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Fatuma's Restaurant

4.4 (64 reviews)
InexpensiveAfrican, Halal

Order Fatuma's Restaurant Takeout or Delivery

Fatuma's Restaurant Photos

FATUMA'S RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for kids
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - Fatuma's Restaurant

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Lamb. Saffron rice w East African raisins, salad, pita and hummus.  Somalian soft drink can and bottled water
Jimmy H.

I ate at the restaurant shop for my second time last night. Once again lamb. So much food is provided for a reasonable price. This out of the way, culturally different, for me, place is at least a monthly go to for dinner

Keesha F.

Goat was quite fatty and tough and there wasn't very much edible meat. I ordered half pasta, half rice. Pasta was super dry and tasted old. Plate also came with salad that contained iceberg lettuce that was pretty brown. Only thing that was tasty was the rice. Service was cool but I know I won't be back. After reading the reviews, I was very excited to try this place but they seriously let me down. I'm glad this wasn't my first Somalian food experience because I would've been very disappointed.

Carmen V.

I discovered this restaurant during African restaurant week in San Diego back in October, and I have been stopping by every time that I am around that part of University Ave. My friend Nima had been taking several paid cooking classes, so I convinced him to go with me to this one where we learned how to make sambusas. Sambusas are like the Indian samosas but mostly filled with grounded chicken or halal meats. We were around 20 people and learned a bit about the Somali culture (as the restaurant in question catered that food). The owner, a refugee living in San Diego for some years now, was very nice to all of us, serving tea and telling fun stories. Mostly Somalis go to this restaurant, although more food-curious are open to new flavors. To me is just different enough.

Lamb plate GOOOOOOD !
Mona O.

Don't let the location and the atmosphere fool you, the food is DELICIOUS! And for you Saudis in SD this is the closest thing to Kabsa you can find in this side of Mississippi :))

RC S.

Just exploring Somali cuisine. Ordered tilapia, rice, spaghetti combo and small salad. The fish was a little overcooked, but to my liking. The rice was delectable and the spaghetti was a nice complement. The price was a mere 10.99 USD, a real bargain to say the least! The only suggestion I would make is to include a cup or glass with beverages, not everyone likes to drink straight from the can or bottle... I will definitely return to try other dishes on the menu.

Samosa
Shea B.

1. The food is really good. 2. It's cold in the winter. I think their fixing the heat or something. Bring a jacket. 3. Read the menu up top first. It will save you playing 50 questions. 4. Customer service needs work.

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2 years ago

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8 years ago

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9 years ago

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3 years ago

Highly recommend Fatuma's the banana with the sauce was so good had nice employees would recommend

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13 years ago

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11 years ago

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4 years ago

Great Somali restaurant and great place to eat. Brothers there are very kind and welcoming.

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4 years ago

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4 years ago

Good enough to merit 4 stars considering how slim the pickings are for Indian food in the area.

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10 years ago

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12 years ago

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8 years ago

Had the quarter chicken, excellent flavor!! Was in and out within a few minutes. Epic food, epic service, epic price

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9 years ago

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Fatuma's Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Fatuma's Restaurant

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Food was amazing! Came out quick and fresh…read more Went out for lunch with my coworkers and everything was great.

I was on jury duty today and I wanted to have some Shawarma so I looked up on yelp and found the…read moreK-pop shop was about a 20 minute walk away. The menu was a bit confusing, but I know that I like grilled veggies and Greek salad and then Ike was able to pick my protein that I wanted so that seemed easy enough. The base price with falafel or chicken Shawarma was Close to $16 but since I chose the meat, they added two dollars to my total. It took about 10 minutes for them to assemble my meal, but my veggies were cooked fresh on the stove, which was really nice. They tasted very freshly cooked just as they would as if I had cooked them myself at home. I was there about 1245 on a Monday and there were a few people there and they had some takeout orders so my order took about 10 minutes before I could walk out the door with it. They had a nice condiment bar where you could pick out some yogurt with dill sauce and then they're famous garlic yogurt sauce, as well as a jalapeño sauce And another spicy hot one that I would never try. When I got back to the jury room to eat my meal, I saw that there was a nice quantity of the fresh salad and the grilled vegetables but the meat was piled high! The employees were working efficiently and the place was spotless and orderly.

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HillCrust Pizza

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I don't say this lightly HillCrust serves the best pizza I've ever had. From the first bite, it was…read moreclear this place is on a different level. The flavors were bold, fresh, and perfectly balanced in a way that's hard to find anywhere else. But let's talk about the crust, because it truly deserves its own moment. It was absolutely incredible the kind of crust that makes you rethink every pizza you've had before. The texture, the chew, the flavor all dialed in to perfection. And the drinks menu? Solid selection that paired beautifully with the food. Whether you're grabbing take out or sitting down, they've got you covered. HillCrust isn't just a pizza spot it's an experience. Highly recommend to anyone who takes their pizza seriously. I'll definitely be back!

Horrible, horrible customer service. The pizza was good but will not be patronizing this…read moreestablishment again based on their response to an issue I had. I ordered a cheese pizza with fresh ricotta for delivery. I received a margherita pizza. I contacted the platform I ordered through and they told me they spoke with the manager, and he said he "could not refund because that's how they make their pizzas". When I replied that was not true with photo evidence, the restaurant then said they had made another pizza and "a guy" came to pick it up. I told them I neither received another pizza, nor was I even informed I would be getting another pizza. Then they said the manager told them that *I* came and picked up the pizza. 1 - I'm female. 2 - I was too sick to leave my house to walk to the restaurant across the street, I was absolutely not getting in my car to drive anywhere. It's unfortunate because I would have come back here because the food quality was good but I work in hospitality myself and it's clear these people don't care about retaining customers. There are enough other pizza places to choose from that treat you way better.

