Kabobi By The Helmand

I had never eaten Afghan food before tonight, but stopped by after touring the air and space museum on the way back to the metro. This restaurant has AMAZING food!! I got the chicken kabob on kabuli rice with chickpeas and cauliflower. I think this might have been the best dinner I've ever had in my life. Definitely give this restaurant a try if you're in the area. I will definitely be back!

Wow! Fantastic food here. I had the banjan borani, a roasted eggplant and pepper salad, which was topped with garlic yogurt, tomato sauce and served with a cilantro chutney and naan. Then for the main, the koufta challow, a beef koufta in a tomato sauce served with a spiced spinach mash. Every component was spiced with refined subtlety and obviously everything was made by hand. I’ve attempted cooking similar dishes before, so I appreciate how difficult and time-consuming this sort of food is to do correctly. So, really, hats off to these folks for their effort and skill.

Delicious vegetarian options. The chef let me try all of them--pumpkin, spinach, mushrooms, eggplant, chick pea with their delightful sauce. Each vegetarian item was soooo flavorful. The people are so nice too. My go to place! I'll be back when I fly into Dulles next!

I have never had Afghan food before. It was wonderful! Great staff and cozy atmosphere

Delicious food. Highly recommend the Banjan Borani. Best eggplant dish I’ve had in my life. The kofta kabob and fereny are also some of my favorites. They also have great Ramadan specials.

Fantastic place to try authentic Afghan dishes; the food has never disappointed here. Love their Banjan Borani and the Kabuli. Great business.

Great food. Really nice flavors. Got take one once and dine in again.

One of my all time favorite places to eat! The food is AMAZING! Very comforting. There are plenty of options for my vegetarian husband and picky son. I love the lamb and get it every chance I get. The atmosphere is comfortable and family friendly and the service is always top-notch. I highly recommend this restaurant!

I stumbled upon this place and I'm glad I did because the food was such high-quality and so good. The bread they brought out was so warm and fresh. You are missing out if you don't try this place.

Food was great, lady working there wasn't friendly at all, gentleman making the food and serving was super nice. I understand the culture being from a similar part of the world, but this lady's attitude and demeanor is what leaves a bad impression. Try smiling and thanking your customers for giving you their business.

This place is consistently good. The food is consistently good and very few times have my girlfriend or I ordered something we weren't a fan of. The lamb dishes are typically my favorite. They are delicious and flavorful and usually have the best sauces. They also serve beer and wine if that interests you. The service is usually good. They don't take more than 15 mins usually but the food is made fresh so it's worth the wait. The ambiance isn't something I've really paid much attention to due to only ever doing takeout. But it's a nice casual environment with some traditional decorations. It's conveniently located to a lot of apartment buildings (including ours) which is nice for us since we can just walk there and back. Definitely recommend trying it out if you're a fan of Afghan food.

The good things first, we came for our lunch earlier today and the wait was very little and the service was good. Ordered the food, which arrived in less than 15 minutes and tasted pretty decent. The not so good, for the price paid the quantity is meager and the furniture is really uncomfortable. Also there isn't a whole lot of parking nearby as most of the patrons are probably the folks from the nearby offices and houses. I ended up parking in the 2 hour street parking.

I've come here over several times now and I always enjoy my food. I usually do a to-go order. My go to items are the lamb stew with rice, the seekh kabob (grilled lamb kabob), and the chicken wraps. The service is good. I normally do a to go so I don't get the full dine in experience. But whenever I do come, the folks eating always seem pleased. They have really nice decor and ambiance. They also have wine and beers. Overall I love my experience here and I keep going back!

This was my first experience eating Afghan food and boy i wasnt disappointed. I ordered the chicken samosas as appetizer and the chicken inside was ground chicken and Boy was it seasoned to perfection. Also, the table was served with naan that comes with 3 types of sauces which was super delicious. For my entrée I had the lamb of shank and it was definitely falling off the bone. The meat was seasoned well and it was quite filling. The rice was a favorite which also had had shredded carrots and raisins on top. It had a sweet touch to it. Highly recommend and when i come back into town this will be a staple. 10/10

Great food and the kebabs were really soft. Good ambiance as well, family friendly. The service was a bit slow and probably the only con I noticed.

Delicious meal! We stopped here after visiting the Udvar Hazy museum. We got a family style meal with beef chicken and lamb on a rice platter. We also got hummus, an amazing eggplant dish and a delicious pumpkin dish. We enjoyed the baklava for dessert as well.

This place is tucked away behind a ton of construction which is highly unfortunate cause this is a pretty cool place. We wanted something a bit different for dinner near the airport, and stumbled across here because of the good reviews. The service is excellent, and it was my first time trying an Afghanistan centered restaurant. My only regret is not trying the kabobs here--I'm sure it would've made my experience even better had I done so! Food: Banjan Borani: this is so good, like criminally good, like I don't even like eggplant and this dish was delicious. Please order this for your table when you're here Kabuli Pallow: I don't think my tastes are refined enough to enjoy this, but the overall dish tasted pretty bland and the lamb was kind of mediocre--I would order the kabobs over this tbh

Food is delicious. We had the lamb kebab and pallow. both were delicious. Service was quick. The price is reasonable and affordable. We're definitely coming back.

The food is excellent; the service even better. We dined for the first time at Kabobi at the Helmand tonight with our two kids. It was a fantastic dining experience. The boys loved the chicken kabob and the chicken samosas. The owner was kind enough to bring by some other boneless chicken which they loved. Both my wife and I had the vegetarian specialities. She opted for the veggie bowl and I opted for the cauliflower and chickpeas. Both were filling and the taste was spot on. One of the highlights for us was the fresh baked bread and hummus. That type of bread is symbolic of high end restaurants and so we were in for a treat finding it locally. My wife who is from Baltimore tells me the Helmand is a landmark restaurant in Baltimore. To have a taste of that near us is truly delightful. We will be back and recommend it highly.

Set against a backdrop of rice, the Bone-In Chicken Kabob held promise, but the encounter with excessive heat had cast it into the depths of charred extremities. The exterior bore a resemblance to charcoal itself, its texture astonishingly crisp, though perhaps excessively so. The visual impact of the intense charring was striking - a blackened shell that diverged dramatically from the anticipated golden-brown allure of a well-grilled chicken. While the initial notes of smokiness were present, they swiftly surrendered to a culinary letdown. The burnt chicken, despite its robust charred appearance, proved unforgivingly tough and arid. The flavors, typically a highlight of properly cooked chicken, yielded to an overwhelming bitterness that tainted every bite. This outcome was a culinary disappointment, wherein the anticipated succulence had given way to an unwelcome bitterness that lingered on the palate. Accompanied by rice, the burnt chicken sought solace, yet the union of flavors was far from harmonious. Instead of complementing each other, the elements clashed. The rice, though providing a neutral canvas, failed to counterbalance the overpowering bitterness of the charred chicken. In summary, the Bone-In Chicken Kabob, poised to be a delightful culinary escapade, fell short due to its unfortunate brush with the flames. The stark visual contrast, coupled with an unsatisfying texture and overwhelming bitterness, transformed a potentially well-rounded dish into a culinary misstep.

I am staying in a hotel nearby and decided to try Kabobi. I took my food to go and everything was delicious! If I lived here, I would definitely come back.

