International Grill and Bar

Being so far from my Persian family in Atlanta made it extremely hard to find authentic Persian food that reminded me of my mothers cooking...until I stumbled upon IGB in Athens, GA.

I always have cravings of Ghormeh Sabzi and Koobideh Kabobs, and IGB has definitely filled in for what I have been missing for so long!

The perfectly cooked fluffy long grain basmati rice combined with the perfect spoonful of fire-grilled tomato and koobideh brought me nostalgia. The Ghormeh Sabzi explodes with flavors and is my go-to dish every time!

They also have shallot and cucumber/dill yogurts that are perfect complement to rice dishes.

I happened to explore a little bit and try their koobideh pizza! Woah! Absolutely amazing! Check out the picture!

First -I am pleased to have Persian food available without driving to Atlanta.
Food:3/5 Enjoyed carry-out for the Mixed kabob plate. The meat was tough, other than the skewer kabob, but the rice was good. The appetizer grape leaves (dolmen-similar to Greek dolmades) had a mushy filling that I am not familiar with, but the cucumber sauce (similar to tzazaki sauce) is very good. My friends will pass on the Persian beef stew next time, because there was very little beef -mostly greens and a few red beans. Again, they liked the yellow and white rice.
Next time we plan to try the lamb shank and gyros. The cucumber sauce would go well with a lamb gyro.
Price: a little more than similar places, imho
Service: Pleasant.
Location: 4/5 Near Athens at an exit off the perimeter. Adequate parking

Decided to try IGB tonight, and will definitely be back. The owner was very kind and prompt with service. I ordered the cucumber yogurt app, and the Lamb Koobideh kabob, which was excellent and tender. The painkiller cocktail was good, and for dessert I chose to try the saffron rice pudding, very good. If you're looking for a diverse place in Athens, give this place a try!

Four of us in the party. My spouse and I shared a Persian meat stew and shirazi salad and our guests had a turkey burger and chicken wrap respectively.

The turkey burger and chicken wrap were enjoyed with no feedback.

The stew was bland with a slight scorched after taste. There were only a few pieces of meat. The aroma was odd and the overall appearance was unappealing- looking more like a bowl of swamp muck. The salad was fresh and tasty and the rice was okay.

Of note: the booth was sticky. I mean REALLY sticky. We were able to lift the pepper shaker from the table just by touching it. There was filth in between the seat cushions and it gave everything an "off" feeling from there. (If the table is this dirty... then...?)

The burger and wrap were "very good".

The restaurant has potential. It's a cool venue with visual interest. The menu is BROAD with so many items to choose from. Given that this is a Persian restaurant we opted to try what we believed would be a specialty. If we were to return, it would not be for the stew.

Outstanding food with excellent service! Highly recommend.

Good ambience with live music.

I'm so happy I found this restaurant--it's an absolute hidden gem in Athens! The restaurant itself is in such a great venue, offering both indoor and outdoor seating. They have live music on the weekends and other fun events such as belly dancing performances. Mohsen, the owner, is so welcoming and friendly. He goes above and beyond in the level of service and hospitality he offers.

I am Iranian myself, and I have not found any other Persian food around here that is as delicious and authentic as IGB. While the menu is very authentic, unlike other Persian restaurants I've been to, this menu is extremely approachable to people without any middle eastern heritage. The menu items are written in both Persian and English, and clearly explain the dishes to those who are less familiar with this type of cuisine. They also have several entrees that put a creative American twist on traditional middle eastern recipes, which are more approachable to less adventurous eaters.

My favorite appetizer is the Turkish Eggplant Bowl (Kashk-Bademjan). I've tried several kabob platters on the menu, but my favorites are the Lamb Koobideh and the Kenjeh kabobs. I also recommend you try the cucumber yogurt (Mast Kheyar); it goes great with all the kabobs, rice, and just about anything else you may order. And, lastly, you cannot go to this restaurant without ordering the saffron ice cream! It is out of this world.

I will definitely be back soon.

Very well made food. Good service. A very eclectic atmosphere. Nice bar inside and a pleasant outdoor space as well. Occasionally, a band plays.

A lovely time with my family here! The food is yummy, the service is great, and they are super accommodating to my child. We will absolutely be back!

I came here first for a special event they hosted to help fundraise for a local charity, and it was fantastic! Delicious food and a good drink selection. Brought my family back again, and they did not disappoint. Highly recommend!

The food was delicious. We had the hummus for an appetizer. My husband had the chicken and I had the veggie bake. The veggie bake had a light and flaky crust with roasted sauced vegetables and was super good. Parking was not a problem and they had live music upstairs. The proprietor was very friendly and made us feel right at home. All in all, it was a great date night!