This has been my favorite Ethiopian restaurant I've found in Boston so far! I've ordered delivery on several occasions, but this was my first time in the space itself. I love it because it actually is like a cafe, just with a full service menu. There were people doing work or having a quiet meal to themselves. (I went on the evening of Marathon Monday). My sister and I ordered the meat veggie combo for 2, where you get 1 meat entree and four veggie sides of your choice. We got the lega tibs, tikil gomen, shiro wot, misir wot, and kik alicha. We were quite hungry so we cleared the entire thing. It was a perfect portion for two! The injera is soft and the proportion was perfect. I would love to come back for a meal or to even grab a quick lunch! Or to study and eat at the same time ... read more

Lucy Ethiopian Cafe - Combo 2 Beef - Spicy - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Excellent! Highly recommended. I am new to the cuisine, but niece invited me to try. The beef combo for two was great. The variety of vegetables sides were wonderful with different flavors and textures. The sides were so good that next time I might just try the veggie combo. We got a medium spice and it was warm and flavorful, but not over powering. Priced very competitively for Huntington Avenue Boston. I would highly recommend it. Just be prepared that the cuisine is eaten with fresh flat bread not with utensils so wash your hands and get ready for a delicious experience. Note you order at counter, but the service was quick and friendly. Also try the traditional Ethiopian coffee. The presentation is amazing and it is a deep flavorful coffee. My niece recommends the peanut tea - she said it taste like like drinking a yummy peanut butter smoothie. read more

The owner & staff were very friendly and nice. You order at the counter but otherwise it felt like a full service restaurant. We are vegans & the food was delicious! All whole ingredients, very flavorful. Will visit again! read more

The standout item here is definitely the peanut tea, which basically tastes like liquid peanut butter! It is also extremely creamy and has a foamy layer on the top. This place was empty around lunch time so we got the whole restaurant to ourselves. We got chickpea stew, extra injera, lamb tibs, and potatoes and carrots. The food arrived after a while. The lamb tibs were super flavorful and def the standout item. The chickpea stew was also great and not too spicy. I have def been out-spiced by Ethiopian food, so I was conservative with the spice level. The potato's and carrots were excellent and very soft, saucy, and delicious! The prices are solid, but the food is huge portions. You will prob have leftovers! We enjoyed the coffee. It was pretty strong and the sugar helped a lot! I don't know if I would get it again. Don't miss the peanut tea though... read more

See all

Quite a nice Ethiopian place. Got the 4-Veggie Combo for One (Spinach w Potatoes, Missir Wot, Shiro Wot, Kik Aletcha) I loved Kik Aletcha the best. Service was nice and quick read more

Lucy Ethiopian Cafe - 4 CVC - Veggie Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I had a hard time scoring this place. I am not Ethiopia and it is my second time trying this cuisine. The staff was nice and helpful when our group was choosing what to try. Our group didn't really care for most dishes, but I don't know whether it's just us not caring for Ethiopian food in general. So, if you never had Ethiopian food like most of our group and you want to give it a shot - you definite.y should try it and make your own opinion because they have a rich variety of dishes. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Cafe - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Stopped in for a quick meal before a performance at symphony hall. There were several open two-top tables when we arrived. Service was fast and friendly - via QR code. The food looked nice, but was undercooked and also lacking in any flavor but spice. I'm sure with a few menu tweaks it could be much better, but will pass on going again at least for a while. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Cafe - 4 CVC - Veggie Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Good space to grab a bite to eat - there's only two to three tables that seat more than two, so it's definitely more situated for smaller tables. You can order at the counter or scan a QR code to order to your table. I ordered the hot peanut tea, and it came out hot and creamy. It's lightly sweetened and very comforting! It definitely has a strong peanut flavor (my husband said it reminded him of a peanut butter cookie). I actually felt like this would've been a good dessert post meal! We ordered the beef combo for two. You can choose four veggies from variety of veggie sides. We also ordered the vegetable rolls which is injera bread with spinach and red lentils. We ordered the beef as medium but the beef itself tasted pretty mild- however the injera underneath it was spicy so all the spice got soaked up! Next time we'll definitely order spicy (there was also an extra spicy option). The spinach and lentils were our preferred sides - the cabbage could've been cooked more and the potatoes were just alright. It took around 10-15 minutes for us to get our food when there were a few tables dining it. read more

