The most amazing service and food I've had! The inside is so beautiful and it's so evident that there is so much love put into the restaurant. Each of the employees are so welcoming and kind and attentive. The food was AMAZING and I know that I'll be back. read more

Don't let the strip mall parking lot and unassuming exterior fool you. Aunt Yvette's is really nice inside. This is not like any of the other restaurants I've visited in Berkeley or even LaBrea's Little Ethiopia. It's focused on a more luxurious experience with genuinely authentic touches. ** ELEGANTLY ETHIOPIAN ** Warm, welcoming, and elegant, the staff is highly attentive, from the ceremonial hand washing to refilling glasses, and detailed explanation of menu items & Ethiopian culture. Also, the staff gives you your space, much like you'd enjoy your meal and time in Europe. Or as a nice meal is probably honored in Ethiopia. There seems to be a lot of care put into how to enjoy a feast with proper rituals in place. Speaking of honoring, Aunt Yvette's seems to also reserve a high regard for coffee as I sneaked a peek at a Coffee Ceremony on the menu. I will have to come back and try that next time. ** THE FEAST ** When at Ethiopian, it's always about sharing a platter. So after some deliberation, me and my lunch date settled on the Vegan Combo. It has all the fun vegetable options like the Berbere Red Lentils, Cabbage & Carrots, Yellow Split Pea, and Ethiopian Potatoes. We added Chicken Tibs as our protein. However, I really wanted the Cornish Game Hen, but lost in the negotiation part so I will need to return another time to try it (along with the coffee ceremony). As you may know, there are no utensils since you eat with the Injera spongy bread and use your hands. That's why the hand washing with rose water was a nice start to our lovely brunch. We also ordered a shot each of Tej, an authentic Ethiopian honey wine. It was fizzy and had a hint of apple cider vinegar taste, but paired well with the earthy spices of our meal. To fluff up the water sitch, there was an anise, ginger, and citrus water that's like a healthy, African aqua fresca for $5. After we mopped up all the spices sauces and exotic flavors with the ever-refilled injera (spongy, Ethiopian bread) we were stuffed. It was plenty food for the two of us. ** TURN UP THE HEAT ** For fire breathing ghost chili fans and spice freaks who love testing the Scoville scale on their tongues, I highly recommend any item that has MITMITA in it. I asked for extra since I'm one of those spice junkie nut jobs who needs her capsaicin fix with certain foods. Mitmita's flavor notes don't overpower and I was able to sprinkle my meal generously with heat. **NOTE: Mitmita in the ingredients list doesn't mean it's too spicy, but if you ask for extra spicy, it'll give you a good kick in the mouth ;) Good thing there's a list of craft cocktails to squelch the heat. read more

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Summary: 4.5 stars for food and 5 for service. We ordered one meat dish and majority vegetable dishes (vegan). Everything was good; I just have a personal preference for the taste of butter. *** I visited a couple of years ago and haven't had a chance to return due to distance. Our party of 3 walked in on a Sunday upon opening (12pm), and we were seated immediately. We were first asked if we had a reservation, so I'm guessing you can call in. The small restaurant had a handful of tables for parties of 2-3 and lounge seating with low tables for parties of 4. There was one small table seating 2 outside without shade. Parking was easy in the small strip mall, though I can see it being busy during the week when other businesses are open. INTERIOR Upon entering, I was wowed by the beautiful decor and nature vibes. I noticed the green plants, glass ceiling lights shaped like rocks, and a dark cork wall in the back. I loved the gold cups and bamboo shaped water pitcher. The fans overhead kept us cool on a day that was supposed to be 90F. SERVICE The owner was super sweet and warned us (as first time visitors) about the seats rocking backwards. She proactively explained the menu including specials and made recommendations. Our server was prompt and equally courteous. He draped the napkins for us and sprinkled rosewater onto our hands as sanitizer. He offered well-timed refills for injera during our meal and provided scented hot towels at the end. DRINK/FOOD ORDERED - Hibiscus Iced Tea ($18 pitcher / $10 glass). We ordered a pitcher of Palm Tree tea to share, but I'm pretty sure we got hibiscus since it was dark red and tasted like hibiscus. It arrived in an adorable gold teapot. The tea was lightly sweet and tangy. - Beef Awaze Tibs ($27). This was our add-on to the vegan combo. I enjoyed the flavorful, fall-apart tender chunks of beef in a spicy sauce with onions. However, the stew was extremely oily for me. - Vegan Combo ($37). The combo by itself would have fed the 3 of us comfortably. While I enjoyed the overall taste and lightness of the vegan stews, I personally have a preference for the taste of butter. Misir wat (berbere stewed red lentil): It was good and had a more pronounced earthy flavor leaning towards bitter. Kik Alicha (turmeric stewed yellow split pea): I enjoyed the texture of the peas with some halves left in tact. Gomen (braised kale): I didn't taste much of the onion and garlic, but more of a tang than anything else. Kale salad: the kale leaves were tender and lightly dressed with a creamy dressing. It included beets that were surprisingly mild in flavor. Cabbage & carrot: I enjoyed the warm spice profile. Ethiopian style potato (rotating offering): the coconut curry potato we had on this day was excellent - sweet, savory, and flavorful. Seasonal split pea stew topped with with EVOO: this tasted similar to the Kik Alicha. It was good, but I preferred the Kik Alicha. The combo plate also included two condiments: Timatim (Ethiopian tomato salad) and sunflower milk, a dipping sauce made from sunflower seeds. The sunflower milk was so good! For injera, we received 2 rolls per person to start. After 3 pieces, I started eating the one on the plate that soaked up the stews. The injera was good, thick and spongy with a bouncy chew. However, the sharp sourness of the bread was a little unbalanced with the vegan stews. It was served cold, but I prefer warm or room temp. read more

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What I ordered: - Vegan Combo - Doro Wat - Bush Cocktail The Star of the Show: Injera The bread here is everything! It's incredibly fluffy with a unique, slightly mochi-like texture that's so satisfying to eat. It has that signature tangy/sour flavor that cuts through the rich spices perfectly. Such an interesting and delicious experience! Parking & Info - Aunt Yvette's Kitchen - Parking: There's a small, convenient lot right in front of the restaurant - Location: 1743 Colorado Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041 read more

It's a ceremony eating at Yvette's, it's not just dinner. Starting with the rose water hand washing, the fruit and spice infused drinking water, the magic hand towels, they've got it all. Music softly plays over the speakers, although I wished they played something Ethiopian to give us a more exotic experience. Food was fantastic and wonderfully explained by our server. It's a great place to eat with friends and enjoy good conversation. Only eight tables and you will need a reservation on the Resy app. Limited parking in front of the strip mall. read more

Aunt Yvette’s Kitchen - Vegan platter with Dora Wat and mushroom tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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The vibes inside are great. There is a parking lot, and while I can see it filling up when it gets busy, I was able to find a spot easily. I highly recommend making a reservation on Resy. The place is small, and on a Friday they were not taking walk ins because they were fully booked with reservations. Be ready to use your hands, especially with the vegan combo. That is part of the experience. They do have forks if you want them, but I recommend embracing the culture. They start the meal with a hand washing ceremony, and they give you towels at the end to clean your hands. I ordered the vegan combo with the kitfo ayib and everything was amazing. The flavors were incredible. My favorite part was the Ethiopian style potato in the vegan combo. I honestly did not even know exactly what I was eating, but once everything comes together it tastes so good. I also had the banana split at the end and it was great. The torched sugar on the banana was a really nice touch. I would definitely come back. read more

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Aunt Yvette's lived up to all the incredible reviews. the atmosphere is intimate and transportive. The staff is phenomenal. And the food was perfect. I will be back. And bring anyone that will join me! read more

Aunt Yvette’s Kitchen - Ethiopian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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What a great atmospheric experience paired with delicious food! The staff was super communicative, even before the visit when I was tracking my reservation RSVPs and had less than originally expected, so alerted them a few hours in advance so they could plan accordingly. I'm not sure how they would have done party of 7 like I had originally anticipated and placed in Resy (2 separate accounts, 2 separate reservations for the same time with a note they were for the same total party) but I imagine they would have pulled 2 of the round table together. 2 people dropped before hand, so we were expecting 5 day of and that was a cozy perfect fit around the circle table. Then one person had an emergency to deal with so ended up 4 total. Since we knew the 5th person was going to be late (then ultimately not able to arrive before the end of our 90 min reservation time) we only ordered: 1 vegan combo but boosted that with a full order of the potatoes ~ which is one of my favorite Ethiopian dishes that I often crave plus I learned they add coconut milk to theirs which elevated it even more!! We added 3 protein orders and it was plenty for the 4 of us ladies plus a small box of leftovers after we tapped out. During the meal, the injera kept flowing as we asked for it! Note there's only 1 stand alone bathroom, but they have things covered for enjoying food with your hands between the rose water cleansing ceremony at the beginning of the meal than their blooming hand towels for afterwards. Parking lot is tiny, as others have mentioned, but 2 of us found it pretty easy to find street parking on Argus, 1 did manage to park in the lot, another parked on Colorado Blvd. Surprisingly 5:30pm was more crowded in the lot than 7pm when we were heading out, but then I checked some of the other businesses' hours as we were walking back to Argus and some seemed to close at 7pm so that's probably a factor. Overall, I want to come back ASAP while they still have the lamb special!! read more

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Great Ethiopian experience! We had Ethiopian before so was prepared for the concept. It's a small place so we had reservations. Upon arrival we were seated and the server explained how to eat and gave us rose water to rinse our hands. We got the vegan combo platter and added doro wat and special eggplant. The selection was a little spicy but enjoyable! The chicken was succulent and the salads and other sides gave a variety of flavors to take in. read more

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Delectable and delightful. This is the best Ethiopian I've ever had. As a native of DC and a frequent of little Ethiopia on U St, I grew up eating Ethiopian as a ritual with my mom. When I moved to LA I immediately tried out all of the Little Ethiopia restaurants off of Fairfax. Their food is delicious, however, what makes Aunt Yvette's Kitchen is the thoughtfulness of making it an absolutely incredible experience. They began by rinsing our hands with rose water and warm towels. The ambience. WOW. Ended up speaking with the owner and she is so warm. She ended up offering a free baklava dessert too. Her passion is food and this place radiates with her personal touch. There's a timeless level of customer service that the landscape is missing. New favorite spot and I am so happy that I've found a spot closer to where I live on the east side. read more

Aunt Yvette’s Kitchen - Exquisite water jug. - Ethiopian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Top tier experience. Right when I walked it it smelled like Copal and RnB playing in the background . Servers are on point and the best! The food was out of this world! I really wanted to cry. Fire and ice dessert was so yummy! I'm telling everyone I know to come! Please go and get your taste buds blown read more

Aunt Yvette’s Kitchen - Fire and ice - Ethiopian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Time and again a stunning gourmet experience. This time with out of continent guests who equally indulged into the feast. Only criticism on that day (10-12-2025) was that the male waiter's charm and attentiveness was rather missing. Asking 3 times for additional injera seemed to just be the dot on the i. PREVIOUS REVIEW An absolutely stunning experience! From the start when we arrived for our reservation and were told to be brought in when the table was ready. Very cute and appeasing interior - almost ready to meditate. Yvette herself and her staff all charming, knowledgeable and a pleasure to chat with. Okay that in itself was wonderful, but the food including the starter tea and the dessert ice cream were simply virtuoso!!! So glad to have Auntie Y in our neighborhood, definitely asks for coming back ... read more

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This place was amazing, from staff to food to the vibe. Everyone was so warm and welcoming, even the owner came out and helped us with some questions and made sure we were taken care of! We loved the rose-water hand-washing ceremony, and the veggie platter was full of so many delicious flavors to try! And it was huge, so very shareable. We also appreciated that they had gluten-free injera. Definitely will go back! read more

This place truly deserves a 5 out of 5 or maybe a 6 out of 5. We arrived on a Sunday afternoon around 1230 pm. We didn't have reservations for a party of 5 adult and 1 infant as I assumed it was more casual than it was. The restaurant has its own parking lot which is great! The restaurant is really small (maybe seats 20 people total) and they are sensitive to table turnover as we were sat but waiting for our party to arrive. There's not a great place to wait outside for a table especially on a 95 degree day in Eagle Rock. We ordered a lot of food and wanted to sample a little bit of everything including the trout, beef tibs, short rib special, two vegan combos and one of their house made ice cream. Everything was delicious and service was wonderful. I can understand why this place has such wonderful reviews. So make a reservation and come hungry and bring a few friends so you can try everything! read more

Aunt Yvette’s Kitchen - Ethiopian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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A group of us went last night and we had such a fun experience. Since none of us were too familiar with Ethiopian cuisine we went with the server's suggestions. I have to say the fish blew me out of the water! We all loved it! We also had beef and lamb. Everything was divine. The electricity went out the staff remained calm - we had little lights on our table and used our cell phone lights. It made the experience even more fun! The service was top notch! Our waiter was fantastic and the other waiters were great too. I will definitely be back! read more

Aunt Yvette’s Kitchen - Such a beautiful combination of flavors! Order the fish! It is fantastic. - Ethiopian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

ive been here once and i dream about going back again every day The food is impeccable. I've never tried so many delicious flavors at once. There was not a single thing on this plate i did not enjoy. Without exaggerating guys... every single bite was phenomenal. read more

Aunt Yvette’s Kitchen - Ethiopian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Always delicious. We had the Yedoro Wat and a veggie combo. We've always done take out so can't comment on the service. IF YOU ORDER keep in mind you have to do it through an ap called Toast so it's a bit of a hassle than calling them up. And It takes 45 mins for your order. But plan on an hour. I do suggest to the restaurant to give a little bit more food and not to be so stingy with the ingera. I'd love to support more but $80 for two take out little boxes is a lot so it's infrequent for us. But as I said yummy food. read more

I have never in my life asked for--or even cared to try--Ethiopian food. So when my sister chose this place for her birthday, I actually stopped at Chipotle before arriving. Initially, our reservation got mixed up and it looked like we weren't going to be seated. Yvette seemed overwhelmed by the mistake and the dinner rush, so we were already on our way out. But little did we know what we would have missed out on. She worked hard to redeem the original mix-up, got us seated, and ended up serving us the BEST food I've ever had. The fish was crisp and incredible. The stewed beef alongside the chicken with yolkyca egg all came together for an amazing dinner. The restaurant is super small and intimate. I would recommend it for first dates, anniversaries, and one-on-one dinners. You will NOT be disappointed. read more

Back again, this time we got dessert! The banana split we shared between three friends was spectacular, we were fork-fighting over every bite lol. The flavors were wonderful. We also had the chance to meet the owner, who was so kind and welcoming. read more

Aunt Yvette’s Kitchen - Banana split. I'll be dreaming about these bruléed bananas for the rest of my life. - Ethiopian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

So first of the ambiance is warm comforting and cozy. The staff was so proud and engaged about their menu. I can't wait to return!

Inside a small strip mall. Limited parking. GREAT decor. It smells so good when you first walk in. Very small interior with only a few tables. So recommend getting a reservation. Was seated promptly. The food was fantastic! Got the vegan combo with the beef awaze dibs and banana split. Everything was excellent! Highly Recco this place to any. There's also several coffee shops around within walking distance, so you can make an afternoon of it. read more

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So my husband went back to this place with two of our friends who are vegan. My initial review of this restaurant was above average but not five stars. At the time I felt the food wasn't very flavorful, and the experience was anticlimactic for me, considering how much it was hyped up before I went. We went a second time because it was one of the vegan options we presented to our friends and it's the one that they chose. This experience was very different from my first experience. The first time I went, my friends picked mostly non-vegan dishes, and I can't remember what they all were at the time but I think it included maybe lamb or beef? Or both? This time we picked only vegan dishes to share and it was way better. I am not vegan, but if you're gonna come here, you should pick the vegan dishes. That is clearly their forte and the vegan dishes are much more flavorful. Maybe the food was more fresh this time? The only thing I can think of is that their vegan food is more perfected than their meat recipes. Anyway, was pleasantly surprised. The service was professional and the ambience inside is really nice even though it's a bit of a cramped space and the surrounding area (strip mall) isn't where you would usually look for a gem. I've already mentioned these factors in my previous review. Photos attached. read more

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Make sure you make a reservation since it's a little restaurant!! It's very cozy with a few tables. It might be hard to get a table for more than 4 people. We had 5 so we had to sit cafe style while was a little rough on some of our backs. The menu is small but has everything you need! The servers explain everything and also made some great recommendations. The veggie combo serves 2 so we got 2 orders of the combo and two meat dishes. They had enticing specials so we decided to order the lamb and beef cheeks. They started us off w rose water to wash our hands which smelled great. The food then came out in a timely manner. Everything smelled and tasted great! They also provide injeras if you need a little more to soak up every bit of flavor. It is customary to eat with your hands so we did that. They provide little towelettes afterwards to wash your hands. It was nice to not have to drive out to the west side for Ethiopian food. I'll definitely be back when I crave it again! read more

Aunt Yvette’s Kitchen - 2 orders of the veggie combo with a beef cheek and lamb dish in the middle - Ethiopian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Wow, I wanted to love this place. The beautiful decorations and authentic-looking china made me feel like I was about to have a five-star Ethiopian meal. I've been touring the country in search of the best Ethiopian restaurants; especially those that blend rich traditional flavors with gentle, balanced spices that are kind to the digestive system. I love Ethiopian cuisine for how vibrant yet comforting it can be, so I was eager to experience this restaurant's unique take on it. Let's start with the positives: Vegan Combo: Both the gluten and gluten-free injera were beautifully made. The regular version (with a bit of barley) was still light and flavorful, while the gluten-free injera had that nostalgic sour tang I adore. The gomen was the standout dish of the night; cooked with kale, onion, and just the right touch of garlic, giving it that perfect al dente texture I love. The alicha (yellow split peas) and atkilt (cabbage and carrots) were okay but a bit heavy on turmeric and jalapeño for my taste. I've never had atkilt quite so spicy before, so it caught me off guard. The yam/potato/carrot mix leaned a bit strong on chili powder, which overpowered the natural flavor of the vegetables. The Ethiopian salad was fresh but mild -- I found myself wishing for more beets to balance the plate. The tofu tibs, which the waiter kindly suggested, didn't quite work for me. The seasoning was very subtle; I expected the deeper flavor profile typical of berbere or awaze-style tibs. The restaurant describes itself as "upscale and trendy," and that feels accurate. This isn't a traditional take- it's more of a modern or fusion interpretation of Ethiopian food. If that's what you're looking for, you'll likely enjoy the creativity and presentation here. read more

Aunt Yvette’s Kitchen - Tofu Tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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The food was excellent. It is a bit pricey. Most of the restaurant is reservations only because they are such a small place and really popular. Plan ahead! read more

Come to Aunt Yvette's for the quality food and flavor! They offer excellent traditional Ethiopian platters for vegans & all dietary preferences. The vegan platter & tofu nibbs hit the spot! We were very impressed with the flavor of the lightly crisped tofu and the addition of coconut yams. Majority of the ingredients are organic which I highly value. Bonus was the banana brûlée dessert (don't skip), washing hands with rose water, and friendliness of staff. Felt right at home. We will be back! read more

Aunt Yvette’s Kitchen - Vegan platter - Ethiopian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I've been looking to try Ethiopian food in LA and once I saw that Aunt Yvette's was ranked the #2 best place to eat on Yelp, I knew I had to visit. We were able to make early reservations (highly recommend as the seating is very limited) and were pleasantly surprised by the ambiance of the restaurant. The dimmed lights and small space brought a cozy, warm atmosphere to the restaurant. The service was amazing - all the servers were extremely attentive and Aunt Yvette herself was such a genuine, kind and warm woman. I really appreciated the breakdown of the menu and the suggestions as well. Our party of 4 got the vegan combo platter, doro wat, and beef awaze. The vegan combo platter is so beautifully curated and the flavors are amazing. The beef awaze is an amazing protein dish that added rich flavors to the combo platter. The doro wat was my least favorite but still very delicious. The servers were very attentive and offered more injera as we quickly devoured our meal. Even though we were stuffed, there's always room for dessert. We got the banana split and basque cheesecake. The banana split was my favorite. The textures from the roasted pistachios, hazelnut, and sunflower seed elevated this dish. I was a huge fan of the bruleed banana. I thought this dish was very well thought out. The basque cheesecake was okay in my opinion- there was a spice in there that I wasn't a huge fan of but was still solid. I hope to give their affogato or coffees a try next time! Really looking forward to returning to this establishment. Congratulations to Aunt Yvette and the hard working team on the Yelp recognition. Very well deserved! read more

Aunt Yvette’s Kitchen - Vegan Combo Platter with Doro Wat and Beef Awaze - Ethiopian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Berbere ice cream!!! What!!! I've never had a dessert like this in my life. I didn't know ice cream could ignite a fire in your mouth. I loved it. After the rosewater handwashing ceremony and the arrival of my food I told the waiter this was the fanciest Ethiopian food experience I've ever had. Not a dig! I was just so surprised, I just wanted to find good Ethiopian food close to my neighborhood. Everything was very thoughtful and intentional, the food quality was superb (I can't believe I enjoyed the veggies more than the kitfo, though that was also good) and yeah the decor, lighting, and incense are all a vibe. I also love that there are several vegan options, so I can bring my vegan friends next time. Even more one than one vegan dessert! And they're desirable options and not just a shrug. read more

Make sure you get a reservation on Resy! I came here in March of last year and we didn't have a reservation and were able to be seated for lunch with no problems, no mention of reservation. I've been raving about this restaurant to my friends so we decided to go back last night. I looked on Yelp just in case to make reservations but I didn't see a link. But when we arrived last night, the first thing we were told was "you have to have a reservation for our restaurant". They saw us scrambling to change dinner plans outside and said they could seat us but only for 1 hour and that was a hard deadline. And we were able to make it work!! The gentleman and lady who served us were both lovely and worked great with the timeline. There were 3 of us so we ordered 2 vegan combos and the Dereq tibs and chicken doro wat. We definitely did not need to order 2 of the vegan combos. When I came in March with 4 people we ordered 1 vegetable combo and 3 proteins and that was the perfect amount. But this time ordering 2 vegan combos left us with quite a few leftovers. But I'm not complaining because leftovers of great food isn't a bad thing in my book! We loved the doro wat. It has such a depth of flavor. You can tell a lot of love went into that dish. This flavor profile is honestly 10/10 Everything on the vegan combo was great as well. The orange and yellow lentils were so delicious. The restaurant is very small (which is why you need reservations) and very tastefully decorated. The lighting, the rose water ritual, everything made the experience great. We didn't have enough time for dessert last night, and I can't remember what dessert we had back in March. But both options look great. We are grateful they were able to squeeze us in, it was a great dinner! read more

Aunt Yvette’s Kitchen - 2 vegan combos, chicken doro wat, dereq beef tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I'm rarely impressed! I love food and i've been to places around the world. This spot is unassuming in a strip mall and the moment you step in the vibe was amazing. The music and staff were wonderful... but then... the food. I took my first bite and felt so much joy and love and commitment from the chef. this will be my new treat. it's not close to me almost an hour away. I don't care it is sooo worth it! i loved my experience today. read more

Aunt Yvette’s Kitchen - Crispy trout and the vegan combo! - Ethiopian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This is my second review of Aunt Yvette's and I have been here several times. I'm reviewing it again because it is worth my time to share this gem to all who read reviews. The ambiance and decor of this tiny little piece of heaven. The service is always wonderful and the small touches (rose water hand washing and towel at the end of the meal) enhance the entire experience to the next level. Now, the food. I can only comment on the vegan combo, the crispy whole trout and the banana split. The reason for this is because it is all I ever order. Everything else looks and smells amazing...I just dream about these three items. The flavors and textures are divine. I honestly believe the fish is one of the BEST I have ever had...hence my ordering it every time. The banana split is a little pricey, but trust me....it is worth every penny. Best dessert i have ever experienced...no exaggeration. It's a tiny little place and you need a reservation to guarantee a seating. Part of me wants to keep it to myself, but the other part wants to share with everyone so you all can experience the pleasure of eating at Aunt Yvette's. read more

Aunt Yvette’s Kitchen - Vegan combo and crispy whole trout. - Ethiopian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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The food and ambiance are great. Really cute decor as well. Glad I have an Ethiopian spot I can go to that isn't in Little Ethiopia (aka no parking). I thought the food was made well and stands with the various Ethiopian places I have tried. The downside I would say is that they are fairly strict with enforcing their 90 min rule- we weren't able to finish our meal and we felt the need to leave because we were reminded constantly of the time constraint. read more

Aunt Yvette’s Kitchen - Ethiopian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I was excited to try this place but sadly it feel short on my expectations. The restaurant was full of people exclaiming they had never had East African food or Ethiopian food, which makes sense why the reviews are so high through that lens. However, I would encourage those looking to try Ethiopian food for the first time to try Meals by Genet, Lalibelas, Buna's, or Rahel's in Little Ethiopia. Even though it might be a more fusion take, as someone who eats Ethiopian food regularly, the flavor profile and spices used in certain cases did not go together right for some of specific dishes in the Veggie Combo, and it did not taste right. The portion size for the price was also something I've never seen for a Habesha restaurant anywhere in the US. Additionally, while a nice gesture and idea in theory, the wetting of hands with scented rose water didn't feel hygienic and more gimmicky (as opposed to washing in the bathroom with soap before eating with hands). Lastly, the service was not so friendly and that was a bigger disappointment than the food itself- especially when the waiter was a little cold. I was disappointed to see the business write some defensive and unprofessional responses to a very valid critical review before, instead of taking the opportunity to reflect and grow based on fair customer feedback. read more

I went here with a small group for a friend's birthday (her choice) yesterday evening (12/20). It was my first time at the restaurant and my first time eating Ethiopian food. The restaurant itself was small and intimate. We got the veggie platter with the fried trout. The trout was amazing, and I loved the food overall as someone new to Ethiopian food. But the service is what stood out to me: Our server (whose name I didn't catch) was friendly and attentive. In fact, everyone there was super attentive. Unlike other restaurants where a server only focuses on "their" table, here, it felt like a team. It feels like restaurant service has gone down overall since COVID, so it was so nice to be at a place where they care about the place and the guests. The nicest touch was that when making the reservation we had put down it was for a birthday, and at the end of the meal the server handed us a card from Yvette and put a candle in the dessert we had ordered. It's those small touches that make all the difference. I'd definitely go back to Aunt Yvette's and recommend it to others. read more

I only leave reviews when I am either super disappointed or super moved and this was definitely the latter! The wait staff was so friendly and helped with good recommendations and the food fed my heart :) read more

The food is absolutely fantastic, though the space inside is a bit loud. The waiter made good suggestions, but then rushed us out at the end while we were having dessert and tea, claiming there were reservations--even though no one was waiting. read more

The custumer service is really fantastic. I ordered my usual beef awaze and vegetarian combo and something was off. The owner replied right away to my experience and knew what had happened so she corrected it. Thank you so much for caring! I look forward to our next opportunity to enjoy the food! read more

went here on a Sunday to celebrate a birthday lunch with some friends and we had a great time. our server was super knowledgeable and informed us for 3 people they would recommend 1 vegetarian meal and 2 meats. we went with 1 meat 1 vegetarian and it was still a very decent amount of food! very small restaurant but very nice ! the rosewater and towels were a nice touch. would absolutely return again :) read more

Aunt Yvette’s Kitchen - Ethiopian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

An excellent, elevated, and delicious Ethiopian restaurant! Small space, big flavor! Service was fantastic. Table side Rose water hand cleanse, constant refills of injeras, and owner checking in with guest. My "hack"? Had the vege platter, doubled, and shared with a friend. It's slightly cheaper than two individual orders of the vege platter, and tastes better shared. The black eyed peas was my favorite, but it l also the rotating item on the menu Two types of injera available to ask for. The lighter one comes automatically and is light and mild. For gluten free option, ask for the traditional injera with all teff grain. read more

Definitely make a reservation before coming, especially on weekends! I was getting hungry at 5 PM on a Saturday, but upon arriving the place was packed, and I didn't have a reservation. I had to wait until 7 PM to get seated--but Aunt Yvette's Kitchen was absolutely worth the wait! Parking: There's free parking in the parking lot where this restaurant is located at :) Ambiance: This place feels like a cozy hole-in-the-wall with only a few tables, so it fills up fast. The inside was dim and relaxed, making the whole dinner experience feel super relaxed and enjoyable. Service: The service was amazing! Our server asked if we had any food allergies and gave us great recommendations to start. We even got hand towels and rose water to clean our hands before diving in, which was such a nice touch. They checked in often, making sure we were taken care of the whole time. Food: We ordered the veggie combo, and wow--there was so much variety! Most of the food on the plate is vegan, super flavorful, and some dishes had a nice spicy kick. It was my first time trying Ethiopian food, and it was an amazing experience with all the different flavors. If you're a meat lover, you have to try the lamb stew. I added it to my combo plate, and it was hands down the best thing I ate! The lamb was melt-in-your-mouth tender and paired perfectly with the rest of the dishes. We had leftovers even after sharing the veggie plate with lamb stew between two people Overall: I'll 100% be back for the unique experience and delicious food if I'm in the area. read more

Aunt Yvette’s Kitchen - Vegetarian Combo with Lamb Stew - Ethiopian Near Me - Los Angeles, California