Samarkand Restaurant

I recently visited Minneapolis (Early August 2025) and my Uber Driver, who was from Tajikistan told me about this hidden gem. The last thing I would have fathomed was getting a taste of Rego Park or Uzbekistan in the middle of Minneapolis. So to be fair, this gem of a restaurant is located outside of Minneapolis. If you have tried Bukharian and/or Uzbeki food don’t be a fool. The food from this part of the world is truly magnificent. Try the Lagman Soup, it’s absolutely to die for. The Uzbeki bread was OK – not bad; However – not like you can get in Rego Park. Meats are incredible clean, which is not a surprise – because everything is Halal. I prefer Kosher, so this is the next best thing. Wait staff are incredible courteous, polite and patient. Plenty of parking; - I traveled by Uber and it was easy to find and easy to get an Uber out back to my hotel. Steak Skewers were amazing and served over a bed of delicious rice. I really enjoyed the Fresh Salad. Seating was comfortable. Wait staff speaks English; - typically in restaurants like this – good luck, you are on your own. Спасибо – Thank you for truly a wonderful evening. A+

Had a wonderful dinner here with some friends. We got the Meat Paradise platter, Tandoori Bread and Chuchvara soup to share. Everything was so flavorful, cooked fresh and piping hot served quickly to us. The waiter was extremely helpful and kind to us as it was our first time here. I can’t wait to go back! 10/10, cheers!

Awesome authentic central Asian restaurant to try with great Uzbek food options. I got the khasip and my wife got the lagman. They both tasted great, but we both agreed they weren’t filling enough. The only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is because of the price. This food was ridiculously expensive. My dish was $22 and with the portion I received, it could easily pass as an appetizer. We wanted to get dessert, but the restaurant was closing. Our server said that all baked items are made from scratch, so if you go I recommend you give those a try too. Still a great experience but disappointed we left hungry and with an empty wallet.

I got the khasip sausage and chuchvara soup. Both were tasty and had subtle flavors. Not sure why but I was expecting stronger flavors. Interesting experience!

This place is a beautiful restaurant that delivers an incredible Central Asian dining experience. We let the server take the lead, and every recommendation was a hit—rich flavors, perfectly seasoned dishes, and a true taste of Uzbek and neighboring cuisines. The service was excellent, making the experience even more enjoyable. We’re already planning our next visit!

I don’t enjoy writing negative reviews, but I feel it’s important to share my experience. We were very excited about the menu and decided to order the large Plov Samarkand. Unfortunately, we were disappointed with what we received — more than half of the dish consisted of fat rather than meat. They put four pieces meat, which two pieces were only fats and no meats, which I took a picture of them and it can be seen. Then later, when we called the manager after 10 minutes they brought us one more piece. I was really looking forward to enjoying a delicious combination of rice and meat, but sadly, the experience fell short of expectations. I’m sorry to say I cannot recommend this place based on our visit.

I tried red lentil soup and it was heavenly delicious. My companion ordered full Plov Samarkand and Platter Shawarma with fries. For dessert we had a Tea Samarkand and Pahlava.

Great Uzbek cuisine. Their pilaf is very good. Their other dishes were good too. A must try if you are looking for something different.

Highlights: Exquisite Uzbeki decor makes for a great ambiance Mantu (like dumplings) and Chuchvara (like wonton soup) recommended Food: Plov Samarkand (small) Mantu Chuchvara The chuchvara soup is similar to wonton soup though it has a distinctly Uzbeki flavor. There was some subtle spicing, and what I appreciated was that it was appropriately salted (in contrast to some wonton soups which can seem salty). Mantu was my favorite! These are similar to dumplings though this, too, had a unique set of spices/flavors. It was NOT spicy hot. Anyway the meat filling was tender and it was very delicious. Plov Samarkand When I asked the server what was the most uniquely Uzbeki dish, this is what he pointed to. I ordered the small. Perhaps because I had already eaten the mantu and chuchvara, I still had leftover plov. I found the flavor to be blander for the plov than the mantu/chuchvara. Also some of the rice seemed especially chewy, slightly less cooked than what I am used to (which could be my own preconceptions). I don't know if it was because I was full or maybe I don't know what the authentic taste is. I am glad I tried the plov (because it's as well-known an Uzbeki dish as can be said for Uzbeki cuisine in the US), though i preferred the Mantu (my #1) and the chuchvara (#2) over the plov. Service: The service was good, though they only had one server for the whole restaurant so he was understandably busy as more patrons arrived. I arrived around 6:00 on a Tuesday and there was only one other table. Though by the time I left it was at least half full. Ambiance: The decor was exquisite (see pictures and videos), seemingly matching some of the famous mosques of Samarkand, Uzbekistan. There was also a stage for live music. There wasn't any the Tuesday night I was there (not that I was expecting any).

I want to love this place so much but the food is very mediocre. We tried a lot of the offerings and I will start with the items I liked: Mantu - the dough was delicate and the meat filling was well seasoned and tasty. The Lagman was also pretty good - it is unexpected and unique and flavorful. My kids had the Chuchvara, which is similar to Russian pelmeni. Here is what I would stay away from: Plov - we had suck high expectations for this dish because it is an Uzbek staple but it was so bland! My husband got the large portion of the plov and it only had two edible pieces of beef, the rest was all grizzle. I would also steer clear of the desserts, we tried the Napoleon and the Medovik (honey cake) and they were both clearly store bought and awful. Do yourself a favor, skip the dessert. There is an Eastern European market (Fruit and Fish) two doors down that has much better desserts for sale.

A delightful restaurant hidden in a suburban strip mall. It's an Uzbek restaurant with some Russian flairs. When we walked in, it's as if we were transported somewhere else with the decor from floor to ceiling. We stopped by after a hike and I felt underdressed, though the wait staff did not blink. Even though I am a vegetarian I found plenty to eat, making a meal primarily out of starters An excellent lentil soup to start. The potato and mushroom dish was out of this world. The beet salad was an unexpected take -with a creamy dressing. The avocado salad was refreshing. My companion enjoyed the meat buns. The wait staff was attentive without being overbearing. I really liked this place.

Excellent and fresh authentic food! Highly recommended!!! Great service, clean place, will define come back again

We went to Samarkand for lunch over the weekend. The vibe was so cute, and at the time we went the restaurant was almost full of people who's culture the food was from. The staff were friendly and kind. The soup was phenomenal, hearty and healthy. We loved the Turkish coffee-- not bitter and slightly sweet. The samsa was pretty good, but definitely was elevated by the sauce it was served with-- garlicky and umami. The mains is where we had trouble-- both were very very oily, and the Plov was good but we wished there was more meat. The noodles had incredible flavor, but were so oily that we didn't want to take home leftovers. All in all I would recommend this restaurant. I want to try the kebab next time.

Excellent good, except for the Samarkand bread, we had authentic one near Philly so this doesn't match up. Their hospitality and vibes in the restaurant were great, little hidden gem in the back of the strip mall.

Great Uzbek gem hidden in a strip mall. Really enjoyed the beet salad, trio of meat buns (samsa), potatoes and mushrooms (a simple dish that's full of flavor - a must-try!) and avocado salad. They also have stuffed cabbage, grilled meats and kebabs and other Russian and Uzbeki dishes. All in a quaint and cozy space.

Uzbek food is not something I had ever happened upon before moving to Minneapolis. I found out about this place as I work nearby and drive past it sometimes. I did a bit of reading on Uzbek cuisine and learned that it sort of sits somewhere between Russian, Chinese and Middle Eastern cuisines. These influences definitely intrigued me, so off to Samarkand it was! We had a soup with dumplings in it which felt very Chinese. It was simple but comforting fare. We also had the stuffed cabbage rolls, which were good (though I prefer the ones from Moscow on the Hill). The fried potatoes with mushrooms were absolutely divine, and suited for sharing. We also ordered a salad constituted of mayonnaise, croutons, tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. The mozzarella wasn't really mozzarella, but I still enjoyed it. The waiters were nice and attentive when we needed them, courtesy of this cool device on the table that is reminiscent of the call button you use on airplanes to summon flight attendants. I've never been to Uzbekistan, but I felt the ambiance and decor in the restaurant would be an accurate representation of that country, going off what I know of it as a remote post-Soviet state in central Asia. They had a little stage for intimate performances, though it wasn't in use during our dinner. I liked this place a lot and would definitely come back!

I finally made it to Samarkand! I have a friend that always talks about this gem and finally found the day to come check it out. We ordered the assorted shish kebab, delicious and well seasoned meats. The Qovurma Lagman, noodley delicious meat and well seasoned with veggies-- guys this was really good! I will order this again next time I visit. I also ordered myself a soup chuchvara, dumpling soup and was perfect. Lightly salted and tasted like vegetable broth-- simple yet hearty with the delicious meat-filled dumplings. For drink, we got ourselves some tea and afterwards the pahlava which is like baklava but slightly different. Our favorite was the napoleon cake. Napoleon was crispy, sweet but not overpoweringly sweet-- so it went perfect with our tea. I recommend this restaurant, the seasonings are gentle and just right. Initially I was afraid it would be too seasoned for me but it was perfect. I heard on Fridays and Saturdays they have music and live shows, I need to come back for that!

For a foodie, I'm pretty picky. I was dreading coming to Samarkand because I was worried I wouldn't be able to find anything that I like on the menu. As per usual, I was wrong. I ended up ordering a Caesar Salad and Steak Shawarma Wrap. I feel like I need new adjectives to describe how good they were. I was blown away by how savory the wrap was and how well it heated up for lunch the next day. The salad? Couldn't put it down. I would definitely come back for the food alone. What really solidified the experience, however, was our server. First of all, he was fluent in English and Russian which was convenient considering we were celebrating someone's 25th year in the United States from Russia. He was also incredibly patient, kind, and skilled in the wine department! It's tough for me to find red wines I like, but he took my preferences into account and brought me the sweetest red they had which was super yummy. I would bump my four star review to a five star review had the environment been a little more "dinner-like." I would love a more dim lighting choice in the evenings. That being said, for a tiny Uzbek restaurant in the middle of a strip mall, I was incredibly impressed. Definitely a hidden gem! P.S. I totally forgot we got dessert as well! The Napoleon Puff Pastry with buttercream is to die for. So good.

Truly a hidden gem of a restaurant! It is family owned and everyone is very nice. They also have some very cool devour that sets the vibe. The food was all so good and tasted very authentic. Maybe not the best place for vegetarians or picky eaters. If you are an adventurous eater and like different cuisines you need to check this place out.

I grabbed a shawarma with fries ($15) to go via Uber Eats. While the shawarma was pretty good (I really enjoyed the Russian dressing they put on there) and had fresh vegetables in there. Fries were clearly frozen and had no seasoning on them whatsoever. Per the pictures, it looks like it could be a pretty nice spot with more of an experience when dining in. Overall, won't order to-go from again. You're paying white table cloth prices for food to go and enjoying none of the ambiance for slightly above average food. Perhaps if I'm in the suburbs, I'll sit down for a meal there.

YUM! My headband and i needed to be in the area for the evening, and were looking for some non-American fare after a summer in northern MN. We'd never been to an Uzbek restaurant and thought it would be a tasty adventure. It was! We started with mantu (beef dumplings) and samsa (a pastry-like bun with beef inside), followed by borscht soup (beets, beef, onions, carrots, potato, dill). For entrees we chose a lamb kebab and Plov Samarkand (a traditional dish of beef, carrots, rice, chickpeas). And for "dessert," we had a glass of a sweet but light Georgian wine, Kindzmarauli. Our server, Victoria, was sweet and attentive - and also Ukrainian, and grateful to have escaped the war and be in the US. We also chatted with Aziz, who's from Samarkand, Uzbekistan, and whose family runs the restaurant; he was wonderful and happy to share insights from his home town. Delicious food Prepared with love and pride Served by interesting, charming people In a place that gave a sense of what Samarkand might be like And cost around $100 for so much food we couldn't finish it and plenty of wine.

Enjoyed what I had, it was fun to try something different!! I tried some of my friends lentil soup and it was delicious!! The server was friendly and helpful and recommended the garden salad which had a bright fresh flavor and the restaurant has beautiful decor and pictures of Uzbekistan. We had to go shortly after eating so had to flag down the waiter and they got us out nice and quickly. I'd go back to try the lagman and shawarma

I spent 10 days in Uzbekistan a few years ago, and I've been craving some real Uzbek food ever since. Imagine my surprise when I found out that there's actually an Uzbek restaurant in the Twin Cities! I ordered a sampling of food from their super convenient website (carrot salad, tomato salad, plov, manti, and of course, traditional Uzbek bread). The food was fairly good...maybe not quite as good as the Plov Center in Tashkent, but it definitely brought me back to my travels! The salads were both tasty, the manti was good, and the plov was maybe a bit small (for a large size) but also tasted good (although the meat was a bit dry). The one thing we really didn't care for was the bread...I have fond memories of eating a TON of traditional bread in Uzbekistan, and it was always so fresh and soft inside. While the bread at "Samarkand" looks a lot like the bread I had in Uzbekistan, it tasted a bit stale and was very hard too. My food was ready when I arrived to pick it up. The staff was friendly, although no one was wearing a mask.

Classy, excellent service and food. Real Uzbek cuisine. Will definitely be back again.

I love this place. I have never been disappointed by anything that I have ordered. Sometimes I think the last thing I ordered couldn't be beat, then I try something new, and prove myself wrong. Highly recommend lamb, plov, and cabbage rolls.

Fun novel place to get some halal Central Asian cuisine. Ordered takeaway after work on a whim and enjoyed the experience. The meat was tasty, beef was my favorite of the trio. It was served with a tomato sauce similar to a gazpacho; very refreshing. Would love to stop by again and try some of the other Slavic inspired menu items.

Guys, if u are a foodie and have never been here, u are missing out ! This restaurant is nestled in an assuming shop lot, but man, the food is AMAZING !! The interior is cozy, semi formal. The food feels like u have a private chef cooking for you. The details in flavour... Even their Cesar salad, is so good that I am ordering it as a dish. I mean, if u know me, I never order salads. There is something about the salad dressing that is creamy but not overly done, super yummy. Their mantou- really good The lamb kebab- really good Their rice on the lunch special menu- amazing. U just have to come and try out the food

Great food, good service. Not to miss as you will not find anything like it in the twin cities. Makes me want to travel to Uzbekistan!

Went yesterday for late lunch with my son and his girlfriend. Great food. Staff is wonderful. Very much enjoyed.

1st off, I have to say I Googled Scandinavian & Sweedish resturants. I chose Samarkand for the picture of the Borscht, which I thought would be interseting coming from a Sweedish resturant. When I arrived I realized from the decor I was not in a Sweedish nor a Scandinavian resturant @ all. When I asked I was told they were Uzbeke. I decided to stay anyway & am so glad I did. I ordered a CUP of the Lagman soup & had to check when it arrived to be sure they didn't bring me the bowl instead. It's a much larger portion than I expected. The Lagman soup is absolutely delicious btw. I also ordered a grilled fish dish which comes w/ a choice of fries, rice or mashed potatoes. I chose the rice. The fish skin was crispy & the whole fish is delicious. The service is attentive & thoughtful. I want to come back in the future to try more things.

Your basic Uzbeki restaurant. Beef and shawarma with fries very hot and tasty and a little messy. Fries were an odd twist but hot too. Service was friendly but a little slow. Pleasant experience with friends. Friends had the cabbage roles loved them. Better than I was expecting.

What a hidden treasure! If you haven't tried Uzbek food before, you are missing out. Try the Mantu with meat for an appetizer. Our favorite entrees are the Plov Samarkand and the Qovurma Lagman. The staff are friendly and we love coming here!

This is a great place to support small business owners. We were a large party of 10 and everything came out delicious and together. Excellent service, though we had to ask for the check (that might be a cultural thing). It was fantastic. I'd love to go back!

What a beautiful restaurant it is the minute you walk in, with ambience, service and savory food to round things out. the whole package. it's a unique dining experience because Uzbek restaurants are not common but that's part of the fun. Discovery!

Happy to have found this nice Uzbek cuisine restaurant with very friendly and helpful staff who gave some popular recommendations as it was my first time experiencing Uzbek food. We tried a couple of this dishes and they were great! I especially liked the Shurpa soup, a traditional Uzbek soup made from beef broth with fatty beef chunks and vegetables like carrots, potatoes, chick peas and all, gave it a lot of flavor and robust taste. The traditional Plov rice dish on the other hand, wasn't dry like you'd expect from fried rice dishes. however, the one piece of meat was a little small compared to the rice ratio. Luckily I had the beef from the Shurpa soup which helped make up for the additional protein I needed for my rice. Another worthy mention was their samsa with meat that's similar to Somoza but not spicy like you'd expect in Singapore's curry puff or Indian somosa! Overall, it was a great experience and one I would recommend others to try!

What a great place! We visited in late afternoon with a party of 9 following a memorial service, and ordered appetizers and entrees, all of which we shared. Everything was delicious - dumplings, kebabs, salads - and we look forward to returning next time we are anywhere near. Unique culinary offerings from a faraway but beautiful place. Helpful, friendly and competent service. So glad a business that opened just before the pandemic made it through and seems to be thriving!

Unusual cuisine that is tasty and delicious. Busy with parties so call ahead. Kebabs were my favorite but other dishes such as their carrots salad were surprisingly tasty.

Samarkand specializes in food from its namesake in Uzbekistan. If you aren't familiar with Central Asian food, it is an interesting mix of east and west that developed along side trade on the Silk Road between Asia and Europe. This place doesn't look like much from the outside, but don't let that dissuade you. The dining area is clean and nicely decorated. They have about a dozen tables and a full bar near the entrance. We started with tea, Achchik-chuchuk (tomato and onion salad), Mantu (big steamed dumplings), and Cheburek (deep fried pastry filled with lamb and beef). The first was just straight-forward sliced tomatoes and onions. The others were quite different and really tasty - particularly the Cheburek. We followed that with A chicken Shish Kebab and the Plov Samarkand. The Kebab was perfect and the Plov was authentic, meaning it was a little heavy. The Plov is made with rice, lamb, currants, garlic, onions, carrots, and spices. We liked everything and will definitely be back!

The food was FROCKEN amazing. I got the lamb chops and the dumpling soup and dumplings. Also got their OG rice dish (plov Samarkand) Soooooo flavorful. Anyone that says otherwise has no pallete. The lamb chops were cooked PERFECTLY. Ambiance is beautiful with lovely decor, lighting, and colors in the wall art

This place rules. Great variety of food, awesome spices, great vibes. Recommend going on Saturday night to see the live band play.

I'm from the USA so I'm not sure of the authenticity, but it doesn't matter since the food is great. It is my weekly lunch treat for over 2 years if that tells you anything about quality of food.

Great food! Wish there was a few more options on their menu though. The restaurant has some nice decorations inside too. I recommend checking it out.

Such a fun place.. great friendly staff. Food is delicious Love the entertainment too...really makes the evening

I had a glass of Kompot and the Samsa on skewer to start, then the Toki Dolma, and lastly the Assorted Shish Kebabs. It was all amazing. I tried Uzbek food during my visit to Moldova last year and I've been looking for a local place. The food is amazing. It's a little out of the way and in a small strip mall so follow google directions. I'll definitely be back for more. I just wish they were closer to my house.

it's amazing restaurant , everything is so great ! the food oh my god ! I don't know describe ... is the best

I would highly recommend Samarkand to everyone. Delicious food full of flavors and it is always hard to choose a meal because everything is so good! It is a homemade food made with love!!!! Samarkand has the friendliest atmosphere and service.

Good food, friendly service and nice ambiance! Food is one of the best ways to get acquainted with other peoples' culture and this place truly succeeds!

We only ordered from this place once. It is a new establishment in place of highly successful Russian restaurant. I wanted to try their food since my husband and I are familiar with Uzbek food and love it. We've ordered Shurpa - beef broth soup and Plov (or Pilaf) with lamb, a king of Uzbek cuisine. The soup was excellent though a portion (we ordered Large, $10 one) seemed small. As far as the Plov, it was okay, rice being "A dente" - a tad undercooked. I will probably give them another try before I make my verdict. I really want this restaurant to be a success!

Excellent food! The kabobs, carrot salad, pilof, and borscht we're favorites across our group!

Was in the area for work and ended up going twice. Had chuchvara (soup with pel'meni) and samsa for takeout. Then dined in and ordered shurpa (soup with meat, veggies and chickpeas) and Napoleon. Both soups were delicious! Napoleon was a little disappointing, but only because it didn't taste how my family makes it, which is not the restaurant's fault. Highly recommend everything!

Very friendly, attentive and superb staff. The Food is Amazing, tasty and incredible. The Ambiance is cozy and inviting. I highly recommend this place; we have already shared with our friends about this Amazing and Wonderful gem known as Samarkand.

Food was undercooked, bland and low quality. Service was slow and poor. I do hope they can improve a few things starting by adding an additional staff to either focus on the to go orders and payments or help sit guest and take orders. One person running the show and doing everything causes slow service and a poor order / dining experience.

This is one of the best places I have ever visited. Food is super fresh and soooo tasty. People are nice and the inside of the restorant has very warm atmosphere. Strongly reccomend

Sooo delicious . You have to try everything . Especially lagman and manty. My husband loved the shaurma

My family and I got takeout from Samarkand on NYE2020 and were so happy with our choice! We had never been here before but their food was delicious! We ordered samsa, plov, galuptsi, dolma, and Napoleon. Everything was great. We highly recommend Samarkand and will be coming back in the future.

Delicious! We absolutely loved this place. My Ukrainian wife approved and we'll definitely be back!

Does not look much when you walk by, even takes bit to find it since it is at the backside of a strip mall in the Golden Valley and behind a much famous restaurant called TeaHouse. I grew up in NW China across border from Uzbekistan. Have been long for food from home. Had lunch at Samarkand today, they are good, Plov, handmade noodle soup and lamb shishkaba etc. They are all authentic and taste good. For sure will go back again.