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    Blue Nile Ethiopian

    4.4 (186 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order Blue Nile Ethiopian Takeout or Delivery

    Blue Nile Ethiopian Photos

    Business Info

    BLUE NILE ETHIOPIAN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Blue Nile Ethiopian

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    Meat and vegan combo for 2
    Amanda D.

    First time here, service was kind and lovely. Food was absolutely delicious, we ordered the Meat and Vegan combo for 2 and it was plenty of food. The restaurant itself is cute, the bathroom was clean and neat like everything else there. Will be back!

    Ethiopian Vegetarian Combo
    Kristina H.

    such a pleasant late lunch. large portions and kind staff. it's a very small, this place deserves more popularity! the ambiance is really there, from the decor to the incense.

    Elyse W.

    Wow - this was some of the best Ethiopian food I've had. This is a cozy spot near Lake Merritt. The service was great and the food was phenomenal. The portion sizes aren't huge - no leftovers - but the food was so good, we didn't mind. :) I'll definitely be back to try other items on the menu.

    Vegan combo platter

    I had jury duty today in Oakland and discovered Blue Nile Ethiopian. The Vegan combo platter was absolutely delicious, and I especially loved their injera - I even ordered extra to take home. The young lady working at the restaurant was incredibly kind and helpful.

    Kendra F.

    Being in this area by the Lake is really a city gal's dream. There are plenty of bars, coffee shops, and restaurants. I've been coming here since they opened and I remember when I was waiting for it to open. I wanted really good Ethiopian food near me, and this fit the bill. My best friend and I came here a bunch of times back in 2018, and being back in the area I had to try this with my boyfriend. He never had Ethiopian food! When I first tried Ethiopian food I was 17 in Reno. The injera was new and I loved the flavor. It was the fork and the spoon of the Meat Platter for 2, and the lamb was so delicious. As you can see from my pictures our plate was cleaned. I also love that there are many vegetarian options as well. I'm ambitious in the kitchen and like to remake foods that I like from different cultures. Injera takes between 72-96 hours to make, and the meats are traditionally marinated for about 48 hours from what I've read and have asked about at local stores that are East African owned. When I finally remake doro wat, lamb, mushrooms & beef and injera I hope it all tastes like this. Give this local business a try.

    Andrew L.

    Blue Nile is another favorite spot of mine in the neighborhood. They have all of the classic Ethiopian dishes you would expect, in a warm and welcoming environment. I went with one friend for dinner and we split the meat and vegan combo platter. It's served on a large piece of injera with a variety of different meats (chicken, beef, lamb) and some very tasty vegetable dishes. It was perfect to split between two people and you may have some leftovers to take home. I'd also recommend trying out the Ethiopian beer!

    Veggie combo section
    Victor G.

    Blue Nile Ethiopian has a small dining area inside. despite what's posted on website, there's no inside nor outside dining available. offerings: big menu of the usual. eats: "Vegan Mushroom Combo: Mushroom, KIk Alicha, Atalkit, Gomen w/ side salad & Buticha" (& injera bread) ($16) -split peas, collard greens, mushrooms, red lentil, organic chickpea house made huumus. -fresh, tasty, not a lot of heat (luckily) -injera tasted sour but that's from the fermenting process. it's also a low calorie carb. win-win!

    Ethiopian Vegetarian Combo
    Ida S.

    I got to grab some dinner to go here after furniture shopping. While I was shopping I came here on Yelp and ordered through the app/grub hub. The ordering process was so easy and seamless. The food was ready on time and was an easy pick up. They would meet you at the door and bring your food to the table set up by the door. I was in and out under 60 seconds. Now, when I got home and got to taste the food. I could honestly say my tummy was happy. This is definitely a solid place to get ethiopian food. I had a vegetarian combination. The food was plenty and had the right amount of each dish. Overall, I was really happy with this spot and would definitely come back again.

    Meat combo (chicken), shiro combo
    Sydney J.

    I decided to come back and order takeout via the phone. Since the restaurant said that one entree would not be enough food for two people, we added a meat combo (chicken) to what was originally just going to be a shiro combo order. The food was ready on time when we got there based on their 15-20 minute pickup time estimate, but it seemed like they might've misheard over the phone and thought we ordered a veggie combo since one of the workers, when hearing us say we were here to pick up a shiro combo, went and took one of the boxes and disappeared into the kitchen for a minute or two before coming back. The food itself was pretty good; I think the ratio of injera to dishes was well estimated as I didn't end up running out of injera or having too much injera left over. I would agree that the portions are about right for one meal for one person and are not adequate to share between two or more people, unfortunately. So that is something to keep in mind since although their prices are not super expensive, the portion of food is probably somewhat smaller than some of the other Ethiopian restaurants in the area I've been to which have higher prices.

    Meat Combo Platter Ethiopian Vegetarian Combo
    Kayla B.

