Hafez Restaurant in City of London, Westminster

I have been a loyal customer of this restaurant for the past six years, but my recent experience was quite uncomfortable. While my friend and I were eating, the new guy (or manager) stood very close to us, in a way that felt intrusive and awkward. I’m not sure what he was trying to do, but it made the whole situation feel strange and unsettling. It disrupted our meal and left us feeling uneasy.”

Honestly, the food is delicious in general But I personally did not like the kebab

A very wonderful restaurant with delicious food, especially the sultani dish, steak + meat kebab 👌👌

Great local Persian restaurant! Super friendly, warm and food is delicious.

Cosy ambience with authentic Iranian food. The venue is not luxury yet family style. Service was good, tables were clean. Most importantly, the food was tasty and delicious.

Very nice and tasty food. Amazing and friendly staff. 5 star service Highly recommended m. Will definitely come again

Delicious food and amazing service. The portions are huge and the meat so juicy. Go to Iranian in the area.

A clean and tidy restaurant. I think it is one of the best Iranian restaurants I have visited in London

Incredibly delightful Persian dishes.

Very friendly and warm, the food was tasty and the presentation was great. The bread was lovely! Very beautiful Iranian bread and the salad was fresh. Portions are well sized and I will definitely be coming back. The aesthetic of the restaurant is amazing. Would highly recommend.

Excellent iranian food in London

One of the beautiful Iranian restaurants and the service is excellent.

Good portions have become unbelievably small and tiny !!

Horrendous food and waiting staff is picking their noses all the time.

What a gem! The decor is so original, the food is fantastic and the service is very good. A lovely Iranian lady with a sense of humor.

We are the customer of this restaurant since so many years maybe over 20 years but unfortunately since last few years quality got changed and i spoke to them also wrote in this page ;recently we been to the restaurant it was acceptable food &we started getting food delivery from them first delivery was very nice second so and so and today one with a respect gone to the bin honestly very very disappointing, I guess the fesenjan was from cann food and other dish some thing cold (cold there is solution)but watery no taste Please do not take the advantage of people' trust .Thank you

An outstanding dining experience at Hafez R. The food was so delicious, excellent service , highly recommended.

What a wonderful time enjoying good food in a relaxing environment. Food was tasty and they managed to serve our entire table of 12. Decor is unique and requires a second glance to realize all of their unconventional lamp shades, wallpaper and chandeliers.

Wonderful, authentic Persian food! Very friendly service, cozy place with personal and warm decor. And then the most delicious food. Succulent rice, tender lamb, delicious aubergines, tasty sauce, beautiful salmon, bread and drink. And then the best Baba Ganoush I've ever had. Worth a visit!

In brief: One of the best Iranian restaurants in london. Great flavors and authentic dishes. Don't miss it. Useful summary: One of the best Iranian restaurants in London. Do not exceed it. The service is average. Recommended orders: Hafez selection of Kebabs ⭐️

Excellent Persian restaurant, the food is full of flavour, great service and good location!

Rubbish food 😑. The chicken was really smelly. The rice and all the food was really awfull . Waste of money . Ruined my family day

Smelly chicken and bad quality and expensive

Despite the high reviews from others I can only give my honest experience… The service was very slow even just to give us menus and take our order took 20 minutes. I had to actively seek out two separate waiters just to get the attention even though the restaurant was quiet. The quality of the food was average (I got the bakhteari which is chicken and lamb skewers) but the reason for the one star more than anything is that the salad was not prepared well as I had a lot of diarrhea almost medical text book 3-4 hours after eating this meal. The service again to check up on us if we needed anything was non-existent and I had to ask a third waiter for the bill as the original first two waiters did not follow up when I asked for the bill the first time. For £61.92 for two to get food poisoning and a very slow service. Would definitely not recommend.

A great place, very good treatment and simple, good cuisine. Let yourself be guided by the recommendation that the waiter tells you. There is tranquility and relaxation. Variety of wines from all countries.

