I was craving Ethiopian food and knew that while I was in Minneapolis I had to have it (since there's a decent Ethiopian presence here). Honestly with so many good options it was difficult to pick a place, but we ended up picking based on what was conveniently on the way from the markets to our hotel, and Agelgil had awesome reviews. We stepped into a very authentic-seeming restaurant space. There was a lot of seating, some cool, colorful lighting, and a warm fireplace. There were several locals dining in (we looked like the only tourists). The menu was pretty extensive. I knew I wanted variety so I debated between the Veggie & Meat Combo vs. Agelgil (pretty much meat only combo). We asked our server for her recommendation. She mentioned that the latter had way more meat and food in general (for only $10 more). Since we were super hungry, we went with that one (the Agelgil; serving 3-4). The portions were indeed very generous. The food came out so quickly and tasted delicious. There was so much flavor in the meat. Everything was amazing, including the Injera. We had enough leftovers for another full meal the next day. That said, the Agelgil only had one veggie and one lentil option on the platter. I wished there was more to balance out the heaviness of so much meat. Next time I'm in Minneapolis, I would definitely order the Veggie & Meat Combo (which I hear many other reviewers mentioning). The service was friendly and helpful. The ambiance is pretty casual. I definitely recommend trying Agelgil and I'm looking forward to being back! read more

See all

Wow! This is food is tremendously flavorful and fresh!!! I got a take order of the Doro Wot and Doro Firfir I sampled a little of both of them and I really couldn't stop eating! The spices in both dishes are phenomenal. I ordered too heavy on the Enjera bread, I ordered extra for each entree wayyyy too much lol but I'll definitely eat it for sure! Most definitely a place worth trying. Happy Yelping read more

I've walked past Agelgil Ethiopian Restaurant in St. Paul and I stepped inside, the ambience hit me: warm lighting, rhythmic music, and full of locals. I knew this place was going to be a banger I went straight for the veggie platter (mixed injera with assorted stewed and sautéed vegetables) and it was a revelation. Every single dish on that platter had a distinct flavor: collard greens with just the right amount of spice, lentils mellow but rich, cassava crisped in the edges, and sauces that made you want to scoop more injera (and you will). Colors pop, textures contrast, and nothing feels sluggish or heavy. Service was gracious and attentive without hovering. The staff created a relaxed, welcoming experience. If you appreciate good food in a place where you can settle in, soak up the atmosphere, and let the flavors do the talking, Agelgil is a must. Whether you're a longtime fan of Ethiopian food or just looking for a memorable, veggie-forward meal in Saint Paul , this one's a winner. read more

The food was very good. The spices were right and it had been a long time since I've had good Ethiopian food. The Yawa and Kiko Lisa were awesome. Don't tell your microphone Yemsir wat or Kik alicha. It doesn't come across. read more

Amazing food and service I will be going there again soon also they serve u ur money worth

My favorite Ethiopian restaurant in the cities, and I've tried them all. Wonderful food - super flavorful, tender meats, perfectly spiced, and very fresh. I recommend the meat and veggie combo, though I've also gotten the Agelgil that comes served in a hide-covered basket. That's good too, but it's mostly meat. There are standard booths and tables as well as couches in living room settings. Tip: The service is very friendly, though can be a little laid back so sometimes you need to walk to the bar to get someone's attention. read more

See all

This was like opening a flavorful, injera present! It had been so long since I've had Ethiopian food and I had forgotten how amazing the flavors are in traditional Ethiopian cuisine. The injera is naturally gluten-free but the restaurant put the extra few seconds to note gluten-free on my delivery box (always a + in my book because they didn't have to). I expect that this is the first of many orders through UberEATS at Apelgil. I follow a Gilmore Girls ordering style: pick 2 meals (or more if it's for a group), try, and then enjoy for the next few meals. I gave the Lega Beef Tibs and Beef Combo Samples a try. I had originally been looking forward to the Lega Beef Tibs (delicious) but ended up SAVORING the variety and flavors in the beef combo. If this is your first foray into Ethiopian food, the Beef Combo Samples is the way to go! What the cuisine lacks in visual appeal, it more than makes up in flavor! read more

Agelgil Ethiopian Restaurant - Gluten allergy indicated on Beef Tibs box - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

See all

My daughter wanted to go here for her 18th birthday. The food was perfection, the price was reasonable and the service, hands down one of the best experiences we have ever had. You made her feel so special. I can't thank you enough. There is nothing better for this momma. They made her a special dessert, played and sang happy birthday, she almost cried. Highly recommend. THANK YOU! read more

Our first experience with Agelgil was when we came with a large group of family. We were greeted with warmth and immediately felt valued. The service was personal and unintrusive. Every trip since, we have enjoyed delicious, fresh, flavorful, and generous food! I love this little gem. One word of caution: leaving the parking lot to the right takes you immediately onto Highway 5, with no option to turn around. This is fine if you intend to go west toward Minneapolis. If you want to avoid entering Highway 5, show caution and turn left out of the parking lot. read more

Great lamb tibs. injera is fresh. Service was good. I've been there on multiple occasions and food is very consistent read more

Agelgil Ethiopian Restaurant - Lamb tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

We had the vegetarian combo. It was excellent, super tasty, some of the best Ethiopian food experience we had ! Highly recommend. read more

Agelgil Ethiopian Restaurant - Veggie combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

The food is great. The staff always treats you kindly. Sometimes they are short staffed, but if you are patient, it's fine. Sometimes it can be a loud environment because it has a big gathering ambiance. I enjoy it each time. The food is always fresh too! read more

Super delicious Ethiopian food. I got the veggie combo to go. It was excellent, would highly recommend! read more

Agelgil Ethiopian Restaurant - Veggie Combo To Go - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Agelgil is off-the-beaten-path in an isolated part of St. Paul. It also has some of the best Ethiopian food in a metro area with many other Ethiopian spots. The key mesir ($10) is a red lentil dish, vegan by default, and one of my go-tos; here it was spicy with undertones of cinnamon and perfectly done. The kik alicha ($10) is another staple and consists of yellow split peas. Here it was slighty dry and pasty, but still decent. The difen mesir ($10) consists of green lentils in a deliciously savory sauce. This isn't a dish you see often, so definitely get it. Unfortunately they were out of sambusa when we visited; similarly, they stop serving the hard-to-find ful medemas (a fava bean dish) around 11 a.m. The service was friendly but pretty slow (we waited over 30 minutes for our takeout order). The interior space is casual, dimly lit and consists of a few booths, a few communal spaces and a bar. I'd put Agelgil near the top of my list of Ethiopian spots in the Twin Cities, alongside Fasika (St. Paul), Red Sea (Minneapolis) and Katar River (Minneapolis). read more

See all

The food is really good. I just have to remember to ask for NO jalapenos My daughter and I have tried other places but no one compares to Agelgil's Ethiopian Restaurant. read more

Very welcoming place for someone new to the Ethiopian food experience, ordered Kitfo (raw), zilzil tibs, and quanta firfir from the recommendation of a friend, and our server even took the time to explain our options. It all came out so delicious and I can't believe the affordability of so much good food. Finished dinner with coffee with milk, it was a great night read more

Agelgil Ethiopian Restaurant - Kitfo, zilzil tibs, and quanta firfir, all delicious - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Wonderful flavorful food, attentive service, and authentic community experience! Highly recommend!

Having heard our new mayor stopped by here, we had to check it out. It looks pretty much the same both outside and inside as it did as Tropicana Cafe. But, the menu was easier to understand, and this time there were vegetarian items. I ordered the same food as I did when it was Tropicana Cafe: ginger tea and quanta firfir. The ginger tea was very gingery, and they helpfully provided evaporated cane sugar. This time the quanta firfir came with a small side salad--iceberg lettuce, tomato, hot peppers, and a deep balsamic dressing. It provided a nice balance to the spicy jerky-injera mix. The firfir also came with a hard-boiled egg, which mellowed out the spice a bit. My husband ordered the vegetarian combo. The combo had things we recognized like green and yellow lentils, greens (gomen), cabbage and carrots, etc. The combo also had a small iceberg lettuce salad. He was happy that this time there were meatless options. As before, there is a space with two pool tables in the back by the restrooms. One of the pool tables had a carroms-like game with red and white balls. The other had billiard balls that you would recognize from elsewhere. I was glad to see that Agelgil maintained the same friendly and sunny atmosphere as the Tropicana Cafe. I want to try breakfast and Ethiopian coffee there at some point. read more

Agelgil Ethiopian Restaurant - Flyer for the new restaurant. - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

I walked in, and was impressed by the inside of this restaurant. Can't wait to dine in after this covid-19 bull goes away. The food was expertly packed for takeout, and even though I ate every last morsel, based on the hours of food coma, that veggie sampler is enough for two people. I will visit them every time that I'm by the airport, since they're on five or so minutes away. read more

See all

Call beforehand to confirm that they have the gluten free injera. It's listed on the menu but was not available when we went on a Monday evening. They also did not have any rice, even though a dish on the menu says it comes with rice and they didn't have any potatoes. So they were not gluten friendly and we had chosen this place for that. The service was also bad, other people arrived and ordered after us and received their food before us. Our meal took one hour and the yellow lentils were clearly the bottom of the pot as they were runny like a soup. read more

I usually eat my Ethiopian in NYC, but this restaurant is better! We ordered the Agelgil combo, which included two beef dishes, one lamb, one chicken, and collard greens & cheese. Plus plentiful and fluffy injera. The lamb was our favorite, the collard greens our least favorite, but everything was fantastic. But don't get me wrong; we ate every single bite! Our combo dish was about $30, but it was hearty & hefty and served us for three meals before we were licking our plates. Great value plus bellies full of delicious food: enthusiastic 5 star! read more

The food was good, which typically Ethiopian cuisine isn't far off in flavor from one place to the next. The menu lacked in variety, and if you don't spoke the language, the service isn't the best, though the waitress tried, but the language barrier was significant. This is more a sports bar that serves food with soccer games on every tv. Not my kind of place... read more

Agelgil Ethiopian Restaurant - The menu is limited and unless you speak the language, this may not be for you... - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

See all

Moved here from Seattle and missed ethiopian food. Food from here went in the trash after making my partner and myself both feel sick. I guess I'm still hunting. Lesson learned - order one dish to try initially. That would have saved me a bunch of cash! read more

This was my first time trying Agelgil. I called to order takeout and during the order, I got the first part out (2 veg combo) and then the person on the phone said "sounds good" and hung up. I had the call back to finish placing it and again ""sounds good *click*". No total, no time to pick it up? It was more funny than inconvenient, so I left to pick it up right away. That would have been fine and initially everything was great. Until I noticed pieces of beef in the lentils. I don't eat beef but I figured it was maybe cross contamination so I just ate around that part. My husband who is a strict vegetarian didn't find meat on his combo so he kept eating it only to end up with the telltale meat stomachache later (which is unpleasant for everyone). He didn't want to call because "it happens" but I'm not really fond of advertising food as vegetarian only to find later that it is definitely not as advertised. Maybe it was a mistake (I hope), but the combined experience of weird service and then relying on unpleasant digestive processes to answer the "meat or not" question was enough to send me back to my usual St Paul Ethiopian place. I hope others have better luck and my experience was a one-off. read more

Ate here for the first time, and I've lived in Minnesota for 20 years Delicious food! read more

Agelgil Ethiopian Restaurant - Kitfo - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Absolutely amazing food. I got the lamb tibs and a St. George's beer the injera soaked up the broth which was to die for. The lamb was tender and spices just right. Friendly service and lively atmosphere. read more

Agelgil Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

See all

I liked that the red lentils were spicy. The veggie entree. Portions were filling. Does that make sense? Football game was too loud. I like Ethiopian music, that would be better than a football game. They need some rugs to soak up the sound. It wasn't cold, but my friend was cold. She was cold all day though. I did see a fly on my bread but don't let that stop you. Great food, needs some curtains. read more

The service is friendly and welcoming, the ambiance is inviting, the music is happy and upbeat, the food is worth the wait--so many delicious flavors!!! We ate every little scrap! The only regrettable part was when I spilled my water. We will be back--thank you!! read more

Amazing Ethiopian food at great prices served by lovely and friendly staff! Locally owned too! Can not say enough great things about it.

I've been to a couple of the other Ethiopian restaurants in Saint Paul and while they're all delicious, the service makes Agelgil stand out. The food was amazing (try the Avocado Salad, seriously.) Our host was fantastic and the portions were perfectly sized. Give it a visit, you will not regret it! read more

I tried this place for the first time today, and I love it! Delicious food, friendly staff, and quick service. If you like Ethiopian food, you definitely need to check this place out! It's also close to the airport so it's good for a quick bite before the flight. I stopped in for lunch and when the waitress brought the menu I asked for her recommendation. She asked if I like beef and if I prefer spicy or not. I told her that I do like beef, and that I like a little bit of spice. So she told me that she would take care of it. What she brought me was really good, and it came with plenty of injera bread. When I got the bill it was $12.50, and I feel like that is a very good price for the quality of the food and service. The receipt says that the dish is called "half and half." read more

I have not tried the food yet but the service so far has been great! I'm ordering to go and my food won't be eaten until later today. They have agreed to give me my food cold so that it will not spoil on my long drive home. The waitress has been very cheery and helpful. I will update after we've eaten the food. read more

Food was amazing! Great service. They are aware of gluten allergies and very accommodating. They make gluten free teff injera and not every place has that. The server was very kind and the restaurant is comfortable with nice lighting. The bathrooms are really clean and nice. This is some of the best Ethiopian food I've had since I lived in California. The portions are huge for the price. In California you'd pay double for the same portions so I really appreciate that. read more

My favorite Ethiopian restaurant so far . My first time having this was Thursday and it was great . The flavoring was amazing , the service was wonderful despite not being able to sit in the restaurant due to current pandemic . No food was leftover that's how good the food was . Also, great portions my boyfriend and I were able to share. read more

Agelgil Ethiopian Restaurant - Beef Tibes - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Food was delicious, but wound up being charged more for both my entree and glass of wine than what was listed on the menu. Had to run so didn't have time to dispute it. Five star for food, three star for pricing issue, so went with four stars. read more

Oh my gosh, I am so glad I found Agelgil. This is the best Ethiopian food in the twin cities metro area! I ordered Lamb tibs, Doro Wat, Shiro, and two Veggie Platters. Everything had the best spices. I don't care too much for Shiro until I had theirs. It is seasoned so well and the texture is perfect. I've also never had lamb as tender as they cooked theirs. The food was so tasty that I could hardly stop eating! Four of my family members shared this meal and all of us said that it is the best we've ever had from a restaurant. This is definitely our new go-to place! Thank you Agelgil! read more

Don't go to this place unless you are buddies with the owners or the servers. The food is mediocre at best and even worse if you are not friends with the owners or they perceive you as the average Joe sort of guy, the servers won't even look at your way and the food will be lower quality than the person next table who they serve well for whatever stereotypical reason they have. read more

The food was really good. We enjoyed both the veggie sampler and the meat combo. The people were nice too. However, they aren't taking many precautions for Covid. when I went to pick up the takeout, there were several groups hanging out in the restaurant (no masks). In Minnesota, restaurants are only supposed to have outside service and takeout. Also, the man behind the counter didn't have a mask and wasn't practicing social distancing -- i.e., coming up to me to hand me the receipt to sign. (I had tried to pay by phone when I placed the order, but the person on the phone had trouble understanding my credit card number). The woman behind the counter had a mask but was wearing it below her chin. I really liked the food, and I like patronizing immigrant businesses, but I was uncomfortable with their health precautions. Made me wonder if they follow health & cleanliness standards back in the kitchen (to prevent food-borne illnesses, etc.) read more

Food is amazing service was very good small place but I would definitely suggest you stopping in and giving it a try. Definitely looking forward to my next visit. read more

See all

We tried to get into Fasika but it was so tiny and crowded we decided to come here and I'm so glad we did. We ordered veggie plate, quanta firfir and lamb tibs and it was all so delicious. Highly recommend read more

Agelgil Ethiopian Restaurant - Quanta firfir and lamb tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

See all