Lucy's Ethiopian Restaurant and Lounge Reviews

We took the kids here and had a great time. The kids loved the food, although they had to keep a good attitude about the spicy food. Woo! Really a great place. We had the meat and veggie combo platter which was enough for the four of us.

This place was phenomenal! The food reminded me of the first time I fell in love with Ethiopian cuisine at The Blue Nile in Detroit, MI. Can't wait to go back and will recommend this place to my brother and sister who live in Houston. The owner came and sat with us and chatted for a while. Found out that we were on vacation and gave us complimentary wine. She made sure we were comfortable and personally brought our food out to us. Locals that "hang" out there for afternoon tea were just as friendly. I just loved the ambiance of the place.

Lucy's is a nice restaurant, the service is great and the food is good, extremely spicy for my taste to the point that I cannot distinguish well wether I was eating lamb or beef. Good selection of Ethiopian Beers and don't forget to try their home made honey wine

This was my first time eating Ethiopian food so we got the meat and veggie sampler combo. It was so good. Some of it was pretty spicy but I love spice. The staff was very friendly but a little slow to give us menus or drinks. We had to ask to see a menu. I would go back. Some of my favorites were the yellow peas dish or spicy lentils.

I'm a vegetarian. First time at Lucy's. I sat in the back lounge. The sofas had some burn holes and the furniture needed some help. There was this annoying guy speaking really loudly about some inappropriate subjects, but that wasn't the restaurant's fault. I ordered the 6 varieties vegetarian sampler. It was exactly what I wanted it to be. The only reason that I didn't give it a 5 rating is because of the poor quality of the furniture.

This was my first time at Ethiopian restaurant. Food was freshly made and tasty. Staaff need more training. Place was ok

My Ethiopian friends took me here. The food was really tasty. I had expert friends to pick the right dishes. Eating with your hands in the lounge area definately was an experience! The staff were less than pefect and told me friend she should have tipped her more. Sadly for this they said they would not return again because of the waitresses rudeness. I myself would not return without a local ethiopian!

In Houston on a visit and a Google search brought us here. The food was excellent and the service was even better. I highly recommend eating here.

The warmth and love of the gentle Ethiopian people shine thru both in attitude service and the delicious food.. This is more than a meal. This is Queen of Sheba.. These people are the real deal and EVERYTHING on the menu is delicious....

This was my first time eating Ethiopian food and to my surprise it was delicious. I usually order chicken or fish when dining so I decided on the Tilapia. It was EXCELLENT!! Our server was good and patiently explained all of the questions we had about correct pronunciations and about how the food was prepared. I like the ambiance of the place as well. The only con was that there was some miscommunication in the time of our appointment and we had to wait awhile to be seated as a group. Overall, though, it was a very good experience.

Amazing atmosphere and the most attentive staff in town. The food is always great and way more than enough. Perfect Friday night hang out.

Location near freeway and so its challenge. Parking is good. The appearance is bright and open. We ordered veggies and meat sample plates. Too include honey wine. Everything was great portion size, food quality, and service. I was also impressed with priced well. We ordered some items to go. I would recommend and return. Please eat the bread pancakes with meal. A great cultural experience. I reccomend sample plates for 1st visit.

In a restaurant named after Lucy, the 3.2 million year old Ethiopian fossil known as 'the grandmother of humanity', we found something very new and uplifting for the last night of our holiday in the USA. Stuck out on a freeway in a location you would probably never dream of visiting (unless, like us, you had inadvertently booked your family into the Holiday Inn-cum-building site next door), you enter a different world at Lucy. A thoughtful decor and modern Ethiopian background music add to the interest of a varied menu, all freshly cooked to order and beautifully presented. You eat with freshly made 'bread' like pancakes, scooping up portions of food. Unlike the rest of Houston, there isn't a hint of that awful orange 'cheddar' and they really do cater for vegetarians. The charming waiter helped us choose dishes, and offered us home made honey wine (a little like sweet sherry). The fish was amazing, and the dessert baklava very tasty. Genuine, thick coffee was served on a tray wafting with incense. There were so many interesting touches, from the list of handy phrases from Ethiopia on the menu to the thrones and cloaks for serious celebrations and cheesey selfies alike. What a wonderful find. Thanks go to reviewers on Google Maps this time, but I hope it will shoot up the TripAdvisor ratings as Lucy is a cut above anything we've encountered on the rest of our travels.

We had a great time at Lucy's. The service was very good and the food was delicious. We had the mixed vegetarian and a mixed meat platter. All was very good. The spice ranged from mild to hot--great nuanced flavors in all of the dishes. Also had the house-made Honey Wine. Was very family friendly as our 8, 5, and 2 year enjoyed themselves as well.

My husband and I were trying to figure out where to go for an early lunch today and I remember seeing "Lucy's Ethiopian Restaurant" when we were driving home to Sugar Land, TX. We recently moved back from being abroad, so pretty much everything is new to us. When we walked into the restaurant, it was very colorful, décor was very nice. The bartender/server immediately came around from the bar and seated us. She then asked if this was our first time visiting the restaurant and I told her "yes". She said would I like to see the "lounge" maybe to sit and have lunch. I looked at it, and it was nice however my husband is tall and big and trying to sit in the lower seat and tables probably wouldn't be so comfy for him. I had looked at "Lucy's" website before we went and knew exactly what I wanted to order, I was so excited to go there since we have lived in Nigeria for 6 years and any Ethiopian food was prepared by myself. We (I) ordered the Lucy's salad, the vegetarian 5 combo, an extra vegetarian dish of the green beans, and Kitfo (raw) and the lamb tibbs. Our server seemed quite impressed when I told her we wanted the Kitfo "raw" like steak tartare, and we would not need any plates or silverware. When the food came it looked amazing and I asked her for "mi'mita" which is a hot dry spice mix. She smiled and said " you like it hot" seriously we love the spice and hot! She brought us out the dry spice, cottage cheese (which was homemade) and the wet hot spice mix. It was all so great, I couldn't stop eating even though I was stuffed! At the end we were offered the "honey wine" which was huge yum. It reminded me of "mead" in some respects. Towards the end of our lunch, "Lucy" came out to make sure everything was okay, not only is she the owner but she does all the cooking. I told my husband that I need to go here at least once a month and I will be okay for my Ethiopian food fix! BTW, if you have NEVER EATEN Ethiopian food, they serve any dish with Injeria which is their version of like "pita/tortilla" you pull a piece off and use it to eat your food. DO NOT USE UTENSILS...its a great experience!

I always wanted to try out Ethiopian food but never had a chance to. So my husband and my friends decided to go to Lucy's. I had no idea what to expect but I had checked their menu before hand and I knew that they have lots of vegetarian options as I am vegetarian. We went there on a weekday and there were only 3 other tables occupied. When we arrived the server asked us if we have tried out Ethiopian food before . Then he suggested different menu options. Their eggplant dip is yummy and so is Sambusa which is very much like Indian samosa but with a lentil filling. We ordered combo platter 5 which was very good. It has some items that are very mild in taste and some that are spicy (in a good way, not HOT). Though there were only 3 tables occupied , service was slow. One has to call for server's attention if you need something. Having said that we really enjoyed the food and will come back again. I read in one of the reviews about food being too spicy, I cannot say for the meat lovers as I did not try meat but veg. food was not too spicy. Again, I am talking about our experience. P.S : I went to try food at this restaurant only after reading wonderful reviews from all the contributors. so this is a request to all the readers who reads reviews that please post your reviews on the place you visit so that people like me benefit from it.

Lucy's is a great spot. The customer service and atmosphere were great!! We were there for a bachelorette gathering and the staff was amazingly accommodating. Everyone enjoyed the dishes and the recommendations by the waiter were awesome!

This is brand new resaurant and closer to midtown than the other Ethiopian restaurants in town. Still the SW fwy location is a bit difficult to maneuver. The service wa prompt but the wait staff didn't listen closely and we received food prepared in an incorrect way. The rest of the food was ynmmy but the pancake made of tif was small and served on a regular sized plate--we were hoping for the large table sized pancake with the tastings of each speciality displayed on it. It wasn't very crowed, the decore was really nice, fab artwork and the owner was very pleasant. Unfortunately the time and hassle of drving so far will be an obstacle to our returning.

