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    Mogadishu Restaurant

    4.5 (166 reviews)
    InexpensiveAfrican, Somali
    Closed • 5:00 am - 11:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Mogadishu Restaurant Takeout or Delivery

    Mogadishu Restaurant Photos

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    MOGADISHU RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Mogadishu Restaurant

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    a display of food and drinks
    Chris M.

    After visiting Mogadishu Restaurant, I'm officially a Somali food fan. Everything I tried was so uniquely delicious, with a blend of spices and ingredients I've never had before. Highly recommend if you want to give your taste buds a treat. Some favorite dishes of mine are the kay kay and chicken suqaar. A nice accompaniment to both is their tea (available with or without milk), which is self-serve. The people that work here were also super friendly and patient with me while I took in the menu. Ambience was that of a casual hole in the wall, which is exactly my kind of place. I've been back once so far and definitely have plans to go back!

    Jason H.

    We had a large party of six, three of which were kids, and they were able to accommodate us almost instantly with incredible veggies rice, chicken, steak, and salmon. Everyone was filled, and the wrap up with the tea was absolutely delightful! All plates were clean!

    a display of food
    MIlton S.

    "Somali beeen weey sheegta laakin been maku maah maahdo" is a famous Somali proverb which means Somalis may lie but they never lie with proverbs. - The crepe/bread with honey was great. I was the only gringo in the place with lots of Somali chatter, and they made me feel welcome.

    Auroshikha R.

    They sent me meat when I ordered veg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Big mistake, steer clear

    Jemmie W.

    Great "hole in the wall" Somali restaurant where the food is authentic and of great value. This is run by four Somali friends who are very helpful in explaining the food options. The food is fresh and tasty.

    Breakfast menu, side dishes and our number five and number three along with our breads. It was a whole lot of food

    My favorite meal of our global eats in Chicago tour! Staff were extremely warm and accommodating. Explain to them our trip was about having different food experiences different flavor profiles and ingredients etc that we couldn't get at home. We were guided on dishes to select. I want to live closer than 5 hours to this place to be honest. It was such a great culinary experience. It's a very small place very utilitarian just five tables crammed into a small space It's a little crowded to order at the counter. It is a spot for Somali cab drivers. They were all very polite and friendly. Really enjoy the fact that you could have so many different flavors going on. You're giving up a nana what you do not eat by peeling the banana and taking bites of it but rather you incorporate little bits of banana with your other food. On the table are squeeze jars of honey, olive oil, green chili and red chili sauce. Order the chai tea. It's self-serve they have tea without the milk and tea with the milk. They have a sweet mildly sweet bread malawah #41 as well as a more savory enjera, #39. They also have a more Indian style chapati which we did not get. We had breakfast here. We had the #5 goat breakfast. First time either one of us had goat. Very good. Had a okra along with other vegetables really nice flavor profile. Then we were able to have variations on it by eating it with the bread and using any combination of the honey olive oil green or red chili sauce and also including little bites of banana or not and including pouring your chai tea over it or not. Just so many flavor opportunities. We also had the number three with chicken. Again all the variations of flavor combinations using the sauces and the chai tea and banana. It was just a fun interesting engaging way to eat. And it was delicious. I polished off the meal using some of the malawah to wrap up remaining banana drizzle with honey in the dash of my chai tea for a delicious breakfast dessert. If I lived in Chicago I'd be here probably once a week. The owners were very warm and kind and helpful. He even directed us to the fact that there were six Somali restaurants about an hour and a half away from us in Columbus Ohio. Yay.

    a variety of food items
    Latifah A.

    Phenomenal is the best word to describe this restaurant. Don't let it's 'hole-in-the-wall' exterior look deter you by any means. They are so authentic and absolutely delicious. I was thrilled to find this hidden gem! Their portion sizing is so generous at a great price! They're also on food delivery apps.

    Chicken suqaar
    Jason W.

    I'm not 100% sure which dish I got, but I believe it's the chicken suqaar. Trying Somali food for the first time, I asked the server for a recommendation and told him I liked chicken. So he grabbed a plate and spooned loads of food onto it. The space is tight, but at 12:30pm on a weekday there was one table open. It was a cold, winter day when I learned about this comfort food I never knew I needed. I loved the mixture of soupy rice and beans, savory chicken, and steamed vegetables that all came together to soothe and warm my heart. This was great meal after a workout too. Highly recommend!

    Rice & Pasta Salmon Combo
    Elizabeth M.

    I really wanted to love this place but it was just ok. Their Rice & Pasta Salmon Combo was pretty good. I had to add a good amount of hot sauce, salt, and pepper, but I ate the entire giant dish and was happy about it. Ha-ha! Their Chai was DELICIOUS. Unfortunately, the veggie bowl was just ok and the Kay Kay with Veggies was awful. My husband took one bite and pawned it off on me; I took one bite and threw it in the trash. If they should tone down the portion sizes just slightly and turn up the flavor, we'd be having some good grub.

    Kay Kay with Beef
    Leo H.

    Absolutely delicious, affordable, and generous portions of Somali food. Came by on a Sunday afternoon with a couple friends and ordered at the counter. I got the Kay Kay with Beef lunch which came loaded with bread, beef, vegetables, and seasoning. A pretty huge, flavorful platter. There's not much space inside, but we ate at a booth--think it's mostly takeout and delivery, but either way, I'd definitely recommend giving it a try.

    the front of the restaurant
    Long W.

    I was starving and walking in downtown. I found this restaurant! Yup! How about something different? I love the food takes my to different countries! The owner is very friendly! The food is clean, healthy and delicious! The price is good! Wow! I wish this place is close to my home!

    Goat enjara plate

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    Page 5 of 5

    Ask the Community - Mogadishu Restaurant

    Is the meat halal or is there any halal option meat?

    It is halal meat.

    Hope the restaurant will expand to also be a family with kids friendly? Space

    Yes, it will be.

    On any given day, could a vegetarian or vegan be able to have a well rounded meal here?

    Yes

    View All 4 Questions

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    Gorée Cuisine - Yassa Lamb

    Gorée Cuisine

    4.6(409 reviews)
    6.5 mi•Kenwood
    •$$

    Upon entering the restaurant we were seated at a table that hadn't been wiped down as evident by a…read morecup of water and basket for silverware on the table. Clearly there are cultural differences present right away. No biggie. We were seated right away. We ordered red snapper... Cooked to perfection and fresh and yummy. Lamb dibi the lamb was a bit charred and not super tender but still good. Portions were good for us. I believe that a hungry person or a grown man could easily clean a plate. The juice drinks were good kinda sweet but I don't do sugar at all so I had to water it down. I observed a little kid come in with bread being carried in his bare hands that I hope wasn't for a patron. There is an African shop next door that has nice items...I really liked the mudcloth coats and hoodies. Free street parking. Customer service 4.5 Food 4.25 Bathroom Cleanliness 3.75 Restaurant cleanliness 4.0 Price $$

    There was plenty of seating for our big group. Unfortunately they seemed to be understaffed while…read morewe were there so the waiter didn't take our order for about 30 mins. It was a nice atmosphere and the staff were really kind. The Yassa chicken and shrimp had great flavor, a bit spicy, juicy, and had flavorful rice. The vegetarian maffe was a peanut flavored sauce with potatoes and carrots with a bit of spice as well. If you're looking for more spice, they'll bring a small cup of Senegalese pepper sauce.

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    Gorée Cuisine
    Gorée Cuisine - Dibi Lamb

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    Gorée Cuisine - Hibiscus tea (non-caffeinated), very sweet

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    Hibiscus tea (non-caffeinated), very sweet

    Demera Ethiopian Restaurant

    Demera Ethiopian Restaurant

    4.2(1.4k reviews)
    4.9 mi•Uptown
    •$$

    Demera was an excellent introduction to Ethiopian food! Since it was our first time, the staff was…read moreincredibly friendly and attentive, taking the time to answer our questions and make recommendations. The food was absolutely delicious and tasted incredibly fresh. It struck the perfect balance of being healthy while still being satisfying. We ordered a platter that didn't look like it would be very filling at first, but it was more than enough food. I would definitely recommend Demera to anyone looking to try Ethiopian cuisine, whether it's your first time or you're already a fan. If you're planning a date night in Uptown, this is a great place to start the evening, then head across the street to the Green Mill for live jazz and cocktails. It makes for a fun night out!

    I love Ethiopian food and this is one of the small number of well-known Ethiopian restaurants in…read moreChicago. Need anything more really be said about it? The spicing is not shy, the meats are good, but as is so often true the vegetables are the star. The yellow lentils and the collard greens are probably my favorites. The spiced tea is good too. The service was adequate but neglectful, the QR-ification of the menus annoys me. And if we were in Washington DC or something we could have nice debates about how this place rates against many excellent competitors, but in Chicago I will just say that it is good, and if you like Ethiopian food you will come here sometimes.

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    Demera Ethiopian Restaurant - Interior

    Interior

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    Mogadishu Restaurant - african - Updated September 2026

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