Faryab
4917 Cordell Ave, Bethesda, MD, 20814
Faryab Menu
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Appetizers
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Entrees
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Seafood
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Vegetarian Entrees
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Side Orders
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Desserts
Healthy Meal suggestions for Faryab
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Appetizers
-
Entrees
-
Seafood
-
Vegetarian Entrees
-
Side Orders
-
Desserts
Visit below restaurant in Bethesda for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Bethesda for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
4917 Cordell Ave
Bethesda, MD, 20814 - Phone (301) 951-3484
- Website https://www.faryab.us/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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C H.
Incredibly small portions of vegetarian dishes for $15.95. Never again.
(1)Eli L.
Amazing food. We were in Bethesda visiting family and we wanted to try something new. I ordered the Eggplant Stew and it was delicious. The lamb kabob was also very good, but slightly overcooked. The food arrived fast and our waitress was kind and knew the menu well. Overall, the only major con was that there was no AC and it was a really hot day. I would definitely return.
(5)D C.
Went to this restaurant for the first time last night. The waiters were very nice and attentive to any needs. This restaurant by far had the best Afghan food that I've tasted in the area. The only issue I had with the place is that it is a bit expensive for the amount of food served. I ordered the Mantu entrée which was $18.95 (the current yelp menu lists it as $14.95). Overall, the yelp menu currently shown is a bit outdated and it appears as if prices were raised across the board. But the Mantu was excellent. For dessert my guest and I ordered, Baklava -- Excellent Goush - E - Feel -- Okay, not great. Overall, great food, great service, but it is a bit pricey. So it is one of those places I'd likely visit once a year instead of on a regular bases.
(4)Jessica P.
Love going to Faryab in the fall or winter - the rich, filling, flavorful stews and dumplings really hit the spot when it's chilly outside! Came here over the weekend for dinner and got the chalow badenjan (eggplant stew) with amazing garlic yogurt sauce and split the mantu appetizer with my friend. She ordered the badenjan goushti, similar to my entree except with lamb that was falling apart it was so tender. Everything we had was dynamite. Last time I came I ordered the chalow kadu (pumpkin stew) and frankly I don't think it really matters what type of vegetable or meat they simmer in a pot and serve you, it's hard to go wrong at Faryab. It's not the most creative menu I've ever seen (the appetizers are basically the same as the entrees, except they're smaller/cheaper plates), but whatever. The food tastes great and the service is prompt and friendly. I'll keep popping in here when I'm in the Bethesda area and jonesing for a hot, steamy bowl of delicious.
(4)Tatsu O.
First time having afghan food so I don't know much about it but the food here was very good. Highly recommend the lamb and eggplant dishes. I got the lamb and turnip entree was excellent but quite spicy, so I guess stay away from that one if you have low tolerance for spicy foods.
(4)Amy K.
I ordered take-out from here last week. 20 minutes later, we arrived at the restaurant, and our order was ready. I ordered the mantu appetizer (steamed dumplings with ground beef) and sabzee chalau entree (spinach with lamb chunks and white rice). My friend ordered the sambosa appetizer (fried pastries with ground beef) and faryab shishleek (chicken with veggies). Surprisingly, our order also came with a generous amount of salad and soft, chewy, yummy bread. I love it when restaurants give you extra without making you pay for it! The bread was a bit on the greasy side, but man, it was good. Everything tasted awesome and was seasoned perfectly; not too salty, not too bland, but just right. There was enough food to last me for two days, so I ended up saving more than half of it for dinner the next day. The sabzee, in particular, came with generous chunks of tender lamb, and wasn't too oily like I've seen at other restaurants. Being Afghan, I know a thing or two about Afghan food, not to mention my mom owned Afghan restaurants all throughout my childhood. Faryab is a really good Afghan restaurant, and there aren't really many of those around this area. Was it my mom's food? No, but I think I'm a little biased when it comes to that anyway. The prices are, however, very high, but you're also talking about a place in downtown Bethesda. I'll definitely order from here again.
(4)Erika V.
Let me just start out with that I don't know jack shit about Afghanistan. What I do know is that we're at war with them. What I do know that if this restaurant is a true reflection of Afghani food that is readily available in most populated places of Afghanistan, I would like to beg our government to get the fuck out of Afghanistan so I can go visit and eat my way across the country. No need to get into the cost of war and how war is terrible. We know this but no one seems to give a fuck. But the government should give a fuck about limiting my travel for delicious food. That makes me mad and no one wants to make me mad. Look, the food here is insanely good. It's like Greek meets Persian meets Indian. Gee, that would make sense geographically and in thousand year old spice trade routes... Lol. I just know that I'd like to swim in a pool of that kadu and eat my way out. I would die a fat happy bitch.
(4)Nicole L.
Faryab was located along the sleepy street of Cordell Ave along with several other restaurants that had seen its day, it was very noticeable that most of the older restaurants there were quite empty. Faryab was no exception. I read so many positive reviews about so I thought it would be fairly safe to try. When I walked in at 7:30 PM, there was only one table of 6, a group of Japanese tourists? The restaurant looked kind of sad. The soft Afghan music playing the background and antiqued decors made you want to go to sleep. We ordered a bottle of Malbec which was average. Our food rolled out in a flash which might not always be a good thing. My friend had the Qabili Pallow it looked like a plate that was used for decoration at the windows (you know like the mould of bowls of noodles at Japanese restaurants)- it looked kind of stale, I couldn't even see the lamb. I had a taste of it but like I said that the restaurant had seen its days so was the food it had lost the spark. I had the lamb with spinach which on first taste had a strong umami taste which could be from the use of artificial additive. The spinach was fresh I could taste it and the lamb was cooked till very tender. The accompanied rice didnt taste fresh either. Judging from only 4 other tables I saw all night, slow turnover rate of the food probably equated low on freshness. It's too bad I had high hopes.The reviews on the bread were true they used foccacia breads it was definitely not like the Afghan breads I tasted from other authentic Afghan restaurants.
(2)K.t. W.
One of my favorite restaurants in Bethesda. Okay, actually my favorite. Even if months have gone by since my last visit the owner and waiters recognize me. My favorite dish is the Qabili Pilau. I have dreams about this dish. So excellent I cannot explain. The Kadu (pumpkin dish) is out of this world. I haven't tried anything there I didn't love, but those are what I recommend to everyone. EAT HERE you will not regret it.
(5)Frank G.
Peasant food at Bethesda prices. Still the best Afghan I've had, but don't think that simple, rural food means it's going to be a bargain. Not in this zip code. Their pumpkin is fantastic, a real stand-out on the menu. My favorite dish, the lamb kebob, is always cooked perfectly tender, never tough. Their food is good enough for me to give them a five star rating, but the prices and ambiance (or lack thereof) hold me back a bit. Desserts are alright, but I'm not a huge fan of desserts from this part of the world to begin with, so my view may be a little biased. There are plenty of places to get ice cream, etc. within walking distance.
(4)Israly E.
When I think of this place, I think of food coma. How not to get a food coma when their food is so great? Their Qabili Palau is the one dish I am hooked on. My personal goal is to one day be able to make it myself and for that I have to keep coming to this place so I can develop the taste. :) Every time I come I keep ordering it and I always get a taste of whatever my friend has ordered and is just as good. But I am addicted to Qabili and is hard for me to let go. The ambiance of the place is very simple and family oriented. I never walked in to this place and seen it empty. Tables are always filled with large groups of families and friends. The staff is very attentive. This is not a cheap eat, but is well worth it. I mean, the dishes are not easy to prepare either. They are labor intensive. They offer pre-fixed menu that I think is a great option. My advice for anyone coming here is eat very little before coming here. You have to be hungry to be able to finish your meal. It's quiet filling.
(4)Esther O.
