Darya Reviews

The chicken barg and filet mignon kabob are my favorites. Get it with half Persian salad and half basmati rice. Their basmati rice is very aromatic and yummy. Also, they make a good hummus.

decent iranian food in a cheesy 80's decor restaurant.

Food was so bad I am Iranian and I be ashamed of this place the soup(asheh reshteh) tasted like dishwasher water, stuffed grape leafs were tough and smelled I ordered the white fish but it had the texture of a leather shoe they also add 18% tip for the service that deserves 0% I asked for manager and was told he leaves early this was about 8 PM family of 6 cost $189. We all left the place sick the Worth food ever

The food was incredible. The chicken and the beef were very tasty. You get a lot of rice. The price is high, but justified for what you get.

I was in LA for a conference and looking for great Persian Food. I got a recommendation from a friend who knows LA to go to Darya. I was a bit unsure when I saw the store front and the decor but I was WRONG! The food is amazing!!! Fresh, delicious and generous. I had the boneless chicken Kabbob and the ground chicken Kubbideh Kabbob. Both melted in my mouth. You can then select your choice of plain or favored basmati rice. The Mixed chopped salad (shirazi salad) is tasty. I ordered the basmati rice with fava beans and dill that was out of this world. I cant wait to return.

Persians claim this is one of the best --or the best-- traditional Persian restaurant in Los Angeles --that has many excellent Persian restaurants. The food is certainly outstanding. Excellent combination of home-made atmosphere with very professional service.

Outstanding Persian cuisine. Always fresh and delicious. Large portions with enough to share or take home to enjoy the next day. My favorites are the salads, roasted tomatoes, salmon and beef koobideh. Have introduced friends and family to Darya and everyone has been delighted with their choices. The servers are attentive, but never rush customers to give up their table. Saturday nights large family groups come in, so another night would be better if you prefer a quieter atmosphere. Good wine available.

The atmosphere is very nice but the Persian food is average. The Persian food need some improvement. The desserts are good

OK, so it looks like an Iranian grandmother's very old and dusty living room. Right around the time Grandma needs to go into hospice. Just ignore that part. The service and food were fantastic. I can't give it 5 stars because of the overwhelming feeling that you have dust mites watching you eat, but aside from the mustiness, I promise the food and service are worth trying this place.

I ordered juicy chicken. Food was good. However, I experienced better juicy chicken. Quite expensive.

We have been to the Darya whenever we visit LA, and have never been disappointed. The food is of great quality and the service attentive. The fact that the Restaurant is frequented strongly by Iranians ( Persians) attest to that. On weekends suggest to make a reservation as it can get crowded.

We went for a business lunch.The prices have definitely risen in the past year or 2. But the lunch crowd is good, there is parking, and prices are a little on the high side for lunch. The service is very good and the food is great. For a sure thing, go for the chi Ken kabab. It's extremely tender and juicy. You'll love it. Hope this helps!!!

Our family visited Darya for a late lunch on a recent trip to LA. Wow! Great food, friendly service, large portions. We loved everything we had - highly recommend ordering the crispy rice tadig with side dishes and anything with fesenjan! We're looking forward to coming back.

Darya is a beautiful restaurant with top notch Persian food. They are known for having the best khoresht (stews) in town, but their kabobs are to die for! Generous servings and a very polite and friendly staff. As for appetizers, the Khash Bhademjon (eggplant spread) is the best I have ever had. RUN DON'T WALK TO DARYA'S IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR FINE AND DELICIOUS PERSIAN FOOD!

This is our weekly stop for Persian food. Always, reliable solid food. Their meat is tender and greens fresh.

Food at Darya is excellent. Plain and simple. They serve a good selection of different types of meats, vegetables and other dishes that everyone would like. Even if you a vegetarian, there are multiple dishes to choose from.

My wife and I along with my mom and younger brother went to Darya Resturant on April 1st. All of us ordered Fish. The food was amazing. My wife was white fried fish with Sabzi Polo while mine was grilled salmon. Both food were cooked to perfection. My brother ordered Feaenjoon and he was very happy with it. Generous portions, clean restaurant, wonderful service. If you are in LA, you owe it to yourself to try Darya.

