Sarah our server was so kind. She checked on us multiple times throughout the evening. It was pretty busy on a Friday night. Shared the beef kebab entree with the pumpkin, yogurt and meat sauce dish and a side of spinach. I like how the restaurant is tucked in the corner of a strip mall and non descript from the outside. On the inside it's bustling and usually a small wait (cuz people love it here) read more

Kabul Afghan Cuisine - Firnee - Afghan Near Me - San Carlos, California

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We've been coming to Kabul Afghan Cuisine for over 12 years and my dad has been coming for more than 30. This place is part of our family history. I came in this past Saturday (in the rain and recovering from surgery) because I just needed to be at my favorite restaurant. The moment we walked in, they greeted us warmly and still remembered us, even though we hadn't been in for about three years. That kind of care means everything. The food is unmatched. The lamb is incredible. The potato appetizer with the meat sauce is our all-time favorite. The shrimp on the combination skewers are huge and full of flavor. The warm bread and perfectly cooked rice make every meal feel comforting and special. The service is amazing, the family who owns it is so kind, and the whole place has a welcoming, homey vibe. There is no Afghan food around here that compares. This will always be our favorite spot for special occasions. If you haven't been here yet, you're missing out. read more

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I cannot recommend this restaurant enough! The food here is absolutely amazing! The kebabs here are cooked to perfection and are served with bread and rice to soak up the flavor from the kebabs. I also highly recommend kadu, the combination of pumpkin, yogurt?, and meat sauce is delightful! To round it off the firnee was a wonderful dessert creamy with slivers of almond, spiced with cinnamon, and deliciously floral! The service is also absolutely amazing! Everyone is extremely friendly and willing to chat (assuming it's not too busy). The decor is also absolutely beautiful, one side of the restaurant is filled with paintings and traditional clothes from Afghanistan and the other side has large windows that let in a lot of natural light! read more

We love coming to Kabul in San Carlos. The food is consistently delicious, and the service is always excellent. Everything arrives hot and quickly, which makes the experience even better. Freddy and Mariam are incredibly friendly and attentive--they truly make you feel welcomed. My son even said, "Mom, this place is fancy!" It's definitely one of our favorite spots. read more

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Still love this place! The service is always so warm and spot on with their recs. The bread that comes with most dishes is one of my favorite parts: soft, fluffy, and fragrant - it's a great sponge for some of the saucier dishes. Really liked the bulanee and loved the super sweet firnee dessert. They cook lamb really well here, though I like the saucier dishes more than the lamb kebab. Portion sizes are generous, and I like how the cover of the menu is just a map - quite informative. Can't wait to come back! read more

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Finally gave this place another try and they did better this time, although I did not order the same thing. Walked in around 7 pm on a Friday for a party of 2 and was seated immediately. We ordered the mantoo appetizer $12, skewer of kubida a la carte $18, lawang $25, sabsi challaw $25. All the food was good and high quality. Asked for no added salt, butter, ghee, and nothing was salty. Portions were reasonable considering the price. The kubida seemed a bit overpriced though. The main dishes included a big serving of basmati rice and Afghani bread. Service was pretty good. Food came out quickly. Large sized restaurant, clean, not too noisy. Easy pairing in the big parking lot read more

Kabul Afghan Cuisine - skewer of kubida a la carte, lawang, sabsi challaw - Afghan Near Me - San Carlos, California

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I stopped by for lunch. The place was busy but there were seats left. I got seated right away. Kadu was an excellent dish. It was pumpkin dish with yogurt and lamb. I also went for chefs special appetizer platter which was 3 appetizers together, so was good value. Sambosa, Bulanee and Aushak were the appetizers. All were really flavorful. Quabili pallaw was my entree. It was a milder dish but full of raisins and flavor. I liked it. Finally I washed down food with a rose lassi, which was really nice as well. read more

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Really big portions! I feel like one entree can feed two people. We got the beef and lamb kabob combo and karavee! Both came with rice, bread, and sauce! I would recommend getting the karavee it's really good and hearty. The service was great and the waiter answered any questions we had! also get the pudding for dessert! read more

Kabul Afghan Cuisine - Afghan Near Me - San Carlos, California

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Excellent food and spectacular service. Love going to this restaurant. All the meals are consistently delicious.

This place is easily one of my favorite restaurants in the Bay Area. The quality here is just exceptional, and that's why I keep coming back! Everything I've tried here tastes so good. The spices are perfectly balanced, the meat is tender, and the rice is flavorful and fluffy. Plus, the staff are really friendly and helpful, and the restaurant is always clean. My goal is to try all the items on the menu, that's how much I love this place! read more

Kabul Afghan Cuisine - Karayee - Afghan Near Me - San Carlos, California

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I was curious about Afghan food so I decided to make a visit to this restaurant since it had very high ratings. When I first arrived, the staff greeted us to our tables and gave us a menu right away. To my surprise the menu had so many unique dishes that I have never heard of. Per the waiters recommendation, I got the lamb/beef kebab plate, the trio appetizer, and the curry stew dish (Lawang). The lamb kebab were really tasty and well seasoned however, the beef was dry and not that great. I really enjoyed the trio appetizer and the Lawang as well. One thing that made me rate this poorly was the dishonesty. I was debating to get the tea due to the sweetness so the waiter offered to give me a sample to try before ordering. After trying the tea, I did not really enjoy it so I did not order the tea. However, after explicitly saying that she is letting us sample it, she goes and charges us without any notice. I do not appreciate this type of dishonesty, if there was a charge, she should have disclose that. Overall, my experience was negative because of this reason. read more

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Finally visited this place after hearing so much about it and it exceeded my expectations! First of all, plenty of parking spaces. Second of all, very nice interior design choices, reflect the cuisine very well in my opinion. Thirdly, the service and the food were both outstanding! The menu looked so nice I could not choose for a while but did decide on the combination or lamb and salmon kebab. The rice, the bread, the meat, the appetizer were all 10/10. Will be back and highly reccomend! read more

Kabul Afghan Cuisine - Kabul's Combination Kabab (2 different skewers) - Afghan Near Me - San Carlos, California

My family and I drove from Turlock CA to come visit. (About 2 hours away) I've had the pleasure of tasting the food before but this was my first in person experience and it was a great one! We were seated right away and were introduced to the staff that would be assisting us. I really enjoyed the atmosphere which was really inviting and cozy. We Started with appetizers we had the Kadu, Burenee Badenjan, and Bulanee. They were all so delicious and had a hey feature to them as the kadu shined with the pumpkin and the burenee's eggplant with the crispiness of the edge was perfect! Our children really enjoyed the bulanee. For entrees we got Shrimp, Salmon, Beef, and lamb. The seafood was particularly my favorite of the bunch. The salmon was cooked really well and the shrimps were huge! The beef was cooked medium rare which is our preferred way to be served, very juicy and tender. For dessert my wife ordered the Firnee which she loved with the pistachio and cinnamon topping. Our kids had the sherryah which to my suprised they both enjoyed. Usually the girl only likes cookies and crème while the boy likes almost exclusively strawberry flavored ice cream. For me I had a cup of tea which was a pink chai that was the perfect way to end my dinner. Thank you Mechelle for taking great care of my family!!! read more

Kabul Afghan Cuisine - Afghan Near Me - San Carlos, California

Came here with two friends after CreoLa weirdly couldn't even be bothered to give us waters to drink for 20 mins. The main dining area was nearly full by the time we finished up around 7 (early dinner). Never tried Afghan food before but it was delicious! Really loved the turnover and steamed dumpling apps, not so much the fried one. Got the kebabs and lawang (chicken curry looking kind of thing). Service was pretty attentive and we got the lawang after the waitress recommended it to us. The lawang was so good with the plain rice. The beef kebab was better seasoned than the lamb (got the combo to try). Must order the cardamom tea to go with everything! read more

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Delicious and a wonderful experience. Super nice family environment. Next time I want to try the Kebab Plate (healthy style, no rice) read more

Kabul Afghan Cuisine - Aushak - Afghan Near Me - San Carlos, California

Delicious flavor profiles where every bite is delicious. Best dish is their Mater Challah, which has a nice sauce that melds well with the rice and the meat is tender. Their Pakawra-E-Badanjen appetizer of eggplant with the sauce was fantastic. Lamb kebobs were delicious and better than the beef kebobs, which felt a little overcooked, but the slow cooked meat in the challah led to some tender food and flavors. Service is fast and attentive and the dining space has plenty of room with fine silverware, glasses, cloth napkins, and tablecloths. read more

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Thanks to some dear friends for recommending this place to me. Joined them recently for dinner. Located right on El Camino in San Carlos on the border of Belmont is this nice little place. The fist time I went I thought, this is a highly unusual place for Persian food. Soon to find out that I was totally wrong. This is not Persian food, this is Afghani food, how could I be so uncultured. But you know, at first sight, perhaps one would confuse it. I would say this place is quite a nice place to encounter and try the food and culture of Afghanistan. All that said, I would be like to be candid on what I liked and perhaps what I did not care for. Lets start with the positives 1 Nice and clean atmosphere 2 Friendly servers that seem to be part of the same family 3 Nice presentation of food and tastes 4 Very informative on the foods and what to expect 5 They try to be accommodating Now for the negatives :-( 1 Too busy of a location strip mall with crowded parking 2 Too much noise and once you get your food the checking in is minimal till the end 3 Pricing point and value is a bit expensive. For me, for dinner and one glass of wine and coffee, no dessert with tip was 55.00, I think that is expensive. 4 Not as flavorful as Persian cuisine in my opinion, however its not Persian, though they speak Farsi. :-) or technically Fari an Afghani Persian. Will I come back, of course I will, but its not the most inexpensive place to dine. I will say in closing that you should at least once experience Kabul for sure. I mean after all, there are not too many Afghani restaurants around. read more

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One word: yes. I came here with friends per one of their recommendations, and I think I've found a new favorite restaurant. The dumplings with yogurt sauce were addicting, and the vegetarian platter did not skimp on any flavor despite being vegetarian. I especially loved the spinach one, and kept spooning that on some basmati rice. Seriously, I've been dreaming about that spinach since I last came here. The Afghani bread it comes with is so fluffy too, and I think I'm drooling just thinking about it again LOL. Will 100000% be back. read more

Kabul Afghan Cuisine - Vegetarian platter - Afghan Near Me - San Carlos, California

Food was an experience I can't really describe, you have to go and try it for yourself. As soon a the rice hits your taste buds you are transported to another world. The lamb is so tender and just cooked in a flavorful stew that I was eager to dip my bread in. My mouth is watering just thinking about it lol. The server we had was very nice and answered a bunch of questions on the menu, even suggested items we might like which we really did. I would absolutely go check them out, they been there for a long time and i understand why. We will be back. All in all great time and everyone left happy and full. read more

It's an authentic Afghan restaurant with great variety of delicious fresh healthy cuisine. Good selection of meats, fish, poultry, rice and veggies available. No pork. 'Gooshefeel' (sweet cracker) is so 'sugery' and dry. Kabobs grilled per order. Good quality food and a bit pricy. Friendly and responsive staff. Great for groups, meetup, gathering and couples. Accessible with flat entry. Located in a plaza with free parking lot. read more

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It's been 8 years since my last review, but this spot definitely deserves one. As a picky Afghan eater, I can honestly say this restaurant checks all the boxes. From the moment I walked in, I was greeted by the owner's mother, who instantly made me feel like I was at my auntie's house -- warm, sweet, and so welcoming. Now, the food. My friends and I started with mantu and fried eggplant appetizers, and they were so good we cleared the plates. For my main course, I went with the chicken and beef kabob plate. The kabobs were massive (no complaints there) and came with yogurt salad and hummus -- every bite was perfect. To top it off, the owner Mechelle was kind enough to let us sample the pumpkin dish, which was absolutely amazing. And dessert? Ice cream flavored with cardamom, pistachio, and rose water -- the perfect finish. By the end, I was so happy I almost threw my wallet at them and told them to take all my money (kidding... but you get the point). If you've never tried Afghan food, or you're just craving a fresh, flavorful meal with generous portions, this is the place. Highly recommend! read more

Kabul Afghan Cuisine - Afghan Ice cream - Afghan Near Me - San Carlos, California

I usually don't leave reviews but had to do one for Kabul. I really like this place. I believe it is family owned as my waitress mentioned that during my last visit. The service is always great, and everything I have tried has been delicious. Would definitely recommend trying the chefs platter if you're not sure what to try because it includes Sambosa, Aushak, and Bulanee Katchalu so you get to try three appetizers and they are all delicious. Make sure you get a side of the yogurt dressing in addition to the green sauce they give you , our waitress brought that out last time and now I always order it. Other dishes are great as well, the chicken karayee is another favorite, as well as lawang or matar challaw. Also the bread is delicious to soak up all the sauces. Give this place a try! read more

Kabul Afghan Cuisine - Afghan Near Me - San Carlos, California

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I've been here several times over the years and each time is amazing. The food is delicious, I highly recommend the eggplant and the PUMPKIN (so so so good Michelle recommended it and it was mind blowing), salmon kebab and finish with the cardamom tea (bonus points if you try their ice cream) The real highlight is the staff. Michelle and her mom are so welcoming, they treat you like family whether it's your first time or your 6th time visiting. All the staff will help with recommending their favorite dishes or explaining the menu, sauces etc. The dining experience is so welcoming, the food is amazing and they can accommodate to large groups and kids as well. read more

Kabul Afghan Cuisine - Tea and ice cream - Afghan Near Me - San Carlos, California

14 years later and I am still ordering the same dishes Lawang, seriously you have to order this, it is amazing!!! Everyone that I recommend this to loves this dish. You can get kabobs almost anywhere, maybe not as good as here, but nowhere nearby can you get Lawang!!!! And yes, we always start out with the Kadu, sweeeeet pumpkin! Prices have risen over the years and it doesn't include salad anymore, but we are still regulars and we are still ordering from the same friendly wait staff as we did 14 years ago!! read more

Having lived in The Peninsula for a decade, I tend to forget that Kabul is around. I've gotten take out from here a few times and have dined in once or twice, but the place was never busy. Boy was I surprised when we decided to dine here last Saturday night! I'd never seen the parking lot or the restaurant that full before. So glad to see that Kabul is thriving! There were other patrons waiting, but we only waited about 20 minutes for a table. We ordered the aushak (leek and spring onion raviolis topped with yogurt and lamb meat sauce), kadu (sauteed pumpkin topped with yogurt and lamb meat sauce), lawang (chicken breast cooked in a sauce with mushrooms, onions, cilantro and garlic), and mater challaw (lamb cooked with peas, oinons and tomatoes). The entrees were served with Afghani bread, similar to focaccia, and basmati rice. All the food was delicious! My favorite was definitely the lamb. The lamb was very tender and the sauce was so flavorful. They have a lamb dish made with spinach that I'd like to try next time. I also ordered a glass of Super Tuscan, while my husband ordered a cab. Both wines paired well with the food and weren't super expensive. Overall, it was a very enjoyable meal and service was great! Happy to support local businesses! read more

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We went there for a birthday lunch. There were four of us. The place was not that busy. The service was not that great. Everyone ordered what they wanted lamb kebabs and other things. I ordered a dish lamb with spinach smothered. I ate one piece of meat and some of their bread. Took the rest home and had it for dinner. While I was eating the meat, It dawned on me it didn't taste like lamb. Lamb has a distinct taste. It was beef smothered with spinach, So that was very deceiving in using beef over lamb. I felt I got ripped off eating at Kabul. That reputation goes a long ways with me telling other people. You can't cheat people out of substituting meat products . Margaret read more

Every dishes I had were super delicious. Any meat lovers should not miss this restaurant.

From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with warm smiles and welcoming energy from the staff. it instantly set the tone for a great dining experience. The food was amazing. Every bite was a flavor bomb. You can tell the ingredients are high quality and the dishes are made with love. The staff were attentive and super knowledgeable, genuinely kind, and clearly proud of the food they serve. They made us feel like regulars, even on our first visit. I can't recommend this place enough. Whether you're out for date night, catching up with friends, or just craving something truly special, this spot will blow you away. Can't wait to come back! read more

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3 stars for food, 3.5 stars for service. Came here for a weekday lunch, it was pretty busy (large restaurant was half filled). I think the flavors were there but the kubida/kubideh isn't as tender and juicy as Kamdesh in Oakland. The chicken was a bit dry. The bread tasted like focaccia. The salad tasted as it looked, thought it was a good value to get some greens in. I wanted to like it but mostly it made me want to go back to Kamdesh. Large portions, really friendly and attentive staff though. read more

Kabul Afghan Cuisine - Kubida Kabab, chicken, not sure about the bowl but it was delicious - Afghan Near Me - San Carlos, California

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This was a stellar dining experience from the minute we walked thru the door. With a warm genuine greeting, to white tablecloths, to a professional, and warm wait staff that immediately helped us select and customize our orders to our liking (including special plates for my companion with special food requirements, this place delivered on it all. No QR codes, no busy and noisy environment, just a nice/fine dining experience with delicious food, served with a warm smile, with an elegant, old-school graciousness that i have missed. The cuisine and dishes were excellent, the bread perfect, dipping sauces yummy, and of course lamb kabobs and vegetables hit just the right mark for me. All in all a very special place -with genuine hospitality and culinary quality. Great value in a dining experience. read more

My family has been coming to this place for large, family celebrations for years! They are very accommodating to large groups. They're very kind and thoughtful, and do whatever they can to make our experience amazing. My dad came in tonight with a broken leg, and they made sure his foot was raised and made him very comfortable. Let's get to the reason why we're here- the food! Their food is always delicious. If I could recommend anything, it's their pumpkin and fried eggplant appetizers! Both dishes are serviced with a yogurt sauce and ground beef, and they are DELICIOUS. I personally make sure to fill up on those two appetizers. Their mains are very large portions and very filling. You could even order one main for two people to share. They have meat or shrimp on skewers, served with rice and bread. It's really good. Highly recommend! read more

