Dur Dur Cafe

I ordered goat with rice and noodles/pasta. The goat was juicy and flavorful. Rice and noodles were rightly cooked. They added small portion of greens too. Food was freshly prepared and was quick too. They don't have a fancy ambiance but their food is great. While making payments the owner confirmed if I took tea and removed the added charge. This is a symbol of great service. Also for $18.5 meal it was twice the serving. Must try: goat meat

This is a true hole-in-the-wall place! It can be very intimidating to come here at first but the experience is well worth it, and this review highlights how to best enjoy this place! The entrance door is like a residential door so I had to think twice before turning the knob, but you're in the right spot. The interior reminds me of the dining area of a church: simple, economical, and general ambience that entices a nice conversation with friends. Once you enter, you will be greeted and you get seated. THERE IS NO MENU, but there are 2 types of meat and 2 types of carbs to choose from: chicken or goat, with rice or pasta. We got each type of meat and carbs for the variety, and I personally got a cup of chai. With the order, we got bananas as well as a sauce that you don't really need to use as the dishes are already very flavorful. They cook it to the portion sizes based on number of people in your party, so our portions here are huge as we are a party of 5. Chicken with rice: chicken is cooked fairly well and it's not too dry. Rice is quite flavorful in itself and pairs well with the chicken. Goat with pasta: the goat is quite fresh and it wasn't too difficult to take off the meat. It's seasoned with some amazing Somali spices, which propagated through the pasta. Unlike previous reviews, the pasta is quite flavorful. Chai: For ($2?) you get some freshly made chai that is quite sweet but very strong. It pairs amazingly with the food that you shouldn't really cheap out and skip on it. The price is so good especially since a lot of coffee places charge at least $5 for a cup before tax and tip. Because there's no menu, we don't really know prices. We kind of estimated how much it was, as the total was $62, so each large dish was $30 and chai was $2. This is an amazing price as there was a lot of good food at less than $15 per person including tip. I'm so surprised that this place hasn't received much love and attention online, with under 50 reviews still with reviews dating back many years ago, but I'm very certain they are doing well, catering to a lot of locals in the Central District.

Delicious food. And the people, including the other patrons, are kind, hard working, and respectful. What's not to like?

Sometimes the best finds are when you least expect it. My friend suggested checking out Dur Dur Café, seeing as we've both never have had Somali cuisine before. Although I was a little skeptical at first, my friend and I ended up having a great meal. As others have mentioned, Dur Dur Cafe definitely has that hole-in-the-wall, slightly iffy vibe. Once you walk in, you'll notice right away that it's not the most modern or clean venue. While it was fairly empty when we came around 5:30PM, there was a good number of folks taking orders to-go. We even saw one person swing by just to fill his travel mug with chai ($2 per cup). Dur Dur doesn't have a formal menu - you essentially "make your own" entrée by choosing one of their meat options (ex. Chicken, goat, etc.) and a grain option (rice or pasta). Since it was our first time there, my friend and I decided to go for the:-Chicken & Rice - Yum! This was probably our favorite combo of the night. The rice was well-seasoned and paired nicely with the chicken. -Goat & Pasta - It was my first time trying goat, so I didn't really know what to expect. I thought the goat was pretty flavorful, but my friend mentioned that the texture was a bit too chewy for her. The pasta was a little disappointing - I found it to be very bland. :( I think I would stick with just rice the next time.The vibe of the café is definitely low-key - our server, while being friendly, only checked in on us once while bringing us water. Also, be sure to bring cash when you visit because they don't accept cards! I don't venture over to the Central District that often, but I'm more inclined to with the discovery of unique, little spots like Dur Dur Cafe. :)

Found this gem hole-in-the-wall thru Yelp and almost missed it because it's so unassuming and lacks good signage. Agree with another review - Somali food is best kept secret cuisine and this place did not disappoint. No menu but a kind gentlemen that tells you options (for us chicken - beef - goat) with carb (rice - pasta). Asked how many people and we portioned accordingly. For us, 5 adults ate out of 3 entrees with plenty leftover. And the food - delicious!!! For those who appreciate excellence and variety, don't miss out. Also don't miss out on the chai!!!

Wow this was pretty different for me. It was pretty late at night so we were really hunting for anything that was open - enter during the duration of the. This place is one of those that are so completely under the radar of social media. I'm surprised yelp even knows about it. Its definitely not one of those places I've had recommended to me in Instagram (but it should be). This place opens late into the night but can be hard to pick out from it's small exterior. Inside, there's 4 rickety tables placed in a large room with harsh lighting that looks like it hasn't changed in a solid half century. There's a constant stream of people going in and out. Clearly they have a lot of regulars who know the drill. We were the only ones eating in. There wasn't a menu. I think most of the people coming here know exactly what it was they want for get. We got their chicken rice and goat rice. Huge heaping pile of fragrant meat over fragrant rice. Super hearty meal and I imagine it's homey food too, although I've never had Somalian before this. And their chai is unbelievable. The spices come together in a beautiful blend and it's so creamy and sweet too. And service was so friendly. Would definitely come back again, probably for take out like everyone else

Loved the food. First time trying Somali food, found this gem on a random Thursday - no wait rather we were the only ones at 10pm. We had Goat Rice and Chai: both were superb. Best in town and it is really a hole in the wall. Look for the red door opposite the gas station.

Look for the red door on the corner. I had the goat with rice. I'm not a huge fan of goat after having it many times in Crown Heights when I was younger, but this place did it up nice with just the right amount of spice and it wasn't overly fatty. The greens and rice were basic but paired well with the meat. Portions were fair. Taking a star off because the service was mediocre and the food, while solid, wasn't mind blowing at $18/plate. All in all it's a place worth trying and I will be back to get more goat and try the chai.

(FYI this place accepts cards and cash)This place lives up to the hype. Wandered in wondering what in the world is going on and talked to one the people up front. I ordered from him, and the food was out less than ten minutes. Had Chai in the meantime, please grab some while you're there cuz it's the best I've ever had.Got the steak and rice, and it was very good. Steak was cubed and the rice was fried and oiled perfectly, it was a good serving and I left satisfied. I've been in Seattle for three years and this place is unlike any other I've been to, very home grown and authentic. Was good for my soul.Would very much recommend.

This place is a re-opening of the place with the same name from a few years ago. There is no ambiance but if you haven't tried this type of food it's very good. Plus great chai. Limited menu.