Kabul Restaurant Reviews

Restaurant was available with seats on a saturday evening. So went in in a group of 3. Waited almost an hour for the food to arrive. Just 3 main courses. Uncleared tables when we arrived and took a while to cleaned up. Food was not fantastic at all.

My favorite Afghani food in Philadelphia. I always go here after a movie at the Ritz with my friends. Get the pumpkin turnovers - YUM!

After enough not so good reviews. we had made plans to go there. to our surprise. it was an pleasent experience! now having been to afghanistan. this was very clean restaurant! you were given time to look the menu over. never felt rushed. if you asked what something is. they will explain it to you. your given a nice portion. not too much or too little for the meal. they do use spices you dont expect. but was mild and was fine. the only thing you didnt get much of was bread. in afghanistan you get a large portion of bread with your meals. here was 2 small pieces for 3 meals. that was the only part you felt that you didnt get enough of. appitizers is just enough for 1 person. was mainly an older crowd there. Eeveryone seemed to be enjoying there meals there. meter parking close by. can look up the menu on there web site. that way you know what you want. its a bring your own bottle. which they will open and serve to you. no acholol in afghanistan. so none here. theres coupons avaiable if you do your home work.. nice afghan decoration around just dont expect afghan prices. not expensive, but not cheap. its worth a try. WE SHALL RETURN!

I thought that the food quality here was very good, service not at a blazing pace, but OK. The quality of the food made up for it. Definitely worth trying.

First time trying Afghani food and I’m surprised about the new flavors. The amount of food is good and the service was really nice. It’s a BYOB so you can bring your own beverage and drink it there. The place is decorated with traditional Afghani ornaments and the music they play is of course Afghani too.

I had Persian foods and before and I anticipate some similarities with Afghan dishes. In my opinion, they are similar. Popular Kababs, sweet rice with raisins and carrots. However, they have their own unique dishes like Mantu. The service was outstanding and the all the dishes were so tasteful. On the other hand, the desserts we so so. There is a paid parking lot across from the restaurant.

My first experience of traditional Afghanie food and it was great. Service was attentive and quick and the food was delicious. Will definitely be returning!

This place looked the food would be authentic. There was a large table of patrons with the women in traditional garb. I ordered the brown rice with raisins and nuts. I was disappointed. It was overly moist with little seasoning. Now, the baklava, which I had little hope for, was really good with rose water flavored syrup. The servers had too many customers, but really hustled and were solicitous.

I went here with my husband and 19 yr old step son and we all thought the food was wonderful. Try both the apps and deserts we were pleasently surprised at how much we really enjoyed everything.

If you've never tried Afghan cuisine, you are missing out on a treat. Delicious flavors of saffron, rose water, pistachio and other spices make for a wonderful burst of taste in your mouth. The food was fresh, flavorful without being spicy, artfully presented, and the service friendly. If you go early, as we did, it's also a great place for a conversation as tables are far enough apart and it's not particularly noisy.

Five PM, Tuesday we had the restaurant to ourselves so as expected our service was good and quite fast. Lamb dishes average $16-$17 and come with a small but quite tasty iceberg salad. The lamb dinners were all basically chunks of lamb mixed in a flavorful sauce with spinach, beans, apples, pumpkin or one or two other veggies over a very large plate of well prepared rice. The positive is that the food was well prepared and very good. The negative is that the meal was mostly rice with a small amount of the lamb & veggie. They do offer an option of more meat for an additional $2, something that I believe most diners would be wise to consider.

Service was great. Food was well done. I am a meat eater, kabab kabul was golden, however many vegetarian options.

If you like peace and quiet and memorable ethnic food this is THE place in Old Town. Every dish my wife and I ordered was fantastic from the Aushak to the lamb kebabs, but especially the vegetables--eggplant, pumpkin, and spinach. If you want to drink this is a BYOB place.

We had just visited the Philly Art Museum on a Wednesday evening. Street parking is free until 10pm. We had wanted to try Kabul for several years and finally had the opportunity. We were not disappointed. Food was very tasty and the staff was very friendly. Both dishes were served with rice (I had lamb and I believe my wife had chicken). We look forward to returning.

Food was good, particularly the appetizers at this BYOB Old City restaurant. However felt the entree prices were a bit high for this simple fare. Good location. Pleasant service.

My friend and I went to Kabul on a Friday night, and we had to make a 7:30 curtain. Not only was the food delicious (and so many yummy choices!), the service was smooth but not rushed and we were out the door in good time to make our show. The owner (I think) even comped the ice cream on our terrific dessert -- very sweet of him! I will definitely be back and will recommend Kabul to friends, as well.

Gr and eat dumplings, pumpkin side dish excellent - main dish was overly dry and forgettable lamb -- Enjoyed the orange slices maarinated in rosewater

Walked in early on Saturday evening and were seated right away. Food was very good especially given the inexpensive prices. We had a variety of dishes - Bunalee Kacholo - appetizer consisting of turnovers filled with mashed potatoes and onions and served with yogurt, and Sambosas, beef, lamb and chicken kabobs all with brown basmati rice. Each entree came with a salad as well. The restaurant is BYOB, and serves sodas and other non-alcholic drinks. Serivce was fast & friendly

The first time we ate at Kabul, it was a ro antic dinner on the platform that is decorated with carpets and pillows. The second time we again sat on the platform, the third time was last minute so we ate a table. Each time has been fantastic, good food, wonderful service. We bring our own bottle of wine and enjoy each item we order. Wally engages you in conversation and found he lives in the same town as us. Each time we eat there he has remembered us. We enjoyed the authentic cuisine, my favorite is saffron rosewater rice with lamb.

