Hole in the wall E African restaurant. I stopped by here since it was a quick 10 min away from work on my way home. There is construction actively going on due to the new train station with denser housing and businesses being built, so be aware when you drive in. The establishment is not a vibe, it's an American dream in the making. The building is rustic as food is filling. The staff was brisk in taking orders and the environment is lively. Some places to sit, but more of a take out kinda place. I ordered a Sambusa and Goat Meat plate with rice. I'm still new to E African cuisine, so my reviews is more biased with my background versus experience. Sambusa; fried patty filled with meat which I'm gonna assume is beef? It has a nice spicy kick to it, but is drier than my preference. Nice and crispy. Goat Meat with Rice; the star of my dinner and my favorite of the 2. It comes with a salad which is forgettable. The real appeal is the tender goat atop the rice. The rice soaks up the juice and is so flavorful. The goat has bones, so can be annoying to some diners, but allows for a richer flavor. It appears to be pressure cooked finished off with a tomato and onion stir-fry, the crunch of the onions pairs well with the tenderness of the goat. Fun place to pick up food to eat at home if you're tired of cooking. Would stop by and try the other dishes. read more

Sambusa King - Goat Meat with Rice - African Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

See all

I love it Somali food in general yes the portions are huge but I'm Somali and it's really common to have portions that huge the hot sauce is really good for the average person it's really spicy but I have Somali blood in me I can handle it I love Sam USA but putting fish in it and not making it spicy should be illegal if you're vegetarian almost everything has meat in it but overall it's amazing read more

I want to love Sambusa King. Unfortunately, they have some work to do. I ordered a meat+rice dish, along with a sambusa. The rice dish had some great flavors. I could taste citrus from lime and mild green chili. The issue was the portions. They served 2-3x as much rice as necessary for the amount of curry. So, when the rice is combined with the meat, the curry's flavor becomes muted in the worst way. I had high hopes for the sambusa -- after all, it is the "Sambusa king." Unfortunately, it left a lot to be desired. It seems it was fried at a low temperature -- as a result, the oil soaked into the sambusa dough. Instead of it being crispy, as it should be, it was soft and oily. Cmon man. With some small tweaks Sambusa King will be awesome. read more

So much love for my beloved Sambusa King. My go-to for all things: lazy nights when I don't feel like cooking (take-out on fleek) and a worthy appetizer companion for when I'm hosting (sambusa's on FUHLEEK). Literally love this place for all it is - flaws and all. I think other commenters are right. There's definitely a family/friend dynamic in the shop always but it shouldn't bother you if all you want is the food. Tables are a hit or miss with wipe-downs and sometimes you have to tell them to wipe a table for you which they'll do. Just like any high-volume food place, they do run out of some things but they always allow you to substitute for something else. E.g. I wanted the suqaar (beef cubes sautéed in carrots and peppers) with chapati but today they had run out of chapatti and they let me substitute with baasto (spaghetti bolognese's Somali cousin). Food: always so flavorful! Meats and entrees are always made to order so they come out piping hot and super yummy. I've never had problems with their food and the extra banana gives any dietitian a smile! Would I come back: ALWAYS! I love the food! Not a giant fan of the atmosphere so I'd never eat there but I'll always go back for that yumminess read more

See all

The food is decent, but the customer service isn't that good, place is dirty and is very loud and a hole in a wall. This place needs to improve a lot. read more

Happened upon this place by accident because the restaurant we tried to go to, seemed to be closed. My lunch mate and I were a little apprehensive as the place was empty, small, in a bit of a shambles (the menu is partially covered by equipment), and the first thing we ordered "wasn't ready." We eventually picked some things and sat down and waited to see what would come out. Turns out, this is the proverbial awesome hole-in-the-wall restaurant! Huge portions of really flavorful food. We tried the beef kabob (will post picture soon) and beef sambusa and both were really delicious. The place is a little hidden; tucked next to an office building behind a strip mall and partially obscured by an Arby's. Definitely worth finding if you are in Hopkins and looking for Middle Eastern/African (Somalian) food. read more

Sambusa King - This is what 7 bucks get you. Beef kabob, spiced rice, and a salad. - African Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

