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    Afghan Famous Kabob Restaurant

    4.0 (253 reviews)
    ModerateAfghan
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:30 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Afghan Famous Kabob Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    AFGHAN FAMOUS KABOB RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Chicken Kabob Boneless (Lunch Special)
    Ronnie T.

    This is a hidden gem in Gainesville. I stopped here while on my way to Shenandoah National Park. I was greeted with a warm welcome and placed my order. What is great is that you can pick wherever you would like to sit. The ambiance is relaxed. Once your order is ready, you walk to the front to pick it up. Tip: I would recommend paying in cash, as there is a surcharge for credit/debit. I ordered the chicken kabob lunch special. My food came out not shortly afterwards. The chickpeas were so flavorful and juicy! The naan bread was fresh and not stale, the chicken was flavorful and the texture was nice and fine!!! The green sauce was flavorful and had a slight spice kick! The rice was also cooked well and the salad hit the spot! I sometimes would add the food into the naan, almost like a mini gyro. WOW! I hope to return soon! Check this place out!

    Menu

    The prices on Yelp menu are inaccurate. I was very disappointed when I arrived to an almost $70 bill when I expected it to be between $30-40. The menu provided at the restaurant has an inactive website listed and a QR code that takes you to that same site. The food was just ok. Not worth what I paid for it. I was looking forward to several items after reading good reviews. The appetizers were not worth the hype and are almost double the cost of what the price says on Yelp.

    Chicken Breast Kabob
    Nathan N.

    Such a hidden gem in Gainesville. Afghan Famous Kabob is absolutely the best spot for Middle Eastern food in NoVa. You can see their whole kitchen right at the register and every skewer of meat is grilled fresh right in front of you. The restaurant itself doesn't LOOK anything special, on the inside or outside, but the food is phenomenal. I've got a few tips before you go. The location has really shoddy cell service, so if you are expecting an important call don't come here. Secondly, they only have free hot water and tea, no cold water, so you have to bring your own water bottle or buy one there. The wait once you order can vary a lot, depending on how far done the meats are. Be prepared for 15 minutes, and be happy if you wait less. My go-to order is the Boneless Chicken Breast Kabob. For $15, it's the perfect meal - you get your choice of meat, a salad, a side of chickpeas, rice, and a whole piece of naan. You can also get a yogurt-based white sauce or a mint-based green sauce. I always make sure to get extra green sauce, it's a spicy mint chutney that goes great with the naan. The meat is extremely flavorful, so much so that I sometimes feel bad dipping it in the sauce. The salad, chickpeas, and rice are what you'd expect. The naan is the right mix of fluffy and firm that is difficult for a lot of places to get right. It's rare these days to get a full meal for only $15, but Afghan Famous Kabob delivers. Don't let the sketchy shopping center put you off, it is definitely worth going to.

    So good the food disappeared
    Evan F.

    Deluxe Kabob is amazing! Owner is very nice and slow roasts Beef, Lamb and Chicken on a spiggot. Best Afghani Restaraunt in the area!

    Lunch special.

    The food is good, Customer service? Not their strength. I went to their website and saw their lunch special at $10.50, figured I'll give it a shot. Called the number. Mentioned the lunch special couple of times, mentioned $10.50 as well so I don't get surprised when I'm there. Ordered the chicken. The lady replied chicken and Shami? I said, "No chicken only. Doesn't look like I can get both for lunch special". She replied, "You can get combo". Who am I to question someone who works there? I go in and pick up my food. It's 17+ dollars. I asked the gentleman about the lunch special pricing and he replied, "What lunch special?" I mentioned the lunch special on their website. The gentleman (who refused to smile throughout the interaction, even though I greeted him, I smiled, and kept that smile throughout.), said, "what website ?". SMH. I've dealt with him before, and I know that's how he is. I told him I called the number on the website to order the lunch special. His reply? "We don't have a combo lunch special". I knew this wasn't go8ng to go anywhere and left. I had several other options for $17, but more importantly, I wasn't planning to spend $17+ for lunch. I understand that there is a language barrier. Which is fine. OWN IT and just say, sorry, there was a misunderstanding. You don't even have to smile. Just say it politely. Cheers!

    the interior of the restaurant
    Lauren C.

    Exploring Gainesville isn't that exciting but the food at this little restaurant was! Starving per usual, I decided to stop by this place, the owner is so nice and suggested the combo. Wasn't the most expensive thing on the menu, which a lot of restaurants and servers will try to do. He was chatting up with me about different types of middle eastern food since I love me self a good everything! It took about 10 minutes, but it was worth the wait. The meat selection: chicken and lamb; amazing. Lamb was a bit tough, but the chick peas and the green sauce did the trick. You also get a long piece of naan which who doesn't like carbs right? I'd come here again if I'm in the area again!

