This was such a lovely meal! The staff are very friendly and responsive, and the food was…read moreabsolutely delicious and a perfect portion for a light meal with leftovers. I had a chicken dish with plums that was divine, and both the rice pudding and fragrant syrup-soaked pastry dessert were perfect. Dining area is small but clean and easy to navigate. If you're tall, do "duck" on your way in or you'll hit the wind chimes ;)

I totally enjoyed having lunch here earlier today. My buddy was visiting MN, whom has Persian roots…read moreand he gave this place a thumbs up, so thanks to "boldenlifemn" on TikTok for posting about this place. We got the special tray for two along with the Ghormeh Sabzi. The food was well seasoned and served in a timely manner. The tea was really good also. Street parking is probably your best bet. The inside is cozy and family friendly.

If you're craving to transport yourself to Central Asia, to imagine the ancient world of the Great…read moreSilk Road, and to taste what kind of food Aladdin would eat, then "Samarkand" restaurant is your must go destination. The traditional Uzbek plov is highly praised throughout Central Asia. You will not be disappointed here. I also highly recommend their tamdori samsa. The owners are ethic Uzbek family from the ancient city of Samarkand. Hence the restaurant name. The restaurant is cozy and yet spacious enough to host special events. This restaurant is a genuine representation of the Uzbek culture Central Asian hospitality. Everyone is welcome!

I was excited to try this place as it is one of the only known Uzbek food in MN and I wish I could…read moregive this a higher rating. There was a problem with one of the dishes, so that's why it's only at a 3. My friend and I got the lagman, tandoori bread, assorted shish kebabs , and small plov to share. Overall, the food was flavorful and portions were generous. We really enjoyed the lagman's deep flavor. The bread was just okay, as well as the plov. We got a small size, but it was still pretty big. The assorted shish kebabs came with lula, lamb, and chicken. The lula and lamb were great! However, I took a bite of the chicken skewer and it was cold and ended up being raw. We checked the rest of the chicken kebab and found that while the middle pieces were cooked, then ends weren't. We brought this to the server's attention and he was very apologetic and immediately took it away for us. It was not the server's fault for sure. He informed us that he would let the cooks know and offered some alternatives (1. they remake the chicken skewers, 2. remake the whole dish (and I guess we would still be charged?), or 3. just remove it from our check). We chose the third option. Overall, service was friendly and nice. They were just swamped because there was also a banquet that was going on. I wonder if that also contributed to what happened with our food. While I was disappointed, I am willing to give this another try some time later. I would just be hyperaware of how meats are cooked.

Menu is misleading. If you order a bowl with fries the fries will actually be the base upon which…read morethe rest of the food will be placed. The flavor profiles don't blend well. Seems as if they added too much flavor to each component that when combined the profile feels off. Has a nice ambiance and is clean. Decor is kind of random. Food was served very quickly.

This is a very amazing establishment, the food is great, the atmosphere is also great, I will say…read morethat the food is not quite as amazing as the other falafel king restaurant in north Minneapolis, but that is ok. Overall this is a very great restaurant and I would super ultra recommend.

First off, it's not "Greek" per say. Generically it's Mediterranean, but the owners are of Arabic…read moredescent. I've been a customer since the original location opened, around 1998. Overall the food is good. Lamb shank is now something you have to ask for. One shank comes with the buffet. There is a small sign for it on top of the hood, but it's easy to miss since you're looking down at the trays. Falafel you may want to order from the menu so it comes hotter than what is set out in a tray. The only other item I can think of that is touch & go are the mussels at dinner time, which can be getting dried out and tough from being overcooked. Just dig around to find the pale, softer ones. If you don't have a big appetite you can order from the menu. There is some outdoor seating out front which is nice when the weather is good. The front-of-house staff have always been friendly, gracious. The only thing I miss is the fountain, which was removed when they finally needed more table space. If you're stuck on the south side, Marhaba on 28th & Nicollet has a family tie.

