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Kabobistan Arlington

4.0 (129 reviews)
Open • 9:00 am - 9:00 pm

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KABOBISTAN ARLINGTON ATMOSPHERE

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

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This places and food is awful and  behind the kitchen. I don't know what they're doing in the hygiene and everything is terrible.

This place is terrible people in the kitchen. You guys better be checking that they're hygiene and I don't think it's a safe place.

Menu
Iffat A.

This morning, eight of us went to Kabobistan in Arlington for breakfast, and it was a complete disaster. The pictures might look nice, but don't be fooled the food was terrible. I honestly don't understand how this place has so many good reviews. Let's start with the service - after waiting 1 hour and 10 minutes, our food was finally served, but by then, we had completely lost our appetite. Many customers even left because of the long wait. Now, coming to the food: * The parathas were straight out of the freezer, fried, and served like that--completely lacking freshness. * The egg dishes were a nightmare. * The scrambled eggs had no salt or pepper--just plain and tasteless. * The shakshuka had a strong raw tomato purée smell, making it unpleasant to eat. * The Afghani eggs had so much tomato that it felt like we ordered a tomato dish, not eggs. * The pepperoni eggs were ruined--the pepperoni was overcooked and tough, and one side of the egg was completely hard-fried. This was one of the worst breakfast experiences I've ever had. Frozen food, poor seasoning, excessive tomato, and a painfully long wait time--nothing was right. Definitely not recommended.

Chicken Kabob, Chickpeas
Hammed A.

I had a good experience at this Afghan restaurant. This place occupies a large space. Large enough to accommodate a dine-in restaurant operation, so when I did not see many customers on the inside of the restaurant I wondered if that was an indication of less than stellar food or customer service. The food is delicious and was made to order which I appreciate. Normally when I dine at Afghan restaurants I stick to my basics such as chicken and lamb. After all, the food is Halal, so the chicken and lamb is going to be prepared near perfect according to customs and traditional flavors. The food was hot and fresh. The customer service was also friendly. Overall this was a good experience and I will visit again when in the area. Give them a try and see for yourself.

Sheeryakh - Afghani cardamom ice cream
Jesse S.

This is an update: a recent addition to the menu is sheeryakh, which is Afghan ice cream made the old fashioned way in a metal bucket surrounded by ice and salt that is then frozen and made right in front of your eyes. It's a lot of work for the employee, and the results are heavenly - deep cardamom flavor topped with rosewater and chopped nuts, this is THE BEST ice cream in all of Arlington. It takes a few minutes to freeze and to be scraped off the sides, but it is worth every minute. It is NOT on the menu except there is a picture of it on the counter, but it is definitely there. There is nothing like this ice cream, and I imagine it is not unlike what you would find in the sheeryakh vendors on the streets of Kabul.

Lamb kebab
Mary R.

This place has the most authentic Afghan food in the area. The kebab melts in your mouth and the service is exceptionally good.. if you're looking for Afgan ice cream or Afghan Cuisine you look no further. I recommend their delicious breakfast, lunch or dinner .

Chicken and beef kabob  Combo Kabob
Aggie S.

Legitimately love this place. I get take out at least once a week because I just love kabobs so much. The recipe is authentic and the owners are amazing. I love supporting the local Columbia pike businesses because they're so friendly and I love this neighborhood. One time we came during brunch time and it was so packed. Unfortunately, the server forgot about us but the guy owner realized it and felt bad. We appreciated his apology and it was busy so we didn't mind. Food is delicious and affordable too. There is a parking garage in the building so it's nice to dine in when you can. The tables have good spaces between them. I have yet to try the Turkish breakfast. I am intimidated because we've seen it in person and it's A LOT of food. Probably can feed 4-6 people lol. So we need to bring more people to eat the breakfast!

Lamb Kabob with rice and chickpeas (portions are small)
Lia M.

