Ashburn Kabob — Restaurant in Virginia

PEOPLE WITH ALLERGIES BEWARE! I had a horrific experience at this restaurant. What I’m about to post is 💯 factual. I went to this restaurant in November of 2017. My son and my nephew both have sesame seed allergies and I asked the waiter several times if the sauce they use for their chicken gyro sandwiches has tahini in it. I told him how my family has anaphylactic sesame seed allergies. The waiter went back and asked the owner and told us the sandwiches had no tahini. One bite into the sandwich and my nephew says he feels his throat tightening. He knew he had eaten something allergic. He proceeded to throw up 4 times after that one bite. My husband got him His allergy medicine and got in touch with his doctor and left the restaurant at this point. I then demanded to speak with the owner and he kept insisting here were no nuts or sesame seeds of any of his foods except the baklava. I looked up and saw humus on his menu so I asked him about this humus. He got quiet and said yes, I did add hummus to the gyro sandwiches. The owner argued with me for 10 minutes before he realized that he had indeed put hummus into his sandwich, which by the way, is not listed in his menu. His defense was that he doesn’t make the hummus so he didn’t know for sure. I told him as owner of a restaurant he needs to know every single ingredient in each of his foods.

Then, the owner asked me several times if my nephews situation was so bad, why was I still at the restaurant. I should be with him at the hospital. I told him my nephew was in good hands now thanks to his medicine but I wanted accountability. I told him how much I loved his restaurant as we had gone there quite a few times before but he needed to understand the severity of what happened that evening. My nephew and son could have died. I know if s child that did pass away from eating sesame seeds and not being able to medical attention in time. The owner had very little empathy. He then rudely asked me, “well what do you want me to do?” I said an apology would really help. He then apologized ( akin to a child who is forced to apologize). Then, he went back to his kitchen. We had ordered a ton of food. So we decided to eat some of it as I didn’t want it to be thrown away. When we went to the counter to pay, THE OWNER HAD CHARGED US FOR THE ONE BITE SANDWICH THAT MADE MY NEPHEW THROW UP MULTIPLE TIMES. This owner after berating me and denying any accountability had the audacity to continue to charge us! We had a $70 bill at the end. I have NEVER EVER been treated with such disrespect and disdain ever. This man should not run any type of business, let alone a restaurant. I vowed to never return here and urge you to do the same. THE OWNER HAS NO INTEGRITY. He is full of pride and cares nothing for his customer. Any other restaurant, the manager would have showed contrition and apologized right away. People like him should not be in the business of serving food as clearly he has no regard for the thousands of people with life threatening allergies. Save yourself time and your dignity and go to Dulles Kabob instead. Much friendlier service and...

I usually support local Afghan restaurants and often order from them, but my recent experience with Ashburn Kabob was disappointing on multiple levels. My wife placed a phone order for a family meal, and we were told it would be ready in 20 minutes. I arrived around 40 minutes later, only to find the order still not ready. I ended up waiting over 50 minutes total. While I understand they were busy and I was patient, what stood out was the lack of basic customer care.

I had asked politely for an extra white sauce, mentioning that my kids love it. The woman taking the order said they’d include it. When I picked up the order, I was told the sauce was inside, but when I checked in the car, there was only one small container—for a meal meant for four people. That doesn’t make sense.

To be clear, I wasn’t asking for anything “extra” or free—I was just asking for a reasonable amount of sauce that fits the size of the meal. Any other kabob place I’ve been to, like Darya Kabob, would automatically include enough sauce for the number of people the meal is serving without issue.

I went back in to ask for more, and instead of simply understanding the situation, I was told I could buy a larger sauce for $5. Despite my frustration, I paid and left without making a scene.

UPDATE

What shocked me the most, though, is what happened after I posted my original review. They responded publicly, implying I was the kind of customer just looking for free stuff, and said they were "better off without people like me." That’s completely unprofessional and disrespectful, especially considering how calmly I handled the whole situation. They later deleted the reply, but I felt it was important to update this review so others are aware.

I truly hope Ashburn Kabob improves how they treat loyal and reasonable customers. Until then, I won’t...

A Hidden Gem That Needs to Stop Being Hidden

I walked in with no expectations. I left knowing I'd found my new standard for kebobs.

Every single thing we ordered was a masterclass in flavor. The kubideh was perfectly charred with that impossible balance of crispy exterior and juicy interior. The lamb kebobs had such depth—spiced with obvious care, not just salt and char. The chicken was so tender it practically melted. But here's what really got me: the eggplant. An eggplant dish. At a kebob place. And it was absolutely transcendent. Smoky, perfectly soft, the kind of side dish that makes you question why you've wasted money on mediocre appetizers for years.

What really tells the story? We were already full halfway through and kept going anyway. That's not willpower—that's flavor so good your stomach overrides your brain's protest.

This place knows what they're doing. Fresh ingredients, authentic technique, meticulous execution across the board. Pro tip: you don't need to study the menu. The staff will guide you to exactly what you should order.

If you live anywhere near Ashburn and you eat, you owe it to yourself to find this place. Don't let the low profile fool you—this is the real deal.

5/5....