This was an excellent dining experience. We came in for a dinner and didn't really know what to expect, but everything we had was so tasty! We tried their babaganoush (sp?) with a puffy bread and it was super tasty. We also tried what I would describe as a neat pastry that had lamb and beef in it that was awesome as well. For our meal my wife and shared their rice pilaf plate. It was very tasty (warning in has plenty of garlic in it) along with super tender beef, too. We also tried several meat skewers - beef, lamb, and chicken thigh. Everyone was seasoned perfectly and super flavorful as well as cooked to perfection. Server was very helpful as we asked a bunch of questions she was able to answer and made solid recommendations. The cost was reasonable, too. The decor is very cool. Loved it. I don't come to NYC often but I would come here again if I was anywhere nearby.

The best kebab I've ever had. The beef was soooo juicy! But- live music on a Sunday night was VERY LOUD. I've never had music that loud played at a restaurant, especially in a "family-styled" restaurant. Food also does take a while because of grilling. I will be back, but not on a weekend.

Had a delicious meal with excellent service. Taste of Samarkand's decor is a slice of Uzbekistan in Queens N.Y. There's a main dining hall the front and a heated semi outdoor area thats tented We were greeted and asked if we had reservations on a Thursday night. It was packed with medium to large groups of families and friends. Most patrons seemed like regulars. The food was truly delicious. We had the Uzbek, manti (meat dumplings), samsa (large bialy type of bread, chebureki with meat (laminated dough meat pie), lamb and beef kebab and chicken tabaka (butterflied chicken fried in pressure cooker). The manti, chebureki and kebabs really stood out. The cuisine strikes me as a balance of Mediterranean, Slavic and Eastern Asian. The staff were truly welcoming and happy to serve us. The decor and food brings you on a delicious journey! Recommended!

Super unassuming place from the outside and stumbled across it on Instagram and I am so glad that I did. We were the only ones there as we got there just as it opened on a random weekday, so the service was great, which was helpful as we were a bit overwhelmed by the menu. I personally liked the traditional bread but the baba ganoush with it was not the best we've had. Next came a few of the pastries, including samsa and manti. These were interesting, well-made dough, and a good amount of meat inside each. At the recommendation of the waitress we got kebabs and we were not disappointed- the meat was super tender and juicy. Finally, the Uzbek pilaf is a staple so we felt like we had to get it and it was overall fine but not the best version of this dish we've had. Worth the try and would definitely consider ordering take-out from here in the future.

First time trying Uzbek food! I was so excited to try Taste of Samarakand and it did not disappoint. You can see why it is a community staple! Eating here was quite an experience -- the decor inside is great and the service from the waitress was amazing. We had so many questions for her and she answered all of them and helped direct us to what food we should order. Since it was my friend and I's first time trying Uzbek food-- we went for a bunch of stuff! The lagman soup was our favorite and the meats were great as well. Avocado salad was also perfect! Big portions and took some home for leftovers as well.

The food was phenomenal, the salads, the fresh bread, the soups, the salsa, the kebabs went all in my belly before I could take pics. The service was top notch. The waiters were polite and attentive. The ambiance is so homey and inviting. There is also live music on most nights. They have ample backyard seating warmed by heat lamps. The interiors are cozy. I love the traditional decor. I will be coming again and I will be sure to take pics before eating the amazing delicious food, but I can't make any promises!

My to-go spot for Uzbek food whenever I'm in the area. Service is alright but the food is delicious. Food I usually get... Appetizers: - Samsa - Uzbek Manti - Cheburek with Meat **you will get full if you order these three appetizers Bread: - Lepyoshka with hummus (hummus is separate - additional $) Salad - Samarkand Salad 2 (Winter) Shish Kebabs - delicious/tender - Beef Skirt steak - Lamb I'm not the biggest fan of their Uzbek Pilaf. It's quite bland. Their Jiz-biz with lamb ribs is alright. The Lagman is good on a cold day but I definitely had better beef broth with hand-spun/pulled noodles.

In summary, ambiance here is excellent. Service is kind but scattered. And food is great. The salads here are brilliant. Classic Uzbek salads, made fresh. Bread and hummus were A+. Plov as good as you'll get. As someone who's had plov countless times, this is as good as you can get. Skewers were mostly good. Some came out room temperature as opposed to warm, making me think it's more of a service problem (dishes waiting around to be taken to the table). The flavor was on point. Highlight was chicken luleh, best ive ever had by far. So with some fine tuning on the kebob front, you have what is likely the best Uzbek food in the area (which is saying a lot if you know Queens).

Loveeeee the food! Beef and chicken kababs are both very flavorful tendered and melt in your mouth. Borsch is delicious too. Appetizer, soup and kebabs are all relatively small in size so you can order a variety of items without getting super full. We tried most of the traditional meals on the menu and loved every single item! Service is a bit slow but it doesn't bother us too much. It is also BYOB!

My friend from Graduate School recommended this place for our graduation celebration dinner. It's an Uzbek restaurant in Queens that serves the Uzbek classics. It's Kosher! The wait time was 10 mins. Nafisa was our server and she brought the food quickly! We got Samsa, Uzbek pilaf, Lamb + Beef + Chicken kebabs, two kinds of soup. The samsa was really good - it was crispy, flaking with a lot of lamb stuffing. It does have a gamy aftertaste. The Uzbek pilaf was my favorite- the rice was so fluffy and flavorful and the lamb just melted in your mouth. The carrots were sweet and cut through the heaviness of the rice and the lamb. The kebabs were juicy and tender. I will recommend this place if you want to explore Central Asian cuisine.