Reviews

Hummus: very good, not too oily, nice texture. I had lamb and grilled vegetables, it was good and very reasonable for the price. I couldn't even finish and trust me, I have tried. Very nice place, in the end of the touristic area, it was very calm and relaxing, nice owners.

I walked up and down 5th Avenue in the Gaslamp District looking for something good to eat but not a chain restaurant. I finally decided on Sadaf, Persian restaurant and I wasn't sorry. I sat on the small patio and enjoyed my Persian iced tea, soup, and chicken kebabs. I also had a very attentive server that also gave me great recommendation on the right dish for me.

First time eating Persian food!! Chicken kaboob was amazingly delicious!! Waitress/owner Zari is very hospitable!!

Friendly staff and good food. This to me was a standard mediterranean restaurant. Service was at a slow but consistent pace.

This was a great place to eat the staff was friendly and set a table up for us. 6 adults and 5 kids we did make some noise but they kept with us. The sadaf platter is a must try and the dessert ice cream was amazing with saffron in it. If you are here and want to try authentic cuisine this is the place.

This is a depressing restaurant. Zero ambiance. It smells like a nightclub which is what it becomes later at night. This is clearly where the owner sees heart is because if it wasn't he wouldn't have such terrible service in there. The food was average. If you want to have good Persian there is so much better one block away.

Not as shown in photo. Excellent lamb, appetizer so-so. Had daily special $50 - 2 wine, appetizer, any 2 entrees on menu. Friendly service very good.

I was on a trip and stayed nearby. So many restaurants and so little time I decided to try something new since I had not previously tried Persian cuisine. the lamb shank was really good and the bread was too and the rice was extraordinary. Generous servings. Very nice staff; had a nice chat with the daughter of the owners. The setting was charming.

We came here because we had heard that they served really good Persian food - my boyfriend is Persian and we both love Persian food. We were staying near the gaslight district where the restaurant is located so we walked over hoping to have a really good meal in a nice restaurant and it was a really disappointing experience. I ordered the Ghormeh Sabzi which is one of my favorite dishes. It wasn't at all good though, the flavour just wasn't right. It tasted like the mixture of greens was incomplete almost like it was just spinach. In addition to the flavour being off the mark there were three tiny little pieces of meat and about five kidney beans in the entire serving. I told my boyfriend that the flavour wasn't right and he tried it and agreed with me. I am not saying the the food was off - only that it didn't taste right. My boyfriend had the kebab combination and it was dry and overcooked. The flat bread was also kind of dry and stale. The service was OK, not good just OK. We were served promptly but no one checked back to see how the food was. I joked that they knew how it was so they stayed the heck out of sight. All in all it was a very unsatisfactory and disappointing meal. We won't be back there the next time we visit San Diego.

My wife and I enjoy sampling International cuisine. So last night we decided (for the first time) to try some Persian food from Sadaf in Downtown San Diego... It is simply amazing! The variety and quality of food were superb. We had Dolmeh, lamb and chicken kebabs, chicken with a special Persian sauce and baklava for dessert. Every single dish was the best of the Mediterranean variety we had ever tried. *HIGHLY recommend and MANY THANKS for the wonderful people at Sadaf.

Without a doubt this was the best restaurant we have eaten in for a long time. The Gas Light district of San Diego has restaurant after restaurant and most are pretty standard, except Sadaf's. For just over $53 including tax (not tip) we got 2 full glasses of excellent wine, 2 appetizers that were to die for and 2 delectable entrees. The host was charming and made us feel like we were his very special guests for the evening. I would recommend this restaurant in a heart beat.

We do have a Lo-Hate relationship...

I keep returning to this restaurant every time I visit San Diego. It is on a fun street in Gas Lamp District in a central location. Very diverse and large selection of authentic dishes on the menu. Extremely friendly staff and owners. Outdoor seating is available. The price is very nice as well. Highly recommended as a Persian American.

