The food was fantastic! I'm a chef and a harsh critic, but I will definitely be back! I only give it 4 stars because I wish the seating area was less casual and more intimate, but what a great meal. I was pleasantly surprised. read more

It's in a strip mall so the ambiance is not great. But boy is this food terrific. The spices are different and yummy. I had the chicken wrap and my husband had the salmon wrap. Will go again. read more

Went for a spontaneous dinner at 7:15 the other night after a drink at Great Flats instead of going home to cook. We were greeted with a warm welcome and it smelled amazing right when we walked in! Even though they closed at 7:30 they assured us to sit and relax and enjoy our meals. The bowls are DELICIOUS, so flavorful! We kept commenting for the rest of the night how glad we were that we decided to pop in for dinner. We will definitely be back! read more

Mazadar Mediterranean Kitchen - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

I thought Mazadar was amazing. The standouts for me were the pumpkin with Garlic sauce and any of the Kabobs. The Falafel was one of the best I have had, but its hard to go there when the grilled Kabobs are so darned good. My wife and I had the Chicken and the Lamb Kabobs, and we both agreed they were amazing. Both perfectly cooked, super tender and deliciously spiced. A big wow. The Lamb & beef Kofta (like a long meatball) is also excellent. The rice is really a standout, super fresh, wonderfully lightly spiced and just the right consistency. I felt there was more than needed of it, but I think a lot of people like that and feel that makes it a good value. I have never seen pumpkin served in any restaurant before, so of course I had to order it. It was the favorite of both my wife and I. It was similar to squash but somewhat sweeter and the garlic sauce was the perfect complement. On the way home we were discussing getting a few of them to take-out and share with friends the next night! In talking with the owner he seems to take great care and pride in what he cooks. - grass fed beef and lamb, free range and hormone free chicken, the meat all marinates for many days (and it shows), he makes his own yogurt, etc. His passion really comes through in the food. I'm not a big fan of the very bright room or the counter service for ordering, the food just seems too good for that. But thats the trend and the counter service probably helps keep prices down so I can live with it. And everything should travel well for takeout if that's your thing. Everyone at the counter and bringing our food out was very friendly. This is a bit out of the way for us, but we will definitely be back, and back. And back. read more

I recently had lunch here while on a trip to Albany and it was wonderful! I had the lamb kebab with rice and shared a side of fries. It all tasted fresh and full of flavors. Outstanding French fries, that pair perfectly with the kebabs. The best part is trying the three sauces that they bring to the table-worth dining table in. Will definitely go back. read more

OMG this place!!! I'm on an eternal quest to find great falafel and this place did it for me. And consistently too! Andddddddd they give the sauces in ketchup bottles, I personally love them so that's the best part. read more

Great, authentic food with a chill atmosphere and fitting music. Definitely will go back!

Always looking for a low carb friendly place for lunch and this place sure is tasty. Whether the appetizers or the salads, wraps, or platters everything is clean and well seasoned. There are some protein choices like beef, salmon, chicken, and lamb, and your choice of salad, platter that includes salad and rice, or wrap which is all of that in a pita type wrap. I have visited this place about a dozen times and have tried all of their appetizers. The eggplant would be my favorite to pick. Usually I get the lamb salad which comes with bottles of homemade sauces. The cilantro would be the go to for me, however they are all good. The place is very clean with big screen explaining the food and the concept is both ethnic while not being snooty. This is a great lunch spot since the food is served fresh and fast. read more

Good price point for the quality. I've had better afghan/mediterranean food, but considering the reasonable price for what's essentially 3-star food I'll bump it up to a 4-stars. Mazadar has a cafeteria vibe with self-service ordering at the counter. The food comes out quickly and the place, at least when I went, was clean with plenty of seating. I plan to return. read more

