Omg what an experience…read more Truly some of the best food I've had in a very very long time. The shrimp dumplings really stole the show for me. They were melt in your mouth good and I really enjoyed that the shrimp was the main flavor I could taste in the filling. Sometimes that can get lost. The dough itself too was rich and full of flavor, as well as the sauce on it!!! The lamb tikka was also delicious. The lamb was cooked to absolute perfection and that paired with their rice? YUM!!!! The ambiance of the place was also super unique and cool, we got sat downstairs which I was a bit hesitant about because of the no windows but it was such a vibe and I really loved it. The service was fantastic. Our waiter gave us many recommendations and explained many dishes which was super helpful. Our table was always clean and our water cup always full. If you can come here I definitely recommend

Food was very good. Service was pleasant but waited too long for attention, drinks, food, etc. Not…read moreawful. Just too long. Noise is the biggest downer. We were in the basement. Could barely hear people at my table. We had three deserts. The pistachio cake was very good. The rice pudding was tasteless. Then there was this warm, gelatinous dome that I could not swallow. But the sliced almonds on top were okay. The people at the next table left without eating theirs. That should have been a clue. Also, make reservations.

Afghania won the 2024 best new restaurants award, and I can see why. The food was very tasty. We…read morestarted with the butternut squash appetizer and got one of the chicken based tomato stews for dinner. Both were well cooked and well flavored. The place itself is very cute and well decorated. Our server was helpful with giving suggestions based on gluten and dairy intolerances / allergies too. Their online menu also lists allergen info which is really helpful. They include an automatic 20% service charge to provide their workers with a fair wage. Topping is not expected on top of this.

This was my third time trying Afghan cuisine. Overall, compared to Persian and Lebanese food,…read moreAfghan dishes use spices more aggressively, featuring heavier flavor profiles.The main reason I came there was the assortment dumplings. In general, the food was unique and delicious but the service was disappointing. For food, I tried the following dishes: 1. Assortment dumplings: On the menu, "For X" means there are X pieces of each type of dumpling. I ordered "For 3". The pumpkin dumplings were my favorite. They were packed with sweetened and herbed mashed pumpkin. Paired well with the warm yogurt. The Aushaks had the mildest flavor overall, with just a hint of fragrance and sweetness from leeks. However, there was so little filling that I doubt if each dumpling had 1/10oz leeks... The Mantus were incredibly peppery-spicy. 2. Sabzi: A medley of leafy greens featuring spinach, kale, mustard greens, collard greens, turnip greens, cilantro, dill, and a tiny amount of green pepper slowly simmered for ~3 hours until it reached a texture of Saag in Indian cuisine. It tasted good. 3. Afghan Naan: Golden brown outside and fluffy inside. Served with (spicy) mint yougurt, spicy mango sauce, cilantro sauce and chii oil. However, I found some burnt piece in my Sabzi. I mentioned it to the staff and was told that it was "just" residue from the bottom of the pot that had charred from cooking too long and was "normal". Unacceptable. How could you serve the scrapings from the bottom of a pot to a customer!?

I've visited bistro aracosia twice. The food is always amazing and the service is also great…read more Everyone is kind and friendly. The bread comes out with four different sauces in the beginning which is nice. We got the assorted dumplings which were very flavorful and delicious. The lamb rack is to die for and the saffron chicken is also very good. I preferred the other two entrees over the lamb moghuli but it might be because I'm not a huge fan of the smoky flavor. The restaurant has a cozy and comforting atmosphere and is pretty quiet. Will be going back again:)

Perfection. Everything I have tried in this special Afghani restaurant is done perfectly…read more Delicious, fresh, beautifully presented, colorful, nice atmosphere and very clear and friendly in regard to vegan/ vegetarian and other dietary options. I highly recommend this restaurant to vegetarians and vegans. Excellent service and the food is truly mouth watering. I love their outdoor patio and they have heaters outdoor for cooler weather. A must try for sure! My general rating system: 1 star: I would stay away 2 stars: Has some good things about it but I generally don't recommend. 3 stars: Pretty good. I wouldn't go out of my way to go back but a decent place 4 stars: Great place. I would go back. 5 stars: I highly recommend stopping whatever you are doing and making plans to try it out! An Evie favorite!

