Felina V.

Bisbas Somali Restaurant is incredibly fresh, flavorful, and satisfying, and the hospitality made the experience even better. I started with the fresh salad, which featured cucumbers, red onion, tomatoes, and a bright house-made pomegranate and lemon dressing that was light, refreshing, and packed with flavor. The sambusas were perfectly crispy and golden, with a deliciously seasoned meat filling. For the main course, I ordered the platter for two with the Goat Haneeth and Half Chicken. The goat was exceptionally tender and infused with a rich blend of Somali spices, while the chicken was juicy, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. Both were served over fragrant rice that complemented the proteins beautifully. The portions were generous, the service was warm and welcoming, the interior was stylish and tidy, and every dish tasted thoughtfully prepared. If you're looking to explore authentic Somali cuisine in San Diego, Bisbas is absolutely worth a visit. I'll definitely be back.

Bethany L.

local hole-in-the-wall somali hotspot worth trying with MASSIVE portions! got the goat haleem with pasta (tomato sauce), and the goat was soo tender it fell off the bone. pasta is okay, i'd recommend rice instead. chicken suquaar and basmati rice was extremely fragrant, well-spiced, and is a great choice if you're unfamiliar with somali flavors. similar to biryani! sambusas were my favorite- immediate spice kick upon biting, and pair so well with the white and green sauces. staff is so helpful and informative with explaining and choosing dishes (:

Allison L.

First time trying Somali food and it was delectable! AMAZING flavors and HUGE portions. We got the platter for two and it gave us a taste of everything. I loved the chicken with the rice. The goat was tender and not gamey at all. Sambusas were also my favorite. You can never go wrong with a crispy, crunchy appetizer. The herbs inside gave it that fresh taste. They also have a more American fusion side of their menu with buffalo fries, burgers, etc. For drinks, definitely try their mango drink. It's super refreshing and tastes like you're eating a fresh mango. My boyfriend was a fan of their tea which reminded me of a milky chai. I LOVE the way they designed their restaurant -- the color scheme, logo, everything. It's very open, light, and welcoming. Everyone there is super kind and helpful. The helped is choose what to get since it was our first time. Highly recommend!

Ivayana L.

I ordered Bisbas for delivery when family came into town and it was such a great option. The Somali platters were huge for the price and made feeding a group really easy. Everything arrived well packaged and still fresh, which I appreciated when hosting. The food was rich, flavorful, and comforting. The meats were tender and well seasoned, and the rice and sides paired beautifully together. You can really taste the care and tradition in the cooking. Portions were generous enough that everyone was able to try a little bit of everything without feeling rushed or limited.

Crystal K.

We had come here years ago when it was a different restaurant, and we were pleased to see how bright and open they've made it with the remodel. Bisbas serves up a mix of traditional and modern Halal Somali cuisine, and the portions are perfect for sharing. Our server made some suggestions and served our food fresh and promptly. We tried: Platter for 2 - goat mandi, fragrant rice, half chicken, pasta Halal Chicken Tenders w/ fries Bisteki Fries Chapati KK Hubby has declared the goat mandi the best goat dish he's ever tried. It's so tender and spiced just right. The chicken was incredible too - really so juicy. The Chapati KK was so unique- chopped up chapati in a chicken stew that's so flavorful and aromatic. The Bisteki Fries were loaded up with steak and perfectly sauced. Kiddo wasted no time devouring his tenders too. We all left satisfied, with leftovers too

Laura M.

Everything was bomb! Im so upset. I ACCIDENTALLY DELETED MY LONG, THOROUGH REVIEW!! But everything is so flavorful. They dont skimp on portions. So sad their desserts were cleared out so fast. The service was great. The only thing they could possibly work on is a way to incorporate more spice. I love spicy food, and always look for that kick. Its had the bold flavors but not the burning peppers I crave. They do have some hot sauce, but to me it wasn't as spicy enough. &also wasn't too fond of the BBQ chicken. It was a more generic bottled super sweet taste to it.. but everything else was on par& had PLENTY of left overs.

Julia W.

We love going to bisbas! We are from Minneapolis which has a vibrant Somali community so we love getting a taste of home. Their chicken and beef suqars are tender and flavorful, their sambusas are crispy and packed with well-balanced spices and their Somali tea always warms the soul. Good prices as well! Their entrees are huge!

Emmett T.

