It's hard to find and off the beaten path but it's worth the effort! The food is very tasty, very affordable, and the ambiance is no-nonsense, "let's eat and drink tea" kind of place. Baarakallah is set back from the street and tucked inside a corridor that is shared by a Halaal grocery shop. Once you arrive inside, the clientele may observe you but it's fine. The server at the front is approachable and can describe the dishes and is very prompt with service. And the food is spicy yet balanced, savory but not over seasoned. The prices are very affordable for the amount of food you get! We were very happy with the beef over rice and the samosa style pastries. Great food and a unique experience. read more

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Hole in the wall so you know it'll be good! We came in with no real knowledge of Somali foods (but some of Kenya and Ethiopia), yet the menu was still fairly relatable even without any prior experience. Most importantly, they had the menu of the previous restaurant still up - a Mediterranean place it looked like - and the woman in charge said they could make Somali versions of most of that. So I asked for a chicken sandwich using the Somali stewed chicken and my partner got the chicken stew plate (suqar I think). Both were delightful, and the Somali-styled black tea was deliciously like a chai tea. Highly recommend. read more

Baarakallah Restaurant - A Somali chicken sandwich. - African Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Delicious Somali restaurant! It does not get more authentic than this. It felt like eating in a Somali family's home. The decore was basic but the food was top notch with amazing flavors and depth. We were the first ones there at about 730p (the regulars were fasting until 745p for Ramadan) and by the time we left the place was packed with local Somalis. No one spoke English except our server. And I got a few gestures of welcome. It was awesome. I had the beef samosas as an app and the Chicken Suqar as a meal and they were increíble. The flavors and spices were out of this world. While the chicken was delicious the rice really stood out. Wow all around. read more

Baarakallah Restaurant - Chicken Suqar - DELICIOUS! - African Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Wow, what a unique experience and one of the best meals I've ever had! Please don't be turned off by the run-down/hole in the wall appearance of this place inside or outside. As soon as I walked in the door I knew I was in for something very different. I was the only person speaking English here and the menu was full of stuff I'd never heard of but thankfully my phone came in handy for figuring out what was what. I ordered the Chicken Suqar with bread and it turns out the bread is actually some kind of thin flatbread that's shredded and cooked with the chicken so it absorbs all the juices and flavor. The person taking my order explained that it's a uniquely Somali way of using bread. It was mind-blowing, the flavor and spice profile was unlike anything I've ever had. I only wish I could have eaten more! If I'm ever visiting again I will 100% come back here. read more

Baarakallah Restaurant - a plate of food - African Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Excellent service and very tasty food! Also, they were super clear about prices. I don't think the issues from a previous review still stand. Loved the rice. I'd go back to try the hand pie. read more

Good vibes and good food. Premeal bananas and very welcoming. Fish filet was cooked well. read more

Had a good first-time experience with Somalian food here. I had goat with rice, and some kind of meat pie. I also had Vimto, which is some kind of very sweet fruit drink. The people who work here were hospitable, too. The only thing that might be good to add in the future is a recycling bin. Other than that, this is a nice little hole-in-the-wall-type place with authentic food overall... read more

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Real life, Minnesotan Somali style. A cluster of folks watching and enthusiastically commenting on MSNBC. Other sets of folks loosely standing near the counter waiting to pay or pick up their takeout, with no clear queue. To us first-timers it looked like chaos, but everyone paid, everyone got served, and everyone had a smile on their face. We had only an hour before our Mixed Blood show started, so I figured a tiny hole-in-the-wall place would be our best bet. We walked directly the the first place we spotted across the parking lot. When we arrived we were able to order fairly quickly, but some people behind the counter appeared to have difficulty with English. So we waited uncertainly at our table observing the scene I described above. But our food came out within fifteen minutes, a giant plate heaped with spaghetti, spiced rice, a dash of cooked and salad veggies, and five seasoned chicken drumsticks. They got me the watermelon drink instead of mango, but other than that everything was as we ordered. And it turns out we did hear correctly--two bananas, two drinks, and the heaping plate of food was only $12. A real steal. My Italian American friend told me that northern African spaghetti was the best, and Baarakallah's was our first try. It looked like spaghetti you'd get at an American restaurant, but it was much better. It was a daunting pile of pasta, but we quickly gobbled it up. I enjoyed the chicken, even if my husband thought it was dry. The shredded iceberg lettuce salad was crispy and fresh. The dressing reminded me of a hamburger condiment from my childhood. And the sauteed onions and peppers were fantastic. The authoritative-looking man behind the counter checked on us, and gave us a knowing sunshine smile when we told him we liked the food. He knows they make good food, and he's clearly proud of it. I like businesses like that. Despite the hubub inside, we were in and out of there with enough time to get to the theater, find our seats, etc. The one downside was the bathroom. No toilet paper or paper towels, and it needed cleaning. Still, Baarakallah was fast, delicious, and inexpensive. I'll be back. read more

Sleepy service, poor food quality, lack sanitation and when we asked why it was like this they stated that their kitchen was backed up. The worst part, when I asked for manager. Short dude came out from the kitchen. He was carrying a plate of rice with his greasy hands. I was alarmed. He was the chief and manager apparently. He started shouting at me. I asked him for refund, they refused to do that. Unfortunately, I had no choice to take the food. Oooh, I'm confident the food here is poisoned me. It was a nightmare for me and friends. Be careful. You could spend your $$$ across the street restaurant. I love the neighborhood and people. I will be calling city. read more

Maybe the menu prices are not updated, but they ended up overcharging us almost twice the price on the menu. Better ask before ordering.

I wanted to try a new type of cuisine and I am so glad I chose here! I ordered the K.K. and the best way I can describe it is a spicy inside out chicken pot pie. It was delicious! The man who helped us was super friendly and was willing to explain what different meals were. I also got a fried sugar bread which I could compare to a donut without frosting. I would highly recommend here especially if you want to try something new! read more

An excellent and inexpensive Somali cafe. A somewhat limited menu - but the basics are all very good - highly recommended for large portions of well-spiced food. Go in through the set of double doors just past the sign (to the right of the fabric shop that shares a wall with the business). I had the keke (k.k.) - which came in a generous portion for 8 dollars, was hearty and full of flavor. Again, a fast and basic rendition, but they were healthy and handmade to order, with lots of veggies and a surprising amount of meat. My friend had the Beef Suqaar which came with a very large piece of Sabaayad flatbread and a rich homemade broth on the side - also 8 dollars - the menu offers "full" or "half" but it seems the "half" is a large portion intended as a dinner for one person. read more

Baarakallah Restaurant - K.K. (keke) in foreground and sabaayad/broth/Beef Suqaar in background. - African Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

If I could give this place 10/5 stars I would. Very nice server. I had rice with meat (I'm not sure what meat, he just said meat, but I'm thinking goat). It was delicious. My girlfriend had keke with chicken. I'd never had keke before and we were both very impressed. Super tasty. They had great coffee too, very milky. Milky chai tea too. Sadly, we didn't know before ordering it because my girlfriend can't handle milk, but it was still great. read more

Baarakallah Restaurant - Delicious milky coffee and completely eaten food. - African Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

This was the most delicious food of my trip to Minneapolis. The Kay Kay and seasoned meats were amazing. The home made rice and the warm cardamon tea were perfect on a cold evening. The owners were so kind and welcoming to us. read more

Baarakallah Restaurant - The KK and seasoned meats with rice. - African Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Great, tasty, authentic food! The man who greeted us at the counter was so excited to share his favorites off the menu with us, so of course we had to try those! KK with chicken and Rice with meat! Absolutely delicious! Great tea and coffee as well! Definitely come and try this spot! read more

Pretty good, honestly thought chicken was going to be better but still decent food that was ready fast.

Filled with friendly Ethiopians (I think) and serving West African food, Baarakallah is in the same location as the Odaa was many years ago, but in a small portion of the area. I've been meaning to go there for years, and finally made it. I wasn't disappointed. I wasn't familiar with some of the dishes or breads, but it was filling and tasty. A worthy addition to Cedar-Riverside. read more

Baarakallah Restaurant - Steak at the Baarakallah. Comes with jooti (if I remember correctly) bread. 1/28/15 - African Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Meh. KK = papardelle with a bit of Green Giant mixed veggies, a side of cubed goat, and a few leaves of iceberg lettuce slathered in ranch. The goat was nice, as I don't have it often. But even it wasn't particularly good goat. read more

The food was really good and the staff was extremely friendly. It was our first time there and the person taking our order was patient and happy to recommend. He recommended the KK to my friend, which was delicious. I had the Suqar beef with japatti. The portions were very generous, and they didn't skimp on the meat. I was able to take half of it home, and I'm looking forward to eating the leftovers. The prices are very good as well; about $10 per person. read more

Baarakallah Restaurant - Suqar beef with Japatti. - African Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota