Meskel Ethiopian Restaurant Reviews

I eat there once a month. The food is always fresh and delicious. The service is very good and the prices are very reasonable.

This was one of those times that I decided to step out of my norm and try something new....never had Ethiopian food before! But my friend has been here before...so here we go! This place is a little facility tucked into the local neighborhood. Like most places around here, it's street parking only. So it is hard describe what the food style was...so I'll just describe it. So we both selected a couple items from the menu. But when they came, they were together on a large plate. Each diner is given a large bowl that contains a type of soft spongy flatbread. Each picks up different parts from the large plate that also has some sides like salads. It's a very interesting way to eat...without silverware, but it works.

Loved the food. The lady who attended to us was very nice and helpful. Service was fairly quick. Inside was nice and neat. Reasonably priced. Gives a home cooking feel.

no forks, just pancakes :D

One of my favorite places for Ethiopian! Has microbrews, too!!! Order the veggie platter. But BEWARE - service is agonizingly slow. You may need to flag down your waiter for the check.

This was our first experience trying Ethiopian food. So good! We tried the Kitfo (raw meat), lamb tibs, and the vegetarian combination. The food and service was great and the restaurant was clean. Definitely gong back!

I have been to many Ethiopian restaurants in Seattle and this is easily my favorite. The food is fresh, well-spiced, and delicious. The family who runs the restaurant is warm and delightful.

My wife and I love Ethiopian food and used to frequent a restaurant called Kokeb (now closed) when we lived in Seattle. But since we moved to Kitsap County 23+ years ago, we have little opportunity to get Ethiopian food. So while in Seattle recently, we headed for this restaurant after reading scores of excellent reviews. I concur with those reviews. We LOVED our dinner. We got there early (about 5:00) so there was hardly anyone there yet. The service was very friendly and extremely fast. We ordered the veggie combo platter and Doro Tibs (boneless chicken pieces in sauce). As is customary, all was served on a huge round platter with injera (their spongy bread) as the base. It comes with three more large rounds of injera folded into quarters for us to share. Yum! Yum! Yum! Everything was delicious with each item having its own unique spices and flavors. The photo at the top of this page really says it all. There were two kinds of lentils (red and yellow), a potato and carrot stew, a spinach and onion dish, a smooth-as-silk spicy bean dish, an unusual chilled dish mixed with injera, homemade cheese (somewhere between cottage cheese and ricotta) and a lightly dressed green salad. We washed it all down with a couple of Ethiopian beers. The two ladies who served us checked with us often to assure we were enjoying ourselves and the food and made us feel quite at home. We would go back in a minute...and hope to get there at least a couple of times a year. So delicious with flavors so unique. I highly recommend Meskel. By the way...you can buy delicious injera to take home just up the street at Amy's Merkato. Six big "loaves" (rounds) for $6.00. One of the most unique breads you'll ever eat...especially if you're into textures.

This is a must!! Sooo good, but pretty greasy!

Ate here during a recent visit to Seattle. It was quite the experience. Felt like home as the main server treated us like a concerned Auntie. She not only did she chat us up about what we were going to eat and made sure that we had enough room at the table, she also brought US a wet towel after someone spilled on their shirt (me). We ate outside which was lovely. We ordered the veggie combo and both the chicken and beef tibs. It was all wonderful. We would def go back.

Great dinner with ample servings. Shared a scrumptious veggie combo and doro tibs. Excellent comfort food on a chilly night!

We made a special trip to eat vegan Ethiopian after attending a Dr. Joel Fuhrman conference. Meskel is easy to find in Cheery Street near the Tana Ethiopian Market. The owner is onsite preparing the food and service was very good. The vegetable combination plate with spicy sauces is very good. We had one plate but would order separate plates the next time. We highly recommend it for cleanliness and good ambiance. It was far superior to last year’s restaurant choice.

i went to this place on a friends recommendation. it was a fancy night out (read dressed up) so eating exclusively with my fingers was not part of my plan and the ONLY option and frustrating. the owner/ hostess was not consistently abrasive, so i guess that's good. the "Injera" is the bread to wrap each bite in, it looks and tastes like a leftover german pancake - only far less appetizing. If the food had been fantastic i'd been able to look past the physical situation, ugh. We made a special trip out of the way to go here, NEVER again =<

This is absolutely the best Ethiopian food I’ve ever had. Everything is perfectly seasoned and well cooked. The ingredients are clearly fresh and high quality. I’ve been to many Ethiopian places across the country and this is hands down the best I’ve had.