One lunch visit but I will return! In decor reminiscent of Popeyes with soda machine, you order at counter from lighted board above, pay and then sit and have food brought to you. By a very cheery, competent hospitable server. Who brings you delicious fried eggplant appetizer with a puffy flatbread. Then perfectly cooked, tender marinated and gently spiced chicken pieces over a gargantuan quantity of very, very delicious rice, and another platter of felafel with said rice. I have never had such tender and flavorful chicken from a semi-fast-food establishment. And served with such good cheer! The felafel was not a write-home-about quality -- kinda fried hard, but okay. (Reminder: time to return to Mamoun's). The salad was sorry uninteresting served with the ubiquitous white mayo/herb sauce which was good with entrees, but next time I would ask for a different dressing. Dessert gets 3 stars: cornstarch pudding (served in plastic to-go container!) was okay, and pleasurable for about three bites, oh make that six bites. And baklava was a nice treat though I think a little old. All told about $20/person with tip for a pleasant lunch from app to dessert. This restaurant is in a strip mall in a god-forsaken part of town en route to Schenectady I suppose, so it's not like I or many others just happen to be in the neighborhood. Or maybe there are Aghanis in the 'hood?? Anyway, a nice addition to the culinary scene that I recommend. Next time: lamb! Oh, and they seem to do a big to-go business. read more

This place is great! Clean, quick, and delicious. I went with the dumplings which were sooo good. The sauces on top were flavorful. The chicken wrap was also wildly flavorful and just perfect. It's so close to my job this will be a regular place for me. Friendly staff, too. read more

Yummy, amazing food and flavors. Had the chicken kabob wrap and also the lamb. (My husband and I travelled through Albany from Binghamton. He is an expert of lamb and he was blown away with the tastiness and delicious pita and nana.) Isaac, our greeter was so attentive and gave us three delicious sauces to try with our meal. Terrific job. Immaculately cleaned, bright, neat they have electronic menu displays, easy order, great prices, then sit down, meal brought over and just eat. Should be a future chain in every city. Hope u add a vegan meal to your menu like Koshari. Hope for future success for such innovators. Mazadar rocks! read more

This is a wonderful fast casual Afghan restaurant with a surprising number of flavorful vegetarian dishes. There is of course meat but it's rare to have so many vegetarian options in similar restaurants. Not to be missed is the Afghan ice cream! The bottom line is that you will not regret eating in this stylishly designed restaurant, whether you are vegetarian or not. read more

Wow. Just wow. A random stop on the way to somewhere else that makes me want to come back again and again. We had the bolani, chicken and salmon wraps. Spectacular. A must eat! read more

This was a very neat and clean place. The food was good and reasonably priced. The service was also very quick. I would highly recommend it for a quick grab. The lamb chops and chicken kabobs are popular items here. read more

Omg. Seriously the best food place in Albany! Love middle eastern food but I hadn't really had Afghan specialties until now. After discovering Mazadar and having a great meal, I went to a swank, highly-rated Afghan restaurant in Washington, DC and then concluded that it could not compare to Mazadar. Their appetizers are all out of this world, esp the pumpkin with garlic sauce. Haven't tried the burgers because I can't get past the lamb - so tender and perfectly cooked. Would love to see a location across the river! read more

Good is good we always love it but it was too hot in the restaurant we could not finish our food packed it and came home .

If you haven't been to Mazadar, get in the car now and GO!! I have been dying to try this place and tonight I finally had the opportunity. Hubs and I both ordered salads with 2 choices of meat- which was an additional $6.95 per salad. We also ordered some hummus (for me) and wings (for hubs). The young lady taking our order was very friendly and she mentioned how much she liked working there because the food is so good. I couldn't wait to get home and dig in. We were not disappointed! My husband was thrilled with the wings- grilled to perfection and he suggests they sell the seasonings because he wants it on his steaks!! The hummus was good- it came with 2 pieces of bread/naan. I was hoping for a little more flavor in the hummus- but, I have been used to garlicky hummus in the past, so I am knocking down any points here. The salads were HUGE and fresh. The beef kofta was delicious and very flavorful. The chicken was very tender and seasoned perfectly. The lamb was tender as well and delicious. I am a condiment queen and happy to report the white sauce and cilantro sauce was absolutely fabulous. Needless to say, We were more than satisfied with our meal and cannot wait to order again!! read more

See all

I have come to Mazadar a few times now and each time has been better than the last. I've had their chicken kebab, lamb kebab and kofta kebab. All were amazing. The meat is tender and juicy the rice is absolutely perfect. Their white sauce goes great with anything they serve. It's a must try. I came here yesterday because I heard they added more items to their menu. I had to try it. We ordered the cheese burger, the (chicken) philly cheese steak and the quesadilla. I tried all 3, and all three were perfect. The burger was juicy and full of flavor. The chicken philly was so good and the quesadilla was amazing. We couldn't stop talking about how good everything was. In addition the prices are great. This place is a kebab restaurant with an American twist. All your favorite foods in one place. How can you beat that? read more

Mazadar Mediterranean Kitchen - Quesadilla - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

See all

Went to lunch with my son here on Thursday 4/04/19. He's been here, my first time, & my first time having Afghani food. Bright airy restaurant in a mini plaza site. Same plaza as Pizza Mare. Industrial modern decor, ethnic pop music emanating from wall mounted TVs. Capacity sign read 190, is there a backroom? Anyhow, bright graphic overhead sign has the menu and photos of all the dishes. Cheerful woman at the counter explained some choices, many familiar via other ethnic cuisines e.g. dumplings, kebobs, & souvalki-style sandwich/wrap served on pita bread, falafel. There are also some mashups/fusions - burgers, wings, & quesadillas, cheesesteaks. Vegetarian choices available. Also three sauces are brought to every table: spicy tomato based, a yogurt w/ dill & fennel(?), and an oil salad dressing w/ oregano, cilantro, & mint. We shared an app of Mantu - Dumplings filled with seasoned beef an onions topped with yogurt, tomato sauce, and mint. $6.50. I had the Lamb Kabob Tender chunks of lamb, marinated in our special seasonings and grilled to perfection on skewers. Comes on a bed of brown rice, salad, & bread $12.95. My boy, Rick had the Beef Kofta Wrap - marinated, grill on skewers beef served w/ "white" sauce (similar to the Greek Tzatiki), lettuce, cucumber, onion, on a whole pita $19.95. This wrap was the clear winner and the wraps seem to be the best lunch value on the menu. Note: only soft drinks served here. HOURS: Monday - Thursday: 11am - 9pm Friday & Saturday: 11am - 10pm Sunday: 11am - 9pm Clean, neat, fast, and a very good value for lunch. Plenty of parking. We'll be back. Thank you. read more

We decided to try this based on their Yelp ratings. We were not disappointed. Best Mediterranean food I've had in the Capitol District. We had beef and chicken kofta kebabs, eggplant and some meat stuffed dumplings. Great place! read more

This is a welcome addition to the Colonie/Central Ave stretch of food options. It's tucked away in a strip mall, but it has easy access off Central and you can exit through the back and not get stuck in Central Ave traffic. Plenty of parking is available. The restaurant is much bigger than I would have expected, with ample seating. The space is bright and fresh feeling. When they first opened, they didn't have a lot of vegetarian options, but that has changed and now they have a wide variety. A great appetizer is the bolani. We've only tried the potato ones (instead of the veggie), but they are great. Add some of the cilantro sauce and you'll be in heaven! We frequently get falafel wraps or chicken wraps. They are both delicious. I add a lot of the hot sauce and white sauce together, though I do like some of the cilantro sometimes too. Really, all the sauces are delicious and just enhance the flavor of the food. My only issue with that is that it makes the wraps a bit drippy and messy to eat! I also frequently get the kabob platter. The rice has a nice flavor and it makes it easy to share with my toddler. We sometimes get french fries (see reference to the toddler) and they are always fried to perfection! This has already become somewhat of a regular go-to for us, so I know we'll be back soon! read more

This restaurant just happened to be on my way passing through and it was amazing, and so clean!!! The bread and rice were off the charts. Would definitely recommend to anyone. I'm from NYC so used to great places to eat and this hits every check box. read more

Mazadar Mediterranean Kitchen - Mantu- delicious! - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

Mazadar is a hidden gem in Colonie. Staff here were very friendly, and exceptionally accommodating and willing to help - this was highly appreciated and greatly enhanced my dining experience. I purchased the lamb kebab and baklava, both of which were excellent. The portion on the lamb kebab was ample, I did not leave here hungry at all. The lamb was cooked TO PERFECTION - juicy, flavorful, and with a nice mild char on the outside. Rice was well-executed and nicely seasoned. I wouldn't have changed a thing. Baklava rounded off my lunch nicely, and was well-balanced with regard to sweet and savory elements. I would recommend Mazadar, certainly. Update: Just wanted to address the owner and say "Keep up the great work Mahmood! You've created a truly remarkable establishment, and all feedback I provided earned through an enjoyable product and noteworthy service." read more

