Exceptional food, and probably the best vegetarian in town. Reviews apparently have a word minimum, but that's all I wanted to say. read more

Zemam's - Veggie platter - Ethiopian Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I've been going to Zemam's for a couple of years now and love this place! I put this place above its only only local competition in town. It's a house that's been remodeled and it's the perfect place to go with friends...it's family eating all the way! Be sure to bring your own wine as the corking fee is nominal. I highly recommend getting a 3-dish combination plate (or two) as really every dish is worth sampling...and by the way, they typically add a couple extra samples of dishes on the combo plate at no charge. IMO the stand out meat-based dishes are the Gored, Mincheta Bish, and the Doro Wat. The stand out vegan dishes are Yesmir Kay Wat, Shiro, and Yetakelt Wat. The injera is the perfect bread to mop it all with :-) The dishes are well flavored and are on par with some of the best Ethiopian restaurants I've been to...Etete in DC (Little Ethiopia), Dukem in Baltimore, and Meskerem in NYC. Prices are reasonable...one combo with an added dish will easily feed two. Service is always attentive. Not for ethnocentric kids. read more

This is a fine enough place to get something different for Tucson. And the people who work there are tremendously nice! Very tasty food -- not necessarily the best Ethiopian food I've ever had, but, very nice. I had the vegetarian sampler, where you can choose from the vegetarian options on the menu. I felt that they brought everything out really very quickly, which at first made me fear that everything had been microwaved; but, no, it appears that they hold their foods in a steamer tray, which is perfectly A-OK by me. This is not remotely fancy, so, expect something low-key and casual, but with attentive service, and you'll be great! read more

Best Ethiopian food in town. There really isn't much else to say about it. It's delicious and we love supporting them!

Exceptional food, and probably the best vegetarian in town. The flavors were delightfully savory. We had four meats, spicy and mild, and four veggies and everything was delicious. I love this place so much. The staff are delightful and the atmosphere is like a quick tour of Ethiopia. read more

I'm from Seattle and was missing the Ethiopian food from my favorite places back home. Zemam's was all I wanted and more! Really good injeera and the lentils are phenomenal. read more

I love Zemam's! I've been a loyal customer for 3 years and have found them to be consistently wonderful. The restaurant is a bit hard to find- it's located in what seems to be an old house. The staff has always been extremely nice and pleasant. I LOVE their BYOB policy. The corking fee is $1.50. We tend to bring a white wine that's on the drier side because it really complements the spices. This policy also makes this place extremely affordable. A group of 4 can easily be well fed for around 30 bucks. While I've heard that their food isn't the most authentic, it definitely keeps me coming back for more. The veggie, meat, or combo samplers are the way to go, although, their lamb is extremely tender and amazing. read more

Zemam's - Ethiopian Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

My first Ethiopian food experience and I really enjoyed it. I wouldn't say it was great, but tasty all the same. Good prices and the family running the restaurant is really nice. I'll visit again. read more

Zemam's - Zemam's version of a sampler platter - Ethiopian Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

We wanted to try the Ethiopian experience as a family. Firstly, the decor was horrible. They could try to put a bit of effort into it. Worst of all, we told our waitress that we hadn't done this before & we had to almost beg her for the slightest of help. Food was decent, but not great. Recommend you stay away. Post scrpt: Terrible heartburn and mouth was super dry from excessive salt in the food all night long. read more

Outstanding food in a casual atmosphere (a converted house, as others have noted.) Came here after the gem show with three adults and three kids, and no one was disappointed. The kids ordered individually, but we put ourselves in the waitresses' hands, telling her only that we didn't want lamb. The food came out on a huge platter with plenty of injira to scoop it all up with. We had four meats, spicy and mild, and four veggies and everything was delicious. The only place it fell short was that the spicy wasn't really that spicy, but it was still delicious, and distinct from the mild. The place was packed on a Saturday night, casual atmosphere, no problem carrying on a conversation. Come on in, take an adventure, you won't be disappointed! read more

This was our 1st time going here and everything was great. We got the 2 meat with 1 vegetable sampler. We chose lamb beef and the red lentils and also got the house tea. Everything was really good, and we are definitely coming back and trying different options. read more

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Service was great and food was good, although it seemed a little weak on the spices. The injera is not authentic, so make sure to preorder the authentic injera made only with teff, to get the best experience. read more