See all

10/10 food and service. Not only is the food super flavorful and delicious, it's also super filling. The meat is seasoned with thyme, so you'll get extra flavor out of the meat. The injera (rolled up bread) is super soft and you use it to pick up whatever food you have in front of you and eat it. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Cafe - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

See all

Great authentic flavors. However, it is priced a bit high compared to other restaurants serving similar fare. I ordered the single combo with choice of two sides and meat. I ordered the douro wat which had great robust berbere seasoning with caramelized onions but only ONE drum stick. Also not a fan of the presentation. For two person combo I am guessing is probably more of a traditional serving where food is laid on top of the injera. I definitely wanted more injera to pick up the amazing sauce. Food won't disappoint and break the bank but wanted more for the price. Close to transportation and the symphony hall. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Cafe - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This was my first time trying Ethiopian food, and WOW! My two friends and I shared the Special Combo for 3, which comes with all the veggie dishes, beef (Lega Tibs), and extra injera. We ordered the combo at medium spice, and it wasn't very spicy! All the food was so flavorful and came out fresh and hot. The establishment is small and quiet, with really kind staff. My favorite veggie dish was the Miser Wot (red lentils). The combo also includes sides served on injera, with a few rolled up on top as well. We finished all our sides but had a bit of leftover injera because ordering extra injera added so much for only $2 -- a great deal! I'm already thinking about the next time I'll be able to eat here again! read more

Lucy Ethiopian Cafe - Combo for 3 with Lega Tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Lucy Ethiopian is fantastic in every way! My husband introduced me to Ethiopian food about 25 years ago when we first started hanging out. He had been introduced to it some years before when he had dated a lovely Ethiopian woman. We're all friends on Facebook all these tears later (she moved out of state.) The dish we both adore so much at Lucy Ethiopian is tibs. It's a popular beef dish prepared with a spicy sauce flavored with berbere, an outstanding spice blend. Back when Joe was dating the Ethiopian woman, she gave him a big bag of berbere that her mom had blended up. We kept it in the freezer and cooked our own tibs with it! So good, I can't even describe berbere, you just have to try it. I looked it up--Wikipedia says the blend is "chili peppers, coriander, garlic, ginger, Ethiopian holy basil (besobela) seeds, korarima, rue, ajwain or radhuni, nigella, and fenugreek." I know that it varies. At Lucy it's SO good. Whether you get tibs or another entree, the best is to get one of the Combo options. That's when you pick some veggie sides. My favorite is the Dinch Wot--a kind of potato stew with onions and garlic. I get that and Gomen--sauteed greens. Joe always gets the Shiro Wot--like a spicy chick pea porridge. He gets that and the Tikkle Goman--a tasty cabbage blended with potatoes and some other veggies. The great thing about Ethiopian food is that you eat it not with utensils but with injera. Your meal is served with plenty of it, plus you can order extra. Injera is a flat, spongy bread made from teff, an ancient grain. I suppose the nearest thing I can compare the taste to is sourdough? It's also gluten free if that's your jam. After writing all that I made myself hungry for Lucy Ethiopian. Might have to order some for dinner tonight! read more

Food was good, ambiance decent, service decent, price seemed a bit high for what I had, I think they could include one more vegetable dish to round out the meal better. My spicy was not so spicy, Lamb nice dish, very flavorful. At 25.00 plus tip I thought it could have included more food. read more

We've been wanting to try this spot for a long time since there aren't many Ethiopian spots in Boston and it was super yummy! We ordered the Single Lamb combo (medium spicy) to share and were given the option of 2 sides. We picked the potatoes and pureed split peas and surprisingly we loved the split peas! The puréed texture was great for dipping the injera since it soaked up all the sauce. The lamb was also flavored well and had spices dancing in my mouth. Considering we weren't super hungry, for 2 we just ordered this one dish then ordered an additional side of injera to share and that was the perfect amount. Although it was a little pricey at $25 for a single portion of lamb combo, it was worth it. The food came out quickly and the restaurant was decently empty mid afternoon on a Saturday so we had the option to sit wherever we liked. What we ordered: - Combo 1 Lamb Medium Spicy w/potatoes and split peas read more

Lucy Ethiopian Cafe - Combo 1 Lamb w/Split Peas and Potatoes - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I love Ethiopian food and we definitely got our fix here! It's a simple place, order at the counter and find a seat. There are not many tables but we were able to find one. There were three of us and we got the veggie combo for three plus lamb. It was huge and we took a lot home. I loved the ability to get the combo because I love all the vegetarian dishes and it was hard to choose just one. Service was friendly and we were among the last to leave. Parking was a little challenging but we wound up using the symphony hall garage across the street. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Cafe - Combo for 3 with lamb - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I have been to this gem 3 times now, and each time I go it seems to be more and more delicious. This most recent time we got the spicy chicken, Kik Alecha, spinach, Tikle Gomen, and Shirowot. I loved it all but the shirowot and spinach blew me away!! read more

A bit stingy. They don't serve food on the injera but rather on a plate and there wasn't enough injera for the food.

