Alborz Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Persian/Iranian Persian/Iranian [Edit]
1829 Mt Diablo BlvdWalnut Creek, CA 94596
(925) 944-9009
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:30 am - 10 pm
Fri 11:30 am - 10:30 pm
Sat 12 pm - 10:30 pm
Sun 12 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Classy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
105 reviews for Alborz Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"The koobideh was fantastic." In 17 reviews -
"I also recommend the combination appetizer plate ($11." In 3 reviews -
"Service outstanding, food was fantastic (great Basmati rice." In 6 reviews
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105 reviews in English
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Review from Tukie C.
Oakland, CA
4/21/2012
My friend and I came here for dinner at around 7:30pm. We were nervous at first because it seemed like the restaurant was deserted, but decided to give it a try anyway. I'm glad we gave it a chance.
--FOOD--
Kashk Bodemjan (Appetizer: Roasted eggplant, whey, mint, walnuts and fried onions.) $6.05
Rating: 1/5
This was my least favorite of the dishes we ordered. The mashed puree had a somewhat strange combination of tastes, and a bitterness and mouthfeel that left an overall soapy impression.
Fesenjoon Dinner (Finely crushed roasted walnuts simmered in pomegranate sauce with choice of mini beef meatballs or tender chicken. Served with basmiati rice topped with saffron.) $17.55
Rating: 3/5
My first impression of his strongly flavored dish was 5/5. It was quite sweet and very savory at the same time. However, I soon tired of it. A little too sweet for the portion size--perhaps best when shared with many people. The beef meatballs did not seem like ground beef, as one might expect in spaghetti, but maybe more like a well-cooked pate/puree type. Moreover, the walnuts were VERY finely crushed--they blended completely into the sauce making it somewhat uninteresting after the twentieth bite.
The rice was dry but quite good.
Baghali Polo with Lamb Shank Dinner (Basmati rice mixed with dill weed and fava beans served with lamb shank in broth.) $17.55
Rating: 5/5!
This was excellent! It was cooked in a clear broth, which we were worried would be flat, but turned out to be wonderful and full of flavor. In fact, it perfectly balanced the meat, whereas a thicker sauce might have been too heavy. My friend finished every drop of the broth and (with help from me!) every bit of the quite sizable lamb shank.
The meat was not quite fall-off-the-bone tender, but it was almost there. Moreover, it didn't taste overly gamey or lamb-y, and we didn't tire of it.
If we come back, which we probably will, we will definitely order this again!
--SERVICE--
Table service: 5/5
The waiter was fast, polite, and helpful. Perhaps because we were one of three tables in the whole place?
The brunette at front desk was somewhat rude, but I didn't mind because I hardly had to see her. -
Review from Joseph M.
San Francisco, CA
3/13/2012
Though I am not Persian(despite constantly being mistaken for Persian), I did grow up with many Persian friends whose mothers were always overwhelmingly delighted that I, a Sicilian kid, loved their cooking. I moved to Walnut Creek about a year ago and I've passed Alborz a number of times but never got around to trying it until today. Wow, wow, wow.
Tah Dig, Kookoo Sabzi and Gormeh Sabzi were my lunch...I'm ready to burst I'm so full, but it was well worth it. I will be a frequent customer from now on because this place is absolutely amazing. The staff are beautiful human beings(as most Persians are), the decor is delightful and the food was out of this world. I am certain that I can walk in, close my eyes and point to anything on the menu and I won't be disappointed.
The haters can hate because that's what they do; if the menu is too pricey for you, I'm not sure what to tell you. It is quality food that is by no means OVER-priced...it is priced as quality food should be. This isn't taco bell.
I have found my new favorite restaurant in the Bay Area...and take it from a Chef, there are many great restaurants here, so that is a major compliment.
Alborz, merci!!! -
Review from Michael C.
Walnut Creek, CA
1/23/2012
Get ready to break the bank for lunch. $66 for two people at lunch? Goddamn. $6 for yogurt I get for free at almost all Mediterranean restaurants? Yeah right.
The koobideh was good for the most part, it was a very large servering-- almost too big. They really need half portions, it was kinda ridiculous for one person to eat. Considering the price, I'd much rather opt for a lesser portion for less money.
