Amazing food-some of the best I have ever had. Excellent service and nice ambiance! If in the area not to be missed.

We had to stop by this place because it was #2 of 100 best restaurants in the US according to Yelp. After being there and having food, I am wondering if the list is reliable. Don't get me wrong, the food was good but the second best restaurant in the US good? I don't think so. The chops were perfectly cooked and well seasoned and the beef tenderloin was tasty, but I was expecting so much more. The pumpkin dumplings are interesting and different so had to try given reviews, but not sure I would get it again. The sides for the entrees were good but again, not mind blowing, which is what I expect from a number 2. Solid restaurant but we have very good kebab places on Long Island as well. read more

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Wow living in northern Virginia, I never knew this place existed. I had to search on Reddit nova section and people recommended here so me and my wife went and enjoyed our lunch. The waiter service was top notch, and the food was amazing. We will be back for sure. read more

Great service and great food. Never had lamb that tasted this good. I went back the same week to eat at the restaurant again! They also had live music playing when I went on the weekend. read more

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Excellent! Placed an order online, which was simple and straight forward. Free garage parking is available beside the restaurant. Employees are friendly and welcoming. The restaurant is clean and organized. Our order was ready when we arrived and everything was neatly wrapped in the takeout bag. Their complimentary homemade sauces are all well made and pair beautifully with their dishes. Everything from start to finish was lovely. Our taste buds were happy with each bite. The Pumpkin and Spicy Beef Dumplings were wonderful appetizers. Delicate dumpling skin that holds all the flavorful fillings together. Topped with yogurt garlic sauce, crushed dry mint, and cayenne pepper. The lamb was incredibly tender and seasoned well. The rice was fluffy, had lovely spices in it, and topped with slightly sweet carrots and raisins. Yum! All the vegetables were cooked to perfection. Tender, fresh, and jam packed with flavor. Firni was a great way to end the meal. Afghan pudding infused with cardamom and topped with crushed pistachios. So smooth and creamy. Highly recommend. read more

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I really wanted to love Aracosia and there was a lot that they did well. We showed up on a recent Friday after work without a reservation and the hostess very kindly was able to seat us either inside or outside. We chose outside since it was one of those rare evenings where it was allegedly fall, but still warm enough and they have space heaters for the cold ones in the group (yes, ok, hi, I'm the problem it's me). They immediately bring dips and bread which is lovely - service did take a bit to get there, but eventually, "hello, my friend... yes, my friend..." (a constant every time he came to the table), Moez came and took our order. Moez didn't initially inspire confidence with an understanding of my allergies, but eventually my main course did come as I had asked him for it to come and he did send out an appetizer accompaniment that he assumed (big assumption, but kind regardless) I could eat. What I could get that was gluten and dairy free was the salmon with just the rice, I thought the salmon didn't have a lot of flavor and was lacking even in salt. In general I thought it was not great and nothing I would go back for. Hubby had the Risotto and Lamb Shank and enjoyed it, though even though we're within walking distance, didn't enjoy it enough to want to come back. It's really a shame as it's a lovely neighborhood gem and I wish they had gotten it right. We had to wait a long time between service which I guess is understandable on a busy evening, but it felt like we were the forgotten ones outside (there are about 5-6 tables outside). If you go, I don't recommend the salmon. Or byo salt. read more

From the simple ambiance, clean bathrooms, friendly service, and the DELICIOUS Afghan food- this place is awesome! My party of 5 came here for lunch for the first time, and we loved every bite. We all enjoyed the tender lamb, flavorful aushak, rice, and veggies. The "taste of Aracosia" selection is a great way to try a variety of the menu. The BEST Afghan restaurant! read more

The sauces were so good and the meat was very tenders. I love this place and highly recommended to everyone! read more

Aracosia McLean - Chicken & Ground Beef kabob - Afghan Near Me - McLean, Virginia

The food is really beautiful descent especially their lamb based dishes. However considering the amount of food we pay, it is not really a strong push for your money. So in summary the food is really good but really bad value. read more

This place had amazing reviews and was recommended to me multiple times, so I decided to try it out. Boy was it worth it. Food - Great! Their bread is amazing, and it comes with 4 different sauces. Their meats are all great as well. Service - Great, and there are also some paintings on the wall as well. The bathrooms are one person at a time, though. Parking - findable Overall, this place is amazing. read more

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Excellent, as always! This is the type of place where you have to slow yourself down and eat slowly and adequately take the time to really savor the flavor. You really can't go wrong with any of the restaurants in this group (Bistro Arcosia, Afghan Bistro, etc). All are phenomenal! Can't wait to go back! read more

