4. Restaurants

Ethiopian Diamond Restaurant

6120 N Broadway St, Chicago, IL, 60660
  • (773) 338-6100
  • Store is closed

Ethiopian Diamond Restaurant Menu

  • Popular Items

Healthy Meal suggestions for Ethiopian Diamond Restaurant

  • Popular Items

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant blood pressure menu details.

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

  • Jay M.

    I'm going to make this brief...mostly because I went to this restaurant with a large group and someone ordered before I got there...so I have no idea the names of the dope dishes I ate. (Yes, I just said "dope" --dont know what that means? Look it up and upgrade your street credulousness.) Good service. Very spacious place. You eat with your hands...no silverware is provided here. You use a pancake like breading to grab your food and it actually works out very well. Live music in the back corner is so very player. Sounded like the radio. Prices were very reasonable. Had unique beers you can't find anywhere else. Bathroom experience was uneventful and routine...very important to any review. Casual, but not jogging suit casual. Great atmosphere. Bottom line: going to places like this reminds you of how great living in a big city where you can experience different cultures can be. No jokes, no games, kid. Check this spot out. Good talk.

    (4)

  • Chicago D.

    I don't even think I need to add a review because most people know how amazing this place is, but I thought I would at least put in my 2 cents. AMAZING!

    (5)

  • Christine H.

    You would think that every restaurant in Chicago would be crowded on Mother's Day and that you would have to wait 30 minutes for even a carry-out order, especially at an Ethiopian restaurant (after all, Ethiopian is the new "Thai"). But not Ethiopian Diamond! I ordered a vegetarian platter and as other reviewers mentioned, it is totally enough for 2 people. And of course, you must eat Ethiopian food with the injera bread, with your hands. Sadly, injera bread does not keep well to the next day so if you have leftovers, you must eat them with a fork. It's not the same, but still good. I ordered the food carry-out and it was done in about 10 minutes. For an African restaurant, that's fast food! I dare anyone who thinks vegetables are bland to try any Ethiopian vegetarian platters. Apparently, the poorest countries, not the most chic restaurants, know how to cook meatless meals. But I digress, I wish the entrees were slightly cheaper, hence why I gave it four instead of 5 stars. But again, at least you get two meals out of it.

    (4)

  • Rachel F.

    Horrible experience. I have been coming here for years, as Ethiopian is my ultimate favorite food. Not to mention I recommend this place to EVERYBODY. I ordered delivery and #1 they forgot my drink (ok, I can deal with that) #2 they didn't give me a side (getting worse, but still I'll deal) #3 my entree was the size of a side and didn't even taste good.... I literally threw away the little food I got. I've had enough. I called at this point, which I've never done before; as a server I'm very tolerant. The guy didn't apologize, and he did nothing to remedy the experience. It was such a terrible experience I don't even want to step foot in there again. Too bad I bought my boyfriend a gift certificate there for his birthday. Looks like I'll be ordering from Demera from now on.

    (1)

  • Suzan W.

    Just a quick update...after several more dinners at Ethiopian Diamond, still fantastic!!! I think I may be a glutton for their food because even the sometimes flaky service can't stop me from going back.

    (5)

  • Mihir P.

    I have had Ethiopian food several times and have enjoyed it thoroughly but I was not so impressed with EDR. BUT i do HIGHLY recommend the Sambusas (similar to Indian samosas) and a pot of Ethiopian tea. The injera was cold and overly stretchy which made it suspect. The meats and veggies were cold and blande. I was not impressed. To top it off the lunch bill for two came out to about $60 without alcohol.

    (2)

  • rusty n.

    Great big group restaurant. Interesting experience. Food was delicious.

    (4)

  • Keith W.

    The best Ethiopian restaurant in Chicago. Everything I've ordered has been great. The bartenders aren't the best at making mixed drinks though.

    (4)

  • Jim M.

    I have never had Ethiopian food before. But I will definitely have Ethiopian food again -- esp. if I can have it here. Be prepared to get directly involved in your food. You'll be eating without flatware, from a shared tray full of crepe like, spongy bread, which is delicious. Be prepared for bright colors and strong flavors. Two minor critiques: 1) The lentil sambusas, a fried pastry similar to a samosa you would get at an Indian restaurant, were marvelously prepared and presented, but the lentil filling was short on salt -- something I generally hardly use any of to begin with. If they had not been served with a vibrant, sweet, fruit sauce, they would have been quite bland. 2) The spicy shrimp I ordered still had the tail shells in place -- making eating them out of pieces of bread with my hands very, very tricky if I didn't want to actually eat the shells as tiny, sharp shards. Be sure to try the Ethiopian tea, lightly spiced and very tasty.

    (4)

  • Swati B.

    I've never had Ethiopian food before...and my friends always described it as "bland Indian food" so I really had no idea what to expect when I checked out this place... first off...get the honey wine..its fantastic...if you aren't a fan of anything sweet then dont...because it is quite sweet, and i swear theres no alcohol in there! We ordered the Taste of Ethiopia Veg Platter...its comes out on this gigantic steel plate on a spongy bread and with the small portion of tastings on it...you eat with your hands (us Indians are so used to this) and share your plate with whoever else at the table (so don't go here with someone you can't stand sharing your plate with haha)... My favorite was the Shimra Assa (the chick pea fish...) the most flavorful...the Greens were my least favorite (so bitter!)... The Sambusa tasted much like a Samosa... I also ordered the Tofu Tibs...pretty decent, somewhat spicy actually... They ran out of the chocolate dessert (Dude, we got here at 6:30, and they ran out??) The place is quite cozy, casual...good variety of crowd, service is fantastic... I think I definitely will be back to try some more of the varieties (and that damn chocolate cake!)

    (4)

  • JJ H.

    The food was ok maybe 2 stars but the service will be -1 star. The worst service we ever had at the restaurants.

    (1)

  • Bri A.

    I came here for a friend's birthday recently. I never had Ethiopian food before and was a little nervous, but it was fantastic! I ordered spinach sambusas and shrimp tibs. My friend ordered one of the samplers, though I don't recall which one. It was all delicious, especially the honey wine! We were in a group of six and the waitstaff was attentive and friendly. I anticipate going back!

    (5)

  • Tamra G.

    LOVE ED. It's one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. I actually had them cater a meeting a few years ago and got a whole lot more people hooked too. For as much as we both eat there by ourselves and with guests, the (same, familiar) staff don't seem to recognize that my husband and I are regular customers. But, oh well--both service and food are still great. Avoid the place like the plague on Friday and Saturday nights because it's almost always packed...

    (4)

  • Tiffany K.

    Best Ethiopian food in Chicago. The food is reasonably priced, and the portions were great! I went with 2 other people and we were stuffed at the end of our meal. We got a veggie dish, a beef dish, and a spicy chicken dish. The wait service was great, and there was a band playing in the background. The place was packed and there were so many people enjoying their meals! It was a great atmosphere, and I would definitely go back. Also, the sour and spongy flatbread (injera) is perfect. You are supposed to pick up the food with this bread, and the combination of the sour bread with the spicy entrees is just too delicious to describe in words! If you ask for a fork, you're totally missing the point - it is the custom and tradition to eat with your right hand and not use utensils. So try something different and come here!

    (5)

  • Sophia T.

    oh bloody hell. when i went i didn't know of yelp so I can't write a super detailed review. what i recall -- went with a large group of friends and I was vegetarian at the time. loved the food, couldn't get enough of it. loved the dessert. couldn't get enough of it. sorry that's all i've got ;o( I'm a love of ethiopian and Diamond made me uber happy. oh i remember awesome live music!

    (5)

  • James P.

    Great food and Great service. I went to watch my buddy play drums and decided to try some of the food. It was my first time at an Ethiopian restaurant so I had no idea how or what to order. The waitress was patient and helped expalin the different items. I had lamb which was covered in this amazing garlic sauce. If you have never been, try Ethiopian Diamond.

    (5)

  • C K.

    Hands down my favorite restaurant in Chicago. I've had every birthday, New Years, and celebration there because the food is always delicious, the prices are very reasonable, and the staff are friendly. And eating with your hands is fun! The injera (bread) is the foundation of the meal and the best I've had anywhere. I usually go with the teff injera--which is gluten-free, $2 extra and has to be pre-ordered. However, it has a bit more fiber than some people are accustomed to and a few friends have had a hard time digestively for a few hours afterward. I do just fine with it and have taken dozens of others there who also love it. Others, like my SO, just prefer the taste of the sourdough injera it comes with better. If you're not gluten-free, I'd recommend ordering a little of both for your first time and seeing how you like both options. The "stews" are amazing. I just discovered you can order some of the vegetable as sides, which seems to be a good value. The red lentils and the spinach and okra veggie dishes are my favorites, but I've tried them all and have yet to find one I dislike. If you are a meat eater and can handle a little spice, try my favorite dish of all--tibbs watt.

    (5)

  • Jennifer B.

    I was here recently with my parents. We were seated immediately, but no server came by. I looked around to try to catch someone's eye, having never had such an experience at the Diamond before. When I finally caught a server's eye, a manager type came by shortly thereafter and apologized profusely. He was great, and gave us a free appetizer. Our service after that was outstanding. The food was excellent, in particular the yemisir wat - it was just the right amount of spicy.

    (4)

  • Sara K.

    My stomach and I miss this place like whoa... I miss living within walking distance to ED during my college years and inhaling as much Ethiopian cuisine as possible. This restaurant has a special place in my heart because it was my first introduction to Ethiopian food (except for my friend Finan from grade school during cultural day). From my experience, which I admit is dated (give or take 4-5 years), the service was always great, friendly and prompt, the food hot and delicious (temperature and spice wise) and the injera... OHHHH the injera... Such deliciousness... We always went in larger groups (think a big group of undergrads) and the staff was always very accommodating. If you go, please eat a heaping injera full of anything (I love it all) for me!!

    (4)

  • Roxy R.

    pricey but the food is good.

    (4)

  • Ben A.

    I have never eaten at an Ethiopian restaurant before, so this was a very new experience for me. First off, you don't use silverware at all... instead you use a pancake like bread to scoop up the food and eat it. We ordered the Tour of Ethiopia which gives you appetizers, salads, and main and side dishes. All of the food was very good. The spicy dishes had just the right amount of spice. My only complaints are the expensive prices and the brutally slow service.

    (3)

  • Carri A.

    I would like to think that I'm an open-minded person, including when it comes to food. I've never had Ethiopian food before and knew basically nothing about it prior to visiting, but a co-worker who manages this restaurant invited some of us from the office to swing by for dinner one night. The only complaint I have about the restaurant (other than being so damn far north) is the bread. I'm a carb fanatic but I just couldnt really get past the texture of the bread, being so human skin-like. Oh, and I'm not a big fan of eating with my hands, sans utensils. Other than that, the food was totally delicious and the service was dynamite. I shared a veggie sampler platter with a vegan (all vegetarian dishes are vegan) and the two meat-eaters shared a platter. Oh, but first we started with these sambusas appetizers and the spinach one was by far the best one (of the veggies). We also ordered the okra quosta for our veggie platter because I'm a huge slut for spinach. Dont judge me. All the food was pretty amazing and again the service was fabulous. If you like Ethiopian food, definitely get your ass here. And if you're looking for some atypical cuisine, give Ethiopian Diamond a try. I recommend moderating your use of the bread though, since it can fill you up. Cheers!

    (4)

  • Megan B.

    I've been to Ethiopian Diamond here twice, and it was wonderful both times. Getting a meat and/or vegetarian Taste of Ethiopia platter is a must. These platters are fairly large, and they feed more people than they claim (the 2-person platter is plenty for three people with normal appetites). Make sure to get an African beer or two to cut any spicy food. Even the city's best beer bars don't carry this beer selection, and $4.50 for a good import is a great deal. Another wonderful thing about Ethiopian Diamond is the atmosphere. The space has a very communal feel, and it doesn't try too hard. The mixture of patrons is more varied than most restaurants, which is a welcome change. And the staff are friendly - at least 5 people thanked my group and wished us a good evening as we left.

    (5)

  • mei s.

    the only other ethiopian place i have been to was addis ababa, which i think has very mediocre service. the service here was extremely friendly and when asked for suggestions, made a really good attempt at meeting our needs. we went with some people who have never had ethiopian so they were a little put off by the tartness of the injera bread. oddly enough, i didn't even notice the sourness anymore. it's not like i eat ethiopian often, i think the last time was over 4 years ago. the sambusas (sp?) are excellent. i highly recommend the minced beef and spinach ones--they are basically like samosas/dumplings, etc. we tried the meat, vegetable and tibs combos. it was a good mix of food. my son loved the spinach. sort of reminded me of some indian dishes. they have a stage but there was no entertainment going on sunday night. i highly recommend it for those who have never tried ethiopian.

    (3)

  • R R.

    So my friends had been suggesting we try Ethiopian Diamond. In the past , we had been frequenting Demera Ethiopian. The service is a little slow, but the food will not disappoint . We started with the 3 Veggie Sambusas ( Lentil, Spinach and Potato). The Tikel Gomen, Quotsa and Gomen were amazing. We were having Njara bread wars to get the last bite. Surprisingly, we really enjoyed Shimbra ASSA as well. To make you dollar stretch, order the Vegetarian Combo for two. It will easily feed 3. We ended the meal with the House Special dessert, which was so good that we ordered a second. Another good deal is if you like Honey wine, order the Berela. It is enough to feed 3-4 people, as this wine is potent. Drink slowly. Veggie folks, definitely check this place out, as your taste buds will be singing! ~Chitown Veg Gal

    (4)

  • Liza M.

    Love it! Great food and great atmosphere. The bread is like a savory pancake and you break it apart and eat all the delicious food with it...we just ordered the vegetarian sampler for the table and it worked out well. The honey wine is also delish. There was a live band (we went on a Saturday night). The service was friendly and one guy who worked there recognized me from college and gave us all free tea, how nice! My favorite kind of food is Indian so this is pretty close, but I guess a little less spicy. Everyone was looking at each other's tables to see what to order...I'm glad we went for the sampler. The desserts looked great but we were too full! I'll definitely be going back!

    (5)

  • Jen B.

    I'm not going to pretend I know anything about Ethiopian food. Let's be honest, I'm a white girl from the Midwest. What I do know is that Ethiopian Diamond is delicious. It's just a fact: Man was meant to consume saucy delights by tearing off pieces of spongy bread and scooping it up with his fingers. It just feels good. For first-timers, I highly recommend the platters -- you get to try a number of different things to see what you like. This is how I discovered shira, also know as the food of the gods. It has a rich creaminess that compliments the sourness of the injera so well. I also recommend anything with cabbage or spinach. And try the honey wine!

    (4)

  • Barbie S.

    YUMMY!!! This is one my fave places!!!! My friends introduced me to it and I sooo happy it is great!!! The food is delicious, great if you are vegetarian or vegan, the staff is extremely friendly, great service. Sooooo much food... This is such a unique dining experience, no utensils...but it is so much fun, and so good! And the honey wine is so yummy and perfect accent with spices in the food!!! This is a great place for groups. The round tables are great too...unless of course you are like me and like to cross your legs all time while you sit. :) The decor is a little on the eclectic side... some of the chairs look like recycled banquet hall chairs and same with the tables. This would be one area that they could improve on because when you walk in it definitley doesn't look like any place special. I would have given a 5 - but i think the decor needed a little updating... haha maybe that is kind of picky????

    (4)

  • A D.

    I've been to Ethiopian Diamond many times over the years, and I'm always impressed by the quality of the food and outstanding service. I am an Ethiopian and very picky about where I eat out, so this says a lot... Most recently, I was there a week ago. My uncle and I went out to dinner to celebrate Ethiopian New Year. Despite the large size of the restaurant, they manage to make it feel intimate with personalized attention from the waitstaff. The prices are reasonable, and the portions are big. I usually start the meal planning how I can take the leftovers for lunch the next day, but once we start eating it becomes apparent that there will be no leftovers to take home! Luckily they brought me some yummy tea after the meal to help digest everything I ate. Ethiopian Diamond, along with Demera (farther south down broadway st), continue to be my favorite Ethiopian restaurants in Chicago.

    (5)

  • alex r.

    The owner(s) and staff at "the Diamond" (collectively shortened by other Abeshas) are absolutely the best. Their appreciation for their customers goes hand-in-hand with their food. No pun intended. That's the only reason why places like this stay so popular. YES, the food is good... Notice how many other Ethiopians are eating there? Come on, don't you think they would be at home cooking their own Injera if it wasn't? ;-)

    (5)

  • Esther A.

    Ethiopian Diamond has ruined me for any other Ethiopian restaurant in the city. To me, no other place compares! I've taken tons of people there over the years, because I always know exactly what I'm going to get--a leisurely evening of incredibly delicious food and great service. I trust the impeccable freshness and food preparation of this place so much that I often order gored gored from their menu--a dish of raw, spiced beef (you can order it lightly cooked, but it's better raw) that really satisfies the carnivore in me. But when my vegetarian mom is in town, the huge range of tasty veggie options pleases both of us too--there's something for everyone!

    (5)

  • Lauren H.

    This was my first time eating Ethiopian food and came here with my family. It was a very interesting experience I must say eating with your hands and the entree being in one big tray and everyone just shares. The food is spicy but that's what I loved about it...The staff is very friendly and helpful on what you want to order.

    (4)

  • Patrick H.

    The food and service were good. Definitely something different than what I'm used to. Only two negatives I can think of were warm beer and everyone taking off my plate. The sharing didn't detract from the score, I just hate sharing food. Several people I know, including my wife, have scars on their hands from stab wounds inflicted by me while they were attempting food thievery. That being said, the gomen (greens) was the favorite part of my meal, which is odd based on the fact I'm on a strict carnivorous diet.

    (3)

  • Justyna B.

    For my birthday party on 9/27/08 I wanted to go for something a little different and decided on Ethiopian Food. For those of you who have never tried Ethiopian food the closest comparison I can think of would be Indian food with less intense spice. There are loads of great options for vegetarians, pescatarians and meatetarians alike. I made a reservation for my party of 24 on the restaurants website online reservation tool, but i would suggest calling a few days before to confirm the reservation. They set everything up beautifully for us. I was interested in bringing in my own wine and they let us do that with a nominal $2/person corkage fee. The staff was super friendly and patient with all of us and helped us organize our ordering by breaking us up into sub groups of 4 so 4 entrees were put on 1 platter (yes folks...Ethiopian dining is communal). I didn't have a cake and they even brought out a dessert for all of us with candles in it. Everything was delicious! I would highly recommend this place. The restaurant is decorated in green and is very airy and not too noisy.

    (4)

  • Danny S.

    I've been to ED several times and have enjoyed it more every time. In my opinion the vegetarian options have way more flavor than the meat choices. The bread is really filling so be careful with how much you take with each bite. We took my parents here and they went bonkers, as did a 5 year old boy on one trip. Who doesn't love strong flavors that you eat with your hands!

    (5)

  • Josh S.

    Very good food served in the Ethiopian traditional style on a large doughy piece of flat bread. I like that the entrée feels like a sampler platter, so you get to try several different types of dishes in one meal. Things that are not usually very appetizing at most restaurants such as boiled spinach turned out to be very tasty. Some things are a bit on the salty side, though, and the flat bread is probably not the most healthy way to eat your veggies. This place is really well suited for large groups of friends to all eat with your hands from the same platter.

    (4)

  • Albert K.

    Came here to celebrate a friend's birthday and definitely want to go back. Ethiopian is the perfect meal for when you want something different, yet something that feels like comfort food. Love the giant platters of injera - everything is quite tasty. Tons of vegetarian options, too. And the bang for your buck is awesome. Try the honey wine and Ethiopian beers - they go great with the food. Super close to the Granville Red Line stop, which is key when it's fricken cold. Wish I lived closer!

    (4)

  • Bryan H.

    This place is great! I went with my family and don't think we could have picked a better place to eat as a family. For those of you unfamiliar w/ Ethiopian food, you use a "spongy" bread to pick up your food with your fingers. We found this place on Check Please - checkplease.tv/ViewResta… I don't drink tea, but everyone else loved it. The food reminded me of a mild Indian food, very good. The flavors were all very distinct. The service was incredibly good. Our regular waiter was consistent with refills. The owner or manager also came around a couple times to make sure we were ok. We brought in an outside birthday cake for dessert and they put candles in it and cut it for us. Fantastic! My only complaint was the incense in the air from other tables filled my mouth and nose with flavors I don't like.

    (4)

  • Elizabeth H.

    I was a bit nervous trying Ethiopian food as I'm a picky vegetarian, but after reading all of the positive reviews I really wanted to give it a try (probably to my boyfriend's dismay). FOOD: For appetizers, I ordered the Potato and Carrot Sambusa and my bf had the Beef Sambusa. We quickly devoured our apps and were ready for our main dishes. I had a veggie combo consisting of spinach & garlic, spicy red lentils, and potatoes, string beans, and carrots. The potatoes, string beans, and carrots was my favorite item and I ate all of it. I ate a good portion of the spicy red lentils but my mouth was on fire so I couldn't finish it. The spinach & garlic was decent but I like a LOT of garlic so I didn't eat a ton of it. It wasn't bad by any means, I just prefer more garlic. The bread was quite different and I really wasn't expecting the consistency that it had. I can usually eat a lot of food but found myself full after I ate about half of my meal. They served our dishes with salad, but I was really unsure how to eat it without utensils. For $36, we got a TON of food! SERVICE: Our waiter seemed nice enough and made fun of my boyfriend for not finishing his food. AMBIANCE: Ethiopian Diamond Restaurant like a great place for groups. When I come back, I will definitely invite a few friends along. PARKING: We went on a Monday night and had no trouble finding street parking directly in front of the restaurant.

    (5)

  • Lilith K.

    I discovered this restaurant a few years ago when I was still new to Chicago and lived on the north side. It's a bit of a drive, now that I live downtown, but I returned recently after purchasing a Groupon. I almost felt guilty about paying half price for an awesome meal, for which I would have happily paid full price. The deal was $20 for $40 worth of food, so two friends and I decided to enjoy a mid-week dinner. On Wednesday night, the restaurant was quiet, which was a welcome contrast to the weekends, which can get noisy and crowded. Our waiter was congenial and friendly, and perhaps because business was slow that night, he was extremely attentive. We started out with three orders of sambusa: Lentil, spinach and potato and carrot. Of these, only the spinach seemed a little on the greasy side, but went well with the lemon. We ordered three entrees: the shiro was flavorful, creamy and thick, with just enough spice to contrast with the soft, sour injera. Dinich alicha was also perfectly spiced and fresh. The doro watt, which the restaurant warns is spicy, is actually really spicy (a little too much for me, but my friend, who is a spice fiend, thought it was just right.) The three dishes were served communal style on a large pizza-like platter, along with multiple side dishes, including a vinegar-flavored salad, yellow lentils, red lentils and collard greens. After eating our way through the first round, we odered extra injera to scoop up the sauce-soaked remnants on the tray. Before tip, the total bill came around $43 for three people, a bargain, given how stuffed we were. I felt so guitly about using the Groupon that I ordered extra food to go. I hear that they opened a second location in Rogers Park, which I have not tried; if only they would open a location downtown. P.S. It's definitely better to go with a large group of people, but only if you are okay with sharing.

    (5)

  • Dolly V.

    I'm glad my first time eating Ethiopian food was at Diamond. Everything was really good! - although I could be oblivious because I don't know what to have expected. The boyfriend and I ordered two combo meals that was enough to feed an extra person or more. I loved that I got to eat with my hands, too! It wasn't too messy if you used their bread to scoop everything up. The only thing I wish could have been better was if the meat were a little more tender. It was a bit over cooked and dry. We'll be back, though!

    (3)

  • Shazza B.

    Delightful and delicious. I adore this place. Too bad it is so far north ...

    (5)

  • B. D.

    Absolutely the best Ethiopian restaurant in Chicago. Fantastic selection. Decent and FAIR prices. Good service. Live music often as well! Wonderful flavors and street parking available makes this a great spot! LOVE this place!

    (5)

  • Chris S.

    This is my second favorite Ethiopian restaurant. This is #1 for takeout. We always get the vegetarian sampler E3 for two. It never disappoints.

    (4)

  • Quantas G.

    I've been to this place a few times and I have enjoyed it each time. The last time was on a first date and it was a great experience to share a meal together. To literally share a meal, ripping off some injera and grabbing a portion of food from the same plate. We ordered a variety of lamb, chicken, and veggies. All of the food was pretty good. They have a few reasonably priced African beers to choose from that accompany the food very well. And the ambiance is great. Very mellow decor and attentive staff. To add to the atmosphere, a mellow 3-piece band was playing most of the night. Highly recommended for groups or couples.

    (4)

  • Larisa O.

    From my experience the food here has always been marvelous....but not good enough to go back after this particular experience. This night, my son, age 5, had been whining and whining for Ethiopian food. He loves the injira. I love bringing my son and his friends to Ethiopian food, and several restaurants, like Addis Abeba in Evanston and the new Lalibella in Andersonville, have been totally willing to provide non-spicy combos for us. No dice here. The waitress was trying to get me to order supplmentary full orders because she couldn't have the kitchen tweak the combos to suit children. (Or was too lazy to try, perhaps? Though she seemed to be standing around, doing nothing?) The host could tell something wasn't right and came to check on us. Maybe the waitress' brain had been devoured by parasites, maybe that was the problem? Or maybe I was just demanding because I wanted a combo of food my child would actually eat. But at that point she started trying to suddenly be more helpful and bring me half-orders or whatever. Unfortunately it was too late. I did something I have done about 3 times in my life: Yes, I walked out. I was just too annoyed and tired to slap down my hard-earned cash for service as cold, and witless, as that. I don't care how good the food is., Without pleasant service, food quality means little. My advice, Give the lady what she wants.

    (2)

  • Allochka G.

    This is our (my bf and I) favorite Ethiopian restaurant in Chicago, and we've been to most of the known places. I am giving the place 5 stars, but if I could give half-points I would give them a 4.5. Although meals here are a bit pricier than other Ethiopian places in the neighborhood, the portions are generous and the food is totally worth it. FOOD PROS: The food here is excellent, a good balance between the feel of something home-cooked and something with restaurant quality. Unlike many other places, the food is served very warm (if you're getting cold vegetarian items, not counting the salad, you came on an off-day). I recommend getting a combo plate for your first visit, so that you could taste a number of the items and figure out your favorites -- each place has its own recipes. Their YE-MISIR-WAT is my favorite item -- this red lentil dish is much more moist than most other places serve it, and as a result the sauce really seeps into the injera bread and transforms the taste in a great way. The collard greens GOMEN dish is good, as is the cabbage-and-carrots dish TIKEL GOMEN. I haven't tried a lot of the meat items, but the chicken and beef TIBS (strips of meat, well cooked) are very simple and very delicious -- I can't get enough of them. They cook everything in vegetable oil, which is nice. The desserts, one of which is a small chocolate cake surrounded by deep-fried sweet dough and whipped cream, tasted really strange to me at first, but grew on me until it was difficult not to order them all the time. FOOD CONS: I am not a fan of the appetizer SAMBOSAS, which are small and pricy. Among the vegetarian dishes, I think the yellow lentil dish KIK ALICHA lacks the rich flavor of the other items on the menu, and I find that the spinach dish QUOSTA has a strange greasy after-taste. Their Ethiopian honey-wine is so-so: it tastes too much like sweet fermented juice, not enough wine or honey. Lastly, the injera bread is made with half teff-flour and half wheat-flour. Most places do that, but it makes your meal much less gluten-free than authentic Ethiopian food can be. I have once been served fridge-cold injera bread, which was terrible, but I think it was an off-day and this hasn't happened since. SERVICE: The service is very polite and speedy, but disinterested. You often get this vibe from the waiter that he or she would much rather be chatting with their acquaintances (people who always seem to be around, at the bar or one of the tables) than talking to me. No matter how often my boyfriend and I come here, they never recognize us or at least never show that they do. But I'm fine with that, as long as the service isn't bad, and it never has been. Finally, a CAUTION to vegans and the health-cautious: ask your waiter whether the dishes include clarified butter (niter kibbeh), a staple of most Ethiopian cuisine. Just because something is cooked in oil doesn't mean it didn't have clarified butter included into the actual sauce. I have a suspicion that their dishes include this obvious staple, but never asked.

    (5)

  • Dan W.

    Our party had three seniors and two children, aged nine and ten. Our order included two combination plates. All the food was served on a single plate. When the bill came, instead of being billed for two combination plates, we were billed for six separate dinners, making the bill $85 more than expected. They said we should have noticed the single plate had six dinners on it. We are still disputing this matter with them. I am sixty years old, and never had such a problem, even eating in poor restaurants in Latin America.

    (1)

  • Carolynne M.

    Had a really great birthday dinner here. Started off with the Sambusa, which are kind of like empanadas. We got one order of potato/carrot, one of beef. The potato ones were disappointing, but the beef ones were very tasty. Then we moved on to the honey tea, which was absolutely yummy ,and the Zilzil Tibs (beef strips with green peppers & onions - reminded me of fajitas), Assa Tibs (Tilapia with vegetables) and the Veggie Combo, which consisted of Kik Alicha (split peas with sauce), Okra Quosta (Okra & spinach in an onion and garlic sauce) and Dinich Alicha (potato and carrot in a mild sauce). Everything was great, but man the fish was my favourite. Scooping up everything with the bread with no utensils was an interesting twist, especially when you are trying to be neat and not drip everything everywhere. yikes. Service was indifferent, but at least it was steady. Probably a good idea to go with people you know and trust, as you are eating out of the same dish as everyone else. I would have a problem doing this with people whose cleanliness levels were of question.

    (4)

  • Colleen S.

    Definitely a unique dining experience. The bread that you eat everything with is a lot more flavorful that I would have imagined...almost citrus-y. I had a beef dish and my BF had a chicken dish. The dining style does make for easy sharing, which is great because you can try everything. The people at the table next to us had some sort of pineapple thing that looked so good, I'll have to try that next time. They have a nice selection of African beers, but they were out of many of them the night I went. They have this back seating area that's very different from the front. They don't ask when they seat you if you'd rather sit back there but once I went to he bathroom to wash my hands before our meal came, I noticed this little back area and wished we were sitting there. My BF's dad had the funniest comment about this place that, oddly enough, I now understand but certainly don't agree with: "I loved it but I never want to eat there again." I think it's just a really different experience that you need to try but may not totally dig. I, however, enjoyed eating with my hands. So I'll go back.

    (4)

  • Derek H.

    This was my first experience eating Ethiopian and I was excited! This place was recommended highly based on someone's previous experiences. Easy street parking and no wait to be seated. I got a variety (tour) and enjoyed it. We were a bit disappointed with the slow service- both in coming around to take our order then again after the food arrived when we asked for some extra things on the side. We made a point of not starting to eat until it arrived which was over 5 minutes. That seemed a little unrealistic as they weren't extremely busy/crowded. In the end it was a good experience. I don't know that Ethiopian food is something I'll have frequently, but I'm open to trying other places if/when I do.

    (3)

  • Tuya S.

    My first experience of Ethiopian food and I was not disappointed! Very interesting taste to the dough that they serve for common plates. As I started chewing on first chunk I kept thinking what it reminds me of. The taste was awfully familiar. The blend was of Russian sour black bread my family used to buy and doughs that are steamed on top of lamb soup. However it comes in completely different form and shape from traditional bread or dough. The fish that I ordered is very similar to the ones that are served in southern cuisines. Anyways, try it. Clearly my words are falling short here. On Saturdays there's live band playing bossanova music that makes the atmosphere intimate.

    (4)

  • Joelen T.

    To experience Ethiopian cuisine at its finest, we had lunch at the Ethiopian Diamond restaurant. It's a popular restaurant known for bringing out the bright and fragant flavors of the cuisine. Here are specific dishes I recommend trying out: Drinks: Ethiopian Tea -This tea is fragrant and relaxing. It includes all spice, cardamom and a cinnamon chip that are all boiled and steeped in water to create a flavorful tea. Appetizers: Sambusas - Thin dough shells stuffed with minced meat and/or vegetables. We had a sampler of sambusas filled with beef, chicken, whole lentils, spinach and potato & carrot. Taste of Ethiopia - We shared platters like this for every four people. Read on to learn about each item featured. -- Doro Wat: Chicken leg & thigh marinated in lemon juice & ginger, cooked in a homemade spice sauce until tender. This was served Ethiopian style with a hard boiled egg. -- Yemisir Watt (Spicy) & Kik Alicha (Mild): Yemisir Watt are red lentils simmered in a spicy onion sauce. Kik Alicha are split peas cooked in a mild sauce of onion, garlic & ginger. -- Gomen, Yebeg Alicha (mild), Quosta: Gomen are chopped collard greens simmered in a mild garlic & onion sauce. Yebeg Alicha is lamb meat booked in a mild onion, garlic, ginger & basil sauce. Quosta are chopped spinach simmered in a mild garlic & onion sauce. -- Dinich Alicha & Kay Watt: Dinich Alicha are potato cubes & carrots cooked in a ginger, garlic, & onion sauce with Ethiopian spices. Kay Watt are lean beef meat cubes cooked in a spice homemade "Diamond Sauce". -- Tikel Gomen & Dinich Alicha: Tikel Gomen is sliced cabbage & carrots cooked in a mild sauce. Dinich Alicha are string beans, carrots and potatoes cooked in a mild onion, garlic & ginger sauce with Ethiopian spices. Injera: Injera is the traditional Ethiopian bread that is part of every entree. It's a pancake like bread on which the various stew dishes are served. The traditional way of eating it is with your fingers. A bit sized piece of injera is broken off to pick up a mouth full of the chosen dish. Destaye (My Happiness): For dessert we indulged in these thin dough shells stuffed with dried red & white raisins, pistachios, split almonds, shredded coconut and cardamom powder... and some French Vanilla ice cream

    (4)

  • Ian P.

    Whenever we go we always get a table right away, even with a large group. The Diamond is a great place to go with friends for a great meal. The food is always fantastic and the African beer selection is pretty good too. The staff is always friendly and very efficient. A great place to get a meal!

    (5)

  • Vijay M.

    Finger lickin Goodness!! A very unique Ethiopian culture experience. Eating with hands, feeding your friend(date, bf/gf, etc), enjoying the company. Love the waiting staff and owner(Hi Sisaye). The platters are worth the extra buck. Family, birthday, special occasions have been a HIT in our personal experience. Only one of my friend did prefer other restaurants(That friend likes Hot Dogs, Burgers, and Pizza Only... Bless his heart, The Hosts were accomodating too, by making sauted steak with pepper and salt). Here's my shameless plug to a brother born in another land, Sissaye. Keep up the good work, let your hospitality and love spread and unite everyone at heart. Be Blessed.

    (5)

  • Noah B.

    Holy crap this place is big! Maybe I've been living in the city for too long, but I was impressed by the sheer square-footage of the dining hall in this place. I looked for one of those maximum capacity signs, but I couldn't find one. Anyhow, EDR (as the hip-kids call it) was my first venture into Ethiopian food and I'm glad I chose it. My g/f and I went for our anniversary and had a great time. We ordered one of the meat-friendly "Taste of Ethiopia" combination platter as well as a vegetarian platter. At first glance it looked like it wasn't going to be enough food as I am a chubby little man, but with the injera they serve with it (the spongy flatbread, kind of like mixing a pancake and sourdough bread) filled me up by the end of the meal. Most of it tastes similar to Indian food, so if you like that you'd most likely dig Ethiopian food. I don't drink but the girlfriend said that the honey wine was delicious. The only thing I wish this place had is a lunch buffet style setup so I can try out more food when I'm on a budget. I heart EDR

    (5)

  • Stacey H.

    I have been to several Ethiopian places in the area, and I have to say that this one is just not up to par. I have been here a handful of times and have always had a "meh" experience, at best. My first time here I overheard a manager of some sort yelling at his wait staff because her table did not order alcohol. The last (and final) time I went, the food was pretty awful. I'd like to point out that there is a difference between rare and completely raw. The honey wine also tasted terrible which was disappointing as well.

    (2)

  • Gen S.

    I absolutely love this restaurant. I like to try new foods, so when a neighbor told me about this place, my girlfriend and I went there the next week. I had never eaten Ethiopian food before and this was a great start. Everything is clearly explained on the menu and the wait staff is happy to answer all questions. We're always seated immediately, no matter what time of night we go. They can get busy but they never seem to run out of tables. I frequently see them accommodate large groups. This place is made for sharing as all food is served on large trays. Make a point to ask your server which dish is which when the food is served - it will come in handy the next time you're there. I tend to order vegetarian dish (the yellow split pea is a favorite) but I've tried both chicken and beef dishes as well and come away happy. They have a large assortment of speciality beers, but the honey wine is a must-have. It's divine and perfect with the spicy food.

    (5)

  • Modibo S.

    Ethiopian Diamond is at the end of my street, but I've been going here for eight years or so. In fact, I can't compare it to other Ethiopian restaurants in Chicago except maybe Mama Desta's about seven years ago... I can compare it to Ethiopian restaurants in DC, and African restaurants in Chicago, though. All in all, Ethiopian Diamond is one of the best: cheap, fresh, flavorful, and with prompt and decent service. One thing that ED has going for it is that it is always busy - every day of the week, lunch and dinner, there are diners in there. That means that your food is always fresh, and that it usually comes in a timely fashion. One of the big problems with many African restaurants - in Chicago at least - is that they tend to cater to the take-out trade. A related problem is that the menu is something like a wish list instead of a practical guide to the food you can actually get on any single day. That's the way it is in many African restaurants in Africa - it's better to ask what food is available before you even look at a menu. The result is that you end up waiting - sometimes hours - for your food. So in that sense, Ethiopian Diamond is not particularly authentic - you can realistically expect to order most any item off the menu and get it in a reasonable amount of time. Still, I usually order the old standby - the vegetarian platter for two. This has its drawbacks - I don't know the names of the dishes at all! - but it's a good deal for a healthy, filling meal. Usually you'll get red lentils, split peas, a potato - carrot dish, braised collards, and a small salad in the middle of your injera (the spongy flat bread made with tef flour that's used for scooping up food). There may be another dish there, too, but I forget. I've had other dishes here, too, but because I'm normally here with kids we don't have time to be too choosy. My beer recommendation is Kebele, an Ethiopian beer that comes in a generous half-liter bottle. It's a typical African lager, maybe a bit on the malty side, but without any obvious distracting corn or rice flavors. And because it's in a half-liter bottle, you can split it. There are usually other African beers on offer, but they tend to rotate in and out. They're all more or less the same unless you can get a Nigerian beer (eg Star, Gulder) - these are usually made with a high proportion of sorghum instead of barley due to protectionist government policies in that country. Order your drinks, though, the first time you see a waiter or waitress - the staff here is generally attentive, but they don't flutter by often to take drink orders so get your order in when you have a chance. The other thing to pay attention to is the dcor. What I like in particular is a large painting between the front door and the bar depicting modern Addis Abeba - complete with buses, cars, and airplanes. Usually African restaurants try to play up the rustic and exotic aspects of their cultures, so Ethiopian Diamond's dcor is refreshing. Two cautions to the picky diner. First, I would think twice about coming here with a large group. I have done so in the past, and it's the only time when the food has taken an unacceptable time to reach the table. Second, because the restaurant is spacious, cheap, and you eat with your hands, it is popular for people such as myself who come with small children. If you come before 8 or 9 pm, you will probably hear and see kids in the restaurant. Please don't give them and their parents dirty looks for enjoying the diverse cuisine that Chicago has to offer.

    (4)

  • Rebekah H.

    Absolutely delicious and far surpassed my expectations! It was decently priced and we had wonderful service. Three friends and I went on a Wednesday night and were pleased to be seated immediately. We ordered a vegetarian sampler platter and everything was delicious and reasonable! I would highly recommend this place.

    (4)

  • Dalis N.

    Great place to go with friends! Definitely on par with Ethiopian restaurants I have been to in other cities. Great for groups and the meal itself is an experience. There were 6 of us and we each ordered a vegetarian dish and there was enough for everyone with only minimal amounts left over (maybe we were all really hungry?). They do charge $5 if you order less dishes than the # in your party, fyi. The injera was soooo good and all of the dishes were top notch. We also had a large pot of the coffee, which I highly recommend getting (if you're not getting an Ethiopian beer). Everyone had a great time and was full of good food at the end. On a side note, there was a live jazz band playing the whole time we were there (on a Sat night). It was weird to have jazz playing in an Ethiopian place, but then we all quickly got over it and just enjoyed the music!

    (5)

  • Joanna T.

    We've eaten there for the second time now, and at the other Ethiopian restaurants in the area a few good times, and I have to say this has been the worst Ethiopian I have experienced ever. The first time we were there it was not as bad. This time however, it was not satisfactory. The beef in the sambusas was practically tasteless. The spinach side dish, I am 100% positive, came from a frozen Green Giant entrée- it has the exact same color and taste. And the meat, oh my god the meat...maybe they just had a bad day, maybe they bought something old, I do not know. And no, just because something was cooked on a skillet, not in a pot is not an excuse for it to be as hard to chew on as a sole of a shoe (not that I ever tried, but I do imagine that's how much fun it is). It's just like going to a good steakhouse and hearing: "Well, you've ordered your steak well-done, now you have to just live it down an chew on it forever". No, that's not how it works. I've had the exact same dishes at the other places and they were never like that. They did bring us other things to try for free to make it better, but we still got the attitude like we just do not know what we are talking about, and it is our first time at an Ethiopian restaurant (which it was not), and it was our fault for not knowing what we are ordering (which was not true- we dine Ethiopian at least once every two weeks). The food is also not as spicy as in all the other places, which may be a plus to some, but is a bad thing for us. The only thing I can have no complaints about is the hot tea- very well brewed with some excellent spices. Ethiopian cuisine is our favorite, right next to Indian, and we've checked out all the places possible on the North side. I'm sorry to say that, I don't like being negative about things, I'd rather just try to eat what's in front of me, pay and just never go back to places, which disappoint me. This time however, it was too much, especially compared to other places. It was more expensive, with very limited options for the combination plates, it provided less sides than other places do when you get a combination plate, and the serving sizes were smaller. Sorry, not going back there, I'll stick to the places a few blocks south on Broadway, which names I will not mention just out of respect, but they are easy to find.

    (2)

  • Carolyn G.

    My first foray into Ethiopian cuisine was everything I had expected, and more! Thanks to the many positive Yelp reviews, I had a fairly good idea of what to expect, and what I would order. We started with Meta beer and the spinach sambusas, which were very good, but I think I'd rather try the beef sambusas next time. For our entree, we ordered the E1 meat sampler. My favorite was the beef - perfect amount of spice! The lamb, chicken, and spinach were also quite tasty, but I kept going back for more of the beef. Finally, I was completely full and didn't think I could stomach another ounce of food, but my husband insisted on trying the House Special for dessert: three scoops of vanilla ice cream on fried dough crisps, drizzled with chocolate sauce. I, of course, managed to find room enough in my "dessert station" to help out. We both left quite full, and very pleased with our first Ethiopian dining experience. We will definitely be back!

    (5)

  • Farrin A.

    The first time I came to this restaurant, I was with my gf's mother and aunt visiting from Iowa. It's NOT a place to take someone from Iowa.... But I LOVE the food! It's terrific and SPICY! (unlike the typical Chicago restaurants -- bland with no taste!) The Kay Watt is yummilicious. And there's something like chick pea fish (chick pea smashed into fish patties or something but no real fish) that my vegetarian gf loves. Its all delicious and I go there as often as we can. I've always had terrific service. They never give me attitude or rush us. Its great. And the paintings on the wall are super neatO to stare at.

    (5)

  • Shureice J.

    This place is wonderful. The atmosphere, the waitstaff and the food of course are absolutely awesome. I really enjoy comming here and eating on the basket tables with my bare hands. Awesome.

    (5)

  • Jack P.

    I made my third visit to this spacious Edgewater ethnic palace this past week with a group of 20 people. The good news was we had a prix-fixe dinner for $16.00 per person which was delicious and filling. The bad news was we waited for one hour for our food, after waiting approximately 45 minutes for the entire group to be complete and seated. The explanation for the delay was that it "takes a long time to make this good food." Now we had four or five identical platters with the identical assortment of the same absolutely flavorful but stew-like food (which presumably could have been simmering in a pot for hours.) So there were no individual, made-to-order dishes, and I don't see what could possibly have taken so long. I would not have called the service here generally attentive or gracious. It seemed as if they just wanted to get rid of this frugal bunch of French-speaking, non-drinking patrons. Of course, were that the case, we would have had our food earlier! Oh, well, I just thought I would raise that issue in case you are bringing a group. That way you can manage your expectations about service, and perhaps bring a scrabble game. I would recommend it highly for groups, however, because it is a good value. And eating without utensils is great fun. I recall my first foray many years ago into Ethiopian where my dining partner later described the food to non-believers as an assortment of Alpo-like concoctions which you scoop up with spandex crepes. He was under the influence of some substance at the time.

