4. Restaurants

Addis Ethiopian Restaurant

6100 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA, 94609
  • (510) 653-3456
  • Store is closed

Addis Ethiopian Restaurant Menu

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  • P E.

    This is another great Ethiopian restaurant on Telegraph. Everything is great here, from the portions to the atmosphere. It can get busy, so call ahead. The veggie combination is delicious! Pair that with the spiced tea, and you have the perfect meal!

    (5)

  • Lynn B.

    I love this place. It was my go-to restaurant when I lived in Oakland; both when taking out visitors and when just looking for a quiet bite to eat on my own. The food is great and the service is always friendly and given with a genuine smile. On slow days the service can be a little slow, but still super friendly, which is fine by me; but if you're in a hurry might be worrisome. Still I think it's worth the wait. This is my favorite Ethiopian place in the East Bay.

    (4)

  • Xander C.

    I haven't had ethiopian cuisine in a number of years, and was eager to give this place a try as it had great reviews. the food is solid for the category. the vegetarian fare was good, and the lamb dish I ordered was amazing. the beef and chicken were tough and dry, definitely not as good as I've had elsewhere. overall, a decent place to get your ethiopian cuisine fix, but not a place to go out of your way for.

    (3)

  • Eric A.

    It is extremely hard to go wrong with Ethiopian food. What's not to like? You get to eat awesome food and you get to dig in, family style, with your grubby paws. Hear that? You get to eat food like you did as a little kid and no one will get mad at you (as long as you don't throw any kid-style tantrums, though drinking enough beer or wine here may decidely change that). Addis is no different when it comes to getting your out-of-the-box grub on. First off, the staff here are extremely friendly. You'll be sat in no time, despite the good number of people here. We had a good group of 11 with us and we were sat with the quickness. We ordered ribeye tibs(!!!), lamb tibs, and the vegeterian combination. Yes, that's a lot of food. Since it's served fambam style, it's actually a GRIP-LOAD OF FOOD. Let's not forget all the lovely (and non-gluten I might mention) injeera bread that you get (which you may mistake as towels). The food came out insanely fast, and boy was there a lot of it. If you know Ethiopian food, you know what you're getting into here. The food is extremely flavorful. You take one bite and you're immediately back for me. What was new to me was the ribeye tibs. Those right there took the cake. Juicy and not as seasoned as the others dishes. This is a good thing since i'm a purist when it comes to ribeye and I like to taste more of the natural meat flavor. Spices would just kill the quality of the meat. But this was just right, it's melow flavor being balanced out with the rest of the dishes. All in all, this is a really good restaurant, even for groups. Might be a bit pricey or adventerous, so I can't eat here as much as I would want to, but that's a good thing. Would hate to get tired of this place. I will definitely be back here. This place is a new favorite.

    (4)

  • Greg F.

    Excellent food and service - I'm definitely going back!

    (4)

  • Alexandra B.

    The vegetarian combo is delicious and really filling. Two could split happily. The photo is what we couldn't eat after stuffing our faces. They provide plenty of injera too

    (5)

  • Britanee M.

    We normally eat at another Ethiopian restaurant in Oakland, but decided to give this one a try. The waitress was friendly, but got our order wrong and we asked for separate plates, instead of the family platter, and she got that wrong too. The food was decent and the prices fair. Not really impressed over all, nor put off either...would be willing to try again in hopes for a better experience.

    (3)

  • Piyali F.

    Yum! I'd been craving ethiopian food for awhile and was excited to try this place. We got the meat and veggie sampler and EVERYTHING was delicious - two kinds of beef, a chicken and egg curry, lentils, greens, a little salad. SO SO good. And the honey wine. Perfect and refreshing with the spicy food. One star off for ambiance - not really a romantic spot and nothin pretty to look at but delicious food.

    (4)

  • Rob B.

    I love Ethiopian food, but most of the Ethiopian restaurants in the bay area are in Oakland in places with little or no parking or nowhere near bart. Fortunately, Addis has its own parking lot and the food is excellent. It's also conveniently close to the freeway, so it's easy to get there by car. Most Ethiopian restaurants have a few vegetarian selections, but Addis has the best vegan and vegetarian selection I've seen in any Ethiopian restaurant anywhere. The veggie combo plate is my favorite, but I also enjoy the tofu tibs.

    (5)

  • Melody Y.

    It was definitely a special type of food. I'm not a huge fan of the flavors (I'm not used to it), but the server was really nice and the food was at a reasonable price. We got the Addis combo and had enough for the 2 of us plus leftovers! Food: great if you like ethiopian food Service: great Portion: awesome

    (4)

  • Jakada I.

    The food is pretty good. Also ways a number of Ethiopian folks there, so you know the food is authentic. The service is lax, you have to keep on the servers, but the prices are fair.

    (3)

  • Mónica H.

    Tasty food at a great price. My go-to is the Vegetarian Combo -- those lentils and split peas are so good I tend to get this dish for take out at least once every two weeks.

    (4)

  • Vanessa H.

    Delicious! Chill vibe, order a combo platter, and get extra injera to go -- you'll have enough for leftovers.

    (4)

  • Chaya B.

    Super tasty either vegetarian or meat! One of the best Ethiopian restaurants around! Its nice to do a combo to sample many dishes. My Ethiopian friend took me here, that should tell you it's good!

    (4)

  • Kay K.

    My experience with Ethiopian food has only been when my Ethiopian-Born friend (or one of her native friends or family) has cooked it. Dining at this restaurant wouldn't have been the same if my friend hadn't been with me! She usually eats at another restaurant down the street, so this was new to her too! She ordered for us in her native language--it was sooooo cute to see her talk to our server in her native tongue. After she ordered, my other friend and I looked at our server and said "WE trust her!" The food was amazing! I wish I had an Ethiopian Restaurant closer to where I live. This place was quaint, cute, quiet, and charming! And for the price, we had lots of leftovers, which we ate for breakfast!

    (5)

  • Talia L.

    I figure I should finally write Addis a proper review given that I've been frequenting it for about five years. This place is easily the best Ethiopian or Eritrean restaurant in the East Bay. I'm obsessed with Ethiopian food and have it probably once a week. I've ventured out to a bunch of other places and nowhere else matches the intense, highly developed flavors at Addis. Frankly, Addis is so delicious that it has ruined just about every other Ethiopian or Eritrean restaurant in the area for me. I challenge you to find me a better spot! Examples of restaurants I've tried that are pretty good but pale in comparison to Addis are Cafe Eritrea d'Afrique, Asmara, Messob, Cafe Colucci, Red Sea, Ethiopia Restaurant, Finfine and Ahadu (the last 3 being my least favorite places). Enssaro on Grand comes fairly close and is my #2 Ethiopian pick but is definitely not Addis' equal. Seriously, I am a die hard Addis fan, to the point where the entire staff knows me and knows my order the second I walk in or call on the phone. My absolute favorite item on their menu is fassolia, a carrot and green bean dish that has the most amazing burst of flavor pretty much in life. I've had fassolia at other places and it just tastes like straight up carrots and green beans. At Addis, it more or less tastes like God. I'm not kidding. GET THEIR FASSOLIA. Another outstanding dish that never disappoints is their shiro wot. GET THEIR SHIRO WOT. Other excellent dishes: - Fish tibs - Rib eye tibs (that's the sizzling platter you see a lot of people get) - Kitfo (ask for it well done if you're new to this stuff) - Kitfo special (well done) - Injera rolls (comes with red and yellow lentils) - Vegetarian combination - Zucchini wot I think people too often order the meat combination but there's a consensus among my friends and family that the items I listed above are better! Note: Ask for some spicy powder if you want to bump up the heat a notch for any dish (some are already spicy, some aren't). An honorable mention goes out to their flax seed juice, a strange but addicting concoction made of toasted flax seeds blended with water and honey. I swear this stuff tastes 100% like mini wheats but it is also 100% awesome. Finally, I get affogato for dessert every few times I go to Addis and it's always a great way to cap off the meal. I honestly cannot stress enough how flavorful the food at Addis is. Don't bother going anywhere else for your Ethiopian food! I've tried so many other places and am always disappointed. The staff is very warm and their service is great. Also, I'm pretty sure they're the only Ethiopian restaurant in the area that has a parking lot, which is very convenient. Some of the dishes take a long time to prepare, specifically the shiro wot, but it's absolutely worth it, as that time is needed for the flavors to develop. Other Ethiopian/Eritrean restaurants may bring out your order quicker but 9 times out of 10 the food is less delicious because the flavors haven't developed. MAJOR TIP: Do not get too full on injera! This stuff, while delicious, expands in your stomach and will make you feel extremely full, which then puts you in a quandary because it's so difficult to stop eating Addis' food no matter how full you are. Go light on the injera, my friends. If you do have leftovers, try to wait until the next day to eat them (again, this can be a struggle), as the flavors will be even MORE enhanced the longer you wait. Addis is my absolute favorite restaurant in the Bay Area. I might as well move in at this point. If you're into Ethiopian food and/or enjoy heavily spiced, intense foods, GO THERE IMMEDIATELY.

    (5)

  • Angie A.

    Everything they make here will make your tastebuds happy. Personally I get the fassolia (greenbean goodness) every time. Its truly an addiction at this point. The location is not as swank as say, Shashamane, but the service and food more than make up for it.

    (4)

  • Hema K.

    Its been a while since I tried Ethiopian food so me and 4 friends checked out Sunday lunch here. Parking is quite messy here and better to park on the street if you can find one. Ordered drinks, appetizer and main course. Tried their spicy ginger tea.. it was so-so.. needed lot of sugar.. we ordered the vegetarian appetizer and sliders.. both were good and we were hungry as well. I would suggest getting their combo meal plates.. has a portion of chicken, beef and pork.. the injera was bit sour so couldn't enjoy much.

    (3)

  • TJ P.

    I've heard about this new trend in cuisine where you take a carbohydrate and wrap it around a protein. It's supposed to be the awesomest thing ever. I think they call it a taco? No wait, a burger? No, a ravioli? A pierogi? A hot dog? A knish? A burrito? A crepe? A doener? ... I can't remember now. Anyway, in Ethiopian cuisine, the carbohydrate is injera, and you use it to scoop up various stews called wat (some vegetarian, some not), and then eat it like a mini taco. The injera here was good, but not amazing. The wat here was good. Service was very mediocre. And there is a tendency to apologize for that by saying, "oh, but this is actually good service when compared to other Ethiopian restaurants". Really? So we have arbitrary standards for shitty service depending on the cuisine? Food was 4 stars. Service was 2 stars. Parking sucks. Pricing was reasonable. I give it Pi stars.

    (3)

  • YUP K.

    Just sucks. Bland food. Bugs. Slow. Ugly. Dirty. I'm not a big fan of Collucci, but it's way better, and Abesha over near 51st is better than both - and these are just a couple places nearby. There's no reason to eat here.

    (1)

  • Shey P.

    I love the environment, the food and the service... definitely will come back with everybody here

    (5)

  • Mia R.

    This is one of the best Ethiopian resturants that I have ever been too. My parents and I drive one hour from San Jose to Oakland for great food and awesome service.

    (5)

  • Bisrat T.

    Aside from being of Ethiopian/Eritrean decent and to avoid "biased," this place is amazing! The food is awesome, and most importantly fresh (especially if you haven't had breakfast, you'd inhale the food...Yes, is that good) As an Ethiopian/Eritrean woman who eats the food on a regular basis, I can confidently evaluate Addis Restaurant as authentic...some other restaurants tend to cater to the so called "foreign audience": not as fresh injera, veggies are often prepared the day before, etc. One can get the full experience in Addis! This may vary from other/s experiences but this was mine and sincere as it can be. Two dishes that were ordered between me and my friend were Doro Tibs and Special Kitfo, came with a side of salad, Mitmita ( which is a form of spice), and goat cheeses to tame the spice and/or to add more flavor. Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Biff, The CA T.

    I am truly surprised about the positive reviews here. Price: 2 Stars We were two people, ordered one plate with Chicken and Lamb tibs and two beers and paid $50. I gave 2 stars as price should be aligned with quality. Quality: 1 Star When we have Ethiopian food we are used to be able to bite into each piece of meat with pleasure. After biting a few times into plain fat, gristle or fibre pieces we soon ended up closely examining each bite before giving it a try. At the end we ate less than a quarter of the plate and left the rest untouched. We were asked if we would like to have the remainder as take out and we both replied "oh nooo" lol. The lady did not examine any further why we neither ate their food nor took it home. Service: 3 Stars Here I am struggling a little whether to give 2 or 3 stars. Well, service has not been very attentive but they were friendly. And I might be biased due to the bad food. My friend was not too long ago in Ethiopia and always raved about an Ethiopian restaurant in NYC to which we always went and that was serving the original delicious food. However, at Addis Ethiopian Restaurant it was clearly of lower quality and taste than in Ethiopia. Overall I believe the value of our meat was $5 at most and someone was trying to optimize margins...

    (2)

  • Pam K.

    Best Ethiopian restaurant so far! We ordered the fish tabis (delicious!!!!), the vegetarian combo, forgot the name of the appetizer-but it was a collard greens dish, an d honey wine. It was a lot of food, but everything was tasty and we could not have been more happy with our choices. We will be back!!

    (5)

  • Michelle B.

    After a huge fight with the hubby, Addis, was his form of peace offering. If Addis is the peace offering, then we'll have to fight at least once a week. My Eritrean friend recommended Addis to me awhile back - my only regret is that I didn't try it any sooner. I shall set up the scenario: Hubby and I walked in and was seated right away in the middle of the dining room area - didn't mind it at all as it didn't feel too public due to the room dividers. We ordered the Meat combination and he ordered the lamb tibs. We talked a little bit about why it is important to listen to his wife and to understand why I am always right - he agreed. We got our food in 15 minutes. We inhaled everything in sight in about 35 minutes. I told hubby, "Wow, look at that table of four over there..they ordered less food and their still working on their meal..And we were seated after them..WE ARE PIGS!" Forgiveness absolutely! Horizontal tango - not a chance - I was incredibly gassy after - TMI yes, I know. I don't recommended this meal for a date night cuz you might not get any. Probably best to have this very rich and spicy meal for lunch or early dinner. Gotta give yourself extra time to digest. Oh, and by the way - berbere sauce on your fingers is great while you're eating but hours after, not so good - can't seem to wash the smell off for 24 hours.

    (5)

  • Kelly K.

    Amazing food. Wear stretchy fat pants because the portions are huge. If you're new to Ethiopian food, get the vegetarian combo and beef tibs. You will be hooked!

    (4)

  • Carey A.

    I love this place! My ONLY complaint is that they don't seem to have enough Flax seed juice. If they had an abundance of this beverage I would've gladly given them 5 stars. The food is delicious and the staff is always friendly.

    (4)

  • Elyza S.

    I don't know where I stand in Addis rating-I'm torned. We started come here in the year of 2002 and the food is delicious, superb actually! The sour bread is top of the roof. Addis didn't cheat you out of the portion either. The spices they used are in balance with the meat and the bread. We have been soo in love with Addis......until...the management changed recently! We started to notice the portion size has been reduced quite noticeably. No more sour bread, it is now becomes the white tasteless bread! The food taste really close to bland. Oh my dear Addis.....what happened to your top quality food that you used to serve us since 2002? We missed that old Addis quality food!

    (2)

  • Leslie Y.

    This is my 2nd ethiopian exploration..... It was my good friends bday and I was invited.....yay....we had a party of 12. Besides my friend and I, it was their first encounter..... We ordered 3 special meat/veggie plates and added the tofu and eggplant.... Everything was so good, waitresses we're very nice.....price was kind of pricey for the types of stuff we got....mostly veggies and not even a pound of meat amongst our 3 platters....... :( Over 200 bucks.....luckily my friend had a rest.com certificate....saved 30 bucks..... The only reason I didn't give a 5 star was because the server poured the sauces over the bread and her fingers were dipping into the sauces....I know it sounds gross, but all this was eaten with our fingers anyways.....and another was the ice, they serve water with no ice, nasty room temperature so we had to ask many times for ice.....

    (4)

  • Kimber C.

    This place has some great Ethiopian food! I especially like the combo deals. The food is quite tasty, the service has always been top notch. I also like the ambiance... like a tiki hut.

    (5)

  • Stanley C.

    The restaurant is placed in a nice little area on telegraph and has a small parking lot. Small enough that you can still have a really nice, private dinner with your friends. They have dividers that are put up in between the different tables to feel as if it is more private. The service was amazing, very quick and efficient. The food took a little long to come out, though. They give you unlimited bread, which is sour and not the best for my taste. Overall experience was good, but the food didn't match my palette.

    (3)

  • As Good as Gold L.

    Everything is amazing. I especially love the lamb stew - beg wat. The kitfu is fresh and organic. Everything organic and natural! The best Ethiopian food in the bay area is here! No Joke, you have to go now.

    (5)

  • Jessica B.

    Addis is absolutely delicious, from their tangy injera to their wonderfully spiced yemeser wot. I always order the fasolia (the ONLY place I've found in the Bay that has fasolia!) yemeser wot, and kitfo special (raw). I've had almost everything on the menu, but these are the best. Their kitfo is mor finely diced than other Ethiopian restaurants, which really makes a difference in texture. And the honey wine is such an indulgence! Tastes like smooth dark honey, and will definitely get you buzzed or beyond, even with all the wonderful injera in your belly. Don't miss this Ethiopian place--there are a few on the block but Addis definitely rises above the rest.

    (5)

  • Grace H.

    Addis is one of the key restaurants in Berkley. This place melts my heart with their food and for all the bittersweet memories formed and lost there. Chicken and beef here isnt dry like other Ethopian restaurants I've been to. Portions are hefty, so come hungry!

    (4)

  • Mia N.

    The first time I ever ate ethiopian food was at the Red Sea, about 14 years ago. When I finally moved to the Bay, I kinda made it my mission to eat at every single ethiopian place in SF, but as we all know, Oakland is where it's at!!! Even though Addis is right around the corner from my house, I had never been until a vegan friend brought me there and said I was in for a treat. She was totally right. The flavors, spices, and seasoning of this food was the best i've ever tasted. From my understanding, the Eritrian/Ethiopian community is pretty tight. It's friends, aunties/uncles, cousins, etc who own all the spots. Well...whoever owns this place has got their kitchen bizness down!!! I always get veggie combos wherever I go, so I'm coming from a pretty consistent eating background there :-) Out of the 30+ places I've been from San Francisco to Washington, DC....this is the best.

    (5)

  • Sara J.

    Other than the food being too darn oily, the flavors were complex and the injera is pretty good (not the best i've had though). Ensarro is still the best Ethiopian in the East Bay, IMO.

    (3)

  • Jenny B.

    I usually go to Cafe Colucci (also good), but went to Addis for the first time with a vegan meetup. Shared the veggie combo and tofu tibs. The tofu tibs were to die for! I generally love Ethiopian food, and loved the variety of vegan options they have. The service was very good, and they did well managing so many people. I plan on returning soon!!

    (5)

  • Lara W.

    A scrumptious, colorful, and filling lunch spot. I love combo plates! You get to taste so many different dishes---and just the right amount. The prices are good enough to add on an extra stew/entre to our combo (we tried the tofu tips and liked them). We sat in the hut-area in the corner on stools which was a great change from sitting at a standard restaurant table. Laid back atmosphere with only one server so we used the downtime to chat and digest.

    (4)

  • Jelly B.

    Food= delicious, interesting & oh so yummy!! Service= very sweet lady... Relaxing atmosphere....loved it!

    (5)

  • Raman S.

    We went there after it was reviewed in " Check Please Bay Area". We got there for dinner on a Saturday around 7pm and it wasn't very crowded. The service was great. The waiters were patient enough to explain the menu to us. I have tried Ethiopian food several times before. Unlike other Ethiopian place they had a combination sampler with both vegetable and meat dishes. That sounded like a pretty good choice. I was disappointed by the quality of the food. The meat and vegetable dishes were not very tasty like other Ethiopian restaurants. The injera bread was very sour. They do serve good Ethiopian beer. If you want to try a better Ethiopian food I would recommend " Zeni" in San Jose. They are consistently good. They do get pretty crowded in the weekend so go early for dinner to beat the crowd.

    (3)

  • Carlene R.

    The one thing I like about the Bay Area is that they have a variety of ethnic food. Ethnic food is something that lacks in San Diego. It was my first time eating Ethiopian food and I enjoyed it. The ambience was well decorated and the food was delicious and decently sized. At first I thought that it weird eating with my hands because I have never done it before, unless it was finger food, but after awhile I got use to it. However, if you feel uncomfortable eating with your hands, you can ask for utensils. I ordered chicken tibs. It was good and I was able to handle the spice. There is not a lot of parking, but there is street parking available.

    (4)

  • Albert W.

    This was my second time trying Ethiopian food, and it keeps getting better and better! Girlfriend and I came here today in our hopes of sampling all the different Ethiopian restaurants on Telegraph. We previously went to Ethiopia Restaurant further north on Telegraph. We ordered the Addis Combination, and it was just enough for two people. If it's your first time eating Ethiopian food I suggest this combination so you can sample everything. The food was great; the meats were juicy and tender and the vegetables were simply amazing. I particularly liked the garbanzo beans and the collard greens. The injera, used both as a utensil and as a bread, was delicious and we both finished it all. Service was a tad slow though, it took a while for the waitresses to bring out our food and to bring out our check. We ended up sitting there wondering if we should walk up and pay or just wait. The tab wasn't too bad as the combination itself was about $26 before tip. The decor is perfect for friendly gatherings or for dates, but it's just a bit too dim for my taste. There are candles and privacy dividers for each table too. Overall, Addis is really great Ethiopian food, and I am glad there's a variety of these restaurants around Telegraph. I prefer this place over Ethiopia Restaurant, but my girlfriend says otherwise. Up next, Cafè Colucci!

    (4)

  • Sarah W.

    They made us wait 40 minutes and my dad was forced to ask repeatedly when the food was going to come and inquire why it was taking so long. All the while we were sitting in AN EMPTY RESTAURANT. Food was served cold. I love my Ethiopian food, so drive farther down Telegraph and head to Asmara.

    (1)

  • Debbie C.

    Ok food and service. We got the veggie combo, the lamb tibs and kitfo. The lamb tibs were probably the best.. The kitfo was just ground beef served with some home made white cheese curds. It wasn't my favorite. The veggie combo came with lentils, collard greens and potatoes. The standard injera bread was a bit more sour than other places I have gone. We showed up at 6:30pm and I guess 7pm is when they turn the mood lights on and light candles. I actually prefer not the eat in the dark but I guess Addis is a pretty popular date place.

    (3)

  • Tanim I.

    My wife and I were coming back from the Oakland Zoo, and stopped by for a late lunch at Addis. One word to describe their food: transcendental. Several more words: they serve an amazing amount of salivatingly good Ethiopian vegetarian and meat dishes, and their injera is some of the best I have had. We ordered the Addis combination as the main course, which is roughly six meals' worth of food (three meals for two people). Their Ethiopian coffee is excellent.

    (5)

  • Nick C.

    My go to spot for Ethiopian. Serene atmosphere, injera, veggies, and meat "dishes" are well flavored and consistently spot on.

    (5)

  • Ami D.

    Great food- have to agree with most reviews and restate that the injera was great. So soft and tasty! Ordered the Addis Combination plate to share with a friend and it was great. It included the following veg entrees: Gomen, Yemeser Wot, Alicha Denich , Ater Kik. The non-veg entrees were: Yedoro Wot, Edoro Wot, Beef Tibs, Fir Fir, Yesega Alicha Definitely a good mix of food and nice to be able to try so much. Favorites were Fir Fir, Yesega Alicha, Ater Kik and Yemeser Wot. Service was polite, but not terrible attentive. Speak up when you want the bill and don't expect to be rushed. Enjoy!

    (4)

  • Anita T.

    I and a new fan of Ethiopian food. I've been to this place a few times. Service is always good, and the food is worth the trip for me...yummy !!

    (4)

  • Ann V.

    This place was okay. The service was a little bit slow. We ordered the combination vegetarian plate. This was my first time ever trying Ethiopian food and I don't think I would try it again. I think it all deals with the texture. It's not dense enough and is too smushy. Great area for food though.

    (3)

  • Kat C.

    First time having Ethiopian ... I was nervous. I prepared myself for the big day by googling "what to order Ethiopian food" and "first time at Ethiopian" and familiarized myself with what to expect. There was no surprise...the food looked exactly like google images revealed to me ... mushy, family style on a big platter, assortment of meats, dips, potatoes, beans, collard greens, and a few other things I can't identify. The bbq'd chicken with carmelized onions was the best tasting thing on the entire platter. I didn't realize I was eating lamb until a friend asked if I liked lamb...tasted like beef (which is a good thing, right?) My bf got his diet coke served with no ice in his glass. (at least the can was cold) The 'no utensils' thing was not as bad as I was expecting but near the end of the meal, I kept having flashes of "Along Came Polly" where she shakes the food off her hand onto the food platter while dining at an Ethiopian-like restaurant with Ben Stiller ... and I finally understood how he must've felt ... (maybe I'm just not cultured enough) Anywho, the experience was definately worth trying but not one I'd like to do again. The restaurant itself was great (4 stars minus 1 for overall first time experience) There was plenty of parking around and they were able to accommodate large groups. While ordering, our waitress suggested several dishes and confirmed them by saying "just do it, just do it." (She made it easier :P) I thought service was good; someone was always around to help us. (then again, it wasn't very busy...but still good service) I'd recommend.

