Rumi

I’m pretty depressed this place shut down.
They had delicious kebabs and a wonderful fresh mint tea.

Rumi’s IS SHUT DOWN … NOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAA
yes, it’s true … you have to go all the way to sac town for your middle eastern kabob fix.
This place way amazing and always had a big crowd, so i’m surprised to see them go. hopefully someone else will open a persian restaurant in the north bay.

My wife and I ate at Rumi at the end of April. It is the second time that we had eaten there and both experiences were very good. The food was excellent and the service was very good.
We tried several different dishes on the most recent visit (I don’t remember), but I do remember that everything that we had was excellent.
On our last visit, the two servers that took care of us had completely different personalities, one excited and boisterous, the other quiet and professional, until he felt more comfortable around us, then his wry humor came out. Both were great.
I highly recommend eating here. It is a treat.
WHAAAAAT???
I just went to their website to check on the menu and found out that they are closed… forever. Dammit.
I called the store in Sacramento and they confirmed that they closed the store in San Rafael.
Too bad. Such great Persian food, too.

Love this place. Great eggplant dip, shallot and yogurt dip, kabobs and house made breads.
I need to go there right now!!!

I bought a Goupon for here and was excited to try this place. We had a pretty awful experience though. My husband wanted 1 star, but I’m giving it 2.
First of all, we had to sit for a long time even though it was not crowded and after we placed our order, 2 other wait-​staff came and asked if we had ordered. When our food arrived, mine had yogurt sauce on it (which was NOT listed on the menu description) so I had to send it back as I don’t eat dairy. While we were waiting for my food, my husband was about to try his when he realized his VEGETARIAN stew had tons of MEAT in it. So we waited again for way too long for them to being my dish back, and told them his was supposed to be vegetarian. So they said they’d be right back. We both ate my dish and had empty plates for a long time before they brought his back. We had no rice left so we asked for another side order. Well at least 10 minutes went by, with us siting there, nothing to eat, waiting for rice. Unacceptable! When they finally brought his food, we decided to just get it to go.
Super disappointing dinner and we won’t be going back.

Great experience here. All the food was fresh and flavorful. Atmosphere is quiet.
Bring on the Whirling Dirvish!

I dined with several co-​workers and we ordered a large portion of the items on the menu… We thoroughly enjoyed several appetizers; Cucumber Salad, Fresh Garden Herbs, Crispy Rice, Yogurt & Shallots and flat bread. For my main course I had the Soltani which was absolutely great!!!
The staff was very friendly and service was great. I had a great experience to go along with great food and prices. I plan on returning again soon!

Wonderful, fresh and delicious! I enjoy eating here for a casual lunch or dinner. Their kabobs are excellent, full of flavor and cooked perfectly. The flat bread is made fresh, on the spot and is served with a wonderful accompaniment of fresh mint, red onion, tarragon, basil and goat cheese. The bread is perfect for all the wonderful dips and sides on the appetizer list. A hearty selection of stews are also on the menu, although I haven’t tasted any yet.
Kind of hidden, in the corner of the Montecito shopping center, but a wonderful place for delicious taste of unique Persian cuisine.

So many good places to eat in Marin and somehow this one escaped my notice. A nice place to come dine for a quieter experience as the ambiance suits it. The service was good though our waiter did not always seem to happy about his job. Overall though we did have a good experience and a great time.
Food wise, wow! The persian bread with the goat cheese and pureed eggplant was delicious. I almost wish I hadn’t stuffed myself with too much of this because by the time my main dish arrived I wasn’t as hungry. Yet, the kabobs were so tastey I managed to make some room.
Some of them only come with one kabob but a friend and I made sure to oder the ones with two. We ordered chicken and beef so we could get one of each. They were delicious and so tender. This was my first experience with eating Persian food and will definitely not be my last (and hopefully I’ll save some room for dessert too)!

I loved the bread here and all of my food in fact. The service was really good and I highly recommend it to those who are looking for Persian places.
I tried the chicken kabobs and they were delish!

I don’t know how I’ve managed to ignore this place for so long.
Vegetarian fesenjon? Yes, please! And the house-​made bread,
which they bring with fresh herbs, goat cheese, and red onion,
is very good as well.
And it seems that on some nights they feature poetry readings
in Farsi.

This is a very decent Persian restaurant. It is one of few in the Bay Area who makes their own bread, and it is fantastic –everyone else is giving you pita or mass market lavash.
I have dined here five or six times, ordering both kabob and other dishes. Overall, neither I nor those with whom I have dined here has had a bad dishes. The only mediocre dish is the tasteless (I mean boneless) chicken kabob. Under seasoned or under marinated, would be my guess. The stew dishes are all good.
Other noteworthy:
* Lunch is great value (they have daily specials)
* Dishes are authentic, if that is what you are after
* Service is friendly
* Outdoor seating makes it fun to go there with kids
Negatives:
* One of my visits was during a day when they seem to be understaffed to serve the patrons –and the place was NOT packed. Service was just shy of 1 star on that occasion
Don’t be put off by the three stars. The food is good. For me to give it four or higher, I would expect something other than smack in the middle of the bell curve.

The BEST Persian food in bay Area!!!
We got Pureed Eggplant and House Olives for appetizers– the eggplant was really good, but the olives were to die for! OMG I never could even imagines something made out of olives can taste like that!
I also got chicken kabob — the chicken was super soft and very good.

I went to Rumi tonight and it was my first experience with Persian food. And I can confidently say… I LOVE PERSIAN FOOD! Rumi was so fantastic!
To start they bring you pita bread with feta, onion and mint. Wonderful!
We had the «Yogurt & Cucumber (Mast-​o-​Khiar)» and «Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmeh)» for appetizers. Very tasty and wonderful!
For my entrée I had «Barberry Pilloves with Chicken (Zereshk Polo ba Morgh)» which was chicken with the MOST DELICIOUS SAUCE I have ever tasted in my life. The chicken was moist and perfect and it just came apart so easily and wonderfully. *drools just thinking about it again* The saffron rice was amazing as well!
The service was good. We were greeted right away and seated outside which was very nice. The waitress was prompt and attentive. Good personality.
The atmosphere is casual and the décor of the restaurant is very beautiful. Nice colors, artwork, etc.
Overall, it was a great experience and I can’t wait to go back with my BF so he can try it too!
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! :D

This is the best Persian restaurant I have ever eaten at. The only better places that I’ve been to are in LA.
I get the joojeh chicken (on the bone), and half rice and half salad. Order some mast-​o-​musir with it too, because they give you a nice plate of sabzi paneer (fresh herbs, feta cheese, red onion, etc.) with some warm flat bread to wrap it all up in.

With my recent exposure to Persian food, thanks to a buddy of mine, I’ve been getting more and more craving of Persian cuisine. So this past Thursday after a work related training, it was a perfect opportunity to try Rumi located in Montecito Plaza in San Rafael.
As soon as my co-​worker and I were seated in this very nice, very bright restaurant, we were immediately served with Barbari Bread. I really like this Persian bread, it’s freshly baked and it’s very good.
Then as I looked over the menu I really wanted to have the Koobedeh Morgh, which is the ground chicken skewered because I remembered how good it was the last time I ate in a Persian restaurant. But I opted to try the Joojeh Thigh Fillet (BBQ Chicken) just to try something new. Final verdict, it was good and very flavorful. I don’t think it was better than or more savory than the Koobedeh Morgh, but definitely has its own taste. The middle portions were slightly undercooked but the outer portions were very, very good.
What I really enjoyed, here in Rumi and other Persian restaurants, was the Basmati Rice. As a Filipino, white rice is a staple of my daily diet throughout my life, but the Basmatic Rice has so much flavor on its own, I’m loving my new favorite rice.
Overall I really recommend Rumi if you’re looking for a Middle Eastern restaurant. From what I hear from Unilocalers and my co-​workers in Marin, Rumi is one of the best Persian restaurant in the whole county.

As a persian, it is hard to find food as good as my grandma’s old world home cooking. Rumi is the best Persian cuisine in the north bay!
I grew up eating this stuff, so here are some of my all time favorites that Rumi prepares so well:
Pureed Eggplant (Kashk Budemjoon) — This tasty dish is best when eaten with their home made bread. It has a fair amount of garlic (I am a lover of garlic).
House Olives — A perfect balance of sweet and savory. The dish has pomegranate and walnut flavors which is sure to catch your attention. I recommend trying it at least once, I don’t think you’ll hesitate to order it when you return!
Tah Dig — Any one who has ever eaten dinner at my house ALWAYS says Tah Dig is their favorite dish. It is basically crispy rice, there is a first time for everything, but this wont be your last time eating Tah Dig.
Koobideh — This is a staple at all of our family BBQs. It is ground meat, molded to a skewer and cooked over open fire. It’s an art, really, to keep the meat from falling off into the fire and ruining everything. Traditionally its made with beef, but I prefer chicken because its a bit lighter. Dont forget to sprinkle the Somagh (the maroon colored spice on your table) on your skewers and rice. **If you don’t like ground meat, I recommend Barg, or any of the Joojeh Kabobs (all of the joojehs are seasoned the same, it a matter of what part of the chicken you like**
Stews — All of the stews are amazing. These are the dishes I make at home and I couldn’t make them any better then Rumi. My personal favs are Fesenjoon (a rich walnut and pomegranate stew) and Gormeh Sabzi (a sour stew made with lots of fresh herbs). These stew are available with tofu «meat» for the vegetarians.
When you visit, be patient with the staff. All of the food is made fresh, not in mass quantities. The wait is worth it because the food is mouth watering. So remember: good things come to those who wait.
BON APETIT! or as we say in farsi «NU-​SHEH-​JON!»

Back from my second time at Rumi and I’m still as satisfied and impressed as the first time.
You might not think of getting quality, delicious food in a strip mall but don’t be dismayed. The ambiance is alright. The service is superb. The food incredibly yummy, layered, surprising and exotic.
You get a free starter of fresh, hot pitta bread served with herbs including mint, coriander, parsley, scallions and red onion, with briny feta to mix and match to your mouth’s delight.
We had the barbecued chicken and a concoction of walnuts, pomegranates, molasses, spices and chicken, plus we got a side of the minced beef kabob. Just these plates were more than enough to feed a couple, plus another meal to take home.
Portions are generous, flavors are crisp, clean and inventive, and the service is great. Only reason I didn’t give five stars is because of the strip mall location.

Before I had Persian in Little Tehran in Westwood, I came here… who woulda thought, authentic Persian fare with a higher-​end ambiance in San Rafael, all within the confines of a strip mall highlighting Trader Joes?
Went during lunch… business crowd filled most of the seats. First time that I tried their savory yoghurt drink: dough. Ordrered the lunch for about $ 9; some tasty fish. the rice was perfectly seasoned, tasty, and not too buttery or too dry. Flavorful chicken…
don’t really recall their lunch specials (think it was 8 – 9 $, not bad) having much in the way of veg fare, but if you’re ever right off the freeway and headed east on 2^nd or 3^rd, go into the shopping plaza where TJ’s is…
Won’t be disappointed. Service was lacking, but after all, the day that I went, the restaurant had only been open about 3 weeks. Bön appetit, or however they say it in Farsi

Went back here, expecting the same great taste and service. But this time, we didn’t have the same luck.
The bread was cold and we had to ask for it to be reheated. The fish was a undercooked and our water glasses never got refilled ! very slow service this time. too bad, I’ll still go back though — maybe they were just having a bad night.