This was delicious! We wanted to introduce my parents to Ethiopian food, so came here with a group…read moreof 5. We sat out on the patio - it's gorgeous on a summer night. Note: the service here is quite slow, so be prepared to not be in a rush when you come here - settle in and dine. We started with the wings - WOW, those genuinely might be my favorite wings in the Twin Cities. Sticky, ooey gooey goodness. We got a sampler platter to share, and that was the star of the show! We got the one that said best for 2 people, and it fed our group of 5. We were glad we sized down! I love the bread here - note that it isn't gluten free, but you can ask for gluten free version. We'll be back!

My go-to Ethiopian catering spot in the Twin Cities and I finally had a chance to eat here in…read moreperson. Huge plus is the dietary accommodations. I ate here with someone who needed gluten free options & they make GF injera here so was perfect. We thoroughly enjoyed the Super Veggie Sampler. I saw someone mention getting the Ethiopian coffee or tea and I didn't want too much caffeine so opted for the tea but was a little disappointed that it didn't come in a cool tea pot I saw in other Yelp photos. It was ok tasting after putting some sugar in but I would pass on the tea next time. The server was nice and there were enough tables for a late lunch on a Thursday but it felt a little humid inside. The food is so good that I can overlook the other things. Def come check out this neighborhood gem.

Really great food, exactly what I was hoping it would be! We got the vegetarian combo platter and…read moreabsolutely loved it! The owner was really nice as well.

This is a nice family owned place, food always comes out hot and fresh but it certainly takes a…read morewhile so cut out at least 90 minutes for your visit. We got the Meat Combo Plater which had 4 different dishes included, all very tasty (see photo for description)! But I was left wanting a little more spice/heat. The menu say this player would feed 2 but I have a smaller appetite so I think it could easily feed 3 or 4. Also when you're ready to pay, you go up to the counter and wait for a person to appear to ring you up (which can be confusing if you've never been there before).

If you haven't eaten Ethiopian food before This review won't help much. I'm sorry…read more This place hit it for us. The portions are generous. The spicing is both strong and subtle. Each item is unique and maybe slightly different than other restaurants. I love the menu. It is very varied. My favorite thing about this place is that you can get combinations of almost anything! The menu has several to choose from and there is also the option to do a 50/50 split and have your choice of 2 things in one dish/order! Some warnings: it is a pretty small place and they do burn incense- which I love. If you are highly sensitive maybe check in before committing.

It has been a very long while since I have had Ethiopian, and I heard that Dilla's was the place to…read moretry in the Twin Cities. After a brief adventure thanks to Apple Maps, we arrived. There is a large paid lot right next to the restaurant, so parking was easy. We did arrive early--right at 5, so that probably helped. We were seated pretty quickly as well. As others have noticed, the service is quite slow (there seems to be only one person working the front of the house), though that felt like it was part of the experience--there was a distinct "gathering place" vibe, and there were plenty of regulars who were engrossed in conversation... it seemed like everyone was family there. The decor added to the family/community feel, with art, textiles, and wicker ware all contributing to a homey feel. Of course what you're really wondering about is the food. It's quite tasty. We started with the veggie sambusas, which were hot and crispy and came with a spicy tomato chutney that was just delicious. We also ordered the fule, which was quite tasty and filling. I loved the seasonings and textures. My favorite dish, though, was Dilla's Mix. It was absolutely beautiful to behold thanks to the jewel-toned beets and golden squash, and the juices of the veggies combined with the spices to create a glorious sauce. It was very comforting and oh-so-satisfying. Of course, all was served with springy injera to scoop it up with. Their injera is a bit lighter and milder than some that I have had elsewhere, but it does the trick nicely. As others have mentioned, Dilla's serves entrees in their own dishes, which is great if you are a group that likes to share.

I am going to disregard the last time that I visited, because it was a lackluster visit, and yet…read moresingular in its horrid service in comparison to the numerous other times I have dined or received take out here. So I will quickly start with the negative. The "server" was some male, who I had not seen before, and I had come here regularly since I lived not 2 miles away and loved their food, who was more interested in looking at his phone than doing anything else other than placing the soles of his feet against the ground. It took 10 minutes to get water, 20 for putting in an order, and the last dish arrived about 40 minutes after my meager party of 4 had sat down. Now. I usually do not try to judge harshly, and yet, we were the only ones in the restaurant and there were few takeout orders. So this made me upset. Booo Hissss! Aside from that...sad, unpleasant experience.... (shake yourself like an etch a sketch, and read on for why you MUST come here if you like Ethiopian...) Adama is a gem and jewel of Ethiopian/Eritrean food west and north of Minneapolis. Yes, you have your other restaurants on University Ave in St. Paul, and the hard-to-find-parking spots in Minneapolis, and yet this place is a stone's throw away from downtown Minneapolis on Central Ave just 3-4 miles north. AND there is a private off-street lot behind the establishment. The sign may not be obvious, and the snow may conceal obvious entrance to the parking lot in the heart of winter, and yet I say, it is there! If you are craving a veggie combo, a good doro wot, tibs, key misor wot, and several platters with combos of everything. I have always ordered the doro wot, which comes with a boiled egg and chicken drummy, and an aromatic, spicy but not burn your palette off hot, complex, flavorful and unctuous stew-sauce of a wonderful beriberi and other spices. There is a variety of beef tibs of a myriad of cooking types from rare to medium. I will say that the male server that I mentioned earlier was knowledgable about the different types of beef dishes available, and the final dish was beyond satisfactory. The portions are generous, with plenty of injera. Veggie platter's beets, stewed yellow-eyed peas and...lentils and........oh, it was good. Always consistent and delicious, whether takeout or dine in. There is also a limited store of teas, spices, herbs, and bakery items. Many individuals came in to order injera from the bakery in takeout form. It was obvious that this was a staple for families that cooked and ate Ethiopian food in home. It makes me, as a hobby cook and fellow foodie, want to learn how to cook these types of dishes!!! And isn't that what food is for, to feed, yes, and also share the cultures of other communities! If you don't want to deal with the parking headache of Minneapolis downtown or St. Paul's university avenue, or that Columbia Heights is more convenient for you, check out Adama. If you are craving Ethiopian flavors of a good quality, stop by or order from Adama.

I have been going here for over five yeand just realize I never reviewed it. I love this place it's…read morenice to clean, the food is on point, the service is quick and pleasant, very nice place to go and the food, it's authentic

We came here for the first time since our local Ethiopian spot closed & this is absolutely a…read morereplacement! The service was great; multiple people came out to make sure we were enjoying our meal. The restaurant itself is cute, there are murals & fun paint around, & the tables were comfortable. I got the veggie combo & everything was DELICIOUS. The injira was exactly what you'd expect, with a super tasty sampling of veggies. I also had a very healthy serving of wine at a super reasonable price. Overall, this place was fantastic & I would highly recommend!

I really wanted to like this place. Ethiopian is my favorite kind of food. I ordered the veggie…read morecombo to go, listed on the menu for $19.99. When my box of food came out, I went to pay and was charged $27 for the dish. Surprised, as she had said nothing to me when I ordered, the response was unapologetic: "the price has gone up ". When I got home and opened the box of food, there were just four dishes: three types of lentils and one of split peas, instead of the usual 6+ salad in an Ethiopian veggie combo.

What a great spot! Everything we've eaten here has been stellar…read more Some of the best Ethiopian food I've ever had. It's a family business that made us feel at home. Can't wait to go back.

Before commenting on the food taste and quality, I want to emphasize how important it is for this…read moreestablishment to exist in such a neighborhood. Normally, daily Ethiopian food that's not in the US are vegan, so what is offered here is closer to what's authentically made in Ethiopian culture. I enjoyed pretty much all the dishes I had, and I would recommend this spot to anyone who wants good vegan food. My friends had the awaze tibs, which contained seitan, a high protein meat substitute, and it was seasoned very well, having an adequate amount of spice. I ordered the mushroom tibs, and it was okay, because it tasted as if the only seasoning was salt, and it was a bit dry, which indicated that the mushrooms were overcooked. In addition to such, we had a few veggies on the samplers, including miser, ater kik, gomen, fasolia, and keysir. They all had a good amount of seasoning and in general tasted good with the injera. I would say, though, that they may have all needed a bit more mekelesha, because I have had more vibrant-tasting versions of all of those veggies elsewhere. One thing worth noting was that shiro wasn't one of the options for the veggie sampler, so I had to order a separate portion of shiro, since I considered it necessary when consuming Ethiopian food in general, and it tasted good, in a conventional manner. It seems like per the menu that they have a shiro wot now, which indicates how popular it is among customers.

Absolutely fantastic food, I've never had Ethiopian food and I was very happy with the chicken…read morecurry. Coming back again

We really enjoyed this restaurant. The service was first rate, friendly and helpful. We choose two…read moreof their vegetarian dishes, which were excellent. Be sure to try the Ethiopian beers, they are excellent. The Veggie Sampler was very good, and an excellent way to try a little of everything. The Veggie Firfir was equally good. Their injera(Ethiopian bread) was also very good, you use instead of utensils. The staff is very friendly and helpful making suggestions.

I have been to the Bole in St. Paul and the consistency between the restaurant shows just how great…read morean establishment this gem is. I came here with my sister and a friend while visiting home from where I currently live in Miami. There are no Ethiopian restaurants in Miami. None at all! And so every time I am in Minnesota, I HAVE to stop! We ordered the veggie sambusa, my sister and fried got the Ethiopian tea, which also comes with a teabag of English Breakfast on the side in case caffeine is desired, and I ordered the Ethiopian coffee ceremony. Yes, ceremony. The tea is hot and filled with spices and comes in a clear glass mug. For those who have not had Ethiopian coffee before, the coffee is brewed in the same clay container with the grinds and the vessel is then poured straight into a small coffee cup. The vessel has a narrow and long spout to pour out the liquid and not the grounds. It is flavored with different aromatics that I wont even try to identify. Cardamom, maybe? cinnamon? Alongside the coffee is an incense-like natural rock that burns to provide a pleasant and accompanying aroma. The server explained the name but I cannot remember it! It was a perfect introduction to what would transpire to be a great lunch. We ordered also the lunch super vegetable combo platter, which has each of the vegetable dishes laid out on a large plate and my sister and I both got the lunch portion doro wot. The dinner version comes with 2 pieces of chicken whereas the lunch comes with the drummy alone (still plenty of meat!) My friend who has a lower tolerance for spicy food ordered the steak tibs. The tibs came out on a sizzling skillet and each doro wot in an individual dish/bowl. It was a LOT of food but we dug in greedily. The server provided two extra baskets of nijera for us in addition to what came with each dish. Tibs were tender and the smell of toasted rosemary added to the aromas from the tea and coffee ceremony Unlike a foible of some wot/Ethiopian dishes, the doro wot was well emulsified and had no layer of oil, which just highlights the care taken to properly cook the stewed chicken and blend the spices. Needless to say, there were plenty of left overs which were gone within 24 hours at home. Congratulations, West side suburbs! There is a GREAT Ethiopian restaurant in your neck of the woods! No need to haul yourself over to downtown Minneapolis or over the river to St. Paul when you have this great restaurant in your backyard!

One of the best dining experiences we had in a long time!…read moreUpon entering there, wasn't anyone at the hostess desk so we walked up to the counter and were quickly directed to the last remaining open booth in the restaurant. Our waitress came over and brought us water and menus right away. She asked if it was her first time there and we said yes, and she genuinely got excited about being able to explain the menu and the experience to us. She walked us through the options and made recommendations taking into account our an anticipated spice tolerance. We wanted to try a variety of things so opted for the half-and-half platter, which had three stews and three veggies - even though we were warned it might be a bit spicy. Based on her recommendation, we also got the rolled crispy kitfo roll appetizer. The food was delicious. Each bite had a different flavor and it was balanced well with the salads and veggies to tone down the spice when needed. Our favorites were the lamb stew and the beef stew but as we watched other items get delivered we were clearly making our list for what to try next visit. I can't understate how exceptional the service was. Our waitress was an absolute gem. She kept walked us through the menu, explained the way to eat the food with the injera and kept checking on us, even offering rice if it was too spicy. An extra bonus was we had a lovely couple next to us that had dined at the St. Paul location before and they asked us how we liked it, what our favorite was and also recommended a specific drink for our next visit. The food was great but the service and environment made it stellar. We will absolutely be back...hopefully soon!