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    Awash Restaurant

    4.4 (547 reviews)
    ModerateEthiopian
    Open 12:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Awash Restaurant Photos

    AWASH RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Awash Restaurant

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    Zil Zil Tibbs
    Denzel L.

    The service was quick not too much talking just straight to it lol. Our Server was kind and efficient, the ambiance is between sports bar and restaurant, the soccer games and news were being broadcasted. The food came out fas, hot and sizzling, we ordered the Zil Zil Tibbs with salad. The injera wasn't my favorite it had a weird after taste but the steak was fireee. Charred to perfection. 7.5/10!

    Special Kitfo
    Jonathan C.

    If this is your first time trying Ethiopian food, I'd recommend the combination platter (its located on the poultry section but it specifies that it comes with the beef options too #1,2,8, and 15). Combination for two was definitely a good chunk of food. I would also highly recommend the Kitfo. You do get the option of doing raw or medium rare and we were recommened the raw (I'd recommend it too). I would also suggest choosing the specical Kitfo over the regual because of all the other spices and aromatics that are included in the special. If you are a little uneasy trying raw beef, then the additions in the special willl definitely help. I love how it was a little spicy like there was chilli oil in it. Make sure you mix it up real good. I think i enjoyed the Kitfo a little too much here. Last time I had Ethiopian food was in DC and I have been craving it ever since. I know there are other Ethiopian places that are known for their Kitfo as well but regardless this is still super solid. Highly recommend. A bunch of metered street parking right outside so parking shouldn't be an issue.

    Whole fried fish
    Sarah F.

    First time trying Ethiopian food. Great service and food. The portions are so big we split an entree and still had leftovers!

    Veggie combo and awaze tibbs.
    Jonathan D.

    Awash isn't on Little Ethiopia's main drag but rather is a few blocks away on Pico. The dining room is spare, but the one woman who seemed to be doing it all in the front of house was welcoming and to seat ourselves. We always go with a veggie combo as the "base" for an Ethiopian meal, so we did that here. While doro wat would be our normal go-to--want to see how a new place stacks up against the others--that didn't seem to be on the menu, so we opted for the awaze tibbs, another classic dish (beef with a bit of heat to it). After a brief wait, the food arrived. By and large, the veggie combo had the standards on it, with various lentils, collards, carrots, etc. We particularly loved the collards, and the salad was refreshing. All of the other items were solid, with one exception: there was a cold item, some sort of lentils with mustard that, at least for me, gave almost mayo vibes. We weren't a fan of that one. The beef was also tasty, though the dish had a bit more oil/grease than we might have wanted. As it got later (we came in fairly early), the dining room filled up, which made service a little slow but still very kind. All in all, this was a very good experience, and I'd certainly be happy to come back, though at least on this one day, wasn't quite at the level of Lalibela or Meals by Genet on Fairfax.

    Kitfo Special (comes with garlic, onions, and jalapeño)
    Fortuna N.

    This was my first time trying Ethiopian food and it didn't disappoint! We got the Combination meat platter that feeds two and it comes with 4 types of meat and sides of salad and ingera. The combination dish had: 1) Awaze Tibbs: Tender beef cooked in spice and Awaze sauce, onion, tomato, jalapeños and clarified butter. 2) Alitcha Tibbs: Milder version of Awaze Tibbs with tumeric. I liked this one the best as the tumeric seasoning added so much more flavor and depth to the meat! 3) Special Zilzil Tibbs with onion: prime beef seasoned with garlic, black pepper, and clarified button with onions. I liked this one the second best as the beef was tender and flavorful with a char! 4) Special Chicken: Cubes of chicken breast sautéed with onions, soy sauce and garlic. Mixed with spices and veggies. I liked this the least as it was quite bland the chicken but the veggies were super delicious. - the salad had a tangy dressing over it that helped with eating the meat platter and ingera together as it balanced the heaviness and spice with crunchy greens and dressing! The stand out dish though was the Kitfo Special! This is Ethiopian steak tartar (raw beef) that is mixed with seasoned clarified butter, chili powder, cardamom and with the special it has garlic, onions, and jalapeño. I would definitely recommend the special as the aromatics inside added more texture, crunch, and balanced the rare meat taste although still super delicious! It melted in your mouth. We were stuffed at the end of our dinner and had another full meal of leftovers to take home. The next day eating these it tasted even better as the flavors got to sit over night. I would come back again!

