We're in the area to support a neighboring Somali eatery. ICE protest going in full force on the street, taking up an intersection with cries of the community. We got to that door just as the owners were closing up shop, so we asked for a nearby suggestion and were directed down the block, to the other side of the protest. My friend promptly forgot the name of the suggested eatery, and I was busy focusing on the protest and feeling so deeply proud of our community, so we simply meandered before arriving at Hamdi. Abdiladif had such a bright, warm grin spread across his face as he welcomed us into the space and led us to a back table that you wouldn't think there was a fight for human rights occurring right beyond the walls. Or rather, it's possible that he realizes that, yes, there was, and every voice outside and every visitor inside is proof of where this community stands in this fight. Yeah, okay, that'd be reason for me to grin, too. The menu was simple. A few protein options. A few vegetarian dishes. A few drinks. A complimentary cup of Somalian tea that you could refill at will at a station conveniently located at the middle corner between the two dining rooms. No prices beside the menu items, which was puzzling. Abdiladif was so friendly and happy to answer our many curious questions, offer clarifications and suggestions. We ordered the two goat dishes. One ended up being out of a key component, likely the happy result of several tables filling up before ours, so we ended up with two of the same goat dish. They weren't really named, so "goat" was all we went off of on the menu. My friend paired his with the spaghetti, while mine was with chapati, hummus, and creamed veggies. My friend ordered mango juice. The sweetened Somalian tea was plenty delightful for me. We both preferred the creamed veggies in the same bite as the hummus. The chapati seemed somewhat dry and needed the hummus. The goat was decently flavorful and tender, though not juicy. My friend struggled a bit with the larger bones on his pieces. We both loved the tea so much that we continued chatting while sipping on one last sweet refill, after learning that a dessert menu no longer existed. Before we leave, I leave my jacket and to-go container of lamb meat at our table to use the restroom. I return to my jacket missing. Baffled, I figure my friend had grabbed it. I turn to grab the to-go box and go pay on my way out. As I turn back towards the main dining room, a diner from a neighboring table within the room runs back in and makes a beeline for me. He's holding my jacket, folded tidily. Sheepish, he explained that he thought I'd forgotten it and had run out of the restaurant with it to look for me. It's unfortunate that painful times like these exist, but it's also beautiful to see community come together in light of that dark. There are several Somali places in this area, many other ethnic spaces to support in the Twin Cities. My friends and I look forward to getting to know a great many more. read more

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This place has GREAT food, and very attentive service. Very vegetarian-friendly, there were several options to pick from if you don't eat meat or fish. We will be back read more

Hamdi is a traditional Somalian and East African Restaurant. The place is truly unique, casual and very rustic inside. They have plenty of places to sit and also offer a large private family section according to their traditions and culture. The server was very friendly. There are no paper menu's. The menu is on a big monitor in the front of the restaurant showing labeled pictures of the food items so you know what it looks like. They don't have many items but what they do have is made really well! We started with hummus and the star was the bread. It tasted like fresh stone ground wheat but was super light and fluffy. Next, The beef samosas are filled with ground beef, onion and herbs. They reminded me of Lebanese meat pies. Served hot and I surely could have eaten 6 all by myself. Very addictive! Finally, the main entree was chicken steak. The plate looked beautiful, chicken breast sliced thin was tender and lightly seasoned. Be sure to order the rice with dinner vs bread. The rice was aromatic, moist and chock full of flavor! It had an onion and cinnamon nuance but it wasn't overpowering. The chicken legs entree were fried with rice. The entrees came with salad and a side sauce but it was very hot on the scovil scale. Honestly, the food didn't need the hot sauce. The entrees were very generously portioned. They don't offer dessert but after all that good food, we didn't need it. Happy ending was the hot tea (kava). It was lightly sweetened and had a vague clove, cinnamony and nutmeg taste. But very different than heavy masala tea's you find in Asia. It's a plain clear tea with no milk. Very good to help digest all that food. read more

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staff was very nice, food was delicious and came in pretty big portions (pictured is the chicken sandwich after eating half of it). we came on a slow day and they also gave us cups of a mystery soup that was very very tasty. great local charm and quality food read more

Hamdi Restaurant - chicken Sandwich - Middle Eastern Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Cleanliness is not this restaurant, makes me wonder about the kitchen. Food is not good.

