House of Kabob — Restaurant in Irvine

My family and I decided to have some Persian food on our way to LA and stopped at House of Kabob in Irvine. Unfortunately not only we had the worst food ever but we received a terrible service from the owner himself. I ordered their “House Combo” which was a mix of chicken kabob and koobideh kabob. My partner ordered their “Barg” kabob My dad ordered “Zereshk polo” and my mom ordered their “Soltani” kabob.

The chicken kabob was undercooked and red in colour! No saffron at all. Just some food colouring! I consider that being cheap and cheating in business. I understand the saffron is expensive but considering their prices it was very disappointing to see something like that.

The Zereshkpolo was as sweet as Albaloopolo as they added so much sugar to it. Cheapest type of rice and again, food colouring instead of saffron was used. The Barg kabobs were over marinated with some spices that did not taste like Persian food. The koobideh kabob was the only thing that was a bit better. Too much onion was added to the meat to cover the bad taste of the cheap meat that was used and it had crunchy pieces that you could feel while chewing.

When the waiter asked how was everything, I told him that we were disappointed with their food. A few minutes later the owner came to our table and I told him my concerns. The most disappointing part was that he admitted that he used something else instead of saffron on the kabobs and he said that he only used saffron on the rice. As if that was something very normal! He had his arms crossed while talking to us and didn’t even care to at least look a bit professional and really hear out our concerns.

At the end I asked for the check and I paid for everything in full plus 15% tips for the waiter. The waiter was a sweet guy and trying his best. Also the bathroom was not clean and had some water leakage issues as the floor was all wet. Overall we had the worst experience and will never go back again. I also recommend that you do the same if you don’t want to waste you money on some terrible food. I wish I could give them no star at...

I've had the pleasure of working with House of Kabob more times than I can count, and every time, it's been an absolute pleasure!

From their staff to their food, everthing seems to simply be top notch!

Whether it’s for a small gatherings or larger events, the quality, consistency, presentation and professionalism have remained top tier every single time!

The food is always on point; flavorful, rich, delicious, fresh, and generous. Their koobideh is juicy and perfectly seasoned, the chicken kabob is tender and fragrant with saffron, and the rice is consistently fluffy with just the right buttery finish. My favorite however is thier Albalo and Adidas Polo. Its cooked at the level of perfection, evertime with flavors that water my mouth as I'm writing about it!

Everything from the appetizers to the mains is thoughtfully prepared and full of authentic flavor. The food feels balanced, rich, clean and puts a huge smile after eating!

What really takes it over the top is their fruit station setup. It been absolutely stunning! Carved melons, sculpted pineapples, and arrangements that look like something out of a luxury chef’s magazine. It becomes the focal point of the event every time, and guests always ask who did it. It feels like it's not just a food display, it’s an art piece! Their creativity and selection on different types of teas they offer was also something very unique and hit the right spot.

The staff that go out for events are kind, polite, reliable and increliable! They show up on time, come prepared, clean up after themselves and take pride in what they do. Even last minute changes, are always accommodated with a great attitude.

This is the kind of restaurant that doesn’t just meet expectations, they set a new bar!

It’s rare to find that level of reliability, quality and professionalism combined. Easily one of the best in Southern California!

I highly recommend working with them for catering or any of your events or simply go visit...

I will say that I grew up on Persian food. My mother cooked it every day. I’ve been to many Persian restaurants all over CA. What I find interesting is the difference in Kabob Koobideh, whether it is the texture or the seasoning. Kabob house makes a pretty decent kabob koobideh. It was more on the well done side (even though I wasn’t asked how I wanted it cooked). All good though it was tasty. The rice was done well and the grilled jalapeño was spicy in a good way. The tomato was actually cooked and grilled. Sometimes you go places and the tomato is grilled and charred on the outside but still firm and uncooked on the inside.

The salad Shirazi had red onions which was an interesting twist on the recipe. It had a good amount of lemon so that was good. I had to ask for raw onions and somagh. What Persian restaurant doesn’t automatically provide you with raw onions and somagh when you eat kabob? That was also interesting to me.

I would say the servers were very friendly and nice. The only thing I did not like about my experience with them was that when another person spoke Farsi with them, they spoke it back to them. I am fluent in the language and can read and write it as well. When I spoke Farsi to both of the servers they spoke English back to me. I am not sure if it was because they didn’t know what to do, due to the shock of me speaking Farsi, but it’s odd that when the person that looks Persian spoke to them right next to me, they spoke Farsi back. When I spoke Farsi to them, they spoke English back. Not the best feeling.

Either way, I don’t go to restaurants to blow people’s minds with my Farsi, I go there to eat good food and House of Kabob has good food and friendly service. I’d go back, but hopefully this time they’ll speak to me in my mother’s...