I have been here before yet was going to Kaffa Ethiopian as I was in that part of town yet Kaffa Ethiopian will be closed until Apr 19th for Spring Break so ended up back at Ethiopia Restaurant for their buffet. The East Bay has heaps of Ethiopian restaurants which is great as feel they do a wonderful job making interesting vegan cuisine. Ethiopia Restaurant has a lunch time buffet for $7.99 w/ tax which is a great value. It is all vegan w/ 11 hot items plus a cold salad w/ dressing. You also help yourself to the injera bread. It seems everyone was getting the buffet at lunch yet they do have non-veg & meat on the menu which I guess people can order for dinner yet would recommend the buffet at lunch. The food is tasty & is a great value yet I might favor other Ethiopian restaurants in the East Bay a bit more hence the four stars yet still worth checking it out here for sure! read more

Great Ethiopian food! This is 3.5 star review. 1. Get the groupon- great deal! But make sure you call ahead to make a reservation because they did not honor the Groupon even though the entire restaurant was empty and I did not make a reservation. 2. We ordered the Meat combo, veggie combo and T'ibs. T'ibs is basically steak cubes but they were way overcooked and chewy, we all had to spit it out after chewing it. The meat combo and veggie was great, flavors were all there and the portions were huge! My friend loved the collard greens and I liked the chicken from the meat combo. 3. Honey wine is hard to come by so this is the place to get it! My friends love it because its sweet. this is for you if you like Mascatos or any sweet wine. I stuck to my Chardonnay. 4. Appetizer- Samboussa comes in 3. Its basically a Samosa which is really good! It was hot and meaty (if you order the meat one). There's an option for the lentil samboussa. Overall, service was great, the workers just seems to have a bit of an attitude. They gave a smirk when we asked for plates because it's not traditional to use plates.. We were asked if we even knew how to eat Ethiopian food which was pretty unnecessary. read more

Came here on a Friday night and arrived around 5:30pm and the place wasnt too busy at all. Only one other group was in the restaurant. We had a groupon which was a Christmas gift and did not read the fine print that said it included 2 appetizers, 4 entrees, 2 desserts and 4 wines and good for four people. We tried calling friends to join us but was so late notice we ended up having the dinner for just me and my hubby so we definitely had leftovers. Service was a bit off. We asked our server what was good on the menu and said she didn't know. wth? Well that helps! We just went off our gut instinct and ordered the following: Lentil soup- tasted ok but too salty for my taste Samboussa - deep fried stuffed meat shapes like triangles which was slightly burnt but just okay Vegetarian combo - collard greens, cabbage and potato, split peas, red lentil, and zucchini and carrots Doro we't (spicy chicken) - exceptionally delicious if you like spicy and the meat fell off the bone ZilZil tibs (grilled beef) - good flavor but slightly over cooked Shrimp tibs - good but slightly over cooked as well Injera - soft, fresh, super delish! I've had Ethiopian food in the past and had good experiences but this place was eh. Random Tip: if you sit in one of the booths closest to the door, there is a electric outlet by the seats to charge your phone. read more

See all

Just went here for their lunch buffet. I wasn't expecting much for it seeming relatively quiet, but I was very pleasantly surprised. The buffet is very reasonably priced ($7.99), and has a bunch of delicious dishes. They are packed with flavor! Again very surprising for 1) not looking too significant and 2) being vegetarian. Since I'm gluten-free, they accommodated me with rice. However, they told me if I call a couple hours ahead, they'll make me gluten-free injera. How great! I think the atmosphere is nice, but could be stepped up a notch. Overall, really great place! The staff is super friendly and nice. Will definitely come back! read more

Ethiopia Restaurant - A sample of the buffet - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

4 of us came here for dinner Wednesday night, armed with a restaurant.com coupon. I've always liked Ethiopian food ... it's like adult toddler food. [Indian food is adult *infant* food (cause it's so soft and mushy) ... but Ethiopian food, you still get to make a mess with your hands, but the meat has more substance.] Anyway, we ordered family style - a vegetarian sampling (although by far the mushroom stew was the tastiest), T'ib's (which is like the African version of the Chinese sizzling beef platter), a chicken dish - proof that chicken can indeed absorb flavor and another beef dish. It was just a massive pile of food on a giant metal tray .... not unlike a Settlers of Catan board. The inerja was perfect ... the right consistency and not too sour (which I've often heard is a complaint.) Service was very very nice and I liked sitting close to the fire. It was warm and cozy and pretty much a perfect night out with good friends. read more

