Zamarod Restaurant

Excellent Afghan dinner this evening! Muntoo as appetizer. Aushack and Zamarod Palaow entrees. Also highly recommend the Firnee (pudding with almonds and pistachios) for dessert. Great personal attention from the owner!

Superb family owned local restaurant. The food is excellent had the rack of lamb which was perfectly cooked — the spinach is also fantastic. Our party had the salmon and the vegetarian which were both perfect.
We recommend this place if you want really authentic food perfectly seasoned and spiced.

What a hidden gem, but I hope it doesn’t stay hidden for long. The food is just too good to remain a secret! I can’t say enough positive things about their pumpkin dishes. It’s amazing how much flavor they get out of pumpkin. Their eggplant dishes are great too, as is the chicken kabob (so juicy and flavorful). The décor and service are good as well. It seems like a family shop, and the owner is very pleasant. I can’t wait to go back!

Back a few more times since they opened and not disappointed. The food is fabulous. The chef comes out to take your order but I know once more find the little gem that will be difficult to continue. I love the eggplant and — lamb shank is great too. This is our top restaurant if gf.

4.5 stars. A very nice place for a quiet lunch in an elegant setting. The lunch prices were surprisingly reasonable too. The lamb dish I had was decent portion size and quite delicious, especially the pumpkin and succulent lamb. Spinach rice was a nice flavor. We needed more water for a little while so minus half star for service, but other than that the experience was perfect.

4.5÷5 stars. Such delicious, tasty food here; I WANT to give Zamarod 5 out of 5 stars, but I cannot, because of the slow service. The atmosphere is great; tasteful, well-​lit, spacious. Water service is excellent – our water glasses were always full. Service (personality-​wise) is wonderful. The gentleman, whom I assume is the owner, is very pleasant and business-​like. The food – DELICIOUS. I used to be a loyal Faryab (in Bethesda) customer, but stopped going there long before they permanently closed recently. Zamarod’s food is just as delicious, if not more delicious than Faryab’s was in their heyday. We ordered the sambosas, which were delicious. The hot sauce with which it came was hot, sour, and a little sweet. I really liked it. For dinner, there was mantu (meat-​filled dumplings topped with a yogurt, meat, and lentil sauce), and a lamb stew, spinach and rice dish. Both were unbelievable. The mantu were tender, meaty, and had such a perfect, firm, yet giving, mouth feel. The lamb stew, spinach, and spinachy rice were so tasty I almost wanted to commandeer the dish. This food was absolutely delicious, and satisfying. The only reason I docked half a star is the slow service. We were here on a Saturday evening. They really need one more person running the dining room, because the gentleman doing it alone was definitely stretched too thinly, and some diners had to wait a long time, or felt left by the wayside. There were several people looking around, wondering if anyone was going to take their food order, or wondering if there was anyone who was going to follow up with their table. I can overlook this caveat, because the food is delicious, and the atmosphere very pleasant. I would be willing to come here again, just maybe not on a Saturday evening.

Fantastically scrumptious dishes like the lamb stew, lentil stew and pumpkin sabsi and the chic yet warm atmosphere have made this my new favorite restaurant in the DC region

If you read the raving review that was written on 11÷8÷15 from Cream Cheese C. (stands for Cream Cheese the Cat, my daughter’s kitty), please know that I’m the mom who celebrated her post-​wedding Brunch at Zamarod, with my husband and some of the guests from our wedding party the night before. The reason we chose Zamarod is that we had eaten there twice before and fell in love with 1) the food, 2) the owner Dor and 3) the ambiance of the place. There were about 35 guests at our private party, and we had the whole place to ourselves. (BTW I believe Zamarod holds up to around 55 people for private parties.) Anyway, everyone loved the food — it was beyond amazing — just sheer perfection! But what made it so very special is that Dor gives everyone who walks in his restaurant, for private parties or regular dining, the feeling that you are his personal guest. He and his restaurant are just so very warm and welcoming. Our local guests all vowed to come back, and our out-​of-​towners are going to check out Afghan cuisine in their neighborhoods, hoping to find a restaurant as good as Zamarod. Good luck to them!

Wonderful lunch on a rainy day! Food was healthy, well prepared and very, very good!
I suggest the Quabali Palou or the Samarroq Palaow. Aush soup is also very good.

My mom and her husband celebrated their post-​wedding brunch at Zamarod. They booked the entire restaurant and it was a WONDERFUL event! The food was just incredible. The staff prepared milky cardamom tea and served up various baked and fried goodies as appetizers. Then they served us kabuli-​palao (Afghan rice), chicken kebab, pumpkin, spinach, lamb stew, and something amazing with baked apples and lentils (I think). Bread and salad too, of course. Many of the guests had never had Afghan food before but we all went back for seconds. Oh, and for dessert we had the cardamom pudding and fresh-​made (still warm from the oven) baklava. It was an amazing experience, the staff were joyful in sharing their culture with us, and we all left uncomfortably full. :) I can’t recommend Zamarod enough!
Pros: Great authentic food, good for events.