    (3)

  • Paula R.

    I find ethiopian food to be really expensive in the bay area, but if you have to have it and you are a vegetarian this is the place to come :) Try the tofu tibbs, never have I had something so good, I hope they never take it off the menu. Add the vegi sampler and a large salad and I'm in heaven. Thank you. Service can be slow and when they are ready but this is a great place for a date or going out with friends :)

    (4)

  • Amiee H.

    Order the GREEN BEANS! THEY ARE TO DIE FOR!!! SO GOOD!!!!! YUMMY!!!!! Great atmosphere! Very welcoming! Only thing was, you don't get a dish to eat off of, so I had to use a napkin, which was kind of weird, but if you are into that, that's cool. Overall, good food! GET THE GREEN BEANS!!!!

    (5)

  • Anonymous F.

    I LOVE Ethiopian food, and this is the best I've had since moving to the Bay Area. $25 got us six dishes (three meat, three veg) and was far more than two people could eat while maintaining their dignity (luckily we're not a dignified pair - we finished it all off). The servers were incredibly sweet. Only thing I'd skip next time is the honey wine - I'm just not that into it. Otherwise it was the perfect dining experience.

    (5)

  • Ryan W.

    somethings here are good, others not so much. I like my kitfo (raw beef with some kind of clarified butter and spices I think.) This place has really good kitfo and a heaping portion. The red lentils are also good. I steer clear of their yedoro wat (classic chicken dish with an egg that I usually like) and their regular tibs. Almost always too dry here. The gored gored is usually quite nice and if they have fish tibs get them. nice ambiance. lovely servers. The food doesn't necessarily come quick here, so it's best to go with a group that you enjoy hanging with. - a quick personal note on kitfo and other raw beef foods: I personally love tartares, kitfos, carpaccios etc. However, whenever I eat them in quantity my digestive system tells me so the next day. It's not like a puky food poisoning thing, its a lack of digestive capabilities. (I once accidentally ordered a kilo of tartare and paid dearly for it the following two days). In any case, as the serving sizes here are large and delicious I would caution anyone else with similar flaws in their gi tract to eat in moderation. If i split the dish between three people I am fine. Between two and I am usually fine. Never the whole dish by myself.

    (4)

  • Ryan C.

    Hey hey, this is some pretty good Ethiopian food! And the prices are so surprising too. I thought, there's no way such a little amount of money can feed all of us. But we were so stuffed we couldn't even finish it all. Make sure to save room for the injera on the bottom of the plate because we didn't, and it turns out that's where the hot sauce goes, to stick the layers together. Much better than the (limited) number of other Ethiopian places I've tried. The service is only middling, but that could have been because we had a large group. There was a very well-dressed man standing around outside the restaurant the whole time we were there. I kept wondering, what is this man doing? When we left he heartily thanked us, so I suppose he must be the owner or something. That was a nice touch. It was cold out there!

    (4)

  • Shantelle B.

    Addis is the perfection of a causal authentic experience with Ethiopian food. Delicious Gluten Free Injera topped with perfectly seasoned delicate combinations of vegetables and meat, with more Gluten Free Injera to scoop it up with. The reviews with complaints of service and presentation must be slightly naive to the traditional way of eating in this culture and the fact that half of the Restaurant was filled with what appeared to be African natives only solidifies my belief that this is an authentic meal prepared perfectly and offered graciously.

    (5)

  • Clay N.

    Great food. However, we have found the food to be better during lunch than dinner. the sweet and pretty gals there are fun to talk with about the menu.

    (4)

  • Rhia R.

    Thank goodness I have an adventurous palate, otherwise I wouldn't be able to experience places like this. Our group of 4 shared the combination plate, which had different preparations of chicken and beef, tofu, collared greens, carrots, potatoes, and green salad, all on top of Injera bread. It took me a while before I could stop myself because everything was so good. You would think at first that it wouldn't be filling because you're eating with your fingers, but it will eventually get to you. My friends ended up taking the rest home. Addis made for a wonderful first experience, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

    (4)

  • ron c.

    I have tried other Ethiopian restraurants in the areas but I keep going back to Addis. Prices are very reasonable and I feel you get more food here than at Cafe Coluchi. Good place for birthdays as they will take reservations and last time we had 12 people. The food is served family style where you all share. I find it wonderful as with 3 frineds you get to sample all the food. My midwestern friend didnt like it because they were use to the whole " I order my own plate". I feel a table for four is the perfect amount to get a great variety of food. My favorites are: Doro Tibs- Chicken, Shrimp or Lamb Yesega Wot Vegi eggplant dish Collard greens are ok Not a fan of the meat combination. But if you have les then 4 people then the vegi combo and a non vegi entree is a good way to go. Only reason I dont give it a 5 star is the serves can be a little slow at times, especially if they get busy. 6-7:30pm seem to be there busy time.

    (4)

  • tanika j.

    The BEST ETHIOPIAN FOOD PLACE....I LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE THIS PLACE.....I LOVE THE AMBIANCE INSIDE (But sometimes its a lil cold in side if you go during the day but during the evening and night its warm inside because its sooooo packed with people)

    (5)

  • Paul J.

    OMG I cannot but feel cheated by fate that my grandmother was not Ethiopian. I could have avoided all this clinical depression if I'd had this food as a child.

    (5)

  • Davi B.

    We love Ethiopian food and were sad to move away from our favorite place in Addison, TX. After trying Addis, we can confidently say we won't be homesick for Ethiopian cuisine. Great food, good service - all round fantastic experience.

    (4)

  • colette h.

    Everything is wonderful about this place. This is my favorite restaurant in all of the bay area. Its completely vegetarian friendly, and their dishes serve a good amount of people. The environment feels very authentic and relaxing. Lastly, the meals are very well priced! I love this place!

    (5)

  • Stanislaus D.

    I was there a while back on a Tuesday night. When I walked in, the smell was intoxicating; a fantastic aroma awaits your arrival. Some other things I noticed right away, was that it was already filling up for a Tuesday night, and many of the patrons appeared to be of Ethiopian origin (admittedly I could be wrong about that), both good signs. Eventually the place was packed by the time we left. The food was flavorful. I thought the portions were a bit on the smallish side, so order one more dish than you might think you need. We had one beef dish that was basically raw, and had the texture of hamburger. It tasted great, but we were a little apprehensive about the idea of raw hamburger. The service was pretty good as I recall. I was catching up with a friend from out of town, and we never felt rushed. I would definitely recommend this to veterans with Ethiopian food as well as neophytes too.

    (4)

  • Aimee R.

    My favorite Ethiopian food restaurant. the flavors are great, not too spicy (i'm a big wimp). The staff is so wonderfully nice. I'd come here more if my friends would eat it weekly. One note: some one else wrote a review that they have gluten free injera. unfortunately, i called today to try to have some made for friday and they do not do it :( i'll have to take my wheat free friends down the road instead.

    (5)

  • rich s.

    I lived in Adams-Morgan in DC (during the Barry years) when it was filled with small Ethiopian places that were little more than smoke-filled hangouts. You could eat at any point on the pricey/cheap-spicy/mild coordinate plane by choosing the right spot. Addis captures all the authenticity of those places and compares favorably to others nearby like Asmara. The service is slower, but still persistent, on a busy saturday than it is for a weekday lunch. Chill, they'll get to you in turn. Its worth the wait. If you finish the meal and the injera under all the food and you're not in a coma, then its user error. Order anything you see on the menu, and forget that what burns coming in will also burn going out.

    (4)

  • Adam O.

    I was super excited to try this out and perhaps I was a little disappointed because of all the rave reviews. The staff are indeed friendly. The food is indeed plentiful. It has all the ambience you would expect from a hole in the wall joint....except it's cleaner! ( I love hole in the walls so that is a positive) perhaps ordering the sampler was the wrong way to go. The last time I ate Ethiopian was in Seattle and I just remember it being a more flavorful experience. I think I may have to try it again. Very cheap!

    (3)

  • Bashar Z.

    Ok foodies. I had a great time joining my cousins with my first Ethiopian dining experience. The food was decent and the service was great but it's not exactly the type of food that I crave. My cousins love that place though and many others do. It depends on the person I guess. I only had African food one other time and that was at a Somalian restaurant in San Jose (Jubba) which I loved. Somalian food is a bit different and it's closer to Arabic and Indian food in my opinion. I say that because of the spices they use. If you are adventurous I suggest you try such places out.

    (3)

  • H C.

    Printed out my $25 coupon from restaurant.com and we headed to Addis. We're big fans of Ethiopian food and have been making our way around the various Ethiopian restaurants in the area. Probably the biggest plus of Addis is its atmosphere. I really liked how each table is spaced nicely - without feeling like you're eating elbow-to-elbow with your neighbor, in comparison to some other restaurants. The noise level was moderate, meaning my daughter could fuss and hopefully not ruin the dining atmosphere for other patrons. The food was tasty, although portions seemed noticeably less generous than other Ethiopian restaurants. We tried the pecan pie with vanilla ice cream. A little too sweet but we had no trouble finishing the dessert. The ice cream tasted a bit on the cheaper side - meh. Service was hit or miss, mostly a miss since it was hard to track down any servers. They were super busy and mostly behind the counter or in the kitchen. Refills on water were few and far between, as was additional injera. The biggest disappointment was the time it took to get our check. Other tables seemed to have no trouble but after I handed off our coupon, we were in for at least a 15-20 minute wait. Seriously. I felt bad for the patrons waiting at the door. We ended up going to the counter to wait. It was hugely disappointing.

    (3)

  • Carleen W.

    My new favorite food! After eating here I almost wanted to cry the food was so tasty. This Ethiopian restaurant is better than anything I've ever had before. It really is the best in the bay area. Lentils were amazing... prices are not bad either. Friendly staff but a long wait because people just love it that much.

    (5)

  • Holla F.

    Service was quick for an Ethiopian restaurant...maybe b/c not so many patrons. Doro tibs was overcooked and the dish was the hardboiled egg was pretty good but small. I had a restaurant.com certificate, probably won't return though...

    (2)

  • Shawn T.

    It's really hard to rate all the Ethiopian places in the area. In short, they're all pretty much great. But there are a couple things that set Addis appart as one of the finest. Injera: Springier and lighter than most. Spices: Very flavorful without being bitter. The spice line for Ethiopian food is tough. More flavor sometimes means bitter flavor and if I'm being nit-picky, it's rarely bitter at Addis and it's never underspiced. Options: There is a plethora of veggie options at Addis. They still have meat of course, but I don't know of another Ethopian joint that sells Tofu Tibs. If you're new to Ethiopian, you probably shouldn't go here first because it really is one of the best and there are some very good places in the area that may fall short in comparison but are very worth trying in their own right.

    (5)

  • Maxx W.

    This is my 3rd or 4th time eating here and every time the service has been good and the food excellent. The decorations are nice. Lots of wood, bamboo and earth tones. Makes for an authentic dining experience. This most recent time we had my favorite appetizer Kitfo. Rare of course. Oh my goodness always so yummy! For the main meal we tried the Addis Combination platter. It was, like everything else I've tried here, delicious! Ethiopian food is an equally wonderful dining experience to have an intimate meal with a loved one or to share with family and friends. I love how the different foods are grouped in a circle on the communal platter. The spongy "injera" bread makes for a fun alternative to utensils to scoop up the tantalizing dishes and the spicy red paste "berbere" is delectable.

    (4)

  • Justin S.

    The veggie platter is delicious here. I also enjoy the Fassolia which is a delicious combination of green beans and carrots that is almost sweet. Chicken Doro Tibs are great with the provided sauce. Their coffee offerings are ridiculously strong. I am holding back a star due to the sometimes flighty service and parking. This place seems to be a favorite for native Ethiopians gather and enjoy dinner. The problem is when the waitresses allow themselves to be distracted by the guests trying to spit some game. Helloooo, more injera...more napkins....more water....the check...help! This is a place where you have to flag down your waitress and or make some pretty serious eye contact to let them know you need something. The tiny parking lot is shaped like a lowercase "r" that wraps around the back of the building. The problem however is that the employees invariably park their two or three cars in what would be the vital outlet to the side street. Because of this, patrons are forced to back straight out into traffic on Telegraph. There is also *just* enough space for a person picking up a to-go order (or just stopping by to shoot the breeze in Amharic) to park behind the row of parked cars and think that everyone has room to get out. Guess what, we don't. The frustrating part is that the security guard in his purple pimp suit doesn't do anything to monitor the parking situation. With these irritants in mind, you'll enjoy the food.

    (4)

  • Joshua C.

    Excuse my ignorance, but I thought all Ethiopian restaurants basically served the same thing. Oh, how I was wrong. Thanks to my Restaurant.com coupon, I ventured out of my Ethiopian food comfort zone aka Messob on Piedmont Avenue. I'm glad I did. Addis had a dish I haven't seen at an Ethiopian restaurant before (I've only been to two) and it's my new favorite! Fasiola (sp?) is a vegetarian/vegan dish with green beans and carrots. It's pretty simple but so delicious. That and their tofu wot were new things we tried and can't wait to try again. I've driven past this restaurant a billion times and from the outside it looks kind of run down but it's very nice inside. The staff were very welcoming and this seems like a great venue for a birthday dinner, family dinner or just date night.

    (4)

  • Kym P.

    What a good overall experience! We got here at around 6:15pm on a Sunday evening and were immediately seated. This was our first time having Ethiopian food, and we were a party of three, so we decided to get the meat/veg combo and an extra chicken dish. The food was all delicious, the hot sauce that came on the plate had a real good spice level, and kinda smoky which was nice. We're very accustomed to Indian food so the family style of dining and shared platter were enjoyable for us. The lentils and beans were dam good, as was the spicy beef and the extra chicken dish we ordered. Service was really friendly and honest - when we mentioned we were virgins instead of trying to persuade us to try all the super expensive house specials she supported us starting off with the combo platter. The Ethiopian light beer was supridingly refreshing. I definitely want to try Ethiopian food elsewhere, but I know I'll be back here regularly.

    (4)

  • Shruti T.

    Yum! I am not a seasoned expert on ethiopian food, but the food here is delicious. I get the messir wot which is a delicious spicy blend of red lentils and berbere (ethiopian spice mix). It comes inside injera, which is ethiopian bread. The injera was soft and tangy. It seemed like the batter had been fermented for days, like its supposed to (so says the interwebs). Its also really fun to learn how to use the injera to scoop up the lentils with your hands! The restaurant is really cute as well, the food comes fairly fast. The prices are decent, $10 for the messer wot which comes with 2 rolls of injera. Good sized portions, I usually share with my friend and there's enough for both of us.

    (5)

  • Bryant T.

    My first Ethiopian restaurant experience. It was definitely authentic and the expectation was to eat with your hands, but we opted to use forks instead. I thought the most interesting part of the meal was the bread. It was grayish, off white in color and spongy in texture. There wasn't much of a flavor though. Since it was our first time at this restaurant, we wanted to sample a few different things so we went with the meat and vegetarian combination and the chicken tibs. It was enough food to feed a party of 4. However, I can't say I enjoyed 1 thing over another. The honey wine was a hit or miss depending on your palate. Two of my friends thought the alcohol flavor was a little too intense for a wine, but I personally didn't mind (alcoholic?). My only complaint was the customer service. The waitress seemed to disappear and she would rarely come around to refill our water.

    (3)

  • Jason S.

    Excellent, friendly, attentive service! The food was all exceptional as well! We were fortunate enough to take in this meal with great friends and resultantly tried a bit of everything. Admittedly, I cannot speculate to what our favorite dish was...we all sort of lost track of what-was-what once our platter was presented. We did follow a few suggestions from our waitress and a few of our own...everyone left full and happy.

    (4)

  • Black K.

    I've been coming here since the place first open, and I love it! The food is well made. Unlike some Ethiopian restaurants were the food is tasty, but greasy and heavy. The meals at Addis are tasty without the greasy feel of a rock hitting your stomach! lol The service helpful and happy. And if you go on the right night guys. Sometimes you will find some of the most beautiful women eating there in groups...just waiting for a Prince Charming to come sweep them off their feet... lol I'll give you two warnings about this place if you decide to go: 1) Since the food is made fresh (with some notable exceptions) it does take a while for your dish to be served. 2) The place gets PACKED-especially on Friday's and Saturday nights! If you decide to go between the hours of 7-8, expect a wait. If you can get past those minor inconveniences, then you will have a tasty time. And please... don't expect the servers to give you any fork or knifes! lol

    (4)

  • Jordan W.

    This place had a really nice atmosphere with cuisine to match. Albeit, avoid the fir fir dishes. The food was great, and the service was good. We had 3 meat dishes (beef, chicken & lamb) and one veggie. All of the dishes were good but I'd like to expand on a recurring menu item. We ordered one dish labeled 'fir fir'. What we didn't understand is that this meant the entree was served with the injera bread mixed in. This seems to be an inherent flaw in the cuisine's design. I say this because we are expected to use the same injera bread to pick up & consume the entree. This made for an 'injera overload' and soured a portion of our experience. Other than that, this will be my Ethiopian fix in the Bay Area until I find something more enticing. We had a particularly nice gathering because we requested the den in the back corner. In what felt like our own enclave within the restaurant, we had a great time enjoying a large platter for four and an atmosphere that left us without conscious of the people in our broader surroundings.

    (4)

  • Jon Y.

    My first experience with Ethiopian food. I must say I loved it. It takes a bit of getting used to grabbing up food in your hand with a spongey piece of purple injera, but soon you forget your years of training to use proper eating utensils and your inner caveman lets you get to work. Loved the injera (the vinegar flavor and ability to soak up sauces). Loved the fish tibs. Loved the vegetable parts of the Addis combo (wow) Was just okay with the meat portions of the Addis combo (and I'm a hardcore carnivore...) Service here was friendly. Prices were damn cheap! Didn't get a chance to try the much-promoted honey wine. Be sure to wash your hands before jumping into the fray.

    (4)

  • Yen A.

    Coming from an Ethiopian I must say Addis is in my top two for Ethiopian Restaurants in the Bay Area (Zeni being the other). My family and I have been coming here for the past 10-12 years and unlike most Ethiopian restaurants that are not consistent on taste and portions, Addis does not fall into this category. The Injera for starters is not sour and dry like some of the places I have gone to. I have had numerous dishes on there menu and by far the Quanta Fir Fir and Kitfo are my favorite. The Kitfo to some may look a bit intimidating (especially if prepared raw), but I can assure you it taste delicious. If you don't believe me and for those who want a safe and good tasting dish I would recommend the Quanta Fir Fir (dried up meat) mixed in with chopped up Injera. Its a must have. Each dish runs for about $9-$12 and I wouldn't suggest just ordering one, especially if your party is greater than two

    (5)

  • Jackson B.

    Tried six dishes, each of which were solid. This place is cute, has a lot of character/energy, and is an all-around lovely spot for a bite and a drink.

    (4)

  • Sue A.

    Addis was amazing. I am a huge lover of Ethiopian food, but have gotten pretty spoiled and expect a lot when trying a new place. But Addis blew me away! I'm vegan, and a huge portion of the vegetarian things were already or could become vegan. They even had tofu tibs. OMG. There was a special where you got tofu tibs, a green bean/carrot wat, and a seasoned injera dish for like $22 (it was a special - not the regular combo). So much delicious food - and it was served each one on top of the other, separated by a piece of injera. Pretty creative. It's only downside is that it's in Oakland, and I'm not. BOO. If I still lived in Berkeley, I would need to invest in some larger pants because I'd be here once a week. One of the other reviewers said that this and Zeni are the best Ethiopian in the area, and I have to agree wholeheartedly. And, because some people care about this stuff - the waitresses were all really nice and attentive. and the atmosphere inside was great and comfy. There was one table under a straw hut, and THAT my friends is where I will sit the next time I go there.

    (5)

  • Ann K.

    It was okay, not the best ethiopian food in the area

    (3)

  • Amara R.

    I LOVE this place so much that I make a 45 min trip at least 2 times a month. The service is quick and the food is AMAZING. Beautifully served communal style by a very friendly staff. Low lights and the smells of well blended spices make for a nice date spot or a friendly environment for family and pals. Great Vegetarian and Vegan options. My favorite dishes are: Fassolia, Tofu Tibs, Yemeser Wot, Veggie Fir Fir and Shrimp Tibs. My meat eating friends favor the veggie dishes over the meat. Ordering a Hakim Stout is a must. Yes, I know, there are other Ethiopian restaurants in the area but I'm not brave enough break free of the hold Addis has on me.

    (5)

  • Sarah M.

    Addis is a great place for a first date or dinner with friends. I definitely recommend this place for some casual, delicious dining. In the dark, the outside of Addis doesn't look like much. But once you walk in the door, it's like you're in another world entirely. The difference between what you approach and what you enter sets the tone for an authentic and relaxing dining experience. The inside is decorated just right, not over-the-top, not bare bones. Each table has a little candle on it and they keep the lights low. The tables have colorful tablecloths and most are separated by dividers to reinforce a sense of privacy. The food - awesome. The alicha is one of the best prepared versions of this dish that I've ever eaten. I also want to give them props for having options on the cooked-ness of the kitfo, which is something not all restaurants will think to do. The injera was tangy and spongy, just as it should be. The service was good. Our water was refilled several times without our having to ask and they were mindful to keep us supplied with napkins and ask how we were doing.

    (4)

  • Clinton W.

    The atmosphere is simple, clean and relaxing. The service is friendly, inviting and informative. They will gladly help you try new things and make delicious recommendations

    (4)

  • Stan F.

    I am currently on a quest to try all the Ethiopian restaurants in Oakland/Berkeley. Addis is a great restaurant. The zil zil tibs are simply delicious. They are spiced just right and they serve a wholesome amount of it. The injera is also good. Their service is laid back and friendly but could be a bit more efficient but hardly a problem, The restaurant is understated and casual which fits in well with the food. I have been there twice and will most likely repeat. The Ethiopian beer is not much to rave about but worth trying. Overall, I highly recommend this restaurant.

    (5)

  • Ruiqiu K.

    Back when I was a student, The Blue Nile was where I went for my first taste of Ethiopian food. I remember how excited it all was -- honey wine (alcohol that I could actually like!), eating with your hands, that yummy sour bread, and all the meats and veggies and salads were served on a "plate" made from that bread, and communal eating off of that bread. I was saddened to find out just today that The Blue Nile closed several years ago. While I haven't been at The Blue Nile in years, I have been to Addis a few times recently. My friend was driving, and I usually let her choose where to eat. And this was a place she had gone with her other friends. We always dropped by right at their opening time of 11:30AM. And coincidentally, we were always at the same table. And we always order the combination plate. (Although now that I'm on a lamb kick, I might actually try other dishes in the future.) Most importantly, there are always Ethiopian patrons, a sure sign of authenticity. I am happily enthralled by the way there is an explanation of the Ethiopian language and alphabet under their glass table top while we wait for our food. And the food always comes pretty quickly (which is why we always try to eat lunches and breakfasts early). We like the way each table had a high divider between them, and yet the place was very well-lit by the sunshine. Eating with our hands is not a squeamish thing to us, even when the earthy and spicy and robust sauces sink through the injera. Love the sponginess of the injera. I've been trying to make my own, with varying results (using the 5-day fermentation technique and dark not ivory teff). I have the flavor down; I just need to keep coming back here to suss out the finer techniques to get the sponge texture just right. I can't remember which of the meat and lentil dishes from the combo plate were too spicy for me; I could not handle it at all. With what I could eat, it was good. And I do love it when ethnic restaurants do not dilute the flavors to cater to blander American palates. We both love the hodgepodge of the combo plate. Meats, cheese, veggies, sauces. And although the combo plate serves 2, we always end up bringing leftovers home for each of us.

    (4)

  • Gerard L.

    Had my bday dinner herelast night with 14 of my friends and this joint is a diamond in the rough. Most of have never had Ethiopian food before and we are all now a fan. Delicious and their service was really good. Funny how they announce the happy birthday song. The music suddenly changes to happy birthday. Haha. Totally awesome. You also get a baklava as the your 1 slice cake. Too bad we forgot the to go because that could have been our 3am snack after The Parish.

    (5)

  • Christin C.

    I had driven past this place many times and said "We should try that sometime!" and tonight was that sometime. First I read the reviews online and I was torn between coming here and Messob, but a friend advised me to come here...and to order honey wine! We arrived around 6:30 and there wasn't a wait at all, we were seated right away. Since this was my first time eating Ethiopian food I was glad I went with someone that had before. She ordered us the lamb tibs the chicken tibs. Both were delicious and had different tastes! I personally loved the lamb tibs, the onions were cooked perfectly. We also got a side of the potatoes and carrots that were soft and added a nice mixture of texture to the meal. Oh and the injera bread was interesting. It had a slight vinegar-y taste to it and complimented the spices well. The food was definitely not like anything I've had before. I am going to suggest coming here to all of my friends. From the looks of the place, it seems they would be willing to accommodate anything from a party of 2 to a party of 20. For a Wed night it got pretty busy around 7 so if you are planning on coming here during the weekend, I think it would be smart to make reservations. I LOVE HONEY WINE!!!!!

