when I got home 15 mins later. Everything was good and just enough for us two. Also, I'm not sure why there's a range of where they may be located on Yelp since this is just a food truck that seems to be permanent at this location.

    Photos
    Shawarma Guys
    Falafel Plate ($13) comes w/ yellow rice, hummus, tabouli and pita bread
    Falafel Plate ($13) comes w/ yellow rice, hummus, tabouli and pita bread
    Wagyu Beef Shawarma

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    Amardeen Cafe

    Amardeen Cafe

    4.3
    (736 reviews)
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    Oh my gosh. This place is so good, I highly recommend checking this place out…read more I had the Moussaka (Lebanese eggplant stew) and I throughly enjoyed it. It was so flavorful and the portions were pretty big. I also got to try the cheese fatayer, I loved the pastry it came it, it was great. This place has great vegetarian and vegan options along with some gluten free options. The menu is marked very well and they make it easy to navigate. The staff were friendly and the food came out fairly quick. The restaurant is on the smaller side. There was seating available for large and smaller parties. From the dinning area, they had a window into the kitchen so it was fun to be able to see the cooks make the food. They also had cute decor that added to the ambiance of the restaurant. There is plenty of parking available in the plaza that it is in.

    The food was actually really good, but the service was terrible…read more The staff seemed condescending and like they didn't want to be there at all. Not attentive, not friendly, just kind of dismissive the whole time. We ordered a bunch of dishes and to be fair, everything we tried tasted great and was flavorful so you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. The cheese knefe was a bit disappointing though. It's supposed to be crispy, but it came out mushy and kind of fell apart. The rose water reduction also made it way too sweet for my taste. Still decent overall, just not what I expected. But honestly, the service alone ruined the experience for me. I wouldn't come back. Food: 8.5/10 Service: 0/10

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    Sadaf - persian - Updated July 2026

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