Springfield Area Restaurant Makes Yelp's Top 100 in the Nation List

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA -- A beloved Springfield-area restaurant started by a former car salesman who wanted to spend more time with his family (and that has prompted some drivers to make three-hour trips to visit) is the only Virginia restaurant to make it onto Yelp's Top 100 Places to Eat in 2017 list this year.

Afghan Bistro, located at 8081-D Alban Road in Springfield (see map below) landed on the list, out last week. Here's what Yelp said went into their decisions on the Top 100:

"In our fourth annual list we are honoring eateries from across the US, nearly all of which have a perfect 5-star rating. You may notice that most of these businesses are pretty unassuming, offering guests a no-frills type of dining experience, and yet Yelpers go nuts for them. On our past top 100 lists, you would be likely to find some of those 'famous' restaurants with thousands of reviews, over many years, holding steady at 4.5 stars. This year, those places were crowded out by other businesses that performed spectacularly in the last year. This list is proof that you can find truly amazing food and service just about anywhere, so never judge a book – er, a sandwich? – by its cover."

Afghan Bistro has earned five stars from 317 reviews. It's latest review, posted Jan. 5 from Kelsey S. of Washington, D.C. states: "Traveled to Afghan Bistro from DC and it was definitely worth the drive. Amazing service-- the waiter was happy to provide recommendations and walk us through the menu. The food was delicious-- especially the veggies + roasted eggplant.We made a reservation beforehand since the space is pretty small. Looking forward to making more trips to Springfield for this place."

Here's what The Washington Post's Tom Sietsema said about Afghan Bistro in a review this fall:

"If Omar Masroor hadn’t disliked his job as a car salesman so much, we might not have one of the dearest Afghan restaurants in the area. A chance to see more of his family, all of whom now work with him (his wife, Sofia, cooks), the cozy dining room goes beyond the familiar steamed dumplings and grilled kebabs to offer a long list of specials that are just that. Check out the chalkboard for chicken cooked with eggplant (and lit up like a firecracker) and lamb chops that pulse with garlic and paprika, everything (except the ordinary flatbread) prepared with momlike care. The sleeper: a hamburger zapped with sumac and paprika and treated to a brioche bun."

The hours at Afghan Bistro are:

• Monday: 4-10 p.m.
• Tuesday-Thursday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
• Friday: 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
• Saturday: 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m.
• Sunday: Closed

Read more about Afghan Bistro on their Web site here. For reservations: Call (703) 337-4722 or email the restaurant at info@afghanbistro.com for questions about reservations. On Saturday nights, there is live sitar music.

PHOTO from Afghan Bistro courtesy of restaurant