Abyssinia is an absolute Phoenix gem! The Signature platter was a generous feast of tender meats, lentils, greens, vegetables, house-made cheese, and fresh injera, while the sizzling Fim Tibs was exceptionally flavorful. The traditional coffee ceremony--complete with glowing coals, fragrant incense, and beautifully served Ethiopian coffee--made the evening truly unforgettable. Authentic food, warm hospitality, pleasant attentive service, excellent value, and a wonderfully rich cultural experience. We cannot wait to return! read more

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Great food and service, will definitely come again. Amazing hidden spot! Loved the ambiance and indoor decor

The food was spicy. Hearty. I tried the fish gallahs and it did not disappoint. The base was a thick gravy with veggies and chucks of fish. The mango juice was comforting. The ambiance was soothing, very relaxing. There is a small dining area as is a small bar area. Great place for date night or to catch up with friends. While it didn't take long to receive our food, getting the bill was a challenge. There was only one waitress who may have been assisting in the kitchen as well. Is located within a shopping center. There were parking space available during my visit. Accessible parking and entrance. read more

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Last time I checked this place had an infestation problem. Roaches were scurrying across the floor and I just can't trust this place no matter how good the food looks read more

I came here with a group of 9 people and we had a great meal. The decor is very Ethiopian and cosy. We ordered three Abyssinian signature platters to share and there was definitely enough food for everyone to eat their fill. If you've never eaten Ethiopian food before, be prepared for an unusual experience. Firstly, don't expect silverware-you eat with your fingers and a pancake-like Ethiopian flatbread/waffle that can be used as a spoon or a scoop or a small plate. The food varies from quite spicy to mild but the flavor of each individual dish is distinct. Our server was very personable, very helpful and brought our food and drinks out quickly. I had an African beer, the St. George, which had a nice smooth taste. Parking is easy in the small strip mall parking lot. Try this place out for something different. Enjoy this ethnic food experience. read more

Abyssinia Restaurant and Cafe - Table display - Ethiopian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Delicious Ethiopian food. Sorry i didn't take any food dishes pics. I was too busy eating. You will not be disappointed. Eating Ethiopian food is not the traditional going to eat and be done as soon possible. This is a seat down meal to eat and enjoy your food and enjoy the conversation. Every time we go, it's a 3 hour dinner. We love it every time! The family that owns the place are lovely and they always treat us like family. We love supporting this local family owned restaurant. Will return often!! read more

Abyssinia Restaurant and Cafe - Abyssinia Coffee Ceremony Traditional - Ethiopian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Abyssinia is an absolute gem. From the moment you walk in, you are warmly welcomed by the wonderful and kind owner, whose gracious hospitality sets the tone for a truly memorable meal. The portions are incredibly generous, making it a perfect spot to share and savor with family or friends. Every dish is deeply flavorful and clearly made with care--rich stews, perfectly spiced vegetables, and the soft, tangy injera that ties it all together. It is the kind of place where you feel at home, and where the food speaks for itself. A must-visit for anyone who appreciates delicious food and a great atmosphere. read more

Abyssinia Restaurant and Cafe - Back of restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

This place has an excellent vegetarian plate. We also love the lentil sambusas. We don't eat the meat options so can only attest to these 2 items. We order them all the time and never come away unsatisfied. Oftentimes we may show up and be the only patrons but there are flourishes that feel just for you. The music will play, the colorful lights turned on and the Ethiopian styled decoration really come alive. Today 2/4 they had a nice incense in the air with many takeout orders coming through. read more

Abyssinia Restaurant and Cafe - The Abyssinian Vegetarian - Ethiopian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

I definitely recommend either dining in or calling your order in because I've had online ordering issues twice. Last year I ordered online, I arrived and the door was locked with no one there during operating hours, no updates anywhere online, had to get a refund through whatever third party ordering system I used. Today I ordered through their actual website, my husband arrived and they said they never got it, despite me having a receipt and a screenshot from my bank account showing they took money out, they tried to get him to pay twice. They said to just cancel the order online but that wasn't an option. They claimed they won't get the money for it which is crazy because where is the money I paid going then?! And weird that I should have to pay twice because of an issue with their website, that's something they need to sort out on their end. Onto the food, it was amazing! And a massive portion for an affordable price. I got one sambussa and the veggie combo, which had some lentil and veggie dishes on injera. The sambussa was spicy, everything was super flavorful and perfectly spiced! Would be great to share or to have as two meals! read more

Abyssinia Restaurant and Cafe - Veggie combo and Sambussa - Ethiopian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

