Aracosia McLean

I had a wonderful dining experience at Aracosia McLean. The service was exceptional—attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable about the menu. Every dish we ordered was absolutely delicious. The pumpkin dumplings were a standout—perfectly seasoned with just the right balance of sweetness and sour flavors. The beef and chicken kababs were incredibly flavorful, tender, and grilled to perfection. Each bite was packed with rich spices. Beyond the food, the atmosphere felt great. Whether you're looking for a cozy dinner spot or a place to celebrate with friends and family, this is a fantastic choice. I will definitely be returning to explore more of their menu especially the desserts! Highly recommend!

Such an amazing dining experience! We tried the complete menu set, and the portion is so big that we couldn’t finish half of the food (2 people). My fav are the lamp chop and chicken, interesting flavors I will recommend everyone who never tried 🇦🇫cuisine. This is the best place to visit.

I recently dined at Aracosia McLean and was thoroughly impressed. The ambiance is warm and elegant, perfect for both special occasions and a refined night out. The staff was attentive and knowledgeable, guiding us through the menu with thoughtful recommendations. Every dish was beautifully presented and rich with flavor — the lamb shank and mantu were particular standouts. It’s rare to find a restaurant that combines such high-quality cuisine with genuinely gracious hospitality. I’ll absolutely be returning.

I had the slow roasted spicy halal lamb with seasoned rice, it was super tender and very flavorful. Perfect balance with the rice. We also had the dumpling assortment which was good. The items are on the pricier side but the portions were very generous. Service was excellent and the setting is very beautiful with tasteful art. Highly recommend if you like Afghan cuisine or have never tried it before!

Had an amazing time dining here with friends! The food was flavorful and beautifully presented…especially the lamb chops but the dumplings were good too. The vibe was cozy, and the service was top notch. Definitely a spot I’ll be coming back to!

I recently dined at Aracosia McLean and had a mostly enjoyable evening. Starting with the food, the flavors were rich and well-balanced. The lamb shank was tender, and the mantu dumplings were a standout with their good blend of spices and texture. The ingredients tasted fresh, and the portion sizes were satisfying. As for the service, it was decent but not exceptional. The staff was professional, but there were noticeable delays in getting our meals. At times, it felt like we were waiting longer than expected, even though the restaurant wasn’t at full capacity. A little more attentiveness would go a long way in enhancing the dining experience. The ambiance was but dated and didn’t quite match the level of refinement I expected. The decor is pleasant, but the lighting and overall atmosphere could use some improvements to create a more immersive and comfortable dining setting. It’s a nice place, but for a restaurant of this caliber, I felt it lacked the extra touch. Overall, Aracosia McLean is a good spot for Afghan cuisine with well-prepared dishes and a welcoming environment. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for authentic Afghan flavors, but with the expectation that service and atmosphere may not be at the same level as the food.

This is a review for takeout. In one word- underwhelming. The biggest offender was underseasoning. Pros: the chutneys were spectacular. The bread was soft. The vegetarian chickpea dish was delicious. The meat were perfectly cooked. Cons: To begin with, they got my order wrong. Lamb shank moghuli with egg plant, instead of the lamb shank sabzi moghuli I ordered. Next, I dont blame them for the soggy turnovers, it happens with takeout. But the filling was not adequately spiced. The sabzi dumpling appetizer was already cut into pieces with its filling spilling out into the rest of the topping. This is not samosa chaat. You are not supposed to serve a disintegrated dumpling. Moving on. I tried the chicken sabzi lawaan and lamb shank moghuli, waiting for that richness, burst of flavor. It never happened. Quite plain and underseasoned. The photos on doordash showed saffron rice with the meat dishes. But what got is regular butter jeera rice, again barely any flavor. For a restaurant that is on the Washingtonian list and Yelp 4.8 rating, it definitely fell short. And did not live up to the hype. I would say go back to the basics and focus on the flavors, instead of the fancy descriptions on the menu which do not deliver.

Great location, authentic Afghani food, so delicious and spicy. Very good customer service.

This place had been in one of my collections on Yelp for a while. Someone at the gym had told me how good this place was when I had brought it up in conversation one day as a place I wanted to try. So my gf and I visited here the other night. They proved why they have nearly 5 stars still. We started with sambosas and the free bread. The sambosas were filled with a tomato base sauce and beef and topped with powdered sugar. They were amazing! The powdered sugar really gave it a nice punch of sweetness. I ordered the lamb duo and my gf got the lamb & beef tenderloin. I loved the lamb. It was delicious, tender and cooked to perfection. I don't usually eat eggplant but they served it in a tomato sauce that was divine. My gf's food was also delicious. She gave me some of the beef to try and it was also cooked well and was tender. She got the chickpeas instead and really enjoyed them. The service was good for being in the bar area. The waitress usually wasn't too hard to find. The food came out relatively quickly which was appreciated at dinner time. The ambiance is very Afghani. We sat in the bar since we didn't have a reservation and it was still romantic. There was a tv with a fireplace video on. There were some decorations and middle eastern colors on the walls. There's art on the walls of the dining room that we'd love to come back and experience another time. Highly recommend getting a reservation if you want to eat here. There's either a long wait or bar seating without one. There's also a small parking garage attached to the buildings there so no need to pay for parking.

Fantastic Afghan Food and conversation with the family. The service was excellent and attentive. Aziz was very helpful. Seating was a little tight because we were in a corner table. The chairs were big and heavy. We needed a bigger table due to the amount of food we ordered.

The food here was amazingggg! I really enjoyed everything including the experience. If you want to sit in the dining area and not the bar seating book a reservation. They get very busy on weekends and it's not a huge place. Very intimate interior. The food: The lamb chop duo 8/10 The lamb and beef tenderloin 10/10 The sambosa appetizer 8/10 (sugared samosa) The service was great! Even though we had to sit at the high tops near the bar I still liked our service. Overall, great experience and I'll be going back! There's a garage nearby with free parking. When you arrive go up the stairs the restaurant is on the second level.

The sauces were so good and the meat was very tenders. I love this place and highly recommended to everyone!

I loved Aracosia! Our server was so kind and genuinely so happy to see how much we were enjoying our meals. And the decor had such beautiful, modern Afghani decorations. My white wine was a really solid selection, compared to the standard mediocre by-the-glass options at other restaurants. We got the dumpling appetizer platter, and they were all SO. GOOD. I almost wished I had ordered the dumplings for my main meal as well! And the bread basket and dips were so delicious. I got the chicken-greens-garlic sauce-rice dish, and I was fairly happy with it--though I have to say, I did expect it to be a bit more flavorful and garlic-heavy than it was. I definitely want to come back, but I would try a different entree.

My first time trying Afghan food and it did not disappoint. My favorite item of the night were the pumpkin dumplings. We had lamb with cilantro and lamb with okra. Everything on the menu you could tell was made fresh and will great ingredients. The lamb was tender and flavorful. We also finished dinner with cardamom ice cream which was absolutely delicious and wish it was as sold by the tub. The staff were super friendly and attentive. The inside of the restaurant was beautiful, definitely on the nicer side as far as dress goes. Highly recommend.

It was me and my friend's first time trying Afghan cuisine and we were impressed with the delicious food, good portions, and fast service. They were also very accommodating when I asked to move my reservation back 30 minutes on the day of. They also offer mocktails too!

From the simple ambiance, clean bathrooms, friendly service, and the DELICIOUS Afghan food- this place is awesome! My party of 5 came here for lunch for the first time, and we loved every bite. We all enjoyed the tender lamb, flavorful aushak, rice, and veggies. The "taste of Aracosia" selection is a great way to try a variety of the menu. The BEST Afghan restaurant!

Really loved the food. I got a lamb chop dish and thought it was good, was tangy and good. The bread they provided was very nice as well since it came with a few dipping sauces. Also enjoyed the appetizer, I thought it was similar to a samosa if I recall correctly. Loved that it came with a variety of toppings as well. They had a good Amber beer on draft as well. Liked the ambiance and the service was good too. Great for date night imo. I'm excited to come back and try some other dishes.

I should've reviewed them months ago! I come here as often as I can, which isn't nearly as often as I'd like. This is by far one of the best restaurants I've ever been to in any state or country. Their bread & chutneys are incredible. Meals are always top notch. My favorites are the Rumi's Chicken, Sabzi Lawaan & the Lamb Shank Moghuli. The restaurant is beautiful and well kept. Everyone who works there is pleasant and helpful. It has a good feel to it & everyone I've brought has agreed it's one of the best meals they've had. This is a must visit restaurant!

One of my favorite places I've been to this year. I've had Afghan cuisine before but don't recall ever dining in at a restaurant. The decoration here is absolutely beautiful and the waiters are friendly. They bring bread to the table to start you off which is really nice. Warm with a good balance between crispy and soft. Each of the sauces are great but really loved the mango chili sauce, as its very satisfying. I started with the beef dumplings which were delicious. Then ordered the lamp chops which were tender and juicy, probably the best I've ever had. Finished which a bite of the toasted almond cake which was light and well flavored all while not being too sweet. Overall, everything from this dining experience was impressive. Prices were reasonable, portions were great, and service was quick.

Phenomenal. Great service great food great ambiance. Everything was done well. The salmon was beautifully pink in the middle. The lamb was tender. The kebab was amazing the Zambia? The sambo with sugar on it as a main? Holy! It was at the verge of my spice tolerance but I'd get it again even if I regret it tomorrow. And we had a Moroccan Syrah that was delightful. I've never had a Moroccan wine. We'd be back often if we lived here.

It is really nice to find a restaurant that is elegant yet still casual, offers tasty food yet is not too expensive, quiet and convenient with lots of easy parking.  Aracosia is all of these things.  We first dined here during covid when they set up tables on the outside walkway/terrace.  It was such a joyful experience.  Different time period and different seating but still just as enjoyable.  The dining room is comfortable and reasonably quiet even when the restaurant is full.  The décor is colorful and interesting.  Most of all, the food is really good.  The delight starts at the very beginning with the bread and four different dips that are brought to the table.  Each is delicious in its own way and it is great how the bread seems to break off into sticks which fit perfectly to dip in each little ramakin.  The hard part is restraining yourself from eating more and more of the bread and dips because there are a lot of wonderful items on the menu.  We decided to focus on one main entrée to share accompanied by several appetizers.  The entrée was the braised lamb shank which was falling off the bone tender and really tasty.  The sauce itself was also really good - bread for dipping comes to the rescue again!  For appetizers we had the sambosa boulanee which was sweet and savory at the same time.  We also shared the dumpling assortment which gave everyone a chance to try three different dumplings.  We liked them all.  For dessert we had the traditional baklava accompanied by one green tea with cardamom and one black tea with cardamom.  They were both fragrant and a relaxing accompaniment to a really good meal.  Free parking is easy and can be found in the parking garage which is located under the building.

Came here on a recommendation, and everything was great! Cute place with very convenient parking, which is always a bonus! The atmosphere is very Afghan. It's a bigger restaurant than you think from the outside with both indoor and outdoor seating. The service was five stars from beginning to end. Aziz was very attentive, and the food and drinks came FAST! They've got that part down pat. What we ate: I started with a lemony vodka drink that I think was called In the Fog, and I would definitely get it again. Very refreshing! We started with the pumpkin dumplings. A friend of mine told me they were delicious so I had to get them. They were good, but I would try another type next time. Maybe the hype was just too much or I built it up too much in my mind. Very good though, and the texture of the dumpling skin was just how I like it. I was with two other friends, and we tasted each other's dishes, and I have to say the lamb was the best. It was perfection!!! I had the Saffron Chicken, which was delicious as well. I ate it all! And my other friend also had a chicken dish that I can't remember the name of, but again yum. Everything was great, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm going for the lamb next time!! For dessert we shared the rice pudding and the pistachio cake. You've got to love a place that has a daily cake menu with four options!! The pistachio cake was the winner hands down. We really didn't enjoy the rice pudding at all. It was a little too watery for my taste, and I also thought it could have been a little sweeter. There is a huge menu to choose from so I will no doubt return for more. It was pretty full for a Tuesday night.

I would give this place a 4.5. Make reservations if you can. This was my first time trying Afghan food and I thought it was delicious. First off, you get free unlimited bread with an assortment of dips. That was already pretty filling. I ordered the spinach dumplings which comes with beef on top and drizzled dill sauce, and I thought the sauce was delicious. The dumplings use the same thing wrap as asian style dumplings. The lamb is cooked really well and it is tender. It also came with flavorful beans. The only downside to this dish was that it didn't come with rice.

I've been to Afghan Bistro before and my experience prior was great. Aracosia's atmosphere was a lot less casual so it's perfect for special occasions/etc. They have a parking deck or street parking so it is very convenient. We originally had reservations at 7:30, but arrived early and still got seated about 45 min earlier. The waitress was attentive and friendly; however; after waiting a fair amount of time for one of our guest's drinks, we were told that they were out of a beer. All in all, the food was amazing. I generally don't opt for lamb, but the lamb shank was *chefs kiss*. I had it for leftovers the next day, and it was still amazing. I would recommend checking out Arocasia, but if you're looking for a more casual atmosphere - Afghan Bistro is probably a better option for you!

Food was great. We all had the lunch tasting so that we could try out a bit of everything. We enjoyed the lamb the most, super juicy, tender and fresh. The squash turnover was also very delicious. The decor is exotic and I guess quite authentic. Service was okay.

The lunch was amazing! I'm just gonna dive straight to the delicious food! We ordered a chicken lawaan for the baby (upper right in the picture). While the baby only had a few bite of the dish, we finished it without any problem! The chicken and the yogurt mixed with rice was delicious with every bite. There's simply a bit of everything in every bite. For $14, this dish's cost/portion/taste is unmatched. My wife had the bistro signature lamb chop with beef tenderloin ($23, bottom right of the pic). The mix of carrots and raisins on the rice with squash on the side made the dish super balanced. There's the heavy taste from the two meats, the sweetness from the squash, raisin, and carrots; finally, all of these elements were balanced with lightly seasoned rice. Absolutely amazing taste. I had the lamb shank ($21, bottom left pic). The lamb meat is essentially fall of the bone soft and tender. The lamb had great seasoning. The pistachio and carrots in the rice neatly complemented l the stronger taste of the lamb. I would recommend this dish to anyone! Finally, my friend ordered the saffron chicken ($16, top left). She said it was simply delectable. I was too busy eating from my wife and baby's plates to see what exactly were in my friend's plate. Overall, the service was great and the food was heavenly. This is the type of 5/5 restaurant that deserves constant revisits.

Wonderful food. We will be back. Would love to see a gift certificate option on your website.

The food was absolutely amazing! They have unlimited bread in the beginning with four different sauces! We went for Father's Day so the menu was limited but still tried several things! The service was good, the food was hot and fresh and the people who worked there was nice! The ambiance was nice as well with two different options to sit inside or outside! In addition, had nice indoor decor! The Rose ice cream was delicious! The lamb moghuli was the softest lamb I have ever ate Chicken kabob was alright! It was soft but could have been a bit better! The rice was soft and nice!

This place is consistently good. The waiters and servers here are incredibly helpful and attentive, food always comes relatively quickly, and the food is so warm, comforting, and delicious. The free bread and chutneys are unique and flavorful and each dish always tastes homemade. This is a staple to the Mclean community and will continue to be for years on.

Great for lunch to catch up w friends. Reservations recommended. They have a huge menu with proteins ranging from chicken, beef, salmon, lamb. I loved their service and their lunch specials. Proced right. Garage parking available.

Afghani restaurant with a slightly upscale vibe and both an authentic decor and menu The service here was great. and all of the staff were both very attentive and friendly Complimentary bread and 4 different unique dipping sauces, two of which are fairly spicy Both a-la-carte and tasting menus. Very large portions I got a chicken and steak dish over rice and it was solid

Went here on Easter Sunday - we were able to get a table fairly quickly. The ambience of the restaurant was warm and cozy. I haven't had much experience with Afghan food thus far, and I'm so pleased that this was one of my first meals. We tried the assortment of dumplings for the appetizer (one was pumpkin, one had green onions, and there was another flavor that I forgot but they were all absolutely delicious). The lunch assortment included two types of rice, chicken, veal, lamb, beef, lentils, and chickpeas. Everything smelled so good, was amazingly seasoned, and was so satisfying and savory. We left with leftovers and full stomachs! Highly recommend, yum!

My friend took me here for lunch. I'm sad I never knew about this place because the food is so good. This interior is also cozy looking and would make a nice date night. We got the tasting menu for two which came with a few dishes. I wish I could remember all the names but safe to say everything was excellent. I especially liked the lamb here (both the chops and the stew) and it's no wonder considering all the good reviews on it. The service was spot on and the server had great suggestions. I would definitely suggest coming here with a few friends so you can try out a larger variety of dishes. It was raining today but I saw there was an open area outside where you could be seated. I plan on coming back to experience eating at this restaurant in the nice weather.

Nice menu creation, fantastic service, and great ambiance. Able to handle us promptly and kindly even though we didn't have a reservation.

Aracosia was one of my favorite restaurant places I've been to in a long time. This was an incredible dining experience from beginning to end. I'll start with the ambience first this was a really calm and soothing environment with great music and the perfect view of McLean. The staff was really really friendly. They answered every question we had about the menu and staff was knowledgeable about the menu and helped us make choices based on our preferences and really made you feel like you were at home. The food was sensational. My group went for lunch, and the portions for their lunch menu were extremely doing for the price. I had lamb with brown rice and chickpeas, and it was sensational. We started off with delicious nine and three delectable, dipping sauces that were complementary and everything that my friends order looks and tasted delicious food as well. Flashman at least the cake was one of the best pecan pecan I've ever had in my life. You can park in the adjoining parking lot . Plenty of parking plenty of seating good for lunch and I will definitely come back for dinner as well. Try this place out if you get a chance.

We've never needed a reservation to eat at this restaurant before, but yesterday we were told that we needed one. When we arrived, the restaurant was practically empty, with only three tables occupied at 5:30-ish. The owner offered us a seat at the bar, even though we had my 11-year-old child with us. I'm not sure if it's even legal for a child to sit at the bar. The restaurant reservation culture is definitely out of control. To add to the problem, neighborhood restaurants are getting on the trend: turning away customers due to reservations, even when the restaurant is half empty. Why unnecessarily complicate a dinner experience more than it should be!

My mother-in-law reserved this place for dinner for her sister's birthday dinner. It was all of our first times here, and I would definitely come back. When you enter the restaurant, you'll see that they have a kind of "patio" area, you can sit outside of the reservation by the elevators. It was a little chilly when we went, but there were still a few customers who sat outside. They had nice heating lamps that filled up the area, but not enough for me personally! When we arrived to our reservation, our table wasn't ready yet- the staff was very kind to set up a table in the back for us. Food: overall 4.8 out of 5 -Complimentary bread with different sauces to dip, I only liked 2 of the sauces. I honestly can't remember what they were! -Lamb Tenderloin Appetizer : 5 out of 5, the cucumber dill yogurt complimented it so well -Lamb Chop Duo : 5 out of 5 - the appetizer lamb was soo good that I had to get it as my entrée dish. This dish was served with kabuli rice (I ordered it with no carrots and raisons), and roasted eggplant which was ama-zing! -Chicken Thigh Kabob : 4 out of 5 - my boyfriend cleaned up his plate but he said it was a little lack luster, putting the yogurt dill on everything really helped. Service: 3.8 out of 5 Since we were seated in the back area, it was hard to grab someones attention when we needed something. Our water glasses were empty almost all the time, and it took awhile for us to get a box and the check at the end. Regardless of the slower service, I highly recommend this place as it has a nice ambient for romantic or intimate family dinners and the food is delicious.

Delicious food, authentic place, and great atmosphere. Went to celebrate a birthday with my friends. The dessert was amazing . The chocolate cake and the pistachio cake highly recommended.

100% nostalgia! The food was amazingly delicious. Every dish was perfectly cooked and seasoned to perfection. The service (Aziz especially but also other staff who tended to our table) was outstanding, appropriately timely and attentive. The ambiance was cozy, comfortable, relaxing, welcoming... so many other adjectives but most of all it reminded me of several family dinners in Afghanistan. The authenticity of flavors in every dish teleported me to several fond memories and time spent in the heart of south-central Asia. I've had this place on my bookmarks for a while and I was pleased to finally share it with someone who enjoys Afghan food as much as I do. We had a 6pm reservation on a Saturday. We ordered one cocktail and each decided on the sampler that includes an assortment of dumplings because it included MOST of our favorite dishes and some others. Also, as first time diners we thoroughly enjoy sampling many things to know what to order on the next visit. So much food but again... "we left no crumbs".... "Literally"!! Lamb A+, Beef A+, Chicken A+ Palou A*, Qubuli Rice A+... everything you see captured in the photos A+!!! The only dish that I didn't care for was the chickpeas dish and that's because I am not a fan of chickpeas. To all the lamb lovers, this is the place to be as the menu selections are expansive capturing nearly every way lamb can be prepared!!! Options, options, options galore!! If you haven't been to Aracosia McLean, you are missing out! Please visit this place it will not leave you disappointed in the food, service or ambiance departments. Also, the is covered outdoor seating along the front entrance and my favorite...free garage parking attached to the Shops!