This is a wonderful spot for a long, leisurely meal with friends. You’ll find delicious Persian specialties, friendly and welcoming staff at a great location with parking. I will return!

This was my first Persian meal and I didn't know what to expect. It was fantastic! I had the Khash Bhademjon (eggplant spread) appetizer and the juicy chicken kabob. They were excellent and the portions were large. I got 3 meals out of this! The restaurant was gorgeous...lots of gold and very elegant. We were there on a Thursday night and they had live entertainment. I liked this so well that I had ate at another Persian restaurant later in the week during a business trip. It was not nearly as good. Highly recommended.

In this part of twon, you will find so many Persian restaurants, but this is the best in food quality. Is little bit pricey and more expensive than others, but is totally worth it.

I had really high hopes for this restaurant. I normally dont let reviews of bad service deter me from a restaurant because if the food is good, that’s all that matters unless you’re just going for ambiance. That being said, i saw some bad reviews about service but heard the food was good so even went there to celebrate my 2 year old’s birthday. As soon as we sat down and our waiter came to the table, I let him know my daughter has a dairy allergy and asked what menu items would be safe. Let me say that we eat out ALL THE TIME and have never had a restaurant provide something unsafe yet..till tonight. First the waiter rolled his eyes when I told him I had a few questions about the menu and her allergy then quickly took our order and before we were even done ordering for the table (didnt get to drinks or apps yet), he just walked away! How rude! I asked him to see if the bread was safe and he just said “i think so” and again got annoyed i even had questions. Um, go check? At that point I was ready to just leave but we decided to let it go after speaking with another waiter. I had TWO waiters assure me the juicy chicken dish would be made dairy free for my daughter. Within minutes of her only eating the rice, she started breaking out and swelling near her mouth. I left the restaurant with my daughter immediately but they were extremely unapologetic. Never again. Worst service I’ve ever encountered. Ps- i am middle eastern and i can say that the food was not the best. I would give it a 4 out of 10 in terms of comparable persian restaurants.

The grilled options be it fish, chicken or meat are wonderful healthy but delicious food. The Daryl salad is excellent and a treat. Persian rice is extra tasty. Have been visiting this restaurant for years. The quality is the same but the prices like everything else have increased.

We went for dinner tonight and we were glad we had booked in advance since​ there was no free table. The restaurant lived up to its reputation and we really loved​ the food, ambience, and service. However, the quality of the Bakhlava could have been better

We were there with a group of 6 of us, but the service was great and the food was even better. We had the beef, ground chicken and white fish. We have eaten there 3 times now and have not been able to finish a dinner yet. The wait staff is good at selecting appetizers and meals to meet your taste requests.

The food here is great. Very authentic Iranian food. The restaurant atmosphere is good and authentic. Their delivery service is a bit bad. The drivers are not friendly but the food is exactly the same as the restaurant, which is important.

I usually order take outs from Darya as the food is really good and fresh however the decor leaves much to be desired.

I finally ate here after many Persian friends recommended Darya. And I found a parking spot right in front! The gormeh sabzi and boneless chicken kabob were perfect! Plus, their rice is spot on. Separate grains topped with a saffron yellow sheen. I went by myself and must come back with a group to try more dishes.

Darya is a great place for persian food. Highly recommended. The koobide is juicy and perfectly cooked. Crispy rice is an amazing taste.

We were 2 people at dinner gathering last week, I didn't know it was the last night I am feeling well , tomorrow morning I woke up with burning pain in my stomach and feeling vomit as well. This pain was killing me so I went to visit the doctor. He said you have been diagnosed with HELICOBACTER that is not going be treated that easy and I had to took strongest antibiotics for 2 weeks. He said this bacteria caused by food and spoons or water in restaurants that is contaminated with human stool.your food, water or even napkins could have been contain this bacteria. I would never go there. Please be careful. Still I'm not feeling good and even now I am in pain when I writing this review. Burning pain in my stomach. I don't know how long does it take to get rid of this painful disease. DO NOT GO THERE

Persian restaurant located in a quiet area, specious, suitable for large group . We have ordered sultani and qormah shabzi, the Sultni was so good but the Shabzi I would say average, it should be thick and the meat portion was little. Appetizers were fine. High price for the portion been served, good service. In general I would say it's an average restaurant. Recommend if you think so.

