Sooo yummy! My parents and I had a light dinner following a trip to Heartwork, and loved the red lentil soup, the Greek salads, the butternut squash, and the tiramisu. Good grief was the tiramisu good! I will be back just for that. Our servers were also wonderful and so personable, especially the host who sat us. Quite grateful to live in a town with yummy Afghan food. read more

Even though I used to be a regular customer, I had not dined there in several years, so it was good to see that the food remains excellent, just like i remember it. However -- I was quite surprised, even shocked, that they charged a 3.5% surcharge to use my credit card (using cash would not have incurred such a charge) !!! This is the FIRST TIME I have encountered such a charge in the USA. Also, there was no warning in advance. Given how unusual this is (and I stress, *unique* in my experience numerous dining experiences), the waitstaff could at the very least tell you about such a charge *before* you give them your credit card and they run it through! (I wonder, is this even legal?) An extremely unpleasant experience, and because I had guests with me, I did not want to quibble on the spot. BUT REST ASSURED: UNLESS SAMIRA CHANGES ITS POLICY I WILL NOT BE GOING BACK THERE. read more

If you're in Bloomington and want a meal that feels both comforting and special, Samira is the spot. The Afghan dishes are full of flavor, the portions are generous, and the service is warm without being pushy. The bolani and kebabs are always on point, and the fresh bread alone is worth the trip. Cozy atmosphere, consistently great food--an easy five stars. read more

Samira Restaurant - Afghan Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

First time at Samira. Enjoyed the lunch buffet with friends. Very nice selection of hot items at the buffet. They also had 2 cold salad and 1 fruit plate offerings that were simply delicious. Fresh and yummy baklava is offered at your table. Also a warm pita like offering is brought to your table. There were plenty of people dining inside but, was still able to hold and hear conversation with my friends. There is also outside seating available, tho, not sure how great that would be on the traffic heavy square. It's well lit, nicely decorated and overall pleasant place to dine. Our waitress was very attentive making sure that we had plenty of water and that all our needs were met. read more

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

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

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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. read more

Samira Restaurant - Tiramisu - Afghan Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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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! read more

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Had not been here in years. Completely remodeled, outdoor seating, really fun vibe and packed to the gills. Usually have done the lunch buffet but this time outdoor dinner in really wonderful weather. Server was super friendly and efficient--outstanding skills. Food was fantastic as always...our party had vegetarian dishes and salmon and chicken kebabs with hummus & baba ganouj. Great lentil soup and bread. Afghani food is a rare find in the US and this place nails it. read more

A favorite international restaurant located right on the downtown square of Bloomington. Great atmosphere with many delicious dishes. Drove past this place many times. Wish we had stopped sooner. read more

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. read more

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We had lunch here. They only serve a brunch for lunch and it has many choices. Many items were spicy, which my spouse enjoyed. Workers were very friendly and attentive. read more

This is easily one of the best restaurant in a small town of surprisingly really good food. They have a lot of vegetarian options, I have heard the lamb kebab is also superb if you are not vegetarian. The waiters/waitresses have always been really great and the general interior design makes it a nice place for a formal lunch or dinner. read more

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

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. read more

Samira Restaurant - Afghan Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

The place was small and really cute. I love the look and seating arrangement. They are missing a hostess area. The food was fresh and delicious. I enjoyed my meal. The wait staff was exceptionally attentive. Thank you for such wonderful food and service. read more

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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! read more

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The dumplings here are very fresh. It's rare to find dumplings that are both handmade and rolled out that thin. So that brings this to 5*. Bread is also excellent. To be comprehensive--the rice and sauce for the dumplings weren't _as_ impressive, and would be 4*. But the dumplings are just so fresh that I'm rounding up. read more

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

What a find Samira is! We were visiting IU and wanted to try Afghan cuisine based on all the great reviews. WOW. The food is so fresh and so flavorful. Similar to Greek or Mediterranean, but the flavor profile unique and so tasty. We ordered the humus as our appetizer and the Manto and Chicken Kebaab as our meals. The complimentary eggplant app and salad was great. Very big portions. The decor very stylish and service very attentive. Highly recommend trying out Samira. We plan to be back. read more

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

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

I wish they allowed 1 star. There are a ton of great places to eat in Bloomington, scratch this off your list!!! I'm sure the food might be great, but after waiting 1 hour we never got to try it. There were people that sat after us, ate, paid, etc and left before we might have gotten our meal. Our waiter said there was a mix-up in the kitchen and our meal was next. Then he proceeded to bring out 2 other tables of food. One of them literally sat down 10 minutes ago. We did not order anything special... It was the Kabob combination Special. They just plate it up!!!. After the he proceeded to bring out another table, we left. I do not get it. It's not hard to prepare a dish and delivery it. read more

