Loved the free bread/dip appetizer and the lamb kabobs were amazing perfect. The outside hides what a really good restaurant this truly is.

Amazing food and great service! Highly recommended! We had the spicy beef dumplings, chicken breast kebab, lamb chops, and tenderloin and they were perfect! The cardamon cake is also a must try! read more

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Just piling on here to say the almost 5-star rating is 100% earned. One of the best meals I've ever eaten and wonderful staff who were attentive and efficient, despite the fact the restaurant was packed. Food was SO fresh and flavorful, spices were plentiful, but not overwhelming, and all the dishes were flat out comforting. Even wowed my vegetarian sister who said she now has a new favorite place! read more

What a delicious meal. Rarely these days can you find delicious food and fantastic service. Special shout out to Seth, our waiter. He was phenomenal and really enhanced our whole evening. Spicy beef dumplings, lamb shank, and chicken/beef kabobs were what we ordered. Everything was great. read more

This will become my go to spot for Modern Authentic Afghan Cuisine ;). Why? I mean just look at that food! My first instinct whenever I try out places for the first time is to check them out on Yelp and see what pictures people have posted of their meals. I have to honestly say I couldn't decide on what I wanted to eat because it just all looked really good! :p The service here was amazing too. I came here with my girlfriend and two close friends on a Saturday night. We were greeted properly and sat down in a reasonable amount of time for a weekend evening. I ordered the lamb chops duo (pictured below) and a slice of hazelnut chocolate cake for dessert. The restaurant also let us take a shot of bourbon (I think but I cannot recall what it was) on the house! If anyone from the restaurant reads this and remembers what that was, please let me know. The impression this place left on me is that I have to come back and experience it again. I love places like this because they're hidden gems and they never disappoint. This would be a great place to have an all you can eat brunch so that people can sample all of the entrees in small plate form. That would be awesome! read more

Afghan Bistro - Lamb Chops Duo - Afghan Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

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So... Let me begin by stating, I have never actually been INSIDE the establishment. This rating is based on delivery only. I have ordered delivery 2x and I have to say, that both times the meal was DELICIOUS! I have been to a few different afghani eateries and this place (bar far) had the most delicious food and diverse menu. With that said, I highly recommend you experiment. The only reason I took away a star, was because I saw the driver not wearing a mask, and comparatively speaking, I feel the prices are a little high. However, I've been twice because they care so delicious they can get away with it. read more

Afghan Bistro - I ordered a lot more than shown, but I enjoyed it all. Pumpkin dumplings are great if you like pumpkin and it's in season! - Afghan Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

Yummmmmmmy! This place is adorable. I had a dmv appointment and decided to stop by here for an early dinner. I sat outside and they had an iPad playing music. Not sure if they had outdoor seating pre-covid but they made it look cute outside. The staff was lovely and food was amazing. The bread was so perfect and crispy and oily. Sauces were awesome. It was a lovely experience and I highly recommend. read more

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They have 5 stars for a reason. Everything from the service to the food was excellent. They gave some customers complimentary desserts and I even got a 10% discount. I will definitely come here again. I ordered the spicy beef dumpling appetizer, special oxtail entree, and cardamom milk cake! The complimentary bread was warm and the 4 chutneys it comes with were ALL so good! The beef dumplings weren't overly spicy and had a ton of flavor. They were drizzled with a yogurt and tomato sauce with chickpeas and green peas. The oxtail entree was pretty good as well. Last but not least, the cake! I love tres leches cake and this was a combination of that with the cardamom flavor found in rice pudding. It was an amazing experience! read more

It's incredibly hard for anything that is heavily hyped to actually live up to that hype. Sliced bread - now there's a real gem. I don't want to pull out my serrated knife and start slicing every time I want to eat a sandwich. Kids today just can't stop talking about the virtues of sliced bread and I can confirm that the hype is warranted. On the other hand there is Star Wars, a movie franchise about space guys and robots battling in outer space. While these movies did result in one young boy dreaming of creating a Space Force, they are unwatchable and totally over-hyped. I'm here to tell you that Afghan Bistro has joined sliced bread in the pantheon of the properly-hyped. This was actually my first experience with Afghan food and our waitress was very helpful and generous with her time, walking us through some of the highlights of the menu. I'm most grateful that she directed me to the qormas (stews), a great place to start for any first-timers. These dishes come with thick, rich sauces, and my qorma (Rumi's chicken) had an abundance of flavor and just the right amount of heat. I like to sample new dishes each time I visit a restaurant that is relatively new to me, but the next time I go Rumi's chicken will be somewhere on my table. My friend ordered the Qabuli Palou, or braised beef shank. The beef was falling off the bone as he passed it to me. This dish also featured a thick, mouth-watering sauce. As I glanced mouth agape at the plates passing by our table, I noticed that most of the dishes people were ordering had similar looking sauces and I wanted to try every one of them. We had the quail and beef tenderloin as appetizers. Both were quite nice but I would try other things next time. The pictures I took don't do justice to the care given to the presentation of the dishes, including the appetizers. For dessert I experienced another new thing thanks to a recommendation from our waitress, rose water ice cream. Where has rose water been all my life? It tastes and smells every bit as floral as you might expect and I think I might have blacked out for three minutes into some kind of euphoric state as I was eating it. The sheer birinj (rice pudding) was also very tasty, but it did not transport me to another state of being. At the end of our meal the waitress gave us complimentary glasses of amaretto, a gesture that pleased me to no end. This is yet another thing I've never experienced before, as I've only had amaretto in mixed drinks. The verdict: I'm either a new super fan of amaretto, or the stuff they served me was uniquely delicious. What more can I say? Go to Afghan Bistro. It's pretty small so make a reservation to be safe. But don't go too often because this place is going to be part of my regular dining routine and I want to be able to get a table, too! read more

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Impeccable food. Service seemed overworked on a busy Saturday night, but remained friendly and helpful throughout our visit. I want to try the entire menu. read more

What a gem that I just happened to stumble into one day. This is up there with my favorite restaurants I've ever eaten at. The food is just packed with so much fresh flavor and it's oh so good. Everyone must try this place, even if you do not typically like Afghani food (are there people out there that don't?). I was in the area for work and needed some lunch so thought I'd give some restaurant with blacked out windows a shot. I was not even sure it was open but man am I happy that I walked in there. I was not sure what to expect and actually thought it would be more of an order and go type of place. It happens to be more of a sit down restaurant but I was able to order some kabobs to go since I needed to hit the road. My meal did not take long and as soon as I walked outside I could smell the beautiful aroma coming out of my to go bag. The rice, veggies, and meats you could tell had so much flavor just based off of the smells. Once I reached my car my mouth was watering so bad I had to eat everything right there. It was just so good. After devouring my lunch I look on yelp to see that this was a gem that many others already knew about. I wish I knew about it sooner but I will be coming back a lot. I actually came back for dinner about 3 days after I walked in for lunch one day. We absolutely loved our lamb and goat dishes and the bread and dips that come to your table as well. Usually not a fan of desserts but thought we'd give theirs a try and both were delicious (Cardamom cake and rose water ice cream). Both light and refreshing. I cannot wait to get back here to check some other options off of the menu. Oh, and the kabobs and rice I first had for lunch were possibly the best rice and kabobs I've ever had. So, I recommend everything. Oh, the service was great, as well, but I would highly recommend getting a reservation for dinner since it is a small restaurant and gets busy. read more

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A great place. Ignore the strip mall setting- the food is the real deal. They have some amazing dishes- and the work they put into them is clear. Additionally, the wait staff is kind and gracious. Make a reservation- it fills up fast. read more

The food is amazing! I've never eaten in, just take out, so far everything we've tried has been delish!

First visit was amazing. We did not have reservations but the manager accommodated us. We had kabobs and they were delicious. The chicken was moist and so tender. I highly recommend but make sure you have reservations, looks like this place is full often. read more

Afghan Bistro - Afghan Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

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Exceptional food, great service. Love this place. Any of the lamb dishes are amazing. The chicken is delightful. The spices are perfect.