Amazing food and great service. Check out the bistro signature mix grill mazza to get a little of everything. It comes with charbroiled lamb shoulder chops, lamb rib chops, lamb tenderloin and beef tenderloin and a chutney. Perfectly cooked and super flavorful. I would say this appetizer serves 2 to 3. For my main, I went with the saffron chicken. Think of this as a yogurt based curry but infused with saffron, lemon and dill. I was very bright and flavorful. All served over perfectly cooked basmati rice. Ambience was a little too dark. Also the heat was cranked up too high. Logistics: they have a small parking garage in the basement. Take the elevator to the 2nd floor. There is some limited outdoors seating that is covered and has space heaters. Reservations via Open Table. Online carryout orders can be made at https://www.aracosiamclean.com/order-online

Great food. Standard kabobs plus a few dishes you'll not find at the typical Afghan restaurant. Food tastes homemade.

Updating my review, because my brothers and I just through a birthday luncheon for our mother here in their private room, and everything was even better than the last time. We did the mini-taste of Aracosia, which is hardly mini. (We had planned to have dessert, but almost all of us were to full to even contemplate it after the absolutely deliciousness meal.). We had about 10 dishes (mains, veggies, sides in all - see attached menu), and people raved! Standouts we're the chicken kabobs, which were one of the most well-seasoned, juicy, and absolutely delicious versions I have ever had (ruined me for my normal takeout place), each of the chicken stews, eggplant, and risotto. The only dish that wasn't received, as well, was the ground beef kabob - next time, I'd get the steak one instead. We (and I think all of our guests) will be back to this or other Aracosia outposts. Definitely now a favorite in the DMV.

The husband and I picked this Resturant based on stars and the amount of reviews alone and we are for sure coming back! Adelso was our waiter and was great with the recommendations and his hospitality. We ate the Lamb Shank Moghuli, Risotto and Lamb Shank and the Hot Mazza Assortment for our appetizer. One comment said if you like lamb try them all and we for sure will do such as that. Great authentic food and the portions were satisfying.

From the outside when you're on the street, it isn't much. Once you find the front entrance, you are transported to a different place. The decor plays well with each other and it is dark, cozy, but spacious. I loved it! The servers and hosts were very attentive and were always checking in to see if we had enough bread, water, rice, etc. they made sure we knew what was in each dish and what the spices were in each dish. The service was really top notch. The food is flavorful. I have never had Afghan food or cuisine before, but after trying this place, I know it won't be my last time either. I am sold on how good the cuisine is and I explore you to try it. It is flavorful but not as powerfully spiced as Indian cuisine. It has some similar characteristics, but lighter and the taste or smell does not linger after the meal. It's balanced. There is a parking garage in the complex with multiple levels so I am sure you will find parking.

Several people have recommended Aracosia, and unfortunately whenever we planned to go, it was full. So we popped in during lunch one day. A little hard to understand were to park because maps and google took us to a parking lot that was signed with towing warning. When you drive to the Beverly road side, we found out that there was a lot of parking in the basement, away from the hot sun and parked the car in the cooler shade. That parking was the parking for the restaurant, so a good advice is to drive to Beverly road and park in the basement. The lunch menu was small and had small bites but also for those who wanted to have full courses. We tried something called mini bites that had lamb chops, beef (grilled) chick pea curry, stew with eggplant and meat, chicken spinach and lentils. It was 23 dollar or person. In addition they served Naan taste bread with three dip as an appetizer. We also ordered alcohol free mocktails. The curry combinations, usually more hot spiced if an Pakistani or Indian version, it still had good taste and were less spicy. I must say that majority of the food was a new good experience and tasted great. The ambience was relaxed and the only thing that's was a mismatch in an afghan decorated restaurant, was the music that was perhaps a bit loud and played the top 40 songs. So if I am ought to be picky, I would have switched that to a more background relaxed music rather than aforementioned. The service was great with the perfect amount of follow up and smile. The last one goes a long way way for creating a good impression. I was told later from my foodie buddy that I should have tried the kabobs, which apparently is the signature items. So that would be next time I guess. I am def going back

Dishes are delicious, well prepared and served. There are a variety of choices. The environment is cozy.