They have all the classic Persian dishes, from chicken, beef, and lamb kabob to all the different stews, service is top notch, Pricey but worth it

We have been visiting the Restaurant every summer when we visit LA. Over the years it had become a family „tradition“ to go for Persian dinner at the Darya. Unfortunately it has lost its touch and we were extremely disappointed with the quality of the food ( the Kabab dry, lacking spices; the rice tasteless, the Most O‘Khiar watery...), the service ill attentive ( needed to ask 3 times for additional drinks....). In addition the prices have gone up and the place has become noisy as an airport. The bill was placed on our table before we asked for it and we did not feel welcomed as guests, as everybody was busy squeezing more guests in! We will not return!!!

Prize for that food they serve you is high and food is not that good service is bad staff not polite and try to tricks you and when you get bill is not the prize you saw in menu

My wife and I passed by this restaurant in search of an interesting place to eat, and spontaneously stopped. Although the quality of the food was good, I only give three points because of the following: 1) The food is too pricey - the value-for-dollar relation is not very good there. E.g. the lamb was excellent, but it was lamb with some rice and some grilled vegetables - for 27 dollars before tax I expected more 2) It is definitely not the best iranian food I had tasted so far. In my German hometown we had a persian restaurant which was even better (while being much cheaper), the quality there was really a benchmark, and now I have no choice but comparing to that. 3) Service was not outstanding but good, nothing to complain. However, they have a weird way of having two different music sources in the very same restaurant - one background music apparently coming from the kitchen area, and one "live" music where a guy pretents to play piano but effectively sings "karaoke" style to songs - didn't understand what the objective of that was. In total, we regretted after the meal not having gone trying the Carousel restaurant (lebanese/armenian) that someone recommended to us - missed that chance...

Nice open dining area, but it can get noisy at dinner. I usually get Persian food at Darya because it is the freshest and most authentic Persian food in West Los Angeles. Prices are slightly above the competing Iranian places, but Darya delivers a superb meal. To Order, My Favorites: Mahi Sefid Sabzi Polo: white fish with herbed rice. The fish is thick and meaty and always fresh. The rice is full of herbs and a generous mound is served. Enough for two people. Loobia Polo: Green bean rice with chunks of beef. Beef is always tender. In a tomato sauce. Adas Polo: Chicken is occasionally dry but the sweet chunks of dates more than make up for this. Mast o sir: Yogurt and garlic: Thick yogurt with a mild garlic taste. Yummerz. Kabobs are all great. Mehdi the manager is very hands on. Very much so.

It is the Persian restaurant that we made the house restaurant. In the last 12 months we came in last 10 times and enjoyed every visit. Excellent chicken skewers that are very juicy and tender. Minced kabobs that are just so good. It comes with white rice and grilled tomatoes. Food is tasteful and consistent. The service is also usually good but sometimes the restaurant is very packed which affects the service and the experience. A few points which impact the experience: 1. The decor of the restaurant is outdated and makes the restaurant looks old and gloomy. 2. The music played by the organist is not necessary. Bottom line: very good food; atmosphere should be improved.

I just do not get it, you have a established Business with Great food fair prices and you screw it up. The last two visits at Darya Unbelievable, They put Jalapenos on the plate, " REALLY" I never in 35 years have seen this with Persian food. so I asked the waiter what the heck is this all about, he said some people like jalapeno, I did not ask for them, are you doing this with every kabobb dish he said yes, I notice the meat is not as juicy and the saffron on the rice was water'd down, i had a order to go and when i got home there was a big Jalapeno right on top of the rice, ruined the taste of the rice, The color of the saffron should be dark almost reddish to dark orange color when purer, Few places will serve like this, OK i get it, The saffron is what gives such great taste, I guess i will drive the extra 5 minutes to, Flame Persian cusine, Westwood. Always great food. For the best Persian food, Hands down.

We went to Los Angeles for persian new year and returned satisfied as all the choices we made for restaurants didn't disappoint us. Darya was one of them where we went for our last lunch in LA. The restaurant atmosphere is nothing especial but clean and pleasant. However, the food was one of the best foods we ever had in a persian restaurant. I particularly asked for fried white fish with herbal rice (the traditional new year food) and I was so pleased with the quality of rice and the way the fish was prepared, and the portion was just right. We also ordered ground beef kabab, Lima beans rice with lamb shank and shishkabab. They were all delicious and the quality of everything in our plate was the best. We also ordered stuffed grape leaf for appetizer which also was made in house and again very delicious. I should also mention the service which made our experience memorable. I definitely return to Darya for more delicious food, and recommend it to everyone who wants to experience an authentic persian cuisine.

Darya has great lunch specials and their dinner portions are huge. The Chicken Koobideh is a great and the lunch special is under $10.

I couldn't even imagine how Persian/Iranian cuisine would be until my Iranian friend invited me here. Consequently I found them very desirable. The high ceilings, royal furnishings, and refined atmosphere makes for a lofty concept in a restaurant. The service was pretty attentive and sensible. They're smart at their work, we were received with a courteous welcome. Since my friend is a very familiar face in this restaurant, the service might have been much better than ordinarily, I assume. Garden Salad, White Fish added grilled vegetable, tomato and mushroom, and dessert & tea. Salad dressing was made with simply virgin olive oil and fresh lime juice. Fresh juicy salad and fresh simple dressing taste even better. The White Fish was huge and thick! Definitely tasted supreme! Usually if they smell fishy, I can't eat them. ( I can't eat raw fish including Sushi... Just because I'm Japanese, it doesn't mean I like sushi.) According to my friend, the fish are delivered from Chicago (Lake Superior) everyday. It was't over seasoned, very subtle herb smell. No doubt, to ensure the customer can savor the fresh and high quality tastes of ingredients, seasoning was kept minimum. That way suits me very much. Not sure if they suit all tests. Especially people who prefer heavy and strong seasoning or like say something buttery or cheesy sauce. Balsamic and saffron rice tasted also really delicious and the dessert and even tea were also simple and tasty. I couldn't remember the dessert name (it was Persian) though it reminded me Karinto which is traditional Japanese snack. Sweet and deep fried, it's made primarily of flour, yeast, and brown sugar. My friend also told me the dessert was baked by oven until crispy. Every dish was awesome. They are excellent and must be one of the best Persian restaurant in Los Angeles. I have come to like them and would love to try other dishes. Incidentally, the restaurant name Darya means sea, my friend told me.

Darya is a great persian restaurant. No Doubt it has the best filet kabob (Barg) I have ever had. The portions are generous and very tasty. I highly recommend it.

First time here on 3/22/19. Arrived for lunch at about 11:40, just ahead of the rush. I had the Lubia Polo . . . tomato rice with green beans and filet mignon, a skewer of koobideh kebab, a grilled tomato, and a bowl of shirazi salad. Fresh and flavorful, and generous portions. Although the koobideh might have been charred a bit more for my taste, it was excellent and the single skewer was more that most places give you on two skewers. Not overpriced at $15. Also served a generous basket of flatbread, with a plate of butter prints, radishes, and onions.

The street view of Darya is unassuming and fits into the generic, 1960s-style Los Angeles building design. There is no hint of what's inside. Walking into the restaurant feels like being transported back to what I imagine was the Western-oriented elegance of pre-revolutionary Iran. An air of the "old days" is palpable. Having never had Persian food, we relied on the recommendations of our formally-attired male waiter. We were not disappointed. The Darya salad, a combination of Romaine lettuce and mixed greens tossed with tomatoes, cucumbers, lentils, raisins, dates, feta, walnuts, and olives, is very refreshing. We like pomegranates, and when the waiter suggested Fesenjon, a stew with chicken drenched in a puree of ground walnuts and pomegranate, served with rice, we couldn't resist. It was delicious. Dessert was an ice cream dish topped with rice and cherries. Half a lemon squeezed over the top added a nice citrus flavor. The wait staff is friendly, very attentive, and knowledgeable. Don't let your unfamiliarity with traditional Persian food keep you from trying this wonderful place.

Hands down the best. Forget Westwood with it's many middle eastern restuarants, this place is consistently the best. If you come on the weekend or Sunday afternoon/evening prepare for a wait as it gets quite busy. If you order for take out watch out because they ALWAYS forget something (once a fish dish, many times the yogurt dip, etc). Good luck trying to get your money back. Despite the disgusting bathrooms (which they seem to be remodeling...hopefully), the outdated decor (I hope someone from the restaurant reads this and puts a new coat of white paint on the walls), and their probably intentional forgetfullness with take-out, we still keep coming for the food.

Darya is a must-stop for us. The food is consistently great. The Tahdig with stews (Bademjan is our favorite) appetizer of all time. The juicy chicken is just that - juicy and great. And the Koobideh is phenomenal - a taste sensation. The rice is JUST how you would expect Persian rice - no two pieces stick together - it's just so perfectly done. The kids get there rice with sour cherries - and they ADORE it. This is a great restaurant with unique cuisine not easily found elsewhere (except, of course, in

Kabob barg, koubideh and Naderi were very good. I hated the dolma because to me it tasted exactly like the ones from a can and not home made. Staff were not very friendly expect for the busboys who were very nice and courteous.

The restaurant itself is quite basic, but the quality and flavor of the food more than makes up for it.The variety of food is amazing and mindboggling, but the waiter is very accommodating and will help you choose. Everything we ate was delicious

We had a great meal starting with grape leaves and the lamb was outstanding. The service made the evening enjoyable, as did the wine. We spent a long time enjoying the food.

Every time I come down to LA, I have to have Darya’s Persian food. Despite the COVID 19, they have a few tables outside where you can sit and have one of the best kebabs. Highly recommend their eggplant appetizers and soltani kebab. Bon appétit

I am a creature of habit and always order the hot tea, koobideh kabab (ground meet), and shallot yogurt. The food is absolutely delicious and every entrée that I have ordered has been great! My kids love the choices too!

Last night we had our Iftar Dinner in this restaurant and OMG they did not dis-appoint us. The best food in town, HOT, nice & clean place, on top the service of the waiters were excellent. We had a very good time and at last the Lipton Tea was great. Thanks to the management and staff for the wonderful dinner. A++++++++++++++++++++

Visited Iran last year and can say that this restaurant beats all restaurants I tasted there. The meat, the rice, the stews, the appetizers - all extraordinary. May look a little ugly from the outside but lovely once you come in, you get treated very well.

Came to LA from the Bay Area and a friend recommended Darya. Truly outstanding service, fantastic gaimeh, fesenjoon, and ghormeh sabzi. Kebabs out of this world, most tender and delicious koobideh ever. A fantastic dinner

For me the Naderi kabab is the best "Bargh" you can find anywhere in the world. Love this restaurant.

I was introduced to Darya by Persian friends who grew up in Tehran. The food prepared there is wonderful -- extremely fresh, beautifully seasoned, and nicely presented. The kashke bademjan is outstanding, as are all the special rice dishes and the feisenjan. Delicious! Everything is super-fresh and very, very tasty. The room is very pretty, with a pleasing atmosphere and a striking (if strange!), somewhat Dali-esque mural on one wall. Service is friendly and very efficient, even when the restaurant is quite crowded (which is often). An excellent source for Persian food on L.A.'s west side, with ample parking in the back. Highly recommend!

