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Afghan Palace Cuisine - CLOSED
Category: Restaurants Afghan Afghan [Edit]
8685 Baseline RdRancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
(909) 466-3723
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
59 reviews for Afghan Palace Cuisine
Review Highlights
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"The chicken kabob was tender and very flavorful." In 10 reviews -
"Try the Eggplant dish, yummy." In 6 reviews -
"...also give you piping hot pita bread while you wait for your..." In 7 reviews
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59 reviews in English
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Review from Bob C.
CA
Updated - 3/26/2011
I've really held out hope that the obvious wasn't true, but like some of the best places to eat out here, it's now no more.
Some of the best food I've ever eaten. I've missed this place for a long time and really praying that it would reopen.
I really do not think that's going to happen. Sad day.
Sad day.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/13/2008
Wow.
Wow wow wow.
I came here for lunch the other day after having spied the reviews for a while… Read more »
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Review from Christine P.
Ontario, CA
7/12/2010
Incredible food and friendly people are definitely the main reasons to visit this restaurant. I haven't tried anything that I don't like. I'm always surprised that it isn't more crowded, especially on the weekends. Sometimes, we have the whole place to ourselves.
We usually start with the sampler appetizer platter: Hummus, Sabzi
(spinach mixed with garlic) and eggplant borrani (grilled egglant mixed with tomatoes). The soup is some of the best that I've had. If you go for lunch, they have some really good prices on kebobs (around $8-10). I love their koobideh kebob but recently tried the fish kebob...it was perfectly cooked and seasoned. It's not on the lunch menu though; you're going to pay full price ($14) for that one.
I never have room for dessert, but the owner explained that he makes his own ice cream, naming it the silky road (as opposed to the rocky road)...cute!
If you are looking for something unique and out of the ordinary, this would definitely be the place. -
Review from Michelle C.
Alta Loma, CA
10/17/2008
So, my co-workers are not generally advanterous when it comes to our lunch time options. But, another manager and I were able to convince them to step out of the 8 usual places we frequent for lunch and try Afghan Palace (aka Rancho Kabob and Grill).
Walk into the rather long and narrow, dimly lit restuarant and you are surprised by the myriad paintings on the walls. We were later told by the bubbly, eager to teach you about Afghani culture owner that she selected murals that represent the Afghan culture and it's variety of influences including the Chinese (silk trade route), Alexander the Great, the Mongols etc.
She brought hummus with pita chips. The hummus was good. Not the best I have had but certainly flavorful. She uses Citrus rather liberally. She also brought this FANTASTIC eggplant dip that was large bits of eggplant with a pureed tomato and bell pepper with yogurt sauce on it DELISH with pita chips.
The eggplant was gratis as was the Desert Tea she brought us to sample.
I had the Koobideh Kabob (ground beef and spices with ground onion) along with basmati rice with a tomato sauce as well as brown rice with carrots, currants and raisins. Sounds odd but was exceptionally flavorful as she uses cinnamon to flavor the rice.
I haven't had this good of food in while. There are Belly Dancers for entertainment on the weekends and I saw hookahs in the back.
I WILL SO BE BACK.
LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT. -
Review from Siao J.
4/9/2009
Slightly torn between a 4 or 5 stars.. but in the end, this place rocks.
The ambiance is totally immersing and the owner is a total darling. She's full of energy, fun, and always make sure you enjoy your food there. The food itself is some of the best Afghan food around (albeit there isn't a ton of these places around!).
The kebabs are tender and full of flavor. The rice is done just right. The chutney is a great balance of nutty, spicy, sweet, and a little bit sour-- an awesome way to start the meal! All the sides are prepared wonderfully as well!
I kinda wish this place had a *little* more variety. That was the big thing keeping me from totally committing to a 5* review earlier. If this place had some of the stew dishes like the qalibi pallaws or korma challaws... it would be the ultimate topper.
Not really their fault, but if this place was in LA.. it'd be such a gem! Rancho IS a little bit far, but that's really besides the point. -
Review from Charles O.
Los Angeles, CA
3/4/2009
If you've never had Afghan food you don't know what you're missing. The owner will walk you thru a history of Afghan culture which are depicted thru the paintings on the wall. The food to me is like a mix between meditteranean (kabobs, basmatti rice) and Indian (spicy, great flavors).
Try the Eggplant dish, yummy. Also have a very nice carrot dish. Also try the soup. The soup has a great flavor to it.
This place will gain more acclaim. Just needs a better location in my opinion. The location does this place no justice and thus why you see it have little people filling the tables.
I used this place many times for catering and every place that had the food loved it.
Place is one of the best restaurants in the Inland Empire. You can get away with a dinner here for less than $20 too! -
Review from Susan L.
5/16/2010
If you come here, hit up http://restaurant.com for a deal ($10 off $20). In addition, I think they forgot to charge tax on our bill? Unless they already have tax included on the menu...but it seems like we saved on our 18% tax requirement for using the coupon.
This place has a cozy atmosphere, but the setting is a bit too dark for me. Some call it romantic, but to me, it's just saving on electricity. I like to see what I'm eating....esp during lunch time. However, it was newly renovated I heard and by the looks of the inside, it's pretty nice. The way it is set up, it appears like they can hold weddings/anniversary dinner parties as well. They even have a stage with the chairs set up.
I came here with my beau and friends after my Socal engagement photo shoot. We all ordered the lunch special here (ends 3pm), ranging from 8-10 bucks. Comes with hummus, lentils, rice, and some tomato sauce. I had the lamb kabab and the portion is a bit too small for me. I suppose it is lunch, but I'm use to Aladdin's where they give you a good slab of meat. The seasoning is good, no doubt about that. They give a huge portion of rice as well. I'm not a fan of the tomato sauce, 3 out of 4 of us didn't finish that, it was too pungent. The lentil was a little awkward, didn't expect to see that anywhere else aside from Indian restaurant?
We also ordered an appetizer - grapeseed wrap I believe? It also came with hummus dip. That was pretty delicious. Came with 6 pieces.
We tried the yogurt drink with mint leaves. That was our first time trying it and I have to say that it's different. Not bad but not great either. At least we can say we gave it a chance. It'd be nice if we were able to get some ice. This took a LONG time to come out too. Not sure why, we thought they were fermenting it still.
The server and waitress was pretty nice however the waiter referred to the wrong dish, saying that our chicken was on the way (even though we didn't order chicken). He also said that he would bring out more bread, but that took a while coming out too. I had to remind him again about it. Also, they brought out a pitcher of water so we had to fill up our own drinks. They put it on the table next to us. (The restaurant was pretty much empty around 2pm ...there just one couple when we walked in)
The bread came out with good dip. It was very vingerette-like. I enjoyed it fully.
Oh, they also included 1.99 for ice tea that we didn't order. We alerted them of the correction and they graciously took it off the total.
3 stars overall for the food and service. -
Review from Jason J.
Upland, CA
2/18/2009
Laziness + Really Good Restaurant = Jason doesn't review the restaurant until after the 4th or 5th time he's eaten there.
Where to begin? Firstly, I've loved everything I've had there. I highly recommend just going and getting the Chicken Kabob...over and over and over, as the sauces change. The Bolani (flat-bread stuffed with potatoes and leek) is to die for. Even the regular hot tea (cardamom) is really, really good. I tried the Afghan ice cream the last time I was there. This is another beautiful flavour combination from central Asia: rose, cardamom, and pistachio. It sounds odd, but it dances on your tongue. This restaurant has become my new, sick food addiction..and I find myself craving it out of the blue for no apparent reason.
The atmosphere has always been really good, and the help has always been good. I personally like the restaurant's setup, and it has been a nice place for a good meal. I waited way too long to go try it out, I suggest you don't do the same.
Again: seriously delicious food that I can't even begin to explain in terms of sublimity or pleasure.Listed in: Tour the World in SoCal
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Review from Luân N.
San Jose, CA
5/23/2010
Eh. I was expecting something amazing after coming here, but maybe it was an off day for the restaurant.
Went here on a Sunday afternoon after an engagement photo shoot. Armed with the http://restaurant.com gift certificate that I purchased on the cheap, we went in only to find one other group dining there.
