Saffrono Lounge Bar and Grill

Came in for lunch. Reception/Server was very accommodating.... Gave us a free hummus & pita AND gave us the "to go" lunch price even though we were dining in. Food was excellent. A nearby table was eating a meat dish and it smelled great. They have belly dancing on Fri and Sat. Will have to come back.

This location was the former Alborz, which was the gold standard for the North County Persian dining and entertainment experience. Therefore, they had some very large shoes to fill. It seems as though they have a long way to go to fine tune some major details that were off the night that we visited...First, the hostess/server/busboy/bartender was an individual by the name of Wendy who lacked any personality to speak of. She does not seem to be a people person, despite the fact that she was the only employee working in the front of the house on a Saturday night! This was a major red flag... Then, I noticed that the restroom was not clean, and there was no soap in the men's bathroom. This was not a good look to say the least. To top it off, the music was way too loud! The music is part of the ambience, but it was too overbearing, as its volume drove several customers away from the DJ stage as they changed their table. My recommendation would be to turn the music down a few decibels...When we asked Wendy if she was Persian, she very abruptly and rudely said, "No!... I'm Czech." The look on her face and her tone of voice really put us off, especially since this restaurant is touting Persian & Afghan cuisine. It was as if she was insulted by the assumption that she might be Persian. I would like to remind her that it was the Persian Empire that defeated the most powerful Assyrian Empire in 550 BC to go on to rule the ancient world. Maybe the owners should give her a history lesson, so she can understand the culture of the experience that she should be conveying. Despite the fact that we got off to a rough start, we ordered several courses... For the appetizers, we selected the Mantu & Most-e-Khiar. The Mantu was absolutely delicious, but the yogurt with cucumber tasted a bit off. It had a rather medicine-like taste, possibly due to its ingredients being stored near the back of the refrigerator where the coolant is released. This is common with refrigerated prepared dishes... For the main course, we ordered the Khoresht-e-Ghormeh Sabzi and the Lamb Shank with Boghali Polo. The former was missing the baby lime/lemon, as the Ghormeh Sabzi should taste a little bit sour. This is how the dish is traditionally made, and the baby lime was mentioned in the menu, but it was not prepared that way. This was very unfortunate... However, the Lamb Shank was savory and perfectly cooked. Although the Au Jus was rather salty, this dish definitely passed the Persian test.Since our hostess/server/busboy/bartender Wendy was the only person working in the front of the house, she had no time to check on us to fill our waters during the meal. Despite the fact that the restaurant was almost empty on a Saturday night, she was just too overwhelmed having to take care of all of the tasks associated with running the restaurant. Handing us a mobile POS system with high preset tip amounts was the coup de gras...I think if some of these important details are addressed, then this place would be packed on a Saturday night in the summertime! This restaurant has a great deal of potential, but it's going to require the ownership to take control of the situation and make the necessary changes. I hope to come back one day and enjoy an authentic Persian experience once they work out the kinks...

Seems to be a work in progress which is OK, avant gard is a great description. Hostess/waitress/bartender (Wendy) was very welcoming and kind, explaining the dishes as we're not familiar with.Appetizer had many good unique flavors...tart, savory and fresh. Bread was hot.Dumplings were very good and filling.Lamb dish was excellent. Hot, flavorful and plenty. Lots of rice to complement and the salad had some wonderful surprises.Ambiance...reminded me of a south Asian multipurpose restaurant with white tablecloths. Short story, we'll be back. The uniqueness of the dishes more than justifies the prices.

The food is amazing here. The meat was cooked and seasoned perfectly! Hookah is a huge plus!

Wow run don't walk!! The food is amazing absolutely Amazing! We started with samosas for appetizer very crispy very flavorful and extremely hot both sauces complemented the dish. I give it a 10 out of 10 for sure. We also had babaghanoush that was extremely flavorful and plentiful. We couldn't finish the whole thing, but it was excellent. The soup of the day hit the spot very large bowl, very flavorful and intense. I would definitely get that again, I ordered the combo with the beef and the chicken plate looked amazing designed well very colorful. Everything was well balanced, and everything tasted delicious moist and full of flavor. The Seabass was fried so the first time I had that before that was the only thing that I don't recommend was a fried Seabass still tasted good but I think it would've been better off sautéed in a pan or baked or even on the grill, but it came out nice and everything was delicious. The service was perfect the dishes didn't come out fast which means they are cooking everything fresh to order. Nice ambiance and great decorations.

The food was delicious with plenty of flavor. Definitely will be back to try some of the other dishes that also looked just as amazing. The service was outstanding definitely felt welcomed and appreciated. Very attentive. The ambiance was cozy, clean, and had an open floor with plenty of space. I believe they also rent out the venue for events. So if you need to host a party for family or business this will be a great location for that.

I have mixed feelings about this place. Is it a restaurant or a club?The venue was clean and neatly kept. The tables and chairs were dressed like you might see at weddings or special events. There was a distinct little wet bar. I didn't see any hookahs though.I had never eaten here and have no idea If they are a chain. The hostess was very pleasant. There were two other small groups eating when we walked in. The music leaned on ethnic rhythms and fit the ambiance at the hands of a DJ. That's where it was a little odd. It was just a bit too loud for a comfortable dinner, but my wife and I were enjoying our own company. As the other patrons left, the music changed to more hip-hop and included some "F"-bombs in the music. Granted, there were no kids around, but I thought this was a classier restaurant. Could have been a one off for them but again...was my first time there. I guess I should have considered that it is a hookah lounge and grille as stated in the name. Huh.Anyway, music aside, the food was tasty. We ordered Samosas for an appetizer, a chicken plate and a beef plate for the meal. We enjoyed the food. Their side salad that came with the plates was simple and delicious. Anyway, all was good until the bill came. There was a $20 charge for "DJ cover". I wasn't going to have an argument over this...maybe I missed the fine print somewhere...but this is my reason for not coming back. Good luck.

This place replaced Alborz, a Persian restaurant that was here before. It still holds events with DJs and parties too on weekends. Alborz always had great vegetarian options. When this place was open I wasn't sure whether they did too. But the menu now makes clear that Gheimeh and another stew can be made vegetarian. It's about $22, but my gheimeh (lentils and preserved lemons in a yummy sauce, with delicious saffron rice and salad) was quite good. And the portion was big enough to split over two meals. Glad to know that this is here! If you're planning to dine in on a weekend, just make sure that it's a regular evening and not a party.

this place is NOT Persian, it's afghany. The good is mediocre but overpriced! adjust the pricing and get a new chef is my advice. unfortunately, San Diego's restaurants aren't that good. This place does have a good location though.

I tried this place because I needed to do some laundry next door. It was so lovely. Had wine and hummus and chciken kabobs while checking in on laundry and moving it to dryers, etc. The waiter was really friendly and attentive. Best case scenario for laundry night!