Ariana Afghan Kebab Restaurant
“I have enjoyed the Kadoo Bolanee (pumpkin turnovers) & the Kabuli Palow & expect that I will enjoy it again today, my second visit!”
“We now live in San Francisco and every time we visit NYC, we have to visit Rafi and Ariana.”
“The aushak can’t be beat for homemade dumplings, filled with scallions and topped with tomato meat sauce and yogurt dressing.”
Ariana Afghan Kebab Restaurant
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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Loved the kabuli Palow (the special rice with raisins and seasonings), and could definitely eat the rice all on its own. Delicious food all around for about 15-20 dollars per entree, and the restaurant also has lunch specials for around 10-12 dollars but without the kabuli Palow (you can add it for 3 dollars extra). I did feel like the portions were a little too small and felt somewhat hungry at the end with one entree per person at the table so factor that in when coming to Ariana. Overall, fantastic restaurant with great food.
I had delicious Seamless from here — a sampler of the veggie curries (spinach, pumpkin, and eggplant). Of these, the spinach and eggplant were the stars, and I wolfed them down so quickly because they were luscious, delicious, flavorful, and addictive. The pumpkin was good but a bit heavy and a tad too sweet for my taste. The portion size was reasonably generous — more than enough food for one. I enjoyed the bread, though found it a little hard, as though it'd been fried.
I did find that after the meal, no amount of water could quench my thirst, which made me wonder a bit about the salt quotient in the meal. But it was still one of the more delicious Seamless meals I've had (and believe me, I've had a lot).
Rafi, the owner, is a great person and makes you feel right at home as soon as you sit down! Honestly, it felt like he was welcoming us to sit down to eat in his living room. Very friendly and helpful with answering any questions you have about the menu.
The variety of dishes is decent and offers a little something from a couple regions of Afghanistan. We ordered some rice and lamb as well as a few kebab's and had more than enough food for the two of us. You must use the spices on the table, they make everything better!
Finally, the atmosphere is great, I'm enjoying Hell's Kitchen more and more for it's unique character and Ariana's mos def adds to that.
Been coming here for years. Always good, always consistent in terms of food quality & service. Have dinner with my friend last night & it hit the spot.
I loved how cute this place looks!! Tiny, almost like my living room, accentuated with woody interiors and a very attentive server/owner(I think!). Everything we ordered was amazing from the best bet iced tea flavoured with cardamom to the entrees that we got- the chicken breast platter and the two kebab combo platters. It comes with skewered meat along with flavoured rice and a salad and everything goes beautifully well together. The rice are moist and plump with the grains cooked to perfection, the sald is a refreshing accompaniment which helps cut through the overall spices of the meal, and the meat itself was juicy and tender and so good. We ended our meal with their dessert- phirni which was melt in the mouth and had a texture similar to a good quality pana cotta- yum! Will be coming back!
This spot has been around for a bit and seems to be pretty popular but never crowded. Plenty of seating on a Sunday afternoon at this small location (no brunch nonsense).
To start, got the Spinach Samusa ($4) – creamy spinach fried empanada style and served with a tangy yogurt sauce. Could have been seasoned a little better, but good with the chili sauce at the table. For the main course, shared the Kebab Combo ($18) and the Eggplant Curry ($14). The Lamb and beef kebabs are marinated perfectly – barely needed anything added to it. The chicken was either undercooked or had a lot of cartilage; wasn't nearly as enjoyable as the other two meats. Eggplant dish is okay, went well with the rice, though could have used more veggies for some texture.
Service here is fast and friendly. We had asked for our dishes to be spicy, yet felt they could have been much hotter. A decent place for a filling meal.
Like the reviews state, the owner rafi is just such a nice guy. It is so nice to see a business owner so passionate about their business and take time to meet customers.
Big menu. I thought the food was good but I made a wrong choice. I wasn't wild about the tandoori chicken and I'd definitely go for the kebabs next time. The dreamy and creamy white sauce in a bottle is a must no matter what you order.
I think I'll be back…..
I wanted something exotic next time I was in New York and had seen this place leaving Manhattan last time I was here. I really enjoyed it. The curry is flavourful without being overwhelming and everything tasted fresh. A friend had the beef with noodles that had a wonderful yogurt sauce. I love food from this region so I could easily go wild in here. Rafi the owner came to our table and attended us. He is friendly and shares his philosophy which is warm and uplifting. I feel he really wants to see his clients happy and it's such a nice touch. There are plenty of food choices here and there is also a good for vegetarians. The rice is wonderful (red rice). If you want to escape and try something new this is definitely for you. It's a small restaurant with big flavor and it seems that Rafi's heart is just as big.