Came here with my friend, not knowing what to expect and we LOVED it! The food was absoluteky amazing; not too spicy but definitley packed with flavor. I ordered the Sabzi Challow and was a bit skeptical that it would taste good since the restaurant had a much higher ratio of meat dishes compared to vegetarian dishes but the dish was amaazing! I finished all of it, which is a rarity for me in any restaurant. My friend ordered the Mourgh Challow and loved it as well, the chicken was cooked really well and was packed with flavor. The only thing keeping me from giving this restaurant 5 stars is the fact that we had to wait 15 minutes after we were seated to even be given water and we didn't order until 35 minutes in and the food arrived 10 minutes after that. The food, however, was worth the wait! read more

Ariana Restaurant - Sabzi Challow! amazing! - Afghan Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

Ariana is one of the most consistent, unique and delicious restaurant experiences I've had since moving to Boston. Excellent, friendly service, a charming setting and absolutely unique food combine to make this an evening to remember. I had Sabzi Challow, which is lamb and spinach accompanied by okra. I also enjoyed a salty lasse. Parking is effortless as Star Market's large parking lot is nearby. In the spring, Ariana has a charming outdoor garden we look forward to enjoying. However, we won't wait 'till then to return. read more

Had amazing time. Kabuli Polao was the most authentic I've had in the northeast. Had Mantu for appetizer and green tea to end the evening and highly recommend it. Amazing service and very nice staff. Great ambience read more

My favorite restaurant in Boston and one of my favorite restaurants I've tried period. Ariana has unique, delicious dishes that you really won't find elsewhere. My favorites are the pumpkin with yogurt and beef sauce (this is so unbelievably delicious it's too hard to describe), the manti (dumplings in yogurt sauce) and eggplant in yogurt and tomato sauce which are just off the charts. Even their bread and sauces they provide before the food is unreal. I haven't fully explored their main dishes to the extent I'd like to but I certainly will in the future. I've had Afghani food elsewhere in the US but nothing compares to Ariana. The prices are also incredibly affordable. You really won't have a better meal in Boston. read more

For those who have never had it I find Afghani cuisine to be somewhere in between greek and indian food. We came here the day after Christmas, which was nice because it was empty. Kaddo - The highlight of the meal, which is grilled pumpkin in a yogurt sauce topped with a beef sauce Kofta Challow - The easiest way to describe this is that it is the Afghani take on spaghetti and meatballs except instead of pasta it is rice. I thought it was good but not great. The tomatoe based sauce was very spiced, it might not have been my style. read more

Ariana Restaurant - Fresh hot bread - Afghan Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

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We had a great experience at Ariana. We were a group of 6 people. The selection of meals was really good and had a unique experience. Over all highly recommended and we would return back. read more

Before coming here, my husband and I had never tasted Middle Eastern food before. Since this place is new, and the thought of trying Afghan cuisine seemed intriguing, we decided to have our 8 year anniversary dinner here. Best decision of our lives. I have never tasted so many spices at one time in my life. Since I don't have much experience with Middle Eastern food, I can't compare this to REAL Afghan cuisine, nor can I compare it to any other Afghani restaurant, but I will say because of this restaurant, I always will choose this type of cuisine over my usual tastes for Italian and Asian! Some notes: The service was incredible- our waiter was knowledgeable, patient and extremely helpful. The atmosphere is EXTREMELY comfortable. The tables are covered in a nice, white table cloth. Each table has a candle. The wall decor isn't fancy, but I didn't feel like I was in a hole-in-the-wall place. It's a little bit odd that an Afghani place would sell alcohol, but I will say the desert wine we had was incredible. We came in July, so I can't remember the name of it :X but it did come in its own bottle. We were too full to try dessert but I've been DYING to try their backlawa. Definitely going to come back!! read more