Update. I went in for lunch today and ordered their special of the day: marinated salmon, spinach and pumpkin. Absolutely divine! Seriously. The portion was American size large and the quality of each element was so so good. And the bread they included… really really good. Even though I’m stuffed, I can’t wait to go back.

Zamarod is an all around treasure. The food is excellent and beautifully presented, service is gracious and warm, the atmosphere is charming – what more can one ask for. Parking is easy – right in front of the restaurant. This Afghan restaurant is a gem.

We discovered Zamarod Restaurant a little over a month ago and we’ve already been had dinner there three times with different friends — and all of our friends have thanked us over an over again for introducing them to this gem of a restaurant.
Here’s what we love about this restaurant. REAL FOOD, Afghan style. Marinated grilled meats with flavor in every bite. Generous portions of artfully seasoned vegetables garnished with homemade yogurt. Delightful desserts, including homemade baklava. LOVELY SETTING. A white tablecloth restaurant that feels cozy and comfortable — and it’s not noisy! SERVICE WITH A SMILE. Each time we’ve been there, the chef/​owner has come to our table to check on the service and crack a few jokes :) REASONABLE PRICES. Considering the portion sizes and the high quality of the food, it’s definitely a great value!
VEGETARIANS can make a meal of the vegetable soup and one or two sides. I did that one night and it was perfect! If you love MEAT, like my husband, you will be delighted with the Combination Kebab, his current favorite.

Excellent food but service, wine by the glass selection and music needs improvement!
That said, I love the Sautéed Pumpkin topped with yoghurt and chunks of lamb dish! Their kabob is very good as well.
Food 5 stars but 2 stars for the very rough service.

I have been so tired of the «same ol’ same ol’ «here in Great Falls.
I was so happy to have found Zamarods.
What a great place! I get carryout or eat here at least once a week. I have only had positive experiences here. The staff is courteous and attentive. The food is always delicious– well seasoned, unique flavors, and good portion sizes. I am addicted to the Mashawa soup and the Kadu Chalaow (or with lamb sometimes), the side dish of turnips is very good too (and I am generally not a turnip fan).
They have always been helpful and accommodating– for example: I was having people over to the house and wanted to offer something «different» as an appetizer, so when I called requesting a customized platter in less then 24 hrs, they put the chef on the phone with me right away so we could come up with a vegetarian platter for my friends.
I would highly recommend this restaurant!
Give it a try!

I grew up in Great Falls so I’ve seen my fair share of restaurants come and go. This place is relatively new still. I hope all of you go so that they become a permanent fixture.
My family went to Zamarod for Mother’s Day. This was the first time being there for everyone aside from my mom – we went here as her choice. She had already been there a couple times with friends.
We had a reservation, the table was set for us, party of five, when we arrived right on time. The staff immediately brought out water (and were perfect with refills… No one went empty and I didn’t feel that they hovered). Staff was courteous and overall attentive. We ordered hommus as an appetizer while making entrée decisions. It was delicious, perfect texture, and served with fresh, warm bread at a portion size that was perfect for the table. I had combo kebabs, others got the Greek salad, quabili palow platter, lamb shanks platter (today’s special). My meal was so tasty and richly flavored, each kind of meat (lamb chunks, chicken, lamb chop) had its own taste which was well supported by lightly seasoned rice. I also tried the dish that was a full flamb shank with the pumpkin and rice – also excellent. I have not had a lot of afghani cuisine, so therefore have no Idea about how authentic it tastes, but I can attest to the savory, flavorful and, for me, unique tastes of the food here. I have a dairy allergy, there was not a serving of yogurt anywhere near me. The rest of the family had baklava for desert and there wasn’t even a morsel left when they were done splitting two servings among the four of them.
We all loved our meals and we all had leftovers to enjoy – and actually look forward to – thanks to the generous portion sizes. I am a smaller person so my leftovers will probably be more, but I think most people will get another meal just from their doggie-​bag – it makes the prices well worth the money (and now that I live farther away, worth the drive). The chef/​owner came out to our table and asked how everyone liked their meal, seemed like a very pleasant man – so I’m glad when I really like a place like this and can help support local small businesses. The chairs were comfortable, and the ambiance was warm. The place is cozy but not too small or cramped. While I did not partake, I believe they have a full bar. It’d probably be a good place for a date/​date-​night in the evenings, get-​togethers with friends, as it was nice for an adult family.
They have take-​out menus at the door, I think they might start to deliver soon… that’d be awesome, too. And they advertise catering services.
*The only con for me is that they have soda by the can, so I believe you have to pay for each one. If I could give the ownership a suggestion it would be to invest in a fountain soda machine and provide free refills. *

Zamarod is a very nice little restaurant nestled in a shopping center which has not been kind to restaurants in the past.
I am not an Afghani food connoisseur but we really enjoy this place. The food is very tasty and my wife enjoys the appetizers.
I usually get the vegetarian three-​entrée selection. I choose the Sabzi (sautéed spinach), Banjan (sautéed eggplant), and Berenj (basmati rice). The food is always seasoned very well.
I have no connection with the restaurant nor its owners but I thoroughly enjoy going here. My wife and I plan on patronizing the restaurant in the future. It is not inexpensive but the owners and waiters are friendly and on some nights, the chef will come and talk to the guests.
In an area of Northern Va that sprouts either chains or run-​of-​the-​mill American restaurant fare, Zamarod is a very welcome addition.

Great kabob. Clean and nice people. But food first! Great kabob. I would say best in Tyson to greatfalls area. Must try it. Price is right too.

I really wish I could give this restaurant 5 stars. Their food is incredible. Their service is seriously regrettable.
I came in on a Thursday evening at 5:40. There was only one waiter working the entire restaurant, but at the time we (me and two others) were only one of two tables. We were seated immediately and the waiter recommended the hummus. I’m allergic to sesame seeds so I asked if it had tahini. The waiter didn’t understand me when I asked if it had tahini or sesame seeds – so much so that he finally said «no no,» went back to the kitchen, came back and said it had tahini but no sesame. Um, tahini is made from crushed sesame seeds. That could have been a dangerous situation.
I ordered a lamb and watermelon dish while my two guests ordered kabobs. We were given water and then sat. For a long time. In fact, we didn’t get food until 6:40, with no water refills. It was only when we got our food when we got our bread. We were starving.
The food, as I said, was delicious. I ordered a coke and it was way overpriced ($ 3.75 for a can? Really?), but otherwise it was spectacular. After we ate, we finally got our water refilled. We waited another 15 minutes for the check.
When we finally got it, a cricket jumped onto the table. Now I know that sometimes critters or bugs might get into a restaurant – that’s fine. But there was a bug on the table and it startled me so I pushed my chair back because I was surprised. The waiter came over, saw it, then said, «It’s a cricket, not a cockroach,» then turned on his heels and LEFT THE BUG ON THE TABLE. Seriously?
So we tipped him and left. It took us about 2 hours to get and eat our food and leave. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
Overall, if they fixed the waiter and service problem this restaurant would do much better. But I’m not going back any time soon because the service was so slow and subpar. This could easily be a 5-​star restaurant, but it would take a lot of work.

This is a new Afghan restaurant in my area that I just had to try. It’s situated in an end unit building within a small shopping plaza. Inside the restaurant is kind of cramped. Anything you say at the cashier’s counter will be overheard by dine-​in customers. Outside, there are a couple old, rusted tables and chairs. The man at the counter was nice and offered water while we waited for our order.
Starting out, my take-​out order was misunderstood or purposely upgraded to cost more. I made sure the man on the phone understood I wanted 1 entrée and 1 side. The menu has a section devoted to sides. I repeated to confirm the order at the end of the call. Instead, I received 2 entrees because the SIDE of eggplant was upgrade to a full entrée, which was not what I ordered.
As far as the food, it’s not authentic Afghan food. Its an attempt, but not a good one because for the most part, it lacks flavor. As far as the food I received, it was a mixed experience that won’t make me return again.
RICE: I received 2 generous portions of brown, palou rice (despite the receipt indicating the eggplant entrée came with white, chalou rice). The rice looked great, had a nice brown color, long basmati grains, tender, but very bland. It needed salt and needed the aromatic flavors of cumin and other spices that is typical of Afghan Palou rice (brown rice).
LAMB: The lamb tasted good. I received 4 small pieces next to rice. The portion size was average but decent.
BREAD: The bread was not Afghan style but it tasted fresh. I received 4 thick, brick shaped pieces of bread, blanch white in color, salty, that vaguely reminded me of pizza crust.
EGGPLaNT: The banjan boorani (sautéed eggplant) was not good. It was cut in thick chunks, bland, fried and greasy, and the minimal drizzles of tomato sauce & yogurt on top had no flavor. I thought the portion of eggplant was also rather small for an entrée. Together with the bland rice, it was a flavorless entrée.
CHUTNEY: The single, small, green chutney sauce it came with was good. It was spicy but not overwhelming. it looked like a finely diced green pepper blend. It did not contain yogurt.
Over all, the food is not worthy to return. The take-​out containers were small and cheap. The bottom was warping underneath by the time I got home and it looked like the food was about to come through. I won’t be coming back.