My primary Ethiopian Restaurant was closed. Decided to try this restaurant. The customer service was excellent. I did the vegetarian platter I liked the red lentils, there was a potato dish but not much of it, and cabbage were my favorites. The cabbage was cold not hot my only issue but the flavor was good. I will go back and try a meat platter. The prices were higher than my other Ethiopian restaurant. Interior was nice & quaint. read more

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This place is medicine for the body and the soul! I loved their food, their service, their people, their coffee, their space. I honestly never understood how in the world it was even empty. It is one of the best plates of food I've had since I've been in Phoenix. Totally worth it!!! read more

I used to love this place. This time I went back and it was an odd experience. There were chairs upside down I thought they were closed. The lady said they were open but left chairs upside down on the table as we sat down and ate. The tv music was blasted so loud we could not talk. She turned it down a bit after we asked politely, but it was still so loud we moved to the other side of the room cuz she had seated us under the tv. My sis, niece and I ordered a combo. The plate looked good, but I kid you not, each item was like 2-3 tablespoons of food, or sauce. I know it would be saucy... but this was 90% dips with no sustenance. There was ONE chicken drumstick on the whole plate in the brown sauce, a few more "meat" items... but the meat was so small, like tiny strips of jerky, and so hard that it was hard to chew and def didn't fill us up. It was meat garnish. The little bit of veggie helped fill us a bit.. and lots of bread. And everything kind of tastes the same now, unlike before. I was so disappointed. This platter of saucy bread for dinner was $47. We could have gotten 3 decent meals with meat for that price. Then at some point she took a smoking coal out on a plate and left it by the register and left. The smoke filled up the room so fast we actually lost visibility. Then we started coughing. Just as it crossed my mind we could be in the middle of some ambush attack, she came back and moved the coal to the backroom, still smoking. But it wasn't next to us anymore. At this point, we were hungry, had poor vision, couldn't hear, and couldn't breathe. I asked for a box for my leftover bread and sauce. She ran my card and told me the total amount was $90 something without showing me an itemized receipt. Was it right? We had three non alcoholic drinks and an app too..maybe it's right. Maybe she charged us for the bottle waters we did not ask for. But I wasn't going to argue. I paid and left a decent tip cuz I was scared, we grabbed our bread dip and left. I got outside to the parking lot and could breathe. Then I wondered if I had just walked into the twilight zone. read more

Abyssinia Restaurant and Cafe - $47 - Ethiopian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

this place is really good food really nice people had a really good time five star. I'm definitely coming back.

This place is the best. The food is amazing and the service is great. The woman that works the front is super friendly and helpful. The food is as good as any Ethiopian restaurant in the country. If you're in phoenix you absolutely must go to Abyssinia. read more

WEEKDAY LUNCH SPECIAL $7.99 MON - FRI 11AM - 3:30PM The restaurant was SMOKY like someone lit incense or coals. It didn't bother me too much but I could see how some people would not be a fan. I tried the NON ALCOHOLIC HONYWINE. It does have a fermented taste to it but it mainly tastes like sweet diluted honey. It came in a beautiful drinking vessel. They also gave me a bottle of water I opted to try the AZEB GOUDA MIXED PLATTER which comes with 3 meal dishes. The dishes were served on a large plate covered in large INJERA. Injera is like a sour flatbread with a spongy texture. The meal is meant to be eaten with your HANDS using the injera to scoop the bites into your mouth. They don't bring you silverware but ask if you want it. Serving on the injera really allows all the sauce to soak in. (1) KEY WAT was a spicy beef stew. This was honestly not spicy at all but bold & flavorful. (2) DORO WAT came with a chicken drum & a hard boiled egg. The egg was a bit over cooked but the drum was one of the most TENDER chicken I have ever had. (3) YEBEG ALICHA WAT is lamb & I believe its the green option. Everything was tasty & hearty. This sampler platter can feed 2 people easily & it also made for good leftovers. Such an experience appreciating this ethnic food. Would have loved to try the vegetarian dishes & Ethiopian coffee read more

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We were hosted by a lovely woman named Azi. She was so gracious and welcoming and courteous. Three of us shared a platter loaded with meat and vegetable portions accompanied by quantities of Injera bread. Everything was absolutely delicious. It's been far too long since we dined here. read more

Was stunned at the food! 10/10 experience. Went late on a Saturday and service was great. Was cute for a date night, because the plates can be served family style or individual read more

Abyssinia Restaurant and Cafe - Ethiopian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Got the Abyssinia signature platter, honey wine and Pinot noir. The honey wine was not very good and the Pinot noir tasted stale. The lamb meat was the best part of the platter. The remaining vegetables and meats all had a slightly off after taste. The injera also looked a bit undercooked here. Everything was a bit cold. We came earlier in the week when the business was supposed to be open and the doors were locked. We called ahead a couple more times and no one picked up. We only went after we connected with someone and told them we were coming in 30 minutes. Tablecloths are a bit dirty. Shop is small and has cute ambience. The music was elevator music from a YouTube channel. There was one person seating, cooking, serving, billing. It's a slow process especially if you need something. Overall glad we went once but there are much better Ethiopian options in the valley and we won't go back. read more

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The woman that owns and prepares the delicious and healthy food is an absolute angel! She recognized me after a year of my travels. This is my favorite Ethopian joint and I make sure to get as much as I can when I'm in the valley. The meat and veggies combo is a gateway drug...eat at your own risk. Symptoms include dreaming or Doro Wat and the spices in the chickpea puré. Her Ingera is always tasty and perfect. After writing this I'm canceling my plans tonight with my mom and heading there. read more

Great authentic Ethiopian food with made from scratch quality ingredients, I will be back! Owner is very friendly and provides a warm and welcoming experience for guests. Get the coffee!!! read more

Wow!! Simply an amazing cultural experience with delicious food you probably wouldn't find anywhere else. Staff are helpful and very welcoming even to people who might never had Ethiopian food before. For the flavor and price, this is definitely a fantastic restaurant worth a visit - I especially recommend if you're interested in family-style finger food and supporting small businesses. If I could give them 6 stars, I would! read more

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Aizy was really nice and sweet and the dishes she recommended were both hella gas. The lamb with the bread thingy was spicy and super flavorful. We were almost full after just that one dish. We finished with the beef stew which was savory and moist. A really good first impression of African food. read more

The food was amazing! And honestly very well priced we ordered the veggie signature dish, 2 meat dishes and sambucas and it was very affordable. The service was great! Our waitress was very kind and super helpful ! The restaurant itself was very cozy, authentic decor, and I enjoyed being able to have our own private area to enjoy our food. read more

Abyssinia Restaurant and Cafe - Abyssinia Signature, Doro Wat, Yawaze Yebere Tibs (Spicy Pan Grilled Beef Cubes) - Ethiopian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Food was delicious and the owner was very kind. Atmosphere was fantastic as well! Recommend the non alcoholic drink. Was Delicious. read more

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Amazing food. Great service. Surprised to eat with our hands, but it's cool. Will definitely return, probably for their anniversary buffet on Oct 25 read more

So good and so lucky I found this place! Had a veggie platter and it was fantastic. Also had some tej at the hostess's recommendation, and that was phenomenal. If you haven't been here, and you are in Phoenix, make sure to stop by. You won't be disappointed!!! read more

Abyssinia Restaurant and Cafe - Tej - Ethiopian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

This place was great! It was very authentic, and yet they have many options that are not that spicy. Everything was delicious, fast, and the service was super friendly. Would recommend 100%! read more

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Omg. So good. I love Ethiopian food. We ordered takeout and everything was amazing. The injera (crepe-like bread) almost has a flavor of sourdough and blends beautifully with every dish. We ordered a vegetarian and a meat mixed platter and had leftovers for days! read more

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We had our holiday celebration for a party of 7 at Abyssinia. We were seated right away by our friendly hostess. We ordered 2 Abyssinian platters which was more than enough for our party of 7. The food was delicious and service was excellent. Nice selection of beer and wine. We plan to come back to try their special coffee service. Highly recommend!! read more

This really is one of the best places in Phoenix for exceptional Ethiopian cuisine. Before I rave about the food, let's talk seating. Tables are spread wide apart and seats are strong and sturdy to hold wide bodies like mine. Now to the food, y'all. We tried the Abyssinia Platter which has enough food to feed 4-5 folks. We wanted to sample a bit of everything so Azi (pronounced A Z) recommended it and the Honeywine, an alcohol-free drink that reminded me of the juices of peaches and limes. So refreshing. The dish arrived loaded with red, orange and green lentils, chicken, a boiled eggs, bitter collard greens vegetables, spicy pork and Enjera. Every dish was excellent, a completely satisfying experience. read more

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Not open during stated business hours. Doors were closed without any notice outside. May call first.

