Maandeeq East African Cafe

Love love love!! It's a MUST EAT and a place that definitely deserves more recognition! Every dish was so GOOD and FULL OF FLAVOR. I really enjoyed the fried fish of the day, chicken tikka, chicken shawarma, goat, lamb shank, and the rice was so memorable. Every bite was giving me the happy food dance! There were some language challenges with the server, but the chef came out, and he was so kind and friendly. We were very excited and couldn't wait to try all of the dishes after ordering. This East African and halal restaurant has had multiple owners and the current ownership has done an incredible job with the menu. It is very simple with wonderful signature dishes but all of the dishes are a must order. We enjoyed every single one, but the fried fish of the day and moist and flavorful chicken definitely stood out and had an amazing green chili sauce served with it. The hot sauce was a light green colored chili sauce was such a great compliment to each dish and totally elevated the burst of flavor. I think it's the basbaas hot sauce. So good! I could eat it on everything! Another note was that the chicken dishes were so moist and perfectly cooked. Most of the meat dishes fell off the bone. I really hope to go back with friends so they can explain and share more details about some of the amazing halal dishes that we had. I'm not so sure what was in the "veggie" soup but it was so yummy and I would go there just for coffee, the soup and a sambusa for a quick lunch or snack. The spices and flavors were incredible! The chef shared that there were lots of different types of veggies in the soup, but it definitely had some sort of flavor of lamb or goat in addition to the amazing veggies and spices. After leaving we also stopped at the Mandeeq Cafe for some STRONG and bold coffee. I have been to the restaurant over the years and one of the best features about the restaurant is that there are so many elements of Chinese design and decor throughout the space. Prior to being a destination halal restaurant in a diverse corridor it was a Chinese restaurant for a very long time. I love enjoying the African delicious entrées from Mandeeq and looking at the ceiling tiles with lots of Asian influence. Makes my heart happy that this incredible restaurant exists and occupies a space with elements of Asian decor too. The restaurant is definitely a no-frills and could use some upgrades, but that's part of the charm. I also love that it's a very busy community space and you see lots of different members of the community going in for lunch or a snack or even just a quick coffee. Another note is that sometimes there is a language barrier, but the service and staff is just so incredibly friendly and kind. Be patient, open minded and kind. Please be respectful of the halal restaurant and enjoy the amazing cuisine that Mandeeq has been serving our global community since 2008.

Great food Somali style but poor customer service. I have visited several times and you have to call in advance to make sure they haven't run out of certain dishes. The food is a solid 5 stars but customer service needs serious help.

Somali food is well seasoned and they are masters in preparation of goat.Great food with appropriate portions and price.Focus on the food and not on the ambience and you will leave feeling very satisfied.Favorite: goat and lamb dishes and of course the Sambusa.Lots of native Somalians dine here.Service is courteous.Will be back, inshallah !

Great food and large portions, Somalian cuisine. Sambusa is delicious (ask for the hot chili sauce)The goat and tandoori Chicken are fantastic, so was the soup of the day.