So, I travel a lot and this place was positively a delightful find. The food was the absolute highlight, it's become a staple for when I come back. This was easily some of the tastiest food I've ever had, I had the eggplant appetizer which was spicy, savory and delicious in every way. My dinner of lamb was also wonderful, the generous portion of lamb was surprising in the best way. Top that off with the fact that it was delicious and you can't lose! The atmosphere is charming and welcoming in here. You walk in and get this kind of nice mix of classic Afghan and just a hint of America which is plesant. There's no overly loud music, the ambiance is just lovely, it's a win overall. Finally service-wise, this is the only area I wasn't totally thrilled. The server was a little less than attentive, yes we got seated quickly, yes we got our order taken quickly, then she disappeared. Not a huge problem but I felt thats the only thing separating this from a 5-star review. All in all really well done, and it's family owned which just makes it even better definitely give them a try! read more

AMAZING FOOD & SERVICE ======================= REVIEW #802 I made a reservation for dinner on May 8, 2021. This was graduation day for Indiana University. Our dinner was one my favorites in Bloomington. I had the vegetarian aushak and it was amazing. They are little steamed dumplings filled with cabbage, onion, and cliantro in home-made vegetable tomato sauce and spiced yogurt, around seasoned basmati rice. I am craving that right now and unfortunately they are 2,000 miles away. They serve complimentary eggplant when you are seated. I can't remember what two of the four ordered at my table, but my son's girlfriend recommended this dish and two of us ordered it. My son most likely ordered a beef dish and I think my husband ordered the lamb. We were all in hog heaven. The service was perfect from start to finish. read more

Samira Restaurant - Vegetarian Aushak - Afghan Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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We sat in the restaurant for 15 minutes. The table next to us were seated after us were served first. We never got anyone help us order. So we just left. Terrible experience! read more

Upon arrival, you receive a eggplant dish that tastes pickled, and it's absolutely heavenly. You also receive a basket of the most buttery afghani bread. Lentil soup was very good, explosive, and tasty. Side salad was decent, but the dressing was not very pleasant. It was a balsamic, which I generally love -- but it was a bit overpowering. Baba ganouj -- preface this to say, I am incredibly bougie when it comes to baba as I'm a bit of a snob about it. I have high standards, can't help it! With that said, this baba ganouj was in my top 10. It was DELICIOUS. Manto -- steamed beef dumplings which were so delicate and good. The yogurt sauce that tops the dumplings was an absolute dream. Lamb Pallao -- absolute HEAVEN. the lamb was perfectly fork tender and melted in your mouth. Don't skip the spicy chutney! For photos of the food, see my most wonderful dining partner Ata's review. The service was stellar and the restaurant is beautiful. I'm glad we found this diamond while wandering around Bloomington. read more

The wife and I have been walking past this restaurant for years on our visits to Bloomington and finally decided to check it out. We plan to return and not wait years this time. Within Minutes of our arrival, the server brought us warm bread and seasoned slices of eggplant. Both were delicious. And my wife does not like eggplant. That's how good it was. We ordered the hummus appetizer. While the hummus was good, the salad of peppers, onions, tomatoes and something that looked like parsley (I could be wrong here), was delicious. The two combined with some of the warm bread made for a perfect bite. I ordered the combination kebabs. This came with chicken, hen and dumplings some of which contained cabbage and one containing lamb. The one containing lamb was breaded rather than what I would call a dumpling. I ate it all quite happily. The dumplings came with a really good green sauce containing what appeared to be fresh herbs in a citrusy (possibly lime) mix that added great flavor to the dumplings. The wife ordered the cabbage and leek dumplings. I think this is called the vegetarian sampler. She found them all good, but preferred the cabbage over the leek. The meal also came with a bowl of tomato leek soup. I enjoyed this although it was kind of lukewarm. The wife wanted me to note that she doesn't normally like tomato based soup, but did like this soup. Apparently, Samira did something right. Also, the servers were good and friendly. read more

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Outstanding food, outstanding service! I was in Bloomington today and had dinner at Samira and it was excellent. We ordered two lamb dishes, both were extremely flavorful and very tender. Our waitress was great too. Highly recommended! read more

You really can't go wrong with any of the items on the menu. I especially love all the vegetarian food--I think I've tried all the vegetarian options and loved them all! read more

