Came here with a couple of friends on a Saturday night and shared 2 meat combos, a veggie combo and the gaat. There was a misunderstanding with our orders initially, but Welday the owner corrected it quickly! The food comes out on a plate of round sourdogh sponge-like flatbread and you break off some of it and use it to pick up the food. The meat combo was delicious. All the meat were seasoned well and easy to eat. My personal favorite was the lamb and my friends agreed that it was their favorite too. The veggie combo was good too. There were some flavors/spices in there that were new to me, but it was welcoming and tasted good. There wasn't necessarily a favorite I have out of all the veggies, but they were all pretty good and I recommend getting this too. The gaat was also good. It is served with spicy oil in the middle with a side of cottage cheese. First thing that should be noted is that it's incredibly dense. Imagine a super dense polenta like dish. It was pretty good, but we were too full to eat it so we took it back with us. I would recommend getting the small size if you don't have many people with you but still want to try it. I definitely recommend this place and will be back in the future! read more

Great food. He makes injera with all teff grain unlike the other ethiopian places in Tucson who use wheat... Gluten free teff is much healthier regular wheat is full of toxic glyphosate. Only complaint is not spicy enough for me....spiciness is toned way down for dumb Americans. African food is supposed to be fiery. I liked it better than the other Ethiopian restaurants....it was tastier and fresher flavor. It's also about HALF AS EXPENSIVE (you looked at that eh?) as the other two Ethiopian restaurants I've tried. Great deal! read more

Leave some for leftovers! I passed by this place earlier in the day and noticed Eritrean food has now blessed the east side. Coming back for dinner there were a few tables with customers but pretty open seating. The tables and chairs are close together which makes you need to be extra kind to your neighbors, almost as you invited them to sit next to you. We ordered the meat combo, veggie combo and a tomato salad. The waitress was sweet and also gave us some hot tea (brown with strong clove aroma) for the wait. There was not unreasonable time before the food came but enough that I was lucky to have a good companion to relax with. The two combos came on the same platter, bottomed with injera. The stars were the lamb, spinach and the spicier of the chic pea dishes. The only opportunities for improvement were the lintels to be cooked a minute longer and when you claim spicy beef it needs to have more kick than the beef without. I cannot take a star off for that, unless they get settled in and the same occurs on my next visit. The best part was after we ate a considerable amount we had left overs. I was the benefactor of those and today was excited to see if they held over. Like Thanksgiving dinner some of the meal was better than before. Maybe due to a fork better accepting a mix of ingredients in a bite, instead of my attempts at grabbing with my injera hands, but the flavors had danced over night to give reason to a weekend of Eritrean food. Simple location but clean and with a heart of someone who wants to serve unique cuisine that is not well represented in Tucson. I expect this place to improve over time to include spicy dishes (will specifically ask next time) and a little more distinction between vegetable entrees but I am confident my next review will not need to change raiting. read more

I've stayed away from this particular regional cuisine for many years after a terrible meal at an Ethiopian restaurant (not here in Tucson), and Sheba's Eritrean cuinsine is in that same tradition. But given the very favorable reviews here and the fact Sheba is in my neighborhood, I built up my determination and had lunch there with a friend. I have to say, given my past experience and consequently lowered expectations, I was pleasantly surprised. Unlike my earlier experience, the lamb was not at all gamey. In fact the lamb was quite flavorful. The menu displays pepper icons to indicate level of heat. The beef and chicken offerings both feature 2 peppers. Being cautious, we tried the chicken. The heat level was very low. I would actually have wanted a little more heat. But sauce on the chicken was quite tasty, although the chicken was slightly overcooked and a tad on the dry side. On the vegetarian side the 'spinach' was very interesting. It did not have the appearance or taste of spinach. It looked and tasted very much like collard greens, perhaps the best-tasting collard green I've ever had, but that's not a high bar. But seriously, it was very good and I would recommend the dish. Also enjoyable were the lentils. The only disappointing dish was the chick peas which lacked flavor. The two of us were able to sample this wide array of dishes because the restaurant will, for the price of a single dish, allow you to combine several dishes (three each in our case). And that is wonderful flexibility. So why only 3 stars when the food is as good as I've described? I just cannot add that 4th star which declares "I'm a fan". I'm not a fan for this single reason: Injera, the regional flatbread, just doesn't work for me. It is somewhat tasteless, so my problem may be more with its texture, a rubbery raw-tasting pancake. Where in most eateries one can avoid the bread, here it is near impossible. The food is served with no utensils, so the Injera is the only tool available to transfer the meal and veggies from serving plate to palate. It's all finger food. The dilemma I struggled with was trying to enjoy the very good meat and veggies but having to endure the unpleasant flatbread. About half-way through the meal, I discarded all sense of decorum and used my fingers without the bread to pick up the food. My objections are narrow and very personal (almost all focused on the flatbread). I would still recommend you give it a try. The flatbread may prove to be not a problem for you in which case you will find the food to be generally quite good and it's a fascinating dining experience. Also you'll find the staff to be very friendly and accomodating. read more

This was my 1st visit to this Eritrean restaurant & the owner greeted me like a regular customer; He's constantly smiling & for a while, I was the only customer & we chatted like two long time friends. I asked for lamb & an assortment of veggies & he presented me w/a huge platter suitable for 2-3 diners; lotsa of tasty injera was served also. For dessert, I had a slice of sweet bread (not very sweet) & a fabulous cup of tea w/herbs & fresh mint leaves. My only regreat is that it's a long drive from my home in Sahuarita... read more

Wow! Great service, great price, and the food was so flavorful. There's a very small staff (usually the owner cooking and serving!), and take some time to enjoy your meal as most people do around the world. We had several meals out of the food we ordered, and it was delicious the next day as well. Make sure to try the tea (cardamom, clove, cinnamon, and maybe anise?). read more

This was our first time eating Eritrean food and we loved it!! Very similar to Ethiopian or Somali food. The restaurants as meticulously clean and the owner unfailingly kind and hospitable. The lentils (#5)and spinach should not be missed and the lamb and beef were both tender and delicious. The portions were huge and meant to be shared so, order accordingly. We couldn't encourage you to go more!! read more

Delicious! We ordered way too much food, and it was all wonderful. We got the beef combo, chicken, lentils, cabbage and potatoes. The service was fast and friendly and the restaurant is very clean and has a nice atmosphere. I liked the music videos playing in the corner. The hot tea is also a really nice touch, it's cinnamon flavor balanced out the spices of the dishes. The dishes weren't as spicy as I expected, but otherwise we were very satisfied. I would definitely come back! read more

My dad had wanted to come here after reading about it in the Tucson Weekly. I decided to treat him to lunch with my fiancé since we were visiting town. Had a lovely experience here with both the owners and the food. We split a veggie combo and a meat combo and an order of ga'at which was more food than we could finish. Prices are reasonable as well. We were the only ones there, mind you it was a Tuesday afternoon but I really hope they get some more business. It's a nice location and not very far from my dad's place so I definitely want to go back when I'm in town again. I would recommend this place to adventurous eaters looking to try something new in Tucson. read more

Queen Sheba - African Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I am sooooo disappointed. I was hoping for a good dinner....... the owner also charged me $ 7.21 more than what he should have after looking at my debit card transaction. BEWARE. If you look at the one AND two star reviews, you'll come to find that the owner likes to overcharge people. THIS PLACE IS NOT WORTH IT. If you do go, USE CASH, but spare yourself the trouble of eating bland food from a man who LACKS INTEGRITY. Zemams and Cafe Desta have better tasting food, and the owners are much politer than the man here although the lady was nice. After the misunderstanding i had with the size of my order, the owner clearly became annoyed and a bit aggressive (throwing the receipt aggressively as well as his style of communicating) after i mentioned i had wanted a large individíal size dish with berbere chicken and 2 veggie sides. The manner of ordering options/ style here is different compared to Cafe Desta and Zemams which is understandable (they are separate restaurants), and i did mention to the owner it was my 1st time had stepping in here and I had never ordered from this location.The owner here was, to my surprise and my dismay, very rude. The red lentils were all right. The injera was cold and not teff. I am really shocked at the rudeness and aggression displayed by the owner based on a misunderstood where i realized the sized I ordered was wrong which was $36 and not $12. I wanted to leave and not order at all, but i thought maybe with covid things must be tough for a local restaurant family business, and i like to try new restaurants. Honestly, I should have just thanked him and walked out, but i decided to give this place a shot. I didnt miss anything because Zemams has the best flavor in Ethiopian food. The food here at queen sheeba needed more spice, so i kept adding mitmita while i ate it. Cafe Desta is great too with varied drink options, and usually, a rasberry tart for dessert. In short, very bad experience. read more

I ate here with two friends. We shared a large platter with red lentils and lamb and lots and lots of injera bread. I haven't eaten Eritrean food before, but I've had Ethiopian food, and it was indistinguishable. There's really nothing wrong with the restaurant; I'm just not a big fan of this kind of food. I don't care for the spices they use, and since there are no utensils, you are forced to eat way too much of the spongy injera. read more

Simply put, it's delicious. There's practically no wait, and the food is delicious. The injera is made with teff, making it brown. The man who owns it is incredibly kind and helpful. Pro tip: tell them if you're a vegetarian so they don't let the meat items touch yours. They load up the plate with plenty of smaller portions of different menu items. read more

