Kabobeesh

Kabobesh always one of my favorite restaurant in Philadelphia. It seems they just changed ownership followed by renovation. Overall,,,food still good, lamb curry taste great, and still taste the same just like my first visit 24 years ago

For a meal that cost $85, this was just a horrible experience. The woman at the counter was very rude but we were prepared to overlook this if the food was any good. I've been coming to Kabobeesh for over 18 years and returned here today after a 5 year absence. The last time we came here, 4 members of my family got food poisoning. We returned after 5 years, hoping to give it a chance to redeem itself. Boy, were we mistaken. The chicken karahi, which took over 30 minutes to prepare, was burnt and over seasoned with black pepper. They served it in a traditional karahi but gave us no utensils to serve it. We had to use tiny plastic spoons. The nan was soggy and the vegetables were full of oil. The atmosphere has never been a strong point of kabobeesh, but now the food matches the decor... drab and tasteless.

The food here is great. It’s so good that I find myself going back. However, I have been expected to wait for fifteen mins to half an hour without so much as a “will be right with you” or an acknowledgment every time I went. The lady is very rude. I patiently waited my turn and asked for the lamb curry after I had watched her meticulously overpack the order of the man who ordered before me to the point where she told him that the lamb curry “will leak everywhere” if she tries to close the lid because she overstuffed it with meat. It did leak everywhere and she smiled while handing it to him and triple checking his order to make sure everyone he ordered for knew which styrofoam container was their food. At my turn, she said there was no lamb curry left. She swirled the ladle around the metal container and I saw some meat so I said as long as she loads it up (like she did for the guy before me), I’ll take the last bit of leftover curry (right before closing time). However, she picked up just about every bone that was left in the curry and left me with a curry container that was exactly half filled with empty bones when I finished eating. All but two of these were bones without meat attached to them. Attaching photos. I could not tell you what the lamb was supposed to look like. I am incredibly disappointed and angry at the disrespect I get every time I go here. I asked her for a little more rice thinking she would just put half an extra scoop on the tray. After all, she had put half a scoop of chickpeas and peas/potatoes on my tray. Given the time of day, amount/options of food leftover from the day, wait time, and treatment of other customers that I have seen, I expected to be given a reasonable amount of food and to be treated with kindness. She muttered under her breath about how everyone rushes in at the same time. People are getting off work late, hungry, and yet coming to give her business on a weeknight with several friends ordering $100+. This is not the first time I felt disrespected by this woman. How can you complain about that in front of a customer who stood waiting for 15 minutes without so much as a hi? However, she grabbed a plastic container, filled it three quarters with rice, and charged me an extra $4 while saying that next time I can pass on the vegetable sides that come with the meal and ask for rice instead. I asked for the chutney sauce and did not receive any. I don’t think I am asking for too much. I just want to be treated with respect because I have given them my business at least several times a week for the past few weeks. While I did not grow up eating this food, I’ve grown to love it and have become a regular customer spending close to a hundred dollars there a week. I am sick of this treatment and since the lady asked me to leave a review the first time she ever took my order, I thought I’d leave my honest opinion here. If management sees this and would like to rectify this situation I will listen. Everyone deserves a second chance.

Giving two starts only for the taste. Ordered from Uber Eats two times this week. I like the taste of their food but their options are very misleading. They say they have mild options but no matter how much you emphasize on the mildness level, they don’t read the instructions at all. I even wrote I am allergic to spices, but they send the spiciest food ever! Packing is trash both times the food was spilled in the bag. They give you one option to choose the curry, but then they randomly add another curry for you! Again it happened both times. I think they need to start reading instructions!!!!

I have been coming here for years, and I love their food. We ordered the Chicken Tandoori, Beef Kebab, and Lamb Chops ❤️

This is a gem of a restaurant in Philly. I know People who have been coming here for more than 20 years and are happy customers, so am I and my friends. I love their curry as well as kabab specials. They have halwa puri which is so good. Their meals are huge in portion. Their desserts and lassis are all house made, they’re so darn good. They also have falooda and kulfi. The owner along with the chefs take great care of the guests individually. Every time we go we demand something different and they always fulfill it. People who leave bad reviews obviously don’t understand restaurant hustle, and you can’t be so opinionated just after one encounter with something and someone. Overall good food, good renovation and good service. Good restaurant to take your family and friends to. Highly recommended.

Delicious food! The breads were served piping hot and all the dishes we tried were great.

I’ve been coming here for years and the food is consistently delicious. I always order the curry lamb. It’s really good, and the fresh naan is very wholesome. If you’re looking for great curries or indo-pak food visit Kabobeesh. You won’t be disappointed.

Amazing food. I frequent this place a lot. Always fresh food and Never disappoints. Chicken And lamb Kabobs are great!

I have been coming this place since 2002. My favorite Chicken Malai Boti, Chicken Karahi, Channa and Kheer. I never had any issues or complaints about food and customer service. Asad Bhai, Nadeem Bhai and Ansari Bhai always take care of everyone very nicely and politely. Naveed Shaheen

So let me start by saying I really should've gave this place 1 star but I've been eating here for year every since they had a location on south street. My my my!!!! How they have fell from grace!! I stopped eating there for a few years but said hey let me give them another try maybe they got their ish in order and possibly start making quality food again. Nope!! I will never eat at this place ever again. Apparently all they care about is making money and not serving good food. The Kabob meal is subpar at best and this time I ordered a chicken nugget meal for my kid and what a F'k'n mistake that was! I didn't even let her eat it I threw it out and ordered a different meal for her from somewhere else. Never again I won't even buy a bottle water from yall ever!

I came by myself first time in Kabobeesh. Tried its lamb curry meal with two sides of veggies, lentils and chickpeas, rice and a naan. $15 for this platter. I do like the curry lamb (a lot of meat). I had also ordered lamb chops meal and lamb kabob meal to go for my family. They like it. I think the lamb chops were little bit burnt but taste good as well as lamb kabobs. Mango lassi was great! Go back there soon for more!

We went for dinner at Kabaobeesh and ordered seekh kebab, malai boti and Nihari, everything tasted so good that the next day we went again for the brunch. We ordered Halwa Puri, Halim, and Tikka, again the food was amazing and the lady at the front was very sweet!! I will recommend this restaurant to everyone!!

I love chicken Karahi from here! Naan is made to perfection and their mango lassi too!! I've been coming since 2011. This family owned restaurant has impeccable taste of curries and meat infused together , bursting of flavor of spices from our motherland. Ambiance is peaceful. Service is 10/10!

Thano you to Humaira who took my order. we had great conversation and the food is amazing.

The very best food I have ever had! Flavorful, spicy delicious food I would recommend for everyone to come to kabobeesh and eat ! Halal which is a plus! Authentic, food Great service, large servings.

- 41.99 is STEEP for a half-karahi that was very subpar in taste and didn't include additional naans/sides etc. - our kabobs were completely uncooked on the inside. The staff acknowledged it, took it back and brought us same kabobs again, this time so overcooked that they were completely rubbery. I will not be returning.

The food is out of this world!! The people are very friendly too. This is my 2nd visit as I live in Seattle but I would come here every time I am within one hour driving distance

Best halal food in Philadelphia. Ample parking. Great service. Their chicken and mutton Karahi are excellent with BBQ chicken tandoori and resham Kababs. I will recommend it to everyone.

Very delicious food and friendly service. I had the nehari and as I never had it before I asked the woman there for recommendations. She was very helpful and gave good suggestions. I got takeout. It was all still very tasty when I got home. I also got a salmon roll which was large and flavorful and spicy. I saw they offered free iftar, I think this is a very nice service for Muslims during Ramadan. The restaurant was very quiet when I visited because it was Ramadan, it will be interesting when I revisit when it is busier.

Great Pakistani food is served here. Generous portions too! Staff could be more communicative.

I justifiably slammed Kabobeesh for its inconsistency in all things, quality of food, delivery speed, even its menu. Then I get a "perfect" cheap meal like yesterday, when I got an excellent chicken chharga and pretty good lamb kabob. Oh Kabobeesh how I love/hate you! Inconsistent. Cheap. Probably bad for you. But yum.

True hidden gem in Philly. This piece deserves a James Beard award. Serious eats here. Best Pakistani / middle eastern food in the country.

We are in Philly and were recommended to visit this place. The food did not disappoint. We ordered the lamb and chicken curry meals, chapli kabab and samosas. Everything was delicious and reminded me of food back home in Pakistan. The Lahori Chole or chickpeas are to die for. The servings are huge and each meal comes with two sides, rice and naan. The service was good and everyone was very friendly. All in all, a gem of a place.

