Amazing experience. The food was incredible ,flavorful and well portioned. The chef and bartender were both passionate about their creations, taking the time to give us some details about their creations. We’re so happy to have taken our first dive into Ethiopian cuisine and will certainly be back. I’ll also note that most of the menu is gluten free and celiac safe.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dave Dixon
Very highly recommended. My wife and I stopped in on Wednesday night. We shared a traditional combination of beyaynetu and awaze tibs. And, OF COURSE, injera, the incredible spongy bread at the heart of the cuisine. Abyssinian Kitchen's injera is the real deal, soft yet stretchy, with a comfort-food flavor of grain. Just right to tear into strips to snatch up bite-sized morsels of the meal.
Beyaynetu is a combination of greens, vegetables, and dahl-like legumes. Each uniquely spiced. The greens cooked just right, still a little snap, and delightfully spiced. The red lentils mashed and the split peas quite soft but not mashed, both dishes distinctively and pleasantly spiced. The mixed veg was mostly cabbage and stand-out deliciously spiced. I would come back for that alone! The awaze tibs, small bits of tender beef in a luscious onion/tomato/pepper sauce, was amazing. The server (owner I think) was super friendly.
If you know Ethiopian/Eritrean cuisine, you will be impressed by Abyssinian Kitchen. If you're not familiar, you will be happily surprised.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
David Yousif
Amazing staff, amazing food 10/10!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dispatch sgf
NOT GOOD FOR HABESHA PEOPLE!
Mark Bohana
Okay first time at Abyssinian Kitchen, food okay but 3 people two beers one large platter of food $30 per person and 18% gratuity? $110 not well spent. Hopefully the gratuity is shared with the staff vs the owner, learned my lesson for Portland visitor.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Marsha Sleeth
Very good food, service and reasonable prices. I had the lentil sambusa for an appetizer, Asa Dulet which is a chopped spicy Tilapia with their very interesting and very good bread and Baklava for dessert. All were delicious and I was pleased with the service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kerry
Great food. The beet salad was well spiced. The yellow peas were delicious. The mild cheese went well as a side to the red lentils. The drinks were solid. The atmosphere was warm, and the staff were friendly. Came in hangry and left in a good mood. Will come again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nat Salter
Everything was fine but the food does take a while. Great if ur not in a hurry.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Kitfo Beyaynatu Kilwa Beggie &Doro Wat
C H
Went here for a friend’s birthday. Service was exceptional, food including vegan options was delicious, drinks were wonderful!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Chaz Vitale
I was enticed by the warm atmosphere of the restaurant ambience from outside but the aromatic advertising is what committed me. We had the veggie platters and were grateful we did. After tasting the food it might’ve been a challenge to share with an open heart. The injera was thick springy and flavorful and in generous supply. The Kik Alicha and Gomen were especially delicious. The ingredients were fresh and flavors balanced. Absolutely worth treating yourself to such a lovingly made menu.
Vegetarian options: The veggie platters were wonderful
Dietary restrictions: Their injera is gluten free and made from Teff
Parking: Free street parking but also close to Alberta Rose Theater so local events may alter how much parking availability there is, and/or make it a great choice for dinner before or after a show there
Wheelchair accessibility: Single story entrance with a manual door and small transition strip from the sidewalk. Adjacent to free street parking on the corner near a curb cut out. Entrance is unobstructed by outdoor seating or planters.
I love Abyssinian Kitchen and always make a point to stop here when in Portland. On my last visit, I noticed the portion size seemed smaller, or maybe the prices had just gone up. It felt more like a snack than a dinner, and cost $25 with the 20% gratuity they added. Food, service and atmosphere are genuinely top-notch, but I probably wouldn't go back given the price to food ratio and mandatory tip. There are plenty of other great Ethiopian restaurants in Portland.
Vegetarian options: Many vegan items on menu
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Larry Lewis
The food and service are Top notch. Probably the best old fashioned cocktail I've ever had in my life. The fantastic family recipes prepared by the chef can't even be described. They're just so good. We went here for our anniversary. We've been before and we felt like really treating ourselves by coming for our anniversary.
