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I've been meaning to try this spot and finally got a chance to come with a group of friends on a weekday evening. We were able to get seated immediately. The restaurant is spacious but also has a cozy, charming, and homey feel. Service was helpful and the food came out quite quickly! Everything we tried was flavorful! Would recommend family style sharing so you can try more dishes. What we ordered: - Manti steak - comes with 5 juicy steamed stuffed dumplings served with a yogurt sauce - Kavurma Lagman - super yummy hand pulled noodles with your choice of beef, chicken, or veggies - Oxtail stew - beef oxtails with sautéed veggies. The oxtails were hearty and the veggies so flavorful - Uzbek traditional bread - quite large and good for sharing Street/neighborhood parking only. Highly recommend this spot if you're looking for something a little different and want flavorful, comforting food!
As someone who loves Uzbek food, I really wanted to love Zira, but this ended up being an average experience. The biggest issue was that almost everything tasted like it had been prepared well in advance rather than made fresh. The bread arrived piping hot, but I'm honestly not convinced it was freshly baked--it felt more like it had been reheated. The spread served with it was unfortunately the low point of the meal, tasting like inexpensive mayonnaise with very little flavor. The samsas were actually my favorite item. They were flaky, well-seasoned, and enjoyable, although they also felt like they had been frozen beforehand and baked to order. The manti were another solid choice, but again gave off that same pre-made impression. The Uzbek plov had good overall flavor, but the rice itself wasn't cooked well and really held the dish back. I also asked for lemon to squeeze over the plov, but instead received sliced lemon, which was nearly impossible to juice. The biggest disappointment was the oxtail stew. It honestly tasted like the meat and potatoes had been cooked days ago and stored separately before being combined with the broth right before serving. The meat was dry instead of rich and fall-off-the-bone tender, which is exactly what you hope for from a dish like this. The dining room isn't particularly attractive and the decor feels dated, but everything was clean. Service was good throughout--the staff was friendly, attentive, and the food came out very quickly, though that speed also reinforced my impression that much of it had already been prepared. Overall, this is probably a 3-star meal for me, but I'm giving it 4 stars because it's a small local business and the service was genuinely good. Unfortunately, I don't see myself returning, as I didn't taste the freshness or quality that makes Uzbek cuisine so memorable.
What a nice find. I've never had Uzbek food before. It was nice to try something new and different. I had the plov on one visit and a noodle dish on another visit. Both were good. I mostly enjoyed having a new experience of another way a group of people make noodles and rice. I like how the restaurant is decorated.
I have never tried Uzbek food because. I discovered this place from my Kazac friend actually. The decorations here look interesting and cute. They truly like to have customers experience Uzbek culture. Service was alright and needs improvement. Appetizers didn't come beforehand but came way after. We got the plov first before salad or bread arrived. Samsa 4/5 was flaky and has great meaty filling. It was still a bit doughy for me. Uzbek plov 5/5 was my favorite. The rice grains are moist but not soggy. It seemed like they were fried and rewet again to get this interesting texture between fried rice and moist. The beef was tender. We didn't get lamb. Manti Pumpkin 5/5 was interesting. I thought it would be puree pumpkin but I was wrong. The filling is diced pumpkin bits with peppers. ACHIK CHUCHUK 5/5 was a nice salad dish. I'm a bit annoyed that it came out way after the plov came. It was supposed to be eaten together. UZBEK TRADITIONAL BREAD 5/5 was crispy and large. I have no complaints. Chack-Chack 2/5 wasn't too good. I don't really like this rice crispy looking dish. I've seen things like this at Costco. Overall it was a unique experience and I highly recommend trying.
We met with a friend for my belated birthday meal and decided to try something totally different. While street parking was a little tricky to find, once we walked in we appreciated the unique decor of Zira Uzbek Kitchen. Service was kind and friendly the entire meal. The menu was extensive with so many unfamiliar dishes, I was so overwhelmed (in a good way). We decided to order Grandma's Breakfast (one of the two brunch options only available on weekends), which is $25/person with minimum two orders. We also ordered Lagman (beef noodle soup) and Kuksi (cold noodle soup). The breakfast was so much food with all sorts of breads, jams, cheeses, meat pies, two kinds of porridge, tea, and fruit. Both noodle soups were also very tasty, albeit with noodles on the softer side. I absolutely love trying new foods and you just don't find Uzbek cuisine everywhere. Prices were also very fair. I highly recommend Zira for something completely different!
