I stopped in as a visitor from out of town, and I can't recommend this for tourists enough! the ambience (music/decoration) is very vibrant and welcoming. Of course, the food was the star of the show. Simply, it's the best Ethiopian food I've ever had, and the best food I've had in Rochester. stop in while you're in town! read more

I was so happy to find this place! The food was absolutely top rate. I ordered the vegetarian platter because I knew I would take some food home with me. The injera was light, spongy, tart - perfect. Two kinds of lentils tasted completely different - red spicy, yellow buttery - potatoes spicy; and then there were also green beans, cabbage, and collards. I will try a meat dish next time. The service was friendly and efficient. And the price was VERY reasonable! read more

The food is really delicious, fresh, and authentic! The place is clean, and the setup is amazing. The ambiance feels warm and welcoming. The customer service is excellent,I highly recommend this restaurant! read more

The Ethiopian coffee was excellent, and worth the price. I also enjoyed the vegetarian platter. Ambiance was nice, with interesting art on the walls. Friendly staff. read more

I live in a small town, so when I came into Rochester and saw Addis Ababa restaurant, I knew this was my first chance in many years to get some Ethiopian food. The restaurant did not disappoint! I ordered the vegetarian combination dinner and it was delicious. Many Ethiopian restaurants only give you a tablespoon or so of each item, but this restaurant offered real, tasty, large servings. My husband ordered the kitfo, which comes with two sides. Again--wonderful food in generous portions. The manager checked on us often to ensure we didn't run out of Injera. he also brought out a traditional Ethiopian instrument and played a few notes on it for us. We told him we will be back as soon as we can and next time I'm gonna get a video of his performance! Give this restaurant a chance,; whether you're an experienced lover of Ethiopian food or a novice, you will love your meal! read more

We got delivery on a Saturday night and it came fast. We started with the lentil sambusa which were really crispy and great. The portions were huge. Didn't not stop me fr finishing my sambusa though. I have the vegan combo which had a great spicy potato dish that I havent had before, red lentils (usually my fave, pretty wet here), yellow lentil (easy to eat with the bread), a small amount of collards, picked cabbage, and steamed green beans and carrots. Don't need those green beans, but I guess they just provided a different texture. We didn't eat them because if the aforementioned huge portions. read more

To be honest, the decor, the service, and presentation is great. The food is just too bland for me. The injera isn't light and fluffy like I'm used to. I don't think I will be back, but I wouldn't recommend against someone else going. Give it a try. I'm just used to every dish so flavorful that I don't want to get full. I normally go to a different Ethiopian restaurant but have been wanting to give this one a try. I got the veggie platter that had a bit of most of their vegetarian dishes. The cabbage and potatoes are pretty good, but the rest was just not impressive for me. read more

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Quiet, great service and great food! Ordered the beef sambusa (10/10) and the meat special which came with a beef, chicken, and lamb dish plus any choice of vegetarian sides. A basket of Injera included-- everything was delicious and was more than filling split between two people! read more

Addis Ababa - Ethiopian Restaurant - a plate of food - Ethiopian Near Me - Rochester, New York

I wish I can give half stars because this place really should be 3.5 stars. When you enter the restaurant you're likely greeted by the owner at the bar. There seems to be a separate space for smoking pipes? The main restaurant area is kind of out of place fancy with its white table cloths. There is a small buffet section where all the veggie buffet options are. You can help yourself to all the injera you want here! We opted for the veggie buffet as it was a great deal, and then added the raw beef cubes for some extra protein. The raw beef chunks were so good! The flavor was spicy but not overwhelmingly so, and the texture of the meat was chewy yet edible. I loved every bite, and there is a lot more than you think in that little bowl it was serviced in. The buffet itself was a hit or miss. There were a lot of variety such as your lentils, potatoes, green beans etc. I'd say out of the 10 or so options, I really only liked 2 which were the braised cabbage and the carrots and green beans. I tried a little bit of everything. Overall, even though the experience is ok and this is really close to my house, I'd make the drive a bit up from the college to another ethiopian spot I've frequented for years. read more

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This local gem has been my Covid-19 standby. I have ordered out repeatedly from this restaurant and I love it. My favorite is by far, the veggie platter which offers you a sizeable portion of injera and a nice selection of vegetables. Potatoes, lentils, and greens make this perfect for my increasingly plant-based diet. I love the tomato fit fit with injera. The injera soaked in the tangy blend of flavors is very enjoyable. The lentil sambusas are also quite good and a nice option for vegetarian and omnivorous diners alike. If you're looking to try something new, I suggest trying out some very good Ethiopian fare at Addis Ababa. read more

Vegetarian buffet is a dream! Love coming here for delicious food in a beautiful setting!