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I come here cause I crave lamb and cannot even sleep till I satiate my desires. The best LAMB dishes are here. 1. Reservation: I always make one, but they always seem to have excess tables, so you can walk-in. 2. Food: great for certain food, just okay for some. But I come here for those certain special dishes. - Dumplings: are not like your typical Asian dumplings, so don't dismiss it, definitely try it. Very different mouth feel and taste. - ox tail dumplings and leek & scallion dumplings are AMAZING! A must try. - I didn't really care for their beef and pumpkin dumplings, I'd skip 'em. - Free bread and dips: mouth watering, quite literally from the great taste as well as its spiciness. - Lamb shank - great. Highly recommend - Meat platter: Loved both lamb but didn't like the veal/beef. I would recommend instead getting the lamb platter. 3. Service: good It is a bit varying from when you come and who you're with, which bothers me. Every time I came here, I paid for the party (that's 5 times in a row). However, I noticed that every time I come here with an adult male, I get treated better than me coming alone or with a child. They should certainly work on their anti-discrimination training. 4. Ambience: great decor inside and nice little balcony like outdoor area. read more

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Wow. Just wow. I guess they're known for the lamb because wow. The meat literally falls off of the bone! It's so tender, juicy, flavorful, just delicious!!! Get the lamb if you come here. We started with the dumpling platter and let me just say that the pumpkin one is amazing! Don't sleep on it. We also got the cardamom cake (I think) which was their version of tres leche. Oh my goodness it was soooo good. I still think about it. Staff was amazing, service was quick, even when it was packed. I had no idea this place existed but glad I finally tried it out - you should too! read more

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We've never needed a reservation to eat at this restaurant before, but yesterday we were told that we needed one. When we arrived, the restaurant was practically empty, with only three tables occupied at 5:30-ish. The owner offered us a seat at the bar, even though we had my 11-year-old child with us. I'm not sure if it's even legal for a child to sit at the bar. The restaurant reservation culture is definitely out of control. To add to the problem, neighborhood restaurants are getting on the trend: turning away customers due to reservations, even when the restaurant is half empty. Why unnecessarily complicate a dinner experience more than it should be! read more

Great ambiance and servers. Friendly staff. But the food is mediocre if you know authentic afghani food. Good selections. We shall definitely be back for the ambiance but not for the food. Sauces are good. Never ever had sambosa with sugar on it. Not a good combination. Parking is plenty so good location read more

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Good portion. Nice place to take family out for dinner. Great customer service. Food is always on point.

Holey moley this place just keeps getting better. Ordered the sampler where chickpeas grilled meat and pumpkins were standouts but absolutely everything was outstanding. The service was also fantastic. read more

Aracosia McLean - Sampler - Afghan Near Me - McLean, Virginia

Our second restaurant for dine in. We were able to get the outdoor seating. Its on the second floor and they have chairs/tables on the walkway. The hosts are great, very nice and very helpful. helped us through the menu. FOOD - 5/5 My fav- Chicken Lawaan Chicken Aracosian A must visit place. read more

Last night was my second visit to Aracosia, this time with a group of 6 friends. As noted in several reviews the restaurant has a wonderful ambience, with comfortable furnishings, marvelous paintings and wall decorations. The host and hostess were handsome, gracious and stylishly dressed. However, the wait service was a bit spotty, and the waiters seemed to be inexperienced. After being seated, we all ordered wine from a very nice list of selections. Twenty minutes later we were still waiting! Finally the hostess arrived and figured out who got which wine. I had ordered a premium Grand Reserva Rioja, which took them some more time to find and deliver to the table. Sadly, it was served at room temperature. At $29/glass I expected the wine to be treated with a bit more respect, but it was still a treat, and I ordered a second glass. Everyone in our group enjoyed the food. My lamb tenderloin was too salty, but otherwise under-seasoned. It was hard to tell whether it was actually lamb or beef. The rice with carrots and raisins was spectacular. After dinner we had baklava (more soggy than flaky) and a glass of Grand Marnier. When the bill was presented, I appreciated that it was subtotaled for each guest, which made it easy to pay separately. I plan to return for more visits, but with realistic expectations. read more

This was easily a top 15 meal of my life. Need to come back soon. Dined outdoors with a date and the service was fantastic as well as the ambiance. We had lamb and chicken dishes and everything accompanying it was just delicious. read more

This is one of the best restaurants that I've been to in the DC Metro area. It's on the upper level of a strip mall in McLean. My grandson and I went for dinner on a Thursday evening with reservations. The ambiance, the service, and the wait staff were all lovely and attentive. They started us with a flat bread. We had an assortment of dumpling appetizer which included pumpkin, onion/leek, and spicy beef. Delicious. My grandson got lamb chops for his entree--he said the best lamb chops he'd ever had, they were not gamey tasting. And I got the salmon kabob. So very good. Cooked just right. Each dish came with rice, a cooked spinach side, and we ordered a slaw which really added to the flavors of each entree. the restaurant was filled but we could still hear each other so that was nice. I highly recommend this very authentic Afghan restaurant. There is something for everyone and lots of vegetarian and vegan options also. I look forward to going back. read more

I have never had Afghan food before, but this place made me realize that it is marvelous. My friends and I came here after a long day of hiking in Shenandoah National Park and wanted to treat ourselves with a nice dinner. The parking situation was a little rough, but the ambiance was excellent as was the service. We all split a vegetarian appetizer, which was hot and flavorful, and gave us an opportunity to try various cooked vegetables like eggplant, squash, mushroom, and stuffed dumplings. As a vegetarian, I ordered a plate that had similar items to the appetizer, and I was not complaining because it was delicious. There was an addition of rice and chickpeas. The portion sizes were decent given the upscale nature of the restaurant. I appreciated the large menu with variety that accommodated a variety of dietary restrictions. My friends had various types of meat such as beef and lamb, and they said that it was some of the most flavorful and perfectly cooked meat they have ever had. This was a wonderful experience as authentic Afghani food is not widely available in Houston. The bread given as an appetizer with the various dipping sauces was a spectacular way to begin the meal. It was hard not to get full from it with how warm and fluffy the traditional bread was. Overall, we all left with satisfied stomachs and full hearts. read more

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What a wonderful place!! I really appreciated the extra glass of cava as a celebration that they added and thought that the food was a splitting image of its sister restaurant in Springfield. The lamb **kiss** is quite a delicacy. Perfectly seasoned and perfectly cooked, they do the best job possible to rid any possible gamy-ness. The dumplings, I feel, are something quite underrated in their meat-heavy menu. The dumplings are great to capture some of these Afghan flavors in this very savory manor and the sampler is a wonderful hearty starter. I do think that the decor is a bit more upscale than that of Springfield. But overall, the service was stellar and I really loved the food. read more

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Food was great recommended the full taste of aracosia if its your first time its a little expensiveand requires 2 people but it is delicious. Good atmosphere in the restaurant. Service was a little slow but they were very busy when i was there. Bread starter with sauses they give for free which is very yummy. read more

Aracosia was one of my favorite restaurant places I've been to in a long time. This was an incredible dining experience from beginning to end. I'll start with the ambience first this was a really calm and soothing environment with great music and the perfect view of McLean. The staff was really really friendly. They answered every question we had about the menu and staff was knowledgeable about the menu and helped us make choices based on our preferences and really made you feel like you were at home. The food was sensational. My group went for lunch, and the portions for their lunch menu were extremely doing for the price. I had lamb with brown rice and chickpeas, and it was sensational. We started off with delicious nine and three delectable, dipping sauces that were complementary and everything that my friends order looks and tasted delicious food as well. Flashman at least the cake was one of the best pecan pecan I've ever had in my life. You can park in the adjoining parking lot . Plenty of parking plenty of seating good for lunch and I will definitely come back for dinner as well. Try this place out if you get a chance. read more

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Best kabobs I've ever had! The chargrilled flavor was fantastic! The 4 sauces that come with the bread were superb! Chicken & Ground Beef Kabobs read more

Aracosia McLean - Chicken and Ground Beef Kabobs - Afghan Near Me - McLean, Virginia

Delicious food, authentic place, and great atmosphere. Went to celebrate a birthday with my friends. The dessert was amazing . The chocolate cake and the pistachio cake highly recommended. read more

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Aracosia is fantastic! The small plates are tasty, the sambosas are delicious! The service is great and the ambiance is lovely. Highly recommend Aracosia! read more

Aracosia McLean - Hot Mazza Assortment and Sambosa - Afghan Near Me - McLean, Virginia

The food was very delicious. And very authentic. The service was great. And the wait wasn't long. The vibe was very eclectic

Heard a lot about this place over the years but haven't been able to make a stop until recently. We placed an online order for the pumpkin dumplings with minced beef, chicken and beef seekh kabobs, chicken lawaan, and firni. The order was estimated 30 minutes but took longer than expected (45~ minutes). Despite the longer wait, their staff was very friendly and offered us a seat and a drink. The interior over a restaurant was pretty nice and would be great for like a date night. The food did not disappoint. The dumplings were huge and pretty flavorful, glad we added the minced beef. The kabobs were portioned perfectly, just enough rice/chickpeas as well. The seekh kabob was bursting with flavor and the chicken was juicy. The accompanying bread was great too (came with two huge pieces) as well as the four chutney options. My girlfriend really liked her chicken lawaan, it was so big she had lunch the next day. The firni was a nice finisher for us, not too sweet but still had a nice subtle flavor. I definitely plan on coming back here and minus the longer than expected wait, its pretty much five stars to me. read more

UPDATED: SEE BELOW FOR MORE ON COVID AND CURBSIDE SPECIALS Our favorite DC restaurant (Bistro Aracosia) opened this beautiful new dining room in McLean and we could not be more pleased. I predict that tables will soon be hard to come by. Aracosia bills itself as a "chop house," and the grilled meats here are indeed good, but I am partial to the traditional Afghan dumplings and complex braised dishes, which Aracosia does better than any Afghan restaurant in the area. Always start with Aushak (leek & scallion dumplings), and with Aracosia's exemplary pumpkin dumplings. A meal here would be incomplete without them. Among the meat dishes, the grilled chops are nice, but to my taste don't hold a candle to the braised, long-cooked items. Always choose lamb here over veal. The Lamb Shank Moghuli or Lamb Shank Sabzi Moghuli with greens are my favorites by far. Vegetarians will love it here. There are more than a dozen vegetarian entrees and many more vegetarian sides. We love the spicy risotto, the pumpkin dumplings (available in a rich lentil stew called Kadoo Tosh Payra), the baadenjaan moghuli, the sabzi (which is more than just spinach here), and the vegetarian version of aushak. Service is terrific. Aracosia is new, but the house is staffed with veterans from the DC and Springfield families, and they all work with a smile on their faces. UPDATE: I can report that Aracosia has adapted nicely to the world under COVID-19. I'm not willing to dine out in restaurants until this thing is under control, but I have been there for curbside pickup, and can report that in addition to adding outdoor tables and spacing them out, they've switched menus to disposable paper, all utensils are sealed in plastic, and entrance to the restaurant is restricted. For take-out, Aracosia has created wonderful "Early Bird" specials -- a terrific win-win for them and for the customer. In a world where the number of patrons they serve simultaneously is restricted, Aracosia is making the kitchen more productive by offering great deals if you order before 2pm and pick up by 4pm. For a fixed price you can choose 4 courses from almost the entire menu: Appetizer, entree, side, and dessert. The packaging is solid and the portions are generous. As noted above, I am partial to the stewed and braised, long-cooked dishes, and those are great for reheating. If you order online or over the phone, you just pull up and call them, and they bring it out to your car. read more

Aracosia McLean - Enjoying Aracosia's Early Bird special carry-out 4-course feast at home. We ate for days. - Afghan Near Me - McLean, Virginia

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Dang, this place is good - prepare to leave full! Aracosia is a lovely place that really knocks it out of the park when it comes to Afghan food. Every single thing I've tried here (and I've tried a lot - definitely take advantage of their tasting menu!) was jaw-droppingly tasty. There's not a single dish that I didn't absolutely love. What makes things complicated is that you end up getting a LOT of food with each dish - as much as I loved everything I tried, there was almost too much of it to finish! In fact, my table got so much food that the servers had to bring out these custom-made shelves just to make room for MORE food - it was hilariously awesome. Suffice to say, if you're in the area, this place should be at the top of your list. read more

Delicious and I have lots of great things to say! First: the reservation process was easy to do online. When my friend and I arrived, there were also multiple places to park (although it took us a minute to realize it was on the second floor!) The ambiance was really nice and we liked the decor. The staff was very friendly and attentive and we appreciated their recommendations. I had a drink (In This Fog) which was good and nicely presented, but maybe a slight bit too much elderflower for my personal preference - I would probably try a different cocktail next time. For food, we did the dumpling sampler as well as another entree sampler (I am not sure if that is always an option - we ate there for lunch on a Sunday. Additionally, we both had to participate to do the sampler, which wasn't a problem for us because we wanted to try everything but may be a disappointment to others!). The food was completely delicious and we loved everything! We also brought some food back home for our spouses and my husband really enjoyed his chicken wrap. I will definitely be back soon!! read more

Well, what can I say that already hasn't been said. It's one of the best places I've been in the entire DMV - what amazing meats, what amazing dips, but most of all -- what amazing service. Thank you again! read more

Congratulations to Aracosia - McLean for being chosen as #2 on the Yelp's Top 100 list! It is easy to see why -- this entirely women-led, family-owned, restaurant excels at all levels in terms of delicious food, a great story, beautiful ambiance and value. It truly is five stars all-around. Additionally, I love their focus on wholesome cooking. All ingredients are free of gmos, preservatives, msg, or hormones. They don't even use microwaves, which in this day and age is pretty remarkable. My lunch began with our hospitable server Hussain who walked us through the entire menu. We got the dumpling platter for two (spicy beef and pumpkin were my favorite), the highly recommended lamb chop platter (I could have licked the roasted turnips off my plate, it was that good), and the extra jiggly, extra delicious cardamom, rose water rice pudding. Everything was absolutely delicious and not a crumb was left on a plate. I am a fan of their sister restaurant Afghan Bistro in Springfield but this location is much bigger and perfect for a business lunch, family dinner, or even a large party. For those who are COVID conscious, their alleyway seating is comfortable and well-appointed. Our visit was so good that I already have a date planned with my husband to come back this weekend. I will bring stretchy pants. read more

Cyndy's Bottom Line: Listed No:# 2 on Yelp's Top 100 Restaurants for 2022. Congratulations! Well deserved. Consistently delicous food and service. read more

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Beautiful space in McLean - very welcoming and homey. Service is prompt and friendly. The food is authentic and very good. My wife and I visited for lunch. We both ordered the lunch special dumplings and the lunch special platter. While the dumplings were good, at $16 per person for 3 dumplings each I'd probably pass in them next time because they weren't out of this world. As for the lunch special - this was an enormous amount of food for $22 per person. We started with Afghan bread with 3 dips - fantastic. Then we were served 2 types of rice as your base on top of which you spoon nakhoud chalou which was a spicy tomato based chickpea dish - one of the best chickpea dishes I've ever had. Also they served a delicious lentil qorma, a braised veal in tomato sauce, and chicken lawaan which was a stewed chicken thigh with a garlic and yogurt stew - tender, soulful, and packed with flavor. They also offered us 2 perfectly grilled medallions of beef tenderloin and 2 small lamb chops - both the beef and lamb had a great flavor and char on them. In total the bill was a little over $80, which is pretty steep for lunch - but it was a great experience and we'll be back! read more

Where do I begin? How about WOW! I mean from the second I walked in the place I was struck by the beautiful pieces of art on the walls, friendly, warm and welcoming hostess. The decor was so stunning that I felt like I was in a museum! The extensive wine list, lunch, and dinner menu plus a full bar? Now let's talk about the food! The first thing the server brought to the table was a basket of fresh bread and four dipping sauces. I have no idea what the names of the sauces were but they were equally delicious. The first one had a mango base, the second one was green and tasted like a cross between salsa verse and chimichurri, the third one was red and tasted like a Thai red chili paste, but my favorite was the creamy, dill sauce which I think I could have eaten with a spoon. LOL! So many menu choices but I chose the Lamb Trio, but they were out of shoulder chops. I still ordered and was glad I did. The lamb chops were super fresh, perfectly seasoned and grilled to perfection! The long-grain rice, shredded carrots with raisins were equally delicious. I there was an eggplant casserole type of substance that I melted in my mouth. My water glass was never empty, and the gracious owner even gave me a Free dessert? I really wish I lived around here because this place is Amazing! So is the food. Please support this wonderful, local establishment and tip well. read more

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This was our first time trying Afghan cuisine, and it did not disappoint. The food was flavorful and came out hot! The ambiance is very relaxing. Our waitress was very accommodating and patient. The food did take a little to come out, but it was worth the wait in my opinion. It was packed, but it didn't feel or sound like it. They had a live musician, but they were not too loud. We loved everything about this restaurant. read more

Aracosia McLean - Rumi's Chicken - Afghan Near Me - McLean, Virginia

Went here for New Year's Eve dinner. Firstly, the decor is absolutely beautiful. However, that's where everything ends. The staff were nice and attentive, but our waitress didn't have any suggestions for food. Like she's never eaten there or cared to. The meal was honestly good but overpriced. $30 for 6 dumplings. I'm talking about teeny tiny baby dumplings on a plate the side of half our table which made the dumplings look even smaller. The veal was the best dish. The Qabuli combination platter was good but it tasted like the pumpkin filling in the dumpling. Not much variety in terms of flavor. No non alcoholic options except soda. If you're looking for an outdoor dining spot, the decor outside looks great, but the food and price are lacking. read more

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