This Somali eatery located in an Aurora strip-mall offers a peek into a rare (for Denver) culinary dimension. Maandeeq is a word used particularly in Somaliland (the semi-autonomous region in the north of Somalia) for a type of female camel, and the restaurant serves as a meeting-point for expatriates from Somalia, Somaliland and Djibouti. Eagle-eyed visitors will notice that the space was formerly occupied by the Empress of China restaurant, and to that end, the current owners have kept many of the internal accoutrements, right down to the bottles of soy sauce on each table. There is no menu at Maandeeq - they serve what they have available each day. If you come by early in the morning (beginning at about 10 am) you may be able to partake in a meal of Suqaar (sliced beef cooked with onions and peppers) served with Canjeero (a pancake-like bread which is indeed vaguely similar to the Injera of Ethiopia and the Taita of Eritrea). At lunch and dinner times, the choices become quite a bit more varied and, in addition to Suqaar, may include Hilib Ari (succulent roasted goat), thin-pounded marinated beef steak, or a vividly yellow rendition of the Middle Eastern favorite, Chicken Shawarma. Lunch and dinner meals come with a choice of accompaniments. For example, Bariis is a cardamom and clove-kissed rice pilaf. Or how about Baasto (spaghetti with tomato sauce, a nod to the former Italian presence in much of Somalia)? Jabati/Sabayad (a chewy flatbread which hints at Somali cuisine's South Asian influence) is another possibility, or even Ugali [Soor] and Sukuma, a dish originating across the border in Kenya and consisting of white cornmeal porridge and a puree of leafy greens. I have tried each dish listed above and can personally vouch for its toothsomeness (I know that's not really a word, but humor me, OK?). All meals come with a banana (Moos) which is meant to be mixed in with your meal (per Somali custom) and a peppery soup called Maraq, and for a dollar extra you can try the soothing, comforting spiced tea called Shaah. Other possible beverages include mango (Cambe) and guava (Seytuun) juices, or Vimto (the English mixed-berry soda which is *very* popular in much of East Africa and across the Middle East as a whole). Most Somalis are devout Muslims and do not drink alcohol - thus Maandeeq does not have a liquor license. Please do not ask. In Somali, the word Beer in fact means Liver. I (or as the folks at Maandeeq know me, "that weird white guy who shows up from time to time") highly recommend Maandeeq to those who are seeking something a little different in the culinary canon.

Solid, delicious, plentiful food for pretty good price! Dining experience here is like being transported to a bustling Somali market side eatery that may, at one point, have been a Chinese restaurant. Euphemisms aside, the food here is freaking delish! Have I had better Somali/Italian food? Yes, but that place is in another state so I'm pretty darn happy with this place. The food is fairly authentic which means spaghetti here is not going to be anything like your canned/jarred stuff. That really a surprise? Somali food, as I know it, is a unique blend of Indian, Mediterranean & oddly enough, Italian flavors & gosh darn it, it works! Give it a go!As for a poor review that remarked on one demographic of patrons here, omg, this is 2017, embrace the beauty of it & the fact that what you observed means the food is authentic. I hope you go back often until you become a part of the community.Peace, love & good eatin'

I like to try different ethnic restaurants and found Maandeeq on Yelp. It is Somali instead of Ethopian. When I walked into the place, it seemed kind of odd as the decorations on the wall were all Chinese. Anyway, a sign said seat yourself so I sat down and there was a colorful menu on every table. The funny thing was the menu had pictures but no price list. A waiter came by to take my order, he was quite friendly. I ordered the fish of the day lunch and a chai. A couple minutes later a small bowl of lentil soup and a banana were brought to my table. I was not quite sure what to make of the banana. The fish of the day was fried tilapia with a red sauce on top, a side salad and plate of basmati rice. The food was okay. The lentil soup was a little watery. The fish was slightly overcooked and therefore a little dry and the sauce also made it a a bit less crispy. The rice was good and tasted kind of similar to Indian spices. Anyway, all that including the chai was exactly $12, quite a good deal.This restaurant must be authentic because all the customers except me were African although I cannot say if they were from Somali.

Sketchy as hell. Disgusting place. Loud people yelling at us. Took them 30 min to even get us water. Don't ever use your card got up charged had to pay 60 dollar for 3 meals. Horrible place don't give them business.

Ver unsatisfied. I went this place today and I did not get what I wanted to get instead they gave me what they wanted. I went there to get a lunch for my family so I wanted to get three dish of rice two of them with goat meat and one with fish, and they said I can't have two goats. it's not like they run out of the meat, but they don't want to give it to the customers and I think that's not right. I think customers should have the right to choose what they want. The guy there didn't even give me a drink and he said if I want the drink I should pay for it eve though, it's free to so people. overall, my experience was not good and I hope to not go there again!

I liked the great traditional food they have with amazing service. It is place which reminds me home and it is my favourite in Montreal.