First time trying Kitfo Dulet and it was delicious. I was a bit intimidated ordering because I have…read morelittle experience with Ethiopian cuisine and I wanted to pick the "right thing". The entree was flavorful and well seasoned with Ethiopian butter, onion, jalapeño, and mitmita to give it a kick without being overly spicy. To my surprise, the cabbage was the star of the show. I've never had cabbage prepared in this way, but it was so good!! The best part of my visit was the hospitality. Although I do my best to be intentional about respecting the chef and kitchen, I arrived an hour before close and Tsigay was still polite enough to take my order. She was so kind and sweet, and helped me with my order. The interior is a combination of a small casual dining room and half grocery store. This restaurant had been on my list to try for a while and I'm glad I made it a priority during my trip to Charlotte.

I've never had Ethiopian food and dining here was probably the BEST introduction to experiencing…read moreEthiopian food. The family who owns this restaurant and market was so so nice, and I was given great suggestions. We started off with some tea and Sambusas which were DELICIOUS. The tea was very aromatic, and I became so obsessed with it that I ended up buying some tea grounds to take home. I ordered the Tibs with lamb and was blown away by the blast of flavor. It paired very well with the injera it was served with. I honestly loved this whole experience and the kindness of the family who works here. Please visit this place! It's absolutely worth it :)

I thought East African Cuisine Eritrean and Ethiopian was closed. I stopped on two occasions. I…read morethought welp, that's just one more Ethiopian restaurant closed in Charlotte. My friend wanted me to meet her there and insisted they were open. I had my doubts but rolled in and what did I see???? An illuminated OPEN sign! Yipppeeee! We walked in a little carry out space with a couple of high top tables, looked like take out, the lady had a steam table loaded with 8 dishes, it's kind of like buffet, but Terry fixes your plate. (I used to work with a waiter from NY, when Southerners said, "fixin", he would say, "is it broken?") She loads it up with all the veggie dishes, there were one or two meat options too. I didn't try any, now I'm mad at myself, why didn't I? Plenty of injera and Terry's homemade hot sauce available. The door to the bar is open, so you can sit in the bar with your heaping plate of goodness, there's even a patio if you would like to sit outside, but not a lot of shade so it would have to be the perfect afternoon for al fresco dining. We enjoyed our lunch, barely talking, scarfing down our food, Ethiopian is one thing that I cannot eat fast enough!!! If I'm with people, I have to make myself stop and talk. Be sure to make time for coffee service. Ethiopian coffee is unique. They hand roast the beans, grind them, steep in a tiny, clay pot and serve with warm milk, tiny cups and popcorn. WHAT THE WHAT? My head exploded. I had a most enjoyable lunch, can't wait to return! Lunch is $10 and on Wednesdays it's $9!!!!!!!! CUNW.

Always love the Ethiopian food. This was my first Ethiopian food place in Charlotte. Food is great…read more Service is average! They took a while to get us Seated despite the fact that there were not many customers during that time.only for the good food we visited couple of times!

I have been a quiet regular from the optimist hall location. And I'm so happy I took the time to go…read moreto their original location off of the plaza. Walking in smells like comfort and home. And I am a Chinese girl so the smells are very different, but I still sense the comfort. My order stays the same of the Derek tibs a wwith lamb. I love the taste of all the herbs and spices with a charred exterior and a flavorful juicey interior. I haven't had a side I didn't like. I've had their pea stews, collards, green beans, and it has all been exceptional. My favorite part is at the end is sopping up all of the juices of the sides and the meats with the injera. If you're interested in trying something that is homey and comforting, Enat... Mother is a great restaurant to try.

I've always done carry out from the Plaza location but dined in when family were in town. Don't…read moreknow I'd be comfortable at night in the parking lot but the restaurant is an oasis of calm and gracious hospitality with food that is out of this world. I get the vegan platter thing and every bit of it is amazing. Teff injera available and just as delicious as the wheat.

With apologies to the other Ethiopian restaurants in the area, I picked Red Sea for dinner because…read moretheir Yelp page had the best food pics, and rightly so. Red Sea provided exactly the type of experience I wanted, including decor, atmosphere, friendliness, and of course the food. In the background, behind a door on the side of the restaurant, there was a second area where you could hear people playing snooker. At one point in the evening, the woman who seated and served us also roasted coffee beans at a little station in the corner, then she walked around so that the smell penetrated the entire restaurant like incense. What a cool thing, and something I've never experienced at any other Ethiopian restaurant previously. It's such a simple thing, you'd think it would be more common. The food was, of course, delicious. You could order individual foods or combo platters, and the combo platters were very well explained. This was one of the few Ethiopian restaurants I've visited which included beets on the menu both in the vegetable platter and as a side. Each person gets one gigantic piece of injera, so little worry of running out (there is a charge for extra). Tej is available by the bottle and glass, and several brands of beer are available. I would classify Red Sea as a hidden gem and definitely a place to dine.