I've been wanting to go to the Helmand since I was a wee undergrad, but 1) it was too far away from campus, and 2) Seemed impossible to get a table without reservations. Enter Ariana. This Allston location is practically an identical twin of the Helmand, as they are sister restaurants. Afghan food at its finest. I knew I was in for a treat from the start: the bread and dippings were absolutely delicious. Fluffy and warm, almost like naan/pita but even better. We ordered the kaddo (pumpkin with meat sauce), which was surprisingly sweet yet savory, and the banjan (eggplant dish) that went perfectly with the pita. There were two types of rice listed in the glossary, so we decided to get two dishes with each type. We ordered the Qabili (a lamb and raisin dish that comes with pallow, a cinnamon flavored rice), and the korma challow with lamb. The korma challow has challow rice (cumin and cardamon flavored) -- this dish's lamb was better in my opinion, since the qabili's was a little dry, and the lentils were amazing. An amazing dining experience. Highly recommended. read more

Ariana Restaurant - Kaddo: pumpkin with meat sauce. Sweet yet savory = amazing. - Afghan Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

Fine dinner seriously just over priced food with no taste when you take away your food they don't have even their printed bags restaurant depot cheap bags and price's are like you eat in ocean prime read more

A friend and I had dinner at Ariana two weeks ago. We sat outside on their beautiful patio (the tables inside are far apart) and enjoyed a wonderful meal. The sweet pumpkin and beef appetizer was incredible. The lamb was tender and tasty. Everything was so flavorful! The service was super friendly, the prices were affordable, the portions were generous, the ambiance was relaxed and pleasant and we couldn't have asked for a better experience. I wish we had taken photos. read more

Very impressed by Ariana and will definitely return. As others have mentioned, the interior is very clean and polished and our dishes were delicious. We started things off with the bowlawni kaddo (delightful puff pastry filled with pumpkin) and the banjan (silky soft eggplant with yogurt and garlic). Alongside the appetizers we were served unlimited fresh baked flatbread with three different sauces. For our main dish, we split a tikka kabob, tender prime rib strips served alongside rice and lentils - very tasty. The half carafe of the house cabernet was a great deal as well. Ariana is a good place for a casual date or a dinner with family, and beats out other Afghan restaurants I've visited in the area. Next time we'll definitely be trying dessert. read more

Ariana Restaurant - Bowlawni kaddo - Afghan Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

In a neighborhood packed with eateries and coffee shops, it's nice to come across a restaurant that serves food representing a region/culture only few people have been exposed to. With a small handful of afghan restaurants in the Boston area, I was interested to check out Ariana to see if it was better than the other average ones that have been around for a while, and im glad I came! The food was flavorful, cooked to perfection and the staff were extremely friendly. What more could you ask from a restaurant experience? Afghan food has a strong similarity to Indian and Middle eastern food, but with a strong passion for lamb dishes. You will not go wrong with ordering one of the lamb kabobs off of their menu. Go for it! Highly recommended. read more

Ariana Restaurant - Afghan Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

Wow. Talk about impressed. This was my first time eating Afghan food, and I loved it. I had read some good things about this place and its so close to BU's campus I decided last night to try it with a friend. The place is small, simple, but inviting. It was a Tuesday night so it was empty. Our waiter was very nice, although he didn't seem to know much about the wine selection, but that's okay, he was very pleasant and prompt. We started with the Mantu Appetizer: We were expecting more of a filled pastry based on the description, but it is more of a beef filled ravioli. Some great flavors and spices here, a nice and light appetizer. I had the Trout, which was one of the day's special's. It was so perfectly crispy, accompanied by date and walnut rice and some sauteed eggplant. Wow. It was such a great meal. My friend had the Lamb Challow, which I tried and was also great. For dessert we had the Sheerekh, a homemade icecream with pistachio and cardamom. Delicious, creamy, and fresh. A perfectly sweet and light way to end dinner. I'm giving it a four for now only because I have only been here once. But overall, I really want to come back. read more

Ariana Restaurant - Trout - Afghan Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