Everything on the menu is amazing, the owner is usually on site will come out to check on you and will make suggestions. If you've never tried Ethiopian food this is the place to go. We've been going for 10+ years.

The food was quite a wonderful surprise here. It was very authentic and tasty to say the least. I will definitely be a repeat customer - so delicious!!

The food tastes ok but lacks the presentation. The restaurant needs a face lift. It is ok for a quick meal but there is hardly any thing unique about it. Difficult to see why would anyone go back.

I have been to Ethiopia twice and will be returning again in the spring. Meskel Ethiopian Restaurant is equal or better than the best restaurants I frequented in Addis Ababa, Gondar, Lalibaila, and Awasa. If you enjoy authentic Ethiopian food in a comfortable, warm environment, this is the restaurant for you. The owner, Belaynesh Chera and her staff are always friendly, and gracious. I've brought many friends to Meskel and they have all returned on their own. If you've eaten good Ethiopian food in the past, you'll not want to miss Meskel. If you haven't eaten Ethiopian food in the past, you are in for a treat.

The only time I've been there, it was great. Their food can be spicy. I really liked the kitfo, which is like steak tartare (ground raw beef with spiced butter).

Great late afternoon lunch! Restaurant is normally bustling but we caught it at a great time and the waitstaff was very, very attentive. I shared a veggie combination and the food was fresh and delicious. The injera was on point! I'm stuffed and will definitely be back

The food was delicious and plentiful. The two of us could not finish the two dishes we ordered. We were with a third person who asked the server for a fork. She had been cold to us already and was really annoyed with this request. They were also out of 3 of the 4 lamb dishes they had on the menu. The collard greens on the veggie combo were quite good. I have eaten in other Ethiopian restaurants I've liked better but not in Seattle.

This was my first experience with Ethiopian food and I was delighted. We went with a large group of friends (including 3 small children) and the owner of Meskel couldn't have been nicer about accommodating us. She welcomed us and instantly made us feel like honored guests. The menu stumped me, so I looked to her for suggestions and she did a great job of helping me choose the right dish. This restaurant is plain but comfortable, the food delicious and the owner just as nice as she can be. This is a good, honest place, not expensive and a lot of value for the buck. Three thumbs up for Meskel!

We have been here a number of times, and as usual had an excellent meal The food is very flavorful, spicy but not too hot, and the injera is great. Service is very nice- the server is always friendly and helpful.

We happened to be in the area so we were looking for a different idea for lunch. Boy were we pleased. First time eating Ethiopian food. Service was superb, and very helpful on suggestions. We (wife and i) shared the vegetable platter and Yebeg Tibbs (lamb). More than ample for both of us. They also have great outdoor seating for when the weather is better. Give them a try.

Our "go-to" restaurant for introducing friends and family to Ethiopian food. Although the service can be inconsistent and the ambience underwhelming, the food is consistently very good. The menu can be a little daunting for the uninitiated. For first timers, Suggest ordering the vegetarian combination and an order of the green chicken (or beef or lamb), enough for 2-3 people. Nice selection of Ethiopian beer or honey wine to accompany your meal. Utensils available if needed. Parking on street and can be a challenge when busy. Enjoy!

Four of us, each with another good review for this establishment which I was first tipped off to three years ago in a whisper by a concierge (who said we'd like it much more than some of the other good options). It still holds first place as far as we're concerned. Tasty food matched by tasty clientele. Friendly, casual service as always.

As usual, unpretentious tasty food in a relaxed environment -- in this case what used to be a residential house. Service charming, food good, beer (St. George amber) all worked well. My local hosts will return.

A great local, family run ethnic restaurant. Friendly and helpful service. Food was delicious. Be ready for a very low key atmosphere. Not fancy at all, sort of like something you might find as an attachment to someone's house. Make no mistake however, worth a visit. Brought my three young boys, all of whom lived eating with their hands.