We couldn't park out front. It looked like Sons of Anarchy biker gang madness on the block and I wanted no part of it, so we had to park around the corner into the neighborhood a couple of blocks away. On the walk over, I stepped on questionable glass and somehow had to pick weed/marijuana buds off my shoe, passed what I was sure was a crack house, but we continued. Once you walk through the doors of what looks to be a hole in the wall from the outside, it opens up to Central Asia/Eastern Europe. Uzbekistan straight up. You couldn't even tell there was chaos right outside the front door. We had reservations but it seems like they still weren't prepared for us. They weren't prepared for the new found popularity. They weren't prepared for the big leagues. My best friend had to flag them down CONSTANTLY to take our order and it caused doubt to stir. If you can't pay attention to details when it comes to the customer, does the food follow suit? Will the food suffer from lack of attention to detail? But not too soon after my doubt, we FINALLY got to order and the salads came out thick and fast and I started to relax. Samarkand salad and Markovcha. Clock it. The first being fried eggplant with arugula, some other stuff and this soft cheese that felt like a cross between cream cheese and sour cream. It was good and fresh, mixed with cold and hot. I liked it. The second one was purely julienned carrots tossed in spices and a bit of a pickled/vinegar like dressing. I could have used more of the dressing and seasonings, but I totally get where they were going with it. I'm gonna do this dish one day. I'm going to make my own version. So I guess you could say I was inspired. Next up: fried Chuchvara. Clock it. Little bitty fried dumplings that SAY they were filled with beef, but I tasted lamb. And it came with a side of a freshly grated tomato sauce for dipping. I liked this. Not my favorite, but it was nice to have small chewy meat filled dough ball dumplings to smack on in between salads. I get the vibe. Then came the BIG DAWGS, one right after the other: Uzbek Plov. This was so good and comforting. A warm chopped lamb and rice dish with carrots, garbanzo beans and FLAVOR. I'm a sucker for meat and rice dishes and this is some winter comfort food right here in the summertime. On the restaurant's WORST days, this dish will always be one of the best, I'm sure of it. Oxtail Stew: big chunks of cooked potatoes and carrots in a stew with sautéed onions and bell peppers accompanied three big pieces of oxtail. The oxtail wasn't fall off the bone and it wasn't very juicy. It felt sticky and drier than other oxtail dishes I've tasted, but oxtail is still full of fat and flavor, so no matter how you do this, as long as you season it properly and cook it well enough, you're okay. There was great flavor on this dish. The oxtail were seasoned nicely. I picked up my oxtail and sucked off all the fat and meat in between the crevices and everything, so clearly it was flavorful even if a bit drier than other times I've had it. BEEF STROGANOFF. PERFECTION. This dish was made with THICK, freshly made chewy noodles, slices of juicy, tender beef and a cream dill sauce packed full of fresh dill. It didn't have the "sour" taste from sour cream that I'm used to, but it had a very CREAM based profile with a heavy hit of fresh dill. This was a star. Creamy. Hearty noodles. Juicy beef. HEAVY HANDED fresh dill. We had two types of teas: one, a red floral and refreshing hibiscus red tea. The usual. But then we had another tea that's hard to describe: TASHKENT TEA. The flavor profile was WILD. The best way to describe it: Smoke. Cigars. Honey. Mouthwash. Lemons and mint. This tea tasted like drinking a lightly sweet green tea after smoking cigars. When I look this tea up online, it's a mixture of black and green teas with fresh mint, citrus slices (lemon & orange) and honey. But it tasted like sweet barbecued cigar tea. Take from that what you will. It grew onto me. Look...let's figure out this service thing. You need more help. But the food is a hit. 4 stars.
I'm always willing to go out of my way for great food, and Zira Uzbek Kitchen was absolutely worth the trip. Authentic Uzbek cuisine is hard enough to find, and finding a halal Uzbek restaurant makes this place even more special. Everything we ordered was fresh, flavorful, and clearly made with care. The pastry was outstanding, and the Tashkent tea (fruit tea) was one of the best I've had beautifully presented and incredibly refreshing. One of my favorite things about food is getting to experience different cultures through their cooking, and Zira delivered exactly that. The flavors felt authentic, the service was warm and welcoming, and the entire meal felt like something made with roots and tradition. If you enjoy discovering cuisines that aren't on every corner, this place is a gem. I'm already looking forward to coming back and trying more of the menu. Highly recommended.
I've never had Uzbek food before, so this was a treat! We got there at 10:30 when it opened, but I guess its not really a "brunch" kind of place because it was empty until we left at about 12:30PM. Food was amazing! Bread was delicious! We also got the spinach dumplings, the pumpkin Samsa, the Uzbek Plov, the Salmon kebab with fries. All very delicious! Definitely have to come back and try more things!
Walking into Zira feels like leaving Melrose and landing somewhere in Tashkent. The space is beautiful, with colorful cultural decor and a great display of traditional garments in the back. The service was honestly the standout. Our server was amazing and spoke Russian, so my girlfriend and her got into some fun banter throughout the meal. Everyone else who stopped by our table was just as warm and welcoming. The food looked incredible, but the flavors didn't quite match the presentation. The plov and lagman were decent but not the best we've had. The beef shashlik, though, was a different story. Juicy, tender, packed with flavor, and easily the best thing we ordered. Overall, the hospitality and atmosphere carried the experience. If they dialed in the flavors a bit more, this could easily be a 5-star spot. We'll definitely be back, especially for the shashlik.
We almost didn't end up here and that would've been a mistake. We parked near Carmel and decided to eat there instead of Zira but they were closed for that awkward 4:30-5:00 gap. So we pivoted back to Zira...that little timing hiccup worked out in our favor. This place is legit. We went all in and ordered a full spread: plov, pickled vegetables, traditional Uzbek bread, chicken shishlik, Bukhara, manti steak, and borscht; basically a "try everything and figure it out later" approach since Uzbek food is pretty new to us. Standouts? The pickled veggies had that perfect tangy crunch, the plov was rich and comforting, and the chicken shishlik was ridiculously juicy and flavorful. Like, the kind of dish you immediately plan to reorder before you've even finished it. Also, $15 corkage? Not bad at all. Next time, we're not overthinking it: just loading up on shishlik and a side of those pickled veggies. Safe to say, this spot earned a repeat visit.
It was my third time eating at Zira. We just walked in and were seated immediately. Their food is consistently good. I've only tried the borscht and plov. Both tasted amazing. They having generous portions too.
I really enjoyed this Uzbek restaurant on Melrose in the heart of West Hollywood. I had never had Uzbek food before, but I had tried some similar cuisines from nearby regions. The flavor and authenticity of the dishes served at Zira Uzbek did not disappoint. You can certainly tell these are recipes handed down generations and you can taste the love put into each dish. We started with the Uzbek bread which comes with a red pepper cream cheese spread. Yum! A must-order for the table. It's like a really nice, fresh, hot bagel with black sesame seeds and the cream cheese was so creamy and delicious. It's great to save some bread to eat with the kebabs or other main dishes to soak up all the flavors. Loved the pickle plate. Came with a variety of different pickled veggies. The eggplant dish was delicious as well, a perfect combination of sweet and salty roasted eggplant. Kebabs were juicy (tried both the chicken and the beef!) and loved the plov - that is Uzbekistan's signature dish. It's a hearty rice dish topped with beef and veggies. The rice is perfectly cooked and soaks up all this delicious savory broth flavor. So much fun to eat. Their fries are elite as well, perfectly crispy and well salted. Sadly, we ordered the Manti (beef dumplings) but they were out so we did not get to try those. My friend also asked for a specific glass of wine and they said they were out of this as well. The ambience really made you feel like you were in Europe with the painted tiles and wooden tables. However it was a bit outdated in terms of design, and isn't quite as "happening" as your average West Hollywood restaurant. But great ambience for family dinner or even a business dinner would be nice here. The waiters were very attentive and helpful in terms of helping us make selections for dinner. The food came out quick, and the bill for 2 was less than $100. Can't wait to come back and try those Manti (I hope they have them in stock as I really want to try them!)
1 month ago
25 days ago
Small restuarant/ cafe located on Melrose that is serving up some really delicious Uzbek food. The service here is as kind as can be. This is one of those restaurants that feel like a cultural experience (for me) and you get to enjoy delicious food at a more than reasonable price. Came with a group and we had ourselves a bit of a feast for less than $50/ person (all in). And we left stuffed. We ordered the Uzbek traditional bread, some sautéed eggplant, achik chuchuk, some pumpkin manti, some shashliks, samsa, dolmas, and Uzbek plov. The entire meal was just a delight. Came to this area on a weeknight so parking on the street was pretty easy to find. read more
2 months ago
I've been meaning to try this spot and finally got a chance to come with a group of friends on a weekday evening. We were able to get seated immediately. The restaurant is spacious but also has a cozy, charming, and homey feel. Service was helpful and the food came out quite quickly! Everything we tried was flavorful! Would recommend family style sharing so you can try more dishes. What we ordered: - Manti steak - comes with 5 juicy steamed stuffed dumplings served with a yogurt sauce - Kavurma Lagman - super yummy hand pulled noodles with your choice of beef, chicken, or veggies - Oxtail stew - beef oxtails with sautéed veggies. The oxtails were hearty and the veggies so flavorful - Uzbek traditional bread - quite large and good for sharing Street/neighborhood parking only. Highly recommend this spot if you're looking for something a little different and want flavorful, comforting food! read more
2 months ago
As someone who loves Uzbek food, I really wanted to love Zira, but this ended up being an average experience. The biggest issue was that almost everything tasted like it had been prepared well in advance rather than made fresh. The bread arrived piping hot, but I'm honestly not convinced it was freshly baked--it felt more like it had been reheated. The spread served with it was unfortunately the low point of the meal, tasting like inexpensive mayonnaise with very little flavor. The samsas were actually my favorite item. They were flaky, well-seasoned, and enjoyable, although they also felt like they had been frozen beforehand and baked to order. The manti were another solid choice, but again gave off that same pre-made impression. The Uzbek plov had good overall flavor, but the rice itself wasn't cooked well and really held the dish back. I also asked for lemon to squeeze over the plov, but instead received sliced lemon, which was nearly impossible to juice. The biggest disappointment was the oxtail stew. It honestly tasted like the meat and potatoes had been cooked days ago and stored separately before being combined with the broth right before serving. The meat was dry instead of rich and fall-off-the-bone tender, which is exactly what you hope for from a dish like this. The dining room isn't particularly attractive and the decor feels dated, but everything was clean. Service was good throughout--the staff was friendly, attentive, and the food came out very quickly, though that speed also reinforced my impression that much of it had already been prepared. Overall, this is probably a 3-star meal for me, but I'm giving it 4 stars because it's a small local business and the service was genuinely good. Unfortunately, I don't see myself returning, as I didn't taste the freshness or quality that makes Uzbek cuisine so memorable. read more
What a nice find. I've never had Uzbek food before. It was nice to try something new and different. I had the plov on one visit and a noodle dish on another visit. Both were good. I mostly enjoyed having a new experience of another way a group of people make noodles and rice. I like how the restaurant is decorated. read more
I have never tried Uzbek food because. I discovered this place from my Kazac friend actually. The decorations here look interesting and cute. They truly like to have customers experience Uzbek culture. Service was alright and needs improvement. Appetizers didn't come beforehand but came way after. We got the plov first before salad or bread arrived. Samsa 4/5 was flaky and has great meaty filling. It was still a bit doughy for me. Uzbek plov 5/5 was my favorite. The rice grains are moist but not soggy. It seemed like they were fried and rewet again to get this interesting texture between fried rice and moist. The beef was tender. We didn't get lamb. Manti Pumpkin 5/5 was interesting. I thought it would be puree pumpkin but I was wrong. The filling is diced pumpkin bits with peppers. ACHIK CHUCHUK 5/5 was a nice salad dish. I'm a bit annoyed that it came out way after the plov came. It was supposed to be eaten together. UZBEK TRADITIONAL BREAD 5/5 was crispy and large. I have no complaints. Chack-Chack 2/5 wasn't too good. I don't really like this rice crispy looking dish. I've seen things like this at Costco. Overall it was a unique experience and I highly recommend trying. read more
We met with a friend for my belated birthday meal and decided to try something totally different. While street parking was a little tricky to find, once we walked in we appreciated the unique decor of Zira Uzbek Kitchen. Service was kind and friendly the entire meal. The menu was extensive with so many unfamiliar dishes, I was so overwhelmed (in a good way). We decided to order Grandma's Breakfast (one of the two brunch options only available on weekends), which is $25/person with minimum two orders. We also ordered Lagman (beef noodle soup) and Kuksi (cold noodle soup). The breakfast was so much food with all sorts of breads, jams, cheeses, meat pies, two kinds of porridge, tea, and fruit. Both noodle soups were also very tasty, albeit with noodles on the softer side. I absolutely love trying new foods and you just don't find Uzbek cuisine everywhere. Prices were also very fair. I highly recommend Zira for something completely different! read more
3 months ago
We couldn't park out front. It looked like Sons of Anarchy biker gang madness on the block and I wanted no part of it, so we had to park around the corner into the neighborhood a couple of blocks away. On the walk over, I stepped on questionable glass and somehow had to pick weed/marijuana buds off my shoe, passed what I was sure was a crack house, but we continued. Once you walk through the doors of what looks to be a hole in the wall from the outside, it opens up to Central Asia/Eastern Europe. Uzbekistan straight up. You couldn't even tell there was chaos right outside the front door. We had reservations but it seems like they still weren't prepared for us. They weren't prepared for the new found popularity. They weren't prepared for the big leagues. My best friend had to flag them down CONSTANTLY to take our order and it caused doubt to stir. If you can't pay attention to details when it comes to the customer, does the food follow suit? Will the food suffer from lack of attention to detail? But not too soon after my doubt, we FINALLY got to order and the salads came out thick and fast and I started to relax. Samarkand salad and Markovcha. Clock it. The first being fried eggplant with arugula, some other stuff and this soft cheese that felt like a cross between cream cheese and sour cream. It was good and fresh, mixed with cold and hot. I liked it. The second one was purely julienned carrots tossed in spices and a bit of a pickled/vinegar like dressing. I could have used more of the dressing and seasonings, but I totally get where they were going with it. I'm gonna do this dish one day. I'm going to make my own version. So I guess you could say I was inspired. Next up: fried Chuchvara. Clock it. Little bitty fried dumplings that SAY they were filled with beef, but I tasted lamb. And it came with a side of a freshly grated tomato sauce for dipping. I liked this. Not my favorite, but it was nice to have small chewy meat filled dough ball dumplings to smack on in between salads. I get the vibe. Then came the BIG DAWGS, one right after the other: Uzbek Plov. This was so good and comforting. A warm chopped lamb and rice dish with carrots, garbanzo beans and FLAVOR. I'm a sucker for meat and rice dishes and this is some winter comfort food right here in the summertime. On the restaurant's WORST days, this dish will always be one of the best, I'm sure of it. Oxtail Stew: big chunks of cooked potatoes and carrots in a stew with sautéed onions and bell peppers accompanied three big pieces of oxtail. The oxtail wasn't fall off the bone and it wasn't very juicy. It felt sticky and drier than other oxtail dishes I've tasted, but oxtail is still full of fat and flavor, so no matter how you do this, as long as you season it properly and cook it well enough, you're okay. There was great flavor on this dish. The oxtail were seasoned nicely. I picked up my oxtail and sucked off all the fat and meat in between the crevices and everything, so clearly it was flavorful even if a bit drier than other times I've had it. BEEF STROGANOFF. PERFECTION. This dish was made with THICK, freshly made chewy noodles, slices of juicy, tender beef and a cream dill sauce packed full of fresh dill. It didn't have the "sour" taste from sour cream that I'm used to, but it had a very CREAM based profile with a heavy hit of fresh dill. This was a star. Creamy. Hearty noodles. Juicy beef. HEAVY HANDED fresh dill. We had two types of teas: one, a red floral and refreshing hibiscus red tea. The usual. But then we had another tea that's hard to describe: TASHKENT TEA. The flavor profile was WILD. The best way to describe it: Smoke. Cigars. Honey. Mouthwash. Lemons and mint. This tea tasted like drinking a lightly sweet green tea after smoking cigars. When I look this tea up online, it's a mixture of black and green teas with fresh mint, citrus slices (lemon & orange) and honey. But it tasted like sweet barbecued cigar tea. Take from that what you will. It grew onto me. Look...let's figure out this service thing. You need more help. But the food is a hit. 4 stars. read more
I'm always willing to go out of my way for great food, and Zira Uzbek Kitchen was absolutely worth the trip. Authentic Uzbek cuisine is hard enough to find, and finding a halal Uzbek restaurant makes this place even more special. Everything we ordered was fresh, flavorful, and clearly made with care. The pastry was outstanding, and the Tashkent tea (fruit tea) was one of the best I've had beautifully presented and incredibly refreshing. One of my favorite things about food is getting to experience different cultures through their cooking, and Zira delivered exactly that. The flavors felt authentic, the service was warm and welcoming, and the entire meal felt like something made with roots and tradition. If you enjoy discovering cuisines that aren't on every corner, this place is a gem. I'm already looking forward to coming back and trying more of the menu. Highly recommended. read more
I've never had Uzbek food before, so this was a treat! We got there at 10:30 when it opened, but I guess its not really a "brunch" kind of place because it was empty until we left at about 12:30PM. Food was amazing! Bread was delicious! We also got the spinach dumplings, the pumpkin Samsa, the Uzbek Plov, the Salmon kebab with fries. All very delicious! Definitely have to come back and try more things! read more
4 months ago
Walking into Zira feels like leaving Melrose and landing somewhere in Tashkent. The space is beautiful, with colorful cultural decor and a great display of traditional garments in the back. The service was honestly the standout. Our server was amazing and spoke Russian, so my girlfriend and her got into some fun banter throughout the meal. Everyone else who stopped by our table was just as warm and welcoming. The food looked incredible, but the flavors didn't quite match the presentation. The plov and lagman were decent but not the best we've had. The beef shashlik, though, was a different story. Juicy, tender, packed with flavor, and easily the best thing we ordered. Overall, the hospitality and atmosphere carried the experience. If they dialed in the flavors a bit more, this could easily be a 5-star spot. We'll definitely be back, especially for the shashlik. read more
2 days ago
I highly recommend visiting this place! The food was delicious! You'll get great service and a tasty meal! read more
We almost didn't end up here and that would've been a mistake. We parked near Carmel and decided to eat there instead of Zira but they were closed for that awkward 4:30-5:00 gap. So we pivoted back to Zira...that little timing hiccup worked out in our favor. This place is legit. We went all in and ordered a full spread: plov, pickled vegetables, traditional Uzbek bread, chicken shishlik, Bukhara, manti steak, and borscht; basically a "try everything and figure it out later" approach since Uzbek food is pretty new to us. Standouts? The pickled veggies had that perfect tangy crunch, the plov was rich and comforting, and the chicken shishlik was ridiculously juicy and flavorful. Like, the kind of dish you immediately plan to reorder before you've even finished it. Also, $15 corkage? Not bad at all. Next time, we're not overthinking it: just loading up on shishlik and a side of those pickled veggies. Safe to say, this spot earned a repeat visit. read more
I really enjoyed this Uzbek restaurant on Melrose in the heart of West Hollywood. I had never had Uzbek food before, but I had tried some similar cuisines from nearby regions. The flavor and authenticity of the dishes served at Zira Uzbek did not disappoint. You can certainly tell these are recipes handed down generations and you can taste the love put into each dish. We started with the Uzbek bread which comes with a red pepper cream cheese spread. Yum! A must-order for the table. It's like a really nice, fresh, hot bagel with black sesame seeds and the cream cheese was so creamy and delicious. It's great to save some bread to eat with the kebabs or other main dishes to soak up all the flavors. Loved the pickle plate. Came with a variety of different pickled veggies. The eggplant dish was delicious as well, a perfect combination of sweet and salty roasted eggplant. Kebabs were juicy (tried both the chicken and the beef!) and loved the plov - that is Uzbekistan's signature dish. It's a hearty rice dish topped with beef and veggies. The rice is perfectly cooked and soaks up all this delicious savory broth flavor. So much fun to eat. Their fries are elite as well, perfectly crispy and well salted. Sadly, we ordered the Manti (beef dumplings) but they were out so we did not get to try those. My friend also asked for a specific glass of wine and they said they were out of this as well. The ambience really made you feel like you were in Europe with the painted tiles and wooden tables. However it was a bit outdated in terms of design, and isn't quite as "happening" as your average West Hollywood restaurant. But great ambience for family dinner or even a business dinner would be nice here. The waiters were very attentive and helpful in terms of helping us make selections for dinner. The food came out quick, and the bill for 2 was less than $100. Can't wait to come back and try those Manti (I hope they have them in stock as I really want to try them!) read more
First time eating food from Uzbekistan but I'm already planning my next meal here! Started with 2 hot appetizers, the samsa with a flakey pastry dough filled with beef, onions and spices or pumpkin, and the samsa olot, with a dough filled with beef, lamb and spices. I preferred the samsa pastry texture, but i liked both fillings. Also tried the eggplant appetizer, which was served cold with shredded carrots. They used the smaller Japanese eggplants, but they were a bit crunchy which may have been the intent, but it made this was my least favorite dish. I got the lamb ribs with double salad instead of rice and salad. This was the perfect portion size for me and the lamb was tender, well seasoned and delicious! The spring mix salad had no dressing, which was actually good for my taste to keep it light, but if you love dressing on your salad, you might want to ask for some. My friend got the lula shashlik, seasoned ground beef / lamb with rice and salad and said it was great, giving me a taste and I agreed! The rice was well seasoned with a hint of dill and worked well with the rich meat. I had a nice glass of pinot grigio and the entire bill for 2 with tip and tax was about $80. Service was top notch and the atmosphere is very homey and warm. read more
I'll never get tired of Zira! Anytime I miss my home country, I come here. The atmosphere is honestly the best part. They don't play loud music like many other restaurants, so you can actually enjoy your company--or have a peaceful solo lunch. Every time I visit, I notice new changes. Normally I don't like when places constantly change things, but here it only gets better. You can tell the owners genuinely care about their guests--the way they interact with every new visitor makes that really clear. I also love bringing my foreign friends here, and they enjoy it just as much. As someone from Central Asia, here are my go-to dishes: Appetizers: "Achik Chuchuk" salad, cheburek, dolma. Main courses: manti, steak, Uzbek plov (especially good with Achik Chuchuk salad), and beef shashlik. And the must-try: Uzbek bread with their in-house cream cheese. Me and my friends always enjoy coming here, and I hope others will enjoy it just as much as we do. read more
$6 olot samsa is 100% worth it. Olot samsa is slightly better than the traditional samsa in my opinion. Can't really tell the difference btw the meat, but olot samsa has pepper in it so maybe that's why it's a little extra juicy. Really need to dip them in the vinegars by table side. It elevates the food to the next level. Shashlik I would really recommend the lamb. It's like heaven when you bite into the fattier cut of the lamb. You'd be so happy when that fatty lamb just "explodes" with flavor. Try their iced tea too. It's $10 for a big bottle. But maybe skip the bread. It looks cute but nothing too special. I think I saw plenty of central Asians dining here, so that's definitely a good sign! Love the fact that the restaurant hires their own people too. It's a solid 8/10. If the food can come a little more saucy or juicier (I wouldn't mind a little extra oil here and there just to boost it even more) I'd say it's a 10/10. Looking forward to re-visiting and supporting small business and such a unique and special place read more
LA is really lucky to have some uncommon ethnic food available. Zira serves Uzbek food in a really well decorated restaurant. It's really clean and full of traditional Uzbek decor. There is a good variety of options to try here, as well as appetizers. Some of this food I'm fairly familiar with and some of it was new for me. Must get- get the traditional bread. It's a nice way to start off. 4.5/5 Some appetizers I tried: Fried Calf liver- 4.5/5 - really good. generous portion. Don't be afraid to try it. Assorted pickle plate - good assortment. The pickling was not something I'm used to. It was different and I personally prefer a different flavor/brine - 3/5 For the entrees: Lamb Shashlik - good sized chunks of lamb - prepared well. rice was good. the salad was meh - 4/5 Uzebk Plov - not as greasy as some of the ones I've had. Good size portion and fairly tasty. 4.5/5 Try their uzbek tea pot- free water refills - drink as much as you'd like for the table. It's an herbal blend. Service varied. Sometimes fast sometimes slow but, it was only one person working that day - overall it was good with the limited staff on hand. read more
It was my first time trying Uzbek food and my experience here was decent. Walking-in, I was enamored by the vibe and decor. I loved seeing all the Uzbek design elements and it also felt comfy with all the padded seats and pillows. For food, I ordered the Uzbek Plov and it was decent. The dish consisted of rice, beef, green onions, and carrots. The dish was overall good, but not mind-blowing in my opinion. It was pretty light in flavor, so I had to add the table vinegar to it for more flavor. I'm not sure if this is how it's traditionally prepared, but the beef and the rice were on the dryer side. I would've preferred if the beef was succulent and the rice was fluffy. My friend got the Pelmeni with baby spinach and it was such a small portion for $17. The service was good and our server was very attentive at the beginning. However, when more customers started coming in, we had to try to flag her down for the check. It seemed like she was the only server for that night when we came on a Monday night. They were also not able to split the check by item and only can take up to two cards for payment. This was still a good experience though, but I'd like to think there are better Uzbek restaurants out there. I would still come back since I'm curious about the cuisine and they also have a breakfast special which sounds interesting. read more