Went for the buffet, which is nice if you have a big appetite.Otherwise, consider getting a to go…read moreorder instead, which is a good price. While there was a decent variety of items, it wasn't enough to warrant more than 2 trips to the line. Lots of seating, lots of parking in the lots, and you pay for your (buffet) meal after eating. The staff busing tables were on top of things and thorough about cleanliness. My favorite items were the beef short rib, peel and eat shrimp, the rice containing carrots and peas, and the watermelon punch. Everything else was okay. One miss was that the foods weren't labeled, so at times, I had no clue what I was trying. There were a good number of folks dining in and getting takeout. I can tell they're well liked. Afterwards I stopped by confections and nuts store a few doors down.

best food and good customer service. i liked the sambusa…read morepasta fish and best rice around the area

Newish Somali spot that has been in the neighborhood for around two years now. They have a number…read moreof outstanding dishes, but my go to is the chicken suqqar and beef steak over rice. They give you a nice portion of thinly cut steak along with a heaping of chicken suqqar over a bed of rice and peppers. A salad, banana, and complimentary drink are also provided in traditional Somali fashion. Dining area available with about ten tables, but it is a counter service spot. People there are super friendly and it is a scratch kitchen, so be prepared to wait a little if it's busy, but the end game will be well worth your time. PS Ignore the review below me. How can one rate a restaurant that they haven't eaten at solely because they don't have a website? Simply absurd.

Love this place and have been going for my whole life. Eritrean-owned restaurant with quality…read moredishes that are true to culture. It's definitely a spot for East Africans to hang out, and very reminiscent of back home. Service is great, usually the family working plus a few people. The coffee, food, and ambience combined make me feel like I'm back home, and I think that's what the owner was going for with this one. Soccer games are watched en masse here, pool in the back and plenty of parking. Good beer selections and honestly just a solid spot to hang with your people for an affordable price.

Snelling Cafe is an old-school Ethiopian hole-in-the-wall where regulars of all ages and…read morebackgrounds stop by, chat with the owner, and flip through the tv channels. Don't try to order anything from here online, because I don't think they accept online orders. We came because it's one of only 8 places in the Twin Cities where you can get foule (sometimes spelled "ful" and sometimes augmented with the word "medames"), a fava bean dish served with baguette. The foule ($10.50) can be made vegan if you omit the sour cream. Make sure to ask questions because the menu doesn't state any of the ingredients. This dish tasted good, albeit akin to refried beans with toasty baguette. That said, I liked it. The miser wat ($12) and ater kik ($12) are both vegan by default and tasted good. They were light, fresh and understated, but somehow still didn't wow me. But I liked them, don't get me wrong. We also had an Americano ($3) which was strong and tasty. I like Snelling Cafe. It's a throwback to the pre-internet era and a solid spot for Ethiopian food. I would rank it near the top, along with Agelgil in St. Paul and Katar River in Minneapolis. Fasika and Bole, in my opinion, have both declined in quality and are overrated.

Hole in the wall E African restaurant. I stopped by here since it was a quick 10 min away from work…read moreon my way home. There is construction actively going on due to the new train station with denser housing and businesses being built, so be aware when you drive in. The establishment is not a vibe, it's an American dream in the making. The building is rustic as food is filling. The staff was brisk in taking orders and the environment is lively. Some places to sit, but more of a take out kinda place. I ordered a Sambusa and Goat Meat plate with rice. I'm still new to E African cuisine, so my reviews is more biased with my background versus experience. Sambusa; fried patty filled with meat which I'm gonna assume is beef? It has a nice spicy kick to it, but is drier than my preference. Nice and crispy. Goat Meat with Rice; the star of my dinner and my favorite of the 2. It comes with a salad which is forgettable. The real appeal is the tender goat atop the rice. The rice soaks up the juice and is so flavorful. The goat has bones, so can be annoying to some diners, but allows for a richer flavor. It appears to be pressure cooked finished off with a tomato and onion stir-fry, the crunch of the onions pairs well with the tenderness of the goat. Fun place to pick up food to eat at home if you're tired of cooking. Would stop by and try the other dishes.

I love it Somali food in general yes the portions are huge but I'm Somali and it's really common to…read morehave portions that huge the hot sauce is really good for the average person it's really spicy but I have Somali blood in me I can handle it I love Sam USA but putting fish in it and not making it spicy should be illegal if you're vegetarian almost everything has meat in it but overall it's amazing

If I could give it a 0, I would. What they saying they're description is not what you ever get! I…read moreordered them through DoorDash and it said at the time you're supposed to get three beef patties with an order but you only get one per order. Then, when you try to call them on it, they don't honor what they say in their descriptions. I've tried a few different dishes and all of them are so so. You can get better authentic foods at other joints. Save your money and go somewhere else there's better food than this place!

I ordered a chicken plate with rice and a salad (option 1). Also a lamb plate. The food tasted…read morelike a home cooked meal. I selected the salad ingredients and it came with some tasty condiments, including a mint sauce. The serving was so large we are planning on having a second meal with the leftovers.