Located in the Rolando Plaza, Bisbas is a new restaurant featuring Somalian cuisine. I visited during a wet evening so the number of dine-in customers was limited. The inside was bright and well-kept with seating for around 40 people. You order at the service counter and then take a number to a table. The two page menu wasn't extensive, however it featured eight ethnic main dishes that could be upsized to platters for larger parties. A halal burger, chicken sandwich, tenders, and fries were available for those who adhered to such a dietary practice. Sides, desserts, and drinks were listed on the back page. Goat, chicken, beef, and fish were the proteins you could choose for the main dishes. As much as goat sounded tempting, I was conservative and selected the Half Chicken after consulting with the cashier. A bone-in half chicken was marinated with a blend of Somali spices that had minimal heat. It was served with a choice of fragrant rice or flavorful pasta (my pick) and a side salad. I also ordered a Mango drink for liquid refreshment. When my plate was brought out, I noticed that the kitchen made the chicken with rice. It wasn't a big deal as the portion size was significant for the price. The rice was well seasoned, and the chicken was roasted. I was worried the meat would be dry, but that wasn't the case. Bottles of hot sauce and ranch dressing were provided. About halfway through eating, the cashier came to my table and apologized for the chef's mistake. He offered to remake the dish with noodles as a takeout item. I was given a refill of the drink and a complimentary tiramisu dessert. It was a gesture way beyond what I had expected. Both the drink and the dessert were nice palate cleansers from the savory goodness. All of the main dishes were priced at $20 or less which was a terrific deal for the amount of food. The value and the extraordinary service were the reasons why my dining experience at Bisbas Restaurant reached a five star rating.

Michael G.

After shopping I told my wife I'm already hungry and find somewhere to eat that is different from our regular Gaslamp routine. Wifey found this " BISBAS ", it's a Somali restaurant. Both of us were very excited to try this BISBAS SOMALI restaurant, it's our first time trying Somali food. I ordered the GOAT MANDI with SPAGHETTI. My wife ordered GOAT BIRYANI. She added SAMBUSA and SOMALI TEA. Food came in large portions, and both of our goat meals were very tasty. SAMBUSA came in 2 pieces , for me it has a little kick of spice but it was very filling Sambusas and good, my wife said that for her it was not spicy. Their SOMALI Tea was good , tasted like Chai Tea. We also saw that at every table they included 2 bananas on customers' tables, im not sure if that is included in the meal or how it is in their restaurant, but we are thankful for it. All the Staff there are nice. Our server Mohammed was awesome, delivered everything to our table perfectly. Plenty of tables indoors and outdoors and plenty of Parking space.

Sarah K.

Bisbas is amazing! First, parking will never be an issue because the parking lot is HUGE and has plenty of spots. The decor is also very beautiful with the mini chandeliers and its very bright inside and the tile is just very appealing loool. Ordering was quick and easy, you order at the counter and take a seat at whatever table you want and they bring the food to you. Their service is excellent, everyone that works here is very friendly and quick. As for the food, omg, it is amazing! I usually despise eating chicken outside because it always has a weird after taste if its not cleaned well, but their chicken doesn't have that aftertaste and its seasoned veryyyy well and is so crispy! The goat is also seasoned very well. The fried fish is nice and crispy, make sure to ask for lime/lemon to squeeze on it. The sambusa was to DIE for, they are large in size and have potatoes, shredded carrots, and ground beef and lots of spices. The food here is very affordable, the restaurant is clean, and great service. Def will be back to eat here again.

Tiffany H.

This place is a casual dining establishment which looks to be family owned. The portions are huge and filling. The standout for me was the shaah pot (Somali tea) which is like a spiced milk tea in this beautiful teapot. I could drink that all day. We had the goat Mandi and the chicken suqaar, both were very tasty. My only thing was that the ratio of rice/pasta to the main was disproportionate - it's like 3 huge scoops to 1 thing of meat. Next time I'd probably just order one dish and a side of meat to share because we ended up with so much rice & pasta leftover. We didn't have room for the dessert but they looked delicious too. I've never had Somali food before so this was a culinary treat

Great food, great people! Newly remodeled and a ton of food option. I recommend the Halal bisteki fries.

Cirwan S.

Man ! First time having Somalian food and it was amazing ! I came here with my buddy and we started off with mango drinks and Sambusa ! Super good both a must try. We got the platter for two and the portion was huge ! We got half rice and half pasta for our base, with a half chicken and goat mendi as our proteins. Then I got the beef suqaar plate and that meat was so flavorful. My buddy got the beef bisteeki fries( similar to carne asada fries ) which he loved ! We both finished off with Dubai chocolate! Definitely coming to this spot to try some items ! Restaurant was clean! Service was great !