Zeitoon opened in downtown Kirkland many years ago, replacing the Central 21 Steakhouse. Much of the interior still has the original dark room steakhouse décor. The center area hosted a huge group with multiple tables pushed together. I have avoided Zeitoon all these years because they are higher cost, not necessarily justifiable since there are lower cost Persian foods or similar Mediterranean restaurants in the area. I finally decided to try them. Our server answered my questions, including his favorites. Two questionable/sketchy things happened: 1. Our server recommended the Mirza Ghasemi, which he said is great with the optional soft-boiled egg. Sounds good. We ordered it. The optional egg is $2, which is not identified on the menu. (See photo) 2. When he recommended the Mirza Ghasemi, we asked him to remove the Mast O Khiar which we initially chose. I said we only want one appetizer. He nodded and said OK. When the Mirza Ghasemi arrived, so did the Mast O Khiar. They put both on the table and immediately left. I flagged the original server to remind him we said to remove it, but a different person showed up instead. He: "You want to cancel this? No problem." and took the yogurt away. I did not order this; it is not me canceling. Minus 0.5 stars from overall rating. The Food: Mirza Ghasemi + egg, $14 +$2 - 2.5 Stars This eggplant dish is the one recommended by our server. We do enjoy eggplant dips, especially warm versions. The optional "soft boiled egg" is not an American version but tiny threads of yellow egg bits mixed within the eggplant mixture. Honestly, we cannot taste the egg. It is borderline a scam. This dish would be 3.5 stars if it was $14 at the menu price, which is already on the high side. A $16 eggplant dish is delusional. Lamb Shishlik Kebab, $36 - 3.5 Stars Menu: Lamb rack marinated and chargrilled (see menu photo) I knew I would not see a rack of lamb on my plate. I got four lamb chops. Meat quality wise, this is excellent. It comes with a ton of basmati rice and a salad with a refreshing light dressing. This is a bit spendy for the quantity of meat, but taste is good. Soltani Shishlik, $42 - 3.5 Stars This is the exact same dish as above except add a skewer of grounded beef kebab. This kebab, and I quote my hubby, is "not that good". Same comment for the rest of the dish. A basket of lavash bread arrived at the table. I believe it came with the Mirza Ghasemi. We have eaten many lavash breads, commonly used as wrap so it is grilled and/or heat-pressed with oil on the surface. These lavash breads are simply warmed. I learned they taste terrible that way. The surface has a sandpaper texture and still taste like sandpaper when eating it. If I paid for this separately, I would be upset. read more

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We were in Kirkland overnight on Easter for an early surgical appointment on Monday. After walking around to stretch our legs from the drive we ducked into Zeitoon Grill House for some Persian cuisine. Based on decor I wondered if it had been a pub or steakhouse once in its life: lots of paneled and coffered wood, chandeliers, and wooden booths with coat hangers. We started with the baba ghanouj and ordered the fesenjan and a beef kobideh for meals. The meals came with a salad to share rather than small individual salads on the plate which was a nice touch. The staff was able to provide some veggies with the baba ghanouj since my partner in crime can't have bread. The baba ghanouj was great - exactly the smoky eggplant flavor I was craving when I saw the sign for Persian cuisine. The kobideh was nice and tender - you could taste the onion. The fesenjan was also extremely good. One question: Who eats this much rice in one dish? The rice was very good - but it is a lot of rice. I haven't had Persian like this since we had Persian neighbors who invited us over. read more

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This was my third time visiting, and I love it more every time. I'm a big fan of Persian food, and every restaurant brings its own special twist--this one is easily in my top three Persian spots in the Seattle area. The restaurant is beautiful, the staff is friendly and welcoming, and the food is absolutely delicious. I ordered the lamb rack, which was perfectly cooked and full of flavor, and my husband had the lamb shank--huge, fall-off-the-bone tender, and so satisfying. We couldn't even finish everything, so we happily took leftovers home for today's lunch. Parking is street parking if you're lucky, but there's also a paid lot right behind the restaurant, which makes it easy. Amazing food, great service, and a lovely atmosphere--definitely a place we'll keep coming back to. read more

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I had the opportunity to try Zeitoon for lunch. The restaurant is located in a walkable area of town, with plenty of shops nearby. Street parking was easy. The interior felt dated, with the cushion sagging when I sat down at the booth. For appetizers, I tried the mast o' moosir (yogurt with shallots) and the tahdig mix (topped with gheymeh and ghormeh sabzi). Unfortunately the yogurt lacked shallot flavor. The tahdig dish had too much stew on top, which resulted in a soggy texture. The gheymeh meat was dry as well. For the main course, I tried both the koobideh and chicken filet kebab. Both needed more seasoning. The rice was good, but the portion was disproportionately large compared to the amount of meat on the plate. The tomato could have been grilled for a little longer. Service was friendly, but prices were a bit on the higher side. FYI there is an 18% service charge included in each check. read more

Street parking available and reservations for larger parties can be made by phone or email. Dishes were a bit pricy but large portions. The lamb shank was the best dish- meat just falls off the bone. Chicken and lamb kebobs were delicious and moist but the steak was quite dry. Recommend the yogurt and tomato/cucumber appetizers that compliments the grilled meats. Servers were attentive and offered menu suggestions. Spacious and many tables available. Was too dark for us to be able to see that waterfront view. read more

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Zeitoon is the best Best Persian food in the northwest amazing selection great service long time customer and always consistent and great quality food and service read more

Disappointing and overpriced! Quality of the food was poor, prices were disappointing and not matched with the quality!!!!

The service and food were both terrific. I hadn't come here in a few years, but the ambiance and quality haven't slipped. The new manager even came over to make sure everything was to our liking, and the recommendations from the servers were superb. read more

Based on all the reviews, I came in here expecting OK food with bad service, and got neither. The food was delicious and the service exceptional! Kebabs were very well seasoned (I wished they were a touch more juicy though). Fasenjan was so flavorful. The chicken in it tasted like it was just boiled and then microwaved to within an inch of life, but the flavor of the stew itself made up for it. It's was firing on all cylinders, sweet, savory, sour. And the salad that came with the meal was large. This was enough for two people. Now, the service was outstanding. Got seated right away. Took my order as soon as I was ready. I looked into the main area of the restaurant, trying to take in the decor, and had two people run up to me instantly asking if I needed anything. They checked in on us multiple times through the meal. Water was refilled instantly. I honestly have no idea what the other reviews here mean by bad service. Perhaps they hired new staff or something, but was great. Definitely recommend. It was so good, I brought a group of 8 people here the next week. And we had no problem getting seated, even on a holiday weekend. And the service was just as good. read more

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Worst Persian food I've ever had. This place is not serving authentic food. You can't really taste the meat . I don't recommend this place to anyone. read more

Located in one of my favorite neighborhoods, the Zeitoon Grill house serves up authentic Peruvian cuisine with friendly service in a casual dining room. The waiter we had had was very friendly, checked in on my partner and I enough but not too much, and recommended several dishes which we chose and loved. If you haven't ever had Tahdig, I strongly recommend it. It's one of those quintessential Peruvian dishes and this was fantastic. I suggest going with the mixed version so you can try both stews with it and find your favorite. We also shared the Palace Plate which was 3 kabobs (chicken, ground beef, and sirloin) and saffron rice. I recommend asking for the sirloin kabob to be spicy to add some extra heat to the dish. The meal was more than enough to share and didn't disappoint. The starter salad was unexceptional and does not add any value to the experience. Now for why I took away a star. Although the place is setup to have a full beautiful bar, sadly you only have the choice of some canned sodas to drink with your meal. There was just the two of us so we said okay to the cute small booth next up front rather than taking up a large booth but everything was crammed on the table. There was also no barrier or mud room at the entryway so every time the door opened the cold air would make us chilly. read more

Zeitoon Grill House - a large platter of food - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

We were so looking forward to having a nice dinner inside Zeitoon. We arrived to an uncrowded restaurant but well attended and were seated right away, but that was it. 15 minutes and a couple of hand waves to an uninterested server and we went unnoticed. We walked out with great disappointment for missing what should have been an enjoyable meal. Probably won't return. read more

Some of the best food and service Time again, they have managed to impress us with their amazing taste and service read more

Diving into the heart of Kirkland, Zeitoon Grill House emerges as a rare find in the often overlooked world of Persian cuisine. Unlike the "Mediterranean" blanket many Middle Eastern eateries hide under, Zeitoon is unabashedly Persian, serving up a symphony of flavors that speak volumes of its rich cultural backdrop. The magic of Persian cuisine lies in its simplicity and depth, best represented by their rices and skewered meats. Forget the generic kebabs; this is where saffron and pistachios elevate the game, adding layers of flavor and texture that are uniquely Iranian. Zeitoon doesn't dress up for anyone; it's authentic, unpretentious, and with a vibe that's more about the food than the frills. The approval comes from the toughest critic--my Persian girlfriend, who vouches for its freshness and authenticity. The place could use a facelift and a slight staff training, sure, but when the meal ends with a cardamom tea and a view of Lake Washington, you know you've stumbled upon a spot that's more about substance than style. Zeitoon Grill House is a culinary nod to Iran, a place where food transcends borders and brings a slice of Persian pride to the Pacific Northwest. We wish Greater Seattle had a spot like it. read more

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Fantastic Persian fare. Went in on a Sunday evening so there was no crowd at all. The appetizers of baba ghanoush, sliced eggplant, salad were quite flavorful. The baba ghanoush was very tasty and smoky...amazing! The chicken kabobs came with saffron rice and grilled tomato. Generous portion, tender, mildly spiced chicken were a joy to eat. They do not serve any alcoholic drinks, so be prepared to enjoy the meal with3any adult beverages! read more

