Some of the best food in the Bay! This small, family owned business has been around for many years and the quality and flavors of their food has always been outstanding. Every time I've come here, I am met with the largest smile and warmest invitation to find a table. I usually order the vegetarian combo platter, which comes with a variety of curries, salad, and of course, served on top of injera. It's hard to pick a favorite, which is why I enjoy the combo. I still don't know what secret they put into the salad dressing, but it's one of the most refreshing salad dressings I've had. I even tried to recreate it at home using the recipe she shared with me, but theirs still has some kind of magic. The whole combo is delicious but the cabbage and potatoes are the real star of the platter. They're so buttery and flavorful and I'm usually fighting whoever I'm sharing with to stop eating all the cabbage and potatoes. The beer glasses come out ice cold, which is always a plus. Highly recommend if you want Ethiopian food, or want to try out a new cuisine! read more

Abyssinia Restaurant - Ethiopian beer - Ethiopian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

See all

Excellent combo plate and injera. This is the best Ethiopian food I've tasted in a long time. Great ambiance. Friendly service. Street parking. read more

Absolutely my favorite spot in town. Authentic , balanced and delicious. It's the first place I tried Ethiopian then opened my mind but after going all over im realizing with experience how top tier it is Im all about that kit kitfo Never forget we are all one soul read more

Abyssinia Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

First time trying Ethiopian cuisine and enjoyed my experience. The food is very unique and surprisingly filling so much that we couldn't completely finish our meal. We tried both the meat and vegetarian combo. They came on Injera, which is a traditional Ethiopian bread that is a sour spongy flatbread. If I had to describe it, it's like a bubbly crêpe or a thin pancake that is very sour like sourdough. The bread is the size of the plate and eating it together with the other ingredients works great. Eating it by itself I found to be a bit too sour. I preferred the meat combo to the vegetarian one. We also ordered the appetizer called Ful which I would recommend if you enjoy eating hummus. Our server was friendly and provided good service. I could see the flavors could take some time to get used to, for me I wish the bread was not so sour. Eventually, I would like to come back and try the other dishes. read more

Abyssinia Restaurant - Ful - Ethiopian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

I really enjoyed this spot! Happy it exists in Santa Rosa where it seems like a struggle to find authentic food from different cultures. But at the end of the day what's most important is how the food tastes. This spot was delicious. Me and my wife shared the meat combination plate. Our friends had the vegetarian combination plate. It was flavorful the Injera (crepe like bread) was tangy and pores so it could absorb all the flavors from the stewed meats and lentils. I also had the house tea. Had a nice spice to it with a strong clove flavor I really enjoyed. We also had the sambusa appetizer was tasty and we split a slice of carrot cake. It was warm and gooey so no complaints. Great spot will definitely recommend read more

Abyssinia Restaurant - Meat combination plate - Ethiopian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Best African restaurant in the County of Sonoma in the State of California, probably the best Ethiopian food in the world outside Africa. The service is what every restaurant should aspire to hold themselves to. The authenticity of the the spices, beverages and of course the sponge bread which is super squishy like one of them spongy breads read more

We returned after a year. Service, flavor and portions improved significantly. We devoured the meat combo single plate and the veggie combo single plate. The drinks beso and telba. Highly recommend. read more

See all

If you're wanting flavors of Ethiopia without having to get on a plane, Abyssinia is the place to go in Santa Rosa. Named after the great Abyssinia empire where modern day Ethiopia is located, the flavors and aroma that come out of the kitchen are incredibly diverse. Our server, Dylan was extremely friendly and checked on us to make sure the food was to our liking. Eating with your hands truly makes the food taste better in my opinion and I do it as often as I can. The injare soaks in all the spiced foods made it so enjoyable. Will dine in again soon. read more

Lovely food I love food and the service is verice and polite. The ambiance is very high level. I will high recommend this place.

A good mixed vegetable dish, an enjoyable reasonably priced glass of a Mendocino Moscatello wine and ultra-friendly service were upsides; the unappealing setting (including barren patio) and surprisingly long wait for only these few items were negatives. read more

This lace looks like a hole-in-the-wall from the outside, but we found the inside to be very clean and well maintained. There is outdoor seating in the back, but we didn't see it. We had the veggie platter. Every item was exceptionally flavorful and super healthy. Veggies served on a soft, rubbery flat bread; a unique texture, though I would have preferred more of a pita style. Very good though. Meat filled pastry appetizer was also delicious. Excellent service. The proprieter twice came around to check that all was well with dining experience. We'll be back! read more

We enjoyed lunch here today. Abyssinia had a nice ambiance, with a friendly waitress and cook, pretty Ethiopian paintings, mellow jazz music, and unique hanging light fixtures. The food was beyond delicious! We enjoyed the appetizers (crispy sambusas), as well as spice tea and Ethiopian beer. We got a veggie plate combo and a meat place combo to share. The family platter came with extra injera. The flavors and perfectly cooked meats blew our minds! We had plenty of leftovers to pair with rice or potatoes later. And we can't wait to visit again, a long drive from Marin that is totally worth it. read more

Abyssinia Restaurant - Samusas 1 veg and 1 meat - Ethiopian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Simply the best! Being raised by my father who is from Addis Ababa, I have been eating Ethiopian food my whole life, and all over the country. This is my home restaurant where I now compare all the injera to because it's simply the best! The owner and her family are amazing and the service is always impeccable. The ambiance is awesome even with a little courtyard out back. The portions are large and the doro wot has the perfect amount of berbere- if you know, you know! Don't forget to try the sambusas- and get the spicy sauce love it! read more

The interior is simple with a casual atmosphere and the staff is friendly, attentive and helpful. We have been here a couple of times before but could not remember what dishes we liked the most so we ordered the Veggie Combo. We narrowed down our favorites to Shiro Wet, roasted chickpeas in Ethiopian spices and Yater Kik Alecha, split peas with garlic, ginger and turmeric. The injera is an interesting spongy pancake-like bread that you eat along with the entrees. Abyssinia is a good choice when looking for a different ethnic cuisine experience. read more

Abyssinia Restaurant - Vegetarian Combo (Serves Two) - Ethiopian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

I love Ethiopian food and Abyssinia definitely scratched my itch. The food and service were great. I'm thrilled knowing that I have this option in SR and I will definitely be back. read more

The food here was delicious, though my party probably ate a bit too much of it all. We'd definitely come here often if it was more convenient for us to do so. The place feels a bit small, but overall I think the decor and cleanliness of the restaurant were very good. Service was very friendly and they left a positive impression on me. read more

Small family business with family-inspired traditional recipes. Humble, clean and inviting. I travel for business every month and eat Ethiopian in every city where offered. From Washington DC to Ann Arbor to the Pacific Northwest throughout the Midwest and the southwest this restaurant in charming Santa Rosa receives my top three rating of the 200+ Ethiopian restaurants I have visited over the last five years. The beef tibs and traditional chicken with egg dishes were both top three. The cabbage, carrot potato vegetable, same as all of them; the lentils, and the collards, on the other hand, far exceeded my expectations. The key here was frankly the Lamb dishes. I understand from my server that his uncle has perfected the Lamb dishes and to his uncle I say bravo. Have never had Ethiopian lamb like this. The sauce was just spicy enough to let you know the spice was authentic, but not so spicy that you couldn't taste the herbaciousness of the lamb matched with the lightly vinegary flavor throughout the Injera, which, on its own, was spectacular. The source of the lamb soaked with the injera was top of palate! I will be traveling to Santa Rosa each month over the next three months, and expect to take clients with me to this fabulous family run establishment. People of Santa Rosa, visit. Enjoy. The selection of Ethiopian and Eritrean Beers, which match perfectly with the spice and help Cool the back of the throat as you wash down these wonderful bites made for a wonderful evening. Bravo uncle. Bravo everybody. Thank you for a wonderful experience. read more

Living in the SF Bay Area, we're spoiled with many choices of fine Ethiopian restaurants so our expectations in Santa Rosa were high. Our men's group requested a Black-owned place that offered not only great food but a welcoming family ambiance, beautiful representations of culture, friendly and attentive customer service and, of course, delicious entrees... Abyssinia def delivered on all counts! The brothers ordered everything from the tasty appetizers to dishes like the classic Veggie Combo plate, Doro Tibs, Yebeg Tibs, etc. And of course we had get bottles of Tej (Ethipoian honey wine) to toast the evening. We'll def be back! Giving thanks. read more

Service is good. We had two recommendations and each tasted ok. Am used to the restaurant in DC where the service is a communal dish. And the bread was warm or even hot. Here is was cool. Am not likely to return. read more

Four stars in my book A beautiful setting at excellent service the food was fantastic. It was a wonderful experience. read more

The second you open the door the most delicious smell greets you. We order the meat sample platter for $40 something bucks and it was gone in a blink of an eye. It was so yummy and flavorful. The meat was a little spicy- but so worth it. Definitely coming back! read more

Abyssinia Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

See all

Haven't been here again in person since the pandemic. Had lunch today with a friend and the food and the service was delightful. The chef/ waiter was charming and answered our questions. They have a fancy new menu and lots of choices. The tables are spaced out and it felt comfortable. The food seemed less spicy then I remembered but I will ask for dishes to be spicier next visit. Lots of choices for vegetarians. read more

Abyssinia Restaurant - Combination meat 30. Abyssinia Meat Combo Plate - Ethiopian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

See all

The Chickpea dip is served warm with toasted pita. The flavor is mild and pairs perfectly with the wine. Next we ordered the Fish Goulash which is warm, crispy and delicious! For extra flavor we ordered a side of spicy lentils. They made my #5 fresh to order so it took the longest but worth the wait! Then we ordered a meat combo to go for good measure. Lol Great staff and comfortable atmosphere to share real good food with people you like since you may be sharing food and eating with your fingers. Always delicious and everyone I've brought comes back! Must try! Be adventurous! read more

See all

This place is by far my favorite restaurant in Santa Rosa!! I highly recommend the vegetarian combo. It's naturally vegan and so filling and tasty! The staff are also so friendly and helpful! read more

Abyssinia Restaurant - Vegetarian Combo (Serves Two) - Ethiopian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

I love the bread and vegan options My friend will like to go there cuz it'll be like an adventure. You are allowed to eat with your hands but I personally will not share a dish with my friend cuz I'm a clean person that don't like sharing. So we will order two different dishes. You can't go wrong with the food here. read more

Ambiance was nice Quiet enough to converse with your table mates Service was top notch - Dylan was our waiter and was attentive, but not intrusive Food was a first for me, and I found it to be delicious and served while still hot off the grills read more

We have been eyeing this place for a while and I'm so glad we finally had the opportunity to come check it out. Food experience was delicious! Think Indian food specs but with a different flavor profile. We pretty much tried half of the menu and loved everything!!! not one thing was bad. Service was friendly and fast. We tried their selection of Ethiopian beers and they are very refreshing and light; perfect for a hot day. We will definitely add it to our list of spots to go downtown. Yummy food and great service read more

See all

I've never tried Ethiopian food before, but have been absolutely DYING to, so we went for an early dinner. We ordered the combination platter for two. Three meat stews and two veggie ones, on this AMAZING puffy injerra bread. Oh my goodness I will be coming back! The staff was friendly, and the service, while not fast, was impeccable. The honey mead was the only bad note in the night...it tasted kinda skunky and off. But the replacement drink of an Ethiopian brewed lager was perfect, and complemented the flavours of the stews. Even the green salad was so different and refreshing. I will DEFINITELY be back, seeing as how it's only a 5 minute walk from my apartment. read more

See all

The portions are CRAZY small. We got a platter for 2 and it literally contained 1 chicken drumstick per person. That's really unacceptable.

Abyssinia is hands down one of my favorite restaurants in Santa Rosa. I am a huge fan of Ethiopian food, its so flavorful and healthy. I love that you can eat vegetarian and have so much variety of lentils, split peas, stewed cabbage/carrots and the best darn dressing on their salad! Or you can have several meat choices that are well seasoned and slow cooked. Honestly I take home Ethiopian any chance I get. Love this business and their food. I am always well fed and happy! read more

Amazing! I have heard about this place for years and am kicking myself for not going sooner! Phenomenal food, great service and fun little spot. Real authentic Ethiopian in the heart of Santa Rosa. Do not pass this place by, it is right next to where NY Pie (used) to be in a tiny little spot, so keep your eyes peeled for the lion logo on the door. The Doro tibs, the vegetarian combo platter and the telba are all fantastic making you want to grab every last bit of food off your plate, but unless you come with a massive appetite, you'll absolutely have left overs. For those of you who may have not had Ethiopian food before, you eat using injera, a thin, flat (delicious) bread to grab your food with, acting as your utensils. Although everyone there is very nice and probably wouldn't think twice about someone asking for silverware, try and follow Ethiopian practices because it is part of the experience. Again, we absolutely love this place and have since been back about 8 times since our first visit just a few short months ago. Do not miss this Sonoma County gem! read more

Good flavors but we won't be ordering again. The takeout portions are actually insultingly small. The first time, we thought they made a mistake. The second time we ordered, it was slightly better but still disappointing The third time we ordered was the last time we will order. It's like actually a joke what they charge for what you get. Maybe it is better if you eat there in person (we never have) but for takeout I sadly can't recommend eating here, which is disappointing because as I said the flavors are good. read more

This is my second time trying Ethiopian food (the first time was in DC last summer). I am no expert but the food is delicious. The injera was soft and spongy perfect for picking up the chicken, cabbage and beans. The injera here was much sour than the place I tried in DC but I based on research it is supposed to be sour and fermented. The chicken was good but some part had some fatty/cartilage pieces. Abyssinia has an extensive menu and am looking forward to trying their lamb, beef and vegetarian plates next time. Very glad to have found this place so close to home. I can feel the food was made with love and care. This is a small restaurant and looks homey inside with many small tables. Please support local restaurants during this tough time! read more

Abyssinia Restaurant - Side salad - Ethiopian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

See all

My husband and I just had dinner here. It was recommend to us earlier today and we are so happy we came. We will definitely be spreading the word. The lamb stew was so good and the fava bean spread. I am so excited to come back and try different things! Very very good read more

Abyssinia Restaurant - 31. Wodi Special Combo Plate so good!!! - Ethiopian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

See all

Visited Saturday early evening for dinner - Ordered Veggie Combo for two - size/portions was good but taste was ok-ish. Service could definitely use a polish - - long wait for our food (while we saw multiple big to-go orders being handed out) and there was just one other table occupied when we got seated - no concern/interest throughout from our server. read more

Abyssinia Restaurant - 29. Vegetarian Combo Plate - Ethiopian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

I had a wonderful lunch here today. Service was prompt and friendly. Food was excellent. I will come back here with friends. read more

Abyssinia Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

I seriously adore this restaurant. It remains my favorite restaurant in Santa Rosa! While I've always enjoyed a comforting plate of Ethiopian food from Abyssinia, I have been so impressed with their takeout system. First of all, the service is quick and efficient. Secondly, they make it super safe to get takeout during the age of coronavirus. 1.) The door was propped open so I didn't even have to touch it! 2.) They took my credit card using a napkin so that they didn't even have to touch my card. 3.) The pen I used to sign my receipt was sanitized. Plus, they even had highly-coveted hand sanitizer for you to use. :) Finally, the food is just as amazing at home as it is when dining in. Sometimes takeout is never quite the same. But at Abyssinia, my meal was just as fresh and flavorful as it is when I dine in. They have a solid system of wrapping the food in injera (it was an adorable, magical pocket of Ethiopian food!) and they separate the salad so that nothing gets soggy. I was so impressed. I can't wait to get more takeout from Abyssinia. read more

There's a new cook at Absynnia Restaurant, and she cooks soooo good!!! Wedi, Mimi's mother, started the restaurant, and I loved the food then. Then, Mimi's brother and his wife took over, and the food was still good but different from Wedi's. Enter Mimi: Mimi's cooking is the best Ethiopian food I've ever eaten (and I've eaten a lot of it), even better than in restaurants in Oakland, Berkeley, and San Francisco. She and her staff are nice, personable, and friendly. The ambiance is nicely decorated with the cultural wonders of Ethiopia. There's indoor and outdoor seating to choose from. My favorite dishes are the fish gulash and the meat combo. I like to pick my food up and take it home to eat. I always buy one of each of those plates and eat from them for days. I highly recommend this place. But make sure you carefully check the days and hours that they're open before you go there. They are open on very specific days and hours. P.S. I took photos, but because mine was take-out, it doesn't do the presentation justice. Please check out their website to see how the presentation looks served on a plate. It's beautiful. read more

We love Ethiopian food and we we're lucky to find Abyssinia with the help of Yelp:) My wife is vegetarian and we enjoyed the Vegetarian Combo! We had ordered to serve two and the portions were generous. We hoped to dine in but we had our Maltese and the restaurant only allowed service dogs. We're so glad that we ordered to go. We would definitely return:) read more

We are thrilled that Abyssinia survived the pandemic and is once again welcoming in-person dining. They are the best Ethiopian restaurant in the area Hans down. The staff/owners are super friendly, the service is great but the food is the real star of the show. We ordered our usual veggie combo but also got the meat/veggie combo and were amazed by every dish. Favorites included the Minchet Abesh Alecha and Shiro we't but to be honest, there is not a in item on the menu that is less than spectacular! All of the great dishes are complemented by the amazing spongy, slightly tart, Injera. The staff even invited us into the kitchen to watch them make it, carefully pouring the fermented, loose batter onto a large hot plate. They have beer and wine but also corkage is a bargain at $10 if you want to BYO. If you already love the unique and varied cuisine of Ethiopia or just want to give it a try for the first time, Abyssinia is the place to go! read more

See all