I phone ordered a vegetarian combo, which was a sampler platter of sorts, served with the tangy injera. Everything was delicious and seemingly authentic. I ordered my food to go, they were careful to separate the injera so that it wasn't soggy prior to me getting to my destination with it. Others were dining in when I arrived and the whole place smelled like warm Ethiopian spices. Staff was friendly, fast, made small talk even though I was in and out quickly I still felt appreciated. Delightful. Will go back. Side note; they are open super late. read more

Tasty no frills Ethiopian spot. We stopped by on a Sunday evening and got seated right away. The service was very quick and helpful. We got the lamb and beef combos to share amongst 5 people and it was plenty. We even had some to go. Very flavorful meats- the lamb was nice and fragrant with all the spices. I'd recommend that one! Good spot in Seattle if you're craving seattle. There was a strong scent in the air not sure what it was but we got used to it quickly. Very reasonably priced as well. I recommend! read more

Cafe Ibex - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I visit Seattle pretty often for work these days, and one of my little traditions has become trying a new Ethiopian restaurant every few trips. This time, I gave Cafe Ibex a try! I ordered through Uber Eats and went with the Ibex Combo #3 (Lamb Combo), which comes with yebeg tibs, derek tibs, yebeg key wot, and an assortment of vegetables including lentils, greens, and yellow split peas. Lamb is the only meat I order when I eat Ethiopian food, so I loved being able to try it prepared a few different ways in one meal. The lamb was tender and everything was cooked well. Another major plus for me was the gluten-free injera! I always appreciate when Ethiopian restaurants offer this option, and it made the meal that much better. The portion was also really generous. I could only finish about half, so you could easily get two meals out of it or split it between two people depending on your appetite. At $27.95, I thought the price was reasonable and pretty much on par with the other Ethiopian restaurants I've tried around Seattle. My only critique is the flavor. Everything tasted good, but it was a little more subdued than what I'm accustomed to with Ethiopian food. I personally love those deep, bold, heavily spiced flavors, and I found myself wishing the dishes had a little more seasoning and intensity. Overall, Cafe Ibex was a solid experience with good portions, reasonable pricing, plenty of lamb, and gluten-free injera. I'd definitely be open to trying it again, but of the Ethiopian spots I've visited in Seattle so far, I'd say the flavor here was a bit more mild than my personal preference. read more

Cafe Ibex - 18. Ibex Combo #3 - Lamb Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Was craving some Ethiopian food, so came by to try cafe ibex. The place looks older and a bit run down, with a bar on the side, and an extra party room in the back. We sat ourselves, and it seemed like there was only one person working the front, so service was on the slower side. We ordered one beef combo and one lamb combo to share amongst 5 people, which was plenty. The food took quite awhile to come out. Food itself was pretty good, pretty even balance of veg, meat, and legumes. There was one particular part of the beef combo that I didn't love -- had an overpowering cardamom flavor. Overall, not a bad spot! I feel like all Ethiopian places are quite cost efficient, as was this one. Service was nice, but slow and food had good flavor. Anyway, onward through my tour of Ethiopian restaurants around the Seattle area! read more

Cafe Ibex - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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In an unassuming plaza that looks a bit rundown, there is a delicious Ethiopian restaurant. We went in on a Saturday dinner and there were only 2 tables occupied, which is surprising given the great quality of food and service this place offers. We shared #18 lamb combo which was $24.95 as well as a glass of Ethiopian wine ($8) and a Harar beer (Ethiopian beer) ($6). Wow, what a great deal, as the lamb combo was enough to feed 2 people and still ended up with some leftovers. They give a good amount of injera, just the perfect amount. The lamb is decent - it was a little bit tough but we thoroughly enjoyed the vegetable portion of the dish mostly. I probably will try beef next time. The Ethiopian wine has a little bit of sparkling aspect to it, and the Ethiopian beer was pretty good - I'm not a beer person but I liked it. Service is friendly and approachable and they were appreciative of our visit. They went a bit above and beyond in making sure we maximized our experience in our meal by showing us some ways to enjoy the injera more. This is not the best Ethiopian food, however, but the culmination of the food, service, and price make this a deserving 5 star restaurant. read more

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We shared a veggie combo plate, was a generous amount of delicious food. The whole vibe was fantastic and welcoming.

I've gotten take out from here and eaten in a few times. It's always good! My favorite is the vegetable combo (as pictured). Flavors are great. We also got the beef tibs. The meat is tender. I recommend getting extra injera if you are sharing with lots of people. read more

Cafe Ibex - 28.. Vegetable Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Ordered #18 Lamb Combo which was $24.95 (August 2025). Cheap and generous portions. Restaurant feels very homey and food was good. The lamb was a little tough, but overall food was good. I enjoyed the vegetables and lentils more than the meat. read more

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This is a solid 3.5/4 star restaurant. This was the first Ethiopian restaurant I ever tried, so it holds a special place in my heart. They have all of your normal dishes, with lots of flavor and tender meat. Their portions are good in comparison to price. My go to (at every Ethiopian restaurant) is the meat platter and veggie platter combined. My only gripe here is that it doesn't come with beef tibbs. If you are not a regular eater of Ethiopian make sure that you asked to have the kitfo cooked well. Otherwise, it comes almost raw. The restaurant is older, and a little run down, but has a family/homey feel and is well kept (although, the bathrooms could use a little love). The staff are all very kind, but they tend to be short staffed whenever I've come, so it can be a little slow, but nothing crazy. The biggest drawback is that they do not have any other types of food. My kids and I love Ethiopian food, but some of our family does not. So we have to go to restaurants where everyone can have something to eat. That alone would prevent me from frequenting this restaurant, and I'm sure others as well. Adding some simple items like fries and wings could help business IMO. This is definitely a solid Ethiopian restaurant I would recommend going to if you're in the area; you won't be disappointed. And they tend to be open when other restaurants are not, which is a plus, and how I ended up here on New Year's Day instead of my regular place. Try it out! read more

Cafe Ibex - Meat Only + Vegetable Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Food: Beef Combo: authentic flavor will definitely satisfy your craving! Perfect level of spice (if there was a star rating 0-5 I would give it a 3). Shareable plate for 2. Service: Friendly and attentive. Ambiance: Dim setting, music in the background (you can still enjoy conversations), wasn't busy (Saturday night,however, it does seem like they had lots of pick up orders) I'll be coming back for sure!! read more

Cafe Ibex - Ibex Beef Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

On point every time we're here. So flavorful. Don't come here on Tuesdays. They're closed . read more

Cafe Ibex - Lamb combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I was truly eager to try this place. I came at 1am the first time, as they're open till 2am. But they were closed and told me to come back the following day. So i did. I ordered Key wot which is a beef stew that comes with flat bread (sour spongey bread) and cottage cheese. now this plate was $24.95. Controversially pretty expensive for takeout meal that feeds one person. The proportion was pretty good but i didn't think there was enough stew vs bread. It's a little spicy, I would consider it a level one. The ambiance upon arrival was pretty nice, it's dimmed and spacious. Definitely a family owned business I'd be proud to support more in the future. read more

I love cafe Ibex! Just got it again after a year and they never miss! I always get the chicken combo, it's so good! With the egg and the greens and lentils! Loveeee! If you like Ethiopian food or want to try it, I definitely would recommend this place ! read more

I am not sure if I have ever had Ethiopian food before - but I think the $25 "combo plates" here are a great place to start! My friend, and I shared the "lamb combo" and were full with just that (that would not have been enough food for me and my husband, though). I was impressed with the tomato lamb curry in the middle of the platter, the lentils, and the vegetable purée. Unfortunately, I am not sure if I would order any of the other sides/mains again, but the price tag makes this restaurant a really fun option! Other reviewers described this as "the best with Ethiopian food in Seattle" so I considered giving this restaurant four stars, but realistically, the food was three stars for me. I do not consider service or ambience when I rate a restaurant, but I was surprised that I did not see any reviewers had mentioned that the restaurant feels like it is the parking lot of a small 7-Eleven (three or four parking spots) and while it is a short walk to/from the Mt Baker train station, it was my first time in the neighborhood, and I was surprised that there were few street lights and that I passed a lot of people smoking and/or camping on the sidewalks. read more

Cafe Ibex - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Amazing Ethiopian food in a nice quiet spot! The portions are huge, I have gotten takeout before and lived off it for 3 meals. Came here with 4 people the other day and we split 2 meat combos and it was more than enough food. Can't recommend enough. read more

Cafe Ibex - Lamb combo and chicken combo on one plate - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

one of the best tasting and highest bang-for-buck ethiopian places in central seattle.

I came here on a Monday evening at around 7pm. I was able to be seated immediately and was able to choose my table which was nice! I got the beef combo which has a variety of beef and a lot of the vegetable options as well. This was easily split between me and another person so keep in mind the portion is large! Overall the food was delicious! The beef stew in the middle might have been my favorite of the beef options, and the split peas was probably my favorite of the veggies. They didn't hold back on the spice either! The minced beef and the lentils had the most kick and were very tasty as well. However everything was good! I'm excited to come here again! read more

Cafe Ibex - #1. Ibex Beef Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Tried it again. It's been many years. This time we ordered to go. The prices (as is the case with everything) are much higher than they were and the portion sizes smaller. We ended up finishing everything within one meal when usually our order can last a couple of days. Pretty much felt the same way in terms of taste that I did previously. Not the tastiest Ethiopian food in the area, but it was still decent. This time around service was much better. The food came out quite quickly. read more

First Ethiopian cuisine experience! My high school bestie and I decided to get dinner here after dance one Thursday evening, and she was so excited to be a part of my first Ethiopian cuisine experience. She walked me through the menu and the best things to order: *ibex combo #3 - lamb combo ($20.95): this came with yebeg wet (lamb stew), yebeg tibs (stir fried lamb), yebeg alcha wet (lamb curry), and vegetables on injera (flatbread). The lamb wasn't gamey at all and full of flavor, and the veggies complemented the meat really well. I was intrigued by the spongey texture of the flatbread; it was a great medium to soak up the sauces from the lamb and veggies! *vegetable combo ($16.95): this came with misir wot (spicy lentil stew), shiro wot (grilled bean stew), gomen (greens), kike wot (split pea stew), cabbage, fosolia (green and yellow beans), and ibex salad on injera. The veggies were cooked really well, and were full of flavor. I really appreciate how hands on these Ethiopian dishes were, as you eat them by tearing off pieces of injera and placing the meats and veggies on them to shovel into your mouth. Customer service was next to none though lol But! I am looking forward to trying more Ethiopian in the future :) read more

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Ambience 2/5 - The vibe is very Ethiopian Food - 3/5 - Veg Combo and Chicken Combo. In my opinion, Veg was better than the chicken. Service 2.5/5 - The server was super friendly. However, service was very slow read more

Cafe Ibex is my go to Ethiopian restaurant. Even though they're not nearby, the quality of their food is worth the added trip and so far they've been consistent with quality and quantity. The portions are generous (most of the time I have enough for another meal) and the price reasonable. However be mindful that (depending on your order) some items may spill over/spill out of the container if you're doing take out. My one suggestion would be some more options for appetizers. That being said, I love their vegetable combo, and the two pieces of injera are huge. If you're a fan of Ethiopian food or always wanted to try, Cafe Ibex is the way to go. read more

Cafe Ibex - Vegetable combo ($16.95 without tax and tip), including (2) large Injera pieces - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This is a great and affordable spot where you can try a lot of different things for a great price. We ordered their $35 Seattle Restaurant Week special for takeout and we were very happy with how everything tasted. We got three different meats: dried beef, doro wat (chicken in spicy sauce) and derek yebeg tibs (dried lamb). My favorite was definitely the lamb but I also liked the chicken a lot. It also came with several vegetables and lots of injera too. The food was very hearty and flavorful and it makes for a great winter takeout meal. What I really like is how many different flavor profiles you have when you get a variety like this. It also reheats very well if you have leftovers like we did. Also they separated the vegetables and meats into two different containers so if somebody is a vegetarian they would not have to worry about cross contamination with meat. I definitely recommend. read more

Cafe Ibex - Seattle Restaurant Week special - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

One of my favvvvv Ethiopian joints in Seattle! They really have the best veggie combo, everything is sooo flavorful and I usually have enough to save for lunch the next day. It's about $20 too so not hella pricey for what it's worth. The injera is so soft and sour, I love it! I come here often for takeout and haven't eaten in but anytime I order food the servers are so kind so I bet it's really great to dine in. read more

We've been coming here for years and it is consistently delicious!! High quality ingredients with friendly, quick service.

Ethiopian food is one of my favorite foods ever especially Tibs. I had ordered beef tibs and My food was lacking and all seasonings and spices. It was extremely bland and not enjoyable at all. I don't really recommend and i wouldn't come back..... read more

There are so many Ethiopian restaurants near me that it is hard to choose. However I had heard there was a good one in Columbia city so decided to take a short drive down and it was worth it. The veggie platter was a feast for the eyes as well as for the tummy. Plus my friend ordered a tasty side dish. Coming back again for sure. And waitress was lovely. read more

Cafe Ibex - Veggie platter - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This hole in the wall place is one of those easily missed places if you're not really looking for it. For one, it's connected to this really sketchy grocery Mart and is facing interiorly. On the bright side, it's literally 5 minutes from the light rail and also have a parking lot. We came here for plate of nation and got the $30 meal which came with a few meat dishes, the veggie combo and dessert (baklava). The dish was humongous! You can easily feed 2-3 people with this dish. Everything on the plate was pretty good. All of the meat was tender and falling off the bones, the veggies was seasoned and cooked well. I love that some of the veggies has a spicy kick to it. The only thing was the injera bread was very thin, so it was crumbly and mushy after a little bit. Even though we got extra injera bread to use, it's not the typical. The people here is super nice, they were attentive, outgoing and very knowledgeable. Overall, a really good place to eat and a great deal for plate of nation! read more

Cafe Ibex - Plate of nation meat and veggie dish - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Love this place!! Great food, good price, friendly staff, and always a dope soundtrack :)

Horrible experience and service. Felt very unwelcomed. My Injera was cold. When told she immediately responded no it's not I just made it then offered to re heat it. Also my friend ordered meat only dish got 4/5 dishes when asked about the lamb was lied to that it was inside the injera Smh Extremely disappointed considering we eat here a lot. Definitely lost a customer read more

Cafe Ibex - Remains of a chicken combo and meat only #2. Ibex Chicken Combo Meat Combination - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I think this is only my second time having Ethiopian, my first time probably 10 yrs ago, overall I'd say it's what I remember and expect. Food is always quite tender, the signature sour bread, and the communal eating. Would say that sharing with a friend is definitely the way to go! Our group of 4 shared a veggie combo and a meat combo, and it was plenty! We left with full stomachs (but not too full for dessert!) read more

I love this place. I always come here when im in the mood for Injera. I usally get the Lamb tibs combo when I come and it never dissapoints. The owner is very friendly and makes this place a pleasure to come back. read more

Cafe Ibex - #3. Ibex lamb Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The food and service here is amazing!!! We ordered the lamb combo and I can't tell you which dish was my favorite. The spices were just scrumptious. We split this one dish for both of us and we were uncomfortably full by the end. I wish I knew their secrets for how they make lamb so tender, lentils so flavorful, and veggies that make me realize I could almost go vegetarian! I wish we lived in Seattle, we would make this a regular spot to visit! read more

