“ We had a reservation on a Friday night. Parking in North Park can be tough but we found some street parking. The decor of the restaurant is incredible and I loved the starry sky that was on the roof. It is one of the prettiest restaurants that I have been to and we were all saying it reminded us of walking through Disneyland. We had a party of six so we ordered the soltani platter and salatim platter to share. We also tried the shirazi salad. I was worried that since the restaurant was so instagram worthy, the food would not be that great. However the food I had definitely impressed me. I also had the foozool cocktail which I found to be a similar to a tiki drink. Definitely enjoyed my experience here! ”

“ Came here last night and absolutely loved the experience! From the moment you walk in you're instantly transported to another time and place with the beautiful Middle Eastern decor, the ceiling full of stars, rock wall, "river" feature with the walkover bridge, and intricate details throughout. It's such a vibe inside! And the music they play is the icing on top...an eclectic playlist of various music from classic Arabic and Persian, to more current hip hop with Middle Eastern elements. The menu is a fusion of Persian, Arabic and other Middle Eastern dishes, but prepared in their own unique way. This is definitely not traditional Persian food, so don't come here expecting your typical kabob or salad shirazi, expect a unique blend of flavors and spices. Ok, so first the cocktails... 1. Laleh: Delicious and refreshing, highly recommend. 2. The Rug Dealer: Loved the flavors, and that they garnished it with nabat (rock candy stick). 3. Joon: Awful! Never in my life have I tried a cocktail that tasted like Indian spices, and never again. Do not recommend. The food: We ordered the sampler platter of dips with 3 types of bread and every single one was delicious. The garlic naan bread was so good. And the barbari bread was so thick and fluffy, it was great. We also ordered a Soltani platter to share. Wow! Both the chicken and koobideh (ground beef) were juicy, flavorful and cooked to perfection. It's served with charred veggies and a couple of small dips, but the best part is that they put a layer of bread beneath it so it soaks up all the juices and you can rip off pieces and enjoy it with your dips, so yummy! The desserts were also really good, but again, not served in the traditional way you'd expect. The faloodeh is served atop a scoop of rose ice cream. The knafeh is soft and gooey and served beneath a big scoop of pistachio ice cream. Overall I really enjoyed everything about this experience and can't wait to go back again. ”

“ Beautiful and immersive dining experience! I'm really impressed by the interior architectural designs and the starry sky. This is definitely one of the more unique restaurants I have ever been to. The beef kebab is tender and juicy, paired great with the herbal plate sabzi khordan and green tahini & pita. Service is great. I was a little worried at first due to other's reviews on yelp. However, our server is so caring and friendly. She even offers to take photos for me and my boyfriend on her own. I also told her I'm lactose intolerant, and she went to the kitchen to ask the chef and double check which exact dishes are suitable for me. The service honestly added another bonus point besides the beautiful views. Only downside is that it's so difficult to get a reservation(but hey, at least that means it is popular and well-liked). I think it is well worth the effort. Keep trying on open table and there will be cancellations. Highly recommend! ”

“ Very impressed! It took a month to get my reservation but worth the wait! The minute you walk in, you are transported to a beautiful world both in ambiance and food! I definitely recommend the lamb! Everything I ordered was so good. I left in a food coma. The cocktails were on point as well! I am so excited to go back again! They do have upstairs but the beauty of the restaurant is the the first floor! ”

“ Had to wake up exactly at midnight a month before the date to book this reservation, but I totally get the hype. The decor in this restaurant is unreal - the minute you step in, you feel like you're transported straight out of San Diego to what feels like a middle eastern royal garden under a starry night. There are bridges, rivers, and trees, as well as an expansive upstairs space. The attention to detail decorating this place is truly remarkable, and it was so immersive that it felt eerie stepping out of the experience onto a regular dark street in North Park at night where we felt like we had been teleported back into reality. I would say the ambiance is absolutely the highlight and draw of this place but the food and service was very good too! My friend and I both ordered the foozool cocktail which is like a pineapple spin off the lassi, and is great if you have a sweet, tart taste in cocktails. We also ordered the beef koobideh, the tah dig and the Shirazi salad! The salad was actually one of my favorites because it is so refreshing. Prices actually felt very reasonable for the ambiance and exceptional service. The toughest parts of this experience were definitely making the reservation to begin with and the parking. Definitely wouldn't hesitate to come back! ”

“ Leila's aesthetic absolutely lived up to the hype, as soon as you step inside you feel transported out of North Park. The vibe is intimate, cozy, and they spared no budget in going all out of design. Everywhere you look is something new to enjoy. I thought the food was really good and would absolutely come again; my partner said it's some of the better middle eastern food he's had in San Diego and agreed he would come back. We enjoyed everything we tried and the plates were easily shareable. There were four of us and we found 1 salad, 1 bread, 1 rice, 3 kabobs, and 1 dessert was the perfect amount to split. The waiters are also really great about providing guidance on which dishes and how many of each to order if you're unsure. Their whisky and wine lists were extensive and they have lots of unique liquors available. That being said, the non-alcoholic Kolada and Lassi drinks are SO GOOD!!! If you order anything, make sure it's one of these! ”

“ Leila is a very rare example of an extremely hyped IG aesthetic restaurant that serves delicious food. I must have seen dozens of videos of Leila before I finally booked the trip to SD. The interior is so unique, it's truly a must-try restaurant in California. We had great service and loved the food we tried. The Salatim platter was a good way to sample many dips- my favorite was the shallot yogurt. I would probably just get the shallot yogurt with the za'atar bread next time. The Soltani plate was also good, but the star of the show here was the salmon skewer. I'd get the salmon and beef kabobs again forsure. For dessert, we tried the pistachio ice cream alone, the knafeh sundae with pistachio ice cream, and the knafeh sundae with saffron ice cream. We all voted to recommend the pistachio ice cream with fairy floss...definitely skip the knafeh- it was not my cup of tea. Leila is pricey so expect to splurge on a unique experience! ”

“ I had to make reservations for Lelia back at the beginning of October - a very long wait. First impressions - the interior is just gorgeous-truly amazing. The level of detail - it just all comes together. And the food is good - a few things I did not like, and a few things that I really liked. Maybe it was the wait that had my expectations so high, but I thought the food was just 'decent'. It's not going to knock your socks off. We got the lamb which was incredible but the Falafel was - different. But it is funny how many people take pictures of the interior - the attraction of the restaurant is really its interior. ”

“ We came back again and brought friends this time! Our group of six enjoyed a large table with booth perfect to have a fun evening and share delicious food. We split the appetizer platter, kebab platter, tag dig, and salad. Everything was just as delicious as last time. We also ordered rounds of drinks - including the rug dealer and white wine. Everything paired perfectly together with the food we ordered. Our server Ian was patient and willing to help us decide on what to order for our group. He also was attentive to make sure we had our food and drinks in a timely manner. Thank you Leila for another wonderful experience! ”

“ This place is so cool. Unfortunately we weren't able to get reservations here but we awkwardly stood at the bar and were able to order. It was still fun and after I got over the embarrassment of standing very closely with my wife to some bar patrons it became a fun experience. The food was absolutely amazing and the ambience is super fun and immersive. ”