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Aracosia McLean
Tom Sietsema of The Washinton Post has acknowledged Afghan Bistro as “The area's best Afghan Restaurant”.
Yelp's top 100 restaurants in The US awarded Afghan Bistro the honor of 3rd best in the country.
Bistro Aracosia has been acknowledged by Forbes magazine as 1 of 50 best restaurants in the nation for Vegetarians, and awarded The Washingtonian's "100 best restaurants".
Aracosia accommodates any diet and is proud of taking cooking back to its origins.
Chef Sofia Masroor diligently ensures top grade cuts of meat and the freshest produce. Food at Aracosia is prepared with love. No artificial ingredients MSGs or preservatives are used, nor do we cook anything with nuclear such as microwaves and pre-made stations.
Full Bar, extensive Wine and Beer menu.
Come and experience authentic afghan cuisine.
Safety precautions
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Common areas deep cleaned daily
- Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
- Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers
- Contactless payment available
- Sealed or wrapped utensils used
- Limited number of seated diners
- Distancing maintained in common areas
- Extra space between tables
- Waitstaff wear masks
- Diners must wear masks unless eating or drinking
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace
- Contact tracing information collected
Popular dishes
Pumpkin Dumplings
Flavored with bistro spices, steamed to perfection and finished off with your choice of yogurt garlic sauce or minced beef, topped with crushed dry mint and cayenne pepper
28 reviews
Salmon
Chunks of salmon marinated overnight in our special bistro spices and herbs, charbroiled to perfection, served with saffron infused long grain basmati rice and a side of sabzi
15 reviews
Leek & Scallion Dumplings (Aushak)
Steamed & stuffed with leeks & scallions, topped with minced beef & lentil qorma, garlic yogurt, dried mint & cayenne. Vegetarian option available
4 reviews
Menu
Outstanding dinner - once again. We had a great server in Hussein who did a marvelous job in taking care of us.
The lamb, as usual, melted off the bone. Absolutely delicious.
Thank you for your kind words and support!
I have met friends for lunch or dinner at Aracosia McLean at least 4 times in the past 4 months. Everyone comes away saying they want to come back.
Thank you! We appreciate your kind words and support! We look forward to your return!
Beautiful restaurant, delicious food and great service!!
Thank you for your kind words!
Our food was amazing and prepared very quickly. The staff were all very pleasant and attentive. There was some very light live music when we visited on a Friday night which added to the ambiance nicely. Highly recommend visiting and will definitely be returning.
We are delighted to hear that you had a wonderful time with us on Friday evening. Thank you for your kind words and support!
The food and service was amazing! Titi was hands down a wonderful through our entire time there, from recommending dishes to accommodating food allergies and preferences. We can't stop talking about this restaurant and can't wait to go back!
We are very happy to hear that Titi took great care of you! We appreciate your support and kind words. Thank you!
Ate outside and was very comfortable. We didn’t even need the heat lamps but they were there for colder days. We enjoyed their version of a hamburger and the steak kabobs. Wish there were more beef chunks on the skewer and less rice, but we probably got the lunch size. Definitely will return.
Thank you for your kind words and feedback! We look forward to your next visit!
My husband and I visited for the first time and wow! were we surprised with the delicious food and nice staff. We had picked this place because it was fairly close to the airport and we wanted to have lunch before leaving. The location is perfect, downtown McLean. The menu was out of this world, so hard to make a decision. We decided to go for the lamb and we were not disappointed. I've heard that the vegetarian stews are great so we will definitively go back and order one of those. The decoration and the music were beautiful.
Thank you for your kind words! We are happy to hear that you enjoyed your experience! We look forward to your return!
I love that we can still eat outside with good service and food. Lovely setting, plenty of heat on a chilly evening.
We're glad that you enjoyed your experience with us outdoors! Thank you for your kind words!
We went for a friend’s birthday and it was a wonderful time!
We're happy to hear that you enjoyed your experience! Thank you for celebrating with us!
Always excellent food and wonderful management. This family run business does everything possible to accommodate diners, making you feel part of “their family”. It’s just a wonderful experience to dine there.
We are so happy to hear that you felt so welcomed at our restaurant. Thank you for your kind words and support!
My wife's saffron salmon was terrific. The dumpling appetizer delighted all of us. The sauvignon blanc was very flavorful, and we each enjoyed our cocktails. The saffron veal was very good. There were a number of items on the menu we wanted to try, so we more or less decided to return as a group again to try some more of the selections. Convenient parking and excellent service added to our pleasure. Very enjoyable weekend lunch.
Thank you so much for your kind words and support! We are happy you enjoyed the food and look forward to your return!
Excellent food and service
Thank you for your kind words!
Celebrated my wife’s birthday. Great experience!
Thank you for celebrating with us! We're glad you and your loved ones had a great time!
The food was really good and the service was prompt and friendly. We will definitely come back
Thank you! We look forward to your next visit!
My friend and I both leaned forward in delight. Lunch was so delicious. Can’t get over how juicy the chicken thighs were. So nicely grilled. My friend had the eggplant stew which was amazing. What a bargain. We ate indoors. Although they had space heaters outdoors these would not have made dining pleasant in the blustery conditions.
Thank you for your kind words! We're happy to hear that you loved the food!
Delicious food
Thank you Judith!
We had a delay in getting one person’s entree at lunch. The server took it off our bill. Very kind of him. We will be back soon. Love the food!
Thank you for your review! We are happy that you loved the food!
We enjoyed a nice family dinner with my in-laws and two younger children (ages 5 and 8). The food was very well-made. I opted for one of the vegetarian dishes (spiced risotto with sides of eggplant and butternut squash). It is the best vegetarian dish I've ever had. Others ordered grilled meats, which I was told was very well made as well. The kids menu has some interesting choices for kids (e.g. goat). My daughter ordered the kids salmon which she like a lot. My picky 5-year old didn't find anything on the menu, but his restaurant palate is very limited (pizza, cheese quesadilla and/or fries). Nothing of my 5-year old's caliber here, but that' probably a good thing. Nice warm ambience too. Quiet, but still family friendly.
Thank you! We appreciate your kind words and feedback. We are happy to hear that you and your family had a nice experience with us, we hope to see you again soon!
Lunch with 2 friends today at Aracosia McLean. We all had samplers of Mazas, dumplings and turnovers from the lunch menu and the carrot slaw. For dessert we had the rice pudding and cardamom ice cream - just sweet enough at the end. Everything was delicious and perfect for a lunch.
Thank you for dining with us and your kind words! We appreciate you!
My invitees were all from Kansas City and were blown away by the food which they were completely unfamiliar with. I really loved channeling their enthusiasm! As a regular, I’m aware of how delicious the food is, but I loved watching their reactions. They also complimented the bartender…they did not expect such great Manhattans and Oldfashioneds so far from their home base (bourbon country). We drank a toast to my late husband who was there for the soft opening and loved every meal we had there thereafter. Thanks to all.
Thank you so much for your kind words! We are so happy to hear that you wanted to share an experience at our restaurant with your friends from out of state! We appreciate your support! We're glad that everyone enjoyed!
The food was delicious! The ambiance was lovely. It was quiet enough that we could have a nice converesation without shouting, and the service was wonderful. I was there with friends, but can't wait to take my husband there -- he is very particular and will love this restaurant!
Thank you Bonnie! We're glad you and your friends enjoyed your experience! We look forward to you coming back with your husband!
I ordered the Braised Lamb Shank with greens over Basmati Rice and it was incredible.
Food was fabulous as always. Restaurant was very busy and we felt a little rushed by the wait staff.
One of our favorite spots in the DMV area. Food and service are both excellent and consistent so we keep coming back.
Amazing food and service!
After eating at Aracosia the first time, I came home and announced that I had found my new favorite restaurant! Every item I have eaten there has been cooked to perfection and has been full of the aromatic flavors you expect in Afghan cuisine. Even better is the warm welcome and outstanding service and attention to detail on the part of the staff. Will be back soon!
The lamb was the highlight. Attentive service. One thing I appreciate is beer on tap, and they had three fresh beers, in addition to bottles, and a good wine selection.
Delicious Aghan food. There is a wide choice of dishes, all of which are well prepared, including vegetarian entrees and appetizers. Desserts include cardamom ice cream. Indoor seating is comfortable and Aracosia has a good setup for outside dining if you prefer.
This is the third time I have eaten at Aracosia this month. So pleasant. The outdoor space is beautiful. Service was excellent and food delicious! Slow cooked stews and pumpkin dumplings are my favorites!
Thank you Linda! We are pleased to hear that you're a regular guest! Thank you for your kind words!
First time at this beautiful restaurant after eating at its sister one on MacArthur Blvd. We've always been impressed with the menu, but I think we just didn't order the right things this time. The chicken saffron was as described but a bit bland, as were the lamb shank dishes. But the appetizers, the aushak and the pumpkin dumplings, were amazing, as were the desserts - the cardamom cake and the rice puddings. We will be back and ask next time for recommendations. Still love this restaurant and its two sister ones.
Thank you Karen for your feedback! We're sorry that the entrees didn't exceed your expectations. We will look into that for a better experience on your next visit. We appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you again soon!
Best food for miles around! Wonderful service too.
Great food but long wait for the table.
Great service great food great ambiance.
Thank you Kari, we're happy that you enjoyed everything!
Very well done. We heard good things about it so we decided to drive over from Maryland and it was worth it.
Thank you for your kind words and support! We're glad you enjoyed!
I really wanted to love this place but I was very disappointed. I took my friends to introduce them to afghan cuisine but had regrets afterwards. Very small portions and too expensive for what you get. I wouldn't even mind the price if the food would be good. The staff seemed very reserved except for one friendly man who welcomed us at the door. They kept forgetting our orders. We had three different servers at one point and it got annoying repeating the same thing to each one of them. All in all, Mediocre.
They never fail to give us the best cuisine and service. Loved it again.
Thank you for your kind words! We're so happy to hear that you've had many great experiences with us!
The food was delicious, the service was great, and the ambiance was very nice. We will be back.
Thank you so much for celebrating your special day with us! We are so happy to hear that you had a great experience! Happy Anniversary!
Hidden gem in McLean. Beautiful atmosphere with extremely savory food. Outstanding grilled lamb chops and delicous vegetable sides like eggplant and flavored rice. Great for a special occasion like a birthday or wedding anniversary, but no need to dress up as if in a white tablecloth restaurant. We will be back.
Thank you Josh for your kind words and support! We look forward to seeing you again!
Delicious food. Helpful, welcoming service. Lovely ambiance. Fantastic menu. We’ll return!
Thank you for your support, we look forward to seeing you again!
Excellent food. Entrees were flavorful and the sauces were spectacular. Heard a lot of good things about this place and it was well worth it.
Thank you so much for your kind words!
FAQs
Aracosia McLean does offer delivery in partnership with Uber Eats. Aracosia McLean also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (703) 269-3820.
Aracosia McLean is rated 4.8 stars by 614 OpenTable diners.
Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable. Due to local restrictions, this restaurant may not be accepting reservations at the moment.
