Maizbon

Sadly, Maizbon has closed its doors, gutted its interior, and shut down its website. I am extremely bummed about this West End loss.

Pretty good Afghan food. Its a beautiful place and the food is very aesthetically pleasing. I think its geared more to Americanized taste buds of what Afghan food should be. Little less kick than the traditional.
The Palow rice dish was too bland for me. The chicken breast kabob could have been a little more spicy but I give them props on the bolani (potato stuffed flat bread) and mantu (dumpling)…YUM!
I will be back to try the Aushak (leak filled dumpling) my fave.

I have been here for the lunch buffet twice, it was delicious. They serve this chicken on the bone in this red sauce which is absolutely amazing. The vegetables in another red sauce was also delicious. I love that they have brown rice for us health conscious people (tastes better too). The eggplant was insanely good, and tender. They didn’t have the eggplant the second time I went though, I hope they have it next time. I will definitely go back, and I’m going to try to find a friend who wants to go to dinner here.

Ok, let me start out by saying that this was my first time eating Afghan food. First the negatives… service could be better. It was a busy night, and the staff was super nice, but they just couldnt handle the volume of business. But, the food was excellent! The Kadu appetizer was amazing! Who knew pumpkin could taste so good. I also had a lamb dish for dinner (sorry, cant remember the name!), but it was also very good and the portions were HUGE. Im a big guy, and can put down a lot of food, but it was two meals for me! Give it a shot, you wont be sorry!

So I tried to give a half star because this little restaurant deserves 3 and ½… but Luddite that I am, I couldn’t figure out how to do that.
Anyway, knowing nothing about Afghan cuisine, I couldn’t tell you whether or not this was an authentic experience. As someone who dines out frequently, and I would hazard to say rather well, Maizbon delivers. The appetizers were extremely appetizing. The entrees were large enough to feed an embedded population of american journalists. The lamb was tantalizing. Drawbacks? Well, sometimes an underpopulated restaurant can be a drawback… you wonder if the rest of the populace knows something you don’t. At 7:30 on a Friday night, Maizbon, which has been recently reviewed as a Washingtonian Top 25 to Watch, was dead. Is this a problem? Probably only if you are one of those See and Been Seen people. Big plus? You can bring your own booze and there is… a zero corkage fee.
Everyone at my very discriminating table loved their meal… even the midwest girl who prefers everything breaded or with gravy. The staff was attentive without being fawning. We enjoyed the fanciful décor.
This place is definitely worth a try and probably a repeat visit.

We found this place quite by accident, it is located in a tired strip mall. The décor is new and very fancy. I guess it has only been open less than a year and is family owned and operated by native Afghans.
I have always liked Middle Eastern food but don’t think I have ever had Afghan food, which seemed similar to the other Middle Eastern foods and menus I’ve seen.
We had the lunch buffet, about $ 11, and it was absolutely delicious. All kinds of great veggies/​salad, eggplant, beans, lentils, rice, a wonderful chicken dish, and milk pudding for dessert. It was just delightful and we were so happy we found it.
Service was efficient and friendly. We can’t wait to go back!

BYOB, BYOB, BYOB, BYOB.
Okay this place gets 4 stars merely because the food is good and you can bring your own beer, wine, etc. without a corkage fee. Now that was music to my ears for two reasons:
1.) Half my bill is usually due to the libations.
2.) Most wine/​beer lists, even at quality restaurants, well, suck.
So. now what about the food?
Okay, I’ll give 4 stars as well. But, please take note that I can’t point to Kabul on a map, so my review of authentic Afghan food is probably on a par with my knowledge of all things Persian, which self-​admittedly lacks luster.
That said, I order a Mahi Kabob which was awesome. It came with very flavorful rice… which my husband said tasted like perfume, but oddly we both liked it. And two huge pieces of bread. We had more than enough food. (Hubby ordered the lamb kabob).
The bill was about 30 bucks (see why byob rocks?) and the décor was highly amusing.
It wasn’t very busy on a Friday night at around 8:00, so we hope this little place can make it. We’ll be back again.
Next time we’ll branch out and order something we can’t pronounce.

