Great Somali/east African food at a good price. Seems like they've been here for a while, for good reason. Shares private parking in a strip mall; we had no issue finding a spot. Place was kind of empty on a weekday night but that didn't bother me. Lamb Shank - came with giant piece of lamb, bone in, rice, and a side salad. Everything was delicious and seasoned well. I was recommended to order this and now I'm recommending other people to order it lol. Beef Sukhaar - Well seasoned beef sukhaar with a salad on rice. This/the chicken sukhaar is perfect for a rice plate that you might want to have as lunch the next day. Sambusa - Comes with 2 nice and crispy large sambusas. Wish the filling was seasoned more but still good Portions are generous and food is delicious. This was a first time trying Somali food for us. They didn't have their special hilib (goat meat) when we visited - I'd love to be back to try that :) read more

Waamo Restaurant - 12. Lamb Shank, 2. Beef Sukhaar, Sambusa - Mediterranean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Amazing food. Ambience leaves a bit to be desired but the chicken kabob is too good not to come back. The rice is addicting. Pretty reasonably priced too read more

I absolutely loved the food here. It is fresh and made to order. The staff is super helpful and gave me great advice on what to get. Fairly priced would 100% recommend read more

So so good. I got the #1, a goat meat dish with rice and the flavor was exceptional. Will definitely go back when I'm in the area.

I can't resist Ethiopian food so I had to stop here for dinner. I really wanted to try the goat but it ended at 3pm. I asked the nice guys about a couple of the menu options and I ended up settling on a beef dish with rice/ noodle mix and salad. I also got the baba ghannoj which had the consistency of hummus. I enjoyed both items very much and the portions were large. The meat was very flavorful and cooked perfectly. The rice dish was fresh and seasoned well, not too salty not too bland. I'll definitely come back for more. read more

Waamo Restaurant - Mediterranean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

See all

My boyfriend and I discovered this place randomly one day and now we find ourselves frequently visiting, we like Mediterranean, Greek, and Ethiopian, this place seems like the perfect mixture of all 3. The quality and flavor of the food is something you won't be able to forget. I get the chicken shawarma plate and my boyfriend gets the hilib plate. He is always pleasantly surprised by how tender and flavorful the meat is. We both love the delicious rice too. Try this place, They don't miss read more

Waamo Restaurant - 1. Hilib - Mediterranean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Great friendly owner took my order. Had the lamb shank and the portion is huge. My order came with rice with tasty spices and a vegetable salad. The green sauce is a bit spicy refreshing and quite interesting. The white sauce is mayonnaise with some spice which really bring up the appetite. I also ordered sambusa and is well worth the price. read more

Waamo Restaurant - Sambusa at the left and lamb shank on the right - Mediterranean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Waamo restaurant is so good and don't even get me started on their food Mashallah best restaurant ever .‼‼‼

Authentic Somali Cuisine in a nonpretentious, welcoming, and traditional Somali-American setting. Had the goat and rice with green sauce. Good portion, flavor was stellar. Mahad, Farrah and company. I will return! read more

Waamo Restaurant - Mediterranean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Such a cool atmosphere to see. Staff were informative and the menu was diverse. Great place if you want to try something new. Would absolutely recommend and will be returning. read more

I've ordered take out twice from here and both times they've been good. I had their chicken and beef dishes served with rice and a small salad. You have to have an open mind and a sense of adventure particularly if you've never had Somali food before. When you try something you have to trust it's prepared correctly. So you may find the meat to be a little tough, but still flavorful. One of their dishes was like a beef samosa that was very good, I'd be happy just ordering that and some hummus! Although I ordered randomly from their menu there wasn't anything I personally did not like. Their dishes were more similar to Mediterranean food than Ethiopian. It seemed that mostly Somalis come here to eat so it must be pretty authentic! read more

Great stuff. Was in from Chicago on business and it was within walking distance of office. It was lunch, so I ordered carryout. It was well worth braving the 117 degree heat for Waamo. I got the Chicken Shawarma on my first visit. Outstanding flavor, good portion size and perfectly cooked. A nice little salad and that delicious long grain rice business rounded out the reasonably priced but exceedingly satisfying and invigorating meal. On day 2, I had noticed the day before that they had some dishes I had never tried before at any restaurant. So I started at top of menu and knocked back the Hilib. Very tasty and the accompanying green sauce- maybe its cilantro and green chili- is fire. I'd put that on anything. I look forward to trying the lamb shank, recommended by the friendly propreitor, next time. Wish I had a couple more days in Phoenix to knock out a few more items- and back at home, I am now going to try out some of our local East African restaurants. What I enjoyed most about the meals was their flavor, value and that despite a nice portion size. read more

Great value. Tasty food. Cheap prices. Easy parking. Very generous servings. I had the baked goat meat which was very tasty which a large green salad. read more

