Restaurante Shiraz — Restaurant in Barcelona

Location

I was pleased that the location wasn't too far from the central area—just one or two stops away actually. The neighborhood around Restaurante Shiraz felt somewhat rundown and unwelcoming- my companion felt uncomfortable walking around there. Maybe it was an unlucky time, or an off day. But as a tourist in Barcelona I felt it wasn’t somewhere I would want to go out of my way to come again unless I was dying for some Koobideh! Overall, the location is convenient enough, but not ideal in terms of its environment.

Half star

Service

Restaurante Shiraz has a cozy, homey feel with light blue decor and traditional Iranian elements, including plates, glasses, tea pots, and portraits of Iranian figures. The ambiance is enhanced by Iranian-themed decorations and artwork.

The service was good. Our waiter, who spoke fluent Persian, greeted us warmly in Farsi, which was a nice. Throughout the Iranian meal, she checked in to ensure everything was okay and offered additional items, such as tea, which was considerate. I was happy about this. However, she didn't engage much beyond the basics or seem interested in learning about us or sharing more about herself, perhaps because she was busy… it felt like a missed opportunity. At the end they did ‘tarof’ the bill which was a nice touch.

There were no complimentary starters or desserts; everything had to be ordered separately at this Persian restaurant. While the service was good, it didn’t stand out as exceptional or remarkably memorable.

Half star

Price

The pricing at the Restaurante Shiraz is fairly standard. The main dish, Koobideh, cost around €15, which is comparable to similar dishes priced between £13 in the UK. It’s not particularly cheap but not overly expensive either. Generally, if a Kabab Koobideh costs under £10, it’s great value and would deserve a full star, whereas anything above £20 I feel is like splurging. Most Iranian foods fall in the £10-20 range, and this restaurant was consistent with that.

Additionally, we ordered a jug of doogh for about €8, which felt a bit pricey. Overall, the pricing was standard and average, so I would give it average star.

Half star

Portion

The portion size was different from what I usually expect at other Persian restaurants! The Kabab Koobideh was longer and skinnier compared to the shorter, thicker versions I’ve had elsewhere. The rice portion was moderate, with half the plate taken up by salad and lettuce. At first glance, it looked like a smaller meal, but by the end, I felt satisfied and not hungry.

This Iranian meal was filling without being overwhelming, and I didn’t have any leftover or to take away. The portion size was balanced—enough to satisfy without feeling like a feast or a kids meal.

Half star

Quality

The quality here was decent but nothing extraordinary. The Koobideh was just slightly oily but still juicy, and the rice was average—not too soft, fluffy, sticky, or hard. The flavor of the Koobideh was standard; it had some taste, but nothing particularly memorable or outstanding.

If you’re in this area of Barcelona and craving Iranian food, it’s a great option. It’s not the kind of place I would go out of my way to visit for exceptional flavors and an experience. Overall, it’s an average Iranian restaurant offering a decent Persian dining experience for those who happen to be in Barcelona.

Half star

In summary, I’d rate Restaurante Shiraz in Barcelona at two and a half stars. It’s a standard, decent place to enjoy Koobideh if you’re in the city and craving Iranian food, but nothing stands out as particularly amazing or memorable for any reason to visit beyond that. Hopefully, if they find it useful, the restaurant can take some of this feedback to improve.

You can watch my full review on my Youtube channel at Love Kabab Koobideh youtube . com / @...

We came to this restaurant ready for a great time for Persian new year. We called ahead and the restaurant said they weren't doing anything for it--we were also with 3 Iranians--and when we arrived there was a set menu for 30 euros per person for 1 entree, 1 main, 1 drink, tea and some treats on a shared plate. It felt like they were trying to take advantage of the situation. That meal would normally cost 20euros. They didn't have any music or entertainment for the night. There were only dips for the vegetarian option. The dips and the bread were good. This is was the only nice thing about our meal. We had to fight to get a plate of rice (literally just rice) for the main meal for the vegetarian, while still paying 30 euros per person. The rice was good though they had no tadig(?!). The service was super slow, although there were 3 waiters and the restaurant still had empty tables. One of the waiters seemed nice but he didn't serve us. There was no countdown for the new year. They were trying to play music on the TV but their WiFi was so bad it buffered every 10 seconds. We waited 40 minutes for tea after our meal. The tea and dessert (masghati, and a few others) was not fresh. Maybe from last year? They gave us a 'shot on the house' which was cheap alcohol with saffron in it. There are so many better restaurants in the area than this, with friendly service (eg Kabul), great food, and for a great...

I noticed that there are a few Persian restaurants in Barcelona, ​​with Shiraz restaurant having the highest rating among them. I decided to try it. I can safely say that the quality of the food was good. The Soltani kebab Barg set was the unique leaf kebab section, and the quality of the meat was very good. The minced meat section was very good (no fat and little onion, suitable for non-Iranian tastes). The shallot yoghurt and yoghurt and cucumber were very good and of good quality. It would be unfair if it did not receive a passing score. But unfortunately, as a customer who visited a restaurant for the first time, I did not have an interesting experience with the way the waiter or the manager of the hall (I do not know which one). When receiving the order, they asked us in an unusual tone to choose quickly because we were busy and I was alone. Then, using familiar words and in the middle of the restaurant, they asked us about the choice or payment. Perhaps their goal was to be a homely host, which is, of course,...