Yummy East African food and milk is delicious! Ishtar is a great Somalian restaurant mid Etobicoke location. read more

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Take a trip to East Africa without the long flight. Istar Restaurant in Etobicoke delights with flavour and friendly, accommodating staff. The gentleman who served us was very informative and guided me through the various dishes available and their flavours. I opted for a mixed wrap and BBQ drumstick. Both satisfied my appetite and wowed me with the flavour. We opted to eat in the comfortable and stylish Dining room. Equally easy to. Stop for quick take out. I'll be back read more

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This is so reminiscent of how I cook at home. My hubby noticed it immediately. It also reminded me a bit of the Yemeni mandi in the UAE. It was fantastic. Clean, fresh, high turnover and busy 24/7. My hubby's goat was tender, soft and delicious. They use a GOOD quality Basmati rice, appeared to have saffron and was slightly piquant. I had the salmon with salad and murtabakh which was sublime. Salad vegetables pristinely cleaned. They have the sweet and savoury murtabakh and its addictive. This is a 100% Halal restaurant frequented by a large Somali and Middle Eastern community. It was great having food which I enjoyed as a kid and still do today. Very low key quiet vibe. We will be definitely return for more! read more

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Went to this place on a whim and I'm so glad we did. It was quite busy when we went, people coming in and out! That's always a good sign that this place is good. Got the beef suqaar and it was so good. They pileddd it up! Flavours, immaculate. It came with rice that had shredded carrots and raisins and that was also flavoured so nicely. My partner got the beef ribs and it was lip smacking good. The beef sambusa is so gooooood. Flavour bomb in every bite. Definitely going to come back here for more - cause the way those desserts were looking.. calling my name tbh. Dangerous for this to be 24 hrs because you know i'll be there at 2am for breakfast . Service was amazing despite how busy it was! read more

Istar Restaurant - Beef suqaar - African Near Me - Etobicoke, Ontario

When my dining companion asked if I wanted to try out a Somalian restaurant, I immediately jumped at the chance to sample a brand-new-to-me cuisine. We arrived around lunchtime on a Sunday and the place was empty. We were greeted by the friendly clerk behind the counter and warned that a number of dishes weren't ready yet, although I did spot a tasty-looking beef stew of some sort. And indeed, I ordered the Beef Suqaar Anjero, which, according to Google, is "one of Somalia's most beloved dishes." Who could say no to that? I watched as the clerk began assembling my very large plate, which consisted of the aforementioned Beef Suqaar Anjero, a huge pile of spicy rice, a selection of cooked vegetables, and a small salad. The meal also included a very tasty mango-based drink, so I definitely feel like I got my $16 worth. And although nothing on the plate blew my mind, I definitely enjoyed everything I ate quite a bit (with one exception). The beef stew, though a little flavorless, is packed with pieces of meat and vegetables, while that spicy rice was seriously delicious and tasty enough to eat on its own. The cooked vegetables didn't fare quite as well, as everything was just soggy and lacking in bold flavors. The salad was pretty good, though. read more

I LOVE this place. It's not the first place that I got to try Somalian food, but it is one of the places that I come back to over and over again whenever we are in the area. The stew is done in a way where the meat is not too dry, but just perfectly cooked and the rice is also really tasty. I don't like the area where it's located (the plaza is old and it's not hard to find, but I don't like the area overall) but the staff are very warm and the food is served with generous amounts, making it easy to share or end up with leftovers. read more

First time eating Somali food and it's pretty darn good. The shopping center seems a little shady. The way the restaurant is set up is very awkward too, you walk in and it's very narrow and you've got to walk past the register to order then walk back towards the register where people are lining up towards you. It's a bit of a cluster. The fried chicken was ok. The price point was good as you get a full container of food. At first I felt they were putting too much rice in there. After i tasted it, it almost wasn't enough I ate it so fast. They out a bunch of whole spices in the rice, it was so fragrant and delicious. If nothing else, go try some of their rice. Highly recommend it. read more