Food is always great. Excellent service. This place is always clean. Decorative wall art read more

See all

I went to concert at symphony hall and looked up a dinner place. This Lucy Ethiopian cafe was right around corner and decided to try it. I hadn't had Ethiopian food for more than a decade since I ate it in Berkeley in California. I didn't even know that there is an Ethiopian restaurant in Boston. I am really glad I tried this place. We had combo for 3 with lamb. Very tasty!! And filling! Staff (a guy, maybe an owner) was very nice and friendly. Definitely coming back. read more

Great Ethiopian, best in Boston by far. And the people are nice. Great tibs, you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu

Food was prepared quickly and served hot. Each item was so unique and flavorful. You can tell the ingredients are fresh. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Cafe - Combo for 2 Yebeg/Lamb, Mango Juice, Peanut Tea - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Food is great. The injera is the perfect level of sour. For the meat, we got Kega (beef) Tibs. Really rich flavor and tender meat. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. For the veggies, we got: Gomen (collard greens) Miser Wot (red lentil stew) Dinch Wot (potatoes+carrots) Tikle Gomen (cabbage+carrots+green beans) It was all very rich and delicious. Also very filling! read more

Lucy Ethiopian Cafe - Kega (beef) tibs, collard greens, red lentil stew, cabbage+carrots+green beans, potatoes+carrots - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Made it back to Boston after many years and was glad to see this place still up and running, doing as great as always, delicious food and great service! read more

This is a very casual Ethiopian restaurant. The service was great, but the surroundings are a bit dreary. The food was pretty good and the price was also easy on the pocketbook. read more

Came for the first time on a Thursday evening with a friend after wanting to try this cafe for the longest time and I really enjoyed it! I had never tried Ethiopian food before so I had no expectations, but I already knew that you're supposed to eat with your hands. My friend had grabbed us a table, and I'm glad he did because it got pretty busy and I noticed people eyeing the tables to see if we'd be done soon. We ordered via QR code at our table, but you can also order at the counter. There was only one server, who was also taking orders at the counter, so I'd recommend ordering on your phone. I got the Doro Wot Combo for 1, with Split Peas and Spinach with Potato as my sides. It also came with Injera, which is what I used to scoop up my food. It was a hefty meal and I ended up with leftovers for lunch the next day, while my friend ordered extra Injera and ate his whole meal. I would definitely come back again! I'd love to try more of their menu, and I definitely got my money's worth. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Cafe - Doro Wot Combo for 1 with Split Peas and Spinach with Potato - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Food here is excellent and great service to match! It's not easy finding parking, but a little walk ain't never hurt nobody. I'll park a couple blocks down and make my way. The place has few seating, but I've never seen it jam packed. There's cool wall art and a nice handwritten menu. I honestly can't tell you the names of the dishes that we order, but the veggies are what I love the most. The greens, cabbage and carrots. A little potato. So delicious. I do remember the "telba" shake with flaxseed and it's soooo good!! This is hands down, one of my favorite places to eat in Boston. read more

See all

The cover photo for this place is spot on (exactly what a combo dish looks like)! This is a smaller restaurant, right by Northeastern (and a dozen other notable landmarks). It was a rough start, as we were a large party that had made reservations a week in advance, and called the day before to confirm with management. When we showed up, they had no reservation, and were not staffed for a party of 16 ppl. The young staff did a phenomenal job, many accolades to them, this was a failure of management. They did the best they could, shuffling around tables, squeezing us into space that didn't reasonably accommodate 16 ppl. Despite not expecting us, the staff did great. Food came out much faster than I would've expected, and the accuracy of orders was spot on. A few ppl mentioned a bit of lack of flavor (only spice-level). I would say that $50 for a combo-3 was a little pricey for what you got, but wasn't completely unreasonable. I would recommend this place for take-out, or as a nice place to stop for lunch. I really do want to re-emphasize how great the staff was, considering the circumstances. My 3-stars review really reflects the issue with making & reconfirming a reservation, to have it not pan out. read more

I think this is a good starter for those unfamiliar with Ethiopian food but ultimately there's definitely better places. They have a good menu and portions but the flavors and spices are more muted than I'm used to. read more

Great food. Really varied from meat to vegan. Wide range of spice levels too. Try the iced peanut tea.

It was 5 of us visiting Boston, and wanted to try something new. It was a nice and quiet atmosphere, we went there for lunch. The food was ok, I was not a fan of bread, but it's a specific taste that some people love. My friends liked it and we did eat everything . Service was nice I recommend to try something new, and you will decide if it's for you or not. read more

See all

For the first time Ethiopian food with a English description of the dishes. The combo are so convenient to pick. And extra injira and extra side is at good rates. Also for a clean eater they also serve all the curries on the side not on injira. It's pleasant to eat like that. I would highly recommend it. I selected red lentils (yummy), chickpea, cabbage carrots, collard greens. Everything was super tasty and healthy. The service was super quick. read more

Ladies and gents, welcome to the best Ethiopian food in Boston! Grab a mug of peanut tea and dig into a satisfying combo platter - make sure you get gomen and kik alecha. Good vibes and great grub. read more

Came here for dinner. There was only one server. It's order yourself on the phone. We got the combo for 3 with lamb. Unfortunately it took over 30min to get the food. It came out on a typical steel plate. There were 6 different veggie dishes and the lamb in the middle. The veggie dishes were ok, very mildly spiced, borderline bland. The lamb was good, it was seasoned with black pepper and salt, but the meat was fresh and tasty. Overall ok place if you're not hungry. read more

10/10 need to go if you want to experience great food. Peanut tea is must go to if you like peanuts. Woah woah woah wow wow wow wow

We had dinner from Lucy (delivery) last week and it was really delicious. The food came quickly, was piping hot, and while some dishes could use seasoning, everything was overall pretty good. I had a vegetarian/vegan combo and loved it...my only suggestion is to serve the same amount of each of the 3 items. My husband and daughter had chicken and lamb and had no complaints. We'll definitely return! read more

Wow, for my first time having Ethiopian food, I didn't know what to expect. I always passed by Lucy while walking around Northeastern, and it always looked so unsuspecting, but boy does this place pack a flavorful punch! The beef tibs were sooo flavorful and tender - definitely my favorite thing on the plate but I love meat so that is to be expected. The side dishes as well were very good, but my favorite was the split peas. It was really fun to eat the dishes by tearing off the bread. It wasn't crowded when I went for an early dinner, and the food took a little bit to come out, but not too long. Although it is a little pricy, I would for sure come back here as the food is really delicious and unique for the area. I would love to try their other side dishes and meats! read more

Lucy Ethiopian Cafe - Tega (beef) Tibs combo for two with red lentils, split peas, spinach w/ potato, and cabbage/carrots - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Unassuming little restaurant with excellent service and delicious food. We enjoyed the veggie combo for two. Great sampling of all vegan options which we full of flavor. Staff was happy to give us extra injera so as not to waste one yummy bite. Plenty of street parking nearby. We'll be back! read more

See all

A laid-back spot with good homemade Ethiopian food. The ambience is very homey, much like the food that they serve. Good price and good portion. The Combo for One allows for variety as you get one main and 2 veggie sides. I really enjoyed the Chicken Doro Wot. The slight spicy aftertaste was nice. The Spinach and Potatoes and Chicken Pea Stew were also fresh and tasty; great additions to the meal. Everything went well with the fresh injera bread. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Cafe - Doro Wot with 2 veggies for 1 - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

An absolutely delicious no-frills Ethiopian restaurant! I'd recommend going at non-peak hours and ordering less than the menu suggests (ie. the combo for 2 easily serves 3) Pros + Delicious food and huge portions + So many vegetarian options + Very reasonably priced Cons - Can get quite crowded at peak hours, would recommend showing up early read more

Nice Ethiopian place by the Symphony hall. There were few people dining at lunch. Got the combo for 1 with lamb, red lentils and spinach and potato. Flavors and spice levels were great, and I loved everything on that plate. My meal came up to 30$, seemed bit pricey maybe. Overall good experience. read more

Lucy Ethiopian Cafe - Combo for 1 - Ethiopian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts