Not sure why this place is marked as permanently closed - we picked up food the other day and it was delicious! It was our first time trying Eritrean food and we had plenty of vegetarian options to choose from. The service was great and the food was packed with care. As an added bonus, we discovered they have mead and we really enjoyed it! read more

Standard Eritrean food, which is delicious. The issue I have is that the prices are outrageous and the portions small. A veggie sampler, with various small portions of lentils and vegetables, is $80...$80!!! When it arrived, I thought surely they'd given us a smaller size, since there were only two of us, with a lower price. Easily eaten between 2 people, even though it says 3-4 on the menu. I'll be taking my business to Red Sea, which has a more down-to-earth customer base and more reasonable prices. read more

Tried take out from Asmara this week and it was pretty good. Injera and all vegan dishes were excellent, but the lamb was pretty chewy and tough (according to my husband). Prices are pretty good...we shared 2 entrees among 3 people and it was more than enough. We'd likely return if in the area again! read more

The husband and I found this place by accident, and I'm so glad! We were craving Ethiopian food, but didn't want to trek to Westbrook after a golf event, and found this Eritrean gem instead! Despite coming in only an hour before closing, the service was super friendly and the food was phenomenal! We got the #10 and the #15- beef with spinach and lamb tibsi, with a side of red lentil stew and collard greens over injera. All of it was just delicious, but I particularly liked the lamb and red lentils with the tart injera. I also had the lemonade, which was a refreshing balance to the spice of the food. The portion sizes were quite generous for the price, and we ended up with enough food to take home for another whole meal after stuffing ourselves silly! You can't go wrong with anything here, and we will definitely be back! read more

Asmara - #10, #15 on injera with the red lentils and collard greens sides - African Near Me - Portland, Maine

I'm not a vegetarian, but when I eat Ethiopian/Eritrean food, I almost always get veggie. Oh me, oh my, so good! They open at 4:30 for dinner. I stopped in with a friend (we probably looked like a couple Karens waiting outside a Best Buy on Black Friday for an on-sale DVD player). There is one sweet lady that is in the back and seems to cook everything herself, and a nice gentleman that eventually took over waiting duties. There is lots to choose from; usually I get the veggie sampler, but the one they have here is for "3-5 people" and my friend seemed set on a chicken stew, so I braved getting one dish. Samplers are just great because you get to try lots of things without making a "mistake" by ordering something you don't like... but it is all good here! Nice little place, started to fill up closer to normal dinner time. Very friendly staff. I will return. read more

Asmara - a plate of food on a wooden table - African Near Me - Portland, Maine

Delicious dinner! Just the right spice combination. Highly recommend! Best injera I've had in a while. read more

Asmara - Chicken with mild sauce and vegetables. Comes with deviled egg. - African Near Me - Portland, Maine

4.5 stars. Since moving from Denver to NYC, I'm always craving Eritrean and Ethiopian food, a cuisine where Denver outperforms the Big Apple. A Christmas visit to family in Maine provided the perfect opportunity to indulge in good Eritrean food. We called ahead at lunchtime since we were bringing 5 adults and 4 kids (the youngest is six years). There was just one person, a friendly and efficient woman (the owner?) doing everything from hosting and taking table orders to cooking and serving. This person is very good at her job! We ordered tea to start along with tasty veggie and beef sambusas that were the crowd pleasers for the youngest kids. For entrees, we ordered a veggie sampler, 1 beef stew, and 2 chicken stews. The food was worth the wait: delivered to the table on a massive platter with injera as the foundation, the veggie sampler was richly flavored with lots of options. The cabbage and potato alitcha, spicy potatoes, and spicy Fou's were my favorites. The meat dishes got good reviews as well. The injera was good and spongy, with good consistency: perfect for using as your utensil for scooping up the great curries and fresh salads. The food is good, not the best Eritrean or Ethiopian I've ever had, but definitely worth a visit. Asmara is located in downtown Portland, a lively area where street parking spaces are limited. It is simply decorated with some nice East African art. Asmara is a great place to take the family. All four nieces and nephews agree! read more

Asmara - a table and chairs in a restaurant - African Near Me - Portland, Maine

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The food is so good here! The Injera is very tasty and a better supplement to the meals than the rice. The server was friendly and helpful. We got there early. Good thing because when we left that was the only table empty. We all ordered different meat dishes and shared. We had 5 people. Ordered 4 entrees. We couldn't eat all of it. We got the fresh squeezed Lemonade and the blended Avocado drink. You have to go. It is great!! read more