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Shawarma Guys

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4.6
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We heard about Shawarma guys from YT featuring best food spots in San Diego. We went to their South…read morePark branch. We were initially aiming for the crispy shawarma however only Mira Mesa and La Mesa does it. So I guess that's next on our list! The wraps were unexpectedly big! This is probably the biggest wrap I ever had! Generous with meat and veggies. Their wagyu egg rolls are definitely must have! Falafel fries is really good too! All of these perfectly paired with their garlic sauces. My favorite is spicy lemon garlic! The staff are very knowledgeable about their menu. It's a food truck set up and there's mini standing tables for alfresco dining. SG was definitely lived up to the title #1 restaurant in the country on Yelp!

Came here on a Wednesday night around 8:30pm. I ordered online in advance and just waited outside…read morefor my order. There were plenty of parking spots around this time. Not really an ambience since there's not much as far as a dining room. There are a couple of cocktail tables where you could eat. After ordering online at 20:20pm, my estimated pick up time was 8:39pm and got the order at 9:03pm. The cashier informed me their chicken is taking a while and added extra time to the wait. It probably would've been faster if they weren't so backed up. I ordered the Wagyu beef and chicken shawarma plate for me and my wife to share. I added 3 falafels and pita bread on top of it. The food was still fresh when I got home 15 mins later. Everything was good and just enough for us two. Also, I'm not sure why there's a range of where they may be located on Yelp since this is just a food truck that seems to be permanent at this location.

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Khyber Pass Zarparan

Khyber Pass Zarparan

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4.1 mi
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Incredible restaurant in the heart of Hillcrest! So hearty and flavorful - absolutely adored…read moreeverything we ordered: - mantu: topped with ground meat, these were so savory and delicious - aushak: bright flavor profile from the leeks made it a perfect pairing for the yogurt dill sauce - aush: comfort food soup with noodles! - the chicken and beef were spiced + charbroiled to perfection. too good with the upgraded raisin carrot rice. accompanied with heart and a spicy pepper. the service was amazing. absolutely above and beyond. the dining room featured high ceilings and unique art. can't wait to return.

I was planning a lunch date with a dear friend today, and she mentioned she'd never tried Afghan…read morefood. Since we were going to be in Hillcrest, we chose Khyber Pass - and wow, what an incredible decision. This was easily some of the best food I've had in a very long time. We started with the Bolani. Absolute perfection. It had a beautiful crunch, perfectly seasoned filling, and none of that sogginess I often run into with Bolani elsewhere. We could've ordered another plate and been thrilled. Next came the Aushak with ground beef: one of my all-time favorite Afghan dishes. Think of it like delicate leek-filled ravioli topped with savory meat and tangy yogurt. It hit all the right notes. We also shared the Kofta Kabob, served with grilled vegetables and fluffy basmati rice. The seasoning was spot on, and the meat was juicy and tender, similar to Persian koobideh, but truly memorable in its own way. Our server recommended the Afghan Yaghoot Chalao (Cherry Curry) with chicken. Yes, cherries! Sweet, sour, rich, bright. I had to resist the urge to literally lick my plate clean. And then: the Qabuli Palao with lamb. I do not like lamb. My friend loves it, so I agreed...and I'm so glad I did. I genuinely loved this dish. The saffron-coriander rice with carrots and raisins was aromatic and comforting, and the lamb was tender and flavorful. If you're hesitant about lamb, trust me, this dish might convert you. Portions were generous, we came hungry, and still left with leftovers. I also ordered the house-made Doogh, a mint yogurt drink. It's not for everyone, but it's pure comfort to me. We finished with hot tea infused with cardamom, black for me, green for my friend, and it was the perfect close to a perfect meal. I told our server that this food was even more delicious than what my mother makes. I'm Afghan born and raised in San Diego. That is not a compliment I give lightly. I believe the restaurant is under newer management since around 2020/2021. I last ate here in 2015, and even back when it was on Convoy in the late '90s, and this is the best it has ever been. I highly, highly recommend Khyber Pass to anyone: adventurous eaters, first-timers, comfort-food seekers, well everyone. I'll definitely be back, and next time I'm saving room for dessert.

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I usually don't just crave tacos but mannnn! I had these for the first time on Sunday and came back…read moreTuesday just for some more! Service is always fast and friendly! A lot of seating outside. Only street parking. I got the trio. So the beef, garlic shrimp and fried the veggie one. Update on my veggie tacos: came back and Marco fixed it anddd I just want to say I'm going to be so sad when they leave!! Thank you for everything! We will be back!!

I'm not even sure if I had ever tried a wet taco before I had theirs. It's been a while since my…read morelast one, but I still remember how phenomenal it tasted. And their customer service has always been on point. I remember one time I ordered through IG or over the phone and there was a mix-up. I thought I was ordering tacos, but ended up getting their quesadillas instead, and it was a lot of food. Needless to say, I had lunch for days lol. Honestly, it was a pretty great accident. It's been a while since the Mrs and I grabbed tacos from them since we moved from The Enclave, so I think we're definitely overdue. Also, they're big dog lovers, which is a huge plus for us. They always showed so much love to our black German Shepherd every time we pulled up. Their food is something special...always handled with care and made with obvious love. I really hope we start seeing them around Chula Vista more in the near future. If you're reading this, please support them. They're great people making great food, and it won't hurt your wallet either. Thanks guys! And RIP THOR!!!!

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Fatuma's Restaurant - african - Updated June 2026

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