So so good from service to food. I had the seared grouper and the lentils! Delicious!

No longer authentic. Good for someone trying Ethiopian for the first time. It's like chipotle for Mexican food. read more

Got take out lunch from their new location on briarcliff just down the block from the new children's hospital. Beautiful interior. Plenty of convenient parking. They accommodated my salt free request. They have a chicken dish special on Monday so got that, perfect taste and flavor. Also got the vegan plate consisting of 7 different items. One was too spicy for us. But overall delicious. Probably will return more frequently. read more

This new location is awful the food has no flavor. The service is awful as I sit without a refill. I got the lamb tibs absolutely no flavor. The miser again bland and then the cabbage was flavorless. The lentil sambusa was decent. I asked if this was the same establishment that was near benchwarmers and she stated yes. Nice restaurant but I rather the hole in the wall with quality food over the new location. read more

Desta Ethiopian Kitchen - Lamb tibs, cabbage, and miser - Ethiopian Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

1st time at this location. I used to visit the Clairmont Rd location in the past. Service is amazing and the food came out quickly and was hot. I ordered the Sambusa appetizer and it was yummy. The sauce was spicy to me but my friends loved it. For dinner we all ordered different entrees. I ordered the ribeye cooked with potatoes and gomen (collard greens) as my side. My friends ordered the chicken and lamb entrees with injera and miser (lentil stew) and shiro (chickpea stew). We al devoured our food. For dessert we ordered the dulce de leche cheesecake and baklava. read more

This is my go-to take out place, and I finally made it in person a few days ago too. Everything I've gotten has been delicious--shiro firfir is pretty much the best thing I've ever eaten--and they have such a wide variety of options almost anyone could find something they enjoy here. The place is nice, the environment is warm, and the server was great as well! read more

We decided to get together for the new year and of course that came to mind. We had not visited the Briarcliff location in a long time so my friends and I met up for some dinner on a Saturday night. What we did not prepare for was the long line of people who were excited to have some good authentic Ethiopian food. As a result, the wait time was about 25 to 30 minutes and things were going fine until the fire alarm went off because of someone celebrating their birthday with candles. Despite the interruption, we stayed and got seated inside and started the night off with specialty drinks that were delicious as well as the top entrées. I had the vegan platter , my friend had the fish salad (tilapia & spaghetti) and the oth tidbits. Despite the long way to get inside, the food came promptly after ordering, and every single bit of it was delicious! After the main course, we had dessert and we each sampled the cakes available. One was lemon cello the second was caramel cheesecake and the third chocolate cake. Our vote was split between the Limoncello cake and the caramel cheesecake.. T was a phenomenal server and he apologize for the disruption and made it up to us!' I definitely recommend you visit and come back time and time again and ask for T who is a 12 year veteran at Desta! Tell him Kay sent you lol read more

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Always a win! Doesn't matter what I order what time of day I order it - always top-tier food. My husband loves the spot. I love this spot. Anyone we take to this place loves it. The new location is a great improvement and worthy of this good food!!! read more

This was my first time at Desta and my first time having Ethiopian food. We got the meat lovers ( salmon, chicken and lamb). With the injera and pita bread. I will definitely make this a destination stop when I come back. The service was fast. The staff was friendly. The music matched the ambiance. DESTA IS A VIBE!! read more

Desta Ethiopian Kitchen - Meat lovers - Ethiopian Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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3.5! Desta came super super recommended so I was glad to try it out. I did have fair expectations when I went in, and I guess that's the reason why I feel disappointed maybe? We actually reached an hour before closing time (maybe this was one reason behind my disappointment). My friend got the Red lentil stew with Injera and I got the Vegan platter. Each came with a big plate and portion, with plenty of Injeras. First looks? Amazing! I like Ethiopian food and something about it is warm and simple and homely. Taste-wise? Meh. Firstly, everything was cold cold. Nothing felt fresh-ish or even remotely warm. And some things in the platter lacked spice and flavor. Maybe it was an off day. I guess their meat options are better. The spaces inside are limited - so be prepared to wait during busy times. read more

Desta Ethiopian Kitchen - Ethiopian Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

First time trying Ethiopian food, they are friendly and place is nice and clean inside! Great selection of alcohol, and food was great! Even tried the dessert lime cello was amazing not so sweet! Great addition to this area read more

Desta Ethiopian Kitchen - Ethiopian Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

The new location is bright inside. The staff is always so friendly! I usually get the lamb tib tib and it never disappoints!

First time going to a different location since I've been dining at Desta the last 10+ years. We always go to the North Druid Hill location but this spot didn't disappoint. The food is ALWAYS ALWAYS SOOOOOO DELICIOUS!! This is by far one of my FAVORITE restaurants in my city. You truly can not go wrong with the Meat Lovers entree because it's plentiful to share and we always have leftovers for the next day. Flavorful, juicy, tender and cooked with love. Our server Faith was attentive and made sure we had everything that we needed. Oh we also had the Beef and Lentil Sambusa appetizer. Always a HIT and never a MISS read more

Desta Ethiopian Kitchen - *The Original Meat Lovers" with Ribeye, Chicken and Grouper - Ethiopian Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Second time eating Ethiopian food at this location. This place is tucked away in a strip mall but there is plenty of parking. They have in door seating and outdoor seating. I came here on a weekday during lunch to try their special. I ordered the chicken tibs with rice and an order of Sambusa. The chicken is really good. I really liked the sauce of the tibs. I may order additional rice next time. It is the right level of spice. The Sambusa is small but packed with meat. I look forward to returning. Service was nice. read more

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Wow - flavor explosion! We ordered two platters - vegan and salmon. Highly recommend this combination as you will get a variety of vegetables along with salmon. Everything was so fresh and tasty! read more

Desta Ethiopian Kitchen - Two platters combined - salmon & vegan - Ethiopian Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

FOOD IS DELICIOUS. I have ordered out twice through Uber Eats. I came today in person, and I waited about 5 minutes to be seated, which I found to be quick! I came at 3pm on a Wednesday, so I expected quick seating, however. Myself and another table were the only two in the restaurant. After sitting, I waited 10-15 to order. After ordering, I waited 10 minutes to get the pictured food. After getting the food, I did not see the waitress for about 10 minutes. I waived down a waiter to get my missing items that I'd ordered. I got that. I finished my food. Stacked up the plates. Scrolled my phone. Listened to the other table's conversation. Journaled for 8 minutes on a timer... realized I was waiting longer than I wanted to pay and leave. My waitress walked around the restaurant. I tried to catch her to bring my check. She filled water pitchers. Answered the phone. Wiped a counter. Finally, I asked someone else to check me out. They got my waitress. She brought the machine to check me out and stood over me looking at the machine as I decided whether to tip her. I felt pressure to tip. I did, although I prefer and usually experience a faster wait service. I also usually tip but don't appreciate being watched. I will try Desta again on a day I have PLENTY of time. I appreciate the dictionary on the side of the menu, although I am a regular of Ethiopian cuisine. I haven't seen a restaurant with that. Earth tone atmosphere. Music from the African continent. Creative cocktails like the Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini... Ethiopian Wines. Lot parking. read more

Desta Ethiopian Kitchen - $15 Chicken Tibs with Gomen $.50 Extra Injera (not pictured is Ayib and Awaze sauce) all delicious - Ethiopian Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

I hadn't tried Ethiopian cuisine in Atlanta before coming here, but this is probably the best Ethiopian food I've ever had!! There are two locations - Decatur and West Midtown. We visited the one in Decatur which is off of Briarcliff and easy to find. There's plenty of parking all around the restaurant. We were seated in side which was a little smaller and intimate, but not overcrowded. The server was kind and knowledgable and helped us make decisions much quicker. We started off with Ethopian Wine Carroll's Mead (sweet honey wine) and Sheba Tej (honey wine). If you like Mead or sweeter wines I highly recommend trying the Carroll's Mead. For appetizers, we shared the Sambusa with lentils (comes with 2) and the Kitfo Wrap (beef or salmon - we chose salmon/medium rare) with Injera. Sambusa had a nice crunch and reminded me of an eggroll but with lentils. It also comes with a chili spicy dipping sauce but I didn't get the name of it (delicious by the way). The Kitfo Wrap was the most interesting! The filling is called Kitfo which is made of minced meat that was marinated in mitmita (chili powder-based spice blend) and niter kibbeh (seasoned butter). It's wrapped in Injera which is Ethiopian flatbread and has an interesting spongy, soft, sticky texture. I loved the textures and tastes blended together in this dish. For entree, we decided on TIBS - for this you may choose a meat, starch, and side each with plenty of options to choose from. We chose ground beef, pita bread, gomen (collard greens), and added on a side of potato stew. Each item was full of flavor and delicious. My favorite was the potato stew and I am definitely getting that the next time I'm back. We finished with warm baklavas (2 pieces) and were happily full. Pricing is reasonable and menu accommodates to meat lovers as well as vegetarians/vegans. *They also have a drive-through window to pick up orders if you call ahead of time around the back of the restaurant. read more

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The best authentic food with consistency! I've eaten at Desta over 13 years so delicious!!!! lentil sambusa a must try

Great location with fantastic food. The lentil rolls live rent free in my head, and the salmon wot was plentiful. The service was wonderful as well, and the environment was not too loud but not dead. Can't wait to return when I'm back in that city. read more

Desta Ethiopian Kitchen - Lentil rolls - Ethiopian Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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My waitress was kind and the food was promptly delivered. My waitress did a fair job of explaining what the food was before me but I had to ask a bunch of questions even after explaining to her that this was my 1st personal exposure to Ethiopian cuisine, There were a few things extremely spicy and I would have liked to be warning about that. Overall great experience besides one dish being almost too hot to enjoy. read more

Desta is a great restaurant for Ethiopian food! I had heard great things about this place and since I never had Ethiopian food before, I was looking forward to trying it out. There is seating inside and outside, but the seating inside is a bit small. The waiter was fairly attentive, but it also was not super packed at the time. I ordered the Chicken Tibs with Injera and Potato Stew, per the recommendation of the server. My friend and I split the Kitfo Slice. I felt okay about the Kitfo Slice--we got it with beef, jalapeño, and cheese. I am not a big beef person, so that was probably why I felt alright about it. But I also could not really taste the jalapeño or cheese in the dish; it just tasted very meaty. I liked the Chicken Tibs and Potato Stew. They were both seasoned very well and there was also a spicy kick, which I enjoyed. I thought the Injera--which is a spongy sourdough flatbread--was a bit too sour for me. Because the flavor was very packed in the Chicken Tibs and Potato Stew, I think eating a more bland starch, such as rice or pita bread, would have balanced to meal better for me. My friend ordered the Lamb Tibs and I really liked the taste of the lamb when I tried it! Overall, I think Desta is a must try for foodies in the Metro Atlanta area. read more

Desta Ethiopian Kitchen - Kitfo Slice, Chicken Tibs with Injera and Potato Stew, and Lamb Tibs with Injera and Miser - Ethiopian Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Seated right by the dessert display case for maximum consumption. There is a partly closed in patio seating. We ordered 1 vegan platter with injera to start, along with two club sodas. We ended up ordering a second vegan platter, since the one platter was not big enough for us to share. $45.34. The food comes out here so quickly, first platter was out maybe less than 5 minutes, second platter as You only get two rolls of injera for each of the vegan platters. Luckily I am not terribly hungry. I wasn't a big fan of the injera and tomato, the one side of the platter wasn't my favorite. The lemon, collard green puréed wasn't very good. The green lentil wasn't so wonderful, neither was the potato or beet and my least favorite was the injera and tomato, too mushy for my liking. The salad wasn't bad, neither was the cabbage, mushrooms or the collard greens. The red lentil, potatoes, split peas (?) and yellow lentils were all good. read more

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I love Desta! I've been a fan for many years and they never disappoint. I've tried a few of the Ethiopian places in Atlanta and Desta is the best. Even people from out of town know about Desta! I love the fish tibs and the ribeye tibs! My fabric side is the red lentils. read more

Desta Ethiopian Kitchen - Ethiopian Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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Didn't know what to expect, but it was amazing! The ribeye tibs were fantastic. The bread roll was a little unusual, but I wasn't sure what to expect.. it still worked and I would definitely go again. read more

Desta Ethiopian Kitchen - Ribeye Tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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The food was amazing balls. The ambiance was laid back and fun. The service was....ummm lackluster at the most. Our waitress treated us like she was too busy to listen and check on use. We were there for an hour and she never refilled our drinks and even forgot we order one. Again the food was amazing but the service not so much. We will give it another try one day. read more

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Ethiopian food is always a vibe for me. The food here was delicious! I enjoyed the ambience and the service. Will definitely come again on my next visit! read more

We finally ventured out of our comfort zone and glad we did. Went with friends and we got oh so very much food. As always, when the four of us get together it is a feast and this exactly what it was. We ordered the Sambusa's(one order beef and one order lentil), a Fretira which is a Traditional Ethiopian breakfast consisting of flatbread layered with eggs and served with honey and last but not least the Mixed Meat TIBS. We selected the lamb, ribeye, and filet mignon. Veggies selected were: Ater, a yellow split pea stew, the Tikel Gomen made of cabbage sautéed with onions, garlic, ginger, carrots and tumeric and ginger, and the Mushroom Stew. Our bread selection consisted of two regular Injera and one Teff Injera. All of the food was excellent. But my favorite was the appetizer was the Beef Sambusa, the TIB was the Ribeye, and veggie was the mushroom stew. Amazing was we all had different favorites and all enjoyed everything...think the Ribeye might have edged the other two meat with a little more taste...the fat always wins. Both Injera were great. Took a bit of getting use to putting warm food in very cold bread...but we managed to do it. Not a drop left on any dish. The hot sauce that was served was nice and spicy. There was one in the group that couldn't handle the heat and it was the only guy! HaHa. The veggie selections all started to taste somewhat the same but that was our fault with our selection. We all agreed the food rated a 5. Service was above average but not a 5, a four...maybe a 3+. We had to ask for ice tea and water to be refilled not once but twice. And we actually had to wait a very long time to get anyone's attention. Then there was the wait to get the check and pay.... Price was very reasonable for the amount of food received. Would order everything again. And would definitely return. Highly recommend. read more

Desta Ethiopian Kitchen - Meat Lover TIB Dinner, Lamb, Ribeye, and Filet. - Ethiopian Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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The food is always delicious!. The service is always delivered to you with a smile. The new store location has a very nice ambiance. Very neat, clean and organized. So if you have never given this place a try it is a must. read more

It was an amazing dinner. I went there for a friend's birthday, and I had high expectations as I had recently gone to another Ethiopian food place in the area, which was absolutely delicious. I am a vegetarian and I was slightly trepidatious about the "options" that would be available beyond lentils...I couldn't have been more happily surprised. Beyond meat options were not only offered but also undoubtedly fantastic. What's more is that the lentils were amazing as well!! I would highly recommend Desta for all. read more

I love this place! First of all, there's free parking #winning. Secondly, the almost never disappoints. I actually can't recall a time when the food was sub par here, and I go a lot. Third, Yohannes, our waiter, was AMAZING! ! It was my friends first time there and Yohannes took great care of us! We even enjoy the honey wine, and, they let us customize our entrees. It was my first time trying the salmon kifto but I highly recommend it. I'm pescatarian and usually opt for the vegan platter (which I did again this night) but the salmon kifto (basically tar tar) was a great start to our dining experience. It comes with cheese and jalapeños so has a nice kick to it BM without it being too spicy. I would definitely order it again. Finally, for dessert we tried their newly added tiramisu w/ a shot of liquor drizzled over it. I'm not a tiramisu fan but this was really good and I highly recommend it. "Adultifying" really took it to the next level. Unfortunately Yohannes mainly works at the west side location but I'll def be asking for him moving forward when he's there! read more

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This was my first time ever having Ethiopian food and I walked out soo happy with my entire experience. We came on a Friday at 6 pm as a party of 10. Unsure of how busy it was going to be, we made reservations just in case, which turned out to be a good idea since it had a high table turnover rate. There's a full cocktail bar including beers. For appetizers we tried Sambusa and Kitfo salmon medium well (as recommended by our waitress). The (2) sambusa were fresh and crispy. The wrap was huge and filling. For entrees I shared the Vegan Platter with lamb tibs. Presentation was beautiful and also matched the variety of tastes, textures and temperatures. Although I could not tell you exactly what each item was, I knew it was good! Portions are huge and comes out fast. Staff were so friendly and really on their A game. Would love love to come again! read more

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Had heard about Desta from several sources over the years, but was loyal to other restaurants that serve similar cuisine. Due to closing of one of them recently I sought my desire for beets salad from Desta. The Briarcliff location offered parking in front and side lots. As it had been a long day, I opted for takeout, and the young lady at the entrance, Eyerus , was more than accommodating. She showed me the QR code to scan for the most up-to-date menu, and provided samples of the beet salad a mushroom stew side, and gomen or collard greens. I opted for the signature lamb tibs with beet salad and mushroom stew as sides - one comes with the entree and starch options. Selected the basmati rice to complete my entree. All were delicious and complimentary to make a satisfying meal. The lamb was what I called gamey or earthy as was told by the Eyerus. I am happy that I still tried it and mixing with the mushroom stew side dish was perfect. Will definitely return and try the 13 item vegan platter (highly recommended by Eyerus) and grouper. read more

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Love the food here every time whether the chicken tib, steak tib or even the vegggie sides. Last time I came I noticed the shared meat platter on the menu and I think that's the way to order next time because it's severos meats and sides for a good price. The portions are already large and have enough for leftovers for a normal meal too. Be careful where you drive because their location should be moving down the street any day (if they haven't yet)! read more

The service was a bit slow, but the food was good. I ordered the veggie plate, beef tibs and sambusa. read more

Desta Ethiopian Kitchen - *Sambusa - Ethiopian Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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Ordered an original meat lover's to go. It's supposed to come with 3 meats. They put it into 2 takeout boxes so one meat portion was significantly smaller. The menu item should write 2 meats and 1 small portion of meat if they're going to do this. $35 and they can't afford a 3rd plastic container? read more

Desta Ethiopian Kitchen - Too cheap to use 3rd container for 3 meat $35 original meat lover's - Ethiopian Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Use to be my favorite restaurant for the past 12 plus years . Not anymore :(My chicken lacked flavor, Goden tibs flavorless and dry. I miss the old Desta , are they under new management!? Whatever they are doing now is not working . I miss the good old days of Desta. read more

we were in the mood for ethiopian and had heard good things about Desta so went to try it out. we ordered the beef sambusa and the vegan platter. the sambusa was good and the sauce accompanying was really spicy. the vegan platter was plentiful and had a variety of options including lentils, beets, cabbage, spinach, tomatoes and others along with injera bread. the food was plentiful and the flavors good. overall good food, big portions and good service read more

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Great customer service and delicious food! We loved the chicken ribs and chicken pasta - everything was so flavorful! Can't wait to come back and try more! read more

From Florida, first visit...my daughter took me. Knowledgeable, patient, cheerful waitress Food is excellent! Had lamb, greens, bread, chickpeas, Ethiopian coffee, and all was served hot and flavorful! Might want to reduce the oil by 15% +/- Think southern with a spicy attitude. read more

I really enjoy Ethiopian food. It started over 40 years ago when I had the chance to try Mama Desta's in Washington D.C. The reincarnation of Desta's restaurant, since it recently moved, has greatly improved the internal vibe. The feeling is open and airy. The lighting pleasant, but not overdone. The menu has a handy translation/definition section ( although with my decreasing eye sight it was a bit difficult to read) that lets all know what the menu selections actually mean. On a pedestrian note the bathroom was clean and functional. Now to the fun part-the food. I and my guest ate it all. We had chicken, chick peas and greens, together with injera. The beer was cold and smooth. The food was well prepared, and I candidly like using my fingers. Well worth the money. read more