Maiwand Grill

What a pleasant surprise! I came here before a concert at CFG Bank Arena with some friends on a Thursday night. I had heard about this restaurant when I still lived in Baltimore, but had never visited. When we first walked in, we saw the signs to pick a table first before ordering, so that's what we did. We perused the menu online and made our selections. I ordered the Lamb & Chicken Platter, Mango Lassi, and the Aushak to share. Both were SOOO good. Honestly, I had wished I wore stretchier pants because the portions were super generous too. We also shared the beef samosas and the Garlic Cheese Nan. Both were good, but I don't necessarily order again. Everyone kept saying how good their food was all night, so it truly was a hit. Bellies and hearts were full. The place itself has a fast-casual feel and an open concept. There's lots of Afghani decorations all around and adds a homey vibe. Everyone was super kind and nice. The food came out quickly.

Food here is good. I usually come here for lunch. They have a different daily lunch special for about $10.99, which is a good deal. The only issue I have is the consistency of their food. I got a chicken gyro platter and this past time they barely put any fries. I literally got 7 fries thrown on top of my platter. In the past, I have gotten a whole side of fries. The same goes with the Afghan Tea ($5.99 for a pot). Sometimes I get a black tea, sometimes it is a green tea.In terms of the service, you have to bus your own table, which sometimes is an issue because they have trash receptacles with a swing door. It gets messy sometimes. They have a decent sized dining area, but there is limited street parking available.

Maiwand Grill is conveniently located across the street from the Hippodrome. Wanting to grab a bite before a show, we opted for a sit down warm meal and the first time visit here was just ok. The dining space is open and plenty of seating throughout. True casual dining where you self seat and grab a table first, then order, and staff will bring your food to you. I like to enjoy and feel the warmth of my meal and the metal seat was cold and translates "eat and go". I am not a fan of metal chairs but that's just me. For this visit, we chose the chicken shawarma and the chicken and shrimp kabob platter. After two bites, the chicken shawarma fell apart and quickly became sloppy. Disappointing as these were not sliced but more like chopped chicken and didn't taste fresh, pre-made feel to it. It was missing the snap from the vegetables and the bread itself was soggy. The chicken and shrimp kabob were reported delicious. We also ordered a mango lassi and was sad to learn it was pre-made and stored in the nearby fridge with the rest of the grab and go drinks. The taste barely hit the mark, otherwise if it were made fresh would've tasted different.While the service was quick and transactional, the food left much to be desired. I'm not sure I'll return to this location, will find alternatives for dinner before heading to the Hippodrome.

I ordered from here on Uber Eats on a sick day at home and the food came both quickly and very fresh. Mango Lassi 4.5/5, this was just a bit thicker than I liked my lassis to be, but otherwise sweet and delightful to pair with my mealTandoori Garlic Naan 3/5, this was a basic garlic naan, I was super full from my meal so if I placed a repeat order, I would omit thisLamb and Chicken Kabob Combo 4.5/5, the lamb is soft and melts in your mouth and is seasoned a traditional way. The chicken is unique, the seasoning reminded me of a barbecue smokey seasoning? Regardless, I did also enjoy the chicken. The rice that comes with this has sweet raisins in it that I loved, though I didn't like the side salad that came with this.Baklava 4/5, okay so this was good! But the portion sizing of the baklava was small, about 3 small pieces that you could eat within a single bite each and for this, I've given it the 4/5.

Not my first pick for Afghani food but it's decent. Some of the food was just a little off. The garlic naan was a touch disappointing and the hummus was like a mouth full of olive oil. The side of fries was measly too. Falafel was great and the lamb was so so. We also were given a bunch of sides or ranch???? Confused about that

Food: The cuisine here is excellent. Let me start with the sambusa. I've had many many sambusas in my life, but never anything like the Maiwand Grill sambusa! I don't know what recipe they're using, but these are the best sambusas I've ever had. Firstly, they came out in mini frying cages, instead of plates. I thought that was a fun way to present the dish! The price is excellent for 6 sambusas, too -- I cannot forget that. They arrived to our table hot and crisp and perfectly stuffed. I ordered the chicken/shrimp tandoori plate, which came with rice, salad, flatbread, and house made green sauce. This was plenty of food at an excellent price. Everything was perfectly cooked and seasoned. The food here is honestly so impressively delicious. Service: One thing I thought was great about Maiwand is the efficiency of this casual sit-down restaurant. Before ordering at the counter, you choose a table and table number. When you put in your order, you report your table number. This makes it so quick and easy for the service staff to find you/serve you without complication! It also makes it a cooler experience-- not quite fast food and not formal, but a nice in-between. Ambiance: LOVE the ambiance of this place. I forgot to photograph the restaurant but their wall decor is so lovely -- cultural and adds character/heritage to the space. The patron were from a variety of backgrounds, and that also spoke volumes to me about who Maiwand attracts (everyone!). You simply MUST try Maiwand's if you're in Baltimore. Trust me, you don't want to miss out on this unforgettable food experience.

5 * food5* price4* service (takeout brought to table)4* speed Came here before Stevie wonder concert because of great yelp reviews and we weren't disappointed! Had the chicken and lamb and kofta combo. Chicken was so juicy and tender! They forgot our lamb and brought it - would have liked rarer, but still tasty. Rice was delicious and green sauce was to die for!

Got to explore this gem while going on a conference nearby. We got the food to-go. My favorite is the grilled lamb chops, which are really flavorful and tender. And the price is very decent for this cut of meat too!I also got to try their mango lassi too, it was very refreshing! If I have a chance to travel back to Baltimore again, I'll definitely visit Maiwand Grill again!

As you can see in the picture, I am not sure what they thought that I ordered. I have ordered from this place plenty of times and it has always been good. So of course after ordering I thought I would go home and enjoy a great meal. Instead, I get a tub of rice with a sprinkling of Gyro meat, and a tablespoon of salad. I guess they threw on the french fries for a good measure. I did not order french fries because I have a bad gluten allergy and I know that their french fries are coated in flour.When I walk in the young women behind the counter are laughing and not paying attention to me. I had to let them know that I was there for a pick up order. I'm so disappointed and I want to bring my order back, however, I am already home and it is a waste of time. Also, obviously, a waste of money.

Have been here a few times, before an evening performance at the Hippodrome. Each time, the food has been delicious, portions ample and service very good. Last night, we started with the Chickpea Curry appetizer. Nothing fancy, but spiced beautifully. Huge portion ($4.99). I had the Kofta and chicken kabob combo ($15.99), which comes with pita, rice, salad and a green sauce on the side. I sometimes avoid chicken because it can be dried out in this form of preparation - but the chicken pieces were moist and juicy. The spicing of the chicken was great. The kofta also was easy to cut, juicy and flavorful. The rice had nice herbs/spices and the salad was fresh and tasty. My partner had the lamb kabob ($13.99), and they also commented on the juiciness of the lamb and the great flavor. The one hesitation I have with this place is that it has been crowded each time I've been here, and it can be difficult to find a table. We never failed to get one, but it can take some time and requires some coordination (if you come with someone, one orders at the counter while the other slowly moves around the floor looking for folks who appear to be finishing up). If you're not into that sort of thing, come when it's not as crowded (not right before a show at Hippodrome or other nearby entertainment venue) or get take-out.