Wonderful, wonderful dining experience with my daughter and son-in-law tonight! We were greeted warmly as soon as we walked in and were quickly seated. Yoseph - our server - was out in a flash with water for everyone and continued to give us excellent service all evening. Our appetizer was "Namounaa" - a sampling of three dishes: Kadu (Baked Butternut Squash), Sabzi (Spiced Eggplant) and Shalgham (Baked Turnip). It was accompanied by Focaccia bread with dipping oil and the combinations of flavors were SPECTACULAR. I seriously could have eaten that for a meal all by itself. After that was a little lagniappe - Grilled Eggplant that was thinly sliced and beautifully seasoned. Once again - I could have eaten an entire plate of that and been deliriously happy. After that we received a cup of Red Lentil Soup - just DELISH. From there we went to the mains with two of us getting Lamb Kebabs and I chose the "Quabili Pallao" - seasoned Basmati rice with carrots, raisins, lamb with a tomato-onion sauce. Holy Crap that was Good! It's like every piece of rice was hand cooked, perfectly flavored, and then set onto the dish. The contrast and balance of flavors was just fabulous. To round it off we enjoyed a delicious Bordeaux. Honestly one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. This is an absolute must if you're within 100 miles of here..... read more

Samira Restaurant - Afghan Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Amazing food with great service! Samira Restaurant is located centrally in Bloomington, and they offer both patio and indoor seating. I tried their vegetarian special, which included dal, creamy eggplant, spinach, and rice. Everything in here was perfectly seasoned and absolutely delicious! read more

Samira Restaurant - Vegetarian Special - Afghan Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

I loved this restaurant when I went to school here 12+ years ago, and I'm happy to say they haven't lost a step. Their provided app single-handedly turned me into an egg plant eater. So thin, not mushy--how do they do it? The kabobs are good, the hummus is good, anything with that little yogurt drizzle and raisins in it is good. Just go for it. read more

I love this restaurant. Loved it 20 years ago (when I was a student), loved it this time around. Really flavorful Afganian food, fresh ingredients, great presentation. We started with Baba Ganouj and their staple marinated eggplant with bread. For entree, we shared the Kadu Pallao (with lamb) and the Sabzi Tchallao with lamb - both very nicely done, with respect to the delicate flavors of vegetables and aromatic rice. Next time, we'll leave space for dessert... The restaurant is quiet and intimate, staff discreet and polite - this is a good place for date or business. I'll be back. read more

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We were in Bloomington for a short getaway and stumbled upon this place online. The reviews looked promising and the food certainly did not disappoint. We tried: 1) Kebab combination 2) Samarok Lawang (with a side of their house salad). The food was delicious; very flavourful. Portions were good. Prices are reasonable. I particularly appreciated that their salad wasn't your typical, bland house salad that you get served at most places. Service was excellent. I would highly recommend them if you're looking to try something different and delicious. Keep up the good work! read more

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

Delicious food. Service usually good. Parking can be a challenge, expect to park at least a block away and walk over. Still giving 5 stars on the strength of the food even though one time I made a reservation for 6 people and they then took a huge group that evening (or the huge group just showed up?) and couldn't honor our reservation. Would give them more than 5 stars if the service could reach consistently great. read more

This my favorite restaurant in Bloomington hands down. I come here every time I am around the area and it never disappoints. I didn't even know that they had buffet during lunch hours .... A decent buffet ... one of the best I tried in my life read more

We were in Bloomington for my sons orientation and stopped by at Samira for lunch. It was a lunch buffet. The choice of food was quite limited. The food was bland... perhaps pandering to a wider customer base. Nothing wrong with that except to me it just tasted like there was no love and affection put in while cooking. I would not recommend this place to anyone I know. read more

I was looking forward to dining here because of all of the reviews and it was recommended by a family friend. But when calling for a reservation someone repeatedly picked up and hung up! Our team thought to try 1 last time and a gentleman answered YELLING - stop calling bc he thought this was a prank caller. I was floored! We continued with making the reservation because we felt bad at this stress he must've been under to answer like this. But at the end of the call as we were still speaking he hung up again! Everyone has a bad day! And if at any point he would have apologize for the lack of professionalism, I would even bother with this review. But since this was a VERY important dinner we didn't wanna risk a poor experience and had to find some where else to dine. Hopefully a different system or a hostess will be put in place as no one should have to experience this when simply making a reservation. **still giving 2 vs 1stars just to gracious to a small business** read more