The food here is a full-on sensual experience: the smells, the taste, the touch all influence your meal. We had the meatballs and the shrimp tibs; honey wine and amstel light were chosen to wash down. Based on that, lovely experience. My only pet peeves is that there's limited room which is usually filled to the breaking point and leads to (my other pet peeve) an incredibly noisy environment. The bill can run a little high - we spent about $40 with the four items plus a regular coffee. read more

I am now a fan of Ethiopian food. Came here with a small group of friends for the first time. Read reviews on Yelp that this was a great Ethiopian restaurant so gave it a shot. First experience with Ethiopian food and I'm hooked. The place isn't huge, so a party of more than 8 will be kind of difficult. The workers here are very friendly and welcoming. We ordered a bunch of stuff and shared everything. The lamb and beef were excellent..probably my two favorite things that night and the first two items to be cleaned off the plate. The chicken was good as well and although I liked it, the eggplant can be viewed as being a bit on the oily side. We also had a mash up of different meats...I'm blanking on the name but the menu specifically said this dish is meant for the adverturers...haha. It looked like corn hash and didn't taste half bad, almost like stuffing. But it's definitely something that I wouldn't order again..instead, I'd order another serving of lamb! The carbs of the meal was defnitely interesting...kind of spongey and sour. I can see how this may be an aquired taste, but I had no problem placing piece after piece of meat on top and devouring it. We also ordered a bottle of Honey Wine. I'm not a huge fan of honey wine because it reminds me to a very sweet and thick dessert wine that can only be consumed in very small moderation. It also had a tinge of cognac flavoring. I recommend ordering a glass first before going to the bottle. Will definitely be back and am hoping to find a good Ethiopian restaurant in LA that measures up to Cafe Colucci. read more

Highly enjoyable! The flash fried potatoes are outstanding. Very courteous, attentive and warm staff too.

Pretty darn good, much more lively atmosphere than the other local ethiopian places. Tasty stuff.

Absolutely delicious! Best Ethiopian food I've ever had. Nicely presented.

5-star Ethiopian experience. The food here was not greasy like a lot of other Ethiopian restaurants I've been to. I did not leave hungry either, as some of the other restaurants I've tried don't seem to give enough food. I wish they had a location in the City. read more

This place was great! The food was delicious and so cheap...it also came in pretty sizeable portions so you were definitely not left hungry. We got both the meat and the veggie combination plates for lunch and everything was so good! We sat outside since it was a nice, warm day, and i think the service really suffered because we were not directly in their field of view. It shouldn't have been a problem since we were there fairly late for lunch and there were only about 3 other parties there, but whatever...no big deal. food was excellent and cheap. read more

My favorite Ethiopian place in the east bay. Order one veggie combo and one meat combo and revel in the variety.

There was a point in my life where I would drive 45 miles just to get to good Ethiopian food near downtown LA. Well, life has improved significantly since then... Mostly because I can get good Ethiopian food without driving so far. Where do I go? Cafe Colucci. The place has such tasty and freshly cooked food and the ambiance is very communal and inviting in that Ethiopian way. Definitely the best Ethiopian I've had in the Bay Area. read more

Best Ethiopian in town and the kindest, friendliest servers (and that's saying quite a bit as we have yet to run across a less-than-friendy Ethiopian server at any of the various restaurants we have tried!). If you eat meat, just do yourself a favor and get the doro tibs (chicken). While the beef is good, they really kick a** on the chicken. The mushroom tibs are also a great suggestion if you want a vegetarian option. Cafe Colucci is ALWAYS a winner! read more

Great selection. If you don't know what to get ask your waiter to help you out. They are all more than willing to bend down next to you and go over each dish and personal recommendations. Perfect for the foodie that's got a taste for spicy ehtnic culture and food! read more

One of the best Ethiopian restaurants in the Bay Area. Their cold specialties have no equal. Also great messer wat. Often I will just order the buticha on its own. I don't know of any other Ethiopian place that makes buticha at all. Great for vegetarians. Dining area isn't huge but has great decor. read more

Another great establishment to order Ethiopian food in the city of Oakland!

Had lunch here today at the recommendation of a friend. The Doro Alicha, Gomen be Saga, and Sega Alicha were delicious! Overall everything was good, however those dishes were outstanding! Will definitely be back. read more

The food was excellent! Wonderful relaxing lunch with Mom in Berkley. The wait was a little on the long side but when the food came I forgot all about that. read more

Sometimes Cafe Colucci is good. Like 1 in 5 times. The single time it was good, it was great. This was around lunch time, on a slow weekday, which leads me to believe that they precook certain items for the dinner rush and leave them hanging around for hours, because the food was not comparable at all. I was all set to write a 5 star review, saying that I must have been wrong and was glad I had given them another chance after a couple of bad visits, but then I went back and it was extremely mediocre. Well, I'm done. Might give it another shot around lunchtime just to see if my hypothesis holds up, though. Otherwise I'll stick to Enssaro and Abesha which are far better. read more

Overall the food was great, and the atmosphere too. The only problem we had was the seating. There are two tables that are right next to the restroom. Everytime someone goes in and out of the restroom you can smell it while eating, and that was gross. They could just sacrifice one table space and shield the restroom so that the smell doesn't come straight to the tables. read more

Great Ethiopian food! Nice casual place with decent service and awesome food. Highly recommend!

Food was not what I expected, service was slow, quantity of meat was barely a few pieces and the red lentils were pasty. I love Ethiopian food but this place can be avoided.sorry to say. read more

Amazing flavors!! My husband and I are consistently blown away by the food here. We had the meat combo and veggie combo and we want to come back ASAP. read more

My favorite Ethiopian food! Veggie combo, done great. Nice atmosphere. Artisanal craft & spice shop next door.

This is the first Oakland/Berkeley restaurant that I get a specific craving for. I think Colucci might be less authentic, because all the non-ethiopians eat here and the ethipian/eritreans are more often seen at Addis or Asmara. The food is just right for my taste, though. Here's my suggestion: Go with 3-4 people Order the veggie combo. Order lamb tibs. Eat and be happy. If you need more, get whatever veggie-lentil thing was your favorite. Yum!! I've gone back to Cafe Colucci three times since I tried it. read more

The service is horrendous, so why do I keep going back? Because the veggie combo kicks complete a$$!! I crave it all the time and I have not once been disappointed. Sometimes I add the eggplant nibs for a little variety. I don't really mind that I sit there for 20 minutes, in an empty restaurant, without anything to drink or even the slightest acknowledgment from the waitstaff. I see it as a lesson in Zen, knowing that I will soon be greatly rewarded for my patience with absolute food bliss. Or something like that... read more

Favorite Ethiopian in the bay area. Try the Sunflower Frappe! I didn't but it looks interesting.

The overall experience at this cafe is very satisfactory. The food wasn't amazing, but satisfactory. Personally, I really like the sourdough, carpet like(in appearance), bread they give you for scooping up the food. But the bread here is a bit more sour than what I've had at another Ethiopian place and the flavor overwhelmed some of the vegetarian dishes. But everything else about this place is great. The service is friendly and attentive, the atmosphere is cozy, and the prices are really reasonable. I would definitely come here again and try some of the other dishes! Good place to bring a date too. read more

I eat there consistently. Their mushroom tibs and messer wot are what I eat consistently as I am a vegetarian. I have had better in SF, but in oakland so far they are top dog. Great fast attentive service, and a very nice atmosphere. Cash only though. I would recommend lunch as it is a cheaper menu and less crowded. read more

Love this place. Best Kitfo in the Bay Area. The servers are wonderful and the food is delicious!

This place was the best a few years back. My perception and/or palate has changed since then but its still a good value Ethiopian joint. services and food is consistent. read more

Best Ethiopian food in SF/Berkley/Oakland area. I have tried all most all and this one just takes the cake. Tons of vegetarian options. Mushroom dibs are awesome. Only problem is wait as they don't take reservation. So be prepared to wait for 20-30 mins.. but worth it.. read more

YUMBO! I had not eaten Ethiopian food in a # of years and I loved this place. I had the Vegetarian dish "Shouro combo" - delicious and wonderful spices. MMM, craving it as I write. They also offer a gluten-free injera (bread) to sop up the goodness. We will be back for sure. read more

A pleasant surprise. I was suspicious because I saw no ethiopians or anyone of ethnicity eating in there, but it was crowded, so that's a good sign. The service was delightful, the beers were ice cold, and the food was deiciously fresh. The food is a bit different than what i am used to, so my belly went haywire a few hours after eating, but it's all good... read more

Colucci is a staple. So long as you avoid all of the rookie mistakes: 1) don't order take out. The portion sizes shrink. 2) don't expect fast service. You will not get it. 3) don't expect enough injera. Probably not in the cards. That said, the food is pretty good. With a crowd of Ethiopian alternatives nearby, Colucci stands near the head of the pack. read more

Veggie sampler platter huge and tasty. The shrimp dish was great too. Out of sambusas which was a bummer, ordered some potato app instead which basically turned out to be fresh potato chips. OK , but not a thrill. read more

I eat here all the time. It's some of the best Ethiopian cuisine in the area.

Friendly, happy service people. A fascinating range beyond the usual ethiopian. Injera of perfect quality the whole time, and in clever rolls so it's easy to hold without a side plate. I eat veg when it comes to Ethiopian and this place had a plethora of options. Just fabulous. read more

I went with my cousin after i bought the deal. I've tried Ethiopian food once and didn't like it much. Maybe, I tried it when I was too picky and not as open minded to try different cuisines. Since the deal was pretty good, I thought well why not give Ethoipian cuisine another chance? And I'm glad I did because the whole experience was nice. The restaurant was cute. The food was good. Although I thought the bread was a bit sour, my cousin said it was supposed to be like that. The portion they had was quite big for two of us. We ordered the meat and veggie combinations and honey wine. Food was good. I did not like their honey wine, though. Too sweet! I'd rather get Villa Alena sweet white moscato at Trader Joe's. The whole bottle costs about the same price as one glass of honey wine yet it tastes much better. read more

Love the people and the vibe. The vegie combo and the samosas are a perfect meal for my husband and myself. We never fail to enjoy our meal. Don't hesitate to try it. read more

Really good Ethiopian food served in a cute, cozy restaurant! The staff is super friendly!

On a stormy Friday night (not too many of those so far this rainy season), the wait at this popular Ethiopian restaurant isn't too bad. We shared a vegetarian platter and a lamb dish -- and when I say "shared a platter" I mean it was all on one large metal platter. Delicious flatbread made from a grain called teff is your utensil. Food is a little spicy and very flavorful: overall quite delicious, and goes down great with the dark or light Ethiopian beer. Service is friendly. This is like visiting someone's house in that other country. As a welcomed guest. Not a large space, but accommodating and very attractively decorated. read more

Best Ethiopian food I've ever had! Definitely order the chicken Tibs, you won't be disappointed. Loved the family/home town feel of the restaurant. Will be back for more Tibs soon. read more