We really enjoyed the subtle flavors of our meal - similar to Indian, but different. While the decor is not fancy - clearly a family working hard to provide culturally authentic food, we enjoyed our meal very much. And, it was very reasonably priced. If I lived close by, I'd definitely return on a regular basis.

We walked in a few minutes after 7pm on a Friday night, and were the only diners in the restaurant. The hostess was pleasant, but there was another younger guy (waiter or something?) who spoke on his cell phone via speaker during our meal. Food was average. Basement bathroom situation is pretty scary.

This is one the best bet in the historic center: good menu, excellent food, outstanding decoration and pleasing middle eastern music. They don't serve wine for religious views, but diversity wise allow you to bring your own for a symbolic corck fee. We were two couple, had a great meal, excellent wine and truly enjoyed the place. It was Monday and there were only two of 25-30 tables occupied; for this reason it lacked some more entertaining atmosphere. Seeing people eating is a great enhancement in a good restaurant, I believe and cherish.

Food was pretty good, though kebabs were on the dry side, it is better to order something with a lot of sauce, not meat on the skewers. Some options for vegetarians as well. The waiter was very business like, not pleasant, no smiles, did not introduce himself. This is BOYB place, keep that in mind. The atmosphere missed ambiance. The light on the tables produced very unpleasant shade of white like in the office. The candles would be more warm and welcoming.

We came here on a Thursday evening, early, in order to make it to the Arden theater by 8 p.m. We were able to find parking in the street nearby, and had a leisurely walk to Kabul, which is a BYOB. We were the first patrons, were greeted warmly and enjoyed the genuine-looking decor. The food was delicious, and we will definitely return in the future to try some of their meat dishes. We are only eating vegan right now. For appetizers we had the Afghani samosas, deep-fried vegetable filling in a dough. We also had a pumpkin filling in ravioli-type appetizer. Both were very tasty. Then we were served a salad with a house dressing, which had a hint of mint. Different but delicious. And for our entres, I had a brown rice with dal, a yellow lentil type of sauce, which was excellent, and proved tastier (to us) than my husband's sweet saffron rice with a spinach sauce. But we took what was left of his rice home, and enjoyed it today. For dessert, we decided to try their Afghan specialty -- a carrot cake, which seemed like a regular American carrot cake, except that it was drenched in two sauces, which gave it an exotic taste. I forget the one, but the other was rose water. If you like food that is not your run-of-the-mill diner food, Kabul is definitely an authentic (at least to our eyes, since there were patrons there conversing in what seemed like the waitstaff's native tounge) place worthy of a visit.

I was exhausted my first night in Philly so I got delivery from this place via Foodler.com. I had steamed scallion dumplings with topped a spicy beef and a yogurt sauce on top. I'd never had this before, but it was wonderful. Tasted fantastic and did well in transit from the restaurant. Don't forget to request utensils, though. It's messy to eat with your fingers!

I really enjoyed this restaurant. I found the food to be delicious and the service was friendly. The entrees are wonderful and the carrot cake and Turkish coffee are amazing.

My wife and I had a evening dinner over the 4th of July weekend. I deployed to Afghanistan a few years ago and always have an eye out for Afghan restaurants this side of the world. This is one of the best! We started with the aushak scallion and meat dumplings. The flavours were well-balanced and with the fresh yoghurt just the right amount of sour note to match. My wife's norenge palaw eggplant and rice came piping fresh and hot. Like other palaw rice dishes (e.g. qabili palaw lamb rice), the centrepiece meat/vegetable is hidden under the mound of rice so you never know how the serving size will be, but here portions were generous and filling. The rice was garnished with nuts and apricot - again a masterful balance of flavour. My korma e saib stewed spiced apples and lamb was just as lovely. The lamb was fresh and perfectly tender, and just the right amount of "lamby" taste to match the sweetness of the apples. The apples themselves were expertly stewed to that half-way point between soft and sauce. On the side we had buranee kadu pumpkin, meat and yoghurt, again a well-prepared blend of flavours. Unfortunately they ran out of gosh-e-feal pistachio cardamom pastry, so we had baklava instead, which came with a subtle berry drizzle. Service was excellent - clearly the staff were invested in the restaurant and the dining experience, and reflected the spirit of Afghan hospitality I remembered during my deployment. If you have a large group (6 or more), there is a traditional seating area in the back: sit on the floor at a low table. Overall an excellent choice for Afghan cuisine!

This is the second time we have visited Kabul and we agreed we can no longer keep it a secret! Kabul is an Afghani restaurant located on Chestnut Street among a mix of restaurants--both ethnic and trendy. At once when you enter, you are welcomed by one of the family members who own and manage the restaurant. It's a warm cozy atmosphere nicely decorated with pictures and various hangings from Afghanistan. Their are small tables great for a romantic dinner for two, as well as tables for larger parties. The ambiance is intimate; one can have a quiet conversation yet enjoy the laughter of other parties. The menu is enormous with SO many options--from amazing appetizers to kebabs, chicken, beef and lamb dishes, to vegetarian options and many kinds of rice. EVERYTHING is delicious! Though we had scraped every last morsel from our plates, we ordered the vanilla pudding and rosewater ice cream. Both were outstanding. (My husband, who is not a rosewater ice cream sort of guy, loved it!). Be sure to greet Wali, the incredible guy who owns, manages, cooks, and serves. We tried to talk him into moving to California but he seems committed to staying right on Chestnut Street. Which means we'll have to travel back for another incredible meal! Our goal is to get the table in the front window so we can people-watch. :-) One note: This establishment does not serve alcohol but does allow patrons to BYOB.

I chose this restaurant because of a Restaurant.com certificate, the reviews on it's web site, and wanting to try something different; Afghan cuisine. I enjoyed the authentic ambiance of the restaurant. The food was tasty, the service friendly and my friends were pleasantly surprised with a new culinary experience. The prices were reasonable, the menu had variety and the servings were just enough to fill you without feeling like you over indulged. I would definitely go again.

Visited with friends, one of whom served in Afghanistan. The food was excellent. (I had lamb and sweet rice with raisins.) Prices for all selections seemed reasonable to me; $12 - $19. The owner was pleasant and personable. It was an inviting atmosphere all around and I would gladly go back...and recommend to anyone.

We never visit Philadelphia without enjoying a dinner at Kabul. It's been one of our favorite places to eat this wonderfully unique "comfort" food, rich with warm spices, rice, and sauces while soft music plays in the background. But every restaurant has a tough night and tonight it was Kabul's turn. For the first time, we were disappointed and hope this was a uniquely singular experience. For one thing, the owner wasn't present and, though I cannot remember his name from the past, he has always made us feel welcomed and appreciated. Tonight a young man was in charge and seemed to run ragged, rushing through service as though he was checking off his functions from a list. He seemed harried - a bit confusing since we were only one of three tables in the restaurant for most of the time we were there. OK, maybe it was his first day? Then the food came out; the appetizers (Boulanee Paneer and Sambosa Goushti) were fine, as usual. But the entrees (Kadu Chalaw and Lamb Kabob) were disappointing - just not the same quality as in the past. The lamb was over seasoned and dry. And the meat sauce on the Kadu was meager at best. When our meal was finished, we looked forward to our favorite rosewater syrup infused ice-cream. Instead, the young man placed the check on the table and said thank you as though he had to get on with his other two tables. We politely asked for ice cream. He seemed surprised but politely answered, "Of course," and went to get it, taking the check with him. After dinner I went down to the restroom, only to find the bathroom tissue roll completely empty, with no extra supply anywhere at all. As I returned to the table, I encountered the young man and quietly mentioned there was no paper in the rest room. No "sorry," no "please let me take care of it immediately," just something about he'd check on that. Oh please, Kabul owner, we missed you tonight! We hope this was a one-time tough night and hope to see you when we return next year! Because we love Kabul Restaurant -- usually.

Owner refused to honor $25 certificate, even that it is clearly stated on certificate " does not expire".

Kabul and Ariana are sister restaurants on the same block in Old City. Both are very good, and inexpensive. Afghan food is similar to northern Indian -- flavorful, but simple and not necessarily fiery.

This was my first experience at this restaurant but my friends had been here many times before. What a lovely and sweet place with soft candlelight and flowers and music playing in the background. The food was delicious and reasonably priced. Our meals included a delicious salad, rice, meat or vegetarian platters and bread. We were on our way to the Arden for a special show. We had hot cups of chai tea for $1. It was perfect on a chilly night. I will be back to this restaurant.

I give one star only for the chef and his food, the rest is awfully below zero. There was only one person in the entire restaurant to provide service to the customers. We had to wait for a long time once we arrived, then we seated ourselves. The place needed not only serious repairs but a deep cleaning especially on the lower level where it led customers to the bathroom. The odor was unbearable in that area. Also, it took almost 55 minutes for the meals to be served. Last but not least was the price. We were charged as high as a fancy restaurant in a capital city. Not recommended.

Small but accommodating. The "kitchen" is at the entry, similar to a steak shop counter, with tables in the rear, but far enough removed that I did not hear any kitchen noise. Although I never have Afghani food before, I will again! Every dish was well prepared, seasoned, and served promptly, yet I did not feel rushed. Good value. We look forward to working through the menu.

We had four for dinner, the starters were good and full of flavor. the main courses were OK but not spectacular, I may just be comparing to Punjabi food. the portions are more than generous. my rule of thumb is a small portion of excellent food surpasses large portions of mediocre fare. we had lamb lentil and chicken kababs. Sorry couldn't rate any better

We stopped at this restaurant because it was near our hotel and we enjoy Afghan food. I had the Kabuli Chalaw which I enjoyed. My husband order the Kabab-e-Gossfant which was skewered lamb with vegetables and he was extremely disappointed. The lamb was terribly overcooked and dry and when he complained the waiter said, well if you wanted it cooked differently you should have told me when you gave me the order. He never asked my husband how he wanted it cooked and we had never before experienced meat being served that overcooked. On top of that there were very few vegetables with his order. I had quite a bit of food left on my plate but the waiter never asked if I wanted to pack it up to go, and by that time we were pretty disappointed and ready to just leave. So, bottom line, be advised that when you order meat it is up to you to give them one of three choices of how you would like it cooked. They are not going to ask you. I guess this restaurant is best for returning customers.

Found this through groupon and that alone made it worth it. It was a little out of the way but near Old City so we went after sight seeing. Service was good. We bought a bottle of wine from the liquor store nearby on 2nd street and our server brought out a corkscrew and glasses right away. We ordered two appetizers, feta in a pastry and chickpeas and potatoes in a pastry. They were so good I could've eaten two orders of each. The main courses were mediocre but not bad. I got sautéed pumpkin, my boyfriend got lamb. The pumpkin was definitely better but starting off on a high point with the apps made it a bit disappointing. Good for a date. I wouldn't mind going again.

