I went here as I was intrigued by this place from Plate of Nations - $30 for a special combo which is more than enough for 2 people. We had leftovers after being super stuffed from the dish. We also got an imported beer from Eritrea. You can't really beat these prices, even at a few top rated Ethiopian restaurants in the area. Injera seems to be unlimited - they proactively refill once they see you are running low. Even the takeout they gave an extra piece of injera! The waiter checked up on us a few times to ensure we had everything we need. Definitely don't overlook this place - very local feel, and there's a bit of language barrier too just fyi, but it's all part of a great holistic experience that is easy to pass by in the busy Rainier Ave S. read more

Alem Restaurant - Special combo - IG @bougiefoodieboi - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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The people here were super sweet and kind. They offered free coffee after the meal and brought some roasted coffee beans over for us to smell. The food was delicious and great portion sizes. The space was cozy and friendly with a couple of different tables. read more

Alem Restaurant - Tibs firfir - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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There's so many Ethiopian spots in Seattle and this one matches their typical quality. I got their veggie combo ($20), which comes with 5 different dishes. The food came out within 10 minutes--very fast for Ethiopian restaurants. Everything was solid, especially the misir wot. Friendly, attentive service. Good spot for Ethiopian if in this part of South Seattle. read more

Ordered: Kitfo - Though tasty, slightly on the salty side. Unsure if we had some miscommunication, but I expected the meat rare, and it was lightly cooked to the point where that soft, silkiness vanished. They were nice enough to include some flavorful greens, which tasted more like kale than collards, and yellow split peas. No ayib (cheese) though. Service: Very nice and welcoming Ambiance: Small dining room, neatly kept Arrived on a Sat around lunch and was surprised to see a Closed sign, but the door was open. So, don't walk away without checking if they're really closed. read more

We stopped in on a Sunday afternoon and it was not busy at the time. Coming in during slow times always makes it difficult to judge the service but it was ok. We ordered the meat and veg sampler. The food was good. I think Ethiopian food has some of the best veg dishes. I was hoping for a bit more but I believe it was just the weird time we came in. read more

Alem Restaurant - Meet and Veg - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

While the food tasted great, the portions were small, and their prices put them amongst the pricier Seattle Ethiopian restaurants. For a fantastic Ethiopian flavor experience, visit Jebena Café in Northgate. The food is superb, their portions are big, and we spent 35% less for the same meal we just got at Alem. Also, the photos I saw on Alem's page (here) looked nothing like what we got. read more

Very good Ethiopian Cuisine. I would come back. The lady who helped me was very friendly and helpful. I had the vegetable sampler and a side of shiro. The hot greens dish was super good in the sampler and everything else was enjoyable as well. If the shiro had more flavor it would be an easy 5 stars. I reviewed 3 Ethiopian restaurants in Seattle in last week, I would rank this one the best. They are all above average! I've had Ethiopian food at numerous spots in NYC, DC, and Baltimore so my standards are extremely high. Most people would rank 2-3 of these spots I reviewed at 5 stars which I do understand. read more

Alem Restaurant - Vegetable sampler - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I came here with my friend who had never had Ethiopian food before. Rainier Ave has the best Ethiopian restaurants in the city, so I knew I had to take her there. Luckily, we stumbled on Alem Restaurant. The owners are awesome. We stayed there for almost two hours, and they never made us feel rushed or like we were there too long. They were attentive without being overbearing at all. They offered free Ethiopian coffee, showing us how it was prepared in a frying pan. The food was excellent. The injera was well-prepared and the wat was flavorful with high-quality ingredients. I got both the meat and vegetarian combos, variety is a fun part of Ethiopian cuisine. Good experience, I'll definitely go back. read more

Good food, neat place, very shady location. Street parking available although it gets busy and people drive very fast and scary here. I was not sure how safe the car would be as we had to park a block down the restaurant. Food is good! read more

Alem Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We want to this restaurant on a quiet weekday afternoon. We were the only customers there for the first half of the meal. The cook was also the server, and she said she was new, so things were slower than usual. She graciously apologized for the wait and treated us very well. We ordered a veggie platter and a meat platter. Both were great but the meat was especially good. I'm never completely sure what I am eating at Ethiopian restaurants but that doesn't matter, as it is all delicious. read more

Alem Restaurant - Meat combo dish - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I stopped by Alem on a Rainy day for a generous late lunch for one. I live South of Seattle, and don't have Ethiopian food readily accessible so I was really looking forward to this meal. There was plenty of seating, and I was able to grab a table right away. The server was very kind and took my order right away (I ordered the #1 meat/veggie). My food came out shortly after, and was beautiful. I had so much food, it was really enough to share but I was in heaven. I ate as much as I could but still had about half of the meal left. It was all perfect. ALL PERFECT. The okra is especially amazing. The chef also came to introduce themself and asked if I'd like a coffee. Y'all. They brought me a beautiful cup of coffee. It was sooooo delicious. I want another cup right now. 10/10 read more

Alem Restaurant - A perfect coffee. - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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The food was amazing! The DoroWot is spicy, the injera added a wonderful balance, and the vegetarian platter was a wonderful mix of mild, sweet, and savory. The people there were incredibly sweet. I'm ready to go back any time! read more

Great service and my chicken Doro Wat was unbelievable--so fun/delicious and a wonderful experience.

Back again and again and it literally just hits so good. Have had a ton of Ethiopian food all over the west coast and even compared to the Bay Area this is my favorite hands down. Veg combo and shiro for the win. Injera is perfect level of sour and good amount of teff. read more

Alem Restaurant - Veg combo with Shiro - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We decided to stop for lunch while driving down Ranier Ave. I found this restaurant on Yelp and decided to give it a try. We were able to park in front of the restaurant. Only street parking is available. We arrived at the restaurant at 12:30 pm with 3 people, but there were no customers, probably because it was a weekday. A woman in the store greeted us with a smile. We looked menu and chosen #1 meat combo and 3 of ginger tea. We always eat one plate of Ethiopian food for two people. This time, the meat combo was large, so we ordered one for 3 people. A meat platter with a mix of meat entries are perfect to try. Ginger tea tastes different depending on the restaurant. I usually like sweet ginger tea with honey. But there is no sweetness here, and sugar comes. So adjust sweetness by yourselves. Meat combo comes with 8 kinds of ingredients on the injera. The taste was good and made us full. I would like to try other menus next time. read more

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My buddy and I shared the veggie platter and the shiro this afternoon (09-04-25). Everything was excellent. Also the owner was very attentive and pleasant. read more

The food and service was amazing! The food was very traditional and had great flavor. We got the meat and veggie combo and could not finish.

This was a first time experience of Ethiopian/ Eritrea cuisine. When I asked for a fork, what I got was a funny look:) Eat with your hands using Ijera bread..oh. I found the cuisine and experience to be very pleasant. There would be a need to try different meals to be able to rate. Yet, it was new to me and for that I enjoyed it. read more

The food and service was good. My only complaint was the small portion sizes. The $50 meal felt like an appetizer.

We ordered Alem combo, it's really delicious! Will definitely come again. And the service is also good. Highly recommended!

Can't believe 4.9 on Yelp and 4.8 on Google. Simply horrible! We had 2 dishes. One "veggie combo" and one "meat combo". Both served on cold enjeras -- not room temperature! COLD! Vegetarian dish was brought to the table cold. By the time they warmed it up the meat dish was cold. Half of the vegetarian dish had no taste. Quality of meat was terrible -- not chewable. To consume, one would have to swallow chunks. Service was pleasant but not informed. The server must have been new. Knew little about the menu. BTW, we have had Ethiopian food many times. read more

Holy yes. This place it amazing.. holy delicious it was a late night like sporadic moment we were like let's check it out. It was spontaneous. We couldn't see it in the beginning. Don't let the discourage you.. I think it might be closed outside but no. look go ahead and open that door, once you go in there it's super warm the waitress was super cool, the owner I think was there so he kicked it with us by the table, a must the food I mean the flavors were amazing women chefs it was just really good. Heaven sent will be a favorite spot for sure. read more

Alem Restaurant - Yes, yes yes. Holy Ethiopia goodness. - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Immaculate vibes in the restraint. The food was yummy and the service was amazing! Definitely returning with friends and I love the hours they're open as well. read more

The best, tastiest Shira perfectly complements the vegetarian combo. Our server was very welcoming and offered good recommendations. Cozy, little place, a hidden gem just north of Columbia City. Definitely will be back. read more