Was visiting my friend in Glover Park and we were so excited to pop into Bonjon Rumi for a little…read moreappetizer. We got the Mantu, an Afghan dumpling with meat, yogurt, and lentils on top. These were delectable! The lentils reminded me of Indian chana dal - very savory and full of flavor. The service was speedy! The restaurant gets pretty crowded, but the food comes out hot and fresh. The ambiance is beautiful - lots of mood lighting/individual lamps at each table with some cultural elements. I cannot wait to come back and try their rice dishes! Do not miss out on this wonderful spot.

( This review is based on delivery via a third-service provider .... )…read more I ordered from here for Nowruz (Persian new year) -- and everything I received was very, very good! I say 'everything I received' because I didn't receive my drinks -- but the food was all great! The Chickpeas were well-cooked and flavourful, bathed in a tasty red sauce, the Buranee Bademjan eggplant was nice and soft plus super-tasty, and the salata added a nice crunch -- I ate mine along with the chickpeas, mixing some of each in my spoon, bite-by-bite. I do feel the salata was rather small for the price, and feel you -- the customer -- should know none these dishes do not come with rice or bread. It would be nice, I think, if this fact were written in the descriptions -- but apparently, those are AI-generated, or at least the one for the Chutney Sabz is, and it's definitely not what you get! The description says you get four things, but you only get one. Maybe I should've known that from the price, but I only figured it out later, after I'd gotten it. It wasn't clear to me, because I saw both names and photos of four different things and they all sounded so good! It was still rather perfect. It was nice to not have leftovers, too! It's not that I wanted the rice or bread, by the way -- I didn't -- but it's just nice to know in advance what you're getting, with clarity! I do highly recommend this place!

Awesome!! Very…read moreTender proteins--we had beef kabadeh kabob, lamb kabob, a wrap, sambosa, mantu? Rich, warm flavors. Expertly cooked basmati rice. Interesting eggplant dish Generous portions. The fried dumpling sambosa-- really tasty! Felafel like insides. Flaky crisp skin-yummy!! The food is stellar! See pics below Super nice counter lady. You place your order, find yourself a table and pick up your food when they call your number. That's the ambiance. I'm down with that!! 5/5 highly recommend!!

If you're considering eating here I say do it! This place is amazing, the food is delicious, and…read morethe inside of the restaurant itself is cute. I had the manto and the qabili pallow and they both blew me away especially the pallow. Friendly staff and the service was really quick. I also really love the location of the restaurant its a really cute area.

Came for the Sheeryakh, but had such delicious, authentic Afghan food! I'd give 4.5 stars for some…read moreconstructive modifications to make in the future related to service, but overall amazing food! I left with a full belly and a happy heart. Got a combo of chicken kabob and shami kabob along with a side of their borani banjan/eggplant dish. The eggplant was honestly one of my favorite things- it's a must get in my opinion. Homey dish with incredible flavors! Their naan is fresh and pairs well with it. The chicken was good, but I've had better honestly. The shami was a little disappointing as I expected more flavor and it was slightly dry, but good. Their rice was so tasty and I loved the sweetness coming from the carrots an raisins. Of course, the sheeryakh was great- quite a big portion for one person, but I loved the texture. It tastes very similar to the Indian/South Asian/Pakistani ice cream, "Kulfi." CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK: Service needs improvement. The whole time I was there I had to keep looking for waiters to make eye contact with to ask for menu, water, paying, etc. It took about 10 min or more for me to have to call a busy waiter over just to look at the menu- no one came over on their own. Things just took time for a Saturday night- plus they were hosting an event on top of this. Needless to say, I've never had service like this, but the vibe and food made me be not as harsh. Despite the service, this place is a must try for authentic Afghan cuisine. Can't wait to try more of their menu (and the borani banjan again) in the future!

The chicken bowl was amazing. Friend loved the spinach and we got the chickpea. The star of the…read morenight was the eggplant dish! We have had it at other restaurants but this place topped it!! Way too stuffed to get dessert but the ice cream looked phenomenal!

