I've never had Somali food before so I was super excited to try it especially after reading the reviews. I ordered the Classic Somali Rice with Chicken. I didn't end up going to pick up the food for about an hour. When my friend and I arrived we were told we arrived too late and we couldn't get the food. I thought I was in an episode of Seinfeld and talking to the soup Nazi for a second. The owner explained they couldn't serve us the food because it had been sitting too long. Instead he made us fresh meals and gave us tea to drink while we waited. The food was piping hot and delicious. The servings are also pretty large so I was able to get a couple meals out of it. Definitely patronize this business. The food and customer service are excellent! read more

This place is bomb. We got the beef and rice, chicken wrap, and their take on the phili cheese steak. Everything was amazing. Ask for the habanero sauce if you can handle that spice level. Excellent service as well --you can tell these guys are passionate about what they do. read more

The food is delicious and the service was great. I really enjoyed the coconut stewed chicken and the rice had some tasty spices in it. Will certainly come back. read more

This place is the bomb. The food is off the hook (try the rice and coconut chicken, Samoa's especially vegan somoa), cheese steak is better than most in philly and the owner Omar is the man and hooks it up big time. Must experience! read more

I went here without any expectation of what I would find since it is a new restaurant and said multicultural cuisine. I met a very friendly helpful young man named Omar who introduced me to his menu let me try the potato salad and who recommended the chicken stew with rice. Let me say that the food went beyond expectations and I have eaten it many different restaurants around the world. The stew was Perfectly seasoned I would eat the gravy with the spoon if I could and the seasoned rice was just perfect in soaking it up! The potato salad has lots of flavor, crunch and is not sweet- my type of potato salad. I will definitely return to try other menu items but this one knocked it out of the park! read more

Absolutely amazing food. Unique flavors but not too spicy...overall just delicious. Very nice folks working there too. Definitely worth going here! read more

Hidden little gem! Excellent food with unique and fresh flavors. They claimed best philly cheese steak around and this was not an idle claim. Nice mix of meat and cheese with good flavor. My 12 yo devoured it. The samosas are crisp, flavorful with the ingredients tasking fresh. I could have a dozen of these. Their home chicken and rice was masterfully done. The chicken pieces tender and tasty with the rice fluffy, perfectly cooked and bursting with unique flavors. Will e stopping by frequently when in town. read more

2.5 stars The host was very warm and welcoming. The decor is bright. I liked that they had Kola champagne and ginger beer available, flavors not found everywhere in Vermont. The marinated meat is tasty and the cheesecake with mango sauce is a delight for fans of this type of dessert. I get the sense that they are still sorting out the business. The samosas should be served with a dipping sauce, as the image on the menu depicts. The rice could also use a sauce/gravy. I'd recommend serving the salad in a bowl, separate from the hot dishes. I'm concerned that the bathroom is not accessible to all patrons as it requires one to take a step up and cannot accommodate a wheel chair and likely not a walker. The temperature in the bathroom was also excessively warm. If there's anyway to address the ice in the parking lot, that would also be good. I think this business will thrive once they iron out some of the kinks. read more

Excellent service and everything on the menu is absolutely rockstar. Eat here, no regrets will be had.

I had been wanting to try this restaurant for a while. We were not disappointed. The owner took time to chat with our daughter and gave her a sample of the Coconut Chicken Stew since she was curious what was in the red pots. Between the three of us we tried the potato salad, Somali rice and chicken platter, beef and veggie Samosas. Everything was delicious. We definitely will be back. read more

Kismayo Kitchen - Somali Rice Combo - Somali Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

First time stopping in and was not disappointed. I got the Philly cheese steak and a samosa. Not only was the food amazing and so flavorful, but the staff was welcoming and attentive. I look forward to trying other items on the menu. read more

Terrific hole in the wall with just a few options, but all of them great. The herbs in the rice are to die for, which is a multi colored rice tossed with a light amount of butter and light veggies. We loved their samosa dough - lighter and more densely packed on the inside. We ordered the coconut chicken stew, which was savory but be aware that it has sort of a creamy base with hints of tomato bisque. read more

Had a great lunch here last weekend. I asked if they could substitute goat for chicken in the wrap and they were happy to accomodate. It was awesome. Wife & kids had the somosas & also the chicken with rice and all was very fresh and tasty. Great spot for takeout! read more

The NICEST staff and most delicious rice. Coconut chicken stew is perfect on a cold night & don't skip the samosas. So glad we have Kismayo in town as a takeout option! read more

Delicious food and the service is excellent! Big portions and the food came out quickly. Enthusiastic and welcoming staff. Went out of his way to please the hungry kids. This place is a gem ! read more

Great service. Great prices. Great food. I've also gotten food/drinks thrown in for free on multiple occasions!

