Bete-lukas | Ethiopian Restaurant Reviews

Okay, let’s start with no eating utensils except fingers and learning about which hand to use. This was confusing for the one lefty in our group. On a large roundish China plate rested a large round light doza-like (less crisp, softer) “pancake.” On that was a serving of a chicken dish (special for the weekend), serving of a spicy fish choice and a serving of a chopped lettuce salad. Tear off a small section of “pancake,” enfold a small portion of the chicken or the fish, pop it in your mouth. Ah. The meal came with an extra “pancake,” with which we sopped up whatever sauces remained. My daughter and son-in-law ordered vegetarian. Nothing remained on their shared plate either. Climb the stairs to this somewhat hidden gem for Ethiopian food.

Ordered the Ye- beg wot( lamb stew) $15 and the Ye-beg Alicha $14cubed lamb), Fosolia- $10Green beans and Tikei Gomen $9 ( cabbage, carrots and potatoes). Weekend special of Endugai Tibs $12 and Special DuroTibs(cubed Chicken and spinach)$13 Food was awesome especially for first experience with Ethiopian food. Eating with your fingers, using bread “ Injera” to pick up the different foods!

Vegan, Vegetarian and Meat dishes with Ethiopian Spices are all superb! I saw Bete Lukas listed as one of 12 Must Try restaurants in Oregon. My 22 year old son and I were enthusiastic when we saw Bete Lukas serves Ethiopian cuisine. We mentioned it to the other 2 men in our family and they jumped at the opportunity to come with us. We are all glad we tried Bete Lukas! Our waiter was so warm and funny. He taught us about the food, the spices, how we might enjoy the food served family style and made some great recommendations. We got lentil sambusa to start. Yummy - the spiciness was great. Then we got the veggie combo, beef combo, chicken tibs and a lamb wot dish. It was all served on injera, a spongy bread that is also your eating utensil. In the center of our family style plate was a mouth cleansing salad. Our family of 4 also ordered some Ethiopian tea (cinnamon, cardomom and other spices) and an Ethiopian beer. Everything was DELICIOUS! And our service was fun, educational and perfect. Don't let the white tablecloths fool you into thinking the service is stuffy or that the food is too expensive. We thought our bill was very reasonable - $70 for a table of 4 with beverages and leftovers. We will be back!!! Tips: Dinner only, closed Mondays, reservations recommended.

The other five folks in my group succumbed to my pleading for Ethiopian. I had been craving it for months and no place in Florida (where I live) still has an Ethiopian place. Two of us shared the veggie combo and the other four shared a beef combo with an add on of kitfe. DELICIOUS! While I'm not sure what was what (I never am!) on our big platter of injera, our beef eating friends found something wicked hot. The Ethiopian beer managed to cool their palate nicely. The gentlemen working the floor was absolutely lovely! So funny and so personable! To start we tried an order of veggi and lentil sambusa (3 each). The Tikel Gomen might have been my favorite. I cannot recommend this place enough. I short walk up the outside staircase and heavenly Ethiopian food awaits! This place got packed when we went. We arrived around 7pm and I would say by 7:30 the place was full. That didn't stop the fast service and friend, attentive waitstaff.

Have been eating here since it opened over five years ago. My family loves it. For 12 dollars you can get a wonderful filling meal that is tasty and freshly prepared. There are several vegetarian options. The Ingera bread is the best I have had. Only critique is that the service at times can be slow and it will take a whilie (20-30) minutes to be served your food after it is ordered. The owner is friendly and always comes by the table to see how things are going. I would give five stars if not for the occasional wait.

