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    The Helmand

    4.2 (808 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated a few days ago

    Order The Helmand Takeout or Delivery

    The Helmand Photos

    THE HELMAND ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - The Helmand

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    Vegetarian Platter
    Vy T.

    Walked in without a reservation at an off-hour and the staff were very friendly greeting us, seating us, and servicing us. They kept our water and drinks filled the whole time. The food was well portioned and yummy. We ordered a variety of things which were good, including the zardalu challow and vegetarian platter. Ambiance is great - comfortable seating.

    Vegetarian Sampler- cauliflower & chick peas, eggplant dolma, mushroom lawand and okra with challow rice
    Matt H.

    Really cool spot! Coming into this meal, I didn't totally know what to expect as I've never had Afghan food. I can honestly say I am now a fan! It was restaurant week so we did the price fixed menu and I honestly enjoyed almost all parts of the meal. The pumpkin starter was really unique and good. Could it have used a little bit more flavor for my liking? Yes. However, I still think it was very good. I did the vegetable sampler for the main and genuinely enjoyed every single thing on my plate very unique flavors that I truly enjoyed. I also have to give a moment to the naan that they brought out for the table. We all could not get enough of it. It was truly delicious. The only letdown of this meal was the dessert. It was some pudding that looked like it had kind of been sitting out for a while as it had crusted over on the top, but it wasn't bad just a bit bland. Drinks were great and the wine recommendations from the waiter all were spot on. Service was absolutely impeccable. Staff was very friendly and attentive. Ambience is nothing to write home about. It's honestly a little bit boring in there and I think they could do so much more to capitalize on Afghan decor, but it was by no means bad ambience Overall, this was a great meal that I would come back to and would recommend anyone else do so.

    baklava
    Kiana B.

    The snow made parking a nightmare but so glad I came for their restaurant week deal! There are two dining rooms and my group's table was ready immediately upon entering. I ordered a glass of red wine and knew I was in for a good meal when I watched almost half the bottle drain into my glass. I went with special #2 and tried their well-known pumpkin appetizer, which was actually too sweet for my tastes but still very good. Naan with butter is served to the table, which was perfect for dipping in the rich sauces that came with the entree. The lentil/rice/lamb side that came with the entree's curry and rice was absolutely divine. I could kill a plate of that alone. There was so much food to the entree that I was even able to take leftovers home. The waiter recommended the baklava over the pudding for dessert so I went with that and it was as good as he said. This was truly a 5/5 experience, and I would love to come back to try more of their menu outside of their restaurant week deal!

    Fereny - cardamom eggless pudding
    Sophie B.

    The Helmand is a fantastic spot located in Mt. Vernon! My boyfriend picked here for date night and I'm so glad he did. Neither of us had tried this cuisine before and it was a great experience. Service was good, the place is lovely, and the food is delicious. My only take is that I would skip a cocktail, they seem a bit underwhelming for $12 - I got the sour apple one and it was just OK. A fine sip while we ate but not necessary or anything to write home about. That said, again, the FOOD is why you should make your way to the Helmand. We started with naan (don't skip this) and potato and leek pastries. I noted the actual dish names in the photos, by the way. Both were great. We both enjoyed our dishes - I got a lamb special and my boyfriend got a beef special. Any time I have a chance to try a different style of lamb, I'm going to. The meat was perfectly tender, rice perfectly cooked, and the turnips were yummy. My boyfriend is not a big sweets guy - he insisted I get dessert and he'd have just a bite. I ordered the Fereny, an eggless cardamom pudding served with fruit. Let's just say he took much more than just one bite. It was definitely the highlight of our meal, which is saying a lot for a $6 pudding. Overall, we'll be back!

    Arrt T.

    Nice ambiance in this unassuming spot. Great for a nice date night. Although the two-seaters by the entryway could use more light (as you can see my pics were a bit dim). Tasty food! I don't often eat Afghan food so I'm not familiar with the spice profile. But I enjoy the marinades, the cardamom and nuts and such. Everything went well enough. Dessert was different but tasty. Park on the side street near the monument and take a 2 min walk. Recommended!

    All I can say is DELICIOUS!  Its easy to fall back to comfort food but...DONT!  The food here was worth not knowing exactly what to expect.

    Food is amazing! Full of flavor that how'd the pallette. Server made recommendations based on the dietary need which was a comfort.

    Aushak
    Sherrice C.

    VALENTINES DAY DINNER!! This was our dinner of choice for Valentine's Day. We picked it because the service, food, and vibe are always perfect on a normal night out, so we knew it would be a safe bet for Valentine's Day too. The service that night was amazing. We were ushered to our table, told about the specials, and got a bottle of wine to share right away. Our food came out quickly and the tables were cleared just as fast. I stuck with the classic, which is my favorite, and my boyfriend tried the Valentine's Day special. I hate to admit it but he definitely had the better meal. We finished with cheesecake for dessert and it was perfect.

