Definitely a place for great food, and at decent prices. It's tucked away in Tyson's, but definitely worth seeking out. We will definitely keep going back. read more

Good and delicious food- very clean and better prices ... I enjoy going there every week

Great food and they even serve it family style for you. Family style serving helped us share and enjoy. They have the best kubideh in the area read more

The fourth installment of my "Kabob Kompendium" profiling various joints in the region that can be broken down into a set of common criteria: 1)ethnic focus 2) kabobs 3)side dishes 4)rice 5)condiments 6)bread 7)dining experience 8) unique dishes 9)x-factor(s). 1)Ethnic focus: Persian The hallmark for Persian cuisine for me is the unique preparations of their rice dishes, with combinations of fruits and nuts or herbs and legumes, and they have a rotating set of daily specials showcasing these rice dishes depending on which day of the week you are coming in, as opposed to the parent restaurant where all options are available on any given day. 2) Side dishes: one gets a quarter wedge or a raw onion and a charred tomato so nothing too exciting here. The tomato makes sense to me since it adds a tart note that can be mixed into the rice, but I haven't quite figured out how to make do with the raw onion other than for a good cry over the lack of better side dishes. Fellow Persian yelpers feel free to enlighten me. 3) Rice: well cooked fluffy basmati rice w/ a touch of saffron. The flavored rice specials are good but not exceptional compared to other Persian joints I've frequented. They definitely do not skimp on quantity so one can definitely easily make a single entree stretch to 2 meals to go easy on the wallet. I've been told one can request the desirable crispy panfried rice at the bottom of the cooking vessel aka tahdig (the Taye Diggs of rice, haha) so bonus points to make up for the sad side dishes. 5) Condiments: no yogurt sauce (although perhaps on request?) but there is a spicy jalapeno relish which adds a spice note but lacking umami so one is left with an abundance of carbs from the mountain of rice and the complimentary pita bread, with a paucity of seasoning. 6) Bread- ultra thin pita with a nice crisp on the edges with good central chew, but sorely in need of flavor either in the form of wrapping it with meat or a good dipping sauce 7) Dining experience- take out only, but accepts call ahead orders which are promptly made to order in 10-15minutes 8) Unique dishes: the daily specials and the ever-so intriguing "Tongue Sandwich" prominently displayed on their wall menu...so many questions, what animal, what style of preparation, what condiments, what type of bread. Cat got your tongue or curiosity may have killed the cat? Perhaps I will experience both upon making this order. 9) X-factor: While I am no self-proclaimed expert on takeout Persian food, I do consider myself a bonafide bargain hunter on good lunch deals, and the daily special is definitely excellent value for quantity with respect to quality. While some 4.5 star experiences are downgraded due to upcharge in price, this one is a 3.5 star food experience elevated to 4 stars based on value and prompt service. Looking forward to checking out their actual restaurant to weigh in on their sit-in dining experience. read more

Shamshiry Express - Wednesday special - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

Shamshiry Express (SE) to get your ground beef Kabab and rice. Every time we have a potluck I always come to SE and get about 20 orders of them. Not a bad deal at all but sometimes they don't give you enough rice, sauce, and bread so be sure to check. Staff is very nice and always get a nice tip from me. Sometimes they will help you take your stuff to your car but majority of the time you have to do it yourself which is fine. I keep coming back here for whenever I have big orders. read more

Shamshiry Express - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

The service was significantly delayed. I stood at the counter, waiting to pay, as the cashiers were distracted, chatting and laughing in the back, completely unaware of my presence. including that the quality of my order was disappointing, with the chicken being partially burned and having an unpleasant taste. read more

This is a no-frills, high quality, take out kabob shop. I only typically get the koobideh, which includes two skewers of beef, a roasted half tomato, and plethora of rice to soak up the juicy fat and butter. It's reasonably priced and provides good value for the meal you're getting. The take out container is stuffed and the meat is succulent. Highly recommended. read more

