I am very particular about my Ethiopian good and The Nile was excellent! Injera is made from 100% teff and is a little darker than average. The stews were quite tasty and I didn't want to stop eating. Lucky Columbus that you have such a great place! read more

Super chill place serving delicious vegan Ethiopian food. I had the Half Garden Plate which gets you 5 of their hot stews and 2 portions of injera. I chose the beet vegetable medley, okra and red lentils, mushroom, yellow split peas and curry vegetable medley. Everything was delicious, with the curry and okra ending up my favourites. The portions are very generous so be sure to come with an appetite. Siyum the owner told me he's been at this location for 5 years after previously operating out of a smaller space in the OSU campus. Y'all, he moved to have more room and parking for his customers. I think you know what to do. Run over there and show some love, NOW. read more

The Nile Vegan - Half Garden Plate with beet and vegetable medley, okra and red lentils, yellow split peas, mushroom, and curry vegetable medley. - Ethiopian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Cozy Ethiopian place with delicious vegan food. It's usually just the owner or one person working, so expect service to be on the slower end, but it's all made to order in the back. We usually get the platter and split it. read more

I've heard about them for a while but didn't have the chance to come. One of my friends is vegetarian and had this place on her list! It's easy to miss off the street as there aren't any other food places directly near it. Parking is a bit of a tricky situation. I backed up into a spot since no other cars were near me. But there's not a lot of space to back up if you've parked the other way. When I walked in, I didn't see any staff for a while. Once my friend arrived, I walked towards the kitchen and someone came out to get us water and our order. He must've been the only person there that day, as he had to serve folks dining in and take out orders. It seemed like he was running behind. I felt bad for the guy. They didn't have some of the items on the menu since it would take a while to cook. We chose the Pick 3 combo which came with 3 stews, and a ton of injera! We were both so stuffed! For stews, I got : chickpea stew with kale, curried veg medley, and the red lentils. My fried got both the yellow and red lentils and the tofu stew. My favorite one was the chickpea one. Great flavors overall! Not all that spicy either. One of the stews had a nice kick but it was pretty mild. The prices were reasonable. I'm sure these stews take a while to cook. I'm not in the area often, but I would def return! read more

The Nile Vegan - Pick 3 Combo: veg medley, chickpea stew with kale and lentils - Ethiopian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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We were on a road trip and googled Vegan when we found this place so we were thrilled but it definitely seems like they specialize in delivery or takeout. I am giving this place 2 stars because I really hope it was an isolated incident and I'm jot looking to tank their business but this should be 1 star. The fella working here was so kind and it feels like a family runned business and he said they had just had a busy lunch. He gave us free chai tea also but there were about 4 dirty tables and broken plates on the floor. I think I would have overlooked but the bathroom had three empty soap dispensers just sitting there like they hadn't been cleaned in awhile. And we didn't see an up to date health inspection. And the food was ok but they were out of the three things my husband wanted and the food they had wasn't as flavorful as the Ethipian food were used to. read more

The Nile Vegan for tonight's dining experience no silverware allowed yum-yum Pick 3 Hot Stews Okra and Red Lentils Mushroom Tofu 1 Specialty Stew Chickpea Sauce, mushrooms with Injera read more

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Really enjoyed my first Ethiopian dining experience. The fact that they offer vegan only cuisine was an added bonus! The service was great and the food was delicious and filling. The half garden plate with 5 choices of stews and Injera bread was enough to fill my partner and I up for hours. We did get the fresh tomato and cucumber salad and coffee but failed to take a picture. Cant wait to go back whenever we're in the area again! read more

The Nile Vegan - Outside of establishment. - Ethiopian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Let's just start this review by saying in the 45 minutes we waited for our food 8 people walked out. This place has to be the absolute worst Ethiopian restaurant of all time. I been to a lot of them around the world. Sterile environment, no mood to be set here. Extremely unorganized with no capable help. Out of 4 things on the small menu. No hand washing station. No soap in the bathrooms. This is one of those places where you ask yourself how they could possibly be in business. Don't waste your time here. Take the time and drive to the East side for real Ethiopian food. read more

