Shinwari

The low Yelp scores for this place makes zero sense...except that I have some theories that are the stuff of fan fiction.Here's my first guess: This place is awesome and the people in the know don't want others knowing about it. This is the one that makes the most sense. They already do a brisk business and the current customers don't want to wait any longer than they already have to.My second guess: some people are totally clueless and don't understand that this is a place where your meal is an event and not just dinner. If you want to eat and run, go to McDonalds. This is the place where you come to eat, sip your chai, and enjoy the company of those around you. Food takes time to cook...figure it out people.Okay...about the food: WOW! So delicious and all perfectly cooked.I have to open with the one dish that was absolutely stunning: the lamb chops. The seasoning was spot on and flavorful while the cook point (which appears to be hard for many restaurants it seems) was flawless. Tender from end-to-end without a sign of chewiness. Next up on the menu hit parade was the Chapli Kebab. That little bit of char on the outside combined with the seasoned meat made this a repeat order for sure. Check the pics and you'll see what I'm talking about.The last but definitely not least on the list was the massive Namkeen Chicken Tikka. There was enough food on this order for three people and it was awesome! There was a smokiness to the meat that permeated beautifully and each piece was amazingly tender. We couldn't finish this one and it ended up in the to-go bag. Seriously, it huge.The service, decor, and general ambiance of Shinwari was so great too. The staff were totally professional and the families enjoying the props (which included a auto rickshaw) where fun to watch.I will be coming back here FOR SURE. Bring a close friend or five and enjoy an amazing evening.

The hostess/waitress speaks too quietly. The dishes should come with rice. The food was good but the staff came by to collect our dishes while we were still seated, dropped a spoon full of yogurt next to me on my coat and walked away like nothing happened. When we brought it to their attention they brought napkins and didn't say anything. So maybe don't bus the table until the customer leaves, or at least apologize/offer some help when you destroy their clothing.

This place just keeps getting better and better. The flavors!!!! The scent!!! The way things are cooked to perfection fresh!! Excellent attentive service!!! #foodheaven if you havent already been here your playing yourself RUN!!! ‍ don't walk to these beautiful gem of a place

Delicious everytime I come here! All of the skewers are amazing and the naan is perfect here. Also really liked the jamun. Reminds me of the restaurants my parents used to bring me too as a kid. Don't have much of this anymore on the west coast so i really enjoyed it! 10/10

Great food and ambiance, karahi was great just needs to be more spicy, even though we told them extra spicy but it was not as spicy as we'd like. Minus two stars from the review as we walked in and they wouldnt seat us while many seats were available. We had called over the phone to reserve a table which they said they dont do yet when we got to the location they wont seat us. Didn't make sense! After tryna have us go all the way in the back on the floor seating, we said thats not comfortable for us. So finally they said wait few minutes. Then magically a table was open for us. Smh the back and forth was not cool.... As a business owner, serve everyone equally. We get the whole idea of "family" seating but if i am a customer, you're just discriminating.

The food was delicious and plentiful. Authentic northern Pakistan cuisine and decor. Service was quick and attentive.

I'm surprised to see negative reviews. I'd give this place more than 5 stars if I could. This place is amazing! The food is absolutely delicious. The service was top notch! We were a group of 20+ (5 families), each family ordered 3-4 dishes and we loved ALL the food. We really enjoyed everything about this place. I loved the decor and the ambiance!

Tl;dr: A must-visit if you're in the area. Every Eid it's customary for our family to get all dressed up and have a proper sit-down dinner outside. This year we decided to visit Shinwari on the second day of Eid. From the get to it's evident that they've put a lot of thought into making your visit an experience. From the decor and ambiance to the food and service, it is an authentic Pakistani Shinwari meal.There are plenty of seating options (including palangs and jhulas), you can make reservations ahead of time or walk-in. Keep in mind if you walk-in, there may be a bit of a wait. It's a family-friendly and easy-going atmosphere. There were children running around and playing on the decorative rickshaw and bike, and we were able to admire the beautiful artwork and collectibles while we waited for our dinner. The food is served family-style and piping hot. The aroma alone is enough to satisfy your palate. Of the items we ordered the dishes that stood out were the chapli kabobs and the charsi chicken tikka. But all the food was prepared well and really hit the spot. The chai was delicious but a small serving with no refill option. For a Desi restaurant it's borderline scandalous to not have some chai on tap. Overall it was a great experience and I hope to visit Shinwari again soon (maybe once more before I go back home!). Cheers to the staff and team, I hope you keep getting better.

I've been their with my family twice, both times with the large group and for Ifthar. The interior decorations are authentic and cultural. Colorful vibes. Nice setup. We got the private room with the floor seating. Food was great both times. Great service offered by the friendly staff named Said Abubaker. He was very attentive and took very good care of the entire group.

Food is good - karahi is delicious. Wait time for food is unacceptable. Restaurant half full and food items still took 40 min. Looking around you will see other customers gloomy faces also waiting long times for their dinner.