Persian-Mexican fusion? Count us in. Manya and I picked up Alleanna from the airport tonight and made a quick stop at Aria Kitchen in Irvine--just a mile from SNA. Totally unplanned, but it turned out to be one of the best meals we've had in a while. The menu blends traditional Persian dishes with bold Mexican flavors in a way that just works. Here were our favorites: 1. Lamb Birria Tacos - Tender, flavorful, and perfectly paired with birria sauce. A fusion favorite done right. 2. Beef Soltani - The barg was incredible--juicy, tender, and grilled to perfection. A must-try for any Persian food fan. 3. Eggplant Dip - Creamy, smoky, and served with fresh warm bread. We could've had three orders of this alone. 4. Ghormeh Sabzi Burrito - An unexpected standout. Persian herb stew with crispy tahchin rice, all wrapped up burrito-style. Trust me--must order. If you're near John Wayne Airport and want something different, Aria Kitchen is a hidden gem. Already planning our next visit. Ever tried Persian-Mexican fusion? Drop your go-to spots or dishes below--I'm hooked!

This place was beautiful to eat at. The interior design stood out and it gave a relaxing vibe. Our waitress was awesome. We got full so fast that we ended up taking the rest of the food to go. Even when the food got reheated, it still tasted just as delicious. My favorite drink was their house sangria. Their chuck and mignon plate tasted good. I only wish the vegetables weren't as watery and that the dishes weren't broken. Other than that, everything else was good enough to make me want to come back and try something new .

They have updated the burrito and it is much more delicious! I do miss the filet mignon but we are always eating here now and the koobideh is amazing

Clean, well decorated interior invites you in to this spacious gem of a restaurant. They have a full bar with an extensive offering of cocktails and wine. The food here is incredibly fresh and packed with flavor. We were impressed by the generous portion sizes. We will be back!!

The decor in this place is beautiful! The bar is so nice and where I choose to sit! Enjoying the chips and salsa right now. This is a write as you go review. So I just ordered empanadas and 8 tacos for two. They have a 8 taco flight for a deal on Tuesdays for 36 bucks so I said why not I'll get to try them all. The bartender is amazing! So nice and helpful. The tacos came and were devoured I can't believe we ate them all so freaking good! If you are near this place come try it! We met the owner very nice guy named bobby treated us like family.

Mahta and her staff made planning a group lunch absolutely seamless! She was communicative, friendly and worked with our budget, changing party numbers and food preferences. I was constantly texting her to make sure things would be set for the day of, and she did not disappoint. The feedback we received from the food was just as great as the service. Who knew pomegranate could elevate guacamole? I am so glad that we had the chance to check this place out (it was raved about by my coworker). Definitely would recommend, especially if you are bookings for a large group!

If there is only one thing to highlight about a restaurant, the meals would be at the top of my list. And the food here did not disappoint. We enjoyed the following entrees: - Roasted half chicken in walnut pomegranate - Grilled fish taco & shrimp enchilada - Chicken enchilada Food aside, the staff was friendly, but slow. It took 25 minutes to get our order taken. One order got mixed up. And we had to repeatedly flag people down for water refills. Ambiance was nice except for very loud music, but to each his/her own.

The food was good. Staff was friendly and polite when I picked up my food. Beautiful part of town and beautiful decors inside. Many business nearby came for lunch. I always wanted to try Birria tacos but they is not for me. It was all right but they were not for me. Beef was too dry for me and somehow I did not enjoy the flavor personally. Still ok. Beef Enchiladas- the red and green saunce definitely bring out the flavor. I would order again. Better eat when it's fresh though. Red sauce had a light spicy flavor and sweet and sour taste from the green sauce - balancing out the taste. Koobideh had a generous amount - big and long with plenty of cilantro butter rice and fresh salad with Tzatziki sauce. Koobidah was well marinated and moisted. It tasted good even the next day. The parking in early afternoon weekday was good but you will not find parking on the weekend!

