Samira Restaurant

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!

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.

Went to Samira with my girlfriend and it was amazing! I've been to this restaurant a few times over the years and it never disappoints. The food, atmosphere and service are all excellent! I highly recommend Samira and will be back soon. Many thanks to the staff for a most enjoyable dinner!

Samira is such a unique restaurant to visit. The bread and eggplant starter come to the table free of charge (I can't think of any other restaurant in town that is that generous anymore). The salmon dishes are great, and I've had the vegetarian dumplings as well. Dinner also comes with soup, a delicious lentil.

Great place! People were super nice and the food was great. I ordered the combination special with lamb and my friend ordered combination of rock cornish hen and lamb. We received complimentary bread and eggplant which was delicious. I got the soup with tasted amazing and my friend the salad which smelled fresh.

I had never tried Afghani food before; this was lovely. We went to the lunch buffet (currently Thursday and Friday only) so we could try as many dishes as possible. I don't know what anything I ate was called, but I really liked the creamy chickpea dish and the spiced chicken thighs. The buffet includes a basket of bread and a piece of baklava. The baklava was particularly good, not super sweet, airy and delicate. The bread was similar to focaccia, which surprised me, but it was great.

Also I loved the decor and atmosphere.

If you think you don’t like eggplant think again!!! This place will have you rethinking your relationship with veggies in the best way. Such beautiful use of olive oil in every dish. Squash unbeatable, marinated eggplant to live for. I drive from downtown Indy just for this gem of Afghani cuisine. Thank you!!

Had family dinner there. We’re seated right away. Service is prompt and friendly. Good food and good portion. To top it off, I think their price is very reasonable. And over the last 10 years, I think their quality is very consistent (both food and service).

My husband and I went for our anniversary. We told the waitress it was our first time and asked for her recommendations. Cornish Hen and shrimp kebaabs and Samarok Lawang with Lamb. Both were delicious. Even before we ordered she brought an Eggplant and carrot with bread appetizer that was very good. The house soup (lentil and tomato) was yummy as well. I would definitely go back.

A great experience today. The wait staff was very helpful and respectful. The decor really made for a great environment while relaxing and eating. The food was a buffet style for 10$. Most options were vegetarian or vegan. The flavors were subtle and well paired. The bread, hummus, and baklava that were brought to the table were a nice addition.

Excellent price value for authentic gourmet lamb shish-kabobs.
Decent wine selection with some great options lower cost-Huber semi sweet red only $28 bottle.
Superb service
Exotic atmosphere
Terrific free appetizer of marinated eggplant
Great Middle Eastern bread
Very good chopped veggie salad
Wonderful baklava

Very good food with lots of vegetarian options. Vegan options seemed relatively few, but dishes can be made vegan. Great service. For a college town it's slightly upscale but worthwhile.

Delicious food - Great Service! One of my favorite Bloomington restaurants. It never disappoints!! I usually get the Combination Special with Cornish Hen. I highly recommend it! Even my picky husband loves this place!

They also have delicious wine. You definitely need to try this place!

I haven't had this kind of lamb before. Utterly delicious. Great atmosphere and amazing service. This is the place I take all my friends when they visit me in Bloomington. The food definitely feels authentic, lots of vegetarian options too!

Great food. Loved the babaganoush and hummus. Great vegetarian dish. Service was excellent despite being a busy Saturday night. Nice little outdoor patio with about 8 tables.

I can't believe this is my first time going to this restaurant. I've heard nothing but positive reviews about Samira, and the positive feedback holds up. We loved our meal, service, and the patio ambiance. We ordered the eggplant appetizer and the kabob combos for dinner. They also have a great wine selection! If you enjoy delicious food, then you'll love Samira!

Always love to go here for dinner. It is our favorite restaurant. The food is incredible. We’ve done the kebabs for years but have now started ordering the Samarok Lawang with chicken. OMG, it is so good! The hummus is the best ever and so is the sautéed eggplant and lentil soup. Don’t miss this place!

Amazing meal, as can be seen from the before and after photos. This is the Dumpling Combo with basmati rice. My family all cleaned their plates, as well. Staffing was short this evening but they went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect!! Best meal we have had out in a long, long time. Thank you!!

This was a great dining experience. We started with the fried eggplant and carrot. They bring this to everyone and the eggplant (which has never been one of my favorite vegetable) was seasoned perfectly. We both loved it! Then we both chose the Lentil Soup, it was amazing. It was different from any lentil soup I have ever had and I want some now! I had the Chicken Kebaab Dinner and he had the Beef Kebaab Dinner. Everything that we had was well seasoned and delicious. If I lived in the area, I would go back often.

To be fair, we were a group of three early birds on a Tuesday evening. We all enjoyed our food which was a fair value considering the quality and the quantity. Do leave room for the baklava.