Mu'ooz — Restaurant in Brisbane City

Outstanding Food, Warm Hospitality & Meaningful Community Impact

The name Mu’ooz means “tasty and healthy” in Tigrinya, one of the widely spoken languages in Eritrea, located in northeast Africa. If ever there was a restaurant that truly lived up to its name, this is the Mu’ooz Restaurant located at West End, Brisbane, Queensland Australia.

I sincerely appreciate the dedication it takes to deliver consistently great service and quality. Mu’ooz impressed me with its deliciously flavorful dishes, clean and welcoming atmosphere, and warm, attentive staff.

All the traditional food served at this restaurant not only stands out but is also healthy. It’s evident that great care goes into every detail, from presentation to service.

I had the pleasure of meeting Mama Saba, the manager of Mu’ooz, just a few days after arriving in Brisbane in 2015. As a newcomer, I was inspired by how this local business brings people together— and Mu’ooz does exactly that.

In my view, Mu’ooz is much more than a restaurant. It is a not-for-profit social enterprise that has employed a significant number of refugee women over the past five years—with an impressive number of participants are still in employment. This is not just a business; it’s a powerful platform for empowerment and inclusion.

Their commitment to excellence in food, service, and community engagement makes them a cornerstone of not just to our local community, but of the wider African community in Queensland. I genuinely admire Mama Saba’s deep commitment to treating everyone like family—including me.

Between 2018 and 2020, while serving as a volunteer on the Eritrean Community Association QLD Management Team, I had the pleasure of working closely with Mu’ooz and especially Mama Saba. I am incredibly grateful for their unwavering support. They were always compassionate, reliable, patient, and generous—often going above and beyond to support those in need.

Their professionalism and genuine care have made a lasting difference in my life and in the lives of many others.

I highly recommend Mu’ooz not only for its exceptional dining experience but also for its outstanding individual and community support.

Mu’ooz Restaurant – thank you for making our community stronger, safer, and more...

Excellent. Home-style from the Welcome to the Goodbye. Subtle flavours and sloooow-cooking goodness. And (wonderfully surprising) attention to detail. So impressed - we never order dessert or coffee. Until now... Very glad we did. The dessert creation (there is no other word for it) was light and layered, the accompaniment thoughtful and complimentary. The coffee was strong and fragrant, enhanced by perfectly cooked unsalted popcorn (amazingly apt) and a haze of frankincense (also perfect).

Please be aware: this is not Fast Food. It's not meant to be, and nowhere does Mu'ooz claim this. Mama Saba will cook up a feast for you and, at the finish, maybe tell you a story about real life and real people. So set aside some time to enjoy a break from the rat-race (and maybe enjoy a conversation with your fellow-diners and host). Please bear in mind that this is not a commercial enterprise run by a TV chef or a franchise chain where you'll get the same instant stuff-in-a-bucket made by a teenager wherever you are in the world. This is home cooking with all the character of genuine love. Sometimes Mama Saba has to do it all herself. This is not haute cuisine and you won't be attended to by someone unctuous called Bruno who probably spends more on beard-grooming than the cost of your meal. If you're the sort of person that gripes about a one dollar surcharge (previous review) for using a card (this costs them money, too, you know), rather than even considering a tip (what's that?), well, it must be a very sad and frustrating life for you.

This is different. Allow it to be. Support it, and you just might learn something more important than you would in a Michelin-starred establishment. You'll probably eat better, too!

I tried to take photos of the food,...

My recent experience was nothing short of a disaster. The restaurant was severely understaffed, with only one lady on the floor on a busy Saturday night. It was obvious that she was struggling to keep up with the demands of the customers. Especially judging by other customers walking out early, still pending their desserts to be served.

To make matters worse, we had to wait for over an hour for our main share platter to come out. It was frustrating to see other tables receiving their orders before us, despite arriving much later. When the food finally arrived, it was clear that the quantity served did not justify the exorbitant price of $30 per person ($60 for what is really a large-sized entree serving between two people). The quality of the food was average, at best - it felt like we were eating home-cooked food. To top it all off, the restaurant had the audacity to charge a $1 credit card surcharge for Mastercard/Visa payments.

I understand that businesses need to cover their transaction costs, but this felt like a blatant attempt to rip off customers (unless this is amount also goes to charitable causes?). If that's the case I'd rather just be given the option to donate instead.

Overall, my experience at this African restaurant was disappointing, to say the least. The severe understaffing and long wait times, coupled with the overpriced and underwhelming food, left a bad taste in my mouth. I cannot recommend this African restaurant to anyone.

For better value and quality food, there are other African restaurants in Mooroka suburb that offer a more enjoyable dining experience. Save yourself the disappointment and...