Cafe Mocha was fine, nothing special. The flat bread was under cooked in some parts I actually had to put a side a chunk that still felt like dough. She never refilled it either. I guess she was offended I put some off to the side? Yuck, not tasty. Hummus was good, but I wish I could get some more olive oil or something. This place doesn't offer much in terms of customizing your food, which is sorta lame.
Service. WOW. Okay, guess I came in at a bad time (~3pm on a sat.) cause the only waitress working didn't really seem to care when we got service. It wasn't crowded, there was one big party, but they were all taken care of by the time we sat down. It took 8-10 minutes to get a check from when we were asked if we wanted to dessert and we said no just the check. WTF? Why do I have to ask a bus boy to get you to print out our check?
I'll stick to Kabob House thank you very much. The owner is probably the nicest person I know who owns a business and the food is always perfect and isn't nearly as expensive. Alborz can take their fancy lighting and cheap chairs, I don't want to pay for it. -
Review from Nineveh S.
Hanford, CA
5/13/2012
Terrible !!!!!!!! I'm sitting at this restaurant for Mothers Day with my family. We have heard great things about this place, unfortunately service is terrible. We asked for more water never came, and we asked for bread with our hummus...I had to asked 3 different people and still didn't come. People need to realize if you have a middleeastern learn to have mass quantites of bread available. I am sitting here watching other tables get bread, while I'm contemplating stealing from another table.
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Review from Ellen L.
Lafayette, CA
5/15/2012
Love this place. Salads are fresh. Hummus is delicious. Nice size portions. Love the filet mignon. Staff is friendly. The decor is pretty (persian rugs and chandeliers). Nice for a special occasion.
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Review from DrSam M.
Fremont, CA
5/18/2012
Their food is excellent... Nice restaurant with a Terrible Service!!!
I took some co-workers there last week and we were very upset with their service.
The owner is a very nice guy and when he is around their service is OK. But last week I guess he was not there and our waitress was a young Persian lady with a bad attitude.
I guess she is bored with her job! We asked her for more bread and never received it. She even forgot to ask for what we wanted to drink and did not even ask if we wanted desert after our lunch!! I have been there before and their service is a hit and miss. But their food is the best in the East Bay. Their SF and Berkeley locations has an excellent food and very much better service. In SF, SJ and Santa Clara there are much better Persian restaurants. I wish David the ower read these reviews and improve their louzy service. For their expensive menu, they better change the way they treat their customers. Their koobideh used to be the best in Northern CA... but lately that has been changing too.... :(
My .02 cents. -
Review from Gitty K.
Walnut Creek, CA
4/16/2012
This is the second time that we are going to Alborz Restaurant in Walnut Creek and getting disappointed again . I am Iranian American and I am use to a good tasting fresh food and you get anything but. To Salty made my blood pressure go very high and it just didn't test like Cholo Kebab that should be.
P. S. Normally when you want to use old meet for kebab and you do not want any one note sing it you put to much salt in it. -
Review from Gabi G.
Lafayette, CA
5/8/2012
I have been passing Alborz many times. The restaurant seamed to appeal from the outside however every time I old take a glimpse at the inside I would find a lot of people.
Finally I decided to try it out. First impression, the inside is really and cozy, Persian rugs on floor not ugly carpet that you find in cheap restaurants. Second impression, I didn't expect the place to be expensive but it was. Looking at the prices I thought that the food must bee tasty and I wasn't mistaken. Third impression, good food and smell of fresh herbs and pomegranate. I ordered Fesenjoon which is chicken, or beef in walnut and pomegranate sauce. When I first looked at it I thought it was the ugliest looking dish I ever had but it was also one of the tastiest! The pomegranate sauce was sweet and sour and had amazing aroma, it was too oily though. I could pick up 3 table spoons of drifting oil on the surface of the sauce.
My friend had Shish Kabob which is grilled pieces of filet mignon and onions. Not as impressive as mine and expensive, around $20. With 2 glasses of wine we paid around $75. I think it's little too much. Food was good and I am sure I will be back there!! -
Review from Matheen R.
Fremont, CA
1/3/2012
We stopped by this place on our way back from Napa. My fav. Kabob House on Newell in Walnut Creek was closed and I was craving some persian food so decided to give this a try. The decor inside is great, there are persian rugs on the floor, art on the walls. the place has a nice feel to it. As starters ordered the Ash reshteh soup and the mirza qasemi appetizer. The Ash was good but I still think the Kabob House's Ash reshteh is better. The Mirza Qasemi on the other hand was quite unique to this place and really good. Their bread is also fresh and very tasty. The entree disappointed a bit. The Zereshk pulao was not the best I had had, but was not bad. The Joogeh Kabob (with bone), was above average, but again not the best I have had.