18 days ago
The food was delicious! We had the plov and kebab, and salads , everything were very flavorful and fresh. We will definitely come back! read more
4 months ago
So this is a little bit of a rough review for me because I'm rating 4 stars because the staff is extremely friendly and hospitable and the setting is very unique as far as restaurants. I also have only tried one food item. However, as far as the food item itself, I am not super familiar with Uzbek food, so I don't have a base of comparison, but I found it to be quite bland. I rarely use the salt shaker at a restaurant, but I found myself reaching for that. There is a vinegar concoction, which I think is probably a primary sauce; and I did use some of that, however, for me sourness is not a huge flavor profile that I like. Also, the amount of yogurt provided was also quite minimal compared to the amount of dumplings. Notwithstanding all of that, I do want to come back to this restaurant and try the grilled items and perhaps some of the noodle items to see if perhaps there are other flavors that I can enjoy at this restaurant. read more
7 months ago
Just visited Zira Uzbek Kitchen, and it was a great experience if you enjoy authentic Central Asian food. The plov was very tasty. The rice was perfectly cooked, fluffy and aromatic, mixed with tender pieces of beef, carrots, and fresh green onions on top. You can really taste the traditional Uzbek flavors. The borscht was rich and served with a dollop of sour cream that makes the flavor even better. We also tried the chicken shashlik, and the meat was very soft and juicy. Well seasoned and cooked just right. The dumplings (manty/pelmeni) were another highlight. Delicate dough, flavorful filling, and served with a creamy herb sauce. You can see the kitchen through the window, which gives the place a very authentic and welcoming feeling. Everything tasted fresh and homemade. If you want to try real Uzbek cuisine, this place is definitely worth visiting. read more
Walked in and were seated immediately. The restaurant was nicely decorated and our booth included back support pillows which I never knew I needed but will now always miss whenever I'm dining out. After reviewing the menu, we decided on the Uzbek traditional bread, lamb shashlik with rice and Uzbek plov. Everything was absolutely delicious! I really enjoyed the lamb shashlik which was cooked (and seasoned) to perfection. The total bill for our meal came to $45! An absolute steal in LA! The only downside is that I haven't been to this restaurant sooner, but I'll definitely be back to try some other dishes! read more
5 months ago
As soon as my family and I found out that "Zira" had opened -- a restaurant serving the cuisine of our homeland, Uzbekistan, where we are all originally from -- we knew we absolutely had to visit. And we were not disappointed for even a second. Authentic flavors straight from childhood and sunny Uzbekistan. Later, I also found out that the restaurant was added to the Michelin Guide. This is only the second Uzbek restaurant in all of America to receive recognition from the Michelin Guide -- and it is absolutely well deserved. The service was at the highest possible level. The waitresses were incredibly polite, welcoming, and attentive, making us feel true Uzbek hospitality throughout the entire evening. The samsa, plov, chebureki, manti, lamb shashlik, beef shashlik, and kuksi (a dish of Korean Uzbeks that became widespread and originated in Uzbekistan) were all absolutely phenomenal. You can truly tell that every dish is made with soul and authenticity. And even the beer -- the legendary Sarbast imported directly from Uzbekistan -- tasted like my childhood I absolutely recommend this place to anyone who wants to experience the true taste of Uzbekistan. My family and I will definitely be coming back many more times. read more
Wow! Was so thrilled to have some Uzbek food when we visited LA. The restaurant was clean, peaceful, and well decorated. The waitresses were even dressed in traditional Uzbek clothing. Staff were very accommodating and nice. All the food we ordered (including the napoleon cake that's not pictured) was delicious! My absolute favorites were the traditional bread and the lamb shashlik. Never had fresh Uzbek bread before and it was simply life changing, it was served with a spread that was good too. The lamb shashlik was superrrr juicy and tender. It was served with fries and salad. The Korean salad, manti and samas were all delicious too. I definitely preferred the regular samsa, very crispy and flaky pastry on the outside. We are definitely going to dine here again if we are in town!! read more
A group of us came here on a Sunday evening There's lots of street parking and parking in neighborhoods too, but mindful to not block homes The place itself is so big!! It looks small full the outside! The ambience is amazing. The aesthetic is so beautiful! The decor is all things from Uzbekistan! even the music!!! I love when you get the full cultural experience for all the senses to indulge in! The tables and chairs are all adorned with cute uzbeki table placemats, pillows, and other Knick-knacks. The walls have beautiful colorful artwork and photographs We were seated right away, and the host was so kind to help us with questions and suggestions I loved how her outfit was also traditional ! I really appreciated that! We ordered ; Manti steak-dumplings with chopped up beef and onions, it came with a sauce we really liked this ! It's steak because the beef is cubed not minced/groud like other dumplings. Samsa - kind of like a samosa, in a puff pastry Ground beef and veggies inside! Came with like a tomato onion sauce, went well together ! Uzbek plov-kind of like a fried rice, with carbons beans, beef (or lamb) lots of good flavors we really liked it! Chorsu khonum- never had anything like this before ! It's like a giant ravioli filled with potato and tomato sauce! l enjoyed this! Beef shashlik - beef kabob, so juicy tender and amazing flavor. We were so stuffed and had leftovers to take home yay! Overall we really loved this place!! I highly recommend! And wil definitely be back! Also it's ALLL HALAL!! So Yay! read more
Everyone is friendly and charming. Our fabulous server was Bega, and we loved her! We also liked talking to Azim who I think is the boss. Everything was delicious! The lamb is fantastic. It's fun to watch the kitchen action, too. It's the first and only Uzbek food we've tried, and we are hooked! read more
7 months ago
Ordered: tashkent salad, uzbek traditional bread, shilpildoq, & shovla. Everything was amazing & the flavors were complimentary. Service: 6pm Sunday, bread & salad came out first, main dishes came out ~30 mins after ordering. [Would like to add that when we ordered shilpildoq, the server said they didn't have it. We asked someone else that worked there if it was out for the night or permanently & they said that some employees just say they're "out" because it takes a little longer to make. Glad we were able to get it!] Ambiance: Great lighting, loved the decor Cost: $100 after tip Will definitely be back! read more
Zira's new sparkling brunch menu! Pick from grandma's breakfast vs silk route - I can't pick one, they are both amazing. Look at that platter, the royal feel . The menu is amazing and comes with a range of traditional breads, buckwheat and oatmeal. And if you are at zira, don't miss the amazing (my favorite) tashkent tea - so flavorful and refreshing with citrus flavors!! Zira has a very homely and casual ambience that makes you feel relaxed and their service is top notch!! read more
9 months ago
2026.01.11 - - ! , , , . ;( . . Lagman Yelp ( "", ): Delivery -- Guys, the lagman wasn't good this time at all. The noodles were really limp -- honestly, regular spaghetti would've been better. The meat manty was overly peppery, and the shorpa soup tasted watered down; there was barely any meat in it. We used to really like this place, but this order was disappointing. read more
11 months ago
Stumbled upon this hidden gem. Never had Uzbek food before and it was surprisingly good. We had the puff pastry with beef inside for appetizers--pretty good, I especially like the salsa-like sauce they served it with. We shared Mantra--it was ok, the beef inside was exactly like the puff pastry one but this came with a yogurt-like sauce. We shared a beef stroganoff--the noodles tasted very very fresh. The sauce was very heavy though. This is definitely a shareable plate, I don't think I would have been able to finish this plate on my own. Service: it was great, but it was just us there at the time we went. Our server did give us great recommendations. Ambiance: very nice inside, the outside is very unassuming. We thought it was a dim sum place bc from the outside you can see the where they make the fresh noodles and had the steam boats on display. Overall, very interesting taste. I'm glad we went in to taste their food. read more
4 months ago
1 month ago
i was on walk in the neighborhood and stopped by because i've never had Uzbek food before, and it didn't disappoint! the bread with heirloom tomatoes and onions was much bigger than I was expecting (I was expecting a few slices), but it paired really well with the sauce they offered. i ordered the chorsu khonum which was flavorful, and the spice on the side they gave me elevated it to a new level. i'll 200% go again. the staff were all cordial and sweet, the Uzbek decorations were beautiful, and it had a lovely vibe! 10/10 recommend! read more
Historically, Los Angeles hasn't had a ton of restaurants that specialize in central Asian food (although there are certainly some great places to choose from these days), so we jumped at the suggestion of Uzbek food. Tried lots of dishes. Found many of them delicious, and happily laden with onion and cumin. I loved that the beef in the manta and the mastava soup was chopped by hand, giving it a really great, specific chew (like how a good Thai ga prao will use hand chopped meat rather than ground). Unsurprisingly, we found the dishes less green and more focused on meat, rice, bread, flaky pastry, and root vegetables. Loved the tang of the carrot salad and the brightness that the vinegar on the table brought to the dishes. Zira Uzbek Kitchen is beautifully decorated, the food was wonderfully homey, and we'd be happy to return and try as many dishes as we can! read more
5 months ago
We had a wonderful first visit and enjoyed delicious food that was new to our family. Our waitress was very helpful and kind in guiding us in ordering a variety of dishes for us to try. We loved every dish and cleaned our plates. My personal favorite was the Samarkand (fried eggplant salad). My husband loved the stuffed meat pies (samsa and ploy samsa). The manti steak dumplings, lamb shashluk, Uzbek plov, and Uzbek bread with onion and sun-dried tomatoes were outstanding. We look forward to trying the pulled noodles and oxtails next time! read more
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More info about Zira Uzbek Kitchen
7422 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046
Fairfax
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(213) 332-4086
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http://www.zirauzbekkitchen.com
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