My girlfriend and I go here all the time. Its the best deal if you'd like to share a meal for one person (we can never finish them for two). Ethiopian Diamond can get pretty expensive (special occassion expensive) if you want to add on drinks and appetizers that's why we prefer Demera over Ethiopiam Diamond. The food at Demera isn't quite as good as Ethiopian Diamond because they're lamb and other meat dishes are hit or miss. If you like black injera you can order it ahead of time and they'll serve your meal with it. The honey wine is delicious and they make their own which they open on Fridays so get there before the weekend is over because they run out quickly. They do have bottled honey wine that should suffice if the run out of the home brew. One thing we've noticed is that the night time service has new management and they are pretty annoying. The head manager told us about how the old servers (off the boat Ethiopian servers) couldn't even open a bottle of wine. I thought that was pretty unprofessional to be gloating about how badly they needed new management especially when it has made the atmosphere seem so much less like authentic Ethiopian dining. Maybe I'm in the minority, but I think people would be much happier feeling like they were not in a steak house (where the new manager came from) and in a family owned Ethiopian Restaurant. Overall, the food hasn't changed since the new management and that's the biggest draw for me so I still give Demera 4 stars! read more

My first time trying anything Ethiopian was at Demera on Lawrence and Broadway in Chicago. I love food so why not...I went in with friends and we each ordered something different and agreed to share to see who ordered the best food. The service was good. They have an assortment of beers including a few Ethiopian selections. I had a native beer and didn't hate it. Nice actually! The food was served with a pancake type of bread that you use to scoop up your food with. I loved it! The servings were very big so bring an appetite. read more

Great food! Ethipean food may not be for everybody but it should be! Demera was extremely busy the night we went do to a Group-on invasion! Still, they got us in and seated in under 15 minutes and we got to listen to live music and watch the dancers in the meantime. Which was pretty great. Service was decent, considering how busy they were and the food was amazing. Big portions and lots of options. Spicier than I am used to even for Ethiopean fod but amazingly tasty just the same. A great place for someone to start eating Ethiopean food with a really fun and festive enviroment. read more

Based on only one visit, I expect to upgrade to 5 stars after multiple trips! We had a Groupon and a brother in law who has spent time doing archeology in Ethiopia, so we had to try this place out. Went kind of early on a weekday, which was perfect since the staff had plenty of time to show my husband and me around the menu (we were Ethiopian food noobs). The food was outstanding. I can't remember what all we had, except that it was all good. My brother in law was impressed, especially with the Ethiopian coffee which he said was some of the best he's ever had. The honey wine was excellent and the staff was more than friendly. We were originally handed the wrong bill (which was less than our tab), when we brought the error to the attention of the manager, he comped us our coffee and brought a free round of drinks to the table to thank us for our honesty. Can't beat that for customer service! We'll be back for more! read more

Had a wonderful meal there with friends the other night...We ordered a Chef's sampler & were not disappointed!! Everything was DELICIOUS!! From the moment we walked in the door our experience was a positive one...The staff was very friendly & helpful!! I will definitely return there & would recommend to anyone who would listen!! read more

Just to make one thing clear: i would give 10 stars, if I could! This was our third time here and we just love it. It's just the whole package you get, which totally works. Starting at the hostess stand, very very friendly, welcoming and it just continues that way. The waiter/waitresses are so nice and quick and just great. Make you feel really, really welcome. And it doesn't even matter, if it's not the server for your table. They are all just nice and considerate. The food was delicious and the dessert a great ending. We are SO coming back! And make sure you make a reservation at the weekend! It gets really packed and booked out! read more

Great food and service. We ordered the vegetarian sampler, and got lentil sambossas, messob and dessert. Service was friendly and attentive. We will definitely eat there again. read more

Unique dining experience for the landlocked Chicagoan! This was my 2nd visit this year for their Messob tray--MARVELOUS!! I took 4 college ladies with me for lunch & it was a big hit amongst all of us. Don't shy away from the vegetarian selections...those have been my favorite. The beet selection was by far the most favored choice for our group. Don't forget to try their hot tea. Excellent Ethiopian dining experience! read more

Demera - Messob- The Chef's Selection at Demera Ethiopian Restaurant, Chicago - Ethiopian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

When I came to this restaurant I was still very new to eating Ethiopian food. I found this food to be so enjoyable I had a hard time not stuffing my face. Very Nice place read more