So, with only two tables to work on, you'd think the service would be pretty top-notch, right? Not really...First they were a bit confused who was going to be working our table, so two people had to check in on us to get our order. Second, I ordered the yogurt drink and it took WAY TOO long to come out. We got our appetizers before I got this drink. How is this even possible??
The meal itself was decent. It was a lunch special and the portions did match. There was a weird tomato chutney or paste or something on the plate, but I think you should pass on it. It tastes a bit like ketchup mixed with ginger.
Anyway, not sure if I would come back here. Maybe? Definitely if I'm somehow stuck with another gift certificate. -
Review from Manny M.
Lexington, KY
3/3/2011
FYI
Business is closed -
Review from Rafik H.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
2/16/2009
Nobody else would take reservations for Valentine's so we sort of ended up here because taco bell was the alternative. I felt sort of silly maknig reservations after walking in to find only 4 couples having dinner inside haha!
to sum up the cuisine style: Arabic + Indian + Persian
the lamb and filet kabob was seriously most tender meat I've had in a lonnnnnnnnng time
the food was good overall but the ambience was a whole nother story...the paint on the front windows give it a low class swapmeet feel and the inside is very interesting as well...not a good "interesting" put it that way.
the 16 year old skater style waiter had no answers to any of our questions i.e. "Can I get a beer?" waiter says "I don't think we have that"...ummmmm what does that mean!? hahaha we ended up settling for "Afghan wine" which is the only info he had about the wine...in all honesty my wife summed up best by calling it "chilled 2 buck chuck"
would we go back? prob not...but the food was definitely tasty. -
Review from Bobby H.
Alexandria, VA
4/15/2009
I love this place! The food is fantastic and the owners are very nice. However, do not smoke hookah here. It is available but it's definitely not something they are prepared for. The only place you can smoke is in the back behind some curtains (right outside the bathroom). The hookah lounge is right next to the pathway towards the bathroom so it's not a very pleasant experience smoking there.
But you didn't come here for the hookah right? The food, like I said, is delicious. The eggplant dish, the kabobs, the kaftas, the rice, and everything else we ordered was well prepared, seasoned perfectly, and very hearty portions.
The only drawback is that the location isn't very good. The decor inside is very cheerful and pleasant, and there is supposedly a belly dancer after 9 on certain nights.
If you're in the neighborhood, come here to have dinner! You'll be sorry if you miss the chance. -
Review from Dave C.
Etiwanda, CA
7/15/2009
I love this place! This is the kind of place critics and writers describe as having character, definitely a break from all the corporate chains. If the food was only decent that would be enough to go, but the food is awesome.
This is probably a poor description but the chicken kabob tasted like what Pollo Loco would aspire to be if it was a 5 star restaurant. i am usually weary of getting the chicken a most place because it is usually dried out, not here the chicken is always so juicy and moist. The barg kabob, or fillet kabob, is so delicious. The soup too is amazing, so many good and spicy flavors. This is one of my favorite all time restaurants. -
Review from Isabel S.
Fontana, CA
1/22/2009
As weird as it's going to sound, I went to Afghan Palace to attend an Inauguration Celebration in honor of our 44th Pres. Obama. The menu was limited, but what I was able to try was really good. It was an interesting night being in an Afghan restuarant with members of Drinking Liberally, The Inland Valley Democrat group, and members of MoveOn (how I heard about it)... Also, in quite the contrast to what you would expect to hear in an Afghan restaurant, an Irish band was playing (I think just for the evening, It would be odd to think they were regulars), but right in line with the theme, a bellydancer (quite good, and quite hot) was performing. It was a seriously cool place to be... and with all of these diverse people, I think it was an example of diversity bringing people together.
Alright, the restaurant.. I'm going, jeez...
Food: We started with the cilantro dip and pita bread, and hummus with pita bread. They were both very tasty and of course the pita was warm and soft and everything carb loaded yummies should be. Then we had this amazing chicken and rice, I have no idea what type of chicken it was, all I know is that it was good, and I wanted more. The rice was amazing. I really like rice, and my rice is usually pretty darn good, but this was incredible. I have no idea what they put in the food to get these flavors, but I liked it.
Ambiance: You walk in to a small foyer, and immediately turn left to find a mural of the National Geographic's (Thanks Jack G.) cover of the Afghan woman in the red head wrappings with the strikingly light green eyes. It's quite beautifully done. Then you open up into the restaurant, it's mostly tables, there are a few booths on the far right.
I'm coming back, and I'm checking out the menu the next time. -
Review from Leyla M.
Chino Hills, CA
7/12/2009
Afghan Palace has really great service. The owner is super nice and always has great energy. The food is over all good. I have been here quite a few times, and in the beginning it was hit or miss (when they first opened), but they have improved greatly. The Kabobs are flavourful, the chaplee is pretty good. The Afghan menu items are pretty authetic. The Bolanee is delicious and the rice is pretty good. The houmous is very mediocre *houmous is not a typical Afghan dish, so I understand*. This place is also priced well, compared to the sub par Persian restaurants that are horrible and overpriced in the Inland Empire.
What I find kind of funny about the restaurant is the decor. There is a couple of wall murals of the British invasion of Afghanistan and the Khybr pass....appreciate the historic aspect but it's hard to look at dead bodies and soldiers while I'm eating. -
Review from DAHVIA I.
Upland, CA
10/20/2008
This is as god as it gets!
Lovely staff ,owners ,ambiance and idea..
Consider yourself a visiting dignitary in a beautiful afgani palace with art hookah and of course the history and culture of the places and dishes. all handmande homemade treats are just crazy good!
We had the chicken and a vegetarian platters. hard to say what was better. it was so wonderful and flavorful. I want to say something about crack here but it was so beautifully natural it would be sacrilegious.the Place has a wonderful healing vibe and makes the whole war torn nightmare of the middle east seem like somewhere you might want to visit someday
It might not be PC to delve too deeeply but it seems that this is good place to savor and understand the owners Emil and Evania Hashiman's vision for middle eastern relations. She is a belly dance promoter as well! I was entertained educated and introduced to a beautiful culture too!
The whole experience was a stress beater .. felt as if i went on a magic carpet to another land and back again in an hour.. I dont know if it was the spices or what but i felt great all day!
p.s. theres a menonnite thrift store in the plaza as well that is a dont miss.. you will be amazed! -
Review from Andrew H.
Loma Linda, CA
12/3/2009
The Afghan Palace is classic "Excellent Food In A Strip Mall." Plus, a very nice owner / waiter / chef(?) and some cray airbrushed "murals from the history of Afghanistan" on the wall. And a hookah den in the back.
There's plenty to eat here fore vegetarians. My favorite was, along with half the other reviews on here, the eggplant dish. The three of us ordered the Vegetarian Special, The Eggplant Appitizer, The Crazy Potato Pancakes and something else I can't recall. We asked for everything family style - which turned out to be a solid move.
Also, I'm pretty sure he comped us a hummus plate. If you're looking for good food in the IE, you've failed if you haven't yet visited the Afghan Palace. -
Review from Allison J.
San Diego, CA
10/31/2008
Service goes a long way in my books and the service we received was superb! Service stood out to me most definitely!
First, they start off with a basket of pita and chutney. There was plenty of pita, enough for left overs. The chutney was herbal and lemony and paired well with the pita.
Second, the meals come with soup. The lady also serving us stated she just cooked it and it was nice and hot. It had ground beef, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, and herbs. It was delicious! I wish I could have more as we speak.
Third & fourth, the portion sizes were gigantic! For the price you pay, it was very well worth it. It was $14.99 for 2 choices of kabobs - i chose the tilapia and the chaplee - and $11.99 for the chicken kabob. This was my first experience with Afghan food and I was delighted. It had similar ingredients/flavor to Persian/Mediterranean/Indian cuisine. I especially enjoyed the different herbs and spices - it really stood out. The flavor was abundant! The dish included hummus, a small portion of salad, a heaping portion of basmati rice and a tomato-type gravy on the rice. The gravy was very flavorful, I enjoyed it and I wish I could have more of that as well! The chicken was moist. The fish was delish (i love tilapia) and the chaplee was traditional Afghan at its best.
Fifth, the decor was a homey feel but filled with decent Afghan art. It was a window to the history and culture. (it's found in a strip mall so it's not anything like a palace but it's a gem to those who appreciate)
Lastly, as I mentioned before, the service was excellent and made my first experience with Afghan food enjoyable.
I mentioned to the owner/server that I found out about their restaurant on yelp and that I'd also mention he looked like Tony Montana/Al Pacino - seriously he does! -
Review from Prachel C.
Fontana, CA
3/22/2010
I must admit, I visited this place because it had a high rating on Yelp. And, you got it right, Yelpers. YOU got it right!
When we first walked in, the restaurant was halfway filled. The host and waiters were very accessible the whole evening and came around every 10 minutes or so to check on on us. We even got a brief history of the murals on the wall.
My boyfriend had the lamb and I had the rice/spinach and the potato bread hash. That's not what it's called, but I can't remember the exact name. We also had the eggplant appetizer and the baklava. All had flavorful layers. In fact, they told us that it had taken 1000 years for the Afghans to perfect their cuisine.
The price of my meal was just right, about $15. His came to about $20. We were very happy with the excellent service. The staff really enjoy what they do, and that is reflective in the environment AND the food.
This place is a real treat and I look forward to returning. -
Review from David M.
Fontana, CA
12/8/2009
SAVE THIS PLACE!!!
Saturday Night in the IE. It's 8:30pm and I'm looking to have a nice dinner w/ my girlfriend. We go by Olive Garden at the Mills and the line is outside, so we decide to keep driving. We go to Benihanas and the wait for a seat is 1 hour.
We decide we're going to take a drive down Foothill Blvd and see if anything catches our eye, when I suddenly remember that Afghan Palace had great Yelp! reviews. The girlfriend likes the idea of trying it out, and off we go!
When we arrive, we open the door and there is NOBODY in the restaurant. The server said he had only helped maybe 6-8 tables all day. It's a little scary walking into an empty restaurant, but we decided to trust the reviews and give it a shot. Glad we did!
I'm not a fan of eggplant, but the Eggplant Barrani was fantastico! I highly recommend the Eggplant and also the Spinach appetizers. The soup was good too. I ordered the filet kebob, but I have to admit that the Chicken Kebob my GF ordered was some of the best I've ever had.
During our entire dining experience, not a single either diner showed up at the restaurant. After discovering such a gem, it would be a shame to see them have to close their doors. Highly recommended for anybody who enjoys persian/middle eastern food. Fans of Mediterranean and Indian will enjoy this as well. -
Review from Han Y.
Fontana, CA
7/1/2010
Good Food
Decent Service..
But the taste out served the service..lol -
Review from Natalie A.
Riverside, CA
6/1/2010
Like everyone else says the eggplant is awesome, service is great. My sister had the Chicken and it was very good as well.
The set up inside is kind of odd...I will go back for sure.
The man who served us was very nice and attentive. -
Review from A P.
San Bernardino, CA
9/1/2010
A-Ok spot,
Foodies like myself find this place a little odd. I think it's a place for more after hours dining an fun, but day time oddness. Went to check it out because of the yelp ratings; but like I tell the old lady, I was yelp'd again; not everything is true behind these ratings. It's ok to check out, but food wise, ugh. not go on this place. -
Review from Steve W.
Santa Monica, CA
1/19/2009
The food here is awesome. The decor and furniture have a very faded feel, but that doesn't bother me. We ordered the combo kabob of beef and chicken (they were out of lamb) and both were incredibly tasty. Seriously, I can't remember when I've had such yummy meats. We also ordered an eggplant dish that was real good (although a bit oily so avoid if you're not into that). Oh, and the owner (the wife; the husband wasn't there) gave us the eggplant dish for free when she heard it was our first time there!
We ordered the desert teas which I felt pretty neutral about. The free starter of pita break w/ cilantro sauce was really good. The waiter was very nice, although he told us it was only his second day working there.
We got there around 8pm on a Friday night and there were only a few other groups there and we were the only ones there by the time we finished. Incredible. If this place existed on the west side and just hiked up the prices to stay in business, it would be packed. Then again, the entire city seemed empty at night. Will definitely visit AP again if ever in the area. Thanks, Yelpers! -
Review from Dan P.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
1/23/2009 1 photo
I was introduced to the Afghan Palace by a friend (actually he dragged me out) but now I can't thank him enough. I had the Chicken Gyro and a taste of the beef kabob, which was insanely delicious.
