Timorian Restaurant — Restaurant in Alexandria

I’m leaving a 3-star review to support our own small businesses, even though my recent experience was disappointing in a few ways. I truly want to see this restaurant improve and thrive in our community.

While my recent visit to your restaurant was disappointing, I hope this feedback can help improve future guest experiences. Here are a few suggestions I believe management may want to consider:

First, I called to order a Lamb Kabob with Chalow. Over the phone, I wasn’t asked what side dish I preferred. I assumed I’d be asked upon pick-up, but my food was already packed by the time I arrived. Unfortunately, I was given chickpeas on the side — something I personally dislike, especially with rice

Pick-Up Experience: Upon arrival, the front lobby was packed with people, though I seemed to be the only actual customer picking up an order. A couple of ladies were at the checkout counter and appeared overwhelmed and unsure of what needed to be done. When I asked about my order, there was only one bag sitting on the table — yet neither of them seemed confident it was mine.

One of the ladies asked the other, who then asked for my name — twice — but still seemed uncertain. Eventually, she turned to a man who was casually interacting in the lobby, possibly with a friend, and he finally confirmed that the order on the table was mine.

Tipping Policy Suggestion: I feel the pricing is quite high for many in our community. Quality food isn't worth paying for, but it should also be accessible. I hope the restaurant keeps affordability in mind when setting future prices.

I also noticed that an automatic gratuity was applied to my pick-up order, which I found surprising. In my opinion, automatic tips should only apply to dine-in service, where staff are actively attending to customers. For takeout orders, a voluntary tip option would be more appropriate and respectful to the customer's choice.

Note: Bonjon Rumi in DC is truly the only Afghan restaurant I’ve found that serves delicious and authentic Afghan food with a perfect balance of great customer service, reasonable DC prices, and a cozy, welcoming atmosphere. The staff are consistently attentive and friendly, which makes every visit feel special.

I had the pleasure of inviting my coworkers to Bonjon Rumi, and it was a moment of pride — I felt genuinely proud to share our food and culture with them in such a beautifully presented, respectful setting. This place is unbeatable. Period.

Thanks, and...

It’s a nice restaurant and definitely worth trying at least once. No matter what, we should always support our Afghan businesses so they can grow and thrive.

The reason I gave three stars is to encourage some improvement, especially since there are many other Afghan restaurants to compare with. The food is delicious — especially the Qabuli Palau. The service is generally good, but when it gets crowded, the staff struggles to keep up with guests.

The first time I visited the restaurant, I went just for Sheer Yakh, but I had to wait a long time. No one came to take my order, so I ended up going to the cashier to place it myself. The second time, the service was better, but the restaurant wasn't crowded. It's not a big issue, but I mention it here in hopes of helping improve the overall experience.

My main concern is the pricing. The food is quite expensive for the portion sizes. For example, a combo kebab that costs $25 comes with three skewers, but the pieces are small. They also charge $3 for each soft drink. With service and the minimum tip, we paid $100 for just one Afghani burger, one Qabuli Palau, one combo kebab, and three sodas. At many other Afghan restaurants, $100 would usually cover four full meals.

As I said earlier, we will continue to support our Afghan businesses no matter what, but I kindly suggest reviewing your prices to make them...

Food delivery and timing was good but the foot quality had reduced significantly since I visited the first time after they just launched their services while the prices have gone up.

The lamb chops were dry and due to over cooking the bones were torn easily while biting the meat, the chicken kabab had too much red pepper or spices that was bothering the kids.

The employees were not professional and was arguing even for changing the table asking us not to change while other tables were all empty. We asked to bring bottled water but they served tap water that is very unhealthy, forgot to bring soda.

Had a cake for kids due to Girl's day but the employees were arguing not to slice it in the restaurant table "just slicing" without the intent of eating just to celebrate (tables empty and no other customers available). The employees were arguing to slice the cake on the same table we ate food with all dishes, remaining food everything there without cleanup that was very rude.

The overall communication and cooperation with the customer was very low even we spent like $200 for...