Persian House

Outstanding food, service and atmosphere. The Prices are great and the portions are big. I would recommend this restaurant for anyone looking to try great Persian Food. If you are looking for authentic Iranian food this is the place to go! more

I am new to Persian foods and the food at the Persian house is amazing. I never used to like eggplant but Nazkhatun appetizer is downright delicious. I have tried the Lamb Shank and it is fall off the bone goodness. I have been back and had the Salmon Fessenjan is a perfectly cooked salmon fillet with a pomegranate sauce that is a wonderful compliment to the fish. The saffron rice is some of the best rice I have ever had, the dill rice won't disappoint. I had their Baklava, a very tasty desert.\r \r The family run staff are very nice. The location is really close to a Max Line stop.\r \r It is truly nice to experience a bit of Iran in Portland, OR. more

I am not usually excited about Mediterranean food, but the Persian House is a wonderful treat with its richly flavorful dishes. Never has eggplant been so delicious as in their naz khatun – my pita bread wipes the plate clean every time. The lentil soup is also the best in town. What a treat to have such a unique family-run restaurant, where I can experience flavors and culture from Iran right here in downtown Portland, Oregon. Pros: Best lentil soup in town more

I've eaten Persian food in LA, Seattle and Portland. I'm happy I live here because the Persian House is my favorite Mediterranean restaurant. The naz khatun (sp) and hummus are excellent. I am not an eggplant fan, but would eat it here any time. As for people who say the food is bland, I'm surprised. The ghormeh sabzi (herbal stew) and lentil soup is delicious. Persian food (and other Mediterranean food) may not have all the hot spices that some are accustomed to, but that makes the in depth flavors all the better. Highly recommended. Pros: The food is good and very reasonably priced. Cons: If they're busy it may take extra time, lean back/relax. more

I had been here once a year ago and remembered the food being great, which it mostly is, having sampled several dishes last night with friends. However, the portions were painfully small on the 4 seasons appetizer, which consists of baba ganouj, hummus, dolmas, and taboulleh. Our host and waitress were both very attentive and helpful recommending items on the menu. Everything was very tasty, except I agree with most posts here on the rice; that was not very compelling. With vegetarian entrees at $14 each, I expect a pretty stellar dish. I love the atmosphere and that this is family owned, but the price for the quantity in the end is not totally balanced by quality in my opinion. I like it, but the price and portions won't have me coming back often. Pros: very attentive service Cons: small portions, uninspiring rice more

I have to say after reading some of the reviews I am pretty shocked that people do not like the persian house. It was the first place I ever tried mediterranean food and my first time was amazing! Granted, each time I have been back I have ordered the same dish (nargesi), which is wonderful, so I really can't say much about there food as a whole. The pomegranet chicken that my roommate ordered was also delicious, but a little bland. I also went with a co-worker and she got a different type of chicken that didn't have much flavor to it at all. All in all, the people are nice and the resturant is quiet and quaint. For the price and location it doesn't get much better. Pros: Nargesi and service Cons: a little pricey and no parking more

The menu and staff (family:-) are wondeful. The leg of lamb is out of this world fantastic. Yummy Persian tea too. I'm gluten, potato and soy intolerant and can choose from many items on the menu. The staff is very helpful making sure I order per my dietary restrictions. Oh and the sour cherry chicken, pomegranate sauce, and more. I hope to be going back soon. Pros: Right on the max line Cons: Right on the max line more

Whoever thinks this place serves good Persian food must have never eaten out in their life or has never had good Persian food. People in Portland are fooled by this place! This isn't Persian food. Persian food isn't watered down, made of tasteless tomato sauces! I went there for their lunch buffet and the only meat they had was chicken thighs with skin and lamb meatballs that tasted like Chef Boyardee. I came from a city there buffets had barg, koubideh, grilled chicken, the most elaborate salad bar with grape leaves, hummus, taboulei, olives. There was rice that was actually made of SAFFRON...not yellow food coloring. Seriously, who does that? That's just cheating! You pay $9 for a buffet and you expect to have some rice that at least has a strand of saffron. There was NOOO one inside for lunch when we went around 12:30 p.m.!!! This place didn't even offer tea and dessert! It's $9 for lunch...RIP OFF! more