Dined there for dinner one night during the World Cup and had to listen to the large screen TV the entire time. That being said, service, food and portions were all very good and quite reasonable for a downtown San Diego restaurant. BTW - the Tripadvisor photo is NOT from this restaurant's San Diego property. I believe it is from the sister property in La Jolla.

I was searching for something a little different in the gaslamp district and decided to give this restaurant a try. It's located on a block with several restaurants in a row, many (including this one) with sidewalk seating. I started with the Mediterranean salad, which was very ample and flavorful. The ingredients were fresh, and even though it comes with pita triangles, you can skip them to save on the calories. For my main course, I had the Zereshk Polo, which came on skewers with vegetables, and a side of rice with some type of dried fruit (barberry?) on top. The chicken was very tender and seasoned well. There were too many onions and not enough of the grilled tomato. The rice was a tad soupy, but not terrible. The berries added an interesting sour flavor profile that you don't often find in western cuisines, so it was an interesting change of pace and exactly what I was looking for.

Chicken Tikka Mala was so rich, fragrant and perfectly cooked, wow! Served with basmati rice and started with an amazing homemade lentil soup. What a treat, thank you!

This is an excellent choice if you like kabobs, stuffed grape leaves, and Persian ice cream infused with rose water and pistachios. The staff are very friendly.

Very nice restaurant with kind staff . Delicious food freshly prepared . Good prices in comparison to all nearby restaurants . I love it and I will visit them in each time I travel to San Diego .

Amazed this restaurant wasn't packed. Stayed nearby at the Wyndham so we passed this restaurant every day. Small inside with an outdoors seating area. The menu has a number of wonderful Persian selections. The lentil soup was great. The chicken dishes were delicious and the portions amazingly huge, especially for what they charged. All in all a fabulous meal at a reasonable price. Would have come back again had we been in town longer.

DELICIOUS and NOT-YOUR-TYPICAL food! - we had grape leaf appetizers (think "lettuce wraps") & kabobs for dinner ....SUPER TENDER meat and TASTY date-and-raisin rice. YUM! WARM & PERSONAL service - we left literally feeling like family (despite that we are hubby & wife from Cincinnati and had NO PREVIOUS experience with "Persian" Food) and PULLING for the owner & sweet/attentive waitress! DECENT prices - we had the special: $50 for 2 glasses of wine, 1 appetizer, 2 entrees NO WAIT - but WHY???? TRY THIS PLACE !!! We just LOVED it !!! PS: As a previous poster commented .... Photo is NOT accurate. I rated "ambience" a 3 on a 1 to 5 scale. Still..... GIVE IT A SHOT!

I am Persian-American and loved this restaurant. Wonderful, authentic cuisine. Very Friendly Service. Excellent location in Gas lantern District. Outdoor seating and wonderful indoor decor. Good Prices.

It’s a very good restaurant and with very good services, delicious food, I advice all Muslims travelers to visit Sadaf restaurant

The food was beautifully seasoned and well presented. The facility was beautiful and well cared for. The waiter was so helpful and gracious.

great food & great service -- highly recommended -- shish kebabs and baba ghanoush are excellent

We were deciding where to go for dinner and we walked by Sadaf; the place was empty (not usually a good sign) but the menu looked interesting, so we decided to give it a try. What a good decision! I had the lamb kabobs (called something else, I think) and they were fantastic. Service was very good and prices were reasonable. I really enjoyed this meal!

The best place ever to go and have a home made , healthy food with a good price . You can even have vegan which for us was the best . I love this place a lot . Ash reshte . Gheymeh bademjooon . Best ever . Try it you will have a nice experience .

Stumbled into this great place in the gaslamp area. The smallplates aren'tthat small and they are packed with fantastic flavors.My husband and I shared 4 small plates and 1 entree, we took about half home with us! Service was good. Very reasonable prices, would definitely go back.

