This fairly new Afghan restaurant is located in a residential area of Astoria, which is great since there was plenty of metered parking. I was really surprised when I entered the restaurant because there were only two customers in the dining room, and absolutely nobody to greet me. I stood there for a little while but still, nobody came out. I had made reservations for 8 ppl, so I just grabbed a menu and seated myself at a table for 8. Well .... Turns out that their wonderful employee, Manuel, was a jack of all trades! He was the server, and the cook, and everything in between! Give that hard working man a raise! Kudos to Manuel for doing a wonderful job, with a smile on his face the entire time! Honestly, I would have been a big ole grump if I had to hustle that hard. lol The owner showed up towards the end of our meal, so Manuel did eventually get some help. Great service & hospitality! Again, Kudos to Manuel! The rest of my party arrived, and we placed our order. The food came out at a nice pace, and the food was delicious! We ordered all of our Afghan faves. Menu shared by 4 ppl: -- Mantu (steamed beef dumplings) 4/$8: these were small dumplings but just delicious. -- Ashak (steamed leek dumplings) 5/$10: we liked these delicate silky dumplings even more than the Mantu! -- Burani Banjan (eggplant) $9: I thought this dish should have come with complimentary bread. We had to order a side of Afghan bread. The eggplant was good though. -- Sabzi (spinach) ($9): this dish also didn't come with bread and we had to ordered bread on the side. It was a little bland and could have used more seasoning. -- Lamb Tikka Kebab w.Brown Basmati Rice (6pcs/$22): we ordered these done "medium" but they came out pretty well-done. Still pretty tasty and tender but would have been better if done medium.The brown basmati rice was fantastic! -- Beef Kofta Kebab w.Brown Basmati Rice ($18): These kebabs were very flavorful and tender. Great dish! And again, the brown basmati rice was fantastic! -- Kabuli Lamb Shank w.White Basmati Rice ($24): The lamb shank was fall-off-the-bone perfect! The Pulau (carrots with rice) went really well with the lamb shank. Greay dish! -- Afghan Bread 4pcs/$3.50: toasted to perfection and went really well with our appetizers. This was a really satisfying meal! A great addition to the neighborhood. I look forward to a return visit to try other menu items! read more

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I love it here. very clean restaurant and very comforting ambience. Many tables to fit parties of all sizes. I also love the late hours. The service is always quick and very amazing. Dining Inn is always a wonderful experience. The food is very delicious and very comforting. It is a good portion size for the price. read more

Kabuli Grill - Lamb Shank with rice, salad, & soup - Halal Near Me - Astoria, New York

A solid Afghani restaurant with great customer service! The food was served hot and fresh and the lamb was grilled on charcoal. It was pretty tender and well seasoned. I like the white and green sauces as well. One note - this is the brown rice pictured with kabuli. By brown rice they mean brown color due to spices, and not what is normally meant by brown rice (whole grain). It's a solid spot, I do wish the price of this was a few dollars less ($16 vs $19). read more

Kabuli Grill - Lamb Tikka Kebab - Halal Near Me - Astoria, New York

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I went to this restaurant at 11:30 pm and the staff was so welcoming. The food was amazing! Probably one of the best Afghan food I've tried in a while. The portion size was decent. I personally loved the chicken kabob (so moist and flavorful) and the beef kabob. Side note: The music and interior were phenomenal. Overall highly recommend. I happened to be on a work trip but will definitely recommend to anyone looking to try flavorful Afghan food in Astoria. It is a newer restaurant but definitely worth every penny! read more