I'm always happy when new spots open in the neighborhood, and I love Afghan cuisine, so had been looking forward to trying this fast-casual restaurant. It's no Aracosia or Helmand, and I liked the good the first time, but not the second, The first time I visited, I got the lamb kabob. They grill the meat while you wait, so it took about 10 minutes, which was fine. It came with rice and bread. The in-person menu notes in comes with salad, but it does not. My side was chickpeas, and I also ordered bouranee, because that's one of my favorites. The lamb was good, but tiny pieces. I enjoyed the chickpeas. Loved the flavorful bouranee baunjaun and the bread with green sauce is always a fave. Rice was fine. No kadu/kadu turnovers, which is too bad, but understandable. The second time I orders the vegetable platter with chickpeas, eggplant, potatoes, and rice. I ordered a side of the bread but inexplicably was given another side of rice. Everything was bland and oily, As others have mentioned, the staff isn't that friendly. Not only is the customer service lacking, no one looked happy. Also, the portions are small. I can usually get takeout and have leftovers for at least another full meal. Here, I only had a little leftover. And, you have to speak loudly. I had to repeat my order. And, I asked for an appetizer of bouranee baunjaun, but got a side instead. Between the rude staff, incorrect orders, and bad food, I'd skip.

Lamb Kabob
Sarah S.

That was a deliciously wonderful experience casual dining experience. We were meeting a friend who is visit Arlington. I looked around for a new spot we could try & thankful stumbled across Kabobistan Arlington. Everything was good to great, no one was disappointed with any of the selections. I got a lamb kabob. Hubby went with a chicken kabob, & our friend tried a sandwich. The sandwich was huge & looked like at least two meals. We enjoyed the rice, several side dishes (the chick peas were very good). I loved my kabob, especially with the yogurt sauce & onions & wrapped in some naan. Speaking of naan -- it's fresh, like you can watch them make it fresh. I enjoyed everything with the naan although I think the eggplant & yogurt sauce were particularly delish. We split a dessert to wrap it up (don't judge me). It was a pistachio baklava & it was so good . If the food wasn't enough to get it five stars (it was, don't worry) the staff would have helped with my rating. From the nice man who was cooking sides & prepping naan to the owner who was chatting with us about starting a restaurant during a pandemic & asking for feedback on our different dishes. I wish I had more pictures but we started munching the appetizers before I fully in Yelp mode, I did get pics of the main dishes. This is someplace we are thinking we will visit again so there will likely be more pictures.

Gyro Kabob Sandwich
Rachel M.

I've been excited to try Kabobistan since way back when they still had the "Coming Soon" sign on the glass. Last night, I finally got my chance! Dad ordered a gyro kabob sandwich, and I got the boneless chicken kabob entree (A1), which comes with a huge oval-shaped piece of homemade Afghan tandoori bread. The rice is seasoned with what looks like cumin seeds, and I loved it (which is saying a lot, since I'll choose noodles over rice every day of the week). For my side veggie, I chose the spinach, which was okay (not too salty or watery) but nothing to write home about (next time, I will try the okra). The chicken is cooked and seasoned PERFECTLY. I was supposed to be sharing, but that wasn't so easy after the first bite. I'm glad I did share, however, because dad's gyro was equally yummy. We destroyed the tandoori bread, which comes with two sauces - an herby oil that packs a punch, and a yogurt-based sauce that is a great compliment to the seasoned meats and onions. I can't wait until the next time we go back. All that food for less than $25. At a place like Lebanese Taverna, you're going to pay $25 per entree, and the chicken won't be as juicy as it is at Kabobistan Arlington.

Mali H.

For the people claiming they have bad customer service, that was NOT my exoerinece. In fact, they were beyond polite and friendly. My sister suggested this restaurant for late afternoon lunch - I was a little hesitant because I'm not a fan of chik peas. We got the restaurant and it's about 85° outside and they had 3 medium size fan and no AC. We ordered and were told it would be a 15 minutes wait. Even though we ordered carry out we decided to eat there. They served us water while we waited. The Chicken Kabob is tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor. As mentioned before I'm not a fan of chickpeas but their chickpeas changed my mind - The best chickpeas I've had in the area. The rice cooked to perfection. I will definitely be back and would recommend this restaurant to anyone wanting chicken kabob I will saying the portion size is indeed small

Very spacious and clean restaurant

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9 months ago

Food is always good and extra friendly staff. Suggestions are always given and usually on point.

