Afghan Kebab House

Growing up in North India, I had the chance to enjoy Afghan food, and finding a place like this in Albuquerque felt like the perfect opportunity to rekindle that nostalgia. It did not disappoint. The food was flavorful and comforting, and the warmth of the people here reminded me of those iconic National Geographic photo essays that first brought Afghanistan’s beauty to the world’s attention.

Excellent Afgan food. We enjoyed everything. The prices are fair and the lady at the counter was very nice. The rice and lamb shank were my favorite.

So this place had its ups and downs. The food was delicious, I loved the decor and cleanliness. I especially loved the floor seating area. The thing that lacked for me was that we came for dinner here around 6:30 and they were already out of rice so we only had bread to eat with our sides and were limited with our other options. I’m not sure how you run out of rice at a restaurant that is busiest during dinner 🤔 and especially when the most popular afghani dish (qabali palao) isn’t available because of no rice…. It kind of discourages me to come again for fear that it won’t be available for us again. And although our entree’s were supposed to come with rice and didn’t, we were still charged full price for half the of the menu item. They said they couldn’t adjust the price, which was odd and frustrating The service was good but it was only one man doing everything, taking our orders, bringing the food, cleaning up, and it was pretty busy so I feel like they should hire more help. The dishes didn’t come with serving spoons so we used our own utensils, no napkins so you have to go up and ask for those as well. And every time you want more food you have to go up and wait in line for them to order it and bring to the table. The highlight dishes for us were the Manto and the chicken achari karahi. I would recommend this place if you’re getting takeout and if rice is an option, but otherwise I don’t think it’s worth the drive all the way out to downtown (which is already sketchy during the day so it’s just double crazy at night).

This restaurant was widely lauded in public forums and it smelled absolutely delicious when we entered. It shares a lot of resemblance with Indian and Pakistani cuisine - the kebabs, the pulao, the tikkas, and the karahi preparations. We got the chapli kebab, veg sambosa, afghan salad, and chicken kebab skewer. It came with a special tangy sauce which was spectacular. The chapli kebab oozed with coriander flavor. The chicken tikka was succulent and smoky. The salad was fresh and crisp. The samosa was freshly fried, and the chutney paired with it brilliantly. The chapli kebab came with rice which was aromatic and resembled pulao. The staff was in review helpful with the questions we had. We were satisfied and left with our tummies almost bursting.

Great true Afghani food! Rice with carrots and raisins. Lamb was perfectly seasoned, grilled and charred. Baklava also pretty tasty. I also enjoyed the hot teas. Lamb Tikka Kebab Hot green tea Baklava Total = $26 including tip.

An amazing overall experience! My family and I are in town for a few days and decided to stop here to try something new. The service was top tier and everyone working was so kind. The food was fantastic and came very quick. As we were eating they did check up on us and how we liked our food which I appreciated. If you are ever in the area or visiting I recommend so much! 😊

We tried Afghan Kebab House and WOW — the food was absolutely amazing! 🇦🇫✨ We ordered a variety of plates and did family style so we could try everything… and we loved it all! You can really taste the authentic Afghan flavors. The location is such a gem, and if you’re looking to explore a new culture and enjoy a delicious meal, this is definitely the place to go. We 100% recommend it! 🙌🍽️

Hidden gem in ABQ downtown. Only one certified! Quite love their modern and industrial design. 100% legit Persian cuisine. Clean and tasty. Good service with a self-help water fountain. They also offer a floor mat area for a unique experience.

Came in for lunch and ordered the lamb achar karachi. Wow, it was amazing and I can't wait to come back to try other dishes. It's a nice quiet spot for lunch with plenty of parking. Service is friendly and fast. There's floor seating and tables in the back.

A remarkable new venue, with exotic tastes, high quality ingredients, friendly ownership, representing an unparalleled value. After living in Albuquerque 15 years ago for over a decade, and nearly writing off its severely and painfully challenged restaurant scene, tonight, for me, marked a paradigm changing barrier being decisively shattered. The Afghan Kebab House, with its nearly perfect rating of 4,9 on most sites, earns this score handily. This establishment helps elevate Albuquerque's restaurant scene, for me, anyway --along with a handful of other recent venues (K style Korean/Grove Cafe) into a higher, and unprecedented category To explain, I ordered the Chicken Achar plate. It comprises tender chicken in a curry sauce. But this is no ordinary curry. Tastes that I have never *quite* savored before were present, including pickle, mango, onion, cream and tomato. The spice level was low, but as the owner and chef, Ilham, explained tonight, they are emphasizing taste richness and diversity over spice level. His crew begins the arduous process of making this curry a good 5 hours before opening at 11am. The rice provided was also noteworthy, including raisins and a handful of unique spices. Naan predictably differs from Indian style, being more Persian in nature, equating to heavier and thicker. It came with the plate. Finally, 2 ramekins were provided to augment the dish containing a fairly typical garlic chutney. This, I didn't believe added demonstrably to the Achar Curry. The chutney isn't spicy whatsoever, but did add a little extra spice dimension, somehow accentuating or opening up the pungency of the curry. Finally, after being so impressed with the savory, I returned to the counter for Baklava. They alternate between a homemade baklava made by a staffer and alternately create it in their kitchen about half the time as well. Unlike most Greek Baklava often saturated in honey and canola oil, this was more nutty, remained quite flaky, but because of the lack of overbearing sweetness so common elsewhere, presented a unique taste as well. It's certainly a must to order. The restaurant is impeccably clean, and even hosts a small jewelry shop display featuring items handmade in Afghanistan. Lapis is featured along with topaz. Just this jewelry selection from across the world would render the stop here worthwhile. Ilham explained that, while his family is / existed as Hazaran, their menu is equally and regularly enjoyed by the Pashtun in Afghanistan. I have added Afghan Kebab House to my Albuquerque list.

Interesting and authentic new restaurant in downtown! We tried the lamb and chicken kebabs plates and while the meat was under flavored, it was well cooked along with the rice and chutney. There are limited tables, but the food comes out quick so the tables turn over fast. Worth a visit for sure!

Love this place, food is delicious and so darn tasty and fresh. Love the laid back eclectic vibes here and the staff is always helpful. Definitely a must when I'm in the downtown hood.

Really unique but well executed flavors. I wasn't huge on the bread(a bit stale) but everything else was fragrant and cooked to perfection. Nice saffron tea too.

A delightful cafe with very tasty food. A nice addition to the international cuisine of Albuquerque. The chicken kebab plate was wonderful. The cafe interior is beautifully decorated and has a traditional seating area for dining. The staff were helpful to explain the menu items.

Very tasty! Nice and helpful employees. Calm and peaceful, authentic atmosphere. Authentic and flavorful food!

Welcoming staff and food is really good. Cousin is just like back in home. Also good place to take family and kids.

As one of the few Americans who isn't in the military who has visited Afghanistan, this place is wild, I thought I would have to go back to Kabul to taste food like this! Truly UNBELIEVABLE! This is one of the top 100 restaurants in the ENTIRE USA, GO NOW BEFORE IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO GET IN!

Very nice and helpful staff. I got the Lamb Tikka Kebab and the Manto, which was basically (4) seasoned beef dumplings that were steamed NOT deep fried. See pics below. The lamb kebabs and the rice were both very tasty. The spiced chutney dipping sauce was, like the waiter said, a little on the spicy side so I asked for something else and he gave me a garlic-flavored yogurt - which was a lot like a tzatziki sauce - very good. The restaurant has a nice authentically decorated inside seating area as well as a couple of tables outside. There was some Afghan music videos playing on a TV monitor for background music, but not too loud - very nice and added to the authenticity. All in all, a great dining experience!

Order at the counter then find your seat style restaurant - with floor seating available. GREAT food. You can tell they definitely focus on the flavors here. Slightly pricey for the portion size, but still very much worth it. Being my first time here the cashier was also very patient and even helpful with the menu. Will definitely be revisiting this place

We ordered the chicken karahi and a side of pulow. The sauce of the chicken was savory, with just the right amount of fresh ginger, coriander, garlic, and other spices. Heat level was on the mild side. This is a nice addition to replace Knead, which eventually only served pastries.

Really nice place in downtown Albuquerque. I opted for the eggplant entree, Burani Banjan, a tomato and eggplant stew with a yogurt sauce and naan bread. The bread is more of a typical flatbread a bit like focaccia and was very good. I also tried the saffron tea which was also delicious. Nice atmosphere and friendly staff.

Fantastic! The food is delicious! We did not sit on the floor because I don't think I could get up after but the sitting area looked very inviting. We each ad a different dish, lamb tika, chicken tika, beef tika, eggplant and lots of rice and delicious bread. Unfortunately none of us had any room for desert but next time I will save some space! Loved it

Very delicious and tasty. Service was great. Ambiance was fine. Worth the visit for sure!

Wow this is how kabob & palow should taste even better than back home in Afghanistan including the greatest service & hospitality thumbs up very clean inside reasonable price for valuable delicious foods thanks for being there,

This is a wonderful little restaurant. From the ambience to the friendly staff and the good food it's definitely worth dropping by.

Friendly people, very helpful and good recommendations. Place was clean and best of all food was delicious

I have come here several times and have run into many other regulars . This place has just opened and already has regulars ! The taste , the carpet seating area , and the service is top notch ! I love the Mantoo and the Chicken Karahi. The Ferni and Baklava are delicious desserts and the Afghan Tea is really yummy .

Food was tasty and the service was very friendly and attentive! I had the chicken tikka kebab, and the chicken was juicy and flavorful and the rice it came with was delicious. Excited to try more of their menu.

We have eaten Afghan food in other places so it is with great delight that we say everything about our meals was 5 stars! The lamb was amazing, the chutney delicious, the chicken Karahi and chicken tikka Kabob tasty. The fresh vegetables were extremely fresh and flavorful. The service was friendly and attentive. The decor with traditional seating on cushions on the floor was gracious and hospitable. Highly recommend!

Disclaimer- food was ordered at work for a meeting and take out never does justice. That being said, after having seen amazing reviews- the food didn't seem to meet our expectations. The kebabs were dry. The sambusas were decent. The baklava was just ok.

Food was outstanding. My friend and I had the mantu (meat dumplings), shami kebab and chapli kebab. All super flavorful, including the rice that came with the kebabs. Service was friendly and prompt.

The food was delicious and the service was great!! Try the leek appetizer, it was a tasty mix of flavors.

Absolutely beautiful food. Everything tasted so flavorful. You must try the black tea.

This lovely café is warm and welcoming. Order at the counter and take a number to place on your table or in the floor seating area. Our order was taken by a most convivial young man who helped guide us to order a splendid meal. Vegetable samosa was a delight of flavors. The eggplant was was chunky with a fine texture and fragrantly seasoned. The fish was mahi mahi that was perfectly fried in bite-sized pieces. The breading was light and seasoned beautifully. The stewed lamb was delicate in its flavors. The rice was perfectly cooked. We ordered too much to try dessert. Of special note is their cardamon tea that is an ideal match to the dishes. I look forward to returning soon to explore the rest of of what they offer. It should be mentioned that we stayed quite a long time and we're never hurried. The table was cleaned and we were offered free refills of tea and told to take our time. This level of hospitality is to be lauded.

The atmosphere is so nice and the food is to die for! The staff were so kind and attentive I can't wait to go back.

The food was absolutely amazing. We got a chive filled flatbread and chicken plate. Every bite was heavenly. And the saffron tea was soooo good, especially after a long walk in the sun. Service incredibly helpful quick and kind. A great experience.

We ordered the family kabob meal, the lamb "qabuli" and the bolani. The bolani was the best part because it was made of homemade dough, although the fillings were a bit bland. The worst was the rice they called qabuli. Afghan qabuli is very famous for its aroma and taste. This rice was not cooked in the proper way (just white rice cooked in brown liquid and then drenched in a bad tasting oil) and covered with a bit of carrots and raisins. It lacked any flavor, aroma, depth. The kabobs were also not made of good meat and very hard to chew.

This was such a great experience their food is amazing and the customer service is with a smile!

We ordered 1 family combo and 1 qabuli pualo. First of all the portion for was very small and it didn't had taste. The kebab did not had taste like it had any seasonings at all; the only that was good was the chicken kebab. The other type of kebabs were all raw, the hospitality was good.

Food is excellent, we ordered Family combo 1 and it was perfect for 3. The environment very nice and great service.

Great, flavorful food. Very friendly people. I had the chicken tikka kebab and really enjoyed it.

food was delicious, service was excellent. ambiance is good with afghan art, music videos, and maps. a traditional floor seating area was beautiful.