Amazing food every time. Afro Deli won the small business owner of the year award for good reason…read more Those fries get me out of a slump instantly! I like to switch between getting a grilled chicken wrap and keke chicken most often. The indoor seating is a vibe, I love the mural and colorful furniture! It's a great spot to get a bite with friends, and have a chat. My favorite location is in the heart of the U of M campus, making it easy to take a walk after. This place is phenomenal, definitely worth the visit!

The veggie sambusa is what bumped it up to a 3 star review. It's nice that you can order a single…read moresambusa. The chicken fantastic is, not so fantastic... I was disappointed in my meal here. There is much left to be desired. I found it to be a bland dish that lacked flavor and variety. Veggies were soggy and bland also.

It's hard to find and off the beaten path but it's worth the effort! The food is very tasty, very…read moreaffordable, and the ambiance is no-nonsense, "let's eat and drink tea" kind of place. Baarakallah is set back from the street and tucked inside a corridor that is shared by a Halaal grocery shop. Once you arrive inside, the clientele may observe you but it's fine. The server at the front is approachable and can describe the dishes and is very prompt with service. And the food is spicy yet balanced, savory but not over seasoned. The prices are very affordable for the amount of food you get! We were very happy with the beef over rice and the samosa style pastries. Great food and a unique experience.

Hole in the wall so you know it'll be good! We came in with no real knowledge of Somali foods (but…read moresome of Kenya and Ethiopia), yet the menu was still fairly relatable even without any prior experience. Most importantly, they had the menu of the previous restaurant still up - a Mediterranean place it looked like - and the woman in charge said they could make Somali versions of most of that. So I asked for a chicken sandwich using the Somali stewed chicken and my partner got the chicken stew plate (suqar I think). Both were delightful, and the Somali-styled black tea was deliciously like a chai tea. Highly recommend.

We're in the area to support a neighboring Somali eatery. ICE protest going in full force on the…read morestreet, 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.

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

Friendly spot with decent Somali food. Stopped in late on a Monday night. Since it was near closing…read moretime, they were out of several items. Ordered the chicken suqqar and my friend got the beef suqqar with ugali. The meats were a little dry and didn't have a lot of flavor. I asked for some of the green sauce that helped, but it would have been nice if the dishes had more flavor on their own. The spinach dish that came with the ugali had a lot of flavor, and the ugali had nice texture. It was a very cozy space and the service was friendly, but I was also overcharged for my dish (didn't notice it until I paid). I wanted to love this place, but found it only OK. I will try it one more time since they didn't have the dishes I wanted to order.

I popped in for a snack to warm up after risking frostbite during the march on Lake St. I wasn't…read morethe only one doing that, and the cashier was graciously offering us free hot tea. She warned us it was sweet so I passed. She seemed to be genuinely enjoying her job, not something I see often in restaurants. I chose a Sambusa and a Mandazi since they looked like they would be easy to stuff in my coat. Mama Safia's looks like a tiny corner place from the outside but seems bigger on the inside. Bright and sunny with well spaced tables. I saw some full orders being served and they looked amazing. It didn't take long to get my order but the march had ended, so I went back to my car and bit into the Sambusa (aka Samosa in other cuisines) as soon as I was out of the wind. Best I've ever had! Lovely flakey crust with a mild curry taste in the chicken filling. The Mandazi is something like a donut but not overly sweet, and aromatic with warming spices. This could actually be a 5 star, but I feel I should return for a full meal experience.

Our office ordered from Hufan- a family style catering order…read more -salmon and veggies- the salmon was well seasoned and so good!! The veggies (onion and bell pepper) were crunchy and added brightness. Everyone in the office was surprised with how much they enjoyed the salmon, even non fish-eaters -Goat- tender and flavorful -Fuul- my first time having. Like a spicy, smoky bean. Flavor profile reminded me of smoky lentils I've had at Ethiopian restaurant. V good! - chicken legs- nice crisp. Could have used a little salt but otherwise great -Malawah- like a springy flatbread pancake. Easy to scoop up -Beef sambusa- SO flavorful, moist, savory. Really so good -Rice- so flavorful!!! This rice had warming spices- cinnamon, I think I saw cloves, and think I tasted cardamom. Unreal- I could have had a whole pot of this. Everyone was so pleased with the food. It traveled well and we had lots of leftovers!

I had the BBQ Chicken with Rice, and they really went out of their way to make the outer shell of…read morethe chicken wonderfully crispy with a great flavor. And I liked the rice with onions and such. The Beef Sambusa was fantastic. The crust was perfectly deep fried, and the flavors were bright and happy.

Friends, this is where hospitality lives. Let them take care of you. We asked for lamb and chicken…read morelegs for 3. It came with bananas (a traditional side for evey meal), soup, salad, rice, and the meats. So filling and warming on a below zero day. If English is your first language, be patient and gracious, as I know you will be.

The food Quruxlow prepares is delicious and the service is even better. We ordered takeout and…read moreeven after the ride home, the carefully-packaged dishes were still hot and fresh. Also, do not miss the side sauces they pack with your order - they make the food taste even more amazing!

It has been a very long while since I have had Ethiopian, and I heard that Dilla's was the place to…read moretry in the Twin Cities. After a brief adventure thanks to Apple Maps, we arrived. There is a large paid lot right next to the restaurant, so parking was easy. We did arrive early--right at 5, so that probably helped. We were seated pretty quickly as well. As others have noticed, the service is quite slow (there seems to be only one person working the front of the house), though that felt like it was part of the experience--there was a distinct "gathering place" vibe, and there were plenty of regulars who were engrossed in conversation... it seemed like everyone was family there. The decor added to the family/community feel, with art, textiles, and wicker ware all contributing to a homey feel. Of course what you're really wondering about is the food. It's quite tasty. We started with the veggie sambusas, which were hot and crispy and came with a spicy tomato chutney that was just delicious. We also ordered the fule, which was quite tasty and filling. I loved the seasonings and textures. My favorite dish, though, was Dilla's Mix. It was absolutely beautiful to behold thanks to the jewel-toned beets and golden squash, and the juices of the veggies combined with the spices to create a glorious sauce. It was very comforting and oh-so-satisfying. Of course, all was served with springy injera to scoop it up with. Their injera is a bit lighter and milder than some that I have had elsewhere, but it does the trick nicely. As others have mentioned, Dilla's serves entrees in their own dishes, which is great if you are a group that likes to share.

Small spot for good Ethiopian food. Pros: Good flavors, friendly servers and appreciated they were…read morewilling to create a veggie+meat combo for me - the menu only has veggie or meat combos. Cons: only 4 parking spots and their catering van was in one of them. Server disappeared for long periods of time though there were few tables. The injera was very cold, which made the food get cold fast. Especially since the room was very cold (the server was wearing a down coat).

Service was prompt and friendly. Beef samusas were delicious, a perfect afternoon snack!read more

Went to lunch with big group. We got to eat all the variety. The food was all delicious…read more Customer service was great too. They were very friendly and kind. Bought Sanbosa and baklava to go. Price was reasonable. I would for sure go back there again!

Exceptional food and service!! Everything was delicious. Everyone was nice. Will definitely be back!read more

Amazing! My 8 year old "took" me for my birthday on Saturday. I was so excited to find out that…read moreNyama Choma is a hidden menu item on Saturdays. With ugali and skuma (sp?). I haven't been to Kenya in 20+ years and so enjoyed introducing authentic food to my daughter. I will DEFINITELY be back to try the other menu items. Bonus: my daughter found the samosa + fries to be up her (picky eater) alley. Thank you, Tamu!