Istar Restaurant - chicken and rice in a styrofoam container - African Near Me - Etobicoke, Ontario

Taste of Somalia!!! I found this hidden gem when looking for different places near my work place. I was up there with my team for lunch. The restaurant is located in a old plaza, this here is a self serve restaurant where you walk up to the front as ask them to make you a plate and then you pay and enjoy your food. Service here was top notch, I asked the server how does it work and he was very nice and helped us with making the plate, he explained the dishes. I believe you could have up to three or four items from different areas and instead of choosing those, he offered us bunch of things to try on our plate. All the servers were very friendly from the person making out plate to the person who came with drinks to our place. The restaurant has plenty of seats. Now coming to the food, the menu was amazing so many things to choose from. As I said we had many bits of thing so on my plate, I had Rice, Beef stew, Fried chicken, BBQ sauce chicken, salad and a Somalian dish eaten instead of rice with gravy. I topped the plate with hot sauce on the side. Let me tell you all the meat on my plate was tender, tasty and good to the bone. Loved all of it! While we were eating, one of the server came and told us, we also get a juice drink with a sit in meal. So I went with mango juice, he was very nice as asked us how the food was and as he notice it was our first time, they brought us some samosas (purely filled with spicy meat and not lime your usual samosas) and Mandhasi (a sweet bread/ donuts) on the house. Overall, very good experience! P.S. They serve halal food. read more

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My first time here. They have mostly somalian food and the staff were super friendly. Explained the goods to us and helped us place our order. Atmosphere is clean and inviting. Great for families. Food tasted good and the mango and lemonade are free. read more

Istar Restaurant - African Near Me - Etobicoke, Ontario

One of my favourite Somali restaurant. Their food is always enough cause their hearts are always big. They even offered us to come get more if we need. Mango that's the best part about these restaurants. Love their food and customer service! read more

Istar Restaurant - African Near Me - Etobicoke, Ontario

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Found this gem by accident. Was there for Fartumo Kusow's book launch, Tale of a Boon's Wife. While the event was catered, I noticed they didn't have bisbas (Somali hot sauce). I can't eat Somali food without bisbas. So I went next door, to the actual restaurant, with the intentions of asking for bisbas. I noticed there wasn't any options on their menu. Out of curiosity, I asked the gentleman, he wasn't Somali - he looked Middle Eastern to me, if there was a vegetarian option. He said no but he could make me a salad. Sadden, I reluctantly agreed. Then he said, are you feeling brave? I'll make you something different. I was beyond excited at this point. He then took sabaayad (Somali flatbread) and added hummus then a variety of cold vegetables and topped it off with mixture carrots and potatoes drizzled with ranch. After rolling this burrito lookalike, he replaced the tinfoil on the (shawarma) as he remembered I mentioned I didn't eat meat. He even used s clean knife to cut my burrito in two! It's very rare to see restaurants use different cutlery and utensils while dealing with meat and non meat meals. As a vegetarian, I was super impressed and appreciative. Also, it's 24 hours so now I'm definitely coming back. Thanks for the amazing experience!! read more

Value: amazing Halaal western food options: big win. I'm rating this for hallal food purposes. To be able to take mom out for dinner where she can enjoy a steak or ribs in peace and no pretention (black ox bistro comes to mind) is a big win for me. I had the ribs and pasta - sure as heck going back for that. The potato side dish was very delicately flavoured and I loved it. Huge portions I actually had to ask what was Somali on the menu, and the gentlemen behind the counter gave us a sample of yummy rice to try. The beef stew wasn't ready yet, but I will go back to try. My partner in crime had the chicken wrap- instead of a pita like in a shawarma the contents were in a flaky light scrumptious paratha type roti thingy. Will definately have that again. Great, clean, economical, family run joint. The fact that a whole bunch of women kept streaming in with kids, was testament to the home cooked quality of the food. Will go back. read more

