Quite the experience... We were looking for some food near Colina Del Sol Park. This was open and…read morewalking distance, we figured checking it out. Don't judge this spot by the outside--the food speaks for itself Pulled up to this spot and I'll be honest--it's super lowkey and easy to miss. But once you try the food, you understand why people keep coming back. Here was my experience: AMBIANCE: Parking: Street or small lot, it can get busy based on the time of day. Seating: Inside seating, good for small groups. Maybe room for a total of 20 people. Vibes: Welcome to Midcity/City Heights area! It's not the flashiest part of SD but its definitely a grit and grind gem of San Diego. The spot itself is a no-frill type of spot, all about the food and not the aesthetics. You go up to the window and they'll let you know if you have in the kitchen - chicken, pork, beef, or fish. Super no-frills. This is one of those spots where it's all about the food, not the aesthetic. It almost feels like a hidden kitchen more than a traditional restaurant--but that's part of the charm. Reviewers even note it's "unpretentious" and focused on flavor over presentation FOOD / DRINKS: Chicken Combo (Recommend) This is where it hits. The chicken was well-seasoned, tender, and packed with flavor. Complemented with the rice, it made it extra fulfilling. Salad was simple but nice to have. Well worth the $20~ CUSTOMER SERVICE: Straight business. There was a little bit of language barrier but we got things all squared. TL;DR OVERALL: 3.5 Stars. Good food, simple selections, and quite the memorable experience. It's not a place you come for ambiance--but definitely a place you come for authentic, flavorful food. If you're open to trying something new and keeping it lowkey, this is worth checking out. #SupportBlackOwned TIPS: * This is not your conventional restaurant so come with an open mind! * Cash helps!

I love this place! It's located right in the middle of the SDSU campus; however it does have a…read moresmall parking lot that is shared with the other nearby businesses. When I walked in, we were immediately served. The workers were so friendly and since it was my first time here they let me sample everything before I chose what to get! I got the spicy chicken and mixed vegetables! I tried some of my friend's beans and I will definitely be getting those next time(: The worker was so nice and also included some eggplant and plantains in my dish so that I could try it! I'm not a huge eggplant fan, but I still really liked the eggplant! I also LOVED the plantains they were crispy on the outside but warm and moist inside. A great place with great service, workers, and food! Will definitely come again(:

Food: 5/5 Portions: 5/5…read moreAtmosphere: 4/5 Cleanliness: 5/5 Customer service: 5/5 Speed: 4/5 Price: $$ Takeout: yes Outdoor seating: yes Restrooms: yes Dogs: yes Kid Friendly: yes Vegetarian options: yes Vegan options: yes Ambiance: casual Pros: great food. Friendly staff. Large portions Cons: parking can be tricky in the area

So, it was AI that landed me here for lunch this past weekend. I asked for suggestions of places…read morethat focused on authenticity - not trendy. This topped the list. I was dreading parking but somehow, only went around the block once and found parking less than half a football field away. I can only guess at how bad it would be during the lunch and dinner rushes. It was metered parking but it was Sunday and IYKYK. Otherewise, read the sigs and be ready to feed the meter. Service was patient and warm. Wondered if it was a one man crew as our server, host and cashier was one person. He would be there and then he wouldn't. Left me wondering if he was also cooking or at least helping in the back of the house. It wasn't busy - my friend and I were one of three parties/tables. Not that we needed much but there was a moment when we wanted more injera ... which leads me to the food. The injera was nice and spongy - great since it's all hands on deck, no utensils. If you've never had this cuisine, know that the injera is like your plate and your utensil. Use it to soak up and grab the veggie and meat dishes but just be aware, you eat too much of it too fast, and it'll fill you up just as fast. The dishes are on the mild side as far as being spicy. I would have loved it spicier however my friend doesn't handle heat but the flavors made up for compromise of not ordering fire. We weren't able to finish it all and couldn't bring it to go as we were on the road from LA but would have gladly taken it for leftovers for another time. I would have added more seasoning and some heat to tickle my taste buds. Don't read into that - that it wasn't good - I do also appreciate when places favor less which allows me to add because if it's too heavily seasoned, diluting certain dishes is tricky and in some cases not worth it IMO. Note: if you've had this cuisine before, know that Muzita does Entrees - not combo's. One or two orders and you should be good.

TL;DR 5/5 Awash is a family run restaurant serving authentic…read moreEthiopian cuisine as well as selling home goods and groceries you might not find in your daily store. The food is a great intro to the cuisine, but the flavors are a bit lighter than I expected. Service and friendliness are peak, and the ambiance is suitable for a chill lunch with friends, or a culinary excursion! Food: a friend and I picked Awash to try Ethiopian for the first time. If that's what you're looking for, Awash has you covered! We ordered the veggie and meat combos which allow you to sample an array of meat and veg curries (unsure of the proper term) along with the signature Injera, classic Ethiopian flatbread with a light spongy texture and sourdough-like tang. This is perfect for the culinary adventurer like ourselves, but their menu hosts a wide array of Ethiopian dishes we'd be excited to try in the future. I found the Injera to be delightfully unique in texture and flavor with their surprisingly light and delicate body. And eating with hands, as is traditional, is a fun experience. The curries were wide in variety and flavor, but I felt each one lacked a real depth and umami punch that you may find in other cuisines. Since I've now only had Ethiopian food once I don't have a frame of reference to compare, but I prefer to err on the side that this simple taste is a quality of being home cooked food, clearly prepared by the wife of the owner, and not of the cuisine as a whole. I would love to try other dishes to see if I can get that complexity, but if you come expecting the "wow" punch of comparable dishes from say Indian cuisine, don't. This is home cooked food by a family that has been running this shop for many years. Not a chef, not a kitchen, just a pair that is making their way and sharing with the world their culture and cuisine. Service: Being a family restaurant, the husband and wife pair were the ones to serve us on the quiet Saturday afternoon we stepped in. The husband has better English, and was happy to recommend dishes, teach me how to eat with my hands, and check on our experience throughout our meal! Extremely welcoming, and I could feel his joy at being able to share his culture with me. That in and of itself makes this a 5 star meal. The restaurant is also patronized by members of the local community, lending to a casual and friendly atmosphere where the husband will sit in the dining area with his friends when it's quiet, where they will chat, and he will occasionally call out to me casually to see how I liked the food. Very sweet! Again, this is a family and community institution. Do not expect on hand waiter service, DO expect owners that will come and happily help if you call, and do expect authentic smiles and excitement if you're a first timer. Ambiance: Awash has a lovely and welcoming exterior ripe with culturally inspired colors. The open layout interior from the dining area to the grocery store is clean and orderly. The decor itself is sparse, but you can really get the vibe that the husband and wife who own Awash have started, sustained, and built a life out of this quaint shop. It's great for dining with friends, family, or dates if you're coming specifically for the food. If you're trying to get to know someone, though, save Awash for when you're already together lol. Overall, I can't give awash less than a 5/5 for the excellent introduction to Ethiopian cuisine, the homey and sweet owners, and the casual friendly vibes. Will definitely be back to try more!

Coming in, the restaurant is small, but has a charming and homey quality to it. The servers are so…read moresweet, and would check in on us throughout our meal. We ordered the meat and vegetarian combo platters, and the food was very delicious. The portions were sadly a little small compared to the amount of injura we got and the price we paid, but delicious nonetheless. Unfortunately, the day after my friend and I both got food poisoning from this restaurant. I want to love this place since the food and people were great, but from sifting through Yelp reviews, it seems like food poisoning is a common thing guests experience.

The food is delicious. You ordered to to. I got a large since this was my first time. Double meat…read moreand double veggies. I got sweet chicken and spicy chicken with greens and lentil It's a lot of food. But definitely worth it. $22. Theres seating inside. Looks clean. The service was fast and kind I'll be trying some more of the menu.

3/27/2026 - located near SDSU parking lot 3 and the bridge. I ordered the Mandazi African…read moredoughnuts . 10 minutes later they came out freshly made and all for $5.32 out the door. About 8 inside and they were fresh, soft and full of cinnamon. Loved these. I will go back here again for the real food! Enjoy.

Came here one evening on a whim because it's close to the church my mother goes to. While I had my…read moreeye on the restaurant for a while, I never realized it was so close. The staff are all very welcoming and kind and quickly got me seated with a menu and soon after got my order in, just an order of Derek Tibs, and started. The water I ordered came soon after in the form of a glass and a pitcher. There's a wait time that's pretty typical of ethiopian food that you'll get used to as you have more of it. When it comes to the Derek Tibs, they're honestly a bit bland, but not any more or less so than what I've grown accustomed to. The Berebere sauce (they offered it to me as hot sauce), and the Injera is really what gives it a lot of flavor. Honestly my favorite part of the dry style Ethiopian food is the texture and amount of crust they're able to get on the meats. Overall a very enjoyable experience, I would definitely recommend trying if you get the chance. Likely will return with friends.

This was my second time trying Ethiopian food. Great flavors, spicy and delicious! Friendly…read morewaitress, nice atmosphere. It took a while before we received our order but overall the food was good and the experience of eating the meal without utensils was fun, challenging. 2025/10

This place was great! We ordered the pad see ew, pad Thai, and yellow curry with duck. I really…read moreloved the flavors -- everything tasted fresh and well balanced. Just a small note: if you're very sensitive to spicy food, their medium spice level can feel a bit spicier than expected. I personally enjoy spicy food so it was perfect for me, but for my husband it was a little too much. Overall, the food was delicious and I would definitely come back!

I was in this area so I decided to check it out after seeing it on Yelp…read more I stopped in to order take out. I order spicy noodles(mild), pad se ew(no spice) and Panang curry.(mild) I chose beef for both noodle dishes and tofu for the Panang curry. I waited about 15 minutes for my order, all of it was cooked fresh and piping hot. 1.Spicy noodles with beef- The noodles were soft, the beef was sliced thinner and tender. The spice level was perfect, the seasoning was delicious. 5/5 2.Pad See Ew- We always love this dish since it's really all about these rice noodles. But this always has a pretty mild and sweet flavor, it's a nice contrast to the spicy noodles. We usually get a bunch of dishes and share since we want a little bit of each dish to eat. Beef was tender and thin, delish. 5/5 (could have more broccoli in it, but it might be a common theme for veggies in noodle dishes) 3. Panang curry: We were craving curry, this flavor is my favorite. It's creamy, sweet and spicy. I used to always get meat in these dishes, but I realized that tofu just soaks up all that curry. 5/5 The top experience was about a month ago. I just this past week had to head over in the same area so I decided to get take out again. I ordered over the phone and when I got there, my order was ready. I ordered around 8:45 pm and they closed at 9:30 pm. I got there around 9:15pm. I ordered spicy noodles with beef, pad see Ew with beef, Panang curry with tofu and massaman curry with tofu. This time around the beef in dishes I got was not so tender, but the flavoring was the same. I was very disappointed since I tend to think of all the proteins, the beef usually is cooked well. (not chewy or tough). Both curries had the great flavor that I expected, but I chose mild for both of them and the Panang was DEFINITELY much much spicier than the Massaman. I literally had to eat it in stages. I am always confused for spice levels, why it wouldn't be the same. So for most recent visit, I would rate both the noodles dishes 3/5 since the beef was disappointing. I wasn't sure if it was the end of the night but it was not tender and fresh tasting. Massaman curry I rate 5/5, all of us enjoyed it very much and it fit the 'mild' spice level. Panang curry- (which I got the first time ever visiting this spot and it was not that spicy!).. I would rate it a 3/5. It was way too spicy for folks in my family so that was also disappointing. I will definitely keep this place on my list, the 3rd time I go, I will be able to make my decision. First time was the bomb, 2nd time had some issues. Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 4/5 (cute little place, always did pick up) Food: 3/5

This is a lovely restaurant staffed by a friendly family…read more We came here on Sunday afternoon around 3pm & enjoyed a delicious and filling meal here in a quiet and peaceful dining room. We tried the sambusas & they were crispy on the outside & soft inside: The lentils were well-cooked & lightly seasoned. They came with a hot sauce that paired nicely with the sambusas. The share platter with the meat combo, veggie combo & Doro wat was quite delightful. I think we were missing the salata, but no big deal. I didn't try any of the meats because they were for M., but I did try the Doro wat (chicken stew) and the meat was so tender that it fell off the bone. All of the veggies were so good, but I especially enjoyed the Yeater Kik Alecha Wot (yellow split pea stew) & the Tekil Gomen (cabbage with carrots & potatoes sautéed with onions, turmeric & other herbs). However, everything was very tasty. While individual portions of each dish were on the smaller side, eating these dishes in concert with each other and the injera resulted in more than enough food. M. nearly succeeded in eating all of the sauced injera on the platter as well. Woo! I had water with my meal and M. had a Jumex Mango juice. Addis offers soft drinks, tea, coffee & two specialty Ethiopian alcoholic beverages - Tej (honey wine) and Tela (a fermented beverage similar to beer). I did not try these this time, but I will next time! There is street parking & and a parking lot. Restrooms are available. Every second & fourth Saturday they offer a coffee tasting ceremony from 10-11 as well. I'm definitely coming back for that! There is also an Ethiopian grocery store next door which I will check out next time as well! Peace.

Stopped by with a few friends to introduce them to Ethiopian food and had a phenomenal meal. I have…read morebeen trying to find Ethiopian food as good as when I first had it in the DC area and this spot is it! Considering everything between taste, price, convenience, cleanliness, and ambiance, this spot is easily one of the best I've had so far. Service was friendly and the food came out pretty quickly. The restaurant is well decorated with traditional pieces. Parking in the rear is a huge plus! We ordered the veggie and meat combo with the addition of Doro Wot. The taste of every component was super flavorful and the meat was tender. All but the raw protein options are halal! The Tej (honey wine) was sweet and very strong. The Tela was similar to a sweet beer with coffee notes. Really glad we got to try both drinks. Overall, a really good spot! I can't wait until my next visit!

I came here today bc I had gotten Burmese sausages earlier and it missed with me. I had to make it…read moreup by getting Lao sausages! This restaurant is decently sized with plenty of seats. I saw a lot of people picking up to go. Since I was the only here with one other family, service was fast and my server was very nice. She had such a friendly smile. I had to order papaya salad lao style, well, bc its the only way to make papaya salad. Stinky, salty, and potent in aroma and flavor. To me, this is real food. My only disappointment was I asked for spicy level 10, or 11, or 12, and I thought I got a level 1. I thought she misheard me, but I realize my spice tolerance is just over 9000. Haha. The Lao sausage was awesome. Thats the flavor profile I've been craving and it has been quenched today! I really loved this place and its deep flavors. For sure, if i feel like Lao food, ill be here!

We've been wanting to come here for awhile and finally made it and have been back a few times!!…read moreThere aren't very many Lao restaurants in San Diego...this one is closer and will now be my go to!! The owner is super friendly!! The Lao sausage is one of the best I've ever had.. definitely need to order to try it out! We had the papaya salad and that was good and flavorful but next time I will request for a spicier one (I couldn't get it too spicy as my friend doesn't eat that spicy). They also sell beef jerky there and the spicy mango habanero one was so good! Probably one of the best beef jerky's I had yet!! It is a bit pricey... but well worth it! $20 for a 4oz bag