Abyssinia Ethiopian Restaurant Reviews

I have been to a number of Ethiopian restaurants and usually like the folks and food but unfortunately, this one did not turn out to be a place I ever want to go back. The hostess (acted like the owner) was rude in the nicest words. The food was edible but not tasty enough to eat half the plate. The environment was nice as they have a lot of room but my wife and kids were afraid of asking anything as the lady practically yelled at us. The food prices as I remember were not too bad ($). I would not go there even if offered for free.

This restaurant is a must for anyone who loves Ethiopian, or is curious. The waitstaff is a little slow, but it is not annoying- it more or less goes with the casual, laid back atmosphere of the restuarant. This is not a fancy place, by any means, but is very comfortable and inexpensive. Two thumbs up on the mroe than delicious food. Make sure to check out the bar upstairs, which is a very small converted living room, with an even smaller bar. Bands pack tightly into the corner and patrons sit in a semi-circle on plastic folding chairs, or dance elbow to elbow in the middle of the room. The beer selection is surprisingly extensive. If you don't like crowds, this is not the bar for you, but if you like blue grass, don't miss this place!

I experienced Abyssinia this past weekend with friends. Cute restaurant in a rowhouse in Philadelphia. You walked upstairs to reach the restaurant. The food was interesting and although I didnt care for the 'bread', my friends loved it. The lamb and rice was amazing. Service was very slow, but the atmosphere and the prices made up for it.

I went to Abyssinia for my first experience eating Ethiopian food - I was pleasantly surprised! I ordered the Quanta Fitfit and others at our table had the Gored Gored & Meat Combo #1. They brought it all out on one big platter so we all got to share. The 'bread' (injera) was really yummy and served as a great base for each option. The Gored Gored was a tad fatty but it was still really good. I was afraid I'd leave there feeling stuffed but instead, I was contently full. Everything was decently priced too - most entrees are $9-11. Abyssinia is within walking distance of my house so I'll definitely be visiting there again soon!

Following an afternoon viewing antiquities from ancient civilizations at the Penn Museum (you should visit!); we tried Ethiopian food for the first time at Abyssinia - oh my; 2 inspired choices in the same day! The food was lovely; lots of choices, and with some guidance from our server, we had a combination plate of meat and poultry in injera bread. It was delicious; mildly spiced so we could taste everything, and totally filling (we brought some home). Chatting with our server was equally nice; she was returning to Addis the next day to spend the upcoming 6 weeks with her family, and we got a better feel for how nice are Ethiopia's people. They also have a bar, with fairly priced drinks - and as we walked past their bar area, they had the Titans-Bills NFL game on the big screen. An Ethiopian sports bar - this is globalization at it's finest! No, actually Abyssinia is Ethiopia at it's finest; a blend of hospitality and food that will make us return soon.

we dined at abyssinia recently- service was very slow and poor- it took an hour for our food to come and for my son to get his tea, after asking 3 times- I've been to a few Ethiopian restaurants and in my opinion the food was just average and a little cold- we will keep looking for a great Ethiopian restaurant

Excellent and copius Ethiopian food. As many reviewers have mentioned, the service can be slow. The space is "funky" like a "college town" kind of place. Alcoholic drinks in the restaurant are small. I don't know how they are at the bar. Go for the food and the extremely reasonable prices.

excellent food

The place is very rundown and looks like it needs a good cleaning. However, we chose to eat here based on good reviews from friends. We saw quite a few seemingly very happy tables. We ordered the mixed vegetarian plate and the mixed meat plate. The mixed meat plate had lamb, a drumstick, beef, and vegetables. The vegetable plate was different samplings of various vegetable dishes. I am not an Ethiopian food expert but I thought the food was quite good and not really spicy (although there were raw jalapeños in the salad). They served injera bread under the food and on the side. It took about 50 minutes to get our food but we were not in a hurry. The kitchen hygiene must be better than the restaurant appears as we did not get ill, which was a concern given the condition of the premises (including the toilet). I am not sure I would return as the surroundings were so off-putting unless they did a major spring cleaning.