Small menu, but good food! Like all the reviews have mentioned, it's definitely a hole in the wall type of place. I circled around for the place for a bit before realizing it was placed right behind the strip mall and next to Goodwill. The food didn't take long at all, although I did order the rice and chicken. The portions are huge! We got one dish and shared. Still managed to have a lot of rice left over. And the rice! So flavorful. They used eggroll wrappings for the sombosa which I found a little amusing. It was a first time seeing that, for me. The taste was okay, but the pricing was fair for how huge the thing was. Each order comes with a banana and drink. Service was nice and prompt. They're willing to explain to you each dish if you're unfamiliar with the food. I def recommend getting it as take out. The ambiance wasn't something I wanted to stay in for too long. They won't give you a spoon and napkin unless you ask. Some people might not like that but I think it's smart. Just how many people really use the utensils given to them when they're headed straight home and use their own. Ends up being a waste. All in all, I'd go back if I was in the area! read more

I finally got a chance to go back. I wasn't sure what to order, so I said "gyro." The guy at the counter asked if he could suggest something. He said the roasted goat was the most popular. He asked if I had ever had goat, which I have. We raised goats in the 70s. What are the odds? For $10 straight up you get the roasted goat, rice, and vegetables plus a drink. It must weigh three pounds and I'm not training for the Ironman anymore so I made two lunches out of it. It was delicious! Good flavor, but not spicy hot if that is a concern for you. It's definitely a hole in the wall neighborhood kind of place. Not exactly a romantic dinner place. They are set up for take away, but do have booths if you want to stay and watch sports with the locals. I will definitely go back! read more

I've never eaten goat before but I finished my entire plate! The spices were subtle and perfect. I shared entrees with my 9 and 11 year olds, who went, kicking and screaming and wanting McDonalds and who were later fighting over the leftovers! My favorite entree was the gyros, least favorite was the beef. To quote my 9 year old, " the food is fancy, this restaurant isn't." read more

See all

This was my first experience with Somali food (ever), and I really enjoyed it. Everyone at this restaurant is really friendly: the cook helped my choose exactly the perfect dish for how I was feeling, and the portions were HUGE (enough for two). I had the goat, which was very tough but also very well spiced and super tasty. The rice was a real winner too. Do it! read more

Sambusa King - African Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

Super friendly and great food! Casual place next to Halal market. Love these smiling faces and excellent food flavor! Gem in the rough! read more

Sambusa King - Chicken and salad - African Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

if you wanna waste your time go here. You literally wait 40 mints just to get cold rice and meat that's 90% of it it's bones, worst restaurant ever, the place is so dirty, the chief got long hair that he can't even cover, everyone in there is ashy like Dmnn ya'll should use cooking oil on your ashy life, all I can do is leave a review here, I wish I can shut the whole place down. read more

Fully solid. I have no concept of Somali food in general, but this was an excellent place to grab take out for a fun family evening of "we've never had this before". Sambusas, which are basically samosas except stuffed with meat instead, were crispy and deliciously seasoned. The yellow pepper sauce that comes with them is knock-your-knickers-off hot. Don't look for Minnesota-hot here. Beef suqaar is a lovely savory stir-fried thing, like an African answer to fajitas (and similarly, served with salad and a naan-like bread). Rice served with chicken leg is redolent of clove and cardamom, and you receive a box stuffed with enough carbs to make Dr. Atkins spin in his grave. Staff were friendly and dealt with questions, and made sure I got both the drink and the banana I was owed. Unlike the other reviews, nobody offered me any goat, which is sad, because I totally love goat. read more

This is the type of place that has photos of every meal order they offer, which helped me tremendously since I am not familiar names of African food. You pay up front and they bring you the food, no service is provided. I ordered the beef with pita bread, it comes with a drink of your choice and side salad for only $9.00. Talk about value! It is connected to a grocery store, which you could purchase the same tea bags. The workers were so friendly, and offered me spiced black tea, you could ask for steamed milk. It was the best tea I have ever had. Later, he came over with a banana, such a kind man. In terms of the environment, it's a hole in the wall place, but those are usually my favorites. They have breakfast only items, which I will have to come back for. read more

Sambusa King - African Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

Good food, and the cashier was nice. I like how the meat is always cooked, nothing raw. Also the food is warm when they give it to you, which is good. An employee there gave us a basket to put our stuff there when we were buying some stuff at the store. So good place. I recommend it. read more

Great value. When I come for a visit I like to eat food that I can't get in Duluth. We ordered sambusas, chicken and rice, and bbq chicken and rice. All for $28. We will be eating leftovers for days. The hot sauce is not too hot. Get there early if you want goat. So what if the atmosphere is lacking. Get it to go.. read more

I typically don't write reviews, but this place blew me away! My husband and I are making it a mission to try foods we've never had before. I saw the other positive reviews for this place, so we gave it a shot. The restaurant itself is a little hidden, located behind an Arby's. You have to navigate yourself around the Arby's drive through traffic to get there. The restaurant itself was a little dirty which may be off putting to some (looking at you, Marc J), but we happily ordered our food and found a place to sit. The employees here are so friendly and willing to help you pick something you'll like. I ordered the beef, and my husband ordered the goat as recommended by the cashier. When our food arrived, I was shocked at how huge the portion was! $9 for a huge plate of delicious rice, and a separate plate for your meat and a small salad. The spices on the meat were SO FREAKING GOOD. I've never had meat so well seasoned! The goat was delicious, too. I definitely didn't see myself ever even trying goat, let alone want more of it! All in all, if you want delicious food in a place that offers good people watching, this is the place to go. I can't wait to go back! read more

The food is excellent and a bargain! We tried the tilapia and the chicken, which were cooked very well and came a little salad, a banana, and way more rice than we could eat. Everything comes with a spicy (but not too spicy) green sauce that adds a lot of flavor. This place really doesn't have its act together in terms of being a restaurant though, or even an efficient take-out counter. We came by on a Saturday and they were out of sambusas and goat. They also didn't have any rice made up, so we waited. I hope they get it together because they have the potential to be very successful. If the experience were just a little nicer, there's a lot of people in the Western suburbs who would be delighted to try delicious Somalian food. read more

The service here is pretty terrible. When I went in, I tried to order some goat off the menu, and the guy behind the counter looked at me like I was talking crazy. He then told me the handful of things they actually *did* have on hand. I ended up getting some mysterious platter for my entire party of 3--which was not on the menu so I didn't even know the price. It was served on a giant platter, we didn't get individual plates and I guess were all just expected to eat off of it? The food was quite good, so I have to give them credit for that. The platter had chicken, lots of rice, with some kind of salad as well. It ended up being plenty of food and I think the charge was only $26. I don't think I'll be back. read more

Food is great, but everything else is kind of lacking, but perhaps it is partially a culture difference. Obviously the Somali community is tight knit, everyone seems to know each other at this place. So you have like 5 guys right behind the cash register just chatting away. It took me a minute to get the attention of someone who would take my order. Now we have the menu which is a picture board, no descriptions, and then you have a folded paper menu on the counter. Picture board had a lot of things crossed out. I ended up pointing at a dish some guy was already eating and said I'll have what he's having. It looked good, and it was good. I just don't know how I would re-order that. It didn't look like anything in the pictures. The menu is confusing because they have pictures but no description or names, and the text menu is just names without any descriptions. It's kind of meaningless like Chinese menu "chicken with sauce", but at the same time you have to know the dishes since they use the Somali names bariis is seasoned rice and suqaar I think is some kind of chopped meat. And don't worry, like every other Somalian restaurant, you do get a banana. I had to wait like 15 minutes for the order. I tried to pay right after ordering, but the guy said to wait and pay when he gives me my food. Anyways, on my way out, I'm in my car backing out of the lot and the guy comes out to flag me down and apologizes that he forgot to give me the drink which comes with what I ordered. The guys there have good intentions, but don't expect attentive service or staff pre-empting your needs, you have to ask, but it's hard when you don't know what to ask for. All in all, this place has good food, but it's the flow of things and general atmosphere that is different from most restaurants I've been to. Like others have said this place really doesn't have its act together in terms of being a restaurant, or even an efficient take-out counter. It's noisy because everyone, staff and customers, knows each other, and you have to make an effort to grab their attention. Definitely expect to wait for take out. I probably wouldn't dine in, it's just a room with tables and chairs. No napkins in sight (or utensils) and everyone was eating with their hands. Would I go back? Yes, food is tasty, big portions, and a good value. read more

f yeah! Delicious and authentic, gobs of yummy food per portion with fair prices! I will be back. Rice (basmati or jasmine it seems) = yum Spaghetti = good, yes! BBQ chicken = moist and flavorful Shredded lettuce and lime slice = nice touch :) Sambusa = good but I've had better but I'll definitely order and test again Ambience = hole n the wall, aka "to-go" if your not up for that They were out of goat and low on rice when I showed up at about 6:30, and he said they may run out of things as the night gets later so get there earlier. Free drink and banana included with most of the meals! read more

Love Sambusa King! Always good service. Very good chicken and rice. Lots of good food for a good price.

Fantastic Food!!! Hole in the wall decor which means the food is even better! Super Clean, Top Quality Service. If you are looking to impress a foodie, this is the place. If you are looking for bourgeois, with date night ambiance, this isn't the place. read more

Place needs a little makeover and they are slow. I cant hold them accountable for language but it will be helpful if some there spoke fluent english. They also let people come behind the counter and get stuff I think that is very unhealthy. I will not be back here at all but the tea was good. read more

Stopped by at 10:30 yesterday morning to order a pan of Sambusas, they asked for an hour for "hot and fresh Sambusas" and they certainly were! Delicious, and the highlight of the work potluck. Couldn't have been friendlier. Thank you! read more

yes yes YES! this place is so great! i'm not sure what a previous review meant about the cleanliness ... while not sparkling, i've seen plenty of places much worse, and i so i ate in house. based on previous reviews, i ordered the goat and a couple of sambusas... the sambusas were amazing! well spiced and perfectly fried. the goat was equal to the task and had great flavor, and was cooked perfectly as it simply fell of the bone! the portion was massive for the paltry $10 i paid, enough that i have dinner for tonight as well. i can't believe i've lived in the neighborhood for over a decade, and today was my first visit... needless to say, i'll be back again very soon. read more

The food is pretty good and it's cheap too. The big problem with this place is the language barrier but it's still worth going to try it. It's definitely not anywhere you would want to go on a date because it's a hole in the wall place that is kinda run down. But if you are in the mood to try something new go for it you won't be disappointed. I'll be back read more

Great African food very tasty and good portions the goat is only at lunch try the African beef or cheese "samosas" terrific Not fancy but reasonable read more

Tons of delicious food for an amazing price. We tend to do take out - it's a bit noisy in the restaurant. You must try the sambusas and enjoy the hot sauce. All rice dishes are wonderful too (and they come with a banana, soda, salad and hot sauce). Friendly and helpful staff! Hidden gem for sure! read more

Definitely a hole in the wall type of place! Actually came because of yelp (even though there were only three reviews at the time) and I'm glad I came. Tons of food for a really good price! There seems to be an african market next door which is cool. The guy taking my order was super friendly, and my meal came with a complimentary banana and drink. An authentic gem- I will be back to try the goat meat. read more

Always up for trying new types of food. Was excited to see an African place close to home. Read the good reviews and took the family there. To be fair I did not get to try the food. We left before the food came. To be blunt, most highway rest stops are cleaner than this place. It was beyond filthy. Paid for our drinks and left. read more

Great, authentic Somalian food. Doesn't look super-clean, but I guess that's part of the ambiance.

I spotted this place a while ago, I finally went today and it was great! But you need an open mind for how the place looks. I got the gyro and can diet coke for $5! I am still trying to finish it! He cooked it up fresh so you have to wait but its an experience worth trying especially for the value! read more

Good food. Drinks are just coffee or 12 oz cans of soda. Seems more setup as takeout; though they have six tables. I had the fish (tilapi) which was good and came w/ a huge plate of rice, a small salad and some raw veggies. Eldest daughter had gyro- which was a good size (esp for $6) youngest has a pasta dish, which I liked more than her but she thought was ok (and she's a bit of a picky eater). read more

I went in and asked a question about a menu item and nobody could answer me. Clearly nobody spoke English. Had to leave.