I visited twice in 24 hours, and the tacos are the best!! Highly recommend the lingua and abodaba. They are many variations you can request, such as adding pineapple or veggies.

Best place to get tacos in SD. Providing a variety of proteins, some you can’t find in other taco places. We come here every time we visit SD and it never disappoints.

Zahra Abdi

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Best Persian food in San Diego — hands down. This is by far the most authentic and high-quality Persian restaurant we’ve tried in San Diego. The koobideh and chicken kabob were incredibly fresh and delicious, and the tadig was perfectly crisp (not soggy at all). We’ve tried many Persian restaurants here — most were average at best — but Sadaf truly stands out. Great prices too. Also, the❤️ owner❤️ is genuinely kind and welcoming, and makes you feel like family. We’ll be coming here regularly from now on.

Jessy R

Without a doubt, this is the best and most authentic Persian food in San Diego. My husband is Persian and eats here frequently - he loves it. I finally got a chance to try it today, and I’m blown away. The koobideh and chicken kabob are incredibly fresh, high-quality, and simply delicious. I also loved the tadig with the stew - it was fresh and perfectly crisp, not soggy. We’re relatively new to the area and have tried all the Persian restaurants. Most were either terrible or just average. This is the only one we truly enjoy, and we’ll be visiting from now on. The prices are great too.

M E

The most authentic koobideh I’ve had in a long time. It was unbelievably delicious and cooked to perfection, no fillers , just meat and onions. Not too salty and no strange spices that don’t belong in kabob either. Such a joy! We’ll be back 😍

Natalie Nejad

Great food! One of the best Persian restaurants I have been to. Highly recommend! The stews were delicious and loved the doogh. Great customer service as well! Arman was awesome

Ghazal Tabrizi

Amazing experience for Persian food and warm Persian hospitality. Was my first stop here and had the best chicken kabob with zereshk polo so far in California. Highly recommended and will come back soon.

Bahareh Jozranjbar

If you’ve ever wanted to experience the depth of Iranian cuisine but felt limited by the meat-heavy menu options elsewhere, you must try this place. It is an absolute game-changer. ​While most Persian restaurants rely heavily on kebabs, this spot truly shines with its vegetarian options. It’s rare to find a place that puts this much love into plant-based dishes. ​What to Order: ​The Stews: You can actually try vegetarian versions of the most famous Iranian stews here! I had the veggie Ghormeh Sabzi (herb stew), and the flavor profile was incredible, deep, savory, and lemony, exactly how it should be, but without the meat. It didn’t feel like a compromise. ​The Doogh: Do not leave without ordering a glass of their Doogh. It is hands down some of the best I’ve ever had, perfectly creamy, and distinctively minty. It pairs perfectly with the rich flavors of the stews. ​Whether you are a vegetarian or just love exploring new flavors, this place is a must-visit. Highly recommended

Stefan Peyda

I went for lunch; Excellent service and genuine, delicious Persian food! Must visit when in San Diego

Noosh

We came all the way from Sacramento to visit San Diego and decided to try this restaurant because of its great reviews — and it did not disappoint! The food was absolutely delicious and authentic. We stopped by here right before heading to the San Diego airport, and it was the perfect last meal of our trip. Special thanks to Zari khanum for her kindness and wonderful service. We truly enjoyed everything and will definitely come back again, hopefully around Christmas!

Rod Gullo

Excellent Persian food! The best in San Diego, hands down. My favorite is the lamb kebab; very tender and seasoned perfectly. Update: Got a lamb kebab plate and a lamb shank plate. Both were excellent! Update: Got a lamb kebab plate and a lamb shank plate. Both were excellent as usual! Tried the Persian ice cream. The taste was ok, but as you can see in the picture more than half of it had ice crystals like it was freezer burned. We had expected excellent quality ice cream for $10.40. We will not order it again.

+22

Brian Anderson

Never been to San Diego before. After settling into our hotel we wanted to sample local food. We walked by Sadaf. I'd never persian cuisine, and wasn't sure about it. Luke was out front and did a GREAT job explaining how the food was prepared, the spices involved and how it was cooked. I had the lamd with rice. OH MY GOD was it DELICIOUS!! My daughter and wife had beef steak kabobs. The fresh made naan (bread) was served freash and hot. EVERYTHING was top notch! Sadaf was not just a restaurant, this place was an experience! My glass never emptied, service was amazing The decor was like sitting in a restaurant in persia. The place was very clean! Prices were reasonable as well. I was going to just grab a slice of pizza and walk down the street, but I would have missed out on a great dinner!

Richard Harris

Came here during Comic Con. Service and food were great. Wasn’t very busy which was surprising considering how good the food was. Had the Shirazi Salad which was very refreshing and the Lamb Rack which was cooked perfectly and delicious. Highly recommend if you’re in town!!

Layla M

Amazing food and service! If you want authentic Persian food, come here. 10/10 recommend. If Armon and Luke are serving, you’re in good hands!

Jon Langbert

I agree with all of the reviews that the service is very friendly. I was walking by and decided to give it a try and get a salad and some falafel to go. Was a bit nervous because not a single customer came in during the 30 minutes I waited for my food to be prepared. It took longer than usual because they were changing the oil and it had to heat back up. The salad was OK although the spring mix was a bit tired. You can see that in the picture. The falafel was light and delicious. Will likely go back and give another entrée a try.

Nora

Visited here on our first day in San Diego for a late lunch. We ordered the yogurt dip as our appetizer; Albalu polo and kabob barg as our entrees; and Persian ice cream and faloodeh as desserts. Everything is delicious; their kabob barg is spiced differently than we are used to, but still good. My favorite was the albalu polo with chicken and Persian ice cream. Will definitely return next time I’m in town.

+2

Ruth mcallister

This restaurant was a great find in a sea of burger and taco joints. We have eaten Persian food many times in the UK and around the world, and this was one of the best. The chicken is so succulent and fresh it was just amazing and rice with the saffron and butter was beautiful. But to be honest, the star of the show was the nan bread, it was warm, so fluffy and delicious. We had the hummus and bread, the chicken and cherry rice, and the fesenjan. The portions were massive, and we enjoyed it thoroughly. The waiter was also super friendly and didn't rush us with the bill. We would highly recommend it.

Patrick Mederos

This is the first Persian restaurant I have been to that doesn't have sumac shaker. The food was excellent and delicious but a bit pricy. No option to get a combo (beef and lamb. Or beef and chicken) but regardless the meal was extremely yummy! We got the hummus, the koobideh and the boneless lamb. The rice was mouthwatering and the meat was extremely flavorsome. Even if I tried my absolute hardest, I would never be able to replicate the tasty delectable food I ate here at this restaurant.. Big thanks and Props to the chef !!!

+9

This is a hectic, fast paced taco stop but a must visit any time you’re passing by! The food is unbelievably fresh, flavourful and cooked in front of you. It’s quite a melting pot if you’re there at night but all the better for a local experience. Absolutely delicious, mouthwatering choices and generous portions of beautifully seasoned meat (tacos).

We stopped by the Gaslamp District location of Tacos El Gordo after hearing all the hype — and it definitely lived up to its reputation for flavor. The line was long and the space was packed, but once you get inside, you can immediately smell the grill and hear the sizzling from the open kitchen. We ordered a mix of tacos — carne asada, cabeza, lengua, and a couple of mulas. Every bite was fresh, hot off the grill, and full of that classic, smoky street taco flavor. The meats were perfectly seasoned, and the tortillas were warm and just the right texture. That said, the ambiance isn’t great — it’s crowded, loud, and the limited seating makes it more of a grab-and-go spot than a place to relax. The service, however, was quick and efficient despite the chaos. Food: 4/5 – Authentic, flavorful, and satisfying. Ambiance: 2/5 – Crowded and noisy with minimal seating. Service: 3.5/5 – Fast and organized. If you’re looking for top-tier tacos and don’t mind waiting in line or standing while you eat, this is absolutely worth a stop when you’re in downtown San Diego.

Some tips on ordering and seating! As people can glean from some of the other reviews, it’s a little confusing how to order and/or where to seat. Seating is a bit problematic, but there is a room upstairs that a lot of folks did not seem to know about! So try to make your way up there! For ordering, there is somebody who comes through the line and funnels you toward different lines based on what you are ordering.So, I was really hoping this would be a five star review. And it was very very very good, maybe a 4.5. But it certainly wasn’t a five star review. Here is why. I wanted to order Cabeza, and so I was sent to a quicker line, and then nobody really waited on me. It was very confusing. I was trying to ask them for two tacos to go, and they were waiting on the people that were behind me. So, my husband (who ordered in the longer line) had his tacos finished much before I did. I think they followed me to a spot that they thought I had already ordered? It was really unclear. And then they gave me the tacos and they were not “to go.” And I did say it in Spanish and in English. Now, keep in mind it was super chaotic, line was out the door, and loud, so I completely understand that maybe they did not understand my order needed to be “to go.” And the tacos were excellent! But people were saying there were some of the best they’ve ever had, and I used to live in San Francisco, and I had tacos like this in the mission district on a regular basis. So I don’t know what I was expecting, but all of the reviews made it sound like this was just a “wow” moment, and it was not. It was very very good. It was a very solid excellent taco with lots of good toppings, but was it the best taco I ever had? No. We also travel to other countries, including dipping into Mexico and Argentina and so perhaps that was also affecting my expectation? All that said, it was a solid taco with good flavoring, but I especially heard the Cabeza was excellent, and maybe it was because I got it “to go”, and so it dried out a little bit, but it just wasn’t the excellence that I had hoped and heard.

The Al pastor tacos were incredible. There was a really long line but they manage it really well with a system. Gets busy with convention goers so there was limited to no seating. Found somewhere upstairs ate quickly then left since people were waiting for the table. I got an horchata to drink and it was good but it was from a fountain. Same with the other aguas frescas. Overall would definitely come here again especially if I found a time that was after the lunch rush.

Tacos El Gordo on F Street is an absolute staple for authentic Tijuana-style street food in San Diego. The carne asada is a standout, featuring a perfect smoky char and a generous topping of fresh guacamole. For those who appreciate traditional cuts, the lengua is exceptional—slow-cooked to a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness that is easily some of the best in the city. The atmosphere is high-energy and fast-paced, centered around a unique system where you join a specific line for each type of meat. While the setup is no-frills, the quality of the handmade tortillas and seasoned meats makes it well worth the wait.

Decent tacos and a no frills atmosphere. Prepare to just walk up to the various stations to order and then pay at the end. Adobada was the best compared to the nopales and asada options.

The separation the line by meat order was efficient, but the people making your order weren’t really putting in much effort. Besides the lack of acknowledgement and response, the tacos are slopped on to the plate. But the above wasn’t the entire reason for my rating. The adobada was just ok, it was really dry and didn’t have much punch to it. Overall it was ok, so landing right in the middle.

Amir Tahami

Sadaf in downtown San Diego is a decent spot for Persian food, but my visits have been mixed overall. On the first visit, the Baghali Polo with lamb shank had good flavor, but the meat was tougher than expected and not falling off the bone like in better Persian restaurants. Kashk Bademjan was tasty but made with yogurt instead of traditional kashk, while the Mast-o-Moosir and warm naan were both flavorful and enjoyable. On a second visit, the tahdig was served with two stews that are traditionally meat-based, but here were offered as vegetarian versions, which felt unusual for a classic preparation. Friendly service and a cozy atmosphere help, but overall the experience still lands at 3 stars for me.

Vanessa Davis

My daughter found this place for some lunch near our trek. We were searching for good food in the Gaslight Quarter. I suspect it was the owner or manager that took our order. The presentation was good, but the temperature of the meal was lukewarm. The meal had good spices but lacked salt. Our appetizer never came. Our meals were served with warmth from the lady. During our meal, we had to hear the owner or manager berate the server, which arrived after we were already there. The conversation was less than desired during our meal. Overall, we were underwhelmed with the food.

I used to LOVE getting Tacos El Gordo anytime I was in San Diego, but on my latest visit, I unfortunately found myself quite let down and disappointed... As a popular destination, you can often expect for Tacos El Gordo to have a wait - especially during late night hours. So that wasn't surprising...what did surprise, however, was the lack of quality or flavor in any of the ingredients for both the Tacos and Mulas that we ordered. The asada taco meat was dry, overcooked, and quite flavorless. They seemed to have attempted to make up for that by just utterly drowning the thing in salsa and guacamole - the problem is that (aside from being WAY too much) these also tasted very bland and flavorless. There were definitely not-so-fresh ingredients comprising them. The tortillas were also all very dry, crumbly, and will fall apart while you try to eat the Tacos or Mulas. Another thing I noticed - the tacos are now almost FIVE DOLLARS. This was supposed to be a great spot for grabbing some solid & cheap tacos.....now the tacos aren't even cheap OR of decent quality! One more thing to keep in mind is that there is limited seating inside, and the environment isn't necessarily conducive to a relaxing space to eat within. This is best as pick-up/take-out! But regardless of where you plan on eating your tacos, I can no longer say I necessarily recommend Tacos El Gordo...for pretty much ANY situation. They were never easy to order with the chaos of the environment and the long lines, but now you're waiting all that time for overpriced tacos with low-quality preparation and ingredients.

RAHR Jiyanin

First visit was for to go, but one of the meals I paid for was missing. While the ready meals were getting cold, I had to wait 45 minutes for the missing meal. Second visit was dinning so I really wanted to have a decent warm meal. Unfortunately the meal was so cold, wasn’t sure if this was even new food. The stew was very unfresh, kebab was literally charcoal because it was over burned. They still had the face to suggest 18% tip as minimum . Service: a very old woman was working by herself, she took her sweet time as if she was walking on eggshells, owner decided to sit at a table relaxing instead of helping. We waited over an hour to get food & it took her 45 minutes to get our drinks. I wanted to give the a last chance: when I tried to place an order for 2 over the phone, a woman insisted to take my credit card info ahead of taking my order. This is not ok! I clearly said I will pay in person, but she refused. I will never ever give this place my business. There are so many choices out there!

Тан

I just ordered shish kebab, but there were only 4 pieces of meat! And they didn't include any utensils! I won't be ordering from here again. I pay 35$ only for rice! Thanks!