It was a late night for me right after work and I really wanted something quick but tasty. I remembered Hamdi from a friend's recommendation and decided to check them out. To my surprise, the service was friendly and I got my food within 10 minutes. I got the goat waslad which is an African goat dish with rice. As you can see, it was a gigantic portion! The goat was juicy and tender and the rice was addicting. A perfect ending to a not so perfect night. Highly recommended for all your late night (or daytime) munchies. read more

Hamdi Restaurant - Goat Waslad - Middle Eastern Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

I loved my first takeout trip to Hamdi and can't wait to go back! Been meaning to try this place out for a while now and finally did it on a Saturday night. We ordered online very easily. They have a free parking lot on the side of the building which does get full sometimes but rarely. We ordered the goat entrée and tender beef steak. It was my partners first time eating goat. We both really liked both entrees but the goat entrée was my favorite! For those who haven't tried goat before I think this is a great intro. Will definitely be eating at Hamdi more! read more

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Authentic Somali food right here. Certified by my Uber driver. I really enjoyed the authenticity of this family feel restaurant. The service was sooo nice. We asked if there was something with a sample plate so we could try different things and they guy said he could do it. Then came out with these massive beautiful dishes of meats and rice. Then he went in back and I'm pretty sure he made some fresh hot sauce for us on the spot. Mango juice was fresh and delicious. If you are adventurous enough, try the goat because it's delicious! Even their rice was so flavorful too. But you gotta ask them for hot sauce because it's not automatically given. Definitely would come back here if i get the chance. read more

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Wanted to try something different and stumbled upon this place. WOW! Menu was small and simple. We came with a group of 4 people and they basically created a dish for us which included everything that they have. Combination/sampler plate Fish - pretty good Steak - a little dry but good Goat - amazing!!!!!!! Chicken - good Rice - rice was really tasty Homemade hot sauce was amazing!!!!!!! Fantastic food! I could not tell you what was in it but it was the right amount of spiciness, spicy and flavor. Wish I could have boxed it up and taken it home! Places like this is the definition of a hole in the wall that taste fantastic. The staff was so nice and it was obvious we had no clue what to order. A couple of the Uber drivers suggested this place. I must say one of the best meal I've ever had! read more

Hamdi Restaurant - Ohhh the rice! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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First time at Hamdi, the owner is so nice, I ordered goat meat with rice and the portion is very large. The owner even provided us hot tea and banana for desserts. Would come back again for the home flavor. read more

Hamdi Restaurant - Goat Entree - Middle Eastern Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Came here on a weekday afternoon around 2PM, empty. There's no menus except for the one on the screen, a bit strange. I asked what's the most popular and ended up getting goat on the bone with veggies and hummus side, along with bread. It also came with a banana which I thought was interesting. I was asked if I wanted anything to drink, and I said water thinking that it'd be a glass of water, but I was given bottled water so I returned it (don't like using one-time plastic). Food came out pretty quickly, goat was alright, wasn't very flavorful except for the outside but it was tender. I liked the piping hot bread, paired well with the hummus which was really tasty. Veggies weren't flavorful either, felt like eating mush. Meal was a lot of meat, came out to be around $22 post-tax which was pretty pricey but portions were good. read more

The staff and other customers are super friendly and this place is definitely authentic. I got take out. It was my first time trying Somali food, I got the chicken and goat dishes. Both were delicious but I have to say, the chicken was so flavorful and was my favorite. read more

Hamdi Restaurant - Middle Eastern Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

This place is fine if youre a Somali American. As the things im about to list might be normal or just insignificant to the average Somali American. They wipe the tables as you sit as not before. Crumbs and food bits are very gross to look at. This place is not meant for large groups. Very cramped. Most women sit in the cramped space while the men have the larger space to the right. By entry there are two doors (If youre a woman, go left, Men on right.) Very cultural. Beer (Goat liver with a side of canjeero, onions and green pepper.) Was average. Would be better if they added more onions and green peppers. Havent tasted the rice. Im also convinced they microwave their food. Pretty gross and im saying this a Somali Woman myself. Also, there is literally nothing middle eastern about this food. All is this is traditionally Somali food. read more

Hamdi Restaurant - The table after wiping. The man as im aware just wiped it with the same towel he used to wipe the other tables. Not very sanitary. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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I had the goat with a green vegetable (spinach, Brussels, and a couple other vegetables) side. The food was very good especially the vegetables. The complimentary tea (I know it has ginger and other ingredients but can't remember all of them) was absolutely unique and delicious. It was my first time eating goat. It has a sweetish taste that adds variety for someone with a meat-based or meat-heavy diet. Judging from their menu they have a lot of other meat choices as opposed the the boring American norm of burger and chicken etc. The man who took my order--who I believe may have been the owner but not sure--was VERY accommodating to my restrictive health based food needs. He went out of the way to be thorough, substitute, bring me nutrition facts, etc. A great first experience of Somali food and I will definitely be back! read more

I am officially a fan as of today. Fresh food, generous portions, and friendly service. Our server patiently walked us through the menu as if flashed on the monitor screens overhead. I ordered the chicken steak with spaghetti, and mango drink (not mango juice), and my spouse ordered goat meat with rice. We loved the lentil soup. It was mellow but rich in flavor, and the lemon slice added a nice tang. The rice and spaghetti came out soon afterward with a kicky hot sauce. I enjoyed the fresh herbs and spiced tomato sauce. The hot sauce on the side kicked it up even more. I loved the hot sauce, but it was a bit much for my spouse. The salad was fresh, with another fresh lemon wedge. But I really enjoyed my chicken steak. Normally I don't like chicken breast, but they pounded it and cooked it slowly in seasonings and fresh vegetables. The goat meat was also very tender. Our server apologized that the food took a while because it was made to order. It was worth the wait. The space looks like it might have been a 1960s/70s bar converted into a restaurant. The flat screen TV mounted high on the wall was playing a Cowboys-Eagles game, but it wasn't too loud or distracting. The table was a little wobbly, but clean. We went for the food and not the decor anyway. I was suprised to hear that Hamdi had been there since 1996. The entree price included soup, salad, starch, meat/protein, and a drink. It's hard to get this much healthy food for that price. We'll definitely be back! read more

Hamdi is a restaurant that primarily caters to the local Somali population, which is fairly large in MSP. The main meal of the day is lunch, and if you come for that, the service is very quick. Everyone is drinking lemonade or a yellow juice (mango? papaya?). Don't disrespect by asking for beer. The menu is simple, with a choice of protein like roast goat, stewed meat, chicken or salmon running for $9-10. It comes with a bowl of light lentil soup, spiced basmati rice that tastes like biryani, and a salad which is a bit of an afterthought. Oddly, it might come with ranch or perhaps Italian dressing (which you might try to make historical sense of due to Italy's influence in that region). The menu states the option of getting spaghetti or flatbread instead of rice, but I'm not sure if that's really a possibility. If you're wondering about the authenticity of this place, let me assure you - a banana is included with your meal. I, of course, went for the goat. It was tender and ended with the licking of fingers. Even better was that rice - it's a huge mound, but don't be surprised if you lick that off too. If you come for breakfast, and you really should, you can opt for liver, kidney or stewed beef. With bread and tea it's only $6. Or go for the fava beans. read more

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If you want goat meat, come here! The goat meat is tender and super flavorful. I had mine with a rice platter and a green salad. The rice was well seasoned and went well with the goat. I also enjoyed the salad that came with it. Their portions were also big! The baked chicken is okay. I wouldn't come back here for their chicken... but their goat meat? Hell yeah! Hamdi is located near the Global Market. I driven pass it multiple times without ever noticing it. Their menu is simple but I will say it again... get their goat meat. read more

I did not even get a chance to eat here. We were the only non Arabic speaking customers in there. There are no prices posted. We ordered food with the help of one other customer. When our food came he said it was 31 dollars. He typed 42 into the machine. We asked him how much each dish costs twice. Each time he gave a different price for the dishes. It was clear he was trying to scam us. We left without paying or eating read more

Pros: Goat was tender and rice was tasty Cons: Portions were inconsistent between me and my friend Prices were not listed anywhere, so we wondered if they sometimes charged different prices for people They started smoking/burning something strong in the room and it wasn't too pleasant while eating read more

I don't typically write reviews; however, given that this place had 4.5/5 stars, I feel it a public service. First, the good: their chai tea and rice were tasty. Now, the bad: the place was filthy. There is no door on the men's restroom. Though we were the only customers, the service was not very good. The soup was extremely bland. I ordered the chicken steak (not sure what cut of the chicken that's supposed to be) based on the photo, which appeared to be thighs. It was breasts. The taste was okay but it was dry. My friends both got the goat, which was tasty but dry. I would not go back again and would not recommend. read more

