So happy to see Ethiopian Love back in business at Bevy! Being the only Ethiopian restaurant on the island, they are a gem that we (or I...maybe it's mostly me?) can't afford to lose. If you are vegetarian or vegan, this is hands-down some of the most flavorful and nutritious food you can find. The owners are incredibly sweet and passionate about what they do. While it's definitely not cheap, the portions are very filling and the quality is unmatched. Between the unique spices and the injera, these are flavors you can't easily replicate at home. Highly recommend texting or calling them first to confirm their business hours as it seems to be in flux right now. Breakfast/brunch is also available now though I have yet to try it. Go support them! read more

Ethiopian food??!!!! First time experiencing their food at Bevy!! We had beef stew and vegetable sampler Recommended by a chef!! Wow! Love the flavor! read more

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Ethiopian Love, is a reasonably priced traditional Ethiopian restaurant located in Kaka'ako's SALT foodie haven. Chef Samuel delivers an authentic & masterful Ethiopian dining experience. The Sambussas, which are lentils, green onions, & herbs wrapped in a light filo pastry, with a mild chili dipping sauce, is a delightful start to a unique culinary adventure & a must have item! Ethiopian cuisine is a shared, communal dining experience. Our Mothers Day special featured a mouthwatering array of beef, chicken, beans, grains, & vegetables spiced with traditional Ethiopian aromas, flavors, & textures, served atop a large round bed of spongy injera flatbread, with additional injera rolled into individual portions to sop up the aromatic & savory stew of exotic flavors. The Ethiopian iced tea with cardamom, clove, & cinnamon was the perfect accompaniment to transition between the smorgasbord of flavors. The baklava was one of the best I've had in Hawaii. The casual sidewalk dining with a musician playing singing bowls gave it an enjoyable Euro-African ambiance. The staff were very friendly, attentive, & extremely pleasant. This is definitely a culinary delight that we will experience repeatedly!!! read more

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We had the Mother's Day fixed menu. All the "dishes" were yummy. Kept eating beyond full. We recommend the mixed spice tea. Service is unpredictable but friendly when it happens. read more

Ethiopian Love - The food is very colorful. - Ethiopian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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This is exactly what Hawaii is missing. The flavors were exceptional. It could be a tad spicier but overall it was delicious. read more

Ethiopian Love - Ethiopian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

First of all, they don't have a menu so prepare to be surprised when you see the check since they also don't tell you how much anything costs. They never even gave us waters, and we had to get up and ask for that and napkins and plates. For the portion sizes we assumed that the price would be $30-50 max given how small the portions are, but it turned out to be ridiculously way more than we expected. read more

Loved the daily sampler dish from here! I can't say exactly what was included as it's the chef special of the day, but was tasty. One issue, which is both great and negative for them is that their address is to their old location, now they work out of just a kitchen. We had trouble finding them and had to call to figure out where it was. Their website and Google were both to the old location. The sambussas are a definite must! The other thing we ordered was the romi stew. It was bold and flavourful, only it tasted like it had been a little burnt. Quite bitter. I'm putting this down to me not being familiar with the cuisine. That said, I'll definitely be back! read more

Ethiopian Love - Sampler - Ethiopian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I finally made it!! Been hunting for an adventurous friend to accompany me and I found one! Yes! Atmosphere, service and food was wonderful. Such a casual, classy feel, despite eating your entire meal with your hands. That was fun! The food had a tart to it, that I didn't expect, but it was yummy. The lentils was my favorite. I love it when food makes you understand a little more about the region it comes from. Glad I got to experience it. read more

Ethiopian Love - Dining area - first time! - Ethiopian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Ethiopian Love is back back back again. I've been dreaming of Ethiopian food for months and am so ecstatic for the return. For Ethiopian first-timers, I highly recommend the Ethiopian Love veggie sampler (vegan) and a side of sambusas to get the full experience. This comfort food is more filling than it looks. For returners, Ethiopian Love is back and as delicious as ever. You'll find the new location just around the corner from their previous location. Your order will be made just for you and ready to take out. The new location is at 76 Pauahi Street. Text ahead for your order for pick up on Friday and Saturday dinner time 5-8p. Parking is available right in front of Ethiopian Love's kitchen space. Ordering was quick and simple (text or phone for convenience). read more