Food was average and so was the service. Lamb Kabobs were a bit chewy; serving size was small. What bothered me most was the that automatic gratuity was included in the bill. I would not have tipped to the level included.

Was enjoying the sights and sounds of the old city and came upon Kabul and knew from the look I had to try it. I had the korma e gossfant, lamb tomato and afghan spices, it was great. The service was friendly and fast, I'm planning a return visit soon.

Wonderful food, lovely atmosphere, good service. We ordered a lamb dish, which Dan loved but I thought was dry. We also got the appetizer special, where we got to order 4 different appetizers of our selection from the choice of 13. It was enough to feed two, and only $15. Both of us brought home enough leftovers to enjoy for another meal tomorrow. The salad and bread that came with the lamb meal, were disappointing, iceberg lettuce with cabbage, plus dry bread. But we will go back!

I had the chicken soup as a starter and it was one of the nicest dishes I've had in a long time. Lovely flavour! I then had lamb chunks flavoured with Afghan spices and covered with brown rice. This was just as good, although for me the ratio of lamb to rice was a bit off. They do, however, offer the option of adding more meat to the dish for an additional amount.

Great restaurant. The wait staff was superb and the food was excellent. Highly recommended!

Afghan food delicious and the decor of the restaurant wondrous. Liked so image of a man with a beard and sharp eyes like a hawk

My husband and I went here with our two month old on the recommendation of our tour guide and we're glad we went! My favorite was the pumpkin turnover. Kind of like a flat samosa with a pumpkin filling. The potato one was great too. The chicken soup was delicious. Not over salted. We had a lamb dish that was perfect to share. The lamb was nice and tender, not dry or gristly. The decor was dim with Afghani items displayed on the walls.

I was in Philly for a weekend for my birthday, and I was looking for a restaurant unlike anything in my hometown. Kabul had good reviews, and the menu looked great, so we gave it a try around 6 p.m. on a Saturday. It was not crowded, so we were immediately seated. Overall, the food was very good and the service was fine. We had appetizers, main courses, and dessert. The portions were large, and the prices were average. The only downsides were that the restaurant was a little too dark and I felt like everything was very dated...the tables, chairs, dishware, etc., all looked like they could use an upgrade. My water glass was an elaborate crystal-looking goblet (with lipstick marks on it). All in all, though, the quality of the food warrants its good reviews.

Saw this restaurant years ago and wanted to go - got the chance! Loved the food, service good! I felt the food was distinctive and authentic. Reasonably priced. Would recommend!

I'm normally very shy about trying new foods (I eat like a third grader, I'll be honest), but my husband was really wanting to try Afghan food. So, since I hadn't ever had it, I thought why not? It was delicious! I had the chicken with brown rice and almonds, carrots, and pistachios. The chicken tasted like it had been cooked in some type of chili. I would definitely eat here again should we be in the area again.

The restaurant was truly outstanding. The taste of this wonderful cuisine and the huge quantities made meal a stand out.

This is an excellent restaurant with excellent food and good service the owner is on the floor and very friendly. Has Halal sign on the outside. A must to visit.

I have never had Afghan food before and decided to give it a try. The food was very tasty and the service was quick. Unlike other reviewers, I actually like the decoration.

We returned to Kabul after a long hiatus and were delighted with what we found. The restaurant was quiet early one evening at the beginning of a week and we sat in the front by the window. Service was prompt and the food was delicious: turnovers stuffed with spiced pumpkin, diced cucumbers in yogurt mint sauce, Kabuli Palaw, and Korma-e-Gossfant. It's BYOB. Very reasonable. A nice night out.

Quiet, dimly lit place away from the street on a Friday night. Waiters were awesomely friendly. Ordered 3 different appetizers and had different plates for dinner. We loved every single thing we tried.

Having been to Afghanistan many times since 2001 with the US Army I have found that they have some amazing food there, and Kabul does it right. Huge portions of Qabli Pulao, which is steamed rice with chops of raisins and carrot, and you can get it with Lamb as well. Absolutely delicious! They have a large selection of breads and kabobs as well, and several other Afghan dishes. The owners are family and extremely friendly. I advise anyone to try it, and strike up a good conversation to learn a little about Afghan tribal culture.

Authentic food and atmosphere, the staff is very friendly. A bit dark inside but fitting. You wont leave hungry. They could use some work in the bathroom area it is down stars and seems to be forgotten. Very good value.

Our meal met our expectations even though some of the other reviews(on other sites) were less than sterling. We found the lentil soup especially tasty and spiced just right. The vegetarian entree was very good and a large amount of rice. The lamb kabobs were nice and spicy albeit a tad overcooked, accompanied by brown rice. Our window seat afforded us a nice view of the passers-by. The interesting interior decoration features a variety of Afghanistan-based items such as vests and other items of clothing.

Best Afghan food in town.

good is that the enviroment n the ambience .but serving size was so small.dat we had to order more.kabuli pulao was good but korma was disaster

Have been eating at Kabul for years and have never had a bad meal. Always excellent food and great service. Highly recommended!!

We were in Philadelphia for a conference and wanted to try a different nationality for food and someone recommended Kabul. The place is not very large and the night we were there the owner was the maitre'd, waiter and bus person. When our party of 12 walked in with reservations, it was a bit overwhelming for him. With that said, the food was delicious. We tried to order different items and shared some of each. I'm not sure there was anything I didn't like.

Stopped by for an early dinner. The place is cozy, the staff is very friendly and the food is delicious. We started off with cucumber, yogurt and dill appetizer, followed by a fresh salad. My wife had afghan tea and I had a mango tea drink. We each ordered lamb. All of the food was wonderful and we could not fit dessert. This place is becoming a wonderful habit!

This was my first time eating Afghan food and it was pretty good. I had lamb with eggplant and rice. We also had Bulanee Paneer and Sambosa Ghousti for appetizers and they were really good. I especially liked the kabob dish that my cousin ordered as the meat tasted like it was grilled (I don't know the name😔).

After attending a tour in Olde City, we discovered the Kabul restaurant. There were not many people there at the time which meant that our service was very good. We had never had Afghanistan food before but found it similar to Indian food but not spicy. If you desire spicy, thryWe enjoyed it. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The carrot cake we had for dessert was one of the best I ever had. I would recommend this restaurant for a nice change of cuisine for anyone.

Been going there since the 90s. Great Afghan food. Did I say Great Afghan Food. Viority of tastie samples of the Afghan Cuisine. We really enjoy the scullion dumplings and pumpkin for vegetable. I've even copied the pumpkin recipe to make it home. It's a regular stop for us and philly.

Okay, I'm biased, but I really love Afghan food, and this place in particular has incredibly tasty cuisine. The Aashak is absolutely fantastic. If you want to try something a little of the mainstream, I can't recommend this restaurant enough.

If you've never had Afghani food...you should try this. I had the turnovers with pumpkin for appetizer. My family all ordered lamb dishes and loved them I had the lamb with apples...it was the best in my opinion. The sweet saffron rice was great. We had ice cream with rosewater and pistachios for desert and that was transcendent.

Try the dish w/ the orange peels!

just had a family birthday dinner. The service, atmosphere and food was outstanding. It was a perfect choice for a memorable birthday dinner - enjoyed by all three generations in our group. highly recommend this restaurant.

If I want to eat solid lamb, this would be the place in town. Definitely no compromise in spices here. Reasonable pricing, too.

My first experience here was when I attended a conference in Philly. Loved it. Really felt like it brought the culture alive and I wanted my family to experience it. My son was a turd and only ordered an appetizer, but everyone else was into the atmosphere; dim lighting, a traditional platform for dining, and Middle Eastern Music. Owner was our waiter and will explain and help with anything...very busy as another wait staff called off, but he still hustled and attended to all there. Had Chef's Aushak and kids ordered chicken kabobs (Kabob-e-murgh). Dessert was carrot cake and Sheer-e-yakh. Would highly recommend! Located on Chestnut St close to Front we walked there from South St and then walked clear across town following Chestnut to our hotel at Center City! Enjoyable

Very odd starter of pungent coriander sauce over potato. My partner's samosa type starter was fine. Then a salad with too much sauce on it. Fesenjan Chicken (type) okay but too much rice. Price a bit steep for two starters, two mains (entrees) and one coke

We came here because of the promotion on living social. Which was for the food for 2 people. Our only problem was that somehow it was supposed to be 2 dinner entries, not just 2 people spending the preset amount of money. If you are using a voucher, be aware of that. I am glad to say the manager helped us and we were allowed to order without that strict rule. The portions are huge. Everything tastes wonderful. Rose water added to the rice was a very nice touch, unexpected and new for me. Plus we got the soup and baklava to top it off. Would recommend every bit of it. It was very quiet on Sunday afternoon. Loved the decor of the place, very Afghani I guess.

..and tasty, well prepared food. BYOB so very reasonable. Enjoyed the starter selection plate and I thought my colleague's pillau type lamb dish slightly better than my kabob, fairly empty but friendly.

You know when you have a really great meal at a restaurant years ago and then remember it later and decide to go back and get all excited? Well, that was my situation with Kabul. I must have eaten there in the late 90s or early 2000s, and I remember every dish as a brilliant combination of savory and sweet (and I usually don't like sweets mucking up my savories). I went back recently, and while my partner had a good meal, I was underwhelmed. I went for vegetarian because the veg menu was so extensive, but I essentially got a plate of rice with two piece of under-spiced eggplant hidden beneath. As another reviewer commented below, when I told this to the waiter, he said, "You should have let us know," and they would have given me more eggplant. So next time I will. I would like to go back and give it another shot, because I do so enjoy the flavor combinations, but I'll have to be more careful about what I order, and how. (OK, am I the only one who gets slightly skeeved at restaurants with lots of fabric on the walls? Wondering when it has last been cleaned? For all I know, they take everything down and cleaned it weekly. I hope it happens sometime!)

Authentic Ethnic Food and Cultural Experience. Friendly and welcoming staff and owner, amazingly delicious food, enjoyed restaurant decor, great cultural immersion experience. Will definitely come back with friends.

Great food, authentic atmosphere. Service is a bit on the laggy side but its worth it, especially if you have never had Afghani food before. WARNING: note that if you are driving the street has weird regulations on it where parked cars are TICKETED and TOWED after 10pm!!!

Curries and rice dishes. The rice dishes are a lot like Indian Biryani, the flavors are really good and the sauces are tastey. If you like Indian food, you will like Afgan. However, if you are looking forward to something unique, it was not all that different from your favorate Indian place.

I randomly found this restaurant and found it spectacular! Excellent food and service. Quiet and peaceful. Definitely the middle eastern flair and service I know. I can't wait to return.

The place is beautifully decorated, makes you feel like you stepped into a shop in Kabul, however the food was average in taste and so was the service. The guy told us that if we paid in cash he would give us 10% discount, don't know what thats about.

Discovered this quaint restaurant in the historic area of Chestnut street, on a trip in 2001. 13 years later it is everything that we remembered, fantastic. Easy on the wallet, with 5 star food and savory flavor combinations. If you've never tried Afghan cuisine, I urge you to visit this restaurant. My husband and I had the warm appetizer platter, (4 choices) for $15. This is a meal in itself. Highly recommend trying the Aushak ( steamed dumpling stuffed with savory spices, garlic, beef, and topped with a yogurt sauce). The pumpkin turn-overs are also unforgettable. Separately, the appetizers are only $4. We also split the Kabuli Palaw, a meat and rice dish with a great flavor combination. One order could easily feed 2 people.

1st course was microwave heated. 2nd course had a lot of rice but little meat. Not worth all the hype from previous reviews.

We had our second dining experience here over the weekend and it was nothing short of spectacular. The decor is quaint and comfortable with clothing, artifacts and pictures of Afghanistan on the walls. We had the "pick 4" appetizer and each one was interesting and extremely flavorful. My fiancé had the lamb chops and I had a lamb dish with garlic, mushrooms, tomatoes and both dishes were incredible. The lamb chops are hands-down the best we've ever experienced. The spices they use are incredible. Our server was friendly and helpful. We both agree that we need to get back more often. If you like flavor, look no further. Go with an open mind and try everything you can. The menu is reasonably priced which allows for exploring.

We find ourselves driving 50 miles to Kabul when we want consistently great Afghani food. Ingredients are FRESH and well seasoned. Not spicy just lots of flavor. It's busy people just keep on coming in but it never gets loud. Yes the decor is dated, but no one seems to care. Highly recommended. Appetizers are fantastic ! can't wait to go back

Not many people can say they've eaten Afghan food, so that's reason enough to go here. But another reason was the food. It was not as spicy as Indian or Thai, and definitely not bland at all. Just enough interest for someone who's trying new foods. I had a restaurant.com deal that I couldn't turn down, and that's how I first heard of the restaurant. When I arrived, I realized I'd been past this place so many times in Old City and never paid attention to it. Overall the atmosphere was great, dimly lit, adventurous but romantic at the same time. There's even a table that is traditional style where you could eat sitting on beautifully decorated cushions. I went on a Sunday night and it was pretty much empty. Nice change from crowded restaurants with inattentive servers.

Wally was a star as he guided us through menu selections and pushed our order through the kitchen in record time given we were on a tight time budget. We ordered a lamb dish (I don't recall the name but it had mushrooms in it and was very savory with lots of spices) and very delicate jasmine rice. The accompanying salad had a fresh, minty sauce that was cool and refreshing. We also used a restaurant.com certificate with it which made the price a hit too. Thanks for a nice evening, Wally.

My first foray into Afghan cuisine and recommend it highly. I enjoyed the food so much I ordered two cook books! The proprietor has a great personality and the restaurant has a great atmosphere! I highly recommend the lamb. You food reflects how Afghanistan sits at the confluence of so many cultures and it's position on the 'silk road'. BYOB.

He should close that resturant or hire some consultant to run it better, food was not bad, but the portions were baby and you need to order 2 on trays to feel somewhat full. hardly any one was in the resturant, reason? if you feed people they will come back but if you take there money keep em hungry no one is coming back. My advise give generous portions at reasonable prices or next time I might not see you.

On a recent Saturday night, we went to Kabul. Lucked out and got street parking right in front of the restaurant (street parking fee charged up until 10pm). The 3 of us were warmly greeted by Kabul's owner or manager (not sure which) and seated. The restaurant, which is small and subtly lit (could still easily read the menu), was not crowded but comfortably busy. Decor is nothing exciting--it's 'homegrown Afghani' decor, nice enough atmosphere. If you're flexible (literally), choose the 'traditional' low table with cushions to recline on in the back--it's a larger table but it was not occupied during our visit. The menu is fairly extensive, and turns out that the portions are 'right-sized'--not huge American 'fill your plate to overflowing', but not tiny portions either. We started with the yellow lentil soup, which was tasty and thick with pureed lentils, perfect starter for a cold winter's night. Complimentary salads came with each of our entrees. We tried the Kebab Sampler (chicken, lamb, beef balls) which was very tasty and a lot of food. The lamb was a bit dry but the chicken was moist and sweet. The Bandenjen e burgh, chicken with eggplant, tomatoes and onions was excellent, with enough eggplant to satisfy us eggplant lovers. The Korma e Saib, from the weekend menu, was the best entree, with sautéed apples and onions and lots of chicken. Comforting and mouth-pleasing. The saffron rice (choice of saffron or white) that came with our dishes was fragrant and delicious. Kabul is a BYOB, no corkage fee. The owner/manager stopped by a few times to see how we were doing. Water glasses were continually filled. No complaints about service or food. Reasonably priced for what you get.

Great food well prepared. Very friendly staff. Romantic setting. Can't go wrong. Great menu. Nice decor. Convenient location.

I came along with a few friends who raved about their coffee, and was not disappointed. They had the lamb special and I had the Bulanee Gandala (a fried pastry similar to a samosa but filled with scallions and herbs). All of the food was fantastic. The atmosphere was great, with subdued music and helpful staff. Everything was very clean, and I especially appreciated that they served their water chilled but without ice.

We're visiting Philadelphia and Kabul was warmly recommended to us; simply stated it exceeded both the recommendation and our expectations. This place in the historic and often noisy Old Town area was a relatively quiet oasis with excellent Afghan food. Portions were generous, but more importantly they were consistently delicious and graciously served. The meat was tender, the rice (particularly saffron) tasty; there was nothing to disappoint. We had no room for dessert but took a piece of Afghan carrot cake with us (yes, you can order to go) and it too was excellent. A thoroughly enjoyable experience!

I very much wanted to give this restaurant a better ranking. My wife and I have always enjoyed Afghan food. However, almost everything we partook of (from the tea to kadu) were strangely flavorless. The lamb in saffron was oddly flat. They weren't busy when we came in on a Saturday evening, yet service was surprisingly lax and perfunctory. Maybe we just happened to catch their kitchen and their staff on a bad night. This is the first time we came to the Kabul Afghan Restaurant. One suggestion would be to refresh the premises so that it feels more inviting. When we saw it, the restaurant was dimly lit and the decor seemed 'tired'.

One of the best restaurant. I have always looked for restaurant that serves "MANTU" afghan dish and this is the only place that has it. The service was amazing, very polite gentleman by the name of Waheed took care of us. I love their lamb chops.

Right in the heart of olde city this is nice find for a change of pace. My first time trying Afghan food - lots of ingredient combinations I haven't seen before (best description is a mix of middle eastern and Indian). The dumplings with lamb and scallions are DELICIOUS. The main dished come in a small bowl that you spoon over your plate of rice - the safforn rice and even white rice are both special. The dining room is quiet and nice. Only negative is the price: $17-18 an entree is a bit much - should be more like $12-14.

On a Friday night with Old City bustling, we walked in and got a table no problem. Not flashy like the Starr places, but cozy and friendly and great prices for a huge variety of unusual fresh and light flavors, and BYOB to boot. Coriander, pumpkin, saffron, cardamom, and amazing sauces with mysterious ingredients which they politely declined to reveal will keep us coming back. We are vegetarians and love the array of choices as well, but we love food that is spicy and intensely flavored. No salad or veggie pasta for us -- we can get that at home, but even have to be bored to eat that way there.

First time we had Afghan food and it was really good. I am a vegetarian, so we both opted for dishes with rice and veggies. Unfortunately I don't remember the names, but one had lentils and one pumpkin and they both were delicious. The pumpkin was tender and tasty. Also the desserts were very good, a milk pudding with pistachios and a pastry-layered dessert with walnuts. Last but not least, the owner was very friendly. I would definitely go back and recommend it to people.

I was given 2 coupons from Restaurant.com as an incentive, and these are only valid on certain affiliated restaurants, not all restaurants in all cities. So I had to choose a Restaurant from their list, and most of them were not really appealing to me, like Sportsbars or Steakhouses. So I looked into the ethnic sections and found this little gem. We came there around 9 PM on a Thursday night and were welcomed warmly and friendly by a young man. (They close at 10 PM and there was no hurry or rush.) We were the only guests at that time. When we arrove, the city seemed weirdly empty, not many people on the streets, and we wondered about that. We had been to Philadelphia before and it had always been buzzing. Not now, though. When we came, we found a free space to park right in front of their door. Three guys hung out around a parked taxi in front of us, either bringing food or taking food from the restaurant, and the guys were in a busy conversation. They obviously knew each other. One of them was our waiter, so when we entered the place, he came with us and seated us, brought the menue and water. We informed him that we had a coupon from Restaurant.com, and he didn't change his friendly attitude at all. (Note: you can only use one coupon at a time per party per night, but I knew that and had designated only one of my 2 coupons to this restaurant) We ordered an appetizer to share (filled grape leaves) and 2 dishes from the menue. Hubby was curious about the lamb with sweet safran rice, and I chose a vegetarian option with eggplant and tomatoes covered with brown rice. We both enjoyed our food very much, it was very tasty and not too spicy. (See my pictures) They came with a small plate of 2 pieces of cut flat bread, which was not really freshly made. Hubby said his lamb was very juicy and tasty, I remember his words. He never had lamb before, so this was completely new to him. My vegetarian dish of eggplant and tomatoes was buried underneath a big heap of sweet brown rice, but it was not really what I'd call brown rice at home. It was sweet and coloured brown, the rice kernels were very long and thin. So maybe the name "brown rice" referred to its colour in the dish and not to the kind of rice (what we would call brown rice). The rice was garnished with carrot stripes, pistacios, raisins and almonds, which I found really interesting. Many of the dishes in the menue were reminding me of indian fare (which we are familiar with, as these foods are available for homecooking by several brands), so we went for something we didn't know yet. And we did right, these things felt more arabic than indian. I know, I know, Afghanis are not Arabs, so don't get me wrong, please! But there is certainly an arabic influence in these dishes, they were all sweet. We both got served salad with our (shared) appetizer. The salad was shaved carrots, lettuce and a dressig I would have called Ranch. I have no idea whether this came from a bottle from an american supermarket. I didn't ask. The filled grape leaves were cold, they had quite obviously been stored in a refridgerator, and I didn't think they were freshly made. They were not bad, but I had better ones during our Food Truck Tour in July (see my review of the Ready to Nosh Food tour). I caught myself thinking they might even have come out of a can. But then the main dishes were served and all was good. Really, we loved it. Forgiven were the ranch dressing and the not freshly made grape leaves. The portions didn't look big first, but by the time we were coming to finish them, we were indeed full. We decided to share a dessert then, and I went for the afghani style cake. Now that did taste like it was homemade, and the owner conformed that it was. It reminded me very much of the cakes my own grandmother made (in West Germany). Nothing like you could buy in the regular US supermarkets. It had a moist nutty dough, butter cream and nuts as icing, and it was topped with Rose water!!!! WOW!! This was so good!! I am glad I chose this instead of some ice cream or so... On the tables we saw regular sized glass bottles with San Pellegrino water, and I wondered what they were for. We were never offered to drink from them (our served water was tap water with ice), and I wondered why they were never mentioned. We were never offered any ethnic drinks, which I also found odd. In any asian restaurant you would be offered tea. Which is usually not of outstanding quality, but at least they would try to offer some authentic beverage. Here there was no ethnic beverage ever suggested or offered, and we didn't ask either. It was our first time and we didn't know what to expect. The owner knew right away we were first timers, he must have seen that, haha... I would have given 5 stars, as it was a really pleasant experience, and we will very likely return and try more from the interesting menue. The one star missing from my rating was caused by the lack of ethnic beverages, the pre-maid cold grape leaves, the stale cold flat bread served with the main dishes, and the unpleasant surpise we had when we came back outside to our car: a parking ticket for $ 76!!! We are not city people, we don't even have human neighbours, so when there are no signs in a street that forbid or limit parking, we wouldn't know that you can't park there. But the three guys hanging out at that taxi in front of us, they should have known we could not park there, and one of them was our waiter. They saw us arriving and walking into their establishment, they saw us parking there, and he never said a word about this. So now we saved 25 $ on the menue by using our coupon, but had to add 76 $ for the one hour we parked there. That blemished the otherwise nice experience. The food was interesting and good, so we will most likely return, but I guess next time we should keep the car in the hotel and walk to the place.

We were a group of 7 and we ordered different types of food and they all tasted amazing. We also tried their desert which were out of this world. Definitely a must to try this place...

Came by early in the evening and was the only customer for a while. Had a good conversation about Afghanistan with the hostess/server. She recommended some delicious choices for appetizers and side dishes. Had hoped for some rose ice cream dessert, but they were sold out. Meanwhile the place filled up and a good crowd was here by 8pm.

This restaurant is, by far, my favorite dinner spot in Philadelphia. The service is great, the food is AMAZING, and it's close to the river. The food is a unique blend of pumpkin, yogurt, savory spices, lamb, etc.

I ordered a dish called Chef's Ashaak (spelling?) listed, with a description, under 'House Specialties'. I found it one of the most delicious restaurant meals I have had in a long time. Service was a bit slow, even though the place was not crowded.

This food is amazing. Every time I eat here, I want to go right back the next day. My favorite is the pumpkin dish with ground lamb. Also, the Ash soup is delicious. Its the perfect comfort food!

My wife and I went here and loved it! They have great food and the owner was super friendly. I got a lamb dish and my wife got chicken (both extra meat) and the meat was so tender and delicious. As The atmosphere is nice, it's a cozy little place. The only negative were the bathrooms.

I hadn't been to Kabul in a while and was very happy with our meal, the service and atmosphere. Since we arrived very early there was only another table seated so our food came out quickly. If you like lamb, there are many dishes to choose from and one was better than the next! Enjoy!!

Food was very plain and the plates were quite small for the price. Wasn't terrible but wasn't that good either.

My first visit was on a Saturday evening. The ambiance is dark unsophisticated. Loud Afganistan music helped almost drowned out the conversation of diners. The staff was helpful with the menu which is rather extensive until you look carefully at the ingredients. Often one dish is different from the next due to onion verses egg plant. I had the fried pastry filled with a strong, salty feta cheese. A slightly peppery green sauce toned down the dish. I would eat it again. The salad included with the entree needed some sprucing up. It looked like some lettuce dropped into a small bowl and then covered with a commerical dressing to which a hint of mint had been added. MY entree was lamb with eggplant. The dish was slightly spicy and went well with plain rice. I paid and extra $2.25 for extra meat. Glad I did otherwise, the dish would have been almost meat free. I often wonder why a stew with any meat has to be cooked so long that the meat is dry???The bread was tasteless, so skip that. One thing in favor of the restaurant is that it is BYOB.

I used to like Kabul -- I love Afghani food -- but it has gone way downhill. We had a 6:15 res and told them we were going to a local theater after so please take our order. Order not taken until 6:45, We wanted kabobs but were told they would take 30 minutes. Disappointed but ordered other things. Main course arrived at 7:25! so we had 15 minutes to eat. Food was tasteless -- where were those Afghani spices? We left most of it. And did I mention there was no AC on a hot night, no fans, nothing but hot and humid air. We were glistening with sweat through the whole ordeal. A thoroughly miserable experience. Spare yourself and go elsewhere.

I found this place thru restaurant.com and WOW thank you so much this place was the best. The service was out of this world. Philly we had slow service almost everywhere but this place had your water refilled before you were even 1/2 done. The food was fabulous, similar to greek cuisine. There are a lot of lamb dishes and the ones we had were so yummy I had 2 kids with me and they thought it was fabulous. The atmosphere is low lighting and is nice for a romantic dinner also. We went to another place to eat the second night we were here and wished we had gone back to Kabul instead. Don't miss this place , you will be sorry that you did.