Simon Pavilion Restaurant — Restaurant in Isfahan

Extremely disappointing experience – avoid if you care about your time and guests

I visited Simon Pavilion Restaurant (رستوران عمارت سیمون) in Isfahan around 1–2 months ago and was deeply dissatisfied with their service. Although the restaurant is located in one of Isfahan’s most touristic neighborhoods, right across from Vank Cathedral, and I had heard positive things about it, my personal experience was nothing short of frustrating and embarrassing.

We entered the restaurant around noon, shortly after a power outage had occurred. Despite the restaurant having several empty tables, we were made to wait unnecessarily before being seated. Once seated, we were told that due to the outage, we couldn’t order any coffee-based drinks or anything requiring a blender or crushed ice. That was understandable. However, the rest of the experience had nothing to do with the outage and everything to do with poor service and disorganized staff.

For the first 30 minutes, no one came to take our order. We tried several times to flag down servers, but they kept ignoring us or walking away. The place wasn’t busy, and multiple staff were walking around, yet no one was prepared to provide service. When someone finally came, we placed an order for a few drinks. Some weren’t available, so we adjusted and gave a second set of orders. Another 30-minute wait followed before anyone acted on that.

In total, we waited over 90 minutes and only received the second set of drinks. It was clear they had completely forgotten our original order. When we followed up, we were met with confused looks and no explanation. The staff claimed we should’ve “repeated the order again and again,” essentially blaming us for trusting them to remember what we said.

Frustrated and embarrassed in front of my guests — who were very important to me — I went to speak to the person in charge. A middle-aged man not in uniform claimed to be the manager. He was rude, dismissive, and unapologetic. Instead of taking responsibility, he blamed the servers and acted as if we were at fault for choosing their establishment. No apology, no resolution — just arrogance and deflection.

Even after raising our concerns, there was no attempt at customer service. The only thing they cared about was that someone pay for the drinks we never received. When I said I would be writing a review, they said they didn’t care. That summed it up: they truly don’t care about their guests or reputation.

This experience was particularly painful because I brought guests to this place expecting hospitality and professionalism. Instead, I walked away embarrassed and disappointed, questioning why such an establishment is allowed to operate in the heart of a city known for tourism and culture.

If the owners or upper management care about the long-term reputation of Simon Pavilion, I strongly recommend they reconsider their choice of leadership and invest in training staff on basic service standards and accountability. Blaming the front-line workers for systemic failure only proves a lack of competent management.

There are far better alternatives nearby that offer excellent service and quality:

• Emarat Namakdan Café (کافه عمارت نمکدان) • Bagh Homayoun (باغ همایون) • Aland Café (کافه آلند)

Do yourself a favor — if you care about being treated with respect, if you're hosting guests, or if you simply value your time — skip...

Great Food and Atmosphere, but Staff Behavior is a Major Letdown

Rating: ⭐

I recently dined at a restaurant situated in a charming area of town, and I have to say that my experience left a lot to be desired. While the food and ambiance were pleasant, the behavior and attitude of the staff were downright appalling. Their rudeness and lack of friendliness completely overshadowed any positive aspects of my visit.

First and foremost, I was shocked by the staff's disregard for reservations when the restaurant was busy. Despite making a reservation in advance, they seemed to have completely forgotten about it. This lack of organization and consideration resulted in a lengthy wait, causing significant inconvenience and frustration.

To make matters worse, when I called the restaurant to inquire about the delay, I was met with a staff member who not only hung up on me but also responded in an incredibly rude manner. Their dismissive tone and offensive remark of "we know what to do" were completely uncalled for. It's disheartening to see such a lack of professionalism and basic customer service skills.

As if that weren't enough, when I mentioned that I would share my experience in a review, the staff member's response was even more disrespectful. They nonchalantly told me to "do whatever [I] like to do" before abruptly ending the call. This kind of behavior is absolutely unacceptable and does not reflect the values of a reputable establishment.

While I must acknowledge the positive aspects, such as the quality of the food and the pleasant ambiance, it is important to stress that a restaurant is more than just its cuisine and atmosphere. The behavior and language of the staff play a crucial role in shaping the overall dining experience, and in this case, it was undoubtedly a major letdown.

Therefore, I regretfully have to give this restaurant a one-star rating. The food and atmosphere may be enjoyable, but the rudeness and unfriendliness of the staff overshadow any positive aspects. It is my hope that the management takes this feedback seriously and addresses the need for significant improvements in staff behavior and...

I had visited this restaurant before for dinner, and I must say, the dinner experience was much better.

This time, we came for breakfast. We ordered one English breakfast and one “Ghorme Egg” plate — which is essentially roast beef served with eggs.

The English plate simply wasn’t to my taste, and the beans on the side were served cold. As for the “Ghorme Egg,” it was far too oily for me — every bite was dripping with oil, which made it uncomfortable to eat.

There was also a power outage in the area, and unfortunately, the restaurant didn’t have a generator to support café services. As a result, the café menu was unavailable, and we could only order cold beverages.

The timing between the café and restaurant services wasn’t well-coordinated either. Despite asking twice, our drinks arrived halfway through the meal, which was disappointing.

I really enjoyed the dinner experience here in the past, but I wouldn’t recommend it...