Shiraz Persian Cuisine (Oxford) — Restaurant in Oxford

Awful from start to finish.

2 tables pushed together to squeeze us in, we were sat right next to people who were not part of our group like we were kids eating on a bench at school! Another gentleman was eating when we arrived and was boxed in unable to get out unless we moved, he obviously felt as uncomfortable as we did, it was safe to say he made a quick departure and we were left feeling awful that he didn’t finish his meal.

It took forever to order drinks, so at the same time we asked if we could order some starters for the table (the answer was no and ‘he would be back in a few minutes’. A long time passed and we followed up on our drinks and asked if we could now order some starters (we’d been there nearly 45mins at this point!). After finishing our drinks and starters we waited yet again for a really long time, we asked the server when he passed if we could order out mains (this was in anticipation that it was going to take a really long time). He said that he ‘would clear the starter plates and then take our order’. He cleared the plates and another 20mins later I made eye contact to politely ask if we could now order our main courses. He looked back and said he would be over….. another reasonable amount of time passed, he was clearing a table that was empty of customers (this table was not waiting to be used, it was getting very late!). Across from our table another woman changing her child’s nappy in the restaurant!!! This was a massive shock! Each time I asked to order we seemed to just get brushed to the side. He eventually came over and took out main order, 1 of my friends was so incredibly tired she thought about leaving to go home! We sat for ages joking about if they forgot to put our order through, by this time of the evening there is only 1 other group left in the restaurant….. surely they didn’t forget to put our order through!? By the time the food arrived it was very late. The incorrect rice order arrived, I explained to the server this isn’t what we ordered. His response…. “No more today”! What does that even mean!? Why did he not come and tell us so we could decide on which side we wanted instead of just giving us whatever he felt like (or whatever was left!). I was so upset, the Zereshk Polo is my absolute favourite part of a Persian meal, I had been telling my friends all about it and I was so excited for them to try. But no, I was left disappointed and with an order I didn’t want but was still expected to pay for.

Toilets- beyond disgusting, no toilet roll (we had to use napkins from the table, then squash them into the very questionable sanitary bin) and no proper working tap! How is this even passing standards?

I will never return and advise you don’t go either (especially on Saturday evening), if you can’t handle a busy restaurant/that amount of customers then don’t take too many bookings or find more staff. Awful experience, I was full of apology to my friends and felt so...

I do not normally write reviews of restaurants, but I was so appalled by what happened when I ate in Shiraz that I feel compelled to give a brief account.

Two-thirds of the way through the main course, I discovered a long black hair in the stew I had been eating. I informed the waiter. His initial reaction was to challenge me on where the hair was, claiming that he could not see it, and then suggested it might be one of my own. He took the plate away and aggressively asked if I wanted a refund. When I said that I felt a refund would be in order, he replied that I already had a 50% discount anyway, because of the current Eat Out to Help Out scheme!

I then asked him whether or not he was going to apologise. The customer service had already been shockingly bad, but on asking him this, I triggered an astonishing, embarrassing tirade. He marched up to my table, stood over me, and said that I was ‘pushing my luck’! According to him I had given him what he called a ‘bad look’ (hardly surprising given his behaviour!). He said that I was ‘sarcastic’ and had a ‘bad attitude’. The abuse didn’t stop there. He raised his voice and said that I ‘needed to learn a lesson’.

To describe this as unprofessional is an understatement. I don’t like to make a fuss and left the restaurant, but I feel obliged to warn others of this behaviour. Aside from being downright idiotic, this man has a violent, unstable temper that he unleashes on customers—enough to cause distress to anyone whom he takes a dislike to—and I pity those who must work with him. To be clear: this was more than being a little rude, it was an actual verbal assault that took place.

Shiraz could be a great restaurant, but so long as this man is working there, the restaurant is sadly nothing more than a sham, with an atmosphere more like a prison compound than a dining room. Indeed I would not be surprised if this man continued his abuse online in response to this review. Make up your own mind, but suffice to say there are some good Middle Eastern restaurants in the Oxford area. Shiraz is unfortunately very far from being one of them, and I urge everyone not to...

We stopped by Shiraz for lunch and had a pleasant overall experience, though there were a few areas that could be improved. The restaurant itself has a warm and inviting atmosphere, and the staff were very welcoming. Service was friendly and efficient, which made our lunchtime visit enjoyable.

Food-wise, it was a bit of a mixed experience. The highlight for us was definitely the jooje (grilled chicken). It was tender, juicy, and full of flavor, exactly how it should be. I’d recommend it to anyone visiting. On the other hand, the chenje in the mixed platter didn’t feel authentic. It had a strong garlic powder flavor, which isn’t traditionally used in Persian chenje, so it lacked that genuine taste we were hoping for. The rice was nicely cooked and fluffy, but the portion size was smaller than expected, specially since rice is such an important part of Persian meals.

The main downside of our visit wasn’t about the food but about the parking situation. At lunchtime we ended up leaving the car about a 20-minute walk away, which was inconvenient and might be difficult for others, particularly if visiting with family or in bad weather.

That said, Shiraz still offers a good opportunity to try Persian cuisine in Oxford. The jooje was excellent, the staff were helpful, and the atmosphere was pleasant. With a few improvements to portion sizes and seasoning, especially for the mixed platter, it has the potential to become an excellent spot for an authentic...