Loved my lamb dish! Surprisingly reasonable pricing when you at opening/lunch too!…read more Nice cozy but elegant vibes. Great to take out your family or significant other. Interesting art on the wall and nice bathroom. Park on the parking garage below or on the side street/lot nearby. Make sure if you don't finish your lamb and ask to put it in a takeaway box go specify that you want your lamb scraps. Learn from me because my waiter tossed all my lamb and just boxed up the rice likely thinking I was done with them. Big bummer since I was looking forward to my leftovers but oh well.

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.

This place has a new energy! It was refreshing to walk in and see women running the show. The…read moreexperience was so different given they actually want to make sure you have a good experience and enjoy you're food. They walk you through customizing your order if you don't want certain sides and they started cutting and toasting the afghan naan which makes it hard to stop eating. They are in the middle of renovating the left side so we ate in the banquet side. Can't wait to see how they decor the whole place. Will be back soon to get my sambosas and kabobs!

Staff ruins the whole reputation. Most rudest people I've ever met! The food is mediocre, there's…read moreplenty of Afghan restaurants. They're money hungry and will dismiss you the second they get their money! Went to their Ramadan buffet, my male family member went ahead and was told that there was seating but he would have to share a table. But when I went in and asked the same lady she flat out refused and turned me away due to not having a reservation, for a Ramadan buffet right at Iftar! Having this treatment from your own Muslims is very sad

Food is always excellent. The customer service is friendly…read more The location is convenient. The interior is clean. Noise level is low.

High Protein, Strategic Eating…read more If you are navigating a serious health journey or, like me, currently in the middle of a "Biggest Loser" contest to start the year, Arlington Kabob is a strategic goldmine. Under normal circumstances, I would happily indulge in their fragrant basmati rice and that delicious, fresh-baked tandoori naan. However, staying disciplined requires a different approach, and the team here makes it effortless. The High-Protein Order Hack: I ordered the Chicken Shawarma platter but requested a total carb-swap. I asked to replace the rice and naan entirely with a double portion of vegetables. I went with the chickpeas (channa) and the sautéed spinach. The result is a nutrient-dense, high-protein win. The chicken is lean and perfectly charred, the chickpeas provide steady energy and fiber, and the spinach adds great flavor and micronutrients. The 50% Strategy: Even without the bread, these portions are significant. I ate exactly 50% of this platter for lunch, which provided an estimated 38g of protein and 450 calories. It is the perfect meal for someone who wants to feel satisfied but stay strictly within their caloric and macro goals. Community Inspiration: I have to give credit to local Northern Virginia foodie Mya Yoon. Her social media posts documenting her own health journey and "smart eating" choices inspired me to start looking at local menus through a more intentional lens. Following the modifications she shares online has been a game-changer for my own progress. Service & Vibe: The staff here deserves a specific mention. Despite my request to skip the core staples of their menu (rice and bread), they were helpful and happy to modify the order to meet my goals. It is rare to find a spot that is both a neighborhood staple for comfort food and a reliable partner in a weight-loss journey. Everything was delicious as always. If you are looking to stay on track without sacrificing quality or flavor, this is the place to do it.

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!

Unfortunately, this restaurant didn't live up to my expectations…read more When we arrived the dining room felt very humid and sticky which made it uncomfortable to sit and eat. We were also a party of five but were only given one menu to share so not very convenient. I ordered the Chicken & Shami Kabob and it came with a choice of white or brown rice, one side, and naan. The meal looked nothing like the photo on the restaurant's website. The portion was overwhelmingly rice with very little meat. None of the garnishes shown in the picture were included on the rice. For $24 I expected a much better presentation and a more balanced portion. Oh and the meat was kind of dry. Parts of our order were missing, some dishes that came out were incorrect. The experience felt disorganized and the food didn't justify the price.

A small cozy restaurant and plenty of outdoor seating…read more I've tried walking in before and haven't been successful so I finally made a reservation. We had everything that was recommended, and it was all great, including the pumpkin and onion bolani and shrimp dumplings in the saffron sauce. Well timed dishes and super friendly service.

We were required to make a reservation with a credit card, with a $15/person penalty for…read morecancelation less than 24 hours. Typically reservations are made LESS than 24 hrs in advance in the FIRST PLACE!! We waited almost 25 minutes before our drink order was even taken, our cocktails arrived over 40 mins after being seated. Our server essentially ignored us the entire evening, naturally, bc their policy is that 20% tip is automatically added to ALL parties. So, of course, no incentive for good service. We had to flag down various servers throughout the evening, as we were never checked on. Arrogant and condescending servers when we got their attention. Huge disappointment; food was good, but the service was probably some of the worst we've ever experienced. Like they were doing US a favor when they designed to notice us. They literally couldn't care less

Craving lamb. Submitted my order via their website. Arrived at the restaurant and we were greeted…read moreas we walked in. The restaurant's decor is culturally appropriate. We arrived early evening and they had a candle and tablecloth on each table. I ordered Baadenjaan Bouranee, luscious eggplant dish; Frenched Rack Of Lamb, perfectly cooked, tender and flavorful; and Pumpkin Dumpling Entree, perfectly sweet, smooth interior and perfectly steamed dumpling wrapper. I will continue to support this establishment.

Awesome experience. Clean restaurant, friendly staff, great vegan options! I definitely want to…read morecome back to try more menu items. The bread and dipping sauces initially brought out are a nice touch and very tasty. With regard to vegan options our waiter was knowledgeable and proactive (warning me before I even asked that one dipping sauce contained yogurt).

The cleanses is totally awful and the food , as we order Charsi Chicken Karahi with Afghani Pulao…read morewith Lamb Shank , the karahi had a bad smell and the worse thing was afghani Pulao , they can not cook afghani , it's like punjabi they should change afghani name.

The low Yelp scores for this place makes zero sense...except that I have some theories that are the…read morestuff of fan fiction. Here's my first guess: This place is awesome and the people in the know don't want others knowing about it. This is the one that makes the most sense. They already do a brisk business and the current customers don't want to wait any longer than they already have to. My second guess: some people are totally clueless and don't understand that this is a place where your meal is an event and not just dinner. If you want to eat and run, go to McDonalds. This is the place where you come to eat, sip your chai, and enjoy the company of those around you. Food takes time to cook...figure it out people. Okay...about the food: WOW! So delicious and all perfectly cooked. I have to open with the one dish that was absolutely stunning: the lamb chops. The seasoning was spot on and flavorful while the cook point (which appears to be hard for many restaurants it seems) was flawless. Tender from end-to-end without a sign of chewiness. Next up on the menu hit parade was the Chapli Kebab. That little bit of char on the outside combined with the seasoned meat made this a repeat order for sure. Check the pics and you'll see what I'm talking about. The last but definitely not least on the list was the massive Namkeen Chicken Tikka. There was enough food on this order for three people and it was awesome! There was a smokiness to the meat that permeated beautifully and each piece was amazingly tender. We couldn't finish this one and it ended up in the to-go bag. Seriously, it huge. The service, decor, and general ambiance of Shinwari was so great too. The staff were totally professional and the families enjoying the props (which included a auto rickshaw) where fun to watch. I will be coming back here FOR SURE. Bring a close friend or five and enjoy an amazing evening.

Just moved to the from Ballston to Courthouse and tried this Afghan kebab spot and it was great…read more Generous portions with the kebabs and sides when getting the "Kebab Combo for two." The Chicken stew (extra) and the eggplant were the highlight side dishes. Naan was nice and thick with a crispy crust. Extra sauce, no charge Used to be a regular at Kebab Garden on Quincy which was solid, this place definitely competes.

Two Haiku Review:…read more Not the best kabob I've had, but the flavor was There and the portions Were quite large. Pretty Fast service and for a good Price, I give four stars.