Great food, fantastic prices. Two of our friends suggested this place for Sunday brunch. We decided to give it a go since we all love kababs. Getting here is a pain in the ass because it's in bumblef*ck Queens, but it's well-worth the trip. From the outside, it looks like a fast food joint. Photos of the combo meals on the walls, long/round tables with chairs, fridges stocked with drinks (no alcohol here, it's Muslim). Once we were inside, however, the smells of all the different foods took over my nose and I knew we were in for a treat. We let our friends who had been here before do most of the ordering. We started with a family combo platted which consisted of chicken, lamb, and beef kabobs over a hearty place of rice and a side of salad. The salad was good, the chicken was amazing, the beef also blew me away (I don't eat lamb). We ordered the rice with currants and sliced carrots. The sweetness of the rice definitely helped in cutting back on the flavor from the meat, as well as the white/hot sauce on the table. We ended up ordering more chicken, as well as more beef which came along with more rice and salad. We were completely stuffed by the time we left. The bill? $97 for 7 of us. I'd say that's quite a deal for the amount of food we received! They also offer sandwiches, burgers, and some good-looking hot wings if kababs ain't your thang. read more

If I had to pick a favorite restaurant for Afghani food, it would be the original Bakhter Halal Kabobs in Fresh Meadows. Why do I call it "the original Bakhter?" Well according to the signs all over the establishment this Bakhter Halal Kababs is, "the original, one and only branch." They suffer from others coping their name...I think the equivalent would be how there is Gino's and Ray's Pizzeria everywhere but they are not related. Two of us ordered the #8 on the menu called the "Family Combo" which came with 6 skewers for $29. -2 Chicken Kufta -1 Beef Kufta -1 Lamb Tika 1 beef Tika -1 Chicken Tika rice, salad and bread (I asked them to please put the strips of carrots and currants on the rice, my fave way to have Afghani rice. The combo deal rice will not get the carrot strips and currants unless you ask for it.) This combo could have easily feed 6 people, depending on how hungry everyone is. We had left overs for the next two days. The portions are huge because it's a family oriented style of eating and dining. I can't wait to go back to THE ORIGINAL, ONE AND ONLY BRANCH, Bakhter Halal Kabobs. read more

Bakhter Halal Kababs - Jumbo family combo - Afghan Near Me - Fresh Meadows, New York

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I'm not really sure why this place has bad reviews. They, hands down, serve THE BEST Afghani food you can find in all of Queens. Their chicken kebabs absolutely melt in your mouth and the complementary bread is the best pair! I think people need to realize that this isn't a high class fancy restaurant. No ones going to stop by your table and fill your glass with water or constantly check up on you. You want soda? Go up and get it. This is kind of a fast food restaurant that serves amazing food! Its a must go. And it's amazing for crowds too. read more

Bakhter Halal Kababs - Delicious! - Afghan Near Me - Fresh Meadows, New York

Probably my all time fav Afghan spot. I've been coming here for years and each time I've come in the food, the taste the quality has always been on point. I've been here over 50 times and I've left satisfied each and every single time. If you plan to dine in I suggest you call ahead that way it'll all be ready. You sit down and they usually have a salad waiting for you with all of the sauces within arms reach. I've been getting the same thing here for as long as I can remember. Combo #1 which includes 3 pieces of lamb chops, a chicken kofta and beef kofta. I usually sub the beef kofta for another chicken kofta because their chicken kofta is outta this world. It's a fair price for the portion of food and for getting lamb chops. I will deff be back here over and over again. This is a must try if you're in the area, even if you're not in the area it's worth it to make a trip to this little spot. read more

