Samira Restaurant

Great food and service. Not the typical restaurant you’d find in a college town, but it was great. The portions are just right, and the flavor incredible.

I just want to say, what kind people! I work at the tea shop nearby. A man came in asking if I had change I could exchange for some bills he had. I exchanged it and then he told me he would be right back. Next thing I see, he came back in with a whole meal for me! And honestly, what an amazing meal. Thank you, you made my day!

The food here is delicious! We had an excellent time. Prices seemed reasonable for the quantity of food provided. Even the side Greek salad I ordered was abundant. Will add it to our rotation when in town.

This is the best food I had during my short visit in Bloomington! Ordered "Combination special" with Lamb kebab ($23.95) that comes with quabili (Afghanistan's national dish with core ingredients of steamed rice mixed with caramelized carrots and raisins as well as marinated lamb meat, according to internet), manto (dumplings typically consist of a spiced meat mixture) and sambosa. It also came with a soup or salad; I went with red lentil soup. The bread and grilled eggplants are free. Everything was great! I was really sad about various restaurants in the area that had let me disappointed in the past few days; I am so glad that I made the right decision, with stomach filled great food, cook and season just right, for the last night in town. I would totally came back to visit and come to this place again. This is officially my favorite restaurant in Bloomington!

Too bad that I took this long to come to Samira. This is just the kind of food I love. The meats are cooked to perfection. Breads are baked to be as fluffy as anyone would love and the the rices are seasoned for an experience. Really enjoyed my visit here and the service was great. Would be back again and again!

Food was amazing and the atmosphere and service was great! We ordered the Lamb Kebab and Roasted Salmon - the lamb kebab was cooked to our preference, and the roasted salmon was cooked really well - super tender and not dry at all! Overall, food was really great!

Great staff and experience! The food was very good- tender meat and good flavor in the sauces. The dinner portions are on the more expensive side (18-25$) but they come with bread and salad/soup, as well as good quality meat. There are a variety of vegetarian options available! The lunch buffet is also good and more affordable.

Samira is one of my top 3 restaurants in Bloomington. The food is always great and the atmosphere is very nice. They provide bread with some spicy roasted eggplant, both are delicious. I also enjoy the hummus appetizer, it goes well with the bread. Their Sambok appetizer was also quite good. Mushrooms, peppers, and onions in a savory sauce! My favorite entree to get is the Quabilli Pallao with Lamb. It is lamb cooked in a tomatoey sauce served over rice and topped with shaved carrots and raisins. The flavors are so Unique, unlike anything I have had before. The lamb combination kebab is also excellent because it comes with lamb, rice, a Samosa, and Momo (dumplings). You can also get Momo as an entree but I view it More as a side or an appetizer for the table. Each entree also comes with lentil soup or a salad. I have only had the soup and it is very satisfying. I have always received great service at Samira, the servers are all very kind. They recently updated the interior, and wow! The walls are darker and feature mirrors throughout to make the restaurant feel more like a fine dining experience. They also changed the two tables by the window to feature raised floor seating for those who want a more authentic experience. I recommend Samira for anyone wanting great food in Bloomington.

The dumplings here are very fresh. It's rare to find dumplings that are both handmade and rolled out that thin. So that brings this to 5*. Bread is also excellent. To be comprehensive--the rice and sauce for the dumplings weren't _as_ impressive, and would be 4*. But the dumplings are just so fresh that I'm rounding up.

Food: Amazing flavors! Portions were very filling. A group of 5 of us each ordered an entree and shared it. Kebabs and the Salmon platter were easily shareable. The Cornish hen was tasty but small in portion size. Service: Good customer service! Attentive without being overbearing. My only critique is not of a server but there were bussers/hostess that could have assisted the server with removing dirty dishes or refilling water; however they were in the back near the restrooms on their phone. I drank a lot of water and had to use the restroom multiple times and each time they were tucked away in the back in their phone. Our server was amazing but had multiple tables. Ambiance: Great! Everything in dining space was comfortable and looked nice.

