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    Abol Cafe and Restaurant

    3.9 (50 reviews)
    ModerateEthiopian, Eritrean
    Closed 12:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)
    Updated 3 months ago

    Abol Cafe and Restaurant Photos

    ABOL CAFE AND RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Abol Cafe and Restaurant

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    Tenderloin Tibs
    Tiff H.

    Thanks to Daniel B., he gathered a large group of Yelpers to visit Abol Cafe on Buford Highway. The plaza isn't well lit and the restaurant isn't super clear in the dark, but I found it after a moments hesitation near the Plaza Fiesta, which I believe had also confused a couple people at the table, too. They must make food to order, because our food took a while. We were some of the only people in the restaurant. I ordered the tenderloin tibs which were slightly pricier than beef tibs. They were very tender and pretty flavorful but I was expecting them to be spicy since they were cooked with jalapeños. Not sure why they weren't, since the server warned me they would be. They offer both regular injera that comes with the tibs and gluten free injera for an additional cost. Overall, I'm not an expert on Ethiopian cuisine but I enjoyed the tenderloin tibs. If looking for some Ethiopian on Buford Highway, I would recommend Abol Cafe.

    Veggie Combo
    Kinjal S.

    Hole in the wall Ethiopian wall. Inside is very modern looking, there was one server who was there when I went. I got the vegetable platter and my friend got the Kornice Tibs and Shiro. The shiro was delicious. Out of the vegetable platter the red lentils were my favorite. It was very flavorful overall. I love the injera. It wasn't too busy when I went, food came out fairly quickly. The server was really nice and checked in on us.

    Daniel K.

    Abol freaking ROCKS! I was really craving for Ethiopian food in Atlanta area and after not finding anything comparable to Seattle, I decided I didn't care and wanted to try this place (the yelp reviews lured me in). The place is apparently very popular and always packed with Ethiopians, and at that moment, I knew this place would have to be good. Most of the time, if you see Ethiopians frequent an Ethiopian restaurant, you know that it's authentic and must be amazing. In any case, we sat down and order our food. We started with one of the most amazing Ethiopian lattes I have ever had, mind you the restaurant name "Abol" refers to the first instance of the coffee ceremony so I wasn't surprised that the coffee was good. Next up, we ordered Abol Special, it's made out of gored tibs I think with an overlay of Shiro wot. I don't know if I have ever had a lump of meat that melted in my mouth. I am not sure where they got the meat but it's one of the best and it will literally melt in your mouth, one drop at a time. It was seriously special and I don't know which Chef came up with that combination because I have never seen it back in Ethiopia or America so Kudos to the creators and the Chef for an amazing product and being a trendsetter. Next was Chechebsa - the portion was amazing and the taste was something delightful and kind of hard to explain. My words won't do any justice so I will leave it at that. Next up was Kornis - Kornis's means ceiling in Ethiopia and not really sure why it was named that and I probably don't care as long as the food is good, and indeed this was. I think it's made out of chicken firfir topped with Kitfo and again my words won't really explain how bomb it was so I called the server and told her how much I loved this place. I am the type of person that provides owners with an honest opinion - good or bad. Also, they have gluten-free injera (I am not sure if they brought it from Ethiopia but it literally tastes as if it came from Ethiopia). You'll leave without feeling fat, no matter how much you dig in. It's a bit more tart than the regular injera that you get from Seattle or other places, but it's so so delicious, absolutely fluffy, and perfectly moist. I never skip it. We had so many leftovers and took it home. The staff was so helpful, very kind, and proactive and the ambiance was perfect. They have three big screen TVs to keep you entertained, it's clean and well maintained and spacious. I am so seriously addicted to this place and about to come again tomorrow.

    Bozeno Bozena Shiro
    Dazziyah M.

    First time trying Ethiopian food and it was really good! The server/ cook helped us a lot on what what was and recommended some things. What I got was the Bozeno Shiro and my bf got the beef tibs. I ordered rice with my meal, little did I know apparently Rice is not really popular in the culture, but I just love rice. The beef tibs were great! Also the Injera (some kind of bread) was amazing! It had such great flavors! The salad had some kind of vinaigrette on it the made everything taste like like and onion. The Bozeno Shiro was also good! It had a tomatoey consistency but also I love chick peas and those were in it too along with meat. I'm guessing beef tibs as well. The rice wasn't good to me at all, but that was really my fault because it wasn't recommended. Last we ordered sambusa's which are close to samosa's. They had lentils in it and honestly it tasted really good with the jalapeño chutney. Really great! It was also hot inside and the door was open so it made it worse because of flies. :( Also the staff does wear masks.

    Veggie plate before ....
    Will C.

    This was my first time trying Ethiopian food, I visited this place with a friend and food was really good, i would have given them a 4 star but food took too long to get to the table, service was not the best but he was attentive. I will recommend this place

    Outside. Storefront. Entrance. Located on the back side of Plaza Fiesta facing Clairmont Road near an outdoor Bank of America ATM.
    Daniel B.

    Abol Cafe, Restaurant and Mart is a small Ethiopian restaurant and cafe located on the backside of Plaza Fiesta. While Plaza Fiesta's main storefront faces Buford Highway, Abol has its own separate storefront facing Clairmont Road, next to a Bank of America ATM. This business, a quiet and humble "mom and pop" shop, opened in 2017. While not the best Ethiopian food I've had in Atlanta, I still think it's quite good and worth a visit. Plus, the folks that work here are nice. Abol offers late breakfast, lunch, and dinner and also serves up espresso-based drinks made from house-branded coffee beans from Ethiopia. The menu features Ethiopian breakfast dishes like kinche (cracked wheat, the Ethiopian equivalent of oatmeal, $7.99) and chechebsa (spiced bread, $7.99); appetizers such as sambusas ($2 each), timatim fit-fit (tomato salad, $7.99), and salads; over a half-dozen varieties of tibs (sauteed meat and veggies, $12.99-15.99 each) like godin tibs (short rib) and tilapia tibs; assorted kitfo made with marinated raw beef ($12.99-19.99 each); several vegetarian dishes from red and green lentils ($9.99 each) to shiro (chickpea stew, $12.99); fir-fir, synonymous with fit-fit, prepared with shredded pieces of injera ($10.99-14.99 each); special entrees from dulet (lamb tripe and liver, $14.99) to gored gored (a raw beef dish, marinated and spiced, $13.99); sandwiches ($7.99-9.99 each), and desserts like Napoleons and tiramisu ($4.70 each). Here's what I tried: Apps * Kitfo rolls ($7.99) - rolls of injera filled with kitfo, ayib, and jalapeno Tibs * Derek tibs ($13.99) - slowly fried pieces of beef grilled with onion, tomato, jalapeno, and rosemary * Tenderloin tibs ($15.99) - cubes of filet mignon cooked with onion, tomato, jalapeno, and Abol spices Vegetarian * Veggie combo ($13.99) - red lentils, collard greens, yellow split peas, cabbage, green lentils, and salad Specials * Kikil ($10.99) - lamb meat, bone-on, flavored with onion, herbal butter, mustard powder, and Ethiopian spices * Gomen with meat ($11.99) - collard greens mixed with beef tibs and seasoned with Abol spices These dishes were a great sampling of what Abol has to offer and, with the exception of the kikil, I thought everything was delicious and I recommend each dish. What Abol describes as "herbal butter" on the menu is most likely referring to niter kibbeh or Ethiopian seasoned and clarified butter. The kitfo rolls were yummy. Kitfo is like the Ethiopian version of beef tartare. The meat is finely minced and nicely seasoned with good umami flavor. Ayib is an Ethiopian cheese, white in color, and very soft and mild in flavor like cottage cheese. The kitfo and small, delicate clumps of ayib were rolled up into injera (springy, spongy Ethiopian sourdough flatbread). Injera was served on the side with the tibs, vegetarian, and special entrees listed above. Abol offers both regular injera and a gluten-free version. I preferred the regular version, but the gluten-free version wasn't bad. If you've never had Ethiopian food before, you eat with your hands, using pieces of injera to pick up pieces of food. Abol has an extra sink, located just outside the single unisex restroom, that you can use to wash your hands. I thought the derek tibs were excellent and the tenderloin tibs were very good. I loved the bit of rosemary in the derek tibs, adding an extra hint of flavor. Both meats were decently tender and satisfying. The veggie combo is terrific because it's basically a vegetarian sampler platter. Each of the combo's components are cooked a little differently with ingredients like onion, garlic, ginger, red pepper, oil, and other spices. The red and green lentils, yellow split peas, cabbage and salad made for a colorful plate. I thought the temperature of this dish could have been warmer (collectively, the veggies were cool or lukewarm), but otherwise this was a flavorful and gratifying plate of food. I wasn't a fan of the kikil. Lamb is often hit or miss with me and this one missed the mark. First, there wasn't a whole lot of lamb meat. There was some, but not a substantial portion. Second, the meat was significantly gamey. That strong gamey taste bled into the salty yellow broth. The kikil came with rolls of injera which you chop up with a spoon and let soak into the broth. You then eat the kikil sort like a stew, using your hands to pick up the lamb bones for bites of chewy meat. The gomen (collard greens) with beef tibs was fantastic. If you like collard greens, then you won't be disappointed with Abol's version. They give you lots and it's tasty. The greens tasted fresh and were nicely flavored. The beef tibs were on par with the derek and tenderloin tibs -- tender and savory. Yum. This isn't a very big place. The interior can seat roughly 30-40 customers, comfortably, at most. It's fairly no-frills. Service was slow because we had a big group. The owners, Yonatan and Saba, and our server, Christy, were very friendly and wonderful.

    Veggie Combo
    Arpan M.

    We tried this spot the other day because of its proximity to our crib in Chamblee and because we were craving Ethiopian grub. We also saw positive reviews on Yelp and figured that it was worth a try. When we first walked inside, we were pleasantly surprised at the interior. It was fairly modern and very clean (a welcome sight compared to a few other Ethiopian restaurants (Ghion, Piassa)). However, the host was rude and the service was indifferent at best. I'm not exactly sure why, but most Ethiopian restaurants in Atlanta have very ambivalent service staff - if not downright rude. Anyways, we ordered the veggie combo for $14 and thought that it may be enough for two...but...it wasn't, so we ordered another combo halfway through. $14 is a bit too rich for my blood for Ethiopian food. This is even more than Desta - which prices I've griped about in the past. This is actually more than any Ethiopian restaurant I've been to in Atlanta - and the food is definitely not worth the premium price. I mean...it's good...but not anything special. The gomen (collards) was good and the red lentils were good (a tad spicy). Everything else was a bit bland. They charge an extra dollar for 3 additional pieces of injera. No other restaurant charges additional for injera. I find that ridiculous. It's like a Mexican restaurant charging for additional chips and salsa. It's an unexpected and unwelcome charge. I wouldn't return. It's too expensive for mediocre food and substandard service. Plus, there is just way too much competition from nearby Ethiopian restaurants to justify paying more to dine here.

    Veggie Combo, Tenderloin Tip, and Chicken Tip
    Ck L.

    Abol is one of the many authentic Ethiopian restaurants in Atlanta, but personally I love Abol's food best. It is always nice to go into Abol, which has a modern decor inside and a laid back atmosphere (unlike another popular, loud, and hectic Ethiopian place in town... Yes, Desta, I am talking about you). Food here is just the right flavors. I always order a veggie combo and a tip. Last night, I tried the Chicken Tip, which I never had before in any Ethiopian places. It was the best, I like it even better than their Tenderloin Tip, which is also full of flavors and well prepared. Excellent service, too! Skip Desta and go to Abol.

    Karla C.

    I don't like giving bad ratings and it was not necessarily horrible but I was disappointed. The lady at the cash register was sweet but the place itself feels old and leaves much to desire. The place is not very noticeable, found it by mistake because I made a wrong turn. I ordered the lamb tibs in their special sauce. The sauce was good but super oily and the lamb felt more like scraps/leftovers. I don't want to think all the food is bad, I am not an Ethiopian cuisine expert so maybe it was just me not knowing good Ethiopian. The menu has other stuff I would be willing to check if taken there but I don't know if I'd go out my way.

    Kitfo Special and Chikina (Filet Mignon) tibs
    Shero B.

    If you are looking for AUTHENTIC Ethiopian food, this is the restaurant to visit. The place appears to be very unassuming from the outside but the interior was clean and the food was excellent. Service was ok - reason why I deducted a star. Had the Kitfo Special and Chikina (Filet Mignon) tibs. Both were very good!

    Veggie platter
    Beza G.

    After patroning Abol 3x and a slew of Ethiopian eateries in town, I can finally say they have the best fish tibs in town. Their customer service is a close 2nd to Desta. Place is spacious and brightly lit with natural light- still exudes the "homeyness" of Ethiopian restaurants. It's a casual eatery serving mainly Ethiopian food with light western food incl paninis and sandwiches. Check out their deserts; Addis (capital of Ethiopia) may have driven off the Italians but we kept their Milifoni ;) Their fish tibs is savory and can be made mild or spicy. Comparably Desta's fish and tibs (& I'm a huge fan!) lacks depth. I've also had their veggie combo and doro/chicken stew. Traditionally made not exceptional from other Ethiopian spots. What makes Abol worthwhile is its excellent customer service. They are prompt and always kind to explain. Huge front lot so parking is a breeze! They are open until the 5AM on the weekends too.

    Fruit flies that accompanied our meal, which were later joined by a swarm of fruit flies.

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    3 years ago

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    6 years ago

    THE VEGGIE COMBO IS ALWAYS GOOD. Been eating here for two years and it's always tasty

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    4 years ago

    Excellent customer service. Fafi is very friendly, patient and helpful every time I go there . keep it up , you're the best

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    7 years ago

    Their food is amazing and so flavorful! This is my new favorite Ethiopian restaurant!

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    7 years ago

    Life saver: such good espresso!! Also the only warm inviting place over here on a cold day :) couldn't be happier

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    Yonatan A.

    Thank you A.W., it was an honor to serve you. See you soon!

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    6 years ago

    I came here for lunch. Very spicy very good sandwich. I recommend people try this place out when there on Buford hwy

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Abol Cafe and Restaurant

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    Bahel Ethiopian Restaurant

    4.2(237 reviews)
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    This is the best spot to get Ethiopian food in Atlanta! (Definitely better than Desta for any of…read moreyou Desta-lovers.) The food is authentic, fresh and flavorful, and the portions are massive. We had a group of 20 and they were able to host us in their back room. The place is massive with seating up front but also lots of seating in the back. They even have a little gift shop market in the back too where you can buy stuff. It's a really great place for large parties with incredible, attentive service. They gave us some push buttons to press too so we were always attended to when we needed anything. 6 of us split the vegan platter 2, doro wok, and dereq tibs. It was my first time having doro wok and I will be ordering it every time I come now. Absolutely delicious! Splitting these three items was the perfect portion with all of us finishing the meal feeling full. The vegan platter 2 says it feeds 2 people but it's more like 4 people. The portions truly are big and the injera helps fill you up. Including some drinks, the total only came out to $20 each with tax and tip. I was very pleasantly surprised. Amazing food with large portions at an amazing price!

    We finally got a chance to try Bahel after having it bookmarked for a while. As soon as we walked…read morein, the staff made us feel welcome, which was a great start. The menu had several dishes we've had at other Ethiopian restaurants, so we ordered familiar items to compare. We went with the Bahel 1 Combo and chose chicken tibs, doro wot, shiro, gomen, and yellow lentils. The food was ok. The Doro Wot had a sweeter taste than I'm used to, but it was decent, and the Chicken Tibs had a strong tomato flavor (not 100% sure it was tomato, but that's what came through), which didn't really work for me. The Shiro was excellent, though. I could've eaten that with some injera all by itself. Overall, the experience was pleasant and the service was welcoming, but flavor-wise it didn't quite hit enough for us to make it our go-to spot when we're craving Ethiopian food.

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    I had gone down (by Uber) to Atlanta Vintage Books for the afternoon to lounge in their chairs and…read moreread books, soak up the culture and enjoy their resident cats. I had not eaten before I left and after several hours there, I was HUNGRY. Because I had taken Uber, I asked the lady at the counter where was the closest restaurant within walking distance. She directed me across the street - just a hop skip and a jump from the bookstore. to Jebena Bistro. Never having eaten Ethiopian food, I decided to give it a try. As "Noelle" to the right, said, it's a little "hole in the wall". From the outside, it's nothing to write home about. But as soon as I walked in, I knew I was going to enjoy it. First of all, the lady that waited on me was so kind and welcoming. I asked her for her recommendations and she suggested several things. I ended up choosing the vegetable platter. When she brought it out, she explained to me that they eat with their hands. There was no silverware. She showed me the bread that they use to soak up the food with. It was made of a sponge-like substance and was rolled up. The platter was SO good. I quickly filled up and had to get a "to go" box which was filled with food. The amount of food I received for price I paid was ample. It easily made me a second meal at home. This wasn't a fancy place. But the food was very tasty and I will go back in the future.

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    Ledet Restaurant - Ledet combo. They say it's good for 1-2. We took back a box, enough for a third serving.

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    I have been wanting to try Ethiopian food for a few years now ever since my wife brought gave me…read moresome leftovers over 4 years ago. Today we finally went, and the experience exceeded expectations! The food was excellent and the staff were helpful and answered my questions about the food and helped me and my wife decide what to get. The combo platter is a great option for trying out several different meats and veggies and it does not break the bank. There was plenty of food for 2. The building was nicely appointed and the convenient hand washing station made the experience of eating primarily with your hands much less messy than one might think. As a person who is not very good with spicy heat, there were still so many foods that I could eat without my face melting. The dry spice mix and the dipping sauces were too spicy for me, but it did not matter, as the food had plenty of seasoning and flavor packed into it already. I can't wait to go back and try some of their other offerings!

    We have been wanting to try Ethiopian food but wanted to make sure we went to an authentic…read morerestaurant so my husbands coworker who is from Ethiopia brought us to his favorite restaurant. We told him what kind of food we like and our spice levels and he ordered everything for us. I got the Doro tips (chicken tips) with rice, my husband got the Shekla which was beef or steak and his coworker got the Shiro (fish & salmon). I don't normally eat Salmon but the Shiro was really good. It had a-lot of flavor to it. We shared everything and got to experience eating the Injera that is used as a plate and utensil. Everything was delicious. The customer service was superior. We could tell his coworker comes here often as everyone was friendly towards him and the owner even came over to our table so we were able to share our first time great experience with her. My husband's coworker wanted us to try some tea/coffee after our meal but we were both stuffed. We look forward to coming back and will hopefully save room for tea to conclude our meal.

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    Kategna Ethiopian Cuisine - Baklava

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    Spontaneously came here for some late night munchies and the food definitely hit the spot. It was…read moreour first time trying Ethiopian food and everything was incredibly flavorful. Service was great even when it was close to their closing time! If you're hungry late at night, I highly recommend coming here than going to some fast food chain.

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