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The service is what is expected of a fast food restaurant. I also found out from the cashier no one leaves a tip, except in the tip jar, but people rarely leaves tips because it is considered "fast food" I believe we ordered combo 8? It was delicious. The lamb, beef and chicken kebab was exceptionally dry, I've had much better at the flushing Kabul kebab in flushing. But then again if you compare, my platter here was $30, if at Kabul kebab it would be $48 at least! However my favorite here is the ground chicken seasoned kebabs, I don't know what they're called but it is exceptionally delicious. The beef one was a bit bland to my taste. Overall it was worth the price but if I wanted better food I'd probably not come here. The price however was very reasonable and affordable. Will probably come back again if I am craving afaghan food again & does not want tot raven to flush read more

Bakhter Halal Kababs - Our combo : I believe it's combo 8? - Afghan Near Me - Fresh Meadows, New York

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aside from the non-perfect English, we were able to get what we ordered and then some. The tikka, wings, and the other chicken skewer (kufta) on bed of flavored rice was amazing. We gobbled it right up. Totally didnt mean to get the wings.. we asked about a top app on the phone and my hubs thought they said samosas - 10 of them. Haha, well we got wings and fries instead but to be honest I didn't want samosas so this was perfect. i was driving and hungry...the wings were so well spiced (not KFC or american style. it def has spices of the non-hot-spicy variety!) I gobbled them up! The chicken was great (not dry) and the rice was flavorful not oily. They as expected include white sauce and the green sauce both of which were yums. Very happy with the meal. the place is on a small stretch I've never seen in Queens with a laundromat next door and a quasi-defunct theatre across the street. The 3 items were $23. Would def go back. If you eat there do not expect ambiance but the place looked clean enough. Some families huddled together hanging out under white fluorescent lights. read more

For lunch my Pakistani co-worker recommended we try out Bakhter, and based on the abundantly positive yelp reviews, I was more than eager to comply! My previous experiences with Afghani food have been limited and also fairly average, but after dining at Bakhter, my perception of Afghani food is now totally different. Upon walking into the restaurant you see a large sitting area with a ordering counter directly straight ahead of the entrance. The dining area is pretty pedestrian in appearance, but I'm not big into appearances and more interested in how the food tastes. The menu is pretty large with many different Kabab combinations and has pictures of each dish to help those not too familiar with Afghani food. I ordered the combination #1 which included 3 lamb chops, one chicken tikka, and one beef kufta over a bed of Afghani rice. - The lamb chops were nicely sized, very flavorful with nice seasoning, a nice grill char, and also had no gaminess. - The chicken tika was OK, a tad dry, but seasoned very well. - The beef kufta was excellent and treated exactly how beef should be treated; not overly seasoned so you can taste the flavor of beef. Let me say that this restaurant is touted as being Halal so the meat is probably pretty darn fresh and (being a devout carnivore), I can attest that the lamb, chicken, and beef were very fresh and flavorful. - A nice surprise was the tasty bed of Afghani rice below the meat which was so yummy, as the combination of spices and juices from the meat really gave the rice such a exotic and enticing aroma. I'm not a big fan of rice, but I could eat a plateful of Bakhter's rice especially if you add in each of the two supplied sauces (one a spicy green sauce & the other a yogurt/milk based sauce). I like to say good food is good food, no matter what culture it's being presented to you, so Bakhter is definitely a worthy place to expand one's culinary curiosity! read more

Bakhter Halal Kababs - Combination #1. - Afghan Near Me - Fresh Meadows, New York

One of my friends took me to Bakhtar last year & since then I became a fan. I won't say that this is the "best" Afghani joint in New York but it definitely is one of the cheapest. Their kabobs are always cooked to perfection but they also kind of jip the customers on the Ayran yogurt drinks. But watch our for the RUDEST cashiers in the world -- the chicks behind the register needs harsh lessons on customer service, etiquette, communication skills etc. Everytime I have been there, I had a grilling contest with these people because I'd rather not become ghetto & curse them out in this halal environment. They are very unresponsive to the customers' inquiries over the extensive menu, they behave obnoxiously & most importantly, it's quite clear on their faces that they HATE working there. Quite pathetic. read more

This is my favorite afghani restaurant ever!! The portions are HUGE!!! And the prices are super cheap. The food is always really freshly made! The meat is perfectly bbq'ed and tender. My favorite is the chicken tikka. They come out perfect every single time. The lamb and beef options are also delicious! You can order anything on the menu and you won't be disappointed! This is a family friendly restaurant! read more

Bakhter Halal Kababs - Chicken tikka, beef kufta, lamb tikka - Afghan Near Me - Fresh Meadows, New York

Really really disappointed. I was around the area & wanted to try smt new. I saw that this place had a solid 4 star review. Which I really dont understand. Their white sauce is watery, their hot sauce is sweet?! & I can find a better salad in a deli. Never. Never. Waste your money here. read more

I've been coming here for 10 years now. It's reasonably priced and their Afghan food is delicious. The American options they have SUCK but I'm not really coming here for a burger. Their portions have definitely gotten smaller throughout the years but I just order more food :) I also hate the fact that it's cash only. I have tried almost everything on the menu but now I always get the chicken tikka with beef kofta. The meat is always cooked to order and the rice is so good I can eat it alone. The white sauce and green sauce are on point as well. The place is packed Friday/Saturday nights especially if there is a movie playing across the street. No parking lot but I've always managed to find parking without an issue. I'm glad to see that the food quality hasn't decreased over the past decade! read more

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I have been coming here for many years with my family and the food has always been good but not that great either sometimes. The platters they give you are small and they barley give you any rice or chicken and the rice sometimes doesn't have any taste at all. We only go their for a quick run for dinner late at night, if we are near by. The place is mostly always dark and the windows are completely covered with paper and curtains which means that during the day there is never any natural light peaking through. It's not fancy at all even though they try really hard for it to be. I always feel like I'm in a altered universe when I'm there. read more

I ordered chicken tikka and beef kofta with rice. The moment they placed my plate down in front of me, the beef reeked of the smell of blood, the meat smells. The chicken tikka was only ok bc it was tender not tasty, the rice wasn't anything special. There was basically no flavor. I went on Saturday night. It was very crowded when I got in but we got seating right away. It's self service, meaning take your beverage from the freezer yourself. The staff was nice. The space was good for groups. Large portions but couldn't bare the stinge from the meat so couldn't finish it. read more

Love love love this place! Really only get the chicken tikka platters but it always hits the spot. Chicken tikka is seasoned nicely and always so juicy even tho it's chicken breast! The rice is SO addictive. I shouldn't admit this but even tho one person should not eat a whole rice platter on their own..I always do . Kufta ice creams are tasty too! One day I'll try their lamb chops cuz they look good too & are a good deal. Everything here is a good deal. read more

This place is one of those places you pass by and never realize until you're around the area and Yelp for a place to eat. I came here for lunch with 3 friends. Parking was relatively easy to find because it is within a residential area. There were plenty of seating around the time we went (12:30pm) but it quickly started to fill up. This place is cash only so make sure to bring cash! I had #17 on the menu which is chicken kufta + rice + salad. The salad is just salad you get when you order halal from the carts: lettuce, tomato, onion. There is no dressing on top of it. The rice is pretty good but bland as there are no spices on it and the chicken kufta was decent. I probably would stick with the chicken tikka next time. They give a ton of rice and two chicken kufta so I ended up taking half of it for home. My friends ordered #2 which is lamb and chicken tikka and beef kufta also with rice and salad. They really enjoyed the lamb tikka but the beef kufta to them reminded them of hamburger like it tasted like hamburger and not grilled beef they imagined. I would maybe give them another chance but I would most likely drive to flushing for arya :) read more

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Food: I got the lamb tikka/chicken tikka platter comes w/ small salad, was good.. rice, not so much.. green sauce good, white sauce (gross asf!) I hate when places use mayo as a base for their white sauce. -_- Dislike: CASH ONLY, they don't wear gloves or consistently use tongs to pick up food items when preparing your food. In a city this big and any public restaurant should know about handling food, money, touching their face etc.. that bothered me and so I'm not eating the items he touched with his hand. Overall: great spot next to the 24HR laundry and the menu is big, wings, fish, burgers, Afghan, halal... It's a nice place for dine-in or to go. read more

Bakhter Halal Kababs - Chicken/Lamb tikka £9.75 - Afghan Near Me - Fresh Meadows, New York

My first time here was last night with friends they had such great reviews about the place, it's location, it's setting and the deliciousness of the food. However I was very disappointed with everything especially the food bcoz it didn't live up to its mark of deliciousness. Nothing was special about this place no idea why people go crazy after this. I ordered the Two Skewers of Chicken Kebab and One Skewer of Chicken Tikka with rice it felt alright however the meat wasn't well cooked, there was no freshness no spices in the chicken. The rice were probably not fresh either and the white sauce was sweet and savory but also average. read more

Bakhter Halal Kababs - First time here - Afghan Near Me - Fresh Meadows, New York

This place is cash only! But man oh man, some really kick @ass kebabs and chicken platters with rice. The lamb chops were a bit greasy but tasty. Very good food overall! read more

I've been back here many times now, and I can truly say that this is the best Afghani food I've ever had. They're still pretty inexpensive. Always a lot of seating. I highly recommend this place. read more

Love, Love, Love Bakther!!! Delicious, Cheap and Large Portions! This is a great place to bring big crowds of people and just enjoy some simple Afghani food. Their Kabobs are much better than before and their rice is also quite delicious. The amount of food you receive for the price is simply awesome. One recommendation I have for this place is to improve on their decor and service. Other than that when I think of Afghani Food I immediately think Bakthar!! read more

Bakhter Halal Kababs - NomNomNom - Afghan Near Me - Fresh Meadows, New York

Bad customer service for one. I guess they expect there own to eat there. But a white guy comes in and no eye contact food just standing on counter while in sitting and waiting. Food wad not bad. Not enough grill flavor. They sound cook it on flame grill. read more

REVIEW FOR PICK UP ONLY!!! Placed an order for Lamb and Beef Tikka it comes with Rice, and Salad.. In all the food was pretty delicious, you MUST have the white sauce with your meal, it makes it taste extrememly better... Will be back to order more deliciousness read more

Bakhter Halal Kababs - Lamb tika and beef tika over rice.. Devine.. Gotta have with the WHITE SAUCE - Afghan Near Me - Fresh Meadows, New York

This is a good place to eat Afghan food. I like the chicken tikka Kabab. The beef and the lamb tikka Kabab is also good but the lamb chops were smelly a bit. The sauces are really good but skip the green sauce if you don't like spicy sauce. We go there regularly. The service can be little slow sometime. read more

Bakhter Halal Kababs - Beef kofta Kabab - Afghan Near Me - Fresh Meadows, New York

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Let me just start off by saying that I loved the food. I ordered # 21 from the menu and it was very filling and delicious. The spices in the kabobs were perfect, the rice was really good as well. I love that they have green tea, I had 2 cups! The reason I'm rating this place 3 stars is because of the lack of customer service and the interior design. When I came in, my family had already seated so I walked right over to our table. After that I realized none of the employees said a single word to anyone that walked in or walked out? The waitress walked up to our table and didn't say anything??? There were 3 or 4 employees and none of them found the need to greet anyone, to ask them if their foods okay, to maybe ask if the customers ready to order? I get that there might be a language barrier but I don't think that was the case here because I heard them talking English to each other. These small things can sometimes make the biggest difference to people who come into your restaurant. Second, the interior design. You're already spending money to put up frames and get tables and chairs and flooring and all that.. why not get something that stands out a little? Coming in here felt like I was in someone's basement. No AC, just fans. And the lights were flickering as if they were about to turn off. Also, I felt the need to keep washing my hands over and over again because everything I touched was sticky. Anyways. All things aside, I do recommend the food but maybe order on the phone and pick it up togo read more

Excellent food but don't expect any service. The restaurant is big and can seat a large group of people. It is always a good sign when you walk into a restaurant and see the locals sitting there. Regarding the food, stick with all the different types of kebabs. We ended with 2-3 types of combination plates so that we can try all the different meat kebabs. The kebabs come with bread, rice and salad. You can replace the rice with qabuli (rice with raisins and carrots). They lack behind on service though. The lady at the counter will give you a stone faced look and the food takes a bit of time to arrive. Having said that, the food more than makes up for these minor things. Also, its a cash only place and has an Atm on premises if you are not carrying any cash read more

Soul food! Heavy & greasy but oh so yummy!! Every calorie is well worth it. Been picking up from them for over 10 years now.

This restaurant was a nice restaurant for large groups of people and was filled with families! It was super affordable and my dish of chicken tikka and meat cubes only cost me around 9 dollars! I loved the chicken tikka but wasn't too keen on the meat, the green sauce was also really good! I would recommend this restaurant as a one off quick affordable place! read more

Bakhter Halal Kababs - Afghan Near Me - Fresh Meadows, New York

Bakhter kababs is one of my favorite restaurants. I'm more than happy to write a review for this family owned business. I'm a big fan of halal and to have one that's a store front with unlimited amounts of white sauce and even green sauce is awesome. The tikas and kabobs are delicious. They are prepared very well and never dry. Prices are fair since it's a step up from halal cart food. You seat yourself, grab your own beverage. Food takes a while to come out but the portions are massive for one person. Highly recommend if you're in Queens/fresh meadows! Oh, CASH ONLY. read more

After frequenting Kabul Kabob, my boyfriend and I were pretty curious to see if this place could top it. Unfortunately, it didn't and I'll tell you why. Pros: -Food is DIRT CHEAP! For 2 people, the bill was about 17 bucks, and this included a combo of 3 different meats, qabuli, and french fries -It's self-serve so you can just order at the counter and take a seat, and they'll bring you the food -Perfect portions - combos with 3 skewers is just right for 2 people Cons: -CASH ONLY -The place is severely lacking in terms of interior design. Very bland set-up, and we even saw "Reserved" signs written on a sharpie on a piece of cardboard - definitely far from classy. -I wish they made hand-cut fries instead of frozen ones -Their version of qabuli was very disappointing - all they did was sauté some shredded carrots and raisins, and garnished it on top of our combo. -Seems that their meats are a hit/miss. We got lamb, beef, and chicken. While the lamb was really good, the beef was a bit bland and didn't have much flavor. With the chicken, some of the pieces were really juicy, while some were dry; seems that they used a combo of breast and dark meat. read more

Really good food! Very tasty and always fresh! I had the wings but they were nasty! But everything else was good! Good enough seating for big groups! I still usually call in ahead of time just in case because they are usually packed! Customer service is not good! But the food preparation is pretty fast! read more

Bakhter Halal Kababs - Afghan Near Me - Fresh Meadows, New York

Great portions size, flavors and people! Over months it has become our go-to takeout. Combos are worth a try. read more

This establishment was one of my go to places back in the days. Now it seems like they don't care. The food quality is really bad, the kabob portions have gotten smaller, the rice is bland and dry. The price is reasonable, however, there are other good places then this now. read more

This is place my favorite place if I want to eat lamb chop. No anymore, I really disappointed. The lamb chop they make not like before, usually the taste very good, you can taste how they marinated the lamb chop and they grill, last time I ate there they make tasteless and now they not even grill those, they just fried the lamb chops. I thought ok maybe something happen with equipment, they couldn't grill. But today I came, yeah they do something. Very disappointed. read more

I only eat one thing here. The chicken gyro. It's kinda weird ordering a chicken gyro at a kebab place. But it's actually so taste with the white sauce. read more

I love this place! Rice is great. Green sauce is nice and spicy. White sauce is very good. The meat is typical Afghan food but the sauces are better than the other places as well as the rice which makes them better. I go here every time I visit New York. I've been to quite a few Afghan restaurants in Queens and none compare. read more

Bakhter has been my go to spot for many years. I just didn't understand why I haven't reviewed them a long time ago. They offer such authentic kababs with great portions and great prices. The only downfall is that it just takes a little long but that's because they prepare it fresh for you. This is the real one not the imitation that's out there read more

Bakhter Halal Kababs - Afghan Near Me - Fresh Meadows, New York

Was driving around Queens when the coworker and I got a hankering for some kabobs. (No, not the Chelsea/West Village kind....) We deployed Yelp Mobile and Bakhtar popped up on the radar. After seeing many signs plastered around the place for the wings, my coworker and I ordered some. But they were nothing special. Skip them altogether. I got the beef kofta and chicken tika combined, and it was a solid combination, but the lamb tikka that my coworker opted for was definitely the best thing they had. I ate my entire plate and much of his because he's not a true kabob-eating savage. Get some yogurt sauce and pepper sauce on the side to drizzle on your dish... it's crucial. This place is nice, no-bullshit, and food comes out piping hot and tender. As for the individual down below complaining about there being a "lack of waiters," the reason this place is so cheap is probably because they don't have an army of employees at your beck and call. This isn't Balthazar. That's why you're only paying $8 for a dish. 4.5 stars without a doubt. I wish I lived closer. read more

Food goodness to price ratio is amazing. Cafeteria style Afhgan-y styled diner food (burgers/fries)? I had the lamb kebab with rice. Not only was the rice cooked with onions and fresh spices, rice itself actually had tiny pieces of the veggies and spices. Personally I prefer this, adds extra texture and depth to plain ol' rice. The meat was like most other middle eastern venues aka average. Ditto for the various sauces. Didn't expect to be blown away by this hole-in-the-wal,. Certainly came here expecting cheap comfort food and Bakhter delivered on that expectation. read more

Ok, so this place is a little tricky. To dine in, it's usually great food and very quick service, but if you plan to take out, please check your order before you leave. The staff has consistently given me the wrong order when I order food to go. They are also very skimpy with the white sauce if you're ordering to go. If you ask for more, they charge you. It boggles my mind that they charge you for more white sauce, because when you dine in, there aren't any limits to how much white sauce you can have. The other part that can be a little confusing, is their decor and the identity. I don't think the restaurant had decided if it wants to be a fine dining restaurant with their many chandeliers, or if they want to be a cafeteria because it looks and feels like a cafeteria. Bakhter also claims to be an Afghan restaurant, but they offer cheese burgers and chicken nuggets along side the traditional Afghan kababs. They also have Pakistani TV channels going the entire time. The place has good food but it definitely has a few contradictions. I recommend dining in and having anything any off of their "Afghan" menu. I do not recommend this place to bring a date or if you're trying to impress anyone. read more

I will be honest - Bakhtar's food is DELICIOUS. All of their meats are cooked to perfection and their rice is so good. I wish I knew how they make it but for now, I will keep coming back to stuff my face. The prices here are REALLY cheap. The other day, when we wanted to see a bollywood film at the theater across the street, we decided to eat here for dinner and got a family combination for about 27 bucks. The combo includes 4 lamb chops, beef kofta, chicken kofta, chicken kababs, lamb kababs, and beef kababs all arranged on a bed of their signature rice. Add some white sauce and green chutney to this mix and you have got yourself an AMAZING dinner. Also, your meal comes with lots of salad. Please do yourself a favor and add white/green sauce to this as well. Although this place is pretty great, my family and I do have one major complaint. Their menu is basically a variation of meat and rice arrangements. Yes, they have wings and fries and a little bit of extra stuff but most of it is either chicken kababs on rice or chicken kababs with beef kofta on rice, etc. Although what they do provide is delicious, we can get bored. It had been about 6 months since I had last visited Bakhtar. After wolfing down a family combination with my sisters and parents, I realized how much I had missed it. Let's hope I don't get bored again too quickly! read more