The Mantu | Modern Afghan Cuisine

I keep thinking about the dinner we had and wanting to go back. We ordered a little of everything and I want to try a little more of everything! Get dessert!! Particularly the pistachio ice cream….yum

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Stopped jn for lunch. Quiet place. Has been a long time since I'd had afghani cuisine. I had lentil soup and beef kaboolih. They were quite tasty and enjoyable. The beef dish was gently spiced
I'll definitely be back.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4

One of our favorite places for date night or to take out of town guests. The food is fantastic - we love the beef and vegetarian mantu plates. The other entrees are also great, but I have to take home nearly the entire portion after filling up on mantu.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We had a fantastic lunch for my birthday. It was my first visit and the food and service were absolutely delicious and welcoming. Our entire table commented on how we would be returning.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

If I was able to give more than 5 stars I would !!! But let's say a great representation of Afghanistan and its food !! The service specially chef Ebad prepared the food that made my American and Indian friends go Wow! His attention to kebob and how we wanted it was exceptional! Plus he offered the highest level of hospitality!!! Will definitely visit occasionally along with my friends!!!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I do not know how this restaurant has such good reviews. We went in at lunchtime and it was completely empty. Despite us being the only customers, service was slow and inattentive. The napkins were dirty and mismatched. The food was greasy but edible. See my dish of vegan karahi swimming in grease. I would not recommend.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 2

Service: 1

I was there on Friday I think they change their chef or the recipe anyway I tried lamb karahi with bread the taste was different from my last visit (a month ago) I don’t wanna give bad review but hopefully the figure it out and fix it

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 3

Stay away the food was very bad. I should have known not to go in when we saw the restaurant empty at 7pm. I guess I got fooled by the reviews. The lamb chops were extremely dry and lacked salt and spices. The beef kebab was basically 2 oversized burgers. They threw fries on top of the kebabs. The fries were not even cooked all the way. The name of the restaurant is The Mantu and you would think they would make good mantu. Not at all. The dolma was crunchy and undercooked. Upon paying the check, the waitress asked how was the food. We told her it was not good at all. So we told her that the glassware had a huge crack in it. Waitress seemed shocked when I showed her and asked if we would like a gift certificate. I refused because the food was not something I would try here again. As someone who is familiar with Afghani food, such a shame that this place calls itself anything Afghani. Stay away. Horrible experience.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 1

Service: 2

I love this place! The food was delicious and the staff was very friendly- I will definitely be back!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Hamidullah was very friendly and attentive. Food was very good and worth the reasonable price.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Delicious meal and great service. We ordered the cabbage rolls all, chicken and lamb karahi, herb rice, and naan. The cocktails were also great. Highly recommend all of those dishes.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We were excited to come back to this place after we tried it a few years back, and loved it. We were not greeted by the waitress. She told us to sit wherever, but not by the windows as those tables were reserved (there were two other people at the neighboring table, and for the whole time we were there nobody else showed up )Her service to say the least was very rude and unprofessional. As for the food, it tasted good but some of the things that we ordered were not available and we were charged for bread that we didn’t order, but it was OK as it was tasty. The young man that brought us our food was very nice and friendly. Some order was forgotten and we had to ask for it ….. the mantu, the lentil soup, the appetizers were pretty tasty , but the service was one of the worst we experienced in Richmond. The atmosphere could have been better as there was just silence no background music or similar.
While we were waiting on our food, the waitress Cleaned up the table next to us, when she set the table she dropped a fork on the floor, picked it right back up and kept on placing it on the table and added some still dripping, wet water glasses.
I understand it’s hard to get good personnel, but I don’t think this lady should be in The service industry.
I usually don’t review, but this one was not a very good experience , specially for the price payed.

I updated my review ❤️:

Kindness, Flavor, and Heart — All in One Place

Sometimes, second chances remind us how much heart people can have. Our first visit didn’t go well — the service had been disappointing — but the chef reached out with such kindness and invited us back . I was touched by that gesture alone, but what followed truly moved me.

From the moment we walked in, the entire team welcomed us with warmth and care. The food was extraordinary — rich in flavor and soul — and the chef personally checked on us several times, making sure everything was perfect. You can feel his passion in every bite.

Even more inspiring is who he is beyond the kitchen: a compassionate man who helps children and families in his home country of Afghanistan. His kindness shines through his food and his heart.

This visit turned everything around — not just the experience, but how we felt. We left with full hearts and happy smiles. Thank you for reminding us what true hospitality and humanity look like. ❤️

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Mantu Dumplings, Garlic Naan

Vibe was off, food was worse. Very different from photos online.

This was an awful experience. Went in very hopeful based on reviews. Server was pretty disengaged and unresponsive when we walked in - “sit wherever”. Menus we were brought had food splattered on them, seats where sticky, tablecloth had food stains. Felt overall unhygienic… gave it a try anyway, just to see if the food was worth it. Beef was mealy and unflavorful. The texture was awful. Not sure if it was bad beef or just cooked wrong, but I didn’t eat it. Mantu dumplings were okay.

I don’t think the cocktail we ordered was anything more than a glass of Captain Morgan with ocean spray fruit punch mix.

We were offered a gift certificate to make up for the cost of the food we didn’t eat, but nothing else. Debating whether it’s worth using the gift card.

To be clear…. As someone who has over 12 years of quality restaurant experience, I think there is something genuinely dishonest between the online reviews, the photos on the website, and the in-person reality.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 1

Service: 1

The waitress was superior. She was very knowledgeable about the menu and food. The food was delicious. We had the vegetarian mantu. It comes with two sauces a yogurt dill sauce and a spicy sauce. If you like spicy go for the spicy. We loved it. I am not a vegetarian but had the cauliflower dish with a side of naan. I devoured all of it. They kindly accommodated our request for no cilantro in our dishes. You must save room for dessert. The homemade pistachio ice cream was probably the best ice cream I've ever had. It was so good that once my sister and I had finished it we had to have another even though we were both stuffed.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Insanely delicious, even for a vegetarian! The vegan kebab appetizer was mouth watering, followed by delicious cauliflower Karahi. The vibe inside is wonderful too, with a very attentive hostess and kind chef. We wanted to try the homemade ice cream, but were so stuffed from the meals. Definitely will come again.