    The owner was extremely kind when we got there close to closing time. We never tried Ethiopian food and she recommended the meat and veggie mixed platter. We got it to go, came out in like 10 minutes!!! Everything tasted super fresh, very flavourful. The taste was so hard to explain but so different than anything we've tried before. A friend recommended this place to us and we're glad she did! Would go again for sure and dine in for a more comprehensive review!

    Inside view of the restaurant
    Quang B.

    Best injera I ever had. The ordering is simple during COVID, even on the day ordering for Enkutatash. There were meter parking on the side of the road (free after 6pm). Be prepare to pay 20% tip during pickup as that's the first box to check as option. The injera is packaged with the combo plate, so I like that it is used to soak up the juices that we're going to flow out from the meat. That said, the injera is not as dry to eat with hands if you order it for eating at work.

    Interior
    Kim T.

    Full disclosure - my teeth have been hurting because my ortho gave me braces (after trying Invisalign for a year+) and I needed something that was soft enough for me to eat that didn't compromise in flavor... My heart led me to Blue Nile. Ethiopian is one of my top three cuisines, but unfortunately there is none in the 707. So I made it a mission to visit here this weekend. I called to place an order and pick up was seamless. I ordered the veggie combo and awaze tibs with extra injera (I can eat this bread by itself as a meal, if needed haha.). Anyway, got home and shared some with my Mom. We both enjoyed it; the red lentils being our favorite. Bonding over food is always an enjoyable experience. The injera was a bit more thick (towards the center), which I'm not complaining because the chewiness and sourness of it was really satiating my palette! Mmmm, AND I have enough for leftovers... I also got an extra order of injera ($2) in case I decide to snack on some on the way home. Haha. See yall next time! xo

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    3 years ago

    Great food. Shared the combination plate...so delicious. Service was fantastic . Family run business. Will definitely be back.

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    6 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Great food. I tried the vegetarian platter and it was delicious and had a very colorful presentation!

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    2 years ago

    Great food, friendly staff. Peaceful surroundings. The courtyard is very relaxing.

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    4 years ago

    Excellent quality. Really nice people. I had berber spiced eggs and some stewed chicken that was yummy.

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - Blue Nile Ethiopian

    1) Are the vegetarian dishes also gluten free? 2) Does the gluten free injera have any soy,…

    Yes, we do have gluten free injera

    Is this restaurant affiliated with the Blue Nile that used to be in Berkeley (a decade ago)?

    Does this place have gluten free enjera?

    Yes we are thank you for asking 😍

    Is this connected to the Blue Nile that used be downtown Berkeley on Telegraph?

    Nope different mgmt

    View All 5 Questions

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    Enssaro Ethiopian Restaurant

    Enssaro Ethiopian Restaurant

    4.2
    (1.7k reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    I was introduced to Ethiopian food for the very first time here on one of the early dates I had…read morewith my ex of over 10 years of mine. The food is absolutely delicious and using your hands is an absolute must you definitely he gets to control your portions and just get in there and it's absolutely delicious. My favorite are the lentils within the Veggie Platter. Absolutely delicious try it today. This spot is my absolute favorite and I've been to several Ethiopian restaurants. Enjoy

    The food was delicious and prices were reasonable for the large quantity. Deducting a star because…read moreit's so loud here I could barely hold a conversation. I'm glad they've moving locations in a week. Wait staff was friendly. We got the veggie sampler for two ($40) and the meat sampler for one ($23). The veggie sampler was very filling, and each dish was flavorful. My friends enjoyed the meat dishes. The dishes came with plenty of injera. The spicy red lentils were my favorite as well as the carrot/cabbage/potato mix. I can't stomach onions so I was happy none of the veggie dishes included chunks in them. They were probably in there but blended or cooked down to nothing. My friend is diabetic so he couldn't eat a lot of the injera. We asked and the wait staff brought him eating utensils. When we entered, we stood around for a while and then figured out we were supposed to go to the back right where there's a few chairs put together for a waiting area. I flagged down a staff member and they had me put my name on a wait list. We were there early on a Friday (around 6pm), so we only had a short wait. Although this place has a decent amount of tables, I can imagine long waits during peak times. I'm glad they're moving to a new location in about a week and I hope it's quieter. We sat in the semi enclosed outside area and even there was loud. Voices echo throughout and since the restaurant is near a stoplight outside, cars and motorcycles blaring music go by constantly. Many were so loud just about the entire restaurant turned their heads to look at what was so noisy. As soon as we finished eating I suggested we leave since I could barely hear our conversation.

    Photos
    Menu
    Menu
    DORO WOT ( chicken stew ), BEEF Tibs, LAMB Tibs
    DORO WOT ( chicken stew ), BEEF Tibs, LAMB Tibs
    Amazing Cocktails: Espresso Martini, Honey Wine Pineapple Cider, Honey wine, Campari

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    Amazing Cocktails: Espresso Martini, Honey Wine Pineapple Cider, Honey wine, Campari
    Admas

    Admas

    4.4
    (90 reviews)
    0.8 mi

    ADMAS is definitely my favorite place to go whenever I visit the Cities! The food, the vibe, and…read morethe culture are absolutely amazing. The service is a 10/10 every single time, and the food is truly the best of the best. I've never had any complaints when coming here. Everything is always fresh, flavorful, and made with care. I 100000000000% recommend this amazing place to anyone looking for great food and a welcoming atmosphere. I love being able to connect with my people and my culture, and ADMAS always feels like home.

    First off, I ordered for delivery…read more I love Ethiopian and Eritrean food, so I was excited to see this spot finally open for deliveries in my neighborhood! I think I've eaten at the majority of Ethiopian restaurants in Oakland, Berkeley, and San Francisco, so I'm a fan. Sadly, I was NOT a fan of this spot. :( (For context, I tried to go back to the delivery app to give a review, but the window for leaving a review had closed.) I looked over the menu and I was suspicious that there was no standard Doro Wot for delivery, but, whatevs --sometimes restaurants leave off certain items on delivery apps. I got the Chicken Tibs and Beef Tibs. The beef was spiced, but the chicken tasted bland and watery. Both seemed to be missing salt. The beef tibs was tougher than I'm used to. Maybe it was an off day. The Yemisir Wot (stewed red lentils) was flavorful. The vegetarian combo was a complete miss for the price and the portions were super small. The Tikil Gomen (cabbage, carrots, potatoes) looked like one tablespoon had been scooped out and put on the injera. It came with Yemisir Wot, Yekik Alicha (yellow spiced lentils), beets(???), Gomen (collards), and green salad (though I don't remember getting the green salad in my combo). The Gomen (collards) were super bland and tasted like reheated frozen collards. My last issue is that the a-la-carte items are photographed with a small salad and injera, pretty standard (see attached image from site). Unfortunately, the a-la-carte options came singularly in a container with a side of injera. Bummer. If I hadn't included the vegetarian combo, I probably would've been even more upset. What I did like: --- - The Tikil Gomen and Yemisir Wot were well spiced and tasty. - Plenty of injera, almost too many. I think my biggest issue is that given the portion size, most items are between $16 - $24, so if you're looking to have a rounded meal (injera, vegetables, meat), you're going to have to order multiple items and that adds up fast; it will be cheaper if you just eat in or call them and order for pick-up. (I'm also kind of bummed because I was rooting for them since they are in the space where Casa Vallarta used to be.) If you plan to go, I'd suggest sticking to the vegetarian options.

    Photos
    Dining room area. We forgot to take a picture of the food. Ate it too fast.
    Dining room area. We forgot to take a picture of the food. Ate it too fast.
    Gored gored, disappointing chicken doro wot, vegetable combo, & lamb tibs
    Gored gored, disappointing chicken doro wot, vegetable combo, & lamb tibs
    Admas

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    Zara Restaurant

    Zara Restaurant

    4.2
    (26 reviews)
    0.6 mi

    First time trying Ethiopian/Eritrean cuisine and it was delicious. I really appreciated the staff…read morefor being patient with us and explaining the dishes we had questions on. The portion size is like having a feast - definitely perfect for sharing. The injerito was a great appetizer, love the silky and soft texture of the injera. I ordered the House Special Sampler which was a great option for me because I wanted to try as many dishes as I could. From the choices of meat, the beef was my favorite. I ate it with the rice from the "Lamb with Rice" dish - very perfect pairing. The rice and beef were packed with so much flavor - every bite was a sensation. If you're looking for a great Ethiopian/Eritrean cuisine, I highly suggest this place!

    Food 4/5 I went with…read morethe vegetarian platter which is my go to wherever possible. My food was made to order and came out within a reasonable timeframe. Everything had a good flavor balance except the Gomen. For my taste buds it could use more seasoning. The whole platter was delectable. Just one thing, a gnat showed up and landed on my other roll of injera so I did not eat it. Service 4/5 KEren, the owner is soft spoken and kind. I told her the spelling of her name was unique to the traditional spelling Karen. She greeted me as soon as I entered. At this time there were no customers. She brought me the drinks menu and the food menu accompanied with a pitcher of water. I feel a pitcher of water should be offered at every restaurant for your table. Minimizes the requests for refills. On a warm sunny day like today hydration is paramount. Keren returned moments later to take my order. Ambiance 3/5 Clean. Neat. A little bare. Four big screen televisions though for those who are into watching TV. There's a bar with a limited alcohol selection. Happy Hour is offered from 4-8pm. No days specified. There's two restrooms. One for women and one for men. The women's is missing the door have handle. Inside the one person restroom it's very clean and stocked with all the basics you need.

    Photos
    Minimal art work but nice
    Minimal art work but nice
    Because... there's a no crumbs left behind policy.
    Because... there's a no crumbs left behind policy.
    Zara Restaurant

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    Blue Nile Ethiopian - ethiopian - Updated July 2026

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