Khyber Pass Restaurant Reviews

Beautiful restaurant, tastefully layed out and elegant. White table cloths and beautifully painted wall murals. Staff is professional and the food is absolutely fresh, delicious and Far Eastern authentic. Order anything or everything, you will love this dining experience

We dined here last week, and were very impressed. My entree of chicken w. apricots was delicious, as was my companion's lamb dish. Service was spot on, a nice pour of pinot for me and we left feeling very satisfied. We will return.

Exotic cuisine. The dishes are similar to Indian and Persian food. The interior is beautifully decorated with stunning paintings that set the mood for some indulgence in great food. I recommend starting with the combo sampler plate.

This is one of San Diego's better ethnic restaurants. The décor is simple but elegant, with interesting art, and the food is amazing. Service was some of the best I've encountered, with the owner working the floor along with the waitstaff.

Abit pricey

We went there for lunch to celebrate my husband's birthday. There were 10 of us. We ordered a variety of dishes and everything was delicious. The restaurant is designed very elegantly with beautiful art work. The server was very attentive. The owner was also very kind and answered any questions our group had. He brought 3 huge plates with baklava and other desserts for my husband's birthday. I would definitely go back there again.

Great food and service. Had the veggie plate with five different types of basmati rice with four veggies. Everything delicious including the pita bread (different than the Indian style) with 4 tasty dips. Excellent veggie bean soup. Everything was just great with generous portions. Also numerous meat dishes on the menu. Terrific Afghan restaurant in the Hillcrest area of SD.

Good place to have meal. Tastes good and have really good service though priced slightly high. Weekend parking is free on the streets.

The owner of The Hillcrest House B &B highly recommended Khyber Pass to us. We ate there tonight and I want to write my very positive review immediately. We were initially impressed by the understated and stunning decor. The artwork was perfect and we loved that the napkins picked up the color of the clothing worn by the woman in the mural. A very knowledgeable and lovely lady waited on us - she is the daughter of the human sband and wife team who own the restaurant. She was very helpful in helping us plan our dinner and every dish was absolutely delicious. She introduced us to her father as we were leaving - a very refined and gracious host. We will definitely go back again before we leave San Diego and we only wish this restaurant were going home with us!

We have been visiting this restaurant for many years - since they moved from Convoy Street to Hillcrest. We have always found the menu to be full of interesting and tasty foods. The staff are excellent and the value is exceptional.

The owner was our waiter, tacked on 18% after tax in conjunction with messing up the bill. Made a stink. Food overpriced, terrible service. The owner said that we didn't need to pay the tip because we are college students, which is not true, all young professionals.

We were a group of 12 for lunch on a weekday. The food was good but the service was a bit slow. The owner was the one taking the orders and bringing us food. He was helpful with his suggestions. Loved the Pillau Rice. Garlic Naan were a bit different (different than the traditional Indian version). Cost was a bit on the slightly higher end but overall a very good experience.

Wow! I love this restaurant. It is amazing. We ordered aushak, dolmeh, sambosa, beef koofta kabob, boneless chicken kabob, Afghan chicken curry and okra. All were just excellent. There were 4 of us(adults). We had enough leftovers for a full lunch the next day. The bill was very reasonable $81 for 4 adult dinner and lunch, that was amazing. The food is for upscale sit-down restaurant. So so good. My absolute favorites are aushak, dolmeh and Afghan chicken curry. My least favorite is sambosa since it does not travel long distance well(30 minutes). People at the restaurant are nice and helpful. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

If you want something different and truly outstanding, try Khyber Pass in Hillcrest. Parking can be a challenge on weekends but the food is worth it. I love the beef Aushak dumpling appetizers and the lamb with cherries, as well as the tandoori shrimp. Be sure to try the Afghan cherry tea or a mango lassi. The service is warm and efficient. I never have to wait long and the people there are helpful and friendly.

We just love this restaurant. Never ate Afghan food before but now love it and have tried many dishes. The staff is extraordinary and the value is wonderful. At there one a week during our winder stay in San Diego

We went there for valentine's day because I wanted to surprise my husband with something different. However, the lamb was average and we were not told it came with basmati rice, so we ordered another rice dish that tasted like basmati with some seasoning, so we had too much rice. We think the server should have mentioned that we were getting a lot of rice instead of just letting us order so much, not knowing the lamb came with rice, too. We also ordered garlic naan and they should call it focaccia...seriously it was nothing like naan we expected but instead like garlic bread sticks. And the white wine list was very limited. Sorry but overall no reason to recommend or go back...

I did not expect much but my wife picked this place but we were very please because the service is good and food is excellent specially the rice is very different and good.

I seriously come to San Diego for this restaurant. It is excellent every time. The Cherry Chicken is the best. The spinach is delish. The appetizer sampler is too great. The hummus is excellent. Service is kind. The place is clean. It is just so darn good! You must go and enjoy this gem!!

For the last ten years, since I visited Afghanistan and became aquainted with that country's excellent cuisine and having discovered this excellent restaurant in San Diego CA, owned by a distinguished gentleman from Kabul, and his wife, my friends, family and guests have enjoyed their food, we specifically recommend their Mango Lasse for a tasty drink, their condiments, their appetizers (Zamboosa) their kebobs, lamb dishes, their Cherry Rice, their Baclava, Cofee , Teas, etc, etc, we can not recommend them enough.

The staff (probably the owner) is helpful and very knowledgeable; the food is really superb. The apricot lamb is the best. There are various appetizers that are also first rate. The proces are quite reasonable. It is a bit hard to find a place to park - but have patience and drive around the block a few times.