    (4)

  • seanmichael r.

    My Ethiopian friend asked me if I wanted to go to an Ethiopian restaurant with him. I was very excited but he insisted that we leave San Francisco and head all the way to Addis because he says it's the best in the Bay. I'm vegan and he always just orders me a sample of a bunch of dishes in amharic but everything is consistently superb. I think my favorite might be the red lentils and i love having the little mound of fresh spices right there on the plate to use. and by plate, i mean giant pieces of delicious injera, the traditional fermented flatbread which acts as plate fork and spoon.

    (5)

  • starrynight c.

    It was my first time having ethiopian ever...so this was pretty exciting for me. I really enjoyed it and the people that took me were familiar to warned me about things that might be a bit different (like the sour bread - that I definitely had to get use to, and I did!). The best of the meats that we got were the lamb. The guy sitting next to us had some sizzling dish that looked way better than what we got - I'd probably try something like that for next time.

    (3)

  • CeliaJeff C.

    So, we were on the number 1 bus going down Telegraph, and spotted the Ethiopian restaurant. We decided to come back for a taste of Egypt. Ugh. We are not Ethiopian food friends.Our (barely warm) combo plate ($20) was surprisingly filling-- but everything had a general sourish taste. Let us devote a haiku to the "bread:" ODE TO BREAD: The boiled vinegar, Frozen, porous, dotted, OMPH This they called the bread. The atmosphere was nice though, and we learned the Egyptian alphabet. Cuneiform? jeff learned it in Gomes (spelling creds Amanda and Yuji).

    (1)

  • Tammy S.

    I would agree with the others about the food here. I would pass on the beef as it tended to be dry and overcooked. Everything else was great. The one thing I would add that I didn't find in the reviews is that - if you sit in the hut - the hut does not have a table with normal chairs. The hut, really is a hut, and you sit on these 2-foot stools that kinda cradle your butt (some might experience "spillage"), and the table is a small round table that holds one big plate of food. Do not sit in here with more than 6 people. It was fun though!

    (4)

  • Gina N.

    My first experience at an ethiopian restaurant...I had high expectations bc my brother, who is a pretty darn picky eater, ranted and raved about this place. There were 4 of us, and we ordered the veggie combo platter & the doro tibs. When you first look at our meal, you would think, this is not enough food to feed 4 grown adults...but we barely finished our meal. It's served family style in a huge round platter, and you eat with your hands, using the injera bread to scoop your dish with. The variety of spices used to cook with offers a unique flavor that i've never really tasted before. Although I like the concept of using the injera bread to eat with, at times, i thought the sour aftertaste was a bit overbearing, and for whatever reason reminded me of expired milk, that psyched me out a bit. (I guess my palate has just been so accustomed to indian food, and their naan). Overall, I enjoyed the unique dining experience, and would definately try it again.

    (3)

  • Surge C.

    Addis was my first experience with Ethiopian food...and my last. My friend is into ethnic cuisine only and as a going away dinner he decided to have us all meet up at Addis. Big mistake. We had a party of 5 and waited at the small bar area for a table, sipping our honey wine (YUMMY!). The hostess completely forgot about our party and sat another large party barely entering the restaurant. Enraged, my friend approached her and she didn't even apologize. We waited another 15 minutes just for a table. The food came and usually they pour the sauces over the bread to soak for you. They did this for all the other patrons, but stalled on doing it for us. By that time we had done it ourselves and the woman gave us a very INSINCERE apology. I do not see what the big hype is here. Service is terrible and the food was not that great.

    (1)

  • Ben A.

    I LOVE this place. Clean, yummy, efficient, scrumptious, comfy, delicious, spacious (inside). The lot is uber tiny, but easy enough for street parking.

    (5)

  • Erich W.

    Went last night with a friend... They were accommodating while I waited a half hour before she arrived (I was early)... :) Great food! Service was good. Shared the Addis Combo - Yum! Could have done with a little more chicken... but all other dishes were super! Recommend! Oh yeah... the espresso "drizzled" vanilla ice cream - HOLY CRAP! super amazing!!

    (4)

  • Cheryl R.

    Friendly staff after a frustrating parking experience. Lot full. The place was hopping yet because of the bamboo dividers, I never felt my space was infringed upon. Food was yummy. A good balance of spicy and less spicy when ordering the meat or veg combos. Really enjoyed the look of the (empty) bar when the afternoon sun shone on it. If Tennessee Williams lived in Eritrea, this is what his bar would look like.

    (3)

  • Jenny S.

    So freaking delicious. I don't care how much terrible gas I give myself from gorging here, its always totally worth it. The beer, the lentils, and the LAMB, don't get me started on that spicy little adorable beast. Service was really good the first time I went and is usually very consistent. Last time I ate there it was extremely slow but whatever, I had a big beer and everyone has an off night.

    (4)

  • Britt T.

    I have been here dozens of times. It is our favorite Ethiopian in North Oakland - though I've only tried about a half-dozen of the other places only once, to come back to Addis. We always order the Fasolia, Doro Tibs and Yemesir Wot for two adults and two kids. Fasolia is amazing - green beans and carrots slow cooked to release their sweetness. The kids will eat only the fasolia and injera, with perhaps a few pieces of the chicken. The yemesir provides the spicyness that we adults crave. This is our go-to place when we have out-of-town guests that want to try something a little unusual.

    (5)

  • Random G.

    I have been eating here for 10 years, it is the best most authentic Ethiopian restaurant on the bay - hands down. Veggie combo is the best!

    (5)

  • Kristina L.

    I am by no means a connoisseur of Ethiopian cuisine.. BUT... i have to tell you, I do like this place... from the friendly staff... to the friendly diners (our table didn't have enough chairs, and a guy from across the way offered his to us)... to the awesome food. We didn't know what to order so we asked the waitress... we had the ADDIS combo, the chicken tibs, I think it was the tofu tibs, and this AWESOME string bean one?!? The ADDIS combo was just okay to me... i thought the other ones were waaay better.. MY favorite, was the string beans... :) Definitely coming back to this place... easy parking in the area too!

    (4)

  • Mimi A.

    I try and visit different Ethiopian restaurants when I am on vacation or visiting family. I have my favorite spots in LA's Little Ethiopia but when I am up north I have to visit Addis. The atmosphere is cute and warm and the service is great! I try not to eat meat and they have a whole vegetarian section of options!!! I had the Eggplant (doro) wat and it takes the place of the meat with Eggplant. It was great! I recommend this restaurant for consumers and or patrons that prefer or are looking for my of a selection besides the traditional vegetarian combination plate.

    (4)

  • Paige T.

    I'm sure this place probably really deserves four stars, but this was my first experience with Ethiopian and I was just okay with it. I can't say that I'm entirely a fan....yet. However, my friends love the place. It's one of their favorites among several that are all right around each other in the same area of Oakland. I cannot tell you most of what we had, as I sort of just let my more experienced friends handle the ordering. I did enjoy that it was a totally vegetarian and communal event.. Basically our dinner consisted of lots of different kinds of vegetable puree and some sauteed tofu, called Tofu Tibs, that came atop lots of spongy, tangy, pancake-like items called injera, that are intended to be used to scoop and sop up the mush with. We received a few extra baskets of injera, which ended up being a lot of left over injera, unfortunately, but we managed to polish off most of the mush. I think my favorites were the Tofu Tibs and the Gomen (chopped collard greens cooked in a mild sauce of onions, garlic, green pepper and herbed oil). Overall, it was a new and fun experience for me, one I completely welcomed!

    (3)

  • Karen L.

    Sublimely delicious! I've been there twice so far. The first time we got the veggie platter, which was addictive. The second time we got one veggie dish which I can't remember because the other one we got--the tofu dish-- was so wonderful it pretty much blotted out all memories of anything else. I'm an Ethiopian food snob and hadn't found a decent place in the bay area til I went here.

    (5)

  • Jolene B.

    I am no seasoned Ethiopian food eater. The only other place I've been to is Axum on the Haight. But I really liked Addis. My boyfriend's cousin suggested it and we all went there. We ordered the large plate of vegetabley mush (I don't know what to call it) and the soury sponge tortilla stuff. The waiter let me sample another vegi dish before committing to it (which i did.) The honey wine was lovely and the ambience was perfect. Date-nightish. It was fun and I wish to go back!

    (4)

  • Paula M.

    Decent Ethiopian food, though I've had better at several other places in the East Bay and San Francisco (Massawa on Haight Street continues to be my favorite). Friendly staff. Large menu. Easy walk from Rockridge BART. Slower turnaround time on the dishes than I would have anticipated, given that there were only 1 or 2 other occupied tables when our 2 orders were pending.

    (3)

  • T Y.

    I'm Ethiopian, and have eaten wot from Bangkok to Los Angeles.... and WOW Addis blew me away. I took my cousin, visiting little bro, and my boyfriend out last night (wen night). There weren't too many people there and the waitress was extremely attentive and the food came out pretty quick. With such a great group of people in my midst I decided to go all out and get our very favorites. Beg Awaze ( lamb sautéed in onion spices and a not too hot pepper), Kitfo Raw ( fresh ground cow with some some spice ( mitmita) to dip in), Asa Tibbs ( fried fish with side curry), and a vegi combo.... yes, very intense. It was all amazing and seasoned perfectly though the kitfo, fish, and the lamb dish really stole the show. Nothing beats home cooked ethio food, but this is my new stand by when I'm craving some homeland eats!

    (5)

  • Lisa E.

    I have been going to Cafe Colucci for years. A client of mine, who is Ethiopian, told me Addis was the best. Wow, he was so right! The food here is soooo good! Even my 5 yr old was so happy with her meal. We had veggie combo and the fish tibs special. The food was so full of flavor and freshness, and the portions are just right. So sorry, Cafe Colucci, we like you a lot, but this food is in a different league, for about the same price, and our young one loves it too. See ya.

    (4)

  • Asa D.

    I like very much, gets the kitfo and veggie combo religulously kitfo is a raw beef dish. they have a flax seed drink I highly recommend. my other favorite ethiopian restaurants are Asmara yelp.com/biz/asmara-rest… the Red Sea yelp.com/biz/red-sea-res…

    (4)

  • Tyler C.

    I'd never had Ethiopian before and was a little apprehensive. No need to be! We got 4 dishes between the five of us and it was more than enough. And! Delicious! The spongy flatbread that they give you to eat with has a flavor reminiscent of sourdough bread. Each of the main dishes was tasty though my favorite was probably the Tofu Tibs. I've heard the Goat Tibs are good too and I believe it. Even if you've never had Ethiopian food before, give it a shot! I think this place would be good for kids too (if they're not the type that are going to be running around screaming)--you eat with your hands/the bread they give you, so that's kind of an exciting thing.

    (5)

  • Shawna S.

    Felt like trying a new Ethiopian place near us since there are so many and we've made Messob and Cafe Colucci staples in the East Bay. After trying Addis, we've found a new place to keep in the rotation, but Assab in San Francisco still reigns supreme. The green beans here really are the stand-out dish. Haven't seen them on other menus, but we'll be looking and asking for them now. The shiro wot here is thinner - not watery, but has less substance to it. Not sure if that's a difference in style between Eritrean and Ethiopian food or if this place just goes less substantial on the dish. The taste is great, but we like the thickness of the shiro wot at Assab. The other dish we had was the Alicha Delich (I think that's what it's called) - potatoes and carrots. Very tasty and not oily like Messob (where we avoid this dish, but love the misir and shiro). Service wasn't lightning fast, but wasn't too slow either. Leisurely for the end of the weekend dinner. We weren't in a hurry and our server did tell us the shiro would take about 20 min. We had our ginger-spiced tea so we were fine. We'll be back here again!

    (4)

  • Ryan S.

    5 stars for the great service, ambiance, and use of fresh, well picked peppers in the Banatu. Injera is less acidic than other places, allowing the other flavors to shine through. Well priced. -2 stars for the aftermath. It wasn't just the cheese. Something in there was off. Yeah. Two days of aftermath (insert nuclear explosion montage here).

    (3)

  • Donnette M.

    GREAT FOOD!! I'm always trying to find someone who hasn't been here to take with me... sometimes I Crave this place and HAVE to get there to rekindle my taste buds! I forget what its called, thinks its shrimp tidbits...tidbids...whatever its called its a must have when I go!

    (5)

  • Nicole H.

    Very disappointed in this restaurant! After watching an episode of "Check Please" Bay Area I checked this place out on Yelp. The reviews seemed good so I went with my parents and boyfriend. Big Mistake! We ordered 2 addis combination platters and a side of the chicken dish. We substituted chicken for beef and lamb as none of us eat red meat. Food was mediocre at best service was ok but the food was not flavorful and the portions were so meager. I will not go back or recommend not even just for an experience. Side note contrary to what Yelpers say the honey wine is gross!

    (2)

  • Paula R.

    Love this place. As a vegan the fact that they offer tofu tibbs is so refreshing. I wish they offered the gluten free injera. I love that it's close to my house. The salad reminds me of the simple salads my family make, no fancy overpowering dressing, I love it. I love the veggie combo. I get the complaints, a friend of mine doesn't like it or the flavors and we don't agree on other restaurants it's not everyone's cup of tea and it doesn't have to be but, I've had more people like than not. Will always come back :) Service can be slow but, I've found that to be true at all Ethiopian restaurants.

    (5)

  • Tejal D.

    I was a little let down when I came here for dinner the other night. Heard a lot of great things, but was not impressed. We ordered the veggie family style dinner with an extra order of the tofu tibs. The food was OK -- unfortunately nothing above and beyond impressive, and it upset my stomach a little. There were also a couple of fleas in our corner but it could have been the table we sat at. Ambiance was cute but the restaurant felt humid and muggy. Service was nice -- mainly was one woman waiting all the tables. I'd be open to trying this place again if they could work on getting rid of the fleas/flies and making sure it's a bit cooler inside.

    (3)

  • Matthew A.

    We started with the mini kitfo sliders!!! We loved the spicing of the meat. Then we were served our main dishes of the Addis Combo and Kornis. They came out super fast!! Extremely tasty meal. The vegetarian portion is great and the meat was even better. You will not be disappointed, just make sure to wash your hands and bring a HUGE appetite!!! I'm looking forward to the great shit I will have tomorrow from this meal :-)

    (5)

  • Alexa W.

    Hey, my 100th review! Woohoo! I only came to Addis because a friend had a coupon and invited me. Since there are so many great Ethiopian places in that area, I was not expecting to have my expectations exceeded. But it did! The food was so delicious, it is hard to describe. While some Ethiopian restaurants make the food so spicy, that I can hardly taste it anymore, this place accomplished such a wonderful balance of flavor and spicyness in every bite, it was amazing! The interior is really cute with the little straw "hut" in the corner. And it also doesn't hurt that there is off-street parking on a little parking lot right next to the restaurant. I guess I would never have come here just by looking at the place from the outside. But I am so glad I did. I am sure I will come back many times.

    (5)

  • Amihan M.

    I like that there's a parking lot. I like the ambiance. The food is good as well. HOWEVER. We came here and ordered two combos and they put the meat combos stacked on top of each other with Injera in between (instead of side by side). What the what?!! It was a huge mess and pretty hard to eat. ALSO. Waited and waited for the check. It came super late. And waited and waited for them to come back with it to complete the transaction. Finally, my BF nudged one of the servers and she went to look for our check and credit card and she found it unattended right next to the register. Let's just say the service was lacking. I gave them an extra star for the parking and the nice decor. Otherwise, I've definitely had better.

    (3)

  • Monica J.

    Excellent service, food quantity, price, and flavor! I came here after reading the excellent reviews. My friend and I split a vegetarian combo plate and then ordered a side of the red lentil and it was delicious! Great food and ambiance. Very reasonable pricing, too. Will definitely return and will add it to my list of favorite Ethiopian places. :)

    (5)

  • Katrina F.

    By far my favorite place to eat in town. The staff is friendly and quick. The food is amazing every time. I wish there was more parking but this places pleases me every time that I don't mind having to walk to them. If you go order the Zucchini Wot, rib eye tibs and a vegetarian combo you will not be sorry.

    (5)

  • Jerry P.

    The stretch of telegraph that runs from South Berkeley through Bushroad Park and into Temescal has several Ethiopian spots. This one is pretty darn good and has made it onto my list of spots in the regular rotation. The interior is cheery and nice, with privacy screens to make it a bit more intimate and plenty of seating for a Friday night crowd. The wait staff are friendly cheerful and will help you with details on the menu items if your are unsure of what to order. I went with the meat sampler plate to get an idea as to how they stack up, and indeed all was very good. The Chicken Yedoro Wot was falling off the bone tender and gravy delicious. Both types of beef were also outstanding, savory and tender and delicious. The Injera bread was fresh and had that tang from the starter which complements the spicy food nicely. Side salad was fresh and crisp with a simple dressing. Only disappointment was no paper carry out menu to take back home - guess I'll have to rely on the smartphone.

    (4)

  • Monica H.

    Hurray for spontaneity! Returning from an East Bay meeting & decided it was dinner time so just pulled off the freeway to see what we would find. This was a great find! I love Ethiopian food and this was pretty typical. You can never go wrong with a combination plate. We chose the Addis combo (both meat & veggies). Lentils were my favorite; savory & spicy. Very reasonable prices and I'm stuffed.

    (4)

  • Sharmika H.

    I've come here over the years n tonight solidifies why I will not ever come back. If u want salty cold food. And service with an attitude when u ask them to fix then this is the place for you but I will pass and spend my hard earned $$$ elsewhere

    (1)

  • R B.

    The food here is the best Ethiopian food I've ever eaten! Gonna come back again and again. Parking! Service was great!'

    (5)

  • Sandra B.

    I used to really like the food here, but it has completely went down hill. The people the works here are still very friendly, but that doesn't excuse the food. My meat was so dry and hard as if it had been sitting out for days, the greens were cold, and salad was soggy.

    (2)

  • Cats K.

    Amazing. Not my first Ethiopian restaurant experience, but certainly the best. Came here for lunch, and demolished the vegetarian platter. Will definitely be back!

    (5)

  • Tina L.

    Excellent food! I always come here when I'm craving Ethiopian. Try the fasolia (green beans) and the fir fir (onions, tomatoes, green peppers, etc.). All entrees are served with a green salad. I've never had bad service here. The wait staff is pleasant, happy, and don't rush you through your meal.

    (5)

  • MeKa M.

    My favorite Ethiopian restaurant. Kitfo Special, Veggie Combo, Honey wine...ahhhhh I could go for more as I write. Family friendly and great staff.

    (5)

  • Rick B.

    Delicious vegetarian combo. Also ordered the Doro Tibs. Described as all breast meat, served as all thigh meat. Still taste was good, but not the breast meat I expected. If you order it, confirm its breast meat. Injera is just like back in ethiopia. A little sour and delicious. Definitely a go to ethio spot when in the area. Decor is clean and simple. staff was very nice. Would definitely come back but confirm all when ordering.

    (4)

  • Dana B.

    First time trying Ethiopian cuisine! I was nervous to try this food after hearing from people how spicy Ethiopian food can be; however, Addis was delicious and some dishes are certainly spicy but not overpowering. Hesitant to give 5 stars because I would like to try some other Ethiopian restaurants, as I am still a newbie, but Addis was seriously great! Also, as a heads up- the servers do not speak much English, so asking for recommendations was difficult. Packed restaurant, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves!

    (5)

  • Astin W.

    Sooooo good!!! Anytime I'm in the Bay Area I always stop here to get some amazing food! Everyone is so nice, and the servers can always help you find something that you like. 5 STARS!

    (5)

  • Senait K.

    I love addis, one of my favorite spots for Ethiopian/Eritrean food! The service is good, food is yumm, friends also go every week

    (5)

  • Kavita P.

    Massive portions of food. We got the vegetarian platter, which was nice since it let you try lots of different things. Unfortunately the different vegetables were kind of hit or miss. Some of the vegetables lacked flavor, but overall the food was pretty good. Note: This was my first time eating Ethiopian food, so I'm not sure what things SHOULD taste like. I can just say what they tasted like to me. Given that it was my 1st time though, I definitely liked it enough to want to try more Ethiopian food, so that's always a bonus. :)

    (4)

  • Han Teng W.

    The service was a little on the brash side at times. Guess it was due to the fact of being quite short handed the night we were there? There was only 2 servers for the whole place. Food was excellent and I definitely recommended getting a plate to share. There was way more food then we could finish.

    (4)

  • Kathleen W.

    I've generally always liked Ethiopian food where ever I've eaten it. But this I think is my new favorite Ethiopian restaurant and I regret not having tried it sooner. This place will now be the benchmark by which all future Ethiopian restaurants will be judged. I love the Fasolia dish which is a green beans + carrots cooked in tomato stew dish. It's packed with so much flavor I didn't even care that there wasn't any meat in it. This is hands down my new favorite Ethiopian dish. The chicken tibs as well as the beef tibs are also solid and delicious here. I ended up bringing some of the ribeye meat home to the hubby as leftovers and he enjoyed it so much he actually suggested coming back here for dinner a week later.

    (5)

  • ashley d.

    My boyfriend and I try to come to the east bay as often as possible just to experience the delicious food at Addis. Not only do we always leave feeling stuffed and satisfied, but also sad because the meal is over. Staff are super friendly, prices great, and seriously this place beats ALL OF THE PLACES IN SAN FRANCISCO. well worth the traffic, bridge toll, and time to cross the bridge to come here. Bonus - if you're seeing a show at the fox theater, it's really close by and you won't be late :)

    (5)

  • Melissa M.

    This place was great! The food was delicious. The employees were pleasant, and the atmosphere was cute. Plus, they have a parking lot!

    (5)

  • Jennifer S.

    Man, this place is delicious. I always get the veggie combo and this was one of the best I had. Additionally, the fasolia was absolutely incredible. Yum!!

    (5)

  • Maku M.

    The zil zil tibs here is amazing!!! Also try the beef tibs, lamb tibs, and Ethiopian spiced tea.

    (5)

  • Rosanne B.

    This place has good food and friendly, helpful staff. I had dinner there two nights ago and I've been going to this restaurant for about seven years. Most of the time I have ordered the vegetarian combo, which is excellent and a lot of food. I'd usually share the combo with my partner. The berbere sauce is pretty intense for non-spicey people and became too much so we've recently switched to ordering alicha denich (potatoes and carrots), gomen (collard greens) and fasolia (green beans). If you haven't tried it, give the fascolia a try -- I don't like green beans but I love this stuff. And if you are a sweet wine person, try the honey wine. I've had a few batches that weren't ready but if it's aged enough, it's really sweet. The wait staff is lovely and are great about getting the food ordered and out promptly but you may have to wave them down to get the bill paid. Parking is excellent here, even if the lot is full there is plenty of street parking. One of the big perks of eating Ethiopian food for my partner and I is that the injera bread is made from teff and not wheat so that our gluten intolerant household can eat it.

    (4)

  • Nunya B.

    Food was very tasty. Only thing that would have given it a 5, is if they had Teff only injera. Even it was an up charge. #NotGlutenFree

    (4)

  • samantha g.

    I visited this location after watching the Warriors advance to the NBA finals. Needless to say it was a late meal. The waitress was very attentive and did not seem bothered by our late arrival. There were at least four other tables occupied and I took this as a good sign. The restaurant was clean and well kept. The prices seemed comparable to other Ethiopian restaurants in the area. We ordered two vegetarian platters. They arrived in a good amount of time. I found the dishes ok, but not exceptional. The Gomen (collard greens) and Atker Kik (split peas) were enjoyable. The Yemeser Wot (red lentils) was ok. The Alicha Denich (potatoes and carrots) lacked flavor and seemed to be a space filler. Would I return? Perhaps. However, as I stated, AE is one of several Ethiopian restaurants in the area. I would have to try different vegetarian dishes.

    (3)

  • christina s.

    This is the BEST foooood ever. My absolute favorite! Order anything with berbere sauce. I love the steak called yesega wot. Also be sure to get the ribeye tibbs which comes out sizzling. The injera is sour and delicious but man its really filling. Get extra berbere sauce if you can and the lentil dish and mix them

    (5)

  • Sean S.

    Wow was I surprised. After hearing mixed reviews about Ethiopan food. I was pleasantly surprised by Addis. My friends and I got: -Addis Combination -Lamb meat dish -Fassolia Being a meat lover, I was hesitant to order the Fassolia as it was a vegetarian dish. But I have to say it was extremely good and completed the heavy meat sauces. The injera was really good as well! Overall. I'd recommend this place to anyone who's never tried Ethiopian food.

    (5)

  • Jeromy G.

