Sameem Afghan Restaurant & Catering

This is my second time coming here. As expected the food is very delicious and served hot. The prices are good and the service is great! I’ll be coming here more often. This chicken pasta is sooo flavorful 🤍 it didn’t take them a long time to prepare it either! I would only say that the theme can be improved:)

I rarely leave negative reviews, but my experience at this place was extremely disappointing from start to finish. The food was terrible—bland, poorly prepared, and not worth the price at all. Nothing tasted fresh, and the presentation was careless. We left feeling unsatisfied and honestly frustrated that we wasted our time and money here. The service was even worse than the food. The server had a clear attitude problem and made us feel like we were an inconvenience rather than paying customers. Basic hospitality was completely lacking. We had to ask for water repeatedly, multiple times, before it was finally brought out, which should never be an issue at any restaurant. Even then, it felt like we were being ignored on purpose. What made the experience especially uncomfortable was the clear difference in how customers were treated. In our experience, the staff appeared to prioritize Caucasian customers, giving them faster service, more attention, and a noticeably friendlier attitude, while we were dismissed and overlooked. Whether intentional or not, that is how it felt, and it left a very bad impression. A restaurant should make all guests feel welcome and respected. Between the poor food quality, the dismissive and rude service, and the uncomfortable atmosphere, this place failed on every level. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for good food or decent customer service. There are far better options elsewhere that actually value their customers.

Food was very delicious. Please visit these folks if you like Indian cuisine. Service was OK, no music in the background made it very quiet, but the food made up for all of it.

Delcious. We loved the food. The Mediterranean sampler platter was so fresh and perfect flavors and textures. We wish we had gotten it for 4, so we had leftovers for the 2 of us. Afgani buryiani, mango lassi and chai tea were also delcious. Felt like a family run place with authentic food. The food came out really fast. I would highly recommend eating here. I do wish the inside had more Afgani decor or music playing, but was a really nice quiet spot.

The restaurant is located near downtown area, so parking around it could be tricky. However, we found a street parking luckily. The ambiance of the restaurant can definitely use an upgrade. Pretty old-aged set up and the restroom on the face of the dining table doesn’t help honestly. The service was pretty slow. However, we went there pretty late, almost towards the closing time and it was still somewhat busy. So can’t really complain about that. But the food was not up to the hype that the google review had led us to believe. The butter chicken platter was pretty simple. The chicken wasn’t much flavorful rather bland. But the SLU special was good for the money. Kabuli pulav was flavorful, also the SLU chicken (that tasted more like butter chicken than the butter chicken platter itself!). Food price and portion was reasonable.

The food is absolutely bad no taste, nothing taste like afghani 3 box of the food had hair, I won’t recommend anymore, There is no Hygiene they need to work on that. 0 Star, the food smell and it’s not even fresh looks like from yesterday.

Sameem Restaurant is a great spot if you're looking for delicious food in a relaxed, no-frills setting. The staff is super friendly and attentive, making sure you have everything you need without being intrusive. The food is really good—flavorful but not overly spicy, which is perfect if you want to enjoy Afghan dishes without too much heat. The decor is simple and humble, nothing fancy, but it adds to the comfortable and laid-back vibe of the place. Overall, it’s a solid choice for a nice meal with good service.

The service and atmosphere was very simple, no frills; the food, however, was exceptional -- well seasoned and fresh. I ordered the Emperor Platter (Combination/Sampler that offers a great variety) It comes in two course: (1) Naan bread, Shirazi salad (light and fresh with a nice cucumber crunch), eggplant burani (very hardy/savory, spice rich), and yogurt (on the side/excluded for nondairy restrictions). (2) Beef, chicken, and lamb (all well seasoned), stew, tomato, and a very sweet/savory rice (hints of cinnamon, topped with raisins, very balanced flavor profiles). Seems to be a generous amount of food for the cost. Quaint.