Istar Restaurant - Yup, I ate the whole thing. Beef ribs! - African Near Me - Etobicoke, Ontario

Very friendly staff. Clean but not fancy interior. Smorgasbord food ordering. Good overall dining experience. My daughter and I came here expecting an Ethiopian-style experience and cuisine, not having looked at the menu ahead of time. The dishes were actually more what I would have expected from an Indian restaurant: butter chicken, biryani rice, and so on. (That says more about my ignorance regarding African food than it does about the food, I know.) Everything was excellent, and the servings were generous. The goat dish was particularly good -- make sure to order it if you're wondering what to try. read more

We came here for breakfast as a member of our party was craving Somalian food. He got the liver and onions and loved them (along with the sides). I'm adventurous when it comes to food but I wasn't feeling well so I only ordered the pancakes. They were perfect (light and fluffy). Just what I needed. We found if part of the party wanted Somalian food they could get it and be very happy, but also plenty of food for those that wanted a non-Somalian choice. However, this review is for the hot tea. As I wasn't feeling well, I chose the hot tea to warm my old bones (60 years old). It was, without question, the BEST hot tea I have ever tasted in my life. I live in California so my chances of returning to Istar are very slim. Any tea I ever have in the future will be compared to theirs and I don't think anything will ever be close. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. I will never forget my visit. read more

Delicious food and very friendly and accommodating staff! Great variety of traditional and non-traditional food as well.

This is my second time coming here. The staff has always been friendly and helpful. The food has always been fresh and very tasty. I'm a vegetarian so I just ask them to make me up a vegetarian plate and they have always been happy to do it. Large portions as well with a very reasonable price. read more

Istar Restaurant - A vegetarian plate. - African Near Me - Etobicoke, Ontario

Somali food, packed with Somali people. That's all I need to know the food is authentic. Get the malawah or anjero, Somali flatbreads. Malawah is sweeter. Softly spiced rice and hearty meals. Don't be dissuaded by the exterior. It is clean and staff are welcoming and friendly. What a treat to experience Somali food without leaving Canada! read more

Istar Restaurant - African Near Me - Etobicoke, Ontario

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Everything smelled wonderful, and it would have been great if I could have actually TASTE the food! I requested a vegetarian dish, and the cook said it would be approximately 10 minutes to accommodate me. I asked for some Naan bread or something while I waited, and the host grabbed a pre-packaged bag of dinner rolls and offered them to me. I politely declined, as I thought it would be homemade, authentic Naan or bread made in-house. Either way, I was willing to wait, and they offered me a seat while I waited. After 20 minutes, I went to the front of house to check in on the waiting time. There were only about 5 customers in the restaurant. I was greeted by a new host, and a new cook who said they had no idea I was waiting for anything because the cook I had spoke to previously just clocked out. If I hadn't spoken up, I would have been waiting around all night. I was beyond annoyed and hungry, so I just left. The staff never tried to make it right or empathized with me. They just stood there and stared at me. Very disappointed, as I decided to visit this place based on positive Yelp reviews. read more

Istar Restaurant - Seating area. Some booths are ripped/dirty but tables are clean. - African Near Me - Etobicoke, Ontario

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Yummy food, good portions, nice staff and customer service especially the owner. Prices are a little high but portions are good. I would recommend the beef wrap and goat stew. read more

The best in Somali Food !! Exploring the Rexdale area, this is by far the best Somalian Food we've had, it has many options and the best part is it is always hot and fresh ! They recently underwent renovation which makes the place more appealing, ambience wise its ok, just that there is also a connected party room and with the music noise, the meal can be really disturbing. The washrooms are not maintained well. Service wise, it can be a long wait as the line up is always prevalent. It's a self service place and has multiple combos as well. Our best picks are Butter Chicken, Beef Stew and the Sabayat Wrap. The first two come in a combo with rice and salad and drink, the Wrap comes with a drink. They have a standard price for all combos which is $13. However with the quantity they give it's worth it. The entire box is filled to the top and depending on appetite it can even last for 2 meals. Other good dishes to try are the Chicken Tikka, the fried drum sticks are ok. They serve all dishes with a Banana, Mango or Lemon Juice. With any food you choose, don't forget to ask for their hot sauce, it makes the dish more delicious. Also if you are a tea drinker, do not forget to try their tea, it is really unique in flavor and taste. They do not accept Credit, just Debit or Cash. Food - 5/5 Ambience - 2/5 Value - 4/5 Service - 3/5 read more