The wait staff's service was also average. Not a very friendly bunch of people.
One thing that was pretty gross about this place was that the men's room smelled of urine. It reeked of it! That is pretty gross! And thats why I give this place only 3 stars. -
Review from mc f.
Walnut Creek, CA
5/2/2012
I dont understand why its only 3.5 stars. I seriously like their food. Service & ambiance was good too. Hubby & I ate here for the first time since we are trying different restaurants in the area & glad we made it in even with the 3 star reviews from yelpers. I would recommend others to come here too.
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Review from Jennie P.
So after driving pass this place a few times and telling ourselves that we're gonna try it one day.. we finally did it.
It's a really cute restaurant.. dimmed lighting, simple and modern decor, and this really laid back outdoor lounge area by the bar.
Looking through the menu and not knowing what to order, we check on Yelp for food pictures to have an idea of what we're getting. Too bad there's only like 5 pictures (I added 4 more), so it didn't help too much. Anyway, I ended up ordering a chicken dish (chicken j-something that's marinated in lime and olive oil) and he orders the rack of lamb and their lamb tongue soup. I wanted to try the beef koobideh but I ABSOLUTELY HATE ONIONS and they weren't able to omit the onions. Oh well.
So our entrees came with basmati rice (pretty good) and a roasted tomato (yum!). My chicken j-something dish was sooooooooo dry and had barely any flavor. WHACK. So I asked the waitress if they had a dipping sauce I can use for my chicken.. she says they have a yogurt with cucumber sauce and I'm like "yes, please!" I love the yogurt with cucumber sauce! (They charged me $5.95 for that little bowl of yogurt!)
Moving on to the lamb dishes. See, I'm not a fan of lamb but my bf LOVES IT. If it's on the menu, most likely he will order it. He was starving, so he browsed the appetizer menu and ordered their lamb tongue soup - which he says is a MUST HAVE and couldn't stop saying how good it was. It was SOO GOOD, that he insisted I tried it and after declining his offer a couple times, I caved and had a teeny-tiny bite. Hmm.. not bad but toward the end, I tasted the game-y ness of the lamb.. yuck. But that's just me, I don't do lamb.. but if you do, the lamb tongue might be your thang. Oh, and the rack of lamb was good too, according to him. He completely finished his plate.. need I say more?
So, I'm pretty sure he'll want to come back here for the lamb tongue soup.. so I guess I have to read a few more reviews and decide what to try next. -
Review from Wynny H.
Oakland, CA
Updated - 2/17/2012
Still haven't heard back from the owner, after calling him three times and leaving messages. What a disgraceful way to run a business.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/11/2012
I booked this place for my brother's birthday for 20 people. Even though I called three weeks before… Read more »
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Review from Melba I.
Orinda, CA
8/2/2011
Good service, meh food.
I love Persian food and have gone to quite a few restaurants. This place is hit or miss. I don't understand why, maybe its the level of hungriness when you get there. But in the past few times that I've been there the food wasn't what I expected.
The ghormeh sabzi was slathered in oil. The salmon lacked flavor. My son ordered the koobideh and he said that it was over cooked, and more charred than anything else. Even the rice left something to be desired. Alas.
The owner is extremely nice, very welcoming and he will accommodate your every need. -
Review from Karen H.
Pleasant Hill, CA
4/10/2012
Brought a couple friends here for an early lunch last week. We walked in at 11:25 (they open at 11:30) and was abruptly told by the woman behind the host stand that they do not open until 11:30. Surprised by her rudeness, we walked out and never went back. We would have been fine to sit at the table and just hang out with water or tea, but instead they lost out...
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Review from claudia g.
Dublin, CA
7/26/2011
I have never had Iranian food before, and we were invited here by some friends. The food was very good and the service was excellent. It was not that busy the night we went, so I don't know if that is normal.
We had a combination plate, and it was all gone! Very good! -
Review from raven f.
San Francisco, CA
7/28/2011
Outstanding, a friend and I went to have a change of pace and celebrate her birthday. I was pleasantly surprise, every dish we had from appetizer to desert was very good.
The service was wonderful, the ambiance was great. we did go on a Wednesday night.
Just one complaint, there was a young child whose piercing screams threw a wrench in an otherwise soothing ambiance. -
Review from Bill J.
Walnut Creek, CA
9/29/2011
The food was good the wince was good. I am not expert on Persian food but was surprised when the waiter knew less than I did.
But overall a decent experience for a decent price -
Review from omaid h.
Walnut Creek, CA
1/12/2012
I've had a few dishes here including the mast-o-khiar (yogurt appetizer) and the ground beef kababs are my favorite. I also like the adas polo rice because of the yellow raisins which make it sweet. The dessert called "maklut" which is a mix of ice cream and frozen rice noodles is really good. I'm middle eastern so I'm a bit biased, but if you're looking for very decent kababs in Walnut Creek this is a good spot.
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Review from Mama B.
Hercules, CA
6/22/2011
Horrible horrible horrible!!!! Went here for Father's Day and the service was beyond horrendous. The owner/manager never acknowledged our table. There were 4 adults and 1 toddler in our party, yet we got 4 plates, 4 sets of silverware and 4 waters. Is my kid not supposed to drink water?!?! I had to ask for extra water about 3 times, slow, BAD service. Food was nasty, asked for my filet mignon kabob medium well & it came out medium rare!!!! Took 20 minutes to get one order of the Persian ice cream. Will NOT go back!!!
OH and they didn't know how to make a MAI TAI at their fully stocked bar! -
Review from Natalie R.
Concord, CA
6/3/2011
Let's just say when I get pregnant I better live no farther than a block away from this restaurant..I ate here about two weeks ago for my friends 24th birthday.. I am still craving a bowl of the chicken fesenjoon accompanied by 12 or 13 nibbles of the beef koobideh.
Lets also not forget to acknowledge the fact that our waiter ( very handsome and polite young guy ) took our fruit cake and stored it in the restaurants fridge so it wouldn't spoil.
Good food, hot service.. I wish I could give them 6 stars! -
Review from mike m.
Pleasant Hill, CA
11/10/2011
Ashgal. That's what me and 6 friends said as we walked out of this Bourgeoisie wannabe pretentious "Persian" restaurant. Now lets be real. I'm Persian, raised here in the US, and I've eaten every cultures food, from east to west and I love them all, nothing I wont try. But you can tell when a restaurant is trying to be cheap, but act like its classy. This place is a prime example:
Bread: If your going to serve bread, WARM IT UP!! I don't want to eat cold butter on cold bread. Take some lessons from every other restaurant, even Cheesecake Factory warms up their bread and they have 100 times your traffic.
Appetizers: If I order Sabzi, or Yogurt or anything, try to get it out before my food comes, it came right before we got our food. Also. PORTIONS. soooooooooooo small. It's a kids portion. Basically, with the yogurt, 4 spoonfuls and you done. Come on!
Food. Persian food comes in large portions that just the simple fact. 1/2 my plate should be perfectly fluffy bastmati rice with saffron and the rest whatever you ordered, meat, stew, veggies etc. HERE, your entire plate is Rice and you get a small portion of your main meat or stew. This is them being Cheap. I didn't pay $20 for rice. Now in all fairness the chicken was Juicy and well cooked, the koobedeh a little undercooked. I ordered a half koobedeh and half chicken kabob plate. So I'll give credit where its due.
BUT here is why you didn't get the 3 stars I was going to give you
SERVICE!... I know you have Persian waiters and waitresses, for a real authentic feel, but tell them to leave their attitude and apathetic ways at the door. I came with my 5 American friends, no smile, no eye contact, nothing. Seriously??
1. Took almost 10 minutes to get someone to initially come to our table to take our drinks and appetizer order. 10 minutes! Oh and there were only 5 other tables seated there at that time.
2. After ordering, it took another 10 Minutes to get our Drinks...we didn't get our appetizers yet. Oh we all order cokes and water.
3. After 30 minutes we finally get our appetizer and wouldn't you know it right behind it was our main course.
4. After our main dish is put on our table, Wooshh! The waiter pulls a Houdini move for the rest of the night. We have our appetizer plates, butter plates and main course plates sitting in front of us all finished for 15 min, before my friend just had enough and stacks them up and put them on another table. lol..no lie! We asked for a refill of our Coke's..... It never came. Basically we saw our waiter ONCE at the beginning and then at the END for the check. Food Runners brought out our food.