Picked up my mom from Dulles and was looking for something that wasn't a chain restaurant or something she couldn't readily get in SC where she's from. Found Kabobi on Yelp bc it was close and had good reviews so we decided to give it a try. We decided to sit at the bar, and were looking at the menu, unsure of what to get (it was our first time trying Afghan food) and luckily the owner/GM Khaleeq came and took pity on us and walked us thru the menu. He was super personable and friendly and chatted with us the whole time we were there. I love that he explained the menu in detail without judgement and although my mom generally is not a fan of lamb, he convinced us to try 3 of their lamb dishes and she's now a convert! She raved about it the whole way home. What we ordered: BOWLAWNI SMALL PLATE (Pan-fried twin pastry shells filled with leeks and spiced potatoes, garnished with yogurt mint sauce) first of all, YUM. These were like little pockets of flavor, and the dipping sauce was *chefs kiss* BANJAN BORANI SMALL PLATE (Pan-fried eggplant seasoned with fresh tomatoes and spice, baked and served on yogurt garlic sauce.) if I didn't know this was eggplant I never would've never guessed. It tasted more like either pumpkin or zucchini. It was so flavorful and you HAVE to get the fresh bread basket to dip in the sauce. QORMEH KOFTA SMALL PLATE (Spicy beef meatball seasoned in sun-dried baby grapes, turmeric and Afghan spices cooked with green peas, fresh tomatoes and corn served with house serrano pepper chatni.) my mom is super boujee about her meatballs and she rarely likes any that she hasn't made herself and she absolutely loved these. I also thought they were delicious. KABULI PULAO (Afghan style rice baked with chunks of lamb tenderloin, raisins and glazed julienne of carrots, served with a side of sweet & spicy turnips.) First of all, the sweet and spicy turnips (shalgum) are friggin amazing. The lamb in this dish was tasty and cooked perfectly and the pulao rice was so good! LAMB LAWAND (Boneless lamb, slow-cooked with mushrooms, tomatoes, herbs, garnished with yogurt & sour cream, served with challow rice and side of sabzy (Sautéed with onion, rhubarb, garlic and a touch of cinnamon)). I absolutely loved the flavor of the sauce in this dish. The lamb fell apart more like pot roast and it definitely felt similar to that with the mushrooms. DWOPIAZA (Seasoned tenderloin of lamb cooked with onions, sautéed with yellow split peas and tossed with onions lightly marinated in vinegar, served with pulao rice and side of shalgam (sweet & spicy turnips)) this was my mom's favorite of the lamb dishes we got. I absolutely loved the pickled onions and split peas and as a whole the dish was so delicious. FERENY (Cardamom pudding (no egg) with fresh berries and fruit). Khaleeq mentioned that they use this as a palate cleanser at the end of the meal to get the strong flavors out of your mouth. It was very subtle and definitely did the job! I'm sad that this is so far away from my house, because I wanna eat here like once a week. Everything from the service to the food to the atmosphere was 10/10. My only slight complaint is that it seemed like the AC was out and it was very warm inside the restaurant especially sitting as close to the kitchen as we were. But the food was so good I'd gladly eat out in the heat again, it's so worth it!!

Kabobi is a pretty solid option for those looking to satisfy their craving for Afghan food. The restaurant is located between a corporate offices and condo community. Don't let that discourage you from checking it out though, there is plenty of parking nearby by. Now on to the menu, they offer an impressive selection from kabob wraps and sandwiches, full entrees, and specialty seasonal items. It should be noted that their portions are really big so you don't feel as bad about spending $15-$20 for a meal. We decided to go with the lamb shank and the spicy beef meatballs (cannot remember the name). Both were very well seasoned and fork tender. The saffron rice was cooked perfectly and fluffy with every bite. The only downside I would say is it can get really smoky when dining at the restaurant. I am sure they will eventually figure out a way to improve air circulation to reduce the smoke. The service is top notch with friendly staff members ready to serve and make recommendations. Will definitely be back again!

Great food! Got lunch for work so there was an array of food we had. Honestly had a bit of everything and absolutely loved it all!

Perfectly cooked, well proportioned. Tasty, unique, and absolutely fantastic! This was my first time trying Afghan food and wow... I've been missing out! This place left such a good impression. The good reviews for this restaurant weren't kidding! I highly recommend this place.

After a missed connection in Dulles we were looking for somewhere to eat lunch. I saw Kabobi had a 5 star rating, the highest of anywhere in the area, so of course we had to try it. We had a party of 9 and they had a large table for us. Service was great, very attentive and friendly. We started with some hummus and eggplant and I have to say that eggplant is some of the best i've ever had. So smoky and flavorful. For entrees we had the Koufta and oh my goodness. The flavors on these meatballs were out of this world. The okra was great as well. We also got the mixed grill. My favorite meat was the lamb, so tender and tasty. I have literally no complaints, everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meal and it made our unplanned layover much better. They are very deserving of the 5 stars.

Amazing food! Wish it was closer to me. Great service. Cozy ambiance. Afghanistan food.

We had a larger group in for lunch here recently and really enjoyed our experience! The food was on the pricier side but solid home-cooked food! Everything seemed cooked to order, which did mean waiting a bit for the appetizers/entrees/bread to come out, but we appreciated the freshness of the food. Our server was awesome, super friendly and managed our large group amazingly well! She put us at ease and made us feel very welcome. Would definitely return for a special occasion.

I tried this place for the first time with my friend! I have been looking for a home with good Kabobs and decided to try this place after reading all of the fantastic reviews and this place did not let me down! The outside sign is very cute and the inside was spacious and cute. It had a high-end vibe but was also very cozy at the same time. We got the Lamb Lawaand and the beef kabob as it was recommended by our very nice server. We also got a breadbasket which was so worth it ( get this instead of the Naan because it's basically a basket of naan!) The lamb was tender but if you are not a fan of lamb I would maybe get something else! it was very good in my opinion but it did have the lamb smell overall it was very good! The rice and the spinach side were so yummy. The beef kabob was also very tender and was perfect with the chickpea and spinach side and the rice! Price was average and could be considered expensive but for the portion, I would say worth it. Would definitely come here again!

This was my first time ordering from this restaurant through DoorDash. The food was good, but my request to substitute the shalgam for sabzy was completely ignored. It would have been nice of them to look at the special requests section of the order. The shalgam was just way too sweet for my liking, but the chicken kabob and shornakhod with cilantro vinaigrette dressing were quite tasty! I would give this place another try sometime.

Just had a lamb bowl here but everything was fresh and, more importantly, delicious. If I am back in the area I will stop back in. It has more of a casual approach since you order at the counter but there is plenty of seating and a nice interior feel.

Amazing food and very fresh. Highly recommend you visit this authentic Afghan cuisine. Service was prompt and friendly. Thank you.

We have had 4 meals now at the restaurant and it has become our go to pre- flight place. We love all the food and one could do a meal just from the appetizers. Strongly recommended

I chanced upon this little gem a few months back while flying out of Dulles airport. Visited it again today while in the area, and it is definitely worth a visit. The location is surrounded by buildings under construction currently, but it is not really a bother. They have ample seating inside and outside. There a few beers on tap, and we tried the lager and Pilsner, and they were pretty decent. The lamb chops is the dish that you must try here. They are well made, cooked to perfection; enough for the meat to be tender but not too much to come off immediately. The chicken kebabs were also really well done. The seekh kebabs were a bit chewy and so was a disappointment. All the dishes are served over a bed of rice (pilaf) and it is delicious. The sides we tried were cauliflower chickpea, mushroom and shulgum. All very delicious. Our server was pleasant and friendly and we had a great time eating here.

Picked up lunch - chicken with rice & flatbread. Online ordering was easy & efficient (a text is sent when order is ready). Servings of rice are generous. Chicken was delicious & cooked perfectly.

Ordered some rice, veggies and kabab. The chicken kabab and beef kababs were too big and the beef kabab was not cooked. The food tasted decent.

Truth drop #4. Never again! The food here is terribly inconsistent ranging from I should have eaten a three day old Whopper left in the car from my son to now I understand why they are still in business. The one thing that never changes is the horrendous service that is inept, rude and pompous. The examples are expansive and range from: 1) I forgot your take out order let me get that started, 2) sorry, the owner was on the other line with his family and we seem to have missed some of your order, you ok waiting for the rest of the order to be cooked, and 3) completely wrong order. We really wanted to like this place, but until the owner and majority of the staff is replaced we would prefer eating that three day old Whopper. Recommendation stay away you can do MUCH MUCH BETTER!!

Sooo good! Tried it on a whim for a lunch order one day and was pleasantly surprised! It's a bit pricey but definitely worth it! Everything was made to order perfectly and service was great! Will definitely come back again

Just came back after a dinner with my family (4 of us). Ordered the Mashawa soup, Lamand Lamb, Seekh Kabob and Kabuli chicken. We have had Afghani food at several restaurants like Afghan Bistro, Panjshir etc. so are familiar with the cuisine. The soup was more watery than I've had at other places with a small quantity of beans and pulses at the bottom. The lamb and chicken were fine but the grilled kabob was overdone and dry and was hard to chew. While paying at the counter I was not presented an itemized receipt NOR the list on the payment screen, and gave my credit card and the screen was flipped around for the tip. This was very confusing and I ended up giving a 20%tip of $15. After sale was completed, I wanted a list of items as the bill was over $100. Turns out they had added a 20% service charge, which they did not mention verbally OR even attempted to tell me while I was figuring out the tip. I ended up paying a $30 tip on a $75 meal! The one guy managing the whole restaurant then agreed to give $15 returned by cash, but I still was forced to give a 20% service charge, which if I had an option to tip would not have been even 15% due to inadequate service. For instance we ran out of water twice and had to grab the guys attention each time to get more. Will not be back here for sure and will stick to other Afghan restaurants for both better service and food and no automatic 20% service charge for a group of 4!

This place is phenomenal. Go here. Don't pass go, don't collect $200... without first stopping by here. My friend had three hours before her flight so I took a chance on this place. We shared mishawa + a beef kebob platter with a side of shilgum made in a spicy tomato broth. This place's mishawa was almost as good as my moms. Only difference is she adds mint to hers and she has bigger pieces of lamb. The young guy who was serving was patient, knowledge, and kind. The restaurant was clean and very tastefully decorated. So good!

This place is super hidden in an area that's basically still being built. Once you find the right dark alley behind some construction zones, you'll see the bright Kabobi sign, next to a Vietnamese bar. The menu is really cool and very unique, even compared to other Afghan places I've been to. The chicken was the juiciest, toastiest, yummiest kabob I've ever had. The rice is great. The lamb was amazing. The seasoned squashes and root vegetables and everything just "chef's kiss." I will say the restaurant itself has a bit of a weird setup, just a little cramped and feels like you're eating in a warehouse. Also a bit pricey for what you're getting IMO; you can go to Moby Dick or something and get food that's not much worse for way less/bigger portions. The chai latte was really great, perfect cardamom balance. I would come back!

This is my second time here and I really enjoyed the food, service and ambiance! Its authentic Afghan cuisines with fresh spices and quality ingredients. The first time, I got the Lamb Mashawa (soup) and the Bolani (pan-fried potato & leek turnover) and the second time, I got the Mashawa and Kadoo Bolani (pan-fried pumpkin turnover). Both options were fresh and filling and satisfied my spice craving. Definitely worth trying if you're looking to excite your palette!

My fiancee and I stopped by here on a Monday night.It was pretty empty, but it's located in a very quiet, mostly residential common area. We were greeted by the manager/owner and he said we could either order at the table or order as we walked in--almost like a Panera. We ordered the bread basket, the chicken lawand, and the dwopiaza (which was recommended by the owner). Since it was our first time here, they also gived us a banjan borani which is a yogurt with tomatoes, seasonings, and a heavenly yogurt sauce. As big fans of Afghan food, we absolutely loved this place. The food was delicious. The chicken and the lamb were both cooked and seasoned to perfection. The sauces and the spices on everything were out of this world. And the homemade naan dipped in the green sauce and eaten with the rest of our meal were fantastic. Although I've found Afghan food in the area to be a little pricier, just like this place is, it's definitely worth the price you pay. I look forward to trying other menu items!

Came in late and they still sat us! Ordered the kofta, okra and chickpea side plates. Phenomenal!

This place has definitely earned its 5 stars! Ordered the sloppy lamb wrap for delivery and it was seasoned perfectly, wrapped in perfectly baked bread, and was the perfect size! Will definitely be ordering from here again.

Absolutely amazing overall experience. Highly recommend this place. We had the lamb bowl and chicken bowl, both were phenomenal. The service was quick and easy and the restaurant makes you feel so welcomed. Best Baklava I've ever had!

Food was great and service was fast. The people were very pleasant. Good experience and Will go again!

Very much enjoyed eating in person. Had also had fond memories of a take out visit mid pandemic and have been wanting to come by in person ever since. Great Afghan food and pleasant owner and staff. Split a wonderful sauteed eggplant dish, and had chicken chapli (nice heat!!) and Lamb Lawand. Both were very flavorful and delicious. Casual, yet cozy atmosphere, and appreciated enjoying a bottle of wine which is not very typical in a kabab place. Wouldn't hesitate to come by again!

Super awesome food. Yummiest very succulent lamb in all lamb dishes. Lamb lawand, kabuli pallow were super yummy. Banjan borani was good. Loved their firni too. Naams were freshly made. Highly recommend.

Holy moly! The chicken kabob plate! Wow, just wow! So amazing!!! We ordered through DoorDash to our hotel and I decide my husband and I should share because it seemed like a big portion. Big mistake! Don't get me wrong, it's a great portion size! It was just so good that we didn't want to share. I ended up placing a second order. Totally worth it! The sauces with the naan was awesome as well.

Was really excited to try this place. Good things are food is made fresh, fresh breads etc. However the taste leaves a lot to be desired. Lot of dishes small plates had huge amounts of oil, half of the bowl were covered in oil, flavors are very mild. Nothing seemed tasty seemed to be much on bland side. Also prices are definitely on the higher side considering amount of food. I have had much better afghani food before. Sorry guys it didn't hit the spot. Tried hard to like it but it really wasn't good.

Damn Yelp, you didn't disappoint this time. This place isn't a joke with its 5 star yelp ratings and overwhelmingly positive reviews. I love afghani food. The rice, carrot and raisin medley is an awesome combination. Toss in some chicken or some lamb and you have the perfect meal. This place does it perfectly. I tried 3 of their menu options: lamb shank, chicken kebab bowl, and the lamb kabuli palow. All of them were truly amazing. The rice was cooked wonderfully - but that's the easy part. The meat was absolutely tender in all 3 of the meals I had. That's hard to come by - sometimes I have meals where the lamb or the chicken is tough. In all of the meals, the meat was strongly flavored in rich spices. My only recommendation would be a yogurt/white sauce to balance out those rich strong flavors. Other than that, a wonderful meal. My favorite meal would have to be the lamb shank - one of the best I've had. The best value is probably the chicken kebab bowl. In terms of prices, it may look pricy but it's worth the price for the quality and quantity that they give you. They do NOT skimp on the protein. Ambiance wise, it's newly renovated with wide open space so that gets a 5 star in my book. The bathrooms were nice and clean too. Customer service was great. The cashier was very helpful in his recommendations and service. All in all, 5 star experience across all aspects. Really wished this was in my neck of the woods. For now, I will only have an extra to-go meal to remember them by. Till next time if I'm ever passing by.

We were staying at a hotel near Dulles Airport for a next day flight. Browsed through YELP for a nearby, interesting restaurant with good reviews. That's how we found Kabobi. We were very pleased with our meal. Best food since leaving Portland, Oregon 5 months ago. We ordered and shared a small plate called Banjan Borani and an entree Kabuli Pallow. Some YELP reviewers mentioned these dishes and our helpful server did an excellent job of describing them to us. The Banjan Borani is pan-fried eggplant in a delicious sauce, topped with a yogurt garlic sauce. The Kabuli Pallow is a yummy lamb dish with rice and sweet and spicy turnips. Try it!

Most excellent. Lamb kabob cooked perfectly to my specs, juicy and tender. Rice was delicious as well. I will be back to try other dishes.

I ordered the Chicken Lawand and a small naan. The meal came with very tender chicken, mushrooms, basmati rice, spinach and a delicious red sauce and topped with a flavorful yogurt sauce that really balanced out the flavors. It was an excellent meal!

Underwhelming experience. I had this restaurant earmarked for a while but never stopped by because it is a bit isolated, not much to do in the area and construction still ongoing around them. We decided to order take out on their website on Tues. night only to find out when we got there that their ordering system wasn't alerting them to new orders. The server said it would only take 5 mins to make my order anyways, so I decided to wait even though I was doubtful. As I was waiting I felt like the restaurant smelled very oily and was hot and uncomfortable - the air either wasn't on or wasn't very strong. It ended up taking over 15 mins and if she had just been honest at the time, I would have cancelled my order and gone somewhere else. Why make a problem worse by not telling the customer the truth? The food ended up being pretty dry, so maybe she estimated 5 mins because the dishes I ordered were already sitting around for a while. I usually love lamb and this a pretty bad experience for the price they're asking. Spinach side dish was also bitter.

Perfectly spiced, high-quality food, relaxed environment, excellent recommendations when you need a bit of inspiration and it's consistently delicious! Highly recommend. A great place for vegetarians, vegans and meat eaters. Each time I've visited it's tasted like a home-cooked meal, very fresh.

Authentic afghan food. We had Kabuli Pallow (on a fresh/sweet side) and Lamb Lawand (earthy flavor). Both dishes were served with lamb melting in our mouths! The stuff was friendly and eager to share their recommendations for the first time visitors!