    Chicken Kabob Salad
    Dennis R.

    Big fan of chicken kabob and I wanted to try a different place. The choice this time was good in presentation and taste. I came to Afghan Kabob around 1pm in the afternoon, empty seating area not one customer but never less I wanted to give them a chance. The location is not a very appealing, dark lighting, dusty lightbulbs and dark faded out picture frames like they been out in the sun for too long. The bathroom is immaculate and left a good impression in me. The food was ok, took for ever to get more then 30 minutes but when we received it it was tasteful. The rice was flavorful, the chicken was hot not much flavor , salad was fresh and green. The best part of the good was the fresh, crisp bread. Nice and hot and shape like a stretch football. Sauce was limited but good. Overall good 3/5 stars, service 2/5 not a smile or small talk. Location 2/5 could use a lift in presentation. The Afghan music did not help felt so out of place. Is ok kabob but rather go to manassas and get a better deal and quality.

    kabob combo
    VyVy V.

    I've tried a number of Afghan restaurants around the NoVA area and this place was definitely on the top of the list! My fiancé and I were in the Gainesville area and we had this place bookmarked for awhile and finally had a chance to stop in. We both got the kabob combo and it comes with three different types of meat, which is a good sampler for our first time. The naan was my favorite because it was so fluffy and big! I found out it's homemade fresh daily! Portions are big and everything was flavorful. Worth the drive to Gainesville!

    Chicken Kabob

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    1 month ago

    Just got back to the area, had my quick goto, the Shami sandwich, fresh and delicate as I remembered, delicious. The naan is top tier.

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Food was great. Great portion for the price. Can't wait to go back. I did take out. But everyone was friendly and ambiance seemed nice.

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Great food and fair prices. Cannot wait to come back again! Love the specials they offer too.

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    5 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Very friendly little shop by the freeway. Not a judge on whether the food is authentic but it's pretty satisfying to eat.

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Great quality and very tasty. Takes sometime after order but worth the taste! Fair prices too!

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    We love afghan famous kabob. The down side is the service is pretty slow, no matter which day of the week we stop by...

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Great place to eat! The gyros are fantastic. Hard to finish because there is so much good. Flat bread is out of this world.

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    17 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Excellent food. Very happy with the food and its services. The chicken and its white was was exceptionally good.

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    3 years ago

    Great food, amazing staff. I have ordered from here a few times in short amount of time and I highly recommend their chicken breast.

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    2 years ago

    Me and my husband favorite spot to eat, very good food and owners are very kind people ,10/10 definitely Recommend

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    Kabul Kabob House II - Two deluxe and one combo meal with extra breads and Chick peas! Food is fresh & delicious!!

    Kabul Kabob House II

    4.0(148 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$

    Loved every thing that we got from here. From the simple yet flavorful chickpeas and bread to the…read moreincredibly seasoned grilled meats! Will definitely return again!

    I gave them a 2 stars because I am giving them the benefit of the doubt and the young kid behind…read morethe counter was nice. I want to tell you what happened to me and if you ate at this location on Friday afternoon through Saturday 4/10-11/2026, and if you had the same experience then this may give you answers. I ordered takeout (3 kebab mixed platter, I think chicken, lamb, shami And an appetizer of aushak. It came with Qurma meat sauce and rice and veggies. I usually only eat one time a day and only had coffee that morning. I took the food back to my hotel and ate probably 1/2 of it, only sampling the qurma and kebabs and rice and veggies and a couple of aushak. I woke up the next morning early, went to see customers and started feeling a little weak. By Saturday evening and before dinner I was starting to get chills and not feeling right. Sunday morning I woke up with severe stomach pain and diarrhea. It is now 4 days later and I am still more sick than I have ever been in my life. I laid in bed on Sunday & Monday and flew home on Tuesday and went strait to an emergency room where they did a CT and bloodwork and found no issues with gallbladder or pancreas and bleeding, only lots of irritation in the GI track and that I was dehydrated. Since I was not vomiting, The Dr. said it is probable food poisoning. It is Wednesday 4/15 and I am still very sick, nothing to eat in 4 days beyond water, coke, ginger ale and a handful of saltine crackers which all of this has ran through me like water through sieve. I am not saying that it was this places food that caused my sickness, but I am saying that this was my timeline and this is what happened to me and if it happened to you, maybe this give some clarity. I am washing my sheets and covers right now because I shit to bed twice last night. I have been praying to God that I live.

    Photos
    Kabul Kabob House II - Super friendly family owned restaurant! My family and I love this place!! Thank you for feeding us amazing food!

    Super friendly family owned restaurant! My family and I love this place!! Thank you for feeding us amazing food!

    Kabul Kabob House II - Stale, tough Naan bread

    Stale, tough Naan bread

    Kabul Kabob House II - Veg options

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    Veg options

    Afghan Bistro - Chocolate cake

    Afghan Bistro

    4.7(1.1k reviews)
    23.7 mi
    $$

    Craving lamb. Submitted my order via their website. Arrived at the restaurant and we were greeted…read moreas we walked in. The restaurant's decor is culturally appropriate. We arrived early evening and they had a candle and tablecloth on each table. I ordered Baadenjaan Bouranee, luscious eggplant dish; Frenched Rack Of Lamb, perfectly cooked, tender and flavorful; and Pumpkin Dumpling Entree, perfectly sweet, smooth interior and perfectly steamed dumpling wrapper. I will continue to support this establishment.

    We were able to get reservations to this restaurant earlier in the day, but I would highly suggest…read moregetting reservations ahead of time because we saw people get denied when they just walked in. When we walked in, we were greeted very nicely and sat quickly. Our server was new and it was her first day so she couldn't really give any recommendations which wasn't the best, but the manager came out and was able to help with describing some of the dishes and giving great recommendations. Most of the people that we ate with ended up with some type of lamb dish and the lamb was phenomenal. The rice was delicious. The eggplant was delicious. We got a bunch of appetizers. Everything was on point. Everything tasted super fresh and overall we had a very nice experience. The food also came out very quickly. The overall ambience was very nice very home type vibe and it is a smaller restaurant for limited tables One of our friends that we went with since we haven't seen each other for a long time was really craving a beer and kebabs which sometimes a little bit harder than one would anticipate but they served alcohol as well as delicious food so win-win here. So overall, I would highly recommend this place if you want delicious Afghan food, but of course remember to book in advance .

    Photos
    Afghan Bistro - Inside. Quaint and cozy

    Inside. Quaint and cozy

    Afghan Bistro
    Afghan Bistro - Peach martini

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    Peach martini

    Afghan Restaurant  - Lamb kabob

    Afghan Restaurant

    4.4(54 reviews)
    26.2 mi

    Came for the Sheeryakh, but had such delicious, authentic Afghan food! I'd give 4.5 stars for some…read moreconstructive modifications to make in the future related to service, but overall amazing food! I left with a full belly and a happy heart. Got a combo of chicken kabob and shami kabob along with a side of their borani banjan/eggplant dish. The eggplant was honestly one of my favorite things- it's a must get in my opinion. Homey dish with incredible flavors! Their naan is fresh and pairs well with it. The chicken was good, but I've had better honestly. The shami was a little disappointing as I expected more flavor and it was slightly dry, but good. Their rice was so tasty and I loved the sweetness coming from the carrots an raisins. Of course, the sheeryakh was great- quite a big portion for one person, but I loved the texture. It tastes very similar to the Indian/South Asian/Pakistani ice cream, "Kulfi." CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK: Service needs improvement. The whole time I was there I had to keep looking for waiters to make eye contact with to ask for menu, water, paying, etc. It took about 10 min or more for me to have to call a busy waiter over just to look at the menu- no one came over on their own. Things just took time for a Saturday night- plus they were hosting an event on top of this. Needless to say, I've never had service like this, but the vibe and food made me be not as harsh. Despite the service, this place is a must try for authentic Afghan cuisine. Can't wait to try more of their menu (and the borani banjan again) in the future!

    The chicken bowl was amazing. Friend loved the spinach and we got the chickpea. The star of the…read morenight was the eggplant dish! We have had it at other restaurants but this place topped it!! Way too stuffed to get dessert but the ice cream looked phenomenal!

    Photos
    Afghan Restaurant
    Afghan Restaurant
    Afghan Restaurant  - Tea party set with Afghan cream roll and cake

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    Tea party set with Afghan cream roll and cake

    Kabobi By The Helmand - Banjan borani (eggplant)

    Kabobi By The Helmand

    4.6(289 reviews)
    16.1 mi
    $$

    Every time I come, I order the same thing: the Seekh Kabob wrap. It's perfect. Just the right…read moreamount of food. Comes with this really fresh sauce. Filled with salad. I've also had the chicken samosas, which were excellent and I would order in a heartbeat. I especially like this as a safe stop during travel. It's rarely too busy, the food is always good, and you can grab a drink if that's your thing. The mint lemonade is also good if you want an NA option.

    I don't usually leave negative reviews, but this was my second poor experience with the same…read moreserver, so I felt it was worth sharing. I'm a local customer and live just a minute away, so I've visited more than once. I came in for lunch today with my wife and our 1.5-year-old son. After placing our order and sitting down, the server loudly yelled from behind the counter for us to come get our water. It felt uncomfortable and unprofessional, especially with a young child. When I placed my order, I asked for extra white sauce, and I asked again when the food came out. Both times, the request was ignored. I also mentioned that we hadn't received our drinks, but instead of addressing it, the server again yelled for us to get the drinks ourselves from the cooler. The food itself was okay, but the bread was very poor--hard and barely edible. I even called the restaurant later in the evening to share my concerns, but was told the server was off at that time. Overall, very disappointing experience, mainly due to the customer service. I hope this feedback is taken seriously and leads to improvement.

    Photos
    Kabobi By The Helmand - Inside POV~

    Inside POV~

    Kabobi By The Helmand - Chicken lawand

    Chicken lawand

    Kabobi By The Helmand - Kabuli Pallow Bowl

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    Bistro Aracosia - Mini Taste of Aracosia - Chicken Sabzi Lawaan, Rumi's Veal, Lamb Chops, Beef Tenderloin, Nakhoud, Kadoo, Banjaan, Daal

    Bistro Aracosia

    4.7(383 reviews)
    29.7 miPalisades
    $$$

    I've visited bistro aracosia twice. The food is always amazing and the service is also great…read more Everyone is kind and friendly. The bread comes out with four different sauces in the beginning which is nice. We got the assorted dumplings which were very flavorful and delicious. The lamb rack is to die for and the saffron chicken is also very good. I preferred the other two entrees over the lamb moghuli but it might be because I'm not a huge fan of the smoky flavor. The restaurant has a cozy and comforting atmosphere and is pretty quiet. Will be going back again:)

    Perfection. Everything I have tried in this special Afghani restaurant is done perfectly…read more Delicious, fresh, beautifully presented, colorful, nice atmosphere and very clear and friendly in regard to vegan/ vegetarian and other dietary options. I highly recommend this restaurant to vegetarians and vegans. Excellent service and the food is truly mouth watering. I love their outdoor patio and they have heaters outdoor for cooler weather. A must try for sure! My general rating system: 1 star: I would stay away 2 stars: Has some good things about it but I generally don't recommend. 3 stars: Pretty good. I wouldn't go out of my way to go back but a decent place 4 stars: Great place. I would go back. 5 stars: I highly recommend stopping whatever you are doing and making plans to try it out! An Evie favorite!

    Photos
    Bistro Aracosia - Dining room

    Dining room

    Bistro Aracosia - Dumpling Assortment - Spicy Beef, Leek & Scallion, Pumpkin

    Dumpling Assortment - Spicy Beef, Leek & Scallion, Pumpkin

    Bistro Aracosia - Pomegranate and cardamom tea

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    Pomegranate and cardamom tea

    Aracosia McLean - Qabuli Combination Platter - this was ok. The channa and eggplant were good.

    Aracosia McLean

    4.8(475 reviews)
    26.0 mi
    $$$

    Aracosia has been a stellar Afghani food staple for Northern VA since they opened. Their tender…read moreLamb shanks--both Sabzi and Moghuli are hit with family and out of state visitors. So is the Vegetarian platter and tasting menu, aushak, quroti, and turnovers. You cant go wrong with saffron rice or the rice with carrots and raisins. Enough reviews already mention the four dips and soft bread, a cross between middle eastern bread and focaccia. Non alcoholic drinks are not an after thought, the sour cherry rose lemonade is liked by kids, adults, and seniors. Service is warm and welcoming, the Rumi quotes on the walls and turkish lamps add to the ambience, parking is easy and aplenty. A few tips: 1. Go for the lunch menu if you are feeding a large group. It is cheaper. Or consider making the trek to where it all started, Afghan Bistro in Springfield. 2. Ask for the daily selection of cakes. The pistachio and cardamom are the best, not too sweet, light, moist, and fragrant. Of course we devoured the food before taking pictures but a couple attached.

    Overall it was a good experience! We absolutely loved the bread and the difference sauces that…read morewent with it. The pumpkin dumplings and pan fried veggie filled dumplings were great as well. I thought my salmon wrap and the chickpea side was ok. Interesting flavors for sure. As for the service, there was always someone filling up our waters and our waiter was very nice checking in every now and then. The only downside of the experience is at the end when the waiter was boxing up all the food for us. Very sweet that they do this but when boxing up my partners food, they only boxed up the rice and they got rid of the lamb that he was looking forward to eating more of later. So that was kind of a disappointment for us. I think if we go again, we would request to box our food ourselves since I'm not sure why they decided to get rid of all of his lamb.

    Photos
    Aracosia McLean
    Aracosia McLean
    Aracosia McLean - Bread - good.

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    Bread - good.

    Afghan Famous Kabob Restaurant - afghani - Updated May 2026

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