    My girlfriend and I decided to come here before watching a movie in Emeryville. We had a restaurant.com coupon for $25 off your purchase of at least $40 which was nice and they gave us no trouble in using it. We decided to order the meat combination which comes with yedoro wot (chicken drumstick and egg), yesega wot (beef cubes in berbere sauce), and yesega alicha (beef cubes in mild sauce). We also ordered shrimp tibs and rare beef kitfo . The meat combination is something we always order because we love having a variety of meats that we eat with our Injera (bread). The chicken had good flavor but I'm not a big fan of eggs but even I enjoyed the yedoro wot. The yesega wot had good flavor but the meat was not as tender as I have had elsewhere. The yesega alicha had a weird flavor to it, something sweet was overpowering the flavor profiles. The shrimp tibs were by far my favorite. A little spicy kick with those shrimp make it burst in your mouth. The final thing was the beef kitfo which we ordered rare in order to make it similar to the traditional raw preparation, without going all the way uncooked. All the items were very tasty and went beautifully with the injera which was not as sour as some other places which was nice because the sour did not get in the way of the meat flavors. With exception to the yesega alicha I enjoyed all the entrees. We actually ordered too much and had to take some to go, yay leftovers! If I had to compare this place to cafe colucci down the street, this place has more flavor but cafe colucci has more tender meat. So the question is, would you like meat that is really tender but bland, or meat that isn't as tender but has great flavor? The choice is yours. A good choice for Ethiopian food outside of LA's Little Ethiopia. Still searching the bay for a 5 star contender.

    (4)

  • J. R.

    One of my favorite restaurants in the Bay. I've been brining people here for years to introduce them to Ethiopian food. I recommend the Kitfo, Lega tibs, fassolia, Alicha denich, and honey wine. Staff is nice attentive. Atmosphere is pleasant. Enjoy.

    (5)

  • Marianne S.

    I was in Oakland visiting a friend and we came here one night for dinner. I haven't had a ton of Ethiopian food, but what we ate herr was delicious. To be honest I can't remember exactly what we got, a couple veggie options and a chicken option. The portions were huge! We were so stuffed when we left, it was uncomfortable to walk. However, the service was slow. We had to wait about 10 minutes before asking for our drinks again. And then they took another 5. Even though it was slow, they were very nice. I'd eat here again!

    (4)

  • Tim V.

    This place is so good! The first time we went we had a guy that seemed rude but we later found out he just didn't speak English well.. But when we gave it another shot and got Betty this place really is 5-star. When we get Betty, the sides of lentils on the Addis combination platter were more generous and our glasses were never empty. The food is very well priced and so good! It's a cute restaurant and for Ethiopian restaurants in general this one is above average for sure! I live in SF but come here when I want Ethiopian. Good portions, nice environment, great price and the bread isn't white!

    (5)

  • Kevin L.

    Still the best Ethiopian joint in the Bay Area! I like eating with my hands. There are some foods that just don't work when you snatch up silverware and try to be classy about it. Pizza, for instance, loses 83% of its flavor when you cut it up to eat it in sad, lonely little chunks. Ethiopian food has always been, for me, a tactile and messy experience that has to be shared family-style. You and your friends will smell like fenugreek and cinnamon for days, but who's complaining? When the craving for spicy, buttery meats, veggies, and injera strikes, Addis is the joint to hit up. The small space itself is always welcoming, with screens between tables that create a surprising amount of privacy. In the far corner, up to four diners can opt to eat in a more traditional setting (see: hut) on stools with no backs. For people who have never experienced Ethiopian/Eritrean food, you are presented with a bottomless bowl of injera (spongy sourdough crepes) that comes with many bowls of stews/meats that arrive atop an epic piece of injera the size of your table. With your right hand, you pick up something tasty with a peeled piece of injera and try your hardest to not drop it all over yourself. I don't know what magic they work here with green beans and carrots, but the fasolia is downright amazing. Flavor-bombed with berbere (Ethiopian spice mix), it is surprisingly even better-tasting the next day out of the doggie bag. For the more carnivorous, try the fish tibs, where cod is marinated briefly in lime juice before being fried with tomatoes and yet more intriguing spices. Kitfo is also a source of great joy whenever we go, since it's essentially a mountain of steak tartare seasoned with African bird's eye chillies, cardamom, cloves, and salt. And if you want a kick in the pants, definitely try the honey wine (tej). If you ask nicely, they'll even happily give you a spoon.

    (5)

  • Mimi N.

    This absolutely our favorite Ethiopian restaurant. Which might possibly be because it's hard to motivate ourselves to try any other places when we want Ethiopian food. It's consistently good here. The wait staff is very friendly and pleasant. The vibe reminds me of European restaurants where they don't mind if you linger so they're not going to rush over with the check. If you're in a hurry to leave, just flag down someone. It's also a great pickup option if you want to eat at home.

    (4)

  • Marina M.

    First time having Ethiopian food: didn't really expect something spectacular and so the food was better than expected. Didn't really know the names of the dishes cuz we had the combo platters. The food was actually more filling than we thought. Everything kind of taste a bit sour. especially the bread. The bread had an interesting texture and when the few folded pieces of bread first landed on our table, we thought they were pieces of towel to wipe our hands since there were no utensil to eat with...(lol) The coffee at the end was the best part of the meal.

    (3)

  • Jenn D.

    I am in love with Addis! Hands down the BEST Ethiopian restaurant out there. Ive been to a lot and Addis is on its own level. Lots of amazingly addictive vegan options! I am obsessed with the Fassolia and the Yemesir Wat. Fassolia - is made of magic. Hands down favorite dish! Must get! My meat eater friends love this dish too. Yemesir Wat - lentils cooked with the perfect balance of spices. Incredibly delicious. The injera is a perfect sour that complements the dishes. Vegan Baklava!!! Need i say more. Vegan Baklava! Get in here now!

    (5)

  • Jeffrey K.

    I had dinner here with three friends the other night and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Two combo platters was plenty for all four of us and the servers were all extremely nice. Definitely some of the best food that I've had. The ambience was just ok, but the other two factors more than made up for it.

    (4)

  • Sarah T.

    Best I have had in Oakland or anywhere really. I am vegetarian and have tried multiple Ethiopian restaurants in the East Bay and this is my favorite! The beans and carrots are AH-MA-ZING!

    (5)

  • Arran B.

    I love this spot. There is great Ethiopian food up and down telegraph, but this place has always graciously accommodated my desires for party of 12, and has one of the better secret dishes, Fassolia. No where else seems to offer Fassolia, but it is one of my favorites.

    (5)

  • Simon C.

    I shared a meat and vegetable platter served with endless bread. So full, can't move. I enjoyed being able to make many different combinations of flavors with the platter. One thing that could've improved the dining experience would be having separate plates to eat the wraps over instead of using napkins.

    (4)

  • Joy F.

    Still LOVE this place. I've tried other places over the years and Addis is the most authentic. I'm sad their lunch hours have changes. They are now only open for lunch on Fri-Sun.

    (5)

  • Leanne C.

    Came here to try Ethiopian food for the first time. My friend and I had no idea what to order, so we shared the Addis Combination. It was a huge platter, with sample portions of their various meat and vegetable dishes. I especially enjoyed the meat stews, which had spicy and unique flavors. The injera was light and spongy, but incredibly sour to my taste buds (and I love sourdough bread!). I was told by another friend afterwards that their injera is the most sour out of all the Berkeley Ethiopian places, so keep that in mind if sour isn't really your thing. Overall, the service was great and the food was yummy. We took home enough leftovers to feed each of us again. Despite the super sour factor, I would come here again for their stews or to try some other dishes.

    (4)

  • Susie T.

    First time eating Ethiopian. It was delicious. Loved eating with hands and sharing family style with my friends. We had a reunion and it was nice to go somewhere authentic like this.

    (4)

  • Angela A.

    This is my favorite place to eat. It is a great place for vegetarians. We usually order the vegetarian combo, eggplant and fish with red sauce. They also have Sierra Nevada pale ale which goes well with the food. The only thing I would change about this place is the parking! It is so small and hard to get out of.

    (5)

  • Britny S.

    The best!! Super friendly and the food is better than any other Ethiopian cuisine! Veggie platter and chicken cooked in butter and herbs is highly suggested!

    (5)

  • Anna C.

    This is my favorite Ethiopian restaurant in the East Bay. The atmosphere is very welcoming, the service very attentive and the food amazing. If you are new to Ethiopian food, get the veggie combo, then one of the tibs dishes and you MUST get the fasolia too (fried green beans and carrots dish that is out of this world!). They accommodate large crowds well. I had my birthday there with a party of 14, it was great and everybody enjoyed the experience. I can't recommend it enough!

    (5)

  • Michelle K.

    After many moons, I came back to Addis, and the verdict: they've still got it. I usually like to eat Ethiopian food with a big group of people; tonight, I had dinner with a friend of mine from college because he can eat a lot and I know that we could finish two dishes together no problem. And I was right! We ordered my two favorite dishes from here: 1. Shiro Wat: THE BEST SHIRO WAT! I've had Ethiopian food from 6+ restaurants and always order the shiro wat. Addis has the best. 2. Doro tibs: I haven't found another Ethiopian place that cooks the doro tibs until it's almost crispy--in a good way. The chicken isn't dry and very flavorful. The onions are really good too... I like them almost as much as the chicken itself! Confirmed: Addis now serves the salad (lettuce, tomatoes, and some sort of light dressing) in the middle like all the other Ethiopian restaurants I've ever tried. Though they still get 5 stars from me, the only thing I might criticize is the injera. It's a lot thinner and a little more sour than I remember. Still, the service, ambiance (I like the random music they always play), and undoubtedly the flavor of the dishes make up for it!

    (5)

  • Giselle L.

    Amazing food. It was my first time ever experiencing Ethiopian food and I loved it. It's a very different taste especially the bread they serve. The bread ("injera"?) is quite sour, yet it provides a good contrast with the meat and vegetables. Prices are fairly affordable. I went with a group of 7 people (4 were guys with huge appetites) we ordered two of the meat and veggie platters and an appetizer, filled us up! We still ended up taking some food home. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone with an open mind when it comes to trying new food. Will be back soon!!! Probably this weekend lol :)

    (5)

  • Chuy L.

    Not sure where to begin.... All these people talking about how great the honey wine is are full of it! This place has not served Honey wine in over five years! Also, they have stopped serving Ethiopian beer because of some stupid dispute with their vendor I am told. The quality of the food has drastically diminished. It is nowhere near what it used to be. What is with the canned soda? Are you guys a restaurant or a hotdog stand? Instead of getting a soda fountain which enables you to give us complimentary refils, you much rather sell us a soda can at close to $2.00 a pop? Talk about inconsiderate! Don't even get me started on the portion of food... Can you be any stingier? I have been to Addis Abbaba, Ethiopia and I can honestly say that the food served here is far from "Authentic". For starters all the food in Ethiopia is organic. Food here does not even come close! How about the climate control? Why is it always too hot or too cold? Would it kill you to tidy up a bit?... The list goes on and on...

    (1)

  • Melinda Y.

    Our order: - Awaze tibs with lamb (Tender pieces of choice meat sautéed in Addis's seasoned butter with onions, garlic, rosemary, spicy awaze sauce, and fresh herbs.) - Kitfo Special with collard greens (cooked very lean and tender prime beef freshly minced and seasoned with mitmita and Addis's seasoned butter.) We asked that the meat be cooked well done because it's normally served rare - Ater Kik (Split peas cooked slowly in a blend of spices, onions, garlic, turmeric, and herbed oil.) It was so much food that we had enough for another meal each! Four meals total. I always prefer Addis' injera, which was nice and sour. The restaurant is pretty quiet during lunch so it's an ideal choice if you're avoiding crowds. Our waitress is always super sweet and polite. Addis is our restaurant of choice when we crave some Ethiopian food.

    (5)

  • Ann W.

    My favorite restaurant. I love the vegetarian platter.

    (5)

  • Jen W.

    Coming here was a specific recommendation from one of Wifey's co-workers. He asked if we wanted a good place for meat or veggies...we said meat. Addis was apparently his top choice. We've been craving Eritrean/ethiopian food all week...and we finally had the chance to make it out here. The place is easy to find...they have their own lot so parking is not a problem whatsoever. As soon as you walk in, there is someone to greet you...a couple of bar seats to the left and a bunch of tables with screens to separate each one. We ordered the meat combo dish which came with 1 chicken dish and 2 beef dishes. We wanted to order the lamb tibs dish but they were sadly out. Instead, we picked a veggie...the eggplant which turned out to be my favorite. It had really good spice and a perfect kick. The beef dishes were yummy...but the chicken was a total disappointment. The chicken was crazy overcooked...the sauce was bitter...and the boiled egg was funky tasting. This is usually our favorite dish at other restaurants...but our least favorite here. The beef dishes were tasty...once again, perfect spice and a good amount to share between the two of us. There was definitely enough indera for the both of us. They weren't shy with that at all. We both ordered a glass of honey wine...I loved it here! You could definitely taste and smell the honey...$6/glass. A must when you're eating ethiopian food! The service was ok...they were friendly...got you in and out. No complaints. Overall, everything was just ok...it wasnt bad but it wasn't memorable. We've had these dishes better elsewhere...and the chicken dish was a total disappointment!

    (3)

  • Davey N.

    The fassolia tastes as if god himself is in the kitchen putting his own blood, sweat, and tears into the dish. And apparently, those bodily fluids taste great in this probable case. I'm serious. If this was only a fassolia restaurant, I would still come here constantly.

    (5)

  • Georges B.

    I've been to a lot of Ethiopian restaurants. This place is, by far, the best one I have ever been to. I really have nothing else to say. Simply the best. If you're anywhere in East Bay and you want Ethiopian food, this place should be top of your list (conveniently close to a freeway, too).

    (5)

  • Meygan N.

    Considering there are probably more Ethiopian restaurants in Berkeley/Oakland than there are in Ethiopia, Addis stands out significantly! I absolutely love this place. Perfect for dates and family dinners. Everyone I've taken here has enjoyed it! I really like the different types of beer they have, too. I haven't explored the menu as much I would have liked to because I am so obsessed with the Vegi Kornis (combo platter - not on the menu, just ask for it), but the handful of dishes I've gotten have all been delicious. The decor is also really sweet - there's a little hut in the corner we got to sit in once. My only complaint (and the reason it doesn't have 5 stars) is the extremely slow service - are they growing the veggies back there or something?! Literally no matter when I've gone in, there's always over an hour wait between being seated and receiving our food. I've started calling in my order an hour before getting there for dine-in service so the food will be close to ready when I arrive - they are really nice to accomodate me. Pros: - AMAZING food - Warm atmosphere - Friendly staff Cons: - Slow service - Kind of pricy, but definitely worth it - you get what you pay for Recommendations: - Veggie Kornis - Beef Tibs - Shiro Wot

    (4)

  • Jenny M.

    My boyfriend and I came here for a late lunch, armed with a Restaurant.com deal and a certain amount that we had to spend. We ended up getting the meat combination plate and also the lamb. We were expecting a separate serving of lamb to come on the side or something, since it was pretty pricey, but what we didn't know was that it was just added on to the huge platter of the meat combination plate. Ordering meat alone (the lamb) was definitely not worth it because the portions were very small. The injera was really hard for me to accept because I don't like looking at things with a ton of holes and it was also a spongey texture. The weirdest part was that it was sour, so at first we thought that maybe it had gone bad or something. After a while, we basically just ate the veggies and meat on the plate and didn't eat much of the injera. My favorites were probably the lamb and the split peas. I think that I am probably not the best person to judge Ethiopian food because this was my first time trying it and it is not really for me, but I also thought that this restaurant was overpriced.

    (3)

  • Katy R.

    In the past I would have given this place 5 stars because I LOVE their chicken tibs, however recently I've noticed there has been no consistency in the flavoring. It's very hit or miss, sometimes the chicken is cooked and spiced to perfection and other times I'm left with bland just barely cooked meat.

    (3)

  • David B.

    Very good, clean, vegetarian dishes. I order chicken as well, and found it to be too oily and spicy for my taste. A 100% veg dinner for 3 or 4 is priced fairly and affordable. Nice folks and atmosphere

    (3)

  • Dawn C.

    Good vegan options (as is the case with most Ethiopian places). The food seemed fresh, the service was great, and the atmosphere was nice. The serving size is a little smaller than you get at most of the Ethiopian restaurants in the area, but maybe it is a good thing not to feel like you can't walk after a meal!

    (4)

  • Ronald L.

    Having been to several Ethiopian restaurants in San Jose, I can see the pros and cons of Addis Ethiopian Restaurant. What my date and I ordered was the Addis combo platter which consisted of the following: lentils stew, peas stew, salad with tomatoes, chopped collard greens, two types of beef stews with small chopped beef cubes, and chicken stew with a hard-boiled egg and 1 buffalo wing. Pros: Lentils and Peas were tasty. Lentils were a little on the greasy side but that's where all the taste comes from. Vegetarian or carnivore, you should definitely have the lentils in your cuisine! Trust me on that one. I'll donate one monopoly dollar for each unsatisfied yelper. Cons: Maybe it's due to the fact that my date and I ordered the Addis combo platter which includes basically everything, but the meat dishes were lacking in meat. The beef cubes were dry and hard. The beef stew tasted ok but it was nothing compared to the lentils stew. Misc: They have ordinary Western style tables and chairs for those of you comfortable with the usual furniture. Normally, an Ethiopian restaurant will have small stools and a small round table in the middle just barely big enough to hold the round plate of injera (the bread thingy) and sauces. I believe that table is called a mesob and it's handmade from straw! Overall, it was a great experience. If you never had Ethiopian food, you should definitely allocate one day this year to try it. Don't forget to wash your hands since your friends definitely don't want to each off the same injera your nose-picking fingers have touched.

    (3)

  • choi t.

    I would give it a zero star if I could. Waiting over one hour for drinks and food. Tea machine was broken. 1 hour for tea. Same with dinner. I asked why it took so long and waitress said "maybe kitchen". Horrible service. No explaination.

    (1)

  • Jason S.

    This is arguably (probably) the best the Ethiopian spot in the Bay! My girlfriend and I are regulars at this place and there are many reasons why. The service is quality for one. For two, they have the best authentic Ethiopian specialty dishes around. Third, the ambience is unmatched by most ethnic restaurants in the area. Here's what the locals and the servers themselves highly recommend: 1) Kitfo Special - raw beef tartare mixed with tiny bits of spinach and super fresh & light goat cheese crumbles; all coalesced in their wonderful Ethiopian spices. I recommend this prepared medium-rare. 2) Rib-Eye Tibbs - well-done rib-eye steak strips in onions and spices. 3) Fasolia - deliciously thrice sauteed/pan fried carrots & green beans in nicely oiled, rich tomato-based sauce. 4) Fish Tibbs - fried pieces of Catfish in a delicious spicy tomato-based sauce. 5) Veggie Combo - A combination of fresh veggie clusters including sauce-y yellow and red lentils, sauteed carrots & potatoes and collard greens. 6) Injera Rolls - Great appetizer consisting of a their marquee super-thin sourdough spongy bread wrapped around gingery, sauce-y yellow and red lentils. Pop these suckers in your mouth ahead of your entrees. To drink, try the Ethiopian honey wine---you will love this! For the non-alcoholics, try flaxseed smoothie which is basically like mini wheats cereal blended with honey and water--it's so bomb! For coffee & dessert, try the Affogato (Espresso in a cup with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream) for a sweet little pick-me-up and a great ending to some authentic offerings. Try any of the items mentioned above. Addis will not fail you, my friend.

    (5)

  • Chris C.

    When it comes to Ethiopian food, different people have different tastes and expectations. This place gets great reviews (and boy was it busy last night!), but for me it was just ok. Friendly attentive service though. The server was careful to politely point out the $10 corkage (fair), which was nice. However, the beef was stringy, collards bitter, chicken and fish overcooked, lentils greasy, injera tart and stone cold. I know that's harsh and it's just my opinion, many will disagree. Actually Addis was a nice experience overall and the flavors decent (if a bit underwhelming). Have been a big fan of Ahadu restaurant (just up the street, maybe a different name until recently), the lady in that kitchen is, or was, simply amazing. Anyhow, with more than a dozen Ethiopian places in the neighborhood, there is much more to try.

    (3)

  • Judy R.

    I have become a regular here. I drive 50 minutes once a week to visit this restaurant. Truly worth it. It's a family environment and the servers are so sweet.

    (5)

  • Raha G.

    This is by far the best Ethiopian food I've had. Everything is well seasoned and delicious. The injera is also good, although I'm no expert on that. The only thing I would change is the service, which is VERY slow. The servers seemed to spend more time chatting with each other than checking up on the customers. Restaurants have to be careful when this starts happening with their staff because even if your food is excellent, customers will still leave with a bad taste in their mouths if the service is terrible.

    (4)

  • Catrina L.

    We came in here with a restaurant.com and I love how they designed the place. But they could have made it warmer since I was freezing and had to wear my jacket the whole time I was there. Their service is very friendly and attentive! But I was expecting the food to be a little bit more flavorful. I'm not sure if I'm just not used to it (it's my first time eating Ethiopian food) but I wasn't really crazy about the seasoning. I also wasn't a fan of the bread. Portion size was really good for the price! We had to take the rest of our food home then I put a little bit more spice and it turned out great! The honey wine is very good too! It's a must to try :) It was ok but not really that memorable for us was expecting it to be a little bit more better. My bf and I weren't really crazy about the good but the service is good.

    (2)

  • BetheBrit Z.

    Loooove Addis restaurant! Best Vegetarian combo, hands down. Make sure you try the Shiro as well. So tasty. Don't bother going elsewhere.... this is it.

    (5)

  • K M.

    I love the injera here! But careful, it's sneaky and makes you super full! I didn't even finish my dish because I used so much injera shoveling it in. That just meant I got to eat it the next day so no complaints! Honey wine is a bit too sweet for me but the carrot and green bean dish makes up for it!!

    (5)

  • Hailey G.

    Really great Ethiopian food. I come here every thanksgiving because I am not a big fan of American thanksgiving. I am a vegetarian of course so you can't really blame me. They have great service and food I love their Fossolia!!!!!! It is amazing.

    (5)

  • Eternal T.

    One of the best authentic Ethiopian restaurants I have eaten at so far.

    (4)

  • kate s.

    i'm so glad i wrote this review two years ago and told myself to get the injera appetizer and the tofu...it was the perfect meal. tofu is super delicious and crispy yet chewy. spicy and savory but not TOO spicy. and the injera appetizer satisfied my ever-present craving for the lentils and the split peas. the perfect meal! future kate--try the eggplant!

    (5)

  • Jen M.

    We come here whenever we get the chance and we are always happy! We get the Addis combo and kitfo, rare. We sometimes get the honey wine too. It's very sweet do it's not for everyone. The service here is always good. You get checked on to make sure you're ok, glasses are filled, and that you're good on injera. Not to overbearing but also not leaving you with empty drinks. If you have not tried Ethiopian food what are you waiting for?! Pick a combo here to try a bit of everything, you can't go wrong!

    (5)

  • Nique F.

    As I was scooping up cubes of spicy beef with my bare hands, dribbling some onto the tablecloth en route to my mouth, and chewing with squirrel-like vigor, I thought...this is what Ethiopians have to do on a first date? Or, do they go out for Italian instead? We passed a few Ethiopian restaurants on our walk to Addis and I was relieved to discover it's the most welcoming of the bunch. The ambiance is tasteful and authentic, with bamboo-like separators between the tables, scoring some "intimate" points. It's nothing to marvel at, but you can tell they put some effort into making it feel cozy. Noted. Feeling saucy, we ordered the Addis Combo platter (actually, we had to spend $35 to use our restaurant.com coupon, and this was the most expensive dish on the menu). Of course, some items were extra delish and others were just so-so, but we scarfed as much as we could and took home the rest. Ethiopian leftovers...now that's a breakfast of champions. Mmm hmm. Try the imported Harar beer! Or the brewed-to-order Ethiopian coffee. If you want something filling, affordable and out of the ordinary, Addis is the ticket.

    (3)

  • Scott B.

    My favorite Ethiopian place west of Baltimore/DC (and I've been to many). The fassolia is AMAZING!

    (5)

  • Yayne H.

    I just went here for a late lunch/early dinner on Thursday. The food was good and the variety of options commendable. Even the ambiance was pleasant - bright, spacious and the deco was not drab and heavy (which i find many ethiopian restaurants tend to have). However, I had a weird experience that mutes all that I mentioned above. To make a long story short, a friend and I asked about the meat combo but ended up ordering the Veggie combo and additional two meat plates. We had nothing against meat but we were trying to get as much variety for a good price as we could. The food arrives and we immediately dig in. A good 5 minutes later, we realize that - wait a min- we actually were given the meat combo with the additional meat plates. At this point, we had already dipped into the sauces from the meat combo so we figured they would just bring the veg dishes out once we tell our waitress. But to my (our) horror, they take the plate away while our hands are still hovering over the plate and come back with the section of the meat combo dishes literally cut out and replaced with a piece of injera with the veg sauces. Now let me explain why this is an utter defiance of proper restaurant/hospitality etiquette. First, if a restaurant makes the mistake, you compensate your customers for your slip up, not take it away. Its one thing if we were allergic... but no, we just wanted veggies. Taking away the section of the food that the customer has already started eating suggests that they are a.) greed enough to CUT OUT a part of the plate or b.) going to recycle that portion and serve it to someone else (public health threat anyone?). Secondly, its PLAIN AWKWARD and RUDE. If this were say, a mexican or italian restaurant, you could easily take away the plate and replace it. The fact that this is a shared plate and they cut it out definitely incited some laughs from people. All in all, my point is that we weren't attempting to get more food than what we paid for, this restaurant just didn't seem to be keen on proper hospitality.