Place is highly busy during weekends even before 7pm. We were made to wait for quite sometime without being attended to set us up a table and as we were about to leave the place frustrated , a waiter called us back in. By Jove the food and the waiter's wit and jokes compensated our long wait. Excellent way to serve our orders in one big family plate. Spoons given only on request otherwise the family has to share the food from that one plate using hands. It was stunning to know the striking similarity between South Indian and Ethiopian food. As a matter of fact I could hardly tell any difference except for one or two ingredients and the name of the dish. Ethiopian tea is a must try. On a whole, it was an enjoyable experience but I'm not going back cos that's what I make at home on a daily basis

This restaurant brought back wonderful memories of a visit to Ethiopia many years ago. Bete Lukas rivals the finest restaurants I experienced in Addis where I first fell in love with Mead, injera, and the pleasure of eating good food (as spicy or as mild as you prefer) with your hands. We shared a vegetarian plate but added salad and 2 lamb dishes (one mild and one spicy). Bete Lukas spicy tea was a great way to end the meal although deserts are also available. This restaurant is located on 50th, just south of Division, on the second floor. The restaurant sign is hidden in the trees. We arrived at 5 when Bete Lukast opened. By the time we left, every table was full. The personable owner offered great service with a smile. Cost is affordable. Atmosphere is pleasant - decor includes examples of famous Coptic crosses from the mysterious carved in stone churches of Lalibella. We wil definitely return.

We are so happy that our favorite Ethiopian restaurant has reopened for takeout. I picked up our order yesterday, and was very impressed with the care they are taking to be safe and to keep visitors safe too. Everyone had masks on and the place was spotless. It appears that they are making sure only one or two people are in the place at a time. The food was, as always, lovely and fresh, and it was so nice to see the Owner and his team again. Right now they are only offering takeout, no delivery, but it’s worth it.

This was the first Ethiopian food we tried in the Portland Metro Area and we weren't disappointed. Enough reviews will tell you that the entry is on the second floor and despite knowing that, it can be a little harder to locate the place. We were a party of 6, which included two toddlers (ya, we are brave!). I am glad we called ahead of time as I think the wait would have been too long otherwise (on a Saturday night). The seated area is on the smaller side so a bigger party might have to wait longer. They still did the best to accommodate us, given the kids and all! The head guy (I believe the owner) is hard to miss-- he has a unique style of humor, which some may love and some not-so-much. Our opinion changed after every interaction with him! The food was spot on. We were all Indian in our group, so we have a particular inclination toward Ethiopian food, given the family-style eating and similar flavor profiles as Indian food. We ordered lentil and veggie sambusa first. Great tasting-- lentil sambusa being way spicier than the veggie sambusa. For entrees, we ordered the veggie combination, special doro tibs (a special version of ye-doro tibs available only on weekends) and doro key wot-- all family style. Everything tasted great. You don't expect cabbage and kale to taste so good, but it all does. And when you share family style, it is finished before you can go in for seconds! Doro tibs were delicious. Although doro key wot was great too, but being bone-in, it really gets difficult to share. Service, however, was very spotty. We had to remind them about our orders multiple times every time we ordered something. They definitely looked understaffed and all servers looked overwhelmed. We eventually had to cancel our last order because it took really long (and then, kids!) but they were kind enough to do that for us. One of the key things I look for in restaurants now is if I can take my 2 year old along, without feeling too uncomfortable. Although the space looks more appropriate for date nights and not for families (quite unlike other Ethiopian restaurants), the smaller eating area here with closely packed tables actually makes it on the louder side, which drowns my kid's shrieks. Score! (Quite another story that she shrieks even louder to get us to pay attention given the ambient noise!) There were quite a few other tables with younger kids too. The owner paid special attention to the kids on our table, tried talking to them and made sure to jokingly tell us that kids are allowed to be loud. That definitely makes us feel welcome!

This was one of the highlights of our recent trip to Portland. My husband and I went out for a date night and we chose this restaurant after discovering there was Ethiopian food within walking distance. We are big fans of Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine, and have dined at multiple restaurants in New Haven and NYC. This was one of our best experiences for sure, and everything we ordered was outstanding. Our host/server was an absolute riot, and made the whole experience entertaining and informative. I only wish we had a place like this closer to where we live!

Put your culinary fate in Peter's hands and he'll help you choose a lovely meal suited your your tables palates and keep you interested with his dry sense of humor. This sets you up for a lovely evening of shared food and geniality.

I had never eaten Ethiopian food before so when this opportunity presented itself I went for it and am glad I did. The restaurant was busy but they were able to keep up with all the customers, the owner was super friendly, funny and helpful. We had five different food choices and they were all really good - eggplant, two beef dishes, lamb, and chicken.sone were spice, some mild so it was good for everyone.

We've been to Bete-Lukas twice now, and both times were absolutely fantastic experiences. The first time it was a quiet night, so the owner chatted with us, let us taste the berbere spice mixture, answered questions -- extremely cool. The second time (June 2011) it was an extremely busy night -- every table was occupied. We had to wait a few minutes to sit. Still, when we were seated, we got drinks within a few minutes, and placed our orders a few minutes after that. Excellent service. As we all know, though, it boils down to the food. We can put up with crummy service for excellent food. Thankfully, Bete Lukas combines excellent service with spectacular food. Most recently, we ordered the veggie combo (five different veg dishes) and the beef combo (five beef dishes). So many amazing dishes! So delicious! Perhaps one or two dishes were not out favorites, but they were all excellent. We will definitely be back (best Ethiopian in Portland that we've had thus far).

We've been going to Bete Lukas since shortly after they opened, and we LOVE it. I love Ethiopian food altogther. That said, I've tried lots of Ethiopian restaurants in Portland, Seattle, and D.C. This is the best I've ever had. The food is perfectly cooked (not the usual rubber tire chunks served as meat in many Ethiopian restaurants), and fragrant with incredible spices they bring back from their annual trip to Ethiopia. The injera--100% teff, traditionally soured--no white flour and baking soda here--are soft, light, and with just the right sourness to them, like a perfect sourdough crepe. An additional plus: it's an easy place to eat for gluten-free, vegetarian, and omniverous diets, and if you're low carb you could just skip the injera and still have a delicious meal (though I'd recommend telling them that when you order, since they serve family style with all the food piled on the injera lined platter). We like the owner, too. He always remembers us, no matter how long it's been since we've been there, and his very dry humor and quick wit never fail to amuse us. It's on the second floor, and the signage isn't that visible, so if you're standing on the sidewalk trying to figure out where it is, look for stairs on the outside right of the cement-at-street-level building (ADA ramp toward the back).

I have been going to this place since they opened. The food is tasty and very reasonably priced. Where else can you go and for 12 to 15 dollars get a great meal that is filling with good service. The owner always makes a point to come by our table. There are times when busy, where things slow down so please be patient if you are there on a weekend.

I had great expectations for this place but was really dissappointed with for many reasons. First of all we reached well ahead of the evening rush hour and there were empty tables. Yet they made us wait for more than 20mins. But the friendly waitresses pacified the situation. Then we met the owner guy who has a weird sense of humor, trust me, sometimes I didn't understand if he was joking or mocking at us. Secondly, their injera was sour, and I have had better ones from other places. For the top rated Ethiopian restaurant in Portland taste wasn't upto the mark. Finally (this was the worst), past 8.45pm we asked for an extra injera to the owner guy and he said (on our face) that he cannot give us more because they are saving it for later customers (fyi 9pm was their closing time). At first we thought it was one of his so-called-funny replies, so we decided to wait for sometime. Meantime he closed down the front door. And we were like oh yes, no more customers, now we will get our injera. Sadly he wasn't joking. It was very unethical of a restauranter to deny a customer's request with so much audacity. Atleast an apology would have been nice. I really doubt myself going there again.

