Dur Dur Cafe

Food is amazing, portions are huge and price is great. Oh and the rice is amazing. Normally I don’t like rice, but this was good.

CASH ONLY! Don’t judge a book by its cover. We walked in and I was ready to walk back out. My husband convinced me to give it a try. We were greeted by a rather no-​nonsense older fellow. I asked him if we could see a menu, «No menu,» he said. Okay… He asked what kind of meat do you want, chicken, beef, goat. We asked for something with chicken and rice. He told us to have a seat, we started to sit down but he pointed to another section for us to sit in. I would think the first section is more for men and then back section is the family section. Don’t be shocked, it’s not entirely the cleanest place on earth. I had to wipe down my own table, and there were banana peels and empty glasses on other tables. We sat down and water and bananas were brought out to us. We got some tea, which like everyone says is excellent. We also got some pastry item in little baggies to go with the tea. After about 15 minutes our food came out. Wow, it was so friggin good. The chicken was cooked to absolute perfection. It was kind of crispy on the outside by so tender and delicious on the inside. It came on rise with a small salad. I think it was okay for two people to share but I thought maybe there could have been more chicken. I don’t think I will share next time. The total came to $ 12.00. The price was great. Don’t let the interior/​exterior frighten you away. Visit this place if you know what’s good for you!

Best place for real good, comfort food. Some of the best Somali food I’ve had.
If you’ve never eaten at an establishment like this before, it’s like the local watering hole for those that frequent. People come and go, picking up orders, chatting, chilling, and eating! As uncomfortable as one could easily find themselves in a setting like this, my boyfriend and I never did. We were welcomed and helped by the servers, their friends, and even regulars.
No menu, just platters. They usually have goat, chicken, or beef cooked with veggies. Comes with small side salad and either rice or pasta (or half and half!). Meats are cooked to perfection and seasoned well. Sides are simple yet awesome. The chai is the perfect blend of sweet, creamy, and spicy. Plates are $ 10 and chai is $ 2. I’ve never seen no frills done better. Will definitely be returning again!

The chai at this place is on a whole-​notha-​level!
It begins with a delightful sweetness. Maybe a slight hint of clove? Or maybe that’s just what deliciousness tastes like liquified?
Then comes the spice. Oh, perfectly balanced. A slight burn left over in the back of your mouth. It is a roller coaster of warmth and satisfaction with every sip.
Well done Dur Dur, well done. I applaud you and your magical beverage.
Your friend,
Andy

Finally, at lunch I can find a delicious dish. This is the best fried rice somali style!

At first this place looks sketchy… But the service is good and food is delish. Try the goat and chicken spaghetti…

awesome food. also cheap.tea (chai) is great. staff is friendly and very nice. at first look you would think of it as a shady place but its not. worth going in.

Some friends told me that they didn’t want to go to Dur Dur Café because they heard it was «sketchy». Well, color me adventurous or whatever, but I was curious about Somali food, so off a friend and I went to Dur Dur.
We got there right in time for evening prayers, and were going to wait until they were finished, but a man heading in insisted on escorting us to a table. Nice guy. Much appreciated.
We sat around and chatted for awhile before a woman asked if we wanted to «eat, have a chai, or just hang out?» Okay, this place is awesome. We can just hang out here? Cool!
We ended up taking her suggestion and having the goat with rice (AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS) and the beef with white bean stew (also AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS). And of course, we had the famous chai. Which was every bit as good as was reputed. Spicy but sweet, hot and creamy, you can feel it heating you from the inside out.
Everyone was lovely, friendly, and welcoming. We spent almost two hours there, just chatting, sipping our chai, eating the delicious food, and listening to the chatter around us.
Would I suggest this to everyone? Nope. But if you’re okay with feeling like you might be the odd-​man-​out in a restaurant, and you’re okay with feeling a bit like an oddity for the sake of great food and company, then Dur Dur will be the place for you.

The best Chai I have ever had, little sweet and a little spicy, I highly recommend it! I got a half and half plate, beans and a beef and vegie mix with a bit of salad. GF got the lamb with rice, this dish was excellent, lamb nicely seasoned and it was tender too. The basmati rice was great too, spiced up with cloves added, nice touch. I look forward to our return, I will inquire about camel meat. CASH ONLY

My first experience at a restaurant without a menu. I walked in, a bit confused about the «proper» first step to the process. Thanks to previous Unilocal reviews, I had the idea to ask what was available to eat today (after introducing myself as a newbie) and if the thermos on the table was indeed the chai tea I had read such wonderful things about. Goat with rice or spaghetti was the option — $ 10 for a plate (a big one! — he confirmed that the plate on another table was the same). After a bit of hesitation, he said he could give me some rice and some pasta, which I gladly accepted.
I pumped myself a paper cup-​full of chai tea and sat towards the front of the restaurant. While I waited, I watched people pray in the corner on prayer mats (supplied for the primarily Muslim clientele) and walked around looking at the pictures. I also wandered into the back room, where I heard much hooting and hollering — the Seahawks game was playing on a small tube TV. I walked up to check the score and the lively non-​English (Somali? Arabic?) chatter stopped. My guess is that white guys dressed in plaid don’t often come in for gameday at Dur Dur.
The most important part of the wait: the chai tea. It was fantastic. Perfectly sweetened and perfectly spiced. Just what I needed on a chilly day, and the perfect sipping drink with which to wait for my food.
The food was brought to me along with a banana (which I learned through other reviews was meant to be eaten with the meat). It was a heaping mound on a large plate — I knew I’d be taking some home (it ended up being about half of it). The goat was bone-​in (pretty typical for goat) and very tasty. Great spices and quite tender for a meat which doesn’t have a reputation for the same. The spaghetti was very simple, but good. The rice was very nicely favored — what with, I’m not certain. It also came with a simple, undressed salad of romaine, tomato, cucumber, and white onion (helped to keep things light, as a plate full of meat and carbs is bound to feel a little heavy).
I really enjoyed myself, but it was certainly an atypical American dining experience — be prepared. Also, to echo others, bring CASH.
Note: I would have provided 4 stars had it not been for the lack of friendliness/​helpful from the man who took my order and served me.

don’t be too scurred to eat at dur durred. Menu schmenu! Whoever’s helping you will tell you what meat’s available for the day: usually beef, goat or chicken with your choice of rice or pasta. They’re not really all about describing the dishes to you so for $ 10 a plate just try whatever sounds good. I’ve only had Somalian food here but it’s like a mix between Persian and Italian flavors.
Now, I don’t want to scare anyone away but whenever I come here it’s a little weird for me because the ambiance can feel a little (ok, a lot) unwelcoming at first (bright lights give me a headache, I know, boohoo) but this place isn’t about kissing your butt for an extra tip. Their food’s yummy. Their $ 2 chai tea is legit. You might get that «unwelcomed» feeling at first too but just trust your fellow Unilocalers and give it a try.

Very friendly people. This was suggested to me by a Somali cab driver. There are always a bunch of cabs parked out front, so I think the patrons are mostly cab drivers.
The décor is extremely minimal. Assorted chairs and tables scattered through two rooms. There was a large group scattered around a small television watching a Golden State Warriors game.
The chai was really good.
Main dishes were tasty and interesting. There are three meats — chicken, goat and beef. These can be served over either rice or an interesting kind of pasta sort of like spaghetti. A banana was served as an appetizer.
$ 22 for two entrees and two chais.
The menu also includes a soup of some sort, but we didn’t get a chance to try that. I will definitely be stopping by again.

The best chai. Freshly blended pepper sauce over savory rice and beans. Again — the best chai.

Wow. This place rules.
Trips to Seattle: 4
Chais from Dur Dur: 7
How have I not yet mentioned the camel meat? Wow, spiced so well and served with a great plate of veggies and rice. I really like ordering the spaghetti there, so try that out.

I wrote my first review on Dur Dur’s chai six years ago, and an update is well overdue. Over those years, I have become a bit of an addict to their chai. It’s a great Sunday morning treat as an alternative to coffee. Dur Dur has changed my expectations of chai, and in my mind all other chais pale in comparison with Dur Dur’s. Well, with the exception of some of the killer stuff found in the streets in India, but you can’t get anything like that out here!
Friday night I had a pretty long cab ride with a really nice driver and we had a great conversation on a number of topics. He is Somali and I asked if he ever spends time at Dur Dur, eating, talking, or playing dominoes with the folks who hang there. He said he did and highly recommended that I try his native cuisine, naturally.
Out of total coincidence, I swung by Dur Dur today to take a chai home to enjoy with the carryout lunch I’d already picked up from Seattle Deli. As I was leaving, Sayeed, my taxi driver recognized me and called out to me.
Next thing I knew, I was seated at a table, with their lamb dish in front of me, being taught how to play dominoes with the guys.
The food was totally unique and quite tasty. The lamb was mostly rib meat, chopped up with bone-​in, and served over rice. As African meat is always served, this was cooked for a long time and was definitely not tender and juicy as we’re accustomed to in Western dishes. It wasn’t chewy, gamey, or anything else, but definitely cooked very thoroughly. It was spiced with black peppercorns, cardamom, cumin and probably a few other spices. Sauteed with onions and served on a bed of seasoned rice, the entrée was quite large. A salad with a light vinaigrette and sliced limes was served with the entrée, as was a banana. I believe you’re supposed to eat the banana broken up into the main course, but raw banana is one of my least favorite foods, so I skipped that.
As expected, the chai was the top-​notch, and the lamb dish was definitely something I would eat again.
In fact, some Unilocal friends and I have been talking about checking this place out. I feel a little bad that I jumped the gun on this, but think this situation was a good excuse.
Dur Dur is funky and sparse. It’s not fine dining, but it is an excellent cultural experience. It’s a fascinating glimpse into a different community from your own, and is like a little mini trip to Africa at a tiny fraction of the cost. Go check it out. At the very least, you’ll find the best chai in Seattle, at best, you’ll find yourself in an animated game of dominoes learning about a fascinating diaspora culture!