Authentic and delicious Ethiopian injera b'wat. Excellent cocktails and a modern atmosphere.
Parking: We had to park 3 blocks away in a residential neighborhood. This was at 6pm on Friday, so probably as bad as it ever gets.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Kitfo Beyaynatu Kilwa Beggie &Doro Wat
Frank Gallina
Completely underwhelmed by everything at this restaurant. Service abysmal, slow and largely non-existent. It wasn't clear who our waiter was but the person I assume was an employee was friendly, but barely made an appearance at the table. The gentleman I assume was the owner was mostly busy helping bigger groups who I assume were spending more money. He wasn't exactly rude but cold, as if we had offended him somehow.
The food was just ok, nothing stood out, the flavors were all a bit similar to each other. I've been to Ethiopia before (and plenty of spots in the US) and had much more interesting fare. No Ethiopian Tej honey wine on the menu, which was disappointing. As many reviewers rightly pointed out, portions were small and food was on the more expensive side. Lots of vegetarian options which was a plus.
Atmosphere was ho-hum, faux-elegant while the furniture looked dated and had seen better days. Nothing horrible, but needless to say I would have appreciated something more divey with better food on offer.
Icing on the cake, or last nail in the coffin maybe, was the 20% service charge added to the bill. Nowhere did it specify that 100% (or any of this money for that matter) would go directly into employees' pockets, so I just see it as a tax, and one that is pretty hefty considering the menu prices. I do give them credit for clearly spelling this out and circling it on the bill though!
I understand that rents are high, as are food costs, etc, but there's only so much you can pass on to the customer while still remaining competitive.
So overall experience left us wishing we'd gone elsewhere. Low star rating for the one-two punch of bad service and mediocre food.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
Tom Elwood
Exquisite food, elegantly served in a warm, light setting. The injera had perfect texture. The lamb tomato stew, "Kilwa Beggie," was delicious, tender, hearty, and had a wonderful, complex, slow-burn heat that was very satisfying. Excellent. Would highly recommend.
Amazing experience. The food was incredible ,flavorful and well portioned. The chef and bartender were both passionate about their creations, taking the time to give us some details about their creations. We’re so happy to have taken our first dive into Ethiopian cuisine and will certainly be back. I’ll also note that most of the menu is gluten free and celiac safe.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very highly recommended. My wife and I stopped in on Wednesday night. We shared a traditional combination of beyaynetu and awaze tibs. And, OF COURSE, injera, the incredible spongy bread at the heart of the cuisine. Abyssinian Kitchen's injera is the real deal, soft yet stretchy, with a comfort-food flavor of grain. Just right to tear into strips to snatch up bite-sized morsels of the meal.
Beyaynetu is a combination of greens, vegetables, and dahl-like legumes. Each uniquely spiced. The greens cooked just right, still a little snap, and delightfully spiced. The red lentils mashed and the split peas quite soft but not mashed, both dishes distinctively and pleasantly spiced. The mixed veg was mostly cabbage and stand-out deliciously spiced. I would come back for that alone! The awaze tibs, small bits of tender beef in a luscious onion/tomato/pepper sauce, was amazing. The server (owner I think) was super friendly.
If you know Ethiopian/Eritrean cuisine, you will be impressed by Abyssinian Kitchen. If you're not familiar, you will be happily surprised.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amazing staff, amazing food 10/10!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
NOT GOOD FOR HABESHA PEOPLE!
Okay first time at Abyssinian Kitchen, food okay but 3 people two beers one large platter of food $30 per person and 18% gratuity? $110 not well spent. Hopefully the gratuity is shared with the staff vs the owner, learned my lesson for Portland visitor.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Very good food, service and reasonable prices. I had the lentil sambusa for an appetizer, Asa Dulet which is a chopped spicy Tilapia with their very interesting and very good bread and Baklava for dessert. All were delicious and I was pleased with the service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great food. The beet salad was well spiced. The yellow peas were delicious. The mild cheese went well as a side to the red lentils. The drinks were solid. The atmosphere was warm, and the staff were friendly. Came in hangry and left in a good mood. Will come again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Everything was fine but the food does take a while. Great if ur not in a hurry.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Kitfo Beyaynatu Kilwa Beggie &Doro Wat
Went here for a friend’s birthday. Service was exceptional, food including vegan options was delicious, drinks were wonderful!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I was enticed by the warm atmosphere of the restaurant ambience from outside but the aromatic advertising is what committed me. We had the veggie platters and were grateful we did. After tasting the food it might’ve been a challenge to share with an open heart.
The injera was thick springy and flavorful and in generous supply. The Kik Alicha and Gomen were especially delicious. The ingredients were fresh and flavors balanced. Absolutely worth treating yourself to such a lovingly made menu.
Vegetarian options: The veggie platters were wonderful
Dietary restrictions: Their injera is gluten free and made from Teff
Parking: Free street parking but also close to Alberta Rose Theater so local events may alter how much parking availability there is, and/or make it a great choice for dinner before or after a show there
Wheelchair accessibility: Single story entrance with a manual door and small transition strip from the sidewalk. Adjacent to free street parking on the corner near a curb cut out. Entrance is unobstructed by outdoor seating or planters.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
I love Abyssinian Kitchen and always make a point to stop here when in Portland. On my last visit, I noticed the portion size seemed smaller, or maybe the prices had just gone up. It felt more like a snack than a dinner, and cost $25 with the 20% gratuity they added. Food, service and atmosphere are genuinely top-notch, but I probably wouldn't go back given the price to food ratio and mandatory tip. There are plenty of other great Ethiopian restaurants in Portland.
Vegetarian options: Many vegan items on menu
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food and service are Top notch. Probably the best old fashioned cocktail I've ever had in my life. The fantastic family recipes prepared by the chef can't even be described. They're just so good. We went here for our anniversary. We've been before and we felt like really treating ourselves by coming for our anniversary.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Kitfo Beyaynatu Kilwa Beggie &Doro Wat, Sambusa, Misir Wot 6 Atakilti Alicha
Authentic and delicious Ethiopian injera b'wat. Excellent cocktails and a modern atmosphere.
Parking: We had to park 3 blocks away in a residential neighborhood. This was at 6pm on Friday, so probably as bad as it ever gets.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Kitfo Beyaynatu Kilwa Beggie &Doro Wat
Completely underwhelmed by everything at this restaurant. Service abysmal, slow and largely non-existent. It wasn't clear who our waiter was but the person I assume was an employee was friendly, but barely made an appearance at the table. The gentleman I assume was the owner was mostly busy helping bigger groups who I assume were spending more money. He wasn't exactly rude but cold, as if we had offended him somehow.
The food was just ok, nothing stood out, the flavors were all a bit similar to each other. I've been to Ethiopia before (and plenty of spots in the US) and had much more interesting fare. No Ethiopian Tej honey wine on the menu, which was disappointing. As many reviewers rightly pointed out, portions were small and food was on the more expensive side. Lots of vegetarian options which was a plus.
Atmosphere was ho-hum, faux-elegant while the furniture looked dated and had seen better days. Nothing horrible, but needless to say I would have appreciated something more divey with better food on offer.
Icing on the cake, or last nail in the coffin maybe, was the 20% service charge added to the bill. Nowhere did it specify that 100% (or any of this money for that matter) would go directly into employees' pockets, so I just see it as a tax, and one that is pretty hefty considering the menu prices. I do give them credit for clearly spelling this out and circling it on the bill though!
I understand that rents are high, as are food costs, etc, but there's only so much you can pass on to the customer while still remaining competitive.
So overall experience left us wishing we'd gone elsewhere. Low star rating for the one-two punch of bad service and mediocre food.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
Exquisite food, elegantly served in a warm, light setting.
The injera had perfect texture. The lamb tomato stew, "Kilwa Beggie," was delicious, tender, hearty, and had a wonderful, complex, slow-burn heat that was very satisfying.
Excellent. Would highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Kitfo Beyaynatu Kilwa Beggie &Doro Wat, Anjera
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