Leila North Park San Diego: The Must-Visit Persian Restaurant Everyone’s Talking About

I honestly found out about this wonderful restaurant thanks to another travel blogger I follow on Instagram. I was so excited to visit and experience it myself! Below, I’ll share a bit of its rich history, some helpful tips and tricks to secure a reservation without waiting three months, and reasons why you should check out the amazing $8 million renovation that truly makes you feel like you're dining under the Persian sky!

Let’s go on a Persian adventure, shall we?

Behind the Scenes of Leila

Once just a gym, Leila truly transformed in 2024 when it opened to the public. During their $8 million renovation, they expanded into a beautiful two-floor restaurant covering 4,800 square feet in San Diego’s North Park. Fun fact, they made that money back in 3 months! And Alicia Keys is an investor!

Walking into Leila from the street, I felt as if I had stepped into vibrant souks or markets from the Middle East — exactly what they aimed for! The walls were adorned with colorful tapestries, and the ceiling looked like a starry night sky, dotted with bright white lights, creating an atmosphere that felt like being under a nighttime sky with lanterns hanging from the trees. It’s truly a place that transports you to another country, offering a rich, multisensory experience. Watching the open-flame skewer station as I headed upstairs to my seat at the bar was just amazing. I can't wait to share more about that journey.

Leila was created by Arsalun Tafazoli, a first-generation immigrant who fled the Iranian revolution and began a new life in the United States. Sadly, his father was forced to return to Iran, but this gave Arsalun the chance to travel between the U.S. and the Middle East. This experience led him to create Leila, filled with dishes inspired by his travels all over the Middle East.

Reservation Tip!

If you're a solo traveler who loves the idea of sitting at the most beautiful bar in town, let me share a helpful tip—no need to wake up at midnight just to snag a table! The place opens every day at 5 am, so I recommend arriving around 4:30 and waiting outside under the soft glow of the red Leila sign in Persian. Some might glance your way, but don’t worry about their judgments—trust me, my cousin did the same! I was lucky enough to get us in after all. When the doors open, they’ll ask how many are in your party, and then you’ll be seated at one of the bars. The smaller your group, the better your chances of securing a prime spot. I even met a lovely family of four right behind me, and they ended up sitting right next to me. We ended up chatting most of the time!

If you have a larger group, then I recommend booking your reservations at least one month in advance, if not longer. Check out their reservations here.

What to Order

Here's what we ended up ordering, in order of preference.

The Salmatim Platter was my absolute favorite! It’s a delicious two-tier spread loaded with hummus, muhammara, cucumber yogurt, green tahini, shallot yogurt, pickles, and olives. It comes with naan, roasted garlic fried bread, and pita—great for sharing! I loved mixing the yogurt dishes with the tahini for that special extra touch. I honestly can't stop dreaming about this platter! Plus, at $38, it’s an incredible deal given the generous portions—you might even struggle to finish the kabobs!

The Steak Kabob Shishlik was the best I’ve ever had—the steak was so tender it practically melted in my mouth. You get four hearty pieces for $26, which is a bit on the higher side but totally worth it! A fun tip is to mix the steak with the tahini or yogurt dips for added flavor.

The Joojeh Chicken was good, don’t get me wrong, but I’d recommend going for the steak instead—it really made a stronger impression on me!

For drinks, I think their Majda and Saz’arak cocktails are perfect pairings. Overall, a fantastic experience!

My honest thoughts!

I would definitely wait outside this restaurant again to get a bar seat. It's truly one of the most memorable multisensory experiences I’ve ever had!  For solo travelers, I asked the bartender how often people come alone, and she said quite often. This spot is perfect for treating yourself to a “date yourself night.” I’m really looking forward to going back and having one myself! I'd love to hear your thoughts about the place in the comments!