The food is not good. Claims to be authentic Afghan, but it is not even close. Overpriced and overhyped. read more

This place continues to impress! Went here for dinner last weekend and everything was so delicious. The stews are so flavorful and the meat incredibly tender. I try not to eat too much bread when I go out to eat, but I can't help myself here. All of the sauces to dip it in are just so tasty. Service is also so helpful too and the staff is happy to make any recommendations, although honestly you could probably close your eyes, point to something, and still be satisfied. Rare gem in Springfield. read more

The food here is exceptional! Don't let the outside look fool you; it's really nice on the inside! We tried all of the chutneys and I liked the cilantro green and the yogurt green the best. They somehow have a real grill in the back so all of the meats are fire! read more

Afghan Bistro - Afghan Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

Absolutely love this place!! The food is absolutely amazing! The staff is top notch! I always feel welcome when I walk in! Do not hesitate to try this place out! read more

We arrived to town late, but needed food asap. We ordered takeout and we were in for a treat. The lamb was so tender and enough for 2 people to share along with the rice & naan. Would definitely order from here again if we are in the area!! read more

Afghan Bistro - Lamb Shank Moghuli - Afghan Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

We have heard nothing but good things about this lovely place and we were not disappointed! Everything tasted wonderfully. The leek dumpling and butternut squash were our favorite from the appetizer. I ordered the chicken karahi and it was so good. The chicken was cooked perfectly and it was so tender and flavorful. The sauce was smooth and delectable. My husband ordered the beef dumplings (not pictured) and they were really good too! The dumpling is so soft and all the sauce and flavors on the dumpling tie in very nicely together. The service was also great and the staff our very friendly. We will definitely be coming back to Afghan Bistro! read more

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Found this place in the strip mall next to where I usually get pizza. We decided to try it and it was amazing. I've never had Afghan food before, but everything we ordered was fresh and tasted great. Great isn't even the right word. The food was phenomenal. The staff is very friendly too. Perfect for a date night. read more

We visited Afghan Bistro today (12/23/2021). It is the first time for us (DH, me, DD and DS) to have Afghan food. It's hard to decide what to order so we asked our waiter to recommend. OMG everything was so delicious. DD had lawann chicken and she loved it. DH and I shared the lamb shoulder, veal moghuli, and spicy beef dumpling. DS had three basket of bread and the sambosa (he normally only eat Mac and cheese when we dine out so this is a big step) The food was so good that we had to keep adding. Service was phenomenal too. Definitely will come back again soon. read more

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When my husband discovered this place, he told me that it had 5 stars on both Yelp and Opentable. I didn't believe him. We came back in less than a week! It really is a hidden gem in a strip mall. Part of us doesn't want anyone to find out but they have also opened up a place in Palisades, which we have not tried yet. Our favorites are the hot mezze platter, the lamb shank, and the rosewater ice cream with cardamom. read more

Amazing food! Amazing Food! Did you hear me People?? Amazing Food! The customer service was excellent. The restaurant is cute and cozy, getting used to my new work environment I need new places to have lunch. Well this is no place to come unless you have a whole hour, but totally worth the wait. The customer service is the best I've had in a while. They are very attentive and careful. I did a meatless selection of Qabuli Combination Platter, only $11.95. You get this long tray of rice topped with raisins and finely sliced carrots. Then 4 different vegetarian dishes: Spinach, A spicy potato, an eggplant dish, and a butternut squash mash drizzled with yogurt sauce. Also a soft bread and a choice of 4 chutneys comes with each meal. If I can eat my way into my fitness goals like this, Lunches and Dinners will be quite memorable. read more

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Tastiness: This is one of my favorite restaurant EVER, as it is unpretentious and serves amazing food. Every single dish on the menu is prepared with care and packed with flavor. I cannot believe how amazing every single dish tastes here. They also have lunch specials, so if you are in the area looking for a bite, I recommend this place. If you are in DC and happen to be in the area, I recommend that you order the food to-go and enjoy it at home - it will still be warm and delicious and you can enjoy it in a quiet environment. Presentation: A pile of yummy food if how I'd describe this place. The presentation is more functional than artistic, which is fine, as long as you know that what matters here is the taste. Ambiance: I used to have lunch here with colleagues when I worked in the area and it was everyone's favorite. The service is quick and friendly and the food is very tasty. However, this place does not really have a dinner-date vibe, but is a solid option, as it is clean, well-maintained and the staff is friendly and competent. Because the restaurant is in a strip-mall setting, the owners did the best they could in that environment, and the inside looks warm, cozy, and inviting. This restaurant is a bit on the small size, so noise travels and is not the most relaxing of places. Cleanliness/COVID prevention: Pick-up was smooth and Price: Inexpensive for the tastiness and portion sizes. Pick-up turnaround time/packaging: I placed the order via Yelp and in 30 minutes it was ready for pick-up. Everything was packaged well and got home (30 mins later and after having gone on the high-way) with everything still packed well and the food was still warm. Overall: If you are interested in trying Afghan food, try the best of the traditional cuisine at this restaurant. read more

My first time having Afghan good and I will definitely go back! I'd recommend the turnovers, chicken kabob and the Lamb Shank Moghuli. Also awesome customer service read more

Just a super chill spot that itched everything was craving. Sauces are super good and the food came out blistering hot. Perfect. It's super small inside so be prepared to hear whatever insipid conversation your neighbors are going on about but the food is so comforting that it's worth it. The turnovers are on the smaller side, so make note. The lawaan looked like it wouldn't be enough but it was much more generous than I'd expected by the time I finished. Incredibly hearty and the perfect cold dish for a cold winter day. I'd love to come back whenever I'm in town. read more

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Another 5-star review! Great little place. Definitely going back. Food was delicious. There are entrees at various price points. Service was great. It was my daughter's birthday, and the Manager brought her a lovely piece of mango mousse cake at the end of our meal. I think their desserts all look excellent! We were warmly greeted as we came through the door. We had reservations. It's a good idea. It's a quieter room, which is very nice for conversations. Food is very filling, so be forewarned! Portion sizes are generous. Easy parking. A little out of the way, but definitely worth going a bit further to eat here. We ordered a tomato/chicken/eggplant/masala stew . Delicious. My husband had the lamb shank with greens. Amazing. We shared a sampler of dumplings. Very filing! All tasty and wonderful. I predict this place will thrive and flourish! read more

This little restaurant has a HUGE menu!!! The selections are so different from other Mediterranean restaurants. The food was scrumptious and portions were plenty other than the mixed grill appetizer which was delicious but very little meat. The lamb shank was one of the best I have ever had!!!! The wine list was very nice. We went there because of great reviews online( absolutely correct) when we were driving from Florida and made a stop in Lorton VA. I think I would just stop there on the way from anywhere local.. Hope to return soon!!!! read more

We had a great experience at Afghan Bistro for my husbands birthday dinner. Our waiter advised on what to order as it was our first time. The drink menu was good and the food we ordered was tasty. The space is a bit small but very romantic and intimate if that's what you're looking for. We would go back! read more

Props to Washingtonian magazine, especially its annual 'best cheap eats' issue. That's a big source of the places to try list I keep on my phone. Places like this little gem in a strip mall next to an Exxon station kinda near the Springfield Costco (in other words, nowhere youd typically be). Outside, a small row of tables in front of the restaurant snd a neighboring beauty supply joint, facing the parking lot. Big deal - you're here for the food, Inside, a few tables, dark wood decor, a waiter-brings-menu place instead of an order-at-the-counter place. We sat outside. Got an aushak appetizer of four small dumplings of leek and scallion covered in a hearty minced beef sauce and yogurt. Quite good. I had chicken karahi - a chicken and eggplant tomato-based stew over rice. Big chunks of chicken, really good, really filling. Ladyfriend had chicken and minced beef kabob with rice. Didn't come on skewers, which she loved, as no one likes wrestling with that. Came with a tasty potato bouranee. Came with a small basket of bread and four different chutneys, all good. We were stuffed. $36, including my iced tea. Well well worth it. We'll be back. Zak, our server, was almost ridiculous in his customer service skills. Friendly and quick. Go there. Go. Now. read more

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Been hearing about this place for a while now so I decided to give it a try. Really liked the cozy feel and ambiance of the place. Ordered the chicken & beef kabob platter. Service was friendly, food came out in the time frame given. The food ended up not living up to the hype. Everything was extremely bland, like no salt & very mildly spiced. The chicken was cooked properly, while the beef was so dry I had to load up with chutney in order to get it down. Rice was good, again too bland. The little side of potato that comes with it tasted like nothing. Maybe I came on an off day as it was towards closing. I will come back to try something else to compare. read more

What an incredible find- especially in the suburbs! This restaurant exceeded my expectations and has honestly redefined afghan food for me. (This cuisine has always been good but this is next level!) The service was top notch, and I went with a large group and everyone was satisfied. I had a lamb and rice dish and was presented with an explosion of flavors with tender mouth watering lamb. I can't wait to come back! read more

Ventured to my favorite restaurant with Melvin B a fellow Yelp Eliter! I recommend everything on the menu. You can trust all waiters recommendation. I do mean all recommendations. The customer service, ambiance and food are still amazing. Prices are reasonable but you have to take advantage of the carry out special at least once in your lifetime. Treat yourself! read more

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I still feel like it was a dream!! AFGHAN BISTRO! It's a big step and a dramatic change in the game of the Afghan food business which mainly focus on the to-go , casual dining and sometimes delivery! It's the first classy Afghan restaurant I've ever seen and at the same time keeping the authentic recipe! Now you can take a date, celebrate your anniversary or birthday at an Afghan restaurant! I've been told that food are all made natural and no fryer, microwave , preservatives or oil is used in their cooking! Actually I felt it! The ambiance and decorations are simple and nice The Restaurant is small and seating is limited so you better make a reservation but actually that was a big advantage that makes restaurant staff always between you and before you think about something you will find them offering the help! The owner himself all the time is taking care of the customers and you can feel his heart in the business and he really does the right way and he goes far and beyond!! The menu is nice and have big selections for meat lovers and vegetarian too!! I ordered appetizer the beef dumplings and it was amazing then got the hot bread and I asked them for their Famous Chutneys Tray!! It was amazing chutney and made me feel like any other chutney I ate before was like a McDonald's quality!! It was thick, creamy and tasty! Then we ordered a selection of their grilled meats and here I got the surprise that all salads, rices and vegetable sides are UNLIMITED!! The quality is more than amazing!! This is the real salad that should be provided with the Middle Eastern grilled food. With three kind of rice and three vegetable sides I felt I was at Heaven! Lamb chops was great! Beef kabob was great! Chicken Kabob was great! We were given a complimentary grilled Quails and it was amazing!! With all of that prices were amazing and very affordable!! I'll definitely go there again and again and I think I'll celebrate my birthday there this year! I really thank the owner and all the staff for this great experience! read more

Afghan Bistro - Chutneys tray! WOW - Afghan Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

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Afghan Bistro first came on my radar when it was listed in the Yelp Top 100 Places to Eat list this year. This was the only restaurant in the tri-state area to get listed (even over those fancier hipster / Michelin star rated restaurants in the city) which made it extra special. The boy + baby pulled up to a non descript strip mall with the windows completely blacked out. We were about to run away screaming but luckily their reputation preceded them. We walked into a delightfully cozy restaurant with white tablecloth seating and wine glasses set up for all. Our group of ten and two babies were a tight squeeze but the servers were very accommodating offering us hot water to warm up bottles and they didn't even bat an eye when both babies started fussing. All of the other patrons were jovial and it just seemed like a great place to catch up with good friends and family. And the food? Let's just say both my husband and I decided that we were both sad that we didn't grow up in an Afghan family because their food is bomb. This is also not your local carry out joint with kebabs in strofoam containers, it is much more elevated than that. I tried: + Seekh Kabob - Think about the most flavorful hamburger patty you've ever had. I didn't think I would like this since I'm not usually a fan of ground beef but it ended up being one of my favorite things on the menu! + Lamb Chops - Oh sweet, sweet, succulent little lamb chops over a bed of rice and potatoes. It's starch madness baby. + Beef Dumplings - A delicate wrapper encasing a spicy hotbed of beef. This was my husband's favorite! + Cardamom Ice Cream + Rosewater Ice Cream And I want to go back and try ALL of their cardamom and rosewater desserts. In fact I'm googling Afghan dessert recipes right now. This place is so legit and we are already planning to come back for dinner again! read more

Afghan Bistro - Lamb shanks - Afghan Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

A small family owned place Food and service were very good Owner suggested a few menu items we took his suggestions and were very pleased. The wait staff was very attentive and observant anticipating our needs. We found the meal choices very flavorful with generous portions. When in the area we will return to try other items , thanks for a great dining experience. read more

Astonishingly good food. I've always felt a little "meh" about most Afghan food but the sabzi chalou and Kadoo chalou were so mind blowingly delicious that we came back a couple nights later for more...plus the qabuli combo platter to try a little of the other veggie goodies. It was all amazingly tasty. Extra bonus: they were able to make it vegan which brought joy to my lactose-intolerant digestive system as well as my tastebuds. read more

I'm always nervous about trying something new and I decided to try this because it had a good ratings and the food looks good and honestly this is the best food I have ever had hands-down I mean it came fast. It was steaming hot when I open the lid its flavor for the baklava is to die for it is you gotta try it read more

Afghan Bistro - Chicken and beef kebabs. Baklava, potato and leek dumpling bread, and something else that I cannot remember the name but it's delicious. - Afghan Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

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