First time here…read more Food: We were excited to try some Somali/African cuisine. For beverages, we ordered the chai tea and the mango smoothie. I was expecting a plain chai tea, but what I received was actually a chai latte. What a wonderful surprise! It wasn't the type of chai latte I might expect from a local coffee shop, but it was better than many I've had. We started with a couple of veggie sambusas. They were excellent. Hot, crisp, and fresh, with a generous filling and served with a side of mint chutney. Together, they made a fantastic flavor combination. We also ordered hummus and pita bread. Both were fresh, tasty, and well presented. The final part of our meal was the Goat Platter. It arrived hot and fresh, with generous portions. The goat meat was delicious and tender. The serving was large enough that I took half home, and it will make great leftovers. Service: The gentleman at the counter was friendly and efficient. He was very attentive, bringing each item to our table. He seemed genuinely proud of the food, its presentation, and our reaction to it. There was also a woman in the back, whom I believe was doing most of the cooking, and I had a chance to thank her as well. Atmosphere: The restaurant is small and unassuming. It was clean and well lit, thanks to the large front windows. It appears that most of their business is takeout, but there are several tables available for dining in. We were the only people eating there during our visit, so it was very quiet. Overall: We were super impressed with this little spot serving excellent Somali/African food. The quality of the food, the warm service, and the generous portions made for a wonderful first experience. We'll definitely be back.

Never thought I'd find good Somalian food in Milwaukee or at all. The goat was cooked perfectly and…read morewas still moist. I've been to other Somalian spots where they cook the lamb so long that it's tender, but stringy and dry. Not this place - it still had it's succulence. The seasonings were on point. Both the chicken and beef sambusas were tasty - but in my opinion lacked the punch compared to other sambusas I've had. The chicken one was especially bland, but the sauce saved it. The chicken one was dry and had a shredded texture. I suggest making small dices to the chicken and mixing it the slightest amount of gravy to keep the chicken moist before folding it in the pastry. The service was really friendly. Everyone needs to go here now! I'll definitely be back

What a wonderful find! Fantastic food and atmosphere. Everyone was so kind. Finished with Turkish…read morecoffee and baklava.

1st time. Baklava was too strong with a hint of harshness. I guess I better stick with the…read moreGreeks. The bed roll with cheese was too much cheese for me, but I guess that could be my taste only.

Their new location is on S 13th Street, only a little ways from Layton. There are still lots of…read morepictures from their old location on Layton, but as of April 2025, they are inside Rayan Market & Restaurant, a Middle Eastern market (see pictures). It is a small family owned business, and mother cooks all the food. It's only been a month since they moved here from Layton, so they don't have a sign yet, but just go in to the Rayan super market, and navigate yourself to the back of the building. They do have a table off to the side inside the market if you're in a pinch and need to eat there, but I'd recommend taking the food to go. The family is friendly, and if you aren't too familiar with Mediterranean food, they will help you navigate their menu items. They have 2 types of rice. One is a smoked rice (first time I tried it, and it was good!), and the other one is cinnamon. I didn't care for the latter, but the smoked rice was delicious. I was only going to try a bite or two, but I ended up kicking myself off of keto and ate a whole bowl. Chicken special - with rice and salad Salad was a small portion of very fresh lettuce, tomato and cucumber in light oil dressing. Chicken was a bit dry for my taste. They did have the chicken in a warmer plate (like the buffet style) and it must have been sitting there a while. The flavors were good, but the dryness was disappointing. The menu says "half chicken", but we got 2 pieces of thigh+drum. In a way that's good, cuz any breast meat would have been so much more dry. Lamb special - with rice and salad We ordered the cinnamon rice for this dish and the smoked one for the chicken dish. Like I said, the smoked rice was better for my palate. The lamb was delicious. It was falling off the bones, but it wasn't dry. We got 3 large chunks of lamb with bone and one little piece boneless. In both plates, our server piled the rice so high! I hope they don't go out of business giving so much rice! But I'm not complaining. Overall, the meal was delicious and I would definitely go again. I'd love to try some of their appetizers and other meat items.

I came here to do a Door Dash and the son of the owners was so nice I vowed to be back! Ambiamct…read moreis a bit dated but don't let that detur you! I brought my daughter and her boyfriend for lunch and it was amazing. I had the add on Half chicken and rice. Seriously enough to feed a family! We opted for the hummus which we all shared. My daughter had the chicken shawarma. There was so much food we had to take it home! Show this lovely family some love! They said most of their business is catering but I'm amazed the place isn't packed! Definitely on our list! The owners are awesome!

The service is perfect especially from ali and hussein and the beef brisket sandwich was fireread more

Had a late lunch with my cousin at this place n enjoyed every thing…read more The pita bread was indeed the best I thought the waitress was just just hipping it up but sure enough it was really good. Baba ganoush love the fact that I can smell n taste the smoke chard taste of the eggplant. Hummus was not dry it was just right. Falafel was amazing. tabbouleh it was a little to lemony for me as much as I love lemon The grill meat was all tender and cooked right I wish my beef was a little redder but that's personal preference Would i recommend this place yes Besides food being good the place had good service ambiance was nice. Only thing I would ask is for Kunafa /knafeh

Lovely spot! Great menu - lots of vegan/veggie options. Good prices…read more Food tastes so fresh and amazing! Loved the portion size. Left very happy and satisfied. Service staff was very sweet and speedy to attend.

How have I not reviewed this place! I've been here probably about a dozen times, and it's my go to…read morespot for Ethiopian food in the U.S. I fell in love with Ethiopian food, and the owners here make this space truly unique. I love the attention to detail and the family friendly environment of the restaurant space itself. The owners wife cooks the food, and it is consistent and delicious every single time. The red lentils are so tasty--I order double portions when I come in. I am a meat eater so that says a lot about the preparation of the vegetarian sides--so good! The injera is some of the best I've had--perfectly chewy and tangy, not too mild and not rubbery. 10/10. Portion sizes are generous and family style. Order several different sides and enjoy.

On a recommendation, we decided to make Purslane the place to go on our 20th wedding anniversary…read morethis past January. It was a wonderful choice. We had an amazing meal, a great time, and were well taken care of. It's a small, cozy place. It's a little hard to notice on the outside, without a very prominent sign. We got to hang out next to a beautiful fish tank while we waited for our table, which was a short wait. The staff was extremely friendly. We were well taken care of the entire time. It was a nice, relaxing time hanging out. We had appetizers, drinks, main entrees and some dessert. Because I waited so long to write this review and the menu changes, I can't specifically tell you what we ordered...but everything was great. I capped it off with a Turkish coffee. Terrific place. Can't recommend it enough. We chose it for a special milestone and it delivered in all ways.

Here's a tighter, punchier version that still keeps your vibe:…read more Amazing place! I make "friends" wherever I go, and this spot made it easy--the staff is attentive, professional, and genuinely friendly. We had the Meze Trio, Sunchoke, and Ali Nazik Beef Kebab, and every bite delivered. The "small" plates are surprisingly generous, and the kebab was a standout--rich, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. Cocktails are unique and actually strong (in the best way). Great energy, great food, great service--total gem. Can't wait to go back!

aya was amazing!!!!!! The inside is absolutely beautiful & not somewhere you want to come…read moreunderdressed to. Our server was great and answered our many, many questions and gave great suggestions. My favorite thing we got was the mezze sampler because we got to try all the dips and then we each ordered our own pita which worked great for our group of 6. The martini was also great. There were so many things I wanted to try on the menu it was hard to only order a few. Can't wait to go back and try more items!

My friends and I had a lovely time sharing dishes and having cocktails at Aya! The restaurant is…read moredecorated very well, making it a great vibe for a date night or girls night. Our server was so kind and friendly, and was the perfect amount of attentive while also letting us chill and chat. The cocktails and wine we had were delicious. We shared a hummus, sampler, lamb kebab, and sticky toffee pudding. I loved the variety of the items in the sampler and the sticky toffee pudding was amazing, I definitely recommend those items. The other items were good, but for the price were just a little disappointing, but everything else more than made up for it. Overall, it was a unique and fun experience.

Ruta just got even better with its new chai bar. Hot or iced and with the option of oat milk a nice…read moreginger or cardamom chai awaits! The vegan options have grown and are clearly mark on the menu. The chickpea naan melt continues to be a favorite of mine as well as the flavorful molasses cookies. Whether you need a nice and nutritious lunch or a great meal to take home, Ruta is a solid option. Cozy place and attentive service. Not far from the Green, 15, 18, 20 bus lines!

Came in for a quick bite for lunch and left with a sandwich to-go for later. A lot of unique…read moreflavors with fresh ingredients. It's located in a cute location in Walker's point next to Purple Door. The staff was sweet and walked us through their fav items. Ended up trying the salty lassi, which was very untraditional, but tasty; I liked it more as a sauce/dip than a drink.