I've already mentioned that when I moved back to Vancouver from DC, I feared I would be deprived of the Salvadoran and Ethiopian foods I had come to love there. How lucky I felt when I moved near the Drive, and found that both those cravings could be amply served across the street from one another, at Rinconcito Salvadoreno and Harambe. I eat here a lot, pretty much always sharing the vegetarian combination with my companions. (The Ethiopian Orthodox Church requires members to "fast" from meat two days a week, and throughout Lent, so unlike so many traditional cuisines, veggie dishes are authentic, not an invention for the sake of carnophobe Westerners. There are usually an assortment of legume dishes, as well as some leafy greens - spinach or collards - and a tasty blend of carrots, cabbage and potato. YUM!) I recently went with some carnivore buddies of mine who were visiting from out of town, though, so we added the fish tibs and some doro wat (chicken stew with hard boiled egg) to my usual order. It was all fantastic. And I learned something! One of my friends grew up in Kenya, and it turns out that Harambe (actually Harambee) is a Swahili word, meaning "all pull together", not an Amharic word at all. I wonder how often that happens in Vancouver, without most of us noticing...I remember a friend of mine being profoundly amused by a now-defunct sushi place with the Mandarin name Sui Sha Ya... At any rate, the name may not be authentically Ethiopian, but the food is deliciously so. Go forth and feast! read more

This is a lovely little spot on commercial drive and it was actually my first time coming here. I've often heard about Harambe in regards to local Ethiopian food and they did not disappoint. When we came, there was one lady running the show and I applaud her for doing it all by herself. She was attentive and accommodating. I've only been regularly visiting one other Ethiopian restaurant in Vancouver and the food at Harambe is just as delicious! I love the atmosphere with the great artwork on their walls. We had their veggie combo for two and it was more than enough food for the two of us. Very tasty and well spiced, my particular favourite is the stewed lentils and cabbage. Was more than enough food and she was generous to throw in extra injera and an extra scoop of lentils to our take home leftovers as she saw we enjoyed that part so much! Overall, a very tasty meal with good service from the mighty lady running the show. read more

Harambe Restaurant - Veggie Combination w/ injera - Ethiopian Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Overall Impression: **** Food: **** Service: ***1/2 Environment: **** Price: **** I've been to Harambe a number of times in the past few years and I'm happy to see that quality and quantity have been maintained! Food: Food here is best enjoyed with a couple of friends. For about $40, you can get a platter for four with a good mixture of the different foods that Harambe has to offer. The staple of the meal is injera which is a thin, spongy flat bread which tastes similar to sourdough. If you order the platter, the various dishes will come on top of the injera, and you are given extra injera to eat with (no forks, knives or spoons provided or needed!). Simply tear off a piece of injera and grab your desired dish. The foods are similar to indian curries, though the flavoring is different, and not at all spicy (hot). As others have mentioned, the lentil dishes are quite tasty, and though I'm not a vegetarian, I prefer these dishes over the meat dishes as they are more flavourful. Service: The owners and servers are nice people, but a little on the slow side. So go to Harambe with the intention to hang out and take it easy -- the best way to enjoy the place. Environment: Nicely decorated and spacious. Clean and organized. Price: very reasonable considering how full you'll be by the end of the meal! Be warned: your hands are going to get dirty, but that's part of the fun :) Dating tip: I've had a few friends go to Harambe on first dates with great success ;) read more

I was with Yunn in the group of 10 and I have to agree with her review completely. The platter for 6 was perfect for trying out a variety of their dishes, especially since most of us had never had Ethiopian food before and didn't know what we would or wouldn't like. I appreciated that they split the platter into 2 different serving dishes (each containing several small mounds of the different foods) so that it was easier for everyone at our long table to get to the eats. And if I had to pick a favourite from the platter it would definitely be the lamb stew. Holy crap that was some good stuff. Injera bread is definitely an acquired taste, but once you get used to the sourness of it, it's very tasty. And so fun to use your hands for everything! The service was quite slow (even though it wasn't busy at all), so if you're looking for a quick meal this might not be the best place, but everyone was very friendly and helpful, even schooling one of our party on the correct pronunciation of the honey wine (no, the word isn't mead... I can't remember what it is). This likely won't become one of my usual stops but I'll definitely be back. read more

My boyfriend and I ordered the 2 person meat platter (Chef's Combination) and gluten free injera. It was good! The injera was much better than at other Ethiopian restaurants I have been to. It was less sour. The place was super busy. Nice place to try if you want something different and like supporting a family-owned business. read more

I like this little joint. It's local restaurant and has the feel of it. The atmosphere is warm and friendly. Every time I go here here is a good consistency. I always order the chef's platter because it gives a variety of veggies and meat. I haven't quite mastered all of the names of the dishes get, but I'm on my way! The price of the meal is always fair, and the thing that always brings me back is the fact everything is served on this massive sourdough-tasting crepe. It combines one of my fav breakfast/lunch/dinner/snack foods with my favourite bread flavor. Complete win! One thing I really appreciate about this type of meal, too, is that it is balance, and there's a good amount of variety. This is a fun place to go to because, like most Ethiopian restaurants, you eat with your hands. It would be pretty fun for kids. Also, it's a good way to widen anyone's palate. Give it a go, and don't ask for a fork! :) read more

The food here is amazing and I'm sure that's why they get such good ratings. The service DEFINITELY leaves something to be desired though. It takes forever to get a server to your table, we almost always have to summon them. I went this evening with 3 friends, we had to wave her over every time. I actually got up to get our own water once. (It was not that busy in there). When it came time for the bill the server was not able to split the bill up, we had to calculate it for her and it took forever for her to bring over the debit/credit machine. If the service was better I'd definitely be giving it 5 stars. read more

Harambe is my favourite Ethiopian restaurant in town. Every time I get a craving for Ethiopian ( approximately once every 3 - 4 months) this is where I always end up. The non-vegetarian share plate comes in a huge platter, so we just roll up our sleeves and dig in with our hands. Fun thing to do with some friends and the food is always yummy. Can't even begin to imagine what spices go into all the different stews and curries. read more

Harambe Restaurant - Non-vegetarian platter for 5 to share. Yum! - Ethiopian Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Ugh, bad service. I mean bad. Borderline rude, slow and mostly non-existent. Food was authentic Ethiopian but really average, I've had much better. There were four of us, and none of us enjoyed the place. Not worth your time or money. read more

.. I was there with Shannon and Yunn. What can I say; we travel in packs. Harambe was nice inside, and the server friendly (when he was around). His suggestions were very helpful for a bunch of newbs who had no idea what they were getting into, and we all had a great time with a lot of food we'd never tried before. I'm eating my way around the world, and I'm finding that things that are meant to tickle the "sour" portion of your taste buds are not for me. I don't disagree that the food is really good; I just don't think that this particular cuisine is for me - I enjoy traditional curries much more. Still, I'm glad to have had the experience! read more

Now this is a fun restaurant. First of all, the interior is warm, cosy, and spacious, the staff are open and friendly, and the lighting is dim and moody. The reason why Harambe is fun however, is because of the food. We ordered a lamb and chicken dish that arrived with a massive circular plate of bread, which looked very similar to a pancake. You eat the food by placing it on the bread and then rolling it up and placing it in your mouth - the whole while using your fingers as utensils. My boyfriend and I had a great time here. It was like nothing we've done before, and having not eaten Ethiopian cuisine previously we were rather impressed. The spices they use are interesting; probably not my perfect combination, but this restaurant gets ten points for atmosphere and originality. The only downside is that the food took a very long time to come out. We ordered a simple salad that took forever to appear (albeit it had a DELICOUS dressing on it), and our main meal took even longer. But it was worth it, and we would definitely come again. read more

Since I came with a large group and ordered two assorted platters, the waitress switched up some of the items so that we could sample a wider variety. We also supplemented the platters with some meat dishes (both cooked and raw). The food is certainly filling, since you eat every bite with a morsel of injera bread. We had a great time bantering over the bread and sipping the honey wine, which none of us cared for. At the same time, none of the food stood out in particular, and some of us mumbled that we've had better Ethiopian elsewhere. read more

I've been to Harambe now twice. It's a fun little restaurant with a good atmosphere. Both times we've ordered the veg sharing plate, but the first time added a lamb dish as well, which ended up being too much to eat. It's good food and fun to eat as you use bread rolls to scoop up your food. Our service was a bit slow last time we went, but I think that's mostly the casual atmosphere of the restaurant - just pretend like you're in Ethiopia and have all the time in the world and you'll be fine. I did not know we could bring our own wine or I definitely would have. Although they had bottles listed on the menu (only countries, no names or even if they're red or white), we couldn't actually get a bottle so I was stuck ordering only by the glass. It is a fun place to go though and I am definitely interested in going back with a big group. read more

Never had Ethiopian food and always wanted to give this place a try. We got here after loooooonnnnggg @ss movie(Blade Runner 2049, spoiler: stick to original). Got into restaurant at 10pm on Saturday night and got seated right away. We had no clue. I mean no clue on food or drinks or anything. When my partner inquired about the honey wine, our server was friendly enough to bring out the big shot glass for us to try. We both loved the taste. It taste homely/homemade. I would recommend it if you are weak on alcohol as it didn't taste that strong, more like sweet juice without tasting artificial/chemical like. Our drink came out first while food was getting ready for us. As we read the reviews here and looked through photos before coming we were quick to order Chef's Special for two. And it was absolutely delicious to us. Bread that comes with it came out in heaps in the the basket. As lot of people have mentioned it's very sour but in our opinions it goes well with the flavours of the food. Bread itself is not warm, but very springy textured. Some food are from mild to somewhat spicy(and I say somewhat because I have high tolerant level). Our server was sweetest too. You don't see that in Vancouver anymore. Also enjoyed the atmosphere of seeing owner(?) chilling with his friends on the bar. Overall the casual atmosphere and food made it a great place for contemplating the movie Blade Runner 2046. What the hell happened to the classic? read more

There's no doubt about it. It's something new. It seems authentic. The food was yummy. The rotti was soft and warm and moist. I have two complaints: the service was super slow. We waited for 20 minutes for our order. We wanted to try the platter for two which consists of lamb, beef, chicken and veggies. We asked if it's ok to remove beef and lamb and have chicken and veggies only. The waitress assured us that they'll triple our chicken and omit lamb and beef. It didn't happen. When we got our order the platter had all 3 meats - lamb beef and chicken. I was gonna complain but since my friend eats lamb and beef we just decided she'll have those and I'll have the chicken. They were lucky we were starving. What a lousy service. I could have ordered the fish dish. read more

I've loved this place since I first moved to Vancouver. It's perfect for groups and sharing. I've liked everything I've had here. I give four stars because I've found in recent years that the food and service can be a little hit or miss. I've always had a good experience, but it's not always *great* like it used to consistently be. Definitely recommend as a unique Vancouver experience, though. read more

I was going around for a while and I finnaly decided to stop by for a lunch. I have to say I really enjoyed atmosphere of that place, incredible paintings,music.. I ordered veggie combo and I was satisfied,lentils were seasoned just beautifully,little spicey but not too much, cabbage was kinda sweet, everything colorfull how I imagined.. I just wish additional injeras were warm. Servise fast although little bit of smile would be nice..overall pretty good place for lunch! read more

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Wow! It's not often your taste buds experience such a pleasant surprise. Janet and I shared the vegetarian platter, but I had a meat sampler on the side. Everything was delicious and savory. This is such an exotic adventure, anyone with a thirst for the unfamiliar should try this place!! You can even eat with your hands. Atmosphere was cozy and eclectic. We sure will be going back! Sincerely, Earl and Janet read more

My first time having Ethiopian was with a birthday group of 12. Spicy curries and lots of vegetables, like a smokier, goatier Indian style food. Flat bread had a hint of being a sourdough, a vinegar bite almost. Good, but not my style. read more

The food here is delicious!!! I am visiting from out of town and there is lots of Ethiopian food in my home town, but the dishes here standout from any I have had before! The food is fresh, flavorful, and each dish has its own distinct flavor instead of blending into a similarity with the others. I give it my highest recommendation. read more

Harambe Restaurant - Chef's choice was incredible! - Ethiopian Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Won't go there again. I don't find the food very tasty? The bread is good, but the food isn't. I don't see how this restaurant has such a high rating. The food is average. And the service. Omg it can't be any slower. SUPER slow. The waitress needs to be faster. Bad service. And the food came super slow too. Won't go there again. read more

Save your time and your money. It took over an hour for average food to come. Maybe they were understaffed, but, needless to say, I hate this place. Never going again read more

Having not been to Ethiopia yet, this is the best Ethiopian food I've had, bar none. We always get the chefs choice for N people and everything in it is delicious. They're also open late which is convenient. Highly recommended! read more

Special occasion spoiled due to terrible customer service. We were first to arrive and once the restaurant filled up, we were asked to move, twice. Once, right in the middle of eating our meal!!?! The staff left us feeling like a nuisance for eating there. Food: tasteless except one lentil dish had a touch of berbere. If you want all Teff flour injera (authentic Ethiopian) it is 10 dollars extra for two people. Expensive, tasteless and unpleasant. Better Ethiopian available in Vancouver. Avoid the place. read more

They have the best seasoning of all the ethiopian restaurants I've tried in Vancouver. My husband and I go there regularly and always order the veggie platter and one of the fish dishes. I love the paintings on the wall, the lively music and warm service. One of my favorite spots in Vancouver! Oh I almost forgot as well their ethiopian bread is fluffy, tangy and very filling read more

I was really keen to try Ethiopian food and it was pretty darn tasty! I wasn't a huge fan of their traditional honey wine (like mead). It was really smoky like smoked Gouda. Should have had beer. They could use some help with their beer/wine list for sure! Our server (likely the owner) was really welcoming and friendly. He could have used the help of at least one other person on the floor though. It was busy and service was slow but we weren't too rushed. Two of our group were vegetarians so they shared the vegetarian platter for two. The other four of us were going to have the regular platter for 4 but our host suggested we go for the platter for 3 and add a chicken or fish dish so we did. The flavours were really good and some items were spicier but nothing too crazy. The spongy bread is different. Not my favourite but it was ok. The platters didn't look like they were going to fill us up but as you have to use the bread to get the food into your mouth (no utensils here) you kind of fill up quickly. I tried using some of the bits of lettuce instead as scoops for the good stuff. It worked, kind of. They were sweet and let us bring in our own birthday cake. When we offered him what was left of the ice cream cake he happily accepted. I'd definitely give this place another try and order dishes instead of the combo platter to really know what I was eating next time. read more

Ordered a veggie lover's combo for three- textures were very satisfying, and all ingredients were well seasoned and flavourful without being excessively salty. Service was friendly, but very slow and inefficient, which is especially challenging with young children. read more

First, let me tell you I am addicted to lentils. Green lentils, red lentils, French lentils, split lentils. I love lentils more than is probably morally decent and wholesome. I've been to Harambe multiple times over the past couple years I've lived on the Drive. I adore the Mesir Wat (red lentil stew), so my partner and I opted to order the vegetarian combo platter for one (which already includes Mesir Wat) and another whole order of Mesir Wat. Our server had barely brought our drink order to us when our platter of lovely veggie goodness, the extra lentils, and injera arrived. The food was as delicious as it always has been each time I've gone. The injera was tangy and spongy and ready to soak up all the glorious Mesir Wat I could get past my lips. Our water glasses were refilled when empty and we were asked mid-meal how everything was. After we'd finished eating we sat and chatted for a while waiting for the server to ask us if we'd like another drink or the bill, but she never did. At this point I had to flag her down to get additional service, but it was admittedly quite busy in the restaurant by this time so I didn't feel we were being ignored on purpose. She was very prompt with the bill once I asked for it. I will eat here again and again, and introduce the delights of the communal Ethiopian meal to anyone who cares to join me. read more

this is the only place in the city that I have been for Ethopian. And I must say the food is AMAZING full of taste and very filling. If your tired of having the same old sushi that the city has to offer. Pull up a pillow on the floor with some friends and have a great spiced meal that you eat WITH YOUR HANDS !!! read more

We ordered the chef's special for 2. It came with plenty of food but had the same dishes for each person. We also tried the peanut soup which was tasty but needed more chicken. Overall everything was good but in my opinion it was over priced. You can get a far better deal with even better food south of the border in Seattle. The Ethiopian food there is so good that it might be worth the trip in of itself. read more

I'm sad to say the food quality and service have gone down significantly. I ordered a veggie combo for take-out, specifying that I can't eat green beans or potatoes. Ten minutes after placing the order I got a call back from the wait staff; she wanted to confirm she got my order correct. She thought I wanted the meat dish so I appreciated the call. I took the food home and realized that the dish contained both green beans and potato. So I couldn't eat part of the dish. The chickpeas and lentils were still a bit starchy and hard. The last few times I've eaten here, about a half cup of oil saturated the injera and leaked out onto the plate. I'm going to try and find a different Ethiopian restaurant. read more

Fantastic restaurant! highly recommend if you are new to the Ethiopian cuisine. Very good prices and the staff is very friendly

i've never had ethiopian food before, so i can't comment on how authentic it was, but i can say it was pretty tasty. we got the big combo plate of everything to share, and it was a good choice (and too much actually, we ended up leaving with leftovers). you got to try a bit of everything - the meats, veggies, lentils, etc. it was served on a huge dish with a side of these crepe-like pieces, which you tore off and wrapped around the different meats and veggies. paired with ethiopian wine (which was served in a beaker-like glass and was kind of strange-tasting at first, but got better with every sip you took), it was a great meal overall. whether it was authentic or not, it sure felt like a complete cultural experience. the decor and how the restaurant was set up was really cute, and they even had an "authentic ethiopian seating area". it was great to try something new and so different to anything i have ever tried before. read more

Try the veggie everything! Awesomely delicious! But the combination platters are huge! A group of 4 could easily eat the platter for 3 and be SO FULL! read more

Went for a late lunch early dinner. Was seated and only one waiter. She was working her butt off and we could tell but we had to wait quite a while to get service. The coffee and veggie platter was delicious and the atmosphere was great as well. Small building with colorful, nicely decorated walls. Overall we really enjoyed our meal but the only major complaint was the the time it took to get our food, bill, water, etc. read more

My favorite restaurant in town. My girlfriend and I live nearby and come here frequently. The spices in everything are so on point. We usually get the veggie platter for two and it's the perfect meal for the two of us; healthy and varied while also very filling. Any of the veggie or meat dishes are excellent though; haven't ordered something from here that I don't like. Good prices too. The honey wine here is especially delicious. The atmosphere is great as well. Nice earthy tones and beautiful art on the walls. Good ambiance and the owner is friendly. The service can be a bit slow on a busy weekend night but that's the price you pay for having such excellent food. Definitely take the time to check this place out if you live in Vancouver. It is unlike most other food in the city and well worth exploring. read more

I love this place! The food is amazing. I first visited Harambe in December 2010 with a group of friends and was impressed by the food and the flavours. Since then I have been there at least 10 more times with a different friend each time and each one of them had never had Ethiopian before and they all loved it. Each time I had vegetarian except once I had the fish. I didn't care much for the fish but that's probably because I'm mostly into vegetarian dishes. I found that at each visit I always had to wait a little long for the bill even though I had finished my meal a while ago. I like the paintings on the walls, which are all for sale. I would definitely go back. read more

Now I'm biased because I love ethiopian food, so take what I say for a grain of salt. I'm not sure what it is about this place but it makes me lose my mind. By far my favorite Ethiopian in Vancouver. I leave here in pain from overstuffing myself on the vegetarian combo platter. Ambiance is also great! read more

Harambe seems to be going from strength to strength ... a recent reno means that the bar area is more open, and new menus smarten it up too. My family and I have been visiting Harambe regularly for around 8 yrs, but within the last year have noticed that the standard of food has been getting better and better. And it was good in the first place! We usually eat the vegetarian platter, which is beautifully presented and good value. The food is well spiced, and we have taken friends there who weren't so keen, but most people we know are of the same opinion! Harambe rocks! The service is also excellent - we are always greeted with a friendly smile, and we never feel like we're being rushed or hassled (this can happen when you have two kids in tow). The interior design means that it is airy and pretty in summer, but also very cosy on cold/wet Vancouver winter evenings ... it's always a winner! read more

Amazing Ethiopian food. I love their veggie options but everything is delicious. The servers are always lovely and courteous. I love the art and decor as well as the music too. Great place to bring a group or grab takeout, either way the portions are big and it is always so delicious! read more