Amazing! The best meal I had while in San Diego. I don't know much about Afghan cuisine but I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I would recommend this anyone and everyone. Either way, great food, great location, amazing service.

From the moment I walked in, the lovely decor and tantalizing aromas promised a wonderful dining experience. Khyber Pass features-top notch service, crisp linens, a wide variety of menu choices and delicious Afghan (and Indian) fare. The portions appear deceptively petite-- I found them to be just right. Our party of 3 shared the Tandoori Chicken, the Lamb Sabzi and Garlic Naan. We had hearty appetites, and leftovers.

great food.. you have to try it

On our first visit to San Diego we wanted to find some unique restaurants that we would remember. We always enjoy North Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines. But, Khyber Pass much exceeded our expectations with some of its Afghan menu. The food was of absolute quality! We were hungry and ordered some appetizers, main courses and side dishes, and barely could finish everything. The main reason we did was that the food was so good. We had some lamb shish kabobs and mants with a few side dishes. For desert we had Baklava and Turkish coffee. The service was excellent also: prompt and attentive. Highly recommend this place!

love the food, not pretentious

Visited Hillcrest for a night out whilst staying in San Diego. Had heard it was the place to go for a variety of ethnic restaurants, and thought it would be nice to try something a bit different. We discovered Khyber Pass, and having never tried Afghan food, decided to give it a go, and we were glad we did. The style of food is a cross between Indian and Middle Eastern, and the menu offers a selection of dishes, from appetisers, soups and salads to curries and kabobs (kebabs). We chose a combination platter to start, which included hummus and an eggplant dip served possibly with the best pitta bread I have ever tasted, along with a couple of different fried pastries - one filled with beef and chick peas, the other with leek and potato. Awesome flavours, perfectly cooked, and very good value at $14.95. We then shared an main dish of Chicken Daal (chicken slow cooked with lentils, ginger, garlic, cilantro and spices, and served with rice) which was fantastic, and a side dish of Kachaloo (potatoes in a mild curry sauce). All the food was flavoursome, well seasoned and spicy, but not too hot. I believe this family owned business has been going for over 25 years, and I can understand why. The decor and ambiance are spot on, and the service was friendly and efficient (my only gripe was the clearing of plates before we had both finished eating). The food is comforting and somewhat familiar, whilst being refreshingly different. With a couple of glasses each of good wine, our bill came to about $80, which seemed good value. Thoroughly recommended.

Delicious food, very good atmosphere and service, good wine selection, most dishes naturally gluten free, great vegetarian options.. waiters will know what is gluten free, always certify before ordering..

Each meal is made with the freshest of ingredients. Herbs and spices are meticulously prepared from scratch (i.e., no buying in bulk here). Better hurry up and get in before the 14th of January 2020 to say "so long" to the owners who will be moving on after 40 years of serving this community with extraordinary hospitality and generosity! Stop in and wish them the best as they take some well deserved time off and explore future endeavors! They will be sorely missed!

Over priced and the food is very mediocre.

We first found this lovely restaurant after visiting Balboa Park and needing to find food. It was an off time of day, around 3:30pm during the week. As we were the only ones there, we received special attention from the owners and thoroughly enjoyed their help/suggestions with the menu and friendly service. We each chose one of the specialties and savored every one, splitting them amongst ourselves to taste them all. The cherry tea was a pleasant and tasty drink.

Went there with my wife last week. It was already recommend by one of our friend. Though the food was bit pricey we found it was worth it.

Excellent kabobs, great location. Sit by the window so you can people watch! Nice curries, love this place!

We found this place while out exploring and throughly enjoyed it. We had never tried Afghanistan food before and we were not disappointed. It is a blend of Indian and middle eastern. The service was superb as we're all the dishes. I would go back to this place on my next trip to San Diego. We tried an assortment of dishes and all were great.

We walked by and decided to eat since they had vegetarian foods on the menu. The food was delicious. We will definitely be back!

I was pleased to walk by this well appointed store front Afghan restaurant in the middle of the bustling Hillcrest neighborhood. I had the best lamb (lamb with apricots) I ever tasted. This place is good for a groups: order several plates and pass around to get a great sampling of fine dishes. The staff are very attentive and know their stuff.

We walked in and waited a bit until I walked to the bar and asked to be seated. Service a bit slow. We had no assistance on what we could order so we took a guess and ordered something that was average. When the food was served, I thought we were to eat with our fingers (so I thought). We looked around and saw that everybody else has silverware. After unsuccessfully getting the waiter's attention, I walked over to an empty table and took the knife and fork from there. We will never return.

Afgan Restaurant. Food was a delicious mix of Indian and Middle Eastern. We tried: - Mantu pasta appetizer. Flavouful .- Khyber Pass Special Platter: beautiful presentation, comes with small portions of spinach and chick peas. - Mixed Vegetable Curry. Vegetables cooked to perfection. Tomato based curry sauce with a lovely blend of spices - Mango lassi. Nice thick consistency. Not too sweet. Service was fast and friendly. At the front entrance are 2 pictures of kids (grandchildren?) and a skull. Kinda creepy.

Authentic, that's what I was hoping for. I hosted a young Afghan woman, among other friends, for dinner last night. It was really important to me that she got to experience flavors from home, and I was thrilled when she said she had tried several Afghan restaurants since her arrival in California and this was the first and only one that tasted like authentic Afghan cuisine. Everyone, including my 12-year old son, LOVED the food. We had a literal feast - the appetizer platter, sambosa, vegetarian platter, plain and garlic flatbread, jalebi, aushak, beef an chicken shish, firnee, and baghlava. Every item was delicious and left us wanting more. Thank you, Khyber Pass Zaraparan, for making our special evening complete. We will be ordering again or visiting the restaurant very soon!

I love afghan food and if you're looking to try some traditional afghan food this is a good place to start. The atmosphere is really nice, and welcoming. It's especially charming that the owner comes round each table to greet the guests at some point during the meal - afghan hospitality! A little pricey though, but well worth it.

Khyber Pass is one of San Diego's gems. We usually have the shish kabobs, chicken or lamb, typically paired with Qabuli pulao (rice with thin carrot strips and raisins). The decor is beautiful and modern and the service impeccable. Possibly my top favorite restaurant in San Diego.

I have not had much experience with Afghani food before, but this place was outstanding. The staff was very helpful and explained the menu to us. The food was really good. I could not recommend it more highly.

it is in Hillcrest food is good on the expensive side portions are ok service was slow and décor was good

We stopped in for lunch and had a very pleasant meal. We chose two vegetarian options: the coocha bites appetizer sampler and a vegetarian platter with all sorts of rice and vegetables. The sour cherry rice was especially good. We have never had this before. Nice mango lassi. Very pleasant server and a very clean and comfortable dining room. Outside seating available.

From all the cuisines my boyfriend and me got to taste in the US, the Afghan cuisine surprised us by far!! And in Khyber Pass everything was perfect : stylish interior, friendly owners and meat cooked to perfection. Next time in San Diego, this restaurant will be my first stop :)!

The problem with Khyber Pass is they lost one of their main chefs several years ago and failed to replace him with an equally qualified chef. You will find typical non-Middle Eastern cooks in their kitchen. So I'm pretty sure these guys have never tasted authentic Afghany food. Do you know what I mean? If you want to taste the real thing, go to Pamir in Poway. You'll find the original chef from Afghanistan there.

If I could give this place 10 stars I would. After 5 days in San Diego we ventured out of the Gaslight area to the Hillcrest section of the city. Wished we had done it sooner. Afghan dinner was fabulous! We started with naan and a baked eggplant with yogurt sauce as our appetizer; it was phenomenal. My husband had a lamb stew and I had chicken curry. I’d love to go back and try even more dishes! Hubby commented that the house red wine was remarkably drinkable. Awesome place, highly recommend!

My mom and sister live in San Diego. We (family of four) come to visit them every year. Our favorite restaurant in San Diego is Khyber Pass. We eat here every time we come for a visit. We have never been disappointed. Tonight we had a range of dinners, from tandoori salmon to Zamarod Chalow. Everything was delicious. The service, as always, was exceptional. The setting is lovely. The food is beautifully plated and flavorful. All of us would highly recommend Khyber Pass.

This is a lovely place in Hillcrest that's been in business in San Diego for 30+ years. The food --- the soups, the salads, the main dishes are tasty with a good variety of vegetarian dishes. The service is gracious, usually by the owners. I love this food, love this place! Prices are reasonable, portions good, presentation excellent. There aren't many Afghan restaurants around but there should be. We are lucky to have one in San Diego.

food was really good

My wife and I had dinner at Kyber Pass Afghan Cuisine in San Diego, California on June 8, 2019, and we were blown away by how great it was! The flavors were as vibrant and exciting as any I’ve ever had, from any type of cuisine in the world, whether it be Italian, Greek, Indian, Thai, Cuban, Mexican or Jamaican, and at the risk of sounding “elitist,” we are pretty well versed in all of these foods. We ordered the garlic naan, which was just average. But the tandoori chicken (actually a marinated and seasoned Cornish game hen on the bone) tasted like something literally from out of this world, because I don’t know that I’ve ever tasted flavors quite so amazing in this world! For a side dish, we couldn’t decide between the baked eggplant with olive oil and yogurt sauce, and spinach with turmeric, coriander and lemon, so we ordered both, and while both were excellent, the eggplant was in a world of its own, or at least from that same ethereal world as the tandoori chicken. The chicken was served with a generous portion of both basmati rice and brown rice, but we also ordered the sour cherry rice, which was a great compliment to the savory and mildly spicy flavors of everything else. Finally, everything we ordered was served piping hot, and the Taj Mahal beer was ice cold. In closing, when I write a positive review for a restaurant, I’m generally thinking about helping out the restaurant, because I genuinely believe they deserve it. But when I decided to write this review, I was thinking about YOU, whoever happens to be reading this! I want to do YOU the favor of motivating you to eat some of the most flavorful, exciting food you possibly have had in your entire life! I want you to have the same amazing (and I don’t use this word loosely) experience that my wife and I had at Kyber Pass! Enjoy!!!

We visit my mom and sister in San Diego twice/year. One of our highlights is always our dinner at Khyber Pass. I have reviewed Khyber Pass here in the past, but they certainly deserve another excellent review from me. There were five of us dining at Khyber Pass last week. Once again, all of our meals were excellent: We ordered Sambosa for appetizers, a variety of Chalao dishes for dinner, and baklava for dessert. Everything was fresh, delicious and flavorful. We have never been disappointed. We also very much appreciate the prompt, courteous and professional service and the lovely ambience. We will be back in January: Can't wait!

Before I visited this place, I had never been to an Afghani restaurant. This place was a recommendation from a friend of mine who loves food as much as I do. That friend since then has become my good friend :)).. The place is great for its ambience. I think its a family run place. The owner came out and spoke to us, gave his recommendations. The place was well set up and had the Afghani culture to it. The food was perfect. Kebabs were cooked right, rice had the fantastic aroma and everything tasted well. No complaints as such. If you are in that area, we strongly recommend this place. Its a bit expensive though :)) CHeers -- M

love this place, great food in the middle of hill crest

Service was superb and dish quality was supreme, I had a very savory and delicious dinner. I had filet mignon with spices, chicken with. Sour cherries, pistachio pudding and cherry blossom afghan tea and everything was excellent, I would return there without thinking

This Afghan restaurant in the eclectic Hillcrest neighborhood was very tasty - a mix between East Indian and Persian food without the hotness but great flavors. You need to try this - we would recommend it.

My family loves the food here so much we come for many celebrative occasions. The lamb is wonderful however it is prepared, the eggplant is out of this world. The seasoned rices are all beautiful and delish--especially the cherry rice, they offer a wide range of vegetarian, and the plate of veggies/rice served with kabobs is to die for. Oh yeah, and their hot cherry tea a rich treat. As interesting and elegant as Persian or Indian food and as much fun as Ethiopian food--a little surprising :-)

The food was great, with new flavors. The service is very friendly and the price are not expensive. Everyone was very happy even the youngest (8y).

It's a beautiful atmosphere with delicious and generous amounts of food. The service was very good and the wait staff were very knowledgable.

This Afghan restaurant is just wonderful. Having never eaten this type of food, we were very hesitant but found it to be just delicious. ]The restaurant is pretty, the staff is very friendly and helpful and the food quality is fresh, tasty and excellent. With all the restaurants in the Hillcrest Neighborhood, we eat here very often because like it so much. We have taken our visitors there and they love it as well. We look forward to our yearly visit to San Diego so that we can eat here.

The fact that this place is not Zagat rated is beyond me, If you like ethnic food this as good as it gets.

Loved the blends of spices from cardammon to cumin, and the array of choices on the menu. Took colleagues who have spent time in Afghanistan and Pakistan and they loved dinner too.

Flavorful, cooked just right, always consistent. Great place for a good meal before or after a movie a block away. Great use of spices, deliciously prepared Afghan cuisine.

One of the few places in San Diego that is not overpriced. Tried the lamb, you will not be disappointed!

This restaurant is a treasure! I drove all the way from the SF Bay Area to San Diego excited to eat at Kyber Pass again. The food is incredibly tasty. The service is excellent —and the restaurant is spacious, inviting and spotless. I only wish there was a comparable restaurant near San Jose. Try the Qabuli Paleo...exquisite!

Visited with my family. The food came before our salad. Waitress in wrong industry. Had a chip on shoulder. Bill was wrong. Gave us a look when we pointed out. I would go only for the food.

The dishes we had were good, but nothing special. Each of the three entrees we ordered lacked variety in the flavor. It seemed like there was just one note in the song instead of a chord or blend of multiple notes and tones. The mixed appetizer plate was underwhelming in terms of both the amount of food and the variety of flavors. One bright spot - everything is beautifully served. I just wish the flavor lived up to the preparation.

We have been coming to this restaurant for 17 years. Originally it was out on Convoy. The family still runs it and the head server is still there. They are very friendly. The food is great. I recently became a vegetarian and my sister and her husband became vegans. This made this restaurant the only choice when my family from Oregon and my sister and her husband came to San Diego. We started with both vegan and non-vegan appetizers: sambosa, garlic nan, aushak, and bolani. My cousin had the lamb curry and raved about it. His wife got the lamb kabob platter. My husband had the zamarod chalow, which is a mix of spinach and lamb with spices, accompanied with the spinach basmati rice. To accomodate my sister, her husband, and myself, we ordered the dal, sabzi (spinach), kadu (banana squash), eggplant, brown basmati rice, and the spinach rice. We had the yogurt mint sauce served on the side. The lamb is always delicious, melts in your mouth and has a wonderful flavor. Everything was great! My cousin was so glad to find this place. My sister and her husband have already come back to San Diego just to go to Khyber Pass. She called me afterwards to tell me.

We ate at the Khyber Pass restaurant our first night in San Diego, based on a recommendation from Ann Callahan, our host at the Hillcrest House B & B. This is a must-do restaurant if you enjoy interesting food. We had a mixed plate as an appetizer with Afghani baba ghanouj hummus, and two kinds of samosas... Our main course was a vegetarian platter and a lamb stew with saffron and cardamom. My wife had a traditional chai tea with cardamom that was very smooth and delicious, and I had an Indian beer called Taj Mahal, followed by baklava for my wife an a pistachio pudding for me, afghani coffee, spiced with cardamom. An excellent meal and great staff! Our server, Miguel, was great to deal with, very friendly and knowledgable about all the different dishes on the menu. Highly recommend this great restaurant!

Based on the recommendation of our innkeepers we had dinner here. In a word delicious. Many interesting offerings Afghan food is a blend of Indian and middle eastern. Many lamb dishes. I had ther sweet and sour apricot lamb and loved it. It was hard to decide everything sounded so good.

Excellent food

Good to taste a little variation but really a mix of middle eastern, pakistani, persian, and afghan food.. although we ordered several dishes in a large group, nothing really stood out...

I recommend the pistachio desert.

My first experience at Khyber Pass today for lunch with a friend, redeeming a gift certificate. It was wonderful! We have both vowed to return. Great food with excellent variety. We ate vegetarian and loved it. The vegetartian sampler was a full meal but we got the mushroom qormah as well (though 95% of it had to come home in a box). I have never had bolani before and they were SO good. Doubt I will ever think of french fries again when I could have an order of bolani instead. They are crispy pastry filled with potato, leek, and cilantro, and 2 dipping sauces. Wonderful place, quiet atmosphere, and friendly helpful service. Great experience!

First ever visit prompted by my daughter who loved their kebabs when she visited. From the moment I spoke to them on the phone to adjust our reservation, the owners could not have been more helpful or accommodating. And that warmth and hospitality was evident throughout our meal. The food is a mixture of Indian and Middle Eastern. If you like lamb chops please choose them - amazing, melt in the mouth and so flavorful. Other choices of various kebabs also good and plenty big enough portion sizes. And India style rice pudding is a must for those of us raised on British version if you have room for dessert. Wonderful cardamom flavor with pistachios on too for some crunch.

Food was good but seemed more like your average Indian Tibet type fare vice something unique and different. Decor in the restaurant was a little boring. Beer was expensive.

Great food!

We came here after our trip at the balboa park. These guys had the best chicken and pilaf I have ever eaten. One of their dishes was so good, I had to come back to try it. I think it was called 'Chicken Daal'. This was one of the best preparations of chicken I have ever eaten.

We live in Minnesota but eat at Khyber Pass every year when we come to visit my mom and my sister. It is our favorite San Diego restaurant and one of our favorites anywhere in the world. The food is consistently delicious. In twenty years of dining at Khyber Pass, we have never been disappointed. Some meals we like better than others, but because of personal preference, never because of quality. Service is also always excellent. Bourzou, our server tonight, was truly exceptional. We also appreciate that the owners are very hands-on. They are right there to greet you. They ensure that quality remains consistently exceptional. We have never been disappointed. Thank you!

We just returned from a delightful meal at Khyber Pass and I had to write the review right away. The restaurant is beautiful with white linens and cloth napkins and a very nice atmosphere. We were greeted warmly by Manuel , our waiter, who was friendly and informative and gave us superb service. We shared a dumpling appetizer and ordered two entrees. I had the chicken apricot with basmati rice and my husband the lamb kabab which came with a rice sampler and a delicious spinach. They treated us to a delicious pistachio pudding for desert which was light and not too sweet. Hope to eat here again when I am in San Diego next time.

Loved this meal so much! This is the kind of food you dream about finding again. The spices were very Mediterranean. The pistachio pudding and coffee a must.

This is another small, ethnic restaurant in the Hillcrest area, a neighborhood place. Started with Sambosa, a plate plate of fried puff pastries stuffed with lentils and ground beef, crunchy and had a nice kick to it. On recommendation from our waiter, we both had the Afghan Apricot Chalao, a sweet and sour lamb or chicken apricot qormah (stew). We had one with lamb and one with chicken, aromatic and delicious both. We also added the flavored rice instead of white. We shared 2 pieces of Baghlava for dessert and it was just enough for the sweet tooth. There are several non-alcoholic choices for beverages as well as a small wine list, where we found a nice California red to complement our dinners.Good service, prices and very interesting decor.

Khyber Pass has dishes that span the territory from India to Afghanistan. I have found many interesting lamb and beef combinations, my favorite being one that comes with three colors of Basmati rice, white, green, and orange. They serve beer and wine as well as teas. We dine here fairly often, especially when we are with an Iranian friend.

A friend wanted to see a movie at the Landmark Hillcrest. Usually we go to a different restaurant in the area, but this time she picked Khyber Pass. Wow am I glad she did! My husband and I loved the food, as did my friend. We're vegan; she's not. We all of us thought the food delicious. The Bolani appetizer was so good we order it twice! The hummus and naan were delicious. My friend ordered the lamb mater and thought is was fantastic. We ordered the sabzi, the daal, and the mushroom curry and loved them all. Wow, wow, wow! We can't wait to eat here again!

My husband is vegan, and I am not, so sometimes eating out is difficult. Plenty of choice for vegetarians, vegans and meat lovers at Khyber Pass. Nice decor, thought a little on the loud side. Good service. Wine and beer. Wonderful use of spices in many dishes. I had a pototo/tomato/onion stew with chicken, which was full of turmeric and other spices. The kabob plates looked delish. My husband had a sampler of 6 or so "side dishes" all vegetable based. The plate was lovely and incorporated a variety flavors. Centrally located in Hillcrest. Give it a try!

Also nice ambiance and friendly people. Very reasonable prices. We just saw the place walking by during the afternoon and the owner saw us and chatted us up. Then we just had to try it for dinner. Real glad we did!

Went here on our last night in San Diego and had some superb Afghan food. Started with hummus to share, followed by lamb kebobs each. Everything was cooked perfectly and the food was piping hot, so stayed hot throughout eating it. Ambiance is good and the restaurant decor is pretty cool. Only downside was the service was bordering on unfriendly, with food almost thrown onto the table and not much communication, but we blanked that out and concentrated on the food. Would recommend.

Food is good, but overpriced.

4 of us started with the mix of appetizers. i ordered cherry lamb and rice and others ordered kebabs. really nice food served on modern plates. The waiter brought us a mix of desserts and I had the cherry blossom tea. Best tea I have ever had anywhere. really great place to go and I cantstop thinking about the tea. First place I will go when I return to San Diego.

Have enjoyed but never reviewed this restaurant over 20 years: first in the older location, now several times in the new. We enjoy the Afghan touch to sections similar to Indian dining. The numerous vegetarians options were delicious. Getting reservations and then seated for group of 13 with less than an hour warning was appreciated, especially by the parents of three 6-8 year olds. The locale is classy, pay parking nearby and delicious new flavors will quickly be on your plate.

A wonderful experience! I miss the old Kearny Mesa location with its weird decor, but if you can find a place to park in Hillcrest (tricky!), the food makes the hassle getting here worthwhile. It's a wonderful place. Big parties can reserve a special room upstairs, which is fun.

I'd eaten here several years before, so on my recent trip to San Diego, I intentionally went back here to have some more. The food is good. For those who don't know Afghani food (and I'm not an expert by a long shot but I am a foodie), it can be described as sort of similar to what we Americans know as "Indian food." I did notice a LOT more grilled meats, I think. In any case, my colleague and I had 3 dishes, so this lunch became our biggest meal of that day. Great food... My favorite was our appetizer of steamed dumplings stuffed with minced green onions. Very cool! Everything was good!

My family of 3 ate here last night. We all had lamb dishes - lamb curry, lamb with apricot sauce and lamb and mushrooms with basmati rice. It was the most delicious meal we had in San Diego where we've been vacationing for the last 5 days from Seattle. The ambience was lovely, tasteful, the service efficient and pleasant. There is something for everyone. I had Cherry Blossom Tea which I had never experienced. Loved it and now I'm going to have to try to find it in Seattle. All-around lovely experience.

I really love the atmosphere and the food. I'm looking forward to my next visit.

We went as a group of eight and it was very busy . It is a large building with high ceilings and was a bit cold I thought . I have to say the food was nice . I chose a vegetarian dish with different rices and vegetable dishes on , it was a good way of trying different things . I thought the service was good , although they got one of the dishes wrong , but this was soon put right . We all enjoyed it . It wasn't special ,but a nice atmosphere and good staff.

Just tried 2 dishes and didn’t care for either - mantu and kadu. Comparing them to my favorite Afghan restaurant in Washington DC, but if this was the first time I tried Afghan food, I’d probably never try it again. Service was excellent though.

Have had afghani food before and I find the flavor of the entree dishes sort of one note. So, best to dine with others and share. The appetizer sampler was just the right amount of tasty items to start. My friend had the Lamb with apricots and basmati rice. My kofta kabob was two long pieces of ground meat with three types of rice, peas and spinach. Much leftover to take home. No room for the homemade baklava or pistachio pudding. Good service. And reasonable prices, too. I must say that this was the nicest dining room I've been to in many a moon. Go!

I've been going to Khyber Pass occasionally for years. I don't know the owners and have no commitment to them, although we've chatted once or twice. But I have never been disappointed with the quality of the food, and I happily take visitors there. This food is somewhere between Persian and Indian -- what could be better! And although I'm a happy meat eater, I really enjoy the vegetarian platter for lunch as well as various vegetable sides at dinner. Hey, I'm thinking it's time I go back again soon!

The family who runs this charming restaurant came to the States from Afghanistan and I'm so glad they did. The food is delicious. My husband (the carnivore) loves the lamb dishes. I (the vegetarian) enjoyed several dishes including eggplant, spinach, okra, and dahl. All were wonderful. Finish the meal with pistachio dessert and Afghan cherry blossom tea. We have eaten here several times and never been disappointed.

Food is extremely delicious, I highly recommend to try at least once, the staff is super good, I love the hospitality. Fh

A friend took me there many years ago, and I just stumbled upon it again, to my glee. The food is not just "good," it is absolutely incredible. Trust me, you won't believe your tastebuds. The food is very exotic and delicious. Yes, they can leave you at your table for a LONG time for seemingly no reason, while at other times being very attentive, but what do you expect from a foreign run, Afghan restaurant? With that said, the owners are very respectful, authentic, and the place has a comfortable family atmosphere.

We have eaten at Khyber Pass every time we visited San Diego in the past six to seven years, a total of seven or eight times. It is a must stop for us; the food (of Afghanistan) is simply outstanding. This visit, we had the lamb with apricots; it was so good that we had to go back and my partner had it again while I had the mixed vegetable plate, a wonderful assortment of four rices and four vegetables (potatoes, spinach, yams, peas, and something else). The ambiance is also nice; it is a fairly quiet place amidst the hub-hub of Hillcrest.

A friendly mix of Persian influence into this Afgan themed interior...and the result is pure foodie satisfaction. The service is polite and easy to interface into a volley of Q&A that allows you to properly navigate to your comfort zones or venture widely into tastes to stretch your palate...from small dishes through the main courses, and into the final closure to the meal, there is much to enjoyand many many reasons to return to explore again... A touch of cost if you might be thinking to get in and out quickly, so plan to relax and dine in a relaxed moment of enjoying your food. You will be rewarded.

The Khyber is a really nice place on University in Hillcrest. The food is authentic Afghan. The owner is a nice guy with good advice on the food. The lamb dishes are excellent. The appetizers are superb. Prices are reasonable and the service is first rate. There are a lot of good choices on University, but the Khyber is one of the best.

Good food, even better dessert!

it is one of the places that i ate perfect meat..lamb kebap was delicious..ı also tasted my husband's curry lamb..it was also amazing..ı know it is not so cheap place but at the end it is worth to eat these delicious foods..and their house wine was incredible..red one..i highly recommend this place..its staff was also so warm and helpful..10 starts place

My wife and I visited the Khyber Pass restaurant on the recommendation of our B&B innkeeper in San Diego. What a delight! The restaurant was lovely, tables set with white linen tablecloths, decorated with interesting and varied art work and run by a husband/wife team who were exceedingly gracious. Everything we ordered was fresh and tasty: a Greek salad, sweet and sour lamb with apricots, lamp kabob served with basmati rice and a side order of delicious spinach sprinkled with what I believe was feta cheese. For dessert we shared a pistachio pudding which was delectable and our server threw in baklava on the house. We finished the meal with something called Rosewater tea, new to us, sweet and refreshing. Throughout the meal we were serenaded by ethnic music which set the mood perfectly. A wonderful dinner, highly recommended.

Khyber Pass was most welcoming on a crowded tough to find a restaurant evening. The room was warm, well decorated and the acoustics were good even when the restaurant was full.The service was friendly and efficient. The food was very well prepared and presented. We had seafood and chicken dishes. All were very tasty. The wine list was diverse and reasonably priced.

Our cousin took us for dinner at Khyber Pass Restaurant. As soon as you enter you feel like you are in a different world. Very pleasant service, authentic Afghan food. The lamb was just perfect and something I would recommend. It is not a place to bring small children since they do not have a menu for children and the food might be a bit special for them.

Need to thank them for accommodating our delay even though they close at 10PM. Food was yummy, well presented and restaurant was super neat. Food names sounded more indian but with interesting spellings 😂

Amazing food - especially the lamb and apricot curry

I cannot believe I haven't written a well-deserved 5 star review for this place years ago. This is the restaurant I decided to have my 50th birthday at, I think that tells you how great I think it is. It has a new owner now and it hasn't skipped a beat, Cyrus the owner is so friendly and I am guessing perhaps the same chef is still there. I INSIST you try the dumpling things called Mantu. Then the rest is all good, but I would suggest the dishes with sauce over grilled meats you can get anywhere. Apricot sauce, qormah, okra, spinach, banana squash. The veggie combo dish is a good way to try many things.

Loved the lamb dishes! Atmisphere excellent! Food slightly pricey but "experiecne" worth it for a special occasion or nice dinner.

We were greeted quickly and in a friendly manner. It was after dark and the room was inviting and attractive. The waitress was friendly and efficient. She was happy to explain items on the menu. We ordered and our food came quickly. We shared a lamb dish and two sides. They were happy to have us share. The flavors were interesting, delicious and fun. We recommend!

Wow! Such an experience of different spices and ingredients. I had curry shrimp and I must say it was the best curry sauce I have ever tasted. My husband had the cherry lamb and it was great! I never would have thought that a cherry sauce could be so good and the lamb melted in your mouth. We also had a variety of appetizers and the sauces were outstanding. The cilantro & lime based chutney was too good. Prices were good, especially for the amount of food. We had desert & tea at the end of our meal - both were very good. If you are looking to experience a taste of Afghanistan then go here.

I've eaten here a few times on my visits to San Diego. The first meal I had was very good, but the last time, the food was somewhat bland. The restaurant has a nice atmosphere and they have a good selection of meals on the menu. I wouldn't discourage you from going, but poke inside and get a feel for the 'vibe' on the night you're there. If it doesn't feel right, go to Tapas Picasso just south of there or try one of the Thai restaurants.

the quality and portion of the food all is very bad the appetisers is very small and too expensive we ordered 3 appetisers they charge us for 6 and 9 mains which came to $280? very expensive then they charged us for $100 for tap water a glass of $3.50 and then add another $100 for service charges we paid $500 only for 9 meals. I have travelled 37 countries and we get together with friends and family very often but no place has been as expensive and poor quality as this place we definitely will not go back

We dined here during a recent vacation. We've eaten Afghan at some excellent places in a number of other cities, and found this best for selection and quality. Yes, this is based on one visit, but it was a great visit. For anyone leery of trying Afghan, check out the menu on their website. You will find an excellent selection of lamb, chicken and vegetarian options in combos that will be a pleasant surprise

This place was great. Only one of its kind in San Diego. Great ambience, good service, we had a simply marvelous meal. I love Afghani cuisine because it uses fruit and flowers in many of its recipes. Not especially inexpensive but absolutely worth the experience.

Try the cherry lamb dish if they still have it. Wonderful!

Nice local joint right in central Hillcrest. The food is exceptional and the service top notch. Overall, I give them an A+. The only downside is that it's a little noisy.

Good people watching if you sit outside. Very tasty hummus and wild salmon curry. naan bread is also very good.

waited over an hour for our food, all people who arrived after us received their food, yet the worst part was the management not taking responsibility for an error on their part. Would never return. Took our food back to our hotel after waiting one hour. No comped items on our bill. Huge disappointment since our innkeeper recommended. Choose elsewhere is our advice.

Just had dinner here, enjoyed mine very much. (Chicken dal) the garlic nan also very good. Decent prices, too. Plus we had a fun time.

Dishes were very flavorful, the lamb was tender and fresh and the other items were very good. the okra was nondescript however,.

We had never had Afghani food before, but won't hesitate to try it again after our experience at Khyber Pass. They will help you make selections that suit your taste from an extensive menu. What type of food is it? Think Kabobs, yogurt, Hummus, Basmati rice and well balanced savory spices. There are nice nuances in flavors and it isn't overwhelming at all. The staff is so friendly and helpful. You will have a great evening of dining there.

This has to be hands down top 3 Afghan food restaurants in the US. Best Kababs we have had. Service was great. Food was fresh and hot. I had the mix grill and every piece of meat was worth it. We were not disappointed. To top it off it was Halal food.

A year later and the food is better then ever. Definitely the combination platter for appetizer, some chai tea and for main course you must try the Cherry Lamb with cherry rice and the apricot chicken. The service was amazing and the owner was here like our last visit and she treated us with some secret dishes. Too bad we live in Las Vegas but for sure we will be back. Definitely recommend this place hands down.

Located in the Hillcrest community, parking is difficult to find and you may need to pay $5-$6 for parking in a nearby lot. The hassle is well worth it! The decor is modest and subdued in earth tones, which I found rather relaxing. Fresh flowers adorn the tables in blue cobalt vases. I've been there 4 times within the past month (October 2005), because the service and food is excellent. Everything was fabulous -- delicious!x10 Prices for appetizers begin around $5, (try the Borta), entrees from $14-18 per plate (try the curries, kabobs, salads, lamb, chicken, beef, or vegetarian entrees), and the servings are ample. The food is served hot and in a timely manner. Dinner for two (e.g., appetizers, teas, soup, and entrees with a 20% tip) came to about $60-$70 for us. We haven't ordered from the wine list, but it carries French champagne, Italian wines, and domestics. An outstanding choice for very special celebrations, dates, or "just because" evenings with your "special someone." Angela, the owner, is warm, friendly and always a pleasure to see! The waiters provide excellent service. Well, worth the cost!

We had an enjoyable early dinner here. We started with Bolani, a fried flat pastry stuffed with potatoes, leeks and green onions. For our entrees, we both had Yaghoot Chalao with chicken. Tender pieces of chicken in a cherry sauce served with cherry rice. Baklava for dessert. All the food was excellent. The people there were friendly and the ambience was nice.

We ordered a take-out dinner from this restaurant yesterday. The meal was ready on time when we drove over to pick it up, and the service was very good. We were a party of 6 and we ordered various dishes, such as Tandoori Salmon, Chalow Baunjaun, and the Vegetarian Platter. The food was very good, though the portions tended to be small, except for the rice, which was very plentiful. We would have preferred larger portions of the non-starch items.

WOW!!! Naturally atmosphere counts in any restuarant but here is a charming, comfortable and swanky feel while eating awesome food. The owner himself came over to greet each table and makes you feel special and welcome. The wine list is superb and the prices are extremely reasonable. Try the Syrah or a nice Cabernet- or just stick with water served in exceptionally beautiful cobalt blue glasses. The appetizer of puréed eggplane served with toasted pita made me wish for the nerve to ask for the recipe. Try the Apricot Lamb, whick is so tender and sweet you just keep wanting more. The Dahl is always a meal to count on and Khyber steps it up a notch. The desserts are fabulous and delicate, flaky sweet homemade bakalava sets the end of the meal off just right. I only wished I lived in San Diego and I would make this one of my local favorite stops to eat. Do not miss your chance to visit Khyber Pass- you will surely not be disappointed! YUM YUM YUM!

This place features Afghan cuisine. Family owned and operated. For the money you can't beat the food. Great portions. The local Afghans in SOCAL come here for catering of events (e.g., weddings) so you know it's great. Recipes were honed when the owner was a student in Germany many, many years ago and missed the home cooking. Other students impressed upon him to cook for them, so this family has great experience. The family fled for their lives from Afghanistan when the Communists took over and, after a few years, ended up in San Diego -- like so many Americans before, coming to the US to make a (and keep) lives for themselves, this family and institution is a true American success story. Their hospitality can't be beat -- unlike many other restaurants that come and go in Hillcrest, this family serves you as guests and doesn't treat you like a "customer." I've eaten here a million times (or as close to that as possible) both when I lived in San Diego and now as a visitor. You couldn't pay me to eat anywhere else. And, I often give Khyber Pass gift certificates to folks at Christmas/the holidays. As I said, it may seem a little pricey at first but you get fresh ingredients and the closest thing to home cooking you'll find in Hillcrest.

Rich and unique flavours and pleasant hospitality. From the lamb kebabs to the eggplant and spinach veggie dishes, everything we ordered was good quality. Afghan food is similar to Indian... One idea is to order sample platters to try all the flavours. Also they have good artwork and murals; nice ambience. The service was personal but slightly haphazard. Slight negative is the tables are a bit too close together; sound issues... And the overall area, Hillcrest, has become so hip and popular, it's not that easy to get there and park close anymore!

We were vacationing in San Diego and checking out the Hillcrest Neighborhood. We noticed numerous ethnic restaurants and decided to try one. We were thrilled to have chosen this one! The restaurant has a very nice atmosphere, well furnished and a nice, clean modern design. They also had a great wine and beer selection. The staff were warm, welcoming and wonderful. Then the best part! The food! We go the sampler appetizer and it was like an orchestra dancing on my tongue with new flavors. We ordered the Lamb Daal and a vegetable dish. Definitely eat here! You will be so happy you did!

This is one of the best meals I ever had. The food was so authentic is to die for or pay double. Everything is made from scratch and fresh. OMG, I 'm so full but I could come back tomorrow and do it all over. The combination platter appetizer was really good, the Khyber Pass Special Platter lamb, chicken and beef was incredible. But their cherry rice is their signature dish. It's a must. I definitely recommend hands down!!!!

Lovely little place in Hillcrest. Nice understated decor, friendly warm service and very tasty food. I had the lamb curry and garlic naan. Delish!

I came here a decade ago and loved it but rarely get to San Diego. After 10 years it is still an amazingly good restaurant. Small but lovely inside. Some of the best sambozas I have ever eaten. A mind-blowing lamb curry that the server suggested when I couldn't decide among lamb dishes--and he was right that it was rich and spicy. I accompanied that with a side of spinach with paneer and loved that as well. I could not finish my meal it was so plentiful but he still brought me free baklava for dessert--which I nibbled at and loved. A wonderful, friendly place with extraordinary food.