An interesting place for Ethiopian food. It completely is plant based stuff. The Nile Vegan has a lot for a small place like this. Many favorites here. Whatever you get is fairly healthy and comes with lots of beans and vegetables. Easy to be fooled by the outside of the building. It looks nothing like a restaurant. This is in an area with a lot of office buildings and warehouses. It used to be the Red Hook. The new place looks almost the same except it's a little cleaner than it was. I had the Chickpea Sauce Combo. It's about $13 and it's a lot of food. This comes with beet salad, red lentils, and steamed kale. It sure is a lot to eat. The price is good for all you get in this. Ignore the ugliness of the building. Parking sucks so look past it too. The menu of all vegan Ethiopian food is the only reason you need to visit. read more

The Nile Vegan - Chickpea Sauce Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Very good experience. This was my first time at The Nile Vegan. The owner came to check on me and was very polite. read more

The Nile Vegan - Nile Vegan Stew. Bread baked on the premises. - Ethiopian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

The inside provides a "Welcome to a piece of Ethiopia" feel. There is a coffee area along with Ethiopian "decor". I didn't order coffee this time but I do like the way Ethiopian coffee is prepared & taste. Will order some next time. Fun fact... coffee originated in Ethiopia! The food was amazing! We ordered the Bahlawi for 3 even though there were only two of us. Bahlawi was a little bit of everything on the menu. We came with an appetite & ate every bit of it. So many great flavors. We love Ethiopian food & this place did not disappoint. Siyum provided excellent service & food. Looking forward to coming back. read more

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Top-notch Ethiopian food, and the fact that it's an all-vegan restaurant is an even greater plus. I arrived at 6pm, and the lone guy working (server and chef) greeted me enthusiastically. I had tried visiting their other location, but it was closed due to lack of staff. After apologizing profusely, he was very generous and accommodating. I ordered the shiro (chickpea) combination $13 plus tax, which comes with various sides. He generously gave me extra food (as an unnecessary apology). Other than the impeccably spiced shiro, I got a potato dish, a killer marinated tofu dish, kale, potatoes, stewed mushrooms, and cabbage. Other than perhaps the blander potatoes, everything was absolutely amazing, especially the shiro, tofu and mushrooms. Damn. I was really impressed. The value is also excellent, with tons of food for a very reasonable price. I was comfortably full at the end. All in all, this gets my highest recommendation. I'd definitely come back next time I'm in Columbus. read more

The Nile Vegan - Chickpea (shiro) combination, with -- from left-to-right: potato, tofu, kale, shiro, mushroom, cabbage and more potato, with injera - Ethiopian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Fast and friendly service. Food was delicious and filling. You really can't ask for more, highly recommend.

First of all, you don't need to be vegan to enjoy this food, it's great no matter what (I'm not vegan!). So many different flavors on one plate. If you have never eaten Ethiopian food, you will want to wash your hand well first, because you use the rolls of tasty spongy bread like a utensil. I'm sure they'll give you a fork if you prefer, as the gentleman who waited on me was very friendly. I highly recommend this place! read more

The Nile Vegan - A plate of ten different dishes- lentils, mushrooms, split peas, cabbage and more. With spongy sourdough bread rolls. - Ethiopian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Food was great and filling. The owner was nice and welcoming. I never knew there were so many different flavor profiles for vegetables.

