Stands out among the many Ethiopian restaurants in Oakland, the Michelin guide wasn't lying. Came with a party and ordered one of each of the veggie combos + chicken tibs, clean hearty food with depth of flavor, the salad was fresh and crispy, but the tibs were especially out of this world and very tender. Love the drink options too, Ethiopian beers, aranciata rossa San Pellegrino and ginger beer.. Attentive service, located in a nice little nook that I would love to see better developed by neighboring businesses, and though it can be a bit stuffy inside on a hot day the ambiance is warm and inviting. read more

Now don't get me wrong; the food is actually really good here. But, what bothers me is that their portions are tiny. Like, really small. And with prices that are $3-5 MORE than other really good Ethiopian spots in Oakland, I almost feel like it's not worth it unless you're purely coming out of convenience. I have been wanting to try this spot for a looong time now. We finally decided to give it a try one evening for dinner a little over a month ago. This spot is tucked away off of Santa Clara Ave across from the Grand Lake Theatre and right before you hit the 580 freeway entrance. Ambience-wise, it's really charming. It's very open and spacious with a really cute bar and a separate dining room where you can actually sit on the floor and eat traditional style. They don't have a podium or anyone near her door to greet you when you arrive, so we just kind of waited until we were acknowledged after we walked in. A lady who ended up being out server told us that we could sit anywhere. We sat and examined the menu. You can expect that of your typical Ethiopian fare. I did notice that the prices were a bit hire compared to a few other Ethiopian food places that I frequent. We decided to go the easy and traditional route and opted for the veggie and meat combination platter. Service was very attentive throughout the entire evening. When our food arrived, we both kind of liked at each other like "Is this it?". We immediately noticed how small the portions were. I kind of shrugged it off and assumed that we would just end up getting full from the injera. They did bring us a decent amount of injera and even brought us more when we ran out. Flavor-wise, this place definitely has it. The lentils, the stew, the veggies, the injera; all of it tasted very flavorful and well spiced. By dear favorite will always be the yellow lentils and the potato and cabbage stew, and both were on point as I expected to them to be. The meats were good but I found it odd that they didn't include any chicken tibs with their meat combo. I normally can never finish a meat and veggie combo platter, but we finished the entire thing here (including the injera that it was served on). Ironically, we both felt like we could still eat after consuming that entire platter. It was odd and slightly disappointing at the same time. Just couldn't believe how tiny those portions were. Sucks because we really did enjoy the food, atmosphere, and service, but probably wouldn't go out of our way to come back with so many other filling options nearby. read more

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Super yummy! This is some of the best injera I've had and they were not skimpy on giving it to you. Spongey and sour, moist and not dry. Great vegetarian and vegan options. I went with the veggie combo and got 5 different items to taste. Everything was flavorful and colorful, good solid portions that left me stuffed. I'd come back to try some meat options. Felt reasonably priced for amount of food received. read more

Cafe Romanat - Veggie Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

My most recent visit is my second time visiting cafe romanant and I am in love. My friend ordered us two veggie combos (salat, buticha, Misir Wot, Kik Alicha, Atalkit, & Gomen) for take out. The food was ready and my friend picked it up. By the time they got back to my place the food was still hot. Upon opening I realized I totally forgot about their buticha, which is AMAZING garlicky goodness. It literally made me so happy and I didn't wait to dig in (hence not the greatest photos). I appreciate the amount of food they provide, including the injera. Since SIP, I usually find that I finish the injera before the meal, but not this time. However, I didn't have any extra and I modulated a bit. Honestly, every component was delicious and I did a bit of mixing. I probably should have stopped eating sooner, but it was just all so good and I couldn't. Ha! Anyway, I've made the mistake of not grabbing food here more regularly, and after this meal, I vow to not starve my well-being from Cafe Romanant's food again. read more

Cafe Romanat - Veggie Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

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This is a wonderful place to eat, to go or dine in the ladies who run it and the food Just a wonderful intimate experience Doro tibs and the salad so comforting Parking never an issue read more

first time being an an ethiopian restaurant and the food was amazing. chill vibes, decently priced food. totally worth the trip :) service was prompt !! read more

Cafe Romanat - we got the veggie combo and it was delicious :) - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

i ordered from Door Dash the Romant Salad. It was supposed to be in the description Marinated Chicken, lettuce, tomatoes onions and house dressing. When I get my order it's nothing but lettuce no chicken and when I looked they had took the picture off the website. I called to tell her I did not have chicken I spent 24.00 just for a plate of lettuce. I was wondering why the bag was so light read more

THE. BEST!!!! Chicken tibbs Doro wut Juicy Delicious Tasty Homey Polite Did I mention delicious? read more

My go to Ethiopian restaurant. Lamb tibs is always on point. Beef tibs is savory, spicy and tender. Solid 5 stars.

