Lily's Kitchen

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  7      Service  9      Value  8     

Were there midweek it was quiet. Service was really nice. Food was great, very fresh and not heavy. We shared a simply dip to start, then had two hot pot dishes with rice for main, very impressed. Finished off with T and baclava.
We will definitely be back.

May 03, 2012 

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  8     

We are a family with three children aged between 10 and 5 years. We all agree that Lily's Kitchen is one of our favourite places to eat. We feel so comfortable here that it's almost like eating at Nanna's! The food is delicious, healthy and that little bit different. We will continue to come back.

Jan 15, 2012 

3.5 Below Average

Food  6      Ambience  3      Service  4      Value  1     

The waiter was lovely, he went to the trouble to separate a reserved table for the six of us, but might have offered us to move because the party that reserved the table started turning up toward the end of our meal and just stared daggers at us, with much muttering, so we already had a bad taste in our mouths from that then the huge bill turned up. And so much for the shisha's when smoking is now banned on the street! Won't be returning.

Nov 21, 2011 

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  9     

Good quality, friendly owners, original dishes.

May 01, 2011 

7 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  6      Service  8      Value  7     

Had a really pleasant dinner here last weekend. We went early as we have a 4yo child, and the older gentleman took loads of time to explain the menu, suggested changes and was happy to accommodate changes for us. As to other reviews, yes I can see how you might feel that way, but we had a great time. We had good service and the food was great. Go early, be adventurous, enjoy!

Apr 29, 2011 

6 Average

Food  5      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  5     

The meat skewers were nice. Other than that, I wasn't too impressed with the other dishes. The service and atmosphere were good though.

Mar 31, 2011 

1 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

Severely unimpressed. I urge you not to dine here unless you want to waste your hard-earned money on overpriced, disappointing food that anybody could Easily make themselves.

My partner and I had two "mains". One that consisted of a plate of just basmati rice with a few measly pieces of chicken, hardly what you could call a "meal". Barely enough to keep us satisfied. Second dish was "fesenjun", something similar to a curry but lacking spice and apparently had "walnuts" which you could hardly taste. Chicken pieces were dry and did not taste fresh.

In addition, the service was pretty lousy. We ordered doough (like an Iranian lassi or carbonated yogurt drink) which they forgot to bring to us. I had to ask the waiter Again whether it was actually coming because they had obviously completely forgotten about it.

Prices were astronomical, especially for some place that wasn't even remotely fine dining, closer to street food if anything. Can't believe I paid $8 for a tiny dip and some bread. Doough and other dishes were outlandish $4.50 for something so basic to make.

I had the urge to do a "dine and dash" but did not want to cause a scene. Please do not come here.

Mar 12, 2011 

1.7 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  1      Value  2     

As a quiet group of uni students we were treated beyond rudely from the start. Our presence was a hassle and they couldn't get rid of us fast enough for their 'customers' who didn't appear before 8.

Jan 28, 2011 

6.3 Average

Food  6      Ambience  7      Service  6      Value  6     

I have been to eat here about 4 times. The first time, my husband and I had a really enjoyable evening. I believe it was a weeknight, so the restaurant wasn't overly busy, and we had a very fun and pleasant conversation with the husband and wife Lily who run the restaurant. We enjoyed shisheh - lots of fun. The food was OK - meat a little overcooked and the salad recommended by Lily had a strange tasting dressing. I was not a great fan.

My husband however loves this style of food and would probably give it a 9 out of 10. We also enjoy the novelty of the shisheh so we have been back a few times. Unfortunately, each time we have returned here, the service seemed to go downhill. We were here last on Saturday night and it was extremely busy and they were extremely understaffed. The food service took a very long time and we considered leaving.

This was very disappointing considering the good memories we had on our first and second encounter with this restaurant. I would recommend coming here on a weeknight if you enjoy Persian food and shisheh, but if you wish to come here on a Friday or Saturday night, dine only if you have patience and don't mind waiting for food or service!

Jan 23, 2011 

1 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

For those who may remember that years ago at this location there was a Doner Kebab shop where their kebabs, service and value were far more better than Lily's. Yes - Indeed the standard of the food, service and value of Lily's is less than a Doner Kebab shop.

It's funny how a couple of Persian decorations covering the old glass counter of the Kebab shop seperate the past from the present, hence, the good from the shocking.

Like others, the novelty of a Persian style dining experience left us with serious remorse. Other reviews here coincidentally as people's only reviews ever sheds doubt on their credibility.

The food was not cooked well, the service from the senior staff was with arrogance and was rude. The traditional clothing worn by thesenior staff could not hide her lack of basic customer service. When I asked if they also made those little Persian coffee's instead of the poor excuse for Persian Tea they served, I was astonished by her response of "that is something for your mother to make for you".

The prices are market rates for Persian restourants on the North Shore, however, at least with other establishments you can actually swallow the food before you swallow their prices. It's a shame the standard of Crows Nest cuisine is degraded by an alleged Persian restourant that can't meet the standards of a Doner Kebab shop.

Dec 04, 2010