We've been eating here regularly for fifteen years, since before we had kids - but it's one of those places we can all agree on. Lately we've been getting it to-go more as it's easy to grab on the way home from work, but we've eaten in plenty of times. We love the kabob combos - all are delicious. Be sure to ask for free onions and/or jalapeños if you need a bit 'more', or dip in the yogurt sauce to cool things down a bit. The chick peas are pure goodness. The Butter Chicken Masala is also favorite. I get it 'spicy' and my son steals some of that delicious sauce for his chicken kabob pieces. Both my kids love the bread. Real food with real flavor at an affordable price - makes this place is a treasure in Herndon for the last 25 years. The owners are so kind and genuine, and it's been wonderful to see the next generation stepping up as well. read more

Very friendly people and pleasant surroundings -- and they let my friend and me sit there for 3 hours socializing with no problem. The decorations of the former Afghan leaders are very cool. The naan and rice were good. The lamb kahari was also good, but even though we ordered it spicy, it was definitely toned down for the American palate. It was not very spicy and had much less ginger than any kahari I've ever had. And it was more of a stew than a stir fry. read more

Came here for some Afghan kabob and ordered the lamb chops. First this be Place was packed when I arrived on Friday night 11:00 PM. There was a wait of about an hour. I revived 3 large lamb chops and it was almost cooked to perfection except it was under cooked by about 20%. The portions of chops, rice and sauce they give is enough to feed 2 people comfortably. Would go here anytime I am in the area. The 4 stars is because of the order line is disorganized and really difficult to get your order with so many people waiting but the food makes up for the long wait. read more

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Charcoal Kabab is one of my old favorites! They have super good kababs with delicious sides! I ordered their Super Kabab Special today (Lamb, Chicken and Keema) with Spinach as my side. I also ordered their Mango Lassi. Everything was super delicious! I've been coming here for years, and it looks like the just celebrated their 25 year anniversary recently. Yay! read more

Charcoal Kabob - Super Kabab Special with Mango Lassi! Super Good! - Afghan Near Me - Herndon, Virginia

There are things to like about this place: - kabob meats are all tender and tasty. - naan is big, warm, and freshly made. Hummus is better than store bought but not as good as Cafesano, for example. - some decent side dishes, which you get a small cup of with each order. - It was ready at the counter in 12 minutes. There is way more not to like: - Everything is served on styrofoam and with single-use plastic forks and knives. Everything is single-use here. It's 2019, do your part. - The salad given with the kabob is really lame (picture attached). A few shreds of tasteless iceberg with one small sliver of tomato. - The small cup of yogurt sauce is almost completely tasteless but serves the purpose of allowing you some moisture to swallow the food. - kabob was lukewarm at best when served. - And this is more subjective but the dish just doesn't come together at all. You just eat a piece of meat, then tear a piece of dry naan, then pick up a plain shred of lettuce, then eat a plastic forkful of plain white rice. It's a really basic and odd, picnic-style presentation and nothing really goes together. Overall, the meat had a nice flavor, and if you just want some meat, rice and bread at $10-15, then you'll be good here. But if you're looking for a nice middle-eastern inspired kabob dish that's thoughtfully done and served more than picnic-style, I would pass on Charcoal Kabob. read more

Charcoal Kabob - Lamb and Chicken Kabob combo - Afghan Near Me - Herndon, Virginia

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I live close to this shopping center, and the food in this place is one of my favorite. The portions are more than reasonable with plenty of rice and bread. Although I think the portions have too much carbs, but I digress. The interior is dated and needs the help of a designer. Also I'd suggest investing a little more in a cleaner and regularly maintained bathroom. read more

Amazing The kabob is great. My wife wanted for some odd reason butter chicken at a kabob place (don't ask me why) but it was also great. So if your in the mood for kabob and something Indian I highly recommend. The meat was very juice and cook well. No idea what side I got but it was also very tasty. And definitely going back any time I'm craving a good kabob. read more