    Combination for 2 people
    Jill C.

    This is our first time trying Ethiopian food, we didn't know what to expect but everything tasted amazing! We ordered the combination for 2 people as shown in the photo (I believe the meats are #1, 2, 8 and 14 on the menu) and we can't finish! We were surprised there's so much meat! Flavor is on a more sour side. We arrived before 6 on Saturday evening, there were only 2 tables and a couple sitting by the bar. Restaurant was at capacity when we left around 7:30. Half customers are Ethiopians, and the other half is mixed ethnicities, meaning it's universally excellent!!

    Veggie combo with fish and awaze tibs - so much food and sooo good
    Rachel C.

    We loved Awash! We came on a Wednesday around 6:30 and it was busy but not full. The food was absolutely delicious and seemed pretty reasonably priced. There were three of us and we ordered the awaze tibs and the veggie combo with fish - we had a lot left over and probably could have done without the fish, but it was SO good so I'm glad we tried it! This was a perfect spot for dinner and I am so glad I got my Ethiopian food fix. We will definitely be back!

    Brooke M.

    Last time I had done a review here for Yelp was a decade ago! Wow! I've been coming here since the late 90's for a reason. Incredible food and great prices. The best Ethiopian restaurant I've ever been to! I need to come more often. I was craving it and decided to take the drive. It was well worth it! Family owned and loved! Casual ambiance. Service was great and friendly. I even got an extra injera.

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    1 month ago

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    11 months ago

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    10 days ago

    Always the best time here! The food is amazing and the staff makes you feel right at home. Hands down the best Ethiopian food in LA!!!

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    1 year ago

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    11 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 months ago

    Excellent food. Slow service, but they're kind and the food is delicious. Will always be coming back.

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    5 months ago

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    4 months ago

    Excellent Restaurant !!! I have never eaten such delicious Ethiopian food in America. I am happy to eat the delicious food of my country.

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    One of the best Ethiopian restaurants in LA. Food is always delicious and consistent. Try veggie combo and Derek tins

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    Page 1 of 14

    Ask the Community - Awash Restaurant

    As of Nov 11, are they open for lunch and dinner OR just dinner? How many tables outside do they have?

    I'd call them fir current hours other than lunch. There aren't any outside seats.

    As of June 28, are they open for dine-in and if they are not open, approximately when will they be open?

    They are open, at least for lunch. But I'd call because things can change quickly.

    Are they often closed during the posted hours? I'm craving it but there's no answer there and we've gone before to find them closed. Not sure if it was a one off or a regular thing... if anyone knows

    they are consistent Tue-Sun from noon

    Do they have gluten-free injera?

    No but my friend bought her own in from an Ethiopian market on Fairfax and Awash used it beneath the vegetarian plate.

    Did this restaurant close? The last few times we've tried it was closed! Closed again today, Monday 12/10/18

    they open noon tuesday-sunday

    View All 8 Questions

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    Aunt Yvette’s Kitchen

    Aunt Yvette’s Kitchen

    4.8
    (381 reviews)
    11.2 mi

    A meal with intention, respect to tradition, warmth and refinement and nothing unnecessary or…read moreextraneous!!! I am in love with this restaurant and I can't wait to go back. S/O and I shared the vegan combo and dereq tibs, a pitcher of their infused water, an Ethiopian cream coffee, and a glass of palm tree (their arnold palmer). The food was fantastic. I loved every bite we had, especially the gomen (braised greens), cabbage and carrot, and the kik alicha. The dereq tibs, though? That was AMAZING. Tender beef, sweet stewed onion, the perfect amount of spice from the serranos. I loved that the dish is accompanied by senafich (a spicy, horseradish-y mustard) and mitmita (a DELICIOUS chili powder that I want to put on everything lol). The beverages were delicious, I love an arnold palmer and this one is probably the best i've ever had with their spiced tea. Their coffee was decadent and strong and perfectly balanced. And the banana split! I am not usually one for dessert but I knew I needed to try this and I'm SO glad I did. A symphony of textures and complex flavors. We may or may not have used our fingers to get the last bits from the dish. The place itself is like a little oasis from the hustle and bustle of the strip mall outside. Vibey music, beautiful furniture and decor, and all attention paid to the little details. Can't wait for them to reopen so we can come back!! Parking - strip mall was crowded, but street parking wasn't too bad to find.

    My first time having Ethiopian food, and it was fantastic!…read more We ordered the vegan combo, doro wat, and beef awaze tibs. The vegan combo came with a bunch of flavorful things like stewed red lentils, stewed yellow split peas, Ethiopian salad, et cetera. I'm not vegan, but I would have been more than satisfied with just the vegan combo as it was delicious and filling. The doro wat - spicy braised chicken with a hard-boiled egg - was tender and tasty. I thought the beef dish was even better. The beef pieces practically melted in my mouth. And everything went great with the injera, which had a spongy texture that I found absolutely pleasing. The service was also wonderful. Before our meal, our server performed a hand-washing ceremony with rose water. And after we finished eating, we were presented with wet towels to clean our hands. Throughout lunch, our server kept our glasses of water filled. This place is a small intimate spot with very few tables, so reservations are strongly recommended.

    Photos
    Elegant interior
    Elegant interior
    Banana split and berberae ice cream
    Banana split and berberae ice cream
    Ethiopian Tej (honey wine) to cheers @brunch

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    Ethiopian Tej (honey wine) to cheers @brunch
    Lalibela Ethiopian Restaurant

    Lalibela Ethiopian Restaurant

    4.6
    (633 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    Awesome awesome awesome. You don't usually have that reaction to dishes that consists of lots of…read morevegetables but the flavor is outstanding. The injera was that perfect sponginess with the right amount of sourness that paired extremely well with the beef tartare and all the greens and beans. Service was warm and welcoming. The space is honey and cozy. This is the closest I've found to the food I had in Africa.

    Outstanding dining experience. Great fun, relaxed and cheerful setting, with wonderful food. On…read morethe times that I've eaten in Little Ethiopia, I've always enjoyed myself. Lalibela elevates things to another level, in my opinion. If you're coming from the north on Fairfax, it's the first restaurant on the West side of the road. I had never seen Lalibela before, and then after a brief search saw all the praise and love. It certainly looked nice. So, early evening on a Saturday, with Lalibela gradually filling up, we were seated. After perusing and strategizing (along with the help of our friendly Lalibela person), we ordered three things: Sambusa -- like a samosa but way more interesting. So, instead of the potatoes and peas, the sambusa had more seasonings and meat filling. One per order, and delicious. Veggie Utopia and Doro Wot -- The Veggie Utopia is one of the signature dishes, and will certainly look familiar to anyone who's ever had Ethiopian food. Several individual portions set on the perimeter of the giant platter sitting atop the injera (the flat spongey 'bread' that's both plate and utensil). Inside that sat the Doro Wot -- a chicken leg and potato in inside a 'stew' or 'wot'. The wot was dark and almost chocolatey, reminiscent of a good mole. The salad that comes with the Doro Wot was placed in the big circle. Two people (or more) could feast well on all this. They also serve beer and wine at Lalibela. Great experience. Awesome food. Lovely service.