Newly minted penny bright, this shiny, spotless place is all white and all right. It took over from what began life as a Daily Grill which morphed into the late lamented Cassis. Cheerful and pleasant people work here and you will be greeted and treated like you belong there because you do. The Decor is white with punctuation points of artsy fartsy stuff on the walls and in the halls. Think Frida Kahlo in a Hajib. But it all fits and supports the theme. Aria boasts a Mexican/Persian mash up menu. Everyone on the Staff speaks Farci in order to service the loyal local community that frequents Aria. The collaboration of cultures and cuisine works well enough depending on what you order. The menu is large so study hard as there will be questions from you and or the Server. Once seated a basket of store bought chips and a mini molcajete of tame watery Salsa will appear. It's not all that bad especially if you're a compulsive chip eater and eat them mainly because you can reach them and aren't too picky about your Salsa. (Salsa has gotta be hot and chunky, which also describes an acceptable blind date). You can always sneak in a bottle of Pace if you pay the Salsage Fee. The Staff: Charming Courtney stopped by, introduced herself, and then launched into a Master Class tutorial about the entire Menu including but not limited to her particular favorites along with some appreciated "don't order this or thats". Her candid honesty was refreshing. It turns out that the lovely Courtney was also the Bar Tender and so took a powder never to return but at least she got dinner sorted out and put the order in. The Bar: Lot's of options. Eight plus signatures cocktails, Margaritaville choices as well as deep wells and a neighborhood phone book of Tequila's and Mezcals. Choose from Cocktails, Mocktails, and Rocktails all of which will end up in Courtney's capable hands. The Food: As stated, the menu is comprehensive and the options are many. The Kitchen pumps out the food in a hurry, so be prepared that you empty table with a covered with plates in short order. However, during the early shift the restaurant is understaffed. I admit I was underwhelmed with the Chips and Salsa but my enthusiasm came back to life when the main event arrived. The Lime Cilantro Salad was lovely. The salad was composed of Chopped Baby Hearts of Romaine were fresh, crisp and cold. There was a Diced ripe Avocado, Corn Nibblets, Knoblets of Feta, halved Cherry Tomatoes, brunoised Persian Cucumbers, Roasted Pepitas and a healthy ladle of Green Goddess Dressing redolent with Garlic and Herbs. This Salad was a great way to begin (or begin again post Salsa and Chips). The Salad is large enough for two...or three. So, you can bring your wife and your girlfriend. There's plenty for everyone. The Persian Roasted Lamb was offered as a Lamb Birria Taco. The Lamb was basted with a slightly spicy au jus/consume and then crammed into a Dorado (Crispy, Crunchy, Fried Red Corn Tortilla) Taco Shell. Positively delicious. Just like Courtney promised. This dish alone was a strong draw for a return trip. The Lamb Taco was served with two Enchiladas Divorciado (both Red and Green Mole), plus a cup of Refried Beans topped with Feta and let's not forget the mound of Cilantro Lime Rice. The Enchiladas were stuffed to overflowing with moist, juicy, well cooked Chicken and thankfully chunky spicy Salsa. Not a bad bite on this plate. The Grilled White Fish was flown in from Michigan and then settled into a soft steamed Tortilla with Salsa Fresca bringing with it a latent afterglow of heat. The Fish was a whisper on the dry side. The line cook responsible for Fish needs to take his/her foot off the gas. But the dish on the whole was decent. All in all, Aria, I was not sorry, ah, that I went. And as Aria is not faria from home base I may be compelled to go again and order that damn Lamb Taco to start with.

Ordered takeout from here through Postmates BOGO deal. Got 2 birria tacos and 2 beef enchiladas. The food took awhile to come out, even past their estimated preparation window. Regardless, the food came out piping hot and fresh. The birria tacos have good flavor. Juicy and tender pieces of beef. The seasoning was a bit strong on the cumin but still good. Enchiladas were smaller than I had expected but also good. Tender pieces of beef. The enchiladas just need to be a bit cheesier. Overall good takeout experience with Aria Kitchen. A tad pricy for the portion of the enchilada and tacos, but not bad because of the Postmates deal.