My first time trying out this type of cuisine. I can honestly say it was absolutely delicious, and…read moreI am excited to go back! Make sure to try some of their signature house made hot sauce! It was amazing.

This is new restaurant on 118 Ave. We saw them on Skip The Dishes and ordered to pick-up ourselves…read more I've never had African food before so I had no idea what to expect. Everything was prepared fresh and tasted great. They ran out of dough for the chapati and the owner's mom (who is the chef) made it from scratch from her own recipe. It was delicious. We also got the chicken stew, fried tilapia, donuts, and fried plantains. Everything was flavorful and crisp. Usually my husband doesn't like tilapia but he liked mine so much he says that's what he'll get next time. It was deep fried but not heavy, and the fish was fresh, moist, and not soft like some white fish can be. The donuts aren't anything like a donut you'd get elsewhere. They are more savoury and reminded me of fried bannock. We took our order to go and drove it home, but I definitely recommend eating in if you can. The drinks look refreshing and delicious, and the food benefits from being eaten hot.

My husband and I were looking for a place to eat that was not considered American cuisine and this…read morerestaurant popped up. We have never tried Kenyan food so we decided to try it out. We are extremely happy we did because the food was incredible. We asked for recommendations and ordered four items, half chicken, spare ribs, rice and masala fries. All of the dishes were delicious and I would definitely recommend all of them. I think our favorite dish was the ribs with the rice being a solid second. I will be adding this restaurant to my list of places to go to when in Edmonton. Yummy!!!

Comfortable atmosphere. Very pleasant service. Excellent food. Also reasonably priced. I will…read moredefinitely support this business in the future.

We made reservations 3 weeks in advance for our table of 10 (we ended up being a table of 7) - they…read morehad no clue who we were when we arrived - - however, restaurant was completely empty when we arrived - so we had no issues getting a table. All our chairs were broken when we were seated. Server took 10 minutes to greet us and ask for drink order. We thought we would share a bottle of wine - as there is an entire PAGE in the menu illustrating the white and red they have. We were then told WE DON'T SERVE LIQUOR - - ????? Once our drink order was taken - it took quite a while - when she did come from the kitchen she brought out 3 drinks at a time with a 10 minute lapse between. We then ordered our appetizers - 2 each of 4 items - 2 sets came out together. At that point we had 3 plates and 2 sets of cutlery (table of 7) - - after waiting a few minutes one of our diners, frustrated, went into the kitchen to fetch our server. Another 5 minutes - she brought out 3 more plates - - still short 1 plate - and NO cutlery was brought. Another few minutes - out came cutlery and a final plate. After all this - our 3rd appetizer came. We finished all 3 sets of appetizers when one of our diners said - "wait we ordered 4" - Same diner went back into the kitchen to fetch our server a SECOND time - and at that point he was told not to come into the kitchen again. At this point we had to remind her about our final appetizer. This was beginning to be a wee bit of a nightmare. We tried to place our entree order - - only to be told many items were "unavailable" - we waited well over 30 minutes before food began to come out of the kitchen. Out came the first whole tilapia (raw in places), another 15 minutes - out came dish number 2 - kingfish - not terrible. 10 minutes more - second tilapia came out - this one was cooked through, 15 minutes later out came curry chicken - completely bland - by this time the kingfish diner was finished eating, and the first tilapia diner was also done. Then came 1 of the 2 jerk chicken ordered - another 10 minutes came the goat, and 5 minutes later came the 2nd jerk chicken. By the time the final dish arrived - 4 diners had completed eating - and 3 were only starting. At this point, we were not checked on to see how are meals were or if we needed anything else - never saw our server again. After waiting a significant amount of time - I PHONED THE RESTAURANT AND ASKED FOR OUR BILL TO BE BROUGHT TO US !!!! Once the bill was presented - we needed change for a 5 dollar bill only to be told WE HAVE NO COIN CHANGE - - I'm sorry? what business establishment doesn't have COIN CHANGE? Needless to say - we felt like we had slipped into the twilight zone with this restaurant - never had any of us had such poor service - such oddities going on - and we just simply couldn't believe how things went. PS - if you sit at the back of the restaurant - up high - which we did - you can see into the men's bathroom and look at a urinal - one diner said she could smell the urinal pucks. As a note - we as a group get together and try new ethnic restaurants every 3 weeks - so this isn't our first time eating out together - this restaurant was the 18th we have tried in the city. With that said, when we all agree this was the worst dining experience we had ever had together or even privately - we aren't kidding.

We met a friend for supper at this restuarant, and because it was on the weekend we decided on the…read moreMoroccan Experience which included 1 Tangina (a traditional Moroccan dish which was slow cooked lamb, cooked with spices), 1 lamb tagine with with prunes, 1 Moroccan couscous, and one chicken tagine with olives, and harira soup. The food was massive and tasty. The tangina was the standout..but everything was good. The soup was also amazing. My only complaint is the Moroccan couscous had no real meat in it. It was 3/4 cous cous and really nothing else. I would not order this again. It is pretty inside and rather large. They have a seperate room for special parties etc. Service was good. The owners gave us complementary tea and baklava which was tasty and appreciated. The tea was lovely. I woul like to come again on the weekend and try other things on the weekend menu.

Food was great! The dishes were interesting and the lamb was delicious. At the end they brought us…read moresome tea in the sweetest little cups, and something sweet. What a wonderful gesture! The tea was so good I thought about ordering more. Thank you for your great food and service.

Again really good food. The tables could use some cleaning though. We went to sit down and all of…read morethem had stains of previous meals on them. However service was quick and prompt and the staff super friendly. Loved the complementary soup they give and a banana! I don't have a sweet tooth so this is a great finish for me for dinner. It is great for Somali food. The rice is perfectly cooked and both meats we had were really tasty. Hubby had the goat while I had the fried fish. The only complaint is there was a lot of fat on the goat. He probably wouldn't order that again. We both ordered chai which was delicious and welcome on the chili night. An interesting note is they have a seperate area for woman to eat than men. Perhaps this is a cultural thing? However we were not made less welcome sitting together and eating. Really try it. It is really good price point, friendly atmosphere, and large portions. And it feels like trick or treating when you get a banana for free!

I have ordered the beef stew with rice. The food is so good and the portions are great and lots for…read moreleftovers

August 28, 2022 (lunch) Horrible food - beef meat lamb meat and fish tough and dried up. We were so…read moreexcited to eat fufu (I m sure it is not pounded yam coz it is tasteless) egusi soup with assorted meat. I asked how much is the fish, waitress said $10. I expected the dish to come in one as per my order. But it came in two dishes. I asked why two dishes, was the one dish split into two, she said yes. The menu has no price so they can charge you whatever price. If you plan to go there, ask for the total price of the meal coz then you can be sure how much each meal costs. I told the girl I liked to pay the bill and she took so long to calculate the bill. When finally bill came, she charged me for two dishes, $38.25 x 2 . I asked why she charged me two dishes, I thought I told her it was one dish, she said it was two dishes. I do not want to make a scene in front of my girl friend so I just paid. I don't mind to pay if the food is good, but it was HORRIBLE. Fufu is tasteless , and the meat is tough and dried up.we can't bite into the meat. I m sure they served us leftover meat n recooked again that why the meats so tough and dried up. We NEVER GO BACK THERE AGAIN If you want to go there, make sure to ask the waitress for the total cost. The menu has no price (refer to picture) I swear it is the horrible food I ever tasted. It is worst than a dog food. I bet the meat is leftover that why it is so tough and dried up. my home made food that I cook is better than Mon Amie Resto. I m going to make my fufu yam and egusi sauce with meat at home. I truly regret wasting my money here.

I just moved downtown and after a morning of unpacking I was starving - so I decided to treat…read moremyself to lunch. Turns out Bete Africa wasn't far away, and I love Ethiopian food, so easy choice. Late lunch time on a Thursday was super quiet, I was the only one in the restaurant till nearly the end of my meal, but they were open and super friendly. I ordered the shiro wot with beef, which came with some of the best injera I have ever had. Thick and spongy and unbelievably fresh - wow. I complimented it and was told they make it fresh on site, which I can definitely believe. The shiro wot was delicious too, I was expecting it to be a bit spicier but I didn't actually state a preference and they may have just assumed I would prefer it mild. It was very tasty though and served sizzling hot in a clay pot. I think this is the fourth Ethiopian restaurant I've tried in Edmonton and definitely my favorite so far (the others being Blue Nile, Walia, Langano Skies). All this and a fruit drink came to $20, and there were lots of left overs for lunch the next day. I will be back!

A hidden diamond in downtown Edmonton. A labor of love run by Jamila, the owner, chef, and server…read more Food made fresh everyday you may even catch some items off the menu. A restaurant that takes you outside of Edmonton. Stop by for a freshly roasted coffee experience, meal, or shareable platter - make sure you ask for some beef tibs and come with an appetite!