Great food, excellent prices and comfortable atmosphere. A bit of a wait sometimes (it varies) but the food is usually well worth it!!! One of my all time favourite places to eat in philadelphia :)

tasty flat bread and dishes to share..super cheap

We have enjoyed this restaurant twice recently for its delightful spice blends incorporated in dishes that are basically stews served on a pillowy bread. I would recommend one of the combination platters.

Four of us dined here on a Saturday evening and loved it! No reservations were necessary and we were seated immediately. It is not a fancy place, but is comfortable and welcoming. They serve wine and beer. The menu is extensive, and if you are looking for vegetarian food, you will have lots of choices! Entrees are accompanied by Anjera, a type of rice bread, and it is delicious. Portions are very big, and it is easy - even encouraged - to share with the others at your table. The staff are very pleasant.

The food is fantastic and the portions are generous. I've been going here with my wife for years, but less and less often, because the service is just horrendous. The owners should be embarassed. The service is exceptionally slow, from getting a waitress to your table the first time, to getting your bill. We went last Saturday night, thinking we could deal with the bad service because we know the food is so tasty. We walked in and it was busy already. We stood inside the door where typically one waits to be seated. Each waitress passed by us at least once, without so much as a greeting or an indication that they will be with us in a minute. After standing sheepishly for a few minutes, we found our own table. I mean, we are regulars here, right? Well, we sit for about five minutes. The two waitresses are busy (one of them arguing with a customer about how to join tables for his party!) but time just passes by without any word from them. So we got up and left. We can't deal with this place anymore, it's shameful. The waitresses didn't even say a word as we passed them to go to the door. They just don't care. We walked to Kaffa Crossing...for tasty food and just as important - an inviting environment!

A fun experience. Great for veggies.

Before my girl and I went to eat here I was curious about whether or not Abyssinia had anything to do with the speakeasy found just above. Well let me clear things up. Abyssinia is a dive bar in west philly with great Ethiopian food and terrible service but it's a means to an end. Do you want to go upstairs, do you want to wash your hands then the speakeasy is were it's at. I read reviews about how the food is blah and without taste, guess what, dead wrong!! The food was alive with flavor and spice and the portions were right in line with the reasonable prices. If you are some wanna be blogger from he main line that thinks they can stroll into west philly and snap for a water and rolls when you walk in the door then stay home, this is real food with real people and they don't care if you don't like their style, they are gonna be their tomorrow cause you aren't their target demographic. So get over yourself and write about some chain restaurant that cares. For all of you who do get it... eat downstairs, drink upstairs. Ethiopian food downstairs, speakeasy upstairs. Access either from the Ethiopian place or from side door, your choice. It's great either way...

This kind-of run-down looking restaurant serves incredibly delicious Ethiopian food. There were five in our party so we ordered three different platters that were served on a giant piece of injera (the spongy bread). There were so many different flavors, but all were delicious. About halfway through the meal, I saw a #3 go by (I can't remember exactly what it is), and we ordered that as well. It was almost raw meat cubes in a spicy sauce. Absolutely delicious! The atmosphere is a bit dreary, but the food will leave you very happy!

I think you have to adjust to Abyssinia. If you are expecting top of the line service and armosphere this is not the place to go. If you want to feel in the midst of Ethiopia give it a try. My wife and I enjoy the inera served food. For the uninitiated that is a large plate covered with a very thin bread (inera) accompanied by more that a few folded inera to eat your food with. That's right the food is scooped into torn off pieces of bread and popped into your mouth The food is really indescribable. Start with sauces tomatoey mixed with vegetables and meats well blended, for scooping. It adds up to a meal that cannot be duplicated. As indicated in other reviews the service is off but the experience is worth it.

great food, service and atmosphere. tried it for the first time and truly enjoyed my visit. only downside is their limited selection of alcoholic beverages. The server took a few mins to explain the concept once we identified it was a new experience for us. will be back soon!

it was a real fun experience! extremely slow, but ok food!