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2 years ago

The lamb sandwich is great and a good value. The green sauce is good too. Come for lunch.

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2 years ago

Yummy! I love their lamb kabobs and boneless chicken. And their lovely employees. You guys need to try their fresh hot traditional breads.

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3 years ago

Their Quabili Palau is one of the best rice dishes I've ever tried. Along with the subzi (spinach) side, I almost forgot about the lamb.

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Arlington Kabob - Beef Kofta Kabob Ground beef, mixed with chopped onions and seasoning, char-grilled.

Arlington Kabob

4.6(444 reviews)
3.2 mi
•$$

Food is always excellent. The customer service is friendly…read more The location is convenient. The interior is clean. Noise level is low.

About a 2-2.5: We were really excited to check out Arlington Kabob, as this place has been around…read morefor a while, and it seems to be a local favorite. We came here for an early lunch, and we ordered: +a Combo Platter for 2 - this came with chicken kofta, beef kofta, and a choice of chicken, lamb, or beef kabob - we went for the beef; for the sides, we went for the potatoes and the lentil soup, and for the rice, we went Quabli style Out of all the meats, we thought the chicken kofta had the best flavor; both the beef kofta and the kabob were just 'okay'; the beef kofta had a more game-y flavor - not sure if they had mixed it up with lamb first; the beef kabob was overcooked and dried out, more on the chewy end, which was not enjoyable. The Quabli-style rice didn't really enhance anything - the carrots were way too soft, and there were hardly any currants, which was disappointing. Potatoes were forgettable, as they were bland; the lentil soup was piping hot, but could have had more lentils - it seemed like just broth with just a spoonful of lentils in it. The white sauce was more dill-heavy and ranch-like which didn't complement the kabobs and the kofta at all. There was complimentary tea for those who dine-in, which was nice, but the tea wasn't steeped well and was too watered down. Staff were friendly, and there's limited parking in the tight strip plaza lot. +chicken kofta +game-y beef kofta +dried-out/overcooked beef kabob +avoid the Quabli style rice +friendly staff +limited parking in lot available

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Arlington Kabob
Arlington Kabob - Beef Kofta Kabob Ground beef, mixed with chopped onions and seasoning, char-grilled.

Beef Kofta Kabob Ground beef, mixed with chopped onions and seasoning, char-grilled.

Arlington Kabob - Beef Kofta Kabob Ground beef, mixed with chopped onions and seasoning, char-grilled.

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Beef Kofta Kabob Ground beef, mixed with chopped onions and seasoning, char-grilled.

Lapis - Pistachio ricotta cake

Lapis

4.3(1.2k reviews)
4.9 mi•Adams Morgan
•$$

Absolutely blown away with my meal at Lapis. Fantastic service, atmosphere, and food. This…read morerestaurant is intimate enough for date night and cozy enough for a meal shared with friends. My husband and I split the Herat Platter and modified it to be vegan. Our friends shared the meat platter. Our server was friendly and helped make sure our platter was in fact vegan by removing yogurt from the leek dumplings. I loved how all the food came out to be shared. It made it feel like I was having a home cooked dinner and less like I was in a stuffy fancy restaurant. It was just the vibe I wanted to relax with friends. It is hard to pick out a stand-out dish. All the flavors were so savory and comforting. The mushrooms (samarok) was probably my favorite as it reminded me of a beef burgundy. The mushrooms were so meaty and the sauce was deep and fantastic. The carrots were far and away the best carrots I ever had. I have never had carrots taste so savory. The cauliflower was perfectly tender. The lentils were something I wish I could eat daily as they were just the right amount of umami made me feel so warm and comforted. The dessert (halwa) was not my favorite. I am a chocolate lover and I wish it was a little sweeter. I am sure it was authentic to the flavors it should be. It just was not the sweet note I usually hope for at the end of a meal. I am still drooling over this meal and longing for a chance to come back. The price point is so reasonable for a tasting menu in DC that left my husband and I absolutely stuffed!

I loved the patio seating at Lapis! Such a perfect way to spend a beautiful evening with friends…read more We all really enjoyed our food and drinks. Mantoo Beef Dumplings: 5/5, we ordered the six-count, which was perfect to share. The savory flavor balance was great, with just a hint of spice. Lamb Tikka: 5/5, I really loved the spicy red chutney that came with this dish (I would've liked more vegetables, but it was still so good.) Sabz Highball: 5/5, if you like a tart, herbaceous cocktail, this is a great one. We look forward to coming back to Lapis and trying their tasting menu!

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Lapis - Dining area

Dining area

Lapis - Lamb Kebob

Lamb Kebob

Lapis - Aushak Afgan Dumplings

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Aushak Afgan Dumplings

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

Aracosia McLean

4.8(485 reviews)
6.9 mi
•$$$

Loved my lamb dish! Surprisingly reasonable pricing when you at opening/lunch too!…read more Nice cozy but elegant vibes. Great to take out your family or significant other. Interesting art on the wall and nice bathroom. Park on the parking garage below or on the side street/lot nearby. Make sure if you don't finish your lamb and ask to put it in a takeaway box go specify that you want your lamb scraps. Learn from me because my waiter tossed all my lamb and just boxed up the rice likely thinking I was done with them. Big bummer since I was looking forward to my leftovers but oh well.

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.

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Aracosia McLean
Aracosia McLean
Aracosia McLean - Bread - good.

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Bread - good.

Afghan Restaurant  - Lamb kabob

Afghan Restaurant

4.4(61 reviews)
4.0 mi

I was passing through and decided to stop in and grab a bite. The food was great and I really…read moreenjoyed it. The service was a bit slow, which was a little disappointing, but overall the food was definitely worth it.

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!

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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

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

Bistro Aracosia

4.7(391 reviews)
4.4 mi•Palisades
•$$$

I've been here several times, though not recently. Street parking only, though I've never been…read moreunable to find a spot within a couple of minutes' walk. I came with a friend for lunch at noon on a Thursday right after the restaurant opened. The female greeter and waitress (a Guatemalan) were both friendly and informative. By the time we left an hour or so later, the dining room was just half full, so not noisy. We both ordered the amazing SMOKED lamb shanks with pulau rice (only available at lunchtime), shared an appetizer dumpling sampler, and had a couple of pilsners. All the servings were generous and fresh, well seasoned, and eye-appealing. The decor remains eye-catching with lots of colorful lighting and wall decorations. NO DISTRACTING WALL TV SCREENS OR INTRUSIVELY LOUD MUSIC. This is a good place for conversation. Lamb cooked in many forms is the main attraction, but they also make a delicious hamburger for the faint of palate. Check it out! They need new customers.

Hands down, the best Afghan food I've had! (And it's safe to say, I've had more than most)…read more Since we only dropped in for a light meal, not much to review BUT the food was so good we're trying to drive the long distance back just to make our way through more of the menu! We ordered only vegan options- the kadoo (pumpkin) turnover and the Nakhoud & Mushroom Lawaan I believe (it might've been the Nakhoud & Mushroom Sabzi Lawaan, I can't remember and both are very similar). Everything was cooked to perfection and each bit was incredibly yummy. Textures were on point and mixed with the assorted of chutneys they offer, it was heaven! Easy to (happily) overeat here Décor was pleasant, the restaurant is spacious and every staff member was gracious. We felt very welcomed and, again, looking forward to going back! Can see why this place is a neighborhood favorite! You will NOT be disappointed here.

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

Kabobistan Arlington - afghani - Updated October 2026

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