Bandar

$ 17 for the world famous chicken plate. Overpriced. The plate was plain and simple but came in large portions. It was chicken and rice with a grilled tomato. Like another reviewer mentioned, the rice tasted plain, so maybe they do use food coloring to make it yellow.

We had A lot of people at a seminar downtown today which let out at 11:30 for lunch many of us drifted over to Bandar for lunch and got prompt, excellent service, delicious food and plenty of it. I had not been to this restaurant since it had opened and was so pleasantly surprised at how they were able to accommodate such a large crowd of people so beautifully. What a treat to be served bottled water at no additional cost and to be given a complementary salad brought to the table family-​style; it was fantastic

What can I say this is the best Persian restaurant in California. The food is phenomenal the chicken platter kebabs are amazing just have to say that again they are amazing. The service is pretty good and their lunch specials are actually great. Now the portions are huge so it might be good idea to share if there’s two of you. If there is room though have some of the saffron ice cream because it’s phenomenal.

I was skeptical at first but this is one of the better Persian restaurants I’ve been to. It is a bit hidden in the sense that it is not majorly marketed but they were nice, fast and the food was good with large portions! See you again

Came here once and while I’ll admit the food was good and the place is nice it’s really a once in a while thing considering the price. Especially if your a bottled water drinker. So I ask the waiter can I have a bottle of water? Big bottle or little bottle he asks. Big bottle please. And it was ten bucks about the size of a wine bottle made of glass. Good water it was wish I’d just got a soda.

Love Persian food! We came for restaurant week and I definitely recommend that because the prices are a bit high. The hummus and salad were perfect! I ordered the world famous chicken and my friend ordered the kubideh. The dishes were both huge and we had a lot of leftovers. The rice was perfect, service was really nice. My only gripe was I wish they had some sauces available that weren’t so expensive. We ordered their cucumber and mint yogurt and it was $ 8 for a small dish… Still giving it five stars since I learned my lesson on not to order the yogurt here!

Super service, atmosphere, taste and presentation. Feel lucky if Eric is your server, however I’m sure all are great. We had the Bhagari Polo and an eggplant stew with pesto hummus to start. Shared a bottle of Shiraz. A perfect dinner for date night. Thank you Bandar :)

This place is amazing. The chicken is the best I’ve ever had! It is on the more expensive side so prepare for that, but it is worth every penny. It is a nicer restaurant and my fiancé and I had an amazing time here for our anniversary.

Horrible value. Food is good tasting but the price are way out of whack. We went with 4 adults and 4 young children. Ordered one entrée per adult and food for the kids to share. Over $ 375.00 + tip for meat, rice and hummus. I eat out frequently at expensive places and I don’t get that «omg» feeling when I get the check very often. Don’t go here. Did I mention they never refilled our drinks?

We were a party of six the food was great the drinks were not so good and they were little late getting them to us, the salad had to be touched up, they only brought oil, will visit again for sure

I came here with my family for my mom’s birthday and had an overall positive experience. The service was average… our waitress wasn’t necessarily warm, but she was quick and efficient.
We ordered the group appetizer, which I wouldn’t recommend. It comes with eggplant, olives, feta cheese, a tzatziki-​type yogurt dip and hummus — pretty underwhelming for $ 32. (By the way, they serve the pita bread at room temperate, so be sure to request for them to heat it up. Hello, game changer.)
But fear not — our entrees made up for my initial impressions. Amazing portions and everything was so yummy! Prices are a bit high but my mom and I split the koobideh and we STILL had leftovers. So you definitely get your money’s worth.

This was my first time trying Persian food and it definitely will not be my last! So flavorful! The staff was amazing. The owner gave my friend and I complimentary salads and since it was my first time they even gave me a taste of the Eggplant Stew to make sure I’d be happy. I was beyond happy! I can’t wait to be back in San Diego! This will be my first stop!

We were on vacation in San Diego — this was the Wednesday before Thanksgiving — and a friend had recommended this place to us. The food was not exceptional and it certainly didn’t come with your standard Persian food condiments. What really got me was how expensive it was (we ordered Lunch takeout) and how unwelcoming the woman behind the counter was. When I asked her for a cup of water for my elderly mother who was ill and waiting in the car, she looked at me like I had six heads to the point where I felt uncomfortable and apologized for asking, and then she said «we don’t even have water anyway» — it was just an all around negative vibe. I personally found their food to be lacking in saffron and flavor, and their (lunch) receptionist, while talented in laying on the eyeliner thick, to be lacking in good nature and kindness.
An updated note: the most amusing part of this experience was later that evening, when I discovered that my friend had actually wanted to recommended «Darband» — an honest mistake. Oh well, next time… :-)

I Live in NJ, while visiting SD, ate dinner at Bandar on 12÷27÷15 with a party of 8. Observed that
— the server Taji was rushed and inattentive.
— the food was fresh, portions were large, but it was bland. no sauce served with the plate.
— bill was inflated.
This was a wedding anniversary gift/​dinner for my niece and her husband, so we went about the dinner in a pleasant manner, paid the bill and noted the extra charge — decided to call my credit card to correct the bloating of the bill to avoid any distaste with my guests around.
As an example of the poor service, I share that we ordered humus as an appetizer which is served with bread. Waitress served humus without the bread, when we inquired about the bread — we were told that they are running low on bread and since the bread is complementary, she is choosing not to serve it. I offered to pay for the bread — the waitress agreed to charge for it but never served it until our main course was served and no one ate the appetizer.
Overall a poor experience.

Came here on Christmas night without a reservation and as a table of 3, we got seated in 25 minutes. It’s a pretty fancy atmosphere so people have lots of family gatherings & celebrations here. People also dress fancy because it is a more high end Mediterranean restaurant.
We ordered 2 appetizers. The Cucumber Dip (Must-​O Khiyar) for $ 8 and the Classic Hummus for $ 10. There is complimentary lavash bread. It’s not pita bread. For our entrees, we got the Barg (Prime Center-​Cut Filet Mignon) and a Bandar Special (choice of 2 charbroiled kebabs).
The Barg was $ 30. Comes with a beef, rice and a large grilled tomato. It is a huge portion! The beef was very tender and juicy. Delicious marinated charbroiled meat! The Bandar Special was $ 54 which is more worth it than choosing 2 separate entrees along. The Bandar Special is tour choice of any two charbroiled kababs, including beef, lamb, chicken, or fish served with grilled vegetables. I got salmon & the boneless chicken. It comes with two plates of rice, so each person gets a plate. The two meats are on the same huge plate, which a large kabob of the grilled veggies in the middle. It’s a lot of food for two people! Overall, our bill came out to be $ 114 without tax or tips. Not bad considering the quality food, quality service & delicious food!
In general, the portions at this restaurant are huge. If you don’t eat much you can share one entrée with two people! Overall, great service. Food was warm & super delicious fresh! The food took about 30 minutes to arrive at our table so we were just feasting off the appetizers and lavash bread. It was Christmas night so I don’t blame them. The food was definitely worth the wait :’)

Let me start by saying, this is by far the best Persian restaurant I have been to.
I grew up eating Mediterranean food my whole life, and this place really brings back the good ol’ memories of home cooked meals — it’s that delicious! I have had almost everything on the menu and there isn’t anything you can order here that you’ll regret. The chicken is the most «melt-​in-​your-​mouth» juiciest chicken you will ever have, hands down.
I could go on about the food for hours, but there’s more to an amazing restaurant than the food. The owners of this place are absolute gems, they make sure every one of their customers is happy and well-​taken care of. They truly and honestly make you feel like family, every time you come in. This is one place I know I’ll feel comfortable, and I always bring my clients, family and friends here because they always go above and beyond for them.
Let me make it easy for you. If you are considering coming to Bandar, definitely go — it will be well worth your while.

For muslims: it is halal! Enjoy the meat.
I recommend lamb shank! Try the meat gravy of shank with bread as it will taste like traditional persian dish“aabgusht”. Then enjoy the meat and rice.
My wife ordered gheyme bademjan with the same price and it aslso had lamb shank in it!

I was quite disappointed to say the least, in the food, specifically the chicken which was rolled in balls but it tasted blend and greasy. The prices I thought was a bit too high for what you get. The shirazi salad was the only dish that I can say was tasty.
Service was slow for a not so busy restaurant on a weekend. The waiter was polite and friendly.

Let me start with the taste of baghalipolo because it was good! But unfortunately the kabab did not impress me. The price is high and the service isn’t that great…

Ambience: trendy, upscale
Random: there was commercial on tv for cheetahs strip club which I have never seen in a restaurant. So ya, classy?
Service: good, a bit slow given there were less than 20 ppl spread out between 5 tables.
Order: Baghala Polo, Must-​o khiyar
Review: 1) The must o khiyar was a medium portion of yogurt and cucumber with some dried herb maybe mint? Nothing special. Ive had better. 2) the polo came in a big plate, the lamb shanks covered with rice and a bowl with the lamb broth. Nice presentation. Again nothing special. I wish there was some salad or something on the side instead of just 2 lamb shanks and rice. It tasted okay. Big portion size. Ive had better for cheaper. Cost 44 $??? What did you feed me, gold?
Verdict: over priced average persian food you could get elsewhere for much cheaper. Will not go back because didn’t experience anything worth going back for.

Worst Persian food I’ve ever ate.
House Doog was spoiled.
The tadeeq was stale.
Koobideh taste like hamburger.
I’m embaressed that this place claims it serves persian food.
I should have known when I saw that there was 0 Persians eating here.
Disgusting.
Update I just got the bill and they actually charged me for the two spoiled doogs.
Embaressing

The hummus was excellent and the chicken with saffron rice was good but a huge portion. The atmosphere is well done and the service was very helpful.

The first time I came here, I came because my friends told me that this was probably the best Middle Eastern food they have had. They weren’t lying. Me and my friends are Middle Eastern and have been eating food like this since we were children, but the quality is something we have never had. For example, the first time I came here, I ordered the Koobideh that came with a steak (I forgot the name) but the meat is so tended, I didn’t even need a knife. Everything was simply cut with a fork!
I took a friend of mine who is in the Navy and has had tours in the Middle East, and when he was finished eating, the thing he told me was that «wow this is just as good as what I had in Dubai». When he told me that, I knew this place was an instant go-​to for me.
Being of Middle Eastern descent, and this place being a Persian restaurant, I did the unthinkable and recommended it to my parents. they loved it.
When you come here, enjoy the food, HUGE portions so you can share with another person, and enjoy their rice. The rice is so delicate and fluffy, if you throw it in the air, it’ll probably evaporate! Very great quality and very nice ambience.

About 5 years ago, a co-​worker of Persian descent wanted me to try lunch at Bandar. I was very impressed, and made a mental note to return for dinner in the future.
The future arrived last night, during San Diego Restaurant Week. Bandar’s offering for SDRW was a menu item usually priced at $ 45, marked down to $ 30 for the event. A great deal.
The restaurant décor is fascinating, with one wall devoted solely to the many awards and other citations Bandar has received over the years. The interior is subtly beautiful, and reasonably quiet, for those who like to share dinner conversation. There is also an outdoor sidewalk patio for those who prefer to experience humidity, exhaust fumes, and the occasional bum leering at your food. Or you.
The SDRW meal consisted of a Bandar Salad, Hummus, and choice of entrée. The salad was very fresh and the variety of greens and cherry tomatoes was nicely accented with a mild dressing. The hummus was fabulous, especially when paired with the complimentary Persian style bread. Interestingly, the hummus had a slightly different flavor than what is served by Zorba’s in Chula Vista, and both are excellent. Regional differences, I guess. Not downtown vs. Chula Vista, I mean Persian vs. Greek.
My entrée was the Steak Shish Kabob, an outstanding meal. The presentation was spectacular, as was the amount of food on the large plate. The meat was cooked exactly as ordered, medium rare. It was accompanied by grilled onions, tomatoes and green peppers. The rice is a story unto its own, spiced perfectly with saffron, and in a very generous amount.
My wife had the Chicken Shish Kabob, and remarked that she has never had chicken so delicious. The presentation of that plate was also a home run. I had a taste of the chicken. Wow.
Neither of us could finish our entrees, and we packaged the leftovers for another day.
FYI, the service was impeccable, and the manager came over for a brief chat.
Bandar sets the standard for Persian food, a very high standard indeed.

YES. A must in San Diego.
I loved the food here and as expensive as it was, it was extremely worth it.
Great romantic place for a date, a group get together and on your own. Sit outside for great people watching or inside for great ambiance.

Bandar is my favorite Persian restaurant! If you’ve never had Persian food, Bandar is the best restaurant to start off with.
I ate here for a friend’s graduation party a few years ago, and since then have become a devoted fan! The eggplant appetizer is my favorite. For entrée, I had the chicken and filet mignon kabob and they were both juicy and flavorful with the perfect marinade. It also came with a side of rice and grilled tomato. The tomato alone was grilled to perfection with a slight char that gave it a smoky flavor. Definitely the best Persian Restaurant in town!

Last time I was here was in my early 20’s. Valentine’s Day dinner with the girlfriends. SAD, #singlesawarenessday Pre meal for Westside Story at Spreckles
I was running late cause had to find parking. My friends already ordered hummus and dolmeh. Dolmeh was good but I love my friend’s homemade ones way better. Especially the crispy ones at the bottom of the pot. Really good hummus, so creamy.
Three of us ordered lentil soup. This is the best lentil soup I’ve had so far, full of great flavor.
Four ladies shared the Bandaar special, 2 kabobs, grilled veggies, and basmati rice topped with saffron rice. My friends chose chicken and beef. I wanted lamb but my friends aren’t big fans of lamb. Food was so yummy but way plentiful. I ended up with the leftovers, even though I was starting my diet the next day. I just portion controlled the leftovers over the work week.
Decided to not order dessert here and walk to Ghirardelli.
I need to come back to try their barberry rice. I’ve had barberry over rice twice in my life. My friend’s and a hole in the wall that used to be on Miramar Rd. Hope theirs lives up to my great memories of the amazing flavors.