A really wonderful meal! They've added a vegan samosa that is drop dead delicious! We also had the coconut chicken stew and Somali rice with chicken, really tasty and nicely spiced! Adding Kismayo to our eating out rotation. read more

Kismayo Kitchen - Great food, wonderful owner! - Somali Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

I had been meaning to come here on the recommendations of coworkers, and I can't believe I waited so long. I had the Kismayo Philly cheesesteak and it was PHENOMENAL, easily one of the best sandwiches I've had in my entire life. Samosa was excellent as well. Service was prompt, price was affordable, and the owner was just a very nice guy. I plan to be a regular here and will tell anyone who will listen to do the same. read more

Tried for lunch. The owner was super sweet to begin with. The chicken and rice flavorful with spices. Will sure to go back.

Love this place! I started ordering delivery here during the covid lockdown, and now in person. The food is amazing with great flavor. There portions are large for their price. But the best part of this place is the staff. They are the hardest working and most dedicated. The first time I went in person they gave us free samples of the Somali tea as a thank you. I tell everyone about this place and even ordered their food and drove it 3 hours because my family wanted it. read more

Heard a lot of good things about this place, so I was excited to finally give it a shot. I ordered the philly with the Somali tea and they were both absolutely excellent! Flavors were very well balanced and delicious. Portion was plenty and I felt well satiated without the "food coma" a beef sandwich can often give. I was also give samosa to try which is maybe the best I've ever had. Will certainly be returning to try everything else on the menu. Very friendly and great service as well! read more

I'm so glad I was able to try Kismayo Kitchen not only for the food but for the general dining experience. Went for lunch - parking was easy and the dining-in area was full of regulars who were jovial and clearly loved to be there. One guy recommended Philly cheesesteak as the "best in Burlington" & he was right! The two lovely people we interacted with were running the register, cooking, and serving the food with a smile and genuine customer service. A dynamic duo. Would HIGHLY recommend the samosas (beef or chicken), Somali tea (tastes like masala chai....delicious), and the Philly cheesesteak. The hot sauce on the side was on point, too. Happy to see Somali food being embraced by the Burlington community - a reflection of the flavor added to good ole BTV. I hope there are more restaurants like this one that continue to pop up! read more

Delicious! The goat meat with rice dish was tender and flavorful. The tea was warm, very sweet and hard to stop drinking. Most delightful was the owner/chef, who gave us a samosa on the house and clearly loves feeding people wonderful food. Highly recommend. read more

I love their rice! I tried goat with rice and I liked it. Friendly staff. Definitely recommended!

The food is good (if you aren't familiar with Somali cuisine, as I wasn't, I would say the dishes and flavors here will remind you of Indian or even Turkish food more than Ethiopian). What really sets it aside is the customer service. We were really welcomed and made to feel like guests in a home at this restaurant. Be prepared for some serious kindness if you go here. read more

Without a doubt the strongest 5 star review I've ever given. This place is unbelievably good. It's small and unassuming, and the menu has only a handful of items on it, but I've tried every one and they are ALL shockingly good. My personal favorite is the Somali classic with beef--it's tender, juicy, and has the perfect seasoning. The rice that they give as a side is the best rice I've ever eaten. The service is great-- quick, polite, and very generous. You've gotta go out of your way to go to Kismayo if you live in or are visiting Burlington. read more

Absolutely, the best service and food I have ever came across!! HANDS DOWN. Both the goat and chicken combo was juicy and flavorful. The tea was superb. Sambusa was crispy, plump and tasty. Omar is a blessing and beyond amazing. He represents authentic Somali food. Truly his service was so appreciated, lovely owner! Extremely welcoming and attentive. He'll be seeing me really soon! Looking forward to trying the wraps next. read more

Kismayo Kitchen offers excellent food at a convenient price. On top of this, their service is among the best in Burlington, they will ensure that you leave their establishment with a smile on your face read more

The food here was AMAZING!!! We traveled to Burlington from NJ and when I looked up places to eat and saw all the amazing reviews I had to check it out... Omg was it worth it!! We had the Coconut Chicken Stew over rice... We tried their cheese steak and the beef and chicken Samosas (ask for the dipping sauce... It's SLAMMIN)... And they all were amazing!! The staff was friendly and I can't wait to go back again one day!! Highly recommend this place!! read more

Delicious chicken and rice! I've lived in West Africa and eaten lots of different African cuisines but it was my first taste of Somali food...it was like a perfect mixture of East African and Middle Eastern flavors. The employees were friendly and happy to talk about the menu. I can't wait to try the chicken wrap and coconut chicken stew. read more

The owner is the nicest guy I've ever met, I went in when I was having a bad day and he completely turned my mood around with his amazing customer service. And the food is really good too! read more

We got food delivered recently from them and it was fantastic. They takeout option list was pretty short and we kinda just ordered one if everything and it was all super tasty! I'm excited this place moved into that corner. read more

This place is amazing. Dinner for two can run you less than $20 and the flavor is incredible. The coconut chicken stew with rice was delicious and the chicken wrap tasted great too, especially with the complimentary hot sauce that the chef threw in. The atmosphere in the building is also really welcoming and low-key. We will 100% be back in the future and cannot recommend Kismayo enough! read more