Aracosia has been a stellar Afghani food staple for Northern VA since they opened. Their tender…read moreLamb shanks--both Sabzi and Moghuli are hit with family and out of state visitors. So is the Vegetarian platter and tasting menu, aushak, quroti, and turnovers. You cant go wrong with saffron rice or the rice with carrots and raisins. Enough reviews already mention the four dips and soft bread, a cross between middle eastern bread and focaccia. Non alcoholic drinks are not an after thought, the sour cherry rose lemonade is liked by kids, adults, and seniors. Service is warm and welcoming, the Rumi quotes on the walls and turkish lamps add to the ambience, parking is easy and aplenty. A few tips: 1. Go for the lunch menu if you are feeding a large group. It is cheaper. Or consider making the trek to where it all started, Afghan Bistro in Springfield. 2. Ask for the daily selection of cakes. The pistachio and cardamom are the best, not too sweet, light, moist, and fragrant. Of course we devoured the food before taking pictures but a couple attached.

Overall it was a good experience! We absolutely loved the bread and the difference sauces that…read morewent with it. The pumpkin dumplings and pan fried veggie filled dumplings were great as well. I thought my salmon wrap and the chickpea side was ok. Interesting flavors for sure. As for the service, there was always someone filling up our waters and our waiter was very nice checking in every now and then. The only downside of the experience is at the end when the waiter was boxing up all the food for us. Very sweet that they do this but when boxing up my partners food, they only boxed up the rice and they got rid of the lamb that he was looking forward to eating more of later. So that was kind of a disappointment for us. I think if we go again, we would request to box our food ourselves since I'm not sure why they decided to get rid of all of his lamb.

My husband, eight month old baby and myself thoroughly enjoyed the food here. We both ordered the…read morebeef kabob platters, which came with a saucy chickpea soup (unsure what it's actually called), a piece of bread, rice, salad and the beef kabob. Ordering was easy and the kind lady at the front was helpful when we were trying to figure out what we wanted. The food was delightful. The chef even came out personally to see if we were enjoying the meal, which we very much were! Even the eight month old was loving bits of the bread, chickpeas and steak. The seating area itself was pretty clean and had a high chair for the baby. The soda fountain is currently out of order, but they do have bottled sodas and waters. I would 100% eat here again as the prices are reasonable and the food is delicious!

Food was excellent. We had hummus , lamb over rice with salad plate & a gyro . Order at counter and…read more choose a table . The lighting was harsh, music loud ( some kind of droning pop ) and not very cozy. With a few small changes decoratively it would be more comfortable. Felt like a cafeteria . The food was spiced perfectly, rice cooked to perfection. Could jazz up the side salad a bit . Fountain soda machine was broken , but there were available bottles in fridge for sale . Turn down the lights & music . Add a few decorative touches & it will be more cozy !

I've been here twice now in the past month. I absolutely love it. I got the Kabuli Meat platter the…read morefirst time, and the Uzbeki Pulao the second. Both excellent dishes with rich slow cooked spiced lamb shanks, and sumptuous rice. My friend went for a mixed veggie option and the flavors in his dishes were just as exciting. The salted lassi was great too. It's a good 15minute walk from my office, but worth the trek compared with all the boring sandwich and salad places that are closer, or the more expensive restaurants in between. The staff are also really lovely.

I was a bit disappointed by Kabuli Pulao as I was excited to try an Afghani restaurant near my job…read more I just got the buffet, which was advertised as $19.99 for lunch. The buffet options were less (6-8 dishes) than I expected but still had rice, plenty of chicken dishes and lentils. Overall, the food was fine but the prices seemed more than advertised. More notably, the service was nonexistent. There was no offer of water or any other service that I would've liked.

