Since I like to try new food all the time, so one day I was talking down Brighton Ave on my way to Sunset, and I walked by this place. I've never had Afghan food before, so I thought it might be a good place to take my gf one night. Called up and made a reservation with ease. This place is great! Friendly servers, quick service, great wine selection, reasonably priced. The bread they bring out to you comes with three different types of dipping sauce, and can certainly suffice for an appetizer in itself. However, if you skip the appetizer in this place, you will do yourself a disservice, as they are absolutely delicious. I can't remember the names of the specific dishes, but we ordered the dumpling app and the ravioli app...both great!! The ravioli app was PHENOMINAL, and I wished I could make a whole meal out of it. The entree is equally as great, as you can't go wrong with any of the dishes. I had the chicken kebob and it was cooked perfectly and delicious. Great experience, will definitely be back! read more

When I opened the box I was like "Where is the rest of it?" The quantity was so less for the amount I paid that I had to make sure to eat every single grain of rice that was even sent to me. For what I paid I could have ordered an entire menu of the Chinese restaurant or a family meal from KFC/Popeyes. read more

Brought my parents here after a couple of great experiences after my initial review. I have to say, though, that this time around the meal simply did not live up to expectations. For one, the portions have shrunk by a noticeable amount. The Kaddo (one of the best item on the menu, and still delicious) looked almost 25% smaller than normal. My entree with lamb chunks had a mere 4-5 pieces - not to mention that they was almost no pink in the middle despite being "medium-rare"! Quite disappointed. I'll probably be back one last time in the future to see whether they pick up the slack. read more

4.5 stars and 143 reviews - who wouldn't want to take a chance to try out Afghan food at such a well rated restaurant..but I guess I had too high expectations for the place, and was slightly disappointed. Was busy, as you would expect on a Friday evening, staff were very nice but I felt that the service was pretty slow. Food was good, but nothing I would rave about. Tried the kaddo, banghan , dopiaza and the homemade ice cream. Distinct flavors, you might want to try it once, but that's about it! The appetizer portions were way too small, I would say this place is a ill too pricey for the quality n quantity of the food. read more

I was looking for a place nearby the Agganis Arena for a quick dinner before an comedy event. We arrived around 6:15PM on a Saturday. The dining area was empty. Not a big deal since I read great reviews about Ariana. My date and I ordered the Shish Kabob (lamb) and Chapendaz (beef). My date was interested in trying both types of rice. Each dish came with a different one so it worked out well. Service was good. There were 2-3 servers. Our server explained to us the different sauces which was helpful. If you like to people watch, try to get a table next to the window. Try to avoid the table right before the booth (along the window). There isn't much space so your chairs will be bumping into the other table's chair. Overall, very affordable ethnic food with good atmosphere and service. read more

I had a real piece of crap day on Friday, and the mister and I were looking for a restaurant that 1) we wouldn't normally go to (we have a toddler, so we have a rotation of about three usual restaurants these days) and 2) had food that we wouldn't normally eat. A quick yelp search led me to Ariana, so Allston became our destination. It wasn't our first time getting Afghani food, but it had been so long since the last time that we didn't really remember what we were missing. Luckily Ariana offered us a clear reminder. We got there around 6:30, and there was only one other table occupied in the whole place. And then those people left, making it super awkward. I mean, I know 6:30 is kind of early and all, but really? We're the only ones there? I didn't have a huge appetite that night, so we decided to split the stuffed pastry app (one with leeks and scallions and one with spiced potatoes) and the vegetarian special entree. While they were preparing our food, we were given a lovely spread of flatbread with three delicious sauces. I also enjoyed a glass of red wine, which happened to be the first alcoholic beverage I've had in months, which is probably why it blew my mind. I doubt it was particularly good wine or anything, but it tasted pretty freaking awesome to me at the time. The little pastries arrived, and they were delicious. And then the entree came and it, too, was delicious. It had a little bit of everything - pumpkin, okra, rice, eggplant - and the flavors were bold and interesting. Service was ok. I just wish that there were more patrons there so it wasn't so awkwardly empty the whole time. We'll definitely return, though probably only on a date night, as I wouldn't feel comfortable bringing a kid there. read more

After braving Boston public transportation (and surviving!) we made it to Ariana. What a great find! (Thanks yelp!) The area has pretty good people watching, and the food is amazing. Can't really ask for more. Definitely recommend stepping out of your comfort zone if you're unsure of trying Afghan food. The wait staff is helpful, and it's an experience well worth your time. read more

This place was delicious! Everything I tasted was phenomenal. Having never had Afghani food, I was impressed all-around. The pumpkin was especially, er, special. Do try! read more

Delicious. What can I say I love the Afghani stuff. I have went to Helmand and this was even better! Dinner for two, entrées, one appetizer, full carafe of wine, and dessert. 52 bucks! not bad at all read more

The food is DELICIOUS!!! If you like Middle-eastern cuisine, you will really enjoy the food here. We got the Mantu for appetizer which was pretty good. It's a "Homemade pastry shell filled with onions and beef, served on yogurt and topped with carrots, yellow split peas and beef sauce". The yogurt/beef sauce combo is pretty good! For Entrees I got the Kofta Challow, which was PHENOMENAL! My wife got the Chopan (Rack of Lamb), which was by far the best rack of lamb we've had! It was perfectly seasoned and juicy. read more

The pumpkin is superb! There were many vegetarian options and we had the veggie special and the aushank and one more dish. Everything was great especially the okra and eggplant. For dessert the tea was not special but the baklawa was delicious. Overall a fairly classy place, satisfactory service and delicious food. read more

Ariana Restaurant - Veggie special, the aushank - Afghan Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

Food is excellent, but portions are ridiculous. The meatball dinner literally had only 2 small meat balls. The chicken was about an equal amount. Also gave rice instead of the requested salads. For those on a low carb diet, 2 small (and I do mean small) meatballs just isn't going to cut it for dinner. My Pomeranian eats more than that. Called "Ariana(s)" and was told that they serve more food for deliveries than they do in house. Also said they were far too busy to deal with this. It really is excellent food, but you may want to order an additional dinner from somewhere else and eat their entrees for an appertisers. read more

I just now had dinner at Ariana in Allston, and I had a chat with the manager, Najib. Regarding the food: It was EXCELLENT. I had the challow moorgh(?). Basically, it was 3 filets of chicken with rice, smoked and seared vegatables, and they give Afghani bread. The food at Ariana was definitely better and more carefully prepared than the food at Helmands, which if I may recall, I rated as 3 or 4 stars. The chicken that I ordered today was seared to perfection, and the seasoning was perfectly balanced. It was definitely not spicy like Indian or SE Asian food. It was quite similar to Arabic foods in this regards, and even the way that we Americans broil our chicken. What made it Afghani was that I added some of the sauces to it. The complimentary bread given here is better than the complimentary bread given at Helmands. Here, it has a more naan-flavor to it and less of a pizza crust flavor to it. Finally, the owner allowed myself and a new friend of mine to stay there well past closing time. This was especially difficult given that it is Ramadan time, and Mr. Najib has to be awake early in the morning. He was extremely hospitable, and we shared laughs and interesting stories about his Afghanistan. We talked about his people's code of honor called Pashtunwali, and their exceptional treatment of guests. The Pashtuns, which Mr. Najib is a member of, are reknowned warriors, but also as the world's best hosts, and their loyalty and self-determination is so much that there is a quote from the book The Kiterunner: "A Pashtun is so independent that you can't force him into heaven, and he's so loyal, that he would follow his friend to hell." To paraphrase this quote: Ariana Restaurant is like heaven, and to drive past it hungry is like a hell. read more

Just plain delicious Afghan food, reasonable prices, great service. Can't ask for more. The mantoo were exquisite; we also had sabzi chalow (lamb with spinach and rice), bamia (okra) and eggplant. All so good we practically licked our plates. For dessert, we had a lovely rice pudding. Perfect. We would happily return anytime. read more

This is one of my favorite restos in Cambridge. I usually get the vegetarian special which is a platter of baked pumpkin, pan-fried eggplant, sautéed spinach and okra sautéed with fresh tomatoes served with pallow rice. This is DELICIOUS - no less than heaven for vegetarians. The eggplant is the BEST eggplant I have ever had in my life - bar none. The pumpkin is also good but a little too sweet for my taste. The prices are very reasonable for the quality of the food and the resto also has nice decor and nice ambiance. read more

One of my all time favorites! Cannot say enough about this restaurant. The ambiance, the staff & of course the food!! The kaddo is by far my most favorite!!!l A must visit! read more

I visited Boston for the first time because my cousin was graduating. She recommended this restaurant and took our entire family there. It's pretty close to BU's campus. None of us have tried Afghanistan cuisine before, but were all very excited! IT. WAS. SO. GOOD. It reminded me of middle eastern food since there was a lot of lamb. Their appetizers (baked sweet potato with ground beef and roasted eggplant) were really good, although the portions were small. The meal also came with these flat bread things where you could dip it in three different sauces (white, red, and green). I think my favorite one was the green one. The red one had a kick to it. The white one just tasted like yogurt. I got lamb with rice and roasted vegetables. It was really good and just the right amount of food. For dessert, we had bucklawa (baklava) and a rice pudding. Only downside - it was super toasty up in there. Too much heater up in there. There was only one waiter, so service can be slow when it's busy. read more

Excellent food. We had the Kaddo appetizer. Wow, it is heaven on a plate. First of all, I'm impressed that they offer it year round because pumpkins are definitely not in season during the summer. Second of all, the texture is spectacular. The pumpkin literally melts into your mouth. The dish has the right amount of sweetness to make you wanting more but it is not overpowering enough to make you feel like you're eating a candy bar. I ordered the tikka kabob. The beef was cooked to perfection and was incredibly juicy. The lentils and rice gave the entree more substance. My boyfriend had the Qabili and he really like the raisins with the rice. For dessert, we shared the bucklawa. It was a bit nutty and I would have liked it more if there was a little more of a pastry texture. The portion size was decent and it was definitely rich enough for the two of us to share and feel satisfied. The main reason why I gave this place four stars instead of five was because of the wine. We ordered two glasses of the house wine and when the waitress poured our glasses, it seemed like it was a decent amount. At the end of our meal, I looked over to our neighboring table and found that another waitress had poured fuller glasses for the other table. Furthermore, the table had larger wine glasses. As if fate wanted to give us an extra kick while we were down, we discovered that the wine was actually seven dollars instead of the menu listed price of six. In total, all these factors are quite small and could have been easily over looked. However if you're going to do wine by the glass, you should make it fair to all the customers and make sure that all the tables have the same glassware. Aside from the wine, the waitstaff was super friendly and accommodating. In total, we had about three people either taking our order, refilling out water glass, taking our plates, or serving us our food. Overall, I really enjoyed this restaurant and maybe next time, I'll just order a bottle of wine. read more

While I'm also a huge fan of Helmand, another Afghan place in Kendall Square, I have to say Ariana is pretty good in its own right. Came here recently with some friends and had a delightful meal. We started with the kaddo (baked pumpkin with sugar, yogurt and beef sauce), which I saw was highly recommended by other Yelpers. It was definitely unique, I've never had yogurt and beef together before. It was a surprisingly complementary pairing, although the pumpkin may have been a bit too sweet for my taste. I had the filet of trout special, which came with sauteed eggplant seasoned with walnuts on top of rice. Trout was well cooked, and I really enjoy the flavorful eggplant. One of my friends had the sabzi challow, which is lamb, spinach and rice. Very similar to Helmand but slightly smaller portions. Overall that was sort of the main comparison throughout the night - almost identical menu to Helmand, smaller portions, slightly better prices and also very delicious. The wine here is an EXCELLENT deal. We got a half carafe of the house wine for $15. That was about 3-4 glasses and you had the choice between a cabernet sauvignon and a chardonnay. We got the cab which was actually really good for a house wine. A full carafe was only $20 and you get double the amount. I've never seen better restaurant wine prices in Boston. The restaurant itself is relatively small, so it feels pretty intimate. It's a quieter place, great for conversation and a low-key meal. Also, there's relatively abundant street parking in Allston, which is a plus in my book. I'd come here again. read more

