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The Helmand

4.2 (815 reviews)
Closed • 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM
Updated a few days ago

Order The Helmand Takeout or Delivery

The Helmand Photos

THE HELMAND ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Classy
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - The Helmand

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Tiana B.

If I could go back tonight I definitely would. Everything was so delicious. The food came out so fast and everyone was so nice. I've never had Afghan food but it's on my list of favorites now!

Breana S.

The food was amazing! It was tasty and came out very fast. My issue here was with the service. We walked in and someone walked past, said someone else will come seat you, and walked away. It feel so uninterested in seating us. The serve that we did get didn't show any personality. Just took the order snd stopped by for a refill. He was very fast thought in bringing things out, including boxes and the check. Maybe next time I would get takeout because the dine-in experience wasn't amazing despite good food

Chocolate cake
Monae S.

The wife and I finally made it to the Helmand. We got there right around 6 and got a spot right across the street. When we walked in, we were sat in the very large dining area and our server came right over. The atmosphere definitely lends itself to a smart casual outfit vibe. Very cutesy!! We started off with the bowlani. It was a freshly gently fried samosa if I had to describe it. I enjoyed it very much. I wanted to try multiple items but for some reason wasn't very hungry so I went with the vegetarian aushuk and the mashawa soup. I also ordered the bread to dip in my soup. Everything was very tasty. The service was excellent and the overall vibe of the restaurant was pleasant. I'll be back for sure.

Goat cheese cheesecake & afghan ice cream
Alice L.

Food: excellent and very reasonably priced. Mantwo and kabobs were standouts. Goat cheese cheesecake dessert was tart, unique and delightful! Service: pretty fast, though our waiter rarely stopped by for additional drink orders Ambiance: very cute, bigger than you expect, with traditional clothes displayed on the wall. Would recommend!

Ray M.

This is a great place to go when you're "elevated". I think I would die happy if I ate this food on my death bed. For appetizers, we got Mantwo and Bowlawani- it was absolutely DEMOLISHED. Mantwo is basically afghan dumpling, and the filling was incredible savory and had a meaty texture. The was my favorite appetizer, stuffed with spiced potatoes, lentils, and chives/leeks from what I saw. The dipping sauce of yogurt and mint went amazing with it. For mains, we got the Lamb Lawand and Lamb loin chop. The lamb lawand was this savory rice dish- they served it with mushrooms and a side of beautifully seasoned spinach. It came as a stew that you were able to mix with your rice as you please. As for the lamb loin chop, it was incredibly tender- falling off the bone. Dessert was difficult, as I am deathly allergic to all nuts. My partner got the hazelnut chocolate cake, and from what I heard they rated it very highly. I got the afghan ice cream; the flavor were incredibly unique, with notes of cardamom, saffron and rose water. I usually have a problem with rose water in my desserts, as it ends up tasting overly flowery or soapy, but I think it was executed well. The toppings of dates, mangos, and figs went incredibly well with the flavors of the ice cream. My only complaint was the service being a bit slow, but at the time we went it was incredibly busy, and I don't blame the workers. Otherwise, this was a great place to go to for an elevated meal! Not TOO fancy, but not too casual either.

Vegetarian Sampler- cauliflower & chick peas, eggplant dolma, mushroom lawand and okra with challow rice
Matt H.

Really cool spot! Coming into this meal, I didn't totally know what to expect as I've never had Afghan food. I can honestly say I am now a fan! It was restaurant week so we did the price fixed menu and I honestly enjoyed almost all parts of the meal. The pumpkin starter was really unique and good. Could it have used a little bit more flavor for my liking? Yes. However, I still think it was very good. I did the vegetable sampler for the main and genuinely enjoyed every single thing on my plate very unique flavors that I truly enjoyed. I also have to give a moment to the naan that they brought out for the table. We all could not get enough of it. It was truly delicious. The only letdown of this meal was the dessert. It was some pudding that looked like it had kind of been sitting out for a while as it had crusted over on the top, but it wasn't bad just a bit bland. Drinks were great and the wine recommendations from the waiter all were spot on. Service was absolutely impeccable. Staff was very friendly and attentive. Ambience is nothing to write home about. It's honestly a little bit boring in there and I think they could do so much more to capitalize on Afghan decor, but it was by no means bad ambience Overall, this was a great meal that I would come back to and would recommend anyone else do so.

baklava
Kiana B.