Maizbon is tucked away in an older strip mall just off I-​395, and from the outside it doesn’t look like much, but once you step inside you’ll forget it all. The inside is really well decorated, the servers are cheerful and helpful, and the food is just delicious! If you are looking for a tasty and reasonably priced meal, but want to eat in a nice place this is a great choice. One tip, if you’ve got more than four people in your group you should probably call ahead so they can make sure they have a couple tables pushed together for you.
As for the food, we started off with the Mantu (which was good), and the Kadu (which was really outstanding, nicely cooked and seasoned really well). The garden salad was nothing special, but the Roumi Panir salad was a delicious cross between a tomato-​mozzarella salad and a greek salad, but if you don’t like balsamic vinegar it may not be the best choice for you.
For entrees we tried:
Qabuli Palau — A huge pile of brown rice over lamb. The brown rice is aromatic, but not overpoweringly so, and the raisins add a nice touch of flavor as well. The lamb was quite tender, but not as juicy as the lamb in the Shorba. Overall a nice, light meal, but with enough to last two meals.
Badenjon Borani — I don’t normally like eggplant, but this was delicious.
Shorba — Basically an Afghan lamb stew, but served over chunks of naan-​like bread. The bread soaks up the juices, so you can eat your stew with a fork, which was new to me, but since the naan holds up to the liquid well, it worked. Since the stew is cooked in a pressure cooker, everything is amazingly tender and packed with flavor. This could easily serve two people.
Lamb Chops — Our server recommended this rather than the lamb kabob. Since we didn’t try that, we don’t know whether she was right that it is better, but it was certainly really good. The chops were thinned than the lamb chunks in the Shorba or Qabuli Palau, so I thought they might be dry, but they were well cooked, so they didn’t dry out, and stayed quite tasty.
Overall this was a great meal, and we would happily recommend it to anyone wanting to try Afghani!

**3.5 STARS**
First, this place is a classy joint. The décor inside is BEAUTIFUL and unique. There is even a sitting area with pillows to sit on in lieu of chairs. Despite it’s odd location in a strip mall, Maizbon is a hidden gem.
The food here is pretty good. You get a choice of either a house salad or a specialty Italian salad which is beyond yummy so I suggest getting that. It’s a piece of tomato covered in different cheeses and marinated peppers.
For dinner I had the Shami kabobs which were a bit bland. This came as a shock to me because the description on the menu stated it was in a «spicy marinade.» I think had the kabobs turned out a bit better, I would have definitely upped their star rating.
Friendly service, nice/​unique décor, and pretty decent food make dining at Maizbon worth at least one trip there. I might try this place again if ever I’m in the area and try a different dish.

The restaurant is very clean and nicely decorated. They have a good selection on the menu but a lot of the entrees contain lamb. They do offer vegetarian dishes and kabobs of either chicken or steak. With all entrees they offer either a side of Roumi Panir or Garden Salad and a choice of rice. I order the garden salad it was fresh and included a variety of vegetables (tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, roasted yellow and red peppers, olives, pickled vegetables); it was served with a yogurt dressing. The other people in my party order the Roumi Panir with thier entrée which was a slice of tomato covered with feta cheese, fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers, roasted tomatoes, fresh mint and basil, and sprinkled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Everyone enjoyed it. For my entrée I ordered the Kofta. The meatballs were very juicy and the sauce was spicy. The portions were very good and you get what you pay for. They also give you fresh bread with your meal.

Every so often, I type «buffet» into the search bar at the top of the screen and I see what comes up. Thankfully, something new came up. However, it was in this shopping center, one of the most poorly designed in existence.
I walked in and the waiter knew I meant buffet business. The buffet had all the basic options one would expect. A salad option, bread, several entrees, and a dessert. The salad was pretty fresh, with lots of ingredients including peppers, feta cheese, olives, cucumbers and tomatoes. There were 5 vegetable entrée options and 2 meat options. Not enough meat for my taste. My favorites were the mixed vegetables, eggplant and okra… very flavorful and stick to your ribs good. The chickpeas were ok and I don’t remember the other vegetable. The two meat options were a chicken curry and a risotto with meatballs. The chicken in the curry was very tender and the curry had a good flavor without being overpowering. The risotto with meatballs was not a good dish, at least wasn’t a very good buffet dish. The risotto was really mushy, probably due to sitting out. The dessert was firni, an Afghan pudding. Definitely a great way to end the meal.
The service was excellent and the server was on top of drink refills even before I thought about it. The place is decorated pretty nicely. However, the shopping center is basically a logistic nightmare i.e. parking, entering, navigating. I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned that in several other reviews of places in this shopping center. Despite this, I know I’ll be back here for more lunch buffet.

Definitely a beautifully decorated place with a great website and good tasting food. We came in last night planing to get carry out only, but a great place to sit for dinner if it wasn’t for the freaking snow! We were greeted by a beautiful hostess. I complimented the décor and the website and she suggested I read the reviews on Unilocal!I told her I’ll sure will check them out! As my bf and I looked over the menu we saw a great selection of Afghan dishes we will definitely try in the future. Our order was lamb kabob (me!) and Shami kabob. The way is written on the menu the Shami makes you think you get two types of kabob one ground beef and another pieces of lamb. What we got was ground beef and ground lamb meats mixed and shaped in a Kubideh like kabob. We were a bit disappointed, but see how one can make an honest mistake. Our order was ready in 20 minutes.
The total was about $ 28 and the kabobs came with a salad of choice garden or Roumi Panir, white or brown rice and bread. For one, I love the fact they have very nice take out containers!!! Total BONUS! The bread came wrapped in foil. Two small containers had a bruschetta like side, but had coriander, basil and other spices. I did not like the bread as much, it was crispy, not soft at all and missed the green sauce they have at Kabob Palace rather than this tomato bruschetta thing.
The Roumi Panir salad was fabulous! 2 thick tomato slices topped with feta cheese, fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers, and basil, with balsamic vinegar. I dipped my crusty bread on the balsamic.
The brown rice ROCKS! moist, full of flavor. My marinated lamb was just OK a bit dry for my taste. I counted 10 small pieces and I could not finish it all. My bf liked the rice too and his Shami kabob but missed the chick peas or the spinach from Kabob Palace.
I bet the competition is brutal at that shopping center, there are 3 other Kabob places to go to. Is a great addition, but we do miss the great sides, bread, and dipping sauce at Kabob Palace… not the one with the yellow tent, but the one over to the right 2 doors over in Arlington.

Pleasantly surprised. First off, I have to say I’m not a big fan of Afghan food, but I’ve been wanting to try this place. I loved the olive plate and the mashed potato/​fried thingy (can’t remember the name). I liked the dumplings with ground beef, too. I didn’t care for the eggplant dip, though, although my hubby liked it. He had the kofta, which he loved. The place is nicely decorated and our waitress was very nice. If I was ever in the mood for Afghan food again, I would come back. And yayy to the fact that VA has finally outlawed smoking (otherwise I would have never come in here as it used to be partly a hookah bar!)

After 2 visits I have a new favorite Afghan place! Service was attentive and gracious, the décor exotic, lighting soft, tables well-​spaced.
The mantu and aushak are delicate but the ample servings make for hearty meals. The Afghan macaroni is another heart choice. Entrees come with salads, but the appetizers are worth exploring. This is now by clear #1 choice for Afghan food. Next I want to delve into the vegetarian offerings. No alcohol served.

Loved, loved, loved the food here. We dined at Maizbon on Thanksgiving day. In keeping with the holiday, I had a pumpkin entrée (Kadu). It was warm and savory, well-​seasoned, and drizzled with a tasty saucy accompaniment. My bf had the lamb chops, and reported them to be tender, cooked to perfection and very flavorful. We loved their mantu (dumplings) as well, which we had as an appetizer. Oh, and not to be forgotten, we also consumed a delightful olive plate. The nan (bread) served with the meal was warm and every so slightly crisp. Its presentation was impressive, a fan shape spread out to fill its metal basket.
The décor was elegant and interesting. Time had clearly been taken in the design. The place was almost empty, so we enjoyed the quiet atmosphere. To top it off, we had the firni: (Afghan pudding made with milk, rose fragrance and pistachios, sprinkled with grated dry pistachios). It was a HUGE piece, but we finished every last bite.

I’m pretty sure I’ve never tried Afghan food before, but I was very pleased with the experience.
My dinner companion and I compared it to an interesting mix of Mediterranean food and South Asian cuisine.
The meal started off with salads that included feta cheese, olives, and balsamic vinegars (Mediterranean). But, the entrees definitely showed the South Asian influence with a blend of spices, mixed in with yoghurt sauces. We ordered a dumpling dish that reminded me of the pastas of eastern europe, but the sauce and meats reminded me of North Indian cuisine.
The décor might be considered a bit over the top, with this lounging area that is meant to look like the inside of a cave. And the famous National Geographic picture made into a painting.
But, the service was really sweet and genuinely kind. I really appreciated that.
Too bad they are located in a shopping plaza, that makes them a bit difficult to find. But, it only adds to the charm.
Thanks to Donald P. for sending me to this place! I’ll definitely go back for the brunch one day.

3.5 stars
Good lunch buffet, and reasonably priced. On weekdays, it was something like $ 9. There were about twelve items, including two kinds of rice, salad, and dessert.
I think one of the best compliments you give a buffet is to say that things don’t all taste the same, and thankfully every dish has a distinct flavor. Everything seemed pretty tasty, particularly the sabzi (spinach with beef dish) and the palau, although I was getting a little bored with the food the second time around. I initially really liked the eggplant, which is tender and wonderfully silky, but it started to remind me of eggplant parmesan after a while. Maybe it wasn’t spiced enough?
Like most buffets, the naan suffers from sitting out and can be hard. The kabobs had a good flavor and were tender enough, but also a bit dry and overly salty. It wasn’t super busy while we were there, but it seems like they bring out new kabobs and naan and refill the other dishes pretty frequently.
Although desserts seem to usually be an afterthought at these kinds of buffets, I really enjoyed the firni, a milk pudding with pistachios and cardamom? Very mild and refreshing. Next time I’ll make sure to save more room for dessert.
They’ve done an amazing job decorating this place, particularly when you compare it to the somewhat spartan ja jang myeon restaurant that used to be here. Service was friendly and really adds to the atmosphere.

I’m a seasoned diner at Afghan restaurants and am always on the look out for a new place to try.
Went for dinner this evening. Place was quiet, a few tables filled but plenty of open seating. Décor was nice. They’ve obviously put some time and money into the place. Service was as expected for a somewhat slow evening — prompt and efficient.
We were seated near the hostess station — and had to endure about 30 minutes of the hostess chatting with her girlfriends and other servers from the restaurant. Hopefully this is only a temporary thing related to a lack of maturity in running the place — but it was highly annoying.
Started with appetizers. The Afghan fries were excellent. Nicely cooked, presented and seasoned. The pakawra-​e-​badenjan was good, but not great. The eggplant was sliced too thickly, cooked too long, the coating was not crisp enough, and the meat sauce didn’t have enough spice. This appetizer is my test of Afghan restaurants and they did just okay with it, but nothing special.
Our main dishes were the qabili pallaw and the lamb kabobs. The qabili was excellent. Moist, flavorful, with the right mix of lamb, rasins, carrot and rice. The kabob was over cooked, as in down right dry. Disappointing.
Overall it seemed as though they dumbed down the spice — as in really toned it down. I was expecting a stronger hit of cardamon.
Portions were nicely sized. Pace of service was perfect. Price was reasonable ($ 58 for two, with appetizer and main dish, and tip) Food was inconsistent. I’m sure it’s just because this is a new place and they haven’t quite got all the details worked out. I’ve been hoping for an Afghan place to open near me, and I’m positive that they’ll get the flaws worked out.
Bottom line — This place has solidly good Afghan food. Make your food choices wisely and you’ll be rewarded with a very nice dining experience. Choose poorly and you’ll be disappointed. I’ll be going back again in a couple of weeks, to see if the inconsistencies are being improved on — and to try a wider variety of offerings. Go eat, it’s worth a try.

Maizbon is an amazing find and unique Afghan restaurant with an intriguing interior décor and excellent service. Taking a moment to look at the interior themes, and you appreciate more of its heritage, including a cave room, golden palace room, traditional kitchen-​theme bar area, and last but not least the iconic portrait of National Geographic’s Afghan Girl.
This restaurant just opened last week although their grand opening celebration is yet to come. We tried the weekend lunch buffet for $ 10.99. This was our first time having Afghan food, so it was only appropriate to try the buffet so we could try a little bit of everything. There must have been a dozen things to choose from. If you enjoy Indian food, you will find many similarities in the types of foods, with one notable difference… it is a bit lighter on the spices, and as I understand it… the spiciness level looks something like this.
— Pakistani food is VERY SPICY
— Indian food is SPICY
— Afghan food is MILD
Me and my wife thoroughly enjoyed the delicious food, unique atmosphere, and friendly and attentive service. Definitely looking forward to another visit. Their weekend lunch buffet lasted until 4pm, but they have a regular menu as well. After 9pm or so I believe the atmosphere changes as they offer hookah pipes then. They don’t serve any pork or alcohol. The atmosphere is a tad on the classy, maybe even romantic side, so you may feel strange walking in like a scrub.
Since this was my first try at Afghan food, and it had a delicious buffet, it doesn’t get any better for me. Can’t wait to come back.
—— 1÷14÷010 — — -
Weekday Lunch Buffet
11:30am — 3:00pm
$ 8.99

I went here for the first time today with my Pops, and wow, we were in awe at the décor as soon as we walked in, very Afghan swanky. One of the first people I noticed was a guy I’d seen at Valentino’s many times, he’s the owner of both and the creative genius of Maizbon’s décor. That family is a money makin machine I tell ya. They put a lot of money into this place and they’ve got the quality service and food to back the front.
We were seated and provided with a couple very unique menus. Our server took our beverage order, one green tea with cardamom steeping at the bottom, and one chai, both of which were quite tasty. We placed our order and within a couple minutes our teas and salads came out. Their house salads are pretty good, (iceberg lettuce, red onions; pickled carrots, cauliflower, and bell pepper; and a nice little variety of olives), accompanied by a homemade yogurt sauce. Not the typical kabob side salad, a little bigger, not special, but tasty nonetheless. How much can you say about a salad?
Now, for the knity-​grity. As some of you already know, I’m in search for the best kabobs in town, and although this place seems a but upscale in comparison with your typical kabob joint, their food is really good. Their chicken kabobs, although not as char-​grilled as I’m used to, were very tender and super flavorful topped with sumac. Their lamb kabobs, also not what I expected, were about six or seven chops flavored and grilled to perfection. I can honestly say they were the best damn chops I’ve had to date. Lets not leave out their basmati rice, white and brown mixed, flavorful and perfectly cooked. They also provided us with some fresh naans, and red and green hot sauce. I was just going down the list in my head checking everything off. I can’t wait to bring my habeebati here.
The owners, who were super-​friendly, came up to us to make a little small talk and offered more chicken and/​or lamb. I was amazed at the degree of their generosity. These guys sure know how to get a business going. I intentionally saved a chop, some chicken, rice and naan for my sweet. So as my carry-​out container sat there while we waited for the tab to be processed, the owner came over to our table with a big as chicken kabob and slid those bad boys into my takeout, again — wow…
To sum up, they’ve only been open for a week, their décor is awesome, their staff and owners are extremely friendly, their food is superb, and they’re reasonably priced, especially considering how swanky and decked-​out the place is. Their located in the plaza behind Valentino’s, so next time your in the neighborhood, stop by and give’em a shot.