We found this restaurant on TikTok and the service was spectacular and the food was delicious! Recommendations from the waiter were also so good! read more

food slaps, atmosphere is great, man who i am assuming is the owner is incredibly welcoming and very kind. got the spinach sambosas, chicken kebab, and kofta kebab will most definitely return read more

We haven't been able to eat any Afghan food since moving from St. Louis to central PA so were craving aushak and mantu when visiting NYC. Maybe we've been spoiled by our favorite restaurant back in St. Louis (Afghan Kabob House) but Ariana's was underwhelming. The server was friendly but the food was just ok. Pricey due to the location as expected but also underwhelming taste wise. We got the aushak, mantu, and kadoo bolanee (pumpkin curry with bread). All three surprisingly looked very similar (photos look almost identical as they had the same sauce drizzled with yogurt). The aushak has leeks inside while the mantu has beef. The beef was drier than we were used to and the aushak less flavorful with overpowering onion. The pumpkin was cooked in what looked like the same sauce as well but the baked bread it came with was good. They did offer complimentary chickpeas which were tastier however. Maybe other items on the menu would've been better picks! read more

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Let me paint the picture: First Saturday during the winter where the weather was above 40° F, people are out and about in Hells Kitchen. My group of 3 entered Ariana to a packed house, though busy we were given a seat as we waited for a table. As soon as we got a table, the wait for our orders and food wasn't long. Everything we ordered was seasoned deliciously, if you're to come here you will not go wrong by ordering anything off the Specials section in the menu. The meats (pause) is what Ariana shines at, make sure to get yourself a kebab or two! read more

Ariana Afghan Kebab Restaurant - Quorma Chalow Special Aushak Burida Special Beef Kofta Kebab Lamb Shish Kebab - Afghan Near Me - New York, New York

Excellent food. Ambiance is from Afghanistan. Owner is very hospitable. I ate #40...lamb shank. Outstanding. I will be back my next visit to New York City. read more

Ariana Afghan Kebab Restaurant - Lamb shank Hidden under the rice. - Afghan Near Me - New York, New York

I visited this restaurant for the first time. What an amazing experience. The food is great, pleasant ambiance and excellent service. I will definitely visit this restaurant again. I highly recommended it, for the delicious food and great service. read more

We had an amazing time visiting for lunch. We decided to try it after seeing a video recommending Ariana. It was our first time, having never tried Afghan food before. The Kabuli Pulao with chicken kebab was amazing. The portions were huge for the price so we got our money's worth. The owner was extremely friendly and he took the time to explain the restaurant's history. Highly recommend if you want to try something new. We are glad we sought this restaurant out. read more

Great place for Afghan food! Came here with a group of three during noon and were seated right away! The waiter was super nice and gave us recommendations so we ended up ordering the beef sambosa, the kabuli palow with chicken, the kebab combination ii, and the okra. Loved the beef sambosa, the waiter actually brought them out for us to try before we ordered and told us to eat it with the spice condiments on the side with a white sauce. Very delicious! The okra was delicious and paired well with the rice. The kabuli palow had raisins and pistachios in the rice that was really delicious and added a nice sweet and savory element. The meats for the kebab combination were all delicious, spiced, and juicy. The waiter also gave us chickpeas which were so flavorful and would definitely recommend! Such a great place and even better service! Will be back soon! read more

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The service was phenomenal. So welcoming. I had the lamb kebab with kabuli Palau (I apologize if I misspelled the name of this dish). The lamb was cooked perfectly. The rice was delicate and tasty. Overall, we had an exceptional experience. read more

I've been coming here for several years and it's a delightful, cozy spot where the food is the star. The owner is always welcoming. My friend and I shared Kadoo Bolanee, fried pumpkin turnovers with so much flavor. For an entree I had the Beef Kofta Kebab, ground beef broiled and served over I believe it's basmati rice with shaved carrot and raisins. Oh my, so good. My friend had the Kabuli Pallow, savory pieces of lamb with the above rice. For dessert we had tea and shared baklava and Firnee, a pudding made pistachios and almonds. As I said, I've eaten here numerous times over the years, the food is always delicious and the service perfect. Recommended. read more

We arrived in Manhattan, dropped off our things and went directly to Ariana. We ordered the spinach appetizer, eggplant and potato veggie dishes and the chicken kabob over rice with carrots and raisins. Wali, who I believe is the owner / server, brought use a side of chickpeas and bread. Everything was a delicious as we remembered from our previous visits. Every bite was scrumptious. The service was lovey and felt like being welcomed into someone's home. We will be back! read more

Ariana Afghan Kebab Restaurant - Spinach Sambosa - Afghan Near Me - New York, New York

A hole-in-the-wall that existed before Hell's Kitchen was trendy. I've been coming here sporadically for decades, but finally managed to Yelp it. A real neighborhood gem. Kadoo Bolanee: Love the contrasts. Crispy and savory outside, pasty and slightly sweet inside. There should really be more cooking with pumpkins outside of Thanksgiving pies; this was delicious! Manto: A very hearty appetizer and meat dumplings/ravioli with all sorts of nice toppings like sauces, herbs and beans. So many different flavors packed into one dish. Qabuli Palow Special: Pure perfection! Fluffy flavorful spiced rice with a ton of slow cooked lamb underneath. It was a ton of food. Two hungry men could split this just fine (after having some appetizers). I still dream of how good this was. Naan: Not like Indian naan, it's got that ridged Afghani texture. read more

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Nice little restaurant and the owner was running the whole show here. While the food was tasty, prices were high for the portion size. We did enjoy the rice with raisins and carrots, and especially liked the manti, chicken kebab, and potato samosa. The dishes are really small though - one skewer each for ~$26-$30 and the skewers aren't big. We also got tea pots and dessert to share. The teapots weren't even full to the top. Overall, good spot to get afghani food but I'd probably look elsewhere for a better bang for your buck. read more

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Ordered the Kabuli palow with kofta kebab - beef for dinner and it came with white and hot sauce. The rice is biryani rice which I love and it's interesting how it's paired with shredded carrots and raisin. The beef was not flavorful and didn't have a kebab feeling or like it was grilled. The rice was good when mixed in sauce. Also was surprised to find the beef was on the bottom covered with rice, thought it would have been on top because I thought they forgot my beef at first. read more

Ariana Afghan Kebab Restaurant - Afghan Near Me - New York, New York

I was in the mood for some Middle Eastern food and found Ariana. I had never tried Afghan cuisine before, so hubby and I decided to check it out on a Wednesday at around 5:45. There was no one dining at that time yet, since it was still a little early for dinner, but we didn't mind it. We weren't too hungry so we just ordered two things to share - the Aushak (boiled dumplings filled with leek and spices topped with yogurt and spiced meat) and Kebab Combination One (chicken breast, lamb tikka, and kofta kebab served with rice and salad). I really liked the dumplings. I probably could have eaten two of these. The dough for the dumpling reminded me of pappardelle, and I love pappardelle, so that could be why I enjoyed it so much. For the combo, the meats look dry but the only dry meat was really the chicken. The lamb and kofta were great, so next time, I would just order these. Don't forget to try their homemade hot sauces. I especially liked the green one. Prices are very reasonable for the Hell's Kitchen area. Can't wait to come back and try some more Afghan food! read more

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Really enjoyed the food here. It's a small, and I believe family operated joint. Service was a bit slow but the place was fully packed so nothing negative about it. Ordered the kebab combo 1 and it was plentiful and full of awesomeness. All the meats were well seasoned and flavorful. Afghan rice was delicious. Owner/mgr was very friendly and engaging. Can't wait to go back, highly recommend. read more

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This was my first time trying Afghan food, so I don't have much to compare it to, but it was amazing! Such a cute family run restaurant, I felt so welcomed. The owner was kind and thoughtful which made me enjoy the meal significantly more. The food itself was also delicious. Wonderfully spiced and I adore the yogurt sauce. It reminds me of raita or tzatziki. We ordered some appetizers to start, some sort of warm dumpling dish and the samusa. Incredible! I ordered the aushak as my entree which I loved. I tried some of my friend's manto which was delicious as well (no surprise there!). Overall, I will definitely be returning! read more

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Since we came in we were treated like royalty, their customer service is top tier. We could not stop laughing with how much fun we had, and their authentic Afghani food was very delicious as well. The place is aesthetically pleasing, we took some nice pics as well. read more

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I finally dined at Ariana Afghan Kebab Restaurant in New York, and it was an outstanding experience from start to finish. The food was absolutely delicious! This place is easily some of the best Afghan cuisine I have ever tasted. Every dish was fresh and perfectly prepared. The owner was incredibly kind, welcoming, and hospitable. It's in a great location. The ambiance was warm and inviting, and the music added the perfect touch to the atmosphere. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking to try Afghan food. read more

I've been frequenting this restaurant for years. It's one of the gems of Hell's Kitchen! Excellent food. Extensive menu for vegetarians. Family owned and operated so you always see the same faces. Highly recommend. read more

I had mixed emotions after coming to this restaurant . The sole positive was my entree which is the main reason for the 3 stars . Everything else I would say was less than positive . So the tree that I ordered was the traditional quibuli with chicken breasts . The amount of raisins and carrots they put in the meal is beautiful , chicken well cooked and seasoned with beautiful spices lending great flavor. The chicken was also tender and a fair amount . 0 complaints in the entree . As far as the mantu appetizer , this was atrocious , it felt stale ish and the insides (curry chicken flavor kinda) and the sauce were just off putting to say the least , the tandoori chicken ( kinda dry) ok flavor from its char and the almost repulsive yogurt drink ( think white sauce on ice ) these were all relatively unpalatable . To make matters worse , the server who is likely the owner or manager gives you the bill in a doctor sorta handwriting where you don't know whether you're being charged appropriately or not . This was not a good experience and I'll compare it against a great Afghan restaurant "Samis" in LIC and this isn't close . Won't recommend. read more

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After seeing all the great reviews my visit was disappointing. I really enjoy afghan food and was in the mood for mantoo. I found all the dishes lack flavor. The service was nothing special for my visit. I wish I had a better experience and enjoyed the food more. I will be on the hunt for better afghan food in the area! read more

Ariana Afghan Kebab Restaurant - Afghan Near Me - New York, New York

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Lovely spot with good decor, friendly service, and tasty food. I got the manto dumplings which are always a hit in my book. I also got the dough yogurt drink but it wasn't for me; I was expecting a sweeter drink, like a lassi, and it's much more savory/heavy on the yogurt flavor. It's not to say it's not good, just not my taste. I would definitely come back to try more food here though! read more

Ariana Afghan Kebab Restaurant - Dough - Afghan Near Me - New York, New York

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Hidden gem! We were visiting from Boston and wanted something quick but not fast food for dinner. I was looking for shawarma and then Ariana popped up! We've only had Afghani cuisine in Boston so we decided to try it. I've had manto before so I ordered it to compare. The one in Boston was better! This one was good though and I would recommend trying it. The dumplings were a bit too dry. We also got the lamb shank and it was soooo good! Wish it came with more sauce but the meat was delicious. We had the yogurt drink and coffee too! Service was prompt and friendly. Awesome find especially after a 5 hr bus ride! read more

Ariana Afghan Kebab Restaurant - Manto with beef ($28 entree size) - Afghan Near Me - New York, New York

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Excellent Afghani food with extremely friendly and knowledgeable service! They really go out of their way to make you feel welcome and are great at recommending dishes as well as portions for your table. We came for dinner and started with the spinach samusa (4 pieces/order), 2 orders of kadoo bolanee (pumpkin turnover, 1 large piece/order) and the baudinjan buranee (fried eggplant with tomato sauce and yogurt). We enjoyed each dish, but the pumpkin turnover and eggplant were our favorites as they had the most flavor. The white sauce (yogurt/mayo based?) and the spicy green and red sauce on the table went nicely with the turnovers (I recommend mixing all 3 together). The turnover was big and could be cut in half to be shared by 2 people. The spinach sambusa were small, maybe 2 bites each. The eggplant was good for sharing. For my entree I got the kebab combination platter I. The meats were cooked perfectly and had lots of flavor. Again, adding the white sauce and two spicy sauces really elevated the dish. I liked all of the different kebabs, but the kofta was my favorite. For dessert we shared the firnee (custard flavored with cardamom, saffron and topped with crushed pistachios). It was nice and refreshing, not too sweet and a great end to the meal. The prices are reasonable, not dirt cheap but not expensive and the portions sizes are what you would expect. We left feeling full and the bill was fair for all of the food we ordered. I would absolutely go back and eat everything again (as well as try other dishes on their menu). Be sure to go if you are in the area! read more

