Hands down!!! Best Mediterranean food in Chicago....
It's a whole in wall, in the middle of a busy neighborhood..
Great service and staff is very nice..
I went here for the first time last year with a Groupon, and I can't count how many times I went back....even brought visiting friends over, and they loved it too!
On our tab:
Mantu Plate
Lamb Kabob
Kabuli Palaw (Lamb shank)
As this was my first time trying Afghani food, I have no clue on the authenticity of the food, however all of it was delicious.
The Mantu plate was delicious and my counterpart loved her Lamb kabobs. Â I had a piece and it was very tender with tasty seasonings.
The Kabuli Palaw was tender fall-off-the-bone deliciousness. Â Get the brown rice, because they cook it with the meat and it tastes so much better that way. Â The rice was amazing, I think it's basmati rice, and was nice with the sweetness of the raisins. Â I'll be back again to try the other items along with the Kabuli Palaw as well.
There is nothing fancy about this small shop except that it serves delicious Afghan food at very reasonable prices. I've been here twice and was never disappointed with the food or the service. The staff is courteous, helpful and the owner is usually there to take your questions.
Though most of the items on the menu are good, I especially like the Kabuli Pulav served with lamb shank, whose meat is tender, juicy and has a lot of flavor. All in all,don't miss Afghan Kabob if you're in town and want to try some good middle eastern food.
I had a kabob craving and I found this place via Yelp and then saw they had a Groupon Now deal for yesterday evening. My husband and I got the combination plate and the Chef's special. I was intrigued by the dumplings since I do not associate that with a kabob restaurant. They were delicious! The food was plentiful and all was really good. The man who took my order was very friendly and the same when I picked it up-so smiley and nice. I would go back there not just because the food was good, but because he seemed genuinely happy to be serving me as his customer, and I like to support businesses like that!
Review Source:I was just strolling by on Montrose when I saw this small quaint restaurant. I'm afghani and I'm very impressed with the flavor and its originality and authenticity. The service is great, the owner is wonderful to speak with. Very happy with my experience and I'll be a regular from now on! Highly recommended!
Review Source:the food here is made with love and it is all homemade including the soups and the hot sauces. service is great and friendly
i liked the little dumplings.
overall though i found the combination of a limited menu (an appetizer list, and then kebabs, and that is about it), no alcohol and no BYO, and the hole in the wall ambiance something that i would not put into my regular rotation.
Dropped by here on a whim on the way back from the airport. Great food, friendly service, good prices, nothing to complain about here. Signature lamb shank dish is tender, flavorful, and delicious served with rice cooked in lamb juices. The kabobs are tender and tasty, although we preferred the whole meat over the ground ones. Appetizer combo with dumplings was unique and had good variety. Solid portion size but not quite as big as other favorite cafe orchid. Well worth the trip to Albany park!
Review Source:I read some great reviews about this place on Yelp, so the hubby and I decided to give it a try. I was in the mood to try a new place. This place is a bit hard to find, especially driving by.
The service was good and anybody we interacted with was friendly.
The place is a bit smaller, nothing fancy just straight to feed the need of food.
The food was ok-to-good, I mean nothing was wrong or untasty or uncooked. I guess I had higher expectations given the reviews I read (?). I think its worth a try. It is a bit out of your way if you live in the city, so unless we happened to be in the area and hungry, I wouldn't trek out that way.
This place is tough to review. It's a small shop and I wanted to like it more. I've been twice now- the best part of the meal is definitely the appetizers. They are super delicious. Service has always been ok- sometimes a bit slow. Last time we were there there was a large (like 10 people) party so I think that caused a bit of a backup because I am pretty sure there's only one server.
Anyway the appetizers are all good. I love the non-veg appetizer combo. A little of everything and it's all great. The entrees, though- I would say they're ok. Not great, certainly not bad. I have just had much better kababs practically everywhere in Chicago. I also was sort of bummed that the carrots and raisins for the rice didn't really taste like anything. In the past, when I have gone to Afghan restaurants I always get the rice with the carrots and raisins and it's super delicious. Here it was just... ok.
I give 3 stars for a super nice server and fab appetizers but if you're looking for amazing kabab (especially halal kabab), I'd keep looking.
**PS I used a "groupon now" for this place last time and the server was on his game and I had no issues. Sometimes groupon makes people act weird/less nice but here it was no issue at all so that was much appreciated.
I only write reviews for restaurants I really love and I LOVE Afghan Kabob. Â I've been going there almost every week for about a year now. Â The food is excellent (try the Mantu) and reasonably priced, service is prompt and the friendliness of the staff is stellar. Â I see one of two waiters when I go and each has been extremely welcoming and knowledgeable offering suggestions for new dishes to try. The decor is "mom and pop."
Review Source:Absolutely stellar service and food. We went there with party of 6 and they welcomed us and accommodated us very well.
We ordered Kabuli Palau / kabobs / Mantu and they were all Stellar and very very reasonably priced.
They bring this warm gooey bread filled with potatoes to your table and it is incredible.
It is def. a hole in the wall and not too fancy, but that's part of the charm.
This is staying on my 'list' for sure...
Cheers...
One word ..DISAPPOINTMENT  !! Don't wast your money ,listen to me . This place is a mess , I followed the reviewers just to get shocked  once I was there , rags for rugs on the floor , silver wear are disgusting , dishes are ugly and I can go on and on and on ... The food is really average .
Sorry but never again .
I am shocked to see any negative reviews for this restaurant because I have been here at least 30 times in the past 2 years and never have I ever been disappointed. This is my Favorite restaurant in CHICAGO!!! There food is hands down the best tasting afghan food in town. I usually order their beef Mantu for appetizer & LOVE it. I would highly recommend their combination plate with brown rice & the owner is nice enough to replace the lamb kabobs with chicken kabobs for me each time. I love spicy food and their homemade hot sauce goes well with pretty much everything.No exaggeration It is the BEST hot sauce I have ever had at any restaurant. They also serve each customer with complimentary lentil soup and my personal favorite veggie curry. Again the secret ingredient is their hot sauce I pour it in my soup, veggie curry, mantu, & the main course.
Their Chai what I like to call the "PINK TEA" with cardamon is also very delicious.
Both the Food and service at this place is outstanding and the guy who owns this restaurant is very humble. I have recommended many friends and relatives to this place and they all loved it!
Hands down the BEST hummus in the city. Â I absolutely love their spicy lamb kebab. Â Ashuck platter is to die for! Â
Wonderful service the I believe it's family owned and operated. Â Though not sure? Â The man who is usually there is very kind as well as the ladies. Â Very warm and welcoming.
I highly recommend Afghan Kabob for the best homestyle meal that will please all patrons!
This place is really good. I got the combination plate with the ground beef, ground chicken, lamb, and chicken kabobs. Everything was flavorful. When I asked if I could get the chicken spicy, they offered to spice up everything in the combo. The chai was cardomom-riffic and fantastic The wait staff was super nice and helpful and the prices were very reasonable. Thumbs way up.
Review Source:I went here wife my wife and brother-in-law a couple of nights ago and the food was very very good. Â We were all sharing a couple of different kabobs and a lamb stew which was very good. Â I order the flat bread type things with the mashed potatoes as well and there was nearly a fist fight to see who got to eat the last piece!
I would have given 5 stars but I believe they mixed up on how hot we wanted specific items. Â Overall Afghan Kabob is a great place with owners who are present.
amazing food. When I first walked in, I was prepared to be disappointed- the decor was ugly and the service was bad. the waiter couldnt answer any of my questions and was slow in taking orders. but the food definitely made up for it. we tried the lamp chops- reallly flavorful, the lamp shank dish that came with brown rice with raisins and sautted carrots, which was also really good. we also had the combo kabob plate which had amazing chicken. i would def go back to this place, or maybe get delivery.
Review Source:I love this place! I always get the lamb chops with their brown rice (come to find out it's actually white basmati rice soaked in lamb juice - DELICIOUS!). Â Their homemade mast (yogurt) is to die for - my friends and I always fight over it.
To top off the great meal, I get the sheer chai (tea with milk and cardamom).
Overall, delicious food, very friendly owners, and reasonable prices. Highly recommended!
The grilled meats were terrific- chicken, beef and lamb- well-seasoned and juicy, but we found the ground meats a little on the dry side. Â The mantu and eggplant appetizer both were delicious, as was the chicken soup, although I found a rubber band in my portion. Â We ordered a Chapli kabob which never arrived, but had plenty of food, anyway. Â It's not as cheap as we were led to believe, but the portions were large and everything was prepared fresh as we waited. Â The hot sauce provided on the table is delicious!
Review Source:I'd actually go more for a 4.5 star review.
Our service was incredible--some of the nicest staff/family I've experience recently in Chicago. And the food was delicious. Went for the veggie sampler for an app, and was not disappointed at all--the squash was amazing. For kabobs... the combo with steak, lamb, chicken and (I think) turkey. Delicious. Have them make it spicy... just has enough heat to give it a nice kick.
Will be going back AND getting it delivered.
Very happy yelp discovery!
I definitely need to go back here again. Â I've only had take-out from them once, but I was waxing poetic to people about the veggie appetizer combo and the kabob combo for days. Â The food here is different than other Middle Eastern restaurants I've tried (sensical, as I've never had Afghani cuisine before) and was star-to-finish excellent. Â Everything was seasoned wonderfully, and the portions were reasonable. (Not small, not gut-busting.)
Parking is street, and they do take credit cards. Â It's also kind of easy to miss in that it's not on the corner, and their sign - while large - is recessed into the windows. Â I definitely recommend it.
ADDENDUM: This place still rocks.
Seriously, I keep going back and getting the Kabiri Palaw thing, I want to try other things but it's just not gonna happen. We keep getting different appetizers though, so far all good. Then the soup comes, the delicious soup that only gets better when you add a ton of the spicy stuff, but you're still just waiting, waiting, waiting for the delicious rice with the raisins and carrots and that melty, dreamy lamb on the bone. Seriously, I just gave myself a food boner.
Two extra tips: Check Groupon Now before you go, they've been having deals on there a lot lately. Actually, just check daily and go whenever they have one. Secondly, try the hot Chai tea, it's very sweet but good. Just don't drink down the last part, all the chai spices are in there and it isn't good.
A friend and I randomly stopped in Afghan Kabob and were delightfully surprised at how amazing it is! This small, charming restaurant serves up delightful cuisine and offers several vegetarian options (think beans/rice/veggie type dishes). We particularly liked the eggplant dish. So yummy! The rosewater rice pudding dessert was also to die for.
Yay for Afghan Kabob! Try it out!
I haven't been back here since I moved out of the 'hood back in '08, so today when I was early for a dental appointment, I stopped in for lunch and remembered all over again why I like this place so much. Â The food is really tasty and the owner is one of the nicest guys you'd ever want to meet.
I had the vegetarian appetizer sampler which included a really excellent hummus; aushak, a steamed leek dumpling with garlic yogurt dill sauce, bourani badenjan a sauteed eggplant dish with the same garlic yogurt sauce, and bourani kadu which is like the badenjan but with butternut squash which gave the plate just the lightest touch of sweetness. Â It was served with warm pita, and was really just enough for lunch. Â I tried the hot sauce this time and I found it exactly to my taste, about medium hot and a bit piquant. Â Not scary at all, but a very nice addition to the dishes, particularly the bourani kadu.
The restaurant is more homey-looking than the last time I was there, with some lovely middle-eastern touches, but it's still a very unpretentious place with reasonable prices. Â A TV over the desk is tuned to Al Jazeera, so you'll be getting a lot of world news, but that's cool; perspective is important. Â And you can always ignore it.
Don't expect anything fancy, just good food at good prices, a warm greeting and friendly service. Â Honestly what more could you ask in a neighborhood restaurant?
I can't get enough of this place! Â I order from here while at work at least once a week. Â The delivery is always super quick and friendly. Â The bread that comes with most of the meals is delicious and the sauces (one yogurt one hot) are great too!. I generally order the veggie sampler because they have so many dishes to choose from that are all delicious.
I have never eaten in the restaurant but delivery service has never let me down. Â Have to stop myself from ordering from here everyday while at work.
I was in the mood for some Middle Easter food and after doing my Yelp homework Afghan Kabob looked like a good choice based on prior reviews. Â I have driven past this place numerous times on my way to The Fish Guy and Tony's but never noticed it.
The Decor was nice inside; nothing fancy and there was a TV with what I assume was Afghan television. Â There are a handful of tables.
When trying a new restaurant I like to sample a  bit of everything I can get my paws on.  For appetizers we tried an okra dish which was very good and a fantastic "mashed potato turnover" appetizer with home made yogurt.  There are three to an order and they are quite large.  I cannot say I have anything quite like them aside from samosa, but these were 10X better. Â
The dinners were very good as well. Â As its Afghan Kabob I figured I should have a kabob- the lamb kabob. Â It was a small piece of heaven- well spiced tender pieces of lamb of basmati rice with spices and some vegetable stew to go over the rice. Â The lamb and tomato stew was good but my selection was better. Â I heard the chicken kabob and lamb shank were very good as well but didn't try them lest I be forced to share my own selection as I was protective of my tender lamb. Â
Don't make the mistake of not ordering the ferni dessert. Â It is an unusual delicious pudding with the consistency of yogurt. Even the tea was fantastic- the chai tea was well spiced and mixed with some spices and milk. Â It was a pinkish color and much different from any chai tea I had before. Â
The prices were very reasonable and the owner came over and chatted with us for a while after we finished our meal. Â There were a few beautiful rugs on the wall and some wooden kammels I thought were a nice touch. Â I will be back sometime soon for the lunch specials.
Afghan Kabob is one of Chicago's hidden neighborhood gems! It's so refreshing to walk into a restaurant when the owner greets you as he would one of his family and says 'thank you,' after you offer a compliment, with such sincerity, you can't help, but feel a bit emotional.
I've been to Afghan Kabob twice so far and can't wait to return. Your meal will begin with a complimentary soup: I'm not sure what it is, but some sort of pureed, spicy chicken and vegetable soup, I believe? I've had the opportunity to have the Mantu Plate, which was spiced beef, wrapped in a noodle, covered with a spicy tomato tinged sauce, topped with a cool mint sauce - outstanding. I've also had the Korma Chalow, which is chicken in a spicy, creamy tomato based sauce, with vegetables and rice - again, outstanding... I've also had their Shir-Berinj (rice pudding) for dessert - which, was light, refreshing, and very tasty.
Afghan Kabob is very much a small, family run establishment, with lots of love and care put into it. You will be welcomed in with a warm smile and will leave with the same.
Afghan Kabob is a must!!
Food: 3.5 stars
Service: 2 stars
Resulting GI issues: 0 stars
I'm not one to point the finger at a restaurant for making me sick, but it seems like more than just coincidence that both me and my dining companion experienced some undesirable GI issues following our meal here. I won't bore/disgust you with the details, but I'll just say I felt unpleasant, which is being kind, for the next 24 hours.
Coming here was a game-time decision, we were in the area and this was one of a few places I found that was Yelp-approved. The place is small and simple - a counter with a place to order and pick up and some tables to dine in. I'd guess that it seats about 25 people tops. The only thing I didn't like was the framed picture of the National Geographic Afghan Girl (<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftinyurl.com%2F577r4w&s=a2efa7f338fde7cd5790e36d6ace553d00e96a676928b1d206ca55c2ea205610" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://tinyurl.com/577r4w</a>); the photo itself is cool, but it was like one of those paintings where the eyes follow you no matter where you are - creepy!
I went with the hummus sandwich - hummus, lettuce and tomato on a pita - and a side of white basmati rice. Not very exciting I know, but I was playing it safe (or so I thought); the sandwich was good, nothing spectacular, but the hummus was very creamy. The rice was well...rice; I don't know what I was expecting when I ordered the rice, but it really did nothing for me. My dining companion got the Dahl Chalaw.
Service was friendly, but inattentive. We were warmly welcomed and told to sit, rather than order from the counter. We had to hail down water refills and the check; we finally gave up on getting change and left a more generous tip than deserved or intended. In my opinion, if you're going to offer table service you really should be more on the ball, if it had been busy I would've understood.
Bottom line: Even without the resulting stomach problems this place didn't wow me; throw in my stomach problems and I won't be coming back any time soon.
TIP: If you're not a big fan of yogurt sauce, this may not be the place for you - most items come with it.
Afghan Kabob is damn awesome! :::queue echo of that sentiment from the 3 friends I was with:::
The owner is the only server and takes care of everyone personally. He's just such a nice man you can't help but feel welcome in this establishment that's about the same size as my living room.
For starters: hummus was one of the better ones I've ever had in Chicago but I don't know if there was anything profoundly different about it, the Bourani Badenjan (eggplant dish) was silky, creamy tasty and perfect, and the flat-cripsy-like-a-samosa-pastry filled with squash and topped with a cool yogurt sauce was the star. A perfect medley of flavours and crunch with the pastry.
For dinner we ordered the Kabuli Palaw, the spicy chicken kabob and the Mantu plate. The Kabuli Palaw is a lamb shank, slow-roasted (and the most tender I've ever had) and topped with a brown basmati rice, carrot and raisin mixture. Now, I've had a lot of things in my mouth in Chicago (*tsk tsk*) and the Kabuli Palaw is one of the tastiest things ever. Even the rice, carrot, raisin accompaniment was perfectly seasoned and I was hard-pressed to stop shoving piles of it in my mouth.
The spicy chicken kabob was well-spiced but not overly spicy (though my one girlfriend that doesn't handle spice well would disagree). Also served with a buttery basmati rice, but not as complex as the flavours that were in the rice that came with the lamb.
The Mantu plate was a plethora of steamed beef dumplings, covered in a yogurt, meat, mint, onion topping. This was my least favourite of all of the meals, but still a killer meal. I don't know if it was the meat or what, but I was picking up the flavour of blueberry or something in the yogurt sauce. So if you're a fan of game meats with fruited sauces (like I am) I would recommend giving this meal a go.
We didn't get any dessert, but for the 3 appetizers, 3 entrees and maybe 2 of us with soda, the total check, with tip, came out to be $14 a person.
I live in the West Loop, but Afghan Kabob is a crazy fast hop off the highway and will definitely be added to into my rotation of ethnic dining experiences.
The ONLY small itty bitty thing that makes this place a less desirable ethnic experience: no BYO. But the food makes me forget I even need to drink and my liver was thankful for this policy because it finally got a break.
I've only had Afghan food once before, and I remember not being terribly impressed. Â This place was relatively close, cheap, and had good reviews so I decided to give Afghan food a second chance to rock my world. Â And, oh my, it did.
They started us off with some soup. Â I have no idea what was in it, but it was fantastic. Â My fiance ordered the Kabuli Palaw- a lamb dish with raisins and carrots, which was really good. Â But I won at ordering food. Â I ordered the Badenjan Chalaw- an eggplant dish with garlic yogurt, and it was one of the most delicious things I've ever put into my mouth. Â If I could only have one food for the rest of my life, I might pick that eggplant meal. Â Both of our entrees were pretty big - I ended up bringing home almost as much as I ate.
The service was quick and friendly, the prices were good, and the food was to die for.
Before I tried this place I used to make fun of them when I drove by because you can see a large picture through the window of what looks like a side of meat hanging over a little open fire. Â Anyway I'm glad that I overlooked our differences in what constitutes appropriate restaurant art because the food was tasty. Â
We were given soup as we sat down, not sure what kind but delicious. I really liked an  appetizer called mantu, little meat dumplings in sauce. The kabob entrees were huge, the leftovers made another dinner.
I didn't think that the brown rice was as tasty as the rest of the food although that tasted better the next day!
And like lots of others have mentioned, a very nice couple run the place.
If you know me, you know that I am obsessed with kabobs. Â I've tried all different kinds, from Lebanese to Greek to Moroccan, but had not yet sampled the Afghan variety up until a few moths ago. Â I'm pleased to report they rank right up there with the best of them. Â
Afghan Kabob is a small neighborhood restaurant that's run by an incredibly warm and friendly family. Â Their food truly tastes homemade and believe me, you get a lot of it for your money. Â You won't walk out hungry, that's for sure. Â The owners are quite helpful in selecting dishes. Â The times that I've been there, they offered one soup "just to warm you up" and then brought out another soup before the meal. Â I'm not a bread person, but their flat bread is wonderful, served warm and perfect for dipping in some of the appetizers. Â I recommend the bourani kadu (baked pumpkin/squash) and the sauteed spinach to start out.
Chicken kabobs are my personal favorite, and theirs did not disappoint. Â They are perfectly seasoned with just the right amount of spice to give it a kick without being overbearing. Â They're served up with a huge portion of either brown or white rice (I love having the brown rice option!)
Its a small place with a no-frills, clean atmosphere. Â However, the quality of food and friendly service make up for the plain interior. Â A great addition to the neighborhood!
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