I walked in late one night. Welday the owner and server helped me with delicious recommendations. The food was incredible! Filled with flavor. The spongy pita that they create provides a chance to experience the culture that Welday brings from his home in Africa. Come taste the difference! read more

Service is good. If you know what your ordering it will be easier. It will come out on a really big round platter to share (very cool) . The food came out pretty slow, and certain dishes came out when we were ready to leave :/. But it was good. I'm not a huge fan of canned drinks. Got to try new things and expose my family to something new:) read more

You may not be familiar with this type of food, or you may not be the adventurous type, but do it. Really--go to this place. You won't be sorry. The food is amazing, the owner gives excellent service and will patiently explain the menu to you. If you ask, he will even give you some history of his country and explain the interesting photos on the walls and the history of the flag of this country. But back to the food. There is not one thing that we didn't love on the meat and the veggie combo. The flavors are amazing. Try it! You won't be sorry! read more

My boyfriend and I had their meat tray which included several types of meats with the most flavorful spices. Highly recommend this place! read more

Queen Sheba - Sourdough bread - African Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Authentic food, great service, reasonable prices--what else can you ask for in a restaurant? We loved the experience and waddled out really stuffed. Would definitely recommend for anyone who is a flavor junkie and loves to eat family style. The food is very filling so make sure you show up starving. Oh, and make sure you order the tea! read more

Omg they have changed their injera a little and every time I come it just tastes even better. The service always makes me feel at home and the food is always delicious! The flavors in the Shero are just delicious and rich. The extra care that the owner, Welday, takes for every customer is just so warm and welcoming. I feel like they should be on a Michelin guide because I always have to travel 2 hours to come here and enjoy their veggie plates. I highly recommend it! read more

Aside from the blinking colorful lights that caused me some discomfort (personal health issues), everything was great. We got 2 large meat samplers, which were large enough to feed all 4 of us (2 adults and 2 kids) and we had lots of leftover. Tea was delicious. Daughter loved the Ga' at. The owner was really nice. Definitely recommend this place! read more

My wife and I had lunch at Queen Sheba today. The food is superb. The owner, Welday helped us with our order. The service was excellent and the prices are fair. The injera was fresh and incomparable. Both of us highly recommend Queen Sheba. read more

Our dinner was Queen Sheba was absolutely amazing. Our group of five ordered the meat combo, veggie combo, and alicha and there was plenty of food to go around. We ordered take-out and it only took 20 minutes to prepare. The short drive back home was tough because the food smelled so good. Everyone loved their food and we would all recommend Queen Sheba to anyone looking for Ethiopian-type food. read more

My wife and I stopped in for a late lunch. We ended up getting the small meat combo and small veggie combo. They served both on a single large platter with a side plate with a generous amount of injera. We enjoyed it all! The flavors were fantastic and the injera was perfect. We both took our time sampling a little of this and that and by the time we were both full we still had enough left over that we filled a take home container. If you have been on the fence about trying Ethiopian food take the plunge and give Queen Sheba a try; you won't regret it one bit. You will go in hungry and leave satisfied/happy. read more

This restaurant did not disappoint. The food was so flavorful. The portions were huge and the prices are very reasonable. Our server Mana (sp?) was wonderful and very patient with us and all our questions. We will be back! read more

Very good. New flavors we really enjoyed. Price was very reasonable too. Plenty of food.

An interesting experience! No utensils are offered, instead you get a spongy bread that you scoop up your food with. We got a vegetarian platter and a meat platter and this was a great way to try several things at one time. The food and service were good. The interior is a bit utilitarian. read more

Never ate African food or Etrian food before. What a treat! I have eaten their twice now and is one of my favorite places in Tucson. They have Lamb dishes and I love the lentil dishes. Not only is the food great but eating it is fun. When you go there you will find out what I mean. Michael read more

Best injera ever Went with friend and we were very delighted by their combo meal awesome must try read more

Queen Sheba - African Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Service was great, the tea was delicious, salad was fresh, and the food was phenomenal! I regret not eating slower. read more

Queen Sheba - The veg. items are a must! - African Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

was very impressed with with menu items. Liked what I saw noticed from around the corner while getting breakfast one day. Delicious greens and tea read more

Queen Sheba - Veggie platter - African Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I have only eating there three times because every single time I go to visit this establishment my orders are to go it is very very sloppy mess the Styrofoam boxes that they provide for a food order that is to go it's just ridiculously small by the time you get home all the juices are at the bottom of the bag it's just messy and sloppy read more

We love ethiopian food and decided to check out this place. It is from a country bordering Ethiopia and the food is very similar. Theis is definitely the best African restaurant I've been to, and as I stated I already love the food, so I've been to many restaurants that serve this type of food. We ordered the meat and veggies sample platter as we usually do to get a wide selection of tasty treats. Far and away the best! The meat was tender and flavorful, and the vegetable dishes each had unique and distinctive flavors. This place is a must try and we will definitely be returning! read more

My husband and I met 8 others for dinner last night. The small restaurant handled such a large party easily and the entrees were brought out at the same time since we chose to dine family style. That was great because we all got to taste a wide variety of delicious Eritrean-style vegetables and meats. We brought wine from home and the corking fee is only $1. The restaurant is immaculate, the owner humble, friendly and courteous. We were able to chat with him and the lovely head cook until our party arrived. This is our new favorite African Restaurant. A real gem on the east side of Craycroft. read more

Queen Sheba always surpasses expectations! The portions are NOT for those with dainty appetites. My favorite is the lamb, but all the vegetarian options I've tried are delicious! The man I always see inside is incredibly helpful. More than once he has given me a few smaller portions of other dishes to try, free of charge. This a business that will truly benefit from some patronage--everyone: go try it out! You won't be disappointed. read more

The best Eritrean food I've ever had! ;-) Seriously awesome, will return for sure. The spongy, pancake-like bread called Injera was really cool and perfect for the build your own combo. read more

Queen Sheba - Great meal! - African Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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The Queen Sheba is a local restaurant in town that serves Eritrean food, which I thought was incredibly similar to Ethiopian dishes I've had in the past. I would definitely recommend this business to family and friends! My first impressions of Queen Sheba were that the restaurant was very clean and the staff were really friendly. They really create a welcoming atmosphere. The food was great! I tried a combo dish with the meat entrees as well as some vegetarian ones as well. If you haven't had this kind of food before then I recommend trying it. Especially if you're like me and like to have vegetarian dishes every now and then. The food came out on a platter. There is some injera on the bottom of the platter (it kind of reminds me of sour dough) and the various dishes are on top. I found that all but one of the dishes were awesome. I assume the one I didn't like was awesome too but I unfortunately don't like spinach (I'm pretty sure it was spinach or something similar). There was also a sizable stack of injera on the side which I thought was really awesome! I liked Queen Sheba so much in fact that I'm sure it's going to be a regular stop for me from now on. Definitely would recommend stopping by! read more

Great food and great service. The staff is very friendly and hospitable. The food is very delicious and affordable.

We have come to Queen Sheba a couple times now (ordered to go and eaten in the restaurant), and every time the service and food are great! Both the meat and vegetable combo platters are super flavorful. Additionally, the owner is incredibly kind - always feel very taken care of! Highly recommend! read more

Great place! Nice local business. It's Eritrean food, not to be confused with Ethiopian although Eritrea was once Ethiopia, before borders expanded and Eritrea achieved independence. It's a small restaurant with tables inside and outside. This is a place where you eat with your hands and utensils are not automatically served, but if you ask for them, they probably have them. I'm used to eating with my hands because that's just my culture, so I didn't even need to ask for it. Don't hate!! I also love that this is a place that several diverse people come. I seen Whites, Indian, my party, and Eritreans all enjoying this place while I was there. I don't know what black and white animal fur/hair is on the wall, but very interesting. I know that there is a lamb also hanging on the wall on the other side of it. The decor is filled with beautiful Eritrean pictures and other Eritrean decor. The AC works really good here, like super good, like you are freezing, as if you are living in a walk in freezer. At least when we went last month, towards the end of May 2019. Everything is served piled on topof injera bread as ypur plate platter and more injera bread to go along with it. Use the injera to soak up and scoop up your food. We ordered one large meat platter and it was enough to feed 2 hungry people. My teenage son with a big appetite got full and didn't even finish all of his half. He mentioned that the food has a real bold and robust taste as well, no complaints about it here! It's a small dining room and you can tell the hard work that the owners put into this venue and that they are actually making it. Good job! I'm sure they will expand one day and do well. It has a village community vibe to it. read more

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What a great place to eat. So authentic and delicious. The family here are great at helping you order what is best to fit your party size. The food was very good and came out quickly. Just a small great spot to enjoy so truly amazing tasty food you can't get everywhere. I will be back. Oh they accommodate large groups with ease! read more

This is a great edition to the African cuisine in Tucson. He takes care with every customer, service with a smile every time. I love to order to Combo plates - with veggies. The shiro (spicy chickpeas) is a perfect balance of a creamy texture with a touch of spicy heat. Try the Gaat - a warm, pudding like bread that you dip in a spicy butter - served with cottage cheese. Don't worry about eating with your hands. The injera (spongy flat bread with a sourdough flavor) is the perfect utensil. Its a fun, unique way to share a meal. read more