Disappointed with the food which was not flavorful, and can't seem to agree with the other reviews here. It is also not worth the price. Kabuli pulao didn't taste authentic afghan either read more

Loved the food and the owner was so friendly and helpful!! Would definitely go back again. read more

Ariana Afghan Kebab Restaurant - Wali was the best host!! Amazing food. - Afghan Near Me - New York, New York

I have been there twice already, and I would visit this place again. The food was great, and I love the yogurt they provide with the food--so good. The service was fast because not many people have a taste for Afghan food, but this restaurant has been open for years. read more

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Oh, Ariana, We tried to dine with you Fri eve, but you were too busy. On Saturday at 4pm we made our move and were seated in your lovely, long, & narrow dining room. We started with your Baudinjan Buranee-- beautifully presented. I had your Lamb Chop dinner-- a generous plate of four mini lamb chops, basmati and salad. Your house yogurt /dill dressing drizzled on top... Your lighting is soft and ambient; your service is attentive. Thank you. read more

Ariana Afghan Kebab Restaurant - Lamb Chop dinner - Afghan Near Me - New York, New York

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A repeat visit- spectacular. Excellent service, reasonable pricing. The owner is a consummate host.

I was walking through Hell's Kitchen to find a unique restaurant cuisine to try, after a theater performance, and I stopped to read the posted menu on the window of Ariana Afghan Restaurant. The offerings sounded intriguing and delicious, so I decided to try it out. I am so very happy that I did! The small but very comfortable and pretty restaurant is decorated very nicely, and the owner/waiter is welcoming, efficient and never stops moving. He manages all 10 tables with expertise! I enjoyed the Kabuli Palow with lamb - absolutely delicious!! I plan to return and try something else on the large menu! Prices are quite moderate, as well! read more

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My enthusiasm for this restaurant surprises even me sometimes. A solid winner! At Ariana Afghan Kebab Restaurant, laid-back dining meets tidiness and brightness. The staff demonstrates remarkable attention to diners. The positive reputation is well-deserved. read more

The chef knows food and the servers know hospitality here. The employees were amazing and highly flexible. This restaurant creates genuine joy. I've tried both popular items and obscure ones. I'm totally sold on this place. read more

This is my first time trying out afghan food. I would say yummylious. Manto : steamed dumplings with chicken is so flavorful. Topped with bean and tomato sauce. I don't remember the name of the dishes we order but both are lamb curry mixed with eggplant for my friend and okra for me. The lamb is so tender, melt in your mouth. The gravy is super tasty. You wanna finish until the last drop Datan savory yogurt is on point too. Matched with the weather. Next time, definitely would try their famous kabab. read more

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Excellent food, service, and ambiance, great prices, and plenty of vegetarian options. We loved the rice.

One of the most incredible (and one of my absolute favorite) restaurants in NYC! In a city full of culinary gems, Ariana sticks out by its unique, exotic and authentic flavors, its succulent and perfectly cooked meats, its cozy decor, and friendly personable service. Whether you're curious to try something different or are simply just hungry for some great food, Ariana is a foodies paradise and offers something unique and delicious for everyone! We recommend the Spinach Samosas, Kadoo Bolanee, the kebabs, and the Aushe Burida. All were to die for! 10/10 YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS PLACE! read more

Ariana Afghan Kebab Restaurant - The Kabuli Palow with Chicken Kebab Special and Aushak Burida Special - Afghan Near Me - New York, New York

I had heard so many good things about this place. And I absolutely love afghan food but this really did disappoint. Everything we got was all one note and not seasoned very well. Really disappointed but it's just my opinion and you should come try it out! read more

This is one of my favorite spots in Hells Kitchen area if not my favorite Willi is a wonderful host and the food is omg out of this world. The pumpkin dumplings and kabobs are so delish!! Very worth a trip! read more

The restaurant creates flavors that linger in your memory. Every bite offered perfect texture. Ariana Afghan Kebab Restaurant worked nicely for our social group. Even with many customers, their team handles everything efficiently. This restaurant creates a happy experience. read more

The food was great and delicious, service was excellent and workers were nice and polite. We got the paan bread, manto and sombosas. Blown away by the quality and service. read more