I ordered food, paid for it, received text and email confirmations with pick up time and when I arrived at the restaurant, the doors were locked and no one was answering the phone. I never received my food nor a refund and haven't gotten a hold of anyone. read more

When I first walked through the front door of this restaurant immediately I was struck with the incredible smells of the exotic spices that you use to cook food from the East African Horn. The name says it all this is a vegan restaurant. All plant-based offerings. Oh and in my hurry, I answered an initial questions incorrectly: Nile Vegan absolutely DOES HAVE alcohol! Whoops! So this restaurant is a relatively new offering for me, formerly this site housed a restaurant called Red Hook, which was a standing favorite of ours, and boasted this incredible Caribbean Menu - maybe you might remember it. Yum! But things change and while I'll miss Red Hook it's always great to welcome another ethnic food offering to the neighborhood. The space is intimate & special, and a really great place for "date night." I haven't tried the Nile Vegan food just yet - it smells just absolutely fantastic, and I can't wait to get this takeout that I ordered home & plated. So stay tuned!... OK I'M BACK - I started out to eat this takeout at Local McKinley Park, was going back and forth about that whole idea, McKinley Park is so quiet and relaxing... but it's drizzling tonight so I bailed out and went home... So I posted a pic of what I got - Mushroom Combo. Regretfully, this review is not scratch and sniff, and you also can't taste the food I'm eating which is too bad for you! The smell of the spices and the taste of how they mix together is just fantastic & not overpowering at all. You need to understand that I'm coming at this review from the perspective of being an omnivore, but I can certainly recognize great vegan dishes when they're in front of me. This is one of those great vegan dishes for sure. I upgraded my recommendation up to five stars and it deserves every bit of that and more - I can't wait to go back. read more

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Loved the authentic food and a great vegan choice. We took garden platter, tofu was great and cucumber salad. read more

The Nile Vegan - 1\2 Garden Platter - Ethiopian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I just went to Nile Vegan in Grandview. We got the 10-stew 2-person Garden Platter. I am not unfamiliar with this cuisine and it was much better than any else I've had in central Ohio. Just superb. It was not just some stewed lentils! Texture was perfect and seasoning was complex and satisfying. I wanted to say which I liked the most but I can't. All the lentils were good (especially the mushroom one). The puréed chickpeas were great. The kale/cabbage stew and the carrot potato stew was way elevated beyond their basic elements. This is healthy eating. It is delicious eating. Folks need to discover this place and support it. It deserves to be around a long time serving this great fare!! Go. Go now! read more

Was driving through Ohio and looking up vegan restaurants and happened to stumble upon this gem. This was our first time having Ethiopian food and was thoroughly impressed by how flavorful and delicious our food was! I loved the experience and connection to the food as well. The fella working was somehow multitasking and running the entire restaurant- even down to cooking the food himself. We were very impressed. He was also very kind the entire time as well; where most people would have been overwhelmed by how much they had going on and probably not have been so courteous. Very big props to him!! And thank you for the delicious food. Definitely recommend trying them out. read more

The Nile Vegan - Tofu Combo Platter and Sambusas - Ethiopian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Most Ethiopian restaurants offer a lot for the vegetarian/vegan diner due to the religious traditions of the region. This restaurant (which has two locations) is unusual in that it is entirely vegan, no animal products at all. They do have some tofu and some dishes in vegan butter (not sure what they're using), but overall it looks like a typical Ethiopian menu to me. I would note that the usual spiced red lentils come with okra here, which is unusual but totally worthwhile. Also, whereas most restaurants will simply offer the veggie combo, they offer several different combos of different compositions, encouraging me to get the okra lentils with several other stews included. Their injera was not noted as gluten-free (the Ethiopian spongy flatbread is made with a grain unique to the region, but in the U.S. wheat is usually mixed in), but was quite thin and earthy. My stews tasted fresh, the spicy one was legit spicy, and overall I was quite happy. The portion size was gigantic; I was hard pressed to finish half of it, even having skipped breakfast. Besides being an unimpressive looking spot, service was pretty slow, with one person seemingly stretched to take care of the place. Don't get me wrong, I tipped well, but if you go here expecting a fine dining experience you'll be disappointed. If you go expecting some unique food in an off the path spot, you'll get something interesting. read more

Came here for my second visit to Nile Vegan with family recently and had a great experience! The first time I came, I wanted to like the food and unfortunately didn't, but this time was completely different and really enjoyed the food! Since my first visit, Nile Vegan has moved from being off King Ave to Goodale St. While the previous restaurant was mostly take out style, the new building has a nice dining area. The new building has plenty of parking out front too. Our server was attentive and gave great recommendations. I'm no expert, but as far as I can tell, the food is authentic. The injera is Ethiopian bread and shaped like a rolled up pancake, but tastes tangy, almost like sourdough. We got the traditional platter so we could try all of the stews to dip with the injera and they all had great flavors. Like the restaurant's name, all options here are vegan, but even as a non-vegan myself, I really enjoyed the food! I will be back with my gf! read more

The Nile Vegan - Bahlawi (Traditional Platter for 3) - Ethiopian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Super simple Euthopian food .Good for an entire family . We had a platter with 10 side dishes like lentils , vegetables , salads with injera ( a chapati naan tortilla type made with a special grass ). Just one big platter is given and all have to dip in and share . Of course, side plates are given upon request . Colourful and filling . Centrally located , reasonably priced. Resembles Indian food a lot . Use of Masoor Dal ( red lentils ) , good old boiled potatoes, samosas filled with veg stuffing are very nostalagic . The final special brewed coffee was an added bonus . They say coffee was first found in Euthopia. They were right . The brew was strong and woke us up from that heavy lunch. read more

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The food is incredible! My husband and I ordered the Golden Platter. The perfect choice to explore the menu options as it had all 10 stews, a salad and enough injera to eat everything. There's free parking, too! read more

Ate at the one near Grandview. Was thrown off by the Caucasian server. He seemed spaced out and out of place. Was hoping the food was at least made by an East African. Which I found out it was. The food was pricy and the portion, smaller than most traditional Ethiopian restaurants...probably because you get less injera which is what fills you up. Gomen greens- delicious. Yellow lentils, weren't lentils at all they were actually yellow split peas that were hard, unseasoned, not saucy...disappointing. Cabbage under seasoned and the potatoes were huge, they dominated the cabbage dish and were very.....very bland. Mushrooms were seasoned but the taste was "ehh" tofu "ehh". Very mid. And they had no sambusa. That made me sad. Ordered the sorrel. The sorrel was not sweetened. Didn't know that until I tasted it. Not good. Food and plating was creative but I prefer traditional/authentic plating and potions. The cook was a very kind and beautiful soul. Won't be back though.. read more

Highly recommend this place! I love Ethiopian food, but it is hard to find where I live. I was so excited to see vegan Ethiopian food on offer in Columbus, and The Nile Vegan did not disappoint! read more

I like this place! I had already been to the location near campus, so I knew what I was getting into. This time around we got the Tofu and Mushroom combos. The injera and variety of dishes in these combos are flavorful and nourishing without feeling too "heavy" if that makes sense. What is different about the Grandview location is of course more seating and a nicer environment. We ordered takeout and even thought I was just dropping in and out, the guy behind the counter went out of his way to ask how my day was doing and to make some friendly small talk. Good vibes and will be back for sure! read more

Finally got to try The Nile vegan in Grandview! Easy parking in front and to the side of the building. Greeted as soon as we entered and found our seats. The server was able to provide his favorite meal suggestions and the most popular dish to help me decide. I went with the mushroom combo (#2 I believe). My friends all got something different so it was great to try everything. My plate was delicious, the mushrooms had a great spicy kick to them. I enjoyed the bread, injera. The first taste was super tart but when paired with the dish it was perfect. I also ordered sambusa, wow. The breading was very flaky and they were perfectly fried! For a condiment/sauce lover, if I made these at home I'd make a dipping sauce or something to drizzle over them. Overall, I'd recommend this restaurant. It's also within walking distance of a local distillery (high banks) & brewery (Hofbrauhaus) so you could always continue the night there after. Girls night out or date night. read more

I met some friends at The Nile Vegan for dinner and we were all so impressed! The staff is very friendly and helpful, don't be worried if you're unfamiliar with Ethiopian food, they'll help make sure you find something you like and explain the proper way to eat it. This restaurant has become my new go to when I need a place to eat in Grandview and they have another location as well! Highly recommend!! read more

First of all this is my absolute favorite vegan restauran. From the food which is made to order WITH LOVE, to the incredible hospitality and service. This place is very intimate and warm i feel at peace and the food is the cherry on top!! The Food is fresh and filled with spices that go together so well. Everything is cooked and made perfectly!!! i will forever talk about nile vegan! read more

Delicious food and great experience. The Garden Platter is amazing and you get to try a variety of the stews. Perfect for 2-3 people. They are also in the process of expanding the brunch/lunch menu and extending to earlier hours. Definitely check it out when you get a chance! read more

The Nile Vegan - Garden Platter - Ethiopian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Yummy!! healthyandhearty completely vegan option. Freshly made everyday. Gluten free injera also available read more

The Nile Vegan - Ethiopian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Absolutely delicious! Great quality and perfectly spiced! My wife was disappointed by her first Ethiopian experience somewhere else, but she LOVED the food, at Nile! read more

I LOVE this place, it is a go-to for me and my friends, especially when we want something hearty but still nourishing when ordering in. Lots of yummy options, but my favorites are the mushroom and chickpea dishes. You will not regret checking this place out!! read more

This makes our fifth visit to Nile Vegan and we love the food here. The staff is super accommodating and always friendly. I highly recommend getting one of their combos. The #5 is excellent and filling. Heck, you can feed two people on their combos. I'm a huge fan! read more

Very expensive, Bad customer service, order had only bread and hardly any stew, longer wait time.. spend your precious time and money somewhere else if you want a better experience and value read more

very good food. gluten free injera option. multiple dishes. service slow.... took about an hour to get our food. that's the biggest downfall. read more

Tasty, flavorful, healthy food! Would get it again. Chef came out to check In regularly. Overall good experience.

If you are looking to do a carryout order, look elsewhere, unless you are willing to be on the phone indefinitely. Good luck getting through to them to place the order. There is a good chance that the phone will either keep ringing and then go to some random voicemail, or it will just be busy. That kind of stuff is a big turn off for me, especially with an eatery. read more

The Nile Vegan is in plain site, yet by traveling down Goodale you may just cruise by it, the road is full of offices, warehouse types, and a brew pub. There is an overhang with the name on it, but it's an unassuming spot. If you pass it, go back. Hunt the road if you need to, you shouldn't need to. We visited on a Sunday afternoon, and there was plenty of parking. I believe the gentleman who helped us was the owner, and as soon as he sat us he made us feel welcomed, asking us if we'd like suggestions. As we've had Ethiopian before we didn't need too much help but the question was "What dishes are spicy?" The answer was the mushroom stew and the tofu. We started by ordering chai teas, one hot, one cold. They were served unsweetened. The iced one was delicious. My husband had the hot one, I presume it was as good as mine. When we ordered our entrees the gentleman asked us if we wanted regular or gluten-free injera. (The bread that Ethiopian is served on and with) I have never been offered it in gluten-free form but I opted to stick with my gluten. My husband got the mushroom stew. It was a large portion. He said it was savory and spicy but not too spicy. The taste was clear and not overtaken by the spiciness. I didn't get a chance to eat it as he devoured it. Clearly, he liked it. I got the Shiro (chickpea sauce) combo. The Shiro was quite smooth and had a nice zing to it. It came with curried vegetables, red lentils, and stewed kale. I do not typically like kale. It's rough, tough, and generally not enjoyable. Their kale was the opposite. It was soft and had carrots and other veggies mixed with it. The lentils were a bit firm, and had a creamy, almost smoky taste to them. The curried vegetables were delicious too, but I did need a fork to break up the potatoes. I regret not taking photos, even the plating was nice. I do wish I had gotten more kale, but that's just me wanting more food. There was more than enough food for one, I was unable to finish it all and my husband happily enjoyed what I had not eaten. For desert they had a vegan chocolate cake. It was incredible. Fudgy, thick, with a creamy frosting. I never would have guessed it was vegan. The meal was filling and the prices were more than reasonable for what they provided. We plan on going back soon. read more