I'm from Washington DC and I took my family there and the food was great. Thanks Saeed for the goat and lamb it was the best I've had in a long time. read more

This place is just awesome. Sure, the atmosphere is super simple, but you come here for the food. And it's always fantastic. The service is good and friendly. Prices are pretty low and the portions are good. My favorite dish is the roasted goat with rice and salad. It may sound weird, but it's a good flavorful meat with some great spices. For the less adventurous there are Mediterranean favorites like chicken kebabs and the like. read more

I was searching something different to eat and I found it. The Waamo plate ........definitely enough for two. Seasoned and spiced just right. I forgot to mention the aroma that drifted from my take out container was very pleasant and it just signaled something good is definitely inside. Hidden gem for sure. read more

Waamo Restaurant - Waamo plate .............delicious. - Mediterranean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

I ordered lamb and gyro both tasted great. Proportions were great! I can't wait to try more options soon

Really didn't know what to expect since it was our first time but thanks to lovely Yelp, we stopped by. We were blown away from the authenticity and flavor with each bite. The green sauce was a great touch to our plate. Will return for another plate of chicken kabob! read more

See all

Good food portion sizes. I got hilib, chicken chapatti wrap, forgot what my father had. The place is a little run down and seems to be focused on takeout, but there is enough space inside. read more

See all

Amazing food, large portions, and good customer service despite the slight language barrier! This is my gf and my new sport for Mediterranean style cuisine! We both had the chicken kabob and agreed how high quality the meal was and how it was some of the best food we had in awhile. See you guys soon! read more

Waamo Restaurant - Mediterranean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Not always consistent but my second favorite food spot in this area when picking up food to go. The chicken and rice with their blend of spices is so yummy and comforting. I recommend ordering chicken Sukar with extra pita bread and getting samosas when they haven't run out for the day read more

It's good my boyfriend loves it they say one closet time but when u go it's close food is delio

First time trying Mediterranean food, was a little scared at first but we ended up ordering the Chicken Khabab which was delicious! all in all service was great and ambiance made perfect for the overall experience would recommend & come back! read more

The food was good. I ordered chapati but it was not sweet as I know chapati to be. It tasted like a flower tortilla. Very plain.

Somalia. A place many Americans probably couldn't place on a map, but a place most Americans have probably heard of (mostly for unflattering reasons). Whether its the infamous Somali civil war and its aftereffects, the American casualties that were the inspiration for the film Black Hawk Down, or Somali pirates hijacking passing ships like Captain Phillips' Maersk Alabama, much of what we hear about Somalia ain't pretty. The result of Somalia's troubles has brought tens of thousands of Somali immigrants to the U.S. over the last 40 years. Now Somalians and their Somali-American kids are as much a part of the fabric of America as any nationality. And as their numbers grow, so too does the availability of their cuisine (lucky us). Basheir Elmi is the man behind Waamo, one of the only Somalian restaurants in Phoenix thus far as best I can tell. The menu here at Waamo is Somalian first and foremost, but with Ethiopian and other northern African and Mediterranean influences mixed in. You'll find this humble restaurant right in the middle of a strip center on the north side of McDowell Road just west of 51st Street. There's seating for maybe 40 or so inside, but the place was a buzz with activity when I arrived at dinner time on a Friday. Admittedly I was the only nin cad in the place (that's white guy in Somali FYI) as the place was full of African and African American families, many of whom were conversing in Somali and maybe even a few in Arabic. No problem though as the waiter spoke perfect English and enthusiastically took care of me from start to finish. Finding information on what constitutes authentic Somalian food is surprisingly difficult (even via Wikipedia). Somalia's history as a hub of trade and commerce (the result of being a gateway between the Red Sea and Indian Ocean) means there's a bunch of influences all mixed up in their cuisine. I know goat is a big thing there, but that's about all I knew. With a little help from my waiter (didn't catch his name, sorry), he helped me pick a couple of items that would give me a good introduction. First up, Sambusas. Similar to samosas, these are fried pastries with crispy dough that are filled to gills with beef and a variety of spices. The appetizer comes two sambusas to a plate. These were killer. Delicious crunchy dough, perfectly cooked ground meat and the spices were all over the map. A simple yet complex taste for the senses and a wonderful start to the meal. For the main dish, I opted for their signature dish. The Waamo Plate. A massive plate of chicken, a dash of lime, rice, pasta, cream, and a mix of seasonings that almost remind me of tandoori (also came with a side of pita bread). This stack of food takes up almost the whole plate and is about a couple inches thick. Undoubtedly meant to be shared, this was a heavy lift for me. But a worthwhile lift it was. Phenomenally tasty with the rice and noodles providing a mix of textures with each bite. The chicken was cooked just right and the seasonings were abundant throughout. I was stuffed to the gills, but the waiter prevailed upon me to have some of their house made hot tea, which they threw in on the house. The hot tea here is a mix of black tea, milk, sugar, cinnamon and ginger and provided a smooth easy drinking finish that set me just right after a massive meal. Total cost for the food plus tax and tip came to $20. Dynamite value, dynamite flavors, dynamite service. Looking around at the patrons during my meal, it's pretty clear just how much this establishment means to the valley's African and African-American communities. A relaxed place to gather, to eat, to relax, to feel at home. Its experiences like tonight's that remind me just how great it is to experience the growing diversity of the valley's culinary scene. And how even people from far flung countries like Somalia have so much to offer to our local communities. read more