This used to be a top 3 restaurant for me in Bloomington pre-2020, but it has declined since then. The quality of the food has remained fairly consistent, but the service has declined, and the costs have increased significantly, particularly for the lunch buffet, which used to be a great value to balance out the higher prices for dinner. It's the little things, like the plates for the lunch buffet being much smaller than before, the waiters being inexperienced, and being given the dessert and bill before I've taken my second bite. Maybe they're trying to prevent people from going back for a second plate, but with the smaller plates that's a big ask when tax/tip is pushing towards $20.

So, I travel a lot and this place was positively a delightful find. The food was the absolute highlight, it's become a staple for when I come back. This was easily some of the tastiest food I've ever had, I had the eggplant appetizer which was spicy, savory and delicious in every way. My dinner of lamb was also wonderful, the generous portion of lamb was surprising in the best way. Top that off with the fact that it was delicious and you can't lose! The atmosphere is charming and welcoming in here. You walk in and get this kind of nice mix of classic Afghan and just a hint of America which is plesant. There's no overly loud music, the ambiance is just lovely, it's a win overall. Finally service-wise, this is the only area I wasn't totally thrilled. The server was a little less than attentive, yes we got seated quickly, yes we got our order taken quickly, then she disappeared. Not a huge problem but I felt thats the only thing separating this from a 5-star review. All in all really well done, and it's family owned which just makes it even better definitely give them a try!

I had never tried Afghan food before, but I eat some (less adventurous) Indian and Pakistani dishes, so I was apprehensive of messing up my order and getting something I couldn't handle or didn't like. But the restaurant was very nice. Upscale experience. The waitress was patient and instructive, so the meal was very good, and the experience delightful. I'm glad I didn't take my mother here. It's not a place for picky eaters who refuse to try things they don't know. But of you are open minded, they will help you through it.

The service here was absolutely stellar! The waitresses did a wonderful job, were knowledgeable, considerate etc. the starter eggplant dish that is served upon sitting was delicate and delightful. Loved the garlic, olive oil and spice that came with the dish. The bread is perfectly airy and central to enjoying the dish as well as eating the baba ghanouj with - delicious! Listen, I love lamb but a problem I always face in America is that lamb is over cooked and tough. The lamb in the quabili pallao was soft, melt in your mouth, oh so good! This has got to be one of the best afghani restaurants I've ever been to in America. I should also note that the dumplings were delicious! Pro tip: if you like spicy order the spicy chili chutney!

Upon arrival, you receive a eggplant dish that tastes pickled, and it's absolutely heavenly. You also receive a basket of the most buttery afghani bread. Lentil soup was very good, explosive, and tasty. Side salad was decent, but the dressing was not very pleasant. It was a balsamic, which I generally love -- but it was a bit overpowering. Baba ganouj -- preface this to say, I am incredibly bougie when it comes to baba as I'm a bit of a snob about it. I have high standards, can't help it! With that said, this baba ganouj was in my top 10. It was DELICIOUS. Manto -- steamed beef dumplings which were so delicate and good. The yogurt sauce that tops the dumplings was an absolute dream. Lamb Pallao -- absolute HEAVEN. the lamb was perfectly fork tender and melted in your mouth. Don't skip the spicy chutney! For photos of the food, see my most wonderful dining partner Ata's review. The service was stellar and the restaurant is beautiful. I'm glad we found this diamond while wandering around Bloomington.

Outstanding food, outstanding service! I was in Bloomington today and had dinner at Samira and it was excellent. We ordered two lamb dishes, both were extremely flavorful and very tender. Our waitress was great too. Highly recommended!

Best food in bloomington by a large margin. Everything is good. Good service and vibes.

Delicious food. Service usually good. Parking can be a challenge, expect to park at least a block away and walk over. Still giving 5 stars on the strength of the food even though one time I made a reservation for 6 people and they then took a huge group that evening (or the huge group just showed up?) and couldn't honor our reservation. Would give them more than 5 stars if the service could reach consistently great.

You really can't go wrong with any of the items on the menu. I especially love all the vegetarian food--I think I've tried all the vegetarian options and loved them all!

