We hadn't been to Colucci since it moved. The new location is much bigger, nicer, and, as far as we remember, more upscale and with a much broader set of offerings. Heaven for vegetarians and vegans. Our party got a double portion of the veggie sampler, and raved. I especially like the cocktail offerings. My doro wat was wonderful, though I had a bit of trouble navigating without utensils. Next time, I'll try the stir fry instead of stew. read more

Great service, comfortable place with good food. Wouldn't go out of my way for it, but it was delicious and would definitely recommend it!

This is my favorite Ethiopian spot in the bay. And one of my favorite restaurants ever. They moved from their old location on Telegraph and now have a huge and beautiful new space on San Pablo. Their food is excellent. Very consistent. The incredible herbs and spices they sell are also available for purchase in their little spice area/gift shop that greets you when you enter. The service and servers are excellent. They are all incredibly kind. I usually get the vegan combo. I also love the veggie sambussas, dentich tibs, and assa tibs. The veggie sambussas are crispy and crunchy with a really well flavored center. The dentich tibs are crispy and crunchy homemade potato chips that they fry on demand. The assa tibs is a whole fish fried that's super delicious and fresh. I would recommend all of the dishes above. I went the other day for a private party on their back patio and I would highly recommend it. It's shaded, they have cute plants back there and a long line of tables. Cafe Colucci is excellent, reliably good and reasonably priced given the love and care they put into their food and their space. 10/10 recommended. read more

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Really unique dining experience and delicious Ethiopian food. The staff was very friendly and the menu had a lot of great options for meat and vegetarians. I started with a cinnamon cardamom spiced coffee and it was delightful. Then we shared the sambusa trio of half lentils and half meat filling. The veggie one was a bit spicy for me but very flavorful. The diced beef one was great. Our table shared a meat platter and added lamb tibs to it. Huge portion and nice pieces of chicken. We had the wheat injera with it. Each section of entree was unique and had it's own flavors. My favorite was the lamb with onions. The veggie platter was even better for me. I loved the yellow dal dish and the potato salad portion. Everything was fresh and wonderful. The interior decor was very cool too! And there's even a nice little. Stop in front that sells coffee and spices read more

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There's a lot of good Ethiopian in the bay, but this is my number one, hands down! So consistently good--honestly, have to resist ordering it as much as possible read more

Great atmosphere, like being in an old time grocery store. The tables are cool too, with glass tops to show off samples of grains. We had the sambusas, 3 each of lentil and beef. They were pretty good. We had the meat sampler. Good injera, but it was different from the last time I'd had injera (many years ago). Definitely get a spoon or fork, can get messy with the sauces. Good taste. read more

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I echo what Shan M. said. The service is CONSISTENTLY problematic. Cafe Colucci has a lovely patio. The problem is, the MAJORITY of the times I've gone expecting to eat outside, I'm told the patio is closed. (During these times of airborne transmitted disease spread, I ONLY eat outside.) I've tried calling first, to make sure the patio is open, but the line is always busy. One time, I made a reservation a month in advance for a birthday party. For 6. About 2 hours prior to the reservation, I got a text notifying me that the patio was closed for a pop up or some special event. EXCUSE ME! The day OF ???? So we had to scramble to find another place last minute. I did email them to complain, and we received ZERO response. No apology. No effort at amends. We stayed away for a long time after that experience. We just went back, with 2 guests visiting from Europe. We arrived on a sunny Monday evening. "The patio is closed." I half jokingly said, "You can't do that!" The host replied, "Yes we can!" So, once again, we had to find a last minute alternative. I suggested that they at least update their website to indicate when the patio is closed OR to assert that customers should call ahead to make sure the patio is open. The response was a smug smile. I mentioned that I'm immunocompromised and don't do indoor dining. Got a shoulder shrug. In summary ... I like the food ... the patio is lovely. DO BETTER PLEASE. I would love to update this review when you decide service is an important aspect of your business. read more

Excellent food and service. Ambiance is great though miss their shadowbox tables. The ones you saw spices, information, etc. through a glass top. But again, food and service supersede this. Wish they had a branch nearby though it is always worth the long drive from Pacifica to Oakland. read more

lots of tasty vegan options! I enjoyed the vegan sambussa and the buticha with injera. Well priced and good portions in my opinion. Definitely try this place! Their food is excellent!! read more

Cafe Colucci - Buticha - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

I've been coming to Colucci for years. They've always had delicious food and a welcoming environment. What's great about Ethiopian food is that it's sort of meant to be shared family style. So this is a great place to bring groups of friends. That also means you can sample a few dishes at a time . This time I went with Assa Gored Gored (spiced fish) and the vegan sampler. Everything is spiced to perfection and cooked well. I will also note that Colucci has great beverages and cocktails. I always love getting a glass of honey wine when I sit down for dinner. If you're looking for some bomb Ethiopian food in Oakland, make sure to check this place out. All the wait staff are super friendly and the owner Daniel is a great dude . read more

Cafe Colucci - Vegan sampler and Assa gored gored. Always a good bet! - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

Delicious food!! I ordered the vegan combo with red lentils, greens, and salad. Yum Staff was very helpful with ordering read more

My son and I came here for dinner while staying the night near by. The two servers who helped us were both nice and friendly. Helpful to any of my questions. We had the veggie sampler, doro wot and doro tibs. It came with one of the appetizers buticha - blended chickpea salad. First time I've tried this and it was the only thing I was not a big fan of. It had a tremendously strong and overwhelming horseradish flavor. Otherwise everything was seasoned well and flavorful. We both loved it. I had a glass of honey wine, which was also delicious. My son enjoyed his spritz. One thing for me, I felt the dining room was a tad on the dark side. I understand that's likely what they are going for, just my experience. If in the area again we would return. read more

Cafe Colucci - Doro wot and tibs, veggie sampler - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

Literally gave me 2 orders of meat sambussas and ordered 2 orders of lentil sambussas, dont eat meat and had me chewing on meat till I realized it wasnt lentil sambussas! Undercooked and just rushing shit! read more

Cafe Colucci - Straight up garbage! - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

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Our table was graced with an assortment of their meat and veggies plates, each dish a vibrant canvas of spices and textures. The injera served as the perfect edible utensil, adding an extra layer of authenticity to the dining experience. Surprisingly, we decided to cap off our Ethiopian adventure with a twist--a tiramisu for dessert. This fusion of Ethiopian and Italian flavors was an unexpected delight. The subtle sweetness and velvety texture of the tiramisu provided a perfect ending to our diverse culinary expedition. People here are also very efficient and friendly, and as of this place. The light made people's face extremely beautiful. If you are looking at the person you like sitting across you and that person is a bit red and tipsy. You will find that person more attractive and beautiful under the lighting here. read more

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Excellent Ethiopian food in a city with great Ethiopian options. They have a nice outdoor patio with plenty of shade and even heat lamps. Order at the counter for patio service, and grab your own plates / utensils / water. Honestly, I prefer it this way. It's way more chill. They should consider implementing QR Code / Online ordering, which would make the whole experience even more hands-off. We split a Vegan Sampler + Meat Sampler between three people. This was enough food. We finished every bite, but we were bursting at the seams. We also ordered two orders of traditional gluten-free teff injera. I prefer the wot (red / berbere) flavor to the alicha (yellow / turmeric) flavor. My favorite dish is the sega wot, which comes with a side of shiro, which happens to be my favorite veggie dish. Neither of these dishes are part of the sampler. My other favorite veggies are the misser wot (red lentils), kik alicha (yellow split peas), and the atakilt (cabbage, carrots & potatoes). read more

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The food is so tasty and the ambiance is lively. This is a go-to for date night or just hanging with friends.

love the interior, music, vibey af!! our first experience with Ethiopian food, pleasantly surprised. very communal fun experience. the fried fish could've been crispier, but otherwise meat platter was extremely flavorful and plenty of spices to be tasted. the mango drink was also quite yummy. lemonade was a bit sour though. very nice service as well. read more

I'm not well versed on African Cuisine so I cannot confirm if Cafe Colucci is authentic Ethiopian or not but they say they are and it is delicious! The weather was literally terrible in the Bay Area over the weekend but nothing stopped us from visiting and enjoying a good meal. We order both the veggie and meat sampler, ate with our hands and swallowed it all down with a spritzer. 10/10 recommend! read more

Cafe Colucci - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

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The guy who owns this place is friendly, that's why I'm giving three stars. Today I went to pick up a togo order - I asked if I could use their bathroom - I was told "no they're only for people eating here - I was actually looking forward to eating at this restaurant - now I never will, not will I recommend it. read more

Delicious Ethiopian food! Creative drinks! Cool atmosphere! The most amazing over the top Tres Leches dessert I've ever had in my life. I mean UNREAL. It is busy, and the servers are moving around kinda quickly-- a lot to do and a lot of turnover--so just chill and enjoy the jubilant and casual atmosphere. read more

I really wanted to like this place, but the service--especially in the evenings--is incredibly disappointing. The staff often seem completely disengaged. There's a tall woman who works nights who gives off the energy of "I don't want to be here, but I have to be because I'm getting paid." I've seen staff hanging out in the back, laughing and glued to their phones instead of helping customers. At one point, a server even told someone, "I can't help you, I'm really busy," when they simply asked for cutlery. Truly baffling. We also had a vegan and a vegetarian in our group and made that clear to the server, but everything still came mixed together--which defeats the whole purpose of coming to a supposedly vegan-friendly spot. To make things worse, some of the grains like lentils and chickpeas were still crunchy, and we all left feeling bloated and uncomfortable. It's frustrating to see such a lack of care or professionalism. Until management addresses the service issues, I won't be coming back. read more

The ambiance of the restaurant is very intimate. The lights are low but the place is beautiful inside. Our server was friendly and helped with recommendations. And the food was amazing. For a table of 6 we order 2 vegan combo w/ an additional chicken and beef tibs and it was enough for all 6 of us and enough to have some to go. Everything tasted delicious. We've had this for takeout but it doesn't compare to how much better it taste at the restaurant. read more

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My fave Ethiopian restaurant - and I've been to many. So delicious! This is the go-to place to take visitors for a unique, special, delicious meal. Every dish is flavorful, balanced, and memorable. Super yum! read more

Ordered delivery tonight and can I just say this food is delicious!!! I've eaten in the restaurant but the delivery is also amazing. Ordered the vegan plate and samosas. So so good! You really can't go wrong with this place. read more

Ordered takeout from here for a group dinner. Food was ready pretty quickly, packaged up nice and tight, and still piping hot when we got it home. We ordered meat sambussa, mushroom tibs, messer wot, doro wot, and sega tibs, along with extra injera. This was more than enough food for the 5 of us that shared it, and left us with leftovers of most things. Along with the meat dishes we also got some Kik Alicha, AtaKilt, and Gomen. We ordered all food with the normal mild spice, and my god was this food spicy! Yes, I am weak and can't handle too much spice, but even the people who love spice were sweating eating some of the dishes. It seemed like the spiciest thing on our plates was the mushroom tibs. Even with the heat though, they were delicious and packed with flavor. I had eaten Ethiopian food at another restaurant a few weeks before coming here, so only really had that experience to compare it with. I will say I liked sambussa from the other place much better, these ones were a little over fired in comparison and the meat wasn't as plentiful or juicy, but everything else was pretty similar - aside from being spicier. Definitely a good option if in the area. read more

Cafe Colucci - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

I was craving Ethiopian food and came across this restaurant. It's a large restaurant with a great atmosphere and nicely decorated. The staff are very friendly and they have some season blends and other items you can purchase. I ordered the sambussa half meat half vegetarian and the meat sampler. The sambussas were so delicious and it came with an incredible dipping sauce. The meat platter was also good, full of flavor. The finishing touch was the latte I ordered at the end. It was so creamy and I really couldn't get enough of it. It had some different spices that really made it unique. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone! read more

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Nice restaurant nice people , a local business so worth to support . Flavor is always on point. !

Service: This is probably the best Ethiopian food I've had! We opted for their meat combo, which was $20. We assumed it's for one person because sharable combos are usually more expensive at other restaurants. We still decided to order one, and to our pleasant surprise, it was more than enough food for both me and my boyfriend! Outdoor seating was comfy, and our waitress was attentive. Food: Best Ethiopian food we had tried! Injera is great as always, and I have grown to love it's sour flavor. I prefer the alicha meats over the wot, and gomen greens were yummy as well! Will be back when I'm in the area and craving some Ethiopian food! read more

Cafe Colucci - Meat combo, traditional House Injera - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

Cafe Colucci seems better than ever. Last time I went everything was so delicious! And everyone there is so friendly. They never disappoint. read more

So glad to return to this favorite, the staff is so kind. The vegan sambusas are great. Got the vegan combo & the eggplant tibs, both tasty. Baklava was fine read more

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They have moved to a new location since I've been here last. I love the new open seating with the corner market on the left. They even have a large back patio for when the weather is nice. I ordered the iced coffee latte that is spiced with cardamom, clove, and cinnamon. It was perfectly spiced and smooth. I have been dreaming of the denitsch tibs appetizer (thinly sliced and fried potato. A cross between fries and a potato chip) for a year, and they did not disappoint. It's perfect on its own, but we sprinkled some of the mitmira chili pepper on it, and it added an extra kick. They are very generous with the potato chips, so I was already getting full before my platter arrived. The vegan sampler is so full of flavor that I never miss the meat. The split pea with turmeric and ginger is my favorite. Something so comforting about it. Everything is always so delicious here. I'm glad they are still doing so well. Although upon leaving colucci, I'm always stuffed to the brim with potato and injera, I'm already happily anticipating gorging on the leftovers later. read more

