“ I love the food here I order the chicken breast kebab and the rice I always dine here ”

“ This is the go-to spot for any family celebrations, from birthdays to graduations. My family and I fell in love with this spot in 2021, and have been going there for every big celebration since. The chef makes rounds to see how the customers like his food. If you're going as a family, you have to get the family platter. It comes with a bit of all the meats over a ton of brown Afghan rice. As we've been going, they have been expanding little by little every time. From a smaller space to a larger area, there is seating available for everyone. There is a Titanic movie poster for decor in one of the rooms, and it makes us chuckle every time, curious to know why that movie is displayed in an Afghan restaurant. ”

“ I've done takeout twice here - I would definitely try to dine in next time since the food gets a bit cold by the time it arrives at home and it's always nice to have it displayed nicely over a plate. Food is pretty solid overall with tons of flavor. We got the mantu, naan, a mix of meat kebabs. Great meal for lunch or dinner! ”

“ I've been wanting to try Sami's and I'm so glad I did. The eggplant dish was exquisite! Loved how the spices in the perfectly cooked eggplant blended with the yogurt sauce and the carrot-raisin rice. My server was very nice and the music was wonderful. I will definitely be back, but I do have one request--could you please serve tap water? I think NYC tap water is tastier and healthier than water that has been sitting in a plastic bottle, plus more environmentally friendly, and it makes for better hospitality. It wasn't a dealbreaker though, I just refrained from getting any beverage at all. ”

“ Sami's Kebab House is a wonderful spot for authentic Afghan food. The lamb chops were definitely the highlight--tender, flavorful, and perfectly grilled with just the right amount of seasoning. Each bite was juicy and delicious. The hummus was also fantastic, creamy and smooth, served with fresh bread that was hard to resist. As a nice touch, they offered a free pistachio dessert at the end, which was a lovely surprise. It had a delicate sweetness with a hint of crunch from the pistachios--a light but perfect way to finish the meal. Sami's Kebab House combines great food with generous service. If you enjoy Afghan flavors, especially well-prepared lamb, this place is worth a visit! ”

“ This place is my Go-to everytime am visiting Astoria. I think its safe to say this is BEST afghani place in NYC for authentic experience in good prices. Service is very efficient and curteous. Always find a table right away and food quality is always top notch. MUST try. Last trip we loved their Sabzi and Uzbeki kabali pulao-They are the besttttt i have tried so far in the city. ”

“ Bring your appetite to Sami's Kebob House for a truly delicious experience. At my friend's suggestion to try Afghan food, he systematically chose Sami's for my first time. A bit similar to Turkish, Afghan food is heavy on meat and carbs. The layout of the restaurant was spacious and inviting. Unlike other Yelpers' comments about good service, I found it to be the opposite and quite lackluster. The fact that it was a Saturday evening and getting crowded might have been a factor. The menu looked good and I shadowed my friend's suggestion regarding selections. From breads and hot picks to soups and salads, we placed our order for starter. Bolani Flatbread, Afghan bread and salad was ideal for starters. The salad was standard--lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers but drizzled with their yogurt sauce, it transformed into a wow salad. Afghan bread, sliced thin was flavorful and light as air. Additional accompaniments were spicy chutneys, green and red. Proceed with caution. The Bolani Flatbread was described as fried thin dough stuffed with potato, leeks, onions and spices. It was a bit oily for my liking and I didn't detect the potato (or maybe I didn't eat enough). For mains we chose Chicken Breast Kebob (my dish) and Ground Chicken Kebob. We swapped a kebob from one another for the sake of sampling the different style of prepared meat. When my dish arrived, I couldn't help but notice the huge portion. A large serving of rice coupled with 8 pieces of Chicken. Their rice was amazing. Known as Pulao, it was caramel colored rice topped with raisins, julienned cooked carrots and cardamon syrup. It was truly outstanding. The Chicken Breast Kebobs were 8 pieces in total: juicy, cooked perfectly with a red hue (food color?). The portion could easily feed two people with an appetite similar to mine. I had to take the rest home. We wrapped up a very delicious dinner with a cup of Green Tea infused with Cardomon. Refreshing, fragrant and the perfect digestive ending to what was a really good first time experience trying Afghanistan cuisine. Sami's was most welcoming. I'd definitely return and highly recommend. ”

“ This was my first time having Afghan food and I'm SO SAD that I've spent 35 years of my life without it! The lamb was absolutely delicious, and the rice with carrots and raisins were fantastic. The mantu were phenomenal. We were brought a complimentary dessert which was very tasty as well. My friend tried the tea and liked it a lot. The restaurant is very nicely decorated and clean, and the service was excellent. I would love to come back next time I'm in the area. ”

“ Overall, delicious meats, generous rice portions, would recommend!! It was very quiet on a Friday during lunch, we were the only ones there for a while. It was all of our first times, so the ordering process was a little confusing since we've seen many pictures of what looked like a combo platter, but we learned that you can just order the kabobs and they can put it all on one platter family style. We decided to just get 4 main/kabob plates between the four of us: Lamb chops: this was my favorite. It was SO tender and not gamey at all!! Chicken afghani (thighs): my second fav, one of the juiciest chickens I have ever had *drool* Beef kofta: super flavorful, it almost didn't even taste like beef? It was interesting, in a good way Chicken kofta: also very flavorful!! Literally each dish was someone's favorite, so you know it was good!!! They piled on the rice on the plates, and gave us all a bowl of salad to share. I didn't eat the rice so I was still hungry afterwards, but two of my friends mentioned they weren't super satisfied even after finishing a whole plate of rice, but I think it's a decent portion overall. I also got the green tea with cardamom which came in a small cup, I loved it! didn't get to ask if refills were free. The service was okay, and there seemed to be only one restroom. ”