AMAZING FOOD & SERVICE ======================= REVIEW #802 I made a reservation for dinner on May 8, 2021. This was graduation day for Indiana University. Our dinner was one my favorites in Bloomington. I had the vegetarian aushak and it was amazing. They are little steamed dumplings filled with cabbage, onion, and cliantro in home-made vegetable tomato sauce and spiced yogurt, around seasoned basmati rice. I am craving that right now and unfortunately they are 2,000 miles away. They serve complimentary eggplant when you are seated. I can't remember what two of the four ordered at my table, but my son's girlfriend recommended this dish and two of us ordered it. My son most likely ordered a beef dish and I think my husband ordered the lamb. We were all in hog heaven. The service was perfect from start to finish.

Bloomington has a lot of really great restaurants. Different kinds of ethnic restaurants surround campus and the downtown area and each one has its own charms. Samira, an Afghan restaurant that sits right on the square in Bloomington, is a shining jewel in the city's diverse restaurantscape. We were warmly greeted and seated quickly. The waiter brought warm bread and slices of marinated, grilled eggplant and carrots to eat while we were making our dining decisions. The tangy vegetables and floury bread were the perfect starter for this meal. Both were amazingly wonderful. I got the combination special with lamb kabob. It was a generous skewer of lamb chunks roasted over a flame. Also on the plate were quabili (rice wwith vegetables, fruits and spices), manto (steamed meat dumpling) and sambosa (a turnover filled with meat and spices). The assortment of flavors and quantity of food was truly a feast. With a full belly and a loaded doggie bag, I left happily planning my next trip to Bloomington. What a wonderful adventure and I only had to drive to Bloomington.

Amazing food with great service! Samira Restaurant is located centrally in Bloomington, and they offer both patio and indoor seating. I tried their vegetarian special, which included dal, creamy eggplant, spinach, and rice. Everything in here was perfectly seasoned and absolutely delicious!

Without a doubt a must try if you are in town since the food is fresh and well-seasoned.

I loved this restaurant when I went to school here 12+ years ago, and I'm happy to say they haven't lost a step. Their provided app single-handedly turned me into an egg plant eater. So thin, not mushy--how do they do it? The kabobs are good, the hummus is good, anything with that little yogurt drizzle and raisins in it is good. Just go for it.

The wife and I have been walking past this restaurant for years on our visits to Bloomington and finally decided to check it out. We plan to return and not wait years this time. Within Minutes of our arrival, the server brought us warm bread and seasoned slices of eggplant. Both were delicious. And my wife does not like eggplant. That's how good it was. We ordered the hummus appetizer. While the hummus was good, the salad of peppers, onions, tomatoes and something that looked like parsley (I could be wrong here), was delicious. The two combined with some of the warm bread made for a perfect bite. I ordered the combination kebabs. This came with chicken, hen and dumplings some of which contained cabbage and one containing lamb. The one containing lamb was breaded rather than what I would call a dumpling. I ate it all quite happily. The dumplings came with a really good green sauce containing what appeared to be fresh herbs in a citrusy (possibly lime) mix that added great flavor to the dumplings. The wife ordered the cabbage and leek dumplings. I think this is called the vegetarian sampler. She found them all good, but preferred the cabbage over the leek. The meal also came with a bowl of tomato leek soup. I enjoyed this although it was kind of lukewarm. The wife wanted me to note that she doesn't normally like tomato based soup, but did like this soup. Apparently, Samira did something right. Also, the servers were good and friendly.

This my favorite restaurant in Bloomington hands down. I come here every time I am around the area and it never disappoints. I didn't even know that they had buffet during lunch hours .... A decent buffet ... one of the best I tried in my life

My wife and I have always liked Afghan food and the food at Samira was very good. Nice ambience and the waitress was very attentive. Highly recommended.

Worst service I've EVER experienced and I was the only person eating in the restaurant. Food is great but all workers stand around and do nothing. I had to go to the kitchen to ask for water and then had to go again to the kitchen to ask for the check..ONLY customer!

Wonderful, wonderful dining experience with my daughter and son-in-law tonight! We were greeted warmly as soon as we walked in and were quickly seated. Yoseph - our server - was out in a flash with water for everyone and continued to give us excellent service all evening. Our appetizer was "Namounaa" - a sampling of three dishes: Kadu (Baked Butternut Squash), Sabzi (Spiced Eggplant) and Shalgham (Baked Turnip). It was accompanied by Focaccia bread with dipping oil and the combinations of flavors were SPECTACULAR. I seriously could have eaten that for a meal all by itself. After that was a little lagniappe - Grilled Eggplant that was thinly sliced and beautifully seasoned. Once again - I could have eaten an entire plate of that and been deliriously happy. After that we received a cup of Red Lentil Soup - just DELISH. From there we went to the mains with two of us getting Lamb Kebabs and I chose the "Quabili Pallao" - seasoned Basmati rice with carrots, raisins, lamb with a tomato-onion sauce. Holy Crap that was Good! It's like every piece of rice was hand cooked, perfectly flavored, and then set onto the dish. The contrast and balance of flavors was just fabulous. To round it off we enjoyed a delicious Bordeaux. Honestly one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. This is an absolute must if you're within 100 miles of here.....

We were in Bloomington for my sons orientation and stopped by at Samira for lunch. It was a lunch buffet. The choice of food was quite limited. The food was bland... perhaps pandering to a wider customer base. Nothing wrong with that except to me it just tasted like there was no love and affection put in while cooking. I would not recommend this place to anyone I know.

The food is not college kid friendly with the lowest plate costing $20 It is extremely ridiculous. Not that it's unaffordable to me it's just not worth the price. The soup they force you to buy with the rice and chicken kabob tastes horrible and extremely aged it's probably made in the morning in a big batch and served all day. The chicken is extremely dry and the serving is very small for poor quality chicken. They also take 1 hour just to bring out the a plate of rice and chicken how long could it possibly take to make rice and chicken I can cook it quicker at home. The only good thing about this restaurant is they have free complimentary bread that is stale with some old oil. The free complimentary eggplant also tastes nasty and I love eggplant. They seem to be always late with everything even cleaning the table when restaurant is empty! I will never come here again as they don't seem to have much respect for their customers and think their customers worlds revolves around them. I overall think the problem is with all the staff and not a waiter issue

I was looking forward to dining here because of all of the reviews and it was recommended by a family friend. But when calling for a reservation someone repeatedly picked up and hung up! Our team thought to try 1 last time and a gentleman answered YELLING - stop calling bc he thought this was a prank caller. I was floored! We continued with making the reservation because we felt bad at this stress he must've been under to answer like this. But at the end of the call as we were still speaking he hung up again! Everyone has a bad day! And if at any point he would have apologize for the lack of professionalism, I would even bother with this review. But since this was a VERY important dinner we didn't wanna risk a poor experience and had to find some where else to dine. Hopefully a different system or a hostess will be put in place as no one should have to experience this when simply making a reservation. **still giving 2 vs 1stars just to gracious to a small business**

We tried Samira on the recommendation of a friend. Food was overall just okay. We got the veggie pasta combo and the veggie special. Flavors were good but could have been much better. The best part of the meal was the grilled eggplant with garlic that they bring at the beginning... that was SO good. Service was unfortunately bad, especially for the price of the meal. We were mostly ignored the whole meal, waters never refilled. Waiter would walk away while talking to us. Ambiance was nice, however.

Have a Greek salad and hummus for dinner. Nice combination with a nice red wine. I would highly recommend this place if you're happy to be lost in Bloomington, Indiana Very busy so take your time. The service was a bit slow but the place was full so can't complain about that but I was surprised to see cilantro in the Greek salad Went back a second time. Was in town for business and was not disappointed. Took the waitresses recommendation. It was an excellent lamb dish. I would highly recommend

We were in Bloomington for a short getaway and stumbled upon this place online. The reviews looked promising and the food certainly did not disappoint. We tried: 1) Kebab combination 2) Samarok Lawang (with a side of their house salad). The food was delicious; very flavourful. Portions were good. Prices are reasonable. I particularly appreciated that their salad wasn't your typical, bland house salad that you get served at most places. Service was excellent. I would highly recommend them if you're looking to try something different and delicious. Keep up the good work!

Great food !! 1st time customer, we will be back. We had super service with and knowledgeable a server.

