The food was great here and my only complaint is that there is no liquor license. I was looking forward to some nice honey wine with my meal. The service was great from the door to the plate. The hostess greeted us with a giant smile and we were sat down immediately without reservation. Which is a plus on a Saturday night. Our waiter was nice as well and offered a nice drink substitution for the honey wine. I can't recall the name of the drink but it was a hibiscus tea with honey. We ordered the entree where we could try a little of everything. The ambiance of the place was good. The place embodied the right about of light. It wasn't too dark or too bright and there wasn't loud music where you can have a conversation. If you like Ethiopian food, it's definitely worth the try because the food and experience was great! read more

I had never had Ethiopian food before. So my friend suggested, we try this restaurant out that she had been to several times before. Cozy spot with great service, attentive and helpful with suggestions and explanations I like that the food had the authentic names to each dish.Even though it was hard to decipher what exactly each dish was, it stayed true to the culture which I can appreciate. I have to admit the food is not very photogenic, but it did taste good. I feel like we got to try a little of everything by getting the sampler options. I would highly recommend taking that option when trying for the first time. I also ordered the mint tea, which was a great choice because it was so warm and comforting, especially with the cold rainy day we visited. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who's never tried Ethiopian food before. read more

Mesobrestaurant.Com - Mint tea with veggie sampler - Ethiopian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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I was curious about the taste of Egyptian food and was looking forward to the sit down. The AMBIANCE is soft and intimate. The service is excellent. Unfortunately, I did not care for the food. I was looking for more pungent, spices, robust flavors and I found I was not a fan of the Enjera. read more

Came to Mesob for Sunday lunch around 1:30pm. Our party had pre-made reservations and upon arrival, we were immediately seated. The interior of the resturant was beautifully decorated and seating was plentiful. We chose a seat in the back. For food, we decided to go with the non-beef sampler for two people. While there were three of us, none of us were super hungry. This ended up being more than enough food, and we were struggling to finish it. I recommend doing this if you're in the same boat. The non-beef sample came with 8 dishes: Doro Tibs (Chicken), Dod Key Wet (Chicken), Enqulal Wet (Egg), Ye'bege (Lamb), Collard Greens, Red Split Peas, Cabbage and Potatoes, and Green Beans and Carrots. While each dish was authentic and flavorful, my favorite was the Cabbage and Potatoes as well as the Red Split Peas. Both of these were delicious and I really enjoying them. The only thing I didn't love about the meal was the Injera. It was very sour. I've had Injera before, and never experienced it so sour before. Perhaps this family recipe was just a bit than what I'm used to, and this may just be a personal preference of mine to have it be a little less on the sour side. Other than that, this was a solid meal that I enjoyed! read more

Mesobrestaurant.Com - Meat Sampler (Non-beef) - Ethiopian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

We loved the chicken, egg, lentils and potato dishes, so good. We didn't like the lamb but we also didn't expect to since it's not either of ours preferred, we wish we could have substituted it out but they don't allow substitutions which was a bummer. The mushrooms were good but they were an extra $17 and we didn't feel they were worth that at all. Overall great experience and the staff was all very friendly and attentive read more

Mesobrestaurant.Com - We got chicken, egg, potato, red lentil, collard greens, lamb and mushroom - Ethiopian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

My first time at an Ethiopian restaurant and the flavors and ambience were something else! The place itself is spacious and has amazing decor. They offer warm towels (as you'll be eating with your hands) and sanitizing wipes which were both appreciated. There were 3 of us and we decided to each order one thing, but put it in one big plate so it'd be easier for us all to try. Each dish comes with two vegetable sides. In total, we got the Tibs Wet/Zignee, Minchet Kay, and Difen Misir. They recommended we tried a sampler plate but we thought it'd be too much for us - even ordering what we did was a lot! We ended up with leftovers. The injera was so good and somewhat citrusy (not sure what it has but I really liked that kick), and it paired nicely with all of our dishes. I have to say the Tibs Wet and red lentils were my favorite! I'll definitely come back to try other things! read more

Mesobrestaurant.Com - Ethiopian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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Made reservations for a party of 4, def didn't need one for a Sat night but rather safe than sorry. Spacious open floor, dimmed restaurant and friendly staff. The fan was above us and was a tad chilly, I believe it was the owner? Had noticed us kinda shivering and turned it off. Always good seeing others notice the little things that makes a great experience. Every finger filled roll was a taste of new flavors and even better after mixing. You would think soggy is bad? Yeah def not here! The longer it sat the more it was a flavor bomb! I couldn't figure out the seasons used but it was pretty darn good! Highly recommend checking Mesob with some friends, grabbing your fav wine and just chatting away sipping and licking your fingers! Fun way to enjoy food and company! read more

