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

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

See all

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

See all

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

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

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

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

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

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

See all

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See all

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

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

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

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

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

See all

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

See all

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

See all

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

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

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

The vegetable combo was perfect to share with a friend. Delicious, healthy, vegetarian food, and such good value too. The seating was spacious and the interior was quiet, great for conversation. Service was quick, friendly, and accurate. It would be nice to have some more non-alcoholic choices for drinks. read more

This is the best food ever. I'm very picky vegetarian who doesn't like spicy food and they accommodate me as well as my spice-loving family. I especially recommend the yellow split peas. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable and always available when you need something. The ambiance does leave a bit to be desired, the tables are covered in vinyl, but the food makes up for it. You should try the coffee- they roast their own beans! read more

I want to caveat my review by saying that I am a vegetarian and I've only done take-out from Cafe Ibex, and never done dine in. I LOVE their Veggie Combo. It's honestly 1.5-2 meals for a single individual. There's SO much food. And generous amounts of injera. Typically we use a delivery service like Doordash to order from here, but recently they seem to have lost their tie up with Doordash and are serviced on Uber Eats and GrubHub only. They recently changed their packaging to a different option which I believe results in a bit less food, but its still a lot. Takeout also means that during delivery, your separate dishes may combine with each other, but its not a deal breaker. Everything still has a distinct taste. Their veggie stews are SPICY, and not really served like "soups", which confused us at first but they were still amazing. PSA: If you're doing takeout and serving yourself at home on a plate... remember to put the veggies and lentils on TOP of the injera, so that the injera can absorb all the goodness/flavour for you to eat at the end. read more

Amazing food! We visit this place regularly and we are always treated like family. I love that this is a woman owned and operated business, and the food is the best I have tried! Our order is always the same: large platter with Fish Tibs, Chicken Tibs, and dry Lamb Tibs. Try it!! read more

Cafe Ibex - Chicken tibs, fish tibs, and dry lamb tibs. Absolutely delicious - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

My new FAVE place in Seattle when I'm looking for some good Ethiopian food! You won't be disappointed Glad I came across this restaurant, me and my friends were just driving around trying to find a good place to get some Injera and I found this place on Yelp Sat in the bar got amazing service, ordered a few combos and just relaxed Prices weren't bad and portions were very large Definitely my new favorite place read more

Cafe Ibex - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

5 stars for flavors and portion! love the bread. it wasn't as tart like most places. and surprisedly good with my ubereats order! def going to order again when i'm craving, i got the lamb combo. i especially love the greens and cabbage and their carrots has a crunch that i like read more