See all

The iced tea is the best I've ever had. It has little clove flowers floating in it. I had the lamb shank on my first visit. It was very tender (but it was too fatty for me), the rice was "eh". I came back a second time for the iced tea, of course. The service was exceptionally slow. We waited about 40 minutes for the waitress to come back for refills, even though it wasn't busy in the slightest. However, she was very sweet. Round two I had the #13, the Ethiopian something (see attached photo). It had eggs, and beef, and spinach and red sauce all on a spongy bread. It covered the entire plate and the leftovers will feed me for another two days. As people mentioned before the place was kind of dirty and there were lots of loud cab drivers, but neither one of those things seemed to particularly bother me. read more

Waamo Restaurant - The #13. Ethiopian something or other.. - Mediterranean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Awesome food for a great price. I can't speak to the atmosphere (I've only experienced their take-out so far), but the service was especially friendly. Although I was carrying out, I was treated to some free bananas and a spicy green sauce in which to dip them as an appetizer! At least, I think I was supposed to dip the bananas in the green sauce. It tasted pretty good, so guess it doesn't matter, right? I had the chicken shawarma plate, which was actually enough for two meals. If you're expecting Lebanese shawarma, don't. This has a completely different taste. I asked for some extra sauce (expecting the standard white sauce) and was given a sweet yet spicy red sauce to pour over the food. Definitely ask for the sauce. The chicken came with a healthy helping of flavorful rice and some salad, for only $10. It looks like there are some awesome things on the menu that I've never tried before. Will be back! read more

Juba is a great restaurant! This is the kind of place where if the food is good (which it is) you look past the decor and the dirt - I've eaten here at least 5 times and never gotten sick. There are other restaurants likes this - Da Vang, other ethnic places. Just don't use the bathroom. We (husband & I) first went here on a restaurant.com coupon. We ordered a few different things and tried to get up to the coupon price, but couldn't because they are so cheap. Their iced tea is amazing - anise stars in the iced tea - I never would have thought that would be good. We loved the Sukhaar - the taste being kind of southwestern (to give you an idea). We ordered chapati with the meal instead of rice (love chapati!) and they took $2 off the bill for each order! On another visit, we had the rice and it was really good. When we go now, one orders chapati and the other rice, and we share - or we get an extra order of chapati, because we love it! The staff is friendly, helpful when you ask questions. Being open minded helps. Paying at the counter will save you lots of time. read more

This is the second day in a row we've eaten here during our visit to Arizona. The menu is diverse and between the three of us, we've tried several dishes, all excellent. I love injera, so yesterday I got the Ethiopian plate with beef sukhaar and today I ordered the lamb shank with injera. Everything is homemade. The meat is perfectly seasoned in terms of salt and spiciness. I had Somali tea both days--so good--and today we had watermelon juice, also fresh and refreshing. My husband repeated the Waamo plate with chicken both days, so he enjoyed that. Service was very friendly and fast. Prices were affordable and servings plentiful. We live in a place with tons of halal restaurant options, but no Somali food, which we'd never tried. We wanted to try something different, and are leaving Phoenix as Somali food fans thanks to Waamoo. read more

The only reason we ended up here was because Sonic wasn't open on Christmas Day. We spotted a bunch of African cabbies in a parking lot so we parked and explored our options. Most went into Juba so we did too. The place was a big dingy so we opted for takeout. Greek salad, falafels, king fish, Lamb shank, Mediterranean appetizers. But the owner came to the market to find us and tell us they didn't have any more falafels. We changed to Lamb kabob and chicken kabobs. Everything came with fresh lettuce and tomatoes. The best was the rice which was seasoned with cardamom and raisins and other spices. The worst was the hummus and falafel in the appetizer plate. I ate a chicken kabob in pita which was quite good. The meat was still juicy and the dressing was just right. I would order everything except the appetizer plate. read more

Waamo Restaurant - Sambusas - Mediterranean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

See all

I came in tonight for the first time and waited at the counter to order and nobody came to help me so I left. I guess if you're not a solamos Muslim they won't serve you. read more

