Visited Erta Ale Ethiopian Restaurant on a freezing cold night--Dec 31st--after heading downtown for the New Year's fireworks. It was on our way, and we decided to try something new, which turned out to be a great decision. I ordered the vegetarian platter, which came with multiple sides, and each one had a distinct, unique flavor. The food felt hearty yet healthy, and the injera was incredibly soft and flavorful, easily one of the highlights of the meal. I personally would've enjoyed a bit more spice, but that's just a preference. Overall, this is a wonderful spot with comforting food, great flavors, and a welcoming experience. Would definitely return! read more

Erta Ale Ethiopian Restaurant - Veg platter - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

The wife and I spent our date night at Ertale. The restaurant has a warm and cozy feel that makes it easy to relax and enjoy the evening without feeling rushed. We shared Kikil (slow braised bone in lamb) and Firfir (pieces of injera soaked with seasoned sauce and beef) both dishes a definition of comfort food. What stood out just as much as the food was how genuinely welcoming everyone was. They made us feel right at home from the time we arrived until we left. Whether you're introducing someone to Ethiopian cuisine or planning a special night out, Ertale is a place. We'll definitely be back with the kiddos soon. read more

Erta Ale Ethiopian Restaurant - "Firfir" Ethiopian comfort food made by tearing injera into bite-sized pieces and simmering it in a rich, spicy sauce - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Service was friendly, food was extremely flavorful, I had no complaints! I am OBSESSED with the sauces that came with the sambusas, super bright, fresh, and flavorful. read more

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If there's one thing I would have never expected to find in St. Paul, it's an Ethiopian restaurant, let alone one that was open at 11pm, and boy am I glad I did. This family owned spot is definitely bigger than it looks on the outside, making it spacious and roomy on the inside. It's got a nice modern aesthetic to it with touches of culturally authentic flair. The bartender was very nice, and who I can only assume was the owner was more than happy to help navigate the menu, and avoid over ordering. Nothings worse than when you don't have a hotel fridge and have to throw food away. The flavors. Wow. Rich and complex the way good Ethiopian should be. My goat was meaty and tender, cooked just right with a mix of veggies that made me feel healthy. I can't wait to be back in the area so I can go back! Maybe on a Saturday so I can enjoy the buffet they serve in the afternoon! read more

Erta Ale Ethiopian Restaurant - Goat! - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

We got the vegan platter and the fish (Asa) gulash to go. They came with lots of bread, which was tangy and delicious. The vegan platter was really good, especially the various lentils. Everything was well spiced but not spicy and flavorful but not greasy. I liked the fish less- it just had fried chunks of fish, and I thought it was a little dry. Still, we finished everything and cleaned our plates with injera afterwards. read more

Food was flavorful and delictious, the staff were welcoming, and the environment was cute. read more

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As an Ethiopian, I have high expectations for Ethiopian food, and Erta Ale absolutely delivered. The food was incredibly authentic, fresh, and full of flavor. Every meal on my plate was outstanding. Specially the Kitfo and Doro Wot. Beyond the amazing food, the hospitality and atmosphere made the experience even better. Without a doubt, one of the best Ethiopian restaurant in the St.Paul, MN. Highly recommended! read more

Erta Ale Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Fantastic spot! I ordered the vegan platter and enjoyed all of the variety it offered. A standout was the jalapeño dish. The food came out super quick and the staff was great read more

Erta Ale Ethiopian Restaurant - Vegan Platter - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Food is bland, lacks flavor. All vegetables and meat were floating in oil. Disappointing experience. read more

Erta Ale Ethiopian Restaurant - Erya Ale Special - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

We thoroughly enjoyed our meal at Erta Ale Ethiopian! On walking in, the space feels very welcoming and warm with interesting wall art and a beautiful tea set display. The server was busy tending to a group so the bartender came and sat us and helped us. Everyone was very friendly and kind, and the food came out quite fast. We enjoyed most of the food very much- The sambusa had a great lentil filling but I especially enjoyed the shell which was super crispy but thick enough to also have some chew. All the food had wonderful flavor and different from other Ethiopian food we've tried, had more texture (wasn't just mushy), which was pleasant. Would recommend and will come back next time we want Ethiopian! read more

