Wow. Just wow. Some of the most flavorful and fresh food I've had in a very long time. We came from New York to attend an audition at UI and we were blown away. We ordered way too many dishes because every portion was enormous but I regret nothing! And the desserts were incredible as well. The staff and owners were exceedingly nice! I can't recommend this enough! read more

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This place is amazing. Easily my favorite place I tried in all of Bloomington. The portion sizes are giant and the owners are extremely friendly. They will make you a custom pot of tea if you tell them what you like. They have cool tables you can sit on the floor as well. The big chicken plate and HUGE and so tasty. I will be back if I'm ever in Bloomington! read more

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This place was really cute and had a nice ambiance. We feel the owner upsold us a bit on the dishes, encouraging us to get the pricier lamb and ribs when we asked for suggestions. They were good, but very similar in style and spices so we would have preferred a different style dish. We also had the pan friend noodles with chicken. The food was good, if a little heavy. Hummus and pita great! Got a nice pot of house made tea. I liked all the traditional decor and music. the owner gave us some interesting insight into the recent history of the Uyghur People! read more

Tasty, unique soup: Chuchura Uyghur with meat filled dumplings! We had a strange tingling in our mouths once we started eating the dumplings. It's not spicy necessarily but we later learned that there are Sichuan peppercorns that cause this tingling/numbing sensation! Overall, very pricey meal for two. We shared a soup and 2 entrees for $70. They mainly function by "reservation only" so try to call ahead if you plan on stopping by. read more

Marco and Polo Eurasian Cuisine - Chuchura Uyghur soup with meat - filled dumpling - Soup Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

I've eaten a lot of laghman over the years. I'd say this place's is solid but about average. The meat was a highlight--they cook the lamb for it perfectly. But, the noodles were lacking a certain fresh springiness, and the vegetables were a bit nondescript. Meze platter was also about average. My dining companions enjoyed their polo (plov), but I didn't try any. read more

The food was delicious, and the service was top notch!! The waitress directed us on what we should order and she was spot on!! The Lamb Shank & Beef Rib Plate were delicious!! Fall off the bone tender. She also made us a pot of hot tea that was soooo good. I'm not sure what all was in it, but Mint, rose buds and lemon were a few of the many ingredients. The bill was a little expensive, but WELL WORTH IT!! read more

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We absolutely loved this restaurant. We had the hummus plate to start with & it so good! I had the veggie & fried noodles & my husband had the shrimp & rice. We shared a pot of the special tea & brought home dessert. Everything we had was so very delicious. The owners were so nice & the service great. I would highly recommend Marci & Polo. read more

One of the best meals I've had while visiting Indiana. I would recommend the qur qur dumpling soup and the shrimp dish. Both were very hearty. Also, the patio area felt very relaxing, and the waitress was extremely friendly and helpful. read more

Very cute, homey interior. The food was amazing. I got the kebabs. Loved the dips. One negative was a phone kept going off every few minutes for like 30 seconds each time. Not sure if it was alarms, people calling to go orders in or what. But it was very distracting, loud, and quite frankly irritating. read more

Food and service was amazing and very reasonable. We will be back sooner than later. The grape leaves and feta dip were some of the best I've ever had. read more

Food was amazing! Different and delicious. Our server Sara was so helpful. We will definitely be back to try more of the menu. read more

Honestly, I was surprised when I found out that an Uyghur restaurant was opened in Bloomington. I have been to this small town many times and one of the things I like about it is that it never fails when it comes to the variety of ethnic food. I have tried Central Asian cuisine and I am a big fan of it. This place didn't disappoint. I ordered big chicken plate and my friend ordered the Plov ... we both finished our plates because it was delicious. The service was very nice. It can be busy so don't expect the food to come real fast. I will definitely be back here whenever I am back in town. Thumbs up! read more

Marco and Polo Eurasian Cuisine - Big Chicken Plate (small size order) - Soup Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

This place recently opened in Bloomington, and features the cooking of the Uighurs. The Uighurs are a Turkic speaking people of Central Asia. We had the beef rib and lamb shank entrees. The meat was so extraordinarily tender that it could be cut with a fork, and easily peeled off the bone. Both came on a bed of rice. The portions are large and filling. Side condiments consisted of a small dish of red pepper flakes in oil and a yogurt sauce. A small dish of noodles also accompanied the condiments, and served as a palate cleanser. The walnut honey cake is a traditional Uighur dessert, though the chocolate syrup was a non-traditional addition added by the owner's wife. The place is a charming little (and culturally enlightening) hole in the wall with limited seating, but the food is some of the best I've had in Bloomington. The owners are delightful! They're friendly and eager to share their cuisine and culture. Ask about the various items hung on the walls and you'll get a run down. We'll be back! read more

Marco and Polo Eurasian Cuisine - Walnut honey cake with chocolate topping. This is actually a traditional Uighur dish (not the chocolate!). It was delicious. - Soup Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Oh my god! This place is amazing. Very cozy atmosphere, owners are very kind. I tried their beef polo and the beef was very tender and the rice was just like my grandfather used to cook back in Europe. Baklava was fresh and delicious, and they serve hot tea in tea pots the way it's meant to be! Definitely worth a visit as you won't find such an experience often in Indiana! read more

Marco and Polo Eurasian Cuisine - Front entrance of the restaurant. - Soup Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Lived in Bloomington for 6 years and this is my new favorite restaurant! The food is amazing, especially the gyro meat. Everything is cooked to perfection, the portion sizes are great, and the atmosphere makes for a cozy meal with friends. The baclava is a great way to end the meal! The owners are so kind and will recognize you the more you come in and are always interested in chatting with customers and sharing their story. read more

Marco and Polo Eurasian Cuisine - Soup Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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amazing service and food. The staff was extremely courteous and made accommodation for a large group of us.

very amazing food with very nice people and good service, would definitely come again!

Honestly I've been a regular here ever since they opened. Every time I eat here it feels like I'm home. I'm from Cali and just coming here makes me feel like I'm with family. Now I love lamb. This has been the best lamb chops I ever had in my life. I'm not even kidding. I've seen some revjewsss on here saying how sometimes their food doesn't come out how they expected... TALK TO THE OWNERS! They always want you to have a good experience. Whenever I have a question or they forget something they are always happy to get me what I ask for! Amazing. Thank you arzu and Gary! read more

Marco and Polo occupies the left half of one of the cute historic houses in Restaurant Row. The small, casual space is adorned with a mix of Uyghur and IU decorations, and most of the seating is large, amply-padded booths. Chef Rozi works the kitchen while his wife bustles between the tables ensuring everyone has everything they need. The menu is a delightful mix of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Asian Cuisine. For appetizers, we ordered the hummus, fried eggplant, and falafel. All were delicious, but the falafel and the amazing yogurt sauce were our favorite. The pita plate and yogurt sauce bowl seemed to never go empty as they were refilled almost as soon as they started to get low. For entrees we ordered the Gyro Plate, Uyghur Polo, Asian Chicken Noodle Soup, Salman Shish Kebab, and Beef Rib. The Gyro Plate had slices of gyro meat over rice served with a simple but delicious side salad. I didn't get to taste it as it was gone before I had a chance to ask, but it looked delicious. The Uyghur Polo came with lamb ribs over seasoned rice mixed with carrots, raisins, and onions. The lamb was nicely seasoned and very tender, although we did have to gnaw on the bone a bit to get every last morsel. The chicken soup was one of the best I have had. It was huge with loads of noodles and wood ear mushrooms. It had hints of Szechuan pepper and chilies and was served with a chili crisp on the side which was a welcome addition. The Salman Shish Kebab was delicately seasoned and served with asparagus over rice. It was tasty, but I preferred the meat dishes more. My favorite was the Beef Rib which came highly recommended, and rightfully so. It was very tender; we didn't even use the knife they brought for us. A wonderful cold noodle salad came on the side. One of the best parts of the meal was when things slowed down a bit and the owners could talk with us. They shared stories of the places they have lived and their plans for the future. It really felt like they had welcomed us into their home. We will definitely be back. read more

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OMG I died and went to heaven, or at least China. Service was excellent and order came quickly. We had fried eggplant, boiled dumplings, and lamb ribs. This place is rather new, so we managed to squeeze in on a Saturday evening early. It filled up pretty quickly. I think it's gonna get popular pretty fast. Will be back soon, but will make reservations, and so should you. If you're on Facebook, search for Marco Polo. No dishes podcast folks came in and gave them a review. read more

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Pretty tasty. My parents loved the lintel soup and my Uyghur Polo, never had it before, was very good and reminded me, in the best way, of pot roast over rice. The restaurants decor and music created a nice cozy, slightly exotic ambiance. read more

We love go to different ethnic restaurants and enjoy unique and eclectic tastes that the area is known for. This is the best food in Bloomington that we have ever had! When we ordered tea, they asked us what flavors we like and they made a custom blend just for us, in a beautiful glass teapot. We told them we were open to their suggestions and to bring us what they thought was good. They brought us Big plate chicken, Chuchura soup, Uyghur pollo, and Kuruk chuchura - all delicious. As of this writing the restaurant is very new. The ambience is fantastic for a tiny place and the food is amazing. The owners are the nicest people and deliver unpolished and charming service. read more

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Everything was super great! Thank you to the staff for being so kind and attentive :) we could not be happier with our food and experience !! read more

Some of the best food I've ever had in Bloomington as a former local who grew up there in the 90s and attended IU through grad school. The inside is cozy and has the typical bton remodeled house restaurant vibe with instruments and traditional dress on the walls and an interesting amount of seating. Friendly, patient, and attentive service - the owners and their daughter made some great recommendations. We ordered the lamb polo, chuchura soup with dumplings, eggplant salad and some intensely refreshing passion fruit iced teas. All of the dishes were all excellent including the complementary pita breads that came as an appetizer with a superb yogurt dip and chili sauce. The lamb in particular was perfectly flavored and paired with a rice pilaf with raisins & carrots that our usually picky eaters devoured despite the terribleness of eating something so cute and innocent as a lamb. Carnivorous guilt aside, this place is definitely worth the time and consideration. we are bummed out trip wasn't long enough to warrant a return visit. read more

This was amazing! Owner was very kind. Vegan options are available. She makes fresh special tea blends for hot or iced tea. Comfortable atmosphere! Worth the drive from Columbus! I am looking forward to coming back!!! read more

Staff is so sweet and food is amazing!!! Beef rib is by far the best dish but the yogurt appetizer was amazing. New favorite little gem in Bloomington! read more

We tried Marco & Polo while visiting my son for the weekend. This restaurant is fantastic! The food is delicious, the atmosphere is fantastic, and the service is amazing. I will be dining here every time I visit Bloomington. It's been a few days since our dinner and I'm still thinking about it! read more

Food, atmosphere, service, top notch. I had dolma, falafel, eggplant salad, and chicken kabobs. All excellent. If you like spicy you'll enjoy the red pepper paste served on the side with, I think, everything. read more

We had an amazing family dinner at Marco and Polo on Friday evening. We arrived with no reservations (party of 5) about 7:45 and they happily cleared a table even though they were very busy. The food and service was far beyond amazing! Sorry, no pictures. The plates were scraped clean. Quickly has become a favorite Bloomington restaurant. We will definitely be back again and again...next time with reservations. read more

If you've ever wondered what authentic Uyghur food is like, Marco and Polo is the place to try it! Supporting a small, owner-run business has never been so delicious. You can get carry out and catering, but the restaurant is also cozy (and educational) if you have time to linger. I would give this place ten stars if I could. read more

Walked by the building and was drawn in by the smell of delicious food! We were immediately greeted by the hostess and she was so funny and super helpful if it is your first time trying Eurasian food. The noodles we ordered were packed full of flavor, the chef later came out to show us how he hand pulls all the noodles! Will be back to try the rest of the menu, and the tea is absolutely amazing if you like floral notes of hibiscus. A must try in bloomington! read more

Marco and Polo Eurasian Cuisine - Stir Fried Beef Noodles - Soup Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Wow! What amazing food! We had the Friends and Family number 3, and the fried beef noodles, and carrot juice. The owners were amazing. I love when you eat at a restaurant, and youre made to feel so welcome and at home. The owners came and taught us about quality saffron, and about the the village she grew up in, where the spring water was protected and gathered daily. I learned so much, laughed with them (hand-squeezed carrot juice!) and had a DELICIOUS meal. Can't wait to go back. What a gem. read more

Delicious food from Central Asia and welcoming service in a cozy house just off of 4th St. What a wonderful addition to the Bloomington international food scene! read more

The food was delicious. Absolutely amazing. Never had it before and it rocked. But, The hidden gem of this restaurant is the service. The lady serving us was AMAZING and had great recommendations. She recommended the platter and the hummus. Enjoy read more

Cozy ambiance, excellent food, and great service. I highly recommend eating here! I will be back

If you come to Bloomington and pass on this restaurant you're making a mistake. This place was exceptional. Researched it, sounded interesting so let's give it a go. Tea, excellent, served in china tea pots, Hummus, yogurt and lamb pilaf....delicious. Every item is freshly prepared , with quality ingredients, properly spiced. This cook has talent and the prices are moderate. I don't think I have ever given a restaurant 5 stars. read more

A lovely little Silk Road restaurant. Outstanding ambiance, with immersive Central Asian decor and historical/cultural artifacts, and very friendly service. Food is tasty and varied; I recommend the hummus and baba ghanouj. I hope they'll soon move away from styrofoam and plastic, both for environmental and aesthetic reasons. read more

The decor inside is very nice and interesting. Our service was pretty good. The food was very tasty and well prepared. My only complaint was that some of the chicken in my chicken plate had bones in it. That is one thing if it is a dish where you are expecting it, but in a noodles and chicken dish it was not appreciated. read more

Awesome new addition to Bloomington! Everything we tried here was really good, especially the lamb skewers. The service was friendly and quick. The decorations around the dining area are very interesting. Highly recommended for something new in Bloomington read more

OMG this place was awful. I simply don't believe the other reviews. Everything was mediocre at best and looked absolutely different than what was offered on their digital menu. I ordered the lamb soup which was presented as a bowl full of potatoes and carrots and chunks of lamb. What I got was a bowl of what tasted like canned (or even instant) beef broth with one 3-in bone with a couple of pieces of tough meat on it and maybe one small carrot and one small potato. For sixteen bucks. I wish them all the best and I certainly share their sympathies with the beleaguered Uigurs. I was with colleagues so I did not make much of a fuss but I almost sent back my soup to say that there must have been a mistake because it was so different than the depicted. Afterwards I compared the images of my companion's meals on the menu with the quantity and the preparation and all were vastly different. I get the whole "serving suggestion" thing but this was absurd. And independent of representation the food was really just not that good. If you want falafel or grilled shrimp there are probably five other restaurants in walking distance that do far better job. Sorry, this is the harshest review I have every posted in my life read more