We were genuinely excited to try this place after seeing it all over Instagram -- the food looked amazing, and we figured Eid would be the perfect time for a family outing. There were only five of us, and we showed up around 10:45 PM -- yes, it was a bit late, but still well over an hour before closing. That should've been plenty of time for a normal dining experience. Instead, what we got was just... a mess. From the start, things went downhill. We were craving the lamb shank, a qorma, and a few grilled meat options. The server said they were out of kofta and lamb shank but would go check to be sure. Fair enough. When she returned, we placed our order: chicken, lamb chops, chapli kabab, lamb tikka, and lamb qorma. Then she came back -- again -- and suddenly half our order was no longer available. Now, only the qorma, chicken, and lamb chops were supposedly available. On top of that, they didn't even have the Kabuli topping. Already frustrated, we adjusted our order again. And guess what? A little while later, she returns to say they're also out of qorma. At this point, we're wondering: what did she even check the first time? Why was this all being revealed to us in frustrating, slow-motion waves? We finally settled on bolani kachalu, mantu (which we ordered as appetizers), chicken, lamb chops, and fish. When we asked about drinks, she said they were out of mocktails and only had soda and water. A little disappointing, but we tried to roll with it. Then the food started arriving -- and with it, a whole new round of letdowns. The salad was basic, and the sauces were in tiny bowls that were laughably small for a table of five. We had to keep asking for refills, and it took forever each time. Then came the bread: it was cold, stiff, and dry. Not even room temperature -- like it had been sitting out for hours. Naturally, we asked if they could warm it up. The server took it back, and then disappeared. A long while passed. No bread. We finally asked if it had been forgotten, and she said, "No, it's being warmed -- it just takes time." Um... okay? Are we slow-roasting this naan or what? Eventually, she brought the bread back -- and it was still cold. Not even kind of warm. Not toasted. Not soft. Just sad, cold, chewy bread again. It was honestly laughable at that point -- like a restaurant prank show. As for the rest of the meal: the bolani was flavorless and doughy, the potato filling clearly old -- dry, crumbly, and lacking any herbs or seasoning. The mantu we ordered as appetizers never showed up. When we reminded the server during the main course, she said she'd bring it. Spoiler: she didn't. When we were literally leaving, we mentioned it to the owner, who handed us a cold box of mantu in a foil takeaway container. No garnish, no sauce, no apology -- just vibes. Most of the food was meh at best. The chicken was the one highlight -- tender and juicy. But everything else? Bland. Massive portions of plain rice, barely any meat. And the fish? Spoiled. We had to send it back. Not even slightly questionable -- it smelled and tasted off, and that's just unacceptable. And then, the cherry on top: while we were eating, we saw another table getting mocktails. The same mocktails we were explicitly told were not available. We asked the owner why we were told they were out -- and her response? "Oh, maybe we were busy then." First of all -- you weren't. When we arrived, there were maybe 2 or 3 other tables occupied. It wasn't some dinner rush chaos. So that excuse made zero sense. How does being "busy" explain straight-up lying to a customer about what's available on your menu? Between the chaotic service, the cold stale bread situation, the missing items, and the general weird energy of being fed partial truths all night, it was just an incredibly frustrating and disappointing experience. Save yourself the trouble and just go to Sami's. At least there, when you order food, they actually bring it -- and it's warm. Wild concept. read more

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Afgan food is one of my favorite types of foods, and the way that this restaurant cooked vegetables was so delicious. I am vegan and I wasn't sure there'd be options, but I had plenty of options, including okra, spinach, and two types of rice. Also, the samosas were delightful. I highly recommend this place if you want something warm and comforting on a cold fall night. Tell your friends! read more

Delicious lamb falling off the bone, excellent mantu dumplings and a very welcoming atmosphere -- will be back!

This place has my complete admiration. The service stood out and the environment was unique. Their food shows careful consideration, with excellent texture and innovative approaches. Highest score. This place will please you. read more

Stopped in for dumplings on my walk thru Astoria on a Sunday afternoon! My friends and I shared the mantu & leek dumplings -- delicious, thin dumpling wrappers, well dressed in savory lentil and garlic sauces, and filled with seasoned beef. Service was quick and friendly, restaurant was clean&well lit, and music added to the ambiance. Yummy watermelon lemonade as well! read more

Kabuli Grill - Mantu ( 4 pieces) - Halal Near Me - Astoria, New York

I now choose this restaurant first when eating out. The meal showcased real skill. The staff knows exactly when to appear and when to step back. The dishes were dependably good, I want to emphasize. I'll return to this restaurant without fail. read more

I was hopeful for this place since I live so close, but was actually kind of disappointing. I came for Iftar, choosing specifically this place so I can support local small business and go somewhere where they understand Iftar time and tradition. Well. I was wrong. I did not get water, I had to ask twice for a glass of water to break my fast (eventually got the water a few minutes late). I was not offered a date but thankfully I brought my own from home. They seemed to have dates, but I guess I did not fit their stereotypical "Muslim" picture so they assumed I was not observing Ramadan? Extremely disappointing. On to the service, we got two of the wrong items. I ordered the lamb tikka tikka, and they came out with something that seemed more like a beef kofta. Ordered the beef mantu, and they came out with something vegetarian with spinach? I'm not sure, but when I asked the server, she was adamant that it was in fact the correct item.... ‍ Outside of the food, the door is unable to close(?) so it was very cold inside. Multiple guests tried closing the door, but were unsuccessful in closing it. Not sure how the door can already be broken since they just opened, but warning to bring a coat. A few of us ended up eating in our jackets. I believe they had a large party in the back they were putting a lot of energy towards so possibly that contributed to why my experience was so poor? Not sure, but will not be returning. read more

The best Afghan restaurant we've tried in NYC (and we've tried them all). Really authentic, no shortcuts taken (i.e., bolani is homemade) and good family style options. Really appreciated the spices and flavors of the kabobs, and the mantu hit the spot. Highly recommend if you're looking for a good, hearty, authentic meal! Service was top notch as well. read more

Kabuli Grill - Halal Near Me - Astoria, New York

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Worst experience ever! Made reservation @2 pm for 7pm reservation was told to come 6:30 so can get food out by 7:15, so got there 6:30 didn't get seating until 6:45 and once got a seating our high chair was being pushed by the manager aside. We informed them we are fasting they said would accommodate something but didn't get anything to start with. 7:24 we got bowls of salad without sauces, no bread, got one Chapli kabab platter ( requested brown rice for white instead) Then received borani without anything to have it with. We were a group of 4 and one child, then received the mixed platter which was good. We requested lamb shanks we're told they ran out of it but twenty minutes later table besides us got two orders of it. We asked for lamb chop with brown rice and had plastic in it, told the manager and he said it's from the rice bag. The guest we invited were surprised and our appetizer mix app came at the end and didn't have what it says on the menu. And we order hummus and mantu didn't bring it after being there 2 hours so decided to ask them to cancel it. They come with one plate of mantu with only 4 pieces at the end saying it's on the house. Experience was 0 Food was 50% Ambiance 50% Price was 80% understandable Advice go when there is no rush otherwise you will wait 2 hours for food And it'll come in intervals If you like bland food this is your place! read more

Kabuli Grill - Mixed Appetizer but had no samosa and all was extra fried - Halal Near Me - Astoria, New York

All aspects from host greeting to bill presentation shine. Good placement and very welcoming workers. The personnel performed at a high level. Every savory option proved outstanding, looked professional and matched logically. I'll make this a stop on my next local visit. read more

Nice little restaurant with good ambiance and surprisingly easy access to free parking. The service (I believe our waitress's name was Liz) was great. We had the lamb shank and mix kebab with Kabuli Palau. The meats were seasoned and cooked well. The Palau was good. I would avoid the mixed fruit drinks, they were lacking, but overall we had a good experience. read more

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Disgusting Afghani food ever . They've no idea what Afghani food taste like . Employees are seems like forced to work there. Not professional at all , you've to ask them for everything even though you're paying good amount of tip . What a shitty place HIGHLY NOT RECOMMENDED read more

The atmosphere was absolutely fantastic, and the food was delicious beyond words. The staff were incredibly warm and welcoming, making the entire experience even more enjoyable! read more

If you want authentic afghan/Persian food this is the place. My lamb kebab was really flavorful, as well as my ashak. The staff are very friendly and patient despite it being a new business they handled our matters very professionally and timely. Would definitely recommend this place to everyone. Also the inside decor looks really nice.! read more

If you haven't tried Afghan food yet, Kabul Kitchen is the perfect place to start. The mantu (Afghan dumplings) were soft, savory, and packed with flavor -- seriously addictive. The kabuli pulao was amazing too: tender lamb with spiced rice, sweet carrots, and raisins that weirdly just work. The naan was warm and fluffy, and the green tea at the end hit just right. Chill vibe, super friendly staff, and food that makes you want to come back the next read more

Avoid at all cost. The service was horrible, wait time is ridiculously long, the food is bland and comes in extremely small portions missing the bread that is supposed to be included with every main course. One member of my party had to wait 30 min after all of us to receive her food. We had a toddler who was extremely hungry and frustrated waiting 1 hour after ordering for our food to arrive. The sauces were provided in tiny amounts. Manager is rude and unapologetic. All other guests around us were equally frustrated. I commented on Instagram but they removed my comment. Don't waste your time or money. Read reviews on google and the internet. TikTok and Instagram DO NOT give the accurate idea. read more

The worst experience ever! the service is horrible the food is cold we were a reservation of 12 people the took our orders and gave half of the people their food and have been making the rest of the people waiting for more than an hour And after an hour of waiting they now convey to us that there is no more appetizers. The employees have a serious lack in communication one waiter is saying the appetizers will be out in a minute while the manager is saying there is no more. They are extremely disrespectful. the manager said to our faces "I can't deal with you guys" after he kept giving us the wrong food which we didn't order and constantly had an attitude instead of accepting their mistakes. THE WORSTTT CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! I would not go here ever again not worth the hype it was awful read more

I live in Maryland we don't have A lot of options with authentic Afghan food so I usually travel with my husband to Virginia and New York for good food Of course we look at reviews to go to a new place we found Kabuli grill The restaurant was so beautiful very nicely decorated so we thought the prices must be really high but normally when it comes to food we don't mind paying more when we looked at the menu we were surprised the prices were reasonable when our food arrived everything was cooked to perfection the service was excellent the owner came by with a complementary Tea and asked us if everything was served well which is unusual usually restaurants don't do that I am from Afghanistan and of course I know how to cook but sometimes I don't feel like doing the hard work so I go out and look for the best restaurants I am so glad I found kabuli grill It is worth traveling for so I highly recommend this place I am looking forward to going there again read more