This is a nice family owned place, food always comes out hot and fresh but it certainly takes a…read morewhile so cut out at least 90 minutes for your visit. We got the Meat Combo Plater which had 4 different dishes included, all very tasty (see photo for description)! But I was left wanting a little more spice/heat. The menu say this player would feed 2 but I have a smaller appetite so I think it could easily feed 3 or 4. Also when you're ready to pay, you go up to the counter and wait for a person to appear to ring you up (which can be confusing if you've never been there before).

I hate to write this review but the glowing reviews made us drive 20 minutes out of our way to try…read morethis place. Very much not worth it. The food is ok. We had a beef dish and a lamb dish. Both were so greasy it was difficult to wrangle. This was Made doubly difficult by the real problem. We were dining at 6pm on a Sunday evening. No one else was in the restaurant but for some reason we still had terrible service. We got 1 glass of water each, 1 bottled beverage and then were completely ignored. To the point we weren't given any silverware with our entrees. A spoon would have made things easier but really probably not that much better. Yes I know how to eat Ethiopian food and I understand the traditional presentation of serving the food on the bubble bread. Both of our dishes were served in bowls and the grease problem made it difficult to grasp with the bread. This was maybe my least favorite rendition of the bread I've had as well. It was very moist like very very moist and made the whole experience lack luster. It's clearly a family establishment and the kids are nice but they are not servers. All of this might have been ok but for what we got the food was also quite expensive. We've done Ethiopian many times and often seek it out when traveling. This place wasn't it. The restaurant it's self is ok if old and fairly dirty. But the neighborhood is a little off the beaten path. Exactly the hole in the wall kind of place where I'd the food is amazing and the service is great you could expect The kind of reviews we saw. I don't know if this place used to be good or maybe we were just here on an off night but if your traveling and looking for a great place in msp this has potential to disappoint.

Ethiopian cuisine is one of my favorite things to eat, and I was excited to find out that Lucy's…read moremarket conducts lessons in cooking injera as well as traditional Ethiopian dishes. Signups and information is on their Facebook page. In addition to a delicious restaurant and cooking lessons, this is also a market, selling commercially produced packages of injera, as well as lentils, and many other staples. There's a large open kitchen, a small retail market area, and a decent sized dining area. The service was top notch, and I learned a lot about the history or Ethiopian food in Minneapolis, during the checkout process. Whether looking for some food, lessons, or ingredients, you really can't go wrong coming here.

Lucy's is consistently delicious. We have gotten take out many times. We almost always get the…read moreveggie sampler and then a meat dish. The two of us are big eaters and we always have leftovers with this ordering combination. -Have had beef tibs wot, the key wot (a little more spicy/smoky), and the tilapia. All great. Want to try doro wot next! -If you're not sure what you like yet, try the Lucy's combo (meat and veggie sampler). Honestly I have never had anything I didn't love. You can taste the love and care that goes into this food. -Their cottage cheese is a super fresh, tangy, amazing complement to their smoky and spicier meat dishes. -Samosas are yummy especially with spicy green sauce on the side! This place is such a gem and we love it!

I have been to the Bole in St. Paul and the consistency between the restaurant shows just how great…read morean establishment this gem is. I came here with my sister and a friend while visiting home from where I currently live in Miami. There are no Ethiopian restaurants in Miami. None at all! And so every time I am in Minnesota, I HAVE to stop! We ordered the veggie sambusa, my sister and fried got the Ethiopian tea, which also comes with a teabag of English Breakfast on the side in case caffeine is desired, and I ordered the Ethiopian coffee ceremony. Yes, ceremony. The tea is hot and filled with spices and comes in a clear glass mug. For those who have not had Ethiopian coffee before, the coffee is brewed in the same clay container with the grinds and the vessel is then poured straight into a small coffee cup. The vessel has a narrow and long spout to pour out the liquid and not the grounds. It is flavored with different aromatics that I wont even try to identify. Cardamom, maybe? cinnamon? Alongside the coffee is an incense-like natural rock that burns to provide a pleasant and accompanying aroma. The server explained the name but I cannot remember it! It was a perfect introduction to what would transpire to be a great lunch. We ordered also the lunch super vegetable combo platter, which has each of the vegetable dishes laid out on a large plate and my sister and I both got the lunch portion doro wot. The dinner version comes with 2 pieces of chicken whereas the lunch comes with the drummy alone (still plenty of meat!) My friend who has a lower tolerance for spicy food ordered the steak tibs. The tibs came out on a sizzling skillet and each doro wot in an individual dish/bowl. It was a LOT of food but we dug in greedily. The server provided two extra baskets of nijera for us in addition to what came with each dish. Tibs were tender and the smell of toasted rosemary added to the aromas from the tea and coffee ceremony Unlike a foible of some wot/Ethiopian dishes, the doro wot was well emulsified and had no layer of oil, which just highlights the care taken to properly cook the stewed chicken and blend the spices. Needless to say, there were plenty of left overs which were gone within 24 hours at home. Congratulations, West side suburbs! There is a GREAT Ethiopian restaurant in your neck of the woods! No need to haul yourself over to downtown Minneapolis or over the river to St. Paul when you have this great restaurant in your backyard!