The service is slow as molasses, but the food is absolutely delicious. This one of my favorite places to go if I'm meeting up with a friend just to spend some time eating and talking. Because of the extremely slow service, you never feel rushed and the atmosphere is very relaxing. My favorites are the vegetarian platter and the Abyssinia salad.

If you have never had ethiopian food, its a fun adventure you should try. This place is certainly affordable ($12 per person for a mixed plate in which you try 6 things), but the flavors are not as big and distinct as they could be. Service was very inconsistent and the place feels a little run down. Still glad we tried it though.

Solid choice, and combination platters are a great way to sample several dishes. Service always seems to be slow -- a characteristic that seems typical of most Ethiopian restaurants in the area. Probably a combination of insufficient wait staff and busy kitchen. Nevertheless, server was friendly and helpful. One caution: went with some friends who were vegetarian and ordered a vegetarian combination, whereas I ordered a meat combination. Maybe it was wholly or partially my fault, but the entire order came on a single platter. My friends dealt with it okay, but we really should have made sure there were two separate platters

The food here has a good taste but the service is very bad. the waitresses and kitchen are insanely slow. But the food has such a good taste that you put up with it. The restaurant is clean enough but dark.. they do have alcohol which is good so you dont have to bring it for occasions

Great place, and good for vegetarians.

Love this place! Been there many times. Staff is friendly and offer suggestions if you are not familiar with what is on the menu. I absolutely love Ethiopian and this is great, authentic and affordable! I love eating with my hands too!! You eat from a shared platter of food so if you have a thing with germs, maybe this isn't your kind of food, unless you are with people you love!!!

Very good Ethiopian in the middle of Philly! Wide range of entrees; their Special Platters are simple delicious! If you like to spice things up, ask for red peppers on the side! Prices are very reasonable. Please don't be shy of asking of extra Anjera (rice bread) if you run out :-). Parking may be an issue, however, I am usually find a spot on Chestnut in the vicinity of 45th Street, and then walk over!

I took my friends from Ethiopia to this restaurant and they confirmed that this place serves legitimately delicious Ethiopian cuisine. We ordered many different platters, and devoured it all! The injera (a traditional bread and the cornerstone of Ethiopian food) is amazing. I recommend ordering the combination dishes, which are a great deal in terms of price, quantity, and diversity of food. Also, be sure to go with at least one other person. Ethiopian meals are meant to be shared with friends and family!

Our first, closest choice, was closed, but we found Abyssinia open and ready to rock at 5PM. This is a local spot, street parking, corner location. It's not too up to date, but that would probably drive prices up so it's a wash. It's fine. We sat at the bar, there is a larger dining area in the rear of the facility, or a couple tables along the wall parallel the bar. The Phillies highlights were on 2 tv's and there was a 3rd screen. Food was typical, and between the 2 of us, the veg combo; meat combo; and extra entree of fasolya (carrots/cabbage/potato) were gone in about a minute. We were pretty hungry and it was pretty good. $33/40 out the door for enough food for 4-6, and a nice bar to boot. Will return when we visit from Lancaster.

Food is excellent, but service is between inattentive and awful; and toilet facilities are third-world. Orders taken and filled promptly, then you are ignored. Two "facilities"....the door to one cannot be closed, in the other, the hand dryer is inoperative, and both of them, and the dining room, need refurbishing every fifty years or so.

Our family eats here about once a month, and it is very family friendly. Food served family style on one large plate in the center and you eat with your hands, which our children enjoy. Excellent Yebeg and Doro wot and Tibs. There is a hip bar upstairs where our book club meets from time to time, specializing in odd-ball concoctions.