Great Hidden Find Delicious homemade Ethiopian food at a great price! Under new management and run by two lovely sisters. We went there for lunch and shared an order of veggie Shiro Wat. One order was enough to feed the both of us, which made it a great value. The homemade injera is 100% Teff, which is delicious and naturally gluten free. As they are just getting established they are currently offering free coffee with meals at lunchtime. Absolutely worth a visit and another welcome addition to our neighborhood read more

Gluten free injera, huge portions, vegan options and the BEST shiro and coffee I've ever had in my entire life. I drive here from Bellevue often and it's WORTH IT. Also not to mention the best service ever from the kindest people. read more

Food was so delicious! Our first time eating Ethiopian food and the waitress was so kind and patient! The interior is very cute and welcoming as well! Im very impressed and would definitely come back to eat here again read more

excellent food, reasonable prices, and great service. The atmosphere Is super cool. Feels authentically ethnic. one of my favorite places to go in Seattle. read more

The service was so kind, the food was so flavorful and perfect, and the ambiance was great!! Loved the special combos it was delicious, thank you!! It was also accommodating to my friends vegan and gluten free restrictions which was great! read more

Alem Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I never had Ethiopian food before and I'm glad I tried it here first. The Alem plate is like a big sampler plate, so you can try several different foods. And you can share it with 2 people easily. Servers were very nice. Highly recommend read more

I wasn't able to stay.. but these wonderful men let me use the restroom and was so kind about it. and it smelled absolutely DELICIOUS when I walked in. will definitely be going back for what I know will be amazing food read more

Where do I begin? Service was great, the food was delicious, the staff was friendly. I will definitely be back! read more

Alem Restaurant - a plate of ethiopian food - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Service was great. Server asked me about spice level and I got what I asked for. Great flavors and super nice staff. I will be back.

This was my first time trying Ethiopian food, and it was amazing! The portions were massive and the bread was really soft. The waitress was really kind and patient and explained each item on the menu for us. The prices are great; I felt like we were getting a steal for the amount of food we got. I highly recommend this place if you're in the area! Probably best to go with a group because one plate is enough for 2 people. read more

Alem Restaurant - Veggie dish - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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The service is great, very nice people. We had delicious Ethiopian foods and the whole experience was amazing.

This is my first experience having Ethiopian food. My friend and I got the veggie platter which had various beans and veggies on it with gluten-free sour-ish bread. It was so good! My favorite was the yellow lentils, okra and greens. It was filling and healthy. We eat with our fingers too. Our other friends got two dishes combined in one, family style sharing Our waitress was also the cook and definitely small Business owner trying to make it happen! Definitely recommend! read more

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I have been enjoying Ethiopian food in Seattle for 20 years. This place opened nearby during the pandemic and I have been ordering takeout ever since. Fresh food, well prepared, served with grace and friendly faces. I love it! read more

I'm a fan of Ethiopian food and have eaten many dishes over many years at many restaurants in several US cities. Tonight we got veggie combo, lamb tibs, and doro wat. All was good but I think it was the best Doro Wat I've ever had. Great service too. I'll be back! read more

Yes, the injera is 100% teff , thus gluten free. Alem is one of my favorite spots in that area of Seattle. Not for tourists but for people who know what they want, and know how to eat it. Delicious and expertly prepared. Complex flavors and large portions. Don't let the bars on the windows scare you. Inside is warm, hospitable and genuine. I'm looking forward to my next gig in the area, just to return to Alem. read more

I love Ethiopian food, but don't have a restaurant close to my home. While visiting Seattle, we decided to make this a priority for dinner one night. We had a party of 11, and called to a few restaurants before settling on this one. The ambiance was lovely, and the staff had pulled tables together to accommodate our large group. Everyone there was so friendly and welcoming! And the food was DELICIOUS! We definitely over ordered, but the leftovers tasted even better the next day. My son is 2.5, and has recently developed a fear of anything spicy. We ordered the spaghetti for him, but unfortunately it was still too spicy for him (it wasn't spicy at all) and the chef was SO sweet and accommodating about it. She cooked up some plain noodles for him and tossed them in olive oil We had an amazing time, and will definitely be dropping by again the next time we're in the area. read more