This place is about a block south of the Italian Centre on 97th, and it's easy to walk past without…read morenoticing if you're not paying attention - it was clearly originally a residential house that was converted to a restaurant later. Even now when you enter, you're stepping into what looks like someone's front hall, and then you go through a door on the right to get to the actual restaurant, which may once have been a living room. The decor isn't anything fancy, but the owners are friendly and the food is delicious. I was recommended this place as one of the best in town by the folks serving at the Abyssinian booth at HeritageFest last year, so I had to check it out. The injera is fresh and soft, and the beef tibs I tried was excellent although not as spicy as I'd expected (they probably dialed back the spice for the newcomer). I was sad they were out of lamb the day I was there, but hopefully can go back and try some of the lamb dishes another time!

inexpensive and excellent food. I wish they were a bit more web savy so I could find a menu. Kay…read moreWot is my favourite, and we always get the mixed veg dish (lentils, shredded beets, and I forget the other two). Among the half dozen or so Ethiopian/Eritrean restaurants that we've gone to, this is our favourite.

After reading some really scary comments about this place I decided to take a walk on the wild side…read moreand give it a try, taking a colleague with me in case I had to be driven to the hospital for food poisoning. BUT...... When we arrived, we were warmly greeted by the owner who introduced himself to us and made us feel welcome right away. I thought I would address the elephant in the room and asked him what was up with the graphic images and awful comments about the meat-handling at his restaurant. The owner, whose named is Abraham, explained how the picture was a result of bad timing and unchecked facts. A delivery had indeed been made, but to the convenience store next to him...(still gross but not relevant to this restaurant). Someone driving by thought it was for his restaurant, took a picture and the story ballooned, including investigative reporting by CBC. It didn't help that the convenience store is also named Harambee, but under different ownership and management. The place was extremely clean! I went to wash my hands before eating - the cafe serves Ethiopian and more regionally specific, Eritrean food, eaten with hands - the washroom was so clean I could smell fresh bleach and the faucet (a good indicator of cleaning frequency) had no water stains and was polished to a mirror finish. I was offered a tour of the kitchen to see my food being prepared and was pleased to see it was also very clean, well-kept and organized. The floors were spotless. The dining area looks fresh and modern with nice colors and tables and chairs in good condition. I totally expected the place to be a dive and I was pleasantly surprised to see that there is clearly a pride of ownership throughout this place! I enjoyed a coffee to start and for lunch we ordered the Dulet (fried tripe) and Tibse as well as a combo that included more Tibse, spinach, potato, carrots and two kinds of lentils. It was all so delicious and the spices were very exciting and exotic to me, despite my well-traveled palate. The windows face south so we were awash in fresh sunshine and the place has parking adjacent to the building. They just did a new facade on their building so their new sign is not up yet but is expected soon. This is certainly a little, undiscovered gem in the heart of the North Edge district and well worth checking out if you like to veer off the beaten path on your gastro-adventures!

My first encounter with Harambee was during a blackout on 107th Avenue two years ago. I was meeting…read morethe owner at the time to chat, and didn't have time to eat, but what I did get was that it was an eatery, very similar to many other places on 107th, that had a largely male patronage. I have since had a friend who works a few blocks away rave about the food, claiming it's better than African Safari and it took this long for me to finally pay a visit. Thanks to another friend who wanted to try a new restaurant on 107th, we decided with Harambee since neither of us had ever eaten there. We came in after 5:30pm to find that we were the only ones in the café. The ownership has since changed; the new owner, Abraham, immediately greeted us and was impressed by my friend's perfect pronunciation of the Eritrean dishes. The menu contained a mix of Ethiopian/Eritrean dishes and Italian dishes like lasagna. My friend opted for the Combo platter (containing Alicha, Tibs, etc.) and espresso while I ordered just the Alicha and a cappuccino. Both platters came with two pieces of injera (one rolled up on top of the injera plate with the platter). The alicha, which was a potato and carrot dish with turmeric, was okay, perhaps a bit bland, but I really enjoyed the hint of berbere spiciness in my friend's lentils. We were served the hot drinks after, which made for a nice dessert. Abraham was extremely friendly and said to call him anytime if we needed anything. "Harambee" which means "coming together" in Swahili is a place that lives up to its name. The café became busy shortly after we had arrived and people came and went to grab drinks and converse, easily chatting up with each other along with the owner. By the bar is a giant mirror in the shape of Africa; reflecting the roots of people who come into the restaurant. My bill was less than $15; worth the quick service and healthy food. "So did you guys enjoy yourselves here?" Abraham asked. I certainly did, and really like the chill community vibe in this place. Harambee truly is a gathering place on 107th.