We took a guest who had not eaten Ethiopian food before to Bete Lukas. He (we) thoroughly enjoyed not just the food, but the experience. The gentleman who owns the restaurant whose name I do not know, added greatly to our experience. He is quite friendly, and ready with a quick, playful response to our humor. The food is great! Everything is perfectly prepared and spiced very nicely. An added touch are the white linen tablecloths that adorn the tables. Not exactly what you'd find in Ethiopia, but a nice touch in Portland. Our guest will most definitely revisit this restaurant, and so will we! Salaam

Everything on our platter of various meat and vegetable dishes was fresh and perfectly seasoned. The kitfe (Ethiopian version of steak tartar) was excellent! And the owner/host is a friendly gentleman who treats you like a guest in his own home. A nice wine selection is available with very reasonable prices.

as you can tell from what other reviewers have said who've also visited many other restaurants in many other cities (i myself have eaten ethiopian food in manhattan, philadelphia, lancaster - PA, 4 different establishments in the hallowed adams-morgan neighborhood of our nation's capitol, minneapolis, los angeles, san francisco, berkeley, and - at last count - 8 different ethiopian restaurants in portland - half of them favored the name "the blue nile"!!!), Bete Lukas consistently outdoes most all of the competition - especially locally. our family is vegetarian, and indulge in the lentil sambusas, portobello mushroom tibs, kik alecha, miser wat, and gomen. the host is a genial, smart-talking fellow who makes sure that the service is prompt and attentive. you can fairly easily get in and out in an hour if that is your priority or stay longer to enjoy a more leisurely meal. price is no more than you'd pay elsewhere, ambience is nice, but not particularly accessible for those who have trouble moving around from what i can tell (access via stairs?). we've probably been there 6 - 8 times over the last 3 - 4 years.

The place is decent with functional ambience. Most of the dishes are non-spicy. Food is fresh and tasty. Service is good considering the time taken to churn out various items. We loved the courteousness of the owner. Combination is more economical on the menu.

we stood by the door for fifteen to twenty minutes just waiting to be seated. We could see four empty tables and there was no one else waiting before us. Then after we were seated, it took another fifteen minutes for the waiter to come get our order. The food took a while and when it finally came, it tasted mediocre. I was born in east Africa, in a country bordering Ethiopia and so was exposed to Ethiopian food. What we ate here was a shame to real Ethiopian food, even my husband who was born in the U.S. and loves african food was very disappointed. If you want good Ethiopian food at half the price, Please go go the the Queen of Sheba, I was there with a group of friends and everyone was pleased. Their food tastes better than this place any day.

The place is very cozy and very romantic. :)) One advice, try to make reservation before going as it is a popular restaurant and it can get very very busy. Also, it is quite small in size. The owners are super friendly and if it wasn't for them we probably wouldn't have waited for the tables to be free. The wait is totally worth it! The food is absolutely delicious! We had their Doro Wat Key (chicken), beef, cabbage, lentils and eggplants! My husband loved the eggplant but it is on the spicy side! We also tried their Ethiopian beer and Mac & Jack African Amber. We both preferred the Ethiopian beer, as it is slightly lighter which went well with the heavy meal. We definitely recommend this place and we will for sure be going back! Loved it!

My wife and I went to Bete Lukas for supper, in July 2018. It was my first time trying Ethiopian food, we ordered the Beef platter and the Vegie platter. It came out on one large plate, it didn't seem like a lot of food, but when we were done, we couldn't have been fuller. Everything was very tasty and very reasonably priced. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful. We will definitely be back when we are in Portland the next time. It was a bit tricky to find, our gps took us to the address, but we couldn't see any restaurant, until we noticed stairs going up to the second floor. Great experience!

This is a wonderful neighborhood restaurant. The food is excellent, atmosphere and decor is very nice, service is super-friendly and quick and knowledgeable, and prices are very reasonable. A very good family place, as they are patient with children. You cannot go wrong here. It is upstairs in an old building, so it even has a view if you sit by one of the many windows. Parking is on street, but always available, and right on the Division bus line.

This is the best Ethiopian food I've eaten anywhere in the world. The family that runs it is so friendly and accommodating. The patriarch has unconventional sense of humor I think other reviewers have mistaken for something unintended. We always get the same waitress and she is a delight. Do them a favor and come on a weekday. They aren't that full (and the weekends they can be...). Get to experience the great people and their culture without the rush to serve their unbelievable fare.

