Afghan Restaurants near Arlington, VA

“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“

“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.“

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

“Awesome customer service and food“

“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!“

“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.“

“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 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.“

“Loved every thing about my experience at Lapis. Our server, Diana, was top-tier! She recommended dishes and every one of them were perfection. Go with an appetite and friends/family so you can order several different dishes and taste them all. Sambosa trio, mantoo beef, kofta...taste it all! Save room for dessert because the Sharbat may have changed my life. Wish I lived nearby instead of just in town visiting family!“

“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.“

“what were some of the highlights at big red halal you ask?? THE CHICKEN.. and the red sauce🤤“

“I have been to this kabob house multiple times per recommendation from a friend and every experience does not disappoint. After experiencing multiple Kabob houses throughout the NOVA (Northern Virginia) region including Prince William, Fairfax, and Loudon counties I have to say that the kabobs at food corner house kabob house (FCK) are some the best bar none. The pita bread is soft and doughy, the kabobs are all seasoned and cooked to perfection, and the salad dressing and sides are top notch. The kabobs are consitently tender and nor hard or old and I know they are cooked correctly because there are grilled in such a way that there exists and exterior crunch followed by and explosion of moist flavor. The portions are stll substantial and the owner offers free soup and tea alongside the main meal. Speaking of the owner and crew, they are wonderful to deal with and its always a good conversation. They always listen to customer concerns are readily available to create custom meals on the fly. This place is a true gem, and I would be one of the first to recommend this kabob house if you are ever in the area.“

“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!“

“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.“

“Amazing food and service! definitely will be going back!!“

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

“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.“

“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.“

“I ordered DoorDash had the Combination of Quabili Palau and Chalau, served with meat sauce and one skewer each of shami, chicken, and lamb kabob, and it was outstanding.

Everything was fresh, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. The Quabili Palau was rich and aromatic, the Chalau was delicious, and the meat sauce tied everything together beautifully. The kabobs were all excellent—the shami was tender and well-seasoned, the chicken was juicy, and the lamb was flavorful and perfectly grilled.

The portion size was generous, and the quality of the food was exceptional. The staff was friendly, and the overall experience was great. If you’re looking for authentic Afghan cuisine, I highly recommend this place. I’ll definitely be coming back!“

“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.“

“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!“

“I had a great experience, the service and food quality were amazing. I got the best fish kabob and I can’t compare it with any other restaurant. The food was very tasty, good quality, good quantity and overall 10 out of 10. I will definitely visit again.“

“Friendly & efficient service! Great tasting food, check it out!“

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