What a hidden gem. I stopped in for lunch and had the Doro Wot (#19), and it was one of the best meals I've had in Nashville. The flavors were deep, complex, and perfectly spiced. Everything tasted fresh and made with care. I couldn't believe there weren't more customers because the food was excellent. Family-owned restaurants like this deserve support. I'll definitely be bringing my family back so they can try it too. Five stars! read more

Doing let the outside of the building scare you away! The servers are nice and helpful. I had never had Ethiopian food and she helped us make our selections based on our spice preference. We ordered awaze tips which our server said was a spice level of 8 but I thought it was more of a 6. We also shared key wet (wat?) that was like a well spiced beef stew and not spicy at all. The gluten free injera was sour like sourdough bread and I really liked it. There are no utensils, you scoop the food with the injera which is soft and spongy. We ordered the special coffee and they roasted the beans and brought them out for us to smell before making the coffee. It's a 20-30 min process so order coffee with your food and not after you are finished eating. This was a pretty amazing lunch! read more

Gojo Ethiopian - 17. Key Wet, 10. Awaze Tibs, gluten free injera - Ethiopian Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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My friends and I went to Gojo for lunch on a weekday. I've been a few times before and their food was amazing just as it always is. I went with five other friends and we shared two meat and veg combos and one other meat dish which was a great amount of food for the six of us. I will also add that so often at first it seems like it might not be enough food, but the Injera that they serve with everything which is the bread that you use to eat, is so yummy and filling that you will feel so happy with the meal. We ordered the combos with Kik Alicha (Yellow Split Peas), Shiro Wet (Ground Chickpeas), Potato & Beets, Mushroom Wet, Key Wet (Beef), Yebeg Alicha (Lamb), Doro Wet (Chicken), and Minchet Abish Dega (Beef). Honestly, I could not always tell which dish was which, but they were all so yummy that it really doesn't matter (also you can totally tell which is which based on the great description from the menu haha). Can't wait to go back again in the future! Also parking can be a little tricky. I have never had a problem with parking since they do have their own parking lot, but depending on how busy they are it can get full so just be on the lookout for that! read more

Gojo Ethiopian - Two Meat and Veg combos - Ethiopian Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Want a restaurant with food from the one country in Africa that wasn't conquered by Europe? Me too, which us why I found myself in this café on a Sunday evening surrounded by a giant pothos plant, and diner seating. Atmosphere was fine, but expect a little better than waffle house vibe. Food was good, however the bread you eat your food with was super tangy and I couldn't finish my meal there. I ended up putting it over rice at home and it was delicious! Maybe I just like rice, that could be it. I won't be back (due to the tangy bread) but the rest of the food was good, and service was very good. read more

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Pretty good Ethiopian food. You get a lot for the value. This is great place to meet friends to catch up as they don't make you feel rushed. The tap water was a little funky but overall great experience. read more

Gojo Ethiopian - 32. Meat and Vege Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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DO NOT RECOMMEND!! My friends and I unfortunately had an awful experience! The service was not great and the ambiance was basic. We waited 20 mins before we were asked for our beverage order and even longer to order food. We stayed because of our excitement to try. The server kept forgetting our order and never told me the appetizer I ordered was sold out until I asked. I got the veggie plate and was disappointed because my food came out cold. My friends got the lamb and chicken, they hated it. I was told the meat was tough and not cooked well. Overall, none of us liked our food and will not go back read more

Food and service is amazing, the staff pays close attention the needs of the customers and the food is authentic.

I had lunch at Gojo Ethiopian on Sunday, February 2, 2025 at noon. Just decided to go out of the usual cuisines I'm familiar with to try some Ethiopian, which I experienced only once at a different restaurant several years prior to eating at Gojo. So eating with your hands and the injera bread is not unknown to me. I shared an order of the kitfo with the meat and veg combo, which consisted of the key wet (beef stew) and doro wet (chicken) for the meats, and mushroom wet and potato wet for the vegs. Of course, you can select any other combination of 2 meats and 2 vegs from the menu. The portion was generous and was perfect to share for two. Even though it had been a minute since I had Ethiopian, everything looked and tasted just like the first time. Ethiopian is best enjoyed when you share a platter of several scoop-able delicacies that have different spices and seasoning, all on top of a sheet of injera to soak all of the goodness. Each component pretty much had the same texture, but the flavor profiles are quite distinct from one another. So eating never felt mundane. The kitfo, which is an Ethiopian classic, had a unique spice kick to it. Unfortunately, the doro wet chicken only came with one chicken wing instead of two as described on the menu. With the platter being so spice-heavy and rich, a side of fresh salad would've been nice to balance everything. From the outside the restaurant may look unpretentious and outdated, but the inside was clean and well-maintained. The service was average considering there was only one person working front of house. Don't judge the book by its cover with Gojo because they sure can deliver humble and authentic Ethiopian food. read more

