Aria Restaurant

Moved to Maine from California last year and couldn't get Persian food out there. I came out to visit family back in California this week and wanted to get my Persian food fix so we decided to pay this place a visit with my mom and I gotta say I loved the food and it definitely satisfied my Persian food fix! I ordered kashke bademjan and it was phenomenal and perfect. I've had some at other places before that wasn't as good as the one served here! I also ordered tadig with gormeh sabzi and it was hearty, filling, fresh, and was satisfying and had plenty of leftovers! My mother ordered chicken koobideh, a classic Persian dish, and that was perfect too. Rice was moist and flavorful and not dried out, the chicken was cooked to perfection and on-point, and the onions they included with the dish were incredibly tasty! Whatever they did with them to make them so good I was blown away! If you are looking for some good Persian food in the North County area I'd honestly look no further than here! Was initially skeptical of how good the Persian food would be out here given most of the good Persian food in Southern California is more in the Los Angeles County area but the food here was phenomenal!

Best Persian food I've ever had! Chicken and Beef kabob combo platter was tender and well-seasoned. Hummus was smooth and tasty, and pita was served warm and soft. Try the sumac seasoning that's on the table too, it has a fruity/citrus flavor to it!

Excellent service and fantastic cuisine. I love Persian food and don't get it nearly enough here in Washington. While enjoying our time in Funner at the Harrah's Resort, my husband and I decided to venture out as the dining options are limited at the casino. We made reservations at 7 pm on Saturday night and we were seated immediately. The menu has all the traditional fare of the middle east and the prices were very, very reasonable. It's nice to see when many of the restaurants,as a result of Covid, have forced restaurants to raise the prices. We started the meal with the Tahdig and the Shirazi salad. Both dishes were well proportioned and very good. We ordered the Barg and the Beef Koobideh and both were excellent. The Barg was seasoned perfectly and the Koobideh was as tender as it should be. So much so that a knife was not needed. We always look forward to the Persian ice cream and we tried a dessert I was not familiar with, faloodah. Faloodah is a granita with rice and noodles flavored with rose water and lime and it was just as delicious as the ice cream. Aria has a nice wine list with prices so low I was surprised! A glass of Smoking Loon Cabernet was only$7 when most places charge 9 to upwards of $15! We also enjoyed the Persian tea with our dessert. The entire bill, appetizers, two full dinners which also came with a salad, wine, desserts, hot tea for two was less than a $100. A great experience and worth the drive for this wonderful restaurant. I hope we are able to come back soon. Thank you!

Food was awesome! Chicken was soo tender! Place was pretty and looked well maintained. Service was very nice!

Ehsan Foroudi

Great Persian/Mediterranean cuisine, delicious and healthy food, friendly customer service. Strongly recommended

Westin Peralta

This is a San Marcos hidden gem. I usually like Persian food & don't usually order chicken. So when my server kept insisting I try the combo plate with chicken & beef kabobs I first hesitated, but finally decided to try it - & I am SO glad I did - was the most AMAZING chicken I've ever had at a restaurant! You gotta try it - the saffron seasoning gives it this incredible flavor. The food is really good here - stop talking & eat!

abdulrahman Jamal eddine

Really amazing food, with great restaurant atmosphere, so calm and beautiful, I would definitely recommend it for events, family occasions,

Hans Foto

Fantastic restaurant. The food is amazing. It's way more of a hidden gem than you would expect. This restaurant definitely has an upscale feel, but isn't pretentious. You can go there in casual clothes and enjoy some delicious food. There is a wide variety to meet all needs. It's not a problem if you are on various diets or vegetarian. Everything that they have can be ordered a la carte, whish is wonderful. The staff is super helpful with recommendations and explanations of the various dishes available. Their kabobs (Beef Koobideh, Lamb Koobideh, Chicken Kabob + side of Gyros) were seasoned to perfection! Amazing comfort food that seems akin to family cooking (made with love), certainly more than your average restaurant. There was ample parking (including wheelchair accessible parking, of course!) It's worth your time to this place.

Cero Grubs

Came to this restaurant because I love Persian food. We came in a party so I had a little bit of everything. My plate was the chicken & beef kabob combo with rice. Appetizers were point we had the yogurt & cucumber. Hummus and eggplant were on point. I tried the salmon kabob which I never had and it was better than I thought ! Definitely coming back here so I can try some more stuff ! There was enough space in the restaurant to sit and the staff was great at explaining the menu.

Dana White

We had an excellent experience at this restaurant. Three of us for lunch, service was very courteous and prompt and treated us very well. We had shish kabob with hot bread, and one of their stews. Paul were very good. A stand outside dish was there hummus, which is a wonderful garlic flavor and it's just perfectly seasoned. We had the saffron ice cream for dessert and it is to die for. Seriously seriously good. Recommended.

Sasha Fong

Food was awesome! Chicken was soo tender! Place was pretty and looked well maintained. Service was very nice!

Mike Troutman

Went here on a whim with my wife and was pleasantly surprise. I had the greek salad with chicken and i must say, that was the best greek chicken i have ever eaten. Mixed with the salad it was a perfect lunch. My wife had the chicken and beed kabobs. More than enough delicious food. Parking is in a lot to the east of the resultant. Had lunch on a Tuesday around 12 and it was not super busy since service was quick. Lunch is the same as dinner but cheaper withe the lunch specials. If you like Mediterranean food i would highly recommend.

Leah W

Birthday Dinner at Grill House Cafe. The food was so good. I didn't get a picture of the Hummus or the Salad but the portions we're good, the dinner plates were huge! ( I get to have it again today!) The food was so good the meat was very juicy and flavorfull. The Family running that business is very nice as well. They were all very friendly. Thank you very much for making my birthday dinner one to remember.

Golnaz Abkenari

Delirious Persian food, great service and fantastic atmosphere. We have ordered Albaloo polo, Juje and Koobideh. All were perfect taste, recommend it to anyone Persian or non-Persian.

Abdullah Sediqi

A delicious meal on a budget with excellent service. I had the lamb kebab and the chicken kebab with Doogh. Update 12/26 I tried the persian ice cream and I highly recommend it. The taste is smooth and it smells very fragrant

Brian Child

Moved to Maine from California last year and couldn't get Persian food out there. I came out to visit family back in California this week and wanted to get my Persian food fix so we decided to pay this place a visit with my mom and I gotta say I loved the food and it definitely satisfied my Persian food fix! I ordered kashke bademjan and it was phenomenal and perfect. I've had some at other places before that wasn't as good as the one served here! I also ordered tadig with gormeh sabzi and it was hearty, filling, fresh, and was satisfying and had plenty of leftovers! My mother ordered chicken koobideh, a classic Persian dish, and that was perfect too. Rice was moist and flavorful and not dried out, the chicken was cooked to perfection and on-point, and the onions they included with the dish were incredibly tasty! Whatever they did with them to make them so good I was blown away! If you are looking for some good Persian food in the North County area I'd honestly look no further than here! Was initially skeptical of how good the Persian food would be out here given most of the good Persian food in Southern California is more in the Los Angeles County area but the food here was phenomenal!

Brad Wood

Best Persian food I've ever had! Chicken and Beef kabob combo platter was tender and well-seasoned. Hummus was smooth and tasty, and pita was served warm and soft. Try the sumac seasoning that's on the table too, it has a fruity/citrus flavor to it!

Cat

Excellent service and fantastic cuisine. I love Persian food and don't get it nearly enough here in Washington. While enjoying our time in Funner at the Harrah's Resort, my husband and I decided to venture out as the dining options are limited at the casino. We made reservations at 7 pm on Saturday night and we were seated immediately. The menu has all the traditional fare of the middle east and the prices were very, very reasonable. It's nice to see when many of the restaurants,as a result of Covid, have forced restaurants to raise the prices. We started the meal with the Tahdig and the Shirazi salad. Both dishes were well proportioned and very good. We ordered the Barg and the Beef Koobideh and both were excellent. The Barg was seasoned perfectly and the Koobideh was as tender as it should be. So much so that a knife was not needed. We always look forward to the Persian ice cream and we tried a dessert I was not familiar with, faloodah. Faloodah is a granita with rice and noodles flavored with rose water and lime and it was just as delicious as the ice cream. Aria has a nice wine list with prices so low I was surprised! A glass of Smoking Loon Cabernet was only$7 when most places charge 9 to upwards of $15! We also enjoyed the Persian tea with our dessert. The entire bill, appetizers, two full dinners which also came with a salad, wine, desserts, hot tea for two was less than a $100. A great experience and worth the drive for this wonderful restaurant. I hope we are able to come back soon. Thank you!

I ordered online and picked up. I have celiac so I specified no wheat/ no bread. When I picked up they assured me they even switched serving spoons just in case. Koobideh was delicious. Service was spectacular and I can't wait to eat my leftovers!

I might be different from the majority of people in my comments, but I need to say what was the most incredible thing that grabbed my attention in the restaurant: the cleaning of the restroom!! And that’s the reflection of how the kitchen, the kitchen staff besides the food is clean and amazing. It I remember what the modern restaurant management one day said: “They say you can tell a lot about a restaurant from its facilities: bathrooms set the standard for how consumers view the cleanliness of the restaurant.” Suppose you are looking for authentic Persian food that is the right place. Besides the great food, you will realize the great customer service skills and the smiles from the staff, especially from Ms. Leslie, Rose, and Mustafa. I love this place.

If you’re craving fresh, flavorful Middle Eastern food, this place is an absolute must. I ordered the falafel plate and honestly… perfection. The falafel was crispy on the outside, tender inside, and packed with that warm, comforting spice blend that makes you close your eyes for a second. The naan? Soft, warm, fresh-every single spice and flavor was spot on. The servers were genuinely kind, the restaurant is spotless, and it’s incredibly easy to get to — just off the freeway with plenty of parking—zero hassle, all delicious. If you’ve been looking for a spot that serves amazing food with heart, this is it. Go try it… your taste buds will thank you.

One of my favorite persian restaurants in SoCal. I like the "classy" vibe. There is no loud music and noise like other restaurants, and that is awesome! The food is also really great. I personally love the homemade dough.

Chem Eng

I might be different from the majority of people in my comments, but I need to say what was the most incredible thing that grabbed my attention in the restaurant: the cleaning of the restroom!! And that’s the reflection of how the kitchen, the kitchen staff besides the food is clean and amazing. It I remember what the modern restaurant management one day said: “They say you can tell a lot about a restaurant from its facilities: bathrooms set the standard for how consumers view the cleanliness of the restaurant.” Suppose you are looking for authentic Persian food that is the right place. Besides the great food, you will realize the great customer service skills and the smiles from the staff, especially from Ms. Leslie, Rose, and Mustafa. I love this place.

Alisa Livesley-WalkTalkandSold

If you’re craving fresh, flavorful Middle Eastern food, this place is an absolute must. I ordered the falafel plate and honestly… perfection. The falafel was crispy on the outside, tender inside, and packed with that warm, comforting spice blend that makes you close your eyes for a second. The naan? Soft, warm, fresh-every single spice and flavor was spot on. The servers were genuinely kind, the restaurant is spotless, and it’s incredibly easy to get to — just off the freeway with plenty of parking—zero hassle, all delicious. If you’ve been looking for a spot that serves amazing food with heart, this is it. Go try it… your taste buds will thank you.

Koosha Kalhor

One of my favorite persian restaurants in SoCal. I like the "classy" vibe. There is no loud music and noise like other restaurants, and that is awesome! The food is also really great. I personally love the homemade dough.

Karen G

I ordered online and picked up. I have celiac so I specified no wheat/ no bread. When I picked up they assured me they even switched serving spoons just in case. Koobideh was delicious. Service was spectacular and I can't wait to eat my leftovers!

Service was very warm but rather slow. Very cozy, old style atmosphere the food was served warm and as requested in platter. I would give the food a score of 7 out of 10

The food is good, huge portions! The salad was fresh and the meat was flavorful. The service is a bit slow even though there weren't many tables occupied. Prices are reasonable and there is a family friendly vibe.

Behzad Sadat

Service was very warm but rather slow. Very cozy, old style atmosphere the food was served warm and as requested in platter. I would give the food a score of 7 out of 10

Teresa Manjarrez

The food is good, huge portions! The salad was fresh and the meat was flavorful. The service is a bit slow even though there weren't many tables occupied. Prices are reasonable and there is a family friendly vibe.