Ravi Kabob House

Good little Pakistani restaurant famous for it’s karahi chicken; it was good but not spicy enough; Naan was nice and hot Meat dishes were nice and tender Restaurant was full when we went for dinner and many take outs; I gave 2* for atmosphere cause they are not known for it; given that, the staff is very friendly

This place is extremely filthy, I had hair cooked in my food. I would advise you to eat elsewhere. This place use to be my go to, but they have gone down hill. If you care about your health and value hygiene this is not the place for you.

Sitting area is a little tight, but the food was off the charts great. Great little find during travels. Skip the briyani…. everything else including karhis, kabobs, and snacks were amazing. Desserts were great, Kheer & julab jamin were great! Service from Sher-Alam was amazing. He was so helpful, kind, and A1 ! The man behind the counter, his b day is next week so give him a b day wish (it was my husband’s b day so that came up)! Enjoy 😉.

Extremely dirty place. Zero cleanness! Rude, aggressive and dirty personal. Staff wear dirty clothes no hair cover with their dirty hands they would pack your food. I don't know what the hell would be their downstairs where they prepare the food! In my last order small red kind of roache was cooked over rice! They also increased the price which is not even worthy to wait and eat their dirty food! This is the place where they damage the dignity of a Muslim culture! Shame on all of you!

A great little Pakistani restaurant! The serving size is great and the prices are pretty reasonable too. Overall we had a great experience and I would definitely recommend to anyone in the area.

The food was above average, the portions were big, while the interior & level of hygiene were humble.

Ravi is my favorite DC-area food spot and I've been coming here for 20 years. The chickpeas and the bread stand out because both are "commodity" dishes that Ravi has managed to do them both better than anyone else does. My friends and I have been to many Pakistani restaurants between DC and NY and this is by far the best one we have experienced. The clientele come from all over the world and the late night dining makes this a clutch option after a night out as well as a great experience during Ramadan. This place is all about the food, so forget about service and aesthetics.

I have been to few Pakistani food outlets in the past so when my brother inlaw told me about a famous place where he used to eat a decade ago,  I jumped at the offer. First thing first,  don't focus on ambience. If you are not comfortable , get a takeout. Service is good and they bring your order promptly. We ordered the famous Chicken Karahi, Chicken Tikka, and Ravi Kabobs. All dishes are served with rice,  salad, curd-mint chutney and a Tandoori Roti. Veg options are limited.

One of the greatest place to get Pakistani food in Northern Virginia. Food is great. Amazing taste. I've been coming here for over 20 years. Quality never changes service is always great and friendly place is not more than a little hole in the wall small restaurant it's always pack, but that only goes to show the level of food and service the bacon sometimes you gotta wait a long time to get a table, but it is worth it. Everything is done in the spot cook fresh Bread is amazing. I currently travel from Stafford, Virginia, which is probably 40 miles away whenever I wanna have some good Pakistani food. The kebabs are amazing my favorite dishes. The Lamb shop that has never deviated from its recipe for 20 years. It's always amazing consistently, the other dish we enjoy. Is the chicken karahi he's always been done the same way that taste is amazing. I will highly recommend you guys come give a shot. You will not be disappointed.

I would have given this place a five but the customer service here is just beyond comedy and rude. Called to place an order and this is how I was greeted , RAVI KABOB WHAT DO YOU WANT? I mean, I laughed a little just because of the Indian accent and the man yelling. As I told him what I wanted he just Inturupting saying Ha Ji ya ta what else? Then he goes yeah yeah 20 minutes and hangs up the phone. When I came down to pick up my food, all I heard was to Indian guys laughing and screaming and I heard the word pen chowd over n over again . I was handed my two tikka kabobs and off I went. I keep ordering from here because the food is good, but the service just sucks

The food here is exceptional. It's so ridiculously flavorful. I hadn't been here in a while and was excited to see it's as good as I remembered. I got one of the daily specials--a lamb and spinach dish that comes with a bread, chickpea side, rice, and a salad. The salad was just iceberg lettuce and raw onion and wasn't very exciting. But everything else was so, so delicious. Would definitely recommend this place. The menu says cash only, but they do take credit with a 3% surcharge.

Food is, as always, delicious. Love visiting this place on weekends, for nihari or paya or haleem specials.

Food is good, no sauces except cucumber tzatziki and not great service even when just trying to pick up only Total price did not add up to prices to two meals added together...paid and just left to leave.

Great food but it's scary dirty inside. Been going here on and off for the last 25 years and I think I'm gonna call it quits. The ceiling above where the food is cooked and prepared is black with pieces of hanging black stuff blowing around. No way some of that nasty stuff doesn't drop in the food. It's horrible. I wonder how they passed health inspections.

The place is a bit tight, but clean. Parking is so-so at best. But the food and service are top notch. My family and I have tried several of the dishes here and have really liked them all. Reasonably priced also. Worth a visit.

Food - 4/5 Service - 5/5 Ambiance - N/A Food was good. Seasoned well but still lacking a bit of flavour. The chicken biryani was excellent although the Chana masala and chicken karahi were a lacking a bit of flavour. Service was excellent!

This place has some of the best Pakistani food in the area. I love their papri chat and chicken karahi. Just be prepared for large portions! The people there are great. It is a bit of a hole in the wall but once you try the food, you won't regret it.

Hole in the wall with average fare. Twin establishment with middle eastern fare on one side and Pakistani food the other side. They are connected but have separate kitchens. We had some kebabs rice and a great naan. But the service was unfriendly and the food was overpriced for the setting and the quality of meat offered. The standouts were the fresh naan and surprisingly their chickpeas.

If I could give 10 stars I would! RKH is by far the best kept secrets in Arlington, Virginia. Selfishly, I hope it stays that way, because parking can be atrocious! But, the food is absolutely divine! This no-frills restaurant offers the best kabobs I have ever had. When I stop by to visit this past week, I ordered my usual. I ordered the boneless chicken kebab. It came with rice, a small salad, and curry chickpeas. I could have made a meal with the chickpeas and rice alone! They are so darn good! If you are looking for service with a smile, you may or may not get that. I don't think they do a lot of smiling. But, you will receive good customer service and great food! Dont hesitate giving them a try. RKH will become one of your favorites as well. Happy eating!

I tried this place based on a recommendation from a coworker. I thought it was pretty good. There was quite a bit of food for lunch and while extremely tasty, I felt it was slightly overpriced. Inside is very basic, but well maintained and the staff are very kind and helpful. I will try again at some point, but not necessarily in a rush to go back. Would recommend to anyone to at least try once.

the food was okay. I tried the chicken and it was yummy its just the customer service had something wrong with them.

Amazing food. I had the lamb kabobs, my friend had the beef. Both were delicious served with bread, spicy chickpea chutney, min yogurts sauce salad and the most delicious freshmade naan. It was well priced, crowded with people even on Easter Day and the serving size enough to have great leftovers the next day!

This is a dive spot. Frequent regulars. It's really two small shops combined to one establishment. Food is great, but lacks consistency and changes from visit to visit. The service is good, you order at the counter, sit at a chair and listen for your number. Easy ambiance. Simple and quick food.

No-frills restaurant offering kebabs & other Pakistani staples at super-cheap prices. Came here with my coworkers for lunch. At the recommendation of a patron while we scanned the menu, we tried the Chicken Karahi and it was slammin'! The flavors and spices were all there. And, it tastes very authentic! The menu stated portion for two, but the dish can easily appease a party of 3 which we were. The karahi comes with 2 naans which were absolutely delicious....perfect for dipping and slurping up the bits of juicy marinated chicken and sauce. Also, our dishes came with a small side salad and tzatziki (cucumber-dill) like sauce that was a bit on the lack-lister side, but edible and complimented the spiciness of the main dish....which was all about the Chicken Karahi. Overall, great food! My coworkers and I left this place bellies full and half comatose from the delicious eats. We were useless at work to say the least for the rest of the day....and I desperately needed a nap. lol If you're looking for a decent desi place, with authentic Kabobs, Pakistani and Punjabi taste...then this is a place is worth a shot. Ravi Kabob House gets a good star in my book! Can't wait to come back and try some of their other dishes. My only grip is the ordering process. The restaurant has 2 entrances and 2 counters to order on opposite sides. The counter where you order karahi only takes cash, which was weird but the other counter took cash/credit card. Giving it a 4.5 star....1/2 star deduction because of the customer service & confusion in ordering.

This is one of my favorite places for the last 20 years. The chickpeas and the samosa chaats are just out of the world. My kids love the chicken kabobs and my husband always gets the lamb chops. It's our comfort food place

We stopped by at this place craving some real Pakistani food and taste and we were not disappointed!! Chicken karahi is a must try- excellent spices and flavor. We also loved their chapli kebabs. Best part was the paratha with fried eggs which my kids loved. Paratha was freshly made and was not frozen which we were pleasantly surprised to see! Service was exceedingly good, they helped us pack our food and also got an extra side of chickpeas.

Put simply - this is the real deal. Nothing to look at (zero ambiance), but the food is just spectacular and always has been. I've been going to this place for more than 20 years - and the only change is now they accept credit cards! The lamb chop kabobs and regular lamb kabobs are DIVINE. Their chickpeas are epic. I get multiple side orders in order to freeze some! Their special oven churns out the absolute best naan, and be sure you get their yogurt sauce (crack!). Don't be turned off if the guys taking orders at the counter are brusque. The food is just too good to care. I've gotten their homemade curry dishes that are inside the case when you go to the counter to order, and they're quite tasty. But the lamb is just too good not to order. Just do yourself and your stomach a favor and GO.

Really wanted to love this place and I love lamb - unfortunately only 2 of the 6 pieces of the kabob were edible, the other four were so tough, defied being cut. Seasoning was good, bread and rice were good, spinach a bit oily. Very disappointed especially for the price.

Great food, it was so delicious!! The staff very friendly. I would recommend ending ur meal with Karak tea it's so good!

Watch out; this place adds arbitrary charge as they like; for a $20 order they first entered $23 with a Pepsi; I said don't want any drinks; they changed it to $30 on a to go order. I said online you say $20; he said we don't go by that. Last time bring cheated here.

Bad attitude of the worker who works at the counter.there prices is over rated .the place smells like suave. I forgot to add one more thing . You see the price on the register one price and it jumps on your card extra $15.00 dollars , using the same cleaning towels for hands cleaning counter as well . I don't see where the health department in the evenings .

I am going to put 2 stars because honestly if you 15.99 for lamb kebab at least put enough meat!!!!!

I have been eating at this establishment when it first opened. The Karahi Ghost is the best around.

Fresh and delicious food. Inexpensive is a treat! Delivers to most spaces. Try the samosa!!

I came here with a couple friends for lunch today and we were super excited to try the kabobs here! We saw that the portion sizes were pretty big, so I shared the "Ravi Kabob Special" with one of my friends, which was $16.99. The food came out pretty quickly and theres a heaping portion of rice, chicken and ground beef that looked extremely appetizing, a bit of salad, one large tandoori bread, a cup of beans, and chutney. We were all ready to dig in and eat. My first bite was the chicken kabob, which was extremely flavorful and seasoned perfectly. Also, this chicken was extremely juicy which is amazing. I was so impressed, which is rare for me to say because I find most chicken at restaurants dry and relatively tasteless. Honestly, really, the chicken was amazing, and my friends loved it as well. The ground beef was mixed with other garnishes that gave it a good flavor, but overall, I really think the chicken was the winner here. I'd come here just to get the chicken again. The rice was seasoned by itself and can be enjoyed on its own. But the flavor is great when you eat it with a kabob. Large portion of rice and will satisfy any carb lovers. The salad was a nice healthy, crunchy touch to the meal. It is simple, but definitely a light and necessary side. The tandoori bread dipped into the chutney was tasty too. The chutney was creamy and flavorful! The bread can also be enjoyed by itself or with a bit of the kabob. I love the all the flavors here. Sadly, because I was distracted by the food I mentioned above, I was unable to try the beans because everything else was too good. So I don't have anything to say about the beans. My friend and I both don't eat a lot, so this was an appropriate portion to share between the two of us. Will definitely come back to get their "Chicken Kabob" next time. The chicken was truly the winner here.

I still do believe that Ravi has pretty decent food (especially karahi) in NoVA, a friendly staff and service, however, I don't like that the place itself looks really unclean and unhygienic and despite that, we would go here often when wanting desi food. However, that all changed after our last dine-in there. After we were finished eating a big roach crawled across our table and quite literally made our party feel nauseated. I don't think any one of us can get past a roach... We will more than likely not be returning here, unfortunately.

Quite simple. I hope you don't believe me and go there and try it for yourself. You will thank me. I have told many friends over the past 20 years to go here. Nobody has said I was wrong. Go there, enjoy. Come back to zYelp and give me a thumbs up.