    Photos
    Another Interior View
    Another Interior View
    Veggie sambussa
    Veggie sambussa
    Inside

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    Inside
    GS Cafe and Ethiopian Cuisine

    GS Cafe and Ethiopian Cuisine

    4.8
    (744 reviews)
    27.7 mi
    $$

    Been wanting to try Ethiopian food for the longest time and finally got the chance to! We ordered…read morethe beef and veggie combo platter. It says it feeds 2 people but honestly this could've easily fed 4 people. We had a good amount of leftovers. The beef and veggies on the platter were delicious! They were all well seasoned, flavorful and tender. The only thing my flavor palette couldn't get used to was the sourness of the injera. It's supposed to have a slightly sour flavor from the ingredients that it's made with. It's healthy though! Has a lot of probiotics and fiber. Service was excellent. He was kind and attentive. Our server was the only one working and all of the tables were full. The restaurant is a bit on the smaller end, with about 10-12 tables. It can get packed quickly since this place is popular. There is parking out front in a shared lot with other businesses. Would recommend if you've been curious about trying!

    First time having Ethiopian. Can be easily missed in a random strip mall environment. Plenty of…read moreparking so no need to worry. It was a bit stuffy inside and they had the door open with a fan on. Went with the Beef and Veggie combo. Really delicious food. I asked for chilis, hot sauce or something spicy. They had some spices and warned me to put a little on the plate and dab. And yes, it was really spicy. But added a different flavor profile. The mother and son are really nice and explained everything. Would definitely try it out again.

    Photos
    Inside dining
    Inside dining
    Beef tartar
    Beef tartar
    Veggie platter

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    Veggie platter
    Merkato Ethiopian Restaurant & Market

    Merkato Ethiopian Restaurant & Market

    4.0
    (875 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    Ever ordered a fish & veggie combo and have a buncha veggies and injera leftover?? Me neither! I…read moreusually have to order an extra veggie combo for this to ever happen. A lot of places have me wondering why they'd include so little veggies for the size of this trout. (...I suppose a good tactic for making you order another entree). Well, this experience at Merkato was exceptional. Especially for the price. An enormous amount of food for two hungry people to share. Great flavors. More than adequate amount of pillowy delicious injera. We thoroughly enjoyed leftovers the next day. Would happily order again and recommend to others.

    We have been going to Merkato for years and generally had only great experiences, but our latest…read morevisit this past weekend revealed that a lot has changed for the worse. We arrived around 6:45 on Saturday and didn't get our food until nearly 8:30 and had to manage a hungry four-year-old during this time. The restaurant was busy but there was only one server (more are definitely needed!) and most infuriating is that tables of Ethiopian diners would receive their food first despite arriving and ordering significantly after non-Ethiopian diners. If Merkato wants to discriminate against the non-Ethiopian diners who make up a core of their clientele, they should know we will gladly take our business to other restaurants on the block. Although the food was quite good when it finally did arrive, the service and the overall shabby condition that restaurant has deteriorated into over the years makes it unappealing to return to.

    Photos
    Merkato Ethiopian Restaurant & Market
    Fresh & Tasty
    Fresh & Tasty
    Menu as of October 2025 (p. 3)

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    Menu as of October 2025 (p. 3)
    Rosalind's

    Rosalind's

    4.1
    (804 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$
    Full bar
    Grab-and-go