Zemam's - Vegetarian selection on wheat injera. - Ethiopian Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Went there for lunch, and it was definitely worth a visit! Interesting mix of Ethiopian and African food, as well as presentation. Had the Mixed Meat and Veggie Sampler which come with 2 meats and a vegetable dish. Chose the #10 Spinach for the vegetable, and a #14 and #15 (Kay Watt and Lega Tibs). Would definitely get the #14 Kay Watt again hands down! First time eating using only bread to pick up your food which was a pretty cool thing to experience for a first time trier of Ethiopian food. Could have come out warmer but still good over all. read more

Amazing authentic Etheopian cuisine. It came highly recommended by a few people and I wasn't disappointed. No alcohol is served so byob. I tried lamb, steak and a few vegetables options. So good I traveled back to GA with the leftovers which were amazing 2 days later. Yes it was worth checking a bag to carry it on lol read more

More oily than Cafe Desta but still delicious food with so many vegan options. Love the collards!

Excellent food. Excellent service. Beyond clean. Lovely people and outstanding take out service. I highly recommend this place. And if you eat it, very comfortable and casual setting. Good place to take friends. read more

My family has been going to Zemams for almost 14 years. I went the first time for my 30th birthday, with my 6 month old on my lap. She is 14 and chose to go there for her 14th birthday! The food is amazing. We've tried most foods on the menu and everything is good. During quarantine we've ordered from them a few times, but order early, they sell out fast! read more

One of Tucson's best restaurants. Spicy and delicious options available for both vegetarians and carnivores. I am incredibly impressed with the fact that during The Covid Plague their doors are literally locked and they only offer curbside take away. read more

Tastes good, comfortable atmosphere, polite staff, great for groups of friends. I've heard about it from friends and then finally got a chance to go recently. Good experience. read more

SO tasty, so reasonably priced, and reheated great the next day. I'm so glad to have found this spot - thank you so much for the delicious flavors! The lamb, chicken, lentils and collards were my favorite. Ground beef plate is spicy but delicious! read more

Goodness! Another Tucson gem that I thought I had reviewed already! We have been here multiple times and are never disappointed. The decor is simple and you have the feel of being in someone's home. Everyone you come in contact with is warm and friendly. The combo plates are the way to go- very affordable and a ton of food. The platters come out loaded with food and accompanied by a steaming plate of ingera (a sourdough pancake used to pick up the food). In a traditional style, you eat with your hands (using the ingera) so it that isn't your thing then maybe it's not for you. We found out this visit that Guy Fieri (Diners, Drive-ins and Dives) paid a visit earlier this year. The hostess was very gracious and said it was a lot of work to have them in the restaurant (it is small) but they were honored and enjoyed the experience. It is BYOB so keep that in mind if a meal isn't a meal without wine. Our most recent visit we were solo, but we brought the kids last time and they loved it! We will definitely be back! read more

I'll start by saying BYOB! Yes, that's right folks , could it be any better than bringing your own booze to dinner. I was a little off put at first , I came with a group and we ordered all meat dishes .. Not the way to go.. The magic is in the mix.. Combining the veggies and meat! The large platter came out with our selections upon spongy bread.. It also had a side dish of extra spongy bread .. Thank goodness! We all sat & dipped our bread in the spicy concoctions .. Holy melt in your mouth goodness! We also had our own wine so, it made for an exotic fun evening! A taste of Ethiopia in the Old Pueblo... who knew! read more

You may not be an Olympian but you will feel like one after eating here... I like to go to Zemam's for a post-run dinner sometimes; times when other food would be too heavy or not nutritious enough. The injera bread is the stuff of dreams and the fuel for many a distance running protege out of Northern Africa. So I likey too. The Zimam's platter is great for 1 or 2 (if you add a booster of extra injera for $1). While approx 15 choices populate the menu I most highly recommend the collard greens to be included in your dinner. Great depth of flavor and high in nutrients. The shredded beef dish is another star player. Grab a fold of injera and get to eatin' with your paws 4 stars because the decor is a bit spartan and feels like the mess hall at summercamp. Faded linoleum floors and chairs that hurt my butt. But great value. Check it out! read more

So much fun to eat with your fingers. The service was very friendly and attentive. We went on a Sunday night and it was not too busy. The food was wonderful. I highly recommend the sample plates so you can taste more things. Be warned spicy is definitely spicy. My mouth was burning, but with a good taste. I also really liked the Ethiopian Tea. This is a must try place. Best with a group of people to share the experience. read more

The food is so flavorful and delicious. The injera tastes like sourdough but was the texture of sponge cake but the thickness of 2 tortillas. The spices they put on their food is sooooooo good. There tea is strong and bitter, but delicious. The good is not very expensive. The waiters give you a lot of injera. And the sampler platter is huge and feeds 2 hungry boys, 1 hungry girl and 2 average parents and a plus one. I recommend. read more

First time having Ethiopian Food; I am a fan! Here is what I got: "Chicken: 1) Doro Wat 2) Yedoro Alicha Beef: 3) Zigni 4) Mincheta Bish Chickpeas: 5) Shiro 6) Kik Wat" It was a fun adventure for my pallet, with flavors ranging from anise to cumin to garlic, all combined into many savory culinary concoctions. My recommendation? When everyone is stuffed, cut circles out of the juicy sourdough crepe-like bread and get some meat on there too. No one else has room and this is the best part. People, this is FULL FLAVOR! To the maximum. So enjoy it. Or else. Oh and the chicken falls right off the bone. Go get some! read more

Lovely small, intimate restaurant. Though from the outside it may look a little suspicious.. it's a great restaurant with great service, great food, and affordable prices. My sister lives in San Francisco and is a big fan of Ethiopian food. She swears that this is the best she's ever tried read more

If you're looking for delicious, authentic Ethiopian food, Zemam's is for you! I saw this hidden gem on Triple D and knew I had to try it. They have great prices and nice portions, but more importantly, their authentic dishes are housemade, cooked to perfection and very flavorful. I love vegetables and appreciate their wide range of tasty options. Btw, no forks needed, this is the real deal! BYO wine. read more

Eeesh... I've been putting this one off for far too long - primarily because there are no words to describe how much I adore this place... also, because I like how quiet it is whenever I go in and don't want people taking my table. Now, please keep in mind that this review is solely for Zemam's at lunch (the only time of day that I ever go) - dinner normally has different waiters and tends to be busier. The reasons that I love Zemam's: 1. The food is just spectacular! They have bucketloads of vegetarian options (my favorites being the doro wat, the spinach wat, and the gomen alicha) 2. They are gluten-free (though, apparently (according to one of my friends) you should ask for gluten-free injera just to make sure), dairy-free, meat-free, and allergen-free for my entire family (and we run the gamut of needing everything customized) 3. The guys at lunch are the absolute best! Super attentive and friendly! 4. I can be in and out of there, well-fed and relaxed in under 20 minutes on most days 5. I never feel sick from eating too much 6. The food tastes delicious while not making me want to go on a run to work it off 7. It is super cheap! My husband and I can get lunch for under $12 (with drinks) 8. The tea and coffee are heavenly - the tea tastes like christmas and they put ginger in their coffee... 9. Introducing people to Zemam's makes me look super cool and like I know all the foodstuffs. Things not so great about Zemam's: 1. They aren't open 24 hours to give me food (2am craving just leaves me sad) 2. They don't live with me to make me delicious food all the time That is all. read more

I commend this restaurant for being one of a kind in Tucson. There are about 20 authentic dishes to choose from, I suggest the sampler which allows you to choose any 3 from the menu. The food is well prepared, the chicken is tender and falls off the bone. The service was sub par. We were seated quickly and the waitress was prompt in taking our orders. After the food came out, our waitress disappeared. Ethiopian food can be hot and I was in dire need of a water refill. I finally got more water, the waitress obviously saw my empty soda glass, but would not refill that. It made me wonder if refills were not free, so I waited for the waitress to appear again and asked for a second Dr Pepper (it turns out refills are in fact free). Considering that we were one of two tables in the restaurant, the service was inexcusable. We wanted to order dessert and even waited 20 minutes for the waitress to come by and ask us if we would like anything further. Opportunity didn't come so we ended up going to Safeway down the street and buying ice cream there. read more

Zemam's was a packed house when I was there for dinner on Friday night. A co-worker and I were debating which Ethiopian place in town to have dinner ( such a tough decision when T-town gives you two Ethiopian restaurants!), when our boss overheard and raved about Zemam's. Decision was made! Our wait was not long for a table but the table where we were sat was a bit awkward feeling. We were starving so we quickly decided on one vegetarian sampler and one meat sampler. Our favorite meat dish was the Zigni and least favorite was the Lega Tips (a bit dry). The Zigni is an amazing beef dish. Absolutely delicious flavor... not too spicy but so flavorful. As for the veggie sampler, our favorite was the Shiro (chickpea dish). There are so many vegetarian options to choose from and I look forward to going back to Zemam's and trying some different ones but I'm pretty sure the Shiro would still have to be a part of my sampler. It was only my 2nd time having Ethiopian food and my co-workers first. We both really enjoyed our experience at Zemam's. We did have food to take home so one sampler platter probably would've done the trick but it was well worth getting to try six dishes instead of only three! read more

I really loved Ethiopian food, but I was a little disappointed with Zemam's. On the plus side, the service was great and the homey environment was...interesting. However, while the flavor of the food was good, I found that the quality of meat distracted from overall quality of the food. We ordered the Mincheta Bish, and the beef was more like low quality ground beef. In the doro wat, the chicken was to dry. The vegetable sampler was the best of the bunch. The injera was more sour than I'd prefer (and I like the sourdough/spongy aspect). Maybe my standards are too high after bay area Ethiopian, but this doesn't quite hit the mark for what I'm craving. read more

This is my first time trying Ethiopian food so I can't honestly say if it is really that good in comparison to the other places, but I was really impressed with the explosion of flavors that was happening with every bite. The place was very quaint and clean in comparison to what it looked from the outside. We went around lunch time and our server was amazing! Very attentive to our needs and wants and gave us great recommendations. Following yelp's recommendations and his, we ordered a samplers plate and the lamb dish. Both the vegetarians and meat were spiced to perfection. Its spicy dishes had quite a kick to it and we were shocked from the first bite. The injeras were so good. If I know how to make it or where to buy it in store, that would be one of my go to carbs. We also ordered it tea and coffee, both drinks had a mild herbal/minty taste to it that washed down our food quite well. Overall, I had a great first experience and would definitely come back and bring others along. read more

Zemam's - Ethiopian Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Oh my goodness, gracious me! I have found a new, fantastic restaurant to add to my regular haunts! This place was pretty dang awesome! I had been pestering my husband to have dinner here for quite some time, but he had been previously, like, years before I even met him, and it wasn't his favorite thing. But then! The moon was in the seventh house, and Jupiter aligned with Mars, and he agreed to go! Peace found our planet! Hoorah! I have only ever driven past this place, and I thought it was going to be very, very small, but it really open up in the back. It's not HUGE by any stretch, but it's a lot bigger than it appears to be. We were seated in the back, and my friend ended up joining us. We saw that there was iced tea and then Ethiopian iced tea on the menu, and asked what the difference was, but there was a little bit of a language barrier, so we weren't sure what Ethiopian tea was. We ordered it anyway, and it tastes like Christmas! It's VERY cinnamon-y, and I can see drinking it hot during the Winter. I don't eat meat, so I ordered the veggie sampler. I got the (please don't hate me, I don't remember the names, so I will just give a description), spinach wat, the red lentil wat and the collard greens wat. These were all SO good, but I will say the collard greens were really spicy. I'm a wimp, so that could be where the issue lies, but it was too hot for me to finish it. I ended up trading my collard greens for my husband's cabbage and potato dish. Everything was so flavorful! There were tons of spices in everything! So here's the cool part: they bring your dishes out on the same plate, which happens to be bread. So once you have eaten enough of your food (with the "plate bread" that they bring out on the side...no forks here!), you can tear off slices of your plate and eat it! I am so happy to have this place in my rotation! It's a little more pricey than the Yelp reviews initially led me to believe, but not unreasonably so, and it's a really nice change of pace from other places to eat. It's a very unique flavor profile, and I for one cannot wait to be back! read more

This was a whole new experience for me...perhaps a bit out of my comfort zone...but that is never a bad thing. I felt as if I were eating in a house, being served by the homeowners. I think that initially made me uneasy. After being seated I had a chance to graze the menu a bit...and what caught my hungry eyeballs was the Zigni: Tender beef strips simmered in a hot, spicy sauce. Lega Tips: Cubes of beef cooked in a mildly seasoned tomato sauce. . Yetakelt Wat: A delicately seasoned medley of fresh vegetables and potatoes. All three were delicious....severed with their traditional bread which has no distinct flavor but is very useful to pick stuff up with! I would definitely go back again and try other things though....and be much more comfortable next time. Thanks Zeman's for introducing me to something new and yummy. And FYI, you can bring your own wine there.....that is a cool touch. read more

This place is amazing! We (3 of us) sampled a number of dishes - veggie and meat - and they were all amazing. We did two samplers and one individual dish, and it was more than enough food for all of us. There was a variety of spice levels and flavor profiles. The service was fast and friendly. It's BYO, which is also nice! Would definitely go again if back in Tucson! read more

Zemam's - Ethiopian Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I'm proud that Tucson has been able and willing to support an awesome little Ethiopian place for 15+ years - and proud that I've been going there the whole time! In most of my reviews, I talk about specific dishes, saying "So and so is great, and here's why, this other stuff is meh, and here's why." That's hard to do here, since everything is great. The things we get the most often are the Zigni (#5), Lega tips (#6), Mincheta Bish (#13) and Yetakelt Wat (#7). Unless you're really in the mood for only one thing (why, when there's so much to try?) get the sampler plate and order three of any menu item. Eat with Injara, a slightly chewy, extra yeast sourdough flatbread. Sit back happy. One combination plate is a large meal for one, and a light meal for two. Depending how hungry everyone is, get group number "N"-1 plates for a light meal, or group number "N" for a filling meal. A lunch combo plate is $9, a dinner combo plate is between $12 and $14, depending what you get. This is one of the best places in town to bring a group, communal eating at its finest. BYOB, friendly, delicious and affordable. Have heard stories about slow service in the last few years, but I've never seen it. read more

This place is to die for. Absolutely some of the best food in Tucson. We recently moved away and Zemam's is one of the top five things we hated leaving in Tucson. If you haven't tried it yet, you are seriously missing out. read more

A hole in the wall as it gets, but this place gets packed. It was here that I lost my Ethiopian virginity, and never looked back. Ahh....memories from college. Saturday nights were reserved for all the alcohol you can handle until your liver screams no more...when you wake up and have no recollection of the previous night's shenangians...Wait..where was I? Oh right. Zemam's..back on point! It's easy to miss this place, so just keep this in mind when you're driving on Broadway Blvd. If you drove past Treat Ave, you've missed your treat. Okay, that was a pretty bad pun, but hey, the street names didn't give me much to work with. Unfortunately, they don't take reservations (when I went there at least, but maybe times have changed and they do now?), and what's also nice is it's BYOB, with a $1.50 corking fee which really isn't all that bad. So feel free to bring all the beer/wine that you can. You may want to get started with some beers outside because usually it's at least a 30 minute wait to be seated. The interior of the restaurant may not look like much, with a few pictures hanging on the wall and it's a fairly dimly lighted restaurant, but please don't let that fool you. Besides the La Encantada neighborhood, this would be my go to place in Tucson for dinner, don't judge! I highly recommend getting the Gored-Gored, Kay-Wat, and spicy lamb for your meat dishes; spicy and goes perfectly with the Ethiopian bread served on their platter. Actually, you really can't go wrong with any dish. I can't say much for any of the vegetarian dishes, but if it's any comparison to the meats they have, it will be just as tasteful. And they're very generous on their portions! If it looks like you don't have enough meat, just keep eating...you'll think twice. Also, don't worry, if you run out of that delicious bread, they'll bring more to your table...just ask! Can't wait until my next visit back to Tucson to try this place again. read more

Despite my complete lack of Ethiopian experience and a general lack of knowing what it was I was eating in any given bite, I loved every bit of everything I tried. Wonderful place, locally owned and run by a family that loves what they do. I will love showing this place to friends on future visits! So yes - I had/have zero experience with Ethiopian food. I went with a friend who had been once before and we got a "sampler" of 8 different items, on a bed of... the spongie bread stuff. It's really hard to describe if you've never had it because it's nothing like anything I've tried before. It's like a bread... but also sort of spongie. But that's not important! Because the meats and sauces and such... they're just delicious. Somewhat familiar to me and yet indescribable. Some were spicier, some were not. But all of it was tender and flavorful and just *good*. Rip off a piece of the bread thing, pinch some meat and pop in your mouth. Then try something else. And again. Til you're full. And we were so full! But who doesn't love leftovers? The decor was what you'd expect - looks like any family owned restaurant. That is, relatively plain but with some ethnic art and knick-knacks lying around. Just enough to talk about and ask the server about since it was his family's things. In fact, everyone that worked there (when I went) was from the same family - cooking and serving. The son I spoke with was friendly and chatty when asked about his native foods, his favorites, and so on. Very professional; very friendly. Perfect combo. If you've been thinking "maybe..." about this place, just give it a go. Read the menu, which talks about the social nature of food/meals in Ethiopia. Then enjoy the food. read more