Quiet and great service. Hope the following video helps because I had no idea how to eat injera https://youtu.be/hRaZbyLi8z0?si=kZ7cKqNj8S9o3GCT read more

It's authentic Ethiopian food. The staff are very nice. It seems to be family owned. There is a bar and a dining room. The bar often has a few locals and the dining room is often empty. read more

Took a ride from Buffalo to check out the Sunday buffet. While there was ample food, the flavors lacked any real spicing. I could look passed that, though, as it was still flavorful, but everything was lukewarm. Not one dish was even warm, let alone hot. Maybe it's how the buffet pans were heated. I don't know. So by the time I got to the end of the meal (and I'm a fast eater) everything was cold. Owners are very nice, though, and my husband liked the traditional coffee. read more

Addis Ababa - Ethiopian Restaurant - Good selection at the Sunday buffet, but food lacked real Ethiopian flavors and was lukewarm. - Ethiopian Near Me - Rochester, New York

Just tried this for the first time and it's very tasty and really good portions. The chickpea stew has just a very slight bite to it. Not too spicy just enough to make it flavorful. Appreciate it guys read more

Addis Ababa - Ethiopian Restaurant - 3 beef sambusa with chick pea stew, salad and rice. - Ethiopian Near Me - Rochester, New York

I or anyone I know won't be back here. The guy that greeted us at the door. Was not welcoming at all. I didn't let that get to me. I was there to get food for my mother who was getting surgery in the morning. This was the only food she would have for a very long time. I ordered the vegetarian platter and wanted to order a side of meat sauce and some sambusa. The guy wouldn't sell me a side of sauce. He said I would have to buy a full meal. After not getting anywhere. I just decided to get the vegetarian platter by itself. He put the sauces and the injera together, instead of having the sauces on the side. Once I got home and was plating the food, the injera fell apart. It pretty much crumbled at every touch. She had no sauce to dip her food with. Let's not even get started on how bland it was. It ended up in the trash. Guess we are having Delmonicos tonight. read more

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My husband received a Grubhub credit from his employer for Christmas, so we decided to try out something new. I've heard great things about Addis Ababa so we decided to try it. Because of the credit I decided to try almost everything vegetarian on the menu. I ordered the vegan platter, lentil sambusas, shiro, miser, and my husband ordered the beef cha cha. We picked up the order on time and the order was 100% correct. I loved everything in the vegan platter - not sure if the collard greens, the potatoes, or the split pea stew were my favorite. Everything was spiced so well. My husbands favorite was the split pea soup, even more than the beef entree. We will be ordering from Addis Ababa again.. looking forward to the leftovers I have In the fridge. PS - I wish I had pictures but I was so excited to eat it I forgot. read more

Food was tasty and piping hot. I had chicken which was delicious and perfectly cooked, my friend had several vegan options. The service was great. Friendly and helpful, and a delight to talk to. read more

About a week or so ago, got a Addis special (chicken, lamb and beef dishes with 4 vegetable sides for $25...doesn't show up in Yelp menu but in the Addis website) and Sambusa. Given Covid precautions ordering was through window and the restaurant took reasonable though not exceptional precautions. I still had to give my credit card for them to swipe etc. but I had sanitizer so it's fine. It was lunch for two people... sorry no pictures coz we both INHALED the food. Good stuff read more

I had never ordered, ate or even tried Ethiopian food before so my expectations were literally nothing. I really went off what the waiter told me and what people were eating around me. I went with a group of 4 and we ate family style to try everything. I really enjoyed the food. Many "dips" though they were not dips and I dont know a non american word. There was a "bread" that was used as a boat to hold the dips but I was not a fan of this bread. I was expecting it to be warm and it wasnt and I dont know I just wasnt in love with the flavor. Others in my party enjoyed it. This place is very mom and pop. The wife cooks and the husband is the hostess and waiter. I loved that I could talk one on one with the owners about their culture and food. read more