    (3)

  • Morgan M.

    If you are looking for good African food and variety , then go no further than this restaurant. You get so much food it's almost laughable. Plus, I have not yet met someone who has been there for the first time trying Ethiopian food and who hasn't liked this place. The food here is DE-LISH. Get out of your crawlspace and venture from American food when it comes to this place.

    (4)

  • Rich G.

    Fun and excellent place ... went here for Ethopian food for the first time and the food was great. Not expecting much it was very interesting and the owner/wait staff was very helpful in explaining the menu. Definately going back!

    (4)

  • Layla C.

    Best Ethiopian in Chicago. It's even comparable to some of the really good places in Washington, DC, which has a large Ethiopian community. Re: the person who said it was a great place to bring kids? Horrifying. Please. Don't. This food is eaten with your hands! The thought of watching toddlers fling pieces of injera around the dining room while screaming and picking their noses is almost too much to stomach.

    (5)

  • M Z.

    The food was not as good as what I've had at other restaurants. The server was really pushy and rude, and tried to sell food as a used car salesman. The music was weird....

    (2)

  • Jasbir S.

    Forgive me as I commit Yelp sacrilege again and give an extremely popular joint a mediocre review. I had wanted to try an Ethiopian Restaurant in Chicago for a while and the Yelp recommendations were pushed over the edge when an Ethiopian cab driver told me the injera (sour bread that is seemingly ubiquitous in Ethiopian restaurants) was authentic and tasty. I headed over to Ethiopian Diamond a while back and found it fun and worth a look, but not worth returning for. SETTING - The front looks just the same as any cheap ethnic restaurant, flat square tables, those uncomfortable chairs you spent hours in awaiting your visa at some random consulate on Michigan Avenue, and fluorescent lighting. Head to the back corner and you'll find cool looking chairs and round tables that are even more uncomfortable. Want to stretch your legs out? You better part them very wide to make it around the base of those tables. Ladies - careful now! FOOD I tried a variety of different things and have to say, as an Indian, I'm pretty disappointed. It all tasted Indian/South East Asian but just wasn't as good. Call me evil. Call me an anti-cultural-relativist. It was okay. It was even good. It just wasn't that great. You can get almost all of the same stuff at an Indian restaurant for the same price (albeit a bit unhealthier). Sambusas? Get real samosas. Chicken? It had spring onions in it which was a nice touch, but none of the tanginess you could get at a Thai or Vietnamese restaurant. Vegetarian platter? Boiled lentils and veggies. Not so great. DRINK The tej (honey wine) is worth a trip on its own. It's like sparkling white wine with honey poured in. It's mildly carbonated and extremely sweet. It's quite wonderful. OVERALL Go try it and say you had it. If you're taste buds are spoiled by good spices, you won't return. Otherwise, you're lucky and I envy you.

    (3)

  • Seema K.

    This was my first experience trying Ethiopian food and it was delicious! The injera was tasty and the whole experience of sharing food was quite fun, so long as you can enjoy eating with your hands! There are a lot of vegetarian options. The spinach sambusa tasted like a samosa but was quite tasty. We ordered the vegetarian taste of Ethiopia - I highly recommend this so you can try lots of different dishes. The Shimbra Assa (chick pea fish) was quite delicious and probably my favorite of the night, followed by the the tofu tibs. Definitely try the Ethiopian honeywine - it shouldn't be missed! Looking forward to going back and sharing this dining experience with friends and family in the future!

    (5)

  • Matt B.

    Great food, great atmoshpere, great service, and if you like honey wine it is the best I have found in Chicago.

    (4)

  • Dave H.

    This place blew my mind. You never know what you're going to get with Ethiopian, and this place absolutely nails it. Besides the usual Watt they have some other more interesting dishes -- I don't remember the name of my dish, but it was heavily spiced rare meat, served with sauteed greens and some coarse feta-like cheese. The Ethiopian beer (a bit on the sweet side) worked really well with it. Parking on the street near here sucks, unfortunately.

    (5)

  • A W.

    I'm not a huge fan of Ethiopian food, but I thought the vegetarian platter here was marvelous. So, why would I give this restaurant only three stars? To be honest, the service is atrocious. We had a waiter who, rather than take responsibility for his several missteps, he blamed them on other people. This wasn't just an issue with our server. The people behind us had the same complaints, and leads me to believe there is an extremely unmotivated management and staff. While we probably will go back at some point, I hope it's not for awhile.

    (3)

  • David N.

    Excellent! Came here with my partner and some friends on a Sunday night for dinner. I have never had Ethiopian food and was not sure what to expect. Lots to pick from on this menu. My favorite out of all the vegetarian choices was the red lentils in a spicy sauce. We got the vegetarian combo plate, so got to taste a little bit of everything. The honey wine was very good and to end the meal we had Ethiopian coffee, also very good. This place goes on my list of top places to come to for dinner.

    (5)

  • Dan C.

    This is the best restaurant to go to if you have out of town visitors because the food is served in piles on edible plates. Your guests will talk about it when they return to their little cities and the suburbs. Authentic Ethiopian food and alcohol. Parking is a beotch. Decor is a bit boring but the price of the food is hella cheap.

    (4)

  • J. N.

    Ethiopian Diamond is a real find in Chicago. The food is top-tier Ethiopian. Washington DC is known for it's Ethiopian food and as much time as I've spent there, I have yet to experience better food than Ethiopian Diamond. In fact, the food is so good that the slow service doesn't get in the way. It's worth the wait. My family and I probably go to Ethiopian Diamond 10-12 times a year. We love it.

    (5)

  • Shari O.

    In the mood for something deliciously authentic? A friend took me here about six months ago and I loved it! I have no clue what I ate, but EVERYTHING was delicious. I love eating with my hands I was right at home. I think I'll have to make a trip back in the next few weeks!!

    (5)

  • T M.

    Quite possibly one of my favorite restaurants ever. I have tried a lot of different things on the menu, both meaty and meatless, and have yet to find anything I wouldn't rank as "delicious". However, I do find that I must order yemisir watt and quosta every time I go. The desserts are pretty good, not fantastic- but you probably won't notice, because after eating here you're usually too stuffed to consider dessert. There is a lot of oil in this food, so it can sit pretty heavy, but seriously- it's still worth it, even if you feel like you've eaten a brick. The service is usually quick, friendly, and includes delivery of a moist towelette (since you eat with your hands!). I also recommend the Bedele beer, which is a very tasty Ethiopian lager, and nicely soothes the spiciness of assa watt.

    (5)

  • Raj B.

    The food was good here. It was our first time..The reason I don't give itt 4 or 5 stars is because the bathroom was out of service and they had a wedding party going on in the main room so the waiters were all busy and took forever to bring everything. It is also a little pricey

    (3)

  • Bril B.

    The vegetarian sampler is the bomb! I love this place! I am becoming addicted!!!!!!

    (5)

  • K J.

    I would compare this restaurant to a relationship, one that starts really well.... and ends really bad. So do I remember the good, or sour upon the bad? Lets start at the beginning, my family and I came to dinner on a cold Chicago, Tuesday night, for an early dinner (as people often do when they have a two year old along for the ride). The restaurant was pretty much empty and we were seated immediately. We ordered some Eithiopian brews and an assortment of food. Sambusas, were pretty good, although they seemed a bit small for the price. You get two VERY small sambusas for about $4.25, but they were decent. We ordered the spicy doro tibs watt, which I have to say were deliciious. Also, we ordered the veggie sampler, with the spicy red lentils being the best. Overall, the food was good.... and that's when the shi*****t hit the fan. We showed our Groupon to the waiter. He immediately gave us 'the look". The manager came back telling me that I did not understand how to work my iphone and I gave the wrong =Groupon number. Then, I pulled up the barcode on my phone that he requested and he disappeared. Ten minutes went by, twenty minutes went by. The restaurant started to fill up but no one brought us our final bill. My two year old started to get antsy and everyone put their coat on and stood up next to the table. The manager looked at us, the server looked at us, yet no one brought the bill. Thirty minutes later, we chased after the manager and requested the bill. We were given dirty looks, no apologies. The experience left us with a foul taste in our mouth. I use Groupon to find new restaurants. It seems to be a win-win deal. Usually, we return to the restaurant for future business, but the way we were treated here, we wont be back. They made 'using a Groupon" feel like we were saying a "dirty word". No thanks.

    (3)

  • Kristie n scott V.

    We went once on a culinary adventure and have come back three times since. We didn't know much about Ethiopian and the staff made great recommendations without making us feel like newbie tourists in their cuisine - which we were. The food is served on injera, and this crepe/tortilla has great sourdough like flavor. We love the wats (stewed meats) The food has such a spicy tang - you can't help but stuff yourself. Everyone eats off the same injera platter - so germaphobes might wince. But it makes the meal more of a group experience. Everyone liked it - kept the 7 yr old off the spicy stuff - and we'll be back again soon.

    (4)

  • Steven W.

    The Ethiopian Diamond is a great place, both for those of you who love Ethiopian food, and those who have yet to try it. The wait staff has always been more than friendly, and this restaurant is HUGE, accommodating many people and ensuring no wait for your party. If you haven't had Ethiopian, then you are in for a few differences from other types of food. The meal is brought out on a large piece of spongy bread called injera. You simply tear off a piece of the bread and pick up what you want to eat, and consume it all. Some dishes can be a bit spicy, so if you are adverse to spiciness, ask your waiter for some milder recommendations. I have only every ordered the vegetarian sampler here, which allows you to chose 4 or 5 of the dozen or so vegetarian offerings they have. This allows you to mix up a variety of flavors, and try many different things. Based on the quality of everything I have tried there, I am sure that whatever you order would be amazing. If you haven't had Ethiopian before, you need to give it a go... and this would be a highly recommended place to do so.

    (4)

  • Laurie W.

    I was a little sceptical at first not knowing when to expect, but what a great experience, can't wait to go back, I eat meat but hte server recommended a veggy dish and it was spicy and gereat, if I could experience that every meal I think I could give up meat........ Nah! but it was a great meal, not what I expected, not sure what I expected, but don't pass up a chance to try something differen't.

    (4)

  • Olga M.

    Great place to bring your friends. The food is great, but it is also fun - you eat with your hands and share one huge plate with others at your table. If you ask for a fork and knive, servers will not give it to you. It is quiet a dining experience and definitely brings people closer. They also carry a selection of Ethiopian beer.

    (5)

  • Bess R.

    My first try at Ethiopian eats and it was great! Service was outstanding and the food was very tasty. I loved sharing my meal with all of my friends and trying everyone's dish. I will definitely be back, and next time with my husband. They can make the bread wheat-free if you call ahead!

    (4)

  • Ellie L.

    Firstly, I understand the positive reviews of this place. It's a Chicago institution and appreciated as a introduction into Ethiopian food. However, that being said, it is too safe. And by safe I mean bland. The berbere sauce on the side is helpful, but that is just one flavor I enjoy in my Ethiopian food; Where were the others? The Tibs combo: 3 meat Tibs dishes, collard greens, cabbage and carrots, and spinach all included, was way too bland. I am a big fan of combos, b/c you get a taste of several different dishes. None of Ethiopian Diamond's combinations were perfect, b/c all were chosen by the restaurant. Charge me $30, and let me pick 5. The $11 vegetarian combo, which my friend ordered, was good. The service was great, but for flavorful, spicy, truly Ethiopian food branch out to one of the many other Ethiopian places in this fine city.

    (2)

  • Lindley E.

    Phil Cohran. That's Kelan Phil Cohran to you. Where else but in Chicago can a seminal jazz musician, a contemporary of Sun Ra, provide background music for your Ethiopian dinner - or any dinner, for that matter? Please don't applaud - Kelan Phil Cohran discourages clapping between sets. I'm not a fan of Ethiopian food, but this place may make me change my mind. We had delicious, fresh tasting vegetarian and meat-based stews, appealingly served on a more than adequate serving of Injera, the bread made from wheat flour, teff, and a little natural yeast. Between two of us we over-ordered - a vegetable and two meats was far more than either of us could finish. On Friday night we walked in at 9 pm and were seated immediately, although the restaurant was full. Phil was taking a break between sets, so we looked over the menu and made our selections while we waited for him to play - he was the entire reason we chose Ethiopian Diamond for dinner. I was surprised at how fresh everything tasted - my recollection of my previous dining experience was that of sour, cold, and indistinguishable flavors. This was anything but. I'll certainly be back. And before I go, I'll have to study up a little more on Phil Cohran: philcohran.com

    (4)

  • D W.

    I made reservations on open table for today. It was my birthday. The service was less than stellar. Just mediocre. The food was bland. I had better Ethiopian food when I visited Montreal, Canada. Portions are small and the customer service can be better. The coffee was good. The honey wine was just okay. Will not be coming back.

    (2)

  • Ananya C.

    This is hands down THE BEST Ethiopian restaurant in Chicago. The atmosphere is friendly and the food is simply delicious. No matter when you walk in, it is packed (a good indication of how great their food is). I have been going to this restaurant since they opened and I have never had a disappointing dining experience. Wonderful for large groups and parties. Great experience!

    (5)

  • Miss Y.

    I was rather unimpressed with Ethiopian Diamond as it was no where near as good (flavor wise) as other Afrikan restaurants I've had the pleasure of going to. If you have not ever eaten Afrikan food, this would be a good starting point as it's a very comfortable restaurant and also quite welcoming. However, if you know what you're talking about, or if you are an experienced Afrikan eater - I would hold out for something a bit... "more."

    (3)

  • Josh E.

    As good as advertised, I'd say. Five of us went here the other night; three Ethiopian food virgins, and two (including yours truly) who'd eaten it once or thrice prior. The place is very spacious so getting a table for five was no issue. We ordered four dishes - all very tasty. I thought the lamb tips and the spicy meat were the best, but nothing failed here. Get the veggie combo (pick 3) for a good variety. At $20/person including tip this place is well worth it. Take the trip (way) north and check it out.

    (4)

  • Meg R.

    Easily my favorite restaurant in the city. The food is delicious but the staff is what makes it so special. Everyone who works there seems glad to be there. I just love it!

    (5)

  • Jackie N.

    Absolutely lovely. I have had so many wonderful experiences here, which have included large groups, intimate acquaintances and new friends. The food is flavorful and fresh, and the staff is wonderful. I have eaten at several Ethiopian places and this takes the Tej!

    (4)

  • Jeff G.

    My group and I ventured here after hearing that it was some of the better Ethiopian food in the city. Turns out it was. Spent about $25 per person which was kind of a lot but the quality of the meats was quite good. They will kind of short you on injera which sucks...other than that...it was a good experience.

    (4)

  • Joy C.

    I went more recently with a friend, and was disappointed with a couple of things. 1. he ordered meat, i ordered vegetarian. When asked, we said it was fine to put both orders on one platter as long as the meat and veggie dishes don't touch (this is a standard question and standard practice at every Ethiopian restaurant I've been to). The platter came, and the meat and veggies were touching. Not the end of the world, but unnecessary. 2. Some of the potatoes were undercooked. The entire meal was OK, but not fantastic.

    (3)

  • Aurore L.

    "To me, injera smells like feet" That was my husband kept telling me every time I used to bring the 'I-am-in-the-mood-for-Ethiopian-food' bit. I translated it as 'I don't like it and don't want to try it ever again'. Strangely enough, it turned out that I was wrong.... but it was too late: I had decided to go to Addis-Abeba with my little Mimi and was very excited about it. See, Mimi and me share an office and we use to see each other all the time but lately it's not the case anymore. Different schedules, different work priorities therefore a lot of catching up to do especially in the gossip department (much more fun than the 'I feel like a loser' one). So I decided to take matters in hand and 'reunite' in front of a good meal. After much investigation we settled up on ED and we didn't regret it. Honey wine....I loved it. It's of course sweet but not like the way a white wine can be sweet...no...it's subtle, velvety, rich and unctuous. A delight. We shared the Dibs Sampler (three kinds of meat - chicken, beef and lamb and three vegetable sides) and it was delicious. Use the spicy sauce they give you - it really makes the flavors come through. We sat at a traditional table - lower to the ground, round-shaped and slightly larger than the big plate they bring the food on. It was nice, intimate if not the most comfortable. We had a great evening and next time I will definitely come with my vegetarian friend to try even more. As for my husband...well...we'll see about him...

    (4)

  • Judy S.

    I'm not too adventurous an eater but this night I was willing to try my first Ethiopian restaurant ...and boy, was it a hit! I trusted the owner's recommendation ... and went with the Toro Tibs Watt, otherwise known as white-meat chicken chunks in a spicy sauce. While the spice got to me at first, I not only gobbled it down, but enjoyed the remainder for lunch the next day. The bread is both funky, playful and worked perfectly with the meal, which was accompanied by yellow split peas. I even enjoyed what I assume is a more "American" salad on the side, the lettuce and accompaniments were very fresh and lightly dressed. Since I was almost the only customer in the place at the time, the owner kibitzed with me at the bar (where I sat to eat) the whole time, which was a delight. For dessert, I talked her into adding a little of "my happiness" in the House Special -- which was a huge hit with me and her. Although the total tab for 1, with 2 glasses of regular merlot, was a bit pricy ($38), I will definitely go back when I'm feeling a bit flush and order the same thing over again (did I say I wasn't an adventurous eater)?-

    (4)

  • Courtney G.

    Ethiopian Diamond is one of my favorite go-to restaurants when arranging a larger group of friends together. There are many long tables to accommodate such a group. For those who haven't ordered Ethiopian food before, it's good to have someone in the party who has some familiarity with the menu. The staff is very helpful is working with you to decide if you've ordered enough food as it's eaten family style. I avoid wheat/gluten and called ahead to ask if I could have teff flour only bread (the spongy bread is eaten with everything, so it was imperative that I had a non-gluten grain bread.) They asked me when I was coming in and had the bread ready for me...really good service! My friends weren't that happy with their mixed drinks from the bar, but the African beer is good. Try Bedele.

    (4)

  • Blake H.

    This place is a little far to get too, but it is always worth the trip. It is the only Ethiopian place in Chicago that my Ethiopian friend will let me go too, but it is honestly amazing. I always leave stuffed and satisfied. There is nothing bad there. Unfortunately, I don't know the names of anything we order, but it doesn't really matter because it is all soooooo good. I do know that I really like the kitfo. And the dish that has the bones in it that I get to manhandle and suck the marrow out. Anyways it is just so fantastic and I wish I knew more of the dishes' names. That will be my new goal for the rest of 2010! Another fun place to take people who are less adventurous in their food choices, but want to try new things. LOVE

    (5)

  • Jeff K.

    There's not much I can say about Ethiopian Diamond that hasn't already been said here, so I'll keep it brief - friendly service, phenomenal food.

    (5)

  • Sandi H.

    We stopped in here once when Alice and Friends was close and I was beyond hungry. The wait was really long but the food was def. worth the wait. The spongey bread and the veg. platter had this Indian cuisine taste with a twist that I like. I've been meaning to go back but I remember how long it took to get my food so that's what's keeping me from going back.

    (4)

  • Matt R.

    Delicious food that rings true to the origins of the country...except of course in Ethiopia you would never pay this much for food. If you don't mind group dining and digging in with your hands, expand your horizon and taste a bouquet of flavors that range from veggie to meat-centered. I hope you like spongy bread. Families or groups of friends will fit right in, and easily accessible parking.

    (4)

  • Bianca S.

    Amazing! I had never tried Ethiopian food before and was a little scared of what might be on the plate. Nothing to fear. All of the food we tried was amazing. There are plenty of vegitartian dishes for those that are not meat eaters. All of the meat is so flavorful. The wait staff is extrememly friendly and Danny (owner) walks around to all the tables to greet everyone and ask them how their meal was. If you are feeling adventerous I don't think you will be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Mihir K.

    Ok, this is one of the best vegetarian places I've eaten at. Ethiopian food is very close to Indian food except they use a distinct red chilli pepper in their seasoning unique to Ethiopia. This place had a vegetarian appetizer - the "Sambusa", very similar to the Indian "Samosa". We ordered them filled with Lentils and Spinach, served with Tamarind & slices of lemon. Overall, the appetizers fell short - greasy and not very flavorful. We rarely order them but we were with another couple. Skip the appetizers. What we ordered was the vegetarian "sampler", an assortment of flavored, simmering waats (stews) made from lentils, cabbage & carrots, greens, fresh salad, and a chick pea "fish" stew called Shimbra Assa (entirely vegetarian). The bread is a spongy, slightly sour, and made with Teff flour, which the diner uses to actually scoop up the waat. Funny thing is that there are several Ethiopian restaurants in the area, this seems to be the best. Always great, consistent vegetarian food. For those who like it spicy, order the "awaze" or hot sauce. This place also serves great African (and other) beers as well as traditional Tej (honey wine) - a warning - its VERY sweet. The Veggie Food Critic veggienation.ning.com

    (5)

  • James H.

    This place is the bomb if u like real GOOD & Ethiopian style food !

    (5)

  • C. J.

    If you wanted to be clever, you could say Ethiopian Diamond is a stomach's best friend. But that's not really all that clever, and beside, with the spicy food, your mouth will probably be happier than your stomach. That said, this restaurant is a real "treasure" (ho ho ho, the mirth). If you've never eaten Ethiopian before, it's an experience. Instead of individual plates, everything is served to you on a large tray covered with this crepe-like bread that's very thin and sort of spongey. The different dishes are in little piles, and you eat by tearing off pieces of bread and picking things up with your fingers. It can be a little messy but it's a great communal experience. Even if it does feel a little like you're eating your napkin. I've been there twice now, and each time we've sampled various options on the vegetarian combo, all of which are unusual and flavorful. Last time we tried the Shim Brassa, which involves chick peas shaped to look like a fish stew, or so says the menu, and I've been craving it ever since (make sure to try it with some of the cabbage that comes on the side). The restaurant isn't fancy by any means, but it's very spacious and clean with a relaxed atmosphere. The wait staff is extremely friendly and the prices are pretty great - $10-$12 plus tip is enough for you to leave feeling stuffed.

    (5)

  • C S.

    Took a long time to get menus/water but after that little bump, entrees and desert were both very good.

    (4)

  • Tracy K.

    I'm kind of surprised that it has taken me so long to try this place. Now that I've been there once, I know I will be back. My friend & I came Friday night around 8pm, and it was hopping, but they seated us right away. The restaurant is like one big room divided in two by a curtain. Live music was being played in the SW corner and there is a bar along the southern wall. I liked the large colorful paintings, especially on the lime-ish green walls. I also thought the random assortment of chairs was cool too. Their menu is organized by what type of animal the dish is based on, which made choosing easy for my friend and I. Both being vegetarians, we turned to one of the last pages and were greeted with numerous options. I went with the dinich alicha, a yummy stew made of carrots and potatoes. I also really enjoyed the injera and the spicy lentils. I heard the honey wine was good.. I'll have to try that next time. The staff was super friendly; we had several people ask about the quality of the meal. They were quick too and good at keeping our water glasses full. This seems like a fun place to go with a group, and its close to the el and street parking is easy.

    (4)

  • Buttermilk P.

    We were not impressed. After reading so many excellent reviews about this restaurant my wife and I gave it a shot. This was our first experience with Ethiopian food. We ordered the Doro Watt, collard greens, red lentils, split peas and potatoes and carrots. The food was decent but nothing to turn flips over. I was expecting flavor explosions from each bite. It didn't happen. Sure, gathering everything with the inerja and eating with your hands was cool but again, the food was just decent. I guess I was most disappointed with the portion sizes. The food came out on a huge platter but there were maybe 2-3 tablespoons of each side. For the money, we thought we would get more, I mean its just beans and potatoes. The waitstaff was excellent. Our water glasses were never less than half full and everyone's demeanor was very pleasant. We can now say we've tasted Ethiopian food. Its ok but we won't be returning.

    (2)

  • Ruben G.

    Yes....This place serves up good tasting foods. I was so pleased to see the diversity of people enjoying the dinning experience. I was greeted by four employees while dining with at Ethiopian Diamond. The food was served on a large tray, a top a flimsy, wheat bread...similar to a tortilla, yet loose in texture. Atop the bread were wonderful vegetable and lamb. The lamb was prepared several different ways: nice small bite sizes. They also included this delicious hot & spicy sauce, when added to the items, brought out a great flavor. None of the spices were over-powering: nice blend. This is not an elegant establishment, but its not a "whole-in-the-wall" either. Its spacious, open and extremely friendly. I will most certainly revisit this restaurant. If you're seeking food with an ethnic flair and a diverse crowd, it's a winner. By the way, don't expect utensils. The bread is all the utensil you'll get. With it, up sup up your food! I was told by the waiter that it encourages fellowship and community....so everyone in your party, eats from the same tray.

    (4)

  • Michelle T.

    My husband and I went to Ethiopian Diamond II because the original was booked for a wedding. The food was fantastic but the service was awful. It was really beyond bad. I definately suggest tantalizing your tastebuds at Ethiopian Diamond...just stear clear of Ethiopian Diamond II if you want any kind of decent service. Sambusas were nice appetizers. We only tried the vegetarian ones because we were ordering meat for our meals. They were very tasty. I got the #13, Doro Tibs, which was soooo good. My husband got the #7, Tibs Watt, which was also good but I liked my chicken dish better. The sides that come with it go great with the meat and the injera is a pleasant new experience. I imagine vegetarians would really enjoy this place because the flavors in the vegetarian sides and apps were great. Just keep in mind that your vegetarian food will come on the same large serving dish as diners at your table who ordered meat. If it wasn't for the service, this place would get a million stars.

    (4)

  • Heather M.

    I saw this place on Check Please! and thought it looked really interesting. I suggest making a reservation if you have a large party of people. It was 2 of us and they seated us right away BUT by the freezing cold doorway which became crowded with people waiting for their table. I knew the food is eaten with their "special" bread but I couldn't get over how much it looked like a wash cloth. I ordered the honey wine which was very very sweet, the beer was much better. When we were ordering the waitress let us know the beef dish is served raw so my friend ordered it rare which I knew wasn't going to be good. It still was pretty raw - if you don't like raw/rare beef I suggest asking for it to be medium. I had a chicken dish which was pieces of chicken with garlic, onion, green pepper, etc which was good. I really loved that the food was served on a communal platter so you could share with your table. And the collard greens, corn, salad and cheese on the platter was very good too. I think if I went back I would get all vegetarian dishes. Also, Saturday nights they have a live band which is nice to listen to while you dine.

    (3)

  • Jen J.

    i've been going here since college at northwestern u in evanston. some of the service staff at NU tipped me off to this place about a decade ago because they worked there as well and i have never gone to another ethiopian place since in chicago. i feel like i'd be cheating. i am fiercely loyal to this place and i have friends who feel the same way. the service has always been friendly and helpful and they've become more expedient as they have grown and become more popular. the decor has changed a lot and some of the modern touches i could do without, but it's really about the food and the live jazz. i could eat the watt dishes every night and ever since a friend turned me on the red lentils, i will never go there without eating them. try the african beers and be surprised at how similar they are to typical lagers and reds. i also recommend the ethiopian tea on a cold day. i always try to eat some of the injera on the plate as the manager told me to do on my first visit. "that's where all the flavor is." but i'm usually so happily stuffed that i can barely walk the 4 blocks home, let alone eat the bread remaining on the plate.

    (5)

  • Jennifer M.

    I went to Ethiopian Diamond with a group of friends. While the service was wonderful, the food was good, not great. The quosta (spinach--yumm!!!!) was amazing, I could have eaten just that alone. The gomen (collard greens) were fab, too, but the spinach was the best. I was not impressed by the tibs combo. To a few of us, it reminded us of ok-mexican fajita meat. They were good, but definitely not great. I felt that way about the rest of the food, too. It was nice, but not spectacular (aside from the quosta). My feeling is that the ambiance and the novelty of eating with your hands together with friends is what makes the restaurant, not necessarily the stellar food. The band played the night we were there (Sat.), and I didn't feel that they were too loud. However, the large TV behind the band detracted from the overall experience. Overall, I would go back again, as the food was nice and the service was wonderful, but I felt that given the prior reviews, it would have been a bit better.

    (3)

  • Jennifer L.

    I have been coming here for years, but never tried the tej (honey wine) until my last visit - it was so good I was cursing myself for not ordering it sooner! The food is excellent, communal eating can be fun, and the Saturday night musicians are great. This is a good place for groups - even large groups like we had last time. The staff is extremely friendly and hospitable.

    (5)

  • sharmane b.

    there is absolutely not one bad thing i could say about this one. the man that greeted us at the door was very welcoming & warm & didn't make us feel akward about not knowing what we were doing at all. he asked us if we wanted a regular table or a "traditional" table. we looked like confused goofballs. he told us that the traditional table would be more fun so we took his advice & he was right....it was fun. the food was delicious & the portions were pretty generous. there were 4 of us, we got 2 orders of the sambusas (2 per order) & then we split one of the taste of ethiopia platters meant for 2 people between 4 people & we were stuffed. (it had 3 meat dishes & 2 vegetarian dishes) we all thought it was plenty of food. the honey wine was delicious, although i don't know if i could do more than one glass. service was friendly & attentive & the person who brought our food out for us DID explain each dish for us. my fave was the lamb stew & the sauteed spinach. CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK. an extra bonus....the burps that were coming out of me the rest of the night were stinky yet full of flavor!!!

    (5)

  • Abby D.

    ok, let's face it. this place delivers. every single time. so make your reservation and just go. or go again. but do make that reservation.

    (5)

  • Haley S.

    man oh man, i never thought i would crave Ethiopian food but thanks to the diamond, i do almost every week! the first thing to highlight about this restaurant is that the wait staff is its best asset. they are extremely familiar with the menu and if you are a first-timer they can and will happily guide you through the extensive menu (by the way, i recommend the tour of ethiopia!) on top of the great service, every single dish is prepared wonderfully. not too greasy, fresh and the absolutely mouth-watering. pair a great dish with an african beer or the honey wine for a well-rounded meal. go here! seriously... go here!

    (5)

  • Kate M.

    This was my first Ethiopian food experience and it was marvelous! I live halfway across the city and my hour long travel time was rewarded with an excellent dining experience. I met a friend on a Wednesday night, and we were seated right away. The space itself is huge and open, so even though there were about 25 other people there our conversations weren't drowned out by our neighbors. The decor is big yet unimposing and definitely adds to the ambience. I wanted to try some of everything, so we got the vegetarian taste platter. Everything was delicious! I loved the lentils and chick pea "fish" and collard greans, and the sourdough bread was excellent as well. The watt has a lovely spicy kick. I even enjoyed the cabbage, and I usually dislike cabbage. And I am a huge fan of cuisine that does not require utensils; it adds to the fun of the dining experience! We also tried the Diamond Martini, which was light and delicious. Didn't try the honey wine...maybe next time. Everyone on the staff was extremely friendly and attentive, especially the manager/host Mark, who chatted with us and made sure we had everything we needed!

    (5)

  • Lynn C.

    Yum! My husband took me here for my birthday tonight. I keep saying I want to go for Ethiopian food and he agrees until I say I want it then. I knew this way he would have to try it. And he really liked it! We did the tour of Ethiopia and got to try lots of different things. The sambosas were great. We also tried the lamb and beef (not sure what kind) and had plenty to bring home. The potato and spinach sides were both awesome too. I can't wait to go back! P.S. Some reviews said service wasn't that good but it was great for us!

    (5)

  • Lindsay D.

    I have been going to Ethiopian Diamond for years. I have yet to find a better Ethiopian restaurant. The food is delicious! The atmosphere is warm and cozy. The wait staff is always friendly and helpful. A stage in the back of the restaurant often hosts live bands (usually some variation of jazz). Ethiopian Diamond offers plenty of vegetarian options and traditional injera (made from teff flour) by advance request for gluten free eaters. My favs include Tibbs Watt and Yesimir Watt---I love it hot and spicy. ;)

    (5)

  • Lisa A.

    The Ethiopian Diamond is a great place for food and friends. I never tried Ethiopian food in my life and I went there for a friends party and I loved the service, the staff, the food was great! I love the idea that its a family style order plus 10. The place was packed with an great crowd. Couples, family, and friends are hanging out. Be adventurous and try the gem of a restaurant.

    (4)

  • Rebecca H.

    The best Ethiopian food this side of Addis Ababa. I know I am biased, because I know the chef here, but she is the best cook, and a really sweet lady. The Doro Wat is so good. Ever since I moved to San Francisco, I have been trying to find a Doro Wat that I like as much as Mrs. Berehe's. I miss you Ethiopian Diamond.

    (5)

  • Manja C.

    Prior to my trip to Africa, my girlfriends wanted to take me to an Ethiopian restaurant. I did some Yelp research and decided to give ED a whirl. We were all very pleased with the food and drink. The atmosphere is pretty but lacks some authenticity (4 large TV's-which I found out were for the Ethiopian crowd in the neighborhood to gather in front of & watch the Bears.) The sambusas were a great way to start off the meal and then we followed up with beef, lamb, chicken, & veggie dishes. I spoke with an very friendly older woman who informed me that "watt" are traditional dishes and "tibs" are cubes of meat. "Spicy" doesn't necessarily mean "hot" rather "full of spices." I felt they gave plenty of food for the price, great for groups (if you dont mind eating off the same plate) and the coffee was very uniquely flavored!

    (4)

  • Slu S.

    Ethiopian Diamond may be one of the few remaining Ethiopian restaurants in Chicago proper. It is certainly one of its finest. Very good split peas and red chick peas. The bread was well prepared. The tej (Ethiopian Honey Wine) was very sweet and when I return, I will likely opt for a beer rather than the tej. I would recommend it highly, if in the neighborhood.

    (3)

  • johnny b.

    Still not sure about Ethiopian food but for an Ethiopian place definitely a good place to go. The food was done well I'm just not really sure if I love the flavors. Very different and great for the adventurous.

    (4)

  • Jayde J.

    I was actually watching Check Please when the review for Ethiopian Diamond came up. The food was ok. I just wish there was more of an explanation of how the menu worked. The decor was really nice and I like how they had a live band playing, but the singer had her back to the audience the whole time. I'm not sure it was her preference to not face us. I was really confused. The fermented bread had a weird after-taste in my mouth and i didn't really prefer but the honey wine was delicious. I probably would do Ethiopian again without the fermented bread.

    (3)

  • Eugene E.

    This is my spot. I like this place better than its "down-the-street" competitor. The vegetarian combo is the go-to for me. Always consistent with the food, well spiced/seasoned. The service all-around is friendly and welcoming, no matter if you are talking to the host, bartender or any waitress walking around. They need to open up a location in the west (or) south loop. This place is a trek, but well worth it. If this place happened to be a little closer, we would be great friends.

    (4)

  • Faith H.

    This was the first Ethiopian restaurant I've ever been to, and it was a great experience. The food was great (I ordered a vegetarian dish but also tried some meat dishes), the waitstaff was really helpful and available to answer all of my first-timer questions.

    (4)

  • Elena D.

    Good food, decent prices. Decent means a vegetarian combo of 3 sauces and injera (bread made from the teff flour) is $10.50. Service? Okay, I suppose. Ethiopian places tend to be somewhat apathetic. Asked for more bread, and they grudgingly gave me one more piece. C'mon. But it's delish, it really is. And healthy-made with vegetable fats and whole grains.

    (4)

  • scott a.

    So I usually don't venture this far north, but this place is worth it. It totally rules. Plus it's just right around the corner from the Granville red line stop. A great vegan friendly place and a cool cultural experience. We went on a busy Saturday and were seated immediately and our server came quickly. They have some African beers on the menu I haven't seen anywhere. The honey wine was good but too sweet for me. The service was good and the food was great. They have so many vegan options. We got a started with a spinach sambusa app, which is like a samosa. It was good but a little expensive. As far as value for the main course, it's average 11 bucks to keep you full all day. You choose whichever watt you'd like, which basically a word for stew. We got a sampler of 4 different watts, which were all amazing. We had 2 with lentils, a spinach one, and one called tofu tibs. They were all good but the tofu was my fave. Everything is served on a huge flat pancake looking bread called injera. It is spoungy and sort of sour tasting. You just rip a piece off and eat your watt with it. Utensils are available on request if you are a total square. We had a hard time finishing our food but kept eating because it was so good.

    (5)

  • Kevin A.

    MY FIRST REVIEW Love it here! It's clean, I never have to wait for a table, and the food is great. Careful crossing the street; the drivers in this neighborhood seem to speed up.

    (5)

  • Sarah N.

    I have been to the Ethiopian Diamond a couple of times. The first time I had a great experience. I enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. The live music was nice. I didn't sit at the authentic little wicker tables though, so I'm not sure what those are like. They also have Windhoek, a beer I used to drink in South Africa. I tend to lean toward the vegetarian dishes. However, the second time I had dinner there, I was with a party of 7. I know that they bring the food out on those large metal trays so you can share with everyone at the table. But it seemed like they gave us less of each entree because we were a larger party, and charged us the same amount. So I won't go back there again, unless it's with a smaller group of people. And there are other Ethiopian restaurants I've been to since then that I will definitely go back to.

    (2)

  • Bryan B.

    Nothing to add to what everyone else says, just felt like I should add it since it's in my top 5 favorite restaurants in Chicago.

    (5)

  • Chrissy W.

    Ethiopian Diamond is, hands down (no pun intended), my favorite restaurant in Chicago. I have been here three times in the past three months and it was better each time I went. I recommend the samplers (E2 and E3) since you get a taste of everything. Pair the wonderfully spiced food with a crisp African beer and you have the ideal meal. It gets pretty busy on weekends, but the large dining room means that you never have to wait long. I would also recommend sitting at one of the traditional tables. The service can be a little spotty at times, but the food more than makes up for it. A must try!

    (5)

  • Mike L.

    Last visit: 02/13/2010 # of visits: 3 Food is great. So much flavor and I like the selection of vegetarian options (the spicy lentils are delicious). I've only gone in parties of 5 or greater but it seems like they serve your food family style which is a plus to me since you get to try everything. You also get to eat with your hands, so be prepared to get your fingers dirty. Service from the wait staff is pretty good. They work hard to please you and come by frequently to check up on things. Service from the kitchen isn't that great; food takes a long time to come out. We have waited an hour to an hour and a half for our food to come out the last couple of times. It's definitely worth the wait, though. Be prepared to wait a long time for a seat on a busy night. It's probably best to make a reservation.

    (4)

  • Karen R.

    One of the best places to dine. I've been there over a dozen times and have no complaints whatsoever! Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Frank D.

    Went here once for dinner with my wife. Place is ok. I've had better ethiopian food. Ambiance could use some work. Didn't really feel like I was in an ethiopian restaurant. The music in the background was a little too loud, which I didn't like. To me, the food could have used more spice. My wife however, really liked what she got (one of the vegetarian options). The staff was nice and answered any questions we had. Check it out if you like. I will not likely go again.

    (3)

  • Michael S.

    I feel like I'm grading this place on a curve. There's another local Ethiopian place that I much prefer, and compared to that one, I'm not a huge fan of Diamond. Standing on its own, Diamond is an above-average place with a lot going for it. Compared to the other place, though, Diamond's portions are smaller, (slightly) more expensive, and definitely not as tasty, and you can't mix and match selections as easily. The next time I want Ethiopian, I'll go to the other place, but if Diamond was the only game in town, it'd be a good choice.

    (3)

  • Sarah L.

    In a city where there are a lot of Ethiopean restaurants, this is one of the good ones- granted, not the best. The injera is amazing, and is created from ingredients the owner orders straight from the source. My only issue was that the lamb I ordered was quite fatty and also had bones. This would have been fine if I hadn't asked the waitress, before ordering, if the lamb was on or off the bone and if it was lean. Luckily, after being quite dissatisfied, it was replaced at no charge with another dish (a vegetarian one).

    (3)

  • miss l.

    Pretty much the best ethiopian in chicago. Casual, laid back atmosphere and TASTY as hell!!! I am getting hungry right now just thinking about the injera, the zilzil tibs, yummy yum yum yum! And you can order an ethiopian beer just for fun. They can accomodate larger groups easily so its a fun place to go with a bunch of friends! Go eat there right away as soon as possible.

    (5)

  • Jesster A.

    I appreciated Jack P.'s review of Ethiopian Diamond - which in part read: "My dining partner later described the food to non-believers as an assortment of Alpo-like concoctions which you scoop up with spandex crepes. He was under the influence of some substance at the time." - ( I'll get to that in another posting - because I have a scary story to share,,,) . Let me start with our experience witha party of four. First of all, it WAS an experience and the staff was both patient and kind with us - if a bit slow in delivering... The atmosphere was somewhat dark and the individual "entrees" we ordered (everything from Lamb to Chicken to serveral Vegetarian "stews.... and like Jack P's experience - all kind of tasted pretty much all the same...) Though they were mostly quite tasty.... The spongy bread - Injera ( that you use as both a serving utensil and base for scooping up the entrees - kind of grows on you - and the experience while a tad disconcerting at first becomes somewhat interesting and pleasant enough once you get used to it - and assuming your are not a germaphobe or dining with people who's personal hygiene happens to digust you! We would definitely go back - perhaps with a larger group - though then I would definitely have NO IDEA about what I was eating at any given time... - not that that really matters all that much in an environment like this. You just have to go with the flow... ANd if you do that - you will most likely enjoy your experience and meal. .

    (3)

  • Daniel H.

    The best for Ethiopian I've been to in the city, and I've been to a lot of places. Consistent in being outstanding, and great service. Once we were pushed out the door b/c of a private party, and the manager ran out and gave us a 20% discount card for our next visit. Little things like that help make a place have personality. The food is fantastic, never ordered a bad dish. Their red lentils are out of this world, and the standard doro watt, is like a refreshing savory yet slightly tart smack on your tongue...

    (5)

  • Joe S.

    Been here a handful of times. Not a vegetarian but have found that the vegetarian sampler (to share) is better and more interesting than anything else I've tried. Careful to watch intake level of the spongy bread because, like a sponge exposed to water, it expands. Lesson learned on the first visit.

    (4)

  • Robin W.

    I definitely will come back to this place! For the Ethiopian newbies, you have to know going in that you will eat a spongy pancake with your hands and a lot of mashed vegetables with the whole dinner party eating from one plate, but if you can get past that, the food is sooo delicious. The Ethiopian beer was great. I have only been to a few Ethiopian restaurants in Chicago, but this has to be one of the top two in the city. I've been here a few times and have never had anything here that I haven't liked. The decor is authentic with woven tables made especially for communal dining with large trays, though the space was awkwardly arranged in the single large dining room. All and all though this is definitely a place to try for good authentic Ethiopian cuisine or to try something new!

    (4)

  • Asaf O.

    When I ate there it was my introduction to Ethiopian Cuisine and it did not disappoint. I am anxious to go back.

    (5)

  • John D.

    I just visited this place for the first time and was totally impressed. I got the vegetarian combo. It had a huge number of dishes all together. The spicy red lentils were amazing and only topped by the chickpea flour in spicy sauce. This is an exclusive dish to this restaurant and is really amazing. I wish I could go back here right now and get this. The waitress was really helpful and gave great advice when asked. She recommended the Bedele beer from Ethiopia and I was very grateful. This is a great beer and you should try it. And all very reasonably priced.

    (5)

  • Brenda S.

    The food here is amazing. Everytime I come to eat here, I am never disappointed. The service is always great. I highly recommend Ethiopian Diamond for a great meal.

    (5)

  • Justin L.

    I have had Ethiopian food only a few times in the states and once in London. Every time it has been most excellent. There is no utensils and all food is eaten with your hands. It is a really communal dining experience. The idea is that your party share more than the food when eating in such an intimate manner. The vinegar sponge bread is similar yet so vastly different from Indian nan. The accompanies the kefta (steak tartar) so well. The spices have very fragrant aroma with a blistering heat on the tongue. The dark beers really taste great and counter balance the spices and other exotic flavors very well. It coats the tongue and places with our olfactory senses. Of the times I have eaten ethopian cuisine I have always found it enjoyable but Ethiopian Diamond is the only place I have frequented. If you are into something different and would like to have a very intimate and unique dining experience I whole heartedly recommend ED.

    (5)

  • t.n. t.

    LOVE LOVE LOVE their food! A must stop when in uptown!

    (5)

  • Jackie S.

    okay. i read really great reviews for this place here on yelp. it was a rainy wednesday night and fairly early in the evening, but there were few people already enjoying their meals. our waitress told us to sit wherever we wanted so we picked a tiny round table by the front window. our waitress handed us menus and walked away. we decided on the variety of vegetarian sambusas and the vegetarian sampler platter. the food came out really fast, which was nice. the sambusas were delicious and we were really looking forward to our food coming out. we were still optimistic when our waitress put the platter down on the table. so many unidentifiable foods! love it! ehhh, or not. i don't know if our waitress was having a terrible day or just awful at her job, but she was rather unpleasant. she didn't seem to appreciate my asking for a fork. i can eat with whatever i want, duder. the spinach was a little ehhh and the two items that looked very similar (brown, saucy) also tasted rather similar. the potatoes were super bland but the corn was good and i ate most of that. i didn't really dig on the bread. i had ethiopian food a few years ago and wasn't bowled over but i thought maybe it was because the place i had it didn't make any really stand-out dishes (zing, book lovers cafe). maybe i'm some rookie food n00b, but this did not float my boat. i don't know. i don't get it. everyone seems to love this place and i really liked how the space was designed. this is the reason for the two stars. who doesn't like a stage in the corner? my imagination was stoked. but i won't be going back. we thought it was a little expensive for what you actually get. sorry guys, i'm just not with you on this one.

    (2)

  • Jesse C.

    Hands down best in the city. Great for entertainment, live jazz. Good atmosphere and tasty food for everyone. Special events too.

    (5)

  • Amy M.

    The food is excellent and there are always tables available. The familial dining style is great for groups. The price is right and the portion sizes are generous. The vegetarian entrees are standouts, but there are also great choices for the carnivores among you. Best of all, you get to eat with your fingers. Service is sometimes slow, but it's usually very friendly. This is a great place for a relaxed meal with your vegetarian and meat-eating friends.

    (4)

  • searah d.

    I could not love this place more. The staff is incredibly friendly and the food is seriously my favorite ever. An ice cold African beer with a veggie sampler is my idea of a perfect meal!

    (5)

  • Beth M.

    I used to eat at Ethiopian Diamond nearly every other week. Many, many delicious vegan options. Sharing the serving dish and eating with one's hands makes Ethiopian dining an intimate experience. Even large groups of my friends have been accommodated here. I usually get either the Veggie Combo or the vegetarian "Taste of Ethiopia". For the first, you choose three items from their list (I pick spicy lentils, split peas and collard greens); for the later you get five set items: chickpea "fish", spicy lentils, split peas, collard greens, cabbage & carrots, and potatoes & carrots. I will order one or the other based on my appetite. Either way, it is a lot of food. I usually can eat all the actual dishes but never quite have the room for all the injera (bread) underneath. The sambusa appetizers are very much like samosas; there are potato/carrot, lentil and spinach vegan ones. I stopped ordering them because the entree is more than enough to stuff me. Not so much a fan of the Hakim Stout they have. It's a very sweet dark beer. They have other beers in bottles, as well as their honey wine (which may or may not be considered vegan, depending on your views). The live music is always a special treat; the bands often play original songs and covers of classic jazz tunes.

    (5)

  • Lisa H.

    I love this place. It's warm, the staff is helpful with food choice and accommodating to folks that insist on silverware. Ethiopian food is to be shared with folks you feel comfortable with and this place provides the best experience for you. I strongly recommend the honey wine and the vegetarian combo. Wonderful, relaxing and I feel like I have travel to Ethiopia when I am there. Well worth the travel north.

    (4)

  • Mike P.

    Great food, we went on a Sunday night - it's a pretty fun place to go and one of the only places where eating with your hands is encouraged.

    (3)

  • Nina Y.

    The food was decent. The service was mediocre. The price was high (maybe this is standard for Chicago but not in my experience eating Ethiopian in other cities).

    (2)

  • Suzy D.

    My husband and I always go to Ras Dashen, but our friends suggested that we all grab dinner at Ethiopian Diamond. I was a little hesitant at first because I am loyal to Ras Dashen, but I must say that the food here was equally as good. Also the restaurant was a lot roomier and they had normal tables, not those little tray type tables they use for some of the tables at Ras Dashen. My husband and I got the Tour of Ethopia (it included appetizer and salad). Everything was great. We also brought our own bottle of wine and only had to pay a 5 dollar corkage fee. We will be back!

    (4)

  • Kendrah R.

    If you are looking for fajitas try this place. If you are looking for really good Ethiopian food, go to Ras Dashen a few blocks south on the same side of the street. I ate here with my dad. We both love Ethiopian food. The only thing we could figure out is that maybe they have some Mexican chefs working on the line??? Our Ethiopian food tasted like freaking fajitas. I have eatn a lot of Ethiopian food in my life and never before has it tasted like Fajitas.

    (2)

  • Kristin R.

    LOVED it! I haven't been to an Ethiopian restaurant in quite a while, and never in Chicago. So I was excited to see that Ethiopian Diamond had such great reviews, and I was in the mood for some serious ethnic cuisine, and this fit the bill. First off, there is A LOT to choose from on this menu. They have all kinds of meat (lamb, beef, steak, chicken) and a nice array of seafood options as well as vegetarian. We decided on a sampler menu, either "taste of Ethiopia" or "tour of Ethiopia", the tour being a bit more extensive and expensive ($19 vs. $16 for the taste). The "tour" is also only available with meat as they were not able to substitute with seafood or veggie. So, since I knew nothing about anything on the menu and what it actually was, I decided to put my trust in the experts and opted for the vegetarian "taste of Ethiopia". And I was not disappointed! It came with lentils, a couple of potato dishes, chickpeas, and some kind of collard green. Everything on the taste was absolutely delicious, I only wish I had enough room in my tummy to finish it! That sponge bread really fills you up, and they give you more if you run out, with no extra charge (I don't think). We also ordered the sambusa. I ordered spinach and lentil. My favorite by far was the lentil sambusa but the spinach was excellent as well. Lastly, we finished off our meal with some Ethiopian coffee. Very tasty and a nice way to end our experience there. The staff is all very friendly and the space is absolutely huge, so would be a great place to bring any size of group. They also have what I believe is a full bar and there was a little stage in the back, which leads me to believe they offer musical performances on certain days. Highly recommended, and because it's in Uptown, there is plenty of parking. Looking forward to coming back and trying more authentic Ethiopian cuisine.

    (5)

  • Christina M.

    I will say this experience was interesting as I don't recall having to eat my food with my hands. So guys/girls, if you're taking someone on a date here for the first time just be mindful that the food can be messy. This was my first time eating Ethiopian food, it reminded me of a mixture between Indian and Nepalese food; I really liked it. I ordered a Vegetarian combo which consisted of my choice of three dishes - I can't remember for the life of me what those dishes were but I think they were numbers 30, 36 and 38? They were VERY good! The food comes on sponge-like bread that takes on the flavor of the food on top of it; it's quite tasty. [I believe all the veggie dishes are totally Vegan - there is a note about it on the menu as to their definition of Vegetarian] Overall it was a good experience; however, I will say that although the staff was very nice, the service was slow...and it took forever to get our bill. This won't keep me from going back though...the food was very good. 4.5 Stars

    (4)

  • Dennis S.

    Enjoyed it, not overwhelmed, but don't trust my review - I'm no Ethiopian food expert. My wife has enjoyed Ethiopian food when in Europe, so she's been wanting to get to an Ethiopian restaurant in Chicago. A Yelp Friend recommended we go here, so we did. The décor is minimal but clean, much better looking on their website than in person. Service is very attentive. For my first Ethiopian meal, we ordered a combo for two, the "E-1" meat sampler, with kay watt (beef), doro watt (chicken), yebeg alicha (lamb) and other tasty dishes. I adapted fairly easily to using the Ethiopian injera bread to scoop food and had a great meal, with plenty left over to take home too. I enjoyed the spices in the watt dishes, but was underwhelmed by the quosta spinach and the chicken. I loved the yebeg alicha. Maybe when I've tried the other Ethiopian restaurants in Chicago I'll be ready to give Ethiopian Diamond more stars. But not based on this visit - I liked it, I'll go back, but it's in the OK category, not great.

    (3)

  • Sarah C.

    Affordable and well done. Tables nicely spaced. Multitude of great options for meat and non-meat eaters.

    (4)

  • Amanda M.

    While I've never been in the restaurant, I've had delivery numerous times. Overall, the food is soooooooo tasty! Huge fan of the gomen. Love, love, love it. Delivery is fast, but the only reason I'm bumping it down 2 stars is because even as fast as it is, more often than not I've received lukewarm food. This is easily remedied by a few seconds in the microwave, but for the $3.50 cost of delivery, I expect it to be warm on arrival. I'm thinking if they invested in a few bucks for those heated bags, they'd be good to go.

    (3)

  • Egan V.

    Some of the best, if not the best Ethiopian food in Chicago! Many vegan items on menu, and anything veg is cooked in vegetable oil and contain no eggs, butter, milk or honey. Amazingly friendly staff and occasionally live music.

    (5)

  • Tyra M.

    I have eaten at Ethiopian Diamond several times over the years. It is where I tried Ethiopian cuisine for the first time and I was blown away by how good it was. The sambusa is a delicious appetizer made of triangular shaped dough filled with either vegetarian or meat options. The only comparable dish I can liken it to is Indian samosas only different in taste but absolutely delicious. The main course is served on one large platter that is shared by everyone. The platter is covered with a layer of injera bread which is a kind of spongy, slightly tangy bread that is very soft. There is extra injera rolled up on the side which is used to pick up the various dishes served on the platter. I personally could live off of the injera alone - it's that good. There are various dishes or combinations you can order made up of chicken, meat, vegetables, etc. Some are very spicy and others not but everything I have had so far has been fantastic. I usually take home the left-over injera bread and it is delicious the next day. I have had their Ethiopian coffee served in an interesting pot with a very thin spout and it is the only coffee I have been able to drink black - it was that good. I will continue to go there as long as they are around when I'm in the mood for amazing Ethiopian food.

    (5)

  • Angel L.

    So, so, sad... I LOVE Ethiopian food. The warmth of the spices reminds me of soul food---but a lot healthier. :) I've seen a few reviews that were upset at the texture of the injera...but that's just how injera is: spongy, soft, with a slight savory tartness to it if its good. Myself and my boyfriend went here 3 times over a period over two months (November/December 2010) and were EXTREMELY disappointed. But allow me to start from the beginning...this does get long (as we had really terrible experiences) however if you want one experience to read, please check out our last outing in late December. TERRIBLE. Early November outing - We went on a Friday night and they were packed! The hostess said that it might be a while for a table and we were okay with waiting. Twenty minutes later she asks "Oh! Did you want a traditional table? We always have some of those available." Wait, you mean to tell me you had a table open and you didn't even offer it to us when we walked in? FAIL. Traditional Ethiopian table (which was beautiful and colorful!) versus waiting for another table to open up? Hmmm...aren't you one smart cookie? When we were finally seated, I asked the waitress how the pricing of main dishes and sides worked and what came with a meal. She didn't even know!!! After she took our order she vanished as quick as a guy caught on Cheaters, hardly ever to been seen again for the rest of the night---of embarrassment I hope. During the 40 minute wait for our food, my boyfriend noticed that the water glasses of the couple next to us were different from ours---which was different from the set of water glasses at the table behind us. Not a huge deal but it just looked tacky. After contemplating getting up and leaving, our food finally arrived. IT WAS WONDERFUL, however overpriced. Most Ethiopian places offer a main dish with two sides for somewhere around $11. At this place the sides came separately and were $3 each extra! Geez! After waiting another 10 minutes after eating to have my credit card charged, we left. We actually chalked the whole thing up to them being crowded and promised to come back later, when there were less people... ...MIS-TAKE... Early December outing -We went here praying for better service (since there was not a crowd)...alas, not to be. Our female server (who I was told was the owner's sister by my bf) took our order. After beginning to eat we needed napkins. It took us 15 minutes to get her attention and we didn't see her at all after that. After we finally got the bill we left disappointed again with the service. "Maybe another time?" We said.. Late December outing -This was the last straw. When we arrived and were seated we noticed a heat lamp on the table behind us? Why??? Because it was FREEZING! The owner (and TERRIBLE waiter for the evening) apologized for the cold because the heat was shut off. That should have been our first sign to bow out. I don't know about anyone else, but to me, COLD RESTAURANT = CLOSED FOR THE NIGHT. And what the hell was one little desktop heat lamp going to do for that huge restaurant???? But let me continue.... We ordered our overpriced food, and when it came we happily began to devour it. However the server had given us two measly little rolls of injera that we polished off in two seconds. After having to flag the guy down, he promised to bring out more injera in hurry---which was 15 minutes later. Mind you, this is 15 minutes of me and my bf staring at each other waiting to eat in a cold restaurant. We finally flag him down again and he brings us two more measly rolls of injera for the smorgasbord of 6 different stews and a salad we had in front of us (normally needing 6-8 rolls of injera), before he could run away, we asked for more injera. At this point he tells us that he would have to charge us for extra injera. WHAT????? We had been to several Ethiopian restaurants several times and had NEVER been charged for extra injera. We said no thanks and continued to eat our now cold food. After we finished we awaited for SOMEONE, anyone to give us our bill. After waiting another 15 minutes and seriously considering just leaving to see if anyone would notice, the guy arrives with bill. We paid with exact change, no tip, and RAN as fast as we could go, you know, with the ice slowly building around the place and all. Maybe I'll try this place again...in 6 months and see if its better. But with the wide assortment of Ethiopian restaurants in Chicago and Evanston, I don't think so. AVOID!!!!!!!

    (1)

  • David R.

    Two things that I learned at Ethiopian Diamond last night: 1. Ethiopian food is great! 2. The dining experience is annoying. I was ready to deal with eating with my hands. It wasn't my first choice, but I'm capable of trying new things. (FYI--I hate getting food on my hands. My mother will tell you stories about how, as a very young boy, I would come inside filthy from playing in the dirt but would insist on having all foods, even such as bananas, cut up and eaten with a fork. I've loosened up a bit, but I'm still quite fastidious. So this was a tough one for me to begin with.) So--it wasn't eating with my hands. There were three main points of annoyance. First, when we came in, we were seated at some sort of elevated basket instead of a regular table, even though there were several open. Good luck leaning on this thing, or trying to get closer than two feet away. It is basically a tall wicker hassock with a shallow basket atop it. Second, when the waitress brought our beer bottles, she apologized for having "no cold glasses." Well, how about a room-temperature glass then? By the time I overcame my puzzlement, she was gone. And thirdly, they play live American jazz music, apparently. They kicked it off with some Henry Mancini (not the Pink Panther one, but the one that sounds similar) and went on to play a bunch of other traditional Ethiopian jazz music. On the upside, the food was really good. We started with carrot and potato sambusas, which were kind of small and a bit bland. Our main meal was the chicken tibs and the yellow lentils, but they gave us a couple of extra items on the house (?) or perhaps they were sides--a slightly spicy vegetable stew and a chopped spinach dish. Nothing was phenomenal but it was all above-average, and I would be happy to return if they could guarantee me a real table and a fork. The biggest head-shaker of the night was just before we left when a girl at a nearby table gave me a Lewis Black moment when I overheard her say, "Ukranians make the best chocolate." Seriously, I don't know what the fuck she was talking about, but I had to restrain myself from punching her in the face. If she'd said "I was in a chocolate shop in Kiev last fall, and it was soooo good" I would have bought it. But "Ukranians make the best chocolate" is too dumb to be allowed to live.

    (3)

  • Jamie B.

    I must admit that this is the only Ethiopian restaurant I've been to, so I can't comment on its authenticity, but I will say this, the food is delicious every time. The first time I came was on a Friday or Saturday night and they had some nice live jazz, which added to the evening. The place is very spacious with many tables, so you shouldn't have to wait. Service is quick and friendly. The best thing I've had here was the assa tibs (sauteed tilapia w/ garlic, lemon and peppers and onions). It was cooked perfectly and had great flavor. I've had most of the vegetarian side dishes, and really enjoyed them all, but particularly liked the lentil one. It's just a lot of fun getting to have all of the food on one "plate", and not using a knife and fork. It spices things up from your normal dinner out. By the end of the meal though I get a little tired of the injera (it can really fill you up as well).

    (4)

  • Aja M.

    I really wanted to like this food. It was not terrible but it was rather greasy and service was slow. Whatever was in the food was not nice to my tummy at all. It was just a strange mixture of spices and grease. I have been to other Ethiopian places without these problems, so not sure what went on.

    (3)

  • Dora V.

    Ethiopian Diamond hits it out of the ballpark. The atmosphere is comfortable and spacious. Lots of reds and yellows make for a homey feeling, and many tables equipped for groups add to a family-friendly, more-the-merrier vibe. I've enjoyed many a date here, but I wouldn't go so far as to call the place intimate. You can't go wrong with one of the combo options (you will likely waste time and money trying to work out your order a la carte.) I'm crazy for the kifto, as it handily satisfies my periodic fleischeslust. If you're down with raw meat, make sure you try it. If you haven't had Ethiopian food before, you should know this: the vegetables are mushy. Delicious, but mushy. This is not the place to get crisp, steamed broccoli. The full bar is a plus, though I warn you that the plum wine is as sweet as it sounds. I recommend going for the beer instead. Ready for the kicker? Ethiopian Diamond is the only place I have found that will give or sell me mitmita, the deep red, cayenne-looking hot spice used in many of their dishes and served on the side with every order. I always make a special request for mitmita as I leave, and I have always been met with a gracious and generous response. Having mitmita on your spice shelf is well worth the momentary awkwardness it takes to get it. There is something inherently happy about the scene at Ethiopian Diamond. Perhaps it's the expanse of traditional decor, perhaps it's the way the Ethiopian community gathers there while creating a welcoming atmosphere for others. It's a feel-good place regardless. I'd make my way up to Ethiopian Diamond more often if the check didn't add up so quickly. It really does. I've always found my experience worth it, but the bill still stings a little. Try it out. Revel in its uniqueness, and if you like spice, ask for extra mitmita!

    (5)

  • Te D.

    I like to eat. I especially like to eat with my hands. I love to eat delicious food with my hands. You see how that worked out? Good. Better. Best. Ethiopian Diamond falls into that last category of "Best". Let's start with the "floor" of your food tray, it's covered in a pale brown moist spongey bread that doesn't look or taste particularly appetizing alone, BUT THEN... HARK, What juice through yon side dishes break? It is the greens and Tibs Watt is the bomb. Hold up! Did I just incorporate Shakespeare into this food review? Yes I did, young grasshopper. Confucius sayyy, "Owda thee veggie combow wid Gomen, Quosta, an Yatkilt Watt" (greens, spinach, and string beans with potatoes) "Alsow, grasshoppa, eat thee Okra Quosta an Assa Watt. Not too spicy. Veywee delicious." Shimbra Assa and Shrimp Watt might also rock your world if you're open to that kind of thing, you know, world rockin' and all. Oh, and one more thing, ladies, you know those maternity yoga pants that were on sale at Old Navy, now would be the time to bust those out!

    (5)

  • Jenna M.

    Tasty Ethiopian fare...I LOVE the flavor in the Doro Watt - chicken drumstick dish. We also usually do the Veggie Combo and pick three veggie dishes which are usually also super yummy. I like the spicy red lentil one a lot. The non-spicy offerings are a bit bland to me but the spicy are so good, who cares?! They are SO nice too. Usually enjoy a light Ethiopian beer with our meal and of course, the injera.

    (4)

  • Burrel V.

    First time trying Ethiopian. Really liked it. The injera was pretty good. Had the Vegetarian Taste of Ethiopia and the lentil and corn dishes were great!!! Have to try again.

    (4)

  • Lover Of Food And Culture Z.

    I thought it was an interesting dining experience although I am indian and we do eat with our hands sometimes nothing new! Went there on Saturday and the place was packed! Got the sample platter and the food was really good not spicy though. I tried the honey wine, uhm..not good! it's like a cheap wine with little or no alcohol. I did notice something really disgusting. I noticed that the people who came in did not wash their hand before they ate and eating from one big plate and sharing it with friends, yuk! If you plan on eating with your hands you must wash your hands people!

    (4)

  • Denise K.

    Excellent !!!! Each dish was authentic and had it's own unique flavor. Never was crazy about lamb until today. The coffee was delicious. The service was quick and attentive. Would go back again and recommend it to everyone.

    (5)

  • Michelle R.

    Perhaps my favorite restaurant in Chicago. Go for the "Tour of Ethiopia" because you get a TON of food including appetizers, salad, one meat and one veg dish for each person for about $20 per person. I like how when you take the leftovers home they scrape the injera, meat and vegetables off the silver platter and into the container together. It tastes better the next day, and we had beach lunches twice with it. Extra pluses are the gracious staff, restaurant is HUGE and very, very clean including the bathrooms. Once when we went there was a musician playing different Ethiopian instruments. Some guests even have food and drinks at the bar. It's a very nice but unpretentious place. Nice relaxing atmosphere.

    (5)

  • Jay S.

    It was a friend's birthday and he was feeling adventurous. We wanted to break from our usual Spanish/American/Asian/French/Steak/Seafood/­Burger/Sandwich/Sushi restaurants and try something we haven't had. He pondered and then finally... Ethiopian. Yep. Definitely never had that before going to this place. I must say, it is so true when they say go in with an open mind because you just let your guard down and take in the full experience. Was I apprehensive? Oh hell yes. I had no idea what to expect. But it ended up to be an awesome experience. The night we went there was some live band playing. +1. The place is also BYOB. +1. You can eat with your hands (Filipinos, you know you feel at home)! +1. Extremely flavorful meats (we got everything). +1. Oh, and the staff was extremely friendly and welcoming to our party. No points can measure that.

    (4)

  • Jon L.

    Amazing.

    (5)

  • Boon K.

    This is as close as I can get to ethiopian food you can get in DC. They have a great selection but they make it really easy for you if you want a taste of everything at a reasonable price. I usually get the tour of Ethiopia which gives you a great selection of everything. It comes in a huge sharing platter and you can sit at the tables with made with straw that can hold the food. The bread is moist. light, and a little sour which goes perfect with the curry dishes. This is the place I will usually bring my vegan friends since all their veggie selection are all vegan friendly.

    (4)

  • Zach J.

    So far, this is the best Ethiopian restaurant I have been to in Chicago. In fact, this is probably the best Ethiopian I have ever had period. I had my go-to spot back in San Fran (Waziema) that served up my favorite Ethiopian, but I had yet to find a place like that in Chicago until I dined at E-Diamond last night. The only other Ethiopian place I had been to in Chi was Demera, which was good, but not nearly is good as Diamond IMO. Diamond has a vast selection of entrees to choose from. Of course if you go Ethiopian you've gotta go family style, so we got the Kitfo Na Gomen, Doro Tibs, and Yebeg Tibs Watt. Everything was very well portioned and tasted phenominal. I'd never had anything like the Kitfo dish before, which is ground beef mixed with their homemade cheese (tasted similar to goat cheese to me). It was awesome. The lamb was nice and spicey just like we ordered it, and the chicken definitely hit the spot as well. Another plus for this place was a chill little jazz band playing in the back of the restaurant. Apparently they play every Fri and Sat night, which adds a nice touch to the place. It's a pretty spacious restaurant too, so even though it was crowded, you didn't feel too cramped. Oh, and they have a full bar equipped with a nice variety of Ethiopian beer. If you're a dark beer fan (like myself) you can't go wrong with the Hakim Stout. Also, their Bedele beer was really good (nice malty flavor). All in all was very impressed with the place. I've eaten at maybe 4 Ethiopian restaurants prior to this one, but I'd never had food better than Ethiopian Diamond. They got a lot of creative entrees and everything I had was delicious. Throw in a live jazz band and it's official for me: best Ethiopian restaurant I have ever been to. Good stuff.

    (4)

  • Laura G.

    Amazing food and experience. Lots of sampler type entrees if you are unfamiliar with Ethiopian food

    (5)

  • Jason F.

    I'm taking 2011 as an opportunity to never eat at the same restaurant twice and using yelp to track/review it. I'm proud to say my first meal was at Ethiopian Diamond, and somewhat bummed that I won't eat there again until 2012. Overall the other reviews were spot on. We split the Vegetarian Taste of Ethiopia. It was delicious, colorful, well spiced, packed with flavor, and just plain fun to eat. The injera almost had a slight tangy taste that I hadn't had with other injera, but it was a good thing. It paired perfectly with the Hakim Stout, especially this time of year. Live subtle jazz floated through the air from the back of the restaurant as an eager to please staff bustled about topping off your water and bringing you more bread. Someone tipped them off that it was my birthday. They stuck a candle in my dessert and kicked off the birthday song which was accompanied by other guest joining in the singing... embarrassing but overall a great experience.

    (4)

  • Ben D.

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE Ethiopian Diamond! I've been going to this place for years- even took my non-food adventurous family here for my 21st birthday (they loved it, too!) I always get the Kitfo Na Gomen (rare), and my fiance usually gets one of the combo plates. You really can't go wrong with any of the food options, from my experiences. The injera bread is awesome, too! Everything is delicious, and honestly not that "different" or "scary" as people may assume when trying unfamiliar ethnic cuisines. Eat with the bread and use your hands - and don't forget to share! :) Try the different African Beers. Definitely have some coffee for dessert. Even the delivery service is amazing! I just ordered some lunch today. The food came early, AND everything was at a desirable temperature (it's nearly 100 degrees today)- my salad was cold, my potatoes were hot, and my rare kitfo na gomen was PERFECT. The same praise also goes to the location in Rogers Park!

    (5)

  • VL H.

    Spectacular food, service and ambiance!!!! The food is always delicious...so flavorful and fresh. The owner is always present and greeting her customers...and will always help her staff when needed. The live music on Friday and Saturdays is really nice as well. A++++ You will not be disappointed with anything on the menu!

    (5)

  • Katie R.

    yum, yum, yum. i love ethiopian food but hadn't been to ethiopian diamond yet - it's delicious and equatable to other good ethiopian restaurants. i'm vegetarian so had some veggie dishes shared with others - the chickpea fish (i believe that's the name) was amazing. everyone enjoyed their meat dishes, too, saying the lamb was the best. we had the honey wine which was really delicious - very sweet of course, but delicious. it's not very potent as far as the alcohol content goes, which could be good or bad. i was really impressed by our server who accommodated to our large party by offering us a combination of beef, lamb, veggies, etc. dishes so the 10 of us didn't have to fight over what we were going to order. prices are very reasonable (we spent 27 each, tip and liquor included), decor was nice and there was a live jazz band which is always fun.

    (4)

  • Gayatri D.

    I'm addicted to Ethiopian beer and I like live music. So obviously, I heart Ethiopian Diamond. I've tried all their vegetarian entrees and they're delicious. My favorites are the Yemisir Watt, Okra Quosta & Tofu Tibs. The flavor and texture of their Injera is perfect and they always give you a little garden salad in the center of the plate. Even though the sambusas at Demera are better, Ethiopian Diamond gets its 5th star from me because of the friendly, flexible and fast service. The last time we went, we were a party of 35 adults and 5 kids, hardly a joy on a busy Saturday night. But they were ridiculously efficient, kept the kids entertained and waived the corkage fee. The glutton and cheapskate in me was very happy!

    (5)

  • Susie M.

    I had the Veg E3 combo. I liked the Shimbra Assa and the Yesmir Watt. I also had the the sambusa combo. This was delicious. I love Indian Samosas and that is what sambusa reminded me of. Honestly, this was only my second time eating Ethiopian food. I purposely ordered pickup this time bc I really believe that my initial experience was heavily compromised by the poor service I had gotten at another Ethiopian restaurant. I wanted to come to my own conclusions this time purely based on the food. While I did enjoy the sambusa I cant say that I am a fan of Ethiopian food. I didnt necessarily dislike the preparation of the food. I believe the reason why I did not give this restaurant more stars is simply bc I am not a fan of this type of food.

    (3)

  • Hannah C.

    Delicious! Gluten free? CHECK! Their injera (the "bread" that everything is served on) is normally made with some wheat in it but if you call in advance they can make it sans gluten! And it's not a pain at all to call in advance -- just ask for the gluten free injera. The gluten-free version is made solely with teff flour. Vegetarian? Check! They have tons of veggie, and fish for you pescatarians, options and everything is delectable.

    (5)

  • Eliza Z.

    My only experience with Ethiopian food prior to coming here was a kind of potluck university programming deal, where really all I tasted was the special Ethiopian bread (injera), and I didn't really care for the texture. So I was very happily surprised when I came to Ethiopian Diamond and really really loved the food. I love communal eating, and this place is the embodiment of it. We came here with a bunch of people we didn't know very well, and the style of eating definitely encourages everyone to get along and dig into each others food without feeling awkward. I was with my significant other, so we did one of the samplers. I can't recall exactly what 3-4 dishes it came with, but there was a spicy lamb dish that was by far my favorite from our order. My favorite thing I tasted that night however was someone else's beef tartare with garlic. It sounded a little out there, but it was amazing and I think everyone was secretly jealous they hadn't been brave enough to order it. We had a big group of 9 people and were seated quickly, so it's definitely easy to bring a lot of people here. The atmosphere is nice, they had someone playing a variety of traditional instruments. I will definitely come back here, especially if I've got a big group of people wanting to try something new.

    (4)

  • E T.

    I've been to Ethiopian Diamond twice now. I used to live in a neighborhood with majority of the restaurants being ethiopian, eritrean and kenyan so I'm pretty familiar with the cuisine. I had the doro wot, yebeg wot and the veggie platter, with sambusas and the detsaye dessert. The food was best ethiopian I've had in Chicago so far, but not great. The injera was good, the shiro asa was nasty, I'll try to shiro wot next time and hope it's better, gotta say, their spices just taste a little "off" when compared to other ethiopian i've had. also - what's up with there being no awaze or mitmita served with the dishes? I'm still on the hunt to find a truly amazing ethiopian restaurant here!

    (3)

  • Paolo Jose J.

    This place was really nice. The waiter that served us took his time when explaining and referring the right food for us. The atmosphere is a but dark, but it could go one of two ways for people. Romantic or gloomy. The food was really good. The portions don't look that big but they are really filling. I would for sure come here again.

    (4)

  • Prakit D.

    Excellent Ethiopian food accompanied by wonderful service. Probably one of my favorite Ethiopian restaurants I've visited beside NYC and DC when it comes to rich flavor. Vegetarian platter was pretty amazing and sambusa was also quite good, love the texture of minced meat and vegetable. Injera and kay wat (lean beef meat in spicy sauce) were exceptional. For beginners, combos is a great way to start as you get to try different things from chicken, beef, lamb to vegetable. Oh and don't look for silverware, you gotta get your hands dirty! But I believe you can ask for it if you prefer. I prefer eating like a monkey plus it defeats the purpose of eating Ethiopian food in the first place. Ethiopian Diamond is really close the the red line station (Granville) unless you plan to drive. Although I gotta say the place is a little too dim and they could have made some improvement on the decor. Overall, it was a super fun experience with interesting and sometimes random live music on the weekend. Certainly a great place to introduce yourself to Ethiopian food.

    (4)

  • Kathleen F.

    I went here twice with a group of 4-5 people. The food is all very good. There is something for everyone here: beef, chicken, lamb, veg (and their entire vegetarian selection is vegan) I cannot figure out why, the second time I was there, my group was seated at a big red table when every other table in the restaurant was covered with a white linen tablecloth. The servers are extremely helpful to first time diners. When the food is brought out on HUGE platters, it always looks like not enough... but halfway through my meal I realize I'm full. The honey wine is very sweet if you're into that. The desserts are to die for.

    (4)

  • Y. F.

    Few things about this place. I have been coming to this place for about one year. First of all food is delicios. I love it! The service is average. Waitress only takes our order and forget to check on you. There is a big trick about the way you should order food when you come with a friend. If you want to have the right quantity of food on your plate you should order it on separate plates NOT on one big plate. If you do not follow this rule you might realize that the place is too pricey! Atmosphere is relaxing. When I am in near by again I might stop by again!

    (4)

  • Ingrid C.

    Excelent Ethiopian food!! The vegetarian combo is my recommendation because you get to try diferent dishes, I believe it is minimum for two people. Their Ingera (Ethiopian bread, pancake like) is the best I've had. They also have live music, which gives this place a nice and unique atmosphere. When you go make sure to read the story about ethiopian food on the menu, it explains the way it is served and the importance of sharing. I loved it!!

    (5)

  • Louise M.

    I RUINED MY OWN MEAL HERE: a cautionary tale for fellow vegetarians. My dining companions and I started out with a Sambusas of each type. I tried the lentil, and the spinach and both were very tasty. I was a little weary of biting into them because it was difficult to tell which ones had meat in them, and which did not. We all liked the sauce that these were served with. For my entrée I ordered the Yatakilt Watt, and this is where my dinning experience takes a turn for the worse. The two men that I was out with both ordered the Kitfo (Ethiopian Steak Tartar), which is fine I am okay to be at the same table with people eating meat... but when the food came out, all three of our meals were served on one large plate. So on either side of my vegetarian portion, sat two piles of raw-looking beef. I was totally disgusted, and worried that the meat juices would leak toward my food. The meat on the plate made me anxious and uncomfortable, so I ate less than two bites of my dinner, due to loss of appetite. :( THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED! Now, I realize that I should have asked about the serving procedure beforehand, and requested that mine be served on a separated dish. What I tasted of the food was good, I just couldn't get over the meat on the plate. I feel bad giving this restaurant a negative review, especially because it seems to be so well loved by the Yelp community. So, I am being very honest when I say that all of my issues with the Ethiopian Diamond were my own fault... I just wanted to share so that other vegetarians do not make the same mistakes, and experience a similar fate.

    (2)

  • Veronica W.

    The customer service was outstanding, as usual! The server was playful and helpful while teaching us how to pronounce item menus. Gluten-free injera was ready. Although we called ahead for it, they said that it was always available. (The obvious difference is that the non-traditional, americanized injera that is made with both teff and wheat flour is very light in color. The traditional, gluten-free injera that is made with only teff is dark in color. However, both have that wonderful sourdough taste!) Items on the menu that are labeled as spicy are indeed spicy. (I can't really tolerate spicy foods.) The Gomen was delicious, and honestly, the only way that I will eat collard greens. The Dinich Alicha was very flavorful and a great pick for someone who is a little hesitant to trying different kinds of foods (just carrots and potatoes). They do offer side dish sizes of many main dishes so that you can make a great combo of your favorites and new things that you want to try.

    (5)

  • Samantha L.

    I must say, this place looks way swankier than Ras Dashen, but the food is not as good. Don't get me wrong... it's decent, but Ras Dashen is better. The lamb tibs were tasty, and the split pea side was great. However, My potato and carrot appetizer tasted like how lemon/bleach cleaner smells, and when I told the waitress, apparently the kitchen staff had told her they cooked it in a new pan, so they probably should have cleaned it properly first. I went here on a Groupon and did the tour of Ethiopia for two, so at least it was cheap, but I would sooner go to Ras Dashen anytime.

    (3)

  • Elizabeth D.

    I love "The Diamond"! I was introduced to this place by friends. I had no idea what I was in for. They have food in Ethiopia?! Then what are all those commercials with starving children about?...No silverware?! Wait!! That's not what I ordered...is it? I have to share a plate?! When all was said and done? LOVED IT! I've been here many times since. It's definitely my go to place for people who are interested in trying Ethiopian food. There's something on the menu for everyone from grilled meats to stewed bits of goodness. Vegetarians and Carnivores can share a plate of injera and find something that they'll both like. I've brought non-adventurous eaters here and its always been a hit. I always get vegetarian dishes and my boyfriend goes with the grilled meats and we both leave stuffed. You can BYOB (with a corking fee) or enjoy the honey wine. Recently, we tried the chocolate desert. If you're a chocoholic, go for it!! It's warm chocolately goodness worth saving room for. They have live music on the weekends, which, mixed with the crowd makes it a little loud. It's much quieter on a week night. If you're looking for a true communal dining experience, this is your place. I've tried other Ethiopian restaurants in Chicago and "The Diamond" is by far the best!

    (5)

  • Grace L.

    Very good food. My favorite Ethiopian dish is Kitfo and it did not disappoint. The lamb and the chicken with Egg dishes were also excellent! We sat at the traditional Ethiopian table which was as big as the "family-style" plate of food on the injera (traditional bread, much like sourdough). We also had the traditional coffee ceremony, which tasted much like Espresso. Very good atmosphere and friendly people! Definitely recommend it!

    (5)

  • Elizabeth W.

    LOVE this place. This is the best Ethiopian food I've had (although, I admit, I've only tried it at one other Chicago restaurant). Seriously, though, you can't go wrong. Vegetarians, carnivores - everyone can find something delicious to have here. I have yet to try anything that wasn't amazing, and I've been here a lot. Go here! You won't regret it!

    (4)

  • Alice Y.

    Ethiopian Diamond is currently my favorite Ethiopian restaurant in Chicago (though I've heard there are a few ones that give it a good run for your money, that I haven't tried yet). The food is great, as you can read in my review for the Rogers Park location (I ordered more or less the same thing: a lamb & spinach item). Again, the food came out delicious, and they included a variety of vegetable sides with the order, which I liked just as much as the meats. It's always a difficult decision when you have to go with one or the other, so it's nice not to have to choose. I docked 1 star because when I came on a Friday night (shortly after a Groupon went out), the place was ridiculously packed, and we had a good 30-45mn wait. Then when we were seated, it took another 10-15 minutes to get us a menu and take our order. Then more waiting for the food. I think they were understaffed - I'd go on an off day, or to their other location. Tip: my friend had the honey wine, which was really good. Nice and sweet, so you don't taste the alcohol as much, but not overpoweringly so. Definitely worth ordering.

    (4)

  • Regina C.

    Good Ethiopian food, great for large parties.

    (3)

  • Julia P.

    My first taste of Ethiopian food was at Ethiopian Diamond. We drove up here because we were looking for something different. When we arrived, the restaurant was somewhat empty. Only a few tables were occupied. The place looked attractive, and was warm and welcoming on a chilly winter day. The platters at Ethiopian Diamond are communal. They put one plate down with everyone's food. Instead of a fork, Ethiopian bread (injira) is used to scoop up the food into your mouth. The bread is a little spongy so you can also use it to soak up gravy. Being inexperienced, more food ended up on my hands and napkin than in my mouth. Do not worry though, Ethiopian Diamond has forks too. I ordered the vegetarian sampler. Everything was very flavorful and not at all spicy - even the "spicy red lentils." My favorites were the lentils and the injira. Overall, the dinner was great. It is places like Ethiopian Diamond that make me want to expand my knowledge of ethnic food.

    (4)

  • Dani D.

    First time eating Ethiopian for my date+I. I checked Yelp before going. The food tasted pretty good (except neither of us cared for the bread which is a main part of the meal), but the lamb+the beef was tough+chewy...ick. Nor did we care for the honey wine. When it arrived we joked it looked like Tang...the joke was on us: it tasted like Tang. Our server was inattentive+grouchy--until it was time for the check...not cool

    (2)

  • Matt R.

    Holy crap! this place is great! 2 people, get everything you want with no reserve (drinks, appetizers), still end up at 50 bucks? Awesome! First, lets get to the real most important part of eating here: it is ALL FINGER FOOD. This is like reliving your inner child desires of eating with your hands, for a very respectable dinner. So first, we ordered the Ethiopian equivalent to Samosas...we got the spinach kind. It was extremely good! Meanwhile, the date elected on ethiopian tea, and I got a mango drink. Ethiopian tea is....I don't know, very fresh and nice. I'd compare it to the handmade teas I've had in Israel, but then again that isn't really "unique" of a tea flavor. It was good though. Meanwhile, the meal itself comes with no silverware.Now, lets get to how that works. We ordered the veggie platter thing for 2 people, and it was awesome. Spicy red lentils, this amazing spinach combo, the potatoes were good (I hate potatoes, it takes a lot for me to say that), but okay. So you've got all of this food there, but what do you eat it on? This dough that is all spongy and absorbent, seasoned with lime, and you just pick it up and eat it with that. This is not like a taco, remember, you have no silverware. On top of that, this bread (which looks like a sponge on one side)....is actually what all the food is served on top of! So if you don't finish it all and take it home, you'll see that the bread absorbs all the oils and flavor within the first couple minutes of when they wrap up the food. It was like 30$ for the veggie platter for two, and it was a lot of very good food. Also, the waitstaff was polite and very quick to refill water when it got low. Also, table space is kinda tight, so if you aren't going in as just 2 people, you will definitely want to reserve seating. This place is pretty packed! Summary: tasty, eat with your hands, good pricing, and definitely one of those gems in the city. I mean seriously, before this who can say they've had Ethiopian food before? That's definitely one of the joys of Chicago's ethnic varieties.

    (5)

  • Jessica D.

    Oh. My. God. This has got to be one of the best places I've eaten in... years? maybe. Months, definitely. Look, I love me some Asian food. Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Indian, really, if it's from the Asian continent, I'll pretty much eat it without question. But it gets old. Without question, 75-80% of my meals are some form of Asian cuisine and while I love it, I needed something DIFFERENT. I wanted something tasty, warm, homey, comforting, and still a little spicy because I'm from the South and I don't live a day without hot sauce. On my way home from Office Hours I knew what I was craving: Ethiopian. Okay. So maybe my first foray into Ethiopian, a good 6 years ago, didn't end so well. Suffice it to say that I ate something that texturally didn't agree with me and I had to pay my bill, go home, and lie down right away. Not fun. But it wasn't the fault of the cuisine or the people, only my sorry excuse for a mouth, so I wanted to try again, and by virtue of proximity, Ethiopian Diamond was to be the redeemer of this great food. Being partially filled up on Office Hours croissants, my girlfriend and I shared the vegetarian sampler. We chose kik alicha, quosta, and dinich alicha, plus a side of shimbra assa. It came out quickly (really quickly) and hot and delicious. I mean, this was it, what I'd been both afraid of and mesmerized by for years, and it was perfect. Every single thing I tried was incredible, even the tiny tomato salad on the side. I quickly mastered the use of injera and got my eat on, and I was so pleased. The food was authentically African but I couldn't help being reminded of my childhood and traditional Southern food. I wonder how much influence Ethiopian food has had on soul food in the Southeast. Probably more than people realize. Now, I've been craving Ethiopian all week and wanted to try all of the other places in town, not to mention the other various African cuisines this city has. Ethiopian Diamond, you have turned my life around. Maybe there's room in my heart for two favorite continents.

    (5)

  • eric f.

    YES! go with a friend and get the vegetarian combo for 2. this way you can try 6 different dishes at once (for only $30). while you're there try a bottle of meta beer (form ethiopia) to compliment the food. YUM!

    (5)

  • Zack P.

    My partner and I are regulars here, we're seriously in there two or three times a week. It's rare that we're not in on a Friday night. Their Bedele beer is excellent and goes really well with the food, I always order the Kay Watt or Tibs Watt and my partner usually gets the Gored Gored or Kitfo (both raw dishes, and suprisingly yummy for raw beef). Lately there's been a lot of children running around all over the place... I think it's the whole eating with your hands thing. Live music is usually a bit odd and sometimes funny when you hear a John Lennon cover from a harp or something. They open as early as 11 on the weekends and if you get there early it still smells like coffee from the roasted beans. Might seem heavy for brunch but the dishes are very sharable.

    (5)

  • Chicago B.

    We had a group of 16 for dinner on Sunday, April 26. The food was excellent and perfectly prepared. Everyone in our group was happy with the food and the courtesy of the staff. The pacing of the meal service was a bit off, though, perhaps because of the size of the group and the fact that the food was served fresh. I make this point only to clarify the 4-star rating versus a 5-star.

    (4)

  • Niki G.

    No doubt my favorite place to eat in Chicago! :) You may be thinking that's weird because I'm vegan (meaning I don't eat any animal products) but Diamond has tons of veggie options. I love the collard greens and the faux fish is to die for. The lentils are amazing, too. I hadn't ever had Ethiopian before I came here but I saw all the good reviews for it and had to try it. Fairly priced, good service, always clean, lots to choose from!! Great place for parties and groups to meet up! It's fun to eat with your hands :) Try it!

    (5)

  • Noa P.

    If you go, get the teff injera! The food is tasty and plentiful. Excellent vegetarian fare. Also, the coffee is phenomenal! It is served in a clay pot and the taste is out of this world - smooth and strong and utterly delicious. Update: they keep hiking up the prices. It's still delicious but expect to easily drop $25+ per person.

    (5)

  • Liz J.

    Ethiopian Diamond is the perfect place to impress out of town guests who live in kind of tame food landscapes. Seriously, my family was in town for my graduation and we came here for a celebratory lunch. They loved it. We ordered the shiro (which everyone raved about), kitfo na gomen (I got it medium rather than rare ... so so good. Who knew that almost raw beef could taste so good?), yebeg tibs (Lamb cubes. My dad hogged most of these to himself. Great flavor) and kik alicha. They also give you dabs of other things on your platter. I have also been and ordered only vegetarian items, which are delicious as well. The Honey Wine is syrupy sweet and festive, great to share in a carafe around the table. Beware, though, I got a massive headache later the time I drank it. Service is attentive and friendly. It's pretty empty during lunch time but fills up at dinner. Highly recommended!

    (5)

  • Mike M.

    Short review for this place because if you haven't discovered this place, it might be too late to save you (settle down people, it's just a joke). Few things about this place. Delicious food, great prices, and staff friendliness. I have been coming here for years and not much has changed, thank you ownership. Bring friends, eat with your hands, and have great conversation.

    (4)

  • Silent S.

    I went to Ethiopian Diamond when I was in Chicago visiting friends. As many of the other reviews have noted, the food is crazy good. I ordered the beef tartar, and was shocked by the portion size. I'm definitely not used to such enormous helpings of tartar, and was unable to finish more than half of it on my own...and not for lack of effort! Fortunately, some other members of my party got a vegetarian sampler to off-set all that meat. Everything was spicy and delicious. But the food alone isn't want makes this place great. The atmosphere was so warm, open, and welcoming. None of us were really accustomed to Ethiopian cuisine, and our waiter was very patient and explained everything to us. There was some live music that night, and everyone in the restaurant seemed so happy to be there and eating this food. I would definitely recommend Ethiopian Diamond to anyone who is unfamiliar with Ethiopian cuisine and looking for a gateway restaurant.

    (4)

  • Jennifer B.

    We rode in on a Kansas-style summer thunderstorm and landed in Oz. Or Ethiopia via Edgewater, but close enough! Sitting at a long table in Ethiopian Diamond and sharing beer and food with friends was the best antidote possible to the blowing storm outside. Vegetarians heart this place. Seriously, I think the vegetarian food was top notch. We got an assortment of sambusas as an entree and loved the spicy dipping sauce. My portion of the table also split the Vegetarian Platter for two and augmented it with an order of the spinach veggie entree. This was plenty for three people and everything was delicious. Spicy red lentils were my personal favorite! Other sides of the table got the Tibs platter and another meat option and also were roundly pleased. The injera was warm and plentiful with a perfect sourdough taste. I also loved the assortment of Asian and African beer here. The Ethiopian honey wine got mixed reviews- some thought it tasted like cough syrup, some like apple juice- but Meta Beer might be my new favorite. Looking forward to the next time the wind blows me up this way!

    (4)

  • Jill M.

    Contrary to popular belief, they do not serve goat. I went here for my friend's birthday last month. It was a dark and windy and lightly stormy night, probably the first of the October chills. I entered a very homey atmosphere with the lights dimmed to a low glow. Live music was playing in the background. I expected to hear ethnic music, but it turned out to be a local rock band. They were great anyways.... Ok...now the food! Be prepared to eat with your hands. all the food is served on top of a spongy-textured flat bread. They give you extra flat bread to use as your utensil to pick up the food. When they first serve your meal, it looks a little intimidating, but your server will guide you. The flavors of the food are very intense and the textures are comfortably filling! The flatbread really fills you up! They took really good care of our group, and I would definitely go back when I come to the area again!

    (5)

  • Anthony B.

    This place was amazing. Great food, and wonderful service. If you've never tried Ethiopian come here. I asked my co worker who is from Ethiopia if he could recommend a place and he said here. You eat everything with your hands, and everything is served on a big platter. It isn't overly messy as it sounds as you use pieces of bread like naan to eat it. The chicken and beef dish and lentils we ordered were so good we ate everything on the plate. We also had a great African beer that was maybe the best beer I've ever tasted called St. George. The server was very helpful in giving us recommendations and understanding the different items. There is a dinner deal as well that was affordable. For dessert we had an amazing mini pot off coffee. Apparently Ethiopia is the birth place of coffee and it was very very good coffee. It wasn't as heavy as Indian food and I was surprised that my stomach was fine after as we ate so much food. It is very big and spacious inside as well and not too loud for a date. Give it a try you won't be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Katherine T.

    This was the first Ethiopian restaurant I have ever been to. Went here for my birthday and it was amazing! Loved sharing good on injera (stretchy sourdough bread). It was amazing and perfect for my then choice of living on a vegetarian diet. Fun!

    (4)

  • Nicole C.

    I'm still absolutely loving this Ethiopian restaurant -- although I must admit that I keep coming back here and refuse to try Ethiopian food anywhere else! =) Okay, I admit that I have been to Demera (Broadway/Lawrence) but this is still my favorite. The service is always top-notch. They are soooo nice and friendly that it feels like you're dining in someone's home. They are also very helpful when it comes to ordering -- especially for first-timers who want to experience as much Ethiopian food and drink (they have sweet honey wine and several different Ethiopian beers) as possible. I love, love, love the meats and the veggies alike. I don't think I've tried anything here that I don't like. Highly recommend!

    (5)

  • Elly D.

    I've lived in Chicago all my life and have always wanted to go here and finally did. And I was NOT disappointed because this place is amazing! The staff is so friendly, helpful and the atmosphere was great. Having never been there before, I tried the Tour of Ethiopia and loved everything! The Doro Tibs Watt was a great, spicy chicken dish that complimented the delicious Honey wine extremely well, as suggested from my amazing waitress. I will not only be coming back, but bringing a ton of friends and family because it's a great venue for big parties. In fact, I'm highly considering it for my birthday party place next year! Thanks so much to all the staff for this wonderfully enjoyable experience. You have a big new fan for sure!

    (5)

  • Tim B.

    Went to Ethiopian Diamond last week with a group of 5 Newbies to the Ethiopian food scene and we all left satisfied and looking forward to our next visit. The staff was fantastic and quick to offer guidance to our group to help us through the new experience. We ordered 2 of the "tours of Ethiopia" and had just the right amount of food for our group of 5 with just a bit left over. The $5 corkage fee was a big plus We will be back again soon and often.

    (4)

  • Gayle G.

    Injera. You are sour. You are soggy. You are even a little slimy. All of the things that I don't care for in food, yet I adore you nontheless. You are the perfect vehicle for cramming steamy, spicy Yebeg Tibs Watt into my piehole. However, I've decided that from now on I'm sticking to the veg options with Ethiopian food, it's truly the star as far as I'm concerned. I think that the gomen is the best I've ever had at ED. And the yesmir watt is delicious! Sadly, I was not impressed with the sambusa...pass. Loads of food for a great price. Go with a crowd and enjoy lots of tastes.

    (4)

  • Trisha T.

    This is the best Ethiopian food. Between 3 of us, we got the "Tour of Ethiopia" platter to share and it was amazing. The spicy sauce, which came on the side, was not only spicy, but had a complex and wonderful flavor. Also, the honey wine enhanced each bite of the meal. Finally, the service was amazing. Eat here, it's great! :)

    (5)

  • Sarah S.

    Ethiopian is my favorite kind of food. This was fun, but all in all, pretty average. The Yebeg Alitcha, my ethiopian standby, was nothing special. Very oniony, and tasted more like some variety of generic stew than something with Ethiopian Flavor. The vegetarian dishes, however, were considerably better, especially the gomen. Mmm. The live music was awesome, and they have Tusker beer, which is just wonderful. It was a lot of fun, and the atmosphere made up for the mostly lackluster food. I want to try it again sometime though, to make sure I didn't just hit it on an off night.

    (3)

  • NeeraJamie K.

    Get the vegetarian combo! It's enough for 2, maybe even 3 people. I went with a boy who is a human garbage disposal...he can finish almost anything...but this time even he could not finish the amount of food that they give you. Tofu tibs are yummy! Get some of the ethiopian tea, it really helps you digest all that food. Lots of spices in it...cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, etc. It was a saturday night & it was packed!!! Huge, long tables full of people!

    (5)

  • Leanne C.

    My first review!!! This is my favorite restaurant. The service is always friendly, the food is constantly wonderful. It's a great place to go on a first date or even have a large birthday party. If you like to share then this is the place. All the food is served on one platter even if you make separate orders. They will divide the food if you ask them to but that's not the point of having Ethiopian. The place is large and I have only waited to be seated once. On the weekend they have a live jazz musician that plays the harp and other instruments that I have no idea what they are. If you are looking for something quiet, please go during the week. They are busy like little bees on the weekends! Expect the meal to be a reasonably priced and to have a totally different dinning experience. I did take my soon to be step-kids with me last week. They did really well and were amazed of all the "different things" (like the "hat tables") One loved everything and the other loved the Sambusas (they are like "hot pockets but better") I did give them the heads up on how to eat with your hands without out looking like monkeys and showed them the sink in the back hallway to wash their hands. I find it very convenient not to have to wait for a restroom to wash my hands. It's right there! LOVE THIS PLACE!!!!

    (5)

  • Lauren D.

    I am a vegetarian, so this resturaunt is pretty much as good as it gets for me. They have a seriously huge variety of menu options for me to choose from, plus it is so reasonably priced. Beyond that generic review, lets get into some drool inducing memories... The bread that you get to eat your meal with is habit forming. It has a nice crepe like-texture with a slightly sourdough tatse. This goes amazingly well with all of the rich spices in the food. The vegetarian platter is my go-to here, because pretty much this is the closest I can get to ordering the whole menu. Finally, my fondest memory is the coffee. This was an after thought when a birthday party ran over, and I felt I needed to slow down on the Xingu. It was a seriously happy mistake. I would go back just for the coffee. It is served kinda of "family style" in a carafe, and then they give you some adorable tiny cups to serve yourself. If I could just have a constant supply of that coffee, I'm pretty sure I would never frown again. SO GOOD!

    (5)

  • Athea G.

    Love it. Definitely out of my comfort zone, but it was great. It's a welcoming and friendly environment. I've been here twice and got the chicken, beef, and shrimp combo both times. It's sooooo good. I don't know how to explain the seasonings and spices...garlic and lemon for the most part but yet, amazing. The honey wine is definitely worth mentioning as so many others have. Too bad you can't get it bottled to go!

    (5)

  • Jeanette K.

    I love Ethiopian food, and this place does it well! I've always gotten the doro tibs watt (spicy chicken chunks), which has a nice heat. I've also tried the lentils, cabbage, potatoes and green beans, and chickpea flour mash, which are all excellent. Service is good, and they are quick to replenish the injera when you need it. We tried the sambusas this time, which were ok, but not that great. I thought they were kind of expensive at $7 for 6 of them. I also tried the honey wine this time. It was a little sweet and unfiltered, with a subtle alcohol flavor. Don't forget to eat the injera underneath your food. It soaks up all of the sauce from your food- mmmm! Its the best part!

    (5)

  • Erin R.

    This was my first time having ethiopian food and it was wonderful. The food was delicious - I couldn't tell you what we had other than there were lentils involved, some really spicy chicken, and the spongy, tangy bread. All the flavors were unique and super yummy. I think I was out done by my one year old, though. She wailed on the collard greens, the lamb, and the spicy red lentils. I also ordered their "most popular ethiopian beer" which was great. Sort of bitter but not too much, which paired nicely with the spices on the table. Ethiopian Diamond is extremely family friendly. Before I was a "breeder", I would not have thought about it, but this restaurant pleases both the child-free and those of us with munchkins. Our party of 9 showed up, two toddlers in tow, two nine year-olds, and five hungry adults, without a reservation on a Saturday night. We were sitting with beer and appetizers in hand within 10 minutes. They also have live music and the nine year-olds were making requests all night long. All of the kids in the restaurant (quite a lot), surrounded our table and danced up a storm. It was cute city, let me tell you. The food is delish - a unique and fun experience, the waitstaff incredibly competent and patient, and the ambiance very warm and welcoming. Best dining experience I've had in a long time.

    (5)

  • Phaic N.

    The staff are friendly, but the food is overrated. While it's authentic enough, it's clear that they're not using particularly high quality ingredients in the meals. In particular, the meat they serve isn't the best -- often chewy and not very flavorsome. And even some of the vegetables can look a bit day-old. While it's not particularly expensive, it's easy to feel cheated because of the ingredients' quality.

    (2)

  • Chris M.

    I am not that adventurous when it comes to food, I will be the first to admit that. My girlfriend was watching an episode of Check Please that featured Ethiopian Diamond and she suggested that we go. I said okay, hoping she would forget about it. But to her credit, she made the plans, made a reservation and we were on our way. We went with three other people and ended up ordering a couple of the Vegetarian Taste of Ethiopian combos. It came with 6 dishes, we also ordered the Tofu Tibs and it was served on top of the spongy bread. For those such as me who are inexperienced in Ethiopian cuisine, you will learn that the staple is to use the bread to eat with your hands. Meals are also very communal. It was served on an enormous circular plate and designed for all to dive in and taste the food. I was impressed with everything on the veggie platter. The food was spicy but they have a great selection of African and domestic beers that help quench your thirst. Ethiopian Diamond was a great experience and I would go back. I stuck with vegetarian this first time out but I think if I went back I would try some of the meat dishes. If you are looking for a fun, exotic outing with a group of friends, I would highly suggest Ethiopian Diamond.

    (4)

  • Edwin Q.

    This place rocks my world!!!! The whole experience of eating here is amazing! from the friendly staff to the awesome food and their great honey wine, this is a mandatory visit for anyone interested on ethnic food. Huge selection of veggie dishes and a broad variety of flavors make this culinary experience unique. If you know me and want to surprise me for my birthday, take me to this place! Simply AWESOME!!!!!!!

    (5)

  • Michele D.

    We love this place! Tonight we had the Yemisir Watt (spicy red lentils), Tikel Gomen (cabbage and carrots), and the Yatkilt Watt (potatoes and green beans). We ordered it as the veggie combo, which meant we got a smaller portion of each but it was still enough for 2 of us to share. Our friends got the doro tibs (chicken with onions and green peppers) and the doro tibs watt (spicy chicken). Everything was fabulous! I highly recommend the Ethiopian tea as well. It's spiced with cinnamon and other tasty spices. The servers were really nice. It was our friend's birthday, and they came out and sang. There was a band playing tonight and they were quite good. It's always nice to have live music.

    (5)

  • Tuyen T.

    Ethiopian food never seems to fail me. Diamond is huge and the room is just decorated so nicely. Be careful of low handing lights though, I saw some people knock their head on them before.. I went on a Friday evening and there was live music playing. It was busy but we didn't have to wait for a table for two. The waitress was helpful and we ordered an appetizer and dish to share. It was plenty for us and there is enough injera to go around.

    (4)

  • Shana M.

    Great place! Love the wide open room and the paintings on the walls. Definitely good for a range of engagements from intimate date to raucous big parties. The style of eating can be either sensual or friendly/communal. The dishes ordered are served on a large round platter atop their Injera bread which has the sour taste of sourdough due to the fermentation process that gives the light, almost bubbly texture. It's really good, but be sure to take a break while eating to drink some thing and see how you feel, it eXpAnDs in your tummy. I went with a vegetarian, so I didn't get to try any meat dishes, but I hear the Shimbra Assa (Chick Pea Fish) is amazing, and I'd like to try the lamb. We split the Vegetarian Combo and my faves in the bunch were the Yemisir Watt (spicy red lentils & onion) and Dinich Alicha (potatoes and carrots cooked in Ethiopian spices and onion, garlic and ginger). It was plenty of food for 2 people. Don't bother with the Sambusa appetizer, the sauce is really the best part about it. Eating here was not only delicious, healthy and filling, but using the bread to scoop everything up was super fun! The service was also excellent. P.S. Go to their website. Not only is it full of great information about the food, place, paintings and culture, it's a Flash Rasta Extravaganza!!

    (4)

  • Katharine S.

    I don't really have much to add, I'm only posting a review because this restaurant deserves all of the accolades, all of them. Probably my favorite place to eat in Chicago, and certainly my favorite place to bring a group of friends for dinner. On Fridays Kelan Phil Cohran (of Sun Ra fame) always plays a set in the back - he is marvelous. Do yourself a favor and eat at this restaurant.

    (5)

  • Windy C.

    How is it possible that I have not reviewed this place yet?? My husband and I have been coming to Ethiopian Diamond for years, and it is hands down our favorite restaurant in Chicago. I'm not just talking favorite Ethiopian restaurant--it's literally our favorite restaurant in the entire city of Chicago. We always get the same thing when we go to Ethiopian Diamond--the vegetarian Taste of Ethiopia sampler. It comes with a cabbage dish, collard greens, spicy red lentils, mild yellow lentils, potato and carrot stew and Shimbra Assa, a "chickpea fish" dish. I think about their collard greens almost every day. They are so tender and delicious. I could eat them at every meal. And the cabbage is not far behind. Ethiopian Diamond has the best Ethiopian food in Chicago and is actually better than most of the food I had while traveling in Ethiopia last year. Go on a Saturday night for the live music. You won't be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Mira V.

    I hate beans and I though lentils were included somewhere in there. I am truly in love with their red lentils. Injera is top notch and the depth of flavor is fantastic in every dish. I attended a birthday party for a group of 20 and the waiter was happy to make 4 platters with everything from the menu. They even went so far as to make specific vegan platters, combos and a carnivore platter for our meat eating friends. Service was great and incredibly attentive. Not fast paced by any means but the food is more than worth it.

    (5)

  • Tammy L.

    I loooooove Ethiopian Diamond. I have never had a bad experience, and I've been there many times. It's so terrific for vegetarians--lots of flavorful choices. I love the red lentils, yellow split peas, greens, and best of all--the injera. We had a large dinner there for my birthday once, and it was great--they just put together platters of assorted dishes for us, and I think everyone had a good time. It really took the stress out of ordering. It's my favorite of the Ethiopian places I've tried in Chicago.

    (4)

  • Jules D.

    I love this place, have for years. The veg combo with an order of the faux fish on injera is a heavenly platter. We may vary some of the veg, but as long as the red lentils and collard greens are included, I'm so very happy. The Shimbra ASSA (that's the chick pea faux fish in a rich, flavorful, spicy sauce I could eat with a spoon) is the star. I think of it as Ethiopian falafel. Yemisir Watt is the spicy red lentils, deeply colored, almost creamy when scooped up with its spicy robe of flavor. The gomen is sensational collard greens, mild, but with a little kick of garlic. Tonight, we rounded out the platter with Kik Alicha, mild yellow split peas and Dinich Alicha, potatoes and carrots in a mild but tasty sauce. We warmed up as soon as we came in with a pot of their hot tea, it's reminiscent of Constant Comment, for those who remember that spiced, orange-scented tea. And while I don't normally sweeten my drinks, just a 1/2 tsp. or so of sugar mellowed the flavors nicely. Service was attentive and warm, our water glasses were filled regularly, more injera was offered and we were urged to take the flavor-infused injera home.

    (5)

  • Leena T.

    I once moved into this neighborhood JUST to be closer to this place. I think they might line their food with crack, because it is that addicting. This place kicks every other Ethiopian restaurant's ass in Chicago, Australia and the East Bay (all of the places I have tried Ethiopian, a total of around 20 different restaurants). The bread is spongy and actually made with traditional teff flour, and the berebere chili sauce they cook everything in well seasoned and super delicious. My favorites here are the vegetarian sampler (I rock the yemsir watt--the best dish here--gomen and altkit watt) and the beef or lamb tibs. The sambusas are great, as is the sauce you dip it in (a sweet chili sauce). Service is good, but plan on waiting a bit for your food. I also took an Ethiopian cooking class from them at Treasure Island and it was one of the best cooking classes I have ever taken. It was so fun and easy to make injera bread! Forget Ras Dashen, forget Demera. Go to Ethiopian Diamond if you want killer Ethiopian food.

    (5)

  • Cecilia C.

    So I went back a bit ago but I didn't update right away, it's been over my head! But I am very pleased I did. I had a much better experience this time around. It goes to show what I know, restaurants should not be judged once through. The food was very yummy, we got a "Tour of Africa" dinner for two. My mother complained "Is that gonna be enough?" with furrowed brow and narrow eyes when it arrived but in the end we ended up having to be rolled out of the restaurant, a service included in the already affordable price of the dinner combo. Unfortunately I don't recall my specific dishes, but I'll have to go once more, take note, and update. I know I did not get to fall in love with anything in particular, but I'll be happy to go back and explore the menu for a chance to!

    (3)

  • B K.

    Embarrassed to say that last year was the first time I had Ethiopian food in my life, but very happy Ethiopian Diamond was my first. They made me realize what I had been missing out on for the past 27 years ... and that's a heck of a long time to not be eating something. Parking was a piece of cake, plenty of spots on the street. The restaurant itself is large, there was was no wait. Everything appeared very clean, even the bathrooms! Service was fast and our waitress was nice and helpful. I don't remember exactly what we ordered, but I went with a group of 6 friends and we shared at least 8-9 different things -- all of us loved every bite. So I'm going to go out on a limb and say that everything on the menu must be delicious. Also drank the honey wine -- can't believe I've been missing out on that legally for 6 years, illegally for ... well, that's irrelevant. Been to many amazing Ethiopian restaurants since, yet Ethiopian Diamond will always hold a special place in my heart. I will definitely be coming back, many many more times.

    (5)

  • Kristy B.

    I'll have the goat! I had heard about this restaurant from Check, Please! a long time ago and it had been on my list of places to try. The opportunity recently presented itself last weekend when a group of friends wanted to celebrate my recent engagement. My fiance and I figured this would be a fun experience, reasonably priced (BYOB!), and tasty. The group had all had this type of cuisine before but never at this restaurant. They were very accommodating with our reservation. I called only the day before to get a reservation for 6. That evening, we were late heading up there so I called and they happily moved our reservation back by a half and hour. The host and staff was nice. There were a few communication gaps with the server and we were a little lost on how much food we should order. Our appetizers and desserts were both deep-fried. Not too memorable and I wouldn't order again. But the best part, which already has me planning another trip soon, is the main course. We a split a sampler platter and I LOVED the goat, beef, lentils, spinach, etc. We ordered part of the platter as "spicy". The spice is a perfect compliment to the food and doesn't overpower it. Half the fun is the experience of eating with your hands and in such a communal way. We also enjoyed some great live music that was playing holiday music. Great experience all together and I can't wait to go back.

    (4)

  • Tracy F.

    I've been here three times and each time I love the food even more. You can't go wrong with any of the dishes (especially the tibs) but I like the meat and vegetables over the seafood. The bread is absolutely fabulous. It's like a sour dough pancake. I definitely recommend the food and beer here. However, the service leaves much to be desired. Don't get me wrong. The service is very friendly. However, it's also VERY slow. You have to flag your waiter down every single time you need something (order apps, order dinner, need a drink, need napkins, want the check). It can be frustrating and add a lot of time to dinner. Additionally, they don't look upon people who ask for silverware kindly. Two separate times I've felt awkward because of the needs of someone in our party. In the first instance, there were 6 of us and we couldn't all reach the plate (which is too big to keep passing back and forth). We asked for forks so we could put the food on our plates and then use the bread to eat it. They first brought us 3 forks for 6 people. We had to ask for more. The second time was worse. We had a sort-of germaphobe with us (why he came was a different story). To respect his feelings, we all would fork the food onto our plates and eat with the bread. When I first asked for forks, our server asked if I knew the food was meant to be eaten with our hands. I said yes. She came back with 3 forks (something out this place and 3 forks). I asked for more and she asked how many. I said 6. She said "You should eat like Ethopians." I said "Most of us will, but we're being respectful of others who would prefer to use a fork." She just nodded and walked away. I personally feel like one explanation is enough (just in case we didn't know) but I definitely felt awkward the second time around.

    (4)

  • josie w.

    My classmate told me if I liked spicy foods I need to try dorowat- well it wasn't all that spicy.... but Ethiopian Diamond is a great place, ambience, upscale and very reasonable!

    (5)

  • Scott B.

    It is kind of sad to me that I live very close to this restaurant and haven't had the pleasure until now. I met 5 of my friends here for dinner recently and we had blast. Only 1 person had eaten Ethiopian food before but even she proclaimed that this by far the best she'd ever eaten. We loved everything that was placed in front of us. The Ethiopian beer was very flavorful and smooth. We ordered the tilapia, the lamb, the chicken, shrimp, okra and there was some other orders that I cannot seem to remember but not because they weren't memorable...more than likely it's because I am 41 and I can't remember a lot of things now. Everything that we shared was amazing. Specifically for me the okra. I don't even particularly care for okra except when it is fried. This okra was prepared so well that I thought it was collard greens or spinach...lol. When the vegetarian that ordered the okra pointed out what I was eating, I became obsessed with the okra. Even though there were six of us at the table and we were sharing, everyone let feeling full. We had two bottles of wine, a few of us had beer, two orders of appetizers and six entrees and the total bill was $211 which equaled out to be $35 bucks each...you can't beat that with a stick! I would recommend this restaurant to anyone that wants to experience something new, a great meal, have a great time and not break the bank. A couple of side notes- they have a full bar but they also allow BYOB with a $5 per bottle corkage fee. Also, you eat with your hands but if you ask they will bring you flatware. Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Emma S.

    This place is solid. I prefer a different Ethopian place, but this place is the best choice for large groups, or people who want to take their time and make an evening with dinner. It's more comfortable and the prices are very reasonable. I have also caught a couple of good local jazz bands there. The service is also very friendly and efficient.

    (4)

  • Ivan H.

    Solid Ethiopian food. The space is nice and big (though a little institutional), and I think they have live entertainment on the weekends. It's a great place for groups. This is a great place to get Ethiopian for the first time, as they have these sampler plates that feed several folks.

    (4)

  • Sabrina M.

    Seeing so many reviews for Ethiopian restaurants tonight made me realize that I'd never reviewed ED. Shame on me because it's one of my faves! This place is everything you want in an Ethiopian restaurant -- authentic, fresh, outrageously good and good service too. What's not to like. When I first started eating here I was a vegan and it has outstanding vegan/vegetarian options. The vegetarian platter is a winner. I've rejoined the carnivores and I love the lamb and other meats just as much! My only issue with ED is the same as almost everyone else -- it's so blasted far. But I've been known to make special trips up there by myself. In the middle of the week. Because I just HAD to have some ED. It really is among the best you'll find in the city. My favorite time to go is late afternoon/early evening before the crowds settle in. Also, if you go on Fridays you'll be treated to live music from the legendary Phil Cohran. ED is truly an experience to be savored and enjoyed.

    (5)

  • Suzy C.

    Oh man, I soooo want to give this place a five star, but I haven't really tried other Ethiopian restaurants, so I feel that I need to keep this at a four star for now. There is another ethiopian restaurant about two blocks south of Diamond, and they are far inferior, so don't go there. Man, I love everything about Ethiopian food, even the fact that you have to eat with your fingers. It's really not as bad as you think. I mainly eat their vegetarian dishes b/c I first fell in love with this place during the years I was a vegetarian. In recent times, I have tried some of their meat dishes and found them to be nowhere near the quality of their vegetarian dishes. Try the combination where you can pick three or four vegetarian dishes from the menu. The cabbage dish is a MUST, as is anything with lentils or chick peas. I usually pick the same five things and I am ashamed to say I do not know what they are called, I just have them memorized when I look at the menu... just make sure to try the cabbage, it's way more delicious than you think it could ever be. Please try at least couple dishes from their vegetarian page, it'll be worth it!

    (4)

  • caroushi t.

    Pro Good food on the spicy side ;-) Con As single person I got the place at the back to the kitchen / restrooms. No moist towels to clean hands before eating with fingers. No spoons provides if u do not ask. Not a cheap place to eat.

    (2)

  • Katarina X.

    I have to write: 1. The YelpStalker date has been quoting my yelp reviews back to me (uh-oh) apparently having read them all. 2. Fact: The proprietors may have actually thought I was a starving refugee by the volume of food consumed. I kinda owe them. Hot veggie-filled, deep-fried sambusa is perfect when it is cold and snowing out. Order a few! Date ordered a gargantuan platter of food which is consumed with this amazing, sharp, tangy, spongy moist pancake-like bread that soaks up all the hearty goodness your fingers can grasp. I adored the sweet potatoes, the flavorful pork and the the brightly sauced potatoes so much the date may or may not have tasted them (I was hungry, therefore am strongly leaning towards the not). Poor guy. Server was polite and attentive, when she asked "how are you doing?" the overwhelming gush of compliments had her backing up slowly with wide eyes. So yeah, I guess I liked it. Next time I won't propose marriage to the poor server while still slathered messily in spicy orange sauce.

    (5)

  • Jayne F.

    I think this was only the third, or maybe fourth Ethiopian restaurant I've ever been to, and the last one was quite a while ago, but I remember liking the cuisine a lot in the past, so either my palate has changed, or E.D. just wasn't knocking my socks off. I ordered a ton of food as a sampler, intending to take home whatever I couldn't finish. First was the "Tour of Ethiopia" deluxe combo platter. The beef and chicken sambusas were both good, though rather small. Diamond salad, though simple was also quite good. Yebeg Tibbs Alicha was my entree, and I got spinach (Quosta) as a side. Flavor on the Yebeg was ok, but a bit bland, and the supposedly-boneless pieces of lamb were filled with gristle and bits of bone. I estimate the entree portion contained 1.5 ounces of actual meat, which I found skimpy for the price. I normally love spinach, but their Quosta had a harsh, funky topnote, like they used an overwhelming amount of processed garlic rather than fresh, and there was also a "dirty" aftertaste. Oh, well, moving on to what should have been my to-go box, I sampled the E2 "Taste of Ethiopia". These were spicier dishes, mostly watts, so I hoped this was where the Diamond would really shine. While the sauces were more flavorful on this group, the meat again was mostly bones and gristle and the portion sizes were even smaller. Everything was kind of thrown and squashed into a Styrofoam box together, so the injera on the bottom got ruined and it was hard to tell what was what. The chicken leg was pretty good, and the boiled egg served with it was a nice touch. The lentil dish and the beef chunks were also good, bordering on very good. My second order of spinach eventually got thrown out, after it languished at home for a while with the rest of the leftovers. Service was pleasant, (I was practically the only one in the restaurant) and communication was easy, though after recommending a beer that was listed as $4 on the menu, my server charged me $5.50 for it. I'd give the overall experience and value 3 out of 5 stars, however my friends really like this restaurant, so perhaps I just caught them on a bad day.

    (3)

  • Ptsorange S.

    went there with a Meetup - Chicagoveg With all 100 of us, we were served 11 different entrees to share. everything was delicious. The food came out slow initially, but then we were replenished as needed - didn't have too wait for seconds. Their coffiee was great as well. Even their salad garnish hit the spot. Didn't have a drink - so no comment on that I noticed that people didn't have too wait too long for a table, they seemed to move the regular tables pretty quick.

    (5)

  • Amelia W.

    Not long after I had moved to Chicago almost 5 years ago I found myself in a cab whose driver was from Ethiopia. New to the city (and an absolute zealot when it comes to Ethiopian food) I asked him where to find the best in the city. Without hesitating and without irony he said, "Diamond. It is the perhaps the greatest food in Chicago--if not all of God's realm." And at that (at least, in my memory) he drove off into the night, a thick fog closing in around him. If I believed in such things I'd say this man was a divine messenger. The food here is so amazing I curse my own body for only being able to accept so much. You'll be on a magic carpet ride for hours afterward, seeing the music and puzzling your own existence. Even the salad blob in the center is perfect. Recommendations: red lentils, yellow lentils, spinach, collard greens, and cabbage. Also, the Bedele beer.

    (5)

  • Abigail W.

    Y-U-M-M-Y... I love this restaurant. I went for the first time in over a year last night with a Grubwithus group, and man o man was I reminded of why I should go there MUCH more often. The Highlights: Beef Sambusa = Excellent Beef Kaywatt (spicy) = Delish Gomen = the best collard greens I've ever tasted Yatkilt Watt = Mmmmmm Also one of my favorites that I didn't have last night is the Zilzil Tibs The food here is obviously painstakingly cooked to perfection. The owner definitely has a passion for what she does. On another note, they've renovated in the last year or so, which has created a much more relaxing and comfortable atmosphere than I last remember. Definitely take a look-see and try this fantastic restaurant.

    (4)

  • Collin G.

    Look out! What a great place to eat. My wife and I shared the combo platter for 2 (which was enough food to feed 4) and had a carafe of their homemade honey wine. What a great night out. Great food, live jazz, and tasty homemade wine. I wish it was just a little bit closer to where I live! A true jem.

    (5)

  • Kate S.

    I really love this place. It is great to go with a group, get a bunch of delicious vegetarian (or I suppose meaty) piles of food, and dig in. My personal favorite is the yemisir watt, which is spicy and delicious, but I also highly recommend the kik alicha and the gomen. I also really love the salad that comes with everything. It's very lemony and refreshing, and serves as a great palate cleanser between bites. I didn't love the yatkilt wat or tikel gomen as much, though. The veggies in both were more cooked than I normally like, so that they didn't really have much bite anymore. I also highly recommend the honey wine. So sweet, but it still packs a punch. Responding to Lousie's comment, every time I've been here and we've ordered meat and vegetarian dishes, the wait staff has asked whether to bring them on one plate or separate plates. I don't think it's fair to give the restaurant two stars because you're unfamiliar with how Ethiopian food is served.

    (4)

  • Ashley V.

    This restaurant is amazing... I went on a Saturday evening with a 5 year old, it was busy but we got seated right away. Every single staff member was polite and really nice to my son, which says alot I don't usually bring him for dinner, but it's definitely family friendly. The service was great, even as busy as it was. We got our food in less than 15 minutes. The atmosphere was incredible and they had live music! This was also our first time eating Ethiopian food, we loved it and we will definitely be back!

    (5)

  • Jeanie P.

    I've been here twice now, and enjoyed my experience both times. I definitely recommend getting one of those tour of Ethiopia platters to share (one per person will be more than enough food) I think I got E1 and E4 (yebeg tibs) to share with the bf and tried the vegetarian tour last time with friends. All are highly recommended since you get a good sampling of all the dishes. The dishes come poured out on a huge round sheet of injera (slightly sour spongy ethiopian bread). You eat with your hands, and you use the injera to pick up your food. You can also eat the injera underneath your dishes that has soaked up all the oil/sauce/juicy goodness. It is about $20-25/person. A lot of fun to go in a group :)

    (4)

  • Leah C.

    couldn't feel the communal love that ethiopian dining normally ensues... had nothing to do with my wonderful dining company but the restaurant itself had a very input-output sorta feel to it. i've tried several ethio restaurants and i almost feel like they work out of the same kitchen. one is no better than the other as far as taste. i do appreciate the service more at lalibela, however. the service was vapid at ethiopian diamond. i felt so rushed and the food looked rush as well. (5) of us shared (5) dishes - the menu points out that you will be charged per person whether or not you order at a 1-1 ratio. that wasn't a problem - we were happy to order a smorgasbord. i just felt like the food was piled on top of each other. because there was a mix of meat and vegi dishes, i had to be very careful that i wasn't eating lamb or chicken broth. note: take advantage of their $5 corkage fee - we did and what a good choice that was :)

    (2)

  • Mandy G.

    I wish I could give Ethiopian Diamond 100 stars. This is my favorite restaurant in Chicago. Since first tasting (and LOVING) Ethiopian food about 5 years ago, I've made it a point to visit as many Ethiopian restaurants as I possibly can find... not only in Chicago, but in other cities as well. Ethiopian Diamond is, hands down, the best of the bunch. Everything I've ever eaten there (with the exception of the Okra - I don't like okra) is AMAZING. I HIGHLY recommend getting the pre-designed vegetarian combo, as this has a bit of everything. My favorite veg dishes are the Gomen (Collared Greens) and Shimbra Assa (Chick pea balls in the most delectable sauce ever). For Meat-etarians, I recommend the Doro Tibs Watt - a spicy chicken dish. The chicken is cubed, so it has no bones and the sauce is Mmm-Mmm-Good! The Doro Tibs is the same cubed chicken but with a milder sauce... a tasty option if you don't like spicy foods. If you are ever going to go for Ethiopian... Ethiopian Diamond is THE place to go!!!!!!! On a side note, I just found out last night (2/18/09) that they JUST STARTED DELIVERY!!! I haven't tried it out, but this is an exciting addition to an already fabulous restaurant! :-)

    (5)

  • Peter B.

    If I could add a half star, I would. The selection of meats and vegetables is tasty, but to me the pancake-like bread they come on is an acquired taste. After my friend and I had eaten most of our food clumsily by making burritoesque creations, a lady came over and serenely explained that "this is how we eat our food" (by taking smaller pieces of the bread and grabbing filling with that)...the little tutorial would've been useful at the beginning... The menu is a bit inconvenient in not giving the translations of dish names for the 'tour' and 'taste' options, meaning you have to cross reference to decide. Check it out though. Wish there was a place like this in my neighborhood.

    (3)

  • Ali O.

    I've always heard that Ethiopian Diamond was the best place to go for Ethiopian food in Chicago, but I always dismissed it. Well here I am publicly admitting that I was remiss. A professor took our (small) class out to lunch here the other day and I was blown away by the food. We asked the waiter to put the platters together for us and he did a wonderful job. I wish I could tell you the name of the out of this world lamb dish we had because I think it is the best thing I've tasted in a long time. This place is the bomb. Comfortable atmosphere. Friendly service. Huge portions. Big taste. Small price.

    (5)

  • Peg T.

    I really like this place. I've been here a few times and it is my first experience with Ethiopian food. There is a ton of food and the staff is super friendly. The last time I was there the bathroom was kinda under construction... at night. It was a little odd since there was no ceiling but that is the worst this about this place. If you're a vegetarian it is a must try. mmmmmmmm tasty!

    (4)

  • Julio S.

    I have been here twice and each time i wanted to punch the Face of my mouth with this food! The compo platers are amazing (A little bit of everything) and great for groups... I would give it four stars except that the 2 times i was here.. The service was pretty slow, I Had to keep asking other waiters for things. But i do Recommend this place anyways.

    (4)

  • Jesse S.

    I've been here about 2 or 3 times now, in groups ranging from 3 to 12, and have never had a bad experience. Once you get over the communal-sharing oh-someone-else-is-touching-what-I'm-eating did-I-really-agree-to-come-to-this-place phobia, the difficulty of which may vary as a function of individual differences, you are definitely in for a culinary experience. I typically order the vegetarian sampler for two, which really is more than enough for three people, if you add an appetizer of sambosas or something like that. I'm not a vegetarian, but I've flirted with the concept enough that I'm fully satisfied by the vegetarian options here, especially the spicy lentils and the chickpea fish, both of which are really yummy. The key to liking this joint is the bread. If injera doesn't suit you, then you probably won't enjoy the food. My half-assed yet standard description of the flavor is like sourdough bread that someone smushed and sat on for weeks and then popped little bubbles in and made it stretchy. An ineloquent description, but a description nonetheless. Personally I love the stuff, and have to remember to balance the amount of injera with the amount of tasty fillings, because, yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus-sized gut waiting to show itself over the top of your belt when you keep chowing down on the bread. The Ethiopian beers are great - I can't remember specifically which ones I've had and not had, but they are quite crisp and go well with the meal. I personally don't care for the honey wine - way too sweet for my tastes, but I know some people swear by it. As others have mentioned, go on a Friday night for the music, but be prepared for it to be loud. If you can dig having your eardrums rattled a bit, it's worth it. On one visit we chatted with one of the musicians for a good half an hour about his life story - how he used to be a professor of music and was all about traveling the world. What a cool guy, and a cool place to eat some delicious grub.

    (5)

  • Mark T.

    I love Ethiopian food with a passion, and have a knack for making it myself. This restaurant definitely provides a traditional accurate take on the cuisine. If you have never had Ethiopian food before try the Doro Wott, their most traditional spicy chicken stew. The Yebeg (lamb) Wott is also amazing.

    (4)

  • Christy Q.

    I always thought I was cool and exotic because I love sushi. I might not be a world traveller but I'll try just about anything. It never occured to me to try Ethiopian food. I had NO idea what to expect or what they would even serve. This past weekend a world traveller offered to take me on my first Ethiopian food adventure. I was nervous. I won't lie. But I agreed to go. (Mostly because the guy who invited me is cute). The place is HUGE. And it was also packed. A really good sign for a newcomer. We sat by the window at an odd table. It was a cool table- wicker and charming. Unfortunately the base was so thick that we literally had to either straddle it or sit sideways. Kind of uncomfortable. But part of my exotic world travels. I thought it was kinda cute that you get a mini chair to place your beverage on (because the table just isn't big enough for the platter of food they bring). At first I thought the mini chair was a foot rest. Maybe some sexy Ethiopian man would come by and rub my tootsies? Maybe it was a chair for a kid? Nope- it was a chair for my diet Coke. Anyway, the menu was intimidating because I had no idea what anything was. They do define things for you (much the way a sushi menu does) but I let my more knowledgable "world traveller" companion do the ordering. The food came quickly. I like that- I was hungry! The presentation. It was both pretty and gross all at once. Pretty because it comes on a platter. And on that platter are piles of different foods. Lamb, Chicken, Beef, lentils, spinach. It was colorful and a really unique cool presentation. Then of course the unleven bread. Gross because the meat looked kinda like diarrhea to me. I did not mention this to my world traveller companion because I didn't want to ruin his meal. But I was sort of torn between grossed out and intrigued. My tour guide lead me through the experience. He showed me how to break off a chunk of the unleaven bread and use it to pinch the food with and chow down. I prefer to eat with a knife and fork. It took me 7 years to accept chop sticks as "utencils" and to actually use them for sushi. For 7 years I ate sushi with a knife and fork. So to be told I'm to use this bread as my "utencil" was sort of a kick in the pants. I did it though. The meat was good. All the meat was really really good. The sauce was really tasty and not too spicy. It was just yummy. I was pleasantly surprised. The downside was that they serve you meat and bones. And until you bite into it, you dont know which you are getting. But the bone thing only happened like twice. The spinach was AMAZING! I think I liked that the most actually. I was not a lentil fan. But the unleaven bread- EW. I did not like it. It had ZERO taste. And the texture was like... rubber. I couldn't get past the texture of the bread. If I could have had a fork and just eaten without that dang bread getting in the way, I'd have been much happier. The service was terrible. I think our waiter must have had too many tables so it might not have really been his fault. But there was a point where I was literally waving my arms over my head to try to get ANYONES attention (we needed the check because we had a movie to get to) but no one paid any attention. My Ethiopian tour guide had to get up and go to the hostess stand and ask someone if they could by chance find our waiter. All in all I'd return IF they would allow me to use a fork and just eat the meat and spinach. If I have to deal with the unleaven bread it's a no go. I am really proud of myself for giving it a try. I feel more worldy already. In fact, I think I'll stamp my own damn passport. I'm a world traveller, baby!

    (3)

  • shaadoe B.

    Let me start off by saying I love Ethiopian food. I went here last week, I have been here before and the food was not bad but this time I decided to bring a friend. We ordered the vegetarian sampler for two. I was absolutely shocked when the waitress brought out what was by far the smallest dish I have ever been served at any Ethiopian restaurant. And to make matters worse, the potatoes and the lentils were not fully cooked. I will never go to eat here again, there was literally two bites of each dish on the tray. What a rip off. I ended up going to eat again after we left.

    (1)

  • Tijan L.

    If you're scared by this whole "Ethiopian" concept because all you've grown up with is South Park and you expect people from any east African country to make clicks when they speak, let me tell you something. South Park is wrong! That's only Somalia. The food here was so tasty. We ordered some of the honey wine. I know people really seem to like it, but it kind of reminded me of a honey-flavored version of Manischewitz. But then again, those countries are pretty close so perhaps they share their wine-making tips. We ended up ordering 1 meat and 1 vegetarian dish: the Tsebhi-Derho (which was chicken with peppers and onions) and the Vegetarian Alicha (which had potatoes). It comes on a large plate with lots of lentils and beans all on a giant injera (a pancake-like tortilla). We each got our own injera with the meal and went through it in about, oh, 2 minutes. There are no utensils as a part of this meal so if you've ever wanted to truly be yourself on a first date, come here. Use your fingers to grab that piece of chicken you missed and swipe some lentils with your pinky. The prices are really reasonable and the decor is enjoyable while managing to be in a very simple location. the nice art work against the wall that kept distracting me from my friend's pearls of wisdom, I thought this place was a really good find. You won't see the last of me!

    (4)

  • Jill D.

    The whole shebang at Ethiopian Diamond is excellent: food, service, ambiance, crowd, location. I'm no expert on Ethiopian food, so I can't comment on how it compares to other Ethiopian joints. For those like me who don't know a wat from a tib, I suggest the vegetarian combo platter. It's got all you need for a great introduction to the cuisine. One platter is enough for 3 people. The honey wine is overwhelmingly sweet. The beer is great. They also cater to large groups - my organization brought a group of 30 college kids, and it was a breeze. Servers are incredibly nice. The decor is unique and beautiful. A tip for those who get tired of the injera (sourdough bread that you use to scoop up your food): I use the bread more than once before I eat it with the bite of food. One piece of bread is good for like 3 scoops.

    (5)

  • Tia T.

    I am hesitant to say that I have a 'favorite' restaurant, but if I were to make such a committing declaration, Ethiopian Diamond would surely be a safe bet. Not that I can repeat what everything was called, but I can recall that everything I've tried on the menu is stellar. You can't go wrong with one of the combo meals...either with meat or vegetarian. Above all, this place is wonderful in its simplicity. Ethiopian Diamond offers straightforward and delicious food with substance, a comfortable ambiance without pretension, and a welcoming staff . You don't need much to dine here...just your hands. You'll need them to eat, to high five your fellow diners, to offer a toast with some yummy honey wine, and to applaud in praise. Can I get an AMEN?!

