The wife and I spent our date night at Ertale. The restaurant has a warm and cozy feel that makes…read moreit easy to relax and enjoy the evening without feeling rushed. We shared Kikil (slow braised bone in lamb) and Firfir (pieces of injera soaked with seasoned sauce and beef) both dishes a definition of comfort food. What stood out just as much as the food was how genuinely welcoming everyone was. They made us feel right at home from the time we arrived until we left. Whether you're introducing someone to Ethiopian cuisine or planning a special night out, Ertale is a place. We'll definitely be back with the kiddos soon.

As an Ethiopian, I have high expectations for Ethiopian food, and Erta Ale absolutely delivered…read more The food was incredibly authentic, fresh, and full of flavor. Every meal on my plate was outstanding. Specially the Kitfo and Doro Wot. Beyond the amazing food, the hospitality and atmosphere made the experience even better. Without a doubt, one of the best Ethiopian restaurant in the St.Paul, MN. Highly recommended!

The food was amazing! So much flavor! We shared the biggest meat platter with started of the…read morerolls. Sooo much food! The rolls were delicious. . The waiter was very kind and friendly in explaining the food and with our service in general. The only thing detracting was it was a cold night and no way to avoid the cold air blowing in, every time the door opened. Therefore, I can't wait to go back in summertime and sit at the patio tables out front!

Great Ethiopian food, and beautiful restaurant. They also have a few tables outside and a bar in…read morethe back. The service was great and friendly. Very attentive. Wish they didn't use one use plastic ramekins when we dine in. And would love if they added some Ethiopian coffee to the menu. But the rest was fantastic.

Everything we had was so flavorful great service wings are a must have ! Price was good to will be…read moreback

One of the best dining experiences we had in a long time!…read moreUpon entering there, wasn't anyone at the hostess desk so we walked up to the counter and were quickly directed to the last remaining open booth in the restaurant. Our waitress came over and brought us water and menus right away. She asked if it was her first time there and we said yes, and she genuinely got excited about being able to explain the menu and the experience to us. She walked us through the options and made recommendations taking into account our an anticipated spice tolerance. We wanted to try a variety of things so opted for the half-and-half platter, which had three stews and three veggies - even though we were warned it might be a bit spicy. Based on her recommendation, we also got the rolled crispy kitfo roll appetizer. The food was delicious. Each bite had a different flavor and it was balanced well with the salads and veggies to tone down the spice when needed. Our favorites were the lamb stew and the beef stew but as we watched other items get delivered we were clearly making our list for what to try next visit. I can't understate how exceptional the service was. Our waitress was an absolute gem. She kept walked us through the menu, explained the way to eat the food with the injera and kept checking on us, even offering rice if it was too spicy. An extra bonus was we had a lovely couple next to us that had dined at the St. Paul location before and they asked us how we liked it, what our favorite was and also recommended a specific drink for our next visit. The food was great but the service and environment made it stellar. We will absolutely be back...hopefully soon!

Stopped here on the way to catch a flight home. A wonderful family owned restaurant. The seating…read morewas very American, I was hoping for more traditional basket tables and stools...but never the less clean and bright location. We were the only patrons at the time so service was good and fast. We ordered a variety platter of meat and veggies. The food was amazing. The beef top had great flavor and the chicken was tinder. Overall, this was a great experience. I do wish they carried Ethiopian honey wine, but they did have some good Ethiopian beer!

This is a nice family owned place, food always comes out hot and fresh but it certainly takes a…read morewhile so cut out at least 90 minutes for your visit. We got the Meat Combo Plater which had 4 different dishes included, all very tasty (see photo for description)! But I was left wanting a little more spice/heat. The menu say this player would feed 2 but I have a smaller appetite so I think it could easily feed 3 or 4. Also when you're ready to pay, you go up to the counter and wait for a person to appear to ring you up (which can be confusing if you've never been there before).

Love the food, everything is so great and the injera bread is always perfect. This is one of the…read morebest restaurants I've been to since I've been in Minnesota. It hard to find good food for a good price here.

This place was my go to 2 years ago. Moved back recently and ordered delivery but I was very…read moredisappointed. I did a combination meat and veggies- the meat was definitely lacking- just got a bunch of sauce. I also ordered a salad but this time it was haphazardly chopped up and very little, if any dressing. It's unfortunate but I'll likely order elsewhere next time.

First time here with fellow yelper Rhonda. I've had Ethiopian food at my clients' homes and it is…read moreso yummy. I ordered the vegetarian sampler that included lentils, beets, collard greens, cabbage with carrot and 2 other vegetarian items with injera bread. Also a vegetarian sambusa, as they were out of beef. What gives this a 4 star review is the service. The owner's wife I presume was also the cook and server. Warm water was served, so we asked for ice. I can't scoop the food into the injera properly, so I needed a fork. We needed more napkins. I needed a refill of water and she was sitting by kitchen. Also no asking how the food is. We needed to ask for checks and boxes. I also needed a knife to trim injera bread. As we were leaving, I assume the other owner, her husband asked how things were and was friendly. The sambusa needed a dipping sauce of some kind, but I just put beets on top. I like Ethiopian food and my clients that are Ethiopian are super friendly, but I have no desire to return.