Not surprisingly, this is the same food as Shamshiry just at a discounted price (conceivably because the Express restaurant doesn't have any seating inside so you have to take your food to go). If you're a professional kabob-eater like some of my friends claim to be, you may want to get a raw egg on the side (and add it to your rice right when your entree comes out, allowing the heat to cook the egg) which you really can't do at Shamshiry Express. I am also giving it 4 stars because although the food is comparable to Shamshiry, there have been two occasions (out of maybe 20 times that I've called, so not that often - just 10% in my experience) where the phone just rang and no one would pick up so I could place the to-go/carry-out order. In both these instances I ended up just placing the to-go order at the main restaurant which cost me a few dollars more but wasn't a big inconvenience since the restaurants are located within a half mile of one another on the same street. read more

It is not the same as Shamshiry in Tysons!!! I assumed that food quality, service and cleanliness would be the same thinking that this location was operated by same owners. If it is, it was quite disappointing! The menu board vague with no description of food items. When I asked for a menu so I can add to my order the lady just said that they were out of menus and Just pointed to the non descriptive menu board above.The place looks like a stock room as it had boxes of floor to ceiling. I was already uneasy to pick up my phone order and was further dismayed to see that lady at the counter had taken her mask off as she was taking trays of what looked like catering orders into a storage bin. When I asked if they are preparing my food with no mask on, she told me that chef wears mask as she points in the direction of the kitchen which didn't give me much confidence since I couldn't see passed the boxes. When I got my Lamb kebob salad, it had one cube of feta cheese, a tablespoon of dressing in a condiment cup. Salad was good but not worth almost $18.00. Will never visit this place again! read more

I cannot say enough about my positive experience at this carry out restaurant. The gentleman at the front was so hospitable he even offered me hot tea to enjoy while I waited for my food to be prepared fresh. The inside is not much to look at to be honest but, most of the best places to get delicious food carry out aren't the best aesthetically! I went around 2:30 PM and there was another customer inside and he was paying and picking up his order and brought in fresh baklava and offered it to the man behind the counter as well as me... at that point I was like oh yea.. I knew this place was going to be a regular stop when I'm in the Tysons area. I drove my food back to my home over an hour in traffic before we got to enjoy it and it was still hot and it absolutely exceeded my expectations. I will be going back here and he even gave me some of the burnt rice(tahdig) that I love so much. read more

Shamshiry express is a take-out only kabob place hidden in a strip mall on Tyco road. I got the daily special which was shirin polo chicken. The bone-in chicken had nice saffron flavor, the rice had nice orange, pistachio flavor, the bread was decent. All that was missing was the yogurt sauce that all kabob places should have. Also the meal came with a spicy cilantro sauce and a raw onion. Both seemed out of place with this entree. My coworker Allen got the chicken kabobs, came with the same sauce, raw onion and still no yogurt sauce. read more

Shamshiry Express - Shirin polo - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

What was once my go to place for kabobs, I am saddened at my most recent experiences. 1) The prices went up for 1/2 rice 1/2 salad. Why I don't know, neither cost much. 2) The bread is handled by the cashier who handles your money. 3) I ordered carry out, and it took another half an hour after I arrived for it to be ready. I had no other customers in front of me. No apology or re numeration given. 4) The staff seem to change every time I try to see if this place has gotten better. read more

Greetings: Went because of friend reference. It was very strange as looks to have been a former takeout location for another restaurant. However it appears now to be a storage unit for its larger location. No staff in front & appeared closed at first. Parking is weirdly off to side. We ordered the Ground beef kabob Sandwich. Not impressed. Weak on the meat, heavy on tomato's, no good yougert sauce only hot sauce. Sandwich leaves burning in throat. Also got Hummus. Way to sweet with acidic taste. Prices were ok. This will likely be a one stop hunger shop. Thank you. InternationalMusicEntertainment read more

Abdi is great! Especially if he is in the shop, he will make sure you get more than you asked for. He truly exceeds expectations!!! Kindest person Food is great! Service is great! Fast, fresh, delicious! From kabob to cutlet, to appetizers. Awesome portions. Warm bread. Decent prices. Thank you for being the best for a take out restaurant!!! read more

This place honestly has the same quality food as the main location, it's just not special and should be better.

It was my first time in Shamshiry, a friend of mine told me about it but unfortunately I got disappointed by their services. The waiter who was an Iranian waiter treated us in a very discriminated way and ignored our order so I had to call another waiter and placed my order. It took about 30 minutes to get an Ice cream. I don't recommend this restaurant to any of my friends. read more

My coworkers recommended Shamshiry Express for lunch. The food was decent, but nothing special. The service was horrendous. We placed a large order for 10+ people. Well, they forgot one of the kabobs... not the end of the world, they can just deliver it to me since they forgot it, right? No, they refused to deliver it and made me go pick it up myself. When I got there, the cashier was rude and gave me a speech about how it was my fault that they did not give me all of the food that I paid for. And THENNNN I asked for extra pita and sauce to bring back to my coworkers. They were completely unwilling to give me extra pita and they wanted me to pay for the extra pita that went with the meal that I had to drive back to pick up. Terrible service and a bad attitude. Even if the food was good, I would have still had a bad taste in my mouth. read more

Best damn kabob in the DMV, hands down. They remodeled the place, so its super nice, the food is amazing , everything is fresh...

I am not crazy about Persian Food because I tend to prefer a ton of sauces and spices with basically anything and everything I eat, but this place is not bad. I asked for extra sauces, and I got some delightfully sour and spicy green sauce and sumac (yummm) to go with my lamb kebabs and rice. Along with the huge portion came a roasted tomato and a few pieces of pita bread. Oh, and raw onions, haha! I wish they would have grilled the onions along with the tomato because I think my breath was stinky for a while afterwards slash I felt like Fiona from Shrek. But overall this place is a great bargain for large portions! It also happens to be right next to where I live so I'm sure I'll be back for carry out. That's another thing - don't come here expecting to sit and eat your food! Go to the main Shamshiry Restaurant for that! read more

Happy to discover that Shamshiry Restaurant opened an express takeout location just up the road from their restaurant. They serve lunch specials Monday through Friday for 7.95 that includes a can of soda. Food is good. This is only take out here. No tables. read more

Wow...what a great place to have a great lunch and dinner literally. We happened to pass by on Tyco Rd and I noticed the signage. We were very curious and returned the next day. We discovered that it is a take out place only. We ate in the car and had a delicious time. Ordered the Kabob Kubideh which was very tasty succulent ground beef so delicious served on a mound full of basmati rice that has butter melting all over. The basmati rice was light, fluffy and tasty. You also received brown powered sumac to sprinkle over the rice and a wedge of round onions, grilled tomatoes, and pita bread. The Kabob Barg was nicely marinated pieces of beef excellently grilled. BOTTOM LINE: Before ordering remember that the ratio for a takeout is 1 to 3 or you can have your lunch for dinner. read more

This place is a pretty solid Persian place the service is awesome and restaurant is cute. For food we order kabob, a generic Iranian dish. Here the flavor of dishes are above generic. Their ice cream is really make difference, do not forget to order ice cream.hence the 5 stars can desribe the situation. Check it out if you want to see the taste of Persia. Their price is fair and in the range read more

Chenje Kabob is first class. Melts in your mouth. Kubideh is also excellent as is Service!!!

Horrible horrible service. Cold food. Wait takes forever. Waiters dont know how to serve and the hosts .. Im not sure what their job is supposed to be there. If you're planning to get hangry, be on your last nerves, and get treated awfully, this is the place to go. I took my grandparents there and they had two elderly wait in line for 45 minutes then bring out cold tasteless food. Not to mention wait forever to be served. read more

Shamshiry is simply the best Kabob restaurant in the Tri-State area. If you are looking for high quality Koubideh (barbecued ground meat) and Barg (barbecued but tender sheep meat chunks) and don't mind the casual fast businesslike service, this is the place to be. Their "Tadig ba Ghormeh-SabziI" (grilled rice with vegetable/ fava beans / meat stew) is crispy and juicy at the same time and although meant as a starter, it can fill you entirely. I give the 5 stars for the main Shamshiry's food only. It is worth the very basic environment and the no-nonsense but fast service. If you are looking for fine Persian cuisine, you might look for a different location. Their EXPRESS Shamshiry service is located only half a mile away from the main hub and is only double as fast, meaning you have to wait 5 minutes instead of 10 however the quality is not equal. If you have time, go to the main restaurant. Express is meant to just grab a sandwich and go, when you are super hungry and stuck with tons of work. read more

