So so good! One of the best meals I’ve had in Old City. Must have their chai tea, super cozy in a chilly day. Ordered take out from them before and this was our first time sitting in. Loved everything we got and we suggest trying something new you’ve never had before. Service is fantastic, they communicate well and are pretty fast with food/getting you seated even without a reservation. Definitely a new staple for me!
sabiha lyall
The food has so much flavor and the rice pudding is to die for. I came with my boyfriend and he says they had the best chai ever :) and if you’re someone that doesn’t like spicy food this would perfect for you. Great customer service, the waitresses and the chef were so kind. Will be coming back soon :)
Ray
The staff were super friendly and the food was delicious. I went with family and they tried talking to me while we were eating but I completely ignored them cause I was digging into the food. The atmosphere was super pretty and the vibes were just great. 100% recommend to try it out, would come here again.
Chelsie Moeung
My group got lucky when we walked in without a reservation and was seated within minutes.The hummus shawarma was very nice. Tangy and savory. The lamb haneeth and chicken mandi are fall apart tender. The chicken is half a chicken so the breast part is dry while the rest is moist. The flavors do not pack a punch but are still quite present.Customer service was very kind and accommodating. Would come back again!
Xiao Meow
The service is not that good. They gave our dishes to the table near us. After the neighbor pointed out it is not their dishes (after they got the dish for like 10 min), the server took it away. But they directly gave it back to us without any explanation /apology. I think it is very inappropriate to do in dinning industry. How can you make sure our food is not contaminated? It’s also not hot anymore-it’s cold. This should not happen especially during this Covid time. I am very concerned about the hygiene/food safety.But The food is really good. I like all desserts and lamb. If the service is better I can give a 5 star.
Sophea Son
I cannot say enough about this restaurant, the most authentic and best middle eastern food I ever had! I love the staffs, they're super friendly and warm welcomed. Food is reasonable price with generous portions.First we started off with Adani Chai tea. It was warm and refreshing, so soothing with the cold weather.I highly recommend Hummus Shawarma is a MUST! The texture of the hummus is so smooth and topped with rotisserie chicken and garlic sauce is to die for. The best thing I ever ate.However, I must say I'm not a fan of lamb, because it gives me this gamey smell and taste. But their Lamb Fahsah changed me, it was full of flavor and delicious when dipped with their flatbread. Definitely another must try!We also had Grilled Fish of the Day that come with a choice of rice, flatbread, or fries. We had it with rice. Fish was fresh and sweet with a bit of squeezed lemon and the homemade spicy sauce, it was so good, we finished the whole plate lol.Lastly, we had the sizzling Areka, which is their most popular dessert. It was too sweet for my taste. I think because of their ingredients, mashed caramelized dates with bread, which makes it sticky and gooey texture overly sweet. If you like sweet, you'll love this!Overall we had the best experience here and everything were amazing. Will definitely coming back for more!!Vegetarian options: A lot of options.
Gavin Smith
Came with friends for dinner and had a great experience. They were doing a good take out business in addition to plenty of seating inside. The service was very friendly and helpful. The menu is well put together, and not overwhelming. Be ready to share with your group!Don’t miss the lamb!BYOB
Rafael Dietsch
The food in this small restaurant was incredible! The food was seasoned to a point where you can identify all the ingredients on the different plates. None of the flavors overpower the others. It felt like a symphony of ingredients in my mouth. We tried two traditional dishes, the Lamb Haneeth and Chicken Mandi and both were incredible. When you are here, make sure to leave room for the Sizzling Areka (amazing flavor!) The portion is generous and 2-4 people can eat from one (make sure you add the cheese!).
Wael Bahar
I lived in the Middle East and ate Yemeni food. This place is as close as it comes to food that I used to eat and its really good. Chicken was tender and juicy, which many middle eastern restaurants seem can’t to do right. The falafel salad was amazing as well. The rice was on point too. The hummus and bread was out of this world. I highly recommend this place as the food was really really delicious. The only reason I gave four stars was the price as it slightly on the expensive but again it’s most likely the area where the restaurant is located.
Alex Barangatang
The 6 hour slow cooked lamb is some of the best I've ever had - and the rice is simply amazing. Met one of the owners who is super nice and forthcoming. Would 100% recommend. Thank you!
Understand what you are getting with Ariana. The menu is pretty basic with a lot of similar dishes. They stay in their lane and do it well. Don't expect amazing service. Do expect basic, solid Afghani cuisine.
Owen Biddle
We love this restaurant. If you like Thai food, you will too.
Valentina Woodward
A favorite place for quality afghani food. Do yourself a favor and give this place a try. Prices are reasonable.
Lilly H.
Their food here is okay. There service was great. They charged for bread which I was a little shocked. Overall it was a good experience.
KimberlyW
This review is based on the fact that we arrived and the restaurant was dark and closed. There was no sign saying this was an emergency, anyone was on vacation, or that the restaurant had new operating hours.
So so good! One of the best meals I’ve had in Old City. Must have their chai tea, super cozy in a chilly day. Ordered take out from them before and this was our first time sitting in. Loved everything we got and we suggest trying something new you’ve never had before. Service is fantastic, they communicate well and are pretty fast with food/getting you seated even without a reservation. Definitely a new staple for me!
The food has so much flavor and the rice pudding is to die for. I came with my boyfriend and he says they had the best chai ever :) and if you’re someone that doesn’t like spicy food this would perfect for you. Great customer service, the waitresses and the chef were so kind. Will be coming back soon :)
The staff were super friendly and the food was delicious. I went with family and they tried talking to me while we were eating but I completely ignored them cause I was digging into the food. The atmosphere was super pretty and the vibes were just great. 100% recommend to try it out, would come here again.
My group got lucky when we walked in without a reservation and was seated within minutes.The hummus shawarma was very nice. Tangy and savory. The lamb haneeth and chicken mandi are fall apart tender. The chicken is half a chicken so the breast part is dry while the rest is moist. The flavors do not pack a punch but are still quite present.Customer service was very kind and accommodating. Would come back again!
The service is not that good. They gave our dishes to the table near us. After the neighbor pointed out it is not their dishes (after they got the dish for like 10 min), the server took it away. But they directly gave it back to us without any explanation /apology. I think it is very inappropriate to do in dinning industry. How can you make sure our food is not contaminated? It’s also not hot anymore-it’s cold. This should not happen especially during this Covid time. I am very concerned about the hygiene/food safety.But The food is really good. I like all desserts and lamb. If the service is better I can give a 5 star.
I cannot say enough about this restaurant, the most authentic and best middle eastern food I ever had! I love the staffs, they're super friendly and warm welcomed. Food is reasonable price with generous portions.First we started off with Adani Chai tea. It was warm and refreshing, so soothing with the cold weather.I highly recommend Hummus Shawarma is a MUST! The texture of the hummus is so smooth and topped with rotisserie chicken and garlic sauce is to die for. The best thing I ever ate.However, I must say I'm not a fan of lamb, because it gives me this gamey smell and taste. But their Lamb Fahsah changed me, it was full of flavor and delicious when dipped with their flatbread. Definitely another must try!We also had Grilled Fish of the Day that come with a choice of rice, flatbread, or fries. We had it with rice. Fish was fresh and sweet with a bit of squeezed lemon and the homemade spicy sauce, it was so good, we finished the whole plate lol.Lastly, we had the sizzling Areka, which is their most popular dessert. It was too sweet for my taste. I think because of their ingredients, mashed caramelized dates with bread, which makes it sticky and gooey texture overly sweet. If you like sweet, you'll love this!Overall we had the best experience here and everything were amazing. Will definitely coming back for more!!Vegetarian options: A lot of options.
Came with friends for dinner and had a great experience. They were doing a good take out business in addition to plenty of seating inside. The service was very friendly and helpful. The menu is well put together, and not overwhelming. Be ready to share with your group!Don’t miss the lamb!BYOB
The food in this small restaurant was incredible! The food was seasoned to a point where you can identify all the ingredients on the different plates. None of the flavors overpower the others. It felt like a symphony of ingredients in my mouth. We tried two traditional dishes, the Lamb Haneeth and Chicken Mandi and both were incredible. When you are here, make sure to leave room for the Sizzling Areka (amazing flavor!) The portion is generous and 2-4 people can eat from one (make sure you add the cheese!).
I lived in the Middle East and ate Yemeni food. This place is as close as it comes to food that I used to eat and its really good. Chicken was tender and juicy, which many middle eastern restaurants seem can’t to do right. The falafel salad was amazing as well. The rice was on point too. The hummus and bread was out of this world. I highly recommend this place as the food was really really delicious. The only reason I gave four stars was the price as it slightly on the expensive but again it’s most likely the area where the restaurant is located.
The 6 hour slow cooked lamb is some of the best I've ever had - and the rice is simply amazing. Met one of the owners who is super nice and forthcoming. Would 100% recommend. Thank you!
Restaurantji Recommends
Understand what you are getting with Ariana. The menu is pretty basic with a lot of similar dishes. They stay in their lane and do it well. Don't expect amazing service. Do expect basic, solid Afghani cuisine.
We love this restaurant. If you like Thai food, you will too.
A favorite place for quality afghani food. Do yourself a favor and give this place a try. Prices are reasonable.
Their food here is okay. There service was great. They charged for bread which I was a little shocked. Overall it was a good experience.
This review is based on the fact that we arrived and the restaurant was dark and closed. There was no sign saying this was an emergency, anyone was on vacation, or that the restaurant had new operating hours.