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I liked how bright and spatial the restaurant is. Not many customers were there when we walked in on a Sunday evening around 7:30 pm. I got the cha cha, an entree made of lamb, sizzling with sliced red onions, green peppers, several rosemary twigs, in a mini stovetop fired up by charcoal. Initially the meat had a tad pleasant chewiness but as time went on they softened, possibly due to the cooking. The side is stewed carrot and cabbage. My friend ordered fully-cooked kitfo and the minced beef was seasoned with spices. Compared to Abyssina, this place does not have combo, which is not a bad thing because of portion control. I finished everything, including the 4 rolls of injera that came along with my food, and I felt comfortably full. read more

Addis Ababa - Ethiopian Restaurant - the "cha cha", an entree made of lamb - Ethiopian Near Me - Rochester, New York

Food was delicious and full of flavor. The owners were incredibly nice and great to talk to talk to. The lentils were delicious and even the cabbage had just the right amount of spice. read more

5 stars for the food, 3 stars for the ambiance. The hostess/server is super kind, very sweet man. I assume he is the owner or manager, but not sure. I have eaten here twice, and each time, the food was delicious. It was also consistent. Both times I went, it was somewhat busy, but not crazy busy. My wife, son and I don't eat meat, so we got the veggie platter, a salad, the lentil soup, and the lentil samosas. All of them were delicious. I am a huge fan of their food here, and will definitely go back for a 3rd time next time we visit our family. read more

Amazing Ethiopian fare tucked away in a cozy nook of the Highland area. Great menu variety for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian diners alike. Super experience for the two folks in our party who were new to Ethiopian cuisine, they are now hooked and looking forward to returning. The only reason for 4/5 v 5/5 stars was the COVID restrictions (not the restaurant's fault), as well as the interim unavailability of adult beverages? We will be back. read more

I came with a friend for dinner and we ordered the vegetarian platter and Ethiopia coffee. The hostess was sooo sweet. She told us how they make the injera, details about the coffee and even showed us how the food is eaten with the injera. They had soft music playing in the background and I really liked the decor. I highly recommend and would come back. read more

I ordered the vegetarian platter. Simple wholesome meal with different types of vegetables. Extra injera is inexpensive for the amount they provide. The food gives me the feeling of home food- simple, healthy and uncomplicated. The restaurant is clean and calm even when it gets busy. The employees are attentive and polite. read more

Had the place to myself on a Friday night. Staff was warm and gracious. Food came out quickly. A little too quickly as my dish was on the cold side. I was starving so I ate half of it before taking the rest home. I'll reheat and eat it later. Prices are reasonable. So I would return when I need a fast and filling dinner. read more

Addis Ababa - Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Rochester, New York

Quality of food is excellent. Service was also good. A menu item had a price change which i found out about when I checked out, not before. Server should have said something when he took my order. The print menu was incorrect. Rather than honor the advertised price, they charged more. When I brought it to the attention of the server , he said I was not the first person to point it out. Then fix the menu or honor the price you advertise. I'll go back because the food was delicious. Hope they fix menu prices. read more

This review is exclusively for the buffet. It is the responsibility of a restaurant that chooses to do an all day buffet to maintain it during all hours. I went in around 3pm. The buffet looked decent enough, and I was interested in sampling things. The food was cold to lukewarm at best. You could tell the food had been sitting out for hours. Even the rice had hard pieces from sitting at the bottom and overlooking at the bottom of the pan, making it chewy, and honestly disgusting. My plate consisted of cold sauces and lukewarm dishes that would have most likely been delicious had it been fresh and hot. They lost a potentially lifelong customer because of their low quality buffet. Would not recommend. read more

Addis Ababa is still great - perfect place to grab a beautiful, tasty, inexpensive vegetarian buffet dinner before heading out on the town on a weekend night, to enjoy a date either with someone new or a longtime partner, a quiet weekday treat, a Saturday morning with Ethiopian coffee... honestly, there's never really a time of day where I wouldn't enjoy something that Addis Ababa has to offer. I love eating here, and I'm sure you will too. Go on Fridays and Saturdays between 12pm and 9pm for the aforementioned vegetarian buffet! This place imparts a great love of Ethiopian culture through the decor on the walls and the music that is played. Highly recommended! read more

Really enjoyed a large group dinner here on a Friday night with a group of friends. The staff/owners are extremely warm and friendly and helped make menu suggestions for the inexperienced group. The restaurant is spacious and well-lit with a casual, fun ambiance. They were unfortunately out of the avocado juice which really piqued my interest but promised that their mango juice was fresh.. and, boy, did they deliver! I'm used to mango juices that are thick and syrupy (usually bottled) and this was such a refreshing contrast. Highly recommended! As far as the food, we ended up ordering a little of everything, with the group favorites being the Doro Wat (chicken), Lamb Tibs, and one lamb curry that I really wish I could remember the name of because it was excellent. Overall, the food was so tasty that we didn't leave a single bite on the plate and there was plenty of injera to go around. read more

