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Stopped into Blue Nile for the first time tonight. I've lived in the area for about a year and Blue Nile has been on the top of my list to visit -- I'm happy I did! The decor inside is very warm and tasteful, it feels elevated and is a perfect date night spot for a casual evening. We ordered the Veggie sampler and had each of the vegetable options. We also ordered two extra primary dishes and an appetizer. This was enough food for all 4 of us. The food was really yummy -- it was my first Ethiopian food experience, and I thoroughly enjoyed the range of flavors and spices. I will definitely be returning in the future!
We went to Blue Nile while visiting friends in Boston. We have an Ethiopian place we love in St. Louis so we decided to compare the two. They both offer a vegetarian injera combo platter--Blue Nile's veggies weren't as flavorful. Our gomen wat (greens) in particular were very bland. The misir wat (red lentils) had good seasoning and a little spice, and out of all the vegetarian sides was our favorite and would be my recommendation. The yelik alicha (yellow split pea) needed seasoning though, and the tikil gommen (cabbage) and yatakilt wat (carrots) could've been saltier/sweeter respectively, but these were ok. The vegetarian dishes overall didn't give the feeling of "wow you could have a great completely vegetarian meal" that I expected. On the other hand, Blue Nile's veggie platter also came with a side salad that looked boring but was dressed well. The meat at Blue Nile was spiced better than the veggies, and in both the lega tibs (beef) and yebeg tibs (lamb) the tomatoes and onions mixed nicely. Some of the beef was tough, but the lamb with tomatoes and onions was the standout. Finally the injera itself I would've preferred less dry/more squishy. It's still a lot of fun to eat in a group of 4, since everyone can reach over and grab everything. It's a nice place to share food and talk. It was open to the air during what felt like an unpleasant Boston summer - kind of hot and humid, including inside Blue Nile - so I felt a bit sticky. The servers constantly refilled our cold water though which helped us stay cool. In general the service was nice and helped resolve some confusion with our order. On a side note, and this is probably simply a STL vs Boston thing, I felt like the portions at Blue Nike were smaller for the price. And Meskerem (our STL place) serves quickly, like they have most of the veggies made already, whereas Blue Nile took ~30 min (but maybe because we got vegetarian at Meskerem but meat here). Still fun overall but again as a venue it was humid.
The restaurant is cozy and a reservation is a must. Street parking can be a little difficult in the area. The interior gave a nice impression and the staff were attentive. Once ordered, the food comes out quickly. My fiancée and I got the Dora (Chicken) and Lega (Beef) Tibs Combo and they put it together on a large injera with extra injera on the side. We got the Misir and Shiro Wat and we both loved the Misir Wat a lot more, it had a lot more flavor. The chicken and beef came out warm, I would have preferred if they were hot. I enjoyed mixing the different combinations together. Overall this is a great experience for Ethiopian food.
The food was super bland this time, especially the veggie combo and the lentil appetizer. Just seemed like there was no seasoning. Even the spicy lamb was not spicy. Service was very good even though the restaurant was packed. Parking is never easy there but a few spots on the same street opened up around 7:45pm (Thursday). There's a Whole Foods nearby but I don't know if I would risk parking there.
Getting to try a little bit of everything is a love language for me, and boy did Blue Nile pile on the love for me With an assortment of veggie dishes that I'd never even tried before at the countless Ethiopian restaurants I've been to before, Blue Nile easily earns its reputation for great, plentiful, and fairly priced foods. This is a family joint, and they make you feel like a family when you're there. We had our infant with us, and they were very accommodating of our need to take extra time placing our menu, extra napkins, and extra love. Vegetarians are spoiled for choice here, but not only did I get a Vegetarian Revenge to try all the veggie dishes, I also tried the Legna Tibs. If you can eat meat (and don't worry, it's halal!), definitely go for this delicious dish made of streak strips in a striking berebere spices. To accompany these all comes the injera, the spongey bread that here has only a subtle fermented flavor that perfectly complements your curries. The ambience is definitely cool. Under the dim, neon lighting of a surprisingly high ceiling, you'll enjoy a dinner that's both cozy/comfy/intimate while also feeling grand. If I'm ever in Boston again, I'm definitely coming back!
Highly recommend the honey wine! Come hungry the portions are large and leave you feeling stuffed. Fluffy injera and the veggie and meat options are all great.
Honestly disappointing. Got siga wot, doro wot, and side of misir. They did not have kitfo, one of our favorite dishes, but we generally enjoy the other dishes as well so we were happy to try them here. Honestly was on the bland side, which is shocking for Ethiopian food, although the siga wot was somewhat more flavorful. Didn't have any classic buttery or umami + berbere strong spice notes, just a more generic mild spice. Also only two very small chicken drumsticks in the doro wot, surprising given the price, and a very small couple of spoonfuls of misir on the side. We have eaten a lot of Ethiopian food in many cities, particularly numerous times in DC, and this fell very short of our expectations. I was disappointed enough to let my partner finish most of it and try the Ethiopian Cafe nearby, which was much more in line with our expectations. On the plus side, service was fast and kind. Thank you to our server.
Somewhat intimidating at first since the menu didn't really have descriptions on anything (even though the online menu does?). So was kind of fumbling through my phone figuring out what to get, and plus have a chick pea / chick pea flour allergy which some of the items have. The waiter though was very friendly, asked if first time eating Ethiopian (YES!), and told him about my allergy and was accommodating. So, intimidation disappeared after that, went for the veggie combo. I looked to my left table and noticed was either their doro (chicken) or siga (tenderloin), and was thinking next time I got to try those out. I live right around the corner too so definitely ordering soon. Injira is an interesting thing. It reminds me tastewise like indian appam cooked, but more filling. Love it! The Misir and the Ye'kik Alicha were the top two items. The Gomen and Yatakilt were OK, not as much flavor as the other two. Great food though overall, recommend it.
The food here was delicious. The sambosa was crispy and filled with slightly spicy lentils. The meat dishes are all served on a slightly sour and very tasty bread/pancake called injera. I had the lamb (yebeg tibs) and it was great - so flavorful and tender. I didn't try the 2 kinds of beef or chicken that my company ordered, but according to them, it was great! My side of collard greens was equally delightful. The reason it's not 5 stars is the price of the food for the amount you get. Ordering a combo (meat dish + a side order of a vegetable dish) helps the price, but the helpings were noticeably small for the price. The service was great -- super friendly and accommodating to both my friend with allergies to dairy and someone in my company who asked for a fork. Blue Nile is a great place to check out if you're in the area.
This was my 2nd time having Ethiopian food and Blue Nile did not disappoint! The menu was a but difficult to navigate, but our waitress kindly explained how to order. We ordered the veggie combo with doro tibs (chicken). Loved the misir wet (red lentils) the most, but everything was delicious. It is a classy casual restaurant, and was not very busy the Sunday afternoon I went to eat. This is a great spot to grab a meal with a friend or group!
This great little place unfortunately doesn't open until 4:30 on weekdays, so we've been waiting for just the right opportunity. We finally got the opportunity and it was amazing . For the two of us we got two orders: 1. Doro Tibs Combo with a side of Gomen Wat 2. Shiro Wat We had them served on a single place to share and they came traditional style on a large injera with a generous extra supply of injera. The woman who served us was very helpful with questions and made a special check to be sure the vegetarian item could be served on the main plate. She also kept us well supplied with napkins! All around a great meal with leftovers I enjoyed the next day. read more
8 months ago
- quiet inside so good for catching up with friends - definitely has a family run vibe. There was one man (who also seemed like the owner) waiting all the tables and who readily refilled water and injera. - no utensils given, and we had to ask for plates - I was hoping the food would have more... spices and flavors? I'm not sure if it's because we made everything mild for our friend. - honey wine was a little too sweet but I think it was just a change of my taste buds since I liked honey wine in the past. read more
1 year ago
I haven't had Ethiopian in years! I forgot how good it was! Small restaurant and modern. I love that Ethiopian is about using hands and sharing The injeri bread has a slight sour taste, but balances so well with curry type foods read more
Stopped into Blue Nile for the first time tonight. I've lived in the area for about a year and Blue Nile has been on the top of my list to visit -- I'm happy I did! The decor inside is very warm and tasteful, it feels elevated and is a perfect date night spot for a casual evening. We ordered the Veggie sampler and had each of the vegetable options. We also ordered two extra primary dishes and an appetizer. This was enough food for all 4 of us. The food was really yummy -- it was my first Ethiopian food experience, and I thoroughly enjoyed the range of flavors and spices. I will definitely be returning in the future! read more
6 months ago