I do not know Ethiopian food. I have never before eaten in an Ethiopian restaurant. With no points of reference I find it difficult to rate Abyssinia. Abyssinia is a pleasant but unadorned restaurant. You enter through the bar, a space that reminds me of the male only corner bars of almost any small village in Europe or North Africa. Step just beyond the bar up a few stairs to a modest dining room with two distinct settings. The first section is set with wooden tables and very uncomfortable wooden chairs. The back section is set with what must be traditional Ethiopian arrangements: backless saddle chairs arranged around a basket weave stand that will hold the dinner tray. Our server seated us at a conventional table and presented us with the menu. With menus in hand we knew that we had no idea of what they described. The front page helpfully described how the food would be presented, but what that food might be was beyond our ken. We announced our ignorance to the server and asked that she might help us. While her English was sufficient it was not fluid enough for an engaging conversation about the food. We asked that she select something for us. I cannot say for certain which items she proposed but it would seem that it was a kind of medley or combination. Drink was another question. What do you have with Ethiopian food? Under the glass table cover a list of beers seemed to suggest that beer was a common dinner companion. But we are not beer drinkers. Again, we asked. The response was not all that clear but tea with cinnamon seemed to be the answer. Yet, our server seemed to say that the tea came at the end of the meal. We went with the suggestion of tea after dinner and settled for just water with dinner. After a little bit of a wait, long, but not terribly long, our server arrived with a wonderfully large platter: a montage of color and texture and foods. Alongside the massive charger of exotic preparations she presented an oblong plate of Ethiopian bread called “injera.” I call it bread for lack of a better word. Injera looks like extremely large crepes or thin pancakes folded like napkins. Pick them up and the texture, weight and size suggested holding a damp towel. The bread would be not only an accompaniment to the food but would serve as our utensil. Ethiopian food is eaten with the thumb and first two fingers of the right hand with the help of the bread. Our immense platter offered chicken, lamb, beef and greens. The chicken portion was a leg in a mild red sauce. One of the beef portions was a piece of shank with some meat attached. The other beef portion and lamb portion were two small ground meat servings. The meat portions interspersed with chopped greens circled the perimeter of the platter. The center of the platter featured a mound of chopped lettuce paired with a few cubes of potato and carrot. Between the center and the perimeter several sauces ranging from a red and spicy berbere to a sweet creamed corn filled the rest of the plate. We tore off our pieces of injera and ventured into the many items on the platter. The tastes were surely interesting and satisfying. But, eventually it became a bit difficult to determine where to dip our bread and our fingers. Everything began to taste the same. The only meat that seemed somewhat different was the chicken. The ground lamb and the ground beef were indistinguishable. Even the greens, couched in the injera bread seemed little different from the meat. The more we ate, as satisfying as it may have been, the more it was eating the same thing. I found nothing distinct or particularly complex. After the dinner, we had our cinnamon tea. To my surprise, the tea was nothing more than Lipton’s. We also shared a nice slice of baklava for dessert. The bill came to $60 for three, a price that is not excessive. But for that price what did we really receive? Our table saw one chicken leg, a tiny beef shank with barely enough meat for one person and servings of chopped lamb and chopped beef that would barely make a hamburger each. Abysinnia is worth the experience of learning about new foods and a different culture. I cannot say that it is a cuisine to which I would return.

The food was great. It brought back so many memories for my sister and me. This place is a must to come visit. They have great Ethiopian food.

The food really is delicious -- and "special" in the sense that Ethiopian food is, in many ways, unlike most other cuisines. Most importantly, and aside from its distinctive character, the various menu items are well prepared and quite flavorful, and the service fine (friendly, but sometimes overtaxed by the customer to server ratio).

We were a party of five and ordered the meat and fish platters aka "combinations" plus a fish dish and the Doro Wot. Of the four, the Doro Wot was the least delicious but still tasty. One of us felt that it wasn't enough food, but she was in a minority. I haven't eaten at a lot of Ethiopian places--last one was in DC years ago—so I don't much of a frame of reference. But it has been awhile since I left a restaurant so pleasantly sated. The sauces were great and the fun of scooping up the food with the injera (spongy, slightly sour-tasting flatbread) made this is memorable meal.

Can't beat the tasty Veggie and meat combos with dried beef tips - fresh Teff Injera included. For about $10 per person, you can eat your fill of yummy slightly spicy Dishes. The decor isn't anything to write home about and the service is ok. The attached bar is always filled with Ethiopians watching soccer. Tip: head upstairs to Fuime Bar where you can imbibe a delicious cocktail made from the real deal bartenders in a dive bar and dine on the Ethiopian cuisine delivered to you from the downstairs restaurant. Only 4 or 5 tables in this complete dive bar cash only venue with live music Sunday and Thursday nights. Beats Era and Ethio and other Ethiopian places in town.

