Sami's Kabab House

Food: I ordered the Mixed Afghani lunch special from here for $12.99. Lunch specials are to go only. The lunch special included a few pieces of chicken kebab and a ground lamb kebab along with salad and rice. The rice was very flavorful and delicious. The meat was overall good, but some pieces were a bit dry. Overall, I really enjoyed the flavors of the food and would get it again. Service: Staff were really friendly, but the service was quite slow considering we were the only ones ordering food at the time. I wouldn't come here if you're looking to grab a quick lunch to go. Ambiance: The restaurant is small but has tables for you to eat at. They automatically charge a 20% gratuity for parties of two or more if you want to dine in. Overall, I would recommend this place!

Ordered delivery from here and had a great experience! Got the Uzbeki qabuli pulao, Mantu dumplings and chicken afghani kebab. The qabuli pulao was the standout, followed by the dumplings. Really liked the pilaf and the sauces were great. It was also a ton of food and we had a lot of leftovers - the dream. Would order again!

Afghan food in NYC seems to be focussed on a low-ish cost, casual restaurant where you can fill yourself up or grab or a large takeaway. While I do think this absolutely an important niche to serve, especially in more residential neighborhoods like Astoria, I must admit that this isn't a niche that I usually aim towards since I'm more likely to just cook for myself. Vibe in the restaurant is casual but really friendly. The Afghan green tea was really mild with just a hint of cardamom and this is coming from someone who generally prefers their tea borderline under-extracted. Its most notable quality was that it was hot. The mantu are these dumpling dressed in lamb stock and a garlic mint yogurt sauce. The dumpling skins are nice and thin, the meat inside was juicy and flavorful, and the dressing on top just provided some welcome acidity and an extra hit of savory flavor. Actually pretty solid although something you should finish while its hot as I do feel like it got notably worse as it cooled down but that's not at all the fault of the restaurant. Entrees here are served with rice and optional Qabuli, an option I do recommend going for if you've never had it before. The rice and qabuli is a nice mix of slightly sweet and spiced although maybe a bit greasy for some. Meats at this point are generally nicely flavored but not amazing texture-wise. Kababs had a nice char but were a bit tough and the korma was a smidge dry but still well within the edible range. The eggplant was arguably my favorite thing of the bunch as it still had the spice and flavors that they do a good job at without suffering at all from imperfect meat. If you've already had and enjoyed Afghan food in the city, then I'd say this restaurant is an easy recommendation if you want something filling and comforting. If you haven't I think its worth giving it a try here, just make sure to come in expecting a restaurant aimed at feeding a community rather than impressing visitors.

Best food on Vernon blvd, hands down. No disrespect to several other highly qualified spots (shout out Dai Hachi and Safir), but Sami's ALWAYS leaves me feeling right. Where do I begin? Jollof rice is bomb with proper warm seasoning over those long, tender grains. Not to mention the accompanying sweet carrots and raisins that make my mouth water just writing about them. Those afghan dumplings drenched in lamb gravy? Heart-stopping experience, especially when you mix that saucy gravy with the jollof rice. The meat took me a couple tries to get right, but now I know: The kebab is a bit dry for my taste, and this always bummed me out a bit, but the last time I ordered the lamb shank (Uzbeki Qabuli Pulao) and sucked every last fiber of meat off that bone. Fire. Finally, if you pay cash you'll get a free dessert that is rich yet light -- the perfect finish to your meal. I recommend take out from this smaller location on Vernon; if you want to sit down, head north 15mins to their main spot where you can also BYOB.

This is a neighborhood restaurant we've always wanted to try! It's small inside with a couple of tables. When we placed our order, our waiter told us they don't provide water and you can only buy bottled water. I thought this was illegal in NYC but whatever... we bought 2 bottles. We ordered 2 appetizers: the kachalau and manti. The kachalau was crispy and filled with potatoes, but we all loved the manti. They had a great kick to them and the beef inside was yummy. Two others got the lentil soup and chicken soup, and said they enjoyed both. For entrees, we got the chicken kofta kebab, bamiya (okra), and the lamb chops all with the delicious rice with raisins and carrots. We also got a side of afghani bread. The food was very tasty and the highlight was the lamb chops which were cooked to perfection. Don't forget to mix the rice with the white sauce and the green/red hot sauces! We had an issue with our food originally. The owner did a good job of fixing the issue and giving us a new dish. He also gave us tea and dessert on the house, which made up for this issue. Overall, we had a good dinner here but do wish they provided tap water for guests!