I was planning to give Hafez a 5 start rating but my experience took a turn for the worse. We were charged for two extra orders we didn't make and unfortunately we only noticed after paying. The staff acknowledged the mistake and promised to refund the amount to my card immediately but until now I didn’t receive anything. I advise everyone one to be carefully check the bill before paying.

Great tasting food, excellent friendly service. Portion size very generous.

The staff was helpful we came with out reservation and they let us in never regretted , kabbab and rise was delicious, if you are around try it

That’s a very friendly place serving authentic Persian food ! Loved the atmosphere and definitely coming back again ! Try the boneless chicken with rice and Zareshk 😍

One of the best Iranian restaurants in town! The food is excellent and service is good. Keep up the good work!

Lovely atmosphere. Tasteful design. Koobideh was ok, but the Fesenjan stew was so bland and disappointing. Do not order it. Irony is it’s their signature dish!

THE WORST persian restaurant in London!!! We went with friends and ordered a few options and all of them were really bad! Koobideh was uncooked and tasted like a raw meat! Ghormesabzi was the worst I’ve had in my life, no taste and I had only 2 meat inside for £17!! portions are supper small and very expensive for what you get!! Even torshi was bad! I cannot believe how you can make a persian rice that bad, waste of money!

The most tender grilled lamb I tasted in a long time. Checkout their pomegranate "curry" and toasted / burnt rice... Eshan is an amazing host, cool relaxed yet confident in his team and passionate about the food they serve. The place has been in the family since last century and the atmosphere is that of home the family is proud of and wishes to share with perfect strangers. A must for Persian food lovers visiting London

Very Friendly staff and Good food

The food was really amazing and soooo good, will definitely come back again. Best Persian restaurant so far.

What i liked, it's not crowded and the quality of food ei excellent

I had booked the place for my family and our guests from abroad everything was excellent the jujeh kebab was so good it was poussin so like a proper original Jujeh, the atmosphere was incredible with great decor! Good service and friendly staff everyone was happy !!

A reasonable Priced Iranian restaurant Great food options Cozy atmosphere Great Service

My wife found a sharp piece of plastic in the salad. The barg Kabab wasn’t fresh. Bad smell. The rice was perfect. The price was expensive actually compare to the Persian restaurants in London was expensive

The most uncomfortable experience I have ever had in a restaurant from waiters. To explain I wanted to just have an evening with my children eating out , but that’s not possible according to the waiter. They kept snarling at me making me feel uncomfortable. And also was not polite at all , I felt judged and kept thinking to myself why the whole meal I felt uncomfortable and just wanted to get out of there ! later I had discovered they had also overcharged me. Won’t be returning here left with a bad experience , not friendly and kind. Avoid it you do not want to be judged by waiters , I left feeling upset. However the Food was nice.

First time at a Persian restaurant. Kebabs were very delicious, we mainly ordered lamb dishes. Chenjeh and Kubideh were amazing. Also I found the bamieh which is an okra dish which was like a stew. The bademjan gheimeh (aubergine dish) was different than how I imagined. Never tried it before but didn't expect it to have such oppressive lemony taste. It tasted bitter to me. I wouldn't recommend it. Price was very reasonable for such a meat heavy dinner where we ordered 2 bottles of wine. This was the first time I tried Georgian wine and I liked it. Lastly, staff is very friendly and they have the customer-first mindset. Even though we didnt have a reservation, and walked in they arranged us a table. Overall, I would recommend this place.

They are really amazing, I advise you to try them

One of the best spot in London! I love the food, atmosphere and service! Highly recommended! I recommend trying it, the food is delicious and the service is great! 👌🏻

Really good food and lovely service

First, let me tell you about the positive points. The quality of raw materials was good. The restaurant staff are friendly (of course, this does not mean good service). The quality of Chenje meat was good, but unfortunately it had no taste. The grilled chicken only smelled and tasted too much of lemon. Even when beaten, it does not hurt the heart. It was too salty, and I guess the meat was minced with very fine ribs because the meat was pasty and had a sausage taste. The thing I hate is charging the customer for Noon Mirzagasemi. Dear Sir, raise the price of Mirzagasmi without charging for it, this move is very stupid. The service was not satisfactory. Of course, unfortunately, we see bad service in most Iranian restaurants and shops.