Addis Ababa - Ethiopian Restaurant - Vegetarian platter, Lamb Tibs, Doro Wat chicken, and lamb curry with lots of injera. - Ethiopian Near Me - Rochester, New York

The vegetarian buffet spread is a great price, and the interior is comfortable to dine in. But, even with all the choices, all the food/choices taste the same. I enjoyed my experience, but I would rather go to a different, more flavorful Ethiopian place (like Abyssinia). My review is only of the buffet. I've heard ordering separately off the buffet yields better results. I did order the beef sambusa off menu while I was there and that was very tasty. Maybe the buffets are lackluster. read more

I'm so excited to finally review Addis Ababa, I've wanted to attend their $10 Sunday vegetarian buffet for a while now. Their vegetarian buffet offered a wide variety of filling options, they had 4 or 5 options of lentil dishes while as well offering green beans/Carrots, and collard greens. All of which were great! I would easily become a vegetarian if I had access to a buffet of this caliber every day! read more

Addis Ababa - Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Rochester, New York

Great vegetarian lunch buffet, even if you are not a vegetarian. Food and injera was good and fresh. Enjoy. read more

Addis Ababa - Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Rochester, New York

My husband and I got takeout last night and it was wonderful! The ease of being able to order online was super convenient and the order was ready when we arrived. The staff was friendly and kind! The food was delicious! We started with the sambusa's - crispy and flavorful with a spicy dipping sauce. I got the vegetarian platter and my husband ordered the chicken cha cha. Everything was excellent! The food isn't only delicious but aromatic. The spice blends used in Ethiopian food are amazing. And of course, it's fun to eat with injera! read more

Another great option in Rochester, NY! We had the vegetarian platter w/meat options added for our party of 4, this time. We had lamb, chicken & beef dishes. Their empanada style fried bun was a hit. I eat anything & prefer the vegetarian platters so far. Service was friendly & good. read more

This is a good ethiopian restaurant to try out. They had good food - but I think they were a little bland to taste. Some items were missing salt too. The decor is nice. read more

Addis Ababa - Ethiopian Restaurant - A vegetarian plate - Ethiopian Near Me - Rochester, New York

I'm clueless about Ethiopian food...so maybe I have no business giving my opinion but love..love..loved this place X 10 It all starts with the warm smiles that greet you when you walk in the door. It was a sunday evening, not that busy, but I could tell that the man who sat us down (maybe an owner) was genuinely grateful we were about to spend time and money at his business. Throughout dinner, the utmost cheer and hospitality was shown by everyone who worked there. The buffet has its fans, but I dunno..being later on a Sunday, some of the items didn't look that piping hot and fresh so we ordered off the menu. Spotting something familiar, we got sambusas which in the description sound exactly like samosas. Who can resist these?? Flaky and golden on the outside, with potently spiced ground beef..mmm..the only thing that could have improved it was some type of sauce on the side. I asked the waiter for a recommendation and wound up going with gorum something or other..collard greens stewed with beef pieces. It almost had the consistency of a soup with lots of tasty greens juice at the bottom of the bowl. It was just so flavorful, and had that earthy stewing all day in a big pot goodness. We also got a lamb dish which came out on a sizzling kind of lantern with hot coals in it! Hard to describe but reminded me of a fajita, with grilled lamb, onions, peppers...the flavor profile was so complex and strong..We devoured all of it. Parking is easy, the prices are totally reasonable..the food is excellent but what really stands out here are the owners/employees who go out of their way to show gratitude for spending time and money at their restaurant read more

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The most healthy and delicious buffet, wish I could eat it daily! Mild and tasty yum!

We ordered out from this restaurant for the first time. In restaurant dining is not possible now. We ordered three mains, chicken, beef and lamb. We have eaten at Ethiopian restaurants here, Toronto, Montreal, for almost three decades. We received very large portions, excellently spiced and with the meat dishes tender and of apparent high quality. Had all the available sides and very satisfied. They loaded us up with more injera than we could have hoped for. Two dinners so far and enough left over for lunch tomorrow. Highly recommended. read more