I came with a large party and we ordered a bunch of different items and shared family style. The appetizers were very good and it got our hopes up for the restaurant. However, we were not big fans of the entrees. Some of the meat tended to be very dry. Their portions are very large and are good to share but it can be difficult, as many of their items have lamb. The service is very friendly and accommodating as well. I will say that the bread is really good, as well as the pumpkin read more

I can't quite give it 5 stars but a solid 4.5 stars. It has a nice spacious dining area. The service is always super nice. The food is just divine. The chicken, shrimp, kadu, gulpi, badenjan, lamb. The bread and the various sauces. There isn't one dish here that I have had that I don't like. It gets busy for lunch sometimes, which says a lot since it's not on a main drag. And definitely can also get busy at dinner time. We love the food here! read more

If I could give this place more than five stars, I would. From the moment you walk in, everything just feels right. The staff here will treat you like a regular even if it's your first time, and the service throughout the entire meal was attentive, warm, and genuinely enthusiastic. You can tell the people working here actually love what they do. Now let's talk about the food, because it absolutely deserves its own spotlight. Every dish that came to our table was bursting with flavor and the portions? Enormous. We're talking real, generous, feed your soul type servings that actually leave you satisfied. No skimping here whatsoever. What really sets this place apart is that it's worth going out of your way for. Don't let distance be your excuse. Whether you're five minutes away or forty five, make the drive. You will not regret it. We came from out of the area and it was one of the best dining decisions we've made in a long time! On top of everything else, parking is a total non issue. There's a convenient garage nearby so you can skip the stress of circling the block and just focus on enjoying your experience from start to finish. Do yourself a favor and go. Bring your family, bring your friends, bring a date. Just go. Highest possible recommendation!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ read more

Terrific Afghani food. We've been eating there for years (at least 15) but finally reviewing. Kadu is the first time I've liked pumpkin and is amazing. Lawang, quabilli and kebabs are fantastic. read more

My first time to an Afghan restaurant and it didn't disappoint! We had for apps the SAMBOSA-E-GOUSHTI and MASHAWA (lentil soup). The sambosa's were really good and they came with a yummy vinegar based chutney! I'm not a big lamb person, but the lamb didn't taste "lamby"! The soup was OK. For dinner, we had the chicken skewers, which were really good, and the lawang (kinda like an Afghan version of chicken Tikka masala), which was also really good! Both dishes came with rice and bread, and we had the pumpkin as a side dish. My bf ordered us chai tea and firnee for desert, the firnee was very yummy! It's similar to a rice pudding that was garnished with cinnamon and pistachio. The restaurant was pretty busy and the service was really good! Before I could even ask for more soda or chutney, they were asking me if I wanted more! read more

Kabul Afghan Cuisine - Sambosa-e-Goushti and Mashawa - Afghan Near Me - San Carlos, California

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I am in shock of the service and lack of professionalism my family received tonight!!!. We made a reservation for 7 people, but due an unfortunate circumstance 2 of the party members weren't able to make it and the reservation was 5. While there we could hear Michele's mother, husband and other staff complaining about us, this is truly unacceptable. We have been coming to Kabul for over 30 plus years and have NEVER being treated like this. We have always been polite and generous with compliments. We have had many large parties and we have never been so humiliated as we were tonight. The waitress was also rude and disrespectful. It is unacceptable for this kind of behavior, and from the owners! I am saddened by this and very disappointed, since they have lost a loyal patron and any future referrals I would have made. I do not know why the owners of a restaurant would treat clients this way, there are so many options my family could choose from and so many places that would not have been so rude. Michelle, I am so sorry you were not there and that your family treated my family so poorly. read more

Quick take: Great all around Kabul is a nice restaurant in San Carlos. The staff are all attentive and friendly. The portions are large. We had plenty of leftovers. Food and rice are flavorful. My favorite dish is the Vegetarian Platter. read more

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Probably the best service I've experienced in the Bay Area. I started with the mantoo, hot lamb dumplings with a yogurt sauce on top. They brought me their homemade green chutney, which was spicy but perfect for the mantoo. For my main, they are known for their lamb, so I ordered the matar with a request for the flavored rice pallaw (instead of the white rice challaw). I finished off with the firnee, the cardamom scented almond pudding to cleanse the palette. Overall such a cozy and welcoming atmosphere that I will bring my entire family back to! read more

Great restaurant for families. I've been coming for 20+ years and it's always great! Food is consistent, tasty, and reasonably priced. The bread is so yummy as well. My kids love the bread so much and they sent us home with bunch of bread to take home free of charge! Love the hospitality. I'll keep coming back for years to come! read more