    (2)

  • Larry l.

    Sorry this place didnt work for me. Service was great, very friendly and accomodating. I just didnt find the Addis combination to be tasty for my palette. Everything seemed to have a bitter kind of vinegary taste and the food wasn't very hot coming out. This was my first time for Ethiopian food and saw favourable reviews, i think i was expecting something closer to Moroccan.

    (2)

  • Miss B.

    I love to eat, I eat out quite a bit and do so around the world. I used to live in the bay and often times went to Addis. Never had major issues, just the typical my tummy hurts because I am eating food that isn't made with the heart in mind lol. This time I ate the doro tibs, the sponge bread, the collard greens and the lentils and have been sick for 18 hours. Just ridiculous. It started about 12 hours after I ate. I have been in the bathroom all day. This is ridiculous. Clean your utentsils, food or whatever it is that is causing illness Addis. Last time my friend got sick like I did this time. Won't be going back to findout if the third time is the charm! For those who dare, the parking is cool, price is ridiculously high, inside does not have a warm and welcoming atmosphere at all, food taste good but it isn't good!

    (1)

  • Grace Y.

    Cute atmosphere with delicious food. You can sit in the hut and feel like you're in a different world, but your back might hurt at the end of the meal. Dishes are about $10 each, and you probably want 1 dish per person. Go in a group so you can try more dishes. I liked the chicken tibs, which was very crispy. There was also a great veggie dish with carrots that started with an F, sorry can't remember the name.

    (4)

  • Stacy D.

    Addis just does not compare to Colucci and Dareye. The collard greens in their veggie combo is mushy. Their meat dishes are consistently overcooked and can really challenge you while you try to consume them. I have been here twice and I cannot think of one dish that I would try again.

    (3)

  • Kawena V.

    most amazing grub and service. perfect place for big family dinners!!! or dates ;) though fair warning, if you havnt tried etheopian food or any african/middle eastern food. Be wary, im not saying DONT GO, because that would just suck for you! cause you'd be walking out on a GREAT eating experience, i just recommend an open mind, and no over-thinking or questioning on the food, JUST EAST IT AND YOULL GET IT!!!! i promise?

    (5)

  • Jennifer S.

    This was my first time trying Ethiopian food and it was pretty interesting. I first had the Ethiopian honey wine which was tasty and unique. We got the food platter which gave us an opportunity to try a lot of different dishes. I wasn't used to the bread/naan that was used to scoop up the food, it seemed very plastic like to me. The different samplers were pretty good. The set up of the place is interesting because the tables are divided by bamboo like screens so you have some privacy.

    (3)

  • jessica w.

    I've been dining at Addis for years and continue to only have positive experiences. The restaurant is relatively small, but I've always been seated in a timely manner regardless of the size of my party (there has been up to 6 of us). The atmosphere is chill and casual; has a good vibe. The tables aren't crammed together and the noise level is moderate; you can have a group and not overwhelm the area or you can have an intimate conversation at a small table without yelling. The waitstaff is very attentive and I've had nothing but excellent service. They will also help you decide on dishes, etc. Their food is amazing. I typically order the Vegetarian Combination which includes: gomen, yemeser wot, ater kik, alicha denich. The gomen (collard greens) is fantastic and best I've had in this area. The rest of the vegetarian dishes are outstanding as well. The platter serves 2-3 easily. I'm not a vegetarian and have tried some of their meat dishes; the tibs are great. I choose primarily the vegetarian dishes here because they are so flavorful and you get enough protein with the lentils. The side green salad is a nice compliment to any of the entrees. The injera will fill you quickly so pace yourself, or just scoop the vegetables up with lettuce from the salad once you are getting full. There is a small parking lot outside the restaurant as well as plenty of street parking.

    (4)

  • Chanon C.

    I love this place. I love how they make their chicken tibbs, and vegy combo platter. The chicken is slightly pan fried with spices, it's not saucy, and they put the berber sauce on the side. I tried a lot of Ethiopian restaurant in that area, and I like this place the best. They serve really delicious food. Yummm.....

    (5)

  • Hailey P.

    Once Upon a time, this sheltered Wisconsin girl experienced her first Ethiopian food. AND OMG WHERE HAS IT BEEN MY WHOLE LIFE?! I have eaten at one other Ethiopian place on telegraph and this one is the best. You gotta go ahead and get the combination plate, 6 veggies and 3 meats I believe? Don't ask me for details because I will say I like the yellow stuff and the brown stuff and the spinach stuff basically each pile of indistinguishable food is amazing. Honestly roll it all up in some spongy bread and I am in food bliss! Be sure to try the honey wine.. YUM! Eating with your hands hasn't been this funny since jello jigglers!

    (5)

  • Yoli B.

    This place would of got a 2 or maybe even a 3 star rating from me last night.... BUT this morning and most of the day I found myself PISSING OUT OF MY ASS! Not fun especially at work. I am pretty sure it was the kitfo which I have never had a problem with in the past. I have had it many places and I have never been sick from it. But yeah, If you looking to lose 5 lbs fast try your luck with the kitfo here.

    (1)

  • Julie L.

    This place is WONDERFUL! Very reasonable price, the best Ethiopian food I've eaten (experience= Little Ethiopia in LA and some other places in Berk.), and just.. generally nice place. I got the Addis Combo with 2 other friends - VERY good size (we were plenty full by the end) - I think the total wasn't even $20? Plus, there are vegetarian options - which I will definitely try NEXT time I go! :) You know you're at an authentic/good Ethiopian place when you notice you're the only english speaking customer/ NON-Ethiopian in the room...

    (5)

  • Leslie N.

    Addis had the somewhat interesting presence of a security guard by the front door. Just having been subject to buzzworthiness at Saysetha, we began to seriously wonder about who on earth has previously walked through the doors of the establishments on this stretch of Telegraph. We apparently passed muster (despite my still-pink mohawk) and were greeted by the security guard, so then walked in without incident. Being such big fans of Cafe Eritrea d'Afrique, we wondered if we'd like Addis as much. Ethiopian food is almost the same as Eritrean food, but not quite - some of the spicing is slightly different, some of the items are slightly different. Turns out we really liked Addis. The atmo has a lot on Eritrea d'Afrique - nice partitions that separate diners from one another, low lighting, no linoleum. It actually reminded me of Asmara, which I also really like (and which we really need to review - I've been there, Partner in Chow has not). The service, on the other hand, can be described as casual at best. At one point I actually got up myself to go find a napkin after waiting for about 5 minutes, but then again I felt pretty comfortable doing so. It's a pretty laid-back vibe in there. What we ordered: Addis combination explosion, which included your typical vegetarian items (red & yellow mashies, salad, collard-ish greens) as well as a couple meat items (um.. beef?) Service: don't be in a hurry. Or if you are, let them know and be prepared to snag your own cutlery if necessary. Atmo: calm, quiet Crowd: mellow Berkeley folks Spent: around $30.00 Overall rating: 4 sporks The atmo helped push Addis into 4-spork land, though Partner in Chow thinks she likes the food at Eritrea d'Afrique better. It's slightly hard to compare because we ordered meat at Addis, and have never done so at Ed'A. Overall, the injera was great and we ate all our food, so we must have liked it a lot. We'd eat there again. As reviewed on the blog: eatinguptelegraph.blogsp…

    (4)

  • Rinky N.

    I was hoping to like this place more than we did. We ordered two veggie combos. They were decent enough but the potatoes and the yellow lentils seemed to be undercooked a little. Maybe the meat dishes are tastier? The portions were big and the prices reasonable. Our server was very sweet, no complaints. I liked the ambiance--maybe because were here when it was still daylight the room felt very sunny and welcoming. I liked the fact that it seemed to be a neighborhood place where Ethiopians and other folks were enjoying themselves. There were quite a few kids and they all seemed to be content too. I'm not sure if we'd go back. Our fav Ethiopian place is 2 blocks away.

    (3)

  • Katie E.

    I love this place. Their food is wonderful and their honey wine is amazing. I like the doro wot at other places better, but otherwise it's all good. The slow service is par for the course at any Ethiopian restaurant. They want you to linger over the food. It's a cultural thing.

    (4)

  • Jack C.

    Decent and authentic Ethiopian place on Telegraph. The injera is soft and flavorful. Well done. The vegetarian combination tib is a great deal. Enough for 2 people. * I like the corner table, but overall, it's nothing more than the usual Ethiopian restaurant.

    (4)

  • jacob l.

    While its not much to look at from the outside, the first thing I noticed when I walked into the building was the wonderful smell of spices that was enveloping the room and I became immediately excited by the prospect of sampling their offerings as quickly as possible! The music, which I assume was also ethiopian or at least what I imagine people would listen to in Ethiopia helped my ears catch up to my nose! The tables were separated by tall wooden dividers that created a nice sense of privacy and further aided the atmosphere. Was here with my parents, who are both vegetarians, so we decided to all share a large portion of vegetarian food. I don't know everything that we ordered as we basically asked the waitress to recommend a bunch of dishes which she did gladly and almost with excitement. I know we got the vegetarian combination dish and then a couple of additional dishes. We definitely had the tofu dish (which was very crispy but delicious) as well as this dish that appeared to be a mixture of green beans and carrots that was absolutely divine. Even the salad that was served with the platter was delicious. When we asked for more injera (the flat, Ethiopian sourdough bread) we were given more almost immediately! All in all, the food was largely excellent. The wait staff were all helpful, friendly, and seemed genuinely happy that we were enjoying our food and the overall atmosphere was pleasant. Not a fancy place by any means, but then again, that isn't always an important criteria so no points lost in my book for that!

    (4)

  • Adam Y.

    Prices are good and the food is delicious! I split a vegetarian sampler with my friend and it was a ton of food! Injera is definitely an acquired taste and this is only my third or fourth time eating Ethiopian food. It is worth it just for the experience if you have never tried it before.

    (4)

  • Jen Z.

    YUM!! I ate here a few years back and it was delicious. I had no idea that I'd still be so in love with it now! I can not stop raving about the lentils and doro tibs. They are the PERFECT amount of spiciness/robustness. LOVE IT. The wait is long.. even at random hours like 8:00 PM but its all worth it. TRY IT NOWWWWW.

    (5)

  • Holly P.

    the quality of food is inconsistent. i have had great nights and nights where the dishes are more sauce than anything else. i love the addis roll and have stopped for only them on occasion, because the food is hit or miss.

    (3)

  • Sabeen A.

    "Ethiopian food huh.... mmkayyy...." THAT was the snarky response I gave when the cuisine was tossed out as an option. After trying the food at Addis, my smarminess disappeared as quickly as I snarked it on out. Great ambiance, cute decor with a little hut in the back corner of the restaurant, excellent wine list, and amazing service. Everyone was all smiles and very attentive and the food was DELICIOUS. In one visit, I officially became a fan of Ethiopian food. Now I only have to find a restaurant of equal 5 starriness on the East coast...

    (5)

  • Marcy G.

    After reading other reviews on Yelp, we were prepared to wait a long time, but the wait wasn't that bad. What was bad, was that we ordered the veggie combo plates and didn't get everything that was listed for the combo. We recalled about 5 different dishes (aside from the salad) and we got 3, but 3 dollops of those 3. The wait staff didn't mention anything and walked away. We were hungry and didn't notice the discrepancy until there were no wait staff around. The food tasted great, so we ate it all, but were disappointed. It was enough food, but not the variety the menu had indicated. Also, we were charged $5.50 for a 12 oz. bottle of beer that usually costs $3.50 - $4 elsewhere. We did like the interior decorating, but don't feel it made up for the poor value of the dinner.

    (2)

  • Nita N.

    This is my favorite Ethiopian restaurant in the bay area. The food is consistently delish and always satisfying. It's a great restaurant to go to with a group of friends so you can sample many different dishes. When I still lived in Berkeley, I usually ordered the meat combo that consists of 3 meat dishes (1 chicken and 2 beef) and injera, which is a sour bread-like food used to scoop up the meats and veggies. My favorite dish was the yesega wot, which is chunks of beef stewed with a tasty assortment of spices. The chicken dish is good too, but I don't love it, so I usually ask to substitute it with lentils. All of their veggie dishes are actually really good and worth a try. Don't forget to order their honey wine when you dine here. I've tried a few other Ethiopian restaurants in the area and they're not anywhere near as good as Addis.

    (5)

  • Samuel B.

    Dear Paleo fanatics: If grains and legumes are so bad for people, why do they taste so good here?

    (5)

  • Tina S.

    Decor doesn't look like much, but food and service are great!!!

    (4)

  • Chad L.

    Ok, so it took several months after the first mention of Ethiopian food before I actually got to go out and enjoy some. I went with my lovely partner and we just took off to Addis and parked a few blocks away not realizing they had a lot. When we sat down, the menu was a welcome addition to the table as I had no clue what I was going to order and it still took several minutes before I had any idea. We decided on tofu tibs and alicha denich, (a potato and carrot dish) and for once I only got water, since I wanted my pallet to be keen for the food. Several minutes went by and our delightful hostess brought out what was a large platter and all of the accoutrement needed for a very filling meal. I mean it, this food fills you up. In a good way, but trust me you don't need to order much. Oh yeah, uh you use your hands to eat so if that's weird to you, then get over it or don't come here. Anyways, back to the food. It was damned good and in all honesty the tofu tibs may be my favorite tofu dish of all time! I mean they're too damned good! My mouth is watering just remembering them and I went a few months ago so that gives you an idea of how good they are. I highly recommend this to people looking to broaden their culinary horizons and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have thus far. CHAD

    (4)

  • F J.

    Kind of like dumping all your food onto a slightly sour pancake. Eating with your hands is fun though! I had a meat combination and the three meats came in bowls, which was kinda interesting. I thought all the food was just supposed to be plopped onto the injera... and the meat sauce was slimy and was soaking through the injera. The lighting of this place is kinda dim too... feel like this is where people come to take their dates. Service was a bit slow here too... like they wanted us to keep talking! I was trying to read the information paper on the alphabet inserted into the table but it was angled perpendicular to the seating... so I had to keep tilting my head to read it... kind of a pain. It was pretty interesting too! Good idea, meh execution. I honestly thought I would have rated this place higher but I didn't have anything too positive or negative to say...

    (3)

  • Ryan L.

    Delicious. My wife and I love Addis. We're new to Ethiopian food and I don't think we'll look further than Addis. It's an intimate environment with tasty food. For first timers, we recommend the combination plate. After that, you will get to focus on what your palette delights in. Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Maulie D.

    You know you are at a great sit-down restaurant when it's still busy at 3 PM on a Monday afternoon with people that know what good food should taste like. I have been to Addis a few times - to commence a girls night out, for a date, and just for grub - and I have been so pleased each time. The ambiance is simple and allows for easy conversation. Place is clean, staff is nice. This is also a diamond in the rough because of the amazing shirowat - it's worth the 20 minute wait! There is a private parking lot and plenty of street parking on Telegraph. If I did have one point of criticism, then it would be for the elevator music in the background. But it's not irritating, rather it's actually amusing because if they actually had good music then place would be just perfect. But that's not possible is it? :) Note: The patio looks like it's under construction and they are redoing some of their tiles near the patio door, so don't go there expecting to be seated outside.

    (5)

  • Matt L.

    Here's the thing. The food is good, but it's not like it's better than any of the other Ethiopian places on Telegraph. So then it comes down to other factors, and we were a little disappointed by both the wait staff and the lack of available tables. The wait staff were friendly and nice, we just felt like we were waiting for them a long time. And there just weren't that many tables for two, so my wife and I had to wait a little bit, and that's before we had to wait for the wait staff once we were actually seated. I'm trying to see if I can use the word "wait" a dozen times before I'm done. Seriously, we both enjoyed Cafe Colucci's better (just down the road). The food might have been slightly better at Addis, but Colucci's has much more room and many more tables, plus the service is super fast and just as friendly. I like Ethiopian food, but have never been to a place that made me say, "Wow, THIS is the place I have to go to!" Certainly this one wasn't it. Maybe I need to keep looking.

    (3)

  • Roya K.

    Dude. Just dude. I know I have to keep my yelp reviews g-rated, possibly pg or pg-13 if I push it. I'm sorry Yelp!- but this place is SOOOO effing good! Holy frickin hell. The thought of it makes me salivate. (Focus, Roya... focus...) So this was my first Ethiopian experience. So if you are a connoisseur of this cuisine and you completely disagree with me, then my bad. I thought this place was delicious. First off, not to shock anyone, there's no silverware. There's no plates. They serve the food on one big dish and you eat it with their delicious bread. If you are super neurotic about hands being clean, and not wanting to eat with your hands, this might not be the place for you. If you're only mildly neurotic like I am, then the deliciousness of this food will trump your worries about dirty fingers. We ordered (please forgive the vagueness of these dishes, I couldn't pronounce most of the dishes, let alone remember their names) a chicken dish, a steak dish, a chickpea "wot" and the only name I remember, the fassolia. I liked the dishes in that order (From least to most). Yes!!! Meat-eating, carnivorous me put the meatless dishes last on my list of faves! Every dish was good, but some were phenomenal. When I took my first bite of the fassolia, I'm pretty sure the clouds parted and an angel descended from the heavens and gave me a high five. No lie. It happened. If you go there, you MUST order this dish, you MUST get your angel high five, then you MUST thank me after wards. You'll see.... On top of all this, the staff was very friendly and helpful. You just can't go wrong with this place. My only complaint would be that the parking lot is teeny-tiny. But who cares? Find somewhere else to park and walk. It is worth it.

    (5)

  • DeAnna T.

    I have now been here a number of times, it is my regular digs. Definitely my favorite Ethiopian place, but my last meal wasn't perfect. Another cold meal may bring my rating down to a 3... I see they have breakfast, haven't tried it, but it looks very interesting!!

    (4)

  • David W.

    I have always enjoyed coming to this restaurant. The food here is great! We always get the veggie plate, chicken, & injera. The staff has always been friendly & polite...The parking available isnt that great, and sometimes theres a bit of a wait because its often busy, but for this place, its worth the 15 minute wait for the awesome food!

    (5)

  • Beverly T.

    3.5 stars. Better than Cafe Eritrea D'Afrique but not as good as Assab Eritrean Restaurant. Service was slooooooooooow. I know that place is crackin and all but they need to get more than 2 waitresses. Stood there for atleast good 10 minutes til anyone even acknowledged us. Then took more time to get seated. Overall... just really slow service. Maybe it's cause one of the waitresses is a tiny girl who looks like she weighs 85 pounds but has 20 pounds of hair. Think Whitney Houston on crack. Yeah... something like that.... Got the meat combo, vegetarian combo and their special eggplant. Gomen (collard greens): Pretty good but didn't seem to fit in with the other dishes. Just not as flavorful but I still liked them. Yemeser Wot: Delicious red mush. One of my favorite parts of the meal. Ater Kik: Yellow mush. Eh. Just ok. Flavor was a little bland. Alicha Denich: Potatoes. I liked them but it was difficult picking hunks of potatoes up with the injera. Yedoro Wot: Chicken drumstick and a hard-boiled egg in spiced berbere sauce. One TINY drumstick, one hard ass over boiled egg. Sauce was delicious but soaked through the injera and dripped everywhere. Wish there was more meat. Yesga Wot: Same sauce as above but with beef in it. Flavor was really yummy but again, too little meat and the sauce was too watery. Maybe if I had a bowl of rice to mix the sauce in, it'd be easier to eat? I dernos... I love saucy rice. Yesega Alicha: I thought this was chicken this whole time. Until I just reread the menu. Along with the eggplant and red mush, this was one of my favorite dishes. Tasted very curry-like. Eggplant: YUMMMY. Order this if it's on their specials. Slightly sweet and perfectly cooked texture. This was my fav dish of the night by far. I like how their injera isn't too sour. Sidenote: It was the sister and sister's bf's first time eating Ethiopian, I don't think they were fans. Especially since they both got stomach aches after eating here. =P The bf and I liked it though! No aching tummies for us!

    (3)

  • Dararith L.

    I've never had Ethiopian food before. Ever. Upon stepping through the door, I was immediately welcomed by a friendly host/waitress. Okay, service with a smile. Good so far! =) I sat with trepidation and sipped on my hot Ethiopian tea with a smile on my face as it resembles an old Oolong tea favorite. I looked at the menu and was both perplexed and enthused by the items on the menu...minced raw meat? (But isn't that like ground beef?) If I can eat rare steak and raw fish, why the hell not? My friend and I got the Kitfo and Tibs, and the host provided several other side dishes on the house--can't argue with that! I was baffled. The food arrived in a large saucer tray which is to be shared amongst your local starving cohort, if any. What a feast! The food is served with Injera (it's this pink sourdough pancake bread that is analogous to Chapathi or Tortilla) and is used for grabbing and consuming your food. [At one point, I was just thinking of wrapping it all up in a burrito fashion and downing it, but I believe it would have been wrong for so many reasons to do this] The meat and vegetables reminds me of Indian food, with the exception of the dishes being slightly less curry base, but more Ethiopian flavoring goodness, i.e. the Kitfo came with an optional red powder spice (I don't know what's it called...shame on me...) which tastes a bit sour more than spicy hot, but it gives the raw meat some extra flavoring (almost like Tamarind) that will make you wonder why you didn't eat raw meat as often before. The entire presentation and experience was very rich and enjoyable. The table we were sitting in even had articles to view that taught us about Ethiopian culture and how it takes a person--something ridiculous, like 3 months and a day to learn their native alphabet language...such scientific accuracy! That's +/- 1 day of error in significant digits, but anyway... I highly recommend this restaurant. I'm only giving it 4 stars as I wasn't prepared and started eating up most of the Injera and not so much the main entree. For shame! I'm usually great with balancing out my carbs (bread/rice) with proportional meat/veggies (uh, stir fry?), but this time...it caught me off guard. As a result, I wasn't able to dive into the heart of the food and attack it with as much gluttonous vigor as I normally do with most of my food, thereby succumbing me to the doggy bag experience for further review at a later date, which turned out distasteful (Ethiopian food doesn't seem to sit out well...even after refrigeration)!

    (4)

  • Jnzl D.

    Ok. So today they earned their extra half star. Really I'd give them a whole additional star just for the FASSOLIA!!!!! Seriously one of the best things I've ever eaten, EVER!!!

    (5)

  • Naseem E.

    Best Ethiopian restaurant in the East Bay, and arguably the bay area. Had their meat dishes, didn't care for it. Their vegetarian food on the other hand...SUPER DUPER YUMMY. If you're with two or three people, get the Vegetarian combination, it has a little bit of everything. The staff is extremely friendly. From the outside, the restaurant doesn't look the greatest. On the inside however, it's very clean, decorative, and charming. Note: The bread is spongy and the food can be spicy. I love it, but some people I've gone with didn't care for it.

    (4)

  • Trina M.

    Addis was my first exposure to Ethiopian food, and I immediately became a fan. I've become a fan of vegetarian Ethiopian dishes, but if you also eat meat the veggie and meat combo is a good introduction. The veggie fir fir is delicious as well, and the kitfo is great! I much prefer it raw than cooked, but that is personal preference there. The prices are very reasonable and portions are generous, the meat and veggie platter is listed to feed two but we ended up taking a large box of leftovers home! Only downside is service does take a while, so its best to come eat here with friends and share a bottle of Tej (honey wine) when your not in a rush and don't mind just hanging out for a while and talking.

    (4)

  • Madelyn R.

    The atmosphere in Addis is wonderful. Simple, beautiful bamboo partitions offer intimacy between tables and a lovely "hut" seating for 4 in the corner with traditional style seating around a low table gives the option of a pleasant, even more authentic Ethiopian dining experience. We ordered the vegan combination and the fassolia, both of which were deliciously prepared! I've been disappointed by the spicing of the vegetarian combos elsewhere, but Addis nailed the flavor of each individual dish and delivered a fantastic meal! All for a very reasonable price. Our server was wonderfully warm, welcoming, and lovely all around. We loved our meal and our entire experience there.

    (4)

  • Meena H.

    Hands down my fav restaurant. Being vegan is a treat when you go here because you have so many delicious options. My favs: tofu tibs, fasolia, vegie fir fir, yameser wot and the hakim stout beer...yum!

    (5)

  • Donnette M.

    I am addicted to this place!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE their food...I can say that I am always bringing someone new to try it out....because 9 times out of 10 they LOVE IT TOO! :D

    (5)

  • Ninette B.

    Doro Tibs + Veggie Platter = where it's at!! I've been to this place twice now... I used to go to Ethiopian Restaurant down the street and think this place is FAR better... though my friend thinks the Injera at ER is better than at Addis. I don't care about that.. the flavor of the food at Addis is much more savory.. and the service is WAY faster than at ER. Of all the Ethiopian restaurants I've tried (2 in Sac, 2 in Berkeley), this is by far the best and I'll definitely be back soon. PS a lot of these reviews say long wait.. I've only been 2x, but the wait was never that bad. Plus.. had there been a wait.. I'd totally do it.

    (5)

  • Grace C.

    This is my second Ethiopian restaurant I've been to in Oakland and came highly recommended by my Ethiopian friend, she was born and raised there. I think this place has the edge over Ensarro. We had the lamb tibs and the vegetarian platter. Lamb came in huge tasty chunks with caramelized onion, delicious! You could taste more of that meaty goodness whereas I think at Ensarro they were chopped smaller and therefore a bit more overcooked. The decor here is very cozy..they took the time to give it some ambience with all the bamboo creating semi-private walls and corners. The owners and servers are extremely friendly and attentive. Leftovers hold up quite nicely, nothing like an Ethiopian breakfast the next day!

    (4)

  • Ruby H.

    Wow, this place is a GOLDEN FIND. The veggie food platter is da bomb dot com. Its pretty big - one order was enough for both my FOOD-DUMPSTER-of-a-friend & me, even though we had just burnt off like 1k calories each at the gym (ok maybe not, but I can pretend). I'm usually a savage meat eater, but I was willing to forgo the deliciousness for the sake of my friend, who I was treating. Addis did not disappoint (afterall, they were voted best in the East Bay for vegetarian dishes, or something)! The lentils were my favorite dish -- full of flavor & spice, & the injera was really fun. I didn't like the potatoes too much & the salad was a little strange to eat with injera, but the rest of the dishes were good. We arrived around 9pm on a Tuesday night & there was no wait. The restaurant was actually pretty empty! The veggie plate was $11 or so, quite cheap considering that it feeds two. We also had some delicious honey wine for $5 apiece. Shiet, I'd be willing to treat just about anyone here, considering the prices. PS - They have a security guard for the parking lot, which only has space for like 6 cars, ahha.

    (4)

  • jackie c.

    Very comfortable and fun place to take older kids. They loved the fish, tofu tibs and lentils are great. Service was friendly and quick, not too busy when we went.

    (4)

  • Sheila O.

    This was the first Ethiopian restaurant I ever ate at....and LOVED it!! Super obsessed now!!

    (5)

  • Betty B.

    I actually enjoyed the ambiance and food at Addis. The hostesses were helpful about menu options and portion sizes. I've been wanting to try this place out for a couple months, it was worth the wait.

    (5)

  • Kristel D.

    I never thought Ethiopian food would taste so good. The Injera was great. Even the vegetarian dishes leave you feeling very full. My favorite is their fish. Their meat dishes are excellent as well. Definitely have to eat with your hands. Awesome experience.

    (4)

  • Davey R.

    One of the joys of living close to family, is getting your parents to take you out of a nice meal on your birthday. I got mine to take me to Addis this year. Now, while I am not a vegetarian, I like to force my family to eat vegetarian when they are around me, so that I can prove to them that the best food in the world does not include meat. Addis helped me greatly here. We ordered: GOMEN (awesome collard greens) YEMESER WOT (baller lentils) and possibly ALICHA DENICH, I do not remember The food was amazing. Intense flavor, great spices, and crap tons of Injera to go with it. My parents loved it as well. They both claimed they are going to bring all their friends over to Oakland now every time they need a good place to eat. I love being right.

    (5)

  • Meenakshi T.

    I live to eat and not eat to live - so waiting 10 hours so that I was sufficiently hungry to do justice to the food here after a trip to the Chabot Space Center was perfectly acceptable in my books - my husband gave me weird looks like I had sprung two extra heads. Getting here was fairly uncomplicated - it is an unpretentious place on Telegraph Avenue with about half a dozen parking spots - we found parking pretty easy both times that we visited this place. On both my trips I focused on the Veggie Combo - The veggie combo comes on a huge platter filled with a yellow lentil (ater kik), a red lentil (yemeser wot), a potato and carrot stew (alicha denich), a collard green preperation (gomen) and a green salad - served with unlimited injera (made from fermented millets - very similar to soft indian dosas). The star of the show for me was the gomen and the yemeser wot. My son gobbled up the injera with the alicha denich, so for me that was a winner too. I did try the chicken doro wot which was flavorful but I didn't really want to focus on the meat with so many awesome vegetarian options available. Try to give your palate an adventure....visit some unknown land of deliciousness...you won't regret it.

    (5)

  • Silvia A.

    Excellent food! 10 stars from me:)

    (5)

  • Deirdre B.

    This was the very first time I've ever had Ethiopian food, but it definitely won't be the last. The biggest shocker to me (and a big reason for the 5 star review) was how $45 could feed 4 of us such an amazing full meal. The atmosphere was warm and inviting inside, the service was very good and the food was delicious. I sometimes find trying a new cuisine a bit intimidating, but I felt at ease very quickly here. The menu descriptions of the food were concise and very helpful. I think I'm now an Ethiopian food convert.

    (5)

  • Michelle P.

    Had the combo (veggies and meat) and the fish tibs. the meats are just so-so. the fish was very good. the bread was a little too sour for my liking. I think I may have had too high of expectations because my friends had raved about it so much and insisted that I try it. Try buying a restaurant.com coupon for this place, it's worth it!! service was also super, super slow. we waited 15-20 minutes to get our check and another 15 minutes for them to pick up our check. granted, there were only two ladies working and it was quite busy. the owner was just sitting there browsing the internet...no respect there whatsoever.

    (2)

  • James C.

    We got 2 of the combo platters for the 7 of us and we enjoyed ourselves. I really liked the curries and the veggies were a nice complement. Get the honey wine too. The only negative was that it took forever to get seated even though there were open tables. The staff could be a friendlier. The food here was better than Razela's in SF though, and I could see myself coming back here. Anyone know any better Ethiopian spots?

    (3)

  • EB B.

    Addis Restaurant is by far the best. Great food, excellent service, good portions and well priced. The place is very clean and inviting. Veggie is amazing and all their meat dishes are finger licking good. You eat with your hands and order family style. Great place to impress your date or just have fun with the whole family. When I crave Ethiopian, this place is for me.

    (5)

  • Cameron M.

    I recently visited the Addis Ethiopian Restaurant last week with the Oakland Urban Dining Guide team, the experience was pretty postive. We ordered the Abbas Tibs, the Kitfo and the Veg Combo. The Tibs and the Kitfo were real real good, the Veg Combo wasn't anything special. I tried ordering a couple of other things, but was discouraged by the waitress. If you go here stick with the wild meat dishes. Check out the rest of the Oakland Urban Dining Guide's video review here. youtube.com/watch?v=kLF8…

    (4)

  • Andrew Z.

    i had dinner with my girlfriend here, and the food was really not good. I would say average is generous. The servers were good, but the food was not good. The vegetables other than the lettuce, are not fresh. One of the beef dishes was almost not edible. Also, the portion of meat for the "combination" was ridiculous (one small piece of chicken, one small piece of beef, etc.) We had the Addis combination, and ate for about 15 minutes, and asked for the check. We then went to our favorite ethiopian restaurant, and had an enjoyable meal. I won't come here again, and I am very surprised that many yelp folks find this restaurant to be good. No one who is a vegetarian would like this place in my opinion. It is just Ok to below average so two stars.

    (2)

  • Jared H.

    Addis deserves its reputation as a great Ethiopian restaurant. Because of the honors it has won for its vegetarian menu, we stuck to those dishes. We ordered a spicy zucchini dish, the name of which I can't remember, and Ater Kik, a mild dish with split peas that I highly recommend. The meal came with ample amounts of injera, the bread unique to Ethiopian restaurants. The decor is charming, in its attempt to be as African as possible on the edge of Oakland.

    (4)

  • Ree-och G.

    Saw this on CPBA and decided to go there with wifey tonight. I really enjoyed the food there: very savory and spicy. We had the kofti (sp?), fish, and eggplant with some honey wine. The dishes had just enough spice and the flavors were vibrant, but not overpowering. We ended with some coffee (very strong which I like) and the tiramisu which was light and not too sweet. I was impressed by the service because the place filled up shortly after we arrived and there were only 2 servers and we really didn't wait for our food, dessert, or check. Definitely going back!

    (4)

  • Josh D.

    Second best Ethiopian/Eritrean (Habesha) restaurant in the Bay Area. Zennis in San Jose is the best IMHO. The atmosphere is inviting and casual, the service is freindly and the food is GREAT. I love the Veggie Combo, Lamb Tibs ordered wet and spicy, and the traditional fish. Definitely love this place. Reservations never necessary and it is also great to go.

    (4)

  • Ashley B.

    I am biased, since my first experience with Ethiopian food was at Addis with a group of some of my favorite people, and I am still new to Ethiopian cuisine, but I am now completely insane over Ethiopian food and kind of want to eat it for every meal, I mean not so much that I wish I lived in Ethiopia, necessarily, but so much that I am now exploring Oakland more almost based entirely on loving Addis so much and thereby wanting to find out what other wonderful reasons there are to go to Oakland! Maybe even move there! THIS PLACE IS DELICIOUS. It's more atmospheric than a lot of similar places, which I am a big fan of, because atmosphere is key for me in a dining experience, and is generally missing in value-priced places. The decor has big wicker things and even a little palm-frond gazebo in the corner, but somehow it all feels very cozy, charming and evocative, not over the top or gimmicky. The eating-with-your-hands thing is really fun and not at all hard with the yummy, spongy injera bread. For the price, especially, the experience is so warm, cozy and festive that each time I have been there I felt like I was having a nice, fun dinner out, for a quarter of the price of other places I might go for a similar sort of good time. As for the food, get the veggie platter - it's about $10.50. It is enough food to stuff two people silly! My favorite dish in the whole wide world now is Mesir Wot - lentils in oily, tasty, delicious berbere sauce. The injera here is flavorful and spongy, almost like sourdough undercooked-pancakes (I mean that in a good way.) $10-$20 dollars is enough for two people to stuff themselves insanely and still have some to take home to your roommate or eat later. And they are not stingy with their injera! If you're the kind of person who needs really professional super-attentive service, then you might knock a star down for that, but as for me, I think the servers are very pleasant and totally accommodating and capable, just don't be shy about your needs. No need to be rude or snippy, just get their attention and let them know you want something else and they'll get it for you lickety split! Why not settle in? My only complaint is that Addis is in Oakland! And though Axum on Haight is really close to me and good, it's just not as awesome as Addis. Guess I'm moving to the East Bay!

    (5)

  • brewgirl b.

    Great food and very cheap. The combo plate hit the spot after a full day of hiking through the mud in Tilden. Honey wine works well with the more spicy dishes. Average service and atmosphere, but for $20 a head, dinner was well worth it.

    (4)

  • Sally M.

    Recommended to me by a coworker years ago, I decided to go here for my first time when my mom & sister were moving me & my fiance back into Berkeley last fall. I don't remember exactly what we ordered, but I know we got some bitter greens & a couple of meat dishes, & of course, the strange, spongy, sour, tasty injera. My mom ordered a glass of white wine, allowing the waitress to suggest one for her, & when she tasted it before eating she said it was sort of strange & she didn't like it that much. But after we started eating, she tasted it again & said the flavor changed COMPLETELY & that it matched PERFECTLY with the food. She was really impressed. We sat in one of the corners, under one of the little hut structures, around a neat glass-top table. I really enjoyed it & wish I'd been able to make it back there again sometime. Highly recommended.

    (4)

  • Tina J.

    Food: 3 stars Service: 4 Ambiance: 4 Overall: 3.5 stars Lamb Tibs - Flavor was good, but could not tell meat was lamb... it was not tender. Tofu Tibs - It was alright. But didn't taste like it belonged at an Ethiopian restaurant, but moreso at an asian one. It had too much tomatoe and green pepper taste. Did not like that they did not have lamb wot (stew cooked with berbere sauce). The injera is thinner than any other ethiopian place - good that you don't fill up on it, bad that it's hard to keep things intact between the plate and your mouth. On the plus side, they had a huge party that was leaving right when we got there, and the hostess were polite and quick to get us seated. Price is decent too. I would recommend Messob Ethiopian Restaurant in the north bay or Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant if you're in san jose.

    (3)

  • Mary D.

    The boyfriend and I have been in a bit of rut lately. Saturday nights have become very predictable. But, as I had something to celebrate, I told him we had to get out butts out of Point Richmond and try something new. After consulting Yelp, I got inspired to go with Ethiopian cuisine - something we've only had once eons ago. The lighting in the restaurant is quite dim, and apparently we are quite old, or in denial that we need stronger glasses, so the boyfriend ended up asking the waitress for a recommendation in the way of something spicy with lamb. Me, I knew I wanted a veggie combo, so I didn't even have to look at the menu. The boyfriend also ordered an Ethiopian beer, which he raved about. I wouldn't say the food came quickly, nor was it annoyingly slow. As everyone as mentioned, you share a big old round platter and eat with this weird ass spongy bread. My veggie combo was really delicious, particular the red lentil dish. All the food tasted really fresh with distinct clean tastes. And while I didn't think it would fill me up, about 3/4s of the way full I was begging for mercy. The boyfriend also really liked the lamb, which came with a side of spicy red sauce. And that was a big ol' pile of meat. He ended up taking half of it home. The service was fine. Nothing to rave about, but nothing really to complain about. It is not exactly what you would call an elegant restaurant, as I looked around I realized why they kept the lights so dim. But the food was completely delicious, so I have no complaints. And I think we'll definitely be back.

    (4)

  • erin c.

    Favorite Ethiopian Restaurant and our anniversary dinner spot. Introduced to it by an Ethiopian friend who praises it's authenticity. Great brews and honey wine (very sweet)- vegetarian and meat samplers are our usuals. Get the lamb tibbs!

    (5)

  • Alice L.

    We decided to make a stop in Berkeley and was checking out nearby restaurant on our GPS and found Ethiopia Resturant on Telegraph in Berkeley but because the place was so dead and we never had Ethiopian food, we figure it must not be good so we ended up with Addis instead since the parking lot had many cars. Again, this is was our first time having Ethiopian food and I mentioned it to our server, she wasn't helpful at all so we just randomly ordered their 3 meat combo (2 beef and 1 chicken) and a plate of spiced rubbed fried chicken breasts. Being a food network addict and a love for anthony bourdain's no reservation, I knew we were about to eat with our hands so we quickly went to the bathroom (good thing it was clean) to wash our hands thoroughly. When got there around 7:30 with only 4 tables occupied. It took us about 30 minutes to even get our food. WHAT A LONG WAIT!!!!??? Food: The meat was mainly in a thick stew and you eat it with this sort of sourdough flatbread called injera. If you are a pork eater, you won't find it here since most Ethiopians are muslims or orthodox christians. The stew meat was okay. Almost reminds me of mexican stew meat. One beef had a lot of citrus taste to it. The other beef was more tomato based. The stew chicken was a bit more spicier and had more other interesting flavored to it. The fried chicken was a bit too dry but the spice rubbed tasted similar to the stewed chicken. Price: It was extremely cheap for 2 people that totals to $32, including tips (no alcohol). We couldn't even finish the food. Ambiance: Can't really say decor was nice since all they had were bamboo fences to separate each table and some curtains that I didn't find it nice looking.

    (4)

  • Ashton M.

    Absolutely amazing authentic food from the vegan options to all the meat items. The servers are very sweet too.

    (5)

  • Lorrie N.

    Consider this a GOOD review. The food is excellent here. I couldn't ask for better perfection or better deliciousness here. The reason for the low star count is the service. They really need more wait staff. The service is very slow and very unorganized. It must have taken 30 minutes for us to put our order in. Another 30 for water and wine. Another 30 for the food and another 15 for anything else we needed during our stay. The Chicken Curry is really spicy. The fresh bread was bottomless it seemed, SO SO GOOD! One last thing is we had a medium size group of 7.5 people and they stuffed us in the little tiny HUT in the back corner. It would have been cool if there was enough room to sit around the table, but there wasn't and it was very cramped. It was cozy to an awkward point. If there were four or five of us, the little hut would have been perfect. Best part about this? Affordable. Very affordable.

    (3)

  • Thomas R.

    This place is consistently good and is popular with my wife and our foodie friends. [my wife is pickier than I am] I haven't had a problem with the service. Even when we went with a family with two young and mobile boys. There is enough room in the restaurant to have the kids perambulate and still not get too far into other diners' experiences. Food was really good both times we've been here. I look forward to going back. Also, this place was recommended for its food by two Ethiopian friends of mine from the Ice Chamber. They warned about the service, too, but as I said, I haven't had a problem. The atmosphere is fine, as in just fine. Bring your own atmosphere with you in the form of good company and it won't have an effect. Mmm. I wish I were there right now.

    (4)

  • Jason M.

    The food here is incredible. Although the decor/ambiance is no match for Cafe Colucci, many of the dishes are better. And it's always better with honey wine.

    (5)

  • Patricia J.

    The food here is amazing. I cannot emphasize that enough. The vegetarian combination and shiro wot are SO good. Every time I go here, I get sick because I can't stop myself from eating too much because the food is so fucking good. Seriously. And I always nab at the leftovers in the middle of the night, so I never have enough for a full breakfast the next day. But dishes are still good when they're cold IMO, but you totally need to heat the injera (the gray spongy bread). The only downside to Addis is that the service can be REALLY slow, depending on how busy the place is. But I've gone there on days when the restaurant is virtually empty, but the service is still slow. Oh, and for some reason I find all but one of the waitresses kind of intimidating, even though they're pretty nice. There's one in particular who always makes me feel like I did something wrong.

    (4)

  • L A.

    It's been a while since we've been here. Is it my imagination or are the portions smaller? And somehow not as interestingly spiced or flavored? Kifto was okay, just not as seasoned as I remembered or else maybe I just like it better at other places.Next time we'll go back to Enssaro or try one of the other restaurants.

    (3)

  • Marco M.

    The food is very good. I love spicy food and my wife and I were digging into a veggie combo for two with gusto. All of a sudden I noticed something was very, very hot. The wife said oh it is probably just the split peas but this was a new heat. Nevermind I kept eating and then that searing heat...and then we got more salad and saw the big chunks of raw jalapenos. Yow.

    (4)

  • Holly F.

    An overall great experience. The food is amazing as are the waiters. This is definitely the best Ethiopian restaurant I have been to. The mushroom dish is above all my favorite.

    (5)

  • Alice L.

    It should really be 4.5 Stars. My favorite Ethiopian has always been Cafe Colucci, so when my machanic, who's from ethiopia, recommand this place, my bf and I went to try right away. We had a friend with us and the total bill, with beers (2), tax and tip, it's about $30. Pricewise, 1 huge star! We ordered meat and vege combo, like the first timer would do. Vege combo, everything's perfect, they got a line in the menu said voted best vegetarian in oakland or something, and they are right! For the meat combo, I liked the chicken dish a lot but I still prefer Colucci's meat entree, and plus they don't have any lamb dish and much appretizer choices kind of disappointed me a bit, so 2 stars for the food. Service is attentive and friendly. I like the fact that we have a nice service without feeling that pushy. It's a very relax feeling....1 star on that! Last but not least, the ambience of this place...although simple, I notice how clean and organize this place is, no messy community counter, tables and chairs are spaciously organized, the only nic picking that I will have is they should have more 'huts' or those round tables we sat in. When you looked around, most of the diners were, I would guess Ethiopians....that always is a good sign when it comes to authentic food. When they offer lamb and a couple more appetizers, it'll be a solid 5!

    (4)

  • Chris D.

    You and your date... 1 Order- Doro Tibs 1 Order- Vegetarian combo Share it. love it. nuff said. P.S. The Ethiopians in the area know this place to be most authentic.

    (5)

  • Jennette B.

    Veg Combo Rocks! We always order extra salad cause its sooo good. We love this place and go every chance we get.

    (5)

  • Annie F.

    3.75 rounded up to four!! I don't have a lot of experience when it comes to Ethiopian food, but my boyfriend's brother's girlfriend is Ethiopian and she took us here. The food was quite delicious, even though there weren't many non-Ethiopians there (which may be a good sign!). The veggie stuff had wonderful flavors and the Injera was yum yum yummy. Service did take a long time, but I enjoyed myself (plus we had a big party and I don't know if that contributed).

    (4)

  • Tito Y.

    Ethiopian Food is the undisputed apex for food affectionarios everywhere. Noted as simply world's best in taste, texture and highly regarded that the kind of food preperation relates to the widest variety of planetary populace. If maybe presentation might be as fine tuned as the French, these exotic cuisines would represent the intense populars of nomads. We should all be g.d. happy that Ethiopian foods are available in our areas because I swear, if you were in Montana or Idaho. forget it... You're having steak. One other thing.. there is no reason why should ordering anything other than vegetarian be a given. Addis.. is an amazing place.

    (4)

  • Ben K.

    fantastic vegetarian food. Fassolia (green beans) is amazing.

    (5)

  • Laura T.

    I've never had ethiopian food before but I was feeling adventurous so I decided to give it a go. I walked in and the place was pretty busy for being a random wednesday; so I ordered food out. The menu explains what the dishes are so no fear for us non-ethiopians. I ordered the kitfo with ayib and gomen. Which is beef mixed with cheese curd and collard greens. umm.....greens the waitress asked "raw?" and I replied "sure." Raw meat for dinner on a wednesday, awesome! The waitress told me it would be a 20 minute wait, I waited for less than 10 minutes. It came with a small side salad and extra spices. It was wrapped in some sort of spongy flat bread almost like a tortilla and it was huge! I couldn't finish it all and saved some for the next night. The taste was ok, nothing amazing but it was good. I added more spices cause I like my lips being on fire. I wouldn't order this dish again but I'll be back for something else.

    (4)

  • Adrienne O.

    This was my first time eating Ethiopian food. So, I really can't compare it to anything BUT besides the food being super good, the service there is phenomenal. The waitress was patient and helped me place my very first Ethiopian food order yay! AND I left my to-go box (as always) and she rushed out into the parking lot and gave it me!! Double yay! AND the honey wine was delicious! Very nice atmosphere...I got there right as the sun was setting and witnessed the lighting of the candles they do at all the tables when it gets dark. Then, they dim the lights and bring you all the refills of warm cinnamon water you want for your tea. Very nice!

    (5)

  • Kate G.

    I just re-discovered this place. I used to go on my way to the mountains on Friday nights. The yellow mild beans are delicious. The "Flax seed juice" is not juice, more like a paste. Don't get me wrong. I liked it, I just think it should be renamed, served in smaller portions and not served with a straw.

    (4)

  • Jessica L.

    Top notch, baby, top notch. I was quite impressed. I am constantly seeking delicious Ethiopian food, and after being thoroughly disappointed in the selections in San Francisco, have ventured over the bridge to check out what's available in the East Bay. Well, in my mind, it's like crossing the Bay Bridge brings you to a land of authentic, quality Ethiopian restaraunts. Totally worth the trip to this place, in particular. The waitstaff was super attentive and friendly. They took the time to explain the dishes and the variety of spice options. The vegetarian combo was very good, although the spicy pureed lentil dish was a bit bitter and acidic. The lamb tibs were well seasoned and flavorful, if not a bit overcooked. Plus, I really like how they set up bamboo dividers that make each table a semi-private dining area. I'll definitely return.

    (4)

  • Shirin S.

    Incredible food and an incredible bargain. There is a reason that any time you come in here, you will encounter groups of people that are speaking Amharic. The only thing I have every gotten at Addis is the vegetarian combo, and I am normally the type of person that will try something new on a menu almost every time I go to a place. At less than 10 bucks, the combo includes 4 different and tasty veggie dishes (my favorites being the lentils and the carrot/potato) and it's certainly enough food for two people. Regardless of the number of people at the table, entrees always come with endless and overflowing baskets of injera bread -- the Addis injera has somewhat more of a sourdough flavor than I have encountered at other ethiopian places. I have also come to Addis with carnivores in the past, and have heard very positive things about both the lamb and chicken dishes (particularly the Tibs). I used to be a regular at the Blue Nile (R.I.P.), but since I tried Addis, I can't imagine going anywhere else for my ethiopian cravings.

    (5)

  • Jacqueline H.

    The food was tasty, but the service was very poor. The female manager was rude and incompetent. There was a MAJOR problem when my husband and I attempted to redeem our restaurant.com coupon, which was the only reason that we traveled 20 miles from the Hayward Hills to dine here. Our certificate was denied because it was not printed as we opted to use our iPhone app. in efforts to go green. There are clear instructions for the server including a telephone number to call and a confirmation number for our individual coupon. The process was so clear and elementary that I was tempted to do it for them myself. However, even though the iphone app process was in layman's terms, we were not allowed to redeem our certificate via our phone. So I waited at the restaurant for 20 mins. while my husband found a printing store and returned with a hard copy of the coupon. It was our first time here and we certainly will NEVER return.

    (1)

  • Christie F.

    Purely superb Ethiopian (vegetarian) food; superior service each visit. I am craving this food right now! Will see you this Sunday, then!

    (5)

  • Cyn D.

    Came back again and it's still a hit. The njera is perfectly textured, and I always get the veggie combo, and either the tofu or the chicken tibs. Friends all gave me props for the recommendation too. They also have a cute little hut in the back you can sit in.

    (5)

  • YaYa K.

    Had my 30th b-day here and it was pretty nice. The service was good, ambiance was just right and food came out fast. The honey wine was a little too sweet, but my God, the tiramisu was the bomb. I had the meat combo dish and it was on a neat platter with salad i the middle and sauce on the side. All my friends had good things to say about the place. Totally dig it, so check it out.