We just moved to portland a year ago! This restaurant was recommended to us by several of our friends. We are now addicted to their delicious food and have become regulars. In my opinion you rarely find a restaurant that has it all, fresh quality food, outstanding service, and warm ambiance. There's a reason they have been around so long. Because my wife and I are in the health field it is very important to us the kinds of food we put into our bodies. We never knew persian cuisine was so healthy! My wife is vegetarian and I'm not, so there menu works for the both of us! Try it. It will not disappoint. Enjoy! Pros: Great food, reasonable Prices, attentive service Cons: long prep. time for some items but worth the wait more

This was my first time having Persian food and I anticipated something tasty, because the door had so many Willamette Weekly and Oregonian awards. However, what I got was the biggest let down ever.\r The service was INCREDIBLY slow, as in my friend and I received water refills once ever 20 minutes and had to wait an hour for microwaved saffron rice and some chicken with sauce. I would have been more understanding, had the food been fantastic, but it was very dry, bland and stale. Even the pita, which was supposed to tide us over for that godforsaken hour was thin, hard and tasted like it'd been bought from Safeway several weeks earlier. \r I ordered a simple side of saffron rice because I wasn't particularly hungry [my friend was, and I offered to go along in the hope of discovering a decent restaurant to go to] and my friend ordered the same, but with some kind of pomegranate/walnut sauce. Simple, and what should have been delicious. However, it was the most unappealing dish I've had in a long time. The rice itself tasted like nothing, was dry and had no enjoyable qualities. I could tell they'd microwaved it, because had it been made fresh, it would have been steaming and at least sort of soft. Instead, it was coarse, hard and not worth the six dollars it costed.\r If you're looking for good Persian food, or good food at all, don't go to Persian House. Between the service, shoddy food and constant rumbling of the passing MAX, it's not worth it. Pros: nothing Cons: service may as well not exist, food tastes like nothing, boring more

It was a nice, family-run restaurant with great food! The Persian tea and baklava were delicious, as were the entrees and appetizers. We were very, very happy with everything. more

Overall this place is good; especially recommended for lunch. They get you in and out in an hour. Haven't tried it for dinner, but would if I stayed downtown. Pros: on the MAX line; great food and friendly service; relaxed atmosphere more

\r Not only was the service great-but by the time we left, I felt as if I had known our waitress for some time.\r \r Granted Ihad the buffet, so we did not have the experience of a long wait for a meat dish to be prepared. The buffet was hugely conducive to a vegetarian diet, and every dish was remarkable. Each dish was used with olive oil, and one could tell. There was no walking out feeling terribly full, yet the meal was amzingly satisfactory. In addition, this restaurant knows how to use spices. Not over done, but they certainly had an enjoyable presence.\r \r This was the kind of experience that had us checking out our schedules to plan our next visit. If you like variety, and new experiences, you will not miss Persia House... more

The menu literally says, ""please be patient, 45 minute wait on all meats."" This is by far the wierdest thing I've ever read. I've had kubidehs from places in Virginia, Atlanta and NOOOOO one has ever taken 45 minutes to cook kubideh. If your grill is right, it wouldn't take that long. Needless to say, since we were trying out new places, we stuck it out and waited 45 minutes. After we got our food, the meet was wayyyy over cooked. Not to mention, there were only 3 tables occupied in the restaurant and it took them 20 minutes to fill glasses of water. Not to mention, the lady was constantly on the phone every time we came to our table.\r \r All in all, that family who owns it is very sweet but something has got to be done about the cooking time. Maybe they need to go see how another restaurant operates. Pros: Family owned Cons: Poorly operated more

I've been coming here off and on for 9 years.\r The food is freshly made and it's worth the wait.\r The service is friendly and reflects the family-ownership of this restaurant.\r \r Often Persian cuisine served in restaurants is limited to meat kebobs and oily stews. This restaurant stands out for having traditional Persian foods prepared in a healthful manner & yet being quite tasty. \r \r Great vegetarian selection--creatively adapating the not-so-veggie friendly Persian cuisine for the PDX vegetarians.\r \r A great choice.\r \r Try their $20 tour of Persia--you'll be stuffed. Pros: Food & service Cons: waiting a bit long more

This restaurant is a true Gem. They have been in business for 17 years (WOW)! You have to be good to be in business for that long. It is family owned and operated and you can taste this in the food ( it's is definitely made with love). I have had just about every item on the menu and have never been disappointed. Great selection for vegetarians and vegans. There are many regulars like me that go here weekly. I'm shocked about any bad reviews. If you don't try it you've missed out! One last thing about this family........they are in the heart of many in the portland community. Pros: Food quality, Service Cons: Long wait for some items but well worth it! more

\r I have been a regular customer since 1994. The first thing that drew me to the place was the intriguing, mystic of the decor, which I could see through the window. That quaint little stretch of Morrison Street is like a world of it's own. Upon entering the domain, I was graciously greeted by the most charming woman I have ever met. The atmosphere was foreign to me, yet it somehow felt like home; very comfortable and cozy.\r \r As a vegetarian at the time, I was pleasantly surprised to find a wide assortment of dishes to choose from. My favorite became the Veg-Paella, and remains one of my favorites to this day. It is moist with olive oil, not soggy, soaked in sauce, as is most other paella. Persian House paella is generously seasoned with expensive saffron, along with many other fine, tasty herbs. It is a mystery to me how they can use so much saffron on so many dishes, and manage to keep the prices so affordable.\r \r Now it's only fair warning, as it clearly states on the menu, that there are certain items which require a maximum of 40 minutes preparation time; paella is one of them, but it is well worth the wait. Other dishes, such as Fessenjan, can be served much sooner. Fessenjan is another of my favorites, crushed walnut with pomegranate sauce over chicken or salmon; absolutely delicious.\r \r For lunch there is a daily buffet, which consists of a wide assortment of wonderful dishes to choose from. It's all set to go, for a fast, healthy, gourmet meal, for less then the price you would pay at Chipotlle. Kabobs are a specialty, and are one of the dishes that take a while to prepare. The meat is marinated, and melts in your mouth. Kabobs are offered on the dinner menu only. I recommend the lamb and chicken, twin skewer.\r \r There are many exotic dishes which may be unfamiliar at first. The gracious waitresses will be happy to describe for you in detail, and no matter which you choose, you will be most satisfied.\r \r more

The food is poor in taste and portion yet high on price not to mention the slow service with an attitude. We stopped going and recommending. Pros: TUNE out the slow service and bad food by the Max convenience Cons: Tasteless food combined with SLOW service more

The food is very bad, micro waved and absolutely not fresh! The service is horrible. This place has nothing to do with great Persian food and is a major disappointment. The buffet is horrible! Bland food, dry rice. Don?t waste your time in Persian house restaurant! more

I went here for my birthday and had my favorite Persian dish (khorme-sabzi). The place was pretty busy for late at night (after 7:00pm) in the middle of a weekday (one couple inside and 2-3 pick up orders). The decor was not chic or upscale by any means, but did proudly display all the typical Persian ornaments and decorations from the homeland. So it has its own charm. The food, however, varies. My dish was microwaved (I could hear it in the back) and wasn't good but not spectacular. My friend's dish, however, was excellent. The overall service and complimentary foods were very disappointing. No refills on any of your juices, water refills are had to come by, and the pita bread is bought from Safeway (very low quality and not baked or heated). Furthermore, the cups for water and cutlary were very low quality and small. Basically, you could tell that they were cutting a lot of corners to save some money. I rather pay a couple bucks more for good service and proper food. I know other Persians who've gone there and also had a similar luke-warm feeling. more