Bamiyan

One of My Favorites NYC!! – Bamiyan is a gem! I have lived in the area for over five years and eat there once a week on average. The food is creative, tasty and high quality. The meat is some of the freshest, healthiest, highest quality in NYC, partly because it comes from local farms. The owners are very nice and the wait staff quiet but attentive and friendly. They have prompt seating, very reasonable prices, quick service and a great atmosphere. It has a lot of nice touches, wonderful decorations and unique floor seating at tables that have wonderful, ethnic table clothes, cushions and pillows. Bamiyan is one of the only places I go to on a regular basis (I usually like to try new places when I eat out) and I highly recommend it.

Beautiful interior and good food – We went to celebrate a friend's birthday- the decor was lovely and we sat at the low tables on the floor by the windows which was nice (though definitely not for the very tall!) The pumpkin and potato filled pastry appetizers with yogurt sauce were fresh and absolutely delicious, the main dishes were somewhat mediocre and the portions were a little lacking. The afghan tea is delicious (if you like chai, you should definitely try some, one teapot is plenty for 4-5 people).

Fantastic Dining Experience! – I was pleasantly surprised when I happened by Bamiyan last week. The service was prompt and professional. The atmosphere was ethnic with a lovely Middle Eastern flare...including relaxing Afghani background music. But of course the most important part of this review is the food. The food was absolutely addicting! I started off with a scrumtious salad with fresh cucumber. The bread dipped in the mint yogert was phenomenal. But the show-stopper was the dumplings - we had the fried pumpkin flavored ones and the steamed scallion dumplings with a yogert sauce. The flavors were unique, fresh...and just melted in my mouth! I'm looking forward to eating here again!

Frozen microwavable food is better than this! – The atmosphere was attractive and inviting. The service was fine. Unfortunately, the food was totally unappetising. We ordered two dishes that sounded great on the menu. The result from the kitchen was rather tasteless slop. One dish, which was supposed to be lamb cubes had hardly a recognizable piece of meat in it. The waitress was very apollogetic and quickly returned with a few scoops of some other lamb dish ladled in the middle of our original meal. Our guess was that there were a bunch of vats of stews sitting around in the kitchen, cooking and cooking until all flavor and form was gone. Run fast from this one!

most tender chicken and exotic flavors – "crokke" probably had bad service because he called the Asian woman "oriental" and probably called his waitress something worse like the "N" word even though the waitress was more than likely Middle Eastern. I went there tonight with 3 friends and we all enjoyed it very much. we started with the dill grape leaf wrapped beef and butternut squash. the bread is also yummy to dip into the appetizer sauces. one of us had the grilled chicken, 2 of us had the dill yogurt chicken and the 4th had a chicken stew (all over basmati rice). our waitress recommended a nice Cote du Rhone which was only $22 and surprisingly very tasty. will definitely be coming back to this place! total bill came to $30 per person including tip.

poor service – We went for dinner on a monday, was a quiete evening, but the waitress wasn't friendly or helpful at all. We asked to move by the window and we were told to wait until the table was cleared, wich never was. We also think she refused to bring us the food as she handed it over the oriental waitress just in front of us. The beef was good but the lamb was chewy. The portions are too small and food and drinks overpriced. The choice of desserts is very poor. Although we left a good tip for that service, none thanked us when leaving the restaurant.

We are certaily not going back to this restaurant.

best filet minyan kabob – the chicken with yogurt sauce is to die for. everything here is amazing and the atmosphere is great too. one of my favorite restaurants ever!

Really good Afghan food – Went for a birthday celebration and it just as good as previous reviews wrote. We had 10 people and they accomidated us very easily along with explaining what they recommended. The appetizers were very good, I think we ordred almost all of them on the menu considering our size, I especially liked the Sambusa and Babaganoush. The filet mignon kabob was very good and flavorful but I defintely needed to order the yogurt sauce to compliment it as it was alittle dry. My g/f ordered the fish curry which she said was flavorful as well and she enjoyed it. The baklava was ok alittle too sweet and the elephants ear was enjoyable but tasted like those chinese egg noodles they give you when you order a coup. The bad things were that they only had three waitresses woring and it took forever to get the check as well as food. Also, the yogurt drink wasnt to my expectations, definitely too sour. Overall if you have a hankering for really traditional Afghan food you should try this place out. I did want to try sitting on the floor it looked very comfortable but as I said we had 10 people so it wasnt a choice.

