Blue Star Cafe
1619 N Farwell Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53221
Blue Star Cafe Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Milwaukee for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Milwaukee for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Milwaukee for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
1619 N Farwell Ave
Milwaukee, WI, 53221 - Phone (414) 273-9744
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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John O.
I live a block away from Blue Star Cafe and paid no mind to it until finding it here on Yelp. Man looks can be deceiving! Blue Star is tremendous. I ordered the Beef Sufaq platter and got two meals out of it. Great rice, delicious tender beef, onions, and a tasty side salad. I ordered a beef sambusa to start and was not disappointed. All dishes come with a very tasty green chili paste that will spice you out! I highly recommend to anyone over on the East Side looking to spend less than $10 for a sit down meal that will fill you up for a day.
(5)Jc C.
This place is delicious. The decor (or lack of) is a bit shoddy and the atmosphere is messy, but the food is so good and you get a lot for what you pay for. I took a friend here yesterday and until then had only ordered the sandwiches. The platter of meat, rice, and lettuce we got was huge--I normally eat a lot but ended up taking about half of the plate home in a to go box. Not only are the portions large, the price is right and the spices/seasonings on their meat are spot on. We also had a couple sabusas(?), little meat pouches, and those were good as well. The beef one seemed to have a bit more heat than the chicken.
(5)Josh B.
I was dragged here against my will a few weeks ago, as I'm not a huge sandwich fan, and holy crap. This place is amazing. I've come back two times since then, and every time it's been exactly what I needed. If you find yourself craving Subway, Jimmy Johns, or Philly Way, get your shit together, and check this place out. It's not greasy, and their steak sandwich is perfectly seasoned.It's also the only place I know where you can get guava juice, and it's only a buck a bottle. The only downside is that they haven't had the salmon available when I went in, and I REALLY want to try it. The location is right off Farwell and Brady, and it's never busy as it's primarily a takeout place. The owner is amazingly friendly, and will talk to you while you're waiting if you start a conversation. There isn't a lot of decoration to speak of, it's pretty bare-bones, but don't let that turn you away, it's a real hidden gem. If it lasts long enough, it definitely has the potential to be an anchor for quick food on the east side. I've only had their sandwiches so far, but I plan on going back sometime for one of their plates. I did try a bite of my friends goat dish, and it was perfect. I'm genuinely looking forward to being hungry enough to order and eat the entire plate. The portions are very generous, and the flavor is great. Definitely worth every penny. It's a perfect food for grabbing on the way home, slathering yourself into a pair of old sweats, and watching a 4 hour long Netflix session and passing out halfway through.
(5)Carole R.
We are traveling through Milwaukee and wanted to try something completely different. Located this place via Yelp based on positive reviews & price. We had the goat platter and the salmon sandwich. Neither of us have eaten goat before, the flavor was ok, but the meat cut served was more bone & fat than meat. The rice was plentiful and flavorful. The sandwich was large and had a curry flavor to it, we both enjoyed it immensely. Staff was friendly and service was fast (we were advised the salmon sandwich would take longer, but the wait was not excessive). The interior is not impressive, but this is not trying to be a "fine dining" restaurant. Delicious, fast, and affordable - we would certainly come back if we are traveling through again.
(4)Bob C.
It's easy to miss this place as you go down Farwell, and the name doesn't tell most of us that it is a Somali restaurant, but it is definitely worth seeking out. The platters are cheap and huge. We always get at least one more meal out of them. .
(5)Hannah E.
I stopped in for a sandwich to go on a frigid day where I was being given a tour of Milwaukee and all I wanted to do was sit in the heated car and look at it from a distance, rather than subjecting myself to any of the elements. Blue Star was spartan but warm. The sandwich only took about ten minutes to make, and I was brought a steaming hot mug of chai to warm my hands as I waited. (It was too sweet, but it did the trick.) My Somali steak sandwich came with the requisite fiery green sauce - not quite enough of it to sate my spicy tooth, though. The sandwich itself was well-proportioned and the meat tender. I hardly ever eat steak because unless it's served in a high-end restaurant at high-end prices (or in a Vietnamese dive) it tends to come out more like shoe-leather. This was not the case here. Without the green sauce, the sandwich would have been good, but not noticeably Somali. With it, it shone. Just could've used a bit more.
(4)Barbara A.
New Somali restaurant that has personal service. Ask for the sambusa! Huge portions. I loved the chicken and basmati rice!
(5)Austin H.
Excellent food, I recommend the chicken or a steak sandwich. There are just a few tables and the menu is small but every item is delicious. The service is great too and they even recognize returning customers. Well done Blue Star Cafe!
(5)Paige K.
They give you a lot of food and it's VERY good. The flavors are fantastic. Also, the chai is delicious.
(5)Megann S.
Excellent food and HUGE portions! We enjoyed the Somalian chicken stir fry and the hummus and pita. We added mixed vegetables to the stir fry.
(5)Joe S.
One of my favorite restaurants in Milwaukee. Welcome to the eastside! Not only is is something different but it is amazing. I consider myself a food tourist and am so happy to have this place in my hometown.
(5)Michael S.
You Guys, you have to try the Blue Star Cafe! My girlfriend and I just had lunch there, although she has ordered carryout before. She had the chicken sandwich, I had the tilapia sandwich and we shared sides of spinach and rice. First and foremost, the food is DELICIOUS! Not too salty, not at all greasy, the spices are spot on and if you want hot-spicy the green sauce has a perfect heat. The red sauce is great as well. The portions are GENEROUS, especially for the prices. We ate as much as we could and still walked out with 2 large half sandwiches and an entire to-go box full of rice and spinach. More than enough for another meal for us. All for under $20! The service is friendly and fast. The tilapia is cooked to order but that only took about 15 minutes. The atmosphere is clean and homey, I'd knock a star off for lack of ambiance but the food more than makes up for it. We will definitely be back and often. I already have plans to pop in after my lakefront bike rides for a smoothie and a sandwich. Blue Star is definitely on my short list of Milwaukee's best casual dining establishments!
(5)Sara L.
The older gentleman working was very nice and friendly and the food was great. It was very casual, which is what I was looking for. Also, I ordered my food to go, ate half there and took the leftovers home for dinner; definitely enough for two meals.
(4)Dustin T.
I immediately felt like I did not belong when I walked in. Since I'm front counter-deep, I might as well place an order. I told the shady looking lady behind the counter that it was my first time at Blue Star and she told me that she will throw together a plate full of different stuff. Since this plate full of different stuff wasn't on the menu, I asked how much this plate full of different stuff was going to be. The lady behind the counter thought about it for a second and some obscure number like $9.17 was proposed. I have no idea how the heck she came up with such an exact amount but after I agreed, she seemed abnormally happy--like as if she convinced me to pay for a free cup of tap water. I don't think $9.19 for the plate full of different stuff was outrageous price, but when my ten dollar hand left my hand, I was left with the impression I currently being ripped off haha. Of course, I did not like the feeling like I was being ripped off, so I told her to keep the change, like I was going to pay $10 dollars no matter what. HAH! I showed her! Took them about 10 minutes to throw together a plate full of different stuff and the different stuff was good. The plate full of different stuff reminds me of IndianFood/Gyros. I was only able to finish half of the plate full of different stuff because the plate full of different stuff had so much different stuff on it. Can you tell I like saying plate full of different stuff? Check out my picture of the plate full of different stuff. The plate full of different stuff had chicken, more chicken, beef, more beef, rice, moAr rice, tasty sour lettuce and cucumber, and a bunch of different spices. This plate full of different stuff was PFG (Pretty Fricken Good). No idea if I would ever go back because I simply did not belong. If I ever go back, instead of getting a plate full of different stuff, I would get a sandwich filled with super tender beef. IMO, this place has potential to be a great hole in the wall. My overall experience was interesting, but average. TLDR: Strong flavors and large servings
(3)Emad O.
Good quality Good quantity Good smell Good price Good service I strongly recommend to try rice with goat or beef. Don't forgot to order sambusas
(5)Chief P.
Simply awesome. We eat- in, ordered Sambusas, Stewed Goat Platter, and Steak sandwich. All of them are amazing. The rice is amazingly flavorful, goat is mild and tender, steak is seasoned just right, and the green hot sauce is awesome. Staff is knowledgeable, friendly, and not bothersome. I have to give them prop for the goat . Blue Star 's goat stew is cooked just right. The goat is mild (not gamy or have that goat smell). You would have to cook and seasoned goat just right to get rid of the gaminess. I would definitely recommend this place. The only thing I would recommend: don't wear nice clothes to eat in - or your clothes will smell like that place all day.... although it keep you hungry for more.. I am glad this cafe is open. Another great addition of food diversity in Milwaukee
(5)Evan K.
Excellent food (Beef Suqar platter with rice is absolutely delicious, and I don't usually like rice dishes). Very friendly owners, but service is slow, and the atmosphere is extremely spartan and not very clean.
(4)HH K.
This pace is phenomenal. If I lived in the neighborhood I would eat here literally every day. The portions are generous -$9 for a platter or $6 for a sandwich, both of which are enough for 2 meals, and everything I've ever had here is great. Somali chai is also delicious and comes with free refills. The staff is friendly and the TV was inexplicably tuned to dancing lessons last time I was here. A+++++ Would eat again. FOREVER.
(5)Mark B.
I've never had Somalian food before so I can't attest to the authenticity. But what I did have was pretty darn tasty and a great value. The place isn't much inside so it's more of a carryout restaurant. I had the beef plate (I forget the official name) with basmati rice and it was delicious. Seasoned strips of beef, onions, green peppers, and potatoes sit atop a bed of basmati rice. As others have stated on previous reviews the rice is awesome. The raisins add a great sweetness to everything. The green condiment sauce they give you adds the perfect amount of heat. I only wish they gave you more of it. My only complaint would be that some of the pieces of beef were very gristly. I'm not expecting filet mignon for a $9 platter, but a couple of the pieces were pretty nasty when I bit into them. This place will definitely be high up on my list of carryout options on the Eastside. I hope they can stay in business because the location can be tough to find on a busy one way street if you're not familiar with the area.
(4)adrie e.
This is the place to go for East African cuisine! The goat & chicken were both amazing! i'll definitely return.
(5)Joe P.
Descriptive phrase: no-frills, homemade Somali deliciousness. I don't know where the Milwaukee-Somali population has been hiding, but they need to start opening more eateries. I knew I had to come here with Katie K. for my birfday dinner once I saw the reviews. It's easy to miss, even when you're looking for it. Park somewhere on Farwell and look for the small, hard to read sign. Blue Star Cafe is on the bottom floor of an apartment building, across the street from London House. We walked in. It's a long room with limited, food-court-esque seating. There's an odd little fireplace with a TV above it (they were playing a live court-room), but there's nice art on the walls. We appeared to be the only non-Somalis in the place, which is always a good thing at ethnic restaurants. We walked up to the back counter area, and were told to sit anywhere we liked. Behind the counter is a semi-exposed kitchen area. Other than that, it's a very simple setup. We sat and were given menus. There aren't a lot of options, but they seem to do what they do have well. Our server was a kind and happy older gentleman, who apologized sincerely when I pointed out some gunk in my water glass. Katie got the Somali Style Steak Sandwich ($6) and I ordered the Famous Tender Goat Meat Platter ($8.59). I don't recall if Katie's sandwich came with any sides, but it didn't need to. This hoagie must've been close to 9 or 10 inches long, with plentiful grilled steak, green peppers, jalapenos, and onions. It was gratifying and delicious. My goat platter was giant as well. It came with a small side salad (think Greek) next to a mountain of orange basmati rice topped with goat. The rice: perhaps the tastiest rice I've ever had. I don't know what this orange Somali spice is, but I need more. The goat was still on the bone (as it almost always is anywhere), so be aware. Just like the steak, it was tender and plentiful. Add in some green peppers and onions, and we're almost complete. But what really sets this dish apart, and brings an entirely new dimension to the experience, were fruity raisins. I don't like raisins at all, yet somehow they seemed so right in this platter. Great service, delicious food, generous portions, for two under $16. I can't think of any reason to not give Blue Star Cafe a top rating.
(5)Shruti G.
What a great spot for a flavorful meal! Their chicken stir fry reminds me of the Kashmiri pulao with dry fruits, saffron laced basmati rice and perfectly marinated chicken. Try it with a thick mango smoothie.
(4)Marcus C.
Stumbled upon it and was a little skeptical at first, but the food was extremely good. Sambusas and the platters were great.
(5)Jennell J.
Tried to find something different so I hopped on yelp, and noticed this place very near me that I'd never heard of. But wow! Great food at a great price! Move over Minneapolis, I think this might be the best Somali food in the midwest!
(5)Noah T.
Very pleased that I jumped on yelp and found this place. Great tasting steak sandwich, with large portions, at a great price. The Beef Sambusa was a wonderfully seasoned blend of beef, vegetables and spices, not unlike a Samosa.
(5)Joshua P.
The food is tasty at BSC. Its got a distinct Janete's Midnight Cabyard Kitchen vibe but with with Somalian food. The prices are great given the portions. I had two rice dishes and I hope to try the rest of their offerings soon. Both of the rice dishes were full of flavor without being greasy. The chicken and rice dish was the favorite at my table.
(5)Sagar S.
This place is a gem, I'm absolutely in love with it. The food is fantastic. I ordered the Somali Steak Sandwich and a Chicken Sambusa with a side of their Somali Green Chile Sauce. Everything was perfectly cooked, beautifully seasoned, and the portion was huge. Food aside, the staff is incredibly nice. I really cannot recommend this place strongly enough, and I can't wait until I'm in Milwaukee again so I can try more of their menu.
(5)Katie M.
I had the Steak Sandwich was I thought was delicious. My boyfriend got the Chicken Stir Fry. It had raisins in it which we were both a little hesitant about at first, but it was an interesting flavor combination. Oh, also the portions are HUGE (The Chicken Stir Fry was at least 3 meals worth of food). Friendly staff. Not much to the decor but still a great place!
(5)Nana H.
Anyone who knows me knows that I am always game to try something new. I didn't know this placed existed until a couple of months ago. My order took about 8 minutes. Waiting for my order I noticed that the portions they served were generous.You get charged a flat fee if you pay in cash. This place really is a gem in Milwaukee, and its a great addition to Milwaukee restaurant scene and to the African food/community in the city. This is a must try. I can't wait to go back and try the sambusas next.
(5)Alexandria Q.
I had the steak sandwich and it was great. The prices are amazing, I will be coming back. The only down side is that the interior environment is kind of cold and not comfortable at all. next time ill probably just order for pick up.
(4)Elizabeth M.
I have lived down the block from this hidden gem for over a year now. I think it is the best takeout food you can get around Brady St. My boyfriend and I have become infatuated w/ their steak w/ noodles entree (not sure that's what it's called). The single meal has as many as 4 portions in one entree. I highly recommend this place to my friends, and not one has yet to dislike this place ;)
(5)Ed P.
It's with reluctance that I post this review. Been a loyal customer of Blue Star since last winter. Food is to say the least, awesome. But please Blue Star, stop inferring that you honor call in take out orders. You don't. Noticed this a couple of times before. Call in order (I'm in Greenfield) and when I arrive at time of pick up, it's another 15 to 20 minutes before my order is ready. Today I called in and was told my order would be ready in 20 minutes. Had a friend in the area pick up since he was coming over. He waited 27 minutes past the pick up time for the order to be ready. They do NOT start the order until you arrive, period. Why Blue Star, does your menu say on front to "Call ahead for takeouts" when you won't start the order until after someone arrives? The gentleman I spoke to today lied to me when he said my order would be ready for pick up in 20 minutes. I will not be ordering again.
(2)Tara S.
Definitely check this place out! The BF and I went last night and were very impressed with the food! We decided to check it out after seeing such amazing reviews on here. When we first walked in I'll admit I was a little put off; the decor and ambiance is definitely lacking. There were no employees in sight and a bunch of customers were all just waiting around. We sat down and in a few minutes it became clear everyone was waiting for takeout. So we went up and grabbed menus for ourselves. The options are pretty limited, but we had no problem finding something that sounded good. After an employee came out and helped the people waiting we went up and ordered. A surprisingly short time later our food arrived. I ordered the chicken platter with rice, and was initially disappointed to see raisins on it. Once I gave up trying to eat around them I discovered that the raisins actually added the perfect bit of sweetness. Overall my dish was fantastic! BF ordered the steak sandwich, and piled on the authentic green chili sauce. He absolutely devoured his sandwich! We also got a beef sambusa to try, and that was excellent too! The mango smoothie we shared tasted fantastic, though the texture wasn't quite as smooth as I like. Our overall experience was great and I would definitely recommend giving it a try!
(4)