The food was amazing. Service was great. I finally even learned how to pronounce the names of dishes I like. Four stars because the place was a little dingy/dirty but not so much as to bother/deter me. Glad the bathroom was clean.

This place was a fantastic mom! My family is really picky when it comes to restaurants for celebration. But they absolutely love the vibe in this place. Specially my brother, who is a fan of reggae music and really appreciated their mix "tape" (I should not be calling it that in 2917). Since it was my mom's birthday they did a little something special for her. The staff is amazing, and the food to die for! The crowd was also very diverse, which definitely speaks to the reputation of the restaurant. Definitely recommend this to anyone in the mood for a chill vibe, good food, and great music!

My wife and I have visited this restaurant four times and have had an excellent experience every time. Don't miss the Awazi tibs. The ambience is delicious. And for the picky Ethiopian aficionados, trust me that we grew up in Washington, DC and we know our Ethiopian.

WARNING: THIS ESTABLISHMENT IS INTENTIONALLY SPREADING AROUND COVID TO EACH OTHER AS STAFF AND TO ALL THEIR GUESTS THAT THEY SERVE. SERVERS WILL REFUSE TO CONSISTENTLY WEAR A MASK IF ASKED. YOU WILL GET MEDIOCRE AND DELAYED ETHIOPIAN FOOD FROM RUDE WAITRESSES... AND QUITE POSSIBLY WILL GET COVID EATING HERE. THEY WILL BE REPORTED. None of the staff wear masks, even after politely asking for the waitress to wear a mask when speaking to us, she would come back later to us without one, with a very rude nature. Albeit she was pretty with her makeup and form-fitting dress like she was ready for the club or something, that doesn't mean you can go around spreading your pretty little covid to all the guests you serve, even after said guests ask you politely to do so. She was so terrible with her service, we had to keep reminding her multiple times about giving us items like, water! Like, why does it take 30 minutes into our meal to get water we requested upon taking our seat in the beginning?! Considering that she approached all her tables maskless and not even distancing herself, it had me concerned that they are ALL maskless and intentionally spreading around covid to each other and their customers. The waitress was ill-informed of the menu and what was actually available. "May I have the mango juice?" "No, we dont have it." "Oh um okay... what kind of hot tea do you all have available?" "Regular hot tea." "What's 'regular' hot tea exactly? Like, what kind specifically?" "Just regular." We had to keep reminding her multiple times about giving us items like, our first glass of WATER! Like, why does it take 30 minutes into our meal to get water we requested upon taking our seat in the BEGINNING?! She gave us the rice we ordered 25 minutes AFTER we partook in the mediocre sampler and no longer had further interest for any of it. It was TERRIBLE customer service and the food did NOT make up for it.

In general I love ethiopian cuisine. I think Lucy is one of the best one I've tried. Lucy has a very pleasant atmosphere, and their food is amazing. I enjoy their combo dishes. Staff is very attentive and the owner is always there to welcome her guests. This is one of my favorite restaurants in Houston.

I went to this restaurant only because I had a Groupon voucher. The desk at the nearby motels where I was staying said the food was very good but very spicy. We arrived early in the evening to an empty restaurant. The staff was very helpful in decoding a rather mysterious menu. The prices were reasonable and the food exceptional. I only hope they can stay in business as they well deserve to. It is a very short walk from both the Hilton Southwest and the La Quinta Inn for people staying at either of these places.