Our Bill for an appetizer each, soda and main course = $30 each, and you know what, that sounds about right for a Persian restaurant and that didn't bother me, THE SERVICE and CHEAPNESS did.
Train your staff to be attentive, courteous and friendly. Check on the tables every time they do a round. If you see empty glasses don't wait for me to call you, take initiative and ask. Don't leave empty dirty plates on the table and make the customer bus his own table.
Increase your appetizer portions and bring a little value to the experience and price.
You lost a customer with me. I'm Persian and I would have loved to support my fellow Persian in their business venture towards success, But a Cheap & Poor Serviced business is nothing I want to get behind, recommend or be a part of.
Hope you get your act together.
Yelpers Unite
By the Power of Gray Skull, We have the Power!!!!!!! -
Review from Pej N.
San Ramon, CA
10/20/2011
The good is that the waiter was very good and very attentive.
The bad was the food. It started with mast o khiyar which was basically yougart with cucumbers but no spice. Then went downhill to tadig (burnt rice). The tadig was not crispy at all and felt watered down. We also got the sabzi with cheese and walnuts but for $6 they were very frugal with the portion. Sabzi polo was not cooked all the way.
The only good thing was the koobedeh was good but nothing you can't get at Anywhere else.
I guess being Persian you know what you should expect. I hope they fix these problems and I will be revising yelp to see if they have before going back. -
Review from Grace anne D.
Concord, CA
6/6/2011
I've been here before, probably when it was still new, but I barely remember it.
They have outdoor seating and the inside looks very high class. It's pretty dim inside, nice paintings on the wall and dark maroon-ish colors all around.
It was really slow, we were the only ones inside the restaurant. Our waitress was nice and patient. I ordered the prawn kabob (I think it was called the Majoo Kabob?) I don't eat much Mediterranean food or Persian so when I tried this dish, it was DELICIOUS. The rice, basmati rice, was moist, fluffy and I just couldn't stop eating it even when I finished my prawns. My prawns were juicy, plump, and crispy from what it was cooked on. The price for my dish was $12.95, pricey. Wish it was $8 instead because I think the basmati rice alone was probably $8 haha Pretty good portion though so it was okay.
For dessert, my friend ordered Baklava a la mode (?) it was a small slice of baklava with Persian ice cream. Not sure how much it was, maybe $7? The baklava was really good, a bit too sweet, but good. The persian ice cream, which is made of rose water, saffron and almonds, was good and you could really taste the rose water.
Good experience, will definitely come back again.
If you want to check out their menu: http://www.alborzpersi...
(this menu isn't exactly the same as the one in Walnut Creek) -
Review from Eli Y.
2/17/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I was very excited when Alborz opened up in WC. Then I ate there and the excitement was over.
The place is ok. I love Persian food and have tried my fair share of restaurants. This place is slightly below average when it comes to the food.
My go to is koobideh kabob which is two skewers of ground beef kabob with spices and saffron rice. The beef here is often overcooked and not very tender. The over preparation makes the beef less juicy and flavorful. I have often gotten meat toward the end of the skewer that is turned nearly to pure carbon and is barely edible.
The stews (gheymeh, ghormeh sabsi, and fesenjoon) are usually very good. Though I have found them to be a bit too oily at times.
The actual restaurant is very nice. There are many large paintings and the place is huge. It has rooms in the back where you can have large parties. It also has traditional style seating booths.
The waiters are all very nice and helpful.
The parking can get pretty bad especially during peak hours. They have their own lot but the restaurant is very big and this lot often fills up. The lot can also be difficult to navigate if there are people coming and leaving all at the same time.
So this place is good and the best I have found within the WC area. But if you want good Persian food I suggest traveling a bit further and finding somewhere else.Listed in: Persian in the Bay
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Review from The Fladaboscan I.
San Jose, CA
11/27/2011
Went here last night with my elder parents and my teenage daughter. We eat a lot of Persian, Middle Eastern and south Asian food. Alborzo's food has that quality like it is being made by someone of another ethnicity or like eating at a friend's house where the food is just ok.
The freshly made lavash is very, very yummy and definitely the best thing we ate there. If I'm in Walnut Creek by myself at mealtime I might go back and order the cheapest thing on the menu just to get the lavash.
The building is fun and the severs were nice.
I gave them two stars because their prices are on the high side for Persian food and the quality of the food doesn't merit it. -
Review from April D.
