Samson Kabob House Reviews

The service is fast and friendly, and the ambiance is great. There is a large table with pillows for seating that can be reserved. The food is always outstanding!

Usually I like to review only great experiences, so feel a bit conflicted about giving this one. Frankly, great space, lovely servers, but the food left me desiring for more. If I pay $16.99 for vegetarian dish I would expect much better than what I got. I ordered eggplant stew expecting hearty flavoured meal, and instead I got a small portion, warm not hot, and may I say rather bland eggplant stew with the plate of lukewarm rice. I hope they reconsider some of their concepts, because Afghan food can be delicious. Baltimore's Helmand proves it.

My friends and I ended up at Sansom last minute. We were not very hungry but needed a bit of food for the evening. We shared several appetizers and a main dish. Everything was absolutely delicious! (We all agreed) We also had dessert which did not disappoint. The atmosphere and service were pleasant! I recommend you try this place!

Good lunch place if you work in center city

A very comfortable establishment: waitstaff, table settings, music, decor, restroom, windows, sidewalk, greeting upon entrance, table candle, noise level, etc. very well done and established an ambiance we felt would be a special event. We lived in Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Arab Lebanon, but were unfamiliar with Afghani dining. So.., lets dive in! Food presentation nicely done. Food temperature and portion: inconsistent temps..., felt inadequate: Sansom Kabobs (2) were just warm and meats overdone - lamb not tender and chicken overdone - nice juices "gone", where? Lamb portion too inadequate. Chicken portion generous and consistent with size of beef kabob. Beef kabobs were perfect. Rice warm, not hot. Onion and tomato were roasted, no apparent seasoning and far too few. Only 1/4 smallish tomato and onion for the price is not middle eastern friendly. Small side salads were very well presented and fresh tasting. Afghani style chutney excellent, but again too small a serving. Afghan bread was very nice, but having had two baskets, one presentation was nicely warm and the other too cool. Afghani Firni had thin film on top that may be typical, but felt to the palate as if it had been prepared too far ahead and left too long to cool in refrigerator - too expensive for the served smallish portion. Sheeryakh was very nice and very generous a serving at the price. No other cardamom flavored coffee, sweets, candies, cookies are offered as we expect from our years of living in Persian Gulf. Overall the ambiance excellent, service excellent, food just barely ok: portions inconsistent, temperature inconsistent, and seasonings too Americanized. Main menu prices are too expensive for the served portion sizes.

We had a great experience in this resturant. The atmosphere is really authentic and the staff were so much friendly. I had the sambosa for the appetizer and the delicious yoghurt drink. For the main dish i got the Qablee Palaw and it was fantastic. My company got the lamb kabob and he also enjoyed it. Will definitely go there again.

I frequently get the yen to have some good kababs; lamb, chicken or beef. It is the marinade that makes them special. As a frequent traveler to Iran and Turkey, I love the marinades used in both countries and was happy to visit the new, expanded location of the Sansom Kabob House. The owners are from Afghanistan and having also eaten numerous times at Philly’s other Afghan restaurants, this one winds, hands down! We started with an appetizer of Kadu, which is pumpkin cooked with tomato and onion topped with yogurt and mint. The use of pumpkin made it distinct and the flavors of yogurt and mint both played well with the pumpkin, both being represented but not taking over. Warm Afghan bread was served along with the appetizer. At $6.00 it was a bargain and sufficient to share for two. Our main courses were Afghan staples, but very nicely prepared and displayed. Chicken kabob was marinated chicken served with rice. We also had Qablee Palaw, pieces of lamb under a mound of Afghan rice topped with carrot strips, raisins and almonds. Both were served with a small Afghan salad. At $16 and $18, they were filling meals and a great value. The setting is spacious and interiors very clearly depict the image. This is a BYO. Highly recommended!

The food is delicious, good atmosphere. However, the staff is rude and unfriendly! No return for sure.

Great Afghan restauant with delicious Hors d'oeuvres and great entrees. The food is delicious and the atmosphere lovely.

A family restaurant, we had a great time, everything was good from the starters to the main course to the dessert and even the tea, everything is homemade and fresh. Waiting time was a little long, not annoying and it was worth it!!!

Five of us went and feasted on delicious kebabs. We loved the salad that came with it as well as the bread and yogurt. Dessert was baklava, ice cream (seemed homemade) and another custard type dish that was light and delicious. The meal was so reasonable and the staff was very friendly. It's a family run restaurant and we met them all. We will definitely be going back!

I have been eating at this establishment for a few years now and they never disappoint! I love the stewed eggplant dish and my husband adores the lamb kabob. Each is served with well-prepared rice and a nice little salad. The Afghani couple who own and run the restaurant are lovely people and great cooks! I am excited that they are moving to a location on South Street where it will be easier to park and will attract more customers. Everyone interested in tasty ethnic food and good vegetarian choices should try this place.

Had a great meal at this family run place. We ordered lamb kebabs which were delicious. The accompanying basmati rice was wonderful, every extra long grain separate. Also enjoyed their lentil soup, tasty wheat bread and the grilled veggies that had been grilled with the lamb. I appreciated that the portion size was not huge, just right. The service is quiet and efficient. Love this palce and would go there again anytime I am in the area. Watch the red sauce - it is super spicy but delicious!!

I wondered in here while walking around Philadelphia. The kebab platter was good in general, but the lamb kebabs were amazing! Skip the combination and just go for the lamb! Also, nice decor, and friendly service.

The new South Street location is well lit and pleasant. The menu is the same. The food is excellently prepared, the vegetables are fresh. Good service and great service. Everyone left the table satisfied.

Beautiful setting and delicious food. The salad and hummus and relish we started with were all delicious with the Afghan bread. Our entrees were tasty, but surprisingly not spicy. The coffee was unusual. It almost tasted like a blend of coffee and black tea. This may sound strange, but it was delicious! Definitely worth trying if you're not too particular about your coffee. Baklava is a must have.

A friend suggested we have lunch at the Sansom Steet Kabob House. From the outside, one would never imagine the great find! You walk down some stairs to what appears to be a fast-food kabob house. Seating is in the back, with the food preparation being near the entrance. The atmosphere is filled with character in the seating area; Afghan rugs, artifacts and more. Judging from the lunch time crowd, others have surely already found this gem. If you like grilled meats, pumpkin, eggplant and other mixed Afghan dishes, you'll be glad you made it to Sansom Kabob House. Open for dinner, as well. Bring your own wine or beer and make it a night!

I went here on a limb with some friends, recommended by another friend whom we'd run into. From the outside, it looks like a small place but it opens up in the back and the food is so great! I had the beef kabob plate - everything was great. It came with seasoned rice and vegetables which were outstanding. Desserts were also very good! Great Afghan cuisine!

Excellent service in a cozy setting. There are many vegetarian options. This is a quieter place which I like.

Amazing kabobs, with the sauce that is too good! Prices are not too bad. Platter is served with afghani bread, which is great!

Great service! Great food! Great atmosphere! We will only choose Sansom Kabob House for our Afghani food. The other ones in Philly are just mean and serve cold food.

Beyond the very good authentic food, lilting music, charming artifacts, a lovely mural, beaded curtains, white tablecloths, etc., enhance the dining experience. For lunch on a very cold day we had a delicious hearty lunch of bowls of hot golden pea soup, along with a plate of delicious humus, served with warm Afghan bread. Although prices for entrees are somewhat daunting, we look forward to returning on a special occasion for dinner.

This place is so cute. A small family run Afghan byo with HUGE charm. Plus, the prices are very affordable. Bring a bottle or two of wine and some sharing friends to get a taste of the menu.

This is the only restaurant I know that I can invite adventurous, timid, rich and frugal friends, with or without children to and be sure they will enjoy the food and be comfortable with the tab. Simply put, the spicing here is the most harmonious and gentle of all the cuisines with which I am familiar. Haing been a frequent customer over the last 5 years or so, I can attest to the fact that the food is consistently and carefully well-prepared. I find the salad dressing (a mild leben-like dairy product) quite well done and properly distributed. (Folks who have issues with dairy products might ask for the salad without it.) The bread, which is prepared fresh in the restaurant, is wonderfully chewy and a welcome change from the bland pitas that are used in so many places. It is a perfect complement to the hummus, which differs from others around the city, and is my favorite among them. The sevice has always been good and the decor interesting without pretension and never less than pleasant. I am certainly in favor of BYO places and Sansom Kabob House hits that mark as well. All in all, I highly recommend it.

This is a quaint little restaurant with wonderful service. There are many vegetarian choices on the menu, and they are clearly identified as such. We enjoyed our meal very much.

Great food! I little expensive but worth a try. Everything is fresh and they use high quality ingredients. The hummus is legit... almost as good as Zahav!

Four of us ate at the Sansom Kabob House last night. None of us had ever eaten there before. We ate two appetizers, four entrees, and four desserts. We were all in awe. The appetizers, sambosas, chick peas and potato pastries with a cilantro sauce and bulanis, fried potatos and onions accompanied with a mint sauce. The entrees were delicious. Two vegetarian entrees and two meat entrees. Yes, my vegie friends. You too can eat here and enjoy a taste of Afghanistan. The desserts deserve mention too. Only three are available. We had baklava and ferni, a milk, almond, and cardamom pudding. Quite good. The baklava, however, was thin. Nevertheless, we will return. Oh, the decor was artful and interesting and made the experience all the better. The service, excellent.

I've been going here for the past 5 years... Incredible food, sweet family, homey atmosphere!

First time there I thought the food was OK/decent. it's a nice enough place though they could use some music as it's very quiet. @nd time there was 3 wks ago with friends from out of town & was too late to get a reservation where we really wanted to go so we played it safe & again same conclusion: just very average. Not going back again.

I have been here atleast four times in the past few months and will be back anytime I get a chance. clean, friendly atmosphere. family run by bunch of young staff.

Visited Sansom for dinner tonight with a friend. Immediately seated. Ordered Chicken and Beef Kababs (separate dishes). The small salad comes complimentary as well as pieces of Afghan bread. The food taste was excellent, chicken better than beef. Both were soft and tender, accompanied with Afghan rice, which were also very well done. The accompanying chatni added zest. The serving size was adequate, not too little, not generous. Pricing was moderate. Serving was polite and professional. Ambiance was very good. Don't drink so don't know how good the wine menu was or if they served alcohol. Yogurt drink was also very good. Average dinner cost around $25-30pp. Would I go back again- yes!

What a wonderful change! No longer down a flight of metal steps to a long narrow area beneath another store, the tasteful furnishings and large windows finally compliment the wonderfully prepared Afghan food. Being consistent is hard in the restaurant business - being consistently good in the restaurant business is even harder. To do so while maintaining reasonable prices is practically unheard of. And yet this family owned and operated business has done it. The atmosphere is welcoming and unhurried and the staff (all family) are delighted to respond to your questions. There is plenty to delight both vegetarian and more universal tastes. Indeed, this is an excellent place to try vegetarian selections. Spicing is harmonious and restrained. While the food is reminiscent of East Asia, Middle Eastern influences are clearly present - especially the excellent hummus and bread made on the premises. While the location lends itself to before theater, dance or orchestra evenings out, I would certainly consider it for business lunches and dinners.

Had dinner there this evening with my three kids and parents. Wait staff friendly but service is horribly slow. Food was good, but not great, have had much better Afghani cuisine.Appetizers we're good- hummus, eggplant, salad, bolani, and sambosa. For entree ordered the chicken kebab (good, cooked wonderfully but somewhat bland), vegetable kebab (don't order, just roasted/blackened tomatoes and onions with one mushroom, and a piece of green pepper), eggplant (Excellent), okra (okay). If you've never had Afghani food a decent place to start, otherwise stick to your local.

If you do not like kabob do not come here. But if you do they make it tasty. Previously located on Sansom and now on South Street this is a well established family business. The decor is beautiful and lets you learn a lot about Afghanistan. The food is tasty and the presentation is nice. The service is good and prompt. Their dessert list is not long but their flavors are intriguing. REMEMBER THEY DID NOT CHANGE THE NAME BUT THEY ARE ON SOUTH STREET NOW NOT SANSOM. Call them for a new direction if needed.