For the longest time, I've been eating lamb kabob at Grilled Kabob. Their lamb kabob has been my measuring stick when eating at other Mediterranean restaurants in the area. Charcoal Kabob lamb kabob is a bit tastier than Grilled Kabob. From a scale of 1 to 10, if Grilled Kabob's version is an 8.0, I rate Charcoal Kabob an 8.3 However, the biggest let down in Charcoal Kabob is the SMALLER serving of meat sizes compared to Grilled Kabob for the same price. The owner should seriously consider matching the meat sizes of Grilled Kabob if they really want to flourish. If you ask me if I come back, probably not, until they make their meat size the same as Grilled Kabob for the same price you pay. In that regard, Charcoal Kabob is a bit pricey because of the lesser quantity of meat you get. read more

Very good food and quick service. The staff are friendly and the meat was fresh. I have almost tried everything on the menu

We use to carry out food from here since it opened. The ambiance has always been shamble lacking any interior designer sense but their food and service has been constant making up for the ambiance. Unfortunately they have been using chilly way to liberally lately. We come knowing the food is spicy but slobbering chilly on food makes it unbearable to eat or for your customers to return back. You most definitely have lost old customers. Please keep chilly on the side not in your dishes. read more

The food was great and everything clean. I felt Covid safe. The Haleem was great and the service was good. Clean bathrooms and easy access read more

Charcoal Kabob - Afghan Near Me - Herndon, Virginia

The best kebab in northern Virginia it seems that the owner appreciates customer's business Since he cares so much read more

Finally tried this place after hearing about it for 10 years! I had their tandoori chicken and chickpeas... WOW. Amazing. It was cooked to perfection, juicy, and flavorful and I was amazed how reasonably priced everything was. I was also obsessed with their sauce! I will definitely try other things the next time I go! read more

We have a favorite kebob place in Arlington and hoped this would be as good. Unfortunately disappointing. Chapli was burnt and dry. The bread was alright. read more

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This place is great. Loved the chickpeas! I got the three meat combo and it was huge. Place has a great following and I will definitely be back! read more

Charcoal Kabob - 3 meat Combo 4(LambChickenKeema). Really good - Afghan Near Me - Herndon, Virginia

Friendly service, delicious food, good portions. The bread is nice and doughy and the lamb kebab was tender and flavorful.

Easily my favorite Kabob place in the NOVA area! Love the keema kabob! Great Samosa and Mango Lassi too.

The food here is literally amazing the chicken Kabob is seasoned so well and it comes out just perfect. I loved the chick peas and spinach as well! The bread is made fresh in a clay pot = delicious!!! The reason I gave them 4 stars versus 5 is the place is not the cleanest and the employee was wearing a mask improperly which I find annoying. read more

Eh, not great. The way the chicken looks you'd think it'd have tons of flavor, but no, none at all. Everything was pretty bland. Side of chickpeas and potatoes were not the flavor I was hoping for. Boyfriend said the lamb was okay. read more

Charcoal Kabob - Chicken Kabob - Afghan Near Me - Herndon, Virginia

I have been going to Charcoal Kebab since the early 90's. It is a wonderful family business, established by four brothers from Afghanistan. The food has always been outstanding and I can't recommend it highly enough. read more

Solid 3.5 stars for a meaty feast - lamb, keema, steak, and chicken kebabs with a side of spinach & garbanzo beans. My personal favorites were the steak, lamb & keema (ground meat) which I found super flavorful and juicy. Perfect with the buttery rice. The sides made me feel better about eating such a protein & carb heavy meal. They were really good, just not the best I've ever had! The spinach & garbanzo beans were a little more watery & oily for my preference. Did not have as much flavor as I expected. Stand-alone, great choice for Afghani food in the region. Super friendly service! Tip: Private lot for parking. Call ahead to order since kabobs are cooked on order and take about 10-15 min. read more

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We ordered a gyro platter with chickpeas and a veggie kabob with lentils. The gyro was good; a large portion that was tender and seasoned nicely. The chickpeas were flavorful. The veggie kabob was awful! It was a very dry, orange log that tasted nothing of veggies. I took one bite and saved the rest for my dog because I paid $11 and he will eat anything. Luckily the lentils were tasty and my husband's gyro platter was large enough to share. The "salad" on both platters was a very small pile of iceberg lettuce and a sliver of a tomato. The cashier was friendly but the little guy putting the sides in the bowls was not. read more

Everything I've had here over the years has been delicious. The only cooked spinach I like! Nice folks too. read more

