We came here on a weekday and had the restaurant to ourselves. Upon walking in, we were welcomed by the sight and smell of (incense?) which bothered us a bit but otherwise, the meal was good. We had two orders, which they were welcome to combine into 1 shared big plate as we planned to all share together. They were happy to accommodate a gluten-free meal for my friend (we believe most things on the menu are gluten free to begin with) which was great. They have a sink next to the restaurant counter for customers to wash their hands prior to using their hands to eat their entrees. As for the injera, it was a bit dry but they did have a decent amount of quantity for the price. Overall price and service for the restaurant was good for the food you get. Service was decently quick! As for the food, it was pretty flavorful. We all enjoyed all the veggie options, especially the lentils. The lamb really good and flavorful and I would return just for this! Again, my only gripe is that the injera is a bit dry. In addition, the sauces for the chicken vs beef tasted pretty similar so we wish they were differentiated a bit more. What we ordered: - 2 person Combo (except lamb) w/6 veggies (we chose Doro Wet (Chicken) and Siga Wet (Beef) - Yebeg Tibs (Lamb entree) read more

Ethiopian Cafe - Combined in 1 plate= 2 person Combo (except lamb) w/6 veggies (we chose Doro Wet (Chicken) and Siga Wet (Beef) + Yebeg Tibs (Lamb entree) - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This is one of my favorite Ethiopian places in Boston (Addis Red Sea was a favorite while it existed!). It's a small, cute place with a few tables and chairs for dining. We usually get takeout and I'm always impressed by how well it is packed. We got the meat combo for 2 which includes 2 meat dishes, 6 veggie sides, and injera. Injera is the soft spongy "bread" that you eat the curries with. For the meat, we ordered the chicken dish, Doro Wet, twice and each order contains with one boiled egg and one chicken drumstick. For the 6 veggie sides, we ordered all the six listed on their menu - the collard greens, mix veggies, different types of lentils. I wanted to sub one of the veggie sides with the cottage cheese appetizer but they said they couldn't do that - boo. The food was ready quickly about 15 mins or so. The portion sizes were great. And wow, the food was tasty. The injera was perfect, not too sour which is something I always think about before getting Ethiopian food. If it's too sour it can overpower the curries but it should have a slight hint of tanginess to be tasty. The Doro Wet was spicy and having the 6 veggie sides helped with balancing it out. We enjoyed our meal, especially the injera on the bottom that gets soaked in all the juices - yummy! read more

Ethiopian Cafe - 19A. Meat Combo for 2 Person - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I loved the casual atmosphere and the food was deliciously seasoned. I left feeling very satisfied! read more

Ethiopian Cafe - 2. Sambosa - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Small cafe was empty.... they were friendly and welcoming. There is NO ambiance. Food was solidly good! Service was good as well. We were the only ones. I think I might try another place before going back just to compare. One of the beef dishes was very chewy, but all had great flavor. There were 3 staff/ probably owners... and one sat at the bar listening to some kind of program loud enough so we could hear it at our table... : ( Overall good food! read more

Ethiopian Cafe - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Wonderful kitfo. Just went here back to back after Blue Nile, and felt they hit all the right notes flavorwise, Injera was nice soft spongy and ever so slightly sour, a nice complement. Kitfo is one of my favorite dishes so it was so nice to A) see it on the menu, and B) have it be executed well. Definitely a tier above Blue Nile, which felt relatively disappointing. And may be a touch below Asmara, though it's certainly close. read more

Ethiopian Cafe - Kitfo! - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

nice place to go to experience ethiopian food for the first time. the sambosas appetizer - AMAZING. the meat combo for 2 was plenty of food. you eat with your hands and each side had unique flavor profiles. wasn't the biggest fan of all of them so having multiple options was nice. the chicken was super tender. i can't say for sure but it felt very authentic. only downside was the service was very slow despite there only being 2 other tables occupied. read more

Ethiopian Cafe - sambosa - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Fantastic and authentic (as far as I know) Ethiopian food. Great experience for me and my family, the kids found things to be hyped about on the giant sampler plate. read more

My favorite Ethiopian food in Boston. Everything about it felt very home-y. Extremely fair prices. The Ethiopian coffee is a must try! read more

Ethiopian Cafe - Combo 19A. Meat Combo for 2 Person - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

We enjoyed dining here. It's a cozy spot, and we almost had the place to ourselves. We sat down at a table and chairs that were lower to the ground, with what resembled a colorful inverted woven basket atop the table. The waitress took this off when the food arrived. Started with lentil sambosas, which were quite tasty. Buttery flaky exterior and nicely cooked (not mushy) lentils inside. It seemed that the combo was the way to go, based on previous reviews we had read. We got beef and chicken. I was partial to the chicken, which had a flavorful and tangy sauce, with a kind of molé consistency. I was happy with the array of veggies we got too. Keep in mind this was all served atop injeera bread, a kind of spongy, very thin, bread great for scooping up sauces. We had to order extra injeera to finish all our scooping. I think we were both partial to the lentil, although I remember enjoying all the vegetable sides. It was a nice array of textures- some mashed, and some whole. We also got to see an interesting coffee preparation, with smoking coffee beans. The coffee must be excellent. read more

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This place is a must-visit! The food is delish and fun, especially if you've never had Ethiopian food before. The staff is kind and fast.

Their vegetarian options are really good. I mean REALLY good. And the portions are huge! My problem with Ethiopian places I've tried in the area is that a lot of their vegetarian dishes end up tasting the same, but Ethiopian Cafe does an amazing job with their seasoning and execution that each vegetarian dish has its own flavor profile and texture. I got the meat combo for 2 ($32.99 on Uber eats). It came with 3 huge pieces of injera-- one cushioning the various dishes, then two more folded on top. The container was super hefty. I have a pretty high spice tolerance so I didn't find any of the dishes to be very spicy, but they were all very flavorful. I got to try one of the chicken dishes and one of the beef dishes and the beef was cooked super tender. The chicken wasn't dry at all. The order also came with a small salad on the side (lettuce, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, a bright vinaigrette) which acted like a palate cleanser between the various flavors. The meat combo for 2 can definitely feed more than 2! Possibly 4?! Highly recommend this place. The quality and quantity for what you pay for can't be beat. read more

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Favorite spot for Ethiopian food! I've ordered from other Ethiopian spots but this place is the best. I get it through Ubereats and it arrives quick. I like the Yebeg Tibs and Veggie Combo. The dishes come with a lot of injera. If I'm craving for something fruity, I get the mango juice but it can be overly sweet. read more

We were in here by ourselves for an early dinner after a performance in JP. Staff was very pleasant and helpful and the food was just as good as I remembered. read more

Unbelievable food! There is no picture because we came from a yoga class totally famished and we couldn't wait long enough to take a pic. We shared two orders of sambosas to start. The sambosas here are stuffed with either spinach or lentil filling. Both were amazing! Then we shared a vegetarian combination of shiri wet, gomen wet and a mixed vegetable wet and all three were delicious. The shirt wet was a little spicy but not overpowering. I cannot say enough about this place and hope to return here when in the Boston area again. I recommend it! read more

Very good Ethiopian food. Nice small quaint dining room with about 10 or so tables. Comfortable dining experience and enjoyable experience. read more

Was craving some Ethopian, so we ordered delivery from here. Delivery came in a reasonable time and was still hot, portion size was solid (had enough for the next day, even), pricing was reasonable, and the food was very flavorful. I got the meat combo, and I will warn you: their version of Doro Wot is a lot spicier than I've had elsewhere, very heavy on the berbere (was a vibrant red vs. the yellow color I usually see), and consisted of one chicken leg with one egg, plus a tonnnn of sauce to soak up into the injera. You also get a choice of 3 side veggies, all of which were very flavorful and delicious (was hoping I'd get a potato piece in the Tikil Gormen but no such luck). The lamb was also solid, and the lentil sambosa was crispy and delicious. read more

I was in boston for one night and used uber eats to have veggie combo delivered. I requested that my food doesnt have too much spice on it. I was so impressed by how fast it was made and how good it was. I love Ethiopian food and have had the range from ok to great. This was a 10/10 & will be my go to place in Boston from now on. I wish I took a picture before diving for it. read more

Back at it again with another Black Owned Business in Boston! I ordered Lega Tibs & Sambosa. My first time trying Ethiopian food & so happy that I did. The beef chunks were juicy and the veggies were so flavorful. Owners are super friendly & welcoming. Loved the cozy setting especially with incense lit in the background. Definitely a hidden gem. Side Note: Normally there aren't any eating utensils so you would use little pieces of injera and eat it with your hands. read more

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***To my knowledge, this is currently one of only three legal BYOBs within Boston city limits.*** A tiny ~25 seat restaurant hidden on a busy block of other restaurants and businesses in Jamaica Plain. But well worth seeking out for eat-with-your-fingers, tasty, filling and inexpensive Ethiopian cuisine that goes well with a variety of wines or beers. And I'm sure they'll give you a fork if you insist, but what's the fun in that? The spartan interior features a sink in back where you can wash your hands before eating with your fingers. This is of course done with the traditional spongy injera flatbread made from teff grain, which you break into pieces so you can scoop up various vegetable and meat stews (lamb, beef, chicken, never any pork no matter your religion in Ethiopia). Apparently it is traditional to do this with your right hand only (sorry lefties lol). We started with a couple of the spinach-stuffed sambosa (sambusa?), which were very much like the ubiquitous deep-fried spanakopita triangles you see at Greek restaurants and did not seem very authentic from what I can read online. But tasty. Also available with lentil (and possibly meat?) fillings. We followed this up with a meat and vegetable combination plate (or you can order individual dishes), which can be customized for any number of people to share and arrives on top of several large injera (more injera on a side plate to rip up). Each meat and veggie was delicious, but very different from each other (a pleasant surprise), particularly the modestly spicy chicken stew, which was almost American BBQ in flavor and featured a couple of legs as well as pulled meat. Our combo featured all 6 of the available vegetable dishes, the 1 chicken, 1 of the 5 beef and 1 of 2 lamb dishes, plus a salad. With so many vegetable dishes on the menu, this would probably be a good restaurant for vegetarians, and they offer a vegetable combo plate as well. Ethiopian meat dishes are traditionally spicy, and can be extremely spicy. But since this is a BYOB, don't worry, none of the dishes were spicy enough to be wine destroying or requiring only the traditional spicy food wines like Riesling or Gewürztraminer. We went with an Italianate orange wine from Pennsylvania (my favorite wine from the East Coast) and a Cali cabernet, both of which worked well. Bring your own if you want to use real wine stems as they just have tumblers. 2011 Va La Vineyards La Prima Donna 2014 Daou Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles They also serve traditional, made at the table Ethiopian coffee, which smelled wonderful, although we didn't try it. No dessert offered. Service was friendly and well-meaning, but we did have to ask for explanations when they were not forthcoming. $51 + tax for a filling meal for 3 people. And the free parking on the street was fairly easy at 5:30PM on a Saturday. Although small, at no time during our visit was the restaurant more than half full (we had a phone reservation, but you probably don't need one unless you have more than 4 people so they can pull some tables together). They also have a couple of traditional mesob woven round wicker basket tables, although the seating around them didn't look as comfortable. MORE ABOUT BYOB: If you are interested, I have created a Yelp "Collection" of legal BYOBs in the Boston area (I define Boston pretty liberally lol): https://www.yelp.com/collection/RL6TtTE-DzBofaIDxyGJeQ In case you don't know, Boston's rules for byob are as follows: Permitted Types/Sizes of Alcohol: A. Patrons may only bring wine and malt beverages into the licensed premise. B. Patrons are prohibited from bringing distilled spirits and/or liqueurs/cordials into the licensed premise. C. Patrons may only bring malt beverages in containers no larger than 64 oz., and may bring in no more than a total of 64 oz. per person. D. Patrons may only bring wine in containers no larger than 750 ml., and may bring in no more than a total of 750 ml. per person. E. Patrons are prohibited from re-entering the premise with additional alcohol. Miscellaneous: A. Licensees shall not charge a "corkage"or any other fee or surcharge for permitting BYOB or providing any service or amenity relative to BYOB. B. Licensees are not prohibited from providing glassware and/or a bottle opener. C. Nothing in this section shall prohibit a licensee from discarding an empty or abandoned alcoholic beverage container or its content. Hours of Operation: Licensees shall only allow BYOB between the hours of 5:00 P.M. and 11:00 P.M. https://www.boston.gov/sites/default/files/rules_and_regs_amended.pdf read more

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Amazing gem with home made injera and friendly owner who also runs a convenience shop with imported Ethiopian groceries. Great flavors. BYOB. Can't wait to go back! read more

I got a vegetarian combo for 1 for takeout, and it was ready in just 10-15 minutes. Each item was completely delicious and flavorful! I'm sure the Berbere red lentils are great, but I can't currently eat spicy, so they just subbed more of the other good stuff. The portion was HUGE (enough for 2 meals) for $18, and it came with a small salad, and 2 large injera bread (one soaking up all the great juices underneath, and one folded on top). I particularly loved the Tikil Gomen (cabbage), Yata Kilt Wet (veggie combo of green beans/carrots), and Yekik Alicha (split yellow peas), and Gomen Wet (collards). I will definitely be back for more of my new favorite Ethiopian food in Boston. read more

Ethiopian Cafe - Veggie combo for 1 takeout- delish! - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Updated review: I visited other ethiopian restaurants and their food was much better than ethiopian cafe. This one was an awful place and a mistake for having ethiopian for the first time at this place . The food was stale and old. DO NOT VISIT THIS PLACE. It seemed that no one had entered the place since ages. Old Review: When we entered the restaurant, it was empty and smelling weird as if no one has come to this place from long time. Regarding the food, it was totally bland and no flavors, so not the kind that I would like. Either the food was tasteless and bland or its just my taste that makes authentic Ethiopian food unsuitable for me. I do not have much experience with ethiopian food so I cannot comment on this but probably this was the first and last time I am visiting this place. read more

Ethiopian Cafe - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Food and portion sizes were way better my second time ordering! The combo is a great value for the amount of food - we have leftovers often!

Small intimate restaurant that we were excited to try. Very slow service so don't come if you are time limited. Portions are small. The lamb tibs was delicious but the veggie dishes were bland and the lentils undercooked. There are better restaurants in JP so would not recommend. read more

I've been to several Ethiopian restaurants in and around Boston. This one definitely is top two. The one in Malden (Mulu) is also very good. This one is at least as good as Mulu. A league above the other ones! Will go back often :) read more

I had been craving Ethiopian and was happy to find this place in JP. When my friend and I went, the place was essentially empty. Compared to blue nile, this place isn't as popular which was fine with us bc we didn't have to wait! The decor is lacking in comparison to blue bile but I care more about the food anyways. This place is a little bit on the pricier side of Ethiopian but hey, it's Boston, you gotta pay up! My friend and I split the vegetarian sampler as well as the lamb meat and chicken. To no surprise the injera was delicious. I'll be back again! read more

Ethiopian Cafe - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

First time trying Ethiopian food and this was by far the best first impression we could have had!! I was pleasantly surprised by how flavorful and filling this was! Definitely exceeded all expectations. The service was also excellent. You definitely get a "home" type of vibe in this place. I will absolutely be back again!! P.S...try the berz (honey/water drink)...it is amazing!! read more

Ethiopian Cafe - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

We ordered a meat platter for two and it was more than enough food! We called ahead to see if they had gluten free teff - and luckily, another party had ordered it that day so the kitchen had extra. If you have a gluten allergy, call a day before so they can make it ahead of time! The owner was really sweet to explain the process to us. Also, the coffee (jabela) was delicious. read more

Ethiopian Cafe - Coffee (jabela) - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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The veggie combo and injera range from good to amazing as we've ordered several times. Veggies have a nice spice and texture- especially like the cabbage and red lentils. It's definitely family run and staff is always very friendly for take out and accommodating hot sauces/powders. To date, San Jose area places are our favorites but this one is very close, if not better at times. We order the injera gluten free as that is the traditional way it's prepared. If dining in, we have brought our own bottle of wine before which is a nice option. read more

After trying 3 other Ethiopian restaurants in the greater Boston area (including the one down the street from this place) this has become our go-to for Ethiopian! Please don't be put off by the initial interior look of the place because the food will blow you away and it's all very reasonably priced! The way I see it, it's the hole in the wall places that are usually the best! Also, please keep in mind that Ethiopian food is very spicy and flavorful, so if that is not your cup of tea try something else. Also, you eat the food with you hands and by using injera (a spongy flatbread made with teff). The do have a sink for you to wash your hands. They allow you to bring your own wine bottle and they now have a traditional mesop available. I usually don't find the mesop seating as comfortable to eat at when compared to a regular table so keep that in mind. I've had all of the vegetarian dishes. All of them are very favorable. I will add that my least favorite is the #9 gomen wet. As for the meat dishes, I've had the chicken, 2 of the beef, and 1 lamb dish: -#10 doro wet (chicken) -#13 siga wet (beef) -#14 ye siga alicha (beef) -#16 yebeg tibs (lamb) You can't go wrong with any of these. It will all come down to personal flavor preferences to determine which one is the best for your palate. #13 is my favorite. If this is your first time I would really recommend getting the combination plates so that you can try a little of everything! read more

I grew up on great Ethiopian, and I've tried others around here. Hands down the best Ethiopian in Boston. Great local inviting atmosphere, the server was welcoming, the food was phenomenal: the lamb and chicken had the perfect spices, the veggies were so fresh and the injera was perfect. Also amazing that you can stop at the local liquor store down the street and grab beers to bring for byob. Will be coming here regularly! read more

This place is delicious, you can never have too many Ethiopian restaurants! I was skeptical to try this restaurant at first because Blue Nile is incredible, but similar to another Yelper, I have had trouble getting in touch with the restaurant to order take out repetitiously, so I thought I have nothing to lose trying the Ethiopian Cafe! Called ahead and they answered the phone, took my ordered and had everything ready in 15 minutes. Portions are large and similar to Blue Nile, BUT cheaper. #winning The flavors were incredible and the injera was delicious and not as heavy. I got the veggie combo for one where you can pick your veggies and they serve it with a small side salad which has an incredible light garlic oil dressing. I love having two Ethiopian restaurants in town! You can BYOB if you choose to eat in :) read more

The food here is delicious! The injera was soft and tart and the spice was perfect. I found this place on restaurant.com and was not disappointed! We ordered some lamb and lentil dishes, so good! The place is small but it wasn't busy (we went on a weekday) there's only street parking which was a little difficult to find but I'm used to that coming from NY. The only downside is that it's not in a good part of town so either park close or come in numbers. read more

Ethiopian Cafe - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Incredibly good lentils, meat is pretty solid too. Really great value with large portion sizes and low prices my favorite takeout in Boston

AMAZING AND DELICIOUS! Great veggie combo for 2 for any vegans looking for something different that's hardy and filling to eat. Also usually last us 2 meals. read more

Wholesome, heart food with great variety! This place gets packed on weekend evenings. You can BYO wine (I'm not sure I if there's a fee).

Wow I begged the couple to adopt me and or let me move in here! Not only did they make me two different types of gluten-free teff, FYI done specially because I called a day in advance, they greeted us with the biggest smiles and more were more than accommodating in every single way! Delicious meal the only thing that's better than the food was the company and the owners delightful dispositions! read more

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I've ordered the vegetarian combo for 2 several times and been overwhelmed with the amount of food for the price! The platter also comes with two extra pieces of injera so you don't need to order extra. They give you enough food for 3 people, but if you're super hungry then it's perfect for 2 ;) AND it's always delicious and leaving me with plenty of leftovers that I look forward to eating the day after. Really special place and I hope it remains part of our community!!!! read more

My girlfriend and I got the Vegetable Combo Plate for 2 and it was amazing! Will definitely eat here again.

Mouth watering! Their Veg options are great. This was a must during Covid. I will definitely be back for more.