We made a reservation four days in advance and we're given our choice of times. When we arrived, the waitress told us it was full and she had no idea how long the wait would be (she seemed quite clueless). Nothing about where to wait - she just left us standing in the doorway. I'm not sure what the point of making a reservation was. We would have certainly been willing to wait a while until somebody finished, but she had no idea (it was an hour before closing, so we weren't sure we would even get a table). We left and will not return.

My favorite restaurant in Town so far, Vegetarian friendly. Buffet don't have too much options but everything tastes wonderful.

Very friendly and welcoming service. Delicious food, with healthy, well-paired ingredients, and satisfying portions.

I could write a great review but all the others have covered it. I have spent close to 3 years in Afghanistan and this is the most original Afghan cuisine I have had in the USA. This is the real deal! It is amazing what can be found nestled in middle of the USA. Update- returned to Bloomington for work and this was the first place I came...nothing has changed...silk awesome food!

Prior to this meal, I had reached an agreement to buy two plots of land from local farmers Eric and Paul. After negotiating for hours, we finally came to an arrangement that was beneficial for both parties. To celebrate and give thanks we decided to go to Samira. Let me tell you, I was pleasantly surprised. Me and my new friends ordered the hummus and grilled eggplant to start. The hummus was delicious, and I found the eggplant palatable. For my entree, I ordered the lamb and chicken kebab. They brought my meat out on a stick. I didn't know what to do so I just started eating. Next thing you know, my plate was empty! The lamb and chicken was juicy and tender. This might be the best meat in all of Bloomington. While I give this restaurant 4 stars, this is an incredible HIGH 4 STAR RATING. This meal helped me expand my ever growing Hanis palate. For that, I am forever grateful. God Bless America and God Bless Food!

Quick dinner during a work trip. Food was fantastic. I tried the Namounaa, Chicken Manto, and green tea. Couldn't finish but I would definitely come back and highly recommend it.

Be careful visiting this place. I would give negative 5 stars on the service if I could. Food is average at best. Visited during the welcome week and so were cognizant of how busy things could be. Were very patient all along even though the servers were very inconsistent all along. Gave the menu but no one shows up to take the food order. Finally the food order was given but no sign of food or drinks until reminders. Then other parties who came after us, started getting their food before us. When asked, the server gave us quite an attitude. We saw several other parties complaining about their food and billing errors. This was not the only place we visited during the welcome week. Other places were overwhelmed too but nobody came close to being this bad.

Absolutely loved my dinner at Samira! I never had Afghan food before and it was delicious. I had the dumplings, which were incredible and beautifully presented. Upon placing my dinner order, my friend and I had complimentary eggplant which was a little too heavy on the garlic, but still good. The atmosphere isn't particularly great and the restaurant could use a facelift but the place is busy and the food is wonderful.

Absolutely delicious!! One thing that really got my attention was the appetizers that they right away which was absolutely amazing. The food took a little long but was well worth the wait because the main dish was unbelievably good. The atmosphere is very fancy and beautiful interior. Highly, highly recommend coming here.

White table cloths, impeccable appointments, and excellent food; this eatery is owner occupied for a Guarantee of service and attention to detail. Semira is one of my top two recommendations for visitors who stay in my Airbnb, or visit our Venue Art Gallery. Unless you must, Don't plan to rush through this experience, or be put off by a more formal environment... This is an excellent location to Be in the center of downtown, well fed with memorable taste delights, and Cared for With an old world European feel. You guessed it, this is my "feel good" place!

Bread and oil tasted great, the soup was amazing and I can't stop craving my entree!!! I want to go back so badly and the only thing keeping me from coming here 24/7 is the fact that my pocket book couldn't afford it. But it does have me checking to see if they have lunch specials lol Also, our server was amazing!!!!