Sameem Afghan Cafe is known for serving up great halal food in the Grove. You can taste the authentic Afghan flavors in every dish, perfectly spiced, and beautifully presented. The lamb kabobs were tender and juicy, and the bolani was perfectly crispy and flavorful. The portions are generous, and everything tastes homemade with care and presented at an affordable coats. The inside is quaint and the staff are friendly, attentive, and genuinely interested in ensuring you enjoy your meal. Whether you're a fan of Afghan cuisine or trying it for the first time, Sameem is a must-visit in STL for middle eastern food.

Easy and quick place to get decent halal food. The butter chicken was a 3/5. The chicken tenders 3.5/5 . It's my go to place when I can't think of what to cook.

I love Sameem's. Their food is fire and everyone that I have gone with loves it. Everything is tasty and delicious. I had Sameem cater a wedding event of mine and have gone to the restaurant on a number of occasions and thoroughly enjoy the food every time. The staff is so knowledgeable and kind. I can't wait to go back!

My second Afghan restaurant experience, with the first being Afghan Kabob House. I liked the Kabob House slightly more for its dining atmosphere and spice variety, but both were excellent choices. We had the Bolini, Lamb Shank and chicken beriani. Good choices, but if you were sharing, I would only order one of them, since both the lamb and chicken had similar rice. The server was excellent and the food arrived quickly.

It was good! Very unique experience. Food is kind of a blend of middle eastern and Indian and a bit of south east Asia. Not a very fancy place, in fact I was a bit confused when I entered the door. But the food was definitely with it. Street Parking is free after 5 on Friday night. Service was fast but they used disposable cups.

Great food and drinks; clean place easy to find. Samosas are must try and chicken biryani

The basics nice and clean. The price was good and the food and service was great. I am looking foreard to my next visit.

Food was OUTSTANDING! Every bite was and explosion. It was served warm and fresh and quickly. Can't wait to come back.

So overall this was the weirdest dining experience of my life!! To the point that my friend and i can't stop laughing about it because we were so confused by our service we thought we were on an episode of Punk'd... To start with the pros: the food here is AMAZING!! Like so delicious and everything comes fast... LIKE REALLY FAST. I actually looked at time stamps on my phone cause it was insane how fast it was but our appetizers and dinner were SIX MINUTES APART! It also wasn't super busy or crowded too on a Saturday morning which is great because the dining room isn't super big. But the cons... oh boy. First was kind of a small thing but we weren't given cups, instead they give you red solo cups which was kind of odd for sit down dining but we ignored it and thought even though there are only 2 parties dining (including us) maybe they didn't have anyone on dishes so whatever. But the real kicker was the service... our service was bad. And i mean REALLY bad. There was another family there that finished their meals and took their time to chit chat after and weren't rushed at all, but that was not the case AT ALL for us. When i tell you they literally came to our table every 2 minutes asking if we were ready over and over again from the moment we sat down and basically were like well at least tell me what appetizers are you getting so we quickly ordered some. Then they bring them out and continue coming every 2 minutes asking are you ready yet are you ready over and over (keep in mind we had 2 servers coming to our table at this point too so it was like double distracting because we couldn't even scan the menu long enough). We were finally just like okay yeah we'll take this and ordered our entree. After we get our food they stop for a bit (maybe for like 10 minutes) and continue again. "Hey are you done? Do you want boxes yes or no? Are you ready yet?" To the point where it got so pushy and aggressive we just ate quickly to try to wrap up and leave (keep in mind they didn't do this to the other large parties that we saw were there with us). Finally she comes to our table and says "are you doing okay? I'm just your waiter you know ... so I'm going to keep checking on you" and while it wasn't objectively rude it hit a point where we couldn't even take a bite of food before they were back at our table trying to make us box things up. My friend ended up boxing up half her rice and i just left what i didn't eat and we asked for the check thinking it can't get worse... BUT IT DID. She almost immediately brings the check and doesn't even set it down for us to look at and basically just takes my friends card from her hand and walks away (doesn't ask if we want to split or anything) and then comes back 30 seconds later. My friend (who paid) was still boxing up her food since it was so quick that she SHOVES THE CHECKBOOK INTO MY HAND TO AVOID WAITING 10 SECONDS AND WALKS OFF. Overall the food was sooooo good but the service made us so uncomfortable we just burst out laughing, packed up, paid, and left. I don't know what we did as a party of 2 in their empty restaurant to annoy them so bad but man did they want us gone immediately!! Overall, I hate to leave bad reviews especially on a small family business but I don't think I'll be coming back again. I'll probably just keep going to Sultan instead since it's literally right around the corner and the service is so much better.

Run! Don't walk to Sameem!! You'll need the extra calories and, trust me, you'll want to order the whole menu.. and you should! The no-frills restaurant is welcoming, clean, and nice. The staff is great and super helpful! The food is amazing and super flavorful! We got the Mid Eastern Feast for the appetizer and it was a great portion and allowed us to try (and fall in love) with everything! For entrees we got the Chicken Beriani (delicious rice dish) and Chicken Teeka Masala (incredible sauce with decent sized portions of chicken). Everything was plate-licking good! I can't wait to go back!!

Sameem's is an unassuming establishment that focuses its energy on food. Enticed by the divine smells that met us at the door, we ordered a spread - the Mid-Eastern feast, the chicken karahi, lamb kabob, chicken teekah masala - and everything was fantastic. I do wish the spice level was customizable; not a deal breaker though and I'll definitely be back. If you want a really delicious meal, this no-frills restaurant is for you.

It's a hit or miss. 2 out of 3 times the food was bad. Naan were super hard and not fresh. Everything else was not so fresh.

Driven to Sameem after realizing there's no real Afghan food in Los Angeles, their offering of some of the traditional dishes is what made my trip to St. Louis truly great. Sameem is a low-key but popular place for Afghan, Indian and Pakistani style dishes, much of which reflects traditional Mughlai cuisine. Lamb Qabelli Pulao - this is easily my favorite Afghan dish because it boasts the usual pulao characteristics that includes fluffy basmati rice with a great aroma (unlike biryani, which can be peppered to hell), and in this case a lamb shank that melts right off the bone. The two are cooked together and steamed up to provide a fluffy disposition that can only be contrasted with the carrots and raisins that define quabelli pulao. I do think you'll find that the carrots and raisins are put on haphazardly, but the core taste profile is definitely here. The oil on the rice will leave you savoring for more as you mix ingredients to dish out a savory meal. I would certainly come back, likely 30 minutes before closing, or better yet at least an hour as they can close early. Would I order the same dish over and over? You bet.

I love Sameem!! I first tried their food when they had a pop up in my office building. The staff was unbelievably friendly and helpful!! The food was delicious. Strong flavors and a great variety! I enjoyed it so much that I decided to go check out their restaurant. We had no trouble getting a table and the service was good. I don't believe they have a parking lot, but street parking was not difficult to find. Everything on their menu is delicious and I cannot wait to keep trying new dishes!! Highly recommend

We wanted to try this place out for a date night and we were happy with our decision. The ambiance was a little off because they didn't have any music playing so it was a bit quite when we first got there. When we got there we got to go plates, plastic silverware and bottled water for our drink. We ordered the the Traditional Afghani Bolani for an appetizer and really like it. The sauce that this app comes with is comparable to a chimichuri and is absolutely delicious! My fiancé ordered the spicy beef kabob and I ordered the chicken teeka masala. We were both pleased with our meal. Overall the food was good!

Wow I think this tops Ethiopian food as my favorite! I wish we had one near me in Clearwater, Florida! St. Louis has such diverse food options! Check it out!

The white waiter is simply don't care about the customers, I bet he is kind of racist to Asian people. He does not come to refill my water, and hand me checks without I ask him to.The attitude he had is disgrace to this restaurant which they do have a great quality of food. Fire this waiter and everything will be good

My bestie and I ordered the muntoo, mixed grill, and chicken tikka masala, and mixed grill entrees. They were all delicious! The only downside was we were expecting to have leftovers and we didn't...if you're going with just one other person, I suggested splitting 3 entrees like we did since they are kind of small.