One of the best dining experiences we had in a long time!…read moreUpon entering there, wasn't anyone at the hostess desk so we walked up to the counter and were quickly directed to the last remaining open booth in the restaurant. Our waitress came over and brought us water and menus right away. She asked if it was her first time there and we said yes, and she genuinely got excited about being able to explain the menu and the experience to us. She walked us through the options and made recommendations taking into account our an anticipated spice tolerance. We wanted to try a variety of things so opted for the half-and-half platter, which had three stews and three veggies - even though we were warned it might be a bit spicy. Based on her recommendation, we also got the rolled crispy kitfo roll appetizer. The food was delicious. Each bite had a different flavor and it was balanced well with the salads and veggies to tone down the spice when needed. Our favorites were the lamb stew and the beef stew but as we watched other items get delivered we were clearly making our list for what to try next visit. I can't understate how exceptional the service was. Our waitress was an absolute gem. She kept walked us through the menu, explained the way to eat the food with the injera and kept checking on us, even offering rice if it was too spicy. An extra bonus was we had a lovely couple next to us that had dined at the St. Paul location before and they asked us how we liked it, what our favorite was and also recommended a specific drink for our next visit. The food was great but the service and environment made it stellar. We will absolutely be back...hopefully soon!

I was craving Ethiopian food and knew that while I was in Minneapolis I had to have it (since…read morethere's a decent Ethiopian presence here). Honestly with so many good options it was difficult to pick a place, but we ended up picking based on what was conveniently on the way from the markets to our hotel, and Agelgil had awesome reviews. We stepped into a very authentic-seeming restaurant space. There was a lot of seating, some cool, colorful lighting, and a warm fireplace. There were several locals dining in (we looked like the only tourists). The menu was pretty extensive. I knew I wanted variety so I debated between the Veggie & Meat Combo vs. Agelgil (pretty much meat only combo). We asked our server for her recommendation. She mentioned that the latter had way more meat and food in general (for only $10 more). Since we were super hungry, we went with that one (the Agelgil; serving 3-4). The portions were indeed very generous. The food came out so quickly and tasted delicious. There was so much flavor in the meat. Everything was amazing, including the Injera. We had enough leftovers for another full meal the next day. That said, the Agelgil only had one veggie and one lentil option on the platter. I wished there was more to balance out the heaviness of so much meat. Next time I'm in Minneapolis, I would definitely order the Veggie & Meat Combo (which I hear many other reviewers mentioning). The service was friendly and helpful. The ambiance is pretty casual. I definitely recommend trying Agelgil and I'm looking forward to being back!