I ordered the veg combo. The collard greens and the potato carrot dish were very oily. The injera under the food was completely soaked in oil. It was too gross to eat. The service was very slow even though they weren't busy which would be fine if the food was good. Even the salad was soaked in excess oil. read more

Cafe Romanat is lovely. The atmosphere is cozy, the food is well spiced, and the staff are friendly. They clearly mark on the menu what is vegan and what is not. read more

I was craving good Ethiopian food all day - if only they were open for lunch! But they are open for dinner, and boy is it good. I consider the kitfo the true test, and theirs is excellent, maybe just a shade below Tadu in San Francisco but very close. +1 star for the pure teff injera too, I love it! read more

Cafe Romanat - Kitfo, teff injera and one already-finished bottle of St. John - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

Horrible food! packaging is terrible ! lentils crunchy, made to get breaded engera? veggie platter horrible restaurant tables sticky door handle and outer door smells like urine! cabbage and potatoes smell old collards are frozen not fresh! was gonna bring food back for refund threw in trash. best thing was the cok. wouldn't recommend BARCOTE wayyyyyyy better. good fresh packaging much better and get menus for Togo orders also cabbage not cooked well read more

I've been craving this food for a while, and I haven't ventured out to try other places since the spot I liked closed down. A friend of mine kept telling me to try this place out, but I was hesitant. I finally decided to grab some to go for lunch today, and... I was pleasantly surprised. I got the Veggie combo and Doro tibs. I don't know if she was the owner, but if she was, her service, the great small talk while the food is coming up, and her good food should make her proud. The spice was on point, good portions, I'm sold. You got yourself a new customer. Pardon the grammar, just was excited about sharing my experience. read more

Cafe Romanat makes life better. Seriously, the food, owners, staff and ambience are exceptional. The food is absolutely delicious and unforgettable. I'm still thinking of the meal I had there yesterday evening. even though I have probably eaten there over 12 times through the years. Today I felt compelled to write a review. Everything is on point, I ordered the vegetarian combo and it came with an abundant portion of everything, very beautifully plated. I also ordered sambussa with a heavenly dollop of buticha, Twelve hours later, I'm still thinking of this meal. I was introduced to Ethiopian cuisine 34 years ago in Oakland where there is a wonderful Ethiopian community. That first experience changed my life and I pleasantly haven't been the same since thanks to satisfying and delicious Ethiopian cuisine like the meal I had a Cafe Romanat. read more

Cafe Romanat - Vegetarian combo ordered at Cafe Romanat - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

Had a nice weekday lunch here. Ordered the sampler plate (meat and veggie) for two and everything was delicious!

Overall great food! I went here twice within one week, one time with my mom and the other time with my mom and sister. Both times there was ample seating and the place seemed very clean. I got the veggie and meat Combo with the gluten free tuff bread! Very satisfying! My only negative observation is that the 2nd time I got the veggie and meat combo it seemed as if a few items where missing. I recall getting an extra meat dish and an extra veggie dish from the week previously. It only came with two meat dishes although I thought it came with three. I also recall an extra lentil dish --I'm not sure though so I would definitely clarify if you plan to get so you know what to expect! Also they seemed a little short staffed some of the nights so there we're a few minor mishaps that happened. Nothing too crazy, the waitress was great, but I think having more help might have helped eliminate minor errors. I love their super seed smoothie -- it tastes so healthy and yummy and the same time. There honey wine is also very sweet -- almost like dessert! I quite enjoyed it but if you're into heavy or red wines I would definitely pass as it might not be your thing. Otherwise I loved the dishes they all had great flavor and I plan to be back! read more

Cafe Romanat - Honey wine half quart - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

Casual Ethiopian dining. Three of us split the Veggie Combo for 2 and it was just the right amount of food. We got gluten-free injera as I am celiac. I felt that the food was safe for me. Whatever you do make sure you get the buticha. It is included in most of the combos or can be ordered a la carte. It was an amazingly buttery hummus-like spread. The service was so-so. Since there were only two active tables at the time I had to go to the kitchen to let them know when I needed something. read more

Cafe Romanat - Veggie Combo with GF injera - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

One of my favorite places for Ethiopian food. I'm a die-hard Veggie Combo girl. Their dishes are usually well balanced, and seasoned to perfection. Cafe Romanat is always fresh, and the staff is always kind and efficient. I don't think I have a single photo of the food from here, because I'm always so eager to dive-in and eat. read more

This review is way overdue. Been coming here for over 12 years. The food and spices are so flavorful. I like to get the veggie and meat combo just to try a little bit of everything. Sometimes I'll order other dishes not in the combo and it is just so good. What makes this different from other Ethiopian restaurant is the garlic chickpea hummus. I'm not sure what it's called but it reminds me of hummus. It's soooo good. You can tell the food here is made with love and it shows. I live in Los Angeles now and we have a little Ethiopia on Fairfax, however nothing has been comparable to Cafe RAMANAT. read more

Love this place. Their food is consistently fresh and delicious! Highly recommend. In my top 2 of Ethiopian places in the whole Bay Area!

