Midtown Kabob

Rice and chicken wad no taste at all
Try any other kabob around charcoal kabob is much more better than this

I CANNOT believe this place only has a 3.5-star rating! This has been one of my favorite place in the area, if not #1. They have absolutely the best kabob I’ve had, whether it’s the kubeda, lamb, or chicken. And their bread is out-​of-​this-​world! I suggest the combo which is basically one more full-​size meat for $ 3 – 4 more, but it also comes with two types of rice with very distinct flavors. It’s totally worth it because that dish is good for 2 full meals. The regular plate is about 1.5 meals. For the sides, the spinach is good but the halim is outstanding. Basically, everything is just so good!
Two (sort of) bad things: One, it takes about 10 – 15 minutes to get your food. Second, you smell like kabob when you come out of the restaurant. Minor speed bumps on the road to heaven!
Table-​for-​1 Factor: Yes, yes, yes.

Can I say WOW. At first I didn’t believe the reviews for this spot. It’s really small, kinda looks like a typical fast food spot. But holy cow was I surprised. My meal was $ 11 and it was DELICIOUS!!! I will def be back as the service was good, quick and the food was yummy.

Bad overpriced food. Meat seems very not fresh. I went in with very high hopes and left very disappointed. The food was no good. This place would be bad anywhere and is especially bad being next to so many good options. I love this kind of cuisine and it left me craving the real deal.

I’ve spent most of my 35 years in the DMV seeking a really good Gyro… MIDTOWN KABOB HAS IT.
1. They actually pile on the meat (one Gyro can be easily shared), which in turn is always fresh and perfectly seasoned and cooked
2. The pita, veggies, and sauces are all fresh, flavorful, and great
Yes, the restaurant is small, not much seating, though they have added a few outdoor tables recently. And if you’re in a rush there are plenty of places that will slap together a low grade, dried out, gyro for you quickly — Midtown will take a good 10 minutes, but do it right.
The answer to both the small seating size and wait is to simply order ahead, show up in 10 minutes, and take it with you. They are right next to the town square park or just take it home if you live nearby — which is what I do.
BEST GYRO IN DMV, from someone who has tried just about every place else :)

Yikes! I’ve definitely experienced better kabobs, in a better environment, for a better price. Even Moby Dick (the chain kabob place) is worthier. And I say «even» because I tend to stay away from fast-​casual, chain restaurants.
The overall atmosphere was very casual and quiet during dinner on a recent Friday evening. The tables are too small for the number of plates/​bowls you get with an entrée (three on average). This was annoying because we had five people, and I had to eat my meal very carefully. Anyway, I hated the fact that I was charged $ 13+ for the low-​carb version of the chicken kabob and a side. Low-​carb here means no rice or naan. Instead, you get a couple of charred tomatoes, three slices of zucchini, and half a cooked onion. This doesn’t make up for the lack of other carbs at all! Plus, the entrée was the same price! Why should it be the same if I get no rice or naan? Shouldn’t I get to save something? I got a side of chickpeas which were watery and flavorless. The chicken pieces were tiny but tasted alright. There were too many lettuce leaves on the plate, and I left feeling hungry. I know, I know: that’s why they give naan and rice, but typically kabob places give SO MUCH that I can’t finish it all. I hate wasting food, and I always finish the meat first. So, I was glad to see the low-​carb option. I wish there was some middle ground…
The ONLY things I liked about this place were the sauces and the sumac you can add yourself. There is a yogurt sauce and a green sauce; both added great flavors to my entrée. The sumac was spicy and wonderful when mixed together with everything else.
Bottom line: even if you’re craving kabobs, don’t venture out here. Don’t do it! The food add-​ons can’t make up for what this restaurant lacks.

I live in the building over this joint and just love having quick access to their quality food. The sides are authentic and delicious. A Gyro fresh sliced off the loaf with raw onions and I am good to go! Very reasonable.

Love and then really, really dislike this place. It’s pretty back and forth but mostly dislike. On a good day, I can get my chicken kabob platter in a timely matter. On a bad day, my order gets forgotten. This happens even on a not so busy day and I end up waiting a long time even after they insist that it’s coming.
I had one instance where someone who ordered the same exact thing after me and got it faster than I did. I asked why my order wasn’t done yet and the cashier lady said it takes 15 mins to make. I can’t see why when someone after me got the exact order before me in way less time than I did. Finally when I get it, they gave me a smaller portion than I usually get and they were not at all apologetic for making me wait for so long (a good solid 40 minutes). I literally turned into a skeleton waiting for my food. It wasn’t even busy that day! Forgetting my food isn’t a one time thing, but this one visit was just horrible.
The food is really good which makes it so hard to understand why the service can’t be any better. If it was, this place would be amazing! I definitely don’t come here as often now after all of the unhappy visits. I’m ok with the mess ups here and there but the screw ups have been more often than not. Top it off with them not owning up to forgetting/​mixing up orders and being unhappy with you for checking in to make sure they didn’t forget your order. It’s just not always a fun visit.

The food here is actually quite good. However the reason for my 1 star rating is the cleanliness of the restaurant [or lack thereof] and rudeness of the management. I was here eating with a friend when a fairly decent sized roach came from the kitchen door and crawled under our table and across the floor. We told management about it. They were rude and didn’t care there was a roach crawling around on the filthy floor (there was food all over the floor here). They left the roach and went back to the kitchen to cook. We asked for a refund and they would not give one. I will not eat here again.

Food is not very good. I will not be back. Lamb kabob tasteless and dry. Only 2 veggie choices that never change– spinach and chick peas. Mediocre.

This place was very clean and had lots of seating. I shared the lamb and kubedah combo and it was still very filling! The portions were on par with other kabob joints in the area, and for $ 16 it is fairly reasonably priced. Both meats were very moist and tender. They have squeeze bottles of the green and white sauces which is always a win in my book. The naan was very soft and fluffy on the outside but crispier in the middle. The chickpeas were not the best I’ve had but still very tasty. The cashier was very friendly and welcoming. Will definitely be coming back here!

March, 2015 Update. .. Midtown is a good place for a dinner then movie evening. The foods good, it’s not crowded, parking is easy and it is short walk to the Reston theatre.
.. .
Again, some of he more popular places are .“conversation killing loud and crowded., imo.
Midtown wasn’t.. .. Only downside is that it’s not easy carrying a leftovers box into the cinema. No worries, parking was close enough that my date put her vegitarian choice in the car and then we walked to the movie.
My date is vegitarian, I’m not but I orderred the same thing she was having and it was very tasty and I enjoyed it.. .. I did miss the meat protein, how do vegiterrians fill that Paleo ancestors’ requirement?

great Kabobs in Reston. Authentic Afghan food. great bread! nice modern restaurant. Great friendly service. Good tastes amazing.

I am Brazilian and I can testify that these guys have the best kabob I have ever tried.

Great spot! the smell walking in there of the naan is delicious. Must get the beef kabob. The rice does not have much taste, but, wait, what’s that?! YES they have an amazing yogurt sauce that makes up for it. My lovely date and I loved the spot. It was her idea of coming. And I must say I am impressed! Overall clean and the chai is amazing ! If you like spicy, go for the spinach as a side.

I wasn’t too impressed with Midtown Kabob. The meat was dry, the portions weren’t very generous, and the service wasn’t great. I visited during lunch and ordered the beef kabob salad. The salad dressing was almost inedible for me because it was so bitter. The meat was so dry and tough that I almost gave up eating it. The woman at the cash register was also sort of surly. The prices are also laughable for the quality if you want to get a kabob combo. You have to pay $ 20 for very low-​quality meat.
I just didn’t really enjoy this restaurant. I think there are better options for lunch in the Reston Town Center.

We had the lamb kebob platter and the kubedah (ground beef) kebob. It was our first time here and although it was empty, it was delicious! It was PLENTY of food for my husband and myself. Make sure you try the two sauces that are in the cooler. Definitely will be back!

I agree with Rebecca M.‘s review from May 2013 in that Midtown Kabob is a nice alternative to the abundance of chain and sit-​down restaurants in RTC, especially if you’re just looking for some quick take-​out or counter service of a fairly authentically Afghan origin. Ordering can be a bit overwhelming at first, as the menu board is laid out pretty haphazardly, and the prices seem to change frequently, as evidenced by the taped-​over and written-​on prices next to the menu items. Expect to pay around $ 9-​$ 16 for a variety of wraps, kabob platters, and salads. Atmosphere, at least at dinner time, borders on depressing. Few customers, no ambient sound or music, employees looking bored and standing around, plenty of tables left to be bussed.
Lentil soup is fairly thick and pleasant and includes a side of adequately spicy green sauce. A good choice while you’re waiting for the rest of your food to come up.
Chicken Kubideh (ground chicken kabob) is served as a platter or a salad (I chose salad) — portion of chicken was ginormous and chicken (overlook the, ahem, funny shape) was very well-​spiced, juicy, and flavorful. Salad mix was depressing, just sad iceberg (same issue that plagues Reston Kabob, but not Sorrento in Herndon). Served with a side of aforementioned spicy green sauce and a side of bland yogurt sauce.
The other entrée I can comment on was the combo chicken/​gyro platter. Chicken was a bit dry and over-​salted, gyro meat actually wasn’t over-​spiced and didn’t seem immediately salty, but our parched mouths afterwards may indicate otherwise. Rice was decent, and the side of oven-​fresh pita bread really stood out when compared to Reston Kabob down the road… fluffier, more substance, and overall more flavor.
Side of chickpeas was a bit odd (served as a choice of side with platter), tasted very «wheat-​y», so maybe too much thickener?
I definitely want to try the Karahi for a spicier, authentic taste experience, and will steer clear of the salad option next time. Midtown Kabob seems to be neck-​and-​neck with Reston Kabob and Chacoal Kabob (sister store) for overall rating. More visits to all of the above necessary to declare a winner!

Decent alternative to the chain restaurants that dominate RTC, though I only order the «curries» rather than kabob. If you’re in Herndon, I recommend Charcoal Kabob which is owned by the same family – although the ambience is a bit more humble. The bread here is quite nice, as it is made fresh daily and served in generous proportions. The Karahi is awesome if you like spicy Afghan food with authentic flavors. Call ahead for big orders.

Good food primarily for takeout, but you can eat in as well. Those who work or live near the Reston Town Center seem to be enjoying their Afghan cuisine since it’s really busy at lunch. The kubedah here was tasty and liked the lamb kabobs, too. They use Halal meats. I thought the chicken kabob was excellent. They also serve tandoori chicken and gyros. You can try a side dish for an additional charge, enjoy freshly baked bread (excellent) while friendly people prepare your order. Rice and fresh salad accompany most entrees, sodas and teas are available from the fridge.
TIP: A small cup of green chili sauce accompanies the food, so you might need an extra if you’re like me and prefer a spicy meal. The food is reasonably priced unless you order a full platter.