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Stopped here for dinner a few nights ago. Got the chicken combo which is the veggie combo + a chicken curry and a dry chicken dish. There was a fair variety in the combo and 3 Injeras which was super filling for us. Excellent portion size indeed. The food itself was a solid okay. Nothing was bad but nothing was awesome either. The veggies were bland and lacked seasoning and the punch and aroma of spices. The chicken was insanely dry, the chicken curry contrastingly was really nice. There are other Ethiopian restaurants in Seattle that are tastier(although the good ones seem to keel closing down). Overall I think this is a solid place for a great value for money meal with good variety, just not a home run. read more

Was craving Ethiopian food, pretty happy to have found this spot, it's next to the train station with a very small parking lot. The menu was kind of overwhelming, a lot of options, but the server kindly helped us select something by what I was describing to her. I recommend trying Ethiopian food for the new experience of eating with your hands, it's actually not that messy as one would expect since you're using a piece of sponge bread to scoop up the food items. Shoot, a fully loaded burger or sandwich can sometimes be messier. Tell me about your experience if you've been here or is going to after reading this review:) read more

The building is old but don't let that frighten you. The staff is polite and helpful. Take out or eat in. We really enjoy their food. It's enough food for three very hungry people or a great meal for two with leftovers. We always get the lamb combo and beef stew. The beef stew adds a spicy sauce that helps make the leftovers great the next day. If I want more leftovers, we add the dry lamb or cabbage. Best tip ever from an Ethiopian friend: take the leftovers home. You can rip the leftover injera into smaller bits and mix in with the leftovers for your to-go box to soak up flavor overnight. Either heat up and eat the jumble the next day or add a fried egg on top to make it extra special. If you've never had injera, think of a pancake like softness and sponginess but the tanginess of a great sourdough. Yum!!! read more

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Food is well flavored and authentic. I liked some dishes more than others. Lentils were all amazing and balanced in flavor, spinach was tasty too while cabbage and carrot dish could use smaller carrot sizes and some seasoning. I did not like the mixed beans dish a it was oily and lacked any flavor. I have eaten better injera at other places and ambiance is not good IMHO (we went for dinner; seeing other reviews looks like lunch timing has different vibe to it). Attached picture was the platter for 3- Good pricing and enough food. read more

The atmosphere was warm and welcoming. The staff was kind and was happy to answer any questions we had about the menu. This was definitely one of the best Ethiopian restaurants I've ever been to. The meat was tender and cooked well, veggies seasoned perfectly with the unique Ethiopian flavors you expect. I can't wait to go back! read more

Cafe Ibex - Meat Combination and Sauteed Beef and Greens - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Not a vegetarian myself but I get the vegetable combo at every Ethiopian restaurant I go to as I feel like it's a good way of measuring the standards. I feel like a lot of times such veggie combos can end up tasting a bit same-y, as in each individual dish kind of starts blending into the others flavor-wise, which isn't the worst thing in the world as the flavors are delicious, but still. Anyway, what we had here was very not same-y, each individual component had a unique and delicious flavor, and we destroyed the whole platter in record time. I was especially impressed by the cabbage and greens here, which usually are kind of sidekicks to the misir wat and others but here really shine. read more

Been here twice now, the service is consistently amazing, food is great and huge portion. I order their veggies and meat combo. I love the variety and enjoy the flavor so much! If you're looking to try some traditional food, I highly recommend them! read more

Cafe Ibex - Vegetable Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We've been coming here for many years, and I'm finally leaving a review! I think this is one of the best Ethiopian spots in Seattle. We got the beef combo and it was plenty for two people. The women who work there are super nice, and I love how relaxing it always is in there. I definitely recommend!!! read more

Cafe Ibex - #1. Ibex Beef Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington