Such a great restaurant for authentic Ethiopian food. Never a disappointment! 35years of serving delicious food to those who visit Central Square! read more

Asmara Restaurant - The combo platter. It gives you lamb, beef, chicken, lentils, vegetables and a salad. Great way to taste the food! - Ethiopian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

The food was fine. It took forever which makes me think that the food for the dining room was being given to take-away customers. There is no reason that meat stews and lentil curries were not ready before dinner service. The service was the main driver of the 1 star. On a Saturday night, plan to be busy so have more than the one front of house person. We sat down and it took 20-30 min to order our drinks and then we ordered our food at the same time and that did not come for over an hour. If I had cash, I would have dropped the 20 on the table for the wine and beer and left. We were surprised they did not even come to ask about drinks, which are pure margin. My wife desperately ordered a 2nd glass of wine when the food came after 90 minutes because we thought we were never going to see her again. Asmara has converted us back to carrying cash around to escape these types of situations. read more

Asmara has been our go-to place as long as we have lived in the area, over ten years. The food and drink are delightful and the experience at the Eritrean restaurant in Central Square is warm and welcoming. Sara always greets us like we are old friends. She handles the flow of customers, acknowledging everyone's' wishes. The tables and chairs and decor are cheerful and fun. we choose the combos, particularly the vegetarian ones. Central Square is lucky to host Asmara. read more

Amazing food. Really cool to see an ethiopian and Eritrean place in Boston. It's one of the best ones I've had too! Definitely get the tibs it is a must have. We got the veggie combo, meat combo, and the tibs and everything we ate was really good. The only one qualm I had was that they didn't take us until we had all 5 people (even when had 4 out of the 5). This would be reasonable if they were going to seat us at a bigger table because of it but when the fifth person arrived they just seated us at a 4 person table and pulled a chair. Again, not a huge deal and not gonna affect the rating since the food was good but it was just a little unnecessary since the restaurant wasn't that busy at that time.. read more

Asmara Restaurant - a plate of ethiopian food - Ethiopian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Decent ethiopian food. But the waitress we got was little rude when we were asking about questions about the good. read more

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Don't go here if you have small children. The booster seat they gave us for my 1 year old was extremely dirty and the strap was broken. Then the waitress made us sit near the bathroom where there was barely enough room for people to get by. My husband had to keep scooting his chair in so people could get by. We brought this to the waitresses' attention and asked to move. She was adamant that we could not switch tables because we were a party of 3 and not 4. There were several tables open but she kept insisting that they get busy and need the tables. We didn't even order food because we were so uncomfortable. Never going back there again. read more

Amazing food! I love the Injara bread and the taste of the meat and veggie sampler. This cozy place makes a great date night if you and your date like ethnic food read more

I met up with a friend here for dinner on a weekday. Even though Asmara has been around for awhile I only recently found out about it. My friend is vegetarian so an Ethopian place is a good choice while still offering options for us meat eaters. It's a very casual place with friendly staff. We sat in lounge chairs and shared a few small tables. My friend got a lentil-based vegetarian dish while I ordered beef tibs. The tibs had good flavor with tender beef. Asmara is conveniently located in Central Square, about a block away from the Red line. read more

Small, friendly place that's been here for years l. As good of Ethiopian food as I've had. Served at both traditional and modern style tables. Somewhat less spicy than some. Homemade honey wine (mes) was very good. Close to the Central Square T stop in Cambridge. I'll come again when I'm in town! read more

I have been coming to this place for the past few years and the food is always great and the service is always personal. It is a quaint and peaceful environment inside which makes the experience even better. Hopefully they will be able to go back to regular hours soon. That way I can swing by and pick up lunch when I'm in the area! read more

The food itself is awesome which is why this is a 2 star review and not 1. We were seated at 6:15. Our food came out at 7:30. In between we joked about going to the 7-11 and getting a snack. This was a Saturday, which I assume they know is a busy day - all food was being provided to takeout orders, which also snaked out the front door. Also, the bathrooms were in such bad shape the women were using the mens bathroom by the time we left. They converted me to carrying cash and disposable plastic gloves for hygiene reasons. I wish we had just found the waitress and paid for our drinks and left. I chose Asmara over other restaurants due to the high ratings on Yelp and now I feel duped. We spent $80 to risk Covid and RSV and stay hungry for well over an hour. Buyer beware. read more

My 1st time in this lovely and traditional Eritrean and Ethiopian resturant in Cambridge. Local Beer and Honey wine my favorite drinks. The staff is very kind and nice. Main courses is one of the best Ethiopian food I've tried before. The last part is pistachio ice cream. Everything here is perfect. Highly recommended. read more

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The sheer arrogance of the server should actually give this place a 1. We were a party of 5 , 4 reached early. She refused to seat us till the 5th person came . She seated on the same table for 4 and simply added the 5th chair. If we were not famished wr would have walked out right there . Then the service also was OK at best. She was catty in her responses to questions on what do you recommend etc ? Never going there again. read more

This restaurant is a bit overpriced... everything is very satisfactory, though! The waitstaff are very helpful for newcomers in figuring out the menu and knowing what to order. Service in general was good and fast. The seating is traditional style with baskets or at a table. We sat traditional style, and it was very nice. My party of 3 ordered one of each basic meat, the lamb, beef, and poultry. All very tasty! I liked the lamb the most. Okay, so my one complaint is that the bread (the dough) is really, really sour. By the end, I couldn't handle the sourness anymore. I've had Ethiopian food in the past, and the sourness level is tolerable. Other than that... I think the food was good! read more

I am so glad I ended up going to this restaurant to try their food after hearing great things online and through friends. The entire experience was phenomenal. My friend and I ordered many apps and entrees and the food was delicious. I have only had Ethiopian food twice before and I must say this place knocks it out of the park with food and service. The place has Covid restrictions in place. read more

Asmara Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Although I definitely can't call myself an expert, Asmara is my go-to for Ethiopian food. My roommates and I (one of whom is Nigerian) come here frequently for our fix, and I also bring people who have never ventured into this culinary realm because it's a good intro. I love that they have the traditional baskets in which they place the food (although these often are the first to be taken up, so you may have to sit at a regular, boring table in the back. Always a bummer). We've found Asmara's food to be more flavorful than others in the area (cough Addis Red Sea cough), and there are lots of meaty and veggie options with different (mild and spicy) sauces. Mmm. However, don't plan to make that movie in an hour. Although the restaurant may be half empty, the service can be very slow. Maybe it takes a long time to cook the stews. Maybe they just have a slower pace of life in Africa. Whatever the reason, don't come too hungry because once that glorious platter of food appears about an hour after you order, you'll be famished. And you'll consume all the injera you can grab. Asmara uses two kinds of injera: one is darker (the little signs on the tables claim it's made with teff and therefore nutritious) and thicker while the other one is the more standard, light injera. They're super spongy, slightly sour, and a simply splendid method of conveying tender hunks of meat and veggies to your mouth. We always try to get a mix of veggies and meats, and the standout dishes are usually those with lamb. The veggie dish I've liked least is the one with chickpeas since I was imagining whole chickpeas, yet it was more of a puree. The spicy flavor was enjoyable, but I prefer more texture. Asmara seems like an authentic African food experience. It's family-style dining, and your fingers will get messy, so it's a great communal activity to enjoy with friends or a date who is down to get dirty. The food isn't cheap, and the service isn't typically very attentive or speedy, but I appreciate the cultural flavors and variety this brings to the Cambridge food scene. read more

Asmara Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Great service, our server was pleasant and she took an effort to explain what's in the plate. Their honey wine is great! Combo meal for 2 was more than enough to feed us both to the fullest. read more

Asmara Restaurant - Non vegetarian combination meal for 2 - Ethiopian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I waiver between 3 and 4 stars for this place. I definitely enjoyed my dining experience, but to be honest, I the ambiance and service weren't all that. And the cuisine was totally new to me. I definitely appreciated how the server offered to put together a sampler of vegetarian entrees and a sampler of meat entrees for all of us to share. This is a great option for folks new to the cuisine. As it was my first time having this kind of food, it is difficult to rank just how the food was. However, one of my dining companions had been to other similar restaurants in the area and commented how some of the entrees were better here, but that also some were better elsewhere. So I'm giving it 3 stars. The restaurant itself is on the small side and is kind of a lower-end hole-in-the-wall without the coolness. It's perfectly nice, but there is nothing unique or special about it. The space doesn't add anything to the dining experience. 2 stars. Our server was very nice and friendly. She was able to suggest items and deal with our large party. However, I wouldn't exactly call the service attentive. But it did also seem like she was the only server in the entire place. 3 stars. Overall, again, it was a pleasant dining experience. And I wouldn't hesitate to dine here again. But, on the whole, I can't really say it was anything other than average. read more

Asmara Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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I don't give five stars often but I've been here so much in the last year. I enjoy the food and the experience each time, my friends who I bring always love it. This is an ethnic restaurant, if you expect American, you should go across the street to the Tavern. When you go, expect to eat with your hands, share a large plate of food, be waited on by friendly staff who are not in a hurry to push you out the door, enjoy a quiet but friendly environment and if for the first time, try something new! I've been averaging a once a month visit over the last year and the food is really great. I'm gluten free and the first visit the waitress actually refused to allow me to experience the food without the right bread. (Most are wheat based) Where they are from the bread is made with Teff, GF, but in America they found the people like it mixed with wheat. So, I call ahead and get the GF bread. It is such a pleasure!!! I get the combination plate, meat combo and extra spicy, about $18.00 per person. NOTE: I have always left feeling full, overly feed (self-induced) and wishing I could finish off the plate food. My spice level is scalding hot so this is a 3 for me at best, but the taste and flavors are perfect! I have not once complained, my friends are shocked. ;) Plan to eat with your hands. This is not for the super clean, self conscious person who doesn't want to touch their food. No...this is for the individual who likes what the flavors of the world have to offer and doesn't mind getting messy. My thoughts, life is messy!! So you mind as well eat good food and enjoy while your doing it!!! The disclaimer...to each their own. I've seen the reviews, and most are about the price. If you can put that aside, I think you'll enjoy! read more

My husband and I wanted to try out a new restaurant. We had wanted to try out Asmara for awhile since we had been to Addis Red Sea (an Ethiopian restaurant) and enjoyed the cuisine there. We made the right choice stopping to try out this restaurant. From the outside it seems like a lack luster hole in the wall but the food here is definitely worth eating. The service was extremely friendly and accommodating. I also would like to point out that the food here is Eritrean not Ethiopian. Although what that means in food differences, I couldn't tell you. We ordered the meat combo. Since my husband does not eat beef, we asked if we could switch out the beef option with the spicy chickpea option. Our waitress had no problem with that. Our food came out very fast which was astonishing since the service was on the slower side (mainly because the restaurant was packed and there was only one person on the floor and one person in the kitchen). We tore the flat crepe like bread that the curries were placed on top of and dipped it in the curries. We also were given a whole other plate of crepe breads. The food was delicious and the meat combo for two was more than enough food for two. I would say the only con was that the combo meal was on the pricer side $17.95 per person. read more

Asmara Restaurant - Meat combo (switched out beef option for spicy chick peas) - Ethiopian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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1. they don't take reservations. for a sat night, come before 7pm if you don't wanna wait for a table. 2. they don't have utensils, apparently for authentic dining experience, you will have to eat with your hands... use the bread to wrap the meat or veggies and then eat them all. 3. pretty authentic, it was fun to try something new and different, but i'm not a fan of the sour taste in the bread... we ordered the meat combo plate, so it's $23 ish per person. so they put everything in the basket and brought to the whole table to try. Nice experience, but i don't think i will come back... read more

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Sooo good! We got Sega Bebaynetu and Ahimilti Bebaynetu for takeout (during COVID19 stay at home orders) to have a taste of everything. The flavors and spices were perfectly balanced. It's one of those meals where even when you're getting too full you can't stop taking another bite. Portions were generous with plenty of injera. Can't wait to dine-in when it's safe to! read more

Asmara Restaurant - Sega Bebaynetu Ahimilti Bebaynetu - Ethiopian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

A great experience!!! The meat sampler is a good choice to try different things. Everything was fresh and delicious. I recommend the homemade honey wine - not too sweet. Service was friendly and quick. read more

Food was good, portion size was on the smaller end. Ambiance was lovely though I wish we were able to eat at a higher table. Wasn't able to get a fork (waitress refused) when I asked for one... read more

The food is expensive, but has very good flavor; I've tried the meat combination and vegetarian combination entrees multiple times. They have traditional mesop seating, as well as normal tables and chairs. They also have music and a TV showing traditional dancing on a loop. The reason for the 3 stars however is that I don't think the restaurant is honest when more than 1 person goes and eats there. I took friends on several occasions and when we ordered more than 1 of the same combination entrees, the amount of food we got was clearly the portion for only 1; they bring it to you on one tray and say it's for two when it clearly looks like very little food. When we questioned the waitress, she stated that the portion was correct. The first time this happened I thought they were having an off night. When it happened multiple times, I was saddened by the waitress's constant dishonesty. I had been eating at this place for 2 years, so I know what a portion for one looks like. I've stopped encouraging friends to go here. read more

Came here on a Monday at 7:30 PM and was seated immediately. Ordered the combination meat platter as well as the honey wine, all of which was amazing. Also recommend the Kitfo (raw beef), which is one of my favorite items. All of the food is generously portioned, so ordering enough for four people was more than enough for our party of four that eats a lot. Will definitely be coming back. read more

My boyfriend and I were staying in Cambridge for a weekend and decided to check out Asmara for takeout. I ordered the Tikil Gomen (Cabbage, carrots, and potatos) and he ordered the Sega Bebaynetu (Meat combo). They both came with generous amounts of injera (2 large pieces per portion), and were enough to feed us for two meals! When we got to the restaurant to pick up our food, it took quite awhile to get the attention of someone (around 20 minutes)- but this is understandable given the restaurant was packed and it seemed there were only 2 people working the dining room. The food itself was good- flavorful and great portions. read more

Awesome place, beautiful ambience, polite waitress. She was sweet to give clear suggestions about the food. Traditional way of serving. read more

Asmara Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I had a great first experience at Asmara. My parents, two friends, and I were all new to Ethiopian food, and the waitress patiently helped each of us figure out what we'd like best. When she brought out the food not long after, she poured our individual entrees onto one huge central injera platter, explaining that it is a communal eating experience as we could easily pick at our neighbors' dishes as well. We had informed the waitress that my dad has Celiac disease, and he was served on a separate plate with gluten-free injera. The food was delicious. I was very pleased with the spice and tenderness of my Begeeh Mloukhiya, lamb mixed with high fiber jute plant (which I did not really notice) and curried with a thick red pepper sauce. I'd describe injera's flavor as a whole-grain sourdough, and the consistency is chewy and moist but still firm enough to tear up and use to scoop up the rest of the meal. The salad was simple--greens, tomatoes, and feta dressed with olive oil--and paired well with all the strong flavors of the entrees. We also tried their honey wine, which was quite tasty and refreshing. I was quite satisfied with my portion, although my mom, who ordered the meat combination, actually felt she could have enjoyed a bit more. There was plenty of salad and injera for the four of us. I will definitely visit Asmara again! read more

Asmara Restaurant - Clockwise, from top: Alitcha Begeeh/Yebeg Alitcha, spicy salmon, Begeeh Mloukhiya, and meat combo. - Ethiopian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

My fiancé and I went here for dinner tonight and it was amazing!!! We shared the veg combination - Alitcha Ahmilti and the Kitfo. Served over large pieces of injera. We took one bite and both looked at each other and said that we already can't wait to go back. The food was just so flavorful, and just felt good to eat. I even ordered extra food to go, just to have! You also need to try their house made honey wine. The most important thing though was the server. She was a freaking rockstar. She was working the floor by herself - was funny, personable and smart. I overheard her interacting with other tables, chatting w guests, joking with lil babies and just amazing at her job - which is not an easy job. Being a server is hard. One has to be an extremely smart, thrive off of multitasking and thoughtful. 100% to her. read more

The quality of this Ethiopian food is outstanding. It's authentic and full of flavor. Options for spicy or mild are available. I've lived in Africa and Ethiopian food was my absolute favorite- this tasted just like it did in Africa. The service felt like being a part of a local neighborhood gem. Highly recommend!!! read more

The logistical details: Two vegans. Weekday dinner. Both know Ethiopian/Eritrean food. The order: stuffed tomatoes, veggie combo for 2. The experience: The servers were very friendly which created a light, easy-going atmosphere in the dining room. This helps the overall mood as the room itself is dimmer than average. In no way did the service impact this review. The food itself has enough (yelp) star-busting potential as to not need any help from service or ambiance. The appetizer of stuffed tomatoes seemed to be a misnomer since the tomatoes weren't actually stuffed. This dish is more like a tomato sandwich with spiced rice. And boy did they not skimp on the berbere spice mix! Its not a bad dish if you like heat, but that's all I was able to taste for the rest of dinner. I have had this cuisine before and am aware that it is supposed to be on the hotter side; this seemed excessive. What's more, one of the dishes in the veg combo had exactly the same taste as the spiced rice on the tomato app. Layering on the heat further anesthetized by taste buds. My advice to potential diners: stick to blander apps. Wait till the entree to set your mouth on fire. The absence of texture of the veg stews in the combo was a problem. Before you assume that I'm some stuck up do*che who binged on Food Network, consider if you would like to have dinner 90% of which has the consistency of baby food, and the rest is a jalapeno and tomato salad. Lentils, chickpeas, etc do not need to be cooked into a paste. One can actually stop short of making complete mush. The gomen was very watery with little flavor. The cabbage salad was also bland (or maybe these items were super flavorful, but the layers of excessive heat prevented me from discovering this). Mediocre food really. read more

My partner and I love Asmara! It is the best Ethiopian/Eritrean food in the greater Boston area. We were excited to hear that this family owned restaurant was still open despite these crazy times. It had been many months since our last visit (maybe even a year) but the owners still remember our usual "Veggie Platter minus the Collard Greens / Plus extra Spicy Sauce"! read more

First of all, this is my first time having an Ethiopian food so take me with a pinch of salt but I honestly think the problem is with the restaurant not the cuisine First of all... It is very expensive... Especially when considering the amount of meat that we got Second the taste is very bland... I have never tried Ethiopian food before but I think one of the dishes we ordered was fabulous, very flavorful but the rest were meh... The concept of using hand to scoop up the meat was a but foreign to me but I didn't take that into account when writing this review. The bread/pancake was great by the way. read more

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Vegan/vegetarians. Go here. Seriously. There was a previous post about "mediocre food" but it sounds like they just can't take the heat!!! read more

Food - Have had much better Ethiopian food in NYC and SF. The food is so sour and masks away all the other flavors. Ordered for a veg platter and a meat platter. Portions are way too small for the price and the ambience. But glad I just had so much. There is no exyra Ingera offered and thank god for that. Ambience - Clean place but nothing to rave about. Service - The elderly lady was quite rude. I was stopping over right after a graduation dinner and wanted to order light for a group of four. She seemed to be in no mood to be courteous and wanted us to leave soon. Cost - For the food and ambience its not worth the cost. ~20$ per person sans drinks and appetizers. read more

Asmara Restaurant - Dinig area - Ethiopian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

The dishes are flavorful, but I've had way better. The prices are staggeringly expensive--way more than what I paid in Chicago. And the injera is not made with teff, according to Ethiopian-versed colleagues who speak Amharic and have lived in Ethiopia. Which accounts for why the injera tasted funny to me. How can you make it without teff? There's better, even for Boston. read more

Today was still very good but inconsistent. Stuffed tomatoes were delicious but were spicier than I expected. I was glad to have the salad and injera to help. Amsara tibsy were incredibly dry. I used the fork they gave me for the tomatoes to get some beef tips and rather than stay on the tines, the tips broke in pieces and shot across the plate. read more

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If I were to recommend one place within walking distance of Harvard Square, this might be the place! The food is exceptional, and the staff is so kind and attentive and also intent on sharing their knowledge of Eritrean food, food preparation and customs. Totally go here!! read more

Ethiopian food is not common, so whenever I hear about it, I must go! This is a small, well decorated restaurant on Mass Ave., that serves the typical Ethiopian food with Injera. The food is good but not super. Definitely appreciate the combination plates that have all the different pieces picked for you. I prefer the Injera to be slightly more sour, and the flavors from the entrees to be more robust with spices. Honey wine is nice and interesting--it literally tastes like white wine and honey. Good service. read more

Asmara Restaurant - Vegetable and meat combination - Ethiopian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts