The reviews for Dahlak had been really good, so my wife and I had pretty high expectations but we weren't disappointed at all! The ambience is really nice, with Eritrean-style seating on little stools around the table, and the food is delicious. We had a Sambussa to begin with, which tastes exactly like Indian samosas. Then we got adventurous and tried a jalapeno stuffed with tomatoes (can't recall its name) which was super-spicy even by our standards, so beware! For the entrees, we had a shrimp with berber sauce and tilapia with berber sauce, both served with injera of course. The shrimp was excellent! The service is also very good: our waitress was friendly and the food arrived pretty quickly too. They also have a well-stocked bar with very affordable drinks. Definitely one of the best restaurants around this area! read more

The worst.... if I can get it a negative stars I would... can't tell u if the food was good.. because after an hour of waiting we never got it.... then the waitress tells us that they changed staff at 10... so our order was in before 10... it's 11 and still no food... a waste of time energy... but the people outside was eating good... read more

I got the spicy lentils, which were good. It was a different dish, simple and yummy. The service was friendly, but I'm not giving a 5 because there were 2 problems with my fairly simple order. read more

Good Eritrean/Ethiopian food. There's a bar in the back, and sometimes there is live music.

While I cannot speak on the restaurant in the front, the dive bar around the back is what my dreams are made of. The beer is pretty cheap, and sold exclusively in bottles. They sell Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA for $5 (hellooooo!!), and overall have a pretty nice selection. The modest decor has not been updated in decades, and it appears neither have the daytime drunks stationed at the bar. The back patio is comfortable and laid back, especially if you like sitting on chairs that have been ripped out of some old high school. Entertainment comes in the form of an internet jukebox and SEVERAL televisions. No frills here y'all. Just a straight up drinkers bar. read more

This was my first time for ethiopian food, and I will absolutely be back. There are some things that I would have done a bit differently that I'll have to attempt in my next visit. Dinner was pretty great. I ordered the stewed lamb with cabbage and spinach. The lamb tasted very good and had a delicious spice to it, but I don't think that I would order it again. I think that I would have prefered to have something that was a bit more dry rather than stewed (the sauce kind of over powered the other flavors on the plate). The cabbage was terrific, but I did not really like the spinach, it had a lemon flavor to it that I didn't enjoy. We went to the tiny dive bar in the back of the restaurant after dinner. It wasn't bad, nothing too special about it either. But it did have cheap drinks, interesting people, and friendly service even though it was packed to capacity. read more

Gotta start by saying I've NEVER written a review. But this place doesn't deserve to exist. It's possible once upon a time they were ok, but the pervading vibe was they no longer care. First off, I LOVE Ethiopian food. Could eat it every day. I make a point to get veggie combos in every city I travel to. And out of the maybe 50 I've had, this was the absolute worst. Worse even than that time in Buffalo NY, which was laughable. The combo is only 3 dishes, and all 3 served were the same shade of pale red. They tasted like they had been cooked in the same pot with a can of Ragu spaghetti sauce. I'm so sorry I didn't think to snap a pic to share. I don't make a point of talking smack about things, and certainly not publicly, but if my little review can represent one step closer to this place shutting down so no one also has to spend $15 of their hard earned cash on food like this, then it'll have been 3 minutes well spent. read more

I'd never had Ethiopian or Eritrean food before. Shared the veggie combo for two with two friends - spinach, mushrooms, and lentils - and a lamb dish with another. I enjoyed it, especially the fluffy inerja flatbread, but felt surely the dishes were supposed to have a little more flavor? Surely the veggie servings could have been a bit less skimpy? The mushrooms and meat definitely could have been cooked to slightly more luscious textures. They were also out of two of the beers we ordered off of their drink menu, which was a bit disappointing, so we stuck to the basics after that. Overall, though, we enjoyed ourselves. The ambiance was nice, both inside and out. We were seated on the patio, which was full of grungy West Philly hipsters that I enjoyed covertly people-watching and which complimented the slight grunge of the patio. The service was pretty quick and after I almost immediately drained my first glass of water, the server brought us a pitcher without even asking so we never ran out again. I'd be happy to go again and try some other dishes. read more

Dahlak - Cute if slightly grungy patio! They turn on the string lights after it gets dark. - Ethiopian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

http://www.yelp.com/events/philadelphia-dahlak-paint-party Paint Party in the rear patio of Dahlak Paradise Ethiopian Restaurant & Bar 4708 Baltimore Ave. Phila., PA 19143 Wednesday, August 12th from 6pm-8pm. Sign-up includes happy hour drink specials, 20% off your meal, acrylic paints, step by step instructions from two professional artists, and a 12" canvas for you to take home. If it rains we'll host the party inside. There are a limited number to table easels available. Please RSVP early and arrive time. Purchase tickets at: http://nilelivingston.com/dahlakpaintparty read more

The food was quite tasty and the presentation of the food was good however, the portion of meat they give is disrespectful. The place could stand some serious sprucing up and better lighting. The bathroom needs to be made nice it was disgusting and lacking decent hand soap and the toilet was dirty with urine in it. The bathroom was gross and honestly had I seen it first I wouldn't have eaten there. They need more staff they had one lady doing everything and she wasn't friendly till the end of the meal near tip time. I'm still looking for the ultimate Ethiopian restaurant experience this place is not it. Some review warn of roaches and to be honest while I didn't see any bugs I was leary based on how run down and dark the place looked. read more

I've never tried Ethiopian food before and I was very timid upon entering because I was hungry and I just wanted something familiar. They had an entire plated vegetarian entree which i shared with my friend and to my surprise, filled up SUPER fast! Apparently injera expands in your stomach? (thanks iphone). it wasn't fancy and it probably had the most diverse crowd of people in there...ever. Check it out. read more

In the summer, rain or shine, there is nothing finer than getting bug bites sitting on the back patio, drinking $2.50 Heinekens, listening to Hip-Hop and classic Dub. I've never eaten here, but I keep coming back. Even in the colder season, it gets a little crowded, but it's still a fun place to go. Baltimore Avenue is such a beautiful neighborhood, and this is one place you can't miss to get its flavor. read more

My friends and I came here to for free karaoke with Tntkaraoke stars. Dahlak is a very interesting place. I love the décor, it is very unique. The space consists of a dining area, live music and karaoke lounge with very funky chairs and tables, a bar and outdoor seating area. I didn't try the food, but a friend who came that night said it is good. The service is friendly, the bartender is very helpful. read more

Came here with a huge club of 60 people for fundraising (20% of the proceeds go to your school club). The staff was absolutely wonderful. Very kind and patient with us, despite all the confusion about ordering food and paying bills (our fault, not theirs). Food was okay, but service was top-notch. The woman (who seemed to own the place) was so kind and sweet! read more

Great Ethiopian food and the outside sitting area is great vibes. Plus they have hookah

Very cute Eritrean spot in W Philly that is big on atmosphere. The food is pretty solid... definitely under-spiced, but given who they are catering to, understandable. I must add... they cook their lamb to perfection... it's as tender as can be. I definitely recommend the lamb. read more

My bf and I tried Dahlak for the first time last week. He loves Ethiopian food, but it was my first time trying it. I wanted to order the Fish Wat, which is stewed fish in a spicy "berbere" sauce, but thought I better go with something I KNEW would be safe. I'm not really a "HOT/SPICY" food kind of person. So... I went with the Fish Alicha, which is described on their website as: "fresh fish with fresh lemon and simmered in a mild herb sauce served with a hard-boiled egg ." Well.... I didn't see any "hard-boiled egg", but the fish was pretty good. I have no idea what the sides that came with my fish were, (my bf said iit was beans of some kind) ,but it was served with injera bread and a few pieces of lettuce. For dessert we had the Baklava, which was ok, but kind of on the hard side, like it might have been old. The service was good, and our waitress was attentive. I could see myself going back again, but I would ask for some other side, maybe the collard greens. read more

I went to Dahlak during Dining Days, so I must say that for the price I paid, I definitely got my money's worth, and more. I got the Chicken Tibs and some kind of beef dish, and both were great. Most importantly, the chicken was not dry at all! The beef had the right amount of spice - not the "I'm going to burn your taste buds off so you can't taste your food" spice I've had at other Ethiopian places. The vegetables were excellent! I've had runny veggies at another place, and it wasn't pleasant. The collard greens were one of my favorites, along with the cabbage and carrots mixture and something that was yellow. The injera bread was a little thin for my liking. It absorbed the sauces too quickly and got soggy and my fingers dirty. And stay away from the vegetable #2 (split yellow peas). The peas were practically raw and the weakest part of my meal. Overall, this place gets a solid 4 stars, because the food was great, the service was fast, and the dining area was clean and cozy. read more

This is the second time I've been here. The food was okay. Beef tasted rough, and the chicken was okay. Maybe I just don't understand Ethiopian food. But it did not wow me and I have no reason to really go back. read more

They have excellent food and service but it took a while to receive our meals. They have great drinks too. Theresaldo s separate dance floor, bar, hookah, and music as well. I love the culture. read more

Dahlak is a great place for a relaxed drink with old friends or to make new ones. Outdoor seating during the summer makes this place a winner as well as karaoke on Tuesday night. If you like to eat with your hands you'll love Ethiopian food. Very tasty stuff! read more

I have eaten here on several occasions. The food is always good, no matter the time. They always have something fun going on: karaoke, dj playing music or just a something lively. I love this place. It's chill if you want to relax or if you want to be a little more exciting, you can go to the back patio area. I highly recommend this place, no matter the time of day or night. read more

This is a reasonable place. However, I still cannot get over Zemams in Tucson Arizona. None of the Ethiopian places in Philadelphia match up to it. If you are ever in that part of the country make sure you go there. Ok, now back to Dahlak! The food here isn't bad. Injeras were fresh and flavorful. However, the preparations aren't all equally good. Try ordering something which has berbere sauce in it. The servers were very polite and the food does take a bit of time to come in. One of the reviewers mentioned the lack of air-conditioning. Well he was right, it did feel a bit uncomfortable. read more

Dahlak had me at hello. I put off visiting Dahlak for about six months, and regret it. I heard that the real gem of Dahlak was the back bar, especially the outside patio in the summertime. I've passed by and decided against it on a number of occasions after seeing the sparse dining room by the front window, assuming that it was more of a restaurant than a bar to hang out at. I was wrong! On a Thursday in January, the happy hour specials were a shot and a lagger for $5, but the real genius was in the $3 Seagrams hot toddies. What a brilliant drink for those cold Philadelphia winters. Friendly and fun, I have a feeling that Dahlak will be getting many of my dollars in the very near future. What a shame that they close at 10:30 pm. read more

My wife (adventurous palate) and I (lover of blandness) stopped into Dahlak for dinner recently. We may return someday, but not real soon. Finding a promisingly non-spicy chicken dish on the menu, I ordered it ... but the server returned after a while to say they were out of it. They were also out of the beef dish I chose as a replacement. She recommended a lamb entree, and I let myself be persuaded. It was a disappointment; the flavor wasn't bad, but many of the lamb chunks contained large jagged pieces of bone - an especially unpleasant surprise during my first bite! OTOH, my wife enjoyed her meal, and we both liked the big gummy slabs of Ethiopian bread. (If "gummy" isn't your style, you probably won't care for these.) The decor is low-key/slapdash. Fixtures in the men's room were rickety-looking but clean. So Dahlak isn't elegant, but its exotic cuisine makes an interesting change of pace - as long as you know what you're ordering (and as long as they have what you want). read more

Cute place, nice flavors If you are already accustomed to "ethnic" flavors, this is a dope little spot, go when the big homie, Carmen is working (we went on a Monday night). Our order was the spicy fish (too fishy) curry lamb (slamming, must have) and lentil spiced samossas(loved!!) house wine is solid to keep the food vibes rolling. Will prob return as quick seasoned neighborhood eats, but nothing spectacular, cept CARMEN ;) read more

I can not effectively express my love for Dahlak. It 's my favorite restaurant in all of West Philly. The food is amazing and not pricey for the amount you get. The staff is very accommodating and helpful. Want you order mild, they'll do it. Want it really spicy, they'll do it. Unfamiliar with Ertrean food, they'll help you figure it out. There has been plenty of times I've run into the place, near closing, to put a large order in, and they never batted an eye to accommodate. Dahlak is also able to seat large groups (6-10) fairly easily, though anything larger you should call to make arrangements. read more

If I were to judge Dahlak on its potato salad alone, it would be five stars, all the way, forever. And I feel like forever should be in all caps, there. However, I have to judge it also on its service and prices and this is where things go South. And not in a fun Dukes-of-Hazzard way. Okay. I'm not supposed to say this, but it has to be said, so I'm just gonna put it out there. It seems like anyone who expresses dissatisfaction with Dahlak gets rebuffed with the dead community leader card. I'm not disputing that Solomon Amare was a wonderful man or that a family business needs leeway to regain its footing after its owner passes. However, it's been three years. You can't play this card forever to cover what has devolved into, at best, mediocrity. Most of the food I've tried is good. Great? Every now and again. In the past, I mostly have depended on Dahlak for takeout. I want to believe that they are cooking everything (and I mean everything- is anything prepped?) from scratch, because I have waited at least thirty minutes before I walk to the restaurant and inevitably end up waiting another 20-30 minutes while sitting in the restaurant as they continue to prepare the food I've ordered. The restaurant itself is charming, in a dingy sort of way. I've never decided whether the dim lighting was romantic or creepy. But there are the fun little woven tables and the "ethnic" art. There are also "normal" tables for the more conventional. The last few times I've gone in during the evening, the dining room has been empty, save maybe one other table. Why is it taking so long to make my food? But for good food, I will wait. Unfortunately, it has become hit and miss. The portions seem to be shrinking. The prices seem to be rising. I fail to understand, even with rising global food prices, how a scoop of lentils can have such a mark-up. And I could probably even let all of this go- the smaller portions, the overpricing, the wait, the wait, my god, the wait. But the last few times, I get home to unpack my food and lo and behold- parts of my *&%$# order are missing. I pay for two portions of potato salad. I get one. I order two sambussas. Nowhere to be found. Apparently, Dahlak is dealing in magic, because the food I pay them for is repeatedly involved in a disappearing act. Of course, it's late, I'm tired, I've waited an hour to get my food and now I'm home. I decide to "eat" the wasted dollars of my already (what I feel is, due to the portions and the wait) overpriced meal and never return. And it's sad. Because I like Dahlak. The people are nice enough (if distant). The food can be good. It fills out the block nicely. I don't want to walk to 45th Street... But playing with my money is like playing with my emotions, so no more Dahlak for me. If nothing else good came out of this, I taught myself how to make Ethiopian potato salad. . . read more

last year my friends and i patronized abyssinia on cinco de mayo; random, yes, but it's how i roll. following suit, for st. patty's day this year, callan W and i fulfilled our craving for ethiopian food - and our desire to avoid green-clad drunken college kids - at dahlak. we were seated at a traditional style table which is low to the ground with backless stools. i've yet to encounter this type of seating at any other ethio eatery in philly, tho i have elsewhere. personally, i'm a fan, but for those who don't find this all that comfortable, note that they do have regular tables & chairs as well. veg entrees ranged in price from $9 - $12 but they offer a sampling of 3 smaller portions (served with 2 sides and injera) for $14. seemed like a deal, so we went for it, and each selected 3 different dishes so that we had a total of 6 for the sharing ($28), which came served all together on one big plate, as is typical in this cuisine. here's what we got: - Yemisir Watt - lentils - supposed to be spicy, but wasn't. still, tasty. - Gomen Watt - collards - also supposed to be spicy, but wasn't. still, tasty. - Shuro Watt - supposedly chickpeas in berbere sauce, but looked and tasted more like yellow split peas? we questioned the server and were told it was in fact chickpeas, but we're still not convinced.... - Vegetarian Tibs - also supposed to be spicy, but wasn't. still, tasty. - Beets - was my first time seeing this on an ethiopian menu. not bad, but not great, and a TINY portion - Mushrooms - in a seasoned sauce - again, not bad, but not great. - also on the plate were 2 small lettuce salads and a mystery side in the center that we both enjoyed. no complaints about the abundant injera! overall, i was fairly satisfied, having finished nearly every morsel, until revisiting my review for abyssinia (http://www.yelp.com/biz/abyssinia-philadelphia#hrid:w4QKS22mR-SRYiWW9JlLVw) wherein i realized that they serve a veg platter of 6 mini dishes for under $10!! granted, dahlak lets you pick which ones you want, but still, i think better values can be found elsewhere in west philly. would i go back? maybe. but it's not tops on my list. read more

My 'Cheers.' Not quite the same since Amare Solomon (the well, now ex-owner) passed away, but this place will forever live on in my heart and will always be a second home to this here Chica. Nowhere I've ever been has such a unique blend of people or been so full of life and stories. Sniff, sniff, sigh. I miss you Dahlak!!! read more

This place is an institution. You know you've made it as a West Philadelphian when you've meet your future plumber, roofer, and priest at the bar of a humble West Philly Ethiopian restaurant. read more

I didn't get to eat here, I only drank at the bar in the back. It was crowded and the bartender was a little slow. They did have a pretty good beer selection. The group of people I was meeting had managed to grab a table out back, which is ideal for larger groups. Being outside was nice on a hot summer night. It was an ok experience, I think I want to eat there though. read more

Hey. Be careful. The roaches have no shame. We ordered a combination platter. And as we were just getting the food and about to eat. The visitors came out to join us. There was not one but two roaches. One went to get a drink of my water and the other decided to join the party. And sorry but I don't share with bugs. Let em have it. read more

Mmmm.. delish Eritrean dining in West Philly! Nice traditional basket seating as well as standard tables and chairs. Amazing food, friendly staff, nice ambience, and a bar in back. I could have done without the mysterious fluid dripping on me on the way to the bathroom, and they really need to do something about the lack of air flow in the restaurant! Minus 1 star for those minor complaints. Otherwise, a fantastic place! I can't wait to go back when we return to visit friends! read more

I'm Eritrean (this is an Eritrean restaurant, not an Ethiopian one), grew up on Eritrean food. And I can tell you for a fact, this is the worst I have ever tasted. The injera is very thin. The tsebhe (red sauce) was sweet, probably because the cook put in too much onions. The lentil was mediocre at best. Decorum is nice, but honestly with bad food, who really cares how authentic the seating arrangements are. If I could give it zero stars I would. Mind you, it will probably suffice for someone who isn't Eritrean/Ethiopian, but for all you natives reading this, might as well just burn your money it will be equally as satisfying. read more

To set the record straight, Dahlak is an Eritrean restaurant, Eritrea being an independent country (as of 1991) just north of Ethiopia. That said, Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisines are near indecipherable to Western taste buds, given the shared history of the two countries. So. I like this restaurant a lot, even though it's set in a dark, depressing part of town, which, fortunately, is only a few steps from a trolley stop. Some come out for the novelty of eating with their hands and sitting at low-lying tables; I come for the incredible tsebhis with their hold-nothing-back spices. Also, I tend to judge restaurants a lot by their breads; I don't know why, but I think a great tasting, great textured bread change a meal much more than even the proteins. The injera at Dahlak dominates in that category. The wait staff will bring you as much you need (and I need a lot to scoop up all those sauces), but there is nothing like those glorious pieces at the bottom of every dish, which have been sitting there for the entire meal, sopping up all those glorious berbere-infused juices. Man can live on bread products alone, I believe (sans forks and knives). But man is better off with stuff to top it with. read more

i've come here a few times, for other folks' birthdays and such. i even broke my own never-crossing-30th-street rule to do so.... the food is quite good. the injera is lovely and i kind of wish i knew how to make it. if you don't know what to get, or even what the hell eritrean-style is about, the staff is quite courteous and helpful. read more

I'm going to rank this one. Although the ambiance is very neat, the food is entirely unacceptable and if you like Ethiopian food I can be no fairer to you than a ranking of "1". No flavor at all. The textures are fine, but without flavor this is just stewed meat and ground beans. They butchered the whole meal, but I was especially sad about the Mitten Shouro. If you want a place nearby that has much better food, but lacks in ambiance and has a limited menu, try Queen of Sheeba. If you are looking for a nice ambiance with pretty decent acceptable food try Abyssinia. read more

Dahlak is a great neighborhood dive bar serving cheap, strong drinks and Ethiopian food. It's a very low-key, no-frills kind of place - the very opposite of pretentious. It tends to a attract a diverse young crowd of artsy people all looking to get drunk and have a good time. read more

A friend took me here a few months ago and it was late but after we passed all these shady people we walked up to this place and it looked dark and closed like nobody was in it. We walked down this long hallway into the back of the bar and they had a sneaky bar in the back with jukebox and patio. I didn't eat there so I can't say about the food but the bar was pretty cool. read more