One Saturday evening, I was around the neighborhood and, after a long walk, decided to…read morespontaneously try this Ethiopian spot. It was pretty crowded when I arrived, so there was a wait, but I didn't mind at all. The restaurant was much more spacious than I expected, and there was a good amount of staff working. This was actually my first time trying Ethiopian food, so I let my server know that I was excited to try something new. He asked if I liked spicy food, and I immediately said YES. I ordered a samosa-style appetizer along with a meat platter that was FILLED with food. While waiting, I noticed everyone eating with their hands, and I wanted to experience the food the same way and respect the culture. Once I started eating, every bite hit me with so much flavor and spice! The appetizer was more subtle, filled with vegetables and paired with their house sauce. The meat platter, though, was the star of the show. I grabbed a piece of injera with every bite and scooped up everything on the plate. The flavors were incredible, and every time the host came by, I couldn't help but smile and tell him how delicious everything was. At one point, I eventually had to ask for a spoon. By the end of my meal, I was completely satisfied. As I was walking out, I noticed a portrait of a woman who looked familiar, and one of the workers told me it was their mother. That's when I learned this was a family-owned business, which made the experience even more special. Overall, I genuinely enjoyed every moment of my visit. Great food, welcoming people, a family-owned atmosphere, and an experience that was completely new to me. If you enjoy supporting family businesses, trying new cuisines, and being spontaneous, you MUST give this place a try!

TL; DR food and drinks were good but DO NOT sit at the bar…read more I wish I could have given them five stars. I have been to Enssaro when it was along the lake several times and was glad to see a lively restaurant take over the old sushi boat place. The food was good, especially the meatballs. I ordered an NA cocktail and it was excellent. We sat at the bar and unfortunately, the service at the was not only terrible, it was openly hostile. They never took our food order, the busboy took our food order because the waiter saw us waiting for more than 20 minutes. When they finally took our drink order they didn't even look at us. We were going to order another drink, but they stood at the far corner looking away from us with their arms crossed. We wondered if we did something wrong. It almost seemed like they were avoiding our gaze on purpose. The new bartender who was learning the ropes looked at us sheepishly and apologetically, but didn't take our order. We closed out as soon as we could and left. It's too bad because the ambiance in the rest of the restaurant seemed fun.

Absolutely delicious food, friendly service, reasonable prices, easy parking. Wonderful experience!read more

A delicious home-cooked Ethiopian feast for two!…read more Came by on a Sunday night and it was pretty quiet. We were the only people dining in, which was honestly such a vibe. We ordered a meat and veggie combo platter for 2 + a serving of Bozena Shiro (chickpea flour simmered with beef), and an order of Selit (Sesame Seed Smoothie) to drink. It was my first time having Bozena Shiro and Selit! The Selit came out first while we were waiting for our combo platter to come out. They asked what sugar level I prefer which was nice. I went with light sugar and it was perfect! It reminded me a lot of a sesame latte, but they said there was no milk in it so I believe it was just water blended with sugar and sesame seeds. It was delicious and had a naturally savory/toasty aspect to it as well. The platter came out and wow it looked fantastic. They gave a generous amount of injera with it as well. At other locations, I always find myself ordering extra injera, but instead we had a few bites leftover! Everything was delicious, the Kik Alicha (golden split peas) are always my favorite and they definitely delivered here as well! I really need to start ordering Ethiopian food a la carte, because the Bozena Shiro was fantastic. I would've never known about it if we didn't add it to our platter! Savory, tender meat, thick consistency on the sauce/stew. The injera here is a bit too dense for my persona liking. I prefer the fluffier style injera, but the flavor was still spot on!

There's a special flavor when your mom or grandma cooks something. I saw some IG reel that tried to…read moreattribute it to mom's bacteria on her hand that transferes to her cooking, but I think it's something else... Love! And of course all of the years of cooking expertise that she has! This Ethiopian restaurant has that flavor, and it's definitely from the women that run it!! The food is incredible! So fresh and flavorful! Everything is vegan! The injera is gluten free! The vibe is sweet, and they have dishes I've never seen at any other restaurant, like azifa, green lentils with jalapeño and garlic! Delicious! Don't miss this gem!

Small spot by a busy road serving up delicious vegetarian food. The vegetarian combo here is…read moreprobably hands down the best I've ever had. It's not too saucy and the injera is also perfectly chewy and a nice color as well. They also have a lentil sambussa that was delicious and definitely worth trying! Parking was street only, luckily we got a spot nearby!

I had never tried Ethiopian food before, so this was a completely new experience for me. The reason…read moreI finally decided to give it a try was because I work in the same building and would often catch the aroma drifting through the hallway--warm, rich, and incredibly inviting. Every time I smelled it, I told myself that I have to try it. When I finally stopped in, I was not disappointed. It was flavorful, comforting, and it actually tasted like Thai food a bit. I honestly don't even know the names of the dishes I tried, but I enjoyed every bite. This first visit has definitely made me excited to come back and explore more of the menu. I can't wait to try my next dish!

Go for the food and service, not the ambiance. The food was…read moreamazing. I'm not an expert on Ethiopian cuisine, but I enjoy it and would not hesitate to go back to Romanat. In fact, it would be at the top of my list if I was hungry for Ethiopian. Service was friendly and attentive. Helped guide us to a platter for our small group and it was the perfect choice. It's not a beautiful restaurant, but the food is the star and the reason to go.

In the heart of Oakland is this incredible Ethiopian spot run by two sisters. The flavors are…read moreincredibly savory, everything is homemade, naturally gluten free and utilizes traditional techniques from Ethiopia. Azeb, the owner, is so kind and showed me the giant vat of injera dough she ferments in a vat. She even offered me a starter yeast for making bread or injera at home. They also sell dried ingredients in the store for purchase. The veggie platter is enormous, less than $20, and perfect for two hungry people. My favorite is the spiced lentils and collard greens. I loved that everything is cooked to perfection and the injera is so perfectly fluffy and savory like sourdough. I wish I could eat here every day!

This place is such a hidden gem. I've eaten here several times and I swear the food keeps getting…read morebetter and the owner is so sweet and caring and she makes you feel like you're eating right out of her kitchen. Highly recommend.

Admas Restaurant catered a two-day event, and I attended each day. Both days offered several…read moreHabesha dishes and lasagna. Every dish was fresh, made with generous ingredients, had the perfect texture, and was DELICIOUS.Many people at the event also complimented the tasty food. Service and presentation were excellent. The staff was friendly, attentive, clean, and punctual. They arrived well-prepared and helped make our event unforgettable. I highly recommend them.

First off, I ordered for delivery…read more I love Ethiopian and Eritrean food, so I was excited to see this spot finally open for deliveries in my neighborhood! I think I've eaten at the majority of Ethiopian restaurants in Oakland, Berkeley, and San Francisco, so I'm a fan. Sadly, I was NOT a fan of this spot. :( (For context, I tried to go back to the delivery app to give a review, but the window for leaving a review had closed.) I looked over the menu and I was suspicious that there was no standard Doro Wot for delivery, but, whatevs --sometimes restaurants leave off certain items on delivery apps. I got the Chicken Tibs and Beef Tibs. The beef was spiced, but the chicken tasted bland and watery. Both seemed to be missing salt. The beef tibs was tougher than I'm used to. Maybe it was an off day. The Yemisir Wot (stewed red lentils) was flavorful. The vegetarian combo was a complete miss for the price and the portions were super small. The Tikil Gomen (cabbage, carrots, potatoes) looked like one tablespoon had been scooped out and put on the injera. It came with Yemisir Wot, Yekik Alicha (yellow spiced lentils), beets(???), Gomen (collards), and green salad (though I don't remember getting the green salad in my combo). The Gomen (collards) were super bland and tasted like reheated frozen collards. My last issue is that the a-la-carte items are photographed with a small salad and injera, pretty standard (see attached image from site). Unfortunately, the a-la-carte options came singularly in a container with a side of injera. Bummer. If I hadn't included the vegetarian combo, I probably would've been even more upset. What I did like: --- - The Tikil Gomen and Yemisir Wot were well spiced and tasty. - Plenty of injera, almost too many. I think my biggest issue is that given the portion size, most items are between $16 - $24, so if you're looking to have a rounded meal (injera, vegetables, meat), you're going to have to order multiple items and that adds up fast; it will be cheaper if you just eat in or call them and order for pick-up. (I'm also kind of bummed because I was rooting for them since they are in the space where Casa Vallarta used to be.) If you plan to go, I'd suggest sticking to the vegetarian options.

Cozy family-run spot. Love the vibes!…read more We got the Shewhat Special (vegan sampler + chicken/beef combo) and added the Selam Special (shrimp/mushrooms/spinach). The platter was flavorful and gorgeously colorful. I particularly enjoyed the lentils and Selam Special. Highly recommend the sambusas--the pastry was piping hot and so flaky!! Delicious paired with the sweet chili sauce. So glad to have finally made it here for some authentic Ethiopian cuisine (':

If you are considering Ethiopian food, just wash your hands and come here. It's like dining in a…read morefriend's home, welcoming, warm and genuine. The owner Abby D. is also the chef and her love and pride in her cuisine shines through her cooking. Having eaten Ethiopian food only in the US, this is the best version that I've had across Chicago, NY and DC. They offer indoor and covered outdoor seating, giving it a homely comforting vibe. Since it was just the two of us, we ordered the vegan sampler and the lamb tibsy (spicy). The lamb was delicious and well spiced. All the dishes were served on a platter of injera - sour, spongy bread that just soaks up all the flavor to perfection. I enjoyed the red lentils (misir wat), yellow lentils (alicha) cabbage and carrot stir fry, collard greens and a house salad that had a dressing which perfectly complimented the rest of the dishes. They also offer additional injera should you need any - we didn't. You eat with your hands from the common platter, but they do provide additional plates and silverware should you need it. The portions are generous and we ended up taking some of the food home. They have a bunch of dishes I'd like to try, so I'm definitely going to be back!

There are a lot of Ethiopian/Eritrean restaurants in the SF/Bay area and particularly in the east…read morebay. I've been to most. Asmara is my favorite. I have been going since it first opened in 1985. I met the owner, Kesete then and he is still the owner. Great food, lots of dining space and as of 2026 they have an expanded bar in the adjacent space. Check out the rest and then come to the best.

The guys at Jerusalem Coffee recommended for my friends & I to walk over to Asmara for dinner when…read moreI said I have not had Eritrean food before. They said Eritrean is very similar to Ethiopian food so we finished our beverages & headed down Telegraph to Asmara. We were delighted when we were told to wait at the bar next door until they have a large table for our group. I asked the server to bring us their popular dishes, enough to feed 7 adults and she told me not to worry, that she would take care of it. She brought out the Meat Combo and the Beef/chicken/lamb tibs along with platter of veggies and eggplant. She gave us enough injera to keep us munching away. The food and service were Fabulous so naturally we had a great evening.

I had a great lunch at Cafe Colucci!…read more This place came highly recommended, and it didn't disappoint. I ordered the turmeric beef with a side of shiro and it was delicious! The beef was super tender, the shiro was flavorful, and the injera tasted fresh. The portion size was quite generous, especially for lunch. Next time I visit, I'm definitely ordering one of the giant platters to share. The platters were enormous and looked incredible! So many good Ethiopian restaurants in the East Bay, but Cafe Colucci stands out. Can't wait to return!

3.75 STARS A…read morenational survey shows that only 18% of Americans have tried Ethiopian food. Some of y'all are missing out on the bold, richly spiced, deliciously satisfying grub....and the heartburn. ;) What brought me to Café Colucchi is Doulet, a hard to find dish but more on that later. An institution in the town, Café Colucci interestingly began as a European-style café with a handful of Ethiopian dishes before eventually evolving into a traditional Ethiopian restaurant with a full bar. Walk-in only, no rezzies. Indoor and outdoor seating. Note: While they have a lovely dog-friendly patio, it's not always open. I first visited in April but was told the patio wouldn't open until May. When May rolled around, I tried calling multiple times but could never reach a live person. I also sent an email with no response, tho I eventually got a reply after messaging them on Yelp. When I returned last month, the patio was closed for a private event. Luckily, they were accommodating and said we could still sit outside as long as we finished within an hour. F O O D * Doulet: Raw beef, lamb liver, tripe ($21) - Choice of temp: Raw, rare, medium rare, etc. We chose to have the doulet the traditional way: raw....and it was BOMB! Deliciously beefy and buttery, the doulet was packed with warm spices and a nice kick of heat. The bits of tripe added a slight chew, giving it a more interesting texture than kitfo. The injera's tang perfectly cut through the richness. * Doro Wot: Chicken Stew ($21) My fav Ethiopian dish to order, the chicken stew (two tender drumsticks) was rich and spicy with a complexity from the spices and deeply caramelized onions. * Begue Wot: Lamb Stew ($22) Recommended by our server, this was our least fav dish. While flavorful, it was mainly bones with tough meat. * SIDES With each entree, choose a veggie side: --Shiro: Savory, earthy with the chickpeas broken down to a silky gravy-like consistency. --Misir Wot: The red lentil stew is boldly spiced from the niter kibbeh with a heartier texture than the shiro. * CARBS With each entree, choice of injera or rice -- Teff Injera (+$2.50 x3): Fresh and spongy with a good tang. -- Rice: While nicely cooked and fluffy, you get very little of it. The center is left open for the stews so the rice is arranged in a thin layer around the outer perimeter. S E R V I C E Warm, friendly staff. Food takes awhile to come out so we only had about 15 minutes to eat. A M B I A N C E Casual and welcoming with an open kitchen and sacks + displays of Ethiopian spices. Awesome patio with tropical plants and vibrant Afrocentric mural. Overall, I can see why Café Colucci has been an Oakland staple for yeaaars. There are only a handful of spots in the Bay Area that serve doulet, and Café Colucci is one of just two I can confirm that offer it with offal. So if you love tartare but want something with bold, explosive flavors, don't sleep on it!

This was my first time trying Ethiopian food, and what a beautiful experience! We came as a party…read moreof six to celebrate and didn't call ahead, but we were welcomed and taken care of wonderfully. Our waitress was excellent! She patiently explained the different dishes, answered our questions, and made sure our food came out in a timely manner. The owner was just as welcoming and even helped us celebrate and took pictures with us, which made the experience even more special. Great food, excellent service, and such warm hospitality. They definitely made my first Ethiopian food experience one to remember!

It's been along time since I've came to eat here!…read more This place is one of my favorites! We got the combination plate! We were so full and it was two of us! Food is delicious and so flavorful! I am never disappointed when I come here! Friendly staff, place is clean! Parking is a little tight. Only thing is the plate they put the food on looks a little smaller than the big round ones they use to use.