These guys are just awesome. Although I went here at looking for more typical Mediterranean food given the name, I was delighted and by what I found. This Afghanistan the food is simply fantastic and is a favorite of my wife and I. We come here every chance we can get. The food is terrific and the people are warm and friendly. I highly recommend! read more

We were on 87S and realized we were hungry. I hopped on Yelp and found this place that we hadn't been to before, so we popped in. I'm so glad we did. You order at the counter and can take it it to go or you can eat in. We grabbed a table and almost immediately the Mantu was brought to us. We had asked for the yogurt on the side, which they interpreted as drizzle yogurt on top and also bring a side of yogurt dressing. I scraped off some dressing and was able to try one. The dumpling was soft and the beef inside was flavorful. I will definitely order these next time, making sure they understand I don't want yogurt on the plate. I ordered the Lamb Kabob and he ordered the Lamb Chops (which come on the bone.) The dishes came out quickly and included a generous portion of rice and a small salad. The rice was flavorful and the meat was juicy. They brought out 3 sauces - one hot (red), one yogurt (white) and another that was a zingy cilantro (green) - all tasty. They enhanced the meal, but weren't necessary to enjoy the dishes. We ultimately both favored the lamb chops, which were perfectly cooked. It may have been the best lamb we have ever eaten! We have no idea how they cooked the meat so quickly, but it was obvious the food was cooked to order. Before we left, I asked what Mazadar means. They said, "it means delicious." Well, they nailed the meal and the name. We will be back! read more

Amazing food! Don't let the strip mall fool you. This family owned place is great- you won't be disappointed!

Absolutely wonderful. Freshest ingredients, lightning fast service, delicious food, and a choice of more and less familiar food. It's always a good sign when the customers inside a restaurant from a specific place (Afghanistan in this case) are actually from that place! Lots of Afghans and others as customers, and the authenticity is why. The breads are stunningly fresh, the sauces and flavors range from bright and vinegary to rich and meaty. I'd never before tried kadu borani (a luscious pumpkin dish) but my partner and I both shouted "oh WOW!" as soon as we tasted it. The restaurant is very clean and is observing all the appropriate hygiene measures currently in place. It doesn't have the most romantic vibe, but once you taste the food you'll be in the mood to kiss someone, probably the cook. GO GO GO here... it's totally unexpected and utterly delicious. read more

We weren't really looking for a "fast casual" kind of restaurant for dinner during our short stay in Albany, but we read all the positive reviews and are passionate about Afghan food, so we decided to give it a try. We're glad we did. There were two LARGE tables of what looked like Afghani extended families eating heaps of food, a good initial sign. We gobbled up the Mantu, savored the succulent eggplant appetizer, and really enjoyed our shared plate of lamb chops and "Mazadar rice" (seasoned as opposed to plain). Wow -- delicious lamb. Nice rice. The sabzi (spinach) had a little too much turmeric for our taste, but it was still delicious. Our only complaint is that we found the video part of the lighted menu above the counter distracting and annoying -- we ended up both sitting on the side of the table facing away from it. The restaurant was also very bright, but that is part of the fast casual thing, I suppose. And "Mediterranean"?? Last time I checked, Afghanistan was landlocked and nowhere near the Med. But if that's part of attracting customers who might be turned off by "Afghan," ok. I get it. Prices were very reasonable for the excellence of the food, and service was lightning fast and thoughtful -- the young person who brought the food to the table asked us if we wanted an extra plate for our shared food, for instance. Great place, and we will definitely return on any future drives through Albany! read more

Outstanding Food ! Thankfully introduced to this gem over the winter and highly Recommend.