Have been to Sameem a number of times and they always deliver good quality food. This time I tried the chicken soltani (one skewer of chicken kabob, one skewer of Koobideh) served with rice and grilled tomato. The chicken is hit or miss, I have had it a little bit dry and other times better so it kind of depends on the day. The koobideh seems to always be really good so I'd recomendable that one more. Also tried the homemade hummus with pita which was good but a little bit oily. Overall this is one of the better Mediterranean places in the greater STL area and worth a try!

The ambiance was cozy, adorned with traditional Afghan decor, creating an inviting atmosphere. The menu boasted a variety of classic Afghan dishes, each bursting with authentic flavors.

A hole in the wall type of place that serves both Indian and middle eastern cuisine. The homemade hummus tasted fresh and was delicious, highly recommend as an appetizer. The chicken tikka ("teeka") masala was bursting with flavors, though at times a little too spicy for my liking. I'd order both of them again. The portion sizes are decent, though other Indian food I've had usually includes more meat in the dish. All of the dining happens upstairs and water is served in plastic red solo cups. Not the most environmentally friendly to have single-use plastic and styrofoam to-go boxes, but that matches the vibe of this place. We had a young man as our server who was attentive and kind. Overall, a good experience but not anything out of the ordinary.

Delicious flavors! Everything was so good! Our take out order was hot and ready. We were staying in The Grove and so glad we tried this place!

Quaint, authentic, with good food. What more could you want?! Feel free to dress casual, it's got a hole-in-the-wall feel. We shared the sambosa & pakora for an appetizer and it was pretty good. Then I had the chicken Karachi and that was also really good. You simply can not go wrong.

I've always wanted to try something like this and I was not disappointed. Loved the food. The sauce that comes with the chicken masala is one of the best sauces I've ever had. Highly recommend the chicken masala and dip that naan bread in there. I had to order another side of sauce because I couldn't get enough of it. Only down side is that I wish there was more help for them! I got neglected a little because it got busy.

Love this place. I love dining in and grabbing take away. Definitely, my favorite middle eastern restaurant in the city.

Hello deliciousness. Legit and great prices and quality delicious food. Period. Food was fast and hot and flavorful. All of it. Can't wait to go back and happy we came here for lunch.

Coming someone who is from Washington DC and knows about Afghan food, this place didn't impress me at all. The order usually comes with a full naan at a stand Afghan restaurant but, however, I was only served one slice as if this was a catering event. The rice was okay but barely any side order and no lettuce. If you want the real authentic Afghan food well either you going to have to make it or just travel to either the East or west coast.......

I had the mixed grill, and it was absolutely delicious. All the meats were flavor and tender. The yogurt sauce I used for dipping. I hope to try other menu options later!

The food and service is fantastic! I intend on dining in the intimate setting, or taking out some more delicious Afghani cuisine again very soon!

This serves authentic Afghani food.Its also Halal for people that only eat halal food.For the appetizers, we ordered the mid-eastern feast.As for the entrées, we had Emperor platter(perfect for two).They were both really good dishes. Service was bad though, they felt rushed.We told them we would like a table upstairs and the waitress informed us that they're cleaning it and once they're done,we will head there.Once I asked them again,they informed me that someone just called and reserved it.I felt that was just rude and it didn't seem they care about the hospitality aspect that much.

We wanted to try this Afghani place for awhile so glad we finally got a chance to try it. It wasn't too busy on a Friday night and they took their COVID-19 precautions seriously so that was a plus. The food itself was very average. I love lamb so I was looking forward to the lamb shank dish. While the meat itself was moist, it lacked flavor so it was less enjoyable. The rice also, while colored a beautiful yellow, lacked any spice so the dish itself was quite bland. The lamb kabob had a similar problem; it largely lacked any true flavor. The high point of the meal was the appetizer; the Bollani (stuffed bread) was delicious and had me wishing for more. Overall, an underwhelming meal. The service was fast and the workers were kind but not sure if I'll come back to try the other items.

If you are looking for middle eastern food that is completely Americanized go to this place. The chicken tikka (that they spell teeka) was bland and the chicken was completely dry. The rice did not taste like it was washed and the server was not attentive. There was no offer of refill of my drink and he didn't come to see how the food was. When I walked in he looked at me and didn't bother to offer a table and instead assumed I was looking for directions or something. If I could give this zero stars, I would. The food is NOT GOOD. The naan was disgusting and I don't know how they could ruin naan!! Don't bother with this place.

I didn't take any pictures. I should have. The baba ganoush was the best I have had! Soup was brought out to us first. It was delicious. Everything was full of flavor, and wonderful. My boyfriend wanted a Moroccan style food. Something filling and comfort foods. He was very happy when I found this place. Servings are perfect. My lamb was really tender and full of flavor. He had the mixed grill and ate every bite! So delicious.

Food is flavorful and meat is so tender. This place is great! Good service too. I had the spicy Soltani. All four of us liked our food a lot. I'll be back.

I thought the food was mildly worthwhile - the bread has a strange bitter under taste to it but it works. The food is quite spicy so be careful what you order.

Just go here and eat a few things, you don't have to read any further. Everything is very delicious here and I highly recommend this restaurant!!!......... The food is amazing here, the flavor they offer up is so on point. I personally don't love hummus all that much and I don't really like eggplant, well here I really liked both a lot. They took two diff things I don't care for and made me really enjoy it, that's when you know someone can cook. Of the familiar dishes I tried, everything was made so flavorful. You'll be wanting to try other people's food once you sample some stuff here, they really have a fun menu that isn't found everyday on the restaurant scene. I know I was ready to try everything they offered, such delicious food here. As I said before, just go eat here!

This place is still OPEN for takeout and delivery through Dashdoor and Postmates in case you are wondering!!! I called them to have the order ready in an hour and it was made on time. You just entered at the front door and someone will get your order. I never had food at Sameem so I was not sure what to expect. The food really hit the spot for me. I love Middle eastern food so it was very delicious in my opinion. The portion was big and filling. We ordered the Mid East Feast for 4 people and the Lamb Qabelli. I highly recommend the Mid East Feast because it gives a good variety of options. It is like an appetizer platter. The Lamb was very soft and the rice was nicely cooked. I have been to a handful of restaurants and I can tell you that if the rice is cooked properly that restaurant sets itself apart from others. The price was very reasonable as well. In general, I am very happy with my decision. And I would come back at another time. I also highly recommend ordering takeout and delivery from this place during the COVID19 time because I feel like this is the kind of restaurant where ordering in and taking out does not make a difference.

I ordered the lamb karahi and it was alright, an average interpretation of the dish. While I would think that such a stew-type of dish would benefit from rich flavors accumulated in slow cooking over time, the dish tasted a bit flat and the spices did not seem plentiful enough to liven up the dish. The nan and basmati was fine. The appetizer, which my friend ordered for us to split, was great and I'm sorry I don't remember the name of it. The 3 stars is based on an acceptable lamb entree and a great appetizer.

Sameem afghan restaurant having the best food - Munto Rice pudding are my Fev - There kabab was great too - Thanks

Overall, a good experience. Naan could be crispier but I like the seasoning on and quantity of the food. The chicken and beef were between dry and quality tender. Prices were agreeable. I tried a spoonful of my friend's fried rice and had to try a few more - very tasty seasoning. Waiters very polite and helpful.

I love this place! They have some of my favorite Indian food, and some North African food as well! It's delicious!!! The owners are fantastic! They let me try an appetizer that I previously didn't like, but theirs was really delicious! They are friendly and cool. They have very generous portions, and you can see them making the aromatic, delicious food! I will definitely be going back!

Very casual restaurant, but the food was delicious. We got a sampler platter as an appetizer and the emperor's platter for entree. My fav part of the meal was the eggplant dip. Service was also pretty good. Will definitely be back!

Wow, just wow! This has been one greatest food experiences I've had in a long time. Everything looked great on the menu, so I was stuck between 5 items that were all equally appealing. The server picked out something completely different that my boyfriend was already eyeing. We ended up getting the Chicken Marsala and Beef Koobeda Combo. The sauce for the chicken was so good with the rice and naan. Since the plate was long and slender, I was a bit worried about the portion but it was definitely satisfying. The chicken was so tender and so was the Beef koobeda. The beef koobeda was grilled ground beef. The flavor was smoky and savory. The raisins and carrots added sweetness and tanginess to the dish. The service was quick and friendly. We both walked out of there very full and happy.

Family member had suggested visiting Sameem Afghan Restaurant for dinner while visiting STL and of course I was game! I've only had Afghan style food a few times in my life, so I was happy to broaden my horizon, but many of their menu items may be familiar to many other middle eastern restaurants. The restaurant itself provides ample seating with a first and second floor, so it should not pose any issues during non COVID times. Staff is very friendly and willing to go over the semi large menu as there will likely be some questions here and there. Price points are very attractable alongside their large portions, so come hungry. We opted for the sample dish, vegetarian biryani, and chicken biryani. Sample dish had many treats I'd not eaten in some time, mostly hummus style dips with falafel and mixed veggies (Grilled?). Vegetarian Biryani and Chicken Biryani came out shortly after, which were massive in terms of portions! They were downright delicious though, so no complaints in that department. We also tried a traditional "dough" tea, which was interesting, but for $2.00 it was worth it if you want to experience something different. All and all a brilliant stop and would gladly visit this quite often if I lived nearby.

Sameem is a hole in the wall Afghan spot I'd highly recommend checking out. I wanted a little of everything, so I got the chicken masala and beef koobeda combo. Yum! The rice was buttery and flavorful, and it went great with the creamy, spicy tomato sauce of the chicken. The beef as well was outstanding, peppery, and perfectly seasoned. The only thing that wasn't up to par was the naan--not bad, but I wouldn't order a side of it if it weren't included. It simply wasn't the hot, fluffy bread I've come to love. I'll definitely be coming back when I have the time. I'd suggest the chicken masala and beef koobeda combo for your first time, since you get to sample a little of everything. Next time I'll branch out, but I have confidence that most anything on the menu will br pretty great. If the menu looks good to you, I'd highly recommend coming by.

Really good take out experience. The service was very friendly and helpful. Inquiring about our stories and what we usually like to recommend the right entrées. Even going as far as to letting us not which dishes used white meat chicken vs dark meat chicken. Chicken Karahi and lamb shank were our choices and they did not disappoint. Very flavorful and spiced to our taste. Only reason it was not a 5 is because I like my Naan a little more airy and my mango Lassi more mango than cream, but I do understand that every culture fits this different even if the dish has the same name. We will definitely be going back. PS. Masks were written and hand sanitizer utilized.

I've heard positive things about the food at Sameem. It's easy to miss this restaurant while driving on Manchester. Parking is a little challenging given there's no parking lot. I ended up finding street parking nearby. The owner sat my party in the front of the restaurant. There looks to be more seating in the back area. I ordered the Afghan Pakowra appetizer and Emperor Platter. I also asked for yogurt to go with the meat. The Emperor Platter is plenty of food for two people. The chicken and lamb tasted great. Lots of flavor in the food. The owner was super welcoming and was happy to recommend dishes for first timers. I'm glad I tried Sameem Afghan Restaurant and will visit again for amazing Afghan food.

Four of us got "takeout" from Sameem on a weeknight. Our orders were ready at the time requested, and the food was still very hot. The food was fantastic. Every one of us was very happy with what they ordered, and we each got something different. I got the "fish special," and I was a bit concerned that it wouldn't work well for takeout. I was wrong. It was excellent. My husband got chicken soltani, and he was very happy with it. I don't know what our two friends ordered, but when asked how they felt about their food, they said: "that was really good." We will definitely return.

I found out why this place has such good reviews. Divey little restaurant on a hip street, where I had probably the best vegetable biryani I've ever eaten. And a pretty good Turkish coffee. Friendly, personable service. With a pretty generous tip, my total came to $20. Try the masala sauce on the side....no matter what you order. :)