Afghan Restaurants near Washington, DC

“We had never tried Afghani food before, and I am so glad we did. The staff was so friendly and helpful with any questions we had. They recommended the Mini Taste of Arocostia for our first time. Everything was FANTASTIC!!! The food was cooked perfectly. The service was great! We never had to ask to have our beverages filled up, because they were already on top of it before we had to ask. They packed all our leftovers into boxes for us for our way home. We will definitely be going back!“

“I had been to the sister restaurant Aracosia in McLean many times. We were in the Georgetown area and were excited to try this place and see how it compared, as Aracosia is one of our favorite restaurants in the DMV and the menu here seemed very similar if not almost identical.

Everything was mostly the same, such as the complimentary bread and dipping sauces. I believe it is the best complimentary bread I have had anywhere and there are even very few breads I have paid for that I would put above. The lamb here was just as delicious and perfectly cooked as well. The sabzi and baadenjaan also seemed exactly like what we had before. Service at both places was friendly and attentive.

A couple things we noticed was a bit different here was the carrot rice here seemed to have an extra spice here that Aracosia didnt. I couldn't tell you what it was exactly, (cardamom?) but I thought it overpowered the rice a little. The chicken thighs here seemed not as juicy as the Aracosia version with the slightly smaller pieces being on the overcooked side.

On the positive side, the nakhoud seemed better here, although I could not tell you why. They also gave us a complimentary rice pudding dessert which was really good.

I would say Aracosia is still our favorite Middle East/West Asian restaurant but as this place is almost the same, it is a close second. We will not hesitate to come back if we are in the area and want this type of food.“

“We went to Lapis last night with a group and had an incredible experience. We ordered a whole table full of shareables to split, and honestly, every single plate was packed with flavor. The real star of the night for me was the Kishmish Old Fashioned. It was unbelievably delicious and easily one of the best cocktails I've had in a long time.

On top of the food, the service was truly impeccable. The staff took great care of us without hovering, and the whole atmosphere was warm and welcoming. We all had a wonderful time and can’t recommend this place highly enough. We'll definitely be back!“

“wonderful gem of a spot! delicious cocktails and food. extremely knowledgeable staff“

“We had a team dinner with 10 people. We had a back area all to ourselves. The food was amazing and we got to meet the mother / daughter cooks that made it. We had all the desserts and a combination of appetizers and entrees. There were varying dietary restrictions but we were able to get something for everyone. Will definitely consider again for other events.“

“I had the chicken kabob plate. In the picture there's white rice on the plate (under the naan bread). The chicken, both types of rice, and the bread were my favorite parts!! It was delicious and very filling. I didn't eat the salad (I don't eat salad, and I didn't know it came with the meal). I also tried the chickpeas, but I didn't finish them. They were ok.“

“Second time here and it was even better than the first! The chicken and beef kubideh kabobs were succulent and flavorful! The qabli pulao was aromatic and with the perfect amount of sweetness from the carrots and raisins. The grilled tomatoes and the sauces were the perfect accompaniments with the correct amount of heat. The lady at the counter and the chef were warm and very accommodating with multiple requests. The prices are much more reasonable with generous portions, especially compared to the other Afghan restaurants in town and the taste is superior. Kabul Castle Kabob is one of the hidden gems of DC!“

“First time here today. The food was amazing! Service was excellent! ❤ I love Afghan food.“

“Great place mainly for take away with limited seating. I tried the vegetarian plate and leek bolanee (pastry). The veg plate has chickpeas , pumpkin and eggplant - hard to decide what is best. I chose the dish with freshly baked afgan bread but you can have rice too. The bolanee is a thin fried pastry - will get it again and next time I'll try the kabobs.“

“We were visiting from California and came across this restaurant near our hotel. The food and service was great, the portions were large and the price was very good. We loved the food and the traditional afghan ice cream (house made Sheryakh). Very friendly staff.“

“Wandered in on a whim since it was next door to the watering hole we decided to explore. Panjshir was awesome. The service so inviting, the young waiter walked us through the menu, and everyone in the restaurant attentive and engaging. Just a great place to visit.“

“I order from here very often, this place is delicious every time. Never had a bad experience eating here, it's unfortunate for my wallet to have found this place

I've tried many of the kabob places around the area, this one always comes out on top“

“Bamian is a fantastic Afghan restaurant! The staff is extremely professional, friendly, and welcoming, which makes the whole dining experience even better. The food was absolutely delicious, flavorful, and tasted authentic.

I was also very impressed with the portion size. The serving was more than enough for one person and felt like a great value for the price. Everything was fresh, well-prepared, and satisfying.

Definitely a place I would recommend to anyone who enjoys Afghan food. Great food, generous portions, and excellent service!“

“Service was exceptional and very catering to us. Sahid was so nice and even brought water for our dog while we were sitting outside, really caring. The food was really good and flavorful, loved the pita and the chickpeas. I could eat a whole bowl of chickpeas and pita bread. Would recommend to anyone looking for a good kabob place!“

“Best Kabob House in the town.“

“So glad I found this place. The food was delicious & flavorful, very authentic. The portions are very large & worth the price. The gentlemen at the front were very helpful & polite when I picked my order up. The inside had beautiful tapestries & decor & nice music playing. I definitely will return.“

“The best breakfast in town! The food simply delicious. Highly recommend it.“

“I’ve been coming here since 1999, and I must say, this place serves the best Kabob I’ve ever eaten. The food is delicious, and the sauces truly elevate the dish. The service is phenomenal, and they cook the food fresh on the spot. If you’re in the mood for a great Kabob meal and find yourself at Springfield Mall, you must try this place. I highly recommend the chicken—it’s amazing.“

“Love the taste and customer service! Strongly recommend to stop by“

“This Is A GoOd Rusturant A GoOd Food Tank YoU SoO MuCh FoR FoOd“

“Yummy! Yummy! I ordered from DoorDash, but I’m definitely gonna go there in person now as it was amazing 😋“

“One of the best restaurants in the country, excellent food, terrific service and beautiful environment.“

“Highly recommended .. great service“

“Awesome customer service and food“

“The lamb was the best I’ve ever had I’ve had lamb from Norfolk but the one I had from Norfolk wasn’t as good as this this lamb was top tier along with the rice and spinach everything was perfect as well as the shwarma I’d definitely recommend to everybody solid 10/10“