There are a lot of Ethiopian/Eritrean restaurants in the SF/Bay area and particularly in the east bay. I've been to most. Asmara is my favorite. I have been going since it first opened in 1985. I met the owner, Kesete then and he is still the owner. Great food, lots of dining space and as of 2026 they have an expanded bar in the adjacent space. Check out the rest and then come to the best. read more

The guys at Jerusalem Coffee recommended for my friends & I to walk over to Asmara for dinner when I said I have not had Eritrean food before. They said Eritrean is very similar to Ethiopian food so we finished our beverages & headed down Telegraph to Asmara. We were delighted when we were told to wait at the bar next door until they have a large table for our group. I asked the server to bring us their popular dishes, enough to feed 7 adults and she told me not to worry, that she would take care of it. She brought out the Meat Combo and the Beef/chicken/lamb tibs along with platter of veggies and eggplant. She gave us enough injera to keep us munching away. The food and service were Fabulous so naturally we had a great evening. read more

$7 Asmara Lager (Eritrean): refreshing, slightly bitter, fruity, malty. $18 Vegi Combo: good! Can eat again but for me, it's not my favorite way to eat vegan. read more

Asmara Restaurant - Beer - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

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I have friends that go to Asmara regularly. I have been trying different Ethiopian restaurants and hadn't been there yet, so today was the day. I had my usual ginger beer to start. For my entree, I tried something new. I had the Gored Gored, which is rare cubes of beef seasoned with awaze and butter. My "mild" was actually medium spicy, which was just right. The meat was tender and delicious. My server was friendly and efficient. Because of my timing, I had the place to myself. I will go back, but not with my veggie friends. Asmara's menu is on the meat heavy side of things. Carnivores and Omnivores will be delighted. Recommended. read more

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We love this restaurant! My boyfriend has been coming here for years. The food here is so incredibly flavorful and delicious, and portion sizes are pretty good too. The owner and his wife are very sweet and attentive. Great vibes and atmosphere. read more

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Came here on Wednesday around 6pm ish, party of 2, no reservations. I don't typically crave Ethiopian/Eritrean food, but I think this surpassed any other time I've ever tried it! We got a combo meat platter as well as the beef tibs, mild spicy. They also mentioned that the meat combo would have 2 spicy dishes, but it wasn't too spicy for me (I'm Asian, if that helps). Around $25 per person Pros: - DELICIOUS food - the injera was really spongey and tasty, and we got free refills of it. The meat was all very delicious - A very authentic ethiopian food experience - everything came out on one platter to share family style (which I loved), and my friend and I decided to forego utensils and eat with our hands which was very fun (but you can special request forks/ spoons if you want, as we observed others eating in the restaurant) - Very beautiful restaurant inside with cultural artwork and decor, and also Ethiopian people working there (yay support local and food must be good right?) - really good service - they kept our waters filled and let us sit for an extra half hour after we paid the bill to yap - lots of vegetarian options Cons: - parking/ driving in this area can be tricky, but there is a very handy free parking lot across the street which is very helpful! I can imagine it might be hard to park close by if it's a really busy weekend evening though read more

Asmara Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

The Authentic Ethiopian/Eritrean spot on Telegraph is a gem. The space feels warm, clean, well‑lit, and intimate -- the kind of place where you immediately settle in. Service is genuinely friendly, attentive, and welcoming without ever feeling rushed. The honey wine is deliciously smooth and lightly sweet, the coffee was strong but smooth and silky.The kitfo was outstanding: perfectly warm, beautifully seasoned, and balanced with just the right amount of richness, the lamb sauteed was tender and juicy. Even the injera hit that ideal spot -- lightly sour, airy, and absolutely delicious. A fantastic experience all around. read more

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Wow, that's the only words I can use wow! It was the best meal I had in a while. The owner and the waitress were so kind. The waitress Hiwet and Ruth did such a good job. They keep checking on me and making sure I didn't need anything. The place had a nice ambiance. The bathroom was super big lol. We left our plate empty. I literally could not put my plate down. 10/10 read more

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I came in on a Sunday night for a post concert meal and was thoroughly impressed! I walked into a packed restaurant and was seated promptly. I ordered the meat combination platter and a tea. Absolutely delicious. Some of the best Ethiopian food I've had. I will definitely be back to try other dishes on the menu. Price: $27 read more

Asmara Restaurant - Meat Combination Entree - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

The food and service here were amazing! Our waiter was super friendly and gave us great recommendations! We got the chicken and fish ribs and subbed in the typical salad and potatoes for the red lentils and mustard greens. The red lentils might've been my favorite dish. It was flavorful and delicious and nicely spiced. The mustard greens were super delicious too! The fish tibs were really succulent and tender and the onion and garlic sauce was really tasty. The chicken tibs were really yummy too, we just wished it was slightly less oily but overall the flavor was incredible! Everything was served with injera and it was tangy and yummy! I just wished the injera was served a little warmer. Loved our experience and would come back to try more! read more

Asmara Restaurant - Assa Tibs (Fish) Doro Tibsy (Chicken) Yemisir Watt (Red Lentils) Ye-Gomen Alicha (Mustard Greens) - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

Excellent food and service. Parking is iffy and my car got broken in to, so take transit or carpool if you can. That's not the fault of the restaurant but something to take note. Again the food and service were exceptional. We got the veggie and meat platters and all were devoured by our large party. Thanks Asmara! read more

Wonderful food and service! Generous with injeras. Will definitely go back soon! Parking is a little tough in the area.

OH MY GOD! This place is better than 5 stars. I went in for lunch as I was working near by. It was nice and cool in there with a great atmosphere. I sat by the owner and she gave me some recommendations and I order the combo plate. When it arrived I started to taste everything individually. It came with goat, chicken, beef, fermented bread, salad, carrots & potatoes. Chicken was a bone in leg with a rich spicy curry. 11/10 Goat was mild is spice and spices, in my opinion fell short in flavor only in comparison to beef and chicken. 7/10 BEEF omg the beef. By far the best thing I had here. Its flavor and quality of meat was amazing. Rich in flavor yet creamy. 12/10 Carrots and potatoes helped break up the flors of the curies and had a solid veggie flavor. 8/10 Salad had a nice garlic and creamy flavor. 10/10 Lastly and in opinion least the bread. The bread is sponge like with a fermented and wasn't my favorite but just because it wasn't for me doesn't mean it won't be for you. The owner Okba was a kind lady and if the quality and flavor of the food is not enough to convince you the customer service from her is enough to come by. I give this place an 11/10 and highly recommend. read more

Asmara Restaurant - Combo plate - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

Heard amazing reviews about Asmara and I understand now! We got the veggie and meat platters which were both delicious. Beautifully decorated and our server was very sweet. read more

Asmara Restaurant - Veggie combo, Meat Combination Entree - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

Asmara Restaurant is one of my favorite spots for Ethiopian/Eritrean food in Oakland. The flavors are always rich and well seasoned, and the injera is soft and fresh. My favorite dishes are the kitfo and the juicy tibs. Both are packed with flavor and always really satisfying. Great place to go with friends and share a variety of dishes. read more

This is my favorite places when I visit the Bay Area . The ambience is great for dates. When u walk into Asmara the staff greets you and there very friendly, the wall are filled with decor walls ,tables are filled with Ethiopian pictures, rugs, and blankets, it's really beautiful. The menu has an assortment of Ethiopian and rich dishes. That are very authentic full of flavor. Trust me, you won't go wrong with Anything on the menu and the best part about it. It's fairly inexpensive although all the prices everywhere have gone up. this place is still within a modest diners budget. An Ethiopia and Eritrea is a custom that one eats with his hands so you may have to ask for and utensils you're gonna love it. read more

Asmara Restaurant - Store front - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

I'm a big fan of Asmara. I'd guess I've been 6-8 times, maybe more. It's the only Ethiopian/Eritrean place I've ever eaten, so I have nothing to compare it to. I live over the hills in Diablo Valley, or I'd go more often. When people tell me they're visiting SF Bay or open to trying something new, it's my first recommendation. I took a newbie for lunch about 10 days ago. I love the fish tibs, he wanted chicken. We both love vegetables, and when we noticed eggplant on the menu, we decided to split three lunches between the two of us. I ask for a special substitution .. instead of three side portions of potatoes and carrots, could we get some red & yellow lentils. The answer was yes. When the food arrived we had fish, chicken and mushrooms. We asked why mushrooms, where's our eggplant? They immediately said they made a mistake, and brought us a plate of eggplant. So two people bought three meals and were served four! And, if you're a fan of mushrooms, wow, are they great!. We had the three we ordered served on one shared platter. My friend loved all of the food, but tired of the injera, and we switched to forks... only to not fill up as fast. Great meal. I need to stop in more often. My challenge is that I want to try different things. read more

Asmara Restaurant - Chicken, fish, & mushroom tibs, salad, potatoes & carrots, red & yellow lentils, injera bread. - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

It was quiet when we came, with a little bit of construction going on but that doesn't really bother us. The restaurant setup was nice, everybody has their own space and there's a little traditional setup where you can sit and feel like you're somewhere else. So cute. I've only had ethiophian food once before this, and it wasn't great experience so I decided to give it another try. I can safely say that Asmara restaurant deliver perfectly. The spices are on point, the meat is tender, and injera has perfect fluffiness that you can use to pick up the food. I like the beef and lamb better than chicken, and the beef was perfectly spicy, I love it! read more

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Went to Asmara yesterday with a buddy and ended up getting a medley of dishes. We went with the veggie sampler, fish tibs, and mushrooms. The food had solid spices and our final plate ended up being very bountiful. Their injera was also soft with a good texture. The servers regularly came by to check on us and top off our injera plate. The vibe in there is cozy. I went on a Friday evening and it was the busiest I had ever seen them. I'd recommend checking them out if you're in the area and looking for Ethiopian food! read more

Asmara Restaurant - Veggie sampler, fish tibs, mushrooms. - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

I don't usually crave Ethiopian food but I'm glad my friends suggested this place for our get-together because it was phenomenal! Rating Breakdown: 2/2 Stars for Taste -- We ordered the veggie and meat sampler to try a little bit of everything, as well as the gored gored (rare beef), assa tibs (catfish), and lega tibs (beef). My favorite dish was the catfish, which I've never seen at an Ethiopian restaurant before. It was so succulent and well seasoned, I could have just eaten that and been a happy camper. The lega tibs was a close second, the beef was very tender and juicy, the jalapenos were more aromatic than spicy. I could only nibble the gored gored (pregnant) but I can't wait until I pop these babies out so I can eat more of it. The veggie and meat samplers were good but honestly they all blended together in my mind and nothing in particular stood out. We had a carafe of honey wine for the table which my husband really enjoyed. 1/1 Stars for Value -- Each entree was about $20 and they do not skimp on portion size. Ordering 1 entree per person is probably enough, but you can't go wrong with ordering party size +1. I only wish the injera was unlimited because it did feel like we had to ration them a little bit even though one of our party ordered rice. 1/1 Stars for Customer Service -- We made reservations because we were a party of 6 but I think we could have gotten by without on a Tuesday night. The servers were super nice and helpful with their recommendations. The food can be served family style on a giant platter. They even helped rearrange our tables/seating so that we could gather around and reach the platter. The food did take a little while to come out but I think it's because the restaurant filled up all at once so they had a bit of a backlog. Bonus star because I'll definitely be back for the catfish. Also, I need to come back postpartum so I can enjoy the full experience! read more

The streak of great food and service continues. This is our go to place for Ethiopian in the Oakland Berkeley area. You can tell it's authentic and delicious because most of the customers were Ethiopian. This time around we ordered: - two plates of doro wot -- amazing and deep flavors each of which comes with two drumsticks and an egg. - cat fish -- simply outstanding and not typical of many Ethiopian restaurants. - Yebeg Aliciha -- mild curried lamb. Very mild but delicious nonetheless. - Veggie combo with an extra misirwet (red lentils). All of the veggies were excellent. - lega tibs, beef tibs with jalapeños and onions. It was very mild, but still quite tasty. - gored gored (almost raw beef). It was very soft and tender and extremely tasty. read more

Asmara Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

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I've been back a few times and have decided Asmara is the best Ethiopian spot in Oakland! I've been to a few other well-regarded spots, but the flavors, quality, portions, and service are better at Asmara. You must get the catfish- it's so good!! 3 of us killed 4 dishes. But we eat a lot... read more

Asmara Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

This was pretty much the best Ethiopian food I've ever had in Oakland. My kid even liked the vegetables which is impressive. Very nice waitress as well. read more

I had a very unpleasant experience. I told the waitresses that an old man stared at me in a sexual manner my whole time dinning even after i moved. They totally disregarded my distress and kept asking if i was ok....obviously not...i told them no i not.. I kept saying no and told them why and they didnt address him at all ... Ruined my whole experience. I told them and they did not care one bit. read more

In the traditional meat combination, the lamb is very good. The food is super flavorful. It was mostly too spicy for me though, but the lamb and beef in the meat combo was not spicy. read more

Asmara Restaurant - Gored Gored Meat combination - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