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We ordered a takeout from this place and it didn't disappoint. Being from Minneapolis, I've been to many Ethiopian places and this one tastes really authentic. The service was quick and safe. They come out of the door to leave your package on the table. However next time we will order some individual items instead of the sampler. Even though it was terrific and came with a big salad and a few injiras, it wasn't worth $50+ for veggie sampler. I'll go back just for the injera, okra and lentils for sure. read more

Asmara - Vegetarian Sampler - African Near Me - Portland, Maine

I have a friend who raves about Asmara and talks about how delish it is all the time so when the opportunity came to check it out, I jumped! The interior is very plain but they've squeezed in a lot in such a small place. We ordered one of each sambusa to start. They were overcooked (hard) and not particularly flavorful...bust. Then we ordered the lamb tibsi which came served on injera bread. Right when we got it I had remembered the sourness would turn off my SO (he doesnt like any sour taste) and I was right. He didnt like anything except the lamb which he ate. I am not a big fan of lamb so I thought it was tough and not particularly good. The injera was great and the sides were alright, but the meal itself was kind of a disappointment. For the price point, I didn't feel like I got what I expect for paying that much and felt like the whole food experience wasn't up to my standards of Ethiopian food I've had before. Yes, I realize this is Eritrean, but it's very similar. But, I am glad that other people like it, I just probably did not order the right things. Maybe next time I will try the lunch. read more

Asmara - African Near Me - Portland, Maine

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I don't think I can say this loud enough: ASMARA SLAPS. Seriously some of the best food I've ever had. The soft, spongey injera bread is the perfect spoon to scoop up some lentil stew, sautéed spinach, or even salad. Their meals are large and will fill you up--or you can reheat later for leftovers. They don't mess around with tiny portions. Vegetarian options? Plenty. This place is a hidden gem in Portland. I can't stop introducing my friends to their divine food. read more

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Amazing vegan options. The kind of food you HAVE to keep eating once you're full since it's too good to not. read more

Asmara - African Near Me - Portland, Maine

We had lunch here and the food was delicious. The woman who both waited on us and prepared our meals was very friendly and kind. We all look forward to trying Asmara again soon. read more

Authentic and amazing. It's a small space so be patient with the staff. The food is excellent and the owner is sweet and kind.

This place is an experience worth trying at least once. Eating with my hands is not my favorite thing, but I tried it for most of the meal. Then I learned a wonderful thing, they will give you a fork if you ask! The flavors are different from any of the other restaurants in Portland, and are worth trying for that reason alone. We had several wonderful vegetarian options, but the spicy beef was exceptional. The staff was very nice. Many of the customers were clearly regulars. Prices were good. read more

Just delicious and fun to eat! Highly recommended experience where you get to eat with your hands! I've been here about 10 times where the food is consistently amazing / beautiful. Everyone I've bumped into that know about this place also raves about the food. This smaller restaurant and dining area is tucked away on oak street and a perfect spot to hit before or after walking around Portland. Some of their food has a balanced spicy kick but they also have mild dishes which are fabulous. If you like coffee, theirs is VERY good. The family that runs the restaurant is kind and adds to the experience. Thanks for the exceptional food and warm atmosphere! read more

Asmara - Fiery beef and mild chicken with hard boiled egg. - African Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Amazing small business with even more amazing food. This is my first time trying Eritrean food and I will most definitely be coming back for more. The injera with shiro and the spicy chicken was so flavorful and just kept me wanting more. The red lentil option is great but also the potatoes are just as good. Highly recommend stopping if you are ever in Portland. read more

Asmara - African Near Me - Portland, Maine

Had lunch with my friend here--absolutely DELICIOUS food and do attractively served!! I always get East African food when I visit Portland and this one is my top Choice. The owner/ chef is delightful and the atmosphere is very nice. Plus it's right in old Portland!!!Don't miss it!! read more

Deliciousssss. I'd rather give this place 4.5 stars! Here's the breakdown: Food: 5 Stars Service: 4 Stars Price: 5 Stars The Service is great - the woman is super friendly and makes you feel at home. You can taste the love in every bite. We went as a group and waited a bit for our food to arrive. We couldn't find her after she served us because she was in the kitchen cooking up a storm for another party. She needs help. Amazing cook, delicious food, but she needs help in the kitchen. It made me feel bad asking her for anything because she's alone. Honey Wine - don't bother with the small - get the Large - You'll thank me later. I can't remember if I ordered the beef with potatoes or beef with okra - one of those was really delicious compared to the other. It had a nice spicy kick. We ran out of injera so it got very messy at the end of our meal. We tried to find her, but like I said she was alone in the kitchen preparing another party's meal so we didn't want to bother her. If you're on a time crunch, do not come here. It's an experience, so come when you have time and you want to break bread with friends and enjoy yourselves. Bring friends who don't mind getting their fingers dirty and licking them clean. There is the option to get separate plates, but I find it so much more fun everyone digging in together at the same plate. That's just me though. Definitely feels like family. Anyway! Try it - you won't be disappointed. 4.5 stars! Large Honey Wine - LARGE! read more