Great service, good rice and meze.

The first Persian restaurant we go to The truth is that the two lamb dishes we ordered were quite good. Lamb and lamb kebab in tomato sauce and hummus With incredible Persian bread Everything very good and a reasonable price for being in the UK

Wonderful food, attentive, friendly staff and a great ambience.

The food is great quality and the sevice is good. I liked the spoon wall decoration.

The best persian food restaurant in London, lovely staff and great ambiance

Food is great. Very simple. Healthy options. Perfect price. Their sea bass is amazing.

What a place, we came here originally in 2018 and had a great experience and decided to come back again now in 2024. We had an even better experience the second time due to Mr. Agha Mojtaba, he really made us feel at home and welcome. Service was excellent, and food was amazing. This place has such a cute atmosphere with Spoons as lights, framed bread, book lights, spoon walls and so much more. Definitely recommended.

Great Persian food in london... the place was quiet and service was quick when I visited late in the afternoon. Taste of the meat was exactly what was expected, and the portions were very satisfying. I will definitely come back over and over again.

I had dinner with my family yesterday.The place has a lovely decpration. The dishes we ordered were ok, as it was mu forst exoerience with that cuisine I can't compre it to other places. Here comes the big "but". In the beginning They brought us a bottle of water. As we are afamily of five, that meant a glass of water each, which we drank up as we had the starters. When the waiter came to pick up the empty dishes, we asked him to bring a second bottle of water. Ok. The main course came, still no water. No big deal, people can forget. So we asked another waiter for a second bottle of water. Water didn't come, and the waiter didn't come near our table until we had finished the main course, then it dodn't make sense to ask again. In short, we had dinner without drinking, and the exprerience was not agreeable. Not to come back.

We had Soltani Kabab, Bamieh, creamy Baba Ghanoush, and cool, minty yogurt with cucumber 🌟. Each bite was a journey - the Kabab melted in my mouth, Bamieh brought a tangy delight, Baba Ghanoush was a smoky dream, and the yogurt? Simply refreshing. With its cozy vibe and stellar service, this place is the go-to for Persian flavors in the city!

Great food and great value for the money. I’m not usually a big fan of Lamb but these guys definitely know how to make a Kubideh. I will go back!!

It was good. The meat was tender and service spot on.

The best Persian food in London. Always same quality.

Food is ok, probably not worth that money.

Amazing starters: Shirazi Salad Main: I forgot to take photos as the food was really delicious and we were so hungry. Our order was: - fesenjan with chicken - gheimeh bademjan with saffron rice and asked them to add zereshk on top. Dessert: We were craving faloodeh but we were not sure if they had any desserts, so we jusy asked the waiter to know if they had faloodeh and saffron ice-cream, he said of course! I can %100 say it was the best faloodeh I have ever tried in my life. - you can see the photo below-

I am editing my previous 5 Star review leaving 1 Star for bad service! I have been coming to Hafez for well over 30 years, but tonight was the last time. I booked a table for 3 almost a week ago and on arrival was shown to a small table right next to the entrance door and separated from the cold by a curtain!! This is where the coat hooks used to be!! On asking for another tablet I was told that all the other ones are booked for four people and we can't expect them to squeeze 4 in around the small table that they have given to us!! We thanked them for their sterling service and left. We didn't get to tast the food, but if the food is anything like the service and attitude, then we probably were lucky to have missed it. I get no pleasure in writing this. Hafez has been a favourite of mine for decades, goodness knows to how many friends I have recommended it, but it looks like the old Hafez is dead! Time to move on!