We thoroughly enjoyed our meal. We shared chicken, beef, and the vegetarian combination. Plenty of food and all delicious.

Second visit to Abyssinia. Authentic, and delicious Ethiopian food. Enjoyed at least as much as first visit there several years ago. Pleasant service. Located in West Philadelphia.

My husband and I have frequented this restaurant for years. The service can range from adequate to painfully slow, but the food is great. We always split a platter with several meat dishes and several vegetarian dishes, and it's very satisfying.

My wife and I walked to Abyssinia from our house for dinner one night. We had always seen the place in our travels but never dropped in for a meal. After a recommendation from a coffee shop across the street we decided to go and were glad we did. The dining room felt like we were in a big dining room in someone's home. Every one was dressed casually and the noise level was moderate. Our waitress took our order which is best done by number. We ordered number 19, I think. It came with 3 veggie options and you could specify the meat options. Each platter was delivered in a reasonable amount of time and was hot and delicious. I'm partial to the tibs wat and the alicha but all the choices were good and very filling. The prices were the best part. With a descent tip the bill was $40. We saw college students who were obviously on a budget eating there and were sure the prices were why this spot seemed so popular. Although there are other Ethiopian restaurants in the neighborhood, I'm sure we'll go back to Abyssinia.

One of the best Ethiopian restaurants I ever tried. I had lamb and several kinds of vegetables, it was delicious. Service is quite slow and some details could be easily improved. But altogether, a highly recommendable place.

The service leaves a bit to be desired but they more than make up for it with the food. Awesome authentic Ethiopian cuisine.

Background: On an unexpected trip to Philadelphia, locals recommended this restaurant. It was a just little bit farther than the Baltimore Street Strip. Verdict: Don't judge a book by its cover! This is authentic Ethiopian food, just like the kind we used to enjoy in the Adams Morgan section of DC. We wolved down our vegetarian platter combo. We would eat here again if we are back in the University City section of Philadelphia.

Food and service here are great. Reasonably priced and great for groups. Love nights I get to enjoy Abbysinia.

I love Ethiopian food but this was only ok. The service was fine for what the restaurant was but the food was oddly bland. The injera was not the worst but it was too thin and not spongy enough.

Vegetarian is the way to go, the quality of beef was less than desirable. All 3 of us in our party were discretely disposing of the mouthfuls in our napkins. We were in a very LARGE party of 25 and the service was slow, but the staff was wonderful. My daughter commented that this was indeed reminiscent of the quality of proteins available during her stay in Africa. Be wise. OH, and the PPA will get you after you spend 90 mins waiting for your meal. Watch the parking signs.

It is always a treat to have delicious Ethiopian food. We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner. I highly recommend the Vegetarian Combination Platter, as one has a chance to enjoy many different dishes, flavors and colors. Each dish (a few with a lentil base) was spiced uniquely. The cabbage dish was prepared perfectly and the veggie dish just was a delight. The service was great. We were seated immediately, and attended to graciously. As others have mentioned, the restaurant itself could use an overhaul. It seems that everything from the walls, to tables and chairs, to the floors have not been attended to since the opening (decades ago). There were no paper towels in the bathrooms. So if it is atmosphere you're looking for, Abyssinia is not for you. But if you want amazing food, thoughtful service and very reasonable prices, head on over!

Our oldest son took us to this restaurant as we like to try new foods and get a feel of another culture. We ordered some of the foods to share so we could try more flavors of these dishes. I like the awesome bread and be able to just sop up the food and liquids from it. Gene P Coplay PA

service is slow ..and food is ok

I travel to Philadelphia for business and always make a trip to abyssinia. The food is top notch with authentic Ethiopian flavors and spice like I had in Addis Ababa. Service is prompt and friendly. Prices are very reasonable.