Perfect date night choice. Beautiful restaurant, delicious food, friendly service. Thank you for a memorable evening!

Hands down best Ethiopian food in the area. Everything that was ordered was devoured and enjoyed to the max. We got the veggie assortment and the meat as well along with lots of injera. A must-order is the chicken doro wat! The chicken was sooo tender and stewed just perfect. The lamb was also just amazing. read more

Asmara Restaurant - Meat/Veggie Combo served with our Home-Made Ethiopian Honey Wine - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

My lovely friend took me here to try it out. I was pleasantly surprised! I had the mixed meat plate, lots of food and lots of flavor. The honey wine was also on point! Worth a visit. read more

Loved the Shiro and great ambiance! We loved it! Lots of veggie options and the food tasted fresh.

my new favorite ethiopian restaurant in the bay area! vibes are cozy and warm - feels like you are in someone's home. we shared the veggie combo, shiro, and catfish tibs. the veggie combo and catfish were both excellent! the shiro was just ok. injera was SUPER fluffy and the best i've ever had. read more

The food is alright, nothing stands out. But this place is pricey. For a veggie lunch combination I ended up paying $15 plus tax. And the portions are not justifying the cost. They gave me two extra anjeera breads which was sufficient for me but I doubt it would do for most people. Went there a second time to try out their non vegetarian family style dinner for 2. Curries were decent, do not except spicy when you ask for it, they gave us a jalapeño stuffed with onions and tomatoes to amp up the spice but the heat was overall mild. Honey wine is tasty but a little too sweet. read more

Asmara Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

Asmara is delicious! So many great flavors! If you don't know what you'd order you can just ask them to pick for you. There's a reason they've been around as long as they have. read more

Veggie and meat combo was delish though there are other places on telegraph that let you pick your own veg dishes. Wasn't a huge fan of the potato, collard greens and the yellow lentils but the meat curries were good and so were the red and brownish lentil dish (forgot the names). It's connected to a bar, so the cocktails were pretty good! read more

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

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We love coming here. The food is delicious and the service is personalized and consistently thoughtful. Hot tip - our favorite dish is Asa Tibs - yum! read more

Asmara..been in the game since 1985!!! Impressive. It is located at the intersection of 51st and Telegraph. For those of you unfamiliar with Telegraph it has more than a few Ethiopian and Korean spots so lots of good eats. Like the vibe of this place and the service was very hospitable. As a couple reviews mentioned the food does come out a bit slower here than other Ethiopian spots I've been too. The servers were very nice and offered us more injera when they saw we were running low. We went with from fave to least fave 1) Ziggni/ Key Wat (national dish)- Beef marinated with authentic homemade asmara butter and spices 2) Tibsy (Not Spicy) : Beef sautéed with garlic, onion, ethiopian homemade butter & mild authentic asmara spices1 3) Kik Alicha- Yellow split peas slow cooked and marinated in a mild flavorful onion and herb sauce Would say it's higher rated but in comparison to some of the other comparable venues I couldn't bring myself to give it a 4 star rating. May adjust as I try other Ethiopian spots in Oakland. The others ones I've tried have been in SF and the South Bay. If you like my reviews, consider "following" my profile for reviews all across the SF Bay Area. Why "follow" someone? It causes the person you follow's reviews to tier to top when you pull up a business. I find this very handy when researching venues. Rod's Review grading scale explained. Essentially I personally base it on the likelihood of a return visit and I try to be stingy with 5 star reviews since they should be "special" in my eyes. Price/Value also play a role. Just because a steak is $75 doesn't make it a 4 or 5 star venue nor does a $1 taco unless it's delicious. 5 stars - "I'll go out of my way" (approx 6 % of my reviews) 4 stars- "If I was in the area I'd go here and would recommend", (approx 38% of my reviews) 3 stars "Maybe if was nearby", (approx 37% of my reviews) 2 stars -"Would likely not return, Only if you want to go", (approx 16% of my reviews) 1 star -"No thanks, even if I was hungry", (approx. 3 % of my reviews) read more

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We ordered the combo meat lunch plate and Ethiopian iced tea. The food was absolutely delicious/flavorful and the service was wonderful. Highly highly recommend. read more

Asmara Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

I recently found this place thanks to some friends. I've only been here during the pandemic, so the orders have been takeout. Before this experience, I've never had Ethiopian food before, and I am so excited I have now. All of the dishes, whether it was meat or vegetarian had a ton of flavor. My personal favorite is the spicy beef tibsy. It comes in the injera which is a very soft bread-like made from teff flour, and is all served family style for sharing. The injera that the food comes in reminds me of a crepe or a tortilla. Traditionally, everyone grabs a bit of the injera to scoop up the meats and veggies with it. It reminds me a lot of Mexican food in this way! The spicy tibsy's spice definitely creeps up on you, but its such a flavorful spice! There's also carrots, potatoes, and tomatoes in this dish. I am looking forward to coming back and trying more foods in the future, as well as bringing more friends! read more

Food was amazing and service was great. I'll definitely be back again and bring friends!

Asks me about Asmara because this place is down right delicious! I got my Ethiopian food fix right here in my own neighborhood. I used to live in San Jose and frequented Walia, but this place is the next best thing! We came here for dinner on a Thursday night and it was getting packed around 6pm. We also ordered for delivery a couple times, but eating at the actual restaurant is part of the experience. The dining room has wonderful decor and even a lounge/bar area to hangout with friends & family for a drink. The staff here is very friendly and lovely - they're also so hospitable. We ordered the veggie combo, rare kitfo, and derek tibs. Just enough for the two of us! We also ordered the gluten free injera which reminded me of Walia in San Jose. I will definitely come back here for more food!! read more

Delicious food, great staff and owner! Have been going here for years and the quality is consistently good. Love the honey wine, cocktails, and veggie options. read more

It was my first time visiting Oakland California and we decided to visit a habasha restaurant (since we are habasha) the service was SOOO good and everyone was so kind!! the food was amazing aswell and we had a great time. we also got a visit from the owner of the restaurant and at first I didn't know it was him but then my mom told me, tysm for having us your so kind and I love your restaurant! the place was so clean and modern too. please visit this restaurant next time your in Oakland or even if you just live there! great place to eat great food read more

Best Habesha food in town it was absolutely satisfying! I ordered spicy lamb tips my and shiro. So glad I got to enjoy food I was craving for read more

Asmara Restaurant - Best Habesha food in town it was absolutely satisfying! - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

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Very good customer service. The waitress is extremely nice and recommended us to try the beef tibs dish and the vegetarian combo. I highly recommend this place for anyone first time eating Ethiopian food. The flavors in the beef was very good and the added bell peppers add freshness to the dish. The vegetarian combo is very worth it and definitely a try. There was potatoes, lentils, chickpeas, and greens. Each dish was very tasty and remember to ask for the chili sauce and chili powder if you like the extra spice. read more

Asmara Restaurant - Vegetarian Combination Entree Beef Tibsy (Spicy or Non-Spicy) - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

Been eating at Asmara's for 12+ years bc it's by far the best Ethiopian spot in the Bay. I started taking my son last year, I waited till he was 5 yrs old, and I can't share nothing w him bc he devours the food. He ask for Asmara everytime I give him an option. Family owned business,the owner comes table to table to thank u when he is in. Such a welcoming place n they now have a full bar/lounge on one side of the restaurant. I love this place and now my son does too. read more

Asmara Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

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Excellent, interesting food artfully served. Choices for all tastes and diets, and friendly servers to explain, as needed. All in a fun,casual atmosphere. Everything that I ate was tasty and delicious, as well as healthy. I will be back. read more

Loved coming here. They were friendly to our baby (in the stroller) too. The dining room is large enough to fit strollers which is nice. We got the: - kik alicha (split peas) - brown lentils - tikil gomen (cabbage and others) Everything was flavorful, satisfying, messy-delicious. We devoured the entire thing with just some injera to take home. read more

Asmara Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

I absolutely love this place. It was a real cultural experience eating here and the majority of the dishes were delicious. The service was prompt and professional and I appreciated the level of privacy you get with their set up. Careful of the honey wine it will sneak up on you, lol. read more

I treated my aunt, cousin and girlfriend to lunch. We all tried something different and shared our food. Really good food portions. We had some of their honey house wine which was pretty delicious. My food was good and spicy. I ordered the 3 meat sampler. The owner came around and greeted us asking how our meal was which was really nice. The only thing we didn't like was their was lipstick on nearly all 4 of our glasses when they served us the wine. read more

Scrumptious dishes, friendly welcoming service. Highly recommend fir a unique dining experience!