Me and my family absolutely LOVED this place. We live on Long Island so we probably won't be able to come here often :'( . The restaurant has a fast food kind of a vibe, but the food tastes homemade. For apps, we ordered mantu and bolani. The mantu was good (not incredible) but the bolani was heaven. It was really fresh and crispy and the potato filling was perfectly seasoned. We ordered 2 plates, chicken and lamb tikka and also, beef kofta and chicken tikka. The lamb was probably the most tender, juiciest and flavorful lamb I've ever had. And same with the chicken and beef. The rice tasted homemade and I loved the raisins and carrots on top! The sauces that came with the food, the green and white ones, were delicious as well. We also ordered a burger and fries. The fries were so CRISPY and tasted homemade, not frozen. The burger was so juicy and not half-assed like I was expecting. We also got the dough, which is a salty yogurt mint drink. It was ok, I liked that it was made with homemade yogurt. For dessert we ordered ice cream. It tasted so good. It had walnuts, dates, and figs in it. The only thing I didn't like about it, was that the dates and figs were clumped together and very sticky and chewy. I wished it was more mixed into the rest of the ice cream. Overall, I would 10/10 reccomend this place, everythint was so flavorful and affordable! Will definitely drive all the way from LI to eat here again lol. read more

See all

Wow! Best Mediterranean/ Afghan food on this side of the pond. Fresh & fast! Don't miss your chance to try the wraps. read more

Mazadar Mediterranean Kitchen - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

Overpriced and they cheap out on the meat i spent over 20 dollars on lamb over rice and got 5 small pieces of lamb. Rip off. Go to aria khabab down the street more meet for half the price. read more

Cannot recommend this more! Amazing food - staff is stellar- value is terrific. Don't forget dessert!

Absolutely amazing! We had the lamb kabobs and wow they were phenomenal. So tender and the marinated spices they use taste amazing. The rice and salad with it made the platter more than worth it. The pricing is more than fair and the food was definitely fast and 5 star worthy. The restaurant is very clean. Definitely a place that should be checked out! This is spot you don't want to miss out! read more

The sauces are great. There's a yogurt sauce, a hot sauce, and a cilantro sauce, listed in order of tastiness starting with the best. The $9 beef kofta wrap was somewhat disappointing. If we didn't squirt sauces all over it, it wouldn't have been very good. The wrap seems to be a warmed up premade flatbread. The meat was dry and not very flavorful, about 2/3 the length of the wrap. The salad was a sprinkling of shredded iceberg lettuce, tomato, and onion, as you might find in a pizzeria salad. The $6.50 Mantu was tasty enough. Although the beans were undercooked and the dumplings were overcooked. The sauces made it better. Bottled sodas are $2. We got those since the soda machine had 3 out of order taps. Ample parking. Open and bright. Appears clean. Bathrooms are adequate. I'm not sure I need to visit again. I might be back if I get a craving for the sauces. I'd try something else on the menu if I do return. read more

this place serves incredible food, the lighting is terrible and it doesn't even matter. the food is so good. just go try it.

My partner and I have lived for the last decade in the Bay Area of California and Manhattan. We have high standards for food. We also love Mediterranean food (and recently moved nearby), so when we saw this place was highly-reviewed, we were excited to give it a go. The first time we ordered some kind of platter to go (falafel?), and we both were sort of unimpressed. But the next time we got the falafel salad and both approved -- it's simple (and I would prefer it have some pickles on it), but it's good. Last time we both ordered the fiery falafel burger, and friends... I cannot recommend it enough. Is it healthy? Absolutely not. But that is what makes it so delicious! My only complaint is that I want the falafel burger to be bigger, but other than that, it was perfection -- lots of sauces and cheese and even onion rings. I feel like people rarely make vegetarian burgers with substance and flavor like that. And the fries were good, too, even after spending some time in the to-go containers. I can't speak to the meat (I'm vegetarian) but my partner is picky about meat (he used to own a restaurant) and he approves of the chicken he's had there. Service was good, too! read more

Experienced Mazadar earlier this week and was really impressed with the food, service and atmosphere. We ordered lamb chops, grilled hot wings and chicken kabobs. We also had two of their desserts- baklava and the rice pudding-ish dish. Everything was delicious! Their creamy sauce was perfect with the rice, lamb and salad. The lamb chops were cooked perfectly with just the right amount of seasoning. My husband, who is picky when it comes to wings said they were the best he's ever had. He said the marinade and flavor were so good, no sauce was needed. Portions are generous and everything is made to order. The naan was also fantastic. Don't overlook their desserts either. The baklava was very tasty, but the pudding was my favorite! Slightly spicy, but still light and creamy- kind of a flan-like consistency. The Afghan tea was also very good. Check them out it's a wonderful addition to Albany! read more

Amazing food! Strongly recommend! Great service and clean environment. Can't wait to go back.