Was on my way to get lunch at Mogadishu when this comically small storefront caught my eye. Situated in the shadow of a gleaming glass condominium, BULSHO looks like a hollowed out shed just waiting for the demolition crew to knock it down, it definitely seemed too small to host an eatery. But to my surprise there's a whole ass cafeteria in there. Food is served cafeteria style, there wasn't a menu or prices and I just pointed to the various chicken and noodle dishes. BULSHO was completely empty when I first entered but 5 minutes later the cafeteria was full of cab and livery drivers hunkering down between shifts. The food was awesome, can't wait to stop by again read more

BULSHO restaurant - African Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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found this establishment via yelp. a short walk from my friends' place that I was staying at in Chicago. delicious food. unassuming storefront on a not busy lil side street. upon entering, it's a cafeteria style counter. employee showed me every dish, some of them were almost gone, as it was nearing dinner time. GENEROUS portions. I ordered spicy rice, vegetables, a little bit of beef and the chicken that was cut up (not the entire thigh; my friends got that and said it was tasty) everything was DELICIOUS. I can't speak to the price point as dinner was on my friend but I would definitely recommend and will go back next time I am in town. read more

hands down the best food in chicago. i moved 2 years ago across the country and still crave it everyday. staff is soooo kind, warm and welcoming. only go if you want a delicious, overflowing plate (cheap relation to the portion side!!) and will respect the beautiful culture they share. read more

"You don't get what you want but you get what you get and it's good"- my wife Honestly not sure if the workers speak fluent English as everything I asked about on the hot bar line was added to my plate without hesitation. The food is simple but delicious : protein, rice, some veg, it all works and I'm not sure what I ate. The ambiance inside makes me want to do takeout though. It's got a bit of a grungy vibe inside but that may be enticing for some, but makes me want to eat the yummy food on my own couch. read more

Wow... I'm a first timer and I'm pleased by the experience! The food is served cafeteria style/ choose a rice, veggie, noodle, or corn (grits), along with 2 meats for a basic plate and indulge. On my plate is a veggie rice and 2 different chicken dishes, all of which are DELICIOUS!!!! The bad a beef dish on the line, but it wasn't much left, but they gave me a small sample which was EXCELLENT! I will be back!!! read more

BULSHO restaurant - Veggie Rice w/two types of chicken - African Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Fantastic food and great price. Love to try new cuisines, and I was so surprised how much I like Somali food. Delightful service and smiles all around. Love to bring my friends to this hidden gem. Enjoy it but let's keep it our little secret. read more

Delicious, fresh, large portions, great value. Cafeteria style. We enjoyed lamb, biryani, malawa bread. Gigantic samosas. Friendly staff. Clean read more

BULSHO restaurant - Truly a hole in the wall, but good food! - African Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Love this place! One of my favorite places in the neighborhood. Super nice people and the food is delicious. Everything is good. Get the samosas. Please support them during COVID and even more so as a small black business! read more

I love this place friendly uncles & local feeling enviornment/interior. Big portion and tastes good read more

BULSHO restaurant - Spicy 3. Rice with Chicken Leg - African Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Absolutely delicious! The spicy rice and chicken I had was amazing, so flavorful and the portion was huge. My husband had the lamb and non-spicy rice and loved that too. You must ask for the malawi bread, it was so good. This place is a must try, and we will definitely be back read more

This place was just what I like to try! Found it on Yelp, and the reviews were spot on. Easy to miss; small storefront with lots of taxis out front. Clearly a favorite among male Somali taxi drivers, who seem to flock here between fares. Inside it was clean but small and very basic, with a serving line up front and tables and booths in back. The guy running the place (staff? owner?) was very friendly and helpful, especially when he realized I hadn't been there before, and offered to give me a taste of nearly everything he had, which included roast chicken, a beef stew (suqqaar?), a bean stew, and a lightly-cooked cabbage/veggie sauté, all on a pile of a mildly spicy rice mixture. About 2 lbs of food, everything very tasty. You couldn't leave there hungry. He checked in with me before I left to see whether I liked it, and really seemed interested in my answer. While I was there, I heard that their breakfasts are good too (very Somali--stews served with flatbread mostly). I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in town! read more

Surprised and honestly a little bit upset that this place doesn't have more 5 star reviews. The rice was amazing as was the goat. Portions were huge, and will end up being a multi-meal due to its size. This is coming from someone who eats a ton, so when I say the portions are great, I mean it! If you're on the fence, just go and give this place a shot. The owner is very friendly and kind! read more

The owner served me chicken suqaar and thinly-sliced beef. These main entrees were very flavorful. I loved the red hot sauce that came with these proteins. I also got both types of Somali injeras, which tasted like French crepes. They were really good. In addition, I had the fish samosas, which were spicy. They were really delicious. I would like to thank the owner, as he welcomed me to his establishment and answered all of my questions concerning food allergies. My dinner was great, and I will return soon! read more

If you want appealing-looking food, high service, and typical American restaurant cleanliness and ambiance, this is not for you. If you are the type who is open to trying street food in a foreign developing country, then you may like this for its authenticity. (Note: it's no longer quite to that level but I'm trying to set expectations). I loved this place when I stumbled across it a few years ago. I literally walked past a huge line of taxis and didn't even realize it was a restaurant until someone on the street invited us inside. Cafeteria style with no prices listed, there was a divider inside for women / men, as well as a prayer room. People simply dropped some cash in a cup when they left and that was that. Like a peek into an authentic African (sorry don't remember specifically which country) restaurant. It is more "visitor" friendly, and double the price for a plate (~$11-12) but still has its unique charm and still reasonable if you don't know any better. It's still very low key, the food is not made to look pretty, and you have limited options, but I love the break it provides from my normal Chicago fare. read more