From the first steps in the door to our departure, the owner made us feel like family! The chicken and rice with dates etc. was one of the best meals we've had in a restaurant. We rated it higher than the Bandar, because of the owner's hospitality and the more intimate atmosphere. In addition, we were practically the only diners at the Bandar, but the Sadaf filled up with groups who walked over from the Convention Center (a meeting of Reform Judaism).

The food was very tasty, we ordered a goat sausage dish and a spinach something dish with rice. We had had some red wine before leaving our hotel, so didn't have to order any alcohol. Both dishes were good. Not too long of a wait to get served. The woman who seated us was very friendly and pleasant. The place turns into a dance club after 9 pm, so if you go there, be aware of this. It was not too busy on the Friday evening we ate there. Would go there again.

I preface this with the fact that I'm not any connieseur of Mediterranean or Middle Eadtern food, but having tried somenear Fort Worth recently, I gave this place a shot. Although stuck amongst a bunch of run of the mill bars, this place should stand out. It wasn't too busy at 4 pm, but I'm happy I stopped in. The waitstaff (maybe an owner) brought me out what seemed to be some unleavened bread. On it's own, not a ton of taste. But mix it with the kebab of Cornish game hen and basmati rice, it makes for a great pouch to hold the food. The star of the dish was a side of white onions as a garnish. Tasted a lot like tabouli without the couscous...lots,of zing and parsley, and it made a fantastic garnish for the little pockets. Great value as for roughly $18, I ate and have plenty for a meal tomorrow here. Friendly staff. Take a chance and skip the run of the mill bars and cookie cutter places. This is very good.

This is the real deal. Soltani was perfectly cooked and the maust a khiyar was the best I’ve had. Come here for great authentic Persian food!

Best dolma (stuffed grape leaves) and eggplant appetizer ever! Heavenly! The recipes are well executed and the ingredients taste like they are fresh and of good quality. Huge portions. On a Friday night they should have been much busier. The photo shown here on TripAdvisor is not of this restaurant; this restaurant comes off as rather tawdry. Sitting inside, we got quite a bit of secondhand smoke from the street which definitely detracted from the experience. Most of the food was amazingly good, a couple of items not so well prepared. Service friendly but obviously not professionally trained, it seems like a Ma and Pa homecooked meal type of place. We had a good dinner.

This is a wonderful restaurant with charm and atmosphere. The food was delicious and who would think that rice could taste that good. I would recommend a persian martini to start of the evening. Very interesting taste and full of flavor.

I've been to Sadaf many times when I previously was stationed in San Diego. This was my first taste of Persian food way back in 2001 and although now love it, I haven't found one as good as Sadaf. I went with a group of friends who had never had Persian food. I ordered baba ganoush for everyone which comes with flat bread. As I remembered it was very tasty such that I would have been happy if that was all I ordered! I ordered my favorite dish the lamb skewers with basmati rice and currants. Though I'm told this combination isn't unique, many Persian restaurants I've been to don't always have currants. The lamb skewers were perfectly charred on the outside while succulent and moist on the inside. Other's in my group had the eggplant stew, cornish hen kabob and lamb chop. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful in describing the food and providing excellent service. Everyone commented that their dishes were very good and like me I think they are all fans of Persian food now!

Excellent . Hospitality . Delicious. Can not forget it . Thanks Zahra . Thanks all the staff . All my main meals in San Diego will be in your restaurant next time .

We walked in while walking around downtown San Diego. The service was excellent. Food was well prepared and well presented. Good exposure to the persian food although some items are very similar to the north indian food.

Quality of food is first rate. I had the chicken kabob and the fesenjoon (chicken in a walnut / pomegranate molasses stew). Delicious. And the zereshk polo (barberry / saffron rice) was really tasty. Very good balance to the sweet fesenjoon. Staff were very friendly and helpful. A really good quality restaurant where you can enjoy a leisurely Persian meal. On a Saturday the outside seating might be a little noisy as neighbouring bars are not subtle. Don’t let that put you off though. This is a great restaurant run by very nice people. I highly recommend for a leisurely Persian meal.

Going past many pubs, cafes, and restaurants through Gaslight Village in San Diego, we stopped at Sadaf when the hostess on the outside beckoned us to try them, highly recommending them. We chanced to go in though there was not another soul inside - usually a bad sign. BUT, the chef did a wonderful job of providing a great eye-appealing and tasty meal for the three of us, which was served up by a knowledgeable and friendly server. For $50 plus tax and tip for the three of us with their "special" of the house, we had a wonderful meal, including wine.

I am not normally one to leave reviews but the chicken kabob dish is amazing at Sadaf. Wholehearted, simple ingredients that complement each other exceptionally well. Will definitely be returning soon!

Amazing restaurant. As a Persian-American I can safely say that the food here is authentic. Such a diverse, large selection of menu options. Very friendly staff. Beautiful central location in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter. There is both outside and inside seating. Whenever I am in town I make sure that I eat here a few times.

I have dined at Persian restaurants quite often and I love the food. Based on my first visit to Sadaf, the restaurant was fine in most ways. I came here for a solo dinner, early in the evening on a Sunday. There was only one couple dining there when I arrived, but the place was a bit noisy because both the television and radio were on (competing sounds, uff!); not sure why. I didn’t fuss because I didn’t have anyone to converse with anyway. The décor is a hodgepodge: brick walls with concrete-looking sconces, tile flooring, power blue sky on the ceiling and basic furniture. [The photo for this TripAdvisor listing is NOT of this restaurant] The service was a tad slow, but my server was a nice guy. I ordered a glass of Pinot Noir, a plate of mushrooms (appetizer) and Adas Polo for my entrée. The food was tasty, but I got surprised when my Adas Polo was served with the chicken on the side of the rice—served kebab style—instead of boiled under the rice. Is this an alternative preparation? Anyway, not the end of the world because I was fine with my meal. BTW, main entrée + mushrooms + one glass of wine = $44 before tip. Not in the “good value” category.

Very good restaurant with excellent service. Nice menu with varied choices. Lunch entrée came with excellent lentil soup and large order of flat bread. Great meal.

We were vacationing in San Diego & stayed in downtown. One night for dinner, we went to Sadaf Restaurant. Everything was so delicious. The appetizers were great & the Kabab was juicy & perfect. The staff were friendly and very helpful. The place also has beautiful decor.

Was a little leary that they had available reservations for 9 people for 7:30, but wow!! Service was the best (Dan was awesome)!! Everyone LOVED their food. Our group tried the lamb, chicken, shrimp, beef, and it was all delicious. Their Persian Martini's were great!! This was my first time eating Persian food and when I return to this great city, I will be returning to this GREAT restaurant.

We LOVED this restaurant's menu and the food was so outstanding that we ate there twice in 6 nights! It is not an American version of Middle Eastern food. Typical menu items are available but there are also some more unusual (and delicious) choices, e.g. Persian ice cream and doogh. Don't be afraid to try something you've never had before! We thought the lamb shish kebabs were especially good, too.

Had a fabulous dinner ~ appetizer of Persian Baba Ghanoush was PHENOMENAL! My husband’s main was Lamb Shank simmered in tomato sauce, onions and spices served with dill weed rice and lima beans. My entree was Eggplant Stew, a savory stew of Italian eggplant, yellow split peas and light spices in a tomato base ....I had this with large chunks of grilled chicken versus the beef that is stated on the menu and this is served on a large bed of basmati rice topped with saffron.....both meals were EXCELLENT! All ingredients are so very fresh, wonderfully seasoned and prepared. Portions are quite generous with tremendous value. Waitstaff were so very friendly, warm, welcoming, professional and most attentive. Ambiance is comfy and relaxing. Highly recommend this restaurant!

A brand new experience for us, but we really enjoyed it. The food was very tasty. We had a spinich dip appetizer. My wife had a Chicken kabob that she really enjoyed. I had the beef kabob with 2 different cuts of beef. Everything was excellent.