This is a good lil spot .the service was kinda slow but its only because there was one person working..the food is great very large portions .The staff is very friendly and sweet . read more

Ethiopia Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

Bought the groupon, HAD to make a reservation, went there, were the only ones there, mix up on ordering, got a parking ticket, got charged extra. Will I return? No. Alright, this was my first time buying a Groupon and I think I will be hesitant on those from now on. Bought a $40 deal for $20, just like everyone has mentioned below, you get 2 glasses of honey wine, 1 app, 2 entrees, and 1 dessert. The coupon says you have to make a reservation so I did. Made it for 2 o'clock and maybe that's why there was no one there. We parked right out front and the meter only takes coins up to an hour. Maybe there was a private lot elsewhere? Walked in, no one greeted us because they were all at the back of the restaurant discussing AT&T plans. WOW. Finally, he waitress came and seated us right by the door, I gave her the groupon but she seemed confused. She then gave us menus and I had no idea how to order since it was our first time eating Ethiopian food. I asked her what was best and found out she did not speak one bit of English. I pointed at the 2 combos (meat and veggies) since it seemed like a no miss thing to do. She asked what kind of meat and left. Then, we asked what kind of appetizer we could get and she left and got the manager (or what it seems) to come talk to us. The manager lady spoke more English but was confused on the situation too. WHY?? After seeing all these groupon reviews, wouldn't it make sense for them to know exactly what I was asking about? Anyway, we then got our honey wine, which tasted pretty gross in our opinion and then the appetizer and then we got the meat combo. I asked the manager where the veggie combo was and she said we didn't get that and got something else instead. Oh well, I've never had the veggie combo or let alone any Ethiopian food so who cares, we'll try whatever they gave us. It was some sizzling meat with onions. The food was pretty good, but the whole time we were eating, there were a couple AT&T sales guys in the back talking to the manager lady. They were extremely cocky and was talking about how good looking they were and how good they were at selling products. Since we were the only people in there, it was REALLY obnoxiously loud and annoying. The baklava or however you spell it, was completely burnt on the bottom, like charred BLACK!! We couldn't even break it apart because of how burnt it was! It was hard like stone!! Oh not to mention that just like the other review said, once the honey wine came out was when the flies would start comin over! YUCK!! The honey wine was way to sweet, but a gross sweet if you know what I mean. Like cheap white wine drowned with sugar and honey. I LOVE honey and can eat honey straight so I was looking forward to that, but my oh my was I wrong. Anyway, to top it all off, I've never had a groupon before and didn't read any reviews on people having to pay tax at the end of their meal. The bill came with a total of 4 dollars and something cents. It wasn't alot and we didn't mind paying but we wanted to know why. The waitress who didn't speak English couldn't explain it so the manager lady came over. She said it was tax so we paid it. While we were paying it, the ticket fairy came and wrote us a ticket even though my boyfriend ran outside while they were looking at the car. The ticket was 40 something dollars and he came inside with a it in his hand. He then went to pay the remaining 4 dollars at the counter since they were so busy talking to the ATT guys. He tried to pay with a card and the manager lady said there's a min charge of $10. That means we had to leave a fat tip and tax for horrible service on top of a ticket. What a great experience! HAH! From what it seems like, all these groupon reviews done recently were all bad....I wonder what tells all you people that have yet to try out this place.... SKETCHY!!!! I. WILL. NOT. RETURN....ever. Nor will I recommend to anyone. Ethiopian food was good, but not this location. Peace out! read more

Ethiopia Restaurant - Groupon deal. - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