The food is great and I cannot wait to go back. -
Review from Mr. E.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
4/25/2009
Delicious! Was not disappointed by Yelp at all. Here we go:
The good:
1. The ambience. Loved the artwork throughout the interior which is in complete contrast to the plain strip mall look outside.
2. The basmatti rice and chutney was very good.
3. The chicken kabob was tender and very flavorful. My favorite.
4. The beef kabob was extremely tender and very tasty.
5. The owner (yes he did look like Tony Montana) was very friendly and helpful. He explained all the menu items without us even asking.
The bad:
1. While the beef tasted great, it was too fatty and pink for my taste...then again, I'm the guy that orders filet mignon medium-well :)
Overall, we had an enjoyable experience with really good food. Will definitely go back. -
Review from Greg R.
San Bernardino, CA
2/14/2011
This place has a great family-run staff, and if they are not busy the owner will walk you through anything on the menu, and give you a history of Afghanistan and the silk road as well..lol. But the food was great, prices cheap, and the style allows for everyone to try a bit of each dish, although the portions could have been bigger. Overall a cool spot and a great way to experience Afghan food for the first time.
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Review from Joanna W.
Oxnard, CA
6/2/2010
Not really sure what happened. Did I arrive too early? (lunch time) Is this more of a dinner place? (place was d.e.a.d.) Was I spoiled by the phenomenal Afghan restaurant in Virginia? (run, don't walk, to Afghan Kabob in Springfield, VA) And where is the Kaubili Palau? The pumpkin?
No matter, maybe it's food from a different region, different families cook differently, and I'm willing to try anything. Kids chose the chicken kabob and I had the vegetable platter. After the reviews here, I was ready for knock-your-socks-off eggplant. Wouldn't you know it, the first bite was barely cooked, crunchy in fact...eww. Scooch that piece to the side and try again, this time...much better. On to the rice. Oh no. Oh no no no. What *is* that? I'm used to the lovingly spiced rice. This tasted like yesterday's burnt ghee. Blech. Not even my kids would touch it.
So why the three stars and not two? The chicken kabobs bumped it up a notch. Cooked to perfection.
....still on the hunt for a great Afghan haunt. -
Review from Jon K.
Upland, CA
12/7/2008
I went here because of Yelp, and its great. We ordered the the combination kabob (suggestion from yelpers-thanks), lamb and beef. Both were extremely tasty, very nice mixture of spices and flavor. We also ordered the vegatarian combo, which gives you 4 types of veggies and 4 types of rice. All of the veggie dishes were extremely tasty. The waiter was very nice annd he gave us two bowls of soup, which was superb-sorry dont remember the name of the soup.
We went on a saturday night around 8 pm, and we were the only table there, perhaps due to the recession? anyways, I hope that more yelpers will try this place out, its a great place with great food and I will return. -
Review from staci w.
West Covina, CA
3/23/2009
Found this place off of Yelp and was not disappointed when i got there.
Starters: Was very impressed with entrees chosen: Eggplant and Hummus. My friends and I couldn't stop eating and was starting to get stuffed with all the fresh warm pitta. Soup came shortly after and was mind blowing. Husband enjoyed the chutney as well... (i didn't cause i don't like cilantro)
Main Course- Love the Fish kabob and rice. Grilled perfectly and seasoned. Also had a side of felafel's and was blown away. Didn't eat any beef or chicken but my friends all thought it was good. Heard the chicken was super tender and cooked perfectly.
Location- Could be better. The strip mall was pretty empty and bit iffy looking.
Interior- Lovely! Very themed and made me excited to try the food.
After the meal my friends and I came out full, satisfied and bit more educated on the history of the Silk Road by the owner. Owner was very nice!!!!
I can only hope that the owner would consider opening a place near LA. -
Review from Kim H.
Fremont, CA
5/5/2009
It was 8pm on a Wednesday night. 5 of us Cal alums decide to meet for dinner for some yummy afghan food. We had the entire place to ourselves and I think it was just the owner and his wife serving us. We didn't know what to get, so we ask, "What do you recommend" and she goes, how about a mixed platter for 5? and we go, ok! bring it!
The free appetizer for mentioning Yelp was the hummus. which is always tasty. They make their own yogurt and lemonade. Lemonade tasted like lemonade but somewhat watered down, but it's not bad. We also got the cucumber yogurt. The main meal was definitely tasty and smelled oh so good. Unfortunately, I was full up on pita bread and hummus that I barely ate the other meats. They had chicken, fish, 2 kinds of beef, rice, pita. They even took the time to explain what everything was and how it was cooked. Everything was flavorful. I enjoyed the leftovers the next day and smelled up the entire fridge!
Service was very friendly and personal, considering we were the only customers. The owner can carry a good conversation and he understands the science of food! smart guy! He even offered to go out and get us a lemon that we requested because he used it all for the lemonade. (We didn't want to put him through that much trouble, so we said that's not necessary) That is a plus that goes above and beyond regular service. -
Review from Toniy Q.
Fullerton, CA
6/9/2009
I have always wanted to try Afghan food however, Yelp let me down this time. I was expecting to be blown away by the reviews here but the food overall was "just ok."
I had the chicken kabobs and my friend had the spiced ground meat patties plate. I forget the name of the actually dish. The chicken kabobs were cooked very well and extremely moist and tender. However, the chicken lacked any real flavor! Compared to the meat patties though, the chicken kabobs were superior. I felt bad for that my friend had to finish that plate of food.
We were also able to get the free hummus appetizer for mentioning Yelp and it was watery and quite chalky in taste. Definitely not the best hummus I have had. Though the fresh pita bread definitely redeemed it!
And then there is the lovely decor on the outside and in. It is just too much. Sitting in there I felt like I was in an old furniture showcase room. There was only one other table... which should have been a sign not to enter since it was on a Friday night.
After leaving I was shocked to see that Tom Hanks and Phillip Seymour Hoffman had been there! How did they find this place?!?! I would have been skeptic just from the outside itself. Though the painting of the famous National Geographic cover on the inside was nice... though the girl was watching me the entire meal it felt like. -
Review from Joshua P.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
5/17/2009
Loves the food... shared a combo plate (chicken and lamb) between me and the honey- and ordered baklava for dessert, spent $20 cash money!! I would definitely recommend eating here. I'll be back for sure!!
Make sure to mention Yelp to get free hummice ;).
fyi- gave a 4 for the tacky advertising on the restaurant windows. -
Review from Ann G.
Mentone, CA
12/22/2009
Well, the water was good....Seriously, the first impression when you walk in the door is how empty the place is. The decor (except for the impressive wall murals) is worn and stained and there was literally one couple in the entire place. The one waiter was honest and told us that it is usually that way and that it's the catering and banquets that are keeping the place afloat...
Now for the food. Immediately after seating, we were given a basket of pita triangles and a green chutney (a cilantro, garlic, and vinegar mixture). It was good! For appetizers, we orded the Bollanee, which according to the menu is a grilled turnover with potato and leek filling. Upon arrival, it was a tortilla, and looked like a quesadilla. The waiter said they usually use a wonton wrapper, but tortillas were easier to work with...hmmm, not so authentic. But it was very good, and we enjoyed the chutney/yogurt sauce that went with it. We also ordered the Picawra, Thin slices of potatoe dipped in a garbanzo batter and deep fried. It was also served with the chutney, and also quite good.
Next, dinner started with soup, the Mashawa. Not so good. Somewhat pungent and bitter. It got somewhat better after a few bites, but definitely not our favorite, neither of us finished. My dining partner ordered the lentil curry, which was disappointing. Didn't taste like a curry, in the familiar sense, and looked like a thick puree of carrot. It was rather bland. I orderd the combination kabobs. One chicken and one Kofta (ground beef with onion). The chicken was very good. The Kofta was rather bland and wasn't very hot. The basmati rice was good, and the Kachaloo sauce was reminiscent of Indian flavors, and tasty. the hummus on the side was rather sour.
The sole waiter was efficient and attentive. Overall, it wasn't horrible, and some items were very good, but certainly not good enough to go that far out of our way to return. -
Review from Kam S.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Updated - 8/27/2010
i told you foooooos!
what kinda place suffers roof damage in the summer????1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/24/2010
First thing I should say is that we left before eating so I cannot rate the food. Thats the only… Read more »
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Review from Paul A.
Los Angeles, CA
11/21/2009
Come here for top-notch wait service, "Mashawa" (one of the best soup's I've ever had, loaded with dill) and great funky atmosphere.
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Review from Rick J.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
5/7/2010
(CLOSED) OK Yelpers, this is a great find, we tried this place because of YELP reviews and Wow! Me, my wife and 9 yr old Daughter loved it, food is great, we tried the Lamb and Beef combo and the Chicken Kabob, reviewers was absolutely right, I can't believe how moist the chicken was and tasty., lamb was so so , but the beef was a hit with the 3 of us, we all liked the pita bread with what looked like a pesto dip, but it's with some lemon, quite interesting taste. we also got the Free Hummus when we mentioned YELP. My daughter loved the hummus (it's great with the meats also.) Murals was quite interesting. we'll be back to try other dishes, specially the raved eggplant borrani, we already have 2 appetizer so we couldn't order this one this time, and probably try the Baklava also. we'll update the review when we go back. definitely a 5 star experience food wise.
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Review from JayTheCritic A.
Diamond Bar, CA
Updated - 4/13/2010
Just returned from the Afghan Palace with a group of 12 friends.
As always, Emil & the Afghan Palace served us all a great meal.
Nice atmosphere and friendly service!
I highly recommend the Afghan Palace!
For starters I had the Mashawa Soup, a combination of garbanzo, kidney and lintel beans in a yogurt-based broth that was slightly spicy and very tasty. I sampled the Eggplant Borrani served with hot Afghani bread, it's a mild tomato and grilled eggplant based appetizer that is excellent and surpasses Baba Ghanoush as my favorite eggplant dish.
Dinner included the Chicken Kabob and Lamb Kabob Entrees.
The Chicken Kabob is a citrus marinated chicken breast, skewed and broiled to perfection. It's as good or better than any chicken dish of its type I've ever experienced.
The Lamb Kabob had a nice flavor and texture, but was a little over done. (Medium well done +)
The Entrees came with Basmati rice, Hummus and two very tasty sauces. Everyone in the group enjoyed their selections and with some of the group, this is high praise indeed!
Afghan Palace is definitely worth a visit.
4 1/2 stars.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/21/2009
Just went to the Afghan Palace lunch yesterday after a 3-month absence.
I had the Kafka kabob lunch… Read more »
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Review from Teenie L.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
4/11/2010
This is one of those places one would only try because of all the reviews on Yelp, otherwise I would just pass it up if I drove by it. The food here was great! Started off with the eggplant barrani since all the other Yelpers recommended it and it was DELICIOUS! And the chutney that they give to you with pita (?) is soo good! I've never tasted anything like it. Between the two of us we had lamb kabob, fish kabob and the barg filet kabob. The fish was my least favorite, not bad but wouldn't order it again. The barg filet was really juicy and full of flavor. My barg filet came out kind of medium/med-rare which is how I like it. The lamb was also juicy and very tasty! The mashed lentil that came with the meal was really good too. The waiters were really friendly. Don't be turned off by the layout and decor of the restaurant..the food makes up for it. Oh, p.s., no alcohol.
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Review from alex d.
Orange County, CA
6/27/2009
everyone should eat here at least once. you may get hooked.
beef and lamb kabobs excellent. the ground meat type patties are not as good but still enjoyable. i may try the fish next time.
sides included with the kabob meal are flavorful.
some of the best quality food i have had. seems to be family owned, the kid there is pretty entertaining. -
Review from Jenn L.
Los Angeles, CA
1/21/2009
I found this place off of YELP as well, and I'm SO glad I did, otherwise I would have never known about this place. The food was delicious and the prices very reasonable. The owner of the restaurant was around and she was very friendly and helpful in recommending what to order, since it was my first time getting Afghan food. My friend and I shared a combo kabob (the portion was huge!), and an eggplant dish (which she gave to us on the house- awesome!). The desert tea was very refreshing as well. I would stop by again for sure. =)