Ethiopian Love - Ethiopian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This place was really nice. From the moment we arrived, the service was fantastic, there was no wait, and the ambiance was just right. The brick wall plus the art was beautiful and told a dynamic story. Now to the food. Excellent! The sambosa's were great and extra hot. Fresh out of the kitchen. It gets no better. The veggie sampler was fantastic as well as the beef. The hubs and I really enjoyed it. If Ethiopian food is your jam, this is a great quaint spot. Not too big and not too small-- cozy and just right. Drawback, there was only one. There was no wine, ale, or any type of adult beverage, which would have been nice. Having the option of a nice glass of red wine along with our beef would've been great, but hey, what can you do? It didn't ruin the experience, but it would've added a nice touch. Nonetheless, we'll be back! It was great :) read more

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I went here with some friends on a Sunday night, and it was an interesting experience. The food was delicious, I would say 4-5 stars. The service, however, left something to be desired. First off, one of us called about a week beforehand to ask for reservations for our party of 6. But, we were told that it wasn't necessary and we should just be able to walk in and get a table. On the day of the dinner, we arrived and the servers ushered us to the outside seating. All the chairs and tables were put away, so they had to set it up in front of us as we awkwardly watched/helped. On top of that, it had been raining earlier, so they had to wipe everything down. We were worried about it raining again while eating, but luckily that didn't happen. I also noticed an occasional foul smell wafting around, which is to be expected outside in Chinatown, but not so great to smell while eating. After we were done, my friend noticed little specks of bird poop on her bag (we were sitting under a tree). It wouldn't have been good if it got into the food, though. We really enjoyed the food, and the peanut tea is amazing! I would come back, but I'd definitely make reservations to ensure that I sit inside so this doesn't happen again. read more

Ethiopian Love - Sambussas - Ethiopian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I am embarrassed to see that I haven't written a rave review about this restaurant! Located in the heart of Chinatown, this unassuming little nook on Smith street could almost be missed, as it blends into the surrounding area. Once inside however, you find an oasis of Ethiopian art on the walls, long tables for talking story with friends and family, plants and ambient lighting. Out back is a literal garden with intimate small tables, open air, and a feeling of romance. I've enjoyed Ethiopian cuisine for many years on the mainland; from Oakland, California to Baltimore, Washington D.C. One similarity I have noticed is the pace of American fast-paced dining is slowed down dramatically, so that the diner needs to take time to be present, to enjoy the atmosphere, taste the richness of flavor in each bite. Slow down like stop motion photography capturing a butterfly in flight. At Ethiopian Love, dining with friends and family IS the experience of the evening, not the precursor to another event. Food is prepared intentionally, with Love, for you, in that moment. Everything is served "Family style", to be shared from one main plate, with all dishes poured out into sections like oil paints on a palette. You will find silverware, but to truly enjoy the experience, you will find sour Injera bread rolled up into tiny rolls, used to "pinch" the morsels of food and eat. If your fingers aren't stained yellow from the Turmeric in the lentils or red from Berbere spice, then you are doing it wrong. No one is rushed here. In fact, when you make a reservation, they assume you will be there most of the night, sharing Doro Wot, Tibs, red, yellow lentils, soft potato cubes and collard greens. They do not serve alcohol, but do permit you to BYOB if it is beer or wine. They do serve Ethiopian spiced tea with cardamon and clove and cinnamon, and of course, Ethiopian coffee. (The birthplace of coffee) If you are a beginner to Ethiopian food or just can't choose from all the selections, I highly recommend the Ethiopian Love Veggie sampler which offers the widest range of vegetarian dishes to try. As for the meat eaters, try the Doro Wot (Chicken breast) Lamb Atakilt, Awaze Wot (Beef Stew). I wish there was a combo meat sampler like the veggie sampler, but everyone is sharing, so encourage your friends to order something different so you can try it! For dessert, try their Baklava. What you won't find is pork on the menu. This is due to the fact that the two major religions in Ethiopia (Muslim and Ethiopian Orthodox) forbid eating pork. So be polite, and don't ask. During 2020, I was afraid that Ethiopian Love wouldn't survive the COVID shutdowns. A friend and I decided to order delivery. I can't recall what happened, but the normal Door Dash service wasn't available. We ended up getting a hold of the manager to ask if they delivered. I'm not sure if they had a regular delivery service at the time, but I'm pretty sure the Chef or Co-Owner delivered way out off Nimitz to our house! We were more than ecstatic for this wonderful gesture. They truly bring the "Love" into all they do. read more

Ethiopian Love - Ethiopian Love is an experience not to be missed. Injera bread, red and yellow lentils, cabbage and potatoes. - Ethiopian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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We went to this restaurant on the recommendations of a co-worker of mine we had a lamb and chickpea main course that was very tasty service was attentive and location is cool with nice decorations makes you feel like you area different place. In good weather I would dine outside in the back read more

Ethiopian Love - First course - Ethiopian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

