Helmand Palace

One of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco! I stopped in here the other night as a solo diner while spending one night in the city before my flight the next day. The recent renovations to the dining room turned out really well. The food is still as delicious as I remembered it. The bright modern touches really spruced up the space and set a tone that matched the quality of the food. My lamb chops were delicious as was everything else I ordered. I can’t wait to return with my friends that appreciate such cuisine.

We got for different plates. Theeka Kebab, Chowpan, Qabelee (lamb shank), and Mix grill. The chef (Hassan) was very friendly and gave us different appetizers on the house! All were amazing! One with pumpkin and minced meat and the other with eggplants. The pumpkin one had a sweet flavor which was so on point. The bread was soft and the dips had different flavors. I got the Theeka kebab and the seasoning of the kebab was the best I had since I came to the US! I We ate a lot and were so full, and we still had leftovers to take home. I definitely recommend the place.

Megan Charney

We absolutely LOVED our meal here! I came with five girlfriends, and it was the perfect spot to share a variety of delicious appetizers and entrées while enjoying a fun night out together. Every dish was so flavorful and yummy. Our server, Hasan, was lovely. So friendly and attentive and helped us pick out items on the menu for us. He even went out of his way to help one of our friends find parking!! We’ll definitely be back! Highly recommend!

Hannah Koopman

A go-to spot of mine! I’ve probably been here 10 times. Unlike anything else in San Francisco, the food is incredibly flavorful, with massive portions and excellent value. It is family-owned, and you can tell they really care. The seating isn’t the comfiest and there can be a slight language barrier, but the experience is worth it. They have plenty of vegetarian options, all of which I’ve tried and loved. They’ll give flatbreads with dips for the table. Their apps are perfect for sharing with a group. Cozy, warm, and filling! this is the spot if you want hearty, delicious food in a welcoming atmosphere.

Eslam Sayed

We were searching for Afghani food and we found this restaurant, the food was really delicious, the portions are huge. The owner and the staff were really friendly and helpful, definitely recommended.

Jen Nill

This place is amazing! I read the reviews and knew that I had to come here. I was the first one there when they opened. The place was quiet and unassuming. The owner greeted me and was very kind to go over the menu and make suggestions when I asked. Every meal comes with warm bread and three dipping sauces: spicy sesame, cilantro, cucumber yogurt. All delicious! The qabelee (lamb) was tender, flavorful, and huge. I couldn't finish it all. Definitely a gem!

Stanbi Noli

What a hidden gem. Amazingly tasty afghani food, great environment and a lovely owner. You won't be disappointed, portions are great for the price too!

Ramesh Awal

Family owned restaurant and it was delicious food and experience. Staff were attentive.

Mr. Travel Fox

This is a place with a lot of history. It has been founded by the brother of president Hamid Karzai ( First post Taliban president in 2001 in Afghanistan). It used to be on Broadway. Food is always great. Atmosphere and design are ok. Very very friendly service. The hospitality experience is genuine and really represents how warm the afghani people are. They also have a very easy to navigate pick up menu- and of course also work with all the delivery services.

Norika

If you’d never had central Asian foods, this is the pleas be to eat! Everything taste amazing. Will comeback

Kit W

Our very first time to try Afghanistan cuisine and we totally enjoyed it. There’s not a single miss in the dishes we tried tonight. Highly recommend “BANJAN” - pan-fried eggplant dish, super juicy and savoury, i don’t even like eggplant but this dish is an exception. I also loved their Baba Ganoush, must order! We finished the meal with a cream pudding (god it was GOOOD) ! We are only in the city for less than 10 hours and the owner (Hassan) of this great Afghanistan restaurant made this trip 10/10 memorable. He’s super welcoming and passionate with what he’s doing. we will definitely come back for more!

Anastasia M

Third time here and not disappointed. Afgan people and their food are great. Recommend lentil soup, salmon kebab, eggplant, and lamb dishes.

Diana Grossmann

We had a delicious meal and a great time chatting with the owner who gave us great recommendations. The place has also been recently renovated and looks very nice. We can't wait to come back to try other dishes.

R “Purple Goat Eater” K

One of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco! I stopped in here the other night as a solo diner while spending one night in the city before my flight the next day. The recent renovations to the dining room turned out really well. The food is still as delicious as I remembered it. The bright modern touches really spruced up the space and set a tone that matched the quality of the food. My lamb chops were delicious as was everything else I ordered. I can’t wait to return with my friends that appreciate such cuisine.

Yossra Mokhtar

We got for different plates. Theeka Kebab, Chowpan, Qabelee (lamb shank), and Mix grill. The chef (Hassan) was very friendly and gave us different appetizers on the house! All were amazing! One with pumpkin and minced meat and the other with eggplants. The pumpkin one had a sweet flavor which was so on point. The bread was soft and the dips had different flavors. I got the Theeka kebab and the seasoning of the kebab was the best I had since I came to the US! I We ate a lot and were so full, and we still had leftovers to take home. I definitely recommend the place.

amazing place for afghan food! the owners were very accommodating for our large group and the food was delicious. would recommend the lamb challow, pumpkin, and beef kebab.

I’ve been dining at Helmand Palace for many years, and the food and service have always been excellent. The owner is consistently warm and welcoming. Don’t be swayed by the fake negative reviews. And to those posting them—please don’t bring your drama and bullying into this wonderful restaurant.

Any of the dishes with pumpkin were really good! I recommend the vegetarian special for a wide variety! I went here with a group of 15 and everyone thought the food was delicious!

Loved our experience at Helmand Palace! We had a group of 14, and we got easily seated. The service was amazing and the food was so delicious! Will definitely be back.

Delicious food! Great service! Excellent vegan options! And affordable too! The owner is so friendly and accommodating. He was fine that we bought our own vegan yogurt. That made for the more authentic Afghani flavor, but vegan style. We had the Vegetarian Aushak, Dall, and Hummus for starters. For my main I had the Special Vegetarian Entree which is a platter of baked pumpkin, pan-fried eggplant with yogurt sauce (BYO vegan yogurt!) , and sautéed okra with fresh tomatoes. Served with pallow rice. We will definitely be back!

Harrison

I’ve been dining at Helmand Palace for many years, and the food and service have always been excellent. The owner is consistently warm and welcoming. Don’t be swayed by the fake negative reviews. And to those posting them—please don’t bring your drama and bullying into this wonderful restaurant.

Abdelrahman Soliman

Tastiest Afghani food I have ever tasted. Qabelee is so good, the meat is so tender and soft. The man is so welcoming and nice. Great experience I recommend anyone to try it.

Real Deep

Great, peaceful, quiet/dinner. Felt personally loved by the chef, my experience was so empecably perfect. I enjoyed the smooth timing of each course, as well as the beautiful preparation and the wonderful flavors of my dinner. Helmand Palace is great place to enjoy a classy, delicious,well prepared meal.

This little Afghan restaurant is a treat. The dishes were very nice & tasty, although mine could have been hotter. Also we've had some language barriers, but that didn't hinder our overall good experience & food. Also the patron is very polite & nice to chat to. We would visit again & recommend it. Thumbs up!

My family and I went to this place knowing that they stay open late. It is very nicely renovated. The food here is good too. A nice assortment of grilled meats and the palou’s broth in the rice is meaty and full of flavor as you would expect. The mantou wasn’t so bad either. I wish they had more vegetarian options or curries as they don’t offer them compared to other Afghani spots. The waiter service was okay too, could have been better. Be a bit careful of the neighborhood as homeless people are around. All in all food is delicious and they even offer various chutneys with their bread.

Phil S.

This little Afghan restaurant is a treat. The dishes were very nice & tasty, although mine could have been hotter. Also we've had some language barriers, but that didn't hinder our overall good experience & food. Also the patron is very polite & nice to chat to. We would visit again & recommend it. Thumbs up!

Omar Ghani

My family and I went to this place knowing that they stay open late. It is very nicely renovated. The food here is good too. A nice assortment of grilled meats and the palou’s broth in the rice is meaty and full of flavor as you would expect. The mantou wasn’t so bad either. I wish they had more vegetarian options or curries as they don’t offer them compared to other Afghani spots. The waiter service was okay too, could have been better. Be a bit careful of the neighborhood as homeless people are around. All in all food is delicious and they even offer various chutneys with their bread.

It is deeply disappointing to see the name of Afghanistan and “Afghan” being used in association with your restaurant when neither proper hospitality nor respect for culture is being upheld. I kindly suggest that you first improve your manners and customer service, and then work on the quality of your food and the cleanliness of your establishment. What you are serving as “Qabuli Pulao” is far from the traditional Afghan dish. In fact, it more closely resembles what is known in Afghanistan as Shorba Berenj (rice soup), which itself tastes far better than the meal you are presenting under the name of Qabuli Pulao. Furthermore, I strongly urge you to remove the name of Helmand—one of the most respected provinces of Afghanistan—from your restaurant’s title. Such misuse not only misrepresents Afghan cuisine but also harms the image of our culture. Please do not follow the unfortunate example of others in the industry who tarnish the name and heritage of Afghanistan for profit.

Ezzat Rahmani

It is deeply disappointing to see the name of Afghanistan and “Afghan” being used in association with your restaurant when neither proper hospitality nor respect for culture is being upheld. I kindly suggest that you first improve your manners and customer service, and then work on the quality of your food and the cleanliness of your establishment. What you are serving as “Qabuli Pulao” is far from the traditional Afghan dish. In fact, it more closely resembles what is known in Afghanistan as Shorba Berenj (rice soup), which itself tastes far better than the meal you are presenting under the name of Qabuli Pulao. Furthermore, I strongly urge you to remove the name of Helmand—one of the most respected provinces of Afghanistan—from your restaurant’s title. Such misuse not only misrepresents Afghan cuisine but also harms the image of our culture. Please do not follow the unfortunate example of others in the industry who tarnish the name and heritage of Afghanistan for profit.

pepa pigg

Food was not good. I got the chicken breast kabob plate and it has no flavor. Rice tasted burnt. I wouldn’t recommend this place. It doesn’t taste like traditional Afghan cuisine.