HIGHLY recommend Bete-Lukas Ethiopian Restaurant in Portland (division and 50th). Jarra's on Hawthorne is where I had my first ethiopian food 23 years ago. I've eaten ethiopian in DC and Boston... This was the most pleasurable eating experience ever. Bete Lukas caters to the western palate without sacrificing authenticity. The owner understands the term Vegan and Vegetarian. and every dish had a uniquely delicious flavor. Good place to bring your reluctant teen... Plenty of the spongy sour bread used instead of utensils. attentive service. a little hard to spot when driving down 50th at night. But worth the climb to the top of the stairs.

All of the positive reviews are accurate and spot on! We've eaten Ethiopian food all across the country and this is some of the best! The place is very intimate and friendly. Our advice, make reservation before the restaurant opens on the day you want to visit. It is very popular and can get crowded quickly. The owners are extremely friendly and hospitable. Our party of five included a teen and pre-teen, and they keep us all engaged throughout the meal. The food is made fresh to order and is totally worth the wait! It is absolutely delicious! We had our meal family style. We started with sambusas and then ordered the chicken, beef, lamb, lentils, and green bean and carrot dishes! We enjoyed it all but for those unfamiliar with food from this area the berebere dishes can be spicy. We also had their honey wine with the meal. It's a perfect complement to the dishes. The younger members of our party enjoyed Italian sodas which went well with the rich and filling meal. We definitely recommend this place and we will make return visits!

My husband and I have been here 5 or 6 times now and it's quickly becoming one of our favorite spots. The food is delicious every time and the staff are always very friendly. We'll keep coming back.

My first time having ethiopian. Our waiter was hilarious and made us feel at home. He basically ordered for us and did not disappoint, loved all of it, except maybe the kale dish. Very nice setting as well.

Went on a Friday night when there were two parties of 10 to 15 customers taking up large tables. The staff were a bit overwhelmed. It's a one room restaurant, and people were pouring in to eat dinner. If waiting annoys you, especially when there's not a lot of room to wait, you might want to time your visit on a non-weekend night. The food was overall a bit bland for my liking. The tables and setting a tad elegant, which I appreciated. The reason I'd come back is that the family who runs this place, while disorganized at times, gives it a warm human touch. I felt invited into their culture and world, and I loved getting to chat with them a bit in spite of how busy they were. This isn't a smooth operation. Come with the right expectations and you'll be happy.

Amazing food and excellent service! I've been to many Ethiopian places and this is definitely one of the best. So good!

We visited Bete Lucas while in Portland for my daughter’s graduation from college. I lived in Portland for about 6 years around 30 (gasp) years ago and used to go to Jarra’s, a bastion of Ethiopian food back then, and a Reed college favorite. Mr. Jarra has since retired and I’m happy to say that Bete Lucas more than fills the absence. The food was fresh, organically sourced and very flavorful. The spice was perfect and did not overwhelm. We were a mixed group of meat eaters and vegetarians and the restaurant easily accommodated us all and still was able to serve family style, which is the most fun. Our server was great, knowledgeable, funny and competent. I highly recommend this restaurant.

My veggie plate was so good, I ordered another after ate the first one and embarrassed my husband. You have to go around the side and upstairs to enter. Once you enter you smell the wonderful spicy Ethiopian food. My husband enjoyed his carnivore dinner, but I didn't see what it was because I was so thrilled with my food. No silverware here--use you fingers with the bread.

In an unassuming, secluded upstairs room, spacious and comfortable, our meal flowed with ease from the poignant/comic ministrations of our Peter our server, to the arrival of the delicious food. All items are presented on a sheet of fluffy injera bread which is torn and used as the device to grab a morsel of food bring it into the mouth. The meal was terrific and I want to return very soon.

Bete Lukas is a find! A family run restaurant, service is personable and quick, the father(?) a humorous and quick man. Recommended to us by our vegetarian friend who comes to the restaurant all the time. We had a table of seven, which they had a bit of trouble accommodating, and we ordered family-style vegetarian. The spicy lentils were phenomenal. WE went with a friend who had never had Ethiopian food and the lentils wowed her. The split pea dish was a sensation at our table. Cabbage and potato dish was a hit with me and is not typically a dish I pay much attention to, but here I relished it.

lentil sambusas, engudai tibs, misser wot, gomen, fosolia all impeccable; host is a genial raconteur....

I've been to this restaurant several times. I used to live in East Africa and learned about Ethiopian food there. This is the best place I've been to in the US. The owner is usually serving and I enjoy interacting with him. He has a good sense of humor and is always gracious. He's also ready with advise for those who need help with the menu. Generally getting a combo is good with a group so that everyone can try different dishes. The food is surprisingly inexpensive considering its quality and variety.

Great atmosphere. Went with friends who know the owners! Treated us like royalty. The owners served us and told us the best meals to eat. We were stuffed with goodness. Lots of veggies, meat in sauces, spicy lamb, lentils. If you like Ethiopian food, this is the place for you. Best Ethiopian restaurant I think in Portland, Oregon.

We ordered the meat combo, the veg combo, the eggplant and the lamb dishes. They came out family style (one big platter with injera folded up the sides and under the items. We all 4 dug in and stuffed our faces. I tried all of the dishes and despite some of them being described as "spicy" it was difficult to say that anything tasted like anything. Not one of us said-"Umm that is goood" nope. We finished it all but it just didnt taste like anything. Then when we were paying, the owner came out and asked whose credit card it was and asked her if she had another. With the implication that it had been rejected, it hadn't but he was playing a "joke" on my friend - a very inappropriate gesture. I am giving three stars only because the young lady that served us did a great job. Otherwise there are better choices in town for this cuisine.

Wish they had a closer in location. Food quality was great, prices very fair. Not as much quantity of food as some other Ethiopian restaurants in town, but then the prices were reasonable. Service a little standoffish, but he said he didn't want to interrupt my reading. A few unique things on the menu. I'll be back.

I come to this restaurant regularly and absolutely love it. The man who runs the the restaurant always remembers us and even puts in our order before we get to the table. I always get the veggie combo and it is simply delicious + it is a great value. You get plenty of food for a reasonable price. I love the lentils and the kale. The injera is divine. This is a wonderful place and a perfect atmosphere. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone for any occasion! :)

This was one of the best Ethiopian meals I have had! The restaurant is a little hard to find, but once inside, the ambience was really nice, although a little small. We tried the honey wine, which was excellent, and the sambusas and the vegetarian platter. Everything was excellent. The owner is very friendly. The other servers are not as friendly or efficient, and we had to wait a couple of times for our injera. But the owner more than made up for the so-so service. Overall, this was one of the best meals I have had, and I definitely plan to go back!

This was my first experience with Ethiopian cusine and Bete Lukas made it a good one. This is a cute family operated restaurant which delivers high quality Ethiopian cusine. The dishes are full of flavor and made to share. Eating with your hands was defianately a little hard at first and the spongy bread was an interesting twist. If you have tried Ethiopian before or if its your first time you will not be dissapointed in Bete Lukas.

This place was absolutely amazing! My husband and I went with another couple. There was no problem getting a reservation, and the service once we arrived was perfect. They explained the choices and made recommendations as to what we may like. Definitely stop by!

Great homemade food. Mounds of injera, interesting creative mix with eggplant and beet stews with the standard kikk and miser wot. All the delicious flavor without the hours of work. Great atmosphere and beer list. Great for families and a group of friends getting together, but get reservations. On the second floor so look up when finding this place. Everything is good!

Eight of us went for dinner and loved the service, ambulance and the food. THE BEST ETHIOPIAN FOOD EVER. We will definitely be back.

Excellent ! Friendly atmosphere and good food. Spicy but not over the top. Six of us enjoyed two combo platters and it was plenty. Loved the bread.

Very authentic and absolutely delicious. All of the meat is grass fed and organic. We are staying downtown and caught the #4 train at 5th and Washington. The bus took us straight to the restaurant at SE Division and 50th in about 20 minutes. We took the #14 bus straight back here. Well worth the trip to see the Hawthorne district - a mix of Lincoln Park and Key West.

Ethiopian cuisine is one of my most favorite foods to indulge in. I have eaten Ethiopian food in Adams Morgan in Washington D.C., in Back Bay Mass., in San Jose California, in Salt Lake City, in New York City and in San Francisco. This culinary experience ranks right up there both in terms of the quality of the meal as well as the graciousness of the host! As far as the food goes they do not skimp on the spices. The dishes were freshly prepared and to say that they were flavorful is an understatement! We had the veggie Sambusa for an appetizer. It was crisp, light and delicious. For the main course we shared the family platter (Doro Key Wat, Ye-Beg Alisha Wot & the Eggplant Tibs). It was amazing! Which brings me to the host, who I believe is the owner. He was helpful, witty and entertaining! he made the meal that much more enjoyable! If You're a Ethiopian food enthusiast, you will not be disappointed!

The food was delicious and not over spiced (per our request to have our waiter help us with selections). We had a combo vegetable meal, a lamb dish and the weekend special chicken dish. All were excellent! The venue is attractive and very clean. The people serving us were friendly, caring, and fun. If you like authentic ethnic food, you will love this restaurant!

Don't let the plain exterior put you off. This provided one of the very best Ethopian meals I've ever had and inside the decor is very attractive and pleasant. The food is freshly prepared and wonderfully flavorful and spiced. The injera is tasty with atexture that is perfect for scooping up the various dishes letting you leave the one on the bottom to soak up all the juices from each dish until the end. We ordered the Special Dodo Tibs (chicken), the Vege dish and the beef. Ask for the kitfo raw as it tastes much better that way and is traditional. The staff are remarkably personable and interactive. Being shy is simply not an option. Go early.

This place is so good. We always get the mix plater that we can all share..Amazing flavor so. The owner family run restaurant are such nice, friendly people.

You can get meals served family style on a large tray lined with the spongy Ethiopian bread. While it initially doesn't look like enough for your family one entree a piece will comfortably feed your family. 4 entrees, 2appetizers, and 4 drinks was $68.00. Nice atmosphere friendly help, quiet on a Thursday night.

Finally made it to this amazing little restaurant for a family dinner. Reservations are a good idea, as it fills up quickly. We had 8 selections for 7 people and had plenty of food to share. Everything was tasty and well-seasoned without being too spicy hot. We had the weekend specials and other dishes from the menu--the lamb was a favorite. Very warm and friendly staff/owners completed the experience. The ramp around back is handy for those who can't do stairs, but bring a flashlight if you will be leaving after sundown, it is pretty dark back there. We hit the ice cream cart Scoop (in the pod across the street) for dessert.

My favorite meals are orgies in which everyone shares piles of really good food, and we got all of that AND to grab in with our bare hands to eat it. The place is completely relaxed and informal, the selection is broad, and all of the dishes we shared were excellent. Typical Ethiopian---no utensils---the meal is served on a bread blanket and a second sheet of bread is torn into strips and used to scoop or pinch the food. And I was delighted by the dry mead, a honey wine that everyone should experience.

Imagine a plate that is fully covered by a brown, spongy, sour dough tasting pancake. Then top that pancake with your choice of delicious, spicy, tender meats and (or) vegetables...them selves covered with layers of spicy, delicious sauces. Did I mention spicy? You get napkins, but you don't get utensils. You tear off pieces of the pancake (injera) and use it to pick-up bite sizes chunks of meat and veggies. One of my friend's had a chicken dish that was very flavorful but not very hot (spicy hot). Another had a lamb dish that was very spicy hot. I had a beef dish (tibs) that was pretty spicy but absolutely delicious. Meals were a very affordable $10-$15 each. Wine list was pretty good. Our waiter had a great sense of humor and provided outstanding service. The restaurant is very "cozy" but not crowded in it's second floor location. I highly recommend this place. We will be going back soon.