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Shinwari

3.5 (44 reviews)
Closed • 5:00 pm - 11:00 PM

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SHINWARI ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - Shinwari

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Pulao lamb shank
Saba M.

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

lamb
Hana R.

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

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.

Outside
Rebecca A.

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?)

Mint Lemonade
Naveen H.

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.

naan
Imran S.

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

Michelle H.

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)

Outside
Khadija S.

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.

The 6inch salad plate of Appetizer smh...

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10 months ago

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2 years ago

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11 months ago

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2 years ago

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

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3 years ago

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5 years ago

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

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4 years ago

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2 years ago

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

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

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

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5 years ago

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Panjshir - Kadu Palow Entree, Combination Kabab & Bulanee Gandana

Panjshir

4.0(246 reviews)
0.7 mi•Falls Church City
•$$

Food and service at this afghan restaurant are top notch! The menu is comprehensive, with an array…read moreof mezzes, salads, kabobs, vegetarian entrees and drinks. The complimentary bread brought out was warm, chewy and delicious. My companion got the kabab-E-Gosfund, which consisted of grilled lamb chunks marinated in spices with saffron rice and chickpeas. Meat was tender and flavorful, rice was aromatic. I got the combination vegetarian platter, which was a choice of 3 vegetarian entrees served with spinach rice. One choice I got the zardak chalow, which was a stew of prunes, chickpeas, tomatoes, and carrots. It was sweet, savory and a little tart. Very unique and delicious. Another choice was the banjan chalow, which was eggplant, onions and garlic in a savory brown sauce topped with yogurt. Eggplant was tender and soft. Yogurt was creamy and complemented the dish. Rounding out the veggie trio was the sabsi chalow, which was pureed spinach with onions, garlic and spices. A side of spinach rice came with the combo platter, also yummy. Will definitely be back!

Panjshir is gorgeous and I'm still not over it. I'm also sad I had never visited before. It was the…read moreperfect place to grab some lunch after an appointment. I really enjoy Afghan cuisine. Service was friendly. I ordered the eggplant and the stuffed bread. The eggplant was so fragrant and I could smell it before it arrived. The stuffed bread was addictive. I wish the complementary bread would have had the mango sauce, which is my favorite, but I still appreciated it. Everything was good and I had leftovers, which made me happy. I'm looking forward to returning and trying more of Panjshir's offerings.

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Panjshir
Panjshir - Baklava

Baklava

Panjshir

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Namakmandi Shinwari Grill

Namakmandi Shinwari Grill

3.7(49 reviews)
2.4 mi

PLEASE READ BEFORE GOING:…read more I decided to give this place a try after being recommended their Chapli Kabobs and being told they were the best. I couldn't resist and decided to treat my mom to a dinner on Mother's Day. What we ordered: Chapli kabobs, lamb karahi, chicken biryani, lassi and chai. Food was okay, i honestly think any Pakistani moms' biryani would be better. Chapli kabobs were pretty good but not to die for. And i honestly think you can find better karahi for cheaper. I loved their chai the most out of everything. Total came down to around $120. Plenty of parking is available in the back. But it was completely empty when we walked in around 5pm on a Sunday. This place has ROACHES. When we got our naan for the karahi, it came on a skewer stand that came out of a wooden block. As soon as the waiter set it on the table and left, a baby roach crawled out of the wooden block. I killed it and told the waiter and the only thing he said was "Oh my God" and took it back to the kitchen. No apology or acknowledgment. But there was some yelling heard from the kitchen. We got our new fresh naan on a plate this time. After we got our chai and were relaxing, I look up towards the tv, there is ANOTHER ROACH crawling up. I got the check and just wanted to leave. The bathrooms were clean enough but there was a leak coming from the flush handle in the women's bathroom and there was a bucket underneath for the water to drip. Overall, I would not recommend and would rather try the other Middle Eastern/South Asian restaurants in the area to try.

Restaurant is run down and kinda dirty. Food was mediocre at best. The worst part was the service…read more The people running the restaurant seems to have no idea what they're doing. My party and I spent close to 2 hours waiting for our order and only some of the items came out. Two pain courses failed to arrive. It food wasn't even that good. Definitely not worth the wait. Would not recommend coming back here. This restaurant is a disaster. They also automatically charge an 18% tip for a party of TWO or more. So even if service is atrocious, you'll still be forced to tip.

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Namakmandi Shinwari Grill
Namakmandi Shinwari Grill
Namakmandi Shinwari Grill - Chicken bryiani

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Chicken bryiani

Saffron Indian Cuisine - Lamb Dum Biryani

Saffron Indian Cuisine

4.1(384 reviews)
1.6 mi•Falls Church City
•$$

Nice! The food was awesome! I like spicy food I like flavors. Everything was amazing.!read more

I've eaten here 4 times. Very consistent and generous dinner portions. The $20 lunch buffet is a…read moresolid choice, with around 10 entrées with fresh ice-chilled condiments. A concerted effort towards variety is evident, with distinct proteins and vegetarian choices in specific curries/sauces creating a beautifully balanced array of different colors. I love this. (An example of the opposite: When there's a paneer tikka masala AND a chicken tikka masala on a buffet - I don't count these as being 2 different entrées.) Saffron is way better than the musty neighbor Haandi Indian across the street. A long time local recommended Haandi over Saffron and I believe she must have lied to me about having tried Saffron, because there is absolutely no comparison. Saffron is wayyy better. There is actually flavor and attitude in the dishes at Saffron. Haandi is boring and bland. Pro tip: ask for your naan bread "crispy" and it will come out nice and toasted. Naan is included with the lunch buffet. Would be 5 stars if it were $15. $22 can get you AYCE made-to-order sushi lunch down the street, so $20 for Indian buffet lunch here seems all-the-money. Delicious, though! Oh and another possible star deduction reason: I saw a few stains on some tablecloths at Saffron that appeared to be days-old from not being changed or noticed. This is a "glass top on top of red tablecloth" kind of place. They need to get rid of the tablecloths if they're not changing them with each customer.

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Saffron Indian Cuisine
Saffron Indian Cuisine - Cornish Hen Tandoori

Cornish Hen Tandoori

Saffron Indian Cuisine

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Bawadi Mediterranean Grill - Falafel and grape leaf stuffed with rice, herbs and lemon juice

Bawadi Mediterranean Grill

4.2(546 reviews)
1.0 mi
•$$

The food is great and so was the service. They had Umm Ali for dessert and it was so good.read more

A friend living in the area had this on his bookmarks but lived a bit out, so my visit served as…read morethe catalyst to try out this establishment's $30 lunch buffet. I first tried the assorted kebabs. Unfortunately, the chicken had dried out and the kofta felt too crumbly. The chicken rice dish had quite aromatic rice but underseasoned chicken; seasoned rice alone can't substitute bland chicken drumsticks. The lamb rice dish had both aromatic rice and juicy, well seasoned lamb. I ended up combining the lamb pieces with the chicken rice. Out of curiosity, I tried a piece of their fried chicken. It proved juicy and not too oily. It would do well as a standalone appetizer in most restaurants. I also tried something that looked like lasagna, but without tomato. It tasted, to my uncultured palate, like a lasagna with some sort of cream or bechamel-like sauce. I quite enjoyed it. For dessert, my friend convinced me to try what I had initially passed over as oatmeal or tapioca pudding. The Omi Ali proved quite delectable, like a cross between bread pudding and oatmeal but with more nuanced spices and sweetness. I added it to my short list of desserts I enjoy, since I don't have much of a sweet tooth. Overall, I appreciated the breath and variety. Some hits and misses are to be expected at a homely, ethnic neighborhood style buffet.

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Bawadi Mediterranean Grill - Falafel and more

Falafel and more

Bawadi Mediterranean Grill - Small Family Mixed Grill

Small Family Mixed Grill

Bawadi Mediterranean Grill - Meats and rice section

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Meats and rice section

Naan & Beyond - Butter Chicken and Garlic Naan

Naan & Beyond

4.2(25 reviews)
4.2 mi

We got the chicken biryani for lunch when we were shopping at this mall. The portions were big…read moreenough for tow people to share one which I loved! They also gave us generous portions of protein which malt places refuse to do and just load your box up with rice. The chicken pieces were big as well. The flavor of the biryani was a little different than the many different types of biryani I've tried but it wasn't bad - just different. They also have snacks from different parts of India - north east west and south. I will return to try those snacks too. For dessert, they also have the matka kulfi which is clay pot ice cream like dessert. I absolutely love kulfi and will return to also try the kulfi and other desserts and report back.

At the Mall & needed a snack to get me through the ordeal of being at the Mall (Grandaughter B-Day…read morerequest)- LOL While walking saw this spot, the smells & menu prices drew me in and I decided to give it a shot. Friendly Counter Service, she was patient and everything I asked about she said I would enjoy- LOL. She was right !!! I did the Fish & Fries - $10 - Amazing taste, definitely different than my normal. The fish was juicy and it instantly became a new favorite. The fries that accompanied it were hot, fresh & very good. Wife ate 1/2 of them. I also loved the Tarter Sauce that came with the Fish. I have to say the whole combo was amazing & you get a big Bang for your buck. If I did not have (3) people dipping into my fries, it would have been more than a snack. I also did a $4 Chai/Coffee - it was also delicious, took me back to my Afghanistan days at Green Bean.

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Naan & Beyond - Butter Chicken and Garlic Naan

Butter Chicken and Garlic Naan

Naan & Beyond - Chicken biryani (sample size)

Chicken biryani (sample size)

Naan & Beyond - Paneer Roll

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Paneer Roll

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

Arlington Kabob

4.6(445 reviews)
2.9 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.

Shinwari - afghani - Updated October 2026

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