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    Samira Restaurant

    4.4 (271 reviews)
    ModerateAfghan, Salad, Soup
    Closed Closed

    Samira Restaurant Photos

    SAMIRA RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Romantic
    Classy
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Samira Restaurant

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    Lentil soup
    Abigail Q.

    Really flavorful meal! The dumplings are so fresh. The dining area is clean and well decorated.

    Tiramisu
    Ana C.

    A lot of my friends recommended I try Samira Restaurant and since I was graduating, I felt it was the time to. The location is super nice, really pretty decorations with lots of mirrors everywhere. The food was also delicious. We ordered the lamb kebab and tiramisu to share. I didn't think it would be that much food but I left leaving feeling so full. We were seated really quickly and served fast. I would definitely recommend trying it out.

    House salad
    Eric C.

    A really terrific change of flavor! As an Indy resident, Afghan or really any West Asian food is hard to come by, so it was an easy choice to land on Samira for my latest trip to Bloomington. The restaurant has a chic, comfortable vibe and friendly, fast service to compliment. I sat at a two top at the front of the dining room facing the street and the mirrors made for extra good people watching while I dined. I was surprised by the complimentary grilled eggplant and carrots along with a basket of fresh bread. I probably could have just doubled down by ordering extras of those and been happy and full. They both had so much flavor! For my entre I asked for the quabili pallao with lamb and was brought a true, heaping helping of basmati topped with so much delicious lamb, veggies, seasoning, and sauce. I cleaned the whole plate (which impressed even me) and which I would have had room for more. The super aromatic, slightly spicy and rich flavors were all so good. Oh, gosh, and I almost forgot the house salad! It was such a treat, herbaceous, acidic, crunchy and fresh. I really was stuffed (in the best way) by time I left. Don't think twice if you are in Bloomington and looking for something different and delicious!

    Namouna
    Paige T.

    Food: Amazing flavors! Portions were very filling. A group of 5 of us each ordered an entree and shared it. Kebabs and the Salmon platter were easily shareable. The Cornish hen was tasty but small in portion size. Service: Good customer service! Attentive without being overbearing. My only critique is not of a server but there were bussers/hostess that could have assisted the server with removing dirty dishes or refilling water; however they were in the back near the restrooms on their phone. I drank a lot of water and had to use the restroom multiple times and each time they were tucked away in the back in their phone. Our server was amazing but had multiple tables. Ambiance: Great! Everything in dining space was comfortable and looked nice.

    Lou L.

    I had never tried Afghan food before, but I eat some (less adventurous) Indian and Pakistani dishes, so I was apprehensive of messing up my order and getting something I couldn't handle or didn't like. But the restaurant was very nice. Upscale experience. The waitress was patient and instructive, so the meal was very good, and the experience delightful. I'm glad I didn't take my mother here. It's not a place for picky eaters who refuse to try things they don't know. But of you are open minded, they will help you through it.

    Quabili Pallao
    Ata A.

    The service here was absolutely stellar! The waitresses did a wonderful job, were knowledgeable, considerate etc. the starter eggplant dish that is served upon sitting was delicate and delightful. Loved the garlic, olive oil and spice that came with the dish. The bread is perfectly airy and central to enjoying the dish as well as eating the baba ghanouj with - delicious! Listen, I love lamb but a problem I always face in America is that lamb is over cooked and tough. The lamb in the quabili pallao was soft, melt in your mouth, oh so good! This has got to be one of the best afghani restaurants I've ever been to in America. I should also note that the dumplings were delicious! Pro tip: if you like spicy order the spicy chili chutney!

    Baba Ganouj

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    7 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    3 months ago

    Amazing dining experience. Service was wonderful and the food was very delicious! Ambiance is very nice too!

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    1 year ago

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    5 months ago

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    6 months ago

    Delicious food! Everything we had was great and not what I normally like but at Samira I did! Highly recommend - and reasonably priced

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    3 months ago

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    5 months ago

    Quick service. Delicious food. Good atmosphere. Excellent all around! Recommend.

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    8 months ago

    This is one of my all time establishments in Bloomington. The baklava can't be beat! The food is comforting and delicious.

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    7 months ago

    Their lamb kabobs are tender and taste amazing. I have a gluten sensitivity and they are very accommodating. I would highly recommend them.

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    10 months ago

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    6 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Best food in bloomington by a large margin. Everything is good. Good service and vibes.

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    Ask the Community - Samira Restaurant

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    Hive

    Hive

    4.0
    (148 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$

    Love their food! And the hive pie is super delicious. Fresh ingredients. Worth trying here if…read moreyou've never been. We usually get the hive Burger and the chicken sandwich with fries. But honestly anything from here has been delicious. Makes me want to get it for dinner tonight talking about it.

    The menu features burgers, sandwiches, pot pies, bowls. The Chicken Salad was a little different…read morethan a usual chicken salad. There was a thin layer of slaw on the bun. It was an interesting addition to the sandwich because it made the sandwich a little more sour. I added a little hot honey to help counter some of the sourness. The Hive bun was very fresh. It had great texture- crunchy edges but spongy middle. The burgers looked good but appeared very small. I was a little surprised by the portion size considering the cost. It was very expensive for such a small burger that did not come with sides & drink. I liked the big plastic cups for water. It had a bunch of advertisements on the cup, but thought it was great sizewise for water. Usually we get a small plastic flimsy cup for water at other restaurants, so it was a nice surprise. The staff was friendly and served our order relatively quickly. Patrons came in waves. The outside is deceiving because the sign isn't flashy and looks relatively small. But, once you walk in, it appears a lot more spacious than from the outside. Plenty of seating for big/small groups.

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    Samira Restaurant - afghani - Updated June 2026

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