Great pumpkin app, friendly staff, beans are in almost everything – Bamiyan had a nice friendly atmosphere. If you are tall, be sure to sit at a table with chairs -- else you are in trouble. The pumpkin app is very good. The service is friendly. They put beans in almost everything -- even in dishes which they do not have beans.

Great food! – Tried this restaurant for lunch, and the food was awesome! Seating by the window (on the raised floor) is pretty cool. Nice atmosphere. Very flavorful. Chicken curry was tender and a good mix of spices. I'd definitely go back.

You have to sit on the floor! – I loved this restaurant. Never having had Afghan food, I didn't know what to expect. But I read the reviews and heard about the lovely cushioned bench seating, and so I called for a reservation asking for a floor seat! That was fun! The seating was relaxing, spacious, and felt very homey! The food was fantastic, and served very quickly. My boyfriend and I had the traditional afghan dinner for two and it was A LOT of food for like 63 bucks! The wine list is a bit lacking, but we had a nice shiraz which was reasonably priced. The food has a lot of interesting herbs used in it, but I didn't find anything spicy about the food. I felt it was a great experience, and would definitely refer others!

One of my favorites – This will always be one of my favorite spots in the city. The service, the food, and the atmosphere are just perfect! My favorite place to sit is on the comfy floor mats with the low tables, if you go, insist to sit on the mats! its such a wonderful dining experience and they never make you feel rushed..youre welcome to sit as long as you like..

We love this place – It's excellent! The food is amazing and the ambiance is great.

Goes beyond the standard kebabs and rice – Afghan and Persian restaurants are often best known for their delicious kebabs and rice, and if that's your pleasure Bamiyan doesn't disappoint. What's special about this place, however, is that the menu is more extensive than most, with a variety of vegetarian dishes and delicious lentil-based stews. The ambience is warm, exotic, and comfortable. This place runs on Afghan time, so the service is leisurely, so make sure you are as well when you plan your visit.

review from a regular – Not sure where these negative reviews are coming from, but as someone who normally would never eat this type of cuisine, I felt I had to share my feelings on what is now one of my favorite restaurants. My wife and I have been eating at Bamiyan for well over four years.

The food, as you may have read in other reviews, is nothing short of fabulous.

The service is usually fine. Not spectacular, but acceptable. We have never had anyone be rude to us or ignore us, and that includes the first couple of times we visited the restaurant. The maitre'd (who is also the owner) is always friendly and accomodating, and on the rare occasions where the waitresses have messed up an order, they have gone above and beyond to make amends.

You are missing out if you don't try this gem of a restaurant.

Wonderful! – I went with my boyfriend on a Fri. night and we were seated at one of the cushioned floor booths right away. The ambience was relaxing and intereting to look at and the staff was very helpful. I had delicious cornish hen with amazing sweet rice and the coolest chai tea ever - flavored with rose petals and cardomon. The scallion dumplings were awesome, too. Can't wait to go back with more people. It was a nice change from the Indian I normally eat, at the same fair price.

Worst Afghan food and service EVER – I've gone to quite a few afghan restaurants throughout queens and manhattan and I have to say...this has been the worst. I had to ASK for the bread to be brought out. I never had an experience where they charge for the chutney (which wasn't too good) and the yogurt...the waitress was nice...but we hardly saw her. My reccommendation, go to Queens for better food, service, and money well spent.

Editorial Review by Citysearch Editors – Afghan menu features lamb, beef and chicken dishes including kabobs and curries; local delivery and catering is available.

Rating of 8.5 is appropriate – Rating of 9.5? I think not.

1. When one purchases a bottle of wine, it's fairly common practice for a server to come by and refill your glass, but not the case here;

2. There was no offer of water or to check how everything was throughout the entire dinner;

3. Although the menu states that bread is offered with each entree, we were told that it's no longer the case. We were only given one small basket with the appetizers, but we ordered 7 entrees.

Solid but not outstanding – Good food, but not much variety of flavors - i.e the same cucumber garlic sauce comes with the majority of appetizers. Pumpkin appetizer is delicious. Bread is outstanding - it's worth another dollar to get extra. Seems to use a lot of American ingredients. Don't miss the Afghan tea and the coconut coffee. The environment is great with authentic fabrics and sexy decor.

Excellent choice for evening – A small, cosy place, slightly overcrowded, but oh! What food, what absolutely mouthwatering food! Also, the portion sizes were large, and the service, very friendly and always with a smile - even at 10 at night! The cushions on the floor and the low tables also looked very appealing. Great place to have good food with family and friends.

Bamiyan Is The Best – I eat here all the time and always leave pleased. The food is fantastic and the service consistently excellent. Try the appetizer with pumpkin and the cornish game hen dish.

Not Impressed – A lover of Mid Eastern food, I went to Bamiyan iwht high hopes, but was greatly disappointed. Food portions were small, cold and did not seem fresh. Service was OK, staff seemed overworked/tired, but courteous. Setting was nice, true afghan like atmosphere, with a place to sit on the floor, lay back and enjoy the food, if only the food were of better quality and quantity.

UMMM...UMMM...GOOD – this was the best middle eastern food ever. the decor is so simple, beautiful and inviting. sitting on the floor was so comfortable. after all the delicious food we had the most amazing tea with rose petals and steamed milk. we couldnt get up after we ate and the best thing was nobody rushed us to get out. the waitresses were helpful in helping us order since we had no idea what to get. we had an amazing spinach and lamb dish served with a delicious rice and a really good chicken curry which was not like the typical chicken curry. it was very flavorful with lots of spices but it wasnt so hot that we couldnt eat it. it was perfect. the ashak steamed dumpling appatizers were out of this world. gotta go try it... best part was the check! it filled our bellies and didnt empty our wallets!

Excellent – I have been to Bamiyan a few times and I can say that the food is unbelievable and the service excellent.

The servers are very helpful if you are not sure in what to order.

The food is very cheap compared to some others good restaurant.

If you haven't been to Bamiyan yet, I suggest you to go and prove for yourself this great restaurant.

Great Food, HORRIBLE service – My boyfriend and I had dinner here on Valentine's Day and it's so sad that a place with such great food at a reasonable price has such absolutely horrible service. We were sitting for atleast 15min. until a waitress came to our table- and that was only after we asked the hostess 2 times for service. Then the table next to us complained that their food was cold and a man who seemed to be the manager came out and made a big scene/acting very angry towards the table and their complaint. That is poor customer service. This place has such potential since the food is so good, but they really need to work on their customer service and making sure their staff is more attentive.

WONDERFUL - a Must Try – A girlfriend and I had dinner there and enjoyed the flavours of Middle Eastern food. The service was friendly and timely, the atmosphere fun and inviting (especially sitting on the floor with cushions!) and the food was incredible! It was also a great value for the amount of food that we had. Definitely a place to check out. And to think, we stumbled across it. It was definitely a good find!

Great Food, for a great price – The atmosphere fun and inviting, be carfull if you choose to sit on the floor cushions, you may not want to get up.

The food is very flavorful!

Favorites are the chicken dishes, try the hen, potatoes turnovers with yogurt sauce, and leave your mouth craving for more.

Delicious Afghan Fare – Perfumed flavored rice, well seasoned meat and veggie dishes, fun decor especially the cushion seats make for a cozy place.

Favorites are the chicken dishes, the lamb can sometimes be dry, the okra is good the pumpkin turnovers with yogurt sauce, very yummy.

As good as the food and decor are, the service tends towards the slow side.

wasthere – It is a great place. You feel like your at home when yur there. The food is very resonably priced and is very taste. It is one of those places that you just have to try .

You can always count on a truly relaxing and enjoyable evening at this place. It is a nice neighborhood restaurant where the owners treat you really well. They never rush you in and out, and there is overall a warm feeling about the place.

As for the food, the scallion dumplings are is out of this world! We always order lots of entrees and pass them around. It is a nice treat for out-of-towners who might not have tasted Afghani food.

try the chicken kubideh – This is the best afghani restaurant in the city. They have a chicken kubideh dish which is phenomenal!

Delicious Relaxation – The service here is extremely friendly and helpful, the food is incredible, and it's never busy. We sat on the floor at one of the window tables for hours. Try the pumpkin samosas. They're unbelievable.