Went for dinner, ate outside, and people watched in the gas lamp district of San Diego. Ordered the vegetable soup, spinach borani, Persian garlic flat bread, spinach chicken stew, and mango lassy. The food tastes were awesome and the staff were friendly and attentive. There are a number of other great menu options like appetizers, soups, salads, entrees with choices of beef, lamb, poultry, vegetables, or seafood.

Bottle of wine , appetizer, and entree for 49.99??? great deal for a good meal. Wait staff was excellent. Not the best Middle eastern food that I have had bit certainly not the worst. I would go back and I did recommend this restaurant to a family member that lives in town.

food was ok, probably not worth $20/plate. Red wine was served in white wine glass, bread was not fresh, butter was cold. a whole bunch of neglected small details lead up to an overall negative first impression. Nice atmosphere, though.

Been there for a business lunch. The appetizers were pretty good, but the main course wasn't that exciting. Not more than OK. The place was almost empty for lunch on a weekday, which is not very promising.

This is a great place in the Gaslamp District of SD. I came here with two colleagues after a long day of air travel to SD for a convention and it just hit the spot. I liked it so much that I returned four days later with my husband, who joined me in SD mid-conference. Both of the nights I came here, we ordered simply a salad and several appetizers to share, rather than any entrees....however the entrees did look delicious, and very generously sized, too. Between my two visits here, I sampled the shirazi salad, the fattoush salad, the hummus, the cucumber/yogurt/mint dip and the stuffed grape leaves. Each item was just wonderful. My husband had a strong Turkish coffee and we shared a piece of baklava, which was very small but satisfying. The owner, "Essi," was gracious and lovely. Good feeling of hospitality. There is also indoor and outdoor seating (with heating lamps on the patio). Try it!!

All the negative reviews are old. Our experience was almost perfect. They have the best bread and hummus in southern CA. Also the best rice. Chicken Barg was amazing...melt in your mouth. Very friendly and attentive service.

Sadaf, located on Fifth Avenue in San Diego is wonderful. It was an almost warm evening and the four of us sat outside with heaters close by. Lamb kebobs were excellent, saffron rice was wonderful, black cherry rice I tasted was also wonderful. Service was excellent. I am glad that I ignored the bad reviews that I had read before going. Recommended by a San Diego friend, it really was a great evening!

We recently returned to Sadaf Restaurant in the Gaslamp District in San Diego - both times using a Groupon. Again, we were treated to mouth watering taste treats!! We ordered the Sadaf Salad and Chicken Shish Kabobs. They both were perfectly seasoned in the Persian way, as well as very large portions-more than enough for two to share. Both times we were greeted and served by a wonderful woman who we believe must be one of the owners by the way she was interacting with the guests - very warm and cordial!! We will definitely return to Sadaf next time we are in San Diego.

This Persian and the nearby Bandar are very good and appear to share a kitchen based on the Google map and the similar menus. We have eaten at both and can recommend them both, especially the appetizers and the chicken specialties.

Great food, great service entertaining area whet else we could ask! Then, they informed that today special is cheaper beers...that is it. We had good time and accompanied with delicious food. Hostess was very nice and friendly.

Walking about the Gas Lamp district looking for something that was not a bar..found this little place. The food is fresh, authentic and amazing. After a week of hotel food, Sadaf was a breath of fresh air! The owner served us; a lovely, gracious women. It was like being in Europe...a patio, fresh hummus, perfectly dressed fatoush salad and a warm Persian tea to complete our meal. What a find. Yum.

This was our first time here. We went early and place was not crowded. Service was good and our server was friendly. Sadaf salad was fresh and tasty. My girlfriend had kabob barg. She said it was good and up to par with Westwood restaurants in LA. I am vegetarian and had geimeh bademjan. It was good but I would have preferred more dried lime flavor. Overall, it was a good experience and we would go back again.

I have been to Sadaf before and this time I took my colleagues to have a test of middle eastern food and all liked it very much.

First time experiencing Persian cuisine. Everything was served hot and timely fashion. Flavors very nice. Service pleasant and prompt. I would recommend.

I had lunch in this restaurant. The service was friendly and welcoming, attentive without being overbearing, and the food was excellent. Recommended!

Beef was very good, chicken was a little dry. Service was good and portion size was big. We enjoyed it.

We recently had lunch at Sadaf and used a Groupon - "Lunch for two-two kabobs and two glasses of wine". The food was fantastic and very plentiful - we ordered the chicken kabobs which came with basmati rice and side condiments - the Chardonnay was very good, as well. The server was very gracious with both our service and dealing with our Groupon coupon. They do have lunch specials during the week - chicken kabob lunch for $10! We will definitely return to Sadaf in the future!!

Went to this restaurant with my Hubbie, really disappointed, not worth the money, food very basic. Go else where!

This is a hidden gem, the food is cooked and has delicious flavor in each bite. I ordered the "Beef Soltani" and my date ordered the "Salmon Kabob" and the portions are massive that left us both full with leftovers to take home. I am leaving 10 stars if I cloud, highly recommended.

I had never had Persian food and decided to try Sadaf based on another reviewers experience. The previous diners were right on target! The staff was warm, welcoming and knowledgeable, and the food was exquisite! The owner explained the different types of meat they serve, the various choices for rice, and described some of the traditional appetizers. I chose the beef kabob which was very tender beef served with basmati rice, grilled onions and a grilled tomato. All were scrumptious and the portions are large. Sadof is definitely worth a visit!!!

The place doesn't look like much and sure not like the image shown but the food was home cooked great. We were on business and two of us ate there. Price was great, family like fee and service. You can't go wrong. Looks a little hole in the wall but the basmatti rice will convert you. Go!

We travellled to San Diego from England and ate here at lunchtime and on our last evening. The food was delicious, large portions, and very tasty. Service was friendly and quick and as I am a vegetarian I found there was lots of choice which doesn't always happen in the USA. All of the food is sensitively spiced and so nice that we ate there 3 times in total. This place is downtown on 5th Avenue. I would definitely recommend a visit if younare staying in San Diego.

We went there to celebrate a birthday before an evening show at the San Diego Rep. Having been in the GasLamp later on a summer evening when it is crowded, noisy and hard to find a seat, coming early for dinner was a real pleasure. The menu was comprehensive, the service attentive. Our waiter made sure to explain the dishes and made recommendations when we asked. The hummus is lovely and smooth. Not too much garlic, just right. Our dinner companions had the pomegranate stew with lamb which was a delicious surprise. Ask about the special.

The fillet and lamb kabobs were literally melt in your mouth delicious. The Dolmeh was very yummy also. Preston was an amazing host and had great conversation about San Diego. And life. LOVED my experience here and highly recommend this delightful place. I was very very impressed and told my husband he would love dining here on our next visit to SD.

Stopped by for lunch. The flavors were wonderful. You feel like the food is coming from a home kitchen. The hostess was very accommodating and provided excellent recommendations. I thought it was worth the price.

I had the beef kabobs and I do not believe I have ever had better beef than was on the kabobs I had there. It was extremely tender and flavorful and the grilled vegetables were perfect. These were served on saffron rice that was perfectly cooked. We had a side order of stuffed grape leaves that were good and a plate of hummus and pita bread. Very friendly waiter with quick service. Interesting old building with a sidewalk area of tables.

Wonderful dinner with family. Very tasty and great service. Visited 10 years ago and today was better than I remember. So full but couldn't resist ordering tiramisu:)

We ate at another restaurant close-by but were intrigued by Sadaf. We had tickets for the Balboa theatre, so we had limited time for dinner, and we explained that to the staff. The owner personally interacted with us several times, and he was very warm and personable. The lamb kabobs were incredible, very tender and perfectly cooked. The couple next to us raved about the eggplant appetizer. Wish we could have had more time to savor the meal. Definitely check it out.

We stopped for lunch al fresco. We had Chicken Tikki Marsalla preceded with complimentary lentil soup that was good. The cream sauce with the chicken was tasty. Basmati and saffron rice was good. Found that the thin flatbread was very average.

Just had the lentil soup which had great texture and great flavor. The Samosa have been great as well. The lamb kabob was out of this world. This lamb was the most flavorful and tender I ever had. Service was great as well - very friendly.

Excellent steak kabobs, hummus and grilled mushrooms. Excellent service. Very enjoyable experience. Recommend for anyone looking for a different dining experience.

The Grapeleaves were so flavorful! Best I've had. Hummus was amazing too. I had chicken shush kabob and couldn't finish it because the grilled veggies were so goo I ate all of them first!

I had not been to the Gaslamp District in over 5 years, but I always go to Sadaf when I am in town so I had to make sure I took the family there. Things have changed a bit over the past 5-7 years, but the staple meals (rice and kabob) are still as good as ever. It was a bit of a surprise to see how slow they were, as they are normally much busier but we were there pretty early (6:00) so we sat right down and were served within a few minutes. The food and service were both great so I would highly recommend it.

If you like meat Sadaf is the best place! Good location, excellent service and very tasty food! come back there 3 times when was in San Diego!

Tried a new cuisine for the first time, wasn't super impressed as taste are not as per Indian palate but food and service was good. Ordered lentil soup , lamb shank, kebeb and all were well done, Staff was friendly, kinda suggested what we would like.. overall < Good

Very good tasty iranian halal food in the heart of downtown Gaslamp area in the center of San Diego. The Staff are very friendly with many complimentary services and food

A good persian restaurant with belly dancers. Becomes a night club with very loud music after 10 on weekends. So, if you want a good dinner go on a week day or early on weekends!

I had the Nan bread and lentil soup. It was excellent. I would highly recommend the place to eat. The waitress was helpful and was a nice place to eat. I would come here again.

The place is nice but the food is just average. I expected better Persian food. The food need much improvements to be realy Persian food.

We go to this restaurant every year during ComicCon International. They handled our large party well and everyone went away more than satisfied. We'll be back again next year to do it again.

Very much enjoyed the eggplant stew and rice. The owner/server was knowledgeable about gluten-free diet requirements and able to accommodate them.

I didn't go for the bread...I didn't go for the butter...I'm not familiar enough with Persian food to know if it "tastes right." I just wanted to taste something exotic, something I don't eat all the time, and can't find at home... My husband chose the lamb shank, and I, the vegetarian pomegranate stew (it's Lent, people)...and we were pleasantly surprised...all the flavors! The portions were ample, our server was very bright and pleasant, and answered all our questions...we would definitely recomment this food.

Nicole was an extremely warm hostess recommending the chicken kabobs as well as their borani which the spinach was phenomenal. Although not the busiest spot absolutely worth your time! A perfect example of how mom and pop quality is 100% worth your time

We had the lentil soup as an appetizer and then we both chose the kebobs. Everything was well seasoned and freshly made. The portions were large to me, but my friend cleaned his plate. They offer outside and indoor seating. The staff is friendly without being overly attentive. Probably the only challenge is that the Gaslamp district is very popular at night. So either prepare to hunt HARD for free parking or choose to leave your car at one of the paid lots.

We were in the Gaslamp Quarter looking to try something different for lunch. We decided to try Persian food and we are so glad we did. My wife had pomegranate chicken stew and I had a lamb kabob with roasted vegetables. Both dishes also came with basmati rice with saffron. The food was excellent!! Our server, Marina, was also great. She was friendly, helpful and there whenever we needed her. There are lots of restaurants to choose from in the Gaslamp Quarter. If you are looking for excellent food at a reasonable price, we would urge you to give this one a try. We believe you will be glad you did.

Spent a week in the Gaslamp district....and sampled high rated restaurants each night. Had some good meals but Sadaf was the best by a substantial margin. So good that if I had found it earlier I likely would have returned 2-3 X during the week to try different dishes. Unpretentious, pleasant, polite people.....proud of their food and eager to please. And please it did.....most fully. Not knowing what to expect my wife and I shared the "standard" mediterranean Humus, Tabouli, and Lamb Kabob order. Simple stuff for sure but each was perfectly done and created a meal that was pure joy. I don't recommend many places but this one is a gem worth sharing.

It was nice to be able to eat at a restaurant that serves authentic food like my grandmother makes at home! The portions are pretty large. One kabob comes with a large plate of rice and is more than plenty for one person. We sat outside on the patio and they had overhead heaters which was nice.

Very average, somewhat boring and bland persian food in the Gaslamp District. Our party of 4 shared two appetizers (spinach borani and dolmeh) which were good and had four entrees, among them koobideh kabob and lamb shank. All were ok but nothing stood out, which is disappointing because well-done persian food can be a revelation of freshness and flavors. Not here. Hostess was friendly and the place nicely decorated. Would not return.

no manner, rude ,bad service,all the bad things you can think of, so go there and have a bad exp.by the way watch your bill really good because there is no refund after you pay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The food here was very average and the bread for instance is not made on site but just re heated. would not return

I was fortunate to visit San Diego recently and found this gem in the gaslamp district. There is a small number of outdoor tables at the front of the restaurant, so I sat down at one of these for a leisurely meal and to watch the world go by. When you arrive, you are given a basket with lavash bread wrapped in a small towel. This is a thin, unleavened bread, multi layered, with each layer thinner than a typical pita. The owner of the restaurant recommended covering the bread with the towel to keep the bread from drying out. I ordered the hummus appetizer. It was spiced with just the right amount of a pink spice (ras el hanout or paprika - I regret to say that I didn't pay enough attention at the time, but the result was delicious), and olive oil. The pita triangles which were provided with it were just ok - a little soft for my tastes. The hummus was great with the lavash bread, though. For a main course, I selected the pomegranate stew with chicken. This was delicious, comprising delicately spiced chicken meatballs in this sweet / tart pomegranate roux, with a side of rice. I'm afraid I can't comment upon the desserts, as the hummus and stew finished me off for the evening. Its definitely worth considering if you're in San Diego's restaurant-packed gaslamp district.

We were in the Gaslamp district and looking for an early lunch but at the same time looking for somewhere decent and we're not burger fans. Saw a couple of places that looked good but did not have any customers and we find the enormous places with people on the door trying to entice you in a little off-putting so settled on Sadaf. We eat middle-eastern food regularly in London although its normally Turkish so were intrigued to see how the US version matched up. The interior was fine but not particularly captivating but there were a few tables occupied and a steady stream of people ordering take-outs (I would guess its a good sign if local office workers use the place with so many options available). Service was good. The owner/manager turned out to be Iranian and was as warm and friendly as every Iranian I have met in the UK. We ordered baba ghanoush to start. This was fabulous and possibly the best I have ever had, it was a sizeable portion as well. We followed this with a lamb kebab and a chicken kebab. Both were excellent. We love simple food cooked well and these ticked that box perfectly. A little baklava as a complimentary dessert was appreciated. The cost was reasonable so I would definitely recommend a visit. A slightly more attractive interior and I would have given five stars.

Located in the Gaslamp Quarter, this restaurant has a varied menu with a very reasonable price range. My entree of Spinach Borani- cooked spinach topped with mint & yoghurt was refreshing a great taste combination. My Min was Gormeh Sabzi a tasty vegetable stew with herbs, cilantro,onion,citrus, red kidney beans & beef added after , served with rice. Very tasty dinner. I recommend this restaurant.

We went there to check out persian food. The food was amazing. I had delicious Shish Kebab, my boyfriend had a chickendish, that he loved. It was some of the best food we have had in our entire US-Trip. The service was also really helpful and very friendly. We really enjoyed the nice atmosphere and had a wonderful evening there.