Benicia, CA
11/13/2010 1 Check-in Here
Review for service only.
Husby and I had a hankering for some good kabob and we were advised that Alborz was bomb dot com. We packed up our Lil love bug and decided to give them a whirl.
Just our luck, as we waited for our meals (I ordered the Koobideh and the Husby ordered the lamb) our baby girl decided it was her dinner time as well. Unfortunately, Alborz is not a nursing-mom friendly resto - my only option was to succumb to breastfeeding in the handicap stall. Here's the scene 20 minutes later: baby fed, my food had cooled, and my Husby could not flag down a worker to reheat my meal.
Luckily, the food was just as delish as recommended, so I did not complain. Being on our baby's time line, our meal was a bit abbreviated, so, we asked for the check and 2 Persian teas to go. Our waitress returned with our piping hot teas, sans the lid. WTH? How are we going to safely take home our 'to go teas' without lids?
We drank our teas halfway and proceeded to leave the restaurant. Husby carried our baby girl in 1 hand and lidless tea in another, while I, carried the baby bag, leftover and my lidless tea. The workers, suddenly readily available and plentiful, saw our struggle and no one offered to help with the door.
Poor service at best. Heartless.
Yes, I agree their food is awesome, I will even agree that their food is bomb dot com, but good food must be accompanied by good service.
We're not asking for stellar, nor are we expecting royal treatment, but can we get a little love?
Until management invests in a crash course in customer service, we are staying far away from Alborz! -
Review from Zsaleh H.
Jamaica Plain, MA
12/27/2010
Absolutely delicious. I've been a fan of Alborz for a while, but I'd never been to this location (only the Berkeley location). I'm half-Persian, and this is really good Persian food. My whole family always enjoys it when we go. Be sure to try the koobideh and to order mast-o-moosir (yogurt with shallots) as a side dish, my absolute favorites.
Minus one star because the bread was a bit overcooked. Also, I'll be honest--the Berkeley location feels much more authentically Persian. This Alborz feels like the 925 equivalent (the waitstaff isn't Persian, the atmosphere is a little less exciting, etc.). -
Review from Frannie C.
San Francisco, CA
11/27/2010
Dress: Semi-casual (Nice jeans, nice top) at night.
Price: ~$15-20/entree
~$8/appetizer
The food is absolutely delicious. My friends and I always order the Plate for Two (chicken, filet mignon, ground beef + 2 plates of rice + roasted tomatoes) for ~$40. It's really enough to feed 3 adults, so order that and an extra plate of rice if you are in a group of three. I also recommend the combination appetizer plate ($11).
They give you all-you-can-eat flat breads (looks like "naan") with butter and spiced onions. Service is decent - just had to wave my hands a few times to get their attention...but they are pretty friendly. The place does not ever seem too over-crowded, so parking is not really a hassle.
I give four stars because some parts of the meat and veggie somehow come out burnt, but not sure if that is intentional. And also because of the slow staff (at times). -
Review from Ria R.
Alameda, CA
11/29/2010 3 Check-ins Here
Very good Persian food.
4 people. We ordered the Chicken jojeh kabob (my favorite of all the dishes) koobideh (ground beef) and 2 orderes of the rack of lamb. The koobideh was good, made a little to rare for my taste but please know it was ordered that way per the person ordering it. The rack of lamb was yummy. Not a fan of lamb-beef (thats why I ordered chicken).
The chicken (my dish) was amazing. I ate all of it. The grilled tomato and melt in your mouth buttered soft rice was so yummy. The ambience was very classy and is definitely appealing. Service was spot on (hard to find if your an avid restaurant goer). My water would get refilled as needed, I didnt have to search for the staff and bread was contiuously brought out for the table.
The only reason I wouldnt give it a 5 is because the dishes were overpriced and the koobideh/shami kabob wasnt that great. I have had great shami/koobideh kabob and this was just a bit different and not that great to me. However, out of the 4 of us, everyone ending up liking my chicken dish the best. Very unique and yummy for chicken which is generally the same everywhere. We are planning to go back again soon! We cant go back as much as we like because it is pretty pricey. But definitely worth it. =)Listed in: The Places I Go Out
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Review from Jamak G.
Danville, CA
1/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
You get bread, butter, and some onions (nice touch but I mean onions?? This is the very first time I've ever been served bread butter & onions).