I have long been wanting to try East African cuisine, and decided it was high time I pick a…read morerestaurant in the area and go for it. There were a few worthy entrants, but after reading reviews and looking at photos, I decided Red Sea would be the place I go to experience these new flavors. Located along Monroe Rd in a stand-alone building painted green and blue, the restaurant definitely appears a bit dated but to me that adds to the charm. I don't think any everything to be shiny and new, I'll go for tried and true when it comes to local restaurants. I went in on a weekday between lunch and dinner, so it was pretty quiet, but I noticed in addition to a fine looking bar, they have a small stage which suggests they sometimes host musical acts. I'd love to come back during one of their busy periods so I can get a better sense of the vibe, but on this particular day I was there solely for the food. The only thing I knew going into this experience is that Ethiopian food is typically served on a large piece of bread which I've come to learn is called injerna. The bread is a sourdough and has a spongy texture. Now I wanted to try different things so I got a combo platter that came with chicken, lamb, veggies, and a hard boiled egg as well. When they serve it, it comes with another piece of injerna and the idea is that you use the second one to tear away pieces and pick up your food with it. I confess that I tried my best to eat it the authentic way, but eventually I found myself getting frustrated and asked for a fork. Like chopsticks I'm sure it takes practice. The platter is a was massive, an absolute feast that could easily feed two people. I loved it, but eventually had to get a to go box. It was ambitious to take that on by myself. Overall my first experience has me hooked and I want to try more. I can't speak to the authenticity, but people in the city seem to rate this place very highly so I think that speaks for itself.

Had an opportunity to try this food truck while it was at Pilot Brewing. A friend mentioned it to…read moreus, so when we saw the online schedule we decided to head over. The wait after we placed our order was reasonable, and the women working in the truck were super friendly. We had a great experience - they explained the dishes to us after we shared it was our first visit. I ordered the meat sambusa and chicken tibs. I was torn between chicken and mogogo go tibs but I went with chicken. They were good, but I thought the dish was slightly greasy. I wasn't familiar with one of the sides, but the other was cabbage and pretty good. This was my first time trying Ethiopian food, I'll try it again.

Heard about Mogogo Eatery food truck from a friend, who highly suggested trying it out…read more Well...ended up trying it the same day it was suggested! LOL! Ordered the Mushroom Tibs plate, which also came with Injera. The Mushroom Tibs were VERY good...had a spicy kick to it and the sides it came with. The Injera was more of an acquired taste, but I can say that I tried it! LOL! The food truck was located outside of Pilot Brewing in Plaza Midwood and I believe it's located at other places at different times. So you can catch it by checking out the schedule on their website or their Insta. Pricing is moderate and not overpriced or expensive and it's LEGIT good! The staff/cook were very helpful in making a good decision on food! If you're nearby, try it out for sure! I will definitely be trying some of their other dishes in the future!

Don't go to this place unless you're okay with being choked or pepper-sprayed. The owner, Noah,…read moreseems to think it's acceptable to assault customers. I went to pick up an order and asked for a specific item. Noah, the owner, responded, "I don't go to the kitchen," and kept repeating the same excuse for about three minutes. Determined not to leave without the item, I finally said, "If you can't get it, just refund me, and I'll leave." Noah had $20 in his hand but never printed a receipt. Eventually, he handed me the $20. As I walked toward the main door to leave, he said, "Don't go through that door." I didn't understand why, as it was the main exit, but I decided to proceed anyway. Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me. Without warning, Noah came up and put me in a chokehold from behind. The hold only lasted a couple of seconds before my instincts kicked in. Having trained in martial arts, I defended myself. In the heat of the moment, I retaliated and landed multiple strikes. At one point, I realized I could have seriously hurt him--I almost choked him out or broken his arm--but I held back. The fight spilled through the door Noah didn't want me to use, and we ended up outside on the street. By the end of the altercation, we were both holding onto each other's shirts. I told him I wouldn't press charges because I felt I had already gotten the upper hand. Soon after, Noah called a security guard from the bar next door. When the guard arrived, I thought it was about to escalate further. Instead, Noah, clearly upset, ordered the guard to pepper spray me at close range. Afterward, the guard and I exchanged a few words. I could tell he felt bad about what happened after hearing the full story. In the end, Noah decided not to press charges, likely to avoid scrutiny over his own actions. Yelp doesn't allow posts with graphic content, so I can't share some of the images. The video shows you glimpses ywim

This was definitely one of the best Ethiopian restaurants I've eaten at in Charlotte, and I already…read morecan't wait to get back. As a vegetarian, I ordered the Queen Sheba Veggie which had a little bit of everything. It was *chef's kiss*. I didn't specify a spice level but it was manageable, yet totally flavorful and delicious. The cabbage dish was absolutely the best I've ever had, the injera was plentiful and perfectly tasty, and the honey wine (tej) was a delight. I arrived hungry and managed to finish most of what was on the platter. I definitely think the portions were generous without going overboard. I really don't have any complaints about this place. I wish they were open for lunchtime, but I guess that just means more Ethiopian food for dinner for me!

The food was less than desirable. My partner was sick, and hoped to enjoy some delicious soup,…read moresimilar to what he grew up with. I should've heeded the warning of the other reviews, but I thought I would give a small business a chance. I was absolutely wrong. My first clue should've been the lack of customers in the restaurant. My second clue should've been that 90 sanitation rating. My third clue should've been the lack of food in the chafing dishes upfront. My fourth clue should've been when I was charged more than the posted price for the soup (which came to $19.47). I ignored all of this just to support a small business. Beware. If I could have given zero stars I would have. I hope this place shuts down soon. It is a real waste of space.

Very good Nigerian food. The servers are very friendly and helpful. The restaurant is cleanread more