Enssaro Ethiopian Restaurant

Filling and satisfying dinner for a group of four. We all enjoyed a bottle of honey wine and felt warmly buzzed by the end of the meal. One person in our group is vegetarian so she got the veggie platter for one and the rest of us split the meat and veggie combo for three.

Great portions and we were even unable to finish it all. The meat dishes were some of my favorites as well as the gomen! I am not the biggest fan of injera but the injera here was soft and pillowy, and I ate many pieces with my meal. Our waitress was friendly and conversational. They had the basketball game on so it was fun to watch every once in a while. Great dinner!

One of the best Ethiopian spots in the Bay Area. Good food, great service. We had folks in our group new to Ethiopian cuisine and our server was kind enough to explain and help them out.

I had an amazing experience at this Enssaro Ethiopian restaurant in Oakland, CA! I ordered the Kitfo and Tibs — both were absolutely delicious and full of authentic flavor. The manager, a friendly guy with dreadlocks behind the counter, made me feel very welcome. The server was also kind and knowledgeable, answering all my questions with a smile. Every time I visit Oakland, this is the only place I go for real Ethiopian food. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a warm atmosphere and truly authentic dishes!

Very fresh

LOUD! ! !

Third time having Ethiopian food and it was a tasty experience. Our large platter for 4 people included beef, chicken, lamb, salad, vegetables and an other items. We enjoyed glutton free injera—which was completely satisfying. Service was prompt and personable even with a full restaurant.

I had never tried Ethiopian food before, so this is not a comparison.

After explaining this to the gentleman and that I would have no idea what to order, he thoughtfully considered the matter, asked a couple of questions (when I last ate; what I had) and put together a custom plate based on the meat sampler for me to try.

The Highlight:
Doro Wat (“if you haven’t had it, you haven’t really had Ethiopian food”): Absolutely phenomenal flavor! The sauce has a touch of kick that brings the senses to life, and the cheese adds in a dynamic texture.

It was so good I went back the next day for lunch to try the Special Kitfo (steak tartare) and I was blown away. While the Doro Wot was bursting with flavor, the Kitfo was an exploration of texture.

Can’t recommend this spot highly enough!

They have the best Ye Beg Wot (Lamb Stew) and Ayib (Cheese) I’ve ever had.

Aside from the food, the service is by far the friendliest establishment I’ve ever met.

There are only a handful of a few quality places out there, this is one of them.

Excellent portions, if you get food here - it’s worth every penny.

Thank you for the Berebre spices.

Wheelchair accessibility: Large easily accessible entry, all ground floor. Plenty of room and extra space.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Wot, Ye Beg TIBS, Lamb TIBS

Let's talk about customer service. The food is absolutely delicious but the one thing that really makes me happy about this restaurant is the customer service. They are so attentive, friendly, and helpful even when they are packed. I have yet to have an item off the menu that I didn't like. Would recommend until I'm blue in the face.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

SO GOOD! So flavorful, wonderful service and consistent staff. I love Enssaro. They have many delicious vegetarian and vegan options and my boyfriend who eats meat also loves this restaurant.

My favorite is the sautéed cabbage/carrot/potatoes with the red lentils. Their salad is also ridiculously delicious yet simple and I’m not a huge salad person. My boyfriend loves the beef sambusas, the salad and the bone in chicken. I don’t think you can go wrong here!! Oh, and they also have delicious cocktails. Check it out!

Vegetarian options: So many delicious options!!! Try the red lentils, they are SO flavorful and savory.

Dietary restrictions: Lots of vegan and vegetarian options

Kid-friendliness: I’ve seen many families dining here and having a wonderful time.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Fresh Injera, Regular Injera, Veggie Sampler and Meat Sampler Platter, Ethiopian Salata, Samosa

The wait is always worth it. The food is delicious and everyone there is so friendly.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

The staff is really nice and professional. The food is delicious. I found parking on the same block near a Busy corner liquor store. Make sure you hide your valuables and lock your door.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Fresh Injera

The food is disgusting, I definitely do not recommend it. The staff is also very rude.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

Excellent food and service, definitely will come back, thanks

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I’m giving this a 4star because I don’t know Ethiopian food that much so not much to compare. But the food was delicious. Injera was just the perfect sour, red lentils were on fire like spicy! Cabbage and potatoes so so good, the chicken was yummy and the lamb tibs was so good a little lamb-y but good ?
The service was awesome.. so nice and kind

Vegetarian options: Lots of veggie options on the menu
And the veggies is equally good

Parking: Challenging depending on the time of day

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Veggie Sampler Platter, Lamb TIBS