Divan Restaurant — Restaurant in Virginia

I don’t typically write reviews, but my recent experience at Divan was so awful that it warrants public feedback. As someone who usually praises restaurants, this review serves as a stark warning about the flavorless food and horrendous General Manager and Chef.

From the moment we arrived, we sensed subtle disrespect from the staff. Despite reserving well in advance, we were seated in a dim and unpleasant area near the kitchen, away from the open and inviting dining area. Our table appeared hastily assembled with metal bistro chairs (the type typically used outdoors) and outdoor tables hidden under a tablecloth. It felt like an afterthought, as though they weren’t prepared for us.

The problems only escalated when drinks arrived. Our cocktails were served warm with no ice and were so overpowering they were undrinkable. After requesting ice, they were still terrible—one guest even switched to juice, and I settled for a different drink that wasn’t much better.

As for the food, it was abysmal. Starters like the Grilled Octopus were passable but unremarkable. However, several of the entrees were unacceptable. I ordered Cioppino, which arrived smelling rancid, with seafood so off-putting I couldn’t stomach it. The Saffron Basmati Rice was flavorless and dry, lacking the buttery richness it should have had. The koobideh was enjoyed by the birthday girl, and another guest liked the Mahechay (braised lamb shank), but these were the only highlights. The Barg, however, was undercooked and shockingly pink despite being ordered medium well, and another guest described it as flavorless and unseasoned. Most of us left our plates untouched, but we received little attention from the server throughout the meal, making it difficult to voice our concerns.

Toward the end of the evening, I approached the General Manager to provide constructive feedback privately, hoping to salvage some dignity for the restaurant. To my disbelief, the manager—dressed in a tan suit and bow tie—reacted by yelling at me. He dismissed my concerns, raised his voice, and accused me of being the problem, citing the restaurant’s many satisfied customers. His aggressive behavior was so shocking that I backed away toward my table. At this point, my family noticed the commotion and the interaction became humiliating. He stormed off, huffing that he would fetch the owner.

The owner, Cyrus, arrived shortly after and handled the situation professionally. He was apologetic, comped my Cioppino and rice, and offered complimentary desserts and tea for the table. While I appreciated his effort to make amends, the damage was already done. The night could have ended there, but it got worse.

As we were enjoying dessert, the chef approached our table uninvited, speaking to me in Farsi condescendingly and defensively. He insinuated that I was ignorant, claiming the Cioppino was supposed to smell the way it did and implying that I should have ordered something else if I didn’t like how seafood is supposed to smell and taste. His arrogance and chauvinism were astounding. He also began to raise his voice at me, escalating the situation to the point where Cyrus had to intervene again to calm him down.

By the end of the night, I felt disrespected, uncomfortable, and still hungry. Despite Cyrus’ efforts, the overwhelming rudeness of the staff—most of all the manager and chef— as well as the low quality, flavorless food left a lasting impression. I ended up paying $40 for a mediocre octopus and a lackluster drink, which felt like a complete waste, given the dreadful quality and experience of the night.

This was hands-down the worst dining experience I’ve ever had, and I would not recommend Divan to anyone. While Cyrus’ professionalism was appreciated, it wasn’t enough to redeem this disaster of a night. There are far better Persian restaurants with higher quality ingredients and a much better value in the DMV, especially in the Tysons/Mclean area—avoid Divan...

I had absolutely the most divine experience at Divan! This place has been on my list to try for years, since I love Persian cuisine and have heard many wonderful things. I was thoroughly delighted to discover that my expectations were indeed met and even exceeded by both the food and staff.

Divan is a family-run business that takes great pride in their authenticity and quality, both of which are to the highest level. I was able to meet the father and daughter and was touched by their welcome nature and kindness. My friend and I also felt meticulously cared for by all the staff, as many of them would often stop by and check in on us or assist us in whatever we needed. Our waiter especially was so friendly and helpful in his guidance through their extensive menu and ensured that we received the best they had to offer. Our meal was well-rounded with a mix of Mediterranean and Persian selections at his recommendation and I am grateful that we got to comprehensively try a wide variety that did not disappoint.

We started off with the beautiful hibiscus rose sour mocktail that not only looked great, but tasted great too. The beverage menu at Divan is so long and unique that I am tempted to return several times in order to try each and every one of their drinks. They also served their complimentary barbari bread that was deceivingly addictive -- so addicting to the point where I packed a few pieces as leftovers and my mouth watered at the smell of the bread every time I would reheat some to eat.

In regard to the courses, my appetizer highlight would definitely be the grilled octopus. I've never had more tender tentacles before and the pomegranate molasses provided the right amount of acidity and sweetness to complement the dish. Moving onto the entrees, the lamb chops were my favorite as they were so incredibly juicy and paired well with the sides of sumac and zhoug. Each bite tasted rich and decadent, as if eating the meat was a luxury. Divan's commitment to small details can be seen with the side of tahdig that comes with almost every entree also. The effort to crisp the rice in order to provide their guest with an elevated experience is truly amazing. The addas polo was especially delicious with the addition of lentils, raisins, and sautéed onions that made it possible to just eat the rice and be satisfied. However, the country-style roasted chicken that came with it was so moist and flavorful that I was a huge fan, even as someone that doesn't usually love chicken. After being completely stuffed, my friend and I ended the decadent meal with an even more decadent dessert of chocolate cake and a chai to wash it all down. I personally think it's so special that Divan provides the option to sweeten your tea with rock sugar, creating another unique Persian touch.

Overall, this experience felt like a dream, especially with the lovely ambiance of watching the sunset right next to our table and then the dimmed romantic lights when it got dark outside. This was a beautiful meal in a beautiful restaurant, and I'm looking forward to my next rendezvous at this place that...

The food is incredible and the service impeccable!

Each appetizer I tried was a good sized serving of food, and the choose-your-own sampler made for a nicely-sized meal for one with some leftovers. I also learned that they offer a really good deals on their prix fixe menus, both of which have plenty of options. Their main menu offers a variety of dishes that are vegetarian and pescatarian friendly, and I was very impressed by the menu’s overall selection.

My server, Robert, was very knowledgeable of the menu, and gave great recommendations based on both my tastes and dietary restrictions. He was also very attentive to my dining experience, and despite the restaurant being busy at no point did I feel like I had to wait for service. The general manager David was one of the most authentically friendly people I’ve met in the service industry, and his smart outfit and warm smile make for a lovely welcome to the cozy and upscale environment of Divan.

Though Divan is slightly out of my usual price range, I will definitely be back to try the prix fixe menu, as the food I had tonight was well worth the money. I will definitely be recommending Divan as THE place to go in McLean for business meals, dates, or other special occasions, and I look forward to returning in the near future.

UPDATE MAY 2025 Today I received amazing service from Cyrus. In fact, giving him a shoutout is the main impetus behind this update, so thank you Cyrus for your awesome service!

This visit I ordered from the Prix-Fixe lunch menu, and I was astounded. Most of the first course options were vegetarian, meaning I had plenty of choices despite the menu having a smaller overall selection. The Kashke Bademjan came out within minutes of putting in my order, and was delicious and the perfect starter for my meal.

The second course had two vegetarian options and two pescatarian options (though one of those was shellfish, which I can’t have). I ended up choosing the Sabzi Polo ba Mahi. My expectations were high, and this fish still blew them out of the water (pun fully intended). I am not embellishing when I say it was THE BEST piece of cod I have ever had. The serving could have been a single bite and I would have left happy. It also came atop a large bed of their herbed Sabzi rice, which itself has a saffroned top layer, making it a perfect complement to the rich flavors of the pan-fried fish.

Despite being busy with multiple large parties, service was very fast (again, shoutout to Cyrus, who was incredible). At $22 for the prix-fixe meal, lunch was an absolute steal. I left feeling filled in stomach, soul, and...