Socotra Restaurant Traditional Yemeni & Arabic Cuisine — Restaurant in Hampton

I was craving kabobs/middle eastern food the other night and this place came up closest to me on google maps and decided to give it a try. I went in and I was the only customer in the restaurant which kinda made me nervous but I decided to still go ahead and order. I had ordered a chicken kabob over rice which cost $14 before taxes. While I waiting outside the person who took my order said they had ran out of chicken kabobs which I kind of thought was weird considering how slow it looked inside the restaurant. But I do understand things do happen and he offered other items for a substitution and went for a grilled chicken over rice which was the exact same price. The order took about 10-15 minutes. The platter came with, of course the grilled chicken (bone in), rice, salad, an extra side of salad with chopped cucumbers and a sauce on the side which I didnt really like. The chicken had plenty of flavor and was in between tender and dry. Everything overall was good. The only thing I would say the dish needed is some type of white sauce to pour over it cause after a while the dish was starting to get dry. Overall it wasnt horrible and it was a lot of food. I will definitely go back to try other menu items or even try the kabob like I wanted to order originally. The place is bright and has a unique interior design. The ceiling looks like the marble wall design they have on the walls. Other than that, there are plenty of booths and tables if you choose to...

8/19 update

This is my second time here and I got the Grilled Chicken with rice(دجاج فحم)the Fresh Beans (فاصوليا ) beans and the Baba Ghanoush with Fresh Bread. My order was ready when I went to pick up and everything was there. All the dishes tasted great. I was surprised by the beans they were really flavorful. the baba ghanoush was good and the bread that came with it was so soft and fresh.

I was driving by on Mercury Boulevard and saw that a new restaurant had opened up here. I placed an order for pick up. I ordered the grilled chicken over rice and hummus with fresh bread. The restaurant has updated the interior and it looks much better than the previous restaurant that was here before. When I got home, I realized that the bag seemed a bit light and I was given a grilled chicken sandwich instead of the grilled chicken over rice. I was already home and thought I would just try it to see how it tasted. The grilled chicken sandwich seem to be made of ground chicken and spices and it came with lettuce, tomato onion, and a light sauce in a wrap. It did taste good but it wasn’t what I ordered and the chicken over rice was cost more than the sandwich I was given also the sandwich came with no sides. The hummus was bland and heavy on the tahini and portion seemed small for the price. but the bread that came with it was amazing. You could tell it was fresh made and soft and had a slight char...

The food, the vibes, and the service were all amazing. Fatima, our server and the owner, was the most gracious host. Our experience felt like being a guest in her home.

To start, she brought us some tea on the house. It was so fragrant and delicious that, at the first sip, my sons and I each hummed with surprise. Next, we ordered the babaganoush, served with an impressively large flatbread—very tasty!

For the main course, Fatima made some recommendations, and since I had dietary restrictions (no meat), she brought out a fragrant hot pot sizzling with a mix of vegetables and spices. The aroma wafted through me, filling my senses with joy. It was served with rice and salad. My sons’ dishes looked just as delicious, though I can’t speak to the flavors of the meat varieties—only to say they were pleased, and we all left satiated.

I highly recommend this gem of a restaurant. Fatima was the best host, and we left feeling like friends who will be warmly welcomed back for...