Their food is good. They are always consistent, and nice to my family.We go there regularly and the bar is always high and still our experience is met. read more

I got delivery from here due to covid 19. The food is delicious, though full disclosure I generally love Ethiopian food. I had the the veggie platter, which is always my favorite dish. However, my favorite thing about this spot is that I was able to order honey wine for delivery. It was delicious and you can only really get this stuff at Ethiopian restaurants it seems. read more

Always the best experience! Great service, great food. Really generous portions. Be prepared for leftovers!

The pace at Asmara was a bit slower than we were used to, but once we let our server know we were in a rush she helped us order and got the food out right away. The vibe was very relaxed and casual. I got the impression that Asmara is one of those rare places where you could slowly eat and chat with friends over a few hours and not have to worry about inconveniencing your waiter. We ordered the Gored Gored (cubed rare beef in sauce) and Tikil Gomen (cabbage, carrots, and potato). The sauce of the Gored Gored was tasty, but the meat did not have the flavor of the sauce. I personally thought the Tikil Gomen was bland. Even though I did not love what we ordered, the service and atmosphere were pleasant and the menu expansive enough that I do want to come back and try more. read more

As another person said... the lentil portion was undercooked.... Sent 3 of us to the doctors

The food and service is excellent and if I could give Asmara more than 5-stars, I would! The food is amazing, we had the vegetable and meat combination, which is beautifully seasoned and cooked, with super fresh ingredients. We loved the experience of eating with our hands, but I asked for a fork to make sure I didn't miss a drop; and the homemade honey wine is sooo good. The people who work there are very friendly and were very attentive, checking on us often. The ambience is homey and charming, Overall the experience was great, and we'll definitely go there again. read more

I was introduced to this spot by a good friend a couple of years ago and we've had many amazing dinners there( pre-Covid). Everything is good! Not a bad dish on the menu. I can't wait to dine-in again, as the dining experience is really set by the atmosphere and amazing staff. This time around I had to order take out cause ya know..Covid. I got the Veggie Combo w/ an extra side of those delicious potatoes. Food is always on point! And even during the short interaction, the staff is so welcoming and friendly that it sets you up for a great dining experience, even if it's in my car. I think it's important to note, I drive 25 min from my home to get Asmara's. Do yourself a favor and try it out. It will not disappoint! read more