Great food. Atmosphere authentic . The people were very nice and the samba was great.read more

It has been a very long while since I have had Ethiopian, and I heard that Dilla's was the place to…read moretry in the Twin Cities. After a brief adventure thanks to Apple Maps, we arrived. There is a large paid lot right next to the restaurant, so parking was easy. We did arrive early--right at 5, so that probably helped. We were seated pretty quickly as well. As others have noticed, the service is quite slow (there seems to be only one person working the front of the house), though that felt like it was part of the experience--there was a distinct "gathering place" vibe, and there were plenty of regulars who were engrossed in conversation... it seemed like everyone was family there. The decor added to the family/community feel, with art, textiles, and wicker ware all contributing to a homey feel. Of course what you're really wondering about is the food. It's quite tasty. We started with the veggie sambusas, which were hot and crispy and came with a spicy tomato chutney that was just delicious. We also ordered the fule, which was quite tasty and filling. I loved the seasonings and textures. My favorite dish, though, was Dilla's Mix. It was absolutely beautiful to behold thanks to the jewel-toned beets and golden squash, and the juices of the veggies combined with the spices to create a glorious sauce. It was very comforting and oh-so-satisfying. Of course, all was served with springy injera to scoop it up with. Their injera is a bit lighter and milder than some that I have had elsewhere, but it does the trick nicely. As others have mentioned, Dilla's serves entrees in their own dishes, which is great if you are a group that likes to share.

Small spot for good Ethiopian food. Pros: Good flavors, friendly servers and appreciated they were…read morewilling to create a veggie+meat combo for me - the menu only has veggie or meat combos. Cons: only 4 parking spots and their catering van was in one of them. Server disappeared for long periods of time though there were few tables. The injera was very cold, which made the food get cold fast. Especially since the room was very cold (the server was wearing a down coat).

I really wanted to like this place. Ethiopian is my favorite kind of food. I ordered the veggie…read morecombo to go, listed on the menu for $19.99. When my box of food came out, I went to pay and was charged $27 for the dish. Surprised, as she had said nothing to me when I ordered, the response was unapologetic: "the price has gone up ". When I got home and opened the box of food, there were just four dishes: three types of lentils and one of split peas, instead of the usual 6+ salad in an Ethiopian veggie combo.

They are working too Slow and i was wait for the food like One hour!…read morePlease don't go there !

I came here two days in a row and ordered the exact same dish. It is quiet at lunch time. The…read moreservice is slow but wonderful. If you are in a hurry this is not the place. If you have to time to enjoy the company of who you're with this can be a win. The food is delicious. It came out hot and well seasoned. Definitely a return spot.

An Ethiopian sports bar?? Say no more. We've been meaning to try Dilla for awhile and I'm so glad…read morewe popped in last night. First impression was that the place is huge, they even had a DJ set up on one side for later in the night, and as a football fan I'm always looking for new spots to watch the game. The service was also fantastic, all of the staff we interacted with were super friendly and kind, and our server checked in regularly. The food did take a little while to come out, but so worth it when it came. I wasn't very hungry so I just got the Egg Firfir appetizer for my entree but it was great - very simple and straightforward but still delicious. My friend got the half veggie sampler though which was the absolute star of the show and I'm definitely getting it next time I go. Overall - huge portions, great service, and a perfect spot to bring a group of friends to watch a game or just catch up. Can't wait to go back!

First time here with fellow yelper Rhonda. I've had Ethiopian food at my clients' homes and it is…read moreso yummy. I ordered the vegetarian sampler that included lentils, beets, collard greens, cabbage with carrot and 2 other vegetarian items with injera bread. Also a vegetarian sambusa, as they were out of beef. What gives this a 4 star review is the service. The owner's wife I presume was also the cook and server. Warm water was served, so we asked for ice. I can't scoop the food into the injera properly, so I needed a fork. We needed more napkins. I needed a refill of water and she was sitting by kitchen. Also no asking how the food is. We needed to ask for checks and boxes. I also needed a knife to trim injera bread. As we were leaving, I assume the other owner, her husband asked how things were and was friendly. The sambusa needed a dipping sauce of some kind, but I just put beets on top. I like Ethiopian food and my clients that are Ethiopian are super friendly, but I have no desire to return.

I met Yelper pal Michelle A. and we tend to try things in Eagan Burnsville and AV. They don't have…read morezil zil tibs but I got tibs. They were super tender with a crunch on the outside. Loaded with onions which I love. But since there were no rosemary sprigs there was a lack of flavor. I got a side salad, dressing could have used more flavor. They serve tepid water so it will need ice. It's a place where you will be aware of being in a strip mall. Service was seriously lacking. The owner came in when we were finishing up and he was really friendly. My curiosity has been satisfied.