Went with a group. I tried the goat which was overdone and dried out. It also comes on the bone which I knew as I had asked before ordering. I'm not one who likes to fight with my food (like my dates, I like submissive food that wants to be eaten) but as I had never had goat I wanted to give it a try (I actually wanted camel ("one hump or two, sir") but they said they had not had that in for six months). The rice that came with it was nicely spiced though if you are not into hot spice you may wish to pass on using the sauce that comes on the side. Some others in our group ordered the chicken steak and were quite pleased with it. The staff is polite and helpful but can be hard to find when you want them. The complimentary (at least I assume it was complimentary as it did not show up on our bill) cup of lentil soup was by far the best I ever had; I would go back and just fill up on bowl after bowl it's that good. I can confirm some other reviewers' complaint about there being no prices on the menu; I suggest asking about price before ordering. Sandy Beitsch, Saint Paul read more

While visiting Hopkins, MN I searched around for Halal Somali food and found Hamdi restaurant. Ordered their steak with rice and spaghetti and finished the entire platter. It was a big platter for $15.00. I would warn that their service is definitely slow and could improve. Will return to try out more items, if time permits. read more

Hamdi Restaurant - Soup, and steak with spaghetti and rice - Middle Eastern Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Yum! Inexpensive meal, simple menu -meat (chicken, goat etc) and starch (rice or similar). Delicious. Meal came with soup. Not much for vegetarians here. Women and mixed gender groups enter using door on left. read more

I love Hamdi amazing food, amazing staff and food is alway always fresh and well cooked meat is always seasoned just like a childhood comfort food. read more

Was browsing yelp for goat meat around Minneapolis and found Hamdi. I gotta say it wasn't a disappointment. Paid 12 for the goat meat with rice platter and man its huge. The portion could fill 2 people easy unless you're me and greedy for some good goat meat : ). Staff are friendly and restaurant itself is clean. Definitely recommend. read more

This is an establishment that has been around since I began taking restaurant-oriented trips around the Twin Cities in 2007 and is still there today, a bit of an accomplishment for a Somali place. Entering this restaurant is like entering into a whole other atmosphere. Upon entering, you are confronted with the choice of two doors: one that leads to the women / family room, and another that leads to the men's room. No, not bathrooms, dining rooms. Somali women must be so modest they prefer to be out of the sight of unrelated men. Service was decent, although surely not worth the $5 tip on a $12 meal I gave the waiter because he couldn't find any change (common in this type of joint...reminds me of Morocco or Mexico). The menu is small but the food excellent and remarkably fast, perhaps produced en masse. The goat dish was excellent, and came with a side of green salad (which I promptly poured into a bowl to be discarded), a banana (a fixture of Somali restaurants that isn't quite my taste), and a little plastic cup of that wonderful green sauce, also a staple of local Somali restaurants. Interestingly, though, I was taking some pictures and videos of the place when a man confronted me, had me play back the video, and said "you should delete that" and "you can't take pictures of people without their permission". Shady... The waiter was speechless and later handed me a business card. read more

Straight ahead, no -nonsense Somali cuisine. Five options. Heaven for those who love goat meat.

Had a friend pick up take out for me. Was craving salmon and found on Yelp that they had salmon reasonably priced with great reviews. The restaurant is near my house and I have driven by many times. Want to give my neighborhood business a try. The salmon was good and tender. The salad that came with it was fresh and a nice variety of different greens. My friend said the restaurant was very clean. The green stuff on the side was VERY SPICY. read more

Great food. Clean place. Excellent service. The neighborhood is not perfect but don't let that hold you back.

Love this place! I love the rice, chicken, steak and everything on the menu. I am a little disappointed that every time I come in to order the goat and they have sold out for the day (I always come later though, around 7 or 8pm). My favorite rice in the twin cities read more

Goat meat was delicious! They watered down our mango juice though which was slightly disappointing!

Simple menu, great food. Had the roasted goat, which was incredibly juicy and tender. Great jalapeño sauce. Best rice I've had in a very long time. read more

Don't let it's appearance fool you. Great food. Big portions (my wife and I split a dish and were both full). Good service. Inexpensive. Everything tasted great. Great experience! read more