I would not say that I am an aficionado on Ethiopian food, but this place was fantastic. I have read some complaints on the service, but I thought it was just right. It is a place where you go for a relaxed dinner. The appetizers came out promptly and our dinner arrived withing minutes after we finished them. The food was excellent and there was so much of it! After I went to this restaurant I recommended it to friends and coworkers. The servers were nice and happy to offer suggestions based on our meat/vegetarian preferences and spice tolerance. I enjoyed the artwork and decor of the restaurant and the space had a warmth to it. I definitely will go back and recommend giving it a try. read more

Don't plan on going out after you eat at Demera. I smelled and tasted my dinner on my skin and in my mouth for two days after I had dinner there. Garlic and curry flavors weren't overpowering while you're eating them, but watch out after. We went in to Demera with high expectations I guess since people seem to rave about the cuisine. We were disappointed in the wine, the appetizer was ok, and the entrees were nothing spectacular. The brown bread that came with our tomato app was good, but the white was dry and tasteless. Our 2 entrees were the vegetarian and lamb wat. Really nothing to write home about. Not completely offensive either. The price was reasonable, and the ambiance was good. Overall though, I will not be going back. read more

Heard this place is sometimes on and sometimes off - still trying to figure out how to run itself since it's new, but the night I went with my fiancee, it was totally on. The food was fantastic. Really hit the spot. We got the two veggie / two meat injera combo. Our waitress was very attentive and came by to apologize for the food taking so long. We didn't think it was long at all, but she threw in our drinks for free. Will definitely go back. read more

I went here last night for dinner with my boyfriend and a mutual friend. The first impression I got was that it was very busy! Most of the tables were full, though no one seemed to be using the traditional seating, only the western style tables and chairs. The menu is quite extensive with about 6 or 7 dishes per protein (veggie, beef, chicken, lamb, seafood). They also have a mixed platter with either fully veggie or mixed dishes, but it was pretty expensive ($15) since it apparently feeds one person. We chose to order three dishes to share (around $9 each) and since each dish comes with a sample of another dish, there was definitely enough food for all of us. The dishes were served in bowls on the injera bread with more injera bread on the side. All the curries we had were delicious though I especially liked the shrimp with berbere sauce. The reason I gave Demera 3 stars is because of the service. Despite it being quite busy, the waitresses seemed to have nothing to do than come around every 5 minutes to ask if we needed anything. Now, I love good service and appreciate when they come around once or twice a meal to check on us, but seriously - interrupted 6 times during our meal when we were obviously talking to each other? Plus, they didn't seem to be very knowledgeable about their beers. When asked the difference between the three ethiopian beers, I was simply told the most expensive beer (and the largest) is very good. Uh, great, but how about whether they're lagers or stouts, etc? So overall, the food is excellent, but points off for annoying service. read more

I've changed my mind about Ethiopian Diamond. I now think ED is the better choice. It is cheaper, with bigger portions. All else aside, the food is actually pretty equal. Service at both joints is great. read more

I think the food is delicious, and the atmosphere is enjoyable. It is one of my favorite two Ethiopian restaurants in Chicago. I'm sorry to see all of these negative reviews of late. read more

Outside eating area, clan modern dining room. Good service, tasty and good portions.

I just love Demera. I have eaten at most of the Ethiopian restaurants on the North Side and liked the food but really have not been jumping for joy since I originally enjoyed ethiopian at Addis Abeeba many years ago on clark. Demera has the BEST appetizer and a wide variety of choices, the best messob choices everything is great down to the Bedele beer. LOVE THIS PLACE! MUAH read more

Not sure I would come back and not sure I would do Ethiopian good again, however this place seemed pretty hopping, so why not. We ventured out here on a random Wednesday night and didn't know what to expect. The place itself is just fine- so 5 stars for that- the waiter didn't really seem to know what to suggest to new Ethiopian food diners which I thought was a touch crappy knowing that we'd never been there. We did a sampling of a number of things and nothing stood out as overly amazing. So would I comeback, probably not.... But if it's your thing, rock it! read more

I have been wanting to try Demera for a long time. So glad I did. I went with one other person, both virgins to Ethiopian cuisine, and we each loved it. Service was friendly and helpful. Food was interesting and full of flavor. We got a decent bottle of wine for under $30 and more food than we could finish. I definitely recommend getting the Ethiopian coffee. Lovely presentation and quite a value considering how much you get for what it cost. Habiba was our server and we really felt welcomed and well taken care of. read more

Demera was my first exposure to Ethiopian food, and I LOVED IT! The food was well prepared and full of flavor. However, the service was so incredibly bad that I can't give Demera more than 3-stars. I was with a party of three and we arrived for an early dinner, there were two other groups in the restaurant and three or four people working the floor. We waited and waited to get our water refilled, it took forever to order, and we waited an eternity to get our check and for them to take our money. It's such a shame that great food was overshadowed by horrible service. read more

I love Demera so much, I work right nearby and have passed it about a million times and finally decided to try it and I'm glad I did because it is outstanding! The food and service are great. We ordered the meat and veggie messob. The injera seemed about the same as every other Ethiopian place but the meat and veggies seemed just a little bit better. There was a little bit less food than at other Ethiopian places but there was definitely still enough. We also got the sambusa sampler which was great. It is pretty inside and quiet. I think it's fit for foodies and a neighborhood gem even though there are so many Ethiopian places in the area. We went there for restaurant week and they had a special menu, it is a great place for a date or a special occasion! read more

I came here because I've never had Ethiopian food, and the reviews on yelp directed me to Demera. The waitres recommended the Demera Messob. The food on the plate was ok- fish curry, lentils, spinach, a salad, goat curry, shrimp curry, and a beet-mixture. My problem lies in the bread. It was cold, looked and felt like sticky carpet lining, and tasted awful. This bread left a nasty taste in my mouth, and had me nauseated until the next day. read more

How could anyone NOT like this place? A vegetarian's heaven! I've tried some of the fish/shrimp items as well. Also fabulous. Addicted to gomen and whatever the red beet salad dish is ...Yeah get mesob and share, try lots of stuff! They have sambusas (similar to samosa) and they are good but spicey! Honey wine good too! Just one glass :) read more

I have been coming here since this restaurant open! I love this place. The food is excellent! I have even gone to Washington DC to find comparable Ethiopian food... Not possible! I couldn't wait to get back to Demera! Love you all!!! P.S. Please think about expanding to offer Ethiopian cooking classes... I would so be there and so would many of my friends! read more

A regular favorite of mine, the service is nice as they've been running a listing on one of the daily deal websites which has made it nice for special occasions. The vegetarian dishes are superior to the meat ones. Don't get me wrong the meat is good (and the chicken wot a favorite) but the pea and lentil dishes are just better, and leave you feeling satiated but not stuffed. The injera is nicely tangy (like a good sourdough) and compliments each dish. read more

Great food. Good prices. Just a little chilly under the HVAC vents so we moved to a different table. Service was good too!

I ate there today for lunch with my two small kids. The food was superb and the service was spot on. We ordered the lentil sambussa, kik alicha, tikel gomen, ye-siga wot and tea. We loved everything. Looking forward to our next visit! read more

Went here for a group birthday dinner. The food was amazing. The Gluten-Free injera was just as good as the regular. We ordered all of the vegetarian dishes family style, and everything was delicious!! Great value, we recieved a lot of good quality food. They have a full bar but also are BYOB for an $8 cockage fee. Friendly staff. read more

Just amazing. Great price and amazing Ethiopian food. Make sure you get the Ethiopian iced tea. Also if you sign up online, you get a $10 off $40 coupon. read more

Demera - Ethiopian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Excellent and very flavorful food! Ethiopian cuisine is very similar to Indian and I give this restaurant a double thumbs up on vegetarian and meat curries. read more

This is not only the best Ethiopian restaurant in town, it's also just one of the best restaurants in town, period. The food is excellent - an incredible variety and the staff is really great about explaining and helping you make good choices (even if you've never had Ethiopian before). It's great for a large group (they have family-style menu items that make it easy to order a nice variety) and the prices are excellent - our large party had tons of food, wine and beer for less than $30 a person! Brunch is also phenomenal...french toast spiced with cinnamon and cloves and who knows what else - delicious! The staff is lovely - you really feel like you are eating at the dining room in their home they are so welcoming. Can't wait to go back!!! read more

Far and away my favorite restaurant in Chicago! Incredible flavor depth in every dish; you can taste all of the work that goes into them. Order a messob and try a bit from each section of the menu--an easy way satisfy the preferences of anyone you dine with. The injera is a bit like a sourdough crepe and pairs perfectly with the spicy wot. But beware: their berbere means business! When they say spicy, they mean it! I typically have to spice up all of my meals, but I order everything here alicha/milder. The Michetabish (#40) is my favorite food in the world! I cannot recommend Demera enough! read more

I went to Demera with family (first time Ethiopian eaters). We had to wait for a couple to get there and the staff was very patient and accommodating. We ordered the family option and several appetizers. The food was delicious! Everything was fresh and was probably the best Ethiopian food I've ever had. I even tried Ethiopian beer (Amber) for the first time. Delicious! I highly recommend this restaurant! read more

Went here a couple weeks ago with my girlfriend and another friend. Having never tried Ethiopian or much Sub Saharan African food for that matter, I didn't really know what I was getting myself into, but as soon as we entered the doors to the restaurant I was overwhelmed by the multitude of flavors and strong herbs and I knew I was in for a treat! We ended up ordering a variety plate of sambussas for appetizers which were delicious and prepared us for the main dish, which was a family style messob containing vegetarian, beef, lamb, chicken, and seafood! Everything was delicious and neatly prepared on a giant plate, which made for nice photos as well :) read more

Fantastic food. Make sure you reserve a table as it gets really busy (especially on show nights at Riviera). Great to share with friends. Try the honey wine! read more

Great place, nice atmosphere, good service. The food is amazing and I couldn't stop eating it. Great for vegans too, the server told us that all the vegetarian options on the menu are also vegan. read more

Do I have to say anything about this place!!! It's just awesome. I love the chicken and the lamb. We ordered a large plate which came with ethiopean bread and 7 different items on it. This is a must visit place. read more

We came with lots of hope. While the place provides a nice ambience and friendly staff, we were disappointed with the food. The injera was too sour and the veg and meat dishes less flavorful. We did like the appetizer Ambasha with spiced butter. read more

This was my big venture out of my comfort zone as I'd never had Ethiopian food prior, but my server was friendly in breaking down the menu and explaining the basics of how the food was eaten. I had injera (the sourdough bread) with a tray full of assorted tibs (the main dishes used for dipping). I really liked the kik alicha (split yellow pea) tibs which I thought balanced the bitterness of the injera. The lamb, on the other hand, was this greasy, over-salted mass I didn't care at all for. By the end of the day, it was only so-so at best, though I would like to give Ethiopian food another chance, either here or elsewhere; it's a totally unique dining experience and worth exploring. read more

I ordered through grub hub and my food was an hour and a half late. Needless to say I was pretty hungry, but mistakes happen. The food was SO good that I would definitely order again. If it happens again, I probably order about an hour and a half early before I gave up on them. read more

Went here here for the first time and loved it. Our waitress was friendly and fun and recommended the best choices for us. The food was excellent!! A great family adventure. Will definitely be back. read more

Loved the food and the family style concept that allowed me to try a bunch of different dishes!

I heard this was a popular Ethiopian restaurant in Chicago. The food wasn't bad. The reason I'm giving it 3 stars is because of the service. Our server was very nice and even went out of her way to let us sample a few wines when we were unsure of which bottle to order. We waited an uncomfortably long time, however, for our food and ultimately for our check and there was no acknowledgement of the fact that they were understaffed and inattentive. read more

Overrated. Demera has done a fantastic job of selling an Ethiopian food experience in a soulless Western restaurant ambiance. The food's not bad by any means and it's a great place to introduce less adventurous eaters to Ethiopian Cuisine. But Tesfa and Selam Ethiopian Kitchen are both less than 3 blocks away and serve much more flavorful food in a much less sterile environment. And they're also significantly cheaper than Demera. read more

Love this restaurant and service is great. Our family goes regularly and appetizers the best.

Delicious! We arrived and were told that we needed reservations but a spot opened up at the bar! Our bar tender/server was great and the food was so good! We ordered the cheese appetizer and it was to die for. The bar tender whipped me up an "Addis Ababa" and it was great! Perfect fall drink I think. read more

SUCH a delicious restaurant! Great service, great food, smiling management (Thanks, Danny), and my favorite shiro in Chicago.

I've had lots of Ethiopian around the city and while they all kind of have their own style, Demera is my favorite. The in house honey wine alone would keep me coming back but the food also always is amazing. It's fun to go back and see how slight changes even happen in the food and they only get better and better. Love this place! read more

I had a really good experience at Demera. I found the service to be very attentive. My friend and I were seated right away and a waitress came by quickly. We took a while to decide but the waitress did not abandon us. After we ordered the food came probably 15-20 minutes later, and it was delicious! I had never had Ethiopian food before and I loved it! It was a great dining experience. Only downsides were the table we had was kind of small and cramped and the waitress was somewhat, shall I say, brusque? There was definitely no chitchat, but that's okay, the food was great. read more