Gojo Ethiopian - 32. Meat and Vege Combo with 9. Kitfo - Ethiopian Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

My wife and I went here last week. We loved the ambiance, the pace of what we got to eat and of course trying a new food: Injera! Do not come here if you are in a hurry for a meal, but also make sure that the reason for your visit is to sit and enjoy the different flavors! We will be back! Menu recommendation: get the combination with two veggies and meats. Enough to feed two! read more

The exterior will scare away those who aren't prepared for the incredible cuisine. It's rare to have such a well prepared and seasoned meal. Absolutely one of the best meals I've had in a long time. read more

Gojo Ethiopian - Large dinner portion - Ethiopian Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Very solid vegan options and I didn't feel bad the next day like at some Ethiopian places who use low grade cooking oils. Love the basic no frills and unpretentious atmosphere. Just good food, and plenty of it. Great place to meet up with a large group of friends, no long waits and quick service. It was a fun experience. read more

I think that trying new foods is a great thing and if you haven't tried Ethiopian food before, that GoJo Ethiopian is worth the visit. That said, I have been to other Ethiopian restaurants (out of state) that I've enjoyed more. I would recommend a mix of meat and vegetables to get a variety of textures. The bread you scoop the food with is always delicious. read more

Unassuming place with great food. I liked that you could order a combination platter with your choice of two vegetarian and two meat options -- enough food for two people. read more

Love this place! Get the farmers cheese appetizer and a combo plate. You will love it all!

I'm not sure if it's because we got takeout, but I felt like Abyssinia Ethiopian has better flavors than Gojo. Since flavors aren't really impacted by takeout, I think it is just a matter of seasoning difference. The flavors at Gojo have less depth and richness compared to those at Abyssinia. I ended up getting the meat & veg sampler, with Key Wet, Yebeg Alicha, Tikle Gomen, and Shiro Wet. I also ordered the Awaze Tibs entree to try because of the rave reviews I've heard. It was sort of a bummer that you couldn't get Awaze Tibs and most of the other meats in the meat & veg sampler, but I guess that's just their policy. I would give everything a solid 7/10. The meats (Key Wet and Yebeg Alicha) were flavorful, and the Shiro Wet (lentil stew) was a really great texture. I loved the Tikle Gomen (cabbage) even though it wasn't as flavorful because it was a really great texture and brought a contrast of mouthfeel and greenery to the plate. The favorite, unanimously, were the Awaze Tibs. They were flavorful, spicy, and the meat was perfectly cooked. I just felt like the stews were lacking depth and richness that Abyssinia had. The yellow split peas at Gojo were also pretty dissapointing. You get a TON of injera bread (large pancakey bread with a slightly sour flavor) with each combo or entree, so don't fret about that. We had so much left, and it fills you up really quickly. read more

Thought we (4 of us) would try this and we were glad we did. We tried 2 appetizers and 4 meals and then we shared all of it. We all agreed that the vegetarian choices were our favorites. You tear off a piece of injera bread and use that to scoop up the dish. This is your typical small restaurant that knows how to prepare what they serve. It's not a fancy place but if you like something different, it's worth trying out. read more

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A whole new experience that I want to try again! The building is very unassuming but the food was standout. I started with the sambusas, which were steaming fresh and extremely flavorful and crispy. Then came the yebeg tibs. I love lamb and this was all I hoped and then some. A very savory and rich dish which was fun to eat using the rolled flatbread. I finished off with the traditional coffee and that was refreshing read more

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Great Ethiopian restaurant...smaller place with about 10 tables or so. There's a parking lot in the back. Dishes run between $14-20. I ordered the meat and veggie combo so that I could try a few different things. Everything was pretty good. The potato and beets was different than what I expected. It was more like collar greens. The service was friendly and quick. The food took about 20 mins to come out. read more

