Darband Shishkabob

A quick stop to grab my to go order from here …
We have ordered beef kobeede which was acceptable in flavore but I wish the rice portion is bit larger.
Paid 9.99 for my order with the complement…
Good for occasional quick to go orders.

I love this place and their food is always made to order. You look at the menu, you order your food and you get a number card and they will bring you your food. I always get the grilled chicken bone-​in chicken with rice with their bread. I also love their hummus too. It gets hot in the summer months as they only have ceiling fans and their bathroom is very gross. :)

My favorite place in Houston for kubideh (#1 on the menu). You just can’t beat the price ($ 6.99) and the way it tastes. The kubideh has a smoky flavor that reminds me of my dad’s grill from back home (where they use charcoal for grilling). That’s the only thing I get here because it’s just so good. The pita bread that’s coming with it’s really yummy and goes great with the kebab.

Simple, authentic, consistently great Persian food for a reasonable price being served for thirrty years now. Fast and Delicious! You can never go wrong with this place.

The place is bit too congested but the food is YUMM. they have every meat item displayed and is cooked in front of you which is good to see your food being prepared. i loved every bite of it. the items are not too pricey. overall, it was a good experience.

Went here for the first time. Has a nice little «mom and pop» feeling to the atmosphere. Got the lamb shank with dill rice and the chelo kabob for about $ 20. Got more rice than anything. The kabobs tasted too smoky for me but the lamb was cooked really well (tender and flavorful). Not worth it in my opinion. Gotta find another persian food option.

Darband Darband Darband how much I love you guys, very tasty very delicious and also it’s fresh.
Every time I am (broke) looool I come and eat here, and when I have some money I’ll be going to Kesra tread my self a little better!
Anyway I would come here every time I get the chance!

It certainly isn’t the best Persian eatery I’ve dined at but if you pick the right food items you can dine well. The sides were marginally acceptable. The mast o khiar (yogurt and shallots dip) is remarkable in taste but was virtually as fluid as soup. The hummus lacked flavor. The rice was good and the koobideh (beef skewers) was delicious. The bread was nothing to write home about. The baklava was exceptional. The tea after the meal hit the spot and was on the house. The prices can’t be beat. Two can easily dine for under twenty dollars.

No bueno. You’ll get a tray that’s weighed down by rice, lots and lots of bland ‘biriyani rice’ and few pieces of meat. Yes, halal meat often commands a premium but Jesus Christ, it shouldn’t be used to gouge customers.
The number Ten that I got (chicken + beef) had roughly Five pieces of chicken — about the size of McDonalds chicken nuggets… as if chicken was expensive (it’s not). It also included a single scrawny skewer of beef and a Ton of rice + pita/​bread.
I got the hummus too (no bread included) and it was terrible. Has the consistency of jelly, unflavorful, and overall was awful. Second time giving this place a try and it’s definitely not worth another trip… there’s countless better options around this area. Not recommended.

Please don’t come here if you expect ambiance or service. This place is straight eat your food and shut up, reminiscent of a Seinfeld soup nazi episode. Granted the food is fantastic, you must enjoy it on paper plates and the finest plastic ware Houston has to offer. Did I mention the fountain randomlyPlaced in the middle of the dinning room?
At least we know they aren’t washing the dishes in the fountain since everything is disposable anyways.
Great food for the price. 5 stars for value.

This place is casual and food tastes pretty good. I always get number 10 (vaziri I think?) and jujeh chicken… both are delicious!
The only thing is i never feel full ordering just 1 plate at darband. Either they dont give you enough amount or I just really like their food. So i always end up ordering jujeh chicken along with number 10 :)
Additionally, I tried their hummus only once, and was disappointed because it tasted like the one that comes in the can with added oil on top.

This used to be go-​to kabob place.
Last few times I have been ordering to-​go and have had the HARDEST TIME communicating with the person taking my order on the phone!
It is beyond me how you can let a person who speaks marginal English be in charge of picking up the phone for your business!!!
So this is basically an Iranian restaurant that is on autopilot and being run by Mexicans… it’s just weird… I don’t have anything against Mexicans but it’s definitely lost its «authentic» edge. Habla ingles???
Aside from that ANYTIME I place an order they say it’s gonna be ready in 10 minutes… but when I get there they still haven’t even STARTED on my order!!! So I end up having to WAIT for 10 – 15 mins… what is the point???
There a bunch of other Persian kabob places in the area so feel free to stop by one of those places for a more authentic meal…
Usually each meal comes w a side of traditional Persian greens, a fire grilled tamato and a piece of bread. Was beyond disappointed that my last order was $ 70 and I didn’t get any of those sides… when asked they told me I’d have to pay extra for those?
It’s sad to see one of your favorite places just go down the dump and this is the case for Darband… it really took a lot for me to have to write this poor review and I’m not going to be coming back… as I said before there are many other Persian restaurant within a mile of this place and I’m going to be going elsewhere from now on!

Service was fast and friendly! You don’t get wait service here so go to the counter and order. I got number 8, which was shockingly really good. I was expecting a bland taste but it wasn’t bland at all! Ps. Water on the counter on top of the raw meats are free. You don’t have to quench that thirst by purchasing a $ 1 water bottle.

Not sure what happened to the food. but the quality has gone downhill. My family and I occasionally order «to-​go» from here. The food has always been quick and standard. Nothing with a wow factor here. Just quick and authentic food that you can order on the phone and comfortably eat else where. I’m not much of a fan of dining inside. Our usual order of the beef kubideh was scrawny and thin looking. The beef kubideh was not plump and full of flavor as it used to be. We also ordered hummus this time around. It was too sour and grainy for my liking. Most likely made with canned chickpeas. The bread that came a long with my order was hard like a rock. It was pale, chewy, and not so edible looking. Anyways, I don’t mind giving Darband a chance again. But in the meanwhile i’ll visit other familiar restaurants that actually put in effort in their food.

My parents started coming to Darband way back in the late ‘80s after being introduced to the place by a friend who said it was the most authentic Iranian food he knew in Houston. (My Iranian uncle said the same after he tried it) Ever since, my family has been coming here to fill that kebab craving. I usually go with the kebideh but once in a while, I get the special with beef and chicken twisted together. The portions are huge and the meat is well spiced. The complimentary tea at the end is always a nice touch, especially when other places tend to rush tables out. The fountain makes it a bit loud and the «ambiance» is lacking but it’s well worth the sacrifice for a great deal on some authentic kebabs.

I love this place. The restaurant is chill and low key. The food is authentic.
I always get the number 11 with the chicken and beef. Sometimes I call in an order here on the way home. The food can be enough for two people depending on the plate you get.
The prices are very reasonable. They also serve hot tea for free. Just ask the woman for some when you see her walking around with it.

The meat was good. I ordered the lamb chops. The bread was cold and not very well done.
The side vegetables as promised included a half grilled tomatoes, two little pieces of radish and coriander. This does not count for a side of vegetables.

Ummm the update? Well still good AF cheap, huge portioned entrees. Now rate my review, get off the Unilocal app, and go eat at Darbanda Kabobs!

Get the #6– two ground beef kabobs. The meat is so juicy!!!
This place really is pretty good. The amazing flavor that comes out of those kabobs! WOWWW. oh and get the spicy sauce bottle up near the register. It adds an even better taste! If you like heat, that is…

Did I say hidden gem?! Darband is one of my great hole-​in-​the-​wall places to eat Iranian food. You can’t go wrong with getting their chicken, steak, or their ground beef kabobs. The meal comes with complementary hot tea (which is a great plus)!
Prices are great and it sometimes gets crowded and hard to find a table during peak times. Not a great date night place to go but definitely worth it if you’re a hole in the wall foodie like me! :D