I had a dinner at a new restaurant to me recommended by a friend. I get the recommendation. Excellent. It is called Arianna. It is an Afghan restaurant and the name means Afghan. The ambiance was wonderful. The food was delicious. Parking is easy, despite being in Brighton but in a spot with easy parking. The food is reasonably priced. It is run by a husband and wife team. He is the chef but the food on the menu is their collaboration. When it is warm enough, they have outdoor seating. I can't say enough about it. Go try it if you get a chance. read more

I absolutely loved this place! The food was definitely the highlight. There weren't many options but all of them sounded great! They open with a bread basket and three different chutneys, a yogurt based one, a spicy one, and a mint based one. The bread was similar to a flatbread pizza dough. We ordered a filled pastry dessert dish as an appetizer and we're pleasantly surprised by the wide range of flavors and textures. I ordered a chicken dish named murgh challow and it was flavorful and extremely tender. The chicken was perfectly cooked and the gravy was nicely balanced. It came with rice and nothing else. The only downside to this place is the service. They seem to be short staffed and we had to wait almost 15 minutes before even getting to order. The food also took a bit longer to come out but that could be due to the large number of customers that walked in after we got there. Definitely a place to check out and I will be returning soon! read more

Ariana Restaurant - Murgh challow! Amazing dish! - Afghan Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

Small place, but nice ambience. Went there on a Saturday evening in a group of 4. Servers were very kind. We had Mantu and Bamiya (okra) as appetizers. Both tasted very good and everyone liked them. The Mantu was slightly spicy (mild). I had Sabzi Challow, which came with a side of Bamiya. It was really delicious (I mean the lamb, spinach, and Bamiya). However, I wished that the rice was more flavorful or had the Afghani touch of the nuts, carrots, and raisins (I think this is the Pallow rice, which I wished it accompanied all the entrées). The rice (Challow rice) was bland white Basmati rice. Same kind of rice was served for my friends who had Mourgh Challow and Kofta Challow. read more

Ariana Restaurant - Sabzi Challow (spinach sautéed with chunks of lamb and Afghan seasonings, served with challow rice and okra) - Afghan Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

The food was AMAZING! The waiter was also really nice and the atmosphere is beautiful. My partner and I are vegetarians and sometimes it's hard to find a good place that has veggie options. They had so many vegetarian options that there was a whole separate part of the menu dedicated to it! I really appreciated that and would recommend this place to anyone looking for a nice date spot. read more

I came here with a friend. This place is so warm and welcoming. The decor is nice. We got dinner appetizer Mantua two pieces so tasty and perfect thin dough. For Ebtree we got Qabili which known as Bokhari rice with shredded carrot and rasin with beef. So tasty with right amount of aromatic spices. We got the beef chunks so moist comes with rice and eggplant and tomato paste. For desert we got the rice pudding and the pineapple cake which came with icecream like very delicious. I recommend it read more

Ariana Restaurant - Afghan Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

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the great restaurant I ever seen, thank you for your best services. with amazing food.

Food was delicious but my wife and I felt they were small portions! Would definitely come back for a date night or something. after having a snack at home. read more

We are staying in the area for the first time. This was the most perfect place to start our visit to Boston. We ordered a salad, four appetizers and the cream pudding. All wonderful. read more

This is a lovely restaurant with excellent vegetarian and meat options. There is both outdoor and indoor seating. It is fancy without being pretentious or expensive. read more

First time here. FANTASTIC FOOD AND SERVICE! Najeeb, the owner and chef was very attentive and polite. Our server Alina was very friendly and accommodating, her service was amazing and very quick. We will definitely be back and recommend that you go there as well. The final touch would be the perfectly crafted baklava. read more

Some of the best food I've eaten in Boston Did not know what to expect having never eaten Afghan food before. But not only is Afghan food delightful, but the folks at Ariana prepare and serve it perfectly. Everything was well balanced, tasted delicious, and clearly cooked to perfection. Service was wonderful despite our painful inability to decide what to order and our (well, my) boisterous laughter. Can't wait to go again. Tip: Leave room for dessert. We tried 3 different desserts and loved them all. read more

The place was delicious, the spices, the aromatics, the flavor - these guys just cant be beat. If you have an opportunity to visit them, do it, you will not be disappointed. The place is good for date night. read more

In a word: delicious. I'm a huge fan of ethnic food, and having not yet tried Afghan food, I was excited to try Ariana. So while I can't compare it to other Afghan places, I will say that they definitely served up one of the better meals I've had this year. As an appetizer, we ordered the Bowlani. It's a flaky pastry shell stuffed with either leeks and scallions or spiced potatoes. Absolutely delicious! I'm especially fond of Indian food, and while I may be wrong, it seemed like some similar spices were at play in the entree I ordered, Korma Challow. Ariana is a very vegetarian-friendly restaurant - lots of options to choose from! Anyway, highly recommended - can't wait to return! read more

Went here with a friend who was ecstatic that everything was halal. We had the mantu appetizer- a Turkic-like (maybe it is turkic, who knows) with beef and onions inside covered with a delicious tomato based sauce and meat. It was sensational to say the least. I got the chicken stew as a main plate. It had split peas and was tomato-based. Both dishes I tried were incredible. Restaurant was clean and intimate. Great spot for a date night (and they take reservations). I highly recommend stepping out of your comfort zone, and try Afghan good! It will become your new comfort food :D read more

I really love Afghani food and this place is the best in Boston. Try the Mantu and Qabili, it is so yummmmmmy! read more

I never knew food from Afghanistan could be so delicious. This is a great restaurant with a pretty formal ambience. The owner is very nice and helpful In helping me select food since I had no clue what I was ordering. I'll be back and they have take out too. read more

A lovely restaurant with attentive but not overbearing service, tasteful decor, and flavorful food. We're grateful to have it in our neighborhood! read more

Ariana gave me my first taste of Afghani food and now I can't wait to plan another visit! Their new location is very spacious with tons of natural light spilling in from the floor to ceiling windows in the front. The staff were also very welcoming and friendly throughout the night. We ordered the Mufti to start, and the Sabzi Challow and Tikka Kabob as mains. The Sabzi Challow was similar to my favourite Indian dish - Lamb Saag - so I was interested in trying it and comparing the two. Although the Sabzi Challow isn't as saucy, it was no less flavourful! The spinach puree was delicious, with a noticeably different taste than Lamb Saag (obviously owing to the different spices used by each country). But my favourite part was the lamb, which was so tender that it fell apart as I mixed it in with the spinach. There was also a side of ochre that was very soft and marinated in a tomato-based sauce. The Tikka Kabob was another good dish that was comprised of steak, some lentils, grilled vegetables and pallow rice. The steak and lentils were VERY good, although I wish there were more lentils to mix with the rice. I wasn't a big fan of the grilled vegetables, but that's because I don't like large pieces of onion. At any rate, my boyfriend loved them! Overall, our experience at Ariana was absolutely fantastic! The atmosphere, service and food were all perfect and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to broaden their horizons and try something new. I think that Ariana is one of very few Afghan restaurants in the Boston-area, and I can't imagine finding better food anywhere else! read more

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Decent place to go to... once in a while. PROS: Better than Helmand, the other Afghani restaurant. The Banjan eggplant appetizer was decent. The grilled chicken kabob and the lentil soup were great. CONS: The lamb did need some more cooking. This place is pricey...Afghans are generous with their serving of bread, maybe not in Boston. Was expecting a lot of distinct flavor owing to the fact that Afghan cuisine includes mint, saffron, coriander, cilantro, cardamom, and black pepper as their main herbs and spices. There is enough room in Boston for another, hopefully more authentic Afghani restaurant. I was more pleased by Azama grill right around the corner. read more

For an out of our comfort zone dining experience, I left Ariana impressed, full, and satisfied. First, do yourself a favor and make reservations as early as you can, as this place gets packed. Two, the restaurant is run by about 4-5 staff members, so if your glass isn't filled right away our if you need something, be patient. You could tell easily that they are working as hard as they can to make your dining experience pleasant and smooth. All that aside, the food was excellent. After doing much needed research through awesome Yelp reviews, we ordered two appetizers, one entrée, and one dessert to share amongst two of us. We ordered an appetizer of Kaddo ($5.95), pan-fried then baked baby pumpkin seasoned with sugar and served on a garlic yogurt sauce topped with a ground beef sauce. Sweet and savory at the same time, the Kaddo was like nothing I've ever had before, almost like a flavor explosion in your mouth. Then we ordered Mantu ($5.95), two homemade pastry shells filled with onions and beef, served on yogurt and topped with carrots, yellow split peas and beef sauce. This appetizer didn't stand out as much and almost felt as if it were an after thought since we had the Kaddo to compare it to. For the entrée, we shared the Dopiaza ($16.95) marinated then grilled leg of lamb, sautéed with yellow split peas and tossed with onions lightly marinated in vinegar, served with garlic, mushrooms and pallow rice. The lamb was amazing with excellent flavor and cooked just right, both tender and moist. I'm not a lamb connoisseur or anything, but it was definitely the best I've ever had. It amazed me to a point that when I think about it, my mouth starts to salivate. The pallow rice was a bit plain, but with flavors packed everywhere else, it served as a great balance to the entire meal. The atmosphere of Ariana is romantic and definitely feels a bit more upscale in opposed to the other restaurants you can find nearby. They are only open for dinner service at 4pm, and parking can be found on the street or a short walk away at a city lot behind Blanchard's liquor store. Prior to the meal, you are even given warmed bread with three dipping sauces: one consisting of yogurt and mint, the other cilantro with other herbs, and the other a slight spicy red one. Delicious. So happy we finally came around to trying Ariana and am happy to say that I look forward to going back. read more

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SEE IMPORTANT UPDATE AT BOTTOM Excellent all around. The food is great, and the owners and staff are so welcoming, friendly and attentive. There aren't many restaurants where I've felt compelled to tell the owner what a pleasure it always is to visit his or her establishment. This is one of them. I almost hesitate to recommend specific dishes, because I've loved everything I've tried here. I really like the mourgh challow, any of the soups and any of the lamb dishes. I've heard people rave about the pumpkin as well. For dessert I definitely recommend the feereny, which is a white pudding with fresh strawberries, pineapple, blueberries and kiwi. REVISED UPDATE: ARIANA REOPENING AUGUST 29, 2015 Ariana has been closed for a while, but I'm happy to see the following message now on its website: Ariana Restaurant will be reopening in our new location on Saturday 8/29 after six months of construction. We hope to see everyone soon! read more

This is hands down my new favorite restaurant. My boyfriend and I were talking about going for a little while, and finally we did.. we wonder why we didn't go sooner! The pricing is reasonable. The flavors are out of this world! The most ridiculous thing is that the ingredient combinations seem to be totally bizarre.. pumpkin with garlic yogurt and mint and beef topping..?! This seemed SO peculiar to me, but after having the leek raviolis earlier in the week which were pretty excellent, I tried this and it was even more flavorful... as I like to say, "it's like an orgasm in your mouth!" (I hope the owners don't mind my saying..!) But seriously, it's a nice, little romantic restaurant with fresh flowers on the table, friendly waitstaff who are eager to tell you about the food (the waitress on our first night was all about us trying "the special"!). It is the first restaurant I've been to in a while where I feel that all of the items are the menu are interesting, nutritious, and delicious. I can't wait to try as many items on the menu as I can get to, it was just that good! Also to mention, they have both small and full sized portions of most of the menu items, but you get a relatively generous portion either way, it just depends on how hungry you are. The naan-like bread with three sauces before also come with the meal and compliment it well. read more

I'm 100% Afghan and Ariana's food is as authentic as it gets! I moved to Boston from sunny southern California and thought I would miss out on all of my mom's amazing homecooked Afghan meals. Ariana is my immediate go-to for satisfying my Afghan food cravings when I'm feeling homesick. The food is so flavorful and filling, without making you feel bloated or sick. My favorites are the Kaddo appetizer, Bolani, Ashak, Mantu, and any of the meat dishes (honestly, you can't go wrong since the meat I've had here has always been so tender, juicy, and well-seasoned). For all of you vegetarians out there, there are plenty of satisfying veggie dishes to choose from. For dessert, I must greedily consume an entire Fereny to myself (Ariana's is the best I've had!) every time I dine here. Just try it---you won't regret it! The service is also stellar. All of the servers are attentive and courteous and the owners who are Afghan are always welcoming and sweet. As for the ambience, it's a very warm colored space with romantic lighting and decor (fresh flowers on each table is a plus). They tend to play mostly traditional, instrumental Afghan music which isn't too loud (great for having intimate conversations over dinner). I've also recently put in a large order for food for a holiday party I'm having and they have been very professional, accommodating, and generous. Overall, I can't help but give Ariana 5 stars! read more

Wicked quick review of Boston 3 of 5: Upon entering, we were struck by how immaculate the restaurant was. Each table was covered with a white linen tablecloth, and adorned with crystal, silverware, a small vase of flowers, and these beautiful blue water glasses that whisked me away to the Aegean Sea and Greece. A visual appetizer. For food starters, we ordered "Bowlawni"---like samosa's; filled with leeks, scallions, and spiced potatoes served with a mint yogurt---and "Bamiya"---okra sautéed with onions, fresh tomatoes, black pepper, and garlic. DELICIOUS! For mains we ordered 2 orders of "Tikka Kabob"---strips of prime rib that had been marinated in a puree of onions, sun-dried baby grapes, and garlic, then grilled---and 2 orders of "Chapendaz"--- medallions of tenderloin beef grilled, and served with a sauce of grilled tomatoes, hot peppers, onions, and cumin seeds. VERY DELICIOUS! Portions are a little small, but for such delicious food made to order, and the obvious skill and artistry with which it is prepared, prices are reasonable. If the offerings here are authentic Afghani food, we LOVE Afghani food. If they're not, we'll be back anyway. Delicious food is delicious food. read more

I finally got around to trying Ariana the other night, and I'm happy to say it lives up to the hype. My dishes definitely outshone my mother's, but everything we had (including the bread and sauce accompaniments) was lovely. The highlight of the night for me was the kaddo. I'm basically a whore for pumpkin, and this rendering was the tastiest I've had all season. The best part? I can have THIS pumpkin all year round. Ariana's qabili makes for a delicious (and, for only $14.95, deliciously affordable) main course. It's a great way to introduce yourself to pallow rice, which is the perfect blend of sweet and savory. A generous helping of tender lamb shank and glazed julienne carrots top the dish off just right. I'm so glad to have finally tried Ariana, and I'm almost certain I'll be back (hopefully sooner rather than later). The only reason I can't give it five stars is the slow service. I'd recommend going on a weeknight as opposed to a Saturday to avoid the crowds. read more

I couldn't help but notice how clean this restaurant is. This place is a dining option I would take my parents to since they're very particular about cleanliness and eating out. The ambiance is wonderful and the food (with the sauces) is very flavorful. A must try in Allston! read more

Ariana is the BEST Afghani food in Boston. Like many, I appreciate the culinary delights of the Helmand, but the truth is that Ariana wins every time. Their delicious Kaddo (a sweet, fluffy pumpkin pillow with savory meat sauce) and Aushak (scrumptious (possibly hand-made?) raviolis) are two of my favorite dishes in the city. A perfect dinner is polished off with a turkish coffee and bucklawa. YUM! The only way in which the Helmand maybe surpasses Ariana is in the size of their portions, but I prefer the quality and taste of Ariana over Helmand. read more