Let me start by saying I did like the ambiance of the establishment. I've never visited an Ethiopian restaurant before so it was welcoming to see a cultural touch. Our server led us to the back portion of the restaurant which was more of a lounge. I believe if we would have sit in the formal dining area then my rating would have been a little higher. It's not so comfortable to eat food when the table is lower than the couch you are sitting on! The food is similar to Indian food and if you are vegetarian they have several options. We ordered the Yedoro Watt which was literally one chicken drumstick and one egg. In the picture it appeared to have multiple eggs so this was disappointing considering it was $16 for this small bowl. The taste was more along the lines of a chile paste curry to me so it was not appeasing. We also had the Honey Wine, again an experience, I do believe this is an acquired taste but hey you have to just try new things out for yourself sometimes! The server also brought along some cold bread which may be traditional. I found it was better when I dipped it in the curry sauce since the bread has a tint of vinegar. It reminded me of crepes. The other dish we ordered was beef tibs which is like cubed beef meat. It actually reminded me of some Mexican fajita meat dishes so I enjoyed it the most. The entrees came with yellow rice and salad which are typical of Indian food if you have had it before and taste the same. While eating, we did have an unexpected visitor (tree roach) crawling around so that didn't help the meal too much. Also, if you don't like the smell of smoke or Hookah it is pretty apparent in this place. Again, I do not have Ethiopian food experience for comparison but at least I can say I have tried their cuisine! I just don't think the prices are equivalent to the value. I don't believe I will ever visit again yet it was nice to try.

A delicious and authentic selection of Ethiopian dishes. I came here with my sisters to celebrate my Mothers life, which included us living in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia many years ago. The Doro Watt was fabulous, as was the shiro too. In fact everything we ordered was so tasty. As good as you get in Ethiopia, even better depending on where you go. So ..... go on give it a try.

This restaurant was recommended by my Ethiopian taxi driver when I visited Austin, Texas, a few weeks a go. It then made it to my Houston must do list. And I was not disappointed. The restaurant is strategically located off the freeway with easy access, and plenty of parking. The decor is modern with ample seating area; a sit down restaurant, bar and lounge - take your pick. The host was awesome and greeted us with great enthusiasm. We chose to sit in the lounge area. This place is clean and well maintained, unlike other Ethiopian restaurants I have been to. Our hostess helped us with food selection, which was served traditional Ethiopian style; family style in a large round tray. We had a selection of chicken, beef and lamb dishes. After dinner we had traditional Ethiopian coffee, which was a must to complete the experience. I just wish they had a live Ethiopian band to go with the great experience. If you like spicy Ethiopian food, Lucy's is a must when in Houston.

What a delight to find a restaurant serving food you've never tried before..and finding an Ethiopian restaurant at the foot of your Hotel (Hilton Houston Southwest) was a very welcome change. Better still...the food was superb my husband captivated by the tasty Curry Basil Chicken served with Rice whilst I indulged in the Lega Tibs (Cubed tender beef or lamb, marinated and cooked with tomato, jalapeno, garlic berbere sauce) all washed down with a tasty crisp fresh Ethiopian Beer whilst a live jazz band serenaded the night away..great restaurant, great atmosphere and fabulous food. We will return!

I've had African food from Nigeria and Ghana so I wanted to try Ethiopia. The service was great but the food was average. I ordered the fillet fish dish and wasn't as flavorful as I had hoped. It wasn't bad but the flavor was lacking. The dish could've come with some kind of dipping sauce on the side to make it taste better. Reading the reviews I was surprised I didn't have the same experience as other patrons.

Ethiopian places are always a safe bet for vegetarians who do not consume egg. Veggie platter was decent. They did not have a couple of drinks I asked for . Hence had to settle for a mango drink which seemed too pricy. Other than that no other issues with the place.

We were looking for a different place for our anniversary dinner . Came across this place. We liked it very much. Spicy food, good ambience.We liked the lounge. Tried Hookhah. Pretty good place for dinner.

In my first try of Lucy's yesterday I ordered carryout of the shrimp appetizer, the vegetarian Combo 7, and the tiramisu and all of it was just delicious! The shrimp was fresh, beautifully cooked and the plate was so large it could have served as an entree. The vegetarian combo was a fantastic spicy delight of seven popular Ethiopian dishes. The injera (bread) was perfection, among the best I've ever tried, here or elsewhere. And the tiramisu was the lightest, creamiest, most sumptuous I recall ever tasting. In short, this restaurant was a culinary treat. I'll certainly return. Do go. You won't regret it.

We had the meat and veggie combo plates for four people. Best food and really reasonable price. Their enjera bread was so light and good.