I never would have noticed this place, but very glad to have found it. Wide ranging menu and everything we tried was delicious. Between the three of us we shared a vegetarian sampler and a Chicken Aracosia and it was the perfect amount of food. Cozy ambiance and great staff.

Great ambiance and servers. Friendly staff. But the food is mediocre if you know authentic afghani food. Good selections. We shall definitely be back for the ambiance but not for the food. Sauces are good. Never ever had sambosa with sugar on it. Not a good combination. Parking is plenty so good location

Beautiful space in McLean - very welcoming and homey. Service is prompt and friendly. The food is authentic and very good. My wife and I visited for lunch. We both ordered the lunch special dumplings and the lunch special platter. While the dumplings were good, at $16 per person for 3 dumplings each I'd probably pass in them next time because they weren't out of this world. As for the lunch special - this was an enormous amount of food for $22 per person. We started with Afghan bread with 3 dips - fantastic. Then we were served 2 types of rice as your base on top of which you spoon nakhoud chalou which was a spicy tomato based chickpea dish - one of the best chickpea dishes I've ever had. Also they served a delicious lentil qorma, a braised veal in tomato sauce, and chicken lawaan which was a stewed chicken thigh with a garlic and yogurt stew - tender, soulful, and packed with flavor. They also offered us 2 perfectly grilled medallions of beef tenderloin and 2 small lamb chops - both the beef and lamb had a great flavor and char on them. In total the bill was a little over $80, which is pretty steep for lunch - but it was a great experience and we'll be back!

Stopped here while in the area for work. Absolutely delicious food, with kind staff. Would recommend!

So yummy! I came with friends and I wish I took note of what they exactly ordered, because everything was so delicious!!! I know we got their popular dumpling appetizer dumplings, that was veggie, pumpkin, and a meat filled. The table comes with bread and different sauces. Loved all the sauces but really liked their green one. Reminded me of a chimichurri sauce. We ordered their lamb shank, lamb with bone, a chicken dish, and a veggie dish. Everything was so yummy!! Must stop spot! It was my first time have afghan food and I thought everything was delicious!

Grilled kabobs was exceptional and the flavor of the sauces with the bread will keep me coming back.

Unusual & creative selections, very personal service, reasonably priced, delicious appetizers & main courses, attractive atmosphere at both locations, family owned

Food was very good, nice atmosphere. Service was friendly but a little slow. We were seated without napkins/silverware or water glasses. We had appetizers which came out quickly. Our main courses took very long to arrive - approximately 35-40 min after we ordered the main course. The food was excellent indeed and reasonably priced for the quality.

Best kabobs I've ever had! The chargrilled flavor was fantastic! The 4 sauces that come with the bread were superb! Chicken & Ground Beef Kabobs

This is my new favorite restaurant in McLean. First, there's the food. Amazing. The pumpkin dumplings are to die for. The seasonings are amazing. Second, there's the friendly staff. I have dietary restrictions and they always respond, "no problem," and then adapt. Apparently, they're all one big happy family. Third, there's the lovely ambience, whether inside or outside on one of the loveliest patios in McLean. What's not to love ?

I wouldn't have guessed there's an incredible Afghan place in McLean, but this restaurant is incredible. It's tricky to find, have to head up to the second floor. Everything we tried was great.

Delicious and I have lots of great things to say! First: the reservation process was easy to do online. When my friend and I arrived, there were also multiple places to park (although it took us a minute to realize it was on the second floor!) The ambiance was really nice and we liked the decor. The staff was very friendly and attentive and we appreciated their recommendations. I had a drink (In This Fog) which was good and nicely presented, but maybe a slight bit too much elderflower for my personal preference - I would probably try a different cocktail next time. For food, we did the dumpling sampler as well as another entree sampler (I am not sure if that is always an option - we ate there for lunch on a Sunday. Additionally, we both had to participate to do the sampler, which wasn't a problem for us because we wanted to try everything but may be a disappointment to others!). The food was completely delicious and we loved everything! We also brought some food back home for our spouses and my husband really enjoyed his chicken wrap. I will definitely be back soon!!