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We just had a delicious lunch! The veggie sampler is pretty expensive but each platter comes with a side so we put together 4 different things. So good!! read more

The food was absolutely amazing!! The customer service was great :)) we got Shiro and chicken tibs and I absolutely recommend it!!! read more

Asmara - Chicken Tibsi - African Near Me - Portland, Maine

I was ready to give Asmara five stars just from the aromas I inhaled when I walked in. This cozy, family-run restaurant made me feel right at home, and from how we were welcomed and how the food was presented, it felt more like I was a guest in their house for a meal than at a restaurant. The menu is slightly different than many other Ethiopian restaurants, in which the focus is often on platters. Here you order your entree with sides. Everything comes out very quickly too, with the injera on the plate rather than rolled up pieces on a separate dish. It was so nice to be greeted by the owner as well after we finished our meal. I don't know just how new Asmara is to the dining scene in Portland - it was new to me, I'm glad it's here, and I'll definitely be back the next time I'm here. read more

Asmara - Honey wine, the large portion, of course. - African Near Me - Portland, Maine

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This food is delicious. I love that it is authentically made by an Eritrean immigrant, so it feels homemade. It was the warm hug I was looking for in this Friday night. A hidden gem on the Portland Peninsula. read more

Really flavorful, unique food, with a terrific level of spiciness. The injera (bread) is teff-based and gluten-free. The red lentil is especially recommended. read more

This is my most favorite restaurant in portland. The food is unbelievably flavorful, the service is incredible, and Maine is so lucky to have these folks/this cuisine. I would highly recommend the vegetarian sampler. It is a delightful combination of dishes and flavors and the injera is the best I've ever had. Thank you Asmara for consistently providing such delicious food. read more

Lots of great vegan options. The food was solid but I could've used more distinct spices on some of the dishes. The coffee was amazing. The flavor was very unique and took a few sips to get used to, but then I was totally hooked on it. read more

Good service. Great food. Very casual atmosphere. The food was very good and not overly salted which I very much appreciate. The portions were not all that large considering that 70% of your meal is the bread. We ordered two entrees that each came with a side and salad and the whole thing was served together on one plate as we expected. I ordered the lentils (about 2/3 cup) and side of collards (1/2 cup) and found the portion to be quite small, especially if you don't want to fill up entirely on bread. That's really my only complaint though, I'd go back in a heart beat. read more

Asmara - Two vegetarian entrees served together. - African Near Me - Portland, Maine

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I have always wanted to stop by. Why? Because I am a sucker for food. It's a small mom and pop diner. I love the African arts they have on the wall. It's simply beautiful. Makes me want to get in the next plan to Eritrea. As a newbie to Eritrean dishes, I wanted to go all in. So had the chicken sauce with vegetables and ingera, the infamous bread. It was actually pretty good. As some one who loves spice, I wished my chicken stew had some kick to it but it was. The ingera was interesting, never had anything like that before. Its a cross breed between sourdough bread and pancake. You simply break a piece and dip it into your sauce. I'll be back to try the other dishes. read more

Asmara - African Near Me - Portland, Maine

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What a cool new experience! This was my first time eating Ethiopian food and I did not know what to expect. I came with a group of 12-13 people and I felt the restaurant did a good job of accommodating us. This place has a great family owned feel that I really enjoyed. I felt like they really wanted us to enjoy ourselves and have a good experience. The dinner entrees ranged from about $15-$17 and come served on a large piece of injera. (Which I would describe as a thin sourdough bread pancake). I ordered the spicy beef stew with a side of cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. It came served on the large piece of injera and not as a traditional bowl of stew. Just like the description says, it is spicy! Very delicious! The reason for 4 stars and not 5 stars is I think the dinner prices are a little high for the portion. However, I did notice that they were advertising a lunch special that was 8.95 for any meal on the menu! This would definitely be worth returning for. I also tried the house made honey wine. I loved this! It tasted like a honey mead. I also loved how they serve it! See my picture below.. read more

Asmara - House made honey wine - African Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Asmara has been on my radar for sometime, but it wasn't until recently I finally had the opportunity to go. A large group of us came for a Supper Club series. The owners were abundantly thoughtful and accommodating. When they realized the table they had seated us a wasn't large enough, they rearranged their whole restaurant to make sure we could fit comfortable. We appreciated this! Asmara is a very small, family operation (I believe the daughter was doing homework on her laptop at another table). So when you're here: be patient. Waters, drinks, and food come out one by one by one. One of our servers (who also happened to be the cook) allowed us to do separate checks, which was a blessing. She had a great sense of humor and was very knowledgeable about the menu. Things to know if you've never come: 1. Warm, damp towels are passed around before the meal for your hands. 2. Dining with someone? You will be asked if you want to share a plate (your food, plus your partners food served on the same injera). Word to the wise: this does NOT work if you're a vegetarian eating with a meat-eater. 3. There are no utensils, you'll be eating with your hands. Rip off a piece of injera, scoop up some of your protein, enjoy! I do! 4. Take a Zantac if you're one of those "I'm getting older and everything spicy bothers me lately" kind of people like I've become. 5. This place is GREAT for vegetarians. Now, what I ordered: + Housemade honey wine ($8 for a large): D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S. This stuff is dangerous. It's a golden colored, thick, honey-flavored alcohol that sneaks up on you without warning. It's delicious, sensual (can alcohol be sensual?), and one of the best adult beverages happening in the city of Portland right now that no one knows about. - Veggie Sambusa ($1.75): It was pretty underwhelming both in appearance, presentation, and flavor. Overly fried thick dough with a scant filling of potatoes and peppers. I wouldn't order this again. + The Vegetarian Sampler ($40.95): Samples of the Spicy Okra and Potatoes, Sautéed Spinach (we had two scoops of this), Birsen (red lentils in a red curry sauce), Alitcha (cabbage, carrots, potatoes in a yellow curry sauce), Fou'l (fava beans, tomatoes, hot peppers, and onions), and two scoops of salad fit fit (chopped lettuce and tomatoes with house dressing) on top of two inerja (which, as others have mentioned, is this bubbly, sour pancake-like bread). It's enough to feed three people, but I wouldn't say more than that. It was definitely the perfect thing to get though, for those of us who had never had experience with Eritrean food. The injera under the food does get damp to the point of unholdable, so be sure to ask for me (which they'll give you complimentary) if you need it. Next time I go (which might be at lunch when everything on the menu is $8.95), I look forward to trying the Shiro ($12.95) which comes with roasted, ground chickpeas and red pepper cooked with fresh garlic and earthy spices. That just sounds like happy belly food. read more

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I LOVE Eritrean food, having studied abroad in Asmara in college, I can say with strong support that this restaurant offers a very authentic experience! The spicy smells, decorations and hospitality bring me back to Asmara (the capital city) every time I eat here. There are many vegetarian options (sometimes called 'fasting foods'), but ALL are utterly delicious! I could eat here daily, or at least weekly, if I had the funds and friends who'd join me! To get the best vegetarian experience bring a friend or two and share the vegetarian sampler platter. It comes with 2 lentils dishes, beans, okra, potatoes & cabbage, spinach and salad. You can make hundreds of flavor combinations - all amazing! The red lentils are spicy - not for the faint of heart. Other dishes are simply full of flavor and Eritrean goodness. Eating is very communal, everything is served on a large plate of injera, a sourdough pancake made from teff flour (a grassy wheat). Don't go to any Eritrean (or Ethiopian) restaurant with folks you don't want to literally break bread with! The staff here are so friendly, kind and accommodating. Having visited here a few times, I am always impressed with the great customer service. The menu pricing is a little high, but everything is made fresh, in-house and with love! They do have a lunch special - anything on the menu for $8.95. Can't wait to go back and get another fixing of such fabulous food, in a warm, welcoming place! read more

I really wanted to love this place. The atmosphere is casual and cozy. Service was friendly, but painfully slow. I'm typically pretty patient, but waiting for tea for a good 20+ minutes was frustrating. Fortunately, the tea was deliciously spicy and thoroughly enjoyable. The food was just fine. I had no complaints, but it wasn't as flavorful as I was expecting. Portions are on par with other Ethiopian/Eritrean restaurants I've been to. We each ordered a meat-based entree, which came with a small salad and a veggie side. Everything comes out together on injera, and it's a fun way to share a meal in a real "breaking bread" sense of the word. This is a lackluster review I know, but unfortunately reflects my experience here. I'm willing to give it another chance and am hoping I just caught them on an off night. read more

Asmara - Chicken and egg, lentils, lamb with okra and collard greens - African Near Me - Portland, Maine

I was really happy with the food at Asmara and the service is awesome. I'm only giving it 4 stars because I can't give it 4.5. The problems were small: the quantity of the entrees was a bit disappointing, the Injera didn't hold together when it got wet quite as much as it does at other Ethiopian/Eritrean restaurants, and I wanted a beer that was a little more unusual than a Heineken. Is it impossible to get Bedele or even Bati in Maine? I would recommend Asmara without hesitation to anyone. If you've never been there, you should go. And if you have already been there, you'll want to go back. It's awesome stuff, but I wish my portion of lamb was a bit bigger. Just so you know, they don't take American Express. That's not unusual and I don't hold it against them, but you'll want to know before you get there. Now get down to Asmara and enjoy yourself! read more

Asmara - African Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Asmara is the real deal. The bomb dot com. The unassuming hole-in-the-wall that comes at you with the huge platter of injera, loaded up with tsebhi (a.k.a. wat), collard greens, lamb stewed with spinach, berbere, the whole nine yards. You can even get little bottles of tej (honey wine), which is a pleasantly sweet (but not too sweet) addition to any meal. Great service and great people running the place. read more

Eritrean food at its very finest! I felt right at home dining here, as the host went out of his way to make us feel welcomed and appreciated. It's apparent, from the moment I walked in, that this particular establishment is family owned and operated, which to me, is great thing indeed! As for the food, it was absolutely fantastic. I went with the curried chicken, with a side of collard greens, along with a carrot and cabbage concoction, which was out of this world. If you're a fan of spicy ethnic foods, and aren't afraid to eat with your hands (c'mon, who doesn't like eating with their hands?!), you can really do no better than Asmara. The place just screams authenticity! read more

Asmara - Simple. The way it should be. - African Near Me - Portland, Maine

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This is the best Ethiopian/Eritrean food I've ever had. EVER. I have never found a better Ethiopian place in the US than Asmara in Portland, Maine (of all places!). I adore this place, it's usually just the owner behind the counter cooking everything to order, so it's a little slow but she's always super nice and accommodating. Everything is great here, from the spice tea to the injera (which has the perfect amount of teff!). The food is authentic, flavorful, and the best part- SPICY. On the menu you have two options: "spicy" or "fiery" (and oh, is it perfectly fiery let me tell you). I once went in with my mother who asked her "can you do possibly do a mild spice?" the owner looked at her confused "...no" A++++ that's how Ethiopian food should be. (Though she did try her best to accommodate my mother which was sweet.) Every single time I'm in Maine, I make a point to come to Portland and eat at Asmara. My only complaint is I wish it was closer! read more

Food was awesome! I stopped in for lunch and got their specials of the fiery chicken stew and the fiery lamb stew. They were both served on top of injera with a side of salad, which was tossed in some Kind of delicious vinaigrette, and was also served with a side of your choice I got the kale and potato. I will definitely come back again! Thank you so much!! read more

Asmara - The fiery lamb stew! I preferred the chicken one but wanted to try something new. Still delicious!! - African Near Me - Portland, Maine

I was unsure of this place but it's one of my moms' favorite places in Portland so I said that I would try it. It was SO good. I got to eat with my hands and no one told me it was bad manners! I liked the salad and the tomatoes in it as well as the soft bread. I picked up my food with the bread and it was fun learning how to scoop it all up. My moms' got a mild chicken dish for me which was pretty good, though I really liked the mashed up red lentils the best, after the bread of course. I did try their meat and potatoes and it was good but it was too spicy for me. They do have a kids menu that has chicken nuggets and stuff on it, but I don't like them and had much more fun trying this new food and eating with my hands! The man who served us was very nice. He brought hot towels to wash our hands like at the sushi place and I got to have a lemonade too. Overall, I liked this place very much. It is one of my new favorite restaurants now and I will be happy to go back with my mom whenever she wants to read more

Asmara - African Near Me - Portland, Maine

Delicious Eritrean food, family-owned restaurant. Happy to support them during pandemic.

This food was great and despite overlapping with Ethiopian style still had a little Eritrean flavor to make it unique. The meal was spicy and delicious; the injera fresh and spongy. I never thought I'd break from Lobster rolls in Maine, but this was well worth the effort. read more