May you be vegetarian, vegan or omnivore, the ingredients shine, the flavors dance on your taste buds and sincerely you will want to keep on trying their many dishes and find the ones that nourish you again and again. The acid test for any Ethiopian restaurant is the quality and spices balance of the Kifto, their national version of steak tartare so to speak. How to show case the flavor of lean beef prepared raw while being infused with warm ghee and a blend of spices both aromatic and heat giving spices. It is actually a masterful tour de force. It can't be too buttery which would overcome the taste of the beef, nor can it be too dry which would defeat its expected luxurious texture. The fact that is raw means that there is no hiding behind sauces nor the cooking process. The quality of the ingredients will jump at you at first sight. My first time at Asmara was not an accident. Craving for some authentic Ethiopian food, I asked a lady who was talking to another woman also from Addis Ababa. At the time, I was living in the Emeryville/Oakland/Berkeley area. As in any ethnic food establishment, it is always a great confirmation when you can see a majority of 'nationals' enjoying their own motherland dishes. This lady unknowingly gave me the most long lasting gift. This was over 23 years ago and I am still as fulfilled in both the ambiance, the service, the welcome and personable attention, the pace, and most notably The FOOD. I have tried various Ethiopian and Eritrean restaurants as they popped up both in EB and SF... However Asmara has been and continue to be my comfort food destination for all of the above mentioned. I have lived in the Bay Area since 1980. There are very few establishments in Marin, SF, and East Bay, who have kept and sustained over 20+ years, the same standards from the first time I have savored their food. Asmara is one of the few. In great part due to the attentive owners who are focused not just on us the patrons, the food coming out of the kitchen as well. The chef is also Ethiopian. Not much turn over in staff is also to their compliment. And now their sons are also involved adding to the homeyness of what they have created together. This most affable couple is there every day, truly caring that we, as their guests, are enjoying our experience. Even though I moved to SF 20 years ago, I actually drive across at least once a week. For a to go order, i call at the level of Treasure Island, knowing that by the time I get to Asmara, my order would be ready. I will even confessed that often it was consumed ravenously by half, prior to getting home to the ever surprise and chuckle of my husband. Never have my orders been messed up. Upon return from being out of town, Asmara is my first check in. You know when you are traveling and are eating out quite often discovering new places, once home one wants the familiar flavors and feel: Asmara's Kitchen is it for me. Period. We have a running joke with my now 18 year old son: I keep telling him he owes his healthy constitution to Asmara's Kitfo: my one big craving while pregnant. The flavors and habits are passed on: he loves Asmara and of course Kitfo! He is out of town currently so I sent him this photo. Too big of a tease: "Mom! Now I crave Asmara. Not Fair!" Over the year, they have expanded to add to the right of the main entrance a modern bar and dining area, offering full bar and 3 large TV screens with sports on. They designed it well, the sounds of one room does not disrupt the other. So now there is the option of the traditional Ethiopian art and folklore in a dimmed light environment with music playing at a lovely level which does not overcome your conversation at the table (another plus), or the bar area which I chose the night. Yes you can eat at the bar watching the Warriors game or at tables in a contemporary decor. Often a trap for restaurants, this extension has not affected at all the level of quality of the overall experience in service, NOR the FOOD. Asmara FTW! read more

Asmara Restaurant - Kitfo with scrumptious Gomen (collard greens), Light and airy Injera and homemade Cheese - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

Ordered takeout amid shelter in place. Got the veggie combo and per usual, it was absolutely delicious! They provided sufficient injera and I could not have been happier with my decision to visit Asmara. read more

Walked in and got seated right away, wait staff was friendly and informative about the food selection. Tasty and filling. They have good cocktails too! read more

I have been on an Ethiopian and Eritrean food roll as of late...my goal right now is to try every restaurant in the bay area...where has this stuff been all my life??? Wifey and I were on our way home from work and saw that we would be approaching massive amounts of traffic...so we pulled off in Oakland to grab some dinner. The east bay is where all the good Ethiopian restaurants are...so wth, we decided to try Asmara as a recommendation from my sis. The place was semi busy...over half full. We were fortunate to find parking right in front. Service was great. She was definitely on it. We ordered a half carafe of honey wine...a must when you go to any Ethiopian restaurant...and we ordered 2 meat dishes...yebeg tibs(lamb) and Wifey's favorite, doro watt (chicken with egg). The food came out relatively fast...with plenty of injera (although we ended up ordering more). The size of the dishes were massive...they definitely aren't skimpy here. The food was fantastic! I am becoming a slow believer of lamb...the way that it's cooked in all those spices...mmmmmmmmm...drooling just thinking about it. The chicken was also yummy...although we like that dish at a different restaurant in sf...just by a hair. When we were nearing the end of our injera, our server was right there asking if we needed more. Awesome! The honey wine was sweeter than what I've had in the past...but for $6.50 for half a carafe...you can't go wrong. It was delish...and perfect for a little buzz. For everything, it cost us around $33. Well worth it...Asmara is one of the cheaper Ethiopian restaurants I've been to but the quality was definitely not compromised. I wish there was a location out here in the city...but then again, I'm glad there isn't. I'd be there right now...probably not so great for my waistline. Haha. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5! read more

Asmara Restaurant - I freakin love honey wine!!! - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

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More so 3.5 stars.. I've been on a mission to find my all time favorite Ethiopian restaurant in the area and this place came up short. I've tried and reviewed most of the highest rated spots in the area and yesterday I wanted to give Asmara a shot. Sadly, this place just didn't cut it for both me and my Fiancé. The Warriors parade just ended and all the other places that were near the lake weren't open on Tuesday's and the rest didn't open until 5pm. So we took an Uber to Asmara, due to them being the next nearest place, who also had a good amount of reviews. We ordered the meat combo and the Gomen Besaga entree. GB is one of our favorites because we love collard greens, but sadly there wasn't a trace of that collard green taste. Even when we attempted to just try it without injera or the meat, nothing. The only good thing about the GB was that they threw in a lot more meat than other places... A LOT! Another thing was that we weren't too fond of the injera. It didn't have an oz of sourness and it was also a little too thin for our liking. Their wot sauce.. or as they spell it "watt", was really tasty though. Probably one of the best around! Service could also be better. Maybe it's because other places have set the bar high and offer to box up your platter. Really helpful because it can be tricky to transfer the entire platter (bottom injera) onto a box without creating a mess. Additionally, while standing at the front with our to-go box in hand, we asked for a bag and the young lady (daughter?) just places the bag on top of our box. So ya know.. I guess I got to put my food down and open up the plastic bag myself lol. I really don't want to nitpick any further, but going that extra mile can be the difference of customers returning or not. What threw us off about everything was that we were actually super excited because there was about 4 or 5 other tables who were Ethiopian. In most cases, that's a good sign. ...Maybe next time. read more

Asmara Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

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34 years old, spicy food, but healthy food. house like atmosphere, lamb, beef, & also veggie choices. Agarie,is good for eating with your hand eating experience. ask for the sampler's are really good types of choices. there Honey wine. $25 read more

I've been to a few other Ethiopian restaurants in the Bay Area, and this one was definitely the best. My partner and I ordered Spicy Yebeg Tibs (lamb) and Spicy Doro And Gomen (chicken). The dishes came on Injera with small sides of potatoes and salad. A side of injera was also served. While the lamb was a little tough for my preference, the chicken was INCREDIBLE. The portions were just right for two people and we absolutely devoured the entire plate. We also ordered the honey wine. It's a little on the sweet side, but that was perfect for us. Our food came pretty quickly and the servers were attentive and hospitable. I would definitely come back for more! read more

Asmara Restaurant - Spicy Yebeg Tibs and Spicy Doro And Gomen - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

Whenever I'm in the Bay Area I try my best to go to Asmara. The food is sooo flavorful! Food: this is my favorite Ethiopian restaurant! The food is served hot so be careful as it can be hard to grab since one eats Ethiopian with one's hands. We ordered two meat dishes and it was served with potatoes and salad. The injera is large and the restaurant is generous so you can ask for more if needed. Service: they're fast which is great so if you're hungry the wait isn't too long. We were seated as soon as we entered which I love. Also, the server took our order within a couple of minutes which wasn't enough time for my Mom to select her meal but I appreciate the enthusiasm to take our order. Price: there are no lunch specials during the weekend so one most order from the house specials which is about $13-16 per dish. The servings are huge so it's worth it. Location: San Pablo Avenue in the Temescal area so there are a ton of options. Parking can be tough which is the only problem. Overall, this is a great place. I recommend you if you're in the mood with Ethiopian. read more

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This restaurant was okay, but I felt like it was expensive for the amount of food and the quality. Service: 3/5. Just so-so, had to chase down the server to get more injera even though there were few people in the restaurant Food: 4/5. The lamb was DELISH but the potatoes seemed very undercooked, very hard. I'm not a connoisseur of Ethiopian foods, but I always remember the veggies cooked well. Amount was good, had leftovers as usual Price: 3/5. Granted we did get a carafe or honey wine ($23) but our bill for 3 people came out to be $85 after tip and tax...for the quality and experience, I would likely frequent elsewhere in the future, especially since there are so many Ethiopian restaurants in the Oakland area. Parking in the area was easy to find! read more