The moment you walk through the door you are greeted with smiles and gratefulness. I guess I walked 20 feet and was greeted with welcome 5 times and 5 happy you are here. After we were seated Able introduced us to a wonderful dinning experience. It just happened to be restaurant week in Houston. Able explained the menu throughly and gave us several choices. The food combinations were perfect. Just spicy enough to keep you coming back for more. But wait adding the honey wine drink to the spicy food was just the perfect match. And dessert- try the warm baklava, what a treat.... Thanks Able for a great dinning experience.

Went by review's. The seating hostess was not very interested. She asked us if we were first timers and actually we were to this place but not to the cuisine. We wanted a light lunch so we ordered lamb ribs awaze to share. She misguided us and told us that this entree cannot be shared. But fortunately the owner saved our day . We ended up with a single entree sufficient for 3. Will not go again

You can eat at this place anytime of the day for any occasion. I came here with my mother for an early lunch at around 11:30 am. It was quiet and peaceful. The atmosphere is great and so is the food! Prices are fair. On the weekends to crowd is much bigger and great for date night or entertaining friends.

Surprisingly poor customer service outweighs their surprisingly good food. We've been about five times since they opened, returning each time with the fading hope that their staff would finally learn to wait tables, maintain an accurate bill, provide any semblance of front house / back house coordination, or even just learn to pay attention to our basic needs as diners. But no, each time we returned to worse service than the last. This last time was the last straw: hoping to avoid the snafu of poor dining service, we tried take away but were met with disrespect, hostility, and plain-old-fashioned rudeness. And to top it all off, they up-charged us for one extra piece of bread and drastically reduced the portion size of the take away entre, something they had never done previously when we ate in. We will not return again, despite their lovely food that is interesting, exotic, consistent, and delicious.

Been to this restaurant many times and always a great experience. The food is wonderful and the staff is friendly. Love this place.

The moment we walked through the door, we were greeted warmly! We were quickly seated and looked after. There is culture all over the place! You can tell the owner is a proud Ethiopian! The staff speaks both English and Amharic. My waiter made great recommendations and paid extra attention to me because I wasn't completely familiar with the selections on the menu. It was clean and cozy. At one point, they turned the music up and everyone started dancing! I loved it! My counterparts ordered food on my behalf, so I don't know the actual name of the dishes we ate. There was a vegetarian platter, and a stewed beef platter as well. Both were eaten with injera bread! Then we had Ethiopian coffee! It was very endearing. If you want to get a taste of the Ethiopian culture in a clean, cozy environment, I highly recommend this restaurant!

The hubby and I went because I found a Groupon to go here, but it was not only a pleasant but amazing surprise! My other half loves spicy foods and exotic meats (I lean less spicy and vegetarian) but we both found something we liked here. The unique bread/naan-like starch they serve reminded me of what my friend from Eritrea made me years ago... it's spongy, slightly tangy taste goes with any savory dish and you use it like spoon. I really would want to make some at home, but it sounds a bit difficult, so I'm glad we found this place. We're from outta town, but I know my husband will want to go back the next time we're in Houston! Oh and the ambiance and service was amazing too (we also came during a slow in-between lunch and dinnertime, so we were only one of 2 tables there). Loved it!

Very good location and the food was very delicious and tasty. They do have some a great selection of dishes for meat lovers and vegetarians too. It's few blocks from the hotel Hilton

Last week I was opportune to experience Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant and Lounge in Houston. I was greeted at the door with a kiss. What a warm welcome! On the owner's suggestion, I chose to dine in the lounge portion of the restaurant - very nice, sexy decor. There is also a main dining area and a bar. I started with the Sambusa and had the Curry Basil (best sauce ever!) Chicken as the main course. Delicious! This was my first Ethiopian dinner and the owner was gracious enough to sit with me and throughly explain the dishes. I cannot say enough about the courteousness of the entire staff. Stay awhile and relax and do not leave without trying the Tej (honey wine).

My coworker and I went here for lunch and got the #3 assortment platter. It was an excellent choice for those wanting to try Ethiopian food for the first time! A good variety of different flavors. Loved the atmosphere of the restaurant and the service was friendly!

Great service, delicious abundant food. We ordered the meat and veggie combo platter because we wanted to try a variety of different items. It would have easily fed 4 people! Our server was happy to explain the dishes and answer all our questions. If you enjoy sweet wine, ask for the honeyed wine. Delicious! Sit in the lounge for a more relaxed and colorful environment.

Friends and I decided to go try out something different and I was very impressed. The service was friendly , food was fantastic. They even offered us a small sampler of their honey wine!! Will definitely be back and will take friends there too. We ordered the sampler and the meats I found more delicious than the veggies !

Myself, my wife and a friend were seeking a unique dining experience in Houston and came upon Lucy's. We really had no idea what to expect and decided to have our waitress pick our meal for us. She was spot on in her recommendations and we enjoyed our meal immensely. My wife is a vegetarian and my friend and I are both meat eaters and we all had an excellent meal.

Went with a large group - everyone left full and happy. We sampled a great variety of menu options and enjoyed them all. Some wot (stew) dishes were spicy, but delicious. Highly recommended for adventurous eaters. Many vegetarian options for the meat-challenged. We will be back!

I can't rave enough about this place! This is one of my favs hands down! I usually come for dinner in the lounge but today after running errands I stopped for lunch to get an order of sambusa and honey wine (my favorite)! Please stop by when your in the area and support this amazing houston establishment! You will not be disappointed!

What a fun experience! Not just a meal, but an experience! Our adventurous eating friends suggested this restaurant. We've not tried Ethiopian food before so was a bit hesitant. Looked at photos of the restaurant online and really liked the look of the atmosphere and agreed to try. How can you say you don't like something if you have never tried something, right?! We were NOT disappointed! The atmosphere was exactly as I had observed in the photos. Quaint, cozy and even romantic if you were looking for that particular vibe. What a fun first date location this would make with white leather couches, fun music and even a "throne" for the King and Queen to sit and have their photos taken! We dined on a Friday nt and they were not packed. We appreciated they were not overly crowded and were able to hear each other talk. More importantly, we were not rushed through our meal so they could have our table for the next guest. We lingered for several hours and the service was good throughout. In fact, several different of the employees stopped at our table to interact with us and all were very personable. The food was really good! I had no idea what to expect and nothing to compare to since we've never tried Ethiopian food. We walked in the front door and immediately the smells were amazing. We tried a meat and vegetarian sampler which is what I would recommend for 1st timers. Allows you to try a bit of everything. I'm a vegetarian and the others with us are not. Lots of options for vegetarians. My husband eats meat, but yet he mostly stuck to the vegetarian options as his preferred dishes. Food was very spicy which we like. Supposedly, though, if you ask they can make it less spicy. Do keep this in mind if spicy is not your thing. Unfortunately they were out of honey wine last night. That is supposed to be worth trying so maybe our next visit! They even serve breakfast! More than just a meal. Was a fun experience overall!

Nothing can drive your taste buds bananas than Lucy's ethiopian cuisine. Having dined at numerous Ethiopian restaurants in the past, Lucy's definitely raises the bar for Ethiopian cuisine. The food, ambience not forgetting the service ( Ayda is amazing) makes this place very special. If you are in Houston, I reccomend you to pay a visit.

It was my first experience of Ethiopian cuisine. The food was quite good although a bit expensive. Chicken curry was tasty.

We have been there several times now and even the owner now recognizes us. Very warm and gracious lady. Best Ethiopian food in the city. Food can be served family style if you like. They also have a nice bar/lounger area.

I went to visit this place with my Etiopian friend. The food and service was very good. This place is popular for resident ethiopians because of their authentic and great food. This place is recommended!

It was a great experience in getting the traditional Ethiopian restaurant with family in Lucy Restaurant. Food was good and bit spicy. Service was very professional.

Excellent Ambience. Realaxing music, colors and decor. Amazingly delicious food. I'll plan to bring friends, family to experience they joy of dining at Lucy. My favorite dishes are Kitfo and Fish dulet.

It was my first time eating Ethiopian food and me and my family loved it. The people working there is really nice and willing to help. I recommend if it’s the first time you eat this food to try the one that has a bit of them all. It was fun, nice, delicious and great for families!