Helmand Kabobi Cafe in Baltimore

Unexpected vegetarian delight! Really well seasoned blend of vegetables and rice. The sweet turnips were just the right touch to the spicy mushrooms and peas. Really wish we lived in Baltimore so we could enjoy their food again!

Horrible, terrible disrespectful young male server with glasses and AirPods was totally rude and non hospitable and unmannered Shouldn’t be serving, took very long Intervals between checking In with tables and bar nowhere to be found: 9/20/22 customers just sitting waiting.

If you live in the area or work at Johns Hopkins hospital, DO NOT IGNORE THIS RESTAURANT !!The Helmand on Charles Street is its heritage, and the food at this restaurant is simply divine as well.If you have never had Afghani food or put off because it may have too many spices? Fear not.If you are a vegetarian or vegan, you are welcome.The food is perfectly seasoned, take it from someone who has been in the "sand pit" area - TRUE AUTHENTIC AND VERY WORTHY👍🙏💯

Food is good, but almost every time we order, something is forgotten off the order and the person on the phone doesn’t speak enough English to rectify the mistake. So if you’re ordering takeout, check to make sure you have everything.

The dish had a great spicy smell.It was delicious, great savor, their lamb is top quality, went well with the Malbec available at the bar.I will come back for more. Definitely

With better prices and a more contemporary setting, the second Helmand serves the same delectable food as the original.

The Kabuli Pallow and the appetizers were delicious. The cardamom ice cream was also excellent. Also, awesome customer service.

Rarely does delivery take more than 15 minutes. At least five times Ive ordered takeout, and each time the service was exceptional.

Delicious meal and quick service! This location seems to be highly well-liked by lunchtime crowds.

They offer excellent vegan food, pleasant service, and affordable prices.

This eatery is fantastic. Absolutely wonderful for dinner or lunch. They are amazing bowls. The level of customer service is always excellent. great service

Absolutely wonderful for dinner or lunch. They are amazing bowls. The level of customer service is always excellent. great service

They provide excellent vegan alternatives, a helpful service, and affordable prices.

When I meet my wife for lunch, I adore coming here. Large lunch servings that are delicious and reasonably priced.

I liked the premise, it has potential to be good. The server was what brought it down for us. I ordered the kabuli w/boneless chicken and my partner ordered the chicken lawand. The first issue was the menu online was different from the paper menu my partner got, the menu I got was different from both and water stained. We tried to order drinks and the waiter said he didnt know how to make drinks so that meant whatever we got was going to be neat. When I asked for the pomegranate drink he said they were out and only had soda. When he came out with the food there was a discrepancy in what was being served but instead of him clarifying he just kept saying its what we ordered only the meat is different. The issue was the menu was different or else I would have ordered something else. Then he disappeared into the ether while we waited for our check. The food was ok, was expecting more flavor especially for there to be so much diversity in that area. The spicy sauce was not spicy and barely flavorful. The dark meat in my partners dish was dry meaning they cooked it too long.Then when it came time to pay for the food the server never came back to the table, after waiting for him for over 20 minutes we got up to find someone. The waiter was sitting at the front door on his phone. I had to ask are we supposed to pay here or was the meal comped since the service was that bad. He just handed over an iPad to pay smh.

Poor customer service from the cashier gentleman, tried to argue our order being incorrect due to their menus being outdated on paper/online. Verify what youre ordering is actually what youll receive. Food is decent at best.

Both the kabuli pallow and the chicken kabob were delicious. Excellent service as well.

Excellent. I particularly like the Kabuli Pallow and the pumpkin and pepper appetizers. It will feed two persons if you get the latter and an additional side.

There is so much space there. I absolutely adore their food, and its not busy.

Excellent. Especially like the pumpkin and pepper appetizers, and the Kabuli Pallow. Get the latter with an extra side and it’s enough food for 2 people. The cardamom ice cream is wonderful. Take out rarely takes more than 15 minutes. I’ve ordered takeout at least 5 times and there’s always excellent customer service.

They have really good vegan options, friendly staff and great price.

Poor customer service offsets the food. Whoever was dealing with the register was extremely rude for no reason. Not cool.

Awful customer service. The guy at the register argued with me for over 30 minutes just to edit my order to add rice to the meal. Wasted my entire lunch break. Even though it’s the same thing I order every day. Rude and not helpful. My colleagues and I used to order from there regularly but with the rising prices and decline in customer service we will not be coming back. 1 star because the food is decent actually decent.

It was easy to find street parking on a Tuesday evening.Ambience: spacious, clean and cozy. Was not crowded at all.We got shorwa and shornakhod for starters and they were fine but nothing too special. For entree we got kabuli pallow and chicken kabob and they were both very flavorful. The meat in the pallow was tender and juicy. The chicken kabob was very well made as well. Would definitely recommend both.For dessert we got fereny and jaala vanilla ice cream and we really loved them both.Service was slow and poor, hence would rate the overall experience as 3.5-4 stars. still not a bad option for some good afghani food.#afghancuisine#kabuli

Quick service but the food isn’t good. Most items on the menu are way too sweet- even if it’s labelled as “spicy”. Flavor is lacking

Love to go here when I meet my wife for lunch. Big lunch portions, super tasty, and well priced. Worth the trip even if youre not in the area of Hopkins.

Excellent restaurant, great space! Grand and luminous! The food was generous, I had Ausch and the Chicken Kebob with rice...very good!

Everytime Im on this side of time I stop at Kabobis.I get the vegetarian mushroom bowl, and Im not vegetarian at all...its just that good!🥰😋❤As far as the young man at the register, though his communication and customer service skills need improving he is NEVER RUDE OR DISRESPECTFUL. Some of the (palm coloredpatrons who felt SO upset probably expect a BLACK, AFRO-AMERICAN, or AFRICAN AMERICAN young man to bow at there presence and give them a toothy watermelon smile. GET OVER YOURSELF 😠😤🤬🖕🏾

Delicious food and good service. You cant go wrong with anything on the menu. Convenient location too. Very affordable to boot.

Baltimore has a lot of fancy restaurants but none comes close to Helmand. Their dishes value significantly more than the price tag. You cant get a bad dish. Everything is heavenly good at great portions and incredible prices. My respect to the authentic pallow they make is so profound I tip heavily on takeout orders. Man! JHMI hosts too many noble prize winners but in my heart Helmand is the one and only gem.

Take out bowls are delicious! Good vegan options, but truly this is a meat-cheat place for the tender lamb.

Were regulars at kabobi. Food is always solid--esp like the chicken kabuli. Would have rated five stars but the staff working the phone tonight was rude and had a bad attitude.

Delicious, fast and fresh. I always love the food there! Vegetarian bowl is my jam. Cardamom tea is amazing too.

I love this restaurant. Absolutely delicious lunch or dinner. The bowls are magical. The customer service is always on point meaning. Great service. 😁 I look forward to having lunch here on weekdays and they also have the to-go counter so you dont have to be seated for service. Awesome. The ingredients always taste so fresh. The flavors and spice are thoughtfully planned out for each meal. If your in the area stop in for lunch right across from Johns Hopkins & the new Marriot hotel on Wolfe& Madison st.

The menu is packed with verity of delicious traditional Afghan foods. Staff and waiters were very professional - the owner is such a great person.

A good lunch option at Hopkins - beef koufta wrap.

Fast service and delicious food! This spot seemed to be very popular for lunch crowds. However, they had no problem fitting in our large party. Appetizers came out with extreme speed, and our food was also ready nice and fast. The kofta (meatballsI had were nice and tender.

This is my favorite place to grab lunch. The different entrees of Afghan choices makes this place filled with diverse options and opens up the world of the different varieties of Afghan cuisine.I have tried the Lamb Lalawand and the Chicken Kabob, the bread and all and it was all very delicious packed with flavor and seasoning. My taste buds and my stomach were very pleased. Not to mention the quickness of the service. It took literally under 10 minutes to bring my food to me piping hot. The cashier at the front could have been a little more friendlier but that is beside the point. The food was an all around adventure and I loved every minute of trying out Afghan deliciousness without having to pay to travel there.

Very good food, nice choice of vegetarian dishes, soups and full meals. Went on a lunch break, service was swift and pleasant atmosphere. The servers were very nice, patient and attentive.The only downside is they close early and not open on weekends. You can certainly call ahead to order take-away food. Love this place - please stay open later and on the weekends!!Look forward to my next visit.

The food is delicious. Lunch items are a pared down version of the delicious textures and flavors of Afghanistan that are served nightly at The Helmand on Charles St. Last time I was at Kabobi, I had a vegetarian rice bowl dish that was delicious. Lunch for three of us averaged about $10 per person, which included a rice bowl, a soft drink, and a bread plate that we shared, plus the tip. If you love The Helmand, this place is a quick, easy, and inexpensive lunchtime version of the main restaurant. If youve never tried The Helmand (or Afghani cuisinethis is a great place to get a taste without breaking the bank. Recently, Kabobi has also started offering a happy hour and a early-ish dinner meal (until 7 or 8 pm, I believein addition to lunch, which makes this place an especially welcome addition to a neighborhood where dinner restaurant options are scarce. Highly recommended.

The best food option on the JHU medical campus hands down. I always go with the vegetarian bowl because it gives a good sampling of (almostall of the veggie options, but would highly recommend any of the vegetarian/vegan options. The mushroom and spinach are incredible.

Went here for lunch while visiting a friend in town. We’d heard about the pan-fried pumpkin, which surpassed expectations. Sweet and tart and garlicky, it sounds weird but tastes incredible! The kabob wrap I ordered was way too big for me to finish, stuffed with some sort of lightly pickled vegetable mixture and a generous amount of delightfully spiced, aromatic beef. Great lunch joint - bring your appetite!

Since I only have one bad thing to say, Ill start off with that their food is not extremely fresh or made to order in the sense that it seems a lot of it is pre-cooked, which is how take-out orders are available in about 5 minutes after the order is placed.Onto more positive things. As a vegetarian, I have tried their mushroom lawand, the vegetarian dolma, and I cant remember if I have tried their eggplant & mushroom wrap. All of their food has been excellent each time! As someone who doesnt love eggplant, I am amazed at how much I enjoy their vegetarian dolma. They really bring out the flavors through the use of herbs and spices in each part of the meal, whether the eggplant or turnips are the star of the dish. As a mushroom lover, their mushroom lawand is definitely satisfying. This restaurant has nailed the blend and cooking of spices which elevates their dishes to a mouth-watering level that have you returning for more.One thing to note is their naan bread is definitely not conventional naan that you might expect, but it is good bread in its own way that complements the meals. The yogurt cream sauce and other sauces they provide on the side complement the meals perfectly, so dont miss out on that!

Enjoy this place because of the spicy sauce that was available. Good choice for Afghan Cuisine

So happy to have a small version of The Helmand near my workplace! The food is awesome. My favorites are the pumpkin appetizer (Kaddo Boraniand the rice bowl with lamb (Kabuli Pallow). The potatoe & chickpea salad (Shornakhodis super tasty and you get a big portion for a small price. Prices in general are lower than at the main restaurant on Charles Street. It can get busy during lunch hours, so make sure you get there before 12:30. I highly recommend this place!

First time there. Went around 1:45 on a Friday, place was empty. I was ordering takeout. Very surprised by the ambiance of the interior as it was totally unexpected based on the exterior. The traffic on Wolfe street seems to hide this neighborhood gem. The hostess was super nice & explained the menu as Id never eaten Afghan food before. Ordered the beef kabob meal. Food was good. & wait wasnt long. Price is average. Would like to stroll back over & dine in so I can get the full experience & explore the menu more. Yes Id recommend.

Conveniently located for lunch near the Johns Hopkins medical campus. The serving sizes are appropriate for a light meal, and mostly presented in bowls. The wait from seating to being served can be long. Kabobi is very full during the lunch hour, the popularity is well deserved, but this makes for a noisy experience with other customers uncomfortably close in all directions. But, with this as an expectation, I would go there again.

Ive had a few of the rice bowls here and thought they were all delicious. Its definitely my favorite place for lunch near the Johns Hopkins Hospital. The service can be a little slow though, and I wish it were a tad cheaper.

This is a great place. I am a huge fan of The Helmand on Charles St and am very happy that Helmand Kabobi Cafe opened here in East Baltimore. I eat lunch there often and have never been disappointed in the food or the service.

I really tried to like this place, but ultimately, Ive decided I wont be going back. On multiple occasions Ive found meat in the soup that was supposed to be vegetarian. Ive said something to the manager, who assured me it wouldnt happen again. On my next visit, low and behold it happened again.