Arman Cafe — Restaurant in El Cajon

Excellent Review: Arman Cafe – A True Taste of Afghanistan in El Cajon

If you’re craving authentic Afghan cuisine that feels like a warm embrace from home, Arman Cafe is the hidden gem you’ve been searching for in El Cajon. From the moment you step in, the rich aroma of spices and grilled meats tells you everything you need to know—this place is the real deal.

🌿 Authenticity in Every Bite

What sets Arman Cafe apart is their deep respect for Afghan culinary tradition. Their signature Kabuli Pulao is nothing short of perfection—tender, slow-cooked lamb shank nestled atop fragrant basmati rice, perfectly balanced with sweet raisins and carrots. It’s the national dish of Afghanistan done right.

The Chapli Kabab is another standout: juicy, spiced beef patties seared to perfection, served with fresh naan and salad. The flavors are bold, smoky, and unmistakably Afghan.

🍛 Variety That Feels Like Home Cooking

Every dish on the menu is crafted with care—from the hearty Goat Karahi, simmered in a savory tomato-garlic sauce, to the flaky Bolani filled with seasoned potatoes and herbs. The mantu (Afghan dumplings) and samosas are a must for starters.

For those who enjoy rich desserts, their Sheer Yakh (Afghan ice cream with cardamom and pistachios) is the perfect way to end your meal. Pair it with a pot of Afghan green tea and you’ll leave both full and fulfilled.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Welcoming Hospitality

The service at Arman Cafe is warm and genuine—just like the food. Whether you’re dining solo, bringing your family, or grabbing takeout, the staff makes you feel right at home. They are happy to walk you through the menu if you’re new to Afghan cuisine.

🧾 Affordable & Generous Portions

You get excellent value for your money here. The portions are generous, perfect for sharing or taking home leftovers. It’s a place where quality, quantity, and tradition come together beautifully.

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🏆 Final Verdict:

Arman Cafe is one of the finest Afghan restaurants in San Diego County. It captures the heart of Afghan culture through food—rich in flavor, soul, and hospitality. Whether you’re Afghan and longing for a taste of home or simply a lover of great food, this cafe is...

Well! We went to this restaurant yesterday, and it was a very bad experience.

First, we ordered Kabuli Pulao, chicken kebab, and bolani. The Kabuli Pulao had only two small, dry pieces of lamb. The rice tasted good, but the meat was not good at all.

The chicken kebab was extremely salty. When we told the waitress, she took the plate to the kitchen to show the chef. She came back with the same plate, after the chef had tasted it, and told us it was not salty. She said the salty taste was just from the seasoning on top. This felt very rude because we know what salty food tastes like, and the whole kebab was too salty to eat.

The bolani was also terrible. We have eaten bolani at many other places, and it was always soft and tasty. But here, it was made with naan dough, which was very hard to chew. It did not taste fresh, and we could not eat it.

Because most of the food was so bad, we left almost everything on the table.We only ate some of the Kabuli Pulao rice because we were very hungry. We asked if we could have just the Kabuli Pulao rice without the meat, but the waitress said we would still have to pay the full price for both the rice and the meat.

Even after seeing that we didn’t eat most of the food, they still charged us the full bill. No one offered any apology or tried to help us.

Overall, this was a terrible experience. If the service had been friendly and helpful, maybe we would have thought about coming back. But the food was bad, and the staff were rude and did not care about our complaints.

I wish I could give this place zero stars. . This was one of the worst meals we...

I placed an order at 6:30 PM and was told it would be ready by 7:30 PM. When I arrived, the order was not ready, and I ended up waiting until 7:50 PM to receive it. After driving home, I realized part of my order was missing. Shortly after, the restaurant called to tell me they had forgotten to include it, and I had to drive back again to pick it up.

On top of that, I had ordered a chicken curry and a lamb curry. At no point did the employee explain that the lamb curry is sold by the pound. I only wanted enough for two people, which normally costs around $30. Instead, I was charged $112 for a portion sized for six people. When I asked why, I was simply told “it’s sold by pounds,” yet no one clarified that when I was placing my order, nor asked me how many pounds I wanted.

To make matters worse, despite paying $178 for food meant for two people, the chutney/sauce that came with it was literally half-filled — as if it was just thrown in as an afterthought.

Between the long delay, missing items, lack of clear communication, unexpected overcharge, and even shorting on the basics like sauce, this was a frustrating and disappointing experience. This is not how a business should treat its customers, and it certainly does not encourage me to return or recommend...