Very friendly service, food was amazing esp for my first time. Flavorful and unique. Def good location for a date evening, dimmed lights. read more

Asmara Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

Absolutely delicious veg and meat combos in this family-run restaurant with a Doro Wat that was rich and smoky, reminiscent of the best mole I ever had. The eggplant was also flavorful, firm, and satisfying. Of course, the honey wine was the perfect complement to the injera that sopped up all the seasonings and juices. Wonderfully kind servers; can't wait for our next visit read more

This place is a gem! I travel to Oakland regularly for work and I always try to grab dinner here when I'm in town. Such flavor and spice! They also have the best ginger tea I've ever had in a restaurant! read more

Really cute restaurant with fast service and food. Tasty and authentic, this place has been around for decades and for a good reason. Of course the prices have gone up too, but that's everywhere. $70 for the vegetarian plate, lamb, and catfish. Choice of mild, spicy, or extra spicy. Everything served with plenty of injera. read more

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I've been dying to try all of the bay area's best Ethiopian/Eritrean spots. An Eritrean friend of ours said that we had to try Asmara because it's her favorite restaurant. Say less. Next thing that you know, my fiancée and I are trekking to Oakland to get the goods from Asmara. Eager, excited, and starving. Wow. What a phenomenal meal. We ordered the Doro Tibsy, Lega Tibs, and Tikil Gomen. My taste buds lit up and started jiving with every bite. The array of authentic, diverse, bold and succulent flavors made me completely forget where I was. The only thing that mattered in that moment was the next satisfying bite that I was ready to take. I'm pretty sure that my fiancée and I said nothing to one another until our plate was decimated. I guess that's the power of an Asmara meal. And as an added bonus, the service was so quick! Im pretty impatient and irritable when I'm hungry (hangry), so I was so happy be served quickly. So to tie a bow around this review, I ABSOLUTELY recommend Asmara. 5/5 stars. read more

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I have been going (with family and friends) to Asmara for more than 4 years. This last time, things have changed. A) The amount of food was SO little, and the amount of salad (to fill the plate) was too much. B) The lady (attractive as she was) was not knowledgeable regarding the menu. I was disappointed. read more

This was my first time having this cuisine. The flavors were really delicious. Bread was truly tasty and there were ample amounts of it all. Service was friendly and fast. We had the meat combination and yellow lentils. All very yummy! read more

Incredible food, service, and ambience. The food is so delicious with the injara. You can't go wrong with any of the vegetable items including mushrooms, shiro (chickpeas), mustard greens, and the fish and chicken are also amazing. Even the steamed carrots and potatoes pack a lot of flavor. I really enjoyed the soothing Ethiopian spiced tea. The decor is lovely and really reflects a beautifully rich heritage. An amazing dining experience. Highly recommend! read more

Asmara Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

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Ever since Assab closed in San Francisco I've been looking for a place with comparable shiro and I've found it here. So so good.

Incredible food, wonderful staff, lovely vibe, very affordable. Definitely a must go!

I've gone here for years. Order the same thing. And nothing ever disappoints. I order the spicy lang with an extra egg and salad. It's always good. The service is always great. It's always clean and I always miss it because i don't live close by. read more

We ate there for lunch today. We had the vegetable and the meat combos! Absolutely delicious! The best Ethiopian/Eritrean food I have ever had! The service was great and ambiance very nice w/ artwork. read more

Friendly and great service at this spot. It's a small place right off of a busy street in the Temescal area. We ordered the veggie combo and the shiro. The veggie combo was very filling - this easily serves 2 people. I liked the Temtmo/Yemsir Watt. The shiro is served in a pot on the side and is sizzling hot - I felt that the Shiro was a little pricey for the portion that was provided. Overall, a good spot to try out Ethiopian food and good ambience. read more

Me and my Fiance frequent this Ethiopian Cuisine, we both enjoy the Fish Tibs, The Amazing Honey wine and of course the back lava and Ginger Tea or Coffee for Desert, its amazing a Piece of Heaven on eart, they've also most recently added a Bar & Restaurant next door, where you can enjoy Sports Games $ Eat and be entertained on the outside Patio. The Service and Food are Wonderful..... read more

Been coming here since I was born. My family has been coming here since before my parents had me. Needless to say, it's almost like home and the food tastes just like that. Home. Won't go to any other Ethiopian restaurant because it just doesn't taste the same. The owners are sweet and family orientated. They always take care of their customers. The room feels like I've teleported to East Africa. Really intimate and relaxing. I will always recommend Asmara read more