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    Shamshiry Express

    3.4 (52 reviews)
    InexpensivePersian/Iranian
    Closed 11:30 am - 9:00 pm

    Shamshiry Express Photos

    Business Info

    SHAMSHIRY EXPRESS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Dogs allowed
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Shamshiry Express

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    Wednesday special
    Christopher S.

    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.

    Sarah A.

    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.

    Shirin polo

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    11 years ago

    I was hoping the chana masala comes with Kabob...

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    9 years ago

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    12 years ago

    This is a lot better then the resturaunt quick and delicious food to take home and enjoy!

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    8 years ago

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    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - Shamshiry Express

    Where is a current menu? Not even a Facebook page, link goes to main restaurant.

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    Shamshiry - Persian salad bowl

    Shamshiry

    3.8(1.3k reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    I heard a lot about ShamShiry before going for an early dinner with a friend. The first thing one…read morenotices is the absolutely excellent service--friendly, quick, and professional. Second, the portions of absolutely authentic Persian food are HUGE. Hummus may not sound exciting, but it's the best around. And the saffron ice cream for desert was out of this world. I can't wait to go back.

    My sister had recommended this spot to me because she knew I enjoyed Persian kebab, and when I had…read morea chance to be near today I stopped in. First, I didn't realize it was a sit down and order restaurant, I was used to short order. I was quickly seared and within a couple minutes one server had brought me water as well as fresh tandoori bread and a delicious spicy green sauce to go with it. A second server appeared quickly to take my order. I explained I was used to short order, and all I wanted was their version of chicken and steak (not ground beef.) The waiter explained how he'd do the combo on the menu and off he went. Having looked at the menu, I feared this might be an expensive option, and it was. But a few minutes later I was presented with a platter of delicious looking steak, chicken, rice, onions, tomato, and event a char-roasted jalapeño. It was enough food for my wife and I have had for dinner between us, so the price was well justified. Every thing was delicious. At the end of the meal, I asked if I could order another tandoori bread, and get a small to-go container of the green spicy spread to bring home for wife to try. They brought me both a generous helping of bread and the sauce, and charged me for neither. This service, combined with a delicious meal that, while expensive, will end up being three meals, means this is definitely a spot I plan to go back to as well as recommend.

    Photos
    Shamshiry - Spacious light dining room

    Spacious light dining room

    Shamshiry - Chelo kebab shamshiry

    Chelo kebab shamshiry

    Shamshiry - Salmon

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    Salmon

    Lebanese Taverna - Hummus Trio

    Lebanese Taverna

    3.5(659 reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$

    Food (3/5): The complimentary house bread and zaatar come out warm and super fresh. It is a nice…read moreway to start the meal. We ordered the falafel sandwich and the schwarma sandwich. They both were really dry, so we asked for some tatziki sauce for the schwarma sandwich which was packed with meat, although a bit light on any veggies. They also brought some tahini sauce for the falafel which was really helpful. I only wish that they could bring this at first rather than having us ask for this. It would really made a HUGE difference in the sandwich and made it a 4/10 sammie to a 8/10 sammie. Service (5/5): The gentleman who was nice and really helpful. Ambiance (5/5): This is really a nice restaurant with a nice decorated interior. I was really impressed.

    LEBANESE FAVORITE: We get the Taverna Platter every time and it never disappoints. This is hands…read moredown the best Lebanese restaurant in the area. Don't let the 3.5 star rating fool you. This place is a solid 5 stars. The complimentary house bread and zaatar come out warm and super fresh. It's hard not to keep reaching for more. We always order extra kibbeh, and the hummus with ground beef is excellent. The decor is the nicest of any Lebanese spot around and it makes for a great date atmosphere without feeling over the top. Everything tastes fresh and well made. If you're craving Lebanese food, this place delivers.