Demera - Combination platter - Ethiopian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I had never had Ethiopian food before, so upon a friend's recommendation to Demera and an "I'm-feeling-adventurous-day", I went over for lunch one Saturday. My friend and I had a messob with five toppings which we picked out with the help of our waitress. The food felt like what I imagine the sound Pokemon Go makes when you catch a new Pokemon would feel like. The traditional coffee was dark and relaxing. I normally can't handle the caffeine the American coffee style has, but the darkness (thus low caffeininess) of Ethiopian style coffee was a great end to the meal . The music playing was a little off, it was some kind of synthesized flute music, but overall I look forward to exploring more of the menu! Peace, One Love! read more

My wife & I came here with some friends who have visited quite frequently. Kudos to them. The food was delicious. An exotic taste. Interesting that the food comes out for everyone to eat on one dish. I'm sure you could order differently. But that's the route we went. Once you bite in, or shall I say once we bit in we were pleased. Our waitress was helpful, patient and friendly. So if you have a taste for some different food other than the usual. Stop and bring some friends. It's a pretty cool place to get together. read more

Don't let Ethiopian food intimidate. The staff here are VERY helpful and friendly. Messob is sooo tasty. Bring clean hands and a big apetite. read more

Very DISSATISFIED,DISAPPOINTED, 1st they wanted to seat us near the bathroom entrance! We requested another seating area, my friend and I could tell the worker at the front door was disputing it,so we got seated at what I call the kids table, a small table next to two bigger tables. When the worker came to pour water I said to him why y'all have these small table? He mumble something & I said what? He mumble again & walked away! As ordering when I found out they now only give you one SMALL side with your main dish,they use to give you 2-3 sides. Waitress came one time only,had to run her down to get check. They pack people in like sardines,give you less food same or higher price. Oh and the food was not even hot or that tasty. Blah. That was like my 4th time there, will not be going back...this was my friend 1st time eating Ethiopian food I was ashamed she had to experience this.. read more

This is a go to place for my hubby and !. We absolutely love it. Although we don't live as close as we would like to, we make always put the effort in. Totally worth it every time! read more

NUMBER 1 RULE BEFORE LEAVING THE RESTAURANT (after paying and leaving a tip, of course): PLEASE. CHECK YOUR TAKEOUTS. PLEASE! We wanted to try our first ever Ethiopian dining months ago. Having read above average reviews about Demera, we finally made time to go for it. I was really looking forward to this new experience, especially since their dishes and presentation looked mesmerizing. Because it was our initial visit to this restaurant, not to forget our first time to savor Ethiopian meal, we asked the waitress about her recommendations. She willingly and gracefully explained to us the choices, and asked us about the kinds of meat and vegetables that we prefer. We went for lamb, chicken and beef for the meat, and split yellow peas, chopped spinach and ground chickpeas for the vegetables. We ordered a Demera Messob which costs $35.00. The service didn't take that long, the service from the crew was very timely. Anyway, this restaurant has this highly spirited environment. You'd apparently won't mind waiting just in case it would take few more minutes for your orders to come out. There were lots of texture in our orders, and the aroma from the food items on our table was quiet inviting. It felt like a good game of different spices bursting in every bite. It was a pleasant encounter with new foreign dishes. We also tried vegetarian Sambussa appetizer which was nice, but not something which I'd crave for. We had cups of their tea as well, but it wasn't that interesting. We easily became full and just thought of having most of what we had ordered be packed for takeout. But what was unpleasant was what happened several hours after we got home. I decided to snack on a little portion of our takeout. It was packed in a way that the folds of injera were over the meat and vegetable portions. I tore pieces by pieces of injera to munch on while dipping each on the messy bright yellow portions of what I forced to believe (maybe because everything was already compressed into just one box and sauces got mixed up) were the once pale yellow split peas that adhered to some of the folds. It looked similar with what we ordered because they were mostly covered in thick sauces, and the injeras were concealing most of the items as I was eating. But when I randomly took a bite of what I thought was a part of the meat portions, it just didn't taste and felt the same as what went inside the restaurant. However, I didn't mind because I was enjoying the moment on the now emerging sauces of meat and vegetables underneath the injeras. The sauces were just the main attraction. As I suddenly bit small pieces of the "meat", I already swore that they didn't truly complement what we had in the restaurant. One was fleshy and smooth like a fish fillet, and the worst of all was eating what I thought was a piece of meat as well but it was gummy and tasted too like seafood. It was definitely a shrimp! There was apparently a portion of shrimps on my takeout. Right away, I set the injeras aside and dissected what were the items under. It wasn't what we ordered when everything came into full view. Even the meat portions were barely there. I remembered there were still many chunks of lamb, beef and chicken from our ultra huge plate. I can't even recognize a certain portion if it's fish or veggie because it's literally a leftover sauce with strands of leftover condiments or garnishing I guess, my love! Our takeout was accidentally switched with someone else's, but what I'm hoping to be assured too of is that whoever that/those customer/s might be, may he/she/they have been in a state of good medical history. I'm hoping I'm still cool with his/her/their leftovers though right now I felt a bit sick of what I just did. The psychological impact was just real! Yes, it's wrong to forget checking your takeout before leaving the restaurant. But it's VERY wrong to dig in right away fully trusting that it would never be a stranger's leftovers but yours. read more

Demera - The Demera Messob for $35.00 Vegetable: Spinach, Yellow Split Peas, Ground Chickpeas Meat: Lamb, Beef, Chicken - Ethiopian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is great! I love Ethiopian food and they never disappoint. I eat here about once every 2 weeks. Vegetarian messob very time. Portions are nice and taste is always consistent. I get delivery and it's always fast and still warm. read more

It was okay. Really pricey for that amount of food. It is more or less the same price, but longer wait time than another Ethiopian place.

I frequent here at least once a month and they never disappoint. Their food is so flavorful and fresh. My go to is the siga tibs and quosta; so yummy! I've dined in once but usually carry out and they're always pretty fast. Would definitely recommend. read more

My first time trying Ethiopian food and I feel spoiled!! Went on a date and our server was fantastic. My date is vegetarian and I prefer meats so we were advised to try a combination plate and each pick 3 dishes to try. They were all phenomenal and seasoned to perfection. The ambiance was perfect for a Friday night out and is located across the street from a cool live music joint. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who loves food! read more

I have eaten at Ras Dashen (hands down my favorite restaurant), Ethiopian Diamond, and now Demera. Demera is a beautiful space with lovely decorations, but more crowded, bustling, brighter, and louder than I prefer. It lacks the cosiness that I enjoy. The food is acceptable, but not nearly as good as the other Ethiopian restaurants I've been to in the city. Their spicing is different, almost sweeter, and I suspect there are regional differences in chefs. The injera is very good, and the Tej is excellent. Their appetizers and desserts are also excellent. Their entrees, however, pale by comparison. read more

Great food and fast service despite the place being absolutely packed this past Saturday night. They were turning walk-ins away left and right. Would have been five stars but they should warn of bones in some of the meat... I went after a piece of lamb that I thought was all meat with fervor and a sharp piece of bone almost went through my cheek. With a chicken drumstick and other things like that it's obvious, but with some pieces not so much. read more

I've been to almost every Ethiopian restaurant in town, and thus far, Demera is my favorite. I often order the vegetable messob, which provides a delightful opportunity to sample multiple dishes at once. The collard greens ("gomen") are wonderful, and the beets are better... but my favorite thing on the menu is the "ye-shimbra assa," which is a spectacularly delicious chickpea dough, cooked in berbere sauce. It's a taste sensation. Regarding service, the manager is a dead ringer for Stanley Tucci, and he's about as nice a guy as there could be. He has always worked hard to seat us, even when we are silly enough to arrive on a weekend without reservations. Demera is perfect for a date, perfect for dinner with friends,and even perfect for a larger group. I highly recommend it. read more

The only reason this isn't getting 5 stars is because the service was slow to non-existent, and the restaurant was not that crowded. But let's talk about the good stuff...THE FOOD! Yes, its a bit pricey but the huge array of flavors and textures combined with the communal atmosphere make this a can't-miss experience along the red-line. The sangria was also some of the best I've had in Chicago. I wish my palate was sophisticated enough to explain the various items I had, but you'll have to take my word that it's all good in it's different ways. Clearly crafted with a delicate and loving hand. Will return. read more

This was my first time eating Ethiopian food, and I really enjoyed it! The food was quite delicious and a lot of fun to eat! The service was pretty terrible though. We waiting by the door for 10 minutes, waiting to be seated. The wait staff passed us multiple times without saying hello. I finally had to ask them if we seat ourselves, and that prompted them to seat us. It also took them 15 minutes to bring tea. I was pretty dissatisfied. read more

Great food. Gotta get the family style and share with your group. Can substitute certain items if you're not a fan of something. Also, get a St. George beer. It's pretty good and authentic to actual Ethiopia. read more

Demera - St. George's beer and family style dinner in the background - Ethiopian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great spot! Lovely restaurant and great food. We love the messob platters, and just one of them is fine for two people. I could eat the bread (which looks like ace bandage hehe) all day! read more

Demera - Messob platter and bread - Ethiopian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I LOVE it here! I went for the first time a couple months ago with my Ethiopian boyfriend so he could introduce me to his culture more (I'm just an uncultured white girl). He's told me that this is one of the best restaurants he's had Ethiopian food at since being in the states. It really takes him home. If you're looking for tasty and authentic, this is the place to go. Since that first trip, we've gone back TONS. The staff recognizes us now and is really sweet to us. We always get the Veggie & Meat Messob for two (pick three veggie dishes and three meat dishes to share with injera). The doro wot (chicken stew with boiled egg) is to die for. I haven't tried the spicy version of the dish but even the mild is one of my favorite dishes. That, and the potatoes and carrots. For dessert, the tiramisu is lovely! Definitely big enough to share between two. We always walk away from Demera feeling very full and very satisfied. The place is usually pretty calm. I've never encountered a wait when walking in but it's still a good idea to make reservations. Just in case. read more

This is such a little treasure. A few coworkers are I taxied over, and it was well worth the trip. The food was amazing, and its such a friendly restaurant. read more

Demera - Yummy. Leftovers for days. - Ethiopian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We had a number of friends in town for a week, and after a long talk, we landed on Demera Ethiopian because it met our insanely long list of needs. A short walk from our AirBnb, and we were greeted warmly by the owners (??) and led to our table. They were insanely accommodating and made a reservation for 11 people in just about an hour, which was much more than many other places were willing to do. The restaurant was busy. It was after 7:00 on a Thursday evening, and they had a very steady crowd all evening. Service was a bit slow, but the food was delicious We had 3 platters served family style. I ended up with the vegetarians and vegans in our group, and I didn't miss the meat and fish at all. The red lentils were perfectly cooked and a bit spicy. The yellow lentils were fantastic, and the mixed veggies were really, really good. I didn't care for the collard greens, but that was the only portion of our platter that I did not like. The staff was friendly and helpful and kept our drinks full all night. The restaurant is tastefully decorated, and the tables aren't piled one on top of the other. This is a great spot for groups or dates. read more

Excellent, friendly service. Plenty of vegetarian options. Be prepared to eat with your hands!

Amazing food! Would have given 5 stars , but service was slow! Ok but slow! Thanks Marin Quezada

Demera had friendly and helpful servers, and was perfect for our large group of 6 plus a baby. Several folks with us were having Ethiopian food for the first time and the server suggested dining family-style. Though she noted that the chef would chose the dishes, we could also make a few requests for specific dishes which we did. The Kik Alicha (split yellow pea) was the table's favorite dish though we enjoyed everything. The piped-in Ethiopian music was fantastic and added to the experience. read more

Not so great! Service was horrendous if your service is bad that means everything.Food decent.

Amazing amazing Ethiopian food. We got the platter for two (which was enough food for 4) with all vegetarian dishes. The injera is spongy and delicious and they provide you with more than enough to eat with your food so I really appreciated that. Everything was super flavorful and each dish had its own unique spice. I would eat here all the time if I lived in Chicago. And you get to eat with your hands which is super fun! Come share a meal with friends here if you wanna try something new! read more

Absolutely delicious! The food and service at this place ROCKED! Will definitely go back next time I'm in Chicago!

Very interesting and unique food! You use the unleavened bread to pick up the food. The bread is on the sour side, so it took some getting used to, but now I love it! read more

Love this gem! Try the white sangria, it's a must! Great service. Highly recommend. There's a few Ethiopian places around here, but this is normally my go-to. read more

Beautiful atmosphere, art, food and nice staff. The food was exactly as described and worth the price! The table next to us was very difficult and the waitress handled it very well! We sat outside and they had a very nice patio and pretty lights. One of the best Ethiopian places in Chicago for sure! read more

Amazing Ethiopian food in Chicago. We had the Demera for two- Had a sumptuous dinner, good for sharing. Choice of 4 meats, veggies.

First time having Ethiopian food and it was delicious. The spices were well balanced and the staff was happy to answer any questions or explain the menu. Be prepared to get your hands dirty; you eat the traditional Ethiopian way - with your hands! read more