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Seattle, WA

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Kebena Ethiopian Restaurant

4.6 (31 reviews)
Closed • 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

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Kitfo
Renate H.

Food: Kitfo- medium raw: flavorful and sharable (for 2) Service: fast, friendly, and efficient. Ambiance: cozy but enough room to fit comfortably. Drinks: Ethiopian wine (sweet) and beer (light) I look forward to coming back and trying something new!!

Injera
Tash M.

Hawaii doesn't have Ethiopian food, so I was really excited to try some out here while visiting family. I'm not from WA, but when you've got bars on windows, sometimes you wonder (note that multiple business in this area of Ranier beach is like this). Upon walking in, is a totally different story, so don't judge the book! One is greeted by bright, yellow walls, energizing music, and clean facilities! The owner is also the cook (and when we were in, server and cashier). She was so friendly and helpful, teaching me what to order and how to eat, given it was a first for me. We got the meat and vegetarian combo; the meat had to be cooked since I can't eat raw stuff but it didn't diminish the taste: bright and savory meats surrounded by hearty sauces. Spicy lentils with berbere seasoning that had just enough heat to keep you entertained. The injera was also so fluffy and had enough twang and structure to last the entire meal. For 3 people, we were stuffed and it was about $20 each, which is not bad at all these days. If I'm ever in town, I'll be back here for sure.

Meat combo
Maggie L.

We came in for dinner a few months back, wanting to try a new Ethiopian restaurant. The inside is very bright and clean, and there was one table of ladies drinking coffee in the corner when we walked in. We were served right away. I wanted to try a few meat dishes, so I ordered the meat combo with a couple of vegetarian sides per the waiter's suggestion. Well, the meat dishes were super greasy (see picture), and the cubed beef was tough; flavor is not bad though. Overall, I wasn't impressed by the food (2.5/5 stars), particularly the meat combo. It's also a small store selling things like spices and kitchen accessories.

Garlic collard greens but that's not what they call them? The spices n sauce = mix it Tilapia fish/beef tibs
Tacoma G.

In general the area is not the greatest but usually that means the food is . Clean and friendly lady helped us, we have never eaten true Ethiopian/African food so my expectations weren't high. Just due to my own taste buds I Cldnt tell u what the finger food bread was called but it was amazing with the fish and beef tibs we ordered . We were given a side dish of spices or dip , the sweet lady kindly came over and mixed our spices so we wld taste it and eat it properly, the spices separate were good but mixed all together was amazing . The honey wine was delicious! Mothers day afternoon was quiet but i enjoyed the peace Will definitely return

Vegetarian Combo and Meat Combo
Marissa A.

This is a cute smaller restaurant with really homey vibes. We haven't eaten Ethiopian food much, but the staff was really patient and explained each dish well. The food was delicious, we especially liked the Key Wot, Gomen Wot, Shiro Wot, and the Gomen Besiga.

Vegetarian Combo Platter
Kevin E.

We had planned on eating at Sunset Cafe but it was closed. Since we were in the mood for Ethiopian, we decided to try Kebena Ethiopian Restaurant which is just up the road. We were not disappointed. The atmosphere is clean and friendly. All of the vegetarian dishes were delicious, but none stood out. The injera was delicious, though we did have to order extra (for a nominal charge). My wife thought Kebena deserves 5 stars, but I was on the fence and decided on 4-stars since there is not a meat and vegetarian combo on the menu. That said, we will be back to see if I need to adjust my rating : )

House Combo (Vegetarian and Meat)
Kaitlyn L.

delicious ethiopian spot! we got the veggie combo plate #1, the meat combo plate, and an order of tibs. this family run restaurant was just what we were looking for. the flavors of everything were delicious and the owner/chef was so sweet to us. she kept checking in and made sure throughout our meal that everything was as we wanted, combined our veggie and meat plates for us, and gave us an extra side of their spicy mustard for dipping. it was overall a great meal and we left very full and satisfied.

Vegetarian combo

This is one of the best Ethiopian restaurants I've ever visited. I took four friends there for an after-hike lunch, none of whom had ever tried Ethiopian food, and we unanimously agreed that it was not only delicious food, but excellent coffee. The injera flatbread was perfectly spongy, and the vegetarian dish portions were very generous. Our server was also very generous with her time, explaining the tradition of Ethiopian coffee service. We will be back!

Ethiopian coffee and popcorn

I loved this restaurant! The food is delicious and the service is great! I highly recommend!

Jebena coffee
Hoai Huong P.

I went here for the plate of nations. I've never been here before it doesn't look like a restaurant - it looks like a small house or an office. Inside, the decor is bright, clean, and nice. Most of the other customers were Ethiopian. I got the jebena coffee, which also felt very authentic. They also brought it out with some incense. We got the meat platter, which was tasty. Next time I wanna try the veggie combo, which looked beautiful.

Veggie combo

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Jollof Hub West African Cuisines - Yasa

Jollof Hub West African Cuisines

4.4(32 reviews)
14.3 mi•Bitter Lake

Food safety should be the number one priority for any food business, and Jollof Hub failed to…read moredemonstrate that. Don't get me wrong, the food tasted amazing, the portion sizes are great, and the price was justified. However, the negatives outweigh the positives for this restaurant. Me and 3 other people came in, and the store was empty. We ordered 3 okra soups, 1 with chicken, 2 with lamb, and 1 jollof rice chicken plate. The first plate took about 40 minutes to come out, which was an egusi soup to which we had not ordered. We still had to wait longer for all of our food to come out. Upon my food arriving, I noticed there was a hair in the Saran Wrap of the fufu, making contact with my food. Because we had already waited so long for our food to come out, I didn't bother to mention it to the worker. Comparing Jollof Hub to Pass D Jollof, this place has better portion sizes and better pricing. It was $26 for okra soup that includes protein and 2 portions of fufu whilst PDJ charges $34 for okra soup, you have to pay extra for protein, and 1 portion of fufu. That said, I don't think I'd come back here due to the food safety issue.

Rating: 3.5 Stars. Rounding up to support a small business…read more Jollof Hub West African Cuisines in Shoreline is the third west Africa restaurant in our area that we visited. It ranks the third out of the three (sorry). They focus on Gambia, Senegal, and Nigeria. The west Africa region has their own set of spices that are uniquely flavored and so delicious. Their meats are perhaps cut traditionally - coarsely butchered with lots of bones (again, sorry). The interior of the restaurant is modestly decorated with tables that can support a group. The service is very kind though his English is limited; I did more googling afterwards to answer my questions. Business was very slow, not much take-out orders, either. One server covered two tables plus two takeouts during the time we were there on a Saturday night. I hope business picks up. They have their own parking lot with more spaces in the back. The Food: Lamb Afar, with vermicelli, $23.99 - 4 Stars The meat is very well seasoned and tender. It is difficult to sort the meat from the bones. Just be aware this is more of a hands-on dish vs a fork and knife dish. Serving size is so gigantic that hubby didn't finish, which is a rare phenomenon. This may have been a 3.5 Stars dish, but due to the portion, rounded up. Benachin (Jollof rice), $22.99 - 2.5 Stars I asked the server which is his favorite dish, and he named this one. The Jollof rice recipe is commonly the focus and signature of a restaurant or of a household. Both their rice and the meat are drier than I expected. We have had better versions of the Jollof rice elsewhere. I would have preferred more tender meat also. Most of this went home to be modified (which turned out great!). Meat Pies, $7 - 4.5 Stars I have found meat pies at West African and at soul food restaurants. I personally enjoy the seasonings used in the West African versions better. These are impeccably seasoned with a kick and perfectly fried. I preferred this dish over my entrée for sure.

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Jollof Hub West African Cuisines
Jollof Hub West African Cuisines - Afra

Afra

Jollof Hub West African Cuisines

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Safari Njema Restaurant - Samaki

Safari Njema Restaurant

4.5(283 reviews)
1.7 mi•Columbia City
•$$

Safari Njema is an awesome spot in Columbia City that produced the most memorable meal that I've…read morehad in recent memory. The restaurant is a short walk from the lightrail station, tucked into a small row of restaurants just off the main drag. What I'd recommend you do is to either come at a very off-peak hour, or call ahead and place your order when you're on your way in. This is very much one woman's passion project, and so there is pretty much one woman cooking in the kitchen at any given time, even when it is busy. So, if you just roll up at peak dining hours, you will end up waiting quite a while for your food. It just is what it is. I don't have much patience for waiting, and I am supremely prone to hanger, so why then do I still really like this place? Because all that passion and love that she puts into her cooking -- you can taste it. It's been weeks since my visit and I am still daydreaming about the meal I had there -- a whole fried fish which was reduced to a pile of sucked-clean bones by the time I finished with it, the silkiest collards I've ever had, and the mountain of savory rice, all sprinkled with the tangy, mouth-watering house made hot sauce. I don't know what she seasons that fish with but I licked it off my fingers shamelessly. I visited with a friend who is a regular there, and so I got to visit the kitchen and chat with the owner after our meal. You can tell how much she cares about using food to bring people happiness and show people how good Kenyan food is.

One of my favorite meals of the year!…read more My partner and I wanted to try something we haven't before and we were lucky enough to be in south Seattle where we don't get to visit often. We decided on trying Kenyan food which we had never tried before. We were really glad we made this stop! Before getting there we were really set on the Samaki and we decided on getting it wet fried when we realized that was an option. The service was incredibly kind and we could tell that each dish was made to order with care. The samaki came with two sides and it was completely shareable which made it very affordable too. We were really happy we got the wet fry option because The curry that it came with was amazing. We were so happy with all the rich and colorful flavors. The restaurant itself is pretty small but offers a good number a seats. We will happily be back soon.

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Safari Njema Restaurant
Safari Njema Restaurant - Fried fish with ugali and collard greens

Fried fish with ugali and collard greens

Safari Njema Restaurant - Menu

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Menu

Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen - Waakye, rice and black-eyed peas, beef stew and that lovely sauce

Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen

4.5(88 reviews)
5.9 mi•First Hill

A hidden gem tucked in First Hill! Even if you've never had West African food, don't hesitate to…read moregive it a try as their lovely team will gladly introduce you to their menu. This is a must-stop for me whenever I'm in town and they are just consistent. If you're new to the food, I'd start off with their hand pies which is an empanada graciously filled with spiced ground beef. If this doesn't fill you up, start off with the Afra chicken or short rib. Both will come with jollof rice, which is cooked in tomato sauce and spices. Nice bite to it and you can keep eating with the heat. I could eat a whip bowl of this rice alone, that's how good it is! The meat is well-seasoned and perfectly charred for crispyness, but not dry! All of this pairs really well with a refreshing, bubbly ginger beer. Service is welcoming and the staff are happy to answer any questions and provide suggestions. It's a small team, so be patient but know that it's worth the wait. :) The place is bright and has plenty of space for a dinner dates or family/groups.

Gold Coast is located in an unassuming spot on a busy street in First Hill, but you should not just…read morepass this place by. It is absolutely worth a visit! It doesn't look like much from the outside, but when I walked in I was absolutely astounded by the airy high ceilings and welcoming interior. We were seated immediately and started perusing the menu, which has something for everyone but is not so large as to be overwhelming. They even have a couple of vegan or vegetarian options -- not a ton, but a couple. I visited on a Friday evening and was hoping to try one of their cocktails, which look quite appetizing on the menu and on their sandwich board outside. However, the bar was closed, which is surprising for a Friday evening. I don't need a cocktail to enjoy a meal, so it wasn't a huge deal, but just know that you might not be able to bank on the bar being open. We shared an order of their fried plantains to start, and then I had the jollof rice with suya short ribs, and my dinner buddy had the suya burger with a small side of fufu. Their fried plantains are gooooood. Sticky sweet and easy to consume in large quantities. There were more included in my dish and I was not mad about it. My jollof rice plate had a huge scoop of jollof rice, a few pieces of suya short rib, some fried plantains, and a small amount of a cabbage slaw-style salad. The jollof here is top tier, and I really like when they use broken rice for jollof like they do here. Suya short ribs were cooked perfectly, tender, seasoned well. I could've eaten three more of those. I will say that suya here is not that spicy compared to my past experiences. The slaw was good, and I honestly wish there'd been a little more of that on the plate to balance out all the savory richness! My dinner buddy really enjoyed her suya burger, she devoured it in about three minutes flat. Service was quick and attentive, and aside from some technical difficulties during the paying process due to our server being new, everything went off without a hitch. The food here is so good, and I still really want to try their cocktails, so I will be back. Hopefully the bar is open next time!

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Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen - Inside

Inside

Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen - Jollof Rice with suya flanken short ribs, $26 - 5 Stars

Jollof Rice with suya flanken short ribs, $26 - 5 Stars

Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen - Interior

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Interior

Kebena Ethiopian Restaurant - ethiopian - Updated October 2026

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