If you like kebabs, you must try this restaurant

It was worse ever experience I found long hair in my salad Shirazi , when i mentioned to manager , they change it without apology but anyway i couldn’t eat that salad anymore as felt awful about hair. Also it was rude manager call Ehsan when i made query regarding one of charges in our bill ,he responded very aggressively and threatened me that he will call the police , because i wanted to know the reason for the charge however he use rude body language towards me and use his finger to tell me off. I have been to so many persion restaurants in London and Europe and never ever received such rude behavior, i would expected big apology for finding hair in thier salad which shows lowest level of hygiene and manager behavior but its wont happen in this restaurant. The food taste was very poor as well but its ok for one time , mostly manager behavior and customer service was unbelievable and rude . its waste of time to visit this place

Beautifully decorated Persian restaurant, one of the oldest in London. Wide choice of starters and mains prepared authentically. Staff are very helpful and can advise you if you're unfamiliar with the menu.

Excellent dishes and desserts ! Good and very kind they also offered us bread when we didn’t do because it was made for the dish

Very cute place, with excellent typical food. The waiters are really nice, they even offered an extra rice portion to go with the sauce of our dishes.

Great food and fare prices , try it you will not regret it

Average food ,disaster customer service

First time eating here, did not meet my expectations at all. Food was bland and presentation was average. They do not serve pickles at the table like most middle eastern restaurants, so we had to order the pickles, they were way too binegary and pungent , couldn’t eat them. The chicken breast kebab was most definitely not authentic Iranian kebab, and the food was served lukewarm, lacked saffron, and Flavours. The salad was basic green salad and no dressing. They are not focused on quality and service excellence, to say the least. Very disappointing, I won’t return here again.

Delicious food and respected staff, clean and cosy. Don’t miss the tea with mint 🤍

Lovely friendly restaurant with very helpful staff . Authentic Persian food . Would recommend the Jujeh chicken and the Faloodeh is one of the best I’ve had . Would definitely return when in London again and would recommend

Average at best, not as good as we had heard 😞 The hummus tasted store-bought The mixed grills were average The only orders that stood out were the Bamieh and the lamb chops!

It was a wonderful experience. We had Amir who was a super kind person to help us out with suggestions of dishes and with always a very welcoming attitude. We need more people like Amir in restaurants to create a special experience to all customers. Food was great so make sure you come visit the place and say hi to Amir from me 😎

Superb food, atmosphere, service and fantastic value. I came here with 2 friends for dinner and we had the perfect evening. It is clear that Hafez is a labour of love as nothing was too much trouble. I have eaten at many Middle Eastern restaurants and Hafez was by far the best I have experienced. Thank you!

Very good food. Amazing ambiance.

Food was average, not the greatest customer service, expensive and small portion. Will I return? Maybe not.

Visited here from the STATES and the food was delicious. Make sure to get the bastani sonati and faloudeh for dessert.

Professional staff, delicious food.

The best Persian restaurant in London…period! I’ve been coming to Hafez for almost 8 years now. As a Persian who lived in Iran until adulthood, I can tell you that the food is as authentic as you can get. The restaurant is family-run and it truly feels that way when you step into the beautifully decorated environment and are greeted by the extremely attentive and friendly staff. Persian food is known for its Kababs, and nowhere does it better than Hafez. Koobideh Kabab is the king of all Kababs, however the Barg Kabab here is also delicious, amazing and tender, something which is extremely hard to do. Their Kashk-e-Bademjoon is almost as good as my mother’s! I order it everytime I visit. They are also very accommodating, offering off the menu items such as Tahdig with your Khoresht of choice, or grilled onions and peppers when asked. All in all, can’t recommend Hafez enough!

The food is consistently delicious.

Locale carino arredato in modo molto creativo, piatti deliziosi con materie prime di qualità, buon rapporto qualità/prezzo.

As a Persian / Swede I enjoy treating myself to proper Persian food once in a while. I took my mother for her 71st birthday. Reviews all seem good. The quality of the food was good but the portion sizes and ingredients fell short of what is expected of traditional dishes. Ghormeh sabzi had good quality lamb, but not enough lamb in there and a bit too heavy on the fenugreek. The kebab koobideh was of good quality but was missing some key ingredients (grilled onion, lemon and butter). Waiter told us afterwards that we would have to ask specifically for this which is not what you would expect from such a reputable restaurant. The khoresh fesenjan also didn't look terribly appetizing. It's a 3 star for me, as I feel the food could be a bit less "fusion" and more "traditional". The quality of the food was good, but portion sizes were small.

We ordered two main courses, in the menu says it comes with rice, salad and chips however it only came with little rice not happy with the portion and taste was okay not excellent

Food was amazing, just before you pay, check the bill!!!

I ordered slow cooked lamb stew. The portion was nice (rice was good) and food was nice. Staff friendly!!!

One of the better Persian restaurants in London. Food is always of good quality and atmosphere is good. Have been coming here for a few years and would recommend

Authentic Persian food. Very delicious. Highly recommended.

Good food and great staff..never been disappointed here.

very nice persian food in London with wonderful welcome staff.

Lovely food and sweet personals. I loved the atmosphere there... The personals are lovely and polite.

First visit. Small and welcoming restaurant. Very good food, great service and very friendly staff. 2 courses with a drink £25 per head. Great decor too!

Great place. Had the Aush-e-Mash, Kashk bademjan, and chenjeh kabab. All done very well. Nice bread too

Oh my goodness this was AMAZING, honestly it was some of the best Persian food I’ve had since moving to London. I’m mainly vegetarian so it can sometimes difficult to find really good veg friendly Persian dishes that aren’t just the basics….so cue my excitement to find somewhere with Fesenjan on the menu!! Brought my mom here when she was visiting and she said it tasted like home. My favorite Persian food of all time since I can remember is mast-o-mousier so sharing that was a non-negotiable (it was incredible) and then my mom had the jujeh kabab with an extra skewer of kubideh and I had fesenjan with zereshk on the side because I only like rice if it has zereshk in it. We both loved the food so much. Not only was the food superb, the atmosphere was great and the staff were amazing. Def need to come back very soon. I would 10000% say whether you’re Persian, just love Persian food, or haven’t tried it but looking for a good place to give it a go- you won’t be disappointed coming here!

Nice place and great staff, the grills were really nice but the sauces were average.

مطعم ايراني يقدم الاطعمة الايرانية وبعض الاكلات الشرق اوسطية مثل الحمص و ورق العنب جو المطعم جميل الخدمة سريعة الاكل جيد طلبنا كباب مع رز وسالمون مشوي وسل وحمص وخبزهم اللذيذ و ورق عنب وسلطة تقييمي للاكل ٧ من ١٠ .

Liked the food especially the humoos and the kebab

The boneless chicken, was absolutely delicious! The flavors were on point, and the chicken was cooked to perfection. However, I did find the kushk to be a bit cold. I'd definitely recommend giving the chicken a try, but perhaps ask for the kushk to be served warmer it was still good tho

Really good restaurant. Food delicious. Staff pleasant. More than reasonable prices. A must try.

Charming and cosy place with delicious and quality food and great service. My partner highly recommended this place and I can see why, it hit the spot! We tried: Kashk bademjoon : YUM! take with bread mast moosir (shallot yoghurt) : MUST TRY Kubideh kebab : great, mix with the tomato and sumac Eggplant Stew: delicious Tea : 1 is enough for 2 Faloodeh + 1 scoop ice cream : my partner thought this was genius for me knowing real faloodeh basting I wasn't impressed. Tip: I saw ppl ordering half rice half salad shirazi which is great because full rice portion is pretty big. Still a great meal. Would go again!

Charming and cosy place with delicious and quality food and great service. My partner highly recommended this place and I can see why, it hit the spot! We tried: Kashk bademjoon : YUM! take with bread mast moosir (shallot yoghurt) : MUST TRY Kubideh kebab : great, mix with the tomato and sumac Eggplant Stew: delicious Tea : 1 is enough for 2 Faloodeh + 1 scoop ice cream : my partner thought this was genius for me knowing real faloodeh basting I wasn't impressed. Tip: I saw ppl ordering half rice half salad shirazi which is great because full rice portion is pretty big. Great hearty meal. Would go again!