I met Yelper pal Michelle A. and we tend to try things in Eagan Burnsville and AV. They don't have…read morezil zil tibs but I got tibs. They were super tender with a crunch on the outside. Loaded with onions which I love. But since there were no rosemary sprigs there was a lack of flavor. I got a side salad, dressing could have used more flavor. They serve tepid water so it will need ice. It's a place where you will be aware of being in a strip mall. Service was seriously lacking. The owner came in when we were finishing up and he was really friendly. My curiosity has been satisfied.

I like Ethiopian food. I've gone to most of the restaurants in town this was our first time here…read moresnd the food was particularly good.

I really wanted to like this place. Ethiopian is my favorite kind of food. I ordered the veggie…read morecombo to go, listed on the menu for $19.99. When my box of food came out, I went to pay and was charged $27 for the dish. Surprised, as she had said nothing to me when I ordered, the response was unapologetic: "the price has gone up ". When I got home and opened the box of food, there were just four dishes: three types of lentils and one of split peas, instead of the usual 6+ salad in an Ethiopian veggie combo.

Who doesn't love a restaurant that makes their own injera? Ummm, I was delighted that they have…read moreinjera here that is gluten free and you can buy a pack of 10 full size pieces (unlike other places when they say a piece that is NOT a full size piece) for under $15. You might say that's expensive, but it is a steal of a deal and absolutely worth it. The flavor profile was rich and well developed/ fermented. The texture was lovely and the thickness was on point. Ok, so my sister and I also loved this because we ordered a vegetarian combination for 2 people via delivery. Boy oh boy was my fat stomach super happy and my pieplate sized eyes overjoyed when the takeout/delivery container for the 2-person veg combination was a huge aluminum buffet style container that legitimately weighed at least 5 pounds with the 3 pieces of injera in addition to our other on the side 10-pack of gluten free injera. It was insane. So, folks, when people say this is a good deal for your money, that is an understatement. We two folks love Ethiopian food, and we could not finish it at all. The servings were deliciously generous for every one of the veggie dishes. There was the traditional salad that was made with spring greens mix, not just iceberg- very nice. There was also a raw cabbage salad, which I adored. There were all the other traditional dishes like green lentils, kik alicha, gomen, tikil gomen, misir wot, shiro wot, beets and fossolia. A nice addition to round out the 11 items was dinich wot, a lovely potato dish with pieces roughly the size of one-sixth of a potato cooked to tender and gently spiced perfection. We both loved the green beans dish, I loved the gomen and cabbage dishes, and my sister loved the shiro wot. All the flavors were fresh and balanced, with nothing being overly salted or greasy. It actually felt much healthier than some other places that overcook, over-salt and over-oil the dishes. This buffet dish could easily have fed 3 hungry people and 4 normal people (sorry, I do not have a normal appetite for Ethiopian food, I am a glutton for it!!). The food was prepared faster than expected and even with delivery, it was piping hot. Loved this Ethiopian restaurant for the freshness and healthful dishes in the vegan combination that was extremely generous in portion, sure flavorful and complemented by the best gluten-free injera I've ever had. I am sad I do not live next door or even in the same state, even though MN is a very large state... So good!!!!!! Dreaming of when I could go back....

Katar River Ethiopian Restaurant is a true hidden gem tucked away in a quiet corner of town--and it…read moredeserves every bit of praise. From the moment we stepped through the grocery store door, we knew we were in for something special. After walking through the grocery Store, the warm, inviting décor set the stage, but it was the food that stole the show. We began with the combination sampler platter, a colorful array of perfectly seasoned lentil stews, sautéed greens, and creamy split-pea dishes, each piled atop soft, fresh injera. Every bite was bursting with spice flavor. Next came the Doro Wat, rich and tomato-forward, with tender chicken simmers in a luscious red sauce that left us scraping the plate for every last morsel. We also tried the beef tibs, seared to order and tossed with fragrant garlic, fresh jalapeño, and just the right pinch of rosemary. What really elevated the meal, though, was the service. Our server Isaac was patient, kind, and deeply knowledgeable about the menu. When we hesitated over which combo to choose, he guided us toward the perfect balance of mild and spicy dishes--and he was spot on. It felt less like ordering off a menu and more like discovering family recipes. If you're craving authentic Ethiopian cuisine--fresh, artfully seasoned, and cooked exactly to your taste--make a beeline for Katar River. Whether you're a longtime fan or brand-new to these vibrant flavors, this restaurant is not to be missed. Highly recommended!