I came here for my 30th birthday celebration and all I can say is WOW- what a way to ring in a new…read moredecade. I left feeling full, grateful, and with a new love for middle eastern cuisine. The service was impeccable- the waitress and sommelier were both extremely friendly and knowledgeable. Nadia, our waitress, offered suggestions about what dishes would pair well together for the tawle experience and shared her favorites. The sommelier went over the extensive wine list and helped us pick a nice red that paired well with our chosen dishes- it was called Yacoubian Hobbs from Armenia. The ambiance was comfortable and welcoming- you could dress up or down, pretty much anything goes! The walls are lined with colorful patterns and draped tapestries to create a high end living room vibe. Now for the fun part- THE FOOD! The first dishes brought out were the mouneh (pickled veggies), the honey soaked dates, and the three spreads (we selected the hummus with lamb on top for an additional $15, havuc, and beet borani). I'll add that they continuously bring out fresh, warm pita throughout the whole meal. The lamb hummus was savory and well-balanced, but very rich. The havuc had a beautiful lightness from the carrots and I loved the textural element of the crispy onions on top. The beet borani also added a welcomed freshness throughout the meal and was vibrant, light, and had wonderful yogurt flavors. The underrated dish were the pickled veggies because INSANE. I used these in bites during the entire meal and they all had a unique flavor as if they were each pickled in a special way- my favorites were the white radish and scallions. The honey dates were a sweet palette cleanser and cut through the savory elements of the meal. We continued on with the next round consisting of the field lettuce salad, the three condiments (we chose the toum, chermoula, and harissa), halloumi, omani shrimp, and chickpeas. The field lettuce salad had a zesty vinaigrette and I appreciated the acidity addition of the sliced oranges and the crunchy, salted pistachios. The toum was a garlicky aioli that I felt was best paired with the chickpeas- although all the dips were delicious with all the dishes and the pita. The harissa was a lighter version than I am used to, spicy, and paired well with the veggies and ribeye. The chermoula was my favorite and paired best with the ribeye- it reminded me of a flavorful and herbaceous chimichurri. The halloumi had a sweet honey and was grilled perfectly, paired with nice crunchy nuts. The chickpeas had a lovely consistency and were well seasoned- I think it was sumac, but whatever it was, I couldn't get enough. The shrimp were ONE OF MY FAVORITE dishes from the whole meal. They were juicy, seasoned perfectly, charred, and just chefs kiss. I enjoyed them with the chermoula and squeeze of lime. The main dishes and veggies came during our final (besides dessert) round. We ordered the sayadieh as part of the table experience and also added a ribeye to the order. We had ordered the charred carrots, but they accidentally brought us the wildflower honey zucchini instead, so we were lucky enough to be able to try both. The branzino (sayadieh) absolutely blew my mind. It was citrusy, spicy, seasoned with bright spices, and incredibly moist. I would honestly skip the ribeye- it was cooked to a nice medium rare and had a nice flavor, but I don't think it compared to the rest of the meal. The charred carrots were spicy, cooked soft- also one of the standouts. The zucchini was served beautifully and I enjoyed the sauce, but could also skip next time. We ended the meal with the bitter orange sorbet and the chocolate mousse. The sorbet was a nice palette cleanser as it had zest in the mix and was very light after the heavy meal. The chocolate mousse was very rich and had a new balance of chocolate and peanut flavors. They brought over complimentary glasses of champagne to celebrate my birthday as well :) I cannot wait to come back to try more of the menu and I am so happy to have had a diverse taste of the Middle East. I'll also add that we had a HUGE bag of leftovers that lasted several meals and they packaged it up like true professionals. A food lover completely satisfied and eager to get back :)

A popular spot near Adams Morgan. The restaurant features Middle Eastern grilled food. In fact,…read morethere were several fire grills in the center of the first floor of the restaurant (it has two floors), and you can see the staff constantly grilling the meats, fish, vegetables and pita. This, together with the dark vibe, made me feel as if I were eating with ppl. from B.C. in a cave. Very interesting. I like that. For food, I got the Carrot Havuc, Omani Shrimp and Halloumi. But first I was served with some freshly made whole wheat pita. They were soft, chewy and earthy. The Carrot Havuc was basically a carrot+garlic puree. Very silky, refreshingly sweet, and a bit sour. The sourness may come from the garlic and lemon. Paired well with the pita and meats. The Omani shrimp came with 5 pieces, each shrimp was ~1oz so it was not very filling. The shrimp were meaty, fresh, juicy, though I wish it could be less salty, even if I already asked for less salt. The shrimp was said to be marinated with dried lime and tamarind but I could only taste the flavor of dried lime. The Halloumi cheese was brushed wild flower honey and topped with Egyptian dukkah, then baked until the outside was golden brown. It was salty and sweet, and the (tons of) sesame seeds added some fragrance to it. However, the peanut was too roughly chopped so that they fell off from the cheese when I slice it, and thus difficult to eat with the cheese. Service was not worth the 20% mandatory tip. For example, when I asked about the sourness of the Carrot Havuc, he did not know why and said he would "taste it and let me know where the sourness came from". Unfortunately, he did not tell me until I asked again when doing the check (I doubt if he tasted it in the first place). Neither did he ask me about the other dishes. Overall, the dishes were great but not impressive, and was mostly heavily flavored. The service could be improved.