Terrible Service…read more We came on a Monday night and there were three tables with people seated. We ordered the meat selection and the fried mushrooms and collard greens. The food was tasty (though the mushrooms were not fried but sautéed and the meats were dry and the portions tiny). But the service killed the night. We asked TWICE for wine that never came and the waitress just sat in the kitchen without bringing us drinks. Suuuuuuuper creepy. Then she added ten percent to my $46 euro bill on the visa machine. Tip? Surcharge? No idea. Never going back. Just terrible.

I'm kind of torn between the Lalibela, Walia Ibex and the Addis Ababa. They are all very close in…read moreterms of finding an Ethiopian eating experience in of all places Amsterdam. But, that said, since I'm writing here, I guess I prefer Lalibela over the other two. Azifa, Meser Wot and tomato salad were as expected, as was the Shiro.... and I've been to Ethiopia more than several times. On the other hand, the Sega Alecha Wot was fabulous, IMHO. Begwot was delicious (yes I love lamb dishes), but don't be a moron and ask for it Ethiopian hot, white-boy Yankee spicy was more than enough for me. LOL. And of course, as we have to have everywhere, the Doro Wot was spot on! Note, make sure you take someone that has never had Ethiopian food, and watch them try and find the fork when the food arrives!!

If you want to taste something different and be in a really welcome a chill atmosphere, this is a…read moregood place to go! We had a really nice evening!

An authentic Ethiopia restaurant with excellent service and a unique cultural atmosphere…read more Be ready to eat traditionally using your right hand, wash your hands first, and challenge yourself to discover new tastes and flavors. Highly recommended for adventurous eaters looking for a different and memorable dining experience.

It was very testy and freshly made. We realy like the…read morewelcoming and the survice. I felt at home away from home. Please accept my heart felt thank you we will be back. I would like to say thank you to the team that made this very special indeed. Keep it up. Bitame nemesgin.

One of our favorite meals in Amsterdam! The owner and all the servers were so kind and helpful…read more They were featuring a Vegetarian evening...but we asked if he would be willing to do meat...he said if we didn't mind waiting...of course! It is a small restaurant but worth the wait. The coconut beer is so unique. Everything he put on our plate was devoured. I can't really explain all the different combinations-but can confirm everything was fantastic.

Was craving Ethiopian food and this place hit the spot! Me and two friends split a combo platter…read more Was more than enough food for all of us. For dessert we got some yogurt with flaxseed and honey which I keep trying to recreate til this day. I love the decorations, just a great experience!

Super! Nicely decorated, amazing authentic food, friendly and fast service! Ordered Zegni which is…read morevery spicy but delicious. One of my fave restaurants in Amsterdam

The people here are warm and welcoming!!!! The decor is beautiful and authentic…read more PLEASE BE AWARE OF TIME CHANGES: New times open every day except MONDAY All other days open 5pm to 10pm Sun 5pm-10pm Mon CLOSED Tue 5pm-10pm Wed 5pm-10pm Thu. 5pm-10pm Fri 5pm- 10pm Sat 5pm- 10pm The food smells so delicious. I didn't have food but I did order the honey wine. I will be back to taste the food and drop another review

Pretty decent veggie options with well made injera. Get the chickpea option. Very cozy space…read more The owner was very nice and the way the space is set up is beautiful, it's just that you get there and the place is very unassuming from the outside. The beer was not great, so maybe get drinks elsewhere.

I went to Semhar with 13 friends for my birthday and it was by far my favorite Ethiopian experience…read more(mu sample size is 8 restaurants). Service: They were extremely accommodating for our large party and everyone was warm and welcoming. They really went the extra mile to provide a special experience for us, from the unveiling of the platters to the coffee ceremony. Food (most important part for me!): The vegetarian and meat platters we ordered were out of this world. Everything tasted fresh and well seasoned and the injera was the best I ever had. We loved the various spices used and each dish was cooked exactly how I like it. The date cake and Ethiopian coffee were also amazing. Ambiance: This also stood out for us. The lighting, scents, artwork and design added to the overall excellent experience. It was the perfect combination of cozy and lively. Price: The price per person was very reasonable for Amsterdam. There are a number of Ethiopian restaurants to choose from in Amsterdam but I highly recommend giving this one a try! Thank you Semhar for helping to make my birthday extra special :-)

The food here is amazing!! My friend and I were a little spooked because we went to eat and were…read morethe only ones in the restaurant, but people slowly trickled in. We ordered one of the vegetarian selections and it was delightful. It was a massive amount of food but it was so good I couldn't stop eating it! I really enjoyed the spinach and the onions. Their honey wine is also delicious. This is my second Ethiopian restaurant I've been to but it definitely gets the title of my favorite. Seriously, this was so delicious. I wish I could eat here every day.

Lovely place to experience Ethiopian food. The flat bread are nice and fresh, a great vehicle for…read morethe various dishes. The dishes are slightly too salty for me, but may be a taste preference

If you visit Amsterdam, eat at this restaurant. The platters are big and delicious. Each platter…read morecomes with a variety of sides, more scrumptious than the next. They have fun flavored beers and honey wine! The staff is great - service was excellent. It was too hot for us to sit outside so we had the inside all to ourselves. It seems to get busy during dinner hours so you might need a reservation, but we went around 5:30 and walked right in. For dessert, try their ice cream! I had the coconut ice cream served in half of a coconut - it was amazing.

TL;DRL: Exceedingly excellent food - the best Ethiopian I've had yet in Holland, potential for…read moregood ambience, could not really judge the service, somewhat out of the way location. I love Ethiopian food and have eaten it in many different cities in the world, although only at a couple of places in Holland since I moved back. I had the zegni (a kind of tibs wot) and the Kitfo with extra mitmita on the side, and The Wife had the vegan platter, including an unusual but outstanding misr alech. The food quality was excellent. The injera tasted like it was mostly teff, but the owner told me he actually only really uses a little bit of teff; I have no idea how he gets it to be so good. I wasn't thrilled about them using spinach as a side rather than the more traditional kale, but it was still good. There was only one other couple there the whole night, and they were friends of the owner. Oddly, I think that may have accounted for the slow service. If there's no one there, why be all staffed up in the middle of the week in the middle of the winter? However, the place was nicely decorated with several of the "traditional" seating areas if you like that, and I could see it being very gezelig (charming/comfy) if it were full of customers. The owners (or managers?) were delightful people. On the map, the restaurant appears to be a bit out of the way, especially compared to the two on the Overtoom, but if you're already hanging in de Jordaan or around the Haarlemerstraat/dijk, it's not far. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for authentic and quality Ethiopian food.

Delicious food served with a smile at this bare-bones Ethiopian restaurant. My party shared a…read morevegetarian platter that was incredible: fresh herbs and spices, distinctive and unique flavors. Highly recommended.

Cash (Euros) only! Credit cards are not accepted here. We didn't know so we had to run to the…read moregrocery store nearby to get money out of ATM. They take Euros and Dutch version of Zelle, which we weren't comfortable using. This restaurant is the definition of hole in the wall. There are only three tables (one that seats two, one for four, and one for six). Bathroom sink is so small you may have to wash one hand at a time of you have big ones. The couple who owns the place are in the small kitchen cooking, which looks like their actual kitchen and not that of a business. It's clear that they have been here for a while as the customers know them well. One kid, about 8, as he was leaving, gave each owner a hug and during the meal spoke extensively with one of them about soccer (assuming because they were speaking Dutch). It felt like we're at Uncle and Aunty's for lunch because we had nothing to eat at home. Food was good, but you do have to wait for it. Aunty is cooking up a fresh batch of whatever you're ordering. The injera didnt seem that freshly made but we still enjoyed all the food. Entree portions are small (maybe not sure for European standard) and the sides are limited compared to other Ethiopian restaurants we visited, including one ins Paris.

Quaint place run by a nice Ethiopian couple. You feel like you're eating at someone's home. The…read morefood was delicious and great service.

Amazing food. We went on a weeknight and the place was…read moredeserted. But the staff was very courteous. I wanted to eat minchet abish and it was not on the menu but they offered to make it for me and it was delicious. Perfect , home made , authentic ethiopian taste. My friend had doro tibs and he loved it too. The good thing is that with any order you get multiple small portions of different side dishes. I liked that. The meal was reasonably priced. The ambience is not fancy, just very simple. so, if you want some good ethiopian food without the fancy jazz - this is the place to go. I am definitely going back here.

This place was just okay...maybe I am spoiled, but I just didn't think it was anything special. My…read moreco-workers and I ordered a variety of dishes and they were served family style per our request. I had the Doro Wat, which is a spicy chicken and egg dish. I thought it lacked some of the more nuanced spices Ethiopian food is known for and, instead, just kind of hit me over the head with red pepper. Another dish we had was the Engudaye Wot, or creamy mushroom dish. This was super salty and tasted like Campbell's cream of mushroom soup. This was our least favorite. It was a bit unappetizing. My other dining companion had Teb, which was probably my favorite dish of all that we ordered. It had the spices I craved and the lamb was tender. The injera was pretty good...nice and spongy with a slight sour note, which I enjoyed. The decor in the place is cute and has pictures and artwork from Ethiopia. The music and incense also made it feel a bit more authentic. There are so many other great places to eat that I doubt I'd return here, but if you are having a hankering for Ethiopian food, this might do the trick.