This food was amazing the service was great I eat here all the time with my family the spirit and the food is great thank you Kabobeesh for the great service

They sure don't like you to ask questions here. I would like to know what I am eating my choices instead of being skipped in line and rushed

We came in on a weeknight and it took a while for them to even take our order - when they did, it took about 20 more minutes for them to bring the food over. The atmosphere isn't great - the seating area isn't very clean, and some of the food looked old. The food wasn't great - I probably wouldn't come here again.

Walking into Kabobeesh, I was totally out of my element. The restaurant was empty, except for two other customers, and I had no idea what to get. I had no idea what to expect. Instead what I got was some of best food around in University City. A Pakistani restaurant specializing in kebab, I ordered the lamb chop platter. Coming with two sides (I doubled up on chickpeas) and naan, you really get your money's worth. But most importantly, the food was amazing. The lamb chops were incredibly flavorful, tender, and soft. Although slightly salty, I was pleasantly surprised by the soft texture, melding of spices, and smokiness of the meat. SO YUMMY. The naan is so fresh; it came out piping hot, crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The chickpeas were kind of cold and oily, but were very flavorful. I can't imagine how delicious it'd be fresh. The star of my meal though was the rice. I honestly could've eaten the basmati rice all by itself with satisfaction. So fluffy and spiced to perfection, I'm definitely come back just for this. Although the wait time may be long, Kabobeesh is well worth it! Please support this local business and try some delicious kebab for yourself!

Honestly, I loved Kabobeesh back in my college days. Their nashta nawabi meal is so good. Their food is authentic, flavorful Pakistani food. The chana and the aloo baji are really tasty. Puris are fresh. Service was nice. I've never dined in. Only take-out. I haven't had food from here in quite some time. But, I would definitely go back, and recommend to others.

Biggest mistake of my life. I should've trusted the reviews and not ordered here. I waited for my food for more than 2 hours for one person's meal. They're liars. The guy who picked up handed the phone to someone else and he said that your order is just leaving and it's next. He lied. I called again and he said the Uber driver is standing in front of me and he has the order now. I asked my Uber driver and he said he was still waiting. This was the third Uber driver. We can track the order. Don't bother going or ordering. They're liars and very unprofessional. How is this business when running.

TERRIBLE SERVICE The first time we dined in. They forgot our order and it took almost two hours to get our food. When we finally got our food, it wasnt what we ordered. However, the food was good so we decided to give this place another try. We came back for take out. They dropped the chicken tandoori on the floor. The box was open and i saw there were atleast 3 pieces in there. They took it back to the kitchen- for reasons i was not sure. When i opened the box at home, i discovered there was only one small leg. Had they let me know that most of the chicken had to be thrown out, i would've appreciated the honesty and simply changed my order. Instead they went ahead and charged me $12.50+tax for one leg of tandoori. The lamb curry was also severely lacking and had only 4 cubes of meat. The food is not good enough for me to look past the poor service. If you're looking for a place that will satisfy, this is not it.

Sat outdoors on the nice deck! The mutton kadhai was super duper yum! And so was the Crown brand kulfi - malai and mango!

Horrible customer service. The only reason this place is even open is because there are no other Pakistani halal restaurants. They cashier/ server (fair gentleman with glasses) didn't even bother to write down our order, told us it would take 5 mins. Waited there for 20 min and nothing! We saw him treat another customer who was waiting for 45 min so rudely! We just walked out after that's. This place would fail the inspection test. Kitchen was so dirty. No one was wearing a mask but they had a huge sign telling ppl to wear a mask. Not enough ppl working there. Lacks customer service, food is no longer the same once the original owner passed away.