Food is sub par to other places in area staff was acting funny no one was ever present in front after the guy took payment he came out after my order was ready and he was the cashier I thought he took my order went back too cook I don't know what type of operation they got but not worth unless your running short on time read more

Small menu, very clean space, good prices, good service, delicious food! read more

Shamshiry Express - Their menu! - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

Really good. I grew up eating home cooked Persian food, and I can't complain. They did everything I expected, so they deserve five stars. Not different from shamshiry, just cheaper. read more

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A test of a restaurant is the longevity of its true to taste quality. This place has passed its test over and over. Food is fresh, tasty, and in large portion. For years they have offered variety of great tasting entrée and sandwiches. They also have tasty appetizers. A must try if you are in the area!!! read more

Great food, horrible quality control. I am at a point where I have to stop the line when picking up food from here to check and make sure everything I ordered is in there. Most of the time they forget something or other. It's very disappointing to get home from work expecting to eat your favorite take out and notice that once again they forgot a part of your meal. read more

I heard their sandwiches are good which I have not tried it yet but their daily specials are totally tasteless and horrible.

Called here to make an order to go, the woman on the phone said its first day and didn't know what kubideh was. After 5 minutes of explaining I gave up and called the original shamshiri to get my order. read more

Food quality has declined ... the last couple of kabobs very dry and did not taste well. Suggest you visit a different kabob place, there are plenty in th read more

The quality has gone way down! The food at Shamshiry restaurant is great and supposedly they should be giving the same quality food at Shamshiry Express but that is NOT the case. There is a huge quality control issue and I hope that management makes an immediate change. The quality of the meat and the rice is subpar and I am extremely disappointed! read more

Shamshiry Express is hands down the best carry out Persian Restaurant in Northern Virginia. Each meal is cooked at the time it is ordered, not reheated or microwaved. "FRESH". That's pretty awesome. prices are excellent and the portions are even better. The employees are respectful & the restaurant is clean. What else can you ask for. This is a carry out restaurant. read more

This is a great take out Persian restaurant. The prices are really fair, quality is great, the portions are large and the service is fast. Give a it a try if you are up for a home or office take out. read more

Great value, big portions. Better than Moby Dick's. Chicken kebab and ground beef combo was delicious. Lots of basmati rice. Few slices of bread. Only one grilled tomato. I would have liked more grilled vegetables. It came with a quarter raw onion and a couple of sauces - too small. Great meal. It is take out only. Daily lunches are also delicious and inexpensive read more

If there was option to give more than 5 stars i would've definitely chosen it because this restaurant is the BEST halal place. Great food, great portion at a very good price! Everything is absolutely delicious..Its a long drive for me to get here but it's definitely worth it.. but i wish they had their specials on weekends too. read more

Came back to DC after a few years and visited my formerly favorite Persian restaurant and its new express location. Unfortunately it's gone downhill (I ate here twice just to make sure). Chicken now tastes bland - it lacks the old yummy yellow coating, and the meat itself tasted old and chewy instead of tender and juicy like before. Moby's is now better. Come on guys, what happened?! read more

Shamshiri express is exactly what it is, an Express version of the Shamshiri restaurant only few minutes away. There is no place to sit or dine-in, it's strictly designed for delivery or pick up. I would however ONLY visit Shamshiri Express if you are in the mood for a Persian sandwich, for main kabob dishes with rice and all the whole nine yard I would still visit the main Shamshiri location. All sandwiches are relatively good, not the best! Chicken sandwich though is shredded rotisserie chicken so do not order that thinking you will get chunks of chicken kabob (joojeh kabob) I was in for a not-so-nice surprise when I discovered that. Bottom line, this place is good for a quick in-and-out meal, nothing more. read more