Very kind staff, always welcoming, and great food. There was a very strong incense that was scenting the place, but we didn't mind it. read more

Abyssinia Restaurant and Cafe - A variety of recommendations by the owner! - Ethiopian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Azy was a great hostess and the food was delicious too. This was our first time, trying asking food, and we will definitely be coming back. The mango juice was very refreshing, and the serving sizes were very generous. We had the beef stew, and one of the lamb dishes, both were packed with flavor. read more

Abyssinia Restaurant and Cafe is a small Ethiopian Restaurant located in Phoenix. The atmosphere is all kinds of energetic. It's colorful, there's music playing and incense burning. You can sit at tables, booths, a bar or an area that looks more Ethiopian. They offer many vegetarian and several different meat dishes or combinations. You eat without silverware. You use the rolled flat bread to eat the food. I started with iced tea. It was really different but delicious. It was very fragrant with added spices. We shared two entrees. The #3 doro wat $15.99 national dish of Ethiopia ((chicken in a spicy berbera spiced stew with hard egg)) and the #9 Agelgel $19.99 combo - several vegetable dishes and three meats ((yellow lentils, green lentils, red lentils, collards, cabbage, lamb stew, beef stew and beef with onions. EVERYTHING WAS DELICIOUS! but my favorite was the doro wat (the chicken) It was cooked to perfection and was juicy, flavorful, spicy and very delicious! Our server was amazing! She explained the food to us and did a really great job serving us. We really enjoyed everything but my only complaint is that you only get one small chicken leg for $15.99 (and that was my favorite) The portions on everything else were very large and we had a lot of delicious leftovers to bring home. read more

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My fiancé and I went here for dinner on a Friday night. The food was delicious and the restaurant was very friendly. It was our first time in and we will definitely be back! read more

The staff were really nice and the food was so good! Our group had sambusas, the spicy beef, and a lamb dish, and they were all excellent! We had the lunch special, too, which was a good value. I'd definitely return here! read more

Abyssinia Restaurant and Cafe - Key Wat (Spicy Beef Stew) - Ethiopian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Abyssinia did not disappoint! I am so happy to have found this place while visiting Phoenix for work. The ambiance is chill, good music and the restaurant smelt amazing inside. I ordered the Veggie combo and sambusas. Everything was delicious!! Sambusas we're hot and flaky with a kick of spice, just as I like them. The veggie combo had so many amazing toppings including my favorite Shiro. So much food I couldn't finish it all. After my delicious meal I enjoyed some amazing fresh Ethiopian coffee. This was truly a treat. The family who own the restaurant were so friendly as well. This is my new favorite Ethiopian spot to eat when in Phoenix. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for some delicious and authentic Ethiopian cuisine. read more

Abyssinia Restaurant and Cafe - Abyssinia Coffee Ceremony Traditional - Ethiopian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

New to the area and have been dying to find an Ethiopian Restaurant home. I thought I was going to another location but didn't know the name. I decided to call and the woman over the phone was very nice and inviting. I decided to go here instead and was not disappointed. I ordered the Veggie Platter with double yellow split peas(my favorite), double cabbage(eh, pretty good but I am used to having carrots and potatoes with the cabbage), the red lentils were AMAZING. Other places I have been, their lentil dishes a runny and hard to collect with injera. Here, everything was the perfect consistency and easy to collect. Overall(Food)- 8, only because I thought the injera was a little rubbery. Cusat.service-9, only because she dropped the food off and didn't come back for a while. BUT, she was very sweet, hospitable and high spirit. I will be back. Really enjoyed the cozy colorful environment as well. read more

Abyssinia Restaurant and Cafe - Ethiopian Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Family owned resteraunt vrgan and meat available . Just remember wat means hot! The atmosphere is inviting the coffee ceremony incredible. A very social atmosphere they have a cool back area for groups it gives u a true feeling of family. U rst with your hands using (A true test for first date) on Indian School in north side just past 7th street. Let's show luv to local business. If you have never tried step outside the box it's worth it. read more

Loved the food here. Traveled so far as this place was recommended and we did not repent at all. Small restaurant but the restaurant person is very sweet and honest about everything. The prices are very reasonable too. He provides all details and gives you enough time without hurrying up for things. They have good enough interiors too and few tables for seating inside but being the size so small, it is a little stuffed. For the covid pandemic, they had all precautions with dine-in being close and everyone in the mask. Coming to food, it was great. 2 meat + 3 veggie combo is a steal deal and worth it. Both veg and chicken sambusa were too good, however veg one was our favorite. Highly recommended place to try. You will not be disappointed with it. Give it a try. read more