I visited Kabobeesh on a Friday afternoon on a holiday weekend because I remembered how good the food was a few years back. I took my food to go and enjoyed it at home 40 minutes later. Go for the food. The aforementioned young man in glasses pleasantly greeted me at the door as did a pleasant woman behind the counter. I had not looked at the menu so I asked the best question "What should I eat?" I got Haleem - boneless beef short rib beef with barley and onions. It's delicious - I have 1/2 of the portion in the pint container for tomorrow. The naan is great - right out of the oven. I don't know what the chickpea dish was called but it was the best thing that I ate this weekend - looked like baby food - tasted like heaven. I had the pleasant woman throw some chicken curry on the rice - that also was fantastic. I enjoyed everything I got - for $15. Don't go for the ambiance. The former diner space at 42nd & Chestnut is dominated by a giant flat screen TV with international news on one side and a beautiful enclosed deck on the other. When I visited, I was the only customer and the team was cleaning. There's nothing bad or wrong but a post Covid Pakistani spot in an old diner doesn't scream date night. I would absolutely go back. I remember pre-uber nights when the parking lot was full of taxi cabs. That's what inspired my first visit and should encourage your first visit, too!

I've been wanting to try this place for quite some time now. As an Indian, I know Pakistani food is A-mazing. Their meats and spice mixes are exquisite. I have to say that this place did not disappoint.Very value for money. We ordered chicken kebabs, lamb kebabs, chicken biryani and lamb curry. Try different kebabs in your visit, you don't have to make a meal, ala carte skewers are good tasting options. Biryani was amazing, the spices were perfectly blended. They serve a veg dish with their meals which did not look too appealing to me. I ordered chapli kebab but they were out of beef which they told me about much towards the end of my meal. They did compensate by giving me chicken sheekh kebab on the house. Meal size is very big. It comes with naan, meat, rice and a side of vegetables. I'm giving one less star because they were out of a lot of things at just 1:30 pm. Will definitely go back to try the much recommended chapli kebab.

Worst place we ever visited. We ordered charge(chicken) meal and kebabs. The chicken was first not served with naan and on asking they provided us with the nans after 20 min. The chicken was raw from inside like you could see the blood inside the chicken. On flagging the same it was cooked in a min again( we don't know how) and served back). The salad was wilted. The place was filthy.

Last night I went here and honestly it was a good decision. After a long day the kabobs really hit the spot. I ordered the chicken kabob and the Resham chicken. The chicken kabob came with naan, rice, and chickpeas. The chicken was really juicy and flavorful. And none of the food was too spicy either. The staff was also helpful on the phone when I was ordering as well they helped me decide what to get and they were really nice about it. Not to mention the food was very affordable for both the dishes it was about $25 and especially for the about of food we got. The only complaint I have is the food took a while to get made but otherwise definitely a sold place for kabobs.

Been going here and getting take out from here for years! Firstly it's not an Indian restaurant! It is an authentic Pakistani food for amazing platter style food and mouth watering Kebabs and Tandoori (grilled meats). They are most famous for the grilled meats, and you can order ala carte or get a platter, which includes the grilled meat, 2 vegetables curries, or salad, rice and Naan ( fresh bread). I have tried the Resham chicken (minced chicken kebab), tandoori chicken, chicken malai tikka, lamb chops and Chaplin kebab ( minced beef spicy kebabs) Basically all of them! My favorite is the malai tikka and/or chicken resham ! Apart from kebabs they also serve apps like samosas, veg cutlets, rolls (with your choice of meat). Some of the other delicacies include the Lahori Charga which is a whole chicken spiced and then deep fried. Definitely for a family of 4-5! And the other thing they are so good at is the Chicken kadai, you have to call ahead of time, since they make it from scratch! The chana is devours love! Do not go here if you can not eat spicy food!

Basically its an old-school American diner turned into a Pakistani eatery. Food quality is decent, service is minimal to non-existant, decor is putrid, portions are good & price is reasonable ... but their specialty is the Karhai ( superb! ) PROS - Pricing, portions & their Chicken / Mutton Karhai ( must try ! ) CONS - Service, decor & inconsistency in food quality TIP - Chicken / Mutton Karhai takes @ least 1 hour to prepare ( call about an hour an advance to order otherwise you will be waiting for a long time )

Terrible terrible service. 3 of us ordered food together, SAME THING- but received it in varying 5 minute intervals, after an already long wait. Food is NOT fresh. The kebabs they make "fresh" are pre-made from days in advance. Avoid this place!!

Yes Yes highly recommended, I ordered a large tray of Curry Lamb and a large tray of Rice for a party for my wife the quest who ate the lamb and rice went crazy and kept going back for more. It was truly tender falling off of the bone, so I recommend to everyone who enjoys Mediterranean cuisine.