We had the chicken soltani which gives you rice, chicken, and koobideh. We also had baghali polo with lamb. Out of all if it, I thought the lamb was the best.
The food is good if you're not a Persian food junkie. But it's not "to die for" Persian food.
Staff was friendly. Food was served quick. All in all we had a good evening out with friends and family. Oh and I had icecream after which was also decent.
I will go back to Alborz but mostly because it is the better one out of the two that are close to me. -
Review from Assal R.
Martinez, CA
6/10/2011
The only reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 is because I've had great experiences dining in, but the takeout has always been less than stellar for me. Once, the portion for takeout was much smaller than expected, another time, the rice was not thoroughly cooked...and another time, they didn't include bread or sumac with my order.
If they can just up their game when it comes to takeout, they'll be a 5 star in my book. -
Review from Neville V.
Oakland, CA
1/11/2011
This place has great food. Not a lot of Persian choices around, but this one is good. My persian friends have always talked the place up in SF, and they seem to like the WC location too. We went several months back and sat at the bar. The bartender was great, they had a happy hour special with half off appetizers and drink specials. We got the hummus, dolmeh, and koobideh. It was all excellent. The bartender was especially memorable, he was personable and really sold the place to us.
We went back recently just after the new year and sat at a table. No one in the restaurant knew anything about the happy hour specials....
This time we got the tadiq, tabouli, koobideh, and joogeh with bone. As usual it was top notch. Everything was excellent. The tadiq was very good and we definitely would get it again. My favorite though, at any Persian restaurant, is the koobideh. We also tried out the rice upgrades/additions. I really liked the pomegranate one.
I would have given them 4-5 stars if they knew what i was talking about the second time i went and asked about happy hour. The bartender seemed to be gone and his replacement was as clueless as the rest of the staff. They are a little off the main downtown, so I hope lack of business is not the reason for the bartender being gone and no one having a clue about the happy hour. -
Review from Moji S.
Alamo, CA
5/25/2011
Honestly, I have tried to find a reason to give Alborz less than five stars, but I could not.
The service, the quality and variety of food, it is all good.
I enjoy going back with different groups including family, and friends, and they all share my enthusiasm.
Both thumbs up, and pleeeease keep up the good work? -
Review from Jennifer N.
Walnut Creek, CA
10/29/2010
Okay, I completely missed why this place is getting such rave reviews. Very disappointing. First of all, prices are high. They portions are "huge" as others say, but it's mostly a big plate of rice.
I ordered the "vegetarian" walnut & pomegranate dish with basmati rice. There were no vegetables that came with it in lieu of the chicken or the lamb that normally comes with the dish. I asked if I could possibly order a plate of veggies on the side (which I could pay for) and our server told us that they didn't have any vegetables they could give me. WHAT? They have veggie kabobs that have peppers and tomato and mushrooms. She couldn't have offered to bring me a plate of those? Again I was willing to pay extra for it.
It's my fault-I should have insisted on sending the dish back, but our server seemed pretty disinterested in the fact I was disappointed in my dinner, nor did try to help or offer to put in another order for me.
Plus I hate making a scene in a "nice" restaurant.
Service was slow (they ignored us for a quite a while when we first sat down) and overall food was overpriced-my plate of rice slop was $13.95. My boyfriend had one of the chicken plates which he said was rubbery and not very good.
The decor is nice and it looks fancy, but overall bland and lame and expensive.
What a waste of eating out on a Friday evening. Left a poor tip, reflective of the poor service....something I very rarely do but hope it's a lesson learned for the server -
Review from D.D. D.
Oakland, CA
12/26/2010
I really expected much more out of this place. Reading the reviews I feel like I was there on an off night. I'm not sure if someone called in sick but there was only one waitress for the entire restaurant. She was pleasant enough but you could tell the pressure was getting to her which made her very short with us all evening. Unfortunately if you're in customer service you have to suck it up and be pleasant.
It took a long time to order, a long time to get tea, and an even longer time to get food. When we got our starters the panir sabzi had barely any cheese and the bread was either burnt or barely cooked, still doughy. I ordered the mahi kabob and each piece of fish was very fatty. I rarely eat meat of any kind and having a fatty piece of fish was awful. The baghali polo was decent but couldn't save the fish.
For the price of food and the reputation of the restaurant I really expected more. They also don't take American Express. For a restaurant that charges the prices they do, I feel they should be willing to pay the fee for all credit cards. It was unfortunate that we were a party of 6 and gratuity was included.
Very disappointed. -
Review from Geoff G.
Dublin, CA
11/7/2011
A warm and inviting eatery with outside dinning.
-
Review from Miyako L.
5/18/2010
I'll keep it short and sweet:
I'd rather go to Babalou's a few blocks away for better tasting, cheaper Mediterranean food... and a much more entertaining mural on the wall! =) -
Review from Susan B.
Walnut Creek, CA
1/19/2010
Let me preface this review by saying that I went with the parental units and their Persian friends from out of town. They very generously wanted to take my family out for a nice kabob dinner and so being the selfish foodie that I am, I brought them here because I wanted to try the restaurant. I knew I was taking a chance, but although I read mixed reviews on service, the food reviews were pretty good and frankly our experience tonight was just about perfect.
Now granted, I had the Persian connection and since my parents' friends speak Persian we may have gotten a little extra attention, but as I looked around the restaurant, other diners seemed to enjoy their experience as well.
Since I'm with seniors, we were there right at 5:00 for dinner and of course the only other table was a table of seniors. However, within the half hour, people started trickling in and by the time we left, the restaurant was half full. Not bad for a rainy Tuesday night.
One of my absolute favorite Persian things to eat is a yogurt appetizer called Must-a-Musir - okay, I think I totally misspelled it, but I LOVE this stuff. Star number one, their version is delicious! Star number two, uber cute and friendly waiter who spoke Persian with the guests, but in English with me which I appreciated.
Star number three, the entrees. I decided to save a few calories (just a few) and order the Chicken soltani plate as opposed to the regular Soltani and it was delightful! The chicken kabob was pretty moist and although it's not as flavorful as I've had at other Persian restaurants, it was very good. The koobideh was fantastic! This is the ground beef with spices that's cooked on a skewer. Truly a pleasure to my palate. I thought for the price and the service, my entree was just right!
Our waiter was extremely attentive to us, again, probably had to do with the Persian connection, but maybe not. My parents and more importantly our out-of-town experts of Persian cuisine loved the place! I had coffee here and it was decent, a little on the watery side but tasted good. The tea according to the folks and guests was delicious. We tried the baklavah and it was wonderful! Very strange for a Persian restaurant not to put rose water in balkavah, and I was SO happy they didn't! It tasted like it might have been home or rather, restaurant made as opposed to shipped in from a Persian bakery.
When the hankering for kabob hits, I will definitely come back here. By the way, the inside of the restaurant looks great. I like the Persian rugs on the floor. Also, it was very clean. I hope it stays that way. -
Review from Barry K.
Oakland, CA
7/27/2010
Just had a lousy and expensive lunch. $42 (not inc tip)
1 soup, 1 app, 2 entrees, 1 drink. (In Los Angeles, this would be $20)
$4.95 for their pickle/olive feta appetizer! (Rec'd 5 small pickles, 4 greek olives and no feta). I complained and the waitress brought a sliver of feta and 2 more pickles on another plate! Outrageous.
Lunch prices = dinner prices anywhere else. Portions are lunch sized.
Opted for the fesojun; had 4 small bits of chicken.
Rice was buttery, but, not a hint of saffron. Pita/flat bread appears to be made on site.
Persian mint tea? No mint with mine. I asked the server for the mint leaves. She never heard this and had to tell the owner. She came back with a plate of mint leaves. Go figure.
Just because it's on Mtn Blvd in Walnut Creek, doesn't justify the high prices, small (incomplete) portions. -
Review from Kathryn W.
South San Francisco, CA
8/9/2010 1 Check-in Here
I came here last night while visiting a friend who lives close by. I like going to Alborz I think I have been to all the locations in the Bay Area and this is the best one so far. The size and the look of the place were way nicer than the other 3 locations( San Francisco, Fremont, and Berkeley) that I tried.
This location even had outdoor seating which on a nice day looks like a fun place to be. They have fresh bread here. Fresh Bread!!! And it comes with onions and butter.
I was impressed by the kid's menu 9 bucks for a large portion of rice, beef, yogurt, ice cream and milk. The other locations do not have a kid's menu.
I had the beef the rice dish, my husband had the beef and chicken and my friend had the lamb. All of our dishes were tasty and much faster than the other locations.
I had a great time and I was full by the end of the meal. The next time I am in Walnut Creek I will be back for more.
