While the Ethiopian food scene is not one of Houston's strengths (#1) but if the ones here were as impressive as Bahel, it would be an embarrassment of injera riches. They've managed to distinguish themselves as an outstanding dining option in the Gulfton area, and somehow maintains cultural authenticity with its unique integration of a restaurant and mini-mart all under one roof. While they've only been open a handful of years, they've managed to become Houston's highest rated Ethiopian spot. They've managed to do so with a combination of adapting to the area, making the cuisine approachable to novices, providing excellent service, and above all, keeping the food fresh and tasty. The interior does a good job of showcasing their roots, through traditional attire in display and cultural pieces throughout the dining area. There is indoor and outdoor seating, which includes a large private room for group fun. The mart itself is expectedly small, but functional with a limited number of imported goods for purchase.There are also TVs playing international games while locals come in and chow down, communal style. I ordered the #2 combination from their "all time favorite" section, which includes chikina tibs, doro, and two vegetarian dishes (whole lentil stew, and dinich wot potato stew). I was warned by the server that the portions would be overwhelming, but I was not the least bit intimidated. Then the platter arrived and indeed, the portions were stacked. This meal would have been doable for 3 people, but I still managed to take out a majority of it after many furious scoops from their incredibly fluffy injera, which was tangy and full balanced with nice elasticity. The spices were strong, but the flavor was addicting. Overall, everything was exceptionally prepared and despite being incredibly full, I still managed to continually shovel most everything into my mouth. Service was busy, but was kind and considerate. I'm already planning a return visit, but with hungry reinforcements to help me conquer a much larger platter. From top to bottom, this is my kind of establishment and one that I am looking forward to eating at over and over again. __________ (#1) Just trying to be like you, D.C. read more

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First time to Bahel and we were looking forward to it! Located in a little strip, parking was easy enough. When we walked in it wasn't too busy, but business did pick up throughout our visit. Service was quick, which was very nice. Our food came out pretty quick. We started with Sambusas, both meat and veggie. They were hot and delicious! Well seasoned, and we'll stuffed. The veggie actual had more of spice to it, which I enjoyed. Awaze Tibs were very tasty. I really enjoyed the 12 veggie combo, it serves plenty when grazing in groups. We also had beers, and a round of something more traditional that I do not remember the name of. It was like a mix of beer and wine, no carbonation. We had a group of 8 and split up all the things. Very easy. Would definitely go back. read more

Okay..listen up closely. Have you been looking for some delicious Ethiopian food at a great price? Yeah? Well stop what you're doing and get on over to this restaurant. From the outside, I wasn't expecting much, but as soon as I walked in and saw the decor and the attentiveness of the staff...I knew I was in for a treat. The food was really good. Didn't know what to order, so the waiter suggested a meal and I'm glad I agreed to order it. The portions were big enough for two people to enjoy. I ended up getting a coffee to finish off dinner and it was yummy as well. Definitely check this place out. Like now! read more

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My first time eating Ethiopian food and I am so glad Bahel was my first! Everyone was so kind, and answered all of my questions (Lots of dietary restrictions). I also loved hearing about the historical and cultural aspects that go into the food, seasonings, and ceremonies. The food was AMAZING! Their dishes are meant for sharing (which we did not know initially lol) so the portion sizes are big! Super flavorful and delicious! We also had the honey wine (def recommend) and the coffee ceremony (also recommend). It's a super chill atmosphere with lots of friendly faces! I will definitely be back. read more

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How it took me over a year to finally get Ethiopian food in Houston is beyond me. I glad I finally made my way over to Bahel and after trying it will be unlikely to need to explore other options (but variety is still the spice of life). Bahel is an unassuming restaurant and market in a strip mall. There's multiple dining rooms and when we arrived it was fairly quiet so the hostess let us choose where to sit. Staff were all friendly and gave us time to make food choices and also provided recommendations. We ended up getting the veggie combo #6 and went with the awaze tibs. Food came out pretty quickly and i grabbed some injera and started gorging myself. The veggies were all great, lentils always being my favorite but really nothing was a let down. I love mixing the veggies and just stuffing my mouth with all the flavor and texture combos. The awaze tibs were in an amazing berber sauce and I wanted to just pour it over everything. The amount of food is extremely generous for the price and even though I left STUFFED, we had enough leftovers for 3-4 more reasonably sized meals. I always like to have a glass of honey wine when I have Ethiopian food and again, not a let down. I'm so glad to finally have had my Ethiopian fix and already hoping to make a return trip. For anyone who isn't familiar with Ethiopian food, def start with a veggie combo, lots of amazing flavors and so much food and gives you a great intro. Doro wot (spiced chicken stew) is essentially the national dish and always a great one to try as well but really I don't think you can go wrong here! read more

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Bahel - A Chimney Rock Ethiopian Restaurant Worth Its Weight in Berbere On a recent food group, two Ethiopian restaurants showed up, that I was unfamiliar with. Knowing this would be a great option for a vegetarian friend of mine (note: there ARE plenty of meat dishes), as many Ethiopian vegetarian options really shine. What a surprise. Bahel is in the building once housed by another Ethiopian place. And back in the day, excepting Lucy and Blue Nile, most Ethiopian places were dark and usually empty during the day if one went for lunch for example (Ethiopians are a late night crowd I believe). Walking into Bahel one is first greet by a display cabinet of traditional musical instruments and garb. To the right is a wonderful grocery store with spices and cookware ( I picked up a pound of green Ethiopian coffee beans to roast at home). Walking into the dining area, beautifully decorated walls and thick wood tables and chairs. Teff flour in the corner. Berbere chili spice refrigerated to preserve its shelf life (as it should be). Behind the cashier, trimmed goat meats ready for stewing. For the two of us, we ordered the $26 12 item vegan sampler. It would have been sufficient for 3-4 people imho, as, we both took a lot home to have for breakfast or snacking later. I held a quarter out in the photo so you could get an idea of just how big this sampler plate is. The Ethiopian coffee ceremony presentation is available here. You should do it at least once. Coffee tends to be over roasted, thus, not a favorite of mine, being a coffee aficionado. Highly recommended. read more

We really enjoyed eating here. The veggie sampler with 12 options was great to share. My friends and I enjoyed sampling the different veggies and textures. The mushroom dish was unexpected and really good. We also ordered a meat combo that included doro wot. It was very flavorful. The other meats which were cubed beef were good. I've had Ethiopian at a lot of restaurants and I would say this was one of the best flavor wise: The service was also great. They made recommendations and the waitresses checked in on us often. Definitely look forward to dining here again. read more

Bahel Ethiopian Mart And Dining - 12 Veggie Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Very good! Staff was awesome and constantly asking if we needed more injera. Lentils were delicious. Took one star off because the tibs were a bit tough - but besides that flavor was A+ read more

Bahel Ethiopian Mart And Dining - Ethiopian Near Me - Houston, Texas

The food. The decor. All 10/10. One of the most unique restaurants in Houston. Service did take a while but the food was all worth it. They literally are butchering the meat in the kitchen. I saw a whole leg of some creature so you know they are making everything in house. I would say that the menu was very overwhelming but that's why google exists as well as waitresses. Truly a gem of a place. read more

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Delicious food and great service. Myran gave us great suggestions. He was extremely friendly and helpful throughout our whole meal. As soon as we walked in we were greeted with smiles and were seated promptly. We got the #2 special (2 meats and 2 vegetable plates). We also love that they brought us extra injera as soon as we began to run low. We will definitely be back regularly! read more

Bahel Ethiopian Mart And Dining - Special #2 and tea - Ethiopian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Best Ethiopian food Ive ever had! Easy parking. Nice ambiance. The decor is traditional, there's also a little display of to go pastries and a market where you can buy spices and dry goods. Great friendly fast service. We ordered way too much but we're delighted to have delicious leftovers. The Ethiopian tea was a delightful cinnamon non caffeinated tea. For 2 people we got the 4 veggie combo and tried 2 different meat dishes- dulet and awaze tibs. Veggies: Tikil gomen: Ive always enjoyed Ethiopian cabbage, and theirs was perfect! A little sweet, a little savory, perfectly tender. Ater: yellow split peas with garlic and onions, delicious. Misir: my second favorite veggie dish, split red lentils in Berber spice. So flavorful!! Dinich Wot: the menu said we couldn't order this item as part of the combo but the waitress suggested this item so we tried it and it was delicious! Fluffy spiced potatoes. Salad: I always love the house salad included as a part of these platters, this one was particularly crispy, fresh, and wonderfully vinegary. Meats: Dulet: a spiced ground liver/tripe dish. If you've never had it before, you should definitely try it. It's surprisingly light-tasting but very savory. Awaze Tibs: this was the star of the show for me. Small cubes of beef and lamb simmered in berber sauce with tomatoes and onions. I wanted to dip everything in this sauce!! Injera: I wish that injera was a little more sour tasting because that's how I like it, but theirs was still decently good, spongey, and moist. read more

Bahel Ethiopian Mart And Dining - 4 veggie combo plus orders of dulet and awaze tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I did not expect to love this place as much as I did but bahel is amazing! We only got the awaze tibs because we were afraid by the cost of the dishes but when it came we were pleasantly surprised by the size of the dish and we ended up both being full and still taking some home. The awaze sauce was perfectly balanced in flavor and a bit of spice. This paired well with the full tanginess of the injera which came alongside the dish in generous amounts. We did not expect much ambiance but the place has great ambiance inside with a variety of seating options. Just Ignore how sketchy the strip mall looks and you won't be disappointed! read more

I'm not sure how I've lived this long in Houston without trying Ethiopian food but I finally got the chance at Bahel. It's in a very unassuming strip mall that is a bit sus on the outside but once you enter, you are transported into another world! Service is slow and food took about 45 minutes to make so be prepared to spend a long time here. My friend and I got the awaze tibs (appears to be their most popular item) and it was actually more than enough for the both of us, given the injera was more filling than expected. The tibs portion and price were very good, and the flavor was excellent - a bit more sour than I'm used to in other cuisines. I want to return to try other dishes (their menu is quite vast!). Their Ethiopian coffee was more like an espresso and very strong. Of note, water was actually bottled Ozarka water $1.70. read more

Walked straight into Ethiopia. This restaurant understood the assignment. I felt like I walked into another country. The decor was so on point, original and transforming. The table was teeny tiny for the amount of food that we ordered so it felt better when we were moved to a bigger table. The bigger table was more like a booth tucked into the side wall. There were only too, so it made me wonder what they would do if there were multiple large groups dining in. The food was delicious. We started off with the platter, multiple veggies and meats for the meat eaters in our party. The food was very good. I got the Fish Tibs? It was friend white fish cut into chunks if I remember correctly with sautéed peppers and onions. Over all, experience was very nice. Service was great. Food was fresh and cooked to order, and took its time coming out. I can't wait to go back and try the coffee ceremony experience! read more

Cute & cozy, their hand carved wood furnitures & decorations are so pretty. Servers are friendly, makes good recommendations. Sambusa is light and crispy, fried to perfection, think one of the best. I had beef tibs with theee sides, collar green, some kind of lentil, can't remember now but very delicious. Not at all spicy to my surprise. Good spot for a date night and quick lunch, casual or but formal think this cute place can handle it all. read more

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I hadn't been to an Ethiopian restaurant in Houston yet, and some quick searches suggested Bahel as a top choice for some authentic food. We were able to make a reservation for a Friday night on the day of without any problem. Driving into the shady-ish parking lot of the strip mall made us question our decision a bit, but walking into the restaurant transported us! It's really nicely decorated and has a great vibe. We tried some of their honey wine and Ethiopian beer, which were both great. We decided to split the 12-course plate, the shrimp dish and the fish dish. They said the 12-course plate was good for 2 people- but it was way more food than 2 of us could eat. All of it was delicious, and regardless we were happy we got it all. They brought more injera bread quickly when we were running low. Definitely a fun experience and would recommend! read more

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The best Ethiopian food i've ever had. Always fresh, portion sizes are great and the staff is so friendly. A customer for life.

I went with a party of 10 and this place couldn't have been better choice for us to go. The minute you walk in you can see how this restaurant is trying to represent Ethiopia. My friends and I got the 12 veggie combo and we got a platter of food for the meat. We were thinking of getting our own dishes and server recommended to do family style and I'm glad we did. The portion sizes were bigger than we expected. As someone who craves meat during every meal, the veggies in the combo were so flavorful and delicious I forgot about the meat for a portion of the meal. There different style of lentils, cooked veggies, pickled veggies, and a salad on top of the injera that soaks up all the flavors. For meats, we got fish dulet (1 out of 10 friends did not like it), awaze tibs, chicken stew, alicha wot, geba weta. Alicha wot was a smaller portion than I expected but was very flavorful. My favorite was the awaze tibs as the injera soaked up the juices from the dish and complimented the meat flavors very well. I will say you that you will have to pay for bottled water here. If you drink a lot of water but don't want to pay for it, bring your own water. The server was very kind and check up on us multiple times. He explain Ethiopian culture very well and gave us really good recommendations. The food is also very reasonable priced. We got food to fill up 10 people and after splitting the bill, it was about ~$20 per person. read more

Bahel Ethiopian Mart And Dining - 12 Veggie Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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This spot is one of the more recent additions to the growing number of Ethiopian restaurants in H-town. Blended into a strip mall so you might miss it. That changes when you walk in and experience the warm Eti themed decor throughout. Decent sized dining area with a small Bar and multiple TVs. There is also a small market for your spice, Injera, etc. needs. Have been a couple of times now. During fasting period, the Fish Dulet and Veggie Fir Fir were tasty. Kitfo, Chikina Tibs and Moja were also on point. That said, the dish that stole the show is Gored Gored. Lean Beef Cubes (recommend rare) seasoned with Awaze, Mitmita-Bahel's version is the best I've had! Service has always been friendly and excellent. Dont miss the Gored Gored! read more

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I went with a few friends and we were absolutely stuffed by the end of our meal. We got the vegan 12 dish combo as well as two meat dishes and had so much food leftover. They provide baskets of injera with refills, so it's nice and fresh and warm. I thoroughly enjoyed everything I tried. Each dish had a varying amount of spice to it. I would definitely go back again and again. read more

Bahel Ethiopian Mart And Dining - Vegan 12 dish combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Houston, Texas

This place is phenomenal. Super friendly and helpful staff. Great ambiance and decorations. The spice blends are unbelievable. Everything was so flavorful. It's so different than an American styled restaurant. Be an adventurist! The main thing to be aware of as an American is that the bread is your utensil. Wash your hands! (At the hand washing station by the bathroom.) read more

This was my father and my first time eating Ethiopian food, and it was amazing! We tried the breakfast combo, Sambusa with Meat, and Chikina Tibs which was all great. Our server, Myron, was very kind. We appreciated how he explained the food, culture, and language to us and gave some awesome recommendations. We would definitely come back again! read more

Bahel Ethiopian Mart And Dining - Chikina Tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Food consistency of taste is what brings back customers here. And the home way home environment. read more

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Coming from Austin that has 3 Ethiopian spots, I was overwhelmed by the choices in Houston. A friend and I made a "food tour" list and since Bahel was at the top of our Ethiopian cuisine to try, I made it tonight's priority. Parking: Lots. While the lot is shared with other businesses, I did not have any issues getting into the lot or parking. Ambiance: Walking in I was hit with the smell of incense. As I continued to walk in further, you can see how smokey it is on the inside, but honestly, as long as it isn't cigarettes or cigars, I am all for it. It definitely added something to the experience. More than that, the environment was beautiful. The set-up is nice and the chairs look handmade. Food: My expectation was to order a meat dish and receive it on a large bed of injera with little sides all around it. What I received was a meat dish plated with injera on the side. While this wasn't what I was expecting, it was still so TASTY. I am such a fan on tibsi and it was well-seasoned. I did order two sides of vegetables and honestly, I didn't like either of them. The lentil dish was undercooked and the potato dish didn't really have any flavor. What I would next time is order the vegetarian plate and then add meat as a side so I can get closer to the expectation that I had in my mind. In Austin, all meat meals are served with 4-5 little sides all around it. Overall, really solid place and I would have no issue coming back. read more

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Kinda started off as a different review, but bear with me. Went to the place as a service call for their espresso machine. The restaurant you can tell is family owned and run with pride. After much discussion as I was about to leave, the brothers that were there insisting they make me something to take to eat, I tried to say no but they weren't having any of that. I had no idea what was made for me other than making sure I was OK with some spice. I grabbed the bag handed to me, thanked everyone there and headed out the door. When I got home, I opened the to go bag and dove right in. Holy smoke was I surprised, the food was tasty, spicy to my liking and you can tell made from the heart. We will be going back! read more

Bahel Ethiopian Mart And Dining - Ethiopian Near Me - Houston, Texas

It feels like eating in a museum. The decor is super cute and the ambiance is quaint. The servers are friendly and patiently explain the menu and ingredients. They make suggestions based on what you're looking for and what you like. They serve large portions so 2 people can share one dish, or you'll have leftovers for another meal. The flavors are exquisite, some of the best Ethiopian food I've ever had (I am by no way an expert, just enjoy it very much and have tried it in various cities). I highly recommend a visit. Note: breakfast is served until 2, so go early if you want to try it. read more

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Great food, pleasant atmosphere inside and very nice staff. Only downside is the parking lot isn't very nice but go inside and it's ALL GOOD! read more

Amazing food and impeccable service. We ordered the Special #4 with the lentils, cabbage, beets, and green beans and added the awaze tibs. Would absolutely order the same meal again. You cannot beat the flavors or the price. read more

Bahel Ethiopian Mart And Dining - #4 and awaze tibs. - Ethiopian Near Me - Houston, Texas

My family absolutely LOVES this restaurant! Even my very picky youngest child raves about their food. Decor is beautiful, service is attentive. Parking lot is slightly sketchy but we've never had issues. Highly recommend! read more

Such a great atmosphere. Incredible food. Incredible staff. Highly recommended!! I will be going back again and again.

I cannot say enough good things about this place! This is THE best Ethiopian food in Houston. I have tried literally every one, and I only come back to Bahel. I have taken so many of my friends and family here, and everyone I've brought has absolutely raved about the food. On top of that, the service is incredible, and the ambiance is so authentic and home-y. Their injera (both the normal and the gluten free) are amazing! The veggie combo 3 is enough to feed 3-4 people which is crazy for the price. Their key sir, gomen collard greens, mushroom stew, and fosolia are seriously to die for. We also love favorite #3 - all of the meats are amazing. And we love the potato stew with meat. read more

Bahel Ethiopian Mart And Dining - This is the veggie sampler! Highly highly recommend!! - Ethiopian Near Me - Houston, Texas

I have not been to many Ethiopian restaurants, but this is one that I have tried and have also returned to because the food and experience is very nice! The interior of this restaurant alone feels very authentic and cozy, and also includes a small market where you can buy spices! My friends and I ordered the veggie combo 3 and the four of us finished the entire thing (we were all very full though!). There wasn't a single dish on the platter that we disliked! The eating experience is also very fun and I like that they have a sink outside of the restroom so that customers can wash their hands after eating. read more

Bahel Ethiopian Mart And Dining - veggie combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Authentic Ethiopian food. The service was welcoming. They took the time to explain what the different dishes were. The food was delicious.

Food is amazingly served different and taste is one of a kind ! Dinner was exquisite and flavorful. We ate so delicious that I left 10lbs heavier Service was very nice and ambiance was welcome like eating at home! Definitely coming back for more. read more

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Decided to try another Ethiopian restaurant aside from my go to. I was not disappointed! I was skeptical at first when parking in the restaurants parking lot as it is within a strip mall that doesn't look the best. However I try not to judge a book by its cover and I am so glad I didn't. The food was AMAZING! I ordered the veggie combo (4) and went with the spicy lentils, cabbage, beats, and potatoes! Delicious!!! So flavorful and the portions were big. The Injera was decent. Staff were friendly and helpful. Love the decorations inside as well. Ordered to go but plan to dine in to get that experience. read more

5 stars all day on this one. I was craving some Ethiopian food so I woke up my girlfriend early and drove her to Bahel. I've had Ethiopian food many times before but this was my first time at Bahel. First of all, the service was top notch. They were all crazy kind and the food came out quickly. Speaking of the food, I bought kitfo, tibs, baklava, and pastis. The kitfo and tibs were some of the best I've ever had. And the portion sizes were exceptional. The meat was flavored so well. I've traditionally ordered from another Ethiopian spot in Houston but this is now my new go-to. So so good. Can't wait to come back. read more

I am vegan and enjoyed the food. However, I noticed that they overcharged me an additional $10 on my entree order. I guess I can chalk it up to a bigger tip. But other than that, it was a good dining experience. read more

Beautifully decorated restaurant with friendly staff. I've eaten here a couple of times and it's honestly hit or miss. First time I dined there food was 10/10 but the last couple of trips there have been a bit disappointing. Either way, it's casual dining so the service is very laid back. Take your time if you dine there. You definitely won't be rushed to clear the table. read more

And like that, it's now my favorite Ethiopian restaurant I called in my order and asked one of the ladies to help me pick the style of each dish. She picked her favorite and it came out great. Everyone was friendly which is always nice. Food came out in a timely manner. Next time I'll dine in and breakfast. read more

First time trying Ethiopian food and didn't know what to expect. It was AMAZING! The place is very unassuming but, OMG, the food! The waiter staff were very helpful and made suggestions. Very casual and perfect for everyone. read more