Samira Restaurant

This charming restaurant, nestled near the IU campus, boasts a captivating and distinctive decor. The service was great, and we were delighted with the grilled eggplant with carrots and Afghani bread. While the soup was a bit of a letdown, the chicken and lamb kebabs were simply amazing! I highly recommend a visit to this delightful establishment.

This charming restaurant, nestled near the IU campus, boasts a captivating and distinctive decor. The service was great, and we were delighted with the grilled eggplant with carrots and Afghani bread. While the soup was a bit of a letdown, the chicken and lamb kebabs were simply amazing! I highly recommend a visit to this delightful establishment.

Samira is a solid spot for Middle Eastern food in Bloomington, and there’s a reason it has lasted for so many years in this college town. The menu is simple and straightforward, but the food is fresh and full of flavor. I especially want to highlight the hen—it was incredibly tasty, even better than the lamb or beef options in my opinion! The beef kebab is about $4 more expensive than the others, and while it’s still good, I found the lamb to be fresher and more satisfying. So unless you’re really craving beef, I’d suggest going with the combination platter or trying something else on the menu. Even though I’m not vegetarian, one of our friends ordered a vegetarian dish and it looked amazing—clearly a great option even if you don’t eat meat. Prices are very reasonable overall. The restaurant seems to accept reservations, which is helpful. We visited during summer (which is usually a slow season for college towns), and by 6 PM it was already starting to fill up. So if you’re visiting during the school year or on a weekend, I highly recommend making a reservation. I’ve included a photo showing the beef, lamb, and hen dishes we ordered—everything looked and tasted great. Definitely a spot worth checking out if you’re in Bloomington and want something fresh, flavorful, and satisfying!

Samira is a solid spot for Middle Eastern food in Bloomington, and there’s a reason it has lasted for so many years in this college town. The menu is simple and straightforward, but the food is fresh and full of flavor. I especially want to highlight the hen—it was incredibly tasty, even better than the lamb or beef options in my opinion! The beef kebab is about $4 more expensive than the others, and while it’s still good, I found the lamb to be fresher and more satisfying. So unless you’re really craving beef, I’d suggest going with the combination platter or trying something else on the menu. Even though I’m not vegetarian, one of our friends ordered a vegetarian dish and it looked amazing—clearly a great option even if you don’t eat meat. Prices are very reasonable overall. The restaurant seems to accept reservations, which is helpful. We visited during summer (which is usually a slow season for college towns), and by 6 PM it was already starting to fill up. So if you’re visiting during the school year or on a weekend, I highly recommend making a reservation. I’ve included a photo showing the beef, lamb, and hen dishes we ordered—everything looked and tasted great. Definitely a spot worth checking out if you’re in Bloomington and want something fresh, flavorful, and satisfying!

A really terrific change of flavor! As an Indy resident, Afghan or really any West Asian food is hard to come by, so it was an easy choice to land on Samira for my latest trip to Bloomington. The restaurant has a chic, comfortable vibe and friendly, fast service to compliment. I sat at a two top at the front of the dining room facing the street and the mirrors made for extra good people watching while I dined. I was surprised by the complimentary grilled eggplant and carrots along with a basket of fresh bread. I probably could have just doubled down by ordering extras of those and been happy and full. They both had so much flavor! For my entre I asked for the quabili pallao with lamb and was brought a true, heaping helping of basmati topped with so much delicious lamb, veggies, seasoning, and sauce. I cleaned the whole plate (which impressed even me) and which I would have had room for more. The super aromatic, slightly spicy and rich flavors were all so good. Oh, gosh, and I almost forgot the house salad! It was such a treat, herbaceous, acidic, crunchy and fresh. I really was stuffed (in the best way) by time I left. Don't think twice if you are in Bloomington and looking for something different and delicious!