Those people are a scammer!! I wonder why Ethiopian people don't eat here. The charge is insane as well. The test was absolutely like a water. I wonder why I don't see any Ethiopian people in this restaurant. I would not recommend it to anybody!! read more
4 months ago
2 years ago
We went to Blue Nile while visiting friends in Boston. We have an Ethiopian place we love in St. Louis so we decided to compare the two. They both offer a vegetarian injera combo platter--Blue Nile's veggies weren't as flavorful. Our gomen wat (greens) in particular were very bland. The misir wat (red lentils) had good seasoning and a little spice, and out of all the vegetarian sides was our favorite and would be my recommendation. The yelik alicha (yellow split pea) needed seasoning though, and the tikil gommen (cabbage) and yatakilt wat (carrots) could've been saltier/sweeter respectively, but these were ok. The vegetarian dishes overall didn't give the feeling of "wow you could have a great completely vegetarian meal" that I expected. On the other hand, Blue Nile's veggie platter also came with a side salad that looked boring but was dressed well. The meat at Blue Nile was spiced better than the veggies, and in both the lega tibs (beef) and yebeg tibs (lamb) the tomatoes and onions mixed nicely. Some of the beef was tough, but the lamb with tomatoes and onions was the standout. Finally the injera itself I would've preferred less dry/more squishy. It's still a lot of fun to eat in a group of 4, since everyone can reach over and grab everything. It's a nice place to share food and talk. It was open to the air during what felt like an unpleasant Boston summer - kind of hot and humid, including inside Blue Nile - so I felt a bit sticky. The servers constantly refilled our cold water though which helped us stay cool. In general the service was nice and helped resolve some confusion with our order. On a side note, and this is probably simply a STL vs Boston thing, I felt like the portions at Blue Nike were smaller for the price. And Meskerem (our STL place) serves quickly, like they have most of the veggies made already, whereas Blue Nile took ~30 min (but maybe because we got vegetarian at Meskerem but meat here). Still fun overall but again as a venue it was humid. read more
The restaurant is cozy and a reservation is a must. Street parking can be a little difficult in the area. The interior gave a nice impression and the staff were attentive. Once ordered, the food comes out quickly. My fiancée and I got the Dora (Chicken) and Lega (Beef) Tibs Combo and they put it together on a large injera with extra injera on the side. We got the Misir and Shiro Wat and we both loved the Misir Wat a lot more, it had a lot more flavor. The chicken and beef came out warm, I would have preferred if they were hot. I enjoyed mixing the different combinations together. Overall this is a great experience for Ethiopian food. read more
The food was super bland this time, especially the veggie combo and the lentil appetizer. Just seemed like there was no seasoning. Even the spicy lamb was not spicy. Service was very good even though the restaurant was packed. Parking is never easy there but a few spots on the same street opened up around 7:45pm (Thursday). There's a Whole Foods nearby but I don't know if I would risk parking there. read more
Getting to try a little bit of everything is a love language for me, and boy did Blue Nile pile on the love for me With an assortment of veggie dishes that I'd never even tried before at the countless Ethiopian restaurants I've been to before, Blue Nile easily earns its reputation for great, plentiful, and fairly priced foods. This is a family joint, and they make you feel like a family when you're there. We had our infant with us, and they were very accommodating of our need to take extra time placing our menu, extra napkins, and extra love. Vegetarians are spoiled for choice here, but not only did I get a Vegetarian Revenge to try all the veggie dishes, I also tried the Legna Tibs. If you can eat meat (and don't worry, it's halal!), definitely go for this delicious dish made of streak strips in a striking berebere spices. To accompany these all comes the injera, the spongey bread that here has only a subtle fermented flavor that perfectly complements your curries. The ambience is definitely cool. Under the dim, neon lighting of a surprisingly high ceiling, you'll enjoy a dinner that's both cozy/comfy/intimate while also feeling grand. If I'm ever in Boston again, I'm definitely coming back! read more
1 year ago
Highly recommend the honey wine! Come hungry the portions are large and leave you feeling stuffed. Fluffy injera and the veggie and meat options are all great. read more
3 years ago
Honestly disappointing. Got siga wot, doro wot, and side of misir. They did not have kitfo, one of our favorite dishes, but we generally enjoy the other dishes as well so we were happy to try them here. Honestly was on the bland side, which is shocking for Ethiopian food, although the siga wot was somewhat more flavorful. Didn't have any classic buttery or umami + berbere strong spice notes, just a more generic mild spice. Also only two very small chicken drumsticks in the doro wot, surprising given the price, and a very small couple of spoonfuls of misir on the side. We have eaten a lot of Ethiopian food in many cities, particularly numerous times in DC, and this fell very short of our expectations. I was disappointed enough to let my partner finish most of it and try the Ethiopian Cafe nearby, which was much more in line with our expectations. On the plus side, service was fast and kind. Thank you to our server. read more
8 months ago
10 months ago
Somewhat intimidating at first since the menu didn't really have descriptions on anything (even though the online menu does?). So was kind of fumbling through my phone figuring out what to get, and plus have a chick pea / chick pea flour allergy which some of the items have. The waiter though was very friendly, asked if first time eating Ethiopian (YES!), and told him about my allergy and was accommodating. So, intimidation disappeared after that, went for the veggie combo. I looked to my left table and noticed was either their doro (chicken) or siga (tenderloin), and was thinking next time I got to try those out. I live right around the corner too so definitely ordering soon. Injira is an interesting thing. It reminds me tastewise like indian appam cooked, but more filling. Love it! The Misir and the Ye'kik Alicha were the top two items. The Gomen and Yatakilt were OK, not as much flavor as the other two. Great food though overall, recommend it. read more
1 year ago
The food here was delicious. The sambosa was crispy and filled with slightly spicy lentils. The meat dishes are all served on a slightly sour and very tasty bread/pancake called injera. I had the lamb (yebeg tibs) and it was great - so flavorful and tender. I didn't try the 2 kinds of beef or chicken that my company ordered, but according to them, it was great! My side of collard greens was equally delightful. The reason it's not 5 stars is the price of the food for the amount you get. Ordering a combo (meat dish + a side order of a vegetable dish) helps the price, but the helpings were noticeably small for the price. The service was great -- super friendly and accommodating to both my friend with allergies to dairy and someone in my company who asked for a fork. Blue Nile is a great place to check out if you're in the area. read more
This was my 2nd time having Ethiopian food and Blue Nile did not disappoint! The menu was a but difficult to navigate, but our waitress kindly explained how to order. We ordered the veggie combo with doro tibs (chicken). Loved the misir wet (red lentils) the most, but everything was delicious. It is a classy casual restaurant, and was not very busy the Sunday afternoon I went to eat. This is a great spot to grab a meal with a friend or group! read more
2 years ago
What a great Ethiopian staple in the neighborhood. Food was tasty, service friendly. Definitely worth visiting! read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
I've lived in Nepal before so I was familiar with food consumption without utensils but this was quite different in the sense that the spices were on a whole different level. The two things that stood out to me most during my meal at this establishment was the conversation and sincere kindness of the owner who came by to check on us multiple times in a nurturing (not overbearing) way. He shared stories about his past life and his deep appreciation of other cultures which brought him to his current destination. As I'm slowly getting back to in-person gatherings outside, I deeply appreciate people who are willing to take the time to share their lives even to those who are at first strangers like me. All right. Now the food. There is this amazing fermented pancake that is placed at the bottom of the plate. I am told that it is made with teff, which is an Ethiopian grain. It was light and fluffy, and reminded me of how seaweed levers are used to wrap rice. I believe my entire meal was gluten-free because the other portions of my dish consisted of slow cooked beef in a complex spicy stew like sauce and a light fresh vinegary salad that had a splash of lemon juice in it. I was also given a side plate of those fluffy pancakes (note: the large one on the bottom of the meal tends to get slightly soggy from the moist contents above) My friends and I enjoyed our meals and were impressed by the casual welcoming atmosphere, the cleanliness of the restaurant inside where I entered to use their restroom facilities, and last but not least.. the ginger lime tea that was offered to us by the kind owner who must have sensed that this was a celebratory meal where my friends and I gathered in person for the first time in over three years. This was my first Ethiopian meal experience and I certainly intend to return with other friends who enjoy finely crafted food as much as I do. Needless to say, the service was superb and I would personally return just to have another conversation with this owner. I was so engrossed in his story that I neglected to ask his name. Hope not to make that mistake again next time. My pictures will not do justice because yet again, I fell into the temptation of devouring half my meal as soon as it arrived. read more
3 years ago
I've been here twice and I can say the service was amazing. The second time the waitress remembered us. The food was great as to be expected. It's no wonder why they were rated best of Boston. Thank you Blue Nile for being kind and give us such a great dinner experience. Thank you thank you! read more
We came in this past Sunday around 7pm without a wait. About six tables out of the approximate dozen tables were filled. It's a small place and the tables and chairs are close to your neighbors. We ordered one veggie dIsh and one beef stew dish. We asked for very mild dishes. Joseph explained to us there are about 14 veggies to chooSe from. He chose the mild veggies with one medium spicy level. We ate everything up. It was delicious. Everything tasted fresh, full of flavor, and all the dishes were mild except one veggie dish as Joseph had promised. This was my second time here and I'll definitely continue to come here for their food. I believe it's street parking as i did not see any parking lots. read more
Loved: - FLAVOR!!! Doro wat was so flavorful and the misir wat (red lentils) were nice and spicy - The owner who was staffing was really friendly Loved less: - Dishes without the sauce like the lamb were not as flavorful/tasty - Slightly high prices Blue Nile is a cozy eatery in JP. They serve their food on a giant piece of injera and you can eat it the traditional way with your hands. It looks quite stunning! They said the red lentils were their spiciest dish, but I found it tolerable. Packed with flavor. read more
3 years ago
I went there for dinner its a small place but let me tell you the food...omg I was very pleased. Service was fast,efficient, friendly and delicious. I had an appetizer with cottage cheese and a kick of spiciness took it to the next level. Then we initially were getting another dish with sooo many healthy vegetables but I also wanted beef. It was a great dish. So filling satisfying totally delicious. Definitely will be back and soon. My daughter loved as well. read more
3 years ago
5 years ago
What a great first experience of Ethiopian food! So colorful and fresh. We ordered the veggie revenge and one chicken dish, and it was more than enough to feed 3 people. Our favorite veggie dish was the gomen wet (collard greens) read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
The food was absolutely amazing and the service was courteous. Clean functional space. Did not take much time to come out and everything was delicious. I also think they swapped out something with chickpeas that my husband was allergic to. read more
3 years ago
I love ethiopian food. i love GOOD food. and unfortunately that's not what tonight was. ordered the lamb and chicken stew with my bf. his lamb was nice, tasted good. the chicken stew, which had supposedly been cooked for 6 hours, was pink, blood congealed, and not tender or cooked through to the bone. super disappointing, and after telling the server, she told us she had "no idea what to do." i requested the chicken be taken off the bill and she said that she didn't think the chicken was undercooked. it was appalling. read more
I am writing this review to boost their BRUNCH. I know what you're thinking - brunch?! It is not seemingly advertised anywhere, but call and ask! I'm not making this up. Saturdays and Sundays from 9a-12p. I went this past weekend and it was DELICIOUS. They have a sizeable outdoor patio, too, and seem to be very good at COVID precautions. As always, the food is delicious. It's a limited menu and it has both Ethiopian as well as more traditional American brunch type meals. I made a mistake and didn't take a picture of the menu to share with you fine folks, but seriously - go check it out. The prices are good and the portions are massive. The food is super veg(an) friendly, too. read more
6 years ago
So so good!! This is only my third Ethiopian food experience, but this might be my favorite so far. The staff is super nice, and was super patient in explaining what everything was. The interior is cute and small. Homey vibes. (: I got the beef tibs combo with misir wat (lentils) and it was soooo good. The injera was also perfectly spongey. Nothing was too sour which is a common complaint I've heard about Ethiopian food. ALSO the honey wine. SO GOOD. My friend and I have the exact opposite taste in wine, but we both loved this wine so much. We both got 2 glasses...and then bought a bottle each ($25). They make it themselves, which is why I'm more than happy to support. And drink. Heheh I'm super happy I finally stopped in! I'll be ordering from here way more often now. read more
4 years ago
2 years ago
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More info about Blue Nile Restaurant
389 Centre St
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Jamaica Plain
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(617) 522-6453
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https://www.bluenileboston.com
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Ask the Community - Blue Nile Restaurant
Are there any dishes that are mild for people who can't handle spicy hot?
You can specify heat level when ordering. I'm sensitive to heat, and found both the Doro Tibs and Yebeg Tibs dishes to be pretty mild IMO, as were the Gomen and Yekik Alicha.
Are these guys closed forever now? Is all lost?
No, they're back open for takeout now!
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