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I haven't had Ethiopian food in a while and couldn't wait to get some! When I arrived I parked on the street nearby. I walked into a super cute restaurant. The restaurant is BYOB. Bethlehem was our server, and she was great! We ordered: Ethiopian Coffee Mango and guava juice Buticha (Chicpea) Ingudai Tibs Ye'misir Sambussa (pastries with lentil,onions, peppers) Doro Tibs (Chicken Breast) Meat Sampler (beef, lamb, chicken) Injera Bread Baklava Cappuccino Crunch The food was really good! My favorites were the ice cream, the lamb, and that chicken! The restaurant was great! read more

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Anytime we go to Mesob, we have a lovely dining experience. This is more of a date night spot for us, and for special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries. The food is very good. When I go with my husband, we get the vegetarian combo and pick six flavorful selections to go with injera. Favorites are: - Indugai tips (portobello mushroom) - Kik Alicha (yellow split peas) - Dinich Wet (potatoes) - Gomen (collard greens) - Shiro (pureed chick peas and split peas with a little kick!) The people at Mesob are always friendly, welcoming, kind, and accommodating to customers. It feels special. My 'only' thing is - and this has nothing to do with the staff or food - but customers can ask for a fork if they want. I end up getting distracted and staring at people with forks... This my opinion - unless you have medical condition like arthritis or something like that - please eat Ethiopian food with your hands. That's how it's supposed to be. I know this is a matter of debate concerning the cultural politics of fork usage, but hey it is what it is for me....So for review purposes, if you want a fork, you can get it here.... but please don't ask.... Thank you for listening to my TED talk. read more

Mesobrestaurant.Com - Vegetarian Sampler Combo for Two - Ethiopian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

My first experience and it was delicious. Hard to navigate so i let my friend order for us. Everything was explained to us. I loved scooping up the different flavors with the "bread." I am happy that it was possible to be introduced to this cuisine!! read more

We enjoyed a delicious meal at this gem of a restaurant. From the moment you arrive, warm welcome of friendly smiles and the aroma of spices transport you from busy Bloomfield Ave to a cozy Ethiopian home. Our first visit here and we relied upon our fantastic waiter Isaac to guide us in selecting our menu items to share. Not too long after arrived a large platter of delicious selections. Meat platter along with lamb entree and a plethora of vegetables each seasoned so well bursting with flavor. This family style way of eating truly heightens the experience! My husband and I had so much fun trying a bit of everything sort of like a choose your own adventure in dining! So delicious with a depth of flavor that there's no doubt each dish is meticulously prepared with love. BYOB is a plus. Definitely recommend you check out this restaurant for an escape to Ethiopia without the passport! read more

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Fun fact: I returned to Mesob in 2025 thinking it had been here since my childhood, since I recognized the name when I drove by. Turns out I recognized the name because I reviewed it previously on Yelp! So where do we stand all these years later? Actually - still 4 stars, but for different reasons. Since my first review I discovered Walia in South Orange, which is bar none the best I've ever had. I will not waver from "delicious and authentic flavors" here at Mesob, but it is no longer the "best injira I've had". It seemed a little thinner than Walia, and its own flavor (without sauce) did not suit my palate. Portions are still filling, everything we ordered is still great, and I would not by any means say the menu options are "paltry" anymore. The menu is not expansive but you have your options for any meat or vegetable you choose. So I would say they listened to me the prior review. By itself, the food would still round up to 5 stars, so let me expand on those other key points Yelp likes. The service was frequent and friendly. Multiple servers rotated to check on us until we were ready to order, and repeated as needed to keep water filled and ask how we liked things. The younger waitress was thrilled that I took the last slice of injera home so that food was not wasted (though I then tasted it and realized I did not want it). Still 5 stars. So why am I holding onto 4? First, ambiance. This feels like a nice place. Mood lighting, narrow but deep restaurant helps you feel more intimate. And then the loudspeaker plays a jarring HAPPY BIRTHDAY (not the song we all now) for 15 seconds and everyone cheers. Then back to the intimate ambiance. That is an AUTOMATIC 1-star deduction at minimum. Mesob is honestly lucky I didn't deduct more. Second, the price is quite high. You're paying for eating in Montclair, they're charging you for paying the expensive rent in Montclair, so I'm not holding that against Mesob. Just noting. Verdict: If you are looking for dining options in Montclair specifically, this is one of the best. Bring earplugs. But if you can get to South Orange, a fifth star awaits. read more

We had an amazing time getting to try a taste of Mesob! A true hidden gem (in plain sight!) where the food is absolutely outstanding and the hospitality and sense of community is second to none. The restaurant is beautiful inside, filled with various Ethiopian art work and actual mesobs (Harari baskets to store injera bread). This spot is BYOB, so be sure to bring your favorite bottle (check out Amanti Vino right across the street)! You need to add Mesob to your list for a truly special dining experience Thank you to Chef Berekti and the whole team for welcoming us with open arms - we can't wait to come back for more! Check out our visit: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPUzEVxDa9c/?igsh=MTE2aHM5cWlkYWI0bw== read more

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Amazing food and tasty! Great owner or cook, friendly. Very clean place. Quiet not to far from Chinatown I'll be back soon. 5 stars read more

Mesobrestaurant.Com - Chicken tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

We stopped by for Saturday lunch and were pleased to find the place uncrowded with plenty of seating available. We started with the Kemem Shai and Ginger Shai--two types of hot tea--both of which were quite good. For an appetizer, we tried the farmer's cheese, which was a nice addition to the meal. For our entrée, we went with the vegetarian sampler, which included collard greens, Portobello mushrooms, potatoes simmered in sauce, red and yellow lentils, and chickpea biscuits in curry, all served with plenty of injera bread. The lentils and collard greens were definitely the highlights, while the mushrooms and chickpea biscuits weren't my personal favorites. Service was fine--nothing outstanding but nothing to complain about either. Overall, while the experience was decent, nothing really stood out enough to make me want to return. read more

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Such a great experience for Ethiopian cuisine! Our waitress talked us through all the food options and what would work best for our spice and taste preferences! I love the food so much I tried to make my own Ethiopian food at home!! read more

Mesobrestaurant.Com - Ethiopian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

This is a nice Ethiopian restaurant I visited after returning from a trip in Africa. I had a layover in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and was able to try several delicious dishes. So I went to Mesob. It did not disappoint. It's very authentic and worth the trip read more

I LOVE this place. My friends and I have been coming here since high school. The food is always delicious. We get the vegetarian mixed platter with 6 dishes and share. The place is usually peaceful, really fast and considerate service. read more

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Everything they serve is divine. Service is friendly, food is fresh and delicious, and I love the atmosphere and decor here. Kinda glad Ethiopian restaurants are rare in the area so they don't have much competition lol This review was made in connection with a Toast promotion. read more

What a fun experience exploring Ethiopian cuisine! The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the service was excellent. Our waitress kindly guided us through the menu and helped us choose the perfect dishes to try. The portions were generous, and every bite was packed with delicious, vibrant flavors. read more

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The coffee here is out of this world; I really loved that they roast their own beans and brew the coffee in the traditional Ethiopian way. The owners are so incredibly lovely and the ambiance in the restaurant was great. The lighting is soft and the decor really adds to the experience there. They have a large selection of vegetarian dishes so it was fun to eat at a place with options for me! I can't wait to try more! read more

I wished I tried this place sooner. The service and food were outstanding. We made a 7:15 reservation on a Saturday and were immediately seated. We walked into a clean and spacious dining area. From the outside it looks small, but once inside there was plenty of space to be I it mate. Being that this was our first experience eating Ethiopian food we ordered the Taste of Mesob to get a feel for many different things. It comes with two starters, two beef, two chicken, one lamb, one seafood, and four vegetables. The host recommended some dishes to help us based on our taste. So here we go. Starters: Ye'siga Sambussa and Ingudai Tibs. The sambussa was filled with spiced beef stuffed into a flaky dough and was spicy goodness. The Ingudai Tibs was spicy sauteed portobello mushrooms in a garlic and tomatoes. You ate these with the injera. Both were amazing. I knew the best was yet to come. For the main things got crazy. Here is what he ate: Beef: Tibs Wet and Minchet Abish Alicha Chicken: Doro Tibs and Doro Tib Wet (was supposed to comes with two chicken legs we only got one for some reason) Lamb: Ye'beg Alicha Seafood: Shrimp Tibs Vegetables: Collard greens, green beans & carrots, cabbage and potatoes, and yellow split peas Everything was a 10/10. Some items we got mild, medium or spicy. The service was perfect--we never had to ask for a thing. Everyone was all smiles and accommodating. There was a weird situation that occurred as we were sitting. A transient walked past and knocked their heavy sidewalk sign into the window my son was sitting in front of. It would have easily broke the window and injured my son. They told us the same guy broke their door once. This is a known person to the other local businesses. I have zero complains other than the one chicken leg we didn't get. No big deal. I'm sure it was a mistake. It was cool to use the injera as a vehicle to eat the food. No forks here. Great experience. We will be back with friends and family. read more

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We walked in on a weeknight and the place was packed. Definitely make reservations to avoid a long wait. The staff were extremely helpful and guided us with our selections. Service was quick and the food was flavorful and healthy. Mesob is a must try restaurant if you're looking for authentic Ethiopian cuisine. read more

Ate there for lunch with a group of my friends. Food seemed to be on the mediocre side. Service was good. There was not a lot people in the restaurant. The restaurant is clean but somewhat dark inside. Overall, I think this will be my last meal at an Ethiopian restaurant. read more

I'm all for trying different cuisines of foods and the last time I had Ethiopian was over 5 years ago! I work with someone that highly recommended this place so our group of 6 decided to come here to try! Ambiance was great- loud environment with lots of groups and laughter! The food was delicious- if you're not opened to trying different things or have a sensitive stomach, I wouldn't recommend this place. There are options on the menu that are more "safe" if you want to slowly venture out. The portions were HUGE and prepare to eat with your hands! Because it was so busy, the servers were a little slow at coming back and taking our orders and our food took a while to come out. But I'd prefer the food to take long to come out and taste delicious than it coming out fast, tasting uncooked/bad! Overall, I enjoyed this place! Just remember to go with people that are open to trying different cuisines! read more

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I was so excited to warm up at this new to me spot! I've tried Ethiopian food before and loved the colors, the different flavors, and how vegetable heavy all of the dishes were. We were walk ins on a Friday night and the place went from calm and slow to filled up in no time. We got a few different appetizers and then shared two different entrees. Some dishes, like the sautéed mushrooms, were incredible. Others, like the split peas, were too tough and a little bland. I'd recommend trying the lentils, mushrooms, stewed collared greens and the cabbage. They were all sides that came with each entree and I really enjoyed them. The lamb dish was also a little too tough for my liking. It's served on a traditional Ethiopian spongy kind of bread with extra on the side. The space is absolutely beautiful and the gorgeous paintings hung up around the entire restaurant. Its cozy and modern and much bigger than you'd think from the outside so great for groups. And the service was fast and kind. While I didn't have the best meal ever here, there were so many people raving about them on the street, that's why we stopped in! I would say stick to the veggie dishes like the lentils and mushrooms and you'll have a great meal. read more

Mesobrestaurant.Com - Ethiopian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Me Happy at MeSob... It was a lovely birthday celebration at Mesob in a delightful dining room. Large tables or small tables for any size group. Adorned with traditional ethiopian decor from tableware to paintings. The staff is pleasant and informative. They bring out the roasting coffee beans for you to smell and enjoy before they are grounded to make your cute little pot of coffee. And oh, what a wonderfully delicious cup of ethiopian coffee, a must try. Large platters of the food you ordered are arranged in sections. The platter is served in the center of the table for all to share. You scoop up the food with injera bread with your hands. The food is so flavorful. Some can be made spicy or mild. It is better mixed by grabbing different items with the same piece of injera, of course, once you get the hang of eating with no utensils. It was very entertaining and pleasant to learn about ethiopian eating customs and apply what was learned. Will definitely return to try other menu items. read more

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I'm so happy to finally discover another lovely Ethiopian spot here in Jersey. Came after work around 5 and were seated right away. Shai is spicy and perfect. Server was quick and attentive. Food is probably my favorite of the Ethiopian I've had here. Shiro wet was the best, kik alicha close second. Very cozy vibe inside. BYOB read more

Mesobrestaurant.Com - Vegetarian Sampler - Ethiopian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

My best friend and I have been craving Ethiopian food for the longest. We found this little gem and we were so happy we did !! The service was wonderful. The staff was very attentive and friendly. The restaurant is big, with tables for large parties but also tables for intimate dates/dinners. We ordered the cheese and injera appetizer and vegetarian sambusa to start and my friend ordered the vegetarian platter and I ordered the meat platter. We both loved the food. The meat was soft and well seasoned. The vegetables tasted fresh and delicious. We loved that you could moderate the spice level. I got spicy and it was perfect. I would definitely come back! read more

Mesobrestaurant.Com - Meat sampler - Ethiopian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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I had the pleasure of eating here on my birthday back in December. I had been craving Ethiopian food for months, and found I would be near this gem. The staff was friendly and inviting, and the space itself was much larger and brighter than I anticipated. They could easily accommodate a large party or an intimate date night. Mesob did not disappoint. I had the vegetarian platter - everything was delicious, I don't even like mushrooms, and I ate theirs. They were happy to tailor the spice to our preference, the injera was super fresh, and all of the food was well seasoned. If you are looking for authentic Ethiopian food, look no further than Mesob read more

The food was just ok but for the price it was not good. Service and space were good. We will not be going there again.

The food was bland. It had no taste at all. The waiter and staff were rude and laughing at the people. Probably thought it was funny that we were paying outrageous prices for terrible food. Look for better places to eat in Montclair. read more

Every dish we had was wonderful! The service was superb. We will be coming back here!

Been here a few times but finally writing a review; from a vegetarian's POV. I really enjoy this place, I had my first Ethiopian dining experience here years ago and recently took my parents here to experience it as well. With the assortment of lentils and legumes and vegetables, there is plenty to choose from on the menu. I recommend starting with a tea; the ginger one is exceptionally great! Out of the vegetarian options we samples almost everything on the menu. Our favorites were Shiro, cabbage/potato, and the red and green lentils - we probably enjoyed those because they parallel some level of indian cuisine staples. We ended with a coffee; which was a bit too strong for me but my father enjoyed it. The ambiance is great, I was able to reserve online for a Sat evening and was seated quite promptly upon arrival. Service was attentive as well. I really enjoy making the trip to Montclair esp for this restaurant. read more

Mesobrestaurant.Com - Ethiopian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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We'd not been to Mesob in several years and suddenly had a craving for Ethiopian cuisine. It was everything we'd remembered it was! Every dish was EXPLODING with flavor. Soooo good! Service was impeccable. We won't wait years again yo return. read more

Very delicious food and great staff! Had the vegetarian combo (highly suggest) and it was amazing, they have rarer sides which are the mushrooms and chickpea biscuits, both were extremely good. An easy 5 star Ethiopian restaurant and I've been to 10s of them and most don't get over 4! Definitely try this don't be afraid to try something different! You'll be happy you did read more

Mesobrestaurant.Com - Vegetarian Sampler - Ethiopian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Stopped in here for New Year's Day with the kids for dinner. It was the little one's first time trying Ethiopian so we got mostly mild veggies (except the spicy potatoes for mom & dad!) For drinks, I ordered the hibiscus tea which came nice and hot - but you can choose to order it iced if you prefer. My husband ordered the Shai (tea) which is black African tea with ginger, cloves, cardamom & cinnamon. My daughter ended up stealing his so he ordered a second one! For the vegetarian sampler, we ordered gomen (collard greens), tikil gomen (cabbage & potatoes), dinich wet (spicy potatoes), difen misir alicha (whole brown lentils), misir wet (spicy red lentils) and kik alicha (yellow split peas). You get 6 veggie sides when you order the sampler and you can choose for 1-4 people (we did it for 3 because the little one was picking off ours). We usually tend to get the veggies instead of the meat because we love the flavors - but if you decide to get meat/seafood I'd recommend the shrimp tibs and minchet abish kay west. We wanted the Ethiopian baklava for dessert but they ran out! Overall yummy as always and its also BYOB - there's a liquor store a few stores down. read more

Mesobrestaurant.Com - Mesob combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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I would give a solid 4.5 stars to Mesob! My friend and I got the ingudai tibs and doro tibs . As you can see, her food is on one half of the plate and mine is on the bottom. I believe the third thing we ordered was the ye'shimbra asa, which are handmade chickpea biscuits. I thought this was a very yummy meal and they are pretty hefty portions. I put my hand there for size reference. It is very dimly lit in the restaurant but is a nice atmosphere. read more

Mesobrestaurant.Com - On the bottom from left to right, Ingudai Tibs, Doro Tibs and ye'shimbra asa - Ethiopian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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What a wonderful experience! There was nice service and the ambiance was chill. It's also BYOB so bring some wine etc! Parking was a pain, but the food was worth it. It was my first Ethiopian experience, sharing food on one plate and having the injera bread that is sour. We ended up getting the Vegetarian Sampler and the Non Beef Sampler which was super filling too! read more

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Came here a second time on a weekend and had a much better experience than when I came on the weeknight. The food seemed a lot fresher, the injeera was super spongy and warm to the touch, and the servers were so friendly and open to providing their recommendations. I was very pleasantly surprised by the food this time around -- I got beef tips as well as a vegetarian sampler and everything was spiced to perfection and paired perfectly with the sour injeera. This restaurant is helping me become a real Ethiopian food fanatic. - Injeera is served with almost every meal - Location is BYOB - Have to prepare for street parking as it's in the middle of the busy Montclair street - Prepare to eat with your hands! read more

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