    (4)

  • Ahzea M.

    Wow! No wonder they can't get past an overall rating of 4 stars! Disappointing... The food was great! The service was poor. The waitress only took our order and then checked on us once later. Of course, she also brought the bill. Otherwise, it was a man and woman serving our food and drinks. Or just plain - no service. ( I went with a friend, so it was just the two of us. The place wasn't busy, since it was lunchtime on Sunday. ) We wanted more tea, but nobody ever helped us once our food was served!! No one ever removed used plates from our table, so I had to stack them all up and put them to the side. The bartender/another waiter kept wiping his nose or blowing his nose, but never washed his hands. From the moment I walked in until the moment we left, there were a lot of crumbs and garbage on the floor at the next table over.

    (3)

  • S R.

    It's not like this restaurant needs more stellar reviews :) I've been here twice now, both times with groups of people. Last Saturday, I had my birthday dinner here with 15 people. They handled the group of us very well. People weren't sure what to order so we gave the waiter the autonomy to bring us out whatever. The food was great - everyone loved it (vegetarians and meat-eaters alike). We had appetizers, dinner and dessert....and the bill split between everyone was $27/each!!!

    (4)

  • Jen C.

    Ewwwww. This food is just horrible - no matter which place you go to. Who eats with their fingers and slop too? Sick!

    (1)

  • Ashley F.

    I really like this place. The food is great (though a little pricey) and the coffee is AMAZING. very authentic!

    (5)

  • Ennos P.

    The food is really good! About ten years ago, my cousin mentioned she had met some friends for Ethiopian food and the first very childish thing that came through my mind was, "Ethiopians actually have food?". Yes, I am very embarrassed for that ugly moment in my life. Well I have matured and my taste is refined ... less burgers/fries and more meals. Wanting to help the local economy and get some good food and drinks , I decided to check out what was going on around my area. After a brief scan of some Edgewater , Rogers Park, Yelp.com reviews, I found Ethiopian Diamond. We walked in around 8:00 pm on a Thur. night and the place was half full or empty , whichever way you want to look at it. We were seated immediately and the waitress arrived pretty quick (asking us what did we want to drink). We looked over the menu and although it is pretty overwhelming, with it's combination/mix and match type orders we quickly chose the chicken,lamb,beef platter ($15) with a okra spinach side ($3), and some beef and spinach Kamusa (4 for $6). The food looked well prepared and served nice a neat, just like the pics on their website. We began to dig in and quickly looked up at each other with that yummmm look, in our eyes. The food had a great texture but it is true about the little bit of blandness. The sauce that accompanies the platter is what makes the food go from good to great. The waiters are a little bit cold but nothing to whine about. The only thing that was kinda bothering, is how they brought the check as soon as we were done (like if they were watching you from some hidden camera) and kept coming back to see if we had the money ready. Maybe it's normal in Ethiopia, so I just ignored it. We were stuffed and the food was great. It was our first time trying Ethiopian but definitely not our last.

    (4)

  • Pavithra M.

    I have been eating here since 2000 and keep going back for more. I love Ethiopian food and have tried many other restaurants, but this one is my favorite. I highly recommend the Kay Watt (beef) and the red lentils. Both are outstanding. The platters come garnished with some lentils, salad and vegetable; they will usually substitute the red lentils for the yellow ones if you ask them. The entertainment used to be really loud live music, but the last time we were there, the music had changed. Not so ethnically accurate, but much more bearable. We take anyone who visits us here to eat.

    (5)

  • Gabrael A.

    This place is awesome. Delicious, authentic, and nice environment. The location is the worst part of this place. Parking is a problem at all times, but especially in the evening. The food is pretty authentic and delicious at the same time except their messir which sucked. But it was part of the veggie side-dishes that accompany your main course so it is okay. I recommend trying the "gored gored" if you are a fan of meat. Ask for some awaze (ethiopian hot sauce) to complement the "gored gored."

    (4)

  • Alexa S.

    This is one of my favorite restaurants--and the best Ethiopian in the city, in my humble opinion. I live in the neighborhood and we eat here once a week. The service is wonderful. I recommend everything on the vegetarian menu, and my friends who eat meat recommend everything else. :)

    (5)

  • B B.

    I was really psyched to go to this place after reading the reviews and mostly due to their willingness to make specialty "Black Injera" which is a 100% Teff version of the Injera. This is a great accommodation for Gluten-Free and Celiac afflicted foodies who yearn to appreciate ethnic cuisine unrestricted and unmodified. I called ahead to insure they could make Black Injera for me and my party (three separate times to be positive) that night and to triple insure that it was really 100% wheat/flour/gluten free. I was assured each time that they could make that for me with no problem at all. Upon arrival, they did in fact deliver the Black Injera as promised, although they neglected to admit beforehand that they would charge us a total of $6 dollars for making the specialty Injera. A reasonable charge, but annoying nonetheless since they didn't decide to tell me until I had ordered. In my opinion, that was not too honest since at this point I could not change my mind. The two of us ordered the meat sampler that came with 5 samplings. 1 spinach 1 lentil, 1 lamb, 1 chicken, 1 beef. It was all very tasty. I was surprised how flavorful the spinach dish was. The Black Injera was spot on and was hardly any different from standard Injera that I have tried elsewhere. I highly recommend the spicy chicken, it was by far our favorite. In the end we were very satisfied with our food but found it difficult to understand how a sampler plate and Injera (no drinks or extras) added up to $50! Mathematically it figured out, but in our opinion it was a lot to pay for some relatively very simple dishes that literally only fed two, no leftovers. Lentils, spinach, and dark meat chicken are some of the least expensive items at any grocery store. So if your looking for some good Ethiopian food, you wont be let down by this place, just come prepared to pay a pretty penny for the comforting and upscale atmosphere. Other notable features: Easy street parking, very clean and presentable restaurant, nice decor and atmosphere and attentive service. A recommended destination for groups so you can order multiple main dishes, a more economical alternative to sampler plates.

    (4)

  • Natalie M.

    Ethiopian Diamond is definately the best Ethiopian restaurant in Chicago. Parking was suprisingly easy to find on a Friday night(although I think we JUST missed the big crowd). The service is wonderful, I drink tons of water, so my standard of superior service is never having to ask for my water glass to be refilled. I ordered the shiro, and the potato and carrot sambusas which was plenty for one person. It has been a while since I had eaten Ethiopian, but I did manage not to spill anything on myself. I also enjoyed a pot of ethiopian tea, which reminded me of the tea from "Russian Tea" time for some reason. The only negative thing I could possibly say about this place is that on Friday nights they play music, which is GREAT, if you dont mind a loud atmosphere- if you were looking to have a quiet meal that might prove difficult. I say definately venture out of your comfort zone and GO- you'll LOVE it. P.S. Im convinced that Ethiopian people are some of the most beautiful people in the world.

    (5)

  • Lindsee R.

    Firstly ,don't eat here if you're afraid of eating with your hands or are grossed out by saucy dishes. If this doesn't apply to you, read on! I get an Ethiopian food craving about once a month, which is really inconvenient as I live on the south side. However, I will always be willing to bus my ass up to Edgewater to Ethiopian Diamond. I love this food so much, I actually get sad when dinner is over. Note: this is family style food folks, and you get way more bang for your buck if you go with a friend or two than if you go alone. I've loved everything I've eaten here: Gomen, Yesiga Alicha, Doro Watt, Yellow split peas, Yemisir Watt...mmmm. I must admit I'm not a fan of the honey wine, but I think it's just because I'm not into sweet booze.It really does taste like some one poured some honey in hoppy wine. Oh, dear GOD, but the food is divine! I have over eaten every time I've gone and will continue to do so, at least once a month.

    (5)

  • Sarah P.

    This place rocks! I have eaten here a bunch and always have a great time. Maybe it's the honey wine (which is awesome!) For those of you who have never had Ethiopian food, just go in and get a sampler and sit back, relax and have a great time!

    (5)

  • Yonina G.

    AMAZING. I am the world's pickiest eater so I had to be dragged here on my first visit. Soon after, I had my birthday party there. The food is amazing and the service is great. It's a bit pricey, but totally worth it once in a while. This is definitely my favorite restaurant right now. Live music on the weekends adds to the experience. You will always leave full but not feeling heavy, which is a huge plus for me.

    (5)

  • Sandi P.

    After much whining from my college-aged vegetarian daughter, I was convinced to give this place a try. I must admit, even after reading all the rave reviews on Yelp I was more than a bit skeptical whether I would enjoy the food. I am happy to report that E.D. exceeded my expectations greatly! Myself, DH and 2 daughters went last Saturday eve. fairly early (5:30 p.m.). As we sat there, the place filled up pretty quickly. The menu was quite daunting, not being familiar with any of the dishes whatsoever and unfortunately the waitress, while very pleasant, was not too helpful. She did not walk us through the menu or recommend any dishes, in spite of several questions I asked. That minor quibble aside, we really found the experience unique, very tasty and fun to eat with your hands! We started with some spinach and some potato sambusas - the spinach were def. the better of the 2 - the potato ones were a bit bland. DH and I ordered a sampler with 1 beef and 1 lamb dish (can't remember which now); and daughters had chicken dish that included a hard-boiled egg and a vegetarian assortment. When the waitress first brought the huge platter with what appeared to be small dollops of meat/veg/lentils I thought that it looked rather mingy - but after 20 mouthfuls of these offerings accompanied by the injera bread, I was totally stuffed. We all agreed that it was very tasty and different from anything else we'd had (including Indian food). I would also recommend the honey wine. I did not find it too sweet; it was a nice counterpoint to some of the spicy dishes. Service was pretty good, even though the place was quite busy, we just wished we had a little more guidance as we were obviously neophytes. We would definitely return here. Not my cup of tea every week, but well worth an occasional visit when you want something out of the ordinary.

    (4)

  • Erika G.

    Delish! I've been going here since it opened, and it's always a treat. The food is fantastic, and I'm a huge fan of the spongy bread. Something here for veggies and carnivores alike, and I love the communal eating thing. They now have a liquor license, and how often can you drink Ethiopean beer? There is musical entertainment at times, and it's always charmingly random. Last time I went there, it was a guy playing a solo French horn.

    (3)

  • Deb C.

    What a fabulous place! The food was awesome. The staff is what really makes it great -- they heard us defer the wine selection to a member of our group who was having a birthday -- a lo and behold, they prepared a surprise birthday treat. All the vegetarian dishes are terrific. Come hungry.

    (4)

  • Pang P.

    It's okay, I got the veggie platter and I shared with another person and we had plenty to eat. So if the price bothers you, that's an option. It easy to share since it's all just on one big plate. Nothing too special, I think there are other Ethiopian restaurants with better service and ambience for the same price.

    (3)

  • Rachel W.

    Ever since coming back from Ethiopia (with my in-laws who adopted from there), I was on the look out for a restaurant that we could take them when they are in town. EDR was perfect. The staff were wonderful and we left it to them to order a variety for our party of 11. We had a variety of meat and veggies to go along with our njera which everything was very flavorful. I had the honey wine which was fabulous while my husband had the dark beer (can't remember the name) and he too asked if there was anywhere he could buy that beer (sadly not - they get it from Ethiopia). We knew what to expect when it comes to Ethiopian food - eating with your hands - but want to warn the newbies about this cultural shock some may have. Definitely will be visiting again....found out they are opening a 2nd location soon!

    (5)

  • susan f.

    This is simply the best darn restaurant in Chicago. If I haven't eaten there in 3 weeks, it starts to be all I can think about. The sambusas, and 95% of the vegetarian menu is unbelievable. You should go there immediately.

    (5)

  • K L.

    Fantastic food. Highly recomended. Be sure to order extra cheese.

    (5)

  • Risa T.

    That fish is too good and all their veggies! honey wine and phil cohran on fridays...I will wait in line with no problems.

    (5)

  • rebecca f.

    the sauteed spinach and injera are out of this world! the service is warm and lovely as well.

    (5)

  • CJ K.

    I ate here last spring, so it's impossible for me to give a detailed review of the food, but I remember being absolutely floored, and I have thought often of this meal and discussed it with others. First of all, the method of eating Ethiopian fare lends itself to good feelings: Entrees are served family style (for lack of a better description) and eaten with one's hands using a spongy, sourish, flat bread called Injera. Injera is made with teff flour, which is ancient and remarkably nutritious. It also makes for some strong and flexible bread, perfect for scooping up these incredible wat stews, as they are called. This method is not unlike Pakistani dining, and the flavors are somewhat similar. Because the food is stewed, expect tender succulent meat and vegetables that have absorbed all of the complex and exciting (but not unfamiliar) spices used in Ethiopian cooking. To give an idea of the flavors, expect saffron, ginger, coriander, basil, cumin, and thyme, as well as a chili pepper. There is nothing subtle here, everything is loaded with flavor. The atmosphere is warm and relaxed even while the restaurant is small and busy. Don't feel like you've been ignored if you have to ask your server for the bill, apparently that's just the way things work. You're expected to take your time and enjoy. And you will, yes you will.

    (5)

  • John S.

    this place was good food, but holy crap is it expensive. What I used to get in San Francisco for $15 to feed 2 of us, cost $40 here. I'll try another place before I go back here.

    (3)

  • Mia H.

    Consistent good quality of vegetarian dishes. Take out order only take 10-15 minutes to be ready. They started delivering recently, which is an added bonus, although I live outside of the delivery zone. I order the split peas, chick peas, and collard greens regularly.

    (4)

  • Meghan B.

    This is our home away from home. We have been coming here regularly for 5 years now, and it's never, ever a letdown. The vegetarian options are superb --we usually go for a veggie combo and the shimbra assa (chick pea "fish") with some ib. Love the beer selection, the quick and always delicious food, and we especially love the friendly staff, whom we have gotten to know over the years. Easily the best restaurant on Earth.

    (5)

  • Georgio M.

    Oh yes, this place really is spectacular. I forgot to even review this place. The staff here is really chilled, and they constantly try to make sure your party is well taken care of. If you are looking for a different kind of eating experience. It's really cool that you can wrap up different kinds of food and put it into one big bread pouch! Fun!

    (5)

  • M T.

    I have ordered from this place a few times before with no problem, but when I called today the lady didn't understand my address. She gave it to another guy there whose first response was "I'm busy right now, I don't have time for you." I was so shocked, I didn't even have a response. Well, except for never ordering or eating-in there again and writing this along with many, many other bad reviews online. You should find the time for your customers, buddy. They are why you are in business.

    (1)

  • Carolina P.

    I went to this place on my anniversary and it was amazing. Try the honey wine, its super sweet but in a good way. We didn't really know what to get but decided to try two tastes of Ethiopia one was vegetarian the other meat. Both were great. I wanted to save room for dessert but was too full by the end. The staff was friendly and awesome. This is a place to go for a celebration there's tons of seating.

    (5)

  • Kyla B.

    This place is so great!! Great beer selection and many many different options. We usually order a combination platter, which is more then enough food for two. The coffee is amazing and the live music is fun.

    (5)

  • Lindsay B.

    I had a really great experience here. The food was really good and the service was excellent. The wait staff was very attentive and explained the menu to us (we did not know much about Ethiopian food). The food came quick and was so good! The spicy options weren't very spicy in my opinion. We also order dessert, the house specialty, which was only mediocre. I would definitely go back. Just so you know, it is BYOB but there is a $5 corkage fee. I thought that it was BYOB only, but there is also a full bar with some unique drinks (honey wine) and cocktails.

    (4)

  • JP W.

    I've never had a bad experience or meal at Ethiopian Diamond. Food worthy of craving and wonderful staff. Vegetarian friendly is an understatement as they offer 1-2 dozen delicious vegetarian dishes. The meat dishes are even more extensive and (although I've never eaten any) look and smell delicious. Drink selection fits the food with great beer and coffee. Perfect for a date or group celebration. Worthy of a last meal on Earth.

    (5)

  • A T.

    Gross. Bread was disgusting and so were the veggies.

    (1)

  • Mariella C.

    Loved the food here. I ordered one of the meals that are big enough for two called like Taste of Ethiopia, had a bit of chicken, lamb, beef and ohmigod the most delicious spinach mixture, you just break off what my dumb self refers to as a sponge tortilla and dip and eat. so we just dove in and cleared the plate. and i've been meaning to go back, but its a ways away from the loop. the honey wine didn't taste very good, it tastes just like cheap wine, but i am a complete wine novice.

    (4)

  • Melissa B.

    Tasty. I was super excited to try this place and Ethiopian food for the first time. We went on Saturday night, it was pretty busy and there was live jazz, very fun environment. Our service was a bit spotty, but it was very busy. The beer was good, something new. We started with the beef sambusas, the sauce was sooo good. I wanted to take that stuff home. We got a sampler that had meat and some veggie options. The spinach dish was my favorite part. The beef was also good, but oh god, that spinach was just amazing. We really enjoyed the experience and the food. I think we will definitely take some out of town guests here.

    (4)

  • Melissa S.

    Great! The lamb tibs were amazing. Also tried some samplers that were excellent. Great flavors, great service. Will be going back soon.

    (5)

  • Eric S.

    This is my go to Ethiopian place in Chicago. If you're a fan of Ethiopian, you should be a fan of Ethiopian Diamond. The prices are reasonable and the restaurant is quite spacious, with a nice ambiance. On a Friday or Saturday night, it's fairly crowded, but usually not an atrocious wait time. Sometimes they have a musician playing too. I'd recommend to try some of the beers and share the food amongst your party. The spices and meats go so well together and by the end, I am the perfect amount of full and satisfied.

    (5)

  • Kumar M.

    really nothing special, I found most dishes somewhat bland in comparison to what I've had at other Ethiopian restaurants. Perhaps I just hadn't tried the right things but I did go with a large group and I believe we had samples of a large chunk of the menu.

    (3)

  • Kelly W.

    This is my favorite Ethiopian restaurant in Chicago, but I've tried better in NYC and San Francisco, so I can't quite give it 5 stars. This is a really fun place to bring a group of people to get your hands dirty, have fun, and eat good food. I love the lentils and okra. My non-veggie friends seem to love the raw ground beef...looks gross, but it never goes unfinished! I don't really like the honey wine because it's so sweet, and they kind of give you a small glass. If you've never had Ethiopian food, this is a great first try.

    (4)

  • Diana S.

    One nice summer day, I rode my bike up to Ethopian Diamond. This was my first experience with Ethopian food and I LOVED it! There are so many complex spices and the meat is always stewed until it is so tender. I love eating with the flat bread that comes with. For those who may be intimidated, don't be. It's somewhat similar to Indian food. Give it a shot!

    (4)

  • John T.

    Wow! I'm not sure that my review (the 155th for Ethiopian Diamond?) is going to add all that much. I live two blocks from ED, and whenever I'm too exhausted to cook and in the mood for something spicy, I dial up Ethiopian Diamond for some Yebeg Tibs Watt (spicy lamb) or the Tibs Combo 1 (beef, chicken, lamb). If you're extra hungry, you can add an order of Sambusa (I prefer spinach). A really filling takeout meal is less than $20-- less than you'd pay for a pizza delivery. The restaurant is located a block and a half from the Thorndale or Granville El stations.

    (4)

  • Meredith M.

    I just went here for the first time yesterday with a friend that is an Ethiopian food fanatic and it was everything that everyone says it is! I loved the the fact that we could ask to be in the traditional seating area. The food was excellent! We`each got one of the samplers and shared everything, I know it was E2 and E4 on the menu but I don't remember what they were called. All the meat was so tender and the sauces were extremely flavorful! We also each had the honey wine which was also delicious! The service was excellent, we were brought everything we needed before even having to ask. Overall I'm going to have to agree with many of the other reviewers and say this is one of my new favorite restaurants!

    (5)

  • Martha L.

    Wow. This place is amazing. The food is so incredibly good. We went here on Friday night, and I was blown away. The honey wine is excellent, as is the beer (get the Tusker - you won't be disappointed). My boyfriend and I ordered two different combo plates (vegetarian and meat) with the purpose of sharing them together. The server asked us if we were doing that and had them brought out together on the same platter. It was really convenient and exactly what we wanted. Another thing that really pleased me is that nothing in the restaurant contains peanuts or is made with peanut oil. I have a deadly peanut allergy, and it was great to be able to relax and enjoy the food. My only complaint is that it took forever to get service and the food came out at different times for people at our table. However, this frustration was definitely outweighed by the great food. Go here - you will be happy you did.

    (4)

  • Amy V.

    Ethiopian Diamond is okay...but then again Ethiopian food is not my most favorite in the whole world. I just went here with a group of friends who wanted to go. I enjoyed the experience of trying something new and the atmosphere was good, live music playing. The place was very busy though (friday night) and our service seriously sucked. It made me stir crazy to have to sit there and wait that long to order, that long for our food, and that long for our check. My suggestion would be to go there on a weekday night. The food was pretty decent, I had the spicy beef and just a little bit made me full.

    (2)

  • Jonathan A.

    I have to upgrade my review from 4 stars because the service has been great the last few times I've been here. Also, I just discovered that the coffee is amazing.

    (5)

  • shaina v.

    I went here with a large group, which worked out great because our food was served family style on top of the bread so we all got to share. I was impressed with the selection of vegetarian options. The sambusas were a great appetizer which helped to tide us over til we got to the main course. I didn't find it to be too slow considering that there were 12 of us. My friends got some kind of meat dish that you traditionally feed to each other, which livened up the dinner party. I also enjoyed a pot of their coffee which I was intense but very good. The spices were great especially for someone who has taste buds that are getting bored with your usual haunts. They had some live music as well and the general ambiance lends to a great dinner party with friends. I can't guarantee that you will have this experience, but I saw the tallest man I have ever seen there. I mean crazy tall. Like discovery health channel documentary tall.

    (4)

  • Greta P.

    I think the food here is fantastic! Several times during the late dinner hours there have been musicians as well. I recommend their coffee or honey wine after dinner. And such nice flavors are left on your palate going home after.

    (4)

  • Melissa P.

    When I lived in Chicago I would regularly take the CTA from Hyde Park to this place. I think that says something about how good this place is. The vegetarian combo is where its at. I guess the only bad thing about this place is that their desserts are really that good.

    (5)

  • Aaron S.

    Wonderful place to go with friends. Fantastic kitfo (steak tartare), gomen, chicken. Like Indian food, Ethiopian dishes are things I keep eating long after I should stop, because they're JUST SO DARN GOOD.

    (5)

  • Alice L.

    Being a fan of Ethiopian cuisine, I was excited to try this place. This is a great place to come as a group. The 'family style' dinner is fun b/c you get to eat with your hands using, what I like to call crepe-like 'napkins'. The meats are prepared perfectly. They are seasoned just right and defintely slow cooked b/c the meats just melt in your mouth. The vegetarian options are also just as delectable. The greens and chick peas are excellent. The best part is eating the crepe-esque matting on the bottom of the platter b/c it soaks up all the spices and flavors from the meats and vegetables. mmmm....

    (4)

  • Shane T.

    Maybe I just like eating with my hands, but I love the food here. Very versatile - I like dropping in for lunch and we've also taken out of town guests here for dinner. Some of the friendliest service I've had.

    (4)

  • marisa s.

    we finally went up and did it...we ventured to edgewater for some ethiopian food and it was a great experience. all of the wait staff were very nice and helpful with what to order. the atmosphere is much like an indian restaurant, except there are a few ethiopian style small tables you can sit at as well, alongside the regular square american tables. when we went sunday, they had live music playing. it reminded me of a church band, but still always nice to have live music. word! i ordered an ethiopian beer called Meta, it was light and sweet and tasty. i love trying new beers so I had to order one of the 5 or 6 african beers they had on their menu. we ordered the mild chicken and the veggie sampler. at first when it got to our table we thought it wasn't going to be enough but when you start eating the crepe/pancake-like with it, you get full fast. boyf almost ate the entire bottom layer of the bread, he went nuts with this stuff. the spices are closest to indian food.was good all in all, but my only beef is that i wanted the bread to be hot and it was luke warm, but i assume that's how they serve it. and after i got full so quickly because i had to use the bread as a fork, i just wanted a fork to pick up pieces and not have to use the bread to do it.

    (4)

  • Melody S.

    I used to live fairly close to the Ethiopian Diamond, and absolutely loved the fresh, flavourful Ethiopian food. But my favourite thing about this place was the musician, who seemed to play every instrument in existence. And some not in existence. Wow, he was cool.

    (5)

  • Nicole L.

    EXCELLENT food, slow service. Be prepared to have the waiter chill at the bar for about 20 minutes before returning, and that's after you asked him to retrieve a napkin (which was in his pocket). The flavorful food is worth it though!

    (4)

  • Andy G.

    Went with friends on Saturday night based on other reviews. The honey wine was good, the food was fine. But I didn't think it was any better than Ras Dashan down the street and much more sterile. Our food did come out much faster - don't know if it was because they had already prepared it...I'll probably go back, but not for a while. And I'll probably give Ras Dashan another chance first.

    (3)

  • Fernando A.

    Hate to be a hater but yet here I am! Listen the only good thing about this place was it was heated when it was cold outside. The spongy bread that was supposed to be a subsititute for tortillas (nice try Ethopians but I know what you are up to)? Listen remember the scene in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom when Indy and his lady friend have to eat the green, slimy stuff at the beginning of the movie. That is what this place reminded me of (and I am not refering to the monkey brain part of the movie-it is before that scene). So beware my friends for there are many more options to choose from. Go to Taste of Peru for petes sakes-now there is a meal!

    (1)

  • Jenna P.

    Delicious! Great beer selection, amazing chicken (while I usually go for beef, we added a phenomenal chicken dish in the mix) and everything else. Very friendly service.

    (5)

  • Jeremy Z.

    This may just be a personal preference issue, but I think for my spicy, eat-with-your-hands food needs, I'll stick with Indian. The flavors in all the dishes were decently robust, but I much prefer Indian nan to cold Ethiopian sour sponge bread any day. The sauces are all just a little bit less flavorful to me than their Indian counterparts. It isn't bad overall, but it is way expensive for what it is . . . really simple food with really simple ambiance. Portion size alone does not value make. Especially because most of it kind of sucks when reheated.

    (3)

  • David R.

    Meals here are meant for sharing, with food served on an injera platter ideal for a communal sampling of the entire menu. The service was nice and we must admit that we were a little disappointed with the portions. We found it a little strange that a sampler platter for two would have only one small piece of chicken in the DORO WAT ( chicken stew). but my boyfriend like Ethiopian food a lot.

    (3)

  • Rocky B.

    Hah, I think one of the biggest complaints I have about this place is I always leave feeling painfully full! But, the food is delicious and the service very friendly. The first time we went the waitress messed up our check twice but I think it was an honest mistake. Honey wine is very good but a bit too sweet. I don't know half the names of what I have eaten here but I have been here several times and have never ordered something I didn't like.

    (4)

  • Mork M.

    Killer veg grub, I missed fine ethiopian cuisine when I moved back to Chicago and by chance got invited with friends to come down here. Freely recommended it since.

    (4)

  • Kelmer P.

    I ate here for the first time last Friday and had a pretty large part of 16 people. They were very accomodating, and the food was delicious. This was my first exposure to Ethiopian food. I had the vegetarian platter with 6 or 7 different things on it and a ton of injeera bread. Everything was excellent.

    (5)

  • Michelle Z.

    My girlfirend and I went in on a Saturday night, no reservation at 8pm. Waited 20 minutes. Server greeted us promptly. We shared the tour of ethiopia vegetarian entree. I thought it was great. Spicy lentils, cabbage, split peas, potatoes, salad and of course the injera. Every portion had a unique flavor but nothing was overwhelming, very simple but tastey. The lentils were my personal fave. I like a little kick!. For dessert we ordered a nut filled, deep fried pastry with chocolate sauce. It was edible. If I had a little self-control i would not have finished it but I am the girl that eats everything in front of her! It just tasted like fried wontons. Really nothing special. I thought our waitress was friendly but overall the staff was really rude. Very pushy. On my way to the ladies room (very clean by the way), three different waiters pushed me aside. What ever happened to letting the guest go first? I know they are busy but it was rude. I noticed one waiter actually shoving an elderly woman with a cane in his rush to get to the kitchen. I would not eat this type of cuisine every week but it is a place I will eventually go back to. Also a great place to bring a large group.

    (4)

  • Babanashe M.

    I've been eating Ethiopian since being introduced to it by a high school buddy's whose parents had an Ethiopian restaurant. I'm always keeping my eye out for a good Ethiopian place and this is the one I return to over and over here in Chicago (I go there every time I have my car in for service down the road, birthdays, etc.) If you're a meat eater, the Yebeg Tibs Watt is divine. The staff is helpful and friendly.

    (5)

  • Philippe F.

    Oh this bad boy is Baaaad, Boy! Bad as in good and not necesarily saying you are a boy.....whatever. Anywho this is some tasty tasty food! Don't even remember what I ate, because I actually went with some seasoned Ethiopian cuisine lovers and they ordered everything for me. Very fragrant flavors and very tasty meat. There was one dish that is recommended to be prepared rare. But the seasoners wanted well. I persuaded them to do half medium. Next time, rare it is!!! Very interesting fact that I learned that day is to eat minimal injera, because it actually expands in your stomach making you feel full much faster than normal. I also love eating with my hands. Oh, and the honey wine, which is made in house, is dangerous. But, the veterans told me that since it is made in house, it varies with quality. I chose the right day to go, because it was tight like a tiger! Will definitely head up here again. MOS DEF

    (4)

  • Alisa B.

    i had never been out for Ethiopian but my friends that were going said i had to join them - so i did and i'm glad! i have no idea what we ate (they did all the ordering) but everything was really good!! great atmosphere, friendly staff (though sometimes hard to get refills), and - for me - a bit out of the way but i'll be back for sure! :)

    (4)

  • Susan H.

    I ate here at noon today and I am still stuffed!! One of my best friend's Cat is a huge Demera fan and thinks they are number one and although I enjoy Demera, I think Ethiopian Diamond has them beat! This is my favorite Ethiopian Restaurant EVER! My friend and I shared the vegetarian combo for two and everything on it was amazing. Even when we both got so stuffed that we should have stopped eating, we just couldn't because it was so damn good. My friend Nicole is also a huge fan of their honey wine and had a glass with her meal. She loves it so much she even asked if she could buy a bottle from them and sadly the answer was no. I was working after lunch so I had the Delicious but very strong Ethiopian coffee. It really hit the spot. Even though the thought of eating right now kind of makes me sick since I'm so incredibly full of injera and other yummy stuff I'm still looking forward to my next visit to Ethiopian Diamond. Oh, I was excited to see they are opening a second location even closer to me on Clark in the West Rogers Park area. Oooh, maybe they'll deliver to me!!!

    (5)

  • Briana J.

    This is a fun restaurant to attend with a large group. The food is meant for sharing. The staff is friendly and are willing to explain everything. I recommend trying it once- be sure to order the honey wine. It is super sweat and super tasty.

    (3)

  • Cat B.

    Went here tonight for dinner...waited quite a while, but after you eat their food you forget all about how long you waited to sit. I called earlier in the day to make reservations, but they usually do not take reservations for a party of less than 5 or 6. We were quoted a wait of 40 minutes, but we did not wait that long. We stood at the bar while we waited. Often felt like we were in the way, but as more customers were waiting we felt less intrusive. We kept asking the people who worked there if we were in the way and they kept saying "no, you are fine!" They have an awesome selection of African beers. I was very excited to see that they had Tusker beer...my favorite. I like Castle too, which they have, but my boyfriend had me try the Meta beer. I didn't like it as much as the Tusker, but he preferred the Meta. We ordered the chicken sambusa for an appetizer. After we finished the two delicious appetizers we thought "I want more!!" We were glad we listened to the waitress who, when we ordered the rest of our meal, advised us against getting two appetizers. I had the vegetarian platter for one person and my boyfriend had the meat platter for one person. There are no substitutions for the items on the platter. My veggie platter was delicious and the bread is so addictive!!! My favorite of the evening was the chicken dish on my boyfriend's platter and next time I am just getting that. It was the only thing on the platter that was really spicy. The veggie platter was good and some of the dishes reminded me of my study abroad in Zimbabwe...what my Amai (house mother) used to make me. But that chicken was delicious! And you cannot beat the muzak played live...awesome guy! Overall, very good!! I will definitely go back. No delivery, but take out is available. Nice staff, great atmosphere, and delicious food. Highly recommended. Will have to further my research to compare it to the other Ethiopian restaurants in the neighborhood, but I am very satisfied with this place.

    (4)

  • Tom A.

    one of my favorites in Chicago. Veggie options excellent, meated options are likely excellent, but I've never been there with a meat eater (but I have been probably 30 times). Everything is spiced to some degree, but it is quite well balanced, and not as intensely hot as some of the other Ethiopian restaurants-- I'm not a fan of the tendency to just keep pushing the "hot" button. Still, if you like it hot, ask for a side of berbere sauce. A few of my faves are the shimbra assa (chick pea fish-- it's not fish at all), yemisir wat (spiced lentils), Shiro (spiced chick pea flour dip), gomen (collards) and tikel gomen (cabbage and carrots) I recommend bringing some tupperware and ordering everything on the menu that you want. Leftovers get better over a couple days, as the spices meld. Have a glass of the tej, a cousin of mead, or get a beer. The beer selection is a little limited, but they now have victory Prima Pils-- ask for it even if it's not on the menu. They might have other good beers too. Wine and spicy food doesnt make sense to me.. the coffee service is pleasing, and they often burn a little frankenscence. The place is pleasing, the staff very friendly. Highly recommended for casual, enjoyable social outing.

    (5)

  • Pilsen C.

    Food pre-made at some point during the day, sitting in pots all day, just to be scooped and served to you when you order it, with a piece of pseudo-naan...that's what Ethiopian Diamond was to me. Overpriced, not worth it IMO.

    (2)

  • N T.

    This place was friendly, clean, and the waiter answered all of my bizarre questions and even brought out some free stuff just to educate me a bit on the food. The food was great, the service was great, the price was MUCH better than the surrounding Ethiopian places. Here's a tip, for two people, get the taste of Ethiopia for 1, and try some apps and a dessert. There is tons of food per serving.

    (4)

  • sandra h.

    Went here Saturday for dinner and loved it. We had both the veggie and meat "Taste of Ethiopia" - a great way to sample a broad array of dishes. I just wish that they would have told us what each dish was when they brought over the platter. Be sure to try the tej - honey wine - it is delicious.

    (4)

  • joanne y.

    this is the second ethiopian restaurant i've been too (addis abeba being my first) and i actually liked the first restaurant better. the bread at diamond's was crusty and the cabbage and carrots dish was bland. the chicken dish i got at the other restaurant tasted better too. =( i brought a bunch of friends here and they all enjoyed the food and it's fun to share with your friends but the taste of the food is better elsewhere. oh yea, make sure you wash your hands before you eat!!! you eat everything with your hands (no silverware except for your coffee). just thought you should know. ;)

    (3)

  • Julia W.

    This is more of a 3.75 star review, which makes me feel bad because, really--the restaurant itself is cool, the staff is great (friendly, knowledgeable, patient) and everyone I dined with went nuts for the food... I just don't think Ethiopian food is my bag. I like the communal aspect of eating together from the same massive dish, trusting that my friends all washed well before diving in, but the flavor just wasn't for me. I think it has to do with the injera more than anything else--that spongy bread used as a utensil just tasted a little too funky. Its tartness (was it the yeast strain? who knows?) interfered with the actual flavors of the "real" food, which was too bad because I actually really liked most of the food-food: the lentils were spicy and delicious, there was something scarily addictive about the cabbage and I was a big fan of the spiced potatoes and carrots and the collard greens. We ordered a few chicken dishes which were all tasty, but not particularly outstanding, two beef dishes (one was sort of chewy and actually tasted like pepperoni, the other, extremely tender) and at least one lamb dish which I avoided after the first taste because it was waaaaay lamb-y. If I visit Ethiopian Diamond again, I will make it a point to stick with vegetarian dishes and the sambusas appetizer because they were the stars of the meal (dang, that cabbage was TIGHT)... We passed on dessert but made sure to enjoy some Ethiopian coffee which was an excellent dessert in itself (that's saying something coming from this sugar addict). All in all, I would recommend trying this place (especially the veggie dishes)--it's a fun, adventurous meal. Don't miss the coffee!

    (3)

  • Mandee M.

    Ethiopian Diamond is a great place, but some people think that Ethiopian cuisine is too spicy, so you might want to think about that depending on your group, but I love it! It is located at 6120 N. Broadway, and their # is (773) 338-6100. It is open for lunch and dinner every day of the week, and we spent about $15-20 a person. nobody left feeling hungry, and My husband, although a meat lover was even satisfied.

    (4)

  • Chris K.

    I've never had Ethiopian food before this place...... The bar's set pretty high now. Really fun, interesting, tasty.

    (5)

  • Beth O.

    Ethiopian Diamond is and should be renowned for their injera and misir wat (spicy vegetarian lentil stew made with berbere spice... a vegetarian dish attributed to the Jewish Ethiopians in ancient times-- think Queen of Sheba. My faith is that recipes in constant usage since antiquity are worth trying again and again). The Doro wat (chicken stew), Alicha (yellow lentil dish), chicken Tibs and green beans are equally fab. Wash it all down with African beer (the Ethiopian dark beer that they used to have being best) or Tej, and let the food coma start. Plus, I love the varied seating and decor of the Diamond and the live music weekend nights.

    (5)

  • Jennifer P.

    Sometimes I dream about the "quosta" - a big pile of slimy delicious green spinach. I believe the secret ingredient is butter.

    (5)

  • Casia J.

    I am not wild for Ethiopian. If I were, it might up it to 3 stars. The service was decent. The restaurant had an odor and the food didn't taste fresh. Bad drinks, alcoholic and non. Would not return.

    (2)

  • Chris R.

    Excellent as always and a great value. Easy to choose from the menu items, almost a tapas style portion/presentation, with the entrees plated on a large injera pancake - easy to share and taste, and you can get it wheat-free with 3 days notice. Excellent service, reasonable and ample bar service, We always think we'll be taking some home, but can't seem to stop, and never feel rushed. Table of 4 w 2 bot wine, 4 apps, 4-6 entrees, coffee, desert = ~$170. And all excellent food over 4 hrs.

    (4)

  • Nate W.

    Man, this place was a surprise because all of the 3 other Ethiopian spots I've been to in the city were huge disappointments (not including the home-cooked meal I had once). One of those nasty places (in the same neighborhood) made me feel like there was a Gremlin in my belly trying to shred its way out with claws and a Dwarf axe. Never again-and it will be a while before I get wild and venture to another Ethiopian spot before I exhaust all of the resources that the Ethiopian Diamond has to offer (they have a masssiiiive menu). As soon as we walked in we noticed a live Jazz band playing in the back. We were seated right away even though everyone was extremely busy. Our waitress was very genuine in making sure that everything was satisfactory and she was quick to show a warm smile as did every person that we interacted with-even the busser). The food was the closest thing to that home-cooked meal that I have ever had. We tried two appetizers (kinda like empenadas) the 3 vegetable combo dish, a lamb dish, a chicken dish and a beef dish...the beer... the coffee... bears...bearss...bearsss... Man, it was all so good I feel like going back right now just thinking about it. Big ups to the Ethiopian Diamond MAAssssiiiiiivvvvveee....

    (5)

  • Made N.

    This is great food, especially for vegetarians/vegans. Something different from mainstream ethnic food (pan-asian on every corner, so yummy, but we need a little variety like this). And it's fun to eat with your hands and be appropriate at the same time :) The honey wine is a gift of some Ethiopian god, I'm sure; it's so deliscious, and pairs so nicely with the spiciness of the cuisine, smooth and delicate flavored. Being two vegetarians, we always get the vegetarian platter for two and usually do a pretty good job of it (no leftovers for us, which is good because it's so much better fresh). ALWAYS get the honey wine (one of these days I want to order the whole bottle and walk out tipsy from the sweet delisciousness). Also recently had the tea after dinner when conversation carried us through the main course. It was yummy, a little spicy. A lovely finish. The waitstaff is always exceptionally demure, kind, attentive, and very beautiful (Ethiopia must be FULL of gorgeous people). I'd highly recommend this place, for those who already love Ethiopian food or those who've never tried it.

    (5)

  • erin k.

    i had such a great time here. great service, live music, good food, wine and fun. the lighting is a little dim so yeah, i didn't know what i was eating, but i didn't really care. it was all delicious. come with a group so you can try a little of everything. and try the honey wine, then move onto a bottle of nice crisp white and let the good times roll.

    (4)

  • James G.

    This is my favorite restaurant and and an unbelievably good deal for the money. By far the best Ethiopian restaurant I have encountered. The atmosphere is also as inviting and fun as it gets. My favorite dishes are Shiro (pureed chick pea stew), Quosta (spinach), and Kitfo (raw or barely cooked ("lublub") spiced beef), but everything is great. Terrific selection of African beers too. Try the Hakim Stout (really a sweet porter) if it's available (it often isn't). Good music (usually jazz) on Friday nights. Will show 2010 World Cup Soccer games on projection screen for diners this summer. Kid friendly too -- my 11-year-old is a big fan.

    (5)

  • S K.

    This was my first Ethiopian food experience and it was a great time! Eating the strange, spongy bread with only my hands and using it to dip or scoop the other types of food was awesome. All of the food was delicious. The waitstaff slow but very friendly. I enjoyed the live music (not too loud or soft) and had a great time with friends (always contributes to the overall experience). I'll definitely be back.

    (4)

  • G G.

    Traditional live music on the weekends and great dishes. The menu provides background info on the bread and dining style which encourages sharing and feeding one another :a great intro to ethiopian dining.

    (4)

  • PG M.

    Mead was fantastic. Vegetarian sampler platters was great. Waitress was sassy and helpful.

    (5)

  • Earl W.

    Ethopian-style eating is fun and the food is good. I noticed on a slow night that the meats were dry as if they had been microwaved so go with the stews.

    (4)

  • Ted E.

    This place is the best Ethiopian restaurant in Chicago (not that there are very many to begin with). A good place for a fun, delicious meal, and vegetarian friendly. The coffee is served tradtionally too, in a clay pot after being freshly roasted and ground. I've been in Chicago about 10 years and always go back here.

    (5)

  • Mike H.

    This was my first Ethiopian dining experience, and once i got over the fact that ther were no utensils (you tear off pieces of this huge spongy round bread and scoop up the little piles of food) and that everyone's food comes together on one big tray (to share) I was totally into it. It's definitely a unique style of food to try--really spicy and flavorful. But be wary about who you choose to dine with! If you're a slow eater the pigs will eat all of the food before you've had your share. Like mine.

    (4)

  • A.S. V.

    I wish this restaurant was there when I lived in Edgewater back in '92-93. It would have truly been a diamond in the rough. It's definitely my favorite Ethiopian restaurant. I always order vegetarian combos, as meat in any African restaurants frighten me, because they tend to just chop it with a huge cleaver, gristle, bone and all. The various dishes may look pretty similar, but the spices are exquisite. My favorite part is mopping up the remains with the spongy bread that was on the bottom. Beware, however -- the bread expands in your stomach!

    (5)

  • Kristen D.

    A wonderful find! Never too busy, yet great food! The sambusas are great (a lot like samosas), and the experience is like none other! The meal consists of many small dishes, brought out on a flat spongy bread. You eat with your hands here, so don't come with someone you don't trust! We frequently get the vegetarian sampler, which allows you to pick three off a list of veggie dishes...they're all good, and this way you get to try even more! The shrimp wat is excellent as well. The staff is very friendly, although you may have to work to get their attention at times. The customers range from ethiopians to hipster to whatever...everyone comes here, and everyone loves it!

    (5)

  • Dianna D.

    the coffee is divine - be sure to order some before your meal so they have time to brew it.

    (4)

  • Matt H.

    Went here a while ago with a couple friends. We got some Ethiopian beer which was good and a large meat and vegetable combination sampler. I liked the food, especially the meat with their spongy type bread. Would I go back??? If others were going, sure why not... But I probably wouldn't drag my friends there for no reason...

    (3)

  • shannon m.

    This is one of my favorite Ethiopian restaurants. The food is consistent and the service is nice. I always order the spinach, and yesiga alicha (beef). Mmmm!

    (5)

  • Jelly C.

    I had Ethiopian food for the first time here and it was a great experience. The food was delicious, the people were so friendly, and the music was great. I went with a friend and we ordered sambusas and the E2 (?) platter. The chicken sambusas were very good but the potato ones were a little on the dry side. Little mounds of beef, lamb, chicken, lentils, and spinach sat on top of injera bread. I couldn't identify any of the spices that they used but they went very well with the food. I would come back for the environment alone. The musician was very entertaining. During his break, he went over and sat at the table next to us and started chatting with the customers. I thought that was really cool... The waiters and waitresses made sure everything was ok and that we were enjoying our time. They taught us how to eat and explained what everything was. Next time I come here, I'll give the vegetarian dishes a try.

    (5)

  • greg r.

    it looks like they recently raised their prices. i'm still hooked.

    (5)

  • hanna s.

    i really this place. when i feel like going to eat ethiopian food, i always want to go to this place. i dont know what else to say. it's good food, definitely a must try.

    (4)

  • Sarah C.

    This place is great. I love ethiopian food and the restaurant is really reasonably priced for the amazing food you get. The service is very friendly and accommodating. I usually go with just a few people but since it is so big, it would be great for large parties too.

    (5)

  • Marya A.

    This was the first time ever I tried ethopian food..but I came here because my friend just couldn't stop raving about this place. When I saw the yelp reviews I thought i'd definitely try it out. The food itself was really good. I got the big platter between me and my friend with the spongy layer in the bottom (I wasn't fond of this part), and then the different types of food on top. I liked all the different foods but didn't like the spongy layer on the bottom. I think its all about personal preference when it comes to that layer though. Overall, food was good. :)

    (3)

  • J D.

    This is by far my favorite Ethiopian restaurant. The staff is extremely friendly and the food is fantastic. I love ordering the tilapia and shrimp. The beef in the marinade is also great. This is a gem in Edgewater and they will always have my business. Don't forget to order the coffee! It's insanely good!

    (5)

  • Casey B.

    this is hands down my favorite ethiopian restaurant in chicago. i recommend their kitfo na gomen and beef tibs ordered rare. aw yiss!

    (5)

  • Sharon G.

    Huge, spacy place that is super accessible by the el - right off the Granville stop. My friends got several vegetarian options while I went with the beef cubes (the first one on the meat menu, forgot what it was called) and it was incredibly filling. The beef cubes were a little too tangy for my liking but was quite good nonetheless. The honey wine was absolutely delicious and our waitress was very attentive, however she didn't speak English very well and we were having a little bit of trouble communicating with her. There was also a live band playing in the corner which was a nice touch! Overall pleasant experience

    (4)

  • Ritika K.

    It was my first time at any Ethiopian restaurant and I must say I have become a big fan of this cuisine after eating at Diamond. We got the combo platter so got to taste a little bit of everything. I live in downtown and it's a long train ride from my house but I will definitely go back very soon. Not to forget they have live music on saturday nights.

    (5)

  • Beth P.

    I had delivery from Ethiopian Diamond this past weekend. The delivery was fast, the food was hot, and it was delicious! We ordered the vegetarian sampler for two. we actually got two meals out of it. I will be ordering from there again very soon! I highly recommend it.

    (5)

  • Eric G.

    Absolutely love this place. Been a patron for a number of years and they give a lot of food for the money. Everything is very flavorful and I love how everything is laid out on a platter of injera bread. They looked to have upgraded the space recently as I remembered it being much darker in the dining hall. Since it's community dining, it's always best to go with someone who has clean hands. They do provide utensils though which is a good thing.

    (5)

  • Rafia J.

    It was my first time ever trying Ethiopian food and I didn't know what to expect. However, I was blown away by the depth of flavor and richness in everything I tried there. Felt like it's a lot similar to Pakistani food except the bread which was a novel experience. All in all, great taste, great food, great service. Will definitely go there again. Only downfall is that it's quite expensive, you get very little for what you pay for. P.s. it's a great date idea, you get to sit and eat with your hands sharing one plate, very intimate and something we don't get to do anywhere else ;)!

    (4)

  • Christine R.

    Believe the hype! This is the BEST Ethiopian restaurant in Chicago. The food is fantastic and the energy here is vibrant. Family-friendly as well.

    (5)

  • Dan P.

    The wuss and i have been coming here together for years starting in maybe 2002. This is one if those places I like and frequent often, but never review. Now is the time to remedy that oversight. The food is all delicious. We usually get beef angar wat, stewed potatoes/carrots, lentils and chick peas. I don't know what the dishes are called. When you order an entree, the restaurant picks a side for you. The sides are as good as the entree. This time we ordered gluten free injera because the mother in law was with us. To be clear, she is not one of those cretins who falsely and without any basis in reality believes that gluten is unhealthy. She is actually allergic to it. If she were one of those "healthy" cretins, we would not take her to a restaurant in the first place, let alone ask for gluten free anything. I was expecting the gluten free injera to be terrible, but I was pleasantly surprised. The wife and I noticed that the gluten free injera is more filling.

    (5)

  • Eddie C.

    Excellent Ethiopian cuisine - fresh and flavorful food and a great service experience. House made INJERA is a medium brown indicating use of real teff flower with a nice spongy but firm texture. Injera like this is hard to find. DORO WAT (chicken in egg in bere bere pepper sauce) has a nice dark spicy yet buttery finish. The KITFO (raw beef tar tar) is also a special find combined with homemade white cheese. All of the VEGETARIAN ENTREES - yellow lentils, red lentils, chopped greens, boiled potatoes and carrots were all cooked to perfection not too soft or hard with rich flavors. This 100+ dining rooms has a warm and welcoming feel with traditional Ethiopian decor. Staff was friendly, and attentive

    (5)

  • Abhinav S.

    Traveled all the way from downtown to try out some good ol' Ethiopian food. The trip was worth it for sure. We ordered the Tour of Ethiopia- the 2nd one with more meat. Go for this if you're a newbie like me who isn't sure what to order off the menu. You get a taste of a lot of items. First off the goat is AMAZING. So juicy, succulent and flavorful. The chicken was well marinated as well. The samosas were alright, nothing out of the world. I just wish the portions of the entrees were a bit more. I did get to peep into other people's plates (yeah I'm RUDE, don't worry I'll peep into yours as well if I get the chance), and did notice that ours was a lot smaller. Wonder why.. Serving in the kitchen is done a bit random, disproportionately. But overall, it was a great experience. The server was super friendly too. Go for it

    (4)

  • Valerie F.

    This is the best Ethiopian restaurant we've ever been to! And we've been to different ones in LA and TX. We'll definitely be back!!!

    (5)

  • Hazim E.

    Delicious food, great service. Since the renovations the atmosphere is especially fantastic. Be sure to get the tea! It has a delicious blend of black tea, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. The service sizes for the food are excellent and they provide such a blend of options!

    (5)

  • Dwyer W.

    Never was such fantastic food coincided with such EVIL-horrible behavior by the female owner or manager who stepped in to waiter. All your life remember just two things: 1. The words "klatu narada nikto", which have to be spoken to the invincible planet-destroyer robot to stop him destroying earth, (I'm not crazy, you fast-reactive person, you. I am banking on your having seen one major sci-fi classic.) 2. MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET A REAL WAITRESS TO SERVE YOU AND NOT THE FEMALE OWNER. For if thou gettest the matronly female owner who sometimes steps in for her waitress, you will be on the receiving end of the following statements and actions from her: . "I think women should get more." . Proceeds to ignore the dish order for yourself and for your date that you just spoke to her, and proceeds to speak only to your female date, asking her what SHE would REALLY want. ."First you must need to know something about my country and my culture. People come here and only want to order food, know nothing of us and our culture. Like we are only a certain kind of food!" .Proceeds to stand bodily between you and your date, with her bass-side towards your face, in order to conduct an exclusive conversation with your date by effectively excluding you with the thickness of her body. .Proceeds to strongly suggest that the second glass of honey wine you just ordered from her should not be served. "I think one enough!" .Proceeds to challenge and dissuade your date from ordering that second glass of honey wine which was the date's idea to have. Because, "I think woman should not drunk up on a date." .Starts hovering, but with a noticeable interest in the conversation between you and your date. And starts stepping in to disrupt the conversation, but precisely when you are making a conversational statement to your date. Holy shitaki mushrooms!!! Are you getting this?: The female owner wants to run an Ethiopian museum, not a restaurant. She thinks that you have preemptively shut down your date, and you are ordering some food you are going to force your date to eat. She thinks that you are going to abuse your date, so better to find a way to cut off all conversation between you and your date, lest "something" should "happen" between you and her later in the evening, that is if you actually manage to talk at table This restaurant experience disturbed me immensely, and because of what it means, what it says about the person behaving that way. I was able to find myself in company with someone who could shed some light on the cause for the owner-ette's behavior, and in words which I would never dare utter in this highly all-accepting and offense-vigilant society of ours. The professor intimated to me, to the close effect of: "You have to stop and take off your green culture-appreciative glasses for a bit, and think... There are deep reaching reasons why the so called "third world" is called that, and reasons still for why the original, now considered offensive, wording that the British gave it was, "backwards countries". You see, what is the primarily French-attributed, and also widely accepted and western tradition of gentleness in both courtship and also in love... none of that has penetrated some darker corners of the world. To cut to the chase for your question, there are parts of the world where nothing else can be presumed nor expected taking place between a man and a woman except utter brutality. So that woman actually believed that she was doing a good deed. Table talk is preceding rape, to her mind." "And as for the rest of her disservicing behavior?", I wanted to get it all explained while I could. The professor replied, "Civilization.... It's civilization. Not that I'd teach it that way in class... since I want to keep my position... even though it is tenured." I give up! I thought I was sophisticated until I heard all of that, but I was not. Now I am. Best enjoyed by the Ethiopian-borns and the long table of Loyola U students born-and-raised in Wisconsin who came to Chicago as the big city, to put some stars in their wide eyes.

    (3)

  • Jennifer G.

    I'm not a connoisseur when it comes to Ethiopian food, but this place was SO GOOD. I appreciated that they have variety plates for those of us not familiar enough with the cuisine to choose specific dishes. I will definitely keep trying new things here, and work on getting to know the dishes. I tried the meat plate for one. It came with four different meat dishes (beef, chicken, and lamb), two sides (kik alicha and quosta), and a choice of two sambusas (little pastries with yum filling). It was about $20, which is pretty pricey for me but it fed two people with a small plate of leftovers for the next day. Not bad! Every, single thing on the plate was amazingly delicious. I have thought about it almost daily since trying it last week. It's THAT good. I tried delivery, so I can't comment on the atmosphere. My only complaints are that it's a tad expensive and that the boundary for delivery is a block and a half north of me. :( I'll just keep convincing my friends to order while I'm visiting, or go check out the restaurant.

    (4)

  • Leslie W.

    This was my first time eating at an Ethiopian restaurant. It was okay. Food was okay. Sambusso's were really good. Lentils were tasty. Beef could have used more flavor. Chicken was okay. Tilapia was nicely prepared. The coffee was sooooooo good though! When I read live music, I didn't picture a guy at a keyboard near the entrance, but hey. I wasn't wow'd by this place. So it's a toss up as to if i'd come back. I wouldn't go out of my way to revisit. If anything I'd come for the coffee!:)

    (3)

  • Aurielle W.

    I LOVE THIS PLACE! this is an absolute must try for anyone who loves ethnic food! Get the Tour of Ethiopia it has a lot to choose from and lots to taste all is good and plenty of food!

    (5)

  • Rohan D.

    I first discovered Ethiopian cuisine when Mama Desta's opened their doors in the 1970s. A dozen competitors have since ensued, and all used better fresher vegetables, fish and meat and for a long time I thought Ethio Diamond was the best of them. It may still be the best in Chicago, but in cities like Minneapolis where there's a larger concentration of Ethiopian immigrants, the restaurants are better too, and Ethio diamond is actually not quite as good as our better Ethiopian restaurant downtown in Milwaukee. The ambiance is great, the service is typical Ethiopian (not rushed, very unobtrusive). This sort of cuisine is best with a group of four to share a maximum variety, it's a good choice if there are vegetarians or those who are watching cholesterol intake in your party. For a couple of decades, I've been coming back.

    (3)

  • Freddie L.

    This was our first time dinning at Ethiopian Diamond. The food was excellent. And the entire dining experience was unusual and fun. We tried the vegetarian Taste of Ethiopia platter with cabbage, potatoes, yellow lentils, red lentils, chick peas and collard greens. All of it was placed on a large tray on the table and shared by my partner and I. No one uses utensils, but rather, Injera, a thin, spongy bread, to eat with. The entire platter was full of flavor and equally tasty. I'd definitely recommend trying it out, I'm going to go back and sample some other vegetarian dishes.

    (4)

  • Kendra N.

    Here we go... 1) The sambusas - these were pretty bad. They only have Lentil, Potato&Carrot, and Spinach. There were no meat ones on the menu. They were all very bland and the dough was very tough. Skip these. 2) The salad was just okay - nothing to write home about. Skip it. 3) We had the E4 and E5. From E4 - Tibs Sampler 09/13 Combo Zil Zil Tibs/Doro Zips (marinated steak and chicken) these were terrible. It was like fajita fillings but without any seasoning. Definitely skip this. 30 Yesmir Wat (spicy lentils) - the best of the whole group! 33 Gomen (Collard Greens) was bad. really bad. skip it. 34 Quosta (spinach) - it was good if you are into that sort of thing. my vote is to skip it. 35 Tikel Gomen (cabbage & carrots) - it was good but not the best we have had From E5 - The Traditional Platter 06 Tibs (grilled steak) was terrible. It was like fajita fillings but without any seasoning. Definitely skip this. 12 Doro Wat (spicy chicken leg) was good, I would recommend it if you are here but I have had better. 17 Yebig Alicha (mild lamb) was pretty good, not the best 30 Yemisir Wat (spicy lentil) - the best of the whole group! We should have had two portions of this since it came in both E4 and E5 but we definitely only had one portion. Skimping out on us! 31 Kik Alicha (yellow split peas) was okay but not the best I've had 33 Gomen (Collard Greens) was bad. really bad. skip it. 37 Dinch Alicha (potato & carrots) was okay, a little too bland - we have had better. Skip it. So overall, my recommendation is #1 - Yemisir Wat followed by Doro Wat. I would also want to try Kay Wat although we didn't have it so I can't say yay or nay. No need to get a sampler platter here given that it's super hit or miss. 4) Desserts - these were terrible. Absolutely terrible. Do yourself a favor and skip them. Even though the Groupon doesn't say anything about exclusions, our server would not let us order the chocolate Diamond. I offered to pay the extra dollar (the price difference between the chocolate diamond and the next most expensive dessert) and she wouldn't have it. She wanted us to order three desserts. The House Special was terrible. Just fried chips with crappy vanilla ice cream and some hershey's chocolate drizzled over it. The Destaye was in the sambusa dough and it was SO TOUGH you could barely eat it. Not to mention the filling was terrible. 5) Ambiance - this is a big place with a couple unique pieces of furniture. They also had a guy singing, he said he's there every other Sunday night. 6) Service - slow. Confusing. She didn't tell us what each of the dishes were when she brought them out. My advice: if you go here, do not get the Groupon. This place should not be selling Groupons that highlight all of their shortcomings (sambusas and desserts). The only things you need to get from here are a couple specific entrees (not sampler platters). If you do that, you'll have a great time! *I read other reviews that said the spicy dishes are really, really spicy. I didn't find that to be true at all. They were definitely well spiced, but not anywhere near too spicy! So don't be afraid. In fact, the only good dishes were the spicy ones, the rest were very bland, so I would focus your attention on the spicy part of the menu if I were you...

    (3)

  • Maria S.

    I've been here once before but usually go to the location on Clark. Next time, I'll drive the extra mileage. Service was slow and inattentive even though it wasn't very busy this past Sunday around 4pm. My daughter and I ordered the Tour of Ethiopia for 2 at $42. Other people that came in after us kept receiving their orders. By the time we got our entrees I was extremely upset to see we barely had a serving of each veggie side. I tried asking server why and she walked off. I took a picture and the host walked over and said oh my, let me get you more potato and carrots. I guess he didn't notice the yemisir wat was paltry. What there was of the food was delicious. I asked for a to go container but another man took our tray and took his time getting it back. We got frustrated waiting for the check and got up to go to the bar, the host called out thank you and have a great day. Luckily I'm honest, so I told him we were waiting for check, he said he didn't know what was wrong with server and told her to give us check. A day later when heating leftovers I noticed a large portion was missing from what was taken away on the tray. I'll never go to this location again. Time to try Demera, their prices are even a little cheaper from what I saw.

    (3)

  • Hannah C.

    This is a great place to bring people new to Ethiopian and old hands alike. Service is pretty good, the food and drink options are extensive, and it's not freakishly overpriced! I love the yebeg watt (spicy lamb), but I've never had something bad. The spicy options are not super spicy (unlike other food I've had), so don't expect to burn your face off - they actually care about balancing flavors here. The honey wine is great, but they also have a variety of interesting beer and cocktails. Never had a wait, never had a bad experience.

    (4)

  • Janice R.

    So ... me & Mr.RightNow went there last week for dinner. I'd wanted to try this place for a while, and we were not disappointed! I'm a meat-eater and Mr.RN is a vegetarian. We had the Tour of Ethiopia, and it was great!!! Meats were a little dry but ALL the veggie offerings were sublime ... YUM! I definitely plan to go back.

    (4)

  • Joanna B.

    My husband and I have been either taking out or dining in at Ethiopian Diamond for over 20 years now. I guess that means we like it. It has been very consistent food and service-wise. The dishes are always fresh, flavorful (we go vegetarian) and ample. The Ethiopian tea is excellent. We never had to wait long for our food to arrive, but I feel the slowness others complain about might be a bit of an "ethnic flavor". The staff has always been very polite, although reserved and dignified, which I attribute to the cultural difference as most of them seem to be from Ethiopia. We have been and hope to remain diners at the Ethiopian Diamond.

    (5)

  • Bobby B.

    Anybody that knows me knows that I don't cross into the north side much. Ironically, most of my friends and even a cousin of mine currently reside there. In the last ten years, I've opened my mind to types of food that didn't involve pepperoni, hot giardiniera (what!), and celery salt. With that being said, I'm kind of like a pioneer to my immediate family. When I suggested to my mother that we go to an Ethiopian restaurant on the way to visit my cousin's new baby, she looked at me as if I'd grown another head. "Ethi-what?" she said. "Ethiopian...you know, African..on the eastern side. Trust me, it's amaaaazing." The look on my mother's face was more than distrustful. To my surprise, she succumbed to the peer pressure from my wife and I. I've only tried one Ethiopian restaurant before (it was actually Erirtrean, but cut me a break, they used to be one country,) but I was already in love. We went for lunch time, guaranteeing that there would be plenty of room to eat. After all, I like to keep my elbows out! Enough with the pleasantries, le's get to it! THE GOOD: -The service was awesome. Both servers tended to us as was needed. The young man working there explained everything patiently and with enthusiasm to our party. He was even a good sport to my teasing when I playfully grilled him on who actually made their honey-wine. When the food was brought out, he explained what was what, and made sure that we had everything we needed (napkins, water, honey-wine, injera.) -Fooooood! My mother and I split the "E2," which is a combo meat dish that has two veggie sides. My Mom was impressed with the mature and complex flavors of all of the dishes. She enjoyed the chicken and lamb portions the best, with the beef taking third place. As was I, she was mesmerized with the concept of injera. - Honey-wine! The best I've had yet! Yes, it's only the second one I tried, but it was smoooooth and tasty! THE BAD: Nothing, although the fatty in me wishes there were bigger portions! It fills you up for sure though. THE UGLY: The site of me shoving various dishes in my mouth! um yum! I think its safe to say that I've converted my mother to having an open mind to trying new foods! Hip hip, huzzah!

    (5)

  • Nel A.

    I'm not a connoisseur of Ethiopian food. I just know when something tastes good :) Huge space. Friendly service. Delicious food. We had injera with 2 veggie and 2 meat options. All delicious. I'd go back again. Yum!

    (3)

  • Eva V.

    This place is great. I have been to this location multiple times and have never been disappointed. Their spicy chicken is delicious. The chocolate cake is the most amazing dessert I have ever had. The potatoes here are awesome. The honey wine is delicious.

    (5)

  • Leah P.

    Delicious food, fresh ingredients and a wonderfully friendly staff. So glad to have gotten turned on to Ethiopian Diamond on Broadway.

    (5)

  • Ash V.

    Delicious food and great service! We split the vegetarian Taste of Ethiopia for two and were stuffed. The honey wine was delicious and addicting!

    (4)

  • Rowena N.

    I was wandering around the area and decided on this place because they have a nice outdoor patio seating so our dog could sit by us. Food: We got the potato and spinach sambusas. The potato sambusa was delicious, was very hot and freshly made. The filling was mashed but well seasoned. I could have passed with the spinach version though. It was a bit bland and the spinach was fresh but almost tasted like it was boiled before stuffed in the batter. I had the chicken (doro war) which were chicken thighs in a spicy brown sauce and came with an egg. This was SO ridiculously good and just enough kick and spice to it. Warning for those who don't like it hot/spicy, they mean spicy when they state it on the menu. My partner in crime had the Yebeg Tibs Alichia which was lamb in yellow sauce (also milder in the heat dept). It was also very good but after taking a bite of my chicken, this seemed almost bland. However, both were cooked perfectly -- tender and not overdone. The injera was also very good compared to prior experiences (I had injera elsewhere .... where it tasted a bit off-putting with the sourdough aftertaste). The lentils were meh, but I was never big fan of lentils. I loved the salad (which was almost like fresh salad on healthy leaves of green and little bit of chili), and the vegetable curry. Overall we were stuffed. Service, the manager/owner was SUPER nice, very attentive and hospitable. We were the only ones sitting outside so we were cautious that he might forget us given it was an afternoon and people kept walking in. However, he came out multiple times to check on us and refill our water cups. He also came to greet our dog, which was enjoying the calm day and sun under the table. Overall, I thought the service we received was excellent. Ambience: awesome. Inside they have more seating and what looks like a bar. They had some music and incense as well as traditional/cultural decorations that I found tasteful and not overdone. I would have sat inside if I wasn't so eager to get a tan, and wanted the company of my dog. I definitely will try to come back when I visit, although I do want to venture other places. However, i would definitely recommend this place to my friends if they are having an itch for some Ethiopian food.

    (5)

  • Carnell J.

    I am definitely a fan. Having kicked myself for not going far northside in my 7 years of living here to see what the Ethiopian food was about, I stopped in. Best decision that I've made in a long time. I had a sampler with lamb and chicken, collards, cabbage, red lentils, a simple salad, and spinach. I ate almost every bite and for those who know, this was a good amount. Tasty, nothing overpowering, and every taste was distinct. Paired with an Ethiopian beer (Bedele), and the great service, this place is a win.

    (5)

  • Liz M.

    Went here with a groupon since my boyfriend had never tried Ethiopian food. They were very gracious hosts and there was no wait on a Saturday night. We shared a beautiful sampler. Everything was delicious! This place is less formal than Demera, and also significantly less crowded, which I think is largely due to the location. It's where I would take a group of friends, whereas I would save Demera for a date. Ethiopian Diamond was fun and delicious. Our entire entree sampler was amazing. The appetizers and dessert were "meh" but the main dishes really shined, particularly the lamb and spinach dishes we tried.

    (4)

  • ana b.

    First things first: I ultimately give this place a two-star rating because the food IS amazing, and I've only ever had good experiences ordering delivery from this restaurant through grubhub. But service inside the restaurant was enough to discourage me from ever trying to pay another dine-in visit to Ethiopian Diamond. My boyfriend and I went to the Diamond last night for Valentine's Day. We arrived around 8pm and were seated shortly thereafter. Sounds like a pretty smooth night in the making, right? WRONG. The restaurant seemed to be very short-staffed for a regular Saturday night, let alone Valentine's Day. At first our server seemed able to keep it together: she took our drink order, took our food order, and delivered our carrot soup appetizer all in a swift and timely fashion. And then came the painfully long wait. After about an hour, she delivered a second round of carrot soups and apologized for the food's delay. We finally got our large platter of injera and some other delicious foods a little AFTER 10pm. So we basically waited two hours for our meal. Ethiopian Diamond offered a special prix fixe type of menu for Valentine's Day and it was supposed to include, among other dishes, quosta, tikel gomen, and yatkilt wat. Our platter, once it arrived, was missing all three of these sides. When I brought it up to the server, she apologized and went back to the kitchen to pack the missing sides so we could take them home with us. We also never got the dessert that came with the meal, and by the end of the night, we were beyond disappointed and too tired to want to stick around any longer to haggle over the bill, so we basically just gathered up our carry out boxes and vowed never to dine inside Ethiopian Diamond again. Our server did take the drinks off our bill (bf had two beers and I had a glass of honey wine) for our unpleasant experience, but we were still charged full price for a meal whose included dessert we weren't even served. I'll stick with Demera or Ras Dashen next time I have a hankering for that deliciously spicy Ethiopian fare.

    (2)

  • Alejandra L.

    I give this place 5 stars for its authenticity, incredible service, delicious food, and above all, it's amazingly spongey bread! My boyfriend insisted we go after he first discovered it and it did not disappoint! We had the tour of Ethiopia which brought a bit of everything, including some spicy lentils, spinach, and steak. Everything was exquisite. AND, to top it off, the prices are unbeatable. This place is truly a diamond in Edgewater that makes the trek up there worthwhile.

    (5)

  • PJ T.

    I like Ethiopian food. This one gets it right. I liked the lentils n chicken. The injera was good too I tried the honey wine which was interesting but not something I wud try again. The tea was decent too. It's a casual laid back place n good for large parties. I wud go back for the variety n novelty of the good.

    (4)

  • Diana G.

    I've had this bookmarked for awhile now so when I saw the Groupon, I jumped on it. We came in the afternoon to avoid the crowds, but the place is actually pretty big. Service was okay. He was nice, but we didn't really get any service towards the middle and end of the meal. We sat there for quite a while before I flagged him down to get the check. My guy got the tea and seemed to enjoy it. I was tempted to get the honey wine, but didn't. We tried the spinach and the chicken sambusa. I preferred the chicken more since it was more flavorful. We opted for the E2 and E4. I really didn't know what was what, but I thought it was okay. I was expecting more spice. Injera was good, but after awhile the sour taste was more noticeable. I'm glad I finally got the try it, but don't think it was really for me. I also felt it's a bit pricey.

    (3)

  • Jessica S.

    I love this place. I live way out in the Suburbs and make the trek here as a special treat. It's never too crowded but there are enough customers to give it ambiance. The food is delightful. Different but not so different as to be put off by it. The watt sauce is the spiciest but my favorite. The Alicha sauce is milder and seems to be butter based; it is equally as delicious. The injera bread is spongy and slightly sour and tangy. If you're into foods from different cultures, it's definitely a must try.

    (5)

  • Sara W.

    One of my favorite reasons to go to the Edgewater neighborhood. I love the food here. The service is even better. I usually get the veggie combo & mix up my options each time. The lentils & cabbage are my favorites. vegetarian friendly & the manager is helpful with ordering if you are new to the cuisine. Well worth trying!

    (5)

  • Emily W.

    Still love the diamond. It's my favorite. But a heads up, not a place to go when you're in a hurry or if you're the sort who only likes orange chicken or pad Thai at Chinese or Thai places. The flavors are bold and they can be weird.

    (5)

  • Alex K.

    Worst dining experience of my life. Food was tasteless, service was questionable. My friend ordered a veggie samusa and he bit into a beef one. Our food was bland tasteless and a complete waste of money. This is my first and only Yelp review....I just hope you save your money and time

    (1)

  • Natalie E.

    I've been to Ethiopian Diamond twice now. Once four years ago, and once last night. I think I'll come back in another four years. Ethiopian food is very overwhelming for me - but very delicious. We had the carrot soup and beet salad which were both great. The carrot soup was a little rich but very good. We had the Valentines Day special platter - the meat one, not the vegetarian one. The lamb was probably the best lamb I have ever had. Our waitress was very courteous, even though her English was a little rusty. I'm docking two stars because we had to wait over an hour and a half for our food. We were 2 minutes away from just paying for our wine and then leaving, It was Valentines Day and looked like they were dealing with a capacity they were not used to, so that is probably the reason. But it was still disgruntling.

    (3)

  • Sarah C.

    I wish I could tell you about the food but I didn't get that far. I went in about an hour before closing time on a Monday night. There were about 9 other tables that were full so while it wasn't packed, that seemed like a good crowd for a Monday. We were promptly seated and given menus and water. We told the server we were only there for dessert so she got us dessert menus then never came back. I figured since there were only 3 items on the dessert menu that the waitress should be back fairly quickly but I watched her walk around and talk to other staff and I couldn't flag her or anyone else down. They didn't seem particularly busy, they were mostly just gathered around a counter talking to each other. We gave up and left somewhere after the 20 minute mark. I figured I had annoyed her or something but after reading other reviews, I guess that's typical. It's unfortunate because the place smelled wonderful and I love Ethiopian food. I went to a little market up the street and bought some injera. I'll just make my own food at home

    (1)

  • Michael B.

    I've been here many times and would normally give this place 4 stars based on the, lovely space, quality of the food and sweet servers but tonight the jazz band was so loud and annoying that it turned a nice night out with friends for good food and conversation into a shouting match and headache. The highlight of our evening was when they took a break and we could hear each other talk. Periodically they would accidentally send some screeching reverb sound through the speakers like a high school garage band, killing our buzz and further annoying the crap out of a full house of diners. It was a full house and the band felt they had to play over the buzz of the crowd to get noticed rather than blend harmoniously into the scene and vibe. The previous guy, Phil was a master at finding that balance and an incredibly gifted musician. The food, who remembers. I just remember wanted to get out of there.

    (3)

  • L L.

    I've been here several times and found the food to be very good. However, the chicken fluctuated from perfectly cooked to over cooked--too dry to be enjoyable. Lamb and beef dishes were perfect. Vegetarian selections are tasty. The sour bread is very sour. Service was good, but not very attentive. BYOB is a plus. It has a large dining area so we never waited for seating.

    (4)

  • Mathew G.

    Best Ethiopian in Chicago

    (5)

  • Mei K.

    I think it's safe to say Ethiopian food is outside most people's comfort zone. When the plate of injera (flatbread) came out, I couldn't get the thought of sweaty hand towels out of my head! Nonetheless, I was pleasantly surprised with the entire meal and my party ordered the following: Apps: Sambusas - Beef (the best!), Chicken, Spinach and Potato/Carrot Salad Entrees: Doro Tibs Watt (chicken in berbere sauce) - everyone's favorite Tibs Watt (beef in berbere sauce) Tibs Combo 2 (beef, chicken and shrimp stir fry) - bland Yebeg Tibs (lamb) - ditto Sides (all were delicious): Yemisir Watt (lentils) Gomen (collard greens) Yatkilt Watt (string beans) Is it just me or does Ethiopian food remind you of a fusion between Indian and Mexican food?! I really enjoyed the spices in the berbere sauce and the beef sambusas which were major selling points for me.

    (4)

  • Cristie F.

    Totally unexpected. Totally delicious. Totally in love. Ethiopian cuisine may just be my new favorite thing. I mean, I knew going into it, it was a unique experience and that I would probably like it. I just didn't know how much I would actually love it. Everything at Ethiopian Diamond was spot on. The service, the food, the ambiance. My first adventure into Ethiopian cuisine was with a group of 8 friends. Some of us had eaten at Ethiopian Diamond before, and some of us hadn't. We started out with a plate of Sambusas. Not knowing which ones to try, we got a few of each flavor. The flaky little triangles were all delicious, but the spinach and the lentil were my favorites. As for our entrees, we asked our waiter to bring us two large plates of whatever the chef recommended. We really didn't know what was good - and wanted to try whatever the server and chef thought were best. This proved to be a good decision. We were brought two platters with a mix of veggies, chicken, beef, lamb and fish. We asked for some mild dishes and some that had a kick. I can't tell you what exactly I ate, but the lentils, collard greens, and spinach were by far my favorite. Not to mention I loved the injera. Does it look and feel like a sham-wow? Yes. Does it taste kind of like sourdough bread? Yes. Was it kind of odd using it as your utensil? Yes. The bonus of the evening was the lava cake the server brought out because he knew it was my birthday. He made sure we didn't leave without celebrating with dessert. 5 stars on service alone. ((Hey, I can be bribed with chocolate lava cake!)) Ethiopian Diamond was beyond fantastic. My first experience was definitely one to remember. The best part? $33 a person with booze! Needless to say, I anticipate many return trips to chow down on injera and sambusa.

    (4)

  • Jessica P.

    I came here for dinner on a Friday evening at around 7PM with a friend..there was no wait so we were seated immediately.. FYI: if you don't enjoy eating with your fingers...I wouldn't recommend this place for you because it's just easier to eat the food here with your fingers! (I'm sure you can ask for utensils though).....sharing is easier/encouraged here as well.. so be prepared to share (family style!) Taste of Ethiopia (E2--$17.25 for 1 person or $33 for 2 ppl) - great choice for beginners or ppl that are trying Ethiopian food for their first time! it was my first time trying Ethiopian food and this dish provided a great variety of food to taste/try!! *Warning* if you cannot handle spicy food, order an item from the taste of Ethiopia that isn't spicy (E2 has some spicy items on it...)...if you ask the waitress/waiter, they'll let you know what would be a good option for you.. Portions: although the pictures may look like it's not filling, it is pretty filling eating all that food....my friend and I had leftovers.. not sure how good the leftovers when you take it home..but you do have the option to take home the leftovers... Costs: expect to spend at least $20 if you want to try the food there...it will be ~$0.75-$1 or more cheaper if you order for 2 ppl instead of for 1 person in the Taste of Ethiopia.. Drinks Honey Wine ($6): if you haven't tasted honey wine before.. I would recommend it!! it's soo delicious!! Customer Service: the waitress/waiters are very helpful in helping you select a food option for first timers.. and kind and attentive when it comes to filling your water... definitely need water if you eat spicy food! Atmosphere: diverse...spacious.. :) Parking: street parking is available...but not all free.. depends on where you park... It was a good first experience.. I would like to try out the other Ethiopian restaurants that's located on the street.. :)

    (4)

  • Laura B.

    We went to Ethiopian Diamond for the first time last night and were very impressed. This was our first time trying Ethiopian cuisine, and so were a little lost as far as what to order. The staff were helpful, and the owner was a delight to be around. He made us feel welcome, taken care of, and attended to. He also brought smiles to my children's faces (and ours!) The food was delicious!! We were all pleased by the flavorful food and careful presentation. We will definitely be going back! I know that we have not tried all the other Ethiopian restaurants- however, first impressions are very important and the staff at Ethiopian Diamond made a great impression on us. Couple that with how much we loved the food and they have definitely earned them a spot in our "go to" restaurants. Also, we were a little surprised that the food portions looked "small" to us... however, in the end we were super full (mostly because we could not stop eating because it tasted so good!) and there was still food and injera uneaten. So don't let your eyes deceive you- the portions are enough!!

    (5)

  • Desmond W.

    One word: exceptional! This restaurant is just as good as most reviews say it is. Me and my lovely lady devoured the entire combo platter quickly. I recommend this place to anyone who loves Ethiopian/Eritrean food. I give it 5 stars!

    (5)

  • Terri F.

    Had never had Ethiopian food but we decided to stop in for lunch. The waitress was phenomenal and after discussing with her our naïveté about the food she recommended dishes for us and we were not disappointed. The only complaint was there was just too much food. We ended up taking some home and it seems like a dinner portion instead if a lunch portion. Comfortable nice atmosphere inside despite the kind of plain storefront look. Will be back!!

    (4)

  • Brad S.

    Great experience from sambusas to coffee. Great vegan options. Love being able to try the full array of sambusas on ordering. The service was also very warm and friendly. We went with the vegetarian taste option and it was all wonderful. Their tea was a little weaker than I'm used to but good. If I were rating that alone I'd give that a 3. The food itself was wonderful. The presentation was, great injera, and the flavors all hit the spot. Ending with Ethiopian coffee is a must. It comes in a clay pot and it traditional style. Also the place is huge and really easy for large groups. I lived in DC for a while which i

    (5)

  • Momof F.

    Best ethiopian food ever!! My husband and I dine here at least 3-4 times a month (or do take out) and we are never disappointed. The service is always top notch with a smile and going above and beyond to make your experience the best. We will not go anywhere else but Ethiopian Diamond!

    (5)

  • Elizabeth P.

    BEWARE GRATUITY CHARGE. Celebrated a special occassion with a party of 4 diners. Four. 18% Gratuity added. Fine -- that's not even the problem. The problem was that I assumed no gratuity would be added for a party of 4. So I went ahead and left a $30 tip on a $175 bill, not realizing that gratuity had already been included. Does the staff say anything? No. I suppose they are used to being tipped 50%?? Even when they spilled an entire glass of red wine all over my friends lap. We shrugged it off and didn't make a big deal out of it. I guess maybe we should have, had we known the treatment we would get in return. Yes, I probably should have read the fine print on the bill, but I feel pretty taken advantage of. I called the restaurant to explain my mistake and they told me that they could not process a refund of the extra $30 tip, even though I promptly called within 24 hours. Bad business, and leaves a very bad taste in my mouth after going there to celebrate a very happy occassion.

    (1)

  • Aditya K.

    I have been to a few Ethiopian restaurants here in Chicago and this one didn't stand out at all. The food was average. We ordered the Meat combo and Yemisir azifa (which was the only highlight of the lunch). The meat combo was average. The doro watt lacked the usual spice punch, and also the Injera tasted funny. I must say that they have some good beer collection and their honey wine was also good. I might give this place one more try!

    (3)

  • Kaitlin M.

    This Ethiopian "Diamond" is worth the visit. It is definitely one of the top three best Ethiopian restaurants in the city. They provide a variety of healthy vegetarian and vegan options, traditional to their culture. The service is friendly and the space open, making it a great place for larger parties. I get their vegan sampler for lunch and it is good every time. They dont have it listed on the menu but create one for the same price as the vegetarian sampler every time!

    (4)

  • Steve M.

    You gotta love eating with your fingers! From the veggies to the meats to that amazing, slightly sour spongey bread we used to grab every tasty morsel, this meal was a grand slam. The flavors were delicious, and so varied. Spicy chicken legs really got me in the back of the throat. The lamb was juicy and tangy. The beef was perhaps my favorite with the chopped green onions and sauce. The red lentils, cabbage and lightly dressed salad in the middle were a good veggie options too. I tried a new Ethiopian beer called Bedele, which was OK - a tad on the sweet side, but it went well with the sour bread. The servers were friendly, and brought out a desert platter for my sister's birthday. It was delicious with ice cream, chocolate sauce, fried wontons and whipped cream. Some good, strong Ethiopian coffee was the perfect accompaniment; along with the cool Ethiopian music. This was only my second experience with Ethiopian food, but it was so much better than my first. I will definitely be back to the Diamond!

    (5)

  • David R.

    Great place for traditional Ethiopian. Prices are fair, food is delicious, ambience is quiet and pleasant (the open dining room means it never gets too loud, even when busy). Maybe I'm just a sucker for Ethiopian, but we've never had anything we didn't like here. Oh, and if you like strange booze, try the honey wine. It's not bad.

    (4)

  • Robert H.

    After I posted this review I went back on Yelp and clicked on the link above the reviews to sort the reviews by Date and I noticed something that I found to be interesting. Since August 3rd if you count my review there have been 7 reviews of this restaurant and of the seven there are 5 that rated this restaurant as either 2 or 3 stars. I will concede that 7 reviews isn't a big enough number to say with certainty that it's a sign of things declining here. However, I do believe it's significant enough to make me wonder if maybe there have been some recent changes in this restaurant's staff that are is impacting customer satisfaction. While I can't say I've eaten at a lot of Ethiopian restaurants I have eaten at enough to know two things about Ethiopian cuisine. First that I really love Ethiopian food and second that the flavors here while basically good overall fell short of the other restaurants I've eaten at. As far as the prices go it may have been just slightly higher than other Ethiopian restaurants I've eaten at, but not terribly bad. For 2 meals and 2 drinks our total came to $36. If you're planning on going and sharing a meal with another person be aware that on the menu I did read that they charge something like a 20% additional fee for the 2nd person that's sharing the meal. Personally I don't find that to be a negative thing, but for some this might be something objectionable. The interior of the restaurant was really nice. Both my friend and I thought it was really nice while not being overly stuffy. As far as the restaurant interior goes I'd say this would be fine for a first date. It is not a place that will dazzle a lady, but it's also not a place I'd be embarrassed to take a lady on a first date. The service was definitely worthy of 4 stars, so kudos for that. There were a couple of ladies working the dining area during our lunch and both of them stopped in a couple times during the course of our meal to make sure we were doing ok. For my comfort level it was just the perfect amount of service to make me feel like they cared but not enough to make it feel intrusive. I had the Doro Tibs which is my favorite dish in Ethiopian restaurants and my friend had the beef Tibs dish. My chicken was good, but it lacked much flavor. Besides the fairly bland chicken flavor in the dish the only other real flavor I could detect was the onions. It was basically good, but realistically it tasted more like something I'd cook, I'm not a good cook so that's not a good thing, than an Ethiopian dish. My friend's beef Tibs dish was very similar to my dish in it's blandness. One of my favorite parts of eating Ethiopian food is the injera bread. Unfortunately even that was a bit of a letdown. It was basically good but just not very flavorful. The flavor was about what I expected, but it was very subdued. It reminded me of some injera that I'd bought in a small grocery store that was a bit of a disappointment. Also, both my friend and I both noticed that the injera was very thin compared to what we've been served other restaurants. Since the injera bread is basically serving as you silverware it really should be more substantial so it can hold your food more securely. So the bottom line is if you're familiar with Ethiopian food I'd say yeah stop in and see for yourself since lots of others rate this place much higher than I am rating it. If anybody in your party has never eaten Ethiopian food then I'd say to definitely go someplace else where the flavors are more robust and a better representation of Ethiopian restaurants. That way the first time experience will be sure to be more representative of Ethiopian flavors.

    (2)

  • Halide T.

    On our first visit, the waitress recommended that we get veggie dishes along with meat dishes as their veggies were supposed to be really good. We followed her recommendation and sampled both meat and veggie dishes and loved every item on the platter. Ever since that first trip, every time I go to Chicago, I make sure to visit Ethiopian Diamond for a great meal. I haven't tasted anything that I didn't like. Staff is friendly and attentive. My only complaint is that the service can be slow but it does not change the fact that I LOVE this place!

    (4)

  • Queen K.

    I can't believe I haven't written a review for the Diamond before. I love this place! I've been coming here for about four years and they are consistently good. The staff: always friendly and helpful. The gentleman who I believe is the owner remembers me and my husband and always welcomes us back. The food: Delicious. Although part of the reason I only gave it 4stars is because sometimes the portions are smaller than other times. I also like all of the upgrades that they've been doing over the years. I went a few weeks ago and was surprised to see they've added an area to eat outside. I also like the fact that it seems to be perfect for dates, large groups and parties, people with children-everybody.

    (4)

  • Kelsey H.

    The staff at Ethiopian Diamond was super helpful to my group's needs -- namely, that we had about 8 people and that none of us had tried Ethiopian food before. They guided us through how much to order, which items were vegetarian, etc. Wonderful food at an affordable price -- highly recommend!

    (5)

  • Tamra G.

    This is one of my favorite restaurants in all of Chicago. The food is amazing, as is the service. My husband and I used to live five minutes from here and would drop in all the time for dinner, or pick it up on the way home from work. I even had ED cater an event for me when I worked at DePaul (and, of course, it was a huge hit). We've also brought many out-of-town guests here, and they've all loved it. My father is an crazy-picky eater (both with regard to meal content and mechanics), who normally wouldn't dream of eating a meal without a fork; however, we brought him here once and he absolutely loved it. --AND he actually went fork-less. In fact, since "the initiation," every time my mom and dad come to town, my dad always wants to come here. Word to the wise--avoid sitting anywhere near the music (for reasons of musician-skill, content, and volume...), and try to go on an off-peak dining night--it can get crazy-crowded.

    (5)

  • James L.

    Been coming here since I was in high school in the early 2000's. Damn I'm getting old. I remember hating it cause there were no utensils and the bread was sour. My sister brought our family here cause she loved it and I can say that I too love Ethiopian food now. The funny thing is I never remember the names of the food I like. I just know the spicy lamb (something watt) is my favorite. Entree comes with sides so you don't really have to order that. The best thing I like is that the spices are really there and the food always fill me up. The dough/bread is not as sour as it use to be and I really enjoy this place over Demera in Uptown.

    (5)

  • La Tonya G.

    I was so excited to go this Restaurant because of all the great reviews, and on top of that I wanted to experience another type of cuisine! When I saw Ethiopian Diamond on Groupon I snatched up the deal right away. When my friend and I walk in we are greeted right away by the Host/Waiter. That was great and we were then given our water and the menu. It is at this point the experience starts to slowly decline. I had a few questions because I had never been to this type of restaurant before, I mean it would have been nice if the Waiter would have said have you ever dined with us or something, bu no such luck so we were left scratching our heads! He walked over placed some napkins on our table and told us he would be right with us! No problem we said...thinking when he returned we could ask him a few questions. When the waiter came to take our order because he was basically the only person taken orders he didn't have the time to explain to me what it was I was looking at, matter a fact when he did stop for a moment I was more confused then when I was earlier. He then left and said call me when you really know what you want....My friend and I are like what, really? When he came back I began to order and he told me no that's wrong you can only order from this column, I told you that! He then pointed to the the numbers and the collation to the food so I told him to give me a second and smiled but it wasn't a genuine it was one of annoyance because I didn't understand their menu and he didn't have time to be bothered with us. When he came back my friend asked "Are sides included with my order and he says whatever the Chef decides to give you that will be your side!" Really? we said that a lot while here at the EDR. When the food came to the table the waiter asked if we had ever been to an Ethiopian Restaurant and I said no, my friend said yes once and as he walked away he said okay she will explain things to you...Wow!!! Now, the food was good but the portions were so small that even the young girl sitting behind us told her father that she was still hungry!!! For the prices that they charge you would think they would have some heartier portions. I'm glad I had a Groupon because if I would have paid 40.00 for that meal I would have been more disappointed. Service is just as important as the meal and for me the service was lackluster and the was tasty but I wont be back because I want to enjoy my experience and not feel lost as I sit there!

    (2)

  • Steven K.

    Food is great and quick to come out. Still, the reason why I gave it three stars is that I have ordered the vegetarian plate several times. I have ordered it for 1 and I have ordered it for 2. The platter for 2 is $14. Even though you are paying $14 more, you are still getting the same exact amount as the price for 1. At this point, since I live close, I just go across the street for pick up, order for 1, and feed my company.

    (3)

  • Sarah W.

    Don't be afraid if you've never eaten Ethiopian before! The servers are very welcoming and explain everything to you. The plates are large and meant to be shared. Try "Taste of Ethiopia" if it's your first time! The vegetarian options are bountiful and one of their specialties.

    (5)

  • Salina G.

    Most wonderful Tej in Chicago! I have been going to Diamond for several years now. The food, drink, and atmosphere keep me coming back over and over again. They will not disappoint!

    (5)

  • Gerry D.

    Went here for the 1st time today. The staff was friendly and attentive. We ordered the E1 for 2, E4 for 1 and beef and chicken sambusas. The food was flavorful. The spice wasn't overwhelming. This place is expensive. I feel like we make have gotten cheated because I mentioned to the waitress that we had a Groupon before the food arrived. Given the fact that the E1 was for 2 people, I found it odd that the portion size was the same as the E4 for 1. Didn't like that they put the E1 and E4 on the same platter. Oh well!!

    (2)

  • Meag H.

    Came here last night with 4 good friends and feasted on all kinds of deliciousness!!! We had a Groupon (hurry-up and get one, for 2 or for 4) and enjoyed a large variety of both meat and vegetarian options! Every bite was delicious and the honey wine was a lovely (not too sweet) compliment to our meal! I will be back!!!

    (5)

  • Sarah R.

    My fiancé and I decided to check it out when we were still dating and the service and food was so great we've been going regularly since. We even joke about renting out their larger room to hold our wedding reception. I love how they have plenty of options for meat eaters and vegetarians. Their drinks are great! I recommend the Mango drink (a drink the whole family can partake in). If you're faint of heart and are a bit scared of trying new things I wouldn't recommend the meat dish that is basically ground meat that is barely cooked. It's a delicacy from what the waitress said. She was ever so nice to take it back and cook it some more though without making me feel embarrassed. It also helps that this place is located next to Lickity split.

    (5)

  • Susan P.

    Ethiopian food is my ultimate comfort food. It is warm, flavorful, and delicious. Ethiopian Diamond is consistently good. They have a good selection of African beer and wine along with a full bar. They have a variety of sampler platters that are great to order if you are new to their cuisine .It appeals to both vegetarians and meat lovers.

    (5)

  • Joonho Y.

    Best Ethiopian Food I have ever had! If I ever want to introduce anyone to Ethiopian Food, this is where I suggest.

    (5)

  • M B.

    I just love this place. And, there is a great gdine.com deal which gives you a taste of everything! Make sure you get the Honey Wine!

    (5)

  • Joanna W.

    Delicious food, friendly staff (like super friendly) and they were more than happy to accept my Groupon! Ethiopian Diamond has a great atmosphere and fills my hankering' for Ethiopian food every time. The only downside is that I overdo it with the spongy bread.

    (5)

  • Enrique H.

    Food was great but service was awful...too slow.

    (3)

  • Esther K.

    Our experience here was not the best but the food was, for the most part, very good. A solid 3.5 in my book. A friend and I stopped by around 8p on a Sunday evening. The place was PACKED, and the host let us know that though we could be seated right away the wait for our food would be about an hour. I think this is pretty atypical of Diamond in general, they were just short staffed that night, it seems. We appreciated the heads up, and decided to stick it out. It took maybe 40 minutes for our appetizer to come out, and after that long of a wait we were disappointed to find that it was pretty horrible. We had ordered the lentil sambusa and it was nearly cold, overly fried, and just generally not tasty. Yuck. Luckily our main entrees were yummy. The injera was plentiful and just the right texture. The doro tips were flavorful, although some pieces of chicken were a little dry. The shimbra assa was interesting. I enjoyed the spicy kick of the sauce but some of the chickpea dough broke off into dry little unappetizing chunks. The small tomato salad that came with it was light and refreshing. Big portions and overall a lot of wonderful textures/flavors. Diamond is a great space for large parties and children. The service seemed kind of all over the board from my observations. Our server was very friendly but did not check in with us too often (understandable, on this night), and many of the female servers in particular seemed really aloof and not very personable at all. The food was good enough that I wouldn't mind coming back, but there are so many other Ethiopian places around the neighborhood that I'm sure I'll try to check them out first!

    (3)

  • Joseph J.

    This place has the best Ethiopian food in town, plus the service is friendly and laid back. Additionally, if you live anywhere on the North Side they will deliver it right to you. There's nothing like some injera and doro wat from the Diamond after a hard day's work. Highly recommend.

    (5)

  • Christine T.

    While the food here deserves more stars, unfortunately the service has gone down the drain. I've been coming to Ethiopian Diamond for over four years, and recently as their popularity has gained, their service has declined exponentially. My boyfriend and I dined here recently, and they never brought him his Ethiopian Coffee. Then when we came back today they forgot his Honey wine, again. They never checked on us, and then we had to flag down someone who wasn't our server to bring us a to-go box and check. If this terrible service continues we will not be coming back.

    (2)

  • Monica J.

    LOVE Ethiopian food. I have been here a few times due to groupons and such. I have tried several other Ethiopian places in the city and I must say that although the food (and ohh the coffee :) ) are great, this restaurant is a bit over-priced. In addition, they will charge extra if you try to order a combo meal and share with another person. We came in a group and ended up ordering a combo as well as several entrees. The quantity is quite limited based on how much you pay and how much is actually given. The owners and staff were very nice, though. I would return but there are so many cheaper and more quaint Ethiopian restaurants in the city that I would probably opt for those, though.

    (3)

  • Green T.

    We've been back here many, many times since my original review and I've definitely changed my tune with regard to my preference - Ethiopian Diamond is definitely my favorite Ethiopian restaurant. The service is usually excellent, the food quality is very consistent and the dishes are all delicious. The Ethiopian spiced tea is very yummy, their coffee is good though I actually prefer the Ethiopian coffee at Lalibela. We usually get the kitfo (raw, please! the plain, gomen (collards), or garlic versions are all very tasty), doro watt (which for a while seemed terrific, but now seems more good, but not mind-blowing - not sure if that is the dish or just me) or one of the ______ alichas or tibs (their beef is good, lamb is okay and chicken is very tasty). We now often get the Shiro which is like a chickpea flour stew/gruel that is OMG DELICIOUS. We got it once when we went with some vegetarian friends and were astounded by the yumminess and added it to our repertoire since. The sides come out randomly, rather than you selecting as at Rash Dashen - we occasionally order an extra side which has given our server some confusion on occasion. All the sides are good, but our faves are the gomen (collards) and kik alicha (split peas). There is plenty of vegetarian stuff on the menu. We've tried the shrimp/fish entrees which are alright but not something I'd really recommend as well as the Shimbra Assa (Chick Pea Fish) and Duba Watt (pumpkin). Again, they were alright but not something we've added to our regular ordering like the shiro. We don't ususally drink with dinner but their house-made honey wine is pretty tasty - kind of yeasty. I'm not sure what they've been doing over the past year or so but I think they hired some weird restaurant consultants or something. They redid a lot of their service in ways that don't really make sense to me and redesigned the restaurant to look a lot more New American than Ethiopian. We don't avoid the restaurant because of these things, but it's just kind of weird and not really a "pro."

    (5)

  • Roseann M.

    Don't know why I bother writing the 447th review of this restaurant, but since my catchphrase is "Everyone is welcome to my opinion", I'm going to go ahead and do it. My friend the Librarian chose Ethiopian Diamond when I said, "eh. . . I'm kind of sick of everything, and I don't want to eat humongously fattening food. . . how about Ethiopian food for a change?" I'm very grateful she recommended this particular restaurant. Everything was absolutely delicious. We went vegetarian, as we are frequently wont to do. We ordered a Veggie Combo, which gave us three choices (sorry, i don't remember exactly!) and the Yemisir Watt, a spicy lentil dish. Oh boy was this delicious! We rolled injera into our hot little hands and scooped up fabulous food. We tried, oh we tried so hard, to eat it all, but it was too much for our girlish appetites. We had to take some home with us. Can't tell you about the alcohol, because we stayed sober. Such good food deserves full attention! Service was prompt and professional. And I even found a free street parking space a couple blocks away. I would absolutely go again. In fact, I can hardly wait!

    (5)

  • Katharine T.

    I absolutely LOVED my time at the Ethiopian Diamond with my boyfriend and 2 good friends. I have to say I like this place a lot more than Ras Dashen not too far down the street. I will note however I was not able to sample any meat at Ras (due to an accompanying vegetarian friend) and I finally was able to enjoy the glory that are Ethiopian meat dishes at the Diamond. If my memory serves me correct we had the .... Kitfo (Ethiopian Steak Tartar) which was out of bounds, crazy crazy good with a bite of the Injura and their "cottage cheese" (I have no idea what it's called). I *think* we had the Dinich Alicha (potatoes) for our vegetarian option and the Yebeg Watt (spicy lamb). Everything was so good it was unbelievable. All of this was served with the cottage cheese, greens and lentils atop Injura with heaps of extra Injura on the side. Every bite was perfect, savory, spicy, amazing. I love the sour of the cheese and the Injura with the creamy & spicy of the meat, greens or lentils. A friend had their honey wine, I did not sample it but she was drinking this stuff up like it was going out of style. It was really freaking great apparently. I had a glass of wine, I chose one at random, don't remember which one but I remember it was good. The boys got some Ethiopian beer, they seemed to be unimpressed by it but it was all about the food anyway. This place was packed around 8 - 9 on a Saturday night, I was actually surprised how crazy busy it was for so "late" ... this just proved to me how good this place must be (is) and that all the locals know it. Live jazz added to a really fantastic evening. I am dying to go back. Loved loved loved this place. Worth every penny; I'm reliving every bite now ....

    (4)

  • Deleine C.

    So...ever since I saw that Polly movie I've wanted to go to a restaurant that A. you eat with your hands and B. sit on the floor. As this was the first time we'd ever had Ethiopian, I wasn't sure what to expect, and maybe it was the whole no utensil thing, but I had a very good feeling... I'm a foreign food connoisseur who will try just about anything once (minus insects) so needless to say I was pumped. Food was delicious, but word to the wise*** only order spicy if u can handle it!! We ordered the lamb and although it's not your typical idea of spicy, that great flavor took a toll on me about an hour later. Now I love spicy food and have been known to eat it so hot it hurts, unfortunately for me this turned out to be another one of those days. It seems my poor newbie stomach had a little trouble digesting everything, but no worries it was definitely worth it. Portions are fair and accommodating; my boyfriend eats like an animal and I only ordered 2 dishes, the lamb and red lentils. BE AWARE when ordering...if you order sides, make sure to specify because they'll charge you for a full portion!!! (unexpected hit on the bill) all in all, yummy and unique experience, will definitely return!

    (4)

  • Stacy B.

    I've never had Ethiopian food and tried it for the first time last night! Ethiopian Diamond was fantastic! They had live music (Saturday night) which set a great mood. Our server was super nice. We got the veggie combo platter for two and it was out-of-this-world. Can't wait to go back! A great spot for a date. Highly recommend!

    (5)

  • Taufiq H.

    Great food had the taste of ethopia .. lots of meat. May try the vegetarian option next time Tour of ethopia

    (5)

  • Elena E.

    I like Ethiopian food and have been to a fair number of Ethiopian restaurants in different cities. The food here was good, though there was nothing outstanding about it. The sambusas were a little disappointing (tough to chew through), but the veggie combo + doro watt we ordered were better. We had an unpleasant experience at the end of the meal when we produced a groupon and the waiter said they don't accept that during the week. We pointed out that there was nothing in the rules of their specific groupon offer about weekends, and he said that it was just hard for them to make money if they were to accept it also during the week. I sympathize, but they should have thought of that before they sold the groupon. In the end he acted like he did us a favor and accepted it. I'm not sure I'd go back or recommend this place to friends, given how many truly outstanding places to eat there are in Chicago.

    (3)

  • Christine F.

    These guys have gluten free injera! Be sure to specifically ask for it - their regular injera does have gluten in it. Everything here is always delicious, as usual. I love the tea - it's my favorite tea of all time.

    (4)

  • A R.

    Oh. My. Gawd. This was amazing! I have never had a dining experience like this! If you ever wanted to eat a full meal of sloppy food with your hands, here is your chance. Always in search for amazing vegetarian food that doesn't revolve around processed soy/tofu products (you know, real vegetables), I feel like I hit the jackpot. I wish I could remember the names of everything, but what I do know is that we ordered the vegetarian combo platter and it was de-lic-ious. The food is served on a spongy wheat based doughy bread of sorts (forgot the name). You get a side of this bread-like food to rip apart and pick up mounds of the food. And the flavors were unbelievable! The chick pea one was the absolute best. The service, at the beginning at least, was slow. The girl was standing 4 feet away from us just casually looking over the tables. I think we sat there for almost 10 minutes before she came over to greet us. But after that, everything picked up and was great. I cannot recommend this place enough! For vegetarians and carnivores alike!

    (5)

  • Brittany B.

    This was my first experience with Ethiopian food and I loved it. Never too busy and the prices are great for the amount of food you get. We have went for lunch and dinner and generally come home with leftovers (which are really great once the injera has soaked up the flavors. Lots of vegetarian options - for two people, the sampler was a great option. Ethiopian beers in bottle and great service.

    (4)

  • FoodLover Z.

    Great Ethiopian food. My favorite Ethiopian restaurant in Chicago, along with Demera and Ras Dashen.

    (4)

  • Steph C.

    Love this place! We've been a few times and always enjoyed the food. We are adventurous, so have been guided to try some winners by our servers. A personal favorite was the tartare and the anything in the spicy (berbere) sauce. The service, although always friendly, is a little hit or miss in terms of the timing/attentiveness. No big deal, I would still go back in a heartbeat and have no problem recommending this place to anyone who's looking to try some awesome food!

    (5)

  • Ryan C.

    My wife and I came here for her 30th birthday, and we used gdine.com to book our reservation. This was our first experience with Ethiopian food, and we were really excited to try it. It was fantastic. We started off with a couple glasses of the honey wine, which was really good, but a little too sweet to drink a lot of it. We got the beef and the potato sambusas, and they were excellent. Crispy and hot, and we wanted a bunch of them. Off to a great start.. For the main course we got the spicy beef, spicy chicken, lentils, and potatos. They came out on a big round pan with a layer of the injera underneath. It also came with a side plate of extra injera. The injera was really excellent. The texture was soft and spongy and had like a sourdough taste. It went excellent with all of the items we got. The beef was my favorite, and the lentils was probably my least favorite. The meat had a nice mild spiciness to it, and the chicken was fall of the bone tender. You can tell it had been stewed for hours. So good. It didn't seem like a lot of food at first, but there is plenty there. It didn't' take long to fill us up. When we were done with that, they brought us out a chocolate molten cake with icecream and sang my wife happy birthday. Wasn't the best molten cake I've had, but it was still really good. Overall, we absolutely loved our first experience with Ethiopian food, and we will definitely be back. They workers were very pleasant and friendly. Good times to be had.

    (5)

  • Miss M.

    This was the 2nd time I had gone to Ethiopian Diamond in 5 years and I went with 2 other people-- one who had a discount restaurant card from Chicago Public Radio (2 dinners for 1 deal). Our experience was great-- our server was attentive and sweet, our food was really good. We order 2 sampler dishes because (1) they can easily feed 3 people and (2) we would get one for free because of the CPR discount card. Their food was really good (as I had remembered it) and their honey wine is awesome (I had 2 glasses of it). Our only issue was that the host of the restaurant was really rude and curt towards us. We told our server (who was really cool) that we had a discount card in advance and she took the card to ring up our tab. The host came back and said that they would charge us a "$7 sharing fee" since we only ordered 2 sampler plates (which are huge btw) and there were 3 people at the table. We were not told in the beginning of that fee. We were kinda ticked because the fee defeats of the whole purpose of having a Chicago Public Radio discount card. I've noticed in the last 2 years that many restaurants are catching up to how people are trying to save money in a lousy economy. Many restaurants will not accommodate large parties of people (this is my ranting of diners and restaurants in general) and they will no longer seat you unless your entire party arrives. My boyfriend, who came 5 minutes early, was rushed to the bar by the rude host and he just waited for us. A lot of places charge ridiculous fees and really just want you to "eat and leave". They charge fees for ridiculous things and many places will not honor Groupon or other coupon deals. Irksome. The food at E.D. was excellent but the host was just really crass towards us. Their food gets 5 stars but the host was just a turn off. I would only go back if I have another coupon or deal (or if someone else wanted to pay lol....)

    (3)

  • Shradha A.

    Something has changed... it's just not the same food and my go-to Ethiopian has quickly changed **sad face**

    (4)

  • Corey N.

    Came at the passionate recommendation of an Ethiopian cab driver. Good stuff, and I'd definitely choose it again for Ethiopian food, just not blown away. Interior and atmosphere is awesome.. more formal than you might expect from the outside. Service was great. Food was ok. Specifically, the beef entree was great, sambusas were pretty decent, and the chicken was a little meh.. just kind of plain, unseasoned chicken. If you haven't had Ethiopian food, you're in for a trip. You'll be peeling off a spongy bread call injera and basically eating with your fingers. I didn't mind that bit at all, personally, but I can see it weirding others out here already.. so be wary.

    (3)

  • J W.

    I have eaten at many Ethiopian restaurants across the US. This was absolutely delicious. One of, if not THE, best Ethiopian restaurant I've been to. The Assa Tibs (tilapia) was amazing. Everything we had was good. Try the Diamond salad, you won't be disappointed. Beautiful restaurant, very nice people. Will be going back soon.

    (5)

  • William B.

    Every time I have ethiopian cuisine, I'm reminded of the movie Along Came Polly, and Ben Stiller's experience. It's really nothin like that, at least in my experience. But it always brings a smile to my face. Any ethiopian cuisine is as exotic as an ethnic food gets, and yet my exposure to the cuisine has me thinking that Diamond is a little more geared towards an American palate than others. Simple flavors. Not overly heavy on the spices. Probably a good thing for any first timer. We went with our vegetarian friends, so we were ok with going vegetarian (we've had the meats before- different, but all excellent). Started with the vegetarian sambusas. Excellent; nice and crispy. The whole lentil sambusa is the way to go. Then we got the vegetarian combo for all, and added the Shiro. Definitely try the Shiro. Of the whole platter, only one was spicy, the red lentils. I would want to get more spicy dishes next time. We got the gluten-free, all tef flour, ingera. Be sure to request from your server as soon as you are seated. much darker in color, and maybe a little tangier, but would probably need a side-by-side comparison to really tell the diff. Also, the ethipoian hot tea is a must. Ethiopian cuisine is probably best first attempted with someone who has experienced it before. Oh, and with someone with whom you trust their hygiene. Everyone eats with their hands off the same platter. Maybe they should bring out hot towels for a hand cleansing at the beginning of the meal. Just a thought.

    (5)

  • Sierra H.

    The food was amazing and so was the service. My boyfriend and I both got the veggie combo and were so full by the end. They have a good selection of beers from Africa and their long islands are delicious!! I have been here a few times and all of them have been just as good as the last. They are busy on the weekends so I would make a reservation!

    (5)

  • Damian H.

    Good first time experience!

    (4)

  • Robyn C.

    This restaurant is UUUHHH MMMAAAYYY ZZZIIINNNGGG. 4.5 stars if I could give it a half, but would rather give it a 5 than a 4. We went with a group of 11 people and service was pretty good with how busy it was. My Fiance ordered the St. George beer, recommended by the waitress, it was very smooth and light. I ordered the honey wine which was pretty good, but not fantastic. For our entrees, we ordered the Tour of Ethiopia which consists of an appetizer, entree and sides. We got the Lentil and Potato and Carrot Sambusa for the appetizer, the Doro Tibs Watt for the entree (spicy chicken) and Ordinich Alicha for the side. We also ordered the lemon Tilapia which wasn't that great. It was a whole fried fish that tasted bland and I would not order that again. I can go to the Uni-Mart in Schaumburg for fried Tilapia. The chicken however was fantastic. You scoop it up with your hands with the Injera (Ethiopian Bread) - looks like a white crepe but has a sour light pancake taste to it. It totally complemented the chicken and side dishes. The only bad thing about this restaurant is the menu. They should offer better descriptions or even pictures so that you can get a better ideal of what you are ordering. They do pile on the food on one big serving dish, so if you are a vegetarian, I would highly recommend that you ask for your food to be separated just for yourself. I look forward to coming here again.

    (5)

  • Tricia D.

    Which of the following do you enjoy? a. Caveman habits. b. Live music. c. Eating with your hands. d. Meat and carbs. If you answered one or more of the above, then I'd give Ethiopian Diamond restaurant a try. I can't guarantee there will be live music every night of the week, but there was a pleasant jazz band this past Fri. that performed some elevator music-y tunes. What other type of cuisine offers silverware in the form of spongey, sourdough flatbread with an exotic name like injera? I'm not a huge fan of sourdough, but I do love meat, so scooping my protein up with injera was a sacrifice I was willing to make. The staff was friendly, attentive and handled our dinner party of 15ish expertly. And if you go, make sure your friends don't have germs or cooties on their hands. There's a lot of communal dishes.

    (3)

  • Trang V.

    Trust the reviews. AMAZING DINING EXPERIENCE and AMAZING FOOD. Our server was fantastic and was sweet in explaining what everything was. Must try: Appetizer: Sambusas-our favorite was spinach Entrees: Doro Tibs Watt (the chicken I believe ) The Lamb (don't know the proper name) Believe the hype.

    (5)

  • Betty C.

    Well, I have been here a good number of times over a decade. It was always a bit slow. The service was always a bit kook. But now, NOW, I am over this biznass. Used to --you could get a meal here. These days you order a meal and get a scoop of food for like $13.00. By a scoop I mean a half cup of lentils for $13.00. I ordered the veggie combo and got about $1.20 of food. I mean they were stingy with cabbage. CABBAGE. You know, cabbage? It's like 40 cents a pound! For $25.00 I had 1 drink and a veggie combo and left hungry as hell. I am a light eater; I weigh 125 lbs. And this was like not even a snack, with a long wait, and really weird service. Ethiopian Diamelle, if that!

    (1)

  • Michael G.

    Myth #3018 about Ethiopian cuisine: Ethiopians are not technologically advanced enough to take reservations at their restaurants. The group who wins a machete fight in the waiting area is seated first. Fact #1 about Ethiopian Diamond restaurant: You can make reservations online in advance for this particular restaurant. Absolutely no knifeplay required. In fact, since like at almost all Ethiopian places you eat with your hands, there are no knives outside the kitchen. Planning Veggie Supper Club is often a challenge. There have been some months with up to a 75% flake rate. Some people say vegetarians are picky eaters. I saw that's not true, but we are apparently very fickle diners who decide at a moment's notice they don't want a particular restaurant. The September dining excursion was not an exception. Our reservation for 20 quickly became 10 in about a 24 hour period. Ethiopian Diamond, used to large groups did not even bat an eye and managed to adjust on the fly (which as I stated in an earlier Ethiopian restaurant review is not a side dish of this cuisine - neither, for that matter are bats or eyes) and made the dining experience one of the easiest yet. Like most Ethiopian places, Ethiopian Diamond serves large groups family style on a giant piece of injera (sponge bread used similarly to Indian naan) that ends up closely resembling an artist palette (the color range of Ethiopian food is second to none). And like most other Ethiopian places, you can order a combo to experiment with the full range of flavors and textures ($11.25 for three choices is a bit more pricey than some Ethio places but the portions are large). But there is one difference that's the only one that matters - Ethiopian Diamond is the biggest and best place in the city (that's just my opinion but I'm sticking to it). The injera's just a little bit spongier and more savory, the gomen's (collared greens) just a little more tangy, the dinich alicha (potato cubes and carrots) is the best in the city. The plaques on the wall don't lie. Though I'm surprised no one's eaten them yet. The rapidity that the food disappears here borders on insane. Luckily, no one was harmed in the quick devouring of all of the delicious choices. But probably only because none of us had knives.

    (5)

  • Lina F.

    I had Ethiopian food once and it was cold and bland and I steered clear of it for years because of that one negative experience. But today, I went to Ethiopian Diamond and my eyes were opened! This was some of the tastiest food I've had in a while. The great thing about it was that we went around 11 AM, with a total of four moms and four toddlers and the staff was so kid-friendly! The waitress told each of our kids how beautiful they were and the waiter always approached us with warm smiles, even when we had to run after a toddler who found an African drum behind a curtain and started pounding out a beat! I made sure to tip them well. :) I tried the Tour of Ethiopia and sampled one of the beef appetizers, a chicken Apriyah main dish, and a carrots and potatoes side dish, with an Ethiopian salad. Everything was delicious and I just loved the Injera bread that was used to scoop up all the food. My only regret is that I couldn't have tried more dishes. Next time, I'm coming with a group who will eat family style so we can try lots of different items!

    (5)

  • Annie N.

    As much as I am obsessed with their food - my last visit here wasn't spectacular, and I think this place is losing out on the race to be my favorite Ethiopian restaurant, (not that anyone cares except me) We got there at 7, and our food didn't come out till 8:15, between that, our server came to told us the food was about to ready once, and no additional visit. Our water was not refilled until the food came out (not sure if this is a common practice or not). I was sooo hungry I started to get cranky. My friend tempted me with a granola bar, but hell no, who decided to go get Ethiopian just to ruin it by eating granola bar right before the meal? The food was delicious, full of flavor. The Okra was phenomenon. We literally inhaled the whole meal in about 10-15 minutes - turned out I wasn't the only one hungry, others just hid it better. I still like this place, I just hope they have better services. Or perhaps put a warning on their menu, so my friends doesn't have to endure me being a brat - on our way home I barely spoke to my friend - yes I was full, and yes I was still cranky about the long wait - poor him!

    (3)

  • Amira A.

    Really great service. Even though the restaurant was full (Saturday night) we got seated and our orders were taken within the first 10 minutes. They even had a gluten free injera. I had the vegetarian option of the watt which was good. They even gave me eggs when I asked.

    (5)

  • Melissa A.

    I never tried Ethiopian before coming here. Very yummy. I enjoy the Pumpkin and all the veggie dishes the most. I'm not even a vegetarian!

    (5)

  • Michael G.

    2/5 stars, but consider it a strong 2/5 or a weak 3/5. A lot of glowing reviews for this place. I think it's because Chicagoans have not experienced really good "working class" Ethiopian food, and they perhaps think that it is a very exotic (possibly gourmet?) cuisine that needs an Epcot Center "Cuisine of the World"-style presentation. The Ethiopian Diamond makes you feel like a tourist, with the overdone decor & over-priced small portions. That being said, it's tasty food & the spacious dining room makes it an excellent location for larger groups. Don't believe the hype on the reviews -- Chicago is looking for an uptown Ethiopian place to award the "best of" ribbon & the Diamond is the garish obvious choice -- but enjoy it for what it is at any rate. I LOVE Ethiopian food, and this place will do, but I'm still searching for that perfect hole-in-the-wall place that serves the good stuff without all the fuss & inflated prices.

    (2)

  • Amy J.

    This place is worth the 3 stars, even despite the slower service. The food is roick solid and that makes us willing to suffer the inconsistent service. We have been to both the location on Broadway, and the location on N Clark. We had lunch at the Clark location and were the only patrons, but had extremely inattentive service. We have had better luck sticking with the Broadway location. This is a great restaurant to introduce those new to Ethopian food - I myself was taken here when my sister came to visit, as she had been living in South Africa and knew her way around the cuisine better than I did. The prices seem reasonable and we always end up with leftovers. If you are in a hurry though, this is not the place to go.

    (3)

  • Bethany R.

    I fell in love with Ethiopian Diamond Restaurant early on when I moved to the city. I've tried other Ethiopian restaurants, and none compare. I can only speak to the vegetarian dishes, as I've never sampled the meat dishes. The taste and presentation of the food is always consistent. I have never had a "bad" batch of food given to me. The service is quick and friendly. The restaurant can become very busy on nights closer to the weekend, but service seems to remain the same. The staff are very friendly and helpful if you have a dinner partner who has never had Ethiopian before or one who doesn't know the differences between one dish from another. The appetizers are excellent and always made fresh. If you run out of injera at your main course, they happily bring you more and don't charge "extra" for more pieces of injera. However, I've never eaten to excess, so there may be a point where they would begin charging a few extra dollars, but I just don't know. At one point, I was stopping in for carry-out on a weekly basis. Although it saves some money by not having to pay for service, be prepared to spend a little more than the usual American restaurant for a meal. However, it's definitely worth it. Sometimes I can get three to four meals out of "E3 for one," which is the vegetarian sampler. A must-try is the tej (honey wine). I've tried tej in other restaurants, including NYC, and Ethiopian Diamond's tej is the best. It appears less filtered than other tejs in that it's cloudy and has a bit of sediment at the bottom. I think that it gives it more flavor, body, and visual interest, as compared to a purely clear tej. Ethiopian Diamond's atmosphere is inviting and comfortable. It's definitely a nice place for a date if you're comfortable eating spicy food with your hands. Eating "family style" is a healthy experience in itself. Throughout the weekends, there are often performances, anything from a keyboardist covering a number of jazz and/or jazz-influenced pop songs, to a trio on stage. Hands down, this is my favorite restaurant in Chicago (so far). I love it so much that I will most likely plan a party for my big 3-0 there. Another plus is that there are often Groupons readily available and other discounts (such as 20% off lunch if you bring in a takeout menu). A must-try for anyone visiting or living in Chicago for the first time!

    (5)

  • M L.

    This is a great neighborhood restaurant with dependably tasty food while also being a good place to bring out-of-town guests who cannot get Ethiopian food where they live. I always get the feeling that the waitstaff are genuinely interested in introducing people to Ethiopian food and culture. When people think "Chicago Food" they usually think deep dish, hot dogs, and the uber expensive places. These are all great but in order to get a real sense of Chicago, Ethiopian Diamond should be on the list too.

    (4)

  • Karl K.

    I've been to many Ethiopian restaurants both around the world and in Chicago. The food here is above average but the real disappointment is the limited amount of food and high prices (probably the most expensive Ethipoian food in Chicago). There several other more cousy and good value nice service restaurants to try out.

    (2)

  • Rosemary T.

    I've been to pretty much every Ethiopian place in Chicago (except Awash, which is sort of new) and hands down Ethiopian Diamond has the best tasting food. Any time I ask Ethiopian folks about what's a good place, they also recommend the Diamond (as they like to call it). I know some people are apprehensive about trying Ethiopian food, but it's just a matter of picking dishes that you like. They have a pretty large spectrum of flavors. I am a fan of getting one of the veggie platters, doro watt, and doro tibs. I don't eat much beef or lamb, so I haven't ordered either. Once in a while, the food is not that great. I do admit that the quality/flavor has fluctuated. In all, I've been here maybe 6-7 times, and the food was mediocre about twice. There are...some people...who have rated this place low. Don't listen. It's a hipster-snob thing. The Diamond doesn't have overdone decor. In fact, it's pretty low key. Sure, they don't use broken dishes, don't have holes in the walls, and don't have bugs crawling around. Sure, occasionally, American Ethiopian folks will have parties hosted there. Just because it is Ethiopian doesn't mean that it must be a hole in the wall, or that it must be a hole in the wall to be good, or that anybody who DOES enjoy the food must have fallen for the "exotic" seduction of ethnic food, or that people think it's gourmet because gosh we're all just so stupid, ignorant, and not classy enough to know that certain foods aren't classy or "gourmet." Sheesh. People say the same snobby sh*t about Indian food too. Please. If you want good Ethiopian food, give this place a try. I do agree with some reviewers that the price is a little much...especially if you're like me and order 2-4 different things for two people (one tour "plate" with mixed veggie dishes and two separate meat dishes). I've taken leftovers home and they have tasted fine, but always look messy. Just a heads up.

    (5)

  • Sarah B.

    This was my first time trying Ethiopian food and it was Amazing. I'm completely hooked. There were 5 of us and we shared a platter for 4 (one veggie, one meat). I do wish the menu was slightly easier to read, but it's probably just that I had never seen an Ethiopian food menu before. The service was a little slow but the food was so good that I didn't care. I can't wait to go back! Sadly I was too full for dessert!! Next time

    (5)

  • Sandy L.

    We really enjoyed our meal at Ethiopian Diamond. I virtually never take pictures of food at restaurants, but I did here. Our reservation was honored immediately and our waitress was friendly and helpful. Mellow jazz band in the back was an unexpected plus. We will definitely be back - tomorrow, as it happens!

    (5)

  • Michelle K.

    I tried Ethiopian food for the first time when I was about 18 (thanks to my friend Joe who is a food expert). I have loved it ever since. The Diamond is the best place in Chicago to get it. I especially love the Tibs Wett. Their Injera is fabulous!! If you have room, try any of their yummy desserts. If you have thought about trying Ethio food, but never have, this is the place to go and fall in love with it. I go as often as I can!

    (5)

  • Rhonda G.

    My first Ethiopian experience left a bad taste in my mouth, literally and figuratively speaking. I was prepared to be close minded and completely write off the entire cuisine as "not my cup of tea". A friend was having a belated birthday dinner here so of course I didn't want to say no. I pushed my hesitation aside and embraced Ethiopian cuisine once again. I'm glad I did. I'm not sure what the other place was doing but they weren't doing it right. I ordered the veggie combo and I was happy with all of my dishes. The injera was the texture it should be and not overwhelmingly sour like my first experience. My favorite item was the lentils, a hint of spice and just great flavor all around. Another item I enjoyed was the African beer and a server who understood that light beer doesn't mean the lightest of the dark beers you offer. Service was friendly and our server really seemed to enjoy what he was doing. I saw him greet a couple of regulars (seemingly) with hugs and genuine excitement and I thought that was pretty cool. Quick tip:The place seems to fill up so make a reservation if you can.

    (4)

  • Aimee M.

    Our group had some folks that had never tried Ethiopian food before and it was a little hard trying to make a decision on how to order. We all wanted to try different things on the menu, but some don't like spicy and some loved spicy and of course we didn't want to go crazy and over-order food either. Our server suggested the Tour of Ethiopia option. Each person receives two sambusas, garden salad and one entree. The group then gets 2 sides to share as well. All the food is served together on a large piece of Injera bread. If you're like me, the injera that's left on the platter that soaked up the juices from the entrees really is the tastiest part of the meal. But until then, you're given plenty of injera bread to tear up, scoop up your meat or veggie with the injera and eat. No utensils here (except for the salad--they placed forks on the table for that.) The server suggested 2 chicken, 2 lamb and 2 beef entrees. I'm sorry I can't tell you which was a tibs, watt or alicha preparation as our server offered to choose the entrees for us as he promised a great variation for us to try. The food was good, but it wasn't bursting with flavor as I had hoped. The dishes our server said was spicy, had a little heat but not enough for me to call "spicy". The spinach and lentil sides were good, but like our entrees, not as flavorful as I've had at other Ethiopian restaurants. I really liked the sambusa--crispy puffs stuffed with your choice of beef, chicken, potato, lentil or carrot. Well prepared and flavorful. The honey wine they serve is delicious and paired nicely with the food. Friendly service, nicely decorated space. I wanted to like the like the food more, but found it pretty average.

    (3)

  • Sarah L.

    I do love their food..I really do. And I especially love their coffee. (although someone on here said the fried stuff can come out wrong and that's true.. it can be hard) You have to go there a little bit ready for your server to be slow because it's true one or two people are overwhelmed with a lot to do.

    (4)

  • Shereene M.

    I really was excited to go and try Ethiopian food but I didn't particularly care for it. When we walked in around 6 pm the place was practically empty which was nice. The waiter was nice and seated us next to the window. Within 15 minutes, the place was half full. It was pretty crazy! Anyway, the waiter helped us decide on two sampler plates, E2 and E4. He said it was a good variety of meat and vegetarian options especially since it was our first time. His tone of voice wasn't the friendliest, but it didn't bother me really. We got our food pretty quickly and it is presented in a large dish with a bread similar to an Indian bread (appam) I eat with a bunch of meat and vegetarian dishes on top. I wish I remembered what everything was called but I just didn't love the flavor. I know that many people do but it just wasn't my thing. My favorite thing was the chicken leg with egg. I am very happy I came and tried the food, but even if I liked it, I wouldn't come back. 1. There was this annoying fly that would not leave our table. Yes, I understand that is probably not their fault because it may have came in with people coming in and out the front door but still grossed me out. 2. We literally were never checked on. The tables next to us were greeted to see how their food was, how they were doing.. and we were walked right past. They asked us how our food was when we were clearly finished sitting there. Maybe it was just an off day but I didn't appreciate the lack of service.

    (2)

  • Jessica D.

    Dragged the significant other unit here for a Friday night dinner. We had a great time at another nearby Ethiopian restaurant, so we were looking to vary our experiences and perhaps taste some new dishes. This restaurant was a large rectangle, filled with a number of groups enjoying a lively Friday night dinner with plenty of adult libations and good food. There is great art on the walls to provide a particular utopian perspective of African every day scenes. Towards the rear of the dining room there is a riser with musical instruments where a very talented musician played a tribal fusion sort of music, aided by pre-recordings and adding his own beats, harp, or horn accompaniment. The dishes were pretty much the same as in the other restaurant, and served in a shareable platter over injeera. Delicious accompaniments came with our three entree choices: kik alicha (split peas in onion and ginger sauce), yatkilt watt (string beans, carrots, and potatoes), and yebeg watt (spicy, bone-in lamb). Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs, and yet we enjoyed almost every delicious handful. Some leftovers had us hanging our heads down in shame. For our beverages I chose an ethiopian pot of tea (fresh made so be prepared to wait a little0 that comes with a small glass to drink it from, and a sugar container so you can get it as sweet as you want it. He chose one of the Ethiopian beers (I forgot the name!). For dessert we shared a destaye (my happiness): a triangular pastry with a very thing filling, surrounded by a number of fried pastry squares, topped with whipped cream and some chocolate sauce drizzle. Delicious and just a nice way to top off a nice dinner. Towards the back of the dining room there are two ladies restrooms, a public wash basin/sink for washing up your hands after eating, and a gents' restroom. We were entertained not only by the musician, but by the comedy of errors of a nearby table of a 20-somethings triple-date. They ordered two incredibly large bottles of average wine (a red and a white) to go with their meal. Tip: make sure you check their website for specials and discounts.

    (3)

  • C C.

    This is definitely one of the best Ethiopian food and restaurants in the city. It's definitely one of the top 5 on my favorite food lists. The atmosphere is great, and the servers friendly. It's vegetarian friendly and willing to make gluten-free dishes. The food is consistently delicious. I come here all the time with friends.

    (5)

  • Gaurav B.

    The food was very good!! Ambiance was very good and so were the servers... The restaurant is very expensive but I guess it was dinner time on a weekend and its an ethnic food so i should not complain about it.. Overall Must try !!!

    (4)

  • Lia V.

    MMMM yum yum. Great atmosphere - sometimes they have live music which is nice. I've been twice and both times the food has been delicious. I recommend getting the Tour for 2. It's a generous amount of food. Bring your own wine for a 5 dollar corkage fee. Hang out, relax, and enjoy an interesting cuisine with some close friends. Wash your hands before eating please. :-) Happy dining.

    (4)

  • Anne S.

    I took an I wish class here the other day, and I was quite impressed by this place. The owner is very kind and knowledgeable. She even won immigrant of the year for Chicago (I didn't even know we had such an award). The staff is very friendly and helpful. The food is good, and service was quick. Oh, and many of the dishes are vegan and vegetarian friendly!

    (4)

  • Andrew D.

    First thing's first: don't knock it til' you've tried it! I've always been open to trying new things - hell, I usually say that I'll try any sort of food minus human meat. When this Groupon came up, I was thrilled. This place specifically has a great combo for those of us who haven't tried Ethiopian. We got a spicy lamb dish and a mild chicken dish. While both looked the same, they had very distinct flavors. Ethiopian food must have some sort of Muslim influence, judging how similar some dishes are to Indian food. Delicious spices, unique favors, and a unique atmosphere and style of eating (no utensils). Ethiopian pancakes were also delicious and available upon request for free if you run out. The Ethiopian Stout beer I had was great, highly recommend. However, I didn't get to try out the honey wine. Service here is great, the waitresses are very informed and answered all our questions promptly, ranging from questions about the food to who occupied Ethiopia during WWII. Also, the place had the Bulls game on tv, making it an authentic, excellent atmosphere. A bit out of the way, but totally worth it. If you want to try something new and completely unique, try this place!

    (4)

  • Ilana C.

    Fantastic. One of the best Ethiopian restaurants in the city. They catered our wedding several years ago (but I just got around to reviewing now oops). My husband and I go in and order a veggie sampler for 1 - it's more than enough food. Ras Dashen no longer lets you share food at all, so I'm fine if they charge me a couple bucks to share; the prices are reasonable.

    (5)

  • Catherine J.

    Ok, I LOVE the food at this restaurant. Love, love, love it. It is seriously the best ethiopian in the city. The reason I'm giving it only 3 stars though is that in my last few visits (over about the past 6 months), the portion sizes have gotten ridiculously small. My two friends and I went a few weeks ago and we were so surprised that although we ordered three meals, it looked like only enough food for two. We left hungry. Not cool. Ethiopian Diamond, please go back to your original portion sizes!!

    (3)

  • Leyla A.

    Only eat here with people you know wash their hands. Everything is finger food. I love East African flava , but the slow motion service on Addis Abbaba time gets to me. You have to flag down someone to be seated, for tea, for extra injera, for more water please, and for the bill. I hate being ignored, especially when I drop $26 per person without tip on Lunch. And I am hungry two hours later...cuz it is just a lotta sponge bread.

    (3)

  • Johnny T.

    I hadn't had Ethiopian food in years. Literally, it had been a looong time since I had dined on injera, lentils, assorted meats, cabbage and the like. I was in the mood for some good food. I found it here. My dining companions were stuck in Chicago traffic, so I had a couple of glasses of honey wine as I sat at the table, alone, and looking pathetic. Without asking, my waitress came up to me with a full carafe of honey wine and said, "You should order by the carafe if you are going to drink this much." She smiled and left (and she didn't charge me for the first two glasses!). By the time my companions got there, I was feelin' good. I had held off from ordering because I wanted to eat with my friends. That might have been a mistake, but we learn from them. In the intervening time, I had a great window seat and enjoyed watching the world pass by on Broadway. My wooden chair was ornate a comfortable. The table was large, the dining room is gigantic (complete with long bar and band space) and the bathrooms are super clean!! That's a HUGE plus with me. The Diamond is located in a fantastic stretch of Edgewater. I had never been to this part of the neighborhood. I greatly enjoyed the tree-lined streets and big houses. If you're looking for a homey atmosphere while you're in the thick of the city, you might look up Edgewater. PSA over. The food: So delicious. I ordered the E4 and subbed out beef for more lamb. The meat was flavorful, tender and extremely easy to eat only with fingers and bread. I had forgotten how similar Ethiopian veggies are to soul food. The cabbage and greens would have been as at home at Army & Lou's as they were on my plate. I'd also forgotten that the table's order comes on one gigantic metal plate. I am an only child. Sharing was something that took time for me to learn. In primal situations, I forget how to do it. When I am eating delicious food and others have access to it...sometimes...things happen. Sorry for the attempted fork stabbing, friend. Look at it this way: you have really fast reflexes. That's a good thing I helped you discover. The Diamond helped me discover that I can't wait years to have another helping of this delicious food. Who wants to come with? I promise, no attempted stabbings.

    (4)

  • Janet E.

    This was our first ethiopian experience and it was wonderful! I was a little worried the injera would be too sour but it actually wasnt very sour at all. It definitely was spongy and soft and easy to eat. It was easy to pick up the food with the injera. Towards the end of our meal, we didnt want to be filled up with bread so in the end we just started eating the food off the plate with our fingers! Not knowing what to order, we asked our server what he would recommend for first time diners to ethiopian cuisine. He recommended we try the food off the Taste of Ethiopia menu. We ordered E2 and E4. Here's the food we ordered: yesiga alicha- lean beef meat cubes doro watt- tender chicken legs (delicious!) yebeg watt-lamb meat yemisir watt- red lentils quosta- chopped spinach with garlic (delicious!) zilzil tibs-tender lean beef strips doro tibs-chicken breast meat cubes yebeg tibs-lamb meat cubes gomen-chopped collared greens with garlic (delicious!) tikel gomen-sliced cabbage and carrots (delicious!) I'm not a huge meat eater, so most of the meat we had tasted pretty dry to me. I preferred all the veggie dishes we ordered. Of the meat dishes, I really liked the tender chicken legs. The meat was falling off the bone on this dish. Yummie!! My friend wanted to try their coffee, but they dont serve it with cream. So she opted for the tea instead. I tried some of it and it tasted really delicious! Service was outstanding here! We didnt have to wait very long for our food to be prepared. Our waiter was always available to us if we needed help. I would come back here to try more of their veggie dishes!

    (4)

  • caitlin j.

    I like eating with my hands but I'm really, really bad at it. I never knew how bad at it I was until I was visiting an Indian home in a Maharashtrian village, and a small child who'd been watching me struggle to pick up rice shook her head and handed me a spoon. But I try. And try I must at Ethiopian Diamond! Whether or not the food will make it safely to my mouth from the shared plate at the middle of the table will raise anyone's doubts... but what does arrive safely is completely delicious. Gluten-free folks can call ahead to place orders of gluten-free (or black) injera. If you're a gluten-free, or mixed table, they'll be certain to serve the black injera underneath your entrees as well. This place is usually busy and LOUD. The service is usually very slow if you're here with a large party, especially if you've got separate checks-- but even if you're only a few, just getting greeted at the door might take a good, long while. I don't really mind because I absolutely need my occasional fix of gomen. There is a stage at the back of the restaurant where musical performers play instruments that I can't name. It's a good idea, unless you're sitting close to the stage (or halfway across the restaurant), in which case it is far too loud to be enjoyable... Even the best conversationalists may remain mute instead of yelling through dinner. But nevermind the negatives... This place is amazingly delicious.

    (5)

  • Rachel R.

    First time ever going in on a Friday night and I have to say I was nervous about it. Never heard of the food. BUT, I am so glad I went and had the best food I've ever had with eating with my fingers. Can't wait to go back and bring some friends.

    (5)

  • David K.

    I really enjoy this place. It has a nice, relaxing ambiance, with subdued lighting, and some of the best Ethiopian food I have ever had. I always order the vegetarian combo, and the lentil, potato, and cabbage dishes are excellent. The vegetarian combo offers a nice variety. I also enjoy ordering their sambusas as an appetizer, which seem to be an Ethiopian answer to Indian samosas. The restaurant also serves an excellent Brazilian black beer (I always forget its name) that goes down nice and smooth. I confess that I am not the biggest fan of injera bread, with its spongy texture, and after a while of eating it I would love the option of using silverware instead, but I respect the dining custom and enjoy the excellent dishes and friendly service. They do a great job of making you feel at home. If you are looking for a quality Ethiopian restaurant in Chicago, Ethiopian Diamond Restaurant is a must.

    (4)

  • Dee C.

    love love love Ethiopian food. I would have to say that Demera's taste was a little better.

    (4)

  • Krisann R.

    I always enjoyed this spot but now that I have a kid and live less than 10 minutes away, I can't get enough. The food is delicious! It is fun to eat with your hands, try all sorts of different things and share with others at the table. I always leave feeling pleasantly full. As someone who was accustom to going to restaurants constantly before having kids, figuring out where to dine with an infant can be daunting because places are either over-the-top kid focused, or too hip for kids. Ethiopian Diamond has the best of both worlds. I love that it is both a completely appropriate place to bring an infant and a good spot for a first date. It is the rare place that has the right atmosphere for both - at the same time! The staff always make a point of greeting our daughter and talking to her. The place is filled with well-behaved kids of all ages. It is the most wonderful mix of people and is always bustling with activity. We plan to go as often as we can. I just can't wait until my daughter can dig her hands in the food, too!

    (5)

  • Gerald M.

    We got the Dora Tibbs and the Veggie Combo... it was delicious. The veggie combo was really good and the chicken was very very good. They also had a very spicy sauce on the side that was really good too. I'm definitely going to eat here again and again.

    (5)

  • Rahshonda K.

    My first Ethiopian experience and I loved every bit of it!!! I thought I would be hesitant about the meal but I was pleasantly surprised by the menu. We came at the right time for lunch because by the time we sat down the place was filling up. I couldnt believe it. I was thinking could I have been sleep on this diamond in the rough or was it just in the rough because I wasnt up on it!! Oh well I am in the know like my other fellow Yelpers and so glad of it!!!! What was surprising to me was I didnt know it would come out on a platter the way it did and YES someone in our group asked about utensils even though we were already schooled that you eat with your right hand. I loved this cultural experience. The food was delightful and the staff was so super nice. I cant wait to go back!!!!!

    (4)

  • Lisa V.

    Overall, nice place. Deducted one star for the ambiance. The restaurant needs major reno and the band that was setting up while we ate was very disruptive. Anyway, on to the good. Food was delish. Ordered sambusas for an appetizer. Only get one small piece per order, so keep that in mind. We also ordered drinks (HUGE margarita) had one of their combo platters for two to share. Very tasty food. Overall, a very good experience.

    (4)

  • Candice G.

    My first time having Ethiopian food and my first time attending Veggie Supper Club (mad props to Michael G for planning!). The food, service, and company were all fabu and I can't wait to go back and try more things BUT there were just a few things to keep it from getting a first run 5 star review. A. Not the fault of the restaurant, just my own personal thing but it was weird for me, being a first timer, to share food off one plate with folks I hadn't really met before. I usually don't go knuckles deep into my food with people on the first dinner. B. I like a little more variety among meals... like when you order a meal and it has several sides. I get that it's meant to share and they do have a veggie sampler option where you can choose 3 of their select veggie options but I don't know... some sort of something different would have been cool. Next time I'll be a little daring, get something spicy and some apps to satisfy my side cravings. C. I want to recommend they serve the food on something other than a stainless steel plate for the food but I don't know if that's tradition or not. I mean, the food is fabu when it first comes out but it gets cold so damn fast on that stainless steel plate. Beside those 3 minor things, this place is totally rockin'! I'm SO coming back and bringing friends. PS- the Ethiopian beer I had was yum-tastic.

    (4)

  • John M.

    This is a great place and everyone knows it so I won't belabor the point. Just watch the closing time - it's about a half-hour earlier than as stated here or other places on the web. Call ahead!

    (4)

  • Kendrick W.

    Best Ethiopian Food in Chicago. Have been there at least 5 or 6 times and never had a meal I didn't love. The wait staff is friendly and responsive as well. Don't waste your time anywhere else!

    (5)

  • Rob R.

    first time here and eating Ethiopian food. the waitress was really great giving us advice on what to order. all of the food we got was great, loved the variety and it was great for a large group. If you are in a hurry, this is not the place for you, they definitely let you take your time and enjoy the great food

    (5)

  • Grace N.

    I've tried several Ethiopian places, and this is one of the best. The injera has the right amount of tang, and I've always gotten the veggie combo - the yemisir watt (spicy lentils), the gomen, and yatkilt watt (potatoes and carrots), all excellent. For meat dishes, I'd recommend the doro watt (spicy chicken). Ethiopian "spicy" doesn't have too much heat. And Ethiopian tea is like no other, with a natural sweetness and subtle cinnamon spice - very refreshing. Friendly service, and of course, the joy of eating with one's hands! This is a great restaurant.

    (5)

  • Mary T.

    This is the real deal, you won't find any cubic zirconium in here! I was a little nervous about my first experience with Ethiopian for three reasons. First, I'm an obnoxiously picky eater. Second, an old friend went for Ethiopian on a first date and complained endlessly about how terrible it was. Third, I was headed there with my Veggie Supper Club crew and didn't want to be lame and order a green salad. Luckily, E.D. has a menu online so I was able to confirm in advance that there were a few dishes I wanted to try. I know E.D. is "waaay far up North," "in Canada," or whatever, but put those thoughts aside for a minute and listen up! It's really easy to get to; the 36 bus literally drops you in front (get off at Glenlake) and the Red line is also about a block walk from the Granville stop, if you can handle that. I urge you to get a combo platter, for a few bucks more you can pick three dishes. I ordered the veggie combo and got Quosta (#34), Yatkilt Watt (#36), Dinich Alicha (#37) with a Castle Beer. I'd really like to thank E.D. for putting numbers on the menu, it saves diners the embarrassment of trying to pronounce the dish names; although it would be funny to listen to people try. Food comes out family style on a giant round tray. If you have issues sharing your food or having items touch one another you may have some problems. The dishes are eaten using Injera, a thin, crepe-like bread; in other words you are eating with your hands. I have a feeling that was the reason my friend hated Ethiopian, it's hard to be dainty on a first date eating this food, but in my opinion it's worth potentially offending your dinner date. My food was amazing, my favorite dish being the Yatkilt Watt, string beans, carrots and potatoes in sauce. All three of the dishes I got were billed as mild, but this was definitely the spiciest of the three. It wasn't uncomfortably spicy, it just had a nice kick to it. Service was friendly and attentive. The menu is expansive, with something for almost every type of diet including vegans. The place is really big, which makes it ideal for group dining excursions. Ethiopian Diamond has set the bar very high for all future Ethiopian dining experiences!

    (4)

  • Ramya P.

    Cheers to new experiences! I had never tasted Ethiopian food until a couple of years back. I didn't know anything about Ethiopian cuisine... until my husband heard about this place from one of his friends and we decided to give it a try. Ever since then, we've been here on a regular basis mainly because the food is excellent and features a gamut of veggie options. I'm a fan of the honey wine too. Keeping an open mind and trying new things definitely pays off.

    (4)

  • Pablo G.

    One of the owners used to work at the eatery of the student center at NWU when I was a grad student there. I always really liked her, and one day she told me about her new restaurant (10+ years ago). It is really great that such a nice person has such a great and successful business with delicious food and great ambiance. Sometime, life IS fair!

    (5)

  • Kyle H.

    My second time at Ethiopian Diamond was for Veggie Supper Club: IX. Although I am a devout meat eater, I appreciate vegetarian dishes and have a couple up my chef sleeve. There's plenty on the menu here for both meat-eaters and vegetarians to enjoy, and I decided to go veggie, as I always seem to do for Veggie Supper Club meetings! There was a bit of a wait for our server to acknowledge that our group was ready to order. This may have been due to our party still having their menus open (a sign you're not ready to order), but I think the server was told we were expecting more people, hence she was probably just being polite and waiting. That was the only negative all night! Our server helped with any questions on the menu, and helped us choose yummy African beers, based on preference (Lager, Stout, Pilsener). Most of us chose the Vegetarian Sampler; an easy way to try three of the dishes for $12. I got #30, 31 and 37! Don't they sound great? They were Yemisir Wot, a spicy chick pea dish, Kik Alticha, a yellow chick pea dish, and a potato and carrot dish soaked in garlic and ginger that was excellent! Everything satisified, and we were given plenty of spongy injera bread to dig in. The meal was excellent. The one other time I was here was on a Friday night, it was crowded, so it's best to make a reservation through the website. They also had a gentleman from Sun Ra's band playing music, and it was quite obvious he was a skilled musician and not just background music. Ethiopian food is a great way to share a communal meal and get to know people, so it was great for the Veggie Supper Club. Thanks to Michael G. for taking the reins on this one. PS- super clean bathrooms and they have the Xcelerator. yelp.com/biz/excel-dryer…

    (5)

  • Rona H.

    My friends and I ordered a variety of dishes, from vegetarian, to beef, to chicken. We started off with the appetizer called "One of each," which is aptly named since it is one of each kind of their sambusas that they offer. I tried the one with lentils, which was really good. I also love anything fried; if you are trying to go healthy this isn't the way to go lol. For the entree, I had the tibs, which is beef marinated with onions and green peppers. Very good. They served our food on one large silver platter type thing, and we used the sourdough bread as utensils of sorts to eat our entrees with. I'm not the biggest fan of the sourdough bread, but it seemed appropriate for authentic purposes and what not. RECOMMENDATION: The honey wine. I'm not much of a drinker at all, and this didn't taste the least bit alcoholic whatsoever. And it was very sweet. It's also located conveniently near the Red Line, another big plus.

    (4)

  • Nessie V.

    After trying a lot of Ethiopian places, I feel secure in saying this is the best in the city. They had a lot of veg options, and a few I hadn't seen before. I really liked the 'fish' stew, which had a fried chick pea dough instead of fish, which I thought was good and seemed more culturally consistent. Only thing is that to be sure to emphasize if you want the veg sambusa variety pack, as opposed to the omni one. We ended up taking a bite of a chicken one to our surprise.

    (5)

  • Jonathan W.

    I LOVE this place. A couple tips: 1) The honey wine sucks 2) The Bedele Beer is ice cold and incredible 3) Never get appetizers 4) Get the assa or the doro tibs wat 5) Eat the injera from the bottom of the plate before asking for more 6) Have a coffee I just gave you a five star evening

    (5)

  • Natalie S.

    It's not my favorite... but it was damn good! I've eaten at 6 or 7 other Ethiopian places and I have to say, this one was a step above most of them. The service was GREAT... order taken promptly, servers were friendly enough, water glasses remained full. We had the sambusa plate... one of each. Hey! How would we know which is the best if we don't try them ALL? By the way, I was a big fan of the beef one. They came out quickly and were hot and delicious! For dinner, we went with doro watt, chicken with spinach (can't recall the name) and then the vegetarian sampler (pick three off the veggie menu). I think it was lentils, split peas and cabbage. Everything was WONDERFUL! The injera was nice and spongy (not too vingear-y like some places I've encountered) and the food was hot and delicious. I think the one thing I didn't love is that my favorite Ethiopian place (I'm avoiding names... but it's just down the street) allows you to pick two sides with each entree. So, say you got the doro watt, you could have picked the lentils and split peas as your sides and it would have been cheaper than having to order the vegetarian sampler like we had to do here at Diamond. Not very cost effective. The food was good, no doubt, and I'd be back whenever anyone wants to go... but really, if the choice is up to me, I'm going with a different place.

    (4)

  • Wesley S.

    Ethiopian Diamond is a decent Ethiopian restaurant, one that is owned and operated by Ethiopians. Food: The food is pretty good. See the many pictures that readers have submitted. I have enjoyed the entrees that I and my dinner companion ordered on our two visits. My opinion of the desserts is that they are mediocre compositions, a distinct weak point on the menu. I am probably influenced by my tendency not to care for dessert. Drinks, such as tea, honey wine and so on, are excellent, but they will tack on a bit to your food bill. The restaurant has a full bar. Ambiance: I have been there twice for lunch, but never for dinner. The lunchtime ambiance is quiet and comfortable. It is rarely full and busy at lunchtime. This is an excellent destination for friends to have lunch. Price: Food prices are quite reasonable. See the menu on their website. Portions are overly generous. It is difficult to finish a complete meal. Service and hospitality: This restaurant seems to be family owned and operated. In my opinion service and hospitality are about average. Ethiopian Diamond is a decent Ethiopian restaurant, one that is worth a try.

    (3)

  • Owen H.

    Ethiopian Diamond is the best Ethiopian in town. I have been there at least 15 times. Service is great and so is the food. My favorite dishes are the spicy red lentils, the garlic spinach, the spinach sambusas and the potatoes with the green beans and carrots. They also have gluten free (teff flour) injera that is delicious. I am also a fan of cardamom and cinnamon tea and Ethiopian coffee.

    (5)

  • Christina N.

    It has been a while since I used to frequent this restaurant when I lived in the neighborhood, but had recent trip with a friend wanting to experience true diversity of cuisine Chicago offers, and Ethiopian Diamond shined bright as ever. If anything, even more authentic offerings than I remember in the past. Nice to see you again old pal, and thanks for making a great impression on my visiting friend.

    (5)

  • Jennie T.

    Great food accompanied by good service and live music. What's there not to love? My friends and I loved the vegetarian sambosa. My favorite was the spinach one. The gomen was also very good, but I think I may like Demura's more (further south on Broadway). And I did enjoy the beef tibs -- the hot sauce is spicy but I love it (my spice tolerance is higher than most people so beware!). We also ordered the doro watt, and though it said that it's spicy on the menu, it really isn't. This one is a bit different to share among friends because the bones are still intact. It's still very good though. We also ordered the honey wine -- it's very sweet, definitely tasted like honey... like a mixture of honey and beer but without the fizz, but you could tell it's wine. Very good. :) Yes, you do eat with your hands. They have napkins though... And they do provide the disposable wet naps after the meal (as opposed to warm wet towels -- not very eco-friendly, are they?). Oh, and on a windy (or rainy?) night, you may not be able to find the restaurant because they use a banner for the name of their restaurant as opposed to having a real sign. So you'd see this flapping banner, and well, I almost missed it. But maybe that's just me.

    (5)

  • Elena L.

    Years ago, my sister came home one day, raving about eating some yellow split peas with a pancake-type bread. She said I just HAD to try it. Whut?? Well, being a vegetarian (here's my advice on that topic: DON'T DO IT), I was/am always on the hunt for something other than "salad," or "pasta," or whatever other lame food non-vegetarians are trying to push on me. I want flaaava like the rest of you people. Anyway, Mama Desta's (RIP) was my first Ethiopian dining experience, and I was hooked. My sister and I spent a lot of time trying to find the best Ethiopian place out there. (Reminds me of our Summer Quest for the Best Pad Thai, but that's another story.) Eventually, we happened upon a diamond. YES. ETHIOPIAN DIAMOND. It has been my "go to" restaurant for people from out of state/the suburbs (where are the suburban Ethiopian restaurants???) My now-husband and I went there on our second date. He's a carnivore who thought green beans were exotic, but he wanted to impress me by agreeing to go. Guess what? He actually liked it, and it's a place he wants to return to, again and again. And, we do. It's the one restaurant that remembers us-- they've seen us from dating, to getting married, to having lotsa kids. We are treated well every single time. The food is consistently delicious, service is fantastic, and a wonderful atmosphere. It's also one of the few restaurants where vegetarians (and dare I say, vegans?) aren't made to feel like they are an afterthought. Finally, a place where we can all agree to disagree on our food choices with a full stomach. Can't miss! P.S. I'm not going to bother describing the Ethiopian dining experience. You're obviously a savvy Internet user, so go look it up.

    (5)

  • Masha G.

    Got the beet salad ... Bland. Can make a better one at home . As a meal got the combo of shrimp chicken and beef. The meat was good and the bread that comes on the side really yummy. Light and fluffy and not heavy on the stomach. Best part was the chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. So so so good.

    (4)

  • Jennifer W.

    This is my favorite restaurant in Chicago. Since I am a vegetarian, I cannot comment on the meat dishes. The vegetarian dishes are outstanding. I recommend ordering the vegetarian combination so you can sample several different dishes. My favorites are: split peas, collards, cabbage, and potatoes. These four dishes are very flavorful but not hot spicy. The atmosphere at both locations is casual, and the owners and employees are very polite.

    (5)

  • Chan K.

    My first Ethiopian experience won't be my last. My roommate ordered the veggie platter, a great choice for a hot summer day since most of the dishes are served at room temperature. We also shared a kitfo appetizer - raw beef marinated in herbed butter and hot pepper. I rarely eat raw beef, but this was scrumptious! Portions are large, and one can wash down all those good eats with mildly alcoholic and every so sweet honey wine. The owner stopped by our table and was quite friendly.

    (4)

  • Kelz M.

    So I joined Kate W. for my virgin voyage into the wonderful world of Ethiopian cuisine last night and I am ~so~ glad I tried Ethiopian Diamond! As most people have already written, Ethiopian food is served on a community platter. Each dish is arranged on a large piece of bread - I apologise for not remembering the names of anything but the bread basically looks like a giant, thin, spongy pancake. The only prevailing flavour is sort of lemon-y, which really complements the dishes quite nicely! I chose a chicken dish served "watt" (spicy) with a side of a potato,carrot combination (it tasted a bit like aloo gobi, if you've ever had that). Kate had lamb with a side order of lentils. Kate encouraged me to try a bite of her food. Now here's the thing: I do *not* like lamb. Just... no. No. After a little cajoling and assuring me that she doesn't usually like lamb either, I tried a teeny, tiny bite. Confession: I felt a little like the guy in "Green Eggs and Ham"... 'Say, I do like lentils and lamb! I do! I like them, Sam-I-Am!' I'm a little embarrassed to admit this but here goes: I actually uttered the word "foodgasm" during the meal. Back off, man, this shizz was unbelievably good! I went home stuffed and happy. Great food, great company and at a good price; what's not to love??

    (5)

  • Gabi M.

    I totally understand Colleen C's obsession with Ethiopian food... I would be obsessed also if I lived in a city that had so many Ethiopian restaurants to choose from. But, I don't - (Phoenix just doesn't compare when it comes to International restaurants, I admit it) - so I just have to take advantage when I come to the Windy City to visit... Lucky for me, Colleen introduced me to E-Diamond during my last visit. We had a very romantic meal there starting with our wine (I had the honey while she went with a more traditional glass of Cab Sauv), shared salad, and a main course that we enjoyed sans silverware. Abeba, our waitress, was sweet - she helped us through the menu and once we decided on the Tour of Ethiopia, she helped us with our 'picks.' We chose (as Colleen also stated) the following: spinach and lentil sambusas, diamond salad (fresh with a tasty light dressing), lamb and okra entrees, split pea and collard green sides, and extra injera... OMG - everything was delicious - there was a ton of food... it was fun to eat, and the combination of flavors wrapped into the injera (spongey Ethiopian bread) was orgasmic... I swear, it really was! We were too stuffed for dessert. I think that the injera actually expands once it's in your stomach, so use caution with how much you eat! I'll have to remember that next time I dine at E-Diamond... I say it like that 'cause it may just have to become a regular stop during my future visits to Chi-town. Based on Colleen's review, I have no doubt I'll be able to convince her to join me there again too!

    (4)

  • Allie S.

    The food is amazing in-house. It's amazing delivery, too. But 1 hour and 45 minutes delivery time?! Even on a Friday, that's ridiculous. I would have just shut up and eaten it, happy it was here in under 2 hours -- but it was cold. Very disappointed. :-/

    (3)

  • Colleen C.

    Ok, whatever...I'm obsessed with Ethiopian food, so get off me! E-Diamond (I think this could be it's rap name, suitable?) is very clean, spacious and well laid out for large groups or an intimate dinner. The staff is fantastic, helpful with recommendations (still getting my grip on what's what), and very sweet. The food! OMG. I love it. Seriously, it's just...so good. Hearty, flavorful, good portions, and I do love injera something fierce. Do it, just eat all the injera. Mmmmmmmm. My friend (the lovely Gabi K from Phoenix) shared the Ethiopian Tour, which is a sampling of dishes including: sambusas (we opted for spinach and lentil), salad (very fresh), two entrees (lamb and okra), two sides (split pea and collard greens). Add a side of injera, and we were quite literally stuffed with hot, tasty food. Homemade honey wine! nice. A glass of Cab Sauv...that came out of a little airport mini bottle. Funny, but still good. You can BYOB with only a $5 cork fee, so that may make sense on your next adventure... Great overall experience and I would definitely come back with a large group. Very cool. Try.

    (4)

  • Alexis M.

    It's difficult to review Ethiopian Diamond, because just doing so is making me hungry. I've been coming here for about 10 years (at least I think so). I am vegetarian, but I often go with meat eaters. The food is fabulous. I love Ethiopian food, but Ethiopian Diamond has spoiled me for other restaurants. I find myself comparing all other places to here. My four favorite dishes are the cabbage, the red lentils (spicy!), the yellow split peas, and the chickpea wat. I highly recommend you get either the veggie combo or the Taste of Ethiopia (also available with meat). These combos offer you a ton more food than ordering individual dishes. I will say I don't love the sambusas. It's not that they are bad, just that they aren't my thing. The tej (honey wine) is homemade and is amazing. I'm not a drinker, but it is truly fabulous. I also like the beet salad with the light lemon juice dressing. I have had to wait a while to get in on weekends, but it is worth it. Now I need to figure out how I can get there this week....

    (5)

  • Moni K.

    I was very excited to go to Ethiopian Diamond but unfortunately it didn't reach all of my expectations. First the honey wine was horrible...I am convinced that it was mixed with champagne and made to taste more like a mimosa. The honey wine was also not pure or good quality because on the bottom of my wine glass I noticed dark flakes floating around; either from the cork or I don't know what.... For dinner I had the vegetarian taste of Ethiopia for two. The food was good but pricey as the vegetarian plate was $30 Overall the food was nicely prepared, the injera was delicious and I liked that the waitress never even asked us if we wanted utensils or plates just assumed that we were ok with eating with our hands. So Ethiopian Diamond fix the honey wine and I will come back for seconds. Recently I go this message from Almaz Y I copied and pasted it here " Hi Moni, you for your review. Our wine is homemade and is made with Hop like they use in beer. We must have missed some when we strained it so sorry. Please try it again the longer we let it sit the better it tastes."

    (3)

  • Vaidehi T.

    I have been here multiple times. I have introduced quite a few ppl to ethiopian food and to Ethiopian Diamond. This is as good as it gets. They could better the ambience, but it has live music usually on the weekends and Friday nights - which is a plus. Ethiopian food is eating family style. Usually the entrees are served on a single huge platter along with Injera (sour spongy bread). The food here is amazing. I have almost tried all the vegetarian options, and each one of them is flavorful and full of complex spices. The messir wat (red lentils) is finger licking good. Their best veggie food is the chickpea fish (I forget the actual name) - it was mind blowingly good. I have also tasted chicken and shrimp and it is delicious. The food is spicy and flavorful. If you are scared of spice and eating with your hands - this cuisine is not for you.

    (5)

  • Alessandro G.

    I've always been curious about ethiopian food. Partly because I love ethnic food (and try new things) and partly because my dad spent 3 years there. I grew up listening to stories about this "injera" which was used as a plate, as silverware and as bread. So when I finally got the chance to try it I was very excited and my expectations where really high which usually lead to disappointment. Not this time... I went there on a Saturday night and they had live music, that alone is a big thumbs up. Our server was very nice and the food... yes... the food... The food is fantastic! Me and my girlfriend shared the "vegetarian tour of Etiopia" and everything was so tasty. Portions are generous, so if you are hungry, you won't be disappointed. One last tip. Try the Bedele beer! It "local" and has delicious honey notes.

    (5)

  • Susan L.

    This is our all time favorite restaurant!!! The food is the best and the staff is always so nice. We go so much that the staff knows exactly what we want. I love it!!! The best is the Kitfo (rare of course) and the Tilapia. Mmm Mmm Good!! Make sure you have the Tej !!

    (5)

  • Kate W.

    So for the past several months I've been getting cravings... for Ethiopian food. I have no idea why, aside from the fact that it's delicious. Anyway, Ethiopian Diamond is so close to me that I end up giving into these cravings often. While they do offer takeout I find the dining in experience to be fun. There's nothing like sharing a giant plate of food that you eat with your hands with a friend. Plus, if they're nice friends they let you sample their food! On my first trip I stayed strictly vegetarian, and it was good. I had heard that the lamb here was fantastic though, and while I'm not a huge lamb fan I thought I would give it a go. Yeah, it's really freakin tasty here. Actually, everything here is really freakin tasty. I have yet to try a dish that i wasn't a fan of. But the lamb, yum! The service has always been prompt and friendly, and a couple of months ago they did something great. I paid via credit card, wrote in the tip, and then wrote the total in. Yeah, I added another $10 to the total which would have been double the tip I intended to leave. Since it was my own idiot move I never called or made a fuss, let them have the extra $10. Well, as it turns out they charged my card for the correct amount and were kind enough to ignore my poor adding. I thought that was a stand-up thing to do and now when I go I tend to leave larger tips.

    (5)

  • Danielle C.

    Variety is the spice of life. If you do not have enough of either- variety or spice- head on in here. I seriously love this place. I rarely come in here in visits of just once a week. If I stop in- I am freakishly GUARANTEED to find an excuse to come again within the same week. It is just that good- AND- I am that much of a freak! (I see this as a good thing!) Saturday nights often offer live music- this is a plus. Not too loud- but a great atmosphere! It can get packed- so make reservations, be ready to wait- or head on in early. The staff is great- so don't worry about that! The food- oh the food. It is pretty darn amazing! I am OBSESSED with the greens and the spinach. Yup- I said it. Obsessed. I dream of this stuff. If I could figure out how to cook it myself- I would be a happy obsessive freak! The injera is pretty damn good too! and the wine... oh honey- the honey wine! It is just simply amazing! Sweet, tasty, and hits the spot every time! OK... I now have to go tweak my budget to figure out how to make trip #2 happen this week!

    (4)

  • Sampad D.

    The food was OK.. I ordered the spicy lamb curry..It was bit chewy but overall the food was ok... The service was also good !

    (3)

  • John H.

    Nice restaurant, interesting food and and friendly service. Avoid anything fried because it comes out almost inedible and hard. When i complained I was told that is how it is made. So avoid anything fried with bread shells. We ordered the "Tour" for two at about $40 and it was nice with plenty of bread. The salad was a basic green salad with a delicious light dressing. The lentils and potatoes were no more than a spoonful and I thought they were the best parts. I felt there should have been more with our order. The chicken and beef portions were substantial , but why serve it with the bones? Yes, large bones are good to cook with, but why serve them? The service was a bit slow and one of our servers seemed to have no idea how to explain the menu. Another server was kind, knowledgeable, helpful and responsive. Go figure? Again, avoid anything fried.

    (2)

  • NARDO Q.

    BEST AFRICAN FOOD IN CHICAGO AND POSSIBLY ILLINOIS! This place is awesome, it takes a lot of time for the food to come out but we did have a big order so it is understandable. I have made it a regular place for me and friends to go. It is a must for you to go here, I will allow you to try other place but as soon as you have the Ethiopian Diamond experience, everything else seems to be CRAP. Everything with lamb is extra good.

    (5)

  • Melanie V.

    Honey wine? Yes, please. Give me a full carafe, just for me. Thanks. 3 glasses of the honey wine means you're well on your way to being in a happy state. The three of us split the vegetarian platter. We also ordered another item (the okra?) because the waitress thought we wouldn't have enough food. Yeah, she underestimated how much we could eat because we could barely finish everything. Please try this sample platter - it is one of the best things I've ever eaten. And that sponge bread - yummy! It's a little bland, but the intense flavors from the rest of the food counters it very nicely. Live music, awesome service, vibrant and fun atmosphere, amazing food - I can't wait to try out the non-veggie stuff on the menu next time.

    (4)

  • Meredith B.

    We had such a great time here! It's a bigger restaurant than I expected, with a very open feeling. Service is quick and friendly. When I told the server what kind of beer I preferred, he made a recommendation of the St. George beer that turned out perfectly. Our spinach sambusas were hot and crispy, served with a great spicy dipping sauce. Our entree platter (sampler E1 and E4) was huge, served on giant pieces of bread! Everything was hot and savory when it came out. I really enjoyed all the food - one item was a bit strange though. I think it was the Tibs - it was cubes of chicken and beef with peppers and onions. I couldn't detect any difference between it and Mexican fajitas. Everything else was great though, I loved the Doro Watt (chicken and egg), the Kay Watt (beef in a spicy sauce), and the Gomen (collard greens). We had so much food, we had to take some home!

    (4)

  • Laura V.

    I have nothing but love for Ethiopian Diamond. Vegan-friendly, kid-friendly and the best ethiopian food in Chicago according to me. I can't count how many times I've been here even though it is about half an hour away. My husband and I always order a veggie combo and the "fish" stew made out of chick pea dough. That one is a must if you are vegetarian. Aside from the excellent food, the best things about Ethiopian Diamond are: - the restaurant is LARGE meaning good for groups and usually easy to get a table (weekends can get busy) - they have live music some nights - extremely kid friendly to the point that they fawn over children - top-notch friendly service - easy parking - food comes quickly I'll be back again... and again... and again.

    (5)

  • Juliet H.

    I absolutely loooove this place. This is the best Ethiopian food in Chicago. Our favorite foods are Sambusas (beef, carrot and potato, and of course, spinach). And the Shimbra-Assa (vegetarian chick-pea), the doro tibs (the one with onions and green peppers), and yemisir watt, kik alicha, and gomen and tikel gomen. YUM! My only gripe is, it is pretty pricey if you order more than 2 full dishes (you can order sides of the dishes instead), and their virgin drink menus is terrible. It would be nice if they served virgin mojitos at a reasonable price (just some lime, mint and sugar - that's all - charge $3), some natural sweet drinks, instead of the high fructose corn-syrup run of the mill soft-drinks that they serve. But if you JUST focus on the food, you will leave there VERY HAPPY.

    (5)

  • Anna P.

    Ethiopian Diamond is my favorite Ethiopian restaurant in Chicago. They also have live music on weekends at night during dinner. My husband and I share a large platter half vegetarian, half meat dishes. Try any of the Ethiopian beers too with the meal. The Ethiopian coffee is also a must at the end of the meal.

    (5)

  • Shannon H.

    Ethiopian food is amazingly flavorful and yummy, and the honey wine is fantastic. Ethiopian Diamond is my favorite Ethiopian restaurant and one of my favorite restaurants in the whole city. I would recommend it to anyone looking for something a little different. If you go make sure that you try the Honey wine as it is very good and its half the fun of going to Ethiopian Diamond. The food is fantastic the service is great and I've never had to wait for a table.

    (5)

  • Naseem J.

    This review is a bit belated, as it refers to an experience about a year ago, but I still think it is important to share. What a disappointment! I had been a frequent diner at Ethiopian Diamond, but I'll got to Demera from now on! My friend and I had a Groupon to come here, so we were very excited to. The food is wonderful, and if you've never tried Ethiopian food, this was certainly a place to go. It was only his second time, so we were excited to have the experience again. It was a Saturday night, so of course it was packed. Fine, we understood that. After we were seated the waitress took her time taking our order. Then, about half an hour later, our appetizers came out, which the waitress literally handed to me and left. The plates sat on the table for about twenty minutes without being touched. Then the chef came out to confirm our order--which our waitress had gotten wrong. Annoyance two. Our food came out very late as a result, and it was then that the original dishes were cleared. The waitress put the food on the side of the table and disappeared. Someone else collected the dishes. Our water ran out before this point, and we had to ask a random waitress for a refill. We weren't attended to throughout the entire meal; we were very annoyed by this point. We sat at the table for forty five minutes after we had finished eating, with no result. I went to ask the hostess to speak to a manager, as our waitress was the reason our evening was soured. The hostess told me that she would not let me see the manager, and came to ask us what was wrong. We told her about the awful service, and her response was, "Well, it's a Saturday night, and we're very busy." Uhm, what? Not only do you refuse to let me see a manager when I ask, but you brush off our concerns? Unacceptable. Our entire evening was ruined.

    (1)

  • Oly G.

    This was my first experience trying Ethiopian food and I have to admit I was a bite worry as to to expect...but this is the BEST food I have had in a while. I went with a few people and we ordered the Sambusa(carrot/potato) to start with...yum! not greasy at all and the red sauce was delicious!..next I ordered the Doro Tibs (chicken breast in a sauce..)...So freakin good! My friends and I ended up trying each others food (some veggies/ some meat) it was so awesome...and the food is filling, yet, easy on the tummy. Oh and service is great and friendly...if your a virgin to the cuisine as I was they will be gentle and walk you through and make suggestions....just like a waiter should do.

    (5)

  • Hula B.

    the food here is good, but not amazing. the service here is better than other area ethiopian restaurants. so that's why we go.

    (3)

  • Sarah M.

    Went there on new years eve, no reservation, was seated immediately. The place is pretty big and the food was delicious. Decor is a little out-dated but maybe that's just me being a little snobby. I had one of the lamb dishes and, while it did indicate on the menu that it was cooked on the bone, I didn't think it would come with chopped up bone pieces in it. Granted, it was my first time eating Ethiopian so I'll just know better next time....but chompers beware.

    (4)

  • Brian K.

    Of all the ethnic foods available in Chicago, Ethiopian is my favorite. Partly because I love the look on people's faces when I tell them I'm going out to eat Ethiopian, but mostly because I LOVE the spices, the injera bread, the friendly service, and the coffee. Ethiopian Diamond is my go-to choice for Ethiopian. The menu is large, and the prices fair. The portions are larger than other places I've been (Demera, I'm looking in your direction). I reccomend getting a sampler of some kind. Don't just order one entree. Part of the fun of Ethiopian is having a large tray of different dishes that you can dig into with the addictingly sour Injera bread. Recently, my eating partner and I order then Veggie sampler, and added two Chicken entrees. I also had a beer brewed in Namibia. We had enough leftovers for us BOTH to take home another meal's worth....all for only $45. I only eat Chicken and veggies so I can't comment on the lamb and beef dishes. The Doro Tibs Watt (spicy chicken cubes in a spicy sauce) are my favorite. The lentil dishes are all great. Treat yourself to some Ethiopian coffee as well. Ethiopia is the birthplace of the coffee bean. More tips for first time Ethiopian diners: 1. Don't use TOO much injera bread, try using smallish pieces and grab smaller bites. The bread will fill you up like rice, and leave you unsatisfied because you didn't eat enough of the "real" food. 2. Don't be bashful about getting your hands dirty. If you have reservations about sharing a big tray of food with someone, make sure you dine with someone you are close with. And wash your hands right before the meal.

    (5)

  • Derrick G.

    First time here, and there was some confusion in initial seating and then a short wait but it was Saturday night. The waitress was quite attentive at first, but the service completely dropped off after we ordered. The vegetarian section of this menu is amazing, and I got the spicy pumpkin dish. The food came, and we were all confused who's was what since our waitress did not care to come and explain. Our hunger led the party to just dig in, and some people accidentally ate eachother's dishes. The honey wine was delicious, and we brought a bottle of sparkling wine. I was a real fan of the bread, and meals. The portions weren't as huge as Yelp lead me to believe so I think you definitely pay a bit of a premium but it was worth it (especially with a groupon). The menu is quite flexible, and I'd love to come back here with families and friends.

    (4)

  • Betsy P.

    I've recently moved just around the block from Ethiopian Diamond, and after reading the Yelp and Check, Please! reviews, I'd been dying to check it out. I'm also a pescatarian (I eat fish/seafood, but no other meat), so I'm always on the lookout for veggie-friendly fare. ED provided many, many options. I had the veggie combo so I could try a little (ok, a lot) of everything. Every bite I took with that awesome injera bread was delicious. The bread is like sourdough had a baby with a pancake, and you can go through a lot of it. Diner beware. Then, when I was sufficiently full, we had some delicious Ethiopian coffee. I was a happy camper. Only 2 small thumbs down: - Service was definitely slow, but if you're not in a hurry it's no big deal. It could have been an isolated incident; it was a busy Saturday night. And while our waiter was not very attentive, the bus staff kept our glasses full of water at all times, so no complaints there. - The honey wine. Some of my friends liked it, but I thought it smelled like apple cider vinegar. Blech. Overall, a very tasty dinner. I left with a full belly, a new cuisine under my "I tried it" belt, and not broke. Success!

    (4)

  • Liz C.

    In my opinion the Ethiopian Diamond is the gold standard for Ethiopian dining in chicago. You get more for your money than Ras Dashen. and it's infinitely better than Addis Abeba in Evanston (sucks). Probably my hands down favorite ethnic restaurant in the city. My favorites: Chicken or lentil sambusa to start Yebeg tibs Alicha - if you love lamb then you have to try this dish Kay Watt - spicy and delicious Doro Tibs- this chicken will please that person in your group that is nervous to try Ethiopian for the first time Kitfo steak tartar- excellent Any of their import beers (I've been ordering the Brazilian Xingu and it goes so well with the food) Ethiopian coffee for after dinner. So amazing. I really like that the side dishes come with the entrees and you don't have to order seperately. They always mix it up and surprise me with something really tasty. My faves are the collard greens and string bean/carrot/potato dish. So worth the trek up to the far north side!! I want to add that I also do miss Sisay and always looked forward to seeing him at the restaurant, but the food is still excellent!!! A must try.

    (5)

  • Ryan F.

    The food was extremely good. The service was HORRIBLE. I still give it 4 starts because I left full and the food really was great. I'm not sure what was going on inside with the staff. I think we had 4 different servers and the Manager/Host was sitting at the bar drinking cocktails. Weird.

    (4)

  • Amanda L.

    I'm throwing caution to the wind, absolutes out the window + being completely bias when reviewing Diamond's. I lived on Granville for 5 yrs. + Diamond's was my weekly spot, be it dine-in or take-out. A friend put it best when commenting on Ethiopian Diamond's: "I never have to eat at another resturant. Ever." Perhaps "never" + "ever" are stretching it, just a smidge but if you've ever had the pleasure of dining here, then it's a tough dispute. I spent many holidays here, have taken almost anyone/everyone who has visited from out of town + even had the honor of a mini-cooking lesson within the kitchen. The staff are pure sunshine (Yes, I just typed that) + by far some of the friendliest I've been waited on. Ok, so the food: I know there have been a handful of Ethiopian resturants opening almost on top of eachother but you'll be pressed to find shimbra assa (chickpea mock "fish" w/ spicies) anywhere else ...In fact, Diamond's prides itself on being the only resturant with such a dish (from a family recipe). My dining companions + I alway order an appetizer of spinach sambusa (use the lemon!) and the vegetarian combo for one: shimbra assa, yesmir watt (spicy red lentils), kik alicha (yellow lentils + my personal favorite), gomen (collards), tikel gomen (cabbage w/ carrot) and dinch alicha (potato w/ carrot) ...And yes, I just did that from memory. Tip: The combo for ONE could easily feed 2-3 people. The portions are large and trust me when I say, Ethiopian food is best ate fresh opposed to leftovers. Tip: Always ask for extra injera! (Just in case) Tip: Ask for "hot pepper sauce" or the "berbere sauce," that's usually used for meats, on the side ...Very tasty w/ even the vegetarian dishes. Dab a little on your injera + scoop accordingly. It'll definitely clear up any sinus issues. Their Tej or honey wine is worth ordering the karafe opposed to by the glass. They make it themselves w/ their own hops + it's dessert in a glass. Given the fact that Ethiopian food is rather filling, Ethiopian Diamond's has the best space amongst it's competition ...Large + airy w/ lime green walls ...A perfect spot to enjoy a pot of buna (Ethiopian coffee, very dark + tasty). I moved a neighborhood over, last year + within a coin's throw of two newer Ethiopian resturants ...But to dine there would feel like cheating.

    (5)

  • Jaime S.

    I woke up hungover as hell at 12:30 on New Years Day feeling like I wanted to simultaneously eat ethiopian sponge bread (injera?) and vomit at the same time. I have only had ethiopian one other time in my life, but for some reason, the sponge bread sounded like the only thing that could possibly cure the nauseousness I was to experience for the next 7 waking hours of my day. Of course, it wasn't until 7 pm that I actually mustered up the strength to get dressed and venture out of the house, but when I did, my friends and i were very pleased with the outcome. If you have read any of my other reviews, my best friend and hetero life partner recently turned vegan, which puts a real damper on my social life as we used to do quite a bit of eating together. Turns out, ethiopian is like a vegan dream! There were 6 of us and I sure am glad I called for a reservation beforehand because the place was nearly full-maybe there are more injera-craving drunks than I thought. the very friendly and accommodating host sat us at a great table in the middle of the restaurant and gave 3 of us who had never eaten Ethiopian the protocol. We ordered 2 veggie dishes (cabage something and lentils), Chicken Watt, yebeb (lamb) tibbs, and whatever their beef equivalent of tartare was. It was all very good, the chicken was my favorite, and I agree with an earlier review that said spicy might speak more to flavor and degree of spice rather than if a food is hot and makes you want to drink a pitcher of water. I intentionally wore jeans instead of elastic waistbanded pants bc I was worried about overeating-it did nothing. That effing injera must expand in your stomach bc I was fullll afterwards, as was everyone else. All in all, I liked this place because it had a good selection of food, nice seating and overall space, but I think I like the injera at Ras Dashen down the street more. I also have a cold and ate some garlicky things that I never would have otherwise, but my sense of taste is kind of off today. oops. Ill have to give this place another go around when I am back at 100%.

    (3)

Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.

Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.

Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 10

Specialities

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

Ethiopian Diamond Restaurant

Share with your social network

WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES

Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online

Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.

© 2024 Restaurant Listings. All rights reserved.