Jebena Cafe is truly a gem in Shoreline. This family-owned Ethiopian restaurant is one of those rare places that is consistently excellent every single time. The food is always fresh, beautifully prepared, and full of flavor--you can truly taste the love in every bite. The injera and dishes are incredible--rich stews, vibrant vegetables, and perfectly balanced spices. My go-to order is the vegan combination plate, and it's so generous it's easily enough for two people to share. Every plate feels like a colorful feast and everything tastes homemade. What makes it even better is the warm, welcoming atmosphere. The owners are genuinely kind and friendly and make you feel like part of the family the moment you walk in. They also roast and serve their own Ethiopian coffee, which is absolutely worth trying. There are plenty of Ethiopian restaurants around, but honestly I won't go anywhere else. Jebena Cafe is a place I happily recommend to everyone who loves amazing food and wonderful people. read more

Jebena Cafe - Vegan 21. Vegetarian Combination - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I really had not tried Ethiopian food at a restaurant before, and I have to say this was a great place to get started. I first should mention the vibes are just phenomenal. It's a pretty small place, but really feels like a home with all the simple art on the walls. I absolutely have to mention the lady who appears to run this place, who is one of the most delightful people I've encountered. She is truly a treat and so warm, caring, and impossible to say no to. The food we shared was the Meat Combination #2, which comes with kitfo (ground beef), Qey Wot (lamb stew), beef tibs, and a few vegetarian curries and other vegetables. This all came on a plate of injera, and injera came on the side as well. The size of this is truly massive. Despite ordering a single dish for two people, we were unable to finish it all. It's simply one of the biggest plates of food I've seen. I think this plate size is suitable for three hungry people, and possibly four. Quality-wise, I would say the majority of the food was solid, but nothing extraordinary. This starts with the samosas, which had a good outside but the inside felt a little bland. I liked the way most of the meat was cooked, particularly the lamb, but everything on the plate felt it was missing that kick of extra flavor. There really wasn't much spice here at all. Compared to Indian food, the closest approximation I have, you don't feel the same level of spices in the stews and curries found here. That being said, everything on this plate was still enjoyable because of how you could mix different things together. I loved mixing the cheese, ground beef, and some of the sauteed greens in one bite. This was all helped by how good the injera was. It was super thin, fluffy, and surprisingly tasted a bit sour when tasted on its own. The amount of air bubbles in this thing was crazy. It was the perfect instrument to get all the liquidy food on the plate into your mouth. For being just over $20/person, including tax + tip, this was an amazing deal. The amount of food you get vs the price is some of the best dine-in value you'll have in the city. Overall, a super cool and interesting place with a great value. 8.25/10 read more

Jebena Cafe - 18. Meat Combination 2 - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Delicious food and amazing service! Ever since Chef Cafe closed I've been so sad. I remembered I've been to Jebena Cafe a few times as a teen so I decided this was the place that should satisfy my cravings! The other reviews I have read are all great and it's for a reason! Walking in on a weekday a little after 1pm it wasn't too busy. Only one family was seated and they left shortly after we arrived. Then we had the whole place to ourselves. The interior is clean, welcoming, and cute. Service is extremely kind, nice, and helpful. We ordered some of my favorites. Lamb tibs, Doro wot, and a side of Shiro wot. The Lamb Tibs were my favorite!!!! So delicious and sooooo yummy! I devoured the Lamb Tibs! Food was so flavorful, delightful, and amazing! I highly recommend and can't wait to return! Try the Lamb Tibs!!! :) read more

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Cute little eatery in the Northgate, Pinehurst neighborhood. Great veggie, vegan options. We got the vegan combination platter and veggie samosas. Mom had the Ethiopian coffee and it waa good and strong. The Injera was tangy, soft and delicious. We will be back!!! read more

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Super cute Ethiopian diner with great staff. The lady who served us was super friendly and treated us like family! We came for dinner but they also recommend the breakfast foods. We got the Jebena combination and holy heck it's so much good food. The combination had good variety and flavor. The menu mentions that this serves 3 people but truthfully it's 4-5 people! read more

Jebena Cafe - 20. Jebena Combination - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We had been looking for good Ethiopian food and when Jebena Cafe was recommended by another chef we knew we had to try it immediately. The service is friendly and helpful. We got Meat combo 3, and substituted Chicken Tibs to Chicken Doro Wot. It comes with multiple lentils, spinach, cheese, chick pea sauce and salad. We loved all the items, the lamb Qey Wot and Chicken Doro Wot were amazing, the lentils were good, thee Spinach was some of the best I have had. We will be back to try more items, their brunch menu looks great too. read more

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One of my favorite Ethiopian restaurants in Seattle! It is a small intimate space and the workers are super nice! I tried the meat combo #1 which came wirh qey wot (spiced lamb) and beef ribs (cubed beef). Very delicious and affordable for the amount of food you get! read more

Jebena Cafe - Meat combo #1 - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I love Ethiopian food and is a vegetarian appreciate the many different options available to me. Jebena is in a neighborhood Rich with many different Ethiopian restaurants there is one literally next-door and the other one is across the parking lot. The owner was Uber, friendly and very nice stopping by several times to ask how I like the food had I ever had it before and continuing to offer me more injera throughout the meal. The veggies were plentiful and it's a huge portion. It was tasty and satisfied the craving for rich and delicious vegetables. I will say that it was a tad salty though not unpleasantly so everyone's going to have different tastes. The café is comfortable and there's a great outdoor seating area as well. Spice level varies so state your preferences upfront I like my food very spicy so she brought me the chilies and garlic mix. Bonus tip: if you're expecting alcohol, you won't find any but you're welcome to bring some in read more

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Best Ethiopian Food place in Seattle. Quality Injera Bread. HUGE Veggie Combo! Martha has been a timeless relic in the heart of the city. Heart-warming service. She goes above and beyond to care for the clientele and build community. This Business Owner survived cancer and her family helped her keep the ancestral and cultural food going for the local people. An honor to dine in here. They always hook it up! Blessed read more

I am without words! Ethiopian food is rather anomalous to me, having lacked any previous exposure. But in spite of that, Jebena Cafe - Martha, moreover - accepted my husband and I in and served us to some of the most splendid food in recent memory-- as if we were family. She was such a delight, straight away ushering us to the largest table in the establishment, and gracing us with her insight into what we'd like most. She couldn't have been more spot on. One truly couldn't hope for more out of a dining experience, and if not for our living a couple hours away, we be back tomorrow. All love to Jebena Cafe and Martha. :) read more

Jebena Cafe - 18. Meat Combination 2 15. Tilapia - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I've been craving Ethiopian food for so long. My friend suggest dinner here and I was so excited all day at work haha. I have never heard of this place but she's a regular here. Martha is the owner and cook here. I think she runs this place solo and she does an amazing job at all. I let my friend order since I'm not picky. She started with a meat combo and switched out the lamb for another beef since I can't have lamb and gored gored which is a hot raw beef in a buttery sauce. The meal was delicious! I told my friend I wasn't hungry but ended up eating so much the combo. I'll have to add this into my list of monthly visit. Service was fantastic and so was the food! read more

Jebena Cafe - Meat combo and Gored Gored with injera - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I had not eaten Ethiopian food for several decades so I decided to give it another shot. I found Jebena Cafe on Yelp and decided to try it based upon the great reviews and I'm very glad I did! I had the Jebena Combo, which is the largest meat combo, even though I was eating by myself as I wanted to try a variety of different things. All of the different dishes were amazing, but my favorite was the Doro Wot. The owner, Martha, is an absolutely lovely human being and the service was top notch. I will be back in the very near future to try more deliciousness from their menu! read more

Jebena Cafe - Jebena Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Just go. Never have I had lighter or tastier Ethiopian food. It was not heavy and flavors over the moon. The fried inari with spices - it will make a mess. The owner was incredibly sweet and fun to chat with. When we showed up, it's small inside, she is all "do you want to be outside?" A nice diversion given the great weather. We've been to three Ethiopian restaurants over a few years coming to Seattle regularly. I'm sad we dissent discover Jebena sooner. read more

Our service was amazing! Quick food and delicious Paid $25 for this which STUFFED 2 hungry people. Will definitely come again to enjoy. Best prices for Ethiopian platter ive seen! Martha is wonderful and so sweet! read more

Jebena Cafe - Jebena 18. Meat Combination 2 - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I was really disappointed with the Vegetarian platter and it was crazy expensive, I was charged over $25. It was really not clean inside and honestly I got sick after eating there, like I ate and within 15 minutes ended up vomiting and other stomach distress. The service was okay read more

I have not have this good food It was absolutely amazing and delicious. The fish curry was absolute perfection and heavenly read more

Jebena Cafe - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Jebena combo was a nice mix of meat and veggie sides. Coffee was fruity and delicious. The highlight though was the lady taking our order who was incredibly warm and sweet. She helped us decide what to order and she must've checked on us like 5+ times, seriously she is such a gem. Overall, would definitely recommend. read more

Jebena Cafe - Jebena combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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FOOD WAS EXCELLENT!! Order the chicken here. It is slow cooked; meat falls off the bone! It's very good. The SAMOSAs are outstanding, much better than their competitors. Order the crispy bread! No regrets. Drink the MANGO DRINK -- all the local Ethiopian places have the same mango drinks so it's all good, everywhere. THE INTERIOR WAS SUPER ADORABLE!! Such a quaint, cozy, family style place. Bright, colorful, the pictures depicting Ethiopian culture and things of beauty. Very pleasant. PARKING WAS GOOD!! Plenty of space even on busy nights. My only very tiny, gentle recommendations are: [A] Go lighter on the salt. The vegetables had too much salt. Use a little more black pepper. [B] Busy nights like Friday and Saturday; maybe have more than 1 person working with the public. You need more hands taking orders, bringing the food out and cashing folks out. At least 2 people doing those duties and tending to the diners. That poor woman was working alone. All in all, a very good experience. read more

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Jebena!!! Best ethiopian in Seattle. The ?owner? is SO sweet. She makes you feel right at home. All the food is so flavorful and fresh.

Ate here for lunch w/a friend, and ordered the Jebena Combination. Food was delicious w/an amazing blend of herbs and spices, and the portions were huge! I loved the Kitfo (seasoned ground beef), and vegetarian sides (esp. spinach and red and yellow lentils). The Injera bread was warm, fresh and so tasty, I could have eaten it all by itself for a meal! The service was very attentive - we were checked on multiple times and asked how our food and drinks were. I rarely eat Ethiopian food, because not many restaurants serve this cuisine, and this place is a drive to get to, but I'll definitely come back again! read more

Martha is a gem! She and her brother make the food fresh everyday. The combination plates are generous and delicious and the service makes you feel like family. Wonderful place!!! read more

Small unassuming restaurant in the north Seattle area. They have a little parking lot for the strip of businesses but there is also plentiful street parking since it's pretty residential. We were greeted super warmly by a lady I'm assuming is the owner? I have to say. She is HER. She is MOTHER. From the moment we walked in the doors to when we said bye, it felt like we were eating at our family's house. We ordered the jebena combo to share amongst 2 people and omg we were stuffed. Standout items on that combo platter were the spinach, the chicken drumstick, and the lamb. But honestly everything was so good. The injera is nice and fluffy and when the owner saw that we were running low, she came to bring us another one. So nice Absolutely will be coming back, 1000000%. There's sadly not a lot of Ethiopian or Eritrean restaurants in the area, so this was a lovely find. read more

Jebena Cafe - Jebena combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I'm from Oakland, CA, where excellent Ethiopian food is easy to find--but this place tops them all. The lentil samosa literally melted in my mouth, and the cilantro sauce was perfectly spiced. The veggie combo was unbelievably fresh (everything here is made daily), and the coffee was spot on. I even purchased a bag of coffee beans that they roast themselves. On top of the incredible food, the owner's warmth and kindness made me feel like I was right at home. Beautiful ambiance, and amazing vibes. Jebena cafe is truly a hidden gem--hands down the best Ethiopian food I've ever had. read more

Idk how anyone could give this place bad review. Great service and atmosphere, lots of parking, reasonably priced, delicious food, and accommodates to dietary restrictions. Will be back CALL IN ADVANCE FOR GF INJERA! read more

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Everything was so good, and the service was amazing. We got the jebena combo and samosas and between the 3 of us we couldn't finish everything. read more

Jebena Cafe - 20. Jebena Combination - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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The food tasted really good and came out quickly. The vegetarian combo fed two people. Staff was kind and attentive. read more

Jebena Cafe - 21. Vegetarian Combination - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Best Ethiopian food we have ever had. The service was super friendly and timely. Our entire family and guests really enjoyed all of our food, coffee, and mango juices. read more

After trying (and loving) Ethiopian food for the first time at Cafe Salam a few months ago, my sister and I were eager to try Jebena Cafe, especially given the rave reviews. Three of us shared the Jebena Combo, which was amazing value at $23.50 -- we initially were skeptical of the menu claim that it would serve 3, but the injera fills you up and we were all quite satisfied upon completing it. I actually preferred the veggie options, but that's probably because the meats were all too spicy for me -- apparently, if you order the Beef Tibs as its own entrée, you can choose to have it hot or mild, but as part of the Jebena Combo you can only get it spicy. The injera was a solid vehicle for the dips but wasn't the best I've had, and I found it a little too sour, with non-crispy edges. Otherwise, the food did take an hour to come out, and then another 30 minutes to get our bill despite repeatedly asking for it, but service was super friendly and it seemed like the two owners were essentially managing all of the cooking and service. read more

Jebena Cafe - Jebena combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Our favorite Ethiopian restaurant in the Seattle area. Food is delicious, the space is clean and comfortable, and the service is warm and friendly. read more

This place is excellent! I always forget to take a picture before digging in; will try to remember next time. My husband and I ordered the veggie combo and added beef tibs. It was the perfect amount of food for us + our toddler. Our toddler can't handle too much spice- no problem. They made some dishes mild for him. He really enjoyed the yellow lentils and injera. The owner is so kind and loves children! She made us feel very comfortable and was really helpful with deciding what we should order. Ambiance is very casual, which is what we want when bringing a little one. The food is served at a great price point too. We will definitely be regular customers. read more

We always get the veggie platter and it's great. Friendly service. Consistent quality. Some dishes are spicy so be aware of this. Hometown feel in the city. read more

A great place for Ethiopian food in Seattle! We came Friday night for dinner and luckily we made a reservation beforehand for a party of 5 since when we got in, all the tables were basically full. FOOD: Got the samosas and 2 Jebena Combination (feeds 3 each). The portion size is SO GENEROUS. We even had left overs even though the combination feeds 3. The Jebena Combination offers a variety of veggies and meat which was perfect for us because it allowed us to try a little bit of everything from the menu. My personal favorite was the spinach! It's tradition to eat with your hands so just a heads up if you've never been to an Ethiopian restaurant. The injera was spongy and was so good :) I was so full from this meal. SERVICE: The woman who took our order and brought us our food was so sweet and nice. She checked in multiple times to see how we were doing. AMBIANCE: A small and cozy place. There's plenty of parking outside. Overall, it's a great place :) I'd come here again in the future. read more

i usually never leave reviews but i went here for the first time today and it was so delicious!! i had never tried Ethiopian food before and it was incredible. everything was so tasty and well made. also, the woman who served me (i'm assuming the owner) was so so sweet and welcoming. I felt at home and i can't wait to go back. the patio was so cute and the ambience was amazing. this definitely is my go to spot now! (couldn't wait to take a picture and already dug in a bit) read more

Jebena Cafe - 17. Meat Combination 1 - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This place is so good!! I came here with a friend and the whole experience was amazing! The lady was so kind and welcoming, she made sure we were enjoying the food and gave us booth seats even though we were two people! The walls are decorated with beautiful Ethiopian art and there is chill Ethiopian music in the background. The food was amazing!! Everything was so well flavored, the meats were cooked so well, and the injera had the lovely fermented flavor. The meat combination was a full balanced meal for two people, and was priced like a meal for one! There were veggie sides, lentils, and meat stews, and they changed the spice of one of the meat dishes to be lower since it was next to a spicy dish on the plate, so they have great attention to detail. One of my favorite food experiences to date! read more

Jebena Cafe - Meat Combination #2 - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Spent a week eating out in Seattle quite a lot, and this was the best meal I had that week. Three of us split the Jebena combination, and it was this huge platter with tons of amazing food. The menu describes it as: "All of our best! A generous platter of Kitfo, Qey Wot, Beef Tibs, Doro Wot, and Veggie Sides." I am here to tell you that it was like a theme park of flavor. Every bite was uniquely delicious and superbly prepared. The ambiance is that of a small, family-owned Ethiopian restaurant and our service was exceedingly attentive and friendly. Holy smokes this food is good. read more

Jebena Cafe - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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What an absolute gem! Truly the most soulful and flavorful Ethiopian cuisine I've had since moving to Seattle. The veggie platter was a vibrant symphony of spice and texture, and the samosas--crisp, golden, unforgettable. The woman who I believe owns the place radiates kindness and grace, welcoming you with a warmth that lingers long after the meal. A place where food, heart, and hospitality come together beautifully. read more

Amazing owner, incredible authentic Ethiopian food, very good positive vibes in this small cozy restaurant she it's bustling flow of patrons. I enjoyed the beef cubes with okra in red sauce. So delicious! Check it out. read more

What can I say really? The owner is such a sweet lady who has been making such amazing food! I always get the meat platter that just hits the spot! I'm stoked to have moved back close to here. Gonna be a regular again! read more

As an East African in Seattle, finding places the really remind me of home can sometimes be a bit of a challenge. A friend and I decided to give Jebena Cafe a shot and we were not disappointed. The service was amazing. Our needs were catered to perfectly and the meal was absolutely delicious . I'm not the biggest spice fan, but one of the spicy meat option on our plate was to die for. The traditional music coupled with the traditional artwork gave off such a peaceful atmosphere. I honestly enjoyed every second spent at Jebena's and I will definitely be back again. Asante sana, Jebena! read more

Jebena Cafe - Meat Combination 2 - Ethiopian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The food is very flavorful and delicious. We ordered the meat combo for 3. It was more than enough food for us. Highly recommend it. The service was quick and friendly. Amazing service. read more

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