Charcoal Kabob - Keema kebab on fluffy bread - Afghan Near Me - Herndon, Virginia

Probably on of the best Kabob joints in the region. We got 2 x Super Combo's and one Chicken Tandoori. The Tandoori was very smoky for my taste so wont do that again, however, the rest was really good. Side dishes of chick peas, spinach and lentils were spot on. We found our kabob place. Have you? read more

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After seeing Seab H.'s recent review - I knew I had to visit Charcoal Kabab soon - it's been on my "want to try" list for a long time. Had dinner here this evening - walked in amongst rapidly darkening and threatening skies - was about 85 degrees out when I walked in. Ordered the Lamb and Keema Kabob combo - which comes with rice, a side of iceberg lettuce with one cucumber slice, bread, and one side of your choice - I selected the spicy creamed lentils. And a bottle of cold water. Sat down to wait for my number to be called. I was one of the only Caucasian folks in there - lots of folks from various ethnicities came in for their Kabob fix - I figure they must be doing something right! When my order came up - I tasted the rice straight - kind of bland. Then I tasted the lentils. Wow! And spicy! I poured the lentils over the rice and now I have something even more delish! But the highlight were the Kababs. Man were they good. The lamb was as tender as I've ever had. Zero fat, zero gristle - just pure, tender lamb goodness! The Keema is a spiced ground beef based Kabob - very yummy and flavorful with a nice light char to it. There was no chemical lighter fluid taste as Jeff W. experienced - and no I've not yet experienced those places in Arlington that you like Jeff! :-) They do accept credit cards - paid with a Visa. Can't wait to come back and experience more of their menu! When I walked out the door to leave - it was pouring rain - and was 70 degrees out! The temperature dropped 15 degrees in less than 30 minutes! read more

Charcoal Kabob - Afghan Near Me - Herndon, Virginia

Have been coming here for years, and it's consistently good. Love the casual cafeteria like atmosphere. The kebabs are amazing... though I would echo a previous reviewer who said the chicken kebabs are not quite as flavorful as they look. But honestly, I would come here just for the bread and yogurt dip alone. Couldn't help but notice they recently took down all the pictures of the Afghan kings... hope this was not in reaction to the reviewer who whined about them. History is history, and I'd happily eat at a good American restaurant under a photo of Jimmy Carter or Donald Trump. read more

This hole-in-the-wall serves superb superb kabobs at a very reasonable price. The boy and I came by to pick up take-out for dinner. I mentioned that I thought this place could easily give Reston Kabob a run for its money, or even out-perform it. By the way he wolfed down the food, I'd guess that he'd agree. I think the quality of the food has already been expounded upon reasonably well. The portions on the kebabs are incredible. The value is superior. The only additional thing I could possibly ask for is that they served their kebabs with some zhoug (http://www.jewish-food.org/recipes/zhoug.htm). Fortunately, my surrogate mom gave me some of her homemade zhoug a few months ago and this was a perfect opportunity to break into it. One huge reason why I foresee myself being a staunch supporter of Charcoal Kabob is the friendliness of the staff. While we were waiting the 5-10 minutes for our kebabs to grill up, I noticed one of the guys behind the counter pulling apart dough and slapping it into a clay oven. I asked what kind of oven it was and got a thorough explanation on how it's a tandoor (oh, so that's what a tandoor is!), and whereas some places that serve naan sometimes explode in giant balls of flame because they use grease to cook with, Charcoal Kabob doesn't have that problem. The issue with grease and bread and ovens is that grease pools, and unless you clean it out regularly it can catch on fire and burn down buildings. With its two tandoors, Charcoal Kabob can make great fluffy naan bread without grease; instead, they can simply slap the doughy goodness up against the side of the clay, and when it's done it just peels right off with a little nudge. Thanks to Charcoal Kabob, I now have a better understanding of how their naan is so scrumptious and light. A big "yum" goes out to their spinach saag, too. I'll definitely be back for more! read more

Coming into the place, it's clean and cute. I picked the place because I was close by and had been craving kabob for awhile& it had good ratings; Unfortunately this is far from authentic, the rice is just buttery, chicken is as flavorless and dry as can be, and the salad is just sad, also they're white sauce isn't the best ever.... :'( However, on the bright side, the samosa was pretty good& my side spinach was too with just enough spice kick to it! read more

Food portions are a joke . Ordered chicken and lamb kabob combo . Lamb pieces were tiny . Waited almost 30 minutes for a meal that was expensive and meat portions ridiculous tiny . First and last time I will eat in this place read more

Cooked to order. Chicken was well marinated and tasted great. The meat was moist and tender. Place was clean, spacious inside with lots of tables. read more

Charcoal Kabob - Chicken & Keema kabab - Afghan Near Me - Herndon, Virginia

Kabobs restaurants are usually the same!! Same badness unfortunately!! Charcoal Kabob is really different! The kabob is very tasty and juicy! So many kabob options! They can handle all special requests , extras and add ons! Also they have a big variety of sides and all of them fresh and very tasty! The bread is amazing fresh and hot! Their staff are super friendly and they treat you nicely with a smile! I usually call and make my order over the phone in advance because I have no time to wait I recommend that place if you're in Herndon , Reston , Sterling and Ashburn Area! read more

Best kabob in town! Everyone I know in the area raves about this place, and for good reason. The food is consistently incredible & the price is really reasonable. 10/10 highly recommend! read more

I've been eating this yummy food since 2000, and it's still the best. Hope they stay around for years to come.

I have been a frequent customer at the Charcoal Kabob for the last 10 years. The food taste and quality has been consistently good. The staff are nice and welcoming. I am a bread lover and their bread is always fresh and great. read more

Wow - food and service were fantastic. The restaurant was clean. I cannot think of a single point of constructive feedback. This is my new favorite Afghan restaurant! read more

I have been getting food from here for years. Best kabob place ever. The spiced chickpeas are my fav and their chicken kabob is amazing!

My coworkers and I ordered ubereats from here. We all got chicken kabobs and one of us ordered a veggie platter. The platters are PLENTY of food and definitely bound to put you into food come especially at work. The food was really good and the order didn't take long at all. The naan(bread) they gave with the food was amazing and fresh out of the oven! My favorite thing about this place is that we asked for extra sauce and boy did we get it! Most places throw in two or some but these guys gave us sooooo much sauce it made the customer experience amazing! Definitely recommend. read more

Charcoal Kabob - Sauces - Afghan Near Me - Herndon, Virginia

Delicious. I should have written this review 10 years ago, mainly because this is one of the few restaurants in the area that has been so consistent in their flavors, portions and approach to meals. Meals are big. Meals taste fresh. The bread is not the flat pita style (which Moby Dick does a great job with, btw), it is thick, fluffy and tastes like it just rose in the brick oven. Everyone I know that has had the bread says it's unlike any other in the immediate area. Somehow it's both thick and fluffy. Amazing. Yogurt dipping sauce tastes like real yogurt mixed with lemon juice and a touch of mint. It's real, not out of some squirt bottle or in some packaged/foil-sealed plastic ramekin. The steak kabobs and chicken kabobs always taste like a hint of marinade, and nothing overwhelming or so distinct it would turn someone off. The Keema is spicy and juicy, but it's not overwhelmingly hot. If you have never had Haleem, here's your chance. It's medium spice, medium heat - and delicious with rice and bread. It's not so hot it's going to make your eyes water, but it's also definitely not for people that choose mild/no heat dishes. The lamb and beef gyro - which I just tried this last year despite having gone here for decades - is big, meaty and so tasty. These guys have been around since 1998 or so, at the same shopping center. I have been eating there for decades and they haven't cut corners or softened the vibrant tastes in their mixes, sauces and marinades. Try this place out. I can't imagine you won't be impressed. read more

Excellent quality food, generous portions, great selection of entrees and sides - the chickpeas! - keep us coming back again and again. Such a nice owner and staff that add to the pleasure of frequenting this restaurant. Our personal favs are the Lamb & Chicken Kabob Combo (feeds 2-3 of us) and the Butter Chicken Masala. There's enough sauce in the Butter Chicken to add an additional skewer of meat for $8 and you'll feed 2-3 people on this portion. read more

All items are more than wonderful in addition the brothers who own the place are so friendly and cannot praise them enough . Bread is fresh and made to order . No short cuts at all . read more