Ethiopian restaurant along Edmonds...So many good line up of resto in here and I am trying them all one by one....Today is the Abyssinia. Another place that showcased their cultures with the interior designs and decors.Large TV playing sports events, small size restaurants, They serves alcoholic beverages. Free street parking...not a problem... No appez available from the menu...thats weird.... Spices are heavily used in African cuisines this is the reason why the place smells good but that will stick in your clothing....just saying.... They cook chicken, beef, fish, lamb and veggies on a very exotic way and take note hotly spiced dishes. Service is a bit poor when i came, not busy but it seems like the waitress can not focus, I asked for hot water and she gave me cold ones, my food was served and no cutlery and even napkins, none really until i asked for it. I got the Ye-asa Kifto(fish) minced lean fish mixed with mitmita. and butter.The butter is enhanced with koseref that gives distinct flavor, comes with Ethiopian salad on the side. FYI: MItmita is an orange-red color powdered seasoning that contains ground African bird's eye chili pepper, usually has cumin, cinnamon, and ginger. the dish i ordered was really hot and heavily spiced, halfway my meal my nose drips hahahha, It will surely triggered your sleeping hemorrhoids even the salad was spicy, but still it was an excellent dish. Next time i would like to try meat dishes but that is not soon.... read more

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As a fan of Ethiopian food, I had to come out here to try this place, as I'd tried all the others in Vancouver. We dined in, sitting on their patio, and got the vegetable platter for 2 ($12.50 plus tax per person). You get a really nice plate of 5 different dishes--the standard Ethiopian dishes. Their misir wat was especially tasty, amply spicy and rich. You get plenty of injera to scoop up the food, but you can always ask for more. Very friendly service. I'd say this ranks up there among the best Ethiopian places in Vancouver -- it's just more no frills in terms of the atmosphere and whatnot. I'd return, but perhaps do takeout. Recommended. read more

Abyssinia Ethiopian Restaurant - Vegetarian platter - Ethiopian Near Me - Burnaby, British Columbia

Initially, I was going to give them high rating. We had the entertainment coupon which said 25% off the whole bill. We ordered three meat dishes which were like $13.xx, and a vegetable platter at $12. After my husband went to pay, he came back with a bill that was $50.xx before gratuities and said he got $6 discount only. I was quite shocked at the price but we left thinking maybe my calculations were wrong. I just did my calculations and there's no way the bill would be $50 after tax, with a 25% discount. A $6 discount tells me about 10% off only. If you dont want to honour the full discount, please don't lure people in with false advertisement!!! read more

Abyssinia Ethiopian Restaurant - Chicken, lamb, beef, and the vegetable platter all here - Ethiopian Near Me - Burnaby, British Columbia

This place is the bottom of the barrel, dirty, and unprofessional. Their food inventory isn't dependable, and they really don't seem to care about customers. They do not answer phone calls even during business hours, and they do not return messages either. They did not have gluten-free injera, and there is no practical way to request it. We decided to show up, and it was a huge mistake. At first, the restaurant doesn't even look like a restaurant on the inside. It was filthy inside. For example, the floors did not look like they had been cleaned in years. It was dark and depressing inside. The TV was off, and there was hardly any noticeable attempt at decorating the restaurant. The environment was depressing. There was hardly anywhere to sit besides a large, unwelcoming rustic bare and unclean looking community table. First, I learned their injera was 50% wheat flour without the healthier gluten-free authentic option they previously had claimed to be able to serve on what seeked like a one in a million chance somebody actually answered the phone there weeks earlier. Next, I learned they didn't have any chicken that day. I'm kind of glad as this all made it very easy to leave to NEVER EVER go back there. The lady leading the front wasn't even friendly, and there was no feeling of hospitality in the entire dreary restaurant. I've been eating Ethiopian food my entire life and have loved so many restaurants from the simple to the elegant. The food and culture can be so beautiful, but I'm starting to lose hope of finding a professional quality Ethiopian restaurant in the Vancouver area. Haven't had good luck yet, and this was a total train wreck. It was so amateur, but just not in any good way . Our stomachs thank us for leaving immediately after all of the food issues, service, and cleanliness failures. The place was not appealing in any way. read more

We ordered vegetarian platter, lamb and dorowat, so delicious. It's very quite during the week here so the chef/owner was super welcoming and nice. My friend found the injera too sour for their taste but I love it. read more

Abyssinia Ethiopian Restaurant - Vegetarian platter plus lamb plus dorowat - Ethiopian Near Me - Burnaby, British Columbia

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Wow. I had never tried Ethiopian food before and I was not disappointed! This adorable mom and pops place had great friendly service, and everything I ate was so tasty. We did wait about an hour for our food, but we didn't mind because we weren't starving and we knew it would be fresh just for us! The lamb was incredible, just amazing. It was all really flavourful and tasty with out having to be spicy if you know what I mean. Just up the street from me, I will definitely be back! read more

Abyssinia Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Burnaby, British Columbia

A friend of a friend suggested this place after I commented on a food page that I could not find an Ethiopian spot that had genuine (re: gluten-free) injera. Genuine injera is made from teff flour, which contains no gluten. Many spots add barley or wheat flour to theirs. I called the restaurant several days ahead to let them know I would be patronizing with a friend and requested gluten-free injera. The man who answered was friendly and agreed to do so. Upon our arrival, I told the owner that I was the person who called in for gluten free. He was very friendly and acknowledged by request. My friend and I sat down to order and agreed on a vegetarian stew plus a lamb one. Our food arrived and we dug in. The lamb tidbits were beyond delicious, perfectly seasoned and tender tidbits. The vegetarian parts were in separate piles: chickpeas here, collard greens there, corn over here, green beans and carrots right over there and cabbage across there. Yummy! It did not seem like a lot of food from what I first saw but, between my friend and me, it was a lot. We ripped off injera pieces and kept picking up morsels. We even attacked the injera 'platter' holding the wots (the best part). I'm not the person who likes to take home leftovers, so we did our best to finish it all off. We almost did! Great food and service. We left full for hours afterwards! The food was a great value for the money...total cost before tipping was around $22 and they did not charge extra for the gluten-free injera. Loved it! read more

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If you want an experience you'll never forget, come try this. I've been here twice now and tried a couple different things on the menu. It's nothing like any other cuisine I've had. The inside of the store is decorated with pictures and items from Ethiopia, the owners are super nice. How they serve the food for groups is to bring out a huge plate layered with a spongy bread (injera) on the bottom, with the dishes being directly placed on the bread. On the side there are other rolls of spongy bread. Ethiopians eat their food by hand by dipping the bread in the dish. They also offer the option of eating utensils (which I took). I believe I tried the Signature Kitfo and the DoroWot, and everything is yummy and super filling. On a side note, they say they open at 12 but last time we waited outside for quite a while until the owners arrived so try not to go as soon as opening time, hence the minus one star. read more

Went for Birthday celebration. Very clean, the dishes are very filling and food is delicious. The owner/chef was very friendly and showed us how to eat. Bread was delicious! Definitely a place to come back! Vegetarian dishes very tasty and filling. Injera (bread) was made of teff flour only and owner even told us how she makes it. Special lamb was very tasty. read more

Abyssinia Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Burnaby, British Columbia

I really love ehtiopian food, but unfortunately this place is not one I will go back to. We ordered a lamb dish and a chicken dish. Pros: fast service, cheap alcohol prices, friendly staff Cons: no social distancing, the food was terrible (I never complain about food but this time I actually couldn't eat it), and there were fruit flies buzzing around our food. read more

The service was good, the food was savory and delicious. However...the portions were small. We may come back here one day. read more

Abyssinia Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Burnaby, British Columbia

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Very good food. Hidden gem was going to eat sushi by accident see the restaurant came in to try was surprised by good tasted nice atmosphere and good price. Recommend this place to anyone read more

Abyssinia Restaurant is a hole-in-the-wall on Edmonds that can be easy to miss. The street is a bit dark, and the restaurant is tucked in besides another on the left. It is rather non-descript inside, with a few Ethiopian decorations and a TV. My wife have been here a couple of times to try something different, and have enjoyed our meal both times. The food is typically served with an Injera bread, and you use the bread to eat the savoury dishes. Be prepared to get your fingers messy. The meat was very tender, and the chicken came right off of the bone. Each dish seemed to have a very complex flavour profile. The food also quite spicy, even when toned down, so prepare your taste buds accordingly. The owners are extremely friendly and engaging, and are very helpful about selecting a menu option. They get that this food can seem 'strange' at first glance. If you want to try something different, albeit spicy, give Abyssiania a go. read more

I had dinner here for the first time last night with my mother and we both loved it. I eat Gluten Free due to allergies and the Chef came out to talk to me directly to ensure I knew what I could eat. Unfortunately he had bought the Injera bread that day instead of baking it himself, so he couldn't guarantee it was GF - so he made me a side of rice instead. We had the vegetarian platter and the lamb. It was delicious! The Chef came and checked on us several times, the staff was very friendly, and the atmosphere very relaxed. The Chef told me that if I call him a day in advance, he will cook the Injera bread for me himself to make sure I can eat it. So nice! :-) read more

One review here said that the restaurant accommodates gluten free injera requests. So, I called today... and they said plainly they don't do it. Neither on the spot nor in advance. Disappointing. read more

This place is delicious! The food has exciting flavour. We had the shared vegetable/plate. I highly recommend.

An enjoyable dinner all around at Abyssinia. We ordered the meat and veg injera with lamb. Plenty of injera was served and the vegetables were tasty. The best meat dish was the beef, we gobbled that. The lamb was very tough which is why I'm giving 4 stars. The owners are lovely and the restaurant itself is pleasant. read more

The food here was delicious. We ended up here late night after seeing a movie and my girlfriend and I were quite pleased. The prices were reasonable and service was friendly but a little pushy and not very patient. We wolfed everything down and paid for our meal only to realize we never got one of our dishes. When I asked about it we were told that it had been on our platter but the dish we had ordered had chick peas in it and there had been no chick peas on our plate. Due to a slight language barrier we decided to let it go but it left a bad taste in my mouth. read more

Nice variety of dishes and drinks friendly service definitely my go to on weekends and weekdays

We went there on a causal weekday afternoon. Wanted to order the lamb dish but unfortunately they were out of lamb on that day so instead we order the beef one. The dish itself was delicious, tons of flavours and the meat was tender. However the injera was so sour that my stomach just couldn't take it anymore. We managed to finish all the meat but not the injera which was a shame since I would like to dip the injera with the sauce. read more

Our annual stop for Ethi food. It's by far our favourite place to eat and the owners always welcome and remember us. I would recommend anyone to eat here whether Ethi veterans or newbies. read more

My friend and I stumbled across this place while trying to find a place to dine. The gentleman was kind and invited us in and while we looked through the menu insisted on a signature dish of his and a couple other items on the menu. We were a bit concerned considering we had never tried some of the food and one of the items he had mentioned was raw (safe to eat) seasoned and spiced beef....we weren't sure but had nothing to lose so we ordered it. After about 5-8 minutes he came out with a platter of food placed on a flat bread platter...we thought "okay, here we go" and tried the seasoned lamb....OH....MY....GOD!! IT WAS DELICIOUS!!!! the beef was seasoned and spiced and the raw factor (it was more ground by hand beef) added to the settle flavors to the spices you would NEVER taste if cooked! After about 20 minutes of stuffing our faces and devouring the food we were absolutely stuffed! But we couldn't stop eating it! it was too good! The lamb was sooooo tender and well spiced, the beef was sooooo flavorful an had an soft texture, the spices actually partially cooked the meat as well and just WOW it was tooooo good! The service was VERY good! very friendly and he educated us on some of his background and country, it was prompt and felt very welcoming, the food was PERFECT...no...BEYOND perfect! The ONLY thing I could even think they could do differently is maybe add a bit more cultural decoration...but I think the food spoke for itself! So unique, such an adventure, and WILL DEFINITELY come back. Also the presentation makes it unbeatable for a double date, or even a lunch/dinner out with a group of friends! My Rating 4.9/5 Pros: - Food is EXCELLENT - Presentation is AWESOME and sooo cultural - Great for Groups/Double dates - Food is UNIQUE but likable for even the pickiest of eaters - The way you eat the food is FUN! - Service was AWESOME and you get some education of Ethiopian background - I have to mention this again....FOOD IS AMAZING! Great for all cultures Cons: - Maybe could add a bit more cultural decoration....but who cares! the food speaks for itself! read more

I'm glad to see an Ethiopian restaurant opening in this area. To start off, the owner is extremely friendly and heart warming. We were questioning the restaurant because it was new and it was empty. However, we did not want to be stuck-up and gave it a try. The owner just made things better. You could tell by his excited face that he was happy to have customers who knew his cuisine, and was happy to serve us. The kitfo was promising and his special Lamb dish was absolutely amazing. He kept recommending it to us, so we gave the lamb special a try and were not at all disappointed. I'm excited for this man and his restaurant and I hope his business is a success! Keep up the good work! read more

Friendly owner and tasty food. I ordered the chopped fish with spice, and it tastes like haven.

LOVED it! Plus the family who owns it were sweet! the woman cooked it and then came out to talk to us! The food was great! Glad we stopped in and will remember it the next time we are in Vancouver! It is a must go if you are looking for Ethiopian food! read more

Great food at reasonable prices. Really enjoyed their signature chicken dish (with the hard-boiled egg) paired with the vegetarian platter. While the food does take a while, I suspect it's because they're making it fresh right then. The flavours were really good and the dishes had just the right amount of spiciness to give it a kick without burning your mouth. When we went there was nobody else in the restaurant and our server (and owner?) was quite helpful in helping us choose and making substitutions due to food sensitivities. She even gave a brief tutorial on how to properly eat with injera, which was welcomed as my friend hadn't experienced it before. Also the quantity of food was decent. They bring out the injera-covered platter as well as one separate dish per order so you know you're getting what you paid for. They then pour the contents onto the platter. The injera itself was standard fare, likely sourced from the same supplier as other Ethiopian places I've been to. It's a little hole-in-the-wall place and doesn't appear very impressive, but don't let that fool you. I know I'll be back to try out more dishes and enjoy their authentic cooking. read more

Ethiopian is my all-time favorite food. My husband and I search it out whenever we visit "big cities." While I never regret the meal and experience (you really must eat it with your fingers), our lunchtime experience at Abyssinia wasn't completely satisfying. The portion size was plenty, but a few of the veggies and even the doro wasn't fully heated through. And the overall ambiance and decor was a bit drab. We'll try a different place next time. read more

First time trying Ethiopian food too (like this one review I saw) with a group of friends and I LOVE IT. You can tell it's authentic when you step in and see that there are many other African dining there :) Besides the food being amazing, the decoration is also authentic and so is the service :) The people there are warm too (well, I do love talking to people!) and oh, I just looove it :) I simply HAVE to go back. I already promised the owner hehe :p I'm bringing along my entire family...so we'd be this entire family of Chinese folks enjoying Ethiopian cuisine :) For a more helpful review: the food would probably be something unusual to the North American and Chinese taste buds...but I simply love it. The spices used are quite similar to Indian cuisine, but still unique in itself :) I AM SO GOING BACK!!!!!!!! Simply love it :) read more

I feel like a total jerk for not writing a review about this place earlier. It is really great. I love Ethiopian food and this place is awesome. They will also make gluten free injera with 24 hrs notice which is fantastic. Unfortunately I'm a terrible planner and have been out of the country for months but I can't wait to go back here. Really top notch! read more

This was my first time trying Ethiopian food and I'm looking forward to a return visit. Left full and satisfied. There are veggie and Gluten free options for those of you out there. read more

This place has hands down some of the best Ethiopian food I've had the pleasure of eating. The owner is friendly and wonderful. I'm celiac and he makes my dining experience seamless every time, always offering rice or gluten free Inerja so I may enjoy the food traditionally as well. The vegetarian combo is amazing, with a mix of spicy lentil dishes and more mild flavourful dishes as well. I know it's a bit of a trek for most people, but it is certainly worth the jaunt for tasty, authentic food. read more

Decided to go here for dinner as we had the entertainment book coupon for 25% off for up to $60. We ordered 4 dishes and a drink that came up to a bit over $60. When I mentioned we had the coupon, she said it was $10 off and just handed over the card machine without producing a receipt. I asked for a receipt and for some reason she wasn't able to print one. I think she realized we were trying to figure out how this was even calculated. As far as I know, $10 is not 25% and we couldn't even verify if she gave $10 off. On top of that, when I showed the coupon, she rudely asked why I was showing it to her (don't they need to scan or record it?). Unfortunately the whole experience felt sketchy and we felt scammed. It was clear they refused to produce a receipt since they didn't want to honour the 25% coupon. It's ironic that they are trying to get customers by offering the coupon, yet they can't even honour it so they will lose even more. read more

Great Ethiopian food, decent price and very friendly staff. The place is not fancy but it is definitely worth it if you seek hearty and delicious food from East Africa. read more

Delicious food, very good service. A great experience. If you want gluten free injera - just ask and they will provide :)