Gojo Ethiopian - 32. Meat and Vege Combo 29. Mushroom Wet 26. Potato and Beets 17. QeyW'et 19. Doro W'et - Ethiopian Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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There is parking around the restaurant. It's look like a house that was converted into a restaurant. We were greeted and seated quickly. There were fairly busy with a variety of group sizes. The service is slower paced so isn't a place to visit if you are in a rush. Our waiter made periodic appearances and was knowledgeable about the menu. I liked the green beans and the split peas. The yellow lentils were a little dry. The stew had a lot of flavor. read more

Gojo Ethiopian - 2 32. Meat and Vege Combo with green beans - Ethiopian Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Great Ethiopian food here in Nashville. We were a big group so we got Dora wet, chicken tibs, beef tips, vegetables combo. We loved our food and it all tasted great! read more

Gojo Ethiopian - a sign for a restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Here's the updated review with your additional points: Disappointing Experience at Gojo Ethiopian I am deeply disappointed with my experience at Gojo Ethiopian. The staff seemed completely unprepared and unable to communicate effectively with customers. I sent my daughter to place an order, and the interaction was frustrating from the start. The person on the other end was incredibly rude, couldn't understand English, and even walked away without any explanation. There was no "excuse me" or "let me come back"--just blatant disregard for basic customer service. My daughter, who speaks English fluently, had a terrible first-time experience. As someone from Somalia and Ethiopia, where English is commonly spoken, I found it shocking that they can't even manage basic communication in a restaurant setting. I understand not everyone needs to speak perfect English, but when running a business in the United States, you must know how to communicate with your customers. Additionally, I was charged $51.97 for a plate with extra vegetables. I was shocked by the high charge and the poor service I received. Send me pictures of the place; I'll post them everywhere. I don't care where you're from or what religion you follow--a bad review is a bad review. You can't treat customers poorly just because you're from Africa or speak a different language. Overall, this was an unacceptable experience, and I would not recommend this place until they seriously improve their customer service.!!!! read more

Gojo Ethiopian - Ethiopian Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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I came here with a few friends for lunch. The place is small, homey, and casual. The inside is filled with Ethiopian decorations, setting the vibe. It's tucked away on Thompson Lane so make sure to look for a bright blue building, or you'll miss it. There is limited parking in the back. If you're looking for a no frills, reasonable, delicious meal, come here! Yemisir Sambusa- A small deep fried patty filled with lentils. This was wonderfully crispy and the lentils were well spiced. A portion of my lentils inside were a little cold though, so I was a bit disappointed by this. Meat and Vege Combination- We ordered this with the Potato Wet, Shiro Wet (chickpeas), Yebeg Alicha (lamb), and Doro Wet (chicken). I think they mixed up the order and accidentally gave us each of the lentil dishes on the menu instead of only the Shiro Wet. However, I'm not complaining! Each dish, and I mean every single one, was cooked with a delectable unique taste. I highly recommend each dish we tried. Awaze Chicken Tibs- This was my favorite dish of the day! The chicken had just the right amount of flavor and kick. It came with a few extra enjeras on the side as well. During serving time, everything was combined on one plate to keep the authenticity of the dining experience. For a group of 4, we only ordered two mains and an appetizer. Their portion sizes are huge so this was just the perfect amount for us. I had a great experience here and plan to come back. read more

Gojo Ethiopian - 3. Yemiser Sambusa - Ethiopian Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Hole in the wall with some tasty Ethiopian food. Love that it's clearly family owned and operated and everything was delicious, including meat and vegetables dishes. Been multiple times and never disappointed. No alcohol but not necessary when you're having a nice, authentic, and affordable meal! read more

I've been eating Ethiopian food for over 20 years in well-known areas like Little Ethiopia in Los Angeles and across the country, so I had high hopes for GoJo Ethiopian with its 4.6 rating, but the experience was extremely disappointing. The exterior was noticeably dirty, and once inside the issues continued: the salad tasted strongly of Italian seasoning, the injera wasn't made with traditional teff flour and instead tasted like wheat--dry, old, and almost plastic-like--and even the gluten-free version didn't resemble real injera. The Doro Wat came with an egg so overcooked the yolk had turned black, the portion included only two small drumsticks for $20, and the veggie plate looked more like a tiny side. Even the water tasted as if it had run through old, unfiltered pipes, making me concerned about the overall cleanliness and freshness of the food. The images of the food on their website are also not a reflection of what is actually served. While both the server and the chef were incredibly kind, the quality and condition of the food and environment made this the worst representation of Ethiopian cuisine I've ever had, and I couldn't eat any of it. I would not recommend this restaurant. read more

Buffet was wonderful! Lovely service, so nice. Food was delicious. Very authentic. Injera was very fresh. read more

Gojo Ethiopian - Buffet - Ethiopian Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

This was the nastiest Ethiopian food I've ever eaten! The beef tibs were dry and hard and had no flavor! Maybe I went on a bad day but they should have never served food like that! Sorry but I will not eat there again! read more

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Oh man, the whole experience here was great! Phenomenal food for real. The atmosphere was great when we walked in, and it smelled soooo good! Like spices and incense! The food was ready very quickly, and there was plenty for me and my sister to share. We ended up eating the leftovers on the way to the airport lol. Our favorites were the mushroom tibs, collard greens, red lentils, and yebeg alicha. Definitely worth a try! read more

Gojo Ethiopian - 18. Yebeg Alicha, 27. Turner and Collard Grees, 11. Beef Tibs, 29. Mushroom Wet, 21. Miser W'et - Ethiopian Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Delicious. Authentic. Friendly service. I definitely recommend this place. Try it out! read more

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Wow, the flavors were remarkably good and the service was very kind. Don't turn away from what you see outside because on the inside you'll have an epicurean delight. This is a no frills restaurant, but what you may miss in frills is made up with the home-cooked, traditional vibe of the cuisine. We stopped in when they had their buffet so opted for that in order to get a taste of several items. It didn't disappoint! The variety of vegetarian dishes with lentils, to turnip greens, cabbage and more was outstanding. The goat and potato was some of the best goat I've had, and we raise and butcher our own goats. It was so tender, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. So glad we stopped by today. Next time we'll order from the menu as I've heard great things about their sambusas and other dishes. read more

Definitely an experience to try Ethopian food when you are in Nashville! A Combination of of different meats served on top of injera bread which is like sponge bread using your hands to pick up the food. The combination of spices and vegetables makes a delicious variety to make the dinner more enjoyable! We tried beef and lamb tips. Also have the Ethiopian coffee at the end. There is a small ceremony to enjoy the coffee which is pretty cool! read more

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I used to love this place. Unfortunately, downhill is the name of the game. Poor quality and execution of food. Start at some up and coming Ethiopian spots. read more

Delicious food! I was a little nervous about trying the Ethiopian food but the service was great and restaurant was quaint! I definitely return. read more

Gojo Ethiopian - Chicken sambusa - Ethiopian Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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lExcellent food! Authentic. I think it's family owned? Staff is friendly and the portions are quite large. Definitely order the Ethiopian coffee; comes with a lovely set that's worth it. Will definitely be back read more

Gojo Ethiopian - Ethiopian Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Great service, quick Togo. This was my first time I personally think it lacked seasoning. I ordered the veggie plate

Great service, great portions in a cozy spot. I got to try multiple meat and vegetarian items! Plenty of vegan options for my friend! read more

Gojo Ethiopian - Ethiopian Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Amazing food, amazing service. Some of the best Ethiopian food I've had, and that's saying something.

Went in for dinner on a Friday. Food was fine. Nothing special to be honest. We ordered a lamb dish and a veggie and meat combo - see picture below. Also ordered an appetizer which was a very small portion (for 7 bucks)z Our bill came up to over 50 after an adding of service fee (1.95, guess for using credit card?) read more

Gojo Ethiopian - Lamb and 32. Meat and Vege Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

First time ever trying Ethiopian food, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it! Food was authentic and had amazing flavor. Place was easy to find with a big parking lot. BYOB, which I dig. And customer service was great. Recommend it to all. I'll be back! read more

Gojo Ethiopian - Ethiopian Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

The food is the best Ethiopian I've had anywhere! With most Ethiopian restaurants, the service tends to be slow and/or disinterested, and Gojo is no exception. The injera is made with teff and is naturally gluten free. It tastes like a sourdough pancake and is very well made here, nice and moist. My favorite menu items are the yebeg alicha and the beef tibs. Favorite side/veggie item is the shiro w'et, second favorite is miser w'et. They also have an iced tea, which is spiced with things like cardamom, cloves, etc. It's delicious sweetened or unsweetened. The vibe here is interesting, but again, the food makes up for any service or ambiance shortcomings. This is my favorite restaurant. read more

Wow! The food here is amazing!! I loved everything I ate. I had the vegetarian sampler and the food was super flavorful and delicious! The service was attentive as well. I'd definitely come back here. I especially enjoyed the chickpeas. It had the right spice and a unique flavor. Can't wait to eat here again! read more

Gojo Ethiopian - 26. Vegetarian Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee