The food at the restaurant is absolutely delicious. The service is fantastic and the ambiance is great as well. I truly enjoy coming here with my cousin for dinner.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cristian Garcia
Vibes and atmosphere is great, food and service is great! THE FESENJOON, ZERESHK POLLO AND KOOBIDEH ARE FIRE š„YES PAPA! Fiiirrrrreee! When I get married I want to have a fountain ā²ļøof fesenjoon from this place at my wedding. Don't listen to the haters, keyboard warriors and people who lock their profile. Vamos!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Chris Sudheimer
Got our order wrong and missed a plate that they charged for. The fesenjoon was way too sweet, basically like a dessert, the zereshk polo barberries overwhelmed the rice and was all you could taste, and the koobideh was barely broiled... wasn't even grilled! What the heck kind of authentic food is this? Worst Persian food I've had by a light-year. My wife is the Persian food snob (and had to spell all the dishes for me) and was also highly disappointed. Sure we ate it, but this was like cafeteria grade food in quality and to top it off, extra charge for nothing. Not going back to try again. Can still taste the barberries all over my tongue, not a pleasant after taste.
Such a warm environment! The food was perfect, flavorful without being too heavy. They said thereās live music Friday, will definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Andy Nguyen
Fantastic restaurant and market. Live music on Friday. Feels straight out of Westwood LA
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wonjung Yun
10/10!! I agree with all of the 5 star reviews - the food is absolutely amazing and everyone working here is so friendly, warm and hard-working.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Daood L
great koobedeh and atmosphere.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Kebab, Lamb Shank and Baghali Polo
Shellie Cocking
Best Middle Eastern food we have had! Highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Katie Ghorban
Middle East Cafe has one of the best koobibeh in the East Bay! Itās a very casual, cozy vibe with a patio in the back. We started with the Kashk eh badenjan and bread. Then we had the koobideh, with rice, tahdig, and masst moosir. And finished with the baklava and chai. Everyone was so friendly and hospitality! Definitely coming back!
Very fresh and flavorful food, with large portions and a nice outdoor patio. The chicken wrap and other options feel healthy while still being delicious and you feel good after. It is dog friendly with welcoming staff- would highly recommend !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Deepak G
Amazing food with large portions. The place is really small but nice with lots of food options. Service is also great.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Alexandra Sharabianlou
A warm, inviting Persian place thatās so delicious even the uncles are speechless after the first bite. I called in a catering order and Amir manager/president of catering/all-around great human helped me build the order for our Yalda party. His kindness and thoughtfulness made all the difference, especially when I came to pick up the order. I felt welcomed and part of the family the moment I walked into the restaurant, which means a lot to an halfzi like me! The staff were so wonderful (thanks for checking the tahdig Aiden!) Everything was packaged up expertly so nothing spilled after an 30 minute drive.
And the food? An absolute revelation. Here are some highlights:
Fesenjan was INSANELY delicious, perfectly balanced so even my picky fesenjahn-hating uncle went back for seconds.
Kubideh was well seasoned, juicy, and frankly addictive. To quote my cousin, āI canāt believe Iām going to say this, but itās better than Rose Market.ā (Persian grocery store/kebab Mecca in San Jose). The chicken thigh kebab was also a hit.
Ghormeh sabzi was wonderful, the meat was tender and the stew itself absolutely delectable with its greenery and seasoning.
My dad tried to take the mahst-ah-moosir home with him without telling anyone and that guy is a veritable connoisseur.
(I have also had the pleasure of getting gheymeh here as a takeout order and it was so good I ate the whole thing standing up in my kitchen with a bottle of fizzy mint doogh)
By the end of the night there was almost no morsel left and my entire family made us promise we would take them to the restaurant when they were back in town. Truly the night was a mad success thanks to the food.
I am so glad Berkeley and the Iranian community now have a new place to call home in Middle East Cafe. I canāt wait to go back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Yee Cheung
āļøāļøāļøāļøāļø
Middle East Cafe is a stellar spot for Persian food and truly a rare find. Itās not often that you come across a restaurant that combines exceptional food, genuinely warm and friendly staff, and very reasonable pricesābut this place delivers on all three.
The food is absolutely delicious, full of authentic flavors, and served in impressively generous portions. The owner and staff go out of their way to make you feel welcome, creating a relaxed, inviting atmosphere that makes the experience even better.
You leave not only satisfied and full, but also impressed by the value and hospitality. Middle East Cafe is one of those special places youāre excited to recommend to others and canāt wait to return to.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Keshav Saharia
Wonderful family-owned restaurant serving what has to be the best Persian food in the Bay Area. The kebabs were incredibly juicy and flavorful, and we had the best lunch experience sitting at the bar. Will definitely be back many more times!!
The food at the restaurant is absolutely delicious. The service is fantastic and the ambiance is great as well. I truly enjoy coming here with my cousin for dinner.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Vibes and atmosphere is great, food and service is great! THE FESENJOON, ZERESHK POLLO AND KOOBIDEH ARE FIRE š„YES PAPA! Fiiirrrrreee! When I get married I want to have a fountain ā²ļøof fesenjoon from this place at my wedding. Don't listen to the haters, keyboard warriors and people who lock their profile. Vamos!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Got our order wrong and missed a plate that they charged for. The fesenjoon was way too sweet, basically like a dessert, the zereshk polo barberries overwhelmed the rice and was all you could taste, and the koobideh was barely broiled... wasn't even grilled! What the heck kind of authentic food is this? Worst Persian food I've had by a light-year. My wife is the Persian food snob (and had to spell all the dishes for me) and was also highly disappointed. Sure we ate it, but this was like cafeteria grade food in quality and to top it off, extra charge for nothing. Not going back to try again. Can still taste the barberries all over my tongue, not a pleasant after taste.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 1
Thanks for bringing the Middle East market's amazing food and friendly staff to your new cafƩ next door. I loved the homey vibe. Berkeley is much better with you!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Such a warm environment! The food was perfect, flavorful without being too heavy. They said thereās live music Friday, will definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fantastic restaurant and market. Live music on Friday. Feels straight out of Westwood LA
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
10/10!! I agree with all of the 5 star reviews - the food is absolutely amazing and everyone working here is so friendly, warm and hard-working.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
great koobedeh and atmosphere.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Kebab, Lamb Shank and Baghali Polo
Best Middle Eastern food we have had! Highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Middle East Cafe has one of the best koobibeh in the East Bay! Itās a very casual, cozy vibe with a patio in the back. We started with the Kashk eh badenjan and bread. Then we had the koobideh, with rice, tahdig, and masst moosir. And finished with the baklava and chai. Everyone was so friendly and hospitality! Definitely coming back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Very fresh and flavorful food, with large portions and a nice outdoor patio. The chicken wrap and other options feel healthy while still being delicious and you feel good after. It is dog friendly with welcoming staff- would highly recommend !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amazing food with large portions. The place is really small but nice with lots of food options. Service is also great.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
A warm, inviting Persian place thatās so delicious even the uncles are speechless after the first bite. I called in a catering order and Amir manager/president of catering/all-around great human helped me build the order for our Yalda party. His kindness and thoughtfulness made all the difference, especially when I came to pick up the order. I felt welcomed and part of the family the moment I walked into the restaurant, which means a lot to an halfzi like me! The staff were so wonderful (thanks for checking the tahdig Aiden!) Everything was packaged up expertly so nothing spilled after an 30 minute drive.
And the food? An absolute revelation. Here are some highlights:
Fesenjan was INSANELY delicious, perfectly balanced so even my picky fesenjahn-hating uncle went back for seconds.
Kubideh was well seasoned, juicy, and frankly addictive. To quote my cousin, āI canāt believe Iām going to say this, but itās better than Rose Market.ā (Persian grocery store/kebab Mecca in San Jose). The chicken thigh kebab was also a hit.
Ghormeh sabzi was wonderful, the meat was tender and the stew itself absolutely delectable with its greenery and seasoning.
My dad tried to take the mahst-ah-moosir home with him without telling anyone and that guy is a veritable connoisseur.
(I have also had the pleasure of getting gheymeh here as a takeout order and it was so good I ate the whole thing standing up in my kitchen with a bottle of fizzy mint doogh)
By the end of the night there was almost no morsel left and my entire family made us promise we would take them to the restaurant when they were back in town. Truly the night was a mad success thanks to the food.
I am so glad Berkeley and the Iranian community now have a new place to call home in Middle East Cafe. I canāt wait to go back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
āļøāļøāļøāļøāļø
Middle East Cafe is a stellar spot for Persian food and truly a rare find. Itās not often that you come across a restaurant that combines exceptional food, genuinely warm and friendly staff, and very reasonable pricesābut this place delivers on all three.
The food is absolutely delicious, full of authentic flavors, and served in impressively generous portions. The owner and staff go out of their way to make you feel welcome, creating a relaxed, inviting atmosphere that makes the experience even better.
You leave not only satisfied and full, but also impressed by the value and hospitality. Middle East Cafe is one of those special places youāre excited to recommend to others and canāt wait to return to.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wonderful family-owned restaurant serving what has to be the best Persian food in the Bay Area. The kebabs were incredibly juicy and flavorful, and we had the best lunch experience sitting at the bar. Will definitely be back many more times!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Loading...