Komaaj Mazze Wine Bar

"At this Iranian restaurant in Bernal Heights, you can have your kids count the number of decorative pots or wine bottles behind the bar while you sip on an icy glass of sauvignon blanc. There are big circular tables, ideal for spreading out with multi-person mazze platters for the adults and Tupperwares of dry Cheerios for the littles (or the sweet and sour chicken stew, which is tender enough for even the teething crowd). The mazze, which ranges from eggplant and walnut dip to pomegranate-heavy olives, are excellent to snack on as you recount the day’s playground drama." - julia chen 1, patrick wong

"Komaaj Mazze Wine Bar is a Northern Iranian spot in Bernal Heights that feels like a rug-filled living room. There’s tons of seating in the dining area and at the bar where you can admire the pots and ceramics hanging on the wall while sipping on an icy sauvignon blanc. Their mazze platters are large enough to land a helicopter on, loaded with dips that go heavy on fresh herbs and pomegranate, and always nail the sour-sweet-salty trifecta. For something on the more filling side, order the chicken stew—the meat falls off the bone with a single poke of a fork. " - ricky rodriguez, patrick wong, julia chen 1

"Head to Komaaj Mazze & Wine Bar, located on Mission Street near 29th, to explore the wines of the Caucasus region, which encompasses Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and northern Iran. Owner Hanif Sadr started Komaaj as a pop-up before moving into this space in early 2024. With the new permanent home, he’s pairing mazze plates with wine selections from Siavash Kouchek including less-common varietals such as Areni, a leading grape grown in Armenia, and Georgian chinuri produced in an amber style." - Lauren Saria, Eater Staff

"Komaaj is all about Iranian food, and here it comes in all forms. Komaaj Pila Bazaar focuses more on lunch and Iranian grocery products, but the wine bar space is more for lingering over a mazze platter with a glass of wine from the Caucasus region, which encompasses Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and northern Iran. For something different, try the sweet and sour chicken stew folds in walnuts with pomegranate, apricot, and raisins, and don’t skip the nonalcoholic beverages which feature drinks like sharbat sekanjbin, a mint and vinegar drink sweetened with honey." - Dianne de Guzman, Eater Staff

"Komaaj started as a pop-up serving multicourse Iranian dinners but now lives on as Komaaj Mazze & Wine Bar, a place for locals to gather over pomegranate rice and chicken and a glass of wine. Owner Hanif Sadr offers a taste of Northern Iran in sharable plates of cucumber salad, sumac yogurt dip, and sweet and sour chicken stew. Wines mainly come from the Caucasus region, which encompasses Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and northern Iran — though nonalcoholic options including teas and sharbat sekanjbin (a mint and vinegar drink sweetened with honey) are worthwhile, too." - Dianne de Guzman, Lauren Saria