The snow made parking a nightmare but so glad I came for their restaurant week deal! There are two dining rooms and my group's table was ready immediately upon entering. I ordered a glass of red wine and knew I was in for a good meal when I watched almost half the bottle drain into my glass. I went with special #2 and tried their well-known pumpkin appetizer, which was actually too sweet for my tastes but still very good. Naan with butter is served to the table, which was perfect for dipping in the rich sauces that came with the entree. The lentil/rice/lamb side that came with the entree's curry and rice was absolutely divine. I could kill a plate of that alone. There was so much food to the entree that I was even able to take leftovers home. The waiter recommended the baklava over the pudding for dessert so I went with that and it was as good as he said. This was truly a 5/5 experience, and I would love to come back to try more of their menu outside of their restaurant week deal!

Fereny - cardamom eggless pudding
Sophie B.

The Helmand is a fantastic spot located in Mt. Vernon! My boyfriend picked here for date night and I'm so glad he did. Neither of us had tried this cuisine before and it was a great experience. Service was good, the place is lovely, and the food is delicious. My only take is that I would skip a cocktail, they seem a bit underwhelming for $12 - I got the sour apple one and it was just OK. A fine sip while we ate but not necessary or anything to write home about. That said, again, the FOOD is why you should make your way to the Helmand. We started with naan (don't skip this) and potato and leek pastries. I noted the actual dish names in the photos, by the way. Both were great. We both enjoyed our dishes - I got a lamb special and my boyfriend got a beef special. Any time I have a chance to try a different style of lamb, I'm going to. The meat was perfectly tender, rice perfectly cooked, and the turnips were yummy. My boyfriend is not a big sweets guy - he insisted I get dessert and he'd have just a bite. I ordered the Fereny, an eggless cardamom pudding served with fruit. Let's just say he took much more than just one bite. It was definitely the highlight of our meal, which is saying a lot for a $6 pudding. Overall, we'll be back!

Vegetarian Platter
Vy T.

Walked in without a reservation at an off-hour and the staff were very friendly greeting us, seating us, and servicing us. They kept our water and drinks filled the whole time. The food was well portioned and yummy. We ordered a variety of things which were good, including the zardalu challow and vegetarian platter. Ambiance is great - comfortable seating.

Arrt T.

Nice ambiance in this unassuming spot. Great for a nice date night. Although the two-seaters by the entryway could use more light (as you can see my pics were a bit dim). Tasty food! I don't often eat Afghan food so I'm not familiar with the spice profile. But I enjoy the marinades, the cardamom and nuts and such. Everything went well enough. Dessert was different but tasty. Park on the side street near the monument and take a 2 min walk. Recommended!

Aushak
Sherrice C.

VALENTINES DAY DINNER!! This was our dinner of choice for Valentine's Day. We picked it because the service, food, and vibe are always perfect on a normal night out, so we knew it would be a safe bet for Valentine's Day too. The service that night was amazing. We were ushered to our table, told about the specials, and got a bottle of wine to share right away. Our food came out quickly and the tables were cleared just as fast. I stuck with the classic, which is my favorite, and my boyfriend tried the Valentine's Day special. I hate to admit it but he definitely had the better meal. We finished with cheesecake for dessert and it was perfect.

Temima N.

We wanted to try this place since it seemed interesting! We've only had fast casual Afghan food but not upscale Afghan food. It was ok! I liked the appetizers we had which were a pumpkin one and fried dough with leeks. And the dessert which was a cardamom flavored custard was refreshing and not too sweet. I liked the naan too but I wasn't a fan of veggie platter, I thought it would be a good pick to try a little of everything but I wish I had gotten one of the vegetarian entrees instead since the one we go to go (leek ravioli) was a lot better

Daja E.

9/17/2025 My first afghan restaurant and on a nice rainy day. I ended up here with help of the timeleft app, was seated as soon as I walked in the door. I started with the AUSHAK and a glass of white wine. Both were great I love how tender the pasta is, the yogurt mixed with the cilantro sauce( they give for the table) by far is the best combo. The naan was thick and such a good touch to soak up all the pasta sauce. Ended up the meal with the afghan style ice cream which had a taste that I was not used to. I loved the fresh fruits and the cardamom in the ice cream had my tastebuds singing. The seating has 2 areas and a nice little bar in the back. I noticed a new customers coming in and requesting single seating which was not a problem for this spot. Our server was very punctual clearing plates, getting refills I just would have loved to hear about the new items and drinks that were on the table before I ordered. Bathroom rating:5/5

Mantwo

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Fantastic food and service. I can say a bad thing about it. Food arrived super foast, but was delicious.

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1 year ago

Incredible food, attentive service, great atmosphere! We had a wonderful time and can't wait to come back!

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The food is delicious. The service is very good. I've always had a good experience every time we've gone there.

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Page 2 of 21

Ask the Community - The Helmand

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The Helmand - afghani - Updated October 2026

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