    (4)

  • Jeremy W.

    I like the meat at Colucci better and, overall, it's almost as good as Colucci down the street, and I think the slightly cheaper prices at Addis make it more of a regular-stop place for me. The reason it gets four stars is because Colucci's chicken dishes are superior to Addis'. However, given everything else, Addis is wonderous. The injera here gives Colucci's injera a run for its money. In fact, I'm down with sayin' that Addis has the best injera I've had. Hit Addis up for the injera, and Colucci up for the meat. The veggie combo at both places rocks.

    (4)

  • Amy T.

    Blue Nile was my first and only experience with Ethiopian food until they closed and I was forced to try someplace new. Addis is AWESOME. The service was amazing and the lady who was serving us was extremely helpful in helping us decide what to order. We had a combination platter of some sort that had a huge variety of chicken and beef dishes. *drool*.... They give you an overwhelmingly generous portion of injeri (sp?) to enjoy your food with and will give you more if you need it. I was stuffed, but I couldn't stop picking at the carrots and potatoes and the other veggie dish we had.... I generally don't enjoy eating with my hands and was trying very hard to only use three fingers the entire meal. At the time, I had pink and white gel nails and suffice it to say, at the end of the meal, I looked as if I were suffering from jaundice or some type of liver disease, my three nails were stained yellow....It washed off after several handwashings and a long hot shower, but be forewarned for all of you with gel or acrylic nails.... or even just a simple french mani.... your nails will be yellow when you're through with your meal.... The food was so good, though and worth the temporary yellow nails... The restaurant is clean, albeit a bit dark, so it was diffcult to really see what exactly we were eating.... I can't wait to go back.

    (5)

  • julie c.

    I have never had Ethiopian food before it was wonderful I had the Awaze tibs (lamb with wonderful seasoning and spices) served with the injera (bread) and wow every thing was fresh and tasty I will be going back YUM!!! It is about $10 per person great price and great food

    (5)

  • Amy T.

    Everything on the menu is delicious, but I must say - - - make sure you order the FASOLIA!! A piece of heavenly veggie perfection!! I'm married to an Ethiopian and I really need to learn how to make this dish, but for now - I'll just keep going to Addis :).

    (5)

  • Ella c.

    Ok, due to a couple bad experiences I had totally written off Ethiopian food as piles of refried beans served with thin slices of Tempurpedic memory foam. However, after eating at Messob and now Addis, it's been firmly added to my ethnic repetoire! The veggie injeri starter was totally redundant cause we got the vegetarian combo and it was the exact same thing but rolled up. However, both were scrumptious but between the two of us we only ate half the food and we felt bad because the 80s taught us that Ethiopians are starving. One star off for the hella slow service.

    (4)

  • Leslie P.

    I have driven past Addis many times over the past 12 years, on my way to somewhere else. Having been to an Ethiopian restaurant further down on Telegraph 20 years before during my student days at UC Berkeley (I think it was called the Blue Nile), I felt I had been there, done that. But a fundraiser for my son's school with a Restaurant.com card and a recent review on Check Please, Bay Area, conspired to motivate me to take the family over there. I made a reservation for 4 at 6:30 on a recent Saturday, and indeed the table was waiting for us, but then so were people sitting at all the other tables there! At 6:30. A couple of tables had 6-8 or so people, students from UC Berkeley, perhaps? I could tell right away that the wait would be long, and in fact we waited AN HOUR for the order to arrive. The waitpersons bring out your alcohol order right away, I think because they know you have a long wait ahead of you. So thanks for that Beck's beer that got us through. The kitchen was probably overwhelmed by the number of people there all at once, but all was forgiven when the food actually arrived. For the most part, it was well executed and flavorful. We all agreed that the kitfo was the standout. It was request rare and that's how it arrived. I had the lamb dish, which contained such diced up pieces of lamb that I wasn't even sure it was lamb. Another companion had the meat combo, where, again, it was unsure what the various meats were, but the sauces and spices were the winners there. The spice that is served on the platter, mitmita, was a real revelation. It is apparently dried hot pepper of some sort. Also, the eggplant was a standout, with a robust, smoky sauce. Negatives, beside the wait: the injera was almost cold, so that's a negative, as the injera is the "glue" holding it all together. The men's room was out of order so everyone had to use one restroom. The wait staff was very inattentive in terms of filling up water glasses. And don't bother with Restaurant.com ; they automatically extract 18% gratuity from you, whether it's earned or not. And if you were to go there with a 50$ certificate, you would have to spend $100. We used the $25 one, which had a $35 minimum, which we easily reached. I did not add a tip to that, though oddly the Restaurant.com website urges people to be sure to tip the wait staff. Do they maybe think people don't notice the terms of the program? Finally, the place was extremely noisy. 4 bells at least, though I imagine it could be pleasant on a weekday evening or at lunch. And that's when I would go, were I to go again.

    (3)

  • Jay A.

    This is the best Ethiopian place in the Bay Area. If you like highly spiced and authentic dishes, fresh injera and east African decor (with a clean modern touch), this is your place. While the ambiance may be not quite as refined as Cafe Colucci down the street, the food is fresh and alive with spices and the clientle much more ethnic. Great Ethiopian beer and wines as well. Try the shuro wot, fillet of fish with yemessir, and the alicha denich. Pescatarian feast to die for!

    (5)

  • Dyuti S.

    Nice feel, great tasting food! But if you have kids, don't get them the spaghetti because it's too spicy even more an adult.

    (4)

  • Me Y.

    Love, love, love the food. Try the honey wine, but know that it sometimes misses the mark. The one point deduction is for the decor and general ambiance. With a little attention to the details, this place could be on everyone's "To Do" list.

    (4)

  • Kenneth H.

    i really liked the "ambiance and decor" and the service was great, but i can't say i'm a big fan of the food. i thought the food was a big dry, but it was probably because i didn't know what to order. i went with some friends and the leader (whom we labeled "boss" that day) made the order. my experience was just okay. i can't say i've experienced better because this was my first experience. i was sad we didn't get lamb, but the chicken was pretty good. there were these other tiny bits of what my friend said was chicken fat? i don't know, but it was tasty. i'll probably visit this place another time and check out the more saucy foods they have. also, the music they play is great, and going with cool people makes the experience all the merrier!

    (3)

  • Lynn L.

    I love this place. I used to work on Telegraph and one day, a friend and I decided to try it out. I fell in love. I guess it's a good sign when there are Ethiopians eating there. I truely believe this is the best Ethiopian place in the Bay Area. I've brought friends and made them all addicts. As I quote a friend, "I didn't know I didn't like Ethiopian food." I have friends who will go on a mini car trip with me for Ethiopian food. I eat the Ater Kik all the time, which is the split pea vegetarian option. My friends are addicted to the Quanta Fir Fir, which is a spicy meat dish with torned up injera in it. If I ever make a run to the East Bay, I always ask is anyone wants Addis' food.

    (4)

  • Jennifer A.

    tl;dr is that the food is delicious. the service and atmosphere leave a lot to be desired. We were seated quickly, but after we'd ordered drinks and were still deciding on food, we were asked to reseat ourselves at a smaller more cramped table to accommodate some group with reservations. our food (vegan combos for 3, two hot teas, a soda, and 3 waters) was delivered quickly, and everything was very delicious! but no one came to check on how we were doing, we never got water refills (even when we asked for them), and were never offered dessert (I was really looking forward to vegan baklava, too). it was obvious it was time for us to leave when she tossed our check on the table. i was also irked by the MULTIPLE fussy babies, and babies that were allowed to bang things on tables incessantly. i wouldn't call this place a particularly peaceful or romantic spot to eat, despite the mood lighting and intimate, private tables.

    (2)

  • Sirak T.

    This is a great place to have testy Ethiopian food, everything is great. The wait staff was great with filling up the water glass. They were never empty, the food in a timely fashion. I'm pleased to recommend to anyone to bring friends, family member or your work collogues. Sirak "Sonny"

    (5)

  • Julie C.

    We went here due to the posts on Yelp and had a wonderful experience. They made Gluten Free bread for me (need to call ahead) and were just amazing. We bought a bottle of the honey wine which was too sweet for our taste buds so they actually offered us another bottle of a different wine to take home!! An over all great experience. Food was wonderful - my favorites were the lentils and the potato and cabbage dish.

    (5)

  • Dragon M.

    Vegetarian and meat sampler for two and two glasses of honey wine for $30 and you eat with your hands. What! highly suggest trying this place out. Good food that does not break the bank

    (4)

  • M. W.

    I love this place. I've never had to wait very long for a table. The veggie kornis plate is AWESOME. I would say this is the best Ethiopian restaurant in oakland and berkeley

    (5)

  • aynur d.

    I have been here a number of times and it's ALWAYS good and fresh. I usually go w/ my friend who is Ethopian and she does all the ordering. What I like is that it is a neighborhood restaurant where everyone knows everyone. It's clean and the staff is friendly The hot tea is a must! Can't wait to go back!!

    (5)

  • Robert V.

    I read about this place in some East Bay paper as being the best place to go for both vegetarians and carnivores. Being that my veggie gf and I always have problems choosing a restaurant I wanted to try this place. We split a veggie/meat combo platter ($18.99). The food was delicious and we had plenty of leftovers for lunch. All the dishes hover around $10. This is really an excellent place to go for a veggie/carnivorous group.

    (5)

  • LaTasha M.

    Even though I never know what I am eating, the food is really good! I have been here twice and each time the food has been great. We always get the combo plate so we can experience the most menu items. The shrimp tibbs and the tofu tibbs are delicious. Also the red lentils are good. I am still trying to get used to the texture of the bread. I call it sponge bread because it looks like a sponge, but it is really good. If you have never tried Ethiopian food, this is a great place to go. The service is great, they explain things well, and the food is good.

    (4)

  • Diana M.

    We went here for a birthday celebration, and the service was slow. It was a fun experience for a group, but I found the food to be mediocre. I'm not a fan of sourdough, and the injera bread is very sour and very spongy. It is family-style service (~$10 a person), so you should also go with people you wouldn't mind eating off the same plate with your hands. I found most of the food, especially the fir fir to be too sour with the injera to be palatable.

    (3)

  • Fontane L.

    Love this place! One of the two Ethiopian places that I frequent. Can't get enough of that injera and honey wine - yum! Portions are generous, and every person I've brought to Addis left completely satisfied.

    (5)

  • Reina S.

    to start this off, id like to say im not very adventurous with my food and i am very critical of food. so if i say a food is tasty, it really is tasty. This restaurant had a GREAT feel to it and i loved the atmosphere. There was a cute little hut in the corner and there was african music playing. aside from the great feel of the place, the food was excellent and the service was superb. All of the food was great and seasoned just perfectly. my whole family loved it all. my favorite part is the bread. it was so soft and moist and had its own unique taste i loved everything and recommend the chicken and lamb. my cousins loved the ethiopian tea as well.

    (5)

  • wolfie g.

    it's fun eating with your hands. Addis special combination is what you should get. It has meats, veggies, cottage cheese, salad, etc. It's big enough to share amongst three people. The sour tasting spongey bread makes every bite tasty. The aftermath though... I'd warn you. You'll be burping up its flavors for the rest of the day. The food is pretty heavily seasoned. You might feel gross after you over eat.. so I'd advise you to eat in moderation!

    (4)

  • john w.

    OMG! I can't believe that i'm writing the second review for Addis. This place is absolutely terrific and is always jumping. I guess Addis patrons don't yelp so much. Anyways, this is my favorite restaurant in the whole bay and my favorite here is the doro tibs, awaze tibs, and the vegie combo. YUM! Like the other reviewer says, the vegie combo rocks! The ethiopian wine doesn't rock so much but you can bring your own wine for a small $10 corkage. Addis does get crowded and service can be a little slow so if you've got a show to go to after dinner, plan ahead. You can also show up before 6 or after 8:30 to get an easy table. The waitresses here are awesome, busy, but awesome. They'll hook you up with another basket of ingera and a big fat smile to go with it.

    (5)

  • A. D.

    After living in Ethiopia for a year, we consider ourselves pretty picky about Ethiopian food. This place is the best we've found in the East Bay. Smell the shai (tea) when you enter, and it just gets better from there. The portions are ample, the injera is fresh and pillowy, and the dishes are fantastic (especially the banatu (scrambled injera - very spicy!) and the meser wot (lentils in red sauce)). If you have a group, skip the veggie combo-platter and just order things individually - that way you don't have to waste one of your options on the potato-and-carrot dish that is never that exciting, no matter what restaurant you go to. All in all, this place is fantastic and we will always go here if given the option. Betam konjo new!

    (5)

  • Dave S.

    You know, I've eaten at at least a good of Ethiopian restaurants in the bay area (pre-Yelp), but I have to admit, this is the first time I was dazzled by really fresh herbs and spices and really fresh food in general. Our service was awesome, even though we sat outside (which in any place normally takes servers about 15 minutes longer to respond). The wait staff was super sweet with smiles on everyone's faces and it looks like it is family. I'm giving it a 5 star rating because this place exemplifies delicious Ethiopian food

    (5)

  • Simone G.

    Ambiance-Good. Interior design-Good. Service-Good. Price-Good. Food-Great! Go here, do it.

    (5)

  • Areohessaie Y.

    I've never had Ethiopian food before, but this was a great first experience. Our food came promptly, and we were attended to frequently. I had the Kitfo, which is the beef seasoned with mitmita and butter. I opted for the raw beef. The only other time I've had raw meat (other than sushi) was at a Lebanese restaurant some years ago. I remember liking the texture and taste of it, so I decided to give this a shot. It was very good! The mitmitma gives it a seasoned taste, and because the meat is minced, it doesn't taste or feel like you're just taking a huge bite of raw animal. For those who are hesitant, it doesn't hurt to try it once, and if the raw meat isn't for you, the server will be more than happy to have it cooked for you. My dinner buddy had the tibs. On top of that, our waitress added some extra sides to let us try: collard greens, lentils, and split peas. It was more than the 2 of us could handle! But we were glad to box up the leftovers. Overall, I found the food excellent. The injera (sourdough pancake-like bread) definetely made me full, so next time, I will ration it better. Eating the food without the injera also allows you to taste the food better (esp the raw meat!) And if you didn't know this already, there are no utensils as traditionally, Ethiopians use the injera to scoop food into their mouths. So whether you're eating with a friend, date, or other, be prepared to share a more intimate dining experience.

    (4)

  • Sam W.

    I have been to Addis several times, and every time I get warm and effective service and large portions of delicious Ethiopian food. I almost always get the veggie sampler platter, plus a meat dish. This is enough to fill 2-3 stomachs. Great variety, well-made dishes. I like the atomosphere at Addis. It's my favorite Ethiopian restaurant.

    (5)

  • steve t.

    I probably miss this place more than any other restaurant in the bay area. This is by far the best Ethiopian restaurant in the east bay. It is also the only one that has the feel of a small restaurant/bar in East Africa. The injera is great and the meat combo is first rate. The honey wine is also excellent. The only thing I dont like is that they are very reluctant to make substitutions on the meals, but thats exactly how it is in Africa, so it just adds to the authenticity.

    (5)

  • Elly G.

    Its our first time to eat here. The food is great. Service and location are good too. We ordered the combination plate that has the veggies/meat dishes.

    (4)

  • Christine S.

    I would give it a five star simply for the Tofu Tibs--which was the runaway hit of all the dishes we ordered. Divine! Our enchanting company also made this a five star experience. We had some lovely servers who were attentive and pleasant to us all through the evening. I am only rating it three stars because my palate has not yet accustomed to Ethiopian seasonings. I have not yet acquired a full-on taste for it yet. Next time I want to try their honey wine...

    (3)

  • Hall N.

    I'm such a fan of this restaurant! great food, great prices, cozy atmosphere - one of my favorites!

    (4)

  • Cari G.

    The food here is great! I switch off between this place and Cafe Colucci down the street. The two best Ethiopian restaurants in the east bay.

    (5)

  • Halima S.

    The food at Addis is absolutely delicious! It's the stuff I dream of. There have been quite a few times when I had a major craving for their spicy lamb and chicken. I've dined in a few times and the service was always great. The servers are pleasant, and the ambiance is quite cozy and romantic. My only complaint would be that the restaurant is kinda small and can fill up quick on a Friday or Saturday night, but other than that, I love it!

    (4)

  • jess r.

    Mmmmh! So good! I had never had Ethiopian food before coming here and I'm sold! Eating with your hands and the one communal platter is interesting. We had lamb and some other stuff and it was all very yummy and affordable.

    (4)

  • Laura V.

    The East Bay has such better Ethiopian food than San Francisco! I'm so jealous. I can't stand Massawa and Axum. Bland, bland and more bland. Anyways, on to Addis - I went here for dinner last night and YUM. I got the veggie combo and mmmm it was good. Although I enjoyed everything in it (4 different items) I feel so drawn to the spicy red lentils that I think I'd go for that alone next time. The bread was perfect and the Hakim Stout was a treat as always. The service was quite horrible in that "I can't ever get the waitress to look at me" way. Realllly slow. Everyone was nice enough but DAMN it was hard getting our order taken, the bill, more water etc etc. Anyways, all in all the decor was nice, I liked the privacy offered by the bamboo dividers... and the food was excellent.

    (4)

  • Delilah P.

    My mom was a stickler for table manners when I was growing up. Any misstep at the dinner table was met with a sharp flick to the back of the head followed by a "How uncouth! Would you do that if you were eating dinner with the Queen of England?" So whenever I eat Ethiopian food, I am always slightly self conscious and a bit on my guard in case someone decides to ambush me with a slap to the back of the head for eating with my hands. But that's not Addis' fault. We got the Addis Combo plate, which had a nice variety of meat and veggie dishes. The veggie dishes included two kinds of lentils - one red and spicy, the other yellow and mellow (hey that rhymes!) - and also some super yummy collard greens. I can't really tell you what the meat dishes were, which is too bad. I wished our server would have told us which dish was which, since we couldn't really remember what the menu said the combo included and the stewy dishes were kinda hard to identify. One of them was pretty distinct in that it included one measly chicken wing in bowl full of sauce accompanied by a rubbery hard boiled egg. If Ethiopian food is meant to be shared, I wondered how folks go about dividing up a chicken wing amongst a whole family (let alone doing it without a knife and fork - heaven forbid!) Maybe this is one of those symbolic traditional dishes where the "lucky one" gets the chicken wing and the "unlucky" one winds up with that hard boiled egg. If so, I was the unlucky one that night. Service was friendly, but not super attentive. They gave us plenty of injera and it was soft, fluffy and tender. We did have plenty of food leftover, which actually tasted even better the next day eaten with rice, oh yeah, and a fork.

    (3)

  • Seth F.

    Like most Ethiopian restaurants I've been to, Addis had excellent food -- well-spiced and filling. It's amazing what they were able to do with such seemingly simple ingredients, considering everything I ate there was essentially just vegetables, spices, and injera. Service was slow, but that's fine because you should expect time to digest your food and converse. I'd honestly rather go to Cafe Colluci's, but I have no major criticism of Addis. A solid four-star rating.

    (4)

  • Christine W.

    Went there on a Sunday night and the place was happening! We used to love this place for it's veggie and meat combo dinners and their kitfo (raw or seared beef dish), but for some reason, this last time, the injera was dry and most of the dishes were bland. We had decided to try a couple of new grilled and sauted dishes, but these two were very dry too. Perhaps they just got too busy? Service is low, even when we used to go at lunch time and the place was dead, but the ambiance is very cute and they are kid friendly, despite the spice. I would definitely go back to give them another chance, especially since the Dareye Hideaway restaurant we liked just down the street has closed.

    (3)

  • Sange K.

    Delicious food. This is more than enough to bring me back here again. It was my first time eating Ethiopian cuisine and I loved it. From the starters (Potato chips) to chicken tibs, ethiopian bread to the servers - it was all so pleasant. Would highly recommend dining here.

    (4)

  • Al B.

    Good food, but really uneven service. Some of the staff work hard, but a lot of the time you end up with an inattentive server who forgets many of your requests.

    (3)

  • Katie T.

    Addis is my favorite Ethiopian restaurant. Don't let the outside put you off, inside is a delight. I prefer is far better than near by cafe coluchi. I love the veg platter, with the split pea dish being my absolute favorite!

    (5)

  • Rose H.

    I love this place. I know there's better Ethiopian, but certainly not cheaper, and that's of utmost importance to me. For some reason, I always have great conversations with whomever I'm with when I eat here, so that is also a big plus. I always get the vegetarian combo when I come here, and it's usually too much to even split with another person. It's super yummy, though sometimes not necessarily the freshest. I could eat the split pea dish (not sure what it's called) day in and day out. Plus, it's vegan. The service is good--the first time I came here, I waited longer than I'd have liked for a table, and sometimes the wait for food is unbearable, especially when others are eating fabulous Ethiopian food around me. So yes. Good place. Not for everyone, not a great 1st date place, but so yum. So so yum.

    (4)

  • Emily D.

    My first 5 star rating! As several other reviewers mentioned the outside of the place is a bit run down, but the decor is tasteful; kudos to the decorator for making the thatched roof hut in the corner not look as goofy as it sounds. I went to Addis with 4 other people, and we basically ordered every vegetarian item on the menu; everything was superb. You must have the honey wine; I was suspicious, but it proved a delicious accompaniment to all of the vegetarian 'dishes.' My friends each had a different type of Ethiopian beer, and they were all solid. Addis is a great place to introduce Ethiopian food rookies to this wonderfully unique cuisine. Just be sure they are cool with 'family style dining' and eating with their hands; I can see how some would be turned off by this. You might also want to prepare them for the injera...my boyfriend HATES it, and compares it to eating "a sour, soggy paper towel."

    (5)

  • terra d.

    this place is delicious (although i dont think ive ever been to a bad ethiopian place). its so cute in here, kind of strange music that is too loud but great service. if its your first time, i would try the combo plate-- it has a great sampling of meat and veggie dishes. its $20 and more than enough for two people. *note: canned sodas served.

    (4)

  • Anil S.

    Along with their platters, their honey-wine is quite delicious. The service depends on the number of people in the restaurant. Weekdays are better than weekends.

    (4)

  • Nina L.

    Mmm...had Ethiopian for the first time yesterday and it was pretty tasty! It's lucky for me that I like sourdough bread cuz that's what you get (injera) to use to pick up and eat your food. We had the veggie combo and a really tasty chicken in a red seasoning. It's a fun place to go for a group meal and it's a pretty good deal at $10-12/person with beer!!

    (4)

  • Mike L.

    Exciting, good, flavorful, authentic. Good atmosphere and an interesting cultural dining experience.

    (3)

  • Sharon M.

    Eh. The food was... fine. The atmosphere, okay. Server was sweetly poor at her job, in a way that makes me feel guilty writing a negative review. But really, Cafe Colluci is right down the street, and, unlike Collucci, the food at Addis isn't so intensely great that I get an urge to revisit them for breakfast the next day. Oh, and whatever you do, don't try the dry Ethiopian white wine, which smells and tastes of belly button funk. I hate sweet wines, and I don't trust the word "dry" on an Ethiopian wine list. But, being an adventurer, I asked about this one. Thankfully, our lovely server let me try it before I ordered a glass. Except that after she delivered my horrifying little taste, she kind of forgot about us for the rest of the meal. She was alone on the floor, so I feel like a bitch, bitching about her. But, hey, I'll give 'em another shot - hopefully I just hit them on a bad night. On the plus side, our bill was $10 cheaper here than at Collucci, for a similar-sized meal and drinks.

    (3)

  • Anne G.

    Is Ethiopian food supposed to be cold? I can't remember it being that way before it suddenly became popular. But I had yet another cold meal at Addis the other night. The injera was cold, the lentils were cold, the meat dishes were cold...and speaking of meat dishes, we had a combo platter that was designed for two: but it had only one piece of chicken - the Tiniest chicken wing I've ever seen - and an egg. That was it! I mean, come on!! I was surprised because so many of the reviews were positive, but the food was medicore at best. The service was awful - and yet the place was full. Is that the secret? Go when they don't have any business and you'll be taken care of in a timely fashion and served food that is actually the right temperature? Even the beer tasted wrong, and that came out of a bottle. go figure

    (2)

  • Kara H.

    Mmmmm.... Great food (lots of vegetarian options), good service, nice atmosphere, good prices. Sometimes a little slow to bring the food (not terribly so), so if you're really hungry, order an appetizer (in that case, order fewer entrees because you'll leave super-stuffed). Definitely try the honey wine!

    (4)

  • Sara F.

    Delicious! My favorite, the injera is always fresh and the lentils always spicy! Great spot if you're vegetarian and want to mix it up.

    (5)

  • Tobin H.

    I'd never had Ethiopian food before last night. I also very rarely write reviews on here, so bear with me being able to keep my thoughts together! First, the service was friendly and all had warm smiles. They didn't pester their tables with a "how is your food, can I get you anything?" kind of service. Stopped to check in on us a couple of times, brought water, that's it. Second, atmosphere was great. Slightly dim and romantic, but there were larger parties of 4 and 5 eating there as well. Each table has it's own straw wall so that even though it has a lot of tables, you feel like you have at least a little space to yourself. Third, I'm a big fan of a native drink and alcohol menus. Addis has Ethiopian beers, wine, and honey wine...which is my favorite. Fourth, the menu wasn't complicated! True I couldn't pronounce a lot of the food names but that doesn't matter. Two pages of straight to the point food and no silly foods to choose from that weren't Ethiopian. Moreover, they had a full specials menu and also offered combination plates which is great especially when you don't know what you're ordering. We ordered a veggie combo plate with one of the simpler chicken dishes and it was amazing. Their bread is awesome and the taste, though I know a bit calorie heavy, was still fantastic. Lastly, and simply the price. The detail on this page says $$'s but it really wasn't too bad. Each dish was about $10 and if you were dining for two with a drink each I can't imagine your bill coming out to more than $30 or so. That's a good deal!

    (4)

  • christine t.

    When I'm craving Ethiopian food- Addis always seems to hit the spot. Really friendly staff and great veggie combination. I always seem to order this to go ( FYI the salad is not included in the to go box) so if you do't want to be charged extra for the salad better to just eat it in. Haven't been here for dinner in quite some time but I do remember that it has a tendency to get fairly busy so arrive fairly early or later in the evening to ensure you get your meal in a timely manner.

    (4)

  • Mel G.

    A-MA-ZING!!!! Everyone should eat here! Their food is beyond amazing! The service is great. The fish tibs and lentils are out of this world! And the honey wine, though incredible, is better as a dessert wine.

    (5)

  • Tonya A.

    YUMMM!!!!!! The BEST Ehtiopian food I have had anywhere in the country. Delicious! A haven for both vegetarians and anyone who likes flavorful food, Addis is a sure hit with any out of town visitor that we take out to eat. The Fasolia is outrageous. I crave this food and must go every two weeks or so or I start going through withdrawal. The best!

    (5)

  • Cindy H.

    When my friend and I drove by, we thought it was closed because it looked dark. The restaurant is actually quite dim. I guess it's better than eating in bright light. There were upside down lamps hanging on the ceiling. Every table had different seating. My friend thought it would be cool to sit on skin-made chairs. We sat around a small round table with minimal lighting, which made it even harder to read the small words on the menu. There is no way to memorize the menu or know what you want after the first run-through because all the meats are prepared in different Ethiopian sauces. We ordered spicy beef and chicken. When the waiter put down our food, I asked, "Are we getting any utensils?" Well, we ate with our hands. (So make sure you wash your hands before you eat. ) The grayish, spice-flavored bread made the process more pleasant (a.k.a less savage-like). Too bad the bread didn't taste good. The beef had too many spices. It wasn't very spicy, but my friend got many refills during the meal. The complimentary salad in the middle was negligible. My favorite was the chicken. I think they fried it a little. It was crispy and mildly flavored. I'm glad we didn't order a dish with bbq sauce because it had too many spices in it. I'm not sure if the restaurant fully represents Ethiopian culture, but I learned something new.

    (3)

  • Edmund C.

    We decided to try Ethiopian cuisine for the first time today for Father's day. We arrived early so there was no waiting. Not knowing what to order, we studied some YELP reviews before hand and decided to try the tofu tibs and vegetarian combo. The two entrees came in a large plate, with some salad in the center, a dab of spicy sauce, and the bread (injera) in a bread basket. I really enjoyed breaking the soft bread and scooping the food since there were no utensils. It's totally new so that was exciting. The food was not too spicy with good flavor, but I am not accustom to the taste yet. The place was clean, including the bathroom, but service was a bit slow. If we ever go back, we will bring more people and try some of the meat dishes as well.

    (3)

  • Lisa D.

    Whatever you do don't order the spicy beef. It was overcooked & tough & inedible. To the restaurants credit, the waitress brought me a sample of a different beef dish which I also thought was horrible. She offered to bring me the 'mild' version to which I declined. I'm happy to report she didn't charge me for the meal that I didn't eat. I give them 5 stars for trying to make me happy, but definitely cannot recommend the food!

    (1)

  • K. L.

    We ordered the combo dish which had both meat and vegetarian samples as well and a fish Tibbs dish. They were NOT as good as at Asmara where I normally go. I wanted to try a new place and got restaurant.com certificate. Well, now I've tried and am going back to Asmara. The meat wasn't as tender, didn't get any lamb in the meat combo, the spice was not as flavorful, the portion was smaller, injera wasn't as fluffy and tasty and the service was really slow although friendly. If I hadn't been to other good Ethiopian restaurants before I probably would have given it 4 stars, but this place just fell short of my expectations.

    (3)

  • Walerz B.

    I never had Ethiopian food before and I really like to try new things. We'd seen advertisements in the EBE claiming how awesome Addis is so we decided to try it out. I ordered something with lamb and it was VERY good. My friend ordered a meat combination dish that had like chicken and beef prepared in three different sauces. I think I only liked one sauce (a spicy sour-ish sauce) out of the three. I don't know what the spongy skin like "bread" is called but it took a a while for me to get into it. I'm a big rice person and since there is no rice I had to eat my lamb with something and that "bread" was the only thing availabe. It's an acquired taste I suppose. But I dug the idea of eating with my hands. We also had the baklava which was delicious and I've got to try this honey wine everyones been raving about. It SOUNDS good. We had an Ethiopian beer. It tasted like dirt to me but to each their own. I feel like a fat lard saying this but everyone says that the combo is so huge and they needed a box and blah blah. I honestly thought it wasn't enough even though I do remember taking some to go (but only because we were in a hurry). But I felt like I could eat more? Maybe we didn't order the combo after all or maybe I just have a very big stomach! Service was friendly but a bit slow. We busied ourselves reading over the Ethiopian alphabet. I'd like to try it again but maybe someplace else or maybe a long time from now. But it's nice to know that it will be there when we get a craving for Ethiopian food.

    (3)

  • Adam S.

    Addis has quickly become one of my favorite neighborhood restaurants. The food is consistently excellent. We've been eating more vegetarian as we try to get a bit healthier, and Addis has truly tasty vegetarian food. That said, we occasionally break down and get a meat tibs or doro wat, which are spot on. Their injera is tasty--we could eat it by itself. The portions are quite generous. We've never left without a doggy bag, and we still usually pay $20 for the two of us. Service is a little slow but that is part of the experience. This isn't a place for a quick bite and run. Take your time, soak it in, and drink some honey wine or coffee. The atmosphere is great. There are always big groups of Ethiopians and everyone is very warm.

    (5)

  • Lorraine T.

    food: addis combo is the best of both veggie and meat dishes. you get a sampling of both. good if you have never had ethiopian. served with green salad and plentiful side of sour injera. lots of food and got me very full. wine: ethiopian honey wine....it was ehhhhh, not so good for me. if you like sweet wine this may be your thing. it came off like a dessert wine which i found distracting with dinner. way too sweet and syrupy. not my thing at all. got you drunk with a 12% alc. contain tho. at $18 a bottle, it was good drunken bang for your alcoholic consumer buck. price: spend $22 with drinks and tip. not bad for walking out feeling pleasantly buzzed and full. dim lighting makes for a good date dinner.

    (4)

  • Ramon E.

    A great place. I've only been here twice so far, but I'll definitely be going again. Clean, good portions, awesome food (I'm vegan, but my friend liked their chicken and cheese dishes as well), friendly staff.

    (5)

  • Makinde P.

    The service here is like what you'd expect from an ethiopian restaurant - and 80% of the customers are ethiopian so I believe that alone to be a good reason to try the restaurant. I had their addis Tibs and while I thought the spice was amazing, the meat itself was too dry. Most of the other meats and lambs are cooked in a sauce, but the addis tibs are only seasoned and grilled, I believe. You'll definately leave feeling stuffed!

    (4)

  • Mike S.

    Really good food for a great price. 4 of us left stuffed for about 65 bucks. Service was a bit slow but not bad.

    (4)

  • Judy R.

    Consistently good food and cozy atmosphere. Space is big enough and well demarcated so that you don't feel like you are in everyone else's business. Good for groups for sure! Gets busy on the weekend and service can be slow but weekdays are good.

    (4)

  • nadines d.

    I've been to quite a few Ethiopian restaurants in my life, and this is one of the better ones! The inside is very romantic despite the fact that it used to be a taco bell. When we were there there were a lot of happy Ethiopian couples and families laughing and talking--this is definitely the cuisine that's best among friends. My friend noted that the bread was especially well made, just the right flavor of soury sponginess. A tip: the bread does expand so you will feel fuller later on in the night after devouring tons. I was especially blown away by the fish--yum! I've never had fish cooked so freshly and deliciously before.

    (5)

  • Sarah L.

    I really like Addis. I dine here more than Cafe Colucci, and I'm not sure if it is because of the food, the fair price, the friendly service, or the nice & cozy atmosphere. Having just eaten at Addis last night, I can say that the service was very nice, prompt, and attentive. I tried the Ethiopian Spice Tea for the first time and it was very yummy! Usually I get the honey wine, though, which is a nice compliment to the spices used in all of the dishes. I also enjoy the mild cheese that cleanses the palate between bites of differently spiced items. Eating with three other people, we ordered one Addis combo, an additional veggie combo, and an extra green salad. This was more than enough food for all of us and kept the meal at under 15 bucks a person (even with 2 folks having a glass of wine!). I like the combo choices, but I would like to try the catfish next time I go. I'm also a fan of the kitfo, but I only order it when all of my dining partners are raring to go raw. I also noticed that they are offering breakfast now. I am eager to see what kind of tasty treats are available for an Ethiopian Brunch.

    (5)

  • Zoein M.

    Good Food Really Really Good Food i love the Spice and all the ket foe... Yumm. I love the Eating style and everything i just Wish i could Get some Ice in my water or maybe more then One little can of Soda... thanks guys

    (4)

  • Moira N.

    the interior is warm and feels comfortable- several groups eating here on a Thursday night. Our service was quick and friendly- thank goodness, because we remembered being ignored at Cafe Collucci a few months ago and didn't want another sour taste with our yummy Ethiopian food. Food very delicious and spicy, tons of injera was served and they have honey mead wine. good times!

    (4)

  • Jen H.

    I love this place! The injera is always spongy and sour, the dishes always delicious. The other day I tried the flax drink, which is basically flax seeds pureed in water with honey. It was delicious but almost a meal in itself. My favorite thing to get is the vegetarian sampler and the meat sampler.

    (5)

  • Vernon M.

    I tried this place for the first time on a Thursday night and I was impressed. It was a very relaxing atmosphere. The food was delicious and the honey wine was great. I would definitely go back here again.

    (5)

  • Coffee B.

    Food is great. Service is great. I recommend the chicken awaze tibs.

    (5)

  • Dan W.

    I am not an Ethiopian cuisine expert. This marked my third ever time eating Ethiopian food. That said, it was very much as I remembered it. Tasty and filling. The restaurant doesn't look like much from the outside. In face, my friend said that she would never have considered going there to eat based on appearances. But once inside, it's a very nice and cozy environment. I had the Banatu, which made for an even more filling meal than usual, as it means that you get a double helping of Injera. My friend had the meat combination platter, which I sampled and quite enjoyed.

    (4)

  • lisa g.

    Used to do the best versions of the common Ethiopian/Eritrean vegetarian dishes and have the worst service (that is saying a lot for E/E restaurants in this area of the East Bay). Despite the service I would go there when I wanted certain veggie dishes. Like all these restaurants the service got marginally better once they started to recognize you, but only marginally. Anyway, it just recently got bought by someone and supposedly they have made some big changes. Stay tuned, I will let you know about the New Addis very soon!

    (3)

  • Jeffrey R.

    This place was so dark that I literally had to bust out my cell phone for light, to see the food I was eating.

    (3)

  • Shelagh O.

    Seeing as this was our first exposure to Ethiopian food, we took a knowledgeable frined who helped guide us through the menu. But had she not been there to assist, the very friendly staff would have been happy to step in. We tried the honey wine first (different but quite tasty) and followed with the beer (delicious with spicy food!). The food came out on a large communal platter and let me tell you, there is a lot of food! Every bite was delicious. The chicken and beef have simple but incredibe seasonings, the veggies that come with are equally as amazing. Just be ready for messy hands as you pick up your food with pieces of injera (awesome flat bead). The price can't be beat - 3 people (with 2 rounds of alcohol) was just over $50 and I had a huge take home box. Can't wait to go back. May be a good idea to make reservations as this place was hopping by 6:30 on a weeknight.

    (5)

  • Cam N.

    this place is great. food is fabulous and service is attentive. i would go here all the time if i lived closer to this place. definitely two thumbs up for this place!

    (4)

  • Rachel M.

    This was the only Ethiopian food I've ever had, so I don't have much basis for comparison but I'm writing a review anyway. We came here with a large group on a Thursday night and they were able to accommodate all of us, no waiting. We were able to try several different things because of the size of our group. In my opinion, all of the dishes were really flavorful and really diverse. I will definitely have Ethiopian food again!

    (4)

  • Anita C.

    Robert V. told me about this place. I went with him. Yep, I'm the veggie gf. The food was great. I inhaled it. Then rested and had my Honey Mead wine. I loved that it wasn't crazy crowded, but filled with people.

    (5)

  • Stef H.

    What I love about Addis is their CONSISTENTLY GREAT FOOD. I love Ethiopian food, and have several local haunts, but Addis always serves up a tasty meal, where others can be surprisingly hit-or-miss.

    (5)

  • Clarence B.

    i hate sweet-stink. you know, so much "deodorizer" that it stinks. so, aside from the sweet-stinky (but super clean) bathrooms, this place shreds. here is what you should order: (1) vegetarian combo. (2) side of green salad for you salt types OR a hunk of vegan baklava for you sugar types. share this with your cute girlfriend at 6pm and then go ride bikes loudly remembering how fucking stoked you are that you didn't order two combos. they get 5-stars if Mulatu Astatke is playing on the stereo. hands down.

    (4)

  • Lei T.

    This place has a really amazing green salad comes with most dishes. it has very fantastic sauce. I usually get the alicha denich, which is potatoes and carrots that are cooked really nicely. For meat, I only eat doro tibs. I've tried the sampler plate, which is a good thing for newbies to get because then you get to taste everything. The only thing bad is sometimes the alicha denich is undercooked, the potatoes are still hard on the inside, and the doro tibs are usually overcooked. But it's still really good most of the time. service is fast, although if you go in, and see that like 50% of the people don't have food, you might have to wait awhile.

    (4)

  • Friday L.

    Back on the block again. Sorry I have been away from the old YELP for a minute. So where to start?? We will go back from this very moment........ M&M are the couple that we should all take a close look @. Ethiopian woman and a Italian man deep in the passion of love. I like to see couples that really just give up the love for each other. Not the "I am incomplete w/ out you" rag but more like "wow, how much of this great person can I learn and love from" feel ya kno'?? Sitting @ the house kick'n back a few while we watch the all to crazy world cup I think to myself what makes these two people work so well. Trust? Love? Whatever it is its a smile waiting to happen. Off the couch and down to Astro park to try our hand @ the real futball. Two hours and a little rum between soccer players makes people hungry. We sit in the corner w/ the little basket they serve the food on. M tells us all about how Ethiopia is land locked, never been colonized and has Emperors who have ridden in to war w/ theirs lions in the lead. Kno'n that M would pick the best stuff we picked meats (chicken and beef) and let her tell us which dishes to get. Giggling about the bad service we have all gotten here we order doro tibs, YESEGA WOT and a vege plate for 4. The food was off the chains. Spiced so well and cooked so tender!!! All I can say is stop by for taste of Ethiopia. Priced well and they have honey wine.

    (5)

  • Jen S.

    As a party of 4, we came in at around 8pm and were promptly seated. I kinda like the atmosphere-- dim with a little African decor. I shared an Addis combination platter and asked for my injera to be warmed up. The waitress kind of looked at me funny but complied. The meat that came with the combo platter was gross. The meat and sauce sat below a few centimeters of oil (which I didn't find added any flavor) and was incredibly dry. One of them had a tiny chicken wing drumstick and a hard boiled egg. I found that kind of strange but my experience with Ethiopian food is really limited. The vegetarian dishes were, without question, the better option. I was a little bothered that the waitress talked YP out of ordering the wine he wanted. She said it was too dry. (We LIKE our wine dry!) The one she recommended instead wasn't good at all. I'm not sure if the one he originally chose would've been any better but it's probably better to be unhappy at our own accord. We never saw our waitress during the meal so we couldn't have communicated this. I would go back but I'm far from in love with Addis.

    (3)

  • T O.

    the food is the tastiest ethiopian in the bay area without a doubt. add to that new management, friendly service, and good prices and you have a great restaurant. but if you eat here, and you live in sf, be prepared to never be able to eat at any of the sf city ethiopians. i'd cross the bridge for addis any day.

    (5)

  • Elena A.

    This place is really good, and inexpensive. The atmosphere isn't as nice as Cafe Colucci (sp?), but I think the food is every bit as good.

    (5)

  • Anna P.

    really really good... I don't go out to eat much, and I was definitely rather apprehensive about this place at first, but it is yummy. With combination plates you are not stuck with a huge portion (which for me is important); and the honey wine is really good.

    (5)

  • Nahel S.

    I've been going here for over a year. While the place is small it is full of love. The staff there are very nice and the ambiance is nice. The food is well seasoned and delicious, sending you taste buds on a rollercoaster of great and exotic flavors. I love the lamb tibs also.

    (5)

  • Sunny L.

    Service is slow. The veggie combo is tasty and a great deal at about $10 and change. The injera, however, leaves a bit to be desired - overly sour and a texture that's a bit off. For great injera, I head to Cafe Colucci (but the food there is definitely pricier).

    (3)

  • Greg R.

    I enjoyed this place much more than Cafe Collucci (way overrated). Red Sea was good, but this place is my regular now after eating there a few times.

    (4)

  • Eyetothe B.

    I've eaten at almost every Ethiopian restaurant in the East Bay, and this place takes the cake. It is addictively good. Order the Vegetarian Combo and an order of Doro Tibbs, and sit back and enjoy. The service is crappy but the waitresses are sweet. To deal with the bad service, I recommend that when they give you your bill, when you're ready to pay it, get up and bring the money to the cash register. You will shave about 20 minutes off your stay that way! My only other complaint is the food can be a bit uneven. The other dishes I've had haven't been quite as good as the Vegetarian Combo and Doro Tibbs, and there are days when the Tibbs are dry whereas most of the time they are moist, tender and caramelized. Oh, and stay out of the bathroom if you are allergic to scented products. OMG the air freshener is out of control! But for real, I dream about the food at Addis. It is really just that good.

    (5)

  • Anonymous M.

    Great for Friday lunch with co-workers. Combinations simplify ordering, and it's best to pre-order before you leave, as the service may be slow. However, it's always fun digging right in with your hands. The Addis combination for $18.99 is enough for three people, and kitfo is excellent.

    (4)

  • Maris D.

    YUMMM. I would give it 5 stars, but the beef tibs were a little overcooked. But given that, I also neglected to specify to the waiter that I like my meat nearly raw. Still it was good. And the shrimp tibs to DIE for. I'm almost liking it better than Colucci, aside from the fact that Colucci is closer to my house by a few yards. Also, inside is bigger than Colucci yet somehow cozier. I ate myself into a coma.

    (4)

  • Shawna R.

    This was my first Ethiopian food - the veggies were really good but the meat sauces were too sour for my taste. I didn't care for the honey wine - personal choice. The service and ambience was great and it's better for a date because the tables are spaced nicely so that even when it's full you feel like you have your own space. This is where the Ethiopian and Eritrean people in my neighborhood eat.

    (3)

  • Noelle M.

    Its true the service is not the quickest. But the food is great, and if you get the veggie combo to go, you have 2 meals.

    (4)

  • Jamie C.

    I have been to several Ethiopian places in SF and none compare to Addis! Great food and good service. The way to tell it's a real hit is when you see so many of the same locals in there every time you go! I have been several times and I have made the trip for the Quanta Fir Fir alone...which the husband loves! The injera is lovely! Very soft, light and not too sour like I have had in other places. The vegetables are well seasoned and fresh. Almost every dish comes with a side salad with a tangy vinaigrette. If you have never had Ethiopian make this a place to try first or if you had sworn it off due to bad experiences (like I had) give this one a try to see if it will redeem your sense of what Ethiopian food really is.

    (4)

  • Denise D.

    It's been many years (20+) since I'd had Ethiopian food and my husband was a first timer. We were in Oakland for our 10th anniversary and our gondolier (yes, we took a gondola ride on Lake Merritt - Gondola Serviizio - awesome) recommended Addis since we mentioned that we wanted to have Ethiopian food. Overall, things were good. We tried the meat/veg combo and some things were great, some things ok - we both tended to like the spicier dishes. On the less spiced items, the injera's sourness seemed to be a bit much. The food was plentiful. I decided to try the Flax seed juice a traditional drink. the waitress questioned me and indicated that she didn't think I'd like it. I told her to bring it anyhow. It was different - very frothy and basically what you'd expect ground flaxseed to taste like. She offered to take it back and exchange for a soda, but I kept it. I was there for an adventure and it was interesting. Next time I'll try one of the teas (don't drink alcohol, otherwise I'd try the honey wine). My one negative, is that it was obviously our first time and I think we even said that - but no one really talked to us about the food before or after ordering. I really enjoy ethnic restaurants where they engage you and ask what kind of things you like (such as do you like spicy food). We live out of town, so a repeat visit may not happen, but i would be willing to go again. If we went again, I think I would try harder to engage the waitress and not just order the combo.

    (3)

  • Jack J.

    We thought we would try the combination dishes because that would allow each of us to try 3 of their most popular dishes. The vegetarian combination was very good. The meat combination was bad. The portions of meat were really, really small, leaving little more than sauce. Almost a joke. And it didn't taste good at all. I barely ate any of it. I've been to several Ethiopian restaurants and never had a dish I did not like. Two out of the three dishes on the meat combination were worse than going hungry. I took one bite out of each and ate no more. The veggie combo was tasty, and with the restaurant.com , even though I didn't like the meat dish and sent most of it back untouched, I didn't feel too bad about the whole experience. My partner who ordered the veggie dish liked everything. She did not try the meat dishes. We disagreed on the baklava. She thought it was OK. I thought it was bad. Stick with vegetarian and you'll be good. Service was very good - prompt and courteous. Atmosphere was busy, but not bothersome.

    (2)

  • Herbert S.

    I'm almost ashamed to admit this was my first Ethiopian experience so i have nothing to compare this too. Not that i'm a complete Ethiopian virgin, i know the drill, i had just never gotten around to eating it before. Knowing this, i came here and got the sampler. I have the feeling this was a mistake, as most of the dishes were rather bland. I guess they were trying to make it 'more accessable' for unknowing masses, but i found it dissapointing.

    (3)

  • Jeanne F.

    ive already gone twice in 2 weeks, both times yummy. i love the smell of tea when you walk in, and i love the decor. i'll be bringing my folks in here :)

    (4)

  • Kathleen M.

    One great dish (awaze tibs) is the only thing that can recommend this place. Management has changed so hopefully the food is better and the attitude is gone.

    (3)

  • ruby w.

    my ugandan friend introduced me to this place about 6-7 years ago. being from the Bay, i've been fortunate to eat at many ethiopian and eritrean restaurants. since the first time i ate there to last thursday, the food has been nothing but incredible! so much in fact, that the food i most craved from the states while i was in guatemala for a year was the food from addis. i need to note though that this review pertains mainly to their vegetarian dishes, especially their vegetarian combo plate (the potato/carrot portion is mouth watering). However, the carnivore companions of mine have never not thoroughly enjoyed addis' meat dishes. my mama especially loves the lamb. the injera is heavenly. the prices are reasonable for a vegetarian (vegetarian combo is $12 and can usually feed two medium-appetite people), maybe $5 more for meat. for drinks, i stick to mainly water or their teas. the ambiance has always been comfortable and welcoming. my favorite seating is the corner location with the thatched roof. it fits like 7-10 people i believe and eating in a circle is quite nice. the lighting is calm and the waitresses are usually warm and gets the (sometimes complicated) order right. i have never met the cooks but whoever they are, they should know that they are my saving grace and need to be awarded in like the chief world. i've never had to wait more than 5 minutes. they take orders over the phone and your food is ready in 20 or less, just like if you were there at the restaurant, even on crowded evenings. and the tables each come with a little, real flower. no cheesy music, actually it's the music of many people talking, usually no loud, drunk hipsters around. sometimes families are there. but more are like friends, or workmates, or couples. the smell is of spices and of course the food, so right when you enter the restaurant, you're senses begin doing cartwheels. for people that are particular about spicy levels, the lentil dish, i'd say is medium spicy. most of the other portions are mild to no spicy, but the waitress can help you with that.

    (5)

  • C L.

    such a great spot. i live right down the block, so i frequent this place often. my favs are the appetizer rolls, the veggie platter and a glass of honey wine. their red lentil dish is AMAZING. it really is hard to stop myself from going there more often than i already do. they are so friendly and are always smiling. thank you!!

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :4:30 pm - 10:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Addis Ethiopian Restaurant

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