    Photos
    Lebanese Taverna
    Lebanese Taverna
    Lebanese Taverna - Passion fruit with ginger drink

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    Passion fruit with ginger drink

    Agora Tysons - Grilled Chicken** Lamb Chops* **

    Agora Tysons

    4.2(617 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$

    Dined here last night and absolutely loved the vibes. We were able to walk in on a Saturday night…read moreat 5:30pm (despite there being no online reservations available). We ordered: - the honeydew mocktail (this was so good, I haven't had a mocktail that I enjoyed so much in a long time now) - the assortment of dips (delicious and paired so well with the bread) - a side of toum (this is an essential for me at any restaurant) - the ottoman rice (my family's favorite) - brussel sprouts - cauliflower (our server's favorite) - Adana kepab - the small lamb shoulder dish (really good) - branzino (sooo good and cooked perfectly) - pistachio soufflé (like a chocolate lava cake but with pistachio inside--soooo fab) We absolutely loved everything that we ordered and the bread that they served the food with. The service was so attentive. The vibes were really nice and not overly fancy. My family and I thought it was one of the best Turkish/middle eastern meals we've had in a while (and we thought this was much better than Zaytinya). Overall I cannot wait to return.

    Came here to meet a friend for happy hour/dinner. Unfortunately she was running a bit late so we…read moremissed happy hour foods but I got myself a drink while waiting for her at the bar- which wasn't the most comfortable set up (slightly cramped) but bearable. I got the Thyme to Bloom and it was good! We got the Mucver, Hummus, and Grilled Chicken. The Mucver texture wasn't my favorite but the sauce it came out with was yummy. Hummus and grilled chicken were good- not the best I've had but decent. The vibe was nice and I liked the decor. I'd come back to try their happy hour!

    Photos
    Agora Tysons - Agora Tysons Mediterranean Restaurant at Tysons Corner, Virginia

    Agora Tysons Mediterranean Restaurant at Tysons Corner, Virginia

    Agora Tysons - Lamb Chop

    Lamb Chop

    Agora Tysons - Sorbet

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    Sorbet

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

    Aracosia McLean

    4.8(475 reviews)
    3.1 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.

    Reston Kabob

    Reston Kabob

    3.9(402 reviews)
    6.5 mi
    $$

    Whenever my husband and I come back from a road trip, we almost always order Reston Kabob. The food…read moreis consistently good and a generous portion, so much so that you can easily get 2-3 meals out of the salad. From my experience, I would recommend ordering in person because they lost our online order one time and, if you order online, you can't choose your own combinations of kabobs and/or proteins (I personally like ordering the falafel and gyros). Food Ordered: * worth trying - [Salad*]: I usually like to order the salad base. Out of the kabobs and proteins I've tried, I would recommend the beef kobeeda, falafel, and gyros proteins. I have also tried the veggie kabob, which isn't bad, but not as good as the aforementioned proteins, considering it's only grilled vegetables. I liked the flavor of the chickpeas but I prefer a more melt-in-your-mouth texture in my chickpeas like the ones at Charcoal Kabob. The chickpeas at Reston Kabob were a smidge gritty. Also, I have to highlight the sauces that come with the meal; both the green sauce and the white sauce have the perfect amount of acidity with the green sauce being bright and herbaceous and the white sauce being creamy and not too yogurt forward. My husband and I really like the white sauce here, so much so that we bought a bottle of it recently haha. - [Samosa*]: I don't think I've ever had a bad samosa and this tastes like your typical samosa. - [Baklava]: I tried the one with pistachios and the one with walnuts. Comparatively, I liked the one with walnuts more because the pistachios tasted a bit off to me and the pistachio flavor was a lot stronger versus the milder flavor of the walnuts. The only reason I'm hesitant to recommend it is because I thought it was soaked in too much syrup, making it a bit too sweet for my preference. As a heads up, each order of baklava comes with four small pieces. Would I go back?: Most definitely! Reston Kabob is a tried and true restaurant in my book and is in our rotation of restaurant options when we're in the mood for takeout.

    I had really mixed feelings about my experience here. I went during lunch time and the food took a…read morereally long time to be prepared. I figured this could be a good thing if at least it means the food would be served hot. When the food finally arrived, I didn't have any issues while eating the food. I thought the overall flavor was decent. Within an hour or so, my cousin and I experienced an upset stomach and didn't feel well for at least 24 hours. I'm not sure if this was a one-off experience, but I would not go back to this restaurant because of this alone.

    Photos
    Reston Kabob - Usually they are not busy

    Usually they are not busy

    Reston Kabob
    Reston Kabob - The beef kabobs and gyro meat.

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    The beef kabobs and gyro meat.

    Shamshiry Express - persian - Updated May 2026

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