I was very excited to try this place. So I got the Groupon which was a great deal by the way. Everything started off great the sambousa was amazing and we got the combo platters also very good, by far the best ethiopian resturant I have ever tried. The only reason it gets 4 stars is because of the service. Our waitress just left in the middle of our meal. And 3 times who we had to get up and look for someone for extra water and desert and for our check. They really need to improve on customer service and the experience would be perfect. read more

See all

everytime i find a groupon or living social dealing with ethiopian/eritrean food...i don't even hesitate. i just click on the purchase button and cross my fingers. well, ethiopia restaurant came up recently so we decided to check this place out. we got a table immediately after arriving...it was actually the first table by the door. as soon as we got our 2 glasses of honey wine, flies started attacking our table and our hands were getting tired from swatting them away. i thought it was just our table...but as soon as the other tables started getting their honey wine, i saw them making the same gesture with their hands! ugh..i just wanted them to fly away! i have to say though...that the honey wine was the best i've ever had! so our groupon started us off with a samboussa appetizer which was similar to a samosa...it was nothing to write home about. we ordered the meat samboussas...well, it was hot...filled with meat...and was served with a salsa sorta deal. meh...it was ok. btw, the service was super slow...it took 30 mins for our appetizer to finally come out. about another 30 minutes later, we were finally given our 2 entrees. we ordered the meat combo and lamb tibs...ok, the entrees were pretty tasty and yummy...but i've had better. the portions were definitely worth it though. it was more than enough to feed the both of us. another thing i liked about this place was that they give unlimited injera. we were already given a basket full and we didn't have to ask for more...but i liked the idea anyhoo. the injera itself was ok...i'm not sure if i liked how tightly wrapped they were and ended up sticking together. in any case, the injera was decent. for dessert, we ordered baklava. it was a small piece...but tasty nonetheless. this is definitely not the place to come to for dessert so don't expect much. i felt bad for the 2 servers...i think every single table in the restaurant had a groupon...some were parties of 2...others parties of 4. waiting an hour though for food is just ridiculous and i can't bring myself to give this place more than 2 stars...even though the food was ok. read more

Ethiopia Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

I came here one time before and the food was excellent. This time I ordered the vegetarian platter and the meat combo with samosas. It tastes good but nothing stuck out to me other than the big patio outside. The samosas had a different sauce that I didn't care for. It was just spicy with no other flavor or seasoning. read more

This is a family owned restaurant that's been here for 26 yrs! A shout out to the son of the owner (Gomu) who is now running the show. His mom passed away and he's taking on the job of carrying on her restaurant. He works hard and was taking care of all the tables tonight. Attentive to getting water refills, checking in on us etc. Made the birthday dinner for my mom special! Recommend this place! read more

Ethiopia Restaurant - Meat combo plate - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Pleasant service. great food. Very authentic decor. We ordered a beef cube and leg of lamb to share, the meat sasomsa, and baklava . Everything is great. The wine could be better though. This is our second time here ;) read more

Ethiopia Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

I love this restaurant, it's where I go when I am in the mood for Ethiopian food. Mr. R. and I ordered the veggie combo (there are four to choose from and I have a thing for timoteem fitfit. and the meat combo, which was served familystyle, all on one large plate. The server giggled as she asked, "Do you eat... together?" and I knew she meant on one plate. Mr. R. quipped after she left that he hoped I wouldn't make him sit at another table. There was only one other couple when we started eating at 6pm, but by the time we left, three other couples had arrived. I have eaten at this restaurant before and I was glad to see that they had repainted and spiffed up the front room. We didn't go to the middle room or the patio, but on a hot day, I've spent many hours under the wisteria. If you choose the patio, you must know that it is an outdoor space with some deficiencies. The injera is brown, made from a different flour than at some Ethiopian restaurant, but is nicely sour and really delicious. I often say that they call it that, because you "injer-a" yourself by all of it you eat! The total bill came to 26.00 (two specials, three sodas). When you are in the mood for spice, spice, spice and injera.... by all means, check out Ethiopia Restaurant! read more

See all

My spouse and I ate at this restaurant today. We had a double version of the vegetarian sampler. Almost every dish had some distinctive difference that set this restaurant a bit above other Eithiopian restaurants we've tried. The dark greens had a dash more vinegar giving it a kind of "soul food" flavor. The carrots and string beans used long pieces of carrots with a wonderful texture reminding me of a cross between carrots and sweet potatoes. The red lentil dish (yemisir we't) was spicy hot yet well-rounded. The yellow split pea dish (yekik alicha) was the only part of the meal that didn't stand above similar versions yet was as delicious as any we've tasted. I think I like my injira more on the thin side, but my wife liked this version very much. We'll be back! read more

This restaurant is a very interactive experience. Probably not a restaurant for a first date but maybe the 6th/7th date because you will be eating with your hands! At first, I did not think that the dish would be filling at all for four people but the bread expands in your stomach once it settles and trust me, you will be full! Each side dish has a unique taste full of spices. The food was pretty good and I would recommend it to anyone! Negatives: My friends and I arrived around 6 pm when the restaurant began to fill up. For six tables, there was one waitress and so the service was pretty bad. We had our waters refilled once during our entire meal and we were all so thirsty. Also, it took them very long for us to have our basket of bread refilled. The food is good but if you're in a hurry or really hungry, beware because this place lags! read more

Ethiopia Restaurant - Three in one Ethiopian dish - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

The service here is OK...the food is pretty good though and I know the back patio is pretty rockin as well. I didn't like the fact that they tried to sell us more than we could eat. One combo to share with two people is plenty but instead we got two because she said it wasn't enough. Oh well, I had plenty of left overs for the next day. Slow service but every Ethiopian place I've visited seems to have really slow service. If you're there for the food though, it's worth it. read more

We had a excellent dinner with great service here tonight. We where seated right away even though it was pretty busy. Our server Atwat( sorry if I got that wrong ) was warm and welcoming. The prices for the food portions are great. A meal for two could feed four easily. read more

Ethiopia Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

The food was delicious! Just remodeled and a cute mini-golf area in the back. Definitely coming here again!

The food is good but service is extremely slow. I wish someone would give the waitress (maybe daughter of the owner?) some advice that you should not go back to the kitchen empty handed. If you remember to take something each time you go or come from the bar/kitchen it'll be more efficient. While I'm fine enjoying my dinner and taking my time, this last Tuesday really took too long. We were there for nearly 2 hours! Granted it was crowded but still. We had to ask to get our empty water glasses filled, and pretty much waive her down for everything. They should probably also hire another person so things are smoother. Else the food is great. Always get the meat combo with chicken, spicy beef and lamb and a veggie combo. Love the garlicy fava beans, mushrooms, carrots + string beans and the other veggies I switch up. They do have a groupon cash back option and sometimes a groupon which is nice. Also like the ambience- very nice with the baskets on the ceiling etc. read more

Ethiopia Restaurant - Inside with fire pit and decorative baskets on ceiling as well as other artifacts. - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

This is the only Ethiopian restaurant I've been to and it's great! The food is super fresh. I ordered the tibs, sambusa, and honey wine. The tibs came right out of the kitchen - our server literally brought it out sizzling. With the lentils and the bread (?), it packs so much flavor. The sambusas were super crispy on the outside, but a little too meaty for me. The honey wine was nice. Service was a little slow but they were super nice. I wish I ordered more! read more

Ethiopia Restaurant - Sambusa - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

Food was great. I liked the small, cozy family feel. Staff was friendly, but definitely not 5 star service. We got our appetizer after we were done eating our meal. My husband and I both had empty water glasses, I flagged waitress down and asked for refill- she only filled my glass, not my husband's. Overall if you're looking for amazing food and don't mind more relaxed, laid back service then you will love this place! read more

Ethiopia Restaurant - Vegetarian combo with basket of (delicious) injera! - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

best ethiopian food i've had! i've tried multiple across the bay but this is top tier ! superior

Definitely my favorite spot to eat Ethiopian in the bay area. I have never been to an Ethiopian place with so many vegetarian dishes -- they have 12 to choose from for the veggie platter, any combination of 5 for $10. It is quite difficult to finish all of the food they give you, but I'm small. If you are really hungry go to the veggie lunch buffet (11:30-3pm on weekdays) for 7 or 8 dollars. While the service is a bit slow when it comes to getting your check, and the atmosphere is sometimes terrifying when they are not playing music, this still gets 5 stars for great food, free injera and being open until 11pm, every day of the week! read more

Ethiopia Restaurant - This is the dining area. - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

So delicious! My favorite veggie combo in town. Do not miss this deliciousness, and remember to add a side of shiro.

Best place to eat in Berkeley. Great portions, excellent food. I'll be coming back with friends!

When we walked in, the waitress pointed us to a table while carrying a platter of wine glasses with red wine. Soon after that, she drops the platter at the table across from us, shattering glasses on the floor and spilling red wine all over a toddler that was sitting at that table. Wine splashed everywhere as well, hitting other customers who are dining, including my date. Lucky it was only on the pant leg and he had dark pants. Very bad first impression. This was our first time trying Ethiopian food. Surprisingly, this cuisine is very popular in this area? There seemed to be a few others in this area. We didn't know what to order and decided to try everything. We order the meat combo with lamb, beef, and chicken and a Veggie combo with a selection of 5 out of 10 dishes. We also ordered the meat sambusa appetizer. The appetizer was ok. The meat was savory with not much other flavors that i can taste. The dipping sauce was salty and sour. Too sour for my taste buds. The main course came with a basket of bread? It was rolled up flat bread with the texture of pancakes and the taste of sour dough bread. And it was cold. We used this to wrap our various dishes. The only thing memorable was the Lamb, which was moist and tasted pretty good. All others were not that good. Overall, everything resembled bad indian food. it was a good first time experience, but I don't think I would try this cuisine again. It may be good by Ethiopian standards, but not my type of food. read more

See all

I am in love with this place! Thank you Groupon, for helping me find it. I got the groupon for an appetizer, two entrees, dessert and two glasses of wine for only $22. I have only had Ethiopian food once before and wasn't a huge fan, but I had to buy since it was such a steal! It is in a random spot, but the interior is nice and cozy with elegant lighting. My boyfriend and I went on a Tuesday evening and it was pretty empty. We noticed after we sat down that the groupon required a reservation, but the super nice waitress let us use it anyway. We ordered the samboussa stuffed with lentils for our appetizer, two vegetarian entrees (can't recall the names), a tiramisu for dessert, and we skipped wine and got mango juice and an ethiopian drink with flaxseed called telba. The samboussa was AMAZING!! We both said that next time we'll just get multiple orders of that for dinner. Little did we know the deliciousness that was yet to come. Our entrees came together on a family style plate with ten different vegetarian items, and a basket of injera. EVERYTHING was my favorite!!! The flavors tasted a bit Indian, but different. Everything was flavorful, but not spicy. We got full really fast, but there was so much food left.. and I can't stop eating if there is food in front of me, so I went at it until my boyfriend finally packed it. The tiramisu was one of the best we'd ever had too. We both really enjoyed our meal and agreed that we'd be back! read more

See all

I came here years ago for dinner and decided that for one of our "date nights," I would bring my husband here to expose him to another cuisine. We ordered the vegetarian plate, the chicken tibs, a glass of honey wine for me, and baklava for dessert. I recommend the vegetarian platter which is a variety of different vegetables looking like Kathleen M. said, "baby food." Some of it tastes bland while others had a good flavor to it. The chicken tibs plate was unimpressive - chicken with onions and some seasoning is what it tasted like for $10. Honey wine, I recommend. Baklava - skip. Service was great. Prices reasonable. 50/50 chance I would return again. read more

This review is specifically for the lunch buffet. There are a wide variety of dishes - all of them are vegetarian, but I normally get the vegan platters when I have Ethiopian food anyway, so not a problem. My favorites are probably the cabbage and potato and the red lentils, but it's a buffet, so go ahead and try everything. My only gripe is that the injera is stored in a big basket, and if you pick a piece from the edges then it may be cold and/or brittle. This may not be the fanciest restaurant, or even the best tasting Ethiopian food in the area, but Ethiopia Restaurant's lunch buffet has the best bang-for-your-buck Ethiopian food around. If I lived closer, I would probably go here every week. read more

A meal among friends can make a memory, but a meal exquisitely crafted can remain with you as a lingering memory that invites an insatiable desire to return again and again. This is such a place for me. From the cultural decor filling the room, to the welcoming atmosphere that beckons a hungry couple. I have been thoroughly impressed by the consistently sumptuous culinary delights here for almost 20 years. I found my favorites were routinely the Vegetarian combination (red lentils, split peas, cabbage and potato, zucchini and carrots) and the meat combination ( Doro Wet spicy chicken stew, Yebeg Alicha mild lamb stew, and Tibs Wet Beef stew) This allowed me the variety to try so many of the dishes without having to be loyal to only one choice. The bright marigolds, fiery orange and deep ruby colors of the spices pull you in, carefully ladled out onto the pizza pie size injera bread, that resembles a slightly tangy, larger than life pancake. Extra injera is served on the table in rolled up pieces to be pinched off, and to use as a wrap to eat the food with your fingers. By the end, your fingers will be a colorful orange and scent of the flavors will linger for awhile. The flavors range from a balance of mild lentils, slightly sweet cabbadge, to bold and spicy beef and chicken. The lamb, is tender and mild and melts on the tongue. What may also shock the new diner that brings a date is the price. For your belly is bulging to bursting, there is still so much food to take home, and your bill with a Vegetarian Combo and Meat Combo and two teas is still around $35! The service is always a gift of kindness and gracious giving, as if a cultural exchange is happening and a story passed between strangers. If you expect speedy and bordering on Pavlovian service, then Ethiopian dining may not be your cup of tea. It is all carefully prepared and cooked and as any regular diner can attest, is well worth the wait! I missed getting the name of our beautiful hostess and server, and she has always been so kind. My wife did get a photo this time and I am truly thankful she did. Thank You for making another memory and experience so wonderful! As a server for over 20 years, I know that they are 80% of a person's experience in dining and we have consistently felt as if we were welcomed into someone's home here. Like I say, I have been coming here for almost 20 years, but I haven't lived close. Many times we have driven the 4 1/2 hours from the Central Coast for the express purpose of eating here. I have tried Ethiopian restaurants in San Jose, other parts of Berkeley, as well as "Little Ethiopia" in L.A. and none compare to the jewel that is The Ethiopia Restaurant! read more

Ethiopia Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

Been here a few times.. We love the vegetarian choices and customizable combos! Decor is very cozy with Ethiopian music in the background. Very humble people. Yet to try their weekday vegetarian buffet! read more

I had the vege combo plate and I was thoroughly pleased. I didn't like the spicy red lentils so much but everything else was good. The delivery was fast and there was enough to share - but I didn't! :-) read more

It is high time I left a review for this place, as I have been coming here since 1999, over 18 years! As a big fan of Ethiopian food from Berkeley to Seattle and anywhere else I can find it, this is still my favorite restaurant. As primarily a vegetarian, my favorite two dishes are the collard greens and mushrooms. No where else compares. And I just discovered the M-F lunch buffet. Which blew my mind with the widest and tastiest selection of dishes I have found anywhere. I especially love the cold lentil and greens dish. Soon after I first discovered this restaurant, I asked the owner if I could come observe how injera bread is made at 5am. She was welcoming, and would often remember me, and give a discount when I'd bring large groups of friends. (My mission was to introduce everyone I knew to Ethiopian food :). This place has a special place in my heart, as well as belly. read more

Ordered the veggie combo and lamb tibs. This is not the best Ethiopian restaurant around. The vegetables in the veggie combo were mushy and I seriously think they were from 2 days ago. Lamb tibs was good flavorful but the dinner portions are really small compared to the same dish I got at Colucci. Besides the fact that you can select your own items (choose 5 from 9) for the veggie combo, which is something you can't do at other Ethiopian restaurants, there's nothing spectacular here. I would recommend that you go to Dareye or Colucci. read more

See all

I was taken here after my friends heard I'd never had Ethiopian food. We had a lovely and leisurely lunch here one afternoon. We sat in the shaded garden out back and enjoyed a really tasty hodge-podge of stuff. I'm not really sure what it all was, as we got a vegetarian sampler and a meaty sampler, plus a couple extra things. Anyway, it was really all very delicious and a fun and interesting experience. I like to try the beer of whatever ethnic cuisine I'm eating and the Ethiopian beer did not disappoint. We had coffee at the end that was dark, strong, and a perfect end to the meal. I am looking forward to going back! read more

I've frequented plenty of Ethiopian places and this place was just ok. Service was quick which is rare for Ethiopian. Plus, it wasn't that crowded when I got there. The injera was cold. The non-spicy chicken had a weird taste to it but the veggie combo was pretty good. The fried talapia was bland and needed to be on a separate dish in order to get the veggies that came along with it, otherwise no veggies if plated with the other dishes. I prolly won't go back though. read more

Ethiopia Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

The first time I tried this place was for dinner a couple of years ago. My fiance and I were disappointed with the slow service, but were happy with our delicious meal. Recently I spent some time working in Berkeley for a month and was so excited to see that this restaurant was a 5 minute walk from my work place. I tried the vegetarian buffet twice and was unfortunately very disappointed. There were flies buzzing around the food, and it looked like it had not only been sitting out for hours, but it was not being stirred, and it seemed like left-overs from dinner the night before. I did like the injera, but if it is any indication of the food quality, someone at work asked me if I was feeling OK on both days I had that food (which she didn't know I had eaten) because I looked a little "green." I feel bad leaving 3 stars because the people who work there are nice, but the quality of the food they are offering for lunch is abysmal. Yikes, definitely won't be back to this place. read more

Pros: - The food, while VERY salty, was good. - Lots of food for the price - Nice decor, although some of it did not seem to fit the Ethiopian theme and was more "random" in nature. Cons: - The server (possibly the owner) was nice, but very slow and unhelpful. --- We were the only people in the restaurant, and she took quite a long time. Didn't refill our waters at all. I asked her what else was in the Melba drink besides flax seed (listed on the menu as "healthy drink with flax seed") and she could not answer. I asked her what it tasted like, she said, "I don't know... it tastes like Melba." I ordered it anyway, then she forgot (or was so slow I thought she forgot) to bring it. - As I mentioned before, the food is VERY salty. Do NOT eat here if you have high blood pressure. - The dessert menu lists "chocolate mousse" when you order it, it's actually a slice of once frozen chocolate cake. Not mousse at all. read more

Great injera and veggie and meat tibs. read more

Ethiopia Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Berkeley, California

I went here the other day with a Groupon and I'm updating my review because of it. I sat outside with a friend and my service dog. They had no problem with the service dog which is nice since sometimes people give me a hard time for bringing her even if she's just a lump of inactive dog through 95% of the meal. The patio was a nice place to sit and eat. The kitchen had some issues with my friend trying to substitute out a combo for cheaper combo options not listed. It didn't really make sense why. They relented eventually since we ordered what we did due to dietary restrictions. It was nice of them but the rule is silly in the first place considering the substitutions we wanted cost them less than the one listed. Our server was very nice and very attentive (though she seemed kind of terrified of management when we asked to speak to management about the substitutions--- seriously, she's very nice and a very good server... it was kind of weird and sucked to see her so intimidated to ask on our behalf). I asked her what was good and she gave good recommendations.... I suggest listening to her as not all of the food I've had here has been great. The sambousas were very nice and flaky with good filling. My friend (who has food sensitivities to spice) initially avoided the sauce but then after I told her it wasn't spicy she wouldn't let our server take it away with the empty plate. The food we got was really good and there was plenty of it. It was warm this time which was nice. The injara was good. I definitely overate. The dessert was kind of laughable though. We wouldn't have gotten it if it wasn't included in the Groupon. It definitely isn't worth your $4-5 if you're paying for it. We also substituted the wine for other cheaper drinks, which wasn't a problem. The Groupon is actually a really good deal here. And it's good food. My friend wants to come back here just for the lunch buffet (and we live in SF) 4.5 stars for the last visit, rounded up to 5 because it's super affordable with the Groupon, the outdoor seating quite nice in summer, and our server was very nice. read more