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    Ethiopian Cafe

    4.7 (83 reviews)
    Closed 2:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    ETHIOPIAN CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Ethiopian Cafe

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    Mango M.

    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!

    Kitfo!
    Stephanie N.

    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.

    sambosa
    Alyssa C.

    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.

    Combo 19A. Meat Combo for 2 Person
    Alex W.

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

    2. Sambosa
    Anna F.

    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.

    Salad in meat combo for two
    Della S.

    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.

    2. Sambosa
    Midlene C.

    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.

    LEGAL BYOB!  2011 Va La Vineyards La Prima Donna (my favorite East Coast wine) & 2014 Daou Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles
    J S.

    ***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

    Veggie combo for 1 takeout- delish!
    Nicole L.

    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.

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    1 year ago

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    9 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    11 months ago

    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.

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    5 years ago

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    5 years ago

    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!

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    3 years ago

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

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    6 years ago

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    6 years ago

    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).

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    8 years ago

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    5 years ago

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

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    6 years ago

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

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    Ask the Community - Ethiopian Cafe

    Can someone tell me what it's like inside? Is it like a basic cafe, or like a nice dinner restaurant? Does anyone have any pictures of the inside?

    It is a hybrid of nice restaurant and casual cafe! The inside has a beautiful floor and lovely tables could only seat 16 in total

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    Coreanos Allston - Tteokbokki with Cheese Chicken Poppers Bulgogi Bibimbap Chicken Tacos Kimchi Fried Rice

    Coreanos Allston

    4.3(638 reviews)
    2.5 miAllston/Brighton
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    We went to Coreanos for a Sunday lunch, but I have eaten here multiple times before. It is…read moreKorean-Mexican fusion, and to me, this is fusion done right! - Coreanos bowl: The star of the meal. It came in a foil bowl, packed with saucy rice and bits of meat/veggies (onions and carrots), then topped with a perfect sunny-side-up egg. The protein I got was spicy pork, but you can also choose other proteins. The yolk was still runny enough to mix in and make everything extra rich. The portion was huge. Not too spicy. It also came with miso soup with a few bits of tofu and green onion in it. - Quesadilla: filled with beef and kimchi, with two different sauces drizzled all over (one creamy, one a little spicy). A lot of meat inside! Not too spicy. - Peach limeade: a very refreshing drink, but on the sweeter side, I wish it were a bit more sour. Overall: This felt like the ideal casual lunch: fast and filling. You order at a counter and they bring the food to you later, if you choose to dine in. There aren't too many seats. You need to fill your own water cup, and they have cold and warm water. The portions are generous and the food is pure comfort. Would definitely come back anytime I'm craving something saucy and satisfying.

    I recently stopped by Coreanos for a Korean-Mexican fusion meal…read more I ordered the bulgogi, shrimp tempura, and short rib tacos. While waiting, I was surprised with a bowl of miso soup, which was warm, comforting, and flavorful. The tacos were generously filled and served on flour tortillas. I went in expecting the short rib to be my favorite, but the bulgogi taco emerged as my favorite. That said, because they were so well-stuffed, the tacos were a bit soggy. I also paid extra to add kimchi to one of them via the ordering screen, but it seems that addition was missed. I paired this with a Thai coffee, which was refreshing and delivered a noticeable caffeine kick. I'll definitely be back to try the kimbap. My partner, Anna F., ordered it, and after stealing a bite, I was left craving more. The restaurant is small, but we were able to find a table without issue.

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    Coreanos Allston - Bibimbap Kimchi Fried Rice

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    Kaju Tofu House - Ham and Sausage Tofu Soup

    Kaju Tofu House

    3.9(835 reviews)
    2.5 miAllston/Brighton
    $$

    I returned here for a late 2:30 pm lunch. Street parking was less terrible than usual, so I managed…read moreto find a spot right next to Kaju. The establishment was almost at capacity, but I got the last 2-top. I ordered the intestine tofu stew ($15.99). The tofu stew itself seemed decently savory with silky tofu, an egg, and well-cleaned intestines. It also arrived piping hot. The banchan seemed disappointing today. The radish kimchi was barely fermented and slightly bitter; it tasted like raw daikon purchased from the supermarket that morning. Cabbage kimchi seemed acceptable. Banchan sizes were quite skimpy; I ordered a refill for myself. This has convinced me to find another default / go-to place for soondubu / tofu stew.

    I appreciated the homey vibes of this spot- the atmosphere felt very welcoming and warming, along…read morewith the bubbling hot soups!! Though I haven't eaten a lot of korean food before, I felt this restaurant captures the essence of a traditional home cooked korean meal, with plates to share and perfectly personalized pots of their famous tofu soup. I would definitely recommend trying their beef and kimchi soup or their beef dumpling soup, both had standout taste while maintaining a simple flavor profile that you could continue to return to. I also absolutely loved their kimchi fried rice, so don't miss out on their additional menu items aside from their most popular offerings. Overall, I thought the food was tasty and satisfying, but otherwise there's not a specific thing that would continue to draw me back to this restaurant. The service was nice but mostly left us to ourselves and the food took a little while to come out. Unless you're really craving a korean tofu soup, I feel there's other restaurants in the area that serve up a little more variety and boldness in their flavors.

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    Kaju Tofu House - Interior

    Interior

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    Grasshopper Restaurant - 3. Tofu Hand Rolls

    Grasshopper Restaurant

    3.9(680 reviews)
    2.2 miAllston/Brighton
    $$

    Drummer musician of the USA wanted buy me fried tofu with eggplant meal tonight, so after he done…read moremeal, he went to front desk to pay his and he ordered my dish but restaurant told him they will take care of me so don't worry about ordering. Musician who served well known artist of history of American music instructed restaurant to serve me hot tea as well. After he was gone restaurant owner Vietnamese man brought me just smallest container with very little brown rice and his wife (?) brought me so little amount of colder than lukewarm bad tasting tea. I can not eat just brown rice. This is Grasshopper, mainly runs by two. And time to time part timers. Let's replace food court with great healthy restaurants options. They particularly use Kosher ingredients but combine with very non organic cheap ingredients. Stated by food expert. Owner lied to me that restaurant gives free meal for Hong Kong Supermarket workers whenever workers need food, but I confirmed Super Market Management says nothing is true. They don't even give left over food to no one. I don't know why owner has to lie to me. Also owner said I will get free meal if I bring friends and also mentioned if I promote them on FB and other platforms, all of my friends supporters get free meal, which is illegal for at least Yelp Community. These offerings never accepted from side. Buffet foods are not fresh. They started cook earlier in the week and some are just suggy and cold old. Then food sit there all day all evening until 8:30pm and owner once gave me super old cold food instead of trash it. Owner said I could take home. Since I was low on cash and had to eat old fried foods made me sick for a few days. I know I should not get free food to write review here but I think I should have report here. I take this matter very serious and I want you to consider about further actions against this restaurant. Another note from monthly Buffet, 4/18/26 is not happening as they skipped to May. Previous buffet table had crushed peanuts without signed name of what it is. I am afraid of some gets allergic reactions to peanuts without knowing what they eat. And lastly buffet table has no one is serving from restaurant side, when I saw buffet buyers without line digging food, every customer is doing own thing and restaurant doesn't supervise health concerns are very against the law in Massachusetts, probably against all law in this planet. Too bad !!

    10/10 definitely recommend!! While this is a shared location…read moreit still has charm and is a must visit. The customer service was Truly great! Even though their kid was the cashier he was a pleasure! The fool was great Scallion pancake crispy with tofu 8/10 the homemade fish sauce was really good a tab bit sweet but definitely loved it. Spring rolls 10/10 as to be expected really good and fresh. The No Name 10/10 was very similar to general tso was really good. The veggie meat they use was a great choice Bean curd stir fry #68 on the menu 7/10. The meat was a little tough but the sauce was great and the vegetables were fresh and not over cooked. The had about 10 dedicated tables. We went when it wasn't too busy and it was kind of quiet. But I can imagine when it gets busy it's very loud.

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    Grasshopper Restaurant
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    13. BBQ Veggie Pork

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    Ethiopian Cafe - ethiopian - Updated May 2026

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