Food = 6 stars! Price to portion size = 2 stars The food here was beyond delicious. Everything we had was so good. I'm not sure how this ended up on my bookmarks list but I'm so glad it did! Mentioned to my friends as we were deciding to grab a bite somewhere, and they were down so we checked it out, and all 3 of us thought it was amazing. 2 of us split: The appetizer that was turnovers filled with scallions and herbs. Very good, but a bit spicy, so keep that in mind. A side of the pumpkin dish, without the meat sauce. Holy *(&^*&^$ I have no words. This was SOOO good I can't even describe it. It looked like pumpkin that really hadn't had anything done to it, but it tasted like heaven. This was so good that the 3rd friend ordered a 2nd portion to take home. The eggplant entree. Again, absolutely delicious. Rich and smooth and perfectly flavored. My other friend ordered the shrimp kabobs. Seemed like she enjoyed them, but didn't seem like they were anything as special as the vegetarian dishes. And they were pricey! $23 for 2 kabobs - seems ridiculous. The rice comes out on a dinner plate, but it's a very thin layer and there really isn't enough of it. Also it is absolutely unremarkable. Who really cares when the real dishes are so freakin good, but just in case you were wondering. The service was fine, the guy was nice enough and happy to recommend dishes to us. My only complaint is that it's very pricey for small portions. I left still starving! But the dishes were so good that I will go back, and just expect to be spending a bit of money. Oh, I should also mention - most of the dishes come with a yogurt sauce. I left it on, but now having had it I know that it's entirely unnecessary. Next time I will ask to have it left off, which makes this a great place for a vegan meal.
(3)Larissa F.
I love Afghan food, and we were looking for someplace cheap and easy around Bethesda this past Friday. The restaurant was packed, which was always a good sign. Service however was a bit slow, but understandable for a small place with only two servers. The lamb kabob I got was amazing -- the rice was OK. I have had better homemade from Afghan friends. My bf got the pumpkin with meat sauce, which he was disappointed in because it was overly sweet and not enough meat sauce. Both came with small salads and bread, which were good but nothing to write home about. The bread did not taste fresh and homemade, it was definitely store-bought and kind of gross. We also got some bolanee to share, it was tasty and hot, but a bit greasy. The mint sauce was very tangy and good. Our total bill with two entrees, an appetizer, a half-carafe of wine, extra side of rice and a soda came to about $70 not including tip. Overall, it was good restaurant and great kabob, but we thought it was overpriced for the portion size and we were still hungry after. A stop to Greenberry in Rockville made that better. I think that Maizbon in Alexandria has much better Afghan food, although the location of Faryab is good for me. Food -- good to average Price -- Overpriced Atmosphere -- Cozy and intimate
(3)Kevin L.
If you have never eaten here you are missing out! The food is so flavorful - not like most of the bland meals with cheap ingrediants you find at most restaurants. The staff is great, always attentive and friendly. If you are looking for a great place to eat in Bethesda, GO HERE!
(5)Sonali K.
My friend had the eggplant curry (Chalow Badenjan) and I got the pumpkin curry (Chalow Kadu) and we shared. They tasted even better when the flavors mixed - sweet and spicy, full of flavor. Probably my favorite DC area meal.
(5)Mariko F.
My parents and I did not want to be at home when the trick-or-treaters came around (I know, we are horrible people) and so we decided to go out for dinner. Faryab was my choice and I chose it because I love middle-eastern cuisine and it had been a long time since I had had Afghan cuisine. First of all, this place is not far from the metro. I work next door and I walk to and from the metro every morning and evening. It's a 10 - 15 min walk. I really hope, for your sake, that you don't consider that a long walk. The staff are very friendly and accommodating. My mother and I walked in and were greeted in a very friendly manner and were seated right away. We explained that we were waiting for one more person and they said "no problem." The starving women of the family waited and waited for 45min until we had had enough and ordered appetizers. All the while, the wait staff just occasionally stopped by to fill our water glasses and ask us if we were ok. We weren't rushed or pressured by anyone or anything, except our grumbling tummy's. So we ordered appetizers (about $5 each). They were ok. Since I have no idea what these dishes were called, I'm just going to have to describe them to you. The first was a dumpling dish with a short name, starting with an "M." It was filled with ground beef that was heavily spiced and topped with yogurt sauce. I thought these were really good but my mother thought that they were too strongly flavoured (note: she's Japanese). The other dish was a fried eggplant topped with ground beef and the yogurt sauce. I thought these were ok. Nothing too special. Not bad, but not very inventive. At this point, I was giving the place a solid 3 stars. It was good, nice, pleasant and the food was decent enough. Nothing special though. My father finally arrived an hour late. We had saved some appetizers for him and he agreed with me that the dumplings were very good. My mother then criticized me for not being Japanese enough. We ordered three entrees which turns out to be enough for 2 dinners. Dishes come out family style and so you have eat your own or share. The rice is placed on your plate. We ordered the shrimp with garlic ($16), the spinach ($12) and the seared lamb with eggplant ($16). All three were fantastic but the winner was the spinach. It came out looking like a very very dark green pile of gunk. But it was so incredibly flavourful. It was so incredibly good. It came with yogurt sauce on the side. I would have never thought to combine spinach with yogurt sauce but it was very very good. The dish is very heavy and oily though. We asked the waiter what was in it and he said "spinach." We dug a bit deeper and got "garlic and salt" out of him. Needless to say there had to have been an insane amount of spices in that thing. Anyway, it was fantastic. I love lamb. My mother thinks that it tastes too much like meat and won't eat it much. I love gamey (spelling?) meats and so lamb is one of my favourites. It is loaded with eggplant. It's incredibly full and heavy so that you can't really eat a lot of it. It's not a delicate dish. It's one that could really put you in a serious food coma. The shrimp was also very good, although it came in last for me. Nevertheless, I would still rank it a 7 on a 10 point scale. Once again, very heavy and flavourful and drenched in salt. The food here is oily, salty and heavy. It's not something that you would want to be eating every day, but for that once-in-a-while heavy dinner, this is perfect. The appetizers are slightly forgettable but the entrees are so good. I can't wait to go home and eat the incredibly amount of leftovers tonight.
(4)Melanie B.
Hands down my absolutely favorite restaurant! I love the aushak and kadu. Unfortunately, we are not able to go as often as we would like (now live in NC) but the staff always recognizes members of my family and are very gracious. I even had my Sweet 16 here! Ah, memories.
(5)Addy J.
Samosas, kadu, quabulli pulau...period!!!!
(4)Ben W.
This was a great find for my newly established group of dining friends, we are just afraid we may have set the bar a little high for the future. One of the delightful ladies in our group has an Afghan background, so it was at her suggestion that we come to this restaurant, and realizing her qualifications exceeded our own, we let her choose the dishes. Definitely an excellent choice. App - We went with the Mantu, a really nice spiced meat dumpling with an empanada-like flavor and a yogurt-meat sauce. I usually like a dumpling with a little more bite in the shell, but this was still quite good. Entree - We got two orders for the three of us. The Quabili Pallow (a really well-marinated lamb dish with rice, raisins, and carrots), reminded me a lot of the kinds of sweet and savory flavors you'd get in a Moroccan restaurant, which is always a plus for me. Really liked this, very high marks. I was a little skeptical of her second choice: Kabob-e-Kofta (kabobs with a ground beef/sausage-y meat), but unlike 99% of the Kofta I've eaten this was not dry and misery-inducing. Usually when you get kofta in the States, it tastes a little bit more like beef jerky and has a tough, crumbly texture, but this was really pretty good and moist, cooked almost to the consistency of a hamburger). Doubly high marks for getting me to like something I usually hate. Sides - Make sure you get the pumpkin and eggplant side dishes, they are two of the shining stars of the all-around really good board-of-fare we received. There are a couple of reasons this wasn't a 5 star for me, I really liked the food and in general the experience, but I was turned off by the high price for the food ($18+ for an entree), the sub-par bread (think of the great bread at Levante's and then let it be stale for a day or two), and the drink list (a pale ale and stella artois on tap? please put something drinkable on tap or at least get a bigger variety of bottles). Would I go back? Absolutely, and I'd recommend it whole-heartedly. Were there things I would like to see improved? You bet.
(4)Shruti M.
We went here with some Afghani friends. The meat dumplings that we had as appetizers were wonderful and our main dishes were excellent. Our Afghani friends thought the food was good and were pleasantly surprised. One of our friends had the eggplant dish (sorry cant remember the names) and two members of our party had the lamb kabobs and I had the shislek (sorry for the spelling) which was chicken. I did expect the food to be spicier but our friends tell me that afghan food is typically not. We did go back a second night and i had the lamb dish that is served with rice and carrots. I loved that! I'm sorry I can't remember the names, but these are accurate descriptions of the food as it is listed on the menu. definitely recommend!
(3)Joe N.
Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! AND accommodated us well after closing hours. Excellent hosts. Excellent service. Surprisingly delicious house wine! Lamb and spicy turnips was fantastic. Biggest piece of baklava we'd ever seen.
(4)Danna K.
Meh. I was expecting a lot after reading great reviews on yelp and because of the review in Washingtonian's top 100 cheap eats list (which has now disappointed me one too many times). They may have been doomed from the start, because I was expecting a spread as intricate as described in the kite runner. (what? It was my first time eating afghani food). I did as I was told and ordered the samosa type appetizer with chives and the pumpkin entree. The appetizer was pretty good, but I am of the school that anything fried tastes good. The pumpkin entree was certainly interesting and definitely solid, but did not live up to expectations. Call my conventional, but I just don't like my dinner to be sweet.
(3)Patrick H.
My dining partner in crime and I had some interesting conversation after eating at Faryab last night. Essentially, we had a discussion about what makes a place warrant 5 Stars, 4 Stars or 3 Stars. (noting that 1 or 2 Stars are awarded to restaurants that we simply won't go back to) If I could award half Stars, then I would give Faryab 3.5*...so here's the low down. 5 Stars is a must try experience--Top of the Game. 4 Stars is a restaurant I would go out of my way to get to, over and over again. 3 Stars is a place that still ranks as good, but I wouldn't get in my car and drive there specifically to get to that place. We had a relatively simple dinner last night. We started with the Mantu, ground lamb and onion dumplings topped with yogurt and more ground lamb. Tasty, but perhaps a little gamey for my taste. My dining partner in crime had the Chicken Kabob. I had the Qualibi Pallow, essentially lamb and rice with raisins and shredded carrots. The chicken kabob was really good, as was the basmati rice it came with. The Pallow, was the highlight of the evening. Tender chunks of roasted lamb buried in a bed delicious basmati rice. A great play of sweet and savory. Both entrees came with Afghan bread and a nice green salad. So Faryab, is one of those places, that, if you are in Bethesda and you haven't tried it, you really should. They have been around for a while and the "dew is off the lilly" if you ask me, but with that said, they are still delivering quality Afghan cuisine in a friendly and efficient manner.
(3)Cy K.
A tiny little Afghan place stuffed off to the side of Cordell in Bethesda - this is some of the best food I've had in DC. The highlight was a stewed spinach dish - which was appeared to be just spinach with a bit of oil - which would literally melt away in your mouth. I've also had a couple of their lamb dishes both of which were terrific and had a great use of cardamom. Service is fairly quick and very friendly.
(5)Barbara R.
We have been going to Faryab for the past 15 years. The food is always excellent, the lamb kabobs are out of this world! The appetizers are fabulous we usually order 4 or 5. The food is consistently delicious. I love the Palaow, lamb stew with rice and vegetables and a side of pumpkin. The tea is also wonderful, we have learned to prepare it at home! Faryab is our go to restaurant with family on birthdays and cozy celebrations.
(5)Eve P.
I just had a great first Afghan dining experience at Faryab. I split a pumpkin dish and eggplant dish with a friend, and both were delicious...flavorful, but not hot spicy at all - a good balance of sweet and savory. Faryab was quiet tonight, and they have a pretty cozy atmosphere. The waiters were also friendly, very prompt with everything - and also poured us a little extra wine since we were with someone having a birthday today - that always wins extra points! Prices are also very fair here - and so many things on the menu looked great!
(5)diana l.
Amazing afgan food! After reading the Kite Runner I had a huge craving for kabobs so we did a girls night out here. The lamb kabobs here were juicy and tender, plus it's served with a side of brown rice. This is not the healthy brown rice, it's white rice cooked with meat so that it turns brown from the meat juices. I almost never finish my rice, but I could have eaten another plate of this brown rice alone. Another favorite dish was the sabsi goshti (spinach w/ lamb). It's similar to the indian dish of spinach paneer, but so much better. The flavoring is perfect and the lamb super tender. My friend ordered the banjan chalow (eggplant with lamb) which was also amazing. I don't think you can go wrong here. Everything was pretty much delicious. And the service was great too, our server could not have been more attentive!
(5)Natalie F.
DELICIOUS Afgani food! I came here for dinner last night with girlfriends and it was fantastic. We started with a half bottle of the house pino grigio which was pretty great for house wine. We also started with the Bulanee (stuffed turnovers filled with scallions and herbs) They were exploding with flavor and amazing with the yogurt sauce. I ordered eggplant stew with tomatoes and batsmati rice and it was excellent. Not heavy but full of delicious flavors. I couldn't pass up the Baklava for dessert and boy am I glad I didn't. It was fabulous! The service was friendly, efficient and the prices were pretty good too.
(4)Sean B.
I'm fairly stingy with my stars. Dinner at Faryab last night was excellent, and the service was friendly and quick. Four of us ate, starting with shared orders of: Aushak (scallion dumplings and star of the dinner), Bulanee Kachalu, and Kabu. They all got eaten, though I've had better Kabu at the little storefront Maiwand Kabob in Columbia. All was washed down with a Riesling, in true Afghan spirit ;). For entrees we each ordered lamb, prepared four different ways: the much recommended Quabili Pallow, the tasty Sabsi Chalow, the Bademjan Goushti, and the Kabul Shishleek. All were good, with the garlicky stewed spinach of the Sabsi Chalow standing out. With dinner we ordered a carafe of the House Red, which was surprisingly generous in proportion. I will likely dine here again. The four of us split a dessert of what I called Afghan Fair Food - Goush -e-Feel, a tasty but unremarkable version of the elephant ear.
(3)Tim G.
Hadn't had Afghan in awhile, but this definitely was a great experience and better than I remember having in the past. I had lamb with garlic spinach served over rice and a side of pumpkin with meat and yogurt sauce over it. The lamb spinach combo was awesome, it kind of reminded me of panneer, it was quite good. The pumpkin side dish was also remarkable, the consistency was not what I would have expected, but none the less the taste was delish. My friend also had a lamb dish, but his was served with carrots and raisins, so had a sweeter finish to it. His was also great. It was all very well done and the lamb was cooked perfectly and was nice and tender. I ended with rice pudding, which compared to the rest of the meal was a disappointment. Another person at my table got some type of fried pastry with powdered sugar, which was also not remarkable. If I lived in the area I would definitely be back for more lamb but have to hit another spot for dessert.
(4)C.M. P.
Mmm, mmm, good! My husband and I have been here twice, and it has been fantastic both times. The aushak is a fabulous appetizer (kind of like a ravioli filled with meat and topped with a yogurt/mint sauce) that they offer as an entree too. I think next time we will go with the larger portion so we have more to enjoy before it disappears into our bellies! I agree with Frank G., the pumpkin in incredible. It looks plain, but it has great seasoning and just melts in your mouth. We tried a few kabobs and I loved how the chicken kabob was seasoned and cooked. We also had a ground beef kabob, which I didn't like anywhere near as much. It seemed a little dry and seemed to be seasoned with more onion flavor than I like, but my husband, who does enjoy that sort of flavor, enjoyed both equally. We will be back!
(4)Ms. S.
Best food in Bethesda, but overpriced.
(5)Beth B.
This was our first experience eating afghan food and it was a wonderful experience. Upon entering, we were welcomed warmly, seated promptly, and the service was attentive and efficient. We tried the mantu appetizer and the pumpkin side as Ben W. recommended and they were delicious! My husband couldn't stop raving about his lamb kabob. I equally loved my Quabili Pallow. We will definitely be back!
(5)Paul C.
Great Food, Friendly Servers. A bit on the expensive side for the amount of food you're getting. This is one of the places I would go twice a year for.
(4)Yu Z.
Fantastic! Sooooooooo good! Dumplings, pies.... All special and tasty! Try it!
(5)Brian R.
I liked Faryab. We arrived twenty minutes late for our reservation, so the guy in front lectured us for a while, but that was cool (my companion didn't necessary think so, however). We had the dumplings with scallions, and she had the pumpkin and I had the rice and lamb. The rice and lamb was really good. I was actually surprised that some of the portions seemed a bit small. More pumpkin, please!
(4)Vijay D.
Was here for a private party so can't speak to prices, but the food was extremely tasty and the staff were very gracious.
(5)N F.
We went here for a family dinner during the week and ordered the Sambosa, Mantu, Chalow Badenjan, and Chalow Kadu. All of the dishes were tasty, and the entrees came with a side salad, which was standard/nothing special (iceberg lettuce, a few veggies, and what seemed like a mayonnaise based sauce?). The food and service is definitely a solid 4 stars. I've had better Afghan food though not in the DC area. The restaurant is nicely decorated though it was empty when we went, so the ambience was a little lacking but that was probably because it was a weekday night. This restaurant is 3-3.5 stars in my book because I felt the dishes were overpriced (each of the ones we ordered was $19--the menu on Yelp has the prices wrong). It's not that Faryab is expensive; it just feels overpriced for what you get, even for downtown Bethesda. With all of the restaurants in the area, I probably won't be back.
(3)Brock L.
Faryab is worth a try if you haven't had Afghan food before. The pumpkin dish really is as good as everyone thinks. The rest of the meal was a bit bland and underwhelming. I wouldn't normally care. It happens if you're willing to try new places, except in Bethesda experimentation is expensive.
(3)izzy g.
Delicious and very flavorful. My only complaint was the price.
(4)Jonathan C.
The pumpkin dish is deffo the way to go. I agree with many of the other reviews. The lamb is pretty good, very flavorful. Kind of pricey and the chairs could be more comfortable. Will try again.
(4)Thaila S.
I had another wonderful meal at Faryab last night. We walked in on a busy Friday night without reservations and were seated immediately. I had the eggplant again (it was amazing, although maybe not as amazing the first I had it although I can't tell you why) and my husband had the potato dish, which was delicious -- hint of cumin in a rich tomato sauce. My minor complaint is that the bread could be better -- it was not warm and not as soft as I like bread to be. For dessert, we had an order of baklava, which can easily be shared by 2 people. This is the best baklava I have had in my life -- it is not sickenly sweet like most baklavas that I have had, and it had a wonderful taste of cardamom. YUM! Again, I highly highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)Michael J.
Faryab is my favorite restaurant for any cuisine, anywhere. I grew up in DC, used to love Kabul West and mourned the loss when KW closed back in the 80's. Faryab is the modern incarnation of KW, featuring the same dishes, I believe even the same chef, and it's still the best food I've ever had. Bulanee Katchalu, Kabab e Murgh, bliss. I've noticed that on recent visits, the food has swayed to a little more refined, albeit a little less flavorful, undoubtably this is to win over the masses... Just the same, it's still awesome, and though I miss the full flavor rendition of menu, I'm convinced that the new product is just a little bit more accessible for newcomers.
(5)Carl J.
The food was average. The bread was DEFINITELY NOT authentic Afghan, it looked like flatbread from Giant and was not heated. Rice was a little dry and they used the same lackluster sauce for two dishes. I've had GREAT Afghan food, this was just ok. The meat (lamb and chicken) was very tender and flavorful. Having said all that, the food was edible overall and the service was very nice. The server was learning new customers' names and said "thank you Mr. and Mrs. _____" to everyone as they left. The Cardamom Tea was pretty good, although I prefer it with the sweet milk like I've had at other Afghan restaurants. The specialty dishes will run you $16-20. Overall, not bad and maybe the best you'll find in this area.
(3)Natasha O.
When does pumpkin not taste like pumpkin? When you have it in Chalow Kadu (Challaw Kadu) (stewed spiced pumpkin topped with yogurt serviced with spiced basmati rice). I came here solely on the recommendation of one of the Bethesda Circulator drivers. She said the pumpkin dish was fantastic and she doesn't even like pumpkin. I looked over the menu but since I'm an "involuntary vegetarian" (thanks for that phrase Su K) I could only check out the vegetarian dishes since most of the other dishes had meat sauces. I ended up getting the Chalow Kadu with a side of Sabsi (sabzi) and some "Afghan Tea" (tasted like a weak Earl Grey). The dish also comes with a side salad (lettuce & carrots with Ranch Dressing). The salad came out pretty quick after I ordered and the rest of the food followed pretty quickly. I was NOT expecting an entire dinner plate of spiced basmati rice with the Chalow Kadu in a bowl to the side and the Sabsi on another plate to the side. I'm obviously way to used to Asian restaurants with the piddly amount of rice. Despite the spices, the rice was a little bland to me but did go well with the Kadu and Sabsi though. The pumpkin was amazing & at first I thought it was sweet potato despite being the wrong consistency. It's almost a cross between candied yams and mashed sweet potatoes in flavor. The sweetness of the stewed "fresh" pumpkin and tangy yogurt sauce went very well together. It's sweet though and they don't add much sugar. I ended up only eating half of both dishes and took the rest home. Location - ok people what's wrong with you to think this place is too far from the metro?! If the walk from the metro is too much for you, take the free Circulator from the metro station and get off at the Cordell Ave stop (just tell the driver you want to go to Cordell Ave). I do however recommend taking the Circulator back however, as I was so full walking home and I'm only a 5 min walk away.
(4)Vena V.
Exquisite lamb. As good as it gets. Delicious kadu - pumpkin with garlic-yogurt sauce. I prefer the spiced rice and hot fresh naan at Maiwand to the rice here.
(4)M K.
My roommate and I went to Faryab last night and we were pretty impressed. I lived behind the most amazing Afghan restaurant in St. Louis so my standards are really high. I went for the quabilli paulaw, which was almost as good as Sameem's (the place in St. Louis). My roommate had the lamb-eggplant dish, which was also delectable, I love eggplant and it really stood out with very tender lam cooked in a tomato-y sauce. We opened with the mantu dumplings, which were also really good and came with a yoghurt-meat sauce. 2 negatives: -not really cheap eats, the entrees each cost in the $16-$18 range which ain't cheap by my standards -the portions weren't as big as I would have liked
(4)Rachel H.
After reading so many positive reviews we tried the vegetarian bulanee appetizer, Sabsi Chalow, and Chalow Kadu. We didn't like the bulanee, but the yogurt dipping sauce was great. The Chalow Kadu was good but a little too sweet for me. The Sabsi Chalow was our favorite for the night. We didn't leave absolutely loving Faryab but we would definitely come back.
(3)Ashley W.
RATS! If you don't want to read my long review, at least read the first paragraph. Here's the kicker. Right before our meals came out, we're enjoying some conversation when my husband goes "holy sh*t. A rat just ran by." He was the only one whose chair faced the wall so the only one with the right vantage point to see a rat, but he swears by it. He saw it scuttle under my chair then along the wall toward the front of the restaurant. EEK!! My friend didn't put her feet back on the floor the rest of the meal. We didn't say anything because we didn't want to cause a scene (there were other diners there at this point), so just ate our meals without issue. I have never ever seen pests in Bethesda restaurants, so something tells me it's the restaurant's fault and not just the by-product of being in a city (say, like NY - you can't help the rats). Either way, it's disgusting and ruins an otherwise decent meal. We started with a caraffe of white wine (I love when they sell by the caraffe!), which was pretty tasty, especially for house wine. The place is pretty small, red tile floors, nothing crazy as far as decor, but it was pretty freezing inside. The music was too low to hear but I think it was traditional Afghan music (I assume). We ordered two appetizers: Mantu (dumplings with meat inside topped with a yogurt sauce - think gyoza-style wrapper but lamb instead of pork) and I can't remember the name of the other but they were turnovers with meat inside served with a yogurt sauce. They were both really good. The turnovers were two crispy triangles with meat sandwiched in between. Dinner. There is no menu online so forgive me for not remembering all the crazy names of the dishes. Dinner came with Afghan bread which was pretty much just foccacia. It was good, albeit a little stale. One of my friends got a chicken kebab, which I think he liked. I didn't try it. Another got Aushak, which was like a big plate of Mantu, but the dumplings were covered in meat, yogurt, and mint instead of just meat. It was good, just very different tasting. The mint added a strange flavor to it. I think I would have liked it if it were the only thing I was eating, but having a bite in between bites of mine just made it very jarring. I got lamb with garlic-spinach, served with basmati rice. The lamb was amazing - SO tender. But, the spinach tasted like they microwaved a frozen box of Green Giant spinach and dumped it on top. Kinda ruined the dish for me. Another got lamb with eggplant and veggies, served with basmati rice. His was great. Another got chicken with veggies and rice. I didn't try his but he said it was very good. We shared a piece of baklava, which was delicious. Another thing. All of our entrees were ~$18. Even the chicken ones. That seems a bit expensive for what they were, and for the look/feel of the restaurant.
(2)Lily S.
The best Afghan food I've ever tasted. I've been trying to locate manager David. Please contact me : Leahinbali@gmail.com .
(5)Becky T.
This was a small restaurant and the kabobs that I ordered were good. However, I didn't find them any much different from the kebobs at Moby Dick's except that it cost twice as much. But that's because this was a nice sit down restaurant versus fast food Persian at Moby Dicks. The owner was friendly and accomodating even though we had a super big group of people. It was a good place but I probably wouldn't go anytime soon.
(3)Gordon K.
A long walk from the Metro, but if you've got a car, this one's a must-go. You know what you're getting (delicious, cheap-ish Afghan cuisine), and the place feels dated and a little comely... but the food is well worth it.
(5)Stephen B.
The food was great. I tried a variety of dishes and was surprised that there were tastes out there I had yet to experience. The location is difficult to get to and it was not very metro accessible
(4)michelle m.
I first tried this place because I needed to find a place for dinner in Bethesda (not a chain), and it was on the Best Cheap Eats list. Now, I've been burned by the Cheap Eats list in the past, but Faryab Afghan was fantastic! I called for reservations, and the owner was so friendly. I was on crutches, and they gave me a prime table with an extra chair on which to prop up my leg. Each one of us in our group got something different, and none of us were disappointed - the dishes kept getting better! I am not a fan of kofta typically, but their kofta was amazing. The quabili pallow (lots of tender lamb pieces covered with rice, shredded carrots, and raisins was a fantastic dish!! I insisted on ordering a side of kadu, even though I knew it was a lot of food, and the sweet pumpkin with the yogurt sauce and meat was well worth it. Unfortunately, I forget the name of what I ordered - a chicken dish (not a kebab) on the bottom of the menu (left corner) - anyway, it was fantastic - a sweetish, smoky flavor. I can't wait to go back again.
(5)Mark H.
3.5 stars round down. This place was overpriced for above average food. Don't understand all of the good reviews especially when there is a lot better cuisine in the dc area. I had the lamb and rice which was pretty good but not worth 22 dollars. My wife had kababs and as did my sister it was 18 and 21 dollars for each for a good amount of Kabab and rice. I would say they were not as good as Kabab palace which for 30 dollars you could get a lot more Kabab and rice but they were good nonetheless. The service was good and our waitress was very nice and the place has a good clean ambiance. I won't be back but I am glad I went.
(3)Hua X.
Pricey, but great service and great lamb dishes. The ambience was very quiet and stately -- not very much clientele. I do hope this place is doing financially okay, as it is a solid establishment in the fabric of Bethesda's restaurant scene.
(4)Richard T.
FARYAB IS CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! We were set to try it last night. We could find no sign of the closure online. The phone rang through to an answering service. Only on site did we find notice that the restaurant is closed for renovations. In the meantime, if you have a yen for middle-eastern food, let me suggest the unpretentious Bistro Lazeez, just around the corner. As a rating is required to submit the review, I'm giving Faryab the benefit of any doubt!
(5)Zahra K.
All my years of eating at restaurants in the Downtown Bethesda area, and I have yet to be blown away by anything. This place was no exception. The food itself was good, but it is stupid pricey for the amount of food they give you. We ordered the Lamb Kabuli Palao (rice to lamb ratio was totally off...), mantu appetizer, and a side of pumpkin. Granted, we did not order a lot of food because we weren't too hungry, but even so it was a minuscule portion. The restaurant was very dead for a Saturday, and at one point we were the only ones left in there. Nothing is more unsettling than eating a mediocre meal, speaking in hushed whispers, with no other sounds.
(2)Amanda F.
Fantastic food...especially the kadu and spicy turnip sides..Also try the scallion dumplings, Afghan tea and any lamb dish. The atmosphere is warm, intimately and unpretentious. Service is attentive and although we were very late for our reservation they were very accommodating and sat us quickly. I do recommend having a reservation.
(5)Andrew K.
A small Afghan restaurant in Bethesda that offers pretty good food but it's a little overpriced in my opinion. I started off with the mantu dumplings which were pretty good. I got the lamb with spinach entree and it came with a small regular salad which was ok and bread. The spinach was really good and the lamb was soft and well seasoned but at $22, I thought it was a little pricey. I also tried the lamb kabob which I really liked as well. Overall, it's not bad and I would come back again.
(3)Joy B.
Feeling frustrated? Tired of the same old places and carryout choices? Then, head down to Faryab, located in the heart of downtown Bethesda. Faryab was the Yelp Luck Club's destination this month. We feasted on samosas, which were triangular shaped pillows of goodness. Crunchy on the outside and soft,creamy filling on the inside. These appetizers were filled with ground beef and chick peas,but they tasted like mashed potatoes to me. Then, we also shared Pakorway Badenjam or delicately fried eggplant slices with a creamy yogurt sauce on top. They disappeared quickly and deliciously. For the main dish, I ordered Kabob- E- Goustfad,don't let the name fool you, this was a lamb kabob served with basmati rice. The meat was tender and and the juices flowed as you cut or bit into your kabob. It was cooked perfectly. Masterfully done,Faryab! One of the most talked about dishes of the night was the Chalow Kabu or stewed pumpkin served over basmati rice with a light yogurt sauce on top. We ordered three of these dishes and they were a huge hit with our crowd. The pumpkin was was soft and sweet and the cool yogurt sauce was the perfect compliment to this dish. One of diners even ordered an extra serving to go! Other dinners that were very good were Qualabi Pallow. This was seasoned lamb with rice, raisins, and carrot strips. Also, the Kabob-E- Kofta, which was spiced ground beef broiled and served on a skewer. It reminded me of a ground gyro meat. We had outstanding service and our glasses were always filled. There was complimentary Afghan tea that had a hint of spice to it. The decor was quaint and welcoming. We feasted on Afghan food and no one had any room left for dessert. Fun, Friendly, and fabulous, be sure to visit Faryab and enjoy the feast!
(4)Emma W.
The food, the atmosphere... very very good. I didn't try anything I didn't like!! I tried so many things so you may just have to go off my description and pictures... :) The sambosas were great! Just the right crispiness. Filling was just enough and loved the flavor. The cripy eggplant was a little too oily for me. Would skip next time. Also had the tea. Just ask for sugar if you need it. I think it was good on its own. Hints of spice in your tea. For the mains. Anything with lamb. The lamb ground meat. Good combo of spices and cooked just right. The lamb with eggplant. Yum! Again cooked perfectly and the eggplant was delicious. Lamb under spinach. Loved the creaminess of the spinach. Lamb was a bit smoky. Sooooo good. The juices combined with the spinach. :D the chicken kebob. So juicy so succulent. Ha! I want more! The dumplings- love the sauce and texture.... ah... when should I go again!!! Oh and last but not least the pumpkin. On the very sweet side. But I absolutely lived it!!! The texture, the smoothness and melt in your mouthness... the flavor of candied pumpkin with select spices.... a great complement to the meal. Or could be your whole meal ;) I will be back. But it will be hard to choose!!
(5)Shirley A.
I dined at Faryab this evening and had an extremely disappointing experience. The food was fairly good, but literally the moment we signed the bill the owner approached our table, slapped his hand down and said "I need this table." Apparently a few people were waiting for a table. We had not been there for long (less than an hour) and had a quick dinner. It was very rude and made us feel unwelcome. I will not return.
(2)Hannah H.
WOW! The hubs and I came here for February's Yelp Luck Club, and boy, was I excited :D This Afghan restaurant has been around since '97, and is owned & operated by David Hashem and his family. The menu offers a nice selection of appetizers (such as the aushak and the bulanee kachalu), meat/seafood entrees (such as qualbili pallow and shalgham goushti), vegetarian options, side orders, and desserts. We each had a little bowl of fresh iceberg lettuce, drizzled with yogurt sauce - nice and refreshing, as well as a cute woven basket full of noon barbari (Afghan sesame bread). For food galore, we tried: Sambosa-e-Goushti (fried pastries stuffed with spiced ground beef and chickpeas - these looked like little fried crab rangoons, but they were filled with a nice blend of seasoned ground beef and mashed chickpeas - yum!); the Pakowray Badenjam (fried slices of eggplant, topped with yogurt and meat sauce; these were slightly more on the oily side, but still crispy from the battered, and that yogurt sauce was a nice creamy touch!); the Aushak (scallion-filled dumplings, topped with yogurt and meat sauced, sprinkled with mint; delicate little dumplings with not too much of a filling); Kabob-e-Gousfand (tender lamb kabob on skewers, broiled, with a side of basmati rice; the lamb was perfectly-cooked and flavorful! I loved the fact that it didn't have a gamey hint at all!); Kabob-e-Murgh (chicken breast kabob on skewers; these were good a little dry, and I definitely prefer the lamb over these!); Kabob-e-Kofta (spiced ground beef, broiled on skewers; one of my favorites of the night - I'm usually not much of a kofta fan, but BOY, these were DELICIOUS! They were so flavorful, and great 'egg-shaped' mounds of meat, perfectly broiled!); Qualbili Pallow (seasoned lamb under basmati rice, raisin, and carrot strips - I love it when rice has raisins and carrots! The lamb was indeed tender and there were ample amounts of it); Sabsi Goushti (lamb cooked in onion and garlic-flavored spinach); Badenjan Goushti (braised lamb topped with eggplant, onions, and tomato; baked); and, Chalow Kadu (stewed pumpkin that is sweetened, topped with yogurt; another favorite of the night, it was like having dessert for your main entree! The pumpkin chunks were so tender and so yummy, and that yogurt sauce - YUM!). Some of us also tried the Afghan chai, which contained cinnamon, cardamom seeds, and ginger powder - this was unsweetened, but definitely warmed you up! The servers, Mr. Watt and Ms. Meow, were both so attentive and oh-so-lovely, and made sure that our drinks were always refilled and provided extra plates. The restaurant is also very cozy, with the textile decor and the nice paintings. I will definitely be back to try out their Bulanee Kachalu (turnovers filled with mashed potatoes and ground beef), their Shrimp Kabob, and their desserts, and, of course, for some repeats of the favorites! Definitely a delicious, magical place :D +yogurt sauceeeeee :D +Sambosa-e-Goushti +Kabob-e-Kofta +Kabob-e-Gousfand +Aushak +Qualbili Pallow +Chalow Kadu +ask for Ms. Meow and Mr. Watt :D +limited metered-street parking (difficult on Thurs/Fri); choose the metered-garage
(5)Audrey K.
Faryab made a great first impression. The warmth, flavor, and atmosphere were perfect rewards for braving a frigid February night to try Afghan cuisine. I came here with the MD Burbs Yelp dinner club - we ordered about a dozen dishes to sample. All were delicious, and I wasn't expecting the variety that Faryab offers. The kabob meats (chicken, lamb, and beef) were tender and seasoned. I like that Faryab uses metal skewers instead of the wooden ones that char and leave splinters in the food. The dumplings were really good - one Yelper described the Aushak as Afghan lasagna - noodles, ground beef, & yogurt sauce. The dumplings filled with sweet onions and beef, topped with yogurt sauce, were also very tasty. The flavor of the pumpkin and cooked spinach dishes was a pleasant surprise. The Afghan tea has a warm, cinnamon flavor. Faryab serves the tea by the cup rather than leaving a teapot with you, but they frequently stop by to refill the cup. The decor is simple, clean, relaxing. The staff was nice and attentive. There's a parking garage across the street. I will definitely come here again!
(5)Nesar J.
The Pallow was pretty good. I enjoyed the lamb and I do not like lamb. My biggest gripe about this place was the price and then the portions they bring. It was stupid small portion, mind you there was plenty of lamp, but almost no Pallow. The Mantu was okay at best. I am a big Mantu person and I thought it was just okay. I don't plan on coming back.
(2)Mike B.
Five stars as hot as the sun. Oh Faryab, you've eluded me. Sitting so daintily across the street from Caddies. Oh, you just sit there, don't say anything. Don't be flashy at all. All quiet like being like "yeah, I'm good". Just sit there with your red sign that says "Faryab: Afghan Cuisine" and be like.. "hey, I'm a small restaurant that serves Afghan food." And then we like go there on a Saturday night and it's almost like packed. Like the next table had to wait . That's how full it was. You look at the menu and you're like. That sounds delicious and that sounds delicious and that sounds delicious. Pretty much everything has yogurt. But, it's not like yogurt I've had before- it's much more delicious. Let's take you through the meal. 1. Small salad ( with yogurt dressing) . I would buy that dressing if it were in a bottle 2. Mashed potato and meat turnover. Delicious. Comes with a yogurt dipping sauce. 3. Dumplings with scallions and a yogurt meat sauce on it. I could have eaten those as my entire meal with some rice they were so good. I think they do actually have it in entree size. They didn't have an overwhelming amount of scallions. The dumpling wrapper was like perfect. The meat sauce was delicious 4. Eggplant with a meat sauce on top. The most delicate and delicious eggplant ever. 5. Chalow Kadu- the pumpkin dish. Simply the best pumpkin I've ever had. Stewed, delicious, sweet, that has depth, and is so tasty. This also has a little yogurt on top. It is SO Good. The portion is a little smaller. But with the rice, it's just enough. They also serve this bread with all this delicious pumpkin shiz. This is a place that you NEED to try out. It's one of my new favorite restaurants. I want to go there right now. No joke.
(5)Charles R.
Delish!
(5)Jacquelyn W.
The Yelp Luck Club's February destination was Faryab for some Afghan food. It's right in downtown Bethesda and an easy walk from the metro. Major downfall for me was that we went on a Friday during Lent, which means no meat. They do have some vegetarian options, but when you check out the menu, meat is the money dishes. We did the whole thing family style, so we had so many dishes. I tried the Aushak (scallion-filled dumplings) without meat sauce, Pakowray Kachalu (fried eggplant), and Chalow Kadu (steamed pumpkin). All of them were fantastic. The Chalow Kadu definitely took the cake though. I can't even explain how delicious that dish was. All the meat dishes looked incredible, so I definitely want to go back to try them.
(4)Morgan M.
The food was great! Had the Chalow Kadu (pumpkin), Mantu (dumpling with ground beef), and Aushak (dumpling with scallion and meat sauce). They were all so delicious. The Chalow Kadu was sweeter than I've had before but I still loved it. The portion sizes were just right. The atmosphere could use an updated look and the restaurant was almost empty when we got there on Friday evening but the service was good and I will definitely come back.
(4)Lan N.
3.5 stars. This is my first time trying Afghan cuisine, so I don't have much to compare. I ordered some of the most popular Yelp dishes like the pumpkin, the eggplant, and the chicken. I thought that the chicken and the eggplant were quite yummy, though I don't know how you can charge $16 for eggplants. The pumpkin was a touch too sweet for my taste. I really liked the dumplings, esp with the yogurt and meat sauce. Overall, it was a fun experience.
(4)Samuel N.
I couldn't believe how good the food was. The tastes were excellent and unique. Every component was great from the main dish to the rice and bread and even the Afghan tea. Service was also quick and courteous with a very quiet atmosphere.
(5)Sarah H.
Absolutely one of my favorite restaurants in the DC area. I have random cravings for the Ausk when I'm back home in San Francisco because it's that good. The service here is great and it's got a nice, simple interior. I also highly recommend the Quabili Pallow which is a very traditional Afghan dish with lamb and raisins. My parents are big fans of the pumpkin dishes as well.
(5)Fred G.
Good food!. Not 2 high on the appetizers but service was definitely under par! Food took one hour 2 get 2 the table after waiting 20 min just 2 order! Doesn't sound so bad if you're Ok with waiting but we were 1 of 3 couples in the restaurant when this place has 30+ tables! Smh
(1)Merida F.
I went with my girlfriends ater hearing a lot about Faryab from friends and Yelpers. We had the chicken & lamb kabob and it was excellent. It was fairly empty when we walked in and were seated right away. My only gripe was that the waiter asked us if we wanted a plate of steamed spinach and he made it sound like it came with my meal. As it turned out it didn't come with it and it was be an additional $7! I talked to the owner about the misunderstanding and he very kindly removed it from the bill.
(4)Janet L.
Yipeeee! Yum! GO HERE. DO IT. From the outside, it doesn't look like much, but just go INSIDE. Delicious Afghan food! The tea was wonderfully spiced, add some sweetener to your liking. The bread they serve is puffy and great just by itself. It's also great to pick up any of the yogurt/meat sauce that is leftover from your food. And yes, yogurt and meat topped on everything is always great! **Green salad - This came with the food and the dressing (I believe a yogurt based one) was delicious! **Pakowray Bademjan (fried eggplant with yogurt and meat) - The eggplant tasted of fried goodness, and the yogurt made it feel a little less oily. **Sabsi - Just a bowl of garlicy spinach. Great on its own... but extremely great with the basmati rice or with the bread. **Kabu (pumpkin and yogurt meat sauce) - The pumpkin is soft (just the right consistency), sweet and warm and the yogurt meat sauce gives just the right amount of savory taste to make this side dish great. (This is definitely a must) **Mantu entree - Dumplings dumplings oh dumplings! The wrappers have been cooked just right... and meat on the inside and meat on the outside with yogurt? It really can't get better than that. The spices and onions and garlic make it just right! The appetizer comes with 4 and the entree comes with 8 of these dumplings (I believe so , but I ate too fast to keep count) **Kabob-E-Gousfand (lamb skewers with basmati rice) - OH THE BASMATI RICE was GREAT. Look for an entree that comes with that rice! The lamb skewers had just the right marinade, many layers of taste... the only thing was it was a little tough to eat (it could have been a little more tender) - The reason I give 4 stars and not 5 is because the service could be a bit better (the food was slow to come out, it took a great deal of time and waiting to get our checks, etc) - however, the staff was friendly. In addition, the food is a little overpriced, but it can definitely be worth it if you're willing to splurge at some point!:)
(4)Lily R.
New favorite restaurant! Go here! Seriously, everything was sooo good. The chalow kadu entree (stewed pumpkin with basmati rice) was amazing. So delicately spiced and perfectly sweet with yogurt sauce. I could have eaten it forever. We ordered several appetizers, all of which involved a variation on ground meat and yogurt sauce, and all of which were different and fantastic. The fried eggplant app was a personal favorite. Even the salad was great, with a tasty dressing of- you guessed it- yogurt! The food was so good, we were thinking about going there for lunch again the next day, but it was closed. Just a heads up, the man who greeted us and seated us was a bit off-putting. He gave us a lecture on not using phones in his restaurant, because they are evil, which is a valid point- but also, I'm about to yelp the crap out of this meal, and I need my phone for that. He just kept going on, and we were like, whatever sir. Lay off the lecturing of patrons. But I would absolutely put up with it for more of that sweet, sweet pumpkin.
(5)Brian S.
A quaint, friendly place that serves the tastiest Afghani dishes. We enjoyed the Aushak and Mantu appetizers for the table, and then the Cuabili Pallow and a couple of the Goushti dishes for entrees (my favorite had the garlic spinach), plus a side dish of savory pumpkin. And I actually liked the Afghan Baklava better than traditional Greek. All-in-all, a delicious evening out.
(4)Rick S.
For an appetizer we tried the following: Sambosa-e-ghousti, Pakowray Kachula and Aushak. Each was tasty but surprisingly not spectacular. For the main course I ordered the Shrimp Kabob and burance badenjan (sautee eggplant with yogurt). Server lost my shrimp kabob order and did not bring out any Afghan bread to the table. The shrimp were tasty, reminded me of Greek shrimp. A subtle garlic flavor with lemon, cooked right, meaning not over cooked and with charring; but $24 for 6 small shrimp...hmmm, maybe not. The egg plant was similar to Sicilian eggplant with a few drops of plain yogurt that unfortunately could hardly be tasted. The food was good but I was surprised not as good as I expected. I am certain we just hit an off night (hey the restaurant was full and it was Wednesday night).
(3)Sweetie P.
Faryab is our very special treat-ourselves restaurant. Open only for dinner. There is something about this place that is gourmet "comfort food" for us. Eat-in tastes much better than take-out. Faryab is casual enough, we have never waited for a table, it has attentive, kind service and has a full bar. It's not cheap but you can keep the tab down if you drink the endless tea instead of alcohol. After dining here for years, these are our favorite dishes: The "KABU" pumpkin (side dish/appetizer) is sweet roasted pumpkin topped with yogurt and tomato-meat sauce. If you've never had afghan food, this Kabu is THE dish that brings us back. We always get it. What an odd but perfect culinary combination: Pumpkin, yogurt and meat sauce. I have tried to make Kabu at home over the years, and it's a lot of work and never can come close. Note: The entrée size of KABU on the Faryab menu is listed as the vegetarian-style "KABU CHALLOW". It is just pumpkin and yogurt. If you're not a veg and want an entree size of this pumpkin dish, I highly recommend you ask for this specifically WITH the "side" of the tomato meat sauce. (Ask for an Entrée size of KABU With Meat Sauce, and NOT the vegetarian Kabu Challow). We also order the "CUABILI PALLOW" entree. This is a generous serving of chunks of very tender Lamb, mixed in with basmati rice, raisins and carrots. It's mildly sweet. filling, and very comforting. The "ANUSHAK" entree is like the Afghan version of Ravioli. Very think skinned dumplings filled with mild scallions and a bit of mint. It's covered in yogurt and meat sauce. Just enough mint, not overpowering. Comfort food! Entrees include endless yummy bread and a tasty salad. We love faryab.
(5)Neal Gone Daddy H.
Great service. Lamb kabobs were scrumptious as were the beef dumplings. Draft beers a deal. Servers were very sweet with our toddler. Humble utilitarian ambiance suits us well. 5 stars for sure! We're going back tomorrow
(5)Angela P.
Faryab is the epitome of ethnic foods. I took my parents here for dinner a year ago and they loved it, too. The Quabili pillow and pumpkin kadu are a must. I would order them together to bite the sweetness of the kadu. I also recommend the sabsi as an entree or app since I'm a sucker for slow cooked spinach. Samosas were good and is an easy app to share. I thought the speed of the service was fine; no outrageous wait times. This is pretty much ethnic soul food and it left here w/ the inner foodie very happy. Give this place a try if you're ready for something new to wow you. Street parking or garage parking.
(5)Erin F.
Faryab is a very good restaurant in Bethesda. We got there 30 minutes before the place closed and they seated us and got us our food quickly and piping hot. That's probably do to the modular nature of their menu, but it was nice to get food fast. We split one entree between two plus another side and that felt like the right amount of food. We had lamb with spinach. The lamb was alright- a little grisly. The spinach itself was very good. The eggplant side was fantastic, especially the yogurt sauce. The salad with yogurt sauce was also very good. The price point was a little bit more than you would expect in a restaurant like this, but not egregiously so. We would go back but wouldn't propose going there.
(3)Kate P.
Marvelous! Simple, unpretentious vibe and decor. Our service was great. Kadu pumpkin (appetizer/side) -- amazing!! Flavorful and fresh, perfectly mildly sweet with yogurt. Bread -- soft yet crisp with a bit of sesame. Wonderful. Mantu (entree) -- hearty yet not overly heavy -- beef dumplings with yogurt. Fantastic flavor, very plentiful sized dish. Parking is street or there is garage across the street.
(5)Arnaud C.
Faryab had to be one of my very first review on Yelp, because I LOVE this place. I must have been here half a dozen of time in a year, always tried something different and was always amazed! My advice: don't be afraid to order the most unusual dishes! And order an extra Kadu on the side. You won't regret it. Cherry on the top: the waiter is a really nice guy, and never forget to remind me of my last visit months before. How does he do that?!? Amazing! Faryab: see you soon, again and again and again!
(5)Maja M.
The decor was nice. Not too over done but just right. Afgan music playing but not too loudly as with some restaurants. I got the lamb with sweet & spicy turnips. It came with a side salad which they brought out for me while I waited on my main dish. I also got the Afghan tea, it was freshly brewed as I think I was probably the first customer of the night as I got there at 5:40pm. They open for dinner at 5pm. 1 guy arrived very shortly after me. He must have been a regular b/c of the way the waiter talked w/ him. The tea was really good. I had 2.5 cups. The food was well seasoned, savory, and oh so good. I will no dault be going back. The waiter was really nice and personable. Good service. I was there for about an hour as I often like to take my time and savor the flavors especially if the food is really good. While I was there 6 other tables came. The portions were large enough that I have left overs to take back. The waiter was great in recommending on how to reheat the food without over drying the meat. This was my 1st time trying Afgan food, and I must say this was a great 1st impression. I will be back
(5)Alok S.
Good food.. But a bit pricy... Its a good option if you want to try something different... Taste was great but i found it pricy ... Mayb coz of the area it is located at. So its definitely worth a try...
(3)Deb H.
The best soup ever. For vegetarians, get it without the meat sauce it's amazing. Got the vegetarian eggplant entree and it was delicious, tender and flavorful. They provide bread and rice with the entrees. For dessert, get the rice pudding with the funnel cake like bread. Eat them together and you will be verrrrrrrry pleased with your meal. Awesome place!
(5)Helen C.
The mantu dumplings are unbelievably good! The yogurt sauce is the perfect complement to the beef and the other spices. Made me extremely full. Also, I tried the goush-e-feel dessert, which looks like an elephant ear but tastes somewhat like the fried crackers that Chinese restaurants give you before a meal. It also had the same texture - I was hoping for something more dough-y and chewy. Thumbs down to the dessert; I will stick to baklava next time.
(5)Alik W.
It's been a long time since I've tried Afghani, so thought I'd give this place a spin. Very tasty; the recommendations below to try the dumplings are seconded, and I can also recommend the Shalgum Ghosht (lamb and turnip stew). Many of the dishes are a little on the sweet side, which I like, but my dinner companion didn't. The pumpkin side in particular (kaddu) was yummy to me but not him. The reason this isn't a five-star review: price. $90 for two people for a shared app, two entrees, one shared side, and two glasses of the cheap house Cabernet. I'm not a Washingtonian, so I recognize my price barometer is off, but it seemed steep to me. Either way, Yelp's rating of this place as ($$) is way off. It's ($$$) at least. I'm glad I was on a travel expense account, because if I weren't, I'd feel kind of cheated.
(4)Claire S.
Faryab is one of my favorite restaurants ever, hands-down. Every time I come to DC to visit my family we have to go here. It is a bit pricy for every day, but is perfect for special occasions. I love the sabsi chalow (sautéed spinach). I've tried to re-create it at home, but I can never capture that same taste. All of the appetizers are wonderful, and my family really enjoys the chicken and lamb kebabs. The owner is a wonderful, nice gentleman, and all of the waiters we've had have been friendly and helpful. I can't wait to return.
(5)Jennifer N.
Faryab, this is going to sound like I'm being tough on you, but please understand that I think you have something good, and with some tweaks, some refining, and some polishing, you could actually be a very good restaurant. So this all comes from a place of love. Here are my thoughts: First, dear Faryab, you are plagued by decor issues. It's just a weird space -- and you have done absolutely nothing to create ambience (except for tack up a few random photographs and some strips of carpet). Just some small touches would do- anything to brighten up the bare tables (a candle? blue water glasses?) and the barren walls. There's also the weird entrance - you fall into the restaurant and stand at the un-manned host stand in the hopes that someone, anyone, will see you and seat you. It could be seconds, it could be minutes. All of this to say, diners want a space that's intimate and cozy (especially if they are paying $15-$22/entree) OR a place that's sleek and hip - if you can't do sleek and hip, then work on intimate and cozy. Second, the menu seems really appealing, but it's not so great if you're a vegetarian - every Afghan place I've been to has a veggie tasting menu -- so that veggies can eat pumpkin (kadu), eggplant (baigan), spinach, and okra -- Faryab is different insofar as you end up with a big plate of rice and one vegetable. I ordered the kadu and it was literally a big plate of rice, and some absolutely delicious pumpkin in yogurt sauce. I loved the pumpkin, and I loved the rice, but a big plate of rice and pumpkin wasn't the most exciting meal. If you're a carnivore, there are many more options at Faryab - my husband had the lamb cooked in spinach, which was tender and flavorful. Third, the salad/bread combination is a little weird -- all of the entrees come with a small side salad and a piece of bread. There's absolutely nothing Afghan about the salad (which is more the salad you get in economy class on a transcontinental flight than anything you'd want to eat), and I kept hoping the bread would be served before the meal (I don't love the idea of eating bread with my rice -- would you like some carbs with your carbs?) and preferably with some chutneys and sauces. So I'd suggest starting with the bread - preferably in a plentiful basket (as it stands now, it's one piece of bread per person) - eliminating the unexceptional salad, and then serving the main course. All in all, this felt more like eating something home-cooked than eating in a restaurant, which is fine, but at $17-$20 an entree, I'd love some ambience with my dinner. Oh, and one last suggestion: a website! With a posted menu! That way diners can know before they go!
(3)Gary H.
Everyone is right. Faryab is a great meal and very reasonably priced. Two people stuffed plus a bottle of wine for a flat Benjamin. The service was very professional and helpful. They're also right about the pumpkin. Don't miss it. Oh. Or the baklava.
(5)Sarah C.
Faryab is a tiny place that is easily missed - tucked in beside a cigar shop in the Woodmont Triangle area of Bethesda. It doesn't even have a website (though I've found a link to the menu, washingtondc.menupages.c… ). But this is a gem you will want to remember. The dining room is surprisingly sophisticated with touches of exotic artwork. The patrons are a mix of all types: families, older couples, young friends. I had never had Afghan food before, and I found it to be similar to both Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. I have read indifferent reviews in terms of service, but our server was very friendly, helpful, and enthusiastic. I ordered the mantu - tender steamed dumplings filled with spiced beef and topped with yogurt and tangy tomato. The entree came with a side salad - your standard iceberg and shredded carrot affair, made special by a tangy yogurt dressing. We ordered some sides to share: kabu - tender sweet pumpkin with yogurt, and buranee bademjan - smokey eggplant with yogurt and tomato. My companion, who is a vegan, had no problems ordering and the server even suggested an alternative dressing so that she could have a side salad. For dessert, she ordered a baklava that was excellent - not too sweet or dry, with just a touch of honey. We agreed that it was one of the better baklava either of us had tried. I ordered the rice pudding, which was sweet and creamy, topped with pistachios, and had a hint of rose water. I also had the Afghan tea, which was flavored with flowery cardamom. I was very impressed and plan to return in the future to try the aushak (dumplings similar to the mantu, but filled with scallions) and the lamb with onion and spinach, both of which I have heard good things about.
(4)Anne T.
Great food. Try the Chalow Kadu for something unique.
(4)