Love this place. Delicious Ethiopian food. On my trip to Dallas I brought relatives one night and a friend the second night. Neither had Ethiopian food before and loved it. We ordered the vegetarian combo both times. A great assortment of lentils and veggies. The spongy bread that they make is gluten-free by the way: Injera is a sour fermented pancake-like flatbread with a slightly spongy texture, traditionally made of teff flour. In Ethiopia, Eritrea, and some parts of Sudan, injera is the staple. Injera is central to the dining process, like bread or rice elsewhere. The presentation was lovely and the ambiance simple but nice. Our server PJ was great. Super friendly. And it was popular with Ethiopian locals which is a good sign. read more

The food is AMAZING here!!! The best I've ever had! And it doesn't stop there! I just had to start with that because that what's important to note! This place has such a beautiful decor. It's aesthetically pleasing and very clean! Coming here first is the best decision whenever I come to Dallas-- it sets the tone for the rest of the trip! To top it all off, the people here are so kind and loving! It makes our experience much meaningful! EVERYTHING HERE 10/10!!! read more

Service was still great but there was a language barrier that was hard to overcome. Food was good but not as good as the first time I visited. I think the various lentils needed more cook time. Overall it was still a vibe. read more

Desta Ethiopian Restaurant - Veggie combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Zero complain about the food here. I left the restaurant super satisfied. The service could use a bit of improvement though. It took 20 mins for the food to come out, even though it's not busy. read more

Desta Ethiopian Restaurant - Veggie and meat Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Dallas, Texas

See all

Delicious food and amazing service. We felt so welcomed here and were taken good care of. My girls and I had a spa day and this was the ultimate grand finale! PSA... the lamb is to DIE for. The steak... not so much. It was really tough. Highly recommend and there is so much more to try on the menu! read more

Great Ethiopian restaurant. Can't go wrong with the lamb tibs. I recommend stopping by if you wanna give Ethiopian cuisine a try. read more

See all

my first experience with ethiopian food and it was DELICIOUS. some of the most tender flavorful meat I have ever had lol. I was a little thrown at eating with my hands but I had to have the full experience. already looking toward to going back read more

See all

Its been a few years since I've been back at Desta, atmosphere is still nice. The food took about 20 minutes to come out, would really like more injera bread with each order. I asked for more bread and was given 1 bread for 2 people. read more

See all

This is my favorite spot for Ethiopian cuisine in Dallas. The food is consistently delicious, and the service is great. I highly recommend Desta for anyone craving great Ethiopian food. read more

Desta Ethiopian Restaurant - Awaze tibs and quanta tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Dallas, Texas

See all

Looking for delicious Ethiopian food? Desta is always a hit!! I don't get a chance to visit as often as I'd like but their juicy beef tibs is a favorite for a pick up order when in the area. They offer all kinds of menu items and gluten free options. Bring a friend who's visiting from out of town here, they'll love it. read more

See all

Everything about Desta Ethiopian is amazing! The environment felt very authentic, and the hosts and servers were all welcoming. We had a lot of questions about the menu, and our server was extremely patient and offered great explanations and advice on what to order. We got the Kintot, which was wayyy more than enough for 2 people. The meats can be switched out, so our server recommended we try it with kitfa (rare beef), dry beef tibs, and the spicy/non-spicy lamb tibs. Each one had a very unique flavor, but I really liked the dry beef tibs and the kitfa. The injera also had the perfect texture to go with all the meats on our plate. The dish was great, but I would recommend getting veggies to mix things up a little. I really enjoyed my experience here, and if it's your first time trying Ethiopian food, definitely come in with an open mind and don't be afraid to ask questions! read more

See all

I order from here often, staff is consistently pleasant and you will get good service. The food is always very very good and flavorful. I've never had a bad dish here. It's family friendly, but you can also come here for a date or to catch up with a friend. It's a very good vibe. Especially on weekend nights, expect that it will be busy. Sometimes when I order ahead on the phone even on weekdays, they're a little behind on the orders or the phone won't ring. But they constantly taking orders for a reason, the food is that good and I'm pretty picky about Ethiopian food. I would love to see more dishes on the menu, like fasolia and dinich wot. And Tej, I'm very surprised they don't offer honey wine on their drink menu. Other than that, this is hands down one of the top Ethiopian restaurants in Dallas, a must-try! read more

So exciting is this Ethiopian restaurant. Wonderful service. Spacious and comfortable dining room, bar, and patio. Along with Desta's refreshing Fresh Mango Drink, my stables are their flavorful Wet Lambs Tibs and Doro Wat poured over a sheet of Injera. Choosing to use my fingers instead of utensils with each bite. I really also enjoyed their Fish Gulash on my most recent visit. Will definitely be back for the newly recommended Dry Tibs; Ribs; & Veggie in the near future! CHEERS! read more

See all

Wow! I'm more than impressed. Was better than I expected. Great service. The staff was beyond helpful and kind. The tea was hot and tasty. The vegetarian plate was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! All food tasted awesome, flavorful, succulent, and filling! The soccer game in the background resulted in loud jubilation every score which increased the good mood in the place. Definitely will return! Chef's kiss! read more

The food was yummy and delicious if you love authentic spices. We went we group of six and would god back. Although we went with friends who are Habesha and they ordered for the group everything i tried was great. They service was nice and the waiters were friendly and attentive. I love the ginger tea and it is very ginger. read more

Desta Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Dallas, Texas

See all

The food and service was amazing. The waitress answered all our groups questions with excellent knowledge. Looking forward to going back again. read more

See all

Desta has always been a favorite Ethiopian spot of mine. I was greeted right away and the host took my to go order. I was not as enthused this last visit because there were a few veggies not apart of the usual dish. I specifically asked for beets and they were not in my to go order. I still enjoy their food and will likely be back, but will try some other spots in the future first. read more

Dont order take out from them unless you want to eat old injera. I order from them all the time but the last two times they have not been impressive I got sick from the firfir and kitfo. read more

This food was delicious and very tasty it always is. However, there just wasn't very much meat in It at all or onions or tomatoes. The picture above is exactly how we recieved it, with the meat removed of course but the injera came like this, with VERY little meat. Had the meat been separate from the injera I dont think anyone would have thought this was ok. The meals cost $68 including delivery. It is not fair to handle customers in this way. Please do better. Thank you. read more

Desta Ethiopian Restaurant - Firfir & Tibs Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - Dallas, Texas

We were craving some Ethiopian food and found Desta, which YELP recommended! The restaurant is in a strip mall and has indoor and outdoor seating with designated parking right in the front of the restaurant. The ambiance was pleasant, and many tables were filled. Thankfully, there wasn't any wait time, and we were seated immediately. Coming to food - For appetizers, we ordered the Sambusa (lentil filling), which arrived piping hot and served with a spicy red chili sauce. It was yummy, and the sauce was very spicy, so less is more here. For the main course, we ordered two Veggie combos. We could have ordered one, which would have been perfect for our appetite, but we were suggested to order two and had a lot of leftovers. All the items with the veggie plater were very flavorful, and the Injera was perfectly spongy. Their Mango margarita was a nice touch with the exact sweetness. The service was excellent, and we had a fantastic experience! read more

See all

This evening I ate at Desta Ethiopian Resturant with my brother. The food was delicious. We ordered Kitfu (Raw). The atmosphere was great the staff are friendly and respectful. Be Be prepared some of the best Kitfu I had since I started eating Kitfu. If you get a chance you have to dine at Desta Ethiopian Restaurant. read more

Desta Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Easily, easily the best Ethiopian food I have had to date. I live in Houston and while the Ethiopian food is good, it is nothing like this place. The kitfo and the sizzlin tibs were out of this world. The service was incredible as well. Some of the sweetest people I have ever met. I cannot wait to come back. Highly recommend. read more

Most people don't ever hear about Ethiopian food. It was only my 2nd time ever trying this place. It's so unique and delicious! I got the beef tibs and my friend got the one with raw beef, which we were both a little skeptical on but it turned out to be fine! Injera has the sourness of sourdough bread but is also soft and sponge like, which was so good. The beef tibs were great, but didn't realize I could get the meat and veggie combo. Next time I come I'll be sure to try that! The ambiance of the place was really cool! When we pulled up into the parking lot, I wasn't exactly sure if we were in the right place, but once we entered the restaurant it was great! There was an elegant yet chill, modern feel to the place. read more

Desta Ethiopian Restaurant - Beef Tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Desta Ethiopian Restaurant truly feels like home. The food is authentic and full of flavor, and the hospitality makes you feel like family. A wonderful place to enjoy Ethiopian culture and cuisine. Highly recommended. read more

You know it's an authentic place when you walk in and the waiters and customers are all speaking another language that's not English. Was recommended to check out Desta from a Nigerian friend and came with another friend who wanted to try Ethiopian food for the first time. I'm no expert but we had a good time. The menu was a little difficult to navigate and our waitress wasn't fluent in English, but she knew enough to help recommend some dishes to us. We got the veggie combo with injera (kinda like a thin sour fermented pancake) and lamb tibs (non-spicy, not dry). It was a great experience. Everything came out on the injera and you would pull and rip some out to wrap the veggies or lamb (they put the lamb right in the center). There were also extra rolls of injera. No utensils and hand sanitizers gave us the heads up it would probably be a hands-on meal. There were different veggies some a little spicy for me, but we enjoyed ourselves and it was more than enough for 2 people. Prices are reasonable too. About $42 after tax and tip in total. I heard they are also known for their drinks (unsure if referring to alcoholic or not). I don't drink but saw a picture of a mango drink that looked pretty good. Restaurant is spacious with a bar section. Many small tables and TVs that were playing soccer matches. Overall a great introduction to Ethiopian cuisine and I'd be excited to come again read more

Desta Ethiopian Restaurant - Veggie combo and Lamb Tibs (non-spicy, not dry) - Ethiopian Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Desta Ethiopian Restaurant was such a cool experience! The food was rich and flavorful, and eating with injera made it feel authentic and fun. read more

Desta Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Dallas, Texas

See all

I love Ethiopian food because you get a variety of meats and veggies that you get to eat with the most delicious bread. It's great for large groups and for sharing. The meat dishes are all cooked with the meat chunks perfectly tender in delicious sauces. The veggies maintain their integrity and stay crisp. The injera as a slight sour taste that is subtle and does not over power the side dishes you dip it in. Good service and great food. I wish it was close to home. read more

See all

Service: I came in the afternoon of 12/26/2023. Unfortunately the service was below average. There were by my count, 3 servers for all the table seating. I think they may need a couple of more servers. I had to flag down my server to get a water refill and a fork. It took a good while to get my food as well(about 25 to 30 minutes). If you visit, please keep in mind that you will probably have a bit of a wait for your food. I will not recommend coming here for a quick bite to eat. I would have taken of 2 stars instead of one but it looked like my server was trying to keep up. Food: I ordered the Chicken Tibs(Spicy option). This dish consists of pieces of chicken sautéed with onions, tomatoes, jalapeños in the Ethiopian Berbere sauce served on the ubiquitous Injera bread with 3 rolls of Injera bread on the side. It was delicious! The portion was huge! I could only finish the dish because I was very hungry. No complaints at all. Ambiance: There is bar seating as well as table seating in the interior and patio seating outside. I sat inside and it was loud. This will be a great place for groups. I wouldn't necessarily call this a date night place based on the ambiance. Value: The Chicken Tibs cost me $15.99 before tax. Given the taste and the portion, I will say it is very good value. I will definitely come back here for a leisurely meal. read more

Desta Ethiopian Restaurant - Chicken Tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Dallas, Texas

The best I have had in Dallas. When I travel to Dallas I have to stop here. Please be prepared to wait if you are dining in enjoy the company you are with. To go orders allow 25 minutes . Food was fresh and very good. read more

My 1yo and I dined here with my sister to celebrate her birthday. We were so touched by the warm service, amazing food and charming ambiance. I wished I lived in Dallas to frequent this treasure more often. Thank you, Desta! read more

Caio! It's in the details. This is a late night dinner place and one we will return. Space inventive and well loved. The kitchen presents well. Spices just right. Music is authentic and upbeat. Everything was cool and just right. High energy. You are welcomed well. Group or couples can easily find a place to sit. Don't overlook the experience of this place being in a strip mall. You leave that behind when you enter. I'm so glad we found this locale on Yelp. And celebrate Dallas now has over 15 Ethiopian restaurants in the area. Wonderful. read more

Desta is nice authentic Ethiopian restaurant with nice ambiance. Good service and even better food. The Veggie platter did not disappoint! read more

Always have great experience here, food is great, service is good, great atmosphere overall. Our all time favorite is the raw beef dish, loads with flavors. This is the best Ethiopian food I had so far, including the ones I tried in LA, Seattle and Las Vegas. Highly recommended. read more

Desta Ethiopian Restaurant - Meat combo-$45 - Ethiopian Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Had a great meal here ordered a combination platter for two of us. We were greeted by the owner and given excellent service. We told her it was our first trip there and she really went out of our way to make us feel welcome and appreciated this customers. they had been in this location for the last eight years and they had a wonderful outside dining area and a large inside dining area with a high ceiling. The tables were a little dark, but there was plenty of light coming in through the large windows, we will definitely be back read more

We absolutely love Desta. We visit literally almost once a month. Our favorite dishes are the Veggie Combo and the Lamb Tibs. So yummy!! Highly recommend. read more

Desta Ethiopian Restaurant - Veggie Combo and Lamb Tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Dallas, Texas

See all

I walk in and all the Clients appear to be Ethiopian.... I'm sold already. Veggie and meat combo with Lamb. That lamb is sliced and cooked so well ! It enhances each veggie and makes me a happy soul. Friendly service and family atmosphere read more

Desta Ethiopian Restaurant - people sitting at tables - Ethiopian Near Me - Dallas, Texas

See all

Wonderful atmosphere and service but the food is even better. This is our go to spot for authentic Ethiopian food. The spicy lamb tibs are perfect with a side of greens and extra injera. I'll take pictures next time. read more

I have been coming to this spot for years!!! And Desta never disappoints! Whether I want ful for breakfast, a veggie combo for lunch, or tibs for dinner Desta will hold you down! Always expect a futons/soccer game to be on the screens. Always expect the spot to be busy with large groups of happy families/friends, always expect a diverse crowd of patrons, always expect amazing service, reasonable pricing, and a ton of flavor!!! That's the short version! The long version is that, the last time I was here, I got cornered in the bathroom by an American woman (yt) who was just coming in for her first time, with her husband, whom she explained, was vegan. Being vegan is no problem here because they have a veggie combo that will knock your socks off, which I explained to her. She asked me for a rundown of the menu. No problem, or so I would think , but then she wanted me to explain the WHOLE ENTIRE menu to her, and again, once we left the bathroom, to her husband, who was waiting for her at the table! This would all be fine and dandy except I don't work at this damn restaurant lol! I'm a person who loves to share my favorite dishes and explain in great detail, so this was really no problem, just kinda funny, except that when the final interaction was over, this lady decided it was a appropriate to pat me on the booty! As"thanks", I guess ‍ this was astounding, and took me completely off guard, but not enough to make me avoid my favorite Ethiopian spot in the whole city lol! Desta for the win!!!!!! Booty pats included, I guess‍‍‍‍‍ read more

Desta Ethiopian Restaurant - Had no clue they had a breakfast menu! Special Fuul with egg for the win - Ethiopian Near Me - Dallas, Texas

See all

I knew this place had a good atmosphere when I first walked in and they greeted me with a nice loud welcome. Second time here. I came back because it was so delicious the first time that I was craving it today! Service is fast and attentive, and the staff all work together. There is no "let me get your server" type of stuff happening here. If you haven't been here, you should definitely come in and give it a try, you'll be hooked just like me! Unbeatable value, great food, great service! read more

Desta Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Dallas, Texas

See all

Delicious Ethiopian cuisine! Stopped in on the recommendation of a coworker and so glad we did. We split the Vegetarian sampler and the Beef Tibs. The vegetables were all super delish, I have to admit I do not know the official name for any of the dishes but the spicy red lentils are a must try. There was another red something that was also great, just get the sampler - you can't go wrong! Beef ribs were very flavorful but seemed a bit chewier than I would have anticipated. Quite edible but not as melt in your mouth as some I have tried. Overall a spot on place for some great food! Restaurant itself was clean and inviting and our server was very friendly. A definite try if you love this style of food. read more