I love Afghani food and try to trek to Helmand when I can, so it's awesome to now have a more local outpost of this delicious cuisine. But does it hold up to Helmand? I say, definitely. First of all, the staff at Ariana are all wicked friendly. I really felt welcomed when I walked in the door to the small, cozy one-room restaurant... as opposed to Helmand where you feel like your mere presence is a bit of an inconvenience. Score one for Ariana. The freshly baked flatbread starter came with the standard 3 dipping sauces (chili, yogurt, and cilantro). The bread itself was a bit on the hard side, and I think I prefer Helmand's softer flatbread over it (especially with the visuals of the brick bread oven and the smells of the baking bread in the dining room), but it was still hot and tasty and a good start to the meal. Point to Helmand. For apps, I adore Kaddo, and Ariana really does it right. I could probably eat this dish forever and ever and be happy... the blend of sweet and savory and sour/tangy is unlike anything I'd ever had before. This is a must-try (at both Ariana and Helmand). I had the Dopiaza for my entree which was excellent... the lamb had that wonderful grilled taste/texture I adore, and the very vinegary split pea marinade held up well to the meat (if you don't like vinegar though, don't get this, as it's very strong). Even the plain hot mushrooms with peppers on the side were very tasty. My dining companions had the Shish Kabob and the Korma Challow, and both were also pleased (I tried the Korma Challow which was rich and tomatoey). The portions were just right, we were able to clean our plates and be satisfied without being overly stuffed, and the prices are pretty on-par as well (and cheaper than Helmand), ~$16 for the entrees. If you haven't tried this cuisine yet, I highly recommend you check out Ariana now. read more

This restaurant is much more upscale than most of the restaurants in Allston except Carlo's, which is next door. We had a bit of sticker shock when the bill was $50 for an appetizer, two entrees, and two desserts. But once we considered, the food was clearly more intensively prepared and presented than at, say, Thai Place. I wasn't wowed by my vegetarian meal, which was pumpkin; it was okay but not outstanding. My husband raved about the beef tenderloin. Desserts were amazing. Service was perfect, attentive without being pushy. read more

This is my go-to place when I have guests from out of town and they want to experience something they can't get back home. I usually steer them toward the Special Vegetarian platter with baked pumpkin, pan-fried eggplant, sautéed spinach and okra sautéed with pallow rice or any of the kabobs or the Chopan (rack of lamb)...so pretty much everything on their menu is amazing. The appetizers are yummy and the fresh baked flat bread and sauces are amazing. You can't go wrong coming here - come here, eat, leave happy. read more

This was the first restaurant I went to when I was in Boston and boy did it set the bar high! We were about to go into another place that was more popular, since there were more people, but we decided not to crowd and just stuck with Ariana, which was the more exotic and ethnic cuisine. This was my first time trying Afghan food, and it definitely made me want to go back again. First off, they served pita-ish bread with three different sauces. I liked the green one a lot since it wasn't as spicy as the red one and not too sweet like the yogurt. However, eating the yogurt sauce after eating the red sauce quells the spiciness so there's a magical combo right there. Appetizer: ORDER THE KADDO. It's a sweet pumpkin dish with yogurt sauce on the bottom and ground meat sauce on the top. I don't know who or how they thought of this, but the combination was heavenly! I seriously want some right now. Actually, when we were at the restaurant, we actually ended up using most of the bread for the kaddo sauce than the actual sauces they gave us. It was yummy and just mindblowingly amazing. I ordered the chopan which was grilled lamb with eggplant and pallow rice. The rice was drier than I would like it to be, but mixed with the sauce with the eggplant, it tasted better. The lamb was great; it was juicy and seasoned well. No complaints there. My friend got the trout, which is just fried fish. I tasted some of it but I liked mine better. The food was so good that I didn't really care about how the service was. I'm sure it was decent, though, since there really weren't any major complaints. i left full and happy and in a good mood, which is what every restaurant should aim for. read more

Delicious food, great price and great ambience. The meat is cooked perfect and the spices they use complement each other so well read more

I love it. I went for dinner for a date night. I was very impressed by the simple decor and I loved the blue goblets for water. I'm a big fan of Middle Eastern cuisine and always find them to be very flavorful. All the dishes look fantastic ... and they are! We started with the Kaddo and without a doubt, everyone is right! It tasted great! A great blend of sweet squash with savory beef. I can eat that as my full meal. I'm not a big fan of lamb, so but I picked the beef kabob. It was delicious and everything was well portioned. All of all the choices for food in Allston, take a try at Ariana for something different. The food is delicious and the price is reasonable for the service and atmosphere. read more

The veggie dishes are amazing! The pumpkin is our favorite . The staff is friendly and everything we have ordered has been delicious!!

Absolutely delicious. You can't go wrong between either of the two better Afghan restaurants in Boston but this one has less of a crowd, feels less stuffy, and may be slightly less expensive. The waiter was attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable about the food and culture. I was quite impressed with the service. Just talking about this place makes me crave Kaddo. That's what you need to order when you go. read more

We got seated promptly (we had a reservation but were late due to parking) and had a great experience overall. Great: -Atmosphere: very cute, romantic place -Service: Waiters/waitresses were friendly and helpful; food came out quickly -Food: you get (very) warm bread with 3 dipping sauces (excellent). We ordered Kaddo as an appetizer and Shish Kabob/Mantu for entrees. The Kaddo and Mantu were excellent. The Shish Kabob meat was seared too much (tasted way too burnt). -Price: very good, especially for what you get Not-so-great: -Parking: abysmal. Take public transportation at all costs. -Hours: they're only open for dinner (but they'll open for large groups, per their website). read more

4 stars for slow but effective service. There were only two people working a very busy Sunday night, and you could really tell they were doing the best they possibly could. They were smiley and pleasant though you could tell they were truly exhausted. Orders came out perfect, and hot. Everything was delicious. Warm bread was fantastic (if you've ever been to Helmand, it's basically the same menu, same bread, same dipping sauces, basically the same) I like the interior of this restaurant, great date night spot. I had the trout tonight which was fantastic. If you're allergic to walnuts, just tell them you'd like a different rice and they are more than happy to oblige. One of the other people we were with had some side dish of pumpkin that was out of this world delicious, I would totally order an entire side of that next time. I ate everything that was on my plate, everything. Parking can be a hassle, I'd suggest taking the T if you can, otherwise be prepared to do a few circles around the block before you find a spot (or buy a smart car because apparently everyone in Boston loves to leave huge gaps between cars that your car could almost fit into, but not.) read more

I've been here probably more than 5 times by now. I've never had Afghan food before I came to this place and I was pleasantly surprised. All of their dishes are pleasant and delicious, cooked to perfection. The service is quick. The servers are all Russian and since I'm Russian I've learned their names and always make sure to thank them. The kaddo was definitely my favorite! I get it everytime I go there! The Mantu was also very good. The qabili is also a good choice. However, I did not like the tikka kabob. It was burnt on the sides and the meat did not have as much flavor as their other dishes. I would take off a point for this but they simply have too many other great choices! read more

GO TO THIS RESTAURANT!!!!! Saw this for the first time a couple of weeks ago walking through Allston and was immediately interested. We love afghan food and were excited to see it so near. My wife and I went for our anniversary dinner and were very pleased. Great service, outstanding food. Not spicy like Indian food; everything had great texture and flavor: baked pumpkin, pan fried eggplant, rice pilaf with carrots and raisin, and naan bread. All delicious. We ate well but still had room for desert. Good wine list too. The menu isn't overwhelming and there are lots of vegetarian/vegan options. A note to vegans - most entree's and appetizers have yogurt but it shouldn't be a problem to have them leave it out. I say it again, GO TO THIS RESTAURANT! I want this place to stick around so we can go for our next anniversary. read more

Delicious! I went with a group of friends after looking on Yelp! It wasn't wrong. We started with several appetizers (I think I loved the Mantu-beef dumplings and the Kaddo (pumpkin) the best! They make the Mantu fresh every day so after we figured out how great it was, we couldn't order any more because they had run out for the day! For our dinner, we had the Qabill (lamb shanks-so tender), Chopan (my friend who doesn't like the gamey taste of lamb actually liked this. It was served medium rare-PERFECT), Kofta Challow (THE BEST SAUCE EVER! I kept eating it over rice) and the Mourgh Challow (Chicken with a yellow sauce-good but not my favorite). Oh, and they have this super delicious bread and dipping sauces Overall, I think I liked pretty much everything I ate. The only thing I didn't love was Aushak but that's more because my friends ordered this but I'm not a huge fan of a lot of scallions. The waitstaff was very attentive and very accomodating. Definitely recommend. read more

In/out and completely satisfied in an hour. We arrived for a relatively early dinner (6pm or so) and our party of 2 was seated easily without a reservation. However, as we got into our meal the smallish restaurant filled very quickly--reservations are probably the way to go during peak dinner hours. We had the dopiaza and sabzi challow--both were amazing. The flavors were different and exciting in both dinners that it wasn't boring for both of us to order the lamb. Every plate that came out of the kitchen looked like an exciting reason for a second and third trip back to Ariana. Dinner service was attentive/adequate but not overwhelmingly special (one waitress ran into me on our way in and said naught a word). Still, the food was delicious and our waiter was nice enough to rate Ariana a 4/5. read more

What a wonderful restaurant. Great food. Terrific ambiance. The owners are great hosts and chefs. You will love it here! read more

Ariana Restaurant - Really pretty too. - Afghan Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

Ate outside behind the restaurant on the patio, where tables were well-spaced. We all ordered the vegetarian platter, and everything on the plate was excellent. It came with pumpkin, eggplant, okra, spinach, and rice. The rice is tasty even by itself. The meal comes with fresh bread. read more

I was organizing a dinner get together for a few friends last week and wanted to find something in the Brighton Area. This is my first time trying afgan cuisine and I have to say that I'll be back for more. We were a party of 5 and we got 2 apps to share, the pumpkin one and ground beef wrapped in pasta. As everyone else have already said, the pumpkin dish is amazing, I really love the sauce. The other app that we ordered was also fantastic. For our main dishes, our group ordered lamb and chicken. I got the lamb dish with spinach and the lamb was so tender. Service was really great, they took our coats when we first arrived, and was very attentive the entire evening. Will definitely be back! read more

This is a wonderful restaurant for lunch or dinner. Every vegetarian option is delightful. The ambiance is elegant. The service is excellent. Enjoyed every minute. Highly recommend. read more

Ariana Restaurant - Afghan Near Me - Brighton, Massachusetts

Yum Yum! This place is fresh and delicious. Went with a few coworkers after work, we work close by and decided to try a local place for dinner. Ariana's does not disappoint. The place is clean and tastefully decorated. The owner is friendly and made our experience even better. We ordered several different savory dishes and two desserts and everything was tasty and satisfying. Incredibly refreshing to have such a great food option, so different from the usual. The flavors, the combinations and pairings...and the spices are fantastic! It is the kind of place where you could go with friends, or date night. I picked up a take-out menu! read more

We've been here multiple times and it never disappoints. The service is always wonderful and the atmosphere is always very nice. The food is really flavorful and prepared well. Definitely a favorite spot! read more

This place is truly a gem. If you haven't been, you have to go... like NOW! It's easily one of my favorite restaurants. The service is always good and the food always fresh and flavorful. read more