My favorite somalian food in the city! the chicken fajita with rice plus a fresh banana is to die for and the chai… mmm spicy goodness! I love the simplicity of this restaurant and the family that owns and runs it are in a word, lovely. I also appreciate that it is restaurant unique! There are large tables for big groups (I remember in high school coming down there with a bunch of friends and playing cards through the lunch hour!). Anyway, treat yourself with a visit. it will be well worth it and remember to bring cash!

It’s one of those things where you can’t really explain it… or, I, at least have difficulty doing as… Walking up to it and glancing nearby, you’d think what’s so fab about this area? A simple purple overhang with Dur Dur Café and plain windows with a central door. Quiet lunch hour. The interior is perhaps just as nondescript, maybe a tad less-​so. Just some tables and chairs up front and a lowered kitchen with a cute chai thermos centered on a table next to its stairs. The gentleman (with blue arm cast?) who assisted my partially confused self was friendly and provided pleasant chit-​chat, briefly regarding how the chai used to be sold at SCCC (?) and that they used to charge $ 4/​cup (?) and how healthy it is and stuff. It’s rather hot so I didn’t finish it until back at the office…
…But. This. Is. Good. Chai! Although it has a similar lingering kick at the back of the tongue, I felt it was truly unique and delicious!

Its simplicity in the menu and restaurant size is what astonishes me.
the CHAI there is the bomb diggity. MASHALLAH!
It’s called «SAFARI CHAI»
You will never taste chai like theirs anywhere else.
Even attempting to imitate you will fail.
well atleast for me! I have been asking all of my Somali friends how they make their teas, just like restaurants. they all have different ingredients.
DUR DUR TEA IS SOMETHING ELSE! I wish I could bring my own thermos for them to fill it for me. I keep going back for more!
Not to mention I eat the spaghetti and goat meat and dont forget the banana! I love it. A weird combo. Not your typical spaghetti.
Somali spaghetti seems to use less tomatoe sauce and uses much more veggies usually which is a different change for me but I like it.
The goat meat is tender and chewy: not my favorite but it goes pretty well with the spaghetti.
I give it 4 stars alone because of the chai tea!
It’s more of a place to order to go. It’s a guy kick it spot especially for cab drivers. It’s their place to kick back; eat; play games and/​or pray.

I was talking with my Somalian cab driver last week about the differences between Ethiopian and Somalian food, and he told me about Dur Dur. It was a little strange that the first three reviews on here were written by people who did not even try the food, so I was intrigued and went with a couple friends.
This is not a normal restaurant. It was mostly guys hanging out, playing games, and praying. We stood around like idiots for a couple minutes, then wandered to the back to look for someone who might know something about food and told them we had never tried Somalian food and wanted to give it a shot.
There is no menu. There are three dinner choices: rice with goat meat, spaghetti with chicken, or a sandwich. We tried the rice with goat meat and spaghetti with chicken.
I have never had goat before, and it was rather bland and chewy. The rice was great. The pasta and chicken was really good. Apparently, you eat banana with the goat meat, which was a unique but delicious experience.
Water’s on the table, and they brought us all chai as well. The chai was excellent, as supported by the earlier Unilocal reviews.
Everyone here was extremely nice and excited to introduce us to Somalian food. We had a great time and stayed well past 11, even though they claim to close at 10.
Three dinner entrees + three chais = $ 33. Cash only.

* * * CHAI Review Here! (Going back to try the food soon!) * * *
THIS is how GOOD the Chai was — — – Ready? — — — – So good, I forgot I wasn’t drinking coffee!!!
(Have I mentioned I am a Die-​Hard, European-​Style Coffee Drinker!!!)
I literally can’t wait to go back to get another cup. If I could, I would bring the whole thermos, actually… :D
Christopher here on Unilocal has given a great review of the taste– Terrific chai, yet it has a wonderful flavor that sends you into dreamland trying to place it. Hmmm, slightly scalded? I’m going to call it a wonderful, smoky flavor that wafts up and reaches the cerebral cortex before you even drink it, then lingers on your taste buds beyond your last sip (or gulp!).
It is very very spare inside– in fact I wondered if I had actually walked in to the wrong establishment. There are 2 doors. I was there in the middle of the day to try the chai, so I will know more when we go back for the food.
Everyone was extremely friendly to me, very welcoming, helpful, etc. Even the customers outside– who noticed I was not used to the boiling hot cup and offered me something to wrap mine in.
Go here and try the Chai– REALLY. It will make you smile.
* * * And I will write again on the food soon!