Good quality was good, but prices have sky rocketed and service was annoying. Even though the restaurant was not busy, different servers would come at our table and rush us to next step which eventually was leaving! It was the first time I had brought my friends to eat Iranian food and I wanted us to be relaxed and enjoy our time. But I felt very much rushed by the servers. I suggest, since you have such great food, don't pressure your customers to get them out the door and let them sit and enjoy their time, so they have a good overall experience and come back! Thanks. read more

Zeitoon Grill House - Zeitoon palace platter (mixed kabab) Ghormeh Sabzi Barberry rice Mirza ghasemi - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

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I need to come back more times to experience the full menu. My meal was so good. The steak kabob was so tender and the rice was incredibly good. I had read yelp reviews about the Pistachio ice cream and was not disappointed. It is home made and an excellent finish to a terrific meal. I will be back!! read more

Finally have returned and found that their Gormahsatzi Has greatly improved. I went there early on when they had opened and I found it very oily but now it was delicious. Though I wonder if they're putting a dried lemon/lime in there because I missed a hint of that. They are generous with the tadig though it's not as good as Caspian Grill I don't know if they're using a different kind of oil or if I'm getting left over from the day before. It just doesn't test as fresh. Or maybe they're using older rice I just don't know but I hope it improves as well. I love that I can get a side of the stew with the tadig at a reasonable price ( less expensive than CG) I will come back and get this a few more times and update the review with photos as well. I really love both of these Persian places and we are so lucky to have two options. By the way this one is open on Mondays while the other one is closed on Mondays. I highly recommend leaving a tip as they don't charge any service for your to go order. read more

Zeitoon Grill House - Tahdeeg and gormahsabzi - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

Food was very good, probably the best Persian we have had in a while. Ordered the lamb shank and grilled chicken and beef kabob platter. Generous portions and even my very young kids enjoyed it! When we arrived it was empty and service was fast, but when we were leaving, it got pretty busy. We will be back!! read more

This place made me love persian food. This sets the bar high for any other persian restaurant. Food is amazing. I specially loved the baba ganoush and the lamb. Its tender and flavorful. I will come back and will recommend this place all the time! read more

Zeitoon Grill House - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

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This is one of the best Persian restaurants in not only the Seattle area but possibly in America. The service, atmosphere, location, quality of food and value for the price are outstanding. read more

It's a very expensive restaurant. Extremely over priced for the service they provide and quality food they provide. The salad was tasting so bad with just vinegar as dressing. The service was so bad. We sat and sat the owner kept talking in loud voice instead of taking our order. There was only one server very unprofessional. It's a rip off for 18% service fee. We were very disappointed read more

Food is fabulous!! Be sure and order the salad Shiraz . We shared it but I could have easily eating the whole thing myself. Then we had kebabs of chicken, ground beef and lamb. All were marinated and grilled to perfection. The salad and rice that came with the kebabs were also good. The server was great and we really enjoyed ourselves but were sorry there were not more customers in there to enjoy this wonderful food. read more

Good ambience and service. I have always found the food here a little bland compared to other nicer dine in Mediterranean food places and the last 2 visits were the same. This place also doesn't have great drinks options and while it's their choice for what they put on their menu, I always feel a red wine will pair very effectively with their food. read more

We went there because this is a halal choice. We used to go there 7 years ago when it was called Aryanna. Nice location but we were the only one there with just one other family. My kids didn't even touch their plates. Very bland food unfortunately. Restaurant does have a great location and ambiance. Will we return, unfortunately answer is NO. read more

Zeitoon Grill House - Mix platter - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

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Hands down without a doubt best Persian in Washington! And we've been to all of them! Super picky since we are from California and grew up on Persian restaurants from LA to Orange County to San Diego. We have been here for 3 years and was looking for that special Persian restaurant. This is it look no further. Good spices and great quality meat and other. Had the last tahdigh left awesome crunch not soggy! Everything mouth watering If you want something different and ethnic give peros. Food a try unsure look at YouTube with mark weins or "David was here" or mr taster food vloggers on iran to get a glimpse Thank you for the amazing food hit the spot for Persian couple away from family and Persian food! lovely staff and waiter read more

Zeitoon Grill House - Entarnce - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

I bookmarked this place a long time ago and so I finally made it. I have a new favorite spot for the area. The food was perfection. The grilled steak was cooked perfectly and the ground beef a well seasoned. The appetizers we amazing from the simple hummus to the eggplant and beef dish. If I had a wish, I would have liked more vegetable sides but then I'm trying to cut my meat in take and this was glorious meal of meats. Save room for baklava and get a cup of tea. I think it's something special with the cardamom. read more

Zeitoon Grill House - The end of a great meal. - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

we very often visit seattle from Los Angeles since our older kids live here, I think by far this was our best persian food that we tried in Seattle area. Great food, good service, nice location and clean place. read more

Zeitoon Grill House - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

Excellent food excellent service .......good ambience.. Great location city if Kirkland . Whenever I visit Washington I must go there read more

Zeitoon Grill House - 3 types of Kabobs , chicken , ground beef ,fillet minion - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

We got the beef and chicken kebab skewers with rice and salad. We also got the Kashke Badamjan which was made with roasted eggplant and was served with lavash bread. Food was yum! read more

A new addition to Kirkland is this Persian Restaurant. A few of my friends had been to this place and they all recommended it. We happened to be in the neighborhood on Saturday and decided to try it. The interior is nothing like a Persian restaurant. I think it must have been an American bar and they never changed the interior. Just a few chandeliers were added to it. I really liked the interior, it was warm and inviting. They have an array of Persian dishes. We tried their Zeitoon palace plate (which was a combo of chicken, and two types of Kabob). We also got an eggplant dish as the appetizer. The food was good. The highlight was the chicken Kabob (we asked for chicken thighs, but it is usually made with chicken breast). The Achilles heel of the dish was the rice!!! Far from ideal!!! The service can definitely improve! One of the guys was really nice and courteous, the other one looked slightly..... well, nonchalant to me. But overall, It was a good experience. I liked the food and I will be back. read more

The service and atmosphere was ver nice but barg kabab could have been better. The meat wasn't the right choice for barg and was low quality and cheap. It was hard to chew, also was not cooked well while it was very thin, so it wasn't chef's problem but quality of meat. The stew and rice were good and service was on-time and clean. I return but will not order barg or any red meat. read more

Heard from many people that the food here was delicious, so decided to come in for dinner with the wifey. While I do agree the food is great, from the juicy flavorful meat skewers to really well cooked rice with the right chew and texture. The service was something else to be desired. We had to wave down someone to put in our order and then, the wait and wait and wait began before we received our food. Again we had to wave someone down when we wanted our check. Perhaps it was our table tucked in the corner or just a slow night by the kitchen or off day by the staff, whatever it is I would like to come back for the food..... but probably for takeout. read more

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We go all around the country tasting Persian food. This is one of the very best we have had. From the dough, to the kabob to the salad everything was extremely on point. Service was amazing and the atmosphere and view from the windows was divine. read more

Pricey, but delicious. Last time I picked up they forgot my Baklava however when I called they were very kind sorry & said I can get with next order. I went to a different restaurant for pick up today & regretted it. Zeitoon is delicious worth the price. read more

Unfortunately I cannot tell you about my dining experience. I booked the reservation 2 weeks ago to celebrate my grandmother's 90th birthday. I called to confirm and see if I could pre-order some things to start I was told that I had a $450 minimum for a party of 10. When the average entree on their menu is $25 I find this to be alarming but even more so that after having a reservation for 2 weeks no one told me this. I explained to this person that answered the phone that I felt that this was unfair, specifically since I was calling them. I asked him what would happen if I just showed up and how he would expect to enforce a minimum with no agreement. He said what do you expect me to do, I have a business to run. Ironically I am an event planner, so I'm no stranger to minimums and I make sure that all of my guests know about minimum's prior to booking. I shared that with him and told him that I thought he should honor my reservation and not force a minimum 45 minutes before a reservation when I was calling him. I worked and the full service restaurants for 20 years, I have no problem spending money, my goal is to make sure a business is whole when being a patron. I have problems with is opportunistic people who try to take advantage of guests with no listed policies. Beware. read more

This is a MUST eat from place. I have tried several other Lebanese restaurants in the area none of them come even close to this place. I have ordered from here several times and it's amazing every time. Chicken kabobs are my favorite - tender chicken and light and fluffy rice/ not heavy and overly salty like some of the other places. It's 5 stars all the way! read more

The quality of the food is ok and the attitude of the staff is very rude and disrespectful. When we voiced our concern, the waiter said "there are other restaurants in the area" and literally left while we were still talking to him. We asked to talk to the management, the manager (male) came and talked in a very disrespectful manner. No apologies for giving us wrong information, and instead making us the customer feel like we owe him something. This attitude doesn't deserve our business. The chef and the kitchen staff do a great job but the front staff and the manager ruin all their efforts. read more

amazing food I orders the shank and my brother ordered the koofta it was extremely tender and tasted amazing. I recommend the shank more because it basically melts in your mouth. But if you want the best bang for your buck take the koofta it tastes amazing and is very chewy like it is supposed to read more

Zeitoon Grill House - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

Amazing restaurant amazing food amazing service We will come here every time we will visit Seattle. read more

Zeitoon Grill House - Persian Hot tea - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

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