Dishonest and Disrespectful Vendor 1, I rarely write review but I am really pissed by this restaurant 2, they charged me $1 extra for no reason. I later found out from their menu 3, they packed me one one Kabob in the meal instead of two. I found out immediately. They came up with absurd excuses and tried to get away. 4, they packed take outs for their Indian pals first who actually came after me. WILL NEVER COME BACK

Visited this place after 17 years. While the exterior and interior have seen a little renovation, I was happy Food was the same! Pleasant server behind the counter. Enjoyed Tandoori chicken, lamb chops, Naan and a special treat from the chef who gave us Puri's. Ended my evening woth Kashmir tea!

This is a small restaurant in the heart of west Philadelphia which many people might not know of. Last few years the establishment has gone a major visual upgrade that makes this a wonderful place to visit. First the food. Its a Pakistani themed kabob restaurant that makes authenticity cooked resham beef and chicken kabobs plus tandoori chicken and lamb kabobs. The food is cooked with passion and full of wonderful flavor. The staff are amazing people. I usually visit this place once or twice a month on a Friday after work around 11pm at night and the people there are extremely friendly and welcome me like a old friend. Never rude, always welcoming and polite. I live near King Of Prussia and its a 45 minutes to an hour drive just to visit this fine establishment but I do so for the wonderful food, respectable staff, and just the high quality of service these people provide. The portions are always affordable and have good quantity of food. $2.99 for the classic resham food, around $10 for a well portion meal. Quality food, reasonable priced, and filling portions. Recommend this place strongly. Food 5/5 stars Staff 5/5 stars Service 5/5 stars I will continue to visit this place as often as i can

We ordered the chicken and beef which were both excellent. I've been coming up to Philly once a month lately and these business trips will continue for the next few years. This place is an amazing find and I plan on coming back here very soon.

I have never been to Pakistan, but I think my dinner at this restaurant is pretty close. It certainly feels like being overseas. I ordered tea and got this milk-infused post-colonial simulacrum of a British cuppa. It was pretty great if you are into that sort of thing. Do I know authentic Pakistani food? I'm probably not qualified to be some sort of authority on the subject. No matter. I'm going to go ahead and declare this place 100% the real deal. The plastic forks and knives and paper plates keep it from being a perfect dining experience...and it's not spotless. That said, I can't recall ever having lamb that was more expertly barbecued. The chana (chickpeas) were excellent and flavorful, the rice perfectly done. The naan fresh and delicious. You want this food. Also - they have their own parking.

This is my go to place for Pakistani/Indian food in the Philly area. They have had a history of poor/slow service in the past to where I'd have to wait over an hour for my order to be ready and eventually gave up going to this place for a while, but things have drastically changed. From my most recent visits, the service and wait times have improved due to the new guy that works there who has completely turned this place around. I have brought countless friends/family here and all have loved this place and constantly ask me if I'm going to Kabobeesh. My go to order is a "Chicken paratha roll". I don't know what they add to the kabab recipe but it's one of the best most authentic kababs I've had. The paratha (lightly fried flatbread) and kabab combo that make the roll are mouthwatering good. They also serve chicken karahi (chicken curry with fragrant spices) to order with you picking the spice level (I like the mild; just enough spice to where my mouth isn't burning off). The karahi does take 30 minutes to prepare so if you want a quick bite, get something from the steam table display. The other dishes are 9/10 , but the CHICKEN PARATHA ROLL is what keeps me going back to this place. 10/10= Chicken Paratha roll 10/10= Chicken Karahi 9/10= other menu items 10/10= service Overall, a must try for flavorful authentic pakistani/Indian food. Did I mention the Chicken Paratha rolls...

This place made me feel like I was eating in India again! Born and raised in Mumbai city, I'm used to brilliant kebabs and biryani, which I fail to find in the USA. But after visiting these guys, I can safely say that I've finally found a place that serves something close to what we get back in India! Their biryani meal and the Tandoori chicken appetiser are both delicious. The lamb curry is spiced to perfection. Overall, the closest to an authentic Indian meal with the scrupulous flavours one would expect!

3.5 stars. Decent spot for Pakistani food! Everything that they grill and make fresh (like the fish fry) tastes good and is pretty warm. However, the nihari Masala was a letdown, and the veggie side dishes would have been better if they were warm. The place itself is clean, but it's pretty bare bones. However, this will do the job jf you have a craving!!

Kabobeesh is one of our top places to eat. The food is always authentic, fresh and nicely seasoned. Portions are plenteous at a very reasonable price. We had friends from out of town visiting and decided up front we would take them to Kabobeesh. We weren't disappointed. We go here for the food. Decor is simple. Indoor and outdoor seating. No table service. You pick your food up when they call you. They are always busy. Standard waiting time. Always fresh. Always delicious. Always satisfying.

Racist and sexist. Bad customer service. The cashier is very impatient and rude, especially towards Black people. He dismisses customers, and even refuses to check out customers when he's frustrated. They also run their business poorly. You are guaranteed to wait 20+ min for your food; even if you call in your order. DO NOT eat here or support this business.

Executive Summary: Food - 4.5 stars Wait - 2 stars Service - 2 stars So you want some tasty kebabs and Lahori cuisine while in the Univ City area? Your answer is clear - Kabobeesh. Now some Dos and Don'ts: - Don't waste time looking at the menu as they won't have half the stuff listed on it. - Do instead look at the steam table by the register where you order and pick an item. - Do order a few kebabs you see in the glass front refrigerated case. - Don't let a half empty restaurant fool you into thinking you will get your food in short order - it will take 20-30min. - Don't expect good customer focused service The wait is quite long and your tummy will growl from the aroma of the kebabs but once the food arrives you will be in bliss. Recommend the Reshami beef kebab and chicken tandoori kebab along with a tandoori naan. The kebabs and paya (goat trotter stew) was as authentic as I have enjoyed in India and Dubai. Best way to order it is to call ahead but I heard him giving a hard time to someone who was trying to place a take out order. Samosas are over priced.

All I like in this place is the chicken samosa, Karahi chicken and their reshmi chicken roll. The biryani is not up to the standards and I hate the wait time on the Friday/Saturday night. The place could be much cleaner for dining.

This used to be my favorite go to spot for Indian cuisine, but lately everytime my husband goes in to get his food, the young guy with the glasses is very rude and serves other people that came in after him first. Perfect example tonight my husband got there at 8pm ordered food and here it is 9:15 and he is just leaving and the food that he ordered was ready made. Sadly I will be finding an alternate restaurant for my Indian cuisine from here on out. I can see if it was one time but this is he 3rd time

Excellent food, easy going ambience but if you know the menu, better order ahead of time. Wait time can be one negative but I understand they make fresh food so maybe wait is worth your time. Parking can be an issue and seating can be a little better. People come and eat food and lounge around for extended period of time which probably they causes issue with the eating space. Awesome food at pretty reasonable price. I would recommend to take your friends for good time and come back home for good social hour and enjoy good conversation in the comfort of your living room and avoid spending hours after hours in the kitchen for a mediocre dinner.

I went to Kabobeesh with a group of friends after it was recommended in West Philly. Not too far from the El, the restaurant is situated at a corner with a humble parking lot. Walking into the place, it's set up like a cafeteria style restaurant, with a counter at the front to order and the different food options displayed like a food court restaurant. There was plenty of seating, with some tables and some booths. I got to try the nehari weekend special and the resham beef here. We ordered at the counter, and were told to sit for a bit. When the food was ready, we were called back to the counter, where we could select the vegetables we wanted with our entrees. The meals came with rice and naan as well, and served in platter plates. It was so much food for fairly cheap! The nehari was so delicious with the naan and rice, soaking the carbs with the spicy curry to give them a very delicious flavor. Warning, it was definitely hot, even for me, and needed some quenching. The naan was incredible though, made perfectly. The resham beef came in too long skewers and were also delicious. We had to box up and take stuff home with all the food. I would higjky recommend this place if you're craving some Pakistani food or just if you're in the mood for some delicious spiced food!

This place is pure win! When I go here, I usually get the lamb curry. Let me tell you, it's the best lamb curry I've ever tasted! I've been to quite a few places in New York City and had lamb curry there and it's not even close. Kabobeesh hands down! The chickpeas, the vegetables, the bread; it's all simply amazing! You also gotta try the fish! Soooo awesome!!! The young guy with the glasses is always polite and friendly and very helpful! I'll post photos shortly. Go to this place! You won't be disappointed!!!