Amazing food, and amazing workers. The ribs are my absolute favourite! Very good food

Love this place. Great quality food and friendly staff. I order the Mandazi; Biryani, Beef Stew and Samboosa. Not many restaurants provide quantity and quality nowadays. Istar does. read more

Istar Restaurant was our introduction to Somalian/International cuisine. Overall, our experience sampling the various dishes and interacting with the staff was wonderful. The food was simply delectable! The fried chicken was crispy, juicy, and relatively oil-free. The freshly-made pita bread melted in our mouths. The vegetarian penne was the best ever, not to mention the succulent beef ribs, the goat meat, beef suqaar anjera, which were all flavorful. The rice with raisins was also a standout. We will definitely return. read more

I'm not Somali, but they honestly make great food and their portions are large. I eat from them from time to time and their food is always fresh. Well-trained, friendly staff. read more

Istar Restaurant - open 24/7 - is a Cafeteria style dine in and take out restaurant - delicious somali dishes and a few indian dishes. They have traditional somali snacks and sweets as well. You can mix and match 2 dishes with either rice or pasta to make a dinner combo. Service is very helpful and friendly. Only Debit or Cash read more

The workers talk too much They gave me an order of chicken when I didn't even tell them what I wanted. Messy and unsanitary. The food is too expensive. read more

I've never written a review on here before but this place compelled me to do so. My husband and I went on a whim, and boy am I glad we did! The customer service was amazing, the food was great and the portions were huge! The prices are really reasonable for what you get, we went in after the lunch crowd and some of the stuff was done, but they made the effort to get us fresh portions from the back. We got bar b q chicken legs, chicken tikka and butter chicken. Everything was delicious and warm. Please don't be scared because of what the place looks like from the outside, go inside it's totally worth it! read more

Went here insanely late during the holidays and yes like always it was open. In the middle of the night in North Etobicoke what can you expect? Amazing. Famous for their late night butter chicken but also serving several other options late into the night you can't beat this. You have to go during the day or evening to get true Somali food like the out of this world goat. Also go for the bur shub shub. Crepe with butter chicken - yum order two. read more

Interesting Somali family-run restaurant. Very good food in large portions. Very tasty meat and vegetarian dishes. The restaurant also serves traditional Somali breakfast, consisting of fried liver, onions and injera-like bread. Highly recommended. The service is extraordinarily friendly and easy-going. Great find! read more

I waited for pasta and the cook lied and said it would be 10 min and 15 min later the girl at the counter said it won't be spaghetti but it will be macaroni and I said ok then he told the girl it will be a little longer and has been 20 mins.i told them cancel the order.i spend an average from $20-$78 every week sometime every 2 weeks.This is the first time I have never experience a cook that lies and make me stand there when I was not feeling that's why I wanted to pick food.New people working the there and the cook works on Thursday. After being lied they do not deserve anymore support from.beware of the new employees that they hired.i have been going here since 2009.until they get their act together or they not receive one more dollar from me again.LIARS that work there.But owner is still a good man it the people he hired are the LIARS.Sorry Mohamed and Adnan, I had to this this,it's your employees that is losing your customers. read more

Great restaurant experience. Went in with a couple of hungry friends, left completely satisfied. No visible menu, but none was needed! Great selection of traditional Somali cuisine, and very helpful helpful staff who went above and beyond and gave an extra dish on the house. As we were leaving the restaurant, they insisted we stay for tea, which turned out to be the cherry on top that pushed this review to a full 5/5. read more