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Service was amazing Tastes and authentic Ethiopian foods are available in Oakland but this atmosphere from Mom n Pop adds loving attention and that's the difference here. read more

Food was savory vibrant fresh and unforgettable, pure satisfaction (shaka !) Was on a long layover and determined to find some Ethiopean food!!! My bestie came to pick me up from Oakland airport and we were on a mission! Lol. Waiter was pleasant and place was bright clean and decorated with educational culinary materials -books, and spices for sale and cultural enrichment. Explored a bit while waiting and took some pics for us ;) read more

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I was really disappointed with my meal the last time I ordered from here. I got very little meat and one of the bones didn't even have any meat, just a meatless bone lmao. They also gave me gluten free injera instead of the regular wheat Injera that I ordered. read more

Cafe Colucci - My receipt next to the injera clearly stating they gave me the wrong one - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

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I have eaten a fair amount of Ethiopian food. I grew up in Washington DC and the Bay Area has amazing Ethiopian establishments. Cafe Colucci in its current iteration is my favorite. I am not entirely certain why their food is so delicious. My friend and I were speculating. Are the vegetables fresher? Are the spices a higher quality? Is the chef from a different universe? We could not arrive at a conclusion, so we told the waiter very politely to stop talking to us while we started devouring their food. He laughed. We were lucky enough to score seats outside in the patio area, which is enclosed - not out on a street. There are not many Ethiopian restaurants with such fresh and nice decor. They were plenty of heat lamps and people having a wonderful time. The atmosphere is conducive to that. A wedding party was taking place in the main room, so they were slammed even more so then they regularly are. The servers were hustling, but they were friendly and ready to share a laugh. I have also ordered take out on a couple of occasions; I can assure you that, even though the atmosphere contributes to your enjoyment when you eat there, the food is outstanding on its own. read more

Cafe Colucci - Meat AND Veggie Samplers - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

I love it here! The vegan sampler is my go to - the veggies are tender and perfectly spiced. The lentils are so tasty and the injera is melt in your mouth just the right amount of sour. I order here on my lunch break about once a week - I call, ten minutes later I'm there picking up and shortly after I have a happy tummy, lulled into post-spice bliss. The tea and hot chocolate are also delicious, and the ambiance for eating in is relaxing (smells amazing, too). Love the decor (learn about spices and Ethiopia while you're there!) and the staff are so nice and attentive. read more

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I can see this place getting packed quickly. Friendly service with dynamite food, the history of its food on the walls, open kitchen and easygoing vibe, would reccomend. Come with an appetite. read more

Cafe Colucci - Meat and Veg Sampler - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

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Food was some of the best Ethiopian food on the west coast. The service was prompt and timely. They really take their time to explain the best menu options. The mood and vibe is casual with a variety of people that meet the Oakland expectations. Don't hesitate to make your reservation! They do small and large table setting. Bring your family and enjoy! read more

This new location is bright and has much more space. Staff is very friendly and attentive and explained the spices and drink profiles to help us make our selections. I don't usually pick lamb as a dish but the lamb included in the Meat Sampler was good - not gamey , with the right amount of flavor and spice. The meat sampler included chicken and ground beef , both flavorful but not overwhelming. I recommend the Vegetable Sampler to get a variety and all the vegetable and sauces were delicious. We also added the Eggplant Veggie Tibs. The eggplant was slightly sweet and cooked perfectly- not too soft and not too firm. I appreciated the additional of a cocktail menu - oh so good. The Addis Ababa is similar to an old fashioned. The National Fruit is refreshing. Come with a group to share more dishes and more cocktails ! read more

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I absolutely love introducing friends and family to something they haven't experienced before. Especially, those loved ones who live in an area that doesn't have the sort of options we are blessed with in Oakland! Cafe Colucci is at the top of that list. This was my first visit to their new digs. It's missing a bit of that funky, lived-in, charm the previous location has but it's open, clean and inviting. The scent of spices wafting at you is magical and amazing from the moment you walk in. I love the grocery area with the books and spice area you can experience the blends. I didn't get a chance to check out the patio area, I'll have to do that next time. The service is still exceptional! The neighborhood is prime for a variety of new businesses and I sincerely hope the empty shops fill with other local, diverse businesses that keep Oakland interesting. I don't know what the yellow lentils are called but I could survive on them and the veggie sambussas! Don't miss read more

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