Ethiopian Restaurants near Berkeley, CA

“We go here for take out quite frequently. The service is always warm and friendly and the food is delicious. We're vegan and are quite happy with the vegetarian platter. The ONLY reason for the 4 stars is because they recently switched to plastic take out containers. I really preferred the compostable containers because they did a good job of sucking up a lot of the oil.“

“i’ come from marin to eat here with friends today i had 2 friends for lunch and we got 1buffet and 2 meals . i asked the young lady if i got a buffet could i take it out with my meal . i guess she misunderstood me and preferred to throw it away as to let me take it home i won’t return again. although food is good all the ethiopian restaurants nearby are good“

“Meski, the prior owner, passed away unexpectedly in March 2019. The restaurant is now being successfully run by her adult son. They have expanded the outdoor dining area and it is really cute. Yesterday, they were celebrating an Ethiopian baptism. All the women looked so good in their Habesha dresses. Stop by to eat and support the restaurant!“

“Vegetarian 🌱, vegan and gluten free“

“Excellent food and fantastic service“

“😀First visit here after years of walking past it. The veggie combo and meat combo platters were among the best I've had at Berkeley and Oakland's many great Ethiopian restaurants. Service was very fast and friendly and outdoor back-patio was peaceful. I will be back soon and often.“

“Amazing food.
Wife and I got the Meat+Veggie for 2 and both loved it. Injera is really good. Wife’s not a huge meat person and liked all three. I hate beets and managed to eat most of these (that’s a positive sign). Veggie dishes were fantastic.
The only criticism I have is getting three Injera for the two person combo. We ran out (while also eating the food mat) and it seems like a fourth would be nice so each gets two.

Will be back a lot! 🙏

Edit: tried to order to go online but they’ve disabled the comments/request section. Called for “Meat & Veggie for 1, to-go, NO BEETS.”
“No beets?”
Me: Yes, no beets, please.
“No beets?”
Me: Yes, correct, no beets.
Got beets as 1of3 veggies. Hate beets.

Kept it 5 stars because I still got enough food, plenty of injera for me, and I like their food. I will double check my to-go orders…

Admas: please enable comments for online ordering.“

“Absolutely delicious, colorful, healthy food! We ordered takeout for dinner tonight and had the chicken and mushrooms, Mela platter, beef tibs and sambusa. The portions were generous and everything was fresh and seasoning was off the chain!!! Try the brownies for dessert - you will not be disappointed!! When in Oakland, order from Mela Bistro 😋❤️😃“

“This Ethiopian Restaurant has been our family fave across 4 generations💚 Over the years: my grandma, my father, me, and my son…we dine and we bring friends! Highly recommend the restaurant and check out their partner Brundo Spice Company—spices and retail items available at the restaurant as well. The marvelous new location on San Pablo Ave. is vibrant, spacious, and inviting✨ Try the Vegetarian Sampler with extra Injera, followed by a Traditional Ethiopian Coffee Latte and dreamy Tiramisu. Sheer divinity!💗“

“This place is really good. Great quality of food. Very good flavor. Good atmosphere. I love it! On top of that, everyone is always very friendly. Highly recommend!“

“The food is DELICIOUS! I highly recommend this place.“

“Loved every bite of the food and appreciated all that Injera.“

“Absolutely the best Ethiopian food in the area. The ladies who take and prepare the orders are very polite and helpful. They sell the vegetarian half and full orders as well as coffee and some sweets. Authentic and delicious.“

“What a great restaurant! The food is amazing! I love that you use the spongy, thin, bread to grab the food and eat that way. They also provide forks if you choose not to eat the traditional way. But they have a great menu with meat or vegetarian options. The sambussas are so good and have a little spice to them and the sauce they serve with them is amazing and spicy! Also love having Ethiopian beer with it. And finished it off with an Ethiopian tea. Can't wait to go back and try other items.“

“great spot! come and taste the flavors of Taste Ethiopia“

“Very good. I like it much better than Colucci, across the street, which in my experience is uniformly greasy and brown. The veggie combo is excellent - haven't tried any of the meat options. Friendly staff and comfortable seating, and there's even a back patio. Several varieties of honey wine including Orit, which is delicious, much more complex in flavor than the standard Enat Tej served almost everywhere else.“

“Came in for brunch and had the foul here...was BOMB!! As an Eritrean who did not normally care for foul I have had my mind changed completely after eating here. Go support this local family business. Good vibes good food and good people 👌🏾😋“

“A work friend picked this place and for the other four of us, it was our first time having Ethiopian food. What a delightful meal! It’s served family style and you eat by tearing off a piece of Injera, a unique type of bread, that’s bubbly like a sponge combined with a crepe, and grab at the beef, lamb, or chicken Tibs we ordered. We also got some Saramussu (I’m sure I spelled that wrong!) and something else that began with an F (firfir?). The food is flavorful and robust without being spicy hot (but I’m sure they’ll make it hot if that’s your thing). The owner is very friendly, helped us decide, explained things to us, seemed to care and really want us to enjoy ourselves. Highly recommend this place!“

“Excellent Eritrean food with a top-injera and a wide variety of delicious vegetarian dishes!
Definitely get the Samosas!
Highly recommend for anyone wanting a full and hearty meal.

Great service and atmosphere too!“

“A best service with tasty food“

“First time having Ethiopian food, and wow am I dying to try some more. Got the vegetable platter that came with injera (sour fermented flatbread) and it was not only plentiful, but also healthy and full of flavor! If I was from this area I’d come to this place every week. Very nice staff as well.“

“My hidden neighborhood gem. I come here quite often because the meals are Fresh, Flavorful, Consistent, and Filling. For my needs (usually seeking quiet dining for things like getting work done), the atmosphere is conducive and provides outlets and a wi-fi connection (if you ask). The service is friendly with a family vibe (like eating at an aunts or a grandma's house) so I wouldn't expect to necessarily be waited on hand and food like other restaurant experiences. Let me also mention that the price is beyond reasonable for the offering.“

“I travel a lot, stumbled upon this gem while walking this evening. One of the best meals I’ve had, legitimately.

The Beef Ziggni was spicy, but nuanced, and the tangy injera served to compliment it perfect. Solid portion for the price as well.

Come in here, you won’t regret it! The honey wine was an added bonus as well.“

“I love coming here. It's clean and the ladies are nice each time I see one of them. I like to buy my kolo and injera here it is fresher than other places. We are lucky there are many other markets between Oakland and Berkeley so to each their own. We need African businesses to stay open and thrive. Thus place is amazing and honestly so are most of the Ethiopians businesses and restaurants“

“Great food and great music .... all you need .... great friends to join you.“

“Great food, good sized portions, reasonably priced. Have had both the Vegetarian and Meat Combo platters. Central location right next to Swan’s market. Kind and non-intrusive service. My go-to for Ethiopian food in downtown Oakland. Highly recommend!“

“Really good food and quick service everyone was very friendly in a beautiful neighborhood 🤗❤️wil come back with my cousin when I come back to California 🤗❤️🕶🤗👏🏼“

“Had a craving for this style cuisine and they did not disappoint! The food was delicious and they were able to accommodate me late in the evening. I was able to enjoy the beef tibes and injera. I wish I could rank the food six out of five because there was so much delicious flavor in the mail and it left me wanting more. I will definitely be back!

I forgot to take a picture because thats how hungry I was.“

“nice food,nice people and clean restaurant...oh and reasonable prices“

“Put it in two words. Dam good. Had a lot other Ethiopian food, but this one tops them all in Bay Area. Plus the prize is much understandable.“