Kamdesh Afghan Kabab House

Saw their business and menu on the orderahead app (an app you can use to order food for delivery or take out). Called to confirm that they deliver. Guy said «no.» I asked him if their account on the orderahead app works. Guy said «no» and hung up on me. He was extremely rude. That type of service does not deserve business, whatever the food may be like.

One of my favorite spots that I go often when I am in the area. I probably tried everything on the menu and I enjoyed them all. Replacement option for rice would be nice even though that may not be the case in authentic Afghan cuisine. Instead of all that carbs I would rather have some veggies next to my protein.

Yum, yum, and yum! Soooo good and reasonably priced. The lamb shank was perfect!
Small space, so there’s a wait if it’s busy. But very much so worth it.

Food was good, but I am docking them a star because we specifically asked about the lunch menu to our waiter and if it was available and his answer confirmed that it was. However, when the bill came we were charge full price. When we asked they said that the lunch menu pricing isn’t available on holidays (Christmas Eve day). And there was no effort to rectify the situation. The waiter did not know of this rule it seems because when we told the waiter that we wanted a lunch menu serving of an item he did not speak up then either.
I probably wouldn’t come back based on principle alone since the business clearly did not care about the misunderstanding.

The short: really delicious beef wrap
I almost missed this spot even though I was looking at a map; the entrance is right at the corner of 14^th and Webster.
The people inside are very friendly and gave me enough time to browse the menu without feeling pressured. I decided on the beef wrap.
While I waited, I took in the ambiance. Towards 3 pm, the light that fills the place on a cool winter day felt warming, making the place feel as homey as a restaurant can be. I loved hearing the sizzles from the food that was on the grill and looking into their open-​concept kitchen.
Since my order was to-​go and I wasn’t planning on eating it until much later. That didn’t deter me as I ate it cold, several hours later — it was still delicious. (I sneaked a bite in while I was still warm because it smelled so good.) I love peppery foods and the beef wrap was tender, juicy, and peppered to my liking. I loved every single bite and was bummed when I finished the last bits.
Kamdesh is definitely going on my go-to’s of the area.
This is my second time having Afghani food and this cuisine has moved up towards the top of my favorites quite fast!
Tip: lunch menu ends at 3 p.m.

Out of all the cuisines I’ve had the pleasure of trying, Afghani is by far my favorite.
Unfortunately, my craving for perfectly marinated and grilled meat wasn’t satisfied at Kamdesh.
What they’re doing right: The mantu is pretty spot on. Super fresh and flavorful. Their chutney is fantastic and so is their «brown rice» aka palaw.
What they’re not doing so well: The beef was marinated really well but super over cooked. The chicken was cooked well but had zero salt.

I ordered the lamb tikka kabob and it was super good. I just expected more.
My BF got the beef wrap and really liked it.
It is a quaint restaurant with a family feel. It’s best to get there before the lunch hour rush because there’s limited seating. Seems like Kaiser employees frequent this place.
There’s a cheap parking garage across the street if you are just visiting Downtown Oakland and want a healthy place to eat.

Great food and even better service! Tucked away on the outskirts of Chinatown, Kamdesh has a really homely feel. You can watch the skewers cooked upon open flame right in front of you. Appetizer wise, get the dumplings and the kadu (pumpkin). Dumplings are really good.
Entrée wise, we had the lamb shank. It falls right off the bone and is accompanied with rice. Soooo good. Next time I’ll have the kabobs for sure!

Delightful corner establishment that you might otherwise ignore and walk past when closed. Grilled meats paired with rice or naan feature prominently on the menu. I enjoyed the Quabili Pallow, which was a whole shank of lamb on a bed of brown rice. The lamb was roasted nicely, and its spices and flavors dripped off nicely onto, and were absorbed by, the generous helping of rice too.
The venue is rather small and cozy inside, but the service is genuinely friendly, with the food being the real star here. A real gem hidden in plain view here in downtown Oakland.

I REALLY enjoyed the matoo (dumpling) and beef kubideh (beef kebab). We also had the Quabili Pallow (brown basmati rice w/​lamb shank). All 3 dishes are pretty popular. Love the spices and combination of flavors. A side of yogurt will neutralize the spices and tie the meat + carb combo together.
You can substitute borani (eggplant dip) for the rice– at no extra charge!
We also got a complimentary side salad of cucumber, tomato, yogurt + dill.
Very friendly service and affordable prices!

Nice gem in downtown Oakland. Only have come here for lunch. Even with the lunch special, it is on the pricier side given the smaller portions.
Ordered the lamb tikka kabob along with brown rice. Add the green sauce on the table and bam. heaven in your mouth! That green sauce alone bumped up this place for me from a 3 to 3.5 stars.
Not fully sold on this place but will recommend for those to try given that it is one of the healthier options in the area.

Came in for the first time during a very busy lunch hour and all I can say is Omaid and the staff made me feel like no one was there and I had the best lamb chops I ever had coming for me I need a lot of Afghan restaurants in Middle Eastern food. Amazing great service great price great food definitely recommend to anyone