I never expected to like Afghan food, but Samira is delicious. Although the "waiting area" is a bit cramped and the hostess was busy running around the restaurant, there seemed to be an order to the chaos of Friday night dinner. There is a fair amount of seating for a small restaurant. It's a very open structure, so don't expect privacy or elbow room if you're in a large group. However, the wait staff were courteous, attentive, and efficient, despite how busy they were. We were very impressed with the the entire experience, from the pleasant decor to the stellar food to the lower-than-expected bill. My girlfriend ordered the Chicken Manto (dumplings with spicy tomato sauce and yogurt sauce over basmati rice), while I got Namounna (a sampler consisting of spinach and baked turnip, butternut squash, and eggplant with the same sauces). Right away, the waiter brought us complimentary bread and spiced, grilled eggplant that were both delicious. The salads were more like entrees than sides. Very fresh with lots of cilantro (which we love, but some may not). It seemed like we waited a while for our entrees, but the first two courses left us more than satisfied to wait. The entrees themselves were equally large and tasted amazing. We both agreed that the sauces really elevated everything. I also loved the combination of savory eggplant with sweet butternut squash. It was almost like a veggie dessert. TLDR; we really enjoyed the food, service, and atmosphere at Samira. I would highly recommend it if you are looking for a nicer dinner in Bloomington, and we will definitely be going again!

Delicious food!! Fast service. Be aware though that Saturday they are only open 5-9pm. Yelp says 11-3pm. We drove an hour for lunch and had to wait until 5pm. There was already a line at 4:50pm to get in. Highly recommend.

I love this restaurant. Loved it 20 years ago (when I was a student), loved it this time around. Really flavorful Afganian food, fresh ingredients, great presentation. We started with Baba Ganouj and their staple marinated eggplant with bread. For entree, we shared the Kadu Pallao (with lamb) and the Sabzi Tchallao with lamb - both very nicely done, with respect to the delicate flavors of vegetables and aromatic rice. Next time, we'll leave space for dessert... The restaurant is quiet and intimate, staff discreet and polite - this is a good place for date or business. I'll be back.

Very impressed! I was craving vegetables and so we decided to try Samira's. Not at all crowded early (6pm) on a Wednesday evening. Comfortable restaurant, nice ambiance. We started with the Baba Ganouj appetizer, which was excellent. Very smooth texture and great flavor. Better than we have had at other local restaurants. My partner ordered the lentil soup and really enjoyed it. For our entree we shared a shrimp salad. It was certainly large enough to share, with eight grilled shrimp on a skewer. Very good dressing and everything fresh and well chopped. No giant pieces of lettuce. Our dessert was Mahalabia, which is an incredible milk pudding made with cardamom. We had never had anything like it, and it was the perfect end to our wonderful meal. Service was excellent. Attentive without being cloying. A terrific meal, we look forward to many more visits to Samira's.

Came to Samira's the first night I moved to Bloomington and boy was I happy with the food here. This is a pretty big restaurant located in the heart of Bloomington, not too far from IU. Once seated and post ordering we were given eggplant with some olive oil and pepper flakes. This is a standard dish they give to all customers on the house and must I say it was good! We ended up ordering: * lamb kabobs - this was really good- I felt that the meat was very tender and juicy and came with lots of rice. We were also given a lentil soup in the beginning and this was extremely flavorful and yummy as well * shrimp & chicken kabobs - I tried the shrimp kabobs from my fathers order and this was really yummy as well! The shrimp was fresh and was perfectly crispy and tender! Overall, really yummy spot and worth coming to to try the food!

This restaurant is one of the best in Bloomington! The food is superb and the presentation is the best bar none. Cozy and elegant environment. Must stop by, if you're a vegetarian there are plenty of vegan options and if you love meat order kebab!

The food was fantastic!. As good or better than my favorite Afghan restaurant in Richmond, VA. So glad we tried Samira on our weekend in Bloomington! Even though our server was a little slow, we didn't mind because we weren't in a hurry.

Best dumplings of my life. Haven't been there recently but I'll never forget that meal.

Came here for a work party and was blown away!!!!!great food and great service. We will be putting Samir's in our rotation! Looking forward to taking my husband!

First night in Bloomington for business trip. Ordered takeout based on good reviews and was not disappointed. I ordered the Combination Special (kebab, munta, and sambosa). All of these these were delicious. Great way to try a little of several things. Good value for the variety and amount of food. Came with rice, bread and soup or salad. I got salad and it was fabulous. There was also a little eggplant appetizer in my bag, but I was so full I didn't try it. If I weren't in a hotel I could have easily made two meals out of this. Staff was very helpful and very nice. Overall experience was wonderful. I may have to eat at Samira's again this week!!!