We catered for an event and it was the most amazing dinner, everyone loved it! The flavors in every dish came together beautifully, and you could really taste the care that went into the cooking. From the meats to the curries to the sides, everything was authentic and delicious. The only issue we noticed was that a few dishes had a faint fish taste, which makes me think the same oil may have been used for both fish and meat. If they adjusted that, it would be flawless. Overall, though, the experience was incredible and I'd highly recommend for both dining in and catering. It made our event unforgettable, and I'll definitely be coming back! read more

The cleanses is totally awful and the food , as we order Charsi Chicken Karahi with Afghani Pulao with Lamb Shank , the karahi had a bad smell and the worse thing was afghani Pulao , they can not cook afghani , it's like punjabi they should change afghani name. read more

Shinwari - Afghan Near Me - Falls Church, Virginia

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We have been regular customers at Shinwari in Falls Church for a long time. My husband has always loved their food, But this time our experience was extremely disappointing and honestly concerning. We ate there last night and brought some leftovers home. When reheating the food today, we found a cockroach inside the dish. I have attached the pictures for proof. This is not something that can be ignored, it directly raises questions about the cleanliness and hygiene in the kitchen. read more

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The low Yelp scores for this place makes zero sense...except that I have some theories that are the stuff of fan fiction. Here's my first guess: This place is awesome and the people in the know don't want others knowing about it. This is the one that makes the most sense. They already do a brisk business and the current customers don't want to wait any longer than they already have to. My second guess: some people are totally clueless and don't understand that this is a place where your meal is an event and not just dinner. If you want to eat and run, go to McDonalds. This is the place where you come to eat, sip your chai, and enjoy the company of those around you. Food takes time to cook...figure it out people. Okay...about the food: WOW! So delicious and all perfectly cooked. I have to open with the one dish that was absolutely stunning: the lamb chops. The seasoning was spot on and flavorful while the cook point (which appears to be hard for many restaurants it seems) was flawless. Tender from end-to-end without a sign of chewiness. Next up on the menu hit parade was the Chapli Kebab. That little bit of char on the outside combined with the seasoned meat made this a repeat order for sure. Check the pics and you'll see what I'm talking about. The last but definitely not least on the list was the massive Namkeen Chicken Tikka. There was enough food on this order for three people and it was awesome! There was a smokiness to the meat that permeated beautifully and each piece was amazingly tender. We couldn't finish this one and it ended up in the to-go bag. Seriously, it huge. The service, decor, and general ambiance of Shinwari was so great too. The staff were totally professional and the families enjoying the props (which included a auto rickshaw) where fun to watch. I will be coming back here FOR SURE. Bring a close friend or five and enjoy an amazing evening. read more

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This place just keeps getting better and better. The flavors!!!! The scent!!! The way things are cooked to perfection fresh!! Excellent attentive service!!! #foodheaven if you havent already been here your playing yourself RUN!!! ‍ don't walk to these beautiful gem of a place read more

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Food and service has deteriorated recently. We ordered fish kabob, Quail, lamb kabob, Fish Kabob and Quail was too dry. Also had to get up to look for waiter to ask for service. For the price, it's not worth the place anymore read more

Delicious everytime I come here! All of the skewers are amazing and the naan is perfect here. Also really liked the jamun. Reminds me of the restaurants my parents used to bring me too as a kid. Don't have much of this anymore on the west coast so i really enjoyed it! 10/10 read more

Shinwari - lamb - Afghan Near Me - Falls Church, Virginia

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The hostess/waitress speaks too quietly. The dishes should come with rice. The food was good but the staff came by to collect our dishes while we were still seated, dropped a spoon full of yogurt next to me on my coat and walked away like nothing happened. When we brought it to their attention they brought napkins and didn't say anything. So maybe don't bus the table until the customer leaves, or at least apologize/offer some help when you destroy their clothing. read more

Amazing food the place to go for Kabob's. Try the chicken orange Kkabob I think it's called something else it's out of this world nice decorations. read more

Great food and ambiance, karahi was great just needs to be more spicy, even though we told them extra spicy but it was not as spicy as we'd like. Minus two stars from the review as we walked in and they wouldnt seat us while many seats were available. We had called over the phone to reserve a table which they said they dont do yet when we got to the location they wont seat us. Didn't make sense! After tryna have us go all the way in the back on the floor seating, we said thats not comfortable for us. So finally they said wait few minutes. Then magically a table was open for us. Smh the back and forth was not cool.... As a business owner, serve everyone equally. We get the whole idea of "family" seating but if i am a customer, you're just discriminating. read more

I've been their with my family twice, both times with the large group and for Ifthar. The interior decorations are authentic and cultural. Colorful vibes. Nice setup. We got the private room with the floor seating. Food was great both times. Great service offered by the friendly staff named Said Abubaker. He was very attentive and took very good care of the entire group. read more

Shinwari - Afghan Near Me - Falls Church, Virginia

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Food is good - karahi is delicious. Wait time for food is unacceptable. Restaurant half full and food items still took 40 min. Looking around you will see other customers gloomy faces also waiting long times for their dinner. read more

Fantastic place for the carnivores! All the dishes were well flavored and spiced. The fish was fantastic, the skin being completely crisp and the fish tasted fresh. The lamb karai was succulent and flavorful. The Kheer and milky tea (with hint of caramel) was a perfect ending to the meal. I just wish there were more plant based sides to choose from to balance the meal (chickpeas and spinach maybe?) read more

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Tl;dr: A must-visit if you're in the area. Every Eid it's customary for our family to get all dressed up and have a proper sit-down dinner outside. This year we decided to visit Shinwari on the second day of Eid. From the get to it's evident that they've put a lot of thought into making your visit an experience. From the decor and ambiance to the food and service, it is an authentic Pakistani Shinwari meal. There are plenty of seating options (including palangs and jhulas), you can make reservations ahead of time or walk-in. Keep in mind if you walk-in, there may be a bit of a wait. It's a family-friendly and easy-going atmosphere. There were children running around and playing on the decorative rickshaw and bike, and we were able to admire the beautiful artwork and collectibles while we waited for our dinner. The food is served family-style and piping hot. The aroma alone is enough to satisfy your palate. Of the items we ordered the dishes that stood out were the chapli kabobs and the charsi chicken tikka. But all the food was prepared well and really hit the spot. The chai was delicious but a small serving with no refill option. For a Desi restaurant it's borderline scandalous to not have some chai on tap. Overall it was a great experience and I hope to visit Shinwari again soon (maybe once more before I go back home!). Cheers to the staff and team, I hope you keep getting better. read more

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we had heard a lot about shinwari - about the food and decorations so decided to check it out. the restaurant is a former hotel/motel restaurant and is still connected to the hotel/motel. they did decorate the restaurant with Pakistani and Pathan decorations - a lot of decorations and artwork we sat down and ordered naan, dum pukht, kabobs, and drinks. the naan was good, the drinks were good and so was the dum pukht; the kabobs were decent but could've been better. all the food had very little spice so that was good for some and not good for others. overall good pathan/pakistani food but no veggie options read more

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Very addictive, great food. I heard they order fresh lamb every day. Everything I had was amazing!! I'm definitely going to be their regulars Ambience, very homey Service, very attentive and helpful with questions Overall, would recommend you to stop by if you are in the area! Great prices for yummy food (FYI, they only open at 5pm at this time) read more

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Y'all, overall not worth the Uber ride from downtown DC. I got there a little after 6 and was the only patron. Ordered the chapli kabob and tarka daal. Both entrees came with a naan each. Did not try the mint lemonade which they're known for. The food took sometime to come out. The chapli kabob were hefty. Flavor wise, bland. Texture, chewy. I was not impressed at all. Would be better if they made thinner patty's and served more than two on the platter using the same amount of beef. This was not good. The tarka daal was also flavorless and full of oil. There was literally no seasoning. The naans were the best part of the meal. As far as services goes, it was so bad. I was checked on once after I received my meal. And then I waited, waited, and waited. No one offered to refill my Diet Coke or offer me water. I got water with my check. They also add 18% gratuity to each check- fyi. The ambiance is fun that may be the only saving grace for this bad food restaurant. read more

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The food was delicious and plentiful. Authentic northern Pakistan cuisine and decor. Service was quick and attentive.

Went to Shinwari for the first time and will be the last time!! The ambience was nice but the food not so much!! I opened the menu and everything was beyond expensive!! One skewer of Kabab (5 pieces of meat) $7.99 without no sides such as bread or rice!! For appetizers (definitely not shareable) we got a salad and twas a small 6inch salad plate and that was $7.99. Are you fu**ing kidding me!! For a kettle of green tea it was $12.99. These people definitely know how to milk an individual!! Hey if you can afford it and like mediocre food then go for it, but if you are an average person who does not want to spend an arm and a leg during this inflation, I would avoid going here!! I will definitely not recommend my family or friends this place!! read more

Shinwari - The 6inch salad plate of Appetizer smh... - Afghan Near Me - Falls Church, Virginia

I'm surprised to see negative reviews. I'd give this place more than 5 stars if I could. This place is amazing! The food is absolutely delicious. The service was top notch! We were a group of 20+ (5 families), each family ordered 3-4 dishes and we loved ALL the food. We really enjoyed everything about this place. I loved the decor and the ambiance! read more

The food was excellent. We got the Kabuli Pulao, Goat Karahi, Chicken Karahi and Chapli Kebab. The Chapli Kebab's were ideally spiced, however the chef could have added tomatoes to soften the meat. A little bit of " Charbi" also softens the meat. The ambiance was amazing with truck art on full display. The staff was exceptionally nice. read more

Ambiance was ok, just too much decor. Screaming children, running around the restaurant were extremely annoying. Food was awful. The lamb karahi was all bones and fat, hardly any meat. Chapli kababs were too thick, bland and dry. Daal was average but really was the only edible option.Naans were good. read more

Excellent authentic Afghan, Pakistan foods. Gratuity is included in the bill and hope it goes into servers pockets.

The place is busy. Have gone to this place couple of times and food has been good - no complaints. The only thing that they need to do is improve on their order to delivery time. Simple two three dishes take half an hour or more. Recommend that one orders ageless and then come in. read more

Thoughtful service. Delicious food and chai. I wish there were just 1-2 more vegetarian dishes. read more

Shinwari - a cup of coffee on a table - Afghan Near Me - Falls Church, Virginia

Loved the Lamb Karhaee and Khorak platter. Loved the ambiance with Pakistani truck art (very cool). The only thing I'd say is there were some kids running around the whole restaurant which was a bit annoying but overall great food and service. read more

This is a not an afghan restaurant. "Kheer" is a North Indian version of rice pudding. People of eastern Afghanistan (shinwari) don't eat a lot of item they have on their menu but Paki/Indian people do..Don't be misled... read more

The kabobs and chicken /lamb karahi were outstanding, boasting incredibly tender meat. The service was top-notch, contributing to an overall enjoyable dining atmosphere. Don't miss out on their must-try Chai tea! read more

This place has everything to offer! You won't find a more authentic Pakistani flavor anywhere else. A must try!

This place has the best beef chapli kabobs I've had. We also ordered lentils which were delicious and a few skewers of various chicken options which were good as well. The naan was also excellent. The staff was friendly and the service was great. read more

This looks good when you walk in, but service sucks ass. Went for chai and the service was so bad that the waiter wouldn't give us a few minutes to decide. He made smart mouthed comments like that it's only chai/drinks and it shouldn't take more than 2 mins. It's easier to say that, but when it's 6-7 guys it takes time to decide and the chai menu has 17 pages to pick from. Then when we placed the order the guy disappeared and never came back. If you want to lose customers and business keep it this way. But if not hire folks or train them to be courteous and respectful towards customers. If someone is paying for something they rather not receive the fob attitude with it without charge. Overall, the chai sucks now compared to before. read more

Not sure why some of the negative reviews. Pakistani people always have something to complain about. I thought the food was excellent. The taste was so authentic, I felt like I was in Pakistan. Tikkas were fresh and hot off the grill. Charsi chicken karhai was amazing. I also loved the decor and ambiance, very cute. They even had a rickshaw, which my daughter enjoyed playing in. They did a good job with the theme. The place was packed on a Sunday night. For a Pakistani joint, this place was clean and the service was friendly. We will definitely be going back. read more

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Had dinner here a few nights ago. It's definitely an interesting location as others have mentioned but it's pretty cool. Love the interior with the Pakistani twist on decor. Ordered chapli kabobs that were pretty good and the standard karahi which was pretty good too. Their naan is incredibly soft. The food was a decent portion but the prices are a little on the pricy side. I do think it's probably worth it though. Will definitely come back. read more

Authentic and delicious. Came with my Pakistani parents and my American friends alike. We all enjoyed the food. I would recommend the Chapli kebab, quail or Cornish hen, and a Karahi. read more

Nice ambiance excellent food and service reasonably priced chappli kabab were testier the Peshawar will come back for a family get together read more

Amazing authentic food. Quality is great for the price too. Will come here again for sure.

We tried Shinwari today. It's a mixed bag. Restaurant decor is interestingly and flashy. We did a carry out. Place was packed. Service appeared to be good. Chicken Karahi was not good at all (really oily, low on salt and not tasty at all) very disappointing its a 2 and it was $30! Beef Chapli was a little burnt but ok a 3 Was $19! Chicken and lamb kebab were ok a 3. Mint lemonade is very good 4. Lassi was ok but $7! Zarda was good 4. Kheer is good 4 it comes in a small clay container for the size pricey $4. Overall the food is expensive. I would give it a overall rating of 3.5. I would let u all taste the food and judge for your self:-) read more

Spent my special Evening here, the food was yummyliscious.... I absolutely luv the place, the setup , the decor, everything about it was soo special. read more

First time here but will not be going back. The restaurant is gimmicky and gaudy with poor service and equally bad and overpriced food. The chicken karahi was what an irate auntie would make for uninvited guests. The tarka daal was under cooked. The Chapli kebab was nothing like a chapli kebab and looked and tasted like plain beef patty. The only thing somewhat edible was the chicken and mutton tikka. The management needs to improve both food quality and service to get repeat customers. read more

I went today with family, was expecting great food experience, it was a big disappointment, Chapli kabob was dry with no tomato or fried egg and over priced, chicken karahi was mediocre, dall tarka was hard and kabuli pulao was bland with dry meat shank, and only tandoori tea was good, so over all over priced and tasteless. read more