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I have never heard of this location before but was highly recommended. As we walked in we were greated and sat down. They came over and told us about the menu and explained a bunch of things. they mentioned a buffet and in order to try more of the food we did the buffet. The salad was fresh along with everything else. The one thing that was absolutely divine was the mushrooms. OMG I Have never tasted such flabours. They were not overcooked and had a hint of heat to them that gave a hot and sweat lingering taste. I washed it down with a nice proseco. The chef is amazing and she is very humble and charismatic. All the servers were amazing and made sure we had everything we needed... Then place itself is very cozy and gives that feeling of a family ran establishment. I hope to go back soon to try out the rest of the food. ALSO a word of warning... the food is very heavy and it fills you up very quickly. read more

Erta Ale Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

This Ethiopian cuisine was very good. It was the 2nd time I've had it, but I appreciate that this place the protein wasn't as mushy as the other place we went. The beef was brought on a pedestal that had a live fire underneath keeping it warm. read more

Erta Ale Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Absolutely trash. We were one of two tables with the rest of the restaurant empty but it took about 15 minutes before we could even order and so much longer waiting for the actual food. On top of that, when we were done, it was again another waiting game to finally get the check. Overall we spent about 90 minutes with most of it just waiting. Regarding the food, it was ALL BLAND. The stews, chicken, fries, tibs, etc. Honestly surprised with these other reviews because this place was not it. read more

I have made an annual trip with my Wednesday night soccer team to an Ethiopian restaurant off Como in St Paul and recently on a trip to Florida my fiancé and I had some excellent Ethiopian food near Orlando so we were excited to try another spot even closer to home. The restaurant has a great spot near CHS field and a limited number of tables for 2 outside. Inside the space is cozy but as it was early on a weeknight we were the only ones in the restaurant. Service was excellent and our waitress allowed us to order the special but for just 2 instead of 4-5. Unfortunately the food was nowhere near as good as Bole or the place in Orlando. The injira was dry and the food lacked those wonderful deep African flavors. There just wasn't anything that wowed us other than the service being excellent! read more

Erta Ale Ethiopian Restaurant - Etta Ale Special for 2 - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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I came here with friends and the derive and atmosphere were great but the food was just not good...the meats were all overdone and the vegan platter was quite a disappointment. We've had better Ethiopian food in the twin cities for sure. read more

Located across the street from CHS Field & the Famers market Erta's may be somewhat in the cut but once inside the atmosphere is very welcoming. Traditional music playing at a comfortable level which adds to the whole vibe. The service was very good, quickly seated & brought beverages right away. Also, the staff was very helpful with any questions we might have had about menu items that were new to us. Although the stop was for a quick bite I was really surprised at how flavorful & tender my lamb ribs were & that garlic & herb butter that is dripping from every piece is REALLY good not taking anything away from the "Lega Tibs" which were very tasty as well. Definitely use the "Injera" bread to put everything together for the full flavor... Would definitely go again. read more

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I just discovered this place last night and will definitely by back. They are tucked away in a nice little spot right by Union Depot and an easy walk from the Green Line. I have never had Ethiopian food before but I am always happy to support a small, local business and I will definitely be back. I had "Lamb Tibs", which are marinated pieces of lamb in a spicy sauce, served with cold vegetables and Injera (flat bread). The server was kind enough to show me the proper way to assemble the meal once it arrived, and it was truly amazing. The lamb was perfectly cooked and seasoned, with just the right amount of spice, and I had a bottle of St George Lager (an Ethiopian lager) to go with it. The beer was also very good in it's own right. Overall, 5+ stars- fast friendly service, excellent food (and they have a good selection if you are vegetarian / vegan as well) , and not that expensive. I left feeling pleasantly full for not a lot of money. The restaurant itself is clean, quiet and cozy with a very welcoming atmosphere. I am already looking forward to my next visit. read more

This place was absolutely adorable in the historic building it was so cool. We were celebrating and our server was so sweet and helpful. I'm gluten free and they made it VERY EASY. We did not get drinks but their bar looks well-stocked read more

Erta Ale Ethiopian Restaurant - Vegetarian platter plus an order of (I forgot what kind of) beef - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

I'm 55 years old and have had Ethiopian, ah, twice I think. So I have not much to compare it to. We decided to go with a sampler plate of veggie dishes. I liked that they came in little piles on a big round sponge bread. Some were bland, some were spicy, something for everyone. We ordered another dish, beef I think, that our server said was popular (can't remember it) but it was way too spicy for me. My boyfriend liked it though. Our server was friendly and the food came quickly. We were there for an art event and it's very conveniently in the main floor of an artist's warehouse. read more

Visited Erta Ale Ethiopian Restaurant in Lowertown and had a good overall experience. The food was flavorful and authentic, with rich spices and well-prepared dishes served on fresh injera. Portions were generous and easy to share read more

I saw on social media that Erta Ale has a veg lunch buffet on Saturdays so we headed over to try it. Unfortunately the buffet wasn't actually happening when we got there but the server informed me everything that's on the vegan platter is what was supposed to be on the buffet. The menu doesn't list it but our server asked us if we wanted the large vegan platter rather than two regular sized ones. Yes please! The large ended up being just the right amount of food for us, and we were able to get gluten free injira. Amazing! The outdoor seating is perfect for good dog & people watching nearby the St. Paul Farmers Market. Also, I love the straw umbrellas over the tables. We'll be back for sure. read more

Erta Ale Ethiopian Restaurant - Patio seating! Straw umbrella is a fun touch. - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Visiting from Pittsburgh, saw the restaurant on Yelp and wanted to give it a try. The night we landed we unfortunately didn't have enough time, but was able to grab lunch on our way out of Saint Paul I'm not much for ambience, but the restaurant was clean, stylish, and had several selections of art depicting volcanoes, which I believe is the namesake of the restaurant, Erta Ale being a volcano in Ethiopia This was our first time having Ethiopian food, and our server Emmanuelle (sp?) was very gracious and went above and beyond to help us understand the menu and how to eat the delicious food we ordered We ordered the coffee with our drinks, which was dark and rich and fruity We split our two entrees. The first was the quanta firfir -- a melange of sauteed peppers and onions with beef, spices, and injera pancakes, served within injera pancakes laid over top. The second was the bozena shiro, a chickpea puree with spices, ginger, garlic, and onions, which was flavorful and delicious when used as a dip for more injera. Both were amazing, and came as huge portions which we were sad we couldn't take the leftovers since we were heading to the airport after We are hoping to get back to the twin cities again, and if we do, we will definitely return to Erta Ale, which is a gem of Lowertown Saint Paul read more

Erta Ale Ethiopian Restaurant - Quanta Firfir and Bozena Shiro - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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The restaurant has lots of funky character. They were setting up the sound system for a live jazz performance. We were treated to a chorus of "check- one- two. Check-check" the entire meal. The lamb tib was pretty good but the goat tib was literally too tough to eat. Mostly gristle and dried meat. The male waiter tried to convince me that was intended. I've eaten goat in the past that was succulent and tasty. No offers to bring another course or refund. The baklava tasted old and stale. I'm not a fan and won't be back. read more

Every dish in the lunch buffet was a winner. They were flavorful, colorful, nutritious, fresh, and hot with wonderful injera! Can't wait to return! read more

Erta Ale Ethiopian Restaurant - My vegan lunch buffet plate...YUM! - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

I'm not an expert on Ethiopian food but I do love food! Erta Ale was excellent...highly recommend. Loved the vegan platter...so many different flavors to try and to combine. Food is so flavorful without being too spicy...service was great. Ambiance is nice and restaurant is well decorated. Will definitely return on future visits to the Twin Cities. read more

Erta Ale Ethiopian Restaurant - Vegan Platter -5 stars! - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Great new place to try out! We came here for lunch and had the vegan platter for 1 which was a good amount of food for 2 people and the spicy lamb dish which was also a good sized portion - we had leftovers to take home! The servers were very friendly and quick, they were present and available without being overbearing. The restaurant itself is a nice set up, lots of space and big windows. Full bar and happy hour options - definitely would recommend this place! read more

Context: Valentines reservation. I paid for a reservation. For Valentine's seating. Live jazz Currently waiting for food. 40 minutes have past. "Your orders canceled on accident. They will be here shortly" Afterwards we get served beef sombosas. My partner does not eat meat. We get offered another order of sombosas (we didn't even finish the first order). And 15% off the rest of our order? We asked our server to check the sombosa. It was indeed meat, got the owner for us. (It was not the servers fault, she clearly said veggie sombosa when we asked what our sombosas were, you know who you are, if you get reprimanded please I hope you find this message, you know who you are). The owner came to us and blamed the jazz music and it's new to them. I get it can't be undone, but the first words weren't "food is comped what else can we do to help. Sorry". Owner, you were talking it up with your regular guests instead of checking in with the kitchen. Working. This is an Ethiopian restaurant, how is it not important to cater to someone's diet?. One of the servers came up, not her fault, be she asked "if everything is doing alright." I had to apologize to her, cause she genuinely didn't know what was happening, but I did not want to entertain the question so I politely asked to let us be on our way. Tldr. Paid Valentine's reservations. Waited ten minutes, had to ask for menu. Waited over 40 minutes to get our food. Got fed beef. We do not eat beef, we ordered vegetarian for my partner. Our server(please use this as evidence that it was not on you) correctly recited our order. The owner is so lax they will mix up vegetarian and non vegetarian ETHIOPIAN food. read more

The food was very good, the red sauce was spicy and not my favorite, but the green was cilantro dominant and went well with our food. The server we had was kind and informative. We mentioned it was our first time having Ethiopian food and he demonstrated how to eat the food, as funny as that sounds hah, but it was necessary. The ambiance was mildly romantic, I though it was a good amount of items to look at but my girlfriend thought there was too much to look at. Overall, im looking to try this place again. I thoroughly enjoyed. There was also a mistake with a coupon and they honored it even though they weren't aware of it. I appreciate it read more

Very nice place to eat. Service is pleasant and the place is clean and open. The Erta Ale special for 3-4 is a good way to try many of the dishes. read more

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Excellent Vegan platter! The waiter was fast, kind, professional and very helpful. We asked to eat outside because there was a celebration inside and it was a bit too noisy for our taste. The food was delicious and generous! We will definitely come back and I recommend 2000%. read more

This is some of the best Ethiopian foods that Twin Cities, maybe the best. The ambience is superb too. It's a great place for a date or to go with friends. I love it so much! read more

Vegan platter was delicious! So much to try- all really tasty. Went because of the live band, which made this a night out! Friendly staff, nice venue, great food- will be back on another music night to enjoy again! read more

Absolutely delicious food. The only part that sucked having to look for parking. Had a stroller struggled a bit to enter, but the food was worth it. read more

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The food was authentic and tasty, but ridiculously salty. Service was good and the family was lovely.

Great experience. I went based on yelp reviews and was not lead astray. The food was very good but I cant say enough about the hospitality. More often than not a restaurant has either good service or good food but not both. Here they had both. We hadn't been there before and the server (maybe owner?) walked us through the menu. We had the sampler for 4-5 people. There were 3 of us (all very hungry) and there were leftovers for another. The whole experience was relaxing, not rushed, and we left feeling like we took a break from the world. I only wish we were hungry enough for dessert & coffee because they looked great. read more

terrible, the food has no salt and the only good thing is the chips and salsa 02 /10 would not recommen. read more

Mt friends and I had a lovely lunch at Erta Ale (though I don't know how to pronounce the restaurant name or the dishes for that matter) and enjoyed the food as well as the quiet setting. If you're not familiar with Ethiopian cuisine I recommend the vegan platter that has a sampling of many options. There is a lot of lentils and vegetables and some things are spicy but the server can offer guidance. One of the best things is that it isn't so noisy that you can't visit. I've been there more than once and the food is always good with plenty to take home and a comfortable relaxed atmosphere. Really, what more could you want? read more

The staff and ambiance were great! The food was really good. Even though it was busy they got to us right away.

Really tasty Ethiopian food at reasonable prices and the customer service is amazing. This place is my favorite Ethiopian restaurant in Minnesota. I recommend this place highly. read more

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What a warm and wonderful experience. Ingredients are obviously fresh and high quality. The textures and flavors really pop, more so than at other similar Ethiopian restaurants. The vegan platter is exceptional. It includes small dollops of spicy sauces that can be used to give a nice kick of additional heat and flavor, rather than hoping the kitchen matches personal heat preferences. Apple cider tea served with natural sugar complements these flavors and is an especially welcome surprise on a chilly evening. Service is friendly and efficient, the room is warm and relaxed, and the soothing and classy music is so much better than blaring TVs or pulsing beats--on my recent visit, Billie Holiday and Chet Baker. A sublime experience. read more