    Friend and I were in the area for the Gintama Art Exhibit, which just happened to be in Little…read moreEthiopia, and we knew we had to get lunch here since it was both our first times there and not just driving through. After perusing what was opened, Rosalind's was highly rated and had dishes that were shareable but were not too huge (though it was still quite a generous portion). Based on the pictures, there's 2 sides to this restaurant. We were in the area where there's a set up for a DJ, where the restrooms are down the way, and there's a small wine bar area. It's very fancy and feels like I was in a banquet hall. Service was welcoming and helpful, not super talkative, which is great for introverts. For our lunch, we got the: 1) Beef Sambusa: -It's around $4 for one and it's a single piece, but you can cut this in half and split it. -It's a puff pastry shell filled with ground beef and onion, seasoned with jalapenos and herbs. Very well seasoned and has a good kick to it. Filled to the brim with meat. -Comes out piping hot and the puff pastry has a delicate crisp to it too. Good stuff, I can probably eat a bunch of these. 2) Vegan Goodness: -One of their specials on the front page of the menu. -This comes with 6 of their vegan side dishes: -Gomen (collard greens with carrot) -Shiro Wot (creamy stewed chickpeas - one of my favs) -Kik (stew made from split peas and turmeric) -Missir (spiced red lentils) -Tikil gomen (cabbage, potatoes, and carrots) -Fessolia (stir fried stew of green beans, carrots, onions, and aromatic spices) -And it's all served on dish sized serving of injera and there's a separate dish of injera too. It says it pairs best with one of the combos or entrees, or it acts as a meal for 1 person, but it's more than enough as an entree between 2 people. Very generous and very filling with the injera (sour fermented pancake flat bread). -Lots of slightly spicy, sour and tangy, savory flavors with each of the vegan side dishes on the injera. The injera does get a bit soggy, so be aware of how you would pack this to go if you choose to do so, but its super good and I'd recommend it if you want to try a little bit of everything and have someone to share it with. 3) Plantains: -It's an appetizer, but since it's sweet, it can double as a dessert, but to be honest, it worked really good in between bites of our vegan goodness as the sweet taste would be a palate refresher, helping us finish everything. Super affordable appetizer as well. We got SUPER full from this. Almost debated taking some of the food to go before we powered through, but definitely could feed up to 3 people if need be. Solid choice for Ethiopian food.

    For 5 people we got the Emperor and 3 meat sampler and the food was plentiful! The miss who does…read morethe dinner shift was handling the whole restaurant on her own effortlessly. She made sure we always had our bread plate filled and waters. They play soft music while you eat so it's a great place to have a chatty dinner with friends without it being too loud. Parking a little difficult in the neighborhood but they make up in that there's plenty of seating to get to your meal as soon as possible.

    Photos
    The works!
    The works!
    Vegan combo
    Vegan combo
    Introducing the Sheba Bowl!

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    Introducing the Sheba Bowl!
    Rahel Ethiopian Vegan Cuisine

    Rahel Ethiopian Vegan Cuisine

    4.2
    (714 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    Absolutely incredible! The food was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. Every dish had its…read moreown unique spices and depth of flavor, especially the red lentils, collard greens, and the perfectly soft injera. You can really taste the love and care that goes into each bite. The staff was welcoming, attentive, and made us feel right at home from the moment we walked in. The atmosphere was cozy, relaxing, and a wonderful place to enjoy a meal with family or friends. Whether you're vegan or just love delicious food, this is a must-visit. I left feeling satisfied, nourished, and already looking forward to my next visit. Highly recommend!

    We went for a friend's birthday and it was my first time trying Ethiopian cuisine. The place was…read morevery easy to find and Sundays street parking is free. However, it can be hard to get a parking spot since it is a busy street/area. They have live music when you walk in he's playing on your right hand side. They have a decent amount of sitting; however, if the group is larger than 6 I can see it being a bit cramped. Service was okay, they seem like they had once server. We did wait about 20-30min before they took over order. But no big deal, it is a small business. Onto the food! We got jack fruit appetizer which was pretty good no notes. My friend got strawberry mango juice he liked it. I also got the shay latte, you need to add some honey or else it doesn't taste like much, the tea in it was a bit weaker than I expected it to be. We also got the family special for 4 and vegan dulet. Vegan dulet was really good, the family special had these greens not sure what it was we think it was collard greens I didn't really like. However the rest of the items on there were very good imo. I think overall it was a good first time experience. But I have to say based on two others in our group it could be an acquired taste since they were not a big fan. Not to forget they have very yummy vegan cookies, make sure to have those!

    Photos
    April 3, 2026 | Decor | Inside | Friday |
    April 3, 2026 | Decor | Inside | Friday |
    April 3, 2026 | Vegan Platter | Shared | Friday |
    April 3, 2026 | Vegan Platter | Shared | Friday |
    Buffet set up!

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    Buffet set up!

    Awash Restaurant - ethiopian - Updated August 2026

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