We had a great dinner last night. The food here will leave your tummy feeling happy. Cool ambiance. Will go back again. read more

Cafe Romanat - Veggie Combo and Meat Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

More than a meal, an experience. I went there recently, was my first time eating ethiopian food and I really enjoyed the experience. A very good place, incredilbe atmosphere, nice service and fair price. I wanna get back soon. read more

Cafe Romanant is hands down one of the best, if not the best Ethiopian food in the Bay Area. I travel often and eat Ethiopian food at least once a week and it's hard to find a veggie combo or sambusa better than Romanant. The Shiro it's absolutely delicious and the entire veggie combo it's amazing. I live in Santa Cruz and make the trek up to Oakland a few times a month just to eat here. Beyond the delicious food, the restaurant is always a chill environment and the staff are friendly. If you are looking for the best Ethiopian food in the bay, you've found it! read more

I ordered a dish from this restaurant and specifically left note stating I'm "lactose intolerance; No butter" , but they made my dish with butter anyway. I called the Restaurant Manager letting her know the dish was made with butter & kindly asked to remake my dish, she simply stated " the dish is already made and that's it" & I repeat to her I can't eat the food due to dietary restrictions. She again refused to make me a new dish without butter. Manager was very rude, arrogant & unprofessional. Additionally, she wasn't empathetic. This is the worst restaurant. The Restaurant lacks respect for their Customers & neglectful to dietary preferences and/or allergies. I do not recommend this place to anyone with dietary restrictions. Save your money and your health and go somewhere else. read more

Had a wonderful lunch with extended family this afternoon. The kids and some of the adults had never experienced Ethiopian food, so we picked Café Romanat based on yelp reviews consistently rating them highly for taste, service, and kid-friendliness. Parking wasn't easy, but we all managed to find a spot after circling the neighborhood a few times. They had a large 10 person table reserved for us, and we ordered sambusa appetizers to munch on while our platters were prepared. The kids enjoyed munching on the injera sourdough bread, which they also brought out early. Then our entrées arrived - vegetarian and meat dishes piled on a bed of injera on large metal platters. The aroma was delightful, and there were a few minutes of happy chaos as everyone dug in and took what they thought looked good. I heard "I love this" and "This tastes interesting" interspersed with oohs and aahs... the cherished sounds of eating with extended family. Everyone liked something different - my daughter enjoyed the potato and carrot veggie dish, my niece the collard greens, my brother-in-law the lamb, my mother-in-law the lentil curry. Finally, the coffee ceremony. Ethiopia is where coffee originated centuries ago, so we had to partake of this tradition. Coffee bean incense wafting all over while our charming server poured coffee into dainty enameled cups on matching saucers. And the coffee was thick and flavorful, a fitting conclusion to the delicious food we'd just enjoyed. Thank you, Café Romanat, for a memorable experience. Looking forward to coming back soon. read more

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I'm a really huge fan of Ethiopian food (and any food that basically blasts my taste buds). Cafe Romanat is the best Ethiopian I've found in the area, and a part of it has to do with the hummus that they put on top of every one of their dish. It is literally the best hummus I've ever had. I know this sounds like I am exaggerating, but I am 100% serious. I am the Ron Swanson of serious here. If you got nothing BUT the hummus, you will leave satisfied. The vegetarian platter for 1 left me eating for 2 meals. It's a really big delicious portion for 1 person. The thing that stuck out the most to me were the greens... usually, I don't like them but they sautee/season them really well and ended up being one of my favorite parts of the dish. read more

Well, I had a good chuckle upon reading the review that said they lost consciousness after eating the buticha. And then, I had the buticha. It may be my perfect plate of food. Everything else was delicious as well. We wanted to add one more meat to our veggie and meat combo and our server recommended the beef tibs. The meat was tender and the tomatoes fresh with the perfect amount of acidity. They were the star. Like most other reviewers shared- the space and vibe is great. Somehow it feels both sparse/open but warm. I would go here on a date but great for family or group night too. Service was awesome - so friendly and helpful. They have GF injera for $2 extra. We have tried a lot of Ethiopian in Oakland and Berkeley and I highly recommend this spot! read more

My favorite Ethiopian restaurant in the Bay Area! Love the food and staff! If I could eat here once a week I would! Thank you Cafe Romanat!

Great Ethiopian food and consistent quality. I usually get the veggie sampler plate when solo dining so as to have an assortment of flavors with one order. read more

This is our favorite Ethiopian place! The food is fresh and flavorful and we love how many veggie options they have (beyond the usual veggie combo). The kiddo and I got the veggie combo plus the mushroom tibs and hubby got his doro tibs in another platter. Omg...their mushroom tibs is the bomb dot com! So much flavor. The hubby who doesn't like mushrooms found himself coming back for more of it! The veggie combo is awesome! So much food...we had leftovers for dinner and lunch the next day! It's worth the drive from Marin! read more

Cafe Romanat - Doro Tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

I go here for Ethiopian salads. They put just the right amount of zesty dressing on it and it's just made with love ughh. They are friendly and clean. Thanks to all the staff here! read more

Food was super tasty. Got the doro tibs and really enjoyed it. The people that worked there were nice and I liked the vibe of the restaurant. I would recommend. read more

We stopped here on a drive to SF after picking it out from restaurants on "The Plate" of the Michelin list. We had been indulging ourselves in meaty, greasy foods all weekend and I decided that we needed to end that streak. When on the prowl for delicious vegetarian (even vegan!) fare, look no further than a quality Ethiopian restaurant. The restaurant seemed to be located in a nicer part of Oakland. After driving around for a few minutes we were able to find street parking about a block away. We were greeted very warmly upon entering, by the sweetest lady. Once seated, we were able to take in the ambiance and I loved it. The decor and setup made it feel very authentic. There seemed to be many Ethiopian people inside, which always makes me feel like the food is pretty authentic. There were kids playing, enough to lighten the atmosphere but without being annoying at all. My fiance ordered the Ethiopian wine, which was essentially a wine made from honey. It was very yummy, without being overly sweet. It was probably too sweet for him but I enjoyed it. We ordered the veggie combo for three people and it came out pretty quickly. It is always fun to eat with your hands, which is standard for Ethiopian restaurants. All the flavors were executed so well and all parts of the meal were great. I especially liked the hummus-like sauce they put a dollop of on the salad in the middle. We all walked away with happier stomachs, because the food was both so good and also nutritious. I admittedly have not had a lot of Ethiopian food in my lifetime, but I really enjoyed this restaurant. read more

Cafe Romanat - Veggie Combo for three people - delicious - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

This place makes my tummy so happy. I've dined in and gotten a combo for 3 which was delicious. I also just tried their take out veggie meat combo for two which hit the spot as well. They're super nice here and it's really great that as someone with celiac disease I can eat their food and feel good afterwards. read more

This has been the summer of house sitting for me, and I've made it a habit of getting veggie combos and drinking white wine one night of every stay. As the drama unfolds on Bravo's Below Deck Mediterranean, I find that I haven't even used the spoon I grabbed for myself-even when I go for the soggy injera under the misir wot that I forgot existed. I love all the spices and wonder if I could ever create something as flavorful (probably not). Bonus reality TV thought: anyone watch below deck med season 1? What ever happened to captain mark?!?! read more

I've been coming to this restaurant for many years, brought many guests. So this review is based on the collective experience. The food is awesome, those healthy seed drinks/smoothies are over the top delicious. It is always in a very Peaceful ambience, with a lot of African artifacts. The overall quality, flavor and portion of dishes are consistently great! IMHO, It's the best Ethiopian restaurant in the Bay Area! read more

I'm not exaggerating when I say that this is the best food i've had in the bay area as a bay area native. The veggie platter was delicious! I can't believe it's taken me so long to find this place! read more

The food is phenomenal. The service is wonderful. The ambiance is mellow; perfect for digestion. I give it an A+ in every category. The best Ethiopian food I've had in California and the DC area; no holds barred, and the prices are reasonable. My favorite place for African food. read more

Cafe romanat is a cozy warmly lit environment with a very unique flavor. It feels like one of the most legit Ethiopian restaurants I've been to in the Bay Area with traditional decor, the traditional coffee ceremony, and a variety of meat and vegan/vegetarian options. The place smells of great food, light incense, and overall creates a fantastic aroma in the whole room making you feel great all around. Though they don't take reservations, It's not too busy. I highly recommend the vegetarian sambussa for a savory appetizer. We ordered the vegetarian combo for 2, and it easily fed 3 - if you get a combo meal, I'd get it for (Group size)-1 because the food is pretty filling and you can easily eat too much and hate yourself for it. I've tried 3 other Ethiopian places in the bay area the last 7 months, and this place takes the cake as the best one i've been to. If you are unsure if this is going to be good, trust that it's one of the better places you can go to! read more

Cafe Romanat - Cafe Main dining area - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California