This place is so great. They have the best salmon. My phone is acting up so I did not get a photo of it, but trust me, it is the best. It is a nice portion and it is cooked to perfection. This Darya is in Santa Monica, but I consider it the West Side. It matters not. The food is amazing. We love Persian food and often forget to go, but we have been to a few in the past month and are hooked again. Darya is just lovely. It is very comfortable and the lighting is perfect. It is clean inside and out. It has an adorable awing outside so you won't miss the place. The service is very nice. It takes a minute to get your food, but when you do it is cooked to perfection and ever so good. There is nothing we don't like on the menu. They carry a yogurt type soda and that is just weird, but everything else is great. I love their salmon and all of their chicken dishes. Their Zereshk Polo has steamed white rice mixed with barberries and is served with the best seasoned slow-boiled chicken. We also love their lentil soup, which is something I never order elsewhere. It is just so comforting. All of their salads are great, our favorite being the Darya Salad which is a combination of Romaine lettuce, mixed greens tossed with tomatoes, cucumbers, lentils, raisins, dates, imported feta cheese, walnuts, and great olives. You just can't go wrong here. The prices are fair for what you get and you will want to nap when done.

Four family members went for dinner and we took the opportunity to share & taste a few dishes . The Eggplant starters were delicious & also the Minced Beef Rolls. The Juicy Chicken is a must & also the Eye Fillet Strips.Actually everything we chose was tasty & delicious. The Cheesecake is wonderful & the Rosewater ice cream is unusual but excellent This is the second time I have been here & I don't live in LA

​ We had Chicken and beef Kubide (shish kebab) and a file Mignon shish kebab. It came with Basmati rice and all food was excellent! Service was good, in spite of a very busy night. The place was really full.

Find authentic Persian food at this west side eatery. Easy street parking on Santa Monica Blvd. I found the food very tasty and the portions plentiful. The restaurant is very loud. I found I was practically screaming so those at our four person table could hear me. Other than having to ask for water three times, the service was good.

Great Persian food. For starters the “Borani“ (sautéed eggplant with yogurt) and the “Dolemeh” (beef-stuffed grape leaves) were both excellent. For my main course, I had the skewered lamb, which was grilled to perfection and served with saffron rice. Would return.

good non-kosher kabobs.

My family visited Darya for lunch. Food was very good and they offered many veg options with the flexibility to select essentially any combination of items on the menu. We were there for about 90 minutes and felt comfortable and unrushed chatting after the meal was done

I was taken there by two Persian colleague that decidedly know food -- this is their favorite place in Los Angeles and now one of mine! Fresh quality ingredients and the kebabs both the ground beef and the filet minion were tender and tasty. Loved the roasted tomatoes.Service was friendly and professional for me and especially good when my colleagues spoke Persian!

The food here is fantastic. You start off with the bread, served warm from the oven with raw onions and butter. Then you can order a variety of appetizers from dolme (stuffed grape leaves) to khash bhademjon (eggplant spread). Then move on the main dishes of chicken, beef or lamb kabobs, broiled fish, lamb shank with rice and dill - the best Persian food you'll find outside of Iran (and I lived there in the 1960s). There are a variety of khoreshes (stews) you can get that go over the rice made from different vegetables and fruits. There is also a wonderful chicken dish in pomegranate sauce. You can also get rice combined with varieties of fruits and lentils, such as the lentils, dates, and raisins. This costs extra rather than plain rice, but is worth it. Alcoholic drinks are served from a well-stocked bar and there is live entertainment on the weekends. Make a reservation, especially on the weekend. A sure sign that this place is great -- around 9:30 pm it starts to fill up with Iranians!

Easy parking. Great Persian food. High end so pricey but food is tasty and service is excellent. Must try the Darya special with half rice half salad!!

We were there only one night there because we traveled to L.A from Europe and unfortunately its not available for us every week. The Persian food is perfect, we ordered Naderi & ghorme sabzi , it was the best Persian food I had ever tried out of Iran, the people are working there are so kind and friendly simply you feel home. Extremely recommend this place. Amir