    Temima N.

    We wanted to try this place since it seemed interesting! We've only had fast casual Afghan food but not upscale Afghan food. It was ok! I liked the appetizers we had which were a pumpkin one and fried dough with leeks. And the dessert which was a cardamom flavored custard was refreshing and not too sweet. I liked the naan too but I wasn't a fan of veggie platter, I thought it would be a good pick to try a little of everything but I wish I had gotten one of the vegetarian entrees instead since the one we go to go (leek ravioli) was a lot better

    Daja E.

    9/17/2025 My first afghan restaurant and on a nice rainy day. I ended up here with help of the timeleft app, was seated as soon as I walked in the door. I started with the AUSHAK and a glass of white wine. Both were great I love how tender the pasta is, the yogurt mixed with the cilantro sauce( they give for the table) by far is the best combo. The naan was thick and such a good touch to soak up all the pasta sauce. Ended up the meal with the afghan style ice cream which had a taste that I was not used to. I loved the fresh fruits and the cardamom in the ice cream had my tastebuds singing. The seating has 2 areas and a nice little bar in the back. I noticed a new customers coming in and requesting single seating which was not a problem for this spot. Our server was very punctual clearing plates, getting refills I just would have loved to hear about the new items and drinks that were on the table before I ordered. Bathroom rating:5/5

    Mantwo
    Ariana T.

    Cozy interior! The service was amazing. Very little wait time between each course. My favorite dish of the night was the Mantwo as my appetizer.

    Vegetarian Aushak
    Jackie A.

    We enjoyed our visit to The Helmand. We have been before but I always forget to post a review. This is one of my favorite places to bring people. It's very vegetarian friendly and has delicious food and wonderful service every time. The place is nicely decorated and gives you a feel for the afghan culture. We had the following dishes: kaddo Borwani (baby pumpkin), vegetarian mantwo, ashsak, and the shornakhod salad. It was all fresh, filling, and light all at the same time. We always have the best time when we come to The Helmand.

    Afghan Ice Cream Cardamom infused vanilla bean ice cream served with dates, dried figs, and fresh mango

    Good food, nice dining area, attentive service. Great to have appetizer versions of dishes so that we could try more things.

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    1 year ago

    Fantastic food and service. I can say a bad thing about it. Food arrived super foast, but was delicious.

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    8 months ago

    Incredible food, attentive service, great atmosphere! We had a wonderful time and can't wait to come back!

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    1 year ago

    The food is delicious. The service is very good. I've always had a good experience every time we've gone there.

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    1 year ago

    Amazing food, service and ambience! Would go back for another at a drop of a hat and make a special trip just for the food!

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    Page 2 of 21

    Ask the Community - The Helmand

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    One of the best meals I've had in Baltimore! And the service is exceptional!…read more Oleum is an upscale vegan restaurant with a large variety of menu options. Our server, Josie, went above and beyond to take care of us. She provided excellent recommendations and was super friendly and attentive! We ordered the Batata Harra, Saltat Marrakech, and the Stuffed Dates for apps. All of them were incredible, but the Saltat was so refreshing and the Dates truly stole the show. The creamy ricotta filling with red pepper sauce was to die for. For mains, we shared the Lasagna and did a half and half pizza of The Gabriel and the Toum Raider. The lasagna was super savory and very filling--perfect to share! I enjoyed both pizzas, but the Gabriel was my favorite. I loved the combo of the nutty pesto and spicy Calabrian chilis. Josie brought out a cupcake for dessert to celebrate my friend's birthday, and it was probably one of the best vegan treats I've ever had! Can't wait to come back next time I'm in town!

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    Foraged. A Hyper Seasonal Eatery

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    I came for restaurant week 2026. It is a three-course meal. I left very full, the portions felt…read morevery appropriate! My friend and I shared our dishes. For the appetizer, we got the mushroom toast and miso soup. The mushroom toast was umami and creamy. And the miso soup had an interesting crunch on top, while the base was hearty. I really enjoyed both! For the main course we got the catfish. It was nicely fried and not at all greasy. I regret not getting the lamb instead, since I'm not the biggest fan of white fish. For dessert, we tried the shortbread and a blueberry cake. I forget exactly why it was, but the shortbread was so delectable. There was a nice caramel layer. Our server was very kind! Very attentive and friendly. I was celebrating a birthday, and when she heard that, she asked if we wanted a Polaroid photo to document the moment. It was so cute! Overall ambiance is nice too. It's cozy without feeling small. Although, it was very cold that day and every time someone opened the door, I would feel the wind draft. Maybe a slightly higher indoor temperature would be better. Anyways, I'd definitely come back! Solid food and lovely service. I like that they serve seasonal specials.

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    The Helmand - afghani - Updated June 2026

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