Got takeout from here the other day. Food was bland and very salty. The service was terrible. I basically had to beg the cashier to get my order for me. He then forgot to ask me for my card to pay so I had to remind him. No thank you, no please. Not a place I'll come back to. read more

Just discovered this location on the campaign trail for DeniseLinkLd24House.com Service is Great...Food is Fantastic..Everything nice and Fresh...The Coffee is soooo good...Hints of flavors you just don't get anywhere else... read more

See all

I enjoy their food. Though I have one favorite, the pilau and goat meat platter. Mouth watering.. Reminds me of Eastleigh (if you know you know! read more

A dear friend of mine asked me to go to a restaurant today and try some new food that I've never had before it was a Mediterranean restaurant located in east Phoenix On the Border of Tempe called Waamo Much to my surprise it was a Somalian restaurant and today they had a buffet so I was able to taste food from this country that was definitely intriguing me They had chicken go beans salad rice fish and the taste was delicious they had watermelon juice mango juice cold water for beverages they had a hot soup and they also serve the very fresh and delicious papaya for dessert which helped me because I'm not much of a spicy person and normally I'll back away from spice but this was so delicious The taste overcame the spice it's a wonderful restaurant locatingbinba quaint little spot at 56th Street and McDowell in Phoenix some say Tempe so if you're a foodie like me I want to try food from all over the world this is a great stop for Somalian food read more

Waamo Restaurant - a plate of food on a table - Mediterranean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Absolutely disgusting, owners have no interest in cleaning, old empty trays with dried out food lying out. I immediately walked out without eating. read more

Juba Red Sea & Mediterranean Cuisine is a truly amazing place. You just have to get past the location which is a bit daunting located in a very crowded strip center with many African and Somali shops. Plus more than half the cars parked in the lot were taxicabs. I went after work to meet some friends as we had heard a lot about this place as it serves goat! We enjoyed some good hummus and pitas as we waited to order. We were disappointed to discover that they only serve goat at lunch time and usually run out by 2-3pm so you have to reserve it for dinner. Oh, well another time. They were also out of the Somali iced tea which I had wanted to try. So water was fine. We ordered an order a couple orders of Sanbusas, which are a deep fried pastries filled with ground beef and Somali spices, kind of like an Indian samosas. Comes with two but are large to share and more than enough for 3-4 people. We ordered Chicken Sukhaar which is served with basmati rice that has been flavored with cardamom and cinnamon, and other spices I can't name. Mixed Kabob plate which of the three the chicken kabob was the best. We also ordered the loin of lamb which was excellent, fish which was OK and the best dish was the meat and naan dish which I'm not even sure of it's name. But it was this wonderful marinated beef (maybe called Beef Sukhaar) which was chopped up with onions, tomatoes and spices with strips of naan that I thought were noodles topped up with this wonderful sour cream sauce. It was amazing. We also got the naan sandwich which had the same meeting fillings wrapped in naan like a wrap. Delish! Best of all they had this spicy green sauce sitting on the table that we put on everything. We ordered way too much food - each dish would feed 2-3 people and we ordered 8 dishes for 8 people! So we all took take home boxes to eat the next day. Plus with tip and tax it was $13 per person! A truly amazing deal. So give this place a try as it's worth the time it takes to find a parking spot. read more

We had plans to check out Juba after a baseball game, had purchased a restaurant.com certificate. On the certificate the street address was listed incorrectly so I had called in to double check. I could not really understand what the man on the line was saying and he did not come off very friendly but my boyfriend insisted we try it out. We finally found the restaurant tucked in a strip mall of various other Somalia stores and Subway. This place is a total hole in the wall and if you can get past the weird odor - the food isn't half bad. As others have mentioned, it is also dirty - and it is... We did not try anything too crazy off the menu (such as goat) but we ordered their sanbusa, gyro sandwich and gyro salad. They used plenty of greens and veggies in the salad and the sanbusa's were delicious. Service was SLOW and at times other patrons would come in and they would all speak so loudly it was easy to be distracted or have your attention drawn to them. It is something I could say I tried, not sure I would go back but definitely worth checking out once. Plus their prices are so cheap, we couldn't/didn't even use the restaurant.com certificate. read more

Don't let a possible language barrier bother you. If you want Authentc Somali food, there is no better place!

How this place gets any more than one star is beyond me. The first concern is the appetizers (falafel, hummus, baba ghanousj) are the furthest thing from Ethiopian. If I wanted Middle Eastern food I would go to Pita Jungle. The main courses are like "pseudo-Ethiopian". The meal descriptions are like written in a way you'd trick a child into eating something a little weird. And no "doro wat" on the menu ! That's like a Thai restaurant not having "Pad Thai". The main dish Americans eat. The food. Bland and boring. Don't bother going. read more