My favorite place to get kabobs! The chicken is so flavorful and the chickpeas are amazing! The naan is always fresh and hot. I've noticed that the staff has gotten a lot friendlier as well. Overall, great spot! (Takeout Review)

Great food that's fresh and cooked spectacularly with amazing authentic flavors. The service is prompt and friendly, and prices are very reasonable. The interior is fine but a little run down with some wobbly tables and chairs, etc. Would definitely recommend and would return.

***I initially posted this review in March, 2021 and on 4/1/21 got an email from Yelp advising "We're reaching out to let you know that our moderators removed the review and photos you posted to Ravi Kabob House because it didn't look like your content depicted an experience at this location. If you meant to review Ravi Chatkhara, you can find it on Yelp here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ravi-chatkhara-arlington" Well, I was right, the place I went/ate and am reviewing is Ravi Kabob, which is next door to Ravi Chatkhara - See my pic. BEFORE YOU DELETE MY REVIEWS (which I work hard on) - CONTACT ME and GIVE ME A WAY TO CONTACT YOU BACK!!!! *** Now... On to my review.... I've been hearing for many years how amazing Ravi kabob was and have driven past this place sooo many times, but never had the opportunity to stop in, so today, while in the area, I was happy to finally stop in and give them a try. I tried a seekh kabob with some naan and a small cup of channa. I asked for, and got a large serving (a cup) of chutney as well. Service - The guy working the counter was very friendly and helpful. In fact, I didn't initially ask for channa, but he insisted I try it and gave me some to go with my kabob and naan. As a result of me ordering such a small order, he didn't charge me for the full meal of a seekh kabob. Seekh Kabob - It was spiced quite nicely! Not the absolute best I've ever had, but it was a legit Panjabi/Lahori style and it was pretty good. It was definitely tender and cooked to a perfect temp, unlike many places that tend to burn their kabobs. I id ask for it to be spicy and it wasn't very spicy at all. The flavor from the flame wasn't quite there, which tells me it might have been cooked over a gas flame versus on a spit down inside the Tandoor or over coals (which are both acceptable and preferred). Overall, I still really did like it! Naan - The naan was good... Dough is legit! Texture and density was really on-point with what I'm used to when it comes to authentic naan. Again, when it came to "noticing" the coal taste, there was none... tells me it might be made in a gas-powered Tandoor. It was nice though. Chutney - This was totally legit! Not spicy at all and of the three styles I know (one that's sort of like Raita with cucumbers, one with cayenne and one that's simply "cool" and very flavorful), this definitely was the "cool" style with lots of fresh, great flavors of cilantro and a very good yogurt! When it's that good, I tend to eat it straight for dessert as well! Channa - There channa was perfectly spiced and made with the proper style of reconstituted, dried beans! The thickness came from the loads of spices and tomatoes in sauce. Flavor was excellent and so was the texture! The place was clean... Staff was wearing masks (I wouldn't care if they weren't) and there was hand sanitizer in several places for use. Overall, I would return!

Awesome kabobs, quality and tasty. Look no further! Ravi kabob special is always the go to.

Ravi Kabob has been on my list since before I even moved to Northern Virginia. My brother used to talk about the best kabobs he ever had when he used to live in Arlington (upon investigation we discovered it was Ravi). My coworker, born and raised in Pakistan, frequents Ravi and swears it is the best kabob she has had in the states. I recently eavesdropped on two strangers waxing poetic about the authenticity of Ravi Kabob and the inability to find any kabob to rival it in the DMV area. Suffice to say, my expectations were high. I can say with confidence the kabobs lived up to the hype and I will be back for more. I ordered the Ravi Kabob Special - one chicken and one beef kabob served with rice, chickpeas, and fresh bread. The chicken was perfect, each piece tender yet firm with a slight char that accentuated the marinade. The beef was beautiful and flavorful, but just a tad dry for my liking. The chickpeas were the real winner. I have no idea what they put in them, but I am 100% getting a double order next time. The wait was a bit long (20ish minutes) but that was due to the chef starting a fresh charcoal fire for the dinner rush - totally justified and welcomed. The bread was great and paired oh so well with the chickpeas that I will undoubtedly be thinking about for days. The gentleman working the counter was very pleasant as were the other employees within the restaurant. Awesome spot - highly recommend.

bad service. rude. not give what customer needed. if extra willing to pay. treating like stealing. what a shame. your business will down sometimes.

They're so mean in the phone the costumer service is ZERO .i asked the one who peacked the phone how can i order lamb kabob in any applications but he told me find by yourself i can't do anything for you i don't why he act like this but it was bad experience for me.

It's always a pleasure eating halal food! I tried the fish kabob and the plate came with rice, salad and Chana. The food was fresh. What took away a star was the wait time and one other factor. I called in advance and was told that everything I wanted was there and when I got these I ended up waiting 30 minutes. The food can do with some more seasoning. The fish kabob had seasoning on certain areas which when you bit into it it was amazing but the seasoning was sparse.

Pros - We have been here many items and every time without fail their food is delicious. It's a no-frill, walk up to the counter and order restaurant. They are open for long hours. And their food is consistently delicious. Chicken, lamb, beef....not sure what they do to it but it's tasty! Cons - Because the food is good, they always have customers and this means that it can be busy sometimes and tables can be hard to find. You can always go to their additional location across the street. Also, bring cash since they do not accept credit cards.

Karahi is awesome as is their lamb shank special. They make the best chickpeas in the DC area

Food is good, but the cashier has zero customer service skills. Always cussing under his breath and angry. They will shamelessly take phone orders before attending to the customers waiting in front of the register. For this price there are many other good options with much better ambiance and customer service than this dump. The food from the buffet trays is cold. This place is going downhill.

Everything about this place is 1 or 2 stars except the food, which is absolutely delicious. The chickpeas don't look like much but they are truly delicious. The dining area is very basic. They do not appear well organized. Where you order is cramped. The ambiance is basic. It's all about the food. Be warned it is somewhat spicy for people with an American palate.

Ravi Kabob is a gift to the United States. Their food is excellent, the service is swift, the food is excellent, the parking is often challenging, the food is excellent, and it's only four letters. Also the food is excellent. I know, I know, it's got Kabob in the name and you're keen on things like chicken tikka. Hear me out. Get the lamb karahi. Unless you're 100% totally and absolutely and unequivocably against lamb. Then okay, maybe try the chicken karahi. It's perhaps the second best karahi you can get in the area (imo obvz). Feeds two hungry adults or perhaps 3 reasonable adults. Pair that with some choley and haleem (on weekends) and you have a meal fit for kings. Swing by after your meal next door for some tea (you'll need to add sugar) and you've got desert covered too. Ugh, I should not be writing a review for this place this late at night. Pantry here I come.

Been here several times. The meat is always cooked perfectly, super moist. I've had the chicken, ground beef, and lamb kebabs. All super moist and flavorful. I would say the bone-in chicken is juicier than the boneless chicken (duh). But the real star is the chickpea side. Attached is the menu bc online sources seem outdated.

I really like this place. The food is good and the staff are really friendly. Large enough portions to share make this also one of the best values in the area. The seating area is not the best but the food travels well for takeout.

Ravi Kabab in Arlington is an absolute must-try for any foodie. As a young adult Middle Eastern male, I was blown away by the authenticity and flavor of the dishes. It truly reminded me of the home cooked meals I used to enjoy at the homes of family friends. One dish that particularly stood out to me was the lamb kebab. The meat was perfectly cooked and seasoned, and it was served with a delicious array of vegetables and rice. Another standout was the falafel, which was crispy on the outside and soft and flavorful on the inside. I also appreciated the variety of vegetarian options on the menu, such as the eggplant and chickpea stew. It was a wonderful change of pace and just as tasty as the meat dishes. Overall, Ravi Kabab exceeded my expectations in every way. The food was amazing, the prices were very reasonable, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. I highly recommend giving this restaurant a try, and I guarantee you won't be disappointed. I highly recommend you order family style with several others so you can try a bunch of their dishes! All the meats were great so would be a shame to just try one.

This has become one of our go to spot for kabobs. Really enjoy their kabobs and OMG their chickpeas are SO good! We have been getting an extra side each time haha (the kabobs come with a small side of chickpeas already). Recommend calling ahead if you're doing takeout, otherwise you may wait there for a bit after you place an order.

The food is delicious and always comes out hot. The service is great and the ambiance is perfect. No ambiance since they focus on the food.

The food was really bad. The person working there assured me it wasn't spicy, but it turned out to be spicy. I informed him about my allergies, but he still claimed it wasn't 100% spicy. If you can't handle spicy food, don't go there. It's just a waste of $17.

Simply the best South Asian street food in the area! Our all time favorites are lamb Karahi and the veal and lamb leg stew yum yum yum