First review of 2021 and couldn't have picked a better place to kick off the new year! Walking in I noticed the dimly lit room is floor to ceiling brick walls. Very "old downtown" feel. We were seated at a small table (social distancing is enforced with some tables being unavailable for seating). The manager (maybe owner?) brought us water and took our order. We ordered the Sambussas, vegetarian sampler, Brussels sprouts and lentils. The sambussas came out fairly quickly. The fried dough is crispy on the outside and steamy fluffy goodness in the middle (filled with lentils) and served with a side of hot sauce called "awaze". I could eat a whole plate of those little bastards! The rest of the meal was served on one huge plate with rolled up "injera" or fermented flatbread. Don't let that scare you. It's GOOD. Spongy and light like a crepe with a mild taste similar to sourdough. Mainly used as a vessel to transfer the food from the plate to your face ( utensils are not provided), it does the job and is fun to eat.The Brussels sprouts were cooked well and seasoned nicely. Everything was delicious. We ate the whole plate and when the manager saw this he even brought over another small plate in case I was still hungry. Yes, I ate more! Lol On a recommendation from friends we tried the Peanut Tea. OMG. Try this now! Do it. It's creamy and tastes like a warm peanut butter smoothie. Hard to believe it's vegan. Everything is! The manager told us the restaurant changed to 100% vegan recently. He was so kind and answered all of our questions about the food and restaurant that I wish I would have asked his name. Next time I will remember to ask. My husband said next time he will sneak in a spoon to use haha. read more

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Tried this tonight for dinner and found out the owner is closing the restaurant on Monday. So this is the last weekend to enjoy authentic vegan Ethiopian food. Thank you Abraham for showing us your cuisine! read more

Ethiopian Love - Vegan Sampler - Ethiopian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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A little bit pricey, but where else can you get Ethiopian food in Hawaii? We got the veg platter and it was delicious. Parking is street parking since it is Chinatown. read more

Ethiopian Love - Ethiopian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Fell in love with Ethiopian food! I've always wanted to try an Ethiopian restaurant ever since I watched a vlogger on youtube eating it. Eating just with your hands is such a memorable and intimate thing to share with your loved ones and a person of interest. This is definitely not a place where you should take people with bad hygiene or who have to always use a utensil eating....why? Because this restaurant does not carry any utensils for you to use, strictly hands! To set a great night out, I called ahead to make a reservation, just in case they were going to be busy. I typically like to make reservations so that we can go straight in and get seated instead of waiting around for a table. It took me awhile to get a hold of them, but 3 calls later I finally got in. The person behind the phone was great and was able to accommodate us when we were running late. Another reason to fall in love with this place... BYOB but with a $3 fee! To make this dinner great, we stopped by HASR Winery, just around the corner of Ethiopian love, to pick up a bottle of red to enjoy. As we entered they greeted us and sat us down to a table, although it was just the two of us we wanted to sit on a bigger table to be more comfortable and to also have more space for our food and drinks. The inside is pretty small but has a large personality; with hand painted paintings done by an Ethiopian artist on Oahu, this place embodies romance and a start to an amazing food adventure. We were a little overwhelmed with the menu, so we stuck to some Yelpers recommendations and as well as the servers choices. We ended up getting sambussas as a starter. A homemade stuffed pastry with Brown Lentil, Green Onion & Herbs, with a chili sauce. Since it was the two of us, we wanted to keep it simple, and we ten to order a lot so we stuck to what the servers recommended for us. For our main course, we went with their Veggie sampler (Misser Wot, Kik Alicha & Atakilt Wot,) and Spicy Lamb (Friday Special.) The entree was presented on one platter with injera (sourdough bread) laid down as a foundation to soak up the wats (stew) and rolls of injera that surrounded the whole dish. The Veggie sampler was full of great flavor, and the lamb was something we both wanted to cry over because it was just so good! This place is Love for a reason! We both fell in love with the food and was extremely happy with everything, maybe it could have been the alcohol or the ambiance, but from the start to the end of dinner it was amazing! Side notes* - They have seating outside, and I recommend you ask if you can be seated there, we totally forgot, - Parking, if you come after 5 PM street parking is free. We ended up parking at Marks Garage. - Don't wear anything you wouldn't want stained. read more

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#141 OF 2017 We wanted to take our friend somewhere special but couldn't decide. She decided for us. I was surprised with her answer. Happy, actually, because ELR was bookmarked and forgotten. I pulled it up on Yelp and began reading. I got excited because I realized this is going to be an adventure we could enjoy. It's not a very big place, only a few tables. Love the decor, native to the country. I was told the paintings were done by an Ethiopian who lives here. We found them interesting and beautiful to look at. Service was very pleasant. We were adequately checked on. Not rushed when other parties showed up. One table had a birthday. This one staff, female, started singing the Happy Birthday song. Her voice was like a bird. I wished she continued we all wanted to hear more. What was now a room full of chatter was now quiet as we listened. When she finished we gave a sounding applaud of approval. That's a voice worth paying for to hear in concert. I enjoy cardamon. When I saw that on the menu, I had to have the Kememe Shai. Made of cardamon, cloves and cinnamon. This is a daily drink in the Middle East. Add milk to it and it's a soothing drink any time of the day. A friend of ours shared this drink with us a long time ago. Very happy they had this here. Highly recommend you try this too. You have to try the Sambusas. These were spicy but not overbearing. We could still taste all the other flavors. It's made with lentils, green onions, herbs and their house sauce. It comes with 2 but we were able to get 3 for a little more. This would be nice to have if you wanted a light meal before heading to your main event of the night. A great app. Our friend suggested the veggie platter that came with a soft, almost sticky, moist bread. Kinda like a pancake to me. Some were rolled up ready to eat with your hands. Then, underneath the different stewed and sauteed veggies was more of this bread. I believe there were about 5 different veggies. I'm not sure what everything was but what I do know is it was darn good. If I was to go vegetarian this is how I want to eat. There's lots of flavor, depth and textures to tantalize the mouth and tongue. Enough for all of us to be satsified too. I was beginning to think about what I'd like to try on a return visit. Because I like coffee, I couldn't resist trying the Ethiopian Coffee. I drank this black first to get the real taste. The rich roast taste was delightful. Not a strong bitter. I could drink it just like this but I added two packs of sugar for my sweet tooth. All good things must come to an end as they say. And it was that time to say our good byes. The food we shared this night will be remembered for sure. Good food with a good friend helped to make this a very special night with our dear friend Robyn F. read more

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Pre-COVID19 Review. My bestie introduced me to this wonderful restaurant. We have eaten at Ethiopian Love several times together. This restaurant is great for groups and small parties. Best to make reservations for larger groups. Enter into a dimly lit dining area with the smell of spices like turmeric, cumin and cinnamon in the air. On certain nights, there's live music playing. We always get the veggie sampler and add 1-2 meat dishes. The veggie sampler comes with injera bread, which is fermented flatbread. It has a sour taste (like sour dough bread) and a spongy texture. Be prepared to eat with your hands. Unroll and pull apart the bread and dig in to everything. No utensils needed. The service is always so friendly and the food is always tasty and authentic. Since everything is made fresh, expect to wait a bit for your food. Not wise to arrive totally starving. read more

Ethiopian Love - Ethiopian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Do you ever feel like trying something just so different that you just don't know where to go? Well, let me tell you about this place! If you want something different, you've come to the right place. I've never tried Ethiopian cuisine until the night I stopped by with Blaine H. my work buddy. He's into trying new things and just thought this place was so neat. The flavors are yummy: spicy, savory, somewhat oniony and garlicky, and a lot sautéed. Order from their two-sided menu. There are lots of different things to try. I can't pronounce them at all lol but if you go there, the orderer will gladly assist. We ordered two items: (1) a meat platter of lamb and (2) a sampler platter consisting of different sauteed veggies and beans and a spongy bread to go with it. Although we ordered two dishes, everything came served on one huge platter. There were four rolls of bread placed upon the edge of the platter. We mixed the meat with veggie and beans on to torn pieces of the spongy rolled bread. It was delicious! The taste of the one cabbage item was a bit too astringent (vinegary) for me but I really liked the subtle yet sautéed and stewed tastes of everything else. At the middle of it all, we ran out of bread so we ordered more. It's lightly flavored and fun to peel off the roll, dip, and eat. You can ask for more spongy (rolled) bread but know that there is a small cost. We used up the four additional rolls entirely. The bread made the meal more yummy :D The most interesting things here is that you just eat with your hands. (They have a restroom if you'd like to start with washed hands.) You can also "cheat" which is what we did (haha!) by using spoons which we asked for at the start of our meal hehehe Blaine and I enjoyed our conversation the entire night. The server checked on us from time to time. We got there early and practically closed up the shop hehehe The only thing I'd have liked is for large glasses of water and ice. The only kind of ice they had came from trays from the freezer and then was so limited bc they needed to use the ice for the drinks for the other guests. The place does get crowded so you might want to get there earlier if seating matters to you. There are a bunch of tables of 2-4 and one for about 10-14. Located on Smith Street just across Little Village Noodle House, this place is easy to find and easy to reach. If you get there early, you could park at the municipal parking lot up and over across the street, or free street parking on King Street, at the metered stalls after 6pm, and free on weekends. Expand your Ethiopian horizons and try something unusual next chance you get! :D read more

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This was our first time coming to this restaurant and this cuisine. We were greeted by warm, welcoming staff. The environment is quaint and cozy. It's good to make reservations as it filled up pretty quick - and this was a Sunday evening. We started with the Sambussas - a homemade stuffed pastry with brown lentils, green onions and herbs. They are served with this amazing spicy sauce that gave the sambussa an added kick! The Sambussas come 2 to an order. Next we ordered the Ethiopian Love Veggie Sampler Platter for two and then added Romi - a dish with mushroom, zucchini and onions. (Their policy is one entree per person. We had 3 in our party.). This platter (and the Romi) was served with the traditional Ethiopian flatbread called injera. This platter had 6 different vegan dishes that went so well together. There was this wonderful flavors of salt, sour, sweet and some spicy. It was an amazing dish and an amazing experience. There is no bar, so BYOB is recommended. Keep in mind, they charge $3 per person for corkage fees. This is a must do and experience! The food, the service, the experience was fabulous!! Thank you, Ethiopian Love! read more

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Really curious what Ethiopian food was about and felt more adventurous than usual so I took this opportunity to come here! I usually don't like coming to Downtown if I don't need to for various reasons (e.g. lack of parking, unsafe environments, etc.) but I did it for the Ethiopian food. It's a hole-in-the-wall restaurant on the left side when you're driving/walking on Smith Street. The restaurant is fairly small so when I saw a group of people standing outside, I was worried about the wait time but to my surprise, me and my boyfriend were seated immediately without any wait (guess those people just finished their meal?)--but there were also seats outside with an INCREDIBLE view of a fountain but because it was raining, it wasn't an option. I docked off a star for their customer service and it was because it took us about 10 minutes to place our order. If we didn't flag down our server, I don't think we would've been able to order until he was ready. We chose to order the Ethiopian Love Veggie Sampler because that seems like what everyone eats when they come here and the Lamb Alicha. We noticed that a lot of the groups were waiting for their food long after we ordered so we were worried that we were going to be here for a while. We eventually got our plate of food and were ready to dig in! We came in knowing that we were going to eat with our hands and wraps but if you're reading this review and don't know what to expect, you're going to have to eat with your hands. The vegetables and meat were VERY tasty but the only thing that threw me off was their injera. I assumed it was going to be just bread but it turned out to be this acidic spongy bread. It wasn't bad but it did make everything taste the same so I wasn't able to enjoy the separate spices from each veggie dish. read more

Ethiopian Love - Ethiopian Love Veggie Sampler + Lamb Alicha - Ethiopian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Since part of my husband's descendant is Ethiopian it is just right for me to explore their food culture in here. Excited and thrilled, too bad we cannot order bigger portion coz actually we already eat dinner so an appetizer/salad is a good starter in here since I really wanna try some of their menu. ~ Timatim Salad ($9+tax), comes with onion, tomato, green pepper & fresh lemon dressing. Took 15mins. & the moment they serve it, I can feel that my face curled a lil bit. I never expect this kind of salad. I was thinking about arugula, kale or romaine with lots of onion & tomato. By the way, my husband ordered it & I did not look on their menu so basically I don't know that their salad is consist with not an ordinary salad in your plate. He just told me; "I order salad for us". Their salad's presentation is pretty awesome, and there is this thing that looks like a rolled lumpia wrapper on the side (it's called injera, a sourdough-risen flatbread w/ a slightly spongy texture originating from the Eritrea & Ethiopia) w/c I love so much the moment I took a bite on it. My husband was laughing at me coz I was very conscious on how to eat this food. He then simply showed it to me and I was like; "did you even wash your hands?" FF... this diner surprises me to the highest level, and I am blessed! I tried new things out from the basic, & I so dang love it! That tangy flavor from its dressing is so great! The green pepper is fresh and can feel the crispiness from it. And the injera? Oh boy, I can eat them in a whole day...they're just so good. P.S. this might get a little messy when you eat as no spoon for this. You use the injera to scoop the salad and dunk it to your mouth. Have napkin with you all the time while eating. (insert funny silly face) Baklava ($7), a rich, sweet dessert pastry made of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts & sweetened & held together with syrup & honey. This is so sweet for me, and it really hold it on my throat. But it's good actually and as a 1st timer of Baklava, I can tell how that crispy and sweetness combined together and will surely give dessert a new kick. Good thing I have my bandit who explains all of this to me and guide me on how these food are to be eaten. ~ Why 3 stars? Because customer service needs to improve! People don't have the whole time to hang it all night so why is it that a small cup of coffee needs to serve 30mins. after? It stressed us out coz we need to be at Hawaii Theatre by 07:45pm, & this woman server forget to serve the coffee two times at that night. Only three tables are occupied and actually, its not that busy because the other two was already being served. It's a lil bit pricey in here too and I recommend you come in here by group because food portion they served in here is big unless you order the appetizer/salad that is good for two people. Inside this diner is darker compare to other restaurants, maybe because that is suppose to be the ambiance? Well your iPhone 11 pro max will definitely work the best in here. This diner got green placard too! A tip pro; Bring hand sanitizer! In this kind of place where adventure is just in your hands, better take that 99% of germs out than be sorry. ~ Will the juanderbandits be back? We definitely love adventures! Of course we will definitely be coming back! Hope next time the server will not forget our coffee and will definitely bring hand sanitizer & wipes. ~ Mahalo & HAPPY JUANDERING fellow yelpers! juanderbandit.world read more

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I'm not sure how the previous review was removed, but let's try again. Taste: The injera was cold as were the entrees we received. The flavor seem underwhelming to my palate, but then my only other experience with Ethiopian food is from my time in-country in Addis Ababa and small places near the border with Somalia. Value: The picture below is what I received for the receipt that I've posted. As you can see, this was over $75 for that one platter which includes the Romi, Love Shiro, and the Veggie Sampler. I also had an Iced Tea. That's it. Overall, coupled with the lack of much taste and the food being very overpriced, I wouldn't recommend eating here. (To be fair, my lackluster experience could be a result of the COVID slowdown..) For the comment below, there are no Sambussas in my order (see the receipt) and I have no idea what "three people dishes" means... read more

Ethiopian Love - $77 for this one (vegan) platter. - Ethiopian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Andrew our server was great in explaining the menu and breaking it down easily for us and saying it clearly and straight . Certain items weren't available but the bread is soft and chewy and delicious ! Spice water was fair game If you have allergies be aware of all the ingredients and ask servers As for the main meals, read more

Ethiopian Love - Ethiopian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I was recommended Ethiopian Love by a buddy of mine who visits Oahu all the time. China town seems to be an up and coming area of town for foodies so I thought id give this place a try. First of all, if you've never had Ethiopian food before, be prepared for a world of flavor. You also eat with your hands, wrapping your dish with these bread wraps that have the taste of sour dough. We ordered the veggie sampler for 2 and it was enough to share amongst four non so hungry people. We also grabbed a lamb entree which was delicious, but didn't top the flavor combinations of all the different veggies on the sampler. Best part is that this place is BYOB so pour up! $3 corkage fee ain't too shabby... read more

Ethiopian Love - Ethiopian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Let me start this off by saying, I have never had Ethiopian food before. With that, I think I will make this restaurant a go-to when I'm in the down-town area. I almost passed this place up when driving by. It's located on Smith and Hotel Street. There is street metered parking, or you can pay for parking in the nearby area. I tend to park at the Chinatown Gateway Plaza. I'm not sure what the cost is during the day, but I went to this restaurant in the evening. It was inexpensive, I believe it was about $3. Not bad at all. This place definitely had a romantic vibe to it. Came here with someone I was dating, definitely felt this vibe. It was evening, low-lighting, music wasn't too loud, few people in the room. Yeah, it set the mood. haha. It's also good for a small group of people. There was also an outdoor dining area in the back, but we didn't go outside. Definitely gotta come back. read more

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My friends and I have been going to this restaurant pretty often Back in the day before pre-Covid. Always a good spot nice people. But I just remembered the one time the Asian server was completely giving us signals to hurry up and leave the restaurant. First he closed the door, the shut off the music, then turned a few lights off. My girlfriend was in town and i wanted to show her how great it was. But the rushing part of our dining experience really turned me off. It was abrupt and he was giving us the signals to leave. At a restaurant they should never rush us out even when they are about to close. In the end our mood changed and just felt like we weren't wanted there even when we were giving them business. Lately they reopened and are working from a kitchen which is fine. I am disappointed with all the Ethiopian food pictures that don't seem like are all on the menu. I feel like it's false advertisement for what they sell for Ethiopian food. Like can they post pictures of what is actually served, not extra things that are not even included with the food? The owner is the sweetest nicest guy. But my tip to you guys is please give what you show for in the pictures on your Instagram page. Thank you read more

If you're feeling adventurous and up for it, please do give this quaint little hole in the wall a go. Came here for dinner a second time and ordered the veggie sampler, which includes 6 different veggie dishes and sambusa's--both of which I highly recommend--as it felt like a no-pressure, no-brainer solution to the ever so difficult "what do we order?" The veggie sampler is served with injera bread, which is this spongy, sourdough-y bread that you scoop the different dishes with. Be forewarned, germaphobes, utensils not necessary...you eat with your hands, which is something really adventurous when you're out in Chinatown (refer to opening statement). The food is delicious and incomparable. The sample platter for 2 is more than enough, as they are generous with their portions. Couple things, we didn't make a reservation. The space gets packed quickly and we oftentimes see a line outside && they are BYOB...all signs pointing to YES, come here. read more

Ethiopian Love - Sambussas (2) - Ethiopian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The food was great and savory. It was quite busy. Expect a 20 minute wait. The service was friendly too. But yes, pretty busy.,one thing be comfortable eating with your hands as anyone having Ethiopian knows. They did provide utensils upon request, but if you think you need it ask when you order in advance. Anyway we had the Ethiopian love vegetarian sampler for two. Varieties of lentil, bean dishes, potatos, greens. Sorry if I don't know the names but I know I want to eat it all! I recently starting to eat more vegetarian so I appreciated that the dishes were a bit more hearty with the texture and species. Great place if your you like the cuisine. BYOB TOO read more

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I feel torn about Ethiopian Love, we had some parts of dishes that were just ok, some that were good and the waiter had no idea what was what so I guess we can't get whatever we liked again. I've never had Ethiopian food before and I really can't compare it to anything, so I'll just try to give my best descriptions. We had a sampler platter with a ton of different types of vegetarian curries/stews/mash plopped on the plate. It also came with a crepe type of bread that had a sour taste and was used to scoop up and eat with the food. Our server was quite the character and I don't think I've ever had someone like that before. Nice guy but definitely seemed extremely unorganized. I think I'll try another restaurant next time. Sorry Ethiopian Love. read more

I'm always for supporting small businesses but I feel like I really overpaid here. You are paying a premium for Ethiopian food here because it's the only Ethiopian restaurant in Hawaii. For the price, the portions were ridiculously small. Our bill came to $120+ for 4 people, and all of us left still hungry... The wait was long and they forgot 2 of our drink orders. It's a matter of giving larger portions of lentils and chickpeas to make people fuller, which are not expensive ingredients. For a better value, just go next door to the other great options of restaurants. read more

Back in the 80's when the global hunger campaign used Ethiopia as their poster child, the idea of going to an Ethiopian restaurant would have been considered an oxymoron. Think "We are the World." But we're not in the 80's. And it's evident that Ethiopians have developed some damn good food. Now it's one of my favorite of the African regional cuisines. I've tried Ghanian, Nigerian, Kenyan so far and I do love them all. I especially love the whole technique of eating with your hands. But I love Ethiopian for their Ingera "bread." I just really appreciate the unique flavor, texture, and it's unlike anything I've ever tasted. Kinda like a super thin, bubbly, sourdough crepe. kinda. This place is legit. Good for anyone who likes stews and curries, and exploring other cultures. Heads up though, they used to serve meat (lamb, chicken, beef) but they moved to a vegetarian-only menu. Not the end of the world, but the carnivores need to know that the online menu hasn't been updated to reflect the change. read more

First of all, let me say this place has the best customer service ever. Waitstaff is spot on, filling your water glasses and the like, without seeming intrusive, which is huge for me. First of all, parking. Best place to park is at the municipal lot on Beretania. You exit onto Pauahi, just walk over to Smith and down a half block. And there you are! They have a huge vegetarian menu - I would venture to say their vegetarian offerings are just as large as the ones with meat! You can get a sampler platter that basically offers all vegetarian dishes for $22 (1 order) or $41 (2 orders). So that's what we got, plus a chicken dish with jalapeños. Wow. Everything was super flavorful! Served with injera bread (and no utensils). Who cares! What is in that bread?! We had to order an extra serving and then thought about ordering even more. The chicken dish was not at all spicy - rather, it was savory with a blend of spices. We ended up having dessert in spite of ourselves and left just bursting at the seams. The place itself is relatively small, seating about 15 people all told. The bathroom is shared with other businesses around a shared courtyard, and is clean and tidy. Everything is quaint and you feel like you just want to explore! The vibe is very laid back and soothing. That said, we'll definitely return! This place is easy to find, pretty affordable, as well as being relaxing. Check it out! read more

Oahu doesn't have a lot of Ethiopian restaurant, this little restaurant in Chinatown is pretty good. Their food portion isn't too overwhelming, and the foods are special. They seem to be understaffed, and it took awhile (about half hour) to get main entree ready. But it worth the wait. read more

Ethiopian Love - Ethiopian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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One of my favorite spots here on the island! I am not a vegetarian by any means but I could eat this every day. I've been here a few times and brought a few people here as well and I've never had anyone say they didn't like it. *FYI - Location wise is a bit sketchy at night and neighborhood might be a little dangerous for someone to walk around alone. I usually start with their sambusas which are perfectly fried and crispy every time. The Ethiopian love sampler is honestly the best way to go in my opinion for variety. They give you a bit of almost everything to try with these rolled up injera (it's tasted a bit sour but very airy, spongey, and light). It doesn't sound appetizing the way I might've described but I highly recommend you try it! It goes so well with the food. I've also tried their Brussels sprouts and the Romi recently and it was amazing. They allow you to BYOB so I also highly recommend bringing your favorite wine/beer! read more

Overall, pricey place but tasty food especially if you're vegan! CASH ONLY - it doesn't say this but the waiter informed us at the end of our meal. We ordered sambussas, the vegetarian sampler, and the Romi. The food was delicious - sambussas were great, romi is phenomenal (they told us that the mushroom is cooked for hours and you can definitely tell the love that was put into it). That being said, the injera was not great - it was sticking together and falling apart if that's possible. Also, they charge for extra injera and don't give you enough, so we ended up ordering 2 extra rolls to match the amount of food given which was a bit annoying. read more

Boyfriend and I went last night for V Day! What place more appropriate than one with Love in the name? The musicians who were there when we got there were really good- two older guys, one with a guitar of some sort and the other with bongos- I kept being taken aback by how good they were. We got the sambussas to start, along with the cardamom tea, which were both good. The real star of the show was our Ethiopian Love Veggie Sampler- while a little pricey at $42 for two people, it was an experience the entire time, sooo delicious, and filled us up the perfect amount. We did have to wait a while for it, but our server apologized to us for the wait. The food was well worth it- every dish on the plate was so distinct and delicious. The yellow lentils spiced with cinnamon, and the greens, may have been my favorite- but the real magic was everything together, eaten with the bread as your utensil. I'm not a complete stranger to eating with my hands, and I love the opportunity to do it. The injera (bread) was also just so incredible by itself- it's got a beautiful fermented, sour flavor- and is especially good in chorus with the food. It's also BYOB, with a $3 per person corkage fee. Nice to have a beer alongside! Thanks Ethiopian Love, for helping to make our V Day special. read more

Ethiopian Love - The Ethiopian Love Veggie Sampler - Ethiopian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The most exciting thing about eating, in my opinion, is the moment when you eat something that engages all your senses. It's interesting to look at, it smells amazing, sounds like a tasty bite waiting to happen, feels like a winner, and then finally culminates in a mouthful of wonderful. Ethiopian Love is a winner in all these departments and then some. Initially, I was really not sure what to expect the first time I ventured into Ethiopian food back in California. In my ignorant brain, I imagined Ethiopians being a starving people, and likely not eating much of anything, never mind something amazing and thrilling. Boy was I wrong! When I moved to Oahu, I was struck with how much variety was available, but I was unaware that there was Ethiopian too. Once I found out, I fled the windward side, and dove headfirst into the restaurant. Once I stepped foot in the door, I was hooked. Immediately my nose was filled with the smells of lentils, teff pancakes, and spices galore. My mouth started salivating before I was even seated. All the times I've been here have been in groups, and I always feel like people are initially hesitant, but ultimately they all leave fans. My go-to is the vegetarian sampler which gives you a taste of everything, but the best thing on the platter is the red lentils, they will blow your mind. No matter how much injira or teff pancake that we order, it's never enough, so we just keep em coming. To drink, the flax and honey tea called telba will rock your world, both savory and sweet, it's a winner. For the meat eaters, the chicken dish is amazing, and the daily specials are not to be missed. In addition to amazing food, the service is fast and super friendly, and the prices are really good for how much food you get. I can simply not get enough of this place, it is phenomenal. The only issue I have is parking, but hey, that's a small price to pay for life on Oahu! read more

Ethiopian Love - So good - Ethiopian Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Although a little pricy for what you get, it's definitely worth going. My boyfriend and I thoroughly enjoyed our food. The atmosphere is dark, but inviting. The staff is friendly, informative, and talkative. I ordered the vegetarian sampler and never knew there were so many types of lentils! My boyfriend ordered lamb and was happy with his. The fact that you don't use utensils is different, but not weird. I recommend coming here, especially if you've never experienced Ethiopian food. It's always great to experience new things. It's also nice to support small local businesses right now. Glad we ventured in and looking forward to our next visit. read more