Had a great experience at Charga. We ordered the tandoori chicken, chickpeas, wings, and the ribeye steak kabab skewer, and everything was absolutely delicious. The food was full of flavor, freshly prepared, and really exceeded our expectations. The ribeye steak skewer and tandoori chicken were especially outstanding. The seating area is small and compact, but the quality and taste of the food more than make up for it. I'd definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for flavorful and satisfying food! read more

About a 2-2.5: I was excited to check out Charga, as this seems to be a popular spot with the locals to get their various styles of chicken, momos, and curries. We came here for an early lunch, and we ordered: +a samosa - served with a small cup of chutney +the Chicken Steamed Momos - filled with ground chicken; these were just okay, as it was ginger-forward; seemed to have been slightly oversteamed, and the skins easily ripped +a 1/4 Chicken with 2 Sides - went for the Charga style, all-white meat (this also included the neck, which was a little weird); opted for the chickpeas and the plantains; the chicken was overcooked and super dried out, which made it inedible; the chickpeas were okay, and the plantains were the only enjoyable part of this combo meal +the Boneless Chicken Tikka Kabob Meal - served on top of rice with a side of salad, chickpeas, and a large naan; the kabob was okay, slightly less dry than the quarter chicken; had an off taste to it +and, a Butter Chicken - served with rice and a large naan; this was more tangy and more tikka masala-like; it was thick, creamy, and still enjoyable! The naan was soft and fluffy, and a great complement to the curry Staff and service was friendly; we did request our orders to be free from coriander and cilantro, but items still came topped with the herb; we were able to pick it off, somewhat. There seems to be a constant flow of patrons picking up catering and to-go orders, as well as some deliveries. Providing to-go containers and a brown bag was generous. Parking is available in the small shared strip plaza lot. +Butter Chicken +avoid the Charga chicken +inaccurate orders +parking available read more

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Real hole-in-the-wall, spot with a basic menu of delicious Indian food I came with my fiance on a Monay night. It took a while for our food to come out, but it was delicious once it did (especially her tikka masala) Menu is pretty undescript, but the food is high quality A lot of food for the price Order at the counter. read more

I ordered Chicken Kebob seeing it got excellent reviews. The service was friendly. When I said I would prefer not to have naan bread, there was a quick substitution with mixed vegetables. I also ordered a Mango Lassi which was tasty. So why a rating of 3 stars? I arrived at 1:30 PM. The chicken pieces given to me were completely dry. I wouldn't have been able to swallow them without the aid of additional containers of dressing. The vegetables were bland. Perhaps my experience was a one-off, but I won't be going back. read more

Excellent food and also service they know how to take care of customers Excellent experience Highly recommend to order any menu items read more

Charga chicken! Honestly I thought the chicken was ok. Service was great, maybe I went on an off day. I didn't care about the flavor much though. Keeping this review simple. read more

Was pleasantly surprised with the large menu of options to choose from. I went with the 1/4 Chicken W/2 Sides & Drink and specifically wanted to try the charga chicken. The meal also came with a drink. I chose the masala fries and biryani rice for my sides. Everything was cooked well and had tons of flavor. Will come back again! read more

Charga - 1/4 Chicken W/2 Sides & Drink - Charga Chicken, Biryani Rice, Masala Fries - American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

How have I never been here before. I've driven by so many times and never stopped. This is without a doubt, the best butter chicken I've ever had! The naan is delicious. My husband got some roasted potatoes with peppers and onions in it. That's delicious too. I'm just sorry that I didn't take pictures before I dug in. It is not a place to come to for atmosphere, but I like sitting here and being in a very relaxed atmosphere, not pretentious at all. read more

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just had catered food from Charge. Simple menu. great food. tender chicken pieces, perfect rice, & mixed vegetables cooked in a light , herbal sauce ( which was delicious on the rice !) read more

Don't be fooled by the barebones interior - Charga is probably the most delicious food that I have eaten during my eight years in the DMV area. The menu can seem overwhelming at first, but I am here to help you ward off decision paralysis. Get the Charga, at least a 1/2 chicken. You'll either finish it all in one sitting or have tasty leftovers to take home. The Charga is marinated for 24 hours and then flash fried to order, infusing a myriad of flavors into the meat and then gilding the exterior with a wonderfully flavorful crust. I thought Peruvian chicken was amazing, but Charga really puts it to shame. Don't forget to dip generously into the zesty green sauce. I have tried four of the sides so far and they're all good - I recommend choosing from the seasoned potatoes, spinach (cooked a lot like saag in Indian cuisine), fried plantains, or chicken biryani. Pretty much everything at this restaurant is bursting with flavor, and the staff are super friendly and helpful. I ate at Charga the past two nights and plan to make it back many more times in the coming months. Resounding 5/5 read more

I wouldn't have thought we needed another chicken joint, but then again, it's unfair to call Charga a chicken joint. It's so much more. Let's start with the sides. The variety is truly awesome. You have the standard rice and fruits and potatoes (sorry to call them standard -- the potatoes are really good and the rice is infused with saffron and cilantro), but then there are all the Pakistani-influenced vegetables and legume options! Incredibly flavorful chickpea and lentil and spinach stews, spicy green beans, crisp tomato and cucumber, grilled vegetables... the list goes on and on. And then there's that chicken: there are four varieties to choose from: the specialty here is called Sajji and it's marinated and flame broiled with a mild but Berry flavorful spice mix. It's tender and juicy and the sun is somehow thin and crackling. It's really good. There are other chicken options including a spicy peri peri, a traditional Peruvian pollo a la brass, and Charga, which is a skinless flash-fried specialty. I haven't tried them yet because the sajji is so good. The owners are always there and incredibly friendly. You really want to support a business like this, and thankfully the food and the prices make it a no brainer to continue doing so. The menu goes well beyond rotisserie chicken to a variety of sandwiches, bowls, and wraps. Even burgers I haven't tried it all yet but I have a feeling there are no misses coming out of this kitchen. read more

Charga - Impressive - American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Great food, friendly staff. Worth coming back several times. Butter chicken is delicious.

ANOTHER BANGA!!!I had the tripple platter salmon chicken and lamb all amazing lamb being the tastiest I had there cilantro and briani rice briani being the best of the to if you like spice the Nan super fresh comes out piping hot the yogurt is on point not watery the garlic sauce nice and salty compared to ravi and kp this is up there with Ravi read more

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I always pick up their lamb Gyro with fries platter. It is outstanding and very tasty. Just the right amount of salt and seasoning. Very quick and very reasonably priced food. It's my go to place when I have a craving for Middle Eastern food. read more

We were looking for a restaurant after visiting Gettysburg and saw Charga on Yelp. We thought we'd give it a try....if you're thinking of going...DO IT! This is the best food we've had in the DC area over the past week. Wow! Get the Charga! So much flavor, it's ridiculous. The plantains and naan were great sides too. Great service, great food! read more

Charga - Charga 1/4 Combo w/2 Sides - American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Awesome spot, wish I lived closer. Charga chicken was amazing, great flavor, the sajji was also very good and they make a respectable Peruvian style as well that can stack up against some of the big shops around. Sauces are amazing (that garlic one!!) the chickpeas and spinach were favorite sides, rice fries and Cole slaw also nice. Beets, cucumber tomato salad and roasted veggies are all standard. For kabobs, our favorite was the beef steak, followed by seekh and then chicken tikka. The gyro was ok, pita is nice and fluffy. The chicken sandwich I probably wouldn't get again but not bad by any means. read more

Went back as promised, this time for carryout, and the food was mostly fantastic again. We loved the butter chicken, chicken tikka kabob, sajji chicken; chick peas, spinach, and rice were all delicious, as well. The peri peri chicken was also very good, but not for the faint of heart as it is covered in their spiciest sauce. Only negative was the masala fries, which were soggy by the time we got our food home, but nicely seasoned. The dipping sauces are also all fantastic. Will definitely be back. read more

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Charga is a hidden gem that I was pleasantly surprised by! We got take out and I would definitely go back to order more chicken (and try the other daily specials). We got two Half chickens: (1) Charga with fries and chaufa and the (2) Sajji Chicken with Cilantro lime rice and grilled seasoned potatoes. Both were amazing and I kept on raving about how juicy the chicken were. Surprisingly, the highlight was the chaufa (5). There was so much flavor in this rice that it was incredible. The potatoes (4.5) were also cooked perfectly, and I may have a slight preference to the charga versus the sajji style, but I would rate both of them a 4.5 because of how unique and scrumptious each bite was. The service was excellent, as the person included all 6 types of sauces. The yellow was personally my favorite but honestly, all of them were right on point to cool or intensify the heat. Great neighborhood find. Tip: The entranceway can get a little tricky, so make sure you don't miss the turn for the side strip mall. read more

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Had the pleasure of eating here last Saturday, and everything was amazing! I'm happily carnivorous, but the non-meat items were so good that I filled up on those before I even got to the delicious charga 1/4 chicken I'd ordered. Their lentils, chickpeas, and mixed vegetable sides are amazing. Service is so friendly and helpful! Will definitely be back! read more

Charga - Charga chicken with mixed veg and channa - American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

It is not so often to see a restaurant rated higher than 4.5, and I have to admit that the reviews were true. The chicken was so great.. It was literally finger-licking good. There were several options that I couldn't tell the difference, but I chose "charga" chicken based on the name of the restaurant. The chicken was red, looking a little brighter than tandoori chickens I have had. It was... so yummy! I had so many dry tandoori chickens, but this one was so moist and fresh, without all bad grease. The side biryani rice was quite spicy, and I liked it very much, too! Again, it was different from other Americanized Punjabi dishes, but so much better. The side chicken+corn soup balanced out the heat for me. Highly recommend this place. Will be coming back for more whenever I crave chicken. Forget about Peruvian chickens, Korean fried chickens, or whatever. This is it for me. read more

Very delicious food. Many types of chicken. We got sajii chicken with rice and lentil.it was so good read more

Absolutely stellar. Food was amazing, with particularly good spices. Service was even better. The owner went out of his way to make a toddler plate for us, complete with two pieces of broccoli. This is a true gem. read more

The chicken charga is awesome, great taste. The chicken sajji is also great. They've a large menu including gyros and various chicken sandwiches -- but we mostly go for the Chicken Charga . The owner himself is the main chef and thus there to customise dishes to your liking. read more

Can't say enough about this place. The owners are awesome and always remember you. Go above and beyond to make sure your meal is perfect. It's a small place in the big city but I could hang out and talk like a small town restaurant. I always get the chicken shawarma bowl and my wife gets the half saji chicken. read more

Parking can be a drag, and so can the ambiance, but the food.... Is all worth it!! We have been to Charga several times and had Charga with a lot of different sides in addition to all of the various sauces. The Charga never disappoints, neither does the owner and his nephew in making you feel special, taking care of you, even with the place packed with hungry customers. Absolute a great place to eat chicken! read more

This place is one of Arlington's best hidden gems. The people working here are super helpful and will explain any of their dishes to you to help you order. The food is amazing. Classic south Asian dishes and sides mixed with some "American" staples like French Fries... but with Masala spices. AMAZING! Quarter chicken with the Charga spice is my go to. They also have tondoori, peri-peri, and another spice, but Charga is by far the best, and most unique you are not likely to find in many of the other south Asian restaurants in the area. The ambiance is okay, a little run down, but clean. But, you're not coming here for the ambiance, you're coming here for the food which will keep you coming back for more. read more

Had a great experience. The staff is super friendly and helpful and the food was fresh and warm.

Beautifully seasoned food, the owner and staff take pride in the delicious food they prepare. Everything there is delicious, and most meals end up being 2 meals due to the generous portions. My kids are vegetarian and love the place, my son actually took a photo so mommy could bring us back here. Everything is Halal as well I believe. Not a glamorous interior, but it's clean and the staff is warm and welcoming. I eat there/ carry out probably once a week. read more

A great lunch spot in the area! I'm still working my way through the menu but haven't been disappointed by anything I've tried so far. My favorites so far have been the chicken sandwich, sajji chicken, and the spicy masala fries. read more

Delicious food, reasonably priced. The lamb kabob was a generous portion, the eggplant and chickpea sides were wonderfully spiced, and my dark meat chicken quarter was juicy. The woman at the counter was very helpful yesterday, explaining which dishes had which levels of spice. We will definitely be back! read more

Hospitality was great and the food was delicious. Will definitely be back!!! Had the steak and cheese with spicy masala fries with all the dipping sauces for dipping and to put on my sandwich. read more

Great food options and the owner was very friendly. Everything I have had here has been amazing and reasonably priced.

I am late to review but still am thinking about how delicious the food was. A good sign. I came in on a rainy day with my sister (visiting from a foodie city so her expectations were high) for takeout; the manager of the restaurant was the one servicing us and did so with such patience and warmth! They have a large menu with a lot of customizations available. We waited 15/20 mins for our food and it was 100/10. It's been some time but we got the juiciest chicken and sides of greens (called a different name) and this chickpea side that was the bomb.com. Sauces came with but weren't necessary since the chicken was so good (meaning when we added the sauce on top...flavor explosion). And the price was right. Again, 100/10. Can't wait to return! read more

THE BEST RESTAURANT IN THE WORLD I wish I could give more than 5 stars. I came in with my wife and 2 year old today and the staff was so friendly! they gave my son a free mango drink and rice as well. The prices were amazing such a good deal! I wish more restaurants would keep things affordable, since it was such a good price we will be going back many times. oh and the food was delicious too! I wish we lived closer so that I could eat here every day read more

I adore chicken. I came by after reading about the charga chicken. I ordered a dark quarter of both charga chicken and Peruvian chicken. My opinion of both, meh. Arlington has so many really good Peruvian chicken places. And I don't know what all the hype about the charga chicken is. It isn't the easiest place to find parking in front. I did not check in the back. And unlike other Peruvian chicken places in the Arlington area, I had to wait for my food to be ready. I'm used to going to the counter and having it all ready to go once I'm there. I was wondering what I was waiting for and what part of my order was being cooked in the back. So there's really nothing to make me want to come back with so many great chicken options nearby. read more

Charga - One is charga and one us Peruvian. - American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Great food, very helpful staff. Great variety in the menu. You can get almost anything in a variety of spice levels.

Great food and wonderful owners! I cater from them often - my favorites Charga chicken and lime rice). Guests love it!

I needed more from Charga. My Charga chicken tasted good, but it was very small for the price I paid. I blame all the Peruvian chicken joints around here for my disappointment. I can get way bigger chicken with decent sides for the same price. The sauce was unique, but not enough to win me over as I was still hungry after my meal. The basmati rice was very basic. The salad they gave me was also, very basic. I NEED MORE! Either give me more chicken or charge me less. read more

Charga - I need bigger chicken for that price please! - American Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Hands down, the BEST Pakistani food we have had in the DMV area. And we've lived here for 7 years. Try it all, the charga and beef seekh kabobs are stellar. And the bread! Order extra. Hats off to the owner and chef, he nailed it. Incredibly authentic, delicious food. Staff was so friendly, we will be back read more

I had heard the hype, we